FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Hejira: Crystalline Hall

By Mantrid Brizon

Episode 16: A Deal With The She-Wolf

Sleeping in the following morning, Gareth, Kahlera an Naomi all awaken, sore and exhausted from their ordeal with The Fallen. They eat a quick and simple breakfast of wild berries and deer jerky before striking camp and making their way down the road. They hike slowly, struggling to find the energy. They just want to rest, and take another day to recover. They manage to walk a few more miles down the road, before they have had enough. It’s only mid-day, but they can’t go on any longer.

Kahlera takes a moment to walk the parameter of the camp while Naomi steps just behind a tree, to relieve herself. Gareth sits on a log, his back facing the south. He sets his forearms along his thighs and leans over, staring at the ground. His hair falls past his shoulders and sways in the gentle breeze. He mentally calculates their distance from the village, briefly wondering if he has the strength to make it the rest of the way; the village is easily over two week’s hard walk. All of his muscles perpetually burn, while the blisters on his feet are quickly callusing over, his flesh becoming as rigid as the soles of his boots.

He hears a noise behind him; grass shuffles and a twig snaps. Knowing that Kahlera is walking around the camp, he assumes that it is simply her returning. He doesn’t get up or move, but stares down at the ground. A hand gently strokes his back, making him shiver. He enjoys the sensation, and impulsively sits upright. Suddenly, it rests on his shoulder. He turns to look and sees that it isn’t Kahlera’s. The hand is covered in black fur with white fingers, and tipped with black claws. He shoots up and turns around to see that the hand belongs to Sarvah, who stands right behind him. Several of her guards wait a distance away.

“Sarvah…” He sighs in relief. “You scared the hell out of me.” He chuckles.

“Did you miss me?” She asks with a wide grin.

“Perhaps.” He smiles. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

“Well I was just in the area, and thought I would drop by.” She winks. After a short pause, she continues. “Well, I may have been the slightest bit worried about you… A-And your friends! We picked up our pace when we found that sea of bodies you left behind. I am impressed.”

“Oh, well… It was nothing.” He smirks, jokingly looks over his fingernails.

She giggles and steps closer.

“You know, if you had stayed to the left like I told you too, you probably never would have fought them.” She adds.

“And do things the easy way?!” He chuckles.

“I missed that…” She happily sighs.

“Missed what?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Your sense of humor is refreshing… Besides, I have never been this far north! There could be quite the market for our goods and skills, and I never turn away from business.” She continues.

“Very wise.” He nods.

“Well, the area is clear.” Kahlera speaks up, exiting the woods from the west.

She stops in her tracks at the mere sight of Sarvah. She clenches a fist, glaring at her.

“What are you doing here?” Kahlera demands.

“I was just passing through, and thought I would steal your mate away from you.” Sarvah facetiously answers.

“I would like to see you try.” Kahlera growls, stepping up to her.

“Woah. She was only joking!” Gareth interjects, placing his hands on Kahlera’s shoulders.

She turns her head to look at him, smiling faintly, and placing her hands over his. Naomi appears from behind the tree, to see what is going on. She casually approaches Sarvah.

“It’s very good to see you here.” Naomi says as she extends a hand to her.

“I hope you washed that.” Sarvah smirks.

Naomi lowers her hand. Kahlera and Sarvah glare at each other, while Gareth stands between them. The tension builds, surrounding the three like a dense fog. The silence is deafening.

“Sarvah is heading north towards your village.” Gareth begins, his voice cutting through the still air.

“What?” Kahlera looks to him.

“I think we should travel together…” He continues.

“Excuse me?!” She exclaims in shock.

“It would be beneficial to both parties.” Naomi adds.

“We have been doing fine on our own. We do not need her help.” Kahlera grumbles.

Gareth steps closer to his lover and wraps his arms around her, giving her a gentle embrace.

“Yes, we do. We have a long way to go still. It’s safer to travel in numbers, and we can help each other.” He says softly into her ear.

Kahlera rests her hands on his back and holds him tightly, gripping onto his brown leather vest.

“I do not like her…” She quietly admits.

“I know, but we need her help, and she isn’t coming between us.” Gareth replies.

Sarvah’s expression becomes solemn as Gareth speaks. She turns away, walking slowly back to her guards. Naomi watches her curiously. Kahlera silently nods in agreement with Gareth. He releases her and turns back to Sarvah.

“Wait!” He calls out, rushing up to her.

