Naz bent low in the snow, trying very gently to brush the snow away from Holly’s face. He’d seen his comrades fall in battle with the apes before now, but this was different. This was Holly. Young, innocent, but corrupted by the evil wishes of Duma, manipulated to protect himself, for him to hold on to his stolen treasure. He’d made poor Holly stand here and fight, for him!
Naz felt the anger and rage rising against Duma again, but clearing the snow from her face dispelled any thought of revenge. The sadness to see her lying alone, frozen in the snow, was heart-wrenching for him.
He gently brushed the last remaining flakes away from her eyes and mouth. He felt his own tears starting to well up. So much needless waste, all for one man’s greed. The loss of his boss, Jojo, all his fallen comrades, the countless townspeople, all came rushing back at the sight of young Holly, alone and gone forever.
Lost in his memories, he gently touched Holly’s cheek. Suddenly, her eyes shot open, filled with terror and panic. Naz, shocked by the sight of her staring up at him, threw himself back, away from where she lay, and tumbled backwards in the snow.
Vin, seeing him trying to scramble away, called in alarm, ‘What, Naz? What’s wrong?’ Then he looked down into the wide staring eyes, himself now shocked. ‘Carter! Carter! You’d better come over here, quick!’
Carter charged across the snow to where Naz and Vin were on their knees desperately digging. He looked down and saw Holly’s eyes, wide open and staring. He recognised that Holly was looking out in terror.
‘She’s alive, Carter!’ said Naz. ‘Quickly, help us dig her out. Grab my blanket and cover her. You have to change back to your man form so then she recognises you. Quickly now!’
Carter pulled a blanket around himself, and as he’d been shown, started to slow his breathing. Closing his eyes, he looked into himself, seeing his heart pumping strong, willing it to slow down, to rest, to get smaller for his chest to close around it. He felt his fingers and toes reshaping, his fur getting shorter, as it pulled back in beneath his skin. His teeth and jaws once again taking on the shape of his manly form. It was almost with a sense of regret that he felt his power and strength leaving him, to return to his young boy self. He was back again in his human form, except now, he felt so much older.
He bent down to look into Holly’s eyes. ‘Holly, Holly, can you see me? It’s me, Carter.’
He noticed the slightest movement, maybe she recognised his voice. ‘Holly, it’s me, I’ve come to take you home.’
He definitely saw a flicker in her eyes, she was trying to move them, to focus on him. ‘She’s alive, Naz, I knew she was, she’s alive! Let’s get her out of the snow.’
Naz and Vin lifted her up while Carter wrapped Naz’s blanket around her stiff body. Gently laying her down, Carter took hold of her hand, trying to rub some warmth back into her. He kept calling her name.
‘Holly, wake up, it’s me, Carter, I’ve come to take you home.’
Naz wrapped her in the extra blankets they’d carried. ‘Vin, get a fire started, get a warm drink and hot porridge going, quick!’ he said.
‘Right,’ said Vin, ‘I’m on it,’ rushing to the sacks of their supplies.
‘We won’t be needing this anymore,’ Vin said, quickly breaking up the wood they’d carried with them to make a box to carry Holly home.
Vin dug down to rock level and soon had a raging fire going with his pot bubbling away. He dropped the red berry juice in and a little of the moss that Doc Mossman had shown him how to use. After a moment boiling, he carried the mixture to where Holly lay, wrapped up in her own cocoon of blankets.
Carter took his spoon and touched it to Holly’s lips. When a tiny drop of the sweet juice touched her lips, Carter saw them open slightly, allowing the warm liquid to slide into her mouth. He watched her eyes move slightly, her pupils re-focusing, trying to look into his.
‘It’s okay, Holly,’ Carter said gently, ‘I’m here now, I’ve come to take you home.’
He brought another spoon of the juice to her lips, which Holly parted, seeking the warmth and comfort it gave her. She tried to speak, but only a murmur came out.
‘Shhh, Holly, drink the juice,’ Carter told her.
He ladled another spoon to her lips, this time she opened her mouth anxiously, desperate for the warmth, strength, and memories of home that it gave her.
