Descent of the Moon

Chapter 7: Ghosts of Battle

The never-ending march through the greens, browns and oranges of the trees and undergrowth was beginning to take its toll. Ivo’s feet dragged wearily through thorns and falling autumn leaves, the chilled air biting his skin like tiny insects. He stumbled after Tokur and Anikka, who marched ahead of him. Anikka was treading carefully behind Tokur, and although she was just as tired as Ivo, she was determined not to appear weaker than the human.

Tokur was leading them along the path of a river, the calm flow of water glistening as it coursed past them. Small fish occasionally leaped out of the muddy water, darting warily from Tokur's hooves as the elk waded in the shallows, walking with the current.

Every so often Ivo or Anikka would ask a simple question, like how far were they from the village, or if they could pause to rest, but other than that would stay silent, wanting to avoid further arguments and so avoid angering their only guide through the labyrinthine woods.

“Tokur?” asked Anikka late in the morning, after a few hours of traveling in quiet. He flicked an ear toward her to indicate he was listening, continuing to splash through the shallow edge of the river.

“Where are we going to stop? We've been walking through this forest for two days,” she said, a tone of complaint in her voice.

“I am not sure.”

“You're not sure?” she said sharply. “Then why in God's name have we been following this river since yesterday?”

His response was patient but steely, “Our destination has changed over the course of the past day; now I am sure of only what, or rather who, we are looking for, but not precisely where we will find it.”

“And what's that supposed to mean?” she said with chagrin. Ivo looked confused too, having been listening to the conversation with curiosity.

Tokur sighed. “Always the questions, Anikka. What it means is that I initially intended to take you two to Verthedge Dyn, before I recalled the travelers I observed several days ago who passed through my forest. One was human, the other was psikani. The latter looked much like you,” he said, directing his gaze at Anikka at the final part of his explanation. Her attitude dropped instantly at this news.

“That must have been Ryle and Baldric! If we find them, I'm sure they'll be able to help us find Tamrii again,” she said, satisfied with the answer. Tokur nodded.

“Those were my thoughts on the matter."

“I'm sorry, Verthedge what? Where's that?” Ivo asked, still confused.

“Verthedge Dyn. It's the largest psikani city in Sarutian, hidden deep in the west of this forest,” answered Anikka. “My father would tell me about it when I was young; about the marble towers of the castle, wrapped in vines and crawlers; the cobblestone paths and courtyards surrounded with the most beautiful plants; the houses carved into the trunks of huge trees; platforms and bridges linking tree tops like a giant spiderweb. It's a haven for thousands of our kind, one of the few places we can live with little fear of human interference,” she said reminiscently.

“But there are also human towns to the west of these woods, Swynhill and Eriston, just along the coast..surely people from there would have discovered it?”

“No doubt there have been a few braver men who have ventured into the trees, but they would never return to tell the tale,” she said with a slight smirk.

“Hmmn.”

When they next paused to rest their feet, Ivo decided to try his luck at catching some of the fish that were ever-present in the river beside them, and busied himself by making a makeshift rod. Tokur was grazing on a patch of rich green clovers, and Anikka was sitting on the riverbank, letting her legs swirl through the water. She picked disparagingly at the dirt and tears in her dress, from pushing through branches and getting caught on bramble thorns. She regretted not taking some spare clothes with her, although Tamrii's sudden announcement for evacuation hadn't left her with much time to prepare.