Ky watched Tyrus run up to the group. His skin was clean, without a trace of black ink. He marched alongside Huntra and bowed to Cobaaron as he inquired, “You wanted to see me, Chief?”
“See that woman with violet eyes?” Cobaaron pointed to Ambrosia.
Tyrus didn’t look in Ambrosia’s direction, but said, “I see her. What about her?”
“I need her to arrive in the City of Lights safely. Guard her with your life, young Tyrus. Don’t disappear on me again. We spar together in the mornings from now on. You travel with me.”
“I must ask Ram and Parson, my closest comrades, to follow me. I assure you they’ll prove as helpful to you as they are to me.”
“Do they believe my wife is a witch?”
“No, Chief.”
“Call them forward, but they’re your responsibility and are your concern.”
Huntra paced another hour, as women picked sandraberry bushes. Ky snacked on the berries that Ambrosia gathered for her and thought they tasted like huckleberries. Tyrus eventually climbed into the back seat while his two closest friends marched behind them.
As they continued through the cave, they wandered into a fog that quickly thickened. The bioluminescent plant life made the fog appear pink.
“There, Huntra.” Cobaaron pointed to a white luminescence, blinking at a great distance. “Make your way to that light.”
They walked another hour in the fog, as the light grew brighter and brighter while it slowly stretched outward. The light changed shapes, as if it were constantly moving and shifting. Huntra stopped and the saddles began to dissolve.
“Why did we stop?” Ky asked.
“The thorn bushes.” Cobaaron gestured. The grass stopped abruptly where the yellow thorny weeds crowded them. The thistles were no larger than a foot tall, but grew wild and thick with gruesome barbs. “They’ll hurt his paws. We have shoes. Trample the weeds, or they will scrape your legs. Let us flatten them first, Ky. Warrior’s blood will stop flowing on its own, as yours does not.”
“Agreed, my blood doesn’t coagulate,” Ky said. Everyone stopped and stared at her with raised eyebrows, clearly not understanding the meaning of the word. “Never mind.”
When Huntra was small again Cobaaron picked him up, and laid him across his shoulders. They tottered on, headed for the dancing white light. As they trodden the weeds, a few thorns pricked Ky’s ankles where her laced shoes didn’t cover. She winced, but the prick didn’t puncture her skin.
From the corner of her eye, Ky saw a small silver comet-like blur streak by. When she turned her head, it was gone. She wondered if she imagined the flash of light, but then saw it again on her opposite side.
“Mother of pearl,” she cursed under her breath because she wasn’t watching where she was going, and once again a thorn bush scraped her ankle. “How much longer till we’re out of these weeds?”
“At least another two hour,” Cobaaron said. “We’ve only just begun. Don’t tell me you want me to carry you.” He grinned, teasing her.
There was another streak of light, and then two more flashed by. The closer they got to the constantly moving body of light, the more silvery-white streaks she saw. Something was flying at incredible speed. Then another stream buzzed passed, circled around in a silver arch, and then stopped in front of Ky. She gasped and halted mid-step when she almost ran into the small thing. She backed up a little, so she could look at it without crossing her eyes. A very small person with wings was covered in shimmering crystals; possibly the small creature was made of glowing particles of precious stone. It looked like tiny specks of shimmering crystals formed into a tiny person. Whatever the life-form, the small being was no taller than two inches.
“Oh, a druse,” Ambrosia crooned when she stopped, noticing Ky had fallen behind. She slowly walked to Ky’s side as she ogled over the tiny creature. She extended her index finger as a perch. The druse flew away in another large circle, becoming a silvery-white streak before stopping in front of Ky again. “It likes you. Maybe it’s your light. You’re so lucky. You could keep it, I bet. They rest on your shoulder, and they hum songs in your ear. It’s really pretty.”
“Just swat it away. They’re pesty druses—bugs.” Cobaaron shooed it, and the druse once again flew off.
They continued to walk again. Ambrosia whispered to Ky, “They aren’t annoying. They’re good luck. If one approaches me, I’ll keep it. Put a finger out, and if they like you, they’ll walk up your arm. They eat flower pollen so they can live anywhere.”
