Night Calls the Raven (Book 2 of The Master of the Tane)

by Thomas Rath

  No one came to their tent to see them off. When asked if they should tell anyone that they were leaving, Jne simply said that it was not their way to infringe on the desires of another. He didn’t see what that had to do with announcing their departure but didn’t ask further. It was probably for the best anyway. He didn’t need anyone trying to keep them from going.

  It had been an hour since they left the Tjal tent city behind in darkness. Clouds had blown in from the mountains to the north and he could smell the rain coming not two hours ahead of them. They started out due north heading straight for the mountains and then, at Jne’s insistence, turned slightly east. She told him that there was a pass through the mountains a few days ride to the east that would return him to the valley where he’d been found only weeks before. He welcomed the time. Though anxious to find and rescue Tam, he needed to think about what had happened with the dragon. He had to sort out his newfound power and gain better understanding and control over it. He could not afford to be left in a coma and forget who he was for days every time he called on fire to protect himself. It was both frightening and exciting at the same time. One thing was certain, though, no longer would he hide who he was or cast shame or doubt on himself because of his gifts. They were a part him now, and he was determined to investigate them fully until he completely understood them and knew how best to use them.

  Scratching his horse’s neck, he leaned forward and rested his head on top of its mane. “And you, my friend, I need to give you a name. I can’t very well just call you horse all of the time.” As if in answer, the horse lifted its head, pushing Thane back. He laughed. “All right then, what shall it be?” He thought to ask Jne what her horse’s name was but, sensing her dark mood, he felt it best to leave her to herself for a time. “How about, Chtey, my loyal friend?” The horse bounced his head up and down as if pleased with the name and neighed his consent. Thane laughed. “Then Chtey it is.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Thane sat cross-legged on the grassy slope, enjoying the feel of the torrential rains as they beat against his body in great waves soaking him and the ground around him. He had given up his Tjal garb for the more familiar Chufa loincloth that he had made and stored in his pack before leaving the Tjal tent village. The wind gusted in spurts pressing hard against his skin as if inviting him to ride with it as it rushed through the rain in fancy flights to locations unknown. The canvas tent just to his right rippled angrily against the adversarial forces of air that raked along its surface attempting to tear it from the mountainside. Jne had put it up quickly just as the rain began to fall and was now sleeping soundly within, much to his relief. Not far from the tent, the horses were staked and stood motionless as if not bothered one bit by the downpour.

  Thane had ached to feel the elements against his skin again and enjoy the powers of the Tane that coursed through his body and soul. Having finally embraced the unique characteristics of all five Tane, he now wished to explore the limits that those Tane provided. He had spent his whole childhood sorrowing over the gifts of his Tane, considering them a curse rather than a blessing. So many whom he loved had seemed to suffer because of the birthright that had fallen to him that his only wish had been to live a normal life with only one Tane like all the other Chufa. Ironically enough, it had taken an enemy to teach him to embrace the gifts he had been given and now that he had, he needed to explore deeper what those gifts were.

  Jne had not been so cooperative though. Her perceived duties as Jinghar would not allow him to sit in the rain alone and she had insisted she sit by him, although why anyone would choose the weather over a fine tent was beyond her. Finally, he had to give in to her stubborn insistence and had lain down in the tent as if to sleep. She was not so easily fooled though and it was hours before he was able to sneak from their tiny shelter and enjoy the feeling of the wind and the rain as they danced a beautiful symphony across the mountain slope.

  His first explorations would be with the wind. He had had glimpses of the gifts and power the ArVen Tane afforded him but wanted to learn more. More importantly, he needed to find Tam. He had made a promise to Dor once that he would never abandon his friends or people to suffering when he could help, and he meant to keep that promise. He had found her once before using the wind and locking in on her ArVen Tane; he would do so again tonight.

  Releasing a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes and relaxed his body while calling out to the wind that whistled past. It came quickly and anxiously as if it had been waiting impatiently for his call. He felt himself begin to lift as he gave himself over to its power not fighting the massive energy it held, but instead, embracing it. He opened his eyes and looked down at the shell of his body sitting in repose as if he had merely fallen asleep. Calling more wind around him he willed himself forward and was instantly shot ahead in an exhilarating rush that took him down the slope to the valley below. He felt more alive than he could ever remember and basked in the utter joy that filled him as he became one with the wind and its feel of complete freedom. He felt tears of joy cascading past his cheeks as he pushed on rushing faster down the mountain.

  He knew he could easily get lost in the euphoria of the moment but was restrained by the urgency he felt in finding Tam. Pulling himself back, he slowed the wind and called for it to turn him around and fly him up the mountainside and over to the dark valley on the north side. It was there he had lost her to the evil trolls and their new master and it was there that he knew he would find her still. A slight sense of dread edged through the rapture he’d been feeling at the thought of what they might have done to her.

