Still Rivers - Under the Surface Chapter 1
Sunlight crept through numerous holes in the poorly thatched roof. Soft shadow and bright light played across a sleeping form clothed in deep brown fur. The creature's thick brown tail twitched slowly in time with his breathing, a webbed foot kicking gently to some dream of cool water and warm breezes. Like most of the others in the village, this hut was a simple one-room affair built on the bank of the Kahawai, a fresh water river that let out into the ocean only a mile or so downstream. They were built in such a way that most of the floor was covered in water, with a small section at the back on the ground, for whatever needed to stay dry. Many of the Lahu people enjoyed rolling straight out of their hammocks and into the river.
The sun shone through the cracks in the roof at mid-day. The water dripped through when it rained. If it snowed in the village, the roof would likely cave in under the weight. Sunlight shone through the holey roof, splashing across Stahl's black nose, furred muzzle and, when they opened, his bright forest green eyes. He blinked slowly in the bright noon light, and stretched his arms far above his head, arching his back and stretching his tail to a point. He gave his tail a few wags while he yawned deeply, before rolling out of his hammock, anticipating the rush of cool, invigorating water. At least, that's what he had expected. Instead, he found himself with his belly in the mud, his tail twitching in the air above him.
That's odd, he thought to himself, I distinctly remember a river being there. He planted his paws on the dirt and pushed himself up, looking around, seeking the source of the problem.
He blinked a few times as he inspected the entrance to his hut, and found that the river had slowed to a crawl, and was considerably thinner than he remembered it. He also didn't see any other Lahu swimming around or on the far bank of the river. Where is everyone? Where is the water? He wondered for a few more seconds before he came to his senses.
"Damn it! I overslept!" Stahl yelped as he bolted from the hut, leaping into the deepest part of the river.
Up the Kahawai only a few miles was where everyone, including the water, was. A dam built about as well as Stahl's hut was restricting most of the water flow, and a number of the Lahu were assembled in the water on the far side. The majority of the Lahu were swimming idly in a circle around the edges of the shimmering cerulean pool. Off to the side, two female Lahu of particular affection gently raked their fine black claws through each other's fur, down their slim mid-sections and backs. Just beside them, a young male Lahu was drawing the attention of a crowd showing off his skill at swimming, his muscular paws slicing easily through the still water. The center of the artificial lake remained relatively clear.
On top of the dam stood one tall, sleek Lahu, with a likewise tail that trailed slightly behind him on the ground. His fur was a light tan, with a nearly white chest and belly. He was dressed lightly, as most of the Lahu were - heavy clothes were used mostly ceremonially.
The dam itself was put together using pieces of scrap metal, salvaged from the submerged ruins that could be found extensively on the ocean floor. The keystone of the structure, however, was the automatic floodgates that were assembled directly from a floodgate system found in a ruin by an excavation team. The Lahu standing on top of the dam held his paws in the air, stretching his arms out forward, and the cloak that was draped over his back slid slightly down his arms towards his shoulders. On his head was a headdress adorned with vibrant blue feathers, the color of the deep ocean, and it matched well with his light clay fur. On one wrist was a woven band, dyed crimson, and on the other wrist, a similar wristband which was a deep emerald color. Several gold bands decorated his tail, relics from under the ocean. Water, Fire, Earth, and a nod to the technology of the ancients. All essential to the lives of the Lahu.
Stahl approached swiftly in the small stream that remained in the riverbed, hoping he wasn't too late. He reached the dam and climbed up onto it as quickly as he could. He awkwardly slipped into the water on the far side, amidst a hard glare from the shaman and snickers from the Lahu that were circled around. He then swam to the group and slipped his way to the back, ignoring the murmuring from the crowd.
"At least Stalwart decided to grace us with his presence." Stahl heard someone say, but was too embarrassed to turn and see who. He pushed the stinging sensation in his gut down and turned around when he reached the back of the group.
On the shore behind him was his best friend and the official tribe mechanic. Lakeland was his name given by the tribe, and the only name he went by anymore. He was distinctly non-Lahu in appearance, being instead both large and stocky, with thick black fur and a whole lot of muscle, contrasting greatly with the smooth, sleek bodies of the Lahu. He leaned down to Stahl and whispered. "Glad you could make it, buddy. They were just going to start without you."
Stahl grunted, wincing. "I slept in. If anything, this just proves my point about my roof. If it was built any sturdier, I wouldn't have made it in time."
Lakeland chuckled, patting him on the back with his large paws. He had to be careful not to accidentally push Stahl into the crowd before him. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, little guy. Shh, Len's starting."
