• Memory • Into The Wild

[Kali'rial]

71st Day of Ymiden, Early Morning, 697

"If there's one thing I know, it's that you don't string a long bow with a fine gauge when hunting in Makubwa Lori." The older man grumbled as he sat on a chair outside of his house, puffing on a pipe. He was fifty four arcs, with a sweep of short cut greying black hair and golden tanned skin, made leathery from the years of sun beating down on him. His arms and legs were lanky, but strong with flat wirey muscles. He wore a simple hide shirt and pants, perched up on the deck of the home he'd helped build some thirty arcs ago in the arms of an old large tree. The house itself was painted a proud blue, and it was obviously well maintained. These were his elder days, and he spent them proudly on his house whilst his daughter and step-son continued the family business.

Hunter-Traders, they were. Partaking on hunts and in turn also bartering both worked and unworked hide for produce and nel out of the back of their little wagon. It was a good living, one that he himself had done since a babe on the knee and his parents before him and so on.

"Ah Dyn'rial, let the children be." An older woman's voice said from behind him, smile in her tone. The man grumbled as she appeared beside him, brown hair now grey all tied up in a neat bun at the nape of her neck. Her rhumy green eyes met his own blue ones with a warm smile on her fairer face. Patting his shoulder, she laughed. "You ain't hunted in Makubwa Lori for near on four arcs now. Nik'liah knows what he's doing..don't y'love!" The old woman raised her voice in a wavering but confident statement to the young man stringing his long bow as he leaned against the trade wagon. He was broader in the shoulders than Dyn'rial, with a lightly brown skinned musculature that spoke of hard work on the upper body, coming naturally with the back and forth push-pull of tanning hides. Glancing up from his bow at the two elders through light brown hair, he smiled and nodded, brown eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Yes Xan'neua." He said obediently, finishing the bow and slinging it over his shoulder. From around the other side of the wagon, a young woman emerged. She had long black hair braided tightly into a thick rope that hung down her back, and golden tanned skin. She wore a simple tunic and leggings, and around her waist a toddler clung. Looking up at the elders with periwinkle eyes and a broad smile, she sighed.

"Da. You know the gauge is fine. Just like the arrows were fine, and the rope was fine, and the wagon wheel was fine." Dyn grumbled again, puffing hard on his pipe and shaking his head. The younger woman sighed again, before moving up the stairs and coming to stand before both elders. Xan smiled at her warmly, before taking the toddler from her who played with a small knitted doll, oblivious to the conversation around her.

"We just worry, that's all Aly'rial." The older woman said with a warm smile, kissing chubby toddler cheeks and eliciting a laugh from the child.

"I LAAFF YOU NONNA!" She yelled with a delighted chuckle, melting into the barrage of quick kisses that Xan landed on her face.

"And I love you to my little Kali'rial!" Xan said with a laugh, hugging her close and looking at her daughter with worried eyes.

"Are you sure you should be taking her with you on the hunt Aly? That's a big trip for a wee babe to make, and she'll just get bored and tired. Why not leave her with me and Da?" Watching the grey haired woman unconsciously bouncing and swaying with Kali in her arms, the brunette smiled softly, reaching out to stroke loose strands of black hair from her own daughters face.

"Momma. Nonna. You need to relax. Others are taking their children with them. Kali will have heaps of friends to play with, and we won't be taking the children out on the main hunt. They'll be staying at camp with lots of lovely people watching them. Isn't that right, Kali-Kali?" She addressed the toddler with a sing song tone and a broad grin. Kali laughed and hid in her grandmothers neck, looking back at Aly'rial with big periwinkle eyes.

"Silly momma." She said with a giggle, before wriggling to get down. Dyn had extinguished his pipe, and opened his arms wide to the child.

"Come to Poppa sweetheart, I want your biggest cuddle!" Kali ran to him on short little legs, giggling as he swung her up into his lap and gave her a bear hug.

"Aw you're crushing poor Poppa!" He said playfully, much to the delight of the brunette toddler who laughed uproariously. Sitting her on his knee and looking into her rounded little face, Dyn tapped her nose.

"Now listen here missy. You make sure you listen to Momma and Da out there, okay? You gotta stay where they tell you to stay and do what they tell you to do." She beamed at him with a vague look on her face.

