The PureLights of Ohm Totem (29 page)

That's how she always knows what I'm thinking!
He shifted on his paws, a little uncomfortable knowing that she could know this about every spirit animal, especially him. Nova gently touched his pelt with her tail. “Don't worry, Coda. I don't judge others, nor do I allow anyone’s thoughts or feelings to affect my emotions. It's not a healthy habit to allow others to get under your fur.”

She walked to the other side of him. “Now, close your eyes.”

He closed his eyes and felt Nova move her paws toward his head again, but this time he ducked.
Why did I do that?

Confused, he opened his eyes.

“Good,” said Nova. “You ducked just as I swiped my paw over your head.”

“How did I know to do that?” retorted Coda.

“You felt it, and reacted. Your body moved with fluidity,” she brushed up against his pelt. She whispered, “Orion did that all the time. In fact, he could defend against many others with his eyes closed. He claimed it was much easier. He didn't have the distractions of the eyes to deal with.”

She told him to close his eyes, and as he did, he immediately ducked. He looked at her.

“Very good.” She stiffened. “Again.”

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, then dodged and jumped to his left. He opened his eyes, observing that Nova had pounced on the spot where he was standing only a moment before. She looked at him. Her face was hard and her voice loud. “Again!”

Tightening his eyelids closed, he took another deep breath. This time, he felt a sharp chop come down forcefully to the left side of his face, but before she made contact, Coda rolled to the right, easily escaping. A moment later, he felt a jab in his hind leg.

His eyes popped open in surprise and he grunted.

Nova stood over him. “Don't assume your opponent is finished. Most of them aren't.” She exhaled. “Okay, now close your eyes and focus.”

Coda nodded, tightly shutting his eyes. “I'm ready.”

He leaped backward as he felt a swipe coming directly at his chest, then he somersaulted left. Once again, he felt another blow coming. Ducking, he felt the whiff of air from Nova's paws passing over his ears. His movement was lightening fast.

The more Nova missed, the more Coda felt a rhythm taking control of him. Then a sudden change occurred. He felt confident, but more than he'd ever felt before. This was a dance and he was, for some reason, really good at it. His body tingled with affirmation, and as the next paw came, he caught it under the pit of his foreleg and barrel rolled to the right. He landed on top of Nova and opened his eyes. He stared at her with a bold determination. He pressed his front legs firmly against her chest.

Nova grinned widely. “That's how I remember you.”

“Did you see that?” whispered a student.

“Yes, and he did it with his eyes closed.”

Coda looked around, seeing Muna and the other students surrounding him. Muna dipped her head, more in honor to him rather than anything else. Everyone was wide-eyed and impressed by the display of skill they had just witnessed.

Stepping off Nova, Coda looked away from the many stares. He felt like he was being gawked at instead of admired. He didn't like the sudden stardom. Nova stood, pressing her pelt against Coda. “The Art of Defense will become more natural the more we practice. You'll start to remember what you taught us many moons ago.”

Again, it felt strange to be thought of as Orion. He didn't feel like he was anyone other than Coda.
How could I have been Orion?
Shaking the thought away, knowing it got him nowhere, he rested on his haunches, thankful for a short break in practice. Glancing at Nova, he knew right away that the break would be short-lived.

Her eyes were glued to the eastern sky. Coda started to turn to look at what she was seeing, but something distracted him. The ground was covered in the colors of the rainbow.
That's weird!
Turning around, he saw why.

Hazy colors of swirling lights filled the sky. There were reds, greens, yellows, purples, pinks, and all of the colors that he'd ever seen before. Even colors he'd never seen, nor even knew existed.

“Come,” yelled Nova, beckoning the students to follow her as she raced toward the east. And, one by one, the students passed him as he stood transfixed, feet planted firmly on the green grass, enjoying the peaceful and gorgeous display above.

“Are you coming, Coda?” called Muna, flicking his nose with her tail as she sped by.

Coming out of his trance, he flexed his muscles and bounded off to the east, passing Muna, flicking her back.

The grass thinned as he reached a sand covered hill where Nova and the rest of the students had stopped. They were staring intently at something to the right of them. Coda slowed to a walk, surveying the area. He'd never been in this direction before. Muna padded up to him, her tan fur glistened in the light, and sat by his side. Her ears perked up. “What's that?”

On the other side of the hill, Coda could hear someone singing. His heart softened from the magic of this spirit animal's voice. It was a female voice and he'd never heard anything so beautiful.

Muna nudged Coda with her nose. “Let's go up the hill to see who it is. That's the most beautiful voice I've ever heard.”

He started to follow Muna, but felt something behind him. Something intruding and malevolent. He turned to see what it was. It wasn't long before he spotted him—Skint.

Skint stood next to a cluster of trees about a football field length away. He was with a weasel and that Zebra character. They took their eyes off Coda to view the sky, and Coda felt the uneasy sensation instantly disappear, as if a boulder had just been lifted off of him. He turned around and stared at the sky as well. The colors danced next to the sun, which slightly peered over the horizon, outlining Nova and the audience of students who sat on the peak of the hill.

Coda suddenly heard wings flapping loudly in the wind. He ducked, thinking they were only a few lengths away from his head. Crouching, he looked over his shoulder. Hundreds of birds were flying toward the hill. He could see San in the lead. She was elated.

Looking ahead, Coda noticed Muna was already at the base of the hill. He ran to catch up. As he reached the crest, Coda literally fell over backwards because of what he saw. Zoey sat in a circle, with her back to him and the other onlookers. She was the one singing! Coda's ears twitched in amazement as his sister's voice reached notes he never knew she had in her. In fact, looking around, he could tell by the audience’s faces that Zoey's voice was lifting them all into to a state of bliss.

Muna whispered, “Is that your sister?”

