Prologue
Forest-Walkers
The strange visitor vanished into the depths beyond the watery shores, and the small tribe of Forest-walkers could speak of nothing else as they sat in a circle on their leaf-woven mats. The Forest-walkers lived on the southern shores of Atlatl Forest on the backside of the woods, away from those who traded coins for goods. They preferred to keep to themselves and only make the occasional trade of honey, berries and nuts to basin folk who came to their shores with goods the Forest-walkers may want. They were content people who let their horns grow as nature intended, without being bound.
“She’s from a distant land, that one. Don’t know why she wanted my shark tooth. You can find them all over the shores,” Dekar said, sitting back down on his mat. He was a middle-aged man whose horns stood straight up in almost an aligned stance, except the left one leaned slightly forward. Dekar looked at the young girl sitting on a shared mat next to her mother. “Nereas, what was her name again?”
“Her name was Varlisa,” Nereas said. “She is from a place called the Coastal Isles, lands that lie south of us. Her people are called Sea-breathers, and she collects icons for the Good Befores. That’s why she wanted the tooth.”
“Strange,” Dekar said and looked at his longtime friend, a beekeeper and the best among the Forest-walkers. His tanned face was wrinkled from years of laughter and easy cheer. “What did you think of our visitor, Jambres?”
“She was a peculiar sight,” Jambres said, shaking his head. “Skin so white and slick like wet mushrooms and only wearing tight underclothing. Guess, she hasn’t got much of a choice, swimming days upon the waters as she does. I couldn’t help but stare.”
“Yes, we were all well aware you couldn’t keep your eyes off of her,” Jambres’s wife chided. She sat next to him on their mat with their portable sleeping hut folded next to them.
“Now hold on, Zillah. I thought she was a Milk Dolphin, standing up and walking onto our shores,” Jambres said.
Zillah gave a playful smile. “I’m only poking fun at you,” she laughed. “I was staring too.”
“She said she has a brother on a large ship coming our way,” Nereas added. “A ship must be different than the boats of Domus Lake.”
“I told her to warn her brother that there may be a battle at the basin,” Dekar said. “This is not a good time to visit Domus Lake.”
“Do you really believe the rumors of a battle between the basins are true?” Jambres asked.
“Chieftain Darmin already reins over East and South Basin. If Chieftain Laninson wins, he will rule over all three basins. I’m sure the Sages at the Temple won’t approve,” Dekar said.
“Chieftain Darmin has a huge army of bowmen from his two basins. West Basin is the smallest of all the basins. Chieftain Laninson will need help if they are to win this battle,” Dekar said. “He must be going to the Lowland Cliff Swordsmen.”
“That’s not what I read,” Nereas interjected.
“Now, Nereas! I told you not to be learning those symbols the basin kids have been writing in the sand,” her mother said.
“I couldn’t help it, Mama!” Nereas’s eyes teared up. “The kids were having so much fun. Just listening to them talk as I hid in the trees and watched how they drew the symbols made me want to learn them too, and I had a good reason to learn them.”
“Now, Zimria,” Dekar said, looking at Nereas’s mother. “The basin kids know the symbols. Shouldn’t our kids know them also?”
Zimria sighed. “I guess you’re right.” She turned to face her daughter. “And what was your good reason to learn them?”
“I learned them because of Chieftain Valor,” Nereas said.
“What do you mean?” her mother asked.
Nereas wrapped her arms around her knees. “I was close to the West Basin shores. I saw Chieftain Valor there, and he was writing the symbols. He looked angrier than a fire hornet. He was drawing the symbols in the sand, and he spit on what he wrote and ran away.”
“What information did you discover from young Chieftain Valor?” Dekar asked. “Did you speak to him?”
“I couldn’t talk to him!” Nereas said, defensively. “The West Basin people hate Forest-walkers!”
“But they know it wasn’t the Forest-walkers who killed Chieftain Laninson’s father,” Dekar said.
Jambres looked at Dekar. “You know feelings of fear and hate don’t easily float away.”
“Yes, that is true.” He looked back at Nereas. “Is that why you learned the symbols? So, you could read what he wrote?”
Nereas nodded. “I ran quickly to the South Basin shore and begged one of basin kids to teach me. He said I was probably too dumb to learn them, and he wouldn’t waste his time on a spiny-headed nomad. But I had gathered some mushrooms and berries in my satchel on the way to West Basin. I told him that if he at least showed them to me and explained them, I would give him all the food I had gathered. The symbols were easy to learn, but they took some time because there are forty-four of them. The sun was going down, and I feared the waters of the lake may wash over Chieftain Valor’s symbols in the sand. When I finally learned them all, I ran as fast as I could to West Basin. I was able to read the words before the sun went down.”
“What did he write?” Dekar asked.
“He wrote that he wouldn’t join with the Highland Cliffs,” Nereas said.
