My fantasy opus. Molemen and fishmen and wolves, Oh my! (Wrote this some time ago...It shows.)
The sound of paws digging through wood
from below woke Dirian. He grabbed his spear and moved down the steps
carved into the wall. He shuffled down past his daughter’s room and down past the main room at ground level. Below the main room, into the root
of the tree, he saw wolf paws hacking through the wall of his tree home.
“Ho there,” he said. “Stop digging
there. This is a rootsman home.” The digging stopped and
there was some muffled talk in the tunnel. The
digging continued in another direction. Dirian remembered stories from
Clearing Edge, the unofficial border of the rootsman's forest and the plain where
the wolves lived, stories of wolves killing the tree homes of rootsmans by
digging into the roots. Other stories were of larger holes than this new
one of his. Dirian clenched his fists.
He covered the hole with some scrap bark, and checked on
his daughter. She was awake but quiet. “Back to sleep now Floria,”
he said and smiled. She seemed groggy enough, unaware of wolves nearly
entering the house. He dared not linger in her room; he did not want her
fully awake. Floria rolled over and went back to sleep. She was small like her mother with a short snout and whiskers and a light brown fur, not like Dirian's black and gray fur at all, she was a very feminine little rootsman. Dirian wondered if she would reach four feet. He went up to his room and went to sleep uneasily.
Morning met Dirian with moist warmth and soft sun
through the canopy, he recalled the night before. His heart and body
jumped, he checked on Floria. She was still sleeping. He checked the
lower levels for more holes or other signs of trouble. He tapped the
walls to see how large the tunnel was. Not too large, the wolves must have
moved away from his tree instead of just around. Still the thought of
wolves tunneling about in the forest was unnerving.
After getting Floria up and off to the Elder’s Youth
Forum where she would learn the ways of the forest and all the knowledge needed
for a young female rootsman; he planned a trip to the council. Of course her mother would educate their daughter if
she were alive, but Dirian needed to provide for Floria and himself alone now.
The elders were kind to help his small family and others in need. They
often had him and Floria in for dinner in the evenings and everyone had a good time eating and playing games.
Dirian would skip the canopy fig gathering today and
approach council about this encounter from the night before. The elders
were active in council too, so there was not far to go. Just up Cherrytree Path to the Great Tree, the largest tree in the forest, was a sort
of town center for the rootsmans. It was nearly 17 feet in diameter and a full 6 levels were carved from it's root and bottom. The elders would meet at the ground level to address the
issues of the day. It was a 5 minute walk from the Elder’s Youth
Forum, as he turned north he heard an elder talking history with the children.
“The Wolvesplain peninsula was ruled
by werewolves and their wolf monsters. Technically Wolvesplain is an island,
children, as the Eastern side is cut off from the mainland by a precipice and
below that, the river Boland. Humans live east of the Boland. Their stone
buildings there and on Paraducia Island are a grey blight to these lands.”
Dirian shook his head. The elder Baan was so dramatic.
“The humans rule all of Wolvesplain now children, and
all known lands beyond.” Baan continued. “There was a time long ago
when no one had ever seen a human or a werewolf. We lived in peace and
quiet here in the forest, and wandered the plain for wild onion and other fine
herbs.” Dirian knew little of this history. Certainly Baan had
never seen these days and he was nearly 100 years old. As long as Dirian
could remember the humans collected tax and the wolves terrorized his people
from the plain. Dirian called them wolves, some said werewolves as
it seemed these hairy creatures would sometimes walk on two legs and sometimes
on four, some called them beasts or monsters. Other stories
claimed the creatures were part human, long ago banished to the plain to mine
the stone for their less hairy brethren Upon arrival some said, they mated with the local wolves and created something even more monstrous than werewolves.
Dirian did not care what these creatures were. He
wanted some action against them. There must be some way to keep them from
destroying the forest and scaring peace loving rootsmans and their children.
“Ho there, friend. Can you use a man for odd jobs about
the house?” The man looked starved as he smiled nervously at
Dirian. Dirian slowed, he would have to pass the beggar to enter Great
Tree.
“Come now friend, certainly I could tend your fungal
garden or prune the homestead.”
Dirian caught sight of the man’s hands. The
beggar’s fingers were smooth and scarred, unnatural for a rootsman. He
had no nails. “With what will you prune friend?”
The beggar quickly hid his hands. He said.
