Doublesight Read online

  “One month,” Lankor said. “If we don't change in one month, we'll be human forever. Would you like to have that happen? After all we've been through? After Uncle Dellin's sacrifice?”

  “It won't happen,” Rend said. “When the time comes, you'll know it and you'll have to make a decision then. You'll feel the need. It could be a month. It could be two. I've heard of doublesight who learned to stay in beast-image for several months and still return to human form. And the opposite, although that is never recommended.”

  “We'll see,” Lankor said. “This trip will put us very close.”

  “Exercise control and restraint,” Rend ordered.

  Nayman hobbled to his brother's side and slapped Lankor on the shoulder. He led Lankor into the circle of firelight. “This one,” Nayman said, exposing his brother, “turned two nights ago while he thought everyone slept.”

  Rend glared at his son, but it was Mianna who spoke. “Would you put us all in jeopardy so that you can please yourself? Do you think dragons are invisible?”

  “Quiet,” Rend said. “This forest could have doublesight anywhere. We must not even say the word.”

  Lankor burned with shame and defiance. “We must stop hiding.”

  Mianna shook her head. “You are frustrated. I know, but we'll show ourselves in due time, my little one, in due time. But now is not that time. Your father has been a member of the council for many years. The Few will make the suggestion, the council will vote on it, and then we'll emerge and reintroduce ourselves to the greater doublesight community. My suspicion is that it will be at this meeting. Why else would entire families, instead of just council members, be requested to attend?”

  “I disagree,” Lankor said. “Something else is up. I can feel it. What if it's a trap?”

  “You may disagree, but you may not disobey,” Rend reminded him. “You will not turn again without discussing it with me first. Do you understand?”

  “No one saw me.”

  Mianna and Rend looked at Nayman.

  “He's right,” Nayman said. “I saw his footprints and heard his flight, but I did not see him shift.”

  “It is shameful to shift in front of anyone you do not wish to know intimately. Unless you are doing it to shock those you've met, as a strategic move, you keep it to yourself,” Mianna said.

  Rend added, “You know that once you shift in front of another doublesight…”

  “They can always see your true nature,” Lankor finished.

  “Do not mock my words, son.”

  Lankor nodded in respect. “I merely remember them, Father.”

  Nayman put an arm around his brother and the family appeared to relax.

  “We should eat,” Rend said.

  Mianna stepped around her sons and rummaged through their packs for the provisions they carried.

  The breeze through the woods picked up and the depth of the moist cold air drove the family closer to the fire. Rend stoked the coals. Lankor shoved another log across the flames. Sometimes in such light, Lankor saw himself in Rend like a mirror to the future. Rend's long arms matched Lankor's. They were both tall, almost equal in height, over six and a half feet. The resemblance didn't always please him. The roughness around his father's eyes, the calloused fingers. He glanced at Nayman, who had the softer look of Mianna. Nayman was the good-looking one.

  Mianna prepared a small feast of fish they had caught and dried while sailing Lake Ernwood, of leaves she had gathered while walking through the forest, and of roots and mushrooms Rend gathered while collecting wood for the night fire.

  The sounds of wildlife drew near as the evening pressed on. Lankor heard shuffling and running. He heard the soft movement of wings. At one point, he heard growls, low in tone, and evil. The sound came to him as though it had to first pass through a mouth filled with saliva and drool, a gurgling growl, a focused threat. He shivered in the night, rolled over, and went back to sleep once the animal moved away.

  By morning, rested and eager to go on, Lankor got up to pack.

  Mianna woke and stretched her arms. “We should eat breakfast before we leave.”

  “I have eggs,” Rend said appearing from around a large oak. “Spotted them while I was out gathering last night.”

  “Wonderful.” Mianna took the eggs from her husband. “These will do nicely.”

  Nayman brought out the pans and readied them. He stoked and fed the fire without having to stand. His crushed foot was bare andlooked like a boneless sack of skin, red and swollen, the toes misshapen.

