As they approached the point where the trail turned toward the mountains, Daniel lifted Olivia into his arms and took off. Olivia closed her eyes to the blur of trees, trying to calm herself as the wind whipped through her hair. Daniel slid to a stop at the base of a tall pine.
“Climb up,” he ordered. “You ought to be able to get a good view from up there. Once you can get the werewolves to back away a bit, I’ll move in and grab the baby.”
Olivia scrambled up the tree, careful to avoid dropping her rifle as she moved from limb to limb. Time was of the essence. About fifty feet up, she found a perch that offered an unobstructed view of the rocky outcrop Daniel had told her about. The baby centaur huddled in fear, trembling, at the base of the cliff. Roughly twenty feet above, an adult centaur trampled back and forth on a ledge, shooting arrows into the trees and bellowing at the top of his lungs.
Scanning the forest floor, Olivia could see six or seven werewolves moving through the trees, keeping the small centaur pinned where she was. Olivia could also see one werewolf lying motionless on the forest floor. She couldn’t tell what had happened to it, but she assumed it to be dead, maybe as a result of an arrow wound. She couldn’t be sure. Steadying herself, Olivia loaded a silver bullet and took aim at the werewolf closest to the centaur. The round hit her target in its flank and dropped it to the ground. It struggled briefly to try and get back to its feet before collapsing.
Olivia reloaded, keeping an eye on the rest of the pack that had been distracted by the shot. As she loaded her gun, Olivia watched Daniel appear next to the baby centaur. She watched him bend down and say something to the little half-girl. She nodded and Daniel scooped her up in his arms. He shouted something up to the adult who nodded and yelled back.
Refocusing on her job, Olivia watched the wolves creep closer to Daniel’s position. Another shot hit its mark, and Daniel snapped his head around. Seeing the approaching wolves, Daniel ran. He moved at a much more human speed due to the cumbersome load he was carrying. As the wolves closed the distance between them, the centaur above rained arrows down on them as fast as he could draw and release. Olivia saw two go down.
Must be silver arrowheads, Olivia thought to herself as she pulled out the ramrod, took aim and fired. Her target fell and slid to a stop, kicking up a cloud of dust around it that drifted lazily after Daniel as if trying to continue the pursuit. Olivia pulled out another cartridge but put it away when she saw the remaining werewolves scatter.
Not sure if it was safe to come down yet, Olivia watched Daniel slow to a stop and set the little girl centaur down. She clung to his neck and Olivia smirked while she watched him kneel, give her a hug and pry her hands loose. He stood up and took a quick look around to make sure the wolves hadn’t turned back. Olivia, too, surveyed the woods and saw nothing to alarm her.
Olivia waited, impatiently, perched in her tree until she heard voices approaching below. Recognizing her sister’s voice, Olivia made a slow descent and waited for them on the path before leading them to Daniel.
“Well, that ended well,” Aidan observed, glancing at the wolf body that lay up ahead. He punched Daniel in the shoulder and then turned to Olivia. “Nice shooting. Thanks for keeping Daniel’s butt attached to his body.”
Olivia blushed. “Thanks. And you’re welcome.”
Aidan pointed to the small figure cowering behind Daniel. “So I see you saved the little one. Where’s the other?”
As if on cue, the sound of galloping hooves announced the approaching centaur. He was enormous, his chest broad and muscled. The short white coat of his body matched that on his head, which was cut close to his scalp. He had an air of authority about him that made the young group take a step back and drop their eyes. He slowed only when he reached them and immediately snatched up the little girl. They both cried as he covered her face in kisses and held her to his chest.
“I don’t have the words to express my gratitude for saving my daughter,” the large man/horse boomed. He wiped the tears from his eyes as the little girl buried her face in his chest, her long auburn hair falling across and hiding her face. “My name is Shon and this is my daughter Samantha.”
Daniel introduced the group, pausing on Olivia to add that she had helped in the rescue.
“I am in your debt, young Olivia,” the centaur acknowledged, giving a low bow. “You,” he continued, pointing at Daniel, “are very strong and fast for a human.”
“It’s a gift,” Daniel replied with a shrug.
“I have another gift for you, young Daniel. My bow. My arrows.” He took off his quiver and handed it and his bow to Daniel. “It is a very special weapon,” Shon went on. “There are no others like it. A normal man wouldn’t be able to use it.” He paused and his eyes twinkled. “I have a feeling you’re no normal man. I’d like for you to try. If you can draw and shoot, it’s yours.”
