The next few weeks sped by quickly and despite the new addition to their group being with out a horse, they managed to cover a great distance. Durc and Latie often rode double on Midnight to allow Darvalo to ride for a while, it was then that they traveled the fastest. They young man was more than proving his worth on their trip however. Not only was he an excellent hunter, with the added benefit of knowing this terrain well, he had followed Jondalar's teachings and taken up the flint craft. He was more than good and came close to equaling Jondalar's skill. Only a few more years of experience separated student from teacher. He provided his skill willingly for the benefit of the travelers and it only helped their cause to have such a craftsman among them.
Darvalo took his new responsibilities seriously and tried to help whenever he could. He was afraid he would become more of a liability than a help to his new friends. He knew he was slowing them down and he felt somewhat guilty about this. Durc seemed in a constant hurry and this perplexed him for sometime until Latie explained the true purpose for their journey to find his mother. She told him about the beginning of Durc's journey to the Mamutoi, starting with the dreams and going from there. After filling him in on what had happened since, Darvalo was in awe over his new friends. It took a strong spirit and a lot of bravery to start off on a journey to face the unknown on the direction of dreams alone. He was coming to see Durc more in the terms of which he viewed Ayla and was developing a small case of hero worship.
Durc was a man in his world, but hardly more than a child by Darvalo's standards. Though his powerful body proudly bespoke his manhood, it had taken Darvalo some time to see him as such. He had finally grasped one of the huge differences between the Clan and his own people. Durc was a man and had been so for a few years now, though he was early for it, even by the Clan's standards. It was something to watch him. He was quiet, respectful and supremely confident in his own ability to survive. With the ancient survival skills imbued to him by his Clan heritage and the intuitive abilities garnered by his mother's people, he was more than readily equipped to survive in this harsh, cold, glacial world. Darvalo was impressed and knew he could learn a thing or two from him.
He looked around the terrain from his higher perspective, still relishing the feeling of riding on a horse's back. It was new for him, though he remembered Ayla and Jondalar had both ridden horses, he had never thought to do it himself. He glanced over to the right and saw Baby loping along slightly ahead of the rest of them. The shock of that first confrontation had finally worn off, but he was still in awe of him. How could humans tame such a fierce predator? It had taken him a few days to lose his nervousness around the animal but watching him with Durc and Latie, he could see how gentle he was. Even when he first saw the lion, it was almost as if Baby expected him to be there. It had still scared him to death to see a lion sitting in the middle of their camp. He had screamed when the massive creature started toward him, letting out a low growl but thinking back he realized the animal had not been threatening him. After seeing him respond to Durc and Latie the same way, he understood it had been more of a greeting, though Darvalo had no idea how the lion understood he was part of the group now.
After that, Baby had given him a few days to get used to him, then had made a second attempt at friendship. Darvalo was a little better prepared this time, but he still had trouble getting over his nervousness around the huge beast. He had come up to him slowly, somehow making sure Darvalo knew he was there. He watched as the lion approached him, still more than a little scared of the creature but when Baby rubbed his massive head against his legs and licked his hand, a great part of that fear dissipated. He was in awe of the beautiful, majestic animal and it had taken him a second to respond in kind. Tentatively reaching out his hand, he felt the softness of his fur and was soon patting and scratching him just like he had seen Latie and Durc do.
Now, watching him, he felt a warmth for the animal he had never expected. With the addition of the lion to the group, there wasn't much to fear from other predators. Latie had told him of her experience with the hyenas and how Baby had saved her life. He shook his head in amazement, thinking of Ayla, and the courage it must have taken to raise him in the first place. Baby suddenly raised his head to look at him and Darvalo got the distinct impression the lion knew his thoughts. He shuddered, he knew that lions in general were smart creatures but Baby had an otherworldly intelligence. He had a feeling that the spirits were guiding his path just as much as they did Ayla's and Durc's and maybe even his own.
They rode at a slower pace, trying to give the horses a rest. Latie and Durc were riding double on Midnight with Darvalo on Lightning. Baby had decided to go exploring and none of them had seen him all day. The lighthearted banter of this morning had given way to a comfortable silence as they all occupied themselves with their own thoughts. Latie leaned back into her mates arms, letting the sway of the horses gate relax her. She felt Durc wrap his arm around her stomach and relaxed even more. She always felt so safe with him. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she loved the feeling of being in Durc's arms. His touch and his scent surrounded her and her thoughts drifted to later, when they could be alone in their furs. With her head leaned back against his shoulder, Durc looked down at her peaceful face and caught the barest glimmer of a smile. He wondered what she was thinking and had to resist the urge to ask. When she opened her eyes and caught him looking at her, there was no need. Her deep brown eyes held her inner thoughts and she felt his immediate response. He kissed her then and felt the passion running rampant just below the surface, held tightly in check. He reluctantly lifted his head, wishing they could stop early just this once.
Latie could see the regret in his eyes and knew how he felt. She focused her gaze ahead,and gasp at what she saw. They had been traveling through the last of the wooded foothills of the mountain range and now she could see the plains stretched out before them at the bottom of this last big hill. Spread out in a beautiful vista before them were acres upon acres of tall standing grass with huge herds of various animals grazing upon them. In the distance she could see the sparkling water of the Great Mother River winding its way through the grass and beyond that the white tips of yet another range of mountains still far away. She pointed them out to Durc and he only nodded, knowing what to expect from his visions, though the sight was magnificent to say the least. He felt a little relieved to finally be out of the trees, he liked knowing what was up ahead and the thick forest was somewhat eerie.
"Hey Darvalo, what do you think of getting some fresh meat for tonight's dinner?" Durc asked. Darvalo looked up, coming out of his reverie with a start.
"Ummm, sounds good to me, what did you have in mind?" he asked, and then fell silent when Durc pointed ahead to the fields filled with herds of grazers. He was just as impressed with the vision in front of him and silently nodded his agreement.
"Why don't we get moving and see if we can't get one of those bison or aurochs before sundown?" Latie said, giving Midnight a slight signal to move faster.
