by S. S. Segran
They eyed the wildcat in disbelief. It stared right back with something more than just feline intelligence. Was it . . . amusement? It had an almost human quality that sent a shudder up Tegan’s spine. Sitting back on its haunches and blocking their path, it appeared that the lynx wasn’t going to leave. It gazed at them, licking a claw, then suddenly leapt into the trees and disappeared.
A few heartbeats later, Mariah looked at Tegan in delayed fright. “Was that really a lynx?”
“Yeah.” Tegan glanced back at where the cat had been to make sure the animal was no longer there. She didn’t know what to make of that little incident. “That was really weird. Did you notice how it looked at us?”
Mariah shivered and nodded.
Trying to push the encounter from their minds, they weaved their way through a stand of fir until they came into full view of the shelter. A mixture of anxiety and anticipation arose in the pit of Tegan’s stomach. Questions whirled in her mind: Are the guys inside? Are they injured? What do we do if they’re not there? She didn’t dare wonder who might be inside if the boys weren’t.
As they closed in on the shelter, they slowed down and lowered instinctively into a crouch. Not wishing to startle the occupants—whomever they were—the pair treaded quietly over the uneven ground.
To their chagrin, Mariah tripped over an exposed root and, with a muted cry, almost fell on her face. With quick reflexes, Tegan grabbed her friend’s arm before the impact. At that exact moment, the door flew open and a tall figure stepped out from the shelter. The girls froze.
The figure turned back to the opened door, and with a husky voice they knew all too well, called out impatiently, “Hey, boneheads! Get your butts out here—we gotta find the girls!”
Kody and Aari emerged, blinking sleep from their eyes. Tegan and Mariah shrieked and charged toward them as fast as their robes allowed, flinging themselves at their bewildered friends. Hollering in delight, Jag hugged them both fiercely, Aari and Kody following suit.
Minutes lapsed as the group reunited with strangling bear hugs and cries of happiness. As they settled down, Aari stepped back and observed the girls’ robes. “Nice threads,” he grinned. Mariah bowed at the praise and was brushed into yet another bear hug from Kody. She grimaced good-naturedly.
Tegan snickered, then choked as Jag enveloped her in a playful headlock. “Hey, let go! You’re gonna crack my head!”
Jag smirked. “Yeah, right. Your skull’s too thick for that.”
“You’d better learn to sleep with your eyes open.” Huffing, Tegan scrambled out of his strong grip. The group laughed, relishing being back together.
“I feel almost whole now,” Kody murmured as he sat down on a log. He passed his fingers through his short hair, eyes fixed on the ground.
The others glanced at one another, then quietly went to stand by his side. Jag rested a hand on his shoulder. “We found each other. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before we find your dad.”
Kody said nothing. The friends were silent for a while after that until Tegan tentatively asked, “Does anyone know where we are? Or how we got here?”
“Not a clue,” Aari answered. “But there are people here. They don’t speak English, but they found us and they’ve been taking care of us, I guess.”
“Speaking of that . . .” Mariah seized her stomach with her arms and groaned. “I’m so hungry. I could really do with a burger and a can of Dr Pepper right about now.”
Tegan patted her on the back sympathetically, then peered around. “I wonder how long we’ve been in this place. A couple of days?”
A new voice cloaked in an unfamiliar accent surprised them. “Actually, you have been recuperating here for nearly a week.”
The friends whirled around.
A youth stood behind them with his arms folded across his chest and a light grin on his face. Jag turned to Kody and Aari, then looked back to the newcomer. Startled, he asked, “Did . . . did you just say that?”
The youth dipped his head. “Yes.”
The boys stared at each other, agape. Kody flicked a finger in the youth’s direction and gave him a sideways, mystified look. “But, man, when we were with you . . . you only spoke in your language.”
Tegan and Mariah shot Kody perplexed looks, which he ignored.
The youth laughed, a little nervously, and rubbed the side of his face. “Let us just say that I am a quick learner.”
Jag stared at him with deep suspicion. “That’s pretty quick learning for anyone.”
