Part 2; Of Shadows And Puppets

Started by Marrow, November 20, 2021, 02:35:26 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Marrow

A dark sea again invaded Marrow's fitful dreams and the charm appeared once more. When he reached out for it again, it was with the tiny paws of a wolf cub. Just as he touched the charm, it melted away as his lungs again filled with icy water.

Marrow shot upright with a scream, or what he thought was upright, tumbling back into the waking world. He found himself twisted in the sleeping pelts, suspended from the top bunk.

"You alright there, Rattler?" A she-wolf had poked her head into the room to investigate the fever-dream outburst.

"I think I just need to eat." Marrow answered as he wormed his way free of his cocoon.

The she wolf shook her head and mumbled something about the way all skunks are and left. Marrow tried to rub the sleep-deprived bags from under his eye before gathering his pack and heading back down to the main hall.

Scanning the faces scattered about the lodge, he found his two travel companions sitting among the wolves at one of the long tables. He'd hoped they were alone but at least they would be familiar faces. Finding an empty place on the wolf-sized bench, he climbed up.

Upon noticing the skunk, his neighbors gave him slightly more elbow room than was probably needed and Marrow wondered again if it was the skunk, the Rattler, or his night terror induced shouting that repelled them. Koga dispelled this thought before it had time to drag his countenance down too far by sliding a mug in front of him. Marrow's lips tightened into a half-hearted smile.

"Thanks, but I should probably have some of that stew first."

A wolf with a crimson-dappled face sitting across from the skunk poured up a bowl and slid it to him. Marrow thanked him.

"This is Kairon.", said Ruka, nodding to the same wolf. "Alpha of his pack. "He will lead the ceremony for Omahk and the others."

Marrow averted his gaze downward out of habit, though this was conveniently a sign of respect when meeting an alpha. "I'm called Marrow."

"Do you normally sleep so loudly, stripe-cat?", Kairon inquired flatly. The resulting silence was deafening until Koga broke it.

"Have another one of your nightmares, Marrow?", she asked from within her upturned mug.

"Something like that." Marrow decided to forego the spoon and turned up the bowl. He could feel the derisive gaze of the alpha seated across from him.

"It's a good thing you had these two to carry you all that way, little one. A she-fisher and a deserter are no substitute for even one true Ice Walker but it's something I suppose."

Marrow's tail bristled as a few of Kairon's pack snickered.

"I'm not so sure, prime one." Marrow rebutted, "It was, after all, a pack of Ice Walkers we were sent to find and recover in the first place."

Suddenly all attention was focused on their table.

The alpha snarled and a chorus of growls rumbled from his packmates as they stood. Koga rose, paw to hilt, glaring at each. Though Kairon was nearly triple Marrow's size, he kept the Alpha's gaze, unblinking.

A commanding voice cut through the tension that buzzed in the air.

"Alright, everybeast, let's take it easy. Settle down."

Koga side-eyed the speaker and immediately snapped to attention.

From a map covered table in the corner, a tundra hare clad in full Knight's armor with a deep green bandana around her neck strode authoritatively through the crowd. She placed a single, walnut-furred paw in the table between the adversaries.

"Now what seems to be the problem here?"

"This is a Walker matter, long-ear. Nothing for Kastor's pets to worry about.", said Kairon, his stare fixed on the little skunk. Now Ruka stood.

"you are within a lodge built for you by Kastor's Farers, and you have been summoned south for Kastor's army." Her tone hardened. "the walker freedoms you have here are by Kastor's grace, and they are not to cause problems for non-walkers."

Kairon sneered. "Look around you, conscript. Your word holds no real weight here."

The hare's face was stone.

Koga stepped back, paw to hilt. "It only takes a few of us to sweep the refuse outside. And even so, we are here on complete authority of Kastor's entire army. There is no victory for you here."

Kairon's scowl deepened.

It was Ruka's voice that came with surprising calm.

"The Rattler risked his life to recover our brethren so they could have a proper end, Kairon. He means to honor them according to our traditions. We shouldn't tarnish their memory this way."

The Alpha looked across the table at each beast now arrayed against him, his gaze lingering on Marrow. He growled at Ruka, nearly nose to ear.

"Our brethren, deserter. Ours." The alpha stalked to the door, followed by his cadre. He turned and projected. "The ceremony for our fallen begins soon. All true wolves are welcome." He looked straight at Ruka and Marrow. "All others may observe from a distance." With that, the Alpha left, flanked by his pack mates. Murmurs and relieved chuckles rose as the atmosphere began to depressurize.

The hare nodded sharply and looked at Marrow.

"If he continues to be a problem, just let me know. My name is Marunae of the Great Family, and I am the Chief Farer here." She pointed a warning paw at Marrow. "Just don't cause any more trouble in my post. Am I clear, skunk?"

Marrow nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Good." The Farer bowed an ear to Koga. "You I like." Turning on a heel, she marched back to her maps, the crowd giving her slightly more berth than before.

