Nissi had talked his way into being a member of the party that ‘welcomed’ the Enasien into the village. The job was in actuality to keep an eye on them and make sure they didn’t cause damage, threaten the people of Escon or take things they were not supposed to, but Nissi was willing to do all that in order to speak with the fighters.
He’d told his father that they couldn’t know when the Enasien would leave and that it was crucial he speak with them before they departed. This had convinced the King to let him complete this task. And while the Prince had not lied with his reasoning, Nissi truly just wanted to get to know more about the elusive tribe. He was never going to leave his kingdom. He’d accepted that four years ago with the death of his mother, but it hadn’t curbed his curiosity for the outside world and talking to travelers was the only way he was ever going to hear about it.
Nissi tried not to think about such a bleak thing as he nearly sprinted down the cobblestone path leading toward the barracks that stood between the fortress and the village - in reality it was a large tent of animal-skins that housed the few soldiers Escon had. He came to a stop before two grinning siblings, nearly identical but for their gender. They looked to be about fifteen with their playfully, gleaming eyes, but Nissi knew they were in fact sixteen and soon to be seventeen.
The Prince put his hands on his knees, panting as he looked up at the twins. “Am I late?”
The girl laughed, blowing her red hair out of her face before she answered, a cheeky grin on her face. “Och of course ya are! Yeh know, for a Prince yer awfullah tardy.”
Her twin roared with laughter of his own, his gray eyes laughing nearly as much as his mouth did as he stepped forward and slapped the now glaring Nissi on the back, making the Prince wince, but then smile.
“Risten, yeh know Nissi here ain’t no Prince! He be a downright scoundrel! He just don’t want anybodeh to be knowin’ it!” The boy winked at his sister and Nissi pushed the teen away from him, straightening now that he had his breath back.
“It’s good to see you guys, too. Does this mean I was missed?”
“Nah, it’s been much more fun without ya here. Right, Tenulo?.”
The boy nodded, a smile pulling at his lips as he tried to address the Prince seriously. “Does this be meanin’ yer father finallah let yeh off yer leash?” Both twins cracked up laughing again at this comment as they looked at each other, seeming to send a silent message between them - and the Prince happened to know they DID share telepathic abilities - and Nissi only shook his head, sighing. Inside, he couldn’t have been happier, though. He’d grown up with Tenulo and Risten, devils the both of them, and it was from them that he’d learned it was okay to have a mischievous streak - even a Prince was allowed to have fun occasionally.
He hadn’t gotten to interact with them much lately, though, ever since he’d been drawn back into the fortress and other duties beside border patrol. It was good to see them again and Nissi felt himself loosening up in a way he’d not done in months.
“Come on you two. My father will tan my hide if we don’t meet this tribe on time. And behave, the both of you!” He called it over his shoulder as he started to walk back down the dirt path toward the village and the entrance the Enasien would come through. The twin looked after him and started laughing again before they gave identical whoops and followed, running after him and chattering the whole way like they were young children and not closing in on adulthood.
“Ah, there be the bossy Princeling we been missin’!”
“How’d yeh git yer father tah let ya come greet this tribe anyhow? Don’t be seemin’ like somethin’ he’d be amendable to.” The question came from Tenulo as the boy fell in at Nissi’ right side and Risten took the place on his left. The Prince glanced at his friend before looking away again, a smile flitting across his face that the twins didn’t miss as they grinned, waiting for the response.
The Prince delivered it calmly and with a straight face. “I simply pressed the urgency of speaking with the Enasien. They are a tribe that moves fast, yes?”
Risten snorted. “Fast yeah, but even they be needin’ sleep, Nissi! Yeh just wanted to speak with them without yer father hoverin’.” she ribbed and the Prince’s smile widened. “Perhaps.”
The twins laughed again, but soon quieted, their demeanor changing so swiftly they might have been two entirely different people as the group of three approached the entrance to the village where a group of what could only be described as warriors stood patiently waiting for permission to come in. There was only a crude type of draw gate and an even cruder wall of stone mixed with clay bricks heated by the sun to keep them out, not even a hindrance for people such as they, but the Enasien waited regardless and Nissi felt his respect for them grow.
He glanced at the now alert and entirely serious twins at his sides and spoke lowly. “They are guests. They will pose no threat to us if we pose none to them. Behave.”
Tenulo and Risten only nodded, no sound escaping their mouths and Nissi took their agreement for the bonding word it was. The two siblings might have been complete pranksters, joking and fun when around their friends and relaxed, but get them around strangers they did not know the intent of and they changed entirely. Like unpredictable wolves they stayed close to their leader, loyal to a fault and protective. Nissi knew he wouldn’t be out of their sights until the Enasien left even if they had to take turns watching him. It was a comforting knowledge, knowing he had friends who cared that much.