"Well, let's go then," Darvalo said and signaled Lightning to a faster pace as well.
They reached the bottom of the foothill well before midday and kept going a little longer, looking for a stream or river before stopping to make camp for the night. It was worth stopping a little early for such a good chance to hunt a large animal. They made their plans quickly, then proceeded to set up the camp with everything they thought they might need to aid in the hunt. They set out all their tools and weapons then made meat-drying racks, with the hope that they would be successful. Latie retrieved all of the dead wood they had collected on their way out of the woods , expecting to need it for the hot smoky fires necessary to dry the meat. She set up several fireplaces with the dead wood and kindling, so they would be ready when they returned.
When all was ready they took their weapons and headed toward where they had last seen the herds. When they got close they stopped and let the horses graze, taking them with them wherever they may roam. The horses settled into the grazing pattern easily and the hunters watched the herds pass in amazement. There were so many different types of animals moving across the vast lands, that many of the herds were intermixed with each other. The bison traveled with the aurochs, and there was one huge herd of all different kinds of deer. The hunters had never seen so many animals all at once.
"Why are they all moving together?" Latie asked, unable to take her eyes away from the countless numbers of ungulates.
"I don't know, I have never seen anything like it," Durc answered, he too was confused by the mixing of the herds. "Darvalo, have you ever seen anything like this?" Durc asked the other man. Darvalo's head was turned to the north but he turned his attention back to them at Durc's question.
"No, not like this, but I think I may know why they are all together. Look," he answered, pointing to the north. Durc and Latie turned to see what he was looking at and both saw it at the same time. Far off in the distance thick black clouds filled the sky, one tumbling over the other in their hurry to fill the vast blue emptiness above.
"Is that a storm?" Latie asked in wonder.
"That's no storm Latie, those clouds are from a fire, a big one. " Darvalo answered. "I think if we are going to get an animal we better hurry and then get going. It's still pretty far away, but I don't know what direction it's traveling or how fast. Right now the wind is coming from the south, but I don't think it started that way or all the animals would be moving north. It could switch back anytime and we need to be well out of the way."
They moved quickly, not much thought was needed to plan for a hunt, all they would really have to do is cast their spears right into the thick of the passing herds. They encouraged Midnight and Lightning to move closer, Durc and Latie making simple Clan signs so that Darvalo would understand. When they got close enough, within spear-thrower range but still far enough away to avoid being trampled by a stampede, they all sighted on the same animal. They decided to try for a aurochs instead of the much bigger bison. They did not need that much meat or have time to dry as much.
With the stealth of trained hunters, they silently loaded their spear throwers and quickly took aim. On Durc's command they all let fly with their spears, aiming for a fat heifer on the outskirts of the herd.
Latie's aim was a little off, and she hit the cow in the flank, turning her momentarily to the side. It allowed Durc a perfect shot and he hurled his spear as hard as he could directly at her chest. Darvalo's spear bit deep into her ribs a moment later and the cow fell dead where she stood. Fearing a stampede from the sudden smell of death, they backed away from the massive herd. The death of one cow among so many however, seemed to have little or no affect at all. They were on the move, in fear of a far greater danger than the small two-legged creatures in their midst. The herd moved on, no faster than they had before, nor did they stop or slow for the one of their own that had fallen.
The small group of hunters waited for what seemed like forever for the last of the herds to pass, then moved in to start the tedious process of butchering the heifer. Working together they took much less time. Latie slit the throat to allow the animal to bleed, then made the first slit from anus to throat. Durc and Darvalo stepped in to help her strip the cow of her skin, then started cutting the animal into manageable pieces to haul back to the camp. Latie rolled the hide and set it aside then, using the water she carried with her, rinsed the internal organs the best she could with no stream near. She rolled them up into the hide to keep them from drying out and moved to set up the travois for the horses. When she finished, the men had a good pile of meat stacked up and she started moving it onto the travois. By the time it was full, most of the meat was used, with only a few scraps and undesirable portions left over.
Casting a worried glance to the northern sky, Latie hurried the men along in their task. She had the horses loaded and ready to go by the time they had managed to clean up a little. Leaving the scraps to the scavengers, they headed back to their small camp quickly.
Row after row of thin, evenly cut strips of meat hung all around the camp, with little fires surrounding them to keep away predators and help them dry. The exhausted threesome sunk gratefully to their seats around the main fire to eat and rest. Latie handed out platters of food and the only sound was the pleasurable grunts of the hungry men. When they finished their meal, Latie broached the subject they had all been avoiding.
"Is it moving our way?" she asked, her voice breaking the somewhat strained silence. Darvalo cast a concerned gaze to the sky, but it was too dark to see the ominous black clouds now.
"I don't know, but we should be able to tell by early morning," he said, trying to keep his very real fear at bay. Grass fires were a dangerous threat to the few people that inhabited that sparsely populated earth and the only way to survive them was to stay out of their path. The animal life on those desolate plains far outnumbered the humans, but the Mother had her own methods of thinning the herds.
"I think we should turn in early and get up and on the move as early as possible," Durc said, moving to grab their sleeping roll.
"Do we need to keep watch for predators?" Darvalo asked as he unrolled his own bedroll.
'No, I don't think so, the only predator that could get close without Midnight and Lightning alerting us would be Baby and if he shows up, then none other would dare. I will leave out a haunch of meat for him though, just in case he does decide to come back in the middle of the night. I don't want him messing around with the strung meat," Latie said, as she moved to get a large roast she had left out for just this purpose. After all, the lion had to eat too.
They all settled into their furs and Durc wrapped his arm around Latie. It was nice just to be able to hold her close. She turned her head to kiss him and the suppressed passion from earlier quickly resurfaced. They lost themselves in each other, letting the concerns of their everyday life float away in a moment of pure bliss. When both were spent, they curled up together, sharing each others warmth and drifted off to sleep.
