After another long pause, Brandt started to talk. ‘My herd grows but we travel. My people are now spread from shore to shore, barely more than beasts of burden as the trade route expands. And now the war, in the rainforest where we can’t go. I have lost control of my people, and I cannot help my friends, except as the only one who can pull this wagon. I cannot fight for you. I can only work for you. I am Brandt Earthshaker, King of the Aurochs, Master of Nothing,’ he ended with his thought voice barely above a whisper.
“What have I done?” Braden asked as he looked at the sky, tears welling into his eyes.
‘You’ve led the King to the rest of his people. They will soon know that he exists. That’s what you’ve done,’ Skirill told them all. ‘Just a little farther, my large friend, and you will see something magnificent.’
The Great Southern Plains
Braden and Micah slapped Brandt on his scarred sides as they rode past, urging him to greater speed as the hills gave way to smooth, rolling plains. The Rabbits propped the twins against the buckboard as they watched the landscape change. Even the horses were excited by the tall grasses, their riders fighting with them to keep their heads up as they ran forward. The Aurochs at the edge of the herd became visible in the distance.
They were smaller than Brandt. Where the grasses came to his knees, it touched the bellies of the largest from the new herd. Braden and Micah jumped from the saddles, letting Max and Speckles graze freely, while they quickly unhooked Brandt.
Braden looked his friend in the eye. “I’m so sorry that we made you feel that way. We’ll do anything for you. We’ll do what’s right by you. Just tell us what that is, Brandt Earthshaker, King of the Aurochs.” Braden slapped the beast’s great neck, and if the King could smile, the bobbing of his head said that he was doing just that. G-War leapt from Brandt’s head as he started forward.
He jogged at first, then ran toward his people, who heard him coming. They ran from him at first, but then turned and lined up to face the newcomer. Brandt bugled his arrival, stopping before them, standing tall and towering over them.
‘My people,’ he said. ‘The Earthshaker Herd from the north has arrived and greets you as the last remaining Aurochs of Planet Vii. You are not alone.’
The herd opened as a grizzled oldster shouldered his way through. His horns were yellowed from age. ‘Who talk? Why herd?’ he said in a rough thought voice.
‘I don’t understand, my fellow Aurochs. I bring greetings. We are thirty-five strong and graze the plains south of the Great Desert.’
‘You different. Not us. Go!’ the oldster commanded.
‘I will not. Who leads this great herd?’ Brandt asked, starting to get angry.
‘I. You challenge I?’ The oldster stamped once. Brandt looked at him suspiciously.
‘Do you believe you would survive a challenge from me, old one?’ Brandt pawed the ground and turned his head back and forth, showing the size of his horns to the old Aurochs.
‘I more than you see,’ he taunted as he casually backed up. The cows separated further, letting some young bulls pass through. Although smaller, there were six of them and they were probably faster.
“Oh, no,” Braden whispered. “Their king doesn’t fight his own battles. What’s wrong with these Aurochs?” he asked as the youngsters jockeyed into a horseshoe around Brandt.
“They aren’t as evolved as the Earthshaker Herd. If only Bronwyn were here to talk sense into them all,” Micah answered, shaking her head, knowing that Brandt was going to fight for control of the herd.
Brandt took one step forward then turned sharply to run away from the young bulls. He tore up the ground as he passed. They hesitated only for a heartbeat before racing after him. The King turned in a lazy loop until the bulls were just a disordered group of Aurochs gaining ground on him.
Brandt turned and ran directly toward them. The fastest bull understood that he couldn’t charge the King head on, so he started to swerve away. The others behind him were bunched up and in no mood to be on the receiving ends of the horns that barreled toward them.
Brandt swung his head violently as he passed the first bull, shredding his side and throwing him to the ground. The next two bulls saw how quickly their fellow was dispatched and tried to turn away. Both slipped in the grass and exposed their sides to the great King.
