Specter

Fawn was in a deep sleep when a shaking feeling woke her. Opening her eyes she could see the dark ground moving beneath her. She was hanging underneath the Veil, held by its left hand and swaying with each stride it took. Its pace was faster than usual, moving with specific purpose. In the cool dim light, Fawn made out they were heading towards one of the taller trees.

“Where are we going?”

Fawn had not known the Veil to canter this way in the past.

“Is something wrong?”

She could feel the extra tension in its movements this time. With no new information coming, she decided to stop and listen. Focusing intently, she could hear something in the distance and it seemed to be getting louder.

What is ... ?

Listening harder still, she focused her attention on the sound, trying to make sense of it.

Far away, but definitely getting louder, there was a kind of howling. It sounded like wind through a tunnel, mixed with gravel tumbling down a hill.

What is that noise?

She was entirely focused on the sound now, a periodic howl, starting and stopping every few moments, each time getting a bit closer and starting up again.

The Veil was now at the foot of the tree it had aimed for. Walking around the trunk slowly, it looked up toward the branches in the distance.

After it had circled the tree a few times, it stopped and pressed open its ears. Reacting quickly, it lifted Fawn to its back. She grasped on as best she could, hauling herself back up to the space she had gotten used to, holding her food and claw tight to her. Having placed her out of the way, the Veil stood itself side on to the tree and raised its hind leg.

From beneath it revealed an opening: out of which came an organ it then used to spray a very strong chemical at the base of the tree. The smell was immediately overpowering for Fawn, more astringent and acidic smelling than the foul carrion odors she had encountered up until now. Coughing, she recoiled and hid her face in her elbow.

“Argh! Gods! What was that?! I guess ... you need a boy’s name ... ewwww.”

Struggling to catch her breath, she wrapped a cloth around her nose and mouth.

“I hope we’re not going to stand here forever.”

The Veil gathered himself and began to make the guttural sound that was usually reserved for warning animals that they are about to meet their end. With a swift leap he left the ground and turned himself to face the tree trunk, gripping onto it with his claws and engaging all four limbs as he ran up the tree, like simply climbing a hill.

Fawn caught hold of the plates on his neck and held on for dear life as they scaled the enormous tree. Within moments they were at the top of the pale, towering timber edifice, the Veil tearing through the fabric-like foliage easily and landing on the top, crouching down.

“What are we doing up here?”

Fawn had held on well enough but was lost as to why they had climbed so high without warning.

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“Are we hiding from that noise?”

Desperately she hoped that was not the case, as all she had seen so far was no match for the Veil. If he was hiding, she wanted to know why.

“Are ... are you scared? Because I ... I don’t know how to help.”

Nervousness now permeated her voice.

Her questions had no impact, but the discomfort must have begun to emanate from her as he then reached behind his neck so she could climb onto the back of his hand. He placed her down on the foliage which supported her easily. She sat like a princess in her hammock looking nervous and playing with her fingers, a child awaiting bad news.

Having placed his passenger down safely, the Veil then turned his attention to the sound. It was closer than before, traveling on the wind and coming from more than one location. It was a howl that grew in intensity every few moments and then dropped off.

Hearing the sound made him grow irritable as it came closer. He listened carefully to the wind and sniffed the air. Climbing about the treetop, looking in three different directions in sequence, his irritation changed to focus. His stance shifted, he settled and became obsessed. Turning his attention to the trunk of the tree he started to make his way back down.

“Don’t leave me here!”

Fawn was frantic as he climbed down.

“Clunk ... clunk ... clunk.”

The Veil made his clear warning as he continued down the tree.

“Umm ok ... I’ll ... just wait here.”

She made her way to a suspended spot where she could see down the tree and out into the space around it. The light was starting to make its way over the Plains as morning returned to the area, bringing with it more light, more heat and more enemies.

Reaching the base of the tree, the Veil was moving as a predator, focused on the howling coming from his left. There was now a clear separation in the sounds: one left and two right, all of the same type in resonance but with varying degrees of volume and depth.

The left one was closer and moving faster than the other two, while one of the right-hand ones was heavier in its sound and moving more slowly.

Fawn could see the dust clouds growing as the light increased its hold on the vast area, and she began to distinguish between the different clouds.

She brought her attention to the closest one, narrowed her focus and peered into the dust. The animal was big enough to see at a long range. She was able to make out the basics of its shape. It was heavy set, traveled on a mixture of all fours and two legs, and it had thick, muscular limbs—three times the diameter of those which the Veil possessed.

She could see a wide head and large eyes. It was now close enough to make out more details and there was no doubt that it carried predator's teeth in its huge, heavy build.

The Veil was intent upon the nearest threat. Fawn could see the Veil preparing himself. She watched him gather his energy like he had against the worms, placing his limbs carefully. He prowled toward the torrent of incoming dust and howling. For the first time she felt fear for the wellbeing of her guardian. Watching as he moved around the tree, it was obvious to her now that he was acting to ensure her safety.

The idea that she would be waiting in a tree for a dangerous monster to protect her from another dangerous monster was surreal, and so strange to her that if she were not seeing it for herself, she would never have believed it possible. Observing her champion prepare for a fight made her stomach twist and turn. It caused pressure in her abdomen and a fluttering in her chest.

I hope he is going to be ok. I have no idea how I would survive, or even get down.

It dawned on her as she watched the coming battle that she was very dependent on this thing, this animal that had taken care of her for no apparent reason, and the thought made her scared and comforted at the same time.

She had not felt like anyone, or indeed anything, would ever protect her after she lost her brothers, yet there was mounting evidence that this dark killer would do exactly that. Knowing she may never learn why he chose to save her was disappointing, but she could feel that it was motivated by something significant, and enduring.

Circling the tree, the Veil readied himself for what was coming.

The animal howling in the dust cloud was clearly bigger than the Veil and had a much more powerful physique. It moved with force and displaced the dirt and rocks about it as it did so. It knew its target now, breathing his scent fanned its fury. Doubling its speed, it began hurtling towards the Veil, the unmistakable shape of its head coming into view.

It looked like a white-gray version of the Veil, its eyes the same wide oval, although they were blackened rather than the moving silver, and it had less concealed ears. Its teeth grew so large, they protruded outside of its mouth, crossing over each other in a random and varied way like those of an ancient reptile. Its face was wide and stout like that of the Veil, but it had a short snout shape that its cousin did not. Tearing through the dust cloud, it bore down on the Veil with massive hands, wider fingers and shorter white-gray claws. Snatching up a large rock as it ran, it made its way to its target.

The Veil seemed frozen, crouched at the base of the tree, preoccupied with the apparent safety of the little one he hid above in the foliage.

The heavy, violent monster was bearing down on him, drawing ever closer and armed with its rudimentary weapon. Its roar was clear: a howling combined with the grind of gravel.

Fawn could feel the roar shake the bones under her skin from her place on the branches. It was a sound she would not have thought a living creature could make, much harsher and louder than that of her compatriot.

An echo of this ghostly looking animal carried on the open air, the way the Veil’s unique rumble and clicking did in the caves.

–Garrick M Lynch–