by Ross Turner
“Is that wise?” Jared asked, concerned slightly. “The fields stretch far alongside the trees. It will make the cattle much harder to watch.”
“They won’t be straying close to the trees.” Vivian explained patiently. “They’re too afraid. And the Redwoods will tell me if anything is approaching.”
Jared nodded in mutual agreement then, his eyes going slightly wide, but, knowing that Vivian’s power was likely not simple fable, he didn’t question it.
“Very well.” He finally concluded. “If there’s anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Torches, please.” Kael requested immediately. “We need to mount torches on poles.”
“Mounted torches?” Jared questioned.
“Yes. So that we can see too.” Kael replied, casting a quick smile to Vivian, and she was forced to look away save blushing. “We’ll need to light the field.”
“Very well.” Jared accepted, looking up to the rapidly darkening sky. “I shall arrange it immediately.”
“Thank you.” Vivian said finally, nodding her head. “We’ll stop this Jared.” Vivian assured the nervous farmstead owner, smiling as reassuringly as possible.
“I hope so.” Jared agreed. “If anyone can, it’s you…”
Within the hour Kael had received his flaming torches as requested, each one tied to the end of a broomstick pole, which he immediately placed at regular intervals along the treeline. The four of them then set up in the barn, overlooking the fields through the broken panels in the walls, and prepared to settle in for the night.
The idea of Kael’s torches was to illuminate their entire perimeter, hopefully spotlighting any approaching threat for those without Vivian’s supreme senses, whilst, at the same time, not giving away their position. The last thing they wanted to do was highlight their position, and leave the area they were supposed to be watching dark.
And so, as the night set in, and darkness fell over the farmstead and the fields surrounding it, the farmhands all retreated to the relative safety of their homes, bolting their doors and barricading their windows.
Vivian and Kael and their two companions settled down also, but instead of in a secure, locked building, then nestled as comfortably as they could in the cold, draughty and exposed barn.
The sun disappeared along with all remnants of its warmth, vanishing mysteriously over the horizon, replaced by a perfectly clear sky, illuminated by the cold light of the moon and a thousand stars dotted across the rich, dark blue blanket above.
Wearing heavily on, the night passed by slowly and with watchful eyes set upon the trees. All night long, as the eerie silence and the endless darkness laid over them, Vivian and Kael sat close, side by side, almost touching, but not quite, barely daring to even breathe.
As time passed however, their torches flickered in the distance, stretching off in both directions, and the cattle grazed and slept and flitted here and there, moving very nervously. The Redwoods covering the distance to the south swayed and frothed and bellowed like a great, seething ocean in the breeze, fluid and tranquil, but at the same time immovable.
But there were no roars or howls to be heard, and nothing disturbed their defensive line of flames, and, though nervous beyond measure, the cattle remained untouched.
Morning eventually raised its head, and though they were wearied from their night of watchfulness, the four of them emerged from the barn unscathed.
Their uneventful night had left them all wondering whether their presence had deterred the attacker, or attackers, and whether it or they had known they were lying in wait. Nonetheless though, they were not discouraged, knowing that there had been a run of nights of late where no attacks had taken place, and they simply set up again the following night.
Settling down again in waiting, Vivian and Kael sat a little closer together, comforted by each other’s warmth, but yet again, the night passed without incident.
Four days and four nights passed in a similar fashion, with not a hint of sound or a flicker of movement to be heard or seen. And with each night and day that passed, though she was more and more wearied, Vivian was only all the more determined to not give up.
In the end, somehow knowing that their efforts here were futile, and clearly fruitless, Vivian came to a decision.
It was on the morning of the fifth day, when Jared approached them cautiously and inquisitively, as he had done every morning, seeking news of the night’s events, that Vivian informed him of her decision.
“Nothing again?” He asked, his voice peaking. He had been undecided over the past week or so whether the lack of attacks was a good thing, or simply the quiet before the storm…
“Jared…” Vivian began, rubbing her heavy eyes with the base of her palms. It had been another long, uneventful night, and her body felt sluggish. “I think it’s me.” She began to explain.
“You?” Jared asked, confused. “How can it be you?”
“I think that this creature, or these creatures, whatever it is, can sense my presence. I’m not exactly the most inconspicuous soul around…”
“Right…” Jared replied, admittedly still confused. “What are you trying to say? You’re not leaving are you?” The concern in his voice was evident.
Vivian had already spoken to her three watch companions, who had all eagerly agreed to her proposal, as by now they were beginning to get rather frustrated by the whole ordeal, or perhaps, more accurately, the lack of one.
“We’re going to head south, into the Redwoods, and find whatever this thing is.” Vivian stated, her tone very matter of fact.
“I see…” Jared started. “But what if you leave and it comes back?”
His question was an obvious one, and indeed Vivian had thought the matter over repeatedly, considering every such detail.
“If it tries to go around us, the Redwoods will warn me, and I shall return.”
Jared nodded then in response, though again his eyes widened slightly at the thought. He just took her word as gospel and left it at that.