He hit the two of them at the same time, driving them backwards into those still charging forward. The two died, crushed between the horns of their friends and of the massive horns of the challenger. The three behind crumpled under the King’s charge, but he went down, too.
They were quicker getting to their hooves, but that didn’t matter. The King held them off by raising his head, keeping the tips of his horns pointed in their direction. He slowly got up and stamped, feinting toward the bull to his left, then turning right.
Both young bulls turned and fled back toward the herd. The last bull, little more than half Brandt’s size, stood face to face with the King of the Aurochs.
‘You will yield to your King. There are too few of us left for us to fight each other. There is fodder here for all,’ Brandt shouted at the herd in his booming thought voice.
‘No,’ came the oldster’s reply. ‘More fight.’
Brandt started running forward, throwing the young bull out of the way with a small flick of his head as he ran past. The cows stampeded from his path as he made a beeline for the oldster. The King saw only one way to stop the young bulls from throwing their lives away at the whim of the aged Aurochs.
Brandt weaved away from others who would stand in his way. The oldster realized the danger he was in and tried to turn and run, but he limped and was old and slow. Brandt didn’t bother with his horns but ran the old bull down instead, stomping on him as he passed.
He turned and looked for anyone coming to the oldster’s rescue. The young bulls shied away. The cows were in shock. The King walked in a circle around the oldster, preparing to make his final charge, but he didn’t want to. How many Aurochs had to die? The question weighed heavily on him. He hesitated as the oldster struggled to breathe. In the end, the King stood and watched the oldster succumb to a minor wound, old age, and his hubris.
‘I didn’t want that, but I’m glad that it’s over. Will you listen to me now?’ he asked the group. More Aurochs arrived until row upon row surrounded him. He never thought there might be more of his people, let alone in numbers so great. He looked them over, understanding that maybe they were not as mature as those in the north. But that didn’t matter. They were Aurochs.
‘Who thinks they lead this herd?’ Silence greeted his question until a large cow spoke.
‘You,’ she said. There was agreement through the tossing of too many heads to count. To those who couldn’t hear, they might assume that the Aurochs were chasing flies away. Braden, Micah, and the companions heard it all, proud of their friend.
‘Who are you?’ he asked.
‘I Queen,’ she said in deference to Brandt.
‘Well, my Queen, I need your help. What is this great herd called?’
‘We Aurochs,’ she responded in her simple language.
‘You are now part of the Earthshaker Herd. We are the last of the Aurochs. I need three strong bulls to join me as we continue our travels. You, my Queen, will lead the herd until my return,’ Brandt directed, using the full authority that he’d earned through his fight with the oldster and his lackeys.
There was some shuffling as many Aurochs were uncomfortable with a cow in charge, but Brandt put that to rest quickly. ‘I am your King and you will do as I tell you!’ he shouted. He knew that no one from this herd would challenge him.
He wanted to bring his people from the north here to help this group learn and grow. His bulls would be pleased to find so many young cows available and his cows could readily lead them, too. He needed to integrate the two herds if they were to learn and grow. As he walked back toward his friends, his mood was somber.
‘Once I heard of
their existence, I could think of nothing else. I saw Aurochs from one horizon to the other, striking fear into the hearts of their enemies and sharing a nice vegetable patch with their friends. But then we get here…’ His thoughts drifted away.
‘Sometimes wanting isn’t as good as having, my large friend,’ G-War jumped in. ‘I think we will not see one of the original Earthshaker Herd pulling a wagon again. These newcomers must earn their way to something better, will they not?’
Brandt looked back to see the progress selecting the three strong young backs who would take over the wagon-pulling duties.
The Queen trotted around the group, chasing many back to grazing before arriving at the three young bulls who had tried to challenge the King. She selected them as the volunteers to accompany Brandt. You will work hard and I will teach you, then you will pass the work to someone else, who will learn and become something more, Brandt thought to himself.
