3-3-2

I turned to my screen and tapped on it, working to establish a connection to Kine, aware of Mathias hovering behind me, peering over my shoulder. The relief I felt, knowing he was okay was blissful and I felt I could focus more readily on the task before us. Things were a little unclear at the moment and I wasn’t sure what our next move would be. Thankfully, Kine could deal with that.

Finally the connection established and Kine’s face appeared, smiling and relieved. He must have been worried having only the occasional text comm since we’d left the Mountain, knowing we were heading into dangerous territory. And he didn’t even know about the Itbit Dew drops yet. I was beginning to sympathise with my cousin, stuck at home while his kin went off to do dangerous things far away from the safety of the Capital. I was used to it but for most individuals, this would grate on their nerves until they were a wreck if they let it.

“Sierra, Uncle. It’s good to see you. Tell me, how has everything been? Did you complete your task yet?” Kine asked, his tone measured yet warm, making me think he was treating this as a formal communication rather than a personal one.

“Hi Kine! I miss you.” I said, simply because it was true. I missed seeing him every rotation and the easy relationship we had forged together. My kin. “I’ll send you the full written report anyway but do you want me to update you now?” I asked, letting him dictate the course of the conversation. I could see a tightness around his eyes that spoke of stress or distress. Something had happened but was it personal or work related?

Kine looked away briefly, thoughtful, before looking back at us. “Yes, an update would be good, if you please. Then I have another problem to speak with you about.”

I paused but Kine’s tone made it clear he wasn’t ready to deal with it yet. Fair enough. “Sure. So… we left the Mountain the same rotation we last spoke to you and made good progress south, using the tree tops to move, both to avoid detection and to make travel faster. We found a functional grav-line on rotation two by mid rotation and used it to travel during light hours. The first night after we found the grav-line, we decided to continue rather than stop to sleep, conscious of the deadline I had agreed with my Igidoe contact. We had a minor incident with a Dire Fang who tried to attack us as we travelled in the dark but we fended it off until it left the grav-line.”

I paused, trying to order my thoughts and find a way to soften the blow that I knew would upset my cousin before continuing. The best way was to deliver the news calmly and factually.

“We rode the grav-line for another two to three rotations until we closed on the Igidoe border and decided to travel on foot to avoid any patrols or look outs. Though I know the area well, suitable camp sites were few, especially as I decided to avoid any potential encounter with any Myath groups. Unfortunately, this left us with a need to forge a route where we encountered Itbit Dew. All but two of the team were affected by Dew drops but we emerged from the affects well before light began to fall. We made our way to our chosen camp site, established a protective perimeter with sensors and slept off the lingering effects of the Dew drops. Come morn, Kaylor and I left camp and traversed the Igidoe border without trouble. Kaylor hung back as I met with my contact and convinced him to try to persuade the Igidoe Prime to attend and participate in the Gathering. We strategised ways he could accomplish this before he escorted us to the border and made sure we left without issue. When a patrol happened along, my contact led them away. We just now returned to camp and replenished our energy with food before contacting you. I can make no promises, but I’m hopeful my contact can succeed.”

I finished my very brief report and waited patiently as the silence from Kine stretched out. It was a lot to take so I gave him as much time as he needed to process it all. The longer I looked at him, the more concerned I became. Kine didn’t just look tired but… unwell? I was distracted from my concerned thoughts when Kine finally spoke.

“What was in the Itbit Dew?” He asked carefully, his voice strained but somehow, there was more than just concern there. There was a hint of… hope.

“…They contained Terror.” I responded slowly, closely watching for Kine’s reaction. I could feel Mathias’ interest from behind me. He felt something too.

Kine slumped a little, letting out a ragged sigh. He just sat there staring off with dull eyes until he managed to pull his head up and look at us again.

“Is there any chance you could find an Itbit and try to make a deal for knowledge or medicine?” Kine asked, almost desperate.

That’s it, I’d had enough. No more dancing around. “Kine. What’s wrong? What’s happening in the Capital that has you so… worn?” Kine looked me in the eye, occasionally flicking his gaze to Mathias behind me. Every visible line of his body screamed desperation, sorrow and reluctance. But I stayed firm, waiting expectantly. “Kine?” I urged.

