Onio

by Jeppsen, Linell

  “Rear guard, attend me now!” Tanah’s voice echoed around the cave’s walls. Turning to look, Mel saw three sasq warriors move to stand in front of the queen. Onio, Wolf, and four other sasq flanked her. Although the sasq towered over the woman, she stood tall…majestic in her authority.

  “Thunderbolt, Werecat and Leaping Frog, I would have you explain your actions to me,” Tanah demanded. Mel could see that the queen was trembling with rage. Wolf held some sort of whip in his hands and Onio stared at the sasq warriors with rage and disbelief.

  The biggest guard stepped forward and bowed. “Tanah, my queen, I am sorry we did not see or smell the threat before it was upon us.” It looked to Mel as though the big golden-haired guard really was sorry and, more importantly, perplexed. He kept glancing sideways at a smaller sasq with dark hair and a permanent-looking frown on his face.

  Tanah was staring at the smaller sasq as well. “Thunderbolt, come forward where I can see you better,” she snarled.

  The sasquatch hesitated for a moment and then stepped up next to the sasq who had spoken. “Yes, my queen?”

  Mel stared. The voices she heard were a magnification of thought, she knew. Perhaps because she could not hear the actual words being filtered through speech, Mel could, in many ways, sense more clearly the emotions behind the words.

  Mel had heard this warrior’s thoughts before, down on the valley floor. This sasquatch hated his queen, his king and his brothers. Most of all, he hated Melody herself with every fiber of his being.

  Chapter 14

  Melody and the sasq stayed in an adjacent cave for a day and another night, while some of the more seriously injured warriors rested and recovered from their injuries. The moss Mel helped the medics apply was a miracle cure. It seemed that within minutes of its application the damaged flesh grew pink and knitted together. There was nothing anyone could do about Black Pony’s damaged eyeball, though, but place it back within the socket, plaster the wound with moss, and tightly bandage the whole bloody mess.

  Despite the injuries sustained in the battle, most of the sasquatches joked and laughed with one another, trading stories and offering praise of one another’s prowess in a good fight. One sasq stood apart though, aloof from the banter.

  All three guards had been whipped for failing to defend the rear flank adequately. Two of the reprimanded guards stared at Thunderbolt with anger and loathing even as Wolf’s whip scored bloody tracks across their backs. The small, dark-haired sasq gazed back at them with a half-smile on his face.

  Tanah had asked them why they failed to see, smell or hear the threat. Werecat and Leaping Frog hung their heads and apologized for their part in the tragedy. Werecat went so far as to say that perhaps he was unfit to be a guard to the queen or king, which Tanah dismissed with a sniff. Mel watched Thunderbolt, his eyes glittering with glee, when he said that he had needed to relieve himself…and how was he to know that the cougars were just beyond the spot he stopped in for privacy?

  Mel didn’t believe him for a second and was amazed that the other sasq didn’t sense his subterfuge. She was becoming more and more convinced that, in some ways, her hearing, or at least the way she sensed things, was more acute than the sasquatches.

  No excuse saved the three guards from a whipping however, which Wolf delivered with ruthless economy; five stripes for each warrior, and then prompt attention to the cuts left by the whip’s caress. Werecat and Leaping Frog took the punishment in stride and now sat amongst their fellows, exchanging jokes and food. After the whipping, Thunderbolt rejected the medics help and went to sit by himself in a shadowy corner. Mel shivered as she saw him watching her now, eyes smoldering with hatred.

  Onio sat down next to her and the dog put her head in Mel’s lap. Rubbing Smiles’s ears with affection, Mel murmured, “What time is it…do you know?”

  Onio shrugged. “I think that it is middle afternoon. Tanah said we would be leaving soon. How are you doing, Mel?”

  Mel smiled up at the young sasq. “I’m fine, Onio.” She paused for a moment, biting her lip. Mel thought that Onio liked her, and wanted to keep her safe. What she wasn’t sure of was just how loyal he was to the sasq they kept company with. Mel was convinced that despite what they thought of her opinion, Onio and the others should know how little she trusted the sasq warrior known as Thunderbolt.

  Onio frowned at her and said, “What troubles you, Mel?”

