14

 The

day dawned overcast and unpleasant; it wasn't raining yet, but it could start at any moment. They cooked the remaining meat, ate the remains of yesterday's feast, packed up their tent, and set off for the river, intending to follow it as far as they could.

Contrary to appearances, the path didn't look pleasant at all. They walked the first few kilometers without too much difficulty. This lasted several days, during which they hardly rested, stopping only to rest and regain their strength. But on the third day, as soon as they reached a bend, the first difficulties awaited them. The river formed a high waterfall, and its bank on the side the hikers were following was composed of smaller and larger rocks. On the other side, it was a little better, but they had no way to reach it, as for some time now, with the kilometers they covered, the riverbed had been widening.

"So what now? Do we climb or turn back and look for a narrower riverbed?" Dero asked, dropping his backpack and sitting on the nearest rock.

"No, we won't turn back; it's pointless. The river has been very wide for a long time. I think we have to climb over these rocks," the Frostoids heard in their heads.

"But you have to admit, it looks interesting," Zon said. "As if someone had thrown those rocks here on purpose, though that's obviously impossible; they reach too high."

"Yes, you're right, that's how it looks. Besides, there's a whole wall in front of us, there's no way to avoid it. We need to call the dogs and take a short rest so we don't have to rest while climbing," Ker stated, following Dero's example.

Everyone settled down and began eating the supplies they shared with the dogs so that the dogs wouldn't go hunting when they saw their friends eating. There was no time for that now, the sun was already high, and they didn't know how far the rocks stretched or if they'd have to spend the night on them, something they wanted to avoid. They sat in silence, listening to the sound of the waterfall and the birdsong. It was warm, and the Frostoids were having a hard time getting used to the constant heat. They breathed harder than in their natural habitat, and they sweated faster despite their light clothing. Ziemon, on the other hand, felt very well, absorbing all the new things he saw and trying to learn as much as he could from his new friends.

After a short rest, they gathered their gear and began climbing. Ker had trouble here; his large feet made it difficult for him to find footing. Besides, he was unaccustomed to climbing; his entire life had been spent walking on the flat terrain around his native forest. The climb was quite arduous; Dero and Zon often had to help their traveling companion, but fortunately, the dogs were doing remarkably well. They sometimes jumped around the rest of the team, sometimes overtaking them. It was almost dark when they reached the desired summit, this pile of rocks. However, they were disappointed, for before them stretched an empty square paved with almost flat stone and surrounded on three sides by another belt of high rocks. The only difference was a small cave carved into the rock on the left and a gap on the right, revealing the continuation of the river. Upon closer inspection, the cave turned out to be a narrow tunnel, probably used by water flowing from the higher elevations into the river flowing below. The moon shone rather dimly and rarely appeared from behind the clouds, which, threatening rain all day, began to gather even faster over the travelers who stood on the terrace and wondered what to do.

"The cave is too small for all of us to hide in," Zon announced, leaving the spot he was exploring.

"And we can't put up tents because there's nothing to anchor them to; it's all solid rock." Ker added, who had quickly learned how to pitch a tent.

"We can't dig a hole either," Dero added worriedly. "Plus, it's starting to rain, and it's too dark to climb any further."

The rain was falling harder, and the travelers stood there, unsure what to do next; even the dogs stood calmly with tucked tails and drooping ears.

"If our grandmother were here, she could make rain," Zon

suggested. "Maybe you should try contacting her; maybe she'll tell you how, or do it herself?" Ziemon suggested.

"Come on, it's not that simple to succeed, it takes years of study, and we haven't learned it yet, but maybe she can actually do something about it?"

They spread blankets on the rain-soaked terrace and tried to contact Deno, but just when they thought he was responding, the connection was cut off.

"I guess nothing will come of this, this thing is bothering us again, we have to manage on our own."

Zon's statement acted like an order on the rest of the group. They finally came to the conclusion that they needed rest first, and that skins don't get wet, so they all lay down on one part of the skins, covered themselves up to the top of their heads with the other, and fell asleep like that. The dogs lay beside them, and every now and then a few would wander off to try and make a bed in the tunnel, only to return disappointed.