But then, Tenulo and Risten had always been protective of him. Even younger than he by nearly four years it had been they who’d kept him from bullying when he was younger. He’d been a sick child - and in fact still got sick easily - and the twin had been his guard-dogs so to speak, beating the living daylights out of anyone who harassed him.
Nissi wasn’t always sure what they saw in him that made them so fiercely protective, but the siblings would always have his loyalty and his trust for their devoted service and especially their friendship. They hadn’t left when he’d started to ‘become a Prince’ as they called it and they didn’t resent his command over them now. He couldn’t have asked for better companions no matter their young natures.
Nissi knew he could rely on them now as he approached the gate of precious metal bars and without a word, opened it. His pale green eyes swept over the tribe who started to trickle in. They reminded him instantly of a lion pride, elusive but majestic creatures that roamed the Iius plains to the south. They were powerful all of them in their own right. Each of them carried a chosen weapon - bow, sword, axe, staff, sling - and their gifts almost seemed to radiate off them, strong but controlled. They could have easily killed one another, but their was a smooth flow between their silent interactions and every member seemed to know where their place was within the tribe. They were a family and it was clear to see.
What was not clear to Nissi was who the leader of such a group might be. They all looked capable and there was nothing about their demeanor that might give away who was in charge. It was a tactic that the Prince easily recognized as smart and useful. If the enemy did not know who led, they couldn’t target that person and throw off moral.
Interesting, but now helpful right now.
Pale green eyes swept over the tribe again, looking more closely this time at each member, at the way they held themselves and where they stood, which members seemed more tense than the rest, kept glancing over as if they were watching someone else instead of looking around. Using such tactics, the Prince finally was able to deduce with a great deal of certainty who the one in charge was.
He didn’t let on that he knew, though, finally speaking when all seven members - there had to be more somewhere, but they’d obviously not come - of the tribe were within the village square just inside the gate.
“Members of the Enasi Tribe, I am Prince Nissi. I am sorry for the hold-up as that was entirely my fault. You are welcome here in Escon for as long as you might need to stay.”
There was a soft snort, coming from a female with short light brown hair and sharp brown eyes, a bow slung over her shoulder along with her quiver of arrows. “Escon does not welcome us. Do not insult our intelligence by lying, Prince.” she accused and no one in her tribe rebuked her, waiting.
Nissi didn’t feel offense, though. What the woman spoke was true for the most part. “The King of Escon does not appreciate being bullied in his own kingdom and that is exactly what your tribe did, knowing we could not fight you. However, you are wrong in your assumption that Escon does not welcome you. Perhaps you are not welcomed willingly, but you are welcomed or you would not be standing here now without a fight from us.”
“A fight? From this little kingdom? You would have been subdued in less than an hour.” The remark came from a man with the same cropped blond hair and gold eyes to match. He had four arms and was crossing them all, looking highly amused as he watched Nissi. The Prince only smiled slightly, though, quirking only one side of his mouth and in the expression was clear warning.
“We might have surprised you.” As Nissi spoke, lightning crackled overhead, in perfect time with the brief flash of light in his eyes. The Prince let his power go as quickly as he’d harnessed it, though, and shook his head. “Escon is not a kingdom that would have fallen so easily as you say, but there is no point it arguing over the merit of this. We have welcomed you as guests and you will not be harmed by us. In turn, we expect the same courtesy from you.”
“You speak to us as a group. Do you not know the War-Leader among us? You seem clever with your words, are you just as clever with your skill of deduction?” The question, seemingly very sincere if judging, came from a girl who looked to be around Risten and Tenulo’s age. She had long blond hair that was braided back tightly and a her belt was covered in daggers.
Nissi didn’t even pause and stepped forward, signaling the twins to stay - something they only did reluctantly - as he walked into the Enasiens’ midst and right up to the man he knew with confidence was the War-Leader of this tribe.
He was a dark blond with the harshest set of gray eyes Nissi had ever seen. They were like the stone of the mountains around them, unyielding and they looked to be unfeeling as well. Somehow the Prince doubted this idea, though. There was something about the other male that nagged at him, a sense that he should almost know him. Or maybe it was taste of change around this group that was effecting his head.
Nissi made himself focus, made his pale green eyes meet the harsh gray ones before him. “I welcome the Enasi War-Leader and his men into my father’s kingdom. Perhaps we might stop playing games now?”
Nothing changed in those gray eyes, but Nissi was sure the atmosphere around him did as it seemed like the Enasien relaxed and the Prince saw why as he noticed the War-Leader’s hand slip away from his sword. The blond’s voice was clear and calm, the voice of someone who was often giving commands and having them obeyed.
