D & D - Red Sands

by Tonya R. Carter

  They sat up. Uramettu was already on one knee, ready to spring. The flapping multiplied until it was all around them. But they could see nothing.

  What is it?" howled Nabul.

  "Birds?" suggested Tamakh. He ducked his head involuntarily each time the rustling increased in tempo.

  "At night?" said the thief.

  "Bats, then." Tamakh gave up and threw himself on his face. By this time, Marix had their only sword out and was on his feet in the middle of the clearing.

  "All right, whatever you are! Face us or flee like the vermin you are!" he exclaimed. A dark, leathery form hurtled into view, aimed right at him. He swiped at it, missed cleanly, and spun around. Another thing zoomed past his head. The scimitar sliced the air futilely.

  Uramettu watched with her keener eyes. In a strike too quick to see, she thrust her spear into the air. But before she could pull it back, it was whisked from her hands. Marix's sword was plucked away also, and Jadira's staff.

  "Together! Come together, back to back!" Uramettu urged. They converged on Marix and huddled closely. The aerial harassment ceased, and the flapping sounds faded.

  "Now what?" asked Jadira.

  "What" was light footsteps, coming toward them. From the deep shadow of the peak came a small figure, walking on two feet. It hopped from one foot to the other. Plainly it was not used to walking.

  The thing drew near enough to see: it was small, only twelve palms high, and colored light gray. Its face was dominated by two enormous eyes, and it had long, pointed nose and ears, and a V-shaped mouth. The torso was thin and muscular, and for good reason. Attached to the creature's back were a pair of folded, skin-covered wings.

  "Ukat dey rom pucoa," the creature said in a sharp, staccato voice. "Missay rapa."

  "Does anyone understand it?" asked Jadira.

  "It's a Kaipurian dialect," said Tamakh. "But I can't make out the meaning."

  "I have the bow," Marix said tautly. "Shall I put a shaft through its gizzard?"

  "No! There could be a hundred of them out there. Let's see what it wants," said Tamakh.

  "Not to mention the fact that the shaft could as easily end up in one our gizzards," Nabul pointed out.

  "Pucoa dey! Roma misk rapa. Rapa!"

  "It doesn't sound happy," Nabul said.

  Jadira stepped out of the huddle and held out her empty hands. "We mean you no harm."

  "I'd rather hear it say that," said Nabul. Uramettu laid a hand across the talkative thiefs mouth.

  Jadira pointed to herself. "Jadira. Jah-deer-ah."

  The creature thumped its hairless chest with one winged hand and said, "Elperath."

  "Elperath," Jadira repeated, pointing at it. She pulled Marix out of the group. "Marix. Mah-ricks. Marix, man. Jadira, woman. Man. Woman."

  "Marix, Jadira. Pucoa!' The creature called Elperath unfurled its wings. The span was truly impressive. It uttered a high, wavering call, and the flapping began again. Soon dozens of similar creatures settled onto the ground. They were different colors—brown, black, gray, even a few white. When the whole congregation was assembled on the ground, Elperath folded its wings and said, "Pip'strelli. Pip'strelli. Elperath ukat pip'strelli."

  "I see," Tamakh said. "My friends, we are the pucoa, and our winged hosts are the pip'strelli." When he pronounced the word, the mass of creatures began to pipe and make whirring sounds in their throats. A single pip'strelli, smaller than Elperath and colored a rich red-brown, sidled forward to the speaker's side.

  "I, Elperex am. I friend am. Speak to you, speak to me," it said.

  "Aha, a translator." Tamakh bowed from the waist and assumed his most clerical expression. "On behalf of my friends, let me say that we come in peace."

  "Peace men have sharp stick," said Elperex.

  Uramettu removed her hand from Nabul's mouth. She said, "We thought we were being attacked. We have heard there are dangerous creatures in these mountains."

  "Sha. Yes. Rapa come, catch 'strelli and hurt. Many rapa in mountain these days."

  The conversation went on, with each of the companions introducing themselves and providing parts of the narrative of their adventures. Elperex chattered to the other 'strelli in a mixture of Kaipurian and clicks, whistles, and squeaks no human tongue could emulate.

  "Pucoa know many things. 'Strelli, not so many. You come, eat good, sleep good, and help 'strelli. Sha?"

  jadira looked at the others. "What do you say?"