The morning woke them as unpleasantly as the night; the dogs were so soaked that they were dripping and squealing. The hikers, however, were powerless to help them, though they themselves hadn't gotten wet. The skins they'd slept under were as wet as the dogs, unsuitable for rubbing, and the ones they'd slept on were of little use to the soaked four-legged creatures. So they packed their packs back onto their backs and continued their ascent. Today's going was much worse; the rocks were wet and slippery, and on top of all that, they were weakened by the lack of a morning meal, which they'd completely forgotten while tending the dogs. The rain continued, but around noon, when they could barely drag themselves, a small cave came into view. The dogs were the first to explore it and, if necessary, flush out the occupant. However, there was no occupant, and the cave could comfortably accommodate the entire team and even have enough room to build a fire. The only problem was finding fuel. Unfortunately, not even the smallest tree grew on these bare rocks. Ker surprised everyone by opening his mysterious backpack, which he always carried under his jacket. It wasn't a large backpack; Ker looked as if he had a belly, but its contents astonished the brothers. Ker took out small, black, terribly messy stones and a few twigs. He arranged them all in a small circle with branches underneath. He took out tinder and lit the twigs.

"It might not provide much light or fire for cooking, you can only roast something between the stones, but the most important thing is that it will provide plenty of heat," he announced, rubbing his hands over the fire.

"What's that?" Zon asked, approaching the warmth emanating from the fire.

"It's called blackwood. We mine it underground where we live, digging new tunnels for our homes. It burns for a long time and gets very hot. One pile like this can be used several times; you just need to cool it down by pouring water on it, and it will last for a few nights," Ker explained to his friends. "Now I suggest we eat something and wait until tomorrow to continue our journey, because it's raining harder and harder, and the dogs need to dry off or they'll get sick."

It was the only logical idea, to rest and dry off." The dogs settled down near the warmth of the fire and whined pitifully. The boys spread out the wet skins wherever they could to dry them, and they sat down on the bare rock, because after their morning attempt to dry out some of the dogs, the ones they had slept on were also quite wet.

"But we haven't eaten anything yet today," Zon remarked.

"Exactly, let's prepare something for the dogs too, because they must be terribly hungry." "Ker said, rising from his seat and looking into his backpack to see what was actually in it. "We have some cooked meat we hunted at the last stop, it needs eating, just a little water," he added, emptying the last drops from one of the waterskins.

"It doesn't matter, it's still raining, so we can collect rainwater.

" "I'll get to it, and while we're at it, I'll take a look at the area and the sky, see how long it can rain." Zon suggested, taking along vessels to collect water. They were pots made, like most Frostoid objects, weapons aside, of stone. They acquired stones by enlarging their caves or creating new ones in the mountains where they lived.

It was only drizzling now, but the sky was almost black with rain clouds; the weather didn't look like it would improve anytime soon, and it had even started blowing. The wind had picked up and was singing in the crevices of the rocks. Before Zon lay an unpleasant sight. There was no terrace, only the ledge they had stood on a few moments earlier and from which they had seen the caves. When he looked down, he could clearly see the terrace they had started from this morning. Unfortunately, they hadn't made it very far, and the mountain was still high, with no summit in sight. He consoled himself only with the thought that they would eventually reach a peak, but he hoped it would be the last peak on this pile of rocks.

He returned to his companions and took a piece of meat. The dogs were already eating with gusto, Ker and Dero as well. So?

" "Not very interesting, I suspect we'll have to spend a few days here.

" "It's good, at least there's this cave and a place to hide," Ker consoled his companions.

"Maybe we should move on as soon as the dogs have dried out a bit?" Dero suggested.

"Well, I don't know, what if it crumbles more and we don't find any more caves? What then? This cave doesn't know where it came from anyway; it looks as if falling rocks had simply created it; we might not be so lucky," Zon argued.

"We're not going anywhere today anyway, why worry about it in advance? Let's make up for the lost night we spent under the stars," Ker said. He curled up on the bare ground and closed his eyes, which closed lengthwise, not crosswise, like the Frostoids.