“Not really.”
Tegan placed her hands on her hips and demanded, “Someone mind explaining what’s going on here?”
Jag was still glaring distrustfully at the youth; her words fell on deaf ears. The newcomer faced Tegan. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Akol. I know your friends already, but what are your names?”
Jag rolled his eyes at the obvious dodge but remained quiet. The girls glanced at each other, then introduced themselves. Akol smiled. “I am glad you are alright. I was a little worried when I could not find you in your neyra.”
“What’s a neyra?” Tegan asked.
“Neyra are shelters like the one you were recovering in,” Akol answered earnestly. It seemed as though he was about to add something else when Tegan slapped her forehead, chiding herself. What am I doing sharing small talk with this dude?
“Listen,” she said, “we appreciate you being concerned for us, but where are we? What is this place?”
Akol must have realized he couldn’t go on without giving some information. He sighed. “Come. Let us go to Huyani’s neyra. I am sure she will have some food prepared for us. We may speak afterward.”
“Who’s Huyani?” asked Mariah.
“It’s the girl who was tending to us,” Kody answered.
“Wait—is she tall with long black hair?”
“Yeah. You know her?”
“I saw her once. She gave me something to drink and it killed my pain.”
Akol led the friends along a route amongst the trees. As they trod along the winding trail, Tegan breathed in deeply. She loved the smell of the forest and the mountain air.
As they headed up a small incline, the group saw an astounding sight through the pine trees. On the opposite bank of the turquoise river stood an immense building about three-quarters the size of a football field. It had a pyramid-shaped roof and seemed alien in a remote village. It appeared to have translucent blue-green walls but the teenagers were too far away to make out what was inside. Next to it, smaller by comparison but quite big themselves, were timber buildings. They resembled a kind of stable or barn complete with a gambrel roof.
The friends swapped glances, knowing they were all brimming with questions, but no one wanted to be the first to break the silence that now hung over them. Akol also said nothing.
They trudged along for a while more, and Tegan became acutely aware that her body was still in a state of recovery. It bothered her how much the simple trek was straining her muscles.
Just as she was about to ask how much farther they had to go, Akol announced, “We are here!”
Piloting the way out of the foliage and toward the shelter next to a grove of blue spruce trees, Akol opened the door to Huyani’s neyra and ushered the friends inside. As they entered, Tegan was startled to see a large black dog napping on the ground. When it heard the six of them step in, the dog opened its bright yellow eyes and raised its head, alert. Tegan gasped.
It was a wolf.
Beside her, Mariah gave a start. She grabbed Tegan’s arm, fingernails digging deep. Wincing, Tegan jerked her arm away and studied the creature. Fangs and claws gleamed like polished ivory when the wolf’s lips pulled back into a wild canine smile as it raised itself off the floor and stretched. The muscular body, covered in thick midnight-black fur, rippled with power. Tegan noted how big its paws were, and how it moved with stealth as it drew near the friends. Driven by impulse, she dropped to her knees, her hands on the ground in fr
ont of her, and watched the wolf as keenly as it watched her.
Akol’s voice reached her ears. “Tegan, if I may, this is Chayton, one of the wolves who enjoys our company. We think he is about five years old, and he is a wonderful friend.”
“He’s your pet?” Tegan asked.
“Goodness, no. These creatures are free. They come and go as they please, although Chayton seems to enjoy being around us more than the others.”
“How many wolves visit you?”
“Four in total, though Chayton will probably be the one you encounter most. A number of other animals come by as well, notably a lone female lynx.”
Twin cries erupted from Tegan and Mariah, startling the wolf and the boys.
“A lynx?” Mariah exclaimed. “We ran into one earlier!”
“Did she have a golden pelt with white stripes running down her shoulders?” Akol asked eagerly. They nodded. “Then that was Tyse you met.”
Tegan whistled. “This place is amazing.”
“It is certainly quite incredible during the summer.” Akol scratched his chin. “Then there is winter. It comes two ways, stunning and unforgiving.”
