Perched Fables

By James Aa. Keister

A young story teller named Rachi with and amazing insight that she has no clue where it comes from holds her audience in captivity with her stories that clans from miles away come to hear. A set of twins who try to best each other at the dismay of their father. A den of Fury pups found empty as the mother barely escapes with them. A supply hut that gets raided, supplies stolen, two men killed sparking a search and finding a new clan within their village with an uncanny leader with abilities beyond belief and an ending of this sequel that is disturbing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James Aa. Keister
• Release date: Apr 11, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476285283

James Aa. Keister

James Aa. Keister, was born and lives in Monroe, Michigan. An artist in both the arts and music. Letting this strong sense of talent flourish over into his writings. With an imaginative endorsement of realism that brings forth an ever flowing twist to his novels.

Book preview

Chapter One

Some fables begin once upon a time, while others start with nothing more than a smile. Enticed to hold the listeners attention. Anticipating the story to come. These are saga's told and learned throughout the generations.

In this time of the Wolventhrope, most of the human tales were hidden in books. Words spilled out on pages, flowing away. Waiting there for someone who cares, to read them. To open their eyes to see them, to see if they can make these fables their own. Maybe to find out if the world hidden in books is worth it, worth what the writer has given away. That part of his soul, his heart that's been dripped like ink on yellowed paper. Squeezed between two covers, tale and titled with some name created to draw the readers attention and entice the eye.

But not so with Rachi. She held her little captive audience with just a smile. She knew how to build the moment of impact, as she stood staring out over the sea of eyes that stared back, waiting anxiously for her to begin her story. Rachi might only be fourteen and yet a yelp, but she was the tale bearer of the Feather fang clan.

Her father, Billup, the Alpha male leader was away, fighting yet another epic war far to the north. A war she knew she would find another story in which to tell the generations that followed. She raised her hand as a silence hushed over her crowd. She reached out and pointed a finger out over the faces as each one that sat before her wore wide eyes of wonder. They were all wondering if she was going to pick them, to be an example in her tales.

Rachi loved to entertain. And once a season she would go to the south to entertain an old friend. Macillian, the Alpha leader of the Fairy fang clan. His men had saved her life once from the Fury fang. Or was it...she saved their lives. Lest the latter make for a greater tale by any means. The way that Rachi would tell it.

Her hand slowly arched through the air as if pointing at each and every pup that sat as still as jello, wriggling in excited endow. But as her hand reached from one side of the room to the other. She began the horizontal arch back to where she had started and as she drew her hand in, she could hear the sighs and awes from those abated. This tale it seemed needed no help, no example. No player to play the part of some puppet on marionette string's. No, this tale was far beyond that, deeper than their little imaginations could conceive. Truly unethical.

Chapter Two

She's at it again! Gemmi said as she paced into the room like she had done a thousand times before. Annar had to laugh. She already knew what was happening. Her niece Rachi could not help it. It was in her blood.

So which tale does she render this time? Annar asked.

I'm not sure! I've never heard this one before and I thought I've heard them all at least a dozen times. But this one is much darker than even the Fury tales she's told in the past.

Really? Annar said under furrowed brows. As much as I'd love to go listen, we've got way too much work to get done. She can always tell me about it later.

Yeah. But what gets me is, where does she hear these stories? She never leaves the village, yet she knows things no one else does. Gemmi stated. Having said that, Annar stopped what she was doing and set everything down on the counter. She stepped back slowly and tried to give Gemmi's words some much needed thought.

Where the fury did she hear these tales from? She thought. I'll have to ask her.

What do we have left to do? Gemmi broke her train of thought.

Oh! Ah! I think...just the breads. Everything else is done. I've got this one bowl to finish and I'll be there to help you. Annar told her.

Do you think Rachi learns those fables from the troops as they go off to war or maybe from her father Billup?

That's a good question. Thing is...I've never heard Billup tell of any such tales.

Well, you'll just have to ask her one day. I'd like to know as well. Gemmi said with a smile as she rounded the table and began to knead the dough for the breads. Annar set her bowl of fresh cut fruits and berries aside to help with the breads. They were planning to bake the fruits into the breads as a treat for the little pups, who were at this moment, deep in some epic story created by a master story teller...Rachi. It always puzzled Annar how the young yelp had ever learned to know what she knew or how she even came about the gift.

From the kitchen, Annar and Gemmi could hear the gasps of surprise coming from the next room, where Rachi held their frightened attention.

They'll probably have nightmares. Gemmi laughed.

Probably! Is that dough ready?

Yep, just have to roll it out. Gemmi pushed it out into a flat square across the floured table. Annar sprinkled chunks of fruit across it, then drizzled honey on that and watched as Gemmi rolled the dough into long logs. When she had finished, Annar cut them into wheels and placed them onto a flat metal sheet to be placed into the old brick stove. After they had finished all the sheets of bread. Annar stood staring out at the figures that floated in the sky.

Is there a hunting going on today? She asked Gemmi from over her shoulder.

Not that I know of. Gemmi told her as she came up from behind her and stood staring out at them as well.

Hmm! Maybe their just practicing or preparing for something. Annar said.

I don't think so. You know that I'm seeing Lacmere who is Billup's beta. He tells me everything and he's never mentioned any of that! Gemmi pointed at the bodies that floated out in the winds that were blowing up from the south. I'm gonna go see what's going on. I'll be right back. Gemmi said as she floated out the door with fluent grace. Annar stood staring at the spectacle outside while half heartily listening to Rachi from the next room.

Chapter Three

This isn't a contest. You don't have anything to prove. Eprov shouted at the twins as they stood face to face.

"Let 'em go!' Someone shouted from the crowd that had gathered. And with the next gust of wind that blew in, they took flight. Istic and his twin brother Histic, lifted off the ground with their arms spread ot wide so that the wind could catch the loose skin that ran along their sides. They growled at each other as they took flight. Istic wanted to best his brother at all cost. But it was Histic who was the lighter one and could mostly stay aloft in the winds longer.

At first Histic teetered and appeared as if to go to ground but then caught a strong breeze that lifted him into the higher thermals. Racing high above his brother. So Istic dipped in to try and catch the same thermal. Others joined in the splay of flight as the sky darkened with young Feather fang yelps. The only two trying to prove anything, were the twins, the rest were there for moral support or just to have fun. The two wolves kited the drafts as they spun in swirling tides, circling one another. Taunting slurs spewed from snarling lips. Dripping in the space between them like raining venom. They were going to settle this dispute, their way.

What's going on here? Gemmi asked as she walked up and stood staring straight up into the sky next to Eprov. Eprov glanced over at Gemmi and then