1

“Silence is the enemy
Against your urgency
So rally up the demons of your soul”
~Green Day, Know Your Enemy

Cattails and knee-high grass waved in the same cold, cloudy water as spruce, maple, elder, laurel and willow trees grew. A crane swooped down to take a fish from the water. Before it could lift off an enormous Alligator swallowed it whole and sank beneath the mucky surface. Then all was still again.
Suddenly there was a hiss and ripples broke the tranquility. Blood tainted the water with a cloud of scarlet. A narrow, long and round dark silver reptilian muzzle thrust itself into the air. A moment later murky green eyes gleamed in the sunlight as a head with at least twenty crimson red quills followed it. An inner eyelid flicked over the eyes. For a time it crept along slowly, gazing warily about.
Then the nostrils flared and it gradually came above the surface. A large reptile that stood erect like a human slithered onto the peaty ground above the water. Balancing it was an alligator-like tail. The tip of the tail’s three-inch spikes folded down a see-through fin-like membrane. Scaled and clawed fingers gripped an elder and ebony spear in one hand. In the other the creature dragged the alligator out by its tail. The creature sniffed the air.
“I smell Demi.” A female voice growled in a unique, strange and guttural language.
Soon a green and brown reptile slightly larger than her joined her. It approached her from the undergrowth. It was taller with a broader muzzle. There were no quills on his head, and amber eyes warily watched her. Two axes were grasped in its hands.
Behind it came a black tiger with white strips. Next to that cat stumbled a white tiger with black stripes. Streaks of blood clotted the white one’s fur from brambles, branches and perhaps animal or insect bites. Both stood like human, and their eyes gleamed with troubled intelligence.
“They’re clients. Chief said they’re all yours, Visam.” The voice was deeper, and male.
The Alligator thudded on the ground. She looked the tiger-humans up and down. “Another couple of Demi wanting to head south, hmm?” She switched languages. Her accent was heavy, but the grammar and words were precise.
“Actually, we wanted to head east. The weather is too hot south.” The black one said quietly.
There was instant suspicion in the lizard’s eyes. “The path east isn’t traveled often, Tigress; not by the humans, and not by your kind. There are other tribes who do not take well to ours, as well as sacred grounds meant to be avoided. It’s dangerous at best.”
“Look, if you can’t do it –” The white one taunted.
“I never said I can’t, cat. I couldn’t call myself a Mozori if I couldn’t.” Her hiss matched a snake perfectly. “Whether or not I will entirely depends on you. I don’t go that way for cheap. I’m warning you; if you go that way, there’s no returning home. There’s no talking to your people. You’ll be completely alone. Just getting through the eastern swamps will be a challenge – even with me as your guide. If you won’t stick to the trip and don’t have a damn good reason to go in the first place I ain’t taking you anywhere.”
“You need a reason?” The first tiger sounded not only shocked but frustrated. “I thought you just needed payment.”
“For the south, I don’t give a rat’s ass. It only takes a few days and I have a clearly marked path I’ve traveled a thousand times. But I’ve only gone east twice in my entire life, and both times I nearly died. There’s no way I’ll risk it for somebody who’s gonna turn around half-way through a three-week trek.” She knelt down and began to gut the gator right there with a dagger. “We’ll be going through the damn swamp’s center. There’s no marked path. There’s places I won’t travel through even with a blade to my neck. And I’m no diplomat; if I see an enemy we fight or we die.”
“Look, we’ll pay well. I’ll handle the trip. I can fight. She can help you hunt and survey the land. Neither of us will insist on you trekking anywhere you don’t think is a good idea. We need to get to the east of the swamp.”
The crane and fish suddenly fell from the stomach to the ground, still intact. The white tigress cringed.
“Why? Why is it so vital you go to a no man’s land, Demi?” The green male demanded before she could say anything at all. “There are little more than wilds to the east, even past the swamps. The Lost and Forsaken haunt the forests. Bird-men fight the drakes and demons in the mountains, and beyond that the dragons plague the undeserving with their flames. There is nothing but war that way. It’s how it was from the beginning, and how it will always be. Humans and Demis are better off in their comfortable town homes, nomadic caravans and well-placed farmlands. Go back to the tidy, neat and controllable life your kind live now, before you kill yourself in the name of treasure or promise or adventure.”
“You talk too much, Surudu.” The female snapped. “Look, the price is high because it’s dangerous. I won’t take a meek trader there, or a weak-bellied fugitive too dishonorable to fight her own battles." She tossed Surudu the crane and fish, then handed the black tigress the alligator’s shell. She dumped the entrails back into the swamp before stuffing the alligator’s meat into an otter pack.
"Well...we're none of those." Kukka told the lizards. "We need to go east...because our brother is waiting for us. Our brother and our mother were taken that way by humans. They went over the mountains instead of through the swamps."
"Are you being followed?" Surudu asked quietly.
"No." Tuphanu replied hastily.
Visam contemplated it for a moment, looking them over carefully. Then she abruptly turned away and began walking.“Until we work out payment and I’ve worked out a path with the bit of map we do have, we’ll stay at the village.”
The tigress dropped the alligator carcass. Instantly the spear was to her throat. “Pick it up and don’t drop it again. That skin and those bones are important to me and my people.” Visam snarled; her forked tongue flicking.
She tentatively picked up the gator’s remains.
“Now, if you can just manage to respect me long enough to get to the village, we’ll talk.” The two lizards quietly led the way back. Every time the cat snapped a twig or tossed a pebble into the water they flinched.
“Mind learning to walk?” Surudu demanded when she tripped and sent a flock of cranes into the air. “Do you want to get us killed?!”
“S-sorry.”
“We’re not used to this place.” The white one snapped, getting in his face. He snorted and turned away.
“This is going to be a long trip…”
Thankfully they reached the village without event. Wooden buildings on stilts, connected through a system of raised walkways and bridges, wound their way through an open wetland. The wide open sky showed the mid-day sun.
Several guards of the same lizard-human race rushed to take the carcass, satchel, crane and fish.
“Your father was getting worried. I’m glad to see they found you.”
“I can handle myself in the swamp, thanks. We’ll be at the inn. Make what you will out of those.”
She led the cats and the axe-wielding lizard up the ramps to a rather large building. They walked into a well-designed dining area. A fire place roared in the back. The smell of hot food and strong drink made the hungry stomach growl. There were six doors, two of which closed, that led to bedrooms.
“Ah! Welcome, Visam! Come, sit! Talk! We’ll get you something warm and filling for you and your guests!” A colorful and muscular Mozori commented. He was so light green that some mistook him for yellow.
“Thanks Tayken.” She answered just loud enough for him to hear. “If you still have that tapir that Surudu killed it’s a better idea than eel for these two.”
“Of course, of course; no reason not to give it to her,”
“Well, I don’t mind…” One of them began.
“Nobody else will eat the thing anyway. It’s best for everybody if you eat the meat. Your kind is why he kills the furry things in the first place; you and the humans who aren’t accustomed to our native cuisine.”
They took the seat right in front of the fire.
“Now, I don’t need coin, Demi, so what’s your offer in payment?”
The black Demi took out a beautiful, huge fur. It took on the colors that hit it; red and orange from the fire, yellow from the candle light. When the Mozori ran her pawed hand over it, it was strong and bristled.
“What do I want with a pelt? We do a whole lot of swimming, cat.”
“It came from a great big bear that lived in and around the ice flows where I came from. They swam for miles every day to hunt, like your kind – only in colder waters. You could make quite the outfit out of this; something thick that blends in to the environment on its own, without staining. It’s rather light, especially if I make the outfit for you; we do it all the time. The bears are common where I lived.”
“Hmm…then produce the outfit. We will leave at the dawn of the next day. Until then, you will eat and drink for free. Your service is already decided. Although, Demi, if they need your hand, it is expected that you provide your help in our community. It is how things are done.”
Surudu cleared his throat. “Also, you’ve not said your name.”
She hesitated. Then the cat said quietly. “My name is Tura.”
The white one cleared her throat. “I’m Ku.”
Tayken appeared to give the Demi a plate of roasted duck and a handful of berries, as well as a cup of tea. Visam and Surudu were handed a plate of stuffed crab. A slab of spiced fish and a crayfish were side dishes. They were given cups of the same, though slightly darker, tea.
“Tea?” Tura asked with some shock.
“No worries, you two, we’ve sifted the nasty out. There aren’t a lot of berries ‘round here to make wine, and ale is rather rough to come by. So we make tea, though the water is cleaned first real good. It’s a bit bitter for your pallet, but do try to stand it while you’re here. The tapir went bad, so I gave you wood duck.”
She took a sip and made a face. But they ate and spoke quietly. Tura took the measurements she needed shortly after they were finished with the meal. Then Visam and Surudu were ready to leave. They said goodbye.
“You will have a room here. Anybody can tell you where I am throughout the day and night – although I prefer not to be bothered with business after dark, so try to leave it until the day if you can. Just ask Tayken where you’ll sleep. Respect our ways and we’ll respect you.”
The two walked out. Surudu stopped. “They’re lying through her feline teeth, Visam.”
His friend nodded. “I know. But neither of them is lying about making the outfit, the urgency of leaving or the direction. I don’t care about the rest. So long as we live through this, I will let them tell the truth in their own time. Come, Surudu, we have much planning to do. We’ll be traveling for weeks with this feline hybrid. Let us make sure my father sees us again – and not from the gut of an alligator.”
He followed her to the largest wooden hut in the town’s center.  

