Rhamin

by Bryce THOMAS

  The subsonic vibrations from far away were inaudible; at least, to a human ear.

  Rasci was having a dream. In his mind, somewhere, miles away, he was watching Ben and his dog chasing a rabbit through some long grass, in a small man made enclosure, at the side of the farmhouse. He had seen this boy in his dreams several times before. He didn’t know why. He had never met him; only the dog. He knew the dog’s name. He had heard Raymond Rozalski calling for Smokey on the mountain, when they fought the bears, but then he had not understood what he had said. But now, in his mind, he could see Ben calling her. ‘Smokey, Smokey! Over here!’ If Rasci had been there, what he was seeing and hearing would have been no clearer. In fact, in his dream, somehow the boy was speaking a language Rasci could understand. It was better than being there.

  Ben was running bandy-legged as he tried to skip over the long grass. ‘Over here Smokey!’ he cried. But the dog had found its own trail to follow. Suddenly, Ben was distracted by a shadow at the edge of his vision. He stopped and listened. He looked up at the sky and then, his head slowly dipping, he seemed to study a long shaft of grass by his feet. But he wasn’t seeing it. He was in another world of childish daydreams and far away places. Rasci watched him standing there in front of him, transfixed, eyes wide and staring. The boy stood there for what seemed like an age, and then, nudged by Smokey who had lost interest in her quarry without her comrade, the child blinked back to consciousness. His head swivelled. ‘Smokey!’ he exclaimed. He put his arm over the big dog’s shoulder and, abandoning the hunt, together they ran back to the farmhouse.

  Rasci slept on, but he was restless now. Something was breaking into his dream. He could hear a voice speaking to him far away in the background. ‘Some birds don’t land in trees,’ it was calling.

  ‘What?’ he was talking aloud but his eyes were still closed. The noise was louder. Low frequency vibrations, that hardly moved the air, were travelling over a vast distance, and the sound that those vibrations made was getting nearer. It was like flapping wings; only it wasn’t wings.

  Raymond Rozalski jumped as the sound engulfed him. Rasci saw it clearly. The noise cracked the quiet tranquillity of the summer’s day. A helicopter in the middle of nowhere, when it appears, on a baking, sun washed afternoon, when nature is at its most subdued, is alien to all around, even humans. Why it had to fly directly over the farmstead, suddenly scaring man, sheep and cattle alike, was a mystery to Raymond. It could well have detoured a little to the north or the south as it travelled westward. It wobbled as it went over and then, for some reason known only to the occupants, it turned and did another pass, this time banking to one side as if the pilot was looking for something. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it sped off towards the west and the plains that ran up to the foothills and the mountain forests.

  ‘Some birds don’t land in trees.’

  ‘What?’ Rasci was suddenly awake. His head jerked up and his ears rotated to get the best directional reception.

  He had heard something. The flies on the meat buzzed excitedly, but it wasn’t that noise that had bothered him; that was the sound of nature. There was something else, something alien, still a long way off.

  Travelling at two hundred knots, the helicopter had passed over the Darin within another twenty minutes. The pilot didn’t know the Darin was there, of course. No human being did. That’s why it was such a good den for Rhamin and his pack. Old Zelda was there, asleep in the cool shade of the cave. From the air, there was no sign of an opening to the cavern. It was just one of many tree scattered, rocky outcrops in the undulating landscape. The ancient old wolf had heard the beating noise of the rotor blades. She, too, had been dreaming when the sound first reached her ears. But she was soon awakened as it approached directly.

  Rasci had only seen the helicopter in his dream. He was twenty miles to the south of the Darin. But the sound was loud enough to be able to identify it. He wondered where it was heading. He had seen helicopters before, passing close by, but they were part of life, as were all the trappings of man. He knew about the hard surfaces men built and called roads and the vehicles that travelled along them; he knew about the collections of abodes, built from rock and wood, which men call houses, and which were gathered into townships. Wherever a wolf went in the world, men kind left an imprint. Man was almost everywhere at some time; in the forests, on the plains, in their enclosures they call farms and, far, far in the distance, there were distinctive rock buildings that belched out smoke and gave out chemicals that, even if not sensed by humans, were disturbing to the sensory glands of other creatures. And he knew that the factories, as humans know them, were scrunched in between huge gatherings of houses and other man made structures that make up what men kind know as cities. He had never seen a city or a factory, but Corvak, the wise, old raven had. He had told Rasci about them. Forests of buildings, Corvak called them, ‘stretching as far as the eye can see, even from the air!’ That had impressed Rasci. Even from the air! Where he lived, in the territory of his leader, Rhamin, there were no such forests; only forests of trees.