Cobaaron spun on his heel and walked backward. “They bite and are irritating. Don’t put ideas in my partner’s head. My wife already has a mangy cat.” He shrugged his shoulders when speaking of Huntra, but Ky’s snow tiger was too content to care, and kept his eyes closed. Cobaaron glared at Ambrosia, and added, “I don’t care if you have a hundred bugs teeming around you, but my partner won’t have any. We already have a clingy cat that will probably live longer than me.”
They walked a few more minutes, and the light became brighter. The glowing mass constantly changed shape, and it became clear to Ky the radiance was a cluster of druses. The swarm must be millions strong and together they made a large thick mass. Soon the druses surrounded them, flying between, around, and above their heads. Several kept stopping in front of Ky, looking at her curiously.
“So, are they fairies?” Ky asked curiously.
“Yes, like fairies, but they’re druses. Completely different, but they can breed together.” Ambrosia dropped her voice to add, “I’ll share mine, if one chooses me.” She held out her hand, but the druse in front of Ky flew away.
The swarm thickened. The warriors, cursing loudly, swatted them, and Ky saw why the men disliked them. They were curious creatures, flying too close and occasionally clipped men with their sharp wings. A particularly large druse, almost three inches in height, stopped in front of Ky.
“Ooh, that must be a queen,” Ambrosia breathed in amazement. Ky watched as Ambrosia slowly stretched her finger out for a roost. This time the creature stared at Ambrosia’s finger, and then cautiously tiptoed mid-air toward her. When it stood on her fingertip, Ambrosia slowly walked again. The druse lingered. When another stopped to stare at Ambrosia, the queen hurried up her arm without another thought.
“Hurry,” Cobaaron commanded. “Or every woman will adopt a pet, and we will have constant bite marks.”
“I’m thankful it’s not puffy whistlers.” Tyrus grinned.
“If a woman got one of those she would stay at the next city.” Cobaaron glanced at Tyrus and then smirked.
They hurried through the swarm. Now that Ambrosia had a druse, she became inundated with soaring pests. They raced around her and crowded so tightly that her hair kept whipping up as they circled. “This is getting out of hand,” Ambrosia complained when she could hardly move.
“Swat them away,” Cobaaron barked because they were swarming her companions.
“They’ll bite me. I need to get out of the swarm,” Ambrosia said.
“Go with her, young Tyrus,” Cobaaron commanded. They ran ahead, and disappeared in the white glowing fog. Cobaaron took Ky’s hand, as the swarm died away. “It wouldn’t have been as bad if she didn’t take one. The worst will be over soon. It’s never this bad, but they obviously like light.”
“Yeah, I can see how they’re annoying, but one wouldn’t be bad.”
“Oh, no.” Cobaaron groaned. “She talked you into one, didn’t she?”
“I don’t want one on my shoulder for the rest of my life.”
“No, they make homes near you when you settle. They only live a hundred years, but that is still a long time. They hoard trinkets, and will steal from you. In fact, the only useful thing about them is their ability to know what you want and cunningly thieve it from the owner. You’re a queen and will be royalty to a great city; there will be nothing that you’ll have to steal. Have I successfully talked you out of wanting a druse?”
“Well, I don’t n
eed useful pets. They’re for companionship and showing affection.”
Cobaaron breathed heavily. “You can do what you want, Ky. In the end, I only want you happy. Truthfully, I like Huntra, but for me, there is no way I’ll ever enjoy a druse. I’ll ignore the bug if you want one. But I’ll never like its company; the pest will never grow on me. But I know how important it is for you to have companionship.” He groaned at the idea. “Do whatever you wish, love.”
“Okay.” Ky nodded. Now that he showed favor to the idea, Ky considered it. As she mulled over the idea if she wanted a pet for a hundred years, she contemplated too long until the colony was behind them.
Shortly after escaping the swarm, the fog lifted, and they saw Ambrosia and Tyrus waiting not far ahead.
“Oh, look. I wasn’t the only one who got a druse.” Ambrosia indicated to the long line behind them. Sure enough, most women had one, and some even had two.
