The bird swooped close to them, catching the food in his mouth, and then disappeared into the fog below them, cackling with satisfaction.
“Are you all right?” Rolin asked, helping her up from the ground. She took his hand and leaned into him for a moment. She felt his heart pounding like her own.
“I’m all right,” she said as she stepped away from him awkwardly. “What exactly was that thing?” she asked, picking up her scattered food.
“I believe the elves call it a ‘mondove,’ which roughly translated is sky rodent,” Rolin said with a sarcastic chuckle. “They’re generally harmless until they catch a whiff of food.”
Gobi stared at the bread in his hand.
“I’ll keep that in mind for next time,” he gulped.
With their first adventure in the mountains behind them, they climbed even higher on the switchbacks. When they finally reached a clearing of trees and saw that the path evened for a short turn, each of them sighed in grateful relief.
Gobi hesitantly pulled out another snack, his eyes peeled on the blue sky above them.
“Relax, Gobi,” Rolin prompted. “The mondoves stay near the switchbacks. They don’t fly up here. It’s too high for their prey.”
Gobi exhaled loudly.
“Good, I’d hate to add killer birds to our list of potential problems,” he said, shoving a piece of bread in his mouth.
Kamo examined the clearing around them. The path had few footprints, and the vegetation grew untouched.
“It doesn’t look like there’s been a lot of travelers this way recently,” she said. “I’m not sure if that’s comforting or foreboding.”
She listened to the sounds of the mountains around her. Occasionally she heard the familiar screech of the mondoves and the scurrying of squirrels.
“We best keep moving,” Rolin said, almost jovially, “I’d hate to have a gang sneak up on us while we’re in this vulnerable position.”
“I wouldn’t quite say vulnerable,” a man’s voice boomed into the air behind them.
Kamo turned and instinctively clutched the spear resting on her hip. Rolin drew his sword faster than she could blink. Gobi dropped his piece of bread and deftly pulled each dagger from his belt, feet positioned for a fight.
“Although,” the man continued casually, “I can’t say it’s the brightest thing I’ve ever seen, a Sea elf traveling with… well what are you supposed to be then?”
Kamo gasped as the massive elf took a step toward them. He was tall and broad, with a potbelly gut that could hold five tankards of ale. His green hair was matted with leaves and twigs, and his gray eyes were cold and hard.
“They’re half-elves,” Kamo mumbled.
Rolin and Gobi didn’t look at her to confirm the lie. They each stayed poised at the ready.
“Eeh,” the giant elf moaned, “I don’t know if I believe that. What about you, Bert?”
The giant elf turned to his left, and a second Earth elf appeared from behind a tree, his hair just as matted, his teeth stained yellow and chipped.
“Them Fire elves haven’t seen humans in years. They barely leave their fancy city at all, come to think of it,” the elf named Bert responded.
“Gentlemen,” Rolin said, his voice smooth and calm, “I think there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding. You see, we’re just passing through, we don’t intend to stay on your mountain, so if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be on our way.”
He stepped to the left, and an arrow nearly nicked his ear as it flew past his head. A third elf stepped from behind a tree on the other side. He had his bow strung with another arrow.
“I’m afraid no one gets past us.”
Gobi smirked on Kamo’s right side.
“We’ll just see about that,” he murmured.
With one smooth motion, he threw a dagger at the elf with the bow. It flew through the [1][2]air and found its target, slicing the elf’s wrist. He dropped the bow, grasping at his arm. The largest elf came at Rolin with a club, but Rolin hooked with his sword, and the two weapons met in a clang of metal and wood. Bert ran at Kamo, no weapon in hand, fists shaking in an odd rage. Kamo dodged to her right at the last moment, nearly colliding with Rolin and the biggest elf as they dueled.
“Careful!” Rolin shouted.
