StoryPaws: A Mystical Old World Story: The Toxics (5)

Chapter 5 Travelling North As the troupe finally moved off Gus and Reuben were deep in conversation and Felicity found herself walking alongside Sib.

It was hard to keep up with his scuffling steps.

She had to run at a steady jog to match his pace.

They had left later than Reuben would have liked.

The sun had reached its apex and was now slowly dropping.

The chilly mists were beginning to build up as it lost its warmth and Felicity saw they were heading for a range of hills that looked overgrown with dark green trees.

This really does remind me of Wales,

She thought.

But Wales was just a name in her head.

She thought of family holidays,

Her sister Freya.

No doubt torturing someone right this moment,

Came the unbidden thought.

Ouch,

She said,

As a huge thorn embedded itself in her calf.

In our world,

Dark thoughts will darken our hearts and the plants respond with dark actions,

Said Sib.

Planting its day's growth in my leg is not dark,

It's just spiteful,

Replied Felicity,

Licking and spitting on the small puncture wound in her leg.

That must be washed at the next free-flowing stream,

Said Sib.

And then he began humming an irritating little tune.

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

Zip,

He began to sing his name to the melody.

Oh,

God,

That's awful,

Thought Felicity and she interrupted him.

What is it with your long,

Long names?

Well,

Our names declare not just our identity,

But our gravitas,

Said Sib.

Our gravitas being the weight of our inherited generational age.

Um,

But why is this inherited generational age important,

Said Felicity.

She knew Al accused her of being arrogant,

But she'd never seen the need to pretend to be stupid.

Her mother called it a fine brain and she relied on it.

She was certainly using it on this uninvited adventure.

Sib was droning on in his slightly nasal voice.

Perhaps it was the tiny nostrils,

She thought,

Unkindly.

Our names are followed by generations.

Hence Reuben,

Four thousandth,

Is four thousand generations of Orion.

Lifespan is irrelevant as we consider life continuous,

So as it ends,

It begins in another life form.

We can see by visual evidence whether we're in the company of young,

Middle or old lives.

All is simple,

You see.

Not really,

Said Felicity,

Now totally confused and very glad Al wasn't here to witness her stupidity.

She was becoming rather hungry,

Too.

Am I the only one who ever feels hungry,

She thought.

No,

We do too,

But we breathe deeply and let the life source flow into our bodies to sustain us until food can be found,

Replied Sib,

Silently.

That is just so disconcerting,

Said Felicity.

What?

The way you enter my mind when I'm not even expecting it.

It feels wrong.

I apologise,

Said Sib,

Looking pleased.

The aquatics are said to have been here from the very beginning.

And the Toro claim the lowest generational titles as they live to extremely old ages,

Continued Sib.

But it's an age-old discussion.

I suppose if the world is so well balanced,

They wouldn't have much else to argue about,

Thought Felicity.

This time she focused hard on her thoughts,

So Sib couldn't read them.

She really wished she'd never asked,

But Sib didn't seem someone you should interrupt.

It can get a little confusing,

Actually,

So we tend to ignore our generational titles and only use them in formal situations,

Sib kept talking.

For peace and harmony,

It's generally acknowledged that the Oceanids and the Aquatics,

Followed closely by the Toro,

Have the longest lifespans and therefore the lowest generational numbers.

So they claim the higher gravitas and have the strongest voices in a banyan.

Except the greens and the strata,

Of course.

Felicity's head was spinning,

Even Sib looked a little confused with all this.

She needed lunch and a drink and other things which she felt awkward about requesting.

Close your eyes and breathe deeply,

Felicity.

See the earth and all its treasures.

See the cool flowing waters of our rivers and of our oceans,

And feel the open vast spaces of our skies.

This can sustain you.

There's no need for hunger whilst we travel.

Felicity squinted her eyes at Ruben as the lowering sun was shining full at her and she wanted to see his expression.

That sounds like Freya,

She thought,

Frowning,

When she's talking absolute rubbish to wind me up.

Ruben looked quite serious,

But she found herself giggling.

The giggles turned to breathy gasps of laughter and she came to a halt on the dusty track they walked.

She bent over and laughed until her stomach ached.

She couldn't stop.

The whole troop halted.

Ruben came close and put his hand onto her back.

Felicity,

It's all good,

He said.

You're being so nice.

He said,

You're being so strong.

Come,

We'll rest briefly and nourish ourselves.

No,

No,

Don't stop for me,

Said Felicity,

As her breath slowly returned.

Ruben stood for a moment as if in indecision.

Then he said,

We stop.

Five moments.

Two earth balls each to be distributed.

Then we moved to the forest for dusk.

The colour-changers were back,

Distributing the earth balls.

Felicity watched the spinning leaf balls,

Their beautiful colours of autumn,

Catching the light as they flipped about.

They're inharmonic,

So the siblings,

Said Ruben,

Who had come to sit by her.

Yes,

Sip told me,

She replied.

Ruben raised one of his neat eyebrows.

Balance is so important here,

Isn't it,

Said Felicity,

As she sipped the delicious drink he passed her.

Yes,

Of course.

What is life without balance,

Felicity?

He looked straight at her with this answer.

Her tummy squirmed a little,

And she felt herself blush.

His eyes crinkled up at the corners as his beautiful smile appeared.

She handed him back the bark cup,

And as he took it,

He briefly held her hand with both of his.

Felicity,

Trust me,

We must trust each other.

I have confidence you will find your strengths as our journey unfolds.

And I trust my world to safely return you to where you're meant to be at the end.

Where is that?

Felicity thought as the memories of her empty home trickled ice through her heart.

Ruben squeezed her hand.

She closed her eyes and felt a small tear seep out as she did.

She opened them and took a big,

Calming breath.

He was smiling such a kind smile.

He warmed her heart.

