Journey part 2

Quaid had lived much the same lifestyle as Kyy, spending his youth between the forest and his father’s farm. Ealdar had told Kyy many stories of Quaid’s upbringing and it was clear that he missed his son greatly. It was Quaid’s skill as a tracker, hunter and woodsman that made him a perfect candidate for the Forest Scouts. Once he joined, he rose quickly in rank, becoming the youngest Wind Scout ever in Greywood. Growing up on the farm had made Quaid an excellent rider and horse trainer and it was these skills which allowed him to become the only Storm Scout ever to have come from Greywood. The story of how Quaid attained his Hybridia and so became a Storm Scout had always been Kyy’s favourite.

His grandfather had told it many times and Kyy never tired of hearing it, apart from the end. As he walked steadily onwards Kyy imagined himself sitting by the fireside at his grandfather’s farm listening to Ealdar recount the tale once more.

To become a Storm Scout you must have been a Scout of some description first. In these parts there are forests and plains and three major ranks of Scout exist: Wood, Forest and Wind Scouts. The lower the rank the less area one is responsible for and the fewer duties one has. It is the responsibility of all Scouts to protect their patrol area and to educate the people about the conservation of the land. When a Wood Scout progresses to the Forest rank he can then be called upon to aid neighbouring areas and even be recruited by the army if needed. With training, a Forest Scout can become a Wind Scout, at which point his patrol area is greatly extended to cover the whole forest and also the Lundar plains. These Wind Scouts also serve as envoys between all lands, ensuring communication is maintained and the spirit of friendship and peace upheld. They are held in high regard and admired in their respective communities but no amount of training can earn the title of Storm Scout.

That only happens when one joins with a Hybridia, an animal who has the mark of dragons. The Storm Scouts are the Scout elite, highly trained and powerful; they are the pride of Calbura and have shaped this land positively for centuries. It is widely acknowledged that if an animal such as this accepts you, it is then your responsibility to use this gift to serve your people and land. This is not always the case but for your father there was no other thought. Quaid had been a Wind Scout for three years; he was much loved in Greywood and a favourite among the younger and older Scouts alike. Usually it takes at least five years to even be considered for the rank of Wind Scout but Quaid’s skill was such, that within two years of forest duty he was promoted. One evening a message was sent to your father concerning a number of traders who had been bringing supplies from Arapallo, a mining town on the other side of the Crystal Mountains to Greywood.

It was roughly a four day journey from Greywood and the traders reported strange activity on the plains. They were lodging at the tavern in Greywood village and Quaid went to meet with them at once. They told of unusual rock and soil formations that seemed to have appeared from nowhere. They also reported hearing loud noises, like explosions, in the distance. They explained where they had encountered these phenomena, an area Quaid knew to be a popular grazing area for wild horses. These were not the first stories Quaid had heard about such things. There had been rumours weeks before that these horses were acting strangely. At first he did not take them too seriously, but given the traders’ most recent accounts he had no choice but to investigate. The Lundar Plains were also an important trail for traders and it was part of a Wind Scout’s duty to ensure safe passage for all travellers.

It was a two-day ride to the Crystal Mountains and Quaid set out from Greywood the following morning. The forest road that leads north out of Greywood eventually gives way to farmland and more open countryside. On the road north the Crystal Mountains begin to grow continually in stature until they dominate the horizon; they are the first mountain range of many that exist in North Calbura. The rich farmlands after one leaves Greywood in turn give way to the grassland plains of the Lundar. My land is the only territory in this area that still has natural grassland and so in this way the Lundar plains still reach Greywood Forest. Quaid made good time and had travelled further than he had anticipated by the end of the first day. That night he stayed with a family who lived on a farm that lay right on the edge of the vast Lundar grassland.

They too had heard of the rumours and reported some strange happenings when out tending their livestock, much as the traders had done. One story from a young shepherd in particular intrigued Quaid. The boy had witnessed a horse moving incredibly fast over the plains. It was a white horse, the boy said, with a dark brown mane. Any other details were impossible to make out due to the speed it was moving at and its distance from him. When it disappeared from view he heard a massive blast, as if he was in a thunderstorm, yet the skies were clear. On the beginning of the second day Quaid began to see signs that a large number of horses had passed through. Some of the taller grass had been trodden down and the tracks were very clear. He followed the tracks for the rest of the day as they led him closer to the Crystal Mountains. By the end of the second day the huge mountains dominated the landscape so absolutely that even their shadows felt oppressive. Quaid made camp at an abandoned hut used occasionally for shelter by farmers tending their herds and traders to escape the elements.

Kyy was always fascinated by this image. His mind painted a picture of the scene and he imagined the solitary figure of Quaid travelling beneath the huge mountains, examining tracks while leading his horse on foot. In his mind both were cast in silhouette, even the thin reins all black, as they neared the little hut that seemed completely insignificant, set against the majesty of the giant rock extending thousands of feet to the snow-capped peaks that scraped the sky. It was on the third day that your father found what he was seeking. Close to the mountains the land becomes less flat as the ground naturally undulates, creating long shallow valleys rising to narrow hilltops. On foot now, Quaid led his horse up one of the hills, and from the ridgeline he spotted about forty horses peacefully grazing below. Quaid, ensuring he was down-wind so as not to give himself away, moved in for a closer look. He would not usually have been so cautious around wild horses, especially as he recognized this herd, but there was something different here. He felt it deep within, a nervousness he could not explain.

