Spirits of Alaruk

Chapter 10: Preparation

Standing before the Naku clan nomad's herd of kariags, Treke precariously eyed the group of large beasts as they nibbled away on shrubs and cactus fruits provided for them while they were held in a large pen. A few kariags looked back at her, staring absentmindedly as they gnawed on their meal, flicking their ears to catch the notable sounds around the camp.

"So, you've never seen a kariag before today, eh?" The yellow desert fuglan nomad she met earlier decided he wanted to amuse himself with her lack of experience.

"No, the desert is completely unknown to me..."

"Iatak, you're in for a real treat then," he replied gleefully. "I can't wait to show you all the desert has to offer."

"Your name is Greru, correct?"

Greru grinned with a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Yes! I'm impressed, but let's hope you can learn how to ride a kariag as quickly as you learn names."

"My companions and I will need to learn a lot before we travel." She glanced over at Siku and Taksue across the camp, who appeared to be speaking with the other nomad, Variz. "I hope so, too..."

"Don't worry--you have us to lead the way. We know the desert landscape better than anyone in the whole clan." Greru patted a kariag with reassurance, which grunted and whistled in response. "It's easy to get lost out there if you don't know what you're doing."

"Oh..."

"You could die from heat exhaustion, dehydration, starvation, or eaten by wild animals..."

"Oh no..."

"Knowing where good food and water sources are nearby is essential for survival, but you can leave the hunting to us if we run low on supplies." Greru smiled slyly. "Unless you'd like to learn that too? Hunting is my favorite."

"I-I don't plan to do any hunting on our journey..."

"Ah, what a shame! But if you ever change your mind, let me know. I might even show you my knife collection I use for skinning and dressing," he chuckled.

"Um, well, I-I..." Treke stuttered as she tried to find something to say. The desert fuglan's offer was a bit off-putting and she wasn't sure how trustworthy he really was.

"Greru, don't tease the forest fuglan," Variz chided as he approached the two, hobbling along with a bamboo walking cane.

"I'm not! I'm just trying to help her out so she can learn things!"

Variz smacked one of Greru's legs with his cane. "Quit goofing off and start packing up the supplies. I'll be teaching this one how to ride." He gave Treke a wink as Greru complied with a snort and left them alone. "Don't mind him, friend. He likes to cause a bit of trouble for everyone. He's just like that and why I usually need to keep an eye on him."

Treke sighed with relief. "Is he your partner?"

"Yep, we've been sharing a tent together for years. We try our best to look out for each other out here." Variz rubbed his hands together with excitement. "So, are you ready to learn how to ride?"

Treke looked over the herd of kariags again, trying to spot the least intimidating one. "I suppose... I'm a little nervous, to be honest. I've never rode a creature that large before."

"Our herd is fairly tame, don't worry. I'll let you ride Kilu, one of our older kariags. She's very mellow."

Treke agreed to follow Variz to one section of the pen, where he had a blanket and saddle ready to put on the kariag. With the creature saddled and sitting, he demonstrated how to mount it by climbing onto its back. "Like this! Now you try," he said as he hopped back off.

If Variz had little trouble riding a kariag, even with a missing leg, then surely it wasn't that hard. Treke climbed up and sat down. "Okay, so how do I get her to stand--"

As the creature abruptly stood up, Treke felt herself tumbling backwards and sliding off the back of its thick, tapering tail. Landing in the dust, she heard laughter from other nomads and watched Zizi zip around her, woken up by the tumbling around, before it made a beeline for the pond on the other side of the camp. She groaned and dusted herself off, trying to regain her confidence.

"Oh, I should have mentioned you should hold onto the reins so you don't fall off," chuckled Variz. "I didn't even get to show you that part yet! Do you want to keep trying?"

"If I must," Treke sighed, letting Variz help her back on. With a verbal command, the kariag stood up and lifted her with it as she held on tight.

"See? It's not so bad, once you get a hang of it."

Siku, who had been watching Treke, rushed over to the pen. "Wow, you're riding a kariag! How is it, Treke?"

"A little wobbly, but I can see a lot more from this height."

"Can I give it a try next?"

"Of course, as soon as I figure out how to get her to sit--"

On command, the kariag folded up its legs and collapsed onto the ground, bringing Treke down with it and landing with a thump.

"Iatak, you're learning faster than I can teach you!" said Variz with a grin.

"I think that's enough riding for me, for the moment," Treke groaned, offering to give Siku a turn. With her friend's energetic and bold personality, she figured Siku would have a much easier time picking up riding. Sitting on the side to take a break, she decided to chat with Variz for a bit. "Can I ask how you lost your leg, Variz? I imagine it makes riding a bit more challenging for you."

"Ah, this? I got bit by a critter while hunting a few years back. It got infected and Greru had to cut it off."

"Oh my!"

"Yeah, but it's not so bad though. Greru also carved me a new leg. Speaking of which..." He extended his leg to show Treke and popped off the prosthetic. It was remarkably well carved from hardwood and polished with coconut oil. "This thing gets uncomfortable to wear all the time, but it helps me walk."

"He made that for you?"

"Yep, he cut off my leg and replaced it with a new one," Variz laughed. "He also got this walking cane for me."

Despite Greru's behavior, Treke found it was oddly sweet to care so much for his partner. "Does it... still hurt?"

