by Davis Ashura
The mahavans had arrived, and now Stacey had located the Sinskrill warriors. She wished her partner, Rail Forsyth, was with her. He’d injured his ankle, and she’d been forced to leave him resting in the hollow trunk of a fallen tree a half-mile back. She hoped she wouldn’t regret that decision, especially given how often Rukh and Jessira had emphasized the importance of having a partner close at hand. No helping it now.
A stirring rose in the camp and Stacey wondered at it. Mahavans gathered near a powerfully built man. He gestured all around the camp, including in Stacey’s direction, and her heart nearly seized. She crouched lower and prayed that the darkness of the coming night and her camouflage would keep her hidden. She’d painted her face in the same green and brown shading as her light denim clothing and added twigs and leaves to her helmet for further concealment.
The meeting broke up, the mahavans drifted apart, and Stacey peeked once more around the edge of a log and continued her count. After a few minutes, she had her tally. She reckoned there might be around one hundred and fifty Sinskrill warriors, with others likely away from camp as advance scouts. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of cannons, a dozen of them, including the ones from Ox Bow Tower and others of a different design. Maybe the mahavans have their own?
Stacey didn’t know, but she inched backward from the Sinskrill warriors. She crawled away on her stomach. The entire time she kept her eyes focused on the enemy as Jessira had taught. She ignored stray insects that crawled across her skin, kept her breathing quiet, and did her best not to brush against any of the bushes along her path.
A hundred yards from the mahavan encampment, with no sign or sound to give her away, she pulled out her satellite phone and dialed headquarters.
Councilor Duba answered.
“This is Stacey Cloud,” she whispered. “I’ve found the enemy. They’re camped a dozen miles north of Mount Madhava, a mile east of Riven Road.”
Excitement suffused Councilor Duba’s voice. “Excellent work.”
“Thank you, sir,” Stacey said. “I’ll continue tracking them and provide updates as I’m able.”
“What about your partner?” the councilor asked, sounding concerned.
“He’s injured. He won’t be able to keep up with me. I’m about to go check on him.”
“Stay hidden and stay safe,” Councilor Duba said, still sounding worried.
“I will, sir. Cloud out.” Stacey hung up the phone and packed it away.
She never noticed the parakeet land behind her. And she never heard it transform into a rhino. Pain exploded in her back as a black horn thrust clear through her spine and out of her chest. Blood showered in a crimson-black fountain, and Stacey felt herself flung through the air. The jungle swirled and she landed heavily, staring upward. Her last sight was of a naked young man poking through her pack.
Aia sat up with a start. Something had awakened her. She noticed Shon rising as well. Trouble and concern marred his features.
She blinked at him, unsurprised. *You sensed it?*
Shon answered with a flaring of his nostrils. *Yes.*
Aia searched for what had interrupted their slumber. A crisp coolness filled the air. Darkness still reigned across the forest, but a rosy pink on the horizon heralded dawn's imminent rise. Aia's breath plumed, quickly lost amongst the towering evergreens rising like Ashoka’s buildings around her and Shon. The soaring trees made her feel small. They would have done so even if she had her true, larger form.
An icy breeze blew, and Aia shivered. She hated the cold.
*I don’t like the cold, either,* Shon said. Her tawny brother yawned mightily.
*There is nothing to like about it,* Aia agreed. She stepped away from her soft, warm bed of pine needles and stared longingly at it. A moment later, she sighed. It was time to get moving. She nosed Shon, urging him to his feet.
A distant echo, a sound of need and longing reached her, the same call that had awoken her. It echoed as a wordless cry heard in the depths of her mind. Aia knew who it was and it filled her with joy and excitement. Her eyes widened. *We have to go. Rukh needs me.*
*So does Jessira,* Shon said, his voice electric with joy. *I mean, she needs me. We need to go.*
*And we will, but we need Landon's help in order to reach them.*
Shon rumbled in impatience, and Aia soothed him with a rub of her face against his.
