A large, crow–sized blue bird flew over the green valley flapping its wings quickly in a most excited manner. It really seemed to enjoy its freedom and it looked beautiful doing so.
The azure sky above, with a few white clouds fitted so harmoniously with the surrounding lush grass–lands and an occasional dense, short woods and bushes.
The bird glided through the open air, approaching one of the small thickets from above.
Its keen eyes scanned the ground bordering the trees below in hopes for an appetizing snack.
His favorites were dark violet berries, but they were a rare find at this time of the year. The main season has finished a month ago and the only berries left, have dried up, darkened and shrunk in the sun into small sweet raisins, making them almost too hard to spot.
One way to make up for the reduced size, was to fly a little bit lower, to have a closer look.
The bird adjusted its latitude and began circling the woods again a few meters above the ground.
A black spot on the dirt below instantly got his attention. Could that be a lone dried a berry?
It beat its wings a few times and landed on the ground next to the curious object.
It didn’t look like a berry, it was completely round. But it looked appetizing enough to give it a taste. To birds disappointment, the shell of the object was too hard to beak through with ease and there was no real guarantee that what’s inside is going to have any nutritional value.
The bird looked at it once more, preparing to fly away.
A wheezing sound cut through the air surprising and terrifying the feathered creature and spooking it into escape. As its wings spread to flight, a piercing pain traveled from its back to the chest, splashing a brightly red blood on the shiny object in front. In a second the pain became agonizing, and the creature was completely parralized by the injury. Trying to cling on to life it struggled to gasp for air through its ruptured respiratory system. Each of the short moments felt like an eternity of constant burning pain. Finally everything started becoming blurry, distant, and cold. The pain started fading away, together with all other senses. The animal felt gentle spams shaking its body uncontrollably and just as the world was about to become completely dark and fall into nothingness, it heard muffled unrecognizable sounds from somewhere behind.
– Uhr, Uuuuuuuuhrrr! I got one Uhrr! Come quick!
Behind the dead body of a bird, on the edge of the thicket and the meadow stood a tall creature. It was very different from all other animals. It stood on two legs, like birds, but instead of wings, it had another set of talons. Its whole body was covered in dense bright brown coloured hair and its head looked round and was bold and flat on the snout. Two large green eyes, crowned the flat face like a set of shiny jewels.
– Uuuuuuhhrr! – The creature shouted loud and furiously. – I’m calling you!!!
It looked around but there was no response. Whoever was being called clearly seemed to be oblivious to the fact. The creature bent over the bird and picked it up with the clawed fingers.
The blood was still warm and the feathers felt so soft and pleasant to the touch. The dead body smelled of fear and pain.
– That is going to be goooood… – the creature was clearly pleased at this moment, drooling from the corner of its mouth. It pushed two fangs into the bloody hole in the middle of the birds chest and pulled it apart with ease revealing the herniated insides.
– Mmmm, the heart is not too damaged. – It scooped it out and slurped up like a jelly, letting out a slow groan of satisfaction, then it continued to eat out the liver, stomach and other offal.
It wiped the sticky blood of its mouth with a forearm, and smiled, revealing a set of wide pointy teeth.
A sound of a breaking branch nearby, put the creature on full alert. It dropped the dead body from its hands and momentary squatted down, as if warned of an incoming danger. A huge tree branch swung just above its head and fell down on the tall grass in front.
The creature, quickly rolled over to the side, and turned around to face the direction from which the branch came flying. It narrowed its eyes, hiding behind the grass for a second, before its pupils dilated with excitement.
– Got ya. – It thought as it pushed its powerful legs against the ground, sprung and launched itself forward towards the woods with its arms spread like a flying tiger. It crashed straight into its target, a shadowy silhouette in between the trees. The collision was loud and hard. Both rolled on the ground into a thick bush fighting violently, scaring away birds hiding in the tree branches above and pounding each other with blows. Thick bush made it almost impossible to say from a distance who was the opponent, but both creatures were large and seemed equally strong. The commotion went on for a while with angry moans groans and roars until massive slap echoed in the whole area.
The creature stood up revealing its bruised face and walked out of the bush, dragging on the floor behind another almost identical unconscious creature.
