Thunder: The Shadows Are Stirring (Thunder Stories Book 1) (14 page)

Next come platters filled with cooked meats, roasted apples, a dense wheat bread, and walnuts, which they tell us are from their fall harvest. I’m excited by the walnuts. I have a wood source for my new bow! Ethan and I eat with gusto, slapping at our bug bites in order not to scratch; the cream has worked wonders, but we’re not healed yet. I watch as Ethan reaches for another apple, and I stare in horror at his arm. He hears my intake of breath and follows my line of sight. Instantly, he’s on his feet, spilling the rest of his food onto the rocky floor.

“Holy—Holy—” He’s at a loss for words as he gawks down at his body; his welts are beginning to blister.

Reality registers and, with my stomach sinking somewhere near my toes, I gaze down at my own arms, lifting my skirt’s hem to view my legs. Aw, gads. Some are scarcely beginning, little bubbles forming at the head of the bites, others are visibly expanding. By the end of our meal, the blisters have settled into quarter-sized cushions of fluid, raised almost a half inch from our skin. Thank goodness not every bite is reacting like this, but it’s enough to make me feel like very disgusting bubble wrap.

Marrah assures us this is normal. Until the blisters pop, we will remain swaddled in our spider wraps, which, she happily informs us, are absorbent and breathable at the same time. Woo-hoo. Yippie. What the heck kind of bug problems do they have in this place, I wonder?! And how am I supposed to be searching for the flippin’ rift dressed like a bubble-wrapped fly caught in a spider’s web? Frack frack frack. Frack. I stare up into Ethan’s sympathetic green eyes.