He settled down but still frowned. *She wants me to join her on Arylyn, but she wants us to save some troll-creature first. Will we have time to do that?*
*We have the time,* Aia said, better recalling Rukh’s instructions. He’d sent them on the wings of her dreams, the same call that had roused her sleep moments earlier, and he, too, had mentioned the troll-creature. *The danger for our humans hasn't yet arrived.*
Shon remained agitated though, and his tail swished. *Will we be able to help Jessira and Rukh, or will we be a hindrance?* His ears flattened. *Look at us. We’re still too small.*
Aia privately shared his worry. They had continued to grow during their time in Sand. They could now face a Bengal tiger eye-to-eye, and most people would consider them dangerous, but compared to what they had once been, they remained puny. Worse, the rest of the Kesarins, their kind, would have rightfully pitied them. Even at the size of a tiger, Aia felt inept and vulnerable, incapable of doing what might be required. She growled in frustration. She wanted—needed—to be what she had once been: fearsome, fast, and deadlier than any creature alive.
Shon rubbed his forehead against hers. *You feel the same way,* he said, apparently picking up on her silent anxiety.
Aia sighed. *I do, but there is nothing we can do about it. Our humans need us. We must save them. You know how they are.*
Shon scoffed, a flattening of his ears and upturn of his mouth. *I know how Rukh is. Always foolishly charging into danger,* he said. *If not for Jessira, he’d have died a thousand times.*
Aia bristled. *Rukh is the greatest of all humans. Remember, it was his blade that slew the Demon Wind.*
Shon yipped. *Jessira fought against Her, too.*
Aia swished her tail in irritation. *Let’s find Landon.* She moved away from her annoying, little brother and led them out of the dew-wet pines. Aia scowled when her fur grew wet, but thankfully, they soon they stepped out of the forest’s shadow.
Shon rubbed against her side. *Sorry.*
*Rukh is not foolish,* Aia said, still annoyed with him. *He is Jessira’s mate. She chose him. He’s worthy of her.*
*Yes, he is,* Shon agreed. *He always puts her in danger, though.*
Aia growled, irritated that he was right. Rukh did run to danger, and everyone else had to chase after him to keep his foolhardy hide alive. Of course, she’d never admit that to Shon. He’d only brag ever more loudly about Jessira.
Aia led Shon toward the environs of Sand, stepping quickly along quiet dirt lanes that separated fields full of green things the humans ate. Aia spotted a small herd of goats on a nearby low-lying hill. They munched grass in their caprine-contented fashion. Stupid animals. Death passed close by, and they never looked up from their feeding.
Shon grumbled low in his throat and eyed the goats. *They would taste much better than the stupid green things.*
*Yes, they would,* Aia agreed, *but humans think otherwise.* She nipped Shon when he lingered too long on the goats. *Landon wouldn’t like it,* she reminded him.
Shon rumbled in reply, and they bypassed the goats and fields and entered the village proper. The sky lightened as Aia and her brother skirted across back yards that ran to the forest and fields. The Wrin, the people of Sand, had yet to awaken, but life stirred. A crow cawed at them from atop a roof, and a rooster made an obnoxious noise.
Aia flicked her ears in irritation.
They reached cold, brick roads—narrow, unlike Ashoka’s wide boulevards—and walked among log homes with broad porches. For the most part, the houses remained darkened, although here and there, a light was on, shining out a window. E
ventually, they reached Landon’s home, the one he shared with his mate, Elaina Sinith. It was a log structure, one-story tall and similar to the surrounding houses. Aia knew a stream cut through the back yard.
Landon was waiting for them on the porch, dressed in a deerskin jacket, soft, leather pants, and sturdy boots. *You have to leave,* he said, somehow guessing what they intended in that irritating fashion of his.
*We do,* Aia confirmed. *Our humans require our help.*
*What about . . .* Landon broke off, like he always did when talking about his brother. He’d recovered some memories, but for the most part, he still didn’t recall much about William Wilde. It upset him, and a sad, longing filled his eyes.
Aia remembered William. The boy was brave, strong, and willful. In some ways he reminded her of Rukh, and any Kesarin would have found him a worthy human. Him and the woman, Serena, who hid her life.
