Long Ways to Go Part XIV

Dawn’s light was just a few minutes away.  Uncle and Petra were in the lead.  Raven and I followed a bit behind them.  We’d come back to the little cave and picked up the trail of the Enemy’s children.  It was easy to see where I’d been injured.  I didn’t realize I’d bled that much.  Strange to see my blood dried on those branches.  It was a lifetime ago.  The bridge was still in sight, the one I had been headed to.
This time, it was slightly different.  I could see the colors shimmering off it.  And it was further away than it had been.  Between it and me were the solid high walls of rock cliffs going way up in the sky.  I understood how it was, Uncle’s determination to get back home.  I could see it.  I could see a barrier, a wall, shimering all around it.  Petra said that’s what we came through.  I wanted to examine it.  Uncle said we’d have to find the Magicians first.  The Enemy was too close.  So, here we were on the trail of those babies.  I wasn’t sure I really wanted to meet the grown-up versions.
We changed course and headed for a range of hills in the distance.  I blinked my eyes to get the farthest range.  I hadn’t been paying attention and of course, I missed whatever it is was they’d seen.  It turned out to be that baby.  It was following that bird creature along a river.  I frowned.  Where was that fish?  There!  A flash of light in the stream.
I leaned forward, trying to make out more details.  Raven jerked a bit, then settled on a course towards that flash of light.  I closed my eyes, hoping the spinning would stop.  By the time I opened them, we’d closed the distance and were heading for an outcropping just behind the children.  I slid down to the ground and stood on shaky legs.  Uncle was already moving to the edge at a fast crouch.  I tried to follow.  My legs wouldn’t move.  I reached up to grab Raven.  She was staring at me again.  I shuddered at that look.  When uncle and Petra turned to wave us forward, they stared at me.  Now what had happened to me?
“We’d better not waste any more time.  You’re changing again.  Your eyes look more like Petra’s and Raven’s.  What do you see?”
“The same as I did before.  Cept I got dizzy a couple times, especially after I saw that fish.  My head feels different.  Got a head ache too.”
“Your head is a bit larger.  Not much, mind.  More in the front.  Well.”  He tilted his head to study me carefully.  “You might not want to go back, if this is permanent.”
What could I say to that?  Not a thing.  I had no idea what they were talking about.
Petra and Raven began talking in that warbling language of theirs.  I took a deep breath and walked to the edge to look down.  Yep, something was definitely different.  My balance was off.  My head was a tad bit bigger.  Just enough to make me wobble on the way to the edge.  I rubbed my face, my heart leaping to my throat and trying to climb out.
I sat down.  Pain exploded all through my body.  A wrenching, stretching sort of pain.  I couldn’t breathe.  Then. friends and neighbors, it was done.  I did’t hurt anymore.  My head felt light, my heart settled back where it belonged and I took a deep breath.  I stood up.  My sight was back, better than before.  I looked over the edge.
There was the flash of light, off in the distance.  Those two babies were following along the shore, not a care in the world.  I started tracking that fish.  It flashed for a few more seconds, then was gone.  I checked the kids.  Yep, they’d stopped and were setting up some sort of netting.  I frowned.
“What kind of creature needs that big of a net?”
“Where do you see it?”
“Near the river.  Right about where the fish stopped.”
“Petra?”
He’d turned his head in the direction of the river.  “I see.  They set trap for something.  We fly there.  Not see us coming.  They too excited.”
I sighed.  Flying was not a good thing for me.  Got a pleasant surprise when I climbed on Raven.  I fit better, didn’t feel as clumsy when she took off.  Wind rushing against my face wasn’t as cold.  I leaned into it, closer to her head.  We glided into the trees near the river and came to rest on a branch high enough to see them.

