The Illura- Poppies Breath 3

Unforgiving suns glared down over the humid Illura rainforests. Following an early morning storm, the shadowed undergrowth, trees, and vines glistened with gems of morning dew.

“Ugh, it’s too early for this,” groaned Aussar Aldalil from the top of his Giant Tiger.

Today Aussar had been assigned to get a head count of all beasts warded by the Illura community. Double and triple checking every domestic and wild beast in their care for health and maintenance and getting the trained mounts registered for the Rose Warden Rodeo.

“I hope the other tribes enjoy this year’s showcase,” Aussar thought.

“Shoot, I’ll need to inform the Quartermaster that I need the colored saddles for the kids,” he ruminated, rubbing his shaved head anxiously.

Checking the sun overhead, Aussar figured he had a couple hours to work with before meeting Mayor Orten. Then, taking a second to organize his day, he took a calming breath before trotting off to start his head count. Passing through the city outskirts, Aussar rode past community homes and multi-leveled tree houses connected by suspension bridges and enormous tree branch pathways. The city always seemed to shine after the rain. The brisk morning always put Aussar at ease. With the departure for the Summer Solstice Festival, he felt optimistic about finishing the preparations the Wardens needed.

*BOOM*

Sighing while shaking his head, “I knew it was too good to be true,” he muttered before picking up the pace towards his previously planned first stop, the Jewel Ward.

“Hey, over here!” Tauli shouted as Aussar came into view while coughing as she waved the smoke away. “No need to worry. I think it was just a stray flare, though I can’t find what’s left,” she pondered, still looking through the mangled 15-foot fencing.

“Yeah, but it’s weird how much-charred fence there is. One of the kids must have been messing around here or something.” Krokan pondered as they came around from inside the enclosure leading his big panther. They are almost a carbon copy of their twin Tauli, strikingly tall and lanky. Aussar constantly has to ask Tembé about what either he is wearing that day or what hairstyle one has to tell them apart. Today, both are in uniform, but Tauli has her hair in Bantu Knots while Krokan has his braids in a neat ponytail.

“Are the patients alright?” Aussar asked, concerned about the beasts the Wardens had taken care of.

“Yes, they’re fine. Don’t you worry about your bald head? It makes you look old,” Tauli teased as Aussar’s eyebrows wrinkled his head in worry.

Fixing his face while rolling his eyes at the chuckles of the twins’ he looked into the tree line as his trained eyes noticed some bushes rustling. Then, quietly strolled over, he pulled a cub out by the scruff.

“Welp, that’s a bit of a problem,” Krokan said after catching their breath from laughing like hyenas at Aussar. The twins were practically allergic to not cracking a joke at everything.

“I think a few might have snuck out while we weren’t paying attention,” sighing heavily at this, “I’ll go get Nyotan to talk to Mayor Orten about paperwork. I’d instead help here than do that anyway. I think I saw home heading into the building on my way up.

Assuar left Krokan with a handshake and ambled back toward the station, looking at the trees and animals until he found Nyotan approaching him. A tall, slender man with a strong jawline, long braided black hair, and intense yet bright grey eyes.

“Hey, if you got a second, could you do me a favor?” Aussar started before explaining the situation thus far.

“Anytime, little brother, I meant to talk with Orten myself. Needed to inform of the progress the Jr. Wardens program has made.” Thoughtfully replied. “Shouldn’t take too long. I’ll help with repairs here afterward.”

Now having extra work, everyone went about their business to get things done. “I wonder what the extra layers were for; it’s almost the solstice,” Aussar pondered after his quick conversation with Nyotan. “Shit!” Aussar exclaimed as a leopard cub hiding in a tree decided he wanted to practice pouncing on him. As Assuar tussles with the leopard cub laughing and playing, he hears Tagi’s call. He and the leopard scramble to move as the massive bird lands with Akianna on his back.

“He has always been a magnificent bird,” Assuar says as he walks up and pets Tagie on the beak. He is one of the few outside of Akiyana who sees the bird as a beautiful creature instead of a massive bird plotting everyone’s demise. “How can I help you today?”

“Well, My friend, I have a question I would like to ask. There has been some things brought to my attention that I feel you may be able to shed some light on or at least help.” Aki says quickly in one breath

“Okay,” Assuar says with an eyebrow raised, “What is it.”

