Origin (37 page)

Elwyn gathered that there was a greater purpose to this meeting than Madrigal was saying. Since she had not yet learned to communicate easily with her thoughts, she spoke out loud to the large werecat facing her.

“Thank you, Madrigal for allowing us safe passage through your land. I am also grateful to Gral who was willing to risk his own life to save mine,” Elwyn said with a slight bow in Gral’s direction. I sense that you have a greater purpose in wanting to meet with us this day,” Elwyn said, seeing the truth of her words in the werecat’s eyes.

Over the next few hours, Madrigal explained to Elwyn how her land, that had once been a place of peace where both the forest and swamp teemed with life, had changed.

“There were three large prides of werecats that used to inhabit Wheryn. There was plenty of land and game for all, so we lived and prospered in peace for many seasons.

We also lived in peace with the people who used to live in the village where you rested for a few days. We always stayed out of sight so as not to frighten the villagers, but did not mind if they hunted in our woods. We occasionally even entered the mind of some of their very young that strayed too close to a sinkhole or quicksand, causing them to feel fear and turn away. Then one night, some strange looking people attacked the village killing off most of the villagers. Those that were left alive fled the village the next day.

Then those same strange looking creatures came onto my land; with their flat faces, mottled green skin, and red eyes. I knew right away that they were evil. They carried a stench that permeated even the strongest smells in the swamp. I was correct in my assessment. Before long these evil creatures began to systematically kill off members of all the prides, trying to eliminate our species. We found these creatures difficult to fight because a single blow from any one of their weapons meant instant death for even the strongest of us. In a short time, three large prides were reduced to the seventy survivors that now comprise my pride.”

“I have met the creatures you speak of. They are assassins for hire and tried to kill me and my companions just a few days ago. Have they been here recently?”

“No, and I am greatly relieved to say so. When they were here, they spent most of their time in the deepest parts of the swampland. Eventually they left, but what they left behind is almost worse. The big black monstrosities, like the one you saw today, now live in the deep lakes in the swamplands, killing off all of the other water life. Even though the strange creatures disappeared as suddenly as they came, we still fear they may return in time. Unfortunately living with the monstrosities they created while they were in our land has become too difficult for most of the species that made their home here. Now we are the only inhabitants left in this land and we have to hunt far from home to find game. Since the strange creatures left, it has also been impossible for us to contact each other, except over short distances. I have no idea why this is so.”

“I guess that is why I found no game in the outskirts of your land while I was in the village. The only game was in the opposite direction. It seems a shame that your land is being held captive by the fear of the assassins and the monstrosities they left behind.”

“I was actually hoping that you might be willing to help us. I would be grateful if, when you reached your people, you would tell them what has happened here in Wheryn and see if they would be willing to help us clear our land of the abominations that the strange ones left here to torment us.”

Elwyn was shocked to hear of Madrigal’s plight and how her people had been decimated. She shared with Madrigal some of what she had been through, emphasizing the description of the assassins from Salissia that had attempted to kill her and how her companion Thane had died from just a scratch of the assassin’s weapon. She also explained that she would willingly share Madrigal’s story with both her father, who was the ruler of Silvendil and her uncle who was in command of Silvendil’s defenses as well as its army. She couldn’t imagine that either one of them would be pleased to hear that there was any type of Salissian presence along their border. Just as she finished her response to Madrigal, Elwyn turned hearing a rustling in the trees behind her.

A
yron dared not push Gerrack too quickly through the thick woods. The game path was narrow and twisted this way and that. There were also many roots and jagged limbs that seemed to lie in wait for any reckless traveler bent on haste. In a sense, it was good news for him because Elwyn could not be traversing these woods quickly either. He knew her well enough to know that she would not endanger the health of the two morden by behaving irresponsibly. Ayron grimaced thinking that the only life she was liable to recklessly risk was her own. He was actually glad that she had the two morden and Keroc with her. It would keep her from taking too many unnecessary risks and overestimating her abilities.

