Chapter 3

Morose and brooding now, I stared into the darkness, feeling the pathway beneath roughened callused bare feet. I’d finally began sorting impressions and came to very uneasy conclusions. Several people watched my progression through childhood with varied emotions. As I riffled through what I recalled, I understood something else.

You need to take care with your thoughts, girl. Others examine them and use them against you when you least expect it.

An unexpectedly stern voice interrupted the flow of my thoughts.

I jumped in startlement and almost lost my footing.

Who? Scout Mistress, how are we speaking this way?

It took me a moment to regain my balance and avoid embarrassing other people thinking I was going to knock into them. Strange there were many people on the trails for this time of night.

Her impatient harrumph made my shoulders hunch in embarrassment.

Yes, ’tis I child, and it is called telepathy or mind speak. A method of communication I used with you at various times while in the field. It worked admirably in removing you from trouble earlier, I presume.

Oh, so that is the name for an ability that certain people possessed, and I suspected Orland and a few others had the ability. I also knew that they used hand signs to cover up their alternate version of communication.

You’re right that ability only comes with maturity, age, and correct placement of men and women in specific tasks. The Scout Mistress mulled on my observation. She didn’t acknowledge part of what I considered. Don’t stop walking girl; the Elder Monique has some things to impart to you. It is important that you speak to her aloud.

I hadn’t remembered from those vague lessons that seemed particularly aggravating and annoying. Now I realized there was some use for them after all.

That is true, yes. I suppose I didn’t think it was possible for me to continue using it though. I never do it with anyone else.

Disgruntled silence alerted me that the Scout Mistress hadn’t considered my point on the subject. At last, she admitted.

That is because only a few of us who aren’t technically born into the caravan possess the ability. I only discovered you had it from suspicion and testing some of your reflexes.

I see, I think. I digested that information. Whom did I gain this from, mother or father?

I could envision her shrugging as she admitted.

Now that I don’t know, but perhaps from both sides of the family, and it does come in handy for situations when you must communicate unheard by potential foes.

What occasionally watched me with a strange combination of quicksilver emotions overlaid with calm rationality had turned out two strange males I don’t recall ever having laid eyes upon in my life.

Someone watches me from afar, I don’t know who this person is, but oft provides assistance as well. I wasn’t very happy with making that admission. Who better to give that information than the Scout Mistress?

Male or female? It is important to know the difference, child, especially right now when you have to concentrate on escaping successfully from the cesspool that was once a very thriving caravan. Ti’Ana’s voice was neutral.

I divulged without hesitation.

Male, I believe. Two of them, perhaps a father and son, just from nuances I’ve caught in echoes now that I think about it.

Relief colored Ti’Ana’s voice when she heard my description.

Well that is good I believe. She hesitated before admitting. You’re going to need assistance when you have to make your departure.

How long have you contacted them on my behalf and why do you contact them?

Why I knew it was two males, I didn’t know, but I finally acknowledged I might have seen them in dreams hazed into meaningless with the advent of daylight.

Now that I can’t tell you, and ’twasn’t me who made the first contact that I know of. Ti’Ana informed me brusquely. The subject relates to your mother. I can only tell you that much. I don’t rightly know the name of the male I talked to, Myra. We communicated in code.

In other words, not only wouldn’t she tell me anything specific, she couldn’t without endangering someone else’s life. All right, that made more sense than anything else did right now.

I don’t know of any other way that they’d even know about me unless there’s a blood tie I’m not aware of currently.

Only now I came to realize, they may well save my life later.

What do you know about them, Scout Mistress? Oh sorry, I forgot that you don’t know any specific details, my apologies for harping on the subject.

I just didn’t want to acknowledge their existence just yet while I dealt with the coming confrontation.

When do you think I’m going to have to make my leave?

Brief silence before Ti’Ana responded to my query.

I’m reassured that you do know when to stop asking useless questions once in a while and can focus on the main issue at present. I wish others would too, the fatheads.

That’s right when I realized she still talked to someone else, or a group of people.

I found it admirable that she did it while holding a conversation with me.

Very soon, but not quite yet, continue with your conversation with Elder Monique.

Ti’Ana heaved a frustrated sigh and requested with a very put-upon air that warned me her patience stretched very, very thin at this point.