“I don’t doubt it. This is way up north, so it must be harsh.” Tegan paused when Chayton was right in front of her, his black muzzle only a few inches from her nose. After a moment, he licked her cheek and playfully nibbled her hair. Tegan broke into a large smile and laughed, relieved.
Akol stared at them, astounded. “He likes you the first time around. That is quite rare.”
Kody rested an elbow on Tegan’s head. “Akol m’man, you don’t know this girl unless you’ve been around her long enough. She’s got her ways with animals, wild or not.”
Tegan grunted at the sharp elbow on her head and shook it off. Chayton slunk past and exited the shelter. No sooner was he gone than the door opened wide and a slender form stepped in. Seeing the six of them in her shelter, the older girl smiled and welcomed them warmly in her own language.
“There is no need,” Akol told her. “We may speak to them in their tongue.”
“Ah,” she said with a gleam in her eyes. “So they know.”
Akol looked sheepish.
The girl shook her head. “Really now, brother.” She turned to the boys. “Nice to see you, Jag, Aari, Kody!” Her accented voice sounded like a nightingale’s song; Tegan felt lifted.
Mariah smiled. “Hi—I’m Mariah. I remember you.”
The girl pulled her into a quick hug. “Hello, Mariah. My name is Huyani. It is lovely to see some color back in your cheeks now. And you are . . .?” She fixed her dark brown eyes on Tegan.
“Tegan.”
“Nice to meet you. How are all of you faring?”
“I feel almost good enough to do a backflip,” Aari said. “That is, if I could do one in the first place, which I can’t.”
“We all feel that way,” Jag confirmed as Huyani looked at the others with concern.
“That is good,” Huyani said. “Still, I must examine each of you to see for myself.”
As she lifted Jag’s chin to see his facial cuts in the light, a rumbling noise sounded. She paused and shared puzzled looks with Jag. After a moment, Jag roared with laughter. Looking at Mariah, he called out, “That was you, wasn’t it?”
The group stared at Mariah as she blushed, embarrassed. “Blame the hungry lion living in my stomach, people.”
“I will make something for you,” Huyani consoled her.
“Thank you,” Mariah said weakly.
Huyani shepherded the friends toward another end of her neyra once she had completed her examinations. She sat them down onto a padded divan covered with moosehide, then went into the kitchen quarter with Akol.
Curious, Tegan strained to listen in on their conversation but they’d reverted to their native tongue. She settled for gazing around, her gray eyes smartly picking up details. “I want to know where we are,” she muttered.
Aari lightly squeezed her arm. “You and all of us.”
A good fifteen minutes passed until the delicious fragrance of grilled meat seasoned with herbs and spices tickled their noses. Mariah sniffed the air and gushed. “That smells good.”
“If it’s what the guys and I had before, then you two are in for a special treat,” Kody said.
Tegan cocked an eyebrow. “I won’t ask when you guys ate your meal, but I will say that your appetite never fails you. You’re impossible to fill up or shut up.”
“What I don’t get is how you stay so slim,” Mariah said.
“I work out,” he boasted, though Tegan heard a lackluster tone in her normally spirited friend’s words.
“Sure, and my grandpa Joe was a merman,” Aari retorted.
“Hey, I thought you said he was Bigfoot.”
“Oh, good grief . . .”
Jag rolled his eyes, snorting. Kody and Aari’s consistent banter was well-known at Great Falls High School in Montana, where the friends would be entering their junior year in the coming fall.
Huyani called from the kitchen. “Come! Your meal is ready!”
Mariah and Kody were off the couch in a flash while the others followed at their own pace. They beamed at the meal and the accompanying mix of fresh greens. “Awesome,” Mariah said hungrily as she attacked her steak.
As Tegan, Jag and Aari took their places beside her and Kody, Huyani said, “Enjoy!”
“Thank you!” the group chorused, mouths full.
While the friends indulged in their meal, Huyani leaned against one of the kitchen counters. Akol joined her. “So how did the meeting go?” he asked softly, switching to his native tongue.
