Snippet #2202544

The Sausas Vandenynas extended behind the search party in an endless carpet of tall grasses. It stretched far, beyond their field of vision, eventually fading into blackness that was so complete it would be disconcerting to someone who wasn't familiar with it. Ahead of them, the rolling foothills of the Seirras mountain range rose and fell, their peaks stained with with moonlight, like the salted, frothy crests of the ocean's waves. They would have to stay here, until they were met with the welcoming party. Traveling into the land of the Ugnis without invitation was a good way to get into trouble.

In spite of being a family, who all shared the same Mother, each tribe had their dignity, and their pride. Their territory was an important thing, and like anyone's private home, no one was to intrude upon it without them first knowing. They had sent hawks ahead as warning, but since the Ugnis lived beneath the ground much of the time, it was likely that the messages went unread. As it were, the group had decided to camp for the night, nestled against the feet of the mountains.

Kysa, the only woman in a group of a dozen men, was sitting off to one side, leaving them to talk amongst themselves. She had a few thin boughs in one hand, her carving knife in the other, and she was working on making arrow tips. Sitting at her side was an assortment of bags, things she'd been carrying ever since coming on this trip. They contained herbs and roots, medicinal supplies and bandages made from cotton cloth. Fortunately for their group, she'd not had any need of using the supplies on the men she traveled with. Unfortunately, the people she had hoped to find, to help in case they were injured, were not where they were supposed to be.

The homesteads that had been reported empty were indeed just that. Nothing had been taken. The people were the only thing missing, and the grasses, the plants, everything that had grown around the land had shriveled up and died. At first, it had looked like the land had been burned, but when Kysa went to take a look at it, it didn't smell or taste charred. In fact, it was just bitter, like something had poisoned the ground.

They'd found a half-dozen other homesteads in the same condition, each find a greater disappointment than the one before. With nothing left to do except go back, it had ultimately been the group's decision to check with the other tribes before returning, to see if anyone might have an idea of what was going on. This had lead to the trek to the Ugnis tribe.

Her hand drifted to the satchels, fingertips feeling the worn leather and woven cloth. Her father, Vanduo's Medicine Man, had hand-made each of these bags, soaking them in animal fat and curing them to make sure they were water-proof. She could still smell the scent of his oils on the fabric.

Turning her eyes skyward, she observed the stars, looking finally towards the moon, and wondered how long it would be before the Ugnis tribe would come out to see them.

All the party had eventually turned their eyes to the stars and moons at one point. They lingered, some grew antsy, and some grew angry. Others slept until they had been awakened to move again. Junea stayed to his own, though he was no means alone. The frustrated and curious had come to him for advice and enlightenment on the situation. He was, after all, the highest point of authority that they had to look to. When the moon reached high above them, however, he grew anxious and restless. He'd abandoned his station, and left to find a more secluded place.

But there weren't many secluded places. Not in Sausas Vandenynas. Instead, he kept to secluded people. His eyes flitted over the agitated, the sleeping, and the calm, before resting on a familiar face. Junea came to Kysa, and promptly sat himself down.

"We may be here for a matter of days, or a matter of seconds." Junea said. "Patience is a virtue that everyone seems to lack, here. May I help you craft? Sitting behind the tall grass gives less of a chance to be bothered."

His hands lazily rested over his legs. One shoulder seemed to stiffen more than the other, the arm attached sat closer to his body.

"Unless you don't wish for me to, Kysa."

He smiled.

Rather than look away from her work, she shifted the grip on the knife, handing over a few boughs and laying them against his thigh. When her hands returned to her work, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her smile mirroring his.

"Do you grow weary with them, Junea?" she asked, her voice barely above the volume of a whisper. Before this trip, she had yet to take the time to get to know the stoic second in command. Communicating with him on a different level had been pleasant, to say the least. She liked Junea, and not just because he'd brought her herbs on more than one desperate occasion.

Secluded amongst the tall grasses, the wind danced above them, causing the shafts to filter between them, almost like a curtain.

"I would be hypocritical if I said I am weary, wouldn't I?" He asked. "Lets leave it up to guesswork."

