The New World: A Step Backward

by Skrzynski, Andy

  Mercivil jumped in his way, holding him back while she inspected the glistening wound. She cut part of his linen sleeve with her knife and placed the cloth over the laceration. "Here, keep pressure on this."

  Still squinting, Thoruk peeked around the edge of the cave's opening. "Oh no! It's attacking the horses. What is that?" While the repulsive predator's body was of a bird, the head appeared to be of a wildcat. It kept ascending, hovering, then diving towards the stallions — back and forth, up and down, but clumsy — blaring an ear-grating screech. Being too far away, Thoruk wasn't sure what to make of the frantic fiend.

  While he and his friends carefully hastened their descent down the cliff, a tortured cry shot from one of the horses. Glancing at the location where the steeds were tied, Thoruk spotted the tenacious brute attacking Midnight, who reared back with forelegs flailing. Shimmering red slices dripped along the stallion's neck.

  From behind, Mercy's deafening scream rang in his ears. "Fluf, kill!"

  Her resolute guardian roared and raced toward the bloodthirsty monster. As Fluf neared, she leapt then rose to her hind feet with front paws swiping at the persistent assailant. Horrified by the disturbing ruckus, the horses broke free and fled along the mountain trail.

  The barbaric creature shrieked and flew higher in a herky-jerky retreat from the threatening polar bear.

  As the panicked steeds galloped off, the obsessed muclone spotted Thoruk and his friends on the road and swooped at them with its treacherous claws extended. Ducking, Thoruk swung his battle-ax. "Watch out, it has long talons — maybe an eagle's body with a wildcat head."

  The savage killer flew skyward, turned, and dove directly at Mercivil. With a blood-chilling scream, it made a beeline towards her throat.

  Time seemed to stand still as Thoruk's acute concentration slowed every action to a crawl, looking back and forth between the gory carnivore and Mercivil. He saw the curved wings of the nosediving demon fill with air to brake its approach, each feather detailed in a blend of golden brown and charcoal tips, distinctive of a golden eagle.

  Then he noticed Mercivil's jugular pulsing as beads of sweat formed above her brow. The heinous freak's fangs jutted outward as the jaws opened wider, and its needle-sharp talons spread, ready for the strike. His friend's eyes bulged while she leaned back, desperately gasping for a breath.

  Lifting his ax, Thoruk bolted closer to strike the ominous predator, but a white blur with a booming growl pounced from nowhere — feathers and fur fluttered all about them.

  Within an instant, Fluf had the sinister creature by the neck between her long ivory teeth. The faithful guardian vigorously shook the helpless oddity until life fled its useless body. Whipping its head, the massive bear tossed the carcass aside. The would-be assassin remained motionless.

  Thrilled to still be alive, Mercivil hollered. "Way to go, Fluf!" She hopped and whirled, raising both arms.

  Thoruk wrapped his arms around her. "Are you okay?"

  She squirmed. "I'm fine. I was about to duck. That thing wouldn't have gotten me."

  Stormulka held his shiny sword high, shaking it. "If Fluf hadn't blocked my view, I would have sliced Mangy Catbird in half with my blade."

  Blood dripped from a small gash in Fluf's shoulder as she limped over and sniffed the unearthly anomaly. It twitched. She lunged, crunched the galling beast, and let it drop from her mouth. There would be no more movement from the mangled twist of bones and flesh.

  Mercivil gave her furry savior a big hug and tended to her wound.

  Venturing closer, Stormulka slowly extended his hand to carefully stroke Fluf's neck. For the first time ever, she didn't snarl at him.

  Reaching over, Thoruk gently squeezed his dearest friend's hand. Despite her jovial ribbing, her fingers still trembled.

  She stopped cleaning Fluf's injury and placed her hand on his and smiled. Her eyes flooded.

  Thoruk gazed into her glistening eyes as a tear dripped upon her cheek. "For a second — I was afraid." He put his arm around her. "Why didn't you use the power Intellulka taught you? That thing almost got you. I don't understand."

  She bit her lower lip as more tears trickled. "There wasn't enough time — but more than that — it was so crazed — its thoughts were jumbled. I couldn't understand it. There was no way to control it."