  He made a mental note to discuss the helicopter with Rhamin when they gathered together. Tonight he would call out and see if any other wolves from the pack were returning. He was looking forward to getting back to Zelda anyway because he needed to discuss his dreams.

  –––––––

  ‘Hello Gran,’ Rasci said. He dropped the meat he’d been carrying, on the floor by the mouth of the cave. Zelda was the wisest wolf Rasci had ever known. She was the only wolf he knew that could foretell what was going to happen in the future, and it was because of her gift that she was so regularly consulted by Rhamin. She was loved by the whole pack who would hunt for her and even fight for her, as they did a year ago when they fought the bears. Rasci loved her most of all for teaching him everything she knew. He couldn’t remember a time when Zelda wasn’t old. The last year of extremes in the weather had taken its toll more than age itself and now she walked very little and staggered unsteadily whenever she had to go outside the cave. Five years ago, when Rasci was a baby, she had been able to see him. She was very old even then. But she remembered his grey coat and thin, silver bib. He wasn’t her cub nor was she his mother, but he felt he was related to her in some way and, affectionately, he always called her “Gran”. He was only sorry she couldn’t see him now that he was full sized and mature. She would have been so proud of him. Now fully grown, he was as big as any other wolf in the pack except for Rhamin.

  Rasci had the same father as Rhamin, but he was the result of an illicit meeting between his father, Anval, and a young beta female called Celion who died soon after giving birth. He had inherited some of the size that his half brother Rhamin possessed and, like Rhamin, he was strong and fast.

  But Zelda knew Rasci well enough. She knew he was the clown of the pack, with never a bad word to say about anybody unless they deserved it. He was her source of news, and with it he brought humour as well as food. To Zelda’s mind, he was more like their leader Rhamin than Rasci realised. ‘What is it?’ Zelda asked, sensing Rasci was a little unsettled. She could hear him sighing and moving about restlessly by the mouth of the cave. He stood there, watching the last shaft of sunlight explode through a gap in a distant clump of trees as the sun fell silently from the sky.

  ‘It will soon be dark.’ He continued to gaze after the sun. ‘No moon tonight, Gran,’ he said as he contemplated what was on his mind.

  ‘Starlight is fine for your young eyes.’ She tilted her head, searching for some input from her carer. ‘Are you all right?’

  ‘Oh, I’m fine, Gran, don’t you worry.’ He broke his gaze from the fading sunset and turned towards her. ‘I’ll not be hunting tonight.’ With that, he went outside and climbed to the top of the rock that Rhamin used as a podium to address his pack. He lifted his head and howled.

  Moments later he heard a far-off call from Silvah. Her voice seemed strained, somehow. Then he heard another call from even further away.
It was hardly perceptible, but he knew it was Natan. Natan would, most likely, be answering Silvah’s call. Rasci howled again, trying his best to convey his meaning. He needed the rest of the pack right now. He wasn’t sure in his mind why. It was just a feeling. Some of the wolves would be alone, and some in groups. He wondered where Rhamin was. He usually called in the evening. Perhaps he was too far away to call tonight. Perhaps the other wolves had heard him.

  Quietly, and with a sense of foreboding, he climbed back down from the rock and went back to the cave. Zelda had moved just inside.

  ‘Well then? Tell me, what’s the matter?’

  ‘Sorry, old girl. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.’ He came and flopped down beside her and rested his chin on his front paws. He’d come home intending to discuss his dreams with her, but now he was back at the Darin he felt uneasy. ‘I must be tired,’ He said, with a quiet sigh.

  ‘But you always have something to tell me.’ Zelda gazed at him sightlessly, but he said no more. As the last light faded in the cave, Rasci closed his eyes and sunk into a troubled sleep.

