As the men leave, Awenasa momentarily regrets not having tied them up but quickly realizes that she wouldn't have been able to tie them all up without a fight. She would have to deal with the consequences of having let them go. Unless she could deal with everything else quickly enough. Only time will tell.
"Who are you then? And what are you doing?"
"My name is Awenasa. Netuckelist the gnome sent me to free you. I'm to take you to him and he will get you safe. No more slavery or beatings at the hands of Ely and his men."
The Shoanti takes a step forward and motions with her arm. "But we have to hurry before word spreads. We have a distance to travel but there are safe placesfurther into the tunnels. Come. Quickly."
The boy cringes back at her movement forward and Awenasa's heart sinks at the move. No child in her quah would react in such a way. of course they would understand discipline and respect for an elder but to react with pure fear at a mere motion? What sort of life had these children led?
She can spot a few more moving among the shadows, half hidden by piles of jumbled rocks. Most are heart-breakingly young, some little more then toddlers really.
The boy speaks up, "That sounds good, but maybe too good. Maybe we know our own way out and we don't need you. What would you say to that?" The boy's courage seems to flare up and his voice grows stronger, "I don't trust any adult, not a bit. Or are you going to make us follow you?" A challenge hangs in the air at these final words.
Time was ticking but Awenasa isn't about to force the children to come with her, but she tries again.
"You very well may know the way better than me but the tunnels are dangerous. Better if we go in numbers. I not force you to come with me but I like it if you do."
She looks a little surprised when he refers to her as an adult. The more she considers this the more is makes sense considering the average age of the children. "I understand not trusting adults. I don't trust lowlanders. But Netuckelist asked me to rescue you from the adults. I met Aigo and I saw what was done to him. I here to stop that from happening any more. But if we don't go soon then they come back with more lowlanders."
She can't make out much of the boy's face but clearly he is struggling with the choice. On one hand, he clearly would like to leave this horrible place and life. On the other, he has learned over a lifetime to not trust any adult. He glances to the dead trollhound, and that seems to make up his mind.
"All right, let's go!" he shouts, "Can't be any worse then here." But under his breath he mutters, 'I hope." At his words, to Awenasa's surprise, a troop of children emerge from the side tunnels and caves. Probably nearly two dozen, of all ages. Most seem healthy and fit enough, although there are a few with limps or hunched shoulders. One small girl has a injured hand, never set correctly. What a waste and crime.
They assemble in short order in the cave, falling into some sort of prearranged formation. It seems highly organized and Awenasa realizes they must have an established marching order already.
The boy , at the head, nods his head, "My name is Ave. Lead on Awenasa. I think you are right, let's go before they come back!"
Awenasa is relieved that she doesn't have to further negotiate with children to get them to do what is in their best interest.
"We need to hurry. Before going, does anyone need help to move quickly? I could carry one of you if needed. No one gets left behind."
She hopes that Perey has recovered because she would eventually need help. "If I move too fast, let me know. Don't want to lose anyone."
The Shoanti knows that she left her torch a little ways into the tunnels but realizes that they might need more light for such a large group. She glanced around her to grab whatever was useful for the coming journey.
No one takes her up on the offer of help, although fi this is because they don't need it or are simply unused to favors, Awenasa is unsure. With Ave's help, she finds two small trunks of supplies in a corner of the main cave. One is locked fast and bolted to the stone, but the other is sitting open. Inside are half a dozen torches and fuel, clearly some sort of emergency supply for the overseers. Awensa grabs the lot when Ave assures here many of the children know how to use torches, and shows his burns to prove it.
The walk back up the tunnel is an odd one. On her way down Awenasa had been struck by the absence of sensation, the pure blackness, the unsettling silence, the dead air around her. Now though, she was surrounded by the sounds of people. The shuffle of feet, the sound of breathing, occasionally a whisper. For all her fears she needed have worried about moving too fast, for the children seem more at ease then her in the dark. Indeed, a few seem to avoid the torches, preferring to walk by sound and feel alone. Did they often work in the dark?
They move faster then she would have hoped and due to either the size of her group, the noise or her previous passage encounter no beasts or dangers. Then she hears a strange noise ahead, quite out of place in that stygian abyss.
Music
It is low and soft, but strong, a mixture of singing and humming. An old Shoanti song, made to pass the long hours before sunrise on watch. It is like Awenasa swallowed a cup of liquor, a warm glow suffuses her, driving back her tired fears and worries. The air seems less heavy, the path less rocky as she listens. Around her the children stop, amazed.
Ave blinks and says in a hushed voice, "What is that?" he sounds confused and more then a bit worried.
A wave of homesickness washes over Awenasa as the music registers. Music speaks the language of the heart to capture what words alone often can't. But even though it made her miss home it also lightened her spirit because home was her place of peace.
Tears prick her eyes but she smiles when Ave asks her what the sound was. "That is Perey and he sings a song of home."
The Shoanti is more relieved that Perey is alive and well than she would care to admit. Her pace quickens as she feels the need to set her eyes on Perey and not just her ears.
Awenasa surges ahead, and the children follow but not nearly as quickly. Clearly music is not part of their lives in the same way the dark is. Awenasa quickly reaches the source of the music and is glad to see Perey alive and at least as well, as she left him, sitting on the floor. Clearly no monsters came for a second attack. She wonders if the music kept them away.
Her friend smiles up at her, "I see you managed to find the children." He turns toward them and beckons softly, "Come here, little ones. No danger here, Awenasa can keep us all safe. " The children are still very wary, lingering a few feet up the tunnel. Perey doesn't seem too bothered and shrugs, "You'll learn." He turns toward Awenasa and his smile flickers, "I'm still not sure I can walk very far, Awenasa. I'm going to slow all of you down."
Awenasa nods, "Among other things. I was seen by Ely's men so we'll need to hurry."
The Shoanti shakes her head, "I already told the children no one gets left behind. If I have to carry you, I will. Are you strong enough to hang on if I carry you on my back?"
She kneels down beside her friend, "Ready?"
Perey puffed out his cheeks and let out a quick sigh. 'Always a burden." But then he looked again at the assembled children, many wearing little more then worn rags, stained with soot and grime. A few missing fingers, and more then a couple sporting old bruises. It seemed to harden him, somehow.
"Let's go then." Awenasa picked up her friend and was concerned with how light he felt. How much blood had the man lost? But the bard clings to her with stubborn strength, gripped around her.