She felt happy,

Useful.

She smiled back and Ruben seemed to understand.

She would not question this whole thing anymore.

She would go on with this crazy old world's plans.

Properly.

It might be fun.

Gus tells me the aquatics have communed with their enharmonics,

The Oceanids.

They have ancient knowledge and are chief defenders of the old world.

The Strata also.

Because of the Strata,

The Oceanids were long aware of the growing threat.

But it's not their way to act in haste.

Felicity's head was shouting at her.

What do they look like,

These aquatics and Oceanids?

What are the Strata now?

And what on earth is an enharmonic?

Ruben gently touched her cheek with the back of his warm hand.

Later,

Felicity,

I promise,

He said,

And strode off strapping the cups to his woven belt and breaking into a gentle trot to get to the front of the troop and Gus.

Felicity didn't feel like talking for a while.

They walked for most of the afternoon.

The land's barren contours slowly changed as the dip and swell of the ground became lightly and slowly.

The land's barren contours slowly changed as the dip and swell of the ground became lightly cloaked in soft greenery.

With the larger ferns and small thickets came a damp,

Clinging air.

Felicity wished she'd put on her coat the day of the school reunion.

Perhaps her mother had a point sometimes.

She decided to speak to her.

Maybe she can hear.

She realized anything was possible.

Quietly she murmured her imaginary conversation.

Mum,

I'm tramping through a wild land with an assortment of mildly scary creatures,

And yet I'm fine.

Apparently I'm a key member in a quest to save this old world.

Yes,

You heard me.

There's a very handsome boy,

An Orion.

Yes,

He speaks nicely,

Mum.

We're about to enter a very dark forest and it's all rather damp.

I wish I had my coat.

The fog here is thick at night.

No,

It's okay.

Reuben will look after me.

She found herself smiling and then noticed a green looking down at her and was silent again.

There was a shout from up ahead and the green rolled off fast,

His branch arms brushing the floor like a wide broom.

Felicity's stomach rumbled loudly.

She hoped there might be something different to eat in the forest.

From front of her there rose a verdant hill,

Almost a mountain,

She thought,

As they gathered at its foot.

Felicity looked behind her across the open moor-like landscape they'd crossed this afternoon.

She was glad they would have more protection tonight.

Gus was clearly different from his species,

But Felicity imagined those long,

Vicious spikes on an unfriendly toxic.

And she shivered.

Felicity,

You're cold.

Here,

Take this.

Reuben dropped back and passed her a soft woolen wrap.

Its weave was close,

Yet it moved like silk,

And it was an indefinable colour,

A sort of rain-washed palette of summer.

It was stunning.

Reuben smiled at her pleasure.

My people weave them,

He said proudly.

Forgive me for leaving you alone so much today.

Tonight we will talk and eat forest peas.

They will warm you up.

Good,

Said Felicity,

And then followed him.

The huge fire blazed as the troop settled for the evening.

They had not travelled far into the forest.

The mists and the darkness had descended with speed,

Obscuring all.

Felicity watched the flames as they curled and crackled.

Chestnuts and marshmallows,

She thought hungrily.

The enormous lupata,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

The giant,

We will arrive in the temperate north at the time of the lupata matings.

It's the time of year when all lupata approaching maturity seek their inharmonic thorn in order to trigger their maturity,

Which then enables them to find their lupata mate.

It's a very vigorous time.

The young lupata have a long,

Hard trek to the temperate north.

Once there,

They have to find the energy to breach the thorn defenses.

With the inharmonic bondings completed,

They must then spar for their mates.

It's a time of honor and joy.

Often,

Mature pairs with the strength will make the long journey to watch the rituals of their kind.

It sounds rather exciting,

Said Felicity.

She wished they might be there now.

She hoped the temperate north was not too far away.

She lay down on the warm,

Ferny floor and gathered her wrap around her.

Reuben glanced across at her and gust lolliped away,

Giving him room to lie next to her.

He held out a large wooden bowl which contained a mound of small peas.

They were brown and scaly.

After a quick check to see how others were eating them,

She took a small handful,

Tipped back her head and trickled them into her mouth.

They were salty and spicy,

And as she crunched and swallowed them,

She felt a pleasant burning in her stomach.

They were truly delicious.

She took some more.

They're good,

Aren't they?

Said Reuben with a big grin.

It's a treat to have these on our journey.

Each region has its own specialities,

But these forest peas are greatly treasured.

I don't feel cold anymore,

Said Felicity.

No,

They'll warm you up better than the fire or my wrap,

He replied,

Helping himself to a huge handful.

He tipped back his head and Felicity dared to ask,

Where is your tail?

I see the other Orion with us have the most stunning black and white furry tails,

But you don't seem to have one.

Reuben looked at Felicity and said nothing.

She swallowed.

He breathed in deeply and then spoke,

His words escaping softly.

Felicity was mesmerized by the shape of his beautiful mouth as they moved.

I was not born with a tail.

My mother assured me this was for a good reason,

As are all things,

And the meaning would one day come to light.

It's not been easy for you,

Said Felicity.

No,

And yet like all things,

This difficulty has given me more than it's taken.

Perhaps that's why I was chosen to lead the quest.

Perhaps,

Said Felicity.

She put her small hand on his arm and he felt her warmth flow through him.

They sat quietly,

Crunching forest peas and not needing to speak.

Felicity yawned.

Sleep now.

We travel through the narrow pass of the hill tomorrow.

It's arduous and you need rest,

Said Reuben.

Felicity lay down and tried not to think of home.

Tomorrow she would ask Reuben about the aquatics who seemed to hold their destiny.

Satiated from the forest peas,

Exhaustion finally claimed her.

The last thing she heard was the thrashing of the treetops high up the hill as the wind picked up and played with their soft leafy roots.