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The Feri Light
Chapter 12
Early the next morning, we left the outpost.
After we had crossed the flower field, we entered a bustling forest with its cheerful yet shy inhabitants. The uneven terrain made it difficult for the horses so we were forced to dismount and continue the rest of the way on foot. The further we pushed the thicker the undergrowth got. Arduously, we had to hack our way through. So, we made little progress and that irritated Wren. Caleb looked downright miserable and, judging by the enthusiastic way he wielded his short sword, Keene couldn't wait to get out of the there. Strangely enough, our situation didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. And with everyone so gloomy, I had to take the reins on this little misadventure. Every so often I would reassure them that we would make it through before noon.
I thought I was doing great when Wren finally shushed me.
'You've been acting weird all morning. What's got into you?' he asked.
He sounded rude. Yet, I wasn't offended. Not even a little bit. Today I was in a good mood. 'What are you talking about?'
'You're all... cheery,' he said.
'Yeah,' Caleb agreed from behind us.
'I'm always cheery,' I replied.
Wren snorted. 'This Rye maybe is, but not the Rye of yesterday. It's like you woke up this morning and decided, "Say! Why not scare the shit out Wren today?"'
I laughed out loud.
'I'm serious. You should stop this... whatever it is.' He made a wavy hand gesture towards me as if he was feeling my aura.
I laughed out loud again.
'You're... worrying me, Rye.'
He meant to say "annoying" but he didn't in case I might get mad or something. So I said it for him.
'Am I really that annoying?!'
'Great Feri! Yes!' Both he and Caleb yelled in unison.
'Oh! I didn't realize that I was.'
I remained silent until we were able to ride again.
'Where's Kane?' I asked noticing his absence.
'He's running an errand. He'll join us tomorrow night,' Wren nonchalantly said.
I frowned. I wondered what kind of errand he was running. And to where? I stared at Wren expectantly but he looked straight ahead. If he knew what Kane was up to, he was either purposefully avoiding telling me or he didn't want the others to know about it.
For now, I ignored his glaring omission. We'd reached another grassy field and it was too beautiful out to get upset over something so trivial.
Caleb yawned on the horse behind us.
'What time did you guys get to sleep last night?'
Wren chuckled. Clearly his mood had improved now that we were riding again. 'You mean this morning.'
'We had only an hour of sleep,' Caleb chimed in, 'and truthfully, I'm having a difficult time keeping my eyes open.'
'Even after the rigorous exercise we just went through?' I asked.
'Especially, after the rigorous exercise we just went through,' he repeated with an emphatic tone.
I laughed. 'It's serves you right for partaking in a "sexathon" knowing full well we had a long journey ahead.'
'I can't... argue with you right now. I'm sleepy, exhausted... and sore,' Caleb languidly said.
Wren chuckled again. Unlike his partner in crime, he appeared fine but I could tell he was slightly uncomfortable in the saddle in front of me. He must be sore too. I guessed Caleb wasn't the only one who put out last night.
Along the way, I shifted my focus to Caleb. I mercilessly teased him. Partly so he wouldn't fall asleep and fall off his horse. Naturally he got mad and retorted. I had a few good laughs each and every time he opened his mouth.
I don't know if Keene heard us. He was as quiet as always.
I can't put my finger on it, but something about that guy was bothering me. When I first met him, I thought him to be one of those silent types. Being around him these past few days changed my mind. Keene wasn't shy, silent or even antisocial. He was just avoiding getting too close to us. Why, I can't even fathom. Of course, I could be mistaken or reading too much into it. Wren seemed to think I was annoyed with Keene because I'm so use to being the center of attention. No use getting angry with Wren over that because I knew he was saying that just to rattle me.
I observed Keene closely. He was avoiding looking back but every so often his eyes would linger on his right hand side as if seeing something that wasn't really there.
Koff was his home before he helped Commander Stryker escape. Maybe he was feeling homesick. Maybe he left a loved one behind and regretted doing it now that he may have to face them. If so, he surely has a weird way of showing it. And what's with the weird behavior he's been displaying. Distant all the time, disappearing in the middle of the night, rubbing himself with weird plants and according to what Commander Fiori told Wren and me this morning, her men caught him skulking around the forest floor behind the outpost yesterday. Apparently, he had been there all morning. Wren said there was nothing to worry about and to leave the guy alone.
As much as I enjoyed the ride, the sun was right above our heads and was slowly sucking me dry of cheerfulness.
'We'll rest up ahead,' Keene announced. He pointed to a lone tree in the middle of the grassy oceans.
I inwardly cheered. I really needed a break. The tantalizing fragrance coming from the flowers was making me hungry. It reminded me of cotton candy.
As we got closer to the tree, I saw a doe fleeing the scene. Normally, I barely noticed animals unless they got too close but this one caught my eye. Once or twice, she would stop and go in a loop in the grass while glancing towards us, the open field or the lone tree.
'That's a weird behavior for a deer, isn't it?' Caleb asked.
