by Moose Tyler
“I will. Thanks again. By the way, where’s my spear?”
“I loaned it to a friend. Don’t worry. She’ll take good care of it.”
“She better.”
Felicia and Cat paddled away, and Amaria swam in the opposite direction. Just as she was about to dive under, she thought she heard her name but dismissed the idea. It was the ringing in her ears. She dove deeper, kicked hard, and closed the distance between herself and the second checkpoint.
When she reached shore, she was like bees in a disturbed hive. How dare they bet against her. Granted, her quest had not been the smoothest, most graceful in the history of quests, but she was still on schedule to make her deadline. She stormed across the sand with her sword drawn. She had no illusions of taking Aiella by surprise. She rushed the rocks and soon was within a few strides of her.
Aiella would have been perfectly camouflaged had she been lying flat on her stomach. Instead she was standing, crouched in a fighting stance, out in the open. Amaria circled the sword purposefully. She lunged. Aiella stumbled back, clearly not prepared for such an aggressive move so early in the fight.
“Come on!” Amaria shouted. “Get on with it!”
She thrust her blade again, but Aiella dodged it and drew a dagger from her back. Amaria laughed at the size. She performed a series of attack moves and had the dinky weapon stripped in a few heartbeats. Aiella put her hands up calmly.
The battle had been too easy. Here Aiella had bet twenty arrowheads against Amaria, but when it came to battling Mountain Cat, she didn’t even try. Amaria spat on the ground. “I have a message from Janus.” She took a few steps closer and punched her in the face.
Aiella didn’t retaliate. She spat out the blood. “I already ceded.”
“You’re not going to put me to the fire?”
“Looks like you’ve had enough for one night.”
Amaria knew she looked rough. The fang marks were visible on her bicep. Her palm was inflamed and had been mauled, though somewhat cleansed by the sea. More than likely, the red snake’s strike showed on her neck.
Her temper cooled. “The first of many long nights, I suspect.” She lowered the blade and reached for the scroll, but it wasn’t on her back. She had left it in Felicia and Cat’s boat. She looked at Aiella. “I don’t have the scroll.”
Aiella smiled, took a step closer, and punched her in the face.
The blow wasn’t as hard as Amaria knew Aiella could deliver, but it still had sting.
“We’re even,” she said, and she turned and led the way to camp.
It wasn’t far, and when they arrived, Amaria sat beside the fire to dry.
Aiella tossed her an egg. “Here.”
She ate it and looked around. The dwelling was cramped, only room for a few bundles and a small fire. The sliver Felicia and Cat had delivered was on the ground next to a blanket.
Aiella followed Amaria’s eyes. “Use that to deliver the message to the third checkpoint,” she said. “What was the message from Janus?”
Amaria looked at her hard. “You know what the message is.”
Aiella laughed. “Suckling.” She popped an egg in her mouth and chewed. Bits of yolk flew out as she spoke. “Brithia sent a bird when she saw you swim to land.”
Amaria cursed in her head and wondered how many others knew she had taken the wrong route. She wanted to say something cutting in response, but heartbeats were slipping away. “Just a little detour is all.” She stood. “Do you have a message to deliver?”
Aiella looked at the sliver. “That sure is a nice piece of wood. Was looking forward to riding it.” She stood up. “The wind’s getting strong. Watch yourself approaching the third checkpoint. You’ll get slammed, if you’re not careful.” She took a vial from around her neck and tossed it over. “Great Mother willing you won’t need that, but it doesn’t hurt to have a little extra potion.”
“It also works on sea snakes.”
“It does?”
Amaria slipped the vial around her neck. “That’s what I heard.”
“I’ll remember that.”
Aiella’s advice and kindness was surprising. She had bet twenty arrowheads that Mountain Cat would lose the horse, and now she was offering aid. Things weren’t adding up. “Can I ask you something?”
Aiella nodded.
“Why are you being nice to me? I’ve lost the scroll, and I know the odds aren’t in my favor.” She gave a knowing look.
