Stay close and you’ll be fine.”
Braldt struggled to his feet and set off with the pup hugging his heels. Sometimes it pressed too close and all but tripped
Braldt, whining fearfully and hugging the ground with its belly, casting wide, frightened eyes about in all directions. It
occurred to Braldt that the small creature was absolutely terrified by the wide stretch of blue sky and the burning white
orb that hung above them, for all of its young life had been lived in near darkness. The hot rock was surely scorching its
tender paws that had none of the thick, callused protection it would develop in later years. Takingpity on the small animal, Braldt lifted it up and placed it inside his robes again where it immediately settled and was still.
“I wish it were that simple for me,” Braldt said to himself as he patted the trembling pup. “Food and shelter. Got to have
food and shelter and then deal with this arm, if I don’t want to lose it.”
Strangely enough, the bloodwings had done him a favor, for sensing the fresh blood, they had gone straight for his wounded
shoulder. They had robbed him of his blood and they had replaced it with their own fluid that was intended to dull the senses
of their sleeping victims, but in his case served to deaden the pain, enabling him to travel. Braldt didn’t know how long
it would last or if it would have any lasting effects, but he welcomed even the temporary relief from pain.
And then suddenly a path appeared beneath his feet, a deep indentation in the soft red rock that led straight to the edge
of the precipice and then slipped over. Braldt wondered if a section of rock had broken off here as well, but as he drew closer
he saw that the trail descended the face of the cliff at a steep but passable incline that terminated at one end of the stony
amphitheater. There was a large pool of water, deep enough to withstand the worst of droughts, as well as several stands of
small trees, thick grasses, and tall reeds, and a variety of weedy foliage.
There were still the predators to be considered, none of which he cared to meet with the scent of blood hanging heavy about
him. But the small oasis offered all that he needed to heal himself: water, shelter, and the promise of food. Home and safety
lay six moonsets distant and between them lay seventy leagues of danger and harsh, inhospitable terrain. To travel in his
condition was an open invitation to death.
His decision made, Braldt descended the face of the cliff.
Ten moonsets later, well fed and rested, recovering from the worst of his wounds, Braldt and the pup, whom he hadchosen to call Beast, left the spring and set out for home. The jawbone of the he-beast had been stripped of flesh and polished
by an accommodating colony of fire beetles. It now hung from a thong around his neck. The shiny new pink skin of his shoulder
contrasted sharply with the dark, coppery tan of his body, and while it too would darken with time, it would always bear the
scars inflicted by the lupebeast.
Braldt was not concerned with the color of his skin, nor the scars, merely pleased that the arm had suffered no permanent
damage and would still be able to wield a weapon. This had caused him a good deal of concern during his recuperation for he
had trained since youth to be a fighter and a protector of his tribe and he could envision no other life.
He had been right in his assessment of the spring for he had found all the medicinal herbs needed to treat his wounds. Wild
animals and birds had come to the springs at dawn and at dusk in great numbers, braving the gauntlet of predators, and if
some of their numbers fell, they were not missed in the multitudes that depended on the steady source of sweet water that
flowed even in the hot time.
Trees and reeds had provided shelter as well as firewood and the fire burning brightly all night long held the predators safely
at bay. Carefully placed snares had provided
Braldt struggled to his feet and set off with the pup hugging his heels. Sometimes it pressed too close and all but tripped
Braldt, whining fearfully and hugging the ground with its belly, casting wide, frightened eyes about in all directions. It
occurred to Braldt that the small creature was absolutely terrified by the wide stretch of blue sky and the burning white
orb that hung above them, for all of its young life had been lived in near darkness. The hot rock was surely scorching its
tender paws that had none of the thick, callused protection it would develop in later years. Takingpity on the small animal, Braldt lifted it up and placed it inside his robes again where it immediately settled and was still.
“I wish it were that simple for me,” Braldt said to himself as he patted the trembling pup. “Food and shelter. Got to have
food and shelter and then deal with this arm, if I don’t want to lose it.”
Strangely enough, the bloodwings had done him a favor, for sensing the fresh blood, they had gone straight for his wounded
shoulder. They had robbed him of his blood and they had replaced it with their own fluid that was intended to dull the senses
of their sleeping victims, but in his case served to deaden the pain, enabling him to travel. Braldt didn’t know how long
it would last or if it would have any lasting effects, but he welcomed even the temporary relief from pain.
And then suddenly a path appeared beneath his feet, a deep indentation in the soft red rock that led straight to the edge
of the precipice and then slipped over. Braldt wondered if a section of rock had broken off here as well, but as he drew closer
he saw that the trail descended the face of the cliff at a steep but passable incline that terminated at one end of the stony
amphitheater. There was a large pool of water, deep enough to withstand the worst of droughts, as well as several stands of
small trees, thick grasses, and tall reeds, and a variety of weedy foliage.
There were still the predators to be considered, none of which he cared to meet with the scent of blood hanging heavy about
him. But the small oasis offered all that he needed to heal himself: water, shelter, and the promise of food. Home and safety
lay six moonsets distant and between them lay seventy leagues of danger and harsh, inhospitable terrain. To travel in his
condition was an open invitation to death.
His decision made, Braldt descended the face of the cliff.
Ten moonsets later, well fed and rested, recovering from the worst of his wounds, Braldt and the pup, whom he hadchosen to call Beast, left the spring and set out for home. The jawbone of the he-beast had been stripped of flesh and polished
by an accommodating colony of fire beetles. It now hung from a thong around his neck. The shiny new pink skin of his shoulder
contrasted sharply with the dark, coppery tan of his body, and while it too would darken with time, it would always bear the
scars inflicted by the lupebeast.
Braldt was not concerned with the color of his skin, nor the scars, merely pleased that the arm had suffered no permanent
damage and would still be able to wield a weapon. This had caused him a good deal of concern during his recuperation for he
had trained since youth to be a fighter and a protector of his tribe and he could envision no other life.
He had been right in his assessment of the spring for he had found all the medicinal herbs needed to treat his wounds. Wild
animals and birds had come to the springs at dawn and at dusk in great numbers, braving the gauntlet of predators, and if
some of their numbers fell, they were not missed in the multitudes that depended on the steady source of sweet water that
flowed even in the hot time.
Trees and reeds had provided shelter as well as firewood and the fire burning brightly all night long held the predators safely
at bay. Carefully placed snares had provided
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