  Seeing his brother's foot, Lankor imagined how it must have been for Nayman to run into an avalanche of rock to save their uncle Dellin. Lankor doubted that he would have done the same. He valued life too much and wanted to live more of it. Wanted to live more freely, to travel and explore without the threat of being hunted down.

  A light fog rose from the ground. Moisture penetrated their packs and their sleeping blankets as well as their clothes and hair. Mianna clasped her arms around her shoulders for warmth as Rend built the fire higher. “We could have stayed in an Inn somewhere,” he said. “Perhaps that would have been better.”

  Mianna shook her head. “I like being on our own. This is an adventure we don't normally have together.”

  “If you say so, Mother,” Nayman said with a laugh. “But sleeping on the ground in the cold would not be my first choice for adventure.”

  Rend laughed, then offered, “Soon we'll be in the compound and can build a full camp, collect bedding, errect tents for privacy.”

  Lankor asked, “I thought we were going to listen to the council and leave?”

  “We'll see when we get there,” Rend said. “You are in such a hurry to have it over.”

  “It won't hurt to socialize a little,” Mianna added with a little bow and dance step.

  “These people persecuted us.” Lankor said.

  “Not these people,” Rend said. “And only some of their ancestors. We had allies. Besides, most of these people don't even know we exist,” Rend said. “To them, we are just another doublesight clan.”

  “Most?” Lankor asked.

  “The Few. They know. And there are intuitives who are well aware.”

  “Intuitives? How can you trust them? Perhaps it's a trap. They'll all be there waiting. They knew we'd be last to arrive. And if the intuitives told the rest that we existed?” Lankor said.

  “It wouldn't be the same as it was in the past. We've all changed. Those horrible times haven't existed for centuries. It's nothing like you're saying.” Rend reached down to grip the frying pan with his hand wrapped in a shirtsleeve and flipped the eggs through the air over the fire.

  “Fear and hatred are not easily overcome. Not even in centuries. That is what we are taught in school. That is why we must be careful. That is why we continue to live in The Lost,” Lankor said.

  “You are the one who turned. Did this fear strike you then?”

  Lankor hung his head.

  “My son, you will learn that we can only teach what came from the past. We must create the future as it occurs. What you have been taught has nothing to do with what we will find when we get to the compound of the council. I agree with your mother; this may be a very special time for us.”

  Nayman poked his brother with his disfigured foot. “Relax and enjoy the adventure. When have you ever been outside The Lost? It might be cold and closed in here, but it's a new experience.”

  Lankor shoved a hand against Nayman's shoulder. “You may just be smarter than you look.”

  Nayman kicked Lankor again, and they both laughed.

  Mianna appeared to be grateful for their easy spirit. “The evening we arrive, let us be in the best of moods,” she said

  Rend cut and delivered the eggs and they all ate in relative silence, discussing only which of them would carry what bundle of supplies when they cleaned up camp, and what sounds were heard during the night. In an offhand comment, Rend asked Lankor if he covered his tracks when he turned two n
ights before.

  Mianna gave Lankor a stern look that he interpreted to mean that he should be polite to his father. “I did.”

  Mianna nodded and Lankor finished his breakfast.

  By the time they had cleaned up and warmed their bodies for the last time around the fire, the fog had lifted quite a bit. The forest floor stood intermittently bare and cluttered with underbrush. Animal paths led in several directions, but the road they traveled lay before them as the easiest route.

  They had run into very few travelers once they entered the Dgosh woods. The only people who appeared to travel the roadways that went through the woods were those who headed from one village to another or those who lived deep in the forest and away from other people. Hunters and fur traders. With spring upon them, most settlements in Dgosh would be preparing their fields, repairing their homes after a hard winter, or generally getting ready for summer. Spring was also the time for many of the festivals celebrating the end of winter and the dawning of new life. Lankor wished that he were home to celebrate as well.

