The Forest and the Farm

by Vance Huxley

  Before that Billi had a more immediate worry. This group wouldn’t be out of the Forest by dark because Billi would hold them up. He couldn’t tell them to make a run for it, because from the absolute lack of game or even small animals at least one something still stalked them. Billi didn’t think the Great Hunter had followed. Hopefully that had been satisfied with another dog though the spiked collar might have slowed it briefly. Which briefly took Billi’s mind off the worry about tonight, and churning over Edan’s death. He realised that Rabbit must have seen the collars and understood, since he’d torn out one dog’s belly and bit the leg off the other. Billi had always thought Rabbit a wonder, but even he’d not expected the speed with which the Hound had scattered the dogs. Now Billi realised Rabbit had thought it through as well.

  Then Billi went back to worrying about the coming night with over a score of unhappy men and one Hound and a Hunter, all in a circle of fires. If Billi dozed or something distracted Rabbit either the Wild or the men might strike. Billi could have been seriously tempted to put them in a circle of fires and then camp away from the lot. At least then only the Wild would threaten him and Billi could handle that overnight but no, he just couldn’t leave them to it. Arikk at least couldn’t be blamed. The bereaved Da plodded along being steered by one of the others, and every so often the man’s eyes would stream tears again. He hadn’t said a word since they started back. Billi thought that at least some of those with him only came to look after Arikk. Billi sighed, so he couldn’t let the Wild take them either. Why couldn’t anything be straightforward?

  The afternoon wore on and became evening. Now and then Billi would stop and take a drink and have a breather. No point in rushing because he wouldn’t get near enough home by dark. Eventually Billi judged it late enough. “That’s it for tonight. You must all gather firewood now. A lot, as much as you possibly can, big or small, to keep the fires going all night.”

  “Why can’t we keep going through the night?” Aescon just never gave up.

  Billi didn’t even argue. “Off you go. I’m stopping here, and I reckon those two dogs have got the sense to do the same.” Billi turned to the rest. “There are at least two Wild predators stalking us now. This group is too large for just one Hunter and Hound to escort and the Wild is gathering. I can’t stop them in the dark, but fire should.”

  “Good enough for me.” Hurwald looked around. “If someone keeps an eye on Arikk so he don’t wander off, I’ll get started gathering wood.”

  “I’ll give you a hand.” Seifort moved off towards a fallen branch. One man stayed with Arikk, and the rest started picking up branches and sticks, even Aescon and his cronies after a brief hesitation.

  “Keep where I can see you, and if I tell you to back away from somewhere, just do it.” Billi had an arrow in his bow and Rabbit went on full alert, sifting the Forest noises and scents. At least one something kept trying to creep closer according to Rabbit’s song. Billi faced that way but kept glancing round.

  It didn’t make Billi feel better when some of Edan’s lot hefted the branches they picked up, and they weren’t thinking of firewood. Rabbit noticed that as well and Billi could feel the tense watchfulness in the song. He knew his own uneasiness would only feed Rabbit’s tension but couldn’t help that. There were more than a few hairs on Rabbit’s ruff up all the time now and not just because of the men, because more predators had gathered in the growing shadows. Billi pointed at the wide swathe of grass bank next to the water. “Build a ring of fires, close together. Small and close is better than one big one. Don’t light them yet. Put one here, right on the bank.”

  “That leaves a gap by the stream.” Seifort sounded worried rather than causing trouble so Billi gave him the reason.

  “We’ve not enough wood to keep a complete ring going all night. I’ll be stood here with Rabbit, next to the single fire and the stream and the Wild will be less keen to come past us.” Billi looked around, assessing. “The fires are big enough now. Put the rest of the wood just inside the fires, where it can be used to feed them. Don’t use it up too fast.”

  They sat and anyone with some food ate it. The rest would sleep hungry because Billi hadn’t hunted. He had a sudden insane vision of himself trying to tickle fish for supper while Rabbit kept that lot off him. Anyway, Billi’s stomach didn’t fancy food just now. They sat until Billi thought it too dark for safety. “That’ll do.” Billi lit the small fire on the bank. “Collect a brand from here and light them all.”

