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“This is for you! I deliberately put some aside, and ate less myself,” Fao said, holding out a palm with a handful of strawberries to Nucko. The joyful bear cub swallowed all the berries at once, and then licked Fao’s hand for a long time, which still exuded the sweet smell of berries.
After this, it was time for the game. Fao tried to saddle Nucko but he wasn’t having it, and constantly dropped her away. Once, he even pawed so that Fao fell and saw red circles before her eyes. When the bear cub realized that he miscalculated his own strength, he ran up and repeatedly licked her cheeks as an apology. Fao was very ticklish, and she laughed.
Suddenly the bushes moved, and Fao jumped to her feet.
Who is there? Clearly a human!
But then Fao saw her friend, Inaonomose (Ina), before her.
“I knew I’d find you here,” she said.
Ina simply shone with happiness, her eyes burning with sparkling lights. It immediately became clear that something important had happened.
“What? What’s happened?” Fao wanted to get in on this secret as soon as possible.
“You will never believe it! The Taurs! The Taurs are back!”
This was the news of all news! The Taurs had not come to Swa-Ioledea for more than three years! Neighbors to the Vedichs, the Taurs conquered the will of the animal and forced them to transport themselves, their cargoes, and cut down the forest. The Vedichs considered the Taurs to be savages who didn’t respect Nature and animals. The Vedichs rarely visit the Taurs, and vice-versa, but when caravans of embassies come to visit each other, both people obeyed local laws.
When I asked the elders why the Taurs had not come for so long, I received silence at best; at worst – a box on the ear. But there was really nothing to guess. It is as clear as a bright day, that the konung of the Taurs had another conflict with the elders of the Vedichs.
But what made the Taurs come back?
“Where are they?” asked Fao.
“Their chief went with the elders to the Quiet Creek.”
“How do you know?”
“I’ve peeked in,” Ina replied, embarrassed.
“So, you are suggesting…” Fao did not finish the question and smiled.
Ina winked, and the girls completely understood each other.
They looked somewhat similar: both had sharp noses, running black eyes, and bulging cheeks. Only Fao’s hair was lighter and she had a constant blush on her face. But the most important thing that united the friends was curiosity. A craving for the new, a craving for discoveries.
Eavesdropping on other people’s conversations was bad! The girls knew that! However, how could they miss the return of the Taurs? How could they not discover the secret of this return?
“I’m sorry, Nucko!” Fao patted the bear cub by the ear. “This is very important!” He hung his head, clearly offended. They had not had time to play enough.
“Squirrels?” Ina asked continuing to smile.
“Squirrels!” Fao gave up.
Oh, how she hated those nasty little animals! For their harmfulness and stupidity. But squirrels were quick and fast and when needed, they were also noiseless.
Within moments two small forest rodents were already galloping at full speed on the ground and over the branches of trees to the Quiet Creek.
3
Fao and Ina stuck out squirrel muzzles from the leaves of the huge ash tree and turned their gaze to the clearing, where the three elders of the Vedichs – Anolim, Swarod and Liol-Nomo —were talking to a huge blonde-haired Taur.
The chief elder of Swa-Ioledea and all the lands of the Vedichs was the Liswa-Fa. He had already lived a full life cycle six times six years times six. The second full circle has already started, where the elder lived four circles six times for six years and began the second year of the fifth circle.
Liswa-Fa was a fox. From a side view, the beast form looked feeble with gray fur instead of red – but the Liswa-Fa was wise. Though it was hard for him, common sense and good memory never left the old man. At least, so the elders told Fao. The three elders who were in the clearing helped Liswa-Fa, listening to his instructions, and then expounding them to the other Vedichs. Now they had to talk with a stranger.
Fao had already recognized the massive Taur as Dockolmo-Leyam (Docko), the former ambassador of the konung of the Taurs in Swa-Ioledea. By forest standards, he was still quite young, having passed only three full small circles for six years when he first appeared in Swa-Ioledea. But his appearance struck many locals, as Docko was broad in chest and shoulders and by far the tallest Vedich. When Doсko first arrived, his chin was still bare, but he now wore his yellow hair in small braided pigtails that fell alongside his thick, light beard. Docko never parted with his skillfully carved spear, which the Taurs recognized as a sign of power by the red ribbons that adorned it. Docko had achieved a lot in his homeland during his absence in Swa-Ioledea.
