Chenga

The Snare

Gamesh tied off the rope.  Carefully, but with speed that comes from practice, he covered the rope with ivy.  In the clearing where he stood were three thick oak posts, driven into the ground.  In the woods around him his clan lay in wait.  A fine covering of snow lay on the ground, just barely enough to cover what was beneath.

Gamesh surveyed the clearing.  It was good.  His clan would be simple hunters once more.  Gamesh felt a stirring in his blood and felt more alive than he had for many a long year.

A low rumble came and the ground lurched beneath the Peytahn's feet.

'Garkh... keep watch.  Make sure the tremors do not upset our plans.  This is where we hand over the runners... and catch the Kula-Mar.'

Gamesh stalked off through the woods and his wives and three of his men fell in with him.  They moved swiftly through the trees, climbing the rise that led to Hell's Ditch.  The trail that they followed held the strange scent that they had picked up, far back on the South Road.

Soon the forest began to thin out, as they moved over the beginnings of the rough slope of Mount Mouai.

Twelve of the clan emerged from the woods.  Warily they passed the steaming pit of the Witch's Cauldron and moved into the cleft of Hell's Ditch.

'Gamesh... are you sure?'  Gamesh's wife, Kirani, looked anxiously at her husband.  The shaking of the earth and the sulphurous stench of Mouai were warnings that should not go unheeded.

'The scent of the female is strong here... now we wait.'

As Gamesh spoke, the earth shuddered once more.  From the cleft of Hell's Ditch the sound of screams echoed from the ground.  Gamesh opened his mouth and tasted the air.

'Hmmmhhh, something is coming.  Take up your positions.'

The clan members disappeared amongst the black, twisted rocks.  Yet again the ground lurched and rocks came tumbling down from the cliffs.  A new smell hung on the air.  The smell of death came, strong, as the Breath of Mouai gasped from the blackened ground.  All of Gamesh's clan were now anxious, yet still held their positions.

A sound of hoarse coughing echoed from within the cleft of Hell's Ditch.  Through the narrow gap in the rocks four figures appeared.  Gamesh strained to see them in the gathering gloom.  He recognised the small one and the taller one, who was being dragged along.  A broad smile crossed Gamesh's features.  The gods were with him, after all.  A cloaked child appeared next, as smoke and fumes swirled forth from Hell's Ditch.  The fourth was a female who moved with a familiar, cat-like stealth.  Gamesh looked closer at the female.  By Kamora, it was Eylana!  And yet, as he sniffed the poisonous air, he knew it was not.  It would be three runners...or maybe four that the Kula-Mar would receive.  He peered through the darkening haze and blinked his eyes to clear away tears.  His eyes, nose and throat stung from the rancid air.  He blinked again.  For a moment he thought he saw wings at the back of the woman that looked like Eylana.  He blinked again and looked back... no it must just have been a swirling in the smoke and ash that now began shooting up from Hell's Ditch.  The woman clutched at her chest and coughed.  Fumes filled the crater of the Witch's Cauldron.  Acid burnt the back of Gamesh's throat and began to blind his eyes.  With an effort he managed to hold still and watch what was happening.

The two men lay on the ground, gasping for breath.  The woman grabbed the smaller of the two men and urged him to rise.  Between them, they carried the larger man, who coughed and wheezed for breath.  The small girl, however, walked serenely beside them, oblivious to the Breath of Mouai.

Night was now beginning to fall.  A rumble shook the land and a loud clap, like thunder, came from behind Hell's Ditch.  Gamesh looked up to see a grey cloud, billowing and rising, high over Mount Mouai.  Something stung his face and a small fleck of grey ash smouldered on his arm.