“A… sickness has spread through the Capital.” He said, voice flat and listless. “No one has died but many are badly affected. The Healers and MACC are overwhelmed because we’ve never had this much demand on our healing services before. Icanthie don’t get sick. Injured yes. Old yes. But not sick.” He stated but I could tell there was more.

“What else Kine?” I demanded quietly. I could tell there was something he didn’t want to tell me.

“… some… are blaming you Sierra. There aren’t many but the suspicion is there, lingering in the background. I fear that if you return right now or if many more cool heads fall I’ll, the negative sentiments may spread. And… I don’t know if…” Kine trailed off, looking gaunt.

“You’re sick, aren’t you?” I said, more a statement than a question. Kine didn’t have to answer me to confirm it, I could see it. The more I watched him, the more obvious it was that more than just concern weighed his shoulder down. “Fudgy Dinglebats!” I swore.

My mind began to race and I ran a hand through my hair, trying desperately to stay calm as I contemplated the looming disaster. Kine was sick. I couldn’t lose him, not another one, not again. Kine was sick. He could die.

No.

“Have the Healers and MACC analysed everything, the water, the air, the food, everything. We need to know where it came from. Also-”

“We already have.” Kine interrupted me. “We think we’ve found the cause but we can’t fight it. There’s nothing in our database like it and the Healers, though familiar with the theory of infection and disease, have never had to tackle it before. They’re starting from nothing.”

Despite his dour tone, relief coursed through me. “Good. Send me everything they have now. And tell me the symptoms.” I ordered.

Kine’s eyes went wide as I ordered him around but something in my expression must have convinced him because he started tapping on his various screens and data appeared next to his image on my screen. I started pouring over it, at the same time listening to Kine as he listed the symptoms.

“The symptoms vary, some appear later so at first, you don’t notice them all. Uhhh, increases in temperature, shivering and chills, pain in the joints and chest, headaches, irritated eyes. Coughing and breathlessness.” Kine listed.

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I frowned through slitted eyes, thinking. It was too broad, I needed something else to narrow it down.“Has anyone coughed up blood?” I asked.

Kine looked his screens, looking for something and nodded. “A few.”

“What about skin lesions or sores?” I asked intently, an idea beginning to form.

Kine frowned, looking at his screen and speaking quietly to someone off to the side. I waited, almost holding my breath. The data Kine had sent me caught my attention again and I smiled. It suggested an answer but I needed to know if the symptoms matched. Eventually Kine turned back to me.

“We hadn’t noticed them because so many stay in their Warrior or Feline Forms. When they’re urged to shift to their Resting Forms, the skin lesions are obvious. Healers are treating them now. What are you thinking Sierra?”

“The Myath aren’t like the other races, we do get sick and are vulnerable to a lot of infections and diseases, though our physical health is usually very good. Thank goodness we’ve eliminated autoimmune stuff and malignant mutations. Some of our Healers think part of the vulnerabilities is the stress we live under. Stress hormones suppress the immune system, making us susceptible to viruses. But it means we have a very comprehensive healing service which shares data from all our different communities. I’ve checked your data against the Myath database and everything fits.” I bit my lip, finally looking away from the data to see Kine staring at me. He was almost too tired to hope but I saw it there, a spark. “I think it a specific airborne fungal infection, carried by fungal spores. I’ll send you everything I have on it and any related or similar pathogens that cause these symptoms. I’ll also send you the details of the cure we use as well as a vaccine. Your Healers will probably have to adjust it to work for the Icanthie, but it’s better than starting from scratch.”

Kine looked over everything I was sending him, then turned to whoever was next to him again. As he leaned back, I finally got a good look at his surroundings. Kine was in a bed in, what looked like, the Healers Hall in the Heart. I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure and realised that Healer Roake was tending to Kine. My heart sank a little. It must be bad if Kine is submitting to bed rest in the Healers Hall. When Kine finished his quiet discussion, he turned back to me, that spark of hope in his eyes now shining a bit brighter, more a flame.

“They think this might work. Thank you Sierra.” He said with a smile before it dimmed. “This won’t look good for you though, cousin. We still can’t pin point the origin and people will blame the easiest target.”

