Day 10

Autumn followed the river. Picking up a trail was very difficult. She was unable to pick up Lakisha’s scent. She followed the river until the waterfall. There she considered the chances of Lakisha surviving. It was very high. The water poured over the large, yet deep waterfall. Autumn made her way down the sides of the cliffs. Once at the bottom she picked up a scent. One she didn’t know. But years in a dark mine meant there was a lot of smells she didn’t know. This smell lead into the swamp, the swamps smell was odorous a strong dead stench. She carefully entered. Making sure she had a good footing before moving. If Lakisha’s body was in there Autumn wasn’t sure if she would be able to find it.

The deeper she went, the darker it got. The sounds of things living in the water, made splop notices. Bubbles floated on the top of the water. A deep brown color moved in the water.

It occurred to Autumn that maybe no one returns from the swamp because they are eaten.

She tried not to smell like fear, but it was hard in a place where a land creature was surrounded by watery mud, with things living in it.

“Land for my people.” She told herself “Land for my people.”

But what good is land if she is dead?

Then her people wouldn’t get the land anyway?

Maybe she should try again with a boat. A boat that’s enchanted by a wizard.

There were no more solid things to stand on. The path she had chosen had run to its end. She slowly retraced her steps. Standing on a moving log she watched as something omitting light swam under her.

Her big cat like eyes followed it intensely. It made strange eight like movements under her log.

I’m lunch, she though, My pride has killed me. Why do I have to be the best? she asked herself as she watched the lights get brighter.

Why didn’t I let Chase come with me? Maybe we could have gotten a boat. No! Then he would also die.

She knew if she fell into the mud, she would not be able to swim out of it. She could swim in water, and she was a strong water swimmer. But mud was not water!

She couldn’t figure out if it was three creatures or one with strange lights.

Then it circled her. She jumped to the next solid place and with as much speed as she could she bounced from solid spot to solid spot. Her heart pounded. She was lost!

The lights got dim as it dove down deep.

She hoped it was giving up and leaving her but as a predator she knew that would not be the likely option.

Then the lights got bright as if in an instant. She changed in the blue panther and struck it as it come out of the mud. She felt her claws ripping flesh. The thing went under again. She had heard stories of monsters from the elderly in the mine. But she thought they were just trying to scare them. Make the mine less horrible. Or to say something like ‘it’s hard everywhere’. She had never believed it. Now she wished she had.

The light the creature omitted gave it away. She could see it coming and as it struck for her again, she scratched it. But this time she lost balance. In a desperate attempt to save herself she jumped for an old dead tree. Her claws broke through the rotten wood, slowing her fall to the muddy grave. She jumped off the tree and to a vine, her claws cut right through it. She managed to grab a piece with her hand barely hanging on. The creature was moving slowly in the mud below. Then she lost sight of it. Her hand held on so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Her weight pulled on the vine. It began to loosen lowering her towards the mud. She pulled herself up as quickly as she could. But the faster she pulled the quicker it moved.

She needed something else to grab on. She heard the vine snap. It fell down into the mud, taking her with it. Her tired body splashed into the mud. She swam as best she could to a large rock only the tip stuck out of the mud. But it enabled her to stand.

“I don’t want to die.” She said.

Her eyes scanned the mud but she couldn’t see anything. She tried to wipe the mud off of her face but her hands and paws were so covered in mud it didn’t help.

It seemed like the seconds of life could be felt. As she waited for another attack. She looked for higher ground to jump to but nothing looked secure enough.

Then she heard something, it sounded like a child playing.

Autumn worried that she had been infected by something and how she was hearing things.

Maybe that was why she hadn’t been attacked again. It was waiting for her to fall over and die.

But the sound of children got louder from only one direction.

She mustered all her strength and jumped up, grabbing a line vine, it swung with her weight carrying her right into a tree. She gripped it and climbed.

Once she was high enough, she caught her breath.

“I am never taking a job in the swamps again!” she said “NEVER!”

She strained her eyes in the direction of the playing children. There was an island a piece of land where four children were playing.

That’s not normal, she thought.

She carefully walked out on the branch and jumped to the next branch from another tree. Almost silently she made her way towards the children.

Then she jumped, it was the furthest jump she had made in the swamp from branch to branch. She was almost there.

As she landed the branch broke. The snapping sound make the children look up. A man suddenly appeared. He had a weapon that looked like a 40cm long poll, with a pointy end. Well four points on its end.

He moved the children behind him.

“What do you want?” he called to her.

Autumn scratched at the tree trying to get a grip.

“I’m lost.” She answered.

“Very!” the man said untrustingly.