--
Durc peered through the thick smoke, his burning eyes trying to see. He breathed in and choked on the black air swirling around him. Why as he here? He knew he was in a dream, but what were the spirits trying to show him? Coughing and gagging, still trying to breath, waited for someone or something to appear. He couldn't see and the thick, smoke-filled air was smothering him. He felt lightheaded suddenly and fell to his knees. The air was a little better here, but not by much.
"What??" he croaked, his voice thick as his throat filled with soot. "What do you want from me? Help me, please." He coughed and sputtered as the vicious air sucked all the oxygen from his lungs. He felt his heart pounding in his chest and his eyes burned as he tried to look into the smoke for a sign of what the spirits wanted of him. He saw nothing and the last of his air was gone. He felt the dizzying blackness start to overtake him and he collapsed on the unseen ground. Just before he passed out, he felt a wet, warm tongue lick his hand.
Dragging one more searing breath into his already blackened lungs, he looked up through squinted, watery eyes and met the yellow-gold gaze of a wolf. The animal licked his hand again, then gently took it in his teeth and pulled. Durc stood, breathing with shallow rasping breaths and felt the pull on his hand again. He tried to see though the blackness, but all he could make out was a vague outline of the largest wolf he had ever seen. The animal took a few steps and looked back at him, piercing him with his glowing yellow eyes. Taking a few agonizingly slow steps, Durc followed. The wolf turned back and grabbed his hand again, pulling more insistently. He let go and took off into the blackness. Durc tried to move more quickly but his chest hurt and his eyes could barely focus. Trying to see where the wolf went he again saw only a fleeting image before the animal took off again.
"Wait! Wait, I'm coming, I will follow you! Wait, please, I must follow you! I must follow the wolf..."
Durc woke with a start, still coughing and gagging on the smoke filled air from his dream.
"Durc, are you alright? What's wrong, are you sick?" Latie asked turning over, suddenly awake. "Durc, what's wrong?" she asked again, when he didn't respond.
Durc dragged the clean, fresh air into his lungs, still feeling the ache in his chest and the rawness of his throat. This had been more than just a dream. He coughed again and tried to find his voice.
"We..," he started in a gruff voice and gagged, spitting out soot blackened mucus. "We have to follow the wolf!" He finally managed.
"What?" Latie asked, shaking her head in confusion. "What wolf? Durc, what are you talking about?"
"In my dream! We have to go and we have to follow the wolf!"
"Come on! We have to go, the fire is coming this way!" Durc said, leaping up from the furs. He grabbed a back frame and started stuffing their belongings into it. He was frantic, his big brown eyes bulging, talking to himself in hurried whispers. Latie sat on the furs watching her mate, concern etched on her face. She had never seen Durc lose control like this. It must have been some dream, she thought to herself. She looked over and saw Darvalo watching her, the puzzlement in his eyes easy to read. He opened his mouth to say something and she held up her hand to silence him before he uttered a single syllable.
She got up and walked over to where Durc was trying to tie a very untidy load to Midnight's back. She could hear him still muttering to himself.
"Have to leave...have to get out ...follow the wolf...find the wolf and follow it... fire...follow the wolf..." She put her hand on his shoulder and he jumped, when he turned around she could see the panic in his eyes and realized he was still living the terror of his vision.
"Durc! What wolf? Come on Durc, tell me about your dream, what wolf are you talking about?" she asked, the tone of her voice firm and commanding. She watched as his eyes focused slowly on her face and she could see the recognition in them almost immediately. She didn't know if it was her face or her voice, but she saw his shoulders visibly relax and he calmed down instantly. He looked at the pack in his hands as if he didn't know how it got there and looked back to her face slightly confused. She had his full attention now, so she asked again.
"Tell me about your vision, what wolf did you see?" she asked, speaking softly, trying not to spook him again. She took his hand and led him back to the fire and made him sit. While he talked she made him a cup of hot tea and listened .
"There was so much smoke, I couldn't breathe. It was so thick and black I couldn't see. I knew it was a dream and I waited for the spirits to show me what they wanted me to see, but nothing happened. The smoke just got thicker and blacker and I was suffocating. I think I was dying. Still nothing came, my eyes burned and my chest hurt and when I could not draw another breath, I think I passed out, or started to anyway. I felt something wet on my hand and I looked up. All I could really see was his eyes and vague outline of his body." He stopped long enough to accept the cup of tea from Latie and sipped the hot drink gratefully.
"He was huge! It was the biggest wolf I had ever seen, but he helped me. He licked my hand then took it in his teeth and pulled. He wanted me to follow him, I tried, but I couldn't keep up, it was so hard to breathe. He waited for me and when I saw him, he ran away again. I knew I had to follow him if I wanted to live... That's when I woke up. Latie it was so real, it was much more than just a dream. My chest still hurts and my eye are still burning. I feel like I swallowed a live flame. It was too real to be just a dream. We have to get out of here, I think the spirits were trying to tell us to leave this place." Durc finished, still reeling a bit from the intensity of it all. He looked at Latie's face and saw her eyes were huge and she was shaking.
"Tell me again what this wolf looked like, what he did," she said, looking over at the soot blackened phlem on the ground that Durc had coughed up upon waking and hoping against hope that it would be a different wolf. Darvalo was watching them still a little perplexed at Durc's panic and even more so at Latie's question. Then it dawned on him why she was suddenly so concerned about the wolf and his eyes grew huge. No, it couldn't be...
"Well, he looked like a normal wolf, his coloring was a little lighter than the wolves I have seen around the Clan's cave, but he was still gray and black. It was his eyes, he had these yellow-gold eyes and he was the biggest wolf I have ever seen. He seemed gentle, almost like Baby. He tried to help me, he licked my hand then pulled on it, trying to get me to come with him... that's all I remember about it, just that he wanted me to come with him," he said, not understanding her sudden anxiety.
Latie eyes were unfocused as images of the past ran through her mind. She saw Ayla pull a small ball of fur from the inside of her tunic, and set it on the floor. She remembered her own delight at seeing the small, fuzzy puppy for the first time. She saw the playful animal, swimming in the river with the children when he was older and remembered the protective watch he always kept on them. Then she thought of Rydag and the unique bond that the wolf and the boy shared and felt the tears come to her eyes. It had to be him, there was no other explanation.