  Mercivil looked at her guardian then Thoruk. "I really need to improve my mind communication with Fluf — learn to break through any emotion. Until I can do that, I don't have a chance with these disoriented beasts."

  Overhearing the tender moment between the two, Stormulka interrupted with a smirk. "See, Dearie, that's exactly how we feel when we're trying to figure out what you women want. Welcome to our world."

  She glared at him then turned to care for Fluf.

  Taking the cue to give his heated companion a little space, Thoruk walked to the mutant's crumpled remains, lying in a heap. "Hey, you guys, look at this. The head of this creepy animal appears to be of a bobcat, but this is definitely an eagle's body. Even worse, those glowing eyes were blazing eerie. We've got another grotesque specimen for Intellulka's collection."

  Vaulting to her feet in a state of despair, Mercivil yelled. "The horses! We've got to find Midnight — he's hurt!"

  Thoruk quickly dragged the lifeless fiend to the side of the trail and covered it with loose branches and leaves. Whirling, he glanced at his friends. "Let's go find our horses. While Mercy tends to Midnight, I'll come back to take this monster to our old tutor."

  As he and his friends ran in the direction the stallions fled, Thoruk's thoughts filled with broader concerns than the lifeless muclone Fluf just killed. I sure hope Wolfuk makes progress soon. I need answers fast!

  CHAPTER TEN

  Wolverine Forest

  Wednesday ~ August 7, 2075 ~ Noon

  After getting briefed by Protuk late that morning and eating lunch before they headed out on their new mission, best buddies, Bartuk and Tradulka, set up their campsite at the edge of Porcupine Forest on the southern side of the Lake of Dreams. A sense of urgency gripped them given the importance of their assignment.

  Bartuk, the eldest and most experienced hunter at 21, was decked out in a camouflage linen shirt and deerskin leggings for the occasion. "Now that the camp is ready, let's go to Wolverine Forest on the other side of the lake. We'll search there first, return here for the night, then scout out the Porcupine woodlands tomorrow."

  "Sounds good to me." Tradulka, two years younger, snapped out his wool-lined bedroll and laid it on the grass. Dressed in drab, brown overalls and vest, Tradulka had proven to be the better marksman with his bow dubbed "Red." "Protuk sure seemed serious about those dangerous muclones we'll be hunting."

  Bartuk, who kept his curly, reddish-blond hair short above his ears in the summer, nodded. "Yea, serious enough that he took off to spy on Zolokt and his Skalags. Two people attacked — one of them dead — in just two days — that is kind of scary."

  Even though the stories were rather startling, Bartuk felt well prepared. I'm thankful Protuk and Wolfuk trained us for combat and tracking a couple of years ago. I've got a feeling we're going to need it.

  As Bartuk grabbed his bow and quiver, he recalled what they did after last year's hunt. He and Tradulka crafted large bows of the finest rosewood in the territory, under the tutelage of their fathers. Both diligently worked to create masterpieces that were elegant, yet powerful, with a killing range of 75 yards.

  On the bow, they carved exquisite scenes most memorable to them. His pal chose the colorful Eric the Red Mountains of reddish-orange minerals, hence the name "Red." Selecting the Lake of Dreams with its beautiful autumn backdrop, Bartuk called his intricately-designed weapon, "Dream."

  Realizing he was daydreaming, Bartuk blinked. "Hey, are you about ready?"

  "Yea, let's get going."

  After leading them around the lake to the edge of Wolverine Forest, Bartuk turned toward his companion. "To cover more ground, we'll need to split up. But it's imp
ortant to remain in sight and hearing distance of each other in case there's trouble.

  "It's hard to tell what we'll encounter. Keep your eyes open for everything: plants, animals, rocks or anything that moves, sounds, or even smells strange. If either of us finds something suspicious at all, holler so the other can help right away. Do not try to deal with it yourself. Okay?"

  Tradulka with his short, black hair and long, straggly beard grinned. "Yea, believe me. I'm not taking chances with any blazing muclones."

  Bartuk pointed to the left. "I'll take this side here. You go there and stay 50 feet apart from me. Let's walk in parallel until we reach the end, then shift over and head back again. Keep scanning side to side and up and down."

