A Castrovel Adventure: Part 4, Chapter 4

In which Vaeol’s flag-pod and Clan Miniada plan a big catch.

From the Daylog of Vaeol Zheieveil Yaranevae be’Son

10. Vinelae, 24,543 - Leiss Farmhold, Lea
Akeeping my tale from yesterday, by my yearlog, the Heaventide drought lasted into Afaelae, more than two months since we first glimpsed Heavenwatch. Then on the sixth day, the South Wind blew warm and moist. Soon it grew into a gale, which the Retaea name the Dashing-Shota. The clan elders met and bequoth that Heaventide had ended (in a doom-speech I bethought rather like the priests back in Son), and Floodtide was come. The Clan gathered and sang thanks to Father-Sky, who is a god dimly reminded in our oldest legends, though still much worshiped here among the Retaea.
That night, the first storm blew, and fierce winds that made us struggle to strengthen the tents. Then it became a long-driving shower beating the gumhides. When at last it weakened, we cuddled and giggled while we listened to the rain's roar, a din we had not heard in so long that we had not witted how dearly we missed it. We woke late the next morn and found the Shotalashu playing in puddles, wallowing, wrestling, and mud-whelmed. Merrily we bade them heel and cleaned them to saddle, forwhy now the scouts outsent earnestly.
The clan’s wanted prey are the Qoelu, who at times have bothered Son’s lands when they come even so far as Father-Yaro at Heaventide, seeking the river’s wealth from this same drought we had right ere undergone. Lore foretold that, with the Dashing-Shota coming, these great loping Scalykind would now head northward, back to the moors for the reason we beheld within two days of the first rain-shower: A green sheen glowed upon the moors had had erstwhilely showed dryly golden-pink. Grass was already sprouting, food for the great beasts who doubtlessly had already witted the wind and rain streaming hitherward.
We got trust of this yearly wanderfare within four days, when we beheld Shieldheads and Flatbills - themselves greater than three boatweights and worthy prey - and also smaller Dash-Storks and Swiftreavers in their swarming, thieving packs, filled the moor like the sea flooding the shore in a sight like nothing I had ever seen. Almost idly we hunted, and wherein the clanfolk rigged nets to catch afrightened birds. So we ate fresh meat every night.
At length we saw afar the true prize: great, tree-legged shapes almost dither-like in the rain-mist, though their four horns and trunklike snouts proved too stark to miss: a Yaruk Moot, already gathering as lone fellows found each other after months shed within the floodlands. We heard them hooting and blowing over the empty land over which they would fare together northward, dare, fight, and mate while they made way along Mother-Arasene’s shore, and then to shed lonesomely again among the Voliahu Rainwood north of the lake, in time for Blighttide three months hence.
Soon as we brought back word, the Miniada broke camp, a heavy undertaking but with ean ase bespeaking a task they have done for their whole lives. Within a day the whole clan was packed on Shieldhead-backs and wagons, heading northward on a path to thwart the Qoelu’s northward fare while we hunters hastened ahead. Erewardly, I have bewritten that Oshis was not alone among the Miniada Korasha who ride Shota, for this deed is much more wontful among the Retaea, since one may more easily cross the moorland’s breadth on their long-legged steeds. Even those Korasha who do not ride Shota own a tame Shieldhead, as we we had already seen used for the camp’s bestowal, though which we would soon see put to else use.
While we flanked the great Qoelu herd, a new roar rose, harsher, shriller, and one I fearfully say I had ere heard. With Honosil I overlooked the land until she beckoned to a shadow stalking the herd’s edge. ~Halaeshaeu,~ she named, which already I knew: Queenslayer, the bane-thing the elder loremasters had named Nysshalora. It bestands wise that these dreadful hunters follow the same prey as we. So fearsome are they that the Retaea hunters will sometimes forsake prey after kill, let the Queenslayer eat until fullness, and then come back afterward to take what they may. 
we brought this grim scout-word back to the clan, where Lady Vei and her elders reckoned the best path. Even a lone Queenslayer can waste a whole clan or thieve their hard-won prey. Somewise, likely through loose camp-gossip, word outcame that our little flag had once slain such a bane-thing. Lady Vei called us forth and asked the tale’s truth. Misgivingly I told how we had lain a thurse-snare at a forsaken farmhold and had wounded the Queenslayer until it fled and laterward died, though with myself and many wounded among our troop. 
