Chapter 4- Warrior
Zanas awoke the next morning, staring up at the sky through the chimney in the tree. It was obvious that there had been a fire lit in the dwelling, but it was now nothing but coals. She had no memory of how she had gotten into the tree. Her eyes searched over the sleeping bodies, and she noticed the telltale sign of Asenya’s long black hair trailing out from beneath one of the furs. Quietly extracting herself, she exited out into the morning air.
There were many people walking about and completing chores. She was no longer in the clearing she had been in the night before, but housed in one of the trees that lined the long worn pathway. A few children ran past her carrying small sticks that eerily reminded her of the club the teen boy had carried the day before. Zanas had no particular direction that she was heading and no one paid her any notice. It was becoming clear the survivors were not considered captives, which made her begin to wonder what they were considered.
Deep in thought, she almost walked right into the petite red haired girl that they had trekked with the day before. The girl came striding out from one of the tree dwellings, and gave an agile step back to avoid colliding with Zanas. They stared at each other for a moment and then the girl smiled, walked back into her tree, and came out quickly with a bundle. She handed it over to Zanas.
“Surrena asked that I give this to you and your sister. Farther down the trail, there is a safe pool for you to bathe. No one will be eaten by the kolhara today,” she expressed with a smile.
“You could have saved him,” Zanas accused with a hard voice.
The girl’s face became serious for a moment and she responded with cold eyes. “The jungle gives leniencies for no weakness, and the faint hearted soon lead us to peril,” she said, as she turned and walked away.
Zanas followed the instructions the girl had given. She passed a group of hooded villagers, their eyes cast down, only the whisper of the flowing cloaks as they walked by. The gentle sound of moving water alerted her to the pond. Other than two small children swimming in the shallows, there was no one else near her. Zanas placed the bundle on the bank and looked inside it. She noticed clothing like those she had seen on the warriors. Smiling to herself, she began to pull off her dirty clothing. The thought of being clean erased any fears of modesty; she sank into the water, swimming out towards the middle. Unbraiding her hair, she let the gentle pull of the stream wash it clean. Zanas emerged slightly shivering, and hurriedly pulled on the clothes.
She made her way back towards the tree she had awakened in, glancing wearily at the villagers as she passed. For the most part, they seemed to ignore her. When she entered the tree, she noticed that her sister and the rest of the survivors were awake. Zanas handed the bundle to Asenya and mentioned the stream farther down the path. A rustle from behind alerted her to the black haired sisters entering the tree.
“Looks like Arrelia gave you the clothes we found for you. I left it with her this morning guessing she would see you before we did, her tree is so close.”
Zanas guessed this was the Surrena that Arrelia had mentioned earlier. She took note of the long r’s that were expressed in their names, almost a musical rolling of the tongue. Zanas nodded gesturing to her outfit.
“Thank you, this is much more comfortable than what I was wearing earlier.” The girls nodded, turning their eyes to Asenya.
“Grandmother would like to speak with you, if you are willing,” Surrena said.
Zanas read an excitement in their eyes, and began to wonder what it was about, when she noticed the quietness of the tent. She turned and looked at the survivors, who were staring with awestruck wonder, their mouths gaping open, in a comedic way. A glance at her sister showed she seemed just as perplexed by their behavior.
“What’s wrong?” Asenya asked, and the shocked group began to shake their heads. A balding man stepped forward, wiping his sweaty hands on his pants.
“How do you know what they are saying?” he asked in a low voice. “And when did you learn to speak their language?”
It was a complete blow to Zanas when she realized what he said was true. She had not given a second thought to understanding the language when she had awaken, and she never even realized that she was replying to them in their own tongue. Zanas glanced at the sisters who stared back, their eyes filled with laughter. From their response, she could tell that this odd occurrence brought no bewilderment to them. She turned back to the survivors with no answer to present, and noticed for the first time a new emotion being projected from them. An emotion she had never expected. One that sent a small shiver of excitement through her. They feared her…
… … …
They had been with the natives for over a week now. Zanas made herself busy by exploring the village and the surrounding forest. Her sister was gone the majority of the time, talking with the old woman who lived in the clearing. Asenya had explained that the old woman, whose name was Panrrela, was the villager’s medicine woman. Panrrela spoke with the spirits and most importantly, she spoke to the great Alwahi, the mother of them all. The villagers held Panrrela in high esteem, and only the great were chosen to be taught by her. The sisters Surrena and Lasarra were her only pupils, but Panrrela had taken an immediate liking to Asenya. This did not surprise Zanas in the least, as her sister had always seemed to have one foot in the spirit realm.
