Morning had already come as Tarkanyon and Ay emerged from the tower. The air was a little cooler than earlier and a thick mist hung over the water.
Arriving at Ay's estate they were interrupted by servants looking frantically for Ay. Jowel, the mayor, said he had disturbing news. Ay asked Tarkanyon to wait while he spoke with him but Tarkanyon insisted that he be present. Displeased, At consented.
Jowel was sitting in the lounge, at a fireplace, sucking violently on a pipe under his thin moustache and tapping his foot impatiently. When Ay and Tarkanyon arrived he stood up immediately.
“The marks are back! Some of the people be seeing it this morning!”
“Where?” asked Ay.
“In the forest, not being far from here, on the road,” Jowel replied. Tarkanyon looked at Ay puzzled, but Ay just scratched his red neck with his thick gloves and looked at Jowel.
“Show us.”
On their way out Tarkanyon beckoned for Turrik and Drius to follow them. Immediately they did so, mounting horses and galloping towards the road. It was not long before they found a crowd of people at the side of the road, running towards them.
“The marks! The marks!” shouted a woman, her husband trying his best to calm her down. As they dismounted Ay followed Jowel, sprinting towards a nearby tree.
It had two glimmering white slash marks. They were large, about the size of two men's arms.
“What are these markings?” Tarkanyon asked as they approached.
Ay touched the marks with his glove and sighed. “It is a legend among the people,” he said slowly, Jowel interrupting: “It is the Nok!” he said. “It comes to be taking our children!”
Ay glared at him and then explained. “The Nok is said to be a large werewolf which steals the children of the land. But none have seen this beast.” He added the last bit quickly.
“Our children still go missing!” Jowel snapped.
“What?” Tarkanyon interrupted. “Children are going missing?”
“Only one,” Ay replied. “Some time ago. But I am not convinced it was the Nok. The child was returned.”
“Three days later,” Jowel added quickly. “With the shape and colour of these markings on its left shoulder-blade.”
“The Nok does not return children,” Ay said. “Nor does it leave markings. The child was not harmed.”
Jowel threw his arms into the air and walked away. Tarkanyon beckoned for the other Outlanders to leave. Once they were gone he looked at Ay sternly.
“You are saying foolish things,” he said. “Do you not see? Last night the voice told us of the Wealth coming with a child, and now we see the marks of a creature that has taken a child before. There is something going on here. This creature is looking for something. And so is Bahula.”
“I do not want to alarm the people,” Ay said quietly. “Indeed, a child was taken and returned three days later with these marks, which eventually disappeared. But the child is healthy.”
“How long ago was this?”
“Six months ago.”
“Where is the child? May I see him?”
“If the family permits, and it was a girl. But the child is fine,” Ay replied, licking his lips. Tarkanyon observed him a moment and then turned his attention to the markings, rubbing his fingers along them. He was left with some sap from the tree.
“This was made sometime last night,” he said. “Where do these woods go?”
“We've hunted for this creature before but to no avail,” Ay said flatly, pointing his gloved hand at the thick wet leaves on the ground. “The creature leaves no tracks.”
Tarkanyon looked around and indeed saw no tracks. A remembered the Sprûin, but he had no knowledge of their markings or what they would do with a child.
He looked more deeply into the woods. “Drius! Turrik!” Immediately the two Outlanders were racing towards them.
“You did not hunt with Outlanders last time,” Tarkanyon said to Ay. “We shall seek this creature out in these woods and find it.”
“Very well, but I will not join you. I need to address the people.”
“No doubt.”
The Outlanders moved into the woods while the others left. Tarkanyon wondered whether he should share his recent experiences with Drius and Turrik. But he decided that it was perhaps better to talk of it later.
The smell of wet wood and leaves from the dew filled the air while the birds twittered and sang their usual happy morning songs. All this, coupled with warm sunlight peering through cracks in the canopy above, made everything seem so peaceful and glorious. Tarkanyon couldn't help but take a couple of deep breaths and enjoy it for a few moments, despite that they were hunting for some strange magical creature which could tear them limb from limb. But an hour passed with no sign of any markings or tracks. They soon came up to a lonely house in a clearing. Smoke was rising from the chimney and a few chickens clucked outside. It seemed to be an ordinary woodsman's house and looked warm and inviting. They walked up and knocked on the door, hoping that the family were safe.
A young man with a thick dark beard and shaggy hair opened the door quickly, observing them closely. He stood silent waiting for them to speak.
Tarkanyon introduced himself. The other two followed suite. The man continued to stare at them with some scepticism.
“We have found markings on the woods by the road...” Tarkanyon began.
“Markings?” the young man replied, alarmed. “The Nok? Markings?”
“The others believe so,” Tarkanyon replied slowly.
The man looked away, breathing heavily. “Do you have a child?” Tarkanyon asked.
He nodded. “Two days old. If the markings be in our wood, we shall not be sleeping here tonight. Berin! They have found markings!”
A petite girl came running up to the door in a maid's dress, visibly distressed.
A newborn, Tarkanyon thought. The voice had spoken of a child just the previous night and this family were the closest to the markings. Was it all about this child?
“Girl or boy?” Tarkanyon asked.
“Girl,” said the man, comforting his wife.
“We shall stay here this night,” Tarkanyon said. “I do not mean to impose, but if you are in danger we shall be here.”
The others looked at Tarkanyon with puzzled expressions. “Get the others,” Tarkanyon said to Turrik. “Let us seek each family out in these woods and stay with them, if they have very young children. Two of us a family. Those with older children must be warned of the markings and must prepare. If this creature comes today or this night we shall be waiting. ”
Turrik nodded.
“Lastly,” Tarkanyon said to him before he sprinted off, “do not tell Ay of what we do. I do not wish for him to know.”
“Very well,” said Turrik, running off.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN