Hirc thrashed about, scrabbling across the hard stone, his hooves scattering the ashes from his cook fire as he bleated and screamed until he was hoarse and spent. He lay there sobbing, his hooves still reaching up as if struggling to grasp for his loved ones. Through tear-streaked vision, all he saw were the heads of the anger stones standing where he had last left them…or perhaps he had never left. How long he lay there, he did not know, but slowly, Hirc got to his hooves; he felt exhausted, strangely the weight that had crushed his spirit was gone, replaced by a dull ache. It seemed like the shadow of guilt that had been haunting him since that day had been ripped away. He took a slow, deep breath and held it before letting it out. Slowly, he packed up his small camp and stepped outside. Judging by the sun's position, he figured it was late morning. Stepping off, he headed back towards The Kings Road, surprised by a little spring in his steps that hadn't been there before. A pace that led him towards Nahrstrom at a good clip in just two hours. He wondered what he would do next, where he would go, or what he’d eat tomorrow.. It couldn't have been real. He thought, but a part of him rejected that notion; it had been too visceral to have not been real.
It was real. He had been touched.
Up ahead, the King's Road narrowed slightly on a raised spit of land that crossed a low area of marshland known as the Eckseebogg. The Eksee, a tributary of the Theigh River, emptied into this low depression of boggy ground and still pools choked with reeds and rushes. In the summer, it was a haven for midges and other biting insects, often filled with the warbles of birdsong, but here in the winter, with the water frozen, it was a harsh, silent, desolate place that was perhaps even more treacherous. Fortunately, the causeway was a straight shot through the marsh, leaving it as little more than a curiosity….
He grunted and stopped. Ahead, he could see what appeared to be the faint traces of wagon tracks. They seemed to have swerved sharply and run off the side of the bridge. Gingerly, he looked over the edge and bleated softly. Laying at the base of the embankment, he spotted the remains of a wagon; it appeared as if it had skidded off the causeway and rolled down.
Descending the steep edge, he stopped and stared in surprise. Splintered wood and scattered belongings littered the ground, forming a scene of chaos. The air was heavy with the smell of damp earth and the faint scent of hay and leather. His heart raced as he strained to listen for any signs of life, but only silence filled the air, filling him with unease. He squinted to get a clearer view. The sun's rays pierced through the gaps in the wreckage, casting eerie shadows, his heart raced with curiosity and apprehension. Through the tangled mess of splintered wood and scattered belongings, he could barely discern the legs of a mammal trapped underneath. The legs were slender and covered in gray fur, a wolf's most likely, he judged. Intrigued and concerned, he cautiously approached.
"Mother's tits!" He hissed, his heart sinking as he approached the lifeless she-wolf. Her once fierce eyes were now glazed over, her body limp and broken. The wagon had crushed her pelvis, ending her life brutally. What shocked him even more was the small, swaddled bundle she still clenched in her blood-stained arms. Despite the tragedy that had befallen its mother, the bundle squirmed and whined piteously, its tiny voice filled with desperate hunger and fear.
Reaching down, Hirc's paws trembled as he pried the bundle from the corpse's rigid embrace. With a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, he gently unraveled the bundle, revealing a small, shivering creature nestled within. As he stared down into the piercing blue eyes of the wolf pup, his heart melted and he felt a tightness. The pup whimpered, its feeble cries for nourishment tugging at his heartstrings. Hirc sat cradling the little wolf in his arms; a female he noticed. She had gray fur from head to tail broken only by her black ears and paws. Hirc quickly built a fire from parts of the wagon. He had nothing remotely appropriate to feed her, but he figured he could make do with some old cheese. His wife had taught him this trick, and he was surprised by how easily he recalled it. He heated water and poured it into a small cup. Into this, he mixed the cheese, stirring repeatedly until it had the consistency of thick milk; waiting until it was cool, he gently fed the wolf pup one drop at a time.
"Well, missy, you're going to need a name," he said to her as he cleaned her muzzle gently with a damp cloth. He looked her over carefully, trying to seek inspiration; “you remind me of Vedu Stenn," he said at last, her black ears and paws reminding him of the old Vixen merchant he had done business with before the war.
