LINKS - Chapter 20 - Burning Legacy
Teff fought the urge to pant as she rubbed mud from the bank of a shallow stream onto her fur. A dense cloud of insects buzzed frantically around her head, searching for a place to bite or suck. The air was so hot and humid it felt like a physical force pushing down on Teff’s back, making the scars that criss crossed her flesh ache. To make matters worse, the swamp stunk of a pungent mix of foul sludge and rotting plant matter. The heat, the smell, and the bugs were seriously taxing her sanity.
On a map, the mangroves and marshes around Lillyvale were known simply as the ‘Southern Valley Basin’. It was a banal name for a vast swathe of unhibitaed, inhospitable land. To those that lived in Flinton, the vast swamps, which occupied nearly the entire southern third of the valley, were known as the ‘empty holm’.
As Teff cursed the heat and the bugs under her breath, beside her Three was using a knife to try and cut her sister's hair. The knife was as dull as it was rusty, and Five’s hair had become a single, ugly mass of twigs, leaves, and mud. Each stroke of the blade elicited a fresh round of whimpering from Five and apologetic reassurances from Three.
“We’re almost there…” Three worked as fast as she could, pausing from time to time to comfort her sister. “Just a few more… there!”
With an unpleasant tearing sound, Three succeeded in cutting through the last strands of her sister’s hair.
Five gasped in relief, dropping on all fours to the bank and panting, her eyes wet and brimming.
Three knelt down and nuzzled her sister’s cheek as she stroked what remained of her once flowing blonde hair. “Isn’t that better?”
“Yeah…” Five looked down at her reflection and sighed.
“Make sure you save that,” Teff spoke up, nodding at the tangled mass of hair as Three and Five got back to their feet. “We can use it to start a fire later.”
The girls nodded and strode away, stopping to join several other pelts who were working to erect a makeshift tent constructed from vines and long fern leaves.
Turning back to the stream, Teff took a moment to look down at her reflection. Her eyes were bloodshot, her fur was filthy, and her cheeks gaunt and hollow. Her own hair had been cut as short as possible, but even still she could see what remained was matted with bits of litter. The strain of the past few days had lead to a terrible case of shedding, with large patches of her coat completely gone, which in turn only made the bugs more irritating.
As she resumed slathering mud onto her fur, Teff winced as a few flecks of dirty water got into her eyes. With a quiet snarl she forced aside the urge to try and rub the mud from her eyes. But no matter how much her eyes stung, it was nothing compared to the hunger pains that gnawed constantly at her. Worse, amongst the hunger pains she felt a gentle shifting in her belly.
Sighing with barely restrained frustration, Teff put a hand on her stomach. “Yes, I know you’re hungry too.”
When Trip had escaped from the Kalgary Wood plantation, he had promised to return for Teff. They’d been friends for nearly three years, assigned to the same work detail, pushing logs through the various machines intended to convert the rough wood into boards. The work was dangerous, the machines deadly to anyone not constantly on their toes, and Teff had taken it upon herself to show Trip how to avoid losing a limb, or worse, to the hungry machines. She'd quickly come to see the young lapine as a younger brother of sorts, having lost her real brother to an accident less than a season before Trip was assigned to her detail.
Trip had been lucky, his collar was a hand-me-down whose rune had long since lost its potency. Teff didn’t know how Trip had discovered his good fortune, but she did know that for weeks he had bided his time, waiting for his chance to escape. When a fight had broken out between a handful of slaves, drawing away the attention of the overseers, he’d taken the opportunity. With Teff’s help he’d twisted a log as it was fed into a machine, snapping the cutting blade and grinding the mill to a clattering, squealing halt.
“I’ll come back for you.” That was all he had said before squeezing himself into the machine and down the processing chute. She’d wanted to follow him of course, but the chute had been too small, and even if she had been able to get free, the tracking rune on her collar would have almost certainly led to them both getting recaptured.
Teff had hardly dared to hope that Trip would make good on his promise, even if he did somehow evade capture. But he had escaped, and he had kept to his word, returning a few weeks later with several of Raid’s group. The rebels succeeded in setting her and several others free, breaking their collars and sneaking them out. Unfortunately between the time that Trip had left, and her rescue, Teff had found herself in estrus. Despite doing everything she could to hide, one of the other slaves had revealed her condition to an overseer for some minor reward.