  –––––––

  It was Zelda’s barking that awoke Rasci. At first he didn’t know if it was part of his dream, but slowly, as the old wolf ’s bark got louder, he fought off the clinging, overpowering tentacles of sleep and opened his eyes. ‘You’re having a bad dream,’ she said, licking his face. ‘I thought I’d never wake you!’

  Rasci was panting. Wolves do not sweat under their thick coats, and as his heart beat fast and his tongue hung out in the cool night air to aid his cooling system, he let Zelda lick him until his metabolism rallied. ‘Phew!’ He stood up and shook himself. ‘I’m sorry Gran. I didn’t mean to disturb you.’

  ‘Disturb me? You weren’t disturbing me. I have nothing to do but sleep all day.’ She paused and picked her words. ‘But I was concerned. There’s something up and I don’t know what it is.’

  Rasci sighed, stretched and looked around, but there was still no light from outside the mouth of the cave. He sniffed the cool air then, relaxing a little, he sat back down next to Zelda. ‘I’m not sure,’ he said eventually. ‘I keep dreaming all sorts of weird things.’

  ‘Well, I can tell that! You were kicking and barking and snapping in your sleep. If I hadn’t known you were lying next to me I would have sworn you were fighting for your life!’

  Rasci sat and thought for a long minute. ‘I think I was,’ he replied eventually. ‘Only I was there, watching, and barking and snarling, but they couldn’t see me. Nobody could! It was as if I were invisible!’

  ‘That’s dreams for you.’ Zelda shuffled closer to him. ‘Come on, my young hero, tell me. Tell me everything you saw. I want to know every detail.’

  Rasci was still panting heavily. ‘Well, it’s odd really,’ he said, broken by yet another round of heavy breathing. He tilted his head and contemplated what he was about to tell her. ‘It’s really strange. I’ve been having dreams like this for a while now.’ He paused and panted some more. ‘And it’s always Rhamin, Yeltsa and me fighting other wolves,’ he continued, ‘but I can’t make out what we are fighting about or where we are. It’s as if it hadn’t happened yet but it was going to happen, if you see my meaning.’

  Zelda nodded. She knew exactly what he meant. Dreaming of the present was one thing. You knew where you were, you knew what was happening. But she had been a seer for as long as she could recall, and dreams that were prophetic were always shrouded in mystery. There were seldom any sharp edges of clarity. All one usually saw were shards of detail cutting through a velvet curtain of blackness, a murky mire of ideas and thoughts mixed and mingled, poking out of the kind of infinite and unclear shadow that you only get in dreams and nightmares. ‘And you have had this dream before?’ There was deep concern in her voice now.

  ‘Yes, several times; four, perhaps five now.’

  ‘Then you must tell me whenever you have it again, do you hear?’

  Rasci seemed relieved to have shared his doubts and troubles with his old mentor. Then he spoke again. ‘I had a different dream earlier today.’

  ‘Oh?’ said Zelda, still very interested, but now a little remote. Rasci had been watching her; she was deep in thought. He could tell her mind was churning over what he had been saying; analysing and trying to make sense of it all. But, as he spoke, her mind snapped back to receiver mode. ‘And what was that about?’

  ‘Well that’s just it, I don’t understand it really. This one was a clear as sunlight. Once again, it’s as if I were there but, this time, everything, every detail is understandable. There is nothing mysterious about it.’

  ‘Then I suspect,’ Zelda said encouragingly, ‘that this was a dream about the present rather than the future; two quite different things!’

  Rasci regarded the old wolf. He admired her wisdom. ‘I think you might be right,’ he said. He gathered his thoughts for a moment and then explained, ‘There I was, at the farmer’s home. You know the one, the man whose farm we raided, the one that we saved from the bears?’

  Zelda nodded in the darkness. ‘Yes, I know the one.’

  ‘And I was there!’

  ‘In your dream?’

  ‘Well yes. But somehow it seemed more than that. It seemed like I was there, but I know I wasn’t, because when I woke up, I was lying where I’d fallen asleep!’

  ‘So what did you see?’

