71. A Weapon at the Ready

The next morning, I arrived early at the Hunter’s Lodge, but Inleio was at his desk instead of training a hunter. He must’ve seen the disappointment on my face.

“The day after a hunt is a good day to rest,” he said, “but it’s also good to be young and hungry.” He grabbed his spear, and we headed out back.

Inleio was right about the need for occasional rest to reflect and recover, so we took it easy. The exercise was more intellectual than physical; moving through the forms slowly and asking questions along the way.

The depth of his knowledge astounded me, but then, he’d been a hunter for a long time. He survived over fifty darkest days and twelve hundred organized hunts. And there was no counting how much time he’d spent in the woods to provide for his Family and the village.

Inleio was a man who tackled the tasks given to him with humility, dedication, and passion. I respected that. People like him were gold. I’d run into a few in my previous life--carpenters, film makers, chefs, and even a couple of baristas. They didn’t always show up in the most obvious places, but I counted myself blessed when they did. Honestly, some days I was just grateful for practical competence.

Inleio was more than competent. The spear was part of his heart, and I’d be a fool not to learn as much as I could from him.

Over the next couple of hours, hunters rolled through the lodge. Some came to care for their equipment, others to sit in the morning sun and gossip about the previous days’ events. A few even helped with the training to show how they’d adapted the spear forms for their own use.

I listened to them too. Everyone had something to teach. Their way of doing things may not have been a perfect fit for me, but I almost always learned something. Even if it was only the realization that their way was not my way.

Eventually, Inleio had to go back to his tallies, so I ran errands around the lodge until Mumu and Tegen showed up. Tegen was there to supervise me butchering the blynx. Mumu came along, because she was bored.

Don’t think that I didn’t catch Tegen rolling his eyes when she said so.

Anyway, what followed was a careful dissection of the blynx body. I examined every organ and every bone. The teeth and the claws. The places where the dantian were, as well as the collapsed meridians.

Fortunately, my teammates found it amusing, humoring my attempt to learn how the blynx blinked. Apparently, it’s something every apprentice with an affinity for qi or mana did; not necessarily with the blynx, but there was always some animal with an ability that caught a hunter’s eye.

The lodge encouraged them. The first qi and mana spells came from these kinds of efforts.

“So there’s no Blink spell in the lodge’s library?” I asked.

Tegen sighed. “If only there were. Every hunter able to learn it would. Such a spell would have great utility. Alas, advanced spells can require both qi and mana. Body power too, especially in animals. That’s why it’s sometimes impossible to work out how animals use their abilities. The interaction between the energies is too complicated to perceive and understand.”

“I have faith in our Little Pot of Questions,” Mumu said. “My hope is that his Spirit Eyes will provide a clue that others missed.”

“We can hope,” Tegen said.

Unfortunately, my Spirit Eyes didn’t reveal the blynx’s secrets. The only thing I saw was a ghost dog in the corner by Inleio’s desk lolling on his back. He was massive, with a head the size of a piñata and a big, beefy chest and haunches.

He wasn’t alone. Besides the one in the pyramid, I’d spotted several more ghost dogs wandering the village. Putting the ghosts out of my head, I went back to dissecting the blynx.

###

I was cleaning the last of the meat off the blynx’s skull and sternum when Borba arrived. Mumu waved him over, and the two of them chatted. Both were team leaders, and they all planned to meet later in the day to share what they’d collectively learned during the hunt.

Borba and Mumu got a head start. According to Borba, the dusk wolves south of Voorhei were attempting to expand their territory, but the adjacent elk herd fought them off, squeezing the pack between them and the lightning bear’s territory. My team hadn’t seen evidence of the wolves, but we perhaps hadn’t traveled enough south.

It was all interesting information until the conversation turned into the equivalent of a hunter blooper reel. One of Borba’s teammates slipped while avoiding an elk’s charge and nearly fell head first into a pile of scat. That had them both snickering.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your fun,” I said, “but I have a question.”

That caused them to laugh again.

“Of course you do,” Borba said with a smile. “What is it?”

“It’s about Kiertie of Voorhoos. I heard that she had a knack for finding treasure, and that you might know more about it.”