Landon cleared his throat. *Do you know how he’s doing?*
*I do not,* Aia said to Landon in sympathy, *but if he remains near Rukh and Jessira, he’ll be fine.*
Landon nodded. *How will you get to Arylyn?*
*We were hoping you could help,* Aia said. Despite the loss of his memories, Landon often had odd bits of knowledge. Aia trusted in that.
Landon smiled. *You’re lucky I love the two of you,* he said. *There happens to be an anchor line linking Sand to Arylyn.*
Shon’s ears rotated forward, and his pupils dilated. *I didn’t know that.*
*Silly kitten,* Landon said in obvious fondness. *Did you really think you knew all the secrets of the village? Come.*
Landon led them away from the village and into the forest. The rising sun had yet to penetrate the canopy, and they walked in cool shade as the forest stirred around them. Squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks rustled about. Aia followed on Landon’s heels with Shon in her paw prints as they took an animal trail and occasionally brushed against pine needles still damp with dew. Once more she grimaced at the wetness.
A tod, a male fox, skirted close to their trail before wisely reconsidering. He cut an angle away from them, and Aia smiled, imagining the fox’s thoughts upon coming across a much more powerful predator.
Landon, however, likely never noticed the tod. He pressed on without glancing around, and they soon reached a small clearing. *We're here,* he said. His eyes had gone fully white and depthless, like they did whenever he used his holder gifts. He seemed to focus on a distant sight only he could see until a line separated the air. It spun, and a doorway opened onto a rainbow bridge.
Shon moved about uneasily. He hissed and Aia sympathized. Neither of them liked traveling by anchor line.
Landon faced them. His eyes had resumed their normal color. He surprised Aia by hugging her. *I'll miss you, little kitten.*
Aia pressed her face against his and kept still. She enjoyed being held like this, but she generally only allowed it from Rukh and Jessira. With anyone else it left her feeling vulnerable. After a moment, she nudged Landon with her forehead, and he let her go.
Landon moved to Shon and hugged him as well. *I'll miss you, too, my brave boy.*
Shon made a whuffling noise. *We will see you again.*
*I hope so,* Landon said.
Aia noticed that the holder’s eyes were shiny with unshed tears. She pressed her forehead against Landon’s one last time. *You would have made a Kesarin happy.*
Landon smiled sadly once more. *Give William my best.* He hesitated. *Tell him I love him.*
*We love you, too,* Aia said. *Goodbye.*
She and Shon faced the shimmering anchor line, and Aia silently snarled. I hate this part. She took a deep breath and stepped onto the anchor line. She yowled immediately. Her body felt like it was being torn apart.
William helped Rukh unfurl a map of Arylyn and pin down the corners with small weights. Around them were gathered the village council and some of the senior members of the Ashokan Irregulars, such as Jessira, Serena, Ward, Jason, and Jake. They stood in the council chambers, having commandeered it as their unofficial headquarters. To give themselves more workspace they’d pushed the pew-like benches to the edges of the windowless room and added more tables. All of them were covered in clusters of maps, rulers, and various other items. Counters on the maps showed the location and number of the mahavans as well as the scouts tracking them. All the lanterns within the chamber had been lit to full brightness, chasing away all shadows from the room.
Rukh rapped the table, calling for silence, and the few whispered conversations ceased. “Let’s get started,” he said.
Once again, William felt unnecessary amongst Arylyn’s leaders, and he wondered if the others, like Jason, Jake, and Serena felt the same way.
The mayor spoke. “Have we heard anything more from Stacey?”
Rukh shook his head. “At this point we have to accept that she and the other scouts we can no longer contact have either been captured or killed.”
His blunt, hard words landed like a blow to people unused to violence. Everyone, councilors and Irregulars alike, shared worried glances. They’d heard Stacey’s initial report from several days past when she had first located the mahavans but nothing after that. Her partner, Rail Forsyth, didn’t know what had happened to her either. She’d never returned as she’d said she would.
