“By the Great Lord…” Nuyani groaned. She rose from the ground as small twigs brushed against her hood. She lurched forward and twisted about with eyes wide open only to find To’anu’s skull. Looking about, it was daytime and she was on the ground instead of the cave in her bedroll. She found her knife lying by her side and returned the blade to its sheath. The sun sat at its peak.

  With a dry throat, Nuyani whispered, “Why am I…”

  She grew silent. Memories of the night’s chase returned with the images of pale blue, decaying women of light, and dark eyes. Leaning forward, Nuyani unraveled the leather binds of her left forearm in haste.

  ‘That couldn’t have happened,’ she thought. A hard thud struck her chest. Four lines of dried blood trailed down her arm from elbow to wrist. Some of the blood caked the underside of her bindings.

  “Great Lord, what has happened? What came for me?” The visage of her pursuers remained fresh in her memory. Their loud, despairing cries as if murdered rang in her ears. Her body trembled. Cold traveled through her spine. “What were those things?”

  Loud squealing rose, breaking her trance. ‘I’m outside!’ she remembered. Nuyani jumped to her feet, expecting a charge-horn to barrel through the brush toward her. She turned to the noise only to find a figure fleeing in between the dirt mounds and brush. Three of the beasts were closing in. Nuyani sprinted forth, stalking over dirt mounds for a clearer view as she drew near. She slid to a stop, burying her feet in the dirt. Before her, a dozen men in wait behind a line of brush. Their whip-necks laid their heads down on the floor. Their arrows were notched. Nuyani stood frozen as they watched their new runner. Her eyes fell on Sutama. Her fists shook from tightening as a vein bulged in her brow. She lifted her foot, motioning to step forward.

  “Murderer,’ she thought.

  With a swift pivot, she turned and dropped below the small mound watching as the others did. Her eyes widened when she saw spurts of white powder fire into the air.

  ‘Did the fool go into the snare? This must be a new runner,’ she concluded. One of the hunters then called out to the runner as the group swiftly rose from hiding, pulled, and released their arrows dropping the beasts. Nuyani flinched hearing the twang of their strings. She waited, hearing the others discuss their new runner’s performance.

  ‘You should take that fool back and put him in a gatherer’s party. He’ll be killed or get someone killed,’ Nuyani thought. Her fists remained clenched only to loosen once she gazed at her home in the cliffs. ‘I want my real home,’ Nuyani whined as the images of fire and the faces of enraged villagers rose in memory.

  “Sorry,” the woman whispered as she buried her head in her arms.

  She listened as the others conversed about the efforts before moving to construct their sleds and leave toward the east. Nuyani did not move until the loud grinding grew softer and unnoticeable. She rose to her feet watching the figures become distorted in the heat waves rising from the horizon.

  ‘I don’t belong there. Demons don’t belong in the village. Witches don’t belong in the village,’ Nuyani told herself and turned to the mountain gap.

  “Follow,” her mind echoed.

  Nuyani froze. ‘What is this?’ she thought. The questions she was certain were her own thoughts did not echo like before. Yet, the command used her voice. No answer. Only a growing hum rose within her body. ‘Just like last night,’ Nuyani summarized.

  Once again, the feeling of distortion in the pulses rose, yet it was tame compared to the specters. The stronger the distortion came in the direction of the hunters. Nuyani hesitated. No chill rose. The enveloping feeling of death did not loom in the disruption.

  ‘Is this alright?’ she questioned while studying the disturbance and headed toward the east. Nuyani checked her tools finding only one knife and her small pouch of tools remained. Her ax, spare knife, and water skin were gone.

  “Great Lord, please guide me,” she grieved with a sigh. She ran in a wide arch toward the south and crouched below the dunes and shrubs, cautious of the free-riders spotting her. Once she was parallel to the caravan, she walked to match their pace. The group was a great distance away at a size smaller than her thumb on the horizon. ‘They shouldn’t see me here.’

  As she walked along, her mind returned to the apparitions and their strange nature. Remembering their slaughter of the tall horns and the last fleeing to the demon lands.

