The Stolen Herd

by K Madill

  She and the Wizard Dazra had an addition built onto the Silver Castle that included an underground dungeon covered by a six-story laboratory, each floor large enough to house several elephants, which some of them did.

  Three figures stood outside this annex to the castle listening to Farzad’s cries with rigid fury. “That’s him!” Gideon growled, darting in the direction of the sound. “What is she doing to him?”

  “Wait,” Barcus whispered, reaching out to hook Gideon’s cloak with a claw. The large grizzly bear stood on his hind legs and huffed the air, while holding Gideon back. “We can’t just go charging in, stick to the plan.” He dropped down and turned to Ink. “It’s hard for me to see anything in the dark. What do you see?”

  Ink’s eyes flashed as he peered keenly at the building. “There are no men at the door but I do see something out front. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was a lioness.”

  Gideon clenched his fists. “That would be Meritus. I’ve known her for years, she’s lived in the castle since the days of King Wenceslas. She was Prester’s nanny. She was on her deathbed that last time I saw her and that was several years ago, so while that’s her body,” his face darkened, “that cannot be Meritus inside of it and if it’s not Meritus, that means it’s Andhera.” Without another word, Gideon darted towards the lone figure that sat in front of the dungeon.

  “Gideon, wait!” Barcus hurried after him and Ink galloped silently behind him.

  Meritus raised her head. Her face was thin and her whiskers, frayed but something unnatural flickered behind her eyes. Something ancient and cunning.

  Gideon rolled up his left sleeve. Etched into his forearm was the image of a short-bladed knife. He brushed his fingers over the etching and suddenly the knife appeared in his hand, its sharp edge glinting wickedly in the starlight. He shook his sleeve back over his arm, now bare, and let out a piercing whistle.

  The lioness sprang to life with a roar. She lunged at Gideon but he smoothly leapt into the air and landed gracefully on her back. Holding his blade high, he plunged it into her shoulder, a spray of blood spattering his face and robe. The lioness crashed to the ground with a yowl. A jet of black smoke shot from her mouth and hovered above before fading away.

  “Oh, Meritus,” said Gideon sadly. He dropped the lioness on the ground and cupped her head in his hands. Her face was filled with pain.

  “Gideon,” Meritus whispered, her eyes flicking to the knife in his other hand, “hurry before it comes back.”

  “You’re still in there?” Gideon asked, his eyes widening with horror. He plunged his knife into Meritus’ heart and held her close as her blood drenched his cloak and soaked the ground. Setting Meritus gently down, he motioned Barcus and Inc forward. They galloped over, growling softly when they spotted the dead lioness.

  “I’m sure someone heard that,” Gideon said. “Fend off whoever comes then meet me in the woods.” Without waiting for their answer, he ran towards a set of low windows that ran along the back of the building. Peering inside, he saw Farzad, Tobey and Ruger. He smashed the window and slipped through it, landing softly on the ground.

  “Is that you?” Farzad called.

  “It’s me,” Gideon answered. “I feared I was too late.”

  Farzad got to his feet with a wince. “You almost were,” he said weakly, gesturing at a patch of burnt fur on his side. “We don’t have much time. She’s gone to get the wizard, so they can take us to someplace she calls the ‘Holes’.”

  “Then we are in a hurry,” Gideon said, trying the door on Farzad’s cell. It wouldn’t budge.

  “No keys?” Farzad noticed, looking anxiously at the entrance to the chamber.

  “I have never met a lock that I couldn’t pick,” Gideon said with a smile. He pulled a tiny pouch off his belt and opening it up, he shook a shiny beetle onto his palm. Cupping the insect in his hand, he held it in front of the door’s lock. The beetle crawled inside and in moments the lock clicked, and the heavy door swung open.

  “Hurry,” Gideon said as the bug flew to Tobey’s cell and did the same thing. After Ruger had been freed, it flitted back to Gideon, landing on his outstretched finger. Gideon gently dropped it back into the pouch and tucked it away.

  Farzad squeezed out of the cell. “I knew you’d come,” he said stretching his arms. “I didn’t realize you’d take so long, but I knew.”

