The Wolf Warriors
Chapter 1: The Essence
Daine sighed. Life had been hard after she decided to stay in Tortall and not live in the Realms of Gods. Her dam was living there as the minor goddess, the Green Lady. Her dam had been killed by bandits five years ago in Galla and her sire, a minor god, let her stay with him. It was tough to leave her parents but Daine knew she belonged here.
Daine was currently on the trail as the assistant to Onua Chamtong of the K'miri Redeah, the Queen's Riders official hostler. They were coming from the fair in Cria and traveling towards Corus, Tortall's capital. They were making record time, as usual.
Daine and Onua were camped in the woods, just over Tortall's border. Onua had gone fishing and Daine was checking the ponies. Onua returned with three large fish and her hair dripping. Daine grinned when she saw the wet K'miri.
"Did you catch those fish with your rod or with your mouth?" Daine called to the older woman. Onua spat out some lake water then made a face at Daine.
"Something dragged me in," Onua answered still spitting water. "At least we know it's safe to wash." Daine laughed as she headed in the pond's direction with Tahoi, Onua's ox-like dog, at her heels. She stripped of her clothes down to her underwear and jumped into the water with a splash. The water was surprisingly warm.
"Water is never this warm in Tortall's lakes." Daine said to Tahoi. Who cares? I don't. As if to prove it, Tahoi jumped into the water with a yelp of pleasure. Daine laughed and began to swim. Suddenly her head began to hum and itch pleasantly. Swirls of blue, green and aqua formed in Daine's head. It felt like the undine, a water sprite, only more thrilling. Daine lost her footing on the lake's bottom and was dragged under. She tried to kick at the blue-brown thing hanging onto her foot. It brought her to the surface and swam a few feet away to give her room.
Daine smacked it. It looked startled and ashamed at the same time. Daine blushed.
"Let's start over, hmm?" She told it in Common, wondering if it would understand. It nodded and motioned towards the shore. Daine turned bright red. The thing turned away. Daine stepped out and practically jumped into her clothing. The creature stepped out of the lake. Daine surveyed this interesting mix. From the middle of his-Daine had now figured out its gender-neck down to the middle of his chest was what looked like otter fur. It covered his chest and arms like a shirt. His hands were webbed and had hard claws where fingernails would be. From where his otter fur ended, dolphin skin began. It was slick and had a blue-gray shade. On his back, just below where the otter fur ended, was a dolphin's back fin. His feet were individual flippers like a dolphin's tail but he had two legs. His head however, was normal. He had yellow, almost serpent-like eyes and tan, weathered skin. His each strand of his long, black hair was twisted into a braid with three sea colored beads on the end of each one.
"Daine, dinner is ready!" Onua called from the campsite. Daine was too engrossed in this new creature to answer. She could hear Onua footsteps getting closer to her. "Daine-" Onua cut herself off when she glimpsed the creature. "Holy Horse Lords!"
That's what most people say." Daine stared. The creature had spoken. Its voice was light and sweet like a fresh cool drink of water when you're really thirsty. Onua tilted her head to one side. The hostler reached into a bag at her waist and flung powder into the thing's face unnoticed by anyone. The K'miri's fingers twitched: the only side effect of "eyebright," a lie detector used by those with mild Gifts.
"What are you?" Onua asked. Her fingers now glowed to all eyes. The K'miri's hand began to shake uncontrollably. She clutched her wrist and tried to stop the wave of invisible fire that felt like it was consuming her hand. Daine knew this was not a side effect of eyebright. Daine tried to help but there was little she could do to the hostler who was on her knees and sweating in pain. Daine looked up at the creature and saw a black animal was leaping towards it. The animal-actually a cat-lodged itself on the things face. The thing yelped and turned away. Onua stopped shaking and was relaxed again. All across her palm was a severe smoldering burn.
Onua stood shakily, wiping the sweat off her face with her good hand. The black thing removed itself from the scowling creature and proudly trotted over to Onua. Onua kneeled and picked up the small creature that barely fit in Onua's unmarred hand.