Before she had known what was happening, Teff was set upon by a pair of overseers, taken from the mill where she had been labouring, and confined to a room in the breeding quarters.
That same night, the door had been flung open and a male feline, equally as confused and frightened as Teff, had been shoved into the room. It had been obvious from his scent that he was in rutt. Before the male had been able to get his balance, or Teff could even think, the door was locked with a heavy clunk, leaving the two alone.
What had come next, Teff had tried her best to forget. The other female slaves had tried to comfort her afterwards, telling her that it was the humans who were truly responsible, that if she or the male had refused to do as they were instriucted, both would have been punished. But their words had done little to quell the fear, or the humiliation she felt.
Teff had hoped beyond hope that she wouldn’t get pregnant, using every trick and piece of advice from the other female slaves to try and prevent it. She’d chewed on all manner of weeds, smelling the foulest scents she could find, and even going as long as she could between drinks of water, to the point where her eyes ached and she collapsed more than once. Anything to try and force her body to reject the life she feared was growing inside her. But despite all of her efforts, within ten days of joining Raid’s rebellion, she had started feeling the symptoms of her condition. She kept her pregnancy secret, telling herself that Raid would cast her out if he discovered that she was with child and thus a burden. Of course she couldn’t keep it a secret forever, but hopefully by the time it was obvious, she’d be an indispensable part to the rebellion.
Again Teff’s stomach shifted and she grumbled. “I don’t have any food, so stop complaining.”
“You alright?”
Teff jumped at the voice behind her. She spun around, teeth bared.
Linn, the young male vulpine who had spoken, recoiled slightly. “S-sorry, I just heard you talking to yourself…”
“What do you want?”
“N-nothing, I just… wanted to ask if you were alright…”
“I’m fine,” Teff snarled, unable to control her anger. “Leave me alone, go and do something useful.”
Looking more than a little hurt, Linn backed off, tail between his legs and ears pressed flat.
“Linn wait.”
Linn turned as Teff sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping. “I’m not angry with you, I’m sorry.”
Managing a little smile, Linn nodded. “It’s alright boss… I understand.”
As Linn left, Teff felt her stomach shift again, the tiny life inside again seeming to complain.
“Stop it.” She growled to herself through gritted teeth, glaring down at her stomach. “I don’t even want you, so shut up and stay quiet!”
The fluttering stopped, and Teff felt a powerful wave of regret wash over her.
She sighed again, gently touching her stomach. In truth, it was less that she didn’t trust her comrades, and more that she was embarrassed about what had happened to her, despite how much of a common occurrence it was.
“I’m sorry,” She mumbled, gently stroking her belly. “I know none of this is your fault. Just… give me a break, okay?”
The shifting slowed and stopped. With a gentle sigh she patted her stomach. “Thank you little one.”
Once she was satisfied with the protective layer of mud she’d covered herself in, Teff turned back towards the makeshift camp being assembled behind her.
What remained of Raid’s rebellion was scattered around a small island in amongst a maze of ponds and streams filled with stinking mud. A pair of large willow trees grew out of the centre of the island, giving at least some protection from the sun. Some worked to construct makeshift huts, while others stood in knee deep water, trying to catch crawdads or minnows with their bare hands. They couldn’t risk lighting a fire during the day, for fear that the smoke might give away their position. Thirteen, just thirteen rebels, of what had been a force of nearly seventy, remained. Half of them were mere children, while the rest were either injured or fresh recruits into the group.
As she walked through the camp, inspecting the progress, the survivors variously greeted her or nodded in her direction.
“Boss.”
“Just about have this shelter set, boss.”
One of the younger ones ran up to her, a fine fat fish wriggling in his hands.
“Look what I caught!”
“Good work.” Teff smiled, scratching the child between his big canine ears. “Make sure to wash it off and wrap it in wet leaves and store it in the shade until we can cook it, alright.”
“Yes boss!”
