Fall of the Drjeen

by Sarah Cathey

  “Well, no one tells the low caste where the dangers are, and we have to eat, so…”

  Shook didn’t respond immediately and continued to lash the rope around the appendages of the beast hoping none had been damaged so much that they would be torn off during travel.

  “Yes, well, I’m sorry that happens. I’m just glad I found you before the Gramen got an easy meal.”

  “It wouldn’t have been that easy.” She smiled.

  “Probably the easiest meal of the day. You should have seen yourself trying to climb that tree.”

  It was against the law for a low caste to ride a Daken, even as an injured escort, so as soon as Shook had the Gramen lashed to Darma he awkwardly nodded that he was leaving and let out an apologetic vibration. “You should probably call it a day.”

  “I didn’t get what I needed,” she sighed.

  “You can’t stay here. Once death is in the air it will call in all sorts of creatures. You’ll never make it and I won’t be here to protect you.” He pointed off in the distance. That tree there, the shorter one has an opening above it. The canopy is clear there. I’ll wait until you are clear of the canopy and then I’ll head out.

  Shakja noted the tree not far off. “Thank you.”

  Shook nodded, sending out another vibration. Shakja jogged to the tree and began to climb. Shortly after that, she expanded her wings and in a great thrust of her legs, she was happily airborne. When she looked back, she could see Shook and Darma dragging the massive Gramen through the trees below her along a hidden path likely known only to the Daken scouts. She skirted the tree line, curious to see other Gramen below. Despite how terrified and close to death she’d just been, she couldn’t give up the opportunity to see one in nature. After a few disappointing loops above the forest, she turned and sped off toward home, dropping herself along the outer tree-line and swooping in a low arc above Shook as a thank you. Darma sprung up on her haunches in an aggressive affection, recognizing her feeder.

  Shakja took the berries she’d plucked from the Banished Forest and slid them in a small basket next to her bed. Hopefully, they would last at least a couple more days. She was hoping to gather at least a week’s worth, but obviously, her plans had been derailed. After the evening’s incident she had no inkling to go back to that forest and knew she’d relocate herself to the outer edges where pickings were not only slim, but also the berries were quick to spoil due to the thinning atmosphere that the Drjeen may have been equipped to handle, but the thin berry-membrane could not. Once the tri-color berries of blue, red, and yellow were in the basket she wrapped the remaining into another basket with a fastened lid. The second moon was already over the bluffs when she got home meaning she would be late, even to meet her friends.

  Overlook Mountain had one of the best views of the lower valley and the low and mid-caste huts lining Third Moon Lake. The second moon rose above the mountain, filling the sky in pink warmth. In fact, if the sky were clear enough and the moon bright enough one could catch a view of the Tower of the Moons. Oh, how often Shakja had dreamed of living in that slender tower being able to watch the stars even more than she could see from Overlook Mountain. She stepped from her hut with that thought on her mind, sadly knowing it could never happen. A lower caste had never been so high, at least as far as she knew.

  For the third time that day, Shakja launched herself from the base of her door, this time sweeping back toward Overlook Mountain, keeping her eyes as only a sliver to keep the light intrusion low as she flew directly onto the rising moon. Most of the way up the mountain she saw the pinnacle of stone jutting from the mountain face and a small grouping of her friends already perched and talking. She was late, but that was to be expected, although Shakja would never admit to that.

  Altear and Salett were already stretched out on the edge of the plateau, their wings tucked at rest and tightly under the bulk flaps of their sides. Shakja turned slightly, gliding as she came toward the outcropping and landing behind her friends.

  “You’re early!” Salett joked as Shakja brushed a few tree needles from her shoulders and chest.

  “Yeah, yeah. Funny. You need to give me a little peace today, I had a busy one.” Shakja pulled the basket from under her wing as she tucked them back. “I did manage to collect some berries for the two of you.”

