Chapter Two
The Will To Live
With a shivery start my eyes sprang open. My father’s sword was being tugged upon!
Scrambling back in the loose leaf litter I clutched the sword tighter as I beheld a small creature with excessively large claws rear up to its full diminutive height and hiss at me aggressively. My heart stopped as I watched its mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth open as it prepared to spring upon me.
In the next instant though it was gone. Flinching from the expected impact of its claws and teeth into me I instead watched as it was tossed through the air to thud heavily against a mossy boulder.
Completely shaken I let my eyes drift upward to the short flowering tree that I had followed for hours and hours yesterday before it had finally stopped and rooted into the soil near the small brook of water that ran close by. The resemblance of a face made out of knots and hollows of age worn wood winced down at me from its lofty height of about 20 feet or so above my head. Then by way of apology it shrugged its branches as if in replication of shoulders and said, “I’m afraid, as of late, I sleep more deeply these days. I am quite old, but that is no excuse. I do apologize Tarik for not waking up sooner.”
“You don’t need to apologize.” I mumbled out.
“What was that dear?” The old tree asked.
“You don’t owe me anything.”
She, for it seemed somehow as that she was female, huffed and a cloud of petals fell to lay down upon the dewy forest floor, “Oh little man, it is true. I owe you nothing, but kindness. Kindness, for all those who have lost their parents and are but children, trying to find their own way in a world most unfriendly to them. As much as I am able to do it is my responsibility to help you and all others like you, Tarik. Please call me Asmantha.”
I nodded in greeting as I was beyond words to express how I felt. In some ways I wanted to stay and dwell in sorrow and yet a forest of more vivid intensity, such as I had never perceived before, was coming alive all around me.
A forest full of danger and I had but one tree out of many taking any interest in me. Indeed it seemed like the other trees were opposed to my presence here and the feeling I felt of their consensus of thought made me feel even more desolate than I already did in spirit.
I had no one and no hope, but the kindness of one tree alone, in a sea of trees that would sooner see me turned into dirt to be of some use for their roots. A tear streaked down my face and not being able to stop I buried my face against my drawn up knees and did my best to shut out everything, but it did no good as when I closed my eyes my mind was filled with the imagery of everything that had been lost.
“Oh dear! What to do?” Asmantha said, as she stiffly leaned a branch down to brush consolingly upon my back.
The oddness of everything and the extremeness of my vulnerability in this place that didn’t want me only made everything worse.
“Korva is there anything you can do to help? Goodness knows you have more experience with this sort of thing than I.”
“It depends.” Came a husky ruffled breathiness of words in reply that had the sense of magnificence in restraint.
Slowly my head lifted up off my knees and my eyes traced through the flowery understory of the ancient forest until they fell upon a massive boulder and more directly the massive feline reclining upon it who nonchalantly eyed me over with a critical and yet un-cruel demeanor. It was the largest tiger that I had ever seen in my life, but more important to the moment was had it actually just spoken?”
Confused sounding Asmantha asked the tiger, “Depends on what Korva, dear?”
“On his will to live, but of course.”
“Oh would you please take over for me Korva. I have no right to ask it of you, but I am older than most and well, I’m simply too old to adequately care for him as I should.”
The massive tigress that could have taken down the largest of marsh bulls with one swipe of its paw broke from its regard of me to glance up at Asmantha. She blinked and then rose and there was simply no way of being prepared for the majestic sight of her coming down from off her perch as she came toward me.
She stopped within a paw’s strike of me and huffed out a breath of intensity that washed over me warmly. Her heavy toothed jaws opened and her words were direct and as piercing as the claws sheathed within her paws, “Mourn the dead no more or else you will soon join them. Now if you want to survive then follow me and do exactly all that I tell you or I might just finish off what was started last night.”
“Korva!” Asmantha admonished reprovingly.
Korva flicked her tail and moved off to the side as her tail continued to beat back and forth through the air as she ambled along on past me. In shock I gazed after the tiger that was retreating away from me. What did I do?
I glanced upward to the only one who had showed me kindness and Asmantha said, “Go with her. You will be quite safe with her.”
How was that possible, as the beast had the look of one that would devour me without a second thought?
“She has just recently lost her cub. She is your best chance at survival. I suggest you go after her now as she may not wait for you.”
Born upward to my feet by one of her roots I faced her not really knowing what to say or do so I bowed my head to the tree that spoke as a sensible being and who had showed me kindness when I needed it most. In return she likewise inclined the crown of her branches with a creaking swish of her leaves and then I was running away.
I was running after certain death to be sure as I knew that tigers killed people and even ate them! What would keep her from eating me? For that matter where was she?
“Behind you, little fool.”
Abruptly in my haste to turn around I tripped and slammed into a tree trunk as the husky voice of the tigress had seemingly come out of nowhere right next to my ear so close that I had felt the heat of her breath. Groaning I pulled myself up off the ground.