His hands grabbed the boughs, and he began to work with them. Though one of his arms seemed to move less deftly than the other, he crafted the arrows with relative grace, and certain speed. His eyes fixated on his work as he spoke, however.

"Do you grow weary with them? I imagine, being the only woman, and lending yourself to herbal work..." He seemed to shrug. "They may not think much of you, but your work here is fundamental."

"I am nothing but the pinnacle of patience." she told him matter-of-factly, glancing sideways as her expression became unreadable. "And the day that I put stock in what a man thinks of woman's work is the same day I joyfully swallow hemlock."

She glanced at his arrow.

"The angle's uneven."

Junea looked down to his hands. With a tilt of his finger, he evened the angle. The snide smirk disappeared from his face, and it was replaced by a bemused smirk. It was only then that he looked to her.

"I was not done with it yet."

Then, he continued his work. He continued speaking, just as well.

"And what do you think of man's work? You've practiced it. Most of the children of the tribe do, regardless of gender. But..." He twirled the finished arrow between his fingers. "Most of the women resign to different work."

It was almost a question.

"Most, but not all. Think of your Ajani." She looked sideways towards Junea, studying the lines of his face before she looked back to her arrow. "I think men's work is just as easily a woman's work, but I wouldn't be able to prove that to you without some sort of a demonstration."

She idly smirked.

"And I would not want to embarrass you in front of your men."

"Ajani is certainly a strong case against it." Junea agreed, undoubtedly. Before then, he hadn't displayed anything past a smirk, but upon speaking about Ajani, he grinned for a moment, before the emotion dissipated. "I am very proud of her."

A long lapse of time passed, before Junea spoke again. Contempt filled his voice.

"It would only be frowned upon for me to fight a woman in such a way and win."

"Yet they'd laugh if I won." she reminded him gently, her smile growing.

Junea rolled his eyes and opened his mouth, and kept his gaze to the tall grasses aside them. The ones that acted as a curtain, and kept them from view of the irritated rescue team. "It's a lose-lose, but for your and my embarrassment's sake, I will assume the former and keep us both from looking incompetant."

There was a slight pause, and her voice came in a whisper. "Junea."

Something had changed about her tone.

Junea's eyes lowered to the ground.

"I'm simply kidding. If I were to judge by the former competance, I have no doubt that you, as a woman, may possess the ability to down me. There were instances where Ajani had done just as much. Of course, the operative word is may."

"Junea." Her tone came a little sharper this time, and when the young man finally turned to look, he saw that the pair of them were not alone.

"Welcome, brothers." Said the cloth-swathed figure, a black-steel blade laying gently against Kysa's collar bone.

"What brings you so far from the forest?"

"I would be more inclined to speak if my hand was not forced; if you would lay your weapon, it would be far easier to cooperate." Junea said, his voice darkening. "We only come to bring knowledge about the other tribes, and peace."

"Pay the same respect."

With exaggerated emphasis, the other figure traced the tip of the knife against Kysa's collar bone, before pulling his knife away and stepping back. "What news?" he said, glancing down to Kysa. The woman's expression was blank, but it was clear by the quick rise and fall of her chest that she was disconcerted.

A few other figures had melded from the shadows, causing the entire group to rise as a unit. Kysa stood on her own, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Sheathe your blades and take us to Ugnis' leader, and we will happily deliver it." Junea replied, sharply. He raised his hands, in a manner of good faith, and not once did his hands touch his blades. He, however, pressed his tongue against his teeth and ordered a sharp, loud whistle, that would call the rest of the rescue team to attention.

"Have our relationships been so damaged that you must affront us with metal?"

"We've heard tale of many a kind of man walking the dry ocean at night." the man replied, eyeing Kysa shamelessly before returning his attention to Junea. "Those who walk sightless, black figures swatched in shadow, more wildlings than you could begin to count..." He set the blade against his teeth.

"You learn to be careful. So what is it that you need? An audience? Ignio would not take kindly to an entire squadron of armed men coming into his fortress. You may bring yourself and one other." He smiled at Kysa.

