by Brett Vonsik
“That...younglings,” Kardul’s words came from just behind them. “And, Akaal, is the scent of what we seek.” Startled, Rogaan and Pax spun around to find Kardul and almost fell from the cliff. Rogaan’s heart raced, though his head remained clear. Akaal remained calm, casually looking over his shoulder to acknowledge Kardul’s presence.
Kardul stepped out of the shadows without making a sound. If Rogaan had not been looking, he would never have known the baraan approached. The Kiuri’Ner’s sandaled footfalls passed over sticks and more, without a sound. He walked with a silence Rogaan continued to wonder at, and envied.
“I like your footfalls, youngling,” Kardul complimented Pax with a stare, as if measuring him. “Slow and uneven, but you have some promise.” Kardul passed by Rogaan, stopping at the cliff’s edge. He stood silent, looking into the gloom far below. “We make camp on this plateau overlooking the Valley of the Claw to keep ourselves from everything but leapers, though they only sometimes climb the cliffs when their hunger drives them to it. Eight of the less-promising hunters are to be placed on the wagon trail and the several footpaths from down there as outlooks to alarm the camp if danger approaches. They’ll sound their horns at any trouble and protect the wagons when they come to cut and carry our kills.” Kardul looked at Rogaan, Pax, and Akaal in turn as if considering something, before continuing. “The valley is a day’s walk across and three long, and is filled with nesting beasts of all kinds now. That means danger. The other Kiuri’Ner and Firik are leading hunters to different places in the valley, but all will stay near these cliffs. We enter the valley here by way of a footpath. So, take care where you put your feet. In the valley we’ll work north and east then come back down the center of it. Danger will be all about us. The beasts own this land and are very protective of it. They’re unforgiving, and roam about while there is light. Night is more dangerous. Don’t seek glory. It’ll make you careless…and one with the darkness. Now, follow and don’t make a ruckus.”
Silently they descended the narrow and uneven path to the valley below. With fingers clinging to rocks, branches, shrubs, and exposed roots of all kinds, Rogaan followed Kardul, Pax in turn followed Rogaan, and Akaal trailed the whole lot. Their descent was fast -- too fast for Rogaan at times. After his second slip and fall on slick or loose footing, Rogaan wanted to ask Kardul to slow, but feared it would make him look weak in the Kiuri’Ner’s eyes. Several of the times Pax lost his footing, Rogaan managed to catch him before he went tumbling off the cliff. Akaal was surprisingly agile and sure-footed, not slipping or falling even once that Rogaan knew. Rogaan had thought the old man to be a towner with little skill for the Wilds. He was unsure why he thought of Akaal that way, but it felt right, though what he observed betrayed his feelings. Not long down the cliff, Rogaan found himself focusing almost solely on his foot placement and what he could grab while holding his breath, often. Before he realized it, they had descended almost to the valley floor, just as the sun’s golden rays broke over the mountains to the northeast. Kardul acted as if he were unaware of the breaking dawn, continuing his descent into the shadows below at a relentless pace. The scent of decay and animal dung grew stronger as they descended, causing Rogaan to wrinkle his nose at the wafting and sometimes overpowering odors carried on a light swirling wind. The gloomy blanket covering most of the valley gave way to the morning sun as they set foot on level ground. Deep shadows still hid much under the broken canopy of twenty strides tall trees and the whole valley seemed to come alive with their arrival. Deep reverberating bellows from tanniyns, squawks and chirps from featherwings, croaks and song from hoppers, and the steady buzz of biters and bloodsuckers filled the air. The ruckus helped mask their movements, the din drowning out many of their footfalls, and the occasional misstep.
Kardul quickly led them to a ravine, a stone’s toss from the cliffs. The ravine spanned almost twenty strides wide, and from the gloom far below, the sound of flowing water could be heard. Not a large flow -- maybe a stream. Kardul motioned for them to follow then approached a massive fallen tree, over a stride and some wide that had fallen and bridged the two sides of the ravine. Kardul climbed the trunk and crossed to the other side without hesitating or faltering. Pax paused before climbing on the tree. He peered over the edge of the ravine, looking down to see how far he would fall, if he slipped. Cautiously, Rogaan joined his friend, looking into the gloomy depths with him. The darkness unsettled him, though the heights had little effect on him.