  Rend took the lead, but continued to watch Nayman peripherally to make sure he wasn't in too much pain. Mianna often walked beside Nayman, talking quietly and pointing things out. The rest of the time she walked beside her husband.

  Lankor had watched this go on before, and especially on this journey, how Mianna favored the other two men. Lankor was glad to take up the rear, meandering, falling back, then racing to catch up. It was the only way he could continue to stay interested. Their progress, or lack thereof, annoyed him. He tried to stay interested intheir surroundings, but found it difficult to do so. They were surrounded by trees, every one like the next. The dense foliage overhead blocked his sight of the sky much of the time, which truly unnerved him. In some areas, the underbrush and close-knit tree growth closed him in. A pair of horses could hardly pass without one getting off the road altogether. Lankor wondered if a wagon could make it through without breaking branches and tearing out new growth.

  He sped up and encroached on Mianna and Nayman. “How far do you think it is from here?”

  “Several days,” Rend said from in front of them. “They know we're coming.”

  “They should. They sent for us.” Lankor said.

  “I saw two night hawks circle over. They were the sentinels and messengers.”

  “Will the council meet right away? Do you think The Few have already talked with the other clans? Has our arrival already been discussed?” Lankor asked.

  “Too many questions, and I can't answer any of them,” Rend said. “What I can tell you is that no one will know our identity until we arrive. The Few would never do that.”

  “What about the intuitives?”

  “They are the most trustworthy of all,” Rend said. He held up his hand for silence. “We'll rest for a moment here.”

  Nayman sat on a rock that lay at the side of the path. He let out a loud breath and stretched his foot in front of him.

  They had stopped at a wide section of road, which meant that they were probably close to a village or clearing with a few more houses than the occasional lodge.

  Rend sat cross-legged on the ground. “Gather around,” he said, and everyone sat with his or her attention on him. “There are many mysteries in the world and we are only one of them. How one species dies off and another returns from death is in the hands of the Gods, not ours. The council of the doublesight has grown in and out of many of these changes, but only The Few, the three chosen ones, know all the clans. To become part of the council you must show yourself to The Few.”

  “Willingly?” Lankor said.

  “Yes, and every individual who is the clan's representative, who is part of the council, must do the same. Your great-grandfather had to show his beast image, your grandmother showed hers, and then me. One of you will be asked to do so when I stand down, or if I should die and one of you goes in my place. It is the first thing you must do.” Rend looked into Lankor's eyes. “No one attacked me or tried to kill me because of what I was.”

  Lankor lowered his head and nodded. “I can see now, but should I be convinced that all the members of all the clans feel the same way?”

  “No, you should not. But you should know that The Few are highly respected and that they are safe.” Rend took Lankor's hand in his, then reached out and took Nayman's hand as well. “One of you may be asked to show yourself to The Few.”

  “Are you standing down? Is that what this is about?” Nayman asked.

  “No. This must be something more important. The Few have never called such a meeting. I just want you both to be ready for whatever might happen.”

  “Nayman is the oldest,” Lankor said.

  “And you are the fittest,” Nayman responded, pointing at his damaged foot.

  The two young men looked at one another. Rend shook both of their hands and then let go of them. “We will see.”

  “The intuitives?” Lankor said.

  “All intuitives must restrain from seeing your ethereal body. Some can't help themselves. They just know. You'll meet her, though. And you'll instantly trust her just as I do.”

  6

  ELEVEN CROWS FLEW toward Brendern Forest. They circled three unsuspecting doublesight and landed in tall grass. Zimp shifted to her human form and stood first.

  The thylacine jumped and let out a little yelp. The two other doublesight stopped. The man reached down and grasped the thylacine's scruff behind its head, which appeared to calm the beast. The young woman immediately reached for the man for protection. “Leave us alone,” the man threatened.

  “We're here to help you,” Zimp said. She glanced around. The other ten people of the crow clan rose from the grass, encircling the three strangers.

  The thylacine growled. Its mouth hung open and saliva dripped from its lower jowls to the ground.