Len was the tribe shaman, the one Lahu tasked with performing the various rituals, spells, and otherwise spiritual things that needed to be performed. He took his job as shaman seriously, which meant there was no room to joke around, as far as rituals were concerned. Stahl knew he was a nice guy, but the way he acted about the spells left a bad taste in his mouth - Len had already spent quite a few minutes glaring at Stahl for his entrance.
With a huff, he raised his paws back to the sky, inciting silence among the Lahu. He softened his expression once more, and turned his gaze forward. "We are undoubtedly blessed by the ancient ones, and the many things they have left behind. Just as we rely on fire for warmth, and water for life, we rely on the technology of the ancients for many of the comforts we are allowed to enjoy in our lives."
Len gestured down, at the dam. "With their help, we are able to stop the Kahawai, and bask in the tranquility of her water. We are able to heal the wounded, catch food to eat, light our homes, and create clothes to wear. Their gifts allow us to build strong homes better able to protect us from the elements."
Stahl raised an eyebrow, looking around. Len's glare seemed to become a bit heavier at that moment.
"So it is on this day each year that we gather here to perform a blessing, to protect those Lahu who put themselves in harm's way for the good of the tribe." Len paused to allow the cheers to subside.
Len closed his eyes, and the silence felt tangible. He bent down to one knee and, using a piece of chalk, began to inscribe a pattern on the top of the dam. Under his breath, he mumbled a series of words that Stahl could no more hear than he could understand. Stahl closed his eyes, as did the rest of the tribe. The breeze seemed to pick up, but it didn't cause the leaves of the trees to rustle. Stahl suddenly became increasingly aware of the Lahu that were around him. He felt connected to everyone there. The breeze disappeared as quickly as it had picked up, and the feeling disappeared. Stahl opened his eyes and looked up at Len.
Len scanned his eyes over the Lahu, and then smiled widely. "Let's make sure it's a safe year." With that, the cheering from the Lahu picked back up. Stahl surprised himself by joining in the cheering with everyone else.
The tribe began to swim inward, towards the middle of the lake created by the dam. Len walked deliberately to the side of the dam and pulled the lever, allowing the water to rush through. The Lahu were carried downstream with the roaring current, meshing together as they went, still laughing and cheering.
Stahl couldn't help but to lose himself in the group swims, it was the perfect time to not think about anything. There was nothing to be afraid of, and best of all, he could feel like he belonged in the tribe.
Stahl was startled back to reality a few moments later when he felt a paw gently rake its claws down his back. He glanced over to see who it was, and then he smiled.
"Always late." The Lahu said, with mock condescension. "Tsk tsk tsk."
"You're just jealous because I got more sleep than you. Everyone in the tribe is just cranky because they get up too early." Stahl said, matching his pace with the other swimmer.
"You're lucky you didn't miss the whole ceremony. You'd have to go the whole year without being protected."
Stahl tried not to snort laughter at the comment. "Kai, you really think I'd be worse off if I missed that ceremony?"
Kai swam closer to Stahl, lowering his voice. "Sure I do. You don't think it helps?"
Stahl's face hardened and he turned forward, away from Kai. "People still get hurt, and die, regardless of the ritual. Besides, you know what it does to Len."
Kai put his paw on Stahl's back, and looked over at him as he spoke. "Well, Len doesn't seem to mind. He seemed more bothered by the fact that you were late."
Stahl wanted to go back to the peace that he had been enjoying just moments before. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy Kai's company. They had been friends since Kai had come of age and spent his year in the communal bunk. They were also salvage partners. When they were out in the water, their first job was to watch each other's backs. It was only the second job of a salvager to actually salvage.
Kai swam silently along with Stahl, when Stahl failed to respond. As they approached the edge of the village, Kai patted his paw a few times on Stahl's back and swam off to the side. "I'll see you later. Don't be late to the first salvage run of the year. You're already swimming in rough currents as it is, partner."
Stahl lifted a paw and waved as Kai swam away, and then sighed as he rolled onto his back and lazily floated back towards his hut, propelling himself with his powerful tail. A smile drifted onto his muzzle as he saw the roof of his hut slide gently above him.
His smile fell off of his muzzle as Len bent down and grabbed the back of Stahl's neck, lifting him out of the water by his scruff. He was set down, none too gently, on the ground next to Len. Stahl looked over at the older Lahu, keeping his eyes low, focused on the shaman's sleeveless tunic. He felt a single claw placed on his chin as Len lifted his face to meet his gaze. Stahl tried to keep his eyes down, but Len didn't move the claw from his chin until he made eye contact.