Please though for our sakes, shield your thoughts.

I taught you how to do it properly, and you’ve become lazy.

For the first time anger threaded the scout mistress’s voice and she bopped me smartly with a tap that hurt in my head.

Ouch, that hurt!

I concentrated on the present, where I knew some of my foes and allies had likely decided to make some kind of movements against my innocence.

I think I know who some of the troublemakers are in the caravan, Scout Mistress.

I knew the same person that stared at me earlier, followed.

The Scout Mistress evidently had enough of me being lazy. She let me have it with ire blazing through her mind voice.

Please don’t distract me with that type of statement. ’Tis bad enough that I know who it is just from your emotional broadcasting, Myra, and I’m ordering you TO TONE RANGE DOWN!

I winced and hastily complied because there was no sense in pissing off the one person who remained an ally in this twisted situation. Besides, I had no more reason to broadcast what I thought unless...I pondered the notion.

Can I cast misleading emotions to throw off other empathic snoops?

The Scout Mistress broadcast extreme skepticism, until she stopped and thought about it.

Eh, I suppose so, I can warn Elder Monique about your little plan.

Ti’Ana snorted at that point and then growled.

That will no longer matter, child. When it comes right down to it, others consider you the troublemaker, not the known ones.

Since I knew that already, I didn’t bother responding to that random thought. Instead, I concentrated on building shields and then creating a secondary mirror shield that radiated whatever emotions others broadcast straight at the ones spying on me.

Oh, now that is a clever if somewhat misuse of what you possess in abilities. I like that twist you’ve put on your shield. The scout mistress huffed. You’ve mastered all the supposedly masculine-based skills far more easily than the female ones. Her voice turned irascible and downright angry when she scolded my obtusely puzzled silence.

Doesn’t it occur to you why that is possible? Ti’Ana sighed loudly enough to make me wince at her impatience with my slowness. They think you’ve switched genders and have decided to force you into a purely feminine role that you aren’t going to appreciate one bit if you remain in the caravan for much longer! She paused in annoyance. Some fool cockerel eggs them on in that constant belief with interesting misinterpretations of your activities while scouting too.

Curiosity wasn’t the only thing owned by me and unshared with others. I did consider what the Scout Mistress implied and hurt soughed through me. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t tried doing what the mature women and men taught us as youngsters in the campsite.

You’re right; I had noticed a change in attitude but hadn’t traced it to my skills of the masculine sort that I liked over the feminine arts.

Yep I was slow all right that I hadn’t caught that particular drift until this moment. Oh well they could kiss my ass.

That doesn’t mean I hadn’t mastered any of them though. I can make painted images on canvas, they just weren’t the scenes they want to see, I guess.

I listened to footsteps around us. “My life seems to have changed directions once more.” Patterns continuously formed letting me know who was going where. “While I’m a good scout, though patterns of training are altering again, I’m afraid that I won’t master the newest techniques in time for the contests that I’ve heard about.” All the caravan members had distinctive footsteps and routines they followed. Only now, I sensed an individual followed Elder Maricopa, or more worrisome both of us.

I noticed that he or she didn’t conceal curiosity, dismay, or disgruntlement because the Elder and I talked of commonplace subjects—for me at any rate. Many of the youngsters had it in spades, but this wasn’t a youngster that followed, nor quite the same as the earlier observer as I’d thought previously.

Someone else followed and with angry intent toward the Elder. I held my tongue for once. Suspicion was all very good indeed, until it killed someone if pointed at the wrong person. While I hadn’t done that yet that I knew of, others had with viciously clear intent. I preferred not winding up in the latter group of nasty vindictive individuals.

“Oh, I don’t doubt you’ll succeed, so long as you don’t go stumbling around and seeing things that don’t belong in your memories, young Myra.”

Don’t speak aloud to warn me child. Elder Monique warned me when I would’ve said something. I know who it is. You and I share certain skills with the Scout Mistress that didn’t breed true within the caravan. Our authority is challenged because we supposedly didn’t follow through on our, ah pledges. A rude snort followed that observation.

I had to bite back a grin, and kicked a stone from the pathway. I murmured at last. “While I know it wasn’t my fault, there is still that wondering why they left as they had.” I didn’t glance at her as I added. “I learned when I grew older; in fact, a combination of severe bad luck and horrific weather that killed them from exposure.”

