Eclipse Event Stories (NOT CANON)

Phantoms in the Sand

Eris has been watching and studying the two strangers for a while. She was on her way to her favourite hunting place when she came across a Tatra cowering in fear from a Mayur. She decided not to step in right away. This did not concern her. But after a short while, the Mayur began attacking the Tatra, pushing it around until it just lay on the ground motionlessly.

It was deepest night, so the female Kumba was very well hidden in the shadows. Slowly she came closer, sneaking up to overhear what the problem is.

«Come on, tell me! I know you’re behind all of this! Why are the birds attacking us?! And who are you?!»

The Tatra was curled into a small ball, not looking up as he spoke, just shaking.

«I can’t help you, I don’t know what you want from me! Please, just leave me be…»

Now Eris was stepping in, making herself look tall and walking towards the strangers with confident gait. Her face was serious, if not close to a frown. No one would pick a fight if they saw her like that.

«What’s going on here, Mayur?»

He turned around, still furious, his tail held high.

«Get off my case, I’m busy here–! Oh hello there. What’s a beauty like you doing out here all alone?»

He was smirking at her, completely forgetting about the Saliko he was pestering just a minute ago.

In the meantime the fade colored Kumba did not deign to look at the male that was trying to make a move on her. She just took a closer look at the Tatra, checking if it was alright, but its head was hidden under its paws.

«Listen, rat-dung. If you try anything I’m going to bite off a certain bodypart that I’m sure you hold very dearly. And we both don’t want that, right? Now tell me what happened for Kydos’ sake.»

The Mayur swallowed visibly, the grin melting off of his face.

«Uh... this weirdo is behind the bird attacks! I know it! Just look at him!»

The female raised an eyebrow, clearly showing she did not see anything off about the Tatra cowering in the sand.

«Trust me! His eyes are just as red and glowing as the birds eyes! He’s controlling them!»

«Red eyes may be uncommon, but they DO occur. You yourself have them, how can you judge this Saliko for them?»

«They’re different…they’re…there’s something inside of them.»

«Hey, look at me. Who are you and are you alright?»

The Tatra raised its head.

«I’m afraid I won’t be able to look at you. I’m blind.»

She saw that now and a cold shiver ran over her back. How could this Mayur treat a blind Saliko so terribly? But after all, he was right. It IS none of her business.

«My name is Minas. I come from far away, from mother’s great tree. I came here to seek and find more Salikos looking for enlightenment.»

The green male snorted despisingly.

«Enlightenment, don’t make me laugh.»

Now Minas was getting back on his feet and looking scornfully at the other stranger.

In a fraction of a second, Eris saw the eyes of the Tatra glint at his opponent. A creepy, orange-red glow that was gone as soon as it came. She didn’t know if she could trust her eyes about that, but since the mayur saw it as well, it must be true. And it’s definitely not normal. She makes a step back and keeps her gaze on the blind one as she talks.

«What did you say was your name, Mayur?»

«I didn’t say it yet. Cuvrar’s the name. I’m from the jungle, obviously, but I was on my way to visit a friend here in the desert. If it wasn’t for all these birds terrorizing me, I’d be there by now. I’ve seen others get picked up and carried away by them to who knows where! They might as well be dead! You look smart, desert rose, tell me what you think about this male.»

The grey one sighed loudly.

«I’m Eris and if you call me anything else ever again I’ll have to make my promise from before actually come true. Minas, do you really not have anything to do with these birds?»

Her voice was serious and firm, trying to convince the other to be honest without seeing her facial expressions.

«Well, we do have birds at our tribe. They help us, they’re our companions! Everyone at my tribe is blind but the birds help us see.»

Eris and Cuvrar exchange worried looks. Then the male leans over and whispers in her ear.

«If they’re all blind then they must all be inbred bastards. Maybe this one’s just retarded.»

He giggles to himself, then raises his voice again.

«Still, I don’t care if or why you have birds in your tribe, but why you keep using them to hurt me and my friends! You have the same dead look in your gaze as them!»

«I’m sorry your friends got hurt. But I still don’t know what you mean. I can neither see my own eyes nor the birds.»

Cuvrar was getting madder and madder by the minute. His tail was raised high again and his mane and backfur standing on edge. Quickly Eris stepped between them, wanting to find out more about Minas before he loses an ear or something like that. Then the brown male continues to talk.

«I have been told that all members of our tribe have red eyes though. Not that I’d be able to confirm or deny it. It’s just what I’ve heard. It’s normal for us, you don’t need to be scared.

If you want to find out more about us – me and my tribe – then I’d be happy to show you my home! Maybe then you’ll be able to find out what you want to know as well.

«I’m in, I surely want to see your strange red-eyed family and pet birds. What about you desert ro-, I mean Eris?»

«I’ll pass. Got something better to do I’m afraid. Have fun though and don’t get eaten by tame eagles.»

She sits down, watching both strangers get up and walk north. The Mayur still didn’t trust the Tatra and walked quite a bit behind him, tense and suspicious.

The night was still long and Eris wanted to use the rest of it to hunt some snakes, her favourite kind of prey. She was sneaking up on a nebula snake that was lying under a small rock overhang, just large enough for Eris to stick her head in and pull the reptile out. The creature was cold and therefor could not attack very fast which made it easy for the Kumba to kill it. Happily she ran towards home with the dead snake hanging from her mouth. On her way back a strong wind started to rise up and blew sand in her eyes. She stopped, rubbed them and decided to find shelter close by in case a sandstorm was about to start. Soon enough she found an old burrow that has been abandoned for a while. It was not large enough for her yet, but the soft ground made it easy for her to expand the den. She laid down comfortably and started to munch on her prey. In the soft light of the moon that was shining in through the entrance, the purple skin of the animal was shimmering so beautifully, it was almost a pity it would get devoured until nothing but the skeleton was left.

It tasted delicious and Eris was now content, but the experience earlier that day, with the two strangers, was still in the back of her mind. She didn’t imagine the glow in Minas’ eyes and neither did Cuvrar, so what was that all about? And was he really blind? Somehow the female felt as if he was still able to ‘see’ everything that was going on, but maybe that was just her imagination.

After a few minutes, the grey female fell asleep. Outside the storm was getting stronger and brought something with it…