The Order of Events: The Red Wolf (15 page)

              Runa was shredded under sharp claws, and beaten heavily by the thrashing beast, as she was pinned to the ground. Desperate to let out a scream of pain, Runa was about to, but the beast made a tight vice upon her neck, digging his teeth deep into her neck, causing a singeing pain coursing through her, and then a snap. Her neck was broken as the beast turned its strong head to the side with a swift thrash.
              Letting go, the beast, the Red Wolf, let the dead body of Runa to lie lifeless on the ground, as he went to his father’s side, morphing into his human, yet still beastly, alternative form.
              The charcoal boy held his father close, and let out molten tears from his darkened features, burning on his skin, and then drying in the cool wind, as he let out a howl so great and ferocious that all could hear his pain.

Back at the Order, the call was heard.
              Samana heard the painful cry of a beast from afar, a lonely, and pain filled howl.
              The Mother stood looking upon the eclipse and shook her head, speaking. “The Red Wolf is born, the prophecy is true, and now is the journey.”
              Hoosun took Samana to his side, as the Mother spoke to her and him, turning upon them. “Prepare yourself. You must leave on the dawn of tomorrow, rest and make your mind ready, Samana.”
              Samana nodded in agreement, as Hoosun spoke. “I will get her food and water ready, Mother Dhahn.”
              The owl left the harvest ground in flight. He needed some equipment for Samana to bear her food and water in.
              The Mother rested a hand on Samana, as she saw the purpose in her eyes. “You will do right. I have faith in you.”
              Samana gripped the Mother’s arm, and smiled dutifully. “I know you do, and I will do whatever I can to see that I fulfill my duty. Now I am going to check in on Amen and Henk, and get healing treatments from Maela.”
              Samana rushed off, leaving the Mother among the trees, as Hoosun dropped down, and started putting fruit into a small sack he held in his feathery grip, as a thought came into the Mother’s mind. The young one would do well upon her task, there would be no doubt, least of all in her.

The Red Wolf let go of his father’s form, and took his sword upon his side. His father once said that it would be his.
              The pain filled beast buried his father in the birth of the mountain and then felt overcome with sadness and anger.
              The charcoal boy became overcome with sheer fury, and took to all fours, and ran speedily through the great pass. Ash ridden air blew across his furry form, as he pressed on with a purpose, with his destiny.

Samana was in the infirmary, in a seat next to her always silent friend, Amen, and gripped his hand warmly. She so missed him, Henk as well. Her friends were so important to her, and it seemed she would be unable to see them awake before her leaving.
              Maela bustled about the room with a purpose, filling a cloth sack with herbs, bandages, and liquid made from water and medicinal vegetation, to make a good, well-balanced healing pack for Samana’s journey.
              Hoosun entered the infirmary, closing the door behind his feathery form, and placed two water filled canteens, and a sack filled richly with fruit upon a table. “I have your food and drink ready, Samana…”
              The owl looked upon the form of Samana, holding Amen’s hand, and went over to Maela, who was finishing putting together the assortment of healing helpings.
              Maela sealed the sack with a good, tight knot, and put her hands to her sides, looking upon the figure of the young one with her friends, whispering quietly to the white owl.
              “Aye, I say, old Hoosun, that one can’t get a break, not at all. She can’t. First being chosen for some great duty, and then having to sit there and watch her friends taking the bed. It’s not a good sight at all to my eyes.”
              The owl agreed, feeling the pain set upon the young one, who was now a warrior, to be sent on a great journey by her lonesome, to conquer a great distance and danger, to warn the great City of Murta Sota of the birth of the beast, and to help bring defense upon it.
              The owl shook his head, and patted the old Maela’s shoulder, speaking softly.
              “I know what you’re saying, my old friend. Whatever comes, I know she can take it. She is strong, stronger than you or I. I believe she will fulfill her duty, and prove her worth to those of the Order. That I promise.”
              The two elderly ones stood together, watching as the young warrior sat, waiting for the next day to come. She would rise to her journeys start, just as the dawn would surely rise.