Huyani pushed a strand of her raven hair from her face, answering likewise. “Quite well. The Elders wanted to learn about the five’s progress.”
“So, do they really think these are the ones? From the prophecy, I mean.”
Huyani shrugged her slim shoulders. “I do not know, brother, but they were keenly interested.” She paused. “Except for Elder Ashack. Always the skeptical one.”
Akol laughed quietly, but Huyani was almost solemn. “Akol, we must tell them something soon.”
“You mean the guests?” he said. “Yes, I agree. I have already told them we will talk after they have finished eating.”
“Good. We cannot keep them in the dark forever. Question is: What do we tell them, and how much do we tell them?”
“W-ell . . .” Akol scratched his head. “Do we have permission to in the first place?”
Huyani’s delicate features contorted into one of her rare scowls. “No. But I know that we cannot hide these things from them. We have to tell them something. They have the right to know.”
“But how much can we reveal? I can tell they are a persistent bunch. If they are not satisfied, we will hear no end to their relentless questions.”
They discussed back and forth until they reached a conclusion. In the friends’ language again, Akol said casually, “Would you like something to drink? We have water and wild berry juices.”
“I think we’ll settle for water, thanks,” Jag said.
“That was the best meal I’ve ever had in my entire life,” Tegan announced as the friends were handed their drinks. “Thank you so much.”
Huyani seemed pleased. “You are most welcome. Would you like some sweets?”
“You mean desserts? You have those?”
“Dessert. Yes.”
“Nice! What have you got?”
“We have lots of wild berries, sweet roots, potatoes and more.”
Tegan was about to eagerly pick her dessert choices when Jag gently nudged her and looked at Akol and Huyani. “That sounds great, guys, and maybe we’ll have some later. But first, we have to get some of our questions answered.”
Huyani gave Akol a confirming look, and they sat down opposite the friends. Akol began slowly. “I will try my best to tell you what I may, though be forewarned, some things will not be entirely clear to you . . . There are somewhat unmentionable actu
alities I must take out of this account.”
Unmentionable actualities? Tegan thought, frowning. What on earth does that mean?
“You were brought unconscious to us by some of the most amazing inhabitants of these forests,” Akol said. “We refer to them as the Guardians and have had great respect for them and their ancestors for many, many years. Like the rest of us in the village, they heard the explosion of your aircraft. We believe they followed the flames in the sky and were led to you.”
Jag pounded the counter with a fist, causing the others to jump. “Hold on a second, Akol. Are these ‘Guardians’ extremely huge bears by any chance?”
Akol coughed, surprised. “Yes, they are.”
Jag hooted and pointed smugly at Kody and Aari. “I told you I wasn’t hallucinating!”
Aari’s jaw dropped and Kody stared blankly at Jag, who cracked his knuckles in contentment.
Akol took up his narrative again. “In any case, our people trust the Guardians with their lives. They are loyal, powerful, and are incredibly protective of our people. When you were brought to us, our Elders instructed Huyani and I to care for you and keep you from falling into the void.”
“Hold on a moment,” Kody said. “Akol, did these Guardians find my dad?”
“Your . . .” Akol’s jaw tightened. “You mean there were six of you?”
Tegan saw Kody’s face fall like an anchor had pulled it down. She reached out to rest her hand on his but he shook it away. “Yeah,” he said, voice rough. “My dad’s the pilot of our plane.”
Akol cast a glance at Huyani. She looked chagrined. “We were not aware, Kody,” she said. “I am sorry. But rest assured, we will do all we can to find him. You have our word.”
Kody turned away, blinking rapidly. After several long moments of tense silence, Aari tapped his fingers against his mug. “So, uh, these Elders you mentioned. Who are they? Will they be able to help us find Kody’s dad and get us back home?”
Akol hesitated, his eyes on Kody, then said, “They are our leaders. We trust them. They are wise and caring people who help guide and teach us the ways of the tribe, and whom we look up and love dearly. If anyone can help you, it will be them.”