by Natalie Erin
“Not really,” Keota said, not realizing she was being sarcastic. Kia shook her head and said, “Sounds like you had it rough.” Kia started tying up the bag. “So why does Ionan want to leave?”
“Same reasons.” Keota shrugged, yet avoiding her gaze. She said nothing and he added, “Oh alright. Don’t tell him I told you this, but he was in love with this Changer, the same one who belonged to the Accompany that hurt my friend and almost killed us. He wouldn’t let them get married.”
“Wouldn’t let them? What do you mean?” Kiatana asked.
“Changers are forced to obey orders. They can’t disobey them even if they want to. If they had gotten married without our permission they would have broken the law. A Changer can never disobey a command from their Accompany. Our laws are magically binding, and they force the Changer to do whatever the Accompany says.” Keota leaned back in his chair. “All I want to do is to find somewhere to live so I’ll never have to go back. Ever.”
“You and me both,” Kia began rummaging through her small kitchen for food, flinging open wooden cupboards. “Your family isn’t the only one with issues. My father ran everybody out but me. I’m the third oldest out of four kids but I’ve still inherited the forest because he chased everyone away. My oldest sister Flare is living in another realm called Mt. Deathern with her husband. I haven’t seen her in years…I bet she has kids already. My youngest brother left four years ago with my mother to a land nearby. He’s probably living with Flare now. I had to stay behind and live with my dad because I was so young, so I got stuck taking care of the forest. He sure wouldn’t. He likes to suck the life out of things, obviously.”
“What about the second oldest? You didn’t tell me who that was,” Keota asked.
“I thought we said we weren’t going to ask questions,” Kia hissed.
“Oh yeah, that’s right. Sorry.” He dropped his head.
She sighed. “If you must know, my dad ordered her off the realm when she was sixteen. She was playing around with stuff she shouldn’t have.”
“Like what?” Keota became curious.
“Black magic. She became a witch.” Kia closed her eyes. “She destroyed everything she could get her hands on. Dad says he banished her because she was dangerous, but I think he was scared of her. We all were.”
“So that’s why you want to leave so bad. This place reminds you of her,” Keota said.
“Obviously.”
“What was her name?” Keota asked again.
Kiatana didn’t look at him. “Nineva.” She finished packing, putting one more pair of ripped shorts into her bag. “If you two want to fly around and admire the forest for a bit, I don’t mind. I’ll only bore you.”
“No, you won’t. You’re a very interesting person.” he smiled.
“I don’t want your Changer tearing up my lawn.” She looked out her window and Keota saw that Ionan had changed into a stag and was pacing back and forth impatiently, ripping up grass. Keota got up from his chair and flew out the door, hurrying to his friend.
“Relax Ionan. We only have a little more time to wait. Kia is as eager to leave as you are,” Keota said, patting the animal on the shoulder.
The massive twelve pointed stag dropped his head. Keota walked to his side and said, “Come on, let’s go see some more of this place. It’s a start to our new adventure, anyway.”
“A start? Our adventure has already begun,” Ionan said. He transformed into a dragon and they found a clear spot to take off, flying just over the tree tops and leaving Kia behind.
They both were a bit wary about flying after they had fallen from the sky, but they soon found that, after many years of companionship, they were able to remain in the air comfortably. Keota spread his arms wide and closed his eyes, letting the wind buffet his hair. Ionan rumbled in glee. If there was anyone who loved flying more than Keota, it was Ionan.
Both of them found this place amazing. Some trees were so tall, Ionan found them impossible to fly over. Other trees had spiraled trunks and leaves as big as Keota. When they landed Ionan became a stag again and they poked around in the foliage, admiring the strangely colored bushes and flowers.
Along the way they ran into Lottie and Lilja. The little pups were whispering to each other quickly yet stopped the instant they saw the two adults make their way over.
“What are you two up to?” Ionan asked in amusement, twirling his tail slowly.
“Nothing,” the pups answered in unison. They looked at each other once, warily and guiltily, before trotting off.
“Now where do you suppose they went to?” Ionan chuckled as he watched them leave.