  Altear stood, her thin frame bent and twisted to crack her lengthy spine while allowing her wings to spread for only a moment revealing the bluish undertone of her chest which swirled into the grey of her outer skin and scales. “I’ll take a few. I’ve been starved.” Shakja politely winced as Altear approached, a reaction that Altear was all too familiar with. Working at Fisher-landing along the common caste may have been a step up from the farms but came at a pungent cost.

  Salett walked up, the green of her chest plate reflecting in the light-cast of the second moon. “I didn’t think you’d make it tonight.”

  “You didn’t? Did you talk to Shook?”

  Altear and Salett glanced at each other and giggled.

  “Take your berries and get away from me,” Shakja laughed. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  Salett, a coyish smile revealing her sharpest fangs popped a handful of berries into her mouth. “I mean Gradjn was upset today. He wouldn’t stop complaining about you being late. By midday, I was ready to take my chances at banishment by yelling at him to stop.”

  “Hmm. Yeah, well.”

  A gust of wind ripped through the outcropping and hit the small bluff behind the trio throwing up dust, needles, debris, and leaves.

  “Riders will never get over their own power, will they?” Salett joked as she wound her tail and slammed it on the ground telling Shook that she wasn’t thrilled at the way he came in.

  Altear nudged Shakja, “It’s all ego.”

  Shook came out from the shadow of the bluff, his broad and muscular frame was still donned with his riding armor. As far as Daken riders go, Shook didn’t dedicate himself to the prejudiced differences between castes. While not entirely uncommon for warriors to acquaint themselves with lower castes it still was unusual. More commonly though a small group of low casters would “hire” a Daken rider as their protection from masters or gangs of rogues who would kill or maim a lower caste but wouldn’t touch one protected by a Daken rider. However, in Shook’s case, he simply enjoyed the unbiased friendship he had with the trio.

  “Sorry about that. I’m still ramped up from today.”

  Salett tossed a couple of berries at him which he caught in his mouth, “So, you finally got a little adventure then?”

  He glanced at Shakja, “You can say that.”

  Shakja grabbed hold of Shook’s arm up to the second joint as a greeting. She held up the basket of berries, but he brushed it away. Perhaps next time I should throw them at your face, she thought but realized he was probably used to finer food than just berries. Shook walked past the three and to a small pit surrounded by stone and filled with thin, dry branches. He took out a tool and after a couple of sharp smacks lit a fire. It was illegal for the lower caste to light fires of their own and few ever existed within the settlement for fear of wide-spread fire that would quickly destroy everything they owned. Shook lived in a warrior cave along the bluffs with little fear for fire. Once lit, Shook dropped to his leather-padded knees and rested his haunches. His tail wrapped around his feet while Shakja sat next to him retracting her spine and laying on her back, wings folded upward like an angled chair so she could gaze into the southeast sky where the line of the second moon would fall.

  Shook’s voice was deep and droning as if he were a Drjeen used to barking out orders under stress, but for these three he toned down his sharpness allowing for a smoother, gentler tone. “So, how was everyone’s day?” He asked, seemingly alluding to a story of his own and not expecting for Altear to jump in so quickly. “I—.”

  “Well, I caught the biggest Gandafish that the fish master had ever seen. “It was quite a battle, that’s for sure.” She glance
d at Shook who was feigning interest, “But, I guess you know what I’m talking about don’t you?”

  “I’ve never fished a day in my life,” Shook responded.

  “You know what I mean. Battle… Oh, never mind. Anyway, he was so happy that he let me take the tail end home with me.”

  “Must’ve been thrilling,” Shook genuinely enjoyed Altear’s enthusiasm. “How about you Salett?”

  “One of the farmers has been experimenting with a heartier bala grain, so the foreman had me prepping a field so he can grow a crop.”

  Shakja’s eyes never left the sky as the moon crossed over revealing the darkness and the beginning hints of far off stars. “I think I saw you out there today.”

