by Vance Huxley
“Ha! I’m not being frightened away by the likes of him. I put the big iron stew ladle by the door.” Bliss hesitated. “That’s if you still want me to clean up and that?”
“Yes, but I’m still worried.”
“I’ll ask Da if I can bring a dog. Spots is only young but he knows to bark at strangers and he’ll be good round Rabbit. All the dogs are.” She giggled suddenly. “He’ll be good around One-shut as well because there’s a big tomcat next door. All our pups end up with a scratched nose and learn respect.” Bliss stopped smiling and looked worried. “You don’t mind do you? Rabbit won’t mind?”
“No. Some of the Hunter’s families have a dog. The size difference means there’s never any trouble.” Billi didn’t feel sure about leaving her here alone. “Do you mind? It would help me a lot.”
“It will help Da a bit as well. Since Ma went to the rock, and then Ellibeth came home with Rubyn to look after, things are a bit tight. Ma used to help with the work, the tanning, so Da can’t earn as much. Ellibeth is a widow, and she can’t claim her brideshare from her man’s family until the olduns pass on, so she has to raise her Rubin alone until then.” Bliss laughed. “Sorry, I’m gossiping again. Da says it’s a failing of mine.”
“I don’t mind. I don’t hear many voices.” Billi heaved a sigh of relief. “Just check with your Da first.”
“I will. Thank ye, Billi.”
“I’d better get ye home now. ‘Tis getting dark.” Billi and Rabbit walked Bliss home, and left her with a haunch of deer. On the way back Billi resolved to give her a little bit more, to make up for the trouble. It would help to feed Spots since now the dog seemed to be working for Billi as well.
* * *
A young, eager Spots seemed decidedly wary of One-shut and very respectful of Rabbit. When they were together Spots followed Rabbit around, sniffing where he did. Bliss thought the young dog wanted to grow up to be a Hound, a joke since Hounds came from the Forest full-grown. It didn’t take Spots long to work out that the bit with a fence round needed guarding, and he soon started barking at anyone who came past. Bliss said she left him outside a lot of the time to wander about the plot, and that seemed to do the trick. There were no more noises or voices.
For the next half-moon Billi went out most days and a few nights. Bliss settled into her task very well, and his scruffy little hut ended up with a bit of a transformation. Billi had to laugh the day he came in wet and muddy and slumped in his chair still in his wet gear, and distinctly heard her huff of disapproval. His diet became a bit more exciting as well since there were herbs and one day a bit of something spicy. Bliss seemed to think her duties included cooking a bit of stew or bread or even a pie a couple of times.
Billi didn’t complain because Bliss really could cook and bake, so he couldn’t blame his oven any more. He asked about the spice and that came from the Traders. Ellibeth had sent it as a thank you for the amount of meat Billi sent home with Bliss. He gave Bliss a silver to get some and a few days later Bliss asked if she could plant some herbs. A little herb patch appeared outside Billi’s door. The meals soon gained even more of a tasty tang, mint and some sage, and herbs Billi had never tasted before. Well not since his Ma did the cooking, and he’d never asked for names then or why her pies tasted that way.
During the entire half-moon Billi’s animals stayed safely shut up and no catches or straps broke. The amount of meat or fish he gave Bliss made absolutely no difference to Billi’s own eating, though her cooking did. Billi considered the meat or fowl a fair exchange for his animals being safe, and for some decent bread and pastry. He even made an arrangement to get a regular pat of butter from one of the farmers. Rabbit seemed to like Bliss, and the song definitely rang out much happier now they were spending more time in the green. Billi finally took the plunge. “I’d like to stay out longer, if ye don’t mind?”
“How long, Billi? I don’t mind but Da will want to know when to start worriting.” Bliss smiled at that.
“That’s a Da’s job, worriting, or so my Da told me. I’d like to stop out six nights, but it may be seven. Sometimes this acts up.” Billi tapped his stump. “Then it takes me a bit longer to get where I’m going.”
“Six nights? Nobody stays out six nights, or seven. Leastways I think not. Will you be all right out there, with it being the Wild and all that?” Bliss actually looked worried which shook Billi a bit. Nobody had ever cared about where he went or if he was all right.
