Middle World/Lakelands 4: PBEM 3

[Raven Crowking]

That winter, there were whispers in the shadows of troubles to come, and many of the Hoothori – the People of the Crows – wanted to travel away from it when warmer weather came. But barely heard whispers in the cold darkness were easily forgotten in warm sunlight. The game birds returned to the marshes. Reptiles ended their long winter sleep. The moose came back to their spring forage. Tiny green frogs could be heard among the reeds. And, for a while, all was well.

Then came a week of storms. With the rains came lizardfolk raiding parties. Among the dead raiders were those whose scales were dyed in the bright colors of Sun-Among-Reeds, a lizardfolk mound which had long ago made its peace with human beings, and which the Hoothori often met in the summer for trade.

What could be causing the lizardfolk to begin raiding now, when they were still slow from cold mornings? Why would Sun-Among-Reeds forgo its long peace? These questions the Elder Mothers long pondered, but the ravens had no answers, and the shadows would not speak. At last, they realized that a delegation must go to seek these answers. They began to ask for volunteers among the brave.

“Kilendra, you grow wise, and you have learned to listen to the stillness of the world. Will you undertake this mission, to lead these warriors quietly, not to provoke, but to answer violence if the need is such, and to discover why those who were once our allies have now become our foes?”

* * * * *

After a short pause, for thought, Kilendra replied. “I will lead the delegation,” she said, “for that the clan of Sun-Among-Reeds are bound more to sleep in the shadows at the ends of winter makes this a mystery all the more strange. That you have faith in me, so is my faith held in your judgment of this need. In quiet and shadow we shall travel. Should the need arise, perhaps we should also carry with us the standard that signifies the peace between our peoples, so it can be borne in the event that the shadow's protection and quiet observation are not sufficient. If violence is also needed, so shall it be.”

Among the Elder Mothers, Grandmother Mitexi – she who was called the Sacred Moon – smiled, showing the gaps in her teeth.

“Well spoken, Daughter of Shadow. You shall carry the Peace-Rod of Sun-Among-Reeds, and you will be given what we can spare to aid your quest. Eight shall go with you, in three birch-bark canoes large enough to carry three and their gear. Adriel is a good tracker, and knows the way to Sun-Among Reeds. He shall go with you. Of the others, we will need time to think. Purify yourself with smoke, while we choose who is best to accompany you on this journey.”

Kilendra nodded, and politely took her leave. The smoke lodge was already being made ready, and she went into the antechamber, where she stripped and left her clothing for the men to clean. Within the lodge, heat and the smell of sweet smoke eased her muscles and mind. It was an honor to be asked to represent the Hoothori in their time of need.

The lizardfolk mound of Sun-Among-Reeds was perhaps six days away, both through open water and some portaging. The Elder Mothers would see that the canoes were well laden with food, at least enough for the trip there and back again. It would be good to travel from twilight to dawn before the sun was too strong, when they could rest in whatever thickets or shadowy woods might be found. Tall shadowed reed patches might have to do.

Kilendra washed well in the stream outside the smoke lodge, so that the scent of smoke upon her skin would not betray them. That night, she prayed to the darkness, looking for answers from the shadows in the folds of her dreams. She was mindful of the crows, as always, in case they had anything to impart.

Her companions were chosen: five men and three women. There were more men than Kilendra would have liked for so important a mission, but she understood that the Elder Mothers had to protect the tribe while she was away. Besides Adriel, the expert tracker (who, thankfully, spoke the Lizard Tongue), there were four male warriors: graceful and beautiful Elu, left-handed Nawat, swift Tadi, and Bimisi, who few trusted or would be sorry if he fell into the final shadow. She would have to watch that one.

The women Kilendra was sent were two strong warriors, Nirvelli and Eyota, and Huyana, a healing woman who knew well the shadows. They would help to keep an eye on Bimisi, the Slippery One.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Kilendra had much to think about before leaving the People of the Crows with her delegation. She had three canoes, each of which could carry three people, but how best to order them? Bimisi, of course, could not be left alone. Nirvelli and Eyota were probably the best for watching over him – they could share a canoe – but she also wanted Adriel in the lead canoe, and his tracking and interpretive abilities meant that he should be protected. Huyana could, perhaps, go with Kilendra herself in the middle canoe, along with Elu. Kilendra thought that Elu should carry the Peace-Rod of Sun-Among Reeds, for he was beautiful. The lizardfolk might not see his beauty the same way as she did, but surely they could not help but be influenced by his poise, symmetry, and perfect body. That would leave Nawat and Tadi in the third canoe, with either Bimisi or one of the woman warriors.