Quaid lay close to the ground, concealed in the tall grasses, watching for a long time as the herd grazed contentedly, unaware of his presence. After a time Quaid began to doubt himself and wondered if his reservations were misplaced. He could see nothing out of the ordinary and began to see no reason why he should not ride down for a closer look, when suddenly he heard a thunderous boom, which froze him where he lay and sent his horse fleeing in the opposite direction. The sound wave echoed off the mountains and resonated in his ears. To his complete astonishment, however, the herd seemed untroubled by the noise and continued to graze. Then in the distance Quaid saw the unmistakable figure of a horse galloping in his direction. He immediately saw how fast the animal moved and it quickly covered a huge distance. As it reached the herd the stallion pounded its front legs into the ground, sending jagged columns of rock jutting out of the soil. A huge bang, louder than before, followed instantaneously. The sound wave echoed again off the mountains and Quaid felt as though thunder was exploding all around him. This time the herd was noticeably disturbed but it was clear the horses were used to this behaviour. Quaid knew at once he was witnessing a Hybridia.

He felt an overwhelming urge to approach this animal, as if his thoughts and movements were not under his control. He slowly stood up and began to walk down the gentle slope. When the herd saw him they began to move away, yet the grey stood firm. Quaid kept his head lowered and eyes away from the horse, as he knew looking at the horse was threatening behaviour. As he got closer he sensed the tremendous power of the animal. The air around seemed charged with energy and every fibre of his being felt as though it were on fire. Your father was skilled in the art of horse husbandry, and had trained wild horses from that very herd before. He spent most of the day there, employing all of his skills to build trust with the animal. Finally the horse lowered his head and approached him. Quaid placed his hand on the horse and a surge of energy passed through him, creating an immediate and permanent bond between the two. Quaid spent another two days and nights on the Lundar plains training the Hybridia he had named Tremor.

The young horse had great intelligence, and training him was not a difficult task, except when Tremor would occasionally unleash his considerable powers. When Quaid returned he was tired but extremely pleased with his achievement. I had never before seen such a creature. No more than a year old, he was more powerfully built than any horse of similar breed. His coat was the brightest grey, almost white, and from a distance that is how he appeared. What was astonishing for a horse of that colour was his dark brown mane and jade-coloured eyes. The horse was infused with the power of the earth and it was as if his body shimmered with that energy. His eyes, especially, told of his uniqueness. They were bright green, full of life, and these, more than anything else gave a sense of the spirit within.

Tremor had the ability to shatter rock and stone with a touch. By pounding his feet he could create localized earthquakes that would knock a man off his feet. He was considerably faster than even the quickest horse in my stables and Quaid learned new skills and discovered new talents every day. Word spread quickly and within a month your father was made a Storm Scout, the first ever from Greywood. I saw Tremor develop into an incredible horse but Quaid’s Storm Scout duties meant that they were often away. So I did not see them as much I would have liked. It is something I always regret, for a little over three years later the Iron Wars took them both away for good. The wind rose up and set the arbour alive as the immense canopies rocked to and fro, returning Kyy to his senses.

He did not feel the gale directly as he was protected by the vast forest and he stood amidst the undergrowth, suddenly absorbed by the rustling of leaves overhead. It sounded as if an ocean was sending its waves crashing in around him. Kyy revelled in this sensation. He loved when nature sparked his senses so much that he was overcome and lost in the moment. This sensation lasted only a few seconds and soon the wind died down, bringing with it the stillness and peace of an ancient wilderness. The winds that seemed to signal change faded out. Now the only noises, apart from his own gentle footfalls, were the calls of insects and birds which blended and faded into the background helping to create the ambiance of the forest. Kyy realized that he had allowed himself to stray considerably from the forest road. Ever since he was a child he had been drawn to the forest lake which now lay just beyond the tightly packed trees ahead. Wildflowers carpeted the forest floor until they melted into the trees that ringed the lake.

He hadn’t planned to visit the lake on this journey but knew that this diversion would not cost him too much time. He would still be able to reach the stables by nightfall. Akura Lake was a beautiful secluded area that Kyy visited often throughout his life. He had a deep reverence for this place and had spent much time staring into the cool waters that reflected the colours of the world so perfectly. The trees of Greywood grew right up to the edge of the lake, and surrounded it, creating a natural amphitheatre of wood and water. The lake was fed by an underground spring and was on high ground compared to the majority of Greywood. The river that carried the water away from the Akura Lake was born out of a waterfall narrow and high, a hundred feet above the lower forest. From this gap where the river began Kyy could see over the treetops of Greywood once he arrived at Akura Lake. An ocean of leaves and life flowed and interacted with effortless complexity and almost infinite abundance. Such a huge ecosystem exalted nature’s brilliance. Animal and plant life synced so closely that their energies merged, separated and merged again just out of the eyes’ comprehension. The creatures of Greywood thrived in the dense forest; their range and diversity was quite staggering and the complexity of their interdependence astonishing. Some of the great grey leviathans seem to touch the sky and the sea of patchwork green stretched to the horizon. All this splendour welcomed Kyy as he sat by the lake, took off his boots and bathed his feet in the waters.

Dragonflies zoomed and darted across the clear water chasing down prey, as the sunlight reflected off their slim bodies in deep greens and blues. All along the edge overhanging branches reached out to the water, touching it in places. The forest was also reflected in the lake and at times the surface would resemble a giant mirror until it was disturbed briefly by the fish coming to the surface. Here the sun was free to shine, no longer obscured by the dense forest all around and it felt warm and pleasant on Kyy’s face. The lakeside was alive with the energy of so many living things and vibrant with colour and spirit. In this setting Kyy could easily imagine that a dragon could appear again from the lake as it had done when he was a young boy. It had been this experience that drew him now to this place and had done throughout his life. As he sat touching the crystal blue water, gently letting the ripples emanate from his fingers he vividly recalled his encounter with the dragon.