Maerek looked back to the campsite. What if this was another trap, to lure him away from the traders so that his little band of humans and the healer could be killed. Then again, he concluded that if he stayed in the camp, there was a good chance the traders would all be killed. Simmons and the cockatrice were after him, the dragon. He had to run to save them, and to give time to save Mearto. After he was a safe distance away, he breathed out a thick grey smoke and shifted into his true form. After two strides, Maerek leapt into the air, pounded his wings and started to gain altitude.
He moved his head side to side and flicked his tongue. Simmons and the cockatrice were back at camp! Maerek climbed higher until the clearing of the campsite came into view. The cockatrice was circling high above the cart. It was confused, mistaking the smell of the clothes in the cart for its actual quarry. Simmons rode on the putrescent bird, saddled just behind its wings and pulling on a metal chain that appeared bolted into the creature’s beak.
Maerek banked away from the campsite glided to the landslide. Once there, Maerek flared his musk. He flicked his tongue again, tasting for the reptilian bird and Simmons. Maerek looked up, behind, and side to side, searching for him. The vile smell of rotting feathers and human sweat grew stronger. Even with the rain, there was a faint sound of rapid wing beats. Simmons was driving the bird toward him.
Carefully, and quickly, Maerek filled his mouth with spit, turned and sprayed the landslide, consuming the logs, branches, and undergrowth in a bright crackling red flame. He looked back down the trail and across tree line, searching for his former captor. In the amber glow of the firelight, Maerek could see the grey-green eyes of the cockatrice glaring back at him from within the forest. Maerek rumbled low and flashed his scent again. The cockatrice clucked and cooed, receding back into the wood.
“Get up!” Simmons yelled as he snapped the metal reigns. Maerek started to fill his mouth with saliva, waiting for the bird to move. The bird faltered, stepping further back into the forest. Simmons yelled, and smacked the hindquarter of the beast with his metal rod. The beast lurched out of the trees, cawing and rearing its head back. Maerek spat a fire ball at the creature’s feet. The flames raced up, lapping at the cockatrice, blocking its view. With the sudden brightness, Maerek took the opportunity and jumped into the air, flying fast and upwards.
He circled around the growing fire at first, and then circled into the smoke, holding his breath and hovering upwards on the rising air. The cockatrice clucked and hissed as it carried Simmons upwards and around the growing fire. Maerek spat another fireball, purposely just missing the beast. Simmons yelled as the cockatrice veered violently right, bending and turning away. In that moment, Maerek banked hard left, curling and barreling back down on the side of Simmons and the beast. Moments before impact, Maerek tucked his wings in and slammed his shoulder into the side of the bird. Ribs cracked and crunched on impact. The bird screeched and spun downwards, trying to regain balance. Maerek followed the creature, keeping a close eye on Simmons.
The spinning, turning, reaching, screeching, and tumbling was too much for the human. Simmons was out of the saddle, holding onto the chain with one hand, holding his metal bar with the other. The tight chain jerked the cockatrices head back and to the side, causing the bird to tumble end-over-end. In seconds, whatever strength Simmons had, gave out, and Simmons fell from cockatrice and plummeted into the flaming landslide. Only moments later, the cockatrice gave one final scream before colliding in the fire and debris.
Maerek circled above the flaming mess of wood and mud and searched the bright red flames. Somewhere within the fire was a violent crack! Maerek recognized it as the sound of the metal rod. Simmons was alive, somewhere, smashing through fallen trees and mud. Before he could strike again, there was a cacophony of groans, rumbling, cracking, and splitting. Then, all at once, the slide moved down the mountain, flames and all, leaving behind only raw earth and mud.
When the slide cleared, Maerek shook his head and sighed. The remainder of the mountain side had given way and though no fallen tree blocked their path, there was no possible way the suon, or the rest of the group, would be able to navigate through the massive scar to the path on the other side.
Maerek stayed in his form and looked at the fire that was growing and spreading away from the camp. Japeth had said that the next best way to the Blades was to follow the river, which he could do easily enough. Maerek didn’t have time to backtrack and follow another path. He promised Boshk that he would save Mearto and he needed to get to her before word of his escape spread.
