Fire Bringer

  Eloin shook her head and looked around. There were Sgorrla all about her, but the guard had been told to stand off in a wide ring, and inside the ring two other hinds were coming towards her. Both were younger than Eloin but their muzzles were beginning to grey with age too. It was Shira and Canisp.

  ‘How are you, my dear?’ said Canisp as the two hinds came up.

  Eloin smiled.

  ‘Well enough. But I was thinking about them.’ Canisp nodded.

  ‘Poor Eloin,’ she said. ‘I think about Bankfoot all the time.’

  ‘And I about Tain,’ sighed Shira.

  ‘Look at us,’ said Eloin sadly. ‘Three old hinds lost in the world, with nothing but our memories to feed on.’

  ‘At least we’re together, my dear,’ said Canisp.

  ‘Yes, and at least your fawns are alive and free,’ agreed Eloin.

  ‘But why should Sgorr want to keep us here?’ said Shira suddenly.

  Eloin looked strangely at her friend. She had never told the hinds that the real reason she stayed with Sgorr was to protect them. But she too wondered why Sgorr had suddenly doubled the guard over all three of them.

  ‘I heard the Sgorrla talking,’ said Shira. There’s been fighting nearby. Maybe it’s got something to do with that.’

  ‘Fighting?’ said Eloin with surprise.

  ‘Yes. It can’t be true, but I heard mention of Outriders.’

  ‘Outriders?’ gasped Eloin.

  ‘Yes,’ said Shira, ‘they said there are Outriders in the Low Lands again.’

  ‘Not for long,’ said Eloin angrily. ‘Not if Sgorr has anything to do with it.’

  ‘Maybe we shall learn more with the morning. When the Great Trek begins.’ Eloin sighed.

  ‘The Great Trek,’ she said quietly, shaking her grey muzzle. ‘I don’t think I shall make it, you know. I am too old and my heart is tired.’

  ‘We shall all make it together,’ said Shira.

  ‘Well, if it’s really coming,’ said Eloin, ‘perhaps we should all get some rest.’

  The hinds nodded and Eloin wandered away from her friends, nearer to the Sgorrla where there was a small group of trees, elms and a great aged oak. The old hind sat down in the grass and sighed as she looked into the darkness. Canisp’s mention of Outriders had affected her deeply and now she was thinking of Brechin again. She could see his fine features in her mind’s eye, his great antlers shining in the sunlight. She could almost hear his strong, gentle voice and smell his scent. Eloin closed her eyes. Brechin was gone for ever, murdered that night on the hill. That terrible night when she had given birth to Rannoch, her little fawn whose life she had tried to save, only to have it snatched away by Herne. Eloin suddenly felt desperately old and bitterly alone. The hind began to doze and in the dreams that stole over her thoughts she was troubled.

  Eloin suddenly woke. It was still pitch-black and above her the stars had been blanked out by heavy clouds. A breeze was murmuring through the trees and rustling the grass. The old hind stirred. A stag was coming towards her. She could see the outline of his antlers now as he approached through the night. He was walking slowly, but in the darkness she could not tell which one of the Sgorrla guards it was.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ she said angrily as the stag drew nearer. ‘You know Sgorr does not allow you to approach unless I call.’

  The stag stopped but said nothing.

  ‘Well,’ Eloin went on, ‘answer me. Why are you disturbing my sleep?’

  The stag lifted his head.

  ‘Answer me.’

  ‘Mother,’ the stag whispered through the darkness. Eloin looked up in amazement.

  ‘What did you say?’

  ‘Mother,’ whispered the stag again. Eloin’s heart trembled.

  ‘Mother, it’s me. Rannoch.’

  Eloin struggled and tried to get up. But the stag was by her side now, and as Eloin blinked fearfully up at him in the darkness, she felt as if her heart would burst with joy. There on the stag’s fine forehead, between his splendid branching antlers, was the white oak leaf.

  ‘But it can’t be. You can’t. . .’

  ‘It can, Mother,’ said Rannoch quietly. ‘I am alive and have returned to fulfil the Prophecy.’

  Eloin blinked back at him, but as she looked into those eyes and caught his scent, she knew immediately that it was true. Her fawn had come back to her.

  ‘Rannoch, it’s really you? My little calf grown into a fine stag?’

  ‘Yes, Mother,’ smiled Rannoch, smiling ‘and I’m sorry it has been so long. But I never knew.’

