Disclaimer: I don't own anything you'll recognise.
Here is chapter 6, Hope you like it!
Thanks a lot to Anna for correcting it.
Chapter Six
They decided to rest a few days before taking care of the Foxes. They sent animals spying on the different teams. They learned that the Foxes had attacked successfully the Bears and had crushed them. But they disliked the methods of the Foxes: they had completely destroyed the Bears' base and stolen their most important possessions such as their weapons, their blankets, their food.
When they heard it, they were quite angry.
"It's not fair!" exclaimed Raia.
"Yes, its even dangerous. They're in the forest without any means to defend themselves. It was a dirty move." Added Thers.
"I can understand a bit of sabotage as long as it don't endangered the team, but they've gone too far." Said Veradis.
There was a long silence. Each of them was deep in thought. Finally Yrs spoke.
"Well, we could help them." The other look at him, surprised. "Yes, we had a lot of weapons we don't use, as well as a few pelts unused for now. It won't weakened us to give them to them. Moreover we can easily replace the weapons. We could also give them some food: fishes, fruits, roots ; and some healing herbs. I mean they must have been injured in the attack"
Harry, Thers, Raia and Veradis were silent, thinking about it.
"It's a good idea" finally said Harry. "If we didn't help them at least a bit, I would worry about them, and wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to them."
The others nodded their assent.
"Alright, We have to prepare what were going to give them and bring it to them quickly."
They parted. Raia took the pelts and cleaned them, while Thers was gathering some weapons. Yrs was rummaging in his stock of herbs, choosing the ones he could give them. Veradis and Harry prepared some food and a few plates. They packed everything, fixed it on their horses, climbed on them and headed towards the Bears base or more precisely what remained of their base.
It took them an hour to arrived there. But to their surprise there was nobody.
"Where are they?" asked Thers, voicing everyone's thought.
"I don't know but I want to find out." Said Harry. They climbed off and started to study carefully the area.
For a few minutes the only sound which could be heard were the birds and the wind.
"Come!" shouted Raia, waving to her friend. They hurried at her side.
"Look at it." She was pointing at something on the ground.
"What?" asked dumbly Yrs.
"The prints!"
"Yes and so?" said Thers. "Its just some horses prints."
"You don't see it? Looked closely at this one, there is only one horse who let prints like this one, it's Orag, Walds stallion."
"You sure" asked Harry.
"Yes! He has a hoove a bit flat on the sides."
"So It means the Wolves had come here and apparently bring the Bears to their base." Said Veradis.
"Exactly."
"I can imagine the chaos it must be in their base. There was just the place for their team. Moreover I don't think they had large food supplies."
"So we had to bring it to their base."
They look at each other and shrugged.
"I don't look forwards it." Said Yrs. "After our little attack, I don't think were welcome there."
"Maybe, but we had to help them."
"Sure, but I don't think erupted in their base like this would be a wise thing. I mean they'll be a bit more careful and suspicious now. And would surely held us as hostage to retrieve their totem, even if we have come to help them."
"So we have to found an other way to give them this" Raia pointed to the packages.
They thought for a while. Suddenly Veradis snapped her fingers.
"I've an idea! We could use some animals to deliver it"
"Good one. Which animals. Not the wolves. The hogs wouldn't let them pass., not the deer pack nor the bears" said Thers.
"What about the hogs?" suggested Harry.
His friends looked at him as if he was crazy.
"Are you out of your mind. They'll attack us as soon as they saw us!" exclaimed Raia
"Not if me and Thers stunned them before. You're a Chawiz Thers?"
He nodded.
"So all we have to do is found one hog, stunned him. Then Veradis, you explained him the situation."
"It could work" admitted Yrs. "We'll have to let a note in the packages to tell the Wolves and the Bears that we hadn't hexed the weapons or the pelts and that the food isn't poisoned."
"Alright. Lets do it!"
They mounted their horses and headed for the Wolves base. All of the sudden. Harry who was riding in the lead stopped abruptly.
"What?" asked Raia.
"There is something coming on the right."
They listened carefully. Indeed. Something was approaching. It was big.
"It must be a hog."
"Probably. Thers ready?"
The boy nodded and stopped near Harry.
A hog burst out of the bush.
"Petrificia" yelled Harry and Thers. Before they left, Odyeus had taught Harry a few curses used in their time, forbidding him to use spells he had learned in his own time, at Hogwart. Harry thought Petrificia was the primitive version of the Petrificus Totalus curse.
As soon as the hog was hit by the spell, he fell on the ground, unable to move anymore.
"Veradis, your turn." Said Harry.
"You're sure he isn't going to charge me."
"Yes, go ahead."
The familiar buzz appeared in Harry's head. For a moment Veradis seemed to argue with the animal. Finally she looked up and wiped the sweat on her forehead.
"Well I didn't know hog could be that stubborn. But I won. He agree to bring these package to the base."
"Alone?" asked Yrs, surprised.
"No, he will ask the help of other hogs."
"Perfect." Announced Harry. "Yrs, could you write a note?"
"Yes but with what and on what?"
Harry rummaged in a sack on Sheitans back and took a bit of shine and a tick they use to write. It was Yrs who had create it. He had found that a stick coming from a particular plant will drop a black liquid.
"Always prepare" joked Thers.
"Always" replied Harry, smiling and handing Yrs the skin and the stick. He wrote quickly a little explanation on the skin, then waved it to dry it.
"Ready."
They put the note in one of the packages and the packages near the hog.
Then they mounted their horses and went back to their base after having revived the animal.