On the other hand, if he left the group, and Simmons somehow survived the slide, he might come after them. He needed to figure out a way to continue forward, without revealing himself, and ensure the traders safety against the wrath of Simmons.
Maerek shifted into his human form and ran back toward the camp. He found his clothes and boots where he laid them and got dressed. Not to his surprise, the group was awake from the sound of the slide breaking. The rain had broken into a fine mist.
“Where did you fetch off to?” Japeth asked.
“Down to the slide, or what’s left of it,” Maerek said. “The whole thing gave way and took the cockatrice with it. A fire started up. Luckily the wind is pushing it away from camp, and the rain should have it out soon enough.”
“You went to the slide alone?” Keane asked. “Wait. Did you say cockatrice?”
“Cockatrice,” Maerek said sternly, nodding as if he were out of breath. “One almost got me but got hung up on the slide where it perched.”
“What, here? Impossible” Japeth said. “We may be in the foothills of the Blades, but we are nowhere near cockatrice territory. They prefer rocks and cracks, and crevices to crawl into, rather than trees and hills!”
“It’s not impossible,” Naeru said softly. “I heard the cry of that accursed creature. I will vouch for Maerek. But why did you leave us to check the slide alone, on your watch no less? You should have woken us.”
“The thought did cross my mind. The creature started circling over the camp. I thought about waking everyone, but we all might be dead rather than one, me, taking it to a dangerous place.”
“You should have woken us!” Aelex said indignantly.
“No, Aelex, he’s right,” Keane said flatly. “The screech of the cockatrice is so powerful that it can stun its prey stiff. Supposedly it makes one lightheaded and pass out. He was right to run for our sake.”
“Right or not,” Japeth chimed in. “No one sacrifices themselves for all. Had I known a cockatrice was hunting these woods, I would have made separate preparations, lighted extra fires, laid carcasses down wind. No one runs from camp on watch! Understood?”
All of the traders, even Ledría, nodded in agreement.
“Good. We’ll take an early start tomorrow morning and see what’s left of the slide. Keane, I think you’ve got next watch.”
“Thanks,” Keane said so softly only Maerek could hear. The dragon nodded and headed toward the main tent. “We need to talk.” Maerek stopped and turned. Keane nodded over to the cart.
Both leaned with their backs against the cart, looking at the small camp. Keane was silent for a while, waiting as the hissing rain fell on them.
“I’m sorry,” Keane finally said. “What my kind has done to yours, it isn’t right. That kind of dark killing, it’s against nature.”
“What do you mean?” Maerek asked. “You don’t need to apologize for them. The blood of my kin cries up from the ground against them. That is why I need to go to Noiknaer and save her. The sooner I can keep her safe, the sooner I can put an end to the hunters.”
“Is there anything more we can do to help?”
Maerek looked back at the camp. He thought forward, after he rescued Mearto, what would he do? Simmons, and his employer, whomever or whatever it was, was at the root of the problem. Hiding in the mountains with Mearto wouldn’t fix anything. The Hunters were actively searching out all of the Keeps. To stay s
afe, the hunters would need to be stopped and he and his future mate needed to disappear.
“Teach me how to be human,” Maerek said. “When this is said and done, my family will need to live like and among your kind. I need to learn how to be like you.”
“And what will you offer us in return?”
“I can be your guardian, just as I was with the cockatrice that flew over not long ago.”
Keane nodded slowly and then stuck out a hand in agreement.
“Stick close to me,” Keane said as he shook hands with Maerek, “and I will teach you all you need to know.”
CHAPTER 8
In the morning, Japeth, Maerek and Keane went down to the landslide to see if the shift in debris would allow a safe passage. Surprisingly, the entire section of the slide gave way, leaving a muddy, rocky path in its wake. Flows of muddy water from the rain the night before carved rugged trails in the fresh earth. Japeth shook his head at the destruction, watching as large chunks of waterlogged root clusters and rocks gave way and tumbled down the hill.