“Ah, so that is what you question. The exposure part,” Elder Monique nodded wisely. “You’re right to wonder about that scenario. As I did and checked records thoroughly.” She sighed heavily. “Outside of our isolated traveling existence lies a whole different world, young Myra.” She stared at me with a narrowed gaze. “You’re not going to find it easy to adjust as you might believe.”

Since I hadn’t lived outside of the canopy, I could believe that warning. I merely nodded in acquiescence and that seemed to satisfy her as she continued talking about what I would face. “They couldn’t adjust to the difference in temperatures fast enough to adapt. Though I suppose you could do it given a slow acclimation process.”

I grunted because I gained the impression someone coached her on what to tell me. That was highly unusual for Elder Monique who now worried me into wondering if she had senility. Normally no one gave her ideas of what to tell people. She always controlled all her faculties. Yet tonight was utterly out of character for her and many others. I sighed softly. “I’m schooled in theory if not practice of the actual differences in climate, Elder Maricopa.” I would’ve said another name, but a fierce cold chill of warning smacked me across the neck. I withheld further observation at that point.

Elder Maricopa pinned me with a stern stare and blinked as if seeing me for the first time. “You are...good lord, you look like...” She looked at me very thoroughly now, shook her head disparagingly almost as if she argued with someone and shrugged with slight discontent bringing a scowl to her mouth. “It’ll depend on how well, Myra, you can manage other tasks that’ll push through the hardships that’re before you.”

A disgruntled scowl crossed her features and I almost saw another image superimpose over her face. “I’ll do my best to continue learning from new surroundings. While adaptation and acclimation are very difficult and all but defunct according to many, I feel it is necessary for my survival.”

You’ll do just fine in the outside world, child, now let the Elder Monique alone to deal with her thoroughly routed misconceptions about you, child.

I almost gasped in shock because it was the Scout Mistress.

I assure you, she has your best interests at heart, but not if you continue blaring your thoughts around her as you have today.

Rattled, I bit my lip. I, blaring inappropriate thoughts around the Elder all this time? Not only not realizing it, before I came to the inescapable conclusion that she had always viewed me with disdain in the past. “I apologize for any inappropriate actions that I’ve taken in the past while in your presence, Elder Monique. I do believe I shall retire after my talk with Scout Mistress Ti’Ana and go over exercises that I neglected over the years.”

She merely nodded. Frightening indeed for me, but clearly something they’d done before when a potential conflict threatened their secrecy and the continuity of certain conversation that had to occur before I reached the Scout Mistress’s setup in a glade separated from the other tents. I hesitated though on walking forward.

This time when I thought of something, I kept the notions tightly shielded against others hearing what I felt. Most of my hesitation occurred because of beholding the gathering of not one but several of the male elders. All of whom, abusive of their power that they were, they would hold my life in their nasty greasy hands later. I had no liking for them one bit and that stemmed from over the years, not just the afternoon’s degrading activities.

After one sharp stare of warning, Elder Monique gave me a satisfied nod. “We have said enough together for now, young Myra.” I heard a blend of two voices speaking in unison, a surprising and yet heartwarming indication of one’s respect for me, and grudging affection from the other.

“We must not waste further time.” That was definitely Elder Monique speaking by herself.

Now I was curious about what their relationship was with each other. The Elder didn’t give me time to ask anything further. I believe she was ready to escape my presence and unsettling mannerisms. “I think your patrolling skills will find others lacking in the future. See to it that you continue using the skills no matter where your journey takes you.”

She left it at that but gave me no further indication of where I’d land. “I’m sure the Scout Mistress will have more to tell you.” She paused briefly and gestured to her left. I followed in that direction as we walked together. She had given me much to think about as we made our way through established routes.

As for my parents’ demise, I pushed that from my mind. I could no longer afford to let them consume me so thoroughly. Thoughts still bubbled in the subconscious though. I still had difficulties believing any of those bits about exposure. They were experienced, how could they have died? I guess I would learn in the coming days as I learned about becoming a female and dealing with the side effects that came with blossoming. I already was aware of one facet that I didn’t enjoy in the least. Ah well, I won’t go into that. Not something I want to think about anyway, makes the cramps all the worse!

