Chapter Thirty Six
Laguna was in the middle of the most pleasant dream when he was roughly awakened. Snapping his eyes open, he was staring into the face of a large, brutish man with long red brown hair and beard.
"Get up," the man ordered.
Laguna realized he and Jea were unclothed and made a gesture of protest.
"Get up, dress and come outside. Make it quick, stranger. And awaken the female."
Laguna and Jea rose and dressed quickly, stepping indignantly out of their tent. Phalyssa, Wolf, Ambermist, and Dumbugg were surrounded by a group of armed men and women. Some of their captors were brutish and apelike, while others were slender and catlike, All were bristling with weapons and threatening.
The biggest of the men walked over to Laguna. "Why are you here, stranger?"
Laguna drew himself up to match the man's height. "I am Laguna Kimsteed, Paladin of the Order of Goku. These people are my party: my wife, daughter, and friends." He gestured to each of his companions in turn. "As to why we are here," he spread his hands helplessly, "we are shipwrecked. We're trying to figure out how to get back on track."
The hulking man made a hand motion, and all of his people lowered their weapons and relaxed. He held out a large mitt to Laguna. "I'm Barak, and I greet you on behalf of my village and tribe." Laguna shook the proffered paw, and Barak continued. "Perhaps you could come back to the village with us? We might be able to help you-besides, it's not safe for people to be out at night."
Laguna glanced at his comrades. Jea nodded and turned to speak with Wolf. The rest shrugged non-commitally. He finally nodded in assent to Barak.
Their new acquaintances helped them to pack up, and within twenty minutes, they were on their way. Jea had let their horses out of the Dimension Egg so they could keep up with the rugged warriors, who moved at a ground devouring trot. (Jea of course, chose to run with them, with the excuse that she needed the exercise.)
A pair of beady eyes watched them from a thick tree, and then the eyes' owner scuttled away into the underbrush eagerly, ready to pass along the results of its recon.
* * * * * *
Even at such a pace, it took them half a day to get to the village. Barak had explained during the trip that the two remaining tribes on the island were at war and that strangers were very rare.
The party entered the fortress like town, and immediately noticed the large number of people milling around. A sturdy wood and stone wall encircled the entire area, and men and women stood as armed guards in various points. The obviously militant environment of the settlement did nothing to affect the dozens of children running around under foot; they were caught up in their own worlds, oblivious to the goings on of the adults.
Phalyssa had to jump back to avoid getting trampled by one such group-and she did a double take. "Mom?" she asked nervously. "Is it normal for those kids to be all furry and have tails?"
Jea followed Phalyssa's finger. Raising an eyebrow in intrigue, she replied, "I'm assuming that it is." The ranger held Barak's eyes with a steady gaze as she ventured a guess. "For lycanthropes, anyway." The large man nodded, confirming her remark.
This was an ancient village of lycanthropes, but until Jea remarked on it, none had noticed. Barak cleared his throat. "Yes, Shifters have always lived here-before they ever lived anywhere else. If you would be so kind as to join me at my house, I will tell you the story of my people."
Having nothing better to do, the adventurers followed tiredly. Inside Barak's house, a large, sturdy building at the back part of town, they all sat around a table, listening as he began the tale of the island's history.
"Long ago, when this world was a child, and the elves themselves little more than animals, our people were brought into existence. We were different in the beginning. Our Wyld natures were not hereditary; rather, they were based on the individual. Over time, people began to clump into form based tribes, and we began to change. Unusual forms became less common, and by the time of man's emergence, there were twelve tribes: Bat, Bear, Boar, Fox, Griffin, Lion, Rat, Raven, Spotted Cats, Tiger, Wolf, and the rulers of all, the Cave Lion. The Tribe of the Cave Lion managed to hold a shaky peace in place for many millennia.
"However, by 600 years ago, the blood of the Cave Lions had begun to grow thin, and the ancient Tribe of Kings began to lose its power. They were attacked at that time by an alliance of the Wolf and Rat Tribes. The Cave Lions were decimated-its members were all eradicated, as far as anyone knows.
