Darukaviqu almost stood to attention as he drew himself up. ‘I rally to you Bamrushi. In Hatunqiri. And I will bring as many of t=the watch, and that of neighboring towns I can muster.’

Jupiter looked between Berg and Darukaviqu and noted their auras pulsed in a similar pattern, fading and flashing in colours that matched then complemented one another. They were almost literally in agreement.

Jupiter drew Berg away to speak in private.

‘As long as we get to Hatunqiri soon,’ Jupiter said. ‘And then we will go on to Naz’naska.’

‘You did not tell all the truth to Maggie,’ Berg said. ‘And she did not see the deception.’

‘I know. You don’t like how humans can stretch the truth, or tell a white lie. Listen. We really are doing what she wants. I told a white lie. But this way you get what you want too.’

‘It is curious don’t you think?’ Berg stepped close and peered closely at Jupiter. ‘That you use the term white lie when your face flashes red as you tell it.’

Jupiter lowered his head to hide his face. So manisaurs could tell when human’s lied.

‘Your old friend Qhawana said phavara — the sages of Naruham — the Imperial capital would know better. But an old nuvra told us there are scholars, priests, or whatever, who can tell us about the portal at Naz’naska. And he believed we have a deadline to meet. Maybe it is not there, but we must be there before the next full moon.’

‘But that is in five days. You have three days to travel to be there at the time of the full moon.’

‘Maybe we’ll be too late. But how else are we to find out?’

The two studied each other. Two aliens separated by eons of space and time. And yet they understood through tulanvarqa something of what each believed to be true.

‘I hope the portal is at Naz’naska.’ Jupiter said at last. ‘That our information is correct, Maggie wants to go home so much. And without that hope Maggie would have nothing.’

‘Hope is that which you have when you do not trust to fate.’

Jupiter sighed. Sometimes manisaur poems and songs were not the kind of wisdom he wanted to hear. There was a layer of meaning that manisaurs took from their poetry that was lost on him.

Instead Jupiter nodded. ‘When do you wish to leave?’

‘Immediately.’ Berg rose. ‘For both of us there is no time to waste.’

‘There is something else,’ Jupiter said. ’Tharumiyo. You know him?’

‘The Upariqami elder. A worthy quevantaq, loyal and steadfast. He has kept his clan together when after the fall it would otherwise have been lost. He is a great ally of the old regime and stands against these changes that will bring the Empire low.’

‘He’s a traitor. I saw him with the Air Lord when I was held on the Air Lord’s skyfort Hantiviqu. They’re planning to overthrow Eoth.’

‘Your friend said much the same, but I do not believe this madness. Tharumiyo is a stalwart of the old regime and wants its return. While the Air Lord is already part of this new Empire and fights change. They are enemies. Why would they act together?’

‘I don’t know. But I saw him taken prisoner and he spoke with the Air Lord.’

‘Tharumiyo was taken prisoner? That is a bad outcome.’

‘He escaped to the rebels… the loyalists… somehow. I almost did then too but…’

‘You misunderstood,’ said Berg.

‘I don’t…’

‘Humans, and nuvra at that, cannot take in all that we quevantaqi say. You misunderstood. If Tharumiyo is not to be trusted then all is lost. And I will not believe that.’

Berg stepped towards the others, the town watch and the rest of The Jupiter’s crew.

‘We fly to Thushimar as soon as we have stored our food and supplies. The day is half over already.’

They sowed the supplies in The Jupiter and arranged for one of the town watch to travel with them to the next town on the way to Hatunqiri. Then they sailed off above the river.

On the way a line of small skyships moved towards the high country drawn by lowing gharumal. But on the horizon larger vessels swung along the way.

Thushimar — Spirits in the Forest appeared well named. As the day drew towards sunset tendrils of mist drifted down the valleys and through the forest trees along the banks of the river.

The wind had died and so the crew of The Jupiter now walked the path next to the river and pulled the outrigger by its tow rope. Breeze remained on board giving lazy spins to the kheel, much to the watchman’s amazement and Berg’s disapproval.