Daniel hesitated and then took the offering. The bow was extraordinarily light. It was like nothing he’d ever felt. The dark brown wood gleamed as if polished, and he turned it to and fro, inspecting the workmanship and celestial carvings that marked its surface. Taking an arrow from the quiver, he nocked the arrow, drew, and let it fly at a nearby tree. Shon’s eyes sparkled as he watched.
“Beautiful,” Daniel commented. He admired the bow in his hand while he ran his fingertips over the symbols carved into its side. Aidan wandered over to the tree to try and pull the arrow out.
“Uh, Daniel?” Aidan called over his shoulder. Daniel looked up at him. “You may want to see this.”
Daniel, continuing to caress the smooth curved surfaces of the bow, meandered over to where Aidan stood. Looking up, his mouth dropped open. The arrow had not only stuck in the tree, it had penetrated clean through. Roughly six inches of the shaft was visible on the opposite side of the tree, while the fletchings were still visible, barely, where the arrow had entered. Daniel looked back to the centaur. A broad smile filled his face.
“It is settled. The bow and arrows are yours.”
Daniel took one more look at the arrow, fingering its gleaming silver tip. “Remarkable,” he muttered before returning to the others.
“I can’t accept this,” Daniel said, offering the bow back to Shon. “It’s the most exceptional bow I’ve ever seen. I can’t take it.”
“You can, and you will,” Shon insisted. He pushed the bow away. “I am a bowyer as my father was. This is the finest bow you will ever find. I want you to have it. You gave me something far more precious,” he continued. He pulled his daughter to his side. “Now, the sun is setting, night is almost upon us. I pray you will come back with us to our village, that you might eat with us and stay the night.”
Daniel glanced to the others who merely stared blankly back at him.
“We can offer hot food, shelter, and protection for you and your friends. I can also refill your quiver. I’m guessing you don’t have any silver arrowheads in yours. As we saw today, they might be useful to you. Come young ones. Do not be afraid. You will be safe. You can rest knowing that my clan will protect you from any that would do you harm.”
“What about Halem?” Atreyu asked. “We need to get back to him.”
“You’ll travel faster with a hearty meal and a good night’s sleep,” Shon answered. “We’ll set you back on your way first thing in the morning. You need rest. You can either do it in comfort or curled up in the forest. The choice is yours of course.”
“Very well,” Daniel replied after another glance toward the others. “We’d be honored.”
“The honor is mine,” Shon said. Giving another low bow, Shon grabbed his daughter’s hand and added, “Follow us.”
The small group of young travelers fell in behind the two centaurs. They paralleled the mountains north for a bit before turning toward them. The sun had already disappeared behind the tall peaks and a cold wind blew down off the slopes. Olivia shivered and crossed her arms in front of her.
“Where are we going?” she whispered to Daniel. “I thought the centaurs live
d in the forest, not the mountains.”
Daniel shrugged. “I have no idea. I’ve never been here before.”
The group trudged along, too tired to complain. Soon they came to the base of an imposing cliff, the face extending upward until it disappeared from view.
“Um, Shon?” Daniel stammered, “We can’t climb that.”
“No need,” Shon replied, “just follow me.” Letting Samantha go first, Shon followed and disappeared behind a large boulder that rested at the foot of the cliff. When he didn’t appear on the other side, Daniel walked around to see where they had gone. A large fissure, invisible from the other side of the rock, stood before him. The others came around the corner and stood with him.
“Let’s go,” Daniel muttered and began shuffling into the crack. He could see the deep depressions made by the hooves of Shon and Samantha. They walked single file, as the walls of the mountain were only about three feet apart. The opening wound its way through the mountain. While some light might find its way down to the bottom during the day, it had grown very dark. Moving to his left, Daniel placed his hand against the wall, telling the others to follow suit. Eventually the path began to widen, and they all wound up walking side by side. It also seemed a bit lighter, and they picked up the pace, figuring they were near their destination. As they rounded the last switchback, they all stopped at once. It was beautiful.
A lush green valley opened up beneath them. In the middle of the valley, a large lake glistened in the light of the full moon that had appeared overhead. Three waterfalls plunged from the cliffs to their right and fed the river that dumped into the lake. Between them and the mountains beyond, a lively village welcomed them. A trumpet sounded at their arrival and what seemed like the entire village came out to meet them. Shon and Samantha came galloping back up the trail and beckoned them onward. Daniel took a hesitant step forward and the others followed. Soon they were surrounded by centaurs, all laughing and welcoming them to Alustria, their home.
