The Dark Ages of the Synakoy; The Past Forgotten, Wolfheart [top ebook reader .txt] 📗

my brother; everything comes in its own time. For now, she can only handle one thing; tell her you will support her. Because I know that you would give your life for her – just as I would. Ky is why we’re together again, and that I cannot forget.
Together, the Drake and his sister sank from the shadows of the ancient cave and into the light of the world outside.
****
Ky wanted to rush into his arms and embrace him until he couldn’t breathe. But she restrained herself, unsure if he even felt such a way toward her. They’d never been alone long enough, and it was honestly not something she’d considered before.
There was something in his eyes that made her hold her tongue. He was about to say something important. His eyes were open and happy and yet reserved and anxious. His posture and emotions were a jumbled, confusing mess. They were so difficult that Ky suddenly didn’t feel them, and knew her body had turned that sense from him.
Your body is weary, and may consider him too much of a strain. He is very confused about today. I have a feeling we will only read the first page of this chapter today.
He looked me in the eye. I saw Zenic’s words in his hazel gaze.
“I will remain by your side, Kiyoshi. Makita and I will give our lives for your cause. No matter what, as long as blood pumps through my veins, I will not leave you.”
Shock and joy hit Ky like a block of ice. His words electrocuted the Elven’s heart. Before she could stop herself, Ky’s arms held him tightly to her, and their lips touched in a passionate kiss. He resisted only for a moment before he kiss her, too.
The roar of a lion and dragon shook the heavens far above.
When Ky broke away, suddenly feeling much warmer than she had been, she realized something. She couldn’t feel Champion. Looking at where she tied him up, horror struck her. The branch there was gone – and so was Champion. Racing over, she looked around for clues. Canine prints, spots of blood and frantic hoof prints made it clear. Glancing at the place the branch had been, it was clear that it had been broken. For Champion’s sake, she hoped it was his hooves that had done it, and not his hysterical lurches.
“Are those wolf tracks?” Levin asked. Ky looked closer.
“Really, really big wolf tracks. One of them could eat him alone, let alone the three or four others that would hunt together. From the looks of it, mother and father were teaching their children how to hunt.”
Ky briefly felt his sorrow. As soon as it was there, it was gone.
I’m exhausted.
“There’s nothing we can do, is there?”
Ky shook her head with regret.
He will be missed.
“We must return to camp.”
Levin nodded and returned to Makita. “Can you fly?”
The dragon lay on her haunches and swept him onto her back with her tail.
“Of course I can hold on!” He retorted to a question Ky was unable to hear. Following his example, she launched herself onto Zenic’s back. Then Makita took to the skies as Zenic bounded through the snow. It was cold, and nearly dark.

They returned to the camp only as the mountains completely swallowed the sun. Makita’s appearance awoke the entire camp, and it took several hours to explain to Riviera why she’d been awakened to a beast that had died twenty five years ago.
“If you don’t get it by now, damnit, you’re not going to get it at all!” Kiyoshi finally lost all of her patience with the woman. She kept asking questions that made them explain things they’d told her six or seven times. Ky was exhausted. Everything ached, and she was so hungry her stomach was hallow. “Now, if don’t mind, we’ll do the damn sparing tomorrow morning, after everybody has eaten and slept. I am dead on my feet and haven’t eaten since noon. I’ve used so much of my abilities and strength today that raw meat was the finest cosine in the fucking world.”
Everybody was staring at her. Half the words were spat rather than spoken.
Riviera nodded. “Alright. I’m sorry about this. We were about to send a search party out when we heard the roars, but couldn’t spare the men. Kai changed randomly and chased a Lobo pack from the camp. It took us three hours to find her over a carcass. We had no idea what the thing was – it was not much more than bones. But it took us until dusk to get her to become calm enough to become human and come back with us. We just returned.”
“What?” Levin’s eyes were wide. Ky sighed and shook her head, muttering something Riviera seemed inclined to ignore.
“Is she in the wagon?”
Riviera laughed. “She and Ivory are fast asleep. Oh…Ivory did get caught with a male today. I suggest giving her these.”
She handed Ky some herbs that nearly made the Elven feint. She stared at them in her palm like the bane of mankind itself.
“Are you okay?” Levin whispered.
What is going on? Can a lion sleep without you wanting to slit a throat?
Ky looked at Zenic and gave him what was going on.
Sorry for falling asleep. I’ve ran through the mountains all day, and you’re so tired it only makes it worse. And…why would you want to give her something that prevents the miracle of life? It is why we mate in the first place.
Ky led him into the human culture. He blinked.
Why would you do that?
She shrugged.
“I’m going to bed. Join me or not, Levin.”
He followed her to their wagon, inside and under the covers.
“Get in your own bed.” She whispered. “I’m in no mood to play around.”
Sighing, he switched beds. Ky was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

