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Helping Hands
“Why can’t we go outside like this all the time?” Calit asked.
The wooden wheels of the carriage strained and groaned against the silence.
“Why can’t I go outside like this sometime?”
“…”
Calit tsked and made an incredulous face. “What’s out there? This? It doesn’t seem so bad.”
“I already told you why last week, Calit. And before we left,” his dad said in a firm tone.
Calit harrumphed and leaned off to the side of the carriage seat, looking out at the idyllic scene around him with a mixture of wonder and frustration. The sun was creating an expanse of purple, orange, and pink that he’d so rarely gotten to see in all its beauty within the confines of his village. The sky was as though someone had spilled paint on a canvas topped with cotton balls that were soaking up the colors as the sun sank lower. He even noticed there were mountains—mountains!—peaking over the tall trees that he could only make out over barer sections of the forest surrounding them on both sides.
There was so much to explore.
He kept glaring off into the distance to smother his anger. All these unnecessary rules. And for what? Superstition, he thought to himself. Lies to keep me from doing what I want.
Calit theatrically sighed and leaned back in the seat of the carriage, crossing his legs and putting his hands behind his head. “Yep, just fairy tales.”
His dad, Icono, bit his tongue. “Aren’t you glad I brought you with me this time? Clast seems to be. Didn’t you have fun, buddy?”
Icono playfully ruffled his younger son’s head and the young wolf scooted closer to hug his dad’s arm. “Yes, daddy,” he said, burying his face in his father’s shirt. “Look what I found!” he suddenly exclaimed, pulling away and fumbling about in his tiny pockets. He giggled again as he reached up with his short arm, almost tall enough to shove the object into his father’s face.
Icono chuckled as he let loose on the reigns a bit, slowing the carriage down so he could get a good look at Clast’s find. He gently grabbed his son’s arm and pulled it away from his face so that it came into focus. He cocked his head in surprise as he grabbed this … silver ring. It had a little chain with a cross on the end.
… Did my son find a relic? he thought. No, impossible …
More likely, Icono thought how it was something some neighbor or ancestor had lost a while back. His people had traveled this road for hundreds of years to the same river and catch fish to sell on the market. He’d have to ask around tomorrow to see if anyone knew whose it is … or was.
Calit suddenly grabbed the ring out of Icono’s hand and held it out in front of himself. “Huh, I’m glad you found something cool out here.”
He awkwardly leaned across his dad to get close to his brother, stretching his arm out the other way so the ring was against the sky, as if to admire it. “Imagine how much more is out there,” he whispered dramatically. “Treasures untold waiting to be found.”
Clast gasped and put his tiny paws up to his mouth. “Really, Calit?” he asked.
Calit leaned away. “Really, but …” he shot a glance at his dad “… I guess we’ll never know sin—”
Everyone in the carriage lurched upward as they ran over a small rut in the road. Their horse neighed at the sudden disruption, causing him to swerve the carriage a bit until Icono fully gripped at the reigns again to steady their course. Even still, the bump had been enough for Calit to loosen his grip on the ring. It fell out and disappeared well behind them on the unkept dirt road.
It didn’t take a moment for Clast to start quivering. Then came the wailing and a flood of tears.
Calit’s face furrowed in a mix of shame and guilt. “N-no! Clast, I didn’t mean to drop it!”
Icono had to let go of the reigns again with one hand to cup his right ear.
Clast tried to form words amid his sobbing. “Y-you-you’re just j-jealous!”
Calit’s eyes flashed in indignation. “Jealous? No!” he stammered. “I—I’m just … bah, forget it,” he waved a hand and grimaced, turning his back to his dad and brother.
“Actually, no, how about screw it?” he said, turning right back around. “I’m not jealous—I’m angry.” He leaned closer to his dad as he raised his voice. “And I have every right to be with all these lies. We’d have all sorts of treasures, Clast, if it weren’t for dad! Why can’t anyone go very far except to fish for a few hours?” he said, jabbing his finger toward the enclosed bed at their backs.
