Even from the distance Alex concluded “It isn’t a lord, it’s eyes are too small and close together.” Then he reached back and rubbed Shade between the ears. “Do you think you should introduce yourself?”
He flicked an ear and slowly shook his head. “I don’t believe that would be the best solution. I need to be seen as nonthreatening or else risk frightening him off. He knows if I wished my size alone would make him submit.”
“As you will.” And noticing the others he filled them in on their visitor.
The set of eyes remained wary and stationary. He knew he’d been spotted as everyone in the open field periodically peered in his direction, but felt content to remain put.
Just as the sun began settling a loud rustling sound gained everyone’s undivided attention. A sudden, frightening roar came from behind a bush and angry snorting followed. It came from something massive. When none dare move, an angry growl came and said “Leave humans, before I exact my vengeance!”
Alex stepped forward and felt the familiar tickle. “Crush? Is that you?”
Then the bush stilled for a moment before an enormous brown head emerged. “It cannot be?” Crush said in shock and slipped into the open, but looked different. Not quite himself. Grizzled fur coated him from snout to rear, but as he walked Alex immediately noticed something wrong. Of the extra pair of clawed arms above his foreclaws, the left hung limply, as if it were lifeless.
“What is going on!” Alex demanded as he ran the distance. Crush didn’t feel any threat and allowed the approach. “What happened to your arm?” Alex came closer then stopped. “May I see to your arm?”
It was obvious Crush remained in a constant state of pain, but he dipped his head and allowed the true ruler of the lands to see to the wound.
As he gained a closer look Alex noticed a stain of blood from the joint at the shoulder and moving the fur revealed a broken bolt from a crossbow. The entire area showed to be red and inflamed, revealing a raging infection. It didn’t appear life threatening, but it needed to be treated before it got worse. He stepped back to look up into the Grizon’s brown eyes. “Crush, I don’t know what is going on, but I have friends with me who can help. The bolt needs to come out or your life will be in danger, if it isn’t already.”
Crush grumbled angrily, but he said “I know it is necessary that I require aid. Please help, Leera is beside herself because she too knows our time together is ending too soon if nothing intercedes.”
Alex then yelled for Niranene and Krum to help him and told them about the bolt and infection. When they approached, Crush growled menacingly and was about to attack when Alex reached forward and clamped his muzzle shut with enough force to gain the Grizon’s full attention. “They are both healers and will not cause harm.”
Releasing his grip Crush said “Humans have caused me nothing but grief as of late.” And it was then that Alex realized the pain in the lord’s eye was of emotional as well as physical. How he managed to move was inspiring.
Niranene remained exceptionally careful to approach and not be seen in any threatening way, but was grateful for Alex being so close because she knew he would help if something went wrong. Wounded animals were more temperamental, unpredictable and highly dangerous. She told Alex for Crush to relax on the ground and he in turn translated. Crush settled down in the grass as she set her case down and opened it. Removing her oval item she then placed it against the Grizon’s ribcage and closed her eyes. She then cursed a minute later and met Alex’s piercing stare. “The bolt is barbed and in a cluster of important motor nerves, but the infection has entered his bloodstream. If I do not operate on him immediately he will die painfully within the next day or two. I’m surprised he is still able to walk and be so clear headed.”
Alex gave the grim news to the reigning lord of the lands and wasn’t surprised when Crush growled to Niranene. She didn’t bother acknowledging the threat and went back to using her item to work out how to save the life of this fiend. Lately she’s been treating animals as well as humans. She smiled at how much different her life has altered as of late. Krum didn’t take kindly to his partner being threatened and slapped the nose of the Grizon.
Teeth barred, Krum gave off a fierce visage and said “She is a skilled healer and knows how to save your life. If you don’t believe her than believe me. Do you know of my kind?”
“You’re an Orggian.” Crush stated and acknowledged the morsel of a creature. “I’ve never seen one such as you before, but my grandsire spoke of your kind and said all you did in life was help others. Do what you will.”
“Do you want me to fetch Leera, for support?” Alex offered.
Crush raised his head, but another voice spoke “I’m already here!” She said as she hurried to his side. Half the size of her mate, Leera remained a striking and deadly fiend in her own right. She looked between her mate and Alex and then to the others. She quickly pressed her extra claws on the ground and bowed her head to the rightful leader who defeated her in a challenge over a year ago. “Alex, it is good you return when you did. Please help Crush!” She pleaded. “I cannot lose another member of my family!”
Alex pointed, saying “This is Niranene. She will heal your mate, but he requires surgery.”
“Whatever he needs.”
“Don’t plead…” Crush stopped speaking as Leera growled dangerously.
Even among other species, when a female is worried for her love’s well being she will fight tooth and claw against anyone, especially if it is her own mate.
A grinding sound gained their attention as Niranene began crushing up pills from her seven jars of different color pellets. She met her partner’s stare and Krum knew immediately what she wanted. He knuckled his way over to the packs and retrieved a bowl and one of the water-skins. He returned and mixed the water with the purplish powder in the bowl. He carefully brought the bowl over and had Crush drink.
