Narethi Rising – Excerpt

The following excerpt is from the new trilogy I am working on set on a Sorth some 3000 years before the time of Selarial and Alcar. It chronicles the Clan Wars and what came out of it, good and bad.

Narethi Rising

Sengra huddled deeper into the copse of brush as Hesran’s soldiers searched. She stilled her outer mind, laying a covering over her thoughts of the green life about her.  The Sisha wanted to fight, but instinct told her to hide.  The life she was carrying was too precious to throw away. It was sometime before they moved on and she was safe.

They had lost her blood trail, but she had to rebandage her mangled foot before she left this small haven or they would pick up it again. The young life enwombed stirred, her mind beginning to wake.  Sengra had to get to Killian’s Clan Hold before her daughter’s birth. That human would protect what the other sought to destroy. She rested a short while before the sense of urgency drove her from her hiding place to wind a painful way down the mountain.  She kept to as steep a way as she could manage in her condition. At her worst, she was still better in the heights than Hesran’s butchers.

It took two more brief rests before she made it to the foothills. Sengra felt her body weakening with every step. Despair began to creep into her mind, darkening her thoughts. She had lost so much blood. She wouldn’t have the strength to make it. She lay panting on the sun warmed rocks. In her current state, it would be another day of travel to reach the Hold. She didn’t have another day.

“Sisha! What happened?” The voice in her mind was different, strong as the bones of the earth. Dimly, she scented a Runner, one of the other sentient species on their world. One the Sisha had a guarded friendship with.

“Hesran, slaughtered all…Must get to Killian…Must tell…” Her thoughts were as mangled as her foot. She heard rustling and the sound of hoof on rock, but it seemed a far off thing.

“Come! Mount, I will carry you.”

She raised her head to see the Runner had positioned himself next to her. All she had to do was crawl onto his smooth back. She staggered to his side and fell across his back, protecting her cub. She sighed with relief and her world went dark.

 

“Motheeerr!” Lianna’s thought echoed in the courtyard as she ran towards the gate.

The guard was ahead of her, opening the gate and standing aside to allow Merrin to bring in his bloody burden. He swiftly closed the gate and locked it. At the same time, he set off the alarm with a swift mental touch.  The Clan Mother was halfway across the paving before the rest of the clan began to gather.

“Bring her closer to the hall please, Merrin. We need to get her into the infirmary,” Deiadri, the Clan Mother, ordered.

Sengra heard the familiar voice and struggled to lift her head. “Too late, help…cub”

Deiadri heard Killian swearing even as she read the Sisha’s condition.  How in the Light had she made it this far? She swiftly gestured to the guards, the cub was coming now, whether this was a good place or not.  They could at least get her off Merrin’s back. Killian and the guard were gently lifting her off and positioned her comfortably on her side, Killian’s tunic her only padding.

“Lianna, get me an unused ithis pad,” she ordered as she deepened her assessment.  She let her mind sink into Sengra, pouring strength into her friend.

“Deiadri, do not waste your strength. Join with me, my friend.”

Deiadri let her thoughts twine with the Sisha, seeing what the Sisha saw.  More importantly, knowing what the Sisha knew. Killian was at the edges of that mental link and she pulled her husband closer.  He needed to know this.

The memories blossomed in their minds as chaotic scenes from a nightmare.  Hesran’s soldiers had descended on the Sisha clan in the night. It wasn’t clear yet, how Sengra had managed to escape the slaughter, but she was fairly sure no one else had. Sengra sent other information, compressed into a tight bundle that she must have prepared earlier. Then the feline shuddered. She pulled Deiadri with her to surround the tiny cub, soothing, preparing it for entry into the world.

“Clan Mother, accept this little one as your own. Versha will have no other Clan now.”

It wasn’t quite a question, but Deiadri gave the commitment anyway. She allowed her mind to fill with all the compassion she had to give, welcoming the little one at the same time. When the cub instinctively groped for her mother’s mind, she encountered Deiadri entwined with the fading presence of Sengra. Deiadri cushioned the cub’s awareness as Sengra shuddered in one massive contraction. As soon as the cub emerged, Sengra sighed and was still.

Deiadri brushed away tears impatiently. Versha, as Sengra had named her, needed her attention. She looked up and saw Lianna stroking Sengra’s golden head, a look of profound sadness on her face.  The ithis pad was forgotten in her other hand.

“Lianna, I need the pad now.” Deiadri messaged Versha’s ribs, encouraging good strong breaths. Now, she used the rough pad to clean the newborn, mimicking the strokes a Sisha would have used to remove every bit of the birth fluids from her fur.  The contact awakened her mind a little more. Still unformed, the cub’s thoughts broadcast hunger, trying to crawl, mewling piteously.

