by Narro, B. T.
There wasn’t much to distract Zoke, so he again began to wonder about his role in all this. Vithos was capable enough without his help. He couldn’t imagine what could happen that would require his assistance.
When no answers came to mind, he focused on the sky and the sun that brightened its blue color. When that bored him, his eyes found a resting place on the one tall mountain far ahead. There was more moisture in the dirt by then. He could feel it on the bottoms of his toes as his claws dug into the ground with each step. It reminded him how different the dirt felt beneath his feet after his shedding, when he could feel each grain of sand compressing together under the weight of his sensitive skin. Zeti’s pra durren should be over by now. I’m sure Grayol helped her with whatever she needed, if she allowed it.
Zoke’s stomach ached before his feet did. “How far have we gone?” he asked, trying to learn the distances. He guessed they’d gone four miles. Vithos halted to glimpse behind them.
“Three miles, perhaps.” Vithos turned back around. “Do you see that mountainside to our northwest that we’re coming near?”
“How could I not when it’s the only thing nearby?”
“It’s ten miles south of Lake Lensa. It might be a good place to stop.”
“For lunch?”
Vithos let out a snicker. “No, for the day. It’s maybe five miles from here.”
“Five miles! It can’t be that far.” It looked close enough to reach after a sprint.
“If you focus on it as you walk, you’ll find it moving with you, making your steps feel insignificant. You have to let yourself forget about it. Only then will it begin appearing closer. It’s best not to keep focusing on how far we’re traveling. Otherwise, it’ll seem daunting.”
Suddenly the ache in his feet and calves matched that in his stomach. “Then let’s stop for lunch now.” Zoke unstrapped the bag of food from his shoulder.
Vithos took a long breath. “I can’t wait for more delicious kupota.” He spoke with a sarcastic tone, reaching out his hand.
Zoke stopped himself before handing over one. “It sounded like you just made a joke,” he observed incredulously.
Vithos was put off. “Is it easier to believe I find kupota to be delicious?”
Zoke plopped the round plant into Vithos’ hand. “I’ve seen you eat kupota. I’ve never heard you make a joke.”
“I enjoy jokes.” Vithos took a small bite and made a sour face. “Perhaps another will lighten our mood.” He gestured with the kupota and started talking even though Zoke gave no indication he wanted to hear it. “They sound and look the same, but one act between two Krepps leads to regret a year later, while the other does not. What are the acts I describe?”
“I haven’t heard this riddle,” Zoke said, slightly interested now. “I don’t know.”
“Fighting and mating.” Vithos grinned in anticipation.
Zoke pondered it for a breath. “The child from mating is the regret?”
Vithos grew disappointed. “Of course.”
Zoke didn’t hide his distaste. He’d never mated, but his understanding was that the act looked little like the fights he’d been in. “Are Doe and Haemon telling you jokes of Krepps?”
Vithos was visibly irritated now. Zoke could see it on his face, and that just made Zoke more annoyed. Why is he the one getting upset?
“Humor is lost on them,” Vithos said with some disdain. “Paramar and I share a joke or a riddle sometimes. Vithos took another breath, lightening his tone. “You know Paramar?”
“Tough-looking Krepp, chief of the Slugari search effort? I wouldn’t have expected him to tell jokes, and neither did I expect that of you.”
“Then you don’t know me,” Vithos said, his voice ice cold.
Zoke spat. “No, I don’t.”
An awkward silence came over them that continued throughout lunch and the rest of the day.
Chapter 16: Disquieting Questions
ZOKE
Zoke and Vithos reached the mountainside just in time for them to still find it. The black of night had become so thick by then that Zoke couldn’t see farther than he could spit.
“Carry food and guard as I sleep. We’ll take shifts.” Vithos had said that about Zoke’s tasks, but curiously there had been no further talk of sleep shifts. Zoke had become deathly bored walking to the mountainside in silence and wanted nothing less than three or four more hours of boredom, so he didn’t mention sleep shifts. He couldn’t determine what threats there were to watch for anyway. There had been no animals. In fact, there was really nothing else besides the two of them, at least that he’d seen.
