The Fox & The Wolf Pt:1

Book One, Chapter Two: Souls

Erebus: This place look's abandoned.
The village they had came across is known as the cursed tribe of the Zuni people.
Dohasan: I wondered who built these buildings in this heat?
Erebus: No can't you tell..... it's much cooler inside those stone pillars.
Dohasan: Now that you mentioned it yes I do, it feels comfortable.
Erebus: Hello is anybody here!!!!?
Out of the shadows came the entire tribe. They circled around Erebus and Dohasan and then began to praise them.
Erebus: Their praising us?
Dohasan: Not us my lord, their bowing to you.
Zuni chief: Hello we are so pleased to have a member of the royal family within our village.
Erebus: How did you know?
Zuni chief: Your mana feels the same as your father's just a lot colder and only those of royal blood or members of the demon army, like your skinwalker friend can enter our village.
Erebus: Why are you all in the Big Sand, aren't you all human?
Zuni chief: When the God's created humans they blessed use all with the ability to feel mana in the air but, their were many of us who couldn't use it. We could only feel. Many of us were thrown into the big Sand by humans and God's for not being able to use mana. We were treated like less than human's.
Erebus: So you prayed to my father and he gave you protection.
Zuni tribe: Yes and for that blessing to come from a demon and not a God is why we are forever grateful to you and your family.
Erebus: I see. That's why it feels different inside here than the rest of the Sand. I thought human's weren't allowed to pray to Massaw.
Zuni tribe: We aren't. Massaw came to us and offered us a deal.
Dohasan: What kind of deal?
Zuni chief: That if we pray to him he will protect us from the other demons in this hellish environment. All he ask is that we send our prayers to him.
Erebus: Why would he need your prayers?
Zuni chief: It's not that he truly needs them, our prayers added together add on to his mana.
Erebus: Well sorry to tell you but my father and the rest of my family are probably dead.
Zuni chief: What do you mean?
Erebus: The God's and humans stormed the Palace and I'm pretty sure they killed them.
Zuni chief: We know your father is still alive because we are still protected by his blessing. But please allow us to throw a festival for your arrival, you two can stay as long as you would like.
As the sun began to set, the tribe's people started making preparations for the festival. Dohasan was overwhelmed with lust as some of the women from the village sat around him. In the midst of his fun he noticed Erebus on top of a building looking out into space.
Dohasan: My prince, is everything okay?
Looking over his shoulder Erebus said" Huh, oh yeah I'm fine it's just...... I've never seen that huge white thing in the sky before. Honestly in all our travels I don't think I've ever experienced the night sky. It's so beautiful with all the bright lights and colors."
Dohasan(chuckles): That huge thing in the sky is called the moon and those little white dots are called stars. This is how the night sky looks in the human world most of the time.
Erebus: Wow really? I learned that we had been walking for some year's now. It's crazy it didn't even feel like it.
Dohasan: That's because here in the underworld time doesn't exist and plus the Sun never goes down so its day time all the time.
Erebus: Tell me, what are stars?
Dohasan: Stars are other worlds that have long since died my prince. The lights you see are the last sign that something was out there.
Erebus: Interesting. Dohasan let me ask you a question..... if you could be human, would you?
Dohasan: What do you mean my prince?
Erebus: Like look at them down there. Even tho their own people and God's have abandoned them here, look at how they laugh and smile. So my question to you is, if you had the opportunity to be a human.....would you take it?
Looking down at the tribe Dohasan thought deeply about his answer.
Dohasan: I thought about it before, just living a simple life. Away from the wars and away from the hate, but I can't deny what I really am. I'm proud to be a skinwalker I just truly don't like confrontation.
Erebus: I think you should try being human for once.
Dohasan: I wouldn't know how to start being human.
Erebus: Me either, but I think we can learn from them. I'm sorry I've just been thinking a lot lately. I guess that's the human in me.
Dohasan: There's no need to apologize. You know my prince, you may be extremely strong and smart, but you've only been outside for a few years. Just give it some time my prince and I'm sure all your questions will be answered. Now come, I do believe they're ready to start.
In the center of the village burned a huge fire for the festival. Many different foods were served. Erebus and Dohasan stuffing their face's with food as fast as possible.
Erebus: This food is amazing. It's way better than eating demons.
Zuni chief(laughs): Well I'm glad you two are enjoying yourselves. If you don't mind me asking my prince, you are part human yourself aren't you?
Erebus: Yes I am. My father said that forty percent of my DNA is human.
Zuni chief: I didn't think you could mix divine magic with human magic.
Erebus: What do you mean divine magic? Remember we're still demons, oh and by the way where are your souls? Not one of you have a soul anymore.
Zuni chief: That was the price we paid for protection from your father. Our souls are feeding energy to your father and in return he gives us a habitable place to live and grow food here.
Erebus: I see, but why did you ask?
Zuni chief: My prince, being that you're part human means you too have a soul. This means you're able to see thing's with a form of compassion and understanding.
Erebus: I have been feeling conflicted about my mission from my father. A part of me wants to have what you all have here.
Zuni chief: What does your heart want?
Erebus: I guess, I wanna get out of the Sand and enjoy a life of my own.
Zuni chief: You want to try being human don't you?
Erebus: I want to try being happy like how you guy's are.
The chief laughed and said " You are a wise young man. I have no doubt that you'll find what your looking for."
Erebus: Hey Dohasan by the way, just what are skinwalkers? I mean you look human but I can definitely tell your a demon.
Dohasan swallowed the food in his mouth and said " Skinwalkers are demon who can walk amongst humans. I can make myself look more human and I can hear their fears. Were as Wendigo's are raw power, we skinwalkers use the fear all humans carry with them against themselves."
Erebus: So where do you stand in rank with the rest of us?
Dohasan: We are second only to the royal family. We weren't made from your father's blood but more so from his mana.
As they continued to eat and talk Erebus appeared to be enjoying himself. Some of the tribes people dance around the fire and everyone was having an amazing night. Many epic tales of the human world were told. In the midst of it all Erebus looked up at the moon and smiled.