"Great Mother Goddess," Onua murmured. "It's The Lioness's minion." Daine frowned. Alanna of Pirate's Swoop, the King's Champion and often- called The Lioness, had never had an animal do her bidding. The girl peered over Onua shoulder. The thing, which turned out to be a cat, had bright violet eyes, the exact same shade as Alanna's eyes.
"Maybe Alanna learned how to shape change like Numair," Daine suggested. Numair was a great mage and also her friend and lover. Onua shook her head.
"Alanna told me about how she once feared her gift and how she wanted nothing to do with it," Onua explained. "She wouldn't want to go as high a level as that." The creature leaned over to look at the cat and chuckled, apparently unnerved by the cat's violet eyes.
"Small One, since when do you meddle in mortal affairs?" The creature asked the cat.
After Alanna didn't need me any more, I went back to the Divine Realms. It became boring there and I miss Alanna, the cat meowed. Daine gasped. She could physically listen to this cat but not magically, like she could with any other animal. The creature laughed callously.
"Small One, have you acquired a bond with a mortal?" The creature drawled. The cat bristled.
Yes, I have. The Goddess doesn't object so apparently it's fine. Do you have a problem with that?
"Not at all, but mortals can be-" He stopped short, throwing a glance at Onua and Daine but continued. "They can be manipulative at times."
How would you know, Ryokian Luminar? You have barely ever set foot outside of water.
"Hold it!" Onua yelled over the two arguing beasts. "We need to talk, but dinner is getting cold and I'm in no mood for cold fish." The cat sighed and the creature shrugged but nothing more was said. The girl, the woman, the creature and the cat all made their way to the campsite.
"So, your name is Ryokian Luminar?" Onua asked the creature as they sat around the fire after dinner.
"Yes it is," Ryokian Luminar answered. "At least that is what Wave Walker and they other gods and goddesses call me."
"What exactly are you?" Daine asked looking at his hands, which resembled otter paws. Ryokian sighed.
"I was created by Mithros, Wave Walker, and The Great Mother Goddess," Ryokian explained.
Here we go, the cat muttered. Ryokian made a face but continued.
"They created me out of light, fire, wind, water and earth and therefore I am not a mortal, an immortal, or a god because I am only an essence. I can't die or be hurt but I do have feelings and a mind of my own. I can detect all magic and rebound it upon the person who is using the magic."
"So that's what happened with the eyebright," Onua said, looking thoughtful. Ryokian nodded.
"Why do you look like that?" Daine asked motioning to the creature's body.
"This form was picked by Wave Walker because he thought it was appropriate attire for one of his minions. You see at the time, I was his servant and I did all sorts of anomalous jobs for the god. Of course, eventually I became bored of running errands and left the Divine Realms. I can change form though. I can be anything you can imagine and naturally, I have my own, very powerful magic." He finished, looking uncomfortable. Daine had a feeling it was something more than the stress from the interrogation.
"What do you do now that you are no longer an errand boy?" Onua asked bluntly.
"Whatever I want. Mostly I laze about in lakes or ponds throughout Tortall, Scanra, Tusaine, and Galla. Though I prefer Tortall because of the cold water. The Drell River is nice though." Ryokian said more to himself than to his interrogators.
"So who are you?" Daine asked the cat who was presently curled up in her lap. The cat stretched and moved from Daine's lap to sit so he could face everyone.
Just as Ryokian was a servant of Wave Walker, I am a minion of The Great Mother Goddess. I do her bidding, which sometimes means tagging along with a mortal that The Merciful Mother wants to keep an eye on.
"So The Great Merciful Mother wanted to keep an eye on Alanna?" Daine asked with awe. The cat nodded.
Although the gods and goddesses call me Small One, Alanna called me Faithful because wherever she went, I would be. Most of the time, I would perch on Alanna's left shoulder or in a specially made cup that was attached to her saddle.
"You really liked her and now you miss her," Onua pointed out to the cat. "So why don't you go see her?" The cat looked at Onua, his left ear flicking back and forth. His pupils turned tiny and he faced Ryokian.
So, that's why you came out of the water for once. They're going to come out. I can feel it and you knew along didn't you?
"Very good," Ryokian said, getting to his feet. "They want to block off their clearing and reclaim one of their own." When he said this he looked at Daine and his smiled faded. "We have to stop them, before their thirst for guerrilla warfare gets out of hand."
