“What do you call this?” Zanas asked. From the strange look he gave her, she could tell that he had assumed she had already known. His eyes seemed to convey a deeper understanding of her, and Zanas wondered what he was thinking, but he gave no voice to it.
“It’s Ulwahi, the body of Alwahi,” he said, his voice low.
She heard noise coming through the tunnel and they were joined by four others. Zanas recognized Desstina, her hair pulled back into a tight knot at the back of her head. Besides Zanas, there was one other girl with short spikey black hair, her face painted with black stripes. Last, were two tall males, their faces identical, both sporting short-cropped blond hair.
“So, we are to hunt with this,” Zanas heard Desstina jeer. “You won’t be able to keep up, girl. And when you don’t, we will leave you alone and lost in the dark.”
Zanas said nothing, but gave the blonde a hard look. She could feel the tension growing between them and she knew that eventually there would need to be a conclusion. The spikey haired girl walked forward and Zanas was reminded of a punk rocker she had once seen.
“Don’t mind her,” the girl said pointing to Desstina. “I’m Ressna and these two logs are Tress and Fless,” she said moving her gloved hand over to the brothers.
The twins stood with their bulky arms crossed, looking down at Zanas through narrowed eyes. She realized that she had to look uncomfortably up at them, they towered over her, and their muscled bodies seemed to block the way. She understood why Ressna would call them logs. They said nothing in any kind of greeting, and Zanas could see Desstina grinning hatefully behind them. Zanas returned their aggressive eyes with those of her own. It seemed that they might stare at each other for all time, when Dressdon walked in front of them.
“All right,” he said clapping his hands in a mocking way. “Now that friendly introductions are over, let’s get going.” He turned and began to lead the way, the brothers picking up pace behind him, and Desstina in a close third. Zanas and Ressna took up the rear.
Dressdon set the pace, and they were soon running swiftly through the earthy corridors. They traveled through cave after cave filled with Ulwahi, but they also traveled through large expanses of dark tunnels. Zanas found herself barely able to see those in front of her, but she let her senses make up for the rest. She was able to feel where her running team was. She matched her breathing to theirs, her pace to theirs, until it seemed like not six people were running down the dark tunnel, but one.
They paused for a moment and Dressdon conferred with the others at what path they should take. Desstina immediately chimed in.
“We take the south entrance,” she said, and then turned and looked at Zanas, flashing her pointy teeth in an aggressive grin. Zanas found herself looking for him, and saw his green eyes staring at her from across the cave. She could not tell what kind of emotion that he had. His normal mischievously twinkling eyes were serious. Zanas sensed when he was ready to pick up pace again and this time she ran past the others and took position by his side.
Once again, she felt as though she was being pushed. Zanas matched each step that Dressdon placed, listening to the steady beating of her heart and the rhythmic inhale and exhale of breath. Dressdon raced beside her, his breathing matching hers note for note. She felt a break in the connection when he seemed to hold his breath, and she heard him, but only just barely.
“Do not fear.”
He overtook her, took five mighty sprints, and launched himself into a dark abyss. Zanas had only a split second to react; she let his words echo as she copied his movements and heaved herself forward into the gloomy emptiness.
She was falling. Everything else around her seemed to get shut out, her senses heightening. She could hear the wind that she made as she fell, a high-pitched whistle that rushed past her ears. Her weightless body fell with abandon, and exhilaration flowed through her as she opened her arms, floating through the air. Her lips pulled back in an uncontrollable grin, the freedom in the fall bursting through her.
It seemed as though she might continue falling forever, when another sound hit her ears, the splashing of a body hitting water. Zanas braced herself and seconds later, she was being deposited into the dark water.
She was disoriented. She did not know which direction she had hit the water. Was she right side up? She started to panic for a moment, when she felt a hand on her wrist. Dressdon pulled her slightly to the side, and a lighted tunnel became visible. He tugged at her once more, letting her go and swimming ahead, she quickly began to follow. They seemed like the only two living things in the murky water that enveloped them.
They swam through the tunnel, bubbles escaped from their mouths and glittering upwards. The sides seemed almost to pulsate, the bright glow dimming and then reemerging. It seemed as though they were swimming into some alien creature, through its radiating body.
She watched as he picked up speed and headed towards the surface. She gasped in air as she broke through, glancing up at the shadowy cave; there was no Ulwahi on these walls. The only light came from the tunnel below. Zanas shivered slightly as she floated in the water. Dressdon swam next to her, a smile on his face.
“So young. You are still a little afraid,” he said softly and grinned, his sharp teeth gleaming in the shadows. His eyes sparkled for a moment, and Zanas was once again reminded of the wolf she had met that long ago day in the woods. She watched as his grin widened. The rest of their team broke through the surface, and the spell was broken.
They climbed out of the water and onto the shore. Zanas felt herself shivering slightly as she waited, the brothers staring at her.
“I thought for sure you wouldn’t jump,” the first one said speaking in her direction.
“Didn’t even scream,” the second one said with a teasing smile.
