The previous chapter TheRiverCrossing

As remembered by Cira...

As the column of riders approached, we quickly took stock of the situation. With no easy way to hide the bodies of the men we had dispatched, due to the loyal warhorses protecting them, we decided to cut and run. To the hills we ran, having just a two mile head start!

As we ran, we discussed our options. The riders would surely catch up to us before we found refuge in the hills some twenty or so miles distant. The rolling, empty, landscape provided little opportunity to hide. Our situation seemed hopeless as we could distinctly see four mounted men already on their way directly towards us.

Then, Kurai reasons that we could use our arm bands to help us escape. The eagle armband was already exhausted for today but the others were still usable. Telal becomes a giant owl and allows me to ride on his back while Kurai becomes a dire wolf and gains speed. What a view! It's as if I perpetually stood at a cliff's edge as we moved over the land.

Within hours, Kurai joins us on a cliff at the start of the hills overlooking the plains behind us. The mounted men don't appear to be pursuing. A large cleft in the cliff side allowed Kurai to join my flying mount and I.

The way forward continuing south is very rocky and the prospect of slow travel makes us decide to allow Telal, still in giant owl form, to fly us one at a time from peak to peak in leap frog fashion.

I go first, being deposited on a pointy precipice some ten miles or more away. Telal the giant eagle then returns to the point of origin to fetch Kurai.

I admire the view then decide to get some rest. I have this strange, uncomfortable, dream where I can't move a muscle while I'm carried roughly on the back of a foul-smelling ogre. Or is it a dream?

It seems I have been taken hostage to an underground lair. I slip in and out of conciousness. I feel bruised, battered and a patch on my scalp feels raw.

When I finally awake, I am on a hard floor in a kind of rough cage in what appears to be a cavern. In one corner of the cage is a person who seems to be unconcious but alive and missing an arm and a leg. The smell is nearly unbearable.

When I adjust my eyes to the darkness, there is movement at the end of the cavern but I can't make out who or what it is. My options are limited but my thoughts go immediately to escape. I'm aware that my appendages may be next on the menu.

Within a short period of time, Kurai and Telal, now in regular form, appear magically through the wall not far from my cage and immediately engage the ogre.

I try to push open the cage door and even though there is no visible lock, I cannot open it. Its as if there is a wall in between me and the cage door since I cannot get near it, let along touch it. It appears that a clump of my hair is magically fastening the door closed and keeping me away. I cannot will my hand near enough to remove the lock.

Then, Telal frees me while he and Kurai are exchanging blows with the ogre. I run to the hidden door to escape the cavern but it then becomes apparent that Kurai and Telal cannot disengage the ogre. Reluctantly, I decide to stay and assist my rescuers.

I visually search the cavern and see a work bench or a kitchen, not sure which, at one end. Running there, I inspect the various flasks and find one with a smoking liquid. Without a moments thought, I rush back to the fight with that flask and toss it at the feet of the ogre.

The flask breaks and appears to burn and stun the ogre enough for Telal or Kurai to finally dispatch it.

When the adrenaline and fear finally wear off, I find that I am very stiff and sore from many bruises and scratches.

And the smell!...

As told by Kurai

We ran south as hard as we could towards the mountains. Our only hope was speed, luck and somewhere to hide. Once we put three thousand paces between us and the slain Fists of Chal, we slowed enough to think. It did not take long for us to remember the Awakened One's gifts. Telal became the Owl and carried Cira on his back. I became the wolf. In the meantime The Fist had organized quickly and sent eight men in pursuit. Had we not used the Awakened One's armbands and shifted form they would have caught us. Instead they were unable to find us. I met Telal and Cira in mountains where we were safe from the The Fists anger.