-Chapter 4-
Past

The morning was rough and windy, sand cutting sharply through the air as Grede made his way through the vast layout of tents, to the dwelling of his hunter, Sofius.
              Grede entered the small tent, feeling almost claustrophobic as it was much smaller than his. The leader looked around the tent, and did not find who he was looking for, as Moira had awoken from her sleep and greeted him in a tired voice. “Grede, what’re you doing here?”
              The leader looked around the tent with a quiet look, and spoke of a purpose. “I was looking for your husband, Sofius, where is he, out hunting?”
              Moira held her pregnant stomach, and spoke. “No, he went out looking for Sahfs. He still thinks he might be alive.”
              Grede gritted his teeth, and spoke. “Is that so, when do you propose he’d be back?”
              Moira went back down on her back, and closed her eyes. “I would hope soon. I need food.”
              Grede noted the words. They were of no help. The gaze of the leader was upon the inflated stomach of Moira as he spoke his next words. “For your child, I presume?”
              Moira opened her eyes, and took gaze upon Grede as she spoke. “Yes, he needs to be fed as we all do.”
              Grede looked upon her stomach with his sunken eyes, and spoke, something very fear filling in his tone. “I can imagine. The power that could be in that child, if the prophecy is true, what it could do, it could…”
              Moira interrupted the speech of Grede with her words, speaking in a lecturing, yet questioning manner. “But our clan is not near extinction. The child could not be the one of the prophecy, it wouldn’t…”
              Grede finished Moira’s words, and continued with his own. “Make sense…? It’s all really a matter of how extinct we must be. If things continue as they are, that may not be long. After all, it’s amazing what hunger can do!”
              Grede had leaned over, and was at eye level with Moira, the yellowed eyes of both meeting, as Grede spoke to the silent Moira. “Don’t you think so?”
              Before Moira could reply, the entrance to the tent opened, revealing Sofius. The hunter removed his hood and went to Moira’s side, giving Grede a look of suspicion as he held to his wife’s side. “I’m back, Moira, still couldn’t find him. What’re you doing here, Grede?”
              Grede stood above the two partners in life, and threw his hood over his features, as he gestured outside. “I came here looking for you, Sofius, but you were not here, were you?”
              Sofius answered as he stroked his wife’s shoulders from behind. “No, I was not. I was trying to find Sahfs.”
              Grede gritted his teeth, and spoke. “Still trying to find your brother, Sofius? You should accept that he has left us!”
              Sofius shook his head, and arose from his place by his wife, speaking in a defensive manner. “Sahfs would never abandon us, Grede, you know that!”
              Grede nodded his head to the tent entrance, and gritted his teeth. “He may well have, just as he may not have. I came to speak with you for a reason, Sofius, come with me, outside.”
              Sofius followed Grede out, and looked back at his wife. There was a look of fear in her eyes looking back at him.
              Outside the tent it was windy and sharp. Both of the figures covered their faces and stood amongst the many tents, Sofius enquiring to why Grede had to talk to him. “What is it, Grede?”
              Grede went straight to his task, and told Sofius of his reasoning, which was met with curious eyes from the hunter. “I’m removing you as our hunter, Sofius. I’m assigning the task to Haten and Prend. They’ll do all the hunting from now on.”
              Sofius found this very strange, he had been the sole hunter for many years, and also had the keenest senses of all the clan, to his knowledge. Speaking in a questioning tone, Sofius did not feel he had to hide his opinion of the matter. “Why? I’m the best hunter here, Grede, and I can take the sands better than anyone, even Haten and Prend. They’re good, but not as I am.”
              Grede put his arm on Sofius’ shoulder, which made him uneasy, as he was beginning to feel distrust for Grede lately, as the leader spoke his piece. “I’m doing it, because you deserve it. You’ve served us all too well in the past years. I see that it is time that you relax, prepare for the birth of your child!”
              Sofius cut a deep glare into Grede’s eyes. There was something he wasn’t being told, but he wouldn’t question it at this time. Accepting the decision, Sofius grabbed Grede mid-arm and shook it. “I accept it. Thank you, Grede. I could use some time to prepare for the child.”
              Grede grinned with his sharp teeth. It seemed all was going as planned. “You shall have it, Sofius. Now go, and be with your wife, now.”
              Sofius bowed his head, and then went to his tent, leaving Grede grinning with success beneath his coverings. Everything was surely going as planned.

