Tribes of Ruehai: Ruehai, #2

By Z.J. Draper

Welcome back to the second part of the epic Ruehai fantasy trilogy.  Our four travelers must brave the many dangers of the nomadic isles in a desperate attempt to prepare for war.  They will quickly learn that the feline peoples who dwell there are anything but united.  The travelers must do their best to convince the disparate tribes to come together to avoid extinction.  Unfortunately for them, the true mastermind behind the war is already somewhere on the isles.

 

Meanwhile, Rennel and Crohet travel the mainland on their own missions.  Rennel must try to make amends with a secret society that once put a bounty on his head.  Far from a simple task, he must navigate through layers of informants, spies, and assassins to even make contact.  Elsewhere, Crohet explores the distant land of Wyrrmja on false pretenses.  There, ancient relics buried in forgotten ruins will shed new light on the history of Ruehai.  However, none of it compares to the startling revelation about his own past that will change him forever.

 

Disclaimers: This series contains heavy themes such as corruption, bigotry, slavery, and violence.  Also, this volume will make little to no sense to anyone who skipped volume one: Dreams.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Z.J. Draper
• Release date: May 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223052968

Book preview

Chapter 0: Narrator’s Introduction

This book continues of the story started in Dreams of Ruehai.  This story picks up exactly where the last ended.  If you have not yet read the first, you should.  Not only will you find the physics, plants, and animals of this world highly unfamiliar, but you will also have none of the necessary information regarding the individuals this story focuses on.  I cannot explain all of this in a simple introduction.  I will also not re-describe every creature and species in the previous book in the main body text of this one, nor will I fully re-iterate the more complicated points of the previous story.  However, I have provided an appendix for easy use which defines many Ruehai specific terms and species at the end of the book.

I will also recap the less complex points of the story, in case you read Dreams of Ruehai long ago.  Realize that the name of the author on your copy of this tale does not refer to me.  I do not know who will present this story to your world.  Regardless, you may call me simply Narrator.  I cannot write my actual name using languages in of your world.  I have a minor role to play in the story, which will begin in this portion of our history lesson.

The world of Ruehai consists of a core, about half the size of your planet, with oceans, plains, forests, and so on.  The native intelligent species (ho-kann and hia-kann) dwell there.  They, like all creatures native to this world, have four lower outer limbs and two upper central ones, a head with three eyes, a tail with a fourth eye, a central nerve chord, no jaws, and three copies of each chromosome.  The upper continents and islands float in high orbit above the core.  One of these continents holds the human and Earth-like species that mysteriously appeared several thousand years ago.  Ruajans, wyrrmja, the slave-species, and ruffa all have some human traits.  Ruehai also has two moons.  The silver one becomes visible during the day, the ruby one at night, for the upper continent in question.  A diamond-shaped translucent sun provides light for the world, but causes madness in any ruajans (the most human of the human-like species) who gaze upon it.

In the last book, Uilliok’s military razed Sharley’s home town of Hunla, masquerading as raiders.  This ploy caused many of the other independent border towns to join the Uilliok theocracy for protection from other raiders, as independent towns do not have any military to speak of.  Gritlek became the last free border town.  However, Crohet eventually facilitated Gritlek's decision to join Uilliok.  During this, Sharley told all there what she knew, despite threats of death or banishment.  Thus, Crohet began to investigate the matter.

Meanwhile, Zujin, a ruffa from the nomadic isles off the west coast of Uilliok, came in search of his missing wife, who also served as an air scout... scouts that fly using artificial wings.  He did not find her, and ended up in prison with Sharley.  Sh’kerwind then helped them escape.  A member of a slave species that typically undergo conditioning to have no ability to think outside the moment or innovate, Sh’kerwind somehow managed to become something much more.  She simultaneously does not understand some situations at all, and understands others better than anyone else could.  Exactly how and why remains unclear, though she fought with a sh’ker (hence her newly given name) as well as a veteran warrior the first time she picked one up, and her skill has continued to advance to near super-human levels.  She has also learned to speak, read and write at a scholar’s level in roughly one year. Her mental faculties continue to accelerate.

After escaping, the three became captured by mercenaries.  Rennel Makkes also allowed himself to get captured to spy on the other fugitives.  He once worked for a secret society, the Eye, before having a falling out.  He knew Sharley’s parents, as they also served as spies or assassins (originally unknown to her).  Another new member, Primif, a ho-kann from the world’s core, helped the others escape.  An anthropologist, it decided that by directly interacting with the uplanders, it could better study them.  It chose a group of fugitives so no one would believe them if they told of its existence.  Rennel Makkes, the renowned thief who has evaded capture for over a decade, then helped them plan a heist to get Zujin’s artificial wings back.  Crohet aided them from behind the scenes, setting up safe-houses along their way.