My face felt bruised from where it had connected with a tree. All that was forgotten though as the realization occurred to me that I had lost hold of the most treasured thing I had left in this world.
My eyes lifted and there it lay before the tigress that stood farther off the ground on four legs than I did on two. Her paw was bigger than my head and in mute terror I watched the powerful talons of it flex as if they had a will of their own.
As scared as I was of her, I didn’t care about even continued life in this moment, as much as I needed to maintain some connection with my past. Dodging forward I snatched up the sword that had been my father’s and scuttled backward with it held tightly to my chest.
In all this the tiger made no move to hinder me and indeed as I rose back up to my feet I saw approval in her gaze for me for the first time, that is maybe, anyway. With this tiger I wasn’t really sure about anything.
Her teeth showed and husky voiced she said, “Lesson two. Never run in the forest unless you wish to play the part of being a meal for a stronger beast.”
I blinked and blinked again. That’s simply didn’t make sense.
“I shouldn’t run from danger?” I asked helplessly confused.
“Do you want to be eaten?”
“No!”
“Then why would you act like something that could be eaten?” She moved on then and coming close she huffed out, “And by the way I prefer my meals to be clean and not caked in dirt just so you know.”
A quivery shiver coursed through me as the meaning of statement made full impact. The sudden question on my mind was what would happen if I got washed clean in a rainstorm or something. I looked upward but the sky was blocked from view by the dense overhead canopy.
I followed after her warily even as I acknowledged that she’d given me my first clue as to not being eaten. Don’t run. Simple, but hard to define the courage to the attainment of.
My belly constricted painfully and issued forth with a grumble that caused Korva’s ears to twitch. Her tail swished upward and smacked into a low-lying branch. The swinging branch caught my attention along with the five elongated red looking juicy fruits that were attached to it.
“Lesson three. Focus on opening your eyes to seeing everything, but focus only on what is important and let the rest drift by you.”
Snatching all five of the juicy looking fruits as I walked past I held them for a moment before asking the tiger I trailed behind as if I were her cub, “How do I know there not poisonous?”
“Now that would take care of the problem wouldn’t it. By all means eat all of them so fast you can’t discern the difference in something good for you and something that will kill you.”
Scowling at her I regarded her swishing tail for a moment before tentatively taking a bite out of one of the fruits. It was delicious and the other four were gone quickly.
I felt better for having eaten the fruit, but certainly not full. I said nothing however and before to long in our journey through the forest Korva’s tail moved in gesture again, but I’d already seen the dusky purple colored berries on a nearby bush.
Hesitantly I stopped and began picking as many of them as I could for fear of Korva moving on without me. It was strange. I was afraid of her, but the prospect of being in this place without her was even worse yet to comprehend.
Thankfully she had paused long enough for me to collect most of the berries that seemed ripe enough for me to eat. I busily stuffed them in and Korva moved on.
I reclaimed my grip on my father’s sword and worked on balancing it over my one shoulder instead of dragging it. It was very heavy, but I would never be without it.
My gaze fell upon a juicy looking red fruit being extended toward the trail by an overhead vine and my mind was already fixatedly imagining what the exotic taste of it would be like. Sugary for sure.
I stopped and reached for it. One thing stopped me. Korva had not directed me as before with her tail as to this being something good to eat.
Still it was right beside the trail maybe she’d just assumed that I’d pick up on the fact of it being something to eat. Something didn’t set well with that last thought within me and reluctantly I let my hand close into a fist and fall away from the fruit that even smelled good to my famished senses.
I made to walk on, but was immediately shocked out of my senses by the realization that Korva’s face was eye level with me and but a foot away. Breathing heavy I stepped back quickly and guiltily I wondered as to what would happen next.
Korva’s face of whiskers and massive studded canines bore a speculative look of interest as she extended out a forepaw and dexterously used one massive razor tipped talon to ever so delicately draw it down the side of the succulent looking fruit, that I had almost eaten, as to just pierce the skin of its outer layer. The slit in the fruit made she withdrew her paw and a clear looking fluid seeped out from the slit and welled up for a moment before it fell to splat upon the broadleaf of another plant below it. Immediately there was a hiss and a little puff of steam and incredulously I watched as the drop of the fruit’s nectar burned a hole through the leaf and then several more leaves below that one until it hissed loudly in contact with the ground before finally falling silent.
The enormity of what just one drop would’ve done to me had me swallowing and feeling on the verge of throwing up. Still staring at the fruit of death that she had pierced Korva softly huffed out in a softer tone than I’d ever heard from her yet, “Sometimes what one sees, though beautiful to the eyes and the senses on the outside, hides a heart of darkness. Mark this fruit well for it is a guide into the hearts of man and beast alike. Appearances are ever deceiving. You were wise to be wary of the unknown. Perhaps you will live another day after all. Tell me what is your name?” She finished at the last as she brought her intense eyes to gaze upon me ever so directly once more.
