Prologue Previous Chapter

Armis

“Armis, can my little sister come with us?”

“I can’t carry this much stuff”

“Have you seen the water skins Armis?”

“Why haven’t we started yet? The sun is already setting!”

Armis blew air through his cheeks, his thoughts overwhelmed by the cacophony of voices. “Shut up.” He said, loudly, looking around. “Everyone.”

“Shara. Oola. Grab the food. Barak – grab the spears. Tohm – carry the water.”

“But there are four baskets of food.” Shara protested. Oola leaned over and whispered in her ear, and she frowned. “Sorry. Three baskets.”

Armis nodded. “Fine. Mika – can you help Shara?” Mika nodded and took a basket from Shara, bouncing happily.

“Armis, I can’t carry enough water for everyone by myself.”

Armis glared at Tohm. “Okay. Kito and Lam – can you help him?”

“Sure!” the two boys said in unison.

“What about me?” Din. “And me!?” Pak. Armis stared at them. Din was eleven years old, and Pak was nine. “What are you going to do to help?”

“I can carry stuff!” Din said. “Me too!” said Pak. “No you can’t.” snorted Din. “You’re too little.”

“I am not!” Pak responded, punching his older brother in the arm.

Barak laughed. “They can carry some of the spears for me if they want.”

Armis threw his hands up. “Anyone else?”

“What about Lara?” Shara asked, quietly.

Armis thought about it for a moment. “Sorry.. She’s too young. You’d have to carry her and the basket, and that just wouldn’t work very well.”

Shara nodded, and turned away.

“Anyone else?”

Everyone looked at him expectantly, unmoving. “What are you waiting for?” He said, shooing them away with his hands. “Go get the stuff.”

Tohm, Lam and Kito slipped past the broken door, and into the cave to fetch waterskins, followed by Barak. Din and Pak started to follow. “Boys… wait out here.” They started to protest for a moment, and then thought better of it, wandering off towards the river. “Race you.” Pak said, and started running, with Din hot on his trail.

As Barak passed the door, he punched it with his fist, and the whole frame trembled. “Barak.” Armis called. “Do you want to stay here with your brother?”

“No.” Barak answered, flatly, and stepped past the door. A few heartbeats later it shifted, vines snapping as it lurched downwards, slowly collapsing under it’s own weight. Shaking his head, Armis pulled his knife from its pouch and climbed up the hillside. Slicing away the vines that held the doorframe to the main pole, his eyes kept catching the egg-shaped smear of blood in the dirt below, and he pressed himself hard against the rock.

After a few cuts, the rest of the vines gave way, unable to hold the entire weight of the door, and it crashed down, tilting sideways at an awkward angle. Sliding down, he carefully manhandled it out of the way, leaving it resting against the face of Red Cave, trying to keep it from breaking further.

As he finished, Shara, Oola and Mika reappeared, carrying their baskets. Shara walked stiffly, grimacing slightly. “Shara – what’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong.”

He looked at her face, but she refused to meet his eyes. “Walk over here to me.” She walked towards him carefully, baring her teeth slightly. Armis could almost feel the pain radiating away from her. “What happened?”

Her head dropped for a moment, and when it came back up her eyes glittered with tears. “I twisted my ankle gathering food this afternoon, but I’m okay.”

“You can’t carry that basket if you’ve hurt your leg. This is a long walk.” Armis said, frowning.

She hobbled closer to him, tears running down her cheeks. “Please don’t make me stay behind.” She whispered. “Please.”

Armis jerked his head back as if he had been slapped. “Of course you’re not staying behind. This is your ceremony. You have to come.”

She stared at him for a moment. “Really?”

“Really.” He looked around. “Now we just need to find someone else to carry the basket.”

“I’ll do it.” Reya said, stepping forward. “Here.” She reached over to Shara and roughly pulled the basket from her.

Nonplussed, Armis shrugged. “Okay. Will the baby mind?”

Reya sighed. “No.”

“Okay. Do we have everything?”

Tohm raised his hand. “Kito is still inside.”

Armis groaned. “Go get him. Remind him he has a job to do.” Tohm nodded, dropping the water skins to the ground. A little while later he reappeared with Kito close behind.

“Sorry.” Kito said. “I was talking with my father.”

Armis nodded. “Okay.” He said. “That’s fine.” Kito turned away, smiling as he said something to Lam, sending both boys into a fit of laughter. Armis watched him quietly for a moment, wondering if he should tell the boy what was at stake in tonight’s Council. Let him find out tomorrow. This should be a happy night.

Armis kicked at the dirt for a moment, and then looked up. “All right. Let’s get going. Barak – you’re in the lead, I’ll take the rear. Watch for wolves. Call for help if you need it.”

Barak nodded casually.

“Barak. I mean it. Call for help.” Armis said.
Barak flushed red and glared at Armis. “I said I will.”

No, you just nodded, you arrogant jerk, Armis thought. But he pushed it away. Now was not the time. Instead, he gestured towards Guardian mountain, rising over the fields of grass. “You know the way.”

Barak spun, and jogged forwards. “Try to keep up, kids.” He said over his shoulder, the bundle of spears rattling on his back. The others gamely followed, but Shara’s ankle, Reya’s baby and the weight of the water weighed down the others, until Barak was far ahead of the others, with only Tohm able to match his pace.

“Barak.” Armis shouted. “Slow down.”

