Songs - Part 4

Shre'ka shifted restlessly, flicking an ear to dislodge an annoying bitefly. She was perched atop a rocky outcropping dotted with shrubs, vines and other vegetation that overlooked a small clearing. The others had left her there early that morning. Now the sun was high overhead, its heat unobstructed by clouds. The shrubs offered her some shade as well as concealment from potential prey, but as the day grew warmer, she longed to retreat to the cool of the forest shadows.

Irritable and uncomfortable, she scanned her surroundings, looking and sniffing for anything unusual, then took a quick sip of water from the skin slung over her shoulder. Her legs cramped from remaining in a crouch for so long, Shre'ka decided to risk standing up and walking about, just for a few minutes. Leaning her bow and arrows against the rock, she rose, then abruptly had to steady herself with a hand as a wave of unexpected dizziness overwhelmed her.

She blinked, trying to focus, and shook her head. It must be hotter than she thought. She felt short of breath and began to pant. That didn't seem to help, and she backed her ears as her heart began to race, feeling panic rise inside her. Her eyes widened as a sharp singular pain stabbed through her abdomen followed swiftly by a wave of weakness. She gasped, her ears flattening with worry. Sa'uuk's mercy! What was wrong?!

Her eyes caught a small dot of something bright and red on the stone beneath her. She became dimly aware of something tickling the fur of her thighs, like an insect crawling along her skin. She tried to brush it off, then stared in shock as her hand came away bloodied. Shre'ka's ears fell as she looked and saw blood covering her thighs, trickling down her legs to spatter in large ruby drops across the rock. She began to shake.

"No!" she moaned. "Please, no!"

Another pain wracked her. She cried out, reeling, the sun swaying before her eyes like a kaleidoscope of brightly colored spots, then collapsed.

*****

Slinking through the jungle's shadowed depths, a vek'na alpha paused, its broad nose testing the breeze sifting among the trees. It whined with eagerness, its ears pricking up, as it caught the scent of fresh blood nearby. Springing forward to follow the scent trail, it gave a growling howl, calling to its packmates. With answering cries, they joined him as he loped easily through the jungle searching for their either wounded or freshly killed prey.

*****

Zas'khan shifted the din'gu's carcass across his shoulders for better balance, then continued to trot back to the outcropping where Shre'ka awaited them. Out in front of the hunting party, he glanced behind him, seeing Mar'lo and Hra'tan not far behind. Each big male bore the weight of a slain din'gu as well. Bo'ku, trailing further back, carried one, too, and Kast'na and Sa'di were carrying one between them. Ma'na'nat, walking beside her mate, carried a string of various birds draped over her slim shoulders like a garish feathered mantle, and Fa'o was helping Dan'oa carry a kin'to she had slain with a skillful shot from her bow.

Zas'khan grinned. They may not have found a tran'ta or tu'volth, but the hunt had still proved to be a good one. The only bad thing was Shre'ka would feel left out. He backed his ears, but swiftly pricked them up again. His mate would no doubt be displeased, but he wasn't. He wanted her and the cubs she carried safe and now they would be. There was plenty of meat for the tribe after bringing down the small herd of din'gu. The hunting party would still fish and hunt small game on the way home, but that didn't hold the danger hunting big game did.

He neared the edge of the clearing and called, but received no answer. Frowning, he peered out across the clearing, looking intently at the outcropping. Seeing nothing, he was about to call again, when he noticed something break from the jungle along the far edge of the clearing, headed toward the rocky formation.

A vek'na! Zas'khan's ears fell and his eyes widened. With a roar, he dropped the din'gu he was carrying to the ground and charged across the clearing. The vek'na looked his way, baring its fangs in a snarl. Zas'khan hoped his appearance would frighten the animal away, but the vek'na continued to the outcropping and reaching it, sprang upwards, its claws scrabbling across the rocks.

His fur bristling in fury, Zas'khan dropped to all fours, racing forward to reach the ridge mere moments after the vek'na. In one powerful leap, he vaulted onto the beast, drawing his knife. The vek'na screeched as Zas'khan drove the blade deep into its flank and into its chest. With an agonized howl, the animal tumbled heavily to the ground, taking him with it. Zas'khan managed to scramble free, and ears flat, raced to the top, looking frantically around for his mate. Spotting Shre'ka's crumpled form, he crouched beside her, distraught, cradling her body in his arms.

"Shre'ka!" he roared, giving her a shake. "Mri'tan! Answer me!" He patted her face, feeling fear grip his heart with icy claws as her head lolled limply about.