She moved her head to face him, looking him in the eyes for the first time. Recognition and realisation coming together, she took a desperate gasp for air, shocking them all. Without warning, she threw her arms around Carter’s neck and let out a heartbreaking sob.
‘Carter, I knew you’d come, I knew you wouldn’t leave me.’ She broke down in tears, the desperate sobs shaking her whole body.
Carter held her close and tight, feeling his warmth pass to her, as she slowly came back to life.
*
Lulu ran into the meeting place, where Salli stood unmoving, staring off at the river.’Mom, Mom, did you hear her?’
Salli was dragged out of her reverie. ‘I heard her.’
‘Did you hear the other voice, telling her to wake up?’
The look of concern on Salli’s face said everything ‘Yes, I heard it.’ she nodded.
‘Who is it, Mom? What’s he trying to do with Holly?’
‘I’m not sure. Did you try to call to her?’
‘No, I remembered what you said.’
‘I don’t understand what he wants of her, but whatever the reason, I think Carter is close to her now. We need to talk to your father. Come on.’
Salli led the way down to the half-moon beach, opposite the island. Sam rested against the side of a boat that had been pulled up out of the river’s current. Around him were the elders of the lost people. Lulu was shocked at how much they had aged since crossing the border through the Gateway. Those who’d never learnt to change into their other animal form were doomed to continue to age more and more quickly, the longer they stayed in the Southlands. Those who could had changed to the Mountain Lions that their inner self had evolved into.
Lulu noticed Sonny sitting away from the others. She sensed him wanting to be a part of town life again from the way he kept looking over, hoping someone would see him or invite him to join them, but she could see he felt isolated and very much alone. He seemed to have taken on responsibility for his father’s actions, even though what Duma had done was not his fault. Not one of the townspeople blamed him for Duma stealing the Crystal, or kidnapping the children, except himself. Most people respected him for standing up to his father to try to recover the Crystal, but people were starting to lose that respect the more he isolated himself.
I should talk with Sonny soon, Lulu thought, he’s heading for big issues.
They’d walked into a heated discussion about the future of the townspeople.
‘This is only folklore,’ someone was saying.
‘What happens if there is no border?’ called another.
‘Is there a map?’ called one of the group.
‘And if you find the border, how will you open a Gateway on the water? The black stones don’t float!’ called one from the back.
Salli noticed how Sam had looked at Casey. ‘He seems to be his permanent companion these days,’ Salli said.
‘Casey’s happiest when he’s taking care of someone.’ Lulu said.
He looked over. ‘Must’ve heard his name,’ Salli whispered.
Casey nudged Sam, using his eyes to point to where Salli and Lulu stood waiting. Sam nodded to them both, but without his usual smile, Salli noted.
‘I understand your concerns,’ Sam said. ‘But at the moment, this is the only suggestion that holds any possibility of hope for your future. Look to your own people. Look at how quickly your elders have aged. If you don’t find a way home soon, well, the stories of the Prides will be just that, soon-to-be-forgotten stories. You must discuss this among yourselves and decide soon. Before it’s too late. We’ll meet again this evening. We can talk then
.’
Sam tried to pull himself erect. He’s looking so tired, Salli thought.
Sam smiled a hello to his wife and daughter.
Salli took his arm and led him from the crowd. ‘I think Carter may have found Holly,’ she said.
Sam stopped, shocked. ‘Why do you say that? Is she alive?’
‘Lu and I heard her calling, but we also heard someone telling her to wake up. Someone is trying to control her.’
*
‘I’ve been waiting so long for you to come and get me,’ she said.
‘I know, Holly. I’m so sorry. I thought you were…’ he shrugged his shoulders, not willing to say the word.
‘It’s okay, you’re here now. But why are there bears here?’ she asked.
‘They came to help, to find you.’
‘To find me? They’ll invade the Southlands, and hurt our Clan!’
‘No, Holly, it was all a lie. Duma lied to us. So much has happened since the storm, since you fought with the bears. But for now, try to understand that these bears are our friends, and they’ll help us get home.’
‘I’m so tired, Carter, I really need to sleep now.’
‘You rest. We’ll take care of you.’
Holly lay on the blanket beside the fire. Within moments she fell into a deep but troubled sleep.
