They’re supposed to help us. (ch5)

Warning: Blood. Loss of limb.

Synopsis: Tuah is in training to be a druid-bard. She beats her drum loud and wild without care. She follows the teachings of the druids, but when spirit attacks her friend and it shakes her beliefs and she begins to question everything they've taught her.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ────── · 。ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Tuah banged the drum hard to cheer on Feorh as he danced. His lankly form spun and twirled, and he nearly kicked Awwt in the head.

Awwt’s smile fell. “Hey, watch it!”

Feorh awkwardly apologized before returning to his dance.

Tuah cackled and sped up the tempo. Her long brown hair waved about as she moved. She thumped the tipper across the tight skin of the drum, feeling the excited rumble reverberate through her chest. Quicker and quicker she went until no one could keep up. Their druid-bard teacher, NaTeo, lowered her bone flute and shook her head with a rueful smirk. Tuah just grinned in return and then wrapped it up before coming to a sudden stop.

Feorh laughed breathlessly and clapped his hands. Some of their group appreciated Tuah’s musical take-over, but the rest shook their heads and lowered their instruments. With a grin Tuah simply brushed her wavy hair off her shoulder.

NaTeo rose to her feet. She stretched high with her bone flute in one hand.

She said, “Now off you go. I believe you have Seey-seey next.”

One of the students groaned. “Please stop calling him that. I beg you.”

NaTeo smiled, not bothered by their groans as she watched them pack. Another student grabbed a stick and carefully lit it before the others could put out the campfire completely.

Tuah groaned loud. “I don’t want to go. I hate history.”

Awwt wrinkled his nose. “You hate everything.”

“Shut up, fish-licker. I do not.”

NaTeo lightly clicked her tongue. She didn’t look up as she tucked her flute into her bag. “None of that.”

At the same time Awwt’s teeth ground together. His fists bunched as he stepped over his stringed instrument and toward Tuah.

Tuah’s eyes lit up with a grin. She put her drum aside and shot to her feet.

Feorh rushed toward them, hands up and shaking. He stood taller than Awwt but didn’t have his newly broad shoulders.

“Nn-now let’s not start this again. I’m sure…” Feorh took an unsure breath, “I’m sure Tuah didn’t mean it.”

Tuah snorted. “That’s right.” She waved her hands by her face and sneered at him. “Because I meant fish-kisser! Muwah-muwah!”

Awwt rushed around Feorh and Tuah ran away with a cackle. She ducked and danced around the trees, bushes, and rocks—keeping clear of his snatching hands. Once, she missed sight of a root and stumbled but quickly got back up with a laugh.

“Stay away from me with those fishy fingers! Stick to poetry instead of music!”

Awwt growled and tried to keep up with her.

She could just make out Feorh calling her name over the rustling of their movements through the forest.

“Forget it, Feorh,” one of the other students said as they walked by. “You know it’s no use once she’s started.”

He sighed. “Yeah.”

She panted a laugh. A hand reached out of the dark. She inhaled, spun and weaved through the bushes until she had gained more distance between her and Awwt.

Once the students had gone the small area turned quiet. Feorh had picked up his pack, which carried little as his instrument was his voice, hands, and feet.

NaTeo stood next to him. A second later a loud, shrill whistle cut through the forest. Birds flew into the moon-lit sky. Other animals including Tuah and Awwt stopped in their tracks.

NaTeo shouted, “That’s enough! Come back now!”

Tuah panted. She swallowed and the corners of her mouth curled upward as she listened. She waited until she could hear the rustling sound of branches being gently pushed aside. She shifted her head up, down, and to the sides until she could see Awwt through the gaps in the foliage. He walked up the exposed, swooping rock they had held their bard lessons on, his fists slowly loosening.

She stepped out and followed him up. She brushed her hair and pulled away a leaf, which fell to the ground. She smiled, bright and sharp with the knowledge of her victory.

NaTeo looked at them both without much heat. “You know I’ll have to tell Soen about this.”

