The Forest, by Ben Greenfield - Chapter 12: "The Village"

The Forest Part 12 the Village Tink cupped his hands around the wooden bowl and brought it to his mouth, peering over it with suspicious eyes at river and Terran as he took a long sip of dirt brown, earthy soup. He coughed loudly, reached up to his teeth, and tugged what looked like a long blade of slimy grass from his mouth.

Muddy weed soup. These Catawan certainly dine poorly when they're not feasting on delicious human and elf flesh.

Setting down his bowl on the leather rug that laid on the floor of the giant treetop house, he looked again at river and Terran.

So tell me, boys, how long were you going to wait before revealing your powers to old Dink?

Terran shifted uncomfortably, wishing he had a chair. The knotted slats of the wooden floor beams dug into his sit bones. He reached down, brought the bowl to his lips, and took his first sip of the soup. At first it made his tongue feel chalky and dry, but as the salty, earthy flavor of the warm beverage hit the back of his mouth, it felt as though blood was suddenly surging through his body. As he swallowed this first sip, he stirred the bowl with his finger, bringing sticky seaweed like clumps to the surface of the liquid. It was just like the miso soup at the sushi restaurant Father used to bring them to on the weekends. Just slimier. They'd been sitting up in the treehouse for the past hour, nervously eyeing the soup and water, deliberating whether to feast and risk a horrible death from a paralyzing variety of Catawan poison or or to sit in desperate silence with parched throats and burnt skin. Surrounding them on all four sides was a sturdy, well built cabin wrapped around the thick trunk and branches of a giant ponderosa pine. The ceiling of this structure was tall enough for a large Catawan to easily stand upright, and in the center was a large stained, oil streaked leather rug that seemed to serve as a primary gathering place and dining table. A gaping hole on one side of the cabin served as both a window and an entrance, with a long, well used rope ladder hanging hanging from it and dangling down to the forest floor nearly 50ft below, with easily enough room to hold 10 adult humans. This was the largest treehouse Terran had ever been inside, and the long swaying climb up had made him slightly seasick. Through the window he could see at least half a dozen other identical treetop houses scattered through the forest canopy and blended with expert camouflage into the trees. An inattentive passerby could easily walk under an entire Catawan treetop village full of hundreds of enormous creatures and never know it. After they'd been cut free, they'd been led by the largest Catawan to the base of this particular tree. The entire community of Catawan had followed cautiously behind, grunting, sniffing with curiosity, and among the few who had been assaulted with water, rocks, and magical dust storms, whimpering with fear. When the parade arrived at the base of the tree, the leader had growled to two older females who pointed upwards and nodded towards Tink, river, and Terran to begin climbing. One female had led them up, while another followed behind with a large basket strapped to her hairy, hunched back. When they arrived at the top, the females had set them around this center rug, then opened the basket to reveal three wooden bowls, one large canteen of soup, and one soft leather canteen of water. During the entire hour they'd been sitting in the treehouse, a young Catuan child would occasionally poke its curious head up over the window, then clamber inside and huddle in the corner to join the two big females. By this time, nearly a dozen Catawan youth now sat watching and staring at their odd human and Elf visitors. Already half done with his bowl, river slurped loudly, making the group of Catuan children grin and giggle. The young creatures had been studying the three strangers with intense curiosity, occasionally glancing at the older females for silent permission, then stretching out long hairy ape like arms to touch their three strange visitors and then quickly drawing their arms back, too nervous and too excited to make actual physical contact. River slurped again and smiled back at them, glanced at Tink, then looked at Terran. Let's just tell him Terran. Terran took a long, deep sigh, then looked as honestly as he could into Tink's eyes. We don't know how we got here, Tink. We just. River interrupted. We just woke up here. Terran first, then me. Tink slowly stirred his soup with his finger. His forehead scrunched in thought. How?

How did you wake up here? Where were you before?

Immediately, Terran's mind spun with bewilderment about where exactly to begin. Surely Tink would be fascinated with tales of automobiles, airplanes, skyscrapers, trains, cameras, computers, and phones. He began to imagine what the inventor Elf could accomplish with the knowledge of internal combustion jet engines, computer chips, electricity, and modern robotics. Then river spoke again. We were at our home in America. We walked into a shed.

A shed? America.

River kept talking. A bird chickadee brought us to a shed and we went in and we woke up here and we saw the bird again and our country is America. That's where our Home is the same bird. Terran winced. This could take a while. He sighed and looked towards the window. Perhaps the Catawan below were planning a horrible death for them. They'd be planting new and better traps, erecting an enormous fire around the tree, or sharpening axes and spears for an intense, bloodthirsty battle to the death.

A portan.