They spent the day resting and talking. Just before dusk, Arrow, the wolves packs leader arrived and ran to them. He let something drop on the ground near Harry.
"Thank you Arrow."
There was a buzz again.
"He said it was a pleasure." Said Veradis.
Harry smiled and had a closer look at the thing Arrow had brought. It was a message.
He read it loudly for his friends.
To the Lynx.
Thank you for the pelts, the weapons and the fruits. It'd help us a lot. As you may know, the Bears have lost everything in the Foxes attack. They now live with us.
Crush the Foxes!
The Wolves and the Bears.
P.S. Well done for the attack.
They smiled at each other.
"Well What do you think of planning how to make the Foxes regret their attack?" suggested Raia.
"A very good idea my dear, lead the way Rai" replied Yrs. The five friends entered the cave and started to plot the Foxes doom.
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"You're sure its a good idea?" asked Veradis for the hundredth time.
"Veradis We had agreed on this plan. It'll work, they won't know what hit them." replied Thers. "Now help me blocking up this hole." Veradis stayed silent and helped him to push a flat stone to cover the hole. Then used pelts to cover the remaining holes, only letting one open.
The five friends were preparing their attack. It was nearly dawn. Since the Foxes had played dirty with the Bears they hadn't any remorse for attacking at dawn. If they were prepared it wouldn't be a problem for them. Veradis and Thers had just blocked up the only hole allowing the Foxes to evacuate the smoke out of their caves. Indeed it was one of the many defaults of the Foxes base. Like the Lynx, they had chosen a series of cave. Their was in a hill. Veradis had used a lot of animals to spy on them. They knew there were four caves connected by tunnels: three at the same level and one under. But there were some differences. The Foxes had only one exit or entrance, depending how you put it. And their were only one hole to evacuate the smoke when they made a fire. A hole Veradis and Thers had just blocked up except for a little part. They got up and went back where Harry, Raia and Yrs were waiting.
"You're done?" asked Thers.
"Nearly." Answered Yrs.
"We're done" said Harry and Raia, handing Thers and Veradis a net each. It looked like common net at first sight. But if you looked closer, you could notice they were made of Devil Snare roots and itching roots. Yrs had managed to keep the Devil Snare roots active event after they had cut a bit of them. These nets were a bit mean, but the Foxes deserved a good lesson. Indeed The Devil Snare would tighten as its prey would struggle, so all that the Foxes had to do was to stay totally still. But this would be extremely difficult since the Devil Snare had been mixed with itching roots. Once you had touched these roots, you couldn't help scratching yourself. It was Yrs who had had the idea.
"I'm finished" said suddenly Yrs, looking up from his work. He showed his friends six purses.
"You're sure it'll function?" asked Thers.
"Positive. As soon as it'll hit something, the different components will mixed, spreading the smoke and the smell."
"And the smell?" cut Veradis
"Will be more horrible than anything that you can imagine." Said Yrs.
"Perfect. Everybody know what he had to do? Then, shall we go, my dear comrades?" said Harry.
"We shall, my dear Harry." Replied Raia. "Lets go"
They parted, Yrs heading towards the hole Veradis and Thers had blocked up except for a small part which allowed him to drop the six purses in the caves. After having done this he covered it to prevent the smell from being evacuated by it. Once he was done with it, he ran to his friends and waited with them for the Foxes to exit their cave. They didn't have to wait long. Soon, they heard footsteps and coughs signalling them that people were coming.
"What is that?" they heard Andra yelled while coughing. They smiled at this.
As soon as the five members of the Foxes were out of the cave. They threw the nets on them. Startled, they struggled to pull it away, only causing the Devil Snare to tighten. They understood what was happening and calmed down. But, then, the itching roots came in action and they started to scratch themselves furiously.
Harry, Veradis, Raia, Yrs and Thers were laughing their heads off. It was really a funny sight. Finally Harry decided to end their misery before they hurt themselves.
"Petrificia" Immediately they fell, stunned, on the ground. Harry turned to Yrs. "Have you put your soporific powder?"
"Yes, here it is." He handed Harry a small purse with a white powder in. Harry threw a bit a each member of the Foxes. They fell immediately asleep and Brox started to snore.
"Lets tie them with lianas, and put them back inside. How long does the powder last?" asked Harry.
"Four hours, seeing the amount you gave them."
"Good. Now, Veradis, Where did the flies said they had hidden the totems?"
"Well, they heard them saying they hope the water wouldn't damage it"
"Water, water,water" muttered Yrs. He snapped his finger "The cave underneath had a small lake. Maybe they drowned them?"
"You must be right." Said Raia. "Lead the way."
They crossed the first cave. It was different from theirs. Instead of their training place, there were, pelts everywhere, tables with food, plates It looked like a room where people relaxed. They entered the next one. It was apparently where they slept. They had made it comfortable. Harry remarked that they thought a lot about their comfort. In the chamber there was an hole with a ladder made of lianas.
"Who go first?" asked Thers.
"Why Thers? It's so nice to volunteer" replied Veradis, smiling.
"But I"
"No need to be modest, Thers." Added Veradis, playing along.
"I didn't"
"I was sure you'll be the first to volunteer, you're always the courageous one" cut Raia.
"I"
"Yes, Always the devoted one, the selfless one" continued Veradis.
Seeing it was useless to argue, Thers sighed and started to climbed down in the hole. Veradis and Raia high-fived each-other. After a few seconds, Thers called after his friend.
"Come it's safe!"