"Wolf," she said sadly and the tears came. Durc was confused, he had already told her it was a wolf.
"Yes, it was a wolf, I told you that. Why are you crying?" he asked, and looked to Darvalo for an answer. He too seemed to be saddened and only shook his head.
"No Durc, that was not a wolf, that was Wolf. Your mother found a wolf cub and raised him like a son, like she did Baby. His name was Wolf. It had to be him, it sounds just like him," she answered, knowing that if Durc saw Wolf in the spirit world, that he was probably gone.
"Yes, I remember Mamut telling me she had raised a wolf, but how do you know that it's the same one?"
"Because I know Wolf. He was kind and gentle and he was huge too. If it is the same one, he is probably dead and watching out for you from the spirit world."
"Well, I dreamed of Baby, and he's not from the spirit world, he's alive. Maybe this is the same thing.
Latie shook her head. "No, Wolf would never leave Ayla like Baby did, never. He loves her too much. If he is not with her, it's because he is not able to be with her."
"Well if I can travel the spirit world and not be dead and my mother can too, then why not Wolf? Baby came to me in my dreams and he is not dead. Maybe it is the same thing. I'm sorry, but all I know is that we have to leave. Morning should be here shortly and we need to be ready at first light."
She nodded her head slowly, silently agreeing. She looked about and noticed the lines of meat strung about the camp. "What about the meat? What will we do with it?" she asked. "It's not dry enough to keep without rotting." She didn't want to leave any life sustaining provisions behind.
"I don't think we can stay long enough to let it finish drying, We will have to leave it." He was clearly disappointed as well, that was a lot of wasted time, effort and food.
They packed quickly, trying to thin down the load as much as possible, to make traveling faster. The plan was to head straight west, without stopping until they crossed the Sister. Dolando had told them about the turbulent, dangerous tributary to the Mother, and it seemed their only hope for escaping the fire. Not even a raging prairie fire could daunt the raging Sister, if they could get to the other side, they would be safe.
When dawn finally came, their fear only increased. The normally bright morning light was muted by thick, black clouds and a slight haze in the air. They rode out as soon as possible, running the horses as fast as they dared, with out exhausting them immediately. Getting rid of the extra wood and furs and some of the excess food had lightened their load considerably, but it put the travelers in greater jeopardy. They would now have to live totally off the land and right now, they did not have time. Latie had brought only the traveling cakes and as much water as they could carry. They had kept their clothes, their weapons and their tents, and each had a pouch of tools tied to their waist, but that was all they carried. Anything else they might need would have to be gotten later, when their lives were not at stake.
They ran with the horses all morning, stopping only occasionally to give the animals a much-needed rest and to refill the water supply at the small streams they passed. When the horses had their fill of water and were rested a bit, they went on. As the day progressed , the air thickened and the light from the sun was even more diffused. They had to stop the horses more often and let them clean the fine ash from their nostrils and throats, snorting water through their noses and gulping great quantities of river water.
Toward late afternoon, they stopped for a longer rest, deciding a meal and a short nap was in order. They would be traveling straight through the night and would need the sleep. Durc studied the thickening sky to the north and could tell the fire was much closer, but he thought they should still have enough time. He had kept a constant look out all day for the wolf and still had not seen any trace of him. Maybe it had just been a dream after all, he thought to himself.
They laid on the ground, using their furs for pillows and it wasn't long before the lack of sleep from the night before caught up with them. They dozed soundly, totally unaware of the sudden wind that had picked up from the north. The raging flames of the prairie fire swirled in a malestrom of fiery frenzy, the wind kicking them up even higher and rushing them forward. They ravenously attacked the tall grasses, licking hungrily ahead as the wind blew them even faster in the direction of the peacefully sleeping threesome.
It wasn't the fire that woke him, it was the urgent nickers of the horses. Durc opened his eyes and immediately knew he had made a big mistake. They should not have stopped, the fire was even closer than before. The air was thick with ash and a light covering of it lay on the ground. He hurried to wake Latie and Darvalo and all were soon mounted and ready to leave. They ran as fast as the scared animals would take them, but soon they slowed again, the air too thick for Midnight and Lightning to breath easily.
Durc was worried, how much farther was it to the Sister? He had no idea how far they had come or how far they had yet to go before reaching her. They had covered quite a bit of ground, but Dolando had said it was a considerable distance, so he didn't know if they were close. Darvalo couldn't tell either because it was too smoky to see the landmarks he had been given. Normally the Sharamudoi used the Great Mother River to travel, not the land, he was just as lost as Durc.
He kept following the setting sun to the west, it's muted light their only beacon of hope. They watched in awe as it finally went down, setting the murky sky awash in a blazing tribute of gold, crimson and multiple shades of purple. The beautiful sunset could only hold their fascination for so long though because once it was over, they were left in total blackness. Not even the stars could be seen through the murk. They kept going, following Durc's natural instincts, hoping that they were still going in the right direction.
"How much farther until we reach the river?" Latie asked, fear creeping into her voice.
"I don't know, I hope we are close. It's hard to tell because of the horses. I know it takes two or three days to get there on foot but the horses are so much faster, I can't say for sure," Darvalo said, trying to calculate how much distance they had covered since they left the mountains behind. He thought they might be close, but he didn't want to give them any false hope.
Durc stayed silent, keeping his thoughts to himself. He was afraid and he felt terribly guilty. I should not have stopped, he thought to himself, what if something happens to Latie? The thought made his heart constrict in his chest, he could not live if she was not by his side. He saw a flicker of light out of the corner of his eye, and looked to the north.
Latie and Darvalo heard him gasp and both turned as one to see what was wrong. Suddenly realizing that she could see his face, Latie looked north too and stared. She could see a thin red line dancing in the distance, but moving fast. The fire was almost here.
