Katira walked down the bank of the stream, following the dark, swirling motes of blood. They were so hypnotic, so alluring, that she had no choice but to follow the life-giving essence. They seemed alive in their dance within the water, and what’s more, they weren’t dissipating.
The blood finally dissipated when she could no longer see the blaze that Sinta had built. Like any normal blood, it finally melded into the water, and was gone.
Katira shook her head violently, ridding herself of the spell she was under. She sat down and looked up at the bright eye of the moon, beaming his light upon the world. She wondered idly why she had wandered so far away.
Away from what? What had she been doing? She couldn’t remember, and it seemed unimportant. She looked around, seeing nothing but wilderness and water. The stream babbled in her ear in a hundred voices speaking a thousand different languages. She strained herself, listening to the moving water. The voices made no sense, so she put them out of her mind. She lay down next to the relaxing water and closed her eyes, worry bleeding from her body.
Until she heard one tiny, familiar voice. She heard her name being called, as if it were miles away. With a mighty struggle, she lifted her head, trying desperately to focus on what she heard. Was she imagining it? No! There it was again!
Wearily, she lifted herself to her paws, and with devoted effort, began to trudge toward the sound she had heard.
She walked for what seemed like forever until she saw the cheerful blaze of a fire in front of her. Huddled in front of it were three people. A man, a woman and a tiny child. The little girl was wailing and pounding ineffectively on the man’s chest as he held her. The adults were trying their best to soothe her, but all the little girl could do was to call out her name, over and over.
How strange! How did this tiny human girl know her name? Katira sat silently, and watched as the scene unfolded before her.
**************
Sinta stroked Risa’s hair gently, cooing gentle words of comfort. She sniffled, a tear rolling down her cheek. Damn him. Damn that Laszlo. Although she knew why he had done what he did, she couldn’t forgive him for it. She knew his honor and his duty required him to perform the ritual, but she hadn’t expected it to actually work. The magic she had seen was simply proof of Svarog’s power.
Damn him.
Laszlo rocked Risa gently in his arms until the girl settled and fell into a fitful sleep. He hadn’t stopped crying since he had seen the ritual had worked. Once he noticed that Risa had fallen asleep, he slowly stopped rocking and looked down at the red-faced child.
She lay there, in his arms, her tiny hands balled into unexpectedly hard fists. Fists that had rained down upon him for an unknown duration. He was sure to have numerous bruises in the morning. He sniffled and drew a shuddering breath. He looked up at Sinta, his lower lip quivering.
“I did it, Sinta. I cast the demon out of her family. I have succeeded where none of my family has before. I should be proud, but I feel nothing but remorse, guilt and shame. Why?” he asked, his face twisting into a mask of unimaginable pain. “Why did I do it?” he sobbed, his chest heaving. “Why?” he asked a third time, devolving into gut-wracking sobs.
Sinta watched as he wept. That he cared so much for hurting Risa pulled at her. She shifted closer to him and wrapped an arm around his midsection.
“You did as you had been taught, Laszlo. You’ve been taught to hate Katira your whole life. That your driving force was to remove her from Risa’s family. What you failed to do was to learn about her. Katira has watched over this child for years. She has done nothing but love and protect Risa. And me. Since I joined them after Barklin brought her to Postojna and was killed, Katira has done nothing but care for and about us both. She’s nothing like what you’ve been led to believe, Laszlo,” Sinta said apologetically.
Laszlo sniffed. “I know. I know she’s nothing like what I’ve been taught. Svarog showed me that. He proved it to me today at the feast,” he replied glumly.
“How so?” Sinta asked, her brows furrowed.
“When I looked out among the village after the invocation, every living thing was bathed in a golden light. In Svarog’s light. I saw every man, woman, and child. Every cat, dog and rat. Even the bugs that were only starting to come back to life. And then I gazed out, away from the village” -he began to stroke Risa’s hair gently- “and saw her. Katira. Out at the edge of the woods, watching us. Watching the feast. And do you know what she looked like?” he asked.
Sinta shook her head silently.
“She looked just like the rest of us. Bathed in Svarog’s golden light of Life. She is another of his Blessed Children, just like us. I’ve allowed my sense of duty to my past rule over my better judgment for the last time, Sinta. This is likely the last thing I’ll ever do in Svarog’s name. I’ve destroyed a young girl’s hope and security. And for what? Blind devotion to “tradition”?” he scoffed. “Of what use is tradition when it has caused you to harm someone you’ve come to love and care for?” he asked in a quiet voice.
Sinta began to silently weep once more, and pulled Laszlo’s head to her shoulder as he began to weep anew.
************
Katira watched in awe. So she had known that tiny child for years? And that man had conducted a ritual to remove her? No wonder she couldn’t remember anything beyond a few hours ago. She knew she should feel rage at having been violated, but she felt only pity for the man. Pity for one who had only learned too late what he had. She sighed and sat on her haunches, watching the trio as they cried. Wondering just how much she had lost.