Berg did not think much of Tamm, so the former imperial navy officer and Jupiter took up the towrope. They trailed at the rear of the group and like draft beasts pulled The Jupiter along behind.

Berg and the town watch strode along in the lead, with Maggie close behind listening to their talk as if she did not trust they would lead them by the fastest route.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Jupiter did not doubt the path would take them through the forest of spirits by the most direct way. But these manisaurs did not think of how The Jupiter could fly, how she could catch the winds, and fly above the obstacles they now walked around.

But I guess this calm would make it hard to get moving. At least we’re doing that.

Jupiter took note of the falling mist and knew a breath of wind brought it down from higher in the mountains. And that wind might be enough. He began to pull the tow rope in and opened his mouth to call them all to stop when the town watchman cried alarm.

‘Moasaur riders,’ Varuktulan the town watchman called out. ‘I see them up the river coming towards the way into Thushimar town.’

‘Breeze.’ Jupiter called up the imp. ‘Bring The Jupiter down.’

He looked for a place to hide the outrigger. This group of human and manisaur travelers would be strange enough without an outrigger from the tropics bobbing like a balloon on the end of a rope above them.

Then a troupe of moasaur riders rounded a curve in the path closer than anyone had expected. Maggie moved back to The Jupiter while Varuktulan — the watchman pulled his long blade from his back and stood ready.

The tarushkam — military troupe rode up before Jupiter had a chance to hide the outrigger. The Jupiter rested on the path, unexplainable and mysterious.

‘Breeze,’ said Jupiter. ‘Hide.’ The imp slipped into the trees like a shadow.

Jupiter eyed the new arrivals and readied to run, but knew he couldn’t. Not with Maggie and the others exposed to these warrior manisaurs. He never carried a weapon, had never wanted to.

But perhaps I should get some training.

‘Curious,’ said the troupe’s qharvan — lieutenant. Jupiter saw which manisaur led the party even if their emblems of rank were poor and bedraggled.

‘I see a vessel but no nalama to crew her, and no sea upon which to sail.’ The qharvan dismounted while their troupes drew long blades. ‘I see a watchman, but no town to watch.’ He stepped close to Berg and their auras flashed. ‘And I see you, zavaqara, and yet you have not retired.’

‘And I see you, a mountain man, descend from the peaks and travel towards the plains.’ Berg stepped to the manisaur and they grasped each others forearms in their two thumbed grips.

‘We loyal traitors should stand together,’ said the manisaur.

‘And sing songs of glory,’ Berg replied.

Maggie stepped next to Jupiter. ‘I guess all this singing and poetry means these guys are friends?’

‘I hope so,’ said Jupiter. ‘Unless they’re about to battle-rap. Not sure I can stand that much squawking racket.’

The new arrival motioned for the tarushkam to sheath blades as she stepped closer to the outrigger. But she had only eyes on Jupiter.

‘It is all as was said,’ the qharvan spoke in a clear warble but Jupiter could not tell who she spoke to. ‘There is no time. We will lead you to into Thushimar. Our forces gather.’

One of the troupe’s moasaur’s took The Jupiter in tow. Jupiter rode in outrigger and spun the kheel while Breeze remained hidden in the forest. Despite Berg’s assurances they knew the troupe’s qharvan Jupiter agreed with Breeze.

I don’t trust anyone here now. At least from up here I can see the view. Check things out.

He watched as a troupe of twenty moasaur-mounted manisaurs filed along the river path, more crossed the river to join them before the company branched off to follow a path beside a tributary. Above the forest Jupiter could see a high valley between lofty mountains. Their destination for the night lay within the hanging valley and the path to Thushimar cut through the forest.

The qharvan, Pritamaham — Loved by the Mountains, and Berg warbled to each other in a friendly enough manner, but the rest of her troupe remained stern and aloof towards Tamm and Maggie. They did not like The Jupiter either and gave it a wide birth.

Should have brought Maggie and Tamm onboard The Jupiter. Then we could have just flown off. Except. Still no wind.

