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The passage is narrow and meanders through the mountain and under the settlement walls until it ends at a sturdy door on the edge of the village. We can use it to enter the village without drawing attention.
I take us around the outskirts of the village, keeping well away from the wall and the sentries that will be stationed near it, until we come to a rock wall covered in moss and vines. There is a door here somewhere, just tall enough and wide enough for one full-grown male to fit through and its moss-covered surface blends in well with its surroundings.
If I did not know what to look for, I would not know it was there. But thank the goddesses, I do.
The door is secured with a lock that can be unlocked from both the inside and outside by twisting five metal dials in a code. I quickly rotate the dials, inputting the code that I know will unlock the door, until a loud click sounds. Haley’s eyes are rounded when I push the heavy door open and duck through the entrance, gesturing for her to follow me.
“It is safe. We will use this passage to enter my village.” I reassure her. It is obvious by the hairs over her eyes – which I now know are called eyebrows – drawn together in a frown that she is hesitant to enter the shadowy space, but after locking gazes with me, she nods and steps quickly through the doorway.
Just as I remembered, the passageway is narrow with only enough room for us to walk in a single file line. With the door closed, it’s dark but a thin coating of moss on the solid walls glows and provides enough illumination that my mate’s eyes should be able to see. Still, I hold my hand back and link it with hers just in case. Her smaller hand clutches mine, and I give it a gentle squeeze of reassurance.
The ceiling hangs low overhead, and at times, I’m forced to drop my head as we travel through the chamber. The sound of water dripping down the stone wall is loud in the silence as we draw closer to it. Up ahead of us, the dusty rock floor of the passage has turned muddy from the water. This passage is usually dry, but the water is probably runoff from the recent storm.
Footprints are visible in the mud and leading away from it towards the door we just entered through before fading away. Someone else has recently been here.
My entire body goes on alert as I quickly gaze down the narrow, shadowy passageway that stretches in front of us. There is no movement in the darkness, nor are there any unusual noises. My nose twitches as I inhale deeply, but all I smell is the dripping water the mustiness of the passage, and a faint sour odor that I cannot explain. And Haley.
There is no one else here, but there was and recently.
My muscles unclench with relief, and I pick Haley up to cross the muddy section of ground. She makes a noise of protest and tries to get me to put her down so she can cross on her own, but I shake my head and pull her closer, enjoying the sensation of holding my mate in my arms even if only for a moment. I turn sideways and continue down the path, only letting Haley down once we reach the second door at the end of the passageway.
This door is secured by a similar lock, and the entrance should allow us to emerge at the edge of the village not far from the rows of huts, and hopefully we will not be seen. Although it is still early in the day, most of the males in the tribe should be in the center of the village by now. The kitlings will be starting their lessons and everyone else should be going about their daily tasks, whether it be training, hunting, preparing food, or any of the other duties our tribe depends upon to function.
It takes only a few seconds to twist the five dials until the click of the lock sounds and I carefully pull open the heavy door. The hinges let out a high-pitched squeal that makes me wince with how loud it is. Beside me, Haley gasps and grows still. I wait, my muscles clenched tightly, expecting to hear one of the other males in my tribe calling out in alarm.
But no cry comes, and after a moment, I relax.
But only a little. The footprints are trouble. This passage is intended only as an escape route should it be needed, and its existence is not known by everyone in the tribe. Only the chief of the tribe, myself, Vrenner, the medic, and the seer. . . Jaran. Sard.
Could Jaran have been in the passage recently? But why? I must discuss this with Chief Daggir when I get a chance, but I know in my gut that if he was in the passageway, the reason cannot be good.
I usher Haley through the open doorway with her hand in mine. She chews on her bottom lip and nervously glances around as we emerge near the pens that usually contain our mounts. The eponirs are absent, having been turned lose for their mating season.
Haley’s blue eyes are wide as we continue down the path, emerging near the huts laid out in neat rows. Many of the structures are empty, now, as the size of our tribe has rapidly dwindled. So many of our males are growing older and fewer kitlings are born every year. There has only had one kitling born in the last two years. Soon, there will be none.
The healer, Warrix, has said it is because the quality of the eggs has degraded over time. If that is true, then the other Laediriian tribes are likely facing the same risk of extinction. An extinction that is fast approaching for our people.
But now, there is hope. With Haley and the amoris bond restored, perhaps, we might have a chance to survive.
As we near Vrenner’s hut, I spot the glow of light emanating from the window near the back of his home, letting me know that he is most likely still busy working away in his workshop.
Good, he is awake.
If truth be known, he has probably been awake all night long tinkering with whatever project has captured his attention this time.
I am not sure if he will even hear me if I knock on the door, so I decide to forego the customary courtesy and ease the door open to reveal the interior of his hut still in the same dusty condition it was in just days ago when I was here. Was it really only days ago? So much has happened since then. So much has changed since then.
The same bowl of stew with mold growing on top of it is still situated in the middle of the small table, only now it has been joined by two more bowls. A small pile of clothing lies on the floor next to the door as if Vrenner placed it there as soon as he entered and forgot about it, and I wonder momentarily if it’s clean or dirty. I shake my head at the mess, and notice that Haley is looking around, studying the small hut. This is not exactly the first impression I wanted her to have of my tribe, but it is done.
“Vrenner, are you here?” I call out as we move through the cluttered room towards the open door of my cousin’s workshop.
Vrenner appears in the doorway, his eyes bleary and glazed in the shadowy interior of his hut.
“Cousin, where have you been all. . .” Vrenner’s question trails off to silence as he comes to a halt when he finally notices that I am not alone.
His mouth falls open in shock and his eyes are so wide I fear he will never be able to close them. His ears and nostrils twitch as if he is in the middle of the jungle, and after a moment of staring, he recover enough to snap his mouth shut with an audible click.
I want to chuckle because it is the first time I have seen my cousin struck speechless, but instead I force down the laugh. “Vrenner, this is Haley.” He is still frozen in shock, his eyes glued to my mate as if he cannot believe what he is seeing. He probably can’t. I was the same way when I first saw her.
