Batu glided through blue skies, an apex predator once more. Even from afar, Tuya sensed his air of rightness. Things were as they ought to be. The wind beating against his wings, plenty of food to choose from—little morsels that didn't look up in a colorful tree land previously without giant aerial hunters. They would soon learn, or they wouldn't, being stupid strong-tails that didn't bother with worry until it was too late.

The feelings resonated at their deepest level because Tuya too felt the air of rightness. Since the Moasi Clan had left, the shiny blue moon had gone from full to half-sized. In those thirteen days, life changed. And, unlike most in the Hollows, this change was good.

A person wasn't meant to spend all night on the wings of a bird and her entire day hidden. Nor was she meant to cower to tamers or be forced into hiding places. Here in the glowing mushroom cave beneath the waterfall hill, in the wilds of Great Atmana, Tuya had a home where days and nights belonged to her. For the first time, she tasted what it was to be free.

Freedom was running over fallen leaves and broken branches, racing after a sharp-tooth four-leg with your arrow sticking out of it. It was jumping through brush and climbing vines, sensing everything around you with mind, eye, nose, ear, tongue, and touch. It was exploring, without restriction, finding new wonders to help grow and feel love. Freedom was listening to your friend banging on a hollowed-out shell while their sibling howled musically. It was looking at the clan leader and not being afraid that they would hurt you, even if they were annoyed. Freedom was dancing and not being afraid of who was watching.

Yes. Outside the waterfall cave where mushrooms glowed, beneath the place where the canopy was cleared for the great bird, a girl unlike any other and exactly like every other danced. Garbed in bird feathers of a dozen and one colors, she waved her arms, swayed her hips, shuffled her feet. Tuya—known here as Howler—laughed as Tsonggo hooted at her, their strong-tail arms pounding against the shell. Watching, but never allowed too close, Brave Wolf howled a wolf's song, their pretty eyes following all of Tuya's uninhibited motions.

She smiled at them, her eyes going from Tsonggo to Wolf and back and forth as she did her best to not think about what she was doing. That was a freedom too. Having spent her life a slave to survival, this may have been the best aspect of it all. Howler took a few breaths to experience life, rather than just survive. This was a lesson that Dancing Tsonggo made easy to learn.

Clapping their hands over their head, leaping up and down, Tsonggo did a crazy thing where they rolled onto their hands, their feet straight up in the air, then leapt, spinning through the air before landing in human form.

Howler laughed and clapped as Tsonggo unleashed their spirit, letting the dance take over. It was a truly remarkable gift to be able to watch someone you care about do the thing they were meant to do. Like watching Batu hunt the treetops, Masarga link wilders together, Sarnai collect flowers and breathe in their scent, Tsonggo became all of themselves when they let go of it all and just danced. There is nothing, nothing, more beautiful than to see a person become all of themselves. At least for Tuya, nothing else compared.

That is because you are all of yourself when you make others more of themselves, Batu projected, his wisdom offset by the green strong-tail locked in his talons shrieking. It is also why I was right that you needed to slow down and stay here for a while.

As always, Batu had to point out his rightness. He was ever a righteous bird, unless he was in the wrong. Somehow those were forgotten like poor strong-tails howling as they were carried hundreds of bodylengths over the treetops.

I don't forget and I'm never wrong.

Never ever.

Tuya laughed, smiling broadly as she watched Tsonggo dance and Batu be himself. She supposed that meant she was also being herself. If Batu was right. Which, in this case, she suspected he might.

But freedom didn't mean never needing to do the smart things to survive, nor did it mean one didn't have responsibilities. It just meant you could live more for yourself, or to see others be more of themselves, if that was how you lived best.

Running Bear roared through the waterfall, stalling Tsonggo's feet, silencing Wolf's howls, and thinning out Tuya's beaming smile. Talking time. A time that Tuya enjoyed nearly as much as dancing time. Learning new things made her more of herself too. She dreamt of being like sand that could hold all the world's waters within itself, mixing them together until finding the best water to nourish life. The Atmana water she took in now had many good things for growing, but neither was it perfect. Tuya needed to know more to discover the best ways to help people become themselves.

