Richard Tuttle - Web of Deceit

“This is as far as we go,” Tokak announced. “Follow this trail for many days. When it stops, try to pick a smaller one going in the same direction. Be wary though. This trail is wider because many creatures use it. Most of them will not be friendly to humans. The talker knows what I mean I think. Beware of the tyriks. It is a horrible way to die. The other animals will at least kill you quickly and efficiently.”

“Will we ever see you again?” asked Bakhai. “I would like to if that is permissible.”

“You are a friend now,” Tokak grinned with a smile that reached from ear to ear. “You are always welcome to visit. When you get close, we will know it.”

Without any further farewell, the trolls turned and went back up the small trail. The Fakarans walked briskly along the wide path. Droppings along the trail indicated that it was indeed used often by a variety of creatures, but whatever they were, they seemed to avoid confrontation. At one point, the Fakarans had to detour around a huge snake that had taken up residence on the trail. When high sun came, the orb was actually visible overhead. The group stopped for a rest and nibbled on the meat Tiny had given them.

They continued on for several hours until they came to a small stream crossing the path. As the pig meat had made them all thirsty, their water flasks were empty and they stopped to refill them. Mistake filled hers first and stood watching the small fish dart around in the stream. Suddenly, Bakhai yelped and dropped his flask into the stream as he swiftly withdrew his hand. His hand was bleeding in several spots.

“They bite,” scowled Bakhai. “Look at this. Must be seven bites all at once.”

Rejji quickly pulled his own flask out and capped it. He retrieved a long stick from the side of the trail and tried to move Bakhai’s flask to the edge of the stream. The school of small fish attacked the stick viscously and stripped the bark off of it in seconds.

“How are we going to cross it?” questioned Rejji. “Those fish will eat through to our bones.”

Bakhai tore a strip of cloth off of his food sack and wound it around his hand. Mistake reached into her sack and cut off a sliver of pig meat. She tossed it into the middle of the stream and it exuded an oily slick as it hit the surface. The school of fish darted to it in seconds.

“Get my flask and let’s cross quickly,” ordered Bakhai. “The meat will carry them downstream a bit, but I think they will be back for more.”

Rejji hurled his stick farther downstream and grabbed Bakhai’s flask. Together, the Fakarans dashed across the stream.

“That was quick thinking, Mistake,” Rejji said.

“I am just glad I didn’t decide to bathe in that stream,” she replied. “No wonder nobody ever leaves this place alive. There are so many things waiting to kill you.”

“Well they haven’t gotten us yet,” responded Rejji. “Let’s keep being cautious and maybe we can get through it.”

They continued along the trail, but Rejji noticed that the animals were not giving them as wide a berth as before. They seemed more curious and less fearful the longer they were on the trail.

“You should change that cloth,” Mistake said to Bakhai.

Rejji stopped and turned. The strip of cloth around Bakhai’s hand was soaked with blood. Bakhai ripped another strip of cloth off his food sack. When he removed the old one, Rejji saw Bakhai’s hand. Each of the bites was oozing blood and the sores appeared larger than they were originally. Bakhai’s hand was also swelling. Bakhai wrapped the hand with the new strip of cloth and was about to put the old one in his sack.

“Don’t do that,” Rejji said. “Throw it away.”

“I can clean it when we stop,” protested Bakhai. “We should not waste anything. We will find no cloth in this jungle and I can clean the old and reuse it.”

“I have been noticing the animals coming closer to inspect us as we pass them,” Rejji informed his friend. “I wasn’t sure why before, but now I realize that they smell the blood.”

“Of course,” nodded Bakhai. “You are right. I did not notice them coming closer. In fact, I have been feeling quite drowsy. My mind feels foggy and thoughts are not coming clearly to me.”

“Poison?” queried Mistake, her face a mask of concern.

“I don’t know,” admitted Rejji. “Whatever it is, I don’t like it. You stay behind him and keep an eye on him. Maybe we can find a stream without those fish and we can clean his wounds.”

Mistake nodded and Rejji led the group forward. He started paying more attention to the animals as they passed them. The creatures did not openly confront them, but rather followed them a bit before losing interest. After an hour, Rejji had the disturbing feeling that they were being watched. He caught flickers of movement out of the corners of his eyes, but every time he swiveled his head to look, nothing was there. At first he wrote it off as just being jittery, but the longer they walked, the more certain he became that something was stalking them. Several things, he corrected himself, because he caught the motions on both sides of the trail.

Rejji halted the group to check on Bakhai who was sweating profusely. The new cloth was again soaked with blood and his eyes were so puffed up that Rejji thought they would close entirely if the swelling didn’t stop. Mistake came alongside him and whispered in his ear.

“I sensed them too,” he replied. “Both sides of the trail. We may not make it out of this, Mistake. Bakhai is in bad shape.”

“I am alright,” argued Bakhai. “It is just a little hard to see. Let’s keep going.”

Rejji was torn between stopping for the night and trying to comfort Bakhai or trudging onward in hope of finding a clear stream. The watchers along the trail decided for him. They could not afford to camp where they were being watched. Rejji tore another strip off Bakhai’s food sack and changed the bandage. The hand was a mess of blood and open sores. Bakhai grimaced as Rejji tightened the strip in hopes of reducing the blood loss. He tossed the old bandage into the jungle and started marching along the trail again. Mistake put her arm around Bakhai and helped guide him so he didn’t have to keep his eyes open.

The jungle started to darken as the day drew towards night. Rejji knew they could only proceed for another hour or two at most before it was too dark to see. The creatures shadowing them alongside the trail grew more numerous and Rejji’s nerves began to fray. He began to hear sounds behind him in the jungle as if a large number of creatures were following them, just waiting for Bakhai to drop so they could pounce upon him.

As they rounded a bend in the trail, Rejji halted and stared into the distance. He saw a huge black cloud several feet over the trail ahead of them. He shook his head, trying to make sense out of what he was seeing, but he could not. He blinked his eyes several times, but the black cloud remained.

“What is it?” asked Mistake.

“I guess my eyes are tired,” Rejji said. “It looks like a black cloud over the trail. Maybe you should lead and I will help Bakhai along.”

“There is nothing wrong with your eyes,” declared Mistake. “I see it too. I was just asking what it was.”

Suddenly, the black cloud moved slightly and Rejji saw the long, hairy legs attached to it.

“Tyrik,” swallowed Rejji.

“Mercy,” exhaled Mistake. “That can’t be real. It can’t be. I am not going anywhere near that thing.”

“Well there are some kind of creatures behind us too,” Rejji said softly.

“They haven’t attacked us yet,” responded Mistake. “No wonder the trolls were afraid of these things. What about the narrow trail on your left? Can we duck down that and hide maybe?”