  "I'd like to eat good and sleep good," said Nabul.

  "No doubt, but can we help these creatures? What is it they want?" said Uramettu.

  "And will they interfere with us if we don't go with them?" wondered Marix.

  "We face a difficult enough task without them," Tamakh observed. "If the 'strelli can feed us and shelter us, the least we can do is aid them in their troubles."

  So they agreed, with reservations. Jadira went forward and shook the clawed hands of Elperath and Elperex.

  "Are you the chief?" she said to the former. Elperex translated.

  "Do you not see?" said Elperex. "Elperath make child."

  "Oh, she's female?"

  "I give child to Elperath."

  So they were more than clansmen; they were mates. Jadira noticed all the 'strelli paired off to fly. The females were more strongly built than the males. Carrying babies while flying required generous muscles.

  The 'strelli lifted into the air with a rush of wing-made wind. Elperex flapped lazily in front of the humans, and guided them up the trail to the dwelling place of the winged creatures.

  The 'strelli village was remarkable. Beyond the serrated ridge that the companions had followed for several days lay a vast volcanic crater, leagues across. The floor of the crater was covered with rock cinders and hardened flows of black lava. Sprouting from the crater bottom were hundreds of tall flues, hollow towers of rock from which fountains of fire had once spewed. The largest of these flues were the homes of the 'strelli. The creatures had carved openings in the sides, smoothed the interiors, and installed platforms inside. Some of the flues towered up to fifty paces high and housed more than a hundred 'strelli.

  Elperex got tired of flying so slowly. Uramettu offered to carry him. He settled in her long arms, and she bore him without strain.

  "How large is this crater, Elperex?" Tamakh asked.

  "Many flaps across. Many, many flaps."

  The priest smiled. "How many towers are there?"

  "Many, many."

  As they moved through the village, they encountered strange smells—'strelli cooking and housekeeping. Nabul noticed small lights glimmering from the interior

  of some of the towers. He asked Elperex what those were.

  "Tuk-diol." He stood, bracing himself against Uramettu 's shoulder. "Wait. 1 show," he said. He took off and flew to the nearest flue. He disappeared into a round opening and emerged a short time later with a glowing object in his mouth. He swooped down, (lapped hard to soften his landing, and presented the light to Nabul.

  It was a living beetle, as big as a hen's egg. Its fat abdomen was distended and glowing a soft yellow.

  " Tuk-diol',' said Elperex. "Him we feed diol, growing in dark places. When it get dark, him glow."

  Nabul handed the bloated insect back to the 'strelli. He wiped his hands on his robe, front and back, many times.

  "Do you suppose our friends eat bugs, too?" wondered Tamakh. Marix laughed, but Nabul was not amused.

  The 'strelli were nocturnal—that accounted for their large eyes and busy habits in the dark. The whole village was astir when tbe humans walked in. Elperath had flown ahead and told of their coming. 'Strelli of all colors and sizes perched in doorholes or clung to the rough sides of the volcanic chimneys to get a glimpse of the visitors. The companions walked on until Elperath fluttered down before them.

  "Noi docay sum kala; noi docayo missay rapa," she said. Jadira caught the reference to the rapa, the gnoles.

  "The Speaker, my childkeeper, wish to tell of
the great bad done to the pip'strelli by the rapa," Elperex said. His mate went on, and the male 'strelli translated: "Much catchings and hurts of the 'strelli by the rapa. Rapa throw sharp sticks in the air and tear wings, or go through body so make to fall the 'strelli. Here is our childmaker Eldannek with such stick."

  A male 'strelli was carried in, wrapped in a fine mesh net. They laid him on the crusty soil and unfolded the net. A crossbow bolt stuck out of the poor creature's side.

  "You can make this better?" said Elperex.

  Tamakh and Uramettu consulted over the wound. They didn't know 'strelli anatomy, but the wound was deep. Uramettu remarked on the amazing fact that the creature still survived. Tamakh said a quiet benediction over Eldannek. To Elperex he said, "Alas, my friend, the wound is mortal."

  "Nothing can you do?"

  "Nothing that will change the outcome."

  Elperex's head sagged and a shiny tear squeezed out of the corner of one eye. Uramettu patted the translator's head. "Is this one your friend?" she said.