“Frack.” I say aloud, summing up what I think.

~~~

W
HEN ALL THE VARIOUS REPTILES
and amphibians, mostly all larger than life, are situated, Xaiben begins the Dialogue. We are introduced to the Dells’ own knot, a large group of variously colored snakes, big and small, who live together in a side cavern. The Dells are the heads of this group but also have a lead voice in the entire below-ground community. They have been responsible for keeping an eye out for new arrivals in this region, specifically for the Seeker.

I don’t know if we’re allowed to speak or not, as everyone has been content to let Xaiben ramble on. So I interrupt. “Excuse me, but how did you know who we are?” I mean, he’d known our names and everything.

Xaiben seems startled by the question. “Why, Thunder informed us, of course. As soon as he knew he had the Seeker on his hands. He didn’t know when or where you’d show up, but he knew it would be inevitable. But, you are marked, too, my child. If you stay around any Slider or Dweller long enough, they will be able to scent you out.”

What? I smell? “Excuse me?”

“There’s a light to your aura; the essence of you which makes you the Seeker. You will attract attention.”

“Wait a minute,” Ethan cuts in. “If she’s marked, what’s to stop the Sliders or any of their supporters from simply killing her outright? I mean what besides
me
?” He shoots his eyes apologetically in my direction. Like he feels he isn’t enough. Silly; I think he’s plenty. We make a good team. “They could just send an army of … of
dragons
, right, and it’d be all over.”

Xaiben hisses out a sigh. “Child, there are no such things as dragons.” He pauses like this should have been obvious, but we both look blank, so he expands his answer. “Those are purely the human adaption of Shadow creatures, like ourselves and our brothers, the Lizards. Asian styled dragons? No legs. European styled? Legs.

“But that’s all beside the point, which is they can’t ‘just kill her outright.’ It is her essence which makes her a viable Seeker. If they were to kill her without, eh, particular actions, her demise would release all of that which is good within her. Her humanity, forgiveness, love, and hope would act like an atomic bomb of Light and Rightness, effectively wiping out the darkness in the various layers of all existence, and being quite counter-productive to the intents of the dark Shadows in the deepest layers. And the Dwellers know we need a balance between light and dark; there is no temptation there to end Olivia William’s life.”

“Um, when you say ‘particular actions,’ what exactly does that entail?” I don’t think I want to know the answer, but I’ve got to ask it.

Another hiss from Xaiben, but I don’t think this one is a sigh. Other creatures join in with their clicks and hissings and croaks. “If they wish to dispose of you, which, have no doubt, is what they wish … they need to break you first. Twist you, turn your soul, fracture your Being. That way, when they destroy you, you will have no Light left within you. This is what they will try to do. The simple fact is if they ruin you, there is no Seeker. They gain years of unimpeded access to all the layers of the world.”

Oh, that’s good. At least they don’t want to kill me right away.
That
completely eases my load a ton. I wouldn’t call what I’m feeling exactly light and airy and
hopeful
. Why am I the One, anyway? There is absolutely nothing special about me.

“Oh, cripes! The mosquitos. They were sent to slow us down, get under my skin, weren’t they? Criminy, Ethan, I am so sorry. It’s entirely my fault!” I gesture vaguely at our welted and blistered bodies.

“Yes, dear.” Xaiben responds, and I squirm uncomfortably.

Jeez. That’s blunt.

“Oh, not about you being at fault,” he interjects, “but about why the mosquitos were sent. They were scouts from the other side. Their master will have made sure every Slider knows they can do
all
but kill you … and kill all
but
you.” He looks heavily over at Ethan, but my thoughts flash to my brothers. Oh, God.

Chapter Twelve: Seeing Potential

(SAMUEL)

A
T FIRST, I CAN’T SEE WE’VE ARRIVED
; in fact, we’d have to veer left to make it past the thick mess of branches. Oden, however, stops and tells me I’m good to walk from this point. Ducking his head under a low hanging limb, he pushes his bulk through the tall bushes. And disappears. Jamie and I exchange a glance before following him through.

Keeping my arms bent in front of my face in order to protect my eyes, I miss the sudden drop and my feet fly out from under me. I roll to a stop on my back, sliding over bumps and knots, causing my wolf-attack injuries to burn like I’ve landed in fire. Blinking up into the muted light, I gawk at the sight above me. It’s like a movie set from Robin Hood. The trees and bushes create a natural hideaway, domed and leafy above me, a wide clearing in the center. Rising with care, I soak it in, completely awed.

Laced through the branches, ropes and pulleys dangle like vines. Wooden platforms and other structures are partially concealed in the upper reaches of the trees. It’s like the coolest treehouse ever. On steroids. Jamie, who landed near me, is gaping almost as much as I am—which is saying something. He’s the type of kid who’s unfazed by the most insane situations. Remembering Oden, I glance around and spot him with ease. Standing at his full height, he’s watching us with humor in his eyes.

“Come forward, boys! We have friends to meet!”

At least it’s not like my story, with injured and dying people lying all around.

