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The Resurrection of Eric – Chapter Two

© Jake Atkinson

P.O.V. - Cim'teran

“See'adrine has fallen!" exclaimed Cer'adra as she quickened her pace. “First the rift, and now this! What could be happening?!"

We crested the ridge and I raised a forepaw to shade my eyes, scanning the valley below. “There's someone moving beside See'adrine. And I see two Cougars on the far side of the valley heading in their direction."

“Do you see any signs of a fire?" asked Cer'adra, her squinty gaze aimed downward.

“No," I replied, scrambling down the slope. “But we should hurry. The person beside the tree is moving strangely, he may be hurt."

We made rapid progress as we descended into the valley and arrived near the fallen tree in short order.

“Powerful magic has been at play here, and yet I see only the lone male Wolf." mentioned Cer'adra as we grew close. “Do your sharper eyes see more than mine?"

I shook my head. “No, but perhaps he can help us understand what has happened."

By the time we arrived, the Cats were already attempting to assist. Garen was squatting nearby and Teeuh attempting to lay her hands upon the Wolf. However, he appeared to be lost in a delusion. He was completely naked, except for the countless runes dyed into his fur, and he spoke in tight bursts of pure gibberish. To make matters even more complicated, a barrier spell was preventing Teeuh from helping him.

“What's going on?" I asked as Cer'adra pulled up beside me.

“We've only just arrived." replied Teeuh, still focusing on the Wolf. “But he's clearly frightened and, as impossible as it seems, he's generating a repulsive field that flares dangerously when we get too close. I have been unable to touch him." She turned her attention to us. “I thought I knew everyone in your clan, but he is unfamiliar to me." With anxiety rising in her voice, she whispered, “Are his words those of the Water People?"

Cer'adra approached cautiously. “I do not know him, but I recognize some of the runes. And be at ease, his words are not those of the Water People. As for this barrier..." she said, reaching towards it cautiously. “It must be a protective spell that a priestess cast upon him, one directed by his emotions. I think it will fade if we can calm him."

The young Wolf appeared to be in his late teens or possibly early twenties, and while he looked as if he belonged in our clan, something seemed off about his features that I couldn't quite place. “Cer'adra, do you remember the drawings of our ancestors? Do not his features remind you of them? The curve of his ears, the color patterns in his fur, they are reminiscent of our grandparent's grandparents."

“Yes, you're right!" Cer'adra confirmed. “And these runes, I've seen them before but I cannot remember from which goddess or god they hail. We should bring the Elders from both of our clans at once."

Garen spoke up. “Cim'teran, he seemed to calm at the sound of your voice. Perhaps you should stay while I summon our Elders?"

Teeuh chimed in. “I can reach our Elders with a singcall. But perhaps you could run to the Wolf clan's home to fetch their's. That way Cer'adra and Cim'teran can stay here to help their brother and tend to See'adrine."

We agreed and Garen took off running. “I must hike to the top of the ridge to perform the singcall." commented Teeuh. “But I shall return as quickly as possible."

“Thank you Teeuh." I responded in quiet tones. “But please approach softly when you do."

She nodded knowingly and turned to begin her ascent, leaving us alone with our visitor and See'adrine's fallen form.

“Cim'teran, until his barrier goes down there is little we can do. Please see if you can reassure him while I tend to See'adrine."

I nodded and looked at the foreign yet familiar Wolf with hesitation, unsure how to accomplish my task.

He was panting heavily and, for some reason, his eyes were closed. But the scent of blood was only faint and he appeared unharmed, minus scrapes to his knees and palm-pads. “Hey there," I said in hushed tones. “You'll be alright now. I have water. Let me near so we may share it."

His ears lifted and his panting slowed, however any hopes for the progress I thought we were making quickly shattered as a concussive force blasted forth from above his head. Although only visible as a distorted column of pressurized air expanding and instantly collapsing, the resultant boom knocked me flat on my back and left my ears ringing.

“By the goddess of Tum'alea!" cried Cer'adra as she ran to my side. “What happened?!"

Shaking my head vigorously, I sat up and replied, “I just offered him some water, and for a moment his fear ceased, then... boom."

Our attention returned to our brother and it was then that we realized he too had been knocked flat, only he wasn't moving.

P.O.V. - Cer'in

My heart pounding with previously repressed fear, my dreams shifted into fathomless shadows. Blind and lost in a foreign world, my imagination brought up mental images of everything that was hiding just beyond my sight. But as those terrors manifested, the more logical aspects of my consciousness awakened. It was then that I realized that if my mind's eye could still see horrors, then so too could it see light. With the power of this revelation, I burst through my fears and found myself fully conscious, yet dreaming; and I wasn't alone.

