by Thomas Rath
There, staring up at her, were two bright, green eyes.
CHAPTER TWO
The leaves crunched softly as the two Chufa quietly made their way through the dense woods. The sun cast long, eerie shadows upon the forest floor as it continued its late descent towards the mountains. A small breeze picked up lightly rustling the trees around them adding its voice to the low rumble of voices coming from the village to the south. A lonely bird cried softly in the distance its call quickly fading into the uncanny hush enveloping the woods.
The two spread out a short distance from one another and each nocked an arrow in anticipation. They had come to trust each other and knew that when the moment came each could rely on the other to do his part in making sure they were successful. The taller one suddenly motioned with his hand and both Chufa froze where they stood. Peering over a large thicket they spotted their target in a small clearing shadowed by the tall trees surrounding it. With a slight flick of his hand the taller one waved for his companion to circle a bit to the left for a better shot and to cut off any route of escape. With the other Chufa set, his heart pounding in his ears, he gave the signal and both rose in unison and began emptying their quivers into their prey. In a flash it was over. With a sigh of relief, both laughed with joy at their success.
“You win again, Thane,” the shorter boy exclaimed while smiling at his own success.
“Only by one arrow, Dor,” Thane answered also happy with how he had done. “Last time it was by two. And last time neither of us hit the target as often as we did today.” Both boys scrambled through the underbrush towards a large, old log standing on its end and wounded by a number of arrows.
“All that will change after today though,” Dor said excitedly. “Now that we are eight cycles we get to learn from DaxSagn, the great protector, the ways of the bow and arrow and also how to track silently in the woods.”
“I know,” Thane replied as he began to collect his arrows. “I have been waiting for this day ever since I can remember.”
“Do you think we will ever be as good as DaxSagn and someday become great protectors?”
“I hope so,” Thane said with a twinkle in his eyes, his vision suddenly becoming distant.
“Just think of it! Thane and Dor, the great protectors, save the village once again from a troll raid.”
“Yeah,” Dor said catching the glorious vision. “Ten huge trolls were no match for the greatest protectors of all time.” Both became silent for a moment as they basked in the glory of the future victory while gathering the rest of their arrows.
Thane pulled his last arrow from the log and then moved on behind looking for strays when he was suddenly overcome by a strange feeling of impending doom that gripped his chest in a tight squeeze almost forcing him to gasp for air. He looked back at Dor who continued unbothered as he worked on an arrow that had become embedded especially tight in a tree. Thane looked all around quickly trying to concentrate on what could be making him feel so strange when he noticed that the forest had fallen into a dead silence. The feeling of dread increased causing a cold sweat to break out on his brow while sending a sliver of fear racing down his back. “Come on Dor,” he said shakily. “Let’s get back.”
“Why,” Dor asked with a grunt, finally removing his arrow from the stubborn tree. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Thane whispered. “Something just doesn’t feel right. It’s too quiet.”
Dor turned his head as if to listen and nocked an arrow as he realized Thane was right. Just then a rustle came from the thicket on the opposite side of the clearing causing Dor to jump and almost loose his arrow. Recovering the best he could, Dor brought his bow around nervously as Thane fumbled for an arrow of his own.
“Ouch!” a voice suddenly called from the undergrowth followed by more thrashing. Dor and Thane glanced at each other and smiled knowingly, visibly relaxing, as they started towards the underbrush.
Thane winked at Dor and then said in a frightened voice, “What do you think it could be Dor?”
Dor smiled and replied similarly, “I don’t know, but I don’t think I want to find out.” The bushes became quiet again and a small giggle touched their sensitive ears before it was muffled by a hand.
Thane held back a laugh of his own as he elbowed Dor. “Maybe we should just shoot into the brush with our arrows?” The thicket turned stone silent.
“I think you’re right Thane,” Dor said loudly trying to control his own snickers.
“All right then. On the count of three. One, two...”
“Wait! Wait!” a voice burst from the underbrush as the bushes shook violently. “It’s me! It’s me! TamVen! Don’t shoot; I’m the one in the bushes. I’m...uh well...I um...I’m stuck.”
Thane and Dor, no longer able to contain themselves, burst into peels of laughter. “Serves you right for spying on us again,” Dor yelled, a touch of anger lacing his voice. “When are you going to learn to leave us alone? You’re too young to be out here anyway.”
“I’m only two cycles younger than you,” Tam protested, still out of sight in the thrashing thicket.
“That doesn’t matter, Tam,” Dor said a bit angrily. “We’re tired of you following us around.”
Thane opened his mouth to voice his agreement but was cutoff by a blanket of imminent danger and evil which bombarded his senses while turning the air thick around him. Quickly glancing about, he grabbed Dor’s arm and motioned for him to be quiet. By the look on Thane’s face Dor knew something was terribly wrong and shut his mouth without protest. “TamVen,” Thane whispered, “be quiet. Something isn’t right.”
