Dark Pan Histories: from Forever to Never [In Progress]

The Unspoken Truth (Part 2)

Great Big Little Panther and his warriors had been gone from their village for only three moons before they came upon the borders of the people of the Cove. His warriors had been told what they needed to know. The dangers that awaited them when they crossed into the now cursed lands known as the Cannibal Cove.

"I can not believe that these people could kill their own people," Standing Wolf said coming to stand beside his Chieftain. "If these people bite or scratch us, will we contract their disease?"

"I do not know Standing Wolf," Great Big Little Panther said. "All we know of the situation comes from a single child who survived and came to our lands. The little boy said that Ansgar, leader of their tribe, had taken his warriors north across the borders to the Fairy Kingdom. Though Ansgar had not returned, his warriors, some of them, did and they killed the people and ate their flesh."

"Do you believe the Fairy Queen, Tinkerbell, is responsible for the curse that befell these people?" Standing Wolf asked. "Perhaps for breaking their treaty and crossing into her lands?"

Great Big Little Panther had considered that possibility, but it had been put to rest long before he had voiced the question. Now as he stood next to Standing Wolf, something in his gut told him that the Fairy Queen was not responsible for the actions of Ansgar's men.

"No," Great Big Little Panther said finally. "I do not believe the fairy people had anything to do with this. I believe that the fate that befell the people of the Cove, the reason behind their savagery, probably has something to do with the sky crying blood."

Standing Wolf tuned to his Chieftain, a look of question in his eyes.

"When I was at the borders of our lands, weeks after the peak of the mountain became ringed with the angry red and black clouds, I saw the rainfall. Only the rain was not the clear purity of the spirits mourning the world. It was red, as blood, and fell from the sky, only where the red clouds were. I believe it is whatever is responsible for those clouds and the blood rain – that is responsible for the Cove peoples curse," Great Big Little Panther said.

Taking a deep breath Standing Wolf put his hands on his hips and stared into the dense forest that surrounded the Cove. "When should the men be prepared to cross into the cursed lands?"

"When night falls," Great Big Little Panther said. "We will cross under the cover of darkness. Tell the men to keep their shields ready. Should the sky open and let loose the blood rains again, I don't want any of our men to be touched with it."

Standing Wolf nodded before turned and heading back towards where his fellow tribesmen were waiting.

"Spirits guide us," Great Big Little Panther said. "I fear we walked into a darkness we may not walk out of."

Tiger Lily sat atop of her father's steed on the edge of the same cliff he had been standing on the day before he left for the Cove. Part of her wanted to ride into the woods, to cross the lands and find her father and bring him back to the safety of their lands.

"Worried?" Tiger Lily heard a voice from behind her.

Turning slightly, she noticed that Running Wolf was coming up behind her on the steed of his father. Tiger Lily nodded. "I am," Tiger Lily said. "And since you were right, my father confirmed as much, you should be as well. Your father is in as much danger as mine is. Even more, since the warriors sacrifice their own lives to save their Chieftain if it comes to it."

"I am worried," Running Wolf said. "But not because my father may give his life for yours, but because they may all lose their lives or much worse. They could come back cursed with the same curse the people of Cannibal Cove suffer from."

Tiger Lily suffered from the same worry, though she did not voice it. She had been having nightmares of a confrontation between the people of Cannibal Cove and her father's men. The dream always ended with her father vanishing into darkness, never to be seen or heard from again. She had considered telling Running Wolf of her dream, but she didn't.

"Come," Running Wolf said. "Let us go back to the camp before night falls."

Nightfall had come and Great Big Little Panther moved slowly through the dense dark woods towards what looked like huts in the distance. Standing Wolf moved slowly along beside him and the rest of his warriors flanked around them.

He had told his warriors that if the situation looked dire and that they may all die, there was no cowardice in running. If someone could live, if the rest should die, they should head back to their village and let the rest of their people know.

Great Big Little Panther found his thoughts were on his daughter, Tiger Lily. He and Standing Wolf had spoken about their children before they started into the cursed lands. Both men had lost their wives, only having one child. Great Big Little Panther had always thought that Tiger Lily and Running Wolf would one day marry.

Now as they moved towards the looming shadows in the distance, Great Big Little Panther wondered if he would live to see that day come to pass.

Drawing his attention back to the task at hand, Great Big Little Panther turned to say something to Standing Wolf to find that his friend was no longer at his side. Turning about he looked around for the rest of his men to find that he was alone.

"Standing Wolf," Great Big Little Panther called in a low whisper. Sliding his spear into its holding place in his shield, Great Big Little Panther removed two small bone daggers from off his side and slowly moved backward looking for his men.

A cold feeling filled Great Big Little Panthers gut as he backed into something. Spinning around quickly and taking a step back, Great Big Little Panther looked straight into the eyes of Standing Wolf.

"Standing Wolf," Great Big Little Panther said. The man didn't respond and so Great Big Little Panther moved closer, waving his hand in front of Standing Wolf's eyes. He could see the man's lips were moving, but he could not hear what he said. Moving closer Great Big Little Panther could hear Standing Wolf's words, low and hushed repeated over and over.

"Run. Run. Run."

A loud cry echoed through the darkness and soon enough torches began to flare up and all around Great Big Little Panther he could see his men. Covered in blood, they were being attacked. The people of the Cove, Cannibal Cove were tearing into his men. They were tearing the flesh from their bones, eating it as they did.

Panicked engulfed Great Big Little Panther and he turned to run when a man appeared before him. The man was dressed in black robes carrying a long staff with a glowing orb atop of it.

"My people now feast upon your people Chieftain," the Dark Stranger said. "And now your people shall become my people."

The Dark Stranger raised his staff into the air and thunder, louder than anything Great Big Little Panther had ever heard, rolled across the sky. Soon dropped of red rain began to fall, each drop falling faster than the one before it, and soon red was all Great Big Little Panther could see.

Raising his shield above his head, Great Big Little Panther ran in the opposite direction of the Dark Stranger. The echoing screams of his men, the savage cries of the Cannibals of the Cove was all he could hear as he ran off into the darkness. 

[ to be continued ]