pair had come to relax around him somewhat, both still kept a short distance from the relic he carried.
“Why are-” Cael started, but Zalee raised a warning hand. He went silent as he followed their eyes through the trees.
Like a silver serpent making its way through the undergrowth, Cael saw the glimmer of a river off in the distance and suddenly noticed the hiss of its frothing motion. Beyond its tossed and bubbled surface he could see the stripe of golden sand that led up the beach to be swallowed by trees. Broad-leafed and emerald green, Cael could tell at a glance the foliage was different on the other side of the river. The monstrous oaks and towering evergreens gave way to the drooping palm and rubber trees, their branches so intertwined as to appear as one. Thick vines encircled the trunks, giving off the appearance that a wall of uninterrupted greenery loomed before them.
Curious as to why the Sha’ree had stopped, for Cael saw nothing but the brilliant greens of the jungle, he went to ask, but was hushed once more. Uthul laid his hand on Cael’s shoulder and shook his head. For several long minutes they stood there, making not a sound. Both the Sha’ree kept their gaze on the jungle ahead, sweeping their vision back and forth. The pink of their eyes whirled within their angled sockets. After a while, the pair turned to face each other, and though they spoke no words Cael could hear, he was certain they had communicated something between them.
Uthul turned to him, his voice low. “Across the river lies Pathrale. A number of its people lurk in the trees, watching us to see what we intend. We have no wish to harm them, so we must approach with caution to keep from vexing them.” Uthul laid a hand on Cael’s shoulder. “You must remain behind us, but stay close, no more than a few feet, and stay calm. Given the scent of battle in the air, they may well interpret any sudden moves as an attack.”
Cael swallowed hard. The fear he’d managed to put away, nipped at his heels once more. He had never pictured the Pathra as dangerous, safely living in Nurin, far from any regular contact with the cat people, but he was suddenly reminded how far from home he truly was. It was one thing to see the occasional Pathran entourage that had come to trade for Nurin’s famous Red, but it was another thing entirely to attempt to cross their border unannounced. Cael nodded his agreement.
Uthul smiled and motioned for Zalee to take the lead. She did with quiet grace, sliding the hood from her head to display her narrow face. Uthul did the same, falling into line behind her as she headed for the river. Cael found his place in the line and worked to stay there, his excitement infusing his feet with the urge to fly.
As they reached the shore, the twisted and rotten limbs and branches of the Dead Lands at their backs, Zalee halted at the bank. She held out her arms, her cloak slipping behind her shoulders. She stood there quiet, and Cael thought he heard her whispered voice, though he could not hear what was said, or see her face to know for certain she’d even spoken.
He stood rigid behind the two Sha’ree, his eyes darting to the trees of Pathrale, and then back to Zalee. A cold sweat dotted his brow as he waited, his hands shaking in anticipation, though of what he was unsure. It was as if every eye in the world had suddenly turned to stare at him, the weight of their gaze prickling his skin, setting his legs to tremble beneath him. He felt uncomfortable in his own flesh, as though he were being judged, weighed.
It was then he saw the shape in the river. The water lashed out with foamy white tendrils, but beneath its boiling surface Cael could see two glowing orbs that looked as though they were staring straight through him. The one on the left was a fiery red, the right a gentle blue-green, both swirling with the tumultuous current.
His vision clearing, Cael recognized the staring red eye as the reflection of A’ree, and looked up to the sky to see the great moon overhead, looming monstrous in the sky. He looked for Nu’ree, remembering it was hidden behind the angry moon that churned the waters. He glanced once more to the river surface, only to see the second moon’s reflection still, its glow shimmering beside that of A’ree, where it could not be.
His gaze flitted back and forth between the sky and the water, his trembles only increasing as he confirmed that Nu’ree was not visible from where he stood. What he saw in the river could only be the work of the goddess herself.
