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Migratory birds- Chapter 2- Part 2

Roamer

by kodayu

Note! Continued from Chapter 2, Part 1.

The so called dining hall was the main room of the inhabited part of the sawmill. The bedrooms and such were all on the second floor, only the kitchen and the dining hall could be found on the first floor besides the storage rooms, the office, the workshops, the engine room and most of all the huge hall with the saws which occupied the biggest part of the entire

house. There was a small, dark windowless corridor which connected them all where Wheel walked through. Compared to the heat of the sun outside the somber coolness inside almost made him shiver. But he hardly noticed that as he headed directly for the dining hall where dinner would be served soon.

The huge portal of the hall was opened widely so that at least a little bit of light shone into the dimness inside this room with its small windows. It had been the largest workshop once (besides the saws' hall, of course) but his clan had transformed it into a dining hall where the whole family could easily gather, although just men were allowed to dine here.

The scent of roasted meat welcomed him although dinner had not been served yet. But some people had already gathered: Blade, his sister, sat with Steel and Sheen at the end of the huge table closest to him; Shakira sat all by himself, as usual; Terror, the second oldest man of the clan, had fallen asleep and did not seem to be troubled by the noisily talking men close by who had gathered there at the very end of the huge table. There sat Boulder, Wheel's father, Uncle Giant Net, Uncle Trunk, Cascade, Steady Vane and in between these, easily to go unnoticed because of his emaciated old body, grandpa whose economical movements proved that anyone who expected this old wolf to be weak was most certainly wrong. When they noticed Wheel's arrival they all raised their heads and observed like he approached them.

Wheel felt rather uncomfortable being observed like that but nevertheless he headed directly for them. He stopped at a certain polite distance of them, anticipating an invitation or such but instead the men just scrutinized the young wolf who felt worse every second he had to carry the burden of their unpronounced judgment.

After some time which seemed to Wheel almost like an eternity his father finally spoke. "How's the training going?"

Wheel had expected anything but such a trivial matter. "Pardon?" he asked stupidly.

"How's your training?" Boulder repeated.

He opened and shout the mouth several times and finally said nothing but: "Fine!" He could feel the sweat on his forehead.

His father nodded thoughtfully. "Very well!" Another silence followed that statement. "Do you feel up to run?"

"Of course," the young wolf instantly blurred out and unconsciously stretched himself a bit.

Once again Boulder nodded and there was another silence, just the faint whisper of Blade's, Steel's and Sheen's conversation filled the room and the dulled noise of the steam engines running at half speed in the cellar. Some few rays of sunlight fell through the windows and lost themselves in the large room, hardly illuminating the decorated shields on the walls.

"As it could get any better!" Grandpa said coldly and uttered something like a short laughter. "Of course, you run!" With an explosive movement he had raised his stick and pointed it right onto Wheel. "That's the least you can do after all you have done! I would not accept any further disgrace. If you don't do your damn duty I would put you where you got with this whore of yours, once and for all." He mumbled something which no one could understand, then he flared up again. His yellow eyes shimmered like gold in the brightest sunlight. "But your children are Nighthunters although I would have drowned these crossbred bastards[1](%5C) right from the start. There's no doubt that you run for us! As you had any choice..."

There was deathly silence for a moment even Blade and her companions did not speak anymore, everybody stared at the old man whose paw which hold the stick trembled with anger, his breath hissed in between his sharp carnivorous teeth. Very slowly they turned the heads towards Wheel and there was no doubt that the young wolf was hardly able to restrain himself, despite his gray fur everyone could see that he had gotten pale with anger, his hands had formed fists and his tail was as stiff as a metal blade.

"Shannanah is my wife," Wheel hissed. "And I will do my duty even..."

"SHUT UP!" The old wolf cried as loud as he could. The words echoed throughout the entire hall and ringed in the sensible lupine ears.

Some other members of the clan had arrived, anticipating dinner but now that they witnessed this they stood still and did not even dare to move while they eyed the old wolf and Wheel.

Carefully Vane pat on the old man's shoulder. "Please, I know that..."

"As you ever had won the race!" Grandpa flared up again. "You disappointed us twice! No wonder you support this disgrace of our family!" His stick still pointed on Wheel. "Just go and join him!"

For a moment Steady Vane supported the old man's glare but then he lowered his head and turned away.

"Please, Tracker," Trunk said carefully. "There's no need to upset you."

"Don't tell me what I got to do," the old man hissed and turned towards the thin, lupine at his side.

"We have discussed this matter, haven't we?" Trunk went on in as soothing as possible. "We have found a solution, haven't we? And I guess we should just let this boy run his race and deal with the rest all by ourselves."

Everybody in the dining hall watched the old man and waited for an answer of his.

"Somebody get this woman out of here!" Grandpa suddenly yelled, pointing at Blade at the other end of the room.

For a moment the she-wolf was surprised but then she screwed up her eyes and very slowly she stood up, not taking an eye of the old man. Her tail was stiff.

"Just because your husband was stupid enough to get himself killed does not mean that you can do what you want! Get into the kitchen where you belong," he cried after her who did not even waste a look on him anymore, just walked out of the dinning hall as proudly as she was still able to.

It was quiet again. Someone had stopped the steam engines and so there was no sound left. Even the breath of the gathered men seemed to have vanished.

"Alright?" Trunk asked carefully, breaking the silence.

The jaw of the old wolf moved for a moment, then he growled shortly which seemed to be some kind of an approval.

Instantly everyone seemed to relax except Wheel who was a tense as he had been before. His jaw ached because of his gritted teeth.

"You may go, Wheel!" he heard his father say and without raising his head he turned around on the spot and walked down the hall to get to his place at the very end of the huge table.

With a sigh he let himself drop down onto the hay and instantly he felt his muscles relaxing as a gentle lightness swayed through his limbs. The training had been exhausting enough to remind him of any fiber he had successfully ignored for a long time. But now he could feel them all and he had to remind himself that he was not as trained a runner as he had wanted to be.

His arm rested on his forehead while he stared upon the low wooden ceiling right above his face.

Mlala was anything but an opponent and Mlala knew that himself. He was much too feline to be any thread to all the others: He was a good short distance runner but lacked endurance to complete this race successfully. He had been panting terribly just after they had just finished one way. There was no chance of winning for him. But after all he had said that he has just been participating because one lynx had to be present at least.