One by one, they climbed down. They found themselves on a something which looked like an island in the middle of a natural underground lake. It was very dark. They couldn't see what was surrounding them. Harry raised his hand.
"Lux" Immediately an orb of light started to form in his hand. It reached the size of his head. Then he threw it in the air and it stayed above them, floating.
"Better"
He cast a look around him and whistle. This cave was pretty big.
"Well" said Yrs. "Were going to have to swim to find it." He looked at the lake. "Its going to take us a long time" he sighed.
Thers chuckled and winked at Harry.
"Not really" he said. "It'll take us a few seconds Watch, and admire." He raised his hand and said:
"Brillow obsidian"
Instantly, something started to glow in the lake.
"Here they are" said smugly Thers.
"Great! How did you do it?"
"Chawiz" answered simply Harry. "All the totems are made of obsidian. He had used a spell which makes the stone the caster choose glow." He explained. "Now, who volunteer to go retrieve them?" He looked at his friends expectantly. Veradis and Raia looked at each other, an evil twinkle in their eyes. Suddenly they lunged at him and pushed him in the lake.
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!" He dived in the water making a loud SPLASH. He went back to the surface, coughing.
"You're going to pay. It's cold!"
"If it's cold, swim, it'll warm you up." Replied Thers sweetly.
"Revenge is sweet" shot back Harry, while crawling to the glowing spot. He dived, reaching the bottom of the lake which was about three meters under water. He saw a bundle glowing, took it and came back to the surface. He took a deep breath, having held his for quite a long time. He came back where his friends were waiting, handed them the bundle and was pulled out of water by Thers while the other was looking in what he brought back.
"YES!" shouted Raia, jumping, holding a small statue of a fox, while Yrs was holding a bears one.
"Now back to the base and rest for today Tomorrow, training!" said Harry.
"Why continue to train?" asked Yrs, groaning.
"Do you want to loose everything we had gained?" asked Thers.
"You're right, what were I thinking" muttered Yrs.
We came back to the first cave, climbing up the ladder, crossing the cave- chamber. Veradis let a small note on a table before leaving, followed by the whole team. They whistled, calling their horses, mounted them and headed straight to their base. They were so joyful that they didn't notice that they were followed.
Suddenly Harry heard the familiar buzz in his head.
"Veradis?"
"Yes"
"Who are you talking with?"
She looked at him strangely.
"Thers, Why?"
"No, which animal?"
"I'm not talking to an animal"
"You're not?"
"No, What's the problem Harry?"
" We have a problem. Somebody who can talk to animals is following us."
"You're sure?" asked Thers.
"Positive, Ill explain later. Now, come, I've an idea to caught our follower"
They gathered and listened to his plan.
"Great!" whispered Yrs. Then loudly he said
"Harry, Veradis, could you take the totems, They are quite heavy"
"Alright!" answered both of them.
Yrs gave them a bundle each.
"Now GO!"
They parted in two groups: Yrs, Thers and Raia in one and Harry and Veradis in the other. Harry had chosen these groups because Sheitan and Veradiss mare, Cerya were the fastest horses in the group. As Harry had guessed their follower or followers chased them, thinking they had the totems. Both of them were careful to always stay in their view but to remain out of reach. They ran in the forest, taking sharp turns, slaloming between the trees. Then they headed where their friends were waiting with a gift for the pursuers. They took a sharp turn on their left and galloped on a straight path. They could heard quite a lot of people behind them but didn't look to see how many, focusing on the path. Harry whistled sharply, announcing their arrival. They slowed down, waiting for the pursuers to come. He recognised the Wolves and the Bears, all there. When they were ten metres away from him, he whistled a second time. Immediately a rope appeared, crossing the path. The Wolves and the Bears saw it but it was too late. They weren't able to slow. The rope made them fell as the horse could pass under, but not the rider. Soon, eleven riders were on the floor.
The five friends gave each-other thumb-up.
"Good timing Harry" said Yrs.
"Thank you. Yours was good too."
"Well, what do you think of coming back to the base?" said Veradis.
"A great idea, my dear Veradis. Could you give us the honour of leading us?"
"My pleasure." She replied. She turned to the Wolves and the Bears.
"It had been a pleasure to meet you again." She saluted mockingly as did her friends. "See you in one week!"
They left them and headed for their base, talking about the days events. Suddenly Veradis looked at Harry.
"Hey! Harry! How did you know they were following us?"
Harry hesitated, before choosing to say the truth.
"Each time you talk with an animal, I hear a sort of buzz in my head. Its not painful, but quite unnerving. While we were coming to the crater, I heard the buzz. As you said you weren't talking to an animal, it was obligatory somebody else."
His friends looked at him strangely.
"What?" Harry asked.
Veradis shook her head.
"Nothing. You'll have to tell it to Odyeus."
"I was planning to do so."
They continued to talk mostly about the Foxes faces when they saw they had been tricked.
Once they were back to the crater, they took care of their horses and relaxed for the rest of the day.
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"Thhheeerrrrrrrssss, wake up" whispered Harry in the ear of his friend.
"Let me sleep" groaned sleepily Thers turning on the opposite side.
"Well" sighed Harry "you asked for it."
He approached his ear again.
"THERS! WAKE UP! YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE TRAINING!" he yelled as loud as he could.
Thers jumped, startled to say at least by the sudden outburst.
"Are you out your mind! There was no need to yell!" He got up grumpily. Harry only smiled.
"Come on sleepy head! Even Yrs is awake."
"Yes, I come, I come….. How can you be so energetic this early, its not human!"