"How about Vedu? Seems to fit you." He said, stroking her delicate muzzle, drawing a happy little bark from her. Bundling her back up, he made a sling and strapped her securely to his chest. Taking one last look around, he silently prayed for her mother and climbed back up the embankment. Regaining the road, he glanced at Nahrstrom and calculated that it was still a solid four hours on a good hoof to reach the city. The sun was already beginning to set, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink. It would be well after dark before they reached the city gates, but that seemed the only option. He didn't want to risk spending a night in the vast wilderness with the young pup. The thought of potential dangers lurking in the darkness made him tremble. He tightened his grip on his pack and quickened his pace, hoping to reach the safety of the curtain walls before midnight.
He made good time, but the growing bank of dark clouds on the horizon loomed upon him too quickly. Before long, Nahrstrom was invisible beneath the mantle of dark clouds, the wind picking up noticeably bitter icy bite that carried the scent of snow. Hirc picked up his pace, hugging Vedu close as he tried to press on. Before long, the snow fell fast, filling the air and swirling into Hirc's eyes until he could hardly see. Bent shapes of trees stood a few feet ahead, and Hirc stopped. The snow became thick on his head and shoulders; it was already ankle-deep about his hooves.
"Shit," he spat and realized he had to find shelter; this was not a storm he could plow through. Looking around, he estimated he was close to the old quarry and hoped he might find some small shelter there. Hirc was shivering, and his hooves felt like lead. Stepping off the path, Hirc bleated as he sank into the snow up to his waist. It was slow going, but he knew there was a cave nearby. He forced through as the storm returned with fresh fury. The wind whistled, and a blinding blizzard followed; he kept pushing through, relying on touch more than anything else. Eventually, he saw a faint shadow ahead and increasingly felt the incline. The path dropped into a wide, shallow trough at the bottom of a long slope. It had been used to build the causeway and was now abandoned. The cave was just ahead, but in the snow, Hirc nearly missed it; he had to clear the ice from the entrance before he could squeeze his way into the narrow ingress; the space was barely large enough for him to lie down in, but it would do.
Once inside, Hirc set to work. Someone had thankfully left a cord of wood stacked here, and it was with trembling fingers that he managed to get a fire going. He sighed in relief as the wood spat and popped, casting comforting orange flames all about the cave, and Hirc happily warmed his bones at the blaze. Outside, the winds howled and shrilled, sounding like laughter. He cuddled closer and found comfort that the storm was defeated.
Taking advantage of the warmth, Hirc unwrapped Vedu and set to work feeding her again while he helped himself to his last few scraps of bread.
"You're a pretty little thing. Imala would have loved you," he said, tickling her nose gently and wincing as she nipped him, her sharp needle teeth catching his finger.
He laughed; "Cheeky little thing, you are going to be a pawful when you grow up," he said, surprised that he was already thinking that far ahead; it was as if he had already decided to raise her as his own. He knew that would be daunting; it was rarely done, and he doubted the League would look favorably on such an act either; still he felt it was his calling. If they let you. If you survive, the words sounded eerily similar to Mydrax. He suddenly had a vision of a skeletal hoof reaching out towards Vedu as Mydrax’s grinning skull split open in mocking laughter. You couldn’t protect your last child, what makes you think you will fare any better this time goat…
Hirc's heart pounded in his chest, and his hooves trembled and quivered, making it difficult to hold on to Vedu. The worry etched deep lines on his face, accentuated by the fire's flickering light. His breath came out in shallow, rapid gasps, matching the rhythm of his racing thoughts.
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Little Vedu, sensing Hirc's distress, nuzzled against him, offering a small measure of comfort. The wolf's warm breaths mingled with Hirc's, with every gust of wind that threatened to extinguish the fire, Vedu instinctively pressed closer as if to shield Hirc from the harshness of the elements. I won't let anyone take her from me, not now, not after everything else! He thought, fiercely refusing to let anyone else crush him down again.
