by Amanda Rose
The cascading valley below was swarmed with snow covered spruce trees. Rolling hills stretched on for miles, and sunlight danced between the branches, through the puffy white clouds that stood timeless in the sky. The grandiose furs, spruces, and pines reached their arms tall to touch the forever-unattainable blue above. In the distance snowy peaks stretched as far as the eye could see in either direction. A draft blew the fresh powder snow along the tops of the mountains. Far to the base of the mountain ridge ahead the faintest view of some sort of house like structure stood out against the white outstretched snowy ground. The condensation from the mountains picked up the hues of the sun’s rays, and rainbows played merrily about within the vapour as it dowsed the earth.
“Remember this everyone… this is what we fight for,” Mack said after gazing longingly. “We have a long day ahead of us if we want to make it to the traveller’s cabin by nightfall,” Masumi insisted. “The traveller’s cabin?” questioned Jenko, slowly pulling his eyes off the peaks and to Masumi for a second. “Yes, everyone in Uwajima loves to climb the mountains. We built a cabin there because the journey is so long. We can stay there the night if we make it in time,” she explained. “Oh,” Jenko replied, looking to the heavenly scene in front of him, a medley of colours. “Also, try to keep it down, the wolves aren’t out as much during the winter, but they still hunt sometimes,” she warned. “Wolves?” Kato raised his brow. “Uh, Masumi, are your animals mutated? Was there ever a time the Imperial Continent didn’t have an air dome while the C.D.F.P. was in operation?” Mack asked with inquisitive eyes. “Uh… no, I don’t think so... mutated animals?” she asked. They explained to her the radiation that the East Green Continent endured and how their unsheltered plants and animals were affected, and mostly killed off by poisonous fumes.
Masumi ingested the information well, though it left her feeling ill, and rather naive. Her entire Empire had been deceived by the C.D.F.P. Deception ran thick within the Imperial’s political system, and her father had fallen a victim to this treachery; Masumi was deeply angered. Unable to decipher her emotions she just shook her thoughts away and decided to ignore her muffled mind until she had time to straighten everything out.
“Ok everyone, I guess you three,” she pointed to Yu-Lee, Jenko and Mack, “Know a bit more about wolves. Everyone else,” she turned her attention to the others, “They’re like dogs, but not friendly by any means. They’re vicious. Their teeth are really sharp, and they’re quick too. Keep your voices down while we pass. If you hear them coming, they pant when they run, they bark to intimidate their prey, and howl to call each other; a gun is your best bet. Knives might scare them off, but are hard to fight with,” she explained in the words that she recalled her father using when he first told her about the beasts long ago.
They began the escapade with the sun to their backs, as they headed westward toward the Snowy Peaks. They passed through an ocean of trees. The darks blue between the clouds showed its face continuously throughout the day, a never-ending game of hide-and-go seek. Heavenly images used the clouds as their pallet. They heard the flow of a small stream trickling beneath a sheet of ice as it moved around the stones in it’s bed most for of the day. They moved in relative silence, avoiding anything much louder then a whisper to avoid becoming lunch. The forest was equally silent, it seemed nothing but them stirred between the trees.
They went as quickly as they could, though Kato’s leg was still far from healed, which slowed them down. Vince and Mei switched off helping him to keep the pressure off of his leg. Kairu had been awarded a slick bow and arrows crafted out of birch, a woman in Uwajima had given it to him for assisting her with mending her burnt roof. Kairu had been taught as a child to use a bow, so when he saw a gallant bird soar high into the sky, he quickly drew back and shot. The arrows whistled and the stone-carved tip spun upward and punctured the bird’s heart. It fell like rock to the ground, dead. After a brief scouting they found the bird, a large crow, which they bundled up and carried along with them for a later meal at the cabin.
They took a short lunch break. Masumi had prepared them some sandwiches with the fresh bread she’d got the previous day, with some cheese. Everyone was curious about the odd substance, they starred at the cheese with ogling eyes. Mei sniffed the cheese. After some in depth thought Yu-Lee provoked a memory of having her father explain about how much he missed having cheese when he was a boy. Masumi explained to them it was made from the milk a cow produces, and subsequently explained what cows were. Hesitantly they tried the sandwiches. Everyone less Mack enjoyed them. Dairy of any sort apparently wasn’t Mack’s cup of tea. He held himself over with an apple and one of his beloved cigars.