Asenya spent most of each day holed up in Panrrela’s tree, and Zanas found herself becoming restless. She had no place in this society. The only time she felt free was when she ventured into the wild forest, however she knew better than to go too far, she had no clue as to the dangers. She saw the warriors a few times, as they moved together as a group. Zanas observed the way the villagers steered clear of them. It seemed they were awarded a respect, a respect mixed with fear.
Observing, she realized that they met each morning, and then faded into the forest, reemerging dirty and exhausted. Sometimes they returned with fresh meet, and other times empty handed. She watched their interactions and noticed a strong brotherly camaraderie among them. They noticed her watching a few times and she heard their singsong laughter as they left. Zanas felt such a pull towards the forest, and yearned to be in its leafy embrace. She looked up at the trees that surrounded her. They were not the same, they had long since been deformed for the purposes of man, they no longer sang.
To relieve her boredom, Zanas made her way to Panrrela’s tree. When she made it to the clearing, she saw Asenya seated in the grass with the sisters, grinding up something in a small stone bowl. Asenya looked up as she approached, a smile spreading across her face.
“Zanas, what brings you here?” she asked. “Let’s go for a walk,” she finished, as she handed Surrena the bowl.
They walked together, so similar yet so different. Asenya walked with her soft graceful steps and Zanas walked next to her, her steps molding the earth beneath her. They headed down the worn paths that the villagers had created. It was so beautiful, yet Zanas felt uneasy. Asenya began to speak.
“I’m learning how to make the Klah,” she started excitedly. “They haven’t shown me where they find the main ingredient yet. It is part of the Mother, Alwahi. I have never seen anything like it Zanas. It is like a bright iridescent mold, and what gives the drink its glowing nature, as well as allows the drinker to tap directly into the essence of Alwahi. It gave us the ability to speak their language. Alwahi changes each person in a different way; she can see into the inner core and see greatness, molding the physical body, in what they call the change.”
Zanas frowned. “I don’t know about any change, all I know is that ever since I swallowed that drink I have been unable to stand still. I feel that there is something that I am supposed to be doing. I’ve always felt restless, Asenya, but never like this…”
“I know exactly how you feel,” replied Asenya. “All I know is that when I’m trying to speak with Alwahi, is the only time I feel truly at peace. Panrrela teaches that each person has place in the fabric of Alwahi. Th
ey will never be happy until they have found that place. Because of this, no role is kept hidden. All may learn the clan ways, but only the true are accepted,” Asenya finished.
Zanas was confused. “What do you mean by clans?” she asked.
“I thought you might have noticed the different factions this society has, each with their own role, and each with their own trials. Panrrela is the head of the Dreamers of the above. I have also heard her mention the Dreamers of below, but I got the sense there is animosity between the two groups. They may even, perhaps, be enemies. The Dreamers have a direct path with Alwahi, and walk half in the spirit world. They can be shown the paths of the past, present and future. They are how Alwahi speaks to her people.
Then of course, there are the Pursuers, the ones who seek the paths of the few. They are the ones who overcome their fears, the brave, and the fighters. There can be no weakness in their hearts, as the spirit and creatures of Alwahi are unforgiving. This world exists in a brutally beautiful environment that only the resilient can abide.
Finally, there are the Alchemists. A mysterious clan, working in the shadows.” Asenya paused for a moment becoming serious.
“It seems like some kind of symbiotic relationship. The physical body is altered… and it can be deadly. From what Surrena has told me, each clan is changed in different ways. The Dreamers can become more and more entwined with the spirit world, and be unable to dwell in the realm of the living. They can become entombed in a world of their own minds, as well as be dangerous to those around them.
