Chapter 9
Hunting a Sol
The sound of the stream winding its way across the forest floor calmed Shala as he sat along its bank with his eyes closed. He was resting, gathering his strength for the remainder of the training he had that day. And he needed the rest, for his father had been pushing him harder and harder as the days went on.
In the midst of the forest, all alone except for the stream babbling over the rocks that protruded from its shallow water, Shala listened to the world breathing around him. The wind, the trees, the wildlife, all of it rose and fell as the waves of Magick rolled through everything, including him. He was storing parts of that Magick in case he needed it in his training later. Sometimes he did, sometimes he didn’t, but it was always better to be prepared.
Shala had cleared his mind so utterly and completely that every sound reached his ears and every movement caught his attention. Everything was at peace. But then a sound tore through that stillness.
If not for his state of absolute alertness, Shala would not have heard the danger. He would not have heard the sound of his attacker. He would not have heard the sound of a bow releasing an arrow from its string.
The twang of the weapon was distant; just far enough away for Shala to react. His body tensed, but he didn’t even open his eyes; there wasn’t enough time. All he could do was move and hope it was enough.
Shala snapped his head to the left. As he did, the arrow reached him.
Shala felt the arrowhead brush his cheek, leaving a bloody trail along his skin. The feathers of the arrow tickled his fur as the projectile flew past his face.
Shala’s eyes flashed open as he heard the arrow collide with the ground behind him. Suddenly, adrenaline was pouring through his veins.
His gaze went instantly to where he expected the arrow to have come from; up in the trees over fifty yards away. Before he had blinked again, Shala was on the move. Another arrow whizzed by him, striking the ground where he had been sitting a split second before.
Shala leapt from rock to rock, crossing the stream without missing a step on the slippery surface. A third arrow splashed the water behind him, spraying his fur as he reached the far bank. On his next step, Shala sprang upwards into the nearest tree.
He scrambled up the lowest branch and then kicked off again, climbing higher. He circled the tree, keeping his eyes on where he thought the arrows were coming from. And then he saw movement. The leaves of the distant tree shook as whoever had fired on him was on the move.
It had crossed his mind that this was part of his father’s training, but that first arrow had meant to kill, not wound. There were many predators in the Palagric Forest, but only one would use an arrow. Only one that would be bold enough to attack a Sol in broad daylight. Only another Sol.
Shala was making his way through the trees as fast as he could, while keeping his gaze fixed on where he had seen the last sign of his attacker. He didn’t want to lose this chance; he couldn’t let his enemy escape. Stealth didn’t matter at this point, only speed, so Shala broke through branches without a second thought. As he begin to near his enemy’s position, Shala climbed higher into the trees, trying to get a better vantage point to stage his own attack. Always take the higher ground.
More movement caught his eyes, and there leaping between two branches, was a dark figure. Shala only caught a glimpse, but the coloring of the fur told him all he needed to know. It told him he was going to face his mortal enemy. I’m going to face a Pheela.
Shala tried to control himself, but anticipation burned in his chest. He pulled the single dagger that he carried on his belt and held it at the read as he made another jump between trees. The wind whipped over him, but his tail balanced his flight as he landed softly on the next branch.
He slowed now, for the next tree was the last place he had seen his enemy. He was above looking down on the spot, watching the area for any signs of his attacker. But all was still. Where did he go?
Then it happen. The only warning Shala had was a bird taking flight a few feet away. He half turned, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the dark figure soaring down at him from above. Shala dove away just as the figure hit the branch, slamming a spear into the bark.
Shala rolled and was back on his feet in seconds, facing his attacker with his knife at the ready. The Pheela pulled his spear out of the tree and leveled the blade at Shala’s chest. And that’s when Shala saw his enemy’s face. That’s when he saw that he was facing not only a Pheela but the opposite sex as well. A female’s trying to kill me?
The discovery stunned Shala only momentarily, for he could see the fire in his attacker’s eyes and knew this wasn’t going to be an easy fight even if she was a female. And sure enough, the next instant, she attacked.
Her spear darted out at him, and he only barely deflected it, falling back as she advanced on him. Shala dodged this way and that, using his dagger when he could to defend her blows. She had skill, but her technique was rough. The shear veracity in which she fought, however, made up for any lack of training. This won’t be easy.
Shala knew he had to move. He leapt from the limb they were on and fell between the leaves of the giant tree, landing on a lower branch. She came down right behind him, but he was already swinging with his dagger, forcing her on the defensive. Her spear had the greater reach though, so he only attacked for a moment before leaping again.