Fao simply could not help but admire the young mighty Taur, and began to listen attentively to the conversation while sitting just above the elders’ heads.
“We are flattered, young Dockolmo-Leyam, that you returned to our city,” Swarod said leisurely. “You know that you are always a welcome guest here and a friend of the Vedichs. Whatever opinion the venerable Nojedea-Oumo-Weylea-Kaul, the konung of the Taurs, adhered to, this will not affect our friendship with you. Not as a friendship with a foreigner, but with a man.”
“Thank you, respectable Elder Swarod,” said Docko politely.
“But in order not to torment you for a long time, we will immediately answer with an honest refusal!” Liol-Nomo finished.
“But I asked you for permission to speak with the Supreme Elder of the Liswa-Fa!” Docko did not let up.
Unshakeable, Anolim replied, “Alas, this is impossible! And if you really want to show him your respect, then I will ask you not to disturb his gray hair. The elder of the Liswa-Fa is too weak. We will tell him about the meeting with you. But do you truly think that he can actually tell you something other than what we have told you?”
“I only ask that you send a single caravan to the Valley!” Docko almost begged. “Just one!”
A caravan to the Valley! A caravan to the Valley! A caravan to the Valley!
The squirrel’s heart of Fao began to pound wildly, and only those words pounded in her head.
For what? Why should Docko ask the Vedichs for this? Our people never leave the forest!
One could not even dream about something like this in Swa-Ioledea! To visit the forest of the Taurs was the ultimate dream for any curious Vedich! And here – the Valley! Fao nearly lost control of herself and practically turned back into a human. How much she immediately imagined to herself, after all, there will be no other chance.
Docko, please! Persuade the elders!
“The Vedichs revere their traditions!” Liol-Nomo continued in a raspy voice. “We believe that sending someone from our people to the Valley is unacceptable. The Vedichs, who passed initiation, were created to live in the forest!”
“Then send those who haven’t yet been initiated!” Docko insisted.
After these words, Fao realized that she was completely losing her will. By means of her claws she slid down the trunk to find herself on the ground. Ina followed her. It seemed that her friend was experiencing similar feelings.
“You want to take our children away from us, Dockolmo-Leyam!” Anolim yelled angrily. “The children? Should I remind you of the six-fingered goddess of death?”
“You cannot say that!” Docko flared up. “You swore! And not ‘take away,’ but bring them to the Valley! After all, Elinor is our mutual home! The home of the Eight People!”
In the meantime, the charms of shape-shifting had finally lost their power, and Fao realized they had to run before they were found out.
“Who is there?” Swarod cried out, “Vedichs! We were overheard!”
But the squirrels were already running away, turning back into human girls only at Bear Creek.
4
After catching her breath and remembering the last words from the conversation, Fao realized what a terrible oath Elder Anolim had broken.
The Taurs and Vedichs shared a common history. The Taurs had come out of the Vedichs.
Where was legend and where reality – it was hard to tell, but the legends went like this:
Everyone got very frightened because everyone knows the six-fingered are the messengers of death. They usually come at night in a terrible disguise, but one afternoon an incredibly beautiful woman came. The Vedichs hid themselves on the tops of the trees because they could not defeat her with anything. The weapons burned in their hands, their limbs became numb, and her glare deprived their minds. Then the Vedichs realized that death herself had come to them! They prayed to Mother Nature for death to leave Dockol-Mo, and nature helped them. However, several families left after the horrible woman. They went to the forests of Nanol-Mo, places not as wild and hidden, where people from the Valley wandered sometimes. So, the people of the Taurs appeared.
In Dockol-Mo, these people were first called the Damned. However, it gradually became clear the Taurs did not turn into servants of death and remained human beings. The Vedichs began to communicate with distant fellows, having forgiven them their delusions. The Taurs also supported communication with the Vedichs. Although everyone knew perfectly well the Taurs continued to worship the very death that was named Ayduen!
At some point, again, as the legends say, the elders of the Vedichians decided it was time to save the kindred people from the dark witchcraft. Detachments of the strongest and most agile men went to Nanol-Mo to kill the six-fingered goddess of death. However, they did not yet know what power she had given to the Taurs!
