by Scott Wale
The former residents of Dimday had already pitched a small town of tents and fenced off a few small portions of land for their domesticated creatures. A number of fires were also still burning despite the fact it wasn’t even dusk yet. The refugees had done their best to make themselves comfortable while not constructing any permanent structures.
“It’s the survivors!” one of the residents yelled out.
What seemed like the entire village walked out to welcome the group as they entered the camp. The residents began to barrage the group with questions.
“Is there anything left in Dimday?”
“Is there a chance there are other survivors?”
“How did you survive?”
“No, yes and we were lucky”, Cerevus began shouting out answers.
“We have no town hall, but we setup some logs to sit down on in the center of the camp”, a Chafel offered.
“Where are the elders?” Alejade asked.
“You must be tired, you may as well rest first”, the Chafel countered.
“There will be time for rest later and the longer we wait, the longer our people are held in the balance”, Alejade pointed out.
“Of course, gather the elders!” the Chafel yelled out into the crowd.
Fenrit, Alejade, Cerevus, Lachtyn and Talsend seated themselves on the logs at the camp center. The residents circled around them saving their questions for what would likely be a camp wide discussion. After a few moments the crowd split and the three village elders joined the center of the circle with the survivors.
The elders were upheld as the most erudite members of the Loupiq and Chafel society. The oldest was a Chafel female with bleached white fur and pink eyes named Arkiva. She had established creature empathy with serpents and was not only the oldest member of the group of elders, but also the oldest member of the Loupiq and Chafel people. The second elder was a Loupiq female with dark orange, tan and white trim fur and bright blue eyes named Virra. She was the youngest of the elder group and a considerable gap existed between her age and the rest of the elders. Alejade frequently appealed to her, because Virra was often seen as more in touch with the younger generation. The third elder named Halden was a Loupiq male with greying brown fur that used to match the color of his eyes. He was notorious for delaying his decisions until a later time. He would often claim he needed a break to deliberate and would not return with an answer for several days.
The group of elders had consisted of a fourth member. Dravis was a male Chafel that had chosen to stay behind in Dimday. None of the survivors could recall where they last saw him, but they were confident he was eternally buried in the former village’s rubble. Dravis had been a premalier until he was asked to serve as an elder. The group of elders had always operated with four members and when one member passed away, the remaining three would prudently choose a new fourth. Dravis was an unexpected pick at the time. A premalier had never served as an elder, but the group of elders had felt a warrior would offer a unique perspective to the group. Dravis had yet to be replaced and it was unlikely the group of elders would focus on the vacancy given all the other matters to consider.
“We are grateful the Maker has returned some of our people to us”, Arkiva opened up the conversation.
“The message from Jandra allowed us all to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that someone would soon let us know about the tragedy that occurred at Dimday”, Virra added. “Hopefully whatever you can tell us will help us make a better decision about the fate of our people”, she continued.
“Why don’t you start by explaining what went wrong and lead to Dimday’s destruction?” Halden asked.
Fenrit was upset with how the question was phrased. It almost sounded as if Halden was blaming the premaliers for failing to protect the village. He had planned to let Alejade do most of the speaking with the elders as she was more conscientious of proper communication. Fenrit decided he wouldn’t intervene unless he felt he held an opposing view that wasn’t being represented.
“I would say the premaliers performed as expected”, Alejade answered. “If you recall from our meeting where it was decided only the premaliers would remain in Dimday, it had been pointed out that the cymutts would likely be an overwhelming force. I believe the surviving premaliers can attest that the cymutt army was even greater in numbers than any of us had predicted.”
“She is correct”, Talsend confirmed.
“Your decision to evacuate the villagers to safety turned out to be a very wise one in hindsight”, Alejade continued with the summary of the events at Dimday. “I know we all wish to be back in our homes inside the protective walls of Dimday, but unfortunately that is no longer an option.”
“Does anything remain?” Virra asked.
“The cymutts made sure nothing was standing upright by the time they were done”, Cerevus answered in a sorrowful tone. “If you’re looking to rebuild, we’d be starting from scratch.”
“I know you all did your best to search for survivors and I realize this may sound grim, but were you able to specifically identify any of our losses?” Arkiva questioned the group.
“Mapu”, Cerevus whispered to himself attempting to suppress his sorrow.
“I imagine you wish to make certain the fate of Dravis, but unfortunately we were not able to locate his body”, Alejade explained. “We can construct a list of the bodies of premaliers we were able to identify if you wish. I performed the death ritual for all of the unfortunate lives that were lost. We all overlooked the funeral pyre the night following the battle.”
“We appreciate your attentiveness, Alejade, and we would be grateful if you can provide a list of those that you identified”, Arkiva acknowledged. “It will hopefully bring closure to their families.”
“We now must consider the situation at hand”, Halden said. “What is the best course of action for our people?”
“We can’t fight a cymutt force that will continue to hunt us”, Cerevus suggested. “The cymutts are our greatest threat and we need to figure out the best way to protect ourselves.”