Long Ways to Go Part XIII

It was a fast flight to Petra’s village.  Grandfathers and Grandmothers were looking out for us.  We didn’t see any Enemies and no problems.  Weell, aside from the matter of my eyesight.  Uncle’s talking and whispering with Petra and Raven didn’t bring us one bit nearer to knowing what was happening.  I did talk until I was almost purple, telling them everything that had happened to me, what I did, where I went.  Worse than Mom when she wants to know why I did or didn’t do something.
Oh.  One other thing.  I could understand the dragons.  I couldn’t talk to them but I could understand what they were saying.  Petra greeted this news with a sigh of relief.  He’d been wondering how I knew to do some things.  He was beginning to think I was clairvoyant or some such thing.  Uncle and I hid our laughter.  I was able to use some part of my mind to understand other languages.  I hadn’t told them about listening to the other animals and birds.
We headed for the kitchens upon our arrival.  We were hungry and tired.  Besides, I didn’t feel like hanging around too many of the people right away.  My eyes.  They’d changed.  Uncle, well, he and Petra had gotten used to my eyes.  Raven still watched me with a distrust that bordered on fear.  So I sorta knew what to expect.  And why I hid in the kitchen.
Yeah, I can see you’re all thinking that I should have known better.  Most of the village traipsed through the kitchen during our meal.  Some stopped to talk with Petra and Raven.  Most gawked at me and Uncle, mostly me.  At least I had something to occupy myself when everyone was getting their fill of my unique situation.  In case you’re wondering, our eyes can see different things from most people, like colored light, far distance.  Well, getting off track here again.
We walked over to the Healer’s Circle.  By this time, the crowd was thinning out a bit.  I imagined they were home discussing me.  It was different from a Hunt.  Eyes were on me and me alone.  I wanted to hide behind Uncle.  Good thing he wouldn’t go for it.  I had a lot of explaining to do.  I thought my throat would be sore for days after I was finished.  Took most of the night to tell them everything they wanted to know.  In the end, it was because I’d touched the Mother’s Blood without Protection.  And it was like Uncle said:  it had changed me somehow.
I began a different sort of training with Petra and Raven when I woke up.  My eyesight was closest to theirs.  And other changes, no one knew.  It didn’t take long to see once I’d accepted my eyesight.  The hard part was accepting people’s attitudes.  I was strange, even among these strange people.
Uncle was determined to get home.  He spent a lot of time with the few Magicians in the village.  Turns out there was a couple in hiding who’d worked with this sort of events.  We’d have to go to them.  It was safer for the People.  The Enemy was searching for anyone who had knowledge of the Mother’s Blood.

Long Ways to Go Part XII

“Uncle is outside.”  Raven turned to examine me.  I didn’t care for the look in her eyes.  If she continued to watch me like that, I decided I was going outside, no matter what.  It had been a couple days anyway since I’d seen the sun.  It can’t be that important for us to stay inside. We were at the top of a cliff.
It was a little easier to see in the semi darkness of the camp we’d made for ourselves.  Least when the sun was shining.  Uncle stayed outside quite a bit since I woke up.  Petra had him doing those exercises that were a combination of mind games and balancing.  I tried it for a bit but my balance was off.  I had a dull ache in the back of my neck which didn’t help.  I was constantly hungry and didn’t want to be whining around about it.  And thirsty.   I fell asleep thinking about home and the feasts we had on the First Moon Day.
“We have to bring him outside.  In the sun.  At least for a short time.  It’s not good for him to be in the dark all the time.”
“Yeah.  I know we have to get moving.  I just don’t know how to prepare him for the changes.”  Uncle’s voice was strained.  “How long will it be til we get to the Sky People?”
“A couple days.  There’s another cliff we could shelter in about half way.  Petra’s shoulder is healed.  He should be able to carry you with just a short break during the day.”
I wondered at the sudden silence.  Didn’t dare even open my eyes a slit to see if they were looking at me.  I could feel their eyes on me.  It was an itch I couldn’t reach.  The silence made me very uneasy, mind you.  Getting rid of the itch meant I’d have to say something.  That should get their eyes out of the trance they seemed to go into whenever they looked at me.
“I’m small enough.  Petra could carry me in that sack she brought.”
The stares continued.
“Tomorrow morning is when we’ll be going?”
Nothing doing.  If anything, the stares intensified.  My whole body was crawling now.
“Guys.  You’re starting to scare me.  What is it?  What’s wrong?”
Oh no, that wouldn’t do.  My voice was heading into the high range for boys.  I hadn’t ever been so nervous before.  Not even when we put a hole in the canoe.  There was such a serious, intent look contained in those stares.
Raven squeaked.  “How are you feeling?”
“What a strange question.  I’m feeling fine.  Not even sore.  Just hungry. Oh and thirsty?”
“I think you’d better come outside.”
I got to my feet and stumbled to the cave entrance.  The closer I got, the more I wanted to hang back.  Not a good feeling.  Well, I made it.  Cept you know what.  Things looked different.  Very different.  I blinked my eyes.  Shook my head.  Blinked my eyes again.  Still the same.
Everything still had a different look to them.  I shook my head, this time in confusion, disbelief and a growing sense of unease.  I turned to see Uncle stepping ahead of me.  Like he was afraid I’d do something foolish, like step off the edge of the cliff.  One thing for sure, I wasn’t about to do something like that, even if I didn’t know what was happening to me.  Another thing I did know was we needed to get where ever we were going and fast.  We, I needed answers.