“Not sure. Maybe they have a den somewhere,” Keota said. “How do you know them?”
“They were the ones who first found me when we fell. Witty young rascals, they are.”
“What are their names?”
Ionan rubbed his giant antlers on a tree trunk. “Lottie and Lilja, I believe. If I’m correct it would seem they are traveling alone.”
“Don’t they have a pack?” Keota asked.
“I don’t think so. Kiatana probably watches over them.”
Keota didn’t think Kia would do anything more than she absolutely had to, but he said nothing. Dusk was beginning to fall so they headed back, darkness encompassing the land once they reached Kia’s one bedroom hut. She greeted them as they landed and went to open the door.
“I know you don’t need to sleep, but you can lay on my couch if you want,” Kia said reluctantly. “It may make the time until I wake up shorter.”
Keota shook his head. “Thanks, but Ionan and I are used to resting on the ground. We sort of enter a half awake half unconscious state when we rest, and if anything exciting happens, we would prefer to be outside right away.”
“Suit yourself.” Kia went inside her house and locked the door tight.
“She obviously doesn’t trust us,” Ionan said as the dragon sunk to the ground.
“I know. But she will.” Keota lay against Ionan in a sitting position and they closed their eyes, wondering what more this new world had in store for them.
THE NEXT SEVERAL days passed like this, with Ionan and Keota going exploring while Kia prepared to leave. As she was filling up her bag with the last bit of food she had, Scarlet flew in.
“Kia!” he said, panting.
“What’s wrong Scarlet?” she asked, alarmed by his panic.
“It’s...it’s Twitten,” he started, “My daughter. She’s sick, and we don’t know what’s wrong with her. She’s been ill for a few days. We thought it was the usual, nothing serious, until today.”
Kia’s insides dropped. She hated when any of her animals were sick. She ran out the door, grabbing her medicine bag. “Take me to her, Scarlet, and tell me her symptoms along the way.”
“She refuses to eat, and is very weak,” he panted as he flew. “We knew something was wrong when she fainted trying to fly.”
Kia rushed along, a curious Keota tagging along behind her. Scarlet flew up to a branch on a tall tree and Kiatana used her wings to follow. She looked in the nest. A small red bird was panting and puffing inside, a mother bird perched anxiously on the edge.
Kia looked at the little thing, feeling helpless. She had never seen something like this before. She pulled various medicines and treatments out of her bag, trying them all, but nothing helped. Just when she had run out of options a harassed squirrel jumped on her shoulder. He nearly fell off, he was shaking so much.
“I’m a little busy at the moment,” she told him, aggravated.
“Oh, but Kia,” the bushy animal squeaked, “My son Sabbit isn’t eating, and he’s just fainted...he's very weak, oh help!”
Her stomach plummeted. She told Scarlet to keep Twitten warm and, promising to be back soon, ran after the squirrel. When she found Sabbit, the little rodent looked the same as Twitten…panting and puffing, and very weak. Out of supplies, she stood there uselessly. When a small kitten tumbled out of the brush, Kia fe
lt like her head was going to explode.
“What is it now?” she asked, worried enough with two sick animals on her hands.
The kitten looked frightened. “Uncle Klaw is sick,” he shivered, and Kia’s heart skipped a beat.
It turned out Uncle Klaw was very old. He wheezed and puffed heavily, and his ruffled black coat was missing patches of fur. She turned and looked at the small black kitten, who had tears in his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she told him truly. “I don’t know what else to do. Maybe it will go away with a few days.”
“It won’t pass,” a raspy voice sounded behind her. She turned to see Uncle Klaw speaking with great difficulty. Kia turned and knelt by his side, stroking his black, matted fur. “Go on,” she encouraged. “Tell me what you know.”
He breathed in and rasped, “It’s a disease. An epidemic that has not been seen since the last days of human inhabitation.”
“Is that why there are no more humans in the Lands?” she asked, an eyebrow raised.
Uncle Klaw nodded. “Some of them died from the sickness, but most of them left, in fear of the epidemic.”