I huffed at the ridiculousness of it all. “I really don’t care Kine. If they really insist, I’ll undergo checks but you won’t find anything. I had my bi-orbital health check right before we met. Besides, this is an airborne infection. Unless I was coughing up blood over everyone or rubbing open sores onto peoples open wounds, I wasn’t likely to pass this on. It does beg the question of how it entered the Capital…” I pondered. “Have you checked with the Drakes to see if they’re affected?” I asked.

Kine shook his head. “We’re keeping this under wraps for now. Besides, you’ve been here for two moons. If you were a carrier, the Drakes wouldn’t have any symptoms for moons yet. If they do present, we’ll help them and we’ll have you all checked when you return. If you’re clear, then the Drakes shouldn’t be affected.”

“Except perhaps the ones who came to the capital for the diplomatic delegation. Did anything happen after we left that could have caused this?” I asked thoughtfully as I ran my hand through my hair again and rested my chin on my fist.

Kine took a deep breath, his struggle more obvious now he wasn’t trying to hide it. It was a sign of how bad he was feeling if he didn’t have the energy to pretend anymore. The last thing he’d want to do is worry Mathias and I.

“Not really. We had two more debris falls but they were a good distance from the wall this time and smaller, not enough to do the same amount of damage as the last one. Some of our costal sensors registered an increase in sea level, not much but we took note of it anyway.”

I dipped my chin to acknowledge his words, but my mind spun again, something tugging at it, trying to get my attention. Flooding. Debris fall. Fungus. Airborne spores. Flooding. Debris fall. Fungus. Airborne spores.

Debris fall. Fungus. Airborne spores. Debris fall. Airborne spores…

My head popped up, eyes wide and a gasp escaped as all my thoughts connected. I vaguely registered the startled expressions of Mathias and Kine as I mumbled to myself. “The debris fall threw up the spores.”

“What? Sierra what was that?” Kine asked, leaning towards the screen as if he could come through it and stare into my mind for the answers.

“What if…” I started slowly. “What if the debris fall is the cause? Think about it. When the rocks impacted the ground, there was a lot of force there and it throws up dust and dirt. What if it also threw up the fungal spores that were laying dormant or active under the ground? Then they’re carried through the air and eventually float into the Capital where they’re breathed in and the infection takes hold. It probably covered the entire city and if not, as individuals became sick and started coughing, they spread more spores.” I looked up, coming out of my thoughts. “The only way to confirm is to check the impact sites, all of them, for fungal spores concentration. That’s the only idea I have at this point. I’m not sure why the Icanthie are susceptible to the infection when usually they’re not prone to sickness but fugal pathogens behave very differently from viral or bacterial pathogens.” I stopped, suddenly tired. We’d been talking and brainstorming all morn and the sun had already started it’s descent. “That’s all I’ve got for now Kine. What do you want us to do?”

“Come home.” Kine said immediately. He didn’t even think about it. “We can protect you from any bad sentiment, but I’ll have this checked out and, hopefully, the truth can be circulated before you get home. I also want you all throughly checked over, both for this fungal infection and for any after affects from the Terror. Don’t think I’ve forgotten that little brush with the Itbit Dew. I’m not happy about that Sierra. I’m not angry but I wish you didn’t seem to attract trouble to you. No one comes out well when they tangle with an Itbit.” He sighed, the fatigue obviously growing in him. “Look, what ever happens, I’ll make sure you’re protected. I miss you and I need to know that you’re okay. Your counsel and humour have been sorely missed.” He found the energy to smile at me, his eyes softening with love.

“Okay Kine. I’ve missed you too. If it’s alright with you, I’ll let my team rest this rotation, what’s left of it anyway, and we’ll set off first light. It’s not far to the Capital so we should be with you early eve the rotation after morrow. Just to be safe, I’ll contact you on comms when we near the Capital wall. Sound good?” I asked.

“Yes, that gives me time to see if the Healers make any progress. Rest well little cousin.” Kine quipped, though it was dulled by the hacking cough he managed to muffle.