As the boy ran off, Teff had to repress the urge to shiver and grip her own arms for comfort. After the Order had raided the cave, the survivors had needed a leader, someone who could at least point them in a direction. Despite having been with Raid for less than a full season, Teff was the one who had been with the rebellion the longest of all the survivors. She was also older than most of the survivors, those few older than her were either wounded, or unable to lead.
“Boss!” Three’s voice echoed across the camp as she and her sister sprinted towards Teff. “Boss, come quick!”
“For the Tyrant’s sake keep your voice down!” Teff hissed. “There could be humans out there!”
Three paused. “R-right, sorry boss.”
Three flinched as her sister flicked her cheek. “I told you.”
“Hey!”
“What is it?” Teff demanded, cutting off the brewing squabble.
“It’s Kash! He’s waking up!”
Teff’s eyes widened and without a word she took off towards one of the completed shelters. Three and Five looked at one another for a moment, before turning to chase after her.
***
Kash’s world was a jumbled mess of confusion and pain as he slowly opened his eyes.
‘Is… is this the afterlife? Sh-Shee?’
As his vision slowly drifted into focus, he blinked in surprise at the sight of a tangled jumble of branches and leafs just above his head.
“W-what the…”
“Kash? Are you with us?”
Kash turned at the sound of Teff’s voice. “T-Teff? Is… Is that you?”
Teff knelt down beside Kash and took his hand in hers. “Yes, it’s me.” Despite her best efforts, she felt tears welling up in her eyes.
“M-my arm… it hurts…”
“You were shot. We’ve patched you up as best we could but…” Teff glanced down at Kash’s arm.
Kash weakly turned his head and looked at his shoulder. The wound was covered with a simple poultice, made from what ingredients Teff could scrounge. Though the bleeding had mostly stopped, the fur around the wound had fallen out, and the flesh was red and angry.
“I wonder… if Caelli has anything for the pain.”
Teff’s ears drooped. “Caelli… is dead.”
At Teff’s words, Kash’s eyes widened,. Memories came flooding back, the humans storming the secret entrance, his running battle in the tunnel, staggering into the main cave and yelling, just before he collapsed into darkness.
“Th-the humans… they found us.”
Teff nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “Yes.”
“The cave?”
“Destroyed.”
“And… Raid?”
“He’s dead.” Teff shivered, trying hard not to cry. “Raid, Tali, Jean, Vera, Kindle, Hack, Balda… they’re all gone.”
Kash could barely believe his ears, the news sending a cold spike into his heart. Raid had never hidden the risks of what he and his group were doing, never shied away from the likelihood that he, the rebellion, and anyone who joined it, would face a violent end. But still, to hear that so many of his comrades, his friends, his idols, had died while he had been unconscious.
‘What right do I have to live… when they are all gone?’
Though the thought was unwelcome, Kash found himself swept up in the grief that accompanied it.
When Kash had joined the rebellion, Raid had asked him personally, whether he was ready to die for his people.
Only two years before, Raid had sat in front of Kash, a small fire burning between them. The other rebels sat in a circle around them, keeping a respectful distance.
From behind him, Raid had produced a small spear with a barbed hook on the end.
“Do you know what this is?”
Kash had shaken his head, staring wide eyed at the vicious looking object, the steel flashing in the firelight.
“Humans use these when they hunt the beasts of the great forests.”Raid held out the spear for Kash to hold. “The spear digs into the creature’s flesh, wounding it, while being almost impossible to dislodge. As the beast flees, the shaft catches on grass and shrub, trees and vines, slowing the animal down, leaving a trail, and causing yet more pain and damage. They do this so that the prey has no strength left to harm their precious hunting cats when they are unleashed upon the trail.”
“I… understand.”
Raid’s gaze had burrowed into Kash’s soul, searching for even a sliver of doubt or hesitation. “Chances are we will all die, horribly, just to wound the human beast. Are you prepared for that? Are you prepared to give your life so that those that come after us have even a chance of bringing the enemy down? To be but one spear amongst many?”
The question had sent a chill up Kash’s back. Of course Kash had had dreams of a much grander end, of celebrating with his brethren when the humans were driven out of the valley, watching as Halcyon was burned to the ground. But as he stared at the spear, running his fingers over the razor sharp barbs, his heart had hardened. Death had frightened him, but the thought of dying without making his tormentors bleed, that had frightened him even more.