“Very well then.” He concluded, clasping his hands together and adjusting his dirtied over shirt. “When do you leave?”
Vivian Featherstone looked up at the morning sky, slightly more clouded than the past few days, and bit her lip for a moment, thinking.
Finally, she looked back to Jared.
“Immediately.” She replied, her voice steady and levelled. “We leave now.”
11
It had taken them perhaps two or three hours to gather supplies and equipment, carrying only the bare essentials that they needed. Kael was experienced enough with travel through the vast forest anyway, they were home to Vivian, obviously, and Heath and Kandor did not seem in the least bit phased by the notion. As a matter of fact, they seemed quite invigorated by the whole idea.
Soon enough they were trekking through the undergrowth and between the seas of vast trunks, moving at a steady pace in a single file.
Vivian moved with the precision and confidence of someone who was perfectly at home. Kael’s movements were similarly expert, though he was clearly slightly more cautious and nervous than Vivian. And Heath and Kandor, though obviously unafraid, crashed through the bush in a manner that made Vivian visibly cringe, for the whisperings in her ears asked continually of her why they were so careless.
It wasn’t that they were overly thoughtless though, Vivian over time realised; it was simply that their powerful, muscular bulks were so tall and so wide that it simply was not possibly for them to apply stealth to the same extent as Vivian and Kael did. And so, she did not hold their conspicuousness against them, and simply gave them pointers here and there, helping them to quieten their rampaging steps, even if only slightly.
They travelled in the direction of the vast mountain ranges, heading generally in a south to south westerly direction, cutting through the Redwoods with ease as Vivian led them onwards.
Several days passed, but yet still they found nothing. Aside from general wi
ldlife and game, the forest was desolate of anything even remotely resembling a predator, and the Redwoods were quiet on the matter themselves, giving Vivian not even the hint of a clue.
Overnight they slept in huddles round a small fire, taking turns one at a time on watch. But even those efforts seemed wasted, and they slept soundly for three nights running.
It was not to last however, and on the fourth night, unbeknownst to Kael or Heath or Kandor, Vivian did not sleep restfully at all, and she tossed and turned and jerked in fits and starts as she dreamt.
In her mind’s eye, her vision blurred and hazy, Vivian saw Kael being chased endlessly through the thick woodlands. He threw terrified glances over his shoulder as he ran, charging through the trees and bushes, forcing his way through each, bashing and cutting himself painfully as he did so.
What exactly he was being chased by, Vivian didn’t know. All she could see from where she stood between the trees was a great looming shadow hulking its way after him, somehow melting through the trees without effort, as if it belonged there.
Was it the same shadow that had chased her through the streets, barely a week ago?
Every time she tried to run to Kael’s aid, or shout for help, she was stopped, restrained by some invisible force, unable to move or even speak.
She could only watch on helplessly as he was tracked and hunted and pursued, until finally, at the last moment, when the shadowy beast was finally upon him, Vivian startled awake.
The piercing shriek that she released then when she awoke must have carried for a goodly way in every direction, for it practically shook the ground as she let it fly.
“KAEL!!!” She screamed, bolting upright and startling her companions immediately awake also.
“Vivian!!” Kael responded instantly, darting to her side. “What is it!?” What’s wrong!?”
Burying her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking violently, Vivian tried to calm her racing breaths, and her heart pounded heavily in her chest like a thunderous drumbeat.
Kael rested his arms gently round Vivian’s shoulders, feeling her body shaking with every movement, and Heath and Kandor looked on helplessly, just as she had done in her dream, unable to help and not knowing what to do.
Suddenly then, as they glanced up for a moment, Kael and Heath and Kandor all felt their breath catch in their throats, and their bodies tensed rigidly, fear and uncertainty gripping them.
None of them dared move. Kael’s hand still rested on Vivian’s back, but even by that simple touch she still felt his body tense, and she looked up between her heavy breaths. But when she did, her breaths too stopped, and she rose slowly to her feet, her eyes flitting all around.
Encircling them in the trees, just as had happened to her and Kael when they had first met by Featherstone Keep, they were surrounded by a flurry of woodland animals. This time however, though their expressions were identically expectant and longing, there were hundreds upon thousands of them, packed in so tightly next to each other that wolves brushed coats with deer and hogs and bears, uncaringly, for their attention was focused so intently upon Vivian.
What were they doing?
At first glance, nothing, it seemed. Just watching, and listening, their eyes resting heavily upon the young, burdened Featherstone, afraid and imploring.
Something stirred then and caught Vivian’s attention. She whipped her head around, her senses edgy and tight. But when none of her three companions moved, she realised all of a sudden that the sounds were in her mind only.
Closing her eyes carefully, Vivian opened her mind to the Redwoods, pleased to feel them reaching out to her, for the first time in a very long time.
When they spoke, their hundreds upon thousands of voices rang clearly in her thoughts, their words embedded with generations upon generations of knowledge and truth. More powerful and resonant than ever before, their voices sounded certain and endless.
“Vivian.” They implored, speaking for every animal that they encompassed. “Vivian, they need you once more…”
The words struck a shiver down Vivian’s spine, chilling her to the bone.