The knocked out aggressor was a little bit smaller and its fur was much darker, almost black, but otherwise they were the same.
The victor approached the dead bird body again, picked it up and tossed it on the furry chest of the laying down attacker, then continued dragging both back into the woods.
A few hours have passed and the evening was about to settle in on the world. The dark–brown creature on the floor began to slowly move its swollen eyebrows and narrowly opened its eyes. It was laying on the ground in a glade, nearby sat its defeater.
– You’ve had enough sleep? – An unwelcoming voice greeted the recovering knock–out.
– What happened? – It asked with a weak voice, while touching the bruised body and face.
– You’ve lost again, Uhr. Like you always do.
– Next time I’ll get you by surprise.
– Isn’t that the same approach you failed at this time? I’m really starting to doubt the Wisdom of Or’Ghu. Maybe he was just wrong… – the brighter creature complained teasingly.
– What did you say?! – Uhr quickly got back on his legs, resisting the pain and dizziness and assumed the battle stance.
– Calm down now. It will take one swing for me to put you back to sleep in this condition. And while it's very tempting course of action, we’ve got some preparations to do and I’m going to need you awake.
– Take back your words first! – Uhr demanded very seriously.
The other creature yawned and stretched, then replied – There’s nothing to take back. You didn’t really believe that I have sacrificed everything and came here following the Wisdom of Or’Ghu, just to lose my path because of a loser like you.
– Maybe you’re just jealous that they chose me and not you. – Urh commented in anger, clearly upsetting his interlocutor.
– Me?! Jealous of YOU!? – The provocation seemd to work – You’re barely a cub! I am Rah’Grum. The bravest, the strongest and purest living of our kind. I bare the gems of Amachis – It exclaimed pointing at its green eyes – and I am the slayer of Zok Bak. There’s nothing you have I can be jealous of. – it added triumphantly.
– Well, and I am the one chosen to be the Ka… – before Uhr managed to finish his reply, a sizable rock struck him on the forehead between the eyes. – Ka–Ouch! – He groaned at a painful surprise.
– Until you learn to handle yourself, you are nothing. – Said Rah’Grum and began to walk towards Urh, then continued continued with an irritated voice – Until you can defeat me or at least defend yourself properly…. – it stood right in front of Urh’s face now – stop disgracing yourself and our kind with your groundless self admiration! You’ve achieved nothing yet. And remember, what we have paid to be here right now! – Rah’ shouted in anger and pain looking Uhr deep in his burgundy eyes.
Uhr realized that he was in the wrong, he let himself forget for just a second, how much pain and hardship they had to endure until now. How little he was able to do when he had a chance to make a difference. How their sparrings are not just fun. Images of starvation and drought, bones on the dried up, cracked dirt floors, desperation and dead bodies of their people flashed in his mind. He lowered his head and felt a surge of emotion slowly pouring out of his eyes.
A gentle hand landed on his shoulder. – Uhr… I’m sorry... It’s hard for me too. – Rah’Grum explained slowly in a soft, breaking voice – Every night, I’m back there, in my dreams. I miss them so much… but if I didn’t believe that you can be our Kawee’An, I would’ve stayed and died with the rest of my family.
Uhr lunged forward pushing his face against Rah’s chest and wrapping his arms around, sobbing. Rah’ continued – You were chosen by the wisdom of Or’Ghu to be the seed of our future, and I am to be the nourishment and protection that seed needs to grow. I am your soil and your food. I trust the Wisdom completely, but you are still very young and need a lot of work and practice before you are ready... and we don’t know how much time we’ve got exactly. Now pull yourself together and lets focus on our goal for the sake of all those who made it possible.
Uhr shook his head and slowly loosened up his hug and stood back. His face was all beat up, bruised and dirty after the earlier fight and all snotty and soggy after the recent cry. But his eyes seemed uplift. He looked at Rah’ with appreciation and admiration. He smiled, as the sight engraved itself in his memory.
–––––––––––––––––––––END OF THE CHAPTER ONE––––––––––––––––––
Stay tuned for more is coming! Let me know what you think in comments.
Chapter two is in refinement and chapter three in progress.
Starting from chapter 5 it will become an interactive story, where I will attempt to use a blockchain voting mechanisms to get your help in choosing the further direction in the narrative!!!