The way forward is long and dark, with the tunnel feeling every more claustrophobic. Perey's weight adds to the feeling and soon the Shoanti is sweating fiercely, running down her back, her legs and pooling into her boots. Annoying, Ave at her side seems almost downright chipper.
"I've never come this far. We've thought about it, of course, all of us have. A few even tried but no one ever came back." The boy says, peering ahead through the gloom. "I like to think they got away. I hope they did."
Eventually, Awenasa finds the old entrance, with cave with the strange machines Euler had been so entranced by. The desert people's idols remain the same, ringing the cavern. The children seem reluctant to enter, perhaps sensing the presence of the absence nomads. Awenasa only has eyes for the black tunnel at the far side of the room. The steep slope that led up and to the outside.
Awenasa keeps her words to a minimum as she carries Perey. Not that he is really heavy but the added weight constricts her movement and she finds herself tiring sooner than she'd like.
"I hope so too."
When they finally reach the cavern, Awenasa gently puts Perey down. She takes a few breaths to compose herself before ushering the children in. "The cavern is safe but don't touch the idols. They are sacred to the desert people."
She makes her way towards the tunnel she originally came down. "We should wait until dark to move back towards town. It's not good to travel in the heat of the day. I will go check to make sure the way is safe while you all rest here."
As the mention of the desert people the children look more alarmed then everything, looking at her, the idols and back. One of them blurts out, "Are you one of them? They are going to eat us!" A general clamor arises but Ave finally breaks in, "That's nonsense! Everyone knows the desert people wear those heavy cloaks all the time. She isn't one of them, don't be stupid."
This seems to calm them somewhat, but they still nervously gather as far from the idols as possible. Awenasa finds it hard to blame them for being skittish. Their life has probably taught them to be pessimistic, at least.
For her part, Awenasa leaves them behind and climbs the steep tunnel leading out. She doesn't want to but she needs to know if dark has fallen yet. Moving these kids over the blazing desert during day would be dangerous, not just to their health, but also to any hope of secrecy. Awenasa knows from long experience that even large groups can move at night and remain hidden. The downside is, of course, getting lost. She does not know this land like she knew her home.
The tunnel seems endless, rising up at a precipitous rate. Gravel and loose rocks increase as she makes her way, making the footing difficult. Slowly, slowly, like someone trying to run in a dream. Her head swims a bit, eyes blurry. She was tired, very tired. But she needed to reach the end...
Then, she sees a dim light ahead. Pausing the Shoanti blinks slowly, clearing her sight. Yes, a faint red light ahead. It must be still day outside but fading into the reddish twilight this place had. She does not have long.
She is about to turn back when she hears a voice, "Hey, you survived." Surprised, she sees movement ahead as a figure blocks the distant aura of red. it quickly resolves into Euler, the miner looking dirty but very much alive.
"You made it?" he says faintly, keeping a safe distance away. Looking like he is ready to run, again.
Awenasa is unprepared for the stir that her mentioning the desert people causes. At least Ave keeps his wits about him and calms the others. "Ave is right. I not a desert person but I have met them. You respect them, the land, and their ways and you have no problem."
Before leaving them to check out the exit tunnel, she pulls Ave over to where Perey is resting. "You two in charge of the others while I'm gone. Keep eye on the tunnel we came from to make sure we not followed. If trouble, signal me and I'll come as quickly as I can."
Awenasa can tell that she is getting to the end of herself as she climbs the steep slope out of the cavern. It has been a long day filled with both physical and emotional challenges. She desperating wants to rest and she wishes that Thak was here to help Perey. But the Shoanti knows that she won't be able to rest until the children are safe.
Years of training keeps Awenasa from reacting to a voice by the entrance. She is surprised but doesn't react like others with a squeal or by jumping. "We all made it," she clarifies.
"Dare I hope that you stayed to help us rather than Ely?" She tried to assess his intentions since she didn't quite trust him. "You know that there are children down there missing fingers? And some are barely old enough to walk? It's horrible how they've been treated. I need to get them to Netuckelist and I need help. We need to do it under the cover of darkness and not get lost. You know the terrain."
Awenasa hopes that Euler agrees to help but is also prepared to keep him from leaving if he decides to work against them.
Euler looks surprised when Awenasa indicates that not only did she survive but she actually rescued the children. It is hard to see in the dim light offered by the distant portal but she thinks he is pleased by the news.
"You did it? You really got all the way to the mines?" The miner leans against the wall of the cavern, fingers drumming on the smooth stone. "I admit I ran when the monsters attacked. I was scared! I'm a miner, not a warrior. But when I got this far, I thought maybe one of you would run too, so I waited. I was going to wait till nightfall, and then head back to town." He shrugs, "It is getting close to dusk now, I was just starting to pack up."
When Awenasa asks him for help, he hesitates for a long moment, long enough that Awenasa is tempted to scream. How could anyone refuse to help children in such a plight? Are all lowlanders such cowards? Or so unmoved by pity? She would never understand.
Slowly the man says, "If I help, can you keep my name out of it? I can't stay in town if word gets out I helped rip Ely off. Netuckelist might make it, gnomes are strange, but I would lose my livelihood. It would be very hard on me..."
Awenasa looks perplexed by Euler's first questions. "I said I got there to get children. Why say something that not true?" She shakes her head at the thought of such a waste of time. "Me never run and Perey not run either. But he get hurt by the monster you ran from."
The Shoanti clenches her jaw to suppress her frustration as she waits for Euler to pick a side. "You will be ghost. No one will know you helped. I not want to make your life harder. Only to make the children's easier."
"So you help? I think I need to rest a few minutes until dark then we go. Good?"
Euler doesn't seem very excited to be compared to a ghost but then shrugs, "Then I'll help you. I wouldn't wait too long. I doubt Ely is just going to let you go. Even if you killed all the guards, someone will notice something is wrong eventually."
Awenasa nods. "Good. Is it dark enough now or should we wait until darker? It will take some time to get the children and Perey up the tunnel."
She didn't dare tell Euler that Ely was probably fully aware because she didn't kill any guards but hopefully they would regroup and follow through the tunnels rather than searching for them outside of town.
"Can you lead us around town so that we arrive as close to Netuckelist's place as possible? And do you know if their are any guards that patrol the town at night? We will need to avoid people as much as possible.