  Mel took a deep breath and replied, “Onio, I think you need to be really careful around Thunderbolt, okay? He is trouble….” She faltered at the expression of shock on his face. “I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I don’t mean any insult, it’s just that—”

  Onio put a large hand on her arm.

  “Shh, Melody,” he whispered. “Come with me, please.” He arose and, taking her hand, led her away from the other sasq into a darkened tunnel. “Stay here for a moment, please,” he said. “And don’t move from this spot,” he added, pointedly.

  Mel plastered her spine against the wall and tried not to think about what creepy, crawly things might be inching along the stone wall above her head. A few moments passed, and then Onio and Wolf came back. The younger sasq took her arm and the three of them walked down the long, darkened tunnel.

  They stopped and Wolf said, “Onio tells me that something seems wrong to you, Melody. Please tell me what it is you sense.”

  Now that she was being asked, Mel hesitated. What if she was wrong… paranoid… nervous over nothing? Still though, Mel thought that she should at least try to express her feelings of uneasiness.

  She looked at Wolf and used her soul song to speak. “It’s the sasq warrior, Thunderbolt,” she replied. “Yesterday, before we climbed the mountain and entered the tunnels, I thought I heard him….” She paused for a moment. “I felt his hatred toward me, his queen, even the king. I think he means us all harm, Wolf.”

  Wolf looked at Onio. “I agree with the girl,” he said, to Mel’s relief. “I have not heard his thoughts, like this one does.” He glanced sideways at the small human woman. The look on his face was both shocked and amused, which made Mel squirm with embarrassment. “I feel that something is not right, though,” he continued. “That warrior’s actions do not correspond with his words. Did you know,” he asked, turning to Onio, “that Two Horses is Thunderbolt’s sire?” The young sasq shook his head.

  Wolf nodded. “It is so. Two Horses’s first wife was killed in a fall many seasons ago. It is rumored that Two Horses favors his second born over the first. It has caused strife within the king’s clan because the second son is Tanah’s offspring. He is small for a sasq and weak, but exceedingly clever and much loved by the king. Thunderbolt believes this is because his father is a lover of the small humans, but I have heard that, on the contrary, it is Thunderbolt’s many evil deeds that has caused his father to turn his face away in shame.”

  Mel realized suddenly, with a chill, that this was the reason that Tanah had come along on their journey. She had as much to lose, maybe more, than any one. The woman had left her beloved mate, her hearth, and everything that was familiar, to find her son.

  Wolf looked at Mel and Onio. “Thank you for the warning, Melody. I think we must all stay on guard against that one’s treachery.” Nodding, he turned on his heel and strode away.

  Onio smiled at Mel and then frowned in concern. “Does something else bother you?”

  Mel blushed. “Onio, is there someplace where I can go to the bathroom? I don’t know how to live like this! I’m filthy and don’t know how to get clean!”

  Onio slapped his forehead in disgust. “Oh Melody, I am very sorry! Of course, you don’t know our ways…stay here. I’ll be right back!”

  He walked away leaving Mel alone again. Her cheeks burned with humiliation. She was used to taking a shower every day and being able to wipe after using the toilet. It had been days now…she felt—knew—she probably smelled like a sewer.

  Onio returned with a torch and pressed a small bundle of woven pads int
o her hands. They were moist and smelled slightly medicinal. “What are these?” she asked.

  Onio grinned in the dim light. “These are our cleaning cloths,” he replied. “Come, follow me.” Taking her hand, they walked further into the tunnel. As they walked, Onio said, “These passageways were built many, many centuries ago by what some call the Worm, or Ant-people. It is truly a marvel of construction.” He stopped and, looking down at her, asked, “Do you smell the air, Mel?”

  Mel sniffed and shrugged. “Sure, it’s good,” she replied.

  Onio smiled. “It is pure, fresh and constantly in flow, Mel,” he replied. “It is said that these tunnels were built by the ancients during the time of the great lizards…that those people were somehow able to bore through solid rock in order to stay safe from the elements and the beasts that roamed the land during that era.”