I shook my head ruefully and frowned when twigs and rubble rained down around me. I froze. Odd—I knew I had twigs and leaves in my hair, but where did the rubble come from? I gazed around warily but continued forth. I did pause at a streambed and cleanse away some of the dirt accumulated.

I had a notion that appearing before the Scout Mistress looking like a ragamuffin wouldn’t bring forth a very good reaction at all. As I ambled toward the area where the Scout Mistress set up her current abode, I began having misgivings because I heard voices, very familiar voices, and all rose in angry dissonant tones. What had I come upon that gave me no good feelings of welcoming but rather foreboding indeed? I surveyed the scene warily, but only coughed once.

* * * *

Okay, I’d had enough of this crap. What was Myra thinking to say what she did? Didn’t she realize more witnesses abounded than what walked around on two feet? Even from where I remained hidden, listening, I saw where others crept closer without concentrating on stealth. I wanted to do something to clear my name for Myra, but I knew it would take some maneuvering to restore her faith in me.

Without realizing what would happen should I start forward prematurely, I did exactly that, with only a thought to speak to the Scout Mistress and Myra while I had the opportunity. Only it wouldn’t happen as a hand clamped hard on my shoulder. I glowered at the individual who grabbed me over one shoulder. “What do you think you’re doing?” I gritted through clenched teeth. I knew he had to have said something that framed me for the latest disaster between Myra and me.

“Stay put,” Morley, hissed angrily. “Do you want to ruin everything, you stupid fool?” His pure disgust was obvious when he dragged me backward to halt me from acting without thought of consequences. “We’re almost at the good point of everything and you want to lose it over a stupid whore with loose lips?”

“She’s not a whore.” I spat. “You should know considering you sleep with them all the time,” I reminded him with pitiless honesty. “One of these days you’re going to regret doing that, Morley. One of them won’t shut up, won’t forget despite the measures you take, and won’t stay put docilely wherever you trade them,” I added for good measure if only to make him think twice about insulting or threatening me again currently.

Morley laughed harshly. “Why do you think I invented the collar with the embedded spikes?” He sniped at me. “It is a permanent way of shutting up the ones who don’t know the ways of the caravans.” He folded his arms and mocked me with a taunting eyebrow.

I tracked the reactions of three Elders who hadn’t known the real instigator behind the collars. “Good luck clearing that with the Elders, Morley. Now that they know whose idea it really was.” They had vehemently protested against the usage as well but thought I was the one who’d concocted that extremely brutal measure of shutting females up.

“I don’t plan using such things no matter what you think, Morley.” Even as I said it, I knew I might’ve set those Elders for death too. “I’m sure that you knew that all along but decided that I should share the blame for coming up with it too.” A measure of relief blew through me when Morley opened his mouth and shut it looking at me with murderous hatred.

“Don’t try anything against me, Morley.” Ah at least he alerted me to his real opinion of me. “I’m very much aware of the damage you’ve caused for me yet again.” Red haze draped over my vision when I shoved Morley away and sent him thudding against another tree. “There’re too many witnesses for you to do anything else right now.”

It didn’t matter to me that stones, sticks, and leaves rained down upon us. I glowered at Morley with an angry scowl. Why did he follow me anyhow? I thought he’d meant to speak with the Elders about that stupid female. With a shrug, I found another wall where I could cling and listen to the conversation.

Even as I managed to return in time to hear more bits of conversation that made me doubly determined that Myra wouldn’t leave without giving me acknowledgement. “What does it matter when it is obvious others believe her word over mine?” Fury roiled through me when I realized the acceptance of Myra’s claim that the Elders and Scout Mistress made against my honor. “I’ll own you into death and beyond.” I snarled softly through gritted teeth.

I did own her through the sheer fact she carried my seed. “She won’t escape me if that’s the last thing I accomplish,” I vowed with savage determination. I had other abilities that no one ever suspected. “She carries my babe.” I glared at the shocked elders. “Did you honestly think I would let her become one of your playthings?”

“How dared you take that decision into your hands when you know only the Elders, not the damn Scout Mistress, can give permission?” Morley’s furious snarl below me made me sigh. “Now I know why you ignore all the meetings these days.” His growl made me wary when I glanced around to see where he was located.