"GO! Go, now!" Durc yelled and kicked Midnight into a full gallop. The horses ran, letting panic and instinct take over but the burst of speed was short lived. They just couldn't keep up the pace with all the smoke in the air, they slowed down again all too soon. They were doomed, there was no way to escape a fire that big and that close. Latie was in tears and Durc had all but given up as well. He looked at the young man who has so recently joined them and then looked at his woman.
"I'm so sorry, I should never have stopped. It's all my fault. I knew the fire was too close, the dream told me so. Why didn't I listen to them? I know better than to ignore a dream from the Mother!" He was more than a little angry at himself and terrified for the small band of travelers he felt were his responsibility.
"Durc... don't blame yourself, you couldn't have known it was coming this fast. It's not your fault," Latie said, turning on the horse's back to look him in the eye. She laid her hand against his cheek and kissed him lightly on the lips. He felt the fear almost overwhelm him then and closed his eyes, sending a silent plea to his totem and the Mother for help. The Gray Wolf was a strong totem and the Mother had never let him down before. He heard Latie take a quick indrawn breath and turned to see what had caused it.
"Durc, look!" she said, pointing ahead of them. He turned to look where she was pointing and sent another silent prayer of thanks. Ahead in the inky blackness was a glowing set of yellow-gold eyes and the vague outline of a wolf.
Durc sat motionless, his eyes locked with the golden gaze of the wolf. He felt more than heard the gentle reassurance of the creature ahead and mentally relaxed. He listened intently with his heart and a greater understanding came over him. All would be well, if he heeded the voice of the Mother. He felt the love and the kinship the spirit-animal offered him and returned them in kind. Latie had been right, this wolf was his brother in more ways than one and she was right about another thing as well. He was gone from this world. For a moment he felt his mother's agony of losing yet another son and felt his own heart rend with sadness. This was as close as he would get to meeting this unique creature his mother had raised and felt eternally grateful for this opportunity. He received the message intended for his mother and the words blazed a permanent imprint on his heart and mind. He nodded his head in understanding and Wolf turned in the opposite direction and disappeared.
Durc shook his head, coming out of the trance like state. What had seemed an eternity had, in reality, only taken a few moments. He looked at Latie and nodded, then turned to Darvalo and said, "Whatever you do, don't lose sight of Wolf," he said, kicking Midnight into a full gallop. They ran as fast as the horses could carry them, catching up to the Wolf again only moments before he disappeared again. For hours they chased the creature, only a glimmer of a shadow on the forever unreachable horizon. They could only see him for a moment before he would vanish once more, but he was always there, leading them on toward safety. The smoke grew thicker and the night grew even blacker, but always Wolf was visible when they needed him.
When the air grew too heavy to breath easily and the ashes rained down upon them like snow, Durc stopped. He wet down three pieces of leather, tied one loosely over his mouth and nose and handed the others to Latie and Darvalo. When all three were covered, they started out again. They chased the phantom wolf all through the night, catching glimpses of his gold eyes and dark fur just as he would disappear again. Durc was beginning to think they would never reach the river. The horses were exhausted and having a hard time breathing, and he could feel the heat of the flames growing steadily closer as his small band moved slowly westward. The ever-constant wind had slacked off a bit for now, giving the travelers a slight reprieve from the encroaching fire but it only allowed enough time for the horses to get a quick drink and a moments rest before they started out once more.
Latie was worried; they hadn't seen Wolf for a while and the horses were slowing. She looked north and saw that the flames were closer. If they didn't reach the river soon, they were never going to make it. She squinted at the bright flames, feeling the smoke burning her eyes. She was hot, the heat from the massive plains fire only intensified the already warm night, and being this close to Durc on the back of a moving horse didn't help. Catching a glimmer of movement out of the corner of her eye, she looked forward again, only to see Wolf disappear once more into the blackness ahead. She felt the horses pick up speed of their own accord and wondered what was happening.
Durc and Darvalo also felt the animals increased speed and wondered at it. They had been moving gradually slower for some time now and neither could fathom the sudden surge of energy from the lathered animals. When Midnight's hooves hit the rocks, Durc understood and breathed a sigh of relief, sending heartfelt thanks to the Mother for delivering them safely.
The roar of the flames had grown steadily louder the closer the fire had gotten to them, but now if he listened closely he could hear the equally loud roar of a river, a very big river. They had reached the Sister. He dismounted, helping Latie down as well and walked to the edge of the water. It was still too black to see how big she was, but he could hear. Suddenly a new worry plagued him, how were they going to cross a river this size in the dark? They were not out of danger yet.
He looked around, wondering what had happened to his spirit guide. He saw the wolf, sitting at the edge of the blackness. The animal whined at him and seemed anxious to be on the move. A sudden wind picked up, coming out of the north and the flames of the prairie fire whipped into a roaring wall of intense heat and licking flames at this new encouragement. The blazing wall of fire was only a few hundred paces away from them now, and moving this way even faster than before. They had no choice.
He helped Latie back onto Midnight's back and felt the horse trembling in fear. He watched as Wolf leaped into the river. He heard no splash but knew what the wolf was telling him.
"We have to go, now! Stay on the horse's backs, don't let go! Let them swim to the other side. If we don't get to the other side all together, wait where you are until sunrise, then we will try to find you." Durc shouted to Darvalo, only slightly louder than the rushing flames. He saw the young man nod, but could see the fear on his face.
"Stay with Lightning, Darvalo, she will get you to the other side, just hang on tight. Good luck, and may the Mother keep you safe," he said.
He led Midnight to the river's edge and looked back at the flames behind him. The trees all around them were glowing red and right as Midnight stepped into the water, they erupted into flames. Midnight need no other encouragement. He lurched forward with Durc and Latie on his back, Lightning and Darvalo right behind him. The strong current of the Sister picked them up immediately. The horse panicked only for a moment before finding his rhythm. In the water the extra weight of the riders and packs was negligible and he moved with solid strokes.
