City of IF

[Shady Stoat]

Okay, this chapter didn't turn out at all like I expected. I promise Keli WILL get to the City eventually, but for now...

CHAPTER FOUR:

The werewolf waited.

“I… I’ll try,” said Keli, at last.

Renau nodded her head, and rose to leave.

“But…” stammered Keli. Renau turned to look back at her. “But what if I can’t do it? What if there’s no way in?”

The wolf considered the pale girl for a moment.

“There will be a way in. It simply remains to be seen whether you and Shakal can find it.”

A moment later, she was gone.

Keli stared blankly outside at the pouring rain. Even now, she didn’t know if she’d done the right thing. These creatures were strangers to her. How could she know their motivations? How could she be sure that what they asked of her was even possible?

What choice did she have?

She huddled miserably into the damp leather of her hideous purple coat. The wolves had sounded so serious, talking of death and war and banishment. What did they want in Shift City? Could it be something they had left behind? Did they want to pass information, or use their magic to lay waste to the city? If she helped them in, would she be responsible for what happened afterward?

Malkai would never tell her why Shakal was going back. He’d kill her first; and if she had said ‘no’, he would probably have killed her as well. Even if he hadn’t, she wouldn’t have been able to survive for long, without any belongings or money. Her own people had taken everything away from her – and all she’d been able to salvage was one horrible overcoat… and a portrait talisman.

She felt in her pocket again. It was still there. Drawing it out, she looked at the trinket. She thought of the boy who had pressed it into her hand, and of the dream she had tried to warn him about.

Keli shook her head, suddenly angry. Useless thing! She threw it out of the shelter and into the muddy ground outside. It lay there, barely visible in the rain.

She wriggled under the bear-hide, flopping onto her side and trying to relax. It was no good. She felt wide awake, pumped up with anxiety and undirected bitterness. Her body, still hungry and cold, was not about to rest again. Her boots were soaked through and, whereas before she had been too tired to notice, now she could think of little else.

Sighing heavily, she turned again. Before she could settle, though, someone appeared in the entrance to the shelter.

Even in the storm-laden light, it was impossible to mistake this wolf for any of the other that she’d seen. It was much smaller in comparison – maybe only a couple of inches taller than Keli herself. Its fur was a very pale grey, and its bone structure was much less pronounced. The ears, the claws, the human/wolf feet all proclaimed it to be a Were, but there was no telltale fur running across the cheekbones.

Keli knew who it was at once. Shakal.

Her first reaction was resentment. Couldn’t they leave her alone, even for one night? Before she had done more than open her mouth, however, she spied the tray of food that the young wolf held.

“They said to bring you this,” said the wolf, searching Keli’s face with her eyes. “Meat. Drink. Something to warm you.”

As Keli watched, the wolf crouched and offered her the plate of steaming meat. Unsure of what was being offered, the girl took the largest cut of lamb that she could, and juggled the hot joint between her fingers as it cooled. She was somewhat relieved to see that Shakal simply placed the rest of the tray beside her.

The Were then poured a clear liquid from a leather-bound bottle into one of the wooden bowls. It looked like water, but Keli could tell, from the smell of it, that it was some sort of spirit. She looked at it doubtfully, not having ever developed a taste for strong alcohol.

“You’re wet,” said Shakal. “Drink it. Then you can change into some dry clothes.”

“B-but I haven’t…”

“I will take your garments to the fire to dry. We have things for you to wear in the meantime.” The wolf’s voice was unfathomable, neither friendly nor antagonistic.

Keli hesitated. The alcohol could be a lure. Maybe it was poisoned, or maybe they were hoping that she would drink too much and…

…and what? She was already at their mercy. She had nothing to steal, nothing that they could possibly consider worth such subtle subterfuges. Realising she was acting ridiculously, she picked up the glass and took a large gulp. A moment later, she was coughing and spluttering. Her throat burned and her eyes watered.

“Slowly,” said Shakal, sounding amused now. “It is meant to warm you, not leave you unfit for travelling tomorrow. I will go and get you something to wear.”

She stood up, fluidly, heading out into the rain again.

Keli wiped her eyes and took a couple of deep, wheezing breaths. The liquor, she was sure, was stronger than anything that her father had kept. Still, there was a pleasant feeling of heat, spreading through her chest and stomach. She took another, smaller sip, then applied herself to gnawing on the next piece of meat.

By the time Shakal came back, she was comfortably full and feeling mellow. The wolf stood patiently, waiting for Keli’s clothes. Feeling more than a little self-conscious, Keli huddled under the bear-skin as she wrestled off her boots, socks, coat and tunic. Then, more reluctantly still, she passed over her trousers and her blouse.

