I was dozing when I heard the scream. It pierced my head like a morta round, sending my mind in confusing circles.
I sat bolt upright, at the top of my tree. At first light, I was almost always there. It was a straight-to-the-sky poplar with a towering canopy. Twenty short boards nailed to the trunk was my passage up. Eight wide, splintered planks formed my floor. And a stretch of waterproof cloth draped over branches represented my roof. It was usually a peaceful time, but not this light.
From the edge of my planks, I looked down to the ground. Fresh screams were now joined by the baying of attack canines.
I scampered down and looked around. It was difficult to tell where the screams and baying were coming from.
Suddenly an attack canine hurtled towards me, its fangs bared.
I was fast, but no one could outrun an attack canine. Even as I ran, I braced for its fangs biting into me. But it flashed past me, soon vanishing from sight.
What could it be after?
I caught a glimpse of something between two trees – a black tunic. Council member. The attack canines must have been unleashed by them. The Council, with one exception, was comprised of males. They passed laws that all Wugs must obey.
Perhaps there had been an escape from Valhall, our prison? But no Wug had ever escaped from Valhall.
I kept running, following the baying, and soon realized that my path was taking me perilously close to the Quag. The Quag was an impenetrable barrier that circled Wormwood like a noose. No one had ever gone through the Quag because the terrible beasts in there would murder you instantly. My heart was pounding simply from being this close to it.
As I looked to the left, I glimpsed canines and Council members staring into the depths of the Quag. I let out a long breath and caught the movement of someone disappearing into the tangled vines and twisted trees. It was someone I knew well.
I looked to see if any of the Council or canines had seen what I had. It didn’t appear to be the case, so I turned back, but the Wug had gone. I wondered if I had simply imagined it. No Wug would voluntarily venture into that awful place.
When something touched me on the arm, I nearly screamed.
‘Vega? It is Vega Jane, isn’t it?’
I turned to look up into the blunt features of Jurik Krone. He was tall, strong, forty-five sessions old and a fast-rising member of the Council.
‘I’m Vega Jane,’ I managed to say.
‘What are you doing here?’ he asked, with hostility in his eyes.
‘I heard a scream and saw the canines. I saw Wugs in black tunics running.’
‘Did you see anything else?’ he asked sharply.
‘I saw only the Quag.’
His fingers gripped my shoulder more tightly. ‘Is that all? Nothing else?’
The image of the Wug’s face before he fled into the Quag slammed into me like a spear. ‘That’s all,’ I lied. It seemed a smart thing to do at the time.
Jurik let go of me.
‘What were you chasing?’ I asked.
‘It’s Council business, Vega,’ he replied dismissively. ‘Be on your way. It is not safe to be this close to the Quag. Now.’
He turned and walked off, leaving me breathless and shaking. I took one last look at the Quag and then raced back in the direction of my tree. I climbed it so fast, I felt dizzy. I wasn’t sure I would ever want to come back down.