His nose twitched slightly when he inaudibly whispered something. He rose his hand and started gnawing at his claw.

He gave a damn about this racism in this town, although Mlala seemed to be proud of him because there was now a lynx who could be a serious opponent for all the others. And during dinner Mlala's father had not been any better but had kept on babbling about how it would be if a lynx really won. And Enja had stared at him the whole time like she was sure that he was going to make it and that had worried him most. As far as Mlala had informed him, the others were anything but pushovers. Especially the one from the stag clan seemed to be a real toughie, just like some pony who was going to attend the race and the wolfs seemed to risk anything to win this year because of their rather shameful defeat last year. But all the others could still play some dirty game, after all there were no rules, except: Run alone and come back first with a branch of this holy Tacolar tree or whatever it was called.

He sighed silently.

He did not give a damn about this damn religious stuff, nor about this town and all its racist inhabitants but this race was worth ten red stones and he really needed that. Up to now he would hardly be able to pay the toll of the Tide Cruise Ferries. So he had to get through this damn race somehow. There was no different option he wanted to think about...

For a short moment the lynx was painfully reminded of his gender but he cast that aside as he really did not want to confuse himself with this disguise as long as he needed it.

He really had to get away from this damn place as fast as he could. But tomorrow there was the race and if everything went right he could be out the next morning. No, he would be out anyway.

The hay warmed him up and although his lynx eyes he could hardly see anything anymore. It had gotten completely silent in the house, now that Mlala, Enja and their father had retired to their small sleeping room, the only other room in this house. And now he was all alone in this one, laying in the hayloft and watching an invisible ceiling above him. He could be lucky that he had a dry sleeping place all for himself this night but he was really not in the mood to take pleasure in that.

Slowly he rose, exhaling deeply. He blinked while he tried to adapt to all the blackness around him and after a moment he was able to see a little bit more. There was Tezu's reddish moonlight shining brightly outside and some of it shone through the window and illuminated the small room with its dim gleam, so that after a moment he was able to percept the

outlines of his surroundings.

The hay had been comfortably warm and soft so that leaving it was anything but easy to him but nevertheless he rose slowly and carefully approached the place where the ladder which led down had to be. When his hands had found it he hold it tightly and slowly started to climb it down. Cautiously he sat his feet onto the ladder steps as he tried to suppress any possible creak of the wood. Very slowly he climbed down and finally met the ground.

He rubbed his nose and buried one hand in his pocket where he could feel the round shapes of some blue stones he had left.

He sneaked throughout the room, avoiding the different tools of leather cutting, the table, the stools and all the other stuff which lay around and reached the door which he opened with care. Thankfully they did not lock it.

Silently he slipped outside and closed the door behind him and then stepped down from the veranda and into the reddish moonlight. Tezu had risen high above the horizon while Heya was still hidden behind the dark curtain of the forest and would not raise until much later. But Koda was there as well, although he did not radiate any light at all, on the contrary the black moon seemed to consume any light in its surroundings and thus it was nothing but a black circle in the sky where no stars where looking through. The other stars were almost clearly visible because there was nothing in the sky except some very few, very thin, high floating clouds which did not really count. So Tezu ruled the sky, its blood red circle displayed a strange, checked pattern of interwoven lines.

While inhaling the much cooler night air he lowered his head. There was no wind at all and the forest had not given away all of the day's heat so that it was anything but unpleasant. There were just some grasshoppers chirping somewhere and some invisible frogs croaked as well but except for these, there was no other sound except his own heartbeat.

He turned away from his hosts' house and went off towards the town center. Beneath his feline feet the small stones of the street cracked and rustled despite his natural stealth. But he did not give a damn about stealth right now and so it did not really matter.

It was anything but difficult to recognize the bar. There was just one sole building which was so brightly illuminated and where so many voices were coming from. With long, steady steps he approached the house which seemed to have merged with those around it. Without hesitating he walked inside.

The smoke had gotten so thick that one's eyes instantly started watering after having penetrated the dense fumes, unless one was used to such conditions. But the noises were almost equally awful because the bar was so overcrowded by people who wished to see the race and thus had gathered in this small settlement and now had been looking for a little bit of entertainment in its only bar. It was maintained by the foxes but even these had agreed that it should be neutral ground because this was much better for their earnings after all, so it was no surprise that many wolves, deer and other inhabitants had come there too. So this place was not dominated by one of the three clans.

The wooden room was quite large, despite a low ceiling and some pillars which supported it. It was separated by some steps and a handrail so that there was the bar and a free space on one side and tables on the other. Almost every stool or chair was occupied, so the people even thronged around the bar and no one noticed the lynx who came in.

Other people might have been overcome by the intensity of impressions, the smoke, the noise and the heat and the lynx took a deep breath, inhaling the odors of so many different species (as well as drinks and meals) and trying to adapt to this breathtaking overcrowding.

He pushed himself through the much bigger, older customers (all male he noticed by the way) closer to the bar. Some gave him a curious look but nobody gave him any specific attention and finally he reached the bar.

"What 'ya want?" a vulpine barman shouted while running by, carrying five huge glasses of beer in one hand, five empty ones in the other. Sweat had wet his forehead's fur.

"Beer!" the lynx cried, trying to reach the fox who was already busy serving some guests at the other end of the bar.

"Normal, strong or spiced?" the fox shouted, running by with some emptied glasses.

"Spiced," the lynx replied, wondering what that could actually mean.

Before he had been able to blink the barman slammed a huge glass on the bar right in front of the feline's muzzle.

"That's two blue stones," he said, watching his guest with cold vulpine eyes.

"Errrh..., yes!" Jid answered and started to rummage around in his pockets, to get the required money. He took out what he found and counted the two small jewels.

The barman watched him with unexpected patience. "OK!" He grabbed the jewels, glared at the feline, then the vulpine disappeared almost instantly and left the feline alone with the huge glass.

