The Kirja (Chapter Four)

Chapter 4 – The time has come

So here we are at last, Chapter Four! Enjoy, and please post your opinions and suggestions.

It was a mere few days before Hail was fully healed. The six deep gouges in his back had scabbed up and were nearly as good as new. As Hail hauled himself to his feet his back felt as stiff as a board, but the searing pain had quite vanished.

“You are feeling better I trust?” Lakea asked as she saw Hail standing on his own. Her brother narrowed his eyes at her.

“As a matter of fact, yes. And it is high time we are on the move again.” He replied, somewhat roughly.

Lakea smiled, of course Hail was feeling better if he was able to grouch again. She turned around to the spot where True had been sleeping to wake her up.

“True, it’s time we- True?” Lakea saw that the pup was nowhere to be seen. She darted over to the spot and pressed her muzzle to the ground to pick up a scent. Lakea sniffed vigorously for several minutes until she found the direction that her sister had headed. Only when she was completely sure did she turn back to her brother.

“She’s gone back the way we came. She’s gone back to the lake.” Lakea felt a lump in her throat and her heart seemed to stop beating. Why had her sister done this, when she knew that there was a bear living in the area?

“We have to find her.” Hail agreed and limped towards his sister. But Lakea shook her head.

“No Hail, I have to find her. You start finding a safe way across this river; I’ll catch you up when I find her.” Hail knew that his sister was right; he would only slow her up. He nodded his head gravely and wished her good luck. With that, Lakea disappeared back into the wood.

True had woken up in the middle of the night, she was cold and felt around for Lakea who she had snuggled up next to. She was no longer there. True turned to look at Hail and saw that Lakea had moved next to him, True was burning with anger.

Why has she done this to you True? Is it because you’re not Kirja? Or is it because you’re only slowing her and Hail up and she wants you to catch your death of cold? True, you have to go back, they want you here no longer.

With a forlorn sigh, True heaved herself to her feet and shook the dew off her glossy black coat. It was time for her to be on the move once more. Before she disappeared back the way she had come, she had a final look at her peaceful siblings and shook her head sadly. She didn’t want to live in her siblings’ shadow anymore, she was her own person and she wanted to be herself. True padded silently back into the depths of the dark forest, dawn had not yet broken and the trees leant over to reach for her with their long spindly fingers. She sped out their way, her pads thundered down the path that she had travelled some days ago. Some way down the path a feather landed on the pup’s nose, True sneezed and looked down. The path was splattered in blood and it sent a shiver running up the pup’s spine, for it was the point on their journey at which Hail had been attacked by the eagle. Still True sped on, not daring to look back at the horrible sight of blood and feathers. The light was increasing, creating new shadows and dark patches around her. Eyes glimmered from tree hollows. The wind wailed between distorted trunks, carrying the sickly stink of wood rot. She moved faster, ignoring the briars that caught at her thick pelt, the damp leaves that grimed her pads.

All of a sudden, the wind eased. The sun started to glow through the trees, giving the forest a new feel.

She lifted her face, letting the light and shadow dance across her fur. Bees hummed in and out of the pennyroyal. She inhaled its minty smell and continued on, delighting in the sound of her paws sliding through the leaves.

The trees stood utterly still, statues in a living museum where no leaf dared to fall.

True felt free once more, free to go where she pleased and be who she wanted, not being held back by the constant itch of her siblings that she was unable to scratch properly. True danced on through the forest, light scattered through the trees and glinted off her eyes revealing the happiness that welled up inside them and was just waiting to burst out. Further and further True danced until she came back to the lake where they had first rested. Oh the calm, oh the tranquillity and the perfect peace.

Lakea tore through the forest, dawn had just broken and her paws drummed onto the hard down, shadows danced across her pelt, but she had no time to stop and admire their beauty. She had to get to True.

True paused and turned around quickly. What had that noise been behind her? She stiffened, ready for a wild creature to tear out through the bushes and pounce upon her. True shivered, her day was darkening once more and dark clouds crept over the sun. True trotted on unsteadily after that, she was wary, and looked behind her every minute or so.

True felt sure that someone or something was following her. Once she even turned round to spot two grey eyes peering out at her through the shadows behind her.

“Who... goes there?” she had asked shakily, only to see the silver circles fading into blackness before her eyes. True stared hard into the darkness, who had that been? Or had it just been her imagination trying to trick her? True shook it off, and padded swiftly down the steep slope towards the lake. By the time True had got to the lake, she was worn out, her pads hurt and she was panting heavily. The cool water splashing over her tired body was a gift from Mother Nature, and True treasured it. Further and further into the water True padded, until only her tousled black head was poking out of the glittering blue water. All this time, True was oblivious that she was being watched. And not just by one wolf, but by two.