Long Ways to Go Part XI

I’d slept for most of the day.  The pain was gone.  I’d not felt so good since I don’t remember when.  Uncle and Petra were gabbling along in that language.  I listened to them for awhile.  Then, it started making sense.  I kid you not.  Just listening to them in that cave with nothing else to do but listen.  It was a bit like listening to the squirrels, crows and animals around the house at home.  Listen long enough and quiet enough, you can hear them talking.
“We’re surrounded here.  Raven made it through flying by night.  We’ll have to stay here til they give up the search.  She might be able to bring in enough food.”
“My nephew has attracted a lot of attention from the Enemy.  Too bad he’s not fully trained.  When I left, he was first level warrior.  Couldn’t have got much further than that.”
Their voices faded.  I listened harder.  Nope.  I couldn’t hear them anymore.  Had they left me, thinking I was still sleeping?  I opened my eyes.  Or thought I did.  It was so dark in that cave, I couldn’t see nothing.  I relaxed and drifted off to sleep.
“Do you think he’s slept off the effects yet?”
“Hard to say.  Mother’s Blood affects everyone differently.  Expecially an unguarded touch like that.  As you said, good thing it was a small piece.”
“And what about the time difference?  It’s been six months over there according to my nephew.  I’ve been here three months.  I’ve kept track of that time.  Is that something that’ll have to be taken into account?”
“What is time?  Guess that’s something we’ll have to ask when we get to the Mountain.  I am learning that Sight needs to be checked out, carefully.  What we See is not always what is there.”
“Like an illusion? A mirage?”
“Before the war started, the People were more numerous, spread out over much of the land between the River and the Mountain.  Many of the ones who’d know were in these areas and they were killed when the war began.  A few were captured.”
“Is there any writings?  Did they teach anyone else?”
A long sigh.  The dragon cleared his throat.  “Most of the apprentices were killed.  Very few of them survived that first wave of attacks.  The ones who know the most are very careful who they share the knowledge with.  Sorry to say this:  it was a couple of the Elders who worked with the Enemy and brought the attackers in.  Once the first village fell, the rest were easily brought down.  Now the Magic is in the hand of the Enemy.  They’ve corrupted our Way.”  Another long sigh.  “Their misuse may be the reason you and your nephew are here.”
Uncle was silent so long I thought I’d fallen asleep.  I wondered about the dragons, the People.  I thought it was strange they called themselves “People.”  They were so different.  I thought about their eyes.  The chills that ran up and down my spine whenever they watched me.  The glowing wasn’t as odd, now that I’d thought about it.  It was something inside the eyes.  Like two people were looking at me.
“Guess we’d better get some sleep.  Is that muscle cramp letting us yet?”
“It comes and goes.  Been much better since Raven got her herbs mixed.  We’ll begin the exercises in the morning.  Both of you will have to practice.  That much we can do.”
I wondered what kind of practice could be done in the darkness of the cave.  I wasn’t much good with the memory games, cause that’s what it sounded like to me.  And how long was the darkness going to last?  I was quite sure my eyes were open.  I could feel them blink.  I pondered these and several other questions  while I was in the dark.
Come to find out it wasn’t dark.  My eyes were still feeling the effects of the Mother’s Blood.  That Blood was changing me in ways I still don’t fully understand.  Near as Uncle could figure it, I was still growing and the Blood worked with the changes I was already going through.  And when I finally got my sight back, it was a total and complete shock.  Well, again, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Long Ways to Go Part X

