Ha'ko'no crouched beside a rotted tree truck, his hind claws digging into the soft shards of blackish brown bark scattered on the ground. An arrow nocked and ready in his bow, his dark brown eyes peered intently through the jungle, anxiously watching for any signs of pursuit. Black nostrils flared on his dun furred face and he breathed deeply, scenting the wind. His ears twitched with relief, the warm, moist air bringing only the reassuring odors of the tropical forest's myriad of creatures, and plants in various stages of growth or decay. His whiskers twitched in satisfaction. This was Ra'van'ti territory, but there was no sign of Ra'van'ti ro'ats following their trail. Good. Ur'ruk would be pleased.
Or should be, Ha'ko'no amended to himself, flattening his ears uneasily. Ur'ruk, their small band's leader, had become unpredictable of late, his moods subject to change at any moment. He had been gifted with a short temper to begin with and the death of his mate, Var'shao, had only worsened matters. He lashed out at the group's few remaining members indiscriminately now. As a young, newly appointed weaker hunter, Ha'ko'no's shoulders bore many claw marks of his leader's rages.
The adolescent male snarled to himself. Things would not be so bad and Var'shao would not be dead if they had not foolishly intruded so close to the Na'lat encampment only a pawful of days ago. Even On'ru, Ur'ruk's second in command, had advised against it. They could have hunted for what they needed even trespassing on Na'lat territory. It was unlikely they would have been noticed, but no, Ur'ruk was in a hurry to reach the Gathering. Instead he decided for the group to sneak into the village during the night and simply take the food and supplies he desired. And so, Var'shao had been shot.
Ha'ko'no hung his head. Ur'ruk's mate had not died right away. They had all managed to flee the village, but the Na'lat arrow had pierced Var'shao's belly. She had struggled gamely on through the night and part of the next day, but finally collapsed. Yowling in great pain, she had died shortly thereafter, the small band of fugitives gathered helplessly about her.
Her presence was now sorely missed. On'ru's mate had died of illness the past winter. Var'shao had been the last remaining female in their small band of shay'orz, what the Tribes called little clusters of nomadic exiles trying to exist as best they could on the fringes of tribal territories. She had been the only one who could sometimes talk sense into Ur'ruk or calm his rages. She hadn't been very pretty, Ha'ko'no reflected, her scarred coat a dull, dingy beige, her small yellow eyes set too close together, but she had been a decent hunter, certainly the best tracker of the group, and she had, in her rough way, looked after him.
He shook his head sadly. He was not an exile himself but rather had been born to one. That group of shay'orz had been decimated during an attack from another outlaw band, leaving him to wander alone, trying to fend for himself. Ur'ruk's band had found him half-starved and taken him in. They had become his family, but with Var'shao's death and Ur'ruk's growing penchant for violence, Ha'ko'no found himself tempted more and more to desert the shay'orz and try to make it on his own. He feared if he did, however, that in his present state, Ur'ruk would track him down and kill him.
No, he thought, it would be better to wait until they got to the Gathering. There would be many shay'orz there. Maybe he could manage to join another group with a better leader and gain their protection. Perhaps, the young male dared hope, the band of the Anu'at of the Shay'orz. He was a giant of his kind, towering over even the tallest of the People by a good two feet or more. All the shay'orz paid his band tribute during the Gathering, either to curry favor or as protection from his wrath. Even Ur'ruk would not be so foolish as to challenge the Anu'at if he chose to take Ha'ko'no in!
The young hunter shook himself, coming back to the here and now, glancing up at the sky with a scowl. They needed to be on their way. No one was coming. They had committed a grave transgression against the Ra'van'ti, but they appeared to be safe for now. Staying low, Ha'ko'no slid deeper into the shadows, swiftly heading back to where his shay'orz and Ur'ruk no doubt impatiently waited...
To be continued.
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