Lovers in the Woods

by Ann Raina

  Relieved that her diversion had worked, she crept into her sleeping bag and closed her eyes. She was tired, but sleep did not come. She should have been glad that she had escaped the Horlyn, though her attempt to follow Sajitar had been stupid. She could call herself lucky to be alive, yet Sajitar’s unknown fate caused her a restless sleep.

  In the morning, Rayenne folded Sajitar’s clothes neatly, as if he would come and claim them in an hour and banter with her over crinkles. She tried to subdue the pain of losing her companion by stoically hoping he was still alive and that she would not think of his death until she saw his dead body. Which is a rather stupid approach, since the Horlyns might have gulped him down in suitable eating bites.

  Ray, stop it. Right now!

  That first night at the bar—it seemed the encounter had taken place a moon phase ago—she had asked Felberi to stay behind and only interfere if Sajitar tried to escape. The captain had been grumpy, being displeased with her methods, but had accepted. And then she had thrown all her charm and female attraction into meeting Sajitar Haju. She had seen him in pictures taken at the spaceport, but his appearance in person had been much better. His hair had been cut, the beard gone and the shirt and tight pants had emphasized his muscled built. Talking with him had been fun and she had lost herself in his dark brown eyes. Dancing had made her laugh and enjoy the evening. She had kissed him, and he had kissed her back, giving her a fuzzy feeling of being wanted and loved on the spot.

  In the end, he had been so drunk, she had easily guided him out of the bar and into their room, and even that had been entertaining in a way she had not experienced in a long time.

  The handcuff had not been her idea, but Felberi had insisted, stating that no one knew how fast he would sleep it off. She agreed that his wild look in the morning had been worth the extra effort.

  It came to her mind that if she had undressed him completely that night, she would have already known of his connection to Sanjongy. Her approach would have been different then.

  I was discreet, like a squeamish girl!

  She saddled the B-horses and took them by the reins to follow the track the Horlyns had left. The ground was dry and the beasts so heavy they had left a trace a child could find. However, while she walked mile over mile she had no clue what she would do once she found the Horlyns and maybe more of their kind.

  If her father were here, he would tell her to stand her ground and enjoy the irony. If her brother were here he would tell her to stamp on the ground and shake every tree to fight gleefully whatever fell to her feet.

  Rayenne sighed.

  If she survived this adventure, she would tell her family how she had mastered Belthraine’s most dangerous woods to bring a criminal to court. Wasn’t that true devotion to her job? Her father would grunt something unintelligible and her brothers would hang on her words to hear more details about what kinds of animals there were to hunt and catch.

  I’ve never longed so much to meet them again.

  There was still a chance to save Sajitar, and from experience she knew that chances came when you searched them. If she did not find and rescue him, she could tell the judge that the Horlyn Transport Service might be late, but trustworthy. She could just not guarantee that the witness would appear in one piece.

  A bitter laugh welled up. She wondered if she would make it out of Emerald Green alone. There was no sense in trying to search for Sajitar week after week. There would be the time to turn around and head back to Belson Park.

  She dreaded that decision.

  A movement straight ahead caught her attention. She had her gun out and at the ready in one fluent motion. Leaving the B-horses behind, she stalked closer, carefully watching her step to avoid any noise. Something scraped over bark. She changed aim, getting closer slowly. Irrationally, she was unafraid of whatever waited for her. If the Horlyns were the largest predators around, there was a slight chance that other predators were by far more harmless.

  Swiftly, she rounded the tree and poised gun.

  A young man, hardly grown up, stared at her wide-eyed, and shaking with fear. He threw up his hands.

  “Don’t harm me! Please, don’t!”

  “Who are you? And why were you sneaking up on me?”

  “No sneaking.” He swallowed so hard that his Adam’s apple jumped. “I was just curious.”

  “Curiosity can get you killed.” But she lowered the gun, exhaling.