  Shook grunted, “Well, I had the chance to see Shakja at her best today.”

  Salett and Altear looked to Shakja who finally took her eyes from the sky, “Yes. He saved my life in fact.”

  “I doubt that,” Altear said, letting her tail again tap the ground. “Your life?”

  “Yes, from a Gramen while I was picking these berries.”

  Salett peaked up, feeling the warmth of the fire on her face and chest. “Do tell, come on Shook, tell us what happened!”

  Shook relayed his story, but then Shakja took over telling her two friends how she’d seen Shook slay the Gramen below her. She left out the part that Shook never got to of cowering up a tree ready to be eaten.

  The four brooded over the topic of Gramen and how horrible of beasts they were, before silence found them all. Shakja was back looking at the stars, listening to the occasional side conversation, but her gaze was focused and unrelenting. She spent hours every night staring off and by now was able to name nearly every star any time of the turn. As Altear began to nudge herself into leaving, something she would talk about until the second moon was far below the mountains, Shakja saw what appeared to be a bright blue star she couldn’t recognize. In fact, she didn’t think she’d ever seen it before. She didn’t know all the stars of course, but this one stuck out more than the others. It was so bright and the color so brilliant she swore that she would have recognized it. What’s more, the longer she stared at it the more it seemed as though the star was moving beyond its normal sky rotation. It was nearing other stars as those stars remained their respective distance from each other.

  Shook was the first to leave, while Altear was now on a new conversation that Salett was partially following. Soon after Shook left though, the other two said their goodbyes and it was only Shakja and the smoldering coal of the fire pit. Shakja lay in quiet gazing at the strange star until the last of the orange coals died away. Soon after she knew it was her time to leave and she reluctantly left one of her favorite places, returning to her hut.

  Chapter 4

  By morning word had spread that the Daken-Riders had killed no fewer than ten Gramen along the outskirts of the Banished Forest. Shakja didn’t believe the warnings and could only assume her story of the previous day had blown to much more than actually happened. Both Altear and Salett would have been good at turning her near-death experience into something much more. Surprisingly Shakja was awake much earlier than normal and decided to fly down to the water’s edge for a quick bath in its warm waters. One of the few benefits that the lower caste received was the steamy warmth of the Third Moon Lake’s warm springs that kept the lake at a balmy temperature throughout the seasons. It was a favorite place for the lower caste, especially since the royals and higher castes knew nothing of the springs. Had they, then who knows what would become of the settlement as the area would surely become a refuge for the uppers.

  The sky was still dark when Shakja left the water and from the corner of her eye, a glint grabbed her attention. That same blue star was only a short distance from where it had been the previous night. Now, that is something.

  A grumble and roar bellowed through the small valley followed by a screech she hadn’t heard in many turns. It was, without doubt, the sound of a Drjeen in pain. Not just pain...dying. Without delay, Shakja burst into the night and broadened her wings forcing herself in the direction of the screeches. She could see the torch lights of the Daken riders too far off to help before the screeching would die away. Ahead of her, past the huts of the lower valley and halfway between the cliffs and the forest were two figures. One, a stumbling and disabled Drjeen, the other circling the injured Drjeen; it was a Gramen.

  Shakja, without thought, took a massive thrust from her wings and dove down like a streaking fireball toward the Gramen. The injured Drjeen spun to see the Gramen approaching and just as the beast moved in for its kill it was struck in the side by the powerful bulk of Shakja’s skull. The sound was deafening as both Shakja and the Gramen rolled away injured. Shakja was the first to her feet and with the Daken riders approaching she needed to act quickly. The riders would just as well kill the injured Drjeen and Shakja as they would the Gramen just to keep the rumors and panic of encroaching Gramen at bay.

  As the beast rose and darted toward the injured Drjeen Shakja lunged into the air and with her strong talons she grabbed the other Drjeen by the neck and took off into the air. He was heavy, but Shakja was stronger than most and all she needed to do was get to the edge of the settlement. The Gramen wouldn’t approach any closer...she didn’t think.