Lady Vei shrewdly heard. She freely yaysaid such a fearsome fight is no mean thing. Then she beseeched us to ward the clan’s hunt against the Queenslayer’s threat. bade Remaue bring my harness, and all our warriors to gird likewise.
Vosaeth sulkily shrilled when we rode out, though she stayed with Tae, Less, and Hanos, who watched tightly. Under no happendom we would ever bring along two such thickly bechild wives under this threat’s jaws. For our help, however, we had not only Honosil, Threarde, Zhaunyth, and the rest of Vosaeth’s house-riders, but also a beast-tamer, a Korasha named Harul who rode a Shieldhead.
As a troop, while the Clan afterhunted the Yaruks, we thwarted the Queenslayer’s path, armed with the long moorland spears the Retaean riders love. Harul told they had wontfully done this thing, which is best done ere the Clan catches its prey, for once fresh blood bestinks, the Queenslayer would lose all good mind and would strike recklessly. Instead, we outsought the bane-thing ahead of the kill, while it was still heedful and not yet blood-mad.
I will not forget the tall Qoelu’s first sight, striding from afar, almost a half-sem away. The Queenslayer overstooped with snout low, sniffing the Yaruk’s track, outweighed by its long tail. It first reminded me as a child hunting snails in an elfyard, even though bigger than the first we had hunted. Then its head rose, and the balefulness in its eight eyes smote. I recalled the hatred in the one we had hunted and wounded back home, the haughty pride that had left it astounded at such small things as we would withstand it. The waggle in its scythe-limbs bespoke a shared eagerness.
We got the first hint that the Queen-slayer’s will might slighten, however, when Harul bade his Shieldhead bellow a thundersome dare. The Queenslayer 's shriek answered hatefully, and so loudly that even afar my helm hummed. When the Shieldhead bellowed back, however, the fiend halted. Its head cocked reckoningly. Against being thrice the Shieldhead’s height and twice its size, it eight eyes ran along Harul’s big steed and our little rider-troop outstrung on both sides. I forethought it brunting our row, seeking us Shotalashu-riders as the weak link. Yet such deed would let its flank open to the Shield-head’s heavy brunt. This wild bane-thing seemingly understood.
Instead, the Queenslayer chose shrewdness. It sidled leftward, as if it would go aring and retake the spoor after it cleared us. Harul bade us likewise trend leftward, staying between our foe and the Clan’s hunt while his Shieldhead again roared. I read our drift worried the great flesh-hunter, who would foretake easy prey over a tough fight, even if the Qoelu’s size and might gave it behoof. 
This sideward drift towardly brought us near the Queenslayer, whereby it tightened so much as we. At last, we sidled so nearward that we offstood hardly more than five armspans, which seemed no room at all. We had reached a grim thwartsomeness. At any breathtide the flesh-hunter might strike. We might offdrive it, though how many of us would fall under the deed? I could foresee no outcome else than death.
Anon Harul bade us daze-strike, and me sunderly to smite its mind. So we shoved forth our soul-might, for whatever good our small souls might do against so great a foe. In answer, the Queenslayer roared again, and this tide so loudly that our ears hurt and our brains rattled. A ringing deafness beset while I gritted teeth and awaited the bane-thing’s onslaught, fighting to keep grip on my spear and enough mind to fewter it, and could not help thinking that this day we would die.
Against belief, the dread Qoelu offbacked, first one, then another great stride. It turned slinkingly and loped away, but once its many eyes glaring backward. Forsoothlessly we sat while our Shotalashu shook heads and brayed, themselves stunned from the Queen-slayer’s yell as we.