Sofius entered his tent and stood thinking hard. His wife was beginning to rise, but then was gestured down by her husband as he was in deep thought. Moira questioned him.                            “What did he want you for?”
              Sofius half paced the tent, and stopped, voicing his thoughts. “He relieved me of duty. I’m no longer the hunter for the clan…Haten and Prend are.”
              Moira rose up, and went to her husband’s side, speaking in a surprised manner. “They did what? You’re not hunting anymore?”
              Sofius tried to calm his wife down, and ushered her back to the ground, and took place at her side, holding her hand as he spoke. “There’s something going on. There’s something I’m not being told, and after the bone the other day, I think I’m going to do some investigating into our new hunters.”
              Moira held her arm curled around her husband’s head, and put her cheek to his, speaking in a curious manner once more. “What are you thinking?”
              Sofius spoke, feeling the roughness of his face against his wife’s. “I’m thinking that the bone from the other day came from the new hunting grounds that Haten and Prend found. That’s why they’re the hunters now, and Grede knows as much, and had the bone disposed of before anyone could get a good look at it. I think he removed me, because he doesn’t want me to find the truth, that the new flesh is no beast!”

-Chapter 13-
Present

The next morning had come.
              The sun was dim on the horizon, sending golden beams of light across the ground, rising ever slowly to illuminate the green stone walls of the Order.
              Samana had awoken rather early, and had prepared herself for the journey ahead. Water canteens tied to the belt at her waist, the sacks of provisions and healing articles over her back, each tied around her shoulders by strong rope, as to hold them in place.
              The sun was coming in softly through the window, and allowing the silent forms of Amen and Henk to bathe in the coming warmth.
              Samana walked between the beds and stood surveying their silence. If only she could speak to them one more time before leaving, she thought.
 

