Faytes of the Otherworld: Fayted
Homecoming

“Nissa!” Dani screamed through the bars. The cat heard her voice through the chaos and began running in her direction when someone in the guard tower opened fire.

“Wait! Stop!” She called up to the man poised with the gun to take another shot at the creature and possibly Nissa.

He couldn’t hear her and Dani’s only option was to scale the giant limestone wall to save her friend.

She nimbly picked her way over the rocks and perched at the top. The creature was quickly gaining speed and the gap between it and Nissa was rapidly closing.

“No more bullets!” Dani called out, finally getting the gunman’s attention. He looked at her like she was out of her mind as she careened from the top of the wall down to the soft ground.

Even though her legs still ached from earlier, Dani propelled herself towards Nissa just as the Moss Slinger reached down and scooped her up. Nissa hissed, turning to claw at the beast’s face as it roared at her in response, spittle flying in all directions. It looked like it was about to take a bite out of her when Dani finally reached the two. In one quick move, she scaled the four- meter tall creature and pried Nissa from its grip before tossing her to the ground. The cat landed on her feet and prepared to pounce when Dani called out.

“No! Let me handle it.” She punched the creature square in the nose and it grunted before returning the favour. The blow sent Dani rocketing towards the ground, but she wasn’t going to let it stop her.

“He smelled you, Dani!” Nissa called out, circling the swampy creature as Dani righted herself and came charging towards it once again.

“What in the hell is going on?” Liam had climbed the guard tower where the first shot had been fired and looked out into the field. Even though the sun was quickly descending in the sky, he could see that someone was fighting one of the Moss Slingers, and rather well at that.

“There’s some woman out there; she went after a cat.” The baritone from earlier pointed out the little black blur that was racing around the combat.

“Dani.” Liam breathed, watching the chaos. “I need you to go round some men up to help her. Quickly!” He commanded. The man turned to climb down the ladder when Evan and Pete appeared through the hatch.

“What is it?” Evan came around Liam to look out in the field.

“Her cat.” He pointed out the black streak in the tall grass.

“Where’s Dani?” Evan immediately looked alarmed, waiting for Liam’s response, but he didn’t speak a word and just continued to point.

Dani was tirelessly beating at the creature with her fists. When she could, she’d plant a foot deep into the beast’s gut, but it seemed to do nothing.

She was running out of options and she didn’t have her regular weapons; they were in her bag in Liam’s cottage.

“Dani, just do it. No one can see you!” Nissa called out, scratching at the Moss Slinger as it danced by.

She hesitated. What if someone saw? She had just passed the test…

“Dani!” Nissa screeched frantically.

No more time could be lost. Dani jumped back from the Moss Slinger and jammed her hands into the soft earth, a primal scream erupting from her throat. As if by magic, she withdrew her arms from the ground as she produced two long jagged blades made of raw crystal.

She leapt from her crouched position and climbed the creature like a mountain. Before it even had a chance to swat at her, she reared back and plunged one blade straight into the beast’s throat. It gurgled, wildly flailing its arms as it tried to rip Dani from its body. She hung on for dear life as it whirled around, violently tugging at her as she gripped the wiry fur sprouting from its body.

Dani withdrew the blade and as the Moss Slinger raised its giant hand to swipe her head from her neck, she plunged: one, two blades in either side of the beast’s neck. It gasped, eyes rolling in the back of its head as it slowly crumpled in on itself. She rode the beast down and yanked the crystals from its thick hide before landing agilely next to it. The ground shook with the impact of the creature, a moan emanating from the inner most part of it.

She heard instant cheering from the guard tower, but before she had time to celebrate herself, she could hear them.

“Go, Nissa, GO!” Dani belted as she began to run towards the gates. Not far behind them, a swarm of Gnashers appeared from the tree line and came cackling and yelping up over the hill.

“They must have smelled the chaos.” Nissa panted, keeping pace with Dani.

“Or smelled me. I’ve shed more blood today than I have in the past seven years.” She pumped her legs faster until they finally reached the gates.

“Why hasn’t anyone opened these gates yet?” Nissa’s copper eyes were wide as they darted back from the gate to the Gnashers.

“They won’t. They could get in.” Dani breathed heavily, assessing the situation.

“How many do you suppose there are?” Nissa asked, pressing herself flat up against the stone wall.

“Ten? Twenty? It’s hard to tell.” Dani was trying to get a foot hold in the stone of the wall.

“Hey! Dani!” She heard someone call out her name and looked up to see Liam and Evan further down the wall. They were standing at the top, a long length of rope dangling to the ground.

“Come on.” Dani snatched Nissa up and made a run for the rescue team.

