Travel, Misery, and a Sacred Lake

My shoulder complains all the way.

I steadfastly ignore it, and the more minor flesh wounds. It will heal perfectly in a few weeks, leaving barely even a scar and no lingering stiffness. Such is my lot.

Meil hovers nearby, regardless, as the company plods on horseback along the dripping forest trail, rain pattering heavily against our leather oilskins, turning everything miserably cold and damp. Mist hovers through the trees like ghosts this high up—the envoys of the clouds walking among us.

Another cold droplet patters off the brim of my hood onto my nose, and to the head of the goose huddling under me.

She sneezes, fluffing up like a riceball. “Why’s it gotta rain here all the time? Couldn’t ya keep the kago? You dripped less when you were sleepin’ like a rock.”

“Mm.” Seems I wasn’t exempt from being used as a pillow, after all.

Trotting hooves clatter up to us along the path, a jingle and a murmur passing Meil just behind and beside us. Head ducking under the oilskin’s flaps, Sels peers out suspiciously as sister’s familiar presence slots into the healer’s place instead, a glimpse of her ornate slippers in their stirrups peeking from under her much-longer oilskin. What does she want now?

“Brother, I trust you’re journeying well, despite your wounds?”

“Question the chain if you really want to know.” I don’t look up. “I assume you want to ask after more than just my health?”

For a moment she’s silent, the slight hiss of a breath barely audible over the rain. “I don’t understand why you’re being so cold with me. Yes, it’s not pleasant, but it was necessary—”

“I suggest you change the subject.” I finally straighten to meet her eyes, reining my mare in as she skitters slightly. “Since it’s one I’ve heard far too many times.”

Her own horse shies away, her face frozen for a moment. Visibly, she forces it expressionless again. “I... suppose you have.”

“Is that all you came here to say?”

Her lips press to a thin line. “You left in a hurry before I could ask you any questions, and I have quite a few of them.”

“Oh I’ll wager you do.” And she had to choose now, of all times, to work up the courage to ask. “Hurry up then, ask away.”

“Well....” She takes a good moment to gather her thoughts. “When Noruaas returns... do we fail?”

I look straight into those dark eyes. “We don’t even get as far as facing it. Not that there’s any point.”

“...What’s that supposed to mean?”

“As I told you, everything is in ruins. There’s no hope, there’s barely any food or water, and what few people remain live in fear, dying. It’s a wasteland from the Divides to the Fissure Sounds.”

The warm bundle hidden under the front of my oilskin shifts slightly, probably remembering what I told her. But for once, she stays quiet and hidden.

“So I had no other choice than to send you back to the beginning,” says sister quietly, more to herself than me, most likely.

Isn’t that funny. I allow myself a twisted smile. “More or less.”

Future sister dear would be tickled to hear this younger version of herself. Right before slitting her throat.

I close my eyes, and sigh. “There’s something you should know. The general who first faces us, he seems to have gotten a look at my memories while I was returning.”

“What?”

Her horse startles at the sharpness, and I glance at her sideways. “He also thought he could finish things before they started by throwing an immature fissure at me. I doubt he’s any smarter than the last time.”

The pale cast to her face doesn’t lift. “Did he say how much he saw?”

Hmm. I watch her eyes stare through me, hands pulling more sharply at her fidgety horse’s reins than they need to. “Even Ilempo isn’t that foolish.”

She twitches.

“You’ve heard that name before.”

“Of course I have.” She holds my eyes. “That’s the name of an ancient gryphon leader who fought humanity in the War of Talons, a thousand years ago. Before our people joined together.”

“You remember your history well,” I muse, watching her refuse to look away. “Better than I ever did.”

“You flatter me. Well then, what do we plan to do?”

“Continue riding to Nachisi,” I say, “and keep a close watch for disguised devils when we reach it.”

Ξ-Ξϟ†ϟΞ-Ξ

“You think there’re really gonna be immissures in the big capital? This Ilempo guy’s gonna send ‘em to kill ya?”

The rain’s easing by the time Seelis speaks up again, and I glance down to see a beady eye peering up at me. “It was his tactic last time. I doubt he’ll do things the same way here—and so far as I know he can’t yet—but there’s always a chance he could wrangle some strays in.”

“Sooo, he gonna start trying to attack soon as we get back?”

“There was a four-year gap, last time. A period of peace, with fewer fissures.” The trees around us have started to thin, my horse stepping over a skinny fallen trunk lying across the rocky trail, a glimpse of misty but open ground appearing as we crest the hill. “I thought it was because we injured Noruaas, but it’s more likely the lull was a false one, designed to put us off-guard. Ilempo can be subtle when he wants, so we’ll have to be careful.”