************
Risa opened her eyes, finding herself wrapped in warm blankets, being held close to someone’s chest. Someone who was crying. She looked up to see Mr. Laszlo sobbing uncontrollably, being held awkwardly by Miss Sinta, who was also crying. Why was Mr. Laszlo crying? Hadn’t he gotten what he wanted all along? To rid her family of the best friend they’d ever had? Damn him. She loved her bear. And right now, she wanted nothing more than to have her bear hold her. Kicking and squirming, she wrestled free of him, and sped off into the night.
“Risa!” Laszlo and Sinta cried in unison. The two struggled to get up and follow the girl, but Laszlo’s older joints made the task all but impossible. Sinta reached down to help him up, but he waved her off.
Before he could speak, a massive blur of brown pounded past the fire, and he knew Katira was safe.
Looking up at Sinta, he grinned. “Go. Follow them. May Svarog’s protection be yours, Sinta. Go!” he said, a smile forming on his weathered face.
Sinta gathered a couple of blankets and stuffed them haphazardly into her pack. She shrugged her arms into the straps and sped off after the galloping bear.
Katira chased the tiny child, marveling at how fast she was, and wondering just how she had seemingly vanished. She had somehow lost the scent, and couldn’t even find her prints in the softening earth.
She slowed, swinging her great head back and forth across the ground, scanning for any blade of grass out of place, any depression in the earth, no matter how slight. She slowly became aware of racing footfalls behind her, and turned, bristling with anger.
“Woah woah woah, Katira! It’s me, Sinta! Don’t strike me!” the woman said, her hands outstretched.
Katira eyed her warily. “Who?” she asked, her voice a great rumble.
“What?” Sinta said, dumbfounded. “What do you mean, ‘Who?”?”
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“Exactly what I said. Who are you? I don’t remember you,” Katira replied, becoming more and more agitated.
“Katira…” Sinta breathed. “Katira, it’s me. Sinta. You…I…We’ve been traveling together for months. Since you saved both Risa and myself from Postojna. You don’t remember?” she asked, fresh tears forming in her eyes.
“No. I do not. I also do not know why I am chasing this child, nor do I know why I want to keep her safe, but I am. If you are as invested in her well-being as I apparently am, come. Tell me what has happened,” Katira said, turning around to scan the surroundings once more.
Sinta launched into her tale of how they had met at Postojna, and the adventure they had had as they were traveling to Blek. How Risa had kept her in her pack as a tiny bear, and how Katira had defended her kill of the Aurochs for her. She then detailed the ritual to the mighty bear.
“...and once he cut her with that shadow knife, you just…walked off down the stream, following something. And now here we are. You seem to recall nothing before that moment. And now we are chasing a child who seems to have vanished into thin air. I don’t know what to do. I’m a fantastic hunter, but even I’m not seeing any sign of the child,” she said forlornly.
“Nor have I. All I see is shadow everywhere,” replied the massive bear.
*************
Risa ran. Ran from the safety of the fire, and ran from the warmth of the only two people who seemed to truly care for her. Her tears obscured her view of the world, and her arm throbbed with pain. She wiped her eyes and looked around, spying a shrubby berry bush that had just started to get its leaves. She jogged into it, heedless of the tiny brambles, and pulled her knees to her chest, reopening her wound.
Looking down at her forearm, she saw her blood, dark against her skin. It slowly flowed down her arm and dripped onto the ground, a soft hissing noise reaching her ears as each droplet met the near-frozen earth. Sniffling, she pressed her tiny fingers to it and flicked her blood onto the bush, hoping against hope that she could just disappear. She closed her eyes and sobbed into her crossed arms, crying for her lost bear.
As if in response, a shroud of darkness crept over the bush, sealing her away from the world.
*************
“Shadow? What do you mean, you see shadow everywhere?” Sinta asked, perplexed. Looking around, the night was brightly lit by the moon.
“Exactly what I said, Sinta. All I can see is shadow. I can see the ground, the trees, the bushes, but it’s like I was looking through murky water. Looking up, I see the moon, but he is dim, and far away. Do you mean to say that you see better than I?” she replied.
Sinta stared into the dark eyes of the bear in disbelief. This night was lit by a full moon. They were well away from the fire, and had been for some time. She looked around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. “It seems I do, Katira. It seems I do,” Sinta said sadly.
*************
Laszlo closed his eyes, trying to center and ground himself and his emotions. That Katira was still alive was a miracle. He slowed his breathing and let the joyful smile fade from his face, the warmth of the fire sustaining him. He gently concentrated on the warmth, feeling it surrounding him.
“Svarog, keep them safe. Let them find one another. Bring your Holy Light to bear!” he prayed, over and over.
**************
As Sinta and Katira combed the field ahead of them, clouds scudded over the moon, obscuring his light. They slowed their movements and scanned their surroundings more intently. As they searched, a stray moonbeam crossed the ground ahead of them and stopped directly in front of them. It was touching a bare patch of grass, and was unmoving.
The pair looked at each other and shrugged, walking through it. They’d seen stranger things before.
As they walked, Katira felt her snout brush up against a bush, hearing the leaves rustle. She naturally looked down, and began to move to the right. Only, she didn’t see a bush. She didn’t see anything, in fact. The world was shadowy and obscured.