“… You too Kine. Don’t make me nurse you when I get back.” I mock threatened, though I couldn’t keep the tinge of worry out of my voice. “Goodnight.”

We ended the comms, not letting Kine tire himself any more than he already had, and I just sat there, Mathias next to me with a comforting arm slung over my shoulders. My mind tried to make sense of what we’d discussed and what I had to do in the coming rotations but it kept getting stuck on the image of Kine, drawn, tired and despondent.

Finally I snapped myself out of the endless circles my mind was running in and turned to Mathias, asking, “Will you come with me Uncle? I have an errand to run.”

Mathias grunted and stood, waiting for me to lead the way. I got the attention of the guard on duty and indicated that we were leaving the Bowl, slipping out through the small opening she created in the protective perimeter. It wasn’t far, we didn’t even need to use the grav-line to get there and I couldn’t help but think it was meant to be. The spot we finally stopped at was indistinguishable from its surroundings but I knew it. Once you’d seen its secrets, you never forgot it, as if it burned itself into your consciousness.

The location had an odd feel to it, as if it were a world of its own but you wouldn’t notice it unless you’d stopped and found its secrets. The most obvious thing in this spot was the tree, a very old tree that towered high above, its top branches too far to been seen and if you looked closely, you could see straight, diagonal lines on the trunk. They weren’t scars or cuts, they were just a part of the tree yet obviously not natural. Hidden in the extensive root system was a box. Just a box, made of wood yet somehow it always looked brand new. I’d only ever used it three times before, and though I’d gotten a response every time, only twice did it have tangible results. Most people thought the Guide was a myth, an old story for more troubled times but those of us in need knew it was all true.

“Can you keep an eye out for me Mathias?” I asked. “This will take a moment, then we can return to camp.”

Curiosity in his eyes, Mathias peered at the tree and the odd marks, but nodded his acquiescence and stood close, watching our surroundings with the occasional glance my way. I knelt down and searched the root system, looking for the box, finding it exactly where it always was, nestled into a particular crevice that was just the right shape. I managed to extract it from the maze like twining root and brushed it off. It was about the size of my two palms, side by side and patterned with geometric shapes, diamonds and tail bone lattices. It was beautiful but ultimately, it was just a container, I needed what was inside.

The opening was tricky. I had to place my hands, the left one on the lid facing right and the right hand on the bottom facing left, feeling for the slight protrusions on opposite ends. Then, I had to clear my mind and push until the protrusions sat flat to the sides of the box, and wait. It was always different, sometimes instantaneous, sometimes it never went to the next step, but thankfully my wait was short. I felt the mental bump that signalled the box was listening so I sent the mental answer, trying to convey all the reason and emotion behind my request for help. This was why it was so important to be prepared for using the box. If you were unclear or missed anything, your chances of opening the box reduced.

So I focused, making sure I covered everything from fact to speculation, ideas and dreams, hopes and fears until I was distracted by a quiet click. I let go of the two catches and slid my hands to place the box down, hoping before I took the plunge and gently lifted the lid. It opened. My breath gushed out of me and I smiled as I fully opened the box to reveal dozens and dozens of small blue stones. They were each beautiful and unique but one glowed with an inner light, like a nebula or an Aurora that danced within. That one was mine and I picked it up, ignoring any temptation to even look at another, and closed the lid that sealed with a final clunk.

Picking up the box in one hand, the other still clutched around my glowing blue stone, I stood and looked for the lines of the tree. One now looked a little darker, it was closer to the top of the many slashes but I could still reach it. I stretched up on my toes and carefully traced the darker line with the glowing blue stone before stepping back to watch. It took only a moment before the line flashed the same hue of blue as my stone before returning to the same colour as the other lines. It was done. I nodded to myself, satisfied and slipped my stone into a pouch that hung around my neck next to my mothers key necklace. It would be safe there. I returned the box back to its hiding place and stood once more, brushing off my legs and turning to Mathias who had an inscrutable look on his face.

“Come on Mathias. We need to return to camp and let the others know what’s been happening in the Capital and our travel plans for the morrow. I think I’ll be ready for a sleep then.”

I turned away from the old tree and led my uncle out of the special spot and back to the real world and a camp full of curious guards.