The grub moved his head towards me, pinchers expanded. He lowered them around my head. One quick snip and it'd taken off. The creature hissed. Pus flowing. I held my breath. Every muscle in my body tightened. And then I closed my eyes, embracing for the pain. For the pull. For the crack of my bones as the creature tore me limb from limb. I said a prayer to The Great Soirit that it'd be quick and painless.

The creature hissed, "So hungry—"

A roar followed by a crunch caused my eyelids to stretch. Fur and fangs, shell and mandibles fought above me. A hissing shriek. A loud grunt. And a shrill of claws against shell caused my ears to ring. Blood droplets and white ooze projected around me. Painting the ground and the stone. A reek of mutilated flesh in the air.

I blinked.

A large, brown-furry head popped into view as black, warm eyes looked upon me. His head was the size of a small boulder. Snout nearly long as my forearm. Bloodied. Torn. And familiar. It's fangs were familiar too. Long white fangs, that were stained with red and held spungy-white flesh between most of them.

"Are you all right?"

His voice was low, grizzly and music to my ears. But I gagged on the hot reek that followed. "I was until I caught the smell of your breath."

The old bear guffawed and said, "let's get you out of here."

"What about me?"

Panchu looked across me at the chief's young daughter. The fur in his forehead wrinkled. "I'll think about it." She soured. He chucked. Then bit into the webbing delicate enough not to tear through my flesh. A great tug nearly sent me to the stone ground, but I felt a sigh, as my limbs and arms freed.

Instantly, I sat up, yanking and pulling myself free from the webbing that held onto me. It didn't give with much ease. I tugged my legs free. First my right, then my left, until I was liberated and could stand. The constriction left me weak. That and using Spirit Focus. And after wobbling and shaking the dizzy spell from my head, I'd found my footing.

I looked around at the chaos. Tens of black, hairy spiders were dragging grub carcasses into the trees while grubs were dragging twisted spider carcasses underground. Pools of green and white liquids glimmered in the torchlight. Droplets everywhere. More twisted and withered corpses rested on the ground. Tangled in white and red webbing. Shell and exoskeletons torn and splintered. Their deaths all painful ones

A crunch caused me to turn right. Madgy bit into the spungy segment behind the head of a grub. Tylla grabbed the creature's mandibles, and with a tug and a pull, it popped. Pus drenched them both. They chuckled. And turned, looking for another target.

"We've got this," Tykka said, giving me a thumbs up. I smiled back and nodded.

"My Cheiftess!" A whiny voice sang. Footsteps knocked against the stone. A thin boy with a chewed right ear came from the shadow. A large, gray-furred beast, with a black stripe over his eyes and stripes around his fluffy tail followed. Juk halted at the stone alter. "I'm here!"

"About time! Get me out of here—"

"No!" A haunting voice said.

A long white appendage swung. It connected. Juk left the ground, twirling. Across the stone stage he flew, smacking into a pillar. Bones cracked. Rocco turned his snout on the pale, red-eyed wendigo. He pounced twice. Leapt onto the altar, and with momentum, lunged at the creature's throat. A second appendage blurred past me, snatching the coon by the throat. Rocco shrieks quickly faded. A snap followed.

"Juk!" Meeka screamed. "Rocco!"

The coon was tossed aside. His lifeless body bouncing and sliding to a halt. It was only there for a second, then vanished, morphing into an orange orb. Juk wobbled to his feet, wiping blood, only to fall to his knees. Crying out as the orb flew through his chest. It hid away in his chest. In his spirit. Where it could rest. Heal. And leave a scar. Juk cried out. Wobbled. He collapsed.

Madgy and Tykka looked at Xukai. The boy furrowed his eyebrows. "You will pay for this!"

Panchu and I looked upon him, following his erratic movement.

Meeka shook her head. "No, Tykka! Wait!"

Revenge in his heart, the boy charged at the creature. The Wendigo turned to meet him. Madgy's roar chased him, "No, boy, no!" His words trailing off into the night. Words too important to ignore, yet ignore them Tykka had.

We all watched in horror as he withdrew the stoned dagger from its sheath. A dagger that was as young as the boy was. Hard as the boy was. And unused as the boy was. A dagger that only just begun it's journey into the world … with the boy who made it … though their journey was never a journey meant to be.

Tykka ducked as the creature's first appendage whipped, trying to take him off his feet. The second appendage came around from behind him, snatching him behind the neck. Tykka lifted his chin and yelled. The creature carried him close his snout, dripping of froth. Eyes red. Dead. And haunting.