During the time of the worship of Death, the Taurs began to lose touch with nature, so they could no longer turn into wild beasts. However, their physical strength multiplied tremendously. The Taurs killed all the fellow Vedichs who went to free them from oppression. And then they themselves invaded Dockol-Mo and besieged Swa-Ioledea. The city fell and the Taurs forced the elders of the Vedich to swear an Eternal Friendship Vow.
According to it no Taurus could kill or even hit the Vedich, and vice versa. But the Vedichs also swore they would no longer call Ayduen the goddess of death and would not dare harm her. The Taurs themselves also swore that Ayduen would never encroach on the Dockol-Mo forest.
Fao did not really believe in the stories about the six-fingered ones, or even in the existence of Ayduen. However, she knew one thing – wise Elder Anolim had just broken the oath. The sacred oath!
We call them sages, but they behave like madmen!
Indeed, after such words, which were apostasy of oath, a much larger conflict could have arisen!
That way it’s not too far from the war!
Fao hoped that Docko would not allow this and would behave wiser than the elders of her people, of whom she herself was ashamed.
5
Fao and Ina returned to the city armed with an excuse if asked where they’d been. They were playing in the Bear Woodlot with Nucko – which was true. No one needed to know that they turned into squirrels and listened to the conversations of the elders.
Two huge moose grazed on the guest glade and a black bear of quite gigantic size was dozing peacefully. Two Taurs, as young as Docko, stood motionless near the animals. One was incredibly mighty, with long curly hair and a large face. In huge arms, he clutched the hammer handle, dropping the weight itself on the ground. The second Taur wasn’t as wide, but was tall, wiry, and lean. From under his belt a long sword could be seen; on the other side was an axe. Throwing knives protruded from his boots.
His face was covered with a shadow of mild severity, but kindness was seen in his eyes. His hair was light and curly, slightly darker than Docko’s. As Fao held her gaze on him, the Taur noticed the attention and smiled slightly at her.
A Vedich boy by the name of Muolwool (from a neighborhood fir from Fao) ran around huge, more than six time bigger, strangers, and provoked them up with sarcastic screamers. The Taurs didn’t react to it, standing motionless without showing the slightest emotion on their faces. Such were the Vedichs who did not like strangers. There was a shout from the mother of Muolwool, who called her son home.
If someone else was interested in guests from the neighboring forest, he watched them with great care, from behind the bushes and trees.
Suddenly, the bear woke up and yawned loudly. Fao turned away from the young Taur and his younger brothers and looked at the big beast. It immediately dawned upon her. This was Kesho!
“Kesho! Kesho!” Fao screamed joyfully and ran towards the bear, with Ina right behind her.
“This is the bear of our commander Dockolmo-Leyam!” she said as a tall Taur, the one Fao liked, tried to stop her. The big man with the hammer did not even twitch.
But the bear had already recognized Fao, climbed to his four paws, rushed to her and began to lick her. His tongue alone was the size of the half the girl’s arm. She tried to stroke him on the nose. In response the bear sneezed, showering her with a not-so-pleasant mist.
Well, it’s my own fault!
“I recognized you!” There was a voice from behind her, Fao turned around and saw Docko. He was sad and gloomy. But, looking at her, tried to smile. “You were very upset and cried when the Vedichs gave it to me!”
Then Fao remembered the whole story of Kesho. The bear had been about two years old and had already grown to an incredible size. Docko, having then arrived in Swa-Ioledea with another embassy, was amazed at the power of the huge black bear. As it turned out he was also very fond of these animals; only he rode their backs.
When the elders asked Docko what gift he wanted to receive as a sign of friendship with the Vedichs, the Taur asked for this bear. The elders agreed under one condition: Docko should not break his will. When the Taur approached Kesho the bear licked his hand, and then he volunteered to be ridden. Docko rode Kesho without a saddle and a bridle.
And Fao, then very young, had cried. She was sad that Kesho had exchanged her and Dockol-Mo’s forest for a young Taur.
“Do you take good care of Kesho?” Fao tried to start the conversation seriously.
“He’s now called Keshol-Irajk! We are good friends.”
“And we know why you are so sad,” Ina suddenly blurted out.
“Do not take offense, please, at our elders. Not all Vedichs are like that!” Fao decided to speak up.
