//------------------------------// // Fire and Water // Story: Outland // by Dafaddah //------------------------------// Outland by Dafaddah Chapter five: Fire and Water Edited by Mythee Shad felt the sour feeling in his stomach grow. Despite all of his precautions and use of camouflaging scents, the monster was slowly tracing in reverse the exact path he took from the cave that morning. The beast would sometimes stop and wave its head close to the ground, tongue flicking over the brush and grasses. Moments later it would again plod directly down the path he’d taken coming out. They were over half of the way back when he decided he needed to do something. The monster will follow my trail all the way to the cave! He pictured the only home he’d ever known, and all the memories of Momma it held, destroyed by the monster. And then he thought of the blind mare helpless within. Shad had lived alone for so long. He had experienced so many strong feelings in that time. Fear, despair, and loneliness he knew intimately, having spent so many days and nights with them as his only company. Many times, it was only the memory of Momma's words that kept him from galloping off into the forest to find her, or on other days, to force him to leave the cave when he lacked the courage or will to go out and gather food. This time the feeling that burned in his barrel was very different. This time, his upper lip curled, baring his teeth. His eyes were wide, his ears lay flat against his head and his tail whipped back and forth. He tasted bile in his throat and hot fire filled his belly. No. No. No! NO! Shad shook like a leaf. For the first time in his short life, rage encompassed his entire being. The image of the monster filled his mind. His nostrils flared as as his breath came out in sharp chuffs. He pictured the monster as he saw it at the swimming pond, damaged and bleeding. He recalled its belows of pain after he threw Zecora’s ball at it. I hurt you before, monster. I can hurt you again! The words echoed in his head. He released a breath slowly. He stopped trembling. "I can hurt you again!" he said aloud. A feeling of steely calmness descended on him. His tail stopped flicking, but his lip remained curled. Momma had taught him well. “The forest is your friend,” she had said many times. Shad smiled, and knew what needed to be done. He hurried down a side path that was significantly faster back to the cave than the one being traced by the beast. He trotted as fast as he could without making much sound. In short order he arrived at the clump of thorn bushes that hid the entrance to his home. He shrugged out of the saddlebags, leaving them leaning against the rock wall next to the cave entrance, and immediately set back out the same way he had that morning. There was a certain place that would be perfect for his purpose, as long as he got there a bit before the monster did. Less than a minute later, a section of the trail came into view. Its main feature was a large flat boulder sticking out of the ground right next to the path and at right angles to it. On the other side of the path from the stone, tightly packed clumps of bushes thrust long serrated leaves upwards. There were no sign of the beast nor its passage. Good! he thought. The monster should be here soon. Aiming to be as quiet as possible, Shad slowed his breathing the way Momma had taught him, until even he couldn't hear its sound. Crouched low behind the large rock, he was effectively hidden from any critter that came down the path. Less than minute later, he heard the monster's approach. He scrunched down, tail to the path, head peering backwards between his hind legs. Closer! The monster’s plodding steps slowed. Shad’s heart beat so loud he wondered how the monster could possibly be deaf to it. Then the tip of a massive green snout moved slowly into view. Green scales and crooked teeth passed slowly by, until its entire head was revealed, and as Shad expected, where an eye should be, there was a deep gash crusted with blood. Just a bit more! The monster took two more steps and froze, its neck inches from Shad’s hind legs. The beast opened its mouth a crack. Its tongue slithered out and tested the air. Shad watched in disgusted horror as it whipped back and forth, less than a hoof’s width from his coat. The monster’s head twitched minutely in his direction and its tongue whipped back and just lightly touched his inflamed flank. Now! Shad bucked for all he was worth. He felt his hind hooves connect and the body of the monster raise into the air. It tipped over onto its back amidst the stand of knife bushes. The beast roared in anguish and anger, its thrashing only driving the razor sharp plant leaves deeper into its flesh. Shad observed in quiet triumph as the beast repeatedly vented its rage as its struggles