She cocks her head. “You just said he was an idiot to that lady you really don’t like. Why d’you hate her so much anyway? Ain’t she supposed to be ya sister?”

“Hmf.” I smile, flattening her ears with a pat. “It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“Hey! Don’t treat me like ya pet cat! I’m ridin’ with ya cos it’s rainy and cold!” She nips for my finger with her tiny, serrated—but sharp—teeth.

I escape unbitten with the ease of long practice, still smiling. She’s more fiery than she was even when I first met her, really. Maybe it’s the missing weight of what happened in Fishmouth, or just youthful vibrance. I let it go, in any case.

By the time we reach the high flats, the rain’s stopped completely, the mists shredding to the first rays of sun we’ve had all day, parting to reveal ancient, twisted roots separating deep pools. Their still waters gleam in the fitful light, our company plodding steadily onto one of the solid natural wooden bridges, moss muffling hooves, stray shoots with dew-tipped leaves brushing flanks.

“Whoa, what’s this place?” Sels emerges, perching on the saddlehorn with a ruffle of feathers. “Those ponds look real deep.”

“The Sky-pools.” I watch the waters, depths disappearing into darkness. “It’s an ancient place guarded by an ancient spirit. If you’re lucky, you might see it.”

“Like the evil eel under Longfin?” She peers closer, remarkably like a cat lying in wait for a fish to dart past.

I pull off the cap string-tied to the oilskin and shake out my hair. Which... isn’t long enough to warrant that anymore. “No, far older. So far as I know, it’s been here as long as the pools themselves.”

“Huh. You think it’d mind if I swum under there? Just cos it looks fun.”

“If you were human, I’d say no. But Taniha is more fond of gryphons.”

“Great!” With that, she leaps off, beats her wings once, and disappears into the pool with barely a plip.

I still wonder if she isn’t really a chimera with a hidden fish side. Geese and fisher-cats aren’t really the diving types, but that’s never seemed to stop her.

“She does know these pools are sacred, doesn’t she?” Meil mutters nearby.

“So are gryphons. If anyone can casually commit sacrilege, she can.”

“I’m not sure if I'd—”

“HwhOOF!” Sels erupts violently again, my horse shying away at the tiny lake monster’s splutter. “This water’s so damn cold I can feel my teeth!”

I chuckle at her swimming aggressive circles. “It’s mountain water, not a hot spring. I could have told you that.”

“Just... takes... a little g-gettin’ used t-to!”

With a hissing huff, she dives back under again. All I can see is a faint shadow slipping out of sight towards the edge, under sprays of tiny moss-flowers leaning over the water, glow-bugs winking above their petals.

“Off she goes again. Hopefully she won’t get lost.”

The path winds around another pool, no sign of the little goose, now. “She’ll be fine.”

I can feel Meil watching me as the company plods its steady way through these sacred grounds, even the animals hushed. In contrast, the creatures of the pools barely mind us, dragonflies zipping past, tiny white-eyed songbirds peeping from the thin shoots sprouting off the wood, and from the quiet splashes, even a frog or two. Taniha guards it well—not a hint of evil dares brush this place.

It’s been many years since I was here. What happened to it, I’m not sure. After the shores fell and our people drew closer to cities and towns, travelling into the wilderness like this became a death sentence.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

I watch a faint ripple spread silently across the mirrored surface. “Breathtaking.”

“Hey! Hey!” An excited splash shatters the image of clouds scudding across the sky, little black goose head flashing its white chinstrap as Sels looks around wildly and finally spots us. “Hey did you guys know there’s tunnels under here? There’s these crazy roots and they make these kindsa bowls! It’s a whole lake with a buncha roots makin’ holes in it!”

“Ah.” I smile, lifting an eyebrow at her zipping over like an otter. “Isn’t that a find? Never would have known.”

“Yeah! Weird fish, too! All glitterin’ with colours.”

“I wouldn’t take any. Taniha might not appreciate it.”

“Eh, fine.” She pouts, idly swimming circles. “What about frogs? You think it’ll mind those?”

“You really want to try a frog?”

“Mmf.” She flips on her back. “Kinda wanna see if they taste better.”

“Trust me, they won’t.”

“Aw. Sad.”

She vanishes to explore further, and I shake my head to myself. Sels hates frogs. Typical.

“She’s certainly a lively one.” Meil releases an amused breath, mirroring my smile. “She and Jeanu would get along—”

“AAAH!”

One lively goose-cat explodes out of the water like a firework, scrabbling onto the saddle and nearly startling my horse into Meil’s. Sopping wet, dripping all over me and the horse, she hisses back at the water violently enough to startle the mare all over again.

Or else that’s the fault of the spirit silently rising from the pool.