‘How can this happen? I don’t understand. She wasn’t breathing when I found her. Even Kerri checked and said she wasn’t breathing.’
Naz and Vin looked at each other and shrugged, neither knowing what to say.
‘You two are not going to last long like that, in your people shape,’ said Vin. ‘You’ll need to change, to be a hound again. We can carry Holly. We’ll wrap her up well, but we have to get her out of here before nightfall and the temperature drops.’
‘You’re right there,’ said Naz, ‘we have to get through the pass quickly, while it’s still light.’
‘How will we cross the border?’ asked Carter, ‘we’ve no black stones to open a Gateway.’
‘Our Guards will be patrolling the border. They’ll see us, but we’ll not see them. They’ll bring the Crystal to open a way through for us,’ said Naz.
‘So that’s what the Crystal does. All that fighting for a key to open a Gateway.’ Carter shook his head in disbelief.
‘It does a whole lot more than that,’ said Naz, ‘but we leave it alone. It’s too dangerous for the likes of us. Otherwise we’d end up like those crazy apes.’
‘Are they people the same as us when they want?’ asked Carter.
‘Come on, I’ll tell you all about it as we walk. We need to get out of here, and you need a coat of fur.’
Carter nodded, and once more looked inside himself, for the hound that would save his life.
*
After packing the last of their supplies, Vin led the way through the High Pass. The mountains closed in on both sides, pushing them deeper into the funnel that formed the pass.
The bears became more nervous the further they entered the pass. ‘Can you smell anything, Carter?’ asked Naz from the rear. He held Holly tight, bundled in blankets and nestled in the thick fur of his arms. She slept, but seemed without peace. Groaning and shaking, as if she was still fighting battles in her sleep.
‘No, I can’t smell any apes, but the fur on my neck keeps standing up,’ he said.
Vin and Naz stopped, turning to look at him.
‘What? What’s wrong, what did I say?’ asked Carter.
They both stared at him, then quickly squatted down in the snow, checking all around them.
‘Shhh,’ Naz warned him. ‘When the hair on you neck starts twitching, it’s a sure sign of danger. Usually someone coming up behind you. It’s like an early warning, your spirit telling you to look out behind.’
‘Your spirit?’ said Carter. ‘How did spirits get here?’
‘There’s a lot you don’t know, and a lot we don’t understand, but believe this, when your neck’s tingling, look behind you.’
‘There’s nowhere to hide,’ said Vin, ‘with a trail through the snow like that, we’re not going to be hard to find.’
‘Should we run for it?’ asked Carter.
‘Nowhere to run, this pass just goes on forever, it’s the border. We’re relying on our guards seeing us.’ said Naz.
‘Backs to the wall?’ suggested Vin.
Naz nodded. ‘You sure you can’t smell anything?’ he asked Carter again.
He shook his head.
‘Okay, to the wall,’ Naz said.
Quickly carrying Holly to the side of the pass that was in shadow, Naz said, ‘Anything coming at us will have the sun in their eyes. We’ll be in shadow. But at least we know they can’t come at us from behind.’
‘You’re sure the apes are coming?’ asked Carter.
‘I trust the fur on the back of your neck more than you do,’ Naz said.
They made their way to the rock face, intensely searching to left and right for the slightest movement. With their backs against the wall of the mountain, they squatted down, each looking in a different direction.
‘Here’s what we do,’ said Naz. ‘Vin, you lead the way, keeping close to the rock wall. I’ll go second carrying Holly. Carter, you’re the one with the nose and the hairy neck, you follow behind and keep checking, even if you have to walk backwards. Okay?’
They both nodded.
‘We just keep going until a Gateway opens for us. There’s no telling how long that will take. So for now, we just concentrate on surviving. If anything does come at us, I’ll drop Holly at the wall. Carter, you stay with her, stand over her, me and Vin will stand as a block. Don’t you try to get involved unless you’re the last one standing. You understand?’
Again Carter nodded. He could feel the adrenaline starting to flow through him, his legs starting to shake in anticipation.
