Prologue Previous Chapter

Lam

Oh no.

Lam glared at the open air beyond the path. “Not again.” He groaned quietly. Drawing closer to the rounded edge of the ridge, he knelt down and winced as he peeked over the edge. Just as he feared, the ground fell away rapidly, to a tumbledown pile of stone some distance below.

Shaking his head, he stood up again. “Not this way.” He murmured, staring at the long lake that beckoned in the valley beyond the ridge. Where there are lakes, there might be people.

Growling, Lam knelt down again, leaning forwards to get the full view of the cliff face below, searching for ledges, crevices, rockfalls; anything that would make the drop to the valley floor easier.

Nothing.

After a while, he gave up, dusting off his clothes as he walked back towards the animal trail that Barak had insisted they were not going to use. He glowered at the winding path of hard dirt as he walked past, as if it was to blame for their troubles. Retracing his steps, he walked up the leaf-littered hillside, past a rockfall and along the edge of a shallow ravine before he heard the quiet voices of his clan hidden in the brush.

“You guys are too loud.” Lam said, sourly.

“Did you find it?” Barak asked.

“The far side of the ravine is just as difficult as this side, and there’s a long drop on that side too.” Lam said. “We can’t use it.”

Barak stared at him. “Keep looking.”

Lam shook his head. “We’ve wasted most of a day trying to pick our way down to the lake. There is a perfectly fine trail right there.” He said, pointing at far edge of the ravine.

Barak snorted. “Well, I guess you’re not as good of a tracker as I thought you were.”

Ouch. Lam stood speechless as Barak pushed past him. “I just hope that Jiant doesn’t find this trail, since it will lead him right to us.” Barak said, dramatically.

Lam fumed as the rest of the Clan passed by. Mika gently patted him on the arm. “It will be okay.” She whispered, and continued past, helping Reya through the difficult terrain.

Oola brought up the rear, and smiled briefly as she stepped by, and Lam found himself alone with his thoughts.

Why does he have to be such a snake? Why does he have to be the Chief?

It’s not like there are many other choices.

But still…

He won’t be Chief for long.

Reya had said as much, when he has quietly asked her why she tolerated his vile behavior. “Once we find a new clan, he won’t be chief anymore.” She had stated.

Once we find a new clan.

Where there were lakes, there were often people. People who would take them in. And even if Barak wanted to keep going, why would he have to follow? Feeling a bit better, Lam sprinted down through the woods back to the pa–

Misstep. The world spun as he waved his arms frantically to keep his balance. Too late. He fell awkwardly, yanking his head out of the way of a large grey rock, even as his arm slammed against the ground, slicing away a layer of flesh.

Lam lay still on the ground for a few breaths, staring at the gnarled stone just a hand-span away from his nose. Closing his eyes, he stood up and brushed off the leaves and dirt with his left hand while he pressed his stinging right arm against his clothes to dampen the pain. He could smell the blood, feel the fire at the edges of the wound. But if it were like the other wounds he had received lately, it would be but a memory in a day’s time.

More slowly this time, Lam walked along the edge of the ravine, finding his way back to the path. Oola turned and nodded as he approached. Finding firm ground, he sped up, sprinting past Oola, past Reya and Mika, past Shara, past Din and…

Wait, where’s Pak? Those two are usually inseparable. He slowed to a stumbling halt. “Din, where’s Pak?”

Din looks morose and pointed along the path. “Barak told him he was going to teach him how to scout.” He paused. “He also told me to tell you to stay with me while they scout ahead.”

Lam gritted his teeth. “Oh.”

He won’t be chief for long. He won’t be chief for long.

“I can scout too.” Din pouted. “This isn’t fair.”

Lam stared at the boy for a moment, and started giggling.

“What?”

Lam shook his head. “Nothing.. don’t worry about it. Let’s just keep going.” He pointed at the ground. “Do you see their footprints?”

“Where?” Din said, staring.

“Right there.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“See if you can follow their trail.” Lam urged. Din nodded, and leaned closer to the ground, staring at the tracks in the dirt as it descended towards the valley floor. Up ahead, sunlight danced across the lakewater. Lam walked easily, letting Din take the lead, content to study the mountains, the clouds, the flocks of birds that sailed through the afternoon sky.

“Where’s Pak?” Din asked.

Lam looked around. They had reached the valley floor, and the lake was just ahead, surrounded by a shore of small stones. Lam glanced left and right along the shoreline, but there was no sign of the two.

“Pak.” Din started shouting. “Pak? Pak? Pak?”

“Din, hush.. let’s let them answer.” Lam said, quietly.

They were quiet for a moment, nothing but the sound of the waves lapping gently against the shore.

“!”

A shout from the north, barely audible. He studied the shoreline carefully, finally spotting two figures approaching in the gathering dusk, one large, one small.

One less crisis to worry about. He looked at Din. “Shall we make a fire?”

As Din dashed into a nearby stand of trees to fetch kindling, Lam studied the far side of the lake. If there are villages on the lake, there should be fires by now.

Nothing.

Maybe they build them late.

Sighing, Lam turned away from the water. “Din, need any help?”

=-=

“Hey, look what I caught.” Oola shouted.

Lam looked up from the tiny fire. “Keep it going.” He said to Din as he stood up. “What?”

Grinning, Oola held up a fat rabbit. Immediately his mouth filled with spit.

“Nice catch.” Mika said. “I can’t remember the last time I had fresh meat.”

“About time you caught something.” Barak growled. Too hungry and excited to care, the others pitched in with the fire, until it was a huge roaring bonfire in the night.

“Enough.” Oola cried. “Do you want to burn the thing to a crisp?” While he had fed the fire, she had skinned and speared the rabbit.

“Just get it cooked already. I’m starving.” He muttered.