As Ayron pushed deeper into the dark forest, he noticed that most of the normal woodland noises, made by birds, insects, and animals were missing. The thick woods were almost silent and the air was heavy enough to seem oppressive. As he rode, he tried to carefully examine the path ahead of him to make sure that he didn’t cause Gerrack to step on a sharp limb or get his hoof caught in a tangled root. Ayron spent some time filling Gerrack in on his recent communication with Kierra, the letter from Elwyn, and his plan to follow her route and hopefully catch up with her before nightfall. He also shared with Gerrack that when he did catch her, he planned to try to bring them all safely back to Kren for a night, and then to travel to Silvendil by traveling around Wheryn.

As they travelled, the floor of the forest began to change from dead leaves and twigs to a moist brackish ooze. Ayron realized he was approaching the edge of a large swamp. From out of nowhere, he heard a low guttural growl. He couldn’t place the source of the growl, but he knew that it was coming from close by. Gerrack was nervously trying to locate the direction of the threat as well. Ayron’s first mistake was to try to continue along the game path. His second mistake was in assuming that his predator was on the ground. He heard the heavy body come hurtling toward him from above, before he saw the large werecat. He was knocked from his saddle to the ground. He rose quickly to face his enemy and found himself facing the largest werecat he’d ever seen. The cat was a mottled gray in color and stood as high as Ayron’s shoulder. He quickly realized that he and Gerrack were both in a fight for their lives. Werecats lived in prides numbering from ten to twenty-five and he and his morden would easily feed a whole pride for at least few days. However, this werecat was not quick to strike. He seemed to be summing them up, looking for weaknesses. It suddenly struck Ayron that he was facing an intelligent foe.

His sword drawn,
Ayron watched the werecat move very slowly to the left. The cat’s huge muscles rippling as he silently moved through the trees. He continued to utter a low guttural growl as he moved quietly in and out of the trees. Suddenly he sprung at Gerrack who quickly pivoted and reared trying to avoid the large fangs headed for the soft part of his neck. As the werecat attacked Gerrack, Ayron pulled his bow and managed to hit him in the shoulder with one of his two arrows. He then positioned himself directly in front of Gerrack’s chest with his sword drawn, waiting for the next attack. It came so suddenly and the werecat moved so quickly, that even though Ayron and Gerrack were anticipating the attack, it took them off guard. As he thrust his sword towards the underbelly of the werecat, he couldn’t help but marvel at how quietly and quickly the cat moved. His sword thrust struck home and he impaled the werecat as it leapt for Gerrack. Even after he was sure that the large beast was dead, both Ayron and Gerrack still shook, from the adrenaline pumping through their veins.

After checking to make sure that the claw marks on Gerrack’s side were minor and putting some salve on them, Ayron mounted the still nervous morden and continued riding along the path looking for signs of Elwyn. He noted, as he passed, how much of the lush green forest vegetation was dying off as it was attacked by the spreading brackish yellowish-green swamp vegetation. The air was getting heavier as the level of humidity continued to rise. The smell of the dark oozing water covering the forest floor coupled with the smell of rotting forest trees and vegetation made it difficult for him to breathe. As he rode, he drank some of his clean fresh water trying to eliminate the taste of the foul odor from his mouth. Just as he was beginning to feel the adrenaline from his fight with the werecat receding, he heard a loud pitched scream reverberate through the forest.

It seemed his werecat had a mate and she had just found his body. Ayron didn’t even try to move forward. He got down from Gerrack, who was already prancing in anticipation, and drew his sword. Even though the body of the werecat lay a good three miles from his current location, Ayron could feel her presence as the female werecat raced toward the interlopers who killed him. Ayron caught sight of her just before she launched her pure white body at Gerrack. All during the time he attempting to strike a fatal blow, he hoped that she would call it off and disappear back into the woods. She was a magnificent creature; larger, faster, and more muscled than her mate. She, like her mate, fought with an intelligence that surprised him. In between strikes, her movements were like a dancer’s; light and fluid. Her attacks though were like a predator’s; cunning and fierce. After the battle, as he looked down at her huge snow white body now stained with patches of red, he felt sorry that he’d been forced to destroy such a beautiful animal. The only werecats that Ayron had ever come across were much smaller and darker in color. They were also not as aggressive and tended to run away if their initial attack was unsuccessful.