They lay under the cover of a steep cliff. The wind was chilling. Luckily, most of it was blocked by the mountain. Vithos was five steps away, curled in his blanket. Even though they hadn’t spoken, in Zoke’s mind they’d already reached an understanding that his new task of searching for the Slugari wasn’t a good fit. There was nothing more to say after that. His previous questions seemed silly now. If it wasn’t necessary for him to continue on these hunts after this one, then that’s all he needed to know.
He woke several times from a heavy guilty feeling in his stomach. Each time, he checked on Vithos, who never moved an inch or made a sound. Zoke turned to try and get more comfortable against the bare dirt. He knew the guilt was from the unresolved discord between them, so he decided he would offer a simple greeting when they both awoke. Even if they weren’t a good match for this task, there was no reason to make it worse by not talking.
The following morning his mouth was dry. At first he figured his body was without sufficient water, but after peeling his face from the ground it became clear that dirt had found its way into his mouth while he slept. He spat to clear any remaining grains and wiped his face with his course hands. Vithos was seated with his eyes closed until Zoke spat. The Elf opened them to gaze silently with indifference.
“Ektol,” Zoke said.
The corners of Vithos’ mouth turned up slightly. “Ek tolbaru ren,” Vithos said, using the non-abbreviated form, and then stood. Zoke couldn’t remember the last time he’d used or heard the phrase told to him. Roughly translated from Kreppen, it meant “May we be rewarded appropriately for our efforts,” a greeting or a goodbye spoken among Krepps working together—usually he worked alone.
Zoke bent his legs one by one, shaking them to measure the pain. “You say Lake Lensa is ten miles from here?” he asked.
“That is correct,” Vithos answered, standing.
“Then we can make it there before sunset.” Zoke’s legs felt up to the task, but more so he just wanted to get there. Lake Lensa was only halfway to their destination in the southwest corner of Nor. And then we still have to walk all the way back, he reminded himself. It was a discouraging thought.
They ate little and spoke less. Even he, a gurradu, was craving something with more flavor. He’d never spoken to Vithos about taste in food, so when they began north again, he thought to ask, “What would you wish to eat if you could have any food right now?” It was a way of breaking the dense silence that was growing heavier with each step they took.
Vithos brought a hand to his chin as he thought. “Salted pork has always been my favorite and would be now as well.”
Zoke so vividly could imagine chewing it that he felt his teeth ripping into the pig meat. “Yes,” he agreed as drool formed and found its way to his chin. “It has only been two days with solely kupota and water. I can’t imagine what it will be like after another ten. I may trade all that I have for pork when we return to the camp.” It was hardly an exaggeration.
The Elf lifted his head for a quick glance before his eyes fell back to the dirt ahead of them. Zoke found it strange that Vithos had no response to his attempt at conversation, but he said nothing of it.
Like so much else of their journey, the land remained mostly flat and only few words were shared. The boredom of it was nagging at Zoke more each hour. When they stopped for lunch, Vithos asked him how he
was, wondering if they needed to slow their pace.
“The sooner we can finish this, the happier I’ll be,” Zoke answered truthfully. “Our pace is fine.” He was sore all over, but he had endured worse.
“I realize this may be dull compared to the tasks you normally do for me, but excitement awaits us farther north. The land changes drastically, and you’ll see inspiring sights.”
Zoke held in a judgmental snort. At that moment, he felt as though nothing could inspire him more than the promise of returning to camp, except for salted pork perhaps.
“How far north have you gone?” he asked. It was an attempt to redirect their attention away from his discouraging thoughts that Vithos might have been able to sense.
“Deep into Nor, but far east, not toward western Nor where we’re headed. I’ve always wished to travel through western Nor.” Vithos suddenly seemed nervous, like he’d said something he hadn’t meant to.
Zoke was surprised by this reaction because the Elf usually spoke very carefully. “Why haven’t you gone before?”