'Not particularly,' Wren replied. 'Look more closely. She's purposefully trying to draw attention to herself. She must have a fawn hidden somewhere nearby.'
'Not a fawn,' Keene said. 'It's her mate.'
It was then I spotted the stag lying against the tree. He was so imposing that I wondered how I failed to notice him before.
'It looks like he's hurt,' Wren said jumping off the horse. Taking his lead, we all dismounted as well.
Bug-eyed, the stag bleated in warning when he saw us. Ignoring him we got closer still.
As we stood over him, Wren bent down for a closer inspection. The stag bleated frantically while trying to get up. As Wren reached out the creature swung his horns towards him. My mate got out of the way just in time.
'I think his leg is broken,' he said.
'He's vicious,' Caleb said. 'Well, it looks like we're having venison for dinner. I feel so happy right now I could cry. I was getting sick of eating that mushy bread the outpost cook gave us. '
For a minute there, I thought the stag understood him for he struggled harder to get to his feet.
'Shall I do the honors?' Keene said pulling out his knife.
'No,' I shouted. However, it wasn't me who the guys looked at. It was the galloping doe coming full speed at us. I thought her brave in her desperate attempt to ram us off her mate.
Nobody moved. Wren hoped by doing so it would discourage her. Somehow I doubted that. As she came within range, she stopped abruptly and morphed into a slender naked young woman with long legs, brown hair and perky breasts.
'Keep away from him!' She yelled.
Astounded, we all gawked at her not believing what we had just witnessed.
'I said, keep away from him!' She yelled even louder when we didn't budge.
She hit something with her foot on the ground. She bent down to pick it up. It was a stick. Using it as a weapon, she repeatedly beat the ground before her in a menacing display of hostility.
Wren laughed. He surprised me. He surprised her too. 'Lady, you must realize by now that you're in the presence of predators. I assure you, if we intended to kill your mate he would have been dead already. Now, put down the stick and let us help him since it's clear you don't know what to do.'
She lowered her stick while both she and her mate stared at Wren.
'You're a healer?' She asked Wren.
'Not me. He is,' he said pointing at me.
She never let go of the stick as she rushed towards her mate. She folded her legs underneath her and pulled her mate's head in her lap. 'Please, help him,' she implored me. 'Take away his pain. Please.'
I squatted down and took a good look. 'The leg is swollen but the skin isn't broken,' I said imitating Linda's professional tone of voice. 'The dark contusion is the probable cause of the swelling...'
'Forget about that. Just lessen his pain,' the young woman said.
'Is it serious?' Wren asked, ignoring the woman.
'No.' I looked straight into the young woman's brown chocolate eyes. 'The fracture will heal. For now all I can do is secure his leg with splints to help it along. As for the contusion and the swelling three water therapy sessions will return the damaged cells back to normal in no time.'
'What about the pain?' She asked.
'Most of it will be gone when the contusion is healed.'
She looked relieved.
'I don't get it. Why is the pain her only concern?' I asked Wren quietly.
'Taking away his pain would enable him to revert back to human form,' Wren replied.
The young woman whispered gently to her mate in a mellow tone. That was when I noticed Keene and Caleb gawking at her pleasing parts.
Unbelievable!
'Caleb. Go get me some water. Keene. Fetch some wood for a fire,' I ordered. 'And both of you will be sorry if I catch you ogling the poor defenseless woman like that again. Am I clear?' I enunciated the last three words slowly but very clearly so they won't mistake my intentions.
They both flushed red with embarrassment before scurrying away to do my bidding.
My eyes fell on Wren and I saw a stupid grin plastered on his face. He followed me to the horses.
'What?' I said.
'There's nothing wrong with appreciating beauty, you know.'
'Yes, she's beautiful. But she's also taken. Her mate is right there, suffering.'
'Sure but it's up to her to decide if one of the guys asks her,' he said still grinning.
'We're not doing this right now. Go get me something to support his leg with.'
Wren chuckled again. 'You're so cute when you're being bossy.'
He attempted to kiss me. I shoved him away. 'Go!'
He laughed full heartedly.
Caleb joined me at the deer shifters' side. He stayed long enough to hand me the water bag.
Coating my hands with some water from the bottle, I massaged the stag's injured leg. The female watched me silently as I worked. I used more water and by the third time I knew water wouldn't be enough to heal him. The male was still in a lot of pain. I could see it in his posture.
I didn't have any lumium left but I could feel the feri energy all around me.
'What's his name?' I asked the young woman; partly to draw their attention away from what I will have to do.
'He's Hoagar. I'm Emi,' she shyly said.
I gave her a smile. 'Well, Emi. His leg will take a few more minutes to heal. All I want from you is to keep him calm.'
She nodded and ran a gentle hand on Hoagar's head. I saw him melt in her arms.
I coated my hands and lay them over the injury once again. Keeping them there, I channeled my core and gave out a pulse. The feri energy became visible. I could tell the deer shifters couldn't see it. Otherwise, the multicolored streaks would have commanded their attention. They were that imposing.