Fenrit began to feel at ease that he and Cerevus were on the same line of thinking. As long as Cerevus continued to be vocal there would be no need for Fenrit to contribute and risk letting his frustration get the better of him. The elders and Alejade were likely to follow the path of pacifism, but at some point a show of force would be necessary to deal with the cymutt threat.
“We are a petryx with no teeth and claws”, said Arkiva referring to the creature that hunted the tall grasses of the eastern Jade Plains.
“What if we were to retreat deeper into the Echo Woods?” asked Talsend.
“Are we sure it’s wise to be in close proximity to the Ipta?” asked Lachtyn realizing where Talsend was headed with his question.
“Actually, I believe that is an interesting idea”, Virra responded. “Clearly we can offer the Ipta the mutual benefit of protection.”
“Given what we have, it’d be more like them protecting us”, Talsend pointed out.
“I don’t believe it’s wise to intrude on their territory”, Arkiva advised.
“Well put”, Lachtyn interrupted liking the direction the conversation was now taking.
“For this reason I recommend we send a diplomat to meet with their leader, Jalpa”, Arkiva finished glaring at Lachtyn.
“I recommend we send Alejade”, Virra said to Alejade’s astonishment.
“Agreed”, Arkiva consented as Alejade tensed up at the how quickly the pressure of representing her people was being placed upon her.
The crowd focused on Halden not sure whether he would immediately approve of the nomination or delay his decision. He appeared deep in thought causing many individuals in the crowd to fabricate stories in their heads about what he could possibly be thinking. The tension over his response was growing as the virtue of patience had run thin from a people that had just learned they would never return to their home. Eventually, he began to nod his head to show his blessin
g.
“I’m honored to represent our people, but I want to fully understand what we are requesting from the Ipta”, Alejade said bowing as a sign of gratitude.
“I don’t wish for this to sound like an espionage mission, but I believe you should gain an understanding of their relationship with Grimtav”, Arkiva began. “Take notice of the culture and disposition of the people while you’re a visitor in Aman. You may then use your own judgement on whether to ask for their protection. Jalpa will likely be skeptical of your requests and will wish to negotiate in the favor of his people’s security. The Ipta are a proud group and if you appeal to their strength then I don’t believe Jalpa will be too strict with his demands.”
“Few of our people have ever seen the inside of Aman”, Halden explained. “For this reason they may appear defensive and unnerved.”
“This is no small task we are asking of you, Alejade”, Arkiva warned. “We know that you will represent our people well and we trust no danger will come to you.”
“I will go with her”, Fenrit finally spoke.
“A bodyguard?” Halden quickly replied after being surprised by the offering. “I don’t believe that is necessary.”
“You wish for them to see our people?” Fenrit asked. “Then let them see the best we have to offer”, Fenrit motioned to Alejade, “and the worst”, Fenrit continued motioning to himself.
“You’re too hard on yourself, Fenrit”, Virra responded. “I agree a bodyguard could potentially send a mixed signal, but I think letting Jalpa see more of a cross-section of our people is worth the risk.”
“The Echo Woods are also difficult to navigate”, Arkiva pointed out. “I believe a premalier’s skills would be invaluable for this endeavor.”
Arkiva and Virra had overruled Halden. He had never spoken it out loud, but he had an enmity for the premaliers. They had gone beyond their function as a force for the Loupiq and Chafel to use and were beginning to show face in the political arena. Halden had voted against Dravis’ inclusion in the group of elders, but he had been overruled there too. He had sorrow for the lives lost at Dimday, but he took solace in the fact that the premalier’s numbers had nearly dwindled to nothing. The more premaliers that were out of his fur, the better.
“Very well”, Halden said. “Now that the idea of sending a sole diplomat has been broken, I recommend sending another premalier. Alejade’s protection is of utmost importance so she may complete her mission.”
“I’m offering my services, if they’ll take me”, Cerevus mused.
“I couldn’t think of anyone better”, Fenrit approved. “No offense”, he continued shooting a glance over to Lachtyn and Talsend.
“Lachtyn and Talsend, we will need your scouting skills to locate the whereabouts of the cymutts and monitor their activity”, Arkiva said in a consoling manner.
“Yes, ma’am”, they both replied in unison.
Arkiva turned to Fenrit, Alejade and Cerevus.
“The three of you will gather supplies and must move with great haste”, Arkiva commanded. “I understand you must be exhausted from your travels, but I need to stress the importance of your mission and how its timely completion is tied to the fate of our people.”
“I’ll just need to inform Jandra to wait here for my return”, Alejade responded.
“I only need a sliver of faunite for the construction of a new bow”, Fenrit requested.
“We managed to bring part of the inventory from Dimday”, a Loupiq in the crowd called out.
Fenrit was not surprised. Faunite was one of the two rare components that gave the tenik bow its power. The rock and applied treatment helped an arrow hold its charge as it arced towards its target. The Loupiq and Chafel didn’t possess tools necessary for mining faunite, so when they came across small, ideal formations that could be attached to the arrow rest the faunite was gathered as if it were a rare treasure. When old bows broke the faunite was recycled into new bows and many times a supply of faunite formations was kept. The bowstring made from the root of a tenik tree was a different story.