“I’m fine out there because I have the very best lookout. Rabbit keeps an ear, a nose, and possibly an eye opened all night.” Billi laughed. “Though we always find a good big clearing away from convenient bushes and trees so nothing sneaks up. I never camp near a kill, or carry fresh meat unless I’m headed home, and a big fire helps. Most of the Wild is wary of fire.”
“I’d be frightened out there, in the dark.” Bliss shivered. “Surrounded by all those trees and who knows what in them.”
“But with a Hound it all feels right. The stars are brighter out there, somehow, and the green itself isn’t unfriendly. Some of the Wild are dangerous but as long as we’re careful we’re safe enough and I prefer being out there, and so does Rabbit.” Billi paused, then teased her just a little. “You could ask a Hunter about it. Maybe Hektor now he’s got a Hound?”
Instead of blushing, Bliss looked thoughtful. Then she smiled. “I might. When do you want to go, Billi?” She frowned. “I can get one of my sibs, Perry or Timath, to call by now and then. Just so Da don’t worrit.”
“Tomorrow, if that’s not too soon and you don’t mind?”
“I’ll bring clothes and bits with me.” Bliss smiled again. “Since I’m not to bring food.” Not only had Bliss not dented the meat in the cold room, but there were now several big pies on the shelves.
Billi walked Bliss home, left a pelt and a hide for Viktor to cure, and half of a small deer since Bliss had been there two days and a night. Billi confirmed that he would be going for up to seven nights, and Viktor confirmed that his layabouts would keep an eye on Bliss. Then Billi spent the evening making sure he had all he needed in his big pack, sharpening the spear, and talking through the trip with Rabbit. This time he intended finding out just where that elusive stream started.
Bliss turned up early in the morning with her bundle and Spots. Billi asked again if she’d be all right for so long and Bliss seemed supremely confident. She assured him her family and friends would come by so Billi called to Rabbit and off they went. Billi could understand why Rabbit’s song sounded so happy because he felt the same, they’d have eight whole days out in the Forest!
* * *
Mid-afternoon four days later Billi didn’t feel quite so happy. He felt tired and a bit sore and now Billi began to wonder when this stream actually ended, or started really. For a relatively small but swift flow it went on and on winding through the Forest. He’d paused to turn back twice today but Rabbit’s song urged him on each time. Billi began to wonder if the Hound knew where they were going? Hounds came from the Forest, full-grown, but nobody knew more than that. Despite his misgivings Billi pushed on.
At least camping for the night had become easier. The trees had thinned, no longer tangled together with webs of vines and creepers. Now there were more open glades, areas covered in lush grass, and the small herds grazing them seemed much more wary of the Hound than the bow. Another bad winter Billi would have a word with a couple of the other Hunters, and maybe organise an expedition up here. Hunting would be good if they took care since the glades provided plenty of open grazing for deer, with cover close by. So far Billi had fished for just enough to eat, except for taking one small deer for Rabbit. The fourth night felt strange, in the middle of a wide open stretch of grass, though the eyes in the bushes catching the firelight warned Billi that safer didn’t mean safe.
In the morning Rabbit bounded away upstream, and Billi sighed and followed. Midday today he would stop even if Rabbit didn’t like it. Though before then he’d changed his mi
nd. Ahead, above a few lower trees, Billi could see glimpses of higher ground! Billi had never seen hills that showed above the trees, even though these were no longer true Forest giants. He racked his brains but nobody had ever talked of hills this high. Now Billi pushed on with more determination even though he began to worry the stream would end at some waterfall, just to remain elusive and annoy him.
That would end the search as Billi couldn’t climb anything remotely difficult and it would be pure foolishness to try. If he fell there would be no rescue, and then Rabbit would stay with him and die as well. There would be no other Hunter this far into the Forest so the two of them would never be found. The changing types of trees, birds and flowers drove that home. Only Billi, with no real responsibilities, would come so far for curiosity. Billi smiled because his curiosity had paid off a little as his pouch now contained a small collection of stones from the stream. Those included a couple of quite large ones, larger than any Billi had found elsewhere.