Calit was yelling. Clast was crying. The horse was braying loudly over the commotion in the back.
“Why are you lying to me?!” Calit said over his brother’s howling.
Icono brought both hands to his ears to muffle out the noise. It reminded him too much of when … of …
“ENOUGH!” he yelled.
And then the carriage lurched again.
This time, it was far more violent. There was the sound of wood snapping as the carriage lopped to the left, sending Calit off his seat and onto the road, who tumbled out of sight with a yelp.
“Calit!” Icono gasped, instinctively reaching out to him to no avail. He then pivoted to his right and hugged Clast close, pressing his paws against the floorboard so his back was tightly locked against the seat’s rest so he wouldn’t fall out, too. He used his free hand to pull on the reigns and stop his horse from making things worse.
After what felt like an eternity, the carriage came to a screeching halt as Buck let out a stressed snort. Clast had gone all but quiet as he desperately clung to his father.
Icono was breathing heavily with a nonplussed expression. He was on the verge of howling to let out all his frustration. All these things he had to tell his kids that they didn’t understand. They would never understand what the Shades had done to his family.
Damned Shades. Damned teenagers. Calit …
Calit.
Icono picked up his small son and crawled out of the seat off to the left. He stood up and brought a hand to his forehead so he could squint into the distance behind them. He made out a small hump in the road lying 40 or so meters away. It must be his son.
And there was a tall silhouette standing over him.
Icono’s breath caught in his throat as he instinctively bolted forward in a mad dash to reach his son.
“HEY!” Icono yelled.
He noticed the other figure had crouched down and was touching Calit. He straightened at Icono’s voice.
“YOU STAY AWAY FROM HIM!” he threatened, skidding to a halt a few meters away and pointing a finger at the stranger. “HE’S MINE, DON’T YOU … don’t …”
Icono put his son down and quickly stepped in front of him, assuming a bold, aggressive stance and pulling out the knife at his side as the stranger stood up. He was slightly taller but broader and more muscular. He wore brown cloth draped around his waist and over his head and shoulders.
Icono couldn’t clearly make out his face in the hood’s shadows, but he saw the hide and scales. The horns and teeth.
A … lizard?
He’d heard the tales of other races throughout the land, but he never believed the legends. Until now.
The lizard planted his gnarled, wooden staff in the dirt and stood at a half-turn relative to Icono.
Icono gulped and took a step forward. “I said, ‘back off,’” Icono bit out warningly, pointing the knife at the dragon.
The dragon turned back toward Calit with the sound of his gear and robes gently clanking and rustling in the quiet of the evening twilight. He stared at him for a few seconds and crouched again, slowly throwing up a hand toward Icono as he hovered the other over Calit.
“He’s fine,” the lizard said. “He might be bruised in a few places, but I don’t think he’s broken anything.”
Calit suddenly shifted and groaned, making Icono breathe out a sigh of relief, but he held his stance.
“Get away from my son,” Icono said, taking another step forward and gripping the hilt of his blade.
Icono knew he wasn’t at an advantage. He saw a broadsword strapped around the lizard’s waist. Along with that staff, he was sure he must be a warrior in some sense. But Icono had to try; he had to show he wouldn’t cower to anyone.
The lizard put both hands in the air and slowly rose again, walking backward as Icono approached. Once the lizard was far enough back, Icono dropped to his knees and put a hand around his back to lift him up.
“Calit, can you hear me? Are you okay?” he asked urgently, darting his eyes between Calit and the lizard.
“I told you that rock in the road was going to be trouble for someone,” Calit moaned.
Icono let out something between an annoyed sigh and chuckle. “Yes, you were right. I should have listened to you earlier,” Icono said, putting his hand behind Calit’s head and raising it so their foreheads touched.
“Hey, that’s mine!” Clast said.
Icono realized his voice hadn’t come from behind. His head shot up and he saw Clast standing right in front of the lizard, pointing at his face.
“C-Clast,” Icono said, his voice slightly shaking as he stood up and reached out, beckoning him to come back as he awkwardly pointed the knife back at the dragon. He knew it’d make no difference now.