"Well maybe I'm not human"
Thers shook his head, got up, dressed and joined his friends in the first cave.
They ate silently. Once they were finished they cleaned their plate and put back the remaining food in the third cave.
"Well who's first?" asked Raia. Nobody spoke. "Well we'll have to use a scientific method." She took five sticks of wood. "The one who picks the smallest go first."
She was the one who picked the smallest.
The week passed slowly. They continued to train, but it was more difficult since the three other teams were searching through the whole area for them. Many times they had to stop training for a few hours and wait for them to go away. They had strengthen a lot their defences. During their training they had to undergo four attacks. Finally there were only three more days before the end of the Sarth'ahnra. They were resting near the lake after their session, when a raven came and dropped a note next to Thers. He picked it up and read it aloud.
Lynx.
In three days the Sarth'ahnra will be finished. You'll have to bring the totems you have back to the camp. The other teams will be allowed to attack you on your way back and took away your totem.
Good Luck
Oddyeus
"It's not fair, we're going to have the three teams against us."
"They'll be waiting for us"
They starred glumly at the sky, defeated by these news.
"I may have an idea" said Yrs. "But we'll need to hurry."
"Go ahead, explained." Urged Thers.
"Well, here is the plan.
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Three days later, they were ready.
"Ready!"
"YES!"
"Good luck everybody!" exclaimed Harry. "We'll need it" he added for himself.
"Everyone had his or her copies?" asked Yrs.
They nodded.
"Well, go. Meet at the camp."
They parted. Harry went in the direction of the Foxes. They had previously spotted the teams on the maps. As they had predicted, he was caught in a net. Andra approached him.
"Well, Harry, it seems to me that you have played and lost. Give me the totems." He said, scornfully.
Silently, Harry gave him a sack. Andra looked inside and smiled.
"Good boy. Well, we must go. See you at the camp, to celebrate our victory." The Foxes left him in the net and headed for the camp, laughing.
Harry smiled, pulled out one of his knives and cut the net. Then he climbed back on Sheitan and galloped to the camp. There he found himself being the last one to come, since the Foxes had been the team situated the furthest away from the camp.
He joined his friends.
"It had functioned?" he asked, a bit worried.
"Perfectly", answered Yrs. "As soon as they got the copies, they came straight to the camp so the path was clear for our messengers."
"Great, I can't wait to see them realising they had copies." He said chuckling.
The four teams were all gathered in the middle of the camp.
"Well, you have passed the Sarthahnra. You're now full-warriors, you have learned how to survive, make plans, find a refuge, but also friendship, solidarity. Now, we're going to see which team had been the most effective. Could the teams come and gave me the totems they had won?" Odyeus looked at the teams. The Foxes were smug, the Bears proud as well as the Wolves. Then he looked at the Lynx, the ones he thought would win. He was a bit surprised by their behaviour. They seemed to be restraining themselves of laughing. It was confusing him. He dismissed the thought and smiled as the teams handed him what they had gained.
Imagine his surprise when he saw that each team had four totems.
"There is a problem." He said. Then he saw a small note stuck at one of the totems. He took it and read it.
To the other teams
We're sorry for this trick. But you understand that we couldn't give you the true ones. Anyway these copies are quite good and make good substitutes, don't you think so?
Sorry again
The Lynx.
Harry and his friends couldn't hold back their laugh much longer, the look on their faces was priceless. They managed to calm down after a few minutes.
"Care to explain?" asked Odyeus.
"Well, it was the only way we found to came to the camp unharmed and to brought the totems." Answered
"Where are they?"
"We had used special messengers" replied Harry mysteriously. He whistled three times. Immediately, Arrow and three other wolves from his pack burst in the camp and stopped near him. Harry knelt near the wolf and untied a bundle which had been fixed on his back. Veradis, Thers and Raia did the same with the others
"Thank you Arrow."
The wolf bowed as did the others to him and his friends then left.
Yrs gathered the four totems and handed them to Odyeus.
"Congratulations." Said Odyeus, smiling.
Then he turned to the other teams.
"They may have won all the totems, but it is nothing compared to what you have learn during this trial. You'll have to remember of it, of what it brought you, or teach you. Now May the feast begin!"
Immediately, the five friends were surrounded by members of the tribe, congratulated
The night was one of the best for Harry. He would leave in two days, and at this thought, he was extremely sad. Here he had found great friends and was known for what he had accomplished and not for something he couldn't remember
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Well What do you think of this chapter?
Thanks a lot to all the people who had reviewed, It's encourage me a lot.
Mistress Cresacre: Thanks a lot. As you see the Wolves weren't completely out of the picture. As for the buzz… Well it will be explain soon.
Angie: Thanks for reviewing
Rishi: Thanks. Sorry it take quite a long time, but with the problems on FF I hadn't been able to post earlier.
Megan Potter the Chaser : Thank you for the review.
Time Twins: Thanks! I love your story "Order of the Phoinex: Those who Stand", it's really brilliant!
Lollipoz: Thanks for the review. As for Dumbledore and the others it will be explained in the next chapter.
The Red Dragon Order: Thanks a lot. Your stories are ones of the best I've read, they're …. I'll have to create new words to describe them as there aren't words good enough ….
Sons: Thank you. I'm happy you like the fight scene since it's a bit hard for me to write them due to my lack of vocabulary
Alex: Thanks a lot for reviewing. I hope you have received my mail. Well i couldn't update before due to the problems on FF, so sorry for the delay.
Arioza: Thank you, I try to write quite long chapter…But it depends of the story…
Once again thanks to all of you!
