Content Warning: Some profanity

“The King of the Mountain?  Who’s that?” Murat asked the Silver Sorcerer, who was now a glowing silver orb in his hand.

“A giant ogre made of stone,” the orb replied.  “He lives on the highest peak in the forest and rules over all the rocks.  The Council of Stones meets once in a blue moon since there usually isn’t much to discuss.  However, they do hold emergency meetings if there are new threats to the forest.”  He eyed Ulanbek.  “Like your armies, for example.”

Ulanbek frowned as he loosened his grip on his kilij saber’s hilt.  “We weren’t trying to destroy the forest.”

“Oh, that may not have been your original intention,” the orb said as it flew out of Murat’s palm and floated in front of Ulanbek, “but your back-and-forth battles are causing a lot of collateral damage.”

“Have you been to these Council of Stones meetings?” Murat asked.

“No.  Why would I want to listen to a bunch of rocks talk to each other?” the orb scoffed.

“Oh, I thought you might know since you’re telling us about it.”

The orb glowed brighter and floated back to Murat.  Murat held out his palm and the orb landed on it.  “I make it my business to stay informed without becoming overly involved.  The spirits of the forest have just as many machinations as you humans, so I’d be ignoring all of that at my peril.”

“Are the rocks going to attack the soldiers?” Ulanbek asked.

“They very well could,” the orb replied.  “If your colleagues get ambushed by any mysterious landslides, then it was probably a decision of the Council of Stones.”

“Then I need to find any survivors quickly.”

“Are the rocks going to attack us?” Murat asked.  “Since we’re human too?”

“They seem to be ignoring you right now,” the orb said.  “Probably because I’m with you.”

Ulanbek mounted his horse and held out his arm.  Murat put the orb in his satchel and grabbed Ulanbek’s hand.  He climbed up and sat behind Ulanbek.  

“All right, hold on tight,” Ulanbek said.

Murat cautiously put his arms around Ulanbek’s torso and clasped his hands together.  Ulanbek raised an eyebrow, then regained his focus and pulled on the reins.  The horse began to gallop.  The traveling rocks flowed around them like a river.  Tiny pebbles bounced off the horse’s legs as it moved forward. 

“Do you know where you’re going?” Murat asked.

“Not really,” Ulanbek replied.  “Just going to keep moving forward until we find someone.”

The trees became a green blur around them.  Murat closed his eyes to stave off the feelings of dizziness.  He focused on the clopping of hooves over leaves and dirt and the cacophonous tumbling of rocks.  The horse jumped over a fallen log and Murat felt himself lurch upwards.  He tightened his grip around Ulanbek and buried his face in the red robes.

"Are you all right?” Ulanbek asked. Murat nodded into the robe.  “Do you want me to stop somewhere?”

Murat shook his head.  “It’s fine, I just haven’t been on a horse in a while.”

“Okay, just let me know if you want to take a break.”

They continued riding through the forest.  Murat kept his eyes closed and settled himself against Ulanbek’s back.  There was a warmth about him that felt familiar.  His mind drifted back to a day in his nineteenth year when he and Beslan rode into the fields surrounding their village.  They had been sharing a horse like this too, with Beslan at the reins and Murat sitting behind him.

***

“Murat,” Beslan said, “you doing all right back there?  Your fingers are digging into my ribs.”

“Sorry,” Murat replied, loosening his grip a bit.  “Everything’s just moving really fast.”

Beslan smiled.  “You know, if you practice riding your own horse more, you can have better control over its movement and it won’t feel so scary.”

“I don’t think my horse likes me,” Murat murmured.

“Aw, that’s not true.  Maybe it’s just reacting to your nervousness.”

“Or I’m just not cut out for horseback riding.  I’m already terrible at archery.”

“Hey, don’t be so down on yourself.  Even if you’re not good at them now, it doesn’t mean you’ll never be good.”

Murat sighed and said nothing more.  He tightened his grip around Beslan’s torso and leaned against the back of Beslan’s chokha.

“Well,” Beslan continued.  “If you don’t want to ride your own horse for now, that’s okay.  I don’t mind sharing one with you.”  

Murat smiled.  “I don’t mind either.”

They entered the forest and stopped by a creek so Beslan’s horse could quench its thirst.  The two young men sat on the damp logs and threw pebbles into the water.

