In Search of Cause

“Mmm.” Fea droned as he, Dahlia and Àlainn approached the foot of the Dubhar mountains.

“What?” Dahlia cautiously asked, his hand still tightly linked with Àlainn's.

“Stop!” Fea snapped, prompting his two tails to plant their feet into the damp leaf covered ground.

Fea scanned the tress before him. Their leaves loudly rustled and danced as harsh morning winds blew by.

He let out a groan since, at first glance, nothing was wrong with any of what he saw.

However…

“Show yourselves!” Fea barked as he unsheathed his daggers.

Nothing in the forest changed as he raised his weapons.

He then dashed forward, but just as he did, the sounds of something snapping and breaking filled the air just as a strange contraption, riddled with wooden spikes, shot towards Fea.

He narrowly avoided getting impaled by dashing backwards to where Dahlia and Àlainn were.

Several bushes then loudly rustled before moving to revealing seven warriors who’s grey woollen clothes were .

They emerged from the ground while pointing their spears at Fea and company.

“Turn back and return from whence ye came!”

One of the Spearman barked.

“That, I am afraid, we cannot do. We have business in the heart of your mountain. Also, did the night not already take so much from you or are you that willing to throw your lives away?” Fea asked in a rather casual manner although everyone could see just how tightly he was holding his daggers.

The Spearmen all glanced at each other.

“Should we go get her?”

“Perhaps… I don’t want to die here, if possible.”

The two foremost spearmen said before facing Fea once more.

“S-stay here. We don’t want any trouble but we can’t just let you into our home so wait until we hear from our leader on how to proceed.” One of the two said before dashing into the forest.

Fea then turned his dark purple eyes to the remaining six warriors who kept their spears raised.

They all looked young. Ranging from fifteen to nineteen.

Some of them had large scars and reddened eyes that made Fea’s chest ache a little but he remained composed.

A moment passed and Fea’s ears perked up as a certain young man returned with a middle aged woman in tow and, unlike the spearmen, she wore clean grey woollen clothes. Her long greying hair was tied nearly in a bun and her wrinkly face was without expression.

She stooped about five meters from Fea and company where she took a single deep breath.

Her dark brown eyes then rose to meet Fea’s.

“Would it be too much if I asked you to leave and never return?” She asked. Her voice surprisingly clear.

Fea glanced at Dahlia who tightly held Àlainn’s hand all while making a determined face.

“Yes. Although I would like to clearly establish that fact that we come baring no ill will. We did not before and that has not changed, even though you tried to kill us.” Fea said after meeting the woman’s gaze once more.

Her eyes narrowed as they fell onto Dahlia.

“Wait… is that he who brought about that horrible night?” The woman asked with a hint of fear in her voice.

“No, although Ay- Dahlia is related to the great one who caused all this. They were brothers.”

“Were?” The woman asked.

“Yes. We managed to kill him and that is all I will say on the matter.” Fea said.

“I see. So what brings you back here?”

“Dahlia wants to see his other brother. As for why, I will not say.”

The woman weakly nodded before glancing at her men.

“What is… what is the situation like in the place you’re from? Do the beasts still plague the lands?” She asked.

“No. Although I cannot say the same for the rest of Cridhe Iarainn.”

“Can’t you just ask him to send the beasts back to the Reverie Plane?”

“We would if we could, but as of now, we do not know the full extent of his power and, I think you would agree that using his powers, whatever they may be, would be… irresponsible without a lot of caution.” Fea explained prompting the woman to nod.

“One hour. You have one hour to see it then you may leave.”

Fea turned to Dahlia and winced upon seeing a pained expression on the boy’s face.

“No, we would like to be able to freely visit him under the condition that we will not interfere with any of your business.”

“Do you really think that we would let you come and go freely after what you did?” The woman hissed with slightly widened eyes but Fea sighed in response.

“Need I remind you that it is you who tried to kill us? I am more than willing to fight and kill my way up the mountain, but the night took a lot from all of us, so, for the sake of everyone, please let us see the corpse and, after we are satisfied with our findings, we will leave. We will return in the future and our intent will remain as pure as it is right now.” Fea said.

The woman clicked her tongue before turning around and walking.

“That night spared no one other than the women and children remains, so please… conduct your business and leave.” She said before leading everyone further into the forest.

They eventually arrived at a short stone wall that marked the entrance of the village of the Awnings.

The woman led Fea and company up a path that was lined with homes that were carved into the very mountain itself and Fea spotted a few cautious heads and eyes peeping out of some doors.

They Awnings within watched as Fea and company were led higher into the mountain and after a few short moments of walking, they arrived at a large opening.

Fea looked around and saw that it had been cleaned.

The woman led them down into the mountain where a large doorway stood.

It led into a chamber at the centre of which sat the corpse of a large, pale creature.

Many of its tentacles were splayed across the floor and the bulk of its body retain a certain wetness, even though the chamber within which it lied was bone dry.

The creature had a stubby tail which had three pinkish fins. It’s head looked like a closed flower bud and it had two, small arms sticking out of its chest.

Fea glanced at Dahlia and Àlainn who were stuck staring at the creature.

He then shifted his eyes to the woman to find that she and her people were cautiously retreating to the top of the entryway.

“Come.” Fea said before walking into the chamber.

His chest ached a little as he spotted bits of dried blood here and there.

His eyes narrowed upon noticing a gash just beneath the slimy creatures left arm.

He came to a stop about half a meter from the thing bur Dahlia walked up to it while extending his hand as if to touch it.

Àlainn opened her mouth as though to say something but she stopped just as Dahlia did.