Barak didn’t respond, and didn’t seem to slow down either. “Hold this for me.” Armis said to Oola, handing her his spear. Exasperated, Armis sprinted to the front, and Barak stopped, panting slightly. The rest of the group slowly joined up.

Armis looked them over. “Tohm. Give your water bags to Barak, and take his place at the front of the line.”

Tohm quickly pulled the water skins off of his shoulders while everyone else tried to hide their grins.

Barak stared venomously at Armis as he draped the heavy bags around his chest and back. Armis motioned Tohm forward, and the group started again down the path, much more slowly this time. Barak snatched a spear away from Pak, handing him a water skin in return, which Pak accepted without complaint.

They followed the river as it meandered southwards across the grasslands, until it turned westwards in search of its larger cousin. After that, Tohm continued south, towards the gently sloping western side of the huge hunk of rock .

“Do you see that?” Murg had said once, as they returned from a long hunting trip. Armis squinted for a moment, before he recognized the familiar shape. “Guardian mountain. We’re almost home.”

Murg laughed. “No.. we’re still three day’s walk. That’s how big it is.”

The mountain loomed as they walked past the steep northern face, a flat, nearly vertical wall of grey-brown stone that gradually gave way to the yellowing grass and trees of the western side. Armis considered the dry blades sourly. “Be careful tonight with the fires.” He said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “The plains are ready to burn.”

The sun was low in the sky as they reached the base of the western side. “Tohm.” Armis shouted. “Rest here for a bit.” Gratefully, everyone sank to the ground, sitting and chatting in the grasses as birds flitted about, hunting for bugs and worms. Everyone except Barak, Armis noted, quietly watching the tall young man step away from the group, sending stones whistling across the fields towards unseen targets.

“What’s his problem?” Reya asked, tossing her head towards the distant figure. Armis shrugged. “I don’t know. He…” Armis searched for words. “…takes pride in being difficult.” Reya laughed musically in response. “Well said.” For a moment, Armis saw his old friend and playmate again, more beautiful than ever, before the mask fell back in place, and the woman of the tribe returned.

“How is life with Korak?” He asked, quietly.

She smiled tightly in response. “Fine.”

Armis nodded slowly. “Ok then.” The thin, wispy clouds were turning pink and orange in the eastern sky as the sun reached the horizon. “Time to go.” He said, and the group stood up almost immediately, gathering their things. Barak still stood apart from the rest, unmoving. “Barak.” Armis called. “Time to go.” Barak turned and nodded, returning to the party. “You want to take the lead for the rest of the way up?” Armis asked, trying to make peace.

“No.” Barak said, curtly.

“Alright then, ” Armis said, fighting to keep a smile on his face. “Tohm, let’s get up to the top before sunset.” Tohm nodded, and set a faster pace up the hillside. “Do you think they’ve left Red Cave yet?” Mika asked. Armis glanced at the sun, but before he could answer, Lam spoke up. “If they haven’t, they’ll be walking up the mountain in the dark.”

“Really?” Shara asked.

“Yeah, he’s right.” Armis said, studying the shrinking orb. Lam beamed.

—

Tohm led the group up the slope, past stunted trees, and over long streches where the stone refused to surrender to the grass. As they kept walking, the grass gave way more and more, until there were nothing but tufts of grass nestled in cracks in the rock. Absently, Armis wondered how the grass could grow in such tight–

“Wolf.” Din shouted, pointing to the south. The group immediately huddled together, Armis, Tohm and Barak holding their spears at the ready. Armis scanned the mountainside , but didn’t see anything. “Din – where did you see it?”

“It’s gone now. Wait. There it is!” The boy pointed again, and everyone strained to see the beast in the failing light. For several heartbeats, Armis saw no sign of any animal, but then a flick of a tail, a twitch of an ear, and a great gray wolf bounded into view, trotting purposefully across the mountainside, carrying a dead rabbit in its mouth. Armis breathed a sigh of relief, loosening his grip on his spear.

“Look.” Pak said, pointing. “More.” Armis’s fingers clenched again, but the pack kept close to the leader, several carrying hunting prizes of their own.

Armis waved Tohm back up the mountain. “They are returning food to their cubs. They won’t bother us tonight.” Tohm nodded and started towards the top again, but slower now, glancing nervously at every boulder as they passed. And finally, the sky fading before them, they reached the steep stretch of rock that marked the last part of their journey to the summit. Laughing and whooping, the boys rushed up the side, taunting each other as they raced to the top. The girls took a longer course, angling back and forth across the rough stone to give Reya an easier climb. Armis escorted them most of the way, breaking away near the top to walk to the northern edge, searching for signs that the rest of Red Cave clan had started their own journey. But he saw no one in the grass, and the fires at the distant hill were still lit. Frustrated, he turned, and jogged the rest of the way to the broad, gently rounded top of Guardian Mountain.

“We made it!” Tohm said, pointing west. Armis turned and saw the last sliver of bright orange slowly fade as the sun sank beneath the edge of the world. Silver River glinted redly in the failing light as it joined the Painted Rock River, now just a dark smudge in the gloom.

“What now, Armis?” Oola asked.

He turned then, the bright green-white light of the First Wanderer catching his eye as other stars began to bloom beside it in the evening sky. Staring at the group, he smiled. “Let’s get everything set up for our big night.”

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Saturday, February 25th, 2006 at 8:47 am.
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