Sarvah slowly turns back, her icy blue eyes glancing towards him. He smiles pleasantly at her and raises a fist, jutting out his thumb as he points it towards the road.

“I believe you’re going my way.” He jests.

“Good, but there are a few rules.” Sarvah begins.

“And what would those be?” Naomi asks.

“Shoes off in the house, wash your hands before dinner, and be home before dark?” Gareth guesses.

Sarvah laughs, and a smile crosses her lips.

“Something like that.” She replies.

She steps away from Gareth, gliding her black claws over his chest, gently scratching his orange t-shirt. She walks up to Naomi and gently pats her on the shoulder, then passes by her as well. She steps up to Kahlera, who glares apprehensively at the she-wolf. They stare at each other for a brief but tense moment.

“Play nice, and do not get in the way…” Sarvah quietly warns Kahlera.

“The same applies to you.” Kahlera adds with a nod.

“Well, I cannot guarantee I will play nice, but I will not interfere with your relationship. You will lose that on your own time.” Sarvah smirks.

She mockingly blows a kiss to Kahlera.

“Oh, and I believe you will need more arrows! I will take care of that.” Sarvah winks.

She turns away from Kahlera and walks back toward Gareth, who stands near her guards. Gareth, Kahlera, Naomi, Sarvah and her guards sit and wait, resting for an hour while the remainder of the Feather Finger’s catch up to them. Gareth sits beside Kahlera and watches the tribe marching down the road in the distance. Naomi sits off to the side, her back against a tree. She looks over at the couple, then notices Sarvah in the corner of her eye. Having shoed away her guards, she stands alone and leans against a tree. Sarvah watches the pair intently, from a distance.

A guard watches the tribe approaching and raises a hand over his eyes, shielding them from the sun. He strains to see the tribe in the distance. He stands about five feet and six inches tall, with a toned build and covered in light brown fur with splotches of black, seemingly added at random. He has short cut chocolate brown hair that hangs just over his jade green eyes, and has a canine appearance. Something about this Sahvorai reminds Gareth of Leon from Resident Evil 2.

Standing up, Gareth leaves Kahlera’s side. He approaches the guard and takes out his binoculars from his belt pouch. He stands beside the man for a moment, then passes his binoculars to him. The guard looks through the binoculars and seems quite impressed.

“Hm… This is considerably easier to use than a typical telescope.” He comments, passing the binoculars back to Gareth.

“I didn’t know that you had any telescopes here.” Gareth replies.

“There are a lot of things that you do not know about this place.” The man retorts.

“This is true… SO! … I’m Gareth.” He says, extending a hand.

The man looks at him, and then down at his hand. After a short pause, he reaches out, grabbing his forearm in an archaic handshake.

“I know… I am Volaren.” He answers.

“You’ve heard of me?” Gareth chuckles.

“Of course. All of the Feather Fingers know who you are.” Volaren replies.

“Well shit… I’m famous. Who would have thought…” Gareth smirks.

Volaren motions for Gareth to follow, as he begins walking down the road. Gareth places his binoculars into the pouch and rushes to catch up, slowed considerably by his sore muscles and aching feet. They walk in silence for a moment as they approach the others. Volaren seems to look over to Gareth often. His expression somewhere between suspicious and disdainful.

“If you have something to say to me, you might as well say it, before we have an audience.” Gareth suddenly speaks.

A surprised Volaren bows his head.

“Fine. I do not trust you, or your intentions.” He begins.

“Pardon?” Gareth snickers.

“You have a considerable power over my leader; I have never seen it before. When you arrived, she took to you like a fish to water, and when you and your females left, she was truly upset. She packed up the tribe and lead us north without warning, the very next day. I have no doubt who was on her mind when she made such a decision.” Volaren continues.

“Naomi does that to people.” Gareth jests.

“Don’t play dumb!” Volaren growls, unamused by the joke.

“Sarvah cares about her tribe. She saw a market in the north, and took the opportunity to enrich her people. That has nothing to do with me.” Gareth explains.

“Do not be coy. It is obvious that she desires you.” Volaren snarls.

“Her interest in me seems purely physical. Leading a tribe on a dangerous trip north, over a male you want to have sex with seems extreme. Why even concern yourself with the reasons? Sarvah is in charge. Her intentions don’t need to be voiced to all of her people; whatever they were, they must have been valid. Don’t pretend to understand her mind. You’re just a soldier.” Gareth scoffs.