2

“You've got a journey to make
There's your horizon to chase
So go far beyond where we stand
No matter the distance, I’m holding your hand”
~Vienna Teng, Harbor

It was two weeks before the outfit was finished, the path marked according to scouting and maps and the supplies readied. Weapons were repaired and refined. The weather was good. So the boat was prepared for Tura’s ease and safety. The dawn of the following day had them scraping a certain Demi out of bed.
“The swamp is restless and the sun has risen.” Visam said to Tura as she struggled into the clothing they’d provided. The lizard woman was already dressed in her new fur attire; it was well fitted, right down to the hole for her tail. “We’ll meet you at the boat. Ku is already dressed and ready. She apparently didn’t sleep well.”
To her relief, the cat woman moved swiftly – for being half awake. “We’ll be going by boat?” Her voice sounded like the idea alone put her at ease.
“Yes.”
“Good. My horse broke an ankle through those blasted mountains. I’m still digging that muck from my toes and claws.”
She didn’t answer; just turned and left.

The boat was actually more or less a small canoe. It had a rounded bottom, which best was for the shallower swamp water. It was made from a sturdy tree. With Tura daintily tip-toeing into the tiny thing, Visam slipped into the harness as Surudu positioned himself behind it.
“He’ll push it off and jump in.” Visam explained. “I’ll guide it and protect from alligators.”
“He looks stronger. Shouldn’t he pull and protect it instead?”
“No. I’m the pathfinder and a better swimmer. Now shut up and let us do this right.”
“Pathfinder?” Tura asked as the lizard strapped herself into the harness.
“Yeah. It’s where you can see paths in your mind. It’s a nature magic that is stronger in female Mozori.”
“How the hell do you call guessing a nature magic?” The cat demanded, making a face.
“Tura! That’s rude!” Her companion gasped as Surudu hissed “It ain’t guessing. There isn’t any room in these swamps to guess. You’ll get lost for sure and die slowly and painfully. Your kind practices nature magic as well, so respect ours.”
Visam slithered into the water as Surudu pushed. He leapt in the moment it was in the water, without touching it.
“Isn’t this the boat you were in, Surudu? You know, when you found us?” Ku asked. She sounded curious yet polite; as if just making conversation.
“Yes.”
“Why were you in a boat?” Tura’s voice was taunting and rude.
“Everybody gets tired, Tura.” Visam growled in frustration, “So one of the hunters takes a boat out while the other pathfinds and swims. We also put our catch in the boat. Unless you want to go from dawn to dusk with a sack full of ten pounds of frog, turtle, fish and crane meat. And we don’t just hunt the water’s prey, either. Elk and dear are far heavier to trek through the swamp. Unless we want to draw the interest of alligators, bears and bobcats it’s best to skin it, gut it and put it on a boat.”
It shut Tura up. Visam carefully felt her way through, pushing back submerged logs and going under long enough to make sure there weren’t alligators or snakes investigating them – or at least her. They slipped by the maple and cyber trees. A bobcat saw them and turned the other way. An elk swam frantically away from the natives and their guest. Dragonflies zipped past. A songbird swooped down to take one mid-air and land on the cattails along the shoreline.
“This place seemed…dead…before.” Tura sounded shocked when she finally did speak again. It was some time later. “There’s so much life!”
“Yeah; there is.” Surudu commented in a much lower, quieter voice. “A lot more than you outsiders see even trudging through it. Keep your voice down, cat. There are things around here you don’t want to know you’re even alive.”
Visam paused, focusing. She ducked under the water to see mossy rocks, smooth mud and many submerged plants. Catfish darted under a tree root. She ignored it and the otter fleeing from her grasp. Instead she let her eyes find the small gap between the roots and rocks. Staying under the surface, she diligently pulled the boat through. The nagging cat’s voice reached her sensitive ears.
How can I focus if she won’t shut up? Damn cat. Now, around there…just a little more…there. Damn. This place is narrow. Alright…avoid these rocks and we’ll be to more open waters.

From under the water Visam heard Ku remark noisily about a black bear and blood.
Would he just shut her up? Man, it’s like she’s never seen a bear eating. Didn’t this fur come from a bear?