Dangling, Tykka kicked his feet, slashing his young blade, trying to get a lucky blow on the beast's throat. "You killed my brother, you monster!"

The wendigo opened his snout, and from the depths of his frail gut, released a mocking laugh. "I did." His lips curled. "And the same fate belongs to you."

Tykka swiped one last time. And before his head disappeared into the wendingo's mouth, I witnessed the look of terror in his eyes. The creature clamped down upon his neck. Pulled downward on the boy's leg. And with pop. Took his head.

Madgy yelled, "Tykka!" His body flashed and he vanished, leaving a badger-head totem teetering to a stop on the ground.

The wendigo swallowed. He clutched the ankle, and raised the headless body above his head. Xukai opened his snout wide and drank the crimson liquid flooding from the torn throat. When it was dry, he tossed the body aside. Wiped his mouth and laughed. "Ooohhhh!" He heckled. "That hit the spot!"

Meeka paled then her eyes rolled and closed. Her body fell limp.

I stood frozen in place.

Panchu tilted his snout downward, lifting his eyes. Trembling. Breath heavy. Each breath growing heavier until they became a harsh growl.

"He was a boy!" Panchu snapped in a tone only reserved for a forest chief. "And you … you dismembered him like a lesser beast!"

The creature whipped his head at him. Red eyes darkening. "And? Have you forgotten? We are not guardians … we are demigods … humans are lesser beasts to us."

Panchu turned his snout upon me, and I looked upon him. My brows furrowed; his snout wrinkled. My fingers rolled into fists; his claws stretched from his paws. My neck hairs stood; his quill raised. We trembled … not alone … but as one spirit. We nodded and then we turned and glared at the beast.

"I am a demigod." Panchu said, lips curling downward. "But I am also a guardian … and as a guardian, I do as my shaman asks of me."

"Touching!" The creature hissed and gruffed. "But giving him control only makes you weak!"

"We'll see!" I yelled and raised a finger. "Panchu! Grizzly rage!"

He dug his claws into the stone and charged.

The paled creature tilted his snout downward. Antlers raised. Hoofing the stone with his right hoof. He breathed heavy, steam curling from his nostrils. The grim shrieked and charged. Arms dangling at his side. Each swinging wildly. Faster and faster with each turn of his legs.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The paws and hooves beat a rhythm that followed my heart. Our spirits interconnected. Somehow. All drawn together to end it. End our suffering. If it be ours, or it be his. Tonight was the night we'd end it all.

Ten paces away. Seven paces away. Five paces away. I held my breath. Eyes widening. My arms rattled like a snake's tail. Three paces away. Two paces away. One.

Panchu raised his snout and roared. The Wendigo raised his own and gruffed.

The beasts collided with a thud that shook the stone stage. I coughed and dropped to my knees. Blood splattered on the ground. On all fours, I tilted my chin upward, watching the beasts dance. One of horror. One of terror. One of nightmares.

Panchu snapped. The Wendigo shifted back, dodging. He countered with his right arm; a wide, arcing swing. The old bear saw it coming. Not in time. Bracing, he took the impact to his chin. Grunted. The bear's head whipped. Fur wrinkling from the force.

I coughed and clutched my chest.

Panchu shook off the daze and glared. The wendigo retreated, giving them space. He stood wide-legged, shifting from side-to-side. Both beasts positioning themselves for a second attack.

I shouted, "Panchu! Allied aggression!" I leapt to my feet, feeling a rush of energy pass from my heart to my head. I teetered from foot-to-foot. Blinked. Then found my equilibrium.

Panchu mirrored me and stood on two legs; the beasts now even in height. The Wendigos lips curled, displaying his black, maggoty teeth. We all stepped forward and raised our limbs. The beasts came together, locking paws and hands to shoulders. They pushed against each other's weight, spinning around and around, unable to match the other.

I felt my spirit waning. Weary, I pounded my chest and threw my arms back. "Grizzy toss!" the words came out weak and forced.

Impressively, Panchu crouched, keeping his legs wide. He shifted at his hips, and in one beautiful motion, grabbed the beast and wrenched him over his right shoulder. The wendigos hoofs left stone. He tumbled through the air, landing on all fours, and sliding to a halt.

Panchu stood out of position, his belly wide. The wendigo countered, springing forward, antlers tilted downward. They drove into Panchu's gut. He roared and flew back, smashing through stone and pillars. Tumbling. He bashed into a tree. Belly up. Chin down upon his chest.

I spat blood and screamed. "No … panchu!"

