Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Chanirra ❯ Chapter 6

Chanirra rubbed his eyes as he sat up. He hadn't remembered falling asleep. He laid his hands on a blanket woven out of leaves then glanced around. He was in a cave of some sort. He sniffed the air then licked his lips when he smelled something cooking. It had been entirely too long since his last meal. He was willing to eat practically anything. He stood up, stretched then stroked his tail. He was by no means a vain creature but he couldn't stand getting knots in his fur.

 

“And you say cats are lazy,” Midnight said and Chanirra glanced at her.

 

“Where are we?” he inquired as she licked her paws.

 

“We're in Boruta's house. Personally I wouldn't have chosen a cave as a home but I'm not a spirit.”

 

“Where are the others?”

 

“Out there. Boruta made some soup. It's not bad if you like soup. It tastes a little like fish.”

 

“Fish soup. That hungry I'm not. I guess I'll have to go out and do a little hunting.”

 

“I'm afraid you can't, my friend,” Boruta said as he stepped into the room. “Once you go out tracking something, you wouldn't be able to find this place again. Do not worry, though. I kept in mind your dietary preference and I have some nice rare meat in the kitchen. Follow me.”

 

“Thank you. I can handle fish if I really have to but I'd rather eat it only if all other creatures in the world were destroyed.”

 

“I understand. I don't think I've ever seen a fox eat a fish before. I would think wolves are the same.”

 

“Have you thought about the situation?” Chanirra inquired and Boruta sighed.

 

“Well I do know one thing. You've got to get that amulet back to its true owner. It's too dangerous to keep in this area,” he said and Chanirra nodded his head.

 

“I kind of gathered that as well. What about the curse?”

 

“I don't believe that he lay a true curse on you. I think he somehow bewitched the town when he cursed you.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Well from what you've told me, he was in the middle of the summoning spell when you killed him and in his dying breath he said he would get the amulet back no matter what, correct? To me, the answer is simple. I believe his spirit is trying to make the town summon the demon and if they destroy the forest in the process, so much the better.”

 

“So what are we going to do?”

 

“I'm going to have to consult some other spirits to find an answer to this one. You'll all have to stay here until I return. There is a meeting spot about two days away. I have made arrangements there.”

 

“What if the townspeople wipe out the forest in that time?” Chanirra asked and Boruta laughed.

 

“I have instructed the forest to fight back,” he replied. “Trees are quite formidable opponents when they have to be,” Boruta replied.

 

“I just can't picture trees being violent.”

 

“Oh they can be if they have the correct motivation.”

 

“Really? I never knew that. I always thought trees just sort of stood around.”

 

“Well they do. Here we are. Here's some rabbit. It isn't large but it should satisfy,” Boruta said and Chanirra took the meat. He gratefully bit into it and allowed the blood to drip down his chin.

 

“If I didn't know you were part animal, I would say your table manners are terrible,” Sayorr said and Chanirra glanced at him.

 

“I'm sorry. I just can't think when I'm hungry. Besides, I've never felt comfortable with silverware. I know how to use it but I'd prefer not to.”

 

“I completely understand. I can change into an animal myself if I so wish but being in tree form calms me. I don't know why but this form seems to suit me best. Also, I don't have to worry about being accidentally eaten by another creature,” Boruta said as Chanirra took a seat at the table. Roekler watched him eat for a moment then picked up his spoon and took a sip of soup.

 

“The soup isn't that bad. If you like fish. Now about our problem, is there anything we can do to help you? We are the ones that got you in this predicament after all,” he said and Boruta shook his head, rustling his numerous leaves.

 

“No. This is something that mortals cannot undertake. The situation has escalated into something that requires strong magic. Perhaps if you had magic users in this area, we would not need to call upon the spirits. However wishful thinking will not solve the dilemma. I shall take leave of you in a few hours. You will find all that you need in the kitchen. Ample food and water and there are some extra blankets over there in case some tear. There is also some dried meat for you, my canine friend.”

 

“Thank you,” Chanirra said and Boruta smiled.