“You mean you can actually die from this?” she said, horrified.
“Yes.”
“How do you know this is true?”
“The symptoms,” he said, gasping for breath. “I saw my great-great-grandfather suffer the same disease when I was very small.”
Kia shook. “Is there any cure?” she asked, hopeful.
“Yes,” he scratched. “But of it I do not know.”
“Do you know anyone who does?"
“I heard, long ago, that the cure lies with the unicorns.”
“The unicorns! But they haven’t been seen since the humans left!” she said in despair.
“The answer lies with the unicorns,” he repeated. “Find them, and you’ll find the cure.”
“And what if I can’t find the unicorns?”
He coughed several times before answering. “The Night Death, it is called. The Night Mares and Night Terrors will come with it, in the shadowy dark to steal the life from your body…”
“Night Mares? Night Terrors? What are those?” Kia asked, confused.
“Night Mares are dark spirits that kill all creatures by scaring one to death… they inhabit the bodies of the dead sick and take their shape when they are summoned. Night Terrors, however…” The cat shivered, and would say no more.
Kia sat back and pondered the options. If she stayed here Klaw could be right and the animals that were already sick could die. If she left, she would get the journey that she was so desperate for and she had a chance of curing the animals. But what if he were wrong? She would hate leaving the forest in such a weak state and risk the animals getting sicker. How in the world was she going to find unicorns in the first place?
Finally she said, “I think I’ll stay a while longer, just to make sure.”
“Don’t take too long,” wheezed Klaw. “The Night Death will spread quicker with each passing day and the longer you wait, it will get worse.”
KIATANA WAS WORKING HARDER than ever. Keota and Ionan tried not to get in her way, to help even, but she refused every offer they gave her to rest while they tended to the animals.
“Please Miss Kiatana, I know a bit about illness. I was in the army you know,” Ionan pleaded, but the fairy stubbornly resisted all help. A few hours later she finally broke down and let them at least fetch water for the poor creatures, but she herself refused to stop.
“Why won’t you let us do more?” Keota persisted as she tended to an ill rabbit, who didn’t look like she would make it past dawn.
“Why do you ask so many questions?” she snapped. “I don’t even want you around.”
“Yeah, but for what reason?” he asked. She waved him away and told him to get another bucket of water from the stream.
Kia brushed the hair out of her eyes. She knew what reason. Despite what she was telling herself, she liked Keota enough to want to be a friend to him. There lied the problem. The forest had nested enough hurtful relationships, and no matter how handsome Keota was or how kind he and Ionan were to her, she couldn’t get attached to them.
She left the rabbit to go tend to others. All she would have to do was imagine Nineva’s face in Keota’s eyes and she would never get too close. She wouldn’t risk having her trust broken more then it already was. It was that simple.
At least, Kiatana wished it was.
AS NIGHT BEGAN to set the pups laid next to each other in a bed of leaves nearby Kiatana’s house. They had developed their plan…now they just had to see whether they had the nerve to pull it off. Lilja was out of it in an instant, but the same couldn’t be said for his twin.
Lottie twitched in her sleep, her eyes shuffling rapidly back and forth as her head rested on Lilja’s back. Little whimpers echoed from her mouth.
“Mother…” she whispered. “Mother, where did you go?”
THAT NIGHT KIATANA returned to her hut to find Ionan and Keota waiting patiently outside, staring up at the stars. A chill ran across her skin, promising that it would be a cold night. Sighing, she turned in the doorway and asked, “Still want to pass up my couch?”
“Now?” Keota smiled. Ever since her offer two weeks ago she hadn’t asked them since.
“We don’t get as cold as you, Miss Kiatana.” Ionan flicked out his forked lizard tongue and refused, if only to try to be polite.
“Just get in here,” she pointed. The Accompany and Changer looked at each other, then Keota shrugged. Ionan changed into a white cat and followed Keota in as Kia shut the door behind her.
“Goodnight. Don’t try anything,” she threatened. She went into her own bedroom to sleep, and they noticed she didn’t lock the door this time.