  The young man in front of her was about her size, lean, with dark brown hair and the first sign of a beard. His lanky body was covered with a shapeless form of clothing, held together by a rope belt, made of a material Rayenne had not seen before. It had the same color as the wood, but the fibers appeared to be soft, like rabbit’s fur.

  “Again I ask you. Who are you? And where do you come from?”

  The young man showed two rows of white teeth. “So you won’t do me any harm?”

  “I won’t if you’re truthful with me.”

  “I’m Bajan. And you?”

  “Ray.”

  “Welcome, Ray.” His smile widened as he ran a hand through his hair. “You look very strange. Not like you’ve lived here for long. Where do you come from? What do you want here? Oh, and…” He shrugged a kind of apology. “We don’t have many visitors here, so…there’s much I want to know. How did you get here?”

  “How come you live in the forest? Are you lost? Were you part of a lumberjack party?”

  “No, no. I live in a village close by. You can come with me. Please, come with me. And your…animals, too.”

  “You don’t know B-horses?”

  “I’ve heard of them.” He inclined his head. “The elder tells about them, but I haven’t seen one yet. They are beautiful.” He took a step forward. “Come.”

  Rayenne took a deep breath. The young man appeared very self-confident, now that her gun was behind her back again. His hair was cut short, his clothes orderly and his arms and legs were clean, as if he had recently washed himself. He bore no sign of having lived in the wilderness on his own and for a long time. That alone was astonishing. The mention of a village made Rayenne think she had just walked out of the forest and into a weird dream.

  “All right, I’ll follow you to your village if you answer my question.”

  “Another one?”

  “Yes, another one. Did you see a man around here yesterday night? About my age, tall, dark hair. He was probably carried by a Horlyn.”

  “A Horlyn?” Bajan shook his head. “I don’t know what this is.”

  “A monstrous beasts that lives in the forest. The smaller ones fly, the older, bigger ones, live on the ground, as far as I know.”

  Bajan shrugged.

  “At night we all stay in the huts. And I haven’t seen a man. I would know that. Come now, it’s not far.”

  He turned and walked away. Rayenne fetched the B-horses and followed him, watching the ground once more. For a time, the tracks went along the route Bajan took, but then the young man turned south while the Horlyn trace went on west.

  “Wait. Where does this path lead to?”

  Bajan followed her outstretched hand, shrugged and waved her to come.

  “It’s not our way, Ray. We go this way.”

  “But where does this one lead?” Ray insisted.

  “Not into our village.” He shook his head when she asked him again, then smiled. “You will be welcome in our village. We welcome everybody.”

  Rayenne swallowed her impatience and decided to return to the track later.

  “Did you lose your companions before you got here?”

  “No. I have always lived here. Here is my home.”

  Rayenne nodded, smiling amiably. There was no doubt to her, this poor soul had lost his mind and had wandered Emerald Green for more time than was good for him. Maybe the visions of the Horlyns had shaken him so deeply he had not found a way out. She pitied him and was glad at the same time that the visions Sajitar had told her about had not hit her except for h
eadaches and the feeling of being watched.

  The B-horses stopped and pulled Rayenne back at the reins.

  “Hey!”

  Tessla and Bunty reared and stepped sideways. Their eyes were wide and their nostrils flared. Then she saw a Horlyn right across their crude path. It was double the size of a man. Its pair of illuminated wings hung down, parts of them moved haphazardly with the wind, irritating the otherwise calm B-horses.

  “Wait, Bajan, don’t go there! It’s one of the beasts!”

  “Beast?” Bajan glanced at her, laughing. “What are you afraid of? The Color-changers are our friends.”

  “Friends?” Rayenne choked on the word, struggling with the B-horses to follow her pull on the reins. “They are monsters, Bajan, they eat people!”

  “No, they don’t. Don’t be stupid, Ray, they are friends. Believe me. Now, come, we’re almost there.”