Variz shrugged indifferently. "Sometimes I can still feel my leg as if it were still there, but it doesn't bother me that much. The pain usually gets worse during the wet season."

"I'm not sure if you knew this, but I'm actually a healer."

"Oh yeah?"

"To be honest, I'm not quite accustomed to using healing magic yet, but I do have a lot of experience with salves and herbal teas."

"I don't think medicine can help me get a new leg," Variz laughed.

"I-it's just to help with the pain! Healing magic is not strong enough to heal entire limbs."

"Well, I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll be fine. I managed to make it this far, after all. Pretty remarkable I managed to heal through losing a leg."

"I see... I don't want to bother you any more about it, but let me know if you ever change your mind."

"Sure. You seem all right."

Now that they got to know each other a little better, Variz and Treke watched as Siku attempted to ride Kilu the kariag. The beast was too stubborn to stand up and Siku was having trouble.

"Come on! Kalagala, move already!" Siku looked back at the two fuglans and shrugged helplessly, wondering why the kariag wouldn't listen to her.

"Have you tried asking Kilu to stand up?" asked Variz.

"What do you mean? I have! I don't know why she won't stand up--" Siku wrapped her arms around the kariag in surprise as it suddenly stood up on command, nearly knocking her off. It was enough to startle the creature as it bolted forward with Siku still holding on. "Wait, slow down!" she shouted as the kariag panicked, doing laps around the pen.

Treke couldn't help but chuckle a little at the situation, almost feeling a bit guilty she found it so amusing despite being in a similar position earlier. As Siku wailed for assistance, a few nomads stepped in to calm the kariag down. It was amusing that even Siku, bold and brash, couldn't handle a gentle old kariag by herself.

* * *

"The full moon is merely a few nights away, my fellow fuglans," said Karrak, addressing his followers in a large chamber within the Derunerin caves. His following had grown to two thirds of the Ralukah clan, which meant the splintering of the clan was imminent. He just had to push them just a little more. "The Figrras clan has agreed to assist us to take Hulerin, but there is still one issue: Elder Tladek still disapproves of this plan, as well as a number of members of the Ralukah clan."

"Then we should cast him out," said Tsevik, egging on the rest of the followers.

"Yes, he only holds us back by keeping us down here," added Duikez.

Karrak's two most loyal followers, Tsevik and Duikez, had been at work converting the others by planting the seed of suggestion over the course of the last month. Most of the cave fuglans had been easy to sway with subtle discussions and rumors, here and there, but Elder Tladek and his immediate circle were found to be too strong-willed and attached to their traditional ways to ever consider. Between the three of them, Karrak believed his plan would work by splintering the clan and pushing the resistors out.

"I agree, Tsevik, but what of the rest of the clan? How do they feel about this?"

There was a murmur among the collective of fuglans as they listened, and it appeared most of them agreed as well.

"Elder Tladek is old and his time to lead has passed, don't you think?" Karrak reasoned. "Most of you are still quite young and have much left to live. Poor Uadran was so young when she passed last month and she will never get that chance. Will you allow yourselves to rot down here as well, to deprive yourself to experience the outside world?"

The murmuring grew to a loud chatter as Karrak continued his speech.

"That's not to say you have to leave, but when else will you get such an opportunity as this? I certainly couldn't tell you, but Tladek believes it is best to rot here in the darkness."

Karrak remained silent as the sound of rallying cave fuglans filled the cavern, successfully swayed by his words. This was far too easy. By creating a relatable plight and appealing with a persuasive solution, he had the cave fuglans in the palm of his hand. But the commotion came to an abrupt halt as a familiar gruff voice entered the chamber.

"What's the meaning of all this?!"

"Ah, Elder Tladek. It seems the clan grows restless."

Tladek's eyes shifted towards the blue tail light in the center of the chamber. "Karrak! Is this your doing?"

"We were having a discussion among the clan. Have you changed your mind about Hulerin?"

"Certainly not!" Tladek scoffed. "We give you shelter and sanction here in our caves, and this is how you repay us for our hospitality?"

It seemed Elder Tladek was quickly losing favor with a majority of the clan as several members retaliated with shouting and tail-light blinking. Karrak grinned deviously behind his cowl, savoring the outrage in the old fuglan's voice.

"As a healer, I'm merely looking out for the best interest of your clan. This dark, dank atmosphere is not ideal for one's health... You've lost several lives to an unknown sickness within the time I've been here, and I believe the cause is the air in these caves. I'm giving your clan an opportunity to leave and live a better life."

"You have done nothing but shun our way of life, Karrak, you arrogant fool! I should have never trusted you!"

The slight against him wounded Karrak's ego, but he remained calm nonetheless. "Ludaru, now is the time," he whispered harshly.

He must leave... He must leave!

The air grew thick with animosity as rranha filled the cavern, turning the cave fuglans more hostile. Igniting the dispute even further, it would give Karrak the upperhand.

"Silence, Tladek! We've made our decision!" shouted one clan member. Several more began to push the elder out of the chamber. Realizing there was no hope in de-escalation, Tladek became quickly overwhelmed as an angry mob began to form and made an escape through the tunnels.

"Ralukah clan, it has been decided!" shouted Karrak. "In three nights, we will join the Figrras clan to attack Hulerin! Anyone who is not with us will be forced to join or be cast out!"

The cheering from the fuglans roared and echoed throughout the caves that night. With both the Ralukah and Figrras clans on his side, everything was going according to plan.

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