For the next 30 minutes, Akiyana lets Assuar know about her concerns. The flowers in the garden were changing, with some having brown specs over them and Elshyde saying the earth smells of death. Assuar sat and listened, paying attention to how concerned Akiyana looked as she spoke. Assuar knew how well the Garden of Ancestors is looked after, and her concern pushed Assuar to pay attention to details.

“Death?,” Assuar says as he closes his eye and sniffs the air. He holds his crystal close and focuses more when he smells nothing. He inhales again and catches a slightly pungent smell. His eyes fly open with surprise. “I can say this is new for me. I have never had to focus so hard to smell a change, but there is something. I will get with my ranger and have them pay more attention to the plants and trees in the forest for any changes or smells.”

“Thank you,” she grabbed Assuar and wrapped him in a big hug, “Please let me know.”

“Of course.” Assuar bowed.

They exchanged goodbyes as they watched the leopard cub try to sneak up on Tagi from behind and ponce. Tagi turns quickly and squawks, scaring the leopard cub and making it run behind Assuar. They laugh as Akiyana lightly scolds Tagi for scaring the cub as she climbs on its back to take off to the skies.

“I know your there, Nyton,” Assuar said to the trees, “I smelled you with the earth.”

“I showered today. There is no way.”

“Not well enough,” Assuar laughed, “Gather the ranger. I have a mission for them.”

Assuar walks off toward the station leaving Nyton standing next to the leopard.

Nyton pulls his Mjumbe paper out and writes Orten at the top of the paper. The name flashes and disappears, “I think we need to talk, sir, about the junior rangers. It seems they are working out as planned.”

The words swirl around on the paper before it disappears. Nyton stands there waiting for a response, eager to get the praise, but only one word comes back, “Good.”

***********************************************************************************************

Of course, Maztiun saw her first. Not many women came to the tracks in polite Illura society. So she stood out in this sea of salt and sweat-stained sailors, exotically perfumed merchants, and the ordinary everyday beast we call men. Not that Zari thought of herself as a woman anymore, or at least what Ma believed. She had no makeup and wore plain clothes with an ornate cloth belt. And her locks sat on top of her head, pinned into subservience.

She was also stunning. Her high cheekbones, almond-shaped eyes, and a wonderful plump set of lips, with a regal slender neck, always caught Ma’s. A fact many around her were realizing reasonably quickly. She ignored them. They wouldn’t dare approach an Othia on their duty, especially after seeing muscles of her arms

He watched her looking for him in the stands, then her eyes moved to the reserved section. When their eyes met, he gave her a little wave and could almost feel the mixture of frustration and relief that washed over her. The reserve section was for people with petals. And today, he had a lot of petals. He stopped a refreshment boy who passed and ordered two drinks. He pulled out a single petal from within my ropes and placed it in his hand. The boy’s eyes went wide when he realized what it was. Ma gave him a wink before he could run off.

As she made her way up to him, he looked back to the racetrack. The Orcki were restless, scoring their talons into the ground repeatedly. The race was about to begin, and he couldn’t tell who was more excited, the birds or their riders.

“You’re impossible, you know that,” Zari said as that sweet jasmine and rose petals kissed his nose. The all-too-familiar scent started to rush the blood out of his head.

“No, I’m improbable or wouldn’t exist otherwise,” Ma said as he looked up at her. Her tricks wouldn’t work on him forever, not to say they wouldn’t work again.

“How you turn everything into a Philosophy debate is beyond me,” she replied.

“It’s not Philosophy. Just a fact. Now sit down. You’re drawing attention. I’ve saved you a seat.” he said, patting the cushion beside him and giving Zari his most disarming smile. She finally looked at her and decided she liked her arms just where they were. Just then, the refreshments boy turned up with their drinks. Then, turning back to Zari, Ma held up her drink to her while taking a sip from his. Fresh daem was always refreshing during those hot days.

“You do this every time. Gods forbid I have a day to myself. And since I can’t go till you’re safe at home, we are leaving!” But, she said, sticking out her hand to me palm up.

“You’re mad. I’ve made you mad.” He replied, acting as if the hand wasn’t there.