Durc and Latie felt the chilly water envelope them up to the chest. Latie wondered if their weight would be too much for the animal to pull and realized he was doing fine. She could see nothing, the other side of the river was solid blackness. She looked around to see if she could see Lightning and Darvalo, but they had disappeared into the blackness. All she could see was the reddish-orange reflection of the flames that had already overtaken the riverbank where they had stood only moments before. She shuddered, thinking of how close they had come to a fiery death. Looking ahead once again, she wondered if they would escape a watery one.
Durc felt the shudder move through his mate and hope the water hadn't chilled her already. He was only guessing at the size of the Sister, but if he was even close, they would be in the water for a while. He listened for the sound of the other horse or Darvalo but could not hear anything over the sounds of the river. He called out once and thought he heard a faint reply but could not be sure. The strong muscles of the stallion moved beneath his legs, and he hoped the beautiful animal was strong enough to get them all to the other side alive. He reached forward and patted his head, speaking quiet words of encouragement to the already exhausted animal. He knew they would never have survived without the horses, or Wolf. He frowned a little when Baby flickered across his thoughts but if there were any animal that could take care of himself, it was Baby. He knew lions didn't like water but he also knew they could swim if they had too. He had no doubt Baby would be fine. He was sure the huge lion would find them shortly after they reached the other side of the Sister. If they reached the other side.
It seemed like it had been days since they had plunged into the cold, quick tempered waters of the Sister and still they had not reached the other bank. Latie and Durc had both gone beyond shivering and the powerful muscles of the stallion had already slowed almost to a stop. Durc was losing hope that they would make it across and was in one long, constant prayer to the Mother.
Latie clung tightly to the mane of the stallion, feeling Durc's arms involuntarily tighten around her. He was worried too, she could tell. She had lost all feeling in her legs and her fingers were starting to go numb as well. She couldn't hold out much longer and she knew it. She only hoped that if she didn't make it, she would not keep the others from making it too but she was not giving up yet. She too was sending fervent prayers to the Mother, not only for them but for Darvalo as well. At least she and Durc had each other, Darvalo was lost in the blackness alone.
She felt her fingers loosen of their own accord and struggled to close them tighter over the coarse hair of Midnight's stiff mane. She succeeded but only for a few moments, then they started sliding again. She was getting desperate and didn't notice when Midnight's strokes became stronger and more deliberate. She almost fell off when his hooves hit the rocky bed beneath the water and he stood up, carrying them out of the water, still on his back.. Durc let out a hoot of joy, then dismounted. His legs almost wouldn't support his weight and he had to hold on for a moment while they got their feeling back. He felt the prickly sensation of his nerves coming alive again and was glad for it. When he could move on his own two legs again, he pulled Latie off Midnight's back and set her carefully on the ground. She could not yet support her own weight and he caught her before she fell.
He sat her down on the bank and went back to the horse. He wrapped his arms gratefully around Midnight's neck, thanking him for saving their lives. The exhausted horse hung his head, his breathing still labored. Durc moved around to his side and tried to untie the bundles on his back. The leather thong that held the pack together would not come undone and in his impatience, Durc reached for his knife. With one swift cut he had the big bundle of furs off the animals back and he carried it over to where he had left Latie. He heard Midnight move up the bank and was glad he could finally let the animal rest.
The pack had managed to stay mostly dry and he quickly located some dry clothes and furs. He moved swiftly, gathering enough tinder to start a small fire and got out the Firestone and some flint. When he had a nice blaze going, he turned his attention back to his mate. He saw her lying on her side, her eyes closed and her teeth chattering loudly. He stripped her of her wet clothes and helped her into the dry ones then did the same for himself. Quickly draping the wet leather over a few bushes close to the camp he then wrapped his body around hers and pulled the furs over them both.
He lay quietly, feeling her body relax with the warmth. Her breathing became deep and regular and he thought she was sleeping. He started when he heard her whisper, "We made it."
He pulled her closer against him, and kissed the back of her head. "Yeah, we did. How do you feel? Any better yet?" he asked quietly.
"I'm warmer, but I'm so tired, so sleepy..." her voice trailed off and this time he knew for sure.
"Sleep, my love, just sleep," he whispered against her hair. He started to close his eyes as a languid warmth overtook him as well. Right before his eyes closed fully, he saw a pair of golden yellow eyes and a wolfish grin turn and disappear into the night.
"Farewell, my brother," he whispered, the dregs of sleep pulling him slowly under, "I will remember..."
--
He woke to the morning light streaming into his eyes. Durc moved slowly, unwrapping himself from the sleeping form of his mate. He got up and looked at the suddenly bright morning light. He was confused for a moment, still expecting the air to be black and full of ash. Then it dawned on him, they had made it across the Sister. He looked toward the river and felt the blood drain from his face. How had they ever made it across?
The Sister was huge! Nearly a mile across, her waters roiled in a maelstrom of undercurrents and back surges in a rush to meet the Mother a little farther south. He looked to the far bank and all he could see was charred ground, the flames gone. They had run unchecked, southward along the length of the Sister, until they were blocked by the Great Mother herself. Only then did they give up their life to return to Her side as all things did eventually. A stiff breeze had finally cleared the sky of ashes and smoke, making vision much cleared and breathing almost return to normal.
He checked on Latie once more. Her breathing was deep and regular, telling him her exhaustion still held reign and she would be sleeping for a while yet. Taking a quick stroll into the bushes he took care of his morning needs, then returned to build up the fire. Staring at the flames, he wondered at the devastation they could cause if handled without caution. Fire was a necessity for life but it would turn on you savagely if you were careless, he mussed silently to himself as he prepared some hot tea.
He kept glancing up expecting Darvalo to find them at any time. When the sun rose higher in the morning sky and he still hadn't shown up, Durc began to worry. He glanced at Latie wondering if he should wake her. The tea he had made had already gone cold and still she slept. He decided to leave her be, if she was still sleeping she must have been really tired. He sat silently, letting the immediate problems of his little group trickle through his mind. They needed to find Darvalo and Lightning, and soon. His worry about the pair increased every passing moment. They also needed to re-stock their supplies. They had eliminated almost everything for the sake of speed and now that they were safe, they should replace all that they had left behind. Then his mind drifted to Baby. He hadn't wanted to admit it but his concern for his lion friend was mounting with his extended absence.