Although the female Cougar was shocked at first, she adapted quickly and a wordless exchange began between us. Concepts blended with images and emotions, and she reached for my mind, asking to share my language, but I resisted. Feeling the lightness of her being, I yearned to protect her from the darkness that haunted my soul. So instead I offered to learn her words, as I had learned so many others. A moment's doubt brought hesitation, but my confidence helped her past it, and the language of her people became a part of me.

My perception of reality shifted, the words of my thoughts feeling foreign, yet native. And, while the result was disconcerting, it was familiar. The experience was similar to the times I had used my deviance to assimilate the countless languages of my old world, and I knew the disorientation would pass.

A gentle humming brought my attention back to the unexpected companion sharing my lucid dream, whose name I now knew to be Keo. Her quiet song lulled my overactive mind and, despite my protests, a peaceful sleep overcame me.

…

Warm fur and a comforting, masculine scent guided my dreams until a gentle stroking at my shoulder pulled me begrudgingly back to reality. As I awoke, memories of recent events returned to my mind in a rush and I sat up with start.

“Be calm, you are safe."

The words carried a strange texture that accentuated the rising anxiety already brought on by my still useless vision, but I distanced myself from it with well-worn practice and cleared my throat. “Thank you." I rasped coarsely. “I uh, I'm still finding your words a little foreign. Please forgive my clumsiness with them."

“You are doing exceptionally well Cer'in." came the same voice, that of an older female. “No doubt they have changed through the generations, but fundamentally, they are still a part of your soul."

Crap, they must think I'm whoever it was that used to live in this body. Logical enough I suppose, but now what? Having no idea who the person was, I doubt I could fake it for long. And betraying their trust would only lead to complications. Being blind, it's not like I could easily run off if relations go sour.

My dry mouth made it hard to talk. “I hesitate to ask, but may I have some water?"

Two voices spoke almost at once. “Of course!" “At once!"

The latter voice was that of the female, whom I was starting to suspect was the origin of the Feline scent lingering amongst the Canine ones. But the former one was familiar too. It's deep, resonant tones carried a strong yet gentle timbre that took me a moment to place. He must have been the one that spoke to me right before I blew that meditative technique! Guess that's one way to calm down, I knocked myself out!

Moments later, a hand grasped mine and a bowl was pressed into it. As the smell of the water reached my nostrils, my thirst hastened my movements and I overshot the mark, sucking water through my nose. Coughing and sputtering embarrassingly, I managed to laugh at myself. “Excuse me. Guess it's kind of obvious I'm blind huh?" I asked rhetorically. “Hey uh, just so there's no misunderstanding, my name isn't Sair-in. It's Eric."

An awkward silence hung in the darkness surrounding me, leaving me to imagine an exchange of worried glances.

Then a hand patted unexpectedly at my ankle, causing me to reflexively jump. “It is understandable that you would be confused Cer'in. To be living so happily in Tum'alea, only to be called back after all this time. It would be a shock for anyone."

Hmm, I wonder how hard I should press the issue? Maybe it will go better if I simply maintain my insistence that I am Eric while, at the same time, allowing them to think I'm delusional. At least that way, if they ever do become convinced I'm really not Cer'in, they'll know that I wasn't trying to mislead them.

“Perhaps that is so." I replied cautiously. “But I think of myself as Eric and I do not remember this place. I am from a world of computers and jets and radio! Your language does not even have the words to properly describe these things."

The hand on my ankle gently squeezed, the Cougar replying, “Do not worry. We can but imagine the wonders of Tum'alea, and that is how it should be. It is only natural to forget one's mortal self in such surroundings! Now please, do not speak of Tum'alea's secrets again. They are not meant for this world."

Unsure what to say, I rubbed the fur on my face and tried to take in my surroundings. I've always heard about how blind people could use their other senses to overcome their limitations, but right now that sounds like a load of crap! There's too many scents to sort out! And it seems cooler, but so what? It might be nighttime, or I could be underground. It does smell kind of like dirt...

Interrupting my thoughts, she continued. “When Kin'ara and Cim'ara return, they may be better with such matters. Being a Cougar, my mind magic is more limited when dealing with a Wolf such as yourself. Although, I am happily surprised that I was able to share our language with you. Such a thing would normally be a challenge with another Cougar, let alone someone of another species."

