Compis: Five Tribes (22 page)

She was quiet much of the way home; Jerem and Luba had each asked her if there was anything troubling her. She answered honestly that she'd had a nightmare, but she wouldn't say what it was about and she could see that it worried them. They were probably supposed to keep her happy and entertained.

Nikka longed to speak of her dream to Joaga, but the little Sea Father avoided her at all costs, maybe afraid that she would pester him with questions as she had before. Perhaps, even more disquieting, Jerem had threatened him. She wouldn't put it past him. After her dream, she was almost unable to bear his company, preferring to sit in isolation near the prow of the little boat, mulling over her own thoughts and the horrible burden she had to bear as Compis.

There were so few to confide in now. She couldn't talk to her parents, they would only try to convince her to stay with the Aeris. They loved her and missed her after all. She would have confided in Luka, but she wasn't certain who would have access to his letters, once he finally found a mentor. His letters were changing, too, sounding more and more hopeless. She wished that May would write and hated her cousin's silence.

Then there was Zyander.
Oh, Zyan
, she thought, remembering their last kiss, laying next to him on the cot and dozing in his arms, sharing a large pitcher of juice, looking at all the Ignis artifacts. Nikka wanted to tell him most of all, but she wasn't sure, after her last letter, of his reception. She wished she could just transport herself to where he was, but Agga said that was the most dangerous of the common magics. A letter was one thing, but a person was quite another.

So Nikka bided her time, kept to herself until they reached port, then thanked Luba and Jerem for the lovely trip. She walked the long road back to Jilli's house just in time for supper.

Jilli was sitting at the dining table, a place where Nikka had hardly ever eaten in the month she had been living with the Aquis. She glanced up at Nikka as she came through the door, dabbed her mouth with her napkin, and gestured for Nikka to take a seat at the other place setting. Then she resumed eating her raw fish and seaweed rolls.

“Jerem tells me that you had a nightmare last night,” she began. Nikka wondered how she could have gotten word so quickly and realized that there must have been some Aquis magic that allowed for quick communication. Once again, she wished she had someone to teach her. “I hope it won't affect your stay with us. It was just a dream, after all, my dear. What was it? Something about your parents?”

Agga entered the room, bowed to her and served her a plate of hot baked fish, tubers, and a creamy green sauce that made her sigh with pleasure. Nikka watched her fill the mug beside her plate and considered how much of her dream she wished to relate to the woman. Discretion might be the best idea. She couldn't get information out of anyone if they were on guard against her, after all.

She decided on a partial truth.

“I dreamed that I was part of the Terris, having chosen them as my tribe. I could transform into a beautiful golden bird, with long feathery plumes and a lilting song that could enchant the listeners under a spell of my own creation.

“One day I was flying around, as that bird, listening to the songs of the other birds, snatching berries and bugs to eat, when suddenly a wicked, barbed net was thrown over me. I was pulled from the air, cheeping miserably, unable to free myself.

“When the net was brought to the ground, I lay there, at the feet of my captors, looking into their hard faces for the mercy I hoped to find. Then, as quickly as I dared, I transformed back to my human self, hoping that they would recognize me as a friend. My bird claws turned to feet, my wings into hands, but somehow, my feathers didn't retreat completely. I was on the ground, naked, covered in a robe of gold feathers. The only word I could utter was, 'Help!'

“Instead of helping me, I was enslaved, made to bear the terrible burden of servitude for life. I woke up, shuddering in fear.”

Nikka heard a crash in the kitchen and looked up, hoping that her words had hit one mark, at least.

“What an odd dream,” said Jilli. “Have you any idea what it means?”

“I tend to believe as you do, that it was only a dream. Still, I can not seem to remove it from my mind,” said Nikka.

“Perhaps it is a portent, meant to warn you away from the Terris, my dear. I can not say, for I know not how to interpret dreams, and I hesitate, as a High Council member, to warn you away from any tribe in particular. It
is
strange that you were part of the Terris tribe, I must say. Odd, indeed.”