“Tarik.” I managed to mumble out, not sure of what this feline would do next.
The intenseness of her gaze glowed even more so and then she glanced about quickly and in alarm I gripped my sword tighter as I became aware of the sudden cessation of noise in the forest around us. Now as I paid attention I noticed that this area of forest that we had wandered into seemed much older than other areas that we had traversed.
What did the silence mean? I watched as Korva’s ears twitched back and forth, but then became more relaxed as the sounds of the forest came back to life all around us.
Glancing my way she said softly, “From now on your name is Torlin.”
I made to object, but with a husky hint of deep menace Korva gritted out, “You will do as I say!”
Abruptly she made to turn away and move on, but I had something to say and very much on edge of what the consequences might be I said, “I will do as you say, but not in this matter. I am in your debt already Korva, but I cannot deny the name my father gave me! I cannot do it and if that means my death then so be it.” I mumbled out at the last expressly hoping that it wouldn’t come to that.
Korva glanced my way with sharp intensity for a moment before she let it drop from her face. Musingly she said, “You’re going to be the death of me boy. Oh well, I’d rather have a strong cub than a cub not able to speak his mind. Very well, Tarik, shall we move on now?”
I nodded my head intensely relieved that she wasn’t going to rid herself of me. She moved faster than before and I had to run at times to keep up.
The sound of my breathing was loud, but the loss to concentrating on much of anything other than keeping in sight of the striped tail of my protector and guide, I did become aware of one thing. The forest was watching me in a way I didn’t think that it had been before.
What did it all mean? Was I crazy to believe as I did that the forest suddenly seemed to be focused in on me?
Perhaps I was crazy, but the feeling remained just the same, even as I fought to maintain belief in my sanity. The worst part of the feeling was that I couldn’t discern what the intent of the forest’s inspection of me was rooted in. Time would no doubt tell the tale, but would it be a story that I’d want to hear?
An hour passed by and I almost crashed into Korva’s rear as she came to an abrupt stop. Breathing heavy I worked on getting in air and switching which shoulder my father’s sword rested against.
The changeover of the sword to my other shoulder made I looked around to take in my surroundings. Eyes widening I beheld that we were on the periphery of a grassland that appeared to be bounded by the forest for as far as the eye could see.
There was a breeze and I watched with appreciation as the grass undulated beneath the pressure of it. It was as if I had come upon an inland sea made entirely of grass.
My attention centered then on what was in the grass further out from us. Monsters!
I felt my mouth fall open at the sheer size of some of the creatures in the distance. Korva moved and my attention was immediately drawn back to her.
She gestured with her head to a nearby tree of massive proportions, “Climb that tree as high as you can and then go further still.” That said she moved away with a swish of her tail into the tall savanna grass.
“Are you coming back?” I asked out loud with a voice that had an unmistakable quiver to it that normally would’ve shamed me, but right now I was too paralyzed at the thought of being left alone to care about anything in resemblance to pride.
Korva glanced back, “I will try, but the hunt is ever uncertain as to how it will go. Life and death come to all of us and I make no promises. We each must survive as best as we can.” That cryptic statement said she was suddenly gone from view with one long bound into the sea of grass that moments before had mesmerized me, but now like the forest filled with all manner of oddities behind me I found myself to terrified to move for fear of what would happen next.
As I stood there shaking like a leaf I came to the conclusion that I gave voice to in sudden determination, “I can’t go on living like this!”
Giving a careful glance around me I then knelt down onto the ground of the forest and did something that came very hard for me to do because of all that had come to be in my life to make this moment of desolation what it was. I began to pray as I addressed God by name, “Eloah……”
No matter how I tried to form words that was all I could get out. Minutes stretched by as I fumbled for what to say.
My home was gone. My mother was dead and most likely my father as well. All my friends. There simply was no prayer that could undo what had been wrecked and torn apart in my life.
All that remained of my life was the here and now. I had no past to go back to and no future without help of some kind.
My mind seized on that theme and mumbling I finished my prayer, “Eloah, please bring Korva back and please don’t let her eat me! In the name of Your Son Yeshua I ask and pray this.”
Hurriedly wiping at sudden tears I got up as I intentionally left so many things unsaid along with the many questions that I might never have answers to. I approached the tree Korva had indicated and slinging the strap of my father’s sword over my shoulder I grasped a hold of a vine and began pulling myself up the tree.
Climbing the tree was slow going with the weight of the sword along with my own unreasoning fear at every sound that occurred which only served to divide strength away from my efforts to climb. In my lack of attention my grip on a limb slipped off and I fell or I should have fallen anyway.