The lizard placed his hand up again reassuringly toward Icono and grabbed the hood to pull it back slowly. He had a menacing visage complete with cutting, amber eyes.
He knelt down and pointed to his horn. “You mean this?” he asked Clast, inclining his head to the left to reveal a silver ring. It was the one Clast had found.
“Yes!” Clast exclaimed. “Can I have it back, please?”
“You saw that beneath my hood?” the lizard asked softly.
“Mmhmm!” the little wolf hummed.
The lizard paused for a moment and grinned. He raised his hand to his horn and removed the ring, holding it out for Clast, but the lizard held on to it when Clast tugged at it, and he gently placed his other hand on top of Clast’s.
“You have to promise to give it back though. It’s actually mine, and you found it. You must be one of the great treasure hunters I’ve heard about,” the lizard said, which made Clast wag his tail and giggle. “Promise?” the dragon asked gently yet sternly.
Clast made a pouting face and rocked to the left and right while looking down for a few seconds, but eventually, he reluctantly nodded. The lizard nodded as well and let go of the ring. Clast ran back to his dad and stuck the ring in his face.
“Look, daddy, the nice man found my ring,” he said excitedly. “He looks really different,” he added, looking back at the lizard before humming some song to himself as he rotated the ring in his grasp.
“Yes,” Icono said with a wary smile. “Yes, he does …”
He stared at the crouching stranger. He looked uncertain. Was that worry in his eyes?
Icono paused and let out a sigh. “Come closer, stranger,” Icono said.
The lizard closed his eyes and grinned. He got up and slowly walked toward Icono as he holstered his knife and held out his hand.
“Name’s Icono,” he said, firmly grasping the lizard’s scaly, rough paw. “You already know my sons’ names,” he added with a nervous laugh.
“I do, yes,” the lizard said with a chuckle. “My name is … you can call me Liege,” he said, awkwardly pausing before saying it.
“Well, uh … thank you, Liege. I’ve … well, I’ve never seen your kind around here,” Icono said.
“I live outside the town. I’ve been here a few months but keep to myself. I was out for a stroll today,” Liege said. He peered past Icono and frowned. “I see your carriage has seen better days. May I …?”
Icono looked at Liege curiously and exclaimed in realization. “Oh, look at it? Sure, sure,” Icono said. He turned back toward Calit, who had sat up and was rubbing his left shoulder. Icono walked back over to him and helped lift him up. “Can you walk, son?”
“Y-yeah,” he answered, glaring at Liege in a mix of fascination and confusion. “I’m sorry about … it’s just …”
“Let’s not worry about that now,” Icono said, embracing his son. He pulled away and gently placed his hands on Calit’s shoulders as he looked toward the sun’s last rays. “We have more important things to worry about right now.”
Liege was inspecting the wheel in a crouch alongside Icono. Liege frowned and put his head to the ground to peer up under the carriage.
“The axel’s shot,” Icono said, slapping his knee in frustration. “Even if I had a spare wheel, I’d need to come back another day to fix this.”
Liege was silent.
“People are counting on us to restock the market tomorrow with fish,” Icono continued. “All this gone to waste … it would be a shame.”
Liege’s back got a little straighter as his fins flared out and twitched at the sound of fish. He heard Calit and Clast snicker behind him, but they went dead quiet when he looked back at them. His light blue complexion, along with a thinner hide on his face, made it hard to hide his blushing, so he quickly pressed his hands over the fins along his jawlines to keep them still.
Liege knew why he hadn’t found any fish earlier while fishing. To think of how many there were in the back of the carriage …
Liege shook his head slightly and cleared his throat. “It would be a shame, yes…” he said, trailing off. “Town is about an hour’s journey from here by carriage, yes?”
“Probably a little less. It would be impossible to carry this back ourselves. Can’t drag this back with Buck either,” he said, getting up and walking over to the horse to rub his side. Buck gently whinnied. “I’ve never missed a shipment before. I’m not … well, let’s say I’m not in a position to do that.” He murmured something under his breath as he patted Buck and walked back toward where Liege was still crouching.