“Aye yes, I would need this human tool, he pointed to a metal cutting device,
but I can climb still, very well thank you.” His speech was fast and of a
higher pitch than Dirian expected, but he seemed intelligent enough.
“I’m called Willy, Willy
Slivelroot. I’ve come to our town center for work after some
trouble with the wolves and hardships, for sure, but I am honest and I can work
like any rootsman.”
“What happened friend? What hardships have you faced with the wolves?” Dirian's interest was more in
the wolves not so much in Willy himself.
“Not too many have seen a rootsman that cannot dig ‘eh.
But I tell ya I can dig just fine, just need this here.” He pointed to a
shovel a few yards away, another human tool. “It is slow work to be sure
and nearly useless to dig out a tree, but that is my plight then, which brings
us back to the matter. I’ll be needing to buy a home here seeing as I
cannot dig one out, so I need work kind sir.” Dirian listened; he looked
at Willy. Besides being thin and missing his long sharp nails that all rootsmans had, he seemed strong enough. Though he seemed needlessly nervous. He was average height, 5 feet tall or so with dark eyes and fur. He gave Willy an expectant look.
“OK then," Willy continued,
"I lost my nails for some money to buy my young wife and myself a fine
home, fine indeed.” Willy looked away now. “But the deal.
Well the deal fell though. I made a deal with a wolf and paid the price I
suppose.”
“Why not find another fine home with
your wife?”
“Well sure fine idea, had I been thinking
right. When the wolf pried my nails from my hands and left me with no
gold, I could neither buy a house nor dig one out. My wife did not want
to be homeless and left me for another. I left Clearing Edge.”
“Clearing Edge?” Dirian ears
lifted. “Well friend, I'm sorry for your loss, I can sympathize somewhat,
I have wolf troubles myself. Did you see many homes destroyed by the
wolves at the forest edge?"
“Some sure; gardens mostly. The wolves wander
freely there and threaten those who do not cooperate with their constant
tunneling. They have been known to even put some rootsmans into slavery,
digging for them. Or in my case use our nails for their tools.
"What of the humans? Did you ever see
them?"
"No sir," Willy looked about.
"Never, they only come here to the Great Tree to collect taxes, far as I
know."
"Does anyone resist them?"
"The humans?"
"No. The wolves." Dirian
noticed Willy jump slightly.
"One wolf could kill half a dozen of
us, and I have nothing to fight with." Willy looked at his hands,
his eyes welled with tears.
"You could swing that shovel."
"Well that is some talk, would you
swing it at a one of those beasts?"
"Today I might friend, I must go see
the elders now Willy, very nice to meet you." His resolve now
strengthened by Willy's sad tale.
"I would still like to do some work
for you 'eh friend."
"Perhaps later, I have a more
pressing issue than home maintenance just now." Dirian crossed into
the Great Tree.
The elders sat in a semi-circular
table. The room was nearly bare, circular, with one window carved
opposite the main entrance. There were a few onlookers but this seemed an
uneventful day. They were discussing where the fig gathering would move
to next week when Dirian interrupted.
"Good elders, hear my plight.
The wolves have damaged my house. They have put a hole in my lower room
below my young daughters room. What can be done about these beasts?"
There was silence. Everyone looked
at him now. There were six elders about the table some exchanged glances.
Dirian continued, "Can these humans
help us protect the bases of our homes? What do we pay them taxes?"
"Please Dirian, please, we are fully
aware of the issues with the wolves and have reported all transgressions to the
humans." This elder had a green pointed cap on his bespectacled
head. All the elders wore grey scruff below their mole like faces some longer
than others. Dirian did not know this elder.
"Sir what action have the humans
taken upon these reports?" he said.
More glances. "We do not
know. We report, but the humans do not speak to us."
"What? Why do we pay
them?"
The elder looked gravely at Dirian over
his glasses, "The last time we refused to pay, three of our own were
killed on the spot." He motioned to three empty seats at the
table. "The next day was The Great Threat."
Dirian knew enough history to know what
The Great Threat was. The wolves gathered in the plain and moved slowly towards
the forest. They snarled and howled, the rootsmans were
terrified. One human came forth and requested the taxes. They
were paid and the human and all the wolves left them in peace.
"When are the taxes due
again?" Dirian raised his voice.
"Now listen
here Dirian..." green hat started.
