Chapter 191: Rendezvous
Below the tree huts, Felix stood around with Nyitzcha and the elves patiently standing around ankle deep in water. Spi'Reto whistled loudly, greeting one of the elves with a friendly wave as the gondola began to descend.
"Dat wus some hunt." Grumbled Nyitzcha, clinging onto Felix's backside. "Got me armed an' ready t'see sum action."
"You jumped back and screeched like a fawn when that slime belched." Sans snickered, slinging her bow around her arm. "And ye can't even stand in shallow waters without drowning."
"Dwarves don't make for good rangers," No'Vak stated, with Sans nodding in agreement. "Short legs, short reach, short temper."
Felix shot them a look, nudging the tall elf in the arm. "Aren't we supposed to be friends here?"
"Allies, not friends," Sans added, pointing an arrowhead against his chest. "You humans are who started this mess, don't you forget."
"Shut it!" Spi'Reto spun around, shooting looks between them. "Compose yourself. Save that temper for the battle, you two."
Felix adjusted himself, hearing Nyitzcha huff behind him. The gondola sunk into the water as it arrived, waiting for them to hop aboard before the ropes pulled them back up. They stood around awkwardly waiting, with Nyitzcha slipping off Felix's back and landing on her boots, waiting until the platform settled into the bottom tree hut. A pair of elves working the mechanism stepped in and locked the gondola in place. Several cat girls were lounging around beside the nearest rope bridge, gazing below and gossiping when their ears perked up. They turned over and lit up with smiles, waving at the group just as they passed by.
Felix raised his brows as the same cat girls stopped him halfway to greet him.
"Hi! Um, you're the humie who save my friends the other night, yes?" She asked, rocking front and back with her paws behind her.
"Er, yea I-I suppose." He wondered where this was going when she leaned in and pecked him on the cheek. He froze, watching her blush in return as her two friends snickering behind her.
"That was for saving my sisters. I thought they were gone until you came in. Thanks, mister." She batted her brown eyes before running off, her two friends chasing after her in a fit of giggles.
"Um," Felix reached up, tracing the kiss on his cheek with the tip of his fingers. "Okay."
"I think they like you." Spi'Reto teased, slipping to his side. "I never got a kiss for rescuing any of them. Though I suppose it would be awkward coming from them."
"Why is that?"
"Can you lot git movin' already?" Nyitzcha demanded, pushing the two from behind. "Jist wanna git back to me lot and rest up."
"Right, sorry." Spi'Reto said as they got moving.
Just as they arrived at the central interconnected hut, they dispersed. Nyitzcha waved at Felix before retreating to her hut, while Spi'Reto and his friends slipped off their own path. Felix traveled a few huts over, wondering where his friends were as he leaned over the edge, squinting across the other huts.
"Felix, you're back!" Syri caught him by surprise, skipping over and greeting him with a hug from behind. One sniff and she recoiled away, pinching her nose. "Ew, and you stink."
"It gets hot down there." He said with a weak smile, "Good to see you. How were things here?"
"It was okay, you should see Reta! What about you, I thought you were hurt." She commented, reaching around to inspect him from behind, admiring the elvish hunting attire he wore. "You were struck by a few bolts to the back and then you go off to join some hunt? Look at you, is my sister's mate training to be a future Ranger?"
Felix chuckled and shook his head. "No, not at all. It fits rather snug around the waist."
"Catch any monsters down there?" She asked, planting her paws behind her with a curious look.
"A few. Um, did you know slimes can morph themselves to look like animals?"
She blinked absently in return. "C-Come again?"
"We found a deer that... n-nevermind. Where's Janette?"
"Up watching Reta play teacher."
"Teacher?" He repeated, looking puzzled.
His friend laughed in amusement, grabbing his hand. "Oh you've got to see this! Come on."
"Slow down though," He whined, begrudgingly being dragged away to the meeting hut further several interconnected tree huts away. "My feet are killing me."
"You're not going to be a good Ranger like that."
