15

the

morning, Dero awoke first. He was closest to the cave entrance, and the warm rays of the sun licked his face.
"Wake up, the sun's high," he said, approaching each of them in turn.
Rose, Leaf, and Wind went outside immediately, the birds following suit, and Ker immediately began searching through the backpack.
"We need something to eat, but the backpack is quickly emptying. Do you have anything in yours?
" "Yes, smoked spearfish, and nothing else.
" "That's bad, we'll have to hunt again, and we still have to get down from End Mountain." Zon stood over the strange fire, scratching his ear. "And there are more of us, although the Gurdere will probably fly off now that they've found their little one."
The birds and dogs returned to the cave, summoned for breakfast.
"Why exactly are you going south, to what was once our land?" Zugumado asked, still chewing in his other beak.
"Tell him, Ker," Dero said.
Ziemon explained why they were going there and how they met, as well as about those birds that kidnapped the father of the Frostoids.
"Yes, from that story, it seems that they were those of us who had gone over to the Lord's side. The collars they wear around their necks allow them to be guided from afar, through them they hear the Lord's commands and obey him. They went over to his side not of their own free will, but precisely after being put on those collars. That's why everyone else who could, fled to avoid being put on the collars too.
After this revelation, they didn't know what to think. Zon and Dero stood up and began packing their things, while Ker cooled the black wood to put it back in his backpack. Bibi played with the Dogs, while Zugumado and Cugurana spoke in whispers in their screeching language. After a moment, they seemed to reach an understanding, because they approached Ker and suggested,
"Wait here, we'll be back soon. The little one will stay with you for now." And without waiting for a reply, they spread their wings and flew away.
"What happened? What did they tell you? Why didn't they take their baby?" Zon was confused by the birds' behavior; Dero just stood and watched the exit.
"They told us to wait, they'll be back soon.
" "Let's hope so, really soon, because we have to get going soon. Besides, let's hope they don't trick us and call the ones with the collars.
" "Come on, Dero, we finally helped their child."
Bibi stood in surprise at the cave entrance, squealing.
"Don't cry, little one, the parents will be back soon," Ker consoled the chick. "Let's hope so, at least." – He thought, sending this thought only to Dero and Zon.
They finished packing and went outside. They looked around the sky for Bibi's parents. Dero was the first to spot them; they were gliding across the sky like a cloud. Wings rustled, and all the birds instantly circled the travelers. Bibi and her parents landed on the ledge.
"Don't be afraid," Zugu said, looking at the spears extended toward the Gurders. "We'll help you down the mountain, as a thank you for helping with the little one and for treating us to this strange food.
" "How do you plan to help us?" Zon asked suspiciously.
"We'll take you just like the Traitors took your father, traveler." An even larger Gurder with a golden crest landed before them.
"You know our language," Dero said in surprise.
"He's our leader, Drozdem, who knows many languages," Cugurana said, taking her son, who was clinging to her claw, on her wings.
"And will you be able to take the dogs?" Ker looked worried.
"Yes, it won't be a problem, we've done this many times before, we hunt with people like them, there's nothing to worry about."
At Thrush's call, three more birds landed on the ledge. The macaroni bird said something to them, then they flew over. The dogs arranged their claws so that the two outer ones wrapped around the dogs' bellies and flew upwards. The next three birds, including Bibi's parents, grabbed the backpacks of their three friends with their claws and also flew upwards.
The flight didn't last long, but looking from above, the travelers could see that they would have been descending this way for at least two days, without any long rests.
"Well, we're here," Thrush said.
They landed right under the mountain, and there they stood, stunned. Before them, in a small meadow, the darkness was thick with Gurders, who watched them curiously and squawked at each other.
"Now we can talk." You can't continue your journey today anyway, because you have to pass through this forest, and it's inhabited not only by Dogs similar to yours, our friends, as you already know, but above all by two-legged creatures like yourselves, only they look a bit different.
" "What kind of two-legged creatures?" Zugu said indignantly.
"Oh, right. Tomorrow you'll meet a representative of both the Dogs and those two-legged creatures who call themselves Forest People.
" "That means we have to wait until tomorrow. It's still light out, there's no point in wasting time like this, we have so little time, we have to save our father.
" "Relax, Zon, it won't be a waste of your time, we need to think for a while and consider what we should do," the macaroni reassured. "The point is, we're in the process of escaping our lands, but right now I'm not sure if we should really flee."
"What do you mean, what are you planning to do?" asked Ker, who until now had only stood and watched the flock of enormous birds, as if afraid one of them would soon try to eat him. To his taste, these birds didn't look friendly.
"The point is, we have to think about it. Wait here, you'll get something to eat soon. I have to talk to the chiefs of the individual nests.
" "Isn't he the chief of all?" asked Zon Kera, after the other had left.
"It seems so."
"He is the chief of all, but beneath him are, as it were, smaller chiefs, the so-called heads of the nests with silver crests." One with such a crest stood next to them.
"You also speak our language." The Frostoids and Ziemon were surprised.
"Just like all those with colorful crests, we learn it over time, and for some it comes naturally; we know many languages. Besides, the language of the forest people differs from yours only in the accent."
"Aren't you going to the meeting?