“Yes.” He had answered at last, meeting Raid’s gaze.
“He was the spear…” Kash muttered to himself, staring up at the brush ceiling above.
Teff paused, “What?”
“Nothing…” With effort, Kash managed to turn his head to look at Teff. “They are all gone then?”
She managed a nod.
“B-but you got away?”
Teff’s hands bunched into fists in the dirt. “Raid ordered me and the others who couldn’t fight to flee into the swamps. He told me and Trip to carry you. We did but…”
Kash winced. “But?”
“There were humans… all over the swamp. One of them found us… and Trip…” Teff gritted her teeth as tears rolled silently down her cheeks and fell to the ground between her hands. “Trip gave himself up so we could escape.”
The news hit Kash like a dagger thrust into his chest. The thought of having lost Trip, the boundlessly energetic and optimistic little lapine, who followed him around like a gosling following its mother, hit him harder than he had been prepared for. His heart ached for the others revolutionaries of course, but he had been forced to accept that loss was an inescapable part of their fight. But Trip… not poor Trip….
‘If I’d just taught him to fight… like he asked me… so so many times…’
“I’m sorry.” Teff whispered. “It’s all…. all gone…”
“H-how many are left?”
“Seventeen, including us.”
Trying his best to push aside the pain clouding his mind, Kash closed his eyes. He worked to control his breathing, using a technique Raid had taught him. It was hard, each beat of his heart sent a wave of pain crashing through him, like the current of a roiling river.
‘Focus… focus and… and control…’
Kash’s mind, again, drifted back to the cave, to one of Raid’s lessons. Kash and the other rebels had been sitting around a small fire, watching as Raid held his hand just out of reach of the flames. Kash, who had been branded three times in his life, had barely been able to watch. His stomach turned at the familiar scent of burnt fur and singed flesh.
Despite the horrible sound and smell, Raid had remained utterly unfazed, his hand staying completely steady, even as the flesh steamed.
“My body is in pain… but I am so much more than just this fragile shell of meat and bone. My flesh may be damaged… but my spirit remains untouched.”
He withdrew his hand, showing the damaged flesh to his rapt audience.
“How… how do you not scream?” A Lutrine to Kash’s left blurted out. She was a female whose fur and skin had been marked with dozens of burns, and who stared into the fire with fear and dread.
“I acknowledge my pain, but I do not struggle against it.” Raid looked down at his burnt hand, testing his fingers. “We all have something that we hold onto, something that burns brighter than any flame. Focus on that, bask in the clarity it gives you, and your pain will be a candle in the midday sun.”
With a great deal of effort, Kash was able to push through the pain. His breathing slowed, his heartbeat calmed, and he was able to grab hold of his own thoughts and focus.
‘This isn’t over…’ Kash took a deep breath. ‘The fight… isn’t over.’
After a few moments, he looked back at Teff. “Who’s in charge?”
“I am.”
“You?”
Teff nodded. “You, Wale, and Cait were the only warriors that made it out of the cave. Cait sent Wale to go find reinforcements… but she died just after that. The rest are either brand new recruits, or children.”
“Where are we?”
“In the Empty Holm, a day’s walk from Lillyvale.” She took a shuddering breath as she wiped away her tears, though her voice remained cool and calm. “I’ve had the young ones setting up a camp. I sent Flint and Vern out hunting. I don’t know what their chances are but…”
“But it is worth a try.” Kash tried to sit up, but a powerful bolt of pain tore through his self control and he collapsed, panting.
“Kash!” Teff leaned forward and checked on the poultice, making certain it was still intact. “You have to stay still! It will take time for your wounds to heal!”
Kash panted hard, whining quietly with each laboured breath. “S-sorry. I guess… I’m stuck here… for a while.”
Teff put a hand on Kash’s shoulder. “I can handle things until you… feel better.”
Kash managed to smile up at Teff. “I… know.” As Teff’s shoulders slumped, Kash reached up and grabbed hold of one of her hands. “This isn’t over… we all promised him… promised Raid, that we would never, ever stop fighting.”
