A Big Shiny Blue Marble Ch. 22

Yuan chuckled and nodded, "I am happy then."

Narreth looked over, "Beyl'eth has told him that he is wanted by you both. It would be a bad thing normally, but I was in the band around her leg when you spoke to her of how it should go so that the Tarkroth may begin again. I know you to be a different creature inside yourself. They passed from our world long before we did. We called them the Wotroth, and the lowlanders hunted them out of their caves before they turned their foolishness to us.

Beyl'eth feels honor that you make yourself into a Rohn -- as do I. Wotroth were proud beasts on our world, so I think that I see that honor."

"Narreth," Yuan said, "Will he like me this way? I felt Beyl'eth's worry that she was not enough for him if I looked as he first saw me. It is one of the reasons that I took this shape." She sighed, "I have not had many friends and lovers, and so I do not know how I look to others much. I know that my human form could rouse Billy, uh, ... Ayt'han. I have heard my friend's words as she tried to reassure me. If you can tell me tru-"

"You are fine," she said, "fine and lovely as you were before. You show that you began as Wotroth ,and it is allowed to show ones beginnings. And you show that you are Rohn now. Such honor I feel. Do not fret now. You will need a little confidence when Ayt'han comes to you to claim you as you ask him your question."

Yuan looked at Narreth, "My question?"

"Yes," the ghost laughed. "Whatever you are, you are a female, as I was once. You gave your body to him so that you might enjoy each other. I knew of your hope. What a wonderful thing to have found a male like him and be loved in that way while neither one could understand the other.

Now, even though you had a hand in the planning of this between you all, you need to know, since what she does now changes it a little. There is nothing wrong in a female wishing to know if the male she is to share loves her. Each of you need to know this privately in your hearts, no matter what is said between all three. That is the way of it, Yuan. We females need to know. Have the confidence to ask it of him.

And before you fret too much, hear this -- he has claimed her. He comes soon to claim you, You wished for love with him. I tell you now that you can have it, what you asked your goddess for."

They came upon the hapless animal and Yuan saw why Narreth wanted her to live so badly. She felt that way herself after only a moment. She spoke her calming words and when the eyelids drooped a

little, Yuan bent to pick up the creature and she carried her as quickly and carefully as she could, still needing Narreth's hand on her to guide her. Narreth stared and remarked on Yuan's strength.

"I am also a Wot-, ... Wot- Whatever you said."

"Wotroth," Narreth smiled.

Yuan nodded, "I always have the strength which my mother gave to me."

She worked long into the night over the animal, with Narreth helping or sensing as she could. The other hurts were easy, but broken ribs, and not just cracked ones, she thought. She saw the way that the tips of a couple of them were pressing against the creature's lungs so that more than a shallow breath was agony.

They talked as they worked, and Yuan slowly got used to the way that Nerreth would seem to fade in and out of sight. She explained the reason for her to have come to this part of the world and Narreth agreed that something was incorrect -- especially when she mentioned the way that the other demons who had been in the group where Bayl'eth had found herself had behaved.

Yuan looked over suddenly, "Her spirit fails her, and we cannot bring her out of this yet. I do not know what to do, but something must happen soon or she passes."

Narreth looked on, her brow knitted in concern. "I have a thought," she said at last. "It will likely not work as we are two different sorts of things and I am not from this place. She may still die," she said, and after a second, she added a quiet afterthought, "or I fade forever."

What is it?" Yuan asked, but Narreth already had her hands on the beast's head and her face wore a look of concentration which soon passed into a rather blank expression. Yuan did note an increase in the drive to live in the animal and so she kept on in silence until she was done.

When all that remained was to move the animal to a place where she could rest and recover, she wondered how to get the ghost's attention for a little while, and receiving no reply to her repeated questions, Yuan gently placed her hand over the ghost's shoulder and laid it down, expecting the hand to pass through. They'd had enough trouble getting Narreth's hand to remain on her arm as they had walked to where the animal was.

But she had found Narreth to be at least a little solid and that was when Narreth fell backwards and a very surprised Yuan caught her. Narreth blinked and asked what had happened.

After hearing it and thinking about it to herself, she shrugged, "I took some of her spirit and gave some of mine for a time. But at the end, I could do nothing."

