Torak glared at Leos as he moved yet another branch aside for Renn. Did he think she was as weak as a fawn, incapable of making her way through the forest by herself?
His glare intensified as he saw Renn smile at him in thanks. He had a sudden sense of déjà vu and realised that Bale had done the same thing for her when they were on the island in Lake Axehead during his time as an outcast.
Bringing himself out of the memory, he denied outright that what he was feeling was jealously or possessiveness – Renn was already his. They had been best friends since they were only 12 summers old and gone through too much to ever be apart. The very thought of their separation was unthinkable. It would take more than chivalry from a stranger to break them apart. But there was something else about this young man that made him feel unexplainably uneasy.
He sorely wished that Wolf was with them to sense any potential danger. But with a pang in his chest he remembered that Wolf, Darkfur and Pebble were many day walks south in their new den. It would be selfish of him to drag them around with him and Renn constantly on their travels. And yet, he still longed for his company. He hadn't seen Wolf in over a moon and he was missing his pack-brother terribly.
Torak watched Renn walking in front of him with a horrible sense of distance. He admired the way the evening light made her hair glow like embers, and he wanted desperately to reach out and draw her close to him. He could never get enough of their hugs and the feeling of her smaller, softer body in his arms. But once again he found his arms fixed awkwardly at his sides. Unsure of himself and what he was feeling, he kept his distance.
'What's the sea like?' he heard Leos ask Renn from up ahead. He'd been so focused on his own thoughts that he failed to notice the shift in conversation.
'It's huge. When you're in the middle of it, you can't see the end in any direction. We travelled to the Seal islands, and it was terrifying on the skin boats.'
'What's a seal?'
'Don't let them hear you say that,' Torak joined in the conversation, not wanting to be left out again. He remembered the Seal boys being outraged at his ignorance all those summers ago. He smiled sadly to himself, missing Bale more than he could say.
'They're like giant fishes, but with the faces of dogs.' Renn answered, looking back at Torak with the sharp-toothed grin that he loved.
Leos burst out laughing, 'what a strange creature! It sounds like you have seen a lot in your travels. What are the Seal people like?'
'They're hard-working, honest people. We made some good friends there.' Torak replied.
'That's good,' Leos nodded as he moved through the bracken. 'Hopefully you will say the same thing after you've spent some time with the Bear clan.' He turned around and gave them both a lopsided smile.
'I'm sure we will.' Renn replied, the excitement evident in her voice. Torak felt guilty. She's probably missing people, she's probably missing being in a clan, he told himself. You haven't been good enough company for her.
He pushed away his negative thoughts as he noticed several grey smoke columns in the sky not far ahead. The trail steepened and they descended down the side of the valley. Eventually they reached a flat stretch of earth that ran parallel to the river. He heard sounds of people and dogs, and sure enough when they emerged from the forest into a clearing, the camp came into full view in front of them.
It was a messy arrangement of shelters, fires, drying racks and dugout stands – just like every other camp Torak had seen. The only difference was that just to the left of the settlement; there was a great cave in the rock of the valley. He could see several more hide shelters and fires built inside it, so that the camp was occupying both the cave and the clearing near the river.
Why would anyone want to live in a cave? He thought wryly.
Then he remembered what animal these people took their clan name from: the Bear.
As they drew closer to the camp, the noise died down and the people stopped their activities, looking warily at the newcomers. Those who were down by the river stopped fishing and stared. Women put down their needles and men paused as they scraped hide. Little children stopped playing, noticing their parent's stillness, and watched with curiosity shining in their large eyes.
Torak looked at the district dress style of the Bear clan. Their hair colour ranged from dark brown to sandy brown, and they all wore it in long ponytails. Only the men had their temples shaved, and only the women seemed to have any plaits or beads braided into their ponytails. The men and boys wore short tunics with leggings and boots, and the women and girls wore knee-length tunics with boots but no leggings. The adults all wore a bear tooth at their throat, and a scrap of bear skin on their shoulder, sewn into their plain jerkins.
'Everyone, I met these two strangers in the woods. They are travellers from the west, over the mountains.' Leos introduced them, and they both crossed their fists over their heart, bowing respectfully.
'I'm Torak, and this is my- my friend Renn.' He hated stuttering, but he had to stop himself from saying mate. They definitely weren't mates yet. Friends didn't seem to sum their relationship up very well anymore, but he had nothing else to provide.
'We didn't know there was anyone else living in the east.' Renn said. He knew she wouldn't have missed his stutter.