Awwt glanced at her as he dusted off the sleeves of his tunic. He muttered, “Since when do you care?”

NaTeo smiled politely. “Since you’re under my care until you reach your next teacher.”

Tuah grinned. Awwt glared at her but her grin didn’t falter. She placed her hands on her hips and said proudly, “I think you should cut your best student some slack.”

Surprise took over Awwt’s expression. He looked worriedly at NaTeo.

Tuah chuckled.

NaTeo tapped her chin as she began walking away. “What for? Feorh has done nothing wrong.”

Feorh’s eyebrows shot upward as he followed her. NaTeo playfully smiled at him.

Tuah laughed. “Okay, okay. Go ahead, tell Soen. Maybe this time she’ll have remembered that Rhinwl song.”

Awwt shook his head. He packed up his instrument and left, his feet quickly taking him down the hill.

Tuah snickered. She crouched, carefully wrapping up her drum and tipper before putting them in her pack. She slung her it across her shoulders and followed them.

As she descended the hill her feet thumped down with each step. She began humming a tune, matching it to the beat of her footsteps. The wind through the trees added its sounds to the melody.

Along the narrow path her woollen skirt brushed the low branches of young, prickly evergreens. The needles didn’t catch entirely but instead roughened the new wool. Her leather shoes crunched on some fallen twigs and she incorporated the sound into her impromptu song, mimicking it with a click at the back of her throat.

Her footsteps followed the worn path by memory. It veered off to the right once but her feet took her to the left. Soon enough the trees and bush opened to the lake. In the distance the dark water touched the night sky and the moon and stars glittered on its calm surface.

A cool breeze came clean across the lake. It brushed across the trees and pulled at the edge of her skirt. Tuah shivered. She scowled at the cold before returning to her song. She added words and stamped her feet to the beat as she walked.

Feorh scream cut through the air, ending the song.

She inhaled and held her breath.

He screamed again. NaTeo shouted with anger and anxiety, something Tuah had never heard her do before.

Her heart thudded against her chest. She hesitated. Her feet shifted one way and but her head turned another.

Feorh screamed again, loud and shrill and she took off after him.

The shore turned to sand, rocks again, then veered into the forest to avoid a short rocky cliff before returning to a pebble beach.

Her feet dug in and she froze under the cover of the trees. She stared, numb. The moon illuminated the churning water, the crest of each wave, and the droplets as they were tossed into the air to land on the slimy skin of a ferocious spirit.

The splashing water hid much of the body. A rock sailed through the air and hit an eye. The spirit shrieked and thrashed, and a long, thick snake-like body rose up. The water ran off its smooth skin in tiny rivers. Rows of sharp teeth caught the light and Tuah could just make out dark patches of dripping blood. The circular maw slowly pulsed open and closed while the countless red, glowing eyes around it glared down at Feorh and NaTeo. One of them blinked away the pain before glaring like the others.

“Tuah! Tuah!”

Tuah gasped.

NaTeo had turned halfway to her. She was holding onto Feorh’s shoulders and pulling him from the waves. Her red hair was soaked and strands were sticking to her face. Her tone of voice, fearful yet determined, turned Tuah’s gut.

NaTeo shouted, “Go get-!”

The spirit’s body crashed into the water. Feorh shouted and NaTeo spun just in time for the force of the water to knock her backward, her head hitting the rocky beach. Feorh coughed and sputtered.

Tuah startled. The water thrashed. There was a flash of teeth and Feorh screamed again. She gasped. Hands spread in panic, she glanced around before picking up a rock and blindly throwing it. She threw another and another until the spirit released Feorh and turned its angry glare on her.

She sucked through her teeth and stepped back.

But instead of advancing, the spirit slithered backward. A crease formed between her brows.

“Tuah!” Feorh’s pained voice came. “Look out….”

She barely had time to glance at him before the water rushed up over him, NaTeo, and the beach. The spirit surged and she gasped, falling back just before the circle of teeth could snap around her.

