Elysium

Chapter 5: The Convoy

Next morning, as the sun was rising over the river, Vixen came to get us from the lean-to where we were housed. I had moved to the lean-to, which had mosquito nets for protection, as I no longer needed to be in the infirmary. I was still limping my leg mauled by the raouh, but I was now walking with it.

Roland had fallen asleep soon after we went to our sleeping pads. I had stayed awake for a long time after that, as I had slept through the two previous days and didn't suffer from any sleep deprivation. I had lain on my back quietly and stared at the dark roof, listening to the sounds of the jungle, and wondering the things Professor Itikain had told us. I had been awake still when Max and Brynhilde had finally returned - whispering to each other, kissing outside the lean-to, thinking everyone else was asleep.

I didn't know how many hours I had finally managed to sleep before Vixen woke us up. Chairo was waiting outside, where the dew of morning still formed pearls on grasses and the air was cool. Rising sun was reflected from the bright eyes of our guides, these children of the new world, fresh like the morning. We heard strange hollow cries of birds from the forest, and noise that seemed to come from creatures inside the crowns of the highest trees. It was difficult to say whether they were birds, too, or perhaps mammals. Dragonflies were hovering over the damp meadow.

Swinging a dangerous-looking sword and using it to cut the tufted heads of reeds as he walked, the fox-boy Chairo led us round the village to a fence made of stakes and some stouter trunks. There were four large animals tied to the fence. They looked like big water buffaloes. Their chubs were languidly chewing large leaves, they had long and scary-looking horns, and ropes and sort of saddles were bound around their massive, black bodies. The bristled tails of the beasts were swinging like whips from side to side, wiping out gadflies.

"You mean, we're going to ride these?" I asked. "I've never ridden a buffalo before."

"They're taurs, you fool", snapped Brynhilde. "Here they've got swamp taurs. The grassland taurs look a bit different."

Chairo had already used the fence to jump to the back of the leader taur, and the animal was swinging its long horns in a menacing manner. Chairo sat astride in front of its back, leaned forward, and tapped the side of the taur's neck, which seemed to calm the animal down.

"Don't worry", said Vixen. "They're docile animals. They know us, and they know the way. They're just a bit nervous because you're strange to them."

"Oh, it's us who are strange?" asked Max. He shone like the dawn. "Everything here is strange. But it's strange in a good sense of the word. How beautiful this morning is! How wonderful this new world!"

"Isn't the professor coming with us?" asked Roland, this time ignoring his friend's enthusiasm.

"No he isn't", said Vixen. "He's sending his samples with us to the town, where someone's gonna show up to pick them. He decided he has too much to do here. He left for the forest in the first light, with his insect traps."

I wondered whether the scientist's sudden change of mind was somehow related to the last conversation we had had, which seemed to have somehow upset the wise man. Yet that morning I felt like other people's reasons were to stay theirs. Just like I said nothing about Max and Bry's nightly disappearance or their beaming faces at dawn. For me, who had lied futile for days, movement was now more important. And we seemed to be moving forward.

Still, a seventh passenger showed up. He crept to us like a thief from the thick vegetation. It was Peryantay, and I saw a familiar-looking sword hanging on his belt. It was the same I had taken from Giovanna on the island.

"Me come with you", said the proud ren. "Way dangerous. Human need mahi's help."

"Peryantay comes with us almost every time", said Chairo from the back of the leader taur. Then he beckoned to us impatiently. "Mount your taurs. Let's go."