by Vance Huxley
“I doubt it and the Wild won’t care what you say. The Wild will kill you, can’t you understand?” Billi shook his head. “Arikk, Kelli isn’t here. Go home and grieve before the Wild takes you and the rest as well.”
Arikk shook his head violently. “No! You’ve got her. He found the signs and the dogs followed the scent.”
That made no sense to Billi because Hunters and Hounds had looked and found nothing. “What sign?”
“Your stick, the marks under the leaves right where she went, then going off onto the trees and the dogs followed it.” Arikk seemed totally certain about that, but then the Farmer wasn’t thinking clearly just now.
Billi shook his head, gently. “Possibly followed my scent but not from there. I never stood there because that would have messed up the sign.”
“We saw it. He showed us.” Another one of the villagers, not one of Edan’s little gang so why had he come out here?
“He’s just going to lie. Take him to his village and we’ll find her. Then we’ll finish the cripple and it’ll be our village.” That Aescon again. Did they intend taking over the lakes? The Great Hunter would kill the dogs at least and the Wild would take everyone else. Then the Forest would move back. Rubyn’s future, all gone because of a fool and a grieving old man.
Billi straightened. “Not a chance. First I’m not taking you, and second if I did, the Wild would destroy the place so you can’t have it.” That was the Law of the Wild. Billi wondered if Edan somehow infected all of them with his daft ideas? The tall stockman seemed to have told himself them often enough to believe.
Edan turned to the group. “See, I told you. The same old story about only the Hunters being allowed to have the benefits. One look and anyone can tell the Wild and Forest would never respect a cripple and his crippled dog if it really is dangerous out here.” Edan turned back to Billi. “Well you Hunters are all finished. When we prove we can make our own Village with my dogs, without any precious Hounds, we’ll have our own rules and the first is no Hunters. After all, that place is at the end of the Forest.” Edan really believed it, the utter conviction in his voice said so.
“Too late, because the landclaims are in. Ellibeth and Gerant have already started work on theirs.” Only a bit of bush clearing, but near enough.
“Ellibeth, another maid led astray! Well she’s welcome to come. I’m sure we can make some arrangement for a fine maid wanting some company and help with a landclaim.” Several laughed and they were all Edan’s group. “Especially when we’ve got your sparkuls to offer.” A worm of anger started in Billi. They had no need to talk about Ellibeth like that, again.
“Hey, leave the maid and the landclaims out of it.” One of the other villagers spoke up and Billi felt relieved, since it meant they weren’t all here for his valley. Those at least might listen to reason and hopefully soon because of the patch of silence over there in the trees where the little creatures were frightened. Then birds started scolding deep in the trees across the stream. At least two Wild hunters had come to look, and Billi hoped they weren’t a pack.
“What about my Kelli?” Arikk sounded impatient, he didn’t want to talk about other maids or villages.
They were starting to argue but Edan wasn’t having that. “I told you, he’s got Kelli and he’ll tell us where he put her. Then we take the valley and sparkuls and have our own village.”
“No, we find Kelli and take her back home.” Hurwald, one of those with Arikk, wasn’t interested in anything else. Billi hoped they’d argue among themselves and eventually calm down though he had to get them moving back towards the Village soon. Billi briefly wondered if the valley might be nearer but no, Edan wasn’t getting anywhere near there!
“He’s killed her you fool. That’s why he has to die.” Rabbit rumbled, a definite threat this time and the dogs lunged on their leads, snarling. Edan’s bow came up. “The crippled mutt first.”
Billi’s bow came up. He barely remembered putting the arrow in but it centred on Edan. “You loose at Rabbit, and you die.”
“I don’t need an arrow, and you won’t hide behind the Hound this time.” Edan fumbled with his belt where the leashes were clipped. “Kill it!” Billi hesitated as the four dogs leapt forward, wondering if he should risk ignoring Edan to put a shaft in one? But Rabbit’s song surged with confidence and a savage glee so Billi held the half-draw still pointed Edan’s way.