For another moment the lynx stared at what was left of his money, the few glittering jewels in his furless palm. His fingers played the smooth round jewels around and he tried to figure where he would get with that. Not very far, that was certain, it would not even be enough to take him across Lake Moonfire. He gulped, put them back into his pocket and took a cautious sip at his drink and discovered- much to his relief- that it was no particularly strong draft, instead it tasted a little bit of cinnamon and aniseed. The taste was strange but not unpleasant.

His attempts to look around were pretty futile because so many people tried to reach the bar and thus he was obliged to push his way through the crowd to be able to take a proper breath again. Using all strength necessary to protect himself from being crushed and his beer from being completely spilled he forced himself through.

Finally he got through and suddenly found himself in the only free space in the whole bar, in between the tables and the bar.

"That's him!" somebody said loud enough so that the lynx' sensible ears could hear it. "That's that roamer!"

"Who?" somebody different asked.

"The lynx who wants to run," the first voice answered.

"Bloody stranger!" a third voice added.

The lynx spied at the talkers from the corner of his eyes without turning around and noticed three wolves at a table close by, a larger, older one in leather hunting clothes, one who seemed to be a young woman (maybe the only one in the bar) in simple hunting clothes, wide enough to hide away most indications of her femininity (except for her long hair, of course) and a smaller one in a simple blue shirt. It was the wolf they had met in the forest, the lynx instantly recognized him again.

He tried not to pay any attention to them and instead to find a free place which he found finally on a narrow staircase leading to another part of the house. There he sat down, sipped at the spiced beer and motionlessly observed the other customers: Of course there were pretty many red furred foxes, but many wolves and stags as well. There were only few members of different species, the lynx noticed a ram, some horses, three boars and a couple of squirrels (who kept to themselves in a dark corner at the end of the room). Maybe there were others as well, but he did not notice these in between the many other guests. But most of all he realized that he seemed to be the only feline.

After some time the taste of the beer got stale and he could slightly feel the effects of the alcohol. Maybe it had not been such a good idea to waste his last money just for such a drink. But when had he last visited a bar?

He had been somehow lost in his thoughts so that he did not notice the fox before he was already standing right in front of him. And before he had been able to react the muscled vulpine, dressed in clothes just as red as his fur, had already sat down right by his side.

"You're that lynx roamer, aren't cha?" His breath was heavy with alcohol.

"Yeah," the lynx replied, cautiously eyeing the fox with screwed up, slanted eyes.

"Tell me why're you running, huh?" The fox' hair was hanging right into his face, hiding away his half closed, bloodshot eyes. "It's not your town, eh?"

The lynx hesitated for a moment. "None of your business!" he replied after a while.

"Not my business?" The fox flared up. "Who do you think you're running against, eh?" He leaned over, closer to the lynx face so that the bitter stench of his breath was blown right into those face. "We ain't no losers such as you! Cats!" It sounded like an insult and it was certainly meant as such. "We damn know what's right and wrong! This is our town and

you, damn bastards, have no damn right to run! I tell ya!"

The lynx stood up without a reply and left the fox behind.

"Hey, what 'cha think?" he shouted after the feline. "I wuzz talking to ya! Damn, bloody outsider! You're a pussy or what?"

The lynx was not getting forward as fast as he wished to because of the many other people.

"Pussy, I say! Damn pussy running! You just stand there and let this feline bastard go? Don't do anything, eh? Could as well let some slut run? Damn cowards! Cowards like Big Wheel!"

The wolf named Big Wheel flared up from his chair while his older companion tried to keep him down. "Damn say that again and I crush your jaw!" the wolf yelled.

The whole bar was instantly quiet. All of the people stared motionlessly at the two who glared at each other.

"Coward!" the fox hissed.

The wolf wanted to go for it but was held back by the older wolf who had grabbed his shoulders. "Stay quiet, Wheel. You can settle this score during the race."

"Yeah, might even have some chance if he cheats again!" the fox shouted and laughed hysterically.

The wolf tried to shake off his companion's hold but now even the woman hold him back while whispering something into his ear.

"Yeah! Wheel! A cheating coward!" The fox got completely unrestrained now that there seemed to be no resistance. "We should have damn done you before you got another chance. But you run away, didn't ya? Too much a coward, right? Like that fucking cat, eh? Come back with your damn outsider slut! Breed some bastards, eh! Will be a pleasure to me to cut their throats next time. Damn..."

The glass hit the fox so hard that he lost consciousness even before he was pushed over, flew through the air and hit the staircase behind him. With a bleeding wound at his forehead the fox collapsed to the ground.

The partly filled glass of beer shattered right next to him.

Every single pair of eyes rested upon the lynx who did not even blink. His throw had been so fast and accurate that nobody had noticed his movement before it had fulfilled its purpose.

"Nobody pisses on me!" the small feline hissed. His short tail wagged agitatedly.

Everything was silent.

With his narrowed eyes the lynx stood in the middle of the bar, everyone had retired from him so that the dim light illuminated his silhouette sharply. Beneath his leather shirt the outlines of his muscles had gotten strongly visible. It seemed like the sound of his heavy breathing drowned out every other noise.

"What did you do?" the bartender stammered.

"Fucking cat[2](%5C)!" a vulpine voice cried out.

The lynx did not move.

The wolves at the table the unconscious fox had insulted last stared at their unexpected helper with equally wide opened eyes as mouths. Suddenly a younger fox broke the momentum of motionlessness and jumped across the banisters which separated the bar and kneeled down next to his unconscious comrade, investigating the hurt figure.

"You..." another fox behind the lynx hissed. "You..." He pushed himself through the immobile spectators. "You!" he almost cried out when he reached out for the smaller feline. He wanted to grab one of the lynx' shoulders from behind.

Before the bigger and older fox had even been able to raise his hand, Jid's knee already hit.

"You'll pay for that!" the young fox at the side of his hurt comrade cried and in the very same instant the fox at the lynx side rolled his eyes, moaned long drawn-out and collapsed to his knees, holding his sex.

"Hell!" With a high jump another fox separated from the immobile crowd.

A second one cried out, violently pushed the people around him over and pounced on the lynx who jumped up, supported himself on his second attacker's back and spun around on it, his flying legs slamming right into the first one's muzzle. Then Jid pushed himself off and landed on the ground while the first fox fell directly on the second so that they collapsed both.