The brothers did the same; although they had nothing to cover themselves with, it was very warm in the cave. They fell asleep very quickly, leaving no guard, relying on the dogs.

Ker dreamed of home, missed his mother, who opposed his journey, and his father, who encouraged him in adventures. It was good that at least Leaf was with him. He loved his new friends and looked forward to new challenges. Although his legs ached terribly and his feet were sore because Earthlings don't wear shoes, he dreamed of what might yet await him.

He woke slowly, hearing someone crying as if from afar. He rubbed his eyes with one pair of hands, and with the other, felt around the floor, wondering where his blanket had gone. He sat up and stretched, the crying becoming more distinct. He listened.

"Leaf, little dog," he whispered towards the fire. The dog stood up and licked his master's face. "Do you hear that, little dog?" The dog pricked up his ears. The other dogs also stood up and began to listen. Rose began to whine and circle around the cave entrance, waking Zon.

"What's going on?" Zon asked, sitting up and stretching.

"The dogs sensed something, and I heard something like crying.

" "I dreamed I was in the cave at home and that my sister's son was crying.

" "Something's crying outside, listen."

They both listened; the crying was clear and sounded like a child crying nearby.

"Dero, wake up," Zon shook his brother.

"What's going on?" Dero asked, immediately getting up as if he hadn't slept at all.

"Listen," Ker thought aloud. In his race, this kind of speech was the only way he could communicate. There was also silent thinking, remaining only in the mind of the thinker, and selective thinking. However, this could only be used in the company of other races; it didn't work with his own. These were the very thoughts the Earthlings used when talking to each other when they didn't want the Frostoids to overhear.

Dero listened, his face expressing increasing surprise.

"Child, here? We have to go out and look." These words were like permission for Rose, who was growing increasingly impatient, and in a moment she disappeared through the cave entrance.

"Let's go too, but no, one of us has to stay, it could be a trap," Dero said. "You go, and I'll stay, take Wind too. You, Leaf, stay with me in case anything happens."

It was dark and wet outside, it was raining so hard that they were barely out of the cave before they were already soaked. They listened for the crying and squinted to see where Rose had gone.

"It's over there," Zon said, pointing upwards. A little further away, not too high, a little to the right, stood Rose, looking as if she were trying to pull something out from under the rocks. They didn't hesitate; they climbed the wet stones and stood next to the dog, who looked expectantly at the two-legged creatures.

"Move aside, Rose," Ker said, petting the dog, which was now wet again. In the gap between the stones, they saw something small, curled into a ball and crying loudly.

"Who are you and why are you crying here?" Zon asked, leaning over the ball. The ball didn't answer, however, just looked at her with one tearful eye and tried to curl up even more tightly as if to hide from the stranger.

"Zon, maybe I'll try. Who are you and why are you crying?" Ker thought.

"Why am I listening to you, even though I don't really hear you?" the creature asked.

"I don't understand him, what is he saying? Do you understand him?" – Zon asked.

"Yes, I understand him." He said to Zon and added to the ball. "I don't speak, I only send thoughts, that's why it's like this, who are you?

" "Get me out of here, slingshot.

" "I don't know if I can help you without knowing who you are.

" "I'm Bibi, and I have a broken wing, please help me.

" "How do I know you're not dangerous?

" "And what do you mean, not dangerous?" the little one asked. His voice betrayed that he was still a child.

"Okay, I'll try to get you out, take my hand ."

Ziemon took the sick man out, held him in his arms, and introduced him to his friend.

"He really is still a child, let's take him to the cave, Dero is probably worried."

Dero was sitting at the cave entrance, watching to make sure they weren't attacked, though he sincerely doubted it, because Leaf was lying still and just listening. After a while, the dog got up and began whining softly and wagging its long, fluffy tail, running frantically around the exit. A moment later, the scouts appeared.

"Well, it's good you're here. What do you have there?

" "It's some kind of bird, or something like that, I don't understand it, but Ker does."

"Ker, show me what it is."

Ziemon sat Bibi down on his blanket, which was the only one that was already dry, and moved him even closer to the fire.