"I suggest her."

"Your suggestions mean nothing if she does not wish to come." Junea dully replied. His hand extended, fingers out, and he gestured for Kysa to stay back. "As of now, I am second in command to the Vanduo tribe. I will not have you demanding the presence of those who bear disgust at yours."

Then, he raised his arms, as if in a shrug. "We do not want an audience. I do not want an audience. My objective is not to entertain; but to warn. Not of our offence, as I said. We bring peace. But of another."

Junea smirked, then. One of contempt. "What will it be? Will you let me choose who I wish to bring, or do you want to forfeit a knowledge that may serve a far greater purpose than you could amount to because of a disgusting whimsy?"

"Choose as you like." the man said with a shrug. "It is of no concern to me. The remainder of your escorts will stay here with my men. I hope you understand. Desperate times."

"I'll go." Kysa spoke up, looking to Junea, and then to the other. There was no room for argument. The Ugnis tribesmen shared a laugh.

"Your women are so forward. It's something we'll never understand." the first man said with a wide, feral smile.

Junea raised a brow. Sharply, he raised his hand, and the tribesmen behind him quieted.

He withdrew a blade from his side, and with a quickness, it was flipped open and put to the Ugnis' abdomen. "Be vulgar and I will return the favor. Be peaceful, and keep your hands to yourself, and we will not have a problem."

Then, the knife had come to his pocket again. The Vanduo tribesmen grew quiet. The second-in-command looked back to Kysa, almost annoyedly, before nodding her on. He stepped backward to whisper to her, "Do not feel the need to prove yourself."

The woman merely eyed him, and said nothing.

Finally, Junea looked to his escort.

"We will be off, then. Lead us."

The man nodded, turning to quickly walk back through the foothills. With him at the front, and two others bringing up the rear, it was beginning to feel more like a prison march rather than a pass to see the leader of the Ugnis tribe.

Kysa shifted, murmuring to Junea in a low voice.

"I wished to stay with you," she told him quietly. "Besides, I might catch something you would have missed otherwise." Despite her uneasiness, she smiled at him briefly before looking forward.

Junea's face had remained stoic the moment he whistled for the attention of the tribe. His brow permanently furrowed, and his eyes kept on his Ugnis escort. Still yet, he whispered, "Then do keep your eyes open. There is something about this man..."

He breathed, suddenly. Audibly.

"But a man's actions do not represent his people. At the same time, do not be biased."

She chuckled, but fell silent. The walk towards the tunnels was a convoluted mess of weaving in between hills and small valleys. As dark as it was, it surprised her how easily the others could move. Yet, they lived in near-darkness their whole lives didn't they? The night time would not bother them in the least.

There were two more standing guard at the entrance to the underground, a great, gaping hole that seemed to drop into nowhere. Kysa hesitated a moment, but moved forward as she was bid.

"Care to let me hold your hand?" the man up front turned back to look at her. She ignored him.

Without stopping to recupperate, the two were coralled into the tunnel, which was surprisingly smooth. It sloped steeply, but if they kept their wits about them, they would make it down without problems.

It wasn't until they got to roughly a hundred yards from the entrance that the soft glow of firelight filtered towards the pair. Kysa's eyes squinted.

One of their guard moved forward, snatching the fire from the wall and holding it alloft. Quite suddenly, dozens of other torches burst into flame, lighting the entire, massive tunnel.

"Welcome to Tribe Ugnis," the first man said, as the tunnel opened up into a vast cavern lit by a myriad of torches. It seemed to spiral, several levels built into the walls, and all around men and boys were hard at work, digging or practicing with their magic, or simply tucking themselves into bed.

But there were no women.

Kysa gently touched Junea's hand, as if to communicate this.

When Junea's eyes finally met the dull torchlight, he was relieved. Blue eyes traced over the area, and when Kysa's gentle touch made him come to the realization of what was so obviously off, those blue eyes flickered with concern. His eyes fixated on those who worked, those who practiced their magic, and those who idled about. His stomach twisted.

Perhaps their women were elsewhere.

