It was a short walk to Kvati’s home. Just west of the temple, she liked living close to the garden. Her home was quaint and cozy, nestled among several other homes constructed of mud and sandstone. It was well decorated, filled with painted pottery, silk pillows, and woven reed baskets stuffed with dried flowers and fragrant herbs. Since Kvati decided to cook for everyone, Siku and Lasranu made themselves comfortable among a pile of cushions while they waited.
“So, mind telling me who you are, dear?” said Kvati as she prepared the fish at a table. Dressed in teal silk garments with silvery rings adorned on her horns, the plump fuglan’s sense of fashion matched her home’s decor. “I’ve never witnessed anything like what you did at the temple.”
Treke took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She was still riled up from the tukran. “Ah, well…” She bowed instinctively, as if to apologize for her rudeness of not introducing herself sooner. “My name is Treke, of the Nuek clan. I became a ruksala only a couple of days ago, rather abruptly.”
“Ah, a ruksala! That explains some things. We don’t have a ruksala in Hulerin anymore, so it’s no wonder.”
“Y-yes. I’m looking for a malicious spirit named Ludaru. A trail of rranha led me here to Hulerin, all the way from my home of Sridez Island.”
“You’ve only been a ruksala for a couple of days and you’ve traveled all the way out here to find dangerous spirits? You’re quite bold for someone so inexperienced.”
"I only want to help, that's all…” Treke wrung her tail in her hands. “I don't believe I'm all that brave, though.”
Kvati laughed. "You rushed to help Taksue and even stayed behind when it wasn't considered safe. I consider that quite brave indeed. Either that or foolish. I think Taksue qualifies for that though, haha!"
"It is a ruksala's duty to heal the living and resolve problems with the spirit world. I fear Hulerin may only experience more of the same if nothing is done. What else could I have done?"
“That’s my point, dear. You’re filled with fear, yet you still rush in to help others. Bravery is defying fear.”
“I suppose… I still needed Siku to help me cross the ocean because I could not do it alone.”
“Accepting help from others is also a kind of bravery. Some are too stubborn otherwise.”
Taksue, who was descaling and gutting fish for Kvati, couldn’t help but listen to the conversation, nearly nicking himself with a knife from distraction. “You know, I knew something unusual was going on in the temple. That’s why I didn’t want to leave… Gah!” He withdrew his hand and sucked on a finger, the blade getting him this time. “If only I could speak directly with the spirits,” he sighed. “I want to be more than just a custodian for the temple.”
“You have a temple for the spirits, but no ruksala?”
“Well… We used to have several, long ago. Elders that would speak with the spirits, but that was generations ago.”
“What happened?”
Taksue attempted to focus on descaling the fish at the same time, but he seemed too invested in the conversation. Treke decided to join in and help a little, awkwardly handling the tool that scraped the scales off.
“Thanks for the help, Treke,” said Taksue. “Many years ago, there was a very nasty drought in Hulerin. We’re used to living through a dry season and minor droughts, but this one was especially long and lasted for many years. We lost many valuable members of our clan, including elders and ruksalan, and since then communicating with spirits has been difficult or even impossible.”
The fact that there were no elders left to pass down their spiritual knowledge made Treke appreciate Elder Vrenik's wisdom even more. "I see... You lost not only your elders, but their knowledge as well."
“I’ve been trying to keep track of our history from a long oral tradition. Normally the spirits themselves are a source of history, but we haven’t been able to speak for them. Think of all the lost knowledge we could recover if we could speak to our ancestors again!”
“So you wish to speak with spirits?”
"Yes, I'm one of the few custodians that stays at the temple full time. I take care of all the urns of our ancestors, but I hate how I can’t even speak with them. I want to speak with Nakuka!”
“It is not an easy path to become a ruksala, but perhaps I could teach you how to speak with spirits,” Treke suggested. “I am only a novice, but with time and experience I should be able to show you, so that you can also pass on that knowledge to your clan.”
Taksue’s eyes lit up with excitement. “You could do that, for me? I’ve been in the temple for years, but I wish I could do more than just cleaning the temple grounds and performing funeral rites.”
