Ebony's Weavings:
Chapter Eleven
Evil Appears
Firetemper shivered in the night air. There was a strange smell this eve, and she didn't like it at all. She looked toward Bearclaw, who was leading the hunt, and he nodded to her. They all smelled it, and none of them liked it. It was a foul taste lingering at the back of their mouths, a taste of decay and death that scared them all.
:Bearclaw?: Firetemper Sent, and he nodded. They both understood what this meant. They had to find the intruder and deal with him. But the thing lurked at the edge of shadows, haunting them just silently enough to make them doubt their own perception. An owl hooted from the branch of a tree, startling the entire party. Starjumper, Skywise's wolf-friend, growled, and Skywise murmurred comfortingly. But it was Joyleaf who spotted the first real sign of the intruder.
The dead wolf was only a cub, a savage claw mark bearing graphic testimony to the nature of the interloper. And the kill was for sport, not need. The kill was only for pleasure.
Firetemper stood near her two soul-brothers, straining her ears for unusual sounds in the night. It was not an easy task with Cutter speaking to Rain the Healer beside her.
"I hope your skills won't be needed tonight, Healer." Cutter whispered. Rain nodded in understanding.
"So do I, young Cutter. So do . . . ." His voice was stilled abruptly as the attack came. And when it was over, Rain had been the first to die. But there was no time to assimilate such a sight, for the thing was attacking again, and this time Firetemper could get a clear look at it.
The thing was huge, black, with long fangs and cruel claws. It seemed a mottled cross of cat and snake, filled to the brim with ancient decayed magic. That was all Firetemper could see in the instant before the creature's Sendings destroyed her touch with sanity. Even as she saw her tribemates thrown back, broken, some dead, she ran.
She stumbled far away from the clearing, away from the monstrosity destroying what little control she had left. She was only a cub, after all, nowhere near able to battle such a being. And when her senses finally cleared, she realized that she had deserted her fellows.
Guilt sharpened the Sending, pushing it farther than she had dared hope. And in the darkness of her own mind, she found the soulnames of Skywise and Cutter. They were safe, at least. And then she remembered her lovemate.
Her legs protested as she ran back toward carnage. She had to find Crossbow. And as she ran, she began to hear calls. Calls to fellow tribemates, now missing, likely dead. And she heard the one call she had prayed not to hear. Cutter was calling for Crossbow, knowing that Firetemper would want to know where he was. And then she found the clearing where they had met Madcoil, and her stomach wrenched.
They were dead. Brownberry, Longreach, Foxfur, Joyleaf, and Crossbow all dead, and for nothing greater than a monster's sick pleasure. In the back of her mind, she heard yelling, knew it was Bearclaw's. But all she could feel was nausea, and she stumbled back to the Holt, relieving her stomach of its contents along the way. And eventually Skywise returned, telling her of Cutter and Bearclaw's mad quest.
Author's notes:
That was a more difficult thing to write than I had expected.
I've never really dwelled on Ebony's experience with Madcoil before, but
it was interesting to me to find that I knew exactly what happened. I'll
probably have nightmares tonight! :) How fun!
Chapter Twelve
Cruel Death
Firetemper pushed her feelings aside, knowing that Skywise would need someone to lean on. She just had to concentrate on that, had to remember that she was needed right now, that she could mourn later. But as she approached Skywise, he turned away and she could see that she would have to be strong to deal with this.
With a sigh, she led him to the hill where they had watched the stars so many times, and she waited patiently. Eventually, he turned to her, tears streaming silently down his face.
"I can see her in the stars, ****. She's kind and gentle and farther away than they are, isn't she?" He broke down at that point, his sobs coming uncontrollably. "I loved her." The words strained their way around his gasps for breath, and Firetemper nodded. She could understand exactly what he meant.
"It's okay, Skywise. I'm here." She opened her arms to him, and within moments she was holding him gently, allowing him to cry. Starjumper and Blackbriar crowded around them, two more warm bodies offering comfort, and Firetemper wondered if she would ever be able to feel comfort of the same.