Before he had even been able to look around a fox' fist already hit him, knocked him over and the light feline was swept aside until he fell down onto a table.

With a violent cry the attacker ran over to him but surprisingly the lynx was still conscious and the feline's foot kicked right into the fox' chest who gasped and stumbled backwards but was suddenly hold by some comrades of his who were just about to join the fight.

They helped him back onto his feet before they turned towards the lynx again.

He had stood up on the table, a small stream of blood flowed from his mouth's corner and unconsciously he tried to push it aside with his forearm but instead the blood was smeared all over his muzzle. Heavily panting he anticipated the foxes.

"Make your last prayers!" one of the foxes hissed. There were about ten of them, of different age, fur color and size but everyone of them glared at him with the very same fury.

The other guests had retired and observed what was going to happen. The young wolf was still held by his older companions as he still struggled sometimes to get free from their hold as he saw that the feline would have no chance against the vulpines who had armed themselves with glasses, stools and bottles. Some knives glistened here and there.

Slowly they closed in on the lynx, encircling the table he stood on.

Jid hissed with feral breath. His muscles poked out from underneath his fur, his tail wagged frantically and Wheel suddenly noticed a shimmer at his finger tips and his eyes opened wide with amazement when he noticed the long sharp claws at the end of Jid's fingers.

The foxes growled, whispering insults and curses, slowly moving the weapons. Their predatory teeth were gritted.

The lynx stretched.

"Cut your throat..." "Roast your inerts..." "Teach you a last lesson..." "Fuck you, cat!" "Damn slit-eyed dago..."

The insults barely reached his mind anymore. There was just the rush of his blood and the hammering of his heart left.

The foxes' eyes shimmered in the dark.

"Now!" And they rushed forward, all at once, reaching out their weapons and fists to hit the feline.

The lynx pushed off the table so powerfully that it was thrown over and hit some foxes who had tried to attack from behind while the small, light body was thrown forwards and his entire surroundings suddenly transformed into a rush of fleeing pictures in the corner of his eyes, there was just the door as his focus. He stretched out his arms when he slammed into the foxes and his claws cut into their flesh, blood was sprayed upon his light brown fur, cries echoed in his ears but he was too fast. He broke through them without meeting any resistance, swept them away without slowing down. An almost inaudible hoarse cry escaped his throat when the door came closer and...

The door was pushed open right in front of him and a shadow got visible in the door frame. He could not stop and the last thing he saw was a paw which closed around his face.

A cold, scaled hand grabbed the feline's head and in the very same instant the lynx could feel like it tore him apart and sucked the momentum out of him, it broke through his body like the chilling cold of freezing to death, it cracked him and swallowed all heat, every light, any perception and every memory. His mind seemed to shatter like a frozen leaf and then the night closed in and the feline body collapsed in the stranger's hold.

This absolutely unexpected turn of events made the guests of the bar, who had already hardly been able to grasp what had happened when the lynx had tried to flee, totally speechless. Except for the moaning foxes on the floor who held their wounds and clumsily got back on their feet, everyone stared at the newcomer in the door, who had stopped the lynx just

with one of his paws which still held the lifeless figure.

"Now what's this?" The voice which came out from below a cloak sounded like the crackle of dry wood in a fire. And finally the shadow came into the bar and so that his identity was finally revealed to the present people.

A heavy, old, ragged cloak almost completely hid the body underneath. Uncountable wooden and bony pendants clicked at the end of uncountable leather bracelets and necklaces which shook whenever he moved. A twisted, strangely carved staff, equally overloaded with pendants, leather straps and feathers was held in one hand which barely poked from below the brown cloth, as hidden as the face which was also almost completely covered by cloak's hood, except for a long, pointed, scaled muzzle. "Now, anyone wants to explain it to me?"

No one answered.

"Do I conclude that nothing happened at all?"

There was an abashed silence. Even the foxes on the floor did not say a thing, nor moved now that they had noticed the new arrival.

"Good!" He made another step forward. "Then this lynx shall be my guest for tonight!" He let the feline's face go and dragged the powerless figure to his feet.

Jid moaned, totally helpless and barely conscious.

"Now, come with me, my feline friend. We shall have a decent drink in this dive, just like everybody else." He hold the lynx by his shoulder and dragged him along to a table in the darkest corner of the bar while everyone observed the strange couple.

There were still three stags sitting at the table.

"Would you excuse us?"

Instantly the deer stood up and let the two take their places.

"Thank you!" He let the moaning lynx drop down in a chair. "Bartender, a beer for me and my young friend."

The fox bartender just nodded.

Then the strange figure sat down, right opposite the lynx who still tried to focus and most of all tried to overcome the dizziness of his mind, he was still feeling like recovering from drowning.

"Don't worry! It will pass!"

The bartender brought two huge glasses of beer and put them down on the table.

"Thank you!"

As quickly as possible the bartender vanished again.

For a moment the other guests were still staring at the newcomer and the lynx, among those the foxes who had fought with the lynx and who still held their wounds. It took quite some time for them to get their senses back but very slowly conversations started again, although very lowly while some guests cautiously left the bar. It seemed like the dim light of the bar had even been diminished furthermore. The few lamps barely illuminated the room anymore and long drawn shadows danced on the walls to the faint music of whispered conversations.

The lynx blinked and clumsily rose his head, but except for a brown shadow he hardly saw anything more of his host but a smile seemed to flit over the strange muzzle.

"I confess: It's not very polite to hide myself that way," the newcomer said and pushed his hood aside and thus revealed the scaled head of an armadillo.

Jid stared at the scaled one with total amazement. He had already heard of this species but never ever seen one. After all they were supposed to be creatures of legends or something like that, extinct long time ago.

"Surprised? I bet!" the armadillo said as friendly as his voice could be. "You are new here, right? No wonder you have never seen me before." With his scaled hand he rose his glass to his mouth and took a good swig of his beer. Sighing with satisfaction he sat it down on the table again.

Still somewhat dizzy the lynx was not really able to say anything at all. But it did not seem to bother the armadillo.

"I am supposed to be this town's priest. As you might already know there is a race taking place tomorrow and as it is one of the most important religious events of the year it is my duty to attend it and most of all: To name the winner!" He smiled for some incomprehensible reason. "Drink something!" he encouraged the lynx "That might help a little bit."