diminished, until finally it stopped moving. It’s Dead! Oddly, he felt no joy at seeing the monster defeated. Exhaustion struck him like a wave. His haunches lowered to the ground and his head hung low as he fought to catch his breath. He forced himself back onto all fours and slowly turned around to plod down the path back home. There was a sound behind him. He turned his head just in time to see the monster’s tail crash into his flank and send him flying down the path. Zecora's head reared back as the roar of a basilisk echoed into the cave. She jumped up onto her hooves, ignoring the waves of nausea the sudden movement caused. The basilisk's screams sounded as if it stood just outside the cave's entrance! She shivered once and took a step towards the light. One more, and she began to trot forward, head low, hoping to make out any large obstacle that might lie in her path. She stumbled at the opening of the passage and then threaded her way out, leaving more than a few hairs from her coat on its jagged walls. Zecora staggered when full sunlight struck her, feeling as if her pelt were being drenched in a stinging rain. Shading her eyes with a hoof, her vision, poor as it was, adjusted, revealing blurry shapes with hints of colour. Her ears focused on the basilisk's roars. Dread and rising panic lent her strength. Heedless of her coat and the thornbushes, she made a beeline towards the sound. Scratched and bleeding, she pushed through onto a game trail just in time to see a small brown shape fly into the air and land with a grunt at her hooves. A noise further up the trail caught her attention. She looked up to see a huge green and red lump lumbering in her direction. The basilisk! She hopped over Shad and placed herself between the huge chimera and the tiny pony, head low, teeth bared and ears flat. Her tail swished noisily to either side. The beast hesitated, and then howled its rage at the equine pair. "Come at me, lizard, if you dare, and taste the wrath of a Zebra mare!" she shouted through clenched teeth. "Don't look at its eyes!" Shad called out behind her as she took a second step forwards. "I know the perils of its kind –" Zecora's voice started, and then trailed off. Her ears straightened and her head lifted up. "– and this basilisk is about learn of the perils of mine!" With a wry smile on her lips, she took another step closer to the monster. She laughed. "It is irony most rich that you clouded my vision," spoke the mare. "And in doing so disabled your most potent weapon!" The monster howled menacingly and moved up another step. Zecora rose to her hind legs. She calmly touched both forehooves to the topmost metal ring around her throat. She pulled her hooves outwards. The ring grew bigger as she increased the distance between her limbs grew wider. Lifting it the ring clear of her head, she spread her forelegs wide. The ring grew to almost a pony length in diameter. Chuckling, Zecora advanced on the monster. Suddenly wary, it stopped moving. Confused at the Zebra’s bold behavior, it even took a step back. “Be careful, Zecora. There’s knife bushes to the left of the monster!” said Shad behind her. “Look away my little one, until I say the deed is done,” she called over her withers, and took another step. The basilisk shut its mouth and raised it’s head to glare at her, trying to catch her gaze and turn her to stone. Of course all she could see was a large muzzle shaped mass. She couldn’t make out anything as small as a basilisk’s eye, and so was effectively immune to its deadly stare. With a throwing motion, Zecora tossed the ring onto the lizard’s snout, and motioned her forehooves closer together. The ring shrank, clamping the creature’s mouth shut and muffling its panicked roars. The bloodied monster frantically scrabbled with its fore-claws to remove the ring, gouging further rents into the flesh of its snout. Having completely forgotten about the zebra, it even slipped partly back into knife bushes. Zecora took another ring from her neck. Making it larger still, she advanced again on the basilisk. The lizard ceased struggling as it noted her approach. By then, its primitive mind understood that it was outmatched. It turned tail, crashed through the knife bushes and exited the other side, leaving behind it a trail of red in the undergrowth and the smell of blood in the air. With a shiver of relief, Zecora placed the ring back around her neck, and dropped down onto all fours. She trotted over to the little brownish blob that was the colt. Her mood of triumph gave way to a feeling of frustration, as her fuzzy vision prevented her from being able to visually discern on the foal’s condition. “The battle's won, but what of Shad? Are you injured my young lad?” she asked. “I hurt my leg when I fell down.” Holding his left foreleg close to his chest, he