“I don’t like it Keane, not one bit.” Japeth said, spitting into the slide debris. “Look there, see how the ground gives as the water rolls across it. It’s a deathtrap for sure.”
Keane surveyed where Japeth pointed and nodded his head. He looked further up the hill seeing where some debris was jammed at the crest of the hill.
“Going straight across would be suicide but look up there. The trees still hold and the rain water is flowing into the center of the slide. I’ll wager that if we climb the hill here and stay close to the remaining tree line, the ground will be firm enough to get the cart up and across. It’d be a hard go, but it would save us at least a week instead of doubling back and follow the river.”
Japeth took a moment and looked at the trail that Keane pointed to. It was a narrow strip of solid ground, or what appeared to be solid. There was just enough room for the wagon to turn around on and it would be a straight uphill climb, with extra precautions being needed on the downhill portion.
“Do you think the Suon could make it?”
Maerek said ‘yes’, and Keane said ‘no’, at the same time. Both looked at each other. Keane then nodded with a look of understanding.
“Suon are good pullers,” Keane said, “but it’s the down side journey I am worried about. Unless Naeru and the beast can navigate backwards down a steep slope, there will be a load pushing the Suon down that hill. One sudden misstep, and we may lose the beast and cargo. If we lead the Suon without the wagon, up and over and then carry the goods over by hand, we could be on the trail by this evening.”
“Maerek, what are your thoughts?” Japeth asked.
“If we have rope enough, I say we use the larger trees like pullies. We can tie the rope to the wagon, and using the suon and our strength, pull the wagon up the mountain side. When we are on the down side, we can use the suon as an anchor, and slowly let the wagon down the other side, full load and all. It would take some coordination, but we could do it.”
“I like it,” Japeth said. “Let’s head to camp. Maerek, I want you to explain it to the others.”
After the campsite was packed up and all the cargo loaded into the wagon, Maerek explained his plan to the group. He explained how the rope would act like arms, pulling the wagon further up the mountain, and that the suon and the group would act like muscles. As the suon pulled the roped down the mountain, the cart would move up. When the suon pulled as far as the length of rope allowed, an anchor rope would be tied, attaching the cart to the next tree to be used as a pully. This would allow for the Suon to be untied from his rope, led up the mountain, and harnessed back to the wagon to pull it further up the mountain. Keane further explained that the ground near the trees appeared solid enough. Naeru and Thomas knew which knots would work best and volunteered to run between helping the suon pull the cart and tying the rope. Japeth was about to agree when Maerek interrupted.
“I think it would be best for one of you stay next to the cart and brace it in case a rope gets too tight. You can then tie a quick anchor knot around the trees to protect the load.”
With the plan set, the group of traders hiked to the hill side with the suon in tow. Maerek followed behind the suon. The suon grumbled at first but appeared to begrudgingly accept the fact the dragon was there to stay. Maerek wondered if the suon understood how much danger it was in the night before, and how close it had come to death.
The group stopped at the site of the landslide and watched as patches of lose ground gave way and rolled away. The streams of water from the morning were transforming into thick rivers of mud. Keane quickly pointed to the path he intended to lead the group and showed that although the ground was stripped of vegetation, it was solid enough to walk on. Naeru shook his head, looked up the hill and then down.
“Something isn’t right,” he said. “This isn’t a landslide.” Japeth turned to him.
“What do you mean?”
“The ground doesn’t look right.” Naeru pointed much farther down the hillside. “I can see what is awry. The ground has not sunk as much as it should, and the flow of the debris goes slightly against the hill, not with the natural slope. Further down, there is hardly any loose dirt or earth, except the stuff that has fallen with the recent rain.”
“Aye, it is strange,” Japeth said, “but we either fight this hill or we fight the river trail all the way to the Broken Blades. If we mind our footing, and stay close to the trees, we should be safe.”