“I apologize for all the commotion,” Shon said, “but they were very excited by the tale.”
Daniel looked at him questioningly.
“I told them what happened. Granted, not the whole story, but enough.”
With that, Daniel and Olivia were raised up high and onto the shoulders of the centaurs before being carried off to the village. Aidan, Lilly, and Atreyu were picked up as well and, while not hailed as heroes, were welcomed graciously to the town. The two champions were placed near a roaring fire in the center of the village, and the others placed in nearby seats, too exhausted from their journey to question the celebration.
“To our honored guests!” came a toast from a nearby centaur. Goblets of a shiny gold liquid were passed around. Although the fact that the fluid seem to be smoking gave most of the youngsters pause, after a small sip the cups were drained immediately, each savoring the sweet and tangy drink. One of the women centaurs laughed and brought a pitcher to refill them. After draining two more glasses in as many minutes, they settled into their seats, watching the festivities. Aidan stifled a large burp and smiled sheepishly when Lilly giggled. She shifted her chair closer to him and sat back down.
“Sorry,” he muttered, but she’d already focused her attention elsewhere, her ear cocked to the sounds that surrounded her.
“Tell me what’s happening,” Lilly asked. She searched out Aidan’s hand with her own. He smirked slightly when her hand found his and leaned close to tell her everything he saw.
Music played, coming from a circle of centaurs near the fire. They played what appeared to be lutes, something similar to a guitar, which Aidan had seen a picture of in a book once, but this one had a much longer neck, and two of them pounded large drums that hung from straps around their necks. The band was lively, playing a song with a quick pace and beautiful melody. Many of the other centaurs joined in and danced, circling the band and laughing while clapping or stomping to the beat of the drums. Olivia and Daniel were given seats of honor near what appeared to be the chieftain.
“So tell us, young ones,” the chief boomed over the ruckus, “what happened out there with our noble Shon and little Samantha?” The commotion stopped, the music tapered off as all eyes focused on the two guests of honor, all ears strained to hear their answer. The crowd tightened around them, only the occasional cough breaking the silence.
Daniel and Olivia exchanged a nervous glance.
“You tell them,” Olivia whispered. She was blushing furiously and brought her hands up to her hot cheeks.
“Um…” Daniel shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “We were coming up the path on the other side of the mountains when we heard a cry for help. I went to see what was going on while the others stayed back.” Daniel looked over at Olivia. “When Olivia heard what was going on, she insisted that we help. She brought her rifle and climbed a tree to find a good perch. When she fired, the werewolves were distracted, and I ran in and grabbed Samantha. Shon and Olivia protected me as I escaped with Samantha, and the rest of the pack eventually scattered.”
“So you risked your lives to help two cherished members of our community?” the chieftain bellowed, more of a statement to the surrounding crowd than an actual question.
“I...I guess,” Daniel stammered. The centaurs erupted in applause. They hooped and hollered and stamped their hooves, clinking their goblets together to toast the young children.
“I think there is another important thing everyone should know about this brave young man,” Shon announced, stepping forward out of the crowd. The yelling and clapping stopped as he turned and stood in front of Daniel. “As you all know, I make the finest of bows and arrows.” Heads everywhere nodded furiously. “And you all know the strength it takes to draw those bows, which are made for our noble centaurs and beyond the abilities of mere men.” Again, agreement from every side. “Well I’ve given my own personal bow and quiver to this fine young man. He has proven his worth and his strength. He is no mere human.” The stunned crowd looked from Shon to Daniel. “A demonstration!!” Shon hollered.
Grabbing Daniel by the arm and lifting him to his feet, he dragged Daniel to a nearby archery range on the outskirts of the village. The centaurs gathered and lined the sides of the range. From the shooting spot down to the target, the rails were lined with expectant faces. The trampling of hooves was deafening. Handing Daniel the bow and an arrow, Shon smiled and stepped back.
“Show them, young Daniel, your gift.”
Daniel nocked the arrow and drew. Holding his breath, he took aim and released. In a blur, the arrow flew, finding its home in the center of the bull’s-eye at the far end. The crowd exploded in applause, and he was once again lifted and carried around the town until they finally settled down and set him back in his chair. The dancing resumed, and soon supper was served. Large plates of hot food were handed to each of the five guests as they enjoyed the festivities.
“Jugged hare, haggis, cabbage, and bread,” Shon commented as he handed Daniel his plate.
“What is jugged hare and haggis?” Daniel inquired.
“Probably best you don’t ask,” was the response. “Just eat it. It is both delicious and healthy.”