“Women need to hide the druses in their hair. The light is visible for miles and we’ll all be targets. It’s dangerous enough that we have two Stars,” Cobaaron huffed. Ambrosia combed her hair to the side with her fingers, and let the druse cover itself with strands as it made a nest. Cobaaron must have telepathically told the warriors to command the women, because men began to order the women to conceal their insect.
“These druses will be as vicious as the women that hold them,” Tyrus growled.
“Let’s hope these women don’t have an ornery disposition, although, I can think of one that does,” Cobaaron quipped. “Let’s hope she didn’t get a druse, or that thing will bite us if we accidently come near her. I’ll tell you what; her protectors will avoid sex with biting, possessive bugs haunting her.”
“Are they that territorial?” Ky asked.
“Aren’t all women?” Ambrosia asked, smiling.
“I guess so.”
Several minutes passed, but none of the druses stopped. Ky’s shoulders drooped when the fog rose higher, and they left the thorny bushes. Hope of having a druse was replaced with disappointment. Cobaaron overheard Ky’s sigh.
“No worries, Ky. You have Huntra. I’m relieved.”
“I should have decided back there if I wanted one.”
“Yes.” Cobaaron set Huntra on glowing green mushrooms. “But you have Huntra. He’s not a jealous female. Wait, and in one week these women will find the druses maddening. They’re bugs, and women will squash them when they decide they don’t want them anymore.”
“You think so?” Ambrosia asked.
“Oh, I know so,” Cobaaron stressed. “See the women from Sarnia? Women that live in these mountains don’t keep druses; they know better. You’ll hate yours in a week.”
“No, I know their habits. It’s the other women who should have thought about it. They are living beings. It is horrific to treat them as less.” Ambrosia looked at the women behind them. Then Ky saw Ambrosia’s eyes change from vivid violet to pale pink. Druses darted from the women and zoomed around high in the air. As far as Ky could see, only one woman kept a druse.
They flew in stripes of silvery-white. Blurry bands whipped into the fog, or whished higher. The women hollered, begging the druses to return. Several came zipping up to Ky’s light; three lingered. Before Ky had time to question anymore, she held up a finger to a druse. Another jealously attacked the one Ky invited, and they fought viciously as gem bits broke off their wings. As they clashed, a third quietly landed on her finger, and then ran up her arm.
Ky heard a soft tune in her ear, and felt her hair shift lightly. The feeling made her shiver. Ky watched Ambrosia’s druse braid a swing in her hair, and weave strands together into a cocoon. Ambrosia’s eyes flashed pink again. Ky expected her druse to leave, but when it stayed Ambrosia gave a curt nod of satisfaction.
Huntra bumped Ky, demanding attention. “Okay, he’s a jealous male,” Cobaaron recanted with a leer. “Come on, get bigger Huntra. We’re wasting time, and I want out of this mountain before my wife adopts anymore annoying animals.” Huntra quickly expanded until he was taller than the men.
“How much longer till we’re out of the mountain?” Ambrosia asked.
“We’ll stop in a few hours, and rest for the night, but the exit will be close, and we’ll step out of these muggy caves in the morning.”
“I’ll walk then. When we’re outside I’d like to rest.” Ambrosia lingered, and let the trailing warriors surround her.
“Keep her close, young Tyrus,” Cobaaron instructed. “Don’t be more than ten yards back.”
Cobaaron climbed onto Huntra’s back, and then helped Ky to her seat. They started up a steep slope that circled to the base of the mountain. They walked so long that Ky’s crystal timekeeper dimmed. “It won’t be long before we reach our resting point,” Cobaaron said when she leaned against his back, exhausted.
“I need to sleep now. It must be the late hours.” At her words, Huntra’s chair changed into the small sleeping cart. Ky moved her clothes to the foot of the room, and Cobaaron lay beside her. The moment he did, Ky’s druse buzzed angrily, and bit his ear. He cursed and he grasped the druse’s wing.
“Look, you ruddy little pest that is my partner. She was mine long before she was yours. Bite me again and I’ll pull your wings off!” The druse struggled to escape, kicking Cobaaron’s thumb, but he pinched tighter. “And when I’m around her, you need to bug out. Your corner in this room is that pillow.” Cobaaron dropped the druse behind Ky’s head and then rolled his eyes. “This is only the beginning of annoying habits. But promise me no more critters, Ky. You’ll have to be happy with two.”