Keota smiled. This was the nicest Kia had been to them all week. He lay down on her rugged old lounger and stretched out, sighing as Ionan lay next to him.
“Kia seems very tense as of late,” Ionan said. “Perhaps a good laugh would help to ease some of her stress.”
Keota looked at the ceiling and thought. After a few minutes he smiled and said, “I know what we should do.” He whispered his plans into Ionan’s ear and the cat let out a laugh, his fangs catching the moonlight that flickered in the window.
“Be quiet!” Kia’s voice rang through the door and the boys fell silent. Keota turned on his side and said, “Goodnight Ionan. I hope you think of good memories.”
“And you as well,” the cat purred. “Goodnight, my Accompany.”
KIA AWOKE when a loud thud echoed through the small house. She rushed out of her room to find the couch knocked over so that one side was on the ground and the other side almost touched the ceiling. “What on earth did you do?” she yelled, glaring at Keota, who was hiding behind the large piece of furniture.
Keota’s head peeked around the cushions. “It wasn’t me, I swear it,” he said, sounding like a small child afraid of getting in trouble.
“I don’t care who did it! I just want my stuff put back the way it was!” she ordered. “Where’s Ionan?”
“You shall never find me,” Ionan hissed in repressed laughter. The sound echoed around the room, but the Changer was nowhere to be seen.
“This is not funny you two!” Kia’s voice grew louder. “Whatever it is you’re trying to do, I don’t like it!”
“All we’re doing is making this place more comfortable.” Ionan said, still hiding. Kia’s eyes flickered up to see him as a white cat crouched on a shelf.
“By putting my couch onto its side?” Kia asked angrily.
“By moving it elsewhere. This place is too small to fit such a large item,” Ionan replied.
“Well, put it back,” she commanded. “I liked it where it was.”
“Come on Kia, lighten up.” Keota smiled at her happily, and the corners of her mouth twitched. “He didn’t hurt anyone or break anything.”
“Listen, this is my couch, my house, my forest!” Kia yelled, her s
mall smile dropping. “I don’t have time to deal with your stupid tricks. Animals could die and you’re playing pranks? This better be fixed when I come back, or I’ll murder you both.” Kia grabbed her medicine bag and stormed outside to tend the sick.
When she was gone Keota looked at Ionan as if it was all his fault. “Don’t blame me, you flipped the couch,” Ionan said, jumping down and landing by his side.
“Only because you said we needed to help relieve some of her stress and that a good joke would do it,” Keota replied in irritation.
“Well, perhaps I was wrong. You never know.” Ionan said, slinking out the door and leaving his Accompany alone. He had persuaded Keota to flip the couch, but his reasoning was not to relieve stress. The cat climbed up a tree and watched as the fairy helped a young sick dog off the ground. His eyes flickered and he laid his head on a branch, watching as Keota ran out the door to try and find out where Kiatana had went.
“I will not let this be,” Ionan said. “This cannot happen, and will not. Not as long as I am here.”
LATER THAT SAME day Kia collapsed on a tree trunk, close to tears. Klaw’s words had turned out to ring true. The sick animals hadn’t gotten any better and the sickness had spread to two more animals. Kia had gotten little sleep and had been on her feet all day. A moan of despair rose from one of the sick beasts and her heart clenched. Was there any chance of getting away from the forest now?
“Are we ready to leave?” asked Ionan, Keota lounging across one of his large dragon paws.
She looked up at the pair, wondering what to do. Leave? When everyone was ill? How ironic…she had wanted to leave so badly, and now she was being forced…
“There doesn’t really seem to be any other option,” Keota said softly. “Nothing you or anyone else is doing is helping. Let’s go find a remedy.”
Kia looked into Ionan’s eyes. They seemed so sure, so positive, that going on a journey would be the right thing to do. Still, she didn’t trust them. She turned and was captivated by Keota's golden eyes, the only gaze she had seen in a few days that was friendly and warm, not empty and dying. In them she found the answer. They would leave immediately and search for the answer to the mysterious illness, lying hidden with the unicorns and their secrets. She would not rest until they found the cure and returned. She promised it.