Gobi had another dagger in hand and was circling the smallest elf, now disarmed because of Gobi’s well-aimed first dagger. Kamo focused her attention again on Bert as he aimed a swing at her face. She ducked and jabbed the blunt end of her spear into his side. He howled in pain, cradling the wound. Recovering quickly, he swung again, this time landing a clean hit on her cheek. She spat blood and twirled her spear, pointing its jagged edge right at the elf’s torso. She pounced and landed a blow on his left shoulder. The wound was small, but it had pierced his exposed skin. He fell, covering his shoulder with his right hand, moaning in pain.
Kamo stood still, waiting for him to make the next move. All of a sudden, dark spots clouded her vision. Part of her sight blacked out completely. She swayed where she stood, unable to keep her equilibrium as the black dots jumped from one part of her image to another.
“Rolin??” Kamo shouted. Muffled whispers flooded her mind.
I’m bleeding. The magic!
With spotted vision, she could barely make out the elf on the ground next to her, grasping at an invisible something, the rest of his body curled like a child on the ground. She shut her eyes for a moment and opened them again to see if she could focus. When she did, she saw the elf had gotten up from the ground, but rather than attack her again, he retreated into the forest, chasing a ghost. Kamo fell to the ground as the darkness overtook her vision altogether. She listened hard to distinguish any sound from Rolin or Gobi, but she could only hear the grunts of pain and footsteps circling and the whispers of the magic.
Kamo didn’t know how long she sat there clutching her spear, but she panicked and jabbed at the air as she heard two bodies fall to the ground, one after the other.
“Easy,” came Rolin’s breathless voice. He was panting, and Kamo felt sweat on his arm as he knelt to help her up. “It’s just Gobi and me now,” he told her calmly.
“I lost some blood,” she told him. “Not a lot. The other guy had it worse. I think he ran away.”
“Yeah, he seemed to get the worst of it,” Rolin said, supporting her arm as she stood.
Gobi approached, panting as well. “Lucky they didn’t have sharper weapons,” he huffed. “Are you all right, Kamo?”
She felt her jaw with her empty hand and licked her teeth with her tongue, trying to locate the source of the blood in her mouth.
“I must have bitten my tongue when he hit me,” she said. “I don’t feel any teeth missing.”
The whispers faded from her mind. She blinked a few times, and her vision appeared slowly now that the blood had stopped flowing in her mouth. It came in spots, just as it had before, and she could see only bits and pieces of her companions. Their armor had served its purpose, and they had no cuts or scrapes, although Rolin had a bruise forming on one area of his neck and shoulder, and Gobi sported a black eye.
“Unfortunately,” she said between deep breaths, “I don’t think we can afford to wait any longer to finish the disguises, at least not for the two of you.”
As her vision returned to normal, she got a closer look at Rolin and Gobi. Gobi’s eye was steadily turning bluer, and Rolin’s bruise extended to his chest, but as she thought, neither of them had shed blood.
Rolin kept an arm around her waist to steady her as they moved off the trail, opposite the ambushers’ first appearance. Kamo put her arm around his neck, carefully avoiding the bruise, and she couldn’t help but notice his smooth, well-defined arms beneath her fingers.
As soon as each of them had a chance to breathe and take a drink, they pulled the hair dye from Kamo’s pack. They found a stream a few yards off from their resting spot, and Gobi and Rolin rinsed the dust and sweat out of their hair. After a few more quiet minutes o
f peace and rest, Gobi and Rolin’s hair was dry enough to apply the dye. They found an overturned log near the stream bed, and Kamo sat between the two men. She copied the elf who had shown her how to work the dye into the hair, and the red showed prominently after only a few minutes. Rolin’s hair was more a copper, auburn color, and Gobi’s was a dark blood red, his black curls only reflecting a portion of the red they received.
Kamo pulled a small, silver compact mirror from her pack and handed it to Gobi to examine his new appearance.
“It’s not exactly fiery,” he said, tousling his curls absentmindedly.
Rolin took the mirror next and winked at his reflection.
“I look pretty handsome as a ginger.”
Kamo snorted and spoke to Gobi in Oshia. “I like the brown hair better, to be honest.”.
Gobi chuckled and replied. “He doesn’t have the right disposition for a redhead, does he?”
“Not exactly. Though, he is confident enough for it, I suppose.”