"When!" He was yelling
now. Willy's head appeared in the doorway.
"Tomorrow." A new elder
wore a royal purple colored hat. "But you are not welcome when he
comes. We will not endanger our people here over one hole in one
home."
"I will follow this tax collector and
approach him far from our borders, I will act alone and plead with him." He knew this elder as Wilken Russelshire, he was reasonable and
wise thought Dirian.
"No. This will not change
matters. They will still come for us." The elder in the green
cap said.
Wilken considered this.
"Perhaps," he said.
"Sir please." The
green-capped elder's voice shook. "What of your daughter
Dirian?"
"She will stay at the Forum," He
said. He now recognized that Wilken was the senior member at the
Forum. "I will not have her grow up in constant danger from these
beasts when there could be help from the humans. I will follow this man and
approach him in his own land."
"No." Said Wilken.
"Find Paraducia Island, there you may bring your case to his leaders, you
may follow this man there. You may not provoke him or the wolves on your
journey."
"If you leave the forest, you will
need good shoes." Willy interrupted from the doorway. "I made
some for walking the hard ground of the plain and could sell them to you for a
pittance."
Wilken said. "Is this the
homeless man?" The green-capped elder nodded.
"You there, you will wear your shoes
and go with this man. If you are successful we will find you
shelter."
"Complete insanity." Green-cap was getting nervous, "Paraducia
is across the sea. Would you have them carry a raft through the
plain? The wolves will kill them instantly. If he is even spotted by this human there will be trouble for all of us." The green capped
elder stood and headed for Dirian. When he got closer he only gave Dirian a
hard look. He left out the front door. Willy stumbled back out of
his way.
"A house? Really?"
Willy was ignored.
"There may be a way past these
wolves, through their own tunnels. I used to wander the plain in my youth. It was safer then, the wolves had plenty of stone to
mine under their own feet. I came upon a chute that leads to the end of
land close to the Paraducia island. You can see the island from there and may be
able to swim for it. Surely this man will lead you to the
chute." You there Wilken nodded to Willy. "Can you
draw?"
"A little sir."
"We will need a map of these
lands. I think our days of isolation are nearly finished. This will be
your job on your return to us. Dirian, I've heard your climbing and
gathering of the fig is unmatched. I hope you can come back and continue
this work."
"I plan on it sir." Dirian said.
The taxman was dressed in a white suit as
he arrived with a wolf on each side of him. Dirian and Willy watched as
he entered The Great Tree and exited shortly after with a sack of figs over his
shoulder. They quietly followed. One of the wolves paused; Willy and Dirian crouched quickly. The taxman said something and the wolf
grunted in response. The three moved towards Clearing Edge.
Dirian wore
Willy's handmade shoes as they shuffled along the plain far back from the
taxman and wolves. It was much harder to stay close with only tall
grasses, large rocks and small hills for cover. They found themselves on
a seldom-used path through the plain. They could hear the ocean to the
south, but not the north. The moist air of the forest, gave way to salty
winds of the plain as the ground hardened and the sun brightened. The only
sounds were the winds and the large voles that scurried about when they
approached. They smelled the prairie flowers and wild herbs.
If not for the wolves, one might even consider a home in the fields, Dirian
thought. They talked little, Willy was driven only by the prospect of a
new house, he was visibly terrified. He had tensed at every vole
movement. The shoes were comfortable, Dirian thought, and it was
good to travel with someone. He hoped he was doing the right thing for Floria and his people. It had all happened so fast, his outrage and the council and now a journey for help. He sensed too that everything was about to change, and he was a catalyst for it. No rootsman would volunteer for such an adventure, but after Feior, his wife, disappeared. Dirian was sure it was the wolves that had taken her. She would never have just left him. He would not allow them to take his daughter too.
They continued on several days with little change when Willy
noticed the man walked alone now.
"Where are the wolves?" He said quickly.
Dirian looked ahead. He saw the taxman near a small
hill. The taxman glanced back, right at Dirian, and then he looked
beyond Dirian quickly, nodded and disappeared into the hill. Dirian's
heart jumped and he looked about. The wolves were behind him and running
fast. Dirian watched as the wolves changed from mere wolves into beasts with larger bodies and longer teeth and really only resembling a wolf by having four legs, they were monsters and they were coming for him.
"Run Willy! Run!" He yelled.
