Shadowland

Chapter One – The End of a Day-1

Chapter One – The End of a DayEdging his toes closer to the lip of the cliff, Usher peered down at the rock far below where Cal sat shivering in the lengthening shadows. If he didn't do it now, then it wasn't going to happen… he knew that. Biting back common sense and silently cursing himself, Usher stepped back and then committed himself to the jump that all summer he had felt destined to make.

'Cal, Cal. Watch me … Cal!'

Running two steps forward he took a mighty leap, to gain some distance from the jagged belly of the cliff, and flew, rejoicing in the sudden rush of air as he tumbled, arms and legs waving wildly as he narrowly missed the rocky outcrop of the cliffs that they called The Tooth. 'Caaaaaaaaaaaaaalll!'

As the dark water of the lake rushed towards him, he stole a moment of satisfaction from the shocked look on Cal's upturned face. He just caught his cry of 'Usher…You crazy fool! Ush…' before he hit the cold water with an explosion that drove the air from his lungs and plunged him into a world of confusion.

The lake claimed him. A roaring sound filled his ears, and he struggled to control the panic that threatened to smother him. He gagged, and just managed to resist the impulse to draw a breath of ice-cold water into his aching lungs. The lake filled his senses, fizzing and swirling, smothering him as he kicked out, desperately seeking a direction for the surface with its promise of salvation and sweet warm air. At last, where he least expected it, sunlight revealed itself, dancing in patterns on the surface, and he kicked towards it, frantic in his need to breathe.

Slowly, very slowly, he closed in on the shimmering light, fighting the lake's reluctance to release him from its cold embrace. After an age of effort, he broke the surface, drew a great, gasping breath, and coughed. Then pain exploded in his hand as it struck a rock. Ignoring it, he stretched out struggling to claw himself onto the rock until there was one glorious moment where he relaxed and slowly brought his breathing under control.

'Usher? Usher?' Cal's cry brought him back to reality.

Looking up for the first time, he drew breath to call out in response, but then saw that he had surfaced some distance from where he had entered, and that Cal was standing with his back to him on the opposite side of the rock. Cal was frantically peering below into the depths of the lake, still searching for some sign of him. Very slowly, Usher climbed out and, taking care where he placed his feet, crept across the treacherous surface.

'Usher?' Cal was shivering, standing with his bare feet searching for grip as he edged closer to the water. 'Usher?…Hell's teeth Usher!…We never jump from the point, you crazy goat. Usher! Ush…'

Moving forward, Usher shoved him, silencing his friend's cries and sending him flying into the icy water, arms flapping for a hold on empty air.

He sat shivering and hugged his knees, and then grinned as moments later, Cal fought to the surface coughing and spluttering.

'Usher, you…!' screamed Cal, clearly annoyed as he splashed water up at his tormentor.

'Come on, Cal, stop playing about. You'll catch your death of cold in this water. Isn't that what your mum always says?' Usher drew his lips together and in a high-pitched voice, mimicked Cal's overbearing mother. 'Calvador, you wrap up warm and look after your sister. No swimming, climbing, hunting or having fun of any sort, do you hear me, young man!' A stick came flying towards him and as he sidestepped to avoid it, he slipped then stumbled, scraping his back on the rock and sliding into the water once again. His face creased and his back arched in a spasm of pain and then the water abruptly cut off his cry as he slid below the still surface. Cal struck out, swimming around the rock in an effort to get to his friend as he came spluttering back to the surface. They helped each other up onto the rock, and it was all Usher could do to mumble his thanks with his face still reflecting the needles of pain in his back.

'I think it's about time we got back,' said Cal, as he clambered up and gathered their things. He sorted through until he found Usher's tunic and threw it over as Usher flopped down. 'Are you all right?' Usher nodded.

During the long hot days of summer, the lake was a favourite location for everyone at the village. The women washed clothes in it, most people chose to bathe there at least once a month, and many would use the shallows close to the wood to cool off or play once their work was done. The cliffs however, were a special place for the boys of the village. It was a tradition to challenge each other to climb ever higher before leaping down into the lake's icy waters far below. This late in the year, there were few other swimmers, especially as the chill air came in towards the end of the day. It was to be Usher and Cal's last swim of the summer and so Usher had made the one jump that no other boy from the village had made.

They were shivering as they hurried to pull on leggings and coarse linen tunics, exaggerating the chattering of their teeth and laughing at each other's efforts to dress. Usher fought with the unyielding material, trying to drag it down over his growing body. At fourteen years, he was growing fast, faster than his mother could stitch new clothes, and with a sound that made them both stop what they were doing, the linen ripped at the neckline.

'Oh, wick!' moaned Usher. Taking a deep breath, he slowly pulled the obstinate tunic into place before investigating the damage.

'It's only come away at the stitching,' observed Cal. 'Maybe Nineve will be able to fix it before your mother sees it.'

Usher shook his head. 'Nineve might try, but she only has eight summers. I doubt she can stitch any good yet, can she?' He didn't wait for an answer. 'Come on, let's get going, we're losing light.'