Aiella smiled and pointed to her eye, which was red and puffy where Amaria had punched her. “That took guts, Suckling.”
Amaria had acted out of anger and should be reprimanded for the conduct. Aiella outranked her by a considerable margin. She wasn’t as decorated as Helen, but she had more leather than Brithia and certainly deserved more respect from a low-ranking suckling like Amaria, but apparently, to Aiella, an abrupt punch in the face was a respectable gesture.
“Besides,” she added, “you could whip me in battle every moon of the cycle. We both know that.”
Amaria agreed but she had no intentions of rubbing it in Aiella’s face, unless necessary.
“Kazi is your next contact, and she won’t be easy.” Aiella picked up a satchel. “Put your sandals in this. It’s big, but you’ll need room to carry her gift, if you beat her in battle.”
Amaria slipped off her sandals. It felt good to free her feet. She said a prayer thanking the Great Mother for Aiella. For a heartbeat, she became suspicious again, but she snuffed the negative thought. She could feel Her presence.
“Use the third cove,” said Aiella. “She’ll be at the top of the ridge with a bow.”
Amaria put her sandals in the satchel, and Aiella showed her how to adjust the straps. When pulled taut, the pack fit comfortably on top of the sword.
Aiella traded a full water pouch for an empty one. “Let’s see. You got the vial, fresh water, accurate intel, a nice mark beneath your eye I can brag about later. I think you’re good.”
“The sliver?”
“I was hoping you’d forget that.” She picked up the wood and gave it to Amaria.
She tried to take it, but Aiella wouldn’t let go. Instead, she growled for a heartbeat or two before finally releasing. “Fine,” she said.
Amaria extended her arm.
Aiella rolled her eyes but grasped hold. “May the Great Mother be with you,” she said flatly.
Amaria laughed. “Thank you.” She clutched her forearm tighter so that she would know how grateful she was for the aid. “I will never forget your kindness. May the Great Mother be with you, Sister.”
Aiella released her grasp. “Better get moving. The sun waits for no warrior.”
Amaria bowed before running to the shore. She shoved off into the water. The sliver was the gift she needed to increase her chances of completing the quest by first light. As she got farther away from the second checkpoint, however, the odds turned against her again. The water was rougher, choppier, and the waves had grown in size and number. If she were going to reap the full benefits of the sliver, she would have to figure out how to stay on it for longer than five heartbeats.
The third checkpoint bordered the edge of where the water turned cooler. Once it was cold, Amaria would be officially in the east. If she had followed instructions, her quest would not have led her this direction. She would have traveled to the northern tar pits by land, after having been dusted, and would have crossed over the Great Ravine through the northern tree line.
As it was, she had not followed instructions, and now that she had a sliver, the more logical, faster way was to skim up the eastern coastline and scale Jagged Ridge. She knew there was a path that led to the tar pits, but only in theory. She had learned about it in the scrolls she had to read in Warrior Training. It was supposed to be marked by a burnt tree just west of the fourth post. She would have to worry abou
t finding it later. Now, she’d be lucky to make it to the last southern checkpoint in one piece.
Another wave whisked her off the wood, and she smacked into the sea. When she broke the surface, she tried to curse, but another pummeled down on her, forcing her underwater. She came up sputtering and hacking.
“You’re pathetic,” she said, after catching her breath.
She yanked on the leather that kept the sliver strapped to her ankle, pulled herself onto the wood, and let the swell carry her east.
“Okay, you can do this. Just take it easy.”
She knew what the problem was. Every time a wave would crest, she would over adjust, knock herself off balance, and inadvertently tip the nose of the sliver down too far, resulting in her being flung from the wood and consumed by the sea before she had a chance to exhale.
“Be the sea,” she muttered.