Billi had stuck to fish as yet because fish were easily found and caught. These fish were unused to the careful hand that gently stroked and then flicked them onto the bank. Billi had his line of course but that wasn’t necessary and he thought it a pity this place lay so far from the Village. Around here would be a lovely place to live. Unfortunately, here definitely classed as Forest so the Wild wouldn’t allow any man to live here, though the idea of that definitely appealed.
Fishing by hand meant spending a good while watching the water very carefully, and explained why Billi had so many stones. Each time he spotted one while sneaking up on a fish, Billi searched the sand or gravel and usually found at least one more. Rabbit had a wonderful time, especially helping with the stone hunting. He would scratch up the gravel after Billi had searched and when the disturbed silt washed away Billi would look again. Rabbit uncovered both larger stones and several small ones. In a small way the stones might pay for the trip, even if Billi didn’t really care about that.
Or perhaps he did, because all these stones seemed to be the ones the Tinkerers wanted. If he could find this amount elsewhere, maybe his nest egg would grow faster than with meat and hides? Billi tried to imagine the small collection shining with an inner fire, but he’d not seen a sparkul close up so as he ate Billi watched the flying sparkuls instead. The Hawkflies shone with a myriad colour as they hunted insects over the water, more colours than Billi ever saw on the Farm. He finished his fish and put the scraps under a bush for the Wild, sat by the fire, and thought about that high ground ahead
Billi wanted to see that hill, just because of how high it seemed, so he’d go that far. Then he would stop, Billi promised himself and Rabbit, because he’d told Bliss seven days and even moving fast enough to hurt he’d not get back that fast now. Though Rabbit seemed perfectly happy to keep going as long as Billi wanted to. If he couldn’t find the source by midday tomorrow Billi would go home and maybe reconsider. He would decide if knowing about the stones, and that hill, was really worth a longer trip.
Billi hoped that Bliss really would be all right and not mind him going on another long trip. Her family, her sibs, could come and see her so the maid shouldn’t be lonely. Billi smiled, if Hektor truly had stopped running and started chasing Bliss wouldn’t be lonely anyway. As well as stones, Billi kept an eye open for other signs as well. If he found ironstone or greenstone here, or the black rock that burned, he would take note of the place. Then the villagers would pay a Hunter well for the information and to stand guard while they came and dug it up, even this far away. The blacksmith bargained with the Traders for blackstone or he used charcoal made from precious firewood. Greenstone would produce copper once the smith got to work smelting the strangely coloured rock.
Would it be worth Billi spending a week or so out here to turn the big deadfalls into charcoal to trade? No wood gathering ever came this far out so some really big branches lay undisturbed and even a couple of small trees. Though this would be too far to drag full tree trunks all the way home with ponies, despite their value. Villagers didn’t like being out overnight so four or five nights would be out of the question.
Billi tried working out the time it would take to build a turf oven against how much charcoal he might get and the time taken to trek it home. Then he worked out how much it would cost to bring and guard someone who knew how to actually do that properly. Because of that Billi didn’t quite register what he was looking at for a few minutes. He’d finally reached the hill, as the ground ahead rose sharply except for a huge bite out of the slope, a bite that ran back into the hillside.
* * *
Not really a hillside because Billi had found more than a hill. The height of the ground stretching either way came as shock all by itself. The trees had disguised the real height and extent, but now Billi took a moment to grasp what he could see. The only high ground in the Forest that he had heard of or seen came as occasional small rises, usually crowned with trees or sometimes bare rocks. This steep, rocky slope went as far as Billi could see in each direction, and had no trees on top. The only break looked to be ahead, a deep bowl somehow gouged out of the upland to form an almost square-ended valley.
At the far end of the large valley now visible beyond the bushes a waterfall appeared, just as Billi had feared, but only a trickle. The flow looked nothing like enough to form the stream rushing past so Billi moved forward to see where the water came from. He already wondered why there were no trees in there, or none with leaves. There were a good few trees but those were dead and bare of even smaller twigs.
