Friday, July 24, 2020

Worth Searching For, Chapter 7

  


Terra’s breath caught in her throat and she stumbled back, bumping into the paws of another Werelupe who nudged her back toward their ruler.

The Werelupe King laughed, as did his entourage. “Now, is that any way to greet me?” he asked. He hoisted her up by the shoulders and stood her on her feet, but when he let go, her legs were so cramped from being in a bag for hours that she collapsed back to the ground. “Had a long trip, did you?”

Terra glanced around. They were surrounded by a legion of Werelupes wearing skins and furs, accessorised with jewellry fashioned from bones and fangs. Firelight reflected in their glowing eyes. Just like last time. Her heart slammed against her chest.

The king knelt down, sniffing her face. “Yes, yes, it’s you all right,” he said. He pulled back and inspected her again, tilting his head as his ears perked forward. “You look different. Taller.”

“I grew up,” Terra said, still trying to process what was going on. Never did she think she would come face-to-face with this creature again—and this time, Blynn and Hyren were far, far away. She would have to handle this on her own. She hoped she could.



The Werelupe’s brow furrowed. “Yes, I suppose you were just a child back then.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Terra caught sight of a quivering bundle of turquoise. Pharazon was surrounded by leering Werelupes, his wings tucked close to his back, looking like he was about to pass out. “B-beware the b-beast that s-smiles,” he stammered, staring in horror at the Werelupe King.

The king tilted his head in confusion. “What is that?” he asked as he leaned over to sniff at the Draik. The Werelupe’s nose wrinkled and a low growl started in his throat. “It reeks of faerie.”

“That,” Terra said more firmly, “is my Draik.” She tried to catch Pharazon’s eyes, but he looked like he was trying to disappear through the floor as he watched the Werelupe looming over him.

The king turned back to her. “How many Neopets do you have now?” he asked.

“Three,” Terra said.

A smirk spread up his lips again. “Well, it seems you won’t have to do any abandoning, then.”

“You still want me to adopt you after all these years?” Terra asked, her eyes narrowing.

His smile widened. “Now that you're down here, you don't have much of a choice."

“I escaped you once,” Terra said. “Don't think it can't happen again."

The Werelupe’s tail bushed. “I've learned from the mistakes I made last time. Do you know how long I searched for you after your obnoxious pets destroyed my keep?”

“Twelve years?” Terra asked.

“No!” he barked. “I had so many damages to repair because of them! A new domain to find, alliances to make, a hoard to replenish! And just when I’d begun to re-establish myself, that meddling knight and his sorceress companion invaded my home, injured my entire pack, and made off with the treasure I claimed from Illusen!”

Terra’s jaw dropped. “Wait—it was you—”

“But I never forgot,” the Werelupe King said. “And after that, I sent out feelers. Made contacts. And waited.” He chuckled to himself. “And now my patience has paid off,” he said as he looked past her, “and this time they cannot esc—“  He paused. “Where are they?”

“Where are who, milord?” The owner of the female voice from earlier stepped forward from behind Pharazon. Suhel was a hulking brown Werelupe, nearly as large as the king himself, with chartreuse eyes and bone armour studded with spikes. The long, dark mane of crimped hair on her head had fangs woven into it, and they dangled and clattered when she moved.

“The others,” the king said. “There are two more. A Zafara and a… big one.” His ear twitched, and Terra realized he didn’t know what a Grundo was, since they were from space.

“These were the only two delivered, sire,” Suhel said.

The Werelupe King stood up. “What?!”

Terra grabbed Pharazon’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “It’ll be okay,” she said. “I won’t let them do anything to you.”

“Cursed fools!” the king snarled, clenching his fists as his tail raised and his fur bristled. “I didn’t pay them to do half a job! I want that pink pest and big green lout locked in my dungeons for all eternity!”

“My other two pets weren’t with me,” Terra said. The pirates most likely saw her alone with Pharazon and figured one out of three wasn’t bad. “By the way, Hyren isn’t mutant anymore. Actually, I’m impressed you managed to find me, if all this time you’ve been looking for a teenager with a red Zafara and a mutant Grundo. Times change, you know.”