Willy was already in full sprint south toward the sea.
"This way Willy," Dirian ran west for the taxman's
hill, he drew both beasts behind him.
The creatures were gaining fast. Dirian thought this would be
the end. Then he saw a hole was straight ahead in the hill. He ran hard. He entered the tunnel and it sloped down but it
was large enough for several rootsmans, or werewolves to walk side-by-side.
There was torchlight on the walls. All this he noticed as the breadth of one of the beasts fell upon his neck. He did not look back, but he could only
imagine the fierce faces of his pursuers. Where is the chute, he thought,
where? He saw a darkness in the floor ahead. He could smell
earth. He ran harder for the dark hole.
He heard a snap of jaws close to
his ear and a whoosh of some object by the back of his head, then a clang of
metal on bone.
"Back you beasts!" Willy screamed. He
had just pummeled one of them with his shovel. It grabbed him by
the leg. Dirian turned and slashed the beast across the nose with his sharp nails, as he and
Willy fell backwards into the darkness. The wolf released it's grip, but
Willy continued screaming.
Dirian heard only snarling and barking, but it sounded
like the wolf said, "try and come back home." The wolves did
not pursue them down the chute, but the damage was done. The taxman had seen him. Were his
people now in danger? Would Floria be in danger? He half wished for
this fall to be his death.
They kept falling, but it was not deadly, the ground came
gently under them and sloped them westward.
When they slowed Dirian asked.
"Willy are you alright?" They slid to a stop in a nearly
blackened tunnel.
"The wolf bit me! I'm going to
become one of them."
"Can you walk?"
"I think so." Willy made
some shuffling noises. "Yes. I can. But I'm
bit." His voice rose.
Dirian's eyes had adjusted. He could
see a far off light at the end of the tunnel. He moved towards Willy and
felt around on Willy's leg.
"Ouch, what are you doing?”
"Checking the wound. Hold
still. It's a claw slash, no teeth marks."
Willy sighed in relief.
"Where did you go? How did you
end up behind them?"
"When you yelled for me to go the to
the tunnel, I thought we were finished. I fell to the ground, curled up
and waited for death. But when they past me by I thought maybe I could
do what you said and swing this shovel. I don't know how I caught up or
how I managed to hit one of them."
"I have underestimated you
Willy."
Willy said nothing, he smiled. They walked
slowly toward the distant light.
"I don't think the taxman came this way Willy.
Look at the floor, no tracks but ours."
Willy looked all around quickly.
"Oh my, Dirian." Willy crouched down and pointed toward the dim
light ahead.
Dirian looked and saw a creature. Not
a wolf or a human, but a tall, serpent like creature stared back at
them. It was tall; at least 6 feet tall and had but one long snake like
appendage on which it rested. It's face was more human than a rootsman but
there was a large fin that ran like a mohawk on it's head and down into a
hair like shape behind it's neck and shoulders. The fin reflected the light into a rainbow of colors. The being itself was
a green/blue color. It moved, turned from them and slithered
toward the light. It looked back as if they were to follow. Willy
did. He seemed entranced by this being. Dirian was going to grab
him but thought better of it. The being carried a spear but only at it's
side, point up. There seemed no immediate danger. It waited for
them to catch up.
"I am
Illian of the Aleutians. You are rootsmans. I did not believe it at
first. We have only ever seen rootsmans in books." Illian said
in a distinctly female voice Dirian noted. He noted too that her face was
very feminine and attractive.
"We have never seen your kind, miss." Willy said as they walked out into the light. They were at sea
level. There was a fog over the water, visibility was low out over the
sea.
"We are looking for the humans at Paladucia."
Dirian said.
"We have not seen humans in many years. There was
a great battle at Paladucia. We do not know if the humans are still
there."
"Who was battling who?" Dirian Said.
"The humans fight with each other, I do not know much
more than this. The humans conquer all peoples then try to conquer each
other." She said.
Dirian had much to consider now. He must continue somehow to Paraducia, yet he was sure the taxman had seen him and
would set the wolves upon his people, upon Floria. His new friend was
hurt and he was now in the care of a giant shiny serpent girl.
He looked up the precipice, at Wolvesplain. Up
this steep side was a patchwork of platforms, ladders, pulleys and holes.
There were thousands of Aleutians, all living up the side of the plateau.
"Oh my." Willy gasped.