The boat rocked. Alarmed, Visam broke surface.
“What in the Seven’s name is going on here?” She demanded. Ku was standing up and pointing at the bear. “Sit your ass down, cat!”
“No! It’s hurt! Look, the bear isn’t eating. It’s caught in a human trap!”
Shocked, Visam turned and peered at the bear. Its leg was caught in a spiked trap.
“What is that?!”
“A bear trap! Only humans use them!” Tura exclaimed, standing as well. The boat rocked some more, nearly collapsing.
“Humans don’t wander the swamp aimlessly.” Surudu hissed. “And we don’t use traps like that. Sit down; the swamp plays tricks.”
He forced the two of them to sit down.
Anxiety trickled through Visam. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but the two explorers seemed more anxious and jumpy than most that passed their way.
She is going east. Who does that? Could…could she be lying about more than just her name?
“I really don’t think it’s a trick from the swamp to see a bear bleeding.” Ku’s voice shook. Tura’s eyes were as wide as the sun.
“It might not even be a bear you two.” Visam explained. The lizard woman found herself shivering at the thought of what creatures could be trying to snare them. “We have to move on. If the bear really is injured the swamp will have its way with it.”
“Can’t we at least put it –”
“No.” Surudu answered first. “We’re going on. It’s only been an hour.”
“There’s nothing you can do to save the dying.” Visam told her quietly, plunging into the cold waters again to guide the boat through the narrow passage.

It was starting to get dark before Visam pulled the boat ashore andstarted the fire. It began to rain slightly, so they heaved the boat further onto the banks and turned it on its side, supporting it with two logs, for shelter. Then Surudu set up the spit and put on the elk meat. The lizard seasoned it with his crushed spices as Visam stood watch.
This bear fur is rather light, the way she made it, but amazingly warm. I’m glad this was the payment; it dries fast, too, so I’ll be all the better off wearing this for the trip. It was a good deal.

“There are blankets, Tura.” Surudu’s voice surprised Visam. She peered over to them to see the cat curled up near the fire without a blanket. “Go ahead and use one; we brought enough for everybody to have two; one for a bed and one for covering.”
“I don’t want to be a bother –“
“You’ll be a casualty and wasted trip if you fall ill. We don’t have the resources to care for you then.” Visam told her. “Use the blankets.”
“You really shouldn’t worry so much, Tura.” Ku chimed in, taking blankets and making the two of them a bed. Visam noticed even with the white cat’s words, she was taking the thinnest of them and the two shared a bed, curling up next to one another.
She was a little uneasy to see the cat hesitate before accepting and setting up a bed. When Surudu dished out the food they didn’t take much at all, and refused to eat more.
“We have a long way to go. Who says we’ll catch something if we run out of food?” Ku said quietly, her eyes dark with worry. “I mean, I’m good at hunting normally but…”
The Demi are strange. I didn’t expect her to understand the concept of conserving what we have. Yet there is no need here.
“That is very thoughtful, Ku, but I am an excellent fisherman and he’s a superb hunter. We brought enough for all of us to eat nearly the entire trip, anyway. Take what we offer.”
She shook her head. “I’m full.”
Tura nodded in agreement.
Really? They always ate the servings Tayken gave her without pause – and he fed them twice this amount. Hmm…maybe it’s stress…?

It wasn’t long after that the two Demi was ready for bed. The fire warming her back, the tigresses slept soundly. Surudu banked the fire and switched with his companion for sentry duty. Visam remained vigilant for a time, watching him patrol as she listened to the familiar sounds of owls, insects, frogs and raccoons. Soon, however, even the guide herself was soothed to sleep.
 

3

“Hush little baby don't say a word
And never mind that noise you heard
It's just the beast under your bed
In your closet, in your head “
~Metallica, Enter Sandman

An ear-splitting scream had Visam on her feet, lunging for her spear. Surudu’s axes were at the ready; he slammed his reptilian head on the canoe’s bottom, making it topple the opposite way. Seconds later the two saw the cause; Ku was shaking in terror, her eyes wide. Tura was right beside her, stroking her hair to soothe the terrified white tiger. But nothing was attacking…nothing was crawling on her. The two lay their weapons down. Alarmed and confused, Visam approached her anxiously.
“What’s wrong, Tura? Why did she scream?”
Ku starred at the lizard with wide eyes. “They-they were…all over…I c-couldn’t st-stop them…”
Unease prickling underneath her scales, Visam felt her quills rising. Tura asked quietly, soothingly, “Stop who, Ku? Do you remember?”
“T-the men…that weren’t men. They were…there…and not there…everywhere and nowhere…”
Understanding made the blood in her veins freeze. “The swamp…it plays tricks on you.” Visam tried to soothe the cat.
Tura’s eyes were full of panic. “No, you don’t understand –”
She can’t panic. I can’t let her panic. The swamp will take us all if any of us do.

“We all have nightmares on these journeys.” Visam saw her words were calming the tigress demi down. The cat’s pulse slowed. Her fear scent faded. Tura relaxed a little.
“Are you sure? I mean, you have these bad dreams?” Tura asked quietly. “Ones like these?”
Visam had to lie, so they didn’t panic. “All the time when I’m heading east. Especially since it takes so long, and I’ve nearly died going this direction. Come now, don’t let a dream frighten you and your friend.”
“Nightmares. Yes; that’s all it was. The place is strange to us…” Ku’s voice was emotionless. It was strange, the haunted look in the cat’s ice blue eyes. It made it hard to seem calm before somebody still in such distress.
Tura slowly folded their blankets. Surudu tidied the camp a little and served cold leftovers from supper. The group readied the canoe again.
“Would you mind waiting a minute? We need to look at the map.”
There was no answer; the two were quietly talking amongst themselves. Surudu pulled out the map, and the two swamp natives slipped into their own language.
“Do you think they’re nightmares, Visam, or something else?”
“The swamp is warning us. Something is wrong, Surudu. We will follow the path up through the main tributaries. I do not want to take side ones now. The spirits haunt her dreams – they will not welcome the Demi in their sacred place. I don’t want to end up dead for bringing them there, either.”
“Isn’t it straight through the Gi-angi tribe’s hunting territory, though?”
“We’ll just tell her to keep her mouth shut – even if we have to gag her, she’ll have to be shut up during that half-mile.”
“How are you going to pull us through this entire trip?”
“I’ll rest at noon. Agreed?”
“Fine. Let’s get on our way, then. This day can’t get any better.”
“Not if you make it worse!”
The two of them set the canoe again, and they were off the second day. Visam swam under the water as little as possible; only enough to make sure the animals were keeping distance. Strangely enough even the alligators hurried away from the lizard and her burden. To her surprise all three of her passengers were abnormally silent themselves.
It was honestly giving Visam the chills.
Something feels…wrong.
A deep fog started to settle. It became more and more challenging to see anything above the water. Then the muck became thick, and it seemed to choke her slightly. So the guide relented, uneasy and even getting chilled.
“It’s too foggy to go on.” Visam told them when Tura opened her mouth as if to protest. “It’s best to not push things in this world.”
Tura nodded. They set the canoe against a willow tree. Surudu patrolled the area with his axes readied. There was a bobcat’s hiss as it turned and fled from him. Tura jumped out of her fur, whirling around with wide eyes. Ku gave a startled cry; the fur along the white tigress’s spine rose, and then slowly lay flat.
“Calm down. We need to keep our heads in these situations. Let’s eat, okay? We brought some edible roots and berries. We’ll be without a fire so we can’t cook meat.” Her rough voice seemed muffled from the white, hovering cloud.
“Why are we not starting a fire?” Visam noticed the Demi were shivering. Their fur was soaked, gathering every drop of water from the fog her thick coat possibly could.
“The air is too wet from the fog. It won’t start.” Surudu said quietly. “It’s likely we won’t go anywhere else for a time. If you’re tired sleep now; we’ll have to travel all night to make up for the time lost here.”
“I’m not tired yet.” Tura protested. She sat and ate her allotted food. The other three ate disdainfully. It was clear the guide and her guard preferred the fish. Visam went behind the willow to strip. Her cloths were dirt and water logged. She hung it carefully and changed into another outfit swiftly, shivering from the cold her kind rarely felt.
When she returned Surudu sat watch on a log as Tura and Ku tried to groom one another’s unruly fur. Visam felt restless; uneasy. The air itself was tense, tasting of cloud and something strange. It was as if something were watching them. About the time the tiger demi gave up their futile attempt to be dry the guide rose to her scaled feet, taking up her spear.
“I’m going to patrol a wider area.”
“Be careful, Visam. The fog hides them well.”
“I’ll be back; stay here with Tura and Ku. We can’t have them wondering off or something getting her while we’re not looking.”
“Can’t I come? Maybe I’ll be of some help scouting.” Ku offered restlessly.
“Of course not,” He tossed the cat a thick blanket. “It’s best to stay here, where you’ll be warm and safe.”
As the demi wrapped it around her shoulders and returned to her black companion, the lizard struck out into the fog-laden swamp. She avoided the deeper water, tasting the air as a map of the land seeped into her mind. The guide took small, diligent steps.
The feeling of many eyes on her made her quills rise to nearly stand up straight. Her spear at the ready, she carefully navigated the area, making a sweep. Something wet crunched under her feet. Looking down with her eyes narrowed, fear gripped her.
It was eggs; many, many fist-sized eggs in a gooey sack. She carefully removed her foot and backed up several steps. From the fog a huge black shadow dropped from the trees. There were eight legs that sat on a massive body. Fangs moved aggressively as it took a step closer. The eight-legged beasts were about the size of dogs.
Arachnids.