Warning shouts managed to pierce the roaring in his ears and he whirled around to see two more vek'na appear at the top of opposite ends of the outcropping. Lying Shre'ka gently back, Zas'khan snarled, drawing his knife, holding it defensively between himself and the beasts as the predators stalked closer. He roared at them defiantly, knowing he probably had no chance against the both of them, but determined to protect his mate, regardless.

The vek'na snarled back, ears flat and teeth bared, then charged. Zas'khan braced himself, hoping to be able to kill at least one of the creatures, when the hiss of arrows came to his ears. Almost in unison, both vek'na fell to the ground, tumbling to the side from the momentum of their charge. One whined, trying to rise, but Zas'khan swiftly moved to kneel upon it, and quickly finding the soft spot between its neck and shoulder, drove his knife into its heart.

He sat a moment, panting, then returned to his mate. Stunned, staring at her in dismay, he finally made sense of the calls coming to his ears. He looked up.

"Hurry!" he called. "Get Fa'o! Shre'ka is...hurt!"

He saw Mar'lo and Hra'tan had neared the outcropping, both divest of their din'gu and with bows in their hands. Hra'tan nodded up at him and turned to run back for the healer apprentice.

A furious growl sounded behind Zas'khan, raising the fur on his back. He turned to see the vek'na alpha clambering over the back of the outcropping. Before he could react, it sprang upon him, claws outstretched, and the two tumbled off the edge of the rock to the ground below. Landing heavily on his left shoulder, Zas'khan roared in pain as the old injury to his shoulder during the Trials gave way. He frantically thrust his right arm in the vek'na's way as it lunged forward, and felt its jaws crush the limb, snapping the bone like a twig. Zas'khan screamed as the vek'na alpha lunged foward again, its maw closing about his neck.

His brother, Mar'lo, roared, clawing and stabbing at the beast to kill it or drive it away. He finally succeeded.

But not before it had torn out Zas'khan's throat.

To be continued...

Songs - Part 3

"Are you sure you should be going?" Fey'qua'ri asked. He and Shre'ka sat resting on a sun baked rock by the stream that ran nearby the village. Sunlight glittered brightly off the water's surface, marred only by the shadows of leaves cast by a zephyr sighing through the trees growing along the riverbank. "What does Ar'mari think?"

Shre'ka made a face, tugging her mentor's ear affectionately. "I will be fine! It will be several moon cycles before it will be obvious I am with cubs. Our People are strong. One hunt isn't going to hurt me." She sighed when Fey'qua'ri's worried expression didn't improve. "Ar'mari said it would be all right," she grumbled, avoiding her foster parent's searching look.

"But she'd rather you stayed here," Fey'qua'ri added, pressing the issue.

Shre'ka's ears went to half mast. She swatted her mentor lightly on the shoulder. "If you have already spoken with her, why are you asking me?" she growled, annoyed. "Ar'mari said I am not physically hindered. I wake up in the mornings and lose my food sometimes, that's all."

The old shaman frowned. "Make sure you eat enough. And get plenty to drink. Especially if you're the one they have sitting in hiding waiting to ambush prey they drive to you."

Shre'ka shook her head, smiling in spite of herself, and leaned over to give Fey'qua'ri a hug. "I'm not the first female to ever have cubs, you know. Such a fuss you are making! And Zas'khan, too! He treats me as if I could break like one of Har'muwl's clay pots! And Kast'na's mate, Sa'di, has been bringing me a honeyed spice tea every morning since it became known I am with cubs!"

Fey'qua'ri backed his ears. "We just want to make sure you are well, that's all. Having cubs is a happy time, my daughter, but it can also be dangerous."

Shre'ka recalled her mentor's mate, Sa'o'la, who died in childbirth. She leaned against Fey'qua'ri, sliding an arm about his waist as he wrapped one about her shoulders. "I know," she said gently. "And I know you are all just looking out for me." She smiled. "But everything will be fine. I did not think I would be mated to Zas'khan but that worked out, didn't it? I got to stay with the Ra'van'ti, didn't I? All is well now. Sa'uuk ah meh yah. There is nothing to fear."

Her mentor sighed, then gave her an affectionate lick on the forehead. "I suppose you are right," he rumbled in reluctant agreement as he stood, helping Shre'ka to her feet. "Still, for the sake of your worrisome Sa'uuk Mo'at, please be careful."