  As they closed in to get the lit brands, Billi thought the moment had come. Edan’s lot were tensed, their makeshift clubs in their hands as they came for their fire. Then from behind them Hurwald spoke up. “Don’t be so damn stupid. I’m not sleeping in the Forest without a Hunter and Hound, so ye back off.” It was enough, since Edan’s gang didn’t seem confident the rest were going to stay out of it. The clubs went onto the firewood heaps, for now.

  Everyone settled in, more or less because now the whole group except Arikk were frightened. Billi could understand the cries of fear and anxiety when the fires lit up eyes watching from the darkness, but only one pair really worried him. Billi brought up his bow and that pair backed off. Billi just knew this would be a long night.

  The time dragged because although he sat on his pack Billi daren’t sit on the floor and rest, let alone lie down. He’d never get up fast enough to defend himself or anyone else. Edan’s friends sat in a tight group muttering away to themselves, while the rest made another, slightly looser group around Arikk. Billi and Rabbit sat on their own and Billi churned it over and over. He’d killed a man, a man who wasn’t even aiming the bow at him.

  At least the edge in the song helped Billi keep awake. Rabbit’s spike of anxiety each time he heard or sensed something brought Billi alert every time. Sometime just before dawn the sheer brightness of the alert brought Billi to his feet. At least the threat wasn’t Aescon’s men, not yet. Billi half-drew the arrow in his bow and faced the right direction, and questions came from both groups. “Shut up. I need to hear.”

  Rabbit’s song faltered, and seemed puzzled, and then Rabbit raised his head and bayed, loud and clear! There were shouts from some of the men, and some cringed away. The two dogs whined and crouched low but Billi felt his spirits soar. The song rose clear and bright and joyful! Whoever was out there, Rabbit knew them as a friend. Billi listened carefully but couldn’t hear anything, so the whoever were a long way away.

  Then Billi noticed the group around Edan’s body. Poised. He wasn’t going to let them know he had friends coming. “All of you shut up and sit down. I need a clear view since I’d rather not stick an arrow in someone now but I’ll not hesitate to try and aim past you if some beast comes out of the Forest.” There were some startled glances and mutters, but at least that got them all sat again.

  Better still, the alert gave Billi a reason to be up on his foot with an arrow in his bow with nobody wondering why. For a little longer Billi stood, listening, and then he heard something faint. Rabbit bayed again, full-throated, his call ringing out across the Forest. The replies were the same, even if faint, and there were a lot of them! Hounds, and presumably Hunters. Billi wondered what so many were doing out here and if they believed the same nonsense as Edan did?

  Then sense prevailed. No, or they would have been in this group. The Hunters had probably come to try and save this group when someone found out they’d gone without Hounds. But now Billi worried about what the Hunters would say about the body. He stood there with an arrow in the bow as Rabbit periodically bayed and the replies grew closer. The others could hear the Hounds coming now and obviously the Hunters and Hounds knew where this group were. Billi watched the tension leave the group around the body.

  His own tension grew as the sounds came clearer. Rabbit’s tail started wagging now so he knew some of the Hounds and Billi felt a bit more hopeful, right up until they came into the firelight. He recognised one of the lead Hounds as Autumn, Canitre’s golden brown Hound so Canitre
, Edan’s Da, would be right behind. Edan’s body lay plain enough on the ground with Edan’s friends grouped around it and then Billi could see Canitre. The Hunter looked at the group and the body with puzzlement and growing concern, moving forward to see better.

  The rest of the Hunters were a mixture of puzzled and angry though as yet their anger seemed to be directed at the group. Billi relaxed and unstrung his bow, and put the arrow back into the quiver. This wouldn’t be that sort of struggle. He sat on his pack as exhaustion swept in. “What happened?” Billi looked up at Nortan, Barimar and Cynel.

  But Aescon spoke up before Billi could answer. “He killed Edan!” Canitre moved forward far enough and the group stepped aside. The shaft still stuck out of Edan’s chest, clearly visible in the firelight and Canitre swung back, disbelief and grief warring for control.

  “He threatened to kill me, then he tried to kill Rabbit.” Billi felt sorry he’d killed the man, but not of the reason.

