Eclipse Event Stories (NOT CANON)

The two Mayur stand to either side of Minas, keeping him from running away. But despite that and the threats from before, the Tatra looks rather calm and satisfied instead of afraid.

«So? Talk.»

«Alright alright you convinced me, I’ll tell you everything you want to know.»

«Okay», the green male seems pleased now, «then start with the birds. Why are they like this? And why didn’t it attack you before?»

«Well we have birds at our tribe. We grow up with them, feed and train them, so they like us and would never attack anyone of my tribe. The bird you saw was one of them, so it knew me. My tribe actually lives high up in a huge tree, so the birds are always around and part of our everyday lives.»

«Well fine, let’s just assume that’s the truth», the other Mayur seems skeptical, but Makuta stays silent for now, «it’s weird enough you train birds, but why do you even look like them?»

«What do you mean? I don’t know what I look like. Do I have feathers too??» Minas seems excited.

«No mouse-brain, your eyes! You and those birds all have red glowing eyes, that’s the curse!»

«Oooh noo, I was born with red eyes, it’s just the color. And the glowing is because of my blindness, at least that’s what I was told. But I cannot answer you why the birds have red eyes, is that not normal?»

«NO IT’S NOT!» Cuvrar is getting really angry now. The Tatra behaves as if nothing wrong is going on.

«Then what are you doing here all alone if you can’t even see?»

«I am a seeker, on the lookout for my tribe.»

None of the Mayurs have heard that before, but assume it’s his job to look for gems, plants, bones and things like that. Just a collector of sorts, so they don’t ask him to elaborate on that as they think it’s not important.

«A blind seeker, huh? That's something you don't hear every day», Makuta says, smirking to himself. His tail is brushing restless from left to right - this is all getting too boring for him. He did not come here for tittle-tattle, he wants a nice fight.

«Enough now, did you get the answers you were looking for? 'Cause I’m done here.»

The green one hesitates, then nods reluctantly.

«Well great, let’s get this party started. Fluffy-butt, since you are friends with the most terrifying creatures around, I’m sure you can hold yourself in a nice battle, right?»

Minas looks at the caramel-colored Mayur and tilts his head. «Of course, but why would I do that? This is not a situation to fight.»

«Oh but it’s gonna be.»

Makuta lifts his paw, reaches back and exposes his claws. With a swift strike he moves the paw down on the Tatra, right at his face. The other one cannot possibly see or hear it coming, but still he moves back just enough for the claws to miss their target. The flecked male is astonished and almost trips since he didn’t expect that to happen. He licks his paw and brushes his mane, trying to make it seem less big of a deal. Cuvrar is amazed by the fast reaction of the Tatra, but looks suspiciously at it.

«How’d you do that?»

«I just didn’t want to get hit. Is that a problem?»

«You sure you’re blind?» The green Mayur looks deep into the weird ones eyes.

«I cannot tell what color you both are if that’s what you mean, but I do know where you are and what you do, since I can feel the air move around you or the steps on the earth.»

Makuta rolls his eyes. That’s something Minas can’t see either.

He ducks down, preparing a lunge attack and the brown one does the same. Just as Makutas paws leave the ground, the Tatra steps aside and the Mayur misses him again and roars in anger. He hates when someone plays him like that. Suddenly, in the distance, they hear an eagles call and all of them quietly look up to the sky. It’s easy to see that Cuvrar is concerned about his safety and Makuta excited about a possible hunt, but Minas seems…like he actually understands the creature. He calls back with some strange sounds that are very unlike anything a Saliko makes. Makuta uses this moment to strike him on the head and actually hits him this time, but the Tatra seems quite unimpressed.

«You were lucky I didn’t use my claws this time around», says the red one.

«You were lucky I didn’t either» Minas replies in a sinister, serious tone and looks straight at the Mayurs orange eyes. Then his expression changes and he talks joyfully again. «So, if you want a real duel you can come to my tribe with me, it would be fun and you could battle everyone there. We have a lot of strong warriors, you must know.»

«No thanks, I don’t need to hang out with your fancy family. I’ll find something else to do. You’re getting on my nerves, mole-eyes.»

But Minas won't quit that easily. «You could also learn more about my tribe and the eyes or the birds. Mother will surely have all the answers you seek.»

The other Mayur sits up and listens more carefully now, obviously interested in that offer.

He still doesn’t trust Minas but seems to be looking for something specific, something very important to him.

«One of your birds kidnapped my friend! I wanna know where they took her to!»

«Well probably home to our pack in the big tree. Unless your friend bit the birds talons and dropped down, that is.»

Now Cuvrar is looking scared and uneasy.

«Why would they take a Saliko with them? Birds never hunt Salikos…?»

«I cannot tell you for sure, I’m afraid. Maybe it just confused your friend for a piece of prey? We trained them to grab living prey and if it’s healthy and good we kill it, but if we don’t want it we release them back into the wild. Like I said before, you can join me on my way back if you like. I’d be glad to show you around! The great tree is wonderful! It’s spiraling up into the sky, ever so high, straight into heaven if you will.»

Without hesitation the green one nods in agreement and Minas seems to notice as a smile shows on his face.

«Isn’t there a rumor that Salikos close to the sun turn mad?» Makuta asks, one eyebrow raised.

«Oh no, we have the freshest air on top of the tree and the sun feels nice and warm! Also, I’m not insane and neither are my tribemates, so that should answer your question, right?» The others don’t seem convinced at all.

«So how about you, angry one? Wanna come with me too?»

«Again, no. I have better things to do. But I hope you’ll both be happy, prancing around your holy tree and singing with the birds.»

He turns around to walk away, pissed off and annoyed. The other two stay behind but look at him as he leaves, the last thing they can make out of him as he disappears into the dark undergrowth are the green eyes that speckle the fur on his tail. And they all look at them.

A lone screech owl calls into the darkness of the night and from where Makuta came from, a weird sound answers the bird.