  Rayenne swallowed hard. The young man waved at the Horlyn while marching past him with a swing to his steps that mocked Rayenne’s growing fear. The Horlyn folded its wings like a butterfly, but one part did not follow. The tip was broken and the shimmering rim crumbled.

  “It will lose its wings soon,” Bajan stated when he saw Rayenne stare. “They’re already tattered, see? We collect the broken wings. They bring wonderful shadows in all colors you can imagine. Some of them we use to fan the air once it gets too hot.” He turned cheerfully. “Do you have hot weather where you come from? And how did you find us, anyway?”

  “I know hot weather, yes. And I…” She paused, pondering what to tell of her journey. “I got lost in the woods, you know. With my partner. And now he’s gone.”

  “I didn’t see him.”

  “You said so.”

  Bajan led on. The Horlyn watched them pass like a bridge guard watched suspicious men walk into a keep. Rayenne was sure it would know and find her everywhere. Her heart still pounded hard when the first voices rose. Behind a group of trees, three women debated about fetching water. They turned when Bajan called to them.

  “Hello, all of you, I bring someone new!”

  “Oh, don’t try to be smart, Bajan. What’s it this time? A tame Cahegi?”

  Bajan laughed, not the least insulted.

  “No, I found Ray and her animals at the outer rim.”

  “You went too far again!” one of the women accused him while she rose. She waved a stubby finger at him. “I told you not to wander about! It’s dangerous! But now…” She smiled at Rayenne and stepped closer. “Welcome, Ray, to our little village. It is good to see you healthy. You will be safe here.”

  “Thank you.” Rayenne looked around, irritated and hardly believing her eyes.

  Out of the gigantic tree trunks, living quarters had been cut out. There were flaps at the entrance holes, some open, some closed. Inside there were small pallets and baskets, even cupboards with items Ray could not identify. She counted fifteen of those accommodations, all in a wide circle, looking toward the center. In front of them, benches and wooden chairs waited for the inhabitants to sit down and talk.

  Rayenne smiled helplessly, feeling like a child walking into a fairy tale. Is it truly a dream, a vision the Horlyns send to mock me?

  Men and women, children and youngsters stopped their chores to turn and scrutinize her. They wore the same formless outfits as Bajan, some in lighter shades, some in darker, only to be distinguished by different belts with tools stuck in them. Some of the women had decorated their clothes with orange petals. All villagers looked well-nourished and healthy and even the older men and women still went upright without canes. The men’s faces were shaven and the women had their long hair artfully braided.

  In the center of the village there was a large flat stone with wooden plates, cups and bone knives waiting to be used. The smell of a hearty soup was in the air and despite her shock to find a settlement amid the wilderness, her stomach told her of hunger.

  “Come, Ray, sit with us. You truly had a long and fearful journey. I’m Nassaly, and these are Rahay and Tari. Bajan, you take care of these animals. Give them some water. They look as if they need it.”

  As if caught in a dream, Rayenne shook her head.

  “That’s kind of you, Nassaly, but I better look after them myself. Just bring some water. That would be kind.”

  “Of course! Bajan, run and fetch water! And when you go, bring water for us, too.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  “Where can I leave my B-horses?” Ray asked.

  Nassaly smiled and showed the way. She was about forty years old, wrinkled and tanned, with graying hair and quick, blue eyes. Though small and unimpressive by her demeanor, she acted like a tall woman, knowing exactly what she wanted and what she did. On bare feet, she brought Ray to a paddock that kept animals the size of goats.

  “Here. You can leave them here. They won’t go while the Drunis are around. They are loved by everyone.” She opened the wooden gate and Rayenne took off saddles, bags and bridles before she let them loose. Neither Tessla nor Bunty seemed afraid of the unusual company.

  “Thank you. You are very kind.”

  Nassaly swung one the saddlebags over her shoulder and lifted the second saddle with more ease than Rayenne had expected. She smiled as if Rayenne had brought immeasurable wealth to her village.