“I am Caln. Well done, Prince. There seems to be more to you than meets the eye. Where did you learn such skill; both with your power for I saw how quickly it came to you and in your battle-like ability for your kingdom is not often at war.”
Nissi smiled slightly and stepped back. “If you wish to know, you must answer a question for a question. I desire information of the outside world and that is the only reason you and yours were allowed into this kingdom without grief.”
The blond man who stood beside Caln spoke then, smiling with a chuckle. “So it was you who bartered entrance for us?”
“Yes. My father does not trust the tribes and he wants nothing to do with them.”
Caln’s brow rose just slightly, just enough to show a glimmer of interest as he studied the Prince, like he was trying to solve a puzzle that vexed him. “And you?”
Nissi looked toward the fortress, a serious and thoughtful expression coming over his face before he turned back to his guests and spoke. “My father and I do not always agree on the outside world. I would rather learn what it has to teach us to better my people while he prefers to ignore it and keep it at bay.” The Prince shook his head. “Enough of this for now, though. Come. I will not have my people thinking there is a problem where there is none.”
Nissi left the Enasiens’ ranks and they let him without hindrance as he rejoined Tenulo and Risten who looked him over much like loyal hounds might sniff at their master after he has returned from a journey they were not privy to join him on. He was not the only one who noticed such similarities and the light brown haired woman who’d spoken first among the tribe laughed, the sound not unfriendly.
“Fear not, wolf-twins, your Prince has not been harmed. It would be shame to strike such a brave heart for there are not many who would walk among our tribe with such confidence.”
The twins frowned at the woman, not sure whether she was giving insult or compliment, but Nissi chuckled, elbowing the two. “Relax. We have no enemies here.”
“Och, they have not yet be provin‘ that.” Risten shot back, her accent heavy with her distrust and her twin nodded, but said nothing. The Prince only shook his head again and gestured for the Enasien to follow as he started back up the path toward the fortress. It was going to be an interesting night indeed.
And Nissi discovered hours later that truer words had never been thought. He was currently standing between Risten and a black woman called Fara. His arm was raised and two swords, one from either woman, was pressed against opposites sides of his arm-brace. Nissi had reacted instinctively, darting forward from his seat when the weapons had been drawn and had crashed toward each other, steel ringing against steel once before the blades drew away from each other again. They hadn’t met a second time as when they’d come down again for a second strike against each other, Nissi’s arm had risen and halted their progress.
His entire arm and shoulder now radiated with a stinging, throbbing pain from the force of the blows against his bracer, but the Prince’s ire was enough to keep him from showing it. “That is enough! You are near-grown women acting like spoiled children!”
The Prince’s pale green eyes locked on to Risten’s gray ones. “These people are guests in my father’s kingdom and friend or not, you have insulted his name. Sit down.”
Risten looked properly stricken and withdrew her weapon, bowing slightly before she went quietly back to her seat beside her brother at one of the long, and extremely old wooden tables.
Fara had already withdrawn her weapon from his arm by the time the Prince focused on her, but instead of disappearing, she seemed to wait for a reprimand as well despite the fact that Nissi was not her monarch or leader. And Nissi didn’t hesitate in giving it, a frown on his face and his eyes hard.
“You are a guest in this kingdom. You have raised a weapon to one of my people and you have insulted my King’s hospitality.”
“I have, Prince.” The fifteen year old didn’t deny it, nor did she look to her tribe for help and Nissi regarded her for a moment before speaking again. “Don’t let it happen again or you will be seeing the inside of a cell.”
“Yes, Prince.”
Knowing she was dismissed, the brown-haired girl rejoined her tribe-members and Nissi looked around the now quiet hall. A great fire on his right and his left, large pits in the center of the square room, lit up the faces of those gathered around him at the tables. They cast shadows on the blue-dyed skins that hung on the walls and decorated the ground, warming the room with their insulation. Nissi felt at home here and yet, so out of place at the same time as he stood alone, his father watching from further up on his dais, silent.
Those at the tables had watched the squabble unfold and then escalate until each female had sprung up, sword in hand. None of them had interfered, though and now his own people looked at Nissi with encouragement on their faces and the Enasien with a glimmer of new respect that Nissi was not sure he understood.
The Prince decided he didn’t much care as his father finally spoke, looking like he wanted to express anger, but was holding his tongue and trying to be civil. “Perhaps it is time we all retired. Tempers are always better among strangers when they’d had some sleep.”
Those in the room bowed their heads respectfully to such a suggestion that was more a demand and the Enasien were led away to their rooms for the night while the rest of the hall emptied of the King’s subjects.