Eventually, Kilendra decided that she preferred Bimisi where she could see him. Nirvelli could go in the third canoe with the males.

Before leaving, Kilendra took Bimisi aside. “You are well known for your cleverness, and for your special affinity for the shadows,” she told him quietly. “If we do discover some of the lizard folk -- either a mixed party where some have the colors of the sun-among-reeds, or a full party for that matter – and they do not see us, I will want you to go forward and learn what you can. That is your special task, Bimisi. While others do not trust you, until you give me a reason not to do so, I will only keep half an eye on you. Make me rue that choice and you may end up trussed to a canoe, where fish and turtles can nibble at your toes while the rest of us stay dry.”

Bimisi laughed. “I know well my reputation,” he said. “Many a woman would take me to husband, but I yet remain uncaught, and for this they would call me many foul names. They say, ‘There is a man who thinks he is too good for any warrior, but he is not too good when the moon is shining.’ It is true. I do think that a man can be more than a husband and a childward, that a man can make his own way in this world. I have seen the others, the Fenlanders, do it. But I am yet a Hoothori at heart, and I will not betray you.”

While Kilendra was meditating, she had thought about how shadows disguise things. She realized that the lizardfolk the Elder Mothers thought to be from Sun-Among-Reeds could be from another mound, coloring themselves with Sun-Among-Reed’s bright colors as ruse. Perhaps they wanted to force some sort of fight between the Hoothori and their allies. Bimisi was not the only slippery-minded being in the marshes. The idea nagged at her. She wondered how difficult it would be to tell the difference, and asked Adriel if there was a specific aspect to the language of the lizardfolk of Sun-Among-Reeds that could distinguish them from others.

“My Lady,” Adriel replied, “the speech of the lizardfolk may vary from area to area, but if these were not Sun-Among-Reeds, they would have to be from far indeed before we would know it by their speech. Their colors, though – they dye their scales. That does not fade easily, and if it was another mound copying Sun-Among-Reeds, we might discover it by looking at their scales closely.”

Following Adriel’s lead, the company paddled by canoe for three days to reach the marshlands of Sun-Among-Reeds. Kilendra, although ready to make repairs if required, found the equipment that they were given seemed to be of good quality. One of the canoes scraped a submerged log on the second day, but it was easily patched. Guards were posted during the day while they rested, trying to remain as concealed as possible. Huyana, the healing woman, was not burdened by guard duty.

The warriors had all been told that the success of the journey could well depend Adriel’s linguistic skills, and that they should see to both his and Huyana's safety should they come under attack. Thus far, they had seen little sign of violence. They would have seen no sign at all if not for Adriel – the swamp quickly swallowed the dead.

Kilendra had been careful to ensure that Bimisi would at no time be left alone, but the problem with him seemed to be quite the opposite. He did not have the modesty of a proper man. He openly consorted with both Eyota and Nirvelli. Although neither woman seemed jealous of the other, and she could trust them to use contraceptive herbs while on such an important mission, Kilendra could not help but imagine that the affairs would end poorly.

They were on the edges of Sun-Among-Reeds territory when Adriel saw signs that were all but invisible to Kilendra’s eyes, even when he pointed them out. “My Lady, a boat has passed through here, not more than a hand of days ago. We are not the first to mark it – here you can see that a clawed foot has scraped over that log. We can go to Sun-Among-Reeds, and be there within two nights” …he gestured to the east… “or we can follow these. What is your will, Lady?”

 

[Raven Crowking]

"We will follow the tracks," Kilendra decided. "The mound is not going anywhere at the moment and I am interested in finding out why someone in a boat is actively pursued." She considered her resources. "Two days at most," she decided, "and then we must turn back to our primary task. This may tell us something about what is going on at Sun-Among-Reeds."

They turned to follow the scant traces left by the boat and lizard folk. Adriel frequently got out of his canoe, pausing to examine some scraped twig or clump of marsh grass. What he was looking for, or what he saw, Kilendra could not say, but he moved with confidence after each pause, pointing the way that boat and pursuers had gone.

That night, Kilendra remained alert for problems that Bimisi might be causing with her warriors. She got up in the night, and observed them for a moment or two during their watch. If their amorous activities were interefering with guarding the camp, she had decided to politely ask that they attend to keeping watch before they attend to each other.

Fortunately, that did not seem to be necessary. While they were cuddling in the reeds, their eyes and ears were still alert. Indeed, Bimisi saw Kilendra where she watched.

"Peace, Nirvelli," he said to the warrior laying near him. "We are making our leader jealous!"