"Yup!" The childish reply left to anyone's guess if she truly understood. Below at the wagon, Nik continued to pack their belongings and tie down bags. The hunt was going to be a big one, six families coming along for the ride. There had been rumors of a pack of Nàhb'àífinju moving through Makubwa Lori. A large pack that if they landed enough of the flightly animals could feed the wider community for a season at least. Nik and Aly had negotiated with some of the others to take at least seventy percent of their unworked hides, in exchange for hooves, horns and a three percent cut of any meat they themselves received. The yield would provide excellent nel for the whole family, elders included.

"Did you see Moseke last night?" Xan asked her daughter, reaching out to brush stray strands of hair from her face, clearly a habit that travelled through the family. Aly began to reply before Kali jumped off Dyn's knee with an excited squeel.

"We see Moseke!" She exclaimed loudly, tugging on Xan's hide tunic dress. The older woman looked down at her with an exaggerated expression.

"Did you?! Did she talk to you?"

"Yup!" Aly caught her mothers eye and shook her head with a knowing smile. The grey haired woman gave her a wink.

"Wow! What did she say?" Kali looked up at her grandmother with adoration.

"She said..um...she likes..uh..she likes Dolly." Lifting the doll to show Xan, the toddler smiled.

"Moseke pretty. Momma, we see Moseke?" Aly laughed and scooped the toddler into her arms.

"No darling one. We've got to go on the wagon. It's time to go on a big adventure." Kissing her cheek, Aly turned to her mother and gave her a hug. Xan hugged her back with a slight frown.

"You be careful out there, okay? Be sure to keep an eye out for trouble." The brunette pulled back and smiled.

"We'll be fine Momma. I love you." Turning to Dyn, the young woman waited as he pulled himself out of his chair and came to give her a hug. Kissing Kali on the forehead, his green eyes looked at Aly'rial with a serious note.

"Stay safe girl. We'll see you when your back. Be sure to stretch the hides whilst their wet. Oh, and..." Laughing, Aly shook her head.

"Da. I know how to work hide. I promise, we will be safe." Looking at Kali she bounced the toddler briefly.

"Kali'rial, say bye-bye to Nonna and Poppa. Say love you, see you soon!" Kali waved at the older couple.

"Bye Nonna. Bye Poppa. I laaff you. See y'soon."Promptly blowing them both an open palmed kiss, she turned and pointed to Nik'liah.

"We go Da? We go in wagon?" Nik smiled as Aly'rial brought her down to him, taking the toddler with a spin and putting her in the middle of the riding bench amidst giggles of childish delight.

"Yep! We're off Kali!" Turning back to his parent-in-laws, the young man smiled. Xan waved at him, but Dyn shoot him a serious look. He leaned on the rail and gestured a finger at Aly and Kali.

"You look after them, Nik, and yourself. Y'hear?" It was gruff, but Nik knew that Dyn'rial cared for him as much as the girls. The man nodded and waved as he and Aly'rial climbed up on the wagon either side of Kali'rial. Picking up the reigns, the little trio looked at the elders with smiles.

"Moseke protect you." Aly called out with a wave. The couple waved back.

"And you!" Xan called warmly. As the wagon moved away, headed off in the morning light to meet with the rest of the group, she frowned deeply and twisted her hands together. Dyn looked over and put a reassuring hand on hers.

"It will be fine. Don't worry yourself Xan'neua." Sighing, he returned to his seat and his pipe, ignoring the worry eating at his insides. It was normal for parents to worry about their offspring when they went on a trip. This feeling would pass, the children would return and everyone would benefit from the hunt.

[Kali'rial]

It was at least three trials out of Desnind, the sky a beautiful array of pinks and oranges in the late evening sky, the sun just hiding under the canopy of the forest of the Makubwa Lori, on its way to setting. Before mid afternoon, the six wagons had arrived in a moderately cleared area beside a small rivulet and as a group had decided the clearing was probably best for them to stay and set up camp. Many hands made light work, and before long the fire was burning and tents staked.

"We should have come across the tracks by now, you see here." Nik murmured with the others seated around the fire with him, pointing at a map with various marking on it. One of the women beside him nodded, looking around at the others with a frown.