Nissi was heading toward his own room, cracking his neck as he went when he saw the shadow waiting in the hallway. Somehow the Prince didn’t feel any panic, fear or even surprise as his eyes narrowed. “You wish to speak with me?”
Caln came away from the stone wall like he was pulling out of it. “It thought it was you who wanted information from me, Prince.”
“I seem to recall you asking the first question, Enasien.”
It almost sounded like the War-Leader smiled, but Nissi could not see his face clearly in the dimly lit hallway. “Perhaps. Might we speak more on the matter now that we are alone?”
The Prince looked down the hallway in either direction before nodding curtly and walking back the way he’d come without explanation. The Enasien seemed to need none as he followed, making no comment as Nissi opened a large wooden door and led them out to a large balcony. The Prince went to the railing and set his hand on it before looking back at Caln.
“You have come from the Iius Plains, yes?”
Caln came to the railing and looked out at the valley and then up at the sky where stars peaked out from the roiling clouds for brief flashes at a time, seeming to promise there was still beauty and hope in the world - one just needed to be watching for it closely. His hip leaned again the stone half-wall in a casual manner that Nissi could completely see past. The dark blond man was completely geared up for any type of danger much as he tried to look relaxed.
“I did. How did you learn to be so quick on your feet?”
Nissi grinned at the unexpected question, looking away. “I used to race Tenulo and Risten up these steep rocks like a mountain goat. We nearly broke our necks.” Pale green eyes turned back to the Enasien as Nissi fired back his own question. “How is the water supply in the south?”
Caln almost seemed surprised by the question, but then seemed to think better of the emotion, like he should of expected it of himself and he frowned, seeming to really think about the answer, something that Nissi appreciated. “It is dwindling. A whole lake dried up during the summer months and the rivers are growing sluggish, though, they still flow. It is the same here, yes?”
Nissi nodded distractedly, alternately gripping the stone beneath his hands tightly and then releasing the pressure again, over and over as he thought about the implications of this news. “How is the rain?”
The Enasien studied the Prince’s profile for a moment like he was thinking about pointing at that Nissi hadn’t really answered his question all that well, but Caln didn’t voice the words, instead answering the question posed to him directly, still watching Nissi and his reaction.
“It comes less and less, and when it does come there is not nearly enough of it. The land is dryer than I have ever seen it.”
Nissi’s hands tightened on the stone as he shut his eyes, feeling a chill sweep over his body at hearing such bleak news. He’d known it. He hadn’t wanted to admit such a thing, even to himself, but he’d known it in his heart. Their planet was dying.
And no one seemed to notice.
The Prince finally straightened, settling his face into a proper mask of calm as he turned back to Caln, remembering who it was he spoke to. A guest. “Forgive me, I have not asked you of your journey or what you might need.”
“Such things were not important to ask about at this time.” Caln replied calmly and the War-Leader met Nissi’s pale green eyes as the Prince looked over, surprised. “You don’t belong here.”
Nissi blinked, facing the Enasien fully, brows raised and eyes wide. “What?”
Caln merely shrugged, looking back at the village below them. “You don’t belong here. Your heart is courageous and it feels trapped in this place no matter how much you might care for your people.” Hard gray eyes looked back into completely startled pale green ones. “The Enasi Tribe could use someone like you, Prince. My people would welcome you among our ranks. You already have their respect.”
Nissi’s mouth threatened to drop open and he only kept it from doing so because of his need to speak as his eyes narrowed. “Are you….inviting me into the Enasi Tribe?!” he asked incredulously and Caln turned to face him fully, something like a faint smile in his voice which Nissi found strange considering Caln was only about four years older than him. He really had no right to be so amused!
“Is that so hard for you to accept? You have a brave heart, Esconin, and you command respect without smothering those you rule over. Your diplomacy is strange, but effective and you have an excellent control of your power.”
“You have not seen me use my power.” Nissi protested faintly and Caln nodded in acknowledgement of that, but also showed his observation skills and the mind behind his gray eyes with his next words.
“No, I have not, but any Weather-controller who would be willing and skilled enough to draw rain-water from the south to the north must have a great deal of control and experience over his gift, yes?”
The Prince looked away without answering, out of protests, but his mind whirling as he sighed out slowly and watched his breath fog almost instantly in the gathering dark. He’d spoken to Caln for the purpose of getting water for his people and now the War-Leader was offering a place within the Enasi Tribe - the greatest fighters and apparently intellects in the world of Jagason! The mere thought of it made his head spin and Nissi shook it, unsure what to say.
Caln seemed to know he wouldn’t and the Enasien pushed away from the wall. Nissi noticed that as the War-Leader did so, he wobbled just slightly and seemed to wait for a moment, like his vision had gone momentarily black or he’d suffered from a dizzy spell before he righted himself and all signs of the strange incident were gone.