While I couldn’t see him, I heard more of his nastier remarks concerning Myra. I ignored them in favor of watching for an opportunity to keep Myra alive until I could confront her again when we had a chance to talk alone.

Concealed in one hand, I had a small dart-blower; I surveyed the gathered group of Elders who awaited their opportunity to attack the unnoticing Scout Mistress and Myra who walked at her side.

The two women weren’t unaware—I could tell from their stances. They expected an attack and a fight that would end with one or both of them dead. That was all I needed to know I could ensure death of something in the girl I had wanted more than life itself. I surveyed everything else going on around me and I knew what was wrong.

This caravan was dying.

Only fortunate that I had helped produce babes, now I knew some of them weren’t going to survive infancy. The genes inbred and inferior, no I knew I had nothing else to live for. Therefore, I would conduct how I could decide the last of my life.

With that in mind, I circled the small group of speechless Elders and a fuming angry Morley. I no more trusted him than I could throw him, which I could do with a long arm. I curled a contemptuous lip at them. I walked past them with a disgusted scowl on my face. “None of you are going to survive this encounter if he has anything to say about the matter.” Gestured at Morley for emphasis, and he pulled a knife, I proceeded to continue searching for the perfect place to work from when battle commenced, which I knew it would.

I found where I wanted to make my last stand so to speak. I also lifted the blow dart to my mouth and blew it straight at the Scout Mistress. I smirked when she spotted it and shifted.

Stupid woman, I let her see what I intended when she dodged. You just condemned her to a life of solitude of the likes she won’t remember forevermore. Thank you for finishing what I began some time ago.

I saw where it grazed Myra’s eyebrow and went cleanly through one earlobe. She’d pierced it at one point when making jewelry and wanted to see what it looked like. Ever since, she’d worn some dangly thing or other.

You just think you know what you’re doing, you moron. She’s never going to take you into her body again. The Scout Mistress sneered. She knows better than to trust the likes of you. Besides, she knew the risk of finding out her past. She also understood she couldn’t stay here any longer.

Blah, blah, blah, I tuned the old bitch from my head. She told me nothing that I particularly wanted to hear and therefore I ignored the rest of what she’d said to me. I focused primarily on Myra whom I refused to believe wouldn’t accept me. I merely had to settle this difference of opinion with her in private somewhere. I studied her appearance and snorted. She’d cleaned up but it did nothing for her particularly.

This particular day she hadn’t worn some dangle or other. It would become the worst mistake in her life. I made sure she wouldn’t remember this day or the events, much less whether she could change into another type of beast or not. If I killed her dragon, then that was best of all. I just hope I disabled it fast enough that she wouldn’t live past the initial flight and would land in a seething mass of fire somewhere and burn to ashes.

Then I turned to face the blithering men who sputtered and fumed at one another. Only Morley stood to one side and he watched me with shocking hatred. It vanished the moment he saw me looking his way. Too late though, I’d discovered another enemy though not one I expected though I suppose I shouldn’t have found it shocking, as I felt betrayed. At least it confirmed what I glimpsed earlier. He was no friend of mine.

As I stood there watching them with utter disgust, I sneered. “No, I know her worth.” I scanned the canopies overhead but couldn’t find the bitch. “She is a dragon, you idiots. Why would I want to destroy and demean a dragon that can meld with the landscape?” Stunned I heard another interjection, and not sure, I heard correctly, I turned to stare at Ti’Ana wondering what she maundered on about this time.

I had also become aware of Morley moving about in the background not far from me. I tracked him warily because I knew he planned my demise—it was a tad obvious.

“You already have with taking her innocence.” The whispery voice hissed from Ti’Ana. “Therefore I chose to renounce all of you as my caravan.” She smiled lethally at them, and me. Before our very eyes, she shifted shape and became a very hostile carnivorous dragon dripping venom from its teeth. Her eyes turned a deadly crimson scarlet. I clenched my teeth in fury. Somehow, she’d managed to take the blow of that damn dart after all. Her human soul lost, she died laughing at their horror.

Screams from the main encampment startled both Elders and me. Whilst the others hurried back and found chaos in a once peaceful setting, I opted to scout around a bit more. I wanted to find some idea of where Myra had gone off to in her successful escape.