“But-”
“We ar-aren’t g-going to stop.” Kash gritted his teeth. “No quarter, no collars and no surrender.”
Gathering up her courage, Teff nodded. “No quarter, no collars, no surrender.” She pulled a ragged blanket up over Kash’s chest. “Sleep, I’ll make sure you get some food… as soon as we can find some.”
Kash nodded, closing his eyes as Teff left the hut.
“I made you a promise.” Kash growled up at the ceiling, raising an arm and clenching his hand into a fist. “I promised th-that I wouldn’t stop fighting, no m-matter what… I know…. I know I’m the last one who should have been left behind… But I swear, I’m going to make the ones who killed you… I’m going to make them pay!”
As his arm dropped back to his side, Kash sighed heavily, his anger swiftly fading to sorrow as the corners of his eyes stung. ‘Raid… Shee… and Trip… I’ll make them pay for what they did to you…’
***
As Teff emerged from Kash’s tent and straightened, a familiar voice called out to her from the side.
“Teff, there you are!”
“Wale, you’re back.” Teff sighed in relief as Wale jogged up to her. “We were worried.”
Wale, still dripping wet and emitting a stench that stung Teff’s nose and made her eyes water, nodded as he tried his best not to pant for breath. His eyes were red and bloodshot, and his movements sluggish. “I was more worried about you lot.”
“We’re fine, at least for now.” Teff glanced around. “We’re short of food and tools, but we’ll manage.”
Wale took a deep breath. “Right… I’ll go out hunting… first I need to report to Cait.”
“Wale… I’m sorry… Cait… she’s dead.”
Wale stared wide eyed at Teff. “What?! B-but she was recovering! Sh-she said she was feeling better.”
“She died just after you left.”
Wale’s face twisted in a mask of agony as he turned away from Teff, his shoulders hunched and shaking. His footsteps wobbled as he made his way over to a nearby willow tree and stumbled against it. For a few moments he leaned against the tree, trying to catch his breath. Then, with an agonised cry, he leaned back and struck the trunk with a fist.
Teff flinched a little in sympathy, but said nothing. Cait and Wale had been close, both having been rescued from the same plantation. As Wale withdrew his fist, Teff could see his face was twisted in pain, both in his heart and his flesh.
When Wale spoke his voice was barely above a whisper. “Was she in pain?”
“No… she went in her sleep,” Teff lied easily.
“Good…” Wale slowly turned around. “I guess that makes you the leader.”
“Only until Kash is feeling better.”
Wale took a step forward. “Teff… that could be a long time.”
“But-”
“You need to step up and lead. Raid saw something in you, something strong… he told us so, and now you need to prove him right.”
Teff took a shuddering breath. “B-but you have more experience, and you were also picked by Raid.”
“No, I wasn’t.” Wale shook his head. “Cait brought me along, and Raid trusted her.”
“Wale-”
“Besides, I’m more useful to you out there, finding allies. Which, by the way…”
Teff’s eyes widened. “The girl from the Windhill Ranch? You found her!?”
Wale shook his head. “Not quite, turns out she’s been sold. I had an… encounter, with some slaves that were unwilling to fight.”
“Dammit…”
“But,” Wale’s eyes narrowed as a smile crossed his face, “I did meet one who said she would try and rally the others.”
Teff’s ears perked up quickly. “Will that work?”
“We’ll give her some time, see what she can do. With any luck, we’ll have some reinforcements.”
“I… right.”
Wale cocked his head to the side. “What’s wrong?”
“I just…” Teff glanced around at the makeshift camp. “We’ve just lost… almost everyone we knew… What if we are just leading more people to their deaths? What if all we end up doing is creating more death.”
“Maybe we will… maybe we won’t, but don’t they deserve to make that choice themselves? What woud you do, if you were given the choice, to live in slavery or fight?”
Teff didn’t even need a moment to think. “I’d fight!”
“Then don’t you think we should give others the freedom to make that choice for themselves?”
“Very well, keep at it.” Teff replied after a few moments thought.
Wale smiled. “You got it boss.”
Teff repressed a shudder at the title and nodded as confidently as she was able.