Borba’s smile faded, and he nodded. “I didn’t know her well myself, as she thought herself above me. The Talent for divination runs through her line, and her Family in Voorhoos is somewhat known.”

“So she didn’t mention to you what she was after?” I asked.

“No one knows,” Borba said. “She and Woldec kept it secret. Several of us offered to help--we knew how dangerous the king of the forest could be--but they wanted to keep it in the Family; bringing only Grunthen in case they couldn’t avoid the bear.” He shook his head. “I tried to talk them out of it, but Woldec was stubborn. Once he thought a thought, it stuck in his head and there was no moving it.”

“Could she see the future then?” I asked.

“Kiertie’s great grandmother could,” Borba said, “but Talents aren’t inherited whole. I am Hard-Working, but my son is Diligent and my daughter has Perseverance. I don’t know what Talents Kiertie had, but I doubt it was Future Sight. She wouldn’t be dead if it were.”

If I recalled correctly, Kiertie’s exact Talent was Dog Nose. At the time, I thought maybe she had an excellent sense of smell, but maybe the name was meant to be more metaphorical. That is, she had a Talent for finding things.

So, Kiertie was Proud and Comely. She came to Voorhei in search of treasure and found her match in Woldec. The two of them made an ambitious pair, and along with Ghitha’s help, they saw a potential fortune within their grasp.

“Did anyone else know their plan?” I asked.

“Everyone knew what they intended,” Borba said. “Grunthen made sure of that, but he didn’t say exactly what they sought. He just bragged about how rich he’d be.”

I shook my head, frustrated. The information provided helpful context, but I was still no closer to finding out the identity of Bindesei’s killer. If only I could somehow reach Grunthen’s ghost.

###

I had lunch with the kids and Bihei, but with no tears or drama this time around. They knew I was coming back, although my next visit would be in two tendays. I got special dispensation from Inleio, since there was a delegation to Ikfael Glen coming up. My obligation to the lodge next tenday would be met by me facilitating their visit. There was a lot to do between now and then, so I set out for Ikfael Glen immediately after.

It was another hot and humid day, and I looked forward to getting under the forest’s canopy. That’s not something I ever expected, but I was becoming accustomed to this world and its dangers. Between the uekisheile and the Skills I was training with the Hunter’s Lodge, I felt capable of handling the forest’s everyday dangers.

The uekisheile stuck close until we approached the base of the hills leading up to Ikfael Glen, and I was just about to let them out to help with scouting when I felt a tingle across the back of my neck. I jumped forward and spun around, spear at the ready.

I scanned the woods to search for any blurring. I sniffed the air, but the scents were of pine, oak, and musty earth. The ambient qi was full of life but ordinary, and this was one of the quieter sections according to my Spirit Eyes.

The birds in the trees took to the air in a flutter of wings. The cicadas quieted, then resumed their chirping after a few breaths. The wind stirred through the trees. Nothing else moved. I put my back to one of the trees and moved around it in a circle to make sure the area was clear.

Nothing. Zilch. Nada. Huh… I guess I wasn’t as at ease as I thought. It was probably a spider web or a bit of fluff falling from the canopy above.

I thought I’d relax after I found nothing dangerous, but I didn’t. If anything, the tension built. And most strangely--I didn’t let the uekeisheile out. I don’t know why, but something told me it’d be a bad idea. They sprouted their tendrils across my scalp, but that’s as far as I let them go.

Halfway home, I finally recognized that I was being watched. Whatever it was though, I couldn’t penetrate its Stealth or Camouflage Skills. I gripped my spear tighter and wiped the sweat beading across my forehead. Both the uekisheile and I were on high alert, ready to jump into the land and Dog’s Agility.

Time dragged on, made all the worse by having to pay attention to every detail of the forest. I couldn’t let my mind wander under normal circumstances. It was even worse now where even the slightest lapse might trigger an attack. My biggest fear was that it was another blynx.

The uekisheile was steady though. Their mental process didn’t have the same distractions as mine, and I began to duck into the land anytime I needed to bring my mental state into order. It was during one of those brief joinings that we spotted a flicker of spirit down the hill from us, ducking behind a cedar tree.