  “Do you remember which way they brought you in?” Gideon asked. “It’s been years since I’ve been welcome at the castle and I’ve never been in this building. I don’t think you’ll fit through the window.

  “Out the door there’s a staircase that leads to the main entrance of the lab,” Tobey answered. He fished his glasses out and pushed them onto his nose. “We can fit through the main door and the lab is deserted now. Everyone seems to leave by 6:00 at night, except for that old guard lioness.

  “And she’s no longer,” Gideon told them grimly.

  “It won’t be easy for us to get past more guards if they do come. We are heavily outnumbered, and we can’t change our shape as you do,” Farzad reminded him.

  Gideon pointed out the window. “We’ve got friends out there. They hide in wait to charge any soldier that comes after us.”

  “What about the guards at the front?” asked Farzad.

  “There won’t be any left,” Gideon told him. “Are you ready?” he asked.

  Gideon strode over to the window and whistled—starting off low, and then ending on a sharp, high note. The ear-shattering roar of a bear filled the night.

  Outside the prison, Barcus galloped along the stone wall. He dove at two soldiers who stood, wide-eyed, at the high front gate and knocked them to the ground. Inc pounced on another guard, pinning him with needle-sharp claws. Three men rushed at the bear, holding out their eel rods, zapping the bear and cougar where ever they could reach. The air stunk of burning fur. Barcus bellowed while striking out at the men, sending the few unlucky within arm’s reach flying with one swipe of his beefy paw.

  A grey wolf had followed the men, and he now hurled himself at Barcus with snapping jaws, landing on the bear’s back. Barcus roared, twisting violently, but he could not reach that biting wolf. Then, two more wolves sprang upon him.

  Inc leapt into the fray, tearing one of the wolves off Barcus with his teeth then sending the other reeling with a slap. That wolf, a yellow-eyed female, fled yelping into the woods and the other two raced closely behind. Barcus and Inc huddled together with raised hackles.

  “That was the Amorak wolf pack,” Inc panted.

  “Well, at least now we know what’s become of them,” Barcus answered mournfully between breaths. “They’ve joined Asura.”

  Gideon quickly led Farzad, Tobey, and Ruger down the abandoned hallway and out the front entrance. Meritus’ body still lay, crumpled, in the middle of the walkway.

  A cloud of shimmering fireflies appeared. “This way,” the minute insects squeaked, buzzing towards the woods. The group raced after their faint cloud of light.

  “You made it,” Barcus roared, as Gideon and the Snowbreth reached him.

  “Barcus,” bowed King Farzad, beaming at the bear. “It was you who fought the guards. I owe you my life.”

  “You don’t owe me a thing,” Barcus said, bowing his head humbly. “Snowbreth have saved many a bear over they years. Now get home safe. Your daughter is beside herself with worry, but don’t worry, the evacuation went well and the rest of your tribe are secure in the Azure Caves, your old settlement.”

  “Then I must hurry back,” Farzad said, motioning for Ruger and Toby to follow him.

  Gideon nodded. “When Asura finds out you’ve escaped, she’ll put a death bounty on you. Open season. Steer clear of all villages and towns and then join the rest of your tribe at the Azure Caves.”

  “I say we storm the castle and kill that usurper now,” growled Ruger, hi
s eyes glittering. “Put an end to all of them; Asura, that wizard, and those cowardly eel-carrying soldiers of hers.”

  Farzad shook his head. “Ruger, you know we can’t do that.”

  “And there is no time to stand around arguing about it either,” Gideon said, “Another thing – I’ll be sending someone to the Azure Caves. A horse and a man. I want you to teach them how to ride and how to fight. Keep them with you until I get there. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Of course,” Farzad agreed. Ruger gave a defiant snort but followed Farzad and Toby into the woods, their white coats flashing between the trees until they disappeared.

  “Be safe,” muttered Gideon to their retreating forms. “Thanks, you two, as well,” he said turning to Barcus. “I could never have done it without you.”

  Ink nodded and continued his grooming.

  “I hate fighting,” Barcus said with a sigh. “And scrapping with wolves is the worst, especially the Amorak wolf pack. Toughest wolves in the kingdom.” He hung his head. “Gideon, I killed a couple of them, I had no choice. I don’t understand why they joined Asura. She’s no friend to animals, everyone knows that.”

