Chapter 21 - The Path Forward

Ruha sat in the corner of the dark chamber huddled in the far corner as Leaf strutted around the room with the mace over her shoulder. Leaf had not expected that the chief would actually keep a Mahn in the warren, or that it would have given birth to a child. The whole incident spilled from Ruha’s mouth in short order, but the child obviously had been given a bunch of half-truths.

“Her belly was huge, and she was alive, so they snuck her back in and kept her. We will trade her for safety and food for the winter!” Ruha insisted, “We saved her life!”

The reality was quite the opposite and only a gullible child would believe that Mahn were anything but vicious killers. Even now the mother and child were fearful and in the corner of the room, the darkness making her blind to the mace and her ignorance deaf to their words.

“I should kill them both now.” Leaf said, “One of them killed Rock.”

“No, not the child. You know the rule.” Ruha protested, but did not move a step to their defense.

“Life is not fair! The only thing in this world that matters is strength. The strength to take what you want and keep everyone else from stealing it back!” Leaf swung the mace into the brazier and knocked the bowl and its ashes over with a loud metallic ring. The mother recoiled and the child in her arms woke and began to cry loudly.

The mother began to plead in the darkness as Leaf approached and Ruha began to scream. A Gobbo child screaming for a Mahn. It made her feel sick. Stopping before the helpless mother, Leaf raised the mace overhead and snarled at the screaming child, “Crying is for the weak!”

She threw the mace down into the ground and turned to Ruha, “Get! Get out!”

The same words Muck had always used came out of her mouth, but she knew too that there was no fight left in her. She would not kill a helpless mother. She would not kill a newborn child. The fact they were here proved that others had come to the same conclusion and found themselves unwilling to do the deed.

“A pregnant mother carries the flame to the next generation.” The Great Mother said as she appeared through the uncovered secret entrance, “Do you remember the divine edicts?”

“Yes,” Leaf stared at the mother with hate in her eyes, “So you have finally come out, hag.”

“Goodness,” The Great Mother said with sarcasm, “Such vile words from such a beautiful young female. Your anger will only weaken your womb and wither your mind.”

“This one,” She pointed to Ruha, “Wants to kill V. So, I am taking a letter and giving it to her.”

The Great Mother plodded forward, her tattered cloak of long blackened scraps dragging across the ground as she moved towards Leaf as if she were tiptoeing, “Now Leaf, that is not how such things are handled. Only the Chief can allow for such challenges. You know-”

“I almost smashed her head in with the mace.” Leaf glared at Ruha, “And I would have enjoyed it, but she told me of this little secret first.”

Ruha let out a little whimper as she realized Leaf really would have killed her. The Great Mother kept tip-toeing her way forward, bit by bit as they talked. The plodding act did not fool Leaf, and she prepared herself for a fight by picking up the mace again.

“Come any closer and I will bash their heads in,” Leaf raised the mace and pointed it at the mother and child, “Understand?”

“No,” The Great Mother continued to approach, “You just said that you would not do it. What has changed from one moment to the next?”

“You are scaring me!” Leaf snapped, “I will do it.”

“Yes, fear. You are afraid and that is why you will abandon your friend and your belief, even your very soul. Would you kill the child that V saved? Would you kill the mother who she works to save?” The Great Mother held out her right hand and gestured for the mace, “Think with your flame, not your head. Would Belos’ want you to make V’s efforts all for nothing?”

“She ran away with them,” Leaf protested, “Rock is dying because of them.”

“She is our newest priestess and is undergoing the trials of Belos. Did V kill Rock? No. Did she do anything to aid them? No. The chief knows her mission and he is proud that you went back for her.” The Great Mother motioned for her to hand it over.

“Proud….” She placed the mace in the Great Mother’s hand and let her take the weapon away from her, “If not for Rock, it would have been me.”

“He may not perish, provided he receives help in the coming days. Lingering between life and death, but who among the tribe would risk themselves to get the medicine of Mahn. Such weak creatures they are, but yet they have great medicine.”

“So you are going to use me too?” Leaf smirked and let out a soft nervous laugh, “I should have known.”

“If you feel for Rock then you will go. If you will not, I’ll not prolong his suffering. There is little point in letting him suffer if no one can get the medicine which will save him.” She held the mace to her side and felt its weight, “Agog did give this to Ruha. If V should fail, then the next priestess will be her. You see… I am very very old. My time is coming to an end, and I have yet to find a successor.”

“A successor?” She was skeptical.

“My mind goes at times,” She tapped her temple with her left hand, “I may not have told V everything she needed to know, but Belos’ has marked her, and his divine protection is strong. Do you know why we worship Belos?”

“Belos burns inside of us.” Leaf repeated what she had been told.

“No.” The Great Mother dropped her hand down and placed it on Leaf’s belly, “Belos is passionate, wild, impulsive. His will is both destructive and healing. We are not even the children of Belos. He is an adoptive father who has given his blessing, and his light, to those of verdant flesh. The old stories say that Belos’ love for us comes from the true Great Mother - the one who bore our kind into the world. Now known as Gobbos and Dwellin, we are the children of the same absent mother.”

“Why is she so Great then… No offense, Great Mother.” Leaf bowed her head.

“Because. She gave us life. She gave us rules. And though she has left us behind, we are still her children. I have abandoned my name and assumed my place, but I too am fated to leave you behind just as all Great Mothers, stretching back through all the ages.” She took her hand off Leaf’s belly, “You are fiery one, but your gut betrays you. Why are you interested in V?”

“You already know the answer,” She smirked.

“Give it up. Once she becomes a priestess, it will be only a short time before she will take over as the Great Mother. She will never rule this warren, Chief Mudohoon has already made that clear. Nor will you raise your status with her blood. Besides, you do not want that curse falling to your line.”

“What was that?” Leaf interrupted.

“It is nothing. V has been blessed by Belos. And once she returns all will be right.” The Great Mother, “The sooner we can be rid of this dreadful business the better. I doubt the mother will ever recover though.”

“Do not try to avoid me.” She protested.

“I do not need to. Will you get the medicine from Mahn and save Rock or shall I have Agog prepare the funeral brazier?” The Great Mother held out her hand and gently patted the mother and child’s heads, reassuring them that they were still safe as best she could.

“I will go.” Leaf did not like it, “It will take two days, at least.”

“Yes.” The Great Mother nodded, “If you had taken V as I had hoped then there would be no need for this, but in case you see her… Do not interfere or speak to her.”

“Why not?”

“She has to do this alone. Just as you must do your part, alone.” She smirked to herself, “The curse upon her is very strong. You were wise to send her to me. You are a good friend, Leaf. Take this advice from an old fool: Never leave her alone, again. The two of you could truly rule this warren if you worked together.”

Leaf mumbled a soft word of agreement.

“Get the medicine for Rock, or else that path may disappear forever. Do not give them a reason to hate you. Save him and then you can be ready for her return.”

“And if she doesn’t?” Leaf wondered aloud.

“The tribe will need a new chief soon enough.” The Great Mother whispered.

Leaf understood and took her leave, sparing a glance to Ruha who seemed upset over how it all had played out. A child’s concerns were nothing compared to the whole of the tribe, and she had the Great Mother’s favor. To even suggest the fall of Chief Mudohoon was dangerous. She knew the old hag must be desperate. She only needed to wait a little longer.