Liquid Diamond (29 page)

“
Me too,” said Catalyst and cleared a small spot for a fire. Digging through the fitsall and coming up with only dried meats and fruits, Natalia just looked at Catalyst and shook her head.

“
We don't have anything in here we can cook,” said Natalia, handing him a piece of dried fruit.

“
Natalia, look around you – we're in the middle of a forest. What would you want that dried up old stuff for when we have all the fresh meat we could eat all around us?” asked Catalyst as he pulled out his rope dart.

“
I won't be long. Just wait right here,” he said as he headed off to find something to roast over a fire.

“
Don't be too long, Catalyst,” pleaded Natalia, afraid of being alone after all the freaks she had been surrounded by lately.

#

Sitting and tending the fire she had built, Natalia waited for Catalyst to return. Suddenly a twig snapped behind her and the dead body of a Marm landed between her feet. Natalia almost jumped out of her skin.

“
It’s always something with you, isn’t it?” She thought it was Catalyst playing games with her and turned to smack him.

“
Arrrggg!” screamed Natalia as she stood face to withered, infected face with the Elf. She saw right into his empty eye socket that was now cracked and oozing pus. She backed away slowly with the Elf matching her step for step. As he held his hands out, Natalia could see small drops of pus dripping from his two missing nails and one finger tip. She knew she had nowhere to run.

“
Thought you could outsmart me did you, little girl? Thought you were so funny getting me to chase that little rodent of yours, didn't you, little girl? Well there's your pet’s dead body, like so many of mine, little girl. Go ahead pick it up, you’re going to eat it out of your hand or off the ground, it won't matter to me!” seethed the Elf as his rage vibrated through the air.

“
What do you want from us, Bailey?” asked Natalia, trying to stand her ground.

“
Ah, so you know my name. Do you also know that the Clique are well aware of everything you’re doing, thanks to their spy,” gloated the old Elf as he moved closer.

Not knowing what to say, Natalia stood there searching for a face in her memory that she had seen in more than one place.

“
That's right, little girl, they know you and that pathetic Krusnik are trying to get back the crystals they stole,” continued the Elf, taking one step closer to Natalia.

“
So there really is a Clique. I thought for sure you were lying and it was just a bunch of inept apes out here running amok. That pathetic Krusnik and I have beaten you more than once!” said Natalia mockingly, hoping to find out more about this spy and trying to buy time until Catalyst returned.

“
You won't be making fun of them or me much longer, little girl. They know you know about their fortress in Ghost Mountain and they know the two of you are trying to get there,” said the Elf with a grim smile, knowing full well when he set out after them all the Clique knew was that two kids were looking for the crystals.

“
If that's true, then why did they send you? Why have someone so incompetent to do their work?” asked Natalia as she backed away, moving in circles around her fire.

“
Oh at first you were the cost of my freedom from the Gallows, then when I saw you, you became a meal that I just could not say no to. Now you’re an act of pure vengeance,” replied the Elf as he wiped the drool from his chin at the thought of boiling her alive.

As the Elf tauntingly kept pace with Natalia, Catalyst quietly watched from a branch above them. He waited with rope dart in hand and when Natalia was in the right position, Catalyst threw the dart past her and into the right foot of the Elf. He stopped as tears ran down his face.

“
Well at least now you have your rope dart back!” yelled Catalyst mocking the Elf. He dropped off the branch, ripping half of the Elf’s right foot off.

“
Run, Natalia!” yelled Catalyst as he slammed the dart on the ground to free it of the Elf. Natalia took Catalyst by the arm as she ran past him, dragging him up and over and through the roots. He was happy to follow her for a while.

As the sound of the Elf’s wailing faded, Natalia slowed her run to a fast walk.

“
So, Catalyst, did you find us any meat?” asked Natalia.

“
No, I heard the Elf coming and had to turn back. I waited for him to find you,” replied Catalyst calmly.

“
What? Why would you do that? You used me as bait! Why?” said Natalia, shocked.

“
Look, I knew he was coming. I also knew we needed to stop him once and for all. I knew if he saw you sitting there all alone he would feel more in control and would let down his guard. Believe me, he waited for a long time before he was even ready to try and grab you. I know because I waited a long time as I watched him. I never left you alone, Natalia, I just needed a clear shot at him,” explained Catalyst without apology.

“
Bait,” said Natalia understanding his reasoning while she rolled her eyes. She said nothing more because she knew she might have done just the same, but it didn't make her feel any better.

“
S,” whispered Catalyst as he took his rope dart in hand.

“
What now?” thought Natalia as she and Catalyst crouched behind a tree.

Peeking around the tree with Natalia looking over his shoulder, Catalyst now had their dinner in his sights and that alone made her feel better.

“
Mmmm, fresh meat,” whispered Natalia.

There was not enough room to wind up the rope dart, so Catalyst removed the dart from the rope, stood up and stepped out from behind the tree. He let the dart fly and with a single throw he had their meal.

“
Now we have dinner,” said Catalyst to a now-smiling Natalia as he went to bring back the kill.

“
What do call this thing, Catalyst?” asked Natalia, knowing full well it was a goat.

“
It's a zajeci,” replied Catalyst.

Natalia thought about all the times she had been on school trips to farms and how she never minded spending her thirty-rouble allowance on goat pellets so she could feed them. Now one of them could return the favour.

“
I don't know what you’re smiling at, Natalia. These things are very dangerous creatures,” said Catalyst, trying to sound all manly.