The Were seemed not to notice Keli’s hesitation. She merely handed over a bundle of clothes in return. A linen shirt and a pair of leggings, both much too big and, by the look of them, built around werewolf proportions. A fur-lined cloak in dark green, with a thick, deep hood. Finally, a pair of overlarge moccasins, made from rabbit fur.

As Keli was squirming awkwardly into the replacement clothing, Shakal held a small item out to her.

“Is this yours?” asked the wolf.

She looked. It was the portrait talisman, stained with mud.

Keli nodded, reluctantly.

“You dropped it. Who are they?”

“Who are who?” Keli frowned.

“The people in the picture. Who are they?”

“I don’t know. It was a… somebody gave it to me,” stammered the girl. “I don’t even know what it shows.”

Shakal looked quizzically at her. Then, without another word, two long claws held the talisman aloft. The wolf raised her other hand and caressed the wood softly. A glow lit the lines in the wood, soft at first but growing stronger as the seconds passed.

Keli stared, agog, as faint lines of colour began to wash against the twined-branch ceiling. She began to make out three distinct shapes which became clearer as she watched. The images were broken by the gaps in the branches, but it soon became obvious what she was looking at.

A woman, maybe thirty years old. Pretty, with a smiling face. On each side of her, enclosed by a hug, was a little boy. A boy with a freckled face, pale sandy hair and a cockeyed grin. Two boys, mirror images.

Twins!

…not dead…

…Go. Find. Not dead…

Keli felt sick. She’d warned the wrong one – and he’d already known everything that she had told him. He’d been telling her to save his brother. Little had he known that she would be so hard pressed just to save herself!

She held her hand out for the talisman, feeling close to tears again. Right now, everything seemed to be swinging her from one emotional extreme to the other. Perhaps in the morning, things would become easier.

“I’d like to get some sleep now,” she said in an uneven voice.

Shakal gave her one last inscrutable look.

“As you wish.” She took Keli’s clothes, leaving the tray of meat and drink behind, and left.

Keli lay down and, trying not to think at all, eventually drifted into sleep.

------

Tonight the dream is different.

Keli stands in the doorway of a golden room. The air is peaceful and still, but lit with ethereal beams of sunlight, streaking down from slats in the roof. Before her feet is a mosaic floor with black and gold tiles, slightly sunken where a path has been worn into them. Silver cat statues, with gems of jade for eyes, stand like guardians all around the hall. Three doors, all thick studded wood, lead out of the hall in various directions.

There is an ascent of five broad steps at the far end of the room. A large chair, carved exquisitely into the shape of a cat, makes a magnificent centrepiece to the raised dais. An obscure figure lounges gracefully on the seat.

In her dream, Keli stares, straining to make out the identity of the figure on the throne. Try as she might, she can only see blurs and shadows. A suggestion of a presence, nothing more. She starts to draw closer, fascinated beyond reason by this stranger. Her feet tread the well-worn path through the black and gold tiles.

She is barely halfway to the figure when the doors crash open behind her. Turning, she sees dark-armoured troops invading the golden hall. Rank upon rank, they arrive, toppling the cat statues, shouting commands, drawing their swords and snarling like…

… like apes.

Keli is shoved and buffeted. She drags herself, like a shipwreck survivor, to the safer shores at the edge of the room. The shadowy figure on the chair makes no movement, but others pile in from the three doorways. Some she can see clearly, others are shrouded like the figure on the throne.

They all hold weapons. Keli, no fighter herself, can tell at a glance that these defenders are not warriors. The soldiers penetrate their tissue-like defences, cutting them down where they stand.

Blood pools everywhere. The statues lie horizontally, soaking in red. The dark liquid seeps between the tiles, lending a macabre counterpoint to the gold and the black. Everywhere Keli looks, she sees the wounded and the dying and those for whom it is already too late.

She looks up at the throne, dimly amazed to find the figure still seated. As she watches, it rises from the chair, turns toward her and beckons. Then it begins to walk to the exit.

Keli tries to follow, but she is slipping, slipping in the blood. She falls, seemingly forever, and still the figure retreats from her…

----------

“Wake up. You must get ready to go.”

Keli opened her eyes, trying to distinguish between dream and reality. Renau was shaking her awake, and it was barely dawn. She was lying in a sweat-damp pile of bracken and, suddenly, she felt too enclosed.

“All right,” she said, hiding her anxiety behind sharpness. “I’m awake. Where are my clothes?”

Renau pointed. At the foot of the bear-skin were all the garments she had given up the night before.

“Get dressed. Come to the fire if you want to eat. The others are out hunting.”