  He lifted his nose and drew in a deep breath. “It is also rumored that visitors from other stars came to visit this planet. They saw that the people here were in dire need of protection, so they used beams of light and sound to create this place as a sanctuary from harm.” He shrugged. “However it came about, the creatures who built these tunnels had bodily needs, much like ours, I think. They built way-stations for disposing of waste, so the tunnels would remain clean…we are going to one now.”

  Mel realized that she had taken the fresh air for granted. Now that she thought about it, she understood that an almost constant current of air ruffled her hair like the windy fingers of a playful breeze. She marveled at the ingenuity of the ancient builders…whoever they were.

  They had walked for about a half mile when Onio stopped. In front of them stood a large slab of flat rock that he studied for a few moments. Then he wedged his fingers into a cleft and pulled. Mel didn’t know if the rock door was on wheels or suspended within some sort of pulley system, but after a second, it rumbled aside to reveal an enclosure.

  Much like an outhouse, there was a stone bench with a hole cut through the middle of it. Mel felt the air change from warm to cool and realized that the hole opened over a vast, high cliff. Looking through it, Mel saw the ground far below. Snow swirled in crystal eddies in the air and fog danced and writhed in the treetops.

  Onio said, “Use the cloth to clean your body, and then use the same cloth after you are finished with your personal business. You will feel refreshed until we reach the hot waters. Then, we will all be able to bathe properly.” He eyed her and the hole in the stone bench. “Don’t fall through, Mel,” he grinned. “It is a long way down.”

  He rolled the large slab of rock closed and Mel peered into the hole again. She felt a moment’s vertigo and then turned her back on the bench and peeled her clothes off. Shivering, she wiped a woven grass pad over her skin. It felt strange at first. The pads were cold and made her flesh tingle. Within seconds though, her skin was pink and clean. She sniffed under her arms and smiled at the fresh smell of herbs.

  She hoisted herself onto the bench and tried not to think too much about where she was perched as she relieved herself. Afterwards, she used the same cloth, and then let it fall through the hole to the ground below. Feeling better than she had for days, Mel used another cloth to clean her clothes. Getting dressed, she smiled with pleasure. Whoever made the herbal wipes would make a fortune, she knew, on the open market. The clothing she wore had not been laundered for days, yet the woven pads had removed grass, blood and sweat stains from the material like magic.

  Eyeing the pad for a moment, she shrugged and stroked it over her hair. It only took a couple of passes and she ran her fingers through hair that suddenly gleamed and shimmered with good health. She pulled the strands into a long braid, and tied it in place with a strip of material torn from the bottom of her shirt.

  Calling out, Mel said, “Onio, I’m done.”

  Instantly, the door opened and the young sasq smiled at her as she walked out into the tunnel. “Mel,” he said. “Those doors will open for you. I don’t know, exactly, how they work, but one doesn’t need to be big to open and close the way-station doors. Just find a finger-hold and pull, all right?”

  Mel nodded, smiling. “Your cleaning cloths are wonderful, Onio,” she said. “What are they made of?”

  Onio shrugged and responded, “Magic water. Only the elders know the recipe, and that is a closely guarded secret. The waters are used in healing, cleaning, aiding fertility, and sometimes are even used in weaponry. We will use this same water when we bury the young warrior, Rising Sun.”

  Onio heard a distant shout. Turning once more to the young woman, Onio said, “We are missed. It’s time to go back. We will have a short funeral for our fallen brother, and then resume our journey.”

  Chapter 15

  They gathered around the prone body of their fallen brethren. Rising Sun’s brother, Big Rock, sang a song,

  “The river waters flow, the rising orbs set

  The aged stag makes way for the new

  All living things in time are death met

  Their life’s song ring true….”

  Mel’s eyes stung. She recalled the young warrior’s gaze as he offered water to Onio. It was a look of curiosity, excitement and the hope of friendship. It was acceptance of who and what Onio was, despite their differences. Now the sasquatch lay cold and still.

  One of the medics lay a blanket over Rising Sun’s body. The covering was made of the same material as the cleaning cloths. Tanah looked to Big Rock, who nodded. She then accepted a flask of liquid from the medic and splashed it over the shroud. Immediately, smoke started rising and fingers of blue, red and orange fire felt their way over the warrior’s body. Silently, the sasq moved away and began preparations to depart. The funeral was over.

