Wolf Moon Part 24
Slinking behind the hills, the fading sun stubbornly stalked the quinque. Gray clouds bloomed across the horizon, long purple shadows trailed the horses plodding along the path and rapidly cooling air chilled their riders.
Trowa rode closely beside Quatre who was exhausted from freeing his comrades from their Valley of Visions trances. Heero, Duo and Wufei, who were also suffering similar aftereffects of lethargy and dull headaches, slumped in their saddles.
Trowa took his lover's hand and was shocked to find it icy. "We need to find shelter for the night." he announced as the wind whistled through the trees and slammed against his back.
"We have no physical reserves to ward off the cold." Wufei agreed.
Heero continued the discussion. "An open fire would do little good in this blustery weather."
Despite Quatre's considerable fatigue, his mental processes were still functioning. "Isn't there a cottage in the next vale?"
"Yes," Trowa replied, "if we keep up our pace we'll reach it before nightfall."
*********
The woodman's cottage, constructed of rough sawed planks and roofed with wood shingles, was used during firewood cutting season in late summer and early autumn so the travelers were not surprised to find it unoccupied.
Each man put his weariness aside to beat the approaching darkness. After Quatre "told" the horses not to wander off, Heero helped Trowa remove the saddles, blankets and bridles and store the tack inside then left the mounts to munch on spring grass and drink from the nearby creek.
Duo and Wufei made two trips to carry in weapons, bags and bedrolls. Luckily there were plenty of sticks and larger limbs lying about the forest floor and soon sufficient wood was gathered to not only build a fire in the stone fireplace but to also bank it for the night.
Although there was no glass in the windows and the latched shutters rattled in the wind, the cottage's small, single room was snug. Add cloaks and blankets and the warriors were quite comfortable. A simple supper of dried venison, slightly stale biscuits and the last bottle of wine was shared with little conversation.
No one tarried before bed. The journey from Twilight had been arduous, their Valley ordeals difficult and they would surly face more trials before reaching Deep World.
Trowa and Quatre made their bed in the far corner, layered their blankets and snuggled together for warmth and to engaged in private pillow talk.
Wufei transformed into his natural state. He curled up opposite the whispering lovers, rested his muzzle on his paws and, with a relaxing exhalation, drifted off to sleep.
Heero smoothed out his bedroll then took several minutes to organize his blanket and cloak for maximum heat retention. Duo was not so particular with his bedding and his hurried preparations earned a frown from Heero.
"What?" the Irishman wondered with a sarcastic inflection.
Heero shook his head sending strands of dark hair over his eyes. "I don't understand how you can sleep in such disorder."
Duo crouched like a cat then leaned nearer as if to share a secret. "I'm not as tight assed."
Outside the wind whimpered and the trees shivered. Inside the modest shelter five travelers yielded their weary bodies and fret-worn minds to slumber's drowsy persuasion.
*********
North of the Valley of Visions, in a dell between the foothills, nine campfires cast an eerie glow.
Soldiers wrapped in blankets huddled in small groups. Sentries patrolled the camp's perimeter. Night Watchers kept the Soulless Slaves from wandering off and quelled the creatures' constant quarreling which took the form of hissing, clawing, biting and occasionally devouring each other.
Although breaking up squabbles and beating back snarling zombies was dangerous, reporting any reduction in the reanimated army to General Khushrenada often proved to be more hazardous. The Lord of Darkness had been known to kill guards who failed to maintain order and use their corpses as replacements.
Khushrenada took a sip from his cup of wine. In his liquor-induced stupor, he stared into the fire's scarlet heart with dead eyes that dully reflected the light. A gust of wind flared the flames, brightened the embers and sent blue-gray smoke swirling towards the stars but Khushrenada took no notice.
Odin sat beside his Commander, his wool cloak draped around his shoulders and a blanket tucked over and beneath his legs. The fire had lessened the damp chill but not the chronic pain that served to focus his hatred of Heero Yuy.