“Oh," I replied, my suspicions confirmed. “Then you're the person from my lucid dream. Keo, right?"

“Yes," she said. “That you remember our first encounter amazes me. It is rare to meet someone so adept in the dream realm, let alone a male."

Her sexist statement elicited mild laughter, the mix of voices giving me a rough idea of how many people were crowded around. “Uh, yeah." I grumbled, feeling rather put off by the comment. “Anyway, setting all that aside, perhaps we could focus on the present. I'm used to being self-sufficient, but under the circumstances I regret that I may need some direction, if not outright assistance. Would it be alright for me to take a bath? There's a rather potent smell to my fur that I'd really like to wash out."

The male voice from earlier whispered to a nearby companion. “I knew we should have bathed him."

I heard a grunt and imagined him being elbowed by someone nearby, after which he raised his voice. “Yes, the stream is not far from here. And that smell is mainly from the dye that Cim'ara and Kin'ara used to write the summoning runes into your fur. It's a mix of special stones ground into dust; along with vinegar, dried berries and urine."

My nose wrinkled at the realization. Ugh, I was better off thinking it was fermented limes! “I uh, don't mean to be disrespectful of their efforts. It's just that I kind of have a thing about being clean. And that reminds me, thank you. I realize that many people have worked hard on my behalf. Your efforts are really appreciated."

Unexpectedly, my gratitude seemed to offend them. “You were in need, of course we would help." Keo replied tightly.

An unfamiliar female whispered, “Maybe he confuses us with Water People."

Mumblings of assent echoed throughout the group. “Do not worry. You are not among Water People." said the familiar male voice as a hand pulled at my arm. “Come, it is late in the day to bathe, but you can dry beside the cooking fire."

“Cim'teran, you seem anxious to see Cer'in naked again." teased a husky female voice.

“Pay Cer'adra no mind." said Cim'teran, a hint of embarrassment in his tone. “We should get started before it gets too late. The water will be cold enough as it is."

Cim'teran led me by the arm up a short incline, confirming that we had, indeed, been underground. As we emerged out onto the desert floor, a dry wind rustled my fur, carrying the scents and sounds of the world around me. Heat rose from the rocks and sand, as opposed to down from the sun, leaving me with the impression that it was early evening. And children's voices drew down to whispers as I caught their attention, making me suddenly self-conscious. It was then that I realized I was wearing nothing more than sandals and some sort of wrap around my waist. Judging by the length of the light-weight fabric brushing against my legs, I imagined it as something akin to a kilt, like the ancient Egyptians used to wear.

Distracted by all these things, I stumbled, causing Cim'teran's grip to tighten and unexpected hands to grab at my other arm.

Geez, this is mortifying! The whole clan must be staring at me! This would all be so much easier if I could see! And to think, back home my sight could be fixed with a relatively simple surgical procedure. I guess I shouldn't be so negative. I'm lucky to be alive, and maybe there'll be others in this world who can do more than these people. I scolded myself for losing track of the moment and refocused. Ok, enough of that, back to the present.

“I uh, don't mean to be such a burden." I offered in an apologetic tone. “The odor in my fur isn't so strong now that we're outside. Why don't we just..."

Cim'teran interrupted. “If it were my fur that smelled that way, I would want a bath as well. Besides, we're here."

He grabbed me by the shoulders and turned me. “There's a boulder behind you. Sit and remove your sandals, the water is only a step away."

The muted sound of running water lead me to believe the stream was little more than a shallow trickle, but I had done enough hiking in my younger days to know how to make due under such circumstances. I tentatively took a seat on the proffered rock and began to fumble with the unfamiliar knots securing the sandals to my hind-paws.

“I can manage from here." I said confidently. “And I'm sure there are other tasks that need doing, please don't let me sidetrack you."

Voices mumbled uncertainly and I feared I had offended them again. “I mean uh, it's just that I'm not used to all this attention."

A deep, yet feminine, Lupine voice responded. “We will not see anything that we have not already seen. And you cannot possibly scrub the dye out of the fur on your back by yourself. Let us get this done so we can share stories and food around the fire. We have many questions!"

“Heh, I thought you sounded familiar." I replied, finally freeing the first sandal. “And I guess you already know my name, but what should I call you?"

Apparently too impatient to wait for me to undo the second sandal, she grabbed my ankle and set to work undoing the lacing. “My name is Cer'adra."

“Not that I don't appreciate the help," I commented, trying to keep my ire in check. “But when people touch me unexpectedly like that, it's rather disconcerting. Would you mind asking beforehand?"