The dogs closed rapidly and then Rabbit gave one rumbling snarl and shot forward. As they recoiled from the volume and pure menace of it the Hound struck. One dog hurled into the air, blood jetting as it bounced once and laid threshing and squealing briefly before going still. Another yelped and then the three survivors were gone into the trees. That left just Rabbit, stood there with blood on his jaws and his hackles up.
“No!” Pure shock and disbelief sounded in Edan’s voice, and everyone else finally shut up. A good few of them had a bow part raised and Billi tried to watch them all. At least some of the others were either terrified or frozen in shock.
“That’s why the Wild allows Hounds and not dogs. Now go home before you all die.” Billi wasn’t arguing anymore, because Edan had just tried to kill Rabbit!
“No!” That came more as a scream and Edan’s bow came up and swung towards Rabbit, now hopping back to Billi. Billi finished his draw and loosed without any conscious decision. The man couldn’t be allowed to kill Rabbit. Billi had a big bow even for a Hunter and a man made a big target well inside Billi’s usual hunting distance. Edan went over backwards and sprawled with the shaft jutting from his chest.
His legs kicked briefly, he shuddered then he lay still. Nobody saw where the Edan’s arrow went because all eyes went to the body, and back to Billi, and a few bows started to lift. Billi already had another shaft ready and Rabbit whirled, all his ruff upright now. A continuous low rumble came from the Hound’s throat, and everyone froze like that for a long moment.
When the yelp came Billi almost loosed, but he hadn’t picked a target since none of the bows were full drawn. The yelp came from the Forest on the other side of the stream where one of the dogs had gone. Moments later the other two came out of the trees this side and dived into the middle of the men where they cowered, whining. “What was that?” Hurwald stared across the stream, his face drawn and pale.
“The Wild.” Billi thought the something must be big, since that wasn’t a small dog but it hadn’t had the chance to fight. The one yelp had been cut off short.
“Something bit her leg off!” Billi looked and yes, half of one dog’s foreleg had been cleanly removed and blood poured out.
“Hopefully Rabbit or it’ll follow the blood trail. Bind that or the dog will die, and binding will stop it leaving a trail for the Wild.” The youth bent and worked on the dog with another helping to hold the injured animal. The rest were looking from the dead dog to the dead man to the injured dog and back to Billi and Rabbit. That had certainly stopped all the shouting and such but Billi had a sick feeling in his gut. This wasn’t holding a man’s neck. Billi had killed a man sure as he’d killed every deer he’d loosed at.
“Why did you do that?” Aescon finally spoke, and with a stupid question really. Billi sighed, then clenched his muscles a moment as his gut rebelled.
“Edan’s dogs tried to kill Rabbit so my Hound killed one. Then Edan tried to kill Rabbit and I stopped him. He’d threatened to kill me; what did you think I’d do?”
“But how could you? You’re. Your dog. I mean look at it. A cripple.” The man sort of gestured at Rabbit and he seemed really confused but Billi had no time for this, had the idiots forgotten?
“I’d worry more about what killed the other dog. Something big.” All eyes swung to the other side of the stream and bows came up. “Don’t be stupid. If you hit it with those you’ve got to follow it and finish it. You all know the Law of the Wild. Do you want to follow something wounded and big through the Forest? I don’t and if you hit it, I won’t. The Wild can have you.” Billi had s
tarted to get angry as well as sick and he felt angry because these idiots had followed a bigger one. Now the bigger one had Billi’s arrow in him and shunning wouldn’t fix this.
A deep, blood-curdling snarl sounded from the other side of the stream and the bushes moved. Billi caught sight of a patch of black gleaming pelt as something massive pushed through almost in sight and then disappeared. People were exclaiming, and some were looking back down the stream the way they came. If any of them ran the beast would chase, because it wouldn’t be able to help it. “Stand still!”
The bows, spears and dogs wouldn’t even slow this beast up because they’d attracted the Great Hunter! Billi really hoped it didn’t attack, because he didn’t want to die. His guts churned again. Not now when life had been going so well. If the Great Hunter attacked the party Billi wouldn’t be able to stand and let it kill them, but even if he got a shaft into its ribs that killed it eventually, the beast was too close. The Great Hunter would kill him and Rabbit before it died.
