***
The hours passed by quickly as they talked about more general things and got to know each other a little better. After a while, Sula started to feel relaxed again in his company, as the tension eased off with Felix talking about his life in the village; about being raised to be a herder and a farmer, his travels abroad, his parents and his twin sister. All the while she listened quietly and only interjected when she needed to. Wave slept on Felix’s bed and Tiger lay between them, washing himself all over. Sula blinked at the cat and when she looked up at Felix she saw the love in his eyes.
‘I am ashamed on behalf of my species, Sula, I truly am, if it helps at all. It’s a harsh unforgiving world.’
Touched by his words, tired and warmed by the fire she almost smiled, ‘A little, Felix. Be proud of the person you are; you seem different. Forget that you’re human,’ I know I did, Sula thought.
He laughed wryly, brushing it off. ‘This gift of yours, to merge your mind with animals, sorry to ask, but did you have to learn it?’
‘No, it comes naturally to us, just like walking and talking,’ and she hesitated, wondering if she should tell him more or not, but decided it might help him understand. ‘We never ‘take’ an ability from an animal without asking first. A Mindmerge is established only on a mutual agreement. Once we have ‘been given’ the ability we never lose it and we don’t physically have to be close to that animal any more. I only have to control my newly acquired abilities to master it, for only then we can call it a Mindskill. At first it was hard and took me some time,’ she glanced at Felix. ‘That’s where it went wrong you see. People thought it was a trick we could teach them. They treated us like witches even though it was just a trait of our species; like our ears and colour shifting eyes,’ she swallowed hard. ‘They killed us because they feared us. Comyentis were not the only victims of human ignorance and their bloodlust you know.’ She stared at Tiger.
Sula’s dark brown hair caught Felix’s eye, it shone auburn in the light of the fire and again he was mesmerised by how beautiful she was, comyenti or not; he couldn’t care less. He had set his mind on her. Trying to focus on their conversation he tried to remember what they were talking about.
‘I know,’ he said, ‘In most parts of the world, people take animals for granted and treat them very badly and I loath it, but times do change. I think people are slowly learning from their mistakes.’
Sula leaned a little towards him, like she wanted to reach into his soul.
‘But do they? If I look around I don’t see a lot of changes and I have seen my fair share of human settlements and animal abuse, more than my mother ever did. I had to take my chances, to see whether there were any comyentis; something my mother never did. It was however all in vain. I have always done what I could for the caged animals and tried to keep hidden from your kind, she sighed and remembered what they were talking about. Change. ‘Are you willing enough to change?’
Felix stared into her hurt eyes and tried once again to place himself in her situation. Yes, he could understand her bitterness, to a point. Her species had been treated with hatred and violence, but wasn’t she, herself, doing the same thing towards her enemy, the whole human race? Felix thought about what she had said though.
‘To some people change might be hard, having to change yourself; your habits or your attitudes,’ Felix started saying. ‘Do we listen if we get lectured by someone else or if we get told off? I think we might even rebel more. I know I would!’
‘At first, yes, but wouldn’t you take it in your stride and listen out of respect to someone else’s point of view? I mean; to accept the truth is often the hardest. I know you did.’
He smiled at that. Ah, but I’m different! ‘You have to look at it this way,’ Felix tried to comfort her and licked his lips. ‘People are stubborn and not always ready to listen and accept the truth. But I know one thing for sure: the people who did all those horrible things to your kind have paid their price by living and dying a lonely unloved life. A person who hurts and kills cannot truly love, and therefore will never be loved. Now how lonely and sad is that? That to me is the greatest punishment.’
‘Hmm, if it were true,’ Sula responded dryly. ‘There are so many who live unpunished, even respected in community life, because violence and ignorance is tolerated in your barbaric society. I have seen it with my own eyes! Violence towards animals, children, people; anyone different basically!’ Her mouth trembled a little while her eyes flashed orange like the fire and filled with tears. She thought about how people domesticated and caged animals to kill them for their meat; sometimes slowly to preserve their skins or flesh or just for the taste of it...taste, people would kill to satisfy their taste alone. So unlike wolves and other predators, who only killed because they had to eat and only took what they needed, never more. And if they do kill more it’s usually out of self defence or by accident.
Sula told Felix she more than once witnessed a fox enter a chicken coop at night and anyone by hearing the screeching would think the chickens were being murdered one by one, but actually when Sula went in there to have a look for herself, she noticed that the chickens were all defending themselves and their eggs for dear life and attacking the fox with their claws and beaks! Sometimes the fox would flee but usually he would kill his attackers and take what he came for, so that in the morning the farmer, upon seeing the slaughter would blame the fox for being a ruthless murderer, having killed all the chicken and left them mutilated. No wonder foxes had such a bad reputation.
‘The farmer wouldn’t realise the truth until seen by his own eyes,’ she said. ‘and what or who is worse; the farmer for keeping live animals in captivity and killing one or two of them every so often, or the fox, driven by the same hunger, killing them all at once?’ She shrugged and Felix nodded thoughtfully.