" "No, my father, the Golden-crested Thrush, ordered me to take care of you. But forgive me for not introducing myself, my name is Kukularz. Here's your meal." He pointed with his wing at three Gurders, who were carrying several small animals in their beaks. "These are beavers, their meat is sweet and tender, unfortunately their tails are not edible because they are stringy and tough."
The travelers looked at these strange animals from all sides, thanking and bowing to the Gurders.
"Can we roast them somewhere?" Zon asked.
"Roast them?" Well, you probably eat like the Foresters. Unfortunately, there's no fire here; we don't need it; we eat raw meat, but of course, if you're really keen on roasting the beavers, there won't be a problem. Just tell me what you need, and I'll bring it.
" "We only need dry branches." Oh, and I assume the Dogs aren't allowed to stray far from the camp either?"
"Yes, it's better they stay put; the Forest and White Dog scouts might still hurt them."
"So, are they dogs, carrion, or cooked?" Dero asked, approaching his companions. Leaf and Wind began sniffing the brown beavers, and Rose, without hesitation, took one and stepped aside to eat in peace.
While Zon skinned the animals and Ker lit a fire under the wood the Gurders had brought, Dero wondered what could be made from their tails since they couldn't be eaten. Their people never wasted anything; everything was used for something, even the smallest bones, even if they were only to be used as fuel for the fire. He took one tail, cleaned it of everything, and didn't even notice when Leaf approached him, took it all away, and ate it. He asked Kukularz where there was a river or stream, and went there to check if the empty tail would leak.
When he returned, very pleased with himself, pieces of beaver were already frying on two other cleaned tails.
"Look, this will make a good water skin; I just need to tan the inside and think about closing it. What about this?" he asked, pointing to the fire.
"This works very well as a frying pan, but it's a bit too pliable and soft after cleaning, and you have to be careful not to let the meat fall out." Zon replied, smiling.
"And what's Ker doing?" Ziemon leaned over the ground and picked with his pickaxe.
"I'm looking for some edible bugs. One of the Gurders brought some at my request, so I'm going to eat something home-grown. Sorry, boys, but my trunk is already aching from swallowing the meat. It's true, I like it, I like new things, but if there's an opportunity to eat something real, I'd like to take advantage of it. If you want, I can share it with you.
" "No, thanks, we have enough meat to eat our fill."
While everyone was eating, a council was taking place near the forest, audible even among the feasters. Neither Ziemon nor the Frostoids could distinguish the words they were hearing.
After the meal, they lay down on the soft grass, which smelled inviting to every touch. Here and there, flowers sprang up, which Ker, out of boredom, finally began to pick and weave into a wreath. The brothers were impressed. Flowers didn't grow in their area, so they'd never seen wreaths like these before they set out on this journey. The only flowers they'd seen before they set out on this journey were those on the White Wind, when they went egg-collecting. Ziemon, seeing their surprised expressions, placed the first one on Zon's head and wove a second one for Dero.
As it was getting dark, Goldcrest approached them. He walked proudly, his back straight, and it was clear he was pleased. His posture alone spoke volumes about who he was and that his opinion was to be respected.
"I hope you don't consider the time spent here a waste," he said, adding without waiting for a reply, "we've finally reached an agreement. We had to do this before the representatives of the White Dogs and the Forest Dogs arrive. We intend to help you free your father. We intended to flee. Many of us serve the Lord, not out of our own volition, but because of the collars they wear around their necks. Seeing three friends who had traveled so far alone, we were ashamed of our actions, of our intention to abandon the members of our nests to the Lord's mercy. We concluded that it was imperative to free them. We don't know how yet, but we must. That's why we're setting out with you. It won't be an easy journey; we won't get far on our claws; we have to fly, and you will walk, for we can't carry you for too long, and we have to be careful not to hit the Lord's claws. With the burden, we would have to fly slower and wouldn't be able to hide quickly." But we've decided to go anyway, so we're off. Now we have to rest and wait for the Forest People and the White Dogs. Have a good night.
The Thrush departed, leaving the travelers to their thoughts. Everyone had risen when he approached them and now stood there, staring dumbfounded after him, even Wind, Leaf, and Rose, though earlier they had seemed to be sleeping, well-fed, and nothing could wake them.
"Well, quite a group of us is gathering," Zon said, sitting back down on the now-trodden grass.
"Yes, but what does he intend to do?" Ker wondered.
"You don't know," Kukularz said, "but we have certain killing abilities, and I suspect Father wants to use them."
"What do you mean, killing abilities?" Dero asked in disbelief.
"It's like this: we scream, but to kill an enemy with that scream, there must be several of us, not two or three, but at least ten in a group. Then we screech, and the enemies' ears burst and blood pours from their bodies.
" "So how come some of you are wearing collars?
" "These are the ones who, at the beginning, when the Lord began to occupy our territories, flew out on scouting missions, and there were only three, sometimes four of them in groups. Their voices were too weak to kill the attackers, they stunned some, but it wasn't enough.
" "Who kidnapped them?
" "The stags."
Silence fell, each lost in their own thoughts. Zon tried to contact his father again, Dero with his Great-Great-Grandmother, while Ker sat curled up next to the dying fire, petting Leaf, thinking about how far he was from his den and how much his mother must miss him. Rose and Wind lay next to their master, each looking at them expectantly.