StoryPaws: A Mystical Old World Story: Toxics (8)

Chapter Eight,

Pippi.

The ocean had rolled sideways as she reached shallow water,

And everyone slid clumsily into the sea.

Felicity gasped for air as the rocking water repeatedly sucked her under its icy depths.

She heard Reuben in her head,

Relax,

Felicity,

Relax,

And you will rise.

And she did,

Popping to the surface just in time to refill her aching lungs.

The plants and beasts attained the shore in a variety of ways,

And by the time Felicity stood trembling on the sand,

The ocean had totally disappeared,

Submerged like a silent submarine.

Charming,

Said Felicity,

Wringing out the scarf Reuben had lent her.

She had been drying out nicely on the breezy crossing,

And now was all soaked again.

But the thought of those dark,

Humpy depths simply made her very glad at this moment to be standing on firm,

If slightly sinking,

Ground.

Reuben was shouting instructions to the assembled,

Soggy crew,

And they began to move off.

They'd travelled all day on the water.

A night was falling.

Felicity had no idea how far they'd come.

The air here smells different.

Like England,

She thought.

But with villages of huge,

Thorny hedges instead of houses.

She shivered.

The light was poor.

And Reuben was keen to get them all into the shelter of those thorns.

As they reached the edges of a village,

Felicity heard snarling and yelping and excited cries.

The two Lupata moved in front of them and said to Reuben,

We leave you here,

Reuben 4000th,

We will listen for news of your quest.

Have faith,

Young one.

And then they were gone,

Loping off,

Heads raised to find the source of the shouts.

They don't mess around with lengthy goodbyes,

Muttered Felicity to herself.

She was still cross from being deposited in a frothing sea,

And she was hungry.

Her mother was pleased she had a healthy appetite and had taught her to go outside and work off some energy after meals rather than go hungry.

Freya ate like a bird,

But she didn't move much either.

Al claimed Felicity had two stomachs.

Right now they were both complaining for food,

She thought.

She blew out her cheeks to dispel the hunger tension.

This terrain was so creepily like home,

And yet not.

She decided to enjoy this adventure and she did trust Reuben to help her return home.

But in this countryside,

With the smell of nutty leaves crushing under her feet,

Home felt a very,

Very long way away.

As they trudged on through the dark,

Leafy lanes,

She let the tears fall unchecked.

She heard her mother's voice.

Sometimes it's good to cry,

Darling.

She could smell her mother's soft fragrance,

And the tears came faster.

Sobs started to make her shoulders shake.

Without warning,

A huge,

Furry warmth collided into her from a side alley,

Knocking her to the ground.

A rough tongue licked her face,

And a furry nose nuzzled under her chin,

Crunching her teeth together in a painful clack.

Reuben ran back and helped her up,

Elbowing the young Luparta aside.

But she wouldn't leave Felicity.

She snarled gently at Reuben and stood between them.

It seems you have a protector,

Felicity,

Said Reuben,

Standing dead still.

The Luparta spoke.

Her voice was not at all like the pair who'd left.

It was clear and pure.

Like the chime of a golden bell,

Thought Felicity.

Back off,

Growled the pure,

Clear voice.

Well,

Perhaps there was a hint of steel Felicity conceded to herself.

Steady,

Luparta unnamed,

Said Reuben quietly.

And as she heard his voice,

The Luparta relaxed a little.

Her raised hackles slowly settled and she introduced herself.

I am Luparta,

Four thousandth and forty-four,

She said.

I am Reuben,

Four thousandth,

Replied Reuben with a smile.

Oh,

For goodness sake,

This is ridiculous,

Interrupted Felicity.

She turned to the young Luparta.

I am not from your world,

As you see,

And I cannot manage your names.

Would you mind terribly if I gave you a slightly shorter name?

She said,

Quickly wiping her eyes.

But as she finished the sentence,

She realized what she'd just done.

The Luparta had appeared as a beautiful,

Furry friend to her,

But looking straight at her now,

Felicity remembered she was actually a triple-sized wolf.

It was hard to see her completely clearly in the gloom,

But Felicity could see a large row of teeth,

As the Luparta replied.

Young,

Strange one,

You may find an easier name for me,

If that helps you.

Felicity looked at the outline of her defender.

Why did she feel so close to this creature?

It was a mystery,

Yet Felicity was beginning to see that all in this world fitted,

Like pieces in a jigsaw.

Felicity looked at the shining eyes of the female and enjoyed the silent conversation.

Do others hear us?

Felicity asked.

If we want them to,

Replied the Luparta.

I had a beloved dog in my world.

She was my best friend until she was too old to share her life with mine anymore.

Would you be offended if I gave you her name?

What was her name?

Came the voice of the Luparta.

Felicity knew the Luparta understood,

And it filled the ache for home.

Pippi,

She said aloud.

She looked at the size of her new friend and wondered if the name was ridiculous.

But Pippi had been 200% loyal,

300% brave,

And her spirit was as big as this Luparta.

You are a good soul,

Felicity of the strange world.

I see your friend in your mind,

Not so different from us in many ways.

I'm honoured to accept her name.

Felicity felt a warm glow.

Perhaps old Pippi could see them,

She thought.

Ruben broke into their silent conversation.

He spoke aloud for the benefit of all.

Tomorrow we will go to the great green city and find the arena,

Where the annual Luparta mating ceremonies have just begun.

We've passed north to avoid the toxics.

Tomorrow I will consult with the aquatics.

I have fulfilled the first task,

Which was to find the stranger in the east.

Sib,

Gus and now George honour us by joining the quest.

And here he bowed to each in turn before continuing.

The Orion elders foretold that key members would seek and find me.

We can enjoy a moment with the Luparta in their renowned and spectacular contests.