  Onio took her hand and said, “Come, Mel. We are leaving now.”

  Mel followed and picked up Onio’s leather sack. He raised an eyebrow. “Let me help, okay?” she asked. She was beginning to feel like a sack of bricks, useless and inert. Seeing that none of the queen’s warriors donned the saddle, Mel thought that the sasq would be walking for a while, rather than running. Mel wanted to be useful…for once.

  Onio studied her face and said, “Yes, that would be fine, Mel. But let me take the furs… they’re heavy.”

  Onio was right. Mel had only been holding the bag for a few moments and already her arm ached. She set the bag down and watched as Onio tied two rolled furs around his waist. Picking the bag up again, Mel sighed with relief. She glanced at the makeshift funeral pyre and gasped.

  The blanket was intact and unburnt, but the body underneath it seemed to be gone. As she watched, one of the queen’s medics rolled the blanket up and placed it within his kit. Big Rock stood nearby, watching. When the medic backed away, the warrior put his brother’s hide sack on the floor where the body had been. Bowing once in tribute, the sasq moved away and stood with the others. Tanah stood at the head of the line. She looked at Big Rock and spoke, “We share your grief today, brother. Rising Sun was like family to me, and he will be missed.”

  Big Rock bowed his head in gratitude. The queen continued, “We will make our way to the moon pools. There we will rest, bathe and make ready for our meeting with the high lords. As you know, there are hazards along the many miles of our journey. Please be wary….” She glanced at Mel and continued, “and don’t hesitate to call out if you sense an enemy. I have no wish to explain the death of another sasq to my husband, the king.”

  Mel stared at Wolf in surprise. He had apparently told Tanah about the small woman’s newfound abilities. He stared back, as if to say, “Of course I would use every advantage to keep Onio safe.”

  “I want to maintain speed. We are already almost two days behind schedule. Every day that passes….” Tanah paused and drew in a deep breath. “It is important that we get help as quickly as possible,” she concluded. “Let’s go!”

  The column of sasq moved down the tunnel. Mel found herself wedged between Wolf, who strode ahead of her, and Onio, who took up the rear. She noti
ced that Thunderbolt walked in front of Wolf and wondered if that was by design. The dog, Smiles, walked by Mel’s side, grinning up at her in companionable joy.

  They moved swiftly, but not so fast that Mel could not see the terrain around them. The torches showed the contours of the tunnels, and now that she knew the passageways were man—or sasq, or alien—made, she gaped in awe. There were square cuts, ventilation shafts, and sharp angles in the solid stone. Occasionally, a window or portal opened to the sky outside and Mel felt the cool, fresh air rush into the mountain’s interior. Onio was right…this truly was a marvel of construction.

  Once or twice, the sasq stopped and waited in tense anticipation while the forward scouts moved ahead of them, or held their noses up into the air. The first time it happened was a false alarm, but the second time sent the sasq warriors into a defensive huddle, with queen Tanah and Mel in the middle.

  Mel stared around in alarm, while Onio held her down on her knees with one large hand on her shoulder blades. Tanah looked at her and asked, “Do you hear it?” Mel shook her head but then she felt what the sasq heard through the stone floor under her feet.

  A rhythmic pounding echoed through the tunnel chambers. Mel could not fathom what might make such a noise but the queen glared in anger. A few minutes passed and then the sasq warriors relaxed. They moved away so their queen could rise to her feet and stared at her with confused and frightened eyes.

  Tanah looked almost as confused as they did. “The soldiers follow us,” she stated. “I have no idea how they knew we were taking this path, or even if they are aware that we walk within these mountains…almost under their wings.” She stared at each of them in turn. “If the small human soldiers know about our fields of travel, then our mission is compromised. If that is the case…,” she flushed with fear and rage, “it means that there is a traitor in our midst.”

  The sasq warriors recoiled, and Mel saw Onio turn to stare at Thunderbolt in appraisal. Two Horses’s son looked just as shaken and enraged as the other sasquatches though. He shook his long spear and growled in fear.