"I can take you to our chieftain. He
can tell you more about humans if that is what you like. I can
take your friend and tend his wound." She spoke to Dirian but Willy
answered for himself.
"I would appreciate any aid."
They stepped up onto a giant
platform. Illian pulled a lever with her tail. Then
another. A series of differently sized rocks disengaged far above and
they were slowly lifted upwards and outwards. They were on a giant
arm. It arced out 90 degrees and at 180 degrees they were 500 feet above sea
level. They were flat against the side of the cliff, much higher now, from here they rode a pulley powered elevator half way up the cliff.
The whole system was elaborate as they barely walked 10 feet to reach a
carved out area with intricate carvings and statues of Aleutians on either
side. Illian pointed Dirian to an opening into the cliff where the
chieftain sat outside in what looked like meditation. His fin did not
span out at the back like hair but continued in a narrow mohawk the length of
his body. He caught Illian's eye, nodded and waved Dirian do him.
"Come Willy." Illian said and
they moved to another elevator platform and were lifted away.
Dirian looked about behind and below him,
he saw many of the giant arms arching up and down from sea level. There
were different lengths and some came out over the sea, from these,
men were diving with spear in hand towards the water, one aleutian's fin opened up
behind him briefly like wings, and he was able to glide even further out to sea, Dirian
watched but lost him in the mist. He saw another come up with a fish on
spear. Impressive, he thought.
"A rootsman, man of the trees.
We are very happy to have you. Why, your people have not left the forest
in an age. Come sit, we will talk. I am Morin."
Dirian found all the Aleutians to be this
way. Interested in him and his people and eager to talk to him. The men were more gregarious than the women, but all were kind and curious. He
decided to relax for the night, allow Willy to rest his leg. They
could decide which of them would have to go back to the forest and warn the
others that there may be an attack, and who would go forward to find these
humans. The chieftain knew nothing more about Paladucia. He said
the mist, prevented their view of the
island for some time now. They had considered swimming out but the humans were not their
friends. They too paid taxes and were plagued by wolves digging out their
platform supports and terrorizing them when they dared wander the plain.
Dirian dined with the chieftain and fell asleep shortly after dinner.
He did not see Willy again until
morning. Willy spent the night at Illian's home, they had worked out maps of both the plain and some tunnels. Illian too had lost
her spouse Willy told him over a quick breakfast, hers to the wolves when he
went up to the plain to hunt voles. Rootsman could not eat these
creatures, they were too similar to themselves, besides they were very
fast and would tuck away in a hole at the slightest sound. The wolves ate
them by the dozen.
"Willy, we must get back to the
forest to tell the elders we were spotted. Would you volunteer to go
back?"
"Yes. Illian thinks there is an old tunnel that can take us all the way
back to the forest. They have carts they use for faster travel on land,
I'll use one and my leg will not be a problem. Illian will come with
me." Willy said.
"Thank you Illian," said Dirian.
"The chieftain Morin said two of his men can swim me to Paladucia to see
if I can find the humans. I
have seen them swim Willy and glide through the air, these are amazing friends
we have made. I should, if all goes well, be only a half day or so behind you."
As Dirian held on to the fin of each Aleutian and stood on their backs, they swiftly slid through
the mist. The chieftain said that their people were born in the sea and
many still lived underwater. But many ages ago his tribe pledged
themselves to the wind god and came up from the sea to be in the wind.
The chieftain held Dirian and all the rootsmans in high regard, Morin knew that
they lived in the wind also, high in the trees. The chieftain thought it
very romantic the way the rootsmans lived in the trees. Dirian didn't tell him how truly difficult it was to build a home
in the great trees and how sometimes the trees died in the process; he
did not tell Morin that they only went high in the trees for food, and that they
actually lived in the bases and roots of the trees. He was haggard, with much to do, he promised to talk more on these subjects another time.
When he and his two new Aleutian friends
came ashore, Dirian found that the humans were even more accomplished builders
than the Aleutians. Tall buildings and towers of Wolvesplain stone
formed castles and monuments, one after another after another. Giant
walkways connected the buildings. There was fine metalwork for railings
and decorations. The humans had paved roads and chutes for trash. Then he noticed that many of the chutes were damaged, many buildings
too. Then through the mist he saw the bodies. Thousands of human bodies lay in heaps, decomposing. Nothing moved but the mist,
it offered peeks into great craftsmanship and the great battle that destroyed both it and it's makers. Through the buildings, over and under the walkways,
across the roads and over the dead the mist crept. These humans were
great builders and yet they were great destroyers.