"It's true. The herd was last seen here, about twenty animals at least. There has to be something here. Muddy wreckage, broken grass, even just a loose feather. It's like the entire herd has disappeared." As they spoke, behind them in the trees and wagons, older children and teenagers laughed and played with the younger ones. Kali sat on her parents wagon, giggling and watching the other big kids swinging higher and higher. Clapping her hands, she pointed and called out to Aly'rial.

"Momma! Momma I climb?!" The brunette turned away from the food prep she was doing and smiled at the little girl.

"Not now Kali-Kali. It's going to be dark soon, and we're going to eat some dinner and go to bed." Moving closer, she handed the toddler a berry, which Kali promptly popped into her mouth with a delighted noise.

"Okayyyyyy...mmnomnom." She said around the morsel, lips stained purple from the juice. Laughing softly, Aly turned back to her prep.

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Deeper into the forest just a few more feet away from the children in the trees, one of the older boys whacked at branches with a stick. He mumbled to himself, having turned thirteen arcs this Ashan just gone and not quite a boy but not yet a man. He didn't want to climb, one of the pretty older girls had made him feel like a little baby when he had been laughing along with the other little kids.

"Stupid...girls." He grumbled, whacking harder at a branch. Suddenly he heard a whining noise, and stopped. He turned his head to listen better, brown eyes wide. Again, he heard it, just up ahead. There was something there, in the undergrowth. The boy moved a little closer. Another whine, and this time he could see what looked like a wagging stumpy tail. It must have been a stray dog that had followed them. Smiling, the boy moved closer with a soft whistle.

"Come here boy, come on!" He called, reaching out a hand and stepping closer. The dog whined again, waggling its tail more. Another step closer and the boy began to make out the shape of the dog. It was low down, kinda grey and pretty bulky. Whistling again, he grinned and moved closer. The dogs tail was still wagging but it wasn't whining anymore.

"Here now, come on. Don't be scared boy..." His voice petered off as he saw the dog now, crouched low in the bushes. It stood up to its full height, all built of muscle and hairless scarred hide. It's tail was no longer wagging, and the boy could see it was a horrid insectiod appendage with spikes and armour plating. Over its back bony plates stood in a permanent ridge, and grey armoured keratin patches covered pink skin in a hard and almost impenetrable shield. Here and there, dangling from its massive bulk were vestigial appendages that scrabbled occasionally as though running without thought. Four thickly muscled legs held the hulking creature up, and on its paws large cruel claws dug into the soft dirt as though it was excitedly waiting to spring forth.

It was the head that finally had the boy let out a horrified scream, one that came out in a hoarse yell before turning into a mad shriek of fear. Tiny eyes and ears clung to what could only be described as a head of teeth, jagged and dripping inside a great maw of a mouth. The lower jaw split into two independent mandibles, and as the creature let out a demonic growling roar as if to reply to his scream, the boy turned to run. He fell hard as a thick tentacle like appendage shot out and wrapped around his ankle. The boy cried out in terror for his parents, before it turned into screams of absolute agony that faded into gurgles of a horrific and bloody death.

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Kali sang to herself, an off key rendition of a children's song she had heard in the campsite, busying herself in the wagon as Aly'rial prepped dinner. The toddler had found she could work her way under various bags and packs, to find a nifty little cocoon in the wagons bottom corner. A wonky spot in the wagons build meant she could peek between the slats and see her Momma as she worked, as well as the campfire where her Da sat and talked. The brunette child giggled to herself and called out.

"Hi Momma." She said with another laugh. Aly looked at the wagon, frowning when she couldn't see Kali. The toddler giggled again before sticking little fingers out to waggle at the woman through the gap. Aly'rial let out the breath she had been holding and shot Kali a smile and a small wave. Suddenly a scream rang out from the forest where the children were playing. A blood curdling sound that made everyone in the camp stop and turn to the sound. Another second later and another sound came. Something that made Kali's little heart rush in her chest and her blue eyes go wide. Suddenly the children playing in the trees were screaming too and adults were yelling and running to the forest. Aly dropped her food prep and moved to the wagon. She dropped down and stared at Kali's wide eyes with genuine fear.