She flattened out and paddled to the right. A wave curled, but she let it pass. She paddled harder in the direction of the check point. She couldn’t explain it, she didn’t know if any rider could, but she knew which wave was the right one because it would talk to her. The water exhaled her name in a whisper, or at least that was what it sounded like to Amaria. When she heard it, if there were even a heartbeat’s delay on her part, the wave would knock her off the wood and spit her out as it cut its wild and untamed path.
She sat on the sliver and listened. The sea pulled back, and the pressure from behind it surged forward. When she heard her name, she put her head down and paddled hard. She felt herself getting sucked into the wave. She popped up on the wood, landing firm and balanced. She lowered her stance as the crest swooped up under her. Her heart fluttered and pounded inside her chest. She tilted back slightly until she felt more comfortable. Once she had a good rhythm, she leaned forward. The wood sliced through the water, and the sensation reminded her of why she loved riding a sliver. The sea could swallow her in a heartbeat, yet it wouldn’t just so long as she stayed in balance and respected its power.
She rode along at a comfortable pace. She wouldn’t win any competitions for speed, but at least she was staying upright. She clutched the sliver and jumped onto another wave. She yelped a war cry, even though she knew it was better to be silent. Silence would be crucial for surprising Kazi at the checkpoint, but it was also important now that she was closer to eastern waters where the creatures were bigger and more aggressive.
Still, she yelped again as she hopped to the next wave. Getting the hang of riding the new sliver had been her first true feeling of happiness since leaping off Mesha Cliff, and now, as she skimmed along, she granted herself a heartbeat or two of celebration. She leapt again and gave one more shout before hushing her tongue and plowing towards the destination.
As she approached the checkpoint, Amaria heeded Aiella’s advice. She dismounted far enough out so that the waves wouldn’t slam her into the rocks. She clutched the sliver and guided it towards the third cove.
Out on the water, the moon had provided sufficient light, but closer to land, tall rocks casted shadows. Aiella said Kazi would be over the ridge, but the ridge was hard to see. Amaria shifted position and braced herself as the water rammed her. Her feet drove into the wall and she shoved off, riding over the next wave that immediately followed. She paddled and kicked hard and successfully navigated the shore without damage to the sliver. Another blessing from the Great Mother, Amaria thought, as she scurried up the beach.
She untied the leather rope from her ankle and latched it to a tree growing out of the base of the rocks. She had used the same branch to tie the single stick boat she had taken to the island as part of her training. If it were sturdy enough to keep at single stick at bay, it would have no issue with a sliver.
Amaria considered leaving the sandal satchel as well but reconsidered. Being satchel-free would make climbing easier, but if she lost her sandals, she would not be able to deliver the message to the tar pits. Her feet could not handle it, no matter how calloused they had become.
When she reached the top of the ridge, her arms were limp bowstrings. She was in need of food but didn’t have the heartbeats to waste whining. She dragged her legs over the ledge, careful to keep flat. She removed the blade from its sheath much slower than she had when she stormed the second checkpoint. She was in control of her emotions now. She tried to flatten further but was already as low as possible. She scanned the trees, looking for movement. The moon’s light gave no aid. It was as if she was blind, an experience she was familiar with. They had taken her eyes in many ways throughout her training, and this was just another test. She pulled herself to her knees and let her other senses detect Kazi’s general location.
She held her breath and listened. Not too many heartbeats passed before a twig snapped to the left, and she heard a clicking sound, like rocks made when they were beat together to start a fire. She heard a blaze catch. Amaria opened her eyes and immediately lowered to the earth. Kazi was kneeling in front of a small fire with her back to her.
She observed Kazi for a while. Either Aiella hadn’t sent a bird informing her of Amaria’s progress or the bird had not arrived. Considering her difficulties on the sliver, the latter was unlikely.
The distance between them was not far, but Amaria had to close it silently. She slid like a snake, using nothing but her stomach to move. The technique wasn’t hard, once you had built up the muscles for it, but it required patience, something Wanje had told Amaria she needed to work on during their first lesson. As excruciating as closing the distance was now, she forced herself to go slow. She didn’t have the strength to fight a warrior as fierce as Kazi before she had eaten and given her arms more rest.
