Snippet 3

Giant Slayer

Counter stumped through the new warren, feeling every bit of his advanced age. It was getting there though, one day at a time. He paused to let some younglings pass and then kept moving.

There were vertical movers but one was in use and the other was loading so he elected to take the stairs. It was hard on his old knees but the cane helped.

His free hand touched the polished railing as he took the steps up to the top of the tree.

The new warren was centered around the thunker tree that had offered his people refuge during their moment of crisis. Within the tree the Roo people had found temporary shelter against the weather, predators, and the giants who had attacked their old home with poison fog.

Now, thanks to the surviving diggers it was extending outward. They had gone out under the surface initially, splaying out in tunnels in all directions before going deeper to get below the frost line before the cold snap.

The diggers had achieved it. They had found an old stomper skeleton to help with their efforts. He had just come from touring that area in his rounds.

As he went higher, the air grew colder. He pulled the shawl tighter over his shoulders. His fur had thickened in the cold but he was old. The cold seemed to seep into him more and more as each cold season began.

The climb was good for him, and the view was refreshing. He enjoyed that there were fewer Roo as he climbed; most had moved into the tunnels and were huddled in the cramped quarters underground. Many of the oldsters were trying to hibernate. Some of the very old who had survived had passed away in their sleep. He worried about the additional loss of that precious knowledge.

Perhaps it was for the best though, the old ideas giving way to new fresh ones that might keep them alive, he thought as he saw Tinker in his workshop. He passed the open door and kept going.

When he got to the lookout point, he nodded to the sentries there and then looked out, sniffing his air and feeling his eyes slit from the bitter wind chill. He wouldn’t remain there long; he didn’t want to catch a chill. But he did like it now. Funny, he hadn’t before. He’d hated being exposed to the outside. Now it was nice; the smells were better than the crush of bodies below.

He took his time to look about them, nodding to each of the sentries. They nodded back politely.

At each of the four corners, he stopped. They were marked by the directions. One was to the east and the rising sun, opposite that the west and setting sun. The north was marked with an arrow pointing to the North Star and the northern lights. Therefore, the last point was to the south.

In each of those general directions, a Roo community was located. None had offered to send help. It angered him to be ignored. They hadn’t even offered to take in some of the refugees. Nothing at all.

He sighed. There was supposed to be a convoy of trade goods midway through the cold season if the weather cleared. He was curious if they’d hear about inquiries about it or see it at all. It wasn’t like his people had a lot to trade.

Well, certainly not food items. But a lot was coming out of the old warren these days. He turned and looked down. The heights were dizzying but he still looked. Below there was a path leading to the old warren. Half of it was underground, the other half in a trench of the white water. The ice had been packed over the top in some places. In others it was open, and he saw a steady flow of figures moving between the old warren and the new.

The younger set moved quickly to avoid the cold. He didn’t envy them the task of cleaning out the old warren, but it needed to be done.

He nodded once and then turned to the east and the distant glittering shape. He could just see the top of it over the screen of trees between them and the clearing far away. The white snow had fallen on the giant warren but it was still there.

He glowered at it but then shivered when the winds picked up.

“Better get inside, Elder,” a defender said. He turned to the defender in time to see the other Roo look to the sky. He looked up to see clouds moving slowly in.

“Storm is coming in,” the Roo warned.

Counter nodded and headed back inside. He couldn’t take the lift down until he went one floor down. Once there he waited patiently for his turn to ride it down. He could go upstairs but going back down was troublesome and dangerous. His fear of falling was great, so he exercised his patience and waited.

~======~

Lop Ear was also out and about, making the rounds around the warren. His focus was just on his duty though, the defenders for which he had been selected as the new elder and therefore leader.

Unlike Counter he took to the skytop first and then worked his way down. He was quiet though, and his quiet movements sometimes exposed a defender who was not doing their job. He found Fat Hump asleep, dozing in a sunny spot at his post. The old defender clutched at his spear for support. Nearby, Shredded Ear was also fast asleep.

He scowled. One asleep he could overlook. Both though, that was a problem.

He went inside to a healer room and grabbed a listening horn. The healer wasn’t present so would not mind the temporary absence, maybe.

Once he was out, he got in place and then placed it to his lips and did a credible imitation of a screamer. He watched the two defenders jump, eyes wide, clutching their weapons and chests as they looked frantically to the sky. Shredded Ear clutched at his chest.

When their ears twitched to his movement as he hid the horn, they lowered a look on him, wide-eyed, panting, and angry.

“Why did you do that?!” Fat Hump snarled. “We could have stabbed you!”

Lop Ear knew the chances of that happening were remote at best. Neither oldster had been in a fight in many seasons. “Had I been a giant or a predator you would have been the first to die. But then they would have attacked the warren!”

“I earned my rest,” Fat Hump said with dignity as he came to attention.

“Did you rest in your nest?” Lop Ear asked.

“I need more every day,” Fat Hump said with a sniff, eyes to the horizon.

“Then we need to find you other duties,” Lop Ear stated.

He was glowered at but ignored the look. He surveyed Shredded Ear who was looking a bit chagrined. The other Roo flicked the remains of his ears in acknowledgment of the rebuke.

Lop Ear nodded once and went back to his duties, returning the horn on the way.

~======~