Rolin stayed quiet during the exchange, glancing from Kamo to Gobi as they spoke, his eyes light in pleasant confusion.
“Care to fill me in?” he asked innocently as the conversation waned.
“We think your personality is better suited for the brown hair, that’s all,” said Kamo quickly.
“Do you?” he said, “So tall, dark, and handsome really does win the day.” He smiled at Kamo the way he had in the mirror, and she laughed and nudged his arm.
“You are a flirt, aren’t you,” she said.
He lowered his voice and smiled sincerely. “Only to pretty, brown-eyed Sea elves,” he whispered.
Kamo waited for a joking, mischievous grin to replace his sweet, soft smile, but it never did. He looked at her another second and then stood from the log, assuming an attitude of command.
“I think we can camp here tonight,” he announced. “From what I remember, each gang has a territory, and we’ve already met the ambassadors from this one.”
Kamo also stood and nodded in agreement, then made a promise to herself to ask Gobi about Rolin’s past romantic endeavors when she got the chance.
There was still some daylight left, so Gobi and Rolin hunted while Kamo built a fire. As the sun set, the air got cooler, and Kamo found herself pulling the fur coat and hat out of her pack. Rolin and Gobi returned a short while later, empty-handed.
“Nothing tonight,” Gobi griped, “but we set some traps. Hopefully, we’ll have something in the morning.”
Rolin sat next to Kamo at the fire as Gobi wrestled a kettle and some lemons out of his pack.
“I see you’re all bundled tonight,” Rolin said playfully.
Kamo pulled her hands from the pockets of the jacket and held them near the fire. As they warmed, she remembered the heat they had created all on their own and quickly tucked them back into her pockets.
“Yep,” she answered quietly, “just trying to start the right routine, I guess.”
Rolin studied her pockets for a moment. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, “I don’t know why we didn’t think to get you some gloves down there.” His face was thoughtful. “Gobi, do you have any gloves?” he asked.
“Sorry, no,” Gobi answered, carefully passing mugs to each of them.
The mug was hot to the touch, and Kamo wrapped her fingers eagerly around it.
“That’s all right,” she told Rolin, nodding in thanks to Gobi. “I’m not as delicate as all that. My fingers will be just fine.”
They sipped the hot drinks and watched the fire. Even Gobi didn’t seem to mind the silence tonight. His eyes were solemn and sad.
“I’ve never done that before,” he said suddenly and quietly, “fight to the death, I mean.”
Rolin looked up at him, a brotherly concern in his eyes.
“You’ve never had to before,” he assured him. “They wouldn’t have spared us, and we did not let them suffer. There is nothing more we could have done.”
Gobi lifted his gaze from the fire and stared at Rolin.
“I know, but,” he stuttered, “I wish there were some other way to handle them.”
“I know,” Rolin said. “And we will continue to try to pass without a fight, but if we cannot…” his voice trailed.
“Then we have no choice.”
They sat in silence again, and Kamo pondered Gobi’s words. She hadn’t killed the elf, Bert. He had run wounded. Would she have killed him? Like Gobi, she had never killed before. Not an elf, not a human. She stared harder into the fire, imploring the flame to answer the questions in her heart. Would she be able to kill to save her own life? Or Gobi’s or Rolin’s?
She thought about the Fire elf captain and the recklessness with which he threw away so many lives. She thought of her family and Sheelo. Would they want her to become a murderer?
It isn’t the same. At least, not here with elf gangs.
She could hear Kara’s voice arguing in her head.
“Are lives so disposable to you? Can’t you find another way?” her voice echoed loudly in Kamo’s mind.
I will defend myself and protect those who need it. I will not kill if I can help it, but if there’s no other way, I’m with Rolin. We don’t let them suffer, and we save ourselves.
Kara’s voice faded, and Sheelo’s voice took its place.
“There are those who would not show compassion, especially to a foe, but they are without honor. If honorable men do not fight, corrupted men prevail,” he said, his voice a silent whisper in her ears.
Well, at least Sheelo would agree with me.