His hand still shook slightly when he reached out for the huge glass of beer and slowly he rose it to his mouth and took a sip. "There was a brawl, right?" the armadillo asked, supporting his head on his elbow.

The lynx just nodded while he put down his glass.

"I was sure about that," the priest said thoughtfully while observing the remaining guests which had gathered around the bar. He leaned over the table. "Take a good look at them! What do you see? Predators? Or herbivores?"

Jid was a little bit startled but then did as he was told (as best as he could as dizzy as he still was). He cleared his throat. "Both," he answered with this hoarse voice of his.

"Yes, one might believe. Deer, mouses, a rabbit, a boar on one side and foxes and wolves on the other. But if I ever learned something in this town it is that it does not know anything but predators," he almost whispered, his black eyes shimmered in between the scales.

The people talked lowly, drank their beer, someone even laughed shortly. There were no wolves left now, just some deer and other except for the particularly large group of foxes who could not resist eying the two strangers sometimes.

"Let me tell you a story..." The armadillo leaned back in his chair. His dark scales were the only sign of his advanced age. "Since the Spirits had gathered in the void and had merged to create this place we call our home, my kind has always been their humble servants, priests one might say. Any armadillo had dedicated his life to help the people to unite with the Spirits. There were never many of my kind, we had always been a few among the other species, but despite our duty we never considered ourselves something special: The Spirits had not chosen us, but we had chosen to serve the Spirits and our fellows as best as we could."

"At this place had always been a settlement, even though there are no remains of this past left now. Places like Amalkin or the trade posts at the Silver Coast might be bigger. But this place here is much older than all these. The legends tell that it already existed during the Age of Dawn before the Spirits decided to cover the terrible secrets of the Silver Coast underneath the waves of what we call today Lake Moonfire. It might have been a peaceful place at this time, a place for simple craftsmen and hunters. But most of all it had a huge community of armadillo..." He paused to drink some of his beer.

"Now one must know that my kind has always been humble servants of the Spirits. We have not been chosen as we are nothing special. We dedicated our lives to the service of the Spirits and we do not expect any special reward of doing so, except maybe of a good life in accordance with the land, the plants and all things living. Thus most of us, men and women, are priests and we are caring about settlement like this one to lead their inhabitants to a joyous life alongside the Spirits which inhabited everything around us. Because of our huge number in this town, it has always been considered to be something special and many families of armadillo have lived happily here alongside the many other families. It might never have been an easy life, but there was nothing amiss. But, of course, it would not stay that way forever, it never does..."

"A young boar, named Sars, a lively and ambitious young man decided one day that this town would be a little bit too small for him. He might have become a roamer like many other young ones of this town had been before him or- so as you are- today. But he was not satisfied by this perspective and he exclaimed his will to uncover the secrets of Lake Moonfire. This was already foolish enough one might say but he said that he wanted to do this for the good of all, every single inhabitant should have a better life afterwards. No wonder, the people hailed him and many had gathered when he finally left the town for good." Once more the priest drank some of his beer. "They expected him to be back almost every day, but soon the days became moon periods, the moon periods seasons, the seasons years and Sars did not return. So the people forgot about him and only few wondered if he had been swallowed by the depths of Lake Moonfire or simply vanished into the nothingness of the outside world."

"But one day he was back. He was no longer a young man as he had been used to be and he had not uncovered the secrets of Lake Moonfire but instead he had brought some people along he called his associates and an enormously huge machine. But he said that he had not forgotten about his promise to get the people a better life and that there were towns, cities which longed for the wood of the surrounding forests and that they would pay a lot to get it and then his associates explained that everyone in town could get a better living by working for Sars and that they would get more machines like the one Sars had brought along. The only thing they had to do was to work for the sawmill Sars build up around his machine. Of course the simple people were overjoyed by these promises of an easy future but..."

"From that day on the town was no longer the same, Sars build up the sawmill and that it is no longer owned by boars today tells you more about this town than I could ever hope to. However! My ancestors warned their fellows not to fall for that old trick, as old as the fall of the lost Spirits. Sars build up the sawmill and the people started to work for him, cutting down the trees, operating the saws and transporting the wood down to the Silver Coast. But soon they realized that they did not work for their own good but for Sars' and then the first storm broke loose and the first victim it claimed was the benefactor himself."

"My ancestors kept on warning their fellows about the danger of their greed but nobody seemed to listen or to care. Certainly they all still attended the rituals asking for fertility and the blessing of the Spirits. But my kind was wrong. They did listen! Everyone was listening! That's when our destiny was sealed. One by one the armadillos were slaughtered! Certainly there was no massacre taking place, they did not dare that. Instead there were series of strange accidents that claimed victims among the armadillo community, sad events everybody could mourn over. But when they realized that they did not have to expect any real resistance from my kind, they did no longer hide away. Some were found stabbed, some clubbed to death."

The armadillo paused for a moment, taking a good swing of his drink. "When I was young there had still been five left, my mother, me, a couple with a daughter who was supposed to be my spouse one day." He felt silent once more. "She was the last one. Her murderers did not even hide, I met them when they leaned over her corpse but before I had reached them, they had fled and had left me alone with her... And now there's just one armadillo left who could still remind them of the endless fights, the uncountable victims of their greed. There is just me who still recalls the names of

the families who had to die because they had been unfortunate enough to attract the jealousy of the others." He looked at the few remaining people in the bar. "There they are, just waiting for setting upon one another. Yesterday there have been the bears, the pumas and the beavers, today there are the foxes, the wolves and the deer. And me, of course! I am taking my place and I will use all that is left to me to ensure that it will not go on like that anymore... And there are you, naturally, who will do her share too..."

The armadillo looked at the lynx who was hardly awake anymore and another strange smile flitted over his scaled face. "You are sleepy, I understand that. It is late and you have to attend the race tomorrow and thus much better than listening to some fool like me."

Never having really recovered from the priest's enchantment the lynx was hardly able to keep his eyes opened. Now that he had also drunken most of the strong beer the alcohol had done its share too and it already was late at night. Clumsily he got to his feet and started to stumble towards the door, observed by the smiling armadillo.