Dawn found the caravan around a small of ring made in the center of the camp by stones and a circle of torches. A line of men and women were to the left, and the Caravan’s people sitting or standing a little further from it. Each had a weapon in hand and extras lying at their feet. Directly across from them were sticks in carefully placed positions; each was flagged with differently colored silk ends – green on the closest, blue in the center and red furthest.
It’s an archery range, right?
Kiyoshi, Levin, Kai and Ivory stood facing the line of armed scouts. To the four’s right stood Riviera and Tenzik.
“Each of the scouts has mastered a weapon.” Tenzik began, bringing Ky’s attention to him. “You will be called to stand beside me and look at these weapons. Choose carefully; do not feel pressed to rush. You do not have a time limit, as the weapon or weapons you choose will be the ones you are trained to fight with. Because this is a test of your current skill, I do recommend choosing at least one you that you are skilled with.” He paced, looking each of them in the eye in turn. “This is a test of personal skill. Each of you will be pitted with scouts. The scouts will gradually become more skilled in the weapon you choose, until you cannot defeat them. If you are injured, that scout will be severely punished. Attempt to not only defend yourself, but not too seriously harm your opponents – especially those below your skill level.”
Kiyoshi listened as she looked over the weapons.
There were daggers of many shapes and sizes, swords built for both speed and power, bows with arrows, spears, maces and – to her surprise and relief – scythes. She examined them and spotted one perfect for her size. It had rune-like symbols carved into the long hilt, and was solid wood. The curved blade was a black, strong-looking metal. Of course, it was clearly too dull to do much damage in the ring, but that could easily be dealt with afterwards.
Tenzik fell silent. He watched them. Ky looked over the other weapons, but knew less than nothing about most of them. The scythe was her best bet. She knew the most about it, anyway.
We don’t exactly come from a time of war, though. I don’t think I’ll get far. Hell…I hope I just get a couple blows on my first opponent and don’t land on my ass too much!
“Kai.” Tenzik called her first. “You seem ready. Choice your weapon and step into the ring.”
Everything was quiet as Lykaios nodded and stepped up to the knives. She examined each one slowly and carefully; picking one up to weigh it, feeling the sharpness of the edges, sighting it to make sure it was straight. She chose a machete.
“Is that your weapon?” Tenzik asked.
“Can I specialize in more than one?” Her voice was low and her stance awkward.
“The more skill, the less likely you are to die.” Riviera answered instead.
Kai went over and chose a long bow in the same manor.
“These are my weapons.” She stated almost too softly for Kiyoshi to hear.
I’m surprised she sounds so nervous. She handles bows and knives all the time.
She stepped into the ring. The archer master – a female herself – she’d taken a bow from looked around the crowd and pointed at a child sitting down. She stood with a long bow in hand and joined Kai in the ring.
“Archery is about accuracy.” The master archer took over explaining. “It is the skill of the hunter, the assassin and often it is what decides a battle in war. It is the skill that gives an army the ability to strike without being seen, to strike an enemy without concern for being stricken.”
She’s explaining their viewpoint of weapons to us. I’m sure everybody already knows this.
“That is why it is a weapon for the intelligent and sharp-eyed. One arrow can determine whether your friends live through the night. Stance.”
The two girls got in stance.
“Load.”
They loaded their arrows.
“Aim.”
Both girls tilted their bows and lined their arrows.
“Fire.”
Kai’s arrow hit right next to the stick, under the red silk cloth. The girl’s arrow fell halfway between the blue and red silks. She smiled.
“Nice one Kai!” She remarked just loud enough for Ky to hear. The archer master nodded.
“That was really good yourself. Was it your first time?”’ Kai asked quietly.
The girl nodded.
So they’ll pit us against unskilled amateurs first?
“Excellent job, Sable. However, you have lost. Please step out of the ring.”
She bowed to her mentor and returned to her post. The master signaled out a boy this time, which was slightly older.
Age is skill in this land. The longer they have to train, the better they