  “It’s true, and I’m not proud to be part of it. We came to get Kelli and take back the Hunter to answer for it, but she isn’t here and Edan set the dogs on Rabbit. Then when Rabbit killed one and scattered the others, Edan tried to kill the Hound, so Billi put an arrow in him.” There were several glances at Rabbit, checking for damage Billi thought, and Canitre swung on the speaker, Seifort.

  “Kelli? Why would she be here? The Wild took her.” Then he seemed to notice Arikk for the first time. “Arikk, what are you doing out here?”

  “He said my Kelli was here. But I saw it, I saw the Wild. It took my Kelli.” The tears started again but Hurwald, the one with his arm around Arikk, took it up. Billi also got part of the full story at last.

  “We were told Billi had taken Kelli, because he wanted a maid for his new village and no proper maid would touch him. Edan showed us the marks of Billi’s stick, and then his dogs followed the scent. He said the Hounds wouldn’t follow a Hunter or a Hound, but his dogs would and he’d get Kelli back. I wasn’t sure but the stick marks were there.” The man glanced at the body and spat on the ground. “Except they weren’t Billi’s crutch. It’s got something on the end and the other’s not just a peg, which means that rat did it on purpose with a branch or something. Sorry Canitre, but if Billi hadn’t done it I might’ve killed the little shite for doing that to Arikk, once I knew.”

  The Hunters were looking properly at the group now, and Cynel pointed. “You came out with knives and four dogs?”

  “What did he mean, he saw the Wild?”

  “Are you all stupid or drunk?”

  “Where’s the other dogs?”

  Barimar snorted. “Why would Billi need to steal a maid? He’s beating them off with a stick.”

  “What are you doing here?” The last Hunter stared at the youth, Seifort.

  Seifort shuffled a bit before answering. “Sorry Da, it all made sense at the time and the dogs were hot on the scent and I was there with my bow so I came along.” The youth really did sound apologetic. He must have been chewing it over and obviously expected to be in a lot of trouble.

  Robbin looked around. “Where’s the bow now?”

  “He made us all give them up so we had no defence again his beast.” Aescon had started again. Eyes swung to Rabbit. “Not that crippled thing, the big black one out there. It took the dog. It’s his neighbour. The cripple is in league with the Wild and he probably gave them Kelli.” The man went down, staring up in shock and putting a hand to his bloody mouth as Hurwald stood over him.

  “You ever let your lying mouth say her name again and I’ll cut your tongue out. Whatever that was, if Billi hadn’t been here it would have taken us all and he surely didn’t call it. That shite’s dogs did.” The farmer went back to Arikk.

  “Neighbour? The Great Hunter is here?” Eddmune’s bow came half up but he relaxed again and glanced at his Hound. “No, something is but not a Great Hunter.” Some of the other Hunters were looking at Eddmune. “Sorry Billi, they all need to know now.” He turned to the rest. “Billi really does have a Great Hunter as a neighbour and I’ve seen the pug marks. It leaves Billi’s hut and the inside of the valley alone, and it tolerated us so the Wild has made a decision. The valley is Farm, not Forest.”

  The Hunters were full of questions now but weren’t asking Billi because they had Eddmune and Mikkel right in among them. Arikk spoke quietly to another Hunter, Nortan had his head together with another villager and the Seifort kept talking fast to his Da. Canitre went on one knee by Edan, head bowed. Nobody even looked at Billi anymore.

  Billi picked up his pack with his free hand, stumped over to a small tree, propped his pack against it and sat down with a sigh. Billi leaned back against the pack, and Rabbit laid next to him and sighed as well. That wasn’t quite enough for a smile but it helped Billi. Farimer came across and gestured to the ground and Billi waved ‘go ahead’ so the Hunter sat.

  “Bit of a mess.”

  Billi sighed again. “Just a bit. I didn’t have a choice.”

  Farimer nodded. “From the sounds of some of that, I might have been tempted to leave the lot out here.”

  Billi shrugged. “I couldn’t run fast enough.”

  Farimer snorted. “And it never crossed your mind.”

  Billi put a hand on Rabbit’s head. “For a moment when they tried to kill Rabbit.”

  Farimer reached out to ruffle Midnight’s ears. “I might have done the same, if someone went for Midnight. Did the dogs really go for Rabbit, because even the Traders’ dogs won’t usually tackle a Hound?”