  Eloin was on her feet now. She stood there, gazing at him, waiting for the dream to end. But it didn’t. She closed her eyes and opened them again. But the stag was still standing there in front of her, the white mark as real as her own unbounded happiness.

  ‘But how, Rannoch, how?’ she said at last.

  ‘There is no time,’ said Rannoch quietly. ‘I will explain everything once my work is finished.’

  ‘But what are you doing here?’ gasped Eloin, suddenly fearful and looking around towards the Sgorrla guard. ‘It’s not safe.’

  ‘I’ve come to face Sgorr,’ said Rannoch quietly, ‘and end his tyranny.’

  ‘No, no you mustn’t,’ cried Eloin.’We must get you away,’

  ‘The time for flight is long passed,’ answered Rannoch quietly.’I must face Sgorr and I need your help.’

  ‘No,’ said Eloin.’No.’

  In that instant she realized that her fawn was in terrible danger and suddenly the part of the Prophecy that had haunted her for so long flashed through her head.

  ‘But Rannoch,’ she gasped, ‘you mustn’t. The Prophecy. . . You mustn’t sacrifice yourself.’

  ‘If that is what Herne asks of me, Mother,’ said Rannoch simply, ‘that is what I must do. I cannot escape my destiny.’

  ‘But Rannoch. . .’

  As Eloin looked at him, standing there so boldly in the night, she suddenly fell silent. Now the amazement of seeing her fawn was giving way to a silent awe.

  ‘If Herne wills it,’ she murmured.

  ‘We must hurry,’ said Rannoch.’My friends are in dreadful peril. Bankfoot, Tain and Willow are caught in a nearby corrie.’

  ‘Bankfoot and Tain?’

  ‘Yes, and I’ve got to help them somehow. But first there is something I must do. I want to meet Sgorr, face to face.’

  ‘But why?’ said Eloin in a whisper, wondering at how her fawn had grown, and then she paused. ‘You’ve come to kill him?’

  Rannoch shook his head.

  ‘No,’ he said quietly, ‘not yet. If I am to free the Herla from years of lies, then Sgorr’s death alone will not suffice. They must all witness a stronger sign. But first I want Sgorr to know that I am here.’

  ‘But he will have you killed,’ said Eloin.

  ‘Not if I get to him alone,’ said Rannoch.’And there you can aid me.’

  Eloin nodded.

  ‘But Mother, as soon as you have shown me to him,’ said Rannoch gravely, ‘you must get safely away from here. That is also why I came to the herd – to help you escape.’

  ‘Shira and Canisp are with me,’ said Eloin, looking over to the two hinds who were lying down some way away. They were both asleep.’They’re the only ones left from your flight.’

  ‘Good,’ said Rannoch, delighted that the hinds were still alive, ‘that is very good. But don’t wake them yet. Where is Sgorr?’

  Eloin looked out into the night.

  ‘I don’t know. Inspecting the herd.’

  ‘You must call him, Mother,’ said Rannoch, ‘and somehow get the guards away, so I can speak with him alone. Then you must take Shira and Canisp into the hills until it’s over.’

  Again Eloin looked fearfully at Rannoch.

  ‘Are you certain this is what you want?’ she said.

  ‘I have no choice,’ answered Rannoch quietly.’I wanted to live as a free Herla in the High Land, but how could I be free wh
en the Herla are crying out? When the Lera are being killed and the land itself is in pain? The things I have seen, Mother.’

  Eloin stared gravely at her fawn. He had grown beyond her comprehension and as she gazed at his fine face, and at the six tines rising proudly on either side of his head and the fawn mark that had begun his journey all those years ago, she marvelled. She nodded and walked nearer to the ring of Sgorrla. The guards nearest to her were asleep in the grass, completely unaware of the stranger that had crept through their ranks in the night.

  ‘You,’ cried Eloin to one of them, ‘wake up.’

  The Sgorrla stirred immediately and lumbered to his feet, embarrassed at having been caught napping.

  ‘I want to see Lord Sgorr. . .’

  Rannoch couldn’t hear any more. He had drawn back into the cover of the trees. He watched Eloin as she gave instructions to the guard, and though his thoughts were consumed with the coming battle and of what Herne wanted of him, now he silently blessed the god for having kept her alive long enough for him to see her again. He looked over to Shira and Canisp, asleep in the grass. How they would wonder if they could see Bankfoot and Tain.

  Eloin padded back towards Rannoch.

  ‘It’s done,’ she whispered.