“Take Nissa first.” She yelled out, making a loop out of the end of the rope before fitting it around Nissa’s middle like a harness.

The team swiftly pulled her up and tried to make quick time of untying her.

They were running out of that, however; the Gnashers were now almost right on top of Dani.

She didn’t have time to think. Dani began grabbing at chunks of stone and struggling to pull herself up the wall. The Gnashers were yipping and cackling, reaching out with their spiny fingers to yank her from the limestone.

“Take the cat.” Evan handed her off to Liam to assist Dani, but not before the Gnashers had pulled her back towards the ground.

“I don’t think so, you nasty little buggers.” Dani spat, flinging Gnasher after Gnasher from her tired body.

Guuuuuuuurrrghhh. One gurgled before falling rigid to the ground; a trench knife stuck in its back.

“Back to the wall. Liam will help you up.” Evan ordered, slashing at another spiky -toothed creature.

“What about you?” Dani panted, upper cutting a Gnasher in the jaw.

“Just go!” He boomed, cutting down two while three more took their place.

Dani looked back up at the wall. Liam was still standing atop it, Nissa by his side, as the rope dangled just high enough so no Gnasher could get a hold of it. She could go, but she wasn’t going to abandon Evan. Leaving him and Pete before still weighed on her conscience.

At the risk of others seeing what she could do, Dani produced the crystal blades once more and began hacking away at the Gnashers with Evan’s assistance until empty bodies littered the ground around them.

“You don’t listen.” Evan gripped Dani’s hand and led her back over to where the rescue team awaited. He assisted her in scaling back up with the use of the rope before doing so himself.

Once they were back in the guard tower, Dani scooped Nissa up with tears in her eyes.

“You found me.” She whispered, burying her face in the cat’s fur. Nissa just purred, eyes closed.

“I told you she would.” Dani peered over the cat to see Evan smiling at her as he spoke.

“Are you alright?” Liam came around to inspect her.

“I’m fine. We’re fine.” Dani was suddenly aware that all the attention was on her. Had anyone seen what she had done to the Moss Slinger? She assumed that Evan had at least noticed the blades that she used to kill the Gnashers.

“I think I need to lie down.” Dani blurted. She didn’t want anyone asking questions just then.

“Sounds like a good idea. I’ll take you to your tent while Evan gives the word that everything’s ok.” Liam placed his hand on Dani’s shoulder and directed her down the ladder. Evan followed them before going off in another direction, letting Liam take her and Nissa to their new home.

(*)

“A floor mat, blankets, a pillow. We do have out-houses on the other end of the complex if you need to use the facilities.” Liam pointed out to the east side. “If you need anything, you know where to find me. Oh, if you get too cold, I can get you more blankets.”

Dani sat on her mat, covered in three of them. It had been a while since she had had that luxury.

“Thank you.” She almost whispered, pulling a violet colored blanket up to her nose.

“It’s my pleasure. Get some rest.” Liam dipped out of the tent and dropped the privacy flap behind him.

When Dani was sure he was out of ear shot she exclaimed, “How in the hell did you survive!?”

“I was able to lead it off back through the tunnel and into the mill. Once we made it through, I took off and lost it before I even got out of the building. I took the more dangerous route out of town, not that it was dangerous for me, but everything would have seen you. Eventually, I caught your scent out in the West Wood, but not before our old furry friend had done the same. Chased me for at least a quarter of a kilometer before I saw this place. This is nice, though.” Nissa settled in on a pile of silk scarves they had set up as a make-shift cat bed.

“Yeah. I’m assuming it must have gone back through the tunnel and out the way we came.” Dani flopped back onto her mat and stared at the cloth roof of the tent.

“What did?” Nissa was casually cleaning herself.

“The Moss Slinger, Nissa. The damn Moss Slinger!” Dani sat back up and turned to her feline friend.

“Oh, yes. That. I think he did. Explains why we were pretty much neck and neck by the time we picked up your scent. Must have had a hell of a time getting through that door.” Nissa nodded, yawning.

“Do you think they saw, Niss?” Dani was talking to her cat, but staring off into the distance. She was nervous; Nissa could see that.

“Saw you kill the Moss Slinger? There’s a slim possibility. Saw you kill all those— Gnashers, they called them? Absolutely. Sorry, not going to sugar coat it.” Nissa was frank.

“Brilliant.” Dani closed her eyes and ran her hand over her face. She took a heavy breath and settled back into her blankets.

“What was that sound?” Nissa’s ears perked up.