  “I don’t know,” Gideon answered thoughtfully. “But that wasn’t all of them. I didn’t see their alpha, Baro, and I didn’t see his mate, Blanca, either.”

  “They weren’t there,” murmured Barcus, looking back at the men and wolves that lay strewn on the ground. “Which means that they’re still missing, which also means there is a chance they are alive.” He turned back to Gideon. “I’ve never known your bat, Arkas, to miss a battle. Where is he?”

  “He is with your Alsvid friend, Mandamus. Mandamus has met a human, a very special human in fact. It seems they formed a Bond after Mandamus got a nasty bash on the head. He’s going to take Mandamus to the Light Sands.”

  “May the belly of all grizzlies stay full!” Barcus roared. “That’s wonderful news.” He reared up, stretching to his towering height and came crashing down, slamming his paw into the ground in triumph, just missing Inc who scrambled out of his way. “Mareva and Daleth will be over the moon to know that he is alive and well,”

  Gideon shook his head warningly. “You and Inc must not tell anyone that Mandamus has met a human. Not even his mother.”

  “Alright,” Barcus said, reluctantly. “I do feel for Mareva, though, she has been so worried.”

  “Have you actually seen this human with Mandamus,” Inc asked, looking doubtful, “or is it just forest gossip?”

  “It’s the truth,” Gideon said. “They found a baby dragolotl during their travels and, somehow, ended up at the River of Lethe with Samhain.”

  “A dragolotl and finding the passageway to the afterlife?” Inc asked, twisting to smooth the fur on his shoulder with a rough tongue. “Impressive journey so far.”

  “I’ll just tell Mareva that Mandamus has been seen around and he’s fine,” Barcus promised. “I have to tell her something. One of my favourite fishing holes is in their territory and I haven’t been there since the trial because I hear that Daleth is still furious with me.”

  “Alright,” Gideon conceded. “But leave out the bit about the human. Just let them know he’s still in one piece.”

  Chapter 14

  Roseneath

  The burs in Mandamus’ mane were tickling his neck and it was after the fourth good shake of his head, Luco stopped him to pick them out.

  “Are we almost there?” Mandamus asked. It seemed as though they had been walking down the same road all morning with no twists or turns and even though it had only been an hour since breakfast, his stomach rumbled. He was constantly ravenous.

  He could eat seven apples and he would still want more. He could finish two pots of oatmeal and still would sniff hungrily at Luco’s bowl.

  His narrow chest had broadened, and his legs were bulky with muscle. If his mother had been there, she would have taken him to patches of oat grass to cure his hunger and growing pangs. She also would have taken him back to the Marking Tree and this time, he would have measured against the highest notch of all—the one that read ‘Adult’. He was now a full-grown horse.

  Mandamus, Luco, and Arkas had travelled for an entire day, heading in the direction of his home and there were still no signs of the Bachelor Herds. They had finally reached the Gold River, where Mandamus initially thought the horses would have gone but there were no trodden paths or patches of cropped grass, the sure signs of a passing horse herd. It was late afternoon when they got close.

  “What do you suppose Lethe’s doing right now?” asked Luco as they crossed a wide creek.

  He hopped neatly on a path of well-placed rocks while Mandamus splashed messily through.

  “Swimming, probably,” answered Mandamus. How was he supposed to know what Lethe was up to?

  “Yeah, swimming,” Luco answered dreamily while teetering dangerously on a rock. His foot slipped into the water and he quickly drew it out with a yelp “Don’t you think she had the prettiest eyes? Like sunflowers?” Mandamus sighed. That was the third time Luco had mentioned Lethe’s eyes that morning.

  Arkas, who rode high above them dove at the ground, landing on a shiny crimson fruit. They had reached the edge of a fragrant orchard lined with trees, all heavily laden with a red cherries the size of apples. Arkas was stuffing several into his mouth at an alarming speed.

  Mandamus, who was hungry too, sniffed warily at the fallen fruit and took a tentative nibble. Juice drenched his muzzle.