  ‘A demon if I ever knew one. But I am not like them. I’m not dead yet, but…’ Her thoughts dwelled on their nature. Each time she saw their face, a tremor crawled through her body. Death described everything about them. Malnourished figures, claws like beasts, unnatural drooping jaws, and spirited figures with missing legs. A cold dominated the air just in their presence.

  “Howlers. Great Lord, may I never meet another,” Nuyani wished as hidden bruises on her legs, arms, and back ached with every step. Her fall through the tall grass gave her a good reason. ‘Are they the ones taking villagers? Am I blamed for those missing at night? Is this the reason for their hatred in blaming me?” Nuyani scowled. The possibilities fit all too well. Blood-manes sailed through the sky night and day, competing with blade-jaws for food. Yet neither would truly bother going to the village. for both predators were not impervious to the arrows nor the storms. Her clenched fists pained from growing tension until she sighed.

  “Guide me with your shine, I don’t know what I need to do.”

  After an hour passed, the hunter started their small talk about their experiences, Cuganwa learned about many of the trials some had to endure in their time and mistakes that cost others.

  “Why were you two against me joining?” Cuganwa questioned the other hunters, Iogda and Selsaj.

  Iogda looked at him with narrowed eyes before he spewed, “You aren’t even strong enough to draw a bow that can kill the charge-horns.”

  Selsaj added, “We may need a runner but a hunter with a bow can cover our backs better.”

  Cuganwa looked forward, understanding their reasons. Though, he could hear some contempt in their voices.

  “So, Little Charge-horn…” Odaru teased, Cuganwa groaned hearing his new nickname. “I will tell you of an old teammate who I took over for as second for when he made his mistake.” Cuganwa turned in his seat, looking at the older hunter’s back. “He was ambitious and constantly tried to outdo everyone in skill. He showed off far too much but, he was always a good man. Whether he wanted to lead the group or become chief, I don’t remember but, he lost his life chasing after the witch.” The boy’s ears perked up. The tales of stolen children and seduced hunters meeting their end were passed through stories warning them to never venture outside at night or follow the lights of dying fire when seen out of place. They were the eyes of the witch, and she only came to take those out of spite. It was ludicrous to imagine taking someone on alone who could live out in the wild amongst the beasts. “His name was To’anu. We don’t know where he is or if his soul is free but, he wanted to kill her for fame and tried chasing after her on a whip-neck. “Odaru sighed, changing the cheerful air he held around him. “Just an ambitious fool. A good hunter but, too bold.”

  The seasoned hunters grew silent. Cuganwa understood the drive. Many of the stronger families were from those who contributed more and earned powerful stations. Hunters were the most renowned, for their ventures brought them the closest to danger. The boy looked at his knife knowing it was the same reason he wanted to join and ran every day growing up even when blisters formed under his feet or his leather sandals grew worn. The witch was known to steal villagers away; a spirit reborn corrupted passing through a water bite. Their people believed in reincarnation as the cremated bodies were poured into the same river that allowed them to live; the same portion of the river Lord Kelvert kept them safe before he disappeared.

  “The witch killed him?” Cuganwa asked.

  “We don’t know but, I would not be surprised.” The man chuckled trying to lighten his dower tone. “Now, I almost lost my life too being careless. I was lucky. Guided.”

  “Wait. What did you do?”

  “You like flat-bellied lizards, yes?” The man turned to glance at Cuganwa, who nodded and held a strong stare at the man. His tongue brushed against the inside of his teeth as memories of a pudgy brown lizard shaded like a whip-neck’s hoof and scurried about the ground. He first tasted the lizard after his mother roasted one with a few spices and salts. The meat was succulent as the scales held the flavor with a soft but satisfying crunch.

  “Y-yeah,” the boy replied after a short pause. Odaru chuckled.

