LUCAS

 

I hadn’t met any bears ever since I came to Dirge. Most of my time was spent in Pandora and from what little I knew, bears lived in other parts of the city.

They were all laborers. Many of them spent their time gathering resources in the mines or harvesting wood in the plentiful forests that surrounded Dirge. Because they were such hard workers, that meant they could avoid having to live in the poverty of Pandora.

As I looked at the massive man walking in front of me, it was easy for me to understand why bears went into physical labor. His body was as wide as a barrel, impossible to wrap my arms around completely.

“What was your name again?” I said to him.

“Goro.”

“Goro… Why exactly did you decide to come along with us again?”

“Donovan said he needed a guide through the Timberlands. I lived here for most of my young life before I moved to Dirge. I know most of these woods like the back of my hand.”

“Right. I get that. That still doesn’t understand why you decided to come along with us.”

Goro stopped in his tracks and looked at me.

He had a bald head but his beard was as thick as anybody’s I’d ever seen. His arms were as big as my torso and he towered over me even though he stood a few feet away. His body was built for physical labor. Despite his intimidating stature, he had a kindness in his blue eyes.

“Why else would I come with you?” he said with a smile. “When a jaguar offers you enough gold to keep you happy for a long time, how can you refuse?”

“Yes, but you do know where we’re going right? We’re not just going into the Timberlands. We’re heading deep into the Blood Woods and—”

“Omega…”

He walked toward me and put a hand on my shoulder. Goro was an Alpha bear that could snap me in two if he wanted to. It was understandable why he was so gentle with me at the moment.

“…Have you meet many bears in your life?” he asked.

“I haven’t met any.”

“No, I suspect that you haven’t. My people have worked for generations in the mines. We prepared the lumber that everybody in Dirge uses from these woods. Our bodies were built for physical labor. But the grind takes a toll on us. If I were to choose between the work and accompanying you into the Timberlands, no matter how dangerous, the choice is an easy one to make.”

I nodded in understanding. I didn’t have much of an opinion about bears, considering I’d never met any. But Goro seemed calm and rational about the entire ordeal. So did Donovan. I was the one with the most to lose though, so it was right that I was the one more nervous than anybody else.

“Don’t concern yourself with worry,” Goro said as he started marching forward. “Worry doesn’t help you. It never does.”

Goro’s words were lost on me. I looked over at Donovan as he walked next to me. He was smiling just the same as Goro led us through the woods.

“Where did you find him?” I asked Donovan.

“There are plenty of people in the city willing to work for the right price,” Donovan replied.

“Can you trust him? He’s only doing this for the money.”

“That might be true. But bears are true to their word. He’ll get us to where we need to be.”

“Getting to where we need to be isn’t what I’m concerned with,” I said. “All I want is protection.”

“Goro is a bear.”

“Just one bear. Against the Primals… I’m not so sure…”

“What did Goro just say about worrying?”

“Right, right. Sorry. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

It was the middle of the night when we started our journey. Donovan reasoned that it was best to get started when the moon was out, so we could get the bulk of our journey over with when the sun came out the next day.

Goro seemed at peace as he led us through the forest. Just like he said, he knew the woods like the back of his hand. Donovan didn’t seem to have any trouble himself. Even though he was a jaguar, he walked forward like he’d been here before.

The familiar feeling of being in the Timberlands came back to me. My life with the Primals felt like it had only happened yesterday. I couldn’t sense my old wolfpack but I knew it was only a matter of time until I picked up their scent again.

We walked for a few hours. The forest around us got even darker until pitch black surrounded us. There was barely any moonlight shining down through the trees. A single lantern Goro held illuminated our path.

“We have to take a break,” I said. “We can’t keep walking forever.”

“Patience,” Goro said. “We’re almost there. Just a little bit more.”

“Where are we going?” I asked.

Neither Donovan or Goro responded. Before I could question them again, Goro spoke up.

“There it is,” he said. “Up ahead.”

“Where?” I said, as I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t see…”

I could barely make something out among the trees. A few more steps and I saw it clearly. A fire burning in the center of a forest clearing. We kept moving forward until we exited the trees.

I couldn’t help but marvel at the clearing surrounding me. It wasn’t just the wide open space. There were wood cabins everywhere. Off to the side, there was a sprawling lake that was big enough to fit everybody within it.

Dozens of men and women lounged among the grass as they stared up into the sky around the campfire. The women were naked with nothing more than a cloth to cover their lower parts, their breasts bare and their skin tan. Their bodies were fit and strong, nothing like you’d see from any of the average women in Dirge.

The men were the same. Their burly bodies were out in the open with just a piece of fabric to barely cover them. They were as thick as redwoods, just like Goro.

They all relaxed like they didn’t have a care in the world. Being so open and free like this brought back memories of what it was like before I escaped to Dirge.

“Welcome to my sleuth,” Goro said as he put his lantern out. “We’ll be resting here for the evening.”

“I told you he knows what he’s doing,” Donovan said to me.