“I understand. I, too, began by maintaining my clan’s ancestral shrines. Being around their shrines every day certainly made me curious about what knowledge they had to share.”
Listening to Taksue and Treke, Kvati shook her head knowingly as she rubbed spices into a fish filet. “Your enthusiasm for the temple is admirable, Taksue, but I swear you’d waste away and completely forget to eat if I wasn’t there to remind you.” She slapped another filet down on the table before seasoning that one too. “Despite you retaining the history of the drought, you still forget! You need to put on more weight before the next dry season comes around.”
“I know, I know!” Taksue groaned. “I can’t help it… But thanks for reminding me. You’re like a custodian for custodians.”
Kvati belted out a belly laugh. “Isn’t that the truth!”
“Thank you for letting us share a meal with you, Kvati,” said Treke, bowing respectfully. She decided descaling the fish was not something she enjoyed doing and would let Taksue finish. “Taksue seems very dedicated to Nakuka, and you seem to care a lot for others.”
“Of course, dear!” Kvati gave Treke a warm smile. “Cooking is my passion, and I love being able to share it with others. Lasranu has been bringing so many good fish to the temple and I love to cook them, so I can say I’m quite an expert at fish dishes by now.”
“Kvati also grows her own herbs and spices in the temple garden,” Taksue added. “They make everything taste amazing!”
“That’s wonderful. I would love to visit the temple myself to see everything you two do, but I’m afraid I need to focus on locating Ludaru.”
“Dear, I also like your enthusiasm, but you should relax a little,” Kvati insisted. "The fact that you passed out back there tells me you've been under a lot of stress. You should rest for a while first."
"But..."
"Even healers need healing sometimes, my dear. Don't worry, you're welcome to stay here to rest and have a meal or two. Stay as long as you'd like."
"I don't want to trouble you too much..."
"Don't try to argue with her," said Taksue. "She'll stuff you with even more food!"
Kvati belted out another laugh. “It’s true. I want my friends to stay healthy, daru?”
A large flat stone that Kvati had been heating up with hot coals was ready to accept the fish fillets. As Kvati placed them down, one by one, they popped and sizzled against the scalding surface. Fish still wasn’t Treke’s favorite food, but it was fascinating how different the cooking method was compared to the way Siku’s family cooked fish.
“I suppose I could stay for a little while…” The trail of rranha had grown cold since she purged it from the temple, but it was likely it would renew itself if Ludaru wished so deeply to harm Nakuka. She decided she would keep up the search after getting some rest. “By the way, have you seen any Vratinsav pass through Hulerin recently, in the past several moons?”
“Hmm, we don’t see your kind here often, to be honest,” said Kvati. “I’m afraid I don’t keep track of that. Why do you ask?”
“I’m looking for someone named Karrak. I believe he’s involved with Ludaru.”
"The name doesn't sound familiar. Taksue, maybe you've seen him?"
Sitting down on a cushion, Taksue thought deeply for a moment before responding to the question. "I'm bad at names. What does he look like?"
“Oh, well… He’s probably not hard to miss. Dark blue skin, deep green eyes, and he has oddly crooked ears.”
“Hmmm… Now that I think about it, I do remember seeing someone like that. It's been awhile… I couldn't tell you why, but something seemed off-putting about him."
Perhaps Taksue could sense rranha and was unaware of it, but the chance of finding Karrak didn't seem so impossible now.
“So, it's likely he was here… I need to find out where he went.”
"The only way out of Hulerin besides the port is north, through the desert," said Kvati, "but it's very dangerous to traverse alone if you don't know what you're doing."
“I have no experience with the desert, but Karrak wouldn’t either. If he did leave through the desert, he would have to get help from someone who does. Who could I ask about that?”
“We could ask the Naku clan nomads. They travel through the desert every dry season, so if there’s anyone he would have gotten help from, it would be them.”
Treke nodded. “Then that is where I must go next.”
“Their camp is northwest, up on the cliff.”
