Porcupine Ridge haruspex

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The shadow man had left the tunnels, but they had not left him—nor the spirits he'd found there.

He woke each day with their voices in his ear; he swore he could feel the wispy hairs there stirring with their breath, cool and clear. He hadn't been able to make sense of them;

Not until today:

"Truth lies within."

A mantra that grew more insistent as he came upon the fresh corpse of a hare, surrounded by vultures. They scattered as he approached, one giving him a fierce hiss before taking to the sky. The prey reeked of fox—why had its killer not taken their quarry?

"Truth lies within."

Yeah, I heard that— Hex was beginning a sour retort when something about the hare brought him pause.

Its guts spilled from the tattered belly, tumbling upon the ground a tangled mass of pink and grey. A bulge, too, along the length of intestine, rising up past the still haunches like a mountain—

Ridge, he whispered.

He moved forward and began the bloody business of gently tugging the innards free, looking for more divine clues. For further peace of mind, he reasoned, as if it was something that made all the sense in the world.

The night spoke through parted clouds and distant owls.
She weaved through tall stones and followed the path of distant wing flutter. Fearing a bat could break from the tree cover, she stayed low and treaded slowly. Moved along a little quicker when strange noises would spur out from either side. Maybe Hex was out there. Wasn't at the camp. Fur, tangled and brushed uneven from tossing and turning all night. 

It was better to be out here than back there right now. Easier to be moving, searching, than sitting still, wondering. The chill bit her skin. It would be some ease of mind to find Hex.

Where?

Peering through the trees, dampened by dew, a silhouette formed. Leaves dotted her view. Moving hands, leaned over.. Hard to see. Rich iron and blood caught Nutiyikruk's nose.

Calling out, head twisting trying to make out what was only just a bit ahead.

A voice slipped out, a thread thin enough to snap.

"Hex?"

He lifted his head, muzzle coated in crimson viscera. His name had been called, and his golden eyes scanned over to land on Nutuyikruk, who watched the scene from a short distance.

Nutu, he called out, beckoning the girl closer. Come here. I want to show you this.

Even if she didn't take the deeper meaning, it was still food for her growing belly. Still, Hex began to tug the entrails loose, spreading them along the ground and examining every curve and facet of the guts revealed.

The air between them was heady with blood.

What could it be? 

Parting through branches and missing the points of thorns in her pads, the girl was quick to meet the side of the shadow man. Hesitant, however, the closer that she became.

For some reason expecting the flayed body of a vale wolf.

Instead, a sight that did not turn her stomach. Only a hare. Taken down, likely, by the bare teeth of the shadow man. It was played with before eaten.

The light furs of her face leaned towards his in a curious mutter, "What are we looking at?" Intrigued to become intrigued, but..not quite yet seeing what was supposed to catch her untrained eye. A distant alarm started to flutter away against her skull. "Sickness?" In their food?

Anything but, he assured her, shrinking back in instinct at the word 'sickness.' He drew his muzzle along the perfect curves and unadulterated flesh, caressing the guts as if they were his own children. Nothing bad to be found here. The spirits say it's a good sign.

The shadow man looked at Nutuyikruk, smiling warmly. We are safe here, he murmured. When I was in the caves, I was told truth is within. I found this body, and there's nothing but peace inside.

He cocked his head. Do you get it? We are what we eat, Nutu, he explained. The better the prey, the better we are.

Struck by inspiration, he buried his nose within the carcass and slowly, carefully tore free the liver, fat and vascular against the other innards. He placed it at the girl's forepaws and nodded in encouragement, saying, Eat. It will give you strength.

And wisdom. And courage.

"And she needs all of it."

No sickness touched the ridge today. No white-foamed mouths and bony wrists to take away what peace had been made. She trusted Hex indefinitely and gave a confident nod, then walking down a road of many other questions to ask. Why it was important enough to look was one of them, but involuntary patience was rewarded with answers soon after.

The spirits spoke.

