The Guide by Wulfshard (read novels website .TXT) 📕

“You've got a journey to make
There's your horizon to chase
So go far beyond where we stand
No matter the distance, I’m holding your hand”
~Vienna Teng, Harbor

It was two weeks before the outfit was finished, the path marked according to scouting and maps and the supplies readied. Weapons were repaired and refined. The weather was good. So the boat was prepared for Tura’s ease and safety. The dawn of the following day had them scraping a certain Demi out of bed.
“The swamp is restless and the sun has risen.” Visam said to Tura as she struggled into the clothing they’d provided. The lizard woman was already dressed in her new fur attire; it was well fitted, right down to the hole for her tail. “We’ll meet you at the boat. Ku is already dressed and ready. She apparently didn’t sleep well.”
To her relief, the cat woman moved swiftly – for being half awake. “We’ll be going by boat?” Her voice sounded like the idea alone put her at ease.
“Yes.”
“Good. My horse broke an ankle through those blasted mountains. I’m still digging that muck from my toes and claws.”
She didn’t answer; just turned and left.

The boat was actually more or less a small canoe. It had a rounded bottom, which best was for the shallower swamp water. It was made from a sturdy tree. With Tura daintily tip-toeing into the tiny thing, Visam slipped into the harness as Surudu positioned himself behind it.
“He’ll push it off and jump in.” Visam explained. “I’ll guide it and protect from alligators.”
“He looks stronger. Shouldn’t he pull and protect it instead?”
“No. I’m the pathfinder and a better swimmer. Now shut up and let us do this right.”
“Pathfinder?” Tura asked as the lizard strapped herself into the harness.
“Yeah. It’s where you can see paths in your mind. It’s a nature magic that is stronger in female Mozori.”
“How the hell do you call guessing a nature magic?” The cat demanded, making a face.
“Tura! That’s rude!” Her companion gasped as Surudu hissed “It ain’t guessing. There isn’t any room in these swamps to guess. You’ll get lost for sure and die slowly and painfully. Your kind practices nature magic as well, so respect ours.”
Visam slithered into the water as Surudu pushed. He leapt in the moment it was in the water, without touching it.
“Isn’t this the boat you were in, Surudu? You know, when you found us?” Ku asked. She sounded curious yet polite; as if just making conversation.
“Yes.”
“Why were you in a boat?” Tura’s voice was taunting and rude.
“Everybody gets tired, Tura.” Visam growled in frustration, “So one of the hunters takes a boat out while the other pathfinds and swims. We also put our catch in the boat. Unless you want to go from dawn to dusk with a sack full of ten pounds of frog, turtle, fish and crane meat. And we don’t just hunt the water’s prey, either. Elk and dear are far heavier to trek through the swamp. Unless we want to draw the interest of alligators, bears and bobcats it’s best to skin it, gut it and put it on a boat.”
It shut Tura up. Visam carefully felt her way through, pushing back submerged logs and going under long enough to make sure there weren’t alligators or snakes investigating them – or at least her. They slipped by the maple and cyber trees. A bobcat saw them and turned the other way. An elk swam frantically away from the natives and their guest. Dragonflies zipped past. A songbird swooped down to take one mid-air and land on the cattails along the shoreline.
“This place seemed…dead…before.” Tura sounded shocked when she finally did speak again. It was some time later. “There’s so much life!”
“Yeah; there is.” Surudu commented in a much lower, quieter voice. “A lot more than you outsiders see even trudging through it. Keep your voice down, cat. There are things around here you don’t want to know you’re even alive.”
Visam paused, focusing. She ducked under the water to see mossy rocks, smooth mud and many submerged plants. Catfish darted under a tree root. She ignored it and the otter fleeing from her grasp. Instead she let her eyes find the small gap between the roots and rocks. Staying under the surface, she diligently pulled the boat through. The nagging cat’s voice reached her sensitive ears.
How can I focus if she won’t shut up? Damn cat. Now, around there…just a little more…there. Damn. This place is narrow. Alright…avoid these rocks and we’ll be to more open waters.