Without looking she knew there were three slightly smaller ones behind her; males. Cursing in her native tongue, the lizard remained completely still as they closed it. She watched them move with a careful eye. The heavy fog would hide her just as well – just long enough.
The female in front of her leapt into the air first. Visam ducked, leaned back and replaced her head with the ebony spear head. Then she swung the dead creature into the male on her left flank. Just in time, she whacked away the other male coming at her. Then the lizard lurched into the water and swam for her life toward the camp.
When she emerged, out of breath from her escape, and staggered to the camp shaking, Tura, Ku and Surudu were right there. A heavy blanket swung about her shoulder, and somebody guided her to a log.
Speaking in his native language, Surudu asked her quietly, “What happened?”
Too shaken to think about the words in Demi, she answered in the same tongue. “Three arachnids attacked me – two male and a female. There was a nest of them, and not far from here. I killed the mother and stunned the males, but we’re not completely safe. I dove into the swamp to flee.”
“Um…I can’t understand you two, and really want to know what’s gogoing on here.” Tura didn’t sound pleased. Ku was pacing, her mouth open to taste the moisture-laden air.
He was the one to answer. “She was attacked by a large spider species – three of them. Thankfully she knows enough about them to defend herself and escape. Two of them are still alive and close by.”
“Shouldn’t we leave?”
“Leave in this fog?” Visam demanded; her quills were at attention. “Are you insane? How can I guide you if I cannot see?”
“Then we should start a fire and stay warm. Won’t it keep them away?” Ku suggested. The fur along her spine had fluffed up again. Her tail was twice its usual size.
“It will keep them away, sure, but we’re in the middle of another Mozori tribe’s land. It will let them know where we are.” The male lizard man answered quietly. “It isn’t too cold; she’ll dry off well enough.”
“I’m not really cold; I’m more shaken. Arachnids don’t hunt us, and usually leave us alone.”
“You were near eggs, though.”
She shrugged. “My fault, I guess. Still didn’t expect that.”
That isn’t something I’ve done since Surudu and I were paired. Maybe I shouldn’t be so stupid to scout ahead. He’s always doing the fighting, since…that day…

Shuddering at the memory, she turned from her thoughts to her spear. She carefully looked it over; thankfully it wasn’t loose, chipped or cracked. Then she took out the map to look over. She traced the tributaries and main paths.
We’re here…

Tura came over. “Where are we?”
“Right here.”
“Where did we start?”
She pointed at the village’s location.
“We’ve not gone far.”
“Nope.”
“Where’s the end of our journey?”
Visam traced the long, winding path around the Death Corpses to the very edge of the swamp.
“I don’t know much about the marsh beyond, but they’ll be easy to navigate on your own. I’m taking you through the swamp, not the marsh.”
“Can’t you take me there?” She pointed just past the marsh, into the forests just beyond them.
“No. Find another guide for that. I don’t have that many reserves. You said you can hunt.”
The tigress frowned. “Come on, how different can a marsh be?”
“Look, you’ve never been there. It’s different – very different. It’s not our home.”
“Let’s get some sleep; it’s getting dark.” Surudu said quietly. “I’ve set up our beds on raised pine logs for warmth and protection.”
“Protection?” Tura’s eyes were wide.
“There are insects and snakes around here that would be very pleased with your warm fur – from fleas to leeches and even anacondas.”
Shivers passed through the adventure. “I can’t wait until I’m in a place where it’s safe to sleep anywhere again.”
“Those days are long gone, Tura. You’re going to a wild land where everywhere there’s trouble and something will always try to kill you.”
She snorted. “Being chased is something I’m accustomed to. I can kill just as well as my ancestors could.”
“Nobody said you couldn’t.” Ku giggled. “She just said the easy life is over. I thought you said that only a fortnight ago!”
The tiger huffed angrily. “I didn’t mean it the way she did. We’ll be able to find a safe place to sleep away from bugs out of this swamp.”
“Sure. The dragons will leave you alone in the night…” Surudu commented.
“Never mind what I said, you three. There’s no need to argue over such petty things as a bed. Let’s just sleep, alright?” Visam was exhausted. She’d pulled them through the murky water for several hours, fought three giant spiders and swam as fast as she could to stay alive. Bed sounded like a damn good idea. “Surudu can keep watch.”
“Can I?” Tura asked quietly. “I’m sure I can look out pretty well. I can see in the dark better.”
“Do you know what you’re looking for?”
“Yes. I think I know when I see dangerous giant spiders or wolves.”
“Keep an eye out for our kind as well – and anything that has red eyes – even animals. Wake us up immediately.”
“Alright.”
“Also, we don’t want you patrolling.” Surudu added sternly. “You don’t know the swamp like we do. Keep to the camp. I don’t want you going more than three feet farther than this camp in any direction, understood?”
“Yes sir.”
“Don’t get smart with me!” He snarled. “If you end up dead it’s our fault for letting you guard.”
She didn’t say anything else as everybody got comfortable in the thick, foggy air. Soon the sound of sleep filled the air. Tura kept a sharp eye on the shoreline especially.
“You don’t think…” Ku asked quietly.
“Hush.” Tura rebuked. “They can’t have possibly pursued us this far. I’m just doing what I was asked.”
“So they’re no threat?”
“Get some sleep, Ku. We’ll be traveling in darkness through a treacherous land.”
She didn’t reply, but for a time piercing blue eyes watched the world around them. Slowly they, too, closed. Then Tura was put to her task completely alone.
 

