The New World (The Last Delar) (26 page)

"I sleep in the hammock over there," Argle says, pointing to his bed.  You can take my sister's hammock if you like.  She left us last spring for the city to find a mate."

"The city still exists?"

"Yes, but Broken Wrist says it is controlled by barbarians.  Mother says the city is not safe for me because I am Black Claw's son.  My father killed many Nossa in the massacre at the city.  The Nossa would capture and send me to the mines.  Broken Wrist says that there are few males left in the city, that most have been made slaves and taken away.  Well, good night, I will see you in the morning" Argle says as he climbs into his hammock. Akelou lies down next to Leotie and thinks of his foster parents and whether they are still alive.  He falls asleep to the image of his father and of the last night he spent with his mother, asleep in her lap.

---

The next day, Leotie's shivers, Argle and Broken Wrist argue, and Half Moon and Akelou talk about their lives since they fled the city.  Akelou tells her about his adventures, and she tells him how she worries about her children.  Half Moon is not the Salali Akelou remembered.  She used to be confident and sure of herself.  Black Claw himself feared her stare and took counsel with her.  Now she speaks only of uncertainty and worry.

"Broken Wrist lost his mate in the siege.  They never had any children.  He was Black Claw's most trusted friend.  I do not know how we would have survived without him.  The two of them will soon kill each other if Argle stays any longer.  He needs to find his own place in this world.  The time has come for me to say goodbye." She puts her hand on Akelou's, "I must ask you a favor, Akelou.  Take Argle with you on your journey."

Akelou does not know what to say.  "Our road is dangerous.  One of my companions may die on your floor.  I cannot promise he will be safe."

"It was not by chance that my son came to your aid.  His destiny and yours are one and the same.  I see that now, and I have to trust that everything has happened for a reason."

"I can't believe you are asking me this.  I watched Ven and Black Claw die.  I can't be responsible for the life of another of your family."

"There is nothing we can do about that now," she says coldly.  "Life is hard and death is unfair.  I did not want to lose my oldest son, but I did.  And I do not want to say goodbye to my youngest son, but I must.  Argle's best chance to come of age is away from here, and you are my last hope.  Please, Akelou, think about it."

Half Moon leaves Akelou alone with Leotie, and he wipes some sweat from her forehead.  Frustrated, he climbs down the rope ladder.  Tib has made a small camp and is cooking a forest rat he trapped.

"How was your night, Tib?" Tib just shrugs his shoulders.  "How about you, boy? How are you?" he asks Akima.  "I need to clear my thoughts.  I will be back by dark.  We leave tomorrow, with or without Leotie." Tib stares up at Akelou with a look in his eye.  "Do not look at me with such judgment.  The Pokwa are depending on us.  I will open a door back to the Msa-Oda and leave her in their care if she is not well enough to continue."

He walks into the forest and wanders, lost in thought.  The daylight soon loses its eternal battle with the night when Akelou suddenly realizes where he is.  He clears some bushes and stands in their camp from the night before.  He looks at the cold coals of the fire and sees tracks left by the scavenging creatures that have taken the bodies of the Runners off into the bush.  Akelou walks to the spot where Leotie was injured and sees the bloodstains on the dirt.  Guilt weighs heavy on his shoulders, and he thinks of the consequences if she were to die.  Akelou begins to understand that he needs more help.  With Leotie hurt or unable to continue, his group will suffer and his quest might be doomed.

He sits down in front of what is left of the fire.  Akelou rubs his necklace as he thinks about Half Moon's request.  A breeze starts to blow, picking up some forest dirt.  Akelou stares at the swirling dirt, and it begins to take shape.  Two eyes stare at him, then a body forms.

"Black Claw?" he whispers.

The apparition smiles before it is whisked away.  Akelou hears the trees rustle, then Argle lands where the vision of his dead father revealed itself.

"What are you doing here? Why have you left the hut? Leotie is asking for you.  Her fever has broken.  We should return and get you ready to return to your quest."