Oden emits a low rumbling growl, and figures emerge from all over—crawling from hidden cover in the ground, swinging down from the trees, and appearing around the sides of boulder formations, which I later discover leads down to a tunnel system, ending at a cave by the river. I take in quite a few robust bears, several deer, some hawks and eagles and smaller wrens and robins, a handful of squirrels, a bunch of foxes, and at least thirty humans. Mostly kids around our age, but also some men and women who are in their late twenties or thirties. Older than our Bender teachers, but younger than Mom and Dad. Wow. I hadn’t expected this many. Maybe because the wolf pack contained eight members, but Oden had said both sides had suffered losses. How big had the battle been? Had everyone here helped? No one shows any sign of injury.

“Wow,” breathes Jamie, echoing my thoughts.

I scan over the crowd, taking in all the faces. For some people, this could have been an intimidating meeting, but everyone appears friendly and welcoming. It makes me grin, and people smile in return. I have a harder time with the meat-eaters. When they show their teeth, I’m not sure if I should be grabbing my ammo, or what.

Letting myself sink into my training, I realize we’re all on the same side here. With the wolves this morning and being freaked about losing Livs and Ethan, I hadn’t been listening to my gut. Now I can feel some excitement for this adventure. Maybe we can help these people, like Oden had mentioned, before we begin our search. Someone might even know where we should begin.

The crowd gathers in, touching our shoulders, shaking our hands, sniffing around our bodies, and asking us questions faster than we can answer. Oden raises a paw. He is by far the tallest here and uses that fact to stay in charge. We are told to sit at a long wooden table, where there are heaps of food stacked on trays. People and animals convene around the table, leaning against trees or sitting on the ground wherever there’s room. It’s like a bizarre family reunion, with people talking over each other and messing around while they get situated.

I almost drool on the food in front of me. Breakfast from our pack could have been years ago. We eat berries, apples, fire roasted fish, and baked roots similar to potatoes. There’s also wild mushroom stew to be eaten with a flat bread, which tastes like a very thick and chewy tortilla. Silence falls over us as everyone digs in, and then the swell of voices returns.

My body lets me know it’s not happy with this morning’s events and I stifle a grimace.

Ever vigilant, Jamie leans into me, asking, “How are you feeling? You want me to check your bandages yet?”

“Naw. I’m fine; it barely pinches,” I lie, fluttering my fingers near my side. I don’t like making a big deal about things like that. If I can sit upright, I’m fine.

Jamie knows me too well. “’Kay, but I’m giving you some of this anyway.” He reaches into his sack and grabs ahold of a miniature vial. “Enough time has passed for you to take some more. It’ll help with your pain.”

He gives me a hard stare and I open my hand like a good patient. He pours a dose into my palm and I murmur my thanks. My “pinch” feels more like my innards are being skewered with a stake. I glance up and notice several people staring at us. I’m not sure at first what I read in their eyes, and then it hits me. Hope. Why would they look at us like that?

A small, dark brown bear calls out to Oden, his voice deep and scratchy. “Can we take him back? He must be the one. We can’t wait much longer.”

“Ah, yes, Truban. It is time to show them both around; they’re sure to have questions. Perhaps you and several others would like to take them?” At least half the crowd rises at the same time, all eager and vocal. Not very organized, but certainly very enthusiastic.

I take in the group, reading their faces and body language, and I’m drawn to a boy about Jamie’s age, still sitting at the table. Without thinking about it, I walk over to him.

“I’d like you to come with us.”

I feel Jamie watching me. I know he’s wondering what I’m doing, but I’m following my instincts and I don’t think I could explain to him what I’m feeling. When I look at this dark skinned, brown-eyed kid, I feel like I’m looking at Jamie. The boy studies his feet, before returning his eyes to my face. I don’t know what he learns there, but he nods his head in a resolute manner and stands up. Once again, I notice people watching in speculation.

The boy’s name is Maddix and he is eleven. He has short hair and eyes filled with too much sadness. He and Jamie follow me to Truban’s side and the others mass around us, jostling to be heard over each other. Maddix doesn’t speak at all, but the others call out as we pass certain areas.

“This here is where we practice our climbing.”

“Down there is where the food is stored, under the ground.”

“This is where we sleep when we’re here, in this tree, and over there, and there.”

“That’s one of the lookout towers. It’s hard to see. Tasha’s great at camouflage.”

“And that’s where ….” Archery, sword play, spear and dagger throwing, self-defense; the list is huge and rambling. It’s like our Training Ground at Gunther’s, combined with an outpost fort. They’ve been stationed here basically to find us. But that’s when we hear something unexpected. There are other new arrivals here: Benders have been slipping through the Barriers ever since the general knowledge of a rift became known. Oden’s camp is basically a Newbie Center, where new arrivals are brought after they cross through the Barriers. This is where they get actual combat experience. They are here to fight.

Jamie and I stop in our tracks. “Hold up,” I say. “You’re saying you’re not all Shadow Dwellers? These guys are Benders like us?” Nodding towards the younger kids, I’m relieved there are more than just the two of us Benders here. One of the older men, Jacob, answers.

“We are both.”

I look at him blankly and Jamie’s mouth opens, but I ask first. “Both? Meaning you’re a mixture of new arrivals and Dwellers, or—”