Terran's mind returned to the conversation as Tink uttered a word he hadn't heard before. Yes.

A portan. My boys.

Tink's bony knees popped as he stood quickly and began pacing the room.

In the Royal Library, I've read tales of certain magical creatures which hold a knowledge of other worlds. Creatures equipped to lead a chosen few across a portal into these other dimensions. Other existences. Other. Well, other worlds.

He stopped, placed both hands on the window shelf, and stared out into the massive expanse of trees beyond their cabin.

Some individuals can easily cross the portal. Some cannot. Some portals are always open, some are not.

And sometimes. His voice trailed as he whipped around and studied the boys once more.

Sometimes creatures that cross a portal can bring with them abilities, energies, knowledge. Powers that become unearthed and triggered only in this new dimension.

He stopped and brushed a sliver of charred wood from his arm, then rubbed his temples with both hands.

This is too much for a humble.

Inventor like me, who is just nearly barbecued.

Too much. And I've only seen bits and pieces of portals and books, anecdotes and citations in the scrolls. But there is one who would know exactly how you came to be here, and perhaps why you are here. One who would be able to explain.

Your unique he waved his hands in the air and then whipped his head back and forth, simulating river and Terran's actions he'd witnessed during the battle at the fire Below Capabilities.

Knees popping again, he slid back to the rug and sat cross legged once again facing the boys.

The Master Librarian. His knowledge knows no bounds. Even the magisters rely upon him for advice and hidden gems of knowledge older than many of these trees and rocks. He spends morning until evening each day studying ancient texts, histories, prophecies, scrolls, magic. By my aunt's beard, he will know.

Terran tapped the bottom of his empty soup bowl, wishing there was more, wondering about Tink's odd aunt and imagining the Master Librarian. He had always pictured a librarian as an elderly, frail, skinny man in glasses, perhaps with a pencil hovering over one ear, hunched over a book while scolding a child to remain quiet. This librarian certainly didn't sound like an interesting character to meet, but if he held the secrets to returning them home to father and mother, to school, to camp, to a normal life. He'd be well worth battling the Catawan again and getting off this island quickly.

What's his name?

Where is he?

His name?

His name is Master Librarian Young Terran. And we find him in the royal city Coppelia, on the mainland of Goaald.

There was silence for a moment. Deep in thought, river chewed nervously on the inside of his cheeks. Finally, he spoke. So we swim. Tink raised an eyebrow.

Swim?

Your flying machine could kill us all. I'd rather fight a sea monster than get into that basket. So we swim. From the ground below. There were high pitched shouts from young Catawan and a clanking of metal. Still holding his suit bowl, Tink leapt to his feet and slipped quickly to the window.

Oh, I do believe the flying machine.

Will soar once more. Terran sat down his bowl and walked to the window. Far below he could see two Catawan swinging leather straps from Tink's machine like whips. One other held two large metal rods in his big furry hands, which he clanked together like drumsticks. Every few seconds, all three of them would glance up at the cabin and flash their giant rows of crooked teeth and mischievous grins. They seemed to know Tink was up there watching them.

Take my word, my missing flying machine parts are scattered about this village. I may require the sustenance of another cat picnic basket, but the machine can be fixed.

He leaned out the window and shouted.

Down and I'll herd each and every one of these young Catawan troublemakers to get everything I need back.

His eyes narrowed and he turned and sneered with annoyance at the group of Catawan children in the corner, who melted back towards the two older females in fear.

We go now.

He pointed to the door. We go. They stared back quietly. Tink made a clumsy, exaggerated motion of climbing down the rope ladder. Then he ran in place, spread his arms out like wings and mimicked flying through the air. Still holding his soup bowl in one hand. One Catawan child giggled and a big female slapped a hand over its mouth.

I say we go.

Tink raised his voice and approached them.

Tell your mother, you furry little devil.

The Catawan continued to cower and shrink back into the corner, fearful of whatever strange magic this elf might possess. Just before Tink raised a boot to take yet another step towards them, a giant shadow filled the room. Tink, Terran, and River spun around to see the massive silverbacked Catawan leader clambering through the window, followed by three stern faced lean, muscular males nearly his same size, but slightly skinnier, each holding small sharp spears. The posse stood there for a moment, jaws thrust forward and thick arms folded, glaring from Tink to the females and children and back to Tink. Finally, the leader grunted, reached down towards the cloth wrapped around his waist, and presented a flat piece of bark which he casually tossed towards the rung in the center of the room. His eyes locked on the four male Catawan. Tink sidestepped carefully towards the bark, then squatted down and studied it wearily, watching the big leader out of the corner of his eye.

Hmph. Those big stupid apes seem to have drawn something.

