Pact sealed, left the elder and his entourage, stood behind the female warrior; she stared at the back of her comrades, whilst the woman stared at her well-defined abdominal muscles, colored orange by the torchlight. Touching her own flat belly, she pouted. Glancing at the warrior’s three sizes, she felt around her breasts and buttocks, and measured one palm and a half from their heads; back slumped, her ears drooped.
The warrior nudged her gently; gusts of wind on flickering flames, the shadows, one small one big, tunneled deeper into the cave. Ahead split the path, no light of fire, some steps echoing to their location. Rock stakes by nature crafted, water slid to their tips and dripped, background noise for looming abyss. The woman plucked some petals, last of their batch, and followed; close by, hushed sounds of sharpened blades, some tearing much too loud.
Wild smell washed by water, the warrior picked a slab of meat, offering it to the woman; holding bloody and tender morsel, she saw her companion coveting a piece, tearing and swallowing it in large mouthfuls. Flashing her small canines, the woman nibbled at her meal, mouth barely fitting.
They progressed through a different path, walls widened and spared of carvings; at the end, streaks of blue light thinner than grains of sand, shadows' depth in minute changes. The warrior threw a rock straight; a wave of sound hit thick rods, issuing a pleasant staccato. Her body moved, seeking it; a gust of wind, she contorted and followed the breeze, steps elusive and nimble, climbing to the top. Freeze; another gust of wind, another graceful sway, limbs warm with blood, flexible muscles slithering from one pole to another, ceaseless. On her forehead a layer of sweat, she reappeared in front of the woman, nudging her.
The woman held her chin, brows furrowed, soft caress at her fingertips; a short melody issued. Her eyes flashed past each rod as they produced different sounds, fainter from distance, harder to grasp; wind, she closed her eyes and moved. Fast and free, led by the noise, her body a source of it; waves crashed at the pillars, a melody of wreck, her body smoothly riding the waves, pointless. The warrior shook her head, leg forward to reenact the steps.
Every day they trained, will not lacking, energy boundless; new iteration, more progress, her development noticeable every time. After a particular instance, the warrior pointed her thumb towards herself, then at the woman, both nodding; a gust of wind, they bolted to the nearest rod, the woman a quarter second sooner. The air carried a sweet ballad, its aura murderous thick, two shadows dancing on each other’s steps, battling to their last. As the woman reached for the top, the warrior crashed a wave, rupturing the wind; like a snake, the woman contorted her body and danced to the new tune. Flying ahead, the warrior felt on her leg a weak tug, soft skin rubbing on her abs, mere scratch, and on her muscular back a weight known; jumping over her head, the woman stood at the top, grinning from ear to ear, eyes curving into crescents.
The warrior nodded slowly, a corner of her mouth twitching, her facial muscles stiff as always. The next day after resting, they went out of the cave; three muscular tribesmen for them waited, severe countenances that of gate guardians, spears secured on hands. At a reasonable pace, the group went far from the cave; a scout in the distance, rushing, slowed his steps while approaching. They cooped a feel at the stones and changed direction; miles away, they rushed without looking back.
Hours on the clock, at the thick of the swamp, the ringed neck of the beast long-living eclipsed their shapes; behind the rustling leaves, they slowly dropped down the branches and spread each to a direction, the woman following her assigned warrior. A while later, above they met, sharing runes. Tapping the woman's shoulder the warrior left her side, they formed a triangle around the giant Naobi; piercing the wind, spears flew in sequence, body as one, toward the soft tissue beneath the forested body. So soon the weapons threatened, bound and tied they spun, ropes circling, the serrated ends scratching the Naobi’s skin. Its body bleeding fire, raged the beast a wretched cry, feet a spinning wheel toppling trees as it moved, setting a chain reaction. The second wave reached, wound spreading as a crack; another spear, they changed locations, always opposite its death-spitting mouth, aim the same.
The sky blurred during a few moments; both the Naobi and the tribesmen hastened their attacks, almost frenzied, beast burning away a vast expanse of land as it fell. The large body collapsed heavily, shaking the tree roots toppling and illuminating the swamp; water evaporated where it landed, not even charcoal left. Its fire-billowing carcass was quick to solidify, forming a mound; the warriors each grabbed a side of its heart, carrying it away with the woman.
Strong and heavy beats, the creature’s life pumped on their backs; stopping only to kill courageous prey, preying snakes and bloodsuckers, they carried it towards Sadro's place. Nearing the hollow tree, the tribesmen waited outside as the woman rolled the boulder. Awakened by the noises, Sadro shook his sleeves and lighted a fire, squinting his eyes at the entrance.
-Hmm, more eggs? - he mumbled, eyes moistened and irritable.
Sweating profusely and warmed by exhaustion, it was a job herculean to carry the thing so big as to supply her a month's food. Rubbing his eyes, Sadro squinted harder at the enormous sphere and touched it; the pulse of life rubbed on his skin, his heart skipped a beat, washing away the drowsiness.
-A living one? That couldn’t have been better! - he caressed the heart, gluing his head to the rocky walls – excellent, excellent...
Smile receding, Sadro coughed twice, his tone professional.
-I will be quite busy in the next few days, do you mind if I teach you the week after?
Wiping away her sweat, the woman looked up and furrowed her brows to almost vertical slits, jaw clenched; staring at her eyes, Sadro immediately backed away a step. Ears twitching, the woman’s eyes brightened up and she shined him a warm smile, making her leave. As Sadro heaved a sigh, he saw a man stalk inside, bulky arms that could flatten if not destroy him, spear more likely to crush than to pierce; he wrenched the hem of his clothes and smiled stiffly, his hands suddenly cold.
Leaving, the woman perceived a change in direction, headed to the defeated Naobi's camp; tilting her head, she followed behind. Smell stifling, the carbonized chunks chimed as they fell, some yet to burn down to a char. The warrior extended a hand, barring her way, and pointed with her chin to one such tree; squinting her eyes, the woman noticed the flame dying at a rate incomprehensible. Shaking her head, she closed and opened her eyes, a pointed look; the fire contorted before vanishing, followed by a black blur. With a flap of wings, a small bird blacker than night rose and vanished, its feathers sky mingled.
Returning to the cave, she was led to the carving of the Naobi; torch closer, there lay tiny dots at the highest point. Furrowing her eyebrows, she opened the charred tome. On the first page, a bird with curly feathers, almost fur, round and fat, only its drill-like beak showing. Image shifting, the feathers sharpened, straightened and repositioned, and the bird dove to the ground like an arrow; flapping its wings, he puffed up again as the claws slid to the ground, taking up flight at the end.
Drifter: Bird tailored by Mandriella, Goddess of Death. Ruler of the soul realm, she was very displeased at Imanus' Naobi, forging beasts whose sole purpose is to extinguish its fire, permanently; their obsession with heat, however, made them erratically hunt every animal on their surroundings, causing the extinction of many species. Unconcerned about their survival, Drifters are extremely aggressive in their pursuit.