“Think about my offer. We will be leaving in the morning, but will pass by here again in a few days time on our journey home.”
Nissi pushed away from the railing, already shaking his head. “Thank you, but I-”
“Do not reject so quickly, Prince.” Caln’s voice almost seemed to contain a note of warning and his words floated over his shoulder as he walked away and toward the door that would lead back inside. “Many things can happen in a few days to change a person’s mind. Change is in the air after all.”
The blond Enasien disappeared then and Nissi was left in dim twilight, the wind starting to grow colder around him and his breath misting in the air, wondering just what had happened and Caln’s words echoing in his ears, in his heart for they were the same ones he kept telling himself.
Change was in the air, indeed. But only time would tell if it was for better or worse.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He tripped again on the steep and unpredictable mountain path and Caln cursed under his breath as he heard Weln curse out loud and his fierce little sister came to his side, glaring him into submission as she slipped his arm over her shoulder and they started walking again without a word.
Well, without a word for a few precious seconds that Caln would treasure always. He really would.
“You can slow down. We all know you’re sick, Caln, so you can stop being a stubborn mule and tell us when you need to rest.” Weln was only fifteen but everyone in the tribe knew she was not to be taken lightly and as she lectured him now, Caln let her even though her knew everyone behind them could hear it and must be grinning.
“We didn’t follow you on this crazy journey because you were healthy, mind you. We followed you because we’re as insane as you are, got that?”
Caln grinned and because he couldn't lie to his lie-detector sibling - she literally, was one, that was her power - he went for lighthearted instead. “Well, that might have been why the men followed me, but we all know why the women did.” He cast his sister a glitter-eyed look and then yelped when she hit his ribs, glaring. “You are such a flirt! I am surprised you managed to contain yourself in Escon!”
The War-Leader grimaced, rubbing his side, but the smile still flitted about his face, so different from the emotionless look he showed the rest of the world outside his tribe. “I assure you, it was quite the trial. I don’t know how I survived it!”
Caab, coming up to his sister and brother, laughed and clapped Caln on the back, grabbing his brother‘s arm when Caln stumbled, not expecting the contact and already slightly off-balance for trying to step over a large rock in the ‘path‘ they were following. “Same way you survive everything, brother. With charm and a good drink!”
Weln rolled her eyes at her older brothers, but didn’t have the heart to reprimand them. Truth was that both she and Caab knew how hard Caln truly had to fight just to stay healthy. He was sick a great deal of the time and yet he’d risen to the rank of War-Leader in the tribe and was the best fighter, both in his skill with any weapon he even so much as looked at and his power on the battle-field.
Few could understand how he’d done it, but Caab and Weln knew it had everything to do with Caln’s stubborn nature, his refusal to give up on what he wanted to do no matter how sick he was. He might have had a temperature upon waking and thrown up his breakfast, but no one would have known it during training. Like now. Both siblings knew their older brother was sick even now. He’d held it together well in Escon, but now that he was among people he trusted, his edge was wearing off, but it didn’t stop him from pushing himself.
Their brother was determined to fight and to be the best at it…and he was. Only they saw just how badly he fared after the fighting was done and the other tribe members, especially those greatly loyal to Caln, were starting to suspect at how sick he really was, too.
Caln just didn’t like to be reminded of it.
The War-Leader finished laughing at his brother’s joke, a familiar one between them and then looked ahead again, his stone-gray eyes narrowing as they swept the mountains, gray like his gaze and treacherous. These gray mountains were in ruins, broken and jagged and few ventured into them. They’d told the Esconin two days ago that they were crossing the mountains, but that wasn’t entirely true. No, they weren’t crossing per-say….they were looking around more like it.
And only Caln knew what it was he sought. He’d been unable to explain to his siblings about the dreams that plagued him and truthfully, he’d been too self-conscious about their content to risk being teased about it. He’d been seeing a girl in his sleep, but unlike the normal dreams with that kind of content, these ones were different. He’d never seen this young woman before in his life, not in passing and not at length.
She was young, but not so young as Weln, with wild red-brown hair that looked like it had never been cut or brushed in her life. Her frame was lithe, but muscled and her clothing ragged and ripped in many places. Her overall appearance was greatly unappealing actually and recognizably feral, but it was her eyes that made Caln hesitant to pass judgment on her so quickly.
They were amber and just as wild as the rest of her, but when she looked toward him in the dream, it was like she was calling to him, like she knew he watched her. Her eyes said she had something to tell him, some secret to share and Caln could not get her out of his head. He didn’t even know how she’d gotten IN! He would have thought there was a telepath playing tricks with his mind, but knew that was not the case.