Our eyes saw nothing physical, and it was too far away to sense qi. There was definitely something there though. We joined with the land and faded into the landscape. They want to ambush us? Well, we can ambush them instead.

To our right was a collection of large ferns. Mindful of not leaving any tracks, we slipped between the fronds and made ourselves small. We pulled in our qi, so as not to disturb the living around us. We breathed along with the green things and made our thoughts like dirt.

Time passed, but time was nothing. We’d lived countless cycles of light and dark, ourselves alone. Waiting here, with the uekisheile and Ollie/Eight merged, was a blessing worth any danger.

A figure moved from behind the cedar tree and cautiously made their way uphill. Again, our eyes saw nothing physical, and even their qi was muted. They, however, couldn’t hide their spirit, and we saw the outlines of a woman coming closer. She moved like a hunter, and in a flash, it came to us that she was Otwei, one of the hunters from Albei.

Why was Otwei following us? Ollie/Eight was good at stories, and his consciousness generated several: to scout the way to Ikfael Glen, to learn the secret of the Healing Water spell, to follow us to where Woldec’s body rested, to see if we knew where the Red Room was. Endless stories spilled from that portion of our joined mind. We were delighted. We were alarmed. Otwei walked past us, and we were delighted again.

That’s a useful trick being able to see through Camouflage. We may encounter things that can hide their spirit though. We’ll need to be careful of that.

What should we do with Otwei? We don’t know her intent, so maybe nothing for now.  If she meant well, though, would she hide? We remember the lesson that Ollie/Eight taught us.

Otwei returned after ten minutes and examined the last tracks we’d left. She headed off in another direction, but came back. She found another direction, and came back again.

The fourth time, she dropped her Camouflage spell and said something foul. We were delighted.

###

Unfortunately, Otwei knew the way to Ikfael Glen. She made her way there on her own and found a sheltered spot from which to watch.

We, in turn, watched her, debating what we should do. Her spirit was relaxed and easy. At first, she was curious, looking at the things we’d left behind, but soon she became bored, waiting for our arrival.

There was no scent of violence emanating from her spirit. Unless killing was as easy for her as breathing, we did not expect her to intend us harm. The more violent of Ollie/Eight’s stories were not likely to come true.

Given that, we decided not to kill her, which put Ollie/Eight’s mind at ease. The prospect of killing another human being without a clear reason was disturbing. Ollie/Eight had done so before, but there were dark lines in his portion of our consciousness around the treatment of children.

Well, we understood. We would do much to protect Billisha and Aluali from harm. And, of course, Ollie/Eight too. Him most of all.

We let go of the land, and I leaned against a--huh… I didn’t realize there was a bay tree in the glen. I leaned against the trunk of a bay tree and wondered at how close we--how close I’d come to attacking Otwei based on a handful of suppositions.

Still, the uekisheile listened to my concerns while we were joined. We’d made the right decision as far as I was concerned. I’d just have to make sure we continued to do so.

A deep breath later, I walked into the glen as if everything was normal. I surreptitiously looked around for Ikfael, but she was nowhere to be found. She likely already knew about our uninvited guest, but I thought I’d at least give her the details.

I walked into the cave, and once I was shielded by the waterfall, she appeared out of the water.

“Don’t tell you adopted another one?” Ikfael signed.

“No, this one isn’t mine. She followed me here. I’m not exactly sure why though. She could have several reasons.” And so I explained the situation, including the fact that the upcoming visit at the solstice would be different than usual.

Typically, the World Speaker visited Ikfael Glen and brought an offering in gratitude for the clean water provided downstream. The Speaker placed fruit, vegetables, and fish--enough for a tenday--beside the pool, said some words, and then left.

This time around, the World Speaker wanted to ask permission to establish a shrine at the glen; to make a bigger deal of the relationship between the village and the spirit. Then there was also the Healing Spell, which was of interest to the Hunter’s Lodge. And finally, Ghitha and the Albei hunters were coming to pick up the remains of their Family.

Ikfael glared at me. “None of this would’ve happened without you.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t intend any of it. Well, I knew there’d be some disturbance, but I didn’t expect this much. Luckily, it’s only one day. The hunters will leave as soon as they hear your answer, and Ghitha as soon as he gets his Family’s remains. I don’t know what you want to do about the shrine though.”