The man tried to keep his eyes from trailing to Kysa. He tried not to raise the awareness of his suspicion, and a nod forward indicated that the woman he was accompanied by should do the same.

"I thank you for the welcome." Junea said, "You'll be directing us to Ignio, now."

It was not a question, but a statement.

"Of course!" The one to the front said. "Indeed, come with us. We'll bring you directly to the audience chamber."

As they passed, Kysa could feel the eyes of men on her from all different directions. If it just so happened that she managed to look their way, they'd glance off, but not without a secretive smile appearing on their faces. It unnerved her, but she kept looking forward, pretending that it didn't bother her.

They came to a stone set of stairs, ones that brought them to the deeper parts of the giant cavern. A warm yellow glow came from all around, the source of the light being the river of lava that flowed all around the outskirts. There were no children. Young men and adult men.

The pair at their backs pressed closer, before one suddenly seized Kysa by the shoulders, upsetting her balance, but gripping her tight to keep from falling. She looked stricken, her eyes wide as the other men burst into laughter.

"Watcher step!" one guffawed.

Junea gritted his teeth, before he'd stepped back to stay between the guards behind them and Kysa. He raised a hand so one couldn't come to his side, but past that, he'd shown no more aggression. "Their ways have changed." He harshly whispered. "If I had known, you would not have been asked to come."

His shoulders were tense, and his fists were balled at his sides. It wouldn't be wise to lash out. They would see Ignis, and then they would leave.

She was struggling to calm her breathing, but she nodded her agreement anyway, keeping her eyes forward and her expression stoic as they finally reached the ground level. Up ahead, a vast archway loomed before them, bidding entry to the vast space. The dome overhead was so high they could barely make it out, and shadows flickered against the towering walls, like so many insects crawling within their terrarian refuge.

As they were encouraged forward, the audience chamber was shown to be well-lit with fire light, as well as the glow of lava that encircled the entire room. At the center, a hole laying in the ground, a shaft that glowed with the same orange light.

No women. Only men were in the room, and when Kysa was seen, many of them smiled.

And there sat Ignio, on his chair of stone. He could not contain his grin. At first, he chuckled. Then, his shoulders began to spasm is fits of laughter. He leaned forward, clutching the chair of stone, and rubbing at the tears that formed in his eyes. Along with him, his men began to laugh as well, until they had all eventually quieted. Junea sat stoic throughout this, though his eyes seemed to shake, and his fists turned white.

"I'm sorry." He said, waving a hand. Ravelled upon his fingers were obsidian-black stone; the same kind that seemed to lace around the entire structure. "No one has visited us in so long." Ignio raised the hand to his face. "And never did we expect it in such a manner. I have to question if you're honestly attempting to raise a query with me."

A smile remained ever-persistent on his face. He bore the same white, filmed eyes that the rest of his tribe had. His hair had been haphazardly tied back into charcoal dreads, which singed at the end.

"And at such short notice."

"Your tribe does not exactly make it easy to communicate." Junea quickly retorted.

"We're here regarding the disappearances of several outlying settlers out in the Saunas," Kysa spoke up. It was eerie, how silent everyone became. Keeping her breathing under control, she lifted her voice again, "We do not suspect any of our own people, but we were wondering if you might have noticed any strange happenings lately."

"Entire homesteads have been depleted." Junea added. "People taken from their homes, without traces left of them. Garments were left at the wheel. Animals remained unskinned. Growth... Plant growth has dissipated, as if it's been poisoned. Of course, we do not expect the same circumstances here. You, after all, do not have plant life." His arms raised again, and he gestured to all of the room. "Except for ember flowers."

"Have you noticed any of your settlements disappearing? Just people? I imagine it would be quite hard for one of your denizens to simply disappear into the night."

"Have you borne children?" Ignio suddenly asked. It couldn't be known who he was focusing on, but it was certainly obvious. The man cocked his head to the side in honest curiosity; a stark change from the amusement he'd displayed earlier.

Junea looked incredulously between Kysa and Ignio.

His men stood at attention, though their faces bore the same disgusting curiosity.