At that, Vithos chewed in silence until his kupota was finished. “I have information I need to share with you. As much as I’d like to do so now, it’s best that I wait one more day. You’ll understand after you hear it.”
That stirred up serious thoughts, but he knew Vithos to hold to his word. If the Elf wouldn’t speak of it until tomorrow, there was no point in prying.
Miles later, Zoke’s spirit was lifted when Lake Lensa finally crept into view from behind small hills. The sun hidden below the horizon colored the lake magma as it reflected the sky above. Mountains guarded the lake’s northern end, while a line of trees stood along its eastern side.
By the time Zoke was close enough to feel the humidity from the water against his dry skin, there was no longer a trace of the sun. The lake had grown black, merged into the surrounding darkness.
“It’s too dark for any more walking tonight,” Vithos said, stopping. “Any farther and we may stumble into the water before we know it’s there. I’ll take the first watch while you rest.” With that, the Elf took two steps and disappeared into the black of the night without even waiting for an answer. As Zoke could hear him pacing away, he decided not to wonder where he might be going. As usual, there was no way to know what Vithos was thinking.
Sleep wouldn’t take him. Zoke’s mind raced in curiosity about Vithos had to say, while the dry sand he laid on sounded like it was screaming with each shift of his weight, no matter how slight. He tried to focus on the physical relief he felt pulsing from his back to his feet, and soon the sounds of the sand stopped completely and he drifted away.
Deeper he went, floating on a small island into the middle of the lake. He could hear the sound of water growing louder as he drifted. His name was called, but he couldn’t lift his heavy head to find the caller.
Zoke, Zoke, she continued to shout until it came to him; it was Zeti, but he was too tired to shout back.
“Zoke, time to wake.” Suddenly, reality had returned in such a rush his head spun. Vithos was shaking his shoulder. “Do you need help waking?”
“Help?” he asked with confusion. “No, I’m awake.” Zoke sat up. Everything was still masked in black.
“Need help staying awake, I mean? I could use psyche.” Vithos had a hesitant tone, well aware Zoke probably would refuse.
Even with the Elf’s tone, Zoke was annoyed that Vithos would ask. “No,” he answered, refraining from spitting. Zoke had never known a Krepp to wish for a psychic spell, and he was no different.
“I’m going to sleep now,” Vithos said.
Zoke grumbled, still getting used to being awake in the middle of the night. “What am I watching for while you rest?”
“Anything that moves. There’s nothing near us at the moment, but it’s rare for this lake to be left undisturbed for an entire night. And some animals are hungry enough to let their curiosity overcome their sense of danger. Don’t wake me for an animal, though, unless you can’t handle it. Do wake me if you hear or see another Krepp. Understand?”
“Yes.” Zoke stood to patrol the area and shake off the drowsiness.
He began to wonder why Vithos seemed concerned about other Krepps. He thought every tribe had joined with Doe and Haemon. Could there still be wild Krepps willing to attack an Elf? That battle ended before I was born. The Elves are no longer a threat, I thought. When his internal discussions began repeating without answers, his thoughts turned to Zeti. She’s certainly a woman by now. If she grows tall, she may pass my height in the next few years. His hand reached for his absent sword.
When the light from the sun began to peek over the hills, Zoke was looking for a stick with the same weight as his beloved sword. He found one that nearly matched. It was just long enough to reach the ground from his grip, making it useful for walking.
He squatted to wake the Elf. “Vithos, the sun is rising.”
Vithos sat up and rubbed his eyes with a grumble. “I would like to rinse my face,” he muttered. His long hair was matted against his cheek. “I can fetch water for us as well. I know how Krepps hate the water.” He reached out a hand. Zoke dug out the leather water pouches from their bag and passed them. “Come with me,” Vithos said, now on his feet and making adjustments to his groin. “If there are any fish near the shore, I’ll catch one.”
Zoke followed him to the edge of the azure water and watched as Vithos filled the pouches from the sandy shoreline, left them there for Zoke to retrieve, and then slowly walked into the lake. He splashed his face and drank from cupped hands.
“There are fish. Do you know how to clean one?” Vithos held a hand beneath the surface.