The wendigo stood tall and smirked. Red liquid streamed down his snout. Droplets falling with the white froth. He brushed himself clean and then looked upon the blood on his palm. "Looks to me like you're dying boy … If we continue this I'll fall too … your spirit is still too weak to carry demigods. Especially a full one and piece of me."

I glared at him, panting. A sharp pain in my chest caused my knees to buckle. I fell hard onto the stone. Beaten, I gazed upon the black, blue-ringed orbs dancing above us.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The smell of carrion burned my nostrils and made my stomach churn.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Foul, horrid grunts and gruffs grew louder and louder as he neared.

Knock. Knock …

… Knock.

The beast brought his snout downward, froth dripping. Foam droplets bubbling around my head. His red eyes gazed beyond my own. Into my spirit.

"You've lost, boy." The creature hacked and spat a glob of blood. "But I wasn't wrong in choosing you … you were strong as I thought you were … a shame you have to die—"

"No … Xukai." Panchu stood tall ten paces away. "You're going to di—" He collapsed on the stone.

"Pathetic." The Wendigo shook his head. "For a demigod you've always been pathetic … even when I took your first boy."

I looked into Panchu's eyes as he found mine. He raised his quill. Ours lips curled upward. I nodded.

"Rest in horror, boy!"

"Panchu!" I gasped. "Quill … Volley …"

The Wendigo tilted his head then turned towards panchu. His body exposed. Panchu gave him a crooked grin.

Thoosh!

The sound was like a whistling wind. Hundreds of brownish white quills darted through the air. The Wendigo's eyes widened as he raised his arms. Thiff. Thiff. Thiff. They darted into his flesh. Blood projected. He groaned. Ten to the chest. Eight to each leg. Three and five through his arms. And a dozen more in his head. He hissed and screamed, grabbing the one protruding from his right eye.

The force sent him stumbling backwards. He collapsed against the altar, using it to hold himself up. Breathing heavy. He looked at Meeka then turned to me and smiled. "You cannot … truly … die … if you're … a demigod." He gasped, placing a hand on Meeka's chest.

He closed his eyes and mumbled, "ma ku ma kay!"

Blackish light flashed from the altar. I squinted. The creature began fading until it vanished, leaving only a black deer-head totem spinning on the stone surface. I watched it until it fell, wobbled, and halted ...

… and then I allowed darkness to overtake me.

I sat up hastefully. Much too hastefully. A sharp pain coursed through my body, starting spirit deep. I groaned.

“Settle down.” A deep voice said from across the teepee. “You're safe now.”

I followed the voice. In the corner, I found a large, brown blob. Shadows concealed most of his body, but even still I felt his presence. I looked into his rounded, black eyes and smiled. “We did it, old bear.”

“We did.” He nodded slowly. “And we couldn't have done it unless we did it together.”

I laughed and winced, placing a hand against my chest. “Ohh … Did I get scarred?”

“Demigods are harder to kill than guardians.” He chuckled softly. “But even still, even a small part of them attached to your spirit can leave a scar. And that's what Xulai left with you.”

I rubbed my chest and looked around. The teepee was large and filled with hanging furs, a furred bed that I rested upon, and totems and wooden trinkets that sat all throughout the room. The smell of sweet cinnamon was in the air. And the sound of flutes and drums rang outside.

“Where are we?” I asked, looking at the bear. “And what happened to the others?”

“We are at Mid Mountain Village. The halfway point to Spirit Ridge.” Panchu replied. “The forest spiders helped us get here after we defeated the wendigo. Onwae, and Mowak are here too. They were able to use the herbal runes to heal Tuma, Meeka, and Juk. We should really be thanking Garnak .... He showed them how to use the rune magic with the guardians.”

I said bitterly, “That’s fantastic ...”

It seemed everybody was aware of how to use rune magic but me and Tuma. Last thing I wanted was to fall behind as a spirit shaman. There was no time to wait around and heal up. I need to get back to work if I want to become an elder.

I grunted and raised to my feet. On an antler, hung my robe. I grabbed it and threw it over my shoulders, then wrapped it around my torso. I walked over to the entrance and grabbed the hide blanket that shielded away the light on the outside.

“I should warn you … you may want to brace yourself.”

I raised an eyebrow. “How come?”

“Well,” he sighed. “They’re calling you a savior for what you did for the young chieftess.”

“They are?” I shrugged. “I’m sure it’s nothing …”

Panchu grumbled. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

I laughed, grabbed the curtain and pulled. Light flooded into the room. My eyelids pinched close. Before I could open them, a loud, victorious chant caught my ears. It rose and rose and rose. And when it became clear I realized what they were saying …

… Kai.

END OF SEASON 1

Season 2 will be

posted once completed.