The Werelupe scowled, obviously not registering her backhanded compliment. “I was not aware of human growth rates, thank you. And do not doubt the master hunter. There are a number of ways to track a target… including the arcane. And when I want something, I get it.” He looked up at Suhel and smiled wickedly. “We’ll just have to keep searching for the others, then. My vengeance will be complete.”

Pharazon stiffened. “T-Terra—“ he squeaked, pressing close to her.

Terra stared up at the king in shock. While she did not appreciate someone trying to forcibly add himself to her family, he was still after her Neopets, and she knew if she did not do something, they would be in danger. The pieces of a plan slotted together in her mind and she knew what would work. “Wait,” she said, letting go of Pharazon’s paw to push herself to her feet shakily. “Your Majesty—I’ll make you a deal.”

The king turned to regard her, tilting his head down at her. Although Terra had grown a fair bit since their last encounter, he still towered over her—he had to have been at least eight feet tall. “Oh?” he asked. “What could you have to offer me?”

Terra took a deep breath and balled her fists. “If you leave my other Neopets alone… then I’ll adopt you and I’ll stay here. Just—don’t hurt them, please. They’re my family. I love them.”

For a long moment the large Werelupe scanned her face. His cocky smirk faded and a new, more thoughtful look came over his expression. His crimson eyes seemed to swirl with emotion. Terra was suddenly reminded of the way he had looked at her twelve years ago, seeming so tired and desperate. Despite the circumstances, she felt a pang of compassion for him as she realised he must have had some hurt buried deeply.

“You would give up your own freedom in exchange for their safety?” he asked in a quieter tone.

“Yes,” Terra said with a nod. She stuck out her hand. “Do we have a deal?”

“Terra!” Pharazon wailed. “What are you doing?!”

Glancing over at him, the human smiled and said, "Protecting you."

The Werelupe King looked at Pharazon and then back to the owner. Inhaling, he gripped her hand in his large paw. “We have a deal,” he said. “Welcome to the pack.” He tilted back his head and let out a long, wild howl.

The other Werelupes joined in, a cacophony of howls scattering off stone walls and filling the air. It made Terra’s bones rattle, but she stood her ground, at peace with the fact at at least now her family would be safe. Pharazon sidled next to her and grabbed her other hand, clinging to it like a lifeline, and she gave his paws a squeeze.

“And welcome to the family,” Terra said.

The Werelupe King released her hand and said, “You have my word that I will not hunt nor harm your other Neopets, owner.” His eyes narrowed at Pharazon. “I trust you understand that I cannot let your Draik leave this place. But he will be provided for. He is… technically a pack member now as well.” His lip curled a bit at the idea.

“I understand,” Terra said. She looked down at Pharazon’s horrified face and her stomach dropped.

“I want to go home,” he whispered.

“I know,” Terra said. “I’m sorry. This is the best I can do right now.”

“I task you with looking after the Draik, Suhel,” the king said.

The female wrinkled her snout at the little dragon and moved to pull him away from Terra. He let out a yelp and clung to his owner tighter.

“Why do we have to be separated?” Terra asked. “He’s already scared stiff—he needs his owner right now.”

“I dislike anything faerie,” the Werelupe King said with a bit of a snarl in his throat. “Especially when it’s a coward and a weakling as well. I refuse to have his whines constantly giving me a headache. Be glad we are not housing him in the dungeons.”

Terra took a deep breath. “I am glad. Thank you.” She turned to her Draik and put a hand on his head. “Pharazon. Buddy. You have to go with Suhel now.”

“I just want to go home,” Pharazon breathed. “Don’t let them take me away!”

Terra’s lips thinned. She wished he could see how much harder he was making this. “Be strong, okay?” she said, having to consciously keep her voice level as her exasperation mounted. “I know you can do it.”

