Rain and the Seven Stones
A Short Story by Jill D'Entremont
Chapter 6
“Perna is the keeper of the fifth stone, known as the Stone of Temperance. It is a vibrant orange stone. Food is her biggest weakness, so I suggest thinking up something along those lines.”
Rain carefully stepped through the boggy ground not far from when she had tracked down Rhoger’s children days earlier. The marsh was the home of Perna the plated grazer and the herd she had come to lead. She had heard stories that Perna rarely left her rock-hewn court among the cypress trees, but also that her herd tried to keep their visits with her to a minimum. In Rain’s mind, it was silly to proclaim leadership and then basically ignore the rest of the herd; of course, her only real experience was living in Thorn’s herd. He would have never left his herd’s sight for fear the herd would decide they wouldn’t need him.
She slowly approached Perna’s court, and once she got a clear shot through the cypress trees that lined the marsh, she understood matters completely.
The deep brown grazer sunbathing in the light looked as if she had swallowed a boulder. Her kind’s already stout legs only accentuated the girth that swelled between them, and the brick-red plates that lined her back seemed incredibly insignificant on one so large.
Rain’s mouth fell open. “Kotah wasn’t kidding...”
Rustling nearby had her crouching down into the high reeds, and she was able to catch a glimpse of another plated grazer shuffling through the mud. Unlike Perna, this grazer’s size was almost too thin.
“Perna, I’ve come to bring you your part of the morning’s foraging,” he called as he approached her court.
Sure enough, Rain was able to pick out a crudely made bag hanging around the grazer’s neck. She raised her brows in surprise that she had finally found another creature that crafted material. Apparently necessity was an important motivator.
Perna took in a breath and replied snidely, “I was wondering when you would be coming, Reid. The sun is already past its zenith.”
“We had to venture a little further today,” Reid attempted, “I am sorry to keep you waiting.”
The bloated creature made little movement as Reid bowed and began pulling the bag over his head with a clawed hand. It wasn’t until the bag’s contents were strewn onto the ground that she heaved onto all fours and thrust her face into it.
Rain clamped her hand against her mouth to avoid gagging.
Reid appeared used to it; he looped the bag back over his head trudged back into the marsh without another word. Perna also did not speak, as she was far too busy slurping up the plant matter.
Rain cautiously repositioned herself to better survey Perna’s court. Stone pillars were interspersed between a stacked stone wall that lined the back of it. Each pillar had some sort of trinket sitting upon it, and sure enough, the bright orange stone was resting upon the middle pillar.
“Maybe I can just get behind it while she’s busy eating.” Rain gripped the staff in her hands and started moving through the marsh, but she had only taken a few steps further before her feet began to sink into the sloppy ground. She staggered backward out of the mud but feared the slapping of her feet would alert Perna of her presence.
Instead, the beast belched and slumped back into her lounging stance. Her meal was finished.
Rain huffed while steadying herself. “She’s done eating, and I can’t walk around without swimming,” she muttered, “so much for that plan.” She scanned the area further, but it seemed as if the only way to get the stone would be to walk through Perna’s court—which would mean getting past the unmoving Perna.
Frowning, Rain slipped her staff onto her back and adjusted her bag full of food. She had gathered quite a bit on her way over when Kotah had mentioned Perna’s weakness; perhaps that would be her key to the stone.
Rain stepped onto the path and started towards Perna in broad daylight.
“Who are you, two-leg walker?” Perna’s voice called as Rain approached the stone court.
The blue grazer almost jumped, noting that Perna’s eyes hadn’t even opened.
“You’re clearly not one of my herd.” The plated grazer finally opened her narrow eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“I was making my way through the swamp,” Rain waved her hand, “I was looking for some marsh plants.”
“From the mud on your feet, you must be what I heard before,” Perna took a labored breath as Rain sheepishly glanced at her toes. “You’ll need to look elsewhere. I don’t allow outsiders to graze in my territory. We have a shortage of plants as it is.”
Rain’s lips twisted, holding back an offhanded comment about where she thought the plants were going. “All right, I apologize.”
“Wait!”
Rain stopped turning and watched as Perna strained to get to her feet.
“What’s in your bag?” The grazer’s eyes were oddly wide.
Rain touched the bag on her side. “Oh, these are plants I’ve gathered along the way.”
Perna licked her lips. “I don’t see why I couldn’t allow you to forage if you share what you’ve brought.”
“Oh, I’d hate to impose,” Rain turned her head aside.
“Just come here!” Perna pushed herself forward.
Rain didn’t argue further and stepped onto the stone court. She winced as Perna began salivating as she knelt down and opened her pack. “I need to save some for my journey, but you’re welcome to have these—”
Perna made no hesitation to swallow the stems straight from Rain’s hands, and the blue grazer had to release the bundle quickly for fear of her fingers being bitten off. “Mmm—these are from the fields! I haven’t tasted the likes of them in ages.” Perna hummed again. “Feel free to bring more any time, miss...”
“Rain,” she nodded.
“Miss Rain. Yes,” Perna hiccupped, “just bring more.”
Rain’s eyes turned up to the stone pillars behind Perna. “Oh, what’s that?”
Perna twisted her head back, trying to follow Rain’s gaze. “What’s what?”
“That orange stone,” Rain took the smallest of steps toward the back of the court.