The Pursuers bodies become enhanced and their endurance is heightened. Their clan travels for miles at a time, and requires them to be able to protect themselves. They spill blood in the name of Alwahi, and she provides them with whatever tools they may need to accomplish this goal. They age slower, I am told, and keep their youthful appearance until late in life.” Asenya frowned. “They will never be happy unless they are running free with Alwahi. There have been a few that have been injured, unable to fight, who wasted away or sacrificed themselves to the forest.
The Alchemists are mutated in other ways. You may have noticed them, they all wear hoods. They are a secretive clan, and only their members know what those secrets are,” she finished.
They had walked in a big circle and had now made it back to the clearing. Asenya turned and looked at Zanas. “You will find your place, there is no doubt. I have already seen it,” she added cryptically, and then turned and rejoined the sisters.
… ... …
Zanas awoke early the next morning and stood in the clearing, waiting. She saw them emerge from the trees one at a time. She immediately noticed Arrelia, her small petite frame weaving through the muscular bodies. The brunette girl, who was their leader, gave her a small sneer.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. Zanas looked her squarely in her eyes, unflinching.
“I have come to join you,” she replied. The black headed girl began to laugh, and then the other Pursuers joined in. The only one who did not was Arrelia, who watched Zanas with narrowed eyes.
“Anyone is welcome to join, but you must keep up,” the girl replied. She pulled out a jagged knife that she handed to Zanas, and then she turned and jogged into the dense forest, the Pursuers following closely. Zanas easily matched their pace. When they got farther into the forest, they picked up speed. She could hear the steady breathing of her fellow runners as they ran on and on. Their paths were narrow, conforming to the natural contours of the forest, forever changing. The vibrant colors of the jungle flew by Zanas’s eyes. The restlessness that she had been feeling was wiped away, replaced with the pure wild joy of the run.
Finally, they came to a break in the trees and the hunters came to an abrupt stop, squatting in the tall grass. Their leader began pointing to where she wanted each of them to go. Finally, she pointed at Zanas, at Arrelia, and then to where she wanted them to enter. They rose silently, breaking off into their groups, cutting through the tall grass in silence.
Arrelia walked close beside her, clutching her twin blades in her hands. They walked farther into the grass and Zanas noticed the grass was steadily getting taller. This brought back long ago memories of a corn maze on Halloween, the grass well above their heads by now. Arrelia held up a hand for her to stop, and then she leaned in close.
“He will be startled when we rouse him, we are to chase him back to where we branched off,” she whispered so quietly Zanas had to struggle to hear what she was saying.
They began to move again, stealthy figures in the shaded undergrowth. They heard a soft grunting up ahead. Arrelia paused and motioned for them to split up, she taking the right and Zanas the left.
Zanas walked softly, her bare feet skimming across the ground. She saw movement up ahead and peered through the tall grass, at what looked like a bear with long sharp claws and a single curled horn on the center of its head. It was using the horn to stab into the surface of the ground, uprooting large areas of the earth, sending dirt flying in the air. Zanas stepped out behind the animal just as it turned to face her, moisture dripping from its snout.
Everything quieted for Zanas, her vision turning to a slight red hue, all her surroundings faded, as her pupils dilated and focused on the animal. She heard only the rough breathing of the beast and the rustling of her clothes as she pulled the knife free. The growl began at the back of her throat, and she felt her mouth begin to water. The animal gave a shrill earsplitting screech as it rushed towards her, its gleaming horn approaching. Zanas dug her feet into the ground as she raced at the charging beast. When she was within inches, she leaped into the air, her body twisting and turning. She came down upon its back, stabbing the jagged blade into the side of its neck.
The high-pitched scream of the animal filled the air, its legs giving out beneath it, and it stumbled to the ground. Zanas tensed and then leaped effortlessly off the back of the animal, standing beside it. She heard its labored breathing as it struggled to regain itself. Stepping forward, she leaned under the animal and with one swift motion dragged her blade across the beast’s neck, and it breathed no longer.
Her vision began to return to normal, and the vibrant greens of the jungle began to resurface. Zanas first saw Arrelia staring at her. Then she noticed another dozen pair of eyes watching from the tall grass around her.
Their leader stepped forward, her eyes glued to the beast. She leaned down and placed a hand on its back. The girl was still for a moment, and then she looked up at Zanas, that same mixture of emotions reflected in her eyes. Respect, with a hint of fear.
They were no longer laughing.