Homeward Chapter 3: Sharpened
A Tales of Tuomi short story
New to this story? Read Chapter 1: Forged
The next day dawned to the chorus of birds ranging from sweet chirps to raucous bellows. Mika stretched lazily on her branch, high enough off the ground to avoid ground threats and sheltered with rock above. She had spent a good portion of the night exploring the area by the elevator before finding a safe-looking alcove to bed down in. Digging into her pack, she took stock of her meal options and wondered if she should try hunting like the predator she now appeared to be. Deciding not to hunt on a completely empty stomach, she tore open the ration pouch and downed the contents. It had the vague taste of barbecue which just made her want a proper serving of meat. Slinging the bag between her wings, she washed down her ration with some water and began her hunt for a proper breakfast.
Hours later, she remained hungry. Though numerous creatures resided in this leafy landscape, they were far more adept at survival than she was at hunting. She had been poked, bitten, and sprayed by various would-be meals and her temper was quickly fraying. Taking flight in disgust, Mika soared between the pillars of rock, heading deeper into her new territory. The pillars thinned then stopped, along with the mist, and opened into sun-drenched grassland that extended for miles with the distant range of the Ishogg enclosing the valley. She could practically feel her mouth watering as she took in the herds of antelope grazing before her. She circled high above her prey and quickly decided on her target, mindful her shadow might spook the herd. As she dove, claws extended, the herd spooked, but her target had been limping and did not flee as quickly as the rest. Mika felt her claws sink into the antelope’s throat as she snapped its neck. Knowing her kill would draw other predators and likely more skilled ones, she gutted the antelope and took the main torso into the air and back to the pillars.
Once safely tucked into a new alcove, Mika considered her meal. Cooking the meat was her first instinct, but she was no longer fully human. Curious, she touched her tongue to her kill. It was still warm and the taste was surprisingly sweet. A tentative nibble proved she would need to cook it after all though for the slick, spongy consistency of the meat prompted her to gag. Gathering fuel for a fire was easy and soon she was digging in her pack for the fire starter Alex had mentioned. She retrieved it and a piece of paper fell out too. Focused on her meal preparations, Mika didn’t notice it until she had successfully spitted her antelope. It was a photograph. A young couple were smiling with ice cream cones. She recognized the background festival as Reidun’s Summer Faire, an annual celebration she often had enjoyed with her parents. Belatedly, she realized the young man in the photo was Alex and the girl his late girlfriend. She had to admit he was rather handsome in the picture, his tousled brown hair aglow with golden highlights and his blue eyes sparkling with mischief and delight. She shook her head to banish such thoughts, but carefully tucked the photo back into her bag just the same.
Her meal went unseasoned, but the meat was surprisingly flavorful on its own. Sweet with hints of apple. Delighted, Mika ate her fill and washed it down with water. That would be her next task, she decided, as she took stock of her remaining supply. Reidun’s water came from a mountain lake in the Ishogg so using the same source wouldn’t be possible. The antelope of the grassland would need water to survive so a source had to exist. Finished with her meal, Mika shouldered her pack and headed back to the grasslands.
Flying on a full stomach proved unpleasant so she decided to survey on foot. The green plumes danced about her knees as she made her way. Numerous herds could be seen grazing the bright green grasses, some looked like the antelope she’d hunted while others were striped and looked more like horses. They looked oddly familiar and she wracked her brain trying to remember where she had seen the black and white animals before. A memory emerged in response.
“Daddy, why do these horses have stripes?” She perched high on her father’s wide shoulders and gazed at the strange creatures before her. It was her 10th birthday and her father had treated her with a trip to the zoo in Silvius. Travel to other towns was extremely expensive, but as her father assured her, turning ten was a milestone worth celebrating with something extra special.
“Because they aren’t horses,” her father explained patiently, “they are zebras, cousins to horses. Here, read the plaque to me.”
The memory faded and she had to wipe her eyes. It was a bittersweet memory for her, though quite helpful now. She continued her hike across the grasslands, gravitating to where the grazing animals seemed to gather. A rumbling could be heard and as she followed the herds it grew louder and louder. Trees appeared, though they weren’t like the twisted trees of the pillars with their braided trunks and giant leaves. These ones reminded Mika of umbrellas, thin straight trunks and a wide sheltering canopy. Their leaves were a deep crimson and the trunks a soft pink. The rumbling was now a near deafening roar as she wove through the trees to the source. The trees parted and a giant sapphire lake glistened in the sunlight. Sheer cliffs sat behind and a waterfall sent a river’s contents tumbling thunderously into the lake below. Antelopes and zebras drank from the lake while a few adventurous young played in the shallows. Mika tasted the water and found it crisp and refreshing. She collected her empty water canteens and prepared to fill them. As she leaned forward with her first canteen, she was painfully thrown to the right as something large slammed into her left side.