An eight-of-days passed without any of them hearing from Cutter, and in that time, Skywise managed to mend slightly. He did not smile these days, but he was still the gentle stargazer everyone knew. Firetemper had changed more drastically. She rarely spoke, never smiled, and her eyes were closed to those around her. She did not speak at any of the Howls, preferring instead to let others talk for her, though Longreach was gone.
And then one day, a wolf's howl told the tribe to go to Cutter. The next day, they found him sitting on a large rock, his face set in a tight scowl.
"Ayooah, Cutter!!" Treestump was the first to greet his nephew. None of the others really dared. "Thank the wolves and High Ones! We'd given you up for lost!" Cutter did not speak, and the others grew even more wary.
"Well . . . uh . . . " Treestump continued. "We're here! That is . . . all of us who were able . . . Uh . . . Woodlock's looking after Moonshade and Rainsong. They--" It was at that point that Cutter interrupted.
"Bearclaw's dead."
Author's notes:
I don't like Madcoil, you know. I wish I could change the story
up more than I'm doing and have Ebony rip him limb from limb, but I'm
trying to keep it as close to the original as I can. :) Still, anyone
agree with me? Perhaps I could write a side AU story!
Chapter Thirteen
Cheating Death
Firetemper stared in shock at Cutter, but she could see the truth of his statement burning in his eyes. No one spoke, and the silence was a palpable entity. And Treestump came forward to tie the chief's knot into Cutter's hair.
Treestump's voice, when he finally spoke, was quiet and infinitely sad. "What is your will, my chief?"
Cutter turned to the entire tribe, speaking in an impassioned voice. "Madcoil can be killed. Bearclaw wounded it. But he was wrong to think he could destroy the monster alone." Firetemper smiled slightly at that. It would seem that her playmate had grown on this hunting trip. "I promised Bearclaw I'd finish what he began, but I need all of you to help me. Will you?"
He was giving them a choice. And in doing that, he had secured the aid of everyone here. Firetemper smiled at him, nodding slowly that she would help, and she could see that he saw the same in everyone else. He sighed, smiled, and then told them of the plan to kill the monster.
"We need a net, one that will restrict the beast's movements. And as I see it, we should be able to make one out of vines and stones, coated with the sap of trees. Then we will need bait. I'll do that myself." Firetemper began to argue that point, but Cutter stopped her. "I must do this myself, Firetemper."
The huntress subsided into silence, fearful of what might happen to her chief and brother, but unable to cross him in this. The tribe worked on the net for some time, then climbed into the trees with it. And they waited. Finally, Cutter became impatient.
:It's time, Madcoil! We can smell your fear. You know we're here, and why!: The Sending did not seem to work, and Dewshine looked surprised.
:It's afraid of us! And we're so small!:
Cutter answered her Sending with one of his own. :We can think and act as one. That makes us big.: Firetemper nodded her agreement. The pale-haired chief jumped lightly to the ground, preparing to be bait. :Remember, when I yell, all of you jump down at the same time! It'll be just like catching a bear.: But his calm outlook did nothing to help Firetemper.
:Madcoil is worse than eight bears, Cutter!: she Sent desperately, wanting him to forget this foolish strategy. And it seemed that Skywise agreed with her.
:Be careful, Cutter . . . We--we can't lose you, too!: Skywise looked away as he Sent that to his chief, catching Firetemper's eye.
The next minutes were a blur. Firetemper remembered Cutter shouting something, and then the pull of the net caused her to fall. The monster's previous Sendings were coming back to haunt her, scaring her witless. She remembered hanging on with dear life to the net as it twisted and and writhed, and then stilled. And as she looked around, she saw what had killed the monster. Newmoon, Cutter's sword, was plunged to the hilt in the beast's eye.
Author's Note:
Chapter Fourteen
A Howl for the Lost
Dedication:
This part is dedicated to my great aunt and great uncle Eloise
and Jimmy. A little over a year ago I lost them, but I won't forget
them.
Firetemper stood in the circle of tribemates left. The kills were fresh in their mind, having only occurred days before, and they were still healing. But something in this Howl scared her.
