The Second Coming (25 page)

“
I don't like the feel of this,” she said.

“
Are there wolves in the area?”

“
I don't know,” she said, scanning the trees. “I can try to
find them.”

White Feather
remained seated, but cast her a glance of concern.

“
I'm coming with you.”

Brahm shook
her head. “Wolves tend to avoid humans. The less of us, the better.
I go alone.”

“
I don't like this, Orenda. I was sent to watch over
you.”

She stared him
down. “Keep watch with Diarmuid for any Hunters that pass through
here. I will return as soon as I can.” She grabbed a small pack and
filled it.

As she walked
into the woods, White Feather called after her.

“
If you're not back within a day, I'm coming after
you!”

She waved
backwards to them and strode forward, alone.

For five
hundred yards Brahm crept, past columns of cedar and sugar maple,
careful not to trip on the underbrush that grew in clumps between
the trees. It was a long walk, and with every step her second soul
muttered in her head.

-Mine. Mine.
Mine.-

Brahm forced
the voice down and eventually found the prey she sought; not the
wolves, but deer. They were jittery creatures, sensitive to the
slightest noise.

Not surprising
, she thought,
with wolfen scouring the land
.

Brahm
crouched. For some time, the deer chewed on leaves from the
underbrush, oblivious to her presence. The larger of the two
snorted when it finally noticed her. Brahm remained still and let
their thoughts seep into her mind.

The deer were
surprised, almost enough to scamper off into the woods. She issued
calming images to them, reassuring the deer she posed no
threat.

Not this time
.

Although a
meal of fresh venison was long past due. She inquired about wolves,
and an overwhelming sense of dread emanated from the deer.
Reluctantly, they stared south — the direction from which the
wolves always came. Brahm thanked them, and they sprinted off into
the woods, a potential dinner lost.

She walked for
hours, the kahbeth her only companions. The deer not only warned
her about wolves in the area, but also of an evil that skulked near
the army of two-foots — Nightwalkers. Horned and hoofed, they
walked upright, stalking the midnight hour. Brahm could not
decipher what those might be. Either way, it was best to be
prepared. She kept the kahbeth in hand.

She estimated
it would be well into the following day before she found any sign
of wolves. She only hoped they would be willing to help. Wolves
were notorious for avoiding humans, and with good reason. Staying
clear of mankind had become a creed; where two-feet walked, trouble
followed. Fang was the exception.

Brahm let her
spirit slip into its dance, as if summoned to it. She was one with
the forest, immersing herself in the life force of the trees, the
stones, and the land. The leaves rustled in the depths of her soul,
the birds singing with the thrum of her heart. Reaching out with
the wind as her fingers, she probed and searched as her feet glided
through the woods. Sensing from which direction the animals aimed
their fear, she sailed forward. For hours her soul danced, and her
spirit relished its freedom.

Finally, as a
curtain of darkness draped across the sky and the creatures of the
night stirred, Brahm came back to herself. Withdrawal tore at her
soul as she stepped back into the reality of the world, and she
sheathed the kahbeth. Sitting against a dying oak, she pulled out
her water skin. She felt exhausted. Soul Running did that to her,
but it was worth the effort, if not for the high.

The wolves
were not in the vicinity, so she decided to rest and try again in
the morning. Brahm wrapped herself in a blanket for warmth, not
daring to make a fire. If anything, it would drive the wolves
away.

As darkness
settled on the land, sleep came to her.

*Orenda.
*

Brahm jerked
awake. Eyes were set upon her in the dark.

She reached
for the kahbeth, thoughts of wolfen and Nightwalkers foremost in
her thoughts. She waited, opening herself to whatever was out
there. She heard a low growl.

Wolves.

Knowing this
was their territory, Brahm waited on their thoughts. They had the
right of first greeting. The lead wolf crept in closer, the scent
of it flooding her nose; dank fur, blood and dirt. The others hung
back, waiting for the first one to inspect her. For what seemed
forever she lay there, waiting as it inched closer, sniffing the
air before it finally gave greeting.

*Orenda, we have been expecting you
.*

Brahm stared
at the wolf in disbelief. It used language to communicate with
her.

The wolf
sensed her astonishment.

*You are surprised that I speak to you in this
fashion
.
Few are
so gifted
.
I
sensed your
dance
through the woods
.
What do you want of us, two-foot?*

She passed her
thoughts in plain language.

I need your help for a young woman
.
She has been taken by Witch
Hunters.

Her second
soul stirred.

-Mine!
Mine!-

Brahm remained
silent. As she stared into the wolf’s eyes, she caught a faint
image of his name.

Night
.

*The fate of two-foots are not our concern, but you have been
marked by Fang
.*

Marked?
She wondered how the wolf
had managed that.

*Fang has my respect and devotion
.
She will have my help, as will
you
.
At first
light we will return
.*

The wolf then
turned his back to her and faded into the darkness.

The morning
birds were silent, and a hush settled upon the dawn with the fine
mist that drifted through the burnt stumps of Haven.

Fang nudged
Paine.

He groped to
pet her.

A razed
wasteland awaited them; buildings that lay in piles of still
smoldering ruin; stone foundations on which homes no longer sat;
and slaughtered livestock, some of which were half-burnt.

Eventually
Great Bear led them forward. Each member of the troop scoured the
landscape in quiet, searching for some sign of life in the charred
remains.

Smoke wafted
from what remained of the buildings. Their feet crunched burnt
stalks of young corn as they cut across the blackened land. Paine
thought of Lya, and of Diarmuid. He could sense that she no longer
sped away from him. She’d been stationary for a couple of days.
Perhaps it was time to find her.