carefully rose onto his other three limbs. Zecora folded her legs until she lay belly on the ground. “Climb up onto my back and ride. I’ll be your legs and you be my guide.” She lay still as he carefully climbed on. As she rose, he whispered: “Thank you for saving me, Zecora. I couldn’t run away. The monster would have eaten me.” She sighed. “It is I who give thanks to you, Shad most brave. I heard you fight the beast while I still lay in the cave.” “It would have tried to eat you too,” said the colt. “I wasn’t going to let it.” She smiled at the fierce determination in his young voice. A few minutes later they reached his hidden home. As they approached she stopped and noticed a very familiar looking leaf-green shape on the ground to the right of the cave's entrance. She stopped and tentatively touched it with her hoof, confirming by texture that it could only be her lost saddlebags. Shad whispered in her ear. “I found your bags and a lot of small pots and things. I put them all inside." Zecora nuzzled the young colt. “You have no idea how glad, I am to have my saddlebags,” she said and then placed them on her back just in front of him. They entered the cave. The first order of business was to examine Shad’s leg. He didn’t complain when she felt his broken leg with the frog of her hoof, not even when she had to pull it to set the bones correctly before binding it in a splint. Luckily, among the saddlebag items rescued by the little pony was much of her medical kit, which had the materials for splinting a broken limb. When it was done, he hobbled on three legs, and built a fire near the cave’s entrance. Only after it was merrily crackling away did he come back to the nest and curl up between her forelegs. With a tiny sigh he put his head down went to sleep. Zecora had known admiration in her life. Her heroes tended to be the great explorers of the world, those who left the safe and comfortable confines of hearth and home and struck out for the unknown. They had always seemed so brave to her, so noble, as she read their memoirs and dreamed of her own travels in lands full of mystery and new experiences. She had to admit that she had lived much of her dream, had seen some incredibly wondrous things and met some truly remarkable beings. But never had she witnessed such courage as shown by the foal sleeping next to her: a tiny colt who had fought a full grown basilisk. She lay her own head next to his, and willingly sought passage to the nightlands. Shad walked through the forest. His ears swiveled frantically, but there was nothing to be heard except his own heartbeat. He was following a path bordered on each side by strange plants, many of which had leaves with little eyes that watched him hungrily as he shuffled forward. He shied away from them, making sure not to brush the plants even lightly. It was very dark, as if it was night out, even though he didn't recall going out. He was always in the cave at night. The path was one he didn't recognize. He shook his head in frustration. A rustling sound behind him and to his left caused him to freeze. He slowly turned his ears to focus on it, when another sound came from the right. Twigs snapped to his left again. Monsters are hunting me! Shad galloped off. On both sides of him, the little eyes in the bushes stared at him, so he dared not leave the path. His barrel heaved, his breath coming in loud gasps. He looked behind him and saw nothing. Turning his gaze back to the path he saw a green wall blocking his path! He planted all four hooves in front of him, skidding to a halt against the wall. There was this terrible smell that burned his nose. Rotten things from the swamp. Then the wall moved. Shad's hooves slipped and clattered as he back-pedaled furiously. He felt suddenly slow and clumsy. He saw that the leaves on the bushes also bore gaping mouths full of sharp little teeth. He turned back towards the path. The wall was gone, replaced by a familiar looking green monster. It had shiny rings around its neck and left foreleg. He tried to turn his gaze away from its face, but was drawn to a bit of brown fur near its teeth. From between its jaws protruded a single familiar chestnut pony leg. Shad felt the shock of recognition and screamed out loud: "Momma!" The monster took a step towards him. He struck out with every limb – – and found himself on his belly in the cave. He felt Momma’s huge presence next to him and smelled her sweet scent. He was so warm in her embrace. “Momma!” he cried in relief. “Momma!” The dark claimed him again. "Momma! Momma!" The colt shuddered and shook as he slept. Zecora knew there was something wrong. The small form next to her shivered, damp with sweat. She licked the tip of Shad's muzzle. As she suspected, it was dry and burning hot. He had a serious fever, and even semi-blind, her nose