A Quick Sun Rises (34 page)

Chapter Twenty-Five 

The companions stood motionless as they took in their latest threat, all hope of survival with the coming attack gone. Dor found himself pushing back the Tjal head covering, not willing to give his life as anything other than the Chufa male that he was. He would not die pretending to be something else. As the material dropped to the ground, his short hair, wet with sweat dropped down just behind his ears leaving them in full sight. The snarling face of the enemy closest to him suddenly dropped to a look that almost appeared to be one of surprise as the beast abruptly sat back on its haunches and let out a strange whining sound. All the others did the same leaving the four defenders to wonder.

At that instant, Thane’s mind was overpowered by the thoughts of the huge animal standing in front of him who had suddenly changed from a vicious and wild animal to something more akin to a favored pet. “
You have returned, forest child
!” his thoughts spoke cheerfully. “
Long now have we awaited your return to once again reclaim these woods
.
We are honored to be the first to serve
.”

“I can hear him,” Dor gasped in astonishment.

“So can I!” Tam added just as amazed.

“I don’t hear anything,” Domis complained. “What is happening? Are they going to eat us or not?”

Thane turned to the others sharing their wonder. “You can hear him?”

“
We speak to all the forest children
,” the creature said. “
We are the
Kybara,
servants to the chosen
.
Has it been so long
?
Are we forgotten
?”

“What do you mean, servants to the chosen?” Dor asked.

“
We serve the forest children
.
We serve those chosen to shepherd the sacred woods
.”

“And we are the chosen ones you speak of?” Thane asked.

“
Do you not know your own ancestry
?
Are the days so long that memory has been lost
?” the Kybara asked, his tone turning from elation to sorrow. “
Have you not returned to make right the forest again
;
to cultivate what is left and return it to its former glory
?”

Thane looked at his friends whose faces bore the same confusion that muddled his own thoughts. Domis’ calls for explanation had ceased as he determined that they would not be eaten today though he knew his dreams would overflow with these creatures in the coming nights; if he could ever sleep again.

“What do you mean cultivate what is left?” Tam voiced the question before either of the other two could.

The Kybara seemed to be getting somewhat restless and frustrated now by their questions. His growing sorrow was evident as he mentally replied. “
You are the tree shepherds, the keepers of the sacred woods, the cultivators of the great anchors
.
We thought you lost forever
,
but we have remained and protected what is left hoping someday you would return
.
And now you are here
,
but have you not returned to make what was lost right again
?”

Thane suddenly felt his heart begin to pound with growing excitement. If he understood the Kybara correctly then hope may not have abandoned them after all. Tree shepherds, sacred woods, and what had really made it seem clear, great anchors. Were not these all things that pointed to the once sacred woods of the…. “Do you speak of the YeiyeiloBaneesh?” he asked, the thrill evident in his voice.

He thought he could almost see the Kybara smile as his mental reply crashed into them, the sorrowful tone gone. “
You do remember
!
And are you here to make things again as they once were
?”

“So there are still some left?” Tam asked before the others could.

“
Yes
,” the Kybara replied. “
We have kept them as best we could since the day of sorrow
.”

“Will you show us?” Thane gasped.

“
We will take you there
.
There are few that remain so their song is not as it once was to guide you but we know the way
.
Climb up and we will carry you as in the long ago days of peace
.”

As the others quickly scramble up the backs of the nearest Kybara, Thane turned to Domis. “Climb up,” he said pointing to the great beast that had laid down to make it easier for him get on.

“What?” Domis asked in protest as the others seated themselves comfortably.

“Get on,” Thane repeated. “They will take us to our destination. Your services as our guide have been given over to the Kybara.”

“The Ky what?” Domis asked but was already moving to his patiently waiting carrier with Thane’s prodding.

“Do not fret, my young friend,” Thane soothed. “We will explain it all as soon as we understand ourselves.”

That did not make Domis very confident but it was obvious that these great beasts meant them no harm and he was relieved that no longer would all eyes turn to him for direction, as if he could have given any. He understood that the only reason he was really even there was because he’d been promised he could go before Teek disappeared. The thought of his friend pricked at his heart. Where was Teek? He climbed onto the Kybara’s muscular back; its dark skin was rough and felt thick. He reached forward and grasped the mane of hair that grew on its head, draping down its powerful shoulders brushing against its back.

Once all had gained their perch, the Kybara lurched forward, digging their sharp claws into the loamy dirt and pushing through the woods with the greatest of ease and speed. At first, all thought they might be immediately thrown only to crash headlong into one of the thick trees and break their necks, but the Kybara seemed to adjust to their movements so as to keep their passengers firmly attached to their backs. As if having memorized their surroundings, they passed through the close growing trees and thickets avoiding the great trunks and even the sting of the vine armed plants that had almost taken down Thane. The mist swirled at their passing as it continued to thicken with the darkness that crowded in as if trying to squeeze out any speck of light, but the Kybara didn’t slow.