She crept to a solid position for attack. Kazi was preparing a bird, and the smell filled Amaria’s nostrils and her stomach churned. She retched. She stopped crawling and put her head down until the sensation passed. She looked up and saw Kazi devouring the meal. Amaria kept crawling. She was nearly there.
She had been quiet enough to sneak, undetected, within a warrior’s length. She pulled herself to her knees out of sight behind a tree.
Kazi belched. “Bird.” She groaned and belched again. She chucked the carcass away from camp. Amaria watched to see where it landed before refocusing on her opponent.
Kazi stamped out the fire, muttering as she went. “Should’ve bet ten.”
Amaria made her move, paying mind to keep her steps in tune with Kazi’s stamps. In a few heartbeats, she had Kazi in a headlock.
Kazi cursed and screamed loudly, but Amaria didn’t loosen her grip. She had a good position, and Kazi would be forced to cede without ever laying a hand on her. The patience had paid off, and she thanked the Great Mother for Her guidance. Maybe if She saw that Amaria had learned the importance and power of patience and was thankful for the gift, She would stop trying to teach her that lesson.
“I have a message from Janus,” said Amaria.
Kazi squirmed and screamed again. Her muscles flexed, and Amaria could feel her jaw clenching on the top of her forearm. She screamed two more times before officially ceding. Amaria released her grasp.
Kazi turned around and rubbed the back of her neck. “What’s the message?”
Before she could answer, Kazi screamed again. Her fists were tightened in a ball, and her legs bulged. She looked like a dusted animal, amped up and angry.
Amaria kept her sword drawn. “I’m on my quest. Any aid you could offer would be appreciated.”
“Where’s the scroll?”
“I lost it at sea.”
She snorted. “I didn’t get a bird. Who was your last contact?”
Kazi was in the dark about the progress of her quest. Amaria casually looked at her bicep. The fang marks had been concealed with mud. She looked at her palm. The gash had also been covered. Though she couldn’t see, she determined that the redness on her neck must have also been blotted out. She had inadvertentl
y concealed herself when she had crawled across the ground towards Kazi. She said a silent prayer thanking the Great Mother again.
Kazi snapped Amaria’s attention to the interrogation. “You have met a contact. I can see the mark on your face.”
The mud hadn’t masked the swollen eye from Aiella, and Amaria suspected a welt from Brithia’s stick had bubbled up on her cheek, as well. “I delivered the message to Brithia and Aiella.”
Kazi’s brow crinkled then her face changed shape, as if she had just been shown the answer to a question that had been bothering her, and she wasn’t happy with what she saw. “I hope nothing’s happened to Aiella’s bird. You’re not that swift on the sliver.”
The way Kazi spat the insult made Amaria’s cheeks burn, though she doubted that Kazi would fare much better. She could get up on one and ride for a spell. All warriors could do that, but as far as truly knowing how the sea’s fingers twirled a piece of wood, Amaria was fairly certain she didn’t have a clue.
“I know nothing of Aiella’s bird,” said Amaria, “but if I had seen it, I would have eaten it.”
Kazi stared at Amaria for a few heartbeats, and her faced distorted again. “Great Mother!” she cursed.
Amaria considered herself an expert on cursing. Kazi’s had not been directed at her. It was intended for Aiella.
She bent down to the fire she had just extinguished. “Waste of heartbeats,” she muttered before building up the flame.
Amaria sheathed her sword. Her hand brushed the satchel on her back. Her sandals were hidden inside. She stepped closer to the flame.
Kazi’s camp was minimal, though she had more space than Aiella had at the second checkpoint. There was a messenger bird sleeping on a tree branch. It seemed that each warrior had one to send updates about the quest. She guessed that once contact was made, the testers were supposed to send their bird to the next checkpoint. In times of war, warriors stationed at sea would have at least three birds, some more depending on where they were. Amaria wondered if those testing her were being evaluated, as well.