The few remaining guests, all foxes except for a solitary ram, observed the feline carefully when he went down the few steps which separated the room and approached the door, completely exhausted and absolutely tired.

"I'll open the door!" the bartender said suddenly with exaggerated helpfulness, rushing to the door and opening it wide when the lynx past by. He took the feline by the shoulder and guided him outside.

The pain almost instantly woke Jid up again. The fox' fist was buried deep in his stomach.

"That's just an advance. The score will be settled tomorrow," the fox whispered into the pointed ear and then let the lynx drop down to the ground. Gasping for breath he sat on the ground and held his belly. All the tiredness had been drowned in a rush of adrenaline which made him painfully aware of the fox' strength. A silent curse passed his lips, a curse for

having been inattentive.

The stars in the sky above the town observed it coldly from afar.

"What the hell did you think?"

"Let me go!" Wheel cried and pushed his brother's arm aside with all the power necessary to do so.

"He's right! That was damn stupid, Wheel," his sister agreed.

"Satchas was drunk, okay? He tried to provoke you, alright! But you should not loose control so easily."

They left the cone of light which surrounded the bar and headed for the plaza with the oak. The moons had risen high into the sky and a gentle wind brushed through their lupine fur.

Suddenly Blade laughed shortly. "The lynx saved your sorry butt, Wheel!" she said.

"Yes," her older brother agreed. "You were damn lucky that this nitwit interfered. But tomorrow..." Meaningfully he laid his paw onto Wheel's shoulder. "You can't rely on that!"

Blade leaned over to him. "All your problems will be dealt with, that's what we promise you to do. But you must run and you must win..."

Violently Wheel shook himself, thus pushed his brother's hand aside and walked faster.

"What's wrong, Wheel?" Searcher asked.

"Damn, I'll run and I'll win for sure. You don't have to tell me every damn minute. I am not a kid anymore..." he replied angrily.

"Running away as you did last year wasn't very grown up, Wheel," Blade noticed.

Her younger brother gritted his teeth but did not say anything.

"Look, Wheel. We just do want to help you, OK? And as Blade has said we'll deal with that . The only thing you have to do is running." Once more Searcher laid his hand on Wheel's shoulder but this time he made sure that his brother could not free himself that easily anymore and so he leaned over to him and spoke quietly directly into the wolf ear in between the

dark gray hair. "Think of Rush and Shade and you know what you have to do!"

"Yes!" Their sister agreed who had approached him as well. "Think of what they did to you last year and just prove that they can't push you over that easily. You're a Nighthunter, after all!"

Wheel growled while they walked on through the cool night air. They were not the only wolves to have left the bar, Steel, a cousin of theirs, Wage, Cloud and Sheen, other member of their clan had went with them, but walked at a certain distance of the three but they all headed for the sawmill, crossing the place with the old crippled oak which was supposed to be the center of this town, the buildings of the three clans around it.

Suddenly they got aware of cheers and instinctively the wolves turned their heads around and noticed the brightly illuminated windows of the lumberjack dormitory. One of the windows on the second floor was wide open and several deer, just recognizable because of their antlers, seemed to have noticed them as well. They waved their arms and hands and cried something which was hardly understandable because their tongues were heavy from drinking too much but they way they cried, laughed, cheered left no possibility to misunderstand their intentions.

"Look at theses bastards." Searcher gritted his teeth. "Promise me to show them all tomorrow, Wheel. I can't stand their damn grins anymore. Next is payback time..."

Wheel nodded while still observing the five deer who were just laughing about another good joke. Although the darkness he was able to imagine what kind of gestures they were just about to make.

"You owe that to your cubs, Wheel," the woman at his side said to him.

Wheel just nodded once more. "Yes," he hissed. "Tomorrow's payback time."

"Jid!"

The lynx turned around and covered his face deeper in the hay.

"Jid!"

He tried to open his encrusted eyes and very slowly he rose his head to see who was addressing him. Blurred spots of color danced in front of his eyes.

"Jid, I felt obliged to wake you up. You must already hurry a bit if you really want to run."

His eyes opened wide and Mlala was startled when he noticed that Jid was completely dressed and his clothes were covered by hay as if he had been dressed all night.

"I'm sorry, Jid, but it's already pretty late in the morning and if we do not want to get into a hurry..." Mlala stopped and eyed the other lynx who rubbed his eyes, blinked, then rubbed his eyes again. "Everything alright?"

Jid nodded. "Just..." His voice was nothing then a rattle, deep inside his chest. He cleared his throat and started anew. "Just a minute," he mumbled and suddenly he noticed that the first button of his shirt was open and as quickly as he could he covered the small bit of fluffy fur which poked out with his arm.

Mlala screwed up his eyes. "You're sure?"

"Yeah, thanks," Jid answered. "I'll be down in a minute."

The boy nodded slowly, observed the other feline in the hay for a second and then slowly he climbed down the stairs he had been standing on.

A short sigh of relief was uttered unwillingly by Jid when he heard that Mlala had left the single room of the small house, then as quickly as his sleepy fingers were able to, he closed the button of his shirt.

Slowly he rose in the hay and sighed once more, closed his eyes and inhaled profoundly to vanquish his dizziness. He brushed through his tousled hair as he noticed how felted it was he reached out for his backpack, looked around for a second to assure himself that there was no one observing him and then he took out a small comb he had kept in one of the side pockets. With fast, wild movements he started to comb his short hair, silently growling in anger whenever he met a resistance. Afterwards he brushed through it once more and noticed with satisfaction that it was certainly not perfect but much better than before. As quickly as he had got the comb, it disappeared again while he started to lap his paw just to run the moistened fur over his face. He purred instinctively. But then as soon as he had finished with washing he rose fully and approached the ladder to get down.

Bright sunlight shone through the windows and the opened door, the green of the forest outside shimmered promisingly, birds chirped and the faint sound of an active settlement reached Jid's pointed ears when he noticed the table where something to eat had been prepared for him: Some milk, bread, some fruits. As his grumbling stomach required it he quickly sat down, purred some of the milk into a dish, broke off a piece of the bread to dunk it deeply into the milk so that it soaked as much of the fluid as possible. Greedily his mouth closed about the soggy bread and he devoured the biggest part of it with a single gulp. Still chewing he groaned with true satisfaction.