"The Tribes fell apart in the Great War. Petty squabbles flared up without the guidance of our kings. Many fled the island, seeking refuge in the surrounding lands. They were never seen again.but their descendants are your present day Lycanthropes. Our people have warred continuously since then, and from twelve Tribes, only four remain.
"This village is the combined forces of the Bear and Tiger Tribes. Our foe is the still existent Wolf-Rat alliance."
Jea seemed to digest the werebear's story. "So you're at war with the evil weres? Interesting."
Just then a woman, slender and beautiful, stepped into the room. "Barak, are you going to invite our visitors to dine with us? Or have your manners abandoned you entirely?"
Barak rolled his eyes good naturedly. "I was just about to, dear. Thanks for reminding me."
The woman disappeared into the other room. Barak turned to them. "My wife, the tigress, Mira. She has a point though. Would you be willing to dine us? You will be given a place to sleep in the public meeting house. It has extra beds for visitors."
The group conferred briefly, before agreeing unanimously. They chatted idly with the leader for close to an hour when suddenly, the door slammed open and for children ran to Barak, hugging, kissing, and climbing all over the giant man.
He responded readily with hair rufflings and hugs. Mira entered a moment later. "Kids!" she commanded. "Come help with the food."
The food was brought to the table and everyone settled themselves. A brief grace was said, and then all dug in. Mira's cooking was excellent and all told her so.
After they had finished, Barak showed them to the meeting house next door. It had one large door and a fire pit in the center. Bed pallets were stacked against one wall.
The group arranged their bedrolls with ease. The four pallets were arranged in a spacious square. Jea and Laguna were sleeping in the upper left corner, Ambermist the upper right, Dumbugg, the lower left, and Phalyssa as far from her parents as she could get(in an attempt to avoid having to listen to anything they might do.)
The party went to sleep immediately-except for Jea and Laguna, of course, who stopped for a little interlude. Wolf, meanwhile, curled up by the small fire, warily setting his head on his paws.
Laguna was in the middle of the most pleasant dream when he was roughly awakened. Snapping his eyes open, he was staring into the face of a large, brutish man with long red brown hair and beard.
"Get up," the man ordered.
Laguna realized he and Jea were unclothed and made a gesture of protest.
"Get up, dress and come outside. Make it quick, stranger. And awaken the female."
Laguna and Jea rose and dressed quickly, stepping indignantly out of their tent. Phalyssa, Wolf, Ambermist, and Dumbugg were surrounded by a group of armed men and women. Some of their captors were brutish and apelike, while others were slender and catlike, All were bristling with weapons and threatening.
The biggest of the men walked over to Laguna. "Why are you here, stranger?"
Laguna drew himself up to match the man's height. "I am Laguna Kimsteed, Paladin of the Order of Goku. These people are my party: my wife, daughter, and friends." He gestured to each of his companions in turn. "As to why we are here," he spread his hands helplessly, "we are shipwrecked. We're trying to figure out how to get back on track."
The hulking man made a hand motion, and all of his people lowered their weapons and relaxed. He held out a large mitt to Laguna. "I'm Barak, and I greet you on behalf of my village and tribe." Laguna shook the proffered paw, and Barak continued. "Perhaps you could come back to the village with us? We might be able to help you-besides, it's not safe for people to be out at night."
Laguna glanced at his comrades. Jea nodded and turned to speak with Wolf. The rest shrugged non-commitally. He finally nodded in assent to Barak.
Their new acquaintances helped them to pack up, and within twenty minutes, they were on their way. Jea had let their horses out of the Dimension Egg so they could keep up with the rugged warriors, who moved at a ground devouring trot. (Jea of course, chose to run with them, with the excuse that she needed the exercise.)
A pair of beady eyes watched them from a thick tree, and then the eyes' owner scuttled away into the underbrush eagerly, ready to pass along the results of its recon.
* * * * * *
Even at such a pace, it took them half a day to get to the village. Barak had explained during the trip that the two remaining tribes on the island were at war and that strangers were very rare.