              Hoosun had stood quietly on his perch, all night, and had not slept a wink. His mind was too busy with the thoughts of the journey Samana was to start this very day.
              The owl looked across the vast distance, noting the sun rising on the horizon, and decided it was good enough time to go down to Samana.
              The owl flew majestically, landing by the infirmary entrance, and turned his head without further bodily movement to view the Mother coming down the mouth of the tower entrance, behind him.
              The Mother trudged quietly and speedily. It was a beautiful day, even though a young one of their Order was to be leaving for a good, many days.
              Hoosun put his grasp to the infirmary door and waved with his free limb to the approaching Mother. “Good morning, Mother. I was going to fetch you, but I knew you would be punctual as usual.”
              The Mother only nodded silently in reply, and put her hand upon the feathery grip of the owl, speaking soothingly to her friend. “It is a good morning, my friend. Young Samana shall prove herself loyal, and ever the true warrior on the journey she is to start today, but do not try to hide your sorrow, my friend. I can sense it in you. I’ve known you too long to not notice how you feel. I know you will miss her very much.”
              The owl felt the warmth of the Mother’s hand on his own, and allowed his head to stoop, near knocking the door with his feathery brow. “I will miss her very much. She is like a daughter to me…thank you, Mother, you have always understood better than most, and I know she will do well.”
              The Mother nodded, and gripped the door in unison with her friend and opened it to enter.
              Samana was found once again, standing amongst her friends and held their hands, as she stood fully ready, clothed, armored, and equipped for the great journey before her.
              The Mother and Hoosun stood silently as Maela heard the door shut behind them, and awoke from her rest behind a counter of medicine in the room’s corner, grumbling as she did.               “…meh…uh…oh…good morning, you two, good to see you this early, in these passing times I’ve had no one to see me, and these two come in and now I have company, though silent company most the time.”
              Maela removed herself from behind the counter and joined the two watchful figures to view Samana.
              The young warrior let go of her friends’ hands and turned to the elder three before her, trying a smile upon her saddened face. “I wish I could have seen them awake, just one more time before I left…”
              Hoosun placed a caring limb on her shoulder and spoke. “I’m sure they’ll understand, young one, you have an important thing to do, and so you must carry on.”
              The Mother voted agreement and placed her hand on Samana’s shoulder. “Hoosun is right, they will understand. In your going you can save the world, so that when they do awake, they do so upon this plain.”
              Samana smiled upon their words, and the three went to the door.
              It burst open suddenly.
              The three, with Maela looking from behind them, surveyed the archway as Mensh stood fixed in its frame. “What’re you guys looking at?”
              All laughed at the perplexed look on Mensh’s face, and approached her, the owl speaking among them. “Just something that seems to be improving with the passing days, young one.”
              The owl ushered Mensh in, who left the door open and looked upon the silent ones.
              The owl questioned the young one, asking for her purpose of entering. “What brings you here so early, young Mensh? You usually are not one to be up so early?”
              Mensh fiddled in a satchel at her side, and pulled her vest hood down from her head, allowing her brown hair to dangle, as she searched the bag. “I…I…I forgot to bring this the other day…I mean, put it back…give it back.”
              Mensh ruffled through the bag, being watched ever closely, until she produced a small bag from within. “It’s Amen’s kerchief bag. Belleck threw it off the wall when he was beating him. I saw it on the way down, and picked it up…I just forgot to place it here when I was in here.”
              Mensh placed the bag on a stand next to the bed, and smiled at the silent Amen, and stood watchful of his silence, as the others watched her, Samana taking place at her side.               “Thank you. I know Amen would appreciate that, as would Henk.”
              Mensh made a smile, speaking in reply.
              “I bet you wish they weren’t so asleep? Well, that’s obvious.”
              Samana put her hand on Amen’s, closing her eyes and speaking. “You have no idea…”
              At that very moment, Samana felt returning pressure to her hand, and opened her eyes to look upon those of Amen. He had awoken.
              The three, Hoosun, the Mother, and Maela were at the bed ends, and watched, as Henk soon awoke herself, with a great yawn, stretching her arms out. “Ahhh…how long was I out for...eww…my head.” Henk felt the bump on her head, and went back down to her bed, flat once more.
              Samana jumped over Amen’s bed, and hugged Henk’s arm as it drooped over the bed side, Maela came over and looked at the bump. “You have quite a good amount of bed time left, I’m afraid. That bump of yours is pretty bad, young Henk.”
              Henk breathed deeply, as she felt the warm grip of Samana, and warm tears leaking upon her arm as the braided-haired girl spoke with Henk in a vice. “I hoped you two would be awake, I so did. I can’t believe it came to be!”
              Amen took his kerchiefs from the table at his side, and put one of a smile on his features, and then turned to Samana, as Mensh watched intently at his antics.
              The silent one threw his pillow, biffing Samana on the back, taking her attention and grip from Henk, and having it redirected upon his form as she began gripping his body in a hearty vice.
              The Mother smiled, as Hoosun and Maela watched, both smiling in accord at the cheery sight. Samana let go of Amen, as Henk spoke, trying to sit up once more. “What is Mensh doing here?”
              Samana spoke in return, placing her hand on Mensh’s shoulder, as the vested girl stood before Henk’s bed. “She helped us get you guys down from the wall, and set up in hear. She even spent a night here, and brought back Amen’s kerchiefs after Belleck tossed them.”
              Henk nodded, waving to Mensh thankfully, before slumping back down into her cushioned bed. “Ah, thank you, Mensh.”
              Mensh made a slight curtsy, feeling rather unusual being around those who she was always trouble to.
              Amen tugged her arm, and nodded thanks for returning his emotional kerchiefs, and then stretched out, wide and strong, as the Mother spoke to Samana of an urgent manner, in a calm but steadfast voice. “You must go now, Samana. I’m sorry, but it must be, now. Time is of the essence.”
              Samana nodded sadly and gripped her two bed ridden friends by their hands, in a farewell, speaking. “I must go now, my journey begins. You guys take care, and please…don’t get hurt again.”
              The two nodded as Mensh sat on the end of Henk’s bed, at her feet, and crossed her arms. “I can…uh…look after them for you while you’re gone…”
              All seemed taken quite aback, and then Maela tapped the back of Mensh proudly.
              “I’m sure I can make good use of this one, around here. Don’t worry at all. I’ll make very good use of her. Maybe she can be my assistant until these two are out of bed?”
              The Mother and Hoosun nodded in agreement, and ushered Samana as she left the grip of her friends, and tapped Mensh on the shoulder in passing. “Thank you, Mensh.”
              Mensh stood to attention, as Maela gestured her up. “Come on, let’s get some food for these two, they need as much energy as they can get.”
 