“No, I’m annoyed. So get your childish, annoying ass off that seat before I break something you like.” She said. “Beautiful, eh, especially that black one with the silver-tipped wings,” Ma said as he looked back at the field and ignored Zari. “He has strong legs on him. But more than that, he has focus. He hasn’t been looking around like his friend. His head has been still focusing on the ground in front of him.”

“I don’t care! I was supposed to be on the road an hour ago. Maizutan, we’re leaving now!” Zari replied. Ma inwardly twitched at his full name being used, but he sat there.

“I can’t go.” He said. A smile was wide on his face. “I made a bet.”

“I don’t care if...” she started, then stopped as if she had been turned to rock.

“You made a bet?” Then worry spread over her face like cracks on glass. “What did you bet?” She asked in her quiet voice, her cold voice. A voice that always made Ma just a tiny bit scared, but he enjoyed it.

“Five thousand petals of the monthly budget.” He said after a few seconds without a look at her. It was one of those fragile moments he lived for.

“You bet, the monthly budget?” she asked, and to his relief, she sighed. He could feel the tension leave his body because she wouldn’t uproot his life and finally leave.

“No, just five thousand petals,” Ma replied.

“Listen to you.” She said, taking the seat next to me. She crossed her arms and legs. Not a great sign of things to come, but not wrong either.

“We both know I don’t care about the petals. Whenever...” She started to say, then paused. It had been a long since he’d seen her make that face. But for a second or two. She’d been unsure or maybe even scared.

“Whenever...’ she began again, saying each word as if made from brittle crystal. “I take my leave. You do some things like this.” Her eyes looked into his for the first time, pinning to the seat. “Why?”

“Why do you think I do it?” He asked, trying to stall for more time to think this was the first time she had wanted to talk about his antics.

“Because you’re a child having a tantrum.” She replies, her words coming out smooth and easy.

“Ey, I resemble that statement,” he said and was rewarded with a laugh. The kind of laugh that reminded him of cold nights under warm blankets, playing touching games.

“I would like an answer.” She said.

“I don’t have one for you.” He replied, looking back to the track.

The race started while they talked, and Ma’s orcki was second. Its silver-tipped wings were tight against its side, holding its rider in place. They rounded the bend straight away. A sleek bright red orcki was in the lead. So head down and running for all she was worth, but my orcki was only three steps behind.

“Look,” Ma said, nodding towards the track. The orcki just entered, the last straight away. The dust kicked up around their legs, you could almost believe they were flying, and silver tips started to push harder. He could feel his heart hitting his ribs, trying to escape its cage.

He stood there watching the orcki race. He had never done anything this stupid. There was that once in the Ancestral Garden with the Neza nest. Tahara was two steps from pulling out his toenails and maybe the toes with them. And if he lost that money, she would pull my tongue out of my head. The back way. So why did he do it? He didn’t really think about it when he did it.

He was messing with Zari again, but there were many ways to do that without betting council money.

Taharah spoke to me about responsibility and obligation. Then decided to leave to go to the Sol Festival, leaving him with a job she knew he didn’t want. “Zuut,” he said out loud. He really was acting like a spoiled brat.

Silver tips way almost head to head, halfway down the length and closing in on the lead. That thought cooled my heart. How long would this go on, and was this what he wanted. He felt the shame wash down on him as silver tips crossed the finish line by a head.

“Hey, you won!” Zari nearly yelled. He hadn’t noticed when she started getting into the race. She was standing now and pointing at the silver tips. Smiled as bright as the first sun. Gods, this woman had a hold of him, from the hair of his head down to his soul.

“You’re right, Zari,” he said. He didn’t feel like faking a smile right then.

“I’m a child. A spoiled brat looking for attention,” he stated simply. Confession and worry warred for dominance on Zari’s face.

“But at least this spoiled brat just tripled his petals. Let’s go get it.” He said, standing already pushing past Zari.

“You had fun. I saw the look on your face,” he said, trying not to check the money bags secured in his robe. We were about to leave the track with a healthy sum of petals. People milled around the main entrance, waving their leaf fans to ward off the heat. And one would think that some air might flow into the building for such an open area. The arches stood a distance off

“So we’re not going to talk about it,” Zari asked. She was back to not looking at him. But since he was doing the same thing, he couldn’t hold against her.

“We don’t talk about it,” Ma replied. There was the tiniest pause in her step.