This time to another tree where he sprung upwards, climbing higher. He could hear the female behind him, staying right on his heals.
At the next branch, Shala landed but immediately leapt back the way he had come, meeting the unsuspecting Pheela in mid air. She tried to swing her spear around, but Shala was already cutting across with his dagger. But she ducked her shoulder, and his blade cut air and nothing more.
Shala’s concentration had been on the attack, and now he realized he had not put enough height in his jump. He landed against the side of the next branch and lost several precious seconds clawing his away on top of it. By the time he had, the female was on him. She attacked with her spear, spinning and thrusting as Shala sprang away. He moved his dagger as fast as he could, but before he knew it, several cuts had opened across his arms and torso. This can’t go on much longer.
Shala again leapt from the branch, forcing her to pursue him. He needed to change the course of this battle or soon his attacker would run him through and leave him for the crows.
He began to ascend farther into the tree tops, springing from one limb to the next. Then an idea struck him and before he had even thought through it completely, he was running down the length of the next branch he came to. He waited until he heard the female behind him before diving off the edge.
Leaves and twigs brushed past him as he fell. He aimed for a large branch just ahead and landed on all fours, crouched like a spring ready to be released. His mind focused to a point, and the world became clear. He waited one second, two seconds. His enemy was almost upon him, but she had slowed. The world had slowed. Then Shala released the spring.
He jumped straight up, arching his back and throwing his legs over his head. The female landed where he had been only half a moment before. But now, Shala was above her. He was upside down over her head as he brought his legs swinging back down. The momentum of his flip sent his feet colliding with her back and sent her flying off the branch.
Shala jumped after her, diving right behind as she fell. The Pheela landed heavily on the next branch. She only had time to turn onto her back before Shala dropped down on top of her, pinning her arms against the tree. She still held her spear, but it was useless now.
They were both panting heavily, and Shala could feel the cuts and bruises that she had inflicted. He had his knife to her throat, but his hand wouldn’t deal the final blow. Her eyes still burned with fire, and he knew she wouldn’t stop trying to kill him. But his blade didn’t move.
Then she spoke. “Are all Filan cowards like yous?”
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Her words caught him by surprise. He was the one with the dagger to her throat and yet she had less uncertainty than he did.
“Kill me.” Her voice was soft but her tone harsh. “Do it.”
Shala stared at her. He had been taught to hate Pheela, but he didn’t have any anger towards this female. Even though she had tried to kill him, he didn’t see her as an enemy. He just saw a Sol.
Shala kept her pinned down, but he moved the blade of his dagger away from her throat. He didn’t move it far but enough to let her know he wasn’t going to kill her.
Shala didn’t expect her to suddenly become peaceful towards him, but he also didn’t expect the reaction he did get. As soon as the female saw what he was doing, she leaned forward and spit in his face.
“I’ve always heards Filan have no honor, but yous disgrace every Sol that has come before you!” She tried to lift him off of her, but Shala didn’t budge. He didn’t even chance wiping the spit from his face.
Instead, he said quietly, “I haves also heard much of the Pheela, but I did not knows they let females partake in the hunt.”
Her eyes drew down to slits. “Yous know nothing of the Pheela.”
As Shala studied her, it slowly dawned on him why this female was asking for death. “Your tribe doesn’t knows you’re here, do they?”
The female turned her head away. “Let me up or kill me, but I wills not listen to your filthy voice any longer.”
“Yous thought you could prove yourself by bringings back a Filan, didn’t yous?”
The female remained silent and kept her head turned away, so Shala continued.
“Yous can’t go back empty handed or they’ll banish you for going on the hunts without permission.”
Again, the female did not respond.
Shala watched her for another moment before saying, “Yous are the one without honor.”
This time the female whipped her head around. “I have no honor?! Lets me up, and I’ll show yous that a female should be allowed to hunt!”
“Maybe they should,” Shala continued calmly. “But sneakings away from your tribe is not the ways to do it.”
“Don’t yous lecture me,” she growled. “At some point you’ll have to let me up, and then I will regain my honor.”
Shala knew she was right. He wasn’t going to kill her, so eventually, he would have to let her go. But if she ever wanted to return home, she’d have to bring back a Filan. And he could see in her eyes, she’d kill him the first chance she got. He might not think of her as an enemy, but that’s all she saw in him.
His father might have prepared him for every situation in battle, but this was different. How do you make peace when the world shows you nothing but violence?