"That's Bibi, I don't know anything about him yet, except that he's still a baby and has a broken wing," Ker thought aloud, looking at his friends with concern.

"You think he's not dangerous?" Dero voiced what his brother had been thinking since he was found.

"I don't think he is, but I don't know how his parents or tribe will react when they look for him, that he's with strangers.

" "Find out more from him and feed him; there should still be some cooked meat there."

Ker approached the little one and began talking, handing him the rest of the cooked meat. Meanwhile, the brothers sat down closer to examine the little one closely.

The child was as small as Ziemon's foot, in short, like a Frostoid infant. It was completely black as earth and appeared to have four eyes, each in a different part of its head. However, the large, round one at the front was open and seemed to be the only one in use. Its curled legs were three separate claws. A single large wing stretched out across its back, extending above the top of its head almost as long as another infant's. The other, broken, wing lay on the floor at an odd angle; it must have been in great pain, because the little one was chewing its food, and tears were streaming from its eyes.

"Ker, I think this is the child of those little birds who stole our father," Dero said, taking the broken wing and thinking of how to help the little one so it would stop hurting.

"He says he fled with his parents and others from his people because things were bad there, but he doesn't know what, because his parents didn't tell him anything, they just told him to fly. He only recently learned to fly, and the evil Gurdere were chasing them, and he was hit by a stone they threw at him, which fell onto those rocks.

" "That means, if I understand correctly, there's a schism in his tribe," Zon said, touching the smooth feathers on his broken wing, which seemed to bring Bibi relief, because both beaks opened as if in a smile, and the tears stopped. "I wonder if we should somehow find those who escaped and talk to them?"

"That's not a bad idea, I'll ask him which way they were flying."

The boy spoke a strange language; Zon and Dero didn't understand a word, and they were also surprised that the boy spoke with one beak and ate with the other. He chewed every tiny piece very slowly, as if marveling at its taste.

"He says he can't say exactly because he was following the flock, but from what he says, they were flying west. Besides, his parents should be looking for him; he was their only chick. I suggest we borrow a few feathers from him and tie them to the nearest protruding rock; if they see them, they'll come and get him themselves.

" "Zon, look what happened!" Dero called, pointing to the damaged wing. It now looked completely healthy, no longer sticking out at an odd angle. Bibi, seeing one of the strangers pointing at his wing, moved it without any problems and placed it on his back next to the healthy one.

"You healed him, Zon, look, he's completely healthy." His friends were impressed. "And with a touch, too. It must be admitted that you have enormous powers, little brother." Dero added, patting his brother's shoulder.

"Yes, indeed, it's a bit strange..." Zon stammered, looking from his hands to the wing.

"Congratulations, Zon," Ker thought, and hugged his friend. "Now I suggest we take this feather from Bibi and put it outside."

Ker, so soaked that he didn't pay much attention to the torrents of rain pouring from the sky, took a piece of fishing line Dero had given him and tied the feather near the cave entrance.

"Now all we have to do is wait," he said, returning to his friends.

"But it's better to be vigilant; we don't know what his parents are really like; they might be like the ones who kidnapped our father." Zon paced the cave with a spear in his hand, constantly watching the entrance to see if anyone was about to enter.

They didn't have to wait long when they heard a terrible cry, like a call. Zon peered cautiously out of the cave and stopped dead in his tracks. Before him stood two enormous birds, as big as himself, yet looking like an enlargement of Bibi.

- Ker, I think it's them, tell them their little one is here.

Ziemon emerged from the cave with three Dogs, who were watching the two creatures squawking at the entrance very carefully. Behind them, Dero also appeared with a chick in his arms, but he stood so as not to be conspicuous.

"Who are you and what are you looking for here?" Ker thought.

"And who are you and what do you want here?" One of the birds answered the question with a question.

"Daddy!" Bibi suddenly shouted from Dero's arms.

"Bitrozogo!" One of the birds answered the cry.

"Bibi!" the other one shouted.

"And Mommy!

" "I hear you're the ones we're waiting for," Ker said. "Welcome to the cave, it's cold and wet here, please come in and talk." He added, making a passage for the little one's parents.