Outside the cave, the cruel weather persisted, transforming the landscape into a desolate, unforgiving expanse. The wind howled with a ferocity that seemed to mock their precarious refuge. Hirc's worry grew, knowing that time was slipping away, and they couldn't wait indefinitely for the storm to abate. His mind raced with thoughts of survival, weighing the dwindling supplies against the possibility of venturing out into the treacherous blizzard. Though offering some respite from the elements, the cave was becoming a tomb, its walls closing in on them with each passing moment. Soon, the snow would bury them alive. Hirc's gaze darted between the feeble fire and the cave entrance, yearning for a break in the storm, even just a brief respite from the cold. He knew their chances of making it through the blizzard unscathed were slim, but hope still somehow flickered.The icy gusts seeped through the narrow opening, touching Hirc to the bone. Yet, he clung onto Vedu for the wolf's warmth and the companionship that offered a glimmer of reassurance in the face of uncertainty. As he sat there, staring into the flames, he felt a great sleepiness come; Hirc knew he shouldn't. But he could scarcely keep his eyes open; he felt himself sinking fast into a warm, hazy dream…
Hirc… Hirc! The voice cut through the haze. The goat slowly opened his eyes and glanced around. The fire had burned down to embers, and the cold had already seeped back into the cave. Quickly, he threw more wood on the fire.
"Hirc!" This time, the voice was unmistakable.
"Who… who's there?" he called out nervously. It was impossible that anyone who knew him could be out here. A still sleeping corner of his mind wondered if Rannur had come back to collect him.
"Come to me, now!" the words spoken softly had all the force of a command. Hirc scrabbled at the cave's entrance, partially blocked by the snow, resembling a frozen mouth, hesitant to let him go. He worked, shifting, and breaking the hard-packed ice until he could worm his way free. Once outside, he directed his gaze to the night sky. The stars sparkled like diamonds against the dark canvas. The storm had passed, leaving behind a serene stillness. Hirc stepped out, cautiously. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine. The snow beneath Hirc's hooves crunched softly as he trudged forward, muffled by the vast expanse of white.
"Who are you? Where are you?" Called out Hirc, his voice echoing slightly.
"Come to me." The words vibrated in Hirc's mind. "Hirc, look at me!" Hirc could not ignore that command; the power of those softly spoken words was too great. Hirc lifted his head and then, amidst the quiet, he saw her. A figure dressed in white, radiating a soft, ethereal glow. Goat, rabbit, wolf? He could not tell. Her features were fuzzy, muted by the glow. Her presence seemed to defy the laws of the Mother, captivating him with an otherworldly beauty. Hirc wanted to call out to her, but he was speechless. The apparition spoke with a gentle town that reminded him of Imala, but different.
"You must survive, Hirc. The fate of the Child and your own, bound as one," the spectral figure commanded. A voice that could be none other than the Mother. "Take the child to the House of Agatha. There you will unfurl the key to your future." Hirc listened, then reached to touch the ghostly figure. The figure remained unmoved by Hirc's efforts to reach it.
"Hirc," it said again, "Do not squander the chance that has been given to you." What chance? Hirc was confused. Yet before he could gather the strength to ask for an explanation, the figure began to fade. And when every trace of the apparition had passed from his sight, Hirc thought he saw for just an instant Imala standing there.
Take a deep breath, Hirc quickly made his way back to the cave, the specter's words reverberating through his mind. He had been to the Cathedral of Agatha several times, but the place held no special significance to him, plus what was his second chance? A second chance at what? Too many questions and no answers. Reaching the cave, he quickly retrieved Vedu, who was sleeping soundly. Retracing his steps, he returned to the King's Road.
Just as he cleared a short line of brush, he stopped, hearing some sounds from up ahead, several voices in conversation. Reacting quickly, he slipped Vedu from his harness and deposited her in the bushes. He didn't know what exactly to expect, but he would not take any chances.
"Don't move, Goat," a strange, rough voice ordered. Then it shouted, "Alpha-Lieutenant!"