Here is chapter 6, Hope you like it!
Thanks a lot to Anna for correcting it.
Chapter Six
They decided to rest a few days before taking care of the Foxes. They sent animals spying on the different teams. They learned that the Foxes had attacked successfully the Bears and had crushed them. But they disliked the methods of the Foxes: they had completely destroyed the Bears' base and stolen their most important possessions such as their weapons, their blankets, their food.
When they heard it, they were quite angry.
"It's not fair!" exclaimed Raia.
"Yes, its even dangerous. They're in the forest without any means to defend themselves. It was a dirty move." Added Thers.
"I can understand a bit of sabotage as long as it don't endangered the team, but they've gone too far." Said Veradis.
There was a long silence. Each of them was deep in thought. Finally Yrs spoke.
"Well, we could help them." The other look at him, surprised. "Yes, we had a lot of weapons we don't use, as well as a few pelts unused for now. It won't weakened us to give them to them. Moreover we can easily replace the weapons. We could also give them some food: fishes, fruits, roots ; and some healing herbs. I mean they must have been injured in the attack"
Harry, Thers, Raia and Veradis were silent, thinking about it.
"It's a good idea" finally said Harry. "If we didn't help them at least a bit, I would worry about them, and wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to them."
The others nodded their assent.
"Alright, We have to prepare what were going to give them and bring it to them quickly."
They parted. Raia took the pelts and cleaned them, while Thers was gathering some weapons. Yrs was rummaging in his stock of herbs, choosing the ones he could give them. Veradis and Harry prepared some food and a few plates. They packed everything, fixed it on their horses, climbed on them and headed towards the Bears base or more precisely what remained of their base.
It took them an hour to arrived there. But to their surprise there was nobody.
"Where are they?" asked Thers, voicing everyone's thought.
"I don't know but I want to find out." Said Harry. They climbed off and started to study carefully the area.
For a few minutes the only sound which could be heard were the birds and the wind.
"Come!" shouted Raia, waving to her friend. They hurried at her side.
"Look at it." She was pointing at something on the ground.
"What?" asked dumbly Yrs.
"The prints!"
"Yes and so?" said Thers. "Its just some horses prints."
"You don't see it? Looked closely at this one, there is only one horse who let prints like this one, it's Orag, Walds stallion."
"You sure" asked Harry.
"Yes! He has a hoove a bit flat on the sides."
"So It means the Wolves had come here and apparently bring the Bears to their base." Said Veradis.
"Exactly."
"I can imagine the chaos it must be in their base. There was just the place for their team. Moreover I don't think they had large food supplies."
"So we had to bring it to their base."
They look at each other and shrugged.
"I don't look forwards it." Said Yrs. "After our little attack, I don't think were welcome there."
"Maybe, but we had to help them."
"Sure, but I don't think erupted in their base like this would be a wise thing. I mean they'll be a bit more careful and suspicious now. And would surely held us as hostage to retrieve their totem, even if we have come to help them."
"So we have to found an other way to give them this" Raia pointed to the packages.
They thought for a while. Suddenly Veradis snapped her fingers.
"I've an idea! We could use some animals to deliver it"
"Good one. Which animals. Not the wolves. The hogs wouldn't let them pass., not the deer pack nor the bears" said Thers.
"What about the hogs?" suggested Harry.
His friends looked at him as if he was crazy.
"Are you out of your mind. They'll attack us as soon as they saw us!" exclaimed Raia
"Not if me and Thers stunned them before. You're a Chawiz Thers?"
He nodded.
"So all we have to do is found one hog, stunned him. Then Veradis, you explained him the situation."
"It could work" admitted Yrs. "We'll have to let a note in the packages to tell the Wolves and the Bears that we hadn't hexed the weapons or the pelts and that the food isn't poisoned."
"Alright. Lets do it!"
They mounted their horses and headed for the Wolves base. All of the sudden. Harry who was riding in the lead stopped abruptly.
"What?" asked Raia.
"There is something coming on the right."
They listened carefully. Indeed. Something was approaching. It was big.
"It must be a hog."
"Probably. Thers ready?"
The boy nodded and stopped near Harry.
A hog burst out of the bush.
"Petrificia" yelled Harry and Thers. Before they left, Odyeus had taught Harry a few curses used in their time, forbidding him to use spells he had learned in his own time, at Hogwart. Harry thought Petrificia was the primitive version of the Petrificus Totalus curse.
As soon as the hog was hit by the spell, he fell on the ground, unable to move anymore.
"Veradis, your turn." Said Harry.
"You're sure he isn't going to charge me."
"Yes, go ahead."
The familiar buzz appeared in Harry's head. For a moment Veradis seemed to argue with the animal. Finally she looked up and wiped the sweat on her forehead.
"Well I didn't know hog could be that stubborn. But I won. He agree to bring these package to the base."
"Alone?" asked Yrs, surprised.
"No, he will ask the help of other hogs."
"Perfect." Announced Harry. "Yrs, could you write a note?"
"Yes but with what and on what?"
Harry rummaged in a sack on Sheitans back and took a bit of shine and a tick they use to write. It was Yrs who had create it. He had found that a stick coming from a particular plant will drop a black liquid.
"Always prepare" joked Thers.
"Always" replied Harry, smiling and handing Yrs the skin and the stick. He wrote quickly a little explanation on the skin, then waved it to dry it.
"Ready."
They put the note in one of the packages and the packages near the hog.
Then they mounted their horses and went back to their base after having revived the animal.