Bear had answered many questions in the past thirteen rises and falls of the sun. The Atmana acquired their animal forms by becoming like the animal they changed into. Days and moons were spent living among the beasts, trying to be like them, living as they lived. Once achieved, Mother Celegana bestowed the animal form upon them, and as long as they continued to be true to their form, they retained it. But there were many nuances to grasp. For instance, if the Atmana needed to be around the creatures to become them, why was Bear a bear and Wolf a wolf?

Of tsonggos, there were plenty—much less now that Batu was here, another one falling from the sky, screaming shrill, only to be snatched by the proud eagle the moment before it collided with the treetops. He then carried the poor tsonggo skyward again for another round of release and catch. Still, there were plenty of strong-tails but Tuya couldn't even find wolves or bears when she sought them out with her mind.

Bear didn't like it when Tuya gave any degree of attention to Wolf and thus she chose her question with care. "How did you become a bear if there are no bears in the Great Atmana Forest?"

Bear signed, "Good work with your signs, Howler." They smiled, though to Tuya it seemed like a strained attempt at being friendly given the clan leader emitted no joy from their mind.

"Thank you," Tuya signed back. She rather enjoyed this talking with hands. Most of the signs were intuitive and easier to grasp than the sounds of different languages. The vast difference between how Celegans spoke and Mahagans had initially made learning Leverian a struggle, especially speaking the words the right way. Atmana felt easy to learn in contrast because she didn't have to unlearn things to do it.

"The Great Atmana is as different as those who inhabit the forests," Bear explained with their hands, sorrow seeping from her. "Not all regions are alike. Closer to the land of the giant fighters, bears were many."

"You've ran far from where you began," Howler signed.

Bear nodded. "I've either been running or trapped for most of my moons. Even here, Smiling Moasi cages us. As you know, not all cages have bars."

Tuya nodded. She'd already explained much of where she came from and how she'd survived and escaped. Running, Brave, and Dancing knew that she was being hunted by the Celegan clan leader and that Batu prevented Gurg from finding her. She'd taught them, hesitantly, of her skills as she found herbs to speed and smooth Wolf's recovery using her wilding abilities. She'd explained how she spoke to the wild, listened to the plants and the beasts, sensed the emotions of people and shared her thoughts. They knew that her eyes let her see in dark places and far and clear. She'd even told them of Yaha and why she carried the pearl necklace and the spear.

Sharing her story hadn't just been practice with Atmana Sign Language, but yet another act of freedom. Speaking, or rather signing, liberated the loneliness that was being Tuya of the Hollows. It allowed her to transform into Howler of the Great Atmana. She wasn't in Gurg's cage anymore. She could go where she pleased and do what felt right. Which, right now, was right here.

The Atmana family knew she wouldn't stay forever. Wolf whined and Tsonggo pouted when they were reminded this. But she hadn't told them where she was going nor had she warned them of the cage coming for them. She gripped Yaha's necklace, deciding that now was the time to at last dip her toe into this scary water and see the ripples it made.

"The Celegan clan leader wants to make the entire world a cage. They already trap and kill in the Great Atmana."

"As did the giant warriors," Running Bear signed. "There will always be those who cage. That is why we will keep running."

Tuya shook her head. If making others be more of themselves was her purpose, then Gurgaldai ezen Celegan was the great threat, the obstacle, the one that would render her life without purpose. In a way, that gave her purpose as her purpose was to stop him. "This one is different," she signed. "He can do what he says."

Unless I stop him, Tuya thought.

We will stop him, Batu projected, catching the falling strong-tail a third time, this time he'd gone even higher. The strong-tail had either passed out or died from the experience and Batu was starting to lose interest.

"That is what they said of Aldar," Running Bear vocalized. "But the Sunset King is gone."

"And his doom was Gurgaldai ezen Celegan," Tuya said aloud.

"And this Gurgaldai ezen Celegan will also meet their doom."

With a spear in his heart, Tuya thought, imagining the immaculate monster on his knees.