‘My small orange friend. You are right, and I will say that I was wrong. Everyone must contribute, everyone must know what it’s like to carry the load for the others, whether it is pulling a wagon, or standing on my back to protect me from the Bat-Ravens. I think that makes us different. Not because we were born better, but because we worked to be better. We helped others, not to get something for ourselves, but because it was the right thing to do. And that is today’s lesson. I didn’t want to challenge the bull to lead this herd, but I had to. We are more than just creatures who graze an open field.’ They left Brandt to his thoughts as he watched them all. The tall grass was over the twins’ heads as they waded through, suddenly taken with climbing on Brandt’s head and swinging from his horns.
‘We are all children, you said,’ Brandt repeated back to Micah, seeing the deeper meaning.
‘We may be children, but we really want to hunt a water buffalo,’ Bounder said to anyone who would listen.
Recovery
The Rabbits had to be carried back into the wagon after feasting on the lush grasses of the southern plain, or as Holly called it, Toromont’s Run. The horses also grew lethargic after eating the grass. Brandt finally settled into grazing and realized that it wasn’t from overeating. The grasses were different.
Before he became too addled, he begged Braden and Micah to lead them away from that place. With Brandt’s direction, they tightened the harness on one of the young bulls as much as they could. Braden didn’t think it was tight enough, as it hung loosely on the small body. In Brandt’s mind, it was good enough. He directed the newcomer until he was facing north, keeping the other two close, and they started moving from the plains with the overly green grass. Brandt jogged to get the blood flowing and that helped clear his head.
Max and Speckles fell behind, no matter how much Braden and Micah prodded them. They walked as if half-asleep. The newcomers seemed clearheaded, but they’d been eating the grass their whole lives. Braden wondered if that was the reason they were smaller and didn’t appear to be as intelligent as Brandt and those from his herd.
The Wolfoids had been running all morning, so they were riding with the sleeping rabbits and the active children. G-War was also in the cart in case Brandt had to deliver a lesson to one of the other Aurochs. The ‘cat didn’t want to be riding on Brandt’s head if he locked horns with one of the younger and smaller beasts.
Aadi had wedged himself into the wagon as usual and the Hawkoids flew ahead. It took a great deal of urging to get out of the tall grasses of Toromont’s Run. Once in the shorter, brown grasses of the foothills, Braden called a stop. They made camp so everyone could rest and those who had eaten the grass could try to recover, get back to being their old selves. Braden was angry at the effect it had on his friends. It was almost like they’d eaten numbweed.
“All is not as it seems, eh?” he asked Micah. She shook her head while making sure the Rabbits were comfortable. The horses laid down as soon their riders were off. Brandt stomped around until his head cleared. He headed for a nearby stream that the Hawkoids had pointed out, taking the other Aurochs with him. He drank heartily from it, encouraging the others to drink as well. They said in their simple way that they rarely drank from open water sources as the grasses gave them all they needed.
Brandt told them that the grasses were holding them back. Once their heads cleared, he looked forward to seeing them change. Although maybe they wouldn’t because they were born and raised on the grasses. Brandt suspected the damage could be permanent. He determined that future generations needed to be raised somewhere other than Toromont’s Run.
Braden knew where to go to forestall future meltdowns. “G, next time you let us know if someone is having a hard time. We’re all friends here,” Braden scolded the scruffy-looking Hillcat.
‘It’s good that you recognize I know everything, but everyone gets their privacy, too. Everyone except you, that is. It is my distinct pleasure to share your discomfort as widely as possible. I met a squirrel the other day who was particularly interested in how you passed out during the birth of your children,’ G-War taunted.
Micah snickered and then nodded, understanding how astutely G-War had made his point. If Braden wanted to know, he had to be more observant and ask better questions of each of the companions.
Or Micah could help him. Most of the time he was a visionary, motivating others to incredible feats. And there were times where he was dense as a post, like the fact that he hadn’t noticed for moons that she was pregnant.
‘I will be his eyes and ears in matters of emotion, Prince Axial De’atesh. If you were closer, I’d rub your belly.’ Micah was better equipped to thrust and parry in verbal jousts with the ‘cat.