Although they’d been making exceptionally good time, the days were still relatively short from the recession the sun had gone through leading up to the first day of winter. Days were now getting longer as February was at their doorstep, yet the hours still seemed to fly by. Recognising the fact that regardless of how fast they paced they wouldn’t make the cabin by nightfall they took a well-deserved rest at their lunch break. Kairu showed Mei and Suako, who had been yearning and asking constantly to learn for quite some time, how to do some Jujitsu. Kato watched happily as he sat with a blanket over him and a cup of tea Masumi had boiled using a portable burner. Jenko and Vince scattered around collecting pinecones and other natural wonders as memorabilia. Vince would put it into his journal and Jenko’s into a box, which he’d painted the words ‘World Travels Collection’ back in his house in Torusan.
“So, Masumi…” Mack began, sucking back on his cigar. The embers at the tip of it glowed an orange red. “Hmm? What?” she looked away from Kairu’s swift moves and to Mack’s rough face. “Where do we need to get by tonight? I don’t want to have to deal with running into anything while we’re trying to get some shut eye. Where’s safe?” he inquired. “There’s a place just a few miles away from here. We’ll make it there in no time. It’s a spot just above a slope, the hill is small and heavily embedded with trees. My dad used it a lot when he travelled. Plenty of cover within the pines, and the scent will cover up ours,” she told him as best she could.
As she found others relying on her for her opinions and information, she found a new sense of strength, growth, and overall maturing within herself. She was without parents to guide her now and had to become independent. She thought about a lot in that short bit of time. It was but a brief few seconds, but it was an eternity within her mind. “Good, good. We’ll move out in an hour or so. Great memory, Masumi.” He said and patted her on the back. Snap! She popped back into the moment. “Oh, uh… No problem Mack.”
They set off just as planned. Mei and Suako play fought with their new moves as they walked along. Kairu’s regular emotional shield was let down, he was enjoying himself, and the people he was with. They reached the campsite in quickly, just as Masumi had said they would. There was still a while before sundown, so Mack gave everyone his or her chores to prepare the campsite. Mei and Suako went to scour for dry wood for a fire, Vince and Kairu were to set up the tent, he asked Yu-Lee to make a magick shield to protect them from listening ears if she could. Masumi ran after the girls to help gather firewood. Kato went through his things searching for the flint he’d packed before they left, and Mack and Jenko searched for the stream they’d been hearing to get some water.
“Mack…” Jenko began. Mack couldn’t help but let out a mild-mannered laugh. “What’s funny?” Jenko asked. “Ha, nothing really. Just… tired. Nothing left but to laugh… phew, hehe,” Mack said unable to hold back his laughter. Jenko couldn’t help but crack a smile, so they walked along chuckling. They searched until they sighted the brook down in between two sloping ridges. They carefully made their way down to the water’s edge. Mack took out his gun and beat the protective ice sheet with it’s butt, and a snowflake like pattern sprawled across the icy coat. The sheet slowly cracked apart, and Mack continued to hit it again and again until he got threw to the water beneath.
They dipped their canteens into the frigid water. “So Jenko…” Mack began. “Hmm?” Jenko looked at him. “What were you going to say earlier?” Mack asked. “Huh? Oh Yea… Sorry hehe, you’d lost me for a second there. I was going to ask if you thought Yoshida crossed the sea to follow us?” Jenko replied. “Oh…” Mack sighed, “I never told you about the Naval Unit’s advancements they’d been working on when I left…” Jenko’s interest was suddenly stroked, “Naval Advancements?” “Yea. They realised how inefficient waiting for the current change is to travel, so they developed a new kind of ship. It was nearly complete when I left… I have no doubt they finished it. Anyway, it’s got a strong engine so it can go against the current. They could’ve made it here in about a week. I have no doubt he’s not following us; he’s waiting for us,” Mack said grimly. Jenko was slightly taken aback by the news.