  Returning up the slope he soon past his body and the tent as the wind rushed up the mountain gaining speed at his urging as it approached the peaks above. With the clouds from the storm and the late hour of night, it was almost too dark even for his night vision, but he quickly realized that his natural sight was not needed. As he glided over the landscape he could feel what was out before him sensing the lay of the land and the life that filled it. He was aware of the deer bedded down against an outcropping of rocks trying to keep dry; the eagle flying high above banking on the wind currents that drove it west along the ridge and off towards the ocean; the mountain goats grazing on grass seemingly oblivious to the storm around them. He was part of it all and the power he felt from it almost engulfed him in its wake. Resisting the urge to give himself completely over to it, he directed his thoughts to the task at hand, concentrating his efforts on finding Tam.

  Topping the ridge, he shot over the mountain peaks that pressed tightly together and then slowed as he reached the other side. His eyes were suddenly filled with thousands of cook fires spreading across the barren landscape in all directions. The image was both beautiful and terrible bringing with it a sense of dread and hopelessness at the mass of evil creatures that had gathered here for one purpose only—destruction. Tam had to be caught somewhere in the middle of all of that and his heart felt heavy at the burden of trying to locate her and then getting her away. He would do whatever it took to free her, even at the cost of his own life but the heavy weight of hopelessness of completing the task was almost more than he could face.

  Rushing down the ridge he shot out from the base along the valley floor quickly closing the distance between him and the nearest fire ring. He could sense the charred remains of the dragon to his right as he dropped from the mountain, the memories of the whole experience filling his head in flashes that he forced out with effort. He had to remain focused if he was going to find Tam. Concentrating on her image in his mind he willed himself to sense the ArVen Tane within her and track her whereabouts in the chaotic mass. No feelings came to him as he passed the first campfire diving headlong into the throng of trolls and goblins that littered the valley floor.

  * * *

  “He’s here!” Bedler leaped from his bed and glanced out the window across the myriad of campfires below. “I feel you, Thane. This time you will not escape me.” Fingering the empty space around his neck where a ne
cklace and leather trophy once lay, Bedler’s eyes grew hot with rage. “You have something of mine,” he hissed.

  * * *

  Thane pressed harder through the throng of trolls and goblins certain Tam was among them but still unable to sense her Tane. A feeling of trepidation was quickly pushing itself into his mind stealing away his hope that she was still alive. “She has to be here. Why would they bring her all this way and then…?” He stopped and looked at the dark castle clinging to the lone peak just to his left. “Bedler. What have you done with her?” As if in answer, a large dark form suddenly emerged from the castle taking to the air and quickly banking towards him. Instantly, fear gripped his heart and he almost let go of the wind that sustained him in flight. For some reason he knew that to lose the wind while riding it would mean his own death. He clung to the currents calling for more as the creature quickly closed the gap between them. “Dragon,” he whispered and then called for the wind to shoot him east, away from the castle and away from his body and Jne. Somehow, it knew he was there and he wasn’t quite sure what would happen should it catch him, but he figured that right now was not a good time to find out.

  Banking left he shot north again dipping low to the ground just skimming over the camp and its inhabitants. The dragon followed, soliciting a wave of terror as troll and goblin alike crashed into each other in an attempt to escape the dragon and its horror. Thane chanced a quick look behind him and found the dragon rapidly closing while sending the camp into a mass of chaos and fear.

  Thane banked right and angled back before shooting skyward. The dragon followed and though very agile for its size, was not able to maneuver as easily putting it slightly off course. Thane immediately seized the advantage and shot back towards the camp, racing down as if intending to shoot himself right into the valley floor. The dragon quickly regained its bearings and followed, closing the distance with amazing speed. Thane watched the group of trolls below scatter in all directions as he and the dragon arrowed toward the ground. He knew he had to time this perfectly. If he banked too quickly the dragon would follow and be right on him, and possibly catch him, to wait too long…he didn’t want to think about what that might mean.

  Suddenly, he could sense the dragon sucking in great amounts of air and a memory flashed in his mind of the last dragon he encountered and its terrifying ability to breathe fire. Without another thought, he banked left and then shot up just as a massive blast of air exploded from the dragon’s throat. Thane looked back just in time to witness the destruction caused by such a blast as the force of air crashed into the ground and into the trolls that were unlucky enough to be in its path. A huge hole opened in the earth and troll body parts sprayed everywhere as they were mercilessly torn apart. Thane paused in horrid wonder at the power the dragon exhibited shaking from the thought of what would have happened to him had he been caught by such a blast.

  His thoughts quickly lightened though as he watched the dragon try, unsuccessfully, to pull itself out of its dive. It got its head and belly up but was unable to again reach skyward before it careened into the camp taking out a large swath of trolls and goblins before finally coming to a stop. Rearing up on its massive hind legs it screamed in anger and then shot its head down to snatch up a nearby goblin, releasing its rage on the hapless victim before spewing what was left back to the valley floor.

  Thane did not wait to see if the dragon would once again give chase but instead called all the wind he could and shot away to the eastern range as a decoy, knowing it best to cut back to his body once he was on the other side of the mountains. For anxious moments he expected to feel the dragon screaming up behind him but was relieved when he finally looked back and found himself alone.