“And why don’t we?” She said, throwing right back at him.

“Because I thought we both knew not to talk about it, ever,” he said, as a smell hit right before he spotted the burn men. Ma waved him over and waved him down and got two sticks. The mo’bly and biby. Ma had him light the mo’bly, and put the biby away for after dinner. So he turned back to the entrance.

He looked back at Zari, and she stared at him without blinking. So he stared at her as he put the stick to my lips and pulled.

“If you want to talk.” Said on the exhale. “Let’s not do it here. At least let’s do it on the street, away from all these people.” Zari looked around, and considered the surroundings, then gave the nod.

Before, they were entirely off the track grounds. Ma and Zari were nearly knocked over by Karjod. It took him a full minute before he had the breath to make words. But the whole time, he pulled on my arm to move.

“Where have you been?” he asked, out of breath. “You are supposed to be at the Council. Taharah sent me to get you both.”

“Why? She is just about to tell people I’m in charge while she is gone,” Ma rolled his eyes as he said this.

“The trip... the triples are gone, come on.” He said and started running back the way he came. Ma gave a look to Zari, who wore the same confused face. Ma doesn’t think the words had sunk in at that moment. Then a chill rush down his spine, turning his guts to water. They both started running after Karjod at that exact moment. They both hoped they heard him wrong.

They followed Karjod back home, right into Tahara’s.

Tahara sat behind the map in front of her. The warm and inviting atmosphere of the den, the soft pillows, and the brightly colored tapestries that lined the walls were offset by the tense Tamara radiated. She looked up as we approached.

“Where have you been? You were supposed to be at the Council meeting. It doesn’t matter. Look at this.” She thrust a piece of paper toward him. He took the report and read the 4 names that were written down the list. “Lormorina Uzuri Imara, Quimila Uzuri Jiwe Imara, ZyDruz Uzuri Jiwe Imara and Rita Monterali” and handed the form to Zari.

“They went missing in the last couple of days.” Tahara continued. “I need you to find them. This is important, Ma. Will you do it?”

“Ra, of course, I will, their kids, but why me? Wouldn’t...” He tried to ask. When Kayel came barging in and rushed to the Taharah’s side.

I’m having runners gather all the Othia I trust. This will be sorted out in short order.” He said, sounding so... self-assured. Tahara smiled with a sigh.

“Well, it’s too late to stop it now. How many did you send for?” Tahara asked. Kayel frowned at this response.

“Five. Why?”

“I’ve given the task to Maizutan,” Taharah said. “Ma, I’m taking part in the court to the sol festival. That means most of the Othia.”

“Taharah, do you think it’s wise to leave?” Kayel said, turning to try and whisper and failing.

“And to leave Maizutan in charge of the investigation. He’s a man-child. He couldn’t even make it to the meeting this morning. And look, he is high right now!”

“Look, I didn’t ask to be put on this, but,” he looks at Kayel. “This is different. Our children have gone missing, and I will do everything in my power to get these kids back. I have made such stupid choices. In fact, here,” at that moment, he took the petals he won and sat them down on the table.

“What the hell is this.” Tahahah and Kayel said at the same time.

“I invested some of the council money, and it tripled” Ma stood there waiting for the onslaught of the word his sister was bound to have.

“Look, I don’t even care how you did this. Though I have my idea as to how I’m going to ignore it cause yay money. Just find the kids. Quickly.” She waved him off. “I have to send a message to Anara of the Mesideme Clan of the Juafera. Don’t forget to say hi to your sister-in-law and your nephew on the way out.”

Ma does as he is told by his leader and sister. Ma stands there thinking about who, where, and why someone would think it was wise to take Illurian children. Whoever it was would pay. It took him another 15 minutes of internal monologue to notice that Zari had not spoken. So he looked her over and saw her usually vigilant posture was sullen, and her face was full of worry.

“What is wrong?” He said as he walked up to her. He could see tears in her eyes.

“Ma,” she looked him in his eyes, “I have something to tell you.”

“It will have to wait until we get to the ship.” Ma said before she could finish, “Whatever we were going to discuss has to wait. These kids come first.”

“Ok then. I know where we should go first.” Zari said as she turned her unnoticed tear streaked face to lead the way to the ships.