Notaku did not know how many more days he was out in the desert, but he knew it was at least a week, no more than three. His food supplies got very low, causing him to ration himself, but that was okay. He had all the water he wanted for both him and Big Brother.
Finally, as he rode across the sands, he began to see the tops of the trees of his Valley, and his heart felt like it jumped excitedly in his chest. He laughed wearily and urged Notaku into a fast trot. They did not get there that night, but he woke at noon the next day, eager to continue. Maybe he could get there by midnight...
In the Valley, Bryon and Kuma waited and waited for their son's return. When the new moon of midsummer came and went, they knew that he had succeeded in his quest, and they could not have been prouder. But had he survived?
Every night since new moon, since Derelict Peak's top had crumbled in on itself, they had gone into the desert to scan the horizon. Every night they hoped to see him hiking through the sands towards home...
One night, they sat in the sands, each with an arm around the other, and simply watched. They were only a half hour's walk from the house, but at the top of the Valley, so that they could see the entire horizon. At first, as a cloud of dust made its way toward them, they wondered who was visiting the Valley. Or if it were an attacker. But as the dust cloud came closer, they realized it was far larger than a unicorn, and not only that, there seemed to be no one in the seat. A horse, then... Perhaps it was a wild horse, perhaps one that had escaped some human and fled to the desert.
They watched it for a while, and it appeared that it was coming right for them. They stood, in case they had to move from its path...
Notaku Barbic was asleep by the time that Big Brother approached the Valley, though the horse reached back and nibbled on Notaku's leg to wake him. Blinking, he sat up, and grumbled, rubbing his eyes. "That feels weird when you do that," he grouched to Big Brother, who only nickered in amusement.
At first the boy wondered why Big Brother had stopped, when he realized that they were within fifteen minutes' ride of home. And there was someone out in the desert! Big Brother knelt so that Notaku could get down, and he squinted at the figures.
When one of them let a cry of joy, he realized that it was his parents, and his eyes widened. Throwing his pack to the ground, he ran toward them, colliding with his mother and wrapping his arms around her waist. Not able to help himself, he burst into tears, and from the sound of it, so did she. As his father joined the desperate embrace, Notaku thought that he just might be crying, too.
The family stayed like this for a very long time, Kuma whispering how thankful she was that Notaku was all right, how proud she was that had succeeded in his quest. And Bryon could not stop telling him what a fine warrior he would make and that he would want no other for his son.
But finally they broke, and Kuma was looking her son over. She could tell that he had suffered, even though the signs of his fight with Brooker had all but faded. She saw he had scars, the most notable being the one in his shoulder, where a human's arrow had lodged, then been ripped out. "We'll take you to the mages," she whispered. "One of the healers. They'll look you over, make sure you're okay."
Notaku nodded wearily.
"Cub...what happened to your glasses?"
Notaku sighed, and looked up, wiping his eyes. "It's...it's a long story," he said. "I think I want to wait a little before telling it."
"Of course," said Bryon. "What you want now is to heal, and rest. Perhaps a few days' recovery." He smiled, putting a hand on his son's head. "And you have a celebratory dance to lead, having passed your Test of Bearhood. I think that all the Valley just may turn up to see it, and participate in the feast afterwards."
Notaku thought about this and actually smiled, nodding his head. "That would be good," he said quietly. "And I will tell my story to the whole clan then, I think."
"I think that's a good idea." Bryon suddenly blinked, suddenly realizing just how his son had come home, and looked up at Big Brother. "You came on a horse," he said blankly. Big Brother watched the scene with interest.
Notaku actually laughed. It was not an entirely humorful laugh, but a laugh just the same. "Another long story...part of the one that explains the loss of my glasses. His name is Big Brother. And if he wants to stay with me, I would keep him."
His parents both looked slightly surprised, but then Kuma laughed. "Then he is yours. You must have some natural skill, to ride a beast to big."
Notaku smiled, and gestured over to the horse. "C'mon, Big Brother. There's path that you should be okay to take."
The Barbic family did take this path down to the bottom of the Valley, where several people noticed Notaku's return. Many waved, and some seemed to want to talk to him, and ask him about his quest and to stare in awe at the horse. But all Notaku would say was that the Valley was safe, at least from the threat from Derelict Peak, and that he was not yet ready to tell his story. Most respected this with no fuss.