"A scaled coin breaks the saw but you take the sawteeth with you just like the branch of the Tacolar Tree..."

Jid almost spit out everything but then instead he swallowed, choked and started coughing painfully until he finally got his breath again and was able to turn around.

With wide opened eyes Enja was staring at him like she had never seenhim before. Her blue dress was absolutely dirty with mud and green stains

of grass, her light brown hair was tousled and was standing up in every possible direction. There was a small wound on her forehead, blood had flown down from it into her face.

"You're hurt," Jid mumbled.

Suddenly she sniffed, her entire face cramped, her eyes filled with tears and then she cried out with a miserable tone which did not sound like the mourning of a small child but rather like the helpless cry of a deadly hurt animal. She grabbed the muscled leg of the boy and hold onto it.

Completely startled Jid needed a moment to understand then he quickly kneeled down and took her in his arms. "Shhhhh, don't worry, it'll heal again."

The girl returned his embrace and pressed her face against his chest. "I don't want to die, I don't want to die..." she mumbled in between her sobbing.

"You don't have to die 'cos of such a small wound," he tried to reassure her, rocking her slowly in his arms. "Nobody's to die."

But she just shook her small head and kept on crying and he did his best to temper the troubled girl.

"Now I do understand why she said that you remind her of her mother..."

Jid turned his face around and stared at the old lynx in the door with wide opened mouth. His heart raced.

The older lynx nodded slowly and stepped inside. "It's no shame, I can assure you," he said slowly while he walked in and put the leather aside he had been carrying. "My wife was very much like you: Very self-confident, very strong and sometimes I was myself convinced that she was much a better man than me. She took care of everything and was ready to accept any burden. But in the end..." He hesitated, being covered by the shadows of the small room, he showed the younger one his back. "She died shortly after Enja's birth." The old man sighed like he was reminded of an old wound which had never healed entirely. Slowly he turned around, the old brown hair of his covered his face but very slowly a faint smile flit over his face. "Be proud of what you are," he said. "One day you might become a much better father than I could have ever been."

For a moment Jid just closed his eyes.

"What's about Enja?"

He had almost completely forgotten about the silently crying girl in his arms. "I... She's hurt herself," he stammered.

The old lynx went over to them and kneeled down at their side. "Now, what's wrong with you, hm?" he asked her gently. "Maybe you should leave Jid alone now, he's got a race to win today. Come here, to me." Carefully he took her out of Jid's arms and upon his own, stroking her messy hair.

Jid stood up again and kicked the ground with his foot.

"There's something I want you to have," the man said while walking over to one of his workbenches, the girl on his arms. He pushed the many different leather cloth, in different states of processing, aside which had gathered there and finally pulled out something from down under all the different stuff. "Originally I intended Mlala to have this one but it turned out to be a little bit too small for him, but if I am not mistaken it should fit you pretty well." He hold out a pair of black leather shorts and an equally black skirt.

Jid was overcome by surprise. "For me?" he stammered.

"Of course," the old man answered. "You might be no member of my family, but you are lynx. So I cannot let you run in these poor clothes of yours... I am sorry that it's just a loan, but I hope you will wear it nevertheless."

"Sure," the young one stammered and went over to the man who hold the clothes out to him.

"Seems to fit," he stated. "Better you dress now, Mlala will be back in a moment and then we should go." He took his daughter who rubbed her eyes by her hand and left the lynx behind who still stared at the leather clothes in his hands: Soft, smooth leather, simply crafted but skillfully nevertheless, black like the night sky.

"Wheel?"

He turned around, his hand dropped down from his lover it had hold. Clumsily he pushed the quilt aside and sat up. "Yes," he replied as loud as he could without waking the one at his side.

"It's time!"

He blinked, startled for a moment because his sleepy mind did not get it so quickly. But then he realized that the race was mentioned. "I am up in a minute," he replied, even though he did not known if the one who had waken him was still waiting in front of the door.

Very slowly he tried to get down from the bed without moving the mattress too much.

"You don't need to be so careful," a sleepy, gentle voice said.

He sighed happily. "You don't have to stand up so early," he said, turned around and leaned over the bed and approached Shannanah with a smile. "Did you sleep well?" she asked lowly, looking straight into his yellow eyes.

"Yes," he breathed so that the airflow of it flowed around the beautiful outline of her muzzle and then they joined in kiss. Carefully Shannanah wrapped her arms around his neck and hold him tightly while they felt each other's warm affection.

"WHEEL!" Somebody hammered against the door.

The wolf broke the kiss, sighed and cried: "Just a minute!" He exchanged a look with his vulpine wife and she answered with an understanding smile. Although it was difficult for him he freed himself from her tender embrace and fully left the bed to get dressed. The clothes for this special day lay on the chest at the end of their bed: They was a light brown leather shirt with gilded buckles, similar shorts with a heavy belt whose ornaments shimmered brightly in the early sunlight, heavy boots with gilded buckles as well and vambraces as well as greaves out of hard leather to protect his arms and legs as well as possible. As he took up the clothes he noticed this very special odor of theirs, the scent of cloth which had rested in a chest for little bit too much time and it reminded him painfully of what had happened when he had dressed in these clothes for the last time.

Shannanah observed him quietly from in between the sheets and quilts of the bed.

Finally when he was fully dressed he turned around to show her.

She just answered with a smile.

"I guess I look like the most terrible boaster," he noticed.

"You look gorgeous," she replied shortly, but suddenly she sighed.

"I just wished it wasn't for this damn race."

He lowered his head. "I understand but tonight it will all be over, once and forever. This is the last time I have to run, next year Airy Dart will do it. So..."

She had lowered her head to, turned it to the quilt which covered her naked body so that he could not see her face behind the curtain of her black hair. "I just hope so, I just hope so..." she mumbled weakly but although she tried to hide away this distinctive tone of feebleness in her voice he understood that she was close to crying.

"Hey!" He sat down on the bed, next to her. "It will be over tonight, I promise! One way or another. Then I do no longer owe them anything at all..." He hesitated for a second. "If you want to, we can even go back to your family..."

The vixen rose her head and although silent tears flowed from her eyes she smiled and he took her in his arms. "I can hardly estimate what you are going through but trust me: I love you, you are my wife and one day they will just have to accept that."