Telal bravely offered to ferry Cira and myself over the mountains. This plan worked, but Cira and I discovered that we could not be too far apart, because the power of the sand drew us towards one another if the distance was too big. Telal was forced to carry Cira for a short distance and then return for me. This was repeated many times. Up until this day the Sand pulled us steadily south in a constant directions that changed only a little. On this day the Sand pulled us in different directions South, South East and South West. If our quarry is indeed in the Broken Lands then he must have traveled a great distance in a very short period of time for his movement to affect us so. The Sand pulled me in many directions that day towards our quarry, whose location changed and towards my companions. This pull was very difficult to resist.

As the day was fading Telal found a suitable campsite on the side of a mountain. He set Cira there and returned for me. As we approached the campsite both I felt that Cira was not were she should have been. The knowledge the sand gave us was confirmed when we arrived and found Cira missing. A sweep of the area indicated that she was gone. We gathered her belongings, I returned to Telal's back and we flew to find her. We used the Sand's connection between us to track her. That imprisoning power saved her life. Several mountain ridges to the East we set down in a small valley. Her presence led me to a small opening in the side of the mountain, a crack flanked by smooth columns cut from the mountain itself. I rushed inside, prepared for battle, but all I found was a wooden post covered in hair, fur, bits of wood and twigs. In an unaccustomed rage I destroyed the totem. Finding nothing else in that tiny cave I reported my findings to Telal.

After several moments of not feeling Cira's presence at all and fearing the worst, we felt her moving to the west down the valley we were in. Telal reverted to human form and we gave chase. Far down the valley and as the sun was setting we dropped into a ravine and found a low, wide tunnel into the rock. The tunnel could not been seen, because to our eyes it looked like part of the rock wall. Once again Telal's courage did not fail him and he entered the tunnel. The tunnel was short and as he emerged he was attacked. As soon as I heard the attack I scrambled through the tunnel to assist him. The guardian of the cave was half again as tall as I am, broadly built, and holding a massive sword that he swung with both hands. Telal and I were able to force the creature into the corner of the cave. The Fetish Weaver couldn't match both of our attacks and since the battle was being won Telal searched the cave for Cira. He found her hidden behind a door. The only thing holding the door closed was a knot of hair. As Telal found Cira the Fetish Weaver threw some fetishes on the ground and as my spear ran through him he melted into a wisp of smoke. Before Telal was able to open the door to Cira's prison, the ground to the east of him groaned, shifted and took shape. Two stone creatures rose from the earth and attacked Telal. I leaped to help him, but my spear only scratched the stone. In response Telal became wild with anger. Stone and earth flew as Telal's wrath broke the stone creatures. Cira and I lent our support, but Telal alone was the champion this night. This bravery cost him dearly and he was close to death, but once more the staff of the Awakened One came to our aid and revived Telal.

Once the dust and blood had settle we surveyed the room we had entered. It was well built, a hearth at one end and a stream that ran through the room at the other end. All of the openings other than the entrance were small and easily defended. Initially we were unsure of who built it, though we knew that the Fetish Weaver couldn't have. As we explored the room I discovered or, I believe, led to a spear that was cleverly hidden in the wall above an arch. The spear is made of stone and marked with strange symbols. Even thought it is made of stone it is well balanced and makes a fine weapon. I stared at this weapon for a many hundreds of breaths remembering tales of the Jarazine and whispers of the Pamorii, then the Ashani revealed what this spear is. It was made by the Kurdrun and given to the Shawnal as part of a treaty between the two people. The Ashani did not tell me what the treaty was but I knew that I was led to this spot. The Ashani brought the three of us together in the Arena of Sand and guided us to the Awakened One, where we received the gifts that allowed us to find this place. Once more the Ashani blessed us, without the gifts from the Awakened One we could not have defeated the Stone Creatures and recovered this spear. I now knew that I must bring this Spear to the Orzan, so that the spirit of the Two Spears (TwoSpears?) tribe could regain its honor and that the Shawnal could renew their alliance with the Kurdrun. That night I could not sleep.

Next chapter CiraAvenged