“
I'm smiling at their name,” replied Natalia, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

#

Having passed out from the pain and loss of blood, the Elf started coming around. He had almost half a foot missing and was still bleeding. The Elf had enough sense to know he needed to stop the flow of blood or die. He looked around for anything to wrap the wound with but found nothing. Seeing the red hot embers still burning from Natalia’s fire, the Elf hobbled over to the fire and with a deep breath shoved his foot straight into the middle of the coals.

With the smell of burning flesh rising through the air and the searing pain of cauterizing his wound, the Elf let out a harrowing cry as he fell to the ground. He tore off a piece of his pant leg to wrap his foot in and then cried out twice as loudly because he now realized he could have wrapped his foot with that instead of cauterizing it. Ashamed of his own stupidity the Elf hung his head, grinding his teeth while hissing and spitting as he cursed the names of Natalia and Catalyst.

“
I swear by all I own, by all I am, by my life at my own hands, those children will die by this day's end.”

Standing up on one foot, stumbling from one tree to the next, the Elf followed the footprints of Catalyst and the scent of Natalia’s perfume with only the thoughts of vengeance screaming in his mind.

#

“
You know, Natalia, we're not far from the edge of this forest now. These zajeci only come in here for shelter from the heat or to hide from danger,” said Catalyst as he and Natalia sat waiting for their dinner to finish roasting.

“
Danger? Like us?” asked Natalia as her tummy rumbled.

“
Anyway, if this thing is here, then we're not far from getting out of this place – that is my point,” said Catalyst.

“
We'll keep moving after we've eaten,” replied Natalia as she ripped two pieces of the zajeci off for her and Catalyst.

After eating all they could, Natalia threw some dirt on what was left of their fire and led the way. Catalyst followed behind and moving four times faster than the Elf could hobble, Natalia eventually found a nice quiet place for them to sleep.

With the Elf raging behind them and not willing to wait until the morning to hunt them down, he stumbled on through the night until he came upon their fire pit and leftover zajeci.

Eating what he could from the prey of his prey, the Elf ate his fill. Every bite tasted like a punch in the mouth. As he ate their discarded scraps he could only continue to seethe and rage like a child that was only ever given hand-me-downs. Finally exhausted by his plight, the Elf fell asleep with a mouthful of zajeci seeping from his lips.

#

When the sun rose the next morning, Catalyst woke feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead. As she lay there, Catalyst stood looking and giggling at her.

“
Shut up, Catalyst, I'm awake,” said Natalia giggling with him.

“
When you’re done resting from resting, perhaps you wouldn't mind helping me pack this place up so we can get moving. I for one am sick of this whole place, your highness,” joked Catalyst as Natalia lay right where she was.

“
Should I lead the way again?” asked Natalia, handing Catalyst her blanket for the fitsall which was half of their small camp.

“
Why not?” replied Catalyst, pointing in the direction they had been heading the night before. To Natalia’s surprise, she had led them just twenty feet short of the edge of the forest and in less than thirty seconds they were out.

Turning to laugh at Catalyst, Natalia stopped dead in her tracks. They had been spotted by a huge Basajaunak that was now running straight for them.

“
Wait! Wait!” yelled the Basajaunak as he crossed the field in less than a minute.

“
Have either of you seen a spotted zajeci around here?” asked the goat herder as he looked at Catalyst.

“
No,” replied Natalia, swallowing a gulp, knowing full well that they had enjoyed it for dinner the night before.

“
Really? Then why do you look so worried?” asked the Basajaunak as he looked at Natalia with great suspicion.

“
Because you’re scaring me,” replied Natalia as she let a few fake tears flow from her eyes.

“
Well, I'm sorry, I don't mean to do that,” replied the Basajaunak in a soft tone of voice, at least for him.

“
You know now I come to think of it, I think I might have seen one in the woods last night,” said Catalyst pointing back in the direction they had come from.

“
Thank you,” replied the Basajaunak as he sprinted off into the woods.

“
Look there, Natalia – Ghost Mountain. Now let's get moving before he comes back,” said Catalyst dragging Natalia with him one more time.

As the Basajaunak followed the clear trail left by the children, he soon came upon a sleeping Elf with his zajeci oozing down his filthy chin.

“
What have you done?” screamed the Basajaunak as he kicked Bailey awake.

“
I swear it wasn't me. There are these two children that cause nothing but trouble everywhere they go. What are you talking about anyway, beast?” demanded the Elf, realizing he had no idea what was going on.

Angered by the Elf, the Basajaunak grabbed him off his feet and pointed to what was left of his zajeci.

“
What did you do?” demanded the Basajaunak one more time.

“
I swear it was them. I found it just like this,” pleaded the Elf with his eye opened so wide it looked as though it would pop right out of his head.

“
A likely story – blame a couple of children! Well it's dead now, so you’re going to finish eating it,” said the Basajaunak as he started shoving one handful after another down the throat of the Elf. When every last bite was gone the Basajaunak threw the Elf hard against a tree and walked out of the woods. Coming to his senses, the Elf started after his prey once again.

CHAPTER NINE

GHOST MOUNTAIN

Natalia and Catalyst crossed the grassy field between the forest and mountain, and hid in the crevice of a boulder at the base of the mountains.

“
Let's just wait here for a few minutes and catch our breath,” said Catalyst as he kept an eye out for the herder.

“
Sure,” replied Natalia breathing just fine. She wanted to stay away from the huge Basajaunak as well.

“
What are you doing on my mountain?” shrieked the spirit of a woman long dead as she passed through the boulder shielding Natalia and Catalyst. They jumped back in fear.

“
I hardly think it's your mountain. Natalia, put your glasses on,” said Catalyst. He realized who/what it was they were now talking to, as he pointed to the thousands of spirits that filled the sky and flew into, through and around the top of the mountain.