He was so lost in the worries of his small family, one would think he was completely unaware of his surroundings. That would be a deadly mistake. While his mind roamed, covering the problems at hand, his senses stayed tuned into his environment; the slightest noise or movement always noticed but not acknowledged. When he saw the large rabbit move at the edge of his vision, the only indication that he saw it was a subtle shift of his eyes, but it got him to thinking about breakfast. Glancing once more at Latie, he moved to get his sling from his pack.
Finding a couple of smooth stones at the bank of the river, he backtracked to where he saw the rabbit, tracking its movements from the subtle trail of clues the animal had left behind. When he noticed the frightened creature hiding in a large clump of bushes, he placed a stone in the sling, holding it at the ready. The rabbit, sensing it had been marked as prey, decided to make a break for safety. It didn't have a chance. Waiting for just such a reaction, Durc sighted his target and let his stone fly. The rabbit fell dead only a few feet from where he stood and Durc retrieved his prize.
Taking the creature to the edge of the river, he skinned it and then proceeded to clean it. While he worked, he thought about Darvalo. He needed to find the man and the horse. He took the rabbit back to the camp and spitted it over the flames. He turned to look at Latie and saw her watching him from the furs. He smiled as he moved toward her. "You're awake! How are you feeling?" he asked as he bent to kiss her.
She smiled a sleepy smile at him, then moved the furs aside. "Much better, I can't believe I slept so long! Has Darvalo come yet?" she asked, as she helped herself to the pot of now tepid tea. She saw his eyes cloud over with worry and knew the answer.
"No, not yet. I was waiting for you to wake before I went to find him. I got us some breakfast, it's cooking now. If you're going to stay up, I think I will go see if I can find any signs of him," he told her.
"Why didn't you wake me? Yes, I'm up, just let me go take care of something before you leave." She headed off into the bushes and was back in a few moments.
"I will watch this why you look. Let me know if you need some help," she said, indicating the roasting rabbit and kissing him, sending him on his way. He nodded and left.
He stuck to the side of the Sister, moving south. He was hoping to see some tell-tale sign of the horse and Darvalo as they came from the water. He found nothing. He followed the Sister all the way, almost to where she met the Mother. He could see her from where he stood and there was no sign of either Darvalo or Lightning. His heart grew heavy with dread. If they had gotten washed into the Mother, there was no hope of survival. He turned and headed back, keeping to the riverbank, praying that he had missed something. He felt his stomach growl and realized he should have eaten before he left. He ignored his stomach, covering the ground quickly, still detecting no sign of the missing pair. By the time he could see the smoke from his own camp ahead, he was trying to figure out how he would tell Latie. He walked around a slight bend in the river and his camp came into view.
His heart leaped with joy at the sight before him. Sitting calmly by the fire, Darvalo was eating hungrily. He looked past the man and saw Lightning grazing peacefully with Midnight by her side. Latie looked up and smiled at him, knowing he had to have been worried at not finding their friend downstream.
"He showed up just a little while ago," she said and Darvalo turned to see Durc striding toward him.
He grinned at him, then seeing the worry in his eyes, felt a small twinge of guilt. "I'm sorry it took me so long to find you. I slept really late and then went to look for some food. I wasn't too far upstream when I saw the smoke from your fire. Latie was here waiting on me and told me you were out looking for me. I offered to go get you but she said she thought it would just be better if I waited here."
"I'm just glad you are alright. How did you end up upstream? I thought for sure you would have been downstream from us. Midnight is a much stronger swimmer than Lightning, so I figured it would take her longer to get across, besides you started behind us." Durc was more than a little confused. He had never thought to look upstream for the man.
"Yes, that's true, but Midnight was pulling a bigger load. He had both you and Latie and also all of your stuff. While he may be the stronger of the two, he is also heavier and your extra, added weight slowed him down. Lightning is lighter and only had me to pull and a few of my things. It was easier for her to get across. We came out of the river only a little bit downstream from where we came in. If you look you will see you are much farther down from where we started," he said, then crammed another huge bite into his mouth.
Durc's brows relaxed, he was right. If he had thought about it for a while, he might have come up with the same conclusion. He shook his head. He had been too worried to think clearly, not a good thing for the leader of this small band. He would have to make sure he didn't let fear cloud his judgment again.
"Well, I'm just glad your safe. Now, can I have some of that or are you going to eat the whole rabbit?" he asked, his eyes showing amusement as he watched Darvalo start to stuff his mouth with another bite. Darvalo blushed, then laughed.
"Sorry, I was just so hungry," he said, offering a portion of the rabbit to Durc.
Latie stopped him and handed Durc a platter heaped with food. While he had been gone, she had been busy. There was almost half of the rabbit, along with groundnuts cooked with baby carrots and wild onion. She had also found a small patch of strawberries and handed him a cup of those as well. He dug in, relishing the taste of the well-prepared food. When they were finished, they sat and relaxed around the fire.
"I wonder where Baby is," Latie said, trying not to let her fear for him creep into her voice. They and the horses had managed to escape the fire, the only worry she had left was for her lion friend.
"I'm sure he's fine Latie. He has been taking care of himself for a while now," Durc said, also trying to ignore his worry at the absence of his lion "brother". She nodded and they fell silent again.
"What was that?" Darvalo asked a little later. He stood up and looked around.
"What was what?" Durc asked, looking up at him. He had almost dozed off, his stomach was full and the long night and little sleep were taking their toll. He grew even more puzzled as he felt the ground start to vibrate softly. He stood up to look too. What he saw confused him for a moment.
He saw first one, then another and then a bunch and realized there was a small herd of deer racing past them through the tall grass. He stared in confusion, then saw a tawny blur just before one of the deer fell. He grinned, then laughed out loud. Darvalo looked at him like he had lost his mind.