It was Pippi who led the way to their campsite for the night.

It was deep in the heart of this herbaceous settlement.

Felicity was relieved the snarling and growling had settled down.

The night was peaceful and there were many,

Many stars above.

Yet Felicity could still see the odd shape high in the sky.

Pippi and George organised a fire.

Gus was helping give out food.

And Sib was involved in a deep conversation with the green.

Felicity grabbed her chance to ask Ruben at last about the sky shapes.

They're the strata,

He replied.

They were the diplomats and the peacekeepers.

Any breaches of harmony or balance would be resolved by them if requested.

They're the only living things with no enharmonic,

Except the toxics,

Thought Felicity.

They remain solitary,

Detached and therefore non-judgmental in all things.

Until the birth of the toxics,

They were considered omnipotent.

I thought you said the old world was perfectly balanced and all understood all,

And there was only joy and harmony,

Said Felicity.

Ruben accepted some drink from Gus and took a sip.

Well,

Yes,

But life is a continuous flow and ebb,

Felicity,

Like the tides of our oceans and seas.

Joy and peace rise and fall to a greater or lesser extent.

You see,

We have strong creatures.

The Lupata need to spar to hone their skills of aggression and defence.

The Tauro seek the self-challenge of the greatest strengths.

Every new young green seeks knowledge with the hopes to grow to a stipple green.

We Orion pride ourselves on wisdom and grace.

Territories have to be defended in order that the young can grow safely.

Plants can become tempted to outgrow their lands or take on characteristics of another plant.

Even in a world of peace and joy,

Life has a way of causing mischief occasionally.

That is the spirit that keeps it thriving.

Squabbles are resolved within a banyan,

Within each community.

But if peace cannot be found,

Then the Strata are called in to calmly and dispassionately restore balance.

What do they look like?

Said Felicity.

Sometimes these long explanations of this intricate world could be a little exhausting.

And she was still absolutely ravenous.

They have feathers,

Not fur.

Makes sense,

She thought.

Their eyesight is of course superb as they fly at such great heights.

Their heads are large and their feet small.

Their beauty is in their colours.

They fly all the colours of the sky arc.

Reds,

Yellows,

Blues,

Greens,

Violets,

Crimsons,

Vibrant orange.

And their feathers reflect the light.

They are truly beautiful,

He said in a slightly hushed voice.

Will they help us on this quest?

Felicity asked.

The others had gathered round the now blazing fireside and it was Sib who answered her.

The aquatics that I spoke to suggested we will need their help,

He said.

Pippi had edged a little closer to Felicity as Sib and Gus had joined them.

George,

As the senior authority on the old way,

Added,

When the time comes to enlist the strata,

We all know.

They will present themselves,

Do not fear.

Two of the tall greens handed round some lumpy grey balls.

They looked revolting.

What are these?

Asked Felicity.

Pippa answered,

They're the main food of the temperate north,

Felicity.

Stodballs.

Try one.

They taste better than they look.

Felicity bit into one.

It tasted earthy and a little like a dumpling.

It was easier to swallow once she got used to its lumpy texture.

Everyone seemed very hungry.

Perhaps it was the climate or the sea air of the journey.

The stodballs diminished very fast.

George ate tons and there were a few grumbles of complaint.

How do you expect me to find my little tourel?

He said to the complainers.

I must keep up my legendary strength.

As the fire burnt down to embers,

The troop fell silent.

Pippi had stationed herself firmly beside Felicity and Reuben had to gently lie down on the other side.

Felicity loved to watch his face in the firelight.

It was becoming a familiar and comforting sight as she went to sleep each night.

She heard Pippi grumble.

She wondered why Pippi had come.

I'll ask her in the morning,

She thought sleepily.

The morning began with a fine drizzle of rain that seeped in between all the cracks and crevices of clothing Felicity had on.

There was no need to dampen the embers of the fire this day.

It was hard to get up,

But with George snorting and Pippi growling,

Everyone was rounded up and the march to the capital of the temperate north began.

Reuben told them to step out.

Felicity decided to question Pippi on what was clearly going to be another gruelling trek.

Are you here to join in the ceremonies?

She asked.

Pippi shielded Felicity from the now driving rain as she replied.

Last year I participated,

But my mate was killed on the journey back to the frozen wastes of our land.

I have not born cubs and so I return.

It didn't really explain why she'd set herself as some sort of protector,

Thought Felicity,

But she couldn't think how to approach this without sounding rude.

So she said,

Tell me about your land and snuggled in behind the Lupata's shoulder.

She smells of wet dog,

Thought Felicity,

Pungent but wonderfully familiar.

We have mountains of thick forest and plains that ice over in the cold seasons.

The forests become carpeted with snow and we make deep burrows in the loose soil where we shelter our young.

A little further south,

The caves begin.

They are our playgrounds in the warmer months.

Deep caverns of varying rocks,

Swirling shapes of magic interspersed with rivers and tributaries where the aquatics visit us with news of the world and our friends.

Your world is so similar to mine and yet so different,

Replied Felicity.

What's your homeland like,

Felicity?

Asked Pippi.

This was the first time someone had thought to ask Felicity about home.

Even Ruben was so intent on his precious quest.

It was strange that no one had been curious.

Perhaps it was the feeling of completeness that this world had,

And had had for so long,

That curiosity had waned over the centuries.

Felicity was silent and Pippi patiently waited.

Felicity found that now someone had asked her,

She didn't want to talk about home.

She concentrated on the feeling of her damp jeans sticking to her legs as she walked.

She glanced quickly up at Pippi's huge head.

Perhaps if she left it long enough,

Pippi would forget the question.

No,

I won't,

Said an amused voice in her head.

But no matter,

Another time.