Wolves and War Page 10

Kolyei and Tara travelled all morning and well into the afternoon. She walked beside him not really thinking at all, merely placing one foot in front of the other. She did not need to think. She was not sure she wanted to think. Then her stomach started to rumble. She had had but little breakfast, Marion Mackie being accustomed to feed the littlest ones first, herself and Tara later.

  Kolyei matched his pace with hers, slow that it was. It was not his plan to exhaust the youngster. He had been lucky; she whom he had chosen had been easy to take away. She had come with him without any demur. The others might have to wait until their youngsters were alone, they might even have to wait until nightfall when the two-legged creatures were relaxed and sitting round their fires before they could plant the compulsion to seek them out into the young minds but he was confident that he would see the rest by first light.

  Tara stumbled once and again a few paces later. Her companion sighed mightily. He would have to let her ride else they would not arrive at the dom before nightfall. Two paws were not as good as four.

  He stopped and sat down. Tara looked at him.

  “I am hungry,” she said.

  Kolyei cocked his ear at her, trying to understand, but he thought he did realise what the problem was.

  An image of a large hunk of raw meat appeared in Tara’s mind. She recoiled with a shudder.

  If Kolyei could have frowned he would have. Instead his eyes crinkled up as he tried to make sense of her reaction. Was the youngster not hungry? Did she not like kura? Something else then?

  The next image was better from Tara’s point of view, that of a bush of greenfruits.

  She nodded, smiling just a little.

  Kolyei nodded his head in reply. This must be the sign for yes. He was making progress. He led her to the greenfruit bushes. He himself would not need to eat until the sun rose again having dined with his rtathen on a large zarova buck early that morning. These two-legged ones must have to eat more frequently. He stored up this extra piece of information for future use.

  When they reached the bush, he watched the youngster’s eyes light up then she picked a fruit and began to eat. He moved closer and sat down to wait.

  Tara looked at him, faintly alarmed.

  “Kolyei,” he said, enunciating both syllables. He nodded his head.

  His voice was low yet resonant, not like a human at all.

  Why should I expect him to sound like us? thought Tara, munching steadily through her fruit. He is an alien, or is it us who are the aliens? I don’t know. He seems friendly. I only wish I knew exactly why I followed him and how does he plant these pictures into my mind?

  Truth be known, Tara wasn’t too bothered. He seemed to be friendly; in fact he was being more that just friendly. He really appeared to care about her. The sense of belonging that had come across her in the clearing so many hours ago and in her dreams over the last weeks came back tenfold.

  Kolyei nodded again and his long bushy tail started to wag, just a little bit. He spoke again.

  “Kolyei.”

  Does he know what I am thinking? Is Kolyei his name? She stood up and placing her two index fingers on her chest said aloud, “Tara.”

  “Tara?” His inflection emphasised his enquiry.

  She nodded, bent down and picked her fifth greenfruit from the bush.

  “Tara,” he said again, enunciating the two syllables and pointing one forepaw towards her.

  “Yes,” she replied and nodded. She realised that if she was going to spend a lot of time with this Kolyei, she had better start communicating. She sat down beside him, still munching.

  “Yes,” she said again. She then repeated both sound and action. Kolyei nodded to indicate that he understood.

  “Yes Tara,” was his reply.

  He was rewarded by a tentative smile.

  “Ceja Tara,” he said.

  Zowie! He is teaching me his language. Does Ceja mean yes? I wonder what no is?

  “No,” she said and shook her head. She made a face as if to indicate displeasure.

  He looked at her blankly. It was clear to Tara that he did not understand. Tara racked her brains for inspiration.

  It came to her.

  I wonder if this will work? He thinks thoughts at me so why shouldn’t I be able to do the same? She thought hard as she formed a picture of a large piece of uncooked meat in her mind, together with a strong feeling of her dislike of it.

  “No,” she repeated and tried to fling the thought through the air towards her companion.

  Kolyei’s eyes opened wider as he realised what he was ‘seeing’. She could implant pictures in his mind. What an unexpected and wondrous thing! It would make this whole assimilation process so much easier. It would not take many long moons to learn each other’s language. Why, they could do it in one.

  “No,” he said in Standard and shook his head.

  Tara laughed and clapped her hands together. Kolyei did not try to imitate this. It was virtually impossible for him, after all, preferring instead to show his pleasure by wagging his tail. He proceeded to do so, very fast. Emboldened, Tara gave Kolyei a quick pat. He grinned at her. His eyes twinkled. Tara laughed again, louder this time.

  They did not know it then, but it was at this moment that their lifelong mind-linkage was cemented. They would never again be separated, except by death, and as if this was an omen, the sun chose this moment to shine through the clouds and the rain ceased. They were the first paired human and Lind. She was the first of those who would go down in history as the ‘Children of the Wolves’. Tara and Kolyei were the first of what would become known as a vadeln-pair.

  After Tara had eaten no less than ten greenfruits they set out again. Periodically they stopped for a rest and Kolyei would point with his paw at a flower or a plant and say its name. Tara repeated the words and taught him some of her own. Both the Lind male and the girl were enjoying themselves. As the afternoon drew in and Tara started to stumble again, Kolyei drew closer to her.

  How was he to tell her to climb on his back? The Eldas had given approval, realising from the sorties near the settlement that there was no way that the newcomers could match the Lind for speed and stamina. Traditionally the only other time when this was done was when mothers were forced to carry their young out of danger. Certainly within living memory no male had ever done so except in dire circumstances. Once she was on his back they would be able to go so much faster. There was still a long way to go to reach the dom. He stopped.

  Tara looked at him.

  “Ptatch,” he said aloud.

  “Ptatch? What does that mean?” asked Tara.

  He nudged Tara with his shoulder then lowered himself. Crouching beside her he sent an image of her riding him directly into her mind.

  Tara smiled and nodded. She lifted her right leg over his haunches then, after a struggle, settled herself on his back. Kolyei stood up. He was large; her weight was nothing to him, slightly built as she was.

  He began to walk then to trot. Tara grabbed hold of the longer hairs at his withers, surprised at its length and softness. Feeling that much more secure she gained confidence, tightening her legs round the barrel of his body. Kolyei moved into a canter then into a ground-devouring lope that was much faster and, as Tara was to learn, far more sustainable than what she’d been taught concerning a horse’s gallop.

  Laughing, she shouted out in delight. “Oh this is wonderful!” Indeed it was.

  They reached the temporary shelter at dusk.

  “Dom,” said Kolyei as he slowed down.

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