  “Well, I found one wandering further from the river while we were on break. I chased it into the brush when we were returning but, I got separated when a blade-jaw came by.” The man’s tone grew stern and forward. “When those things come by, you flee. You run. You hide. Not even our good friends here can fend off such beasts.” The man patted his whip-neck’s shoulder as a smile came over his face. “They will kill many of us before we get one of them.” Cuganwa’s heartbeat grew stronger as he listened. Odaru turned around to see the boy still staring at him petrified.

  “Keep your eyes to the rear, Cuganwa.” The boy turned to face the horizon as the older hunter continued, “There is a reason we are to help one another and not act too bold. The others had to leave and I was stranded in the bushes. Now, the blade-jaw. Oh, it growled as it came closer. It found me easily. But, by the Great Lord’s light, it turned to face something else and ran off.”

  Cuganwa blinked as his heart throbbed harder. “What did it go for?”

  “I can’t say. Probably something with a little more meat than my scrawny self.” Odaru gave another chuckle as his tone lightened up. The hunter stared off into the sky. “Thank Lord Kelvert’s will, my trek back was not so dangerous. I was surprised to make it back. I had nothing but a knife and arrows. My bow was gone too. Still had my water skin though, so it wasn’t the worst. The night out here is beautiful but, every beauty seems to come with its dangers.”

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  “So, you’re the one that walked back!” Cuganwa looked at him once more before remembering his task. All the villagers knew guards spotted someone outside and sent men to retrieve them. “That would scare me. Being out of the village at night. Were you?”

  “Of course. Don’t let your pride overtake you. Some have been out before. That used to be a rite of passage in my grandfather’s time but, they stopped that.”

  “They had people out during the night!”

  “Stay focused, Cuganwa. Yes. That was something we used to do. Didn’t the elders teach you this story?”

  “No,” Cuganwa replied. There were many stories but, never one about men staying out in Elder Yanuma’s tales. Most of their history was told by the elder accounting for trials hunters faced, bad decisions met with swift consequences, their birth from the rivers, and the demons that try to taint their spirits. A few folk tales of towering huts made of stone were told sometimes. They sat beside endless waters stretching further than the eye could see but, Cuganwa always found it was silly.

  “Hm. Well, they don’t want to encourage pointless risks. It would spur the restless to do something foolish.”

  “So, I will keep quiet about that too.”

  “Good, Little Charge-horn. We all have our secrets. Always keep them unless it is important.”

  Cuganwa glanced back at the hunters who grew silent. Cuganwa returned his gaze to the rear looking over the land. The cliffs were small but, the gap was easy to spot as a golden glimmer shined from the land beyond. The hunters named the gap as the demon gate where blood-manes and blade-jaws were teeming. Their stories and rumors about the witch came to the boy’s mind. All the beasts, deadly plants, and the vicious storms that occurred every year had one person thriving on their own. Here he was in a hunting party facing those dangers as one born of sin waited to hunt them when or if she could. Cuganwa pulled out his knife wondering if he would ever need to use it. More of an ornament and marker, the ivory was too soft to use for real need, aside from a desperate situation.

  ‘Lord Kelvert, guide me with your shine. If I am in danger, give me the strength to fight. I will fight and protect the village from all threats, if need be,’ the boy declared in an oath. He tightened his grip and put the blade away.

  Just as he looked up, a shadowed figure appeared in the distance. Cuganwa narrowed his eyes studying what it was, realizing he was staring at a blood-mane looking back at them as it glided through the air headed north. The beast had the head of a bird sticking out of a large plume of feathers covering the neck. It had a sharp hooked beak and large dark brown eyes focused on him. Both of its wings were large enough to blanket the rest of its body, which had four limbs, the front pair resembled bird talons and the rear resembling that of a feline with smaller claws. It had a long brush-ended tail trailing behind its entire body. Both fur and feather were blood red.

  “There’s a blood-mane watching us.”

  “And that’s why you keep an eye out. Worry not, Cuganwa. They’re not foolish enough to attack us.”

  Cuganwa kept a wary eye on the beast, “Why’s that?”

  “Unlike most animals in Kelvert’s land. They do not have thick hides protecting them from the storms, so they hide in caves deep in the cliffs. Our arrows would kill them as easily as their talons would do to us.”