Once the rabbit was in the flames, he had nothing to do for a while, so he walked up the beach a ways from the camp. It was fully dark now, the water faded into blackness just a short distance from the shore. Hopefully, he stared out at the void, searching for a flame, any sign of humanity.

Nothing.

“There’s no one out there.” He whispered, heart sinking.

“Lam?”

He turned, and saw Mika walking away from the fire. “Over here.” He called. Smiling, she walked up to him. “Here, have some food.”

Carefully, he picked up a sizzling hot strip of meat, and bit into it, letting the grease run across his tongue. “This is so good.” He said, laughing. “What’s your secret?”

She grinned. “I think it’s hunger. What are you doing out here?”

“Just walking.”

“Okay. Well, eat up. If you’re hungry, I can always make more.” She smiled again, and dashed back to the camp.

He studied the shoreline again, just in case.

=-=

“Lam. Lover boy. It’s your watch.” Oola was gently shaking him.

Ugh.. Middle watch. His “reward” from Barak for demanding that they take the trail.

He sat up.. Ow. Oh yes, his arm. Wait, that should have healed by now. But it was still there, and it still hurt. Maybe not quite as much as it had befo-

What had she called him?

Mika was next to him. She giggled in her wonderfully mischievous way. “You finally noticed.”

“What are you doing?” He whispered, his heart skittering through his chest.

“I was cold. You’re warm.” She snuggled up next to him.

She was not, he suddenly noticed, wearing any clothes.

“You’re not wearing clothes.” He repeated, dumbly.

She reached out gently with her hands, and cupped his face. Drawing him closer, she kissed him, her lips warm against his. “Why do you think I was cold?”

He stared at her, the memory of her touch lingering, not sure what to do next.

“You, ah. Um… Well… Um…”

Mika blinked, her eyes troubled.

“I ah… You’re welcome to stay here with me.” His head buzzed painfully, and his heart was doing somersaults.

She pulled away. “Are you asking me to marry you?”

Marry.

Armis said we were men and women now. Men and women get married.

“Mika…” He gulped. “Will you marry me?”

She flung her arms around him. “Yes, Lam. Yes.” Her heart was pounding in her chest as she pressed against him. She is just as excited as I am.

“Come on, Lam. Get up. I’m going to bed.” Oola growled.

“Oh…” He wasn’t ready. “Okay Oola.”

Mika smiled, and kissed him. “Go ahead. I’ll still be here when you’re done.”

It was the most frustratingly slow watch of his entire life.

=-=

He reached for her the next morning, but she wasn’t there.

Had that all been a dream? It seemed so real.

He got up, awkwardly. There she was, next to the fire, sitting with Oola and Shara.

It can’t have been a dream. But just in case.

“Uh.. Hi.”

“Hi Lam.” Shara smiled at him, and giggled. Mika stood up and walked over to him. “Good morning.” She whispered, kissing him on the cheek as she grabbed his hand. “I have food for you.”

Not a dream then. Good.

Barak stepped into view, wet with sweat. He’s been sparring again. “Enough chatting. We need to build a raft, and get to the other side. We need logs, and vines. Lam – you take Din and Pak and chop down some small trees. I’ll get vines.”

“Hey.” Oola said. “What about us?” She gestured at herself, Mika and Shara.

Barak paused. “You can help me get vines.”

“I want to help Lam.” Mika said, laughing.

“Fine, help Lam with the logs.” Barak said, shaking his head.

They turned, and headed into a nearby stand of elm trees. Tall and straight, they’d be perfect logs for the raft. “Okay boys, look for trees that aren’t much thicker than your arms.”

The boys nodded, and rushed off into the woods. But then Pak paused, and came back. “Lam.. why was Mika kissing you?”

He’s observant.

“Lam and I are going to get married.” Mika said.

Pak stared at them. “Are you going to have babies?”

She paused for a moment, and they glanced at each other.

“Yes, Pak, I guess so.”

The boy nodded, and scampered off again. “Din. Wait up.”

He glanced at her. “I, uh.. I hope that’s okay.”

Mika turned to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him, a kiss full of promise.

=-=

The raft took much of the morning to assemble, but it seemed sturdy enough when it was done. Reya, Din and Pak crept onto it carefully, it held their weight. They piled the rest of their stuff onto it, and then everyone else waded into the chill water.

“Okay.” Barak gasped. At least he’s cold too. “Let’s get moving. The faster we go, the warmer we’ll be.”

Nodding, Lam started kicking as his body shrieked from the cold. Not long later, it was numb. And then it was just plain tired.

The wind started kicking up, blowing in their faces. Groaning, he looked up, realizing with shock that the sun was already nearing the tips of the western mountains.

“We’re not going to make it.” He gasped.

“Yes, we are.” Barak insisted. “Keep going, or you’ll get us all killed.”

“Keep going Lam. We can do this.” Mika reached over and touched his arm.

Do it for her.

Somewhere inside him, he found a spark of energy, and started kicking again with renewed strength.

The Sun’s rays were spent, just the reflected orange of the clouds remained when the raft bumped suddenly against the far shore.

“We’re here!” Din shouted, and he and Pak leapt forward, off of the raft.

“Boys, wait.” Reya called. “Help me with the gear.”

“No.” Barak gasped. “Fire. Build a fire.. quickly.”

Lam and the others drug themselves shivering from of the water, lips blue, naked skin as white as snow. The night’s summer air was warm, but with the warmth came excrutiating pain as the feeling returned.

“Get together. Share warmth.” Barak slurred.

Mika hugged him tight, pressing her icy flesh against his as the others gathered around. He couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was.

Mika’s eyes widened as he held her. “Behave.” She murmured, a sly grin on her face.

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Thursday, June 8th, 2006 at 8:31 pm.
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