"I will go down and get the children moving." Awenasa was tired but recognized that she didn't have time to stop now.
Euler replies to her question of light first, "Night falls fast this time of year. It is probably early dusk now, but it won't last long. Soon it'll be full dark."
At her second question about a route, he pauses longer. Not out of doubt this time, Awenasa guesses, but more summing up some unpleasant truths. The Shoanti steels herself. What is new about bad news?
"I can think of three ways," Euler finally says, "I know them all, although better by daylight. The first is the way we came. The fastest and easiest but most open. If Ely has men out, which he almost certainly will, they will spot us unless you have magic or some other trick. The second route is longer but still safe, except it trespasses onto the desert people's land." Euler shakes his head, "They aren't the monsters the village people talk about but they still will not take kindly to strangers. Running across an armed patrol of nomads, at night, is not the best idea."
"I know a third way, down a sharp canyon. It will keep us hidden entirely but....it is the home of monsters. I've never traveled it, but I've heard tell of spiders the size of a man, and even worse things. I doubt you want to go that way..." The man lets out a breath of air, "No good options."
Awenasa considers the options presented by Euler. The first is definitely out. It sounds the easiest but she saw it as the riskiest,
"You travel in the desert often. There are respectful ways to request passage through the lands of the desert people, yes? Do you know such ways? I was told that the villagers would know. If we ask and they agree, that would be best. They may even help with the children."
The Shoanti sighs, "Otherwise we try option three. I not disrespect the desert people by trespassing on their land. That leaves the canyon." Awenasa feels doubt that she is strong enough to keep everyone safe from monsters. But really, does she have a choice if they couldn't negotiate with the nomads?
Going back down the tunnel is easier then climbing up, but Awenasa begins to worry if her strength will flag. It has been a busy day and seems to be never ending. Herding the children across the desert at night would be difficult even without the possibility of pursuit, let alone the apparent certain nature of monster attack. Could she really do it?
She had to. Too much relied on it. Not only these poor children below, but her quest. She must find Eivind, to save her people from the slow, grinding defeat of the Ulfen. No, she had to do it.
Below in the cavern, Perey reports there is no sign of pursuit from the tunnels behind. Awenasa glances back at the dark tunnel mouth, wondering if this is good or bad. On one hand less danger is good but did it mean that Ely hoped to catch them on the surface? She would rather they put together a large but slow underground search team, to waste their time. Perhaps this slave driver, for so he seemed, was cannier then she hoped?
Not a good sign.
Ave and the children were ready to leave the nomad chamber, clearly desiring to reach the surface. Awenasa could not blame them, and ignoring her aching feet, led them back up the steep slope.
To took less time then she feared, and the children proved quite nimble despite the harsh slant upwards. Up and up they climbed, Perey once again in Awenasa's back. Would she have to carry him the whole way? Could she?
Finally, after what seemed like only a few moments, or several years, Awenasa felt fresh air ahead. A welcome change from the stale earthen smells she has endured for hours. It gives her new strength and hope. The open sky, even an alien one, was welcome. With vigor they reach the tunnel exit, to find the world is wrapped in a fading crimson dusk. The vast towers overhead seem soft and delicate, glowing with the last rays of the setting sun. Even now the sky overhead is a dark purple, fading to black and a few dim stars glimmer faintly. Stars Awenasa recognizes, stars she knows.
Euler is there and whistles lowly at the sight of the children.
"Woah, you did rescue the whole peck, didn't you?" He shrugs and then adds, "How do you want to do this? Me and you in the lead?" He looks at Perey's wounds and adds in a lower voice, "What about him?"
Awenasa nods, "You lead and I protect from trouble." However, Awenasa's mind begins to swirl with all possible ways that she wouldn't be able to protect them all. What if they are attacked in the middle to separate them? What if attacked from behind where the slowest and most vulnerable usually were?
Perey was a more difficult problem to solve. She couldn't carry him and protect the others. She also refused to leave him behind.
For the first time in weeks, Awenasa thinks of Dawnlight. Dawnlight had told her to take Perey with her and she had also given her her walking stick. Awenasa unstraps the walking stick from her back and takes it over to Perey. "Will you be able to walk with this to help you?"
Perey shook his head, "I will not....let us down. Not after everything." His voice is unsteady but his intention is clearly not. With a grip like death he grabs the walking stick and clings to it, clearly intent to drag himself, by sheer will, over the desert. Awenasa is still at a loss but Euler breaks in.
"We can stop at a miner's cache on the way, there is one near Black Nose. It should have some healing stuff in it, if we are lucky." Seeing Awenasa's slight confusion he says, "The miner's hide them in the desert, in case they need them."
Wise and something the Shoanti did as well, of course. All across her homeland the quah had hidden caches set aside, usually with fire making and food supplies, in case of emergency or disaster. If one got caught in a bad storm or separated during a raid, such a cache often meant the difference between life and death. She was surprised lowlanders were smart enough to make use of them. Finally, some good news.
Assuming Perey could make it to this Black Nose, whatever it was.
Awenasa claps Perey on the shoulder like she would a fellow Shoanti warrior, "I know you won't. Dawnlight sent you with me for a reason so it is fitting you draw strength from her walking stick."
Euler mentioning potential supplies at Black Nose gives Awenasa a slives of hope. Anything to help them all survive is welcomed even though her face does not reflect this, she remains as stoic as ever.
"How long to Black Nose?"
Before moving them along, Awenasa addresses the group. "The Creator gave us all eyes and ears. Everyone need be alert of surroundings. There are things in nature that may be hungry and see you as food. Look and listen as we move. You see or hear anything you let me know."
"No one gets left behind. Keep an eye on your friends and if someone needs help, you help each other. If someone falls behind, let me know."
"Now we go." She motions at Euler to lead on. She instinctively looks up to search for her constellation before it registers that the stars are different here. "Help me protect everyone, sister," she whispers before moving in behind Euler.
"A few miles." Euler says, in responses to Awenasa's question about the location of the cache. He glanced at Perey, "Can you make it that far?"
The man's already pale face whitened visibly but he gripped the walking stick with two hands. "If I have to crawl." Perey said bravely.
Hopefully it would not come to that.