There was a marked pause in Cer'adra's efforts. “Why are you so jumpy? It is obvious you are among family. No one here would ever mean you harm."

“It's not that I don't trust you." I replied, my ears lowered. “I uh, just have some reflexes I need to adjust."

My hindpaws finally free, I started working on the belt holding up the wrap around my waist, apparently testing Cer'adra's patience.

“Oh here!" she declared, grabbing brusquely at my waistband. “We're all waiting for you and you're fumbling around like a child!"

“Well I'm glad we had that little talk." I grumbled sarcastically in English. “Seriously, if you keep grabbing me like that it's only a matter of time before I grab you back."

Woah, where'd that come from?! I usually don't get worked up so fast, must be because I'm hungry.

She growled and yanked my belt free. “To talk in such a manner! See'adrine is dead! Have you no respect, no respect at all?!"

Hands punched at my shoulders and I fell backwards over the boulder.

P.O.V. - Cim'teran

“Cer'adra!" I cried, throwing my arms around her. “Stop! Your grief clouds your mind!"

Suddenly weak, she crumpled within my grasp, sobbing uncontrollably.

“She's dead!" she blurted out between sobs. “For generations she has watched over this land! But now, in a careless instant, she's dead!"

I hugged her to my chest, rubbing my cheek ruff against hers. “We have lost a great soul, and yet we have gained another. Such is the balance of the universe."

Shuddering with the effort, she reigned in the darkness overwhelming her soul. “I'm sorry." she said, her voice shaking. “Goddess forgive me. I am sorry Cer'in, I have done a horrible thing." She pulled away from me. “I must speak with an elder. Please, excuse me."

Although I yearned to comfort her, I let Cer'adra go and turned my attention to Cer'in. He was standing naked in the stream, his unseeing eyes open for the first time since he arrived. “Cer'in," I said, stepping into the ankle-deep current. “Please forgive Cer'adra's actions. Grief can make people do strange things."

He took a slow breath and nodded. “I'm sorry to hear of your loss. I'm not sure what I can do to ease her pain but, if nothing else, I can certainly find the empathy to forgive her." He sat down in the water and unceremoniously began rubbing handfuls of sand into his fur. “I can handle myself from here. Perhaps you would like to go comfort her?"

“Do not worry." I said, perhaps trying to convince myself more than him. “I am sure she is already in good company." Kneeling behind him, I scooped up sand from the streambed. “This will scrub most of the scent away, but the dye may take time to fade. Personally, I find the designs lend you a unique air. Even though I barely know you, they somehow seem fitting." Remembering his dislike for unexpected contact, I remembered to ask. “Is it alright if I scrub your back now?"

He stiffened, but acquiesced. “Thank you. I'm sure it'll turn out better than if I roll around on my back like a feral." His ears perked and, for the first time, I caught a hint of a closed-mouth smile. “Hey uh, I don't mean to make light of the situation, it's just that I spend most of my time alone and emotions and I have a rather distant relationship. She seems very connected to her feelings, and I imagine that makes times like these all the more painful. I don't mean any disrespect."

I swiveled an ear down, confused by his behavior. His manner is so different! To be so sensitive that he winces at the slightest touch, and yet to be so calloused about the passing of See'adrine. P __erhaps I judge too quickly though_ , it would seem he remembers nothing of his life among us, including the_ Valley Guardian. It is so tempting to ask him about what happened there, but I should wait so that we may all hear the story as one. It would not be fair of me to hear it first.

As my mind wandered, so did my forepaws. And it was then that I realized my ministrations had brought the focus of my efforts around to his chest. Even though he had the thinner frame and shorter stature of someone younger, the definition of his toned muscles gave away the fact that he was about twenty years old, only a few years younger than myself.

“Woah, hey!" he suddenly blurted out, pulling away from me. “I think I can manage the rest."

Bewildered, I stood and stepped back. “Did I hurt you? I thought we had healed your injuries."

P.O.V. - Cer'in

Been a long time since someone grabbed my sheath! Hmm, he didn't seem to be coming on to me so either their culture has different standards about such things, or he just wasn't paying attention. Dang, I'm actually getting a hard-on! Really, now?!

I pulled my knees to my chest and made a show of scrubbing the fur on the underside of my thighs. “Uh no, I'm alright. In fact, now that you mention it, I could have sworn I had skinned knees." My heart skipped a beat.

Dang how long was I out?! They weren't that scraped up, but there's nothing there now except dried blood. “How much time has passed since you found me next to that fallen tree?"