4

“I lay dying
and I'm pouring crimson regret and betrayal
I'm dying, praying, bleeding and screaming
am I too lost to be saved
am I too lost?”
~ Evanescence, Tourniquet

A strange, unnatural sound echoed into Visam’s sensitive ears, waking her. She didn’t move. This wasn’t an animal wondering too close. It wasn’t the quiet paw-steps of Surudu or their clients. The movement was too clumsy and heavy. There was no sureness in the uneven gait. It rustled leaves and broke twigs.
But it doesn’t know I’m aware of it, or it would have stopped moving. This creature is stalking us. This is what has troubled me; we are being watched.
When the sound stopped at last, muffled voices spoke in a very common language heard everywhere else but the swamps. She knew what it was; she just couldn’t understand the words. For a moment she was stunned, alarmed – confused. Humans never wondered the swamps. Then she heard a few snitches of words she did know – kill, trap, surround.
They were after them.
I cannot wait. They will not see me moving in the water. I must strike them down.

Remembering humans poached their kind like they were some prized animal, Visam moved without making enough sound to alert her busy adversaries. By the time she had submerged herself she’d counted twelve.
There are many of them. This isn’t a poaching.
Baffled, for a time she simply watched the group. They set up spiked traps that snapped four-inch thick sticks with eye-blinking speed, rope traps covered and camouflaged amazingly well that would spin the captive into the air to hang upside down by a very unfortunate foot or ankle and pit traps. There were even spear traps that were triggered by wires. She’d seen things this cruel only in territorial wars over food during the shortages when nobody had enough.
Thankfully none of them used the water. They would stare at it and chatter amongst one another, but clearly feared the water. They stayed as much on the land as possible.
That is why I didn’t know they were coming, and why they fell so far behind. Who is their guide?

She looked hard, but saw no Mozori. All of them were human – not even Demis were amid their numbers.
I cannot kill them all. I must return to my fellows.

Carefully gliding under the water so none saw her, Visam returned to the three sleeping forms. She wasn’t surprised that they’d all fallen asleep. Shaking Surudu awake first, she signaled him to rise silently.
“Tura…” She woke the black-white tigress. “Leave everything. Move carefully and silently. Don’t say anything.”
Then the lizard repeated herself with Ku. They slowly made their way into the undergrowth and traveled silently. Shouting – humans shouting. The Demi’s looked back. Their eyes filled with such knowing dread that Visam instantly understood what was going on.
And now they’d been found.
A sharp arrow narrowly missed Tura’s throat zipped passed to land with a thunk into the mud, swallowed by the hungry earth.
“Go!” Surudu shouted. The four of them fled. Frantic and full of hate, anger and rage, Visam wound their way through shallow water, waist-high muck and the center of bramble forests. She heard yelps as fur was yanked, drowned and plastered. Twice she helped the Demis out of the thick mud and picked them up from tripping. But her methods slowly lost their pursuers – for the moment.
Finally Visam had a chance to look around. Her eyes searched more and more frantically. They started to make out red eyes, knotted trees and peat traps. The fog was returning with a vengeance. And there was no real sunlight; only an eerie glow combined with a light stink of rotting flesh and lingering death. Quick as a viper, Visam had a large furred cat in her clawed, scaled hands.
There was a sickening thud as Visam slammed Tura painfully hard against the trunk of a willow tree. The demi grunted in pain as the breath was driven from her lungs. Before Ku could react Surudu had her in his powerful reptilian grasp.
“Who the fuck are you two really and why are there at least ten humans trying to kill us?!” The lizard-guide hissed with pure hate.
“Let-go-of-me” The tigress choked out “and I-can-tell-you!”
As if in great angst by doing so, the Mozori guide slowly released her captive. A spear-like spiked tail, however, quickly replaced the clawed hands.”You’ve betrayed me, cat. This may cost all of us our lives. Your companion here will watch your slow death if you don’t get talking – and remember to tell the truth this time.”
“She’s got nothing to do with this! Let Kukka go!”
“Keep your gods-forsaken voice down, demi.” Surudu snapped. “We’re in the wrong place at the right time. You really don’t want things hearing you here.”
“Look, we didn’t betray anybody.” Tura hurried with wide eyes and a frantic voice. “We tried to fight back – only it got everybody we held dear killed. Their blood was on us for the rebellion. The land was supposed to be ours. Like it was during the days when humans couldn’t hardly walk on two legs and speak in more than grunts.”
“Those days are long gone.”
“They weren’t when we started the rebellion. Only I was the leader when things went wrong – I made the wrong move, got too hasty. They’re after me and our prophet, Kukka. I’m the last heir. My real name is Tuphanu. We lied because we couldn’t trust another guide. So many have betrayed us, we couldn’t risk it. Besides…you said you don’t take fugitives –“
“What?” Surudu sounded confused. “You fought, didn’t you? That makes you a rebel at the end of her line, not some outlawed fugitive fleeing from justice. We take refugees all the time across the swamp – they head south.”
“The thing is; they’d expect that.” Tuphanu told them. “All of us head south. But we never thought they’d follow us east. We thought the most dangerous thing out here were a few alligators and getting lost in the bogs or trapped in peat.”
The tail swooshed away from her throat.
“We could have planned for this, Tura – I mean, Tuphanu. We could have found a way to keep our supplies, boat and my spear all in tact and even shake or kill your pursuers. Now we don’t even have a map. We’re in the heart of the swamp, you foolish feline. And this isn’t a god-damn human forest, tame and dead at the soul. It’s a living swamp.”
“But you said if we stay away from the center and sacred land, we’ll make it just fine.” Kukka said meekly.
Surudu gave a cold, hissing laugh. “Yeah. Except thanks to the humans we’re in the very heart of the damn swamp. We’re at the most sacred part of the swamp there ever was; it’s where the Lost come to breed and the fatally ill come to die a warrior’s death. This is where all of our souls conjugate to keep the life-blood of the swamp safe and flowing. That makes the swamp angry.”
“How do you guys know this?” The white Demi tigress queried with a quivering voice.
“We’ve been here before, Kukka. This is where I nearly died last time.”
“Exactly what do they want with two run away rebels?” Surudu changed the subject.
Tuphanu gave a humorless, cold laugh. “Humans are arrogant, cold-hearted bastards. They must claim our lives to win our land in their laws.”
He snorted. “That’s a lot of meaningless blood-shed.”
“Look…we’re surrounded by dangerous animals guided by an angry swamp, traps set by humans who want to kill us and the very spirits that have died here. We have very little idea of exactly where we are. This isn’t the time to ask about why some group of blood-thirsty humans wants our hearts. Can we please decide on the first action?”
“We should find a path, right?” Surudu asked quietly. “It’s what saved our lives last time.”
Visam nodded. “Alright. That’s our first action. Now…how do we avoid pit traps and still stick to a path without getting torn asunder by Arachnids?”
“Pit traps are easy to identify; they’re covered by a material that isn’t placed quite right. Like leaves where there are no trees overhead, in a central pile.” Tuphanu provided. She seemed to be getting her composure back.
“What about spike traps?”
“Usually they’re easy to spot for the person looking; there will be metal among leaves or some other light, natural material. The old trick to tie a string to a tree and spring you upside down is simple to watch for; just look for the string along the trees. These traps are meant for deer, bear and fox; not Mozori and Demi. They have this thing where they think we’re just animals who stand and make human-like sounds.”
“Good. We’ve got that settled. Surudu can take the rear to have our backs. I need Tuphanu beside me to look for traps. I’ll pathfind. Kukka needs to stay safe in the center. There shouldn’t be a need for her to fight.”
Visam focused, closing her eyes, and searched. She felt for the land and water, for the life around them. Everything was charged with anger; she could feel the pain of the swamp. They were taking where they shouldn’t take; walking where they shouldn’t walk. But she was asking for a way out, a way to leave it alone and take the outsiders with her.
A specific path seemed to glow brightly. Opening her eyes, she spotted it; it was a trail left by the elk, small but sufficient.
“The swamp has spoken.” She whispered to Surudu in their language. “It will let us pass.”
“What?” Kukka asked, looking confused.
“There. I’ve found the way…just stay close and keep very quiet. Don’t even snap a twig if you can help it. Keep slightly behind me, Tuphanu.”
Stepping attentively, the Mozori guide led them into the undergrowth. The only question was…would the swamp let them all live? Or would it choice who survived?