  "My brood-mate."

  The 'strelli gently bore the dying Eldannek away on foot. Jadira said, "These bloody gnoles are fit comrades of the sultan! I'd like to strike a good blow at them!"

  "Do you speak with truth?" asked Elperex. Tears, looking like watery pearls, beaded around his nose.

  "I always try to speak with truth," she said. Nabul was desperately pinching her arm. Jadira gave him a swift side kick, and he desisted.

  "Rapa arc not far off. They are camped below the Joj Xarar."

  Tamakh recognized a bit of Kaipurian. "Joj means 'sacred'. Sacred what?"

  Elperath chattered at Elperex a moment. The male "strelli flexed his wing out and tapped the tip on the nearest flue. "Xarar. From the Joj Xarar comes the sacred fire of the pip'strelli. Now evil rapa have come, flame goes out. The dark close in on all the pip'strelli."

  "The gods invest natural wonders with great power," the priest explained. "Without that power, the 'strelli .in- easy prey."

  "For all bad thing. Now many, many bad thing."

  Tamakh looked way up at the tops of the flue-houses. 'Strelli fluttered among them like leaves in a mountain gale. "You are wise, my winged friend. Here indeed are many, many bad things."

  Sacred Chimneys

  The village quieted just before dawn. The humans, having been awake most of the night, settled down as the 'strelli crawled into their high homes and drew dark curtains over their doors. Because the murky clouds threatened rain, Jadira and Nabul stretched a rope between the bases of two towers and made a tent out of their blankets. There they rested until almost midday.

  Awaking thirsty, Jadira decided to look for water. She wandered among the forest of rock flues, winding in and out of the jagged lava crusts at their bases. An admirable defense, these formations. One would have to fly to get to the door of a 'strelli house.

  She turned a corner and stumbled onto a garden. The heavy volcanic soil had been lightened with sand and loam, and lush plants grew in the midst of the desolation. Blossoms perfumed the air, and fruit hung heavy on several types of plants Jadira did not recognize. She sniffed a large, bright globe of fruit. It smelled sharp and tangy. She twisted it off a woody stem.

  Before biting the fruit, she had a thought: poison? All of the food they'd had last night had been excellent, though most was strange to her. She hadn't seen any fruit like this. With a philosophical shrug, she bit through the tough skin and was rewarded with a gush of sweet, tart juice. Sucking greedily, Jadira soon reduced the fruit to a handful of rind and pulp. She picked another, and drained it dry, too.

  She filled her robe with the bright orange fruit and carried them back to her friends. Rousing Marix, she shoved one in his hand and told him to bite it. He opened one sleepy eye and peered at the fruit.

  "What's this?" he asked.

  "'Strelli food. Eat it, it's good."

  He tried to bite it, but his teeth slid off the thick skin. He tried it twice more and couldn't get a firm bite. Jadira watched with amusement as he next tried to split the fruit with his thumbs. The skin resisted, resisted— then gave, sending a squirt of juice into Marix's face.

  "Oh, you think that's funny, eh?" he said. Jadira tried to stifle her laughter but failed.

  "What's all the row?" said Nabul. He didn't bother to sit up.

  "Food," Marix whispered.

  The thief was on his knees in the wink of an eye. "Food?" Jadira gave him one of the orange globes. The smell of ripe fruit and the smacking of lips woke Tamakh and Uramettu. Soon they all gorged, and their hands and faces were sticky with spilled juice. Nabul lay back and belched.

  "This won't do," said Tamakh. "Surely these creatures have water somewhere. I must wash!"

  "Come along, Holy One; we'll search for some," said Uramettu. She asked Jadira for directions to the garden and received them. "There will be water nearby," Ura-mettu said. "Our winged friends are not the sort to haul heavy buckets."

  The priest and the Fedushite woman set off on the prescribed path and reached the garden without incident. As Tamakh examined strange plants and sniffed exotic flowers, Uramettu stood upwind of their perfume and opened wide her senses.

  "Tamakh," she said sharply. The priest had his nose buried in a silken blossom. "Holy One!" she said, louder.

  He cocked an eyebrow but did not remove his face from the flower. "Hmm?"

  "Beast-men. I can smell them."

  He was all attention now. "Near or far?"

