Merkiaari Wars: 03 - Operation Oracle by Mark E. Cooper Page B

pleasure as her joints popped, and her tail flexed straining straight out from her. Shima straightened up and then shook out her pelt before continuing her walk, this time staying on four feet.
    Shima used the guide plants and the barren ribbon of nothing between them to wander. She walked the path, circling her gardens and the grove at its heart, and then turned aside on a whim to submerge herself into the trees and shrubs she had cultivated to please the harmonies. She avoided the few winding paths she had laid out to help maintain the garden and chose bare earth to walk upon. The trees surrounded her in peace and silence. As a general rule, the few avian species native to Child of Harmony avoided built up areas. They were rarely seen in the towns and cities, even in the parks they were few. Here, she was utterly alone and without thought, she fell into the familiar rhythm of the silent stalk. Her father’s skills were hers. He had taught her everything he knew and she was an apt pupil. She could have been deaf for all the sound she made now. The silence was complete.
    The harmonies showed her she was alone. No people, no animals of any kind, no predators, no prey. The garden was barren, like her life. Shima chuffed, the low groan-like roar of a wounded Shan, not even aware she was doing it now. How long she moved through the garden she did not know; segs certainly, but finally she returned to her starting point. She stopped at the edge of her contemplation pool, and dipped her head into the cool water for a drink and to cool her face. She held her breath for as long as she could, wishing she could hold it forever and let it all be over, but the harmonies interrupted her stupidity.
    Chailen was in the garden and heading her way. Shima pulled her head out of the water and shook. The water flew from her, and she pushed herself up onto two legs to meet her sib.
    “We have visitors, Shima. Won’t you please come inside to greet them?” Chailen said softly, almost begging her sib to agree.
    Shima wished Chailen would not beg; it made her feel very bad. Couldn’t her sib understand that her garden was all she had left? Could she not realise that without eyes, all she had left were the harmony given gifts that allowed her to sense her living surroundings? If she went inside, she would drown in darkness. She sighed. She didn’t have the strength or will to explain again. Her shoulders slumped.
    “Yes, Chailen,” she said flatly.
    Shima couldn’t see her sib’s expression, but the harmonies showed her the emotions behind it. Chailen’s aura had dimmed and slowed its usually energetic motion, and the colours edged toward the darker tones of unhappiness. It made her feel worse knowing she was the cause.
    “I’m sorry, my sib. I’m so very sorry.”
    “Don’t,” Chailen said sounding close to tears. “This isn’t your fault. You’ve done nothing wrong. Nothing about this is your fault.”
    Shima flicked her ears in agreement for Chailen’s sake, but one thing about this was her fault; at least one and that was the way she had allowed herself to linger on, dragging Chailen and her mate down with her.
    Chailen took her left arm and pulled Shima toward the house. “You haven’t asked who has come to visit,” she said trying to sound cheerful.
    Shima’s tail rose and gestured a shrug before she could prevent it. She didn’t say that whoever it was didn’t make any difference to her. Instead, she tried to put a little interest into her voice.
    “Just distracted, my sib. Who has come calling?”
    “Can you not sense them from here?” Chailen teased, and squeezed Shima’s arm. “Sharn is very impressed.”
    Impressed was he? That meant the visitors were important. She hadn’t tried to sense anything beyond the garden for a long time now. The house and garden were her life, and she had tried to pretend that the rest of the world did not exist. In a way, it didn’t if she couldn’t see it. She could reach out