  “I thought about it a bit on the way back. Edan had to have trained them and maybe he kept them away from Hounds, so they never met one.” They both looked over to where the two big dogs were trying to be invisible, crouched down looking nervously from one to another of the Hounds walking around. “I think they’ve learned respect now.”

  “Aye. Those collars aren’t usual, and would protect them from a dog and maybe help against some of the Wild hunters. No use against a Hound though.” Farimer stroked Midnight. “The Eldest will want to talk to you when we get back. Are you coming with us?”

  Billi stared, surprised. “I have a choice?”

  “Well yes. This is outside the Farm and partway to your valley, where I’ve heard you’re the Eldest, so right here is as much your place as the Village’s. You don’t have to come and anyway there are enough others to tell the tale.” Farimer glanced over. “I think young Seifort is going to tell it just as it happened because Robbin isn’t happy.” Robbin had a face like thunder, and kept asking Seifort more questions.

  “Seifort isn’t too bad. He reminded them all of the Law and told them to chuck away the bows, and was the first to do it. That youth just got caught up in whatever this lot thought they were doing.” Billi thought about it. “I’ve just killed a man, and it doesn’t sit well. I’d rather have a bit of time in the green before all the eyes are watching, enough time so everyone knows the full story before I have to tramp through the Village.” Billi sighed. “There’s going to be a lot of talk before it’s all sorted, and folk will be suspecting this and that. I’ll come in, and I’ll be in the valley if you want me first, but if it’s going to be allowed I’d rather have a bit of peace first.”

  “Aye, we all feel that sometimes, Hunters that is. It’s the call of the Forest, the green you call it? That’s as good a name as any and we all go on a hunt when we don’t really need to, looking for peace when we want to sort out a bit of a problem without a lot of folk nattering.” Farimer got up, “I’ll tell them. The Hunters will understand, and I don’t care much about the rest except Arikk of course. That man’s had enough, though at least now he’s understood Kelli has gone. Get off to your valley and get some peace. We’ll see you in a few days.”

  * * *

  Billi couldn’t believe it! He got himself off as fast as possible, in case the others didn’t agree. Behind him a few voices raised in protest before others cut them off. Billi didn’t go far, just enough to find a bit of
firewood and make a decent fire. Then he settled down with a much happier Rabbit and tried to sleep. Sleep wouldn’t come though Billi tried very hard to think of nothing. Edan with his bow coming up, and Edan with an arrow in him went round and round in his head. Billi didn’t really sleep but he dozed and rested, on and off until the light strengthened to real daylight and then he gave up.

  Billi felt stiff when he roused, but now he had a bit of appetite back. He built up the fire and found his fishing lines, and of course the fish were bashful. Eventually Billi had enough for a bit of breakfast, which he shared with a subdued Rabbit. At least his stomach had settled down if he didn’t think about Edan too much. Sitting watching the fishing lines had helped with that. Billi left the tithe and headed for the valley. He might get there tomorrow, but would probably sleep out another night as he’d have to hunt or fish to eat.

  Billi still couldn’t think of nothing. That became harder still when he came upon the bows since they were firewood now, as were the arrows, mostly. The pug marks said the Great Hunter didn’t like bows. The arrow heads should be recoverable but Billi left them to rust. Rabbit had dismissed the entire episode now they were moving towards the valley. His song rang out happy and untroubled except for a little note of worry that seemed to be aimed at Billi. Rabbit probably wondered what had upset Billi since Hounds never dwelt on deaths overlong.

  The leg and the dead dog were gone although the collar laid there, intact. That puzzle kept Billi busy for a short while as he stumped along. Then he realised, the beast must have just bitten the dog’s head off and the collar slipped free. An impressive feat but those jaws could do it. Though it did reveal intelligence as well, enough intelligence to be unnerving coupled with the size of the beast.

  The actions of the Great Hunter puzzled Billi. The Village men had obviously broken the Law but the Great Hunter had only taken a dog and the body of another and then left. Why did he even show up? To warn the villagers, or Billi? According to the tales, the Wild didn’t warn. Billi’s best guess settled on Billi killing the leader, and the beast believing that Billi had done it for breaking the Law. That showed considerable tolerance and too much understanding for peace of mind. Though having the Laws assumed the Wild, or some of it, understood them.