  “Easy, Therin,” the man said. His shoulders relaxed as he glanced around at everyone. “You weren't here before, were you?” He brightened with recognition. “I saw crows.”

  Zimp was satisfied that he didn't say the word. Something had happened to them that made him careful not to offer too much information. “We came to help,” she repeated. “We are doublesight like you.”

  The woman smiled and looked at her partner. “Brok?” she said. “Is it true?”

  He stepped toward Zimp. “It's all right, Breel. For now.” He kneeled next to Therin and stroked along the underside of the thylacine's neck. “It's safe. Just sit for a moment.”

  Therin sat and Brok stood with Breel. She held to him with both her arms wrapped around one of his. Her hair fell in tangled brown curls. Shorter than Brok, Breel appeared younger as well, and slight. Her tan clothing was soiled and tattered at the edges.

  “Stay with Therin,” Brok said. He slipped from Breel's grip and took a few steps closer to Zimp, who took an equal number of steps toward him.

  Zimp's heart raced. She saw how Brok's wide mouth could easily match the enormous gape of Therin's. She had never been that close to a thylacine before, let alone a thylacine doublesight. She thought that she could feel heat coming from Brok's body.

  A breeze kicked up and blew Zimp's red cloak to the side. It snapped and fluttered. Her black hair twirled around her face. She reached around with one arm to hold the cloak close to her side. Staring into Brok's eyes as they both took one cautious step after another, Zimp noticed that the color of his clothes matched the grayish-brown of Therin's coat. His vest even bore the same dark brown stripes of the thylacine. She feared that he wore a thylacine pelt. How barbaric. Did they purposefully kill the animal that bears their own beast image? What would be the reason? Once the beast became extinct, the doublesight would no longer exist, either.

  She stood fast for a moment and Brok mirrored her stillness.

  The sun shook to her left, behind the heat waves lifting from the lake. Halfway into the lake and appearing to sink faster every moment, the apricot-tinted light cast a strange glow over the three thylacines. Shadows sl
iding up hill grew longer as the doublesight stood and talked.

  Brok cocked his head toward Zimp as though sizing her up. He turned slightly to the left and right.

  Breel, kneeling next to Therin with her arms around his neck, let one word slip from her lips. “Brok.”

  He spun around, crouched like an animal. Several men from the crow clan had closed in on Breel. “Therin,” Brok said.

  Therin burst toward the men who had surrounded them, knocking Breel back onto the ground. He made a sickening cough-like bark as he advanced.

  “Wait,” Zimp said. She yelled to the men, “Stand down. Open space for them to leave.”

  Brok turned back and resumed his former position. “How do you plan to help us?”

  Zimp's hands shook and her breathing was uneven. “I don't know exactly. I am the messenger. I was instructed to ask that you camp with us this evening and to let you know that it was safe.” She pointed toward Therin. “Safe for you. I'm not convinced that it would be safe for us.”

  “He's protecting his sister, that's all.” Brok's eyes narrowed. “But don't rest long. We are hunters.” He opened his arms as if to indicate that he had no weapon. “We may look unarmed, but we are not vulnerable.”

  “You don't need to threaten us,” Zimp said. “It's an offering.” The other ten with her were regrouping near Zimp where Brok could see them. “See,” she said. “It is safe.”

  Brok motioned for Breel and Therin to join him. “Who sends the message if you are the messenger?”

  “Oronice the Gem,” Zimp announced.

  Brok turned and smiled at Breel who looked confused. “I know of The Gem of the Forest,” Brok said, as he turned back around. “She is old. My father thought that she had died.”

  “Oronice is very much alive.” Zimp advanced a few more steps and held her arm out toward Brok. It was difficult to hold steady. Her arm waved like a branch in a wind. “Then it is agreed?” she said.

  Brok reached toward her forearm. “We have never killed a crow. Not while in human or thylacine form.”

  “But you are predators and capable of such acts,” she said.