They spent the day resting and talking. Just before dusk, Arrow, the wolves packs leader arrived and ran to them. He let something drop on the ground near Harry.
"Thank you Arrow."
There was a buzz again.
"He said it was a pleasure." Said Veradis.
Harry smiled and had a closer look at the thing Arrow had brought. It was a message.
He read it loudly for his friends.
To the Lynx.
Thank you for the pelts, the weapons and the fruits. It'd help us a lot. As you may know, the Bears have lost everything in the Foxes attack. They now live with us.
Crush the Foxes!
The Wolves and the Bears.
P.S. Well done for the attack.
They smiled at each other.
"Well What do you think of planning how to make the Foxes regret their attack?" suggested Raia.
"A very good idea my dear, lead the way Rai" replied Yrs. The five friends entered the cave and started to plot the Foxes doom.
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"You're sure its a good idea?" asked Veradis for the hundredth time.
"Veradis We had agreed on this plan. It'll work, they won't know what hit them." replied Thers. "Now help me blocking up this hole." Veradis stayed silent and helped him to push a flat stone to cover the hole. Then used pelts to cover the remaining holes, only letting one open.
The five friends were preparing their attack. It was nearly dawn. Since the Foxes had played dirty with the Bears they hadn't any remorse for attacking at dawn. If they were prepared it wouldn't be a problem for them. Veradis and Thers had just blocked up the only hole allowing the Foxes to evacuate the smoke out of their caves. Indeed it was one of the many defaults of the Foxes base. Like the Lynx, they had chosen a series of cave. Their was in a hill. Veradis had used a lot of animals to spy on them. They knew there were four caves connected by tunnels: three at the same level and one under. But there were some differences. The Foxes had only one exit or entrance, depending how you put it. And their were only one hole to evacuate the smoke when they made a fire. A hole Veradis and Thers had just blocked up except for a little part. They got up and went back where Harry, Raia and Yrs were waiting.
"You're done?" asked Thers.
"Nearly." Answered Yrs.
"We're done" said Harry and Raia, handing Thers and Veradis a net each. It looked like common net at first sight. But if you looked closer, you could notice they were made of Devil Snare roots and itching roots. Yrs had managed to keep the Devil Snare roots active event after they had cut a bit of them. These nets were a bit mean, but the Foxes deserved a good lesson. Indeed The Devil Snare would tighten as its prey would struggle, so all that the Foxes had to do was to stay totally still. But this would be extremely difficult since the Devil Snare had been mixed with itching roots. Once you had touched these roots, you couldn't help scratching yourself. It was Yrs who had had the idea.
"I'm finished" said suddenly Yrs, looking up from his work. He showed his friends six purses.
"You're sure it'll function?" asked Thers.
"Positive. As soon as it'll hit something, the different components will mixed, spreading the smoke and the smell."
"And the smell?" cut Veradis
"Will be more horrible than anything that you can imagine." Said Yrs.
"Perfect. Everybody know what he had to do? Then, shall we go, my dear comrades?" said Harry.
"We shall, my dear Harry." Replied Raia. "Lets go"
They parted, Yrs heading towards the hole Veradis and Thers had blocked up except for a small part which allowed him to drop the six purses in the caves. After having done this he covered it to prevent the smell from being evacuated by it. Once he was done with it, he ran to his friends and waited with them for the Foxes to exit their cave. They didn't have to wait long. Soon, they heard footsteps and coughs signalling them that people were coming.
"What is that?" they heard Andra yelled while coughing. They smiled at this.
As soon as the five members of the Foxes were out of the cave. They threw the nets on them. Startled, they struggled to pull it away, only causing the Devil Snare to tighten. They understood what was happening and calmed down. But, then, the itching roots came in action and they started to scratch themselves furiously.
Harry, Veradis, Raia, Yrs and Thers were laughing their heads off. It was really a funny sight. Finally Harry decided to end their misery before they hurt themselves.
"Petrificia" Immediately they fell, stunned, on the ground. Harry turned to Yrs. "Have you put your soporific powder?"
"Yes, here it is." He handed Harry a small purse with a white powder in. Harry threw a bit a each member of the Foxes. They fell immediately asleep and Brox started to snore.
"Lets tie them with lianas, and put them back inside. How long does the powder last?" asked Harry.
"Four hours, seeing the amount you gave them."
"Good. Now, Veradis, Where did the flies said they had hidden the totems?"
"Well, they heard them saying they hope the water wouldn't damage it"
"Water, water,water" muttered Yrs. He snapped his finger "The cave underneath had a small lake. Maybe they drowned them?"
"You must be right." Said Raia. "Lead the way."
They crossed the first cave. It was different from theirs. Instead of their training place, there were, pelts everywhere, tables with food, plates It looked like a room where people relaxed. They entered the next one. It was apparently where they slept. They had made it comfortable. Harry remarked that they thought a lot about their comfort. In the chamber there was an hole with a ladder made of lianas.
"Who go first?" asked Thers.
"Why Thers? It's so nice to volunteer" replied Veradis, smiling.
"But I"
"No need to be modest, Thers." Added Veradis, playing along.
"I didn't"
"I was sure you'll be the first to volunteer, you're always the courageous one" cut Raia.
"I"
"Yes, Always the devoted one, the selfless one" continued Veradis.
Seeing it was useless to argue, Thers sighed and started to climbed down in the hole. Veradis and Raia high-fived each-other. After a few seconds, Thers called after his friend.
"Come it's safe!"