With night embracing the woods, the eerie quiet that blanketed the forest during the day was soon replaced by the sounds of the hunting and hunted as the struggles over life and death seemed to rise and diminish in a discordant symphony of death. None hunted the Kybara though as they raced through the killing ground unmolested or challenged. Looking back, Thane was shocked to realize that more had quietly joined their group increasing their numbers to near twenty that now fanned out on all sides as if a vanguard against anything that might dare challenge them.

Deep into the night the group continued its race through the woods as if chased by the specter of death itself. But neither did the Kybara slow or seem to tire. In spite of the constant jarring movements brought on by riding, all the companions at different points of the journey found themselves dozing off as the excitement of the ride and the possibilities surrounding their discovery faded into the exhausted recesses of their minds. All were jolted awake when they suddenly stopped allowing for a short rest and a quick meal. Others of the Kybara soon arrived with different carcasses of one type of animal or another leaving those who had been chasing through the night to fall upon the carrion and feed themselves. Thane was amazed at how organized the Kybara seemed to be. He also found, as the sun again battled to reach through the canopy overhead, that their numbers had grown even larger. All around were found the large, fierce looking creatures who had revealed themselves as ancient servants to the Chufa.

The one who had carried him approached, licking the blood from his jowls as he did so, and lay down next to him. “With all that happened last night,” Thane said, cutting a piece of cheese from one of the rounds in his pack, “I did not have opportunity to thank you for saving us. We are fortunate you found us when you did.”

“
It is I who should ask forgiveness
,” the thoughts flowed into Thane’s head. “
We have tracked your progress since before you entered the woods
.
I should have come sooner
.”

Thane was somewhat taken aback. “So it was you who followed us?”

“
Yes
.
And had I known then who you were
,
we would not have waited to assist you
.
Though it is our custom to help those who travel these woods avoid the more vile creatures that make their homes here
,
we only interfere when absolutely necessary and when we determine that those we assist are deserving
.
And though your Tane called to us
,
it has been so long since we’ve heard the song in these woods
,
forest child
,
we wanted to be certain before revealing ourselves
.”

Thane found himself surprised again. “You can feel our Tane?”

“
Yes
,
chosen one
,
it calls to us and we respond to its voice
.
That is why so many have joined us in this chase
.
All have come to honor the return of the great one
.”

Thane looked around at all the other Kybara standing by watching them, and more particularly him. Even in such a horrific place he could feel the excitement in the air given off by those who had come to help. It suddenly hit him what his carrier had said. “The great one?”

“
You
,” was the simple reply.

“I am not the great one,” Thane insisted, dismissing the claim with a wave of his hand. “Gelfin is. I’m Thane,” he finished, though the remainder of his full name echoed in his mind unbidden.

“
Gelfin is no longer
.
You have come to replace him
.
You will make right what has been done
.”

“But why have you chosen me?” he argued. “I am one of many Chufa that still live.”

“
We have not chosen you
,
great one
.
The Tane has called you and is waiting to be loosed at your bidding
.”

Loosed at his bidding? He’d already done incredible things and wielded immense power through the Tane that coursed through his veins. The thought of there being more, and that even greater than what he’d already experienced, was almost too frightening to consider. It was a lot to take in. Not wanting to continue with this line of talk, he decided to turn it elsewhere. “How long until we reach our destination?” He couldn’t bring himself to actually say the words that named the trees that were their last and only hope. As if to do so would turn luck against them and make it unreal.

“
We have until this night, great one
.”

“Call me Thane,” he returned, not wanting to be constantly reminded of the immense expectations that seemed to constantly fall to his shoulders to bear.

“
And I am
Aisig
.”

The group rested for a very short while allowing them to put something into their bellies and quiet the protests of hunger. The fog that had been their companion since the previous night was slowly seeping back into the forest floor as if returning to its diurnal residence to wait dusk’s beckoning call. Though still ominous, the forest seemed somewhat less malevolent during the day when most of its predators had taken to whatever hole they buried themselves into to remain until it was time to hunt anew.

Tam fussed some over Domis, who secretly didn’t mind but tried to put on a bothered demeanor, especially in front of Dor and Thane. He did not want to appear a child. He did have questions though, with which he pelted Tam while she cut some bread and cheese for them to eat. Not gifted with the innate communicative abilities that the Chufa and Kybara apparently shared, he was left to follow blindly while they discoursed freely with one another. Having caught half of the conversation from his companions, he had been able to follow somewhat but now was his opportunity to discover all he’d missed and he wasn’t about the let this chance slip away.