  “Why’d it come so close?”

  “A test. If we aren’t ready, they will be.” The boy looked to the other hunter, Selsaj, facing toward the rear like himself. His gaze was fixed on the predator as well. Fingers curled around the string with an arrow sitting between the second and first. His grip of the bow had tensed.

  ‘Everyone is prepared,’ Cuganwa thought. As he watched the animal soar on, he noticed a dull hum rising in his stomach. He brought a hand to his abdomen, wondering if something was wrong. Despite the disturbance, none of the pulses radiated to his palm as his heart would. The waves ended instantly the moment they reached the surface of the skin and were much faster than his heart. Cuganwa wanted to call on Odaru for help but, the hum stopped. He paused for a moment to study the sensation. ‘Must be my nerves,’ he thought and took a swig of water.

  Lulled by a silent hour following the caravan, Nuyani strolled on, standing straight, confident the others could not see her. Her thoughts dwelled on the constant hum rising from her core. As she breathed slowly, her senses with the pulse grew distinct. Stronger, solid waves echoed forth. All around her, the drumming ball allowed her to recognize the countless distortion as light pressures weighed on its surface.

  ‘This has to be life,’ she concluded as one moving pressure slowly grew lighter from her right. Nuyani looked to her side finding a small shrew running away from her. She smiled softly. Her joy faded when she looked at the hunters in their small form. ‘To survive, you protect and aid one another,’ the woman recited from old lessons as she felt their light presence. Her eyes narrowed as a disturbance rang back. Palpations collided and receded amongst the ethereal waves. Nuyani’s body then lurched forward, nearly felling her. She then looked down at her foot. What looked like roots and blades of grass entangled around her foot crawling up the limb. A small, misplaced death snare.

  “What?” Nuyani questioned before hacking at the vegetation. The plants moved faster desperate, slithering around her other leg as well. A subtle pressure too weak for her to notice rose from the grass beneath the soft echo. “By the Great Lord… To the winds!” Nuyani cursed while the vegetation nearly reached her knee. A pressure then rose from the north rivaling the same weight and flow as the howlers. Nuyani glanced toward the northwest. A lumbering mass sped on heading for the hunter. The woman hacked at her legs carelessly, unconcerned if the blade slipped through her wrappings. Her green binds were cut down until she thrashed about tearing away with a vicious kick. The blades of grass fell limp. Nuyani turned and bolted toward the hunting party.

  Cugnawa rubbed his stomach, trying to soothe away the mysterious drumming. He drank his water skin near dry and chewed on spare jerky, which neither satiated the disturbance. In the distance, he noticed some movement. It was heading their way.

  “Something’s coming from the rear!” one of the archers shouted.

  The words reached the free-riders who, in turn, passed the message on to the others. Cuganwa watched as the drivers looked to his father, who held his hand up signaling for the entire group to halt. There was little reason to try and outpace the beast with their mounts weighed down. Sutama held his glare until he gave several twists of his hand. Both free-riders rode toward the beast as the drivers turned their whip-necks around to face the threat and had the animals stretch their legs outward for stability with simple commands. Odaru and the others began to let out several calls as the whip-necks groaned and rose their heads to the sky before crashing them down on the dirt floor. Clouds of dust cascaded under their collision as Cuganwa felt the shock of every blow. The group continued their clamor as the mass drew near. The creature was an enormous charge-horn, double the size of any they had killed. Its hump was sagging welp of decay and yellow puss dangling over the side of one shoulder. In its heavy press shaking the earth, some of the fluid seeped out from the rot and fell to the floor. Its yawning jaws released a deep unearthly squeal.

  “Lord Kelvert protect us,” the boy whispered as he watched arrow after arrow bounce off its hide. A few managed to stick in its skin around the neck but, this had not deterred the beast. Both free-riders rode parallel to the charge-horn firing into its neck and eyes. The charge-horn shook its head and veered to both sides attempting to down the riders. With both drivers moving further away, it ran toward the first whip-neck. The group themselves released careful shots toward the threat. One of the arrows then struck the beast’s leg and passed through. With a wounded limb refusing to open completely, the charge-horn veered to its right, heading toward Odaru’s sled. The whip-neck circled its head through the air and hammered into the beast’s side with a loud thud but, the beast crashed into the sled. Its full weight pulled the slings on the saddleback before they snapped. Odaru and Cuganwa were launched into the air their whip-neck lost balance.