Rubbing to relieve the soreness that never entirely went away, Odin mumbled, "Fuck those Warriors of the Rose." He angled his thigh closer hoping the heat would ease the throbbing. "If it weren't for their damned quest I'd be in my bed with a thick down comforter and a whore to keep me warm."
At the mention of Deep World, the Dark Lord redirected his dazed sight at his henchman. "We'll overtake them soon." he declared in slurred words.
"Remember you promised me the Tracker."
Khushrenada drained his cup in one gulp. "He'll be yours but only after that Twilight Priest tells me the way to Deep World."
Odin rearranged his leg and finally found a measure of relief. "The Priest would rather die than tell."
"He might not fear death but the fear of his comrade's entrails hanging from the trees will loosen his tongue."
Khushrenada gazed into the fire and, for several seconds, appeared lost in thought."I'll also take great pleasure in breaking Chang's spirit." he growled, "Yes, the noble Lone Wolf cowering at my feet will be very enjoyable indeed."
*********
Heero's eyelids cracked opened just enough to verify dawn's pale rays filtering through the shutters. His sleep-dulled senses didn't register any particular sensations other than that his head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and his eyes were sticky.
Across the room, Trowa lay on his back. Tuffs of Quatre's blond hair were barely visible above the blanket's hem where his head rested against his lover's shoulder.
Sometime during the night the Chinese wolf had turned around and now granted the Tracker an unobstructed view of his furry rear end.
Snoring softly, Duo was curled up on his side facing Heero. One leg snarled in his blanket, his ratty braid snaked over his shoulder and his cinnamon bangs tangled in his long eyelashes matched the unkempt condition of his sloppily constructed bedding.
With a sigh, Heero closed his eyes, laid still and allowed his ears to relay the morning's sounds to his sluggish brain. At first the timbre was subdued then gradually the subtle quiet wasn't quiet anymore.
Heavy dew shrouded the forest. Beads of moisture collected at the end of every leaf. One droplet succumbing to gravity would hardly be noticed but when thousands strike the shingles in unison they can create a thunderous plopping.
Heero closed his eyes tighter.
Outside the window an unidentified tree dweller generated a single, shrill note. Quickly the sole musical tone became a repetitious cry, screeched out at an accelerated rate.
Raw nerves cringed. Eardrums pounded in protest.
"Enough!" Heero's mind screamed against the multi-front assault.
The Tracker slowly opened his eyes, squinted then blinked to adjust his hazy optics to the red-orange glow streaming through the shutter's slates. Exhaling in a hard puff, he braced his elbows and pushed to sit up. Again he squinted but this time it was to separate a fuzzy image from the dim light.
His clearing vision revealed a slender green body at least a foot in length supported by four scaly appendages. "It" sat or stood, Heero couldn't be certain, less than four feet from his outstretched legs. The being had an oval head fitted with a thin mouth. A paler green tongue darted in and out with a rhythmic meter.
Heero's moving about must have caught the beastie's attention for, on the last trip out, the emerald tongue was left sticking rigidly from a smirking grin. The tip quivered either tasting the air or displaying a rather rude opinion of the stranger sitting in its midst.
But the creature's most prominent feature was bright amber eyes that set on either side of its bony head and the bewildering way each orb was capable of independent swiveling.
The eye nearest Heero was fixed directly on him while its partner was aimed at the ceiling. This cockeyed optical ability was probably very beneficial to the "whatever it is", however, the split viewing did nothing for the Tracker's mental well being.
Heero stared. The one fixed eye stared back.
Doubt began to slip into Heero's mind. He began to wonder if the mini-monster was a mirage from the dregs of a dream. If the beast was not some nightmarish residue...if it was real.
The critter didn't look dangerous but in this foreign land Heero couldn't assume anything. Now his mind was making serious inquires as to whether the mocking mouth was home to more than a flickering tongue. Suddenly he envisioned the seemingly innocent grin parting to expose a wide expanse of razor sharp bits of enamel.
He also had no way to judge the creature's speed or ferocity. The possibility of being set upon by a fast, ravenous "whatever it is" sent chills clawing up his spine and, as luck would have it, his crossbow laid well beyond his reach.