If it got too dark, the path would be treacherous. Both boys had finished the climb after sunset on several previous occasions, and been forced to make the last few spans in darkness, praying that they might find the next handhold and not become stuck clinging to the cliff until daybreak.

When they finally made it to the top, the sun was touching the horizon with the last of its light shimmering across the lake in a blinding show of colour. They sat and rested, watching entranced as the sun melted slowly below the far tree line, turning the sky blood red and painting the edge of a solitary cloud with a deep pink blush. Gazing upwards, they could see every shade of orange and yellow until it faded directly above them to a green and then blue, it was a worthy display for the last day of summer. The first few stars were already sparkling and a crescent moon sat high in the east. Far below, a commotion drew their attention towards the centre of the lake. A raft of ducks splashing across the smooth orange surface of the water came towards them, gaining speed in an effort to become airborne. The sudden movement jolted the boys into action, and had them untying slings from their waists before scrabbling around to find good rounded stones.

Cal was the first to stand ready. Whirling the sling around his head, he let fly, but then groaned as the stone missed, startling the ducks into veering away. When Usher rose a moment later, the opportunity had passed.

They walked back towards the trees in silence. Still damp from their swim, Usher's clothes were clinging to him. He felt a shiver run through him from the encroaching chill of the evening air and silently wished they were already back by the warmth of the fireside.

They made it to the forest where the path became darker, the moon offering just enough light as it filtered through the leafy canopy to see its foot-worn surface stretching ahead. The trail was familiar to both of them.

All around were the sounds of the forest, crickets, owls, frogs from the pond, and the occasional heavier footfalls of larger animals as they crept through the undergrowth. There were the sounds of both the hunters and the hunted. Something crashed through branches to the side of them and they picked up the pace again, ever more eager to be back in the village to warm up.

The smell of wood-smoke from the cooking fires was the first announcement that the village was not far ahead. It hung in the air, drifting through the trees, offering the occasional tantalising aroma of cooking meat, and roasting vegetables. Lost for a moment in the heady smells of the evening, they nearly didn't see what was standing in their path until it was almost too late.

Usher pulled Cal down into a crouch and clapped a hand across his mouth as a little way ahead, the black shapes of three wolves emerged from the trees to stand in the middle of the path, their noses held high, sorting through the unfamiliar smells around them.

'They won't attack,' Usher assured with a whisper, hoping he sounded more confident than he felt. He remained squatting down unsure of what to do. The wolves hadn't seen them yet, but they weren't moving away either.

Wolves normally stayed clear of people, and rarely attacked, especially at this time of year when there was still plenty of game. Their appearance this close to the village, was unusual to say the least. As the breeze changed, the biggest wolf's head swung towards them and bared its teeth, its eyes flashing silver in the low moonlight as it gave a low growl.

'Usher,' whispered Cal, but Usher didn't answer as he fumbled for his sling and searched for the stone he had found earlier. Too late to take a duck, but maybe it had been meant for a wolf instead. The wolf took a couple of steps forward as its two companions glanced across to see what had disturbed it, and then, without warning, a fourth wolf brushed through the bushes to join them from the darkness. Its arrival drew the attention of the others as it began licking at the muzzle of the big leader in a show of subservience. A moment later, the big wolf growled a stop and turned its attention back to the boys, but they had already slipped away.

'Keep moving,' Usher urged, pushing Cal on into the gloom.

'Are they after us?'

'Well, if they're not then they will be soon. We have to make our way around to the village. They won't dare follow us in there.' Behind them a wolf howled, breaking the silence of the night; a second howl joined it moments later and then a third. Abandoning all pretence at stealth, the boys set off through the darkness with the sounds of pursuit not far behind. Branches whipped and tore at them as they ran almost blindly; desperate for some sign of a way through the shapes and shadows that loomed ahead of them. They stumbled on, tripping and falling over unseen bushes and bounced into trees, holding their arms up as they tried to protect their faces.

'They're catching up to us,' shouted Cal, his voice both panicked and laboured from the exertion. 'I can hear them getting closer!'

'Here, climb.' Usher grabbed his friend and pushed him towards the shadowy form of a large tree, its branches barely visible but at least one hanging low enough to clamber up onto. Cal pulled himself up as Usher waited impatiently. 'Hurry!' he urged, and then followed quickly, the moment there was room. The wolves' excited cries sounded close behind as they caught sight of their prey. Ahead of him, Cal was having trouble moving up to the next branch.

'For the Spirit's sake, hurry, they're coming!' He pushed alongside Cal in an effort to get higher and had just managed to move up to the second branch, when there was an excited growl and then pain flared in his leg. He screamed as the wolf bit, and held on. It didn't have a good hold, but good enough for Usher to keep shrieking and for the wolf's huge weight to drag him back down to the branch below. The wolf growled and began to twist and swing, its legs kicking as it tried to dislodge its prey's hold on the tree. With another cry, Usher felt his grip on the branch slip and then felt Cal's hand seize his arm.