“That may be, but I have traveled with the Feather Fingers for two years, and I have never seen Sarvah treat a male the way that she has treated you. Never has one been allowed inside of her yurt without a guard present, and only to discuss business. In my time with the Feather Fingers, I have never overheard her mating with anyone, and I guard her yurt often.” Volaren explains.

“Really? … That’s… Very hard to believe…” Gareth admits.

“It is, is it not?” Volaren nods.

“I assumed that she was regularly with males.” Gareth adds.

“And yet she is not.” Volaren mutters.

“Someone sounds disappointed…”

“It isn’t as though we haven’t tried, but she is a fearsome female.” Volaren comments.

“No means no.” Gareth murmurs, a little grin on his face.

Gareth looks back to see that Kahlera, Naomi, Sarvah and the remaining guards are following them, a distance behind the two men.

“Still, to claim that I am the sole reason she is taking you north sounds ridiculous to me.” Gareth sighs.

“Perhaps there is more to it than the simple desire to mate with you? If she only wanted to experience a human male, she easily could, without risking her tribe on a dangerous and long journey to the northern lands.” Volaren poses.

“She has only known me for a few days. That’s hardly enough time to fall in love with someone.” Gareth laughs.

“That is not necessarily true, but perhaps it is merely the potential that she is pursuing. Remember that lives are much longer here, and investing your time means considerably more. Regardless, if you hurt her, I will not hesitate to kill you in your sleep. It is nothing personal, but I am loyal to Sarvah, and she takes care of all of us. The Feather Fingers need her.” Volaren warns him.

“Understandable and agreeable.” Gareth humbly nods.

“Good…”

Gareth and Volaren approach the convoy. Volaren orders the group to stop. Men, women and children begin collecting the poles and cloth fragments from the back of wooden carts, which are pulled by oxen. They swiftly begin preparing their camp, setting it up in a nearly identical format as before and building it directly over the road. Gareth is amazed by how quickly they can establish their nomadic village. By the time that the others have reached the growing campsite, half of the yurts framework have been placed; two women are building a large fire in the center of the village.

As the afternoon approaches, the villagers prepare a considerable feast. That evening everyone joins in, feasting around the large campfire in the center of the village. Many of the villagers talk and laugh amongst themselves. Gareth, Kahlera and Naomi sit near Sarvah and her personal guard, which includes Volaren. Sarvah keeps close to Naomi, who is between her and Gareth, while Kahlera is on his other side. Gareth looks over to see that Volaren is glaring at him.

After an awkward dinner, the three travelers retire to the same storage yurt that Sarvah had allowed them to use previously. Volaren escorts them himself. Kahlera and Gareth cuddle together as they prepare to sleep.

“We were better off on our own…” Kahlera suddenly speaks.

“Is it really so bad traveling with others?” Gareth asks her.

“It is not traveling with others. It is traveling with her… I do not trust that conniving wolf.” She answers.

“You don’t have enough faith in people.” He says, kissing her tenderly on her cheek.

“Perhaps you have too much…” She poses.

They snuggle together as she presses her back against his bare chest. His hand strokes her side, and she purrs. She turns back, looking over her shoulder. He pecks her cheek and winks at her. She rolls over to face him, kissing him passionately. Naomi sits up and sighs. Gareth and Kahlera pause, as they turn to look back to Naomi.

“Should I leave?” Naomi grumbles in frustration.

“I’m sorry. We’ll behave.” He replies.

Naomi gets up from her sleeping bag, stepping out of the yurt anyway.

“Do you think she will be back soon?” Kahlera asks him.

He shrugs his shoulders. She reaches up, places a hand on his cheek, and pulls him back down to her. Naomi walks away from the yurt and sits down on a crate about twenty meters away. She turns to look at the night sky, and is startled by the sight of Sarvah. Sitting near a crate, which has blocked Naomi’s view of her as she approached, Sarvah glances to the teenage girl. Naomi begins to speak, but Sarvah slowly brings a single finger to her lips, shushing her. They sit in silence for a moment as Sarvah leans back against the crate, her eyes closed. After nearly twenty minutes, she opens her eyes and looks to Naomi.

“You can go back now.” Sarvah says to her as she stands.