Most recently, Zujin, Sharley, Sh’kerwind, and Primif left Uilliok, heading towards the nomadic isles to escape the long arm of Uilliok’s law.  They had also received word of an impending planned war between Uilliok and the nomadic isles.  Zujin must now report his failure to recover his wife, and warn his people of the impending danger.  Meanwhile, Crohet still tries to bring the Hunla incident to light.  To do this he must call a multi-national summit, but knows he must do so on some other pretense.  He travels to the eastern-most kingdom of Wyrrmja, where newly uncovered ruins might shed light on the origins of the humanoids and other earth-like species that appeared on this world several thousand years ago.  This information would prove a compelling pretense for a summit.  Simultaneously, Rennel travels to Juhlanak, the central nation, a loosely united minimalist democracy.  There, Rennel will attempt to contact the old secret society he once worked for.  The Eye’s goals coincide with Crohet and Sharley’s in that they too oppose the current rulers of Uilliok.

The actual event I mentioned in my prior introduction, the one I described as one of the most revolutionary events to occur in outer Ruehai, does not occur yet.  No, this installment gives you what information you will need to understand how that event came to occur.  I will describe the actual event itself in the third and final installment: Wars of Ruehai.  As for this book, you should notice increased complication in the story, characters, and world, as they convolute, change, and become described further, respectively.  I will tell of Crohet and Rennel when we reach the times of their activities, in hopes of retaining a properly sequential re-telling.  For now, we must focus on the group of four, which soared off the coast of Uilliok two days and nights ago.  Sharley and Sh’kerwind’s artificial wings connect to Zujin’s by synth-nerve, allowing him to control all three, while Primif, a very small being, rides on his back.

~Narrator

Chapter 1 : Jupo Revisited

Zujin swerved sharply, trying to position him and his allies under a break in the clouds.  The sudden torrent of rain made flying increasingly difficult.  They did not need this problem.  With the wings repaired improperly, they already lost their charge earlier than normal.  Zujin relied on nearly non-powered flight, constantly searching for updrafts and the like.  Sharley kept her eyes shut tight, clutching the harness of her glider.  Sh’kerwind looked forward unemotionally, her secondary eyelids closed to protect from the weather.  Primif clutched desperately onto the back of Zujin’s harness, buzzing and clicking.

Zujin caused their left wings to cup and catch an up draft, in a vain attempt to get above the rain.  The clouds floated too high in the sky, though.  It would take more than one draft with non-powered flight to reach that elevation.  Through the wind and rain, Zujin thought he saw another cloud ahead.  He held his hand up, as if shielding the rain would let him see clearer.  Though dawn would come soon, the clouds made it too dark to see clearly, even for a ruffa’s eyes.  Loud thunder crashed overhead.  Zujin didn’t react to it.  He knew that lightning usually struck between land and cloud, or cloud to cloud.  With no land beneath them, just a void of air all the way down to the world’s core, their chances of getting struck remained minimal.

Zujin shouted back. Brrace yourrselves!  He then suddenly caused the three of them to spin sharply to the right.  Zujin, of course, controlled Sharley and Sh’kerwind’s wing harnesses via the synth-nerves connecting theirs to his, as only ruffa can interface with these gliders.  Sharley opened her eyes just in time to see rock pass quickly by.  They had suddenly reached the Isle of Jupo, concealed by rain and darkness.  Zujin barely avoided smashing into the side of it.  He knew they needed to get higher to land on the island.  Flying under it would do no good.  He caused them to fly away from Jupo, needing space to maneuver.  He shouted again. Scrrunch up as small as you can while I trry to gain altitude!  Then, sprread out yourr arrms and legs to slow ourr fall!

Sharley didn’t have to change position for the first part.  She already clutched the harness, holding her legs in too, out of fear.  Sh’kerwind complied wordlessly, still holding her pole-arm even after the long flight.  She positioned the sh’ker directly under herself to keep it from catching more air.  Zujin’s pupils dilated fully.  He shouted back once more.  Prrimif...  Hold on!

Primif buzzed and clicked, managing to mentally emanate a few words. I am doing that already.  Believe me.

Zujin suddenly turned right, causing Sharley, behind and to his left, to move higher than him, and Sh’kerwind, in front and to his right, to move lower.  He moved sharply to an air current.  Primif silently wondered how a ruffa could determine where and when air currents would move.  They jolted before stabilizing.  Just after, Zujin tried to monopolize on the current.  This maneuver failed on the first three attempts.  After that, they got lucky.  They suddenly moved almost straight up, turning as they went.  At the apex of this uplift, they re-oriented horizontally to the sky.  Zujin seemed frustrated.  He would have landed on the island by now if on his own.  Flying for three made things much more difficult.  They continued to gain altitude, one maneuver after another.

Sprread now!

They suddenly stabilized, flying straight ahead at a slow decline.  They reached the island sooner than Sharley or Primif expected.  Simply and gracefully, the wings moved to cause the harness wearer’s bodies to swing vertically.  Zujin landed softly, his hybrid legs perfectly suited to do so.  Sh’kerwind also somehow managed to land perfectly, despite never having flown before, but that should not come as a surprise.  Sharley stumbled forwards, but caught herself without falling.  Primif immediately hopped off the wings and onto the ground.  Zujin couldn’t tell in the darkness, but he thought he saw Primif grab the dirt with both of its three-fingered central hand-like limbs, embracing it.

Sharley walked forward to get a few more meters away from the island’s edge.  She kneeled down, breathing heavily.  We made it... thank... Illuminous...