Coda could only nod. He didn't want to talk. He didn't want to interrupt the miracle taking place before him and he didn't want the colors in the sky to stop. They were more exciting and more superior than any fireworks display he'd ever seen. They transcended almost everything.

Birds of every kind were sitting on the long hill that formed just before reaching the beach, as were the students Coda had just been training with. Then, coming out of the small forest of trees just before the hills, was Honani. He seemed to have brought the rest of Ohm Totem with him. They walked slowly, gawking at the sky.

Nova appeared from the crowd of onlookers, padding toward Coda. When she was a tail length away she spoke quietly, “Crepus will see this display. He won't need to guess about Zoey anymore. He'll know that you've both returned. There will be no doubt in his mind. He'll come at full force now.” She smiled. “This makes things more interesting.”

Nova stood up to leave, saying more to herself than anyone else, “I need to ponder on this.” She trotted down the hill, calling over her shoulder, “Coda, bring Zoey to the Yellow Hut when you get a moment.” When Nova reached the base of the hill, she took off as fast as a jet. How she moved so fast, Coda figured he'd never know.

∞

The sun had risen to its highest peak and Zoey was still singing. Everyone was in a happy trance, including Coda. When she finished, Coda watched her converse with several spirit animals in the circle. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but Zoey definitely looked uncomfortable. A few moments later, Chev lifted Zoey onto his back and walked toward the massive crowd sitting on the hill. The crowd must have sensed Zoey's discomfort and started mingling amongst themselves.

“Did you hear that, Zoey's brother?”

Coda looked down to see San peering up at him. He raised his brows in amusement. “I'm Coda.”

San jumped up and down, clapping her wings. “Did you hear her?”

Of course he heard her. How could he not? He gave San a polite smile. He didn't know her very well at all, but her excitement was contagious. “I did. It was beautiful.”

“And, that's your sister.” She spun around clutching her wings to her heart, saying, “I wish I had a sister like that.”

“So do I,” said Chev, as he trudged up the sandy incline toward Coda, with Zoey riding on his back.

Coda beamed. “That was pretty awesome, Zoey.”

Stunned by her brother's compliment, Zoey grinned back with an embarrassed smile. “Thanks,” she muttered.

“Come on,” Coda tipped his head to the west. “I'm supposed to take you to the Yellow Hut.”

Chev nodded in understanding, raising his trunk to trumpet. “Off to the Yellow Hut!”

“Can I come? Can I come?” shouted San.

Coda shrugged. “I don't care.” He looked at Zoey, but she was lost in thought, staring at Chev's gray, round back.

The terrain changed from a sharp decline to sandy patches. They walked slowly and Coda noticed things that he had missed before. The boulders to his right outlined the southern portion of the River Ohm, and turned into the Large Boulder way up ahead. The foliage to the left was dense and grew high. Higher than an elephant. It looked as if there could be a large house in there.

“That's where some of us Bards live. We call it Melody Hutch,” said Chev.

Coda nodded. He had wondered where they stayed.

Once they got into the trees, everything was familiar again. They followed a path to the entrance of Deer Meadow, stopping when they saw a deer waiting for them. Its eyes were closed, as if in deep, quiet contemplation. It had indigo crystals pulsing gently.

They waited in silence until the deer opened her eyes. “Greetings, everyone.” She bowed her head. “I'm Isi and I'll be taking Zoey and Coda to the Yellow Hut.”

Surprised, Coda looked at Chev and San, wondering why they couldn't join. Chev simply nodded in quiet understanding.

San raised a wing, as if waiting for Isi to call on her.

Isi nodded.

San frowned. “But I want to come,” she whined, heartbroken not to be included.

“It's my task to take them, and only them,” calmly replied Isi.

Zoey jumped from Chev’s back and spread her wings, landing lightly on the ground. She walked over to San, putting her wing around her. “It's okay, San. I'll tell you all about the Yellow Hut when I get back.”

San nodded dejectedly. Coda couldn't understand why this would hurt her feelings so much, but thought that perhaps the Yellow Hut was something that all PureLights wanted to see.

“Well, get going, you two. I'll see you tomorrow at sun up,” Chev said cheerfully.

“Come,” said Isi, as she walked on the path to the Yellow Hut.

The sun was moving closer to the western horizon, shining its glow into their eyes. The meadow was quiet at the moment. There wasn't the usual chatter and comings and goings of spirit animals.

Coming around a corner, Coda could see the entrance of the Yellow Hut just ahead.

“Why couldn't they come?” Zoey asked Isi.

“That's for Nova to explain.” She beckoned for them to walk through the entrance of the Yellow Hut.

Coda felt a little nervous as he proceeded forward through the door-less entryway. He wondered if Nova had bad news for them. Did they have to go home now? Do they have to go into hiding so Crepus didn't get them, or even worse—so Crepus didn't kill them?

Nova sat at the farthest end of the hut, staring at the ceiling. She peered into a light that trickled through the top of the hut. At further glance, Coda could see a round hole in the middle of the roof.
What a nice place to sleep at night
, he thought. He could lie on his back, staring at the stars for hours.

The rest of the hut, he noticed, was very basic. The ceiling and walls looked like straw and the ground was simply dirt. There wasn't anything that would make you think it would be a place that all PureLights would want to visit.

“I had to limit the visit to just you two,” said Nova, as she softly padded toward them. She sat between them, brushing her long, thick tail against Coda's fur and Zoey's feathers. “Loyalty to the PureLights isn't a top priority to some of the tribe members these days.” She crept to the doorway and peered furtively outside. “You can never be too safe.”

Satisfied they were alone, Nova turned to Zoey and looked deep into her eyes. “You put on quite the show today.” She gave the customary slight bow, and praised, “I'm proud of you. It was more than I ever imagined it would be.”