Dusk was growing near, so collection of supplies would need to be a quick process, which would allow the group of three to be on their way. They could rest when the dense forest grew so dark that it would be hard to see their own hand set out in front of them ultimately rendering a premalier’s path finding skills useless.
IV.
The canopy of the echo woods was so thick that little light penetrated through. When a meadow or pond created a clearing of trees the group’s eyes had to adjust to the light as if just exiting from a cave. The forest was made up of a varying composition of trees. The trunk diameters ranged from the length of a Chafel’s hand to that of a Loupiq’s entire arm. Orange, yellow, green, blue and purple leaves created an array of colors when light allowed a gracious glimpse of the canopy. The terrain of the forest floor was relatively flat except for the dip into one of the many streams that snaked their way through the woods.
Fenrit had separated from the group leaving Alejade and Cerevus to setup a camp for the night. The group would be able to complete the rest of the journey to Aman after a good night’s rest. Fenrit did not anticipate any aggression on the part of the Ipta, but he still felt it best to complete the task of assembling his bow. He had taken a piece of faunite at the safety camp and stashed it in his satchel intending to gather and assemble the remaining components on the trek to Aman. The limbs of the bow could be made from any type of wood that would provide the necessary flexibility. He would just need to keep his eyes open for a piece of wood that required little sawing or whittling. Fenrit always equipped himself with two knives. The first had a longer metal blade that was ideal for shaping wood and cutting through other rough materials such as creature hides or thick vines. The second knife was a shorter blade of either bone or hard wood that Fenrit had altered between each new construction. The current fabrication was made of hard wood and had lasted longer than average. Fenrit had lost or broken this secondary knife many times forcing him to constantly craft a new one. The knife really only served the purpose of foraging and safely severing a tenik root.
The fur on Fenrit’s feet had just begun to dry when he reached the next stream. The streams that he had already crossed earlier in the day never ran deeper than the knee, but Fenrit was beginning to get annoyed with the feeling that his feet were constantly wet. Fenrit and Cerevus usually went barefoot, which was typical of Loupiq and almost a standard for the premaliers. Alejade had always worn leather boots that came up to her lower calf. Alejade had taken the time to remove her boots while crossing the first few streams, then eventually gave up in favor of time and slogged through each creek in her footwear. Fenrit pictured Alejade placing her boots over the fire to dry them out after a long, uncomfortable journey.
It was time to avoid the water and follow the slow moving current of the stream. Fenrit had no route in mind. His primary concern was remembering where he had come from so he could find his way back. Fenrit was unaware of any strategies or indicators of where a tenik tree might be. In hindsight he should have asked Alejade for some pointers given her wealth of botanical knowledge. He would recognize the tenik tree when he saw it and also knew they were an uncommon find, but not rare.
The stream narrowed before entering a crevice. The rock walls forming the crevice on both sides of Fenrit were nearly twice his height. Fenrit began to wonder if the creek had been wider at some point and formed the crevice long ago. No trees had sprouted out of the crevice; however, Fenrit decided it was best to follow the stream as many roots had pierced the rock walls. If Fenrit could spot a tenik tree above, maybe he would get lucky and could simply cut an exposed root penetrating from the rock wall.
The stream flowed along through the crevice neither gaining nor losing its width. Fenrit noticed the rock walls on the sides were taller towards the far side of the crevice. The optical illusion left the premalier confused on whether the ground was sinking in elevation or the rock walls on the sides were
growing taller. The stream cutting through the crevice eventually stopped in a cloudy pool where the bed of the stream could no longer be seen. Fenrit looked ahead and saw the crevice came to a dead end a little ways up. He began to wonder if the stream somehow went underground and if so where it started back up. The cloudy pool was equally mysterious given how clear the stream had been at a depth that Fenrit had estimated as no deeper than halfway up his calf.
Fenrit decided it was time to abandon the stream, since he was only using it as a form of navigation, and climb out of the crevice at the dead end. He approached the rock face, which had many cracks and holes making it ideal for climbing. Fortunately, the height of the rock face was only six times Fenrit’s height and made for a brisk, easy climb. Fenrit’s rock climbing experience was minimal, but he always remembered the basic strategy of using his legs to avoid tiring out too quickly.
The top of the rock wall brought back the familiar view of the interminable forest. Fenrit turned around to get a good view of the crevice he had just made his way through. His attention was instantly pulled to the pool where the stream had ended. The water now appeared clear. Fenrit rubbed his eyes as if they were playing tricks on him. How did the cloudy water suddenly turn clear? Would the fact that the water was now clear give visibility to where the stream continued? Fenrit felt compelled to put his primary mission aside and investigate the pool.
The climb down the rock face was surprisingly much more difficult than the climb up. Looking and feeling for a grip above proved easier than kicking around for the next leg support on the way down. Fenrit decided to call it quits at a safe height and pushed himself backwards off the cliff landing on his feet. A puzzling surprise awaited him when he turned around to face the pool. The pool had returned to its cloudy state that Fenrit had observed on the initial pass. Had his eyes deceived him when he was above or was the pool actually changing transparency?
