Chapter 4 - Building Bridges

CHAPTER 4

---BUILDING BRIDGES---

They walked and talked out of the South Westerm path of the clearing, after this the trees' colours began to change. Instead of the original dark brown barks they were more of a white twinge, the leaves' colours were also gradually shifting, a slight blue could be noticed as they walked through, even on the grass. The path maneuvered between the trees, the Anklorians took in the scenery on their stroll. Fyurik was laughing with Jaran reminiscing about their coming of age collection.

"I do remember some to be sure, but I must say I was rather shteamin' to be rememberin' all of it if I'm quite honest," Jaran could be heard saying.

"Aye I remember that clear as day," Fyurik shook his head. "Wish I flippin' didn't mind you," he said rather sheepishly but ended it with a small laughing roar. Januk looked at Korar.

"So what do you reckon about our chances eh?" Asked Januk

"Chances? What chances do you think we'll be havin'," said Korar ridiculing Januk.

"Oi! You can speak for yourself!" Gasped Januk in a tone of false offence, "how dare you! I can hunt, I can kill! I can even cook! As can you may I add, wherefore would we be undesirables?"

"Not being funny there Jan, but you're a bit of a gangly one eh? Also that black mess you got upstairs," said Korar, "I have green hair, I still ain't fully learnt to change the colours, me red eyes make me look an aggressive fellow as well!" He was about to go on.

"Ay! Were my genes not good enough for you eh?" Enquired Karis.

"Or mine?" pressed Freya.

"W-w-w well, no no no! Please don't get it twisted-"

"Calm yourself, boy. You'll come to see how well we've done when we arrive." Said Karis with a wink.

Januk still remained quiet, he was always unsure in regards to his understanding with things like this but he pushed those thoughts aside. He'd only really known three Anklorian women in his life. He'd met girls at collections but he wasn't great with names and he could never differentiate who was who. It was rare you met the same people at collections, there were so many Anklorians dotted everywhere these collections are less like big reunions and more akin to airports where everyone looked the same. Therefore he'd only really known his mother, Karis and Rosa.

He only knew Rosa in childhood; he remembered her rather excitable nature teaching him how to hunt with his father when he was a youngling, she had moved away when Januk was around 17, he'd missed her for the decade and he'd never caught her at collections really. He used to quite like her, quite foolishly but he was just a young kid he hardly held on to that. He'd had plenty of embarrassing mess-ups since but he felt somewhat oddly prepared for this. Being the right age seemed to fill him with confidence when he could focus on it.

The blue leaves calmed his ever growing nerves as did they with Korar. The boys re-built their conversational flow talking about Kusved and other crazy predictions he'd had but they did, quite worryingly at that come to the same conclusion that their parents did not long ago. He was never ever completely wrong. A discomforting thought I'm sure you'd agree, especially when they considered what could be in danger. Entire futures of the race.

They began to walk out of the forest, the path became cobbles and the trees were less frequent. The darkening sky was more visible again and the space widened like a folding book. Fyurik stood at the front with Freya followed by Jaran and Karis then followed by the lagging behind Korar and Januk. Their excited buzz was coming to an end at the same time as the forest and day, the horizon drew nearer, there was a soft sound of water like a soothing whisper in the otherwise dreary evening. The water at this side was a healthy green colour, various creatures lived below the surface of the peculiar river (known as the River of Undra). They are not yet of our concern but while we are here there were particularly beautiful fish with scales that shone shades of purple and red in the green frequently visible in the clear water. Above the river ran a cobble bridge connected to the pathway, this had in fact been built by the ancient Anklorians who had had to move into the forests, something Kusved claimed he'd seen in his time.

The party was becoming weary, the journey out of the forest had been long, and many hours of walking and talking, I'm sure you can understand why their buzz was fading. They needed no food, only rest. The Anklorians did not mind sleeping outside when they were in the dark. They felt it safer, and kept away prying eyes. The Anklorians who lived East and North East of the River of Undra were the safest just because the forests had been their homes for centuries, they barely saw each other anyway let alone having another race see them. That's why there were so many animals in the area, less frequently hungry predators and they were more or less free to roam and populate.

"Merry travellers please be seated," boomed Fyurik gesturing to the ground, it was once blue it was now navy beneath the dark skies. "Reckon we can kip here for the night,"

"You know what Mr. Fyurik, I do concur!" Cried Korar.