Docko immediately looked back at his Taurs, but they stood without stirring, and then he beckoned the girls to the side. Fao and Ina followed him.
“So, you were really eavesdropping, correct?”
Fao and Ina nodded guiltily.
“Pretend that you have not heard anything!” he ordered severely.
“But we would like to go to the Valley,” sighed Fao.
“If they let us go,” Ina added.
“I’d like to go, too,” said Docko thoughtfully.
“What happened, anyway?” asked Fao.
“It does not matter anymore.”
“It does! Say it! At the end of the day, you were sent to the Vedichs for this!”
“The Valley has been deserted,” Docko said after a moment’s thought. “At some point, people just disappeared from it. The rulers of Elinor felt that all eight nations should take part in repopulating the Valley and to find out what misfortunes happened there.”
“It cannot be,” Ina stood with her mouth open. “Listen, take us!” suddenly she suggested abruptly.
Docko’s eyes widened.
“Do you want war between the Vedichs and the Taurs? The elders aren’t letting you go!”
“Yeah, they won’t,” Fao sighed again.
“Then at least tell us how one can get to the Valley!” Ina asked roguishly.
Silence fell. Fao understood that her friend had crossed all possible lines. Docko was already in a bad mood, and here they were with their stupid questions. But the Taur reacted to Ina’s request very calmly. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. And then he made another step towards them and turned to her friend.
“Give me your left hand.”
Ina extended her little palm. He turned her palm down and took her thumb slightly to the side, in the direction of the Gray Thorns.
“As you enter the thicket,” said Docko, “Stand in front of the moss cap on any tree. The index and the middle fingers should be pointed exactly in the direction the moss grows. A thumb will show you where to go. Here! Remember how much it needs to be bent. If you don’t get off the track, on the twentieth day you will reach the huge river of Kawa, and then go along its bank downstream.”
“Thank you, Docko!” blurted Ina, obviously not expecting the Taur would fulfill her request.
“No matter what happens, don’t you dare say that it was I who told you the direction!” the Taur almost barked with unprecedented severity. But it was superfluous: Fao and Ina immediately assured him they would obey.
“And you yourself will go to the Valley?” Asked Fao.
“Right away! Only the direct way,” answered Docko and climbed onto Keshol-Irajk’s back. Taurs assistants began to saddle the moose.
6
Unhappy, the girls walked through the glades of Swa-Ioledea. And everything that was occurring wasn’t pleasing to their eyes at all. The Taurs were gone, and life returned to its original course. Gawk, secretly looking at the guests, had long hid in their trees.
At the fir where Fao lived, her great-great-grandfather, on whom she so unceremoniously landed in the morning, played Hurra with his friend of about the same age.
The older the Vedich, the more he loves playing Hurra. If you don’t like playing Hurra, prepare to spend your old age alone. All day long, the players clatter their bones and rearrange the figures on the field. Year after year, circle after circle, the inhabitants of the forest Dockol-Mo sharpen their skills in the game. Once Fao said that she considered playing Hurra a waste of time. Oh, how she was punished! Since then, she simply hated this traditional entertainment.
The old people were all still sitting, looking thoughtfully at the hexagonal board. Slowly they moved the figures with trembling fingers.
Fao looked around to see a burly Vedich woman, a bear sow, pounding berries in a mortar. Next to her, in the canopy of oak there was another one, younger and much slimmer, a doe, embroidering patterns on her shirt. Two husbands weaved a large hammock and prepared a floor for a new suspension bridge between the trees.
And then Fao’s eyes filled with tears, as she realized she would see this same picture her whole life.
Yes, the forest of Dockol-Mo was incredibly beautiful. Yes, she had hairy friends in Bear Woodlot, but nothing, nothing changed in the town of Swa-Ioledea, only if a new embassy from the Taurs or a travel explorer from the Valley wandered in!
How I’m bored of all this! To live in freedom – only the imaginary one. To live as the elders order – those elders who break sacred oaths, who put prejudices above reason! Listen to fairytales about the six-fingered, although no six-fingered was ever seen. Watch how old people play Hurra and pretend to enjoy this spectacle! Get a wig for curiosity! Get boxed on the ear instead of answering questions! That’s how it is – the Dockol-Mo forest!