One by one, they climbed down. They found themselves on a something which looked like an island in the middle of a natural underground lake. It was very dark. They couldn't see what was surrounding them. Harry raised his hand.
"Lux" Immediately an orb of light started to form in his hand. It reached the size of his head. Then he threw it in the air and it stayed above them, floating.
"Better"
He cast a look around him and whistle. This cave was pretty big.
"Well" said Yrs. "Were going to have to swim to find it." He looked at the lake. "Its going to take us a long time" he sighed.
Thers chuckled and winked at Harry.
"Not really" he said. "It'll take us a few seconds Watch, and admire." He raised his hand and said:
"Brillow obsidian"
Instantly, something started to glow in the lake.
"Here they are" said smugly Thers.
"Great! How did you do it?"
"Chawiz" answered simply Harry. "All the totems are made of obsidian. He had used a spell which makes the stone the caster choose glow." He explained. "Now, who volunteer to go retrieve them?" He looked at his friends expectantly. Veradis and Raia looked at each other, an evil twinkle in their eyes. Suddenly they lunged at him and pushed him in the lake.
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!" He dived in the water making a loud SPLASH. He went back to the surface, coughing.
"You're going to pay. It's cold!"
"If it's cold, swim, it'll warm you up." Replied Thers sweetly.
"Revenge is sweet" shot back Harry, while crawling to the glowing spot. He dived, reaching the bottom of the lake which was about three meters under water. He saw a bundle glowing, took it and came back to the surface. He took a deep breath, having held his for quite a long time. He came back where his friends were waiting, handed them the bundle and was pulled out of water by Thers while the other was looking in what he brought back.
"YES!" shouted Raia, jumping, holding a small statue of a fox, while Yrs was holding a bears one.
"Now back to the base and rest for today Tomorrow, training!" said Harry.
"Why continue to train?" asked Yrs, groaning.
"Do you want to loose everything we had gained?" asked Thers.
"You're right, what were I thinking" muttered Yrs.
We came back to the first cave, climbing up the ladder, crossing the cave- chamber. Veradis let a small note on a table before leaving, followed by the whole team. They whistled, calling their horses, mounted them and headed straight to their base. They were so joyful that they didn't notice that they were followed.
Suddenly Harry heard the familiar buzz in his head.
"Veradis?"
"Yes"
"Who are you talking with?"
She looked at him strangely.
"Thers, Why?"
"No, which animal?"
"I'm not talking to an animal"
"You're not?"
"No, What's the problem Harry?"
" We have a problem. Somebody who can talk to animals is following us."
"You're sure?" asked Thers.
"Positive, Ill explain later. Now, come, I've an idea to caught our follower"
They gathered and listened to his plan.
"Great!" whispered Yrs. Then loudly he said
"Harry, Veradis, could you take the totems, They are quite heavy"
"Alright!" answered both of them.
Yrs gave them a bundle each.
"Now GO!"
They parted in two groups: Yrs, Thers and Raia in one and Harry and Veradis in the other. Harry had chosen these groups because Sheitan and Veradiss mare, Cerya were the fastest horses in the group. As Harry had guessed their follower or followers chased them, thinking they had the totems. Both of them were careful to always stay in their view but to remain out of reach. They ran in the forest, taking sharp turns, slaloming between the trees. Then they headed where their friends were waiting with a gift for the pursuers. They took a sharp turn on their left and galloped on a straight path. They could heard quite a lot of people behind them but didn't look to see how many, focusing on the path. Harry whistled sharply, announcing their arrival. They slowed down, waiting for the pursuers to come. He recognised the Wolves and the Bears, all there. When they were ten metres away from him, he whistled a second time. Immediately a rope appeared, crossing the path. The Wolves and the Bears saw it but it was too late. They weren't able to slow. The rope made them fell as the horse could pass under, but not the rider. Soon, eleven riders were on the floor.
The five friends gave each-other thumb-up.
"Good timing Harry" said Yrs.
"Thank you. Yours was good too."
"Well, what do you think of coming back to the base?" said Veradis.
"A great idea, my dear Veradis. Could you give us the honour of leading us?"
"My pleasure." She replied. She turned to the Wolves and the Bears.
"It had been a pleasure to meet you again." She saluted mockingly as did her friends. "See you in one week!"
They left them and headed for their base, talking about the days events. Suddenly Veradis looked at Harry.
"Hey! Harry! How did you know they were following us?"
Harry hesitated, before choosing to say the truth.
"Each time you talk with an animal, I hear a sort of buzz in my head. Its not painful, but quite unnerving. While we were coming to the crater, I heard the buzz. As you said you weren't talking to an animal, it was obligatory somebody else."
His friends looked at him strangely.
"What?" Harry asked.
Veradis shook her head.
"Nothing. You'll have to tell it to Odyeus."
"I was planning to do so."
They continued to talk mostly about the Foxes faces when they saw they had been tricked.
Once they were back to the crater, they took care of their horses and relaxed for the rest of the day.
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"Thhheeerrrrrrrssss, wake up" whispered Harry in the ear of his friend.
"Let me sleep" groaned sleepily Thers turning on the opposite side.
"Well" sighed Harry "you asked for it."
He approached his ear again.
"THERS! WAKE UP! YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE TRAINING!" he yelled as loud as he could.
Thers jumped, startled to say at least by the sudden outburst.
"Are you out your mind! There was no need to yell!" He got up grumpily. Harry only smiled.
"Come on sleepy head! Even Yrs is awake."
"Yes, I come, I come….. How can you be so energetic this early, its not human!"