Among the children, Awenasa found her advice, usually far beyond lowlanders actually being obeyed. It seemed to her that such activities were common among these children and that their harsh life had, instead of bringing out the worst, had fostered a cooperative spirit of survival. Ave himself took leadership, pairing up the children into sets of older and younger, each unit balanced.
It was a good sign.
With a final prayer to the stars (and her sister) above, they ventured into the now full night.
Awenasa was no stranger to moving at night, her quah did it often. Either to avoid punishing summer suns, or unfriendly eyes ever Shoanti knew the twilight world. But this place was not her homeland. The sounds and smells were different, and even the rocks felt stranger under her boots. The shadowy rocks around her only held unknown mystery and the path, a winding thread.
But Euler seemed to know the way. He lead them away from the towering rock pillars, and they were soon among tumbled nags and piles of stones, twice Awenasa's height. The path weaved among their base, diving and darting as if it were a snake, seeking a hidden den. Awenasa approved, because it kept low and did not exposed them to unfriendly eyes. It reminded her of the path a Shoanti might take, and she knew no higher praise.
They walked silently under the distant but bright stars, Euler leading the way. The children behind him, moving as a single silent mass, many of the pairs holding hands against the dark and silence. At the rear Perey stumped with grim determination, walking stick clicking against the gravel and sand. Awenasa roamed between all parts, sometimes at the front with Euler, sometimes taking up the rear to make sure no one fell behind in the dark.
Awenasa both wished they had a moon and was also pleased at the lack. It would have helped her see the road but it might also help whatever might be out here to search. It occurred to the Shoanti she had no seen a moon here yet, despite the days. Did this place, this planet Thak had called it, not have a moon? What a strange thought.
Finally, during one of her stints at the head of the little column Euler points toward a black mass outlined against the tapestry of glittering stars. A dark crag of stone, with one broken spire stickling off tot he right.
"The Black Nose." Euler says with obvious relief, "Good, I found it in the dark." He points, "The man winds between two two rock hedges and up to the base. The cache is there." He looks around the quiet, dark desert. "Good luck so far, no sign of Ely's men."
Suddenly, as if by magic, a humanoid shape materializes from behind a pile of old weathered stone. Awenasa's honed instincts take over. She pushes Euler out of the way, throws her arms wide and crouches into a fighting stance before realizing the figure was swathed in heavy robes and the face covered.
One of the desert people.
Euler looks even more surprised, and more then a little scared. "What are you doing out here? This isn't nomad land." Then he curses and fiddles with his language earring, but before he gets to it, the new arrival speaks and Awenasa can understand.
"The People go where they will, villager." The voice is dry and flat, but understandable.
Euler frowns, "You speak standard?"
The figure pauses a long moment and finally says, "I can speak the language of the slithering snake, the flying bird, or even the clouds in the morning sky. Your speech holds no special magic."
But the figure seems to relent and says, "The Cruel Man has sent raiders out into the dark tonight, and some have crossed into the land of the People." A flash and Awenasa notes a knife in the stranger's hand, glittering like ice. "They have died for their invasion. I was sent to scout ahead for others."
"The Cruel Man..." Euler says then he nods, "Ah, Ely. But why reveal yourself to us?" His voice shakes, "Do you want to hurt ..." The miner trails off but Awenasa doesn't fear that. If the desert person wanted them dead, they would already be so. At night, in their own territory, under ambush? The Shoanti could not fail such an attack and neither would these people.
The figure shook its head slightly and then turned to Awenasa, "I wished to meet the one who seeks the Man Breaker. A worthy hunt!"
Awenasa is more than a little relieved that one of the desert people has found them rather than something or someone else. These people made the most sense to her in this confusing place. She relaxes out of her attack stance but knows better than to relax completely.
She respectfully nods to their host. "We owe the People a debt this night. The Cruel Man has been very cruel." The Shoanti motions behind her, her voice dripping with disdain, "He enslaved these children, treating them horribly. We are trying to get them back to Netuckelist in town who will relocate them."
Awenasa can't keep the surprise from her face when the nomad mentions Eivind. "You know the Man Breaker? Do you know where he went? I am Awenasa Windkeeper of the Tamiir-Quah and I seek Him for the sake of my people. So yes, a worthy hunt!"
The desert man shrugs, a movement hard to see in the dark. "The villagers are strange people, they do not see what is in front of their faces."A clear note of disdain enters his raspy voice, 'Blind to what they wish to ignore. The People are not soo foolish."
"Yes, we have seen the gnome and his friends about. Many people on the move in the dark tonight. Much for the People to see, but we only care about those venturing on our land. You do not and this is wise." He inclines his head to Euler and Awenasa, "In exchange for this, I shall tell you something."
"One of the Cruel Man's scouts lie in wait for you." The nomad pointed into the darkness toward a pile of stone, like countless others. Aweansa, but old habit, instantly commits it to memory. She could no more forget it then stop breathing.
"He has not spotted you yet but if he does, he will send up a signal and all of the Cruel Man's scouts will come. " Another shrug, "Do what you will."
At Awenasa's questions about Eivind, the man is silent for a moment, "I do not know. Our Elder's speak of his crossing our land, but not where he went after. That is not our concern, the ways of outsider. Only that he was mighty indeed. I wished to see that which hunts the mighty."
He stared at Awenasa for a long moment, unmoving in the dark. Then, "You are brave, yes, but not as great, not yet." Another shrug, "But the hunt may be long and many things chance, for both hunter and beast. Travel well, Windkeeper. Do not venture onto the People's land tonight. It would be most...unwise." And with that, the man melts back into the shadows of the night desert.
Awenasa has images of a disturbed hornet's nest as one of the People spoke of the activity surrounding them. She is not surprised but still hopes she can get the children to safety. If she can do it in relative secrecy then there may still be deniability but that seems less and less likely to happen.
Before the man disappears into the dark, Awenasa says, "My thanks to you and the People. I know that Eivind's greatness far exceeds my own but my people's fate rests on me finding him to present our need. Sometimes necessity produces a strength that greatness cannot." After a short pause she adds, "May your spirit guide you."
Mention of one of Ely's men lying in wait forces a decision from the Shoanti. All of them wouldn't be able to sneak by him but Perey needed whatever healing may be stored at the Black Nose. "I will go ahead alone and deal with Ely's man. You all stay as hidden as possible until I return."
She specifically looks at Perey, "If I don't return then you need to get the children to safety."