  "I understand. Let's go. We have a large area to scout before nightfall, and I don't intend to be trouncing out here after dark. Let's get back to the campsite by dusk."

  After five hours of trudging across logs and thorny thickets, but not discovering anything other than a hornet's nest the size of a watermelon, distant movement and noises triggered Bartuk's senses. He stopped in his tracks.

  Not wanting to yell for fear of spooking the unsuspecting being, he withdrew an arrow from his quiver, raised his bow, and let go of the shaft in Tradulka's direction, striking a tree 10 feet from his buddy. Tradulka jumped back and yelled. "Shivers, what are you doing?"

  Bartuk waved both arms and motioned him to be silent and join him. He spun toward the previous action. Dirt, stones, and sticks flew six feet in the air. Grabbing another arrow, he placed it against Dream and slowly approached the source of the disruption. Drops of sweat trickled down his curly, thin sideburns while his breath quickened.

  His friend caught up and whispered. "What did you find?"

  Bartuk pointed towards the projectiles soaring from behind an elm. Muffled groans and groveling noises emanated from the area as they neared the commotion. "Be careful. Get Red ready. Look, there's more activity."

  Acute curiosity consumed him, and he cautiously inched closer. His stomach muscles contorted as he leaned and craned his neck to take a peek over a small hill of clay.

  Searing pain spiked his forehead as a hard, flying object struck him. He stumbled backward, disoriented as his eyes blurred and legs wobbled. "What is it? What just hit me?" His heart raced as if trying to escape. "Get the beast! Kill it!" He glared at Tradulka, not believing what unfolded before him.

  His partner laughed so hard tears ran down his cheeks. "Stop it, you're making my stomach hurt." Tradulka continued, laughing uncontrollably and snorting while he pointed and shook his finger. "Look!"

  A furry black and tan creature emerged from behind the mound, lifting his snout and sniffing around as the common burrower picked up their scent. "It's just a wolverine digging out a den."

  Bartuk lowered Dream to his side as air rushed from his lungs. "Whew, I thought for sure it might have been one of them — you know." Gathering himself, he took a wide path around the busy critter, watching to make sure there was nothing unusual as they passed.

  As they continued their search, he heard Tradulka snickering behind him but chose to ignore it. "Everything appears to be okay. Maybe — if you would control your laughing — we could get back to our pattern. We only have an hour left. Be careful, there may still be predators looming out there — something much more frightening than that wolverine. Keep your eyes and ears open."

  Nighttime ~ 8:30 pm

  Bartuk sat across from his pal, enjoying the campfire. He laid a small, willow branch next to his side. "I hate to say this because I love adventure as much as anybody, but I'm just happy that wolverine wasn't a mutant."

  As the evening's light withered to darkness, bullfrogs hoping to discover a mate started croaking. Savoring the peaceful sounds, Bartuk looked out over the lake. Oh, my feet are killing me.

  He tried ignoring the pain as he tossed another log on the fire, enough to keep a low flame on a warm evening but still ward off threatening animals. "That was a lot of hiking today. I'm glad to be off my feet."

  "I'm with you on that." Tradulka took a sip of moonshine he kept in a flask by his side. "Want a touch?" He extended the brew toward his companion.

  "Sounds like a great idea."

  Tradulka scooted over to get a view of the lake as well.

  While his friend was preoccupied, Bartuk snuck behind him, taking the branch and slowly running it up Tradulka's back.

  He leapt high and whirled. "What on earth?"

  Bartuk snorted laughs as he rolled on the ground. "I thought you were going to jump in the lake for sure. Now we're even for you laughing at me earlier."

  "That's not funny with all the strange stuff going on these days. Don't mess around. I was just thinking about those tentacles from that fiendish vine Protuk mentioned. You scared me to death! I'm not giving you any more of my good stuff."

  "Aw, come on. I was just fooling around. Hey, look over there. See those fireflies?" He pointed toward hundreds of fluttering lights hovering above the water. "It's great to have a break to enjoy this."

  Tradulka shooed a dozen pesky mosquitoes, buzzing his ear. "Yea, how could it possibly get better than this — blood-sucking mosquitoes and lurking monsters." With both arms behind his head, he rested on a rolled blanket. "Whoa, did you see that?" He motioned toward the fading silhouette of the mountain crest, where a bluish-green aurora floated across the sky.