“It’s been awhile since I’ve been up there,” said Taksue. “After we eat, we should bring the extra fish along for the nomads. Otherwise some of them can get a little… cranky.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Kvati laughed. “They may be a little rough around the edges, but they’re still kind folk.”
Treke watched as Kvati flipped the fish filets with a wooden spatula, sending the scent of spices wafting through the air. "What else can you tell me about the nomads?"
“Well, they travel northeast every year during the dry season, and that’s to feed their kariag herd. They also trade with other clans during their migration and bring back some interesting things.”
"What is a kariag?"
Kvati's girthy belly jiggled as she let out a laugh. "You're so eager to go into the desert yet you've never seen a kariag!”
"Well, no... I've lived on a small island for my whole life. Everything here is new to me."
“You have so much to learn, dear! I’m almost envious of how much you’ll get to see for the first time. Anyway, you’ll see them soon enough.”
“What are they used for?”
“It depends on the type of kariag, but mostly meat and leather, and sometimes wool.”
“Meat? They eat them?”
"Yes, sometimes. Food can be difficult to find in the desert, especially during the dry season."
"I admit even fish is new to my diet. I don't normally eat meat,” said Treke as she stared at the sizzling fish.
“Don’t worry, we don’t frequently eat them. The nomads prefer using them as mounts anyway."
"They ride them too? Will I have to as well?"
"Are you sure you're up for traveling the desert, dear?" Kvati chuckled. "Riding a kariag is one of the most efficient ways to cross the desert."
"If I must..."
Siku, who had been listening to the conversation from across the room with her sensitive ears, wandered into the kitchen, enticed by the scent of fish. "Treke, did I hear you're going into the desert?"
“That’s right. If Karrak has gone that way, then I must follow. It’s important that I find him.”
Siku clacked her beak and sat down with frustration. “I was listening to some of the conversation. I think Kvati is right and that you should rest. You've been through a lot in just one day! You nearly drowned earlier!"
"I understand, but I can't let setbacks prevent me from carrying out my duty," Treke sighed.
"But if you keep going like this, you won't be able to do anything at all!"
"I appreciate your concern, and I'm happy for everything you've done for me, but I must do this."
"Treke, at least relax for a day or two," said Kvati, placing some clay platters out on the table. "Get to know your surroundings a little better before heading blindly into the desert…” She stopped as she eyed the cooking fish. “Ah, the fish are done!" she squawked with delight, scooping the fish with her spatula and plopping them down onto the platters.
“You still want to visit the temple, right Treke?” Siku helped herself to one of the platters, and stuck a claw into one of the filets before licking off the spiced juices. “Why don’t we do that later today?”
“I would like to talk with the nomads first, but yes, that sounds like a good plan. I’ll join you later in the temple. You should get your rest as well.”
“All right, it’s settled,” Siku yawned with a stretch. “Just don’t push yourself too hard for the rest of the day, okay?”
Treke nodded. "I won't."
So it was decided. While Siku and Lasranu went back to Lasranu’s tent to rest, Treke would give the nomads of the Naku clan a visit. Kvati and Taksue led the way with Treke following behind them up a dusty path that began at the temple, split through the town, and led across a bridge where it reached a cliffside northwest of town. From there, a natural set of sandstone steps snaked upwards to allow them to reach the cliff above.
"Watch your step," said Kvati, climbing up the steps on all fours. "There are some loose rocks, which can make the climb a bit slippery."
Treke carefully ascended the steps as she followed behind Kvati and Taksue. Looking over her shoulder, the city of Hulerin stretched below her. Dozens of buildings surrounded the main temple, while an inner layer of trees and other vegetation wrapped around the temple hill. With how tightly knit Hulerin was, Treke wondered why the nomads choose to live far up on the plateau instead of down in the city.
Atop the plateau, several colorful tents surrounded an open campground, where clothesline, tanning racks, and pots filled with various goods showed how fuglans lived up here. A waterfall to the west side of the camp hissed and pooled into a pond that drained down the cliffside, where it tumbled further down and flowed through Hulerin to eventually collect at the oasis. Scattered vegetation, such as shrubs and small trees, gave the camp a sense of privacy, cut off from the rest of society.
