Page 7 of Shifter King
"All right then." She crossed over to the bavril and stroked his head. "I hope you don't mind carrying me a ways?"
The bavril thrust his head against her palm and then nuzzled her. He still smelled vaguely of blood, the tips of the hollow grey hairs on his snout holding remnants of his last meal. She smiled a little, still amused at his great shaggy tail and expressive brown eyes.
Despite the cuteness, he certainly belonged in Ecekom though. There were many creatures here that reminded her of others on Earth, but they were exceptionally different. Danger lurked around every tree and bush, and they would have to remain clever if they wanted to survive. Wise as well.
That meant she needed to use wisdom and discernment too. It was hard to accept that her illness and struggles had had such an impact on everyone else, but there was no way around it. She did need time to recover. But she needed to be wise and avoid adding strain to her family. She checked once more on Tacky who remained nestled under the blanket in the hammock, safe and protected from other predators by both his size and the rels.
Then she picked up her half empty satchel, slung it over her shoulder, and climbed gingerly onto Proteus's back. His soft silky fur tickled her thighs and ankles. Riding a bavril wasn't as comfortable as riding a horse or a bear, but it was far easier than walking a couple miles with everyone like this.
Naatos walked alongside her, checking the harness on Proteus and then putting his hand on her knee. "Thank you," he said quietly.
She nodded, her brow creasing. Shrieking crespa, her time in Dry Deep had nearly broken all of them. He had just thanked her for riding a bavril instead of walking?
As if she needed more proof, she realized that AaQar had broken open another one of their precious rels to ensure that they got to the bunker without being attacked. It didn't feel right even if he was making more rels.
Especially not with everyone walking so quietly. WroOth had barely spoken to her at all since she woke. And even QueQoa, though he tried to be warm, struggled to find words. If she let the boundaries within her own mind slip at all, their feelings bled into her and weighed her down. It wasn't just about her, of course. Though she had not pressed deeper into their thoughts and feelings, she suspected they all were thinking of the fates of their friends and cadre mates who had likely been dead for millennia despite the fact that for all of them they had only seen them weeks before. The unpleasant fate of the current Vawtrians and the horrors of this world certainly had not done anything to help. And she suspected that the long painful exhausting days through Dry Deep had brought a great deal to a head.
Recovering from Dry Deep was going to take far more than she had anticipated. If their enemies had tried to steer them there with the intention of breaking them, they had chosen well. Worst of all, she wasn't sure what could mend them other than rest and time. Neyeb were supposed to be healers of mental and emotional wounds, but could one help with something like this? She certainly couldn't. Not with her limited knowledge. But had there once been a time when there were Neyeb far more skilled than she who could stitch up these wounds and cleanse minds from the sorrows and tragedies of life?
It was terrifying and beautiful to consider as well as sorrowful.
As they emerged from the forest out into a low grassland, the warm sunlight poured over them. It wasn't quite enough to chase away the chill, but it did catch on the grass and make it sparkle as if some of the blades had been underlined with silver.
Winged serpents soared about on the warm breezes, their scales bright turquoise or brilliant red. Many had black caps or yellow streaks that further emphasized their energy. A few shot down toward them but twisted away as soon as they were a few feet above.
To the west near a thick briar forest played a small clutch of seven-clawed raptors. It was only their movement that gave them away. Their pale-green and amber streaked scales blended almost perfectly with the grass. They snapped and leaped at one another, scurrying over the white boulders and leaping on one another with high-pitched squeals. The hatchlings didn't even seem to see them as they passed by. Given how carefree they were, Amelia suspected a parent or guardian of some sort lurked nearby.
After less than half an hour, the edges of the Forest Between and all but the steep cliffs lining Dry Deep had vanished. The hot air made her hair curl a little more against her shoulders, promising future snarls and tangles.
An enormous quetzie flew overhead, its great crest glowing red in the sunlight. With a throaty cry, it soared higher on the air currents and then disappeared into the ever-increasing mass of grey-white clouds. Reptile song and chirring chatters filled the air.
Amelia let her eyes slide shut, her fingers gripping Proteus's fur. It was good to be alive. Good to be here in the sun again. As hard as this recovery was going to be, it would be worth it, and it was good to live. She murmured a quiet prayer of thanks as they reached the edge of the grassland and pressed into a new forest that turned to thick-trunked oaks, heavy evergreens, and gnarly black briars with red dots at the base of their stems.
More challenging to pass through even in the lighter paths, especially since the oaks had unnaturally low and numerous branches that were staggered out more like the evergreens. She frequently had to duck or lean, sometimes pressing flat against Proteus's back. Often she helped untangle his thick fur from snagging on the thorns.
"Certainly not the easiest place to reach," WroOth announced from the side. "Not that that will help us with attacks from above, but for most ground attacks, this isn't a bad start."
Amelia agreed. The underbrush around them did not give easily. It bent and sprang back into place almost at once. Even Proteus’s heavy clawed feet left little impression. He lowed from time to time and shook his narrow head, looking more miserable than powerful.
She tried to soothe him. Leaning flat against him once more, she whispered in his small ears that it would be all right and scratched him at the base of his jaw. Poor darling.
It only helped a little though. Sometimes when he turned his gaze back toward her, it seemed as if he was asking a question. One that struck her deeper now, as if she were on the verge of understanding it.
Was it possible she was now more aware of some animals too? She had always had a good feel for Proteus, but now it was almost as if he was being doubly demonstrative. Not that he was as clear as Naatos or his brothers. Their opinions and feelings were like separate waters flooding out. Right now, the barriers within her mind were strong enough to hold them back beyond general impressions. If she focused on them or plucked at them, they'd likely collapse.
Proteus was more pulses of awareness. A general dissatisfaction and displeasure with this place. She gave his favorite spot at the corner of his jaw another good rub. That soothed him.
Naatos continued to lead the way, guiding them through places where the underbrush was not quite so thick and the brambles didn't come so close. Nothing stirred in this forest except in the branches above. Far, far above. It smelled like green briars, old raspberries, musty leaves, and millipedes. Occasionally an oilier, heavier scent like rotting centipedes wafted through. Then it grew more frequent, becoming a stronger and clearer scent.
She grimaced, ducking down once more to avoid additional branches pulling at her hair. "Are those grim worms?"
"The remains of dead grim worms and a couple dead goliath tunnelers," Naatos said from the front. He cast a small smile over his shoulder. "Very dead ones."
"In that case, it smells like we're close," QueQoa said.
"Just through here." Naatos indicated a gap in two evergreens and then stepped through.
They emerged in a clearing that was a little larger than the two-bedroom farmhouse Amelia had moved into on Earth. Between the briars, oaks, and evergreens most access points to this clearing were all but cut off. Massive boulders provided further security to the east and south sides. Enormous red-brown roots and grey-white rocks protruded from the ground at uneven angles. But in almost the very back of the clearing near a boulder big enough to serve as a whole house wall lay a large rusted door and a great gaping hole.