We found a nice little spot to rest for a few days.  On the third day, just at dawn, I was on watch for what I didn’t know.  There hadn’t been any animals, birds or any signs of life that I could see.  Uncle told me to just yell if I saw any movement at all.  So, I yelled when a shadow glided into the clearing.  A big shadow that circled.  By the time it landed, Uncle was holding a spear ready.  The shadow warbled in the same manner that Petra did.
I wasn’t zactly relieved when Uncle and Petra greeted the shadow.  Uncle motioned me to pick up the bag that I never even seen drop.  Twasn’t that far from me either.  Hoo, I needed sleep.  With the three of us, one being sick, twas hard to stay awake when sleep was always being interrupted.  And the gabbling coming from those two.  Something was up.
Sure enough.  We needed to leave right away.  Some of the stuff in the bag had come loose.  I shoved them back.  I was tying it up when I saw this little piece of shiny stuff.  Not being one to consider what might happen, I reached to pick it up.
“No.  Don’t touch”
Too late.  I touched the thing and tried to let it go.  I couldn’t move.  Pain shot through my hand all the way to my head.  Light exploded.  Then dark.  When I woke up a bit later, Petra was moving my arms.  It hurt.  That was what woke me up.  Pain in my head.  I groaned.  Trying to talk hurt.
“One needs to be a bit more careful here.  You’re lucky that was just a little piece of the Mother’s Blood.  It’s used to treat wounds.  It causes them if one doesn’t know how to use it.”  Uncle handed me some water.  “We’ll have to hurry.  The Enemy is much closer now.  Petra can’t fly for a couple more days.  You’ll have to walk between us for a bit.”
I tried to nod my head.  Pain was not as bad.  When I sat up, I saw the other creature, the dragon.  I got chills running up and down my spine.  Seeing two of them towering over me had those chills chasing each other all through my body.  Least I didn’t shout, okay, okay.  Scream with the terror that wanted to bubble up through my already hurting brain.
I managed to walk for a few miles.  Then we reached the cave where we would spend the next couple days.  Big problem.  We’d need to be carried to the top of the cliffs.  My skin was crawling with the chills going up and down my back.  Petra’s mate stared at me with those curious eyes they had.  No, I never did know her name.  It was too hard to say.  When I stood long enough on my own, she swooped over and picked me up.  I was too startled to do anything but hang on.
Seeing the ground rush away from me was petrifying.  Uncle and Petra looked very tiny.  She back-winged, warbled, and set me down as best she could.  Yeah, yeah.  I was hanging on to her with all the strength I had.  There was a distinct glint of humor in those eyes.  I realized she’d be laughing if I didn’t let go.  Sure was glad Uncle was still at the bottom of the cliff.  He’d most likely laugh too.  Weell, she pushed me towards the cave opening and dropped out of my sight.  I resisted the urge to watch her.  I was dizzy enough.
As soon as I got into the dark coolness of the cave, my head didn’t hurt quite so bad.  I closed my eyes and relaxed against the wall.  By the time the rest were inside the cave, I was having a hard time staying awake.