“Speaking of choices…” Wale hissed and massaged his hand. “I wish I hadn’t taken out my frustration on that tree…”
With a sympathetic smile, Teff reached out and touched Wale’s shoulder. “I’m sure she would appreciate it.”
Even as Wale smiled at her, Teff could see the pain in his face. She wished she could join him in his grief, but Teff had learned long ago that, to survive, death and loss were to be treated as a distant friend who could visit at any time. The smallest error could cost a comrade their life, and the cruel whims of masters and coin could see friends and relations sent across the country. To die was to be released from servitude, and to be sold away carried with it the faintest hope for a better life.
Of course the cruel irony was that humans had taken to regarding their servant’s acceptance of these truths as yet another sign of the pelt’s inferiority.
‘Look at them, they don’t even care. They move on like it’s nothing, no better than animals.’
Wale would grieve in his own way, and in his own time, and though he would eventually grit his teeth and move forward, Teff knew full well that the loss of Raid, Cait, and all the others, would carve yet another notch into his well-marked soul.
As Teff and Wale smiled at one another, a great cry rose up from the edge of the camp. They both turned to see Three and Five running up to them, clutching a crude basket made of rags and reeds between them.
“Look what we found!” Three beamed, turning the basket towards Teff.
Teff’s eyes widened, the basket was filled with dozens of gleaming white eggs.
“Where did you find these?” Wale breathed as he gently picked up one of the eggs, staring down at it as the other rebels approached.
“They’re turtle eggs,” Five announced proudly. “We dug them up! And that isn’t all!”
Five turned, and on her back was a pair of large turtles hanging from a length of rope.
Wale’s eyes widened. “Those are a good size!”
“We can make turtle soup!” One of the other young ones cheered.
“But we don't have a pot.”
“We’ll use the turtle shells.” Teff smiled, patting Five on the shoulder. “We’ll heat some rocks in the fire to get the water boiling.”
“Here.” Wale drew a knife from his belt and handed it to Five. “Slaughter them and hollow out the shells with this.”
Five stared down at the knife in awe. “Wow… thanks Wale!”
“I’ll get a fire started.” One of the old rebels, a one eyed canine, announced.
“We need to wait till dark.” Teff ordered. “And make sure the wood is dry, we can’t afford to have the humans spot any smoke.”
“Come on, let’s find some twigs!”
“Can I see the basket?”
“I’m hungry!”
“I’ll get the rocks!” one of the other young ones called out, already rushing off.
“Well… suppose that should boost morale a little.” Wale smiled as the crowd scattered.
Teff took a deep breath. “We’re still going to need tools… knives and pots and jars, more weapons, waterskins, blankets and-”
“See-” Wale clapped Teff on the back, pride ringing in his voice. “-now your thinking like a leader. Raid would be proud.”
A powerful warmth swelled in Teff’s chest. “You think so?”
“I know it. But we can worry about all those other things later, for now let's go and make some turtle soup.”
“You know… I’ve never had turtle soup before.”
“Well, you’re in for a treat then.”
***
A wave of silence moved through the reaches of the empty holm. All of the animals, from bugs to birds, fell quiet, their calls fading as a pair of shadowy figures stalked through the brush.
A marsh peccary munched carelessly on a patch of delicious mushrooms, too distracted to notice the veil of silence falling around it. The two predators, sliding stealthy through the brush, drew closer with each passing moment, eyes flashing like amber flames in the dark. Jaws opened, claws extended, muscles tensed, and all the while the pig was blissfully unaware.
Then, in a flurry of movement, the predators attacked. By the time the peccary realised what was happening, it barely had time to let out a squeal before its life was ended in a flash of claws and teeth.
The two hunting cats set about tearing the pig open with ease, bones crunching like twigs beneath powerful jaws. But the moment they paused to enjoy their impromptu meal, suddenly they both raised their heads. The faintest echo drifted through the air, ringing clear as a bell in the cat’s sensitive ears.
As with all Halcyon hunting cats, they had both been trained since birth that pursuit of their real quarry came above all else. The moment they picked up the sound of Three’s voice, both cats froze, ears pricking up as their heads turned quickly, locking onto the sound. Dropping the savaged peccary carcass, the cats shared a brief glance, before once more slinking off into the swamp in the direction the voice had come from.