Sula was also horrified to have witnessed premeditated animal cruelty with her own eyes; their death screams and the nauseating smell of burnt flesh and skin would always stay with her. She had rescued and set free as many animals as she could, however it did sometimes mean she was being hunted herself if the trail led to her. Luckily she usually managed to stay safe and keep the animals safe and even taught them how to survive in the wild by restoring to animals such as pigs, cows and chickens who were born in a cage or pen, their natural survival instincts, with her ability. The very abilities she had ‘borrowed’ in the first place from their kind. But to know that these people would only start breeding and caging animals all over again and never change, de-motivated her. She did as much as she could, but would have liked to have done more.
Felix had to think about her words. He had travelled some, not much, and only near Rosinhill, due to his commitments on his farm. It was true that compared to his village these people she spoke about seemed barbaric.
‘Hmm, true, I regret that some people still seem to live as cavemen. Not in these parts though! Nevertheless, did you also see love?’
She shook her head feeling uncomfortable.
‘What do you mean?’ She had the feeling he was again trying to stick his head in the sand, not wanting to see and hear what was going on in the world around him and continue to live on in oblivion or worse, ignorance.
‘Well, did you see the helping hand when someone was in need, the look friends give each other, the arm around someone who needs comfort in bad times, the shoulder to cry on, the kiss lovers share?’
Sula gave him a long glance and bit her lower lip, tucking a strand of her hair behind an ear, now that she didn’t need to worry about that anymore. Felix could finally see her face a bit better.
‘I did see that part of humanity too, but rarely and almost solely between people; hardly ever to other beings. Children still have it, though, but soon start to copy their elders only to be caught in this dark web of adult life with its traditions and practices. Yes, I have seen people care for the animals they use to work the land, and maybe for their livestock and pets, but only because they depend on them
for their own survival. It’s a selfish kind of love. They wouldn’t think twice about eating them if they were hungry whereas they could be farming more vegetables, fruits and nuts. And what about general wildlife?’ She gestured wildly with her hands now, getting herself all worked up. ‘They disturb them; they hunt and track them down for their meat and bones; sometimes stupidly and without skill so that the animal suffers unnecessary pain, whilst there are so many other things people could eat. Do you also call that love?’ Her mouth was set in a grim line. ‘Some humans even believe animals don't experience pain, feel, think or have a soul! Remember what you said earlier in front of your people, that we only love what we know?’
Felix nodded.
‘I really believed you understood what you were saying even if it was about the giant,’ Sula said. ‘To me it meant other beings as well. We love what we know and understand; what we have been taught to understand. Anything else is wrong and can be either used, abused, ignored, or destroyed however we see fit!’
Felix lowered his shoulders. He felt really bad, for she was right.
‘I can only say that doesn’t count for these parts. There are exceptions you know, perhaps hard to find but it’s true. We’re not hunters, but simple farmers and know we don’t need to eat flesh to stay alive and so we don’t. It’s always been like this here. We only have animals for their milk, but only for our children and we make cheese but just enough. We do keep hens for the eggs and sheep for the wool for our clothes, but we all treat them really well,’ and he grinned. ‘Maybe we are a bit ignorant or superstitious at times, but at least we’re no longer cavemen. We keep small flocks and give them good clean shelter in the winter and we know all of the animals by their faces. And how can we kill and eat something with a face? That’s been our tradition for generations. And why should we change it with all the fruits and nuts around and the vegetables we grow?’
‘I’m pleasantly surprised,’ Sula commented genuinely and remembered all the villages she had visited in the East of Bhan who seemed to follow pretty much the same policy. It was very unusual to find something similar here, in a much colder climate where one would expect people to consume meat over the winter to stay warm. But clearly they had found other ways without harming anyone. Although Sula did not consume any animal products herself, not even eggs or cheese, and was against keeping animals in confinement she did however respect Felix and the villagers’ way of life. They were really almost on the same page here, it seemed…almost.
***
‘Remind me to help your people build a couple of barns so that next year you have more options to store your food in.’ Sula said and Felix smiled warmly at that.
‘Yes, it’s indeed a great idea, thank you. Does that mean you’ll stay?’
Sula took a sip of her tea and nearly choked.
‘Only until the worst of the storms are over.’
Disappointed he poked a stick into the fire, staring in thought.
‘Surely you can’t be going to that cave? I still don’t fully understand. Why that particular cave?’
‘I like it.’
‘But you don’t hibernate?’
Sula laughed at that, ‘Hmm, not really. I’d like to though, especially now!’ And she yawned. ‘I do tend to rest and of course the cold doesn’t bother me if I’m in bear-mode.’
‘Ah, but I don’t think you’ll be getting much rest with your new friend around. I’m sure he snores!’
They both chuckled.
Felix licked his lips and met her eyes, locking on.
‘We don’t own the land,’ he said mysteriously to Sula. ‘We just look after it for a while. To do that well is our obligation; to give something in return. Even though half of the world is covered in darkness, the other half sees the sun. Even the gloomy side will know its sunrise again. It’s a constant balance. You can be our sun in dark times.’