Perey nods at this, still leaning on his walking stick. He smiles then, just visable in the dim light, "You will return. What could one lone scout do against a Shoanti in the dark under the stars?"
His words give her comfort as Awenasa slips into the night. It is true that she is far more comfortable here then most would be. The vague outlines of the rocks, the shifting grit and sand under her boots, and the net of gleaming stars overhead....she might be back home, on the Plateau. She can almost see, out of the corner of her eye, other warriors watching her flanks, fellow raiders slipping through the tumbled shadows. Her sister even, perhaps, gliding from one spot to another.
But no, she is alone. Still, she is strong and on a mission her ancestors would surely approve of.
Awenasa gives Perey a grim smile. Others always seemed to have greater faith in her than was warranted. She had allowed her sister to be killed after all. But there is truth in his words. She may be on a different world but the process to hunting is still the same.
As Awenasa prepares to go she fixes her gaze on the rock pile the desert people had identified. She commits both it and the ground leading up to it to memory so that she doesn't miss anything.
The Shoanti disappears into the darkness, staying low and moving almost as silently as one of the People. She doesn't take the direct route but rather moves out in a wider arc with plans to catch the scout unaware. As she moves, she also looks for signs of the scout's tracks as a hunter follows its prey.
Awenasa is pleased that despite being weary, wounded and in a land not her own she moved with the stealth a Shoanti could be proud of. Like a shadow, she silently ghosts over the grit and sand, vanishing among the tumbled stones. No sound rose from her boots, and even her breathing was masked by the faint night wind. She doubted even if the People could have tracked her now.
Keeping her destination in sight, she arcs around, avoiding any prying eyes watching the road ahead. The desert man had only mentioned one scout, and even the most trained onlooker would be looking at the Black Nose, not behind them.
Slowly, but surely, Awenasa approaches the indicated hiding spot. Not far from it she finds a small game trail leading up, faint marks in the gravel. Pausing, she peers down at it. If she hadn't been searching for it she might have missed the sign, but there was no mistaking the human print among the garbled animal tracks. A man passed this way, heading up the hill, not too long ago.
Awenasa smiles grimly as she spots the human footprints along the small game trail. She quietly follows the human tracks, keeping her footsteps overtop so that her presence remained unknown if tracked by someone else.
The Shoanti needs to make sure there was only one of Ely's men lying in wait before silencing them. Even though the People had only mentioned one, she has to know whether they had been joined by anyone else during the last little while. The last thing she needs is to be surprised when it is her that plans to do the surprising.
Awenasa follows the trail up the slope, on the alert for others. It would not do to plan an ambush and suddenly face half a dozen foes. Even lowlanders could provide trouble in enough numbers. Even setting he own safety aside, the last thing she wanted was someone getting away and raising the alarm. She needed her gaggle of children to stay secert.
She reached the top of the hill in short order. It was a bare exposed crop of rock, windswept and jagged. No grass or brush here, just hard rock. For a long moment the Shonati paused in the shadow of a low boulder, letting her eyes adjust.
There, laying prone at the very edge was a human shape. It was no more then ten feet away, lying flat, looking down at the trail below. If she and the others had kept going to the Black Nose, they would have been spotted for sure. Awenasa spotted a weapon as well, a long barrel poking from under him. One of the guns, the locals had called it.
She could see little else in the dim starlight but one thing was sure. he was alone.
Awenasa takes in the scene before her. She definitely feels like she has the upper hand. The lowlander is alone and prone, vulnerable.
The Shoanti doesn't feel like she ever chooses to kill first rather than being merciful. However, in this case killing first would be merciful. If she knocks him out and leaves him tied up then she leaves him to the desert scavengers which could be tortuous. And she definitely wasn't taking him along with the children. She already had Perey to look after.
Awenasa makes her mind up quickly. The man has to die, and while she finds no joy in surprising a man from behind, she also has few regrets about removing a danger. This man would have no mercy on her, or the children below. The world, even this world, was a hard place.
Hardening her fists, Awenasa jumped him from behind.
Awenasa is on the scout in a moment, straddling him from behind, a knee pressed in his back. He tries to shout but the Shoanti is too quick for him and he has his throat in a moment. After a second to pause and reflect, she twists the neck and the man instantly goes limp. Awenasa waits to make sure he is dead, and also give him a modicum of respect.
Still, there is no time to waste. Fellow scouts may arrive at any second. The People said that Ely had many out and about tonight, there be a swarm of enemies heading here right now.
Even though there wasn't really any place to hide the body, Awenasa did what she could to wedge it among the rocks so they wouldn't readily be seen should someone come looking.
She quickly turned out his pockets as she moved him to look for anything useful. She then grabbed the thing the locals called a gun and retraced her steps back to the others.
"The scout is no longer threat. It's safe to go to Black Nose and find healing for Perey." She looked at Euler, "Lead on."
The man had little of use in his pockets. A shoddy folding knife (that Awenasa felt cheap just holding), a few rolls of some pungent herb, a few small fossils (these she pocketed), and one final thing. It was a small cylinder with a string hanging out of one end. She had no idea what it was, but it couldn't be that dangerous, the scout had been carrying it in a special pouch at his belt. Careful not to jostle it, she took it away with her.
Below, Euler lead them on through the darkness to Black Nose. There, under the crag of dark stone, the miner led them to a well-hidden cache among some gravel beds.
"They are going to kick me out of the guild for this." The man sighs but quickly pushes aside the camouflage of rocks. Inside is a treasure trove, not of jewels, but of survival. Blocks of hardtack, packets of jerky, and a sizable stack of firewood. One small box has bandages and healing potions, carefully wrapped. There is even a small well dug nearby, complete with tin bucket.
"Drink up, the water is safe." The children gather round, clearly very thirsty.
Euler grabs the healing potion and tosses it toward Perey. "Bottoms up." The injured man eyes it for a moment but then shrugs, takes the bottle and downs it in one swift gulp.
Even in the dark night, Awenasa can see color return to his cheeks and his posture straighten. He is still leaning on the staff but not as heavily, and he lets out a long, deep breath.
"Much better. I can go on, Awenasa."
One less thing to worry about.
But a new one has erupted as the horde of children are arguing about food and water, spilling the bucket and trampling the food packages in a growing skirmish. Ave looks on with despair but throws up his hands, unable to control his charges.