The ear closest to the man twitched. "The spirits?" Somehow familiar just enough to then wonder with a trembling curiosity in the thickest parts of her head, "they speak to you?" And what did they say? Who might they have been? How sacred were they? And how sacred must the man before her have been?

There had been nothing ever safer than the arms of their home. 

We are safe here. "We are safe here," Mimicked a searching voice wanting to hear the approval of the man that nurtured her in say the same maybe a second time, but once had been enough. 

There was a distant lack of understanding next, but a yearning to. Whatever it may be, and no matter the emptiness that resided from not knowing the right questions to ask, trust ruled all. "I think I understand." If not now, then one day she promised to herself she would.

He dug for something, and pulled out the insides of the mangled hare. Delicate to their growth, and their health- this one was healthy, and it had grown that was only from the strength of the ridge. Mother home. 

Gratitude poured from her crossed paws. Maybe the same spirits that guided Hex would bless her in guidance on day. Only he, however, truly deserved it. She did not know how to earn it yet. Their shadow man had earned it. "Thankyou, Seer." And ate from the cuts of body he gave.

"Did the spirits-- did they bring you home to the ridge?"

He remained smiling until she addressed him by his title—Seer. Sure, it was accurate, but. . .

Nutu, call me by my name, he insisted. The formality put a chasm between them, and he didn't want that. He hoped with his words that he'd break down that divide and bring them together again, and—

I think so, Hex answered, nodding. I don't know how I'd get back, otherwise.

The shadow watched her eat for a few moments, then returned to the carcass, continuing to sort out the entrails. What else could be found, here? 

Something more.

He continued to look while the girl dined.

Ah! 

For some reason, surprised to hear that it was not what he wanted. Was that not what all wanted? The revere of an earned title? And of all of them, Hex surely earned it with such an intense binding to the spirits.

"I'm sorry. I thought that it might be," a moment to think, and then it reached, "what you have earned! You are a good seer to us. But," the girl smiled sheepishly, "I like Hex too."


A mouth dipped in blood and paws stained with the red of a slaughtered hare. Staring curiously at the shadow man and both gold ring eyes. Branches croaked stories. Nutuyikruk wished to hear Hex's.

Enchanted for stories, a whisper freed itself.

"What kind of things do they tell you?"

Her thoughtfulness touched him deeply, and he looked at her for a long, unblinking moment, a wondrous expression curving his muzzle. Eventually, the spell broke, and he went back to his poking around—at least until she spoke again.

Many things, Hex murmured. Lots of it, I'm not sure I understand—yet. But I think. . .they say. . .there can be signs read within the flesh.

And maybe elsewhere. But they hadn't told him that, yet.

He sat up straight and began to lick the blood from his chops, cleaning himself. He'd go for a dip in the nearest stream soon, but a quick grooming would suffice for now. 

I think the spirits will help keep us all safe, if I can listen well enough, he told her, with serious mien.

"Does it scare you?"

A moment of chewing, watching. Thinking about the burden that it could be of knowing the spirits spoke to you, and knowing that what they were saying may not have been pleasant. To need to pry flesh and bone open to tear apart the messages sent from the other side.

Still they feasted on the blood.

She swallowed what was given.

"Needing to follow their messages? Would you know if they were angry spirits? The mountains must have taken many lives."

He paused for a moment, then nodded.

It did, at first, Hex admitted. In the caverns, when I heard nothing else. . .and then the whispers. I thought I might be going crazy. Perhaps he had, he thought, recalling the mad Mayfair at the lake. When they didn't go away, after I got back, I knew they meant well.

As far as her last question, the man smiled ruefully. I don't think they're bad, he murmured. But they could show me signs that are bad. If so, I'll use those to keep us safe.

There was one voice in particular that seemed louder than the others, warm and beguiling. He would not tell Nutuyikruk that it was the sound of his old lover—whom sickness had taken from him far too soon.

Far too soon, and because of his error.