Are you alright?" Yuan asked and it caused Narreth to laugh for a moment, "I am dead, Yuan. I think that it is as alright as I can ever be. But still, something is different, only a little. I may have left part of me behind, but I only used such a small part. It matters little, Yuan.

Yuan?"

She looked at the girl who would be a Rohn, and still looked a little like a dragon female, and found her standing there in shock. Yuan looked back finally and stared at Narreth for a moment, and seeing that nothing had changed, she still said nothing, but only pointed at the animal.

There on the table in the kitchen where they'd spent the last four hours at least, the creature still lay on her side, but she was awake now and looking straight ahead at Nerreth, blinking occasionally. That was the issue to Yuan and why she'd been amazed into silence.

The eyes which looked back, blinking occasionally were the eyes of a snow ghost, the eyeballs black, and the irises a very light gray. Nerreth blinked back for a moment and asked, but Yuan said that her eyes hadn't changed. When they looked again, they heard the soft slap of a large tail as it hit the table in a low rhythm.

The wild dog rolled upright then, obviously happier now and Narreth stepped forward, not knowing about these creatures and their habits.

A large pink tongue came out of her mouth in a blur and Narreth laughed and sputtered, but she held still to receive her new friend's thanks. "Not only me," she laughed as she tried to defend herself, "Yuan did the most!"

But it did no good, and bought her little respite. The beast got to its feet and looked at Yuan who looked back in amazement. "I can hear her!" she said, "She asks for help to get down."

It took a bit, but between them, they eased the big girl down onto the floor. In an instant, she was on her hind legs, her front paws on Nerreth, and telling of her thanks again with her tongue as Yuan looked on. "Do you know that she leans on you and she does not pass through or fall down?"

Narreth was astounded, and then she touched the shoulders in front of her. Half a second later, she was hugging the animal and sobbing a little.

"What has happened here?" Yuan asked, and Narreth shrugged, "Something passed - more than what I thought," she smiled, "I can feel her. Touch me, Yuan."

When she felt Yuan's hand on her shoulder, Narreth laughed again and looked into the happy gray eyes in front of her, "If you will bear it, I name you Tanra, for you are a gift to me."

Well 'Tanra' was as thrilled as Narreth over everything, especially the way that she felt better, but it brought some things to her attention. With her questioning look, Narreth knew that Tanra had even prioritized the list.

"She asks to be shown where to make water," she laughed, "First and foremost a girl, and then she asks for water which is not frozen hard. After that, she wishes for a little food, and then she aches to sleep. Come, my friend, and we will begin at the first thing."

They walked outside together and Yuan found some meat for the dog. She was surprised when she saw them return.

Narreth was sitting astride the animal and rode her as comfortably as if she were the finest pony. "What are you doing? She only just got off the table." Yuan said, but Narreth only shrugged, "She speaks her thoughts to me. She asked for me to sit on her and when I refused, she walked behind me and came through my legs. I know that she is weak, but Yuan, our girl here is very strong."

"Not my girl," Yuan laughed as she held her hand up, "I barely got any thanks for my part." Her eyes flew open then as she found herself backed against a wall and then there was nowhere to go while Tanra did her best to rectify her earlier oversight.

Yuan tried to push Tanra away, but the big girl was determined, and even when it looked as though she'd finally been satisfied, and she'd begun to turn away, her nose went to one place on Yuan with a great deal of interest.

In that second, Narreth knew that Tanra acted on her own will as she always had, but that she also seemed to act a little in response to her own thoughts quite clearly, since Narreth could hear very lucid thoughts from Tanra as she sniffed and wondered about Yuan. After only a minute, Tanra stepped away to Yuan's great relief.

"If you would humor me a moment," Narreth said, "please come with me."

She led them out onto the ledge and she turned and looked at Yuan, "I am thankful to you for what you have done here," she said indicating Tanra with her hand, "and I am also happy and pleased that you brought Beyl'eth to this place where my son lives. You knew nothing of it, but that matters little, and changes nothing on my heart.