The noise the children were making causes Awenasa to react before considering that they were just children. She quickly moves to the center of the commotion, her presence looming over the small people.
She snatches the bucket away from the children and hisses at them through clenched teeth, "Be quiet! Or the bad men will hear us and then we all in trouble."
The Shoanti points at the ground a few feet away from where she is standing. "Sit! I will give food and water." One look at the young woman's demeanour practically shouted that she would not tolerate disobedience. Not that she threatened violence as Ely's men would have but she definitely had a presence that said you didn't want to test her and she would not negotiate when their safety was at risk.
Once the children seat themselves as instructed, Awenasa begins to dole out water and food in an orderly manner. Due to the ruckus the children had made, she kept an ear open to determine whether anyone had heard them.
Awenasa's tone and posture quell the incept riot instantly. The Shoanti has faced down blood-mad savages in their tracks, she can handle a few wayward children. It also helps that she gives out the food and water, all of which are needed. It is clear the children rarely get much to eat despite hard labor, and suck greedily at the water.
As they eat and drink, Awenasa patrols the area, looking for any sign of danger. She finds none, just the empty night of the desert. Stars bright as polished glass glint overhead. Awenasa wonders if anymore of the desert People are out, and if they are watching. Would she know, if they were there? Probably not.
Soon they set off again, Euler leading them through the velvet night. The way led them somewhat downhill, through rocky crags and boulders. Winding downward, the sand slowly gives way to red stone, annoyingly loud under Awenasa's boots, but she spots no trace. Indeed, she see snot race of humanity in general and the trail that led to Black Nose, which had been fair and clear, vanishes. It is obvious few people come this way.
Finally, after a steep dive, Euler halts. Awenasa comes up and, at his gesture, looks ahead. Below them the ground sinks into a narrow slot canyon, barely more then a few paces wide. It is dark as pitch, and looks quite deep.
"The path winds but it does dump out close to our destination. If we make it through. No one will see us while we are in there but....Awenasa, are you sure you want to do this? Nasty things live in there, they say."
Awenasa resists the urge to rub her temples in annoyance once the children finally settle. This is not what she had been trained for and it was frustrating to think that these unnecessary squabbles could put them in danger. She reminds herself how much the children had been through and then calms herself by doing what she has been trained for, looking for danger.
Before leaving an area of relative safety, she checks on Perey and she checks with Ave regarding the children. Having everyone in as good a state as they would be for the resources they had, Awenasa makes the decision to continue.
She follows Euler until he stops. She knows that Euler needs to be the voice of caution but even if nasty things lurk ahead of them, it is still the best route in her mind. "Being unseen and out of The People's land is most important." She points at the path bfore them, "Only this trail? If I lead can we get lost?"
"I go first and deal with threats."
Before continuing, she gathers the children and gives them her most serious look. "Path dangerous. Stick together. No wandering. Understand?"
Euler shakes his head, "Can't get lost. The trail runs through the narrow canyon all the way down to where we want to go. Unless you head into a cave, we can't miss."
One less thing to worry about and not a small one. It was all too easy to get turned around in the dark, even in land you knew well. Out here, Awenasa could have led them in circles till morning.
At her words the children grew still and solemn. They might have lost cohesion over food and water, but clearly wandering off in the dark canyon has no temptation. Perey agrees to take up the rear, still leaning on his staff.
With that, Awenasa leads them down. It is not a very pleasant time.
The walls of the canyon are tall and sheer, bare rock cliffs. Jagged, they block out most of the sky and stars, only leaving a thin stripe directly above their heads. It is black and pitch down here and even Aweansa's good eyes strain to make out details. A few times she stumbles or trips over piles of gravels and rocks. The path leads sharply downward, as if the entire canyon was a deep injury in the landscape, a slicing wound.
It winds constantly, weaving back and forth among piled boulders. All is dead silent and the air seems thin and dry. Even her sweat evaporates instantly, leaving a rime of salt on her skin. Eyes stinging, nose cracking, the Shoanti continues on as quick as she dares. Still, she tries to keep her eyes open for traps.
Yet, for all her care she misses it. Was it because of the abyssal darkness? Her need for speed? Or perhaps her weariness? Maybe just the will of unkind gods, but in any case, Awenasa misses the rope of thick, slimy web at ankle level.
The instant she touches it, she hears a rustle off to her left. Out of the stygian darkness, a vast white shape suddenly looms from a rocky crevice. A massive spider shape, but the size of a small peasant's hut. Ghostly white, it moves with a strange, lethargic grace, picking over the stones with ease.
It turns on Awenasa and a weird whitish mist flows off the enourmous insects and sweeps around the Shoanti.
Awenasa shakes off the chilling effect however, her mind afire with battle and need.
Awenasa curses silently insider her head as she bumps something along the path that causes a pale horror to appear before her. At least it had been her and not one of the children behind her.
The Shoanti goes into fight mode as she seeks to protect the children. She closes the distance quickly with a flying kick, followed by a couple deft punches.
Awenasa does not give the spider beast any advantage of surprise. If the ambush failed, then it was her best chance to go on the offensive. The Shoanti throws herself into a flying kick toward it!
Her foot merely bounces off the thick armor-like hide however. To her digust, as she finds her footing again, her boot is covered in a thin greenish slime.
She wipes it off before it does any damage, although her left boot is soon a lost cause. The sand is cold below her bare feet.
She ignores it, lashing out with steel-hard fists. This time she finds better luck, and she smashes the heavy carapace in a few places. One blow she aims for the multi-faceted eyes, hoping to stun the large beast.
The creature is tough however, and endure the blows with a stolid strength of it's own. Awenasa gets the feeling she might be outmatched here. Behind her, she can spot Euler hiding behind a rock. Perey, at the rear of the column is still out of sight. For the moment, she is still alone. The children are, understandably, running backward, up the steep path. She hopes they do not go too far.
The spider lets out a hissing gurgle, while the huge mandibles work. Suddenly and without warning the insects spits a glob of white goo at Awenasa's head.
Awenasa dodges the slime but the move forces her back a few steps.
The white slime splashes the dark rocks around her, steaming and hissing. She is unharmed, but ten feet away from the spider, divided from it by bubbling acidic slime.
There is momentary doubt as Awenasa realizes that this foe is much more challenging than anything she's encountered on this world thus far. But the doubt is soon pushed aside by anger, she had liked those boots, and her need to protect the children.
