The party had a nice meal in one of the dining halls, chatting amongst themselves and with Dr. Walt and Rindu about their travels that day. They all turned in early, sleeping in their own chambers, and all were up and in the yard near the stables before the sun came up.
“You know,” Nicole said to Sam, “traveling this way is not so bad. We can be home each night, eat a nice meal, and sleep in our own beds. It’s even easier than camping back home.”
Sam smiled. He liked it, too, but it almost felt like cheating to him compared to his travels when he was here last. “I’m glad you like it. It does make it easier to stay nights here in the fortress.”
Sam prepared himself, relaxing and connecting with the vibratory signature of the location where they stopped the day before. Soon, he had them transported to the forest clearing they had just vacated not a dozen hours before.
As the group traveled, they settled into an easy rhythm. They would go through the forests and the few clear areas during the day, at a pace that was an easy stroll for the rakkeben and the manu. They would take several breaks during the day to rest and to eat. It was as if they were out for an enjoyable ride. There was no pressure, no stress, and the landscape through which they traveled was beautiful.
Each evening, as it was beginning to get dark, Sam called them to a halt and he would memorize the area. Then he would teleport them all back to the fortress and they would eat, clean up, and sleep in their own beds. The next morning, they would do it all again.
On the fifth day they came to the area where Sam knew the city of Barstow was in Telani. Looking out over the forest, he had to remind himself of this fact. “Mom, we’re in Barstow.”
“What?”
“Where we are, right now, it’s where Barstow is in our world. Exactly where we’re standing.”
Nicole scanned the endless forest that stretched out in all directions. “It’s a little different than in our world, don’t you think?” She winked at him.
“I’d say,” Sam said. “Barstow is desert in Telani. It’s hard to believe. Anyway, we should be close, so keep an eye out.”
He sent to Skitter and Max, We are here. Do you sense or hear any other hapaki?
No, Skitter answered. It is very quiet.
Well, keep an ear out, or a mind out, whichever is appropriate, Sam sent back.
We’ll let you know if we find something. The rakkeben are probably scaring them.
Sam realized that Skitter was most likely correct. He talked softly with Shonyb for a few minutes and the wolves headed back the way they had come to hunt for food. It was only mid-morning, but the rakkeben seemed content to go off on their own. Sam had stressed that the food must not be hapaki. That ought to help, Sam thought.
The party continued to move around in the area, looking for signs of the hapaki community. Sam could feel the anxiety and anticipation in Skitter and Max. He saw it, too, in his mother and Nalia, by the way their eyes were wide and how they were scanning the forest floor intently, hardly blinking. Nalia’s beautiful face was so focused, it almost made him laugh. When in combat, every inch of her was relaxed and fluid. Right now, she swung her head from side to side mechanically, stiffly. She was excited to make contact as well, even if she couldn’t actually communicate with the creatures.
Sam gaped at the forest around him. It was thicker than most of the other forest he had traveled through when he was here last. Of course, he had been traveling on roads and paths then. This area seemed not even to have animal trails in it. He noticed oak mixed in with juniper, cypress, and several types of pine. Beneath the trees, the tangled underbrush made it difficult to move, even with some of it dead for the season. At least, it was difficult for the humans. The hapaki were right at home, slithering through the vegetation as if swimming through water.
The first indication that there was something wrong came when Nalia, up ahead of the rest of them, broke into a large area where all the foliage had been trampled down. It looked like someone had thrown a party in the area. Sam estimated that it would have taken hundreds of people to do this kind of damage. There were even signs that some of the tree branches and larger plants had been cut. Sections were lying on the ground with neat slices where they had been separated from the main plant or tree.
They all stood there, looking around. None of them one knew what to make of it.
“What do you think happened?” Nalia asked. “Is it related to the hapaki or just a coincidence?”
“The chances that it’s a coincidence aren’t good, I think,” Sam answered. “I still can’t sense any hapaki around, so maybe the community is not here, but farther away.”
Sam saw that the damage extended off to the east. There was a wide path as if a large group had been traveling. It similarly extended to the northwest. Sam could tell from the way the vegetation was crushed that whoever came through this area was going east, not the other way around.
“Which way should we go?” he asked, while sending the question to Skitter as well. They had been traveling northeast, so the choice was basically whether they would go left, back from where the group of people had come, or right, following whoever it was that made all the damage.
“I think we should go left,” his mother said, “toward where they came from.”
Sam looked at her, knowing that surprise was painted all over his face.
“What?” she said. “Didn’t you think I’d notice the direction in which the plants had been stomped down? I may not be the savior of a world, but I’ve read my fair share of fiction and seen an episode or two of Man Vs. Wild. I’m not that much of a city girl.”
“You should not underestimate your mother like that, Sam,” Nalia chimed in. “She is very clever. I have found this to be true.”
“I’m sorry,” Sam said. “I just didn’t expect it, that’s all. I know you’re smart.” Why did it feel so hot all of a sudden? “Anyway, I agree with you. Let’s try to backtrack on their path.”