5

“Don't turn away
(Don't give in to the pain)
Don't try to hide
(Though they're screaming your name)
Don't close your eyes
(God knows what lies behind them)
Don't turn out the light
(Never sleep never die)”
~Evanescence, Whisper

The darkness didn’t seem to affect Visam as much as she thought it would. Actually, it made it easier to pathfind. The cats behind her were as quiet as they could be; they hadn’t the problem of being blind to anything but the way forward. Thankfully though she was vigilant, Tuphanu wasn’t spotting traps.
I don’t think the humans have been here yet. They’re following us now, instead of surrounding us. That tactic can be very useful until I find a way to mislead them or if we ourselves get lost.

Except for the rustle of undergrowth from the demons and animals around them, the song of insects and the occasional curse from thorns or stepping in muck there was silence. It made Visam and Surudu both very tense; there should be more noise around them. There should be birdsong, wolf song, singing frogs – splashing from lizards or deer; something other than this eerie silence.
She stopped dead. The ground didn’t feel quite right.
“Why’d you stop, Visam?” Tuphanu whispered. “Did you loose your way?”
“No.” She whispered. “Give me a second.”
The spikes on her tail tip unfolded. Attentively, the silver Mozori edged closer to the unfaithful ground. Slowly, the lizard pressed her tail to the ground and swept it along gently. It seemed like normal mud, but when she pressed down a strange sucking sound followed by her tail sinking into the mud swiftly.
“It’s quicksand.” She warned them as she back up slowly, easing her tail out. “Let me find a way over.”
“Can’t we just go around?” Kukka asked quietly, stepping out of the formation to glance into the thick, dark canopy beyond their elk path.
Surudu hissed and pulled her back into place. “No! Stay on the path!”
Her blue eyes wide, the demi returned to him without another word. Visam carefully looked around a way to get over it. There was raised earth slightly to the left. Hoof marks were imprinted in the soil thickly; they were fresh. Only the hoof marks radiated the path-energy she was following.
“There’s the way.” She responded quietly. “Match my steps.”
Very diligently, the guide put her clawed feet directly over each hoof print. Then she helped each cat and her guard over as well – growling or hissing in time for them to correct a misplaced step. They made it around the quicksand. The path seemed to be freshly made. It seemed they were following it.
This may lead to open water. We’d best be very careful; other things may be following it.

The sound of boot steps thudded on the earth, and she heard a splash. Shivers traveled down her spine. Looking back, she saw the sway of a torch burning not far from where they’d paused to decide a direction.
“They’re still tracking us, Visam.” Surudu told her. “That’s how they know the way.”
“So the swamp thinks we’re leading them as well…” Visam muttered. An idea hit her. “That is fine. Let us show the swamp who the real enemy is. Surudu…erase the footsteps we made on the hill there. I will make it look like we went over the quicksand.”
“How will you do that?”
“Just shut up and let me think, mouse-breath.” The lizard snarled. She gazed very carefully around. There were boulders close to the path. They were large enough for a foot.
“Those – get three of them. Yes, thank you Surudu.”
She took them and tossed each one so that they built a stepping stone bridge. Then she leapt carefully from stone to stone.
“Quick!” She urged the other three across. Kukka came next and Surudu was last. The cats handled it with neatness, grace and ease where the male stumbled and nearly fell in over each stone.
“I hate quick sand.” He grumbled. “And I hate jumping.”
The Demi laughed at his grumpy complaint until a torch glowed from the distant path they’d traveled only hours ago.
“They’re still following us.”
“The quicksand will slow them down. They won’t see it until it’s too late.”
“Are you sure?”
“I almost didn’t notice it, and I’m a native. I know what I’m doing; they don’t.” She glanced around. “It’s getting really late. We’ll need to get moving; if we stay still too long the spirits won’t be pleased. This place isn’t friendly to those who linger.”
“When do we camp?” Tuphanu asked in shock.
Visam looked her in the eyes. “We will rest when the swamp permits it.”
Without saying another word, the guide turned and led onward. The other three were forced to shadow her in silence. The swamp closed in on them as they followed the trails left by the deer, wolves and elk of the swamp.

6

“Fear is only in our minds,
Taking over all the time.
Fear is only in our minds
but it's taking over all the time.”
~Evanescence, Sweet Sacrifice