Fara was a telepath and if someone had been trying to get into his mind, she would have known it. No, this was something else entirely and Caln could not explain it. Nor could he forget it and after a time, he’d decided he couldn’t take not knowing anymore, especially when his most recent dream had shown him almost exactly where this mysterious girl was.
He’d planned to leave alone. It was getting toward winter and he wasn’t prepared to put his people in danger or take away from their survival during the colder months because he led them on a wild goose chase. His tribe had caught on to his plan, though, and no matter how he protested, six members had insisted they come with him. The other twelve had stayed behind under the command of Sif, the Enasien Tribe-Leader and it was Sif who’d pretty much forced Caln to bring those that would go with him and were qualified for long-distance missions.
The War-Leader had not been able to tell those journeying with him what was going on, not at first and he hadn’t told his Tribe-Leader where he planned on going, only that he’d be back. And because of the trust of years between he and Sif, the other man had let him go with blessing. Now Caln had told the six members of his tribe that followed him that they were searching for someone. He just couldn’t tell them who…because he didn’t know himself.
“Find anything?”
Weln’s voice cut through his thoughts and Caln realized he’d been staring ahead without comprehending what he was looking at and his tribe was looking at him with expectation. He started to shake his head and abruptly stopped as something flashed before his eyes, something he knew was not there, but….was all at the same time.
Amber eyes stared into his own and slowly Caln saw the rest of the young woman’s face before she looked away from him and toward the mountains to his left. The War-Leader frowned slightly before following her gaze, searching and then his gray eyes widened, seeing what he’d not before. When he turned back to the girl, though, she was gone. His sister stood in her place, looking worried and Caln shook his head, pushing his shaggy blond hair back when it brushed his eyes and feeling the sweat that made his forehead damp. He was warmer than he should be, even in the heat of this planet, but Caln said nothing of it.
“We’re nearly there.”
“And where is ‘there’?”
Fara asked the question, arms crossed and Caln looked at the telepath warningly. “Stay out of my head, Fara.”
The fifteen year old growled at him, frustrated, and turned to Weln. “You make him talk. At least he can’t make you stop seeing if he’s lying.”
“There’s no need for that girls.” Asin stepped forward between the two females and using one hand among his four, he felt Caln’s forehead before the War-Leader could protest. “Hmm…you feel hot, Caln.”
Caln pulled his head away and smiled slightly. “Thank you, Asin, but you’re really not my type.”
The multiple-limbed Enasien only rolled his eyes, more than used to Caln’s quips, especially when the dark blond had a fever and was trying to hide it. Asin stepped forward again and this time Caln reluctantly let him feel his skin again while the white-haired male frowned and muttered under his breath about needing a healer.
“I’m fine.” This time when Caln stepped back, Asin let him, but Weln snorted. “No, you’re not. You need to rest.”
“No! We’re close. We are. The place we want is right over there, just a few more miles.”
“Of climbing! You can’t really think that you’re strong enough to do that today!” Weln realized her mistake as soon as the words left her mouth as she saw her older brother’s face morph from pleading to stubborn and determined and the young woman groaned, putting her face into her hand.
Caab patted her on the shoulder, his voice dripping sarcasm. “Good going there. Now he’s really gonna rest and behave.”
“Oh, shut up, Caab!” Weln shrugged off his hand and started to walk up the path, knowing she’d lost this battle completely and mad about it. Caln watched her go and said nothing before following and that was how the group proceeded from that point on; silently.
It was only a few hours and many steep climbs up the gray rocks around them later that they arrived at the place Caln had indicated. The War-Leader wanted to collapse where he stood, but refused to and though his vision kept flickering in and out of focus, his gray eyes stayed fixed on the cave mostly hidden in the rocks around it.
This was the place. He knew it was and Caln approached the dark entrance without hesitation. He was stopped as Danil grabbed his arm, the red-haired male looking worried. “You know what you are doing, right?” The twenty-six year old wanted to make sure his leader was thinking clearly before he let him go.
Caln nodded, making his mouth work coherently despite the effort it took. “I know what I am doing. I know what I am searching for.”
Danil glanced at Weln for confirmation and looking reluctant, the girl gave it, knowing what her brother spoke was truthful. He DID believe he was supposed to find something here, but Weln worried as to what he thought it was. Danil was already releasing her older brother, though, reassured and Caln approached the cave again.
The rest of the tribe followed him inside, lighting the Lonik-fueled torches they had stored in their packs as the natural light disappeared and the cavern delved deeper into the mountains. It grew strangely warmer the further they went when they all expected it to be cold, but Caln didn’t hesitate to keep moving and when they came to different paths to choose, different tunnels, he didn’t hesitate there either. Asin, taking up the rear, was marking the way they’d come with charcoal, but other than that, the tribe did nothing but follow the dark blond as he led them through the dark.
