Dealing With Consequences

Chapter 13

The travel to the Swamp of Lie lacked any excitement. Most of the land had been destroyed by the recent fighting. The humans seemed to need to burn everything in their way to the ground. T'ranthiom shook his head as he passed by a lifeless field that once was a flourishing forest containing the N-Var.

                T'ranthiom smirked at the times his family spent traveling through the forest in their monthly travels to the Swamp. T'ranthiom was the youngest and smallest of his brothers growing up. They were always racing and he never had the speed to keep up. That is, until he ran into the N-Var in the forest once. His brothers didn't stand a chance after that. Humans would have called it cheating.

                The N-Var are a peaceful race who stuck to the forest. They never left the border of their territory. Rumors said that they actually merged with the trees. He knew better. They had a special type of moss that grew on the hair of their body. It made them extremely difficult to see in their setting.

"That is effective camouflage," T'ranthiom chuckled. "Unlike my human."   

"My human," T'ranthiom thought to himself. "I like that."

For a second he allowed himself to picture what it could be like if the war wasn't happening around them. He would take her to his family home outside of the capital city. They could be together raising human crops and obviously she would know how to cook them. He could work the land and farm as his father once did before He came along.

He pictured the baby running around the yard chasing wildlife and causing havoc for poor Amara. It made him smile at the future that could be. If only the war didn't get in the way. He frowned again at the stupidity of it all. The war was here. There was no reason to make up such ridiculous stories. Amara didn't even want the thing. It was probably a painful reminder of her past.

He shook the idea out of his head as he entered the Swamp. His concentration needed to be on his footing now anyways. The thick tree roots stuck out of the tar-like substance. One wrong step and you weren't coming back out of it. The swamp was not a forgiving place. He easily bound from one root to the next.

As he approached the area, he so commonly remembered as his families favorite harvest place, he smiled. He pulled up one of the roots gently and placed it within his coat's pocket.

"Pull men," a voice broke the eerie silence of the swamp.

T'ranthiom jumped a root and glanced over at the humans not far from the swamp's opening. The fools had tried to walk into the swamp as if it was a liquid. He watched as one soldier helplessly began the slow digestive process. His foot was stuck. If they just removed the foot, he would live. Alas, humans are not that smart. He turned to leave them to their impending doom.

"Hold on Scar," another shouted. Scar was terrified as he remained stuck in the swamp.

T'ranthiom froze. Scar. He knew that human's name. He shook his head as he turned to leave. Amara's face emerged into his mind and he groaned. He turned facing the men again. He glanced over and an idea came to him. He traced out his command carefully for his Spirit. He would hate to kill Scar by mistake.  He swiped through the air with reluctance. He had never used his Spirit to keep someone alive before.

The boot sliced open. Scar flew forward into the onslaught of men who were trying to rescue him. They all cheered out as Scar glanced down at his foot. His boot disappeared into the fog and muck.

T'ranthiom turned and started back to the entrance. Maybe they could be together. He could do being the good guy. T'ranthiom smiled as he ran down the pathway and headed for the rock ridge that held his brother. Another day and a half and he could see her smiling face once again.

"Halt," yelled a human in front of him. He pointed his weapon at T'ranthiom. T'ranthiom frowned. He had no time for this. "Stop or I'll shoot."

"Then shoot, human. For I will not stop," T'ranthiom yelled as he jumped over the man pushing his helmet down over the man's face. By the time the man turned and shot, T'ranthiom was well out of range. He laughed as he turned the corner and into a human ambush.

"Halt," yelled the command.

"I know, I know, or you will shoot," he groaned as he placed a hand up.

How did they get passed the swamp? Perhaps these were the men from the other side of the mountain. Interesting concept to leave your high ground, he thought. Then, he smirked. His brother probably forced them to retreat. I bet they were infringing on his territory.

"What do we do with him," asked the commanding officer.

Great newbies.

"It says in the book, all Naih are to be executed on sight," one of the teliprompters said in the back. The commander looked forward with a shrug.

"Looks like we are to kill you," the commander said.

T'ranthiom rolled his eyes.

"Sorry, Amara," T'rathiom reluctantly whispered.

His spirit glowed around them and before they could understand what was happening. T'ranthiom stepped over the lifeless pile. A helmet rolled off one man and followed the bloody trail down the small hill and with a sucking thump, the swamp swallowed it whole.

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                T'ranthiom bound around the corner to his cave with the root grasped firmly in his hand. He turned into the cave and froze. The door was open. His heart ached as he entered the cavern slowly. His eyes were sharp as he looked for the impending ambush. There wasn't one. There was only silence in his cave. Amara was gone.

                T'ranthiom pushed farther in and there he discovered the truth. Hanging from the ceiling in the middle of his secret hiding spot was a torn flag. The snake snapping forward painted on it gave him everything he needed to know. He yelled out in anger causing birds to scatter around him.

                "Theo," he spat as he turned and sealed off the cave again. His brother was going to die. 

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It's short I know...... but instead of waging this war with my friend over the next part.... i figured I would provide you with what we could agree on..... the next part is coming I swear... she just is a little stuck up right now (stupid writing class) and doesn't like my "simplity writing"... i swear that professor has gotten to her