Chapter 8

Strange Things

Lyn's hand was still wrapped tightly around my wrist as we walked silently through our beloved forest. Her eyes were closed, her breathing deep and even. She navigated the forest without sight, she knew the way so well, so many days had been spent here. I realized guiltily that recently many of those days had been spent alone.

I had stayed indoors so often, trying to be close to Thanos as much as possible. The forest was not the same for me now that the Bear had left the cottage, left me. He had disappeared into the green. He had chosen it over me. Yesterday, I had wanted to rebel against it, to reject it like he had rejected me. Had Lyn not caught me by surprise when she dragged me from the cottage, I most likely would have tried to make some excuse. But now that I found myself where I had, it had been only yesterday, silently vowed to never return, I realized that I had been rash to vow such a thing. The forest had always been ours, Lyn's and mine. I should never have allowed my own heartbreak to nearly destroy a bond that was sacred to both of us.

I had long since ceased paying attention to my surroundings, and was surprised when I no longer felt the pull of Lyn's hand on my arm. But I smiled when I realized where she had taken us. The Duchess' great girth, her softly green tinged branches, perky with new growth, her wide trunk darkened by spring moisture, enveloped my vision. I looked to Lyn who was returning my contented smile with a brilliant grin as broad as the oak itself. I felt my smile widen to match my mirror. In the forest we barely ever had to speak, and I knew what she wanted to do. This is what we both needed.

I grasped her hand firmly and together we stepped up to the wide trunk. Simultaneously, we leaned against either side and we clasped our free hands, encircling the Duchess with our arms, trying to regain the feeling that had come over us that day, the first time our hands had touched. Tears welled in my eyes when I realized that feeling was reserved for that moment, and it would not come back.

"Oh, Wen," I heard the desperation in Lyn's voice, "I…I needed…That poor man, I can't get it out of my head. And I know that he is safe now…but…I just can not get rid of the fear," before she could say another word I spun around the trunk and caught her in a tight embrace.

"Lyn, what happened to Leander was inhuman. You cannot be expected to forget it after only a few hours." I moved my hands, soothingly across her back, echoing her own gestures from such a short time ago. But her body trembled with tension and strain.

"I was so calm and in control when everything was going on, and now I…I can not stop shaking. There was so much blood…I think I had dreams about it last night, but I can't remember…I don't know if I'll be able to sleep."

"Well, do not worry, love, because unless you want to sleep on the floor next to your patient again, you are stuck in my bed." I put on a brave face, "I will keep your nightmares at bay." She giggled slightly and was about to retort when she tensed again and scanned the trees warily. "What is it?" I whispered, but said no more when I heard the noise, the shuffling of leaves and a low, pitiful moaning. It seemed to be coming from further into the trees and was growing in volume. I looked to Lyn who was steadily staring in the direction of the noise, her face a study of cautious indecision.

"Lyn!" I admonished, ""We should at least go and investigate! What if it is someone hurt? Or in danger?" I shook my head at her callous suspicion and started walking towards the noise, hearing her audible sigh of defeat. I made my way through a copse of underbrush and came upon a small clearing, Lyn close behind. At the far corner of the clearing was a small man, with a pot belly and a long gray beard. His eyes were squeezed shut and he was concentrating so hard on his pitiful moans that he did not see us approach. A barbed wire snare encircled his right foot, shod in a dirt encrusted dun brown boot that was thick enough the barbs had not pierced his skin.

His constant moaning was beginning to get on my nerves as Lyn cleared her throat loudly behind me. The little man's eyes snapped open to reveal cunning coal black eyes that darted from me to Lyn and then back to me. After a short silence he began wailing at us, "Oh help me fair maidens, for I have caught my foot in a sly hunter's snare. The wire is too tight and too sharp for me too loosen."

I started towards him again, pulling a pair of clippers out of my apron and silently thanking mother for dropping them there in case we came across thick brush. I was more concerned with shutting the little man up than rescuing him from his mortal peril and was almost close enough when Lyn grabbed my arm again.

"What are you doing?" I nearly snapped at her, "I am just trying to cut the creature free!"

She looked at me earnestly, concern written on her face, "I do not like him, Wen. What is a snare doing here anyway? You know no one hunts this far north! And anyone who might hunt here does not use that horrible kind of snare," she ceased her irritated tirade when the little man began moaning again. It was horribly grating and I cringed but Lyn shouted over him, "What are you whining about anyway? It can not be that bad, the barbs have not even pierced your dirty little boot."

"Oh, fair maidens, sweet ladies, if you do not free me my poor wife and eight children will go hungry. Who will provide for them? Who will keep them safe from harm?" he wheedled and I think I may have spotted real tears on his dust caked face.

But Lyn would have none of it, "Eight children? I find that hard to believe, what woman would have you, you ugly little thing?" she spat.

"Lyn!" I was shocked by her vehemence, "What is wrong with you?" I couldn't understand her indifference, even if he was not telling the whole truth.

"I told you, I just don't like him." She said loudly, even though I was right next to her. The diminutive man had not stopped his infernal moaning and wheedling.

"That's no excuse!" The situation had begun to fray my nerves and I needed to act, quickly. I lunged forward and caught the sharp wire in the clippers, it snapped with a twang. At the same time Lyn snatched at the back of my dress and pulled me roughly backward. The little man, upon being freed had also lunged. He fell, prostrate, face in the dirt and leaves, where I had been only a moment before. I was amazed at the sequence of events, and looking at the object of my simultaneous pity and irritation, I began to giggle. Lyn quickly joined me and soon we were on the ground with him.

The laughter died when he angrily stood up, grumbling and dusting himself off. His efforts were for naught, he seemed perpetually filthy. He gave us both a look full of daggers, snapped the fingers of his right hand, and dove head first into a hole that appeared beside a large rock at the opposite corner of the clearing.

We stared at the spot where the void had disappeared just as quickly for what seemed like a long time. Lyn finally broke the silence, "Stranger and stranger things keep happening to us, Wen." I made some sort of noise in agreement, not quite ready to speak. "And you should not get so close to strange people."

I turned to her, not changing my astonished expression, "He was caught in a snare. You were there! Should we have just left him?"

"He lunged at you, Wen! What if he wanted to snatch you up and take you away? This forest has been kind to us, but we cannot afford to be careless."

In my head I knew she was right, but I did not regret my actions, "You distrust too easily, sister."

"And you are too naïve." I smiled, this was an old exchange between us. She swiftly scanned the trees again, as if waiting for something else unexpected to emerge, and stood, holding her hand out to me, "Now, let us find those herbs for Leander. We have been gone too long already."

I took her hand and we linked arms, in the manner we had been accustomed to since we were young girls, wandering through the forest. I turned my head, once more towards the trees behind us, thinking I heard or sensed another presence. But I dismissed it as imagination when I felt Lyn's familiar tug on my arm, I did not see anything there.