Marrow sat back and folded his arms, looking around and wishing for all the world to be back on the road with his mentor, Gudra. The old sage was slow of pace and methodic of movement but had always been his closest companion and friend. The platinum face would simply wrinkle up into a grin, chuckling whenever Marrow would misspeak. Never becoming angry.



Still deep in his own longing, Marrow spotted a little group of wolf cubs wrestling on the far side of the lodge, his recent confrontation having inspired the theme of their current bout. The Rattler smiled, seeing an opportunity to be in his own element for once.

Koga watched as the skunk rummage eagerly in his bag, a rare grin stretched beneath his muzzle. Marrow first produced a tin. Opening it to reveal white ash paste, he began scrawling a pattern on his face. A few moments later, his visage resembled a skull. Replacing the tin, the Rattler then carefully retrieved and unwrapped his most precious thing he carried. A marionette. Its small form draped in a black robe and crowned with a wooden head shaped and decorated like a skull with a sinister, fanged grin. Tiny, polished amber studs ensconced in each eye socket glinted. The Bone Rattler inverted into a handstand and affixed its ankle threads to his wrists and its wrist threads to his ankles, the puppet appearing right-side up. He then looped his tail around the thread attached to its head and it seemed to suddenly come to life as Marrow looped a final thread that hung from up under the robe around his muzzle. Koga smirked and elbowed Ruka who took one look at the skunk as he prepared to do something else weird and went back to eating more stew.

"Koga, please get some of that powder of mine and go wait by the fire." Marrow winked, "You'll know what to do."

Fully rigged in his Bone Rattler regalia, Marrow made his way on his forepaws as naturally as he walked upright toward the young ones. His voice that seemed like two harmonizing together. It rang out over the din of cub-play as he leaped from around a beam.

"Beware, beware the shadows that play,
for the shade that grows may take you away.
Huddle 'neath lamp-light, though flicker it may,
Your only hope 'til break of day!"

The young ones froze, gazes fixed to the little skull that chattered as it hung in front of its puppeteer.

"To hear his tale is to seal your fate,
Run-away now before it's too late!"

The cubs looked to each other. Most put on a brave grimace to hide their unease. Some of the adult wolves began to watch, amused by the odd display, their impressions of the odd little skunk easing.

"It's your last chance to flee, my friends,
For these words will surely be your end!
He sees you now, he knows your name,
The hungry shade will take his claim.
Dark flame released, no time to mourn,
For just behind you stalks evil Thorn!"

The puppet's jaw snapped open its arms flung wide as the ambient orange hearth-light flashed green. A snicker from Koga was thankfully drowned out by gasps. All the pups screamed, some giggling and scattered away from Marrow. All save for a single pup who instead came and sat front and center before Marrow. Her muzzle still blunt and face still full round with early youth, she sat enamored, unphased by the warnings. Marrow noticed she alone stayed and something panged deep in his memory.

"Are you the one brave enough to stand alongside the hero who will destroy thorn?", Marrow inquired of the wide-eyed youth.

"I am!", she replied excitedly, "Who is the hero?"

Marrow cartwheeled back to standing position and the puppet's robe inverted, revealing its yellow underside, embroidered with lavender flower patterns. It covered the wooden deaths-head underneath and revealed a new head. A real skull whose entire surface was covered in intricate scrimshaw traced with a riot of colors. At once beautiful and unsettling.

"This, brave companion, is Thistle Shadowbane, the mightiest warrior in all the land. And she will lead us to defeat the evil Thorn!"

The little she-wolf clapped gleefully.

The puppet moved lifelike into a ready battle stance.

"With her spear that shines with the light from her heart she will erase thorn once and for all. But she needs your help, brave ward. Will you say the magic words with me to break his spell and weaken the specter so she can land the final blow?"

The little wolf cub leaped to her feet. "Yes!"

"Be gone, Thorn, You've no power here,
For we the brave you now will fear!"

Marrow repeated the line and the little she-wolf joined, jumping in place. Then the rest of the cubs, bolstered by her courage, came back, and joined in. Marrow began cartwheeling back and forth, the puppet inverting back and forth between its forms as he mimed an epic battle. The cubs cheered and howled as even the adults began to chant along. At a crescendo in the chorus of voices, the Thorn side of the puppet became transfixed and cursed the day as he fell, inverted one final time to the thistle side.

"We did it! Thorn hungers no more!", Marrow shouted triumphantly.

The young ones howled as cheers and claps went up from the onlookers. Each of the little cubs eagerly ran to their parents to report what they all had just seen save for the little she-wolf. Marrow, still huffing to catch his breath, plopped down next to her, beaming. He felt lighter than he had in quite some time.

"You did so well, little one. Tell me, what is your name so I may tell of your deeds throughout the whitelands." The little cub poked at the puppet that now lay limp upon the floor before Marrow as though a real life had left its little body.

"I'm Hopi Tusktaker."

Her words hit with the force of a mountain and hung from his shoulder as such. His countenance fell momentarily before he masked it with a forced smile.

"That's a good name, Hopi Tusktaker. One to be proud of."