“I won’t adopt anything else. Though, you could have been firm about no more pets.”
Cobaaron drew her close. “I want you happy, Ky. You’re a Star. You’re happiness means everything.” There was a clinking noise above Ky’s head. Cobaaron sat up and swatted at her druse. “Don’t touch her jar. Keep your grubby little hands off her things, or I’ll pull your wings off.” Already annoyed, he lay back down and shook his head. “You need to tell the bug not to touch your things. Tell it in the beginning to mind you or it will become more unruly by the day.” On second thought he said, “Tell her, too, that she needs to let me do all sorts of things to you without being bit, when we argue it can’t intervene, and tell it to mind everything I say.”
“Fine.” Ky yawned. Feeling tired and lazy, she spoke to the druse in a tone that was more nurturing than Cobaaron’s barking commands. Then for emphasis she said, “I want you to mind him. I love him, and you need to love him as well.”
“Don’t talk about love,” Cobaaron grumbled. “Tell it you’ll rip its wings off. That works. You’re too soft, love. Tell her not to steal from you. Be gruff. Speak like a warrior.”
“I will give you things, so don’t steal my belongings.”
“That wasn’t a command at all.”
“I know.” Ky dropped her hand onto Huntra’s soft fur. Ky caressed his thick coat as Cobaaron complained Ky wasn’t demanding. The druse jealously yanked Huntra’s fur. “Hey, stop that! You need to love Huntra, too. You need to love all three of us. See? You pet him like this.” Ky tapped Cobaaron, having him pet Huntra also.
The druse looked at the fur and mimicked Ky, and pet Huntra. At first, she smoothed his fur awkwardly until the druse realized she liked how soft his tufts were.
“That’s right.” Ky beamed at her druse. “Good kitty. He’s a pet. See?” They all petted Huntra awhile before Ky thought of another rule: “There is no fighting Ambrosia’s druse, either. You’re my only druse, and that won’t change. You can’t be jealous of me—ever—so there is no need to be protective of me.”
The druse nodded, sat on a mat of fur, continuing to pet Huntra as if the new hobby was the most fascinating thing it had ever done.
“It’s incredible isn’t it?” Ky asked Cobaaron.
“What is?” he asked.
“They comprehend what I say, both Huntra and this druse.”
“Lots of animals u
nderstand us. Besides snow tigers and druse there are brownies, flurries, allures, and phoenixes to name a few.”
“Dogs understand humans, so it’s not that shocking,” Ky supposed.
“Yes, that is another one. But smaller dogs live in the lowlands with the small prey, and they’re infested with insects, much worse than your druse.”
“We should name her,” Ky suggested, but nothing came to mind. She stared at Cobaaron but he raised an eyebrow, silently asking if she was seriously looking for guidance. The druse continued to caress Huntra as Ky thought. “How about Lady Bug? Because she is a girl and a bug.”
The druse didn’t twitch. “Okay, that’s a no.”
“That’s too feminine. But I don’t think that’s the problem. I won’t ever call her that.”
“She is a girl. It should be feminine.”
“No, it’s too feminine.” Cobaaron repeated. “I’d call her Bug, though.”
“Um...Prism?” Ky offered, and the druse nodded. “She likes it.”
“So, let’s see how well behaved she is and test your soft-spoken approach.” Cobaaron pointed to the corner of Ky’s pillow. “Prism, go lay down, please.” She zipped over Ky’s pillow and lay down with her tush and wings high in the air, and her arms tucked under her. “Wow, now she’s minding me perfectly.”
“She might be like me, Cobaaron. You’re scary when you’re mad. You’re too big to need to be gruff with women.”
Cobaaron drew her into his warm embrace. He slid his hands down to her butt and he squeezed the back of her leg. He pulled her on top, and she rested her head on his chest. Ky relaxed, enjoying the closeness. “That is amazing. She isn’t jealous at all. Druses are normally territorial.” He rubbed her back in long sweeping strokes. “I’m glad she isn’t, because I’m not the sharing type. I’m far more territorial than she, and you’re all mine.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Coming Dawn Trilogy Page 41