Zanas found herself smiling back. She looked pointedly at Dressdon and said, “I am not afraid.” She was answered by a wide grin and a soft chuckle as he came walking towards her.
“You will be tested on that statement. There is no room for fear in our clan. A true Pursuer must let go of all fear. There will be no lighted tunnels where we are going. Alwahi chooses the Pursuers. She will accept you, or you will die in the heart of her embrace.” He stared at her for a moment. Once again, she could not read his face, his cocky smile was gone. Desstina walked forward pulling her knife from her waist.
“I will get first blood,” she said with a mocking look at Zanas and then she hurried down the dark tunnel. The twins pushed each other in a joking manner, each trying to get into the cavern next. Ressna looked over her shoulder and flashed a grin, as she too disappeared. It was only her and Dressdon. He stared at her, his eyes once again glowing in the dark.
“Let go of your fear,” he said as he pulled his knife from his belt and disappeared into the black mouth. Zanas stood there for a moment, her heart pounding. But it was not pounding from fear. She did not understand why, but the thought of wandering into the unknown, in a pitch-black tunnel, did not worry her. Her heart was racing, she realized, from excitement. She was excited by the challenge. Zanas pulled out her knife and entered the tunnel.
She could not see in front of her. She reached out and felt the walls, tracing her fingertips across the surface, moving further down the passageway and coming to a chamber of tunnels. Zanas circled the area twice, feeling with her hands and she realized there were four different tunnels. She had no idea which one to take, and felt frustrated for a moment, then she remembered what Dressdon had said. Alwahi would accept her or reject her. She laid her hands once again on the cold surface of the walls.
Zanas already felt the changes that Alwahi was making in her. She reached down within herself, trying to call up what she felt when she was hunting. However, she was looking deeper this time; she wanted to open herself fully to Alwahi. She felt a burning begin behind her eyes and reached her hand up, holding it to her head. The pain intensified and she felt as though she was blown back, thrown to the ground.
Zanas lay on the floor, staring upward. Her vision was blurry for a moment and then it came back into focus, everything colored blue. Sitting up, she looked at the tunnels, seeing down the long expanses.
She could also sense where the others were nearby, at the same time she realized that all the tunnels led to the same place. Zanas quickly got up and began to run down the closest tunnel. The things that she could see amazed her. It was incredible how each nook and crevice reflected in the blue tones. She saw movement up ahead and she came across Desstina. It was as simple as willing herself more speed, and she overtook the blonde. Zanas heard the girl let out a gasp as she sped past her. Her vision began to take on a red hue and she knew that her prey was close. She clenched her knife tightly in her hand and ran full speed around a corner. The beast was standing in front of her.
It was enormous, wheezing through a large snout. Zanas saw sharp fangs protruding out of its mouth, as it clawed at the earth with its large hairy paws. She smelled something in the air that made her mouth begin to water. It took her a moment to realize that it was blood. This creature was a predator, a meat eater. And it did not seem that the recent kill that he was currently eating was enough to fill his belly. He growled at Zanas, his bloody teeth flashing.
It came at her. There was a high-pitched howl and after a moment, she realized it was coming from her. Her teeth were bared as she growled at the animal, her hand clutching the sharp blade. It made a small lunge with its paws outstretched, and with one swift swipe, Zanas sliced off three of its fingers. It let out an eerie scream, echoing through the long corridors that surrounded them.
Other sounds surrounded her and she realized that the rest of the hunting party had followed the commotion to the beast. Before she had more time to think about this, the crazed animal launched for her again. It jabbed its sharp mouth at her, trying to get her arm into its mouth. Zanas brought the blade across the beast again and it screamed as she stabbed its meaty shoulder. Her blade was caught in its hardened body, and it flung her to the ground in rage. She felt the weight of it on her torso holding her down, its hot gasping breath blowing on her face, growling through dripping teeth. It prepared to kill her.
The earlier pain returned and her mouth erupted. She screamed as the pain continued, her vision turning an even redder hue. She twisted her body and brought down her teeth onto the animal’s neck, feeling how easily she sank into its flesh. Applying pressure, she ripped back her mouth, tearing out a large chunk of flesh. Her mouth filled with its blood, and part of her wanted to gag in disgust. But that part was silenced, as the rage filled her. She regained her footing, leaping at the animal and ripping out her knife from its shoulder. With one mighty slap, she knocked the creatures head to the side, and slashed her blade across its neck.
Her breath came out in small, excited gasps, her teeth still bard, blood dripping down her chin. She could hear the sound of her own growling as her heart pounded in her chest. Her vision began to clear slightly and her team came into view, reminding her of another hunting party. Just like then, she found all eyes staring at her, and she recognized the familiar emotion… respect.
She found herself face to face with him. She looked into his eyes searching for the other emotion she always saw in people once they had truly seen her for what she was, a predator. But she saw nothing but wild excitement reflected in his eyes.
There was no fear.
Chapter 9- Brotherhood
They quickly went to work butchering the animal. It was a long process because of the massive size of the creature. They were heavily weighed down with meat as they hiked out of the cave. Zanas began to think of the long swim and climb that they would have to complete. Her mind drifted as she stood by the entrance to the lighted tunnel, staring down at the glowing tube. The twins walked over to her, drawing her attention.