Ayron mounted Gerrack again, looking around to see if there were signs of any other werecats in the area. He was a bit puzzled because from what he knew of werecats, they lived and traveled together in prides, and were very seldom found traveling alone or in pairs. As he prepared to move forward again, he heard several soft muffled whimpers. Gerrack, who had obviously heard them as well, began to move toward the source of the noise. A short distance away, Ayron spotted a cub with its tiny head sticking out of an old stump. His first reaction was to kill the cub, who he had determined was female by her fluffy snow white fur. He felt sorry that he’d been forced to kill her parents. He could only think that he had wandered into the territory the two werecats had established to raise their young cub. Gerrack walked over to where the cub sat whimpering and touched his nose to her face. Immediately the cub responded to the morden. She stopped whimpering, climbed out from the stump, and began to bat playfully at his nose. Against his better judgment, Ayron fashioned a carrier for her out of his cloak, hung it from his pommel and placed the little cub in it. He then mounted Gerrack again and moved forward down the trail further into the swamp.

As they moved forward, the water got deeper. Ayron dismounted and led Gerrack so that he could probe the water ahead for any holes, sharp objects, or poisonous snakes. Luckily the cub had already learned to eat, and passed the time happily chewing on small bits of jerky that Ayron fed her as they walked. The only time they ran into danger was when a shiny black swamp serpent rose out of the water ahead of them, spread its hood, and prepared to strike at Gerrack’s underbelly. Ayron dispatched it with one quick thrust of his sword. Time seemed to pass slowly as he moved forward through the large swamp. There were times when it was fairly dry and he would mount Gerrack and ride him. Those times were respites for the times he had to dismount and lead him through the wet swampy areas. His desperate search for his niece allowed him to continue his journey long after total exhaustion hit. He had just decided to allow Gerrack a short rest the next time they found solid ground, when he thought he heard voices.

Ayron hurried in the direction of the voices, not worried about which direction they were taking him. As he drew closer, he realized that he was hearing the voice of one female coupled with the soft noises of some sort of forest creatures. As he broke through the thick bush into a clearing, he was yet again rendered speechless as he saw his niece Elwyn standing with Gemma and Raffe. There were no less than six large jet black drakenhawks positioned around them. Four perched in the branches of trees, and two were standing on the pommels of Gemma and Raffe’s saddles. Ayron’s blood froze as he took in the rest of the scene. Elwyn was speaking to no less than fifteen werecats, who were standing in a half circle facing her, as if they understood her. There was one large white female standing a few feet away facing her and staring at her intently. Ayron’s panic changed to amazement as he realized that the werecats were not threatening her, but listening to what she had to say. Both Gemma and Raffe seemed at ease, and the drakenhawks seemed pensive, but not overly defensive. He couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking as she turned and saw him standing there exhausted, bedraggled, and covered in blood and swamp water.

E
lwyn was shocked to gaze upon her uncle. He appeared far different from the tall, vibrant, commander she remembered from her last encounter with him. The man before her appeared to be thinner than when she last saw him, and completely exhausted. He still stood tall and erect as he walked to her and protectively put his arm around her shoulders. Elwyn realized that he was unaware of the events that occurred since she entered Kren and spoke so briefly with Kierra. But before they could catch up, she had to help him understand the situation with the werecats.

“This is Madrigal, Ayron, Elwyn said softly. “I have explained to her that you are part of my pride and so she accepts you as such. She is not here to attack us. She was trying to warn me of the strange creatures that lie waiting in the deep water of the swamp. Many of her pride have lost their lives to these creatures. She is hopeful that, after I speak with my father, our people will join with them and rid Wheryn of the evil that permeates it.”