Read Online Night Calls the Raven (Book 2 of The Master of the Tane) by Thomas Rath - Free Book Online
Authors: Thomas Rath
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time for lunch. Near the center of the grove, a small stream meandered through the trees on its journey to the river below and invited him to sit along side and rest for awhile. Releasing his burden to the ground, he helped himself to a soft plot of earth and leaned back against a neighboring tree to enjoy a little rest.
Digging through his pack he pulled out a big round of cheese and a couple of carrots. “This should make for a decent little lunch.” Though unlike the crab and crawfish he was accustomed to at home, it filled his stomach properly and actually tasted rather good. A cool drink from the creek washed it down nicely and he settled back against the trunk and enjoyed the moment. The trees seemed to be whispering to each other overhead as the wind brushed through their leaves generating a soothing sound that mingled with the bubbling creek creating a soft melody. He gave himself over to the sound without a fight and was quickly pulled into restful slumber.
Pushing his tiny canoe through the Teague swamp, he wove his way through the labyrinth of giant Teague trees that leant their name to his homeland. His traps had all been full and he was anxious to return to the hut with the treasure of crabs, crawfish, and even a large turtle. His mother would be thrilled, as would his little brother and sisters. But suddenly, a large cloud covered the sky completely blocking out the sun’s rays and throwing the area into an unnatural darkness. A loud scream echoed across the swamp. “Mother!”
His eyes snapped open. Something large hovered over him forcing him to his feet in an instant as he grabbed for the large axe but was pulled into a pile as the axe’s weight was greater than his strength to wield it. Releasing it he rolled away and popped up again, this time pulling his dagger free from its sheath. The weapon was not as threatening as the axe, of course, but it didn’t throw him back to the ground either.
Another scream shattered the air followed swiftly by a gentle cooing sound that sounded strangely like laughter. It was then that Teek finally caught site of his attacker. I large white bird stood near his pack, its head bobbing as it continued to coo. “Tchee!” Teek screamed, pushing the dagger back into its casing. He ran to the large bird and threw his small arms against her chest burying his head into the soft down.
“Oh, Tchee, it is so good to see you again! How did you ever find me, and so quickly? I had given up hope that I would ever see you again. You’ll never guess what happened to me.” Teek stepped back and looked into her gem-like blue eyes. She considered him for a moment and then shrieked a tremendous noise followed by tiny growls in her throat that made Teek suddenly feel like a tiny morsel of meat. He stepped back quickly looking quizzically at her as she continued to growl and squawk.
“What?”
Tchee bobbed her head back and forth and growled and squawked again and then shot her head forward so fast that Teek had barely enough time to throw his hands back to soften his collision with the ground.
“Hey, what’s that for?”
Tchee loomed over him now and shot her head down at him her razor-sharp beak coming frightfully close to his tender skin. Again she squawked and growl and bobbed her head.
He tried to scramble back away but she was always right over him still making a fuss. Then it hit him. “You’re not mad about the dwarf thing are you?”
She raised her head skyward and released another harsh scream that sent birds into flight that had been roosting farther down amongst the trees outlining the Underwoods.
Teek felt sweat beginning to run down his cheek as the answer came without doubt. “It’s all right,” he soothed. “They didn’t hurt me too bad. I know I should have listened to you the first time but it was all a misunderstanding.”
Tchee’s head was suddenly on top of him again, her beak so close to his face that he could smell the fish she’d had for
Digging through his pack he pulled out a big round of cheese and a couple of carrots. “This should make for a decent little lunch.” Though unlike the crab and crawfish he was accustomed to at home, it filled his stomach properly and actually tasted rather good. A cool drink from the creek washed it down nicely and he settled back against the trunk and enjoyed the moment. The trees seemed to be whispering to each other overhead as the wind brushed through their leaves generating a soothing sound that mingled with the bubbling creek creating a soft melody. He gave himself over to the sound without a fight and was quickly pulled into restful slumber.
Pushing his tiny canoe through the Teague swamp, he wove his way through the labyrinth of giant Teague trees that leant their name to his homeland. His traps had all been full and he was anxious to return to the hut with the treasure of crabs, crawfish, and even a large turtle. His mother would be thrilled, as would his little brother and sisters. But suddenly, a large cloud covered the sky completely blocking out the sun’s rays and throwing the area into an unnatural darkness. A loud scream echoed across the swamp. “Mother!”
His eyes snapped open. Something large hovered over him forcing him to his feet in an instant as he grabbed for the large axe but was pulled into a pile as the axe’s weight was greater than his strength to wield it. Releasing it he rolled away and popped up again, this time pulling his dagger free from its sheath. The weapon was not as threatening as the axe, of course, but it didn’t throw him back to the ground either.
Another scream shattered the air followed swiftly by a gentle cooing sound that sounded strangely like laughter. It was then that Teek finally caught site of his attacker. I large white bird stood near his pack, its head bobbing as it continued to coo. “Tchee!” Teek screamed, pushing the dagger back into its casing. He ran to the large bird and threw his small arms against her chest burying his head into the soft down.
“Oh, Tchee, it is so good to see you again! How did you ever find me, and so quickly? I had given up hope that I would ever see you again. You’ll never guess what happened to me.” Teek stepped back and looked into her gem-like blue eyes. She considered him for a moment and then shrieked a tremendous noise followed by tiny growls in her throat that made Teek suddenly feel like a tiny morsel of meat. He stepped back quickly looking quizzically at her as she continued to growl and squawk.
“What?”
Tchee bobbed her head back and forth and growled and squawked again and then shot her head forward so fast that Teek had barely enough time to throw his hands back to soften his collision with the ground.
“Hey, what’s that for?”
Tchee loomed over him now and shot her head down at him her razor-sharp beak coming frightfully close to his tender skin. Again she squawked and growl and bobbed her head.
He tried to scramble back away but she was always right over him still making a fuss. Then it hit him. “You’re not mad about the dwarf thing are you?”
She raised her head skyward and released another harsh scream that sent birds into flight that had been roosting farther down amongst the trees outlining the Underwoods.
Teek felt sweat beginning to run down his cheek as the answer came without doubt. “It’s all right,” he soothed. “They didn’t hurt me too bad. I know I should have listened to you the first time but it was all a misunderstanding.”
Tchee’s head was suddenly on top of him again, her beak so close to his face that he could smell the fish she’d had for
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