Chapter 1: The Essence
Daine sighed. Life had been hard after she decided to stay in Tortall and not live in the Realms of Gods. Her dam was living there as the minor goddess, the Green Lady. Her dam had been killed by bandits five years ago in Galla and her sire, a minor god, let her stay with him. It was tough to leave her parents but Daine knew she belonged here.
Daine was currently on the trail as the assistant to Onua Chamtong of the K'miri Redeah, the Queen's Riders official hostler. They were coming from the fair in Cria and traveling towards Corus, Tortall's capital. They were making record time, as usual.
Daine and Onua were camped in the woods, just over Tortall's border. Onua had gone fishing and Daine was checking the ponies. Onua returned with three large fish and her hair dripping. Daine grinned when she saw the wet K'miri.
"Did you catch those fish with your rod or with your mouth?" Daine called to the older woman. Onua spat out some lake water then made a face at Daine.
"Something dragged me in," Onua answered still spitting water. "At least we know it's safe to wash." Daine laughed as she headed in the pond's direction with Tahoi, Onua's ox-like dog, at her heels. She stripped of her clothes down to her underwear and jumped into the water with a splash. The water was surprisingly warm.
"Water is never this warm in Tortall's lakes." Daine said to Tahoi. Who cares? I don't. As if to prove it, Tahoi jumped into the water with a yelp of pleasure. Daine laughed and began to swim. Suddenly her head began to hum and itch pleasantly. Swirls of blue, green and aqua formed in Daine's head. It felt like the undine, a water sprite, only more thrilling. Daine lost her footing on the lake's bottom and was dragged under. She tried to kick at the blue-brown thing hanging onto her foot. It brought her to the surface and swam a few feet away to give her room.
Daine smacked it. It looked startled and ashamed at the same time. Daine blushed.
"Let's start over, hmm?" She told it in Common, wondering if it would understand. It nodded and motioned towards the shore. Daine turned bright red. The thing turned away. Daine stepped out and practically jumped into her clothing. The creature stepped out of the lake. Daine surveyed this interesting mix. From the middle of his-Daine had now figured out its gender-neck down to the middle of his chest was what looked like otter fur. It covered his chest and arms like a shirt. His hands were webbed and had hard claws where fingernails would be. From where his otter fur ended, dolphin skin began. It was slick and had a blue-gray shade. On his back, just below where the otter fur ended, was a dolphin's back fin. His feet were individual flippers like a dolphin's tail but he had two legs. His head however, was normal. He had yellow, almost serpent-like eyes and tan, weathered skin. His each strand of his long, black hair was twisted into a braid with three sea colored beads on the end of each one.
"Daine, dinner is ready!" Onua called from the campsite. Daine was too engrossed in this new creature to answer. She could hear Onua footsteps getting closer to her. "Daine-" Onua cut herself off when she glimpsed the creature. "Holy Horse Lords!"
That's what most people say." Daine stared. The creature had spoken. Its voice was light and sweet like a fresh cool drink of water when you're really thirsty. Onua tilted her head to one side. The hostler reached into a bag at her waist and flung powder into the thing's face unnoticed by anyone. The K'miri's fingers twitched: the only side effect of "eyebright," a lie detector used by those with mild Gifts.
"What are you?" Onua asked. Her fingers now glowed to all eyes. The K'miri's hand began to shake uncontrollably. She clutched her wrist and tried to stop the wave of invisible fire that felt like it was consuming her hand. Daine knew this was not a side effect of eyebright. Daine tried to help but there was little she could do to the hostler who was on her knees and sweating in pain. Daine looked up at the creature and saw a black animal was leaping towards it. The animal-actually a cat-lodged itself on the things face. The thing yelped and turned away. Onua stopped shaking and was relaxed again. All across her palm was a severe smoldering burn.
Onua stood shakily, wiping the sweat off her face with her good hand. The black thing removed itself from the scowling creature and proudly trotted over to Onua. Onua kneeled and picked up the small creature that barely fit in Onua's unmarred hand.
"Great Mother Goddess," Onua murmured. "It's The Lioness's minion." Daine frowned. Alanna of Pirate's Swoop, the King's Champion and often- called The Lioness, had never had an animal do her bidding. The girl peered over Onua shoulder. The thing, which turned out to be a cat, had bright violet eyes, the exact same shade as Alanna's eyes.