“Is there anything I can do?” Liege asked.
“If you would accompany my sons and me,” he said, walking over between them and putting his arms around them reassuringly. “That would be more than enough.”
Liege nodded. He looked back at the carriage and frowned.
He could do something …
Liege closed his eyes. Should I? he wondered to himself. I’ve never … not around strangers. I never wanted anyone to know. They could tell everyone. It’s dangerous, but …
He affirmably rumbled to himself. This is what it should be used for, Liege thought. This is what I’ve trained for.
He stood up and opened his eyes, turning around to look at this wolf family.
I can’t hide forever. I have to show people … and myself … that I’m not a monster, he told himself.
Liege took his hands and carefully lifted the shawl off his upper body and over his head. He undid the clips and buckles of his belts that held up his loincloth, tailbags, and equipment.
“Uh, Liege?” Calit said.
Clast was softly giggling and Calit and Icono looked at him. “He’s naked, daddy,” he said, pointing at Liege. “You told me I can’t do that!”
“Clast, I—not now,” Icono said with an awkward chuckle, looking over at Liege apologetically and in concern.
Liege sheepishly smiled and held out his clothing and equipment to Icono. “I need you to hold on to these.”
He knew they were uncomfortable with his strange request, but he didn’t have to wear clothes like they did. He did so more out of practice to not alarm or discomfort anyone he came across. And he needed to take them off for what he was about to do.
Icono nodded and hesitantly took the items.
Liege looked down at Clast and said, “And I need you to still protect my ring. Can you keep it safe?”
Clast brought the ring to his chest and nodded vigorously. “I can, Mister Liege.”
Liege chucked, “Thank you … and do keep your clothes on like your daddy says,” he added with a wink. Clast laughed out loud and nodded his head.
Liege stood back up and moved toward Icono again, putting his hands on Icono’s shoulders and looking him straight in the eye.
“I need you to promise me you won’t be scared,” Liege said. “I need you to trust me. I will get your carriage and your sons home tonight. Just … trust me,” he repeated.
Icono was unsure what to say back to a naked lizard who was being gravely serious for unknown reasons. “I, uh … s-sure, yeah” he said. “I trust you. I have no reason not to.”
Liege nodded, his eyes expressing some relief. “I will return soon.”
And with that, Liege turned around and walked into the forest, disappearing in the thicket.
“… Well,” Calit said. “I’m going to count him as the strangest person I’ve met.”
Icono chucked. “What about Talara?”
Calit sighed. “Okay, maybe not the strangest person,” Calit answered with a laugh. “Uh, can I see his staff?”
“You can hold it for him, but don’t play around with it,” Icono said. He handed the staff to him and walked over to the carriage, crawled into the seat, and reached inside to place Liege’s belongings near the front of the bed.
When he placed the items down, he heard a loud thump in the forest.
Then it was followed by a louder, lower one.
Icono clambered back out of the carriage with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. He must be hearing things.
“Dad, did yo—”
Thump.
The sound of many branches and leaves rustled. A flock of birds cawed as they flew away into the sky.
Icono felt the blood drain from his face.
No. Not now. Not here.
“Calit, Clast,” Icono whispered harshly. You come to me. Now!”
“But Liege told us—”
“I don’t care what he said, Clast,” he bit out. “Get in the carriage now.”
They all crawled into the seat and hopped into the back among the barrels of fish.
Thump. Thump.
The sounds were getting louder and closer. The ground was shaking more with each one.
Thump. Thump.
Whatever was making the sounds felt like it was right outside. Icono dared a glace upward and saw the outline of a giant silhouette through the carriage canopy’s thin fabric.
“Don’t make a sound,” Icono desperately whispered to his sons. If we make it out of this alive, Calit will understand. He looked over at him. You see? his eyes said without words. Calit slightly nodded with wide, unbelieving eyes.