Mack plunged the cooking pot into the stream, and as he submerged it a great big air bubble ruffled the surface. “You think that’s why the support is here for the civil war?” Jenko asked. “Not really, Jenko. It sounds like the plans have been going on longer n’ that… Help me yank this up, get the handle… ok, on three. One… Two… Three! Argh!” They hauled the heavy-pot onto the snow bank. They hobbled back to camp where they found everything set and ready to go.
The tent had been pitched between the trees, a pit had been dug where the firewood was being stacked, and Kato had his flint prepared to go. Yu-Lee looked pleased, which indicated to Mack that her magickal spell crafting had worked. As Mack got into the small circular orbit of camp he realised just how noisy everyone was. He was bewildered that he hadn’t heard them sooner; apparently Yu-Lee’s grin was one well earned.
“We have some water. We’ll boil it and make some coffee,” Mack said as he plunked the pot down in the snow before attending to help set up the fire. “I’ll get the cups and coffee,” Masumi said bouncing up and over to her satchel. “After that how bout roastin’ that bird Kairu caught, eh?” Kato said licking his lips. “Sounds good. Someone wanna pluck the feathers?” Mack asked preparing a rotisserie above were the fire would be burning. Yu-Lee, who’d been doing nothing but stand posted against a tree, quickly took up the task of de-feathering. She took the bird aside and first off thanked the soul of the bird for giving its life for them. She opened her mind’s eye and watched it slowly morph its life with the universal life energy. Mack hung the pot to boil while the poultry was being prepared.
The wood was set, so Kato banged the pieces of flint together, and sparks began to rain from them. Repeatedly he continued to clash them together. Bronze specks exploded like fireworks, then sank slowly to the ground. A tiny branch started a little flame, which hey kindled, and nurtured as it grew. Massing with haste it soon consumed the entirety of the wood. The light glowed within the trees’ sanctity. They stayed close to it’s mothering warmth.
As the sun said goodnight, it made the mountains glow, and the snow turned to gold. The mountains looked like they were on fire. The indigo blue of night, that showed the beginnings of silvery stars behind them, slowly creep forward. The sun was being chased away by the moon and the night, and ran away too, but left in its wake a lasting impression.
Masumi took a sip of her coffee and then pulled from her bag a small canister of brown sugar, which she coated of the bird with. Masumi then filled the birds centre with some bread which she’d picked apart into small pieces, seasoned with parsley, salt, pepper, mixed with chopped onions and doused with butter. No one had any idea Masumi had brought along such extravagant food. She was an inexperienced traveller, and was carrying an excessive amount of waste. They’d have her leave unnecessary baggage at the cabin the following night. Until then they’d enjoy the fact that they had such extravagant pleasures to enjoy.
They skewered the stuffed carcass, and hung the pot of left over water, in which they boiled the birds innards to create a broth, over the fire. As the bird cooked over the open flame the sugar melted and created a glaze over the skin which darkened and became crispy thin. They sat in the silver moonlit night and watched the roast. The fire diluted the cool climate, and as the evening morphed into night the fire projected their shadows against the trees. As time passed, the aroma of the bird spread through the camp, it was a strong scented bird, but the stuffing within dulled down the pungent smell, and the glaze masked it with it’s caramel like appeal to their noses.
Late into the evening they enjoyed themselves. Masumi gave them another surprise when she pulled a bottle of fine aged red wine out for them to enjoy with their feast. They pulled the bird off of the spit and emptied the stuffing onto their plates. Then they tore it apart; the meat flaked easily, seemingly falling off the bones. “Masumi this looks excellent,” Suako salivated over the dish before her eyes. Masumi blushed, “My pleasure,” she giggled. Jenko bit into the caramelised skin and entered a blissful state, “Mm, this reminds me of being in Quan…” he happily reminisced. “Thanks, Kairu, this looks great,” Vince said as he placed his meat on his plate. “No problem,” Kairu remembered the long nights in Quan and was distracted by his memories of Okichi.