Zujin looked from Sharley to Primif, wondering why they acted so strange.  Of course, he had flown for many years.  However, even on their first flight, a ruffa usually does not feel fear.  Sh’kerwind opened her secondary eyelids then closed them again, trying to see the dark rainy shores of Jupo.  Jupo remained uninhabited by ruffa, just one of many such floating land masses that make up the nomadic isles.

Sh’kerwind spoke to Zujin.  Now?

Zujin looked up at the sky, his ears pointing forwards as he heard more thunder roll.  The storrm is passing.  We should wait until we can see clearrly.  I could not even tell which side of the island we landed on.  Hopefully we arre nearr the launch point and can rrecharrge the wings.  If not... hopefully we can make it therre in one piece.

Sharley looked up.  Um... hopefully?

Zujin’s tail moved slower.  This island is uninhabited forr two rreasons.  One, it is too small to supporrt a full-sized trribe indefinitely.  Second... my people cannot find enough food herre, as it alrready has many otherr carrnivorres.

Not fair. Sharley said simply.

Quite. emanated Primif.  You escape Uilliok’s military only to find yourself at the mercy of some non-intelligent animals.  Somewhat ironic, yes?

Not really.  Sharley stood up, barely seeing Primif in the dark.  But what do you mean ‘you?’  You’re stuck here too.

Primif emanated its mental wave, causing conscious minds to ignore the light from its location like a blind spot.  It effectively turned invisible.

Sharley sighed. ...right, that.

Do not worry too much. Zujin said.  If we arre lucky, otherr airr-scouts will be on this island.  We could have help.

Other... ruffa? Sharley asked.  What do they look like?  I mean, do they all look like you?

Do all rruajans look like you? Zujin asked.

No... right, dumb question. she said apologetically to the cat-like humanoid.

Zujin gazed up again.  Rrain is slowing, but it is still darrk.  I should be able to see soon, but not the rrest of you.  Let us find shelterr and rrest until day.

Sharley opened her eyes. She saw the diamond star over the uneasily close horizon.  The travelers earlier carried fallen branches, laying them between upper limbs of trees and covering them then with fallen leaves to fashion makeshift tree-beds.  This would provide limited protection from the predators below.  They also placed the three gliders, still connected with synth-nerve, out of reach of any forest animals.  Sharley groaned.  She didn’t realize how sore the climb up Mount Insur made her.  Even though she didn’t do anything during the flight, her muscles still ached.  Her body didn’t have a frame meant for climbing or heavy lifting.  She noticed how dirty her blouse and trousers had become.  She wondered how she’d find new clothes that would fit in a land of ruffa.  She saw a small mottled green and brown being with four legs, and two hand-like limbs growing out of its back, fade into view beside her.

Primif moved its mouth parts for show while emanating words. Zujin has left to scout.  I anticipate he will return soon.  Hopefully he will bring food.  Yes?

Hope so.  The stuff we took from those soldiers is almost gone. Sharley said tiredly.

Sh’kerwind stood at the base of the tree, which had reddish green day-leaves.  A vine with bluish night-leaves grew up it.  The warrior woman slowly scanned the forest, sometimes closing her secondary eyelids for a different perspective.  Sharley noticed how many blood stains marred Sh’kerwind’s silk garments.  Sharley still wondered how the mindless-slave-turned-warrior managed to survive all those black division soldiers.  On second thought, Sharley decided she would rather not know, and hoped to never watch Sh’kerwind in action.  She liked thinking of the ex-slave as a protector, a benevolent guardian.  She didn’t want to think of Sh’kerwind as a monster.  Sharley wondered what it would feel like to have scales on her hands, head, and feet, like Sh’kerwind.  Sharley reached up, touching the large feathers that grew above each of her own ears.  A couple of them had broken.  One molted out.  The others felt ruffled.

Zujin landed in a crouched position in a neighboring tree without warning.

Primif rotated two hundred degrees to look at Zujin.  It emanated, Ah.  You have returned.  Excellent.  What news?

Zujin spoke softly, wanting to remain stealthy. I have searrched the arrea.  I have good and bad news.  The good news is that we arre prrobably only on the edge of a rruthu’s rrange.  The island is big enough to supporrt many, but each one needs its own area.  The edge of the island cannot be a centerr of a territorry... and I smell none nearrby.

Um... Sharley looked at Zujin, as if wanting to ask a question.

Yes?

What’s a rruthu? she asked, not exactly wanting the answer.

I rran into one on the way to Uilliok.  They arre larrge prredatorrs, with big arrms forr centrral limbs that end in long cutting blades, and they have tails like clubs.  Theirr bodies are shaped to chase prrey.  Zujin motioned to a fallen tree nearby.  It looked like something had cut cleanly through its trunk.  Another species of tree nearby had a scrape-mark, as if the being failed to cut it.  Some trees here concentrated metallic particles in their bark to protect from that.

Okay, that’s... just not fair. Sharley said.  "Wait, that’s the good news?"

It is betterr than the otherr news. Zujin said.  Something you alrready know is the bad news.  We landed on the farr edge of Jupo.  The island is not as larrge as those on which my people dwell, but it will still take a full day and night to rreach the launch point in the centerr thrrough this jungle, moving carrefuly.  That could be good.  We will need morre food and waterr forr the next flight.  We can keep ourr eyes and noses open forr some on the way.