She panted. Now that the spirit was closer she could easily see the shiny, sharp and yellowed teeth. The dark blue lips around them quivered and briefly changed into artistic swirls. The teeth opened, something inside moved, and they snapped closed again. The body wriggled across the rocks toward her. Her eyes widened and she scrambled back just before it snapped its teeth shut a third time.

A voice from somewhere to the side cut through her terror. She squinted—Awwt was dragging NaTeo up the beach and into the forest. Tuah shifted back again to avoid the snapping teeth and she saw him return to retrieve Feorh. He nodded at her. Her brows furrowed but the spirit stole her attention.

It thrashed its tail, churning up the waters. Again it moved forward across the rough beach. Tuah’s teeth ground together and tears pricked at her eyes. She inhaled and kicked at the closed teeth with her heel. Hot air blew out from the spaces in-between the teeth, and she grunted and kicked again. She shifted and kicked at the lips and the spirit flinched back.

She got to her feet and kicked the lips again. The spirit hissed. It snapped but couldn’t get more momentum as it entirely on the pebbled beach now. Tuah huffed and kicked the teeth again, earning her a stubbed toe. She cried out and hopped on her other foot until the pain was bearable. Then she kicked the spirit again.

The spirit squealed but instead of pursuing her it shifted and thrashed backward, retreating into the water. Terrified but confident, Tuah ran forward and kicked it a few more times before backing away.

Her panting had a whimpering edge to it. She looked toward the others. Feorh hissed. He cried out and tears ran down his cheeks as Awwt tried to sling him over his shoulders without further hurting him. Tuah hiccuped as dark blood pulsed from Feorh’s severed leg.

The sound of sloshing water cooled her head. She snapped around and watched as the spirit disappeared under the surface. A short fin broke through the water and the tail whipped around and the spirit readied to strike again.

She quickly backed away, into the forest to Awwt and Feorh.

“Grab NaTeo,” Awwt said quickly.

She nodded. She turned but a flash of light reflecting off the lake caught her eye.

Something else had risen. The fuzzy dark spot on the lake was big, probably bigger than the spirit attacking them. She squinted, and though she still couldn’t see its eyes she saw it move, saw its body briefly shift into lazy swirls and wedges. She felt its eyes looking at them.

She prayed. She raised her hands and shouted and screamed. Awwt looked and raised his voice too, even as he stepped back with Feorh over his shoulders.

The spirit didn’t move.

Tuah’s brow wrinkled. She shouted louder. Her heart beat faster as the water splashed near shore.

“Help!! Please, HELP US!” Her breath quickened. She waved her arms around but still the far away spirit didn’t move.

Then it turned its head and sank beneath the surface.

Her cries died in her throat. Her arms slowly lowered and she stared at the horizon in shock. She felt like she’d been slapped across the face.

The other spirit surged out of the water and across the beach. She shouted and jumped back before it could take one of her limbs like it had taken Feorh’s.

She dashed deeper into the forest. Awwt had paused where he’d left NaTeo, who was just beginning to wake up. Hot tears stung her eyes and Tuah ignored the screeching of the spirit somewhere on the other side of the trees.

NaTeo’s eyes blearily opened. Without a word, Tuah grabbed her arm and helped her to her feet. The leaves on the trees shook as the spirit hissed and squealed in frustration.

Tuah threw a final glare at it over her shoulder as they left.

Once the sounds of the spirit were far behind them, she muttered to herself, “I don’t understand.”

NaTeo groaned and pressed a finger to a spot on her head. They came away with the barest hint of blood. “What...?”

Tuah glanced at her. “The spirit. I don’t get it.”

Her teacher shrugged. “Spirits can become angry and lash out, just like us. I thought Hawiort would have taught you that by now.”

She briefly thought of the druid-priest teacher. “He did, but that’s not what I meant. Why didn’t the other spirit help us?”

NaTeo hissed as she touched the injured spot again, making a mess of her hair in the process. “The other spirit?”