  ‘Everything.’ Rasci shrugged. ‘I tell you, it’s uncanny. I was there!’ I saw the farmer asleep at the front of his home. I saw his mate talking to another man and giving him instructions. I saw Ben playing…’

  ‘Ben?’

  Rasci sounded startled. ‘Yes.’ He leaned his head to one side and thought for a moment. ‘Yes, that’s his name, Ben.’

  ‘And how do you know that, young wolf?’

  ‘Well, that’s just it, I didn’t know I knew!’ He considered what he had just said and then went on, ‘I just know.’ He shook his head. ‘And what’s more, I can understand everything they are saying. It’s as if, because they are in my dream, then they speak my language! It’s… I don’t really understand it, but it’s as if I am one of them. But what I do know is that, although I am there, they cannot see me.’

  ‘I know just what you are saying, Rasci. I have had dreams like that. It’s all part of being able to see things.’ She thought for a moment. ‘Although, I am not sure I ever saw anything with such clarity.’ She paused again. ‘Or, perhaps I did, but I can’t remember.’ She shook her head and sighed deeply. ‘I’m getting too old. I’m a blind, decrepit, useless old fart! I’m certainly too old to be of any use anymore.’

  ‘Nonsense!’ Then he added, ‘Well, you’re not useless, anyway.’ He chuckled and Zelda gave him a reproachful nudge with her nose. ‘You’ve taught me everything I know, Gran.’

  ‘Huh, well, perhaps so. Anyway, you were saying?’

  ‘What? Oh, yes. Hmm, I was saying…what was I saying Gran?’

  ‘Oh deary me! I thought it was me that was losing my memory! You were saying that you were there and you were watching what they were doing, and…’

  ‘Oh, right. Yes, that’s what.’ He paused and thought again. ‘Yes, Ben… that’s the young boy’s name… boys are young men you know?’

  ‘Really?’ Zelda sounded interested. ‘No, I didn’t know,’ she said, shaking her head.

  ‘Well that’s true, or at least that’s what young men are called when I hear men folk speak in my dreams. I am not at all sure if I would understand any of the words they say if I were awake.’

  ‘Go on. I understand.’

  ‘And young females are called girls.’

  Zelda nodded. A new day was beginning to creep slowly into the mouth of the cave.

  ‘And well, I saw the girl; they call her Margo. She was mixing stuff with Smokey’s food!’

  ‘Smokey?’

  ‘The dog.’

  Zelda nodded. ‘Right. The dog. You mean…’

  ‘Yes, that dog, Lexa’s na
tural mother. And you know what?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘If it hadn’t been a dream, I’d have sworn it was Lexa herself. You’d not believe it, you know! The resemblance is remarkable.’

  ‘Really? Now that does surprise me; a creature that looks like its mother!’

  Rasci caught the irony in her voice. ‘Well, it… it’s just a bit of a shock, that’s all, Gran. You know, Lexa is Lexa. She’s a wolf.’

  ‘Yes, but she looks like a dog.’ Zelda nodded patiently. ‘Carry on, it’s a new day and I have all of it.’

  Rasci looked at the old wolf ’s face. He was sure she was smiling. But it was a well concealed smile. It was the sightless eyes that gave it away. They changed ever so slightly, perhaps crinkling at the edges a little. But perhaps the light wasn’t all that good yet. ‘Yes, I know you have. Great, isn’t it? I can talk all day and you can’t escape. You’re perfect for my purpose.’

  ‘I had gathered that in the past.’

  Rasci chuckled again. ‘And the dog… Smokey, she was playing at finding a rabbit with Ben.’

  ‘Oh, sounds like a well balanced family then.’

  ‘Yes.’ Rasci shuffled awkwardly. ‘Oh, I see. Well, to cut a long story short, this thing flew over the farm and the farmer awoke with a start, cursing and waving his arms, and…’

  ‘Thing?’

  ‘The big bird machine thing and its beating wings. They are ever so noisy, you know?’

  Zelda nodded again. ‘Yes I do know. I know very well, in fact. It flew over the Darin yesterday afternoon.’

  ‘Right. Well, it flew over the farm. And there were several men inside it. I could see them inside it just the same as I could see inside the farmer’s home. And one of those men was the one that was with the farmer, hunting deer, when we fought off the bears.’