She doesn't want to turn back. Going this way is still the best choice in her mind. If she could distract the spider long enough then the children could move passed and keep going.
Without taking her eyes off the spider, she addresses the others. "Euler, use that thunder stick on it! Perey, corral the children! Keep them moving. I distract it. You get by."
As soon as she heard the sound from the thunder stick, Awenasa sprang at the spider again to attack.
"Thunder...oh, the gun!" Euler says, clearly startled by Awenasa's command. Still, despite his obvious horror and shock over the giant spider, the miner starts digging in his pack. Awenasa inwardly groans. They were entering a dangerous area and he didn't have the weapon ready?!
Awenasa waits a few heartbeats but nothing happens. behind her Perey has the children in a pack, barely managing to hold them together. The spider gurgles and starts to ease forward, down onto the main path. She can wait no longer. If she does, either the children will break and run into the darkness, or the spider will totally block the way.
She will have to go alone.
Awenasa jumps at the spider again, trying a new angle. The tricky footing betrays her however, and she makes no meaningful contact. Her blows rain harmlessly off the spider's tough and slippery hide. Behind her Perey rushes the children through the gap. Even as the spider bears down on her, she feels some relief. They will get through, Perey will get them to safety.
The spider lashes out with two heavy clawed feet, both which find their mark. One of them, instead of merely ripping her flesh slams into her, trying to knock her down.
It succeeds, and Awenasa is thrown onto the rocky ground. She hits hard, seeing stars mixed with the real stars overhead. The spider looms over her and she feels a strange thrill. She was beaten, the spider had overmastered her. Awenasa Windkeeper would die here, so far from home. So far from her goal. A sad end? Or a worthy one? What would her ancestors say when she met them in the next life?
What would Makayda say?
She looked up at the greenish eyes of the hungering beast and realized she would know very soon.
There there was a thundering boom and flash, as if a lighting storm had rolled into the canyon, except it is a searing unnatural blue. For a moment Awenasa is blinded by the sheer intensity, eyes closing automatically. From somewhere she can hear roaring, thrashing and...burning. A stench of sizzling flesh fills her nose.
She forces her eyes open and sees the spider is still over her. But it is rearing back, legs raised to protect it's vulnerable eyes. It's head was coated in some kind of clinging fire, orange flames burning merry and bright. The spider thrashed wildly, rocks and gravel flying. The slime on it's bulk hissed and bubbled, like a stew left on the pot too long. Turning her head, she glanced back to see Euler standing in the path, holding the smoking 'gun' in his hands, clearly shocked at the damage.
Perey and the children were nowhere to be seen, having hurried down the path out of sight.
Awenasa scrambles back and away from the spider who was afire. Her brain did not have much time to process what was happening. All she knows is that she is grateful that the sheriff's thunder stick hadn't lit her on fire when she was hit.
The Shoanti knows that the window of escape will be closing rapidly. The spider hopefully would leave them alone now that it was hurt. Especially if they left its territory as quickly as possible.
"Euler!", she barked. "Run! After children, go!"
Awenasa waits until Euler begins to move and then practically pushes him from behind as she spurs him on to run after the children. She also keeps half an eye on the path behind her to see if the injured spider wants to finish what was started. The Shoanti hopes that it would go back to their lair and nurse their wounds.
Euler is clearly in some sort of shock, and Awenasa has to fairly manhandle him down the rugged path. Luckily she is both bigger and stronger then the miner, so the Shoanti manages. She glances back at the gigantic spider, which is still burning. The thunderstick weapon seemed quite potent, almost dangerously so. How was Ely's scout supposed to use it without immolating themselves?
In any case, it bought them time. With Awenasa chivvying Euler, they hurry after Perey and the children. To her growing concern, Awenasa leaves behind a spotted blood trail, red spots on the rusty ground. Quite apart from the obvious danger to her health, Awenasa knows blood draws predators like nothing else in the wild. It was as if she had a giant flashing sign that said 'Easy prey, over here'.
Her only hope was that the giant spider was formidable enough that it's hunting range was free of other predators. What other beast would dare challenge it in its home canyon? She did not want to find out.
Around a bend she almost runs smack into Perey. The pale man, still gripping the walking stick like grim death, seems to have been heading back up the path. Had he been headed back for her? And daring to take on the spider?
He looks both shocked and relived to see Awenasa and Euler alive. In the darkness beyond the children huddle in a group, close to a rocky cliff.
"You made it!" he says and reaches for his back. "Here, drink this, it was the other healing potion from that cache." he presses a smooth glass bottle into Awenasa's hands.
"So, we venture onward?" Perey and Euler say at almost the same time. Clearly no one wants to hang around here. Out of sight, the spider can see be heard to hiss and gurgle. Might it take up a chase?
Even as Awenasa is about to answer she hears something above them. A soft, slupring sound. Glancing up she spots, high up on the rocky wall a dark shape, clinging to the stone. Not a humanoid shape, more like a blob. She would have guessed some moss or a bush except it is slowly crawling downward toward them.
"Ooze!" Euler says, looking up. "Scavengers, they live out here in the rocks. Probably used to cleaning up after the spider. Do we run or fight? They aren't very fast but they never give up a chase. Too dumb, I think." The miner looks down at Awenasa's blood trail. "They are drawn by the blood."
Awenasa opens her mouth to scold Perey for foolishly turning back but quickly snaps it shut when she sees the relief on his face. It is nothing that she wouldn't have done should one of her quah been in trouble. It was admirable but it was also unwise given his condition.
Had she not been bleeding, Awenasa would have suggested that Perey needed the healing draught more than her but now is not the time to refuse needed help. As soon as she drinks, she notices that the worst of her wounds scab over.
The Shoanti looks up when she hears an unnatural sound and is dismayed by what she sees. She is exhausted and hurt and doesn't have time for this new hell. "You run with the children." Seeing the defiant look on Perey's face she adds, "I run too but will be between you and ooze. Euler, you go first with thunderstick in case danger ahead. Perey, help children move fast. I make sure ooze doesn't get children."
"Go!
She prods everyone forward and away from the slow-moving ooze. Once clear of immediate danger of the ooze dropping on her head and while the others get moving, she pulls a thin scarf from her bag and ties it around where she can still see blood. She knows she needs to stop the loss of anymore blood dripping on the ground and attracting more predators. Even hurt she knows she can move faster than the rest of them so she isn't worried about catching up with them after taking the time to bind her wounds.