So... why don’t we glide from tree to tree?  Like you did back near Mount Insur?  I think that would be safest. Sharley suggested.

These trrees grrow thick.  I doubt we would make it.  Also, a rruthu could simply cut down ourr trree, so it is not much saferr than the grround, except at night.  If therre werre morre metal-trrees on this island, perrhaps it would worrk, but they arre few.  Still, we should wearr the gliderrs.  They arre easierr to carry that way.

Sh’kerwind looked up at the others.  We should go.  One will come soon.

Zujin sniffed the air.  He didn’t smell any.  Still, he thought better than to question Sh’kerwind.  She always seemed to know somehow.  Sharley, Sh’kerwind, and Zujin put their harnesses with artificial wings back on.  Primif jumped down, landing sideways on a tree’s trunk then vanishing from sight.  Zujin surveyed the dense growth, a complex mix of reddish green day-trees and sparse blue-leaved night-trees and vines.  He motioned for the others, keeping his voice to a whisper.  I saw a path this way I think you two can walk.

Yeah, because we have useless one-jointed non-ruffa legs.  Sharley thought.  She tried to walk between Zujin and Sh’kerwind, not feeling safe at all in the untamed jungle.  Ijia always told me I’d end up out of the ranches and towns someday and need to know how to survive.  Should have listened.

So...  Sharley thought out loud, trying to talk softly.  What does ruffa sound like?  I mean, you don’t speak ruajan normally do you?

Zujin spoke a short line in the ruffan language, which sounded like Giurrnt’lansha frrrin jin sin’kallata kinna tul jin tik min-ka.  He then reverted to ruajan.  Why do you ask?

Well... I was going to say we need to learn it, or you’ll be the only one here who can say anything to them.  Sharley realized that sounded odd.  To your people. she added as an afterthought.  Though after hearing it, I’m not sure.  Sounds hard.

I suppose it is. Zujin admitted.  It is much morre complex than simple rruajan speech.  That does not mean you cannot learrn.

Sharley thought in silence as they walked.  She then spoke up again.  Okay.  Can we start now?

Rruthu do tend to smell prrey beforre hearring.  I guess it would not hurrt. Zujin said.  He continued scanning the area, ears swiveling, occasionally curling his upper lip and sniffing the air every ten meters.  He spoke in the intervals, beginning some basic lessons.

Sharley kept repeating Hello, my name is Sharley softly to herself in ruffa.  Zujin suddenly raised his right hand, motioning for them to stop.  Sharley went back to ruajan.  Oh, sh-...don’t tell me one of those rruthu...

No.  Zujin motioned up.  Drrin gourds.

Sharley looked up to see some strange plant growing parasitically out the side of a tree.  It grew gourd-like bulbs for protecting mass seeds.  Such plants would parasitically wipe out all the trees on an island if so many things didn’t eat them.  They had small night leaves of their own, but gathered most nutrients and water from the tree they grew into.  Sharley squinted at the gourds.  Um...

Food and waterr. Zujin stated.  All in one.

Wait, I thought ruffa only ate meat?

Zujin shook his head.  Usually we do.  Howeverr, I cannot be picky out herre.  Also, these plants arre rrich enough that almost any animal can eat them.  He appraised the tree.  Most of its lower limbs had grown weak and frail from the parasite.  Zujin knew getting the food would prove difficult if the limbs snap too easily.  He looked around, swiveling his ears in each direction.  Prrimif?

Primif continued hopping from tree to tree, having wandered off from the group.  It landed sideways on one then hopped to the next with a soft click.  It felt something strangely familiar coming from elsewhere on the island.  It felt almost like the wave a ho-kann sends out to make the minds of other creatures ignore them as a blind spot.  It could think of no reason another ho-kann would travel to the uplands.  Usually only one researcher analyzed the humanoid species at a time, minimizing the chances of a humanoid species discovering the ho-kann’s existence.

Primif landed on a tree, noticing a matchel that behaved strangely.  The large six-oval-winged creature hovered over a puddle of water.  Primif saw the water ripple.  Primif emanated.  Is someone there?

Primif’s three eyes widened slightly when another ho-kann faded into view.  The other ho-kann had mottled brown and red markings, instead of Primif’s brown and green.  The other ho-kann studied Primif a moment before emanating.  Pri’kli’shnfu Mihennkran Filshaven Akka?

Yes.  Primif stated.  Anyone traveling to the uplands would know to expect Primif somewhere there, so it did not surprise Primif that this ho-kann knew its name.  Who are you?  I was not informed of a second anthropologist.

Jin’tar’mkii Bubrienat Gregoria Hihi. the other ho-kann said.  Jin’tar’s reddish markings denoted it as a female, unlike Primif’s neutral lumale markings.  Jin’tar continued.  What are you doing on the nomadic islands?  Are you not supposed to be studying the ruajan countries primarily, as usual?

Yes. Primif emanated.  However, I found a group of people doing some very historic things.  For instance, it looks like we may have the first ever ruajan visitor to the nomadic isles.  I decided following them and mentally documenting their ventures would prove informative.

Ah.  Very good thinking. Jin’tar emanated.  I can see the council was correct to get you out of physics and into anthropology.

I still say my theories had merit. Primif emanated.  It then waved one of its hand-like limbs.  But I will not press the issue, as I previously stated.  What are you doing out here?

