CHAPTER 2

‘Rain is always relaxing’ thought the boy as he huddled under the sail hung up between the ground and a big tree like a lean-to. He always came here when it was supposed to rain. When he was younger he would play in the rain just like all the other children. But after his father was killed by Imperial troops he had stopped playing. To feed his mother and younger brother he had quit school, and even quit playing like the child he really was, to work in the rice fields. But on rainy days like this, when he couldn’t work in the field he would relax and watch Mother Nature as she brought clean water and clean fresh air into the region. Even the lightning was beautiful in its own dangerous way. The way it zig-zagged across the sky and lit up the darkened world was truly a sight to behold from his little hill overlooking the village and the river.

He sighed, thinking he would have to head home soon before it got too wet and too dark to see. Taking a last long look at the light rain that swept the valley he turned and began to gather his cloak and small pack. After putting both on he started down the hill along his well used path. Few people actually used it, but he made a point to keep it clear of debris so that on the few occasions he himself used it, such as now, he wouldn’t have to worry about tripping.

As he reached the bottom of the hill he turned to look at the river again. It was slightly swollen from the valleys run-off, and the current looked faster. Small tree limbs floated by as the ever moving water carried it down stream.

‘Best not go near the water’ he thought ‘I might get washed away by accident.’

Turning down the path, but staying away from the water, the boy walked towards his small village. It was bigger than the few other villages near the valley, but from the maps he had seen of the trade city by the river at the end of the valley his home was very small.

As the river went by his village it flowed around a small bend, creating a shallow bay that was used to store the few fishing boats the village had. The clam water was only disturbed by the falling rain. The boy walked along the shore looking across the small bay. The light from the lightning created a kaleidoscope of color every time it flashed. The boy stopped as he was mesmerized by the swirled colors.

As he stood waiting for another flash he noticed something in the water not far from their small pier. He squinted his eyes trying to see it more clearly, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. After looking at for a minute more he decide to go out on the pier to see if he could get a better look at it.

As he walked it looked as if the thing was floating closer and closer to the current. Just as he reached the end of the dock a big flash of lightning lit up the bay. The boy gasped as he realized what he was looking at. It was a body! He turned and started running back to shore. ‘Salty can help!’ thought the boy as he ran to the fisherman’s house right across from the end of the pier.

He started banging on the door as he stopped in front of it.

“Salty! Help! Hey Salty I need some help! Please!” he yelled as hit hit the door several more times.

The door swung open quickly as an older man with salt and pepper hair stepped out.

“What do you need Patu?” he asked as he finished pulling on his cloak.

“Somebody is in the bay! I think the current is about to take them!” said the boy as he turned and pointed to the figure in the bay.

“Go get Grandda, we might need his help!” said Salty as he ran towards the water throwing off his cloak.

Patu raced off down the lane as he headed for the village’s healer.

‘Please be awake!’ he thought as he turned down another lane towards the healers home.
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Salty swam as fast as he could, trying to reach the body before the current took it. As he got closer he was confused. The body was clearly man sized, but it was covered in dark fur!

‘What the hell?’ thought salty as he finally reached the creature and grabbed its arm to catch it.

‘Its the size of a man, but its not a man!’ he thought as he pulled the body closer while trying to turn towards the shore.
‘It sure is heavy whatever it is. Must weigh over a few hundred pounds!’ he thought as he struggled to the shallows and tried to drag the body out of the water.
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Patu slowed down as he reached the steps to the healers door. Everyone called him Grandda, though Patu didnt know why, as far as he knew the man had no family in the village. He reached out and knocked hard on the door a few times.

“Who is it?” asked a tall older man that opened the door, “Ah, Patu, what can I do for you youngster?” He stepped out onto the small covered porch with Patu as he looked out at the rain.

“We found a body in the bay!