"Are you crazy?" Zon whispered in his ear, also making room for them to enter. "They could be dangerous, after all."

"If that were the case, the Dogs wouldn't be so calm."

The dogs brought up the rear of the cave. As soon as everyone was inside, the little one escaped Dero's arms and ran to his parents, playfully twitching his three claws. He snuggled up to one of the birds and squealed with joy.

"Now, will you tell us who you are and what you're doing here?" Ker asked.

"We see you've taken good care of our son, so I guess we can consider you friends. We're Gurdere, I'm Bitrozogo's father, and my name is Zugumado, and this is his mother, and my little bird is Cugurana. We come from the south, where it's warm and sunny. It rarely rains there, perhaps because the rocks trap all the clouds.

" "So, it's not far to the south?" Zugumado interrupted Dero, and Ker translated.

"Actually, it's about a three-day flight," Cugurana replied.

"Zugumado, how do we get there?" "Ziemon asked.

"Call me Zug, you're near the summit, and then you keep going downhill. Beyond there are dense forests, hectares and hectares, and the deeper you go into the forest, the warmer and warmer it gets until the forest ends and bare earth begins, interspersed here and there with bushes and tufts of grass. We live there. Or rather, we lived there; we had to get out, at least some of us.

" "Why?

Because most of us started serving some monster who calls himself Lord. He looks like a slightly larger hatchling, but he has terrible power and destroys everything that refuses to obey him. That's why we fled.

" "Where are the rest of you, I mean those who escaped?

" "At the foot of the Mountain of Ends, because that's what we call it here, on the side of the End.

" "I don't understand which end?"

"I mean on the other side, not the one we came from."

Zon and Dero were listening to Ker's conversation with the newcomers. Ker was constantly translating what Zugu was saying, while Cugurana cradled her only son in her wings, gazing at each one in turn with all four eyes, including the Dogs. However, as she looked at them, her eyes seemed to smile, and Zon pointed this out to her.

"We have Dogs like that in our lands too, only white ones, and they're our friends. We hunted together before the Lord took over our lands.

" "And what happened to them? Did they also join the Lord?" Ker asked.

"Where are they? They hide whenever possible, they only hunt at night, and besides, many of them died at the hands of the Lord and his minions.

" "Who else serves him?

" "Actually, not many. He deals with his enemies single-handedly, but some monsters came with him.

" "What did they look like?" Dero shouted the question so loudly that he woke Bibi.

"A huge one with three horns, terribly hairy and dirty, with huge fangs and a single eye on top of its head.

" "And does evil look out of that eye?

" "Yes, only evil. But how do you know that?

" "I saw it through my father's eyes," Zon said, looking at the birds in disbelief.

After Ker translated this sentence, the Gurders fell silent; even the Dogs, who had been licking their paws until then, froze.

It was dark outside; there wasn't even a sound of rain pattering on the rocks. Zon stood up, looked at the fire, and began searching through his backpack.

"I think we should eat something and get some sleep. Come to the table," he added, looking at the birds. "We'll move on in the morning, regardless of the weather." He decided.

"I suggest you contact your father; we're not far away, so maybe there won't be a problem.

" "I completely agree with you, friend," Ker patted Dero on the shoulder. "I'll help you."

They shared their meal with Bibi's parents and sat in a circle. The birds watched them curiously, wondering what they were doing.

Contact wasn't long in coming. They felt the familiar warmth again, Dero taking control, because they wanted to talk to their father above all else, or at least try. It worked, and they heard their father's voice in their heads:

"I knew it would work eventually, that's why I kept trying to contact you. Where are you, my sons? I know you're looking for me, I'm waiting for you.

" "We know roughly where you are now, be patient, we'll save you, we're not alone. Be patient.

" "I will, they've forgotten me lately, so my strength is returning, I'll wait.

" "We honor you, Father, wait, we'll save you."

With that, they ended their conversation with their father. They smiled contentedly at each other; this time, nothing interrupted them. It was strange, but they were happy with this contact.

They went to bed, or rather, the Frostoids and Ziemon, and the Dogs too, because the Gurdere simply crouched down and closed their eyes. In