“Listen,” Fao looked at Ina. Her tears disappeared instantly, and her voice became confident. “Did you ask Docko about the way to the Valley in earnest?”
The friends’ eyes met. The eyes of Ina flashed with the same spark again. And again, the girls understood each other.
7
Swaol-Ney wasn’t as spirited as Fao and Ina, but she was just as curious. While she hid her desire for discoveries and shared secrets with friends, with her parents, grandfathers, and especially the elders, she kept her mouth shut. But Swaol-Ney read a lot and understood a lot. If you had to go to someone for advice, then she was the one to go to.
Swaol-Ney listened attentively to her friends and shook her head.
“You are mad! You turned into squirrels and consequently began to think like squirrels! Primitive! So, you plan to just leave? How do you imagine that?” She was getting more and more upset.
“Just take off and go!” Fao replied looking into her eyes, though she was beginning to recognize their venture was insane. “Nobody has ever tried!”
“And the Valley,” added Ina, “They’re calling all the people there. Though we go against the will of the elders, we are obeying the will of… errr… all of Elinor!”
“Of course, sure,” Swaol-Ney frowned. “Here come the people of Elinor begging the Vedichians to go to the Valley…”
“So, you’re not with us?” Ina put the question directly.
Swaol-Ney fell silent, hung her head, and then gave an answer that Fao hadn’t expected:
“Yes, I’m with you!”
The joyful Fao and Ina began to hug their friend, and when everyone’s emotions died down, they began to formulate their plan.
“Well, how do we do it best?”
Swaol-Ney changed in the face.
“Ah, so you came to me to fix everything up for you?”
“Well, you’re the main inventor among us,” Fao said guiltily.
“We must first understand who else is ready to leave!” Swaol-Ney declared.
“But the more there are of us, the easier it will be to catch us… to stop us…” pointed out Ina.
“How can you say such a thing?” Fao responded. “Maybe someone has long longed to see other nations, to see the Valley, just as we have! Then we’ll act dishonestly not only in relation to our parents and elders, but also to our like-minded people!”
“Okay, okay… Let’s do it that way!” Ina was embarrassed, and Fao managed to marvel at her own eloquence.
“Anyway, we need someone older, more experienced, someone who knows the Common Language,” Swaol-Ney began to reason again. “How will we go to the Valley not knowing the language?”
“Right,” said Fao. They didn’t even think about it with Ina.
“But they say that those who have already been initiated cannot live outside Dockol-Mo,” Ina began. “And anyway, it’s unlikely that any of the elders will agree to support us… and none of the young ones know the Common Language.”
“Wey-Leya!” remembered Fao. “Wey-Leya knows the Common Language!”
Wey-Leya was still young enough, only five years older than the girls. However, she had already managed to visit Taur, where she learned to speak the Common Language just a little bit in her own estimation. And very few knew about this because Wey-Leya hid her skills.
“Indeed, Wey-Leya will be able to help.” Swaol-Ney rejoiced. “So, we’ll do the following: let us each go to our acquaintances and suggest to those whom we consider appropriate to escape, to start the journey. And we must leave today! At night! You don’t believe in fairytales about the six-fingered, do you?”
“No!” Fao and Ina shook their heads. Although in fact, they couldn’t give a clear answer to this question even for themselves.
“But others believe! Those who aren’t afraid, they will come with us! The others will notice our absence at dawn, therefore there is a chance to run far,” concluded Swaol-Ney.
“It is decided then! We will meet up with Wey-Leya with the last sunset beam!” declared Fao.
8
First, Fao hurried to Nomesdesoldok (Nome), confident that he would join their conspirators’ society. In a year and a half, Nome was supposed to go to the third small circle, so, in respect to the girls, he was more mature. He had a piercing gaze and unusual greenish hair the shade of spruce needles. Nome was a favorite one among peers, and girls mostly admired him. Bright, enterprising, creative, with a special charm. He, out of all people, was the one who clearly was born in some other place. As expected, Nome immediately agreed to an adventure.
For his age, Nome was successful in the art of shape-shifting. He already knew how to turn into predatory animals. The bears and wolves, of course, were far away, but he could easily turn into a fox or a saber.
Fao was very close with Nome, he was one of her best friends. So close in nature, in spirit, in interest, that Ina was sometimes jealous.