Notaku did indeed spend the next several days recovering from his ordeals. The eldest of the mages met with him, bringing her healing herbs and performing her healing rites. His ribs had been cracked, though they had healed well, and he had the scars from Fletcher's arrow and Taylor's whip. These were bathed in herbal water, as the eldest said she might be able to lessen the scars a bit. And at any rate, she wanted to make sure that they were properly healed. She smiled at him the whole time, and told him she was proud. "You have completed a task that many Barbics could not have survived through. You are truly courageous."
The glass smith crafted a new pair of glasses for Notaku, at no charge, even though his parents tried to barter. Notaku thanked him profusely; it was very nice to be able to see again. He visited with his friends, who all wanted to know what happened on his quest, and he said he was going to tell the story at the celebratory feast...and they had to be content with that. It was strange. They could see that something in their friend had changed, caught echoes of his trials when they looked into his eyes. And they wondered if things would be the same among them.
He left Big Brother untethered, but busied himself with making a stable for the horse's shelter, and Big Brother did stay, as Notaku knew he would.
But finally Notaku was ready, and when came the night of his dance, the entire Valley turned out to attend. The night was a beautiful one, with a warm wind blowing, and the sky as clear as it could be. He was nervous as he approached the assembly area, seeing how many Gummies had showed up, but his father put a steadying hand on his shoulder, and he smiled. "I'm okay," he said quietly.
"Your mom and I will be right there in the front."
Notaku nodded, and strode up to the front, where the mages stood, also in ceremonial garb. Notaku set his headdress on a nearby rock, and looked out to the crowd. They quieted, as by now everyone knew he was back, and they wanted to know his story.
And so he told it. He told how he had journeyed to the cave, and tried to put into words the wonder he felt. He told of finding the human's den, and then the human himself, and of what was in the journal. (He had given that over to the mages for their records). He told of traveling from the caverns, and of being ambushed by the humans. There were many angry hisses and growls at this, which was not unexpected among a throng of Barbics.
He told them of his ordeal at the hands of the humans (more hisses and growl, and several young cubs booed) and of how he had set their horses free and escaped them, taking Big Brother with him. And at this, there were several rather savage cheers.
He told them of the fae, though he was careful not to reveal any of their secrets. Only that there were certain people allowed there, and those were not many, and that they had helped Notaku with his quest. There were many whispers at that, that Notaku had gone into the Jungle and come back alive. He told of gaining the gem and heading for Derelict Peak. He told of climbing into the mountain, and of Brooker following him, and how he must have traveled without stopping night and day after escaping the fae in the Jungle. Of how he must have been only hours behind Notaku on the climb up. He told of how Brooker died.
Notaku felt a bit uncertain as more than half of the crowd cheered the human's death. Perhaps Brooker deserved to die like the other human Notaku had killed. Perhaps it was time for him to reenter the cycle. But none of them had been there to see his face, to watch his skin burn, or hear his agonized shrieks. He himself did not know if he had been right in killing anyone, though he suspected most the Valley would have said he was. But what was easy to say, was not always so easy to do.
He realized he had gone silent when the eldest grasped his arm and asked if he was all right. Shaking off the thought for now he nodded, and finished his tale. After telling of how he had put the gem back, and how the mountain had collapsed, there was not much more to say.
Once his tale was finished, there was silence in the glade for a few moments, before a small group of younger Barbics began to clap and cheer. And slowly, everyone else joined in. Notaku blinked, taken by surprise, and felt his face slowly redden. Still, he could not help but be flattered, and honored at their approval.
After a moment, one of the mages stood and raised his hands for silence. He then announced that Notaku had passed his Test of Bearhood, and was now to be considered a man among the clan. There was more applause while Notaku donned the feathered headdress, and faced the crowd. "And now," said the mage. "He will lead the dance that will complete his Test. And then we shall feast, to celebrate the joining of one more warrior-knight to the fold, and the life of our Valley!"
Notaku smiled then, and thanked the mage, pulling the feathered headdress over his head. The smells of a whooper of a feast drifted from where the food was being prepared, and Notaku caught sight of games and contests being set of. It would be a grand festival, he could see that, and he could not help but anticipate it. And as the music started, and Notaku began to dance, he realized that though he might never forget what he went through, the Valley and his people would always be there to help him get through it.
And that was how it should be.
FIN