The dawn found the four of them trudging through the muck of the swamp. Visam would pause and glance backward every time they would come to a part of the swamp they’d have to wade. Then she’d carefully examine the area and find some other way to go – very, very anxiously. Surudu became more and more nervous the deeper into the swamp they got.
Finally she stopped at the edge of a very large pool. There was no other way but to swim.
“We’ve been up all night. I’ll fish; Surudu can set camp. Tuphanu is on guard. Kukka…I want you to scout through the trees around here and see if you can find fire wood. Don’t take anything alive, and stay in sight of the camp at all times. Wait until there’s a fire going.”
“We’re starting a fire this time?” Tuphanu seemed extremely happy.
“Yes. We’re cold and can’t eat fish, crayfish or turtle of any kind raw. Period. Besides…the wolves don’t like fire and there are no aggressive tribes this close to the center.”
As the others went to obey she carefully slipped into the water. The water was cool but clear. Submerged weeds and plants half hid schools of fish being chased by a small group of otters. For a moment the lizard watched them catch their own supper. Then she turned away from them, respecting their need to live, and combed the land closer to the shore. She plucked up crayfish, depositing them in the sack on her back alive. When she found the muscles and clams they joined the shellfish. The Mozori also happened upon three painted turtles and an alligator’s mounded nest – which she raided before the mother could return from hunting.
Backtracking, Visam managed to catch and kill a silver fish the size of her arm and several frogs before returning to the camp. There was a cozy fire. They were huddled close together, drying off and warming up. Surudu had set up a spick. They put on the fish. Kukka returned with more wood and even bark.
While that cooked Visam easily split the turtle’s shells with her tail. She removed the meat, careful to take every piece she could get off the shell. Using the shells to scoop water up, she cleaned the meat in the hallowed shells. Then she put it on the fire like that. Surudu added chopped cattail roots.
Visam washed the clams as Surudu removed the bark from a log so it was a curved, long plate. He used wet weeds to tie the bark to the spick just barely above the flames. Then their guide placed the clams on top of it. They killed the frogs and crayfish. After they were cleaned, she gutted the frogs and added the edible parts to the bark-pan with the clams.
The Demi watched with reserved astonishment. They seemed fascinated. Once the fish was done they removed it from the fire but not from the spick. Then the turtle soup came off. Soon afterwards the frogs and clams were done. The bark-pan was broken into smaller plates. The fish was cut into portions before being dished evenly onto the plates. The frogs and clams were distributed, as well as equal portions of turtle meat with root.
The crayfish were put onto fire in the same water and shells the turtle meat had been cooked in as they ate. Surudu and Visam ate two of the eggs raw. When the cats refused them raw, the two laughed their heads off and put them into the shells to boil.
“They’re better fried but we don’t have anything to fry them on.” Surudu told them.
“Um…thanks.” Tuphanu didn’t look like she wanted to eat them anyway.
But all four ate their meal quietly.
“Why did we stop so early?” Kukka asked suddenly around noon.
“We’re all tired and hungry. We’d been walking all night.” Visam answered with a yawn. “After we get an hour or so of sleep we’ll go on until dark.”
Surudu was starring out at the water. “I wish we’d been able to at least keep the food and boat.”
“That would have definitely kept us drier. And of course we’d go faster and not have to worry over hunting or fishing.”
“The map would have been nice to keep too.” Visam muttered. “But there was no way I’d take an arrow in the head for any of that. Let’s just focus on getting some sleep.”
They curled up around the fire.
“It’s Surudu’s turn to guard.” Visam told them. He nodded. The green lizard got up and stood at the edge of the water. Soon everybody else was sound asleep.

“Visam…” Surudu’s voice slowly pulled the Mozori to. She glanced up, her eyes clouded with sleep. The air was charged with the scent of rain. “I need you to come see something.”
The noon day sun reflected his green scales with a shine. “What is it? Is it my turn to stand guard?”
“No. I really need you to see this though.”
“Alright, alright; I’m getting up.” She heaved herself up with a grunt, sore from days of pulling and travel. Her shoulders were especially killing her. But the guide followed her friend to the water’s edge.
“There; through those weeds.” He pointed to the other shore line. Suddenly the flicker of fire alerted her. Visam looked closer. When she saw a very familiar boat she gasped.
“It’s our boat! The humans are ahead of us and using our boat!”
“They must have troops following us too, though. Or they wouldn’t know where we were. They seem to be communicating through some kind of tool. It’s a machine of theirs.”
“Damn!”
“So what do we do now? How do we get it back?”
“Are you insane?!” She demanded. “They’re armed to the teeth! We’d die trying and they’d still get their prey. We’d be out in the god-damned open. Look, this means that they’re a step ahead of us. We need to disable their system – not take a boat.”
“So what the hell do we do?”
The lizard woman thought for a time, watching the enemy from their little hidey hole.
“There’s a way we can bring the battle to them. But I need you and the girls to trust me. Wake them up. I’ll survey the land while you’re explaining that we’re attacking. Don’t let them know about the boat.”
“Why not?”
“Because we’re not taking it back; we’re only taking them back a step. Let them wonder around in their damn boat aimlessly for a while.”
“Do you think they may have the map too? And our food supplies?”
“If they have the map I didn’t mark anything on it. I never do, in case the other tribes somehow took it from us. There are only channels and paths marked. Not even our village is on it.”
“Still…they have the advantage right now. They have the map and the boat.”
She looked him in the eyes. “I’ll find a way for us to cross, Surudu, without forcing you to swim. You just have to trust me.”
He nodded. “I do trust you. I just don’t trust the water.”
“Wake them now.” Visam told him quietly. “Leave me to scouting.”
“Be careful.”
“Of course.”

An hour later the fire roared with nobody around it. Shells were scattered beside the logs they’d used for seats. There were scales everywhere, and the spick lay to the side. The camp was an absolute mess when the humans found it.
“God, they’re pigs.” One of them commented. “How has it been so damn hard to track them this far if they’re so barbaric to leave a fire roaring?”
“The cats were probably the ones who suggested leading us over the sinking sand!” A female laughed. “These lizard-people can’t even put out a flame!”
“Well, the sand took Commander Ro. So what’s our new leader got to say? Do you think they’ll be back?”
“Why?”
“Maybe they left the fire because they went to scout for new trails. I mean, how else are they so sure about where we are and which way? Haven’t you guys noticed they’ve not turned around once in this god-forsaken place? They seem to know where they’re going.”
“One of them must have memorized the map.” The first male to speak contested. “I really wish it hadn’t have been dropped into the water! Then maybe we would have found more than pieces of it.”
“Who cares? If they scout they’ll be found by the others.”
As they spoke the group sat around the fire unconsciously. They were bitten up by insects, bleeding from thorns and covered in mud, sweat and mucky water. One had sand all over his boots and wrists; he’d probably tried to pull out the Commander Ro before the human had choked in the quick sand.
There are only three? I saw ten. One here died in the quicksand. They sent four. So that means there are nine left – and hopefully after this only six.