  None of it mattered though because as Shakja rose into the air she could hear the sharp thrusts of the Daken riders slay the Gramen. Then, unexpectedly a rider’s spear brushed past Shakja’s tail. What was happening? she wondered, before dropping down a few lengths and then swinging to her dominant side, hoping the spear was only one. She felt the thud as another spear struck the Drjeen she was carrying. The Drjeen yelped, but he was still alive; mortally injured, possibly, but still alive.

  Irritated, Shakja spun so she could see the Daken riders. There, among them, his spear drawn was Shook. A sad glimmer was in his eyes, but as he launched his spear Shakja thankfully saw it arc well above her. It was the last spear and she realized that Shook had once again saved her, this time delaying the other riders enough for her to escape.

  Shakja was met in the settlement by healers who quickly took the injured Drjeen leaving Shakja alone.

  The reality of what had just happened rolled over her like the warmth of water while diving into the lake. Shook may have saved her in the field, but he could do nothing if one of the other riders recognized her and reported her actions. The low caste was not allowed to put their self in harm’s way to save another. It was one thing to lose one low caste, but for one to sacrifice itself was another thing altogether.

  Deciding it was better to ingratiate herself at the whim of the farm and her foreman before the Daken riders came looking for her in the settlement, Shakja quickly got ready for work and left before the farms had even opened for the daytime workers.

  The telescope room at the Tower of the Moons was quiet with the only lights coming in from the open sky above. The three moons had since passed, but the stars helped to cast a somber glow upon one of the most important rooms on the planet Jeen. Even with the cast of light the silhouette sliding across the edge of the room was hardly noticeable. The figure made its way along one wall and then another until it came to a small desk alongside the great mirrors of the telescope. The Drjeen filed through a stack of documents quickly scouring each one for the information it was looking for. Nothing. Where are those coordinates?

  From the long hallways, the Drjeen could hear the soft steps of another Drjeen approaching. He knew exactly who it was. The shadow Drjeen had been monitoring the young Aput for only a couple days, but as a trained secret warrior he knew everything there was to know about the scientist. In fact, the young Aput may have a better knowledge of the skies than the benefactor who hired the assassin to monitor and gather information.

  As Aput entered the room the assassin seemingly disappeared and the faint glow from the stars was quickly replaced with the brightness of the room’s lights.

  Ittar was furious as the telescope room’s light
s flickered and then went on, blurring his own vision of what was happening. He’d seen his assassin abruptly disappear without grabbing the documents that Ittar had assigned him to take. If anything, the assassin should have at least killed the young scientist before Aput could make it to the royal family. The last thing he needed was a young and aggressive youngling finding something that his senior observers hadn’t the insight or forethought to identify.

  Aput was known to buckle under stress and Ittar thought he’d applied enough pressure to stop this youngling from moving forward, but he didn’t.

  Ittar tapped a button on his desk which shut the door to his office. He tapped another and a voice immediately responded.

  “Did you get it?” The voice was frostier than Ittar, vexing and also held the fearful tongue that Ittar was known for applying to underlings.

  “No. Your… warrior failed me.”

  “Failed? He never does. You must not have given him the proper direction.”

  Ittar only grunted. “I did not think this would be so difficult. I thought I would assign the task and when Aput came back with the data we needed I would approach the royals myself. I thought when I told Aput to go to the Royals without my blessing he would put it all behind him and continue with his own work.”

  “Maybe you underestimate him.”

  “Obviously. But, now what?”

  “Now, you let him go. You’ve lost your advantage. When the royals approach you then you say that your underling has stolen your data and taken it for himself.”

  Ittar thought on it for a moment. It could work. Then again, if the Royals did not believe the underling and he took such action, the blame would then come down on him.

  “Perhaps.” Ittar muttered.

  “What are you thinking?”