  "I am not sure. The smell is strong . . . but I hear no movement. Many beast-men, faraway." Uramettu turned her head slowly. "That way," she said, pointing north.

  "I would have a look at them," said Tamakh.

  "What! Why?"

  "I have a personal enmity for gnoles—Agma forgive my hard heart! It was a band of mercenary gnoles that sacked the temple sanctuary of Murhai when I was an acolyte. My spiritual master, the pious and wise Agopa Gulh, was slain."

  "And you want revenge?" Uramettu asked.

  "No, not revenge. Agma teaches tolerance, even to grievous hurts. But I would see if this is the same band that destroyed Murhai some twenty years ago."

  "How could it be? Surely there is more than one mercenary company in the border regions of the Faziri Empire?"

  Tamakh didn't answer her query. He was already padding through the cinders in the indicated direction. Black, glassy grit clung to his sandals and begrimed the

  hem of his toga. Uramettu sighed and shouldered her

  spear.

  It began to rain. The drops did not so much fall as d rift through the air, clinging to every dry object they touched. Tamakh's clothes quickly became sodden. He loosened the toga and slipped his arm out of it, letting it drape over his back like a mantle. Uramettu stared at him as he stood in his light linen smock.

  "Something?" he said.

  "All this time we've traveled, I've never seen your arms or legs," she said. Tamakh's limbs were pale compared to his sunburned hands and face.

  "Well, here they are," he said, smiling. Water collected in the creases on his forehead and trickled down his lace. Uramettu blotted a drop from the end of his nose with her thumb, and they both laughed.

  Good humor was forgotten as they proceeded, however, for the misty rain slowly turned the volcanic soil into black glue. Every few steps Tamakh had to stop and use his hand to pull his sandals from the sucking grip of the cinders. Finally, he gave up and went barefoot, like his companion.

  Uramettu caught his arm. "You hear?" she said in the faintest voice. Tamakh put a hand to his ear. Ahead in the drizzle were definite clinks and rattles, the sound of tools and weapons. Uramettu signed for him to keep quiet and crept forward.

  An extremely broad volcanic flue blocked their path. Narrower ones on each side effectively made their course a cul-de-sac. Tamakh started to double back, but Uramettu signed for him to stand still. She slipped into the narrow gap and pressed herself against the larger tower.

  Beyond was the most open
space they had seen since coming to the crater. From wall to wall, the clearing was one hundred paces wide. The sides sloped up in perfect symmetry, creating a sort of natural amphitheater. Near the far north end of the bowl stood two of the tallest flues Uramettu had yet seen. No doorholes were bored in them; instead, plumes of smoke rose from their tops, mixing with the mist and dispersing. The clearing was alive with gnoles.

  Uramettu quickly retreated. She guided Tamakh to the other slot and bade him see for himself.

  The gnole camp followed the curve of the walls, and Tamakh counted ninety-two tents. Each tent could hold as many as ten gnoles, so nearly a thousand beast-men were camped around them. He could see cook- and forge-fires and hear the strike of hammers on steel. The gnoles were not languishing in the crater. They were arming for new depredations.

  He saw no horses. That was not surprising, as gnoles and horses didn't mix well. A crude rock-walled pen on the west side held a number of cattle (stolen, no doubt), and a sizable herd of sheep milled inside a stick-and-board enclosure. Huge gray wolves strained on leather leashes in the sentries' hands.

  A familiar shape hobbled into view. It was a 'strelli, and its broad wings had been cruelly pinioned to prevent it flying away The crippled creature towed a small cart loaded with hay, and it stopped at the cattle pen to distribute the fodder. A gnole strolled by and poked the 'strelli with the butt of its javelin. The 'strelli lost its footing and fell backward in the mud. The gnole laughed and went on.

  Tamakh and Uramettu met at the back of the broad flue. "What do you think?" said the priest.

  "An army is needed. Those are hard, violent soldiers."

  He looked her in the eye. "I want to help the 'strelli."

  Uramettu looked straight back. "So do I."

  "A thousand!"

  Nabul almost choked on his fifth fig. Marix rubbed his jaw, and Jadira gripped her knees until her brown knuckles went white.

  "How can we deal with a thousand warriors? We're not demigods!" Nabul continued. Elperex sat quietly on his narrow haunches, listening to the humans debate.