led her right to the site of the infection: the colt's flank. From the smell, it must have been raked by the basilisk's claws. Like many large reptiles, the basilisk carried many different strains of highly virulent bacteria in its teeth and claws. A bad infection could down its prey for it in a matter of days. It’s putrid scent was probably how the beast had backtracked Shad’s trial from the cave. She felt the small pony nestled in her forelegs cry and struggle in his sleep. Zecora rose gingerly, but quickly and went to her saddlebags. Carefully extracted their contents by feel alone, she searched for a particular vial. It was nowhere to be found. Just in case she were mistaken, she took to opening every container she had and smelling or tasting its contents. Minutes later she was certain: the dried Ice-berry powder was missing. What a medical dilemma, I have neither the right medicine nor sight, she thought in frustration. But if I don't reduce his fever, Shad may not survive the night! She knew his only hope was for her to get the proper medicinal plants, but first, she had to get the lad's temperature down. She lay again in the nest next to the little pony. She began to lick his coat, the only means to cool his fever at her immediate disposal. If only I could bathe him in cool water, I ... Zecora had a sudden thought. The stream at the back of the cave! She carefully held the trembling colt in one foreleg, and with an awkward three-legged shuffle made her way to where the stream passed through the back of the cave. It made almost no sound as it disappeared into the rock. The gloom made her very limited sense of sight almost useless. Placing Shad onto the floor of the cave, Zecora gingerly stepped into the stream and shuddered at the intense cold of the water. She used a hind leg to explore the depth the flow, and was happy to discover that it was no more than a third of pony length deep. Nevertheless the water ran fast. She would have to be very careful not to let them be swept away into the mountain. You know what you have to do, now the rest is up to you. It was a mantra she often repeated to herself before a difficult or unpleasant task. Taking a deep breath, she picked Shad up and clutched him to her bosom. Slowly, she submerged until only their heads stuck out of the water. The water truly was very cold. In hardly no time, she began to shiver intensely. She again measured his temperature by licking his nose. She thought he was feeling cooler, but she couldn’t be sure, so she decided to stay in the water. Shad moaned in the dark and spoke through chattering teeth. “Though you are cold, you are in my embrace and I will not let you go I vow. Hang on to life, my little Shad. I could not bear to lose you now!” A few minutes later, another verification of Shad’s temperature was encouraging, but he was still quite hot. She held on to the colt until she started to feel weak from the cold. Afraid she might lose him to the current, or lose her hoofing and let them both be pulled into the underground stream, she lifted Shad out of the water and deposited him onto the cave floor. She tried to lift herself out of the stream, but found her hind legs so weakened that she couldn’t gather the strength to push herself up. No doubt she was edging close to hypothermia. Her ears lay flat against the back of her head. Admit that since you left Zebrabwe, this has not been your wisest play! Despite the chills, one corner of her mouth pulled upwards in silent self-deprecation. She saw only one option. She wrapped both forelegs around a rocky protuberance near the edge of the stream and with a hindleg scraped the edge of the stream bed to find a rock, crevice, anything that would give her a hoof up. Finally, when her forelegs had gone totally numb and she daren't let her attention drift from them lest they slip free, her hoof caught on a razor-thin ledge of stone. She pushed up with the last of her strength, and managed to lever herself high enough to lift her other hind leg out of the water and onto the stream bank. Shivering so badly that she couldn’t rise to her hooves, she pushed herself closer to the foal and again tested his temperature. She sighed in relief. He was out of danger for a least a short while. It was several minutes before she was able to sufficiently master her limbs and stand. Still shaking, she carefully picked Shad up and brought him back to the sleeping nest. Zecora looked towards the hazy light that showed where the entrance lay. Its reddish tinge was an obvious sign that the sun was was at best an hour from setting. The only way to save the child, is to leave this cave and to search the wild. For the second time that day, Zecora felt her way through the passageway, effectively blind and in the knowledge that it might be too late to save the colt.