Akelou looks at Argle and takes a deep breath, knowing now what he must do. "Leotie will not be able to track, hunt, and help us on our quest until she has healed.  Our quest is at the verge of failure, and we need help.  I need you, Argle.  The Pokwa need you.  Will you help us?"

Argle puffs out his chest and tries to hide his excitement.  "Y-Yes, I would be honored to help you, cousin.  I will not shame you, and I will not shame my family even if it costs me my life."

"I believe you.  Now lead the way back to your hut, for there is much to do."

Anxiety grips Akelou as he slowly walks back to Argle's home.  Argle's joy fades as he realizes he has never left his mother's side for more than a few days.  Argle knows she will be sad, and he dreads looking at her face when he says goodbye.  Once they reach the hut, they quietly climb through the floor and see Leotie sitting up, with Half Moon by her side.

"Gave up on me, did you?" she says to Akelou.

"Sorry I was not here when your fever broke, but I gathered some stems of the Siow plant to help with your healing."

Leotie turns over, exposing her wounds.  Akelou chews on the green plants and covers her wounds with the healing paste.  Leotie moans as the paste seeps into her lesions soothing her pain.  Half Moon looks into Akelou's eyes and knows he has made his decision.  She looks up at her son, and a tear falls onto the wooden floor.  She gets up, and without a word she climbs into her and Broken Wrist's room.  Argle watches her leave and tries to build up the courage to say something, but he cannot.  Akelou lies next to Leotie and falls asleep.

The next morning, Leotie wakes early.  She gets up and limps around the hut with her blankets wrapped tightly around her shoulders.  Half Moon is already up and gives her some food to help with her strength.

"I patched and washed your clothes as best as I could, dear.  The bloodstains were deep."

"Thank you.  I am indebted to your family for all you have done."

Half Moon helps her dress.  "You owe us nothing.  Just take good care of my son."

Leotie looks at Half Moon, surprised.  "Your son?"

"Yes, I believe that Akelou has asked him to accompany you on your quest."

"If this is true, I will protect him with my life as you have helped save mine."

"I thank you for those words.  You bring comfort to my heavy heart."

Half Moon makes Leotie some honey tea before returning to her room.  Akelou wakes and sees that the sun will soon rise.  He notices Leotie and decides it is time to ask her about the journey.

"Leotie, can you ride?" She nods her head and kisses Akelou on the cheek before climbing down the ladder.  Akelou climbs into Half Moon's room.  "I will keep him safe, but I cannot promise you will see him again."

Half Moon hugs Akelou, "I will bring him to you." Akelou agrees and leaves the hut.  On the ground he see Argle talking to Tib.

"Argle, your mother waits for you." Argle looks at Akelou and slowly climbs to his mother.  When he gets into the hut she is waiting for him.

"Come here, son.  There is something I have to show you.  I knew this day would come." She unwraps a dusty blanket.  "These were your father's.  I removed them from his body as we fled the city." Half Moon unwraps Black Claw's helmet and false claws.  "Take these and leave with your cousin...find your way in this world and do not look back." Tears trickle down her cheeks.  Argle hugs his mother, but she does not have the strength to look at him.

"I will always love you, mother."

"I know, son...now go...I will be fine." Argle turns and walks out of the room, leaving Half Moon crying on the floor.  He sees Broken Wrist standing in the middle of the hut with a spear.  Broken Wrist walks up to him.

"I was not the father you wanted, and I loved the father you lost like a brother.  I will protect her as long as I draw breath." He breaks the spear across his leg.  "This was the spear that took your father's life.  I have kept it all this time, not knowing what to do with it." He hands Argle the bloodstained spear tip and Argle stares at it in his hand.  How strange it is that something so simple as a chiseled stone could change so many lives. "This is the only thing I have to give you from your father." Broken Wrist steps aside, letting Argle pass.

"I have always taken my anger at not having a father out on you.  I am sorry for that, and I know you would have been a good father if you were given a chance," Argle says as he passes Broken Wrist.

"I do have a son, Argle, and I am proud of who he has become."