They did so, walking through the middle of the devastated forest. It looked strange with the trees standing up out of the crushed and mutilated undergrowth. The trees themselves had not escaped unscathed, though. Their bark was scraped, their exposed roots scuffed, and there were sections that even had their bark peeled for a few inches.
In one area where it was obvious the group of people had stopped to rest, Sam was able to pick out more pronounced damage. Some trees had names carved in them. A small pile of wood shavings indicated that someone had whittled while resting here. The bodies of several squirrels and birds lay around the area, all with the holes of the arrows that ended their lives. Several fire pits, really only small divots dug in the soil, contained doused bits of half-burned wood and ash. Sam shook his head. At least they didn’t burn the forest down. As he scanned the faces of the others, he saw that they were as disgusted as he was.
An hour later, just as Sam was going to suggest they turn around and head east, he saw something he couldn’t really understand. There was a very large hole in the ground in front of him. He had strayed off toward the side of the path of devastation, so, as yet, the others hadn’t seen it. He just stood there staring.
It looked as if someone had dug a trench in the forest floor. It appeared to start at one location where there was a four-foot hole. From there, it wandered in a crooked path like a miniature river-carved canyon, stretching out for five feet or so and then branching, going on, and branching again. It almost seemed like someone had dug up a large burrow.
Feelings of incredulity, sorrow, and then fear flooded his mind. He turned his attention to his right and saw Skitter motionless, having also noticed the trench. No, no! the feelings came. Who would do this? How could they possibly—
Skitter, Sam sent to his friend. What’s wrong? What are you talking about? As he was sending it, he saw that Nalia and his mother had stopped and were looking over at them. The look on his mother’s face was a mix between the intense expression she had when communicating with the hapaki and one
of deep sorrow.
Don’t you see, Sam? Skitter sent. This is a hapaki den. It has been dug up. We have found what is left of the community.
Chapter 16
Sam’s legs felt like overcooked noodles. He knelt down at the end of the trench before they collapsed on their own. He tried to suck in a full breath, but failed. Why would someone do this? he sent to Skitter. What’s the purpose? His friend was silent, sending only feelings of horror.
He could see now, within the trench, that the original tunnels were of a size that would accommodate the hapaki he’d seen. There were also bits of flat stone and some shiny smooth material that seemed to be concentrated in just a few places.
Solar tubes, Skitter sent, along with images of long tunnels going down into the ground, lined with quartz and other shiny rock, allowing sunlight to make its way into some of the deeper chambers in the den. Sam knew the images he was looking at were from Skitter’s own den, but he got the sense that all hapaki used similar designs.
Sam heard his mother crying. He looked over to see her on her knees, with her head in her hands, tears in her eyes. “Mom?” he said.
She looked at him, eyes red and puffy. “Don’t you see, Sam? This wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t an isolated occurrence.” She pointed further up the path where other series of trenches were evident. “Someone purposely attacked this community.”
Sam realized she was right. All of the sets of dug-up tunnels looked like the one in front of him. The people hadn’t seen one and decided to dig. They made an effort to destroy the entire community’s dens.
“They specifically targeted the community,” his mother continued. “Why would anyone do that? The hapaki are the most peaceful creatures I’ve ever heard of. Why?”
He had no answer for her.
“Let’s look around and see if there are any hapaki left. They could have missed some. Skitter, Max, do you sense any others here?” His last sentence was accompanied by a sending to the hapaki.
We don’t sense anyone, but we will try harder, Skitter sent back as he shuffled toward the bulk of the destroyed dens.
As they headed off, Sam looked over to Nalia, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. She was scanning the damaged dens, a murderous look on her face. She sensed his gaze and her head snapped up. Her eyes flashed in the afternoon sun and the rage on her face made Sam want to step back.
“Nal?” he said.
“The hapaki are peaceful,” she said in firm, tight words. “From your translations, I know they can be arrogant, but in their own way, they are as honorable a race as any I have seen. They do not harm others and only want to live their lives. The monsters who performed this deed deserve death.”
Sam stood silent, shocked at the intensity of her feelings.
“We must find out who did this, Sam.” She looked him in the eyes, her own blue-green orbs afire. “We must find them and we must dispense justice.”
Then the rage left her as she spotted Skitter frantically scrambling amidst the trenches that used to be the homes of his cousins. Her head dipped and she sighed. “And we must try to find the captured hapaki and rescue them.”
Sam’s head snapped up. That’s right, there are no bodies. They must have been carried away. He smacked his forehead with his palm. How could he have missed that detail?
He went to her and wrapped his arms around her. “We will. We definitely will.”
A sudden sending from Skitter broke into his thoughts. We found a survivor! The hapaki sent to him. We found one of our brethren alive.
Sam and Nalia rushed to where Skitter was, fifty feet away. Nicole, picking up on the sending, was right behind them. When they got to him, he was standing in front of a patch of heavy vegetation at the edge of the flattened section of the forest. Sam could see some of the leaves trembling and could pick up on faint sendings of terror. He tried to send soothing thoughts of his own, but they only made the feelings emanating from the bushes worse, so he stopped.