Naomi stands up and looks back at the yurt. Was Sarvah listening to Gareth and Kahlera having sex? She slowly walks back to the yurt, cautiously entering. Looking inside, she sees Gareth holding Kahlera from behind, his face buried between her shoulder blades as he sleeps. Kahlera is also asleep, her arms resting over Gareth’s, a smile spread across her face. Kahlera’s fur seems matted with both hers’ and Gareth’s sweat. A strange smell fills the tent, a mixture of sweat, musk and a very faint hint of chlorine. Naomi rolls her eyes, then climbs back into her sleeping bag for the night.

Waking the next morning, Naomi opens her eyes as Kahlera places a meal of cooked venison, shredded lettuce, and bread near her head. Naomi sits up and looks at the food, then back to Kahlera. Kahlera smiles at her, gently brushing a strand of hair from Naomi’s face. Naomi smiles back; Kahlera’s presence is strangely comforting. She is quickly growing attached to her.

“Eat. We will be leaving soon. They are already packing up the camp.” Kahlera says softly.

“Okay.” Naomi rubs her eyelids.

Kahlera pats Naomi’s shoulder softly. She moves across the yurt, where she continues packing their supplies. Outside, Gareth stands with Volaren, helping him load wooden crates onto the oxen driven carts. Sarvah approaches the two.

“Hello, Gareth.” She says with a smile.

“Hi again, Sarvah.” Gareth says with a wave.

She merely nods to Volaren. He stands there for a moment, which seems to irritate her. She glares at him; he seems puzzled, as though he lacks direction.

“Go… Busy yourself!” She coldly snaps.

She waves a hand, as though shooing away a fly. Volaren steps away from them. Gareth is stunned by her exceptionally rude treatment of her loyal soldiers. It causes him hesitation. She turns her eyes to him and stares, a little grin on her face.

“Uh… You know… You don’t need to say the whole name. I don’t really like it anyway.” He adds.

“What should I call you then?” Sarvah asks, genuinely curious.

“Gare! We are almost ready.” Kahlera calls out from the yurt, before stepping outside.

“That works.” He says, tilting his head toward Kahlera.

“Alright then.” Sarvah nods.

“Well… What a pleasant surprise…” Kahlera sarcastically remarks. “Why is it that whenever I look for my lover, you are around?” She asks as she approaches the pair.

“It is nice to see you too.” Sarvah grins sinisterly. “Have a pleasant sleep?”

“I would, if we had done much sleeping last night. I am actually still quite sore.” Kahlera taunts her with an equally malevolent smile.

The two women glare at each other for a moment. Gareth looks nervously between them before loudly clearing his throat.

“So, what’s the plan for today?!” He asks, interrupting their staring match.

“We will move on and try to cover ten miles or so.” Sarvah answers.

“Oh good… More walking… My favorite!” Gareth exclaims, rubbing his hands together.

Sarvah laughs at his droll candor.

“I will take it slow…” Sarvah begins, in a tender and sincere voice. “For both of your sakes.” She glances at Kahlera.

Sarvah turns and leaves, waving her fingers at the couple as she rounds a corner of another Yurt. Kahlera sighs in frustration. Gareth turns to her and gives her a hug, gently stroking her back to comfort her. She rests her hands on his shoulders and quickly calms down, nuzzling his face with her short snout. Naomi appears from the yurt, burping loudly. Gareth chuckles, and the three quickly dismantle it, packing away the fabric and poles.

Within an hour of awakening, Naomi looks at the now completely disassembled camp. Sarvah takes the lead, setting the pace as she walks. Her guards flank her in a wedge formation, as Gareth and the girls walk just behind them. They move rather slowly, which everyone notices. Volaren falls back from his position and walks close to Gareth.

“This is entirely your doing.” Volaren whispers to Gareth.

He glares at Gareth for a moment, then hastens his pace, reentering the formation.

“What did he have to say?” Kahlera asks Gareth.

“He’s just being an ass hole. I guess not everyone will like me.” Gareth sighs.

As he smiles at his lover, he looks back at the gentle pace of the tribe behind them. He looks ahead and watches Sarvah as she walks slowly and casually, as if deep in thought. Perhaps he simply didn’t want to see it, but it’s becoming readily apparent; everything he says to her has a genuine effect on Sarvah’s decisions. He immediately feels terrible for the position that the Feather Fingers have been placed in, a direct result of his interactions with Sarvah. He sighs, rubbing his brow with his fingers. Kahlera looks to him, noting his solemn expression.

“Are you alright?” She asks him.

“Yeah… Everything is going to be just fine. It’s just a light headache.” He answers.