Page 13 of Tiger's Trek
He wiped a tear from his eye. “I’ve been spending too much time with Kadam. Anyway, this one is just on loan, my dear. I’m expecting it back, understand. And mind you, don’t scratch yourself with it. I’d have a difficult time reattaching you to your body if you did.”
“Reattaching me to my...” Stacia hadn’t even suspected there’d been a weapon hidden inside the walking stick let alone imagined the man would readily hand it over to her. Taking the offered weapon with only a shadow of the diplomatic smile her mother would have preferred, Stacia quickly found the catch that hid the spear point. After practicing using it a few times and hefting its weight, shifting it from palm to palm, she recovered her manners and nodded. “Thank you.”
“Take good care of it. You’ll need it.” The easy manner in which the stranger warned her caused her to frown anew.
“You’re the man from the cave,” Zakhar said. “You brought us here, didn’t you?”
“Very astute. Yes. I did. It’s my first time acting as a guide. How am I doing so far? Kadam thought it would be a good idea.”
You’re the White Shaman, Iriko said.
“I thought we went over that already. Don’t you have any better questions than that?”
Stacia echoed, “The White Shaman? Where are we? Why have you brought us here?”
“That’s a better question. You’re in your dreamworld. The one Kadam and I created for you.”
“Youcreated?” Zakhar probed.
“Yes. Well, with the help of the tigers, of course.”
The tiger kept coming to me in my dreams, Iriko replied.
“Of course he did. The tigers test you. Your job is to?—”
“Pass their tests and wisely rule...” Zakhar interrupted as he hurriedly shuffled through papers.
“That’s right,” the shaman said gleefully, clapping the young priest on the back. “It sounds like you know what to do, so I’ll just head on back to my cave. Best of luck to all of you. I hope you all survive.”
“Hold on there,” Stacia said, blocking the shaman’s exit with his own staff. “You need to give us more information than that.”
The old man sighed, shook out his robes, and sat down by a log. “Very well. At least bring me some of that nice venison, will you? I’m quite famished. Creating dreams this complicated takes quite a lot of energy, you know.”
“I’m sure,” Stacia said, flicking open the spear point and using it to carve off a nice hunk of meat. She tossed some to Iriko, who caught it and downed it in one swallow and then began hacking off another section.
“Hey!” the White Shaman groused. “That spear isn’t a steak knife, I’ll have you know. It’s very sensitive. Take care of it, and it will take care of you.”
“It is taking care of me. It’s taking care of my hunger. Yours too, if I’m not mistaken. Here.” Stacia handed the man a steaming portion of meat wrapped in a piece of Zakhar’s precious parchment, knowing he, too, would complain about his resources being used in such a fashion. But when she swiped a piece of paper from under his inkpot, he not only said nothing, but he also didn’t even make eye contact. In fact, when she handed him a piece of meat and thanked him for the use of his parchment, he only grunted his thanks, was obvious about avoiding physical contact with her, and only ate half his portion. Apparently, he’d already eaten plenty, as his not-hungry belly wasn’t what was ailing him.
When they were all eating, or at least still nibbling on the delicious roasted meat, with only the fire to stave off the evening chill, the shaman began telling them about a dangerous quest. As he spoke, the night grew darker, clouds covered the moon, and the air grew thick with mist. The three young people weren’t sure if it was the chill in the air or a sense of foreboding that made them draw closer together as they listened.
Chapter4
THE HORSE OF HOPE MAY GALLOP, BUT THE ASS OF EXPERIENCE WALKS CAUTIOUSLY
Nik was in a near panic as he searched for Veru. He hadn’t felt as desperate when she’d been lost and trapped in tiger form. At least then he knew she was unlikely to be mauled by wild beasts. If she woke up in human form like Stacia, without weapons or armor, she’d need him. It might even be possible she’d be stuck up in a tree like Iriko—helpless and blind. She’d need someone to lean on. Someone to be her eyes. She’d need her friend and longtime companion.
As his feet pounded the ground at blinding speed, his body swaying around obstacles, his eyes searching for something, anything that looked out of place in the trees, his mind stamped out the repeated chant:She needs me, she needs me, she needs me. The thought of seeing her again in human form, her arms open to embrace him, the tears of gratitude shining on her cheeks, thrust him over mountains and through valleys. He even ran across a wide lake without stopping or sinking. Such was his drive to find her.
When darkness fell, he ran by the light of the stars and the moon. Finally, finally, his body gave out. There was nothing left inside him to keep him going. He was hungry, drained. Even his fierce desire to be the one to save his tsarevna wasn’t enough. As he slowed, the countryside, which had been nothing more than a blur of color around him, came into focus, and he stopped by a large tree and bent over with his hand against the trunk, trying to catch his breath.
Only then, when his own gasping quieted, did he realize he heard the steady breathing of someone else. Rounding the large tree trunk, he discovered a tiny man nestled between the great roots of the tree, his little hands pressed together, tucked against his cheek as he snored. Nik crouched down beside him and saw the man had a knapsack. He wondered if the man carried any food, and if he might be willing to share it with a stranger.
For a moment, Nik thought it would be smarter if he just left the man alone and kept looking for Veru, or at least began heading back to Zakhar, Stacia, and Iriko. He had a good sense for magic, and this man had something of magic about him. Nik was certain of it. He’d escaped death from magical beings enough times to know it was foolish, but his growling stomach told him he needed to press forward regardless.
Clearing his throat loudly, Nikolai Novikov said, “Excuse me, good sir. I was wondering if you might have some food to spare for a stranger. I can pay you back, if you’ll let me. I have friends close by, and they have various skills in hunting and so forth. It’s just that I have to find them, you see, and to do that, I need food.”
The man kicked and groaned, then turned over, waving his hand as if trying to shoo Nik away.