The hapaki is terrified of you, Skitter sent. She has seen creatures that look like you rip her community-members out of their homes and drag them off. She thinks they are going to eat them later.
She? Sam sent back. Hapaki have no gender. Why do you call her “she?”
Whereas I have some qualities that you associate with being a “he,” she has more that would be associated with being a “she” in your race, Skitter explained. It’s complicated and not important right now.
“What can I do to help?” Sam said aloud for the humans, as he sent it to Skitter.
The best thing is to go back for a distance and let me talk to her. I’ll let you know when I can get through to her.
Do you want me to try to send thoughts to her? Sam asked.
No. It will only make her frantic. She thinks you will eat her.
“Okay,” Sam said. “Mom, Nalia, let’s go over there,” he pointed back toward where they were before, “so Skitter can calm her down.”
It took over an hour for Skitter to coax the other hapaki out of her hiding place. Then, when the rakkeben returned, it took another hour and a half for her to emerge once again. Sam took the time to learn the vibratory signature of the place, knowing that the frightened hapaki would not submit to traveling on the path the humans had made.
She was smaller than Skitter, close to the size of Max. Her fur was a deep chocolate color. Other than that, she looked like they did. Sam had thought that maybe with all the decades or even hundreds of years the different communities had been separated, they would have changed until they didn’t resemble each other so closely.
As soon as they could get the surviving hapaki to sit still and Skitter was able to explain to her that they would travel, Sam sat on the trampled forest floor, attained the khulim, and transported them to the location of Sam’s old house.
I will take her to my community, Skitter sent to Sam. It will take some time to explain the situation to them, but she will be welcome to stay with us. She will cause quite a stir, the first stranger in as long as any hapaki can remember. She will be fine.
Skitter allowed his sending to go to Nicole, too, so she heard it the same time Sam did, and Sam related what the hapaki said to Nalia. He would really have to learn to control where his sendings went like that, communicating with only one hapaki if he wanted to. It could be useful, he thought.
The humans settled down to wait as the three hapaki—Max would not be left out—went to Skitter’s home.
“Why do you think someone would attack a hapaki community?” Sam’s mother asked.
“I’ve been wondering about that, too,” Sam responded. “I have no idea. It seems an awful lot of trouble to go through to get specimens for a zoo or a collection. If they even have such things here.”
“They do not, in general,” Nalia said, “though there are rich men who may collect animals to show off to their friends. I do not think that was the case here.”
“Neither do I,” said Sam. “I don’t know why, but I have a feeling it’s much worse.”
When Skitter and Max returned almost four hours later, it was already dark. The moon was almost full, so Sam spotted the hapaki scuttling across the clearing before they even sent that they were back.
“How is she doing?” Sam said it aloud as he sent it to Skitter.
She is frightened, confused, and is telling all the community that men are coming to destroy and eat them all. Skitter’s sadness came through in his sending. I told everyone that not all humans are bad. They have heard the stories from my adventure when you were here last, Sam. Hopefully they will continue to remember them.
Is there any information that might help us to know who did it?
No. All humans look the same to her. She was out foraging when the people showed up. She hid far enough away from the community so that she wasn’t seen. They had some kind of animal that could track the hapaki to their dens so they could start to dig them up. She doesn’t know why they attacked the community.
&nbs
p; Sam shook his head. “Well, everyone, we need to go back to Whitehall. It’s too dark for us to travel even if I teleported us back to the path. We’ll have to start tomorrow morning. We should be able to catch them. We’re traveling mounted and they’re obviously on foot. I didn’t see any evidence of mounts. We’ll catch them.”
He sat in the grass in the clearing and soon they were back at Whitehall. When they arrived, Dr. Walt was waiting for them in front of the stables.
“Please come with me,” he said. His hair was even more flyaway than normal and he looked flustered. “Lahim Chode has had a viewing, and it involves that destroyed hapaki community.”
Chapter 17
Sam stared at Dr. Walt, at a loss for words. Nalia asked the question Sam wanted to ask. “When did he have this vision? Why did he not tell us?”
“He just had it a few hours ago. After he told me, I came down here to wait for you. You normally come back earlier in the day than this. I was beginning to worry.”
Sam shook off his confusion. “Let’s go. I want to hear what he has to say.”
They bade goodnight to the rakkeben and to the hapaki and headed toward the keep.
Sam, Skitter sent, I would like to come with you, to hear what this man has to say.
Of course, Sam sent back. Come on.
The four humans and the hapaki—Max decided to go to a den he had made in one of the parks—were at the door to Lahim Chode’s room twenty minutes later. When they knocked, he called to them to come in.
Chode was sitting up in bed, looking stronger than he was before. He had shaved and looked healthier. When they came in, he stopped writing in the book on his lap. “So, you saw what was once the hapaki community?” he asked.
“We did,” Sam answered. “Did you see the same thing?”
Harmonic Magic Series Boxed Set Page 65