“I am really liking you,” one said.
“Ruthlesssss,” the second interjected. They flashed matching sharp teeth and then began walking towards a tunnel that had gone unnoticed before. Desstina passed by her next saying nothing, but giving her a hateful look as she walked by.
“Nice job on the kill,” Ressna said, as she followed the others out. Dressdon passed her by, meeting her eyes for a moment, and then called over his shoulders.
“I like the eyes…”
Zanas was confused for a moment. As she walked past the water towards the tunnel, she glanced down at her reflection in the water. A pair of glowing green eyes stared back at her.
They picked up speed and Zanas found that her legs were tiring with the added weight of the meat she carried. She was thankful that they had no water filled passages or cliffs to navigate, and realized this was the other passage they could have taken. Desstina had arranged it so they would go the most difficult way. Zanas grinned to herself, remembering the thrill of falling through the air, weightless and free. Her heart began to race again at the thought. Unwittingly, the girl had done her a favor.
As they made their way through the dark tunnels, Zanas allowed herself to look closely at the passages. With her added eyesight, she could see that all the surfaces were covered in Ulwahi, but before her eyes had been unable to see it. Everything gave off a faint glow that made the dark beautiful and accessible at the same time. She noticed they were coming to the interior of the hold when the walls began to smooth and take on a uniform shape. The cafeteria was empty as they crossed the large stone room, and they were quickly unloaded of the meat as the cooks rushed forward.
Zanas looked at herself and realized she was covered in blood, her fingers sticky, her face streaked red. The twins had quickly disappeared, giving her looks through their long lashes as they left. Desstina ignored her completely and left without saying a word to anyone. Zanas found that she was walking with the two remaining, Dressdon and Ressna.
“Excellent kill, Zanas. You really annoyed Desstina,” Ressna said, her eyes dancing merrily. “See you later,” she called, as she turned down one of the hallways. Dressdon and Zanas walked for a moment and then he spoke to her.
“You did excellent. I was impressed with your kill; I have never seen someone move with such ferocity,” his voice teased. She found herself once again soothed by the soft purring of his voice.
She recognized her door up ahead and turned to him, her hand pushing it open. “Thank you. I need to get cleaned up,” she said. He flashed his familiar mocking smile; his green eyes seemed to glow brighter.
“You look good covered in blood…” he whispered and then he had turned and disappeared down the hallway. She felt that usual skipping of her heart.
... … …
Maleek met her at the door and she quickly gave him the chunks of meat that she had saved him. He greedily swallowed them up, curling by the fire to nap. She found herself laughing at his vicious nature and quickly unloaded herself. Zanas hurried down the torch lit hallway, feeling as though she where the only one that lingered in the long passages.
The hot water was welcoming on her skin as she soaked in the deep stone pool, the water turning a dark crimson. Using the bath salts, she began to scrub her body, leaving bloody handprints here and there on her body. Zanas thought about the days hunt. She knew that she should probably feel some kind of sorrow for the animal whose blood she was covered in. However, there was no such feeling, only the satisfaction of feeding her clan, and the end of a successful hunt. The animal was taken with honor.
By the time she was finished bathing, the water had already begun to clear. There was now only a slight reddish hue to the liquid. Zanas had already guessed that the water constantly circulated, but seeing it in action was still interesting. Wrapping herself in the long towel, she made her way back to her room. Once again, she had clean clothes laying on her bed and wondered who deposited them. She glanced at Maleek who still slept by the dying fire. He was not a very good watchdog, apparently. She grinned to herself with this thought and pulled on the clothes. Her hair was quickly braided, and hung down her back like a long
black rope.
Walking over to the window, she pushed it open and stared at the lighted city below. She could see the busy hustle of people walking down the stone streets, their bright colors like a dancing field of cloth. Zanas raised her eyes to the tall ceiling of the mammoth cave, and was instantly soothed by the warm glow of the Ulwahi.
A knock at the door startled her. She opened it to find Ressna, sporting a sheepish grin.
“We have time before dinner and we are going into town.” She grabbed Zanas’s arm and pulled her out the door, making it clear in her actions that Zanas no choice. She did not mind, however, and welcomed the excursion. She followed her down the hallways, their bodies casting shadows. She was thankful for Ressna’s extensive knowledge of the corridors as they wound through them. They walked down the stairs and came to a large door. Ressna pushed it open with a heave, and the city stood in front of them.
Although Zanas was no longer walking the streets of the city with a wanwalf, she still received the same reaction from the town’s people. However, it was in response to the two of them. She took notice of the weary way the brightly colored people cast their eyes aside, as if afraid to make eye contact. Zanas felt herself feeling scorn for the gutless people, when she was one again grabbed by the arm and pulled down a side alleyway. It seemed darker here, as they passed lighted entranceways, the noise of people drifting to her ears. Zanas watched as Ressna ducked into one of the doors.
Pursuer (Alwahi Series) Page 7