"Well maybe I'm not human"
Thers shook his head, got up, dressed and joined his friends in the first cave.
They ate silently. Once they were finished they cleaned their plate and put back the remaining food in the third cave.
"Well who's first?" asked Raia. Nobody spoke. "Well we'll have to use a scientific method." She took five sticks of wood. "The one who picks the smallest go first."
She was the one who picked the smallest.
The week passed slowly. They continued to train, but it was more difficult since the three other teams were searching through the whole area for them. Many times they had to stop training for a few hours and wait for them to go away. They had strengthen a lot their defences. During their training they had to undergo four attacks. Finally there were only three more days before the end of the Sarth'ahnra. They were resting near the lake after their session, when a raven came and dropped a note next to Thers. He picked it up and read it aloud.
Lynx.
In three days the Sarth'ahnra will be finished. You'll have to bring the totems you have back to the camp. The other teams will be allowed to attack you on your way back and took away your totem.
Good Luck
Oddyeus
"It's not fair, we're going to have the three teams against us."
"They'll be waiting for us"
They starred glumly at the sky, defeated by these news.
"I may have an idea" said Yrs. "But we'll need to hurry."
"Go ahead, explained." Urged Thers.
"Well, here is the plan.
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Three days later, they were ready.
"Ready!"
"YES!"
"Good luck everybody!" exclaimed Harry. "We'll need it" he added for himself.
"Everyone had his or her copies?" asked Yrs.
They nodded.
"Well, go. Meet at the camp."
They parted. Harry went in the direction of the Foxes. They had previously spotted the teams on the maps. As they had predicted, he was caught in a net. Andra approached him.
"Well, Harry, it seems to me that you have played and lost. Give me the totems." He said, scornfully.
Silently, Harry gave him a sack. Andra looked inside and smiled.
"Good boy. Well, we must go. See you at the camp, to celebrate our victory." The Foxes left him in the net and headed for the camp, laughing.
Harry smiled, pulled out one of his knives and cut the net. Then he climbed back on Sheitan and galloped to the camp. There he found himself being the last one to come, since the Foxes had been the team situated the furthest away from the camp.
He joined his friends.
"It had functioned?" he asked, a bit worried.
"Perfectly", answered Yrs. "As soon as they got the copies, they came straight to the camp so the path was clear for our messengers."
"Great, I can't wait to see them realising they had copies." He said chuckling.
The four teams were all gathered in the middle of the camp.
"Well, you have passed the Sarthahnra. You're now full-warriors, you have learned how to survive, make plans, find a refuge, but also friendship, solidarity. Now, we're going to see which team had been the most effective. Could the teams come and gave me the totems they had won?" Odyeus looked at the teams. The Foxes were smug, the Bears proud as well as the Wolves. Then he looked at the Lynx, the ones he thought would win. He was a bit surprised by their behaviour. They seemed to be restraining themselves of laughing. It was confusing him. He dismissed the thought and smiled as the teams handed him what they had gained.
Imagine his surprise when he saw that each team had four totems.
"There is a problem." He said. Then he saw a small note stuck at one of the totems. He took it and read it.
To the other teams
We're sorry for this trick. But you understand that we couldn't give you the true ones. Anyway these copies are quite good and make good substitutes, don't you think so?
Sorry again
The Lynx.
Harry and his friends couldn't hold back their laugh much longer, the look on their faces was priceless. They managed to calm down after a few minutes.
"Care to explain?" asked Odyeus.
"Well, it was the only way we found to came to the camp unharmed and to brought the totems." Answered
"Where are they?"
"We had used special messengers" replied Harry mysteriously. He whistled three times. Immediately, Arrow and three other wolves from his pack burst in the camp and stopped near him. Harry knelt near the wolf and untied a bundle which had been fixed on his back. Veradis, Thers and Raia did the same with the others
"Thank you Arrow."
The wolf bowed as did the others to him and his friends then left.
Yrs gathered the four totems and handed them to Odyeus.
"Congratulations." Said Odyeus, smiling.
Then he turned to the other teams.
"They may have won all the totems, but it is nothing compared to what you have learn during this trial. You'll have to remember of it, of what it brought you, or teach you. Now May the feast begin!"
Immediately, the five friends were surrounded by members of the tribe, congratulated
The night was one of the best for Harry. He would leave in two days, and at this thought, he was extremely sad. Here he had found great friends and was known for what he had accomplished and not for something he couldn't remember
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Well What do you think of this chapter?
Thanks a lot to all the people who had reviewed, It's encourage me a lot.
Mistress Cresacre: Thanks a lot. As you see the Wolves weren't completely out of the picture. As for the buzz… Well it will be explain soon.
Angie: Thanks for reviewing
Rishi: Thanks. Sorry it take quite a long time, but with the problems on FF I hadn't been able to post earlier.
Megan Potter the Chaser : Thank you for the review.
Time Twins: Thanks! I love your story "Order of the Phoinex: Those who Stand", it's really brilliant!
Lollipoz: Thanks for the review. As for Dumbledore and the others it will be explained in the next chapter.
The Red Dragon Order: Thanks a lot. Your stories are ones of the best I've read, they're …. I'll have to create new words to describe them as there aren't words good enough ….
Sons: Thank you. I'm happy you like the fight scene since it's a bit hard for me to write them due to my lack of vocabulary
Alex: Thanks a lot for reviewing. I hope you have received my mail. Well i couldn't update before due to the problems on FF, so sorry for the delay.
Arioza: Thank you, I try to write quite long chapter…But it depends of the story…
Once again thanks to all of you!