"We must hurry back
friends." Dirian said as he could think only of that brief moment of
eye contact the taxman made with him. There was trouble for his forest,
he was sure of it now.
Dirian left his escorts with news that he
would return to his forest and that he feared for his people. He hurried
into the tunnel that Willy and Illian had shown him before he left for the dead island of Paraducia. His guides drew him a crude map, but he was
not sure he was headed in right direction through the tunnels under
Wolvesplain. He traveled through the night into the next day. Only
when he caught up with Willy and Illian did he breath a little easier.
The cart had not proven useful to Willy as they had to climb and he had to
push with his good leg and balance on the bad or push with the bad and balance
on the good. He walked instead.
They talked some but kept a good pace at
Dirian's insistence. Illian asked about Dirian's wife.
"Willy says you too, have lost a
spouse. What happened?" Her voice was tender.
"I don't know" Dirian
said. "She just left." There was little talk again until
they reached a caved in part of the tunnel.
"This is it," Illian said.
"We can dig up here and enter the rootsman forest."
They were relieved to find that the
village was intact and running smoothly. Dirian went to see his daughter
as Willy and Illian went to explain the situation to the elders.
"Yes yes, we are aware that the taxman saw you. He has returned and demanded triple payment this month and a
cease to all our 'spies'. We have been given a day to come up with this
payment." It was green-cap speaking, and he was fired up.
Dirian entered The Great Tree.
"Did you pay him?" Willy asked.
"We do not have this many figs.
There has never been a need for this many extra." He looked at
Dirian. "You were told not to provoke this man."
"I'm sorry elder, this is my fault,
but maybe it is time we stood up and faced the threat." Dirian said.
"I think we should focus on defenses now."
"Defenses?" green-cap
yelled. "We have no defenses! We have a root of a few spears
and a forest of fungus farmers who don't know how to use them. These
wolves will destroy us."
Dirian was tired of this.
"Where is elder Russelshire, he will want us to fight."
"Yes. I think we shall
fight." Wilken Russelshire came from the lower floor
carrying an arm full of spears his purple cap was flattened on his
head. "We should fortify Clearing Edge, and the hole you came
from."
"I should go back and bring
help." Illian said.
"No." Willy said.
"Stay with us, we will need every fighter."
"I left word with chieftain Morin
that the people of the trees may be in danger." Dirian said.
He looked them all in the eyes, one by one as he spoke.
"We will dig a trench, and keep
a constant force of men watching it. And when the wolves fall into
it. We will launch our spears at them, from the trees. We will
snare them in traps sprung by bent saplings and branches, hang them in the air
and stab them with our spears."
"Good good," Willy said.
"How much time do we have do you
suppose?" Dirian said.
"They will come for the taxes tomorrow." Wilken said.
"The threat could be as early as the
next day."
"This is madness,” green-cap's
face was purple now. "We will give them all the figs we have and beg
for mercy."
"Yes. I agree." Said
Wilken. "We will try to avoid trouble tomorrow and ask for more
time."
"Finally some sense. Let us
focus our efforts on getting as many figs as possible."
"We will, but we will be prepared to
battle too. The world is at our door now and we should be ready to face
it. Good or bad." Wilken said.
They made their preparations through the
night. Dirian fell asleep for a short time, but was awake to see the
taxman come in the early morning. Wilken explained that they did not know
anything about the spy and that they would have the figs in a few days after
his men returned from the canopy. Dirian watched from outside the
tree. He could see that it was not going well.
"Your kind are never to come onto the plain. We
will not tolerate disobedience from you.” The taxman spoke slow and deliberately. As he spoke Dirian watched him transform into a werewolf, he stood on his hind legs and looked down at Wilken.
"I have heard your kind get a little brave every century or so. You may call me Slasher, and you will remember my name when next you decide to be brave, there will be punishment for your transgressions, there must be I'm afraid. More than a few elders this time, will pay. You have until morning." Then Slasher turned to
leave.
Dirian had heard
him. He wanted to confront him but his wolf companions kept watch.
As they left, Dirian went into the tree.
"So this is it then."
Willy said.
"I think so." Wilken said.