I am attempting to track down a missing hia-kann. Jin’tar stated.

Primif swayed left, then right, thinking.  It then emanated again.  How could a hia-kann reach the uplands?  They are much too large to use a floater.  They would never get off the ground.

It is a somewhat disheartening story.  You see, Kri’fa’tlui Mishtavk Thrallien Brip, curse him, had a rivalry with one of the more prominent hia-kann clutches.  He planned an assassination, which failed, and his crime discovered. Jin’tar explained.

Yes.  Many know the story of that one.  Didn’t he almost start a war several decades ago by killing a hia-kann child out of spite after the failed assassination attempt, sometime before he was captured? Primif asked.

Yes.  However, further recent evidence and confessions indicate the child was not killed.  Instead, he ‘sent the child to the maw of the savages.’  I believe he meant to the nomadic islands.  Apparently killing the child was not enough.  He intended to scare it by sending it into the air, then let it get eaten.  This would explain why no remains were ever found for the missing child.  A newborn hia-kann could fit into a floater.  I double checked the records and found a missing floater documented that same season.

Primif buzzed softly. Terrible.  Terrible.  So you are trying to find out if it survived somehow?

The chances of that are quite slim. Jin’tar emanated.  But I am investigating nonetheless.  It is part of being a detective.

The matchel.  Is that how you are getting from island to island without revealing our technology? Primif asked.

Yes.

Ingenious.

Thank you.

Primif realized how long it had strayed.  I should get back to the fugitives I am following.  I do not want to lose them.  I wish you luck in your venture.

And I wish you the same.  Perhaps we will cross paths again, as we both crisscross the nomadic isles. Jin’tar stated.  She then added.  May your path be guided by the eight gods of cause.

And yours.  Primif moved its mouth parts in a strange way and closed both of its three fingered hands to points.  Jin’tar did the same.

Primif faded from view then emitted a soft click as it jumped back to a tree.  It traveled back to the others, deciding to keep Jin’tar’s existence a secret for now.

Dusk came when Sh’kerwind finished packing away the last of the chopped up gourds.  The sky cleared considerably from the night before.  The gourds contained enough juice to refill the empty portions of their canteens, albeit making them sticky.  The travelers took the gliders off during their work.  Zujin’s right ear twitched when he heard a soft click.  Prrimif.  Wherre werre you?  We could have used yourr help a few moments ago.

I was just-  Primif paused, then continued.  -scouting the area.  I did not find anything unusual to this island but a wayward matchel.

Zujin looked in Primif’s likely direction oddly.  He then motioned towards Sh’kerwind.  We found some food and waterr.  The flight to the isle of the Watcherrs should be simple enough now.

Watchers?  Forgive my ignorance.  Since you are tribal, many of the ho-kann consider ruffa to be of lesser interest to study, so our details on these islands are less than complete.  Primif emanated.

The Watcherrs arre my trribe, the serrvants of the Jungle Fatherr. Zujin stated.  The next island will be... home. he added, as if not wanting to face his home village.

Ah, then we should get moving.  Yes?  We don’t want to get caught by a rruthu on our way to the last launch-point that separates you from your home.

I would not worry too much.  Most rruthu prreferr six-limbed thrree eyed prrey.  You arre the only one of us that matches that descrription, and you can disappear at will.  Only a few oddly aggrressive rruthu would-  Zujin stopped talking as he heard Sharley scream.  She ran past, heading for the launch point’s mountain, visible from even their great distance.  Zujin turned just in time to jump back, flipping in the air before landing against a tree.  The swipe from the rruthu’s right blade arm cut the upper back of his shirt as he flipped, barely missing his tail.  The animal backed up.  It kept each of the large mantis-like limbs coming from its back in a defensive position.  It let out a deep gurgling sound, glaring at Zujin, its tail thrashing the ground with thumps.  Zujin’s pupils widened.  He noticed the creature had a scar running down the side of its face, one of its eyes missing and replaced with scar tissue.  He said in ruffa.  "You..."

Sharley stopped very far off, watching from a safe distance.  Primif landed on another tree and vanished, knowing it could do little against such a beast.

Sh’kerwind watched while tying the last pack of food securely and carefully. 

The rruthu swiped at Zujin with a long bladed arm.  Zujin took Rinxli’s move, jumping up and turning to kick the arm away on its dull flat side.  He then landed back a meter from where he started.  The beast suddenly slammed both of its arms into the ground strangely.  It backed up, creating tension.  It then used the tension to propel itself forwards faster than normally possible, launching itself like an arrow.  Zujin tried to jump over it, but the speedy creature already moved its arms back upwards.  The feline contorted his body sideways to pass between the arms as they slashed through the air.  As soon as he cleared the arms, he saw the club-like tail coming towards him.  He grabbed on just above the tale to avoid getting smashed by it.  The tail’s eye swiveled, trying to see him.

Sh’kerwind walked from the supplies over to her sh’ker, picking it up.  She looked it over for any imperfections.