"I just hope so," she said lowly. "They have acted so strangely these last days, always eager to separate me from you and Shade and Rush..."

"That's just because of the race," he interrupted her.

"I hope so, I just hope so," she breathed.

"WHEEL! Damn! Come out now!"

Wheel sighed again. "I am sorry, love. You see: It's no better for me." He gave her a kiss on her cheek and she gently stroked his paw which he pulled back to release her from his embrace. Then he went to the door.

"Wheel?"

He had just opened the door, but now he turned around to her again.

"Take good care of you, please." Her gray-blue eyes glistened.

"I will," he assured her and then he went out of the door and closed it carefully behind him, while she quickly hid her eyes behind her hand, hiding away the tears which had suddenly welled up without any reason she knew of.

Half-heartedly he walked down the creaking stairs to the first floor, headed for the door to the backyard and stepped out into the cool, moist air of an early morning.

"Finally!" Searcher glared at him. He had put on a old ragged clothes for the training. Next to him stood Chimes and Steel, cousins of theirs, with arms akimbo. "Let's get started," Searcher said. "We'll start right off with some easy kicks and punches and get to your legs later."

Wheel blinked. "What?"

"Ready?" Steel, a massive, gray wolf with short cut hair asked. But before Wheel had even been able to ask, Chimes was already attacking with a low punch and Wheel was just able to dodge clumsily. There was no time for complaining left as Searcher attacked next, then Steel and so on and before he was able to understood what happened with him, Wheel was already in the middle of practice with the three wolves constantly punching and kicking him while he tried to evade their attacks. After very short time he was already wet with sweat, running down his fur. Then Searcher ordered him to start some easy exercises for his legs, jumping against the wall, pushing himself off it, accelerating and stopping as fast as he could and so on while the three other wolves watched him.

"That's enough!" Searcher said after a while. "You don't have to be exhausted. Let's go!" And he ordered Wheel to follow him inside the sawmill.

Steel and Chimes walked after them.

They walked straight through the dark corridors of the building, heading for the meeting hall, whose huge door was opened by Searcher so that Wheel could walk in first. Dim twilight anticipated them and the scent of many men who had gathered. Motionlessly they observed how the young wolf walked in. Everyone was there, every man of the clan, from Finder, Searcher's young son, to Uncle Gem who rarely left his cottage in the Blue Ridge Mountains and who was the only man as old as Grampa who sat at the very end of the table, overshadowing everything else although his old, bent body. His deep-set, yellow lupine eyes gleamed when he rose his tumbler.

"There he is," the old man said. His voice sounded like the creaking of metal on metal but he was perfectly audible nevertheless. "Big Wheel..." He paused like there was some special meaning to this name. "The one who will run for the Nighthunters this year. Everybody cheer the one who will guide the Spirits into our house!"

"May the Spirits guide him!" The many voice of the men had become one when they had risen from their seat to raise their glasses to him.

Wheel bowed down in reply.

Searcher pat on his shoulder. "Now the only thing left to do for you is to win that damn race," he whispered into his ear.

Wheel rose again. "There's one thing I want to say," he said, much to the surprise of the assembled men who had not anticipated any kind of speech of his. They observed him with screwed up eyes. "I..." He wet his lips. "What happened last year will never happen again, I swear. I will not allow that the name of our clan will ever be besmirched again and even if it means that is has to be the last thing I have to do."

There was silence for a moment.

"Well said, young wolf, well said..." Grandpa had risen too and supported himself on his rod and glared at Wheel from below his cap. "But let me swear something as well..." The old man's voice sounded like the dry, breaking wood. "I will not allow anyone to water down our bloodline, whoever that might be. So..." Every single eye was resting upon him. "...come here, my son. I know that you do understand that better than anyone else in here because you will do us honor more than in just one way..." His old wrinkled paw pointed onto the seat at his side. "Come here, Wheel. Take your seat

next to where you might sit one day if you will be as reasonable as I do know that you are..."

Another silence followed and then someone of the man started to cheer and all the other joined him and when Wheel went towards his grandfather he was encouraged by the many men who pat on his shoulder and congratulated him when he walked by. "I know I can rely on you, son," his father mumbled when he pat on Wheel's shoulder who walked by and so the young wolf felt much more at ease when he sat down next to the old wolf.

Then some of the woman, among these was Blade who did not look very happy to have been designed for that deed, served the food, game and strong beer for everyone except Wheel who got the traditional dried meat, fresh bread and cold spring water. Blade served it to him and before she went away again she whispered into his ear: "Tonight everything will be alright again."

He looked inquiringly after her but she left so quickly that he could not reply anything and in the very same moment Uncle Gem started to interview him about his training and offered him some good advices as well. But Flash just cracked some jokes about Uncle Gem who was still thinking about the race like some promenade among friends. The old wolf instantly shut up in annoyance which made the men laugh even more and so the meal went on.

Finally Searcher rose. "I am sorry to interrupt this happy gathering but it's time...," he said as loud as necessary to drown out the conversations around him.

Instantly the men cheered as loud as they could and Wheel rose from his seat. It seemed to him like there was some voice inside his head who constantly told him "It's time, it's time, it's time..." The men followed him when he left the hall and so they did when he headed for the main door.

Some few women joined them as well while they walked through the huge workshop along the enormously big, steam powered saws which had been shut down, just for this special day. Sawmill dust swirled around the clan members and then Wheel reached the grand swing door which was usually used to get the trunks inside. With all his strength he braced against the wood and pushed it open.

Sunlight broke into the darkness, overcame them with its purifying brightness and blinded them as the entire clan left the family seat and walked into the anticipating void.

Annotation 1: The term crossbreed is a grave insult for children of parents belonging to different species. Crossbreeds (and very often their parents too) are usually outcasts and/or suffer from discrimination.

Annotation 2: As there are no domesticated animals in this world, the term cat substitutes for a very vulgar expression for felines in general. The equivalent term for canines would be dog, of course.

End of Chapter 2/Part 2.

Copyright 2002 by kodayu. All rights reserved.

To be continued in Chapter 3.

More on my website: [www.furry.org.au/kodayu](%5C)