"There is always another," Running signed. "And they too shall fade into story."

"Perhaps that is so," Tuya signed. "I look ahead, see them on their knees, my spear in their heart."

Bear smiled. Tsonggo hooted, miming spear thrusts. Wolf huffed, gazing at Tuya, clad in feathers that left her arms, legs, and belly exposed, as though she were the immaculate one. These people weren't appropriately afraid. Even in danger of Smiling Moasi, Brave and Dancing hardly ever gave off pulses of fear. It was as if the danger wasn't there unless they could see it. Perhaps they should.

"Do you have a sign for 'chimaera?'" Tuya asked aloud.

Bear frowned. "What is 'chimaera?'"

Batu dropped the strong-tail, this time not diving to catch it. All the joy, the thrill, draining from him as he shared Tuya's memories of the three-headed monster that stalked their nightmares. Upon the beach where it killed nearly every of Yaha's sixty-four crewmates and as it pursued them as they flew away, stealing the last of The Sixty-Four from Tuya.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Please make it stop! Batu begged.

Tuya pushed the image to the three Atmana. This is Gurgaldai's chimaera. They come to the Great Atmana Forest.

Tuya broke off the images, stopped pushing her mind out. Her own fear grew, echoes of a girl from days and years ago reverberating through time, strengthened by absorbing the fear of Batu, Running, Brave, and Dancing. As Yaha had said, very few had hope of killing a chimaera, and Tuya had seen nothing among the Atmana to suggest they would be able to defend against the nightmare coming for them.

"This monster is real?" Running Bear asked.

Nodding, Tuya signed, "And there are many of them. Some are already in the Great Atmana, killing Atmana they call men and claiming Atmana they call women to breed more tamers. They are near the place where you began, Bear, and will be here within seasons."

Wolf whined, tears misting their eyes. "We need to run again? Further from loving?"

Further from loving? Tuya wondered if she misinterpreted their sign.

Running Bear growled, their fear spontaneously turning to anger. Not an uncommon shift in the clan leader. Despite the sharpness of bear teeth, Running's anger had lacked any bite. So far.

"One step at a time, Brave Wolf." They turned to Tsonggo, who continued to shake with fear, then signed, "Enough talk. Take Howler hunting."

"I have a question," Tuya said and signed, before she could be dismissed. "What does this sign mean?" She made the sign for "loving" that she saw Wolf make.

"No more questions," Bear signed, running from the conversation. "Earn your stay, Howler."

She nodded. So often Running Bear stopped just before Tuya got the answers she wanted. The not-woman could be even more frustrating than Yaha had been and never seemed to be truly happy. Shame, guilt, anger, fear, these were as plentiful in Running Bear as the strong-tails in the upper limbs of the forest. She wasn't going to push her way through like she often would with Yaha.

Grunting, Tuya backed away, took the bow she'd crafted with Dancing's help, and her arrow bucket-thing—an empty log that she'd been taught to tie a vine through so that it could be slung around her shoulder like the spear. Whatever word the Atmana used for that didn't translate to Tuya and Bear either didn't know the Gidiite word or didn't want to share it. Probably the latter.

Relax, sister, Batu projected. You're fire when you should be wind. Blow where you need to go and push what you need to push. Stop burning your own insides because of things smaller than you.

He was right.

Don't, Tuya warned, Batu thrumming with joy as he still declared his forever correctness. In retaliation, she projected the memory of him saying he'd win the race to the river.

I let you win, he lied. The wild thing was that he even believed it, sharing distorted memories of their conversation.

Tuya masked the thought that he might truly be incapable of thinking himself wrong. Like how Dancing was incapable of going a few breaths without smiling.

"Why do you smile?" Tuya signed, walking up the hill beside Dancing.

"Why not?" they signed back.

"What about what I showed you? What about Running Bear being angry?"

Tsonggo chittered, the strong-tail way of laughing. "Running Bear is behind us. The monster is far away. Neither are here with us right now. We hunt. We climb. We dance. We talk. I am with you, Howler. This moment is good. Very good. So, I smile."