I found nothing as I snooped around her quarters, what there was of them. Someone had already gone through and separated out items that would go to youngsters. This escape, I reckoned, others planned very thoroughly and carefully, and I wanted to know why.

Disgruntled and knowing what faced me when I returned to the main chaotic area. I patiently ignored the Elders who stared in disbelief at the slaughter and mayhem. When I saw the extent of the damage, I cursed lividly and sought about for the cause of the mayhem. Clearly, someone had planned what occurred even more thoroughly than expected.

Wolves had come into the encampment. They had brutally murdered all of the elderly men and women but had cornered all the children and herded them away. I looked after them speculatively. At least someone had the wits to alert the wolves of when the attack would be best accomplished. One of the wolves turned and stared at me with startling intelligence. The feral beauty of the creature didn’t escape me, but then the wolves vanished, and I chose not to follow them.

I thought of something else somewhat more important and wasn’t happy. “The breed bitches; what is their condition?” Priorities after all had to come first when reestablishing command of the caravan after all.

Morley materialized at my side. I swear I couldn’t get rid of him quickly enough to accomplish other tasks. “Slaughtered at the hand of the chief who is also dead, sir,” My second-in-command informed me tersely. “We’ll have to replenish the breeding now that the prime prize escaped.” Hatred dripped from Morley’s voice. “You just couldn’t leave well enough alone.” He slashed at my throat. “See if you can live through this.”

Alerted but not fast enough, I died with blood gushing from my throat. I did gift him with a nasty forewarning though.

Hey asshole, congratulations, you’ve released my demon essence to play in the astral. Kiss a normal life goodbye. We’re all going to die!

Maybe you think so, but I know better. Besides, you’re not going anywhere, fool.

Morley mocked me right back and made a point of giving me an unsavory glimpse of where he planned I would go.

I made arrangements some time ago as to where your essence is headed and it ain’t going to the underworld as you’ve believed this entire time.

My human half had passed on at least.

That’s just what you think, Morley. My other half is free. The rest of mine essence had left long ago. I split some time ago to remain lesser stained when I realized what you had planned.

For I had known what would happen some time ago. Not even the Scout Mistress had known where the source of all evil and nasty intentions came from.

I had given her plenty of sleepless nights on purpose just to have her fair rattled. It did occur to me though that Morley should’ve waited a wee bit longer. Alas, that fool would have to learn everything from anyone willing to teach him. I knew no one would. I wandered off happily whistling while I explored the astral paths.

With no one to guide me, I likely would fall through the heavens and wind up in the hells below. Didn’t matter to me, I’d done what my master had bade me to do. See when some demons are born into the world, they aren’t always horrible. They’re just smart enough to realize their natures were unwelcomed rather than feared and damned from normal existence.

Bite me bitches, I just created a completely new race of demonic dragons. Hallelujah the last world war will take place after all. Amused at the situation, I discovered it wasn’t any laughing matter when someone managed to grab me from the path I should’ve followed.

Instead, I discovered some arsehead managed to steal my essence and dump me into some mirror or bottle.

What a cliché!

Disgusted I looked around in utter confusion and panic. I despised closed-in spaces.

Where the hell am I? I demanded of my captor because there was something distinctly familiar about him that utterly freaked me out.

The creature reached out one hand and picked up the container holding me. I glowered at him in outright defiance. He hit me with a blast of magic, I guess it was, but it slammed me into a fetal glow of slime. I had no idea what happened but after that, I belatedly remembered what bothered me about that creepy critter.

I’d glimpsed red-hazed pale hazel-gold eyes. The same exact type of eyes that Myra sported, only hers held amusement and innocent curiosity. The ones that examined me merely held hollow death waiting for me. So much for her daddy dying, I realized with desperation. He’d turned into some kind of demonic-host and evil oozed from every pore. Frantic, I tried reshaping into something that allowed me to shout a warning and found he’d entrapped me very thoroughly. This jackass didn’t intend me warning anyone or communicating at all unless it was to him.

Oh well, at least I’d accomplished some of my goals. My next challenge would discover ways around the wards surrounding me. I hadn’t survived this long without finding workarounds. I had plenty of time whereas others, such as Morley for example, were running out of time and ways to prevent the damn demon from taking them too.