Hopi puffed her little chest out and ran off to join the other cubs shouting,

"I'm Hopi Tusktaker-Shadda'bang and Imma 'stroy you all!"

Marrow stood as he began untethering the puppet's leads. His chest felt tight, and he wished Gudra was nearby. He had hoped Jhoti's daughter wasn't so young. Suddenly feeling claustrophobic, his head spinning, he headed out the front entrance, handing Koga the puppet without a word as he went. The fisher looked at the lifeless form in her hands and up to Marrow as he departed, concern creasing her face.



Out under the night sky, Marrow leaned on the lodge's roughhewn logs for support as he went around the side. Finding crates and barrels stacked against the wall, he made his way amongst them to a bench just as the tears began to flow. His form heaved as he sat grappling with the weight of being the Ghostwalker. Forever the barer of ill portent. The harbinger of death. No wonder most avoided him. He would avoid himself if he could. Marrow lashed out and struck a little cask, sending it into the mud. He wished for all the world that he could shed the 'Ghostwalker' and just be Marrow. He wished for all the world Gudra was by his side.

Several yards out, where the lamplight had begun to fade, a tall silhouette peered halfway around a pine. A single amber dot glistened upon the shape of its face.

That wasn't a very nice picture to paint of someone, Marrow.

"Was I wrong?", the skunk answered back.

The voice came again, creeping from every lantern-cast shadow.

Hmm, no.

The face crept half-around a crate to the right, suddenly much closer.

But you could at least let an old friend win once, couldn't you?

Marrow turned his back. "You are no friend of mine."

The shadowed face peered over the roof above, half obscured. This time both amber eyes glinting hungerly.

But we must be bosom companions. Otherwise, why would you keep me around?

Marrow looked down to where his footpaws dangled over the bench.

"To keep you from plaguing others as you plague me."

The face melted from above and seemed to leak out of the shadows between the skunks footpaws. The light from the lamp catching the gleam of long, black drenched fur.

So why don't you just destroy me like you do the others? Why torment yourself?

"You know why I can't do that, Thorn." Marrow kicked at the now empty shadow.

That's right, Ghostwalker. You need me. Like your dreams. You still haven't figured it out yet, have you?

Marrow sat upright his tone darkening. "What do you mean?"

Two arms covered in sopping wet black fur snaked over the Rattler's shoulders and claws like inky talons crossed over his chest as a fanged grin appeared beneath two amber eyes at his ear.

Allow me to enlighten you, friend.

Marrow's eyes began to glow green as dream-sight filled his vision. Once again, the pitch void produced Jhoti's charm, and it fell into Marrows paws. Hopi appeared and reached for it with those familiar small paws as voices began to echo around. Just as she grasped the pendant, the echoing voices turned to panicked screams and the inky black began to take Hopi like a black torrent. Marrow held on as tightly as he could. Cries for her to hold on drown by icy water filling his lungs. Then suddenly, the little paws let go and she was gone.

Marrows real-world shout drowned out her fading please as he was dragged back to reality, finding himself alone on his knees in the mud, clutching the charm.

Just then, Koga rounded the corner, having come to check on him and rushed over to his side.
"Marrow, what-"

"Where is Marunae?!"

The fisher helped him to stand. "Still inside, Marrow, what's wrong?"

"Many souls are in danger, we have to warn them!"

Marrow ran back toward the front of the lodge, Koga close behind, leaving a sinister cackle only his ears could hear echoing among the shadows.   

Once inside, Marrow scanned the main hall for the tundra hare's green scarf. Spotting her at her map table, surrounded by wolves. The skunk made his way through the crowd, all pensive tendencies forgotten, and squeezed himself into a spot opposite the hare. The resulting indignancies tore the Farer's attention away from her maps. She held a paw to stay the other's complaints.

"I'm sure you could move a crowd much easier if you tried." She crossed her arms in front of her armored chest. "I'm grateful for your discretion, though. Now, what trouble have you stirred this time, Rattler?"

Marrow's tone was dire.

"I fear a village will be washed out in a deluge soon. Its inhabitants are in mortal danger."

The corp-beast sighed wearily. Another one for the pile.

"We've had many fields washed out and homes ruined these last weeks. We will add this place to our ledgers, friend."

Marrow's paw hit the map as his tail shot out. All around froze.

"You don't understand! Forgive me but the visions I see never lie. I can sense when souls may be close to leaving this world and I've seen this for an entire community." Marrow searched around and spotted Hopi amongst the other cubs and pointed her out to Maru. "Her. I've seen her in my dreams. Her father's body lies outside, and I fear the rest of her family will join him across death's river if we don't warn them." The Rattler pushed the maps about until he found one of the local area, drawn to a mark along one of the valley's many rivers. "Here, right here. This is the place."

Ruka had, by that time, made his way over.

"That's the place Omahk and the others are from."

The immediate gravity of the situation hit Maru and her countenance hardened.

"I understand, seer. If it's an evacuation, we are the beasts for the job." She looked over the crowd within the lodge. "But we're going to need all the help we can get."