Heero tried to dismiss his fears. He countered his uncertainty by remaining himself that he was at least fifty times larger that the bug-eyed beast and certainly much stronger. Still, without proper biological particulars, it paid to be cautious.
With all the doubts and possibilities planted firmly in his mind, Heero proceeded to carefully slide, by way of series of slow, steady movements, into a fully seated position.
The eye aimed at the ceiling rotated to join its golden partner. The vulgar, vibrating tongue retreated back into the menacing mouth with a slurp.
Heero eased back. The "whatever it is" tilted its head. Both man and beast froze in place.
Without warning the creature reared up on its scaly hind legs, bounced twice then gave the startled Tracker a quick bob of its green head before scurrying up the wall and disappearing into the timbered eaves.
Heero's entire body jerked. All his taut muscles recoiled at once sending him sprawling on the floor. Panting, he laid on his back, stared at the ceiling where the beastie had vanished and fought to vanquish the visions of the creature jumping down on him.
Cold sweat beaded on Heero's face. As he struggled to catch his breath, his head pounded, his heart hammered, his stomach churned and he felt foolish.
It occurred to him that after all his battles with humans, after all the times he'd faced foes that inhabited the other side of the spectral plane, his one moment of greatest vacillation had been caused by a green, bulging eyed "whatever it is".
With some effort, Heero sat up and ran his hands over his clammy face. "I'm getting too old for this." he mumbled under his breath.
Light pressure feathered along Heero's back. Before his brain had a chance to give an order, his survival instincts put his body in motion.
In the blink of an eye he pivoted on his buttocks. His right hand grabbed at shadowy air that turned solid in his tightly clenched fingers. His left hand curled into a fist and his arm cocked back to deliver a swift punch.
"WHOA!" Duo yelped in alarm.
Heero's fist quivered in midair then all the tension drained out at once. His hand loosened its grip and his arm limply dropped away.
"What in the hell are ya tyin' to do...break my arm?" Duo hissed as he rubbed the red fingerprints encircling his wrist.
"You startled me...I thought you...were..." Heero stammered before the remainder of his explanation trailed away with a trembling sigh.
Examining the fingernail indentations marring his skin, Duo wondered. "Were what?"
"I woke up and there was this...this...." Descriptions flooded Heero's mind then receded in a tide of confusion. "I'm sorry."
Duo eased back on his hip and studied the disorientation in the Tracker's eyes. "I sensed no dreams." he stated with equal puzzlement. "Are you all right?"
"I'm not sure." was whispered so lowly Duo strained to hear.
There is a thin line between reality and illusion. Truth is often a matter of perception and many factors can skew actuality. Now Heero was questioning his grasp on that intangible concept called sanity.
Had Heero Yuy finally crossed that hallucinatory line? Could he trust his instincts or have confidence in his inner counsel? Had he lost a portion of his soul in the Valley of Visions and would the apparitions hovering just outside his memory eventually drive him mad?
The touch of Duo's hand on Heero's hand caused him to raise his head and meet the Duel Spirit's concerned eyes. Sunrise bathed Duo's face in golden light and caused his eyes to shimmer like finely faceted violet diamonds.
"Lay with me." Duo encouraged Heero to share his disheveled bed.
"But we..."
Duo placed a finger on Heero's lips to silent any further objections. "Hush." he ordered softly.
Surprisingly, Heero submitted without protest and allowed Duo to pull him into an embrace.
"Do you trust me?" Duo whispered.
"Yes."
"With your heart?"
Heero fixed Duo's tender gaze and without hesitation declared. "With my life."
"Then you'll never journey alone." Duo pledged before sealing his promised with a kiss.
Heero closed his eyes and melted into the kiss. There was no lust, no grappling or grinding of bodies, just two people clinging to each other for a few fleeting moments of consolation.
The kiss ended with a mutual sigh. Duo brushed his fingers over Heero's cheek. "Hold me for now. Today will unfold as it wishes. Tomorrow will take care of itself and the Devil can wait."
TBC...
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