Hanging in midair I glanced around and then finally upward to behold that it was now the branch that held me. Not wanting to, but unable to avoid it I turned my head the other way only to behold a face wreathed in a smile upon the trunk of the old tree that I had been climbing up.
Boisterously then the tree spoke, “Thomanalin’s the name!”
The tree eyed me up and quirking a leafy eyebrow asked, “And now who might you be scampering about on my branches and crunching me bark?”
Paralyzed too much to reason as to what to accurately say I whispered, “She told me to climb! I….I….”
“She did now? And what right does the Miss Korva have going about ordering a treebeast such as myself about ehh?”
I had no answer to that and I braced myself against what it would be like to find myself freefalling towards the ground. Had I really climbed so high already or was it just an illusion how far down the ground looked beneath me. There was simply no way I would survive such a fall.
The gripping branch flexed and I closed my eyes only to then open them as I made gentle contact with a broad limb higher up than I had been before. Shaking I looked about as the grip of the branch let go of me and once more the voice of the treebeast spoke saying, “Rest easy lad. It twas wise of your friend to points me out to you as I won’t be standing for a guest of mine to come to harm. Yes, she be a wise shebeast, she be. Here lad you must be hungry after such a climb.”
Before I knew it nuts of several different varieties started being tossed onto the broad branch that I clung to. Dazed I looked about to see if all the trees were alive as this one, only to see them motionless as the outreaching branches of the treebeast picked nuts by the score from them only to toss them onto my perch.
Shakily I sat up and with a heavy grunt the treebeast said, “That should hold yuh a bit. Now no slicing me bark off as you be crack’en them nuts with that great weapon of yours lad.”
Peering down from my high perch I caught a stern glance from the treebeast’s face below me that echoed the sentiment of his words. Hurriedly, I said, “Yes Sir!”
“Now, I’ll not be having this Sir business laddie. My name’s Thomanalin.”
“Yes Sir.” I said, not even realizing what I’d just done until it was too late.
Thomanalin rolled his huge knobby eyes and with a shake of the topmost branches of his tree form body said, “Eat your dinner boy and then be getting some rest as who can tell what changes tomorrow may bring. Aye, who can say what even the night will foster. It will be an adventure to be sure. Eat up boy. The future is unsure at best, but I be thinking you’ll be a part of it somehow.” That said Thomanalin’s eyes closed and his branches became still and free of gestures.
Was he asleep? Had I imagined everything?
All of a sudden one knobby eye opened and I jumped as the treebeast gruffed out, “Eat up lad and get your rest or did you not hear?” He inquired leadingly and not able to help myself I asked in return, “Hear what?”
Both of Thomanalin’s eyes opened and there was no doubting the seriousness in the otherwise affable seeming treebeast, “No one wishing to survive in the forest sleeps at night. Mark my words well young lad. Night in the forest is a dark time. Aye, sleep now and then later on survive as best as you’re able to boy. I’ll wake you when it’s time to run.”
My voice quavering I asked, “You won’t protect me?”
“Lad yuh don’t know the half of it. Aye, yuh don’t. I’ll do what I can, but word of your name has already spread. I heard it from a hazelnut and he from an acorn and by now the whole forest is waking up to the fact that a new age is about to begin. The skin walkers, minions of darkness that they be, will be having a say about it I reckon as they have ruled these parts for some time now. Aye they’ll be after you soon enough.” Thomanalin shook his great top branches with a mournful move of emotion before adding, “So many children there be in the forest and few to shepherd them to be sure.”
“Children?” I breathed out.
“Aye, ya didn’t think ya was the only one now to escape did ya. Enough, I’d tell ya more, but ya wouldn’t eat much less sleep if I did so be to it young’un and we’ll greet tomorrow’s sun together or apart as the case may be, but preferably for you, alive. Aye, that would be good.” Thomanalin finished with as his features that reflected the warmth of life became wooden and expressionless once again and I was left once more both alone and full of questions.
Skin walkers? Other children?
I looked around but here, high up in the canopy of the forest, the moment was rather peaceful and devoid of the angst to be found in the treebeast’s doom and gloom outlook of the future. That said I knew so little of this amazing place that truly it would be foolish of me not to be prepared.
Bringing the hard pommel of the sword forward I lined up a nut and cracked it against the limb I straddled. The shell cracked open and I feasted on its succulent contents.
The process was repeated over and over again until entirely replete I stopped. Tiredness overcame me then and carefully I laid down on the limb making sure that my sword was near and not in any danger of falling. The moment my eyes closed I felt the weariness of the day of fast-paced travel occur across all my senses and unconsciousness soon took over.
Branches descended protectively around Tarik until he was encased in foliage that both hid him from view and ensured that he would not fall from his lofty perch. Thomanalin blinked and then cast a worried glance off over the shifting sea of grass.