Hirc looked up. Ten feet away, a single panther was sitting on the pile of rubble. A faded black and yellow cloak was wrapped around him, and beside him lay a helmet. It was obvious that he had been in the process of relieving himself. He held a bow aimed at Hirc's chest.
"Keep those hooves where I can see them, goat," the soldier barked toward Hirc. "Bring your carcass over the side, or I'll pin you to the ground."
Hirc nodded and scrambled over the embankment with both his hooves held out before him. He positioned his body between the panther and the bushes behind which he had hidden Vedu. Hirc had been stopped by patrols before, and he always assumed that the easiest way to avoid problems was to plead poverty and hide anything of value. He hoped that would work this time as well. The Alpha-Lieutenant, a large tiger dressed in a black and yellow cloak and a silver helmet, lopped towards him while four more legionnaires followed in his wake—two carried spears. The rest were armed with short swords, drawn and ready.
"I got me a suspicious goat out here, maybe a rebel," their captor announced. "Or maybe spy," he added. By the brightening of his face, Hirc could see that this thought had just entered the panther's head. The glee it brought him indicated that there was a bounty paid on spies. Hirc looked at the Alpha. The Twelfth Legion has a reputation for brutality and efficiency, or so he had heard.
"I am… a merchant," Hirc announced weakly to the Alpha-Lieutenant. "I am returning home to Nahrstrom."
"Simple merchant," mimicked the panther who'd discovered him.
"Sounds like a load of bull," one of the other soldiers, a cheetah, said.
"Don't like these goats," the first one said. "They lie and stink." Alpha-Lieutenant held up his hand, silencing everyone.
"Who are you, and what were you doing down there?" he asked Hirc. Hirc could not keep from glancing at the where he had hidden Vedu.
"I am Hirc, I was seeking shelter from the storm," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
"And where are your wares," replied the Alpha-Lieutenant, "did you lose them in the storm?" That drew a laugh from the legionnaires. Hirc shook his head.
"No sir, I sold my goods and was making my way back home, I felt it was better to travel light," it was the truth as far as it went.
The Alpha-Lieutenant chuckled. "We shall see. Jaffa? Search him."
"Yes sir," said the cheetah, who began to pat Hirc down none-too-gently while another legionnaire, a female lynx, took advantage of the opportunity to relieve him of his pack and started rummaging through it. The cheetah grabbed his coin pouch and his small dagger. The Alpha took the pouch and gave it an experiential shake.
"Rather light for having sold your goods," said the Alpha, his expression skeptical. Hirc held up his hooves.
"Times are hard sir, goods don't bring in what they used to. Have to make do with what we can."
"Then I guess you know all about the toll?" said another panther, which drew more laughter from the others.
"No," Hirc replied. "I do not." He looked around at the patrol and felt his heart sink. "I wasn't even aware there was a toll station set up here." You mean bribe, he thought disgustedly.
"I'll bet," the Alpha-Lieutenant said, smiling with amusement at Hirc's cool denial. "However, ignorance of the law is no excuse. The Twelfth is here at the request of the Governor. We have the authority to collect tolls from all travelers on their behalf. No exceptions." Hirc dipped his head submissively.
"Of course, sir," he said meekly as the captain opened his pouch and started looking through coins. His expression shifted into one of irritation.
"This is all you have? You must be a shit merchant or a liar," he snapped, and Hirc felt the legionnaires surrounding him.
"Please, sir, that's all I have," he pleaded.
"Try again, goat," the Alpha-Lieutenant ordered. "I'm sure you can come up with more than this." There are no coins. There is no gold. And no meat and bones in this body.
"Sir," Hirc pleaded urgently.
"One civilized mammal to another, I assure you, I have nothing else. That's all the money."
"I've heard of you 'Civilized Goats,'" the first panther said, contentiously. "Cowards, and cheats, every one of you." The Alpha looked hard at Hirc and then said.
"I am really sorry to hear you say that."the alpha said fixing Hirc with a cold smile.
“You will be.”