'Well know you know.' A gruff looking man replied, but his voice was humorous and a few people chuckled. Torak wondered if he was clan leader, but he could see no distinguishing features about him. He couldn't see anyone who looked like a mage either.
'For tonight, they are our honoured guests. Let's give them a proper Bear clan welcome!'
'Did you say Torak?' asked an older looking woman from the back of the throng. The people parted and she moved forward. Was she the mage? Her face was open and hopeful, but she wore no ceremonial garments to set her apart from the other people of her clan, 'are you the same Torak who defeated the Soul-Eaters?'
Torak was stunned. How could this woman know about that? There was no contact between the east and west over the mountains, at least as far as he was aware. He furrowed his brow, he wanted a clean slate here, but could he lie to them? What would they do if they found out who he was?
'He is him,' another man said before he could answer, he pointed his finger, 'look at his forehead!'
Torak instinctively touched his outcast tattoo. He was still self-conscious of it, often using headbands even when alone with Renn just to cover it up. His cheeks heated up as he felt the entire clan stare at his face.
'Of course!' Leos breathed, looking at him as if for the first time. 'You must be Torak of the Forest!'
'I met a Mountain Hare hunting party a moon ago; they had heard from the Swan clan that the Soul Eaters had been vanquished once and for all by an open forest boy. His name was Torak, and by their description he looks just like you!' the woman exclaimed, her mouth turning into a beaming smile.
'Uh-'
Torak could not get a word in edgeways thereafter as the people of the Bear clan thanked him and shook his hand, praising his actions and offering him gifts. He learnt that their old Mage had connections with the Soul Eaters, and that the demon bear had killed several of their hunters.
After meeting what felt like the entirety of the clan minus the mage and the leader, Torak was sat down on a log by the main fire and offered a bowl of smoked salmon and berries.
Leos sat beside him, grinning. Renn sat to his right, looking uncomfortable at all the positive attention they were getting. Usually with them, they were captured or imprisoned when they met new people. This was a definite improvement.
The adults of the camp had gone back to their tasks, but the excitement was still buzzing in the sound of their eager voices. Gaggles of children watched the newcomers from behind shelters and drying-racks, fascinated by their different appearance. The brown-haired girls stared wide-eyed at Renn; they seemed particularly entranced by her striking red hair.
'So, who is your clan leader?' Renn asked after popping a few berries into her mouth.
'You're talking to him.'
'You?' they both asked simultaneously. He laughed at their expressions, before taking a necklace out of his pouch. It had a set of bear claws threaded onto it, along with several chunks of beautiful tree amber, carved into miniature bear heads. He put it around his neck.
'Do I look the part now?' he asked, gesturing to his necklace with a grin.
'But, you look so young.' Renn said, not wanting to offend him but unable to hide her questions. Torak admired the way she got straight to the point.
'I'm 28 summers old, so I guess you could say that I'm young. But I was chosen as leader because my Fa was the leader before me.' His cheery countenance fell. 'When he passed two summers ago, he gave the title to me.'
'I'm sorry that your Fa passed.' Torak said, knowing all too well the pain of losing a father.
'Thank you. He was a strong leader; I only hope I can be half as good.'
'You will be.' Renn spoke. 'You're Bear, all bears are strong.'
He smiled at that, and was about to reply, when he noticed someone approaching from one of the shelters.
He stood as a man approached them. Torak and Renn did the same, setting down their bowls to greet the stranger.
'Torak, Renn, this is our clan Mage, Kanuk.'
They both bowed to him, which he did in return. Torak was startled at the bulky man's appearance, which was drastically different from the rest of the clan's attire. He wore a sleeveless red deer skin jerkin, stretched taut over his muscular frame, studded with many white shells and beads. His leggings were also adorned by shells, but his large boots were plain. Around his neck hung a complicated necklace made from bear claws, teeth and bones. His hair was the same as the other Bear men, and he had a beard that made him seem even stockier. Bone earrings protruded from his lobes, and he had red ochre smeared around his eyes, giving him an intense stare.
'I hear you are the Torak of the Forest, the hero who cleansed our lands from the Soul Eaters?'
'Yes I am.' Torak's voice sounded piteously normal against the larger man's rich baritone.
'It is an honour to meet you.' He bowed again and smiled, gesturing for them to sit back down. Once they were seated, he began again. 'I have prayed to the World Spirit for help, but I could have never predicted that they would send such a blessing for our clan.'
'What do you mean?'
His face was etched in pain as he spoke. 'The World Spirit has sent you to us, the hero of the west, to save our clan.'
Torak frowned. He glanced at Leos, and saw his face had turned solemn. 'Save your clan from what?'
'The Demon.'