Keli watched Renau as she slipped out. The sky outside was dull grey and orange, but at least it seemed to have stopped raining. She went through the process of putting her smoke-scented clothes back on. Everything was warm and completely dry. For a moment, she hesitated over the coat she had stolen. Then she laid it back down and donned the cloak that Shakal had given her. Hopefully, the wolves wouldn’t mind, and it was far more suited to travel than the coat had been.

Her outfit was not the only thing that the Were had left her. She now had a knife and a belt; a pack containing smoked pork and two full waterskins; a belt pouch, containing a sharpening stone, a flint and a tinderbox, and a second pouch with twelve gold coins and a scattering of silver.

Keli’s eyes widened as she beheld the money. This was very good pay for getting one wolf into a city. Maybe she should have been more suspicious. Was it possible that this was too easy?

No. Better not to start on that circle of doubt again. She had thrown in her lot with the wolves, now she had to see it through. Squeezing her final boot on, she made her way over to the campfire and breakfast.

-------

Renau had been true to her word. The only wolves near the fire were herself and Shakal. Shakal was dressed in a grey hooded cloak, similar to her own, and simple cotton travelling clothes. Wrapped and hooded, she would probably pass for human – as long as nobody looked too closely at the pair of them. Keli could taste the anxiety in the back of her throat.

She sat down awkwardly by the fire. The Weres watched in silence as she ate. It was like being stalked by predators and it made her nervous. She jammed the meat into her mouth as fast as she could and washed it down with water.

The moment that she had finished, the two werewolves had risen.

“Good luck,” was all that Renau had said. Shakal had touched brows with her briefly. Then she had simply turned and wandered down the slope. After a moment or two, Keli had followed her.

They strode on across the muddy land without speaking. The farmlands and the swamp seemed mostly behind them now. Instead there was the gentle rise and fall of the more hilly country, closer to the city. Sparse woodland came and went, with brown and yellow leaves beginning to fall. Winter was not yet here, but Summer was dead and gone.

Keli’s toes were tender; not blistered yet, but rubbed red from unaccustomed walking. She hoped it wasn’t far to the city, but she had little idea by now. Shakal would know, but Shakal was showing no signs of breaking the silence.

Another thing that bothered Keli was the vision from the night before. It had changed. She couldn’t remember the last time she had dreamed of something other than the chamber of sacrifice. Nor could she ever remember having had a premonition so vague, so undefined.

Maybe they had just been the sort of sleep-images that normal people had. No – there had been nights when she had slumbered through a perfectly mundane dream. This wasn’t like that at all.

Was it going to happen to her, then? Would she ever see the golden chamber, or was it just another nightmare that she was incapable of preventing? Who was the person on the throne? Why did they want her to follow them? Was it a message or a warning, past or future?

The sun rose and warmed the land and still Keli pounded the questions around in her head. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She had to have some answers, even if they were not the ones she sought.

“Shakal! Wait!”

The wolf, ranging ahead of her, turned around.

Keli closed the distance. “Why are you going to the city?”

“Did the others not tell you?”

“No.”

“Then I probably should not either.”

Shakal didn’t sound unfriendly, merely dismissive. Keli felt anger beginning to simmer again.

“If you want me to help you…”

“You traded, did you not? You will help me because you agreed, not because of anything you want to know, here and now.”

“How do you know? How can you trust me if I can’t trust you?” The words blurted themselves out before Keli could stop them. She flinched, almost expecting a blow.

Instead, Shakal barked out a laugh. “Do you think we would trust you if we had any choice? Humans! They break their word like others break bread – only twice as often.”

“I’m not like that!” Keli said, stung. “I wouldn’t…”

“You just did.”

“I was only saying…” Keli sighed and threw her hands in the air. “Alright, you win, I’ll help you anyway. Is there anything you can tell me?”

“What do you want to know?” asked the wolf, evenly.

“The war. I don’t know anything about it.”

“Have you ever heard of Itharien?”

Keli froze. The holy book. The eye above flames!

…you will burn…

“I see you have.” Shakal tilted her head, curiously. “What do you know of this?”

Keli shivered, despite the sun shining down from its noonday zenith. The image of Lord Garth and his dough-faced wife invaded her memory again. She wanted answers – but suddenly she wanted to talk as well; to have the simple relief of telling someone all of her troubles.

Caution warred with need. Shakal could betray her. Just because she was a wolf, it didn’t make her any more noble than the humans she referred to so disdainfully. Either of them could hurt the other – but didn’t trust have to begin somewhere?

[Ingrothechundyer]

Very nice chapter :biggrin:

I think that Keli should tell the werewolf what she drempt about the sacrifice and the rescue she has been asked to attempt.

[ethereal_fauna]

Don't discuss the dreams just yet. The wolf has already seen the people in the portrait. Start there, with the rescue, but be cautious what you reveal. Play for an information exchange, try to build a common ground and see if you can't find out more than what you presently know.