Trying to look all the part of confident, Rogaan shrugged at Pax after a few moments. Pax looked at Rogaan as if he did not believe the heights held not a bother for him, then slowly and carefully made his way across the ravine without slipping too often. With his heart pounding loudly in his ears, Rogaan paused, thinking of walking above so much empty air, the gloom below. He found himself unable to move at the image of falling into darkness, then being alone and injured within it deep below. Akaal cleared his throat impatiently, drawing Rogaan’s attention and thoughts away from the replaying image in his mind. Rogaan gave Akaal a quizzical look, as if asking him why he was making the strange noise, and hoped it was enough to cover the true reason for his hesitation. All Akaal did was stare back at him with slightly raised eyebrows. Not wanting to be accused of being afraid, Rogaan swallowed hard then climbed the tree trunk. A flat walking path large enough for his feet seemed too narrow to his liking, but passable. Not wanting to look fearful to the Kiuri’Ner, Rogaan sucked in a deep breath, then took a step, then another, and then another -- all the time focusing on the tree beneath him until he found himself on solid ground on the opposite side of the dark expanse. Akaal quickly followed, appearing not to be bothered by the heights or the narrow tree bridge. Once they were together, Kardul hastily led them into the edge of the forest where they stopped for Kardul to listen to the wind or something else Rogaan did not hear.
Kardul stood motionless with chin held high, and eyes slits. He tilted his head several times then held still. Pax eventually threw up his hands in exasperation then sat on a large rock with less grace than it appeared he wanted. Akaal leaned casually against a pine tree as thick as himself. He seemed amused as he watched everyone. The man just unsettled Rogaan, and he did not know why.
“Don’t rest,” Kardul said quietly, but sharply enough that Rogaan’s skin prickled with concern. “We must move quickly…quietly.” Kardul was off, silently stepping into a large grove of thirty-stride-tall cone-shaped cedars and shorter, waist-high razor ferns. He moved like a shade through the ferns, subtly turning and twisting to pass without disturbing all that surrounded him. It looked a difficult thing to do, but it seemed natural for Kardul.
A rumbling roar reverberated throughout the forest -- then all went quiet, except for the buzzing biters. More than startled, frightened half out of his wits, Rogaan closed his eyes tightly, wishing away what he felt more than heard. After a few moments, Rogaan opened his eyes and quickly looked about to see what made the terrible bellow, but found Kardul staring at him with anger-filled eyes from a semi-concealed spot in the grove of trees ahead. Kardul motioned discreetly but urgently with his hand for Rogaan to follow.
Alarmed at Kardul’s demeanor, Rogaan’s heart began pounding hard, his hair stood on end, and his skin prickled. Everything came alive, vibrant and slow-moving. He suddenly became aware of the living things about him: plants and animals, brilliant details of all and overpowering to his nose. Rogaan’s throat and chest tightened such that he could not breathe. Rogaan did not understand what was happening to him, and it frightened him almost to panic. Quickly, confusion and dizziness gripped him and his stomach felt as if he would sick-up. Rogaan was besieged…completely overwhelmed and defenseless at the barrage to his senses causing his legs to go wobbly and weak, shaking with the strain of holding himself up. Through his suffering, Rogaan heard Pax on the move, drawing closer with footfalls so heavy that he may as well have been riding a niisku. And Pax’s heart -- its beating, he could hear it, and Pax’s breathin
g clearly rapid and shallow as he passed by. Without seeing him, Rogaan knew Akaal remained still, but not far off. Rogaan thought he heard the baraan’s heart beating at a quick pace and his breath, not loud, but steady. Rogaan’s urge to sick-up started to overpower him as pain boomed in his head, forcing him to close his eyes tight, hoping for all the sounds and smells to go away. Rogaan wanted his head to stop hurting. He feared he would pass out at any moment. He suffered for what felt a long time. Then his head cleared, as quickly as it had started. The pain lessened…almost disappeared and the forest noise felt...normal…and his stomach settled with only a grumble. Rogaan suddenly felt hungry. He looked up and found the concerned eyes of his friend who held him firmly with both hands on his shoulders. What is happening to me? Stay away! Never come again.