"Maybe Alanna learned how to shape change like Numair," Daine suggested. Numair was a great mage and also her friend and lover. Onua shook her head.
"Alanna told me about how she once feared her gift and how she wanted nothing to do with it," Onua explained. "She wouldn't want to go as high a level as that." The creature leaned over to look at the cat and chuckled, apparently unnerved by the cat's violet eyes.
"Small One, since when do you meddle in mortal affairs?" The creature asked the cat.
After Alanna didn't need me any more, I went back to the Divine Realms. It became boring there and I miss Alanna, the cat meowed. Daine gasped. She could physically listen to this cat but not magically, like she could with any other animal. The creature laughed callously.
"Small One, have you acquired a bond with a mortal?" The creature drawled. The cat bristled.
Yes, I have. The Goddess doesn't object so apparently it's fine. Do you have a problem with that?
"Not at all, but mortals can be-" He stopped short, throwing a glance at Onua and Daine but continued. "They can be manipulative at times."
How would you know, Ryokian Luminar? You have barely ever set foot outside of water.
"Hold it!" Onua yelled over the two arguing beasts. "We need to talk, but dinner is getting cold and I'm in no mood for cold fish." The cat sighed and the creature shrugged but nothing more was said. The girl, the woman, the creature and the cat all made their way to the campsite.
"So, your name is Ryokian Luminar?" Onua asked the creature as they sat around the fire after dinner.
"Yes it is," Ryokian Luminar answered. "At least that is what Wave Walker and they other gods and goddesses call me."
"What exactly are you?" Daine asked looking at his hands, which resembled otter paws. Ryokian sighed.
"I was created by Mithros, Wave Walker, and The Great Mother Goddess," Ryokian explained.
Here we go, the cat muttered. Ryokian made a face but continued.
"They created me out of light, fire, wind, water and earth and therefore I am not a mortal, an immortal, or a god because I am only an essence. I can't die or be hurt but I do have feelings and a mind of my own. I can detect all magic and rebound it upon the person who is using the magic."
"So that's what happened with the eyebright," Onua said, looking thoughtful. Ryokian nodded.
"Why do you look like that?" Daine asked motioning to the creature's body.
"This form was picked by Wave Walker because he thought it was appropriate attire for one of his minions. You see at the time, I was his servant and I did all sorts of anomalous jobs for the god. Of course, eventually I became bored of running errands and left the Divine Realms. I can change form though. I can be anything you can imagine and naturally, I have my own, very powerful magic." He finished, looking uncomfortable. Daine had a feeling it was something more than the stress from the interrogation.
"What do you do now that you are no longer an errand boy?" Onua asked bluntly.
"Whatever I want. Mostly I laze about in lakes or ponds throughout Tortall, Scanra, Tusaine, and Galla. Though I prefer Tortall because of the cold water. The Drell River is nice though." Ryokian said more to himself than to his interrogators.
"So who are you?" Daine asked the cat who was presently curled up in her lap. The cat stretched and moved from Daine's lap to sit so he could face everyone.
Just as Ryokian was a servant of Wave Walker, I am a minion of The Great Mother Goddess. I do her bidding, which sometimes means tagging along with a mortal that The Merciful Mother wants to keep an eye on.
"So The Great Merciful Mother wanted to keep an eye on Alanna?" Daine asked with awe. The cat nodded.
Although the gods and goddesses call me Small One, Alanna called me Faithful because wherever she went, I would be. Most of the time, I would perch on Alanna's left shoulder or in a specially made cup that was attached to her saddle.
"You really liked her and now you miss her," Onua pointed out to the cat. "So why don't you go see her?" The cat looked at Onua, his left ear flicking back and forth. His pupils turned tiny and he faced Ryokian.
So, that's why you came out of the water for once. They're going to come out. I can feel it and you knew along didn't you?
"Very good," Ryokian said, getting to his feet. "They want to block off their clearing and reclaim one of their own." When he said this he looked at Daine and his smiled faded. "We have to stop them, before their thirst for guerrilla warfare gets out of hand."