“Uh, my stomach. I was in the middle of finally getting to eat a meal after Gods know how long when they sounded the siren, but I was hoping it was you, so I didn’t care.” Dani rubbed her belly as it gurgled once more.

“Knock, knock.” A voice rang out from the other side of the tent. The flap was peeled away to reveal Evan, crouched down outside.

“All settled in?” He threw Dani a half smile and she tensed up.

“Mmhm. All warm.” She threw up a blanketed hand.

“Good. Can I get you anything? I was heading back from the mess hall.” Evan poked his head in a tad to look around.

“Oh, no. We’re fine.” Dani gripped her mid-section hard as it began to rumble.

Ask him for something to eat, Dani. Nissa’s voice rang out internally.

No, no. I don’t want to inconvenience anyone. I’ll get something at breakfast. Dani thought hard in Nissa’s direction.

“Was that your stomach?” A wide smile spread across Evan’s face.

Dani turned beet red. “I’m really tired. Goodnight, Evan. Buh-bye.” She spoke rapidly before dropping back on her mat and covering herself with the purple blanket.

“Alright then. Night, Dani.” Evan was still laughing as he dropped the flap and stood to walk off. She could still hear him chuckling quietly to himself as he headed off to his caravan.

“Dear Gods, Dani. I’m embarrassed for you!” Nissa threw her head back with hissing laughter, pointy white teeth protruding from her curled lips.

“Oh, fuck me.” Dani’s voice was muffled by her pillow.

“Hey, at least you have other skills of importance—because human interaction is not one of them.” Nissa was now rolling in her silks.

“It wasn’t always this bad. I mean, I’m a pretty forward person most of the time.” Dani defended herself.

“That’s true—so it’s just Evan then?” Nissa sniggered.

“Can we just not, eh? I’m going to get some sleep. Being embarrassed is exhausting.” Dani rolled over and faced the outside of the tent.

“You sleep well, then. I’m just going to sit here, listen to whoever is playing that beautiful violin piece, and clean myself.” Nissa purred.

Dani could now hear it too. It was a beautiful piece; a sweet Celtic sound that drifted on the cool night air. She was asleep almost instantly.

(*)

“You’re home!” Anessa came rushing over to Evan as he entered the caravan. She had candles lit and a vinyl playing on the crank record player.

Evan forced a weak smile; he was exhausted.

“This assignment really wore you out didn’t it?” Anessa perched behind him on the futon and began massaging his shoulders.

“Yeah, it was pretty rough. Nothing for miles. Almost no petrol anywhere.” Evan tried to relax into the massage, but his mind kept wandering to Dani. What he had seen earlier, watching the girl practically grow crystal like swords straight from her arms, that wasn’t exactly normal. He thought he had seen something funny when she was battling the Moss Slinger, but he wasn’t sure until the fight with the Gnashers.

Anessa’s hands had wandered from Evan’s shoulders, down the front of his shirt as his mind wandered.

“Not right now, Anessa. Today was just too much for me.” He gently removed her hands from underneath his shirt.

“You just going to go to bed?” Anessa wasn’t one to hide her feelings; at the least, she was disappointed.

“I think I want to wash up and lay down.” Evan sort of bluffed.

“Why didn’t you wash up before you came home?” Anessa had a good point.

“Wasn’t thinking. I’m in a bit of a daze after all the fighting.” Evan leaned forward and put elbows on knees, his face in his hands.

“Yeah, that. This Dani girl is a bit of a trouble magnet, yeah? A Moss Slinger and Gnashers in one day? You could have been killed.” Anessa bit the inside of her cheek. She didn’t seem to be fond of Dani from the beginning…

“I wasn’t going to let her die.” Evan was kind of irritated with where the conversation was going. He may not have known Dani that well, but clearly, she had needed help from the moment he met her. She had obviously been through more than he could even fathom.

“If she can’t defend herself maybe she shou—” Anessa started, but Evan cut her off.

“There were at least twenty Gnashers and that Moss Slinger was one of the biggest I have ever seen and she defeated that single-handedly. You know—” He sighed heavily, “I’m not doing this right now.” Evan got up from the futon and headed towards the bedroom.

He returned with a towel and some soap before rifling through a basket of clean clothes for something fresh to put on.

“Well, since you clearly want to have some alone time, I’m going to go see what Shannon is up to. She told me that Pete was out dividing petrol up to fill some of the generators so I’m sure she’s going to want company.” Anessa’s lips were a thin line as she stared at Evan.

He just looked back at her, towel still slung over his shoulder.

“Ok.” His response was short.

Anessa forced a fake smile before exiting noisily.

Evan made sure he had everything before leaving himself.

He really did want to wash up, but he had something else he wanted to do first…

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