The party entered the fortress like town, and immediately noticed the large number of people milling around. A sturdy wood and stone wall encircled the entire area, and men and women stood as armed guards in various points. The obviously militant environment of the settlement did nothing to affect the dozens of children running around under foot; they were caught up in their own worlds, oblivious to the goings on of the adults.
Phalyssa had to jump back to avoid getting trampled by one such group-and she did a double take. "Mom?" she asked nervously. "Is it normal for those kids to be all furry and have tails?"
Jea followed Phalyssa's finger. Raising an eyebrow in intrigue, she replied, "I'm assuming that it is." The ranger held Barak's eyes with a steady gaze as she ventured a guess. "For lycanthropes, anyway." The large man nodded, confirming her remark.
This was an ancient village of lycanthropes, but until Jea remarked on it, none had noticed. Barak cleared his throat. "Yes, Shifters have always lived here-before they ever lived anywhere else. If you would be so kind as to join me at my house, I will tell you the story of my people."
Having nothing better to do, the adventurers followed tiredly. Inside Barak's house, a large, sturdy building at the back part of town, they all sat around a table, listening as he began the tale of the island's history.
"Long ago, when this world was a child, and the elves themselves little more than animals, our people were brought into existence. We were different in the beginning. Our Wyld natures were not hereditary; rather, they were based on the individual. Over time, people began to clump into form based tribes, and we began to change. Unusual forms became less common, and by the time of man's emergence, there were twelve tribes: Bat, Bear, Boar, Fox, Griffin, Lion, Rat, Raven, Spotted Cats, Tiger, Wolf, and the rulers of all, the Cave Lion. The Tribe of the Cave Lion managed to hold a shaky peace in place for many millennia.
"However, by 600 years ago, the blood of the Cave Lions had begun to grow thin, and the ancient Tribe of Kings began to lose its power. They were attacked at that time by an alliance of the Wolf and Rat Tribes. The Cave Lions were decimated-its members were all eradicated, as far as anyone knows.
"The Tribes fell apart in the Great War. Petty squabbles flared up without the guidance of our kings. Many fled the island, seeking refuge in the surrounding lands. They were never seen again.but their descendants are your present day Lycanthropes. Our people have warred continuously since then, and from twelve Tribes, only four remain.
"This village is the combined forces of the Bear and Tiger Tribes. Our foe is the still existent Wolf-Rat alliance."
Jea seemed to digest the werebear's story. "So you're at war with the evil weres? Interesting."
Just then a woman, slender and beautiful, stepped into the room. "Barak, are you going to invite our visitors to dine with us? Or have your manners abandoned you entirely?"
Barak rolled his eyes good naturedly. "I was just about to, dear. Thanks for reminding me."
The woman disappeared into the other room. Barak turned to them. "My wife, the tigress, Mira. She has a point though. Would you be willing to dine us? You will be given a place to sleep in the public meeting house. It has extra beds for visitors."
The group conferred briefly, before agreeing unanimously. They chatted idly with the leader for close to an hour when suddenly, the door slammed open and for children ran to Barak, hugging, kissing, and climbing all over the giant man.
He responded readily with hair rufflings and hugs. Mira entered a moment later. "Kids!" she commanded. "Come help with the food."
The food was brought to the table and everyone settled themselves. A brief grace was said, and then all dug in. Mira's cooking was excellent and all told her so.
After they had finished, Barak showed them to the meeting house next door. It had one large door and a fire pit in the center. Bed pallets were stacked against one wall.
The group arranged their bedrolls with ease. The four pallets were arranged in a spacious square. Jea and Laguna were sleeping in the upper left corner, Ambermist the upper right, Dumbugg, the lower left, and Phalyssa as far from her parents as she could get(in an attempt to avoid having to listen to anything they might do.)
The party went to sleep immediately-except for Jea and Laguna, of course, who stopped for a little interlude. Wolf, meanwhile, curled up by the small fire, warily setting his head on his paws.