The rruthu swung its tail, repeatedly bashing the ground until Zujin let go.  It then jabbed one arm straight down at him.  He rolled sideways barely avoiding the skewer.  The same arm picked itself up and jabbed again as fast as physically possible.  Zujin hopped forward on all four limbs, not having time to get back up to two.  Zujin ran forward several paces on four limbs then jumped up, using his claws to climb the limbless portion of a tree.  As soon as he reached a sturdy branch, he heard a sheering sound.  The tree suddenly toppled, as the rruthu sliced through its base.  The air-scout jumped again, landing on another nearby tree, but it started falling even before he reached it.  He leapt a third time, then a fourth, moving much faster than he should allow himself too.  If this went on for too long, he would overheat and not have the energy to move at all.  Zujin jumped off another tree, landing on the ground and running away from the launch point.  He focused on escaping the beast for now, forgetting about their goal.  The rruthu jammed both of its arms into the ground, preparing to launch itself forwards again.  A rock hit its head.  It pulled its arms out of the ground, turning in annoyance.

Sh’kerwind dropped the other stone she had and grabbed her sh’ker, spinning it once before taking a loose defensive stance.  Zujin collapsed to all fours, panting, thankful for the brief respite.

The rruthu regarded Sh’kerwind with an oddly heightened amount of apprehension, as if it could instinctively sense her prowess.  It beat its tail against the ground again in warning while opening its mantis-like arms half-way.  Its four legs squared for stability.  It suddenly lurched forwards then swung one arm horizontally, the other vertically, hoping to catch Sh’kerwind with one or the other.  Sh’kerwind spun her pole arm, deflecting both attacks.  She probably expected her sh’ker to cut the animal’s arms, but it merely scraped along the hardened mantis-like limbs and actually chipped the sh’ker’s blades.  Sh’kerwind closed her second eyelids, as if trying to determine how that happened.  The rruthu continued to slash each of its arms at her, one after the other.  It moved forwards steadily, forcing Sh’kerwind to back up.  She kept moving her sh’ker to block, not letting any of the attacks through.  She knew it could cut through the weapon of she tried to block normally, so she blocked exclusively by deflecting attacks.  She then faltered, baiting the rruthu into stabbing with both arms at once.  She managed to catch the tip of each of its arms, one each in the center of each circular disk of her sh’ker.  She knew she could only hold it there for a second, so quickly barked out the order.  Now!

Primif faded into view on Sh’kerwind’s back.  It emitted a soft click as it hopped up, between the bladed limbs, and just behind the animal’s elongated head.  The rruthu pulled both of its arms back out of the sh’ker while Primif stabbed its back-facing scorpion like tail into the base of the animal’s thick neck.  Primif then quickly and clumsily hopped back off, landing wrong and tumbling over.  It pushed itself back over using its hand-like limbs.

The rruthu gurgled and warbled in disdain, waving its arms as if trying to wave away the blurry lights.  It weighed too much for one dose of Primif’s venom to knock it out, but it clearly lost much of its motor function.  The rruthu stumbled back, warbling softly.  In then quickly and clumsily began trotting off into the woods, occasionally slamming sideways into a tree.

Sharley looked after the creature until she could no longer see or hear it.  She then let out a sigh of relief, followed by ...sheesh.

Zujin stood up slowly, wincing at a couple sore spots.  He walked the long way back to their supplies and gliders.

Sharley returned also.  She smiled up at Sh’kerwind.  Nice plan.

Sh’kerwind looked at Sharley oddly then motioned towards Primif, who had emanated the plan in a radius that only Sh’kerwind would hear.

Sharley smiled apologetically.  Thanks Primif.

Quite welcome.

Sharley put back on her glider and picked up what supplies she could carry.  Sh’kerwind did the same.  Zujin did as well when he eventually reached the others.  He spoke with urgency.  That worrked- but the venom will wearr off.  We should go beforre it rreturrns.

Sharley tried not to sound overly accusing.  Thought you said they usually didn’t attack.

They do not. Zujin said, while fixing his glider’s harness.  That was the same one I encounterred beforre.

Sharley asked. Got something against you?

Perrhaps.  Orr it is just crrazy.

I can relate. Sharley responded, trying to lighten the mood.

Primif emitted another soft click as it vanished, landing on a tree.  It began hopping towards the launch point.  The others followed soon after, Zujin postponing the next language lesson for now.  He did not want to make any more noise than necessary.

Zujin looked upon the gravelly slope at the base of the launch point’s hill.  His ears tilted half-way back.  This parrt is annoying.

Sharley appraised the hill. If one of us slips, we all will...

Sh’kerwind’s eyes glanced at the synth-nerve connecting their gliders.  She nodded briefly to Sharley.  Primif remained hidden.

I think I like this less than the rruthu. Zujin added.

Yes.  It can be a pain unless you know the trrick to it.

Zujin’s ears swiveled, trying to pinpoint the voice.  His eyes fixed on another ruffa in a tree, a glider on her back.  The same red, gray, and brown peppered fur typical to Watchers covered her frame.  Her broad face and extra pounds made her look too heavy to fly well.  She made up for it by learning to tool with the gliders better than most, even enhancing her set to compensate for the extra weight.  She wore the same vest and shorts as all air scouts, a krall resting by her side.  Zujin’s ears pointed forwards.  Bvenxka?

Bvenxka hopped down.  Yes.  She then switched to the ruffa tongue, causing Sharley and Sh’kerwind to stay out of the conversation.  You arre a bit of a surrprrise.  Send you out to brring back yourr wife and you brring back pets?

