Kylan’s thoughts of the
wedding were marred when he heard a plaintive wail coming from the trees to his
right. He could not place it, and frowned as he listened intently. There it was
again, softer now. He knew that sound, and it called to him, tugged at his
heart. He sat up and stared in the general direction of the sound. When it came
again, he knew why it was affecting him so…it sounded like, like…Jess! And she
was hurt; sounding like the time when that darn tabby turned on her, scratching
her beloved nose to shreds.
He rose quickly and,
glancing at the others, noticed they were intent on their own tasks. Some were
talking, some repacking gear, others sleeping, even Kisha. He did not want to
disturb her, she got little rest, her sleep plagued by nightmares, and the
others had obviously heard nothing. Maybe he imagined it, maybe he had dreamt the
sound of Jess’ distressed wail…he would look a right fool if he drew everyone’s
attention to a dream sound.
But he had to be sure.
He loped off into the
trees, going where he thought he had heard it come from, hearing nothing…and
then it came again. A wail of pain, asking for help…dear god, he had thought
her dead, more than dead, burned, vanished. Had he not looked hard enough? Had
he missed her, left her behind? As he ran he castigated himself in no uncertain
terms…she had been hurt and he abandoned her.
‘Jess?’ he called out,
and whistled his special tune for her. ‘Where are you, girl?’
He stopped to listen,
and heard a soft bark of recognition up ahead.
‘That’s my girl!’ he
called out louder. ‘I’m coming…’ He whistled again to let her know it was him, that
he was on his way, and his tears ran unchecked. He heard her bark again,
hearing in it a faint, pleased excitement.
Slowing down to hear
her more clearly, not to miss her, he began searching the undergrowth, she was
close, and kept up a faint whistling…
‘Jess?’
Up ahead there was an
old elm, green with moss, its foliage untamed. He knew it, had been here
before. He rounded its broad girth…and stopped dead in his tracks.
He sank to his knees,
feeling as if he were going to die; from guilt, and sadness so great the human
heart could not possibly hold it all.
‘Oh, Jess, sweetheart,
I’m sorry…’ The tears were a torrent now, he was sobbing, seeing his beloved
childhood companion, loyal always, often his only friend, ensnared in a vicious
contraption. A poacher’s trap! How it could be there in that beautiful place
was a mystery, given folk were terrified of the Forest, but there it was, and
Jess, dear, sweet Jess, was caught in it. Both her hind legs were cruelly
snared, the rusty wire biting deep, exposing bone…and she was emaciated,
resting on bent front legs, her head drooping to one side. When she saw him she
lifted her head valiantly, and stared at him with liquid brown eyes, no
reproach, only happiness, as if she had known he would come and make it all right.
Such trust, such loyalty, his heart could not bear it. She tried to wag her
bushy tale, but no longer had the strength…her usually shiny brown coat was
matted, dirty, lifeless…
Dear god, how long?
Nearing two months, surely, since Infinity surprised them that night…surely she
had not been trapped here all that time? No, she had run off, he had not
searched hard enough, and she floundered into that trap…later, it had to be
later…
‘Still, Jess, I’ll get
you out, girl…’ Gasping through tears, Kylan felt for the knife in his
pocket…not there! God, no! Then he remembered he placed it beside him when he
laid down to rest…damn, damn! ‘Don’t you worry now, my angel, we’ll make
another plan…’
He crept forward,
whispering soothingly, and rubbed her forehead gently, her dry tongue licking
his hand, little sounds of pleasure…his heart breaking anew, he bent to the
task of undoing coils of wire. Hands bleeding, slipping, slipping minutes
later, he knew he was beat. He needed wire-cutters, a saw, something…he would have
to go back.
He did not want to
leave her. To walk away would break her sweet heart…but he had to free her, he
would be back. Explaining all this to her as calmly as he was able to, knowing
she would understand, she was a clever mutt, he quickly searched around and
found some big leaves holding water. He stared at those leaves a moment. They
seemed artificial, deliberately placed, but then he shook it off as fanciful
and carried them like the most precious gold to his Jess, and sobbed as he
watched her lick with great effort, her eyes never leaving his. He patted her
gently and ran a soothing hand along her flank…
‘I’ll be back soon,
Jess, I promise.’ Crying, he backed away, the hardest thing he had ever done,
her eyes following, reproachful now, worried. ‘Hang in there, girlie…I’m coming
now-now…’ He turned and ran with the hounds of hell chasing him.
He was lost, could not
find the clearing- how on god’s good earth could he not know where he was? He
shouted, called, anyone? ANYONE? Ran and stumbled…oh no, oh no, oh no, Jesssss,
JESS! I’m sorry, sorrrryyyy…
Shades of Shadow
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