Read Online Legends of the Saloli: Vengeance and Mercy by Adam Bolander - Free Book Online
Authors: Adam Bolander
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own mistake.”
“But I could have prevented this!”
“Yes, but now you have the chance to fix it. Do you know how?” Blaze stared deep into his chief’s eyes, seeing the fires of determination and loyalty that had always burned within his soul, “You have to kill your brother this time.”
Without another word, Rust nodded his head. Blaze knew then, without a doubt, that his chief had accepted his task, and would not back down again. The next time he saw his brother, blood would be spilled.
Chapter T welve
When Blaze awoke the morning after the funeral, he was surprised to find Smallthorn not lying next to him on their branch in the Common’s Tree. Looking around, though, he saw his friend standing on the ground near the edge of camp, looking out into the woods. Confused as to what he could be doing, Blaze got up and climbed down the tree, then slowly made his way over to his friend. When he arrived, he found Smallthorn’s eyes and face wet with tears, and short, and ragged sobs came from his throat. Blaze stopped a few feet away, not sure whether he should make his presence known or not. He was saved from this indecision, though, when Smallthorn looked up and saw him, eyes bleary and red. For a moment, the two of them simply stared at each other. Finally, Smallthorn spoke.
“What am I going to do now?” he asked, his voice choked with grief.
“Well. . .” Blaze began, but was interrupted.
“I’ve lost the love of my life! I have nothing more to live for.”
Shocked by these words, Blaze immediately attempted to console his friend, “How can you say that? You’ve got friends who love you, a tribe that needs you, and a son that depends on you.”
Once again, Smallthorn visually flinched at the mention of his son, a fact that was not lost on Blaze.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing, I’m fine.” Smallthorn replied, much too quickly for it to be true.
“Smallthorn, you’ve been through more than any of us these past few weeks, far more than any single creature should have to endure. If something is going on, I want to help you.”
Smallthorn hesitated, and then shook his head, “I’m fine,” He said again.
Knowing that he would get no further at the moment, Blaze reluctantly turned and left his friend to be alone, but his thoughts remained on helping him. He had to do something to remind Smallthorn of what an amazing life he had, even if he had lost his mate. But how?
As these thoughts drifted through his mind, Blaze absentmindedly made his way to the food pile, where he hoped to fill his stomach with a little breakfast. Plucking an acorn from the pile with his front paws, he began to gnaw at the outer shell until it split open with a satisfying crack! Discarding the inedible shell, Blaze bit off a sweet chunk of the delectable nut. Chewing it slowly, Blaze saw a saloli returning from a patrol. He was alone. This detail caught Blaze’s attention. Very rarely did patrols go out with fewer than five saloli in them, and never did they go alone. Even when a trainee made their first patrol, the chief and their trainer would always be there to watch them and intervene. The lone saloli immediately found Rust and began speaking urgently to him. Rust nodded, said something, and the saloli ran back into the woods. Putting down his unfinished nut, Blaze slowly walked towards Rust, curious as to what was going on. Rust saw him coming.
“Blaze, I’ve just received a report that two outsiders have been taken captive within our territory. Perhaps you’d recognize them. My scout says that they both look very odd.”
Blaze remembered back, almost a month now, when he had been washed away in Cyclone’s river. He’d nearly drowned, but had been rescued by two outsiders who turned out to be from a massive tribe of outsiders called NoTribe. It was led by an albino saloli named Specter, and his right hand saloli,
“But I could have prevented this!”
“Yes, but now you have the chance to fix it. Do you know how?” Blaze stared deep into his chief’s eyes, seeing the fires of determination and loyalty that had always burned within his soul, “You have to kill your brother this time.”
Without another word, Rust nodded his head. Blaze knew then, without a doubt, that his chief had accepted his task, and would not back down again. The next time he saw his brother, blood would be spilled.
Chapter T welve
When Blaze awoke the morning after the funeral, he was surprised to find Smallthorn not lying next to him on their branch in the Common’s Tree. Looking around, though, he saw his friend standing on the ground near the edge of camp, looking out into the woods. Confused as to what he could be doing, Blaze got up and climbed down the tree, then slowly made his way over to his friend. When he arrived, he found Smallthorn’s eyes and face wet with tears, and short, and ragged sobs came from his throat. Blaze stopped a few feet away, not sure whether he should make his presence known or not. He was saved from this indecision, though, when Smallthorn looked up and saw him, eyes bleary and red. For a moment, the two of them simply stared at each other. Finally, Smallthorn spoke.
“What am I going to do now?” he asked, his voice choked with grief.
“Well. . .” Blaze began, but was interrupted.
“I’ve lost the love of my life! I have nothing more to live for.”
Shocked by these words, Blaze immediately attempted to console his friend, “How can you say that? You’ve got friends who love you, a tribe that needs you, and a son that depends on you.”
Once again, Smallthorn visually flinched at the mention of his son, a fact that was not lost on Blaze.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing, I’m fine.” Smallthorn replied, much too quickly for it to be true.
“Smallthorn, you’ve been through more than any of us these past few weeks, far more than any single creature should have to endure. If something is going on, I want to help you.”
Smallthorn hesitated, and then shook his head, “I’m fine,” He said again.
Knowing that he would get no further at the moment, Blaze reluctantly turned and left his friend to be alone, but his thoughts remained on helping him. He had to do something to remind Smallthorn of what an amazing life he had, even if he had lost his mate. But how?
As these thoughts drifted through his mind, Blaze absentmindedly made his way to the food pile, where he hoped to fill his stomach with a little breakfast. Plucking an acorn from the pile with his front paws, he began to gnaw at the outer shell until it split open with a satisfying crack! Discarding the inedible shell, Blaze bit off a sweet chunk of the delectable nut. Chewing it slowly, Blaze saw a saloli returning from a patrol. He was alone. This detail caught Blaze’s attention. Very rarely did patrols go out with fewer than five saloli in them, and never did they go alone. Even when a trainee made their first patrol, the chief and their trainer would always be there to watch them and intervene. The lone saloli immediately found Rust and began speaking urgently to him. Rust nodded, said something, and the saloli ran back into the woods. Putting down his unfinished nut, Blaze slowly walked towards Rust, curious as to what was going on. Rust saw him coming.
“Blaze, I’ve just received a report that two outsiders have been taken captive within our territory. Perhaps you’d recognize them. My scout says that they both look very odd.”
Blaze remembered back, almost a month now, when he had been washed away in Cyclone’s river. He’d nearly drowned, but had been rescued by two outsiders who turned out to be from a massive tribe of outsiders called NoTribe. It was led by an albino saloli named Specter, and his right hand saloli,
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