Terran peered over Tink's shoulder. On the backside of the bark was a series of scratches, probably created from the edge of a rock. In the lower left corner were lines and circles that looked somewhat like trees. In the upper right corner, connected to the left corner by a jagged line, was a roughly hewn sketch of what could possibly be the flying machine. A long scratch with two wing like ovals projecting from it. As Terran studied the bark, he smelled the familiar sulfurous armpit like smell of the Catawan and suddenly realized that the four big males had advanced and were now looking over his shoulder. The leader extended one giant index finger, nearly the size of a carrot, tipped with a long brown streaked curled nail. He pointed on the bark, then pointed down. We're here, Terran thought. The leader traced his finger up to the bark into the corner where the flying machine appeared to be, then pointed to his three companions. We go there with them. They're taking us back. River spoke firmly. He looked the Catawan leader in the eye. You're taking us back, right? Terran wished he could speak as bravely as his brother to the giant creature which gazed back at river with one big, big raised eyebrow.

River pointed his thumb towards his chest. Me. Him. Him. He motioned towards Tink and Terran. You bring us here. He pointed at the flying machine on the bark, his arms still folded. One Catawan scout frowned in confusion. The leader muttered a low guttural growl. River kept talking with the parts. He extended his arms like airplane wings, then pointed out the window where the clanking of metal rods still rung in the air. Tink and Terran didn't speak for a moment. There was silence. The Catawan leader watched River's finger trace a path from the trees to the flying machine. Again. His pupils slightly widened. And then, in an unmistakable sign of understanding, he nodded, extended one enormous muscular arm and placed no palmed his entire hand over the top of River's head. Nobody moved. Terran gritted his teeth, expecting River's neck to suddenly be snapped like a dry twig. Then, still silent, the leader produced a huge toothy grin and rubbed River's hair vigorously while nodding his own head up and down. Tink laughed.

They're taking us back, boys.

Their excursion from the Catawan village was quite the opposite of a rope snare and a burning at the stake. When the three visitors first descended from the tree, the curious young Catawan spilled out of the cabin behind them, sniffing, snorting, and grunting. When they reached the forest floor, even more youth slunk out from behind tree trunks and bushes to inspect the human boys and the elf. They approached river and Terran with special caution, wide eyed and low to the ground like scared cats. The adult Categoan kept more of a distance, but also eyed river and Terran with great interest, taking small, nervous steps as the boys and the Elf traced their way under the treetop village, led by the big Catawan and his three armed guards. Tink muttered from the corner of his mouth as they walked, you can see.

You boys give them quite a scare. I'll wager they figure you're some species of a deity.

Terran clenched and unclenched his fists at Tink's words, a mix of nervousness and adrenaline surging through his limbs as he eyed each movement of the growing crowd of Catawan that surrounded them. The notable impact of his powers upon an entire tribe of ferocious creatures filled him with a mix of excitement and wakefulness. When the group of young Catawan holding the metal rods, leather straps, and parts from the flying machine rambled a bit too quickly from a nearby patch of shrubs, he suppressed a sudden instinct to sweep out his hands and knock them back with a violent mass of earth, but instead he held back as the young Catawan sauntered back into the trees. Then he bent down to help river and Tink gather up the parts, they continued to follow the Catawan leader. The path they walked on was now marked every several feet with a long wooden pole thrust into the ground, each pole impaled with a single skull, occasional ribs and vertebral bones, ripped cloth, dried black blood, and brown bits of flesh. If Arctan was a prison island, then it would seem most of the prisoners had been killed, roasted, or eaten by the savage natives. The forest had executed its own harsh justice. As they reached the outskirts of the village, the leader stopped. He pointed forward towards his three guards, who kept moving with long strides into the trees, two metal rods over his shoulder and leather straps trailing from his waist belt. Tink broke into a half jog to match their pace.

Hurry up, boys. We're to follow.

Terran paused and looked towards the leader, whose big silver striped back was already half turned away as he stepped towards the village. Wait. The Catawan stopped and slowly looked back over its shoulder. Terran took two steps closer. He gazed into the creature's eyes. They were black as a raven, enormous and crowded by tufts of hair and whiskers. Terran looked even deeper into the eyes. The creature did not blink, did not sniff, did not growl, but simply stood in utter silence as Terran studied him. He's not evil. Terran kept looking into the eyes. Those are honest eyes. Eyes for defending family and loved ones and tribe. Eyes of a hunter. Eyes that hate criminals. He's not all bad, huh? River whispered into Terran's thoughts as he looked over his brother's shoulder. But I'll be happy to be rid of that awful smell. Terran smiled, clapped his brother on the back, and turned towards where Tink and the three Catawan had disappeared into the trees.

Come on, let's catch up.