Outcasts Chapter 1

The wind blew through the moonlit night. I walked quickly along the shadow trees, making my careful way towards what would soon be my home. I clambered up the dark hill, panting as I came to the top. I stopped and surveyed the world around me. The moon shed little light, but it was enough all the same for me to see. I watched the distance houses as the candle lights slowly diminished and fell into sleeping darkness. The only noise was of the wind as it rustled the autumn leaves. I brushed a colorful leaf from off my shoulder, watching as it was carried away by the wind.

With a low sigh I turned around, facing the heap of stones that stood in the circle of trees. These were the Carrier’s Stones, said to have been piled there by the ancient people of our land as a symbol of peace and harmony. Now, it was only a sign of the hatred of the people in the villages below. There was rumor that many of society's outcasts lived in these rocks. Since I was discovered, I had been moving quietly from village to village, but my identity seemed to be well known in all the villages of Skirum, leaving me to run when I was seen by many of the village people, who pursued me with swords and axes.

Pushing the vast memories from my mind, I walked carefully towards the Carrier’s Stones. I was alert, aware that if the rumors were true, that I could be in grave danger, and yet I did not fear the creatures that lived here. I was one of them now, and I didn’t fear that they wouldn’t be able to tell. It was easy to tell who the Barafu’s were, given our skin was marked with the symbol of our kind. I walked tentatively forwards, ever aware of the silence that hung in the moving air.

I heard nothing as I approached the stone, searching the darkness with my eyes. I saw nothing in the shadows of the rock, yet I had a feeling that more that one pair of eyes was watching me. I turned slowly in a circle, searching the ghostly trees for signs. A branch on a tall, red leafed tree looked weighted down compared to the companion branches. I stared intensely at the spot, knowing someone was there, but choosing to ignore them. I wasn’t there to cause a fight, I was there to find shelter, and the one they called Bayfire. I continued my observations, looking for signs of others, but I saw none. I turned back towards the stones and suddenly, the silhouette of a man stood on the top rock. The moon stood behind him, casting an almost heavenly glow about him. He looked down at me, and I looked carefully up at him.

I heard the sound even before the man was on top of me. I dodged left and watched as the giant of a man landed where I had been standing. He turned and looked at me with wry yellow eyes that reflected in the moon’s light. The lycanthrope’s eyes pierced me to the bone, but I did not move, I did not surrender as he tried to make me think. I knew the power of creatures like him, I knew how to avoid their influence. I blinked and the man was suddenly in front of me. His massive hands grabbed my arms and heaved me into the air. His muscles rippled throughout his body, but I didn’t look away from his eyes. I didn’t dare look away from his eyes because I knew the consequences. He held me in the air as if I was a rag doll, letting me dangle freely feet from the ground. I didn’t fight, didn’t take my eyes of him.

“Now now now, what do we have here here here?” A high pitched voice asked from below me.

With a low growl, the man tossed me to the ground. My eyes never left his wry eyes as I fell onto my back on the ground. The man stalked toward me, growling low and dangerous. Standing at his feet, half hunched over, was a small man, who smiled wickedly at me with sharp pointed teeth. I scooted backwards, trying to get out from under the man’s feet as he moved closer. I hit a curved rock, feeling it press against my back, preventing me from moving further. I kept my eyes on the man, my own challenge vibrating towards him.

“Tride,” a deep voice said. The man stopped where he was, a foot from me, growling down at me like the part creature he was. I didn’t take my eyes off of his. I saw the shadow moving out of the corner of my eye and then the voice spoke again: “You know where you tread?”

“Yes,” I returned quietly, too quietly for any human to hear, but these men weren’t all human.

“Why are you here?”

“I seek Bayfire,” I said, my voice hardly a whisper.

“You you you look for Bayfire Bayfire Bayfire?” The high pitched voice came from the half man who half hopped, half walked towards me. I knew instantly what he was, an Iman. Half human, half Imp, a powerful creature.

“I am he,” the man said, coming closer. I watched the shadow move towards me. He put an arm on his friend, and Tride looked away. Freed from his yellow eyes, I turned towards the shadow. He was a muscular man, his build was smaller than the lycanthrope that stood next to him, but still twice the size of the Iman that stood close to me. I glared into the Iman’s eyes. We were natural enemies, Imans and Barafus. Imans commanded the power of fire, and Barafus the power of ice.

“Who are you?” Bayfire asked.

“That is of no matter.”

“Why do you come here?”

“I seek shelter with you.”

“Why? What are you that you can’t find shelter anywhere else?” I didn’t answer, I just reached my bare hand up towards Bayfire, showing him my palm and the mark of my people that was on it. It was a diamond, in the center, a four pointed star with four squiggly lines coming from the star. Bayfire studied my hand in silence, bending to see it closer. And then, he straightened.

“I see. Where are your people?” Bayfire asked. I closed my fist and pulled my hand back into me, hoping the awful Iman had not seen. Life was miserable enough, I didn’t need to add the fiery hatred of that creature.

“I know not, it has been many, many winters since I have seen them,” I replied watching Bayfire carefully. His eyes were a dimmer yellow than Tride’s, but they were the eyes of a lycanthrope all the same. Lycanthropes were not known for their loyalty to outsiders, especially to those that could pose a threat. They were most likely to kill before asking questions, which left me to watch them more carefully than that clumsy Iman. A look was exchanged between the lycanthropes and it was as if they were making a silent agreement. I felt the cold boiling inside me, ready to be used if an attack came. A nod was shared between the two lycanthropes and then Bayfire turned to me.

“If you agree to be part of our pack, then we welcome your stay,” Bayfire said, extending a powerful hand to me. I watched his face in the moonlight for signs of malevolence, but there were none. I took the lycanthrope’s hand, and with no effort from my side, he lifted me to my feet. Standing on my feet, inches from the tall and mighty lycanthrope, I looked at the three creatures that stood in front of me. Bayfire was looking at me with the same search for malevolence that I had shown him. Tride stared at me sharply from over Bayfire’s shoulder, but looked away when he matched my eyes. The Iman had hopped to Bayfire’s side, looking up at him with anger and astonishment.

“No no no! The the the Barafu cannot stay stay stay! Tricky tricky tricky her is is is. Her her her be slippery slippery slippery! No no no trust the icy beast beast beast!”

“Quiet HalfSmoke,” Bayfire said firmly, not looking at the half sized man that was at his side, glaring from me to Bayfire.

“No no no! I I I not stay if her be here here here!”

“You are welcome to fend on your own.” The Iman fell quiet immediately. He looked up at Bayfire with contempt and then turned with burning, blazing glare on me. I returned his harsh look with an icy challenge of my own.

“If you are to stay, we must know what to call you,” Bayfire said, as if nothing had been said.

“Patara,” I said quietly.

“We welcome you, Patara.”