Though the beast had stopped all the threats aimed at Billi since everyone now stared at the bushes. “What was that?” Well at least the stupid idiot had some respect in his voice now. Billi wasn’t feeling tolerant since they’d just ruined his lovely new life.
“That is the Wild, Aescon, because some stupid idiot thought he could come into the Forest with dogs and a bunch of other idiots came with him.” Billi gave a short laugh. “He’s my neighbour. Since finding the valley I’ve worked out an agreement with him, and you lot have just trampled right through it.”
“That’s your neighbour? You’re insane.” Aescon stared, horrified.
“No. I didn’t wander into the Forest with four dogs and an idiot in charge. That’s insane.” Billi really had lost any patience with this fool, and the churning kept getting worse, and he daren’t let the bow slacken. “That beast doesn’t lie about me, or try to steal my landclaim, or spread rumours about the innocent. That makes him a better neighbour than some.” Billi knew the bitterness showed, and didn’t care anymore.
“What about my Kelli?” Arikk’s quiet voice sounded plaintive, and confused.
“The Wild took her.” Billi gentled his tone. “I am truly sorry.” He was. Billi wasn’t angry with Arikk. Edan and his stupid friends had led the poor man out here where he might easily die.
“But he said.” Arikk looked round, wide-eyed. “The Wild took her? That took her?” Real shock stopped him, and a dawning horror showed in his eyes as Arikk looked round the group hoping for a different answer. Billi realised that in common with most villagers Arikk had never seen a live Wild predator.
“Not that one. He lives further away and those dogs probably attracted him. But yes Arikk, something like that took her.” Billi saw the man’s face crumple.
“The Wild took her.” Arikk burst into tears. Not the loud sobbing sort, but a steady, silent flood of despair as his shoulders shook. Hurwald put a hand on his shoulder and others moved closer.
“What do we do?” At last someone had realised they were in trouble, Seifort, the youth who’d fixed the dog. “We were wrong and I’m sorry Billi. Edan showed us proof and well, Arikk seemed so sure as well.” He shrugged unhappily. “It all made sense at the time, but he said nothing about killing or taking villages. I’m sorry.”
Billi didn’t even answer the reasoning or apology. “Put all your bows on the floor, arrows as well, and stand back off them. Take Edan with you.”
Aescon gestured at the dead dog. “What about the dog?”
“Tithe for the Wild. Hope that it’s enough.” Billi was either going to be sick or lose his temper soon. They were still arguing with a Great Hunter at the most two bounds away!
“What about the bows? We’ll be defenceless.” Billi didn’t even have to answer Aescon since Seifort did it for him.
“The Law of the Wild, only a Hunter with a Hound can carry a bow in the Forest. Worse still, that thing won’t notice our bows. Look at what the Hunter’s pulling and he doesn’t think that’ll stop it. These are toys but he doesn’t want them pointing at his back.” The youth threw his bow down. “I’m betting my life Billi is the best bet for getting me home because he’s a Hunter. That’s if he’ll take us since some of us just threatened to kill the man, and tried to kill his Hound.”
The bitterness in that wasn’t aimed at Billi. More bows followed, and quivers and a pitchfork. Two spears followed, and another pitchfork. The youth stepped back and someone eased Arikk that way, and slowly most of the group dropped their bows or spears and moved back. Those left were Edan’s group and they weren’t convinced. The two surviving dogs were. They’d gone back with the other villagers but they were frightened of Rabbit, not the Wild.
“Why should we give up our bows? What are you going to do with us, you or that animal?” Aescon again, and Billi’s patience snapped completely.
“I’m going to take those people home, because they’re worth saving. Keep the damn bows and stay. If the Wild eats you at least I’ll be shut of you all. But if you want to live, PUT THE DAMN BOWS DOWN!” Billi shouted the last bit, and Rabbit had picked up his anger of course and gave a blood-curdling snarl. The Hound had put up with enough as well.