Daniel frowned slightly and slowly lifted a forkful of jugged hare to his mouth. While expecting the worst, he was not prepared for the exquisite taste that filled his palate. The tender rabbit meat seemingly dissolved on his tongue. Scooping as fast as he could while still retaining a shred of dignity, Daniel polished off first the hare, then the haggis and vegetables. He then used the bread to sop up the juices before shoving it into his mouth. The others also appeared to be enjoying themselves, as the only time they stopped eating was to take a swig from their goblets before shoveling more into their mouths. Seconds were brought for each of them, thirds for some, and Atreyu even managed a fourth plate before collapsing back into his chair, a swollen belly protruding in front of him, a content grin lingering on his lips.
The party raged on for hours until only the full moon
and stars shined down from above and the coals of the fire glowed up. Finally, Shon reappeared and offered to guide them to a small lodge where they would be welcome to stay the night. Lilly had fallen asleep in her chair, so Daniel lifted her gently and carried her to their accommodations. Three rooms had been arranged for their use. Atreyu took one, Daniel and Aidan another, and Olivia and Lilly shared the other. Daniel set Lilly on her bed and removed her shoes before pulling the covers over her.
“Good night,” he whispered to Olivia.
“Night,” she whispered back as he left the room. She closed the door and collapsed into her own bed.
The sun had risen high in the eastern sky by the time the children awoke. Shuffling from their respective rooms, they eventually all stumbled into the main dining area. Fresh fruit and juice had been left out on the table for them. As they served up their breakfast, there came a knock. Atreyu, who happened to be sitting closest, got up and opened the door. In walked Shon and Samantha carrying coffee and milk respectively. Setting them on the table, they each bowed.
“A very good morning to you all,” Shon exclaimed.
“A very good morning,” came the greeting from Samantha, barely louder than a whisper.
“Good morning,” replied the others.
“When you are all finished with breakfast, we will be at my workshop. It’s across the plaza, next to the fish market. Please come by when you are ready, and I will assist you with anything you need.”
They finished up quickly, again gorging themselves on the delicious food brought for them, and, with directions from their host, bathed and washed clothes for the next leg of their journey. Shon had made sure they were brought additional supplies for they were beginning to run low on food and silver bullets. When they finished their packing, they walked across to Shon’s workshop where Daniel stocked up on silver-tipped arrows. Quiver full, they followed Shon back out into the middle of the square to say their goodbyes.
“Where will you be going from here?” the chieftain inquired.
“We’re hoping to get back to Exile by this evening,” Daniel responded. “Atreyu’s younger brother is there, and we need to get to him before Argyle’s men do.”
“Argyle’s men?” the chieftain asked, confused by the reference. “What danger do they pose to someone his age?”
“Well,” Olivia interjected, “the last group we attacked came through Exile first. That’s where they took Atreyu. Then they went south and took some more children down near Void. We think they were on the way back to the castle when we attacked them. We figure that Argyle will send some of his soldiers back through there when his slaves don’t show up. We don’t think they’ll be very gentle with the townsfolk when they arrive, so we need to get Halem out before they show up.”
“I’d be surprised if they showed up before tomorrow night, maybe the morning after. It’ll probably be later than that, but to be sure we’ll push hard today to get there by tonight,” Daniel added.
“Maybe they’ll get there while we’re still there. I wouldn’t mind another chance to attack Argyle’s men,” Aidan muttered.
Daniel shook his head and scowled at his brother. “Anyway,” he continued, “we’d better get moving if we’re going to have a chance at making it by tonight. Thank you again for the bow and arrows,” he said, shaking Shon’s hand.
“And for the delicious meals and our rooms,” Olivia added. She, too, shook Shon’s hand and bent down and gave Samantha a kiss on the forehead. “I’m pleased to have met you,” she told the little centaur. Samantha latched on to one of her father’s forelegs. With her cheek pressed to her father’s leg, she looked up at Olivia and smiled before hiding her face.
“Whenever you need help, you will always find it here,” Shon said. He grasped Daniel’s forearm, Daniel doing the same to his, and they shook. “Always.”
“Thank you,” Daniel replied, trying to hide his discomfort at Shon’s intensity.
When all the goodbyes were said, the band of travelers followed the path back the way they’d entered. Seemingly every centaur in the village lined the path, thanking them for their bravery and wishing them a safe journey. Once again the trip through the crevasse was dark and difficult to navigate. Exiting from the shadows, they each paused, squinting into the blinding morning light.
Chapter 19
Near Death