The Key to Frasnati

Chapter Six

If anyone is paying attention...sorry for the wait.

********

Chapter 6

Jason stood panting on a ledge, he was on a mountain, jutting out over a river bellow. “Well, I got you out.” Came Lila’s shrill voice, for he had learned through the twisting maze of tunnels that the Kartan’s name was Lila, and that she was from a rather large community that lived in the caves of this mountain. Apparently, there were such communities throughout most of the range, and some that even ventured out of the mountains, and he was stupid not to know this. They were very clan like creatures, and managed to communicate no matter how far apart they were.

“Yes, I see you did. But be so kind as to show me a way down?”

The Kartan twitched her whiskers, and stared at him. “You only told me to get you out,” she responded stubbornly.

“Lila!”

“Fine fine fine. I will get you down as well, you enormous, ugly giant.” Jason ignored the last part of her speech. He had been called several names by the grouchy Kartan, and was beginning to think that the creatures were naturally grumpy, and suspicious of everything. And he was right, what he didn’t know was that this Lila had taken a liking to him, not to mention she was far less short tempered than most of her kin.

“Thank you,” he was relieved, “but how do you plan on doing that? I’ll need to know.”

“Show you the path I will, but walk down it with you I will not! It would take days and days to come home again!” Jason grinned, the mountain was a vast world to the little person, and her legs were rather small.

“Alrighty then Lila, where is this path, and do you think I could get down it without breaking my neck?”

“Oh how should I know! You oaf will most likely tumble down the whole way, if you don’t fall into a crevice, or be found be a heemur. That’s not my problem, my problem is to show you the path!”

Jason tensed, “What’s a heemur?”

“What!? You do not know!? Everyone knows of those vicious animals!”

“Well I don’t. What is it?” he had an uneasy feeling. He didn’t like the possibility of being found by a vicious animal-who does? He asked himself.

“Heemur is a nasty creature, nasty they are! Oh yes, very nasty those animals, best to stay far away! They can destroy a Kartan community in minutes, no I will not tangle with one, I will not!” she tossed her little head, and her long hair swished around the furry face and gleaming eyes. “You best not either, trespasser, no you best not.”

“I do wonder how many times I have to say my name to make you remember, I’m Jason.” He rolled his eyes. “Do me a favor you little squeaking mouse thing, and just tell me what a heemur is.”

Lila stood indignantly to her full height, all of six inches. “I am not a mouse, and I do not squeak, no I don’t squeak, and nor am I a thing, I’m not! I’m a Kartan I am!”

“Precisely. You’re a Kartan, not a squeaking mouse, and I bet you’d prefer even more to be called Lila. I’m not a giant, I’m not an oaf, ogre, or anything else, and would appreciate being called Jason! Now just tell me what a heemur is, and show me the path, please!”

The odd girl stared at him for a moment, then gave a brisk nod, “Very well, I shall, I shall. And be fast to, I don’t want to be outside the caves after dark, oh no I don’t want to be caught in the dark, not what with the nasty eagles and falcons and such.” Her tone was serious, “A heemur is a nasty creature it is, nasty and big, big like a large cat. It’s got claws like a cat to, but bigger and stronger, and bright yellow eyes. A long nose it has, and course hair, but not thick hair, no not thick. Quite pink skin underneath to. They’re ugly and mean, don’t let one bite you, don’t you do that. A heemur bites you, and you get sick with a nasty fever, poison those bites are. Don’t let it bite you, don’t let it get its claws in. It gets its claws in, it doesn’t let go, no it won’t let go.” She shook her head earnestly, “I don’t like heemurs, no sir, I don’t!”

Jason shuddered, and nodded. “How do you fight heemurs?”

“Fight? Oh no, too big to fight. Kartans, we’re small you see, we can’t fight a heemur, we keep them out, and we keep out of their way, we do! But hmm…people like you now, I can’t remember how they fight them. The noses are tender, one attacks you, hit its nose I say.”

“Okay, thanks Lila,” he wasn’t feeling very confident. Quit being silly! The size of a cat she said, and it sounds something like a rat. What’s so scary about a rat? Jason shook his head, I wish Terry and Kay were here…Kayla told me I’m old enough to settle my own problems, he smiled, knowing he often annoyed his sister, and she’s right! I don’t need help, I can get through by myself, if I think straight. “Now,” he spoke aloud, “where’s this path?” the sun was getting low in the sky, but Jason knew it had been late when his captors had drug him into the cave, and much more than a couple hours had passed. Was it possible they’d spent a whole night, and day in the tunnels?

“This way…Jason.” She pointed, and he raised his eyebrows as Lila said his name for the first time. “And then I must, must, must get back! My family will be very worried, oh they’ll be so worried! I’ve been gone near a whole entire day taking you gia-Jason, out of this mountain!”

So it had been a whole night and day! Jason shook his head in disbelief, and hurried in the direction she pointed. He had at times to cling perilously to the rocks, one foot half off the edge, but despite this it was not long till he stood at the top of a trail. A dangerous one, but far better than the cliff he’d looked over earlier.

The Kartan’s foot tapped his shoulder. “Put me down now.” Lila demanded. Jason shook his head, and her eyes widened in alarm. “Put me down, put me down you ogre!” she shrieked, and then tried to scramble down his arm.

He caught her, “Hey, hey easy, calm down. Where’s the nearest entrance you can get in? It’s going to be dark in a couple minutes, and if I don’t take you back you’re stuck here.”

Tiny Lila gazed back at him silently, and the fear left her eyes as quickly as it had appeared. “Put me down?”

He laughed, “I will, I will, but you yourself said you don’t want to be stuck here after dark.”

She nodded, and then motioned to the rocks behind them, “See that ledge? That one with the moss? Just put me up there, I can get home from there. It would have been a faster way, yes a far faster way, to get here, but you’re too big you are. Just put me up, so I won’t have to climb.”

Jason nodded in wordless agreement, and reached above his head, placing her on a small outcropping of rock. “There you go.”

Lila bounced off his hand, her earth coloured skirt swaying about her. “Good! Ground, ground at last! Your shoulder is not fun, no it’s not, far too wobbly.” She twirled to walk into the entrance, Jason standing on his toes to watch her, and was surprised when she turned back to look at him, “Careful Jason, oh do be careful. If you run into trouble again, and happen to see a Kartan, tell them you’re Lila from Ruby Mountain’s friend, tell them that, they just might help you, yes they might.”

Jason smiled, “Thank you for your help Lila, and I will be sure to do that! You be careful too…avoid the birds and heemurs!”

She sniffed in disgust, and her whiskers twitched. “Oh I will, that I will! Goodbye, find your friends if you can.”

“Oh I can. Good bye.” He nodded to her, and she turned and entered the crack. Jason dropped down to the ground; he was tired and had had no sleep in ages. It was dark, and he wasn’t sure about climbing down a mountain at night. Weighing his options, Jason decided to stay put until dawn.