“Apparently, he does…” I whispered to myself.

Goro stepped forward and he was greeted by a man just as massive as he was.

“Is that… Goro! It is you!”

The man gave him a giant hug. They both had laughs so hearty it echoed through the trees.

The man looked similar in stature to Goro, with a long beard and dark, shaggy hair. He kept smiling as he turned his attention to Donovan and me.

“You brought someone,” the man said.

“Yes,” Goro responded. “This is Donovan. And that’s Lucas. Gentlemen, I would like you to meet Kai, the leader of my sleuth.”

“I’m not a leader,” Kai said. “I’m just a bear trying to do what’s best for my people.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said as I shook his hand.

His hand was so large that it almost wrapped around mine completely.

It wasn’t just Kai and Goro. Every single man in the camp was larger than life. Even the women were bigger than the ones I was used to seeing. They were bears. There was no mistaking it. And being among them, I felt safer than I had in a long time.

“What are you doing here?” Kai asked.

“We’re going on an expedition,” Goro said.

“An expedition? Secretive as always.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be back here by the next moon.”

“Enough business. Sit down. Relax. We have plenty to eat and drink. Make yourselves at home.”

Even though Donovan and I weren’t bears, Kai and the rest of his sleuth welcomed us with open arms. They fed us fried fish they caught from the lake. They let us drink sweet wines made from the berries growing in the trees. I quickly forgot why we had come out here in the first place. The entire time Donovan was by my side.

I didn’t know how much time had gone by. There were some bears who had passed out on the grass underneath the stars. Others had returned to their cabins.

I sat next to the large campfire with Donovan, Goro, and Kai.

“You should have seen this thing,” Kai said. “It was the biggest fish you’d ever seen. The size of a whale.”

He held his arms out to exaggerate just how big it was. He told his story with such enthusiasm that it was almost believable.

“Whales are bigger than that,” Goro said with a laugh.

“I know,” Kai responded. “But my arms aren’t that big.”

“If your arms aren’t that big, how were you able to hold it?”

“I put it over my shoulder. I carried it back to the village. It took both arms but I managed it.”

“Pfft,” Goro scoffed at his friend and threw his hand in the air.

Donovan and I laughed at the two bears getting reacquainted with one another. After Kai finished his story, he took a swig from his flask and turned his attention to me.

“So…” he said. “What are you doing? I imagine this has something to do with you.”

“Why would you say that?” I asked.

“You’re an Omega. I could smell you from a mile away. It’s not safe for an Omega in the Timberlands. Even with a jaguar and bear by your side.”

“We’re here to confront the Primals,” Donovan said bluntly. “Lucas is from their pack. We’re going to ask them to release him.”

“I see…”

Kai stroked his beard.

“The Primals,” he said. “They live out in the Blood Woods.”

“You’ve met them before?” I asked.

“That’s far from here. A day’s journey. But I have heard the stories. They’re a savage bunch. Dangerous.”

“I lived with them for most of my life,” I said. “Whatever you heard about them, it’s true. It might even be worse. There’s a reason I ran away from them.”

“A wolf without a pack. There’s no shame in that, Omega. But I imagine they’re not too happy about it.”

“No… I barely escaped with my life.”

“And now you’re heading back to them?”

“It was his idea.”

I looked over at Donovan. He smiled softly in response.

“The Primals will be coming to Dirge, one way or another,” Donovan said. “There’s no point in putting the city in danger. This is the best option for everybody.”

“And for you, Goro?” Kai asked him. “Is this best for you?”

“Donovan is a jaguar. He’s paying me a lot of money.”

“Of course,” Kai sighed. “Precious metals. Living in the city, you grow dependent on such silly trinkets.”

Kai and Goro shared a laugh. It was enough to put a smile on my face, even though I knew the danger that was ahead of us.

“I won’t stop you from living the lives you wanna live,” Kai said. “I’m content with my sleuth, while others like Goro seek other things in life. We all find happiness in different things. I know that I can’t stop you from heading to the Blood Woods. Just know that we’ll be here to watch over you in case you need us.”

“Thank you, brother,” Goro said to him.

“I suppose it’s time for me to retire for the evening. All of that wine is taking its toll on me. If you’ll excuse me…”

Kai stood up straight and lumbered by some of the bears that were lying around then disappeared into his cabin.

“I should rest, too,” Goro said. “We have a long day ahead of us.”

“Where will you sleep I ask?”

“Here is as good a place as any.”

Just like that, Goro laid down next to the fire. He quickly nodded off and immediately began snoring loudly. I giggled at the sight of him resting peacefully. There were dozens of bears sleeping around Donovan and me. Each one of the men and women looked like they were completely content.

I leaned in close to Donovan and rested my head on his shoulder as I stared at the fire dancing in front of us.

“We should probably get some sleep,” he said.

“Just a little bit longer. I’m not ready to fall asleep.”

The peace I felt among Goro’s people was something I couldn’t ever remember feeling. I wanted it to last as long as it could.