She finished the last of her supper with the exquisite grace Nikka had come to expect from her, then rising, said, “Well, my dear girl, I must away to my workshop, for I have things to prepare for the next phase of the Initiates' education. One of my many duties.”

With a smile she excused herself and left the room. Nikka finished what she could of her own supper, picking at the fish for a while before giving up. She went upstairs and collapsed across the bed, feeling hopeless, confused and
young
. It wasn't fair. She shouldn't have to make these kinds of decisions or feel this kind of pressure. She was just a girl, after all. Why should she have to bear the burden of being Compis?

A hand grabbed her ankle and yanked, almost pulling her off the bed. She shrieked and rolled over to stop herself from falling to the floor.

“Hush, or Herself will hear us,” said Agga.

“What are you doing in here?” Nikka asked.

“You lied, down there in the dining room,” she said, without preamble. She pulled up Nikka's head with a hand to the chin and looked into her eyes. “What did Iam tell you, pup?”

“I- it was just a dream, Agga. Who is to say that Iam was telling me a thing?”

“What did you dream?”

Nikka lowered her voice to a whisper.

“I dreamed the Roaneu were once seals, living in the ocean and protecting it. I dreamed that they were captured in nets and when brought to the surface transformed into humans. I dreamed that they asked for help, but no one listened. Was it a true dream, Agga? Did Iam send it to me?”

Agga looked at her and shook her head.

“I can not speak of it. This is a dangerous path you set your foot upon, pup. Best for you to turn around and choose something else.”

Nikka stood up, emitting a frustrated huff of breath.

“I can't, Agga. The dream has haunted me since I had it. I can't sleep. I must know, are you prisoners here? Are you
slaves
?” Her voice dropped at the last word, she could barely utter it. Such a word was almost unheard of in the Five Tribes. It was a filthy word and made her feel ill.

“I can not speak of it, pup. Would that I could, would that I could.”

With shuffling steps and not a single backward glance, she left the room, leaving Nikka more confused than ever.

Luka was trying to find the strength to compose another letter to Nikka, but his arms ached with the fatigue of a good day's work. If only it wasn't every day that they ached. A solid week of being mentored to Kanae had been the most rewarding thus far since being chosen for the Terris, but she worked the life out of him.

His days, if he were to have the motivation to write of them to Nikka, went something like this: waking, breakfast, lessons with the other Initiates, a lunch that he scarfed down so he had enough time to carve out his wood block, afternoons and late evenings working with Kanae, supper, and then falling into bed, as he had tonight, having only enough breath left to whisper May's name before passing into a deep sleep.

It was helpful, it kept him from dwelling on his continued existence without a Lumenta. He felt slight consolation that even the other Initiates, who knew their animal family and their specific Lumenta weren't allowed to transform. The tribe had specific rules about the process to transformation, and the first step seemed to be copious amounts of research. Only when each person's mentor was satisfied with their progress, would they be allowed to transform.

“It is a serious thing, when an Initiate makes a failed attempt to transform or connect with the Lumenta inside. There are stories, I have never seen one in my lifetime, but there are cases where the Initiate is stuck as a halfling or dies in utter agony. Your mentors have a grave responsibility to protect you and usher you into your full standing as Inductees. This will be your journey over the next year,” said Duor Hama.

Joah looked disappointed. He'd just learned that his Lumenta was a tawny-hearted field mouse, a small creature that hopped and jumped with nimble feet through the forest, collecting seeds and berries for the long winter sleep. All he talked about now was how much fun it was going to be to run up Grem's pant leg. He leaned toward Luka.

“Just wait, I'll figure out a way to do it early,” he said. He might at that, he was one of the best at memorizing the material the Duor put before him. His mentor doted on him. Joah and his winning personality would gain him what Luka could only wish for. Still, Luka didn't have reason to complain about his circumstances any more.

Kanae seemed to understand what he needed: a steady job to keep his hands busy and no pressure regarding his longing for May or his lack of Lumenta. They got an amazing amount of work accomplished when they worked together, sometimes spending hours in silent partnership. Other times, they finished a few pieces and took a break to polish or refine, chatting the entire time.