We came down from war-mind, where Harul outlaid he had wrought a dithercraft, whereby our soul-might had seemed greater to the Qoelu, who had else-guessed its likelihood to overcome us. All good news, though afterward we had other cares, forwhy many were befallen of splitting headaches, and even blood from ears. I found Remaue holding Kaure: it was her first war-fight. Fear had overcome, though our war-mind had upheld and she had not fled. I went to them, praised her heart, and kissed her brow. 
We headed back toward the Clan, though slowly while I healed so much as I could, and Harul did likewise for the Shota. Thus on the fourteenth afternoon of Afaelae we were seeking a campstead when an eery, dull wail floated over the moor. Harul and Honosil swiftly nodded at the way we were heading. He beread that the Clan had caught a Yaruk.
The next day, the Fifteenth, we found the Clan, and with them the kill. The great flesh-mound lay in a gulch between two hills, where the hunters had driven the Yaruk with fire. Then they had slain it with long spears, boulders, and axes wielded by cunning Korasha, who had run in and cut the great Qoelu’s sinews to fell it. One man was grimly wounded, crushed by the Yaruk’s foot, and the healers feared he might not outlive. A Shota had a broken leg, and its rider a knocked head. Already the butchers were working, flaying the hide, carving flesh for the smoke-racks, and harvesting bone. A fairlike mood had overtaken the camp, with fresh meat roasting on hearth-spits, folk singing, dancing, and gambling. Traders even had already come bargaining for bone and hide.
Lady Vei, Taiase, Vosaeth, and Tae welcomed our homecome, with rue only that we had missed the hunt. Before them Harul praised us, saying that none should doubt Son’s boldness, for we had withstood the Queenslayer when no few else might have fled its dread. I swiftly added that we right bethanked his beast-tamership, for without him we could not have overcome, and also that, if anyone find unfearsome the sight of a Queenslayer’s open maw, they should speak with me and stand ready to prove their worth. My dare brought laughter from the clanfolk, and a kiss from Vosaeth.
That night, after the day’s butcherwork was done, the Clan cheered the hunt’s end with a mirthtide. While Korasha and Damaya danced, we glutted on soft, sizzling Yaruk tenderloin and drank berrywine. We gathered at Vosaeth’s hearth, where we flirted from one to another. Remaue and I caught Kaure between, where we further heartened her stalwart stand against the Queen-slayer, against her fear. She felt unworthy to share our praise, for in her own shrift she had tasted cravenness. I overread that we had all felt fear, and that warriorhood lies in its overcome.
The next morn, I woke so late that Remaue had to rouse me. I felt ill, whereat she took word to Lady Vei that I would not join the day’s butcherwork. Jokingly, she made word that maybe my illness was a good hint, though I heeded not, bethinking I was undergoing mean bloodtide. So I spent the day abed, cuddling first with Lanaryel, and then overwinning Kaure to do so for a tide, and trying to get Remaue as well, though she teased that we could not all be lazy outriders.
The next day, which was the First of Vealae, I rose somewhat weakly and checked Ess, whom guiltily had I had not seen in a couple days. He was roving at the camp’s edge, seeking Qoelu scraps, and came at my call. When he neared, however, he did something I had erenever seen: he reared upward, bowed his neck, and rattled in a show that Shota-bulls do when they claim a queen-harem. I first wondered that my steed had found his own love here among his long-legged Retaean kin.
Then he stood down again and touched snout to my nose. From his mind, I got a lone, stark sight-thought: eggs, a clutch such as a queen would bear. He linked the eggs with me, as if I would bear them.
My whole self stilled. I wonder my heart even halted beat for a breathtide. Then I knelt and prayed to Green-Mother, bent low, and kissed Her earthy bosom.
Remaue and Kaure witted something so soon as I wandered back campward, with Ess prancing ownersomely behind. Both understand Shotalashu well, and told they had ere seen this behavior. I hearkened to the elder legend of Tess the First Queen, who tellingly mated with Shotaviras and had fifty daughters. Even the godliest elderyore philosophers shrive this tale stretches belief. Yet seeing Ess now, how he tried to herd me, standing apath all those who tried to near as if I belonged to his queen-harem, I beheld the legend’s seed, and that rough, heathen folk might take this behavior and shape a bawdy tale of a wife mating a bull-Shota. I found his offshow unbearably cute and scratched his neck.