Billi wasn’t surprised by the anger in the song, or the eagerness to do something about it. What did surprise him was the rumbling growl from the bushes on the other side of the stream! A clear threat but against Billi and Rabbit or the others? Billi didn’t know if the growl came in reply to his and Rabbit’s anger, or the beast had realised the other group had no Hunter.
The group, even Edan’s friends, had no doubt at all. Bows and quivers and two spears hit the floor and the first ones encouraged anyone a bit slow. They didn’t even look at the Billi’s bow and the Hound because everyone’s attention stayed on the bushes, still mercifully undisturbed. The last couple of bows and the quivers hit the floor, four of them picked up Edan, and the six of them moved back to join the rest.
Rabbit followed until he stood over the weapons and Billi felt the savage edge go off the song. Rabbit’s ruff went down a bit, and Billi relaxed a little as well. He finally eased right off his bow, and removed the shaft. Billi picked up his crutch and turned to get his pack but came over dizzy and put a hand on the tree. Then Billi was thoroughly and violently sick. He heaved until he had nothing left, and then coughed and spluttered and spat some more. Billi turned and glared at the group, daring someone to make a smart remark. They were all still staring at the bushes and Billi wasn’t even sure they’d noticed. Well in that case they could wait a moment.
* * *
Billi rinsed his mouth out a couple of times and had a long drink of the cold water, which settled him a bit. Then he shouldered his pack and put the bow over his shoulder, still strung. Billi picked up his spear in his free hand, set his crutch right, and headed over to the rest. The churning had gone, replaced by a heaviness in Billi’s heart. He’d be going back to the Village now and could already feel the accusing eyes because he’d just killed a man. There’d be no doubt where the looks were aimed this time, and Billi could already feel the eyes on his back.
The crowd watched him approach and then one pointed, and another, and several were muttering. “What’s that?” One of the older men with Arikk, another Farmer Billi thought, spoke up. “What’s that, on your crutch, and on your peg?”
“What? Nothing.” Billi watched them closely, wondering what they were going to come up with now. He could feel Rabbit, poised, on edge again. He waved the end of his crutch and put it back down.
“That round bit on the end. How long’s that been there?” At least half the others were looking now.
Billi wondered why the little wooden foot seemed so interesting? They were all looking at it now, even Edan’s idiots. “Months. I can’t remember. Ask Syman because he carved it for out here where the ground is softer. I don’t use it around the Village because the track is gravelled.” Billi just wanted to get going away from the dead dog and blood, away from the gath
ering Wild, and especially away from the big black beast in the bushes.
The man wasn’t looking at Billi now, he looked at Edan’s body. “The stinking rotten little swine! If he wasn’t dead, I’d kill him myself!” He half moved to kick out at the body, then stopped.
Billi didn’t want to think about Edan. This man was too late because Billi had already done it, killed Edan and in spite of everything Billi wished he’d missed for once and wounded the man. “Too late, now can we move away from the blood and body before something else gets hungry?” That stopped all talk of crutches and got them moving!
The group headed away, muttering among themselves and glancing at Rabbit and Billi but keeping ahead of both. Billi looked at the bushes before he left and waved at the body of the dog, and the half leg he could now see. “Tithe.” He really hoped the beast accepted the gesture even if the words meant nothing to it.
* * *
They trekked steadily, stopping occasionally for a breather and drink before pushing on. Billi started getting worried again and not just about the Wild this time. Edan’s group seemed to have recovered from their scare and their glares were making Billi nervous, since all six still had their belt knives. He couldn’t leave them with nothing if the Wild did decide that one Hunter and Hound wasn’t enough of an escort. Then Edan’s friends started murmuring in a group and looking at Billi, especially when they thought he was looking elsewhere.
Billi took a firm hold on the spear. He had the feeling that once the party came near enough to safety for the bunch of them to feel secure those six would have a go. Despite his spear they might swamp him and get a knife into him. Then even if Rabbit fought them off the Hound would just lay down with his Hunter and die as well, which would be the final injustice since the Hound had done nothing except defend himself against the dogs.