If not for the darkness, it would have been obvious that her face was colored with a blush.

"What kind of mockery is this?" she accused. "What could that possibly have to d--"

A man came from behind, forcing himself between Kysa and Junea so abruptly that the woman stumbled to the side. Someone caught her about the waist, pinning her arm behind her back and pushing her forward, closer to that pit that stood in the center of the auditorium.

Three others rushed to bar Junea should he try to interrupt.

"He asked you a question." the man hissed into her ear. She tried to lean back, feeling the heat against her face.

"I...I was a mother." she began.

Junea impulsively shot toward the guards that seized Kysa, unsheathing the knife from his side. He was pushed back, and caught himself before he could fall. He whipped around to look at Ignio, bearing wild eyes.

"We come bearing peace, and you ask these meaningless questions! This woman, as of now, is acting of third-in-command of the Vanduo tribe. Happen that you assault us, you will lose our support and the support of our allying tribes. I warn you." Junea instantly threatened.

His statements seemed to fall on deaf ears. Ignio's head tilted, to see the spectacle that laid behind Junea. One of the three guards moved to shove the man into a stone structure, upon noting their leader's interest.

"Counts." Ignio started. "Still counts. I wonder the circumstances."

A polearm from one of the guards pointed at Junea's chest when he began to move further. However, upon Kysa's compliance, the guard who'd held her over the pit stepped backward. Perhaps, in sign of good faith that she were to continue further.

"No, however." The leader started again, perhaps interrupting what the woman was about to say. A smile appeared on his face again. "We haven't had any disappearences."

"It's good to hear." Kysa said, forcing herself to remain calm. "We ask that you keep an eye out then, just be wary. We don't want anyone else to get hurt."

She took a step back.

"And now...we'll leave your company. We do thank you for the...hospitality." She looked to Junea, unnerved that the men were still watching her, and smiling.

"No," the first man said, that knife of his coming out and laying pointedly against her shoulder.

"You won't."

Ignio stood from his chair, smiling like all the rest, and paced towards Kysa. "I have a theory!" he announced, spreading his arms wide and inclining his head. "As to why the tribesmen of other groups are being taken...and not ours!"

She could feel the knife trail against her skin, errupting a shiver of goosebumps. She turned her face away, but Ignio came forward, seizing her jaw in his hand and forcing her to look his way.

"Because Motina is weak. And she does not love her children the way she says she does."

"And what do you propose we do elsewise, if we aren't leaving?" Junea questioned. His voice remained calm as well, even though his heart thudded against his chest, and his eyes contracted. Still yet, the guard kept the pointed pole at Junea's chest. His hands were raised, though he had a knife in one.

When he lowered to put it down, a sharp pain in the chest halted his movements.

"And if Motina is weak," He started, his chest rattling in between words. "Who do you suppose is strong?"

Ignio grinned.

"Matteo. Mama"

"Mama." The men in attendance echoed.

"Mama has provided for us these past fifteen years." Ignio continued, looking back towards Junea. "We've had no want nor need of any other woman, and no harm has come to us. We thrive with her, so long as we give her what she asks for." He then looked back to Kysa.

The woman stumbled back, right into the arms of the man with the knife. She struggled, briefly, until that kiss of steel touched her throat.

"Where are the other women and children?!" she suddenly cried.

As the echoes of her question faded, Ignio simply watched, before looking to the pit, where fire bloomed in liquid form.

"To Mama." he said, his voice rough, but not with grief...with lust.

"Let us go forth and spread the news, then. Of her generosity. If Matteo has kept you sustained, for 15 years. Or, let us warn them of what may come if they follow such a weak guardian." Junea said, his eyes fixated on Kysa, and his brows furrowed with worry. His body was stiffened with fear.

"Or," He proposed. "Let her."

The man's eyes flashed back to Ignio.

Kysa had closed her eyes, her chin tucked to her chest as her brow furrowed in intense concentration. Ignio took note of this, but it didn't seem to bother him.

