darkness over a liquid black moat. They landed hard on the opposite side and Soulai struggled to balance as the horse scrambled. And then they were galloping again, Soulai lurching precariously with each stride, the horseâs spine splitting him with each footfall. Blinded by his wind-whipped tears, he gasped when the chestnut lunged into the air again, grunted when they crashed to ground on the far side of another moat. The coarse hairs of the mane cut into his fingers, but he refused to let go. In the span of a dozen wild heartbeats, they were away from Nineveh, thundering headlong into the blackness of the unknown.
Part 2
A sickness coursed through the batâs veins. He had to struggle just to keep his balance on the edge of the palace watering trough. Over the stableâs manure piles his cousins clouded the night air, swooping low to pick off dung beetles and spiders and carry them to the thatched rooftop to be swallowed. But the young bat couldnât swallow. He could barely perch, his body swaying from side to side, his mouth agape. Confusion pounded in his head.
That dog had just come through the courtyard, the same one that heâd bittenâ¦when was it? Through his mindâs haze he recalled the night when the huge dog had surprised him, had knocked him from the trough to the floor. When the black nose sniffed close, heâd sunk his teeth into it. That had prompted a loud yelp, and, while the dog circled, rubbing at his nose with a paw, heâd managed to right himself and finally to fly off. He couldnât remember when that was now. The moon was always waxing and waning, no end. His head throbbed harder. He shook it, trying to dispel the cloudiness. The movement unbalanced him. Instinctively he spread his wings, but already he was falling.
A small splash, heard by no one, and water enveloped him. The cold liquid shrouded his weak struggle, gradually suppressed his breathing, then cradled his lifeless body for the remainder of the night.
11
The Uridimmu
Sunlight warmed Soulaiâs face, nudging him awake. He rolled onto his back, stretched, and yawned. For a few moments he relished the luxury of uninterrupted quiet. Then memories of the previous night began charging through his mind. He opened his eyes and was struck by a sapphire sky so immense that he instantly felt small and insignificant. Where am I? he wondered. Curling onto his side again, wincing at the newly aroused aches in his legs and hips, he surveyed the area. Habasle sat a short distance away, his back to Soulai. He seemed to be talking to Annakum, even leaning over to brush his cheek along the dogâs head. Annakum returned the caress with a sloppy lick, and, smiling, Habasle offered the dog a tidbitâa dried fig, it looked like. Then he popped one into his own mouth and shifted his position. Soulai saw now that Habasle had a small white rock in his hand, which he began striking against the flat face of a boulder. He was hunched to the right; the spear wound obviously still troubled him.
Soulai stretched again, and this time his movement attracted Annakumâs attention. Although the mastiff remained prone, he studied Soulai intently with cold eyes the color of pale moons. Soulai scarcely breathed. He didnât so much as twitch until he became aware of shadows on either side of him. Glancing over his shoulder and squinting into the sunâs glare, he discovered two bearded vultures on the rocky crest at his back. Their enormous sooty wings hung open like charred palm fronds. Just like Annakum, they watched him. But there was something more in their gaze, Soulai realized; there was a patient hunger, a confident expectance of deathâhis death!
He jumped to his feet. That brought Annakum to his, a long growl rumbling from his throat. Soulai tensed. He wanted to run, but wasnât sure how far a stumbling flight would take him before the dogâs fangs or the vulturesâ bony wings knocked him to
Part 2
A sickness coursed through the batâs veins. He had to struggle just to keep his balance on the edge of the palace watering trough. Over the stableâs manure piles his cousins clouded the night air, swooping low to pick off dung beetles and spiders and carry them to the thatched rooftop to be swallowed. But the young bat couldnât swallow. He could barely perch, his body swaying from side to side, his mouth agape. Confusion pounded in his head.
That dog had just come through the courtyard, the same one that heâd bittenâ¦when was it? Through his mindâs haze he recalled the night when the huge dog had surprised him, had knocked him from the trough to the floor. When the black nose sniffed close, heâd sunk his teeth into it. That had prompted a loud yelp, and, while the dog circled, rubbing at his nose with a paw, heâd managed to right himself and finally to fly off. He couldnât remember when that was now. The moon was always waxing and waning, no end. His head throbbed harder. He shook it, trying to dispel the cloudiness. The movement unbalanced him. Instinctively he spread his wings, but already he was falling.
A small splash, heard by no one, and water enveloped him. The cold liquid shrouded his weak struggle, gradually suppressed his breathing, then cradled his lifeless body for the remainder of the night.
11
The Uridimmu
Sunlight warmed Soulaiâs face, nudging him awake. He rolled onto his back, stretched, and yawned. For a few moments he relished the luxury of uninterrupted quiet. Then memories of the previous night began charging through his mind. He opened his eyes and was struck by a sapphire sky so immense that he instantly felt small and insignificant. Where am I? he wondered. Curling onto his side again, wincing at the newly aroused aches in his legs and hips, he surveyed the area. Habasle sat a short distance away, his back to Soulai. He seemed to be talking to Annakum, even leaning over to brush his cheek along the dogâs head. Annakum returned the caress with a sloppy lick, and, smiling, Habasle offered the dog a tidbitâa dried fig, it looked like. Then he popped one into his own mouth and shifted his position. Soulai saw now that Habasle had a small white rock in his hand, which he began striking against the flat face of a boulder. He was hunched to the right; the spear wound obviously still troubled him.
Soulai stretched again, and this time his movement attracted Annakumâs attention. Although the mastiff remained prone, he studied Soulai intently with cold eyes the color of pale moons. Soulai scarcely breathed. He didnât so much as twitch until he became aware of shadows on either side of him. Glancing over his shoulder and squinting into the sunâs glare, he discovered two bearded vultures on the rocky crest at his back. Their enormous sooty wings hung open like charred palm fronds. Just like Annakum, they watched him. But there was something more in their gaze, Soulai realized; there was a patient hunger, a confident expectance of deathâhis death!
He jumped to his feet. That brought Annakum to his, a long growl rumbling from his throat. Soulai tensed. He wanted to run, but wasnât sure how far a stumbling flight would take him before the dogâs fangs or the vulturesâ bony wings knocked him to
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