The camp was serenely relaxing, Treke noted, until the sound of bleating to the east caught her attention. She followed the sounds to a group of large creatures in a crude pen, huddled together and basking in the sun. There were roughly a couple dozen of them, and even sitting down their long necks reached as tall as an average fuglan.
“Kvati, are those the kariags you mentioned?”
“Yes, that’s them. Perhaps the nomads might let you ride one,” Kvati laughed beside her.
Treke glanced back at the camp, unsure how to initiate a greeting. “Do you think you could introduce me to them?” she whispered to Kvati.
Kvati winked at Treke. “Of course, dear. The fish we brought with us is a good way to get them out of their tents. Don’t worry, I’ll get their attention.” She cleared her throat before raising her voice. “We brought spiced fish! Come on out and say hello!”
That was certainly a way to get their attention. Within seconds of setting down a basket full of fish, heads were already poking out from the tents. “Works every time,” Taksue chuckled.
“Who’s brought fish?” An orange fuglan, pulling aside the flap of his tent, poked his head out to check on the commotion. “Oh, it’s you, Kvati,” he grumbled, giving her the stink eye and a wry smile. “What brings you up here?”
“Hello, Viz!” Kvati smiled sweetly at him. “I’ve brought someone here that wants to ask you some questions.”
“Oh yeah? Fine, I suppose.” The desert fuglan stepped outside of his tent. He wore loose tan pants and a red silk sash and was thin in the waist but he had powerful looking arms, even for a fuglan. A wooden prosthetic leg replaced where his left leg would have been. “The Vratinsav?” he asked, eyeing Treke.
"Yes, this is Treke. She's new to Hulerin, so go easy on her."
"All right. What do you want to know?"
Stepping forward with a sheepish look on her face, Tried tried to recall some of the questions she already had on her mind. “Umm… I need to know if you helped another forest fuglan cross the desert recently."
"How recently?"
“Several moons ago… perhaps even seasons. I can’t be certain how long, exactly.”
“That long ago? That makes it difficult.”
“His name is Karrak.”
The nomad scratched at his chin spines in thought. “Let me ask the others. They might know. We don’t get many Vratinsav through here.”
It didn’t take long for Viz to ask the other nomads. From the information that he gathered, it seemed a forest fuglan did cross the desert with the aid of some of the nomads a few seasons ago, and that he was brought to a cave fuglan settlement to the northeast. Treke suspected it was very likely Karrak.
“If it's not much trouble, do you think you could take me there as well?” Treke asked as the nomads helped themselves to the spiced fish.
Another nomad from Viz's tent popped his head out. “What? Who's this, Viz?” The yellow desert fuglan gave Treke a curious glance before stepping out of the tent at the scent of fish. “Naku settlers and a Vratinsav, eh?”
Viz gave Treke a doubtful look. “We don't normally travel during the wet season, you know. Not great for the kariags to be crossing the river when it's still running.”
"I don't want to be a bother, but it's very important. The Temple of Nakuka was under attack earlier and I believe Karrak was involved with it! Hulerin could be in danger if I don't do something.”
"Hmm, I don't know..." Viz clasped the sun pendant round his neck. It looked almost identical to Taksue's. "How soon were you thinking of leaving?"
"Tomorrow, if that's possible."
"That's pretty short notice. Is it just you?”
"Ah... I'm not sure yet. There may be others that wish to come along."
Viz let out an annoyed grunt. “You sure are asking for a lot here.”
“Oh, come on, Viz,” said the yellow fuglan. “Going after a dangerous fuglan doesn't sound like fun to you?”
“Of course you want to go, Geiru,” Viz sighed with exasperation.
“No, no, by all means, I'll stay here if you really want me too. Whatever is fine with you is fine with me," said the yellow fuglan with a smirk. "I'll follow you to the ends of Alaruk, if that's what you wish."
There was a groan from Viz, perhaps out of reluctant guilt. “Fine, we'll go. Just let me know when you've figured out everything, Vratinsav. We can only spare a few kariags to carry supplies and passengers."
Treke nodded and bowed her head. "I understand. Thank you, kind fuglans.”