And then suddenly it wasn’t so dark anymore as the walls started to lighten, to glow with a red hue and the seven abruptly found themselves almost stumbling into a wide cavern that blasted them with heat. The red glow was cast by lava pools far below the ledge they stood on, but that wasn’t what drew their attention.
No, it was the animals that dwelled in the cavern that did for they were creatures they’d only ever heard about in the oldest legends. They were a bit larger than a great draft horse with smooth, snake-like scales in all hues and colors. Their appearance was of a lizard that was almost lion or wolf-like in build, not slinking around on it‘s belly, but standing tall. Their teeth were sharp, however, and the wings on their back, nearly as big as they were, showed they were certainly not lizards nor feline or canine.
They were dragons. At least fifty of the creatures, all lounging about the warm rocks and slipping into the magma pools below as if they swam in mere water. The lay on the warm, gray rocks, at all heights in the cave as they rested on ledges similar to the ones the Enasien stood on.
The Enasien stared in wonder, not making any movements or speaking for fear of alerting the creatures to their presence, but all of them quite sure in that moment that THIS was what Caln had been searching for.
Caln, however, barely paid the dragons themselves any mind, rather looking around them and between them, trying to find what he knew should be here. He finally he did find it. Her rather, he found a HER. She was laying on the back of a red dragon lazily, appearing just as he’d seen her in the past.
And as if she sensed his gaze, she suddenly looked up and their eyes met. The girl bolted upright, a startled and panicked look coming over her face and the dragon under her immediately tensed and raised its head, studying the cavern. It spotted the humans immediately and gave a shrill screech that had the Enasien covering their ears and the rest of the dragons on alert.
The whole pack was watching the humans now and the Enasien remained still, not wanting to provoke any of the mysterious creatures to attack. Even that was risky, though, because they really had no idea whether standing still would make them less threatening or more appealing to the dragons. They knew NOTHING about them, but for the legends.
Caln cast his eyes to Caab and his brother nodded, stepping forward. He remained silent for a long moment before starting to growl and chirp, his voice rumbling and roaring in a way it should never have been able to do as he spoke in the dragon’s ‘language’. He’d learned it just by the shriek from the lone dragon, his mind wrapping around what the sound had meant and taking it, expanding it naturally. Caab was an Animal-speaker, a person gifted with the ability to communicate with creatures whether they had an actual language of sorts like the wolf or just general signals like the Tanisk who dwelled on the plains.
Caln knew his brother would be reassuring the creatures that they were not a threat, nor were they prey and no harm was going to come to them…or something like that. Caln wasn‘t sure he understood it all….but if he remembered correctly, the dragons would probably understand a great deal of the message considering they were supposed to be one of the smartest creatures on Jagason.
The War-Leader found he really couldn’t care about what was going on, though, as his eyes sought the wild girl once more. She was crouching on the stone floor now despite how hot it must have been, her head tilted as she looked from Caab who she seemed able to understand and Caln, whom she was greatly curious about. One could clearly see it in her expression.
Their eyes met again and Caln smiled slightly, taking a step forward, unheeding of how close he was to the edge of the rock outcropping he stood upon. It didn‘t seem relevant to anything. He didn’t get far, though, as his body betrayed him, finally having enough and his legs buckled. Asin caught him with all four arms and Weln was at his side immediately, lecturing him about pushing himself and needing rest, and about how this stupid heat had probably made things worse. Caln was beyond listening to her anymore as a spasm of unexpected pain rippled its way through his body.
He groaned, attempting to curl around his stomach and then crying out and fighting when hands tried to keep him straight. His fever was raging out of control now and he didn’t even know when he’d been laid on the stone floor. All Caln knew was that it was suddenly unbearably cold in this place and he couldn’t stop shaking. He knew that he was in pain he didn’t know the origin of, nor the reason for and it scared him and the hands holding him down scared him even more. He was aware was that he couldn’t see the girl anymore, he couldn’t see her and he needed to see her. She would fix this. He didn’t know how, it didn’t make sense to him when he was in his right mind much less when he was like this, but he knew this fact was true.
No one else seemed to know this though and he didn’t know how to tell them. He didn’t even really understand what was going on at all. He’d never felt this sick and never in this way.
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The strangers had appeared suddenly, but she’d not been surprised by their presence for long. She’d seen strangers before. She’d often led them on wild chases through the gray mountains so that they wouldn’t find her pack. The strangers were always searching for her pack and her pack didn’t like the strangers. That was all she needed to know about them.