Dekar rubbed his chin. “So that’s how West Basin plans on winning the battle against Chieftain Darmin. Chieftain Laninson is getting help of the Highland Cliff Swordsmen. But how could he persuade Chieftain Lothar to fight with him? He has no need for anything West Basin can offer.”
Zillah spoke up from beside her husband. “Unless Chieftain Laninson can offer him an heir. That is all Chieftain Lothar wants.”
Jambres got up and walked to Dekar. “We can’t let this happen. Do you think Chieftain Laninson has already made an agreement with Chieftain Lothar?”
Dekar looked down at Nereas. “How long ago did you see this message?”
“Two days ago. I would have told Mama sooner, but I was afraid she’d be mad that I learned the symbols.”
“Two days.” Dekar thought. “There still may be time. We must talk to Chieftain Laninson and Bowman Barronne. Now that the basin people know that Forest-walkers did not kill Laninson’s father, they may listen to us. What do you think, Jambres?”
Dekar stared at his friend, who had stood up and was staring past him to Atlatl Forest. “Are you listening?”
Jambres looked at his old friend. “I think you have your wish. I see the Master Bowmen Barronne coming our way.”
Dekar looked toward the forest and saw the Master Bowman and three other bowmen quickly walking toward them. They did not have their bows at the ready, so there was no indication of a fight.
Dekar and Jambres grabbed their spears and kept them down by their sides. They said nothing and waited for Barronne to be the first to speak.
“Who was that who came out of the waters and talked with you? Do not forget, I can see both your shores and the shores of Domus Lake from my home,” Master Bowman Barronne said.
Dekar noticed Barronne looked more intrigued than angry. “I will answer your question, and this girl here will tell you more since I am old and forgetful, but I must discuss an issue with you that is important to our tribes behind Atlatl Forest.”
Barronne crossed his arms. “Go on.”
Dekar cleared his throat. “For many years now, the Forest-walkers have been accused of killing Chieftain Dontonion. We are a peaceful people, but because of that lie, we have been mistreated. Our children have been made fun of, and worse, have had rocks thrown at them. The basin people treat us like we are violent and have no value for life. We may not be like the basin or cliff people, but we are not animals.”
Dekar and Barronne stared at each other for several moments. All that could be heard was the waves beating along the shores.
Barronne finally broke the silence. “You endured shame and ridicule for a crime you did not commit. I will make amends with your people.”
“I already know how you can do this,” Dekar said.
“What is it you ask?”
“This young girl here, Nereas, knows how to read those symbols.”
Barronne exhaled. “Those damned symbols. The Supreme Sage has undoubtedly seen them. They challenge the entire faith of the sages.”
“Nereas saw Chieftain Valor writing in the sand, and he looked furious,” Dekar continued.
Barronne looked at the girl, who sat with her mother’s arms draped protectively around her. “What did Valor write?”
Nereas looked at Dekar for affirmation, and he nodded.
“He wrote that he wouldn’t join with the Highland Cliffs,” Nereas said.
Barronne took several steps back as he brought his bow against his side and grabbed an arrow from the quiver. Dekar clasped his spear and aimed it at Barronne.
Barronne laughed. “What can you do with that spear? All the Lake-keepers know that your people do not know how to fight.”
Dekar looked around and saw a shore turtle creeping where the waters met the sand. He hurled the spear, and it hit its mark right at the neck of the turtle above his shell. The turtle went down instantly. “There, now we have dinner.” He looked back at Barronne. “We may not be known as fighters, but we are huntsmen in both the forest and the sea.”
“All the woodsmen can throw the spear like you?” Barronne asked, bringing down his bow.
“Some of us are better than others, but we usually hit our mark,” Dekar said. “Do not side with Chieftain Lothar. He has a madness that will affect the peace of the basin if you join with him. Let us fight Chieftain Darmin with you. He is the one who blamed my people for his son’s murder of Chieftain Dontonion of West Basin.”
“So, you will fight with us?” Barronne asked, skeptically.
“I will need to have a gathering of our people, but they, too, will want to keep the peace. But before we fight alongside West Basin, I have a request.”
“You are in no position to make requests,” Barronne said.
“Then the Forest-walkers will not fight, and we will all bear the burden of Chieftain Lothar’s madness,” Dekar said.
Barronne slung his bow back over his shoulder and placed the arrow back into the quiver. “What is it?”
“It is not right for one chieftain to reign over all the three basins. That is too much power in one chieftain’s hands—no matter how honorable Chieftain Laninson may be.”
Barronne frowned. “I didn’t consider the ramifications of uniting the basins under one rule.” He looked at Dekar. “I will go to the Supreme Sage. I have a tithe I am bringing to receive her blessing on our battle against Chieftain Darmin and his son, Rathtar. I believe she, too, would want to keep the basin separate.”
“We have an agreement then,” Dekar said. “We fight to keep the peace.”
Barronne nodded. “West Basin will fight alongside the nomads of Atlatl Forest.”
“No,” Dekar said and smiled. “West Basin fights alongside the Forest-walkers.”