She crimsoned at that, playing with her wooden cup that was empty now. Again he hit the right spot with his words. How did he know her name meant ‘sun’ in her people’s language?
He saw what he had done to her and continued his flattery with renewed energy, ‘You are an example to us. How you live in harmony with all life around you. If we look into your eyes we see heaven; a forgotten place for us. Maybe that’s why people also feared you.’
Sula was speechless. She could only stare at the young bright man talking to her, sharing his thoughts, unique among his own kind and even his village that was ahead of their time.
‘Even in my childhood days I used to wonder,’ he continued. ‘When travelling to other places with my family, seeing how other people lived, why they’ve lost their way; when and where? All of life seemed so at one with nature. We humans are searching in our own way; conquering; trying to find answers and making them up when we don’t find them, but we always seem to grab only thin air.’
‘We have a saying,’ Sula said gingerly, looking hesitantly at Felix. ‘When their stomach speaks; their brain forgets. When their brain speak; their heart forgets. When their heart speaks…they forget…everything.’ her voice was so soft, like a mere whisper and it was very sensuous.
Felix smiled at her for Sula did not talk about humans like he was one of them. That was a great improvement. ‘That’s beautiful and very true, Sula.’
‘People just don’t live up to their potential.’ Sula sighed.
‘Maybe you can teach us?’
She looked at him thoughtfully only to see he was serious. She shrugged.
‘Well, humans don’t want to be taught or preached at. People need to experience things for themselves at their own pace and at the right time. Not everyone is ready to receive the truth. Besides…And I have learned that humans only tend to listen to those whom they think are wise, but often aren’t; leaders and the likes. If people would listen to the truly wise ones and open their hearts to the truth that lies within their own hearts, something that cannot be taught, it would be a real start. To look around at the real world instead of the one they’ve created,’ she stopped for a moment to think and held his gaze.
‘Like you, Felix; you listen to your pieces of wood. Other people would say the pieces are dead, but you know they’re not. Perhaps the spirit has left, but not entirely. Something is still there; you can feel it. Life has left its mark and it is exactly this that talks to you. You hear it and communicate with it to ask allowance for your vision.’ He smiled shyly at her and nodded.
Time drifted by deep into the night while they sat and talked in front of the cosy fire. And as they listened and contemplated life, a deeper understanding between the human and the half comyenti grew. Felix reminded Sula of her human side; trying to break through her bitterness and pain and she taught him to see through her eyes.
They were no longer two different species; they were of the same kind.
Chapter 8 Sacrifice
‘How is it possible,’ Felix asked in the middle of the night whilst drinking and sharing a cup of delicious apple wine made with honey that he had managed to salvage from the barn. ‘that they managed to wipe out the entire comyenti species? You’re all so strong and intelligent; surely a human is no match for a comyenti!’
He remembered how fast she had made it to the cave and recalled her bear growl and how she had thrown him away from the giant and carried the heavy sacks of food home, all so easily and with such strength. And surely with their abilities to both defend and even attack their opponents they would have been invincible?
‘It’s not the first time this has happened. Humans have exterminated other species who were just as strong as us. The fact that we can only use one or two special abilities at any one time means we’re no stronger than the strongest or fastest animal. We can only be one animal at any one time. Our enemies were many and in their hands they held something more powerful than claws, teeth, or wings. They had spears or bows and arrows, nets, dogs; giving them the ability to kill from a distance. That’s what made you so dangerous.’
; She decided against mentioning the comyentis’ weakest point; what really led to their downfall and kept quiet.
Felix closed his eyes and felt so mournful he could almost weep. He turned his head quickly to rub his hot eyes, but Sula had already seen him. She moved a little closer to him so that her thigh touched his. She actually felt more relaxed, maybe because of the wine or maybe being in the presence of this caring handsome young man.
‘Wave and Tiger,’ he suddenly announced, breaking the tension. ‘They’re the only creatures I feel connected to and really love.’
‘More so than with your family?’
He rubbed his nose and laughed at her. ‘They are my family, just as my parents and sister.’
‘Well, cats will never disappoint or hurt you, not intentionally anyway and they are easily forgiven if they are ever naughty,’ and she tickled Tiger under his chin and he immediately started purring. ‘They are easier to communicate with; even without words.’
‘We have some more cats in the farmhouse, but these two are my favourites and together they are great friends whereas some of them can be a bit moody. The farmhouse used to be my parents’, it’s where I grew up,’ and he smiled warmly. ‘We’ve built a smaller house down in the village for them, so the old farmhouse is mine and my sister’s now. She has her own house up in the woods. It’s quite noisy with all the animals in wintertime, so we can’t live in the farmhouse you see, but we do store things there, make cheese, and it’s where I do my wood work. I build and fix furniture and I make my figurines. I do spend a lot of time there, that is why I only need this small house to rest and be myself.’
‘Hmm, perhaps you can store some of your food supply in your farmhouse for next winter?’ Sula suggested and Felix nodded.
Sula picked up one of the carved figurines, the image of the young man and the cat.
The Comyenti Series Book Bundle, Volume 1 and 2 (Epic Romantic Supernatural Fantasy) Page 8