"Stahl Rivers, some of the Lahu are talking about you. They think it's a wonder that you ever managed to even build your own holt. I'm not sure exactly who, because I just hear rumblings. Although, I can't say I disagree with them. Can you?"
"Of course I can. Look, see, I did it. We're standing in it." He stomped a paw on the ground and hit the wall with a fist, to prove a point. His paw went through the flimsy hut. He glanced over at it for a moment and then back to Len, his ears flushed red, the tip of his tail curling inward. "That was on purpose. It's for quick emergency escapes."
Len raised an eyebrow, and then scowled. "You need to be more serious about things, Stahl. You can't spend your entire life just sort of getting by. Eventually, someone is going to call you out on your lack of usefulness to the tribe. Once they do that, I can't help you. Besides, what if your recklessness causes Kai to get hurt while you're salvaging?"
"That won't happen. I'm a good salvager. Just because I like to look for treasure on my own time doesn't mean I don't do my job right while I'm working. Kai watches my back, I watch his." Stahl spoke slowly, anger making his voice stronger than usual.
"I still say if you had come to live with me, instead of staying in the communal bunk your whole life, you'd have been better off. I could've taught you magic, and you wouldn't have to worry about going salvaging. It's a lot safer being a shaman, than a salvager."
"I'm not afraid." Stahl said quickly, moving closer to Len. "I'm not worried." This was a lie. Stahl was terrified. He trembled briefly just thinking about it, and he felt as if the shadows in the hut would close in on him.
"So you're not at all afraid of the monster that lives nearby the Koena Ruins? Rumor has it that it's big enough to swallow a small Lahu whole." Len smiled, flashing his white fangs as he did.
Stahl turned around, lost between anger and fear. "Do you have anything important to say?"
"If you don't think what I said was important then I think you have a serious problem with judgment, Stahl." Len sighed and turned, the jewelry hanging from him jingling almost melodically. He dove into the water head first, aiming up river, finding the soft breeze to be particularly refreshing after his talk with Stahl.
Stahl didn't have long before he had to get ready to go out on the first salvage of the year. Kai was right; he didn't want to be late. They'd leave without him, and without him, they'd have to leave Kai behind as well - he didn't want to be responsible for holding back the best salvager the tribe had to offer. Only a few stops to make before he went off to meet the others.
Stahl grabbed a large belt hanging from his wall, and cinched it around his waist securely. It was adorned with several pouches, and was the only storage a salvager had when they were out on a trip - the best way to stay agile in the water was to keep the load on the body low: a simple loin cloth, a sleeveless tunic, and the storage belt were all a salvager wore with them. On the storage belt was a simple hunting knife, sharpened neatly and placed inside a leather sheath adorned with the same magic patterns Len used in his ceremonies. It made Stahl feel safer to put a lot of care into his weaponry.
Outside of Stahl's hut, the tribe was beginning to go about their daily chores as usual. The Lahu were full of energy, many excited about the prospects for the coming year. Children were playing in the water, racing and building their swimming skills, or playing various sports with fruits from the nearby trees. Some of the women were outside their huts, hanging up laundry. Just down the river Stahl could see Mekala, the tribe's blacksmith, going over some techniques with his younger apprentice, Kui. Just past Mekala's hut were a few more residential huts, leading towards the beach and out into the ocean. In the distance, Stahl noticed that a crowd was gathering outside of the storehouse. He wondered absently what all the commotion was, but he wasn't too concerned. It was the first day of the new year, and Lahu always found things to be excited about.
Stahl found himself in a better mood than he had been earlier in the day. It must have been the energy in the tribe, which was as alive as ever. The breeze blew gently, and the sun was warm enough to keep the entire island at a comfortable temperature. Keeping a smile on his face, Stahl drifted with the current downriver and towards the ocean. He heard the noise of the crowd as he approached the storehouse. On the beach, past the storehouse, Stahl could see the source of the crowd's excitement. A lithe figure stood on the shore, next to a makeshift raft that was tied up to a nearby palm tree. A visitor. Stahl suddenly found himself nearly as excited as the other Lahu around him. He climbed out of the river and onto the shore, moving up to the group that surrounded the outsider.
One of Stahl's favorite pastimes, and the reason he got into salvaging in the first place, was getting to listen to the stories of the travels of outsiders who were visiting the tribe. In fact, during most of his childhood, Stahl got to meet many of the travelers that were passing through, and he always bugged them for as many stories as he could. It was also a good distraction from Len's constant desire for Stahl to become the shaman's apprentice. The shaman never got to go on adventures, and he certainly never got to find treasures. Being a salvager gave Stahl a small chance to do that, at least.
