Read Online Night Calls the Raven (Book 2 of The Master of the Tane) by Thomas Rath - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Thomas Rath
Ads: Link
to hold onto his lunch and keep his perch while Tchee pumped her massive wings and glided swiftly and smoothly higher and higher into the air. As they gained altitude his stomach settled to the point of almost becoming civil again allowing him to sit up some and look around.
The mountains quickly shot into view in the west, stretching out for miles, the highest peaks still covered with last winter’s snow. Looking to the east, he had a grand view of the dark Underwoods Forest that, although pretty from the air, still gave off a feeling of darkness and foreboding. Straining his eyes ahead while squinting through the rushing air, he thought he could just make out the water and trees of his homeland swamp. From this distance it was difficult to see where the Underwoods ended and the Teague began but he knew that he was headed in the right direction and that home was not going to be so long and hard to reach. It gave him a great rush of excitement. Home. He had wanted to trade it most of his life for the big world of adventure and discovery, always feeling he was missing out. Now that the opportunity had been given him, it was home that gave him the greatest thrill.
Scanning the distant trees while trying to get a clearer view he thought he saw a flash of bright light on the horizon. Straining his eyes to see better, he saw it happen again, and then almost immediately it flashed again and again in quick succession. The thrill he felt only moments before suddenly vanished replaced by an overwhelming sense of doom. “Did you see that, Tchee?”
Tchee screeched and then turned slightly to the left heading toward the flashes.
“What do you suppose that is?” His stomach suddenly felt sick but this time it was not from Tchee’s flying. It felt different. Almost like it felt when Twee died. Something wasn’t right.
For the better part of an hour he watched the horizon as the strange lights continued to flash each burst hitting him like a fist to the gut. He could taste the acid in his throat as his stomach reacted. Tchee remained quiet but seemed to push harder as if sensing Teek’s mood and fear.
Then the flashes suddenly stopped replaced by thin black fingers of smoke snaking their way into the air. He was still too far away to be certain where it was coming from but the direction seemed to be right to put it fairly near to his home. Tchee pushed even harder.
Neither said much the rest of the day. Teek kept his eyes locked on the smoke that billowed dark for a couple of hours before finally beginning to settle into a grayer line of haze. They stopped only once for a quick drink and to allow Tchee to rest. She tried to make him eat some of the fish she caught but he wouldn’t be bullied this time, his mood wouldn’t allow it.
His thoughts turned dark and frightening and all he could think about was getting home to his family and finding them all healthy and well. “I’m sure they’re all right,” he whispered, almost to himself. Tchee looked at him for a moment and then squawked. He turned to stare at his brown and white friend. She shrieked again and then lowered her wing inviting him back onto her back.
They flew for the rest of the day pushing as hard as Tchee could go. The urgency that had welled up in him that morning had long been replaced by a dull sense of wrongness. Something didn’t feel right inside. He couldn’t quite make out what it was but it only added to his worry. He tried eating something once or twice but the food seemed to have lost its flavor. As the sun finally dropped below the mountains, forcing Tchee to slow and look for a place to nest for the night, tears began to roll down his face. He didn’t know exactly why he was crying but he couldn’t hold back the tears. A sense of doom had overshadowed him and would not be pushed away. It had been there with him since he first saw the flashes but now it had become almost overbearing. When Tchee finally touched down and leaned over so he
The mountains quickly shot into view in the west, stretching out for miles, the highest peaks still covered with last winter’s snow. Looking to the east, he had a grand view of the dark Underwoods Forest that, although pretty from the air, still gave off a feeling of darkness and foreboding. Straining his eyes ahead while squinting through the rushing air, he thought he could just make out the water and trees of his homeland swamp. From this distance it was difficult to see where the Underwoods ended and the Teague began but he knew that he was headed in the right direction and that home was not going to be so long and hard to reach. It gave him a great rush of excitement. Home. He had wanted to trade it most of his life for the big world of adventure and discovery, always feeling he was missing out. Now that the opportunity had been given him, it was home that gave him the greatest thrill.
Scanning the distant trees while trying to get a clearer view he thought he saw a flash of bright light on the horizon. Straining his eyes to see better, he saw it happen again, and then almost immediately it flashed again and again in quick succession. The thrill he felt only moments before suddenly vanished replaced by an overwhelming sense of doom. “Did you see that, Tchee?”
Tchee screeched and then turned slightly to the left heading toward the flashes.
“What do you suppose that is?” His stomach suddenly felt sick but this time it was not from Tchee’s flying. It felt different. Almost like it felt when Twee died. Something wasn’t right.
For the better part of an hour he watched the horizon as the strange lights continued to flash each burst hitting him like a fist to the gut. He could taste the acid in his throat as his stomach reacted. Tchee remained quiet but seemed to push harder as if sensing Teek’s mood and fear.
Then the flashes suddenly stopped replaced by thin black fingers of smoke snaking their way into the air. He was still too far away to be certain where it was coming from but the direction seemed to be right to put it fairly near to his home. Tchee pushed even harder.
Neither said much the rest of the day. Teek kept his eyes locked on the smoke that billowed dark for a couple of hours before finally beginning to settle into a grayer line of haze. They stopped only once for a quick drink and to allow Tchee to rest. She tried to make him eat some of the fish she caught but he wouldn’t be bullied this time, his mood wouldn’t allow it.
His thoughts turned dark and frightening and all he could think about was getting home to his family and finding them all healthy and well. “I’m sure they’re all right,” he whispered, almost to himself. Tchee looked at him for a moment and then squawked. He turned to stare at his brown and white friend. She shrieked again and then lowered her wing inviting him back onto her back.
They flew for the rest of the day pushing as hard as Tchee could go. The urgency that had welled up in him that morning had long been replaced by a dull sense of wrongness. Something didn’t feel right inside. He couldn’t quite make out what it was but it only added to his worry. He tried eating something once or twice but the food seemed to have lost its flavor. As the sun finally dropped below the mountains, forcing Tchee to slow and look for a place to nest for the night, tears began to roll down his face. He didn’t know exactly why he was crying but he couldn’t hold back the tears. A sense of doom had overshadowed him and would not be pushed away. It had been there with him since he first saw the flashes but now it had become almost overbearing. When Tchee finally touched down and leaned over so he
Similar Books