"Who said I'm trying to be a Ranger?" He countered, his eyes widening as they arrived. "What is this?"
Syri didn't respond, instead waving her paw over to address the large crowd of elves and cat girls gathered around. He squeezed his way through to the front, finding Reta observing over three cat girls as they repeated the same forward jab.
"Again!" She shouted.
"Nyah~!" The girls yelled in unison, doing a forward kick when Reta approached the girl in the middle.
"Spread your legs further apart, plant them firmly. Keep your balance above all us, or a simple kick well send yourself falling back." She instructed, looking up and locking eyes with Felix. She froze. "Ah, you're back."
"You're... teaching. Them." He said calmly, walking around and gazing at the crowd. "You're teaching them now?"
"Is that a problem?" Hissed Reta.
"Oh no, not at all! Just... shocked, really."
"Good." She clapped her hands. "We'll resume this tomorrow. You're all dismissed."
To their surprise, none of the cat girls complained and exited the hut in lines. Alma sat against the hut wall, watching the others leave and raising her brow once her eyes settled on Felix.
Syri spun around to face him. "Janette's at her hut taking a nap. I'll let her know you're back."
He nodded as she took her leave, looking back as Alma stood up and brushed her legs.
"You're in good health, wounds healing well I hope?" She asked.
"Well enough." He shrugged, peaking over at Reta as she idly spun a wooden doll around.
"Rest up. We'll rendezvous at my hut come nightfall. We have much to discuss." She said before walking past him.
Felix waved her by, left alone with Reta as she sat down on a wooden stool with a hand massaging her thigh.
"Leg not healing well?"
"It'll pass." She looked at him. "How did the hunt fair?"
"We killed a slime that morphed into a deer."
"Hm, would make for a good sport."
"Sport is not how I would describe it." He exhaled, leaning over the balcony guard and sniffing under his arm. "Gods, I need a wash. Maybe those Healing Waters would do the trick. A fresh bath and a cure to sore feet."
"I doubt they would permit that." Spoke Reta. "You are not too sore for tomorrow, are you?"
"Far from that. All this waiting around, it's not for me."
Reta sighed, leaning her head against the wall as he sat by her.
"So, you're teaching them Genki?"
"Self-defense." She clarified through a tired breath. "Genki would take days that we cannot spare."
"Fuck, I'm tired." He chuckled, leaning against her. "Carry me to bed?"
Reta smiled before nudging him off. "I'm the one with a wounded leg, you should be carrying me."
"Want me to?"
"No." She answered quickly, begrudgingly standing on her feet and stepping toward their hut. "My eyes grow heavy."
"Coming right behind you." He urged, following her inside.
"Thank you for coming in short notice."
Janette brushed the curtain aside, slowly stepping inside the large hut. She scanned around, spotting the numerous bows and artifacts plastered around the walls. "Yea, no problem. Nice collection you have here."
Alma raised her head, walking around the small table at the end of her room. The hut was structured differently from the others; it resembled more of a cone shape rather than the cylindrical form that the majority of huts shared. That said, numerous hooks kept the stylized bows secured in place, with the widest one draped in leather binds. But some artifacts resembled statues, small wooden carvings depicting a beautiful woman wearing a crown of fauna with vines draped around her shoulders, covering her breasts. A small curtain wrapped around her waist like a skirt, with her bare feet stepped in the dirt surrounded by grass. She was shown kneeling down, caressing a blossoming flower that sprouted off the ground in a large stem.
"Cute." She added, giving Alma a glance and hovering her hand over the carving. The mother elf nodded back, letting her rotate the figure in her hands before placing it back. "So, how can I help?"
"Actually, it's your bird that I would like to address."
"Vardare?" She asked, reaching into her satchel. "What for?"
Alma leaned over and displayed the same map they had marked the day before. She tapped her finger over the tower image at the center of the map. "What we achieved will not be enough to turn things around. We couldn't rescue the others, but we succeeded in getting Syri back. That paired with our attack will provoke a response from his forces."
"You're saying they'll try and search for us here? What's preventing them from using their collared cats to find you before?"
