The Tale of Outh'n Durr

Chapter 6 - Acceptance

Snuffling startled him and little puffs of air danced over Outh'n's face moving from ear to ear, from crown to chin. He opened his eyes to watch as the wuveia continued its inspection from his neck to his knees. When it finished, it sat as well, and simply stared at Outh'n.

How long he sat with the creature was a mystery, but the stinging in his legs warned him to move soon. Would the great beast attack when he obeyed the frantic urging of his legs? Perhaps small movements would be best. He opened one palm and offered it to the wuveia, facing up. The beast, dark brown dotted with gold and cream flecks, bent its head to sniff tentatively at the offered appendage.

The cold touch of its snout startled Outh'n and the sound that came from his throat sounded so fearful he was ashamed. The animal obviously meant no harm. "I'm sorry, friend. Stories of the fierceness of your kind have spread far." He reached a shaking hand toward the wuveia and tentatively touched the space between its shaggy, pointed ears. The fur was coarse and full of seed burrs. But he managed a good scratch behind its ears. As surely as the rising of the suns, its tongue was soon lolling happily.

Outh'n smiled. He'd lost his best friend but Tugansol smiled on him for the second time this dawning. "Will you walk with me, friend?" he asked as he rose to his feet, reached out to the nearest tree for support. He growled in pain as blood raced toward his feet. For a while, he concentrated on each breath. When he felt his legs would support him, he headed for the main path.

His new friend would have none of it, though, steering him deeper into the forest.

"This way, eh?" He looked into the wuveia's eyes and shrugged. "Alright, friend. I will trust you. All others have either betrayed me or are out of my reach. If you feel you must leave in the end, I won't hold it against you. But I thank you for your presence now. Being a tiav'yag is a lonely thing." He allowed the beast to lead him and kept as close as he dared.

When he fell behind, which he was prone to do — Bazhbet Mehya and his own moyri had stuffed his pack full of supplies — the wuveia waited for him to catch up. They traveled in this way for the better part of the dawning. As evening crept across the sky-dome and the tree shadows grew long and blended with each other, they came to a rocky den. His new friend alerted the others of his kind with a series of guttural whines and grunts. Outh'n wondered if this would be an ending or a beginning.

An older, graying member of the pack, loped toward Outh'n who stood his ground, holding his breath. He'd thought his friend was huge! This one stood eye-level with him. The sniffing ritual was repeated, this time punctuated with a beast kiss which left a trail of cold saliva on his branded cheek. The others of the pack drew nearer, each of them sniffing at him curiously, interjecting more grunts and whines. He stood still, waiting patiently until the inspection of the new being in their midst was completed.

When all had either settled back on their haunches or stretched out fully on the ground, Outh'n removed his pack and carefully set it down. He unbuckled the flap and rummaged around inside until he found the packet of jerked meat his moyri had included. Pulling the small bag open at the mouth, he offered pieces to each of them. The small bits of meat were gone in seconds. He wondered whether they would fight each other or attack him to get more of the food, but they simply ate each offering and sat quietly. Some drifted off to sleep while others seemed to keep watch. A few slunk off into the forest, the sounds they made muffled, but telling as they drifted through the trees. It must be their mating season.

Outh'n couldn't help but wonder if there would ever be a chance for him to find a life-mate. Who'd have him now, branded as he was? Another tiav'yag? But could he trust any of them? He'd done nothing to warrant his mark but that wouldn't be true of all the others. How could he tell the good from the bad? These questions and more thrummed a discordant lullaby which sent him into restless sleep that night.

An insistent nudge in the small of his back woke him before the suns had risen. His new friend was most insistent and not about to be ignored. "Alright, alright. I'm getting up." He sat up and stretched. When he cleared the sleep from his eyes, he noticed the pack standing at alert. A series of harsh growls punctuated with snapping jaws sent them scurrying in several directions.

Outh'n grabbed for his pack. He'd forgotten to buckle the flap last night and a few items flew free in his haste. Muttering under his breath, he left them. Maybe he could replace them and maybe not but his life was definitely more important than whatever had flown free, even food. He'd learned to be resourceful in the few nainda since his trial.

A brown flash up ahead showed his friend dashing into a heavy patch of shrubs. He followed heedless of what lay ahead, only caring what might happen if he got left behind. The heavy pack carried awkwardly in his arms to avoid more spillage slowed him down but he put on an extra burst of speed, reaching the bushes just in time. He took a few precious moments to carefully hide himself among them so broken branches would be less likely to give him away. Then the waiting game began.

Voices drifted to him, the words he could pick out filling him with anger and frustration. A cold nose touched his knuckles in warning. He forced his muscles to relax and urged his ears to listen harder.

"But Kurg'l," Deil'n whined, "we've been following his trail for so long now. Why haven't we caught up?"

"Who says we haven't?" Outh'n's chest tightened as he held his breath. They must've spotted his scattered belongings.

"What is that?"

"Looks like jerked meat in this one. And, " Silence fell over the clearing while Kurg'l inspected his other find. "This one's full of dried berries."

"Hey, look at this," Deil'n's excitement was a tangible thing and couldn't bode well for Outh'n. He glanced at his friend whose shoulders twitched beside him and laid a calming hand on the one nearest him. The great beast stilled.

Kurg'l's cackle of glee was the most unpleasant sound Outh'n had ever heard. "We're going back, Deil'n. See here?"

"Wuveia?" Outh'n could hear the taint of fear in the younger man's voice.

"What are you afraid of? They've overtaken Outh'n. He's scrawny but surely they've had their fill. So, we're leaving. If they've gotten him, and it looks like they have, then my prize was stolen from me. The result's the same, though."

Footsteps strong and sure paced away from the shrubs where Outh'n and his friend hid. Even though their voices were fading, Outh'n overheard their final words.

"Outh'n Durr was a craven misfit and I have no idea why Alanyin chose him over me or you." He snorted in disgust. "Why Tugansol would grant him such speed and accuracy, and gift him with an illustrious apprenticeship is a mystery which will remain hidden. The Creator's allotment of blessing sure did seem to rest on him. At least now I'm rid of him and can get on with my suit of Ailyin. She will pay for the trouble he's caused me but by the time she understands, it'll be too late."

Tears flowed down Outh'n's cheeks unheeded. All this time, Kurg'l's only aim had been to utterly destroy him. Outh'n finally understood. The desire to receive the violet ribbon and triple flame medal might have been the truth, but Kurg'l hated him, truly hated him. Why? Outh'n had thought his heart couldn't be broken anymore but when he realized there was nothing he could've done to change the current outcome, he found a shard which had been left intact shattered.