"Mama wishes to know what the children of the forest taste like." he said with a sudden laugh. The others echoed, a heinous sound that filled the room, right up until the heavy rumble overhead caught their attention.

"The volcano?" one murmured. "Can't be," said another. "It lies dormant."

Suddenly, two wide cracks split overhead, directly over the rivers of lava that looped the room. Just as suddenly, a torrent of subterranean water fell from the fissures, hitting the lava with a deafening hiss as clouds of steam suddenly filled the room.

Kysa threw her elbow back into the man's face, shoving him away before moving to a clearer spot.

"JUNEA!" she cried.

Junea shoved himself backwards into the stone structure, which was thankfully not rooted into the ground. It slid, only slightly, but it'd given him enough leverage to knock the pole away from the guard's arm, slide under it, and shove his own blade into the other man's abdomen. He pulled backward, and fought to ungrasp the injured guard's hands from his shawl. Steam began to cloud the vision of those in the room, and that's when the Vanduo second-in-command shoved the injured guard away from him, and made for Kysa.

"Up the stairwell. From where we came. Motina, aide us." He breathed, almost inaudibly. His hand latched around the woman's wrist, and his other hand had firmly placed the knife in her hand. He closed her fingers around it, before starting toward the direction they'd come.

A steady glow began to emmenate from the entrance of the chamber, not yellow from the flame, but a pure, blue-white. Kysa gripped Junea's forearm before pointing, as the distinct shape of the familiar bob cat appeared before them. The Ugnis backed away, blinded by the intensity of the light, but Kysa was called forward, along with Junea.

The bobcat waited only a moment before turning to run. The pair were encouraged to sprint after her, using the light as a shield as a multitude of Ugnis warriers cowered against the walls. Up the stairs they went, through darkness and soot, and on into that god-forsaken tunnel that had become ablaze with Motina's guiding light.

Dawn had come, causing the outside Ugnis guards to vanish, but as Junea and Kysa stumbled to the surface, it became clear what had transpired.

All of the men they had come with, every last one, had been burned to death.

When Junea had come to the surface, and the distinct smell of charred and burned flesh wafted to his nose, he'd halted in his steps. A dull, dark smoke rose from where the tall grass had covered his team's position. Without waiting for Kysa, he had sprinted toward them, tall grass stinging against his face like the barbs of insects.

And when he'd come across the charred bodies of his friends, Junea's stoic expression relieved itself. His feet collapsed from underneath him, and he'd felt a sickness come up his throat. The man's legs struggled to move forward, and with every knee he'd drawn closer to his deceased brethren, a resounding crunch had come from the burnt stalks underfoot.

His hand interlaced with Illia's hand. It was rough, and chalky to the touch. A faint crack had resounded against the silence of their settlement.

He buried his head into the grass, and murmured prayers in Motina's name.

She followed after more slowly, her eyes welling, spilling over with tears as she made her way towards the group of bodies that had once been men she served, and served with. Slowly, and without a word, she came up behind Junea, kneeling at his side and embracing his shoulders from behind, a choked sob cutting off her breath.

Motina watched, silent, and mournful, but her words touched them both the same way.

We cannot linger...

"Make the day come faster, Motina. We must." Junea breathed, tears welling at his eyes as well. His chest rattled, and his entire body shook. Pain wracked his entire body. He found himself unable to move, and his hand still stayed within the charred one of his friend. "This is my fault. I was supposed to protect them. They were burned. Every one of them. How could I not see the Ugnis' motives?"

"Motina, make the day come faster." He pleaded.

Kysa gripped Junea's shoulders, trying to comfort him as well as herself. When he looked to Motina, she did as well, her expression pained beyond reason.

Motina merely bowed her head.

It was permission enough. They were allowed to grieve.

Junea's hands lifted, and he placed them over Kysa's. His hands gripped hers tightly, and his head still lowered into the grass.

It would take only minutes for him to heed Motina's warning, though those minutes passed like hours. Finally, Junea could withdraw himself from the hand of his own. Wearily, and with a look undescribable upon his face, he stood again.

Then, a hand still interlaced with Kysa's, he began toward Motina.