"Those collars." She stated, "Ask Vardare, he should know."
Janette hesitated but took out her book and laid it open on the table. "Vardare, we need you."
In a matter of seconds, the pages flipped over in fast succession as the words began to melt and swirl together. Droplets of ink levitate off the pages, taking shape of the familiar owl before Vardare spread his wings gracefully.
"Oof!" He whined, stretching his back and pecking his wing feathers. "If I could gain a new body to walk freely without the constraints of my spirit tethered to that script, it would be most appreciated. How may I be of service?"
"Tell her about the collars." Alma ordered.
"Well, good evening to you too madam." Vardare grumbled, adjusting the monocle over his eye and wiping his beak. "The collars are a recent invention of his and are not supplied in greater quantities yet."
"Yet?" Janette repeated, feeling her heart sink.
"Only a handful have been produced before his departure. His men were given orders to produce more in his absence."
"How many does he have now?" She asked, watching him wrinkle his brow in uncertainty. "What?"
"Erm, there appears to be the main issue there. I have obtained Perdilius' memories, but only to the extent of the night he held me near your home. Anything he learns today are memories that I do not have access to."
"So, your ability has its limitations." Alma sighed, sinking down on her chair. "Do you happen to know about the whereabouts and safety of my tribe scattered around Faehorn?"
The owl dropped his feathered head in response.
"I see." She combed her vibrant red hair back, dragged her hands down her face, and release an exasperated sigh. "When we needed to send word to the rest of the tribe, Zimi volunteered. I thought we had lost her until yesterday."
"You can't risk sending someone out there. W-We don't even know if they're safe or not, these other tribe members of yours." Janette stuttered, her bottom lip quivering as she began pacing around the room. "Do they have Nekomata with them as well?"
"We are positioned near the southern segment of Faehorn. The nearest spot would be further north from the mountain pass. They have several Nekomata families with them, but we hold the largest here."
"Well then what can we do? Did you want us to send that message for you?"
Alma shook her head. "Not without one of our own joining you. Do recall the hostility you were treated with when we first met. They might kill you on sight believing that you work for Perdilius. Some of our tribesmen wish to continue attacking these forts. Vardare, do you happen to know any other locations that may hold prisoners?"
"I'm sorry madam, but Perdilius wasn't aware of that information before. I could make a few educated guesses-"
"No need." She dragged her finger past the mountains before landing on the largest fort before arriving to the city. "This is where the mountain pass leads. Emyri and her two daughters will surely be held at the tower."
"I can verify that many Nekomata are held prisoner there." Chimed in Vardare.
Alma nodded in return. "That leaves us with little choice. We need to send word for the remaining tribe to gather together."
"So who are you going to send?" Asked Janette when the curtain drew back as Reta stepped in with a yawn and a slight limp. Felix rubbed his eyes as he kept pace behind her, scanning around before looking at Alma.
"Slept in, where are the others?" He asked.
"I only asked for you three tonight." Alma explained, sitting at her table.
"She wants to send a messenger to the nearest camp of their High Leaf tribe members." Janette explained in a quick summary.
He turned to Alma. "We're not attacking another of his camps? That bear girl Nukka looked like she was eager to join."
"She'll need to wait for now. The first camp housing cat girls took us by surprise, and we do not know where to find the other prisoners."
"We can just attack the next camp and find out. I'm sure some of them would be willing to talk with a large bear threatening them."
Alma kept her hand on her desk, drumming her fingers along the wooden surface. "Be that as it may, I am reluctant to lead a second attack so soon. They will be on high alert, boosting their defenses and warning Perdilius of our activities. They know about us, but not where to find us. If we attack the next closest camp, we will only be cluing them into our location."
Felix took a seat and hunched forward, his eyebrows clenched together as he gave it some thought.
Alma then waved her hand to address Reta. "You are formidable, but the wound on your leg has hindered your mobility."
"Much as it pains me to admit... it would be unwise to insist on joining the next attack in my current state." Reta looked down, eyeing her thigh wrapped in binds.