Tuya pondered at the simplicity for several heartbeats. That was a level of freedom she didn't think she'd ever have. Not looking back at the pain behind her. Not staring ahead at the future struggles. Just being. Dancing said it as if it was the easiest thing to do. Yet, to Tuya, it felt impossible. She didn't think she could ever truly live in the moment, at least not for long. She couldn't have this, but she wanted to protect Dancing Tsonggo's innocence. Wanted to ensure that neither Smiling Moasi, nor masturbating Mighty Moasi, took it away. That meant she needed to know more than just how to make a bow and shoot arrows into would-be food. She needed to ask Tsonggo the questions their parent wouldn't answer.

Yet, Tsonggo couldn't answer some questions without knowing how to speak aloud. Nor could Tuya link with them, even though she thought it might be an unforgettable experience to share thoughts with one so free, so innocent, so fully and completely alive. So, Tuya aimed her questions where they had a chance of hitting a target. She signed what she thought was Atmana for "loving," a hand forming a heart then bringing it to the nose to indicate it was happening now. Then she pushed her question out as a projected thought. Is this the sign for "loving?"

Dancing nodded, but their joy broke for a moment as if the word seeped into a crack in their soul, leaking out the joy like good water from an old Gidiite pot. Then, within a few steps, Dancing did another crazy thing where they spun in the air and landed on their feet. The smile returned. The sadness blown away and left behind.

Tuya stored that info, not knowing how to understand without linking or asking questions that would make Dancing sad. She asked another question, one of many that had been squatting in her head like a tamer who did no work and was always shouting. "Why are you, Wolf, and Bear different when all the Moasi Clan are moasi?"

"Because they're stupid," Tsonggo signed, yowling and miming throwing poop at them.

True, but not very helpful, Batu transmitted. The great eagle perched on a tree somewhere seeking food to play with.

Tuya tried a different approach to the same question, testing a theory. "Were all of them always moasi?"

"No. Smiling takes people from other clans ands makes them like them."

"Is that what they want to do to you?"

Dancing nodded, but still smiled. "Running Bear says that you will stop them."

"I will," Tuya signed. "But I need to know more about the Atmana. Can Atmana take more than one form?"

Dancing nodded. "I did it before."

"You have another form?"

Tsonggo shook their head. "I used to be Dancing Bear. I changed because it wasn't really me."

Tuya understood. She'd been there before, though in a different place and in a different way as no two people ever can fully know what it is to be the other because they will always see through their own eyes. Often during Yaha's training, she'd felt like the ship captain was trying to shape her into something she couldn't be. In the end, Yaha had understood. No promises.

Gripping the pearl, Howler signed, "Was it what Running wanted you to be?"

Tuya had never seen such a vigorous, exaggerated head bob. Tsonggo kept going, with that toothy smile, until they were both laughing.

"Too often the old want the young to be just newer versions of them," Tuya signed, "instead of giving us the freedom to be more of ourselves. I am glad you are Tsonggo because you are you and you are perfect as you are."

Tsonggo gestured, their fingers making a heart, then extended it to Tuya.

I love you.

Tuya interpreted those three words with fear. Her eyes went down, preventing the mist in her eyes from showing. Life didn't go well for people who used those words toward her. She saw flashes of a future where Dancing went through the pain so typical of those that loved Tuya of the Hollows. Yet, she couldn't lie to herself. She couldn't put away that which had been seeded, watered, shined upon, and nourished for the past thirteen days of dancing, hunting, talking, seeing, and becoming. She had a choice, and it wasn't whether she loved Tsonggo back—that tree had already grown—it was whether she could sign the words and accept that they were real.

Do it, Batu urged. Don't lie to yourself.

Tuya didn't even stop to ponder the hypocrisy of the great bird. She met Dancing Tsonggo's smile and knew that she only wanted to make their pain smaller. But wouldn't telling them they were loved only make it hurt more when Tuya left?

Live in the moment, Batu reminded her. Enjoy it while it lasts. Like the girl would tell you to do.

You're—

I know I'm right. Thanks for not fighting it too much this time, sister. Remember that next time.