Jupiter saw more converging moasaurs and manisaur troupes and realized they what they reminded him of.

Migrating wildebeest. There’s enough of them.

In the end they did not reach Thushimar that day. Instead they branched off the path to a smaller valley where a lodge stood amongst the forest. Jupiter brought the outrigger to rest on the ground outside the building. It looked much like the varunaraqayu — the wayhouse they had been in two night’s before. The stone here had a darker color and came in flatter boulders. But the stone base, wooden upper walls, and a shake shingled roof matched the pattern.

Maggie joined him as the troupe settled their moasaurs in the lodge’s stable. Tamm stood to the side and watched, ever wary and alert. He gave Jupiter a manisaur wobble of the head in acknowledgement.

‘There’s going to be a big battle,’ said Maggie. ‘That’s why we saw so many skyships coming along The Way. They’re all heading for Hatunqiri. These mountain manisaurs have been called to fight them.’

‘That’s what you heard Berg and the qharvan…’ Jupiter said.

‘Qharvan Pritamaham. Yes. Our town watchman from Takutshaqa knew only of the Imperial Navy gathering, not that the mountain peoples planned to gather. But he is not surprised. There has been discontent for a long while. It’s why imperial security is in their area.’

‘Yeah. They seemed almost gleeful when they found us with Berg,’ said Jupiter. He looked around as the qharvan led Berg and the troupe of manisaurs into the lodge. Jupiter shivered and pulled his jacket closer around him. The night would be cold, snow still lay on the tops of the mountains and the wind had picked up as the sun set.

‘What I don’t understand is how do they all know about Berg?’ Maggie said.

‘Berg is some big shot. Or was until he got sent to Black Spire with Qhawana.’

‘No. They expected him here somehow,’ said Maggie. ‘Knew he had left his exile and would come to them.’

‘That makes no sense. The Jupiter flies a lot faster than anything else. Everyone sys so. Tamm, how could they he had come south?’

‘I don’t know,’ Tamm said as he stepped close to them.

‘Maybe the plan to rescue him from Black Spire had been well known,’ Jupiter said. ‘And they all expected…’

‘No,’ said Maggie. ‘They knew he would be in the mountains building an opposition army.’

‘And they rally in Thushimar for him,’ said Tamm. ‘They knew.’

‘Okay. Too strange.’

‘Even weirder,’ Maggie’s voice dropped. ‘They all say the battle will be on the eve of the full moon.’

‘We don’t really care about all this though do we? We just want to get to Hatunqiri and by the full moon to…’

‘Naz’naska.’

‘I promised.’

‘But that’s just when this the imperials and these new rebels will get to Hatunqiri to fight a war,’ said Tamm.

Breeze startled them as he appeared from the darkness into the glow globes that lit the front of the lodge.

‘You waited for them to go inside didn’t you?’ said Maggie touching Breeze on the shoulder. ‘I’m not so keen on these soldiers either.’

Breeze climbed on the outrigger, his hand on the kheel.

‘Maggie? Do you think we should just split? I mean why don’t we just leave?’ said Jupiter.

Maggie stared at him as she considered the idea. But she shook her head. ‘We still don’t know the way.’

‘But do you think Berg will ever tell us? We’re too useful to him.’

‘We have to sleep anyway,’ said Tamm. ‘Let’s stay the night here.’

‘Alright. But it’s getting dangerous. We’re in the middle of a war zone.’ Jupiter said but kicked himself the moment the words had come out.

Shouldn’t have said that last bit out loud.

But Maggie just turned away and went inside leaving Jupiter and Tamm to drop the mast and tow The Jupiter to a sheltered place inside the barn. Breeze climbed on board and gathered a felted fur-feather cloak about himself.

You go… I stay… Watch watching…

Tiredness tugged at Jupiter and he didn’t argue. As he and Tamm went inside to look for the others one thought stayed on Jupiter’s mind.

If they knew were were coming, they must be able to send messages faster than we can fly. What else don’t we know?