“Quiet, little one,” she whispered as she gathered the cub in her arms to cradle against her. She looked up at the gathered Clan.

“It appears that we have a new member of the Clan. I take the cub, Versha, as my own daughter.” She looked up at Killian as he helped her to her feet. His mind brushed hers in warm approval.

“Versha is indeed a part of Clan Talmanor.  Let it be recorded,” his voice carried the emotion of the moment to everyone. Then his face hardened. “Everyone who hasn’t already done so, arm yourselves.  It seems Hesran is on the move. Double the watch. Nethal, get on the com and get the word out to the other Clans.” He turned to lay a hand on the Runner’s shoulder. “Merrin, my thanks for your assistance.  I know you need to get back to your patrol, but if you would remain until we digest the information Sengra brought, you can better inform your Chief of what has passed.”

“I will await your council, Clan Lord.” He nodded and went to find some water.

Deiadri smiled tenderly as Lianna peered at the newest member of the family. Her eldest daughter reached out to caress the soft fur. When the gentle touch brushed Versha’s cheek, she mewled louder, turning towards the touch.

“I think she’s hungry mother. What will you feed her?”

“Milk, of course. Avigail will not mind sharing.” Lianna’s mind radiated astonishment, but Deiadri was hearing humor from everyone else. “Child, human and Sisha are not really all that different. Though, I think I’ll be eating a lot more fresh meat for a while.” She reached out to tousle Lianna’s silky hair. “Come, let’s introduce Avigail to her new sister, shall we?”

As they went into the Hold, Killian asked the guard captain to make arrangements for Sengra’s burial. He knew he had Clan duties to attend, but he keenly felt the need to be part of this initial bonding.

When he entered their private rooms, Deiadri was already seated, holding out one arm for her birth daughter. Lianna adored her baby sister and took any opportunity to hold her. Killian stood by his wife’s chair, one hand on her shoulder and looked down at his two very different daughters.

His thoughts were twined with Deiadri’s as the infants nursed. For a timeless moment, all else receded. They joined in projecting love, comfort, and security to them. It was done with care. The mind of an infant was delicate. They let their combined thoughts cradle them like a blanket. Together they extended the shield they had around Avigail’s mind to include Versha. The shield would protect them until they were able to protect themselves. Killian felt the formless thoughts of the two infants beginning to mesh slightly under the mutual parental shield.

“They are trying to link!” Lianna whispered.

Deiadri smiled. “Yes, I think they are. I have heard of twins doing this, but…” She looked up at Killian and he felt all her wonder at that thought.

“So, we’ll be breaking new ground. You are the Clan Mother.” He had never been so proud of his wife, or grateful for her bountiful heart. Killian recalled his duty. “I will leave you to rest. You’re going to have your hands full, I think. I can delay no longer.” With a last caress of thoughts, he went to a corner to tap the information Sengra had paid such a price to bring them.

 

By the time he returned to the main hall, visitors had arrived. Clan Doriath and Clan Ravlien were close enough for their leaders to make the trip quickly. Killian raised a hand to forestall questions.

“My friends, Hesran has made another move on our allies.  He just slaughtered the Sisha Clan Gethrie. Sengra made it out, only because she was already coming to bring us news. Hesran made a spurious clam that the Sisha had been attacking his flocks and used that as an excuse to destroy them.” Killian paused, letting them vent their outrage for a moment.

“What he is really after are the uthreil mines recently discovered in Clan Gethrie’s territory. Sengra gave me the location of the mines and asked me to make sure he has no profit from this act.”

“We had better warn the other races too, Hesran has always wanted human dominance on the planet.  From what your guard said, he’s using those slug casters again, even though the Clans all agreed to outlaw them,” Orlan, Clan Lord of Doraith said. He was the oldest among them and had seen this brewing decades ago. Not that very many had listened. Killian had.

“Killian, what are your plans?” Ferrlis, the new Clan Lord of Ravlien, asked.

“That is part of why I called you. All I have had time to do so far is increase security. I tripled it at the port. I don’t want Hesran interfering with the comstat launch next week. We all need to look to our defenses and probably increase the patrols in the city.” He paused, looking hard at Ferrlis. “I don’t know about you, but I have already told my Clan to stay under arms. You’d be wise to do the same. I have been trying to get All the clans to see reason for a while now. Your sword is the best psychic focus you can have in a fight and you know it. It is not going to reach out and bite someone on its own.”

“Easy, Killian.  It’s not me you have to convince,” Ferrlis protested, “it’s the Clan Mother.”

“I’ll have Deiadri talk to Nalina. If she can’t explain reality to her, no one can.” He grinned. His wife was renowned for a tongue more pointed than any weapon ever forged. She didn’t show that side often.  She didn’t have to.

