The Gathering by H. M. Clarke

Author:H. M. Clarke [Clarke, H. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: H.M. Clarke
Published: 2019-03-23T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

THE TWO HUGE GOLDEN doors stood silent as if absorbing all the ambient sound around them. Upon them, the curving trees and entwining ivy that covered every inch of the doors seemed to Dearen’s eyes to move and shift as if being ruffled by a summer’s breeze. The two rearing bison, enameled in black with large glinting blue gems for eyes seemed to stare down at Dearen and her raised hand as if silently questioning what she was doing. The stylized steam rising from their nostrils abruptly began to snort and their chests looked to heave with each exhalation. Their blue gem-like eyes whirled faster and shone brighter with an inner light as if now inviting her to open the doors. Then the mumbled voices that were on the edge of her hearing began to grow even louder; excited. The sound seemed to cascade through her mind giving her a feeling of belonging.

Dearen turned back to look at Angrave. The Pydarki still stood at the entrance to the hallway which in itself was wide enough for two Adhamh’s to walk unhindered side by side. He was cloaked in shadows but there was light enough from the strange lamps for her to see him eagerly gesture her forward. His movements and the shadowed intense expression on the man’s face suddenly made doubt rear its head in Dearen’s mumble crowded mind, causing her logical mind to take control.

She turned back to the door, though door seemed such a poor word to describe this thing before her. It was larger and more impressive than the main gates at Darkon and in the larger imperial cities in the Empire. For something this large and ornate to be built, there must be something of great value inside to defend. Or to contain.

The murmuring grew louder as that thought entered her mind as if it was trying to reassure her. That it was no danger to anyone. That there was nothing to fear from it.

She turned back to look again at Angrave, unsure now that she wanted to look in the hall.

“Maybe we should go and see the Elders first before I go in. If they want to see me, we shouldn’t keep them waiting.”

Angrave gestured again towards the door. “You have to go through the Hall of the Black Bison to see the elders. They are on the other side.”

“The Hall of the Black Bison...” Dearen murmured to herself as she turned back to look at the doors. The same sounded familiar to her, but she could not remember hearing it before. “I’ve never seen a bison, much less a black one,” she said aloud, more to bide time than any real interest in the animal.

“They were once numerous with herds stretching as far as the eye can see on the plains,” Angrave said to her. “Bison were central to the survival of many peoples. They were food, clothing, shelter and they kept the plains clear of trees so that people could farm and their size deterred the large predators from the men of that time.

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