Talhi: Book One

--Rine--

Part I- The Stars Chapter 3

“Kyralan, the Great Dragon of Rine as I know your generations have called her, is responsible for the shanan race, not I,” the gray shana said.

“But…but I’ve heard stories about her,” a youth mumbled quietly. Zeera was the youth, and she was typically very shy and rarely spoke out.

Zye looked at her and his eyes softened. You will be found in this long tale soon, young one. The god then erased the expression from his eyes and chuckled. “Ah, just an old mother’s tale. Kyralan was very, very sweet to me. Over the next few moons, she taught me how to fly and hunt and I gained even more in strength.

“But I had to leave her for a bit and find others to join in this new race which I decided to call the ‘shana,’ after the word for ‘sky runner’ in the old Kokren tongue.”

The great yellow moon lit up the sky and the ground below through the trees. The air was heavy with moisture from the newly fallen rain. The gray winged wolf trotted amongst the forest, eyes and ears alert for any other who might be wandering in the wood.

Zye stopped and lifted his muzzle upwards, taking in the smells of the land. Ah, it has been a while since I walked Talhi Forest. The shana looked up at the stars and all their mystery. The old tales of the wolves said that the stars were actually other great lands, and when your spirit passes on, you get taken to one called Loucyia, either being with Wtas, the god of darkness, or Etas, the god of light. What you had done in your life determined to which god you would go. The rodents and cerdaev have a similar myth with their gods Gynt and Nelkan. And to think that I may soon become one of those gods that so many believe in, Zye thought.

His ears then perked forwards and his head lowered. The sound that he heard was of dirt being kicked up, and could be heard even with the wet ground.

A gray rabbit bounded quickly towards Zye and he lashed out with his jaws and caught the rodent. The shana was marveled by his quick reflexes that he had gained while with Kyralan, though he forgot one thing she had told him: “Even if you win the fight, don’t let your guard fall.”

Zye heard a snarl, his defense down, and before he could react he was knocked to the ground with another’s jaws wrapped around his front leg near the shoulder. Two dark gold eyes glared down upon the shana. Zye growled, but the other wolf paid little attention. The gray moved his wing quickly, getting it under the lower jaw of the wolf, and lifting. The wolf leapt back, moving his jaw side to side. It was smaller than the shana, about six inches smaller to the shoulder, but the sheer force of the blow showed how much power the wolf had.

The wolf’s fur was a light gray mixed with streaks of red-orange, a typical coloring of a red wolf. In the Talhi Forest, and actually all of Talhi, virtually every species of animal may live, even if it is odd to see one in such woods. Talhi holds a sort of “magic” in it. No two creatures may see the same tree in the same way. As for humans, they can never reach inner Talhi. To humans, the outer Talhi is dark and dead, few ever wander into it. But those who do get rounded in a circle, never seeing the beauty and wonder it holds. Only those born within Talhi—the entire Talhi consists of the Talhi Forest, the Serani Mountain Range, Rine, the Black and Renico Oceans, and the Northern Waters—never see the dead wood.

The red wolf snarled as Zye climbed to his feet. The gray shana shuffled his wings, finding a good place on his sides. The wolf stepped backwards, tail tucked slightly under his belly, yet continued to growl.

“What kind of demon are you?” it said with a slight click and his jaws closed hard, partially trying to show his strength, and partially scared.

Before the shana could speak, another red wolf emerged from the brush to the right of Zye. Its fur was much lighter than the other’s, and with less of the fiery color.

Her eyes were also a deep gold, and they were locked onto the other wolf with a solid stare. The wolf slinked back even more at the glare, and the lighter wolf’s eyes rolled slightly.

“What’re ya’ doing you big idiot?” the light wolf snapped at the red.

“This…demon,” the red indicated the shana with a slight flick of the head “stole my meal.”

Zye looked over the dead rabbit on the ground. “I didn’t think that running prey had a claim,” he replied sarcastically. “I’ve eaten recently anyway.” The shana sat down and shuffled his wings once again. The light wolf stepped back in alarm, not of fear. Seeing the reaction of the two, Zye chuckled softly.

“No need to be alarmed you two. I am Zye.”

“I don’t think we are interested in your name, demon,” the red growled.

“Hush you dim-wit,” the light snapped. “I am Shar,” she spoke with a much lighter and motherly tone, “and this is my brother, Raje.” Shar glared at her brother again, and he ceased growling. “Now, I have to wonder as much as he, what are you?”

“A demon,” Raje mumbled.

“Will you stop with the demon thing?” Zye sighed. “I am a shana.”

“Sky runner? What sort of breed is that?” the she-wolf questioned.

“At the moment, I am the only one. The Lady Kyralan granted me these wings.”

“Lady Kyralan? Who the Wtas is—“ Raje began to say but was cut off by a growl from Shar.

“She is a dragon, and was told to give me these wings by Hanua,” the shana replied.

“Ha, what a load of—“ Raje was cut off once again by his sister. “Will ya’ let me finish one line! Wtas!”

“Stop cursing with that name!” Shar snarled.

“You act like mother,” he mumbled. Both pairs of gold eyes then lowered and all were quiet.

“What’s a winged wolf doing way out here then?” Shar asked, breaking the silence. “Or…I mean,” she paused, “Where are you from exactly?”

“I was born into the East Creek but then came to live in the land far north and west,” Zye replied, intentionally not mentioning him being the alpha’s son, and his abandoning.

“Northwest? How far north?” the red asked, more with surprise than disbelief.

“Up to the ocean.”

The two wolves froze and glanced at each other.

“By the human village?” Raje growled with disgust. Shar growled in the same way too.

“I don’t know, truly,” the shana said, shifting his weight. “I’ve never left Talhi.”

“Still,” Shar snarled, “It’s near Westcon. The two of us will never run near that land again, or ones that associate around there.”

The siblings’ hackles were raised, a deep growl in their throats. The both seemed to move as one as their bodies turned away from the shana. Zye stood up and turned as well, but did not walk forwards.

“If you come over your hatred of the far north, I would ask if you’d care to come join me. If not, send others northwest. Though, I wouldn’t distrust you if you didn’t.”

The wolves continued walking; not even an ear twitched.

“Ha-ha! I remember that!” Raje exclaimed laughing, joining the group and sitting next to Shar.

The gathering didn’t make a sound. And all eyes were on the maroon furred shana. His fur was marked similar to his sisters. His fur was a deep maroon, bright red went up his muzzle and across his forehead into a curl, and the bright red also covered his back paws. His wings were dragon like, their membranes the same red as the mask. He blinked his gold-red eyes. “What?”

Shar sighed from the place next to him. “You know, its not real funny that we pretty much despised him.”

“Well, its funny to me hearing it from Zye’s view.”

The white shana rolled her eyes slightly.

“Huh,” the god said with a slight laugh, “How ‘bout you say why you despised me though, Raje, since you find it so funny.”

Raje lowed his head slightly with a growl of disgust.