Dipping his tongue into the liquid Crush reared from the horrid taste and tried knocking the bowl away but the Orggian moved away just in time to save the contents. Krum then approached Leera and whispered in her round ear. She immediately bit painfully down on her mate’s closest paw, causing him to roar in pain. Krum instantly moved forward and poured the contents into the maw of the beast, causing him to choke, but getting most of the mix into his system. Alex knew full well the bitter taste of the items Niranene was born with, but their effects are astounding.
They moved back for a minute and waited for Crush to settle, but then he sagged to the ground and fell suddenly asleep. Niranene then said “He will remain asleep for approximately the next two days or so and the mix will help fight the infection, but I need to operate now.”
“Leera says to do whatever you need to.” Alex translated.
“Lily, grab my bag and find my sharp set of small knives. It has a yellow strap tied around the bundle.”
When all had been prepared everyone came close to be of any help, but Niranene and Krum had to have space, which was easily granted. Using a razor sharp knife no bigger than a finger Niranene cut away the matted fur of blood and dirt from around the protruding bolt. She then cut into the flesh and immediately a yellow ooze came streaming out and before long the infection’s scent hit everyone like a putrid wall, but Crush remained motionless and oblivious to the world. The amount of infection left all astounded and watery eyed.
While Niranene worked on safely removing the bolt and draining the infection out Alex asked “Leera, just what is going on around here? I enter these lands and fall into a trap and then Crush comes and is on the abyss’ precipice.”
She looks between her mate and the actual leader of her land, the one who beat her in combat. In a small voice she spoke for to speak loudly could have the healer make a mistake. “After you left, Crush heeded your edict and clearly marked your lands for even a newborn cub to understand and he roared the humans away when they ventured too close. The laws you placed worked well, for a while, but after we came out of hibernatio
n a pack of humans came into our lands and began hurting our prey and neighbors. Crush scared them off when they got too close and even succeeded in driving them off our lands until about twenty day’s ago, when they returned.” Then she sniffed and he saw a tear drop from the corner of her eye as she looked at the three nearby large holes in the ground. “That was when we found they were making traps.
“Our eldest cub fell in one last week and died.” She rubbed her snout with one of her right forepaws. “That was the first and only time Crush broke your law and attacked the humans, when he found them cutting off our cub’s hide. Crush killed four of them and got that pointed stick in his shoulder. I tried getting it out with my teeth, but failed. The other humans got away with a large cart of hides.”
“Are they still anywhere near here?” He asked in a strange tone.
Leera looked up and saw the anger burning in his commanding grey eyes, but didn’t know why this odd human cared. She remained silent.
“Tell us.” Shade demanded with anger of his own. She turned away from him because of all the hurts she’s endured of late. He in turn softened his tone, but remained commanding. “To kill by using traps is dishonorable, but to simply kill for no other reason than to harvest nothing but our fur and skin is absolutely unforgivable. To kill another living being is to survive and honor the prey by using everything that they are. To not eat their meat and bones is ignoble for a predator and we will not sit idly by and see such disrespect to the dead.”
Ava flitted down and landed on the snout of Leera. “Tell me in which direction they went and I will find them.”
“Why do any of you care? Humans did this, but you follow a human?”
Shade rumbled “Because there is no line as many see it, like you do as well. There is right and wrong, not human and fiend. As Alex is a Furion, a bridge between the races, he cares for and defends all life. He doesn’t like taking life, but knows there is no alternative and limits what he does so as to not make a devastating impact. These trappers need to be stopped before their impact creates a disaster. Not all humans are unkind, if they understand just what they are doing. What has happened lately is that the lands have been taught to take without consideration. We mean to change that.”
She looked between Shade, Ava and Alex to come to an understanding. They truly cared and worked to change conceptions. With worry, hope and vengeance growing in her brown eyes Leera used an arm to point “The last time Crush said he saw them was in that direction, three days ago.”
Ava got the nod from Alex and took off into the night.
While she searched Alex informed the others on what he intends to do.
Niranene didn’t pay much attention as she focused on the surgery and saving the life of this proud being. It took nearly an hour to express most of the infection, until the healthy red blood flowed free. If she were operating on a human they would have died from blood loss and infection a long time ago, but this fiend lord was more than large enough to sustain the loss and make a full recovery, probably. The most difficult part was in cutting out the arrow instead of pulling it out and risking tears that won’t be able to be sowed closed properly. Krum is the best aid she ever had before and he had everything she needed at the right time. She trained healers for years and they didn’t compare to the working knowledge and instincts a true healer needed to save lives. This hairy fiend became everything she wished her workers to be.
While they waited Alex explained to her his reasoning for returning and Leera laughed without mirth from what he said. When she didn’t believe it worked, humans and fiends fighting together to find a new solution to the workings of the world, he went into detail on what he has been doing since their last encounter. She didn’t believe until Alex showed her his newfound skills and lifted her as if she were a newborn cub. Eventually she said it was up to the individual, but would have Crush call all fiends in the lands he protected to this location.