She was aware of the Werelupe King’s eyes on them as she waited for Pharazon to reply, and she just hoped the king had an ounce of patience in him. She also hoped her Draik had an ounce of courage in him.

“I—I can’t!” he cried, squeezing her arm. “I’m not strong, I’m not a warrior like you or Hyren or Blynn! Get us out of here—“

Suhel reached down and picked him up by the scruff of his neck, easily pulling him away from Terra. “Sire… what do I do with him?” she asked as she held him like a mangy Kadoatie.

“Take him with you,” her king replied. “Do no harm to him, make sure he gets everything he needs. Tolerate him,” he added, seeming to note her lack of enthusiasm.

She sighed. “As you wish, milord.” As she turned and stalked away, Pharazon looked too terrified and exhausted to even speak, and just stared at Terra pleadingly over his shoulder.

“Hang in there,” Terra called after him. Now that she no longer had his needs to focus on, all at once she began to be aware of how tired, hungry, thirsty, and nauseous she felt. Blynn and Hyren would be worried sick. Pharazon couldn’t go home. And Terra wasn’t sure how long she would have to spend here.

The human’s eyes welled with tears. With a heavy breath that carried the weight of everything she had been through in the past two days, she sank to one knee on the cold stone and buried her face in her hand so these unsympathetic creatures couldn’t see her cry.

Around her, Werelupes started to snicker. “She’s as spineless as her Draik!” one of them said. “What’s the matter, can’t handle a bunch of big strong Werelupes who decorate with bone?”

“Are we too scary for you, little human?” teased another. “Too many fangs and claws? You’d best learn to toughen up if you want to survive down here!”

“That’s enough!” the king barked, and everyone fell silent. “Leave my owner alone! She has committed a noble sacrifice this night and she is undeserving of your scorn!”

Terra looked up at him. His ears were pitched forward in irritation as he glared at his subjects. Their brief conversation from twelve years ago came back to her—how he wanted her to adopt him but wouldn’t tell her why. Clearly he had a lot going on underneath the surface, and Terra found herself wanting to figure it out.

“S-sorry, sire,” one of the Werelupes said, and the others looked similarly apologetic and confused at the same time.

“I’m sure you all have better things to do,” the king said to the other Werelupes with a sweeping gesture. “Dawn approaches. We will feast for this victory tomorrow eve! I expect a good bounty for it, so rest up for your hunts!”

A wave of affirmations swept through the crowd and the Werelupes dispersed. They scampered away into various tunnels that lined the walls of the enormous cavern Terra realised she was in. The natural cave had been built up with wooden walkways and bridges, and decorated with creatures’ skulls and enormous curved ribs from something the size of the Turmaculus.

It just served to further remind Terra how far she and Pharazon were from home—and that this would be their home for who knew how long. Her stomach turned again and she grimaced, hanging her head and feeling totally physically and emotionally spent.

“What’s the matter?” the Werelupe King asked. “Are you ill?” He crouched down in front of her, reaching out and gently touching the tip of her nose with the pawpad at the end of his thumb. “Your nose is dry… that’s not good.”

Terra gave him a confused look. "Human noses are supposed to be dry."

"Oh," the king said with a bit of a self-conscious grin. "You see how little experience I have with your kind." He paused. “I apologise for their careless remarks. I will not let them speak to you that way again.”

Terra stared up at him, not quite sure what to make of his concern. “Thanks,” she said, wiping her tears on her sleeve.

“Don’t tell me you are ill,” the king said, looking more worried.

Terra shook her head. “They didn’t feed us very much… I’m hungry and thirsty. But I don’t think my stomach could handle any food right now anyway, so I guess I’m just thirsty. My… my stomach doesn’t do well when I’m stressed.”

The Werelupe frowned, and his lip curled upward to show a bit of fang. “I thought I told those pirates to treat my owner well,” he growled. “I will make them suffer double what they inflicted upon you.”

“Please don’t,” Terra said. “Enough’s—you’ve already done enough.”

“Do you not wish for vengeance?” the Werelupe King asked.