Tuah nodded. “There was another one, farther out on the water. It just stared at us and then left. Who does that? Why wouldn’t it help?” Her voice grew louder, trembling in anger and fear.

NaTeo didn’t answer right away. Her gaze watched the ground, and then the way ahead.

Finally, she repeated, “They’re like us. Sometimes people can’t be bothered.”

She straightened. She wobbled and reached out, using Tuah’s shoulder to keep her steady as they continued walking.

Tuah ducked the end of a branch and frowned. “But they’re spirits. They’re our friends. They’re supposed to help us.”

NaTeo suddenly looked at her for a long moment. She shook her head. “No. They are like humans,” she stressed. “Some people are willing to help strangers, others aren’t. Some are willing to take part in a fight, others aren’t. That spirit owed us nothing.” She finished with a firm tone in her voice before looking away.

After a few steps she let go of Tuah’s shoulder.

Tuah scowled. She wiped her tears and sniffed loudly.

Not far ahead of them, Feorh looked at her with heavy eyes from where Awwt had lifted him across his shoulders. His face was as pale as the moon from blood loss, but something flickered in his gaze.

She tried to smile, to reassure him that he’d be okay, but anger bubbled and burned in her chest.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ────── · 。ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

She glared at the great fire in the gathering place. There the flames stole some of the stars’ light from her eyes, sealing her away from the world. She delved deep into her thoughts, deep enough she was unable to hear the music spitting the from crackling fire.

“Here.”

She gasped and jumped, nearly hitting the metal plate and the hand holding it. The hands pulled back in surprise.

Awwt sighed and offered the food again. “Here, before it gets cold.”

Tuah hummed low and reluctantly took the plate. The smell made her stomach growl but she didn’t indulge. Tendrils of steam rose from the gently browned rabbit meat. Some sort of small and layered green vegetables had been cut and served next to it, along with chopped, softened carrots.

“There’s mead inside, and a few druids brought cider with them from the mainland,” Awwt said as he sat down on the grass a seat away from her.

Tuah glanced over her shoulder. Blurry torches flickered on either side of a wide entrance, which sat in a rough, nearly shear cliff face. If goats were on the island they would have enjoyed the thin ledges of greenery growing here and there. A few smaller holes dotted the rocks to allow air in, but otherwise it was undisturbed on the outside. Inside, however, contained gentle ramps and cozy rooms.

Sometime before the death of the sun, before the Rela had disappeared, a Rela druid-magician named Setri had created their home. As the world grew colder Setri had asked gods and spirits for help. Pleaded to them to carve a home out of the cliff. And in return he offered them his service for the rest of his life.

Tuah only remembered the history lesson because it was the first one taught to new students who were in awe of the spectacle.

She turned away, lips pressed together with a wrinkle on her nose.

Awwt glanced up. “You should probably eat and then get some sleep. They said Feorh will be fine.”

She snorted. “Fine? He’s missing a leg.”

“It could have been worse.”

“It could have been better,” she shot back.

Awwt held a piece of the strange green vegetable, which he placed back on the metal plate with a rough, but not uncaring sigh.

“It could have. But it didn’t. Let it be now.”

She scowled. “Why should I?”

He frowned. “Because there’s nothing you can do.”

“Nothing-?! Yeah, nothing is right. I couldn’t do anything at all.” Her voice cracked and her hands trembled. “I couldn’t do anything but at least I tried. That spirit could have helped us but it didn’t.”

Awwt scowled. “Tuah, don’t say that.”

“Why not!”

“Because people could hear you. Spirits could hear you.”

Her fingers clenched the metal of the plate. It refused to bend and crumple as satisfyingly as wicker.

When she didn’t answer, Awwt put his plate down on the grass.

His voice tightened. “I know. I wish that spirit had helped us too. But NaTeo’s right-”

“That’s such-!! Argh!” She firmly put her plate in front of her on the ground, nearly knocking the food off it. “I can’t believe that anyone would ever do the same thing like that spirit did. I don’t care what she said.”