Naz noticed. ‘It’s a good thing to be a little scared,’ he said, ‘but keep thinking, don’t let it overtake your common sense, okay? No heroics and we’ll get through this. You’ll see, this time tomorrow over breakfast, we’ll be eating pie and have a good old laugh about this.’ Naz slapped Carter on the shoulder in encouragement.
Carter nodded, his mouth too dry to speak.
‘You’re a brave one,’ Naz said. ‘Just stick to the plan and take care of Holly.’
Carter nodded.
‘Move on, Vin, and keep it quiet.’
They crept along the wall of the pass, slowly, quietly, searching all around before taking the next step.
Naz whispered back to Carter, ‘Still nothing?’
Carter didn’t answer, he stood frozen in place, mid-step. The fur on his neck was definitely tingling, his face coming alive. There was something wrong, just the slight sense of the smell of ape, he could almost taste it. His nose was twitching as he tried to find the direction the smell came from.
‘They’re here,’ he said, ‘I can smell them.’
Naz and Vin stopped dead in their tracks. Looking at each other, they understood the moment had come.
Naz gently lowered Holly to a seating position against the rock. ‘Remember what I told you,’ he said very quietly.
The bears took three steps forward and squatted down as Carter moved to stand over Holly.
‘I can’t see any movement, are you sure? Do you think you could be mistaken?’ Vin whispered back to Carter.
Holly let out a low groan, talking in her sleep, still fighting her own battle. Then she cried out ‘CARTER!’ in her sleep begging for help.
Carter’s name echoed back at them through the stillness of the pass, bouncing again and again off the mountain walls, before slowly fading off into the distance. Their nerves tingled on edge as they waited for the silence to return.
They all looked at Holly, wishing her peace and to be quiet.
Carter looked back to Naz. ‘I could be wrong. It’s just the faintest odour. It could be coming from leagues away on the wind. These are all new senses to me.’
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‘I understand, Carter, you’re doing a great job. We’ll move on and hope you can get a better sense of their direction. Maybe we’ll even get out of here before…’
The snow around them erupted in an explosion of fine powder. Three apes emerged from beneath the snow where they’d lain hidden, the slight mounds of their bodies going unnoticed in the windswept landscape.
The first leapt at Vin, arms outstretched looking to rip into his fur, teeth snarling in anticipation. This time Vin was prepared, Naz’s words of advice coming back to him, “Get in close, use your strength,” he remembered. Vin stepped forward to shorten the distance. Dropping low beneath the flying charge, he raised his arm, grabbing for the ape’s neck and brought his other fist up into the unprotected belly below the ribs of the ape. There was an expulsion of foul-smelling gas in Vin’s face as the air was forced from the ape’s lungs. Vin started to gag, trying not to vomit from the putrid smell of its breath. Vin held the ape by the neck, high off the ground, as it tried desperately to gasp for air, but its stomach muscles were unable to respond. The eyes burned with a fire of pure hatred whilst its hands tried to rip Vin’s grip away from its neck. Vin reached forward, grabbing the ape by a leg, and with a swing of both arms, sent the ape flying into the rock wall head first. There was a loud CRACK! as its head hit the rock, before it slid down, lifeless.
The other two had charged straight at Naz, who’d tried the same tactic, stepping forward to catch the first ape in mid-air, but the second had hit him full in the chest, knocking him off balance. Falling backwards, he’d managed to hold onto the neck of one ape, who thrashed and scratched at Naz’s arm as he desperately tried to squeeze on the ape’s neck. At the same time, the second ape was reaching for Naz’s face, trying to rip into his eyes. While Naz was trying to find a hold on the second ape, he felt it ripped from his grip. From the corner of his eye, he saw Carter fling himself forward, paws stretched out to push the ape off Naz.
The ape rolled through the snow, quickly rising to a crouched position, but stood back, snarling at Carter, the drool running down its chin in a foul stench that made Carter gag. Its burning eyes watching, but waiting, as it clawed at the ground for grip.
Naz had managed to hold the first ape at arm’s length and rise to his feet. With coordination that Vin would tell stories about for years to come, Naz let go of the ape and at the same time he swung his leg back in a full arc. Naz kicked the ape before it hit the ground. The ape went sailing into the far distance from the force of Naz’s kick.
Lost Lands Page 6