From under the water Visam heard Ku remark noisily about a black bear and blood.
Would he just shut her up? Man, it’s like she’s never seen a bear eating. Didn’t this fur come from a bear?

The boat rocked. Alarmed, Visam broke surface.
“What in the Seven’s name is going on here?” She demanded. Ku was standing up and pointing at the bear. “Sit your ass down, cat!”
“No! It’s hurt! Look, the bear isn’t eating. It’s caught in a human trap!”
Shocked, Visam turned and peered at the bear. Its leg was caught in a spiked trap.
“What is that?!”
“A bear trap! Only humans use them!” Tura exclaimed, standing as well. The boat rocked some more, nearly collapsing.
“Humans don’t wander the swamp aimlessly.” Surudu hissed. “And we don’t use traps like that. Sit down; the swamp plays tricks.”
He forced the two of them to sit down.
Anxiety trickled through Visam. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but the two explorers seemed more anxious and jumpy than most that passed their way.
She is going east. Who does that? Could…could she be lying about more than just her name?
“I really don’t think it’s a trick from the swamp to see a bear bleeding.” Ku’s voice shook. Tura’s eyes were as wide as the sun.
“It might not even be a bear you two.” Visam explained. The lizard woman found herself shivering at the thought of what creatures could be trying to snare them. “We have to move on. If the bear really is injured the swamp will have its way with it.”
“Can’t we at least put it –”
“No.” Surudu answered first. “We’re going on. It’s only been an hour.”
“There’s nothing you can do to save the dying.” Visam told her quietly, plunging into the cold waters again to guide the boat through the narrow passage.

It was starting to get dark before Visam pulled the boat ashore andstarted the fire. It began to rain slightly, so they heaved the boat further onto the banks and turned it on its side, supporting it with two logs, for shelter. Then Surudu set up the spit and put on the elk meat. The lizard seasoned it with his crushed spices as Visam stood watch.
This bear fur is rather light, the way she made it, but amazingly warm. I’m glad this was the payment; it dries fast, too, so I’ll be all the better off wearing this for the trip. It was a good deal.

“There are blankets, Tura.” Surudu’s voice surprised Visam. She peered over to them to see the cat curled up near the fire without a blanket. “Go ahead and use one; we brought enough for everybody to have two; one for a bed and one for covering.”
“I don’t want to be a bother –“
“You’ll be a casualty and wasted trip if you fall ill. We don’t have the resources to care for you then.” Visam told her. “Use the blankets.”
“You really shouldn’t worry so much, Tura.” Ku chimed in, taking blankets and making the two of them a bed. Visam noticed even with the white cat’s words, she was taking the thinnest of them and the two shared a bed, curling up next to one another.
She was a little uneasy to see the cat hesitate before accepting and setting up a bed. When Surudu dished out the food they didn’t take much at all, and refused to eat more.
“We have a long way to go. Who says we’ll catch something if we run out of food?” Ku said quietly, her eyes dark with worry. “I mean, I’m good at hunting normally but…”
The Demi are strange. I didn’t expect her to understand the concept of conserving what we have. Yet there is no need here.
“That is very thoughtful, Ku, but I am an excellent fisherman and he’s a superb hunter. We brought enough for all of us to eat nearly the entire trip, anyway. Take what we offer.”
She shook her head. “I’m full.”
Tura nodded in agreement.
Really? They always ate the servings Tayken gave her without pause – and he fed them twice this amount. Hmm…maybe it’s stress…?

It wasn’t long after that the two Demi was ready for bed. The fire warming her back, the tigresses slept soundly. Surudu banked the fire and switched with his companion for sentry duty. Visam remained vigilant for a time, watching him patrol as she listened to the familiar sounds of owls, insects, frogs and raccoons. Soon, however, even the guide herself was soothed to sleep.
 

“Hush little baby don't say a word
And never mind that noise you heard
It's just the beast under your bed
In your closet, in your head “
~Metallica, Enter Sandman

An ear-splitting scream had Visam on her feet, lunging for her spear. Surudu’s axes were at the ready; he slammed his reptilian head on the canoe’s bottom, making