familiar. He could not clearly see the man holding his own upper body, but he saw the clothing they wore were from his own village.
“You are the son of Ric’ua?” asked the one holding Ch’kara.
“I know he is,” replied the one holding Lam’s arms, before he could respond for himself, “And that one you hold is the daughter of my brother!”
It was Terlikk, the neighbor who had offered them his home when fire had been set to their own! “I thought all had perished…” Lam whispered, sinking into the man’s arms.
“We are very much alive,” Terlikk laughed sadly, “And were afraid you were the ones who were dead!”
“But… how did you escape the Gildoks?”
The man who held his feet answered as he set them down. “We were nearest the edge of our village clearing when they attacked, yet still we barely escaped with our lives.”
“What has happened to my niece?” Terlikk asked.
Lam was grateful to see the one who held Ch’kara was now supporting her head. “We were with the Shen-Ma when we heard the village was being attacked again. Ch’kara stayed with the Shen-Ma while I ran to help defend the people.” He sank to the ground again, and leaned against the fallen tree.
“I was too late.”
Terlikk sat on the log beside him, and placed a gentle hand on Lam’s shoulder as he continued. “There were bodies everywhere, I thought the whole village had been murdered. I ran for my own home, and,” a sob escaped him, “Found my mother was among the… gone.”
“I am sorry for your loss,” Terlikk said softly.
Lam nodded his thanks and inhaled deeply before continuing. “Ch’kara was waiting for me when I came out from covering my mother. She bore news of the Shen-Ma’s fate, which she revealed to me before collapsing herself.”
Terlikk heaved a sigh a relief. “That is at least one fortunate thing from this cursed day. My fear was Ch’kara had been infected by the Gildok potion as well. She will be all right after a rest then, I believe.” He motioned to the man holding her. “Lay her back down, Feltin. You and Julak put together a cradle. We can carry her with us easier that way.”
Turning back to Lam, he asked, “You are saying the Shen-Ma is gone as well?”
Lam nodded.
Terlikk’s head dropped. “Was it the Gildoks?”
“No, I don’t think so, but I don’t know any more than Ch’kara told me. You know how the Gildoks killed our people without shedding their blood? You said they had a potion?”
“Yes,” Terlikk nodded. “It had been said they had an alchemist among them, but it was not taken seriously.” He sighed once again. “Yet I saw with my own eyes more of that cursed tribe than I have ever seen in one place before, rushing into our village and splashing a potion in the faces of every man, woman, and child they could find.” He visibly shuddered and wiped tears from his face. “Each one the potion touched instantly and silently dropped to the ground, and moved no more.
“Now I believe they had an alchemist.”
“Were…” Lam hesitated. “Were your mate and children…”
Terlikk looked away.
“I’m sorry,” Lam said softly.
Julak and Feltin returned, dragging a sled of large leaves they had quickly woven together.
“We should keep moving, Terlikk. We need to get back to the others before nightfall.”
Lam looked up. “Others? You’re not the only ones who escaped?”
“No, there are ten of us,” Feltin replied.
“And now there are twelve,” Terlikk corrected.
Lam nearly smiled.
“A remnant.”
• THIRTEEN •
The more Lam thought about all that had happened, the angrier he became.
By the time they had reached the camp, his entire body had gone stiff and rigid. He felt heat all through his veins, and had an intense urge to take action. He kept his full feelings and thoughts to himself, and the others assumed he was merely saddened by the loss of his mother. They allowed him the space to process the emotions.
Those who
“You are the son of Ric’ua?” asked the one holding Ch’kara.
“I know he is,” replied the one holding Lam’s arms, before he could respond for himself, “And that one you hold is the daughter of my brother!”
It was Terlikk, the neighbor who had offered them his home when fire had been set to their own! “I thought all had perished…” Lam whispered, sinking into the man’s arms.
“We are very much alive,” Terlikk laughed sadly, “And were afraid you were the ones who were dead!”
“But… how did you escape the Gildoks?”
The man who held his feet answered as he set them down. “We were nearest the edge of our village clearing when they attacked, yet still we barely escaped with our lives.”
“What has happened to my niece?” Terlikk asked.
Lam was grateful to see the one who held Ch’kara was now supporting her head. “We were with the Shen-Ma when we heard the village was being attacked again. Ch’kara stayed with the Shen-Ma while I ran to help defend the people.” He sank to the ground again, and leaned against the fallen tree.
“I was too late.”
Terlikk sat on the log beside him, and placed a gentle hand on Lam’s shoulder as he continued. “There were bodies everywhere, I thought the whole village had been murdered. I ran for my own home, and,” a sob escaped him, “Found my mother was among the… gone.”
“I am sorry for your loss,” Terlikk said softly.
Lam nodded his thanks and inhaled deeply before continuing. “Ch’kara was waiting for me when I came out from covering my mother. She bore news of the Shen-Ma’s fate, which she revealed to me before collapsing herself.”
Terlikk heaved a sigh a relief. “That is at least one fortunate thing from this cursed day. My fear was Ch’kara had been infected by the Gildok potion as well. She will be all right after a rest then, I believe.” He motioned to the man holding her. “Lay her back down, Feltin. You and Julak put together a cradle. We can carry her with us easier that way.”
Turning back to Lam, he asked, “You are saying the Shen-Ma is gone as well?”
Lam nodded.
Terlikk’s head dropped. “Was it the Gildoks?”
“No, I don’t think so, but I don’t know any more than Ch’kara told me. You know how the Gildoks killed our people without shedding their blood? You said they had a potion?”
“Yes,” Terlikk nodded. “It had been said they had an alchemist among them, but it was not taken seriously.” He sighed once again. “Yet I saw with my own eyes more of that cursed tribe than I have ever seen in one place before, rushing into our village and splashing a potion in the faces of every man, woman, and child they could find.” He visibly shuddered and wiped tears from his face. “Each one the potion touched instantly and silently dropped to the ground, and moved no more.
“Now I believe they had an alchemist.”
“Were…” Lam hesitated. “Were your mate and children…”
Terlikk looked away.
“I’m sorry,” Lam said softly.
Julak and Feltin returned, dragging a sled of large leaves they had quickly woven together.
“We should keep moving, Terlikk. We need to get back to the others before nightfall.”
Lam looked up. “Others? You’re not the only ones who escaped?”
“No, there are ten of us,” Feltin replied.
“And now there are twelve,” Terlikk corrected.
Lam nearly smiled.
“A remnant.”
• THIRTEEN •
The more Lam thought about all that had happened, the angrier he became.
By the time they had reached the camp, his entire body had gone stiff and rigid. He felt heat all through his veins, and had an intense urge to take action. He kept his full feelings and thoughts to himself, and the others assumed he was merely saddened by the loss of his mother. They allowed him the space to process the emotions.
Those who
Similar Books