“What are you?” a little voice asked from behind him.

“Shoo, don’t talk to it.” He told the child.

“How do I get back to the land?” she asked hanging on by one paw.

Then she slipped and fell, bashing herself all the way down once again landing in the mud. She scratched and pulled at stuff floating in the mud.

The man just watched as she sank in the mud.

“Help it.” A little voice said.

“No. It’s a monster.” The man replied.

“Mommy says actions determine a monster.” another little voice said.

“Your mother is wise.” The man said.

Autumn struggled to keep her head above water. But then she was able to step on something solid enough to spring her body out of the mud. She jumped and almost made it to the island. But she missed. With lots of struggling she was able to grab a branch.

The man was holding the branch. He pulled her to the land and left her to pull herself up.

He pointed the thing at her.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“You were going to leave me to die!” her eyes narrowed.

Her claws came out. She doubted he could use his silly little thing before she killed him.

“What are you?” A little boy with blue hair asked.

“Stay back.” The man ordered the children

“Go home, don’t look back when you go.” He commanded them.

They children started crying.

“I’m scared to go alone daddy.”

Autumn looked at the little girl. Her blue hair, and blue eyes almost matched.

Autumn put her claws away.

“No stay.” She told the children.

The father was angry.

“I asked you what you were doing here?” he repeated.

She sensed he was afraid of her.

“I will spare you and the children which have kindness still in them. But I will not keep repeating myself. I AM LOST!” she shouted at him.

The children jumped back.

“Lost huh.” He said unconvinced.

“Why else would I be in this stupid swamp? There are better ways to kill yourself.”

“Why did you enter the swamp?” he asked suspicious.

“Please put that silly stick away before I regret my saying I wouldn’t kill you.”

With very big afraid eyes the children stared at her.

“Kill us?” one said with a shaky voice.

“Not you just dumb, dumb, here with a stick.” She responded.

“Kill my dad.” The little girl started crying.

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Autumn looked at him.

“Why is death so bad to them? Really do you live under a rock? Have you not seen the world?”

“We live in peace and yes, we live under a rock. To protect our children from the likes of you. So, if you truly mean us no harm, then leave.”

Autumn smiled a smiled of frustration.

She really wanted to kill him. For so many reasons. First being he was going to watch her die in the mud.

“Children, I am a Lovac. Your daddy here is making me grumpy. After all I almost died in that mud. Look at me I am dirty and smelly.”

The children laughed a little.

“You are smelly.”

“Leave my children alone.” He said under his breath to her.

“I want to go home. But I am lost. Do you know what that means?” she asked them.

“Yes. I don’t like being lost.” One said.

“Neither do I. Do you think you could show me how to get home?”

“I don’t know where your home is.” The one said.

“Maybe your mommy knows?” Autumn said.

She looked at the man

“If you try anything. I will kill them and you and let’s be rational. You can’t protect them all at once. So, you help me get home and we can both pretend this didn’t happen.”

She muttered under her breath “As if one Terra is worth all this.” She was referring to Lakisha whose body she was meant to retrieve.

“Will you take me to your house? So, I can meet your mother and thank her for raising such cleaver children.”

They laughed.

“We are friends. That’s all.”

“So, lots of mothers to meet and thank.” Autumn said smiling.

Her smile disappeared as she looked at the man.

“You should have helped me. Next time save the monster, as leaving it to die makes monsters.” She growled.

The man went to his boat. Everyone got in.

“Can I touch your hair?” the little girl asked.

“It’s full of mud.” Autumn stated.

“Exactly” the girl said.

“Alright.” Autumn agreed confused.

She giggled as she toughed the goo, stuck on Autumn.

The boys also had a feel and they also laughed.

“Glad this is amusing. But why is it amusing?” Autumn asked.

The man rowed his boat. To a hovering city. Autumn suddenly felt it was a bad idea going home with them.

The city hovered above the swamp. A steady hum coming from it.

“Some rock.” Autumn glared at him.

He pulled the boat next to the city. Attached a metal poll to the center and flipped a leaver. The boat rose up to the city, it was massive. Some men came over. They helped set up the walkway from the boat onto the city.

These men eyed Autumn.

“It threatened my children.” The man told them once they were it the city.

The men surrounded her.

“I was lost and he wouldn’t help.” Autumn said trying to plead her case.

But she was getting the feeling that things in this city work every differently.

The man walked away with his children. Leaving her surrounded.

“What tribe are you?’ she asked not expecting an answer.

A metal collar was put around her neck three polls all with safe distance came out of the collar. They lead her away into a building. Beds with sick people lined the walls.