Gobi seemed to be lost in thought as Kamo struggled with her own ghosts. Rolin looked exhausted and much older than even this morning.
“I guess it never gets any easier,” she said aloud, addressing Rolin. “Even for a soldier.”
“Men in war fight for a cause. They fight to protect what they hold dear,” Rolin said. “These elves fight because of hatred and for sport. I hope that we don’t encounter many more like them.” He shuddered.
“I’ll drink to that,” Gobi replied, raising his mug.
Kamo raised her mug as well and downed the last bit of lemon and honey tea.
Chapter Eleven
“Didn’t you sleep at all, Gobi?”
Kamo noticed his slow, deliberate movements early the morning after the fight with the elf gang. He tried rekindling the fire in the pit from the night before. Kamo had slept very little herself and had awoken earlier than usual.
“I tried,” he mumbled, “I guess I couldn’t fall asleep.”
Kamo saw his tired eyes and ached for some way to help him.
“My sister used to sing me to sleep when I had rough nights,” Kamo said. “I’m not much of a singer, but there are still a couple of hours before we need to get a start. Do you want me to try it out?”
“It couldn’t hurt,” Gobi replied, standing slowly and meandering to his tent.
Kamo followed him, staying close behind in case he lost his balance.
Gobi opened the tent flap, and Kamo caught a glimpse of Rolin sleeping peacefully. He had removed his armor, and the bruise covering his neck and chest stood out from his otherwise tan skin. She winced, realizing its shape matched that of the elven club.
Gobi disappeared into the tent, and Kamo found a smooth stone near its edge to sit down. She clasped her hands together nervously and took a deep breath.
She quietly sang a sad, sweet melody– the story of an elven man who lost his love. Her voice was clear and soft, and as she sang, she listened for Gobi’s steady breathing. When he stirred lightly in the tent, she began another melody, a lullaby that Kulpa had taught her as a child. The Oshian words melted into her tune, and she lost herself in childhood memories as her voice drifted lazily to the tent.
Kamo sang the last verse of the lullaby, and she sat in the stillness, caught up in vivid dreams of a time gone by.
A splash at the stream pulled her from her reverie, and she turned to see a small, red fox lapping up the water
, either unaware of or indifferent to her presence.
She stood from the stone and peeked inside the tent. Gobi was fast asleep, his arm tucked under his head, and Rolin was snoring softly.
She returned to the fire Gobi had tended to as quietly as possible. The sun was beaming now, and she basked in its light and warmth. She stoked the fire and began to hum the Oshian lullaby again.
To her surprise, the fox at the stream stopped drinking and approached her cautiously. He crept around trees and hid behind branches as his beady, black eyes stared at her lips while she hummed. Finally, he poked his head around a tree near Kamo and sat on his hindquarters, just a few arm lengths from her.
She sat still and silent, cutting the last melody short. He didn’t appear threatening or riled. In fact, he seemed to be rather curious. His head tilted when she stopped humming as if asking why she paused. His tail swished back and forth quickly, and he even broke eye contact with her to clean his front paws, only to gaze at her again curiously when he finished.
She knit her eyebrows in confusion and shook her head before restarting the tune she had cut short. The fox smiled at her.
Can a fox smile?
The melody was short, and she finished its entire refrain in less than a minute. The fox continued to smile as she hummed, and Kamo could have sworn he gave a nod of thanks before dashing into the forest.
“Curious little things aren’t they,” Rolin’s voice startled her, and she gasped as he joined her by the fire.
“Exactly how long have you been standing there?” she asked, her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
“Long enough to know that you have a beautiful voice. You should sing more often.”
“Well, I don’t think you’ll catch me singing again, but thank you,” she said, tucking a strand of white hair behind her ear, “I’m not much of a performer. I only started because Gobi needed a little help falling asleep.”
Rolin cast his eyes down. “Poor kid,” he muttered. “He’ll grow up fast here.”
Kamo wilted with guilt. “I never meant to give him this burden,” she said, “I didn’t really think what the consequences might be—I should have told him not to come.”
The Last of the Sea Elves Page 8