Argle looks back and ties the spear tip to his helmet.  He looks straight in Broken Wrist’s eyes and says, "Please take care of her and tell her I love her," he turns and walks to the ladder and disappears, leaving Broken Wrist standing alone and holding the end of a broken spear.

On the ground, Akelou helps Leotie mount her horse.  "We will travel slowly as you gather your strength." Akelou turns at the sound of scratching against a tree.  He looks at Argle in his father's armor.

"We travel west and do not stop until dark.  You can scout our path from the trees." Argle agrees and jumps into the canopy of the forest.  Akelou moves the horses, and Tib rides with Leotie, massaging her back.  He looks back at the hut and sees Half Moon looking out at him.  He raises his hand to her and sees Broken Wrist embrace her from behind.

With every sunrise, Leotie's health improves, and Argle proves to be a valuable scout.  The Forest has begun to change as they approach its western borders.  The trees and plant life are thinner and more spread out.

"The map says we should be leaving the forest tomorrow and arriving at the base of the Whispering Canyons.  It says we must follow this path or be lost in the maze of carved rock," Akelou reads to the others.

Argle has been eating the last of his forest nuts and gets up, "I will get to the base of the canyons first and scout our position.  We should re-supply our water and food for the canyons."

"I agree.  Tib, in the early morning, take Akima and fill our water bladders by the stream we passed earlier.  We will leave the horses behind in the forest.  They will not survive the trip through the canyons."

The four companions lie down to rest.  Akelou falls into a deep sleep.  He sees a strange race of men, a long-toothed dog, and eyes staring at him in the darkness.  He tries to look deeper into the darkness, but it grows blacker, and then a deep echo shakes him and a blazing light wakes him.

Akelou gets to his feet, looking around and seeing that Tib and Argle are already gone.  He starts to break down camp when Leotie wakes.

"How do you feel today, Leotie?"

"Well enough," she says stretching her arms.  They pack up the camp and share some honey tea that Half Moon gave them.  Tib comes back into camp with the replenished water bladders.  The group mounts the horses and ride west.  The wind blows harder and harder, slowing their travel.  The forest is opening up, and the ground has become dry and arid, with stones that clank against the horses' hooves.

Ahead of them, an earthly light grows, and the forest disappears.  Leotie points upward, and Akelou sees Argle floating toward them from a distant tree.

"I have seen the canyons and found the path you showed us.  Follow me." They follow Argle and come to the eastern edge of the canyons.  They look out at the canyons and are overwhelmed with its beauty.  Akelou stands on the cliff and looks to the northwest.

"What can you see, Akelou?" Leotie asks.

"I can see the outline of the tower and a rising mist beyond it, a three, to four-day journey."

Akelou takes out a pouch, grabbing some dirt from the rocky cliff.

"If we succeed in our quest, I will open a door back here.  Once we are safe, we will get the horses and travel back to the Noshota swamps." He grabs Akima, putting the horse's head against his.

"Take care of Leotie's horse, my friend, but do not wander too far, for we will return." Akima snips at his master's ears as Akelou removes his reins.  Akima turns with Leotie's horse, and together they run into the forest.  Akelou takes out the map and leads them into the canyons.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

After traveling for three days, Akelou and his companions are exhausted and painfully sunburned.  They have fought a continuous howling wind that whistles against the sun-baked rock of the canyons. The wind is filled with small grains of sand that pelt the skin and cling to fur.  There is little shelter in this arid landscape to shield them from the elements.  The canyon crosswinds make starting a fire difficult, so the four travelers sleep together at night, huddled and shivering in the cold.

The sun has set as they settle into a small cove to rest.  They take out what rations they have and eat in silence.  Leotie is in charge of their water supply that has become dangerously low.  The wind sucks the moisture from the air, blistering their skin and cracking their parched lips.  Akelou is exhausted, and he tries to shut his eyes to sleep, but he can only hear the howling of the canyons.  The world goes dark, and soon the sound of the wind becomes distant.  A stabbing in his ribs wakes him.  He opens his eyes and hears Leotie's voice.