Now that Haven
is lost.

He hoped he
would find Diarmuid with her. Then he considered what would happen
if he found her.

Where would
they go after that?

He almost
voiced that thought, but reserved it in front of Truitt, knowing
that the Lastborn would scarcely care.

Truitt scanned
what was left of the village. “I have no desire to linger here any
longer than necessary. This place makes me uneasy.”

It made
him
uneasy?

Truitt then
led Paine through the north end of Haven.

The two took
crept through the ruins, cautious of what may still be there. After
a few steps, Paine found hoof prints in the ashes, mixed with
oversized paw prints.

“
The same prints as last night, hundreds of them,” he
whispered. Fang growled as she sniffed at them.

Truitt nodded.
“Wolfen and demons.”

…
waiting….

“
But there are no bodies.”

“
They would have taken them back to a place of
sacrifice.”

“
Maybe we should look for them. We might find
them.”

The man shook
his head. “They eat them. Alive.”

The two
continued searching through the smoldering ruins. Paine’s nostrils
were flooded with the scent of scorched earth. More footprints
marred the ground, cascading from the north.

The two
continued through the mists to join most of the group that gathered
at the south end of Haven. Puck wandered with Two Moon along the
perimeter. He would pick up small items and clap when he found
something shiny.

Great Bear’s
shoulders sagged, but there was hope in his black eyes.

“
My people left signs, so we know they made it here. The
survivors have made for Lindhome through the southern pass.” He
shook his head. “I found a funeral pyre, still smoking. Many fell
here.”

Paine looked
at Great Bear. “So what do we do now?”

The towering
Haudenosaunee looked to the sky, towards two crows that had cast
their shadow upon him.

“
We follow the survivors.”

***

Ten miles
south of what remained of Haven, Paine chewed on a piece of dried
meat, thinking his saddle less tough. He might have offered it to
Fang, but she disappeared into the woods, as she often did of late.
It made the longing for his sister all the more painful. He needed
to rid himself of this curse. He couldn’t live the rest of his life
yearning for his sister. It was unnatural.

He put the
meat down, his appetite quelled. He was forcing himself to eat.
Along the way, they had found a small village that had been
pillaged and burned. Bodies had been staked upside-down to
makeshift crosses. The carcasses of dead animals littered the
ground, and the earth had been stained black and red with their
blood. Fresh skulls had been set upon spikes, the skin and flesh
gnawed from the bone, leaving only the hair.

Paine tossed
his food into the brush.

Who was he
kidding?

Great Bear
tended a fire before them, adding kindling to it.

“
I cannot help but wonder where the demons and wolfen came
from,” he said.

Two Moon spat
on the ground. With his hair pulled back in a braid, the firelight
glowed on his protruding forehead. “I say we hunt them down.”

Great Bear
said nothing, but simply looked at the wiry man.

“
We should avenge those that have fallen,” he continued,
pleading his case for revenge. It was not the first time he brought
it up since they had departed Haven.

Great Bear
shook his head. “We would stand no chance.”

Two Moon’s
face was still as the night. He said nothing and stalked away from
the fire.

Great Bear
spoke after a time, his voice soft as a summer breeze.

“
He is still angered over the loss of his parents. Two years
ago they were killed by wolfen. He has not forgiven himself for
failing to save them.”

Nods from some
of the other Haudenosaunee passed around the circle. Great Bear
placed a log on the fire.

“
I am troubled by the Confederation. We heard rumors of their
plans to attack Haven, so what happened to their army? I did not
see signs of them in Haven.”

One of the
women of Lindhome looked up from where she sat — Nissamin. She was
a rather muscular woman with hair the color of autumn wheat. She
was Nymph, but almost looked Lastborn with her iron gaze and
powerful hands. It was obvious she hated her heritage and preferred
to be of another.

She tossed
about some odd stones with runes. “A shadow has curtained my heart.
I fear some ill has befallen Lindhome.”

Truitt said
nothing, though others of his kind nodded their agreement.

For the
remainder of the evening all were silent, wrapped in their
individual thoughts as the fire dwindled to embers.

As the night
grew chill, sleep took the group, except for Paine, who lay gazing
at the whiteness of the half moon and wondered about his sister. He
heard a slight stirring and thought Fang had returned, but found
Puck sitting awake, close to the woods.

Paine rose and
tiptoed around the sleeping bodies that lay about the camp. He
approached Puck and found him toying with a small black orb. It
dangled on a dirtied chain.

Puck did not
turn as he approached.

“
Paine, no sleep?” he asked, and hung the amulet around his
neck, placing it beneath his shirt.

“
No. I cannot sleep well without Fang. You?”

“
No … there are … demons.”

“
What is that around your neck?”

Puck stared
off into the woods. “My mother's. She is d-d-dead now.”

“
I'm sorry.”

Puck remained
silent.

Paine looked
around, and noticed something was awry. “Where's Two Moon?”

Puck shrugged.
“He go with … horse. I see him.”

“
Where would he go?”

“
He kill w-w-wolfen now.” Puck lowered his head. “My family …
killed too, by … demons. I … kill them all, like T-T-Two
Moon.”

“
Killing the demons or the wolfen will not bring your family
back.”

Paine
regretted the words the moment they slipped off his tongue.

Puck turned
his back to him. “I … be alone now.”

Paine
swallowed the lump in his throat. He wanted to apologize, but
withheld.

What good
would it do?

Instead he
crept back to his blanket, pulled it around him, and fell into a
sleep filled with nightmares in which he pined for demon
lovers.