A woman approached.

“Who is this? Why have you collared her?”

“She threatened to kill children and gained entry into our city.”

Autumn began to regret threatening the children. It was a horrific thing to these people.

“She is savage. We were hoping you could put her down and test for disease.”

Autumn felt like a caged animal. No escape, no rights, no one to help.

The woman approached.

“What are you going to do to me?” Autumn asked.

“I am going to put your body to sleep. Your mind will be awake, and you can still speak. But you will not be able to move.”

Autumn looked around her. There was no escape.

“What if I fight back?”

“They will kill you.” She said calmly.

“Please let me help you. I have studied the biology of other species and I am sure you will be fine.”

This was not comforting to Autumn. But even if she killed the woman, it wouldn’t help her. So, she tried to be brave. The woman pinched her then almost instantly her body gave way beneath her. She dangled from the collar with a limp body.

“You can release and put her on the bed.”

There beds were made of wood and they were off the ground standing on four posts at each corner. A soft yet firm thing lay on top of it. With a cotton sheet over it.

“My name is Cascada. I will try to help you.”

“Why?” Autumn asked defensive.

“Well, when I was a child, I lived in the village Fish with my mother and father and siblings. When Queen Tiffany took over and killed the leaders my mom asked her friend a Lovac to bring me to my uncle who lived near the swamp. She did, she brought me here and I have been safe here. I never saw my parents again and I heard that the village fish and the Lovac who helped me died when the soldiers marched in. That’s when my uncle brought me to this forgotten city. So, I was shown kindness by a Lovac. That’s why I want to pay that debt by helping you. But you have to stop threatening to kill, it’s doesn’t endear anyone to you.”

Autumn lay there unable to move.

“How are you going to help me?” she asked skeptically.

“I will show them you are not here to harm us. Trust is earned. It takes time. As I am sure you will need time to trust me and see I am a friend.”

Autumn eyed her.

“What was the name of the Lovac that helped you?” Autumn asked.

“Alexia, she was my mother’s friend.”

Autumn said nothing.

Alexia was the name of her mother. Her mother had left her with family while she had to do something. Autumn scratched in the parts of her memories that she had locked away for a long time. They were painful memories. Her mother never returned and soon after she was placed in the mine to work until death took her.

“How old were you?” Autumn asked.

Cascada smiled

“I was twelve.”

Cascada looked at the scares on her body.

“What happened to you?” she asked.

“Life. The queen, the mine.”

“The mine?” Cascada asked.

“Yip while you lived out here in your safe city the queen enslaved all the other tribes. Oh, and fish wasn’t destroyed. But the people living in the village aren’t considered…” Autumn wasn’t sure how to finish.

“What?” Cascada asked.

Autumn found herself wondering if she should try to negotiate information for freedom. Or if she should just tell her in the hopes it will count in her favor later.

“They are considered a creature not a tribe. Talking animals that provide fish to the castle as payment for being left alive.”

Cascada’s eyes got very big. Her jaw tightened. Her blue hair looked even more, blue.

“Talking animals.” The tendons in her neck showed as the said it

“Some in the village died trying to protect their rights. But most just agreed and honestly, they got the best deal out there. They aren’t hunted or made to work in the mines being fed just enough to keep you alive and when you fall sick because of the working conditions they work you to death. Then your body gets used for the fire to keep the masters warm in the cold. While everyone else is left is freeze.”

Cascada listened, her heart was grieved. She knew it was bad but in her safe city she had no idea how bad. It also accrued to her that her mother might still be alive. Her uncle must have had bad information.

She looked at Autumn an angry hard woman, shaped by hate and hardships.

“Why did you come into the swamp?” Cascada asked.

“I was doing a job for the queen.”

Cascada raised an eyebrow

“Oh?”

“My people’s freedom. I have to find some woman’s body. Lately it’s like the queen is a different person. She is paying me in land. My people’s land to bring home the body of someone named Lakisha. So, I came into the swamp hoping to find the dead body quickly and return. But I was attacked and, in my efforts, to escape I got lost. Then almost died while your kind watched and now, I am here. Paralyzed laying on a…bed? While you pock and prod me.”

Autumn decided to not hold back.

“The queen has even called a peace conference where leaders from the village fish have been invited to represent their people in an effort to create peace.” Autumn added “Maybe they will be recognized as a tribe again?”

A man was brought in. Autumn could see him as he lay there. He had scratch marks that looked like hers. His face and chest were cut deeply.

“I was attacked while I was out on petrol.” He said “Some tiger like thing was in our swamp. I knocked it into the mud. It has no chance.”