“What be wrong?” Pax whispered with fear-filled eyes.
“What is happening to me?” Rogaan asked, blank-faced and confused. He looked around and found that they were alone. Kardul and Akaal were nowhere to be seen. Something struck him in the chest then thumped at his feet. He looked down to see what it was, finding a small rock next to his knee. I am on my knees…how…when? Rogaan felt as confused as ever. He looked up, searching for where the rock had come from. In the broken shadows at the edge of the grove, a crouched Kardul sharply motioned with his hand for them to follow.
“Let’s be goin’, Rogaan,” Pax whispered with a trembling voice, while urgently tugging at Rogaan’s shoulders. Pax pulled him toward the empty shadows, where Kardul had stood a moment ago. They entered the grove running, and immediately found themselves plowing through razor ferns and around long-needle pines in their search for Kardul. They made more noise than wanted, with fronds cutting at them as they passed. A tremor shook the ground. Uncertain what it was or what to do, Rogaan stopped to look about the forest, seeking its source. Another tremor came, and another, regularly timed, growing stronger.
“What ya waitin’ for?” Pax whispered with hushed frustration.
“Something is coming.” Rogaan whispered. “Something big.”
Pax rolled his eyes. “Of course, somethin’ big be coming. Everything out here be big.”
Tremors came, one after another, and another. Rogaan got a sense of where it was coming from–to his left. He heard a deep breath and froze…froze in the shadow of a large pine tree, his back to the tree trunk. The tremors had stopped. All that remained was deep rhythmic breathing, so deep he felt it. Rogaan dared not look, dared not move to see what it was for fear of being found. A foul stench of putrid decay struck him in a powerful wind from behind. It filled his nose, assaulting his senses, and made him sick. He fought to keep down his innards, several times, before stalemating rising bile in his throat. The shadows about him deepened. The danger was close, on top of him. Another foul wind washed over him, this time from behind and above, forcing him to renew his battle to keep his stomach down. Prickles painfully rippled over his body as lights flashed in his vision, even when he closed his eyes. The forest around him plunged deep into shadows and the sickening odor burned at his nose and throat, yet the forest was so vibrant to him in every way. His ears filled with a reverberating pounding and his head hurt so badly he feared it would burst. Rogaan’s lungs burned with each breath. The foul air was too much, forcing him to breathe shallow. He silently gagged. Then the stench retreated as the tremors started, again, growing weaker with each new one. With uncertain courage, he peeked around his tree shielding him and caught a glimpse of a reddish fin, its height some five strides above him, and a reddish tail, passing beyond the trees. Everything moved too slowly to be real, Rogaan thought. He must be living a waking nightmare. He wondered at it then everything seemed faster than a moment before, more as normal, and all his ills started to fade as hunger pains rippled through him.
“Fool!” Kardul chastised in a harsh whisper. Rogaan found the Kiuri’Ner crouched near in deep shadows with spear at the ready and his face in a fume. Despite his size, Kardul was almost invisible to Rogaan. Relieved he no longer felt sick or dizzy, he worried about what was happening to him and what it was doing to his body. Rogaan swallowed hard, not only for the fear of illness, but also for fear of being dismissed from the Hunt. He waited…silently. And waited some more. “You’re too slow. Thank the Ancients redfins have poor sight. If he had found you, you’d be off to the darkness and the rest of us trouble. Enough. Let’s travel.”
Kardul disappeared into the foliage in a blink. How does he do that? Rogaan asked himself. He breathed a sigh of relief then started after Kardul, moving as fast as he could without making a ruckus…which was not as fast as he wanted. Rogaan felt unusually hungry, with his middle grumbling and growling as he ran. He chose to ignore it, mostly because he figured they were not going to eat any time soon. The grumbling and growling kept on with his steps. Rogaan was relieved that Kardul had not dismissed him outright. Rogaan then started worrying over his wounded chances to gain favor with the Kiuri’Ner. He tried to put his mistakes out of his head, but it was not possible. How am I going to make things right? Rogaan asked himself over and over again, while trying to keep up. After a time it seemed to matter little, and Rogaan settled into a hard trot needed to keep pace with Kardul. Pax easily bounded just ahead, while following the Kiuri’Ner, but Akaal was nowhere to be found. Rogaan feared they had lost him, and considered speaking up before deciding not to, mostly out of fear of appearing less competent than he already felt. Maybe he is ahead of us? Rogaan asked himself -- hoping, actually. Sure as hoped, Kardul soon passed gray-beard who then settled in line between Pax and Kardul.