A flutter of wings drew their attention within a half hour as Ava returned in haste. Eventually her woodsy feathers with white tips came to a stop and she cocked her head. “I found the human camp, but they number sixteen and have two carts. One is filled with furs. With darkness I was easily able to spot their campfires. They don’t look to be in any hurry to leave.”
“Good work.” Alex praised and patted her head. He turned and altered his voice. “Ava found the trapper camp. We are heading out.”
“I’m coming.” Marlin said adamantly and grinned. “You can’t have all the fun.”
“I’m coming too.” Lily stated.
“Nay, I need you here, Lily.” Niranene said suddenly and stopped what she was doing for a moment. “I need plenty of protection until Crush is better. His blood and wounds will make him an easy target, and if he wakes and sees me as a threat in his current condition I am ill equipped to hold him off. We already have another Shadow Fang in the area and if he decided to fight, Crush will easily fall prey, as will I. Crest needs to remain too.” Niranene’s adamant blue stare gave no room to maneuver. When it comes to health and safety her word will never be taken lightly.
“I want to play too.” Lily pouted.
“Be that as it may, before long you will have your fill.”
“Fine.” Lily grumbled and sat back down in a huff.
“I shall stay as well.” Jakz informed and Niranene accepted with a grateful nod.
Alex translated and Leera grumbled, but said that Niranene’s concerns were valid and Crest stood and began walking around, using her large size to deter any who might wish to chance an attack.
Marlin saddled Clift and in minutes mounted. Alex belted his trusty sword and bracers while saying in both languages “If we aren’t back before first light, come find us.” Several acknowledged him and Lily grumbled while stroking her short swords longingly.
Ava took off and Alex jumped upon his brother’s back just a moment before Shade dove into the forest with Clift galloping right behind.
If it weren’t for Ava calling out every few minutes to keep them on track they would have gotten lost, but it took nearly an hour until a weak amber light shone in the distance and Ava approached saying they are close and unawares. The party came to a stop and he informed Marlin of the situation. Even though he was unable to see as well in the darkness Marlin could see the faint, but unmistakable glow from a fire.
Marlin extended his cane in preparation and asked “So what is the plan?”
Alex dropped to the ground and slowly drew his sword, limiting the clear, crisp ringing melody it makes when coming free. Last thing needed was to be heard and lose the surprise darkness offered. “We scout their camp and see how to exploit their system. If they believe an angry Grizon is nearby they will remain alert for dangerous problems. Let’s validate their... concerns. Let’s not kill them if we can though.”
Pine trees were primarily all that stood between them and the camp and it also proved to be beneficial because few plants and foliage would rustle, giving away their position. They slowly approached the lively group and barely made a sound, even Clift remained stealthy.
Laughter from the camp gave them a moment’s pause, but they came close until Alex saw subtle movement in his peripheral vision and raised a hand, halting the others. He whispered twice “Sentry.” in translation and pointed with the tip of his sword. He then said “Wait here.” and he slipped through the shadows that consumed him.
Not making a single sound, he approached the sentry from behind and flipped his sword backwards and struck the man in the back of his head with the pure and solid amethyst pommel of his sword. Without so much as a grunt the man crumpled into unconsciousness, but Alex caught him and gently laid the man onto the ground.
The others saw what happened and approached when the situation cleared. Shade then said “I’ll make a quick sweep of the camp and see if there are any more lookouts.” And then he dove into his shadow and disappeared.
It didn’t take long for him to return saying there were two oth
ers among the trees. He gave them directions and Marlin and Clift went after one while Alex and Shade stalked the other. A minute before Alex incapacitated his, a subtle whip-like sound preceded a soft thump made from a man falling to the ground. When no alarm had been raised it was clear Marlin finished and stood waiting.
Like before, another man fell without realizing anyone stood near.
Knowing approximately where Marlin and Clift stood waiting Alex and Shade approached the perimeter to see the camp’s layout. Thirteen men remained awake and sat around a large fire with a roasting boar rotating on a spit. A score of horses stood picketed around a medium size clearing and were contently grazing. One or two sensed a disturbance in the night, but soon went back to their previous engagement. Mercifully the wind blew in their faces or else the steeds would have caught a predators unmistakable scent. Two wagons stood near the fire. One had a cloth cover with supply boxes inside while the second was just over half full with dried animal fur. The dry weather, salt and nearly constant sunlight only served to aid the trappers so that the skin didn't rot until it had time to be turned into leather or a fur coat. Deer, boar and mountain lion pelts made up the bulk of the wagon, but several grizzled pelts and one glossy black one gave indication that they got both Grizon and Shadow Fang furs. Already Shade seethed in impotent rage, but could not change the past.
Several waist high piles of pine needles and leaves stood in the clearing and already one large hole waited open several yards away from the men who sat and talked around the fire. Each man carried their individual items, but it looked as if only five of the unique items among them were weapon’s class, but none higher than level two.
They all sat, talked and drank, living life merrily, but at a steep cost that had to be limited before something bad were to happen in the future.
It became all too clear that these men were the one’s responsible for all the suffering. The evidence will be used against them forever.
Ra' van (Book Three of the Items Trilogy) Page 12