I was also pleased that you helped Beyl'eth as you did on the island. She means much to me and she has always lived in my heart. You carry my hopes and blessings just as she does for what you wish for, but, ... I see more to you than this, and I would know."

Yuan nodded, "I am two inside me," she said, "I am Yuan, and most of all, I am the girl. But there is another."

Yuan stepped away and looked up, making sure that she had the room, and in a second, she stood before Narreth as what else she had been since she was three years old.

"I have seen this as well," Narreth smiled, "You are a person who is beautiful in any way that you might choose to be. But like this you are male," she said in surprise, "Does this side of you not feel the need to breed?"

Yuan nodded a little sadly, "I had the hope that I can find another like what I am like this, but I think that there is nothing like me anymore. I hope that Ayt'han can be happy with me as a Rohn dragon girl. If I can breed with him and make young, I also hope that some of this comes to the young."

"I cannot say," Narreth smiled, "and I share your hope, for something like you are should live as well. It was my want for Tanra when I saw her. She is not much like the other ones here. I do know that."

Narreth was correct. Tanra was a genetic throwback, and was even larger than any example of American Alsatian who ever lived. Her shoulders were almost forty inches from the floor and she weighed almost two hundred and twenty pounds. As such, she was a freak, and it had only been natural selection that she perish, not being able to find enough large game to keep herself fed all alone and without the cooperation that canids often use when they hunt.

Only the largest gray wolves could reach her when she was in heat, and though they'd tried, none of her suitors had ever been able to give her whelps, another reason why she was not a part of any pack.

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"I still do not understand what has happened," Yuan said as they sat watching Tanra make food disappear.

"I have no clear idea either," Narreth said, "though it had something to do with the part of her spirit which I am left with, just as she now shows some of mine. This is not perfect," she said, "I still do not live. I am only a little real and it can still change and I am as I was before. I was out in the snow with her and I found that can feel it once more. I can feel many things - wind, as an example. I can touch things and not pass through, and they can touch me."

Narreth nodded as she looked at Tanra and smiled, "And the most amazing thing which I have felt yet is the way that it feels to me to hold her. Even a touch brings much to me, but if I hug her, I receive the full measure of the way that she feels. She is as happy as I am and more to be alive. I wish to travel and learn of this world. She already knows much and she wants to tell me of it."

She looked at Yuan, "I have found a friend, and if I remain like this, Yuan, your clan has grown by two, though I will not be here much and even if I am, I will remain apart from anything of what passes between you three.

I am happy that I met you this day, and I thank you for what you have done to help her, for I feel how she helps me to feel less empty."

Tanre stepped over, licking her lips from the meal and her eyes plainly said that she wished to be near to Narreth.

Yuan found one of the blankets which lined the bottom of one of the knapsacks and when she saw them a little later, Narreth lay, likely as far into sleep as she could go -- which was not far, wrapped around a sleeping Tanra on the blanket near the fire.

The next morning, Yuan found herself alone after she got up. Stepping onto the ledge, she grinned as she saw the pair walking away together down the valley, Narreth's hand over Tanra's shoulder.

She called out to them, and they turned to look, with Narreth waving,"We will go to Ayt'han to tell him that he must come to live here," she said.

"We will stay at the other place to give you three the time to tell everything between you that must be said. Tanra and I will hunt together so that I can keep her alive. She is winter-wild and still free and I will care for her."

Yuan nodded and the two walked off as she smiled.

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The pair were outwardly silent as they walked down the valley, Narreth and Tanra conversing in their heads as they explored their strange shared existence. Narreth found that they could speak most easily to each other if they were touching somehow. As they walked, it wasn't a problem for them, since Narreth stood about five feet, two inches tall, and Tanra was a huge thing, the tops of her shoulders almost three and a half feet from the ground. It was easy for them to walk side by side with Narreth laying her hand on Tanra as they went.

What they found was odd to them. Besides the ability to converse this way -- which was a godsend, since Tanra could not speak, they found that their feelings traveled back and forth and could be shared in the same manner. It caused their first disagreement.

Tanra was very much Narreth's alter ego in many ways, but one thing that they shared was the stubbornness. Narreth could feel much more now and one of the things was intense cold for some reason that she didn't understand.