  ‘Good, now go and wake the others and get them ready.’ As the Sgorrla guard raced away to find Sgorr, his master was not inspecting the Great Herd as Eloin had imagined. He had finished consulting with Narl and now he was sleeping near the meadow where the Sgorrla were training. His sudden naps were more and more frequent these days and the Sgorrla were used to standing guard over the old stag as he took his rest. One of them was looking at him now, wondering what his master was thinking as Sgorr stirred uncomfortably on the ground.

  Sgorr twitched again. He was dreaming. He knew he was dreaming but it was as clear as if his eye had been open. He was sitting in the grass near the meadow, but the Sgorrla weren’t around him. It was night and a great moon hung above him in the sky, lighting the trees and the hard earth. Then suddenly a stag was coming towards him. His head was lowered and one of his antlers was broken and as Sgorr looked on in amazement it seemed to him that the stag’s body was glowing, shimmering in the pale blue wash of the distant moon.

  ‘Who are you?’ whispered Sgorr fearfully in his sleep.

  ‘What do you want?’

  The stag stopped and then raised his head. Sgorr pulled back in horror as he saw his face, scarred and mangled and covered in blood.

  ‘Brechin?’ he gasped.

  Brechin stood before him in that ghostly light, the Outrider’s dead eyes looking coldly down on the deer.

  ‘Brechin, it isn’t you,’ hissed Sgorr. ’You’re dead. We killed you.’

  Very slowly the ghostly stag began to shake his head.

  ‘What do you want of me?’ said Sgorr, shivering in his sleep. ‘What have you come to tell me?’

  Still the apparition said nothing.

  ‘Speak to me,’ cried Sgorr.’Speak.’

  But with that the captain turned his bloodied head and walked slowly away. The moon seemed to go out suddenly and Sgorr cried out. His body was drenched in sweat. The old stag gasped and opened his eyes.

  ‘Lord Sgorr,’ a Sgorrla was saying nervously as he stood over his master.’Lord Sgorr, are you all right?’

  ‘What?’ said Sgorr as he got slowly to his feet and shivered violently. ‘Of course I’m all right. It was just a dream.’

  Sgorr looked around him fearfully in the darkness.

  ‘Lord Sgorr,’ said the Sgorrla quietly, ‘one of Eloin’s guards is here. She wants to see you.’

  ‘Eloin?’ said Sgorr, shivering again and thinking of Brechin.

  ‘Yes, Lord.’

  ‘I’ve no time to see Eloin. Narl has already taken more

  Sgorrla to meet these Outriders and morning is not far off.’

  ‘Yes, Lord,’ said the Sgorrla, ‘but she says she needs you.’ Sgorr stopped and looked at the Sgorrla in amazement.

  ‘Needs me?’

  The Sgorrla nodded.

  ‘Eloin says she needs me?’ The Sgorrla was silent.

  ‘Very well, then,’ said Sgorr, smiling, ‘if my favourite hind needs me, I must go to her.’

  Sgorr found Eloin standing on her own near the trees. Shira and Canisp were a way off murmuring to each other, and they looked fearfully at him as he arrived. The Sgorrla guards were standing guiltily around her, trying to look as alert as possible.

  ‘Well, my dear?’ said Sgorr sarcastically. ‘They say you need me.’

  The old hind smiled.

  ‘Sgorr,’ she said quietly, ‘I am so glad you have come.’ Sgorr looked at her carefully.

  ‘I’ve been very worried,’ Eloin went on.’I’ve hardly seen anything at all of you of late.’

  ‘I thought you hated me to be near you,’ said Sgorr coldly. Eloin dropped her eyes.

  ‘I know. I know,’ she said.’I did. In the past. But. . .’

  ‘But?’

  ‘I am so lonely, Sgorr.’

  A flicker of suspicion crossed Sgorr’s eye, but he felt a tightening in his stomach too. To hear Eloin talk so tenderly was something he had never known before and now his heart was wrestling with his instinct.

  ‘Go on,’ he said.

  ‘Maybe I’ve been wrong,’ whispered Eloin.’Maybe I’ve misjudged you. I can see now how much you’ve done for the Herla. How much they admire you.’

  Sgorr stirred. The hind’s words were so strange and unfamiliar, yet so much what he had always longed for that he felt a sudden pain in his heart.

  ‘I need to talk to you, Sgorr,’ Eloin went on, ‘as we have never talked before. Then maybe I will understand. I have thought of late that perhaps your cruel—your anger is because of me. Because I couldn’t love you.’