I brought Remaue and Kaure into arm and hugged tightly with antennae twining. Athought, I beseeched whether they would be my mate-mothers, to which they answered I should not even ask. While Remaue set Lanaryel on my bosom, I wept and blessed them. 
My mood drew more mindfulness, dolefully from Vosaeth and Tae. My Retaean raidwife-sister neared grinningly and kissed me, while Tae wiped tears from eyes ere she did samely. I gloried in Lanaryel’s baby-smell and bethought the more folk I wished to tell, and one sunderly, at which I bade we walk. Happily, we found Oshis with Erymi, who were walking with Tesine, and also Draue and her sons. Erymi froze, eyes on me, while Oshis stood blithely until her elbow shoved. 
I tried to stay stern as he askingly looked, though my hands were shaking, and I worried to weep. ~A Zhehuas,~ I bade: ~O’nae urashis o’bushassi faze-vere.~ - “Beautiful Man, you need to get on your knees and kiss my belly.”
Merrily, his jaw fell ere his knees. Almost he toppled on his face while he stumbled, trying to listen but also reach me at the same breathtide, and ended crawling forth. I gave ruth and strode forward until he reared upward, clasped my waist, and laid antennae and brow against my belly’s lower slope. Then in Oshis’s wontsome glee, he lifted me high and bore me among the tents, head still tight on my belly. I weepingly laughed so hard I could not bid him set me down, until he tried tickling, whereat I smacked his head.
Soon our whole house gathered and yielded cheer. Erymi, though I tried to stay her, knelt and kissed my belly. I took her hands, drew her upright, and spoke that our children shall be kin, to which she answered: ~Yi aekeandaf.~ - “As was foremeant.” We kissed fiercely. Then I asked Sievae near, and her son, too, took her hand, and spoke her son shall be big brother to my child. ~Assama-sa ma,~ I quoth. - “Your house is ours.” Vosaeth and Tae drew near and gave blessing as newbearing mothers, though under their thick weight they stroked my belly instead of kneeling. Then the others followed in worship to the Goddess’s enfleshness within me.
Vosaeth bade we must tell her mother. Slightly more couthly than ereward, Oshis set me on his shoulder and bore me through camp until Lady Vei’s tent, who sat speaking with the elders. At our sight she asked what betided, whereat Oshis set me down. I knelt and spoke I brought good news of the Goddess’s blessing upon the folk. Foreguessingly she smiled and rose, though she bade me speak. I told I believed myself bechild. Gleefully, she upstood and hugged me and kissed my brow. Then she gave me to Vosaeth and Tae, and bade them lead me to the priests.
Like Son and the Yaro cities, the Retaea put newcoming mothers under the priesthood’s wardship. Yet they also do further, for new mothers are beheld as priestesses in right, forwhy bechildness is believed to show the Goddess’s blessed might within. Thus I began my own loretide in the Retaea’s mother-priestess rites as the Yaruk’s butcherwork ended, and the Clan forethought its drift northward with the yeartide.
I end this now, though I have more to tell. Kaure right came and tickled me fiercely, claiming even a priestess and mother may not rightly spend all time writing. I shall restart tomorrow.

A continuation of Lady Vaeol's summary of her household's travel across the Retaea Moors before reaching the city of Lea.

Lashunta Terms & Phrases: ~Halaeshaeu,~ (animal): Queenslayer; a carnivorous megafauna, also known as Nysshalora.
~A Zhehuas,~ - a vocative form of address for ~zhehuas~ (masculine): beauty; beautiful man.
~O’nae urashis o’bushassi faze-vere.~ intentionally
~Yi aekeandaf.~ - "As was foremeant/intended / As we intended."
~Assama-sa ma,~ - "Your house is ours."