Zujin’s ears drooped the slight amount that a ruffa’s could.  He looked to the ground.  It is... complicated.

Bvenxka batted his shoulder in apology.  Sorry, scout.  Just saying is all.  Banish, but yourr gliderrs arre in bad shape.  What did you do to them?

Most werre brroken, mine afterr I was shot down.  The rruajans trried to fix them, but they now take forreverr to charrge.  We connected the thrree sets because the rruajan one and slave-species one could not fly. Zujin answered.  He had much more to say, but didn’t feel like having a long conversation in their dangerous position.  It did feel good to speak ruffa again though.  Any sign of Kithaa? he asked in vain hope.

No... sorry.  Bvenxka noticed Kithaa’s glider on one of the others.  No luck on yourr end, then?

Zujin shook his head, his tail falling limp.  She was taken.  It has been too long now.

Tough brreak... loosing yourr firrst mate, thus losing brreeding rrights and all.  Bvenxka said, before realizing that probably didn’t help.  Sorry, I know that is not why you looked forr herr.  But you do not have prroof she is dead, do you?

No.  Nothing.  I couldn’t get into theirr capital, though I flew to it. Zujin said.  The allies I made could not locate herr eitherr though.  No rrecorrds of what they did to herr, Crrohet said.  He said the inforrmation must be ‘classified.’ Zujin spoke the ruajan word for classified, as the ruffa never named the phenomena.  They had a word for secrets kept by shamans, but not secrets in general. Whateverr that means.

Bvenxka sounded concerned. Well.  Don’t give up yet then.  Strrangerr things have happened.  Any airr-scout should know that.  We tend to encounterr the odd daily.

Trrue... Trrue.  Zujin looked back at the others then up at the launch point.  Therre is morre to say... but let us starrt charrging the gliderrs.  It takes hourrs instead of seconds now.

Maybe I can fix them up.  My gearr’s in the cave. Bvenxka said.

Zujin tilted one ear sideways.  The alcove at the top, underr the launch point?

Yes, but therre is an entrrance nearby, hidden.  It leads up to the top, exiting underr that pile of boulderrs. she motioned to the boulders with one hand, while her tail pointed towards the cave.

Wish I knew that beforre. Zujin stated.  He looked back at Sharley and Sh’kerwind, switching back to ruajan.  We arre going to the launch point now.  Follow.

Bvenxka cursed softly as she continued working on the second of the three gliders.  Those rruajan idiots surre messed this up. she said in ruffa.  Prrobably was in betterr shape beforre they fixed it.

Zujin already told Bvenxka his story.  He now worked on another basic ruffa language lesson with Sharley.  After a full day’s worth of work, he taught her how to say hello, and to introduce herself.  He had to teach her about twenty phrases for this, one for each tense and each level of superiority, and each combination thereof.  Some combinations used words that sounded nothing like the others.  Primif listened from the side, though it already spoke ruffa.  It didn’t surprise Primif that they had such a complicated language.  A culture that cannot read and write would understandably need more complete verbal communication, which explains how their air scouts learned ruajan easily as a second language.  Primif could not tell if Sh’kerwind paid attention to the lesson or not.

Bvenxka spoke, still using the ruffa tongue.  So, you think that’s smarrt?  Teaching them ourr tongue?

Zujin responded in like verse.  They arre allies.

Yeah, you know that, and I am open-minded, but what about the otherrs back home?

Guess we will have to explain it to them.  Hope they accept it. Zujin said.

Bvenxka kept working with the glider.  I am surre they will, if you can tell them yourr whole storry beforre they kill the guests. she shook her head.  Brringing in beasts...  Zujin looked at her oddly due to her word choice.  Bvenxka explained.  "Well, they arre planning to attack us forr no good rreason, rright?  What would you call such crreaturres?"

Zujin answered softly. ...beasts.

Exactly.  You will have to watch them closely.  Not everryone will like them being arround. Bvenxka added.  I do not think theirr kind have everr been on the nomadic isles beforre.  If they have it was so long ago even the shamans do not rrecall.

It is a chance we will have to take.

Well.  Just watch out forr Mithas.  He has been looking forr someone to blame forr his sisterr’s disappearrance. Bvenxka warned.  Could be he will pick you, orr yourr pets.

Somehow, it does not feel like I have escaped dangerr. Zujin sighed.  Out of the pot, into the pit-firre.

Bvenxka began working with the synth-nerve.  I just hope the elderrs will prreparre forr warr.  We have not had any of that since beforre what most elderrs know of historry.  Rruajans always fight though.  Neverr go morre than a few generrations...

They always find an excuse. Zujin stated.  Such hateful crreaturres.  We will have to make surre the eldest shaman underrstands what they arre like.

We? Bvenxka asked.  I am on scout duty forr a while still.  You arre on yourr own.

...always. Zujin said sadly.

Oh, stop that!  You know scout trraining.  Deal with grrief only afterr dangerr passes, orr you will collapse into yourrself and not surrvive.  Well, guess what, dangerr will be herre until this warr is stopped orr finished.  So you have a long time yet. Bvenxka instructed.  You have morre prressing things to think about.

I know.