 

“I hope you will regale me with another song when I return,” Boruta said and Chanirra coughed awkwardly.

 

“Well I'll try to come up with something.”

 

“I'm looking forward to it.”

 

“I'm sure you don't get many visitors here so why do you have so much food?” Sayorr asked and Boruta shrugged his branches.

 

“I guess I keep it for when I do get visitors. I know I have to keep my house a secret but I do like it when some of the forest creatures come my way. It really isn't so bad. I would rather have the entire outdoors as my backyard then be confined in some little house like the humans have a habit of doing,” he replied.

 

“Well Roekler likes the outdoors,” Sayorr said and Boruta smiled.

 

“Yes I'm fully aware of that. I really like him. You are a fine young man. You are too even though you have a bit of greed in your soul,” Boruta said and Sayorr folded his arms and turned around in a huff.

 

“I'm not greedy. I just like money.”

 

“Oh that was good,” Chanirra said as he licked the blood off of his hands.

 

“Well you certainly are an easy person to cook for,” Sayorr commented as Chanirra stood up. He walked over to a bowl filled with water and rinsed his hands in it.

 

“I can handle cooked meat once in awhile. I have eaten in towns before. I just prefer to eat in my room. Restaurants are uncomfortable. I can't understand why you like to sit at a table and talk while someone prepares your food.”

 

“Not all of us know how to cook food.”

 

“If you insist on eating in that style then you all should learn.”

 

“I think he's got a good point,” Roekler said. “We all should know how to cook just in case we end up somewhere where there are no restaurants.”

 

“You're an idiot Roekler,” Sayorr said. “Any young maiden would be more than willing to cook us a meal if we told her how difficult our travels were.”

 

“Yeah but what if there are no maidens about? What then? We should at least know how to cook over a fire. That's the most basic thing in cooking.”

 

“I had forgotten how entertaining man can be,” Boruta commented then pointed to a hearth. “You are welcome to use it if you get cold. I do have plenty of wood but don't worry. I only collected the branches that had fallen off of trees in the natural process. I did not slay any healthy tree. You should be aware, my canine friend, that caves can get quite drafty at night.”

 

“When you leave, may I come with you? Perhaps I can help explain the situation,” Chanirra said and Boruta frowned.

 

“I don't know. They'd certainly be more accepting of you than a human but I don't know if they would like it. If you were an elf, perhaps...”

 

“My people should have just as much right to attend a meeting than an elf. We are both products of the gods, after all.”

 

“Yes. All right. Perhaps if you show them the amulet we can accomplish something. Aha! I have just thought of something. Your master was Turath, correct humans?” Boruta inquired and Sayorr nodded his head.

 

“Right. What's that got to do with anything?” he asked.

 

“Did he always have this amulet with him?”

 

“Yes. He made certain that no one would steal it.”

 

“It is possible that he placed a spell on the amulet itself and when he cursed you, he was merely invoking the spell on it. If that is the case, then we should have this straightened out in no time. We might have to destroy the amulet, though.”

 

“I cannot go back empty-handed. My reputation is at stake,” Chanirra said and Boruta held up a limb.

 

“I said might. There is no guarantee that's what the others will decide to do. All right. You may come with me. The amulet is in your possession after all. It would be senseless for you to stay here when you hold the entire purpose of the meeting in your clothing. I don't know what I was thinking,” Boruta said and Chanirra gratefully lowered his head.

 

“I thank you for your wise decision.”

 

“But first rest. We still have another hour before it's time to leave. It will be a long trip and there will be no time for sleeping once we're off.”

 

“All right. I can use a little more sleep at that.”

 

Chanirra walked out of the kitchen back to where he had fallen asleep. He picked up the blanket of leaves then lay down on a crude bed carved from a log. He placed his head on a leather sack that had been sewn together to make a pillow then yawned. It was perhaps not the best accommodations he had been in but he had slept in worse places. At least it was better than sleeping on the ground. He closed his eyes and prepared himself for the awakening he would receive in an hour.