“The idea of a visit might be enough to convince her.” Ferrlis smiled wryly.

“We need more information on what he’s planning. I propose we send a group of our best scouts in to keep watch and collect information. We can’t actually move on him until we know what he’s set against us,” Killian suggested.

“Wise thought, but let’s not wait long. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want him getting settled into the mines and increasing his arms. Most of my clan is ready to go now.  They have been agitating for something for the past three years,” Orlan said. “What about the non-combatants, after things break?”

Killian smiled. “I had an idea the other day that might work. You know that huge mountain where Deiadri found her talisman?  It happens to have several extensive caves, though the openings are well concealed.  We could house all three of our full clans in there indefinitely if we had to.” He shook his head. “I couldn’t believe it either, even when I saw it.  Some of the galleries are huge. There is a source of fresh water and, with the traces of the crystalline uthreil in the mountain, Deiadri believes the entire thing could be warded so nothing gets through that the Clan Mothers do not allow.”

“I don’t want to hide in a cave, Killian. We need to deal with Hesran, his Clan Kesthian, and the others like him.  You do know there are at least four other Clans that are in agreement with his aims?” Ferrlis said.

Orlan spoke up before Killian could take offense. “I believe what he means is to have a plan to move the non-combatants to the caves for safety.  Otherwise, I can guarantee Hesran will use them as hostages.”

Killian snorted. “You mean he will try. Still, we would be stronger with the little ones safe. I talked with Conlar and all Clan Nabeth agrees, he said.”

“Only what I would have expected.  Who else?” Orlan asked.

“Corrian, Beshuin, and Eduin are with us for certain.” Deiadri said, entering the hall. “Tinaith will most likely come along. Their Clan Mother has been gravely ill and I doubt they will commit until she improves. Most of the other Clans are trying to stay neutral.” Her mouth twisted in a grimace of distaste.

“Greetings, Clan Mother.” Both visitors rose, bowing with fingertips to forehead in formal salute.

Killian rose to take her hands in his, adding a warm brush of his mind against hers. “Are the girls asleep then?”

She smiled. “They are curled up together and I don’t think an alarm would wake them.”

“Two? You have twins?” Ferrlis blurted out and then ducked his head.

Killian answered for her, his voice full of sadness and pride. “Sengra died even as she gave birth to Versha. Deiadri took her as our own. Avigail seems pleased to have a sister.”

“Lords, dinner is almost ready. Can the rest of this discussion wait?”

They agreed with such speed, Killian suspected they had already missed one meal today. “I think we were about done with planning until we get more information anyway.”

 

Later that evening, he linked with Deiadri to share the events of the day.  They found the added perspective of sharing memories frequently made things clearer.

“Having everyone trained in arms is the right thing to do, love.  Nalina will come around. I’ll talk to her tomorrow. If I show her what happened to Clan Gethrie she’ll understand, finally.”

“You’d link with her?”  Killian’s mind radiated surprise.  That was seldom done outside one’s family unless you were talking with one of the other races. Sisha could not manage human speech any better than humans could speak theirs.

“I have been thinking lately, that if we did that more often, there would be a lot less misunderstandings between clans.” She brought him into the thought process, and the idea expanded to breathtaking proportions. They saw it had barely comprehensible consequences for their world. Deiadri felt her talisman grow warm where it lay on her breast. Not yet, maybe not even in her lifetime, but a time would come when mind links were the most common form of communication. She had no idea how she knew this. Killian gazed at her talisman in wonder as it glowed, pulsing with the beat of her heart.

“How?”

“Clan Mothers occasionally have these insights, though this is the first time it’s happened to me. Let’s take that training idea a step farther, Killian.  We have Deeclan of Nabeth already improving the way we shield to work against different types of weapons. I think we should start training everyone, especially the young, in further development of these gifts.”

“I know you aren’t proposing the kind of evil explorations Hesran and his ilk are doing, so what do you mean?”

“I’m still trying to think it through, love. There are a lot of things we already know how to do, but we have relied on tech too often instead of practicing our gifts.  I know we can keep a passive psychic guard on any perimeter, even a camp.  If Clan Gethrie had done that, they wouldn’t now lie dead. We know how to use the dar crystals to enhance communications, even in the comstats. So why not use them between individuals for secure links, like between scouts?”

Killian mulled over the idea, looking for holes in her logic. “It would take discipline.”

“And the arts of war do not?”  Insistent hungry thoughts intruded into their rapport. A second later, the thoughts doubled.  They both burst out laughing.

“Well, I guess I’m not going to get a nap after all. We’ll talk to the Clan at breakfast about it. Get some sleep, love.”