An untidy collection of branches and twigs packed in around a huge fallen trunk sealed the exit for the stream. The obstacle had been concealed by the bushes when Billi first approached but now he could see that the original stream bed had been dammed. The water still escaped over the top of the dead timber and kept the stream flowing, but behind the trunk there must be a pool, possibly running right up the valley. Billi remembered what Mandy had said about flooding probably killing trees, which explained all those bare branches.
Billi came up the slope past a hollow and up-thrust roots marking the original position of the tree, where the sides of the valley began to rise. The unfamiliar hump of a beaver lodge jutted from the pool behind the dam, he’d only seen two before and one had already been broken open by a bear. The beaver had flooded the valley or possibly just spotted the chance and improved the initial blockage, and that had killed the trees. Normally beaver would have encouraged the secondary, more easily edible growth but Billi could see they hadn’t been here long. Though perhaps the local browsers were persistent since the secondary growth looked stunted and chewed back in most places.
There might be plenty of browsers visiting because the pool didn’t go back to the waterfall or right across the valley, leaving plenty of ground covered in grass. The beaver pond went less than a third of the way up the valley, then a wide gravel bank cut right across the valley bottom, the lower part. At the other side of the gravel a larger, wider pool spread back to the cliff behind. That pool seemed to be the source of the stream. “It still doesn’t look right, Rabbit. There’s more water coming over the gravel than comes down the cliff.” Billi pointed. “Maybe there’s a spring there, where the small pools are at the side of the main one.”
Billi looked around the rest of the valley. “Look at the amount of grazing in here, Rabbit. Thick grass, and lush with all that water even in the driest summer. There’ll be ducks and geese come to these pools, and the reeds make good cover for hunting. This would make a good living for a Hunter and a Hound.” Billi realised he’d been out in the Forest so long he’d reverted to his usual habit when chewing over a problem at home, talking it through aloud with the Hound.
Then it hit Billi. He could live here, away from the Village. Those dead trees would provide more than enough timber for a hut, for several huts. “There’s only small new growth by the pools, and scrub on the hillsides. All the rest of the trees and older bushes are dead. That pool must have come up hi
gher at some time before breaking out.” Billi looked at the remaining growth with new eyes, and Rabbit’s song sounded hopefully cautious.
“That’s less growth than there is after a fire, when the farmers claim land from the Forest. This side never had trees, but I reckon it’s because there’s only enough soil for grass. You can see the rocks coming through. That soil side, with the big tree stumps, must be deep enough for crops, for some roots and maybe a bit of barley or wheat. Maybe the Forest would let us take it, Rabbit? You and I, living out here.” Rabbit’s song definitely liked that idea, or maybe the enthusiasm in Billi’s voice.
Billi finished the thought, they would get right away from Edan and his friends. Edan would need a Hunter to escort him this far, and Hunters wouldn’t do that just to let out the chickens. Thinking of the chickens ruined the whole dream. Billi couldn’t live here. When he went to hunt, the Wild would take the goats and chickens, and eat any crops before they got above shoots. He sat down, deflated. This would have been perfect. The sloping land, though fairly steep further to the sides, had a covering of wiry grass that would have fed sheep or goats, and he could have had a milk cow on the good pasture.
The song rose, interested, and Billi looked up to see what had caught Rabbit’s eye. Lazy ripples in the pool, both pools, spoke of big fish, certainly big enough for a meal. That just made things worse. Given the size of the pools there might be enough fish to feed one man and his Hound all by themselves. Nothing much would predate the fish if a Hound lived nearby, with little cover near the pool to conceal the furry fishers and the tangles of dead branches in the near one to stop fishing birds.
Billi sighed, but his head still wouldn’t quite let the idea go. “Look Rabbit, we could have dug out the sediment in some of those pools, and laid it on the higher parts to enrich the soil over there. A garden there, fields here.” Billi waved his arms about, still picturing it. “Dig out a bit across that part and the chickens would be on an island so they wouldn’t stray. The boulders in that gravel are enough for foundations to keep a hut firm and dry.” Billi paused, because his eyes had returned to the steady wash of water over the gravel.