  “What is this?” asked Mandamus, taking a larger chomp. It was, tart and sweet and thoroughly satisfying.

  “It is a cherry star,” replied Luco. He plucked one from a tree and took a bite.

  Arkas was still on the ground, stuffing his face. Cherry star pulp streamed down his chin and the fur on his chest was drenched.

  Luco yanked a half-eaten piece out of Arkas’ grip. “No more fruit for you,” Luco told him. “You’ll wind up with a bad stomach ache, trust me.” Luco scooped him up and tucked him back into his knapsack.

  “We’ll eat something proper when we get to my mother’s,” Luco said, muffling Arka’s indignant squeals by buckling up the bag.

  Luco led Mandamus through several more rows of trees, these ones full of apples, peaches, and apricots. “Looks like Uncle Drollo got a good crop this year.”

  Mandamus agreed. The trees were heavy, some boughs so laden, that their tips touched the ground.

  They made their way through the sunny, sweet smelling orchard that was filled with the drowsy hum of buzzing bees. Beyond that, there was a large sign that said: “Welcome to Roseneath, Home of the Gold River Beaver Dam.”

  Behind that sign was the first town that Mandamus had ever seen. Before him, a winding road led to a bridge. Mandamus could see a large building with a tall tower. At the top of the tower was an enormous glass ball that blazed a fiery orange in the setting sun.

  “Where is everyone?” Mandamus asked, for the roads were empty and the houses were dark.

  “It’s Friday night, and it’s dinnertime,” said Luco. They walked beside a rushing river that twisted alongside the town and out of sight. The road was wide and flecked with shiny minerals. They followed it and, after crossing a short wooden bridge, they came to a large well made of gleaming, golden rocks.

  Mandamus leaned over and was surprised to see that instead of a dank, dark hole, the inside of the well was made of golden rock too and water shone like liquid sunlight.

  Luco drew up a pail and held it out to the horse. Mandamus drank, long and deep. He couldn’t remember drinking any water that tasted this fresh, clear, and cool. He drained every last drop from the bucket, feeling instantly invigorated. He peered down the well. It was strange water, indeed.

  Luco brought up another pail for himself and, after he finished his drink, he washed his face. His skin glowed as he dropped the bucket back down.<
br />
  “It is a tradition to wash and drink from the Welcome Well when you first arrive,” said Luco as he pulled up a freshly topped pail and put it on the ground. Pulling Arkas out of his pack, he set him on the edge of the full container. Arkas climbed inside and splashed around.

  “We’ll go to my mother’s house first,” said Luco, lifting Arkas out of the bucket. He rinsed the bucket and dropped it back into the well. “Hopefully she’ll be there. If not, we’ll head to my grandma’s, I’m sure Mom and my aunts will be there having dinner.”

  Mandamus felt a stab of loneliness thinking of his own family dinners. The herd always grazed together under the setting sun and Mandamus missed the jokes his aunt would tell or the advice his mother would give him during the evening meals.

  He wished it were his own mother they were on their way to see, but he kept his woe to himself because he knew that Luco hadn’t seen his family in a while either.

  They were getting close to the tower with the glass ball on top.

  Luco noticed him staring. “That’s the Sun Hall,” he told Mandamus. “See that ball up there?” he pointed to the shining globe, “that collects power from the sun and the moon. That’s how we get our energy, that, and the famous Gold River beaver dam.” He aimed his finger at the long wooden building at the foot of the tower. It had a long porch and stained-glass windows. “That’s the Sun Hall. It’s where we have town meetings, parties, and weddings.”

  The river was high and rushed furiously beside the path that Luco now led them down. The bank was steep and dropped down to a long stretch of gilded sand. Mandamus started in surprise when he saw two small girls playing on the bank. They squinted up at him, waving as they passed, then much to his shock, they linked hands and jumped into the rapids, and floated quickly downstream and out of sight.

  “It’s fine,” Luco said, noticing his worried look. “I used to do the same thing when I was a kid. It’s all sand and soft gold nuggets in there. That’s why it’s called Gold River. It’s fun to ride the rushing waves all the way to where the water swirls into a giant, calm pool. They’ll swim in there for a bit then come back to the shore to do it all over again.”