Cascada ran over and looked at the scratches.

“What are my chances?” he asked.

“You’ll live.” Cascada replied.

She looked at Autumn as if she knew it was her.

Autumn was not sure it was her. She was attacked by a swamp monster not a man like thing. Then Autumn wondered if the man like thing could become the swamp monster?

She had been in the mines since she was a child. Her knowledge of the other tribes was limited.

Autumn’s room become full of spectators.

“Is that a real Lovac?” a man asked.

“I don’t know.” Another said.

One poked her.

“Do that again and when I am free, I will take that hand from you.” She snarled.

“It can’t move.” One observed.

“I have heard they change into a cat like creature that hunts.” Another said.

Autumn narrowed her eyes.

One took a quick look under the sheet covering her.

“She’s nicer than I expected.” He said as if it were a complement.

“GET OUT! All of you!” Cascada said returning from the scratch victim.

“No harm meant.” They said.

“This is unkind behavior.” Cascada snapped at them.

“It threatened those children.” One said defensively.

“Surly you know better than to behave like this. I will be adding it to my report. Now get out.” She said firmly.

They left.

“Are you alright? Did they hurt you?” Cascada asked.

“Why must I play nice again?” Autumn asked hoping there wouldn’t be a good reason for her not to kill them later.

“Because then you will prove yourself to be the monster, they suspect you are. Being the better person is not for the weak but for the strong. Raising above wrongs done to you. Forgiving when it is in your power to judge.”

“Do you always have such neat little replies?” Autumn asked.

Cascada smiled,

“Sometimes.”

She cleaned under Autumn’s nails and pricked her finger for blood and looked down her ears.

“There is a woman here named Lakisha. A boy brought her in a few days ago. She had drowned. No one can understand her. But she is sweet and tries to help so we have let her stay. I will ask the rulers if she can be sent home with you.”

“Thank you.” Autumn said surprised “What’s in it you?” Autumn asked unable to let it be.

“Your people get freedom and land. The woman doesn’t fit in here. It would be better for her to go back to her own people.”

Autumn narrowed her eyes.

“What’s in it for you?” she asked again.

“My debt is repaid. But I will ask something of you.”

There it is, Autumn thought.

“When you get the chance, do something kind for someone even though you are not getting anything for it.”

Autumn’s limbs had regained feeling. She could move again. She pretended that she couldn’t as the medical woman examined her.

“Something kind for someone that I am getting nothing from?” Autumn looked horrified.

“Yes, a kindness for a stranger. That’s what I ask in return.”

“Who are you?” Autumn asked “The world doesn’t work that way.”

“But it can.” Cascada said “Stay here. I will be back. Please don’t kill anyone or threaten to. Don’t make it more difficult.”

Cascada left the room.

Autumn got dressed and looked around. The room was very clean and even smelt clean. While being paralyzed her senses were affected. But now she could smell everything. Everyone who had been in there. She followed the sent to the room where the man with the scratches was.

“Can you swim in mud?” she asked.

“Who are you?” he said rudely.

“No one yet. If you could that would be very amazing.”

The words were hard for her to say. But she managed anyways.

“Yes, I can. Our skin has a high oil content so we are uninhibited by mud. As long as there is a water content, we can move through it.” He bragged.

“So, you’re the swamp monster that tried to kill me!”

He looked worried.

She smiled.

“You should be worried. If I could do that to you in your zone, then imagine what I can do to you in mine?”

“Are you going to kill me?” he asked.

“Maybe, why did you try to kill me?” she asked.

“You were too close to our city. We protect its existence. We are able to live in peace because no one knows we are here.”

“Did you know I was a person?” she asked.

He looked at her sadly

“I didn’t care.”

“Fine.” She said.

“What?” he asked.

“The kindness is repaid.”

She went back to her room.

Cascada went to the rulers of the forgotten city. She was going to ask something big of them. And most of them didn’t really like her. But she felt it was the right thing to do.

Autumn just needed to be shown kindness, she rehearsed in her head.

“Cascada is here.” The door keeper announced.

She ignored their glum faces.

“The woman Autumn who came to our city is a Lovac. Many of us were brought here by a member of the Lovac tribe and we lived here in peace, while all Lovac’s were made to work and die in the mines. Their dead were burned as wood for warmth by those enslaving them. The woman who has come to us only needs to be shown kindness. I know this, because even after she was able to move or harm someone she stayed in her room. Even when my back was turned, she tried nothing.”