“Not without a knife…” Zoke let his voice trail off.
“You already know I have a knife on my belt,” Vithos replied plainly, keeping his back to Zoke.
That was true. It had caught Zoke’s eye during the first few hours of their trip.
Vithos lifted his hand from the water and calmly turned toward the shore, holding what appeared to be a dead fish. Vithos extended the handle of the knife to him, but Zoke didn’t accept it. He couldn’t take his eyes off the fish in Vithos’ other hand. He waited for it to move, but it didn’t.
“Did you kill it with psyche?” Zoke asked, finally taking the dagger.
“No, it’s unconscious but still living,” Vithos said. He slapped the fish against his hand twice as if to show off and then handed it to Zoke. “Show me how to clean it.”
Zoke stared at the live creature within his claws. Its steady eye looked right through him. There was no difference between it and a dead fish.
“Can you do this to Krepps?” Zoke asked hesitantly.
“You have trouble sleeping?” Vithos asked.
“No, that’s not…I mean can you do this to a Krepp.” Zoke lifted the fish and shook it. “This fish won’t wake even though it’s suffocating.”
Vithos smiled in a way that made Zoke regret his question. “I’m unaware of my full abilities because they’ve never been tested. If you’re asking if I could put you in such a deep slumber that even submerged underwater you wouldn’t wake, then the answer is”—Vithos stared into Zoke’s eyes and then toward the tranquil waters of Lake Lensa—“maybe.”
He’d hoped for a different answer.
“Want to help me test it?” Vithos asked with a frightening smile.
“No.”
If this was Vithos’ sense of humor, the trip would feel even longer than he’d first thought.
Zoke began to cut into the fish, explaining the process of removing the entrails as he went. They ate the meat raw, following it with kupota to fill the emptiness in their bellies.
After they finished eating, Vithos’ mood grew serious again. Zoke could tell he was finally going to hear what he’d been waiting for. He could see it in the Elf’s eyes, and it made his full stomach clench, causing him to feel somewhat nauseous.
“I’ll now tell you what I’ve been regretting to say.
” Vithos puffed in air and then exhaled loudly. “First, you should know we’re going northwest to Merejic, and we’re not looking for the Slugari colony.”
Chapter 17: Wrong Answer
ZOKE
Merejic…
It took a moment before Zoke could place it on the map of Ovira in his mind. “The great forest east of Nor? What’ll we be doing there, and why aren’t we looking for the Slugari colony?”
“We’re ignoring Doe’s order—it was delusive anyway. Let me explain.” Vithos tensed his shoulders and lowered his head. “I believe Doe and Haemon want me dead and have for some time. But like you, they don’t know what I’m fully capable of, so they haven’t made an attempt on my life in fear it would fail and I would retaliate. Sending me off to Nor was just a way to get rid of me safely. For all I know, they may have sent Krepps after me—after us, I mean. Even if not, I’m confident they’ve already moved the encampment.”
So that’s why he’s been looking behind us—he’s gone mad with paranoia! Zoke tried to hold back a judgmental look, but he realized there was no point. The Elf probably could sense his cynicism anyway. Zoke figured he might as well ask exactly what he was thinking. “How can you possibly believe that?” He decided to leave off the part about Vithos being insane…for now.
“It’s true. They want me dead.” Vithos stated it with such seriousness that Zoke was afraid to argue back. The Elf’s tone remained that way as he continued, staring deep into Zoke’s eyes. “I’ve been sensing their ill-harbored emotions toward me in recent years, and the responses I’ve received from them to certain questions about my past have tipped me off. I don’t expect you to understand yet, but you should trust that I’m confident they wish to get rid of me.” Vithos’ glance shifted south toward the land they’d already traveled. He held his hand over eyes for a better view and took a long breath before turning back to Zoke.
“Now that you’re out here with me, this involves you as well,” Vithos said earnestly. “It’s best we start working together more.” He started north, keeping one eye on Zoke as he went. “First, we’re going to Merejic so I can look for answers about what really happened to my family.”