But before she could begin to reply, or even think about what the Redwoods meant, her concentration was interrupted, shattered by a great bellowing shriek that echoed and raced through the trees terribly and hungrily.
There came the unsettling howls and bays that had been described to her so many times, and they reached Vivian’s ears yearningly, as if they had sought after her for years. And then, following immediately, came a sound that terrified Vivian beyond measure, for she had never heard anything of such immensity, not even during all her years spent with Red and Clover.
The roar that shook the trees then, and even the very ground itself, crashed into them with such devastating terror that the creatures all around them scattered immediately, fleeing for their lives in every direction, simply at the sound of it.
It reminded Vivian of the tale her father used to tell her as a girl: the one about the dragon, who when it roared it could be heard for hundreds of leagues in every direction. She had forever told herself that such a creature could never exist. But the bellow that echoed around them still, shaking the very ground beneath their feet, told her otherwise.
She shook off the notion resolutely however, trying to clear her head, along with the ringing in her ears.
Within seconds, the four of them were stood alone once more, her three companion’s faces a picture, their mouths agape, and the blood drained from their faces.
They were only stories, they were only stories, Vivian kept telling herself, repeating it over and over again, forcing herself to believe it, though fear gripped her heart fiercely. They were fairy tales of knights and heroes and monsters.
The blood of the forests and of the animals may have changed, but dragons didn’t exist, they couldn’t.
It was impossible.
12
Continuing south relentlessly, Vivian led her three companions on through the Redwoods, still heading towards the howls and the roars in the direction on the mountains, growing ever louder by the hour. They were all much more wary now, though they had by no means been careless to begin with, and they all jumped at the slightest sound. Even Vivian, with her vast experience in the woodlands, and her extraordinary senses and power, felt blind and helpless, as if something was blocking what she so desperately needed to see.
Something was definitely wrong. She didn’t need her powers to see that. She could sense it. She could feel it, right through to her very bones.
After another hour the cold morning light was creeping through the canopy above them, and Vivian looked up as the early rays streamed across her face, warm and comforting against her cool skin.
“What is it?” Kael asked, keeping his voice low so that only Vivian could hear.
“Nothing.” Vivian lied automatically, and very unconvincingly. She had learned over the years to hide her true feelings from those around her, so as not to attract unnecessary attention and questions.
For some reason though, regardless of the fact she’d changed nothing about her guise, Kael saw straight through her façade.
“Okay.” Kael replied. “But what’s wrong?” He asked, smirking slightly.
Vivian sighed, having known she wouldn’t have been able to convince him, she decided instead just to open up.
“I don’t know what’s going on.” She admitted. “I don’t know what this thing is, and I can’t sense it…”
“Neither can we.” Kael assured her, but Vivian shook her head.
“I know.” She replied, exasperated. “But I’m supposed to have all this power!” She hissed, clenching her teeth, desperately trying to keep her voice low. “I can’t even sense a few bloody wolves.”
“How do you know its wolves?” Kael asked then.
“What other animals do you know that howls?” She questioned.
“Fair enough…” Kael admitted. “But I know a lot of animals that roar, and none of them ro
ar like that…”
For that remark, Vivian had no answer, for indeed he was right. The only thing she’d ever heard that had come anywhere close to such a sound had been Red’s terrifying bellows, and yet even they had paled in comparison.
Then, as if on cue, a chorus of baying howls and bellowing roars ripped through the trees, closer than ever before.
Vivian and Kael darted from each other’s sides, and Heath and Kandor did the same, each of them sprinting desperately for cover. Vivian merged herself with a massively thick trunk to her left, pressing her back against it for all she was worth. Heath crouched low in the thickest shrubs he could find, and Kandor did the same, just to his right.
Kael had the same idea, but, unfortunately, fate had not favoured him in that moment.
As he bounded round the back of a tree, eyes fixed on a small, dense shrub that would easily have concealed him, he failed to notice the small, grey pressure plate protruding up barely an inch from the ground, half covered by fallen leaves and loose moss.
There was but the tiniest of clicks as Kael’s foot pressed the plate down, his bodyweight releasing the sprung mechanism all too easily.
Vivian saw it just too late, and in the blink of an eye, far too short a time for her to call out a warning, the monstrous metal jaws ripped from beneath their light covering of earth, and snapped fiercely shut.
Of course though, this time, the jaws were not empty when they closed, moving with such frightening speed and force, and instead Kael’s leg was between them.
The result was dreadful.
Without even the slightest hint of a fight, for it stood no chance, Kael’s leg shattered in the trap, as the teeth destroyed the muscles and tendons and ligaments about his knee, butchering them with ease. As for the joint itself, it collapsed in terribly, crunching horribly as it did so, having had no defence against such a thing.
Kael crumpled to the floor, overcome in an instant by the blinding pain of his leg being destroyed, and screeched in agony. Writhing about on the floor, his senses were paralysed by the anguish of his injury. He desperately tried to free his leg from the trap, but even if he could have done, it would have yielded nothing.