"Well, I won't be staying too long. I'm just looking for a place to sleep while I'm in the area. I hope I'm not imposing." The visitor said, her voice ringing boldly, but still gentle enough to be considered ladylike. Stahl could hear the confidence in her voice, but she also kept her tone respectful and courteous. Her fur was matted with salt, as if she had been sailing for a number of days. Despite this, she wore a finely made tunic and shorts with built in pockets so she could always have tools at the ready. Around her neck was a bright gold chain, at the end of which hung a gold ring set around a ruby colored sphere. The color of her fur was darker than most of Stahl's tribe, the color of a dark stone. Stahl finally found himself on the outside of the semicircle of Lahu, most of who had quieted down now. Over their shoulders, he noticed Chief Allwaters addressing the visitor. The Chief was a graying old Lahu, silver fur starting to overtake the brown coat.
"It's really no problem at all. We have a communal bunk where you can sleep, and you can find food and fresh water there. It's right up-river; I can have someone show you there as soon as you're ready...um?" His voice was soft, and gave his entire being a fragile air. He stopped to give her a chance to give her name.
The girl held out her paw, pad up, and bent forward, pulling her tail between her legs. "Mea, sir."
Allwaters placed his paw on top of hers, and smiled. "You've arrived on a fine day, Mea. Please, make yourself at home."
With that, the crowd broke into another frenzy, everyone trying to ask Mea questions all at once, Stahl included. He pushed his way to the front of the pack, but he lost his footing, and tripped forward, coming face to face with Mea's paws. She glanced down at him. "Alright, okay, everyone, calm down. I'll tell you all about my travels after I get settled in. Some of you are just a little bit too eager." She smiled, and held out her paw for Stahl. He took it and was surprised by her strength as he helped lift him back to his feet. I need to stop being so clumsy, he thought, as he came face to face with the girl. As she turned her attention to him, the Lahu in the group began to move on.
"Thanks." Then he acted like nothing had happened. "I'm Stahl. I'm a treasure hunter."
"A treasure hunter? Imagine that. You don't look much like one." She scanned him up and down. "You're sure you're a treasure hunter?"
Before Stahl could speak, someone from the gradually dispersing crowd shouted out the answer. "'Stalwart couldn't find the ocean if the river didn't lead right to it." The remaining Lahu chuckled as they turned to head back to the river.
Stahl felt his ears flush, and he narrowed his eyes, with a slight twitch in his whiskers. "That's really not true. I haven't really found any treasure yet, that part is true, but I could find the ocean no problem. I do it all the time."
Mea grinned, chuckling just a little bit. "Stalwart. Alright, do you mind hunting down the communal bunk and showing me the way?"
"Sure! I mean, I don't mind, it's no problem. I lived there for most of my life, so I should be able to find it, I hope. Unless it moved, but, last time I checked, buildings don't do that very often." Stahl rambled as he turned around and scowled at the rest of the Lahu who were making their way back to the river.
"So you said you spent most of your life in the communal bunk, right? I hope it's not too forward of me to ask why that is. Most tribesmen only spend a year in the communal bunk, at the longest." Mea swam lazily along with Stahl, using just enough strength to fight the current and make it up river.
Stahl rolled onto his back and used his legs and tail for propulsion. "I had no parents to live with, and I didn't want to move in with the shaman, Len. He wanted me to be his apprentice, but that's no way to see the world, you know?"
Mea nodded. "I see your point there, but if you live here in the tribe, aren't you still not out there seeing the world?" She arched a brow quizzically.
Stahl looked up at the sky for a minute before answering. "That's why I'm a scavenger. I get to see the ruins, while we salvage materials." He didn't speak with much confidence.
"You only salvage in nearby ruins, though, right? If you really want to be a treasure hunter, you've got to go do your own thing. Live by your own rules. You follow?"
Stahl looked over at Mea. He didn't follow.
Mea reached down and lifted her gold necklace with a claw, and swung it back and forth lightly.
"Treasure? Did you find that yourself?"
Mea nodded, smiling broadly at Stahl. "I find treasure. I go places where others fear to tread, I do battle with horrible monsters and bring back things that others insist is only a legend. Sometimes, it's from the ancients. Although, sometimes it's even older than that."
"Wow," He bit his lip, "you must have plenty of stories to tell, then." Stahl looked up and stopped swimming. He gestured forward with his paws at the large bunkhouse situated on the bank of the river. "I give you...the communal bunk."
Mea looked up at the bunkhouse, and then back down to Stahl. She made eye contact, and Stahl was drawn in by her brown eyes, the same color as her fur. "Do you want to come in and talk for awhile? I could tell you some stories. Give you some treasure hunting tips."