"Madcoil was a product of the High Ones' magic, so in a way, it was a cousin to us. Or a child." She looked around at everyone, seeing Strongbow's pain at the loss of his brother, seeing Skywise's pain at losing Foxfur, and seeing the loss on Cutter's face. "Even now, we're already forgetting what happened days ago. We're forgetting the pain, the fear. We're forgetting those who died, because we think in the Now of WolfThought. We can't do that. We can't forget this experience so soon. It's not right!"
Her voice rose with her conviction, and the others flinched. They had succeeded in vanquishing the beast. Couldn't they just relax for a while now? But as she looked around again, she saw that Cutter, at least, was nodding. She steeled herself, wondering if she really wanted to do this, really wanted to remember this so badly. And within herself, she found the answer to her question. Yes.
"Cutter, I would petition you to change my name to something that will bring the memories to everyone. It's the only way we can be sure." Cutter's eyes widened. She had to know what the consequences of the action could be.
And Firetemper did know. She knew that it was likely her tribemates would turn away from her, would do anything but want to be around her. But how could she ask anyone else to do this? And then she saw Cutter nod slowly.
"As you wish, huntress. From now on, you are no longer Firetemper. It would seem that part of you died in the attack, along with all the others. You are now Ebony, so named for the color of the beast's skin and mind. Do you accept this name?"
Ebony, once Firetemper, nodded slowly. It was an appropriate name, she thought, considering her own black hair, eyes, and clothing. She sat, wishing it was different, and listened as the others howled and spoke. But she did not join into the Howl again this night, knowing that she couldn't handle it. And when it was over, before she could go to her room to grieve privately, she was called on to help her brothers. She might never get to grieve herself.
Author's Notes:
This is very hard for me to write, because I've not lost anyone
so close to me from death. Thus I can't truly know how Ebony feels. And
I pray that it will be a *long* time before I ever do.
Chapter Fifteen
A New Strength
Ebony awoke. She'd been dreaming of Crossbow's arms around her, his gentle touch saddening her for some reason, and now that she was awake, she knew why. He was gone, and she was alone once more. Well, not precisely alone. She had Cutter and Skywise, and the rest of the tribe. But she had lost her lovemate. And she allowed herself a single moment of pain before she pushed away the feelings and thought about what others must be going through. No Healer to help them, lovemates and lifemates lost, parents gone. And she knew that she had to be strong. For the tribe. For Skywise. For Cutter.
Food was running low. None of the hunters cared to venture out to get more. It was as if they were too tired to live. But she knew that they had to survive. They couldn't let Madcoil win. Gathering up her crossbow and knife, she went off to hunt alone. Soon enough others would join her again.
When she returned with a treehorn, the tribe came forward warily. They all remembered what her name meant, and because of it, they were afraid of her. She sighed, letting them eat their fill, then feasting on the remains. She had to be strong.
No one looked her in the eyes. All she could see was pain and loss when she looked at another's face. No one seemed to remember that she had lost someone as well. They were all too wrapped up in their own pain. After eating, she went to the hill she and her soul-brothers haunted. Blackbriar followed her, nuzzling up against her back.
"So, my friend. You, at least, will not desert me, I see." There was a quiet whuff from the wolf, then he settled down. "Perhaps it would be best if we just left the tribe, Blackbriar. No one seems to want me around anymore." And she shook her head slowly.
From behind her, a muffled half-laugh half-sob came. She turned, and saw Skywise there. "Do you know how foolish that would be, Ebony? Do you, ****? We love you. It's just hard to remember right now, and that's what you force us to do. How do you think I would feel, losing my sister?" He looked away, and Ebony longed to clear the pain from his face and replace it with the cheerful expression he used to wear.
Before she knew just what was happening, she was in his arms, and the two were holding onto each other tightly. And a third set of arms surrounded them both, the arms of the chief she'd not seen approach. For now, it was enough.
Author's notes:
The relationship between Skywise, Cutter, and Ebony always
reminds me of my relationship with my old roommates, Christy and Stacey,
and of my relationship with my brothers Dave and Colin. This story more
than any right now reflects that love.