Of Fire and Fury (Book 1: Light-Born Series)

Chapter 38 - Stone

Stone, Wild Fern, and White Hawk carefully led their horses along the top of the ravine. Mostly the path was wide and rocky, and they each took turns glancing over the edges to get a better look. But sometimes the path was nearly non-existent, thinning to a narrow reach of rock and earth, suspending them above the entire world as though they floated above it. On these narrow bridges of earth, even White Hawk had to take steadying breaths as they gazed out at the world. On one side of the path, they saw the forest where they had each grown up, on the other were distant snow capped peaks that, for all they could see, were the end of the world.

It took them two days of walking in the general direction of Blood Wolf’s crude map before they heard a dull rumble, like a constant break of thunder. Wild Fern left them waiting and edged down a short ravine where she disappeared between two large boulders. She was gone for only a short while, but returned soaking wet, her long hair dripping as it swung behind her. She wore a wide grin, and her eyes were bright.

“We found it!” she called, having to yell above the dull roar.

Stone and White Hawk followed her back down the narrow descent, leading the horses slowly and carefully onto slick stones that wound their way down the mountain. After they turned one final corner, they were standing on a ledge of rock that jutted out beneath a huge waterfall. White foaming water tumbled over the edge of the mountainside a short distance ahead of them, landing in a large pool a dangerous distance below. Wild Fern led them along the slick rock until they were standing behind the water in a narrow cave, cut from the rock. They were becoming drenched in the spray, as Wild Fern’s giggles echoed off the stones around them. 

“Amazing, isn’t it?” she yelled over the roar. The men nodded, following her as she followed the path straight into the roar. Wild Fern disappeared through the rushing water. Stone and White Hawk followed.

When they were free from the enclosure, they were standing on the opposite side of the waterfall. The rocks beneath their feet were now covered with a thick layer of spongy moss, and there was a pathway that followed the edge of the ravine and wound down to the ground beside where the waterfall formed a pool. The walls of the mountain rose up around them on every side, a bowl of moss and rock that was nearly half the size of Omarihom. It looked as though in ages past some large creature carved out its home here in the high peaks of the mountains. It was remote, hidden, perfect.

“There’s an opening to the mountainside straight ahead.” Wild Fern pointed to the well hidden covering, where Stone could barely make out dense tree trunks. 

“This is perfect.” Stone breathed, looking around in awe at the greenery and the wide expanse of clear ground where they could camp. They would all fit, this he was sure of, though it would not be as open or expansive as they were used to.

“Which of us should lead them here?” Wild Fern asked, glancing between the two men. 

“I’ll go.” White Hawk said. “It’s barely mid day, I’ll scout out the trail from the opening and lead them on an easier path.”

Stone nodded in agreement.

“We’ll hunt, and prepare ourselves here.” he said, and Wild Fern’s eyes glinted in excitement. White Hawk disappeared through the rocky opening, and Stone and Wild Fern began making preparations.

By the next day, White Hawk had returned, leading a line of trail-worn Omari behind him. They spent the rest of the daylight setting up their makeshift teepees and eating the four deer that Stone and Wild Fern had cooked on an open fire. Despite their exhaustion and their grief, a flickering of their old fierceness was returning to their eyes as they looked in awe at the mountain rising up around them. Here at last was a fresh start. Here, it felt, they could return to their former glory.

Chief Blood Wolf moved around the camp, giving orders and instructions. He turned to Stone for the first time since he’d come into the valley.

“Stone, keep watch.” he said, barely meeting his gaze. Stone felt irritation prickling under his skin, as his father intentionally humiliated him yet again. Chief’s sons are warriors, before all else. They sit in councils, they deliberate future plans. Chief’s sons do not keep watch. Stone bit his tongue to keep from responding and made his way to the narrow break in the rock that would lead him outside their new camp.

He sat with his back against one side of the opening, stretching his legs out straight to touch the other side. He rested his head on the cool rock, looking out at the approaching darkness that spread through the trees. Sighing heavily, he scanned them for movement he was certain wouldn’t come. The cracking of twigs from behind him made him turn quickly, and he saw Wild Fern approaching.

“I wanted to say thank you.” Wild Fern said, her dark eyes flickering with intensity. “For letting me track and learn from you. And for letting me… be angry.”

“You have every right to be angry, Wild Fern.” Stone responded, motioning for her to sit beside him. She obliged and stared out at the trees. They sat in silence for a few breaths.

“Can I tell you something?” she said, softly. Stone nodded.

“Everyone expects me to want to avenge my parents, and, I guess I do. Or, I did. But… I’m not very good at being angry.” she glanced at him guiltily, as if this dark secret made her less of a human. Less of an Omari.

“Not all of us are.” Stone responded.

“I don’t want to live for revenge.” she said quietly, ashamed. Stone studied her, all her confusion and heartache wrapped up in the crease of her brow and her downcast eyes. In that moment, Stone saw that she was not left behind for the purpose of vengeance, or the warrior meant to bring down an enemy. She was simply a girl.

“You know, a while ago I would have thought that there was nothing more honorable than fighting for my family and my home. I used to lie in bed at night and dream of the ways that I would make the Hauks pay for what they did to us.” Stone looked away from her eyes and to the glowing of firelight behind them. He glanced over the too-few forms warming themselves, and thought of Rabid, who had lost more than anyone and still tried to stop his hand before killing a Hauk boy.

“But now,” Stone continued, meeting her eyes as hers filled with tears, “all I want is for this all to stop. For this death and bloodshed to end. It’s okay to want this to end.”

“Are we not the great Omari warriors?” she asked, as if it would break her to be something less.

“We are.” Stone said, gently grabbing her shoulder. “But we do get to choose when to fight. And something tells me there will be a time when this fighting will end and we will have to learn to live a different way.”

Wild Fern looked at him, confused. Though he spoke it, Stone hardly understood it himself. It was a new thought, but a hopeful one.

“I think someday we will learn that death is not always the way.” he said, shrugging. Wild Fern thought on it for a moment, but then she smiled.

“I hope you’re right. I can’t wait for the day.” Stone nodded and released her shoulder. She stayed for a moment longer, before sighing and heading back to the warmth of the fires. Stone stayed, keeping watch, with his back against the mountain and his eyes on the thick trees. It was silent, aside from the soft crunching of animals in the underbrush, and locusts chirping in the distance. 

After a long while, when most of the fires had burned out and Stone’s only light was the half-moon above, he felt something begin to creep over the back of his skull. At first, he thought it was the feeling of being watched. But as the thought came to his mind, something larger and stronger pushed it away, making him think that it didn’t matter. A sweet smell drifted out of the trees around him, like soft meadow flowers, but thick in his nostrils. Another thought pricked at his mind, as though he should be remembering something, but the strong feeling pushed it away again. It didn’t matter either. He sat contentedly, as the smell intensified, and it lulled him into the blackness of sleep.