Stahl considered accepting, but he glanced up and saw the vibrant sun still high in the sky. His smile faded into a frown as he looked back down to Mea. "I would really love to, but the first salvage team of the year is leaving soon, and I don't want to be late."
Mea smiled and shrugged. "Alright, well drop by later tonight if you want to talk. I'll be here for a couple of days." She reached a paw out and ruffled the fur on top of his head before swimming off towards the bunkhouse.
Stahl regretted not having time to sit and chat with Mea. Unfortunately, the first salvage of the year was going to kick off soon, and he still had to drop by Lakeland's place. He made a mental note to go chat with Mea before she left the village. He wanted to hear any advice she could give him. If a girl like her was out there on her own, finding treasure, Stahl didn't see why he couldn't pull it off himself.
He made it a quick swim over to Lakeland's, now that Stahl remembered he needed to hurry. Lakeland lived in a large metal hut off the bank of the river by a few yards, and not far from where Stahl decided to build his home. The fact that it was on land, and made out of metal instead of the wood and plants used to keep the Lahu dwellings together, were certainly reminders to anyone who saw it that Lakeland was not a Lahu. As an honorary member of the tribe, the large creature was allowed to live near the Kahawai, and allowed to attend all of the ceremonies, as well as participate in the trading that the tribe used to divvy up resources. For all intents and purposes, Lakeland was a Lahu, but many of the tribe's people were still wary of him. He kept his distance where he could, to avoid trouble, but as the only real mechanic in town, there was a certain level of required interaction. The first thing Stahl learned about Lakeland was that he didn't talk about where he came from very often. That was between the chief and Lakeland.
Stahl walked into the hut and looked around. It didn't take long to spot the Lahu and a half tall creature standing inside, looking down at a table covered with what looked like scrap metal to Stahl. He stepped over quietly, looking down at the table as well. He placed his paw on his chin and rubbed it. "This puzzle is impossible. It doesn't look like anything I recognize."
Lakeland glanced down at Stahl without turning his head. "Nothing you recognize, true. I'm trying to decide what it can be turned into."
"That's why I find the stuff, and you fix it. Looks like trash to me." Stahl lowered his paw to the table and poked one of the pieces of metal until it fell over onto its side.
"Quit that, you'll break it." Lakeland grunted and slapped Stahl's paw aside with his own, much larger one.
Stahl held back a chuckle. "Break what? It's nothing."
"It's nothing now, but it will be something later. You'll see. What do you want? You're here for a pickup?" Lakeland looked down at Stahl and gave him a toothy grin.
Stahl turned his head up to look at Lakeland. "Yep, you know the drill. I wouldn't want to go on a salvage trip without any sort of protection. You want a nice guy like me to get hurt out there?"
Lakeland clapped a large paw against Stahl's back, hard enough to jar Stahl forward. "Nah, wouldn't want you to get hurt. I've got it right over here. It should be working perfectly, but I'd test it out before you need to use it for real. Wouldn't want it to jam up on you when you're not expecting it."
He walked across the room; it didn't take many steps for such a large creature, and bent down to search through a crate situated against the wall in the back. He grumbled while he moved things around inside, searching. When he returned to Stahl, he was holding the thing Stahl had come for. It was a leather glove, made specifically to fit Stahl's left paw. A gift from Kai, it was augmented with pieces of some weapon Kai salvaged. A metal ring with a luminescent aquamarine lens was mounted on the palm, with various wires attached to the glove, snaking their way to a battery pack mounted on the back. The glove was somewhat bulky, and could only hold a usable charge for an hour at best. For this reason, it was kept on Stahl's belt most of the time when not in use, attached to a bulkier battery pack that could keep it charged and ready for use.
Stahl took it and holstered it at his side on his supply belt. "Thanks, Lakeland. You know how this thing gets if I don't have you look at it every time I go out."
Lakeland nodded and put his paws on Stahl's shoulders. "You know you don't have to thank me. Now get out. You're going to be late for the trip." He easily spun the smaller Lahu and started to usher him towards the outside.
As Stahl headed for the river, Lakeland shielded his eyes from the sun with a large paw. "Stahl, remember!" He shouted after the Lahu. "They say the first salvage of the year is the most dangerous. That the blessing hasn't set in yet! Watch your back!"
Stahl put his paw in the water, and then turned to Lakeland. "You know I don't believe in that stuff! I'll be fine." He held up his arm, and then shook his paw at the wrist, once, a quick wave before he turned and dove head first into the deep center of the river.