The rulers were horrified. They tried to speak up

“Please let me finish. We take pride in being more than other tribes. We know more. We have more. We are more just and fair and we show kindness. Our principles teach that we are as our actions reveal. Also, we believe in forgiveness and second chances. So, I propose we take Autumn and Lakisha back to solid ground. The queen has even sent invitations for leader from every tribe to attend a peace conference. Let them return to their own people and let us show our children that we practice what we preach.”

They looked at her with annoyed faces. Then discussed it between themselves then said

“We have heard you and as usual you have found a way to get what you want. But the Lovac threaten to kill our children. Does she feel remorse? Does she even recognize it as wrong? Repentance is required. If the woman shows repentance, then we will agree to your request.”

“Thank you.”

Cascada ran back to the medical bay.

Autumn was sitting in her room.

“Good news the counsel has agreed. But you are required to apologize to the parents and their children you threatened to kill.”

“Apologize.” Autumn said.

Cascada pulled a face

“Don’t go tripping out at the last second. You were never going to kill the children. So, apologize and then you can leave with Lakisha.”

“How do you know I wasn’t going to kill them?” Autumn said.

Cascada raised an eyebrow.

“Come on, don’t be difficult.” She gave a look. “This way.” She beckoned.

She led Autumn out of the medical bay

Everyone had blue hair, some long some short. They all had blue eyes and skin that looked golden brown. They stared at her an obvious outsider.

Cascada led her to the first house.

She rang the bell.

A woman answered the door.

“Oh!” she exclaimed seeing Autumn.

“I can’t do this.” Autumn said.

“Yes, you can.” Cascada encouraged.

“I have brought the traumatized woman who threatened your daughter to see you. She would appreciate some of your time so she can speak with you.”

“Come in” the woman moved so they could enter

“Dax bring the sprouts.” She called.

Autumn stood awkwardly. Apologizing was something she had never learnt to do. It felt awful.

The man stood with his two children.

Cascada nudged her

“I am sorry I threatened your children with harm.” Autumn managed.

“She was never really going to hurt them, Were you?” Cascada prompted.

“No, I wasn’t.” she said looking at the floor.

“Look at them.” Cascada whispered.

“Well, it’s very nice of you to come by and apologize.”

“Told you she was dirty.” The boy said.

“That’s because I don’t have super skin with oil.” Autumn said.

They looked at her.

“So, you get dirty?” the girl asked.

“Yes, but I can run really fast and see in the dark.” She bragged.

“I want to do that.” The boy said.

“She seems nice enough. But I would like it if you took her away now.” The mother said to Cascada.

“We must be leaving. Thank you for your time.” Cascada said.

“Not staying for refreshments?” the mother asked.

“Not today. Thank you.” Cascada said.

Once they had left the house Autumn said

“I wanted to stay for refreshments. I am thirsty and hungry.”

“We have another family to visit.” Cascada said.

They walked through the city to another house

Cascada rang the bell.

The man answered.

“You!” he said

“She has come to ask for some of your time to talk. She was very traumatized.” Cascada said.

“Talk” he said standing at the door.

“I apologize for threatening to kill you and the children with you. I was not really going to hurt them.”

The word felt like chilies in her throat.

“Really?” he said “You expect me to believe that you were not going to kill me and my sprouts?” he was insulted by the apology.

“I was going to kill you but not your sprouts and I didn’t kill you for them. As if that silly little stick you had could have stopped me if I had wanted to.”

“Autumn!” Cascada said.

“No, he was watching was I was dying and I am the one apologizing.”

“Yes, you are because you threatened to kill a man in front of his sprouts and their friends. Now raise up.” Cascada said sternly.

Autumn took a deep breath.

“I apologize and I would like to apologize to your sprouts and bond mate.” she swallowed “Please”

He glared at her.

“Sprouts.” He called.

The two children came. A boy and the girl who had wanted to touch her hair.

“I apologize for threatening to kill your daddy. Thank you for convincing him to help me.” She said.

“Daddy says you are a bad woman and that bad woman come to take…” her father covered her mouth.

“Sometimes bad people also need kindness.” Cascada said “Thank you for your time. We will be leaving now.”

Autumn followed her in silence back to the medical bay.

Autumn sat in her room. While Cascada faffed about. She felt many things, conflicting feelings. She wanted to kill all of them that had hurt her. All of them! But yet she didn’t want to disappoint Cascada who believed in her and her ability to be better. She sat waiting for the verdict, what judgement would be placed on her for not apologizing properly.

“Tomorrow you may leave with Lakisha. Here is some water and food. You must stay here tonight. Please don’t harm anyone even if they deserve it.” Cascada requested.

Autumn took the food.

“Thank you.” she said.