The tender meat melted on their tongues. The crisp delicate skin crunched gently between their teeth and infiltrated their entire mouths with intense flavour. The rich soft stuffing swarmed with the taste of the bird cooked right into it. “This is ‘licious man… Mm… You be a great hunter Kairu,” Kato said in between lustful mouthfuls. “Oh, this is orgasmic,” Mei laughed in supreme taste-pleasure. They filled their bellies, eating slowly, feasting for hours in the enjoyment of each other’s company. Merrily they laughed the night away, washing down their sinfully heavenly meal with the precious full-bodied crimson wine.
“…So, Kairu ran off and then comes back holding this enormous buzzard… ha, ha! With this totally innocent I didn’t do anything look on his face!” “… As you can imagine, I looked like an absolute fool! I was running through the city, totally lost, looking for my pants, and then…” the stories went on long into the night.
With full tummies they were drowsy and hit their pillows and to sleep quickly. Vince asked Suako if she’d join him on a starlit walk through the forest on the cloudless night. She accepted and he offered her his hand to help her stand up. She dusted the powder snow off of her coat and then walk off with him. As they left the safety of the encampment they were startled a by the sudden orange flare and crinkle from behind. They turned to see Mack leaning up against one of the trees puffing his cigar. “Don’t wander to far you too,” was all he said. Vince nodded and took Suako’s hand in his, guiding her onward.
They walked alone through the trees, the night was quiet and soothing. Their breath fogged before them as they spoke, “Thanks Vince… I wasn’t sure how you were feeling about me since Kukotan… You’ve barely spoken to me…” she timidly told him. “Oh Suako, I, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to be distant. It was a lot to take in. I needed time to think. I was just so angry that they… did that....” he stopped before he would well up with tears. “That’s good to hear. I was starting to worry,” She said relieved. “Whatever the C.D.F.P. did to any of us would never make me think less of any of us for it. It’s their entire fault, no one but theirs,” Vince assured her. “I know that Vince I just… Don’t want you to see me as the slab of meat that they saw me as, because of my deformities-” he stopped her and stepped in front of her. Dead locked with her eyes, he said nothing. They had an understanding beyond words. She smiled faintly and nodded her head. “I could never see you in the way you think I could,” Vince said. “I think… I think I knew that already,” Suako smiled.
He took her hand once again and walked along with her. The long outstretching branches of the ferns brushed against their shoulders as they passed threw a narrow path. The snow fell off the trees and onto the ground like pixie dust falling. Suako picked up a tiny handful of the powder like snow and stopped Vince. “Watch!” her eyes excitedly flared. She took a moment, and chanted under her breath. Then she blew the sn
ow from her hand and it formed into a heart as it fell. She looked to Vince who stood there blushing.
They walked on, sighted a hill free of trees, and began heading to it. “So what other little tricks did Yu-Lee teach you?” Vince asked. “Not much really. When I focus I can see Life Energies, I can sometimes focus to make things happen but I’m really still just a novice,” Suako said. “You’re incredible. Don’t think so little of yourself,” he tapped her chin up. Suako struggled and lost the fight against the smile it conjured. “See, you know your amazing… I still, when you crossed that chasm…” he said in awe. “Yu-Lee really helped me a lot with that though, and we were right by Okagwa too, but thanks you,” she said. “You’re welcome,” he smiled.
They climbed the hill. As they reached the top the crescent moon beamed down on them. Vince playfully spun Suako around to face him; perched on top of the hill in the dark, moonlight glowing in her eyes, Suako looked like an angel. Vince ran his fingers through her auburn hair. Affectionately she reached up to brush his cheek with her long soft fingers. In turn he did the same, their eyes locked squarely with one another’s.
Vince slipped his other hand around the back of her waist and pulled her closer to him. Heart fluttering, Suako couldn’t even blink. “Suako I’ve loved you since you ran into me on the street when we first met,” Vince confessed. Overwhelmed with emotion her breath was taken away. Lovingly he reached his hand from her cheek to behind her head. Suako was swept away in the moment, she was a rag doll in his control, and she loved it. He pulled her close and kissed her soft sultry lips. Like satin they kissed his moist lips back. Infatuated with one another they would not separate. Suako bushed her chest firmly against his as he stole her heart away. Pulling back, she looked into his deep dark eyes, “I loved you since you said you’d come with me to find Mack,” she said as her heart beat against her rib cage as if it were playing a drum.