[Smee]

Hey Stoat,

A good chapter.

Hmmmm, I would err to the side of caution. Starting with the picture from the night before is a good idea. I think the conversation should be quick pro quo - i.e. From 'Silence of the Lambs' - answer a question, ask a question.

The new dream is confusing, I'm looking forward to see how everything links together.

Happy Writing. :)

[Suneila]

I think she needs to tell her what she knows about Itharian, but not necessarily say that she dreamed these things, unless asked. Or she could just say that she knows very little, (only of them and not about them) and the werewolf could explain things to her, maybe clarify some of her dreams.

~sunny

[Chinaren]

I agree with Smee and Chundyer. Play it cautiously. Ask the wolf what it knows about the book first maybe.

[D-Lotus]

Drink anyway...and hope they don't get angry...its not like she's gonna survive if she doesn't drink.

[D-Lotus]

Sllight technicality:

“Please god, get me out of here,”

[Shady Stoat]

D-Lotus wrote: Sllight technicality:

“Please god, get me out of here,”

Ah. The capitalisation in 'God' generally refers to the christian god.

I try and keep it more general these days. Good spot though! :D

[DukeReg]

She should tell what she knows about each pertinent subject if the wolf agrees to tell what she knows. It's only fair.

[Shady Stoat]

All righty!

The poll options, as I understand it, are:

1) Tell Shakal everything
2) Trade question for question (or topic for topic)
3) Let slip as little as possible to keep Shakal talking
4) Say nothing
5) Deliberately mislead

If anyone has any objections or additions to the options above, please let me know in the next 24hrs. I'll put the new poll up tomorrow
:D

[D-Lotus]

Oooops, it seems I only read the first page...I thought the story stopped there...but I still have to catch up more!

[Shady Stoat]

3 days to vote again. :D

[Smee]

I've got for keep her talking against my original idea.

Let's see how much we can get out of her, and see if anything becomes any clearer.

Happy Writing. :)

[Suneila]

I voted to keep her talking, we need as much information as possible, and it would be only natural for Keli to be secretive, since she's recieved so much animosity from others because of her dreams.

~sunny

[Ingrothechundyer]

Trade information. It seems that for now the worst that could happen is she could decide that she doesn't want to go into the city with you so your saved a dangerous mission.

[Chinaren]

Voted for option 3

[The Powers That Be]

I simply can't keep up with your stories, Shady. I like the idea of quid pro quo, so I voted for that.

[Chinaren]

Nice picture for your forum Shady!

Mmmm...
<Wanders around peering under rugs and opening doors>

[Hyperion]

AHHHH!!! NEW FORUM!!!! *suddenly begins dusting off his storygame idea and working on it furiously* I will NOT be defeated by a glorified rat! ;)

[Smee]

Such abuse in the Stoat's own forum. :shock:

Glad to see you in your own place. You certainly didn't hang about getting here. :D

Happy Writing.

[Shady Stoat]

Hyperion wrote: I will NOT be defeated by a glorified rat! ;)

*looks down her nose*

Rats, I'll have you know, don't get made into fur coats!

I am an ermine vermin! :D

[Hyperion]

7 people replied and 7 voted. SS doesn't ocunt.

[Ingrothechundyer]

Nice picture and description :)

Now who is going to break that tie?

[The Powers That Be]

Ooh, I like the new home, Shady. So thoughtful of you to make the entrace tunnels extra-large so the non-rodent population can join you down here.

[Alegria]

hey Stoat, congrats on SGoTM!

[Shady Stoat]

Okay, the poll can currently be found in "Shadows" chapter one.

I was throwing the housewarming party and it got lost down the back of the sofa... :D

If you still haven't voted, you'll have to go there to do it. Sorry :shock:

*continues to throw paint at the walls*

[D-Lotus]

Ok, I finally caught up. Let me ask you a question. Did you think of writing a short story or something to get it published?

Ok, I'll go vote now.

[Shady Stoat]

D-Lotus wrote: Ok, I finally caught up. Let me ask you a question. Did you think of writing a short story or something to get it published?

Ok, I'll go vote now.

Ermm.... never really thought about it. I'm just here for the fun really. :D

[Mother Goose]

Just caught up with this story, an excellent one! I've put the vote into a tie again, I'm afraid.

[Shady Stoat]

The poll is closed. Yet another dead heat. I was hoping not to have to break this tie! :D

Ah well, when in doubt, act with caution. Keli is going to let slip as little as possible to keep Shakal talking.

I'll write it soon. :cool:

[D-Lotus]

Yes, you can't trust these were's. After all, they're not her own species.