"Kali'rial stay there. Stay in there and don't move!" The panic in her Momma's voice frightened Kali almost more than the roar, and she began to cry. In the distance, Nik'liah lept up from the fire and moved to grab his bow, yelling things to Aly'rial that Kali couldn't understand over the sound of people crying and screaming. The sound again, like some sort of monster, filled the dusk air. She saw her momma move then, bow in hand. Kali couldn't see anyone anymore, but she could hear yelling. Sounds of pain and anguish, and other sounds. Wet sounds. Roaring and growling. Occasionally yelping. The toddler sobbed in her hidey-hole, looking desperately for people, when a figure came into view. It was her momma, but she was almost unrecognisable. The brunette was bloodied and torn, dragging herself away from the camp with her torn arms. Kali could only see her from the chest up, her view blocked by the bags and boxes that had been unpacked earlier. Aly'rial looked over at the wagon, rolling on her back and raising a trembling finger to her lips, in a silent plea for Kali to be quiet. The toddler's breath hitched as she tried to silence herself. Her momma smiled then, a beautiful smile amid painful and rending wounds on her face.

Aly'rial cried out in pain as sharp teeth tore through her torso, ripping body and bone like a hot knife would through butter. Staring at the wagon, the brunette reached out a lone hand towards Kali, even as the light began to fade from her blue eyes. More wet ripping, sounds beyond what Kali could see. The toddler stared with wide, wet eyes as Aly gaze became a blank stare and her hand dropped to the grass. Even then, her body shuddered and shook as the massive beast shredded her torso. A guttural cry of emotional rage tore through the quickly oncoming dark of night, and Nik'liah threw himself at the beast devouring his wife, launching them into Kali's view. The frightened toddler screamed, crying hysterically as she watched her Da plunge his hunting blade over and over into the thick flesh of a monster. The creature yelped and snarled, rolling over in the tangle with snapping fangs and flailing feet. Nik screamed a sound of agony as the cruel long claws raked along his back and down his arm. In a flash, the beast had him by the throat and like that he was dead.

Kali sobbed, crying her parents names over and over in breathless terrified sounds. The monster lifted its bloodied head to look immediately in her direction. It was bleeding profusely from the chest, swaying slightly as it panted heavily. The toddler gulped air as she forced herself to stop making any sound, her tiny mind instinctively understanding the immediate danger she was in. The beast moved towards her wagon, growl in its throat with every breath. It came right up to the wood, hot stench of coppery blood and rotting meat blowing through the slats with every heavy breath it took. The creature opened its maw wide and made a roar, sounding thicker and sucking somewhere deep inside. The damage to its chest had also pierced a lung.

More people came then, shooting the nightmare hound with arrows and bolts or leaping forward with knifes and swords. The creature bayed and yelped as it fought to tear asunder anything it could reach, and yet it was fading. Nik's blade had done enough damage, the abomination was dying. The survivors over took it, and within minutes the beast lay still.

"Oh Immortals, oh no. Oh Immortals..." A woman who had joined the fight said over and over, staring with hollow eyes at the scene that met her before sweeping it across the clearing. The woman was barely more than a teenager, one of the few that had been up in the trees with the older children. Around her, brandishing weapons like it was perfectly normal, were other older children mixed in with a couple of adults. Pained cries for help or mercy began to fill the air, and in the wagon the brunette child screamed, a heart wrenching terrified wail as she stared into her mothers lifeless eyes.

[Kali'rial]

Dyn'rial puffed on his pipe, watching people as they passed by the house and waving occasionally to old friends. Beside him, Xan'neua hummed softly to herself as she worked a rabbit hide, scraping the inside of the skin to remove the inner layer of fat and such. It was a pleasant day, around noon and not too warm. The older Sev'ryn began to consider what he might want for the midday meal.

Glancing up from her hide, Xan watched as a couple of people ran past the house. Her gaze followed them with a slight shake of the head. Too many people were in a rush nowadays. There was another. And another. Then a great ruckus could be heard in the direction of the city entrance. The older woman glanced at her husband, with a look of confusion. Dyn's blue eyes echoed her look, and with an unspoken agreement they both stood and rushed to follow the quickly increasing crowd moving to the entrance. People were talking, a loud mash of words and sounds. Some were yelling. Dyn pushed past none to gently, grabbing another elder by the shoulder.

"What is it? What's happened?" He asked gruffly, watching as Xan continued to move past the people ahead of them. The elder shook his head, running a hand down his face with concern in his rhumy eyes.