  Dipping low, he allowed himself a moment of pleasure skimming the valley floor as he tried to shake off the shiver that rushed through him at another near fatal encounter. Reaching the base of the mountain he shot up driving for the peaks and the relative safety beyond. Unheard, was the angry scream that echoed through the halls of Raven’s Eye Peak as Thane finally dropped over the range and shot down the other side.

  He slowed his descent pulling up to look over the foreign land that had become his home. To his right he had a grand view of Haykon, the night watch fires and scattered lamps throughout the city twinkled up at him with inviting warmth. Something pulled at his mind as he hovered high above willing him forward toward the city. It was something instantly familiar that started his heart beating faster. Moving closer to the town, as if pulled by an unknown force, he reached out to it, trying to understand it and grasp what it was that was calling to him.

  “Tam?” It felt like her, but something wasn’t right. It was her but, at the same time, it wasn't.

  A surge of excitement and sorrow filled him and battled for control of his soul as he moved forward stretching for her and then pinpointing her location. He whisked over the city walls, barely noticing the seeming excessive number of guards, as he raced to the center of town, pulling up short at a stone building in the middle of an open square. She was in there; he knew it. But something wasn’t right. The memory of Dor’s incarceration at Hell’s End suddenly flashed in his mind, filling him with a sense of trepidation and anger.

  Do the HuMans have you caged like they did Dor? He circled the building and finally found a window into the room where he knew she was held. His heart beat quickly, unable to control the excitement and fear that was welling up inside.

  “Renja!”

  His eyes widened in anguish, and then in anger, as he was suddenly jolted back into his body. Instead of seeing into the window where he knew he would find Tam, he found himself staring into the angry eyes of a Tjal woman who had a grip on his arms and was shaking him wildly. His green eyes flashed. He’d had enough of Jne’s coddling and meddling. He knew Tam was there, just beyond the window’s glass, but he still wanted to see her. He needed to make sure she wasn’t tied up—captured by the HuMans as Dor had been. He did feel a sense of relief that she was no longer among the trolls and goblins, but his heart felt heavy not knowing whether or not she was truly free. He would have to go back. He would have to ride the winds to Haykon again to confirm she was safe. He had to know. And, he admitted to himself, he wanted to look on her again—but not yet. “Pack the tent,” he snapped. “We leave, now.”

  Jne opened her mouth as if to protest but then quickly shut it to Thane’s own surprise. Though he was angry at being interrupted, he still expected a battle from her. Nothing was ever easy with Jne; but she merely turned about and strode purposefully back to the tent. He sighed. Even though she hadn’t questioned him now, he knew that it was only a matter of time before she cornered him.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  It was well after dawn before Jne said anything. She had gathered the tent and their belongings in mere moments and had them on their way almost before Thane had returned to camp. He could sense she was not happy with him but appreciated the silence as they rode, able now to clear his thoughts and think on what he needed to do next. He quickly determined there was no sense making plans though, until he knew for certain Tam’s condition. So, he spent most of his time allowing the relief he felt wash over him at her freedom from the massive gathering of goblins and trolls.

  They descended again from the mountain slope, hugging the base of the range and the easier route found on the plains. They needed to circumvent the mountains anyway to reach Haykon and with the spring thaw, water was plentiful and easy to find as it made is way to the lower plains.

  “You dishonor me,” Jne said, suddenly breaking the silence.

  Thane felt immediate anger at her comment. He was tiring quickly of her Jinghar status and how he was being punished by it more than she. He had not asked for her to come. He had not asked for her to be his Jinghar. He felt like he could do nothing without offending her honor.

  “You dishonor yourself,” he hissed, unable to control his frustration. Jne’s eyes flashed and she opened her mouth to say something but Th
ane ignored her and kept on talking. “You claim to care about my honor as well as your own but you hold onto me as if I were a child. You dishonor me. I refuse to be coddled any longer. I will go where I want, when I want, and do what I want whether you like it or not. If you desire to stay with me, then you must learn to respect my honor. Otherwise, I will force you away to return with your shame back to your village.”

  Jne’s eyes were bright with fury and Thane was certain he was in for a tongue-lashing that would last for hours. He knew he was being hard on her, but it had to stop. His road was too important to be harassed by Jne’s attempts at being Jinghar. He braced himself for her stinging rebuke but silence followed instead of rage. He glanced over to her and was surprised to see her face had suddenly become ashen and her lip was slightly quivering.

  “You are right, Renja of the Chufa,” she half whispered. “I have shamed you and myself. I have no right to try and force your path. It is required of me to only follow and pay my debt to you. I am sorry. I will gladly accept your punishment.”

  Thane’s eyes widened slightly. Was he really hearing her correctly? Punishment? He suddenly felt a little guilty for how hard he had been. “Listen,” he started, “I don’t want to punish you. You punish yourself more than I ever could anyway. But I need to get to my friend and help her and I can’t do it if you keep working against me.” He sighed. “The only reason I agreed to let you come in the first place was because I felt I beat you unfairly.”