His hand simply hung in the air as he reached out to the thing.

“Is something wrong?” Fea asked.

“No. I… there’s nothing here.” Dahlia whispered.

“I guess I just wanted to see him.”

“Is that what drives you to seek your father?” Fea asked.

“Maybe.”

Àlainn walked up to Dahlia and held his hand.

“I guess we should leave-“

“Ah, not all is lost, boyo.”

“Oh?” Dahlia whimpered.

“Remember that dairy you and your mother found?” Fea asked while leading Dahlia and Àlainn out of the chamber.

“Yes.”

“Well, she documented something about a town or village not too far from that cave you found. Would you like to see if we can find any clues there?” Fea asked.

“Alright.”

The three exited the mountain and under the watchful eyes of the Awnings, they left the mountainside village just as the sun began to set.

They made their way back into the forest and walked northward.

“Mmm…” Fea droned as they walked.

“Is something the matter?” Àlainn asked.

“It has been quite some time since the night ended and we have yet to encounter any breasts.”

“Maybe they disappeared along with the darkness of the night.” Dahlia supposed.

“An optimistic but plausible scenario.” Fea said.

“Where do you think they went?” Dahlia asked.

“I feel as though they crept into the shadows and are awaiting the arrival of a New Moon.”

.

..

Night had fallen but this did not bother Fea and company.

Their eyes saw clearly in the dark of the forest.

A darkness which paled in comparison to the twisted one of the night.

Strangely enough, it rained. Even though there were no clouds.

The trio eventually came across a town.

A town made of a single street lined with a dozen rickety looking buildings.

A lake could be seen just beyond the town’s last two buildings but Fea focused his attention on the handful of people who could be seen walking about in the rain.

He led Dahlia and Àlainn toward the town and he cautiously approached the nearest person. A man, sitting idly by the porch of his house.

Fea’s eyes narrowed upon seeing that the man’s shiny, pale skin and eyes that were alarmingly large. So much so that they reached all the way to where a person’s lower cheeks would be.

Not only that, his eyes had a soft purple glow to them.

“Ahem! Greetings! I am Feannag McAllister. Could I ask you a few questions?”

The man looked to the east, in the direction of the lake before standing up.

He then walked up to Fea before sneaking a glance at Dahlia who stood behind Àlainn.

He gave the boy a curt bow before returning his gaze to Fea.

“What can we do for you, sir, madam, Prionnsa?” The man wheezed as his stringy wet black hair hung.

“Are you familiar with the name Marianne?” Fea asked making the man’s eyes widen a little.

“Yes. She visited this place, Ceàird Gaoil, long ago but sadly left not long after. Leaving behind her Waif.”

“Waif?” Fea asked.

“Yes. He is sleeping now but you can pay him a visit, if you like.” The man said.

“And where is he?”

The man pointed a dripping finger at the lake.

Fea nodded before walking towards the lake with Dahlia and Àlainn following closely behind.

They stuck even closer to Fea as the residents of Ceàird Gaoil watched them and each person they passed gave Dahlia a curt bow.

The trio quickly arrived at the small pier where the smell of fish hung heavy.

Fea looked around and spotted nothing that even closely resembled a child.

Well, he could not see it in his current state and so he turned to Dahlia who had grown visibly sleepy and Àlainn who looked tired before glancing at the people of Ceàird Gaoil.

He then sighed deeply before looking at Dahlia.

“I apologize but I think we should delay our meeting with the Waif.”

Dahlia frowned weakly.

“Why?”

“Because I do not want to leave you two unguarded. You both look tired and sleepy so I ask that we do this tomorrow.”

Dahlia let out a small noise.

One similar to a groan but several times softer.

“Alright.” Dahlia said.

Fea gave the boy a curt nod before leading him and Àlainn back to the entrance of the town where the man from before waited.

“Would you mind if we visited tomorrow?”

“Not at all.”

Fea nodded before taking Dahlia and Àlainn to a spot deep in the forest.

It was an opening in between the roots of a large tree.

Fea cleared up all the twigs and leaves before preparing a makeshift bed with blankets for Àlainn and Dahlia to share.

“What about you?” The boy yawned as he rested his head on Àlainn’s shoulder.

“Worry not for me. I will be just fine.” Fea said.

He noticed that Àlainn was staring at his belt quite intently.

Or, more accurately, she stared at his daggers which he held tightly in his hands as the night hung.

Their dark metal blades illuminated by the small fire Fea had made.

He wanted to ask why she was staring but before he could she fell asleep.

Fea sighed in defeat and proceeded to watch over the two as the minutes crawled by.

He looked up and saw that it had stopped raining or more accurately, they had left the spot in the forest where rain fell.

.

..

A few hours passed and although Fea’s body remained energized and alert, his curiosity was beginning to gnaw at his mind and so, in an act he knew to be risky and even foolish, he closed his eyes.

.

..

Fea opened his eyes, stood up, leaving his body where it sat and spread his large wings.

He then quickly flew east and landed on the pier in Ceàird Gaoil.

He looked around in search for a child but found nothing in the forest that surrounded the lake.

He then heard a sound the made his heart sink and it came from below.

He looked at the lake’s waters and winced upon seeing something at the lake’s centre.

He flapped his wings and flew towards the strange sight and gasped upon seeing a blood covered child, sleeping beneath the surface of the lake’s waters.

He reached out to touch it but a sound from the west prompted his swift return to his body.

.

..

He opened his eyes to find Dahlia and Àlainn still sleeping in front of him undisturbed.

So he tightly held his daggers once more and continued to watch over them.