The suon was let free from the wagon and Naeru led the beast up the hillside. Aelex followed with a large coil of rope over his shoulder. Finding a tree with sufficient girth and height was not an issue. Naeru tested the ground, stomping heavily next to the tree. Apparently, the ground seemed firm to the suon as it tore a sapling up from the roots and chewed it vigorously before swallowing. Naeru smiled and tied one end of the rope to the suon’s harness, wrapped the rope around a nearby cedar tree, and handed the remainder of the length back to Aelex. Aelex carefully walked down the hillside, handed the length of rope to Thomas, who tied the other end to the wagon. He took from the wagon to other coils of rope and tied an end to the wagon, handed the remainder to Aelex who hiked up the hillside again.
Aelex handed one of the ropes to the Naeru. The fisherman nodded but did not smile.
“Let’s hope and pray to the Faye this works,” Naeru said solemnly as he walked up to the suon. The suon found another sapling and was chomping off branches as he held it between his two front claws. Naeru tied the rope to another section in the harness and stood a little way off from the suon. He tugged on the rope slightly and the suon looked up from his woody snack.
Naeru whistled sharply and whipped the rope. The suon let his mangled tree fall from his mouth and began to pull. The suon grunted and snorted as he pulled, and his noises of exertion were matched as the rest of the group pushed and guided the cart up the hill. Maerek and Ledría stood behind the cart and pushed from behind. The cart’s wheels sank slightly in the moist earth. As Maerek pushed, his feet slid backward. Undeterred, Maerek dug his feet in and pushed harder. Before, when the group was pushing the cart up the switchbacks, Maerek tried to match his strength with that of the other traders. Now, he allowed himself to exert a little more effort. Japeth and Thomas each manned a wheel, pushing and pulling on the spokes, doing their part to keep the cart moving forward. Keane helped pull the wagon up with a second rope that was long enough to an emergency anchor around a nearby tree in case the ropes, or the strength of the group didn’t hold out.
After three cycles of pushing and pulling the cart up the hill, untying and retying anchors, and repositioning the suon, a solid rhythm was set. Japeth mentioned to Keane that they seemed to be moving at a good clip, and the work didn’t seem to be as strenuous as expected. Keane agreed and continued to help turn the wheels. He glanced back at Maerek for a moment.
The sun was gentle in the morning, but as noon came closer, the heat made the work almost unbe
arable. Short, cheerful jests about strength were replaced with harsh grunts and groans. The suon hissed and let out low rumbles as he continued to pull the wagon up the hill. At noon, the group managed to make it to the top of the hill and carefully crossed the open area to the other side of the slide. The wagon was anchored to a tree, the suon was let off from his lead, and a break was called.
The suon chewed on small trees, stripping the branches of their needles and leaves while rubbing his sides against the larger pines. Portions of its scales were white and others lay on the ground next to the tree it had rubbed against. Maerek wriggle in his skin, seeing the scales intertwined with bits of bark. He thought back to the last time he had shed and realized that he was about due. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how his skin had felt constricting, binding, as if he were wearing shoes too small or gloves that were too tight. He looked at his fingertips, now a pale white, skin cracking and splitting and drawing hairline beads of blood. Maerek picked and peeled the skin further back on his right index finger, exposing a new layer of skin. He sighed in relief as peeled it away, drawing a small amount of blood, and at the same time, a little amount of room to grow. He would have to get away later in the journey to tear the old scales free, and how good it would feel. It was like a fresh bath after the skin hardened from grime and sweat or peeling the skin off old sunburn. There was a freshness that came with a shedding, newness, an energy that humans wouldn’t understand. Maerek eyed the suon again, envious that it could so easily romp against the trees and feel of the newness of shed scales.
The group walked into the forest to escape the sun, lay down and rest. A chill wind stalked through the woods, removing excess heat from bodies that were overworked and covered in sweat.
As soon as the sun had crossed its zenith, Japeth called for the group to start again. Heat would be their only enemy as the afternoon sunrays baked the wet ground around them the relative humidity would rise. The sooner they got down the slide, the sooner they could be in the shade of the forest, and at least relieved from the stifling conditions.
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