Awwt face pinched again. His head tilted annoyingly. “You wouldn’t leave someone from your own tribe if they were in trouble?”

She glared at him. “No,” she snapped, “I wouldn’t. I hate them but I wouldn’t do that. See?”

He picked up the green vegetable he had been about to eat and looked at it. “Even if you feel that way, I’m sure there’s someone there who would leave another person for dead.”

“No one would.”

His eyes flashed to hers. “Even a Suuroo?”

“Tch,” she immediately reacted. However, after a pause her eyes turned to the fire. Her nose twitched and her arms slowly crossed in front of her.

“I…” she bite out. “I… don’t know. But that doesn’t mean that everyone is like that!” she quickly added.

“Exactly.” He popped the food in his mouth.

She stared. After a pause her teeth ground together, but she didn’t say anything in return. She huffed and glared down at her quickly cooling plate.

“Who eats off metal plates anyway,” she grumbled. Her head moodily ducked between her shoulders.

Awwt shook his head at her sulking. He picked up his plate and returned to eating. His tone had calmed. “They’re from Reygo.”

“’Course.”

“Do you have a thing against all tribes?”

“Shouldn’t you have a thing against me, Wrysal?” she shot back.

“No,” he answered simply as he chewed. He swallowed and said, “I don’t care about their petty fighting.”

She raised her hands. “Oooo. Good for you.” A harsh smirk tugged the corner of her mouth. “Fishy.”

He scowled and she snorted in humour as he took her bait. “Idiot.”

“Ha! fish-licker.”

“Stop. Please.”

She snorted and giggled. She opened her mouth but suddenly felt tired. She tentatively looked at the food, her finger pushing the pieces around. She ate the rest of the rabbit and carrots quickly, but eyed the green vegetables. She poked one.

“It’s from EreTaam.”

She glanced at Awwt. He had already finished his plate, including the suspicious vegetables.

“They’re sprouts,” he further explained.

Her nose wrinkled.

He sagged. “Just try it.”

She huffed. She picked one up and looked it over in her fingers. She sniffed it. Finally she took a bite but a few layers of green slipped off. Her tongue played with the thin layers until she spat them out.

“Pah! I hate it.” She chucked it in the fire and it ate them happily. A few flames briefly turned into glowing spirals before merging again with the greater fire.

Awwt rolled his eyes at her.

“Want it?” She held out her plate with the rest of the sprouts.

He sighed but accepted the offering. “You had better stick with the bard strain, because your manners would be terrible for anything else.”

“Ha!” She grinned. “I don’t want to be anything else. What about you? You had better keep out of the bard strain because those fishy fingers ain’t getting you anywhere.”

He quietly grumbled, “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Her grin brightened. “But really: what are you going to do?”

She impatiently watched as he ate a few of the EreTaam vegetables.

He mused, “I was thinking about advisor, or history keeper.”

She snorted. “That makes sense. Better have you there than as a bard or poet, or listening to the spirits as a priest.”

He gave her a disapproving look but she turned away. Her smirk faded as she watched the flames.

Her chest felt heavy and tired as the world slowly shrunk away again. Warmth spread far around the fire and kept the chill-bumps from her skin. It crackled and spat into the starry sky.

She glanced at movement and watched as Awwt stood up with their empty plates. When he didn’t immediately walk away she raised a brow.

He sighed. “Just… get some sleep. The teachers said we can take as much time as we need before we get back to lessons,” he reminded her.

“Right.” She nodded and looked away.

As he left he tossed over his shoulder, “I’ll see you again.”

“See you,” she mumbled.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ────── · 。ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

“Tuah?”

“Hm?” She didn’t look away from NaTeo’s group. NaTeo was dramatically sprouting a lengthy poem about some Reygo warrior doing who knows what while their history teacher Wigseey seemed to be enthralled by her.

Tuah’s focus flickered to the slightly blurred sight of everyone’s bags filled with their instruments. Her fingers didn’t twitch. The fire didn’t roar and spit music. The cooling wind didn’t huff or whistle a tune.