Then stop dishonorring yourr trribe and starrt being prrideful again! Bvenxka said, getting slightly fed up.

What do I have to be prrideful of?  I know it is a sin not to be, but trruthfuly, what have I? Zujin asked.

Let us see.  You got drrafted into the airr-scouts without even trrying out.  You went thrrough most of the trraining in half the time as a norrmal perrson.  You went to the middle of enemy lands, yet still managed to surrvive and make it back herre.  You learrned about a coming warr, knowledge that might save us.

Come.  You alrready figurred out they planned warr, did you not? Zujin asked.

I had suspected, frrom theirr movements... but had no prroof.  And what of the otherr points I rraised? she asked, accusingly.

Zujin looked down in defeat.  Valid.

So?  Stop being a useless self-doubterr and get back on yourr feet.  Orr else you arre no use to anybody.  We gave you up forr dead you werre gone so long, but you arre back.  You should be happy forr that at least. Bvenxka stated.

You arre rright.  As usual. Zujin said softly.  I suppose I have been acting verry melancholy.  I just cannot stop thinking about Kithaa.

Good!  Use that.  Make it yourr focus, but let it lift you up, you know?  Not pull you down.  She might still be alive.  You will neverr know forr surre unless we win the warr, huh?

Zujin growled softly.  Then win we shall.

Bvenxka perked up.  Therre!  That is what I was talking about.

Zujin stood up, stretching.  ...thanks.

No prroblem.

"How is it coming?’

The second set is the worrst. Bvenxka said, still working with it.  You and yourr frriends may as well rrest.  I will fix as much as I can overr the next day orr so, then I will have to go.  It will be Rrinxli’s turrn to watch Jupo and my turrn in the airr, but she will not arrive until a day afterr I leave.  Betterr off not waiting forr herr.

Alrright.  Thanks forr all the help. Zujin said.

Airr-scouts always look out forr each otherr.  Bvenxka looked up from her work.  I know you have not been with the prrogrram long, but you should have figurred that much out by now.

I did.  Just saying.

Bvenxka nodded briefly before getting back to work.

Zujin crouched down near Sharley and Sh’kerwind again, speaking in ruajan.  It is time to get some rrest.  We will likely leave in one full day, which should be plenty of time to catch up on sleep.

Sharley raised her hand to ask a question without thinking, as if back in classes.  Um... more lessons later?

Surre.

Sharley smiled. Good.  Maybe I’ll be the first ruajan to speak ruffa.  That’d be... She lowered her hand as an afterthought. ...neat.  She then stopped talking, thinking she sounded like a dunce.

Zujin lowered his voice greatly.  He knew Bvenxka could pick up even a normal whisper from her distance, if her ears swiveled forwards.  Is Prrimif still herre?  Zujin looked down as a pebble hit his arm.  The pebble then decided to skip across the floor as if by its own will.  Ah, Prrimif is herre, good.  I was just making surre.

So... we’re heading to your home town soon?  Sharley asked needlessly.

Yes.  Zujin answered, thinking.  Back to Grrihan... Frrell... Kippanna... Quai... Maya...

Sharley thought she picked up on something in his voice.  She still couldn’t read him as well as a ruajan.  What is it?

Just... all seems like so long ago.  Almost a yearr has passed.  Rreturrning seems... almost like a drream.

So... what’s wrong?

I just do not know if it will be a good drream orr a nightmarre.

...probably both.

Yes. Zujin conceded.  Prrobably both.

Well... for me it’s time to dream for real.  I’m tired. Sharley said apologetically.

Me too. Zujin responded.  I am surre we could all-  He glanced at Sh’kerwind briefly, remembering that her species never sleeps.  -I’m surre we could both use some rrest.

Sleep well.  Illuminous light your dreams. Sharley said.

Hobnagu guide yourrs. Zujin insisted.

Chapter 2: Looking for Eyes

Rennel slipped out of the wagon just before dawn.  He knew this area.  He knew the next town’s mayor obsessed about inspections.  He’d have to make it on foot from here.  He already made it through the porous border a day ago, so moving on foot didn’t bother him now.  By the time Rennel reached the town of Siksal, he ditched the merchant disguise, hoping to pass as just another ruaja’hu.  If Ruehai had cameras and printing presses, he’d have to worry more about capture.  Despite the fact that almost everyone knew the name Rennel Makkes, most had no clue what he looked like.

Rennel reached the gates of town when the silver day moon finished a quarter of its journey.  He liked the sight of all those heads covered in five feather rows.  Sure, a few ruaja’yi or ke wondered about, but mostly only hu lived in Juhlanak, and definitely no tra.  Nervous folk traveling into town would stop and try to chat with the town’s mercenary gate-guards.  Rennel simply walked by as if he did so daily.  The gates could block a steep path up, the only way into town.  The road ran alongside a ravine at the base of two, spire-covered mountains.  Most of Juhlanak looked like this, mountains everywhere, sparse vegetation.  They traded mostly raw materials and slaves for food.  Siksal itself survived from a small yet profitable iron mine.  The town came right out of the mountain side, built up in layers.  Each building merely opened into the rock, stone of the mountain itself forming the inner walls.

One of the guards shouted at Rennel.  State your name and business!

Rennel just waved them off, playing the part of