The Battle Within

Ch’Truta awoke at the slightest stir from Islana. The falcon let out an alarming sound. Something was wrong.

Ch’Truta sat up, reaching for his dagger. Looking about, seeing only shapes in the night, he only saw his Islana. Nothing else, except Kaithak, moved.

“What is it, my Love?” Ch’Truta inquired, wondering what had awakened her.

They turned, their eyes now on the man. The swamp man sharing their bed. Their eyes had dulled from the brilliant green they usually were. They now looked cold, decerning.

Pointing a finger at Ch'Truta, "Swamp man." There was no emotions in those words, certainly no love.

A chill went up Ch’Truta’s spine, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. So, they wouldn’t let her rest tonight.

Ch’Truta was beginning to hate the Sisters. He admired the direction they were leading. Couldn’t they lead as the swamp spirits without possessing someone?

“Can’t you allow her to rest?” Ch’Truta growled. “She is doing what you wish. Set her free and give her back to me. You’re going to kill her, then what?”

"Swamp man," they repeated. "She can't fight us. Tell her to stop fighting us."

They stepped backwards, closer to Kaithak. The falcon clearly knew that it wasn't Islana. In a rare move, the bird of prey flew across the room, barely missing Sister Locust's head and landed on Ch’Truta’s shoulder.

"Tell her..." They repeated.

Ch’Truta instinctively did what he promised Islana. He threw one arm about Islana’s waist, the other pulled her head to his shoulder. He held her tightly.

“”Islana,” he whispered in her ear, “you must fight with all you have. I love you! Fight them! You can do it!”

"Tell her," they repeated, one last time before Islana’s body fell into unconsciousness.

It was difficult to tell if the Islana had won the brief battle or if the Sisters had given her back, for the moment.

When her body relaxed in his grip, Ch’Truta at first thought they had killed Islana. He clung to her, crying and whispering into her ear, “No, no, no!”

Suddenly, his arm about her waist felt her ribs expand as Islana breathed air. He felt her warm breath exhaling upon his neck.

“Islana! Stand strong!” he spoke aloud. “Fight! Be strong! I love you! Hold onto that!”

As if the Sisters were in the room, Ch’Truta spoke to them, “Be gone! You cannot have her!”

Kaithak had moved from Ch'Truta's shoulder, now watching from a near by perch.

It took a few minutes, but eventually Islana’s eyes slowly opened. They were back to the brilliant green. "Ch'Truta," she whispered, weakly. "My love." It was definitely her, back but she was weary, weak and seemed exhausted.

Relieved to her Islana’s voice and not the combined voices of the Sisters, Ch’Truta relaxed his muscles. He began to breathe slower, taking in deep breaths, the panic leaving him.

“I thought I had lost you,” Ch’Truta confessed. “Now, I have you back.”

He gazed into her eyes and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “U’Tani [Bright Eyes],” Ch’Truta whispered, “you fought them and came back to me. Kaithak alerted me. You came back to me. Now, rest. You are tired.”

Back in the bed now, Islana kept her hands holding his. She said nothing else, just fell asleep. Kaithak watched her, as if he was waiting for something else to happen.

The bird then moved his glance to Ch'Truta. While Islana might have an idea to what the falcon wanted, for anyone else it would be a guess. Still, he kept looking from Ch'Truta to Islana and back again. Until he finally, settled into perch.

Ch’Truta looked at the strange behavior of the Falcon. “You wake me Kaithak,” he urged. “If anything more happens, wake me!”

Ch’Truta eased in behind Islana, spooning against her back. He held her hand in one of his and held her tight with the opposite arm.

“Rest now,” he whispered. “But fight, U’Tani. If they come back, fight, my Love.”