Richard Tuttle - Web of Deceit

The creature’s mouth closed and the glare softened to a squint as it scanned the clearing as if looking for more humans. Finally, its eyes returned to stare at the Fakarans.

“I think I believe you,” the creature said. “I am going to see how Tiny is now. If you even think about touching a weapon, I will tear your hearts out. Do you understand?”

The Fakarans mutely nodded and Rejji’s hands rose so they were not near his sword. The creature stomped over to Bakhai and lifted the child off his lap. She held it to her chest and murmured into its sharp pointy ears. She ran a massive hand over the child’s orange hair in a loving caress and in a few moments the child’s eyelids popped open and revealed a set of piercing blue eyes. The child squirmed and suddenly realized where it was.

“Elf, Tokak!” Tiny exclaimed. “I smelled an elf.”

Tokak’s eyes squinted at the Fakarans and her bulbous nose crinkled as she sniffed the air.

“Smells a bit like elf,” Tokak agreed. “Hard to tell with so much smoke though.”

Tokak lowered Tiny to the ground and stared at Mistake. She lumbered closer and started sniffing the air again.

“Is that your names?” Mistake asked nervously as she backed towards the fire. “Tokak and Tiny?”

“She is TinyTokak,” declared Tokak. “I call her Tiny sometimes. Where are you from?”

“From a small coastal village far south of here,” offered Mistake. “I am not an elf though, just a Fakaran. Do you like elves?”

“I love elves,” grinned Tiny, showing a huge mouth full of very sharp teeth. “Eating elves make trolls smert.”

“Eating elves?” shuddered Mistake.

“Yes they very good to eat,” nodded Tiny. “That how I got hurt. I smelled elf and tripped in the jungle.”

“And you could have been attacked by a tyrik,” scowled Tokak. “I have told you not to go running off like that.”

Tokak turned from Mistake and looked at the two male humans. Rejji still had his hands away from his sword and Bakhai still sat by the fire.

“Who are you and why are you here?” Tokak asked.

“I am Rejji,” answered Rejji. “My friends are Bakhai, who is sitting down, and Mistake. I am responsible for them coming here. If we have trespassed on your territory, it is my fault not theirs. We are being chased by the Jiadin and entering the jungle was the only way we could survive. We plan to leave it as soon as we can find our way.”

Tokak’s large ears wagged when she nodded her head. She looked down at Bakhai. “And you are a talker?” she asked.

“A talker?” echoed Bakhai. “I am not sure what you mean.”

“You talk to animals,” explained Tokak. “It sounded like you were going to attempt that to communicate with me.”

“Yes, I was,” admitted Bakhai. “I can talk to the animals. I did not know what you were though. How is it you can talk?”

“Do you think that humans are the only ones who are smert?” Tokak asked.

“Can we eat the elf?” interrupted Tiny. “Please.”

“You will eat nothing, Tiny,” scolded Tokak. “I have warned you about running off. Besides, these humans have saved your life. That makes them friends and we don’t eat friends.”

“Even if they are elves?” Tiny pouted.

“Even if they are elves,” affirmed Tokak. “Besides, I am not sure she is an elf. It has been so long since I smelled one and the fire hurts my sensitive nose.”

“Are there other talkers?” Bakhai asked. “Other people who can talk to animals as I do?”

“There are,” Tokak nodded after a long pause. “It is not for me to talk of them though.”

“You mentioned tyriks,” interjected Rejji. “We heard stories about them. They are large spiders, aren’t they?”

“They resemble spiders,” agreed Tokak. “They are very nasty creatures. They eat trolls. You do not want to go where the tyriks are.”

“Where are these tyriks?” asked Mistake.

“In the jungle,” answered Tokak. “They are everywhere in the jungle. Avoid them if you wish to live.”

“But we are in the jungle now,” Mistake said, confusion evident on her face.

“Yes, you are,” nodded Tokak. “The jungle is not for humans. You are best to leave right away.”

“Is there a path that goes towards the Bone Mountains,” asked Bakhai. “We are on a quest to find the Sage of the Mountain and we believe that is where he is. Bad people await us outside the jungle. We would rather try avoiding the tyriks than return the way we came.”

Tokak squinted again at the Fakarans and after a long pause answered, “There are many trails through the jungle. Some lead the way you wish to go. I doubt you will survive the journey, but if certain death awaits you the other way, I will point one out in the morning.”

“That would be wonderful,” responded Rejji. “We are willing to take our chances in here. Perhaps you would like to join us on the journey?”

“We do not travel far from here,” Tokak replied. “We know this area well and it is our home. There are few tyriks in this end of the jungle and we like it that way. I will point you to the trail in the morning. You should get rest. You may need to run a lot tomorrow.”

Tokak grabbed Tiny by the arm and marched her out of the clearing. Unlike the pounding of the ground they heard when Tokak had come running, the two trolls moved silently.

“A lesson well learned,” sighed Rejji after the trolls had left. “I doubt we would be alive if I had killed TinyTokak. This certainly is a strange place.”

“She was so cute before she opened her mouth,” frowned Mistake. “I thought she was going to eat me.”

“She is still cute,” smiled Bakhai. “Her teeth are needed for what she eats. Funny how it looked like she barely had a mouth at first. Very interesting creatures. I should like to visit and talk more with them some day.”

“I think I will skip that trip,” chuckled Rejji. “Once is enough for me. She offers good advice though. Let us get some more sleep.”

The Fakarans settled down for the second time and drifted off to sleep. The morning was noted by a lightening of the jungle, rather than sunlight. The large trees blocked most of the sun, but it was light enough to travel safely, although everything was cast in a shadowy gloom. When the Fakarans awoke, the trolls were waiting for them. TinyTokak was munching on a small pig.

“Share that with your new friends,” instructed Tokak. “Have you no manners?”

Tiny’s sharp teeth receded from the pig and her mouth closed up to a small button. She sheepishly walked over to Rejji and held the pig out to him. Mistake came over and carved off a large section of the rump, which Tiny’s teeth had not yet reached.

“Thank you, Tiny,” smiled Mistake. “I think that is plenty for us. You enjoy the rest.”

Tiny beamed and hopped back onto the log she had been sitting on. Mistake handed the slab of meat to Bakhai and excused herself as she retreated into the jungle. Bakhai ran a couple of sticks through the meat while Rejji rekindled the fire. Tokak watched intently as the humans cooked the meat. Tiny seemed interested only in the remains of the pig she was devouring. Mistake returned and the three humans divided the meat and quickly finished their morning meal. Mistake took what was left of the slab of meat and stuck it in her sack while Bakhai and Rejji doused the fire with dirt.

Tokak led them along the small trail they had been on the night before. She was a tremendous storehouse of knowledge concerning the jungle and she pointed out plants and animals as they walked. She indicated which plants and animals were poisonous and which ones to avoid for other reasons, such as the plants that spit up streams of acid when you came near them. Tiny frolicked along, sometimes darting into the jungle, only to dart back out moments later. The little troll was a bundle of energy who almost always seemed happy and content. The small trail finally came to a slightly wider trail and Tokak stopped.