“No,” Terra said. “I don’t believe that makes anything better.”

The king’s expression grew thoughtful, and then he blinked and looked aside. “I’ll deal with the matter later,” he muttered. “For now, let’s get you some water.”

“Thank you,” Terra said. Despite the situation, she didn’t think being rude and difficult would help any, and she appreciated his efforts to take care of her, even if it was a bit confusing.

He turned and looked down one of the tunnels, and then back to her. “Hm. You’re in no condition to walk,” he said, picking her up and resting her against his shoulder.

Although Terra still had bad memories of Werelupes, her new Neopet’s warm fur helped warm her chilled body after spending all night in the open air of Meridell in the month of Awakening. He at least cared about her well-being more than those pirates. There seemed to be more to this creature than just being growly and threatening and stealing things.

 “You have endured an arduous journey, indeed,” the king said as he carried her into one of the tunnels. “Impressive that you stood up to me even after all that.”

“You’re not going to shut me in a tower again, are you?” Terra asked. "Those weren't the best accommodations."

The Werelupe King glanced over at her. “No, that was a mistake,” he said. “I… had not thought the situation through entirely. I was not expecting some of my thanes to bring back an owner in their nightly hunt. We did not usually see owners so deep into the Haunted Woods. Caught in the moment, the best thing I could think to do was put you somewhere secure for the time being.” He looked back down the corridor and his gaze grew distant. “At any rate,” he muttered under his breath, “why make you keep company with monsters.”

He cleared his throat and added, “I was planning on sending up supper, when your… other pets intervened.” He frowned. “Well, I should like to see them try to find you down here.”

Terra studied the Werelupe’s face and the way expressions played over it. He was not like Dr. Sloth, who ruthlessly used people to further his own ends. Again she remembered the Werelupe King telling her, twelve years ago, how he had wanted an owner for a long time. He seemed so pained whenever he brought up the subject. It made Terra want to help him in whatever way she could—because she didn’t think anyone else would bother. She hated the idea of nobody else caring enough about someone to want to help them. She knew how that felt and it wouldn’t happen on her watch.

“Thanks for taking care of me,” Terra said. “I don’t mind spending time around Werelupes. It’s better than being cooped up in one place. Where are we, anyway?”

The king gave her an odd look, but said, “These are the Werelupe Burrows. After your other pets destroyed my keep, I led my pack in search of a new home. Our travels took us out of the Haunted Woods and into Meridell. We attempted to take over Illusen’s Glade, but…” His hackles rose. “That went badly. So we retreated further into the forests of Meridell, and found this place, this haven. It’s much larger than that old castle, actually.” He chuckled. “I suppose I should thank you for that.”

“You’re welcome,” Terra said. “So that’s how you got from the Haunted Woods to Meridell.” It sounded like they had lived the life of outcasts for quite some time, and again that made her want to show them kindness. She could sympathise with that feeling.

They entered a small grotto. Firelight illuminated a rock wall slick from a spring that burbled from it. The water ran in a stream along the floor and into a series of channels that disappeared into drains. All around it sat an assortment of waterskins.

The Werelupe sat Terra down on a flat rock and said, “Stay here.” He grabbed a waterskin and crouched over the spring.

Terra watched him, analysing the way he moved, so careful and quiet and unlike his confident swagger back in the cavern among his subjects. She had no intention of going anywhere. She would keep her end of the bargain and trust that he would keep his word as well. At any rate, she was terribly tired from staying up far past her usual bedtime, but the uncomfortable conditions on that wagon made it impossible for her to sleep.

He came back with the skin heavy and full, handing it to her. Terra took a few sips so it wouldn't be too much for her stomach—it tasted cold and sweet like only fresh spring water could. "Thank you," she said. "That hit the spot."

“When do owners eat?” the Werelupe King asked.

“The same times Neopets do, essentially,” Terra said. “I don’t think I could stomach anything tonight. I’ll wait for breakfast.”