  “Oh, come, don’t mention it. Everyone’s welcome here! And you, my dear, are a most cherished new face.”

  Rayenne couldn’t help her distrustful nature. She closed the gate and turned to ask,

  “Why should that be?”

  Nassaly laughed, a heartfelt sound that was echoed by the soft purr of the Drunis, which sniffed the B-horses’ long legs. They, in return, bowed their heads to snort peacefully into the necks of the Drunis.

  “Come and eat with us. Drink some wine. Then tell us what brought you here.”

  “You got wine here?”

  “And so much more.” She wiggled her brows and led her back to the village center, humming a tune.

  “I came with my partner,” Ray explained when all of the settlers gathered at the large stone. One handed her a wooden cup with water, the other presented a bowl with fruits and berries. She sat down and felt all eyes resting on her. “Thank you. Like I said, I came with a man through Emerald Green. He parted with me. Not on free will, he was abducted by…” She tried to remember the word. “You call them Color-changers.”

  “Abducted?” Tari shook her head that the artful braids flew. “Not by our friends. Here, take some wine and tell us from the beginning. How come you are here?”

  Rayenne sipped the wine. It was surprisingly sweet and tasted much better than she had anticipated. It warmed her stomach and made her feel better instantly.

  “My partner and I wanted to cross Emerald Green to get to Belson Park.”

  “Wonderful names!” one of the men exclaimed. “Are there truly more settlements like ours?”

  Rayenne couldn’t help but frown.

  “Belson Park is a city by now. Don’t you know anything about the world outside?”

  “There are more people in other places?” The man scratched his prominent chin and looked around. “That is surprising, don’t you think?”

  The others nodded in unison. One of the younger men shook his head and looked straight at Rayenne.

  “That’s nice to know, Ray, but that partner, do you have children with him?”

  Rayenne choked on her wine.

  “Pardon?”

  “Did you already make children with him?” another man wanted to know. “Or did he leave you childless?”

  Rayenne looked from one man to the other. Their eagerness was palpable and now she understood Nassaly’s remark. She put down the goblet.

  “Sajitar is my partner, no matter if we got children. Now, tell me, how can I find him?”

  “You said a Color-changer took him?”

  “Yes.”

  The men and women around the fire nodded.

  “Then he will come back…eventually
. But that might take some time. If he comes back, that is.”

  “Explain that to me.” Rayenne had the absurd idea that the Horlyns made her believe she would see men and women while they all were Horlyns instead. She tried to keep a distance. “Why will it take time?”

  “Was he sick when they took him?” Nassaly wanted to know.

  “Yes.”

  “Ah! That explains it!”

  “Does it?”

  “If someone falls ill in our village, we bring him to our friends.”

  “What? As a sacrifice?”

  “No! To be healed. If he doesn’t come back from them the gods have not wanted him to live.”

  “Or the Horlyns needed him for a perfect meal,” Rayenne muttered under her breath. Those standing around eyed her with open distrust. She lifted her hands to block their comments. “Hell, if you say, they help you with your people, I have to believe it, but that doesn’t mean that I take it for the absolute truth.”

  “We have lived with them in the neighborhood for all the time we can remember,” an old man called Rakan, said. The other settlers fell silent. “In the old days, young woman, the Color-changers took care of every single being. We were treated like kings and never suffered from thirst or hunger. They gave us food, they took us to this spring and showed us the hot well so that we can cook meals. They looked after us so that we did not suffer from illnesses. They protected us from wild animals and told us where to settle so that we would start families.” He wiped his large nose and curled his dark lips to a wry smile. “Families, yes, that would prosper here and live in peace. We are all one family.”

  Rayenne let his scrutiny out of old, green eyes pass without comment. He told her without words that she was the young novice to start another family. He expected nothing less than her full cooperation. The look around confirmed that every settler thought that way. She blew out air.