"We will be ready for
them." They stood together now and watched Slasher leave the
forest, the wolves trotted behind him.
Wolves gathered throughout the
night on the plain. They howled and barked. No one slept. Green-cap
volunteered to lead the women and children down the eastern precipice to the
river Boland. Most of the men were busy loading spears into the
trees. Most of these spears were cut and carved over the last two days.
Dirian and a small band of rootsmans prepared to fight on foot. Willy
fashioned some leggings and shirts from the tough vines that grew through the
trees. The wolves were restless and wandered closer and closer to the trench.
"If one wolf falls into the trench, we
lose its surprise in the morning." Illian said.
"Who says they will wait till
morning?" Willy said.
"They will give us a final
chance to pay." Wilken said. "They want to scare us, not
fight."
"They want to punish us for following
them." Willy said.
"Let's wait and see friends.
Wait and see." Said Wilken.
Luckily the wolves did not wander into the trench and Dirian suggested that he and Wilken move out beyond it in the morning
so as to remove this worry. They left some large poles in the trench so
that they could use them to vault across in a hurry if it came to that.
They were not one hundred feet from the trench before they were
surrounded by wolves. They moved to the biggest gathering of werewolves, the
ones that stood on two feet and when they saw Slasher Wilken greeted him.
"Hello spy." Slasher
said to Dirian, ignoring Wilken.
"Sir." Dirian replied.
"I do not see my taxes. Perhaps
you two would not like to see tomorrow?"
"Sir." Wilken began, "We
will have all you want and even a little more, if you can just wait another
couple days."
"Kill them." Slasher
turned and walked away as the wolves snarled and closed in on them.
"Now wait one second."
Wilken shouted in his most commanding tone. The wolves froze and Slasher even turned his ear to them.
Wilken looked at Dirian and mouthed,
"run for it boy." Dirian picked up Wilken and did just
that. He ran harder than he thought he could and he closed the gap
between them and the trench fast. Slasher shouted at the wolves to pursue
and they did. Dirian dropped Wilken as they approached the trench and
Wilken nearly fell before he grabbed the pole and they both swung across.
Wilken landed half in the trench, half out. He clamored to his feet grabbed
up his robes and ran for the trees.
"Don't let them reach the
trees." Slasher only slightly showed some emotion.
A dozen wolves fell into the trench.
Dirian yelled "Now! Now!" and the spears came from the trees fast and
straight. Only half the wolves made it out of the trench. But still
more came from behind and the werewolves approached now too. Some jumped
the trench others climbed through.
Dirian, Willy
and Illian prepared to fight them off. The wolves bowled over them and they fought from their backs for their lives. Except for Illian. She
remained on her feet, too big to knock down she stabbed at two separate
wolves. The werewolves walked by the wolves and the meager ground troops
resistance and headed for the trees. Spears came at them. Several
hit their mark, but there were simply too many werewolves. They made it
to the trees and climbed easily. They threw down rootsmans to the snarling
wolves below. The werewolves jumped from tree to tree chasing the rootsmans and throwing them from the trees.
Illian managed to fight off enough wolves to free Dirian and
Willy.
"Dirian this is a slaughter. We must
flee." Willy said.
As Willy spoke a storm of spears came from over their heads
into the trees. Four werewolves fell from the trees. They looked up
and saw the sky filled with Aleutians with spears. They soared this way
and that picking off wolves and werewolves at will.
"Ah, good Morin." Illian said. "I
had hoped you would come."
"But how?" Willy looked at her.
"The lifts from the ground. They are all around
the plain. They are useful for a slow lift to our houses but, we use them to catapult ourselves into the wind too.
This is how we knew of the rootsmans, we watch from high above as you gather
your food."
"Amazing," Dirian said as he watched them expand
their fins and swoop into the trees to fight.
As the wolves ran deeper into the forest to avoid the spears, they
met Morin and his warriors. The Aleutians moved about on their carts,
steering and pushing with their one appendage. The wolves could literally run
circles around them. But the Aleutian spears rarely missed and the wolves
fell one by one.
"Morin." Dirian smiled.
"I thought I would make sure you were alright."
The rest of the werewolves that did not cross the trench
dispersed into the plain, Slasher with them. The battle was won. They cheered.
"What do we do now?" Willy
asked.
"Don't you have maps to make?"
Dirian said.
Labels: short story science fiction fantasy