She had very little time to think as the creature brought talons to bear in a flurry of feathers. Mika flailed and slashed her claws at her attacker, rolling them both into the lake. Her attacker screeched in dismay as it was drenched in the cool mountain water and frantically broke off the attack. Heaving from the exertion, Mika dragged herself out of the lake and took stock of her injuries. Large gashes criss-crossed her arms and chest. She reached for her pack, grateful she hadn’t been wearing it when she’d been attacked so it was still dry.
Wounds treated and bandaged, she finally was able to fill her canteens. The fight was still a blur of feathers, but what little she could recall made her think the creature had been a bird of some kind, though far larger than any she had seen in a zoo. The closest creature was one she’d read about in her collection of books about the cultures of Earth. A mythical bird called a roc was said to have been large enough to carry off elephants. This was not quite so large, but with the genetic experiments of the original colonists it was likely the basis of this creature. The ban on genetic experiments had been in place for three generations, but as her new form could attest, not everyone cared what was legal.
The sun had barely reached its zenith so she decided more exploration was in order. Climbing a nearby tree she launched herself into the air. She stayed alert for the roc as she soared above the grasslands, but it seemed to have decided she was not worth the trouble. Mika watched as the Ishogg range on her right lost its snowy blanket and jagged edges. At one point she noticed a winding trail that seemed to lead into the mountains, but it was a narrow canyon with turbulent air currents so she decided to continue on for now. Even without their snow and ruggedness, the Ishogg were monumental and far too high for her to fly over. Trees covered them now and she saw numerous eagles and hawks on their own flights. A few smaller waterfalls wound their way down the mountains, offering her plenty of quick stops to drink without needing her canteens.
As the sky shifted to the fiery colors of evening, Mika found herself heading north again as the Ishogg had blocked further progress south. She realized she was in a giant valley encircled by the expansive mountain range. With grasslands on her left and wooded mountains on her right Mika found herself contemplating a small meal. She had seen a hawk down a rabbit a few hours ago and that now sounded like a perfect evening meal. Her eyes scanned the shady woods for any sign of movement and just when she was about to give up, a shadow shifted. She banked sharply towards it and it hopped. Claws ready, she dove, ignoring the branches that snagged her bandages. She connected with her target and the mossy ground with a thump. She had made her second successful kill, the force of her landing snapping the rabbit’s neck. She prepared a small fire just outside the tree line and spitted the rabbit. When digging for the fire starter, she noticed one of the rations was labeled as rosemary potatoes and vegetables. Deciding it would go well with her roasted rabbit, she set the pouch by the fire to warm it.
Her hunger sated once more, she reclined drowsily by the dying embers of her campfire. It had been an interesting day full of adventure much like the bedtime stories her mother used to read to her. She took some time to examine her cuts from her waterfall battle and was pleased to see they were mostly healed already. She had always been a fast healer, but now she seemed to be even faster. A good trait for a hunter to have, she imagined.
The sky shifted into deep indigo as she gazed out at the grasslands. The herds were bedding down for the night and a hush fell over the valley as the birds ended their songs. It was a brief quiet, as crickets and frogs quickly filled the silence with their melodies. Fireflies emerged from the grasses to flash and dance along. A howl surprised her, quickly followed by another and another. Five shadowy shapes emerged from the woods in an eager charge towards the sleepy herds. They were far enough away that they took no notice of her as they went about their hunt. Mika made note of them just the same and decided it was time to find a place to sleep.
Two entwined trees made the perfect platform for her to bed down on. High enough the wolves would not reach her and well sheltered above. Her tail wrapped around her was the perfect bedding and her wings folded into an ideal blanket. She listened to the song of the wolf pack as she drifted off to sleep.
Continue Reading: Chapter 4: Bloodied
Just one more chapter left to go. I’m glad you guys have been enjoying this story so far. It’s been wonderful reading all the positive comments so keep them coming!
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Nicely done! Love the waterfall drawing :-) Enjoy your art show!