The other nod at her orders but Euler gives her some grim news, "It only had one shot, Awenasa. I think it was a signal flare of some kind. We just got lucky it did so much damage. It won't work again."
Still, the rest of her plan goes ahead. Euler takes point, leading the children down the narrow, rocky slot. Perey is behind them, keeping the group tight and moving quickly. Awenasa pauses a moment to bind her wounds. She can't afford blood loss and besides, the last thing she wants to do is attract more scavengers. Did this place have wolves? Well, surely it had something like them.
Her quick bandage works fairly well to staunch the flow, turning the drip to a slow ooze. Still, she can spell the coppery tang of her own blood and if she can, many animals could. Glancing up at the ooze, which was slowly descending, she follows after the group.
This might have been the hardest part of the whole expedition. Wounded, exhausted and hunted, Awenasa struggled on down the path. She finds that, in her current state, she has a hard time keeping their pace. On one hand this is good, and shows Euler is leading them quickly. On the other hand, it makes each step a fresh torment of pain and suffering. Her wounds burn, and her muscles ache. The air, despite seemingly so warm before, starts to chill her, prickling her bare skin. Awenasa knows this is not the weather, but her body. While her will drives her on, her fragile body is starting to give out.
But she cannot stop. She will not stop. Gritting her teeth and ignoring the fire of her hurts, she stumbles on.
The only saving grace is the ooze is slow, barely able to keep pace. It slides along the wall, slowly angling downward toward the canyon floor. As it inches ever closer, Awenasa can hear that sickening slurping noise grow louder and louder.
Down and down the canyon trail runs, steeper then ever. Soon Awenasa is working hard not only to keep up, but not trip. A few of the children do, but they bounce to their feet with the vigor of youth and promise of freedom. Euler is lost in the darkness ahead but they hardly need a guide now. There is nowhere to go except onward, ever onward.
Awenasa's feet feel like lead, each step feeling impossible. How much farther did they have to go? How far could they go? Did this night ever end? Behind, the ooze slips closer, softly sucking on rock as it gains. She could not escape, she could fall here and be devoured by this foul thing. All would be lost and-
Suddenly, the canyon wall falls away. Awenasa staggers out of the narrow notch and finds herself on flat empty ground. Behind her, like a dark archway, the path run uphill. The ooze stops at the threshold, slimy tendrils digging into the rusty ground. It wavers for a moment then slowly retreats back into the darkness. Mindless it might be, but it clearly has a favored territory.
Awenasa looks ahead. The flat space is dominated by a low stone building, looking to her eyes like a barn. Around it low stone walls contain....well, a welcome sight. The first green plants she has seen in a long time. Carefully tended rows of greenery, vines and bushes, flowers and fronds. This must be the garden Netucklist said was the meeting place.
She sees no one else at the moment though. Still, they had made it, in one piece.
Awenasa sags in relief, or was it from blood loss?, as she catches sight of what looks to be Netucklist's garden. She is so very close to getting the children to safety and just wants to hurry, but she knows that letting her guard down now would be foolish.
She moves to the front of the group and raises her hand for them to stop. She then takes a closer look with her honed Shoanti senses, looking for any potential ambushes in this flat space. She hopes that no one would be expecting them to come this way but Ely had proven himself to be somewhat shrewd.
Netuckelist had said that he would have one of his men hiding in wait for them among the sheds but how to get his attention without raising an alarm? She knows how she would get the attention of other Shoanti but would it work with a lowlander?
Awenasa was frustrated. She knew half a dozen bird calls/signals among her own people, everything from 'all is well' to 'ambush ahead, retreat'. She could whistle them so well that sometimes even the birds themselves were confused, and many Shoanti could tell of puzzled birds landing on a scout's head. But here? Who knew what Netucklist's men might expect?
She pursed her lips and was about to signal when she heard a cough. Awenasa turned and her heart sank. From behind a small wooden shed, human figures emerged into the dim starlight. Half a dozen men, some of them quite large, fanned out in a semi-circle toward Awenasa and the others.
At the center was a heavy-set man with wide arms and legs. He had the look of a once strong person gone to flabby seed, from a life of ease. His balding head glinted in the cold light, spotted as chicken's egg. Ruddy jowls perched above a neatly trimmed beard, poorly hiding a thick double chin. In one big fist, a heavy nasty club rested.
The other men mostly carried such weapons too, a collection of hammers, clubs and a few axes. No armor or thundersticks though.
"You took Deadman's Slot!" The burly man said with surprise and a touch of admiration. "They said it was death to try, but I wagered you were a wily one. Clearly my bet was right. I should go and visit the gnome's tables while my luck is hot." Some of the other men laugh.
"Ah, but I should introduce myself." The man went on, ignoring his lackey's amusement. "I am Ely Piggrich and you have stolen some of my property." He pointed his club at the mass of children, who were frozen into silence. They gazed in terror at the man as if he were a demon made flesh.
'Don't deny it." Ely went on, easily, "I have an informant."He nodded a head at another of his men. At the signal a heavy bag was tossed onto the ground at Ely's feet. In a moment Awenasa saw it was not a bag, but a man, bound hand and foot. A rough mining sack was over his head, but there was no doubting the fine robes and reddish skin. Thak.
"Oh, he's not dead." Ely said, seeing Awenasa's face. "At least, not yet. He was the one that told me your plan. I must admit, for a foreigner, he was a tough nut to crack. Too most of the day until he started seeing sense." Piggrich gave the limp figure a small kick. "Still, all's well in the end. I didn't know how you'd get here, but I knew the garden was the pick-up place. It's easy to catch a snake if you know it's hole..." The mining man's voice trailed off, spotting something behind Awenasa.
"Euler? Why you old fox. I thought you were smarter then taking up with this one. What are you doing here?"
"Ah, sir, I-" Euler stammered but Ely cut him off.
"Never mind, later. First, I have to deal with this thief, then you will get your turn." Ely turned his dark eyes back on Awenasa, "You stole from me. Is such thievery allowed where you are from? Or are you a lawless bandit even by the standards of your own home? Sneaking around in the dark, attacking honest working men at their posts. Why, I should tell the sheriff on you!" More coarse laughter from the others.