As though motivated by his recognition, a swath of water, ten feet across and reaching all the way to the far shore, began to settle. The thrashing bubbles that boiled underneath slowed and came to a halt. The frantic white caps sank back into the water, the surface becoming a calm sheet of glass with not a ripple disturbing its face. Yet just ten feet from the narrow path, the water raged on, its spray turned away from the calm waters before them, somehow restrained from marring the placid beauty.
Once the water had settled, Zalee walked forward and stepped onto the river. Cael waited for her to sink, but the calm water gave but inches, her feet buoyed by it, holding her above the surface.
Uthul whispered over his shoulder. “Come, Cael. We must hurry. Follow me close and do not stray from the path.” The Sha’ree strode forward, and like Zalee, he walked across the water, his steps leaving no ripples in their wake.
Cael cast a quick glance to the glowing orbs that still floated below the surface and forced his legs forward. Ree had seen him and had acknowledged him; she would not let him fall. He drew in a deep breath and scrambled to stay close to Uthul.
He stepped onto the river and felt the strange power of the water pressing upward against his foot, cradling it as though it were a child. He took another step to find the same. Emboldened, he hurried his pace and made for the far shore. He dared a glance down and regretted it instantly.
Beneath the layer that held him afloat, the river was a maelstrom of uncontrolled fury. The water seethed and thrashed. The reflected eyes of Ree were distorted and wavering, and their glare filled Cael with terror.
He drew his eyes away and nearly ran across the surface of the river, slowing only when he drew too close to Uthul, who held a hand out to slow him. Cael felt the heat of the water seeping through the soft leather soles of his boots, seeming to grow warmer at every step.
When at last Uthul cleared the river and strolled onto the shore, Cael rushed to follow him, nearly falling as his feet sunk into the sand. He righted himself and moved behind the shield of Uthul’s body once more. He let his breath out, not having realized he’d held it, and cast a quick glance at the water.
Behind him, the calm bridge was no longer. Where he had just walked but instants before, the water hissed and fumed once more, drops of spray peppering his skin. He turned away from the river, wiped the sweat from his forehead and walked on shaking legs into the jungle at the heels of Uthul.
A short way into the cluster of trees, Zalee stopped and raised her arms out to her side once more. Uthul did the same, motioning for Cael to do so as well. He did, matching their measured pace, his eyes on the gently swaying branches.
“People of Pathrale, know we wish you no ill will. I implore you, take heed of my words,” Zalee called out, turning in a slow half-circle. “Look upon my face. I am Zalee, first of the children of the great Goddess Ree. My companions are Uthul and Cael.” She gestured to each in turn. “We seek the ear of your lord, our words most urgent.”
Cael heard no response. He saw no motion in the trees nor heard any voices call out in answer. Zalee and Uthul seemed not to care. They stood as they were without a sound, for several minutes. Cael felt his arms tire and he fought to keep them in the air. Several more minutes passed and Cael’s arms trembled as he glared at the trees, imploring the Pathra to show themselves.
Only but a moment after his plea, he spied movement in the foliage ahead. Uthul and Zalee lowered their arms to their sides and Cael let his drop with a grunt, gentle tingles running their lengths, pecking at his fingertips. He resisted the urge to shake the feeling away as the Pathra made their way through the jungle and came to stand before them.
Cael, having never seen the Pathra so close before, or in such great numbers, couldn’t help but stare. More than fifty of the cat people emerged from the jungle, the wooden spears they carried conspicuously ready in their hands. They stared at Cael and the Sha’ree through a multitude of colored eyes, most ranging from yellow to green, with a few hitting the darker spectrums of purple and black. Their covering coats of fur also varied, only a select few shaded in a single color, the vast majority a patchwork of grays and blacks and whites, in stripes and spots.
But it was the Pathra who walked at the head of the group that drew Cael’s eyes. Different in both size and color from the rest, the orange Pathran dwarfed the others as he strode forward, his hands out to his sides as the Sha’ree and he had done just moments before. His gray eyes flitted between Zalee and Uthul, never once alighting upon Cael.