"Aye thank you master Korar," Fyurik said as he sat slowly.

"Eh, Korar ya sound like a kiss-arse," laughed Jaran.

"Mr. Jaran please refrain from such obscenities in reference to my friend," said Januk with a false haughtiness and grin before he sat down. Jaran gave him a look as if to say 'A'sure shut up, pipsqueak,' in the most friendly way possible. His eyebrows raised, a smile and wide eyes said all they needed to.

"Ooo-hoo-h-hoo, watch out," cooed Fyurik.

"Stop it," said Freya, giving Fyurik a little poke in his shoulder.

Conversations happened left and right as the evening went on, Karis spoke to Freya of her recent escapades when collecting herbs.

"I tell you I've had some right problems with incantations, utterly ridiculous things. Expecting us to know how the ancients would've spoken." She was getting angrier as she spoke her blue hair tips could've been seen with the slightest tint of rouge.

"Oh come come, I have barely mastered concoctions let alone incantations, all rather difficult you will improve, Karis, as will I," soothed Freya.

Fyurik spoke to Jaran about his recent fascinations with the ways of the ancients.

"You know I've looked into this reading thing," Fyurik said.

"Yeah that's what my Mrs has been gettin' up to as well, you're not going soft on me now are ye boy?" asked Jaran with a furrowed brow.

"No, see the thing is our carvings they helped us in the caves years ago and so on but we never know what that lot were actually thinking, now we do! People scratched into words the goings on shown in the cave paintings, we've only seen the paintings but there are some rare places where we can read what they did," said Fyurik with excitement.

"Oh, so not like the whole page turning spellbook thing then?"

"No, that's far too complex, no I like knowing our traditions from the mountains so sometimes I journey to the caves where they wrote things on the walls and floors, learning the words is a struggle but me and Freya learnt together a few years back, I remember telling you actually," explained Fyurik.

"Aye you know what, I'd be interested there, so how d'you go about learning?" Enquired Jaran rather intrigued.

"You have Karis, she can help, I'll give you a hand if you need sometimes," said Fyurik.

"Cheers!" Cried Jaran.

Korar and Januk had spent time discussing how they'd approach people at the ceremony, but their conversation had become quite useless and in the boundaries of silliness.

"And and then you should go up to her right, go 'y'alright there, my lover! Fancy a little bit of my Korantula?'" This left Januk and Korar gasping for breath.

"Then what should I do? I'll have a big claw mark on my face after that I'm sure, oh my we need Rosa," said Korar, wistfully.

"She'd be no help! She'd have you doing far worse than you ever should and you know it. No you should just get yourself full of mead! I've seen you on good doses of mead and you are much less timid, besides how do you think our fathers worked themselves up eh?" Januk was rationalising things he had no authority to speak on but it made sense to him.

The twilight ended and the night sky was upon them completely, the boys were asleep near the water, the couples lying at distances on the ground, Karis laid with her head facing Jaran's and his facing hers. Fyurik and Freya were still awake, just talking and taking in the peaceful night, they glanced at each other as they took time out of the world together, their backs on the floor watching the stars newly appearing in the sky and the three moons beginning to glow dimly.

"Fyurik, are you worried?" Asked Freya.

"Well, I know we laugh but Kusved is not a man to be scoffed at, but, for Januk I trust he shall be safe, he's prepared for things to happen, whether he knows it or not is a different story, what do you think?" He asked in response.

"Well, Karis and I discussed how the ceremony was for us and how some of the women could be, and the idea of it being interrupted because of supply issues, none of it is comforting Fyurik, you say you trust that Januk is ready as do I but are you really that calm?" She knew her husband and when he was worried.

"I care for Januk, I trust he shall be ready but yes I am worried. I'm quite frankly terrified, but I find solace in that no matter who we are or what we do or where we may go, we will have each other, you, me and him. Understand?" The ending phrase written in his eyes, not his words. He gave comfort in his soft but assertive tone as he held her hand to show his passion. He didn't even need to say the words for her to know.

"I understand, goodnight, Fyurik" and with that Freya rested her head against the floor as did Fyurik to repose before the next day arrived. She mouthed the phrase Fyurik had resisted saying. 'I love you'.

Slumber engulfed the final Anklorian and they were in dreams, lightyears away from their bodies.