“Murat, you come out here to the forest a lot don’t you?  I always see you running off after you finish your chores.”

“Sometimes.  I mainly stay close to the edge so I’m not too far away from the village.  Maybe I’ll eventually work up the courage to go further into the woods.”

“I could just come along with you if you want.  I’ll fight off all the wolves and bears.”  Beslan grinned.

Murat chuckled.  “All by yourself?”

“What, you’re not going to help me?”

Murat blushed and smiled shyly.  “I don’t think I’d be much help.  I’d probably just get in your way.”

Beslan looked at him solemnly.  “Murat, I wish you wouldn’t see yourself so negatively.”

Murat looked at him.  “But you know I’m not good at anything.”

“Anything?  You know that’s not true.”

“Well, I’m not good at the things that matter.”

“And what are those things?”

“You know what they are.  Being fearless and strong.  Like my father and brother.  And you.”

Beslan frowned.  “You really think I’m not afraid of anything?”

“You never seem to be.”

“I’m just good at hiding it.  All of us are just hiding it because we don’t want to look weak in front of others.  At least you are more honest with your feelings.”

Murat looked down.  “Still, it’s not good for me to show my fears so openly.  No one is going to respect me or take me seriously.”

“Murat, look at me,” Beslan said softly.  Murat tilted his head upwards.  “I respect you.  I take you seriously.  You have a kind heart and you’re willing to help others.  I think those things matter, even if no one else says they do.”

“Beslan…” Tears began to form in Murat’s eyes.  Beslan put his arm around Murat’s shoulder and Murat leaned into him.  “Thank you…”

***

And yet, he ended up dying because I did get in his way, Murat thought as his mind drifted back to the present.  If I hadn’t tripped that one time…  He knew that his thoughts would spiral if he kept going and it was not a place he wanted to revisit.

“Murat, are you sure you’re all right?” Ulanbek asked as he turned his head slightly.  “Are you crying?”

“Oh…” Murat snapped back to attention and noticed the watery trails running down his cheeks.  “I didn’t realize.  I guess I am.  I was thinking about my kunak.  We used to ride double on a horse like this too.”  Ulanbek raised his eyebrow.  “Well, only because I wasn’t confident enough to ride solo.”

“Oh, have you ever been able to ride on your own?”

“Mm, yes…but it was scary.  I know it’s something very basic.  I should have been able to do it long ago.”

“Well, I could help you if you want.  I’ve been riding horses since I was young.”

“Maybe.  That would be nice if you could.”  Murat laughed bitterly.  “Can’t avenge my people if I can’t even ride a horse.”

Ulanbek smiled and refocused on what was ahead.  He suddenly sensed something and pulled on the reins.  His horse whinnied and turned to the right.  Ulanbek whispered to it and it calmed down.  He narrowed his eyes and looked between the trees.

Three eyes looked back at them through the shadows.  Ulanbek gripped the reins with one hand and unsheathed his kilij saber with the other.  A low-pitched growl resonated through the air and Murat tightened his grip around Ulanbek’s torso.  More sets of three eyes materialized.  A giant shape lumbered forward, snapping branches and scattering leaves.  Finally, a large furry gray paw landed with a thud in front of them.

Ulanbek’s eyes widened and his skin crawled.  He looked upwards.  A large snout dripping saliva loomed over them.  The face resembled a wolf’s, but on its forehead was an extra eye.  It was almost as tall as the surrounding trees.  Two other giant wolves, each with a similar set of three eyes, flanked it.

“What the hell?” Ulanbek uttered.  Murat shuddered.  The glowing silver orb flew out of his satchel and floated in the air.

“Oh, would you look at that?” the orb remarked.  “The Three-Eyed Wolves.  Three of them, in fact.  That’s nine eyes in total.”

“Yes, that is quite apparent,” Ulanbek said, rolling his own eyes.  “But why do they have three eyes?”

“Two eyes to gaze upon your physical form,” the orb replied, “and one eye to peer into your soul!”

Murat’s eyes widened.  “Are you serious?”

“Have I ever not been serious?”

Both Ulanbek and Murat glared at the orb.

“Are they going to eat us?” Murat asked, looking nervously at the drooling creatures.

“I don’t see why not,” the orb replied.  “Wolves are carnivorous and you are meat.”