Just like draining lumium, I pulled some energy to my hands. It felt warm. Hoagar felt it too. He flinched. With slow circular motions I pushed the water, bathed in energy, over the injury. It took only seconds for it to work, and a second more for Hoagar to shift.
Naked, dirty and smiling, he fell into his female's arms. It was funny to see that his injury was on his left forearm in human form.
'Hoagar! I thought I lost you,' Emi said. She couldn't decide whether to laugh or to cry.
'Wipe away your tears Emi. I'm alright. I'm alright. I'm alright,' He kept repeating to comfort her.
Trying not the cry, I watched the happy couple. They looked cute together. I can see why they were in love.
Emi stood up. 'Don't move atsa. I'll be right back with something for you to eat.'
Hoagar smiled as he watched her go.
'I'm indebted to you. You saved my life. Thank you,' Hoagar said to me without taking his eyes off his mate.
'No need to thank me. You would have healed on your own eventually.'
'Very likely, yes. But we're always in danger from something,' Hoagar said. I caught the anguish on his face even if it disappeared in a blink of the eye.
'I'm curious. How did you get hurt?'
'I got hurt in the brawl. We were ambushed three days ago,' he said.
'Ambushed by whom?'
'By four of our own kind,' he said. I couldn't understand why deer shifters would attack their own people. I thought they were gentle creatures.
'Why did they attack you?'
'It was a guy name Mako. He was one of Emi's would-be suitors. He...'
'Wait a minute. Rewind... I mean. Start from the beginning,' I interrupted. I was pretty sure I was missing a big chunk of the story.
Hoagar sighed.
'Life is not easy for us deer shifters. Ever since the Bear Alpha declared open season on us, we've been hunted to the verge of extinction.'
'Don't your people know that the bear shifters are all gone,' I said.
'We do, although, that doesn't mean others have stopped. We're hunted by everybody it seems. Other shifters hunt us for sport. Our bones are ingredients in witches' spells and not to forget the darklings.' I could feel his pain. I reached out and touched his good arm. He nodded at the gesture.
'There are only a handful of us left,' he continued. 'There are even fewer females because they can't defend themselves like the males can. To increase our chances of survival we live in small bands; preferably a mated pair with their children. We only gather once every summer so that the fathers can choose the strongest mate for their daughters. At the gathering this year, there were eleven of us competing for Emi's hand. I fought fiercely and in the end I was declared the victor. As is customary, Emi and I left soon after to seal our bond because most newly mated couples barely know each other.
'That wasn't the case for Emi and me. We met at a previous gathering. Our fathers were friends. Our families shared a meal together before we went our separate ways. Unbeknownst to them, Emi and I fell in love that day. I told my father I wanted her as my mate and he said her father wouldn't agree to the mating without a contest. Since she was of mating age, I knew she would be offered at the next gathering. Emi is the prettiest girl I've ever met and I knew I didn't stand a chance if I didn't get stronger. I trained with my father every single day to fight for her, for our love. And I finally did.
'However, Mako, the last guy I fought, couldn't accept that he lost. With three of his friends, they followed us when we left. As I said, they ambushed us. While his friends restrained me, he tried to rape Emi. Emi was terrified. And that drove me mad. I shifted. I chased them off and rammed Mako. He got away but I know he doesn't have long to live. I didn't feel my injury until Emi and I were at a safe distance. I was still in my beast form and I wasn't able turn back. And of course after that you found us.'
'Wow. You guys have been through a lot. I wish I could do something to help you.'
'You already did,' he said with a wide smile.
Emi returned with some freshly picked berries wrapped in a leaf parcel.
I was ashamed to look Hoagar in the eye after that story. I was ashamed because my predecessors didn't even lift a finger to help those poor souls.
'We need to be on the move soon?' Emi said.
'Where will you go?' I asked.
'We don't know yet,' Hoagar replied with a mouthful of berries, 'maybe somewhere in the West.'
I have to do something for the deer shifters. It has to wait until after the war though. As for Hoagar and Emi maybe I can do something now. My only concern is that they've been away from civilization for far too long. Consequently, they wouldn't feel at ease in either Notwitt or in the Highguard Camp. But there is somewhere they can be protected and be free as well. I just need to send a whisper.
'Hoagar, Emi. What do you know of Equinians?'
That evening we shared fire, food and conversation with the deer couple. They were really nice people and in many ways more naive compared to us. That was to be expected though. At least, the guys didn't embarrass or make them feel inferior. In fact they did the complete opposite.
When it was time to sleep, we put out the fire.
Wren and I took first watch.
'Come with me,' Wren said when he was sure everyone else was fast asleep.
He took my hand and guided me a short distance from camp. He laid a blanket in the grass and pulled me down on it. We shared a passionate kiss before watching the spectacle of the moonless sky.
It was so romantic.
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End of chapter 12