He nodded, fastened the waterskin to his belt, picked her up again, and padded back out into the tunnel. “Then you should get some sleep,” he said.

“I can try to walk,” Terra said, even as she yawned and fought to keep her eyes open, and her whole body felt heavy. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

“What?” the Werelupe asked with a chuckle. “This is no trouble at all. You are light as air, owner! I would have to carry twenty times your weight before feeling a strain!”

“Are you… joking with me?” Terra asked, again finding his behaviour rather unusual.

“Do humans not know how to laugh?” he asked, tilting his head at her.

“No, no,” Terra said. “It’s not that. Just… you’ve stopped trying to be intimidating.”

The Werelupe’s expression again grew pensive. “Well… we are family now, are we not, owner? You are part of my pack. I would—I would rather converse with you as a packmate than as an enemy.”

Terra smiled. Perhaps there was hope for him after all. She felt as though she was seeing another side to him than how he seemed to want to present himself to non-Werelupes—a more likeable side. “I don’t want us to be enemies, either,” she said.

Isengrim stared at her for a moment, and then he scowled. “Fat chance you don’t. But your cooperation is… appreciated.”

He said nothing more for a long while, and Terra realized she had hit a raw nerve somehow. She understood why he would be cynical, but it was still frustrating when someone wouldn’t accept her kindness.

He brought her down winding passageways, through vaulted caverns, and across wood-and-rope bridges that spanned black chasms where distant water roared beneath them. Heights were not Terra’s favourite thing, and she cringed closer to Isengrim’s shoulder as he traversed the swaying bridges. In several areas, Werelupes lazed and chatted by open flames on beds of furs. Terra hoped to see a faerie Draik among them, but to no avail.

When the silence became too awkward to bear, Terra said, “By the way, my name’s Terra. What’s yours?”

“I am Isengrim,” the Werelupe said, “Lord of the Werelupe Burrows, King of Werelupe Woods, Sovereign of All the Moon’s Light Touches, and Champion of All Werelupekind.”

“That’s quite the impressive title,” Terra said.

Isengrim looked sidewise at her as if trying to judge if she was being sarcastic. Instead, one of his ears turned back when he saw only sincerity in her expression. “I have well earned it,” he grunted.

“I thought you didn’t like weaklings,” Terra said with another yawn as Isengrim climbed a set of stairs hewn into the rock that twined behind a large waterfall. “Why are you taking care of me?”

“You are not weak,” Isengrim said. “You are currently incapacitated, but you are not weak. I am impressed that you did not cower in fear like your Draik back there, and that you had the courage to barter your freedom for the sake of your other pets. That was a brave deed. I like bravery.” He paused and looked aside. "And at any rate, I don't leave members of my pack suffering. I can't stand to see—" His muzzle snapped shut and he swallowed hard, and said nothing more as he stared at the path ahead.

Terra absorbed this information silently. Clearly Isengrim had some sense of honour and compassion. She wondered what else he was going to say before he stopped himself—it seemed that he had plenty of secrets. She felt that she certainly had her work cut out for her here.

Isengrim stepped into a spacious grotto where a single brazier burned. Its firelight glinted off of various weapons mounted on the walls, and threw eerie shadows on the skulls of great horned beasts that had similarly been turned into décor. Even the couches and tables were made of bone and skins. One wall was open to the back side of the waterfall, a shimmering curtain from this perspective. Simple murals in red and black pigment adorned the other walls, depicting trees, crescent moons, and stylised packs of Werelupes hunting large Petpets, accompanied by a scattering of massive pawprints.

“Nice paintings,” Terra said. The Werelupes seemed to have their own culture, and it made her curious to learn more. She supposed she would probably have plenty of time to do so.

The Werelupe King gave her another confused glance. “I made them myself,” he said. “This is my grotto. But my family can stay here, too.” Apparently, however, this did not apply to “weakling” brothers. Still carrying his owner with one arm, he bent down and shuffled through a pile of furs, setting some aside. With a grunt of satisfaction, he moved to the new pile and began shaping it into a round bed.