Shre'ka grinned. "I will," she replied. "But it's not like I will be alone. All the new couples are going. Now, is there something special we can try to bring back for you? We are hoping to run across a herd of din'gu, or maybe even bring down a tran'ta or better yet, a tu'volth if we are lucky! And I know Mar'lo, Bo'ku, and Zas'khan are wanting to do some fishing as well for Fan'tara. But what can we bring back for the Sa'uuk Mo'at of the Ra'van'ti?" she finished, gesturing with elaborate respect.

The old shaman though a moment, then smiled. "Some fowl would be nice."

Shre'ka laughed. "That's cub prey!"

Fey'qua'ri grinned as they walked back to the village. "Maybe so, but they are quite delicious!"

********

Sa'di hummed softly to herself as she wandered the forest near the Ra'van'ti village, noting the various flowers and plants growing nearby. The vegetation was different from what she was used to, but with Ar'mari and Fa'o's help, she had learned a great deal in the short time since she had joined her mate's People.

She had found a tree, its trunk covered in a profusion of go'la flower vines, and was sniffing one of the sweet smelling blossoms in delight when she felt a preternatural chill. Backing her ears, she looked about worriedly, then gasped when a dark figure detached itself from the shadows of a nearby tree and approached her.

Frightened, she dropped her basket and started to turn to run, but the figure waved a skeletal clawed hand before her.

"You do not need to fear," the shadow shrouded figure hissed.

Sa'di's face relaxed into a blank stare. "I do not need to fear," she replied.

The figure reached forward, pulling the go'la vines aside to expose a low growing plant with broad ebony star-shaped leaves. The hand waved before her, gesturing to the plant. "You will make a tea of this plant for Shre'ka."

Sa'di looked down at the uncovered seedling and nodded. "I will make a tea of this plant for Shre'ka."

"You will give the tea to her to drink every morning."

"I will give the tea to her to drink every morning."

A toothy smile glinted within the shadow. "You will not remember I was here."

"I will not remember you were here."

Ca'el'esh faded quietly away, leaving Sa'di standing befuddled for several minutes.

Finally, she blinked and shook her head, looking about her, perplexed. Seeing nothing, she shrugged, then smiled, looking at the go'la flowers once more. She began to pick some, then noticed the dark star leafed plant underneath. And without knowing exactly why, she plucked several leaves and put them in her basket.

To be continued...

Songs - Part 2

Shre'ka dipped a leather strip in a bucket of water, then wrapped the wet thong tightly around a bent sapling before securing it to the crux of a scaffold made of several other thin, but sturdy limbs. When she finished, she grasped some of the limbs and tried to shake them, pleased when they didn't shift.

The ends of the branches forming the roughly criss-crossed half-spherical shape had been set several feet into the ground with rocks and earth mounded about them to add support. Shre'ka speculated winds from even a severe storm would be hard pressed to uproot them.

Grinning, she crouched by the pail to get a drink, then cupping her hands, she filled them with water and walked over to Fey'qua'ri who was unrolling several bundled hides and stacking them nearby just as Zas'khan walked up carrying some more draped over one shoulder.

Her mate set the hides down by Fey'qua'ri. "That's all of them for now," he announced. "We'll have to go hunting to get some more out of So'ju'roh. Though with so many new mates building their own dwellings, I don't know if game will garner much in trade from him now."

Fey'qua'ri accepted some of the water from Shre'ka, thanking her, before giving Zas'khan a knowing look as she stepped over to offer a drink to her mate. "So'ju'roh gets not only food, but skins to make leathers from game, young Ro'at. Don't let him fool you. Game is ALWAYS a good trade for him!"

Zas'khan grinned thanks to the Sa'uuk Mo'at for his advice, then lifted up one of the hides to examine it. "These are very nice, though."

Shre'ka snorted. "Not as nice as old Su'bo's!" she retorted before breaking out into a laugh, thinking fondly of her departed friend. "And he'd be the first to tell you!"

Her mentor and mate smiled, laughing with her, then together the three of them began taking hides and draping them over the structure to attach them to the frame. It was early evening before they finished and shared a late supper. Afterwards the Sa'uuk Mo'at helped his foster daughter and her mate settle their belongings and many gifts into their new home, then went to his own dwelling nearby.

Stepping through the doorway, he looked about, a little sad to see the walls bare of Shre'ka's bow and quiver, her knife and spear, her articles of clothing. Living alone most of his life, the Sa'uuk Mo'at's dwelling had never been especially large, but it seemed much bigger and emptier now with his beloved student gone. Noticing her old bedding still on the floor, he knelt by her former sleeping place. Picking up a corner of the velvety soft leather coverlet, he held it briefly to his nose, smiling. Her scent yet lingered on it.