“Come on you guys,” she called back, “you already taught me my lesson.”
“I’m serious,” Thane said, his voice hushed and shaken. “There’s something strange here. I...I can feel it.” Both boys scanned the clearing for any sign of trouble as they hurried to the bushes where Tam was trapped and still thrashing about noisily. As they watched and waited, the feeling of evil suddenly overpowered Thane in a concentrated sensation to his right making him want to flee but freezing him in fear. Sensing their doom, he turned his head slowly just in time to see the large rock troll suddenly crash into the clearing at full speed, his war club raised for the kill. It was huge, standing at least seven feet and every inch large and muscular. It wore nothing but a loincloth made from the skin of an earlier victim and a necklace that contained the fingers and claws of other unfortunates. Its small, black, beady eyes bore down on the two Chufa boys as it closed in on its easy prey.
Both boys stood frozen in place watching in horror as certain death closed the distance between them. Then, suddenly, both broke in unison into a dead run straight into the thicket scrambling past their young friend Tam who was, by now, in complete terror after hearing the trolls cry and seeing her friends rush by without her. Her wail of pure terror pulled Thane up short just as he cleared the undergrowth and turned him about just in time to catch hold of Dor as he toppled into him almost throwing them both to the ground. “What are you doing?” Dor yelled in exasperation as he tried to free himself of Thane’s grasp.
“We must go back and help Tam.”
“But what of the troll?” Dor pleaded in desperation. “It will kill us all!”
“Maybe, but Tam will surely die if we don’t help her!”
Dor hesitated for an uncertain moment when Tam’s scream suddenly shattered the air. Both boys turned just in time to see her break free of the thicket her shirt torn almost off and the troll closing in quickly behind her. Thane let fly an arrow that struck the troll square in the chest but bounced off harmlessly not having enough force to penetrate the thick hide. Dor fumbled with his own arrow in shear fright as Tam sprinted past still wailing in high shrieks of terror. The troll took a swing at the boys barely missing Dor thanks to Thane who pushed the terror-stricken boy from the club’s path. With a loud crash the club struck a tree and the troll was thrown off balance giving both boys enough time to turn and run. T
he troll bellowed in anger at the loss of his easy prey before regaining his balance and resuming the chase.
Thane glanced at Dor’s ashy pale face. “On the count of three you split to the right and I will head off to the left. That way at least one of us will get away.”
Dor looked at him with blank eyes and then nodded, finally realizing that he may escape what was clearly certain death. Thane gave the count and the boys split. At first the troll slowed in confusion unsure of which path to follow. Then, with another cry of anger, he turned right and continued after Dor. Dor looked back and screamed, his thoughts of escape dashed by the massive body that loomed after him. Quickening his pace he made a desperate attempt to outrun his attacker.
Thane quickly felt himself alone and turned for a brief look. He was at once relieved to find that the troll was not following him but was quickly overcome with dread at the peril now placed on his friend’s life. Ashamed of himself for abandoning Tam in the first place and now with Dor in imminent danger he immediately turned back and sprinted after the troll. While he ran he pulled an arrow from his quiver and set it to his bow in the slightest chance he would be able to get off another shot and penetrate the rock troll’s tough skin. It was easy to follow their trail by the broken brush and twigs not to mention the occasional growl or scream.
Pushing himself with all the strength he could gather, Thane soon caught sight of the troll’s back as it weaved clumsily in and out of the trees just ahead. With renewed effort, he pushed himself forward desperate to close the gap quickly and hopefully get off another shot.
Dor was running out of breath from the exertion and tears began to stream down his face with the certainty that he soon would be dead. He tried to lose the troll by weaving through the trees but he knew it wouldn’t give up until one of them was dead and Dor was sure he would be the one to die. Resigning himself to ultimate destruction, Dor turned away from the village hoping that once the troll had killed him it would then be satisfied and return to the mountains leaving the rest of the villagers alone.
With the acceptance of his inevitable doom, Dor suddenly felt a strange inner peace envelope him and he immediately stopped crying. The fear left him and he knew that his death would not be in vain. With this new feeling of calm, he almost welcomed the mysteries of death that would soon be his to discover. What was it going to be like? Where would he go? Would he come back? He suddenly found himself anxious to find the answers. He decided then that he was not going to die running away but that he would face death bravely and with open arms as a true Chufa warrior.
He knew that in mere moments he would be through the thick growth of trees and at the small clearing found at the foot of the Shadow Mountains. It was there he would stop and rush eagerly into death’s warm embrace.