"What is so funny?" he asked, then looked at Latie. He could see a glimmer of humor in her eyes as well. He shook his head in confusion. He had seen the deer but not the reason they were running. He jumped when he heard a mind-numbing roar. A few moments later, Baby came out of the tall grass dragging his kill under him. Latie laughed and ran up to the lion. Baby dropped his prize and loped his way to the woman, rubbing her with his massive head.
"Oh Baby! You made it, your alright!" she said, still laughing. She rubbed and scratched his furry head, then wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. Durc could hear the loud rumble of contentment coming from him long before he joined his mate in greeting his animal friend. He scratched and petted the lion, noting his fur was still slightly damp from his swim across the river. He must have gotten here long before they did. He was glad he no longer had to worry about him.
When Baby had had enough of the affection, he turned back to his deer. Before he could drag it away to feast, Durc took a few choice cuts from the kill, deciding it would hold them over until they could rest enough to really hunt. When he was through, Baby dragged the remains away from the camp and proceeded to feed. They could his grunts of pleasure as he ate and they again relaxed around the fire.
After deciding a few days of rest would be good for all of them, they all went to their furs for a nap. With all of their immediate concerns taken care of, they slept peacefully; giving their bodies the much-needed time to recover from their ordeal.
After a few days of rest and working to replenish and replace their supplies, the trio of friends again started their long journey to the Zelandonii. They realized if they stuck together and depended on one another, they could face anything. It could only bode well for their future. They headed out early in the morning, heading south to find the Mother again then headed west, toward their destiny.
--
The mood of the cave was somber. The burial of the victims had taken place three days ago and the loss was still fresh in the minds of the Zelandonii people. The two caves that had each lost a man were in deep mourning and the other caves tried their best to extend the proper courtesy.
Frustration, anger and pain were the predominant emotions of the group, mixed with a small amount of hope for the injured man slowly healing at the hearth of the High Priestess Zelandoni. Not all had accepted Echozar at first, but now his esteem soared among the scared frightened people. His efforts to protect them had been ignored, now more than one wished they had listened to the mixed man.
Ayla kept a constant vigil on the wounded man, doing every thing in her power to make sure Mikolan could not claim another victim. After the first few tenuous days, it appeared she had succeeded. She knew that by all rights he should have walked the spirit world now, but he clung to life with stubborn tenacity. She could only assume the Mother had plans for him as well.
She kept herself busy, trying to keep thoughts of Wolf at bay. When she sat still, images of the young wolf flooded her mind bringing instant tears and heart-wrenching pain. When members of the cave enforced rest for the medicine woman, she sat alone at her hearth trying to fight back the misery and guilt. She had to force herself to eat, only remembering when the life inside her kicked as a vigorous reminder to take care of her body. She could not walk outside without seeing the vivid images of the dream in her head. Wolf standing guard over the frightened children near the river.
Many had witnessed the animal's heroic efforts to protect the children of the cave and often someone would try to offer comfort to the distraught woman by telling her the tales of his courage. It had been like her dream. The wolf had stood guard over all of the cave's children, refusing to allow Mikolan's men anywhere near them. According to the witnesses, Mikolan had ordered his men to capture the children of the cave to return home with his men, so as not to be "corrupted by the evil of these people."
The one man brave enough to challenge the angry animal was, thankfully, unsuccessful in capturing them, thanks to Wolf. He had approached the irate wolf with a blaze of flame, only to find out the animal held no fear of fire or him. He took one step too close and Wolf, defending the weaker creatures of his "pack", attacked. Mikolan's men had suffered a few losses of their own.
Ayla found out that her beloved Wolf had suffered a serious injury in the fight with the man. After the attack was over and Mikolan and his men had left, without the children, Marthona went to get them. When she approached to gather the children, Wolf, feeling that they were finally safe, had collapsed. Marthona had called one of the men from another cave to help her but when he picked him up, he felt the stone dagger buried deep in Wolf's chest. It was too late to save him.
Marthona told her she had removed the knife, but he had lost too much blood. Marthona cried every time she thought of the last longing look the wolf had sent to the children, whimpering. Talking to him, trying to ease his fear, she told him that they were fine, they were safe. He looked at her, gave her a final lick and closed his eyes.
The story haunted Ayla, but she was proud of her wolf "son". He had done well and he would always be remembered. She tried to hold those comforting thoughts close to her heart whenever the frightening images of his death without her crowded in. She tried to properly mourn the men that had been lost, but she had hardly known them. It was the wolf she had raised like a son, the wolf that she loved. She felt guilty every time she passed the hearths of the two men who had rejoined the Mother, guilty for feeling more pain at Wolf's passing than theirs. He was only an animal, they were people, but she still could not let go of her grief for another son lost.
After the burial, she had gone to the small mound a distance away from the graves of the lost men. The same man who had tried to help Marthona save him, had insisted he be buried. She would be eternally grateful to him for that; now at least she could come and say goodbye. She had wept at his grave, talking to him, telling him how proud she was of him, thanking him for all he had done for them. She begged his forgiveness for not being there to help him, to save him. She sat silently after that, feeling the love in her heart she had for him continue to burn bright, knowing he would always be there with her. Hours passed as she thought of all they had been through together.
She remember the search for the den, finding the little ball of fluff and taking him back to the Mamutoi lodge with her. She smiled to herself when she remember the trouble the young pup liked to get into. She felt guilty now for every harsh word she'd ever said to him, knowing in her heart it was necessary. She recalled the laughter, the frustration and pride at trying to teach him to do her bidding. She smiled softly remembering his playfulness and his gentleness. His attraction to the weak or injured, his love of children. She knew he was still here with her, in her heart, and she prayed to the Mother to keep him close to Hers. She rose, wiping her eyes with her hands, saying her final goodbye. Staring at the mound of dirt that was all that was left of him but her memories, she almost didn't see it. When she did, he breath caught in her throat. Lying at the top of the small mound of soil was a tooth. Bending, with her hand to her protruding stomach, she picked it up. She felt the tears come again and sent a silent thought of thanks to him. He had left her a gift, something to remember him by. In her hand she held a perfect Wolf's tooth.