Sinta, on feeling the bear bump into her side, looked over. She saw Katira stop and look around, waving her paw in front of her face.
“Katira? Are you okay?” Sinta asked gently.
“I cannot see, Sinta. All is shadow,” the great bear replied.
“What? Let’s sit still, for a moment. Perhaps it will pass?” Sinta replied hopefully.
“Perhaps. But each moment we waste, is one more moment the child may not have. We should press on,” the bear stated matter-of-factly.
As they spoke, the beam of moonlight crept over them. As it did, it revealed a bush that neither of them had seen before. Shadows crept about the leaves, warping its form and causing it to blend in with the night. The bush was rather large, prickly and dense. It was good that it had been Katira to brush into it, as it would have been quite painful for Sinta. They marveled for a moment as the moonlight passed over them, leaving them once more in shadow, but without a bush to be seen.
Sinta cupped her hands to her mouth and loudly called out, “Risa! Risa, where are you?”
Katira opened her mouth and called as well. “Risa! Risa, come back to us, my child!”
The pair trailed along the thorny bushes, calling Risa’s name loudly.
**************
Risa woke with a start. Her arm hurt, and she thought she heard someone calling for her. It was cold. So very cold. She looked around, sniffling. As she stood, she felt thorns graze her head and arms, and jerked back to a seated position.
“Help! I’m stuck! The thorns won’t let me leave!” she cried out into the night. She began sobbing, feeling empty and alone.
Sinta heard Risa’s voice from far off. She gasped and sped away, following the sounds of sobbing. “She crying, Katira! We have to find her!” she called back.
Katira pounded after the woman, the haze lifting just enough for her to make out the lithe form in front of her. Risa was crying? She must be so scared. Her heart thundered in her massive chest, worry suffusing her being. She must find her!
Sinta stopped, as the crying had become fainter as she went. She paced back in the direction she came, eventually zeroing in on the source of the sobs.
“Risa? Darling, I can’t see you. All I see is shadow, and all I can feel are thorns. Where are you?” she called out.
Risa sniffled and looked up. “All I see is shadow too, Miss Sinta. What’s going on? I’m scared!” she cried, her voice breaking.
“Risa! I hear you! I cannot see you. All I see is this damned shadow everywhere. What happened, child?” Katira called, having finally caught up to Sinta.
“Katira?” Risa said softly. “You’re alive? You’re alive!” she cried out in joy. “I knew you didn’t leave me! Help me! I’m stuck in these thorns,” she said plaintively.
Frantic, Katira roughly shoved Sinta out of her way and swiped the brambles out of the way with a massive paw. She felt each tiny thorn dig painfully into her flesh, but she paid no heed. Her Person needed her! With a newfound determination, she roughly swiped the sharp canes out of the way, thrusting her face into the shadowy bush. With each movement she felt more and more of the painful thorns dig deeper into her body. With one final push, she came face to face with a tiny, scraped up, bleeding child, who was terrified out of her mind.
“Hello, my love. Don’t fret. I’m here,” she said, touching Risa with her own bleeding snout.
“Katira!” Risa shouted, covering the bear’s sweet face in kisses.
Katira chuckled and licked Risa’s face affectionately. “Yes, love. Let’s get you out of there,” she said, tasting blood.
Gently, she took Risa’s clothes in her teeth, and stood, angling the child so she wouldn’t be further wounded by the brambles. She turned and deposited the girl onto the ground, where Sinta was waiting with a blanket.
“Risa, you scared us. Please don’t go running off like that again. Please?” Sinta said gently, as she wrapped the girl up in the blanket.
Risa threw her arms around the woman and nodded, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I won’t. I’m sorry, Miss Sinta,” she said quietly.
Katira limped out of the brambles, her vision slowly returning. “Good. Now that’s settled, let’s get you two back to the fire. Laszlo has much to answer for,” she said grimly.
“I’m sure he’s just as glad that you’re okay as we are, Katira. You should have seen his face when you went running past. He was so overjoyed! I wonder, though. Have your memories returned?” asked Sinta.
“Memories? What’s she talking about, Katira?” Risa asked softly.
Katira sighed. “I cannot remember anything before I followed your blood down the stream. It was so hypnotic, that I couldn’t help but follow it. The shadows that were blinding me have all but gone, but my memories have yet to return. I’m sorry, Risa. I can see that I mean a great deal to you,” Katira said, her head hanging low.
Risa sniffled and stroked the bear’s fur gently. “It’s okay, Katira. We’ll figure it out. I’m sure of it. Mr. Laszlo will help, too,” she said, determination coloring her words.
The trio walked silently towards the fire. It seemed they had gone much further than they had originally thought. It was nearly another hour before they stepped into the safety and warmth of the flames.
“Oh, thank Svarog you three are safe. I’ve been praying for His Light to guide you together. Come, Katira. Have a seat by the fire. Warm yourself, and be welcome,” Laszlo said, gesturing to the mighty bear.
“I fear I do not know you, Laszlo Syvin. Your ritual has stripped me of my memories. I do not even know this child, even though I love her. You have stolen something precious from the both of us, and I would see it returned,” Katira said, anger flashing in her eyes.