The Mother and Hoosun had taken Samana to the front gate, turning the opening gear, causing the raucous of turning iron and churning stone to open the behemoth gates.
              Samana looked upon the opening. The distance was vast before her, as Hoosun placed a confident limb on her back. “You will make it, and with great haste. Your will is strong, Samana. Don’t forget that.”
              The young warrior smiled, as the Mother stood to her left, and the owl to her right, the Mother standing as the wind blew cool and serene through the open archway to the walls boundaries.
              Samana breathed in deeply and stepped outside the wall, and then turned in great speed, giving the owl that cared greatly for her a good, strong hug.
              The owl spoke softly, his head on her shoulder, as he wrapped her in a feathery limb.               “Be safe, young Samana, and come back.”
              Samana spoke, hugging the great white owl with a caring vice. “I will. I promise I will return, Hoosun.”
              Letting loose of her grip, Samana turned to the Mother, and nodded her head as the Mother did in return. “Thank you for your training, Mother, and all the things you’ve done for me, the armor, the sword, your guidance, everything. It shall serve me well. I will use it in good accordance.”
              The Mother placed her hands wide, feeling the gentle breeze blowing her clothed and white ribbon strewn head dress serenely. “So you will, I have great faith in you, Samana. Now go, make us more proud than we already are.”
              The young warrior maiden bowed her head in honor to the Mother, and then took off into the southwestern vastness, the Mother and the owl watching as she went.
              Hoosun spoke as Samana faded into the distance, already seemingly far away from him, his voice sad. “I do wish that I see her again, Mother, she is so young.”
              The Mother placed a caring hand on her friend’s shoulder and smiled. “Do not worry, you will. No matter what happens we all see each other again, whether on this plain, or the next.”
              The two friends stood silently, as the stone doors were shut before them. Samana trudged across the vastness of the outside, as she heard the churning of the door gears behind.
              Not bothering to turn her head, in fear of causing greater depression in her, she kept her eyes forward and her mind on the journey. It was to be a long and challenging one, the start of things to come, which would shape her entire future, and in time, her place among the people of the Order. She could finally feel acceptance among them.

-Chapter 5-
Past

The Sharp Sands were at their fiercest. The air was thick and wild with sharp grains of sand, as Haten and Prend ran out of the camp and northward.
              Sofius watched them leave from his tent, and pulled his black cloak over, issuing words to his wife. “I’m going to go now, Moira. I need to find out what’s really going on. I have to be sure before I tell anyone else. There should be enough vegetation for you to eat for two days, before going hungry. I must go, now.”
              As Sofius made his first step out of the tent, his wife grabbed him from behind and hugged him tightly, speaking in a concerned tone. “What if you’re right, Sofius, what happens if they find out that you know…I can’t raise our child alone.”
              Sofius removed Moira’s hands from around his waist and kissed them, speaking in an assuring voice. “Do not worry, love, I can take care of myself. After all, I have my three trusty blades at my side!”
              Moira smiled upon her husband, looking into his golden eyes. “They never leave your side. Do be careful, Sofius!”
              The cloaked Sofius smiled and ushered his wife back down to rest. “I will, do not worry, I will return!”
              With his last words said, Sofius left the tent, and rushed off into the vastness of the desert, sharp and cruel.