Letting the leather drop, he stared at it a long while, pondering. He would give it to her, but Ar'mari had already gifted the young couple with a set of much larger coverlets for Zas'khan and Shre'ka both to share. He supposed he could give it to someone else to use, but the thought wrenched his heart. He backed his ears and sighed, shaking his head. No, he would keep it for now. Perhaps Shre'ka would need it for her children one day. That was it. He would store it away until she had need of it again. Fey'qua'ri ran his hand over the coverlet, gently smoothing a slight crease in the leather, but made no move to pick the bedding up.

Instead, he got up and went to the doorway, where he stood staring forlornly out into the night for a long, long while.

To be continued...

Songs - Part 1

Fa'o's sweet, clear voice rose happily in song and almost as one the Ra'van'ti joined in, melodic lyrics punctuated with laughter as the tribe made their way through the jungle forest toward home. Many people swayed from side to side as they walked, clapping their hands or moving their arms in intricate gestures in time with the singing. Occasionally someone would call out with sheer exuberance to be answered by several others in kind. Only the sa'naku Shre'ka had ridden back during her Trial seemed disturbed by the noise, taking wing with an irate hiss to glide to another roosting spot a short distance ahead of the advancing People.

Shas'tan strode along near the front of the tribe, looking around at his clan, hard pressed to find a flattened ear in the entire group. He grinned. Spring Festival was over. And although it had started out bleakly enough, he could not have asked for a better conclusion. The Ra'van'ti had ultimately fared well this year. Their males had performed admirably, all able to claim themselves a Chosen, even Kast'na.

The anu'at's smile broadened, pleased for the youth. Kast'na had looked utterly stunned when he discovered he had finally succeeded in winning a mate. True, it had only been possible because of the extraordinary event of both Mrul'garr and Mo'du'khan of the Ta'gua withdrawing from the Choosing, and true, Sa'di, of the Na'lat, Kast'na's Chosen, was the last one to remain, but the youngster had beaten two other males during the Trials to win her and Shas'tan was happy for him.

The clan leader was also pleased that his second son, Bo'ku, had managed to win Ma'na'nat of the On'tak'na. Not only was she quite beautiful with her long, luxurious pale gray fur, but the tribe needed new blood, which both she and Sa'di would provide since all the Ra'van'ti Chosen had found mates among their own People.

He glanced about at the new couples, secretly delighted. Hra'tan's dark massive bulk was easy to spot and his and Dan'oa's smitten expressions left no doubt as to their happiness with each other. His eldest, Mar'lo, had made a marvelous match for himself and the People with Fa'o. She was becoming quite a skilled and deft healer, and her singing was exceptional. Shas'tan would have hated to lose her to another tribe. Besides, he knew their Healer Mo'at, Ar'mari, would have missed her greatly as well.

And his youngest, Zas'khan. Shas'tan chuckled, shaking his great maned head. He knew his son was beside himself with joy. And young Shre'ka, too. But perhaps more than anyone, the anu'at suspected, their Sa'uuk Mo'at was the happiest. Shas'tan knew the elder Cathar well and felt as a brother to his old friend. Losing Shre'ka to the Ta'gua or any other tribe for that matter, would have been devastating for the Ra'van'ti, but incredibly more so for Fey'qua'ri. Shas'tan was relieved the Sa'uuk Mo'at had been spared such a loss.

The anu'at was finding the laughter and happiness infectious. He looked around, searching for his own mate. He spotted Fan'tara not far away, having an animated discussion with Kar'fa, the Mo'at of Lore. Quietly, a mischievous glint in his eyes, he moved toward them until he was walking just to one side of Fan'tara, then brushed against her, dipping his head to give the tip of one of her ears a lick.

Fan'tara looked up at him, startled, the words she was going to say dying in her throat. She stared at him quizzically a moment, then caught his scent. Kar'fa's ears pinked.

Fan'tara nudged Shas'tan playfully with her shoulder, sliding her forehead underneath his chin. "Do you remember what it was like when we were Chosen, mri'te?"

Shas'tan closed his eyes and smiled, wrapping an arm around her. "Yes, I do," he replied. "Would you like for me to remind you?"

Fan'tara's smile was impish. "If we can stop to make camp early enough."

Shas'tan chuckled and gave her a hug. "I'll see what I can do."

To be continued...