  The ropes holding the smaller charge-horns sending their game rolling through the sand. The larger beast tumbled as well with dust obscuring everything. Blue sky and red ground spun around him before he landed stomach first on a charge-horn’s carcass knocking the wind from his lungs and falling unconscious. Momentum carried the boy over as he fell to the dirt. The whip-neck, Muga, to the side groaning. Screams of pain erupted in the dust.

  “Surround it! Find the men first! Kill the thing!” Sutama barked amongst the chaos. The others did as ordered.

  Within the dust, Cuganwa awoke wheezing heavily as he rose to his feet. He was surrounded by a haze of red and brown with little sunlight that appeared overhead. The shouts of the others were muffled.

  ‘What happened?’ the boy questioned as he struggled to stand. Deep grunts and rustling sounded at his left, and Cuganwa looked through the dust to find a large shadow moving. The words grew clearer as cries of pain filled the air.

  ‘The charge-horn!’ the boy remembered as he saw the animal stand. Each of its eyes was glazed over and three of them were destroyed by arrows. Nearly a dozen arrow shafts littered its neck from the side, and every wound had blood and puss trailing down to the earth. The charge-horn turned toward the shouting.

  ‘Odaru!’ Cuganwa realized, recognizing the voice. The humming grew rapid yet, he barely noticed. All the pain and burning in his chest were alleviated. The boy leaped over a dead charge-horn’s head and cut the monstrous beast off before it could get closer to the fallen hunter.

  The animal stopped once it caught sight of the child. Cuganwa drew his knife as he looked into its remaining dead, glazed-over eye. It did not move, yet the beast’s reaction told the boy that it was aware of his presence. The wind picked up carrying away much of the dust.

  Sutama went wide-eyed at the reveal of his son facing down the beast. “Move boy!” Cuganwa only stepped toward the side away from Odaru, who lay pinned beneath the unconscious whip-neck’s shoulder. The animal followed. The other hunters continued firing, their arrows firing at the beast’s side as one of the free-riders came closer to use their mounts for an attack. The charge-horn released a growl as it lowered its body, ready to strike. Cuganwa reeled his knife back.

  ‘Fight!’ the boy ordered himself. A blur of red burst from his right, causing the boy to freeze as it collided with the beast. The charge-horn’s head jerked in the opposite direction from where it was struck as its body tilted over falling on its side. Everyone stared at the figure motionless. Odaru continued to bemoan his predicament.

  Nuyani stood before them. Her knife plunged into the animal’s neck further than any arrow. The animal lay still with a new trickle of blood trailing to the dirt. She did not bother to look at them.

  ‘You’re welcome,’ Nuyani thought as she jumped down from the beast, aggressively yanking the knife free. The others did nothing and said as they maneuvered to help the downed hunter. Cuganwa looked stunned at her, not realizing who she was. As she worked to retrieve a tool from her last pouch, Nuyani failed to notice the boy approaching.

  “By the Great Lord, thank you,” Cuganwa said.

  Nuyani stiffened. ‘Thank you?’ She then turned. “What did you say?”

  The boy’s eyes widened as a look of awe was replaced by horror. The glow of her eyes gleamed in his. Cuganwa realized the witch had appeared and lunged at Nuyani. She retaliated with a swift kick in the boy’s chest pushing him away more than striking. The boy fell back as she gave him an unimpressed glare.