When they’d all relaxed by the fire, something moved in the undergrowth. None of them noticed; it was slight. Green eyes glared at them. Moving slowly and silently – at least for human ears – Visam took up a blow dart flute made from birch. She picked up a small dart. Taking a familiar quill from a rock beside her, she rubbed it along the outside and tip. The color slowly faded as the red oil rubbed onto the dart, giving it a scarlet color. Then she loaded the blow dart flute, put it to her lips, aimed for the neck of the ‘leader’ and blew hard.
“Ouch! Something stung me!” The man brushed it off his skin. “Damn that hurt! But I think I got the stinger out. It was a big bug!” He didn’t even look around.
Humans are ignorant fools. This gives us the advantage.
“Fucking bugs.” The woman growled. “I’m tired of this place.”
“My neck still hurts.” He complained. “Actually…I think it hurts more with the stinger out.”
Amber cat eyes gleamed from the other side of the camp. There was a gleam in the sun as something small and red zipped through the air toward the woman.
“Shit!” The woman snarled. “It got me too, the damn thing!” She brushed it off the back of her arm, where she could barely reach it. Unconsciously, the first one to get hit scratched the place he’d got stung. He flinched.
“They hurt, don’t they?”
Just then blue eyes blinked. Something flew into the last one’s knee.
“What is stinging us?” The second man snarled, rubbing it off himself. He looked furious.
“There are all sorts of stupid insects around here.”
“Are any of them this dangerous?” The woman demanded.
The leader rubbed his hand, making a face. “Damn. Even my hand hurts. And the pain isn’t getting any better in my neck!”
It wasn’t long before all three of them were scratching their stings and noticing their hands hurting. They began to complain of burning in their spines – or leg, in the case of the second male who’d been shot in the knee. All of them tried washing their hands and stings, which only made Visam smile with victory.
Within twenty minutes the leader was throwing up and foaming at the mouth a little. The terror really struck the group when he suddenly collapsed, convulsed and lay still.
“What the hell?” The human rushed over. The man quickly followed her. They then noticed the purple lacing up through his veins. “Is that poison?!”
“How?!”
“The insects! They were poisonous!”
She was red with fever and now panic. Glossy eyes now full of terror, she began to pace – and quickly met the same fate as her former leader. The man grabbed a weapon. It was a shining black. He pulled a small trigger. The echoing cracking sound made Visam sick – sick with envy at such a wonderful weapon.
Blood splattered the ground as he fell to the ground. There wasn’t much left of his head.
Visam, Surudu, Tuphanu and Kukka came from their places. They moved carefully and silently to put out the fire. The lizards retrieved the darts, burying them so nothing else would be harmed. Then their guide led them through the undergrowth along a trail the water’s edge.
“Visam…you said –“
“I tried, Surudu.” She told him, looking the green lizard man in the eyes. “I’m sorry; you’ll have to swim.”
“Please…no.” His eyes were stretched in horror.
The cats looked back and forth at one another. “What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with the water?” Kukka sounded nervous.
“No. There’s nothing wrong with this water.” Visam told them. She looked at her companion. Grabbing his hand, she met his eyes again. “I know you can, Surudu. You’re still one of us. It’s not far, either. Look; I chose the least distance we can travel and still stay out of sight of the enemy’s camp.”
“What’s wrong with Surudu?” Tuphanu actually sounded frightened. “What aren’t you telling us? Was he hurt? Can he not swim?”
Terror in his gaze, he finally admitted “No, Tuphanu…I’m afraid of the water.”
Silence.
“You’re –“
“He’s got a reason, cat!” Visam growled as loudly as she dared. “Illness killed his tribe when he was young. It had something to do with the water in their land.”
“We’ll all be right there, Surudu.” Kukka told him very kindly.
“Yeah. I’ll beat the shit out of that water for you.” Tuphanu joked. It made him smile, at least.
“It isn’t far. We’ll help you. You’re great at swimming if you’d just get in the water.”
She pulled him in slowly. Kukka joined her, taking his other hand. Tuphanu watched from behind, a look of humor in her cat eyes. Slowly the three of them brought the terrified Surudu to the other side. They quickly dried him off. The look on his face was of pure panic.
They let him calm down before Visam had them all get up and move on.
By far this wasn’t the worst, and the guide became quiet as she realized where the swamp was leading them.
And so the trials have begun.

7

“There is no escape
and that is for sure
This is the end we won't take any more
Say goodbye
to the world you live in
You have always been taking
but now you're giving”
~Metallica, Seek & Destroy

The silence continued. The only sound was swooshing from the frigid water soaking their clothing. Cold herself now, Visam knew that the cats and Surudu had to be freezing. Other than following the path in her mind she was utterly blind. The lizard moved sluggishly, shivering. She looked up to see the claw-like trees. There was no sky. There was no moon or stars. The only thing to guide the pathfinder was the swamp itself.
They trudged along with beating hearts and little hope. When one would trip the other would catch them, set them right and they’d keep moving. By now Kukka was limping heavily, favoring her left leg. From the sound of it she’d badly twisted or perhaps broken the ankle. Without light there was no reason to even pause to check.
“I can’t see the ground to help you look for traps. Should we stop for the night?”
“No.” Visam told the cat – who she couldn’t even see, but felt was keeping step with her. “This is the worst part of the swamp. We can’t stop. There isn’t anywhere to rest, anyway, and we haven’t seen or heard from the humans in two days.
“We have to rest some time, Visam. I can’t walk on this ankle much longer. And we’re all cold and tired.” Kukka told her. The white tigress walked a little passed her lizard guide. There was a snap of thick string before the sound of switches click. Out of the trees at least long, wooden spears plunged. One was headed right for Kukka.
“Idiot!”
Visam shoved her out of the way. The sound of splitting flesh and tearing scales filled the air as she was flung against the ground.
“Visam!!!!!!!!!” Surudu was there, picking her up in second. Blood stained the ground crimson as the lizard choked in pain. Her eyes were clouded with agony.
“Kukka…is –”
“She’s fine.” Her companion told her. “She’s just fine.”

Pain. That was all Visam knew. There was only pain…and darkness. Voices at the edge of her hearing were whispering. Everything was blurred and fuzzy as she tried to open her heavy eyes. Visam heard Surudu's voice, and something about removing a spear. Absolute and complete agony tore through the lizard's world as something snapped and was jerked out.
"Stop the bleeding!" Something shouted.
Hot cloth wrapped around her almost too tightly for her to breath. She couldn't think. Every small movement, even breathing, was laced by the hot agony. Vaguely, the Mozori was aware of three people - one of which she felt grab her hand. It was Surudu. He was worried; she could feel it.
She was so weak...so tired...
Once again Visam was asleep.

*****

Surudu paced back and forth for a time. But the two Demi stayed close to the fire, watching Visam closely. She was bandaged now, and the bleeding was easing. But it wasn't stopping, and she wasn't waking up. Kukka and Tuphanu began to talk quietly in their own language.
"No." Tuphanu suddenly growled. "I won't have it."
"But -"
"Damn it, Kukka. That's too dangerous. She wouldn't want that, because then we'd have to carry you. Do you think a powerful Mozori like her wants to trudge through a dangerous swamp carrying a Demi on her damn back?"
"Shut up." Surudu hissed. "Arguing about anything is stupid here. We have to find a way to keep going."
"Are you insane?" Tuphanu snapped. "Visam is half-dead!"
"Which is why we need to make another boat. We can't stay here.

You don't understand; we will all die. Even if the humans turned around and left right now or were killed right in front of us, we would die. Staying where we are is suicide. We have to go on."
"Who will guide us?"
"I can guide. I won't be as safe or good as Visam, but it's a Mozori trait. Now... Tuphanu, I need you to help me chop some wood. Kukka can watch Visam. She seems to know more about medicine."
The cat rose stiffly and followed the lizard just passed the firelight. He helped her cut down a large, hallowed and dead tree - refusing to touch anything alive. The two drug it toward the light. He began to shape it, telling his assistant what to do as they went alone.
Surudu frequently looked at Visam. He tried his hardest not to show his concern or desperation, but it wasn't easy to hide.
How can we live, if she dies here?

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 25.12.2011

Alle Rechte vorbehalten

Widmung:
This book is dedicated to my family and best friend for the inspiration and encouragement for all my writings.