Smiling, Howler made her finger heart then extended it toward Dancing Tsonggo.

Immediately, things changed, becoming more real. Yet, instead of scared, Tuya felt freedom, liberation, and her favorite feeling of all: love. Tsonggo danced, jumping with joy beaming from them like a lightmaker. Yowling, they wrapped their arms around Howler and pulled her in tight. Tuya closed the embrace around Dancing's muscled body, nestling her head against the Atmana's.

This hug, this love, reminded Tuya why she kept going. Yes, her purpose was to make people more of themselves and to do that she needed to stop Gurg. But she couldn't go on endlessly for others if she wasn't getting what she needed. And, as Batu had been telling her—much to her chagrin and his vindication—she needed to be loved back.

It was this beloved girl that kept going, even when the tamers hated her, because she'd had Zaya's, Sarnai's, Yaha's, Masarga's, and Darrakh's love. The worst times in her life had been when she didn't feel like there was anyone who cared, who loved her. Like when none of the wilders wanted her help or after Sarnai had died. In days where she rotted in her little hollow or in the dark place, she wanted to give everything up. It wasn't that her purpose had changed. Even then, she wanted to make pain smaller. But when nobody made hers smaller, she shut down, and lost hope that anything she could do would make a difference.

She cried little tears of understanding. Happy to remember what she needed. Even happier to have it. If only for a little while before she said, 'until next time.'

They parted, Tsonggo teasing Tuya for her tears. "Stop that or you will turn into a Wolf." They mimicked Brave's whines. "At least you will be a pretty one though."

"Brave is pretty," Tuya signed, thinking off too many stolen glances where she couldn't draw her eyes away fast enough.

Tsonggo shook their head then gagged, causing Tuya to laugh which made more tears leak out. They snorted, shook their head some more, then signed, "Enough talk. Hunt. Earn you stay, Howler."

Tuya laughed. "I thought Running Bear was behind us."

Tsonggo chittered. "Think again."

Yes. Howler felt free. They climbed branch and vine until they were far above the ground. Traversing the trees, Tuya using her senses to find something succulent to shoot arrows at. Though she had more training to go, she isolated from the millions of living things a nice fat creature with four stubby legs supporting its incredible girth on the next hill over. Jumping from branch to branch, scaling bark, sliding along vines, she crept above the beast until she had a clear angle where her little arrows wouldn't be broken by branches or deflected by leaves. She felt sneaky and strong and that made her feel free, allowed her to, for a few moments, just be. She was Howler the hunter, listening to the wild and making it hers. Then, she was the bow and the arrow. It all felt natural and right, like a person doing what they were meant to do. Just being themselves as they were. Becoming everything that nature, that Mother Celegana, had blessed them to be.

Three arrows it took, all of them hitting—Tuya's lightseer eyes and spear training making the learning of the bow something that came with similar ease as the Atmana language—the beast tumbled onto its side, crashing into the bush it had been eating. It was wild how one so thoroughly competent could often consider themselves worthless when the darkness overpowered the light. But it is sometimes those who fly the highest that fall the hardest. Or, in the case of those who are girthy four-legs, who fall the loudest.

Good one, Batu shared, flying several hills over, also playing games with a tsonggo, though considerably less satisfied than Dancing Tsonggo was with Tuya.

Dancing raced down the trees, moving far faster than Tuya could, even without changing forms. Just being a master tree climber.

But moments came and moments went, like gusts of wind blowing things this way and that. Any stray breeze could blow Tuya to the past, or drag her to the future and the worries of tomorrow. This moment, like every other, didn't last.

Whether by curse or chance, one stable thing for Tuya was that those she loved oft suffered. And a girl unlike any other couldn't help but sometimes believe that was inevitable, that it was her fault. Tuya saw it before Tsonggo did, as the Atmana knelt beside their future food. A beast that looked like it was stuck between being an Atmana and the girthy four-leg she'd just killed. Two legs, thick brown hair over an immense body, a long snout, with twin tusks large enough to enter through the gut and punch out the back charged forth, like a spear, directed toward Dancing Tsonggo.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.