"Climb up onto my back, Narreth," Tanra said in her thoughts, "You may ride in a little comfort."

Narreth had refused originally, feeling that she didn't wish to take advantage of her friend. The three minutes on Tanra's back the night before was fun, but she was mindful that Yuan was correct. Tanra should still heal.

"I do not understand the way that you argue about something so simple," Tanra said, "I am larger and I am warm. I am easily twice as heavy as you. I can carry you easily, believe me. I would think that you would welcome this. I know that you are some sort of magic thing. Unless you can make it so that I can ride on your back, then get up on me and ride, or I go no further."

Narreth climbed up and rode.

"I know less of this then you do," Tanra continued, "but I know one thing. You gave me life when mine was failing. I love you for it. I have never felt so happy as when you lay on me over the night. Forgive me if I have a want that we continue."

Narreth smiled as she looked down, "You wish to continue with me. Tanra?"

"I must," the huge canid said in Narreth's thoughts, "You were kind to me. You saved me with Yuan. I wish to be with you always."

Narreth had never experienced the devotion and the sort of love that canids such as dogs or wolves are capable of rather easily. She'd never had a dog, for example. The Tarkroth didn't keep them. She was a little overcome by the intensity of her friend's feelings on the subject.

She eased herself down then to lie along Tanra's back and her hands reached forward around her chest. "I am falling in love with you, Tanra," she said over the canid's shoulder. "I have never felt something so pure as what you send to me. With you near to me, I do not feel as though I am dead and waiting for something which never comes."

"Good that you know how I see you." the canid replied with some humor, "Also, it is important to me. You told Yuan that you will keep me fed."

Narreth laughed and said that she'd do her best.

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The full extent of the connection between Narreth and Tanra remained undiscovered by them until much later, after the meeting with Ayt'han and Beyl'eth. In the first place, there was the strangeness of being dead in a sentient way, though it was not unusual for a strong Rohn witch. That ability was driven and based on the very great strength of Narreth's spirit and the power of both what she'd been in life and what she'd found added to that after her passing.

She'd be the first to call it all well and good, but other than what she'd done to get herself to where she knew that her son was, it didn't get her much in the way of a purpose, and as strange as that concept is for humans, it is a very unsatisfactory situation to a very able and powerful, but now deceased snow ghost witch.

There are many reasons and purposes to the role of the witch in Rohn tribal culture. While it might be said that every Rohn female is a witch, it is also just as true that not all Rohn are created equally. All of her life, Narreth had aspired to power for her own use, thinking that after her passing one day, she'd become one of the dead snow ghosts of her land.

It hadn't been uncommon to find one in the mountains, moving through the high mountain passes. If one had need, these could be consulted and they often helped where they could. They were dead and rather spectral, of course, and it was a rather limited existence, but it had always been this way. That was what Narreth thought that she'd become once she'd died after a hopefully long and presumably happy life, and of course, it hadn't worked out that way.

After the fall of her people, Narreth found herself rising from her death to -- nothing. The people were gone, the other specters that she saw and found were only remnants and were stuck in their sorrows. There were no Rohn or any other kind of Tarkroth to help. Spirits fade after a time. Rohn witch ones are no exception, but the strong ones were known to exist for hundreds of years after their mortal deaths. It made for an even more bitter existence.

Now she was here, but Narreth had no intention to 'hang around', hovering near her son and his females if they didn't need her -- and they didn't. She knew that. Since she'd found herself here, she felt that she'd been given a wonderful 'second chance' and wanted to learn what she could. With the serendipitous series of events concerning Tanra, she had a companion and even an odd way to actually "be" here. She could touch things. She could be touched, and she was still free from the constraints of maintaining a living body.

After making certain that Ayt'han and Beyl'eth understood that they had to sit down with Yuan and tell of how they'd gotten here -- since Narreth considered it important from Yuan's view, she and Tanre remained for a time after they'd gone to join Yuan. She and Tanra used the ancient settlement as a sort of base for their travels. It gave them a sheltered place when there was no need to be out in the weather. Narreth liked to have a small fire to gaze into in the evening and it gave the two of them a place to sit or lie near to converse or for Narreth to dream a little while Tanra slept. And that led to something else which was remarkable.