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Ep.24 - The Year Of The Bear

ButonflyJan 27, 2019, 10:31:59 AM

(Start at the beginning)

The trail wound its way up the hillside until it folded back in on itself. The geography was strange, like an oddly shaped wedge had been hewn from the hillside and lifted away like a piece of puzzle. All else appeared normal in its absence, a mixture of rock strewn earth covered in sprouts of shrubbery, the tell tale signs of wind and rain working their patterns into the landscape, and yet it looked no less stranger for it.

“This must be the fold M’Lady spoke of,” Julia opined from her place in the line, glancing around the expanse of the terrain.

“There!” Carmel pointed, spotting a cave mouth not far up ahead.

They slowed upon reaching it. Beyond the light of day the cavern fell dark. It was wide, misshapen it its natural formation but smoothed down on the ground and at the side from use. Carmel had them wait while he scouted the entrance, and a few long moments passed in silence as he disappeared inside. While Kodiak kept his sights focused inside the tunnel, and Dolev without, Julia drew forth her notebook and began recording a few menial details. Water was passed amongst them, the time drawing on as Julia wondered where Carmel might be. Then suddenly Kodiak tensed, Carmel appeared, and all was moving swiftly forward again.

“Seems quiet. No telling how far it goes. We’ll need torches.”

Torches were produced and with the woman nestled in the middle, the group forged on into the tunnel. While the cave entrance began as a natural formation it wasn't long before it changed to something else. Julia was no expert in caverns but even she could see something had been digging at the walls. The firelight cast a rich orange glow over the surrounding space which was big enough for three men standing end to end to fill. The earth was hard packed, smoothed, and roughly rounded. At times the odd piece of rock stuck out defiant, often showing signs of jagged marks as though made by impossibly large claws. Such features were pointed out, even studied for a moment, but most everyone remained quiet, and the conversation kept to a bare minimum.

The tunnel wound into the hill and down until a source of light was discovered. Carmel paused the line, stopping for a long moment to consider. Julia looked on as they all did, each exchanging glances as they all strained their hearing. The occasional sound of movement, the scraping of stone, the echo of footsteps or perhaps just a clacking, rolling confusingly along the tunnel walls. Carmel held a finger to his lips and motioned them all forward. Handing his torch of to Dolev, he drew his sword into both hands. Julia felt her heart quicken, nerves welling inside her, making her want to speak just for the relief of it. She found herself clinging to Dolev instead which provided some comfort, while behind her Kodiak buzzed with an eager energy which did not.

Again Carmel took his time to peer cautiously from the end of the tunnel but this time it was out into an impressively large cavern. The light from their torches scarcely reached its heights, nor into its depths, where it was filled with natural stone obstructions and endless amounts of shadow. The unknown source of the light was cause for concern. Spotted around the entrance a number of torches burned inside sconces, while a cook fire burned unattended off to one side. Finally, while everything up until this point had been naturally formed or roughly smoothed earth and rock, now they could see signs of human craftsmanship. Stone pillars artfully designed like totems. Stacked rock formed to carve out spaces. Stones cut and set in formations fitted for seating. There were other signs still, smaller items, personal effects, tribal marking, rope and thread, things made and hung, hanging still and silent. Only Carmel investigated at first, then they all did, and none could say what to make of it. Except for Julia of course.

“The Heesh.” She whispered.

They shared another glance but no one had anything to add. What else was there to discuss? Julia had said her piece outside and that had lead them here. So she just watched as Carmel set his heavy jaw, nodded for everyone to follow, and lead them on into the dwelling.

They kept their distance as much as possible from the human features, moving their way through the center of the cavern and away from shadow and obstructions wherever possible. There was nobody to be seen though Julia was certain she’d heard something before. She realised she was squeezing too tightly to Dolev’s shoulder when the woman shrugged her off irritably, drawing her bow and notching an arrow in the process. Suddenly Julia felt alone, a mote of dust in a sea of darkness, floating in a pool of firelight, with nothing but a notebook in her hands, and her bag containing her personal effects to keep her company. With the absence of Dolev to hold on to, she drew that in front of her instead, clutching it tight, squeezing it to her belly.

Something moved out to her side and she looked too late to see. There was no sound, and no one else appeared to notice. A trick of the light perhaps, the flames dancing across the walls. Her imagination no doubt, always eager to get the better of her. Something moved again only her gaze was already facing it this time, a darkness within the darkness. She gasped, the sound drawing everyone's attention. Not a trick of the light nor her imagination getting the better of her. Everyone noticed this time, or at the very least were responding to her outburst. Carmel and Kodiak readied their swords while Dolev drew back the shaft of an arrow. Nobody moved. Nobody, not a thing, made a sound.

“Show yourself!” Carmel called into the dark. The noise echoed away until it faded into the distance.