"The hunting party...something happened...not sure what yet..my son was with them.." The words were interrupted by a sudden wailing, followed by eruptions of crying around them. Dyn felt his blood run cold and he pushed through the people to stop at the scene before him.

The party had returned, but they were far less in number then when they had left. Those who were left consisted of a smattering of teenagers, younger children and a few adults. Some of them were injured, laying feverish in wagons or stumbling on weakened legs. They were dirty or covered in dried blood, and their eyes were hundred mile stares, distant and hollow in severe shock. Some of them had broken down in silent tears, others were falling into the arms of family or friends either breaking down or fainting. Xan was moving through the people, hysterical edge to her voice.

"Aly'rial?! Nik'liah?! Where are they?? Where are they!" She searched the wagons, looking for familiar faces. One after the other, she found nothing but strangers. Turning in wide eyed fear, she yelled loudly over the din.

"Kali! Kali'rial?! Dyn! I can't find them! I can't find them!" The older man grabbed a young woman by the shoulders, looking into her blank stare and dirty face.

"Where are my family? Aly'rial and Nik'liah and Kali'rial?" The girl blinked, her hazel eyes slowly focusing on his. They welled with tears and she shook her head.

"It...it killed so many people. We..stopped it. Killed it. There were more..we heard them. In the...forest. Oh Immortals." Her breath hitched and she stammered incoherently, shaking furiously as tears leaving a trail as they rolled down her filthy cheeks. Dyn swallowed hard, hugging the young woman to him as she wept. Vaguely he heard people talking around him. Moseke was coming, and there were words. Lisirra, hound, nightmare. Tear, rip, devour...lots of words. Handing the traumatised hunter over to the closest person, he moved past the wagons. Xan was standing in the middle of the din, twisting her hands together and looking lost. The older man rubbed his face with both hands, turning on the spot. He felt like the noise around him was overwhelming his head, closing his eyes, the Sev'ryn took deep breaths as he tried to think. It was too much. Too much. Dyn'rial put his hand over his eyes with a shuddering sob.

A soft warm hand rested on his shoulder, filling his being with a sense of calm and peace. Opening his blue eyes, the man turned to come face to face with the overwhelming beauty of Moseke. The Immortal didn't speak. She simply looked at him with sad, indescribable eyes. After a moment, She lifted a hand and pointed to one of the wagons. Dyn'rial followed the line of Her hand, and moved away from Her side her moved to the wagon. It was his wagon. Aly'rial's wagon. There was stuff in it. Some of it belonged to his daughter, some was just clearly haphazardly thrown in by others.

He almost missed her. In the corner, near the front. She was tucked into a small ball, staring at the scene around her in a disconnected sort of way, clutching her doll in one hand and her other sitting on her lap loosely. Dyn'rial felt his throat constrict as he tried to speak, nothing coming out. Swallowing he tried again.

"Kali'rial." He said softly. The brunette toddler looked up at him with the same hundred mile stare as the others, periwinkle eyes wide.

"Poppa?" She said with a tremor, before her little voice broke and she burst into loud tears. The older man lifted her out of the wagon, hugging her close and moving away. A cry of anguished grief drew his attention, and he turned to see Xan'neua moving toward him. The duo enveloped each other in a hug, Kali pressed between, and cried openly. No other words were needed. They knew now, just as they had really known when they first saw the wagons, that their daughter and step-son were dead. It wasn't until much later, when the survivors were able to speak, that the elderly couple learned the whole story. Their child had been left in that haunted place, the party escaping with the baying of Lirissa's hounds at their heels. Of what Kali knew or remembered, neither Dyn or Xan could ever get her to say.

From that day, the small family was never the same. Xan'neua and Dyn'rial took up trading again to provide for Kali'rial, teaching the girl just as they had taught Aly'rial. Only they had lost their innocence and spark, keeping Kali close and ensuring she would never be left caught out or defenceless. Any distraction could leave an opening for danger or trouble, and they couldn't let that happen. For an outsider, it may have appeared they were cold and unloving, when in reality they were closer than before. Dyn taught her the short bow, his lessons firm and leaving no room for failure. Xan taught her the finer ways of hide working, the best way to make the softest hides and how to keep them supple when wet. Eventually, all Kali could remember of her parents was a faded memory, the events of the hunting trip buried deep where only her dreams might reach.