Like a cave, her heart felt heavy, and dark, and hollow.

“Are you alright?” Feorh asked tentatively. “Aren’t you going to join the group? It’s been a while….”

She glanced at him. His leg had been removed and he was using a crutch. Her lips twisted as she looked away. Now was fine, but once the snow flew he would have a difficult time of traversing. He would have to stay on Ruia. Or be a chief’s permanent bard somewhere.

“I don’t feel like it.” She barely caught the hitch of his breath. “What about you?”

He shifted with a grunt. She glanced, and then looked again as he began lowering himself to the ground to sit next to her. She jumped and reached out to help him down.

“Sorry. I should have stood up to help you.”

“It’s okay.” He smiled. Then it faded in thought. He tapped the wooden crutch where it lay across his knee.

“I… I’m not sure if I want to be a bard anymore.” He looked down. “Maybe. But I don’t know.”

Her hearth clenched. “Just because I’m not playing anymore doesn’t mean you have to stop.”

“I know. I just… wait. Are you really never gonna play again?” He turned to her with wide eyes.

She looked away. “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I just don’t feel the music anymore.”

Feorh paused. His fingers played again with the crutch.

Tuah looked up. His brow had furrowed and he was biting his lip. He looked down at his hands in thought.

Quietly, he asked, “Is it because of me… or is it because….” He glanced around and then looked at her. He lowered his voice further. “Or is it because of the spirits?”

Her brows rose. She looked over his face and then glanced toward the fuzzy figure she guessed was Awwt. He was a part of the group surrounding NaTeo and Wigseey. No one looked at her and Feorh.

Her mouth tightened and she looked at Feorh. “I hate them. I hate that they just let you get hurt. I hate that they hurt you.”

He nodded. “I get it.”

“You do?” she asked, pleasantly surprised.

He nodded again with enthusiasm. “I heard you when Awwt was carrying me. I’m frustrated too. I….” His voice cracked a little. “When I was little one of my mums was playing in the snow with us. I had four mums. Only one was a birth-mother,” he explained.

Tuah nodded. Some people didn’t want to bring children into the world, but they did want to take care of them.

He continued, “This mum, she didn’t have any of us, but she protected us the most. We were… we were out looking for berries when an elk ran into us.” Tears were lined the lower rim of his eyes and Tuah wiped at them.

He laughed with a broken voice. “You’re just like my mum. She would have wiped my eyes like that too.”

A corner of Tuah’s mouth twitched upward.

Feorh swallowed. “The elk’s eyes were wild. She had blue swirls all over her. We didn’t know what was wrong with the elk then, but since coming here I’ve been thinking about it again, and I think she was fighting off an unwanted spirit.”

Tuah clenched her teeth. “And we’re supposed to be respectful of them??”

Feorh nodded, agreeing with her frustration. He sniffed and wiped his face on his cloak. “Exactly. …Tuah? Would you come with me somewhere? During the new moon?”

She frowned at the change in topic. “What?”

He laughed a little. “I promise it’s about the spirits. I think you’ll like it.”

She raised a brow. “You know I hate when people don’t get to the point.”

His head ducked. “Oh, yeah. Um… well, there are people, like us. People who question the spirits too.” His eyes sparkled. “There are more of us, Tuah.”

Her mouth fell open. She looked around, over the bard group, another group learning from a druid-priest, and at passing adult druids and other people who had been invited to live on the island. Some she couldn’t tell if they were looking at her and Feorh, but at least their heads were turned away.

“Here? On Ruia?”

His eyes shone brightly. “Yes. I promise, you’re not alone. There’s not a lot, but we’re here.”

Tuah breathed. She looked around again, squinting at the people around them. Her mind raced at the possibility of others who agreed with her. Who felt like she did about the spirits. Who knew what is was like to feel betrayed by what she’d been taught.

The fire spat three quick notes.

She grinned at her friend. “Where do we meet them?”