Chapter 19: Chapter 19 - Beneath the Surface

“Dead?” came a hushed whisper from the back of the chamber as Rock’s body was brought through the gate. Agog and Metal were already in the center of the room as Leaf made her way in. Word had spread throughout the warren quickly and the Great Mother would soon have to make an appearance.

Rock was covered in bright red blood from where the dagger was buried into his back. Having fallen out of the tree and onto the blade it was likely the fall which had caused more damage.

“He still lingers.” Agog confirmed, “His flame has not gone out yet. It is only a matter of time.”

His brother, Metal, let out a sharp pained howl as the onlookers emerged from the tunnel to see for themselves. Grief-stricken, he punched at the gate and paced in front of Agog as a fresh set of tears began to run down his face.

Muck moved to block his sister from approaching, diverting her away down a side tunnel with a gesture and a stern look. As he took her away, he whispered, “This is not your fault.”

“It is.” Leaf whimpered, “I left V behind, and Rock paid for it with his life. I should have dragged her back with me! She did not know anything, and I ignored it all.”

“Where is V?” Muck asked.

“She ran into the cave with them.” Leaf’s anger rising at their mention.

“Mahn… so close to our warren.” Muck did not like the sound of it, but he tried to console her, “We will get her back! The Great Mother’s divination is never wrong.”

“The Great Mother.” Leaf nodded and determination found itself in her voice, “What is that old hag up to anyways? She was the one who sent V out there into danger.”

“With you as a guide.” Muck reminded, “Keep this up and you will be blamed for this.”

Leaf stared at him before she dismissed him with a wave of her arm, “If you were not my brother… I am going to give that hag what she deserves.”

He shook his head and watched her go, unsure of what to say or do. He headed back up towards the gate and the growing crowd as Agog began a recounting of how they attacked the camp and ultimately of how Rock would be mortally wounded by Stirge. It did not matter if every word was the plain truth, but Metal had taken his revenge and became a hero. Muck knew that Leaf could have easily been the one instead. Would that have been him wailing and pounding his chest in grief? He grit his teeth as Agog began to describe how they pushed the Mahn back into the cave and how the fire would claim their lives, but was that true? No. They themselves had set the fire to flee; it did not mean they would die. Worse was that V was still among them.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

Leaf headed down to the den of the Great Mother, brushing past the two rug curtains and coming face-to-face with the Ruha brandishing a heavy mace in her hands. Just staring at the child sent a chill down her spine. Stopping and moving around to the right of the chamber, Leaf kept her eyes on Ruha as only her head tilted to track her.

“Ruha…” Leaf saw the Great Mother’s nook was empty and the fire of the brazier was out, “What is going on?”

Turning to face her, Ruha swung the mace out in her right hand, “She is with the chief. Where is V?”

“V is still out on her mission.” Leaf said cautiously and asked, “When will the Great Mother return?”

“You are not supposed to be here.” Ruha took a step towards her, her whole body shifted to the side as the mace took her off balance as she moved, “You are not planning on stealing from the Great Mother, are you?”

“What? No.” She shook her head and tried to avoid the strange girl, “What happened to the fire?”

“It died.” Ruha took another step closer, “Agog will be furious with me. I was not the one to feed it.”

“Are you feeling, okay?” Leaf felt her stomach tighten, the queasy sensation mixing with the strange odor in the room.

“That filthy qued born with the blood of the chief… I will not let her steal my place.” Ruha spun the mace in her hand before pointing it at Leaf, “You failed to bring her back. A letter. I demand a letter as payment.”

Leaf laughed and took a step towards the small child, raising up to stand close to twice that over Ruha’s hunched form. Proudly standing in rising to the challenge, Leaf ran her hands over her bare chest and legs before throwing them out wide, “Do not think I will hesitate to beat you half to death. Males go easy on children and females, but I have no such weakness. If you want a letter so bad, I’ll wager an ‘F’ to your ‘A’ and give it to V.”

Ruha let out a deranged cackle and charged blindly, swinging the mace at Leaf’s right knee, “I’ll kill her when I see her next!”

Leaf easily dodged the attack and clenched her fist, punching Ruha in the forehead and darting to the right as the girl struggled with the heavy weapon. A sweeping kick to the right leg and Ruha fell into the ground on her stomach, “Ugh... you dirty… speckled hag.”

“Speckled.” Leaf’s brow raised in surprise and irritation as her right foot stepped on Ruha’s wrist and ground it into the dirt, “Apparently, you have yet to learn manners.”

Ruha grunted and whined for a moment before Leaf bent down to rip the mace from the girl’s hand, but Ruha held on desperately, “You can’t take it, you fat smelly hag.”

The difference in strength was obvious as Leaf simply grabbed hold and pulled, a dull pop resounded as the girl’s wrist dislocated and her grip slipped away. Ruha let out a scream and curled up around Leaf’s foot, flopping like a fish on dry land.

“Now that I took it.” Leaf swung the heavy mace over her shoulder, the iron ball lodging in the small of her back as she stepped off Ruha’s face, “How does it feel to be a qued. Ruh? That is still a passable name, isn’t it?”

Ruha rolled into a crouch, clutching her wrist in her left hand and screaming, “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!”

“This mace belongs to Agog.” Leaf said calmly, “You would steal from the flamekeeper? You will be severely punished for this.”

“No!” Ruha started to sweat and became more unhinged, “A gift! It was a gift to keep that pink sow-”

“Ah… what’s this? Tell me more.” Leaf let out a wicked cackle and brandished the mace, thumping it against her own left hand ominously as if it was an oversized paddle, “Start talking before I start whacking.”

Ruha fell to her knees at that moment and stared up at the vengeful Leaf. She only managed a small whimper before she began, “The Great Mother and Agog have a Mahn locked in the birthing room… ”