But these strangers had gotten into their cavern! She didn’t know how it had happened and she’d been scared at first, but then one of the strangers had started talking - in way she could understand even if his words were lacking in intelligence, like a child - saying that their kind wouldn’t be harmed and she’d been curious about how the stranger could do such a thing. It was amazing! She thought she was the only one who could understand the fire-ones!
Though the speaking-stranger was interesting, he was not as fascinating as the stranger beside him with the same gold hair, but eyes like the stones. He looked at her like he knew her, like the fire-ones looked at her. He had the same heat inside him, the same spirit the fire-one’s possessed.
She had never seen such a thing in a stranger.
It grew the curiosity in her like a flower being given precious water and she chirped to the dragon beneath her as she slide from his back, looking up at the ledge in time to meet the stranger’s gray eyes again. She saw him smile in the most curious way, like he was happy to see her and then he took a step forward as if he were going to walk right off the ledge.
She stiffened, immediately not wanting that to happen for reasons she didn’t understand, but the stranger did not fall into the magma below. Instead he fell on the stone, seeming to crumple, and another white-haired stranger grabbed him with four arms, lowering him slowly to the rock as a female stranger came to his side.
She could see from their faces and their body-language that they were worried and she felt a strong pull toward the ledge, like something was calling her. It was the same thing she felt in the dreams about the stranger with the white eyes, but it was different in a way, too, stronger. Perhaps it was that way because this stranger was here and the other one was in her dreams?
She didn’t know and right now it didn’t seem to matter as her sharp ears picked up the pained and scared cries coming from the ledge. They woke a fierceness inside her akin to the kind she felt toward the fire-ones and she moved toward the rocks that would take her to the ledge, chirping and growling a short assurance to the dragons around her as she started to climb, quick as monkey, up the rocks.
When she came to the ledge, she hesitated for a moment, not liking being so close to the strangers, closer than she’d ever been before, but another pained sound from the gray-eyed stranger made her move forward and those around the gray-eyed stranger finally seemed to notice her. They started making their strange sounds to each other, but she ignored them, coming closer still until one made to stop her.
She hissed at the female stranger, crouching threateningly with a growl and tried to edge around her, wary. The female stranger got in front of her again, though, and she growled louder, adding a high-pitched sound to the warning before trying once more to get around the stranger. Didn’t the other female understand that she was trying to help?
This time the female moved away in a cautious way as a male stranger made sounds at the other female. All the strangers watched her, some with interest and surprise and others with wariness and suspicion as she drew closer to the gray-eyed stranger. She crouched beside him, not close enough to touch, but close enough to observe that his skin was flushed with more than just heat from the cavern and his hair damp with sickness-sweat. She knew what that felt like. She was sick a lot, too.
The fire-ones always cared for her when she was sick, bringing water and food and with what she’d seen so far, it seemed these strangers did the same with their own kind. The gold-haired female across from the gray-eyed one’s body looked like she cared for him a great deal and would take care of him. But the female stranger also looked like she was scared and didn’t know what to do.
She didn’t really know what to do either.
The stranger seemed to be in pain, though, too, something she didn’t understand as she could not see blood or any injury on him. She could almost feel the pain radiating from his skin, though. It puzzled her. How could she feel his pain? She was not the one hurt. It didn’t seem to matter though as the stranger whimpered again and his body shook with a convulsion and her own flared with a streak of fire that ran up her spine and into the back of her skull.
A yelp was pulled from her lips and the stranger’s gray eyes flew open at the sound. They met her own amber ones with an obvious alertness that was startling to see. He was burning up, he shouldn’t have been able to look at her in such a commanding and purposeful way. She suddenly found herself understanding what she should do - or at least it felt like she understood - as she raised her hand and slowly let just her fingertips brush against the stranger’s collarbone.
What felt like a tingle traveled up her arm and she withdrew her hand quickly, scuttling backward a few steps, but watching with wide eyes as the gray-eyed stranger instantly relaxed, his eyes shutting in clear relief and then staying that way as his breathing rhythm fell into sleep. The female with the gold hair felt the gray-eyed stranger’s forehead and looked up with clear amazement at the others around her. Many sounds passed between the group before they looked at her with new speculation in their eyes and the female stranger said something that seemed very purposeful, never looking away from her amber eyes.
She just had no idea what it was that was spoken and not liking the staring aimed at her, she turned her back to them and leaped off the ledge, landing on a stone outcropping below and then scurrying down from there before she ran back to the fire-ones.
She’d helped the gray-eyed stranger, though she didn’t know how, but now it was time to go back where it was safe. After all, you couldn’t trust a stranger and there were a lot of them here in her pack’s cavern.
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