Lakea turned sharply and tumbled down the path head first. Her nose was bloodied, her fur covered in brambles and horrible thorns clung to her paws. Still the youngster leapt on. By the time she arrived at the slope overlooking the lake she was breathless and panting fit to bust. Only the knowledge that she could get to True in time kept her going, and if it wasn’t for that, she would have given up there and then. Far on the slope below was the lake where they had first rested at when the fire had started. Beyond that were blackened trees, stumpy and daunting. The acrid, chard smell of the fire still carried to her nose on the light breeze as Lakea made down the slope. As she got closer and closer to the lake, she could see a small shape in a hawthorn bush, black, like True. But as she got closer still, she could see that it wasn’t True. It was a stranger, a male. Lakea stiffened. If she went to get True she would be running right into the path of this stranger. And if she took the longer route, the one around the lake, she would be in the bear’s home ground. Lakea was at a loss. Either way, she had to get to True.

By this time, True was swimming across the lake, she wasn’t heading the way she had come this time though, oh no. She was heading straight into the bears territory. Of course True, who was in her own little world now, forgot completely what Hail had said. He was just a Kirja, why did he have authority over her? True kicked hard with her little legs and paws until she was almost at the other bank.

Come on True, just a few more kicks to go and you’ll be free! They’ll never find your scent now!

She thought, and it was that last thought about her siblings never finding her, that spurred her on to get to the end. True got to the bank, she tried to clamber up it, but the soggy marsh clung to her pads and fur, still she did not give up.

She couldn’t just stop here, to be eaten by- She was thinking being eaten by the marsh. But then she remembered. She was in bear country, where huge ugly creatures with horrible claws and terrible teeth wander the land and search for little wolf pups to tear apart for pleasure. True could smell a new scent now, something that she had only caught a whiff of faintly just before they fled from this very lake. And the reason why was coming to get her now. True was stuck, she could not go forward or back. Were bears good swimmers? She thought helplessly, but she knew that if they were, she couldn’t take the risk of going back. And since her siblings were probably searching for her now... No she couldn’t go back.

Doggedly, True used a swimming motion, after what seemed like forever and a day, she was out of the mud and on to the other bank. Her sides where heaving, all the breath had been knocked out of her when she had fallen onto the bank.

But I can’t just stay here.

True thought desperately. And in a moment of complete clarity, she knew where she must go next. She must go around the copse in which the bear’s territory was. Maybe then, he would leave her be. Hauling herself to her paws, she drove fast to the boundary around the thick copse. Maybe she could outrun the creature that she had never yet seen. Or maybe... it was fate that would snatch her from its angry claws.

Lakea knew that the bear was more of a threat than any other creature in the forest. Hail had told her about them many, many times. She closed her eyes to see the creature that she had only glanced at in her imaginations. The claws, the teeth, the cries of help. . . and the creature, with evil eyes, staring right into hers... Lakea’s own eyes snapped open to see that subconsciously she was hurtling down the hill and straight towards the stranger wolf. The pup scrambled to stop, she stuck her paws out in front of her, they hit rocks and stubbed on tree roots, still she kept on going and couldn’t stop. The wolf had noticed her now, but to her surprise, he didn’t run towards her with bristling fur and bared fangs. He turned tail and fled.

True tore through the copse, her tongue lolled from her mouth and slapped against her chin and her eyes were sore from staring right in front of her. Poor little True, she never knew that a creature had been following her from the start. A roar pierced the cold air. True turned, and a beast bigger than her wildest nightmares towered over her quivering body. The bear stood and glared at her, he stared deep into her grey eyes with his golden brown ones and flawed his paws wildly in the air before crashing them down right in front of her. True could neither move nor stay still. Because neither would aid her needs, True just had to hope that something, someone would hear her howl. True lifted her head back, flattened her ears to her head and howled to high heaven. Her strangled cry echoed through the hills. That was when the bear struck, he flew a huge paw her way, she dodged it by jumping quickly to one side, but the second swing caught her a hefty blow on her side. The pup yelped desperately and was thrown from her feet and onto a hard rock. By some miracle, the pup still managed to get herself up. But that wasn’t to help her now. The bear roared once more and prepared to swipe again when a strange brown wolf sprung out of nowhere to sink his teeth into the bear’s neck. True couldn’t believe her eyes; someone had heard her plea for help and had answered it. The bear was no longer interested in the pup, it wanted a bigger meal. This gave True time to look around for somewhere to hide and, as luck would have it, found a small unoccupied fox-hole to sneak into.

The bear and the wolf fought viciously, though the bear was strong and big, the wolf was quick. He dodged the bears endless counter attacks and managed to remain on the huge creature’s back despite the amount effort the bear put in to throwing him to the ground. True dared not look at the wolf’s helpless efforts as he was finally flung from the hairy back of the bear. The bear’s nose was bloodied; his neck stained a crimson red. But it was his pride that was hurt the most. Slowly, the bear lumbered back into the dense copse, leaving the two wolves alone. True knew not what to do next, she was indebted to this wolf, who had saved her life. But she would not move, could she trust this wolf?