From her eyes, I could see that Ikfael was torn. The shrine would be a point of pride, and I was sure the offerings would be attractive, but she was protective of the glen’s peace. Very protective.

“I don’t know,” she said, the signs hesitant. “I need to consult… Well, we’ll just see.”

“Okay, then what should we do about our guest.” I pointed to where Otwei had hidden herself.

“If she doesn’t leave with the others on the day of the solstice, then we get rid of her.”

“Ah, isn’t that extreme?” I asked.

Ikfael Glen shook her head, her eyes hard. “No one, but the invited may stay that evening. I’ve vowed it so. You’ll see why.”

“This is the good thing you mentioned the other day?”

“It may be a good thing, or it may not. We won’t know until then.”

###

The uekishiel grew more and more unhappy with Otwei’s presence. She was a fly in the ointment of our pleasant days, a niggling thought always present in our mind. The distraction interfered with the study of the blynx’s bones. Everything we did was observed, and we had to always be careful not to show what we wanted to keep hidden. 

Two days later, the uekisheile asked for permission to sneak a section of themselves above her, as a kind of Sword of Damocles. They’d keep hidden, at one with the land, unless Otwei did something dangerous, at which point, they’d drop and invade her meridians.

Well, I didn’t much care for her behavior either, and it would be good to have some insurance, so I said yes. It proved to be slow going, but the uekisheile had all the time in the world to make it happen. The plan went off without a hitch.

That evening, the uekisheile let me know that Otwei was asleep. It was the perfect opportunity to sneak away to the cave and get the bodies of Woldec and Family ready for transport. We slipped out of the glen unnoticed.

Should we? The thought hovered; an idea that occupied our joined mind. We believed with strong conviction that we could slip inside Otwei’s meridians without her noticing. To go unnoticed was a skill that we’d been practicing.

Safety. Insurance. Revenge. A trap, unsprung unless necessary. The thoughts swirled through us. We weighed the dangers and the benefits. We struggled with the ethics of invasion of privacy and integrity of being.

We hesitated and hesitated. But the world was dangerous, and people were part of the world. Heavens help us, we gave in to our suspicions and said yes.

The uekisheile above Otwei dropped, transformed into qi in the air, and slipped quietly through her pores into the meridians closest to the skin. She tasted like tea steeped too long; strong and bitter with tannins.

Her qi pumped slowly, sleepily along, and we followed until we found her three dantian. There was just enough of us present that could make a place in each and still retain the connections between us. We made ourselves small and insignificant, a part of her land. There, we’d wait and watch.

###

My decision cast a shadow over a dark and chilly night. The work of moving the bodies of Woldec and his Family was sweaty and hard. The parts I expected to be difficult were difficult, especially the Tube and the Teeth. They were an exercise in frustrated perseverance. The only grace was that the bags were sturdy, and not one tore or ripped. What a horror that would’ve been--me dragging a bag behind me while it leaked putrefied corpse juice.

The work took all night, but eventually the bagged bodies were ready; at rest at the top of the Spiral and ready to be transported the rest of the way. The plan was for me to come get them the night before the Solstice, so that they wouldn’t sit decomposing in the glen.

I’d hoped that my thoughts would be occupied while I worked, but I found them circling the decision we’d made about Otwei. My intuition told me not to trust the hunters from Albei, and if they were going to have me watched, turnabout was fairplay. It’s just that our version of watching involved implanting the uekisheile in her body.

No matter how I considered it, the decision made me uneasy. Responding to a wrong with another wrong was never right. The thing that tipped the scales, though, was her Poisoner Talent. I’d already suspected her of using her Decoy Talent on us. What was to stop her from using poison?

The fact was that, while the people of Voorhei treated me well and I was quickly forming friendships with many of them, I still didn’t know a whole lot about how people treated each other in this world. How common was it for people to hurt each other for material gain? I knew of one murder already.

All the way back to the glen, I considered and reconsidered what to do, but in the end, I let the decision stand. Hopefully, nothing would happen, but if it did, we’d have a weapon at the ready.