Once it was finished to his liking, he set Terra in it and gave her another fur and her waterskin. “Let’s do something about that stomachache,” he said. He opened a wooden chest that sat against the wall and rummaged through it, pulling out a phial that he examined and nodded. “Take a few drops of this,” he said, handing her the phial.

The substance inside smelled pleasantly of mint and Terra put a few drops under her tongue, feeling a familiar cooling burn. She kept her own home stocked with such things. “Thanks,” she said. Thinking of home caused a flood of memories. Whenever she had stomachaches, Hyren would hold her hand until she felt better, and tell her some of his old war stories, while Blynn would find ways to make her laugh and Pharazon would brew her peppermint tea.

But she wasn’t home. That feeling settled on her heavily.

“I just don’t understand,” she said. “Why did you go through all the trouble of finding me again if you just wanted an owner? There are literally hundreds of millions of other owners in Neopia who could have adopted you. You probably could have kidnapped the next human to go camping in the Haunted Woods.”

Isengrim looked aside, staring at the waterfall. For a moment he looked as though he wanted to say something, and then his expression hardened. “Vengeance, plain and simple,” he said, moving to rearrange the larger pile of furs. “I hate having things stolen from me. I will not forgive such deeds. But now I consider your family’s debt repaid. Just be grateful I am honouring our bargain.”

“I am,” Terra said. Something about his actions and words didn’t line up, and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. “You know, my Draik is really sweet once you get to know him. He can be a little whiny, but—”

“I have no desire to know anything more of that coward,” Isengrim said curtly, drawing himself up. “He has shown his true colours this night. Frankly, I—I do not understand why you continue to defend him.”

“Because he’s my Neopet,” Terra said, “and I love him despite his weaknesses. And he needs me, so I’m—trying to be there for him as best as I can.” As Isengrim watched her, his expression became more contemplative, his pupils glowing red in the flickering firelight. “Do you promise your Werelupes won’t hurt him?” she asked.

Isengrim’s ears turned back for the briefest moment before they snapped forward again. “Yes,” he said, and his voice sounded oddly husky. “I am a Werelupe of my word, and my subjects would never disobey an order from their lord. We will… give your Draik the best accommodations we can.”

He moved to the entryway, leaned a paw on the stone, and looked back at her. “You have had a long day,” he said. “You ought to sleep. I have business to attend to. I would advise against trying to go anywhere alone. These burrows are a giant maze and can be very dangerous to those who are unfamiliar with them. Do not leave until I come and get you.”

“Okay,” Terra said, seeing the sense in that. This certainly was not like last time—that fortress in the Haunted Woods was only a fraction of the size of what she had seen of this cave system, and she probably hadn’t even been through the half of it so far. It made her wonder just how deep it went and what could be found down here, and she hoped she would find out someday.

Isengrim moved to leave. He paused and looked like he was going to say something again, but he frowned and just descended the stairs in silence.

Terra pulled her blanket up over her shoulders and took off her glasses, setting them on the floor. She took another drink from the waterskin and then curled up. The furs were soft and warm, and her stomach had calmed down considerably. She bunched up some of the furs behind her head to act as a pillow and lay still, listening to her own shallow breathing.

No, she definitely wasn’t home anymore. But at least her Neopets’ safety was assured.

Terra wondered what had happened to Isengrim that made him need an owner so badly. Blynn told Terra once that created Neopets had a certain soul-deep bond with their owners. Maybe something had happened between Isengrim and his creator, and that made Terra feel even sorrier for the Werelupe. Although the situation was less than ideal, she wanted to be the owner he needed while she had the chance. Maybe there was a way she could help him.

She closed her eyes. Blynn and Hyren still didn’t know what had happened to the other half of their family. The thought caused another lump in Terra’s stomach. But she would not give up hope. Somehow, she would make things right for everyone—including the Werelupe King. Just like with Hyren all those years ago, perhaps Isengrim just needed a friend. With that thought, she slipped into sleep.

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