Other scouts had been sent to observe and report on the mahavans. Because of Stacey, they’d quickly managed to track down the Sinskrill warriors, but some of them had also gone radio silent as well. One, however, had managed to get off a garbled message about being attacked by the unformed.
After that Rukh had pulled the rest of the scouts farther back from the mahavans, ordering them to maintain a several-mile distance. He’d also had them band together in groups of four rather than two and the changes must have worked. No more scouts had been lost.
“Where are the mahavans right now?” the mayor asked.
“Moving in toward Mount Madhava from the northwest,” Jessira answered.
William leaned in closer when she pointed to a line on the map. Riven Road it said.
Councilor Duba wore an angry frown. “They must be using our own roads against us.”
Ward appeared to study the positions of the mahavans and their own forces. “If we hurry we can muster our forces and cut them off at Jaipurana Pass.”
Rukh nodded. “I agree. At Jaipurana we can lay an ambush and defeat them en masse.” He rapped his knuckles again. “Then it’s decided. We rally our forces and meet them at the pass.”
Shuffling movements and muttered conversation met his words. Ward trotted to the chamber doors and opened and closed them a few times. The sound echoed, and after a moment everyone quieted. No one had left the room.
William met Rukh’s expectant gaze and sourced his lorethasra. A pine scent filled the chamber and he quickly wove a block to keep the mahavan Walkers from listening in on their conversation.
Councilor Blood scowled. “Is this subterfuge really necessary?”
Rukh stared at the councilor for a long moment, his eyes icy with either suppressed anger or disbelief. “They found Drake Mill when they never should have been able to. The only way they could have learned his position was if they heard our conversation with him. So, yes, this subterfuge is necessary.”
Councilor Blood grumbled something about seeing shadows at night and conspiracy theories.
William wanted to tell the officious, little man to shut it, and Councilor Duba must have felt the same. He glared at Councilor Blood. “How dare you question anyone after the number of times you’ve been proven wrong?” His voice rose. “These are grave matters, and if you had the slightest bit of humility, you’d never again challenge those of us who have been proven right.”
Councilor Blood opened his mouth to respond, but Councilor Shaw spoke first. “Duba is right. The next election is in a few months, and you won’t win it unless you prove yourself in the next few days.” He peered down at Councilor Blood in his patrician fashion. “Think upo
n it before you say anything else.”
“Enough!” Mayor Care snapped. “I’ll have no more pointless bickering. It’s time to organize the island’s defenses. What we do today may decide if our children will enjoy the life we’ve been blessed to lead.” She gazed about the room a moment, forcing everyone to meet her eyes.
Rukh nodded agreement. “With the unformed flying reconnaissance, the mahavans should be able to locate Jaipurana Pass without any difficulty. Riven Road leads right across it, and it’s the easiest way to get across Mount Madhava’s western slopes.”
Ward frowned. “Why did you want them to know this?”
Jessira answered. “Because we want them to avoid the pass.”
Rukh took up the explanation. “They’ll skirt farther west. The terrain there is more rugged. It’ll slow them down. It’ll give us more time to get our forces in place. The mahavans will press through the jungle and reach the southwestern slopes of Mount Madhava while thinking we’re exiting the Jaipurana far to the north. They’ll likely think they have unimpeded access to Janaki Valley and Lilith.”
William stroked his chin in thought as he started to get a sense of Rukh and Jessira’s plan.
Rukh noticed, and William found himself the focus of the other man’s attention. “Care to finish explaining it?” Rukh asked with a challenging lift to his eyebrows.
William stepped forward. “We’ll get them to bypass the Jaipurana and take the Scylla instead.” He pointed to a ragged line on the map. “They’ll regain the Riven Road on the far side of Mount Madhava but still have to get through Charybdis Way.”
Jake interrupted. “But we’ll only go to the mouth of the Jaipurana. We’ll wait and then fall back on them from the north.”
Serena bobbed her head in mounting excitement. “If we leave a force blockading Riven Road south of Charybdis, we’ll crush them in between us.”