  For the first time Sgorr’s eye looked sad.

  ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘perhaps I have been angry. Perhaps. . .’

  ‘It must be so hard for you,’ said Eloin, ‘with so much responsibility for the Herla. Even a lord needs friends.’

  ‘I do get lonely,’ said Sgorr quietly.

  ‘There is so much I want to tell you, Sgorr,’ said Eloin as passionately as she could.

  ‘Go on, my dear, go on.’

  ‘No, Sgorr, I can’t. Not with all these Sgorrla about. Tell them to go away, just for a little while. Then we can talk.’

  Sgorr hesitated, but his longing had already overcome his natural suspicion. He suddenly swung round to the stags.

  ‘You,’ he cried, ‘get out of here. All of you. I will come to you when the morning is with us.’

  The startled Sgorrla thought Sgorr was angry with them and, without a word, they did as they were told.

  ‘Canisp, my dear,’ called Eloin when they had gone, ‘Shira. I want to talk to Sgorr. Will you go too for a while?’

  Her eyes were trained on the hinds, and there was a hardness and clarity in them. They knew full well what Eloin wanted them to do.

  ‘So, Eloin,’ said Sgorr quietly when the hinds had left as well, ‘we’re alone at last.’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘What would you say to me?’ whispered Sgorr tenderly.

  ‘Only this,’ cried Eloin suddenly.’I hate you, Sgorr, and I will always hate you.’

  Sgorr looked back at her in amazement.

  ‘In your vanity do you really think,’ blazed Eloin, ‘that I could feel anything for you? You who murdered Brechin and destroyed everything I have ever cared about.’

  ‘Then why?’

  ‘To get you alone. Shira and Canisp are already escaping and now I am going to join them, and I will be free of you for ever.’

  Sgorr stood stock-still as Eloin backed away into the darkness. He was too startled to do anything at all.

  ‘But first there is someone else who would talk with you,’ called Eloin, and then she was gone, running after her friends.

  Sgorr paused. His senses were tingling. And then he heard it, a twig br
eaking behind him. He swung round to see a stag stepping from the trees. It was still dark, but light was coming now, slowly, filtering through the strangely warm air. His eyes opened wide as he looked at the strong antlers, at the white mark in the centre of the deer’s head.

  But Sgorr did nothing.

  ‘So,’ he said quietly, ‘you have come at last?’

  ‘Yes, Sgorr,’ answered Rannoch, ‘I have come.’

  Sgorr nodded. He was thinking hard, but he realized that with the Sgorrla so far away he was desperately vulnerable.

  ‘And you are here to kill me?’

  ‘It is you, Sgorr, who sends assassins,’ answered Rannoch coldly.

  ‘Ah yes,’ said Sgorr, ‘and I should have trained him better. So you’re still alive, Rannoch? Well, well, quite the survivor, aren’t you? Then let me tell you something. I am pleased to meet you at last.’

  ‘Pleased?’ said Rannoch.

  ‘Oh yes,’ said Sgorr, ‘for I have heard what you have done in the High Land. I have spent a life trying to achieve such a thing. To destroy Herne.’

  ‘You’re wrong, Sgorr,’ said Rannoch quietly.’I was born to fulfil Herne’s law.’

  ‘Ah,’ said Sgorr, ‘that mark. Then tell me, why did you overthrow Herne’s Herd?’

  ‘Because they did not really believe in Herne,’ answered Rannoch.’They believed only in violence. As you do.’

  ‘You have your mother’s eyes,’ said Sgorr suddenly.’She’s a fine hind, Rannoch, and clever too. When I think of how she tricked me just now!’

  ‘Then you know she’s my mother?’

  ‘I have known for years.’

  ‘So you know it means that I am a changeling.’

  ‘Still the Prophecy,’ said Sgorr. ’Do you think you can frighten me with it?’

  ‘Why won’t you believe it, Sgorr?’

  ‘Why?’ said Sgorr angrily. ‘Because it is lies. Like the lies Herne’s Herd tried to fool me with.’

  ‘You spread a different kind of lie,’ said Rannoch.

  ‘No, I bring the Herla reason and power. I bring them freedom.’

  ‘You bring them violence and death. But I will show you another way, when the Prophecy comes to pass.’

  ‘What?’ said Sgorr contemptuously. ‘When you blot out the sun and summon our enemies to aid you? When you summon man? You’re a fool, Rannoch. No Herla can summon man.’