While Brandt talked with his three apprentices, everyone else waited on those sleeping. Braden wondered what was in the grass that affected the companions in such a way. He searched through the back of the wagon and found some remnants that had fallen from the Rabbits’ mouths. He collected these and folded them into a leaf, then stuffed that into his pouch. Holly would be able to analyze it for him.
The horses were first to awaken, followed much later by the Rabbits. The twins could feel the angst of their white furry friends, so they stayed close to them, helping them stagger to the stream for fresh water. Micah watched Ax and ‘Tesh, outweighed five-fold by the Rabbits, trying to help them walk. The horses stumbled their way to the stream and shamelessly stood within its cool waters while dunking their noses deeply when they drank.
Since nightfall approached and they were already camped, Braden built a fire to keep them warm. There was nothing nearby to hunt, according to G-War, so they ate of smoked venison and the last of the wild green beans.
“We’ll find something next turn and if we don’t, hey, we’re only four or five turns from New Sanctuary, if we go fast.” Braden smiled at his own joke. Micah gave him a stern look, knowing that she wouldn’t let the twins go that long without eating. She’d let them gnaw parts off their father while he was sleeping if he kept up the suffering traveler routine.
“I heard that,” Braden said, proud of himself that he heard her thoughts clearly without trying. Then he realized that he’d been manipulated by a master.
“Okay, I hear everyone loud and clear! Tomorrow, we find more food, good food that doesn’t knock people off their feet. We hunt and we cook a good meal,” he said to all creatures, great and small. “We leave at first light.”
The Road to Sanctuary
A good night’s rest helped them to better welcome a new day. The twins ate the remaining food, softened for them by their mother.. When their parents weren’t around, the toddlers drank Aurochs milk. That wasn’t an option here as only bulls traveled with the group.
There was no food for the adults. The Aurochs and the Rabbits scrounged some short grass, but they remained wholly unsatisfied. The Rabbits laughed about it, saying they could stand to lose some weight, but Braden suspected that they were more fuzzy than fat.
The Hawkoids caught field mice and were pleased at being the best hunters i
n the group, if only for a brief time. Neither Aadi nor G-War had to eat every day. They could go without for days, if need be. The Wolfoids were hungry, just like the humans.
They left at a quicker pace than normal as they sought the hills where trees grew and they hoped deer would be plentiful. The Wolfoids loped alongside the wagon, but ran out of energy not long after the sun started its climb. They leapt into the back of the wagon while it was slowly rumbling upward.
The young Aurochs was not anywhere near as strong as Brandt, but he knew that and that’s why he asked for three of the smaller Aurochs to fill in for him. They would get stronger as they went as long as they were able to feed. By midday, the third young Aurochs was strapped into the harness and pulling for all he was worth. Brandt stopped the group. He talked with the young bulls about how to keep the wagon moving with the least effort.
‘We pull shorter time,’ the one called Denon offered.
‘Two pull,’ Lomen suggested. ‘Need more harness.’
‘We only have what we have. What else can we do?’ Brandt asked, a twinkle in his eye. The humans watched, wondering what his teaching point was.
‘One pull, two push,’ said Malo, the young bull that was last to face Brandt in the challenge to lead the herd. Brandt nodded approvingly. Maybe the effects of the strange grass weren’t permanent.
‘Let’s try one pushing to start off, just to be sure it can work,’ Brandt said, directing Malo to push first. The King suspected the young bull would learn more quickly than the other two and be able to help them learn.
The caravan resumed its journey as one bull pulled and one gently pushed. They made better progress and quickly gained elevation. They entered the edge of the forested area, but kept going at G-War’s urging. The Hawkoids flew overhead, searching for anything that looked edible. They saw squirrels and wild rabbits but nothing that looked fit for the Aurochs or the Rabbits.
Free Trader Box Set - Books 4-6: Battle for the Amazon, Free the North!, Free Trader on the High Seas Page 8