“I’m … I’m not what you think I am,” a deep voice sounded out and above the carriage in a hushed tone. “Please come out. Please don’t … oh no … no …” the giant said to itself in a slightly shacky voice as it seemed to turn about in place to look around. Icono was staring up and noticed two amber orbs barely glowing through the fabric. The giant looked like it was grabbing its head … was it groaning in anger?
“Liege?” Clast loudly said. Icono whipped his hand toward Clast and clasped his snout shut. He glared at him with pleading eyes.
The giant let out a small gasp as it put its arms down and let out a sigh of relief. “Y-yes, it’s me!” the voice said. “Please don’t be afraid. I … I really want to help.”
The family of wolves exchanged glances of bewilderment in silence for a few seconds. Icono was sweaty and shaking.
The Shades … if this were one, it wouldn’t have talked. It would have killed them by now.
Icono took a deep breath and nodded at his sons. They hesitantly climbed out of the carriage and kept their eyes on the silhouette through the canopy.
Then, a 15-meter-tall Liege came into view.
Clast and Calit gasped while Icono’s breath caught in his throat.
Clast laughed out loud and ran over and slammed into Liege’s paw with a hug. “Wooow! You’re so big, Liege!” he exclaimed, giggling and looking up at him with wonder.
Liege tensed and brought his arms in and up, almost lifting his foot away from Clast, as if he were the one who was most afraid here. But as Clast continued to hug Liege’s ankle, he slowly relaxed his posture and sheepishly grinned.
Liege looked down and searched Icono’s face.
“Is … is this a Shade!?” Calit said, looking over at his dad in disbelief. “You’ve been warning me about this all these years?” he said in a mix of wonder, annoyance, and confusion. “This is what we have to fear outside the walls? He’s…” Calit trailed off and scratched the back of his head.
“Different,” Icono finished.
Liege nodded. “Yes. I’m not a shade,” he said firmly. “I’m … one of a kind,” he said, shrugging.
“I don’t know what you are, really” Icono said gravely. Everyone turned toward him at the gravity in his voice. “I don’t know who you are or how you found us, but … I guess you were right. You can help us,” he said amid a shaky, breathless chuckle.
Liege let out a nervous chuckle and nodded. His eyes gleamed in the newfound glow of the moon’s ascent, since the sun had set a little while ago.
“I-if you’ll have me carry your carriage, I can get you all home soon,” Liege said.
“I call dibs on the shoulder,” Calit abruptly said. Liege’s eyes went wide in surprise. “Yeah, I know what you’re both gonna say,” Calit said, waving dismissively at Icono and Liege. “‘It’s too dangerous.’ Well, I have questions for you,” he said, pointing up at Liege. “Like how you do … that, and … what places you’ve been to,” he added, glancing over at his dad.
“If you’re feeling steady, you may,” Liege said with a smile. Calit grinned ear to ear as Liege knelt down and put his palm out. Calit stepped onto it as Liege lifted him up and let him climb onto his spiked shoulder.
Calit felt his breath escape as he got a look at the horizon on Liege’s shoulder. He could see the mountains in the distance so clearly now. The celestial bodies seemed even more pronounced and beautiful. This … what could this lizard have seen in his lifetime? he wondered to himself.
“I want to ride on him, too!” Clast proclaimed with a demanding tone, reaching up for Liege to pick him up.
“I need you to keep my ring safe, remember?” Liege said. “I also need someone to watch over my things. How about you ride in the carriage?” Liege said with a twinkle in his eye as he peered down at Clast.
“Hmmm … okay!” Clast said as he scrambled over to the carriage. “I’m ready!” he yelled from inside.
Icono couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Is that true awe was like?
“You can’t tell anyone what you’ve seen tonight,” Liege said. “Please.”
“O-of course,” Icono stammered. He shook his head to break his staring. “I’ll uh … I’ll ride the horse alongside you,” Icono said. “I don’t know what to say.”
Liege paused and closed his eyes. “Thank you,” he said. Icono wasn’t sure if that was meant to be an answer.
“Shall we?” Liege asked, smiling as he gestured toward the carriage.
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