  "Yea, you mean the northern lights? The solar flares must have been active the past few days. That's quite a display!"

  Tradulka scrunched his face and muttered. "Stop yapping and just enjoy the view."

  Deciding his friend was right, Bartuk laid back to appreciate the dazzling exhibit. Smeared fluorescent greens, blues, and purples painted the sky's black canvas.

  Tradulka's eyes widened. "Stunning, those are the brightest northern lights I've ever seen. This sure beats anything we would have been doing back at our cabins tonight."

  Bartuk heard gagging to his side. "Hey, you okay?" He sat up and glanced at his buddy.

  "No! I'm choking to death on one of those blazing mosquitoes!" He held his throat while coughing.

  Bartuk rushed to help, slapping him on the back. After a few seconds, his pal felt better and they both lay back — mouths shut this time.

  When the flames began flickering, Bartuk tossed a couple more logs on the fire and poked the orange embers. "Get a restful sleep tonight, my friend. We've got another long day tomorrow. Good night."

  He settled down and watched the glistening stars and the full moon, so bright he observed the defined edges of the glowing orb's craters. I am sure tomorrow will be much more exciting than today.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  The Buck Stops Here

  Thursday ~ August 8, 2075 ~ 7:00 am

  After a decent rest, Bartuk was the first to rise. He softly shook his buddy. "Come on, wake up, sleepyhead." Bartuk yawned, wiping his eyes with his shirt. "It's time to get moving so we can cover Porcupine Forest today."

  He nudged his friend, then folded his red and blue bedroll and stuffed it in his leather pack. "You better get up now if you don't want to miss the action." Prodding, he gently used his foot to push the procrastinator over.

  "Okay, okay! I'm awake. Leave me alone." Tradulka shooed him off. "You got that coffee going yet? I need a shot of wake-up juice." He slowly pushed his body up with his forearms but plopped back to the ground.

  "Not yet, but I'm about to in a second," Bartuk sucked the cool, fresh air, filling his lungs as far as they would stretch. "Ouch!" He swatted his neck. "Shivers! I hate these pesky mosquitoes!" He waved his hands about his head to scare them off, but they kept swarming. I have to get away from here! They're eating me alive!

  He ran toward the beach, trying to escape the pests. Suddenly, he stopped and whispered with his hands cupped around his mouth. "Hey, come here — quick! Look! There's a couple of fox pups playing on the bank."

  The frisky, reddish-brown playmates chased each other back and forth i
n circles. They paused for a second, retreated, whirled, and charged each other again. Right before they were about to collide, they leapt vertically, kicking each other with their hind feet then tumbling to the sand.

  Bartuk laughed so loud the jittery pups scattered into the forest. With the friskiness of the young acrobats subsiding, he headed back toward the campfire.

  Before he got there, a thunderous splash broke the silence over the lake. "Stunning! Did you hear that?" Turning around, he noticed the ripples drifting away from where the large bass broke the glassy surface. "THAT has to get your blood churning! Look, there's another one!"

  Moving much quicker with the haze of sleep melting away, Tradulka hopped to his feet. "Now I'm pumped! Let's drink that coffee of yours and be on our way."

  After tightly rolling his bedding and putting it in the tent, the two of them sat around, sharing a few jokes while they finished off the last drop of their brew.

  Bartuk grabbed their aquaflasks. "Why don't you take a handful of your tasty jerky for the trip. I'll get some water." He strolled to the nearby spring and topped off both of the containers designed to insulate the cold water and keep it cool most of the day.

  His partner kicked dirt over the fire, stomped it out, and got the jerky. Each snatched their bows and quivers, and off they went along the wildlife path.

  As usual, Bartuk led the way. "Did you hear the wolves howling last night? They were whooping it up in the mountains."

  "Naw, not me. I was sound asleep."

  Bartuk rolled his eyes. "I swear, you could snooze through a buffalo herd stampeding through the camp." He stretched his arms high. "What a great morning — nice and cool for August. Perfect for trouncing around in the woods, searching for four-headed mutants."

  "Yea, but I could have used a few more winks before you interrupted my beauty rest."