"Besides, the girls would appreciate your stay. They seem eager to learn more from you." She smiled, looking back at Janette and Felix. "We'll need to send word to our nearest camp, have them inform the others to rendezvous. The eclipse happens in under two weeks. Janette, we need to talk about Syri."
Janette raised her brow. "What about?"
Alma sighed. "I think it is best that she is sent away for now."
"What, you just said sending Zimi allowed her to get captured. We don't even know if that camp is there or taken."
"I am not suggesting we send her away to that camp." She clarified, "First we send a messenger group to confirm, then we consider transporting Syri there."
"Why?" Asked Felix.
Alma breathed in. "North of Faehorn lies the heart of the forest that can be accessed by their camp. If it remains safe, then Syri would be protected best there."
"She won't go there." He argued, "She won't like the idea of splitting up."
"Do we have to send her away?" Argued Janette. "She's fine here, and she said before that she refuses to leave. What's wrong with her staying here?"
"As I said, the heart of the forest offers greater protection then we can. Splitting her away would make her more resistant, but not if you join her." Alma countered, much to everyone's surprise.
Janette stepped back. "Me? Why?"
"You two are close, I don't see why not. But we are planning ahead, we need to send a scout to verify the northern camp first."
"Why not do both?" Asked Felix. "I want to keep fighting, and we have enough numbers to send a scouting group. Spi'Reto could go instead."
Alma frowned. "I'm not keen at the idea of sending my son down the same path where Zimi disappeared."
"Then we'll do both. We'll form a group to journey north, then split up and let them go there way while we scout one of Perdilius' camps."
"You're eager for some action." Alma frowned, "But it's to be expected I suppose. No frontal assault. We can't afford one with the minimal numbers at our state. Just scouting, observe then report. Understand?"
He nodded in agreement. She waved her hand, dismissing everyone as they stood up to leave.
Just as Janette reached for her book, Vardare lifted his wing to stop her. "Er, perhaps I can be allowed to spend the night outside this time around? You know, gaze at the stars and such?"
"You're not going to be hooting all night, are you?" She joked, gently closing the book as he landed on her shoulder. "Of course, you can stay out. It's no bother to me."
He hooted and nuzzled up to her. Alma rubbed her temple, leaning over her desk as Felix stayed behind.
"Something the matter?" She asked.
"I should be asking you that." He paused, "When we departed the other day, you can see the city from here."
"You want to ask about the portion of the city burning in green flame?" She caught on quick, "Do not go there. Ever. Don't ask about it, do not think about it. Anything that ventures through there is lost, anything."
Felix shifted uncomfortably. "What is it?"
She looked up, glaring at him. "It's called the Valley of Death, that is all you need to know. Go now. Speak nothing of this to anyone."
He stared back, reluctant before exiting her hut. The mother elf slumped back in her chair, gazing down at the map in front of her. She paused and looked up, stricken by that familiar decorated long bow mantled at the wall.
The soldiers grunted heavily before setting down the last cage and wiping the sweat off their brow. Mesa held a torch in hand, illuminating the space they took in the forest as they stuck out from the cover of darkness this late at night.
Raz crossed his arms, observing the men stand by and ready. "You're sure this is a good idea? Doesn't feel right, what if they backtrack?"
"If they do, then we shoot them on sight and try a different route." Mesa answered, climbing on her horse. "We won't know until we try. Set them loose!"
The soldiers nodded back, removing the latch on the cages before prying the doors open. They scurried off, jumping onto their horses and rushing back to camp. Mesa smirked before following behind, with Raz keeping in pace with her.
They had abandoned a number of cages deep in the forest in the middle of the night. A long, jagged black limb stepped out, accompanied by another as it crawled forward, revealing itself to be a large black spider with dark red features across its abdomen. It paused before being joined by its siblings, each one stepping out from their cages.
And then, they slipped deeper into the forest. Some of them crawled under thick roots on the ground, others crawled up the trees before disappearing in the dark.