Ahead of him, Thane could now see Dor as he darted through the trees with the troll trailing closely behind. If not for his young age, Thane knew Dor would have easily outdistanced the clumsy troll by now. Thane felt he was close enough now to take another shot. Stopping quickly he pulled back on the bow with all his strength and let go another arrow. Just then, the troll stumbled forward over a fallen log and the arrow flew just above him striking a tree a few yards beyond. Thane cursed his luck and quickly reloaded hoping for one more shot but the troll was already up and back after Dor weaving through the cover of the dense forest.
Dor burst from the trees with a smile and slid to a stop at the foot of the Shadow Mountains. Turning quickly around he looked for the troll. He did not have to wait long. With a deafening cry of frustration, it burst from the tree line and immediately zeroed in on its prey. Dor stood quiet and without fear as he beckoned the troll forward. “Come on my friend, let’s dance. You do not frighten me any longer.”
The troll smiled and with a grating voice snarled, “You die now.” It raised its club for a crushing blow. Dor lifted his arms in supplication, his heart pounding with the excitement of the beyond. The troll paused for a brief moment and then released a deafening roar as it reared its head back. Dor was sure this was it and closed his eyes eager for the end but the blow didn’t come. Dor’s smile faded and he opened his eyes only to be greeted by the troll’s back. What had happened? Maybe he had already been killed. Was death so painless? He then noticed the small arrow sticking out of the troll’s left leg. “Thane”, he whispered.
The troll reached down and easily jerked the arrow free. Thane was already reaching for another arrow when it grabbed a large rock by its foot and heaved it at the Chufa boy. Thane dove to his side just as the boulder was about to strike his head and most likely take it right off. His hand caught on the quiver and his arrows flew in all directions as he hit the ground hard knocking the air from his lungs and temporarily paralyzing him. The troll was on him in an instant. Thane turned his head just enough to see the hulking mass standing over him its club raised for the killing blow from which he had just saved his friend. He closed his eyes as the massive club began to descend. There was another roar and then he heard something immense hit the ground next to him.
Could it have missed me? Thane thought to himself. Or am I dead? Just then he felt hands grab him and lift him up. It must be the angels come to take me back to the great forest, he thought, his eyes still closed tightly.
“You all right Thane?” a voice asked.
He opened his eyes in confusion and looked right into the eyes of a Chufa man.
“Are you an angel come to take me to the great forest?” Thane asked in a slight daze.
“Hardly boy, it’s Dax. Don’t you recognize me?”
“Maybe he hit his head when he fell,” Dor offered as he approached.
Thane looked at Dor with a blank face and then down at the troll, a large grouping of arrows sticking from its neck and chest. Other Chufa men moved about the area making sure there was no other threat.
“What happened?” Thane asked still not sure that he wasn’t, in fact, dead.
“TamVen came screaming into the village that a troll had almost eaten her and that we were all sure to die,” Dax chuckled. “At first we thought she was just playing one of her silly games but when she started crying that you two were probably dead already we decided we had better see if you were all right. We went to the area she said you had been in and picked up your tracks along with those of a very large troll. We got here just as you were about to be pounded into dust.”
Thane looked at Dax and then Dor in disbelief. He was alive after all. Dor grabbed his shoulder and smiled. “I owe you my life Thane. Thank you.”
Thane became red and turned away reaching for an arrow of his that lay at his feet. “You would have done the same for me,” he mumbled.
“You boys can tell me what happened tomorrow morning when you come for your first lessons in bow and knife use, although it looks as if you already know quite a bit,” Dax laughed. “Now you better get back to the village. I’m sure your mothers are in tears with worry.”
Thane and Dor quickly gathered Thane’s scattered arrows and then hurried back towards the village in silence. Both were still in a state of disbelief that they had actually survived a troll attack and even though it was laced with the excitement of their dreams as protectors, neither seemed ready to discuss it at that moment. Dor was dumbfounded by the calm he had experienced at the acceptance of death and wondered if everyone felt that way when they finally made the last great journey to the great forest beyond. Thane, on the other hand, was terribly bothered by his actions of the day. It galled him to think he had been such a coward in the face of danger and had actually run away leaving Tam helpless in the bushes. “She could have been killed”, he mumbled.
“What did you say,” Dor asked suddenly snapped from his own thoughts.
“Tam,” Thane repeated, his frustration slipping loudly into his tone. “She could have been killed. I ran in the face of danger and Tam almost died. I’m a…coward.” The last word trailed off into a whisper as tears gathered at the rims of his eyes.
Do
r was dumbfounded. “What are you talking about? Do you honestly think you could have killed that thing if you had stayed and faced it alone? This day would have ended in your own death and for a surety mine and maybe even Tam’s. Who knows how many others may have been killed with that thing left to wonder unchecked into the village.”
“Maybe,” Thane sighed not fully convinced, “but that doesn’t make me feel any better. I would have rather died bravely as a true Chufa then have to live another day as a coward.”