Kardul set a hard pace that he kept for several marches before slowing. Rogaan struggled to keep up, though he managed, with a determined effort, and was relieved when the pace slowed to a walk. Their fast traveling left him drenched in sweat, with more pouring out of him everywhere, further soaking his clothes and stinging his eyes. The forest had grown oppressively hot for this early hour, the decay-filled air making it difficult for Rogaan to catch his breath. Pax, too, seemed winded, but a determined look on his face told Rogaan that his friend remained focused, steady – unusual for him.
“Hold!” Kardul’s voice was low and stern. He stood like a statue, with his gaze set on the forest ahead. “Listen. We avoided a redfin. They’re the bigtooth of the valley, but not the worst. They hunt the day, and in open spaces. Not what we travel, now. Leapers hunt the whole valley, even this heavy stuff. And they’re a mean bunch, with kicking claws to split you open in a blink. Fern runners are just as dangerous. The ground-running featherwings are as tall as a baraan and then some, and attack all that come near. They like tanniyn to eat and are just as dangerous. Stay away from their nests, especially. Two-horns can get to more than three thousand stones, move like thunder, and can run you down. They’re mean and more likely to charge than retreat. Longwalkers are easier going, and that’s what we hunt today. But don’t be fooled; they’ll crush you to the ground, given half a chance, especially if you’re near their nests. And take care crawling around. Down low has many things that bite and sting, especially where there is lots of water, which is everywhere in the Wet here. A shallow river runs the valley, making this place alive with poisonous things. And don’t forget the snapjaws. They’re in all waters no matter how small, and the big ones can get near as big as redfins.” Kardul fell silent, looking at them as if asking if they understood.
Rogaan caught a glimpse of Akaal watching him before shifting his eyes away. The man unnerved him for reasons he still could not put a finger on. What does he want? Rogaan wondered. Rogaan found Pax looking at Kardul, absorbing all of his teaching. Rogaan was a bit surprised at that. Pax usually took poorly to those trying to teach him…anything. Maybe the redfin shook up Pax? Recalling his own actions with the redfin, Rogaan grew uneasy and a little shamed about the way he reacted. He almost got himself and the others killed, and he wondered why he had not been dismissed for it. And to further confuse Rogaan, the Kiuri’Ner now acted as if these things were ju
st as normal as taking a breath.
“Our hunt plan,” Kardul continued in a low, serious tone. “Is to get a youngling longwalker away from the nesting area and drive him toward the cliffs where the cutters and carrier won’t have far to go to do their work, after we make the kill. Killing the animal too far from the cliffs, and leapers and redfins will be on us before we can take our cut of meat...and that’ll end someone’s light.” Kardul grabbed a handful of purple flowers and pulled them free of the soil. He placed the lot between his hands and started working his palms in a crushing rub. When he was satisfied the petals and upper parts of the stalks were nothing resembling what they once were, Kardul rubbed the remains on his exposed skin. “Do the same. It’ll keep us from the flying biters and bloodsuckers.”
With a growing buzz of a swarm about him, Rogaan eagerly did as Kardul. The flowers carried a pungent odor once crushed and mixed with his sweat, and he found the swarm instantly repelled by it. He wished someone had shown him this long ago, and eagerly rubbed more on himself, and just for good measure, rubbed some more in, then pocketed as much as he could stuff into his pockets; Pax and Akaal did the same.
“Why not take da big ones?” Pax asked, as he applied a fourth coating of the purple flower rub.
“The younglings,” Kardul replied, shaking his head. “They don’t protect nests, and have a streak of rowdiness that makes them easier to get apart from the rest. Besides, a youngling can be two thousand stones or more…the right size for the Hunt.” Kardul fell silent, again, this time with his eyes closed. “Listen. It’s the longwalker song.”