  “No!” Sutama shouted as an arrow struck the ground between them. The woman dropped low, covering her kill with one hand and pointing her knife at the hunting leader. Another arrow was already notched as the large man stepped toward his son’s left. “Take your kill and leave. You’ve done enough.” Nuyani’s eyes narrowed at the hunter as she fumbled with the bag while she held her knife toward Sutama. Revealing a clear jagged stone, the woman hovered it over the charge-horn and tightened her grip. Cuganwa shivered watching light shimmer from the stone like the reflection off a river surface. The light streamed over the charge-horn’s head. Its body stretched to a fine point before the point twisted upward and drained into the stone. The hulking beast receded into the crystal with only the pool of blood and arrows remaining on the ground.

  “What?” the boy rasped. He could see her clearly. Rumors prepared him for a hideous person deformed by their soul to match the animals around them. Only a woman furrowing her brow in rage stood before them.

  “Now go!” Sutama bellowed.

  Nuyani raised her chin in defiance but, took a few steps back. ‘You don’t command me,’ She thought as she waved her hand over another charge-horn gripping the stone. Light shined again pilfering a second.

  “Getaway!” Iogda said as he and Selsaj released their arrows. A blur of red showed her speed as Nuyani dodged the first missile and parried the second with ease.

  “Do not fire!” the hunting leader bellowed.

  Nuyani turned and darted off toward the west taking only seconds to cross the land with nothing but a dust cloud to be seen. Cuganwa was in awe of the display watching until he saw a massive fist reaching for his tunic. With ease, Sutama yanked the boy to his feet with rage burning in his eyes. Cuganwa’s heart raced again, and he could not control his fidgeting as his free hand opened and closed.

  “What were you thinking!” Sutama said.

  Cuganwa started, “She is the witch. I thought I had to…”

  “You never go for a life unless yours, or another’s, is threatened! We have laws and rules to keep us alive! Never raise a hand unless that is needed. She could’ve taken you,” the man said and gave a soft shove releasing the boy’s clothing. His father then snatched away the ivory knife from the boy’s hand. Cuganwa motioned to speak but was off. “You aren’t ready.”

  Sutama walked off to help the others as they splashed water onto the whip-neck, waking it. The stead quickly rose off Odaru and proceeded to lick the man’s face in guilt as he sat up.

  “Calm now. I live, and I don’t blame you,” the man said as he scratched the whip-neck under the chin. With a broken shin, Cuganwa was amazed at the man’s cheerful nature.

  ‘I messed up,’ the boy thought as the group moved about resetting the sled. The boy bit his lip as he aided the others. Aside from Sutama scolding Iogda and Selsaj, the group remained silent. Worse, the boy found everyone avoiding eye contact with him. In moments, the hunters remounted and left. Cuganwa kept his eyes on the western cliffs, wondering what his actions may bring in attacking someone they all feared.

  “You’re a fool! You’re a damn fool,” Nuyani said. Her voice echoed in the cavern. She tossed the crystal across the floor making it skid until it hit the baskets before walking in circles around the firepit and bedroll. “Of course, they’d fire at you. You had the biggest kill and took one of theirs. You can’t even eat all that before it goes bad.” Nuyani stopped as she tapped her foot on the ground and chewed on her thumbnail. She winced and stopped when turning her wrist reminding her of the new scars and scratches adorning her. Even the late-night bruises throbbed once more.

  “What kind of night was that?” Nuyani started rubbing her legs hoping some pressure would alleviate the pain. Before her lied the rest of the empty village, with the afternoon sun streaming through the ceiling port. ‘It’s no longer morning,’ Nuyani thought as she knelt to the floor. She placed both hands over her heart, closed her eyes, and lowered her head. “As I gaze upon the dawn, may your light guide me. Under your glow, I am protected. Under your glow, I will protect. I will aid my kin. I will aid my home. As day ends, I follow the will of your gleam even through night,” Nuyani prayed. She raised one of her hands with a palm to the ceiling, gesturing to the morning sun. She then lowered her arms and stared at her bed. Her eyes burned, causing her to wipe at one.

  ‘I am protected?’ Nuyani thought. She sat on her heels, pausing for an answer, hoping even the strange buzz would chime in. Aside from a brief sensation of weightlessness, nothing stirred within her. The woman then sighed before crawling to her bedroll and lying down. Fatigue overtook her as she went to sleep.