Meanwhile, his block of wood had started to take shape. What it would be Luka had no clue, but he was coming around to the idea that it had a long graceful neck and sharp curved claws. Other than that, he had no guesses. He would rather enjoy the process of creation, using the sharp, skewer tool to carve the fine details that came to his fingertips while he worked.

He fell asleep and dreamed of flying and ripping apart prey, but he wasn't a bird, he was
other
.

~~~~~

The next day he sat with Duor Etho, as she once again, worked with him to focus his attention on the beast within, to pinpoint what family his Lumenta was in.

“Close your eyes, Luka, and think of an animal you might use to describe yourself. It can be anything, not even related to your Lumenta. When you were a child, what did you picture for yourself, in play time?”

Her voice was seductive in its talent to relax him through the tenseness in his body. All she had to do was say his name and he felt as though he could do anything. He supposed that was why she had been chosen to help him, rather than Hama, who nice as he was, found himself impatient more often than not.

Luka had never played those types of games a child, he was too busy running around the workshop, playing hide and seek with his parents. At school, they were too busy learning lessons and the Five Tribe's beliefs to play much, and soon he was far too grown up to do such a thing as play pretend.

So instead, Luka thought of his dream, seeing the large golden wings flapping and swishing through the warm air. He remembered the feeling of lightness as he caught the warm current rising in a spiral up through the clouds. Most birds would consider it a trap, but he was strong enough that he had no fear from such a thing as a thermal. Instead, he felt a rush of power as he shot upward, circling and circling as he gazed down at the earth for prey.

In his dream, Luka had realized at once that he was hunting, as his keen eyes searched each blade of grass, each errant branch for the tiny creatures that would make up a midday snack. A movement caught his eye, a small furry creature moving from around a rock near the meadow's edge. He lifted his wings in a sharp V, dove through the air—using his body like a battering ram—and snatched the large rabbit from the ground with a solid thump.

The creature was already insensible, and near death from his attack. It was dead for certain when he ripped his sharp beak through its soft fur and muscle, letting a spray of blood splatter out into the open air. He positioned all four of his feet on the ground, tail twitching, as he devoured the rest of the creature.

“Luka, Luka,” said an insistent voice, breaking him out of his revery, and he opened his eyes to Duor Etho's call.

She was concerned.

“Luka, where were you just now? You were quiet and unresponsive for several minutes. Are you all right?” she asked.

“I think,” he began, and cleared his throat. “I think I might be something that flies.”

Zyander found he was a bit more enthusiastic about his dream journeys after the time he'd had flying. There was nothing like it that he had ever experienced and he envied the Aeris, as well as some of the Terris.

“Do you think I'll ever dream about flying again?” he asked, holding out his arms as though the air would lift him up and send him soaring over the clifftops.

“What a silly kit you are,” she said, with her bark of a laugh. “Today's destination will be more familiar to you than some of the others.”

“Where are we off to?” he asked, as though that might give him a hope of finding out from her.

She didn't reply, but led him through a deep valley, filled with an open meadow and a rushing stream. The sun was almost blinding in the mid-morning light, adding sparkles to the water and the dew that lingered on the tall meadow grasses. He moved a hand to shield his eyes from the glare and suffered through the damp and the endless silence of his companion, who was not as talkative as she had been on the previous occasion.

After a few hours, the valley ended in a crux between two tall mountains. It was a narrow pass, but easily fit a single traveler and a full grown fox. Once again, as he passed through the quiet pathway and gazed up at the tall mountainsides above him, he was filled with the same thought he had when standing on the Cliffs of Iverside—it felt foreign to him.

He wondered if all tribes felt this way toward each other, or if he was unique, given that he had been born into the tribe he'd Inducted into. He thought about attending gatherings and staring at the members of other tribes without being able to imagine what they thought about, and what they did in their everyday lives. Most of the time, he looked at them with bitterness, angry at each well-fed, well-clothed face. It was true, his family had enough, but that was it, only enough. Nothing in reserve, nothing to spare—they had enough to survive, barring calamity.