Yes, of course I should thank him

She realised suddenly and emerged as quickly as she could from the hole to see her saviour standing up and shaking himself. He hadn’t noticed her, yet. The wolf was mumbling something beneath his breath, something about Kirja, something about bears. True trotted quickly towards him, her tail was not wagging but she tried to manage a weak smile, pain seared through her side but she was able to walk slowly towards him.

Then he noticed her.

“Hi.” He said simply and turned as if to go. True scrambled to his side.

“Wait.” She said. “I’d like to thank you. For what you did. I’d be mincemeat if you hadn’t have kept that bear off.” True thanked kindly. The wolf just rolled his sky blue eyes sarcastically.

“That’s what they all say.” The wolf said, ungratefully. “But they never mean it. A Kirja like you should have been able to handle that bear on its own without the help of a Non.”

True was confused, she was no Kirja! And what did he mean by ‘Non’, did he mean Non Kirja?

“I’m not Kirja, Mr, Wolf, Sir.” True explained entangling herself in her own speech. This made the wolf turn and actually look at her.

“Ah. I see.” He said, a lot more kindly. He stared into her eyes, which True knew to be rude among all wolves.

“Um, excuse me?” she said, in a slightly annoyed fashion. The stranger realised what he was doing and explained quickly.

“Oh I’m sorry, I was just checking if you really were Kirja or not, eyes are the gateway to the soul you know.”

“Yes.” replied True, “Yes, I know.” The two wolves walked side by side in silence for several minutes, but then the male broke the peaceful quiet.

“So, aren’t you going to head back to your family?” True’s heart started to burn like crazy. Where were they now?

“ I... I don’t have one.” True managed to say. How was she going to explain to this wolf who she didn’t even know why she didn’t want to return to her siblings? If she did, she’d probably sound like she had caught the mad cow disease and was talking gibberish. She could only hope that the wolf wouldn’t ask any more questions about it. And to her surprise, he didn’t.

“Ah. Well, maybe you can stick around with me for a while, us Non’s should stick together at times like these.”

What did he mean by ‘times like these’? Could True trust this stranger? He seemed nice enough...

“Okay. I’ll travel with you.” True agreed finally. The stranger smiled for the first time. He seemed to be a perfectly friendly and kind looking creature, despite the long scar running down from his head to his muzzle.

When Lakea finally stopped, she was in complete shock. What huge male would flee from a small pup like herself? Unless there was something behind her... It was at this point that a roar echoed through the hills and several seconds later, the faraway howl of a pup... True. It was True and she was calling for help. Lakea cocked her ears to hear where the last echo came from, which would show her where True was. There was a deadly silence and then she heard it. That mournful, terrible howl, coming from the copse to the left of the river. Lakea had two options again, to swim or to run.

Lakea ran. The fear of her pack mate led wings to her feet and she flew around the lake. The thud, thud of her paws and the thud, thud of her heart were equally fast. But by the time she got the middle of the copse, all she could see was the splatter of blood and the flattened grass all around. Lakea sat down and closed her eyes, imagining the awful scene that had happened here. She could hear the roar of the bear, the howl of her sister and the bear tearing her apart. The blood. The pain. There was a silence, a silence that could only mean death. Lakea shook her head in anguish, why had she not got there in time. It was her fault that True had run away, it was her fault that she had been attacked and killed by the bear. Everything was her fault. Tears of anger and sadness streamed down her face and regretfully, she turned away. She needed to concentrate on getting back to Hail now, True was gone, gone forever. She had never even got to say goodbye. It was at this point that True was being shown the strangers den.

True was led by the stranger to a twisted old tree. “This is where I spend most of my time.” He explained. True looked around for the entrance hole. She couldn’t see one anywhere, no matter how hard she strained her eyes in the bright sunlight that poured into the clearing.

“Looking for a hole, eh?” the stranger asked, laughing. “Well, there isn’t one. I sleep under the stars to see the Great Spirit Wolf of the sky splatter his paint brush onto his great blue canvas.” True was confused. What Great Spirit Wolf was he talking about? There wasn’t one that she had heard of, the only ‘Spirits’ that she knew of were Beo and Rak, the two pups that Hail’s stories always revolved around.

“What Great Spirit Wolf? Do you mean Beo and Rak?” True asked inquisitively. The stranger’s head spun round and she narrowed his misty eyes at her in anger.

“Who has told you those lies?” he hissed and got his face right up close to her. True was scared now, what should she say?

“My... My brother.” She said feebly, backing away fast. The stranger also backed off and looked apologetically at her.

“And he is Kirja, is he not?” True nodded slowly, her silver eyes were wide and staring. “And he and your sister are looking for you.”

True was petrified now, had he been following her? Was he planning to kill her siblings? Was this wolf ill?

“Yes... they are” mumbled True. “I... I’m not like them... And I never will be.” The stranger put a comforting paw on her back and spoke in an understanding tone.

“My name is Dajru. True, I’m here to protect you, trust me and we will become friends. You can always run, everybody can run. But I’m here to protect you from the evil, and from the war. Because True, you came into this world for a reason, and so did I. You came to save the Non’s and I came to help you.”