“No!” Perna shoved her massive body into Rain and caused the blue grazer to stumble onto all fours.
“Ow—what—”
“You cannot have it!!” Perna sneered, balancing her great weight on her stout legs and curving her spiked tail towards Rain. The sudden movement had the grazer heaving to keep up her breathing.
Rain immediately held up her hands in defense. “No—I mean—I wasn’t trying to ask for it!”
Perna glared at Rain through narrow eyes. “Good.” She dropped her guard and heavily dropped to the ground. “You may gather marsh plants if you’d like. Then be on your way.”
Rain’s heart was finally beginning to slow from the sudden confrontation. She decided against taking one last look toward the stone and instead nodded toward the bloated grazer staring her down. “Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”
With Perna offering a strained huff in reply, Rain could only adjust her equipment and continue away from her court empty-handed.
--
Rain took Perna’s permission to graze and used it to remain in the marsh to look for any other ways to get close to the orange stone. She tried to round the other side of Perna’s court but was suddenly up to her knees in sludge. She frantically clobbered back onto the marsh’s equivalent of dry land and annoyedly surveyed the mildewed mud that now covered her legs. Apparently, if Perna’s court wasn’t built of stone, she and Kotah’s orange gem would have sunk long ago.
Rain ran into Reid and other members of Perna’s herd on her trek, and she had to explain Perna’s allowance for her to graze. The plated grazers could only sigh and continue their trudge to look for more food for themselves. Filled with pity—especially after witnessing the way Perna treated Reid—she offered them the rest of the stems and leaves in her food bag. Though it was a meager amount, smiles lit their faces, and they thanked her continually until they parted ways.
One tidbit of information they shared with her was that one of them would return to deliver Perna’s dinner before nightfall, and that Perna ate practically anything set before her. With this in mind, Rain began to develop plan: if she could give Perna something to eat that would temporarily disable her, she would be able to slip past her and take the stone before she came to. She had learned about sleeping berries as a child, as many bushes used to grow near her herd’s grounds, so she knew she’d have no trouble tracking some down.
She smirked and rushed away to collect the berries.
--
“You again?” Perna again noticed Rain’s footsteps long before opening her eyes. “I didn’t mean for you to gather everything we ha—”
“Oh, I haven’t been here this whole time, but I had gathered another bundle of stems from the field and thought I’d thank you by bringing a few more to you.” She patted her bag, “And I caught your dinner on its way over.”
“You have my food?” Perna’s eyes grew wide. She heaved onto her feet as Rain approached her.
“Well, I figure since you’re a food connoisseur—”
“What gave you that idea?” Perna blinked.
Rain bit her lip, again stifling an improper answer. “...Because you recognized that the stems I brought earlier were from the field.”
Perna seemed pleased. “Oh, I see. Continue.”
“Well, I wanted to mix the different foods together to create a better flavor. It’s something I’ve learned in my travels.”
“Right,” Perna’s mouth was already beginning to water. “Let’s have it.”
Rain carefully portioned a small amount of stems for herself, and then added the rest in front of Perna. Two sleeping berries were included in Perna’s pile, which she didn’t appear to notice as she began to eat.
“Mmmm, this is delicious!” the grazer hummed, loudly chomping away at the bundle of leaves before her.
“It is; thank you for sharing it with me,” Rain nodded, munching on a marsh plant.
Perna continued to hum and mumble as the food disappeared. She had even attempted to lick the remainder of the leaves from the ground once the pile had been consumed.
Rain tried not to grimace at the plated grazer’s display, but her expression was far from subtle when Perna began lumbering into her lap.
“Are you going to finish that?” She asked, poking her nose into Rain’s remaining leaves.
“Um, no, go ahead…”
The crested grazer had barely begun to speak when Perna had downed the food and continued to stretch her way to Rain’s side.
“Excuse me, Perna—”
“You’re holding out on me, Rain!” Perna pushed her nose into Rain’s pack. “What’s all this?”
Rain’s teeth were clenched, trying to pull her bag away from the gluttonous grazer. “Perna, I really don’t think—this was for me to save—”
But Perna’s food-crazed state overpowered any reasoning Rain could give. Before she could be stopped, Perna pulled the rest of the food from Rain’s pack and was practically shoveling it into her mouth with her clawed paws.
“Oh, an’ there’sh even more berriesh!” Perna’s voice was muffled from the food stuffed in her mouth. “Here, I’ll even share!”
Rain’s gaping mouth was promptly stuffed with plant matter. She was forced to swallow to avoid choking, and she wiped her mouth for fear she had been smeared with Perna’s spit. When she drew her hand away, her face paled when the dark stain of crushed sleeping berries remained on her fingers.
With a hearty sigh, Perna sat back and licked her lips. Every ounce of plant matter had been eaten, adding more to the bloated beast’s already swollen gut. “I must say, Rain, I would appreciate you coming and bringing my dinner more often,” she grinned, squinting her dark eyes. “I’ve never heard of mixing plants and berries together while eating. It really gave… flavors.” She twisted her face and sniffled her nose. Her eyes batted a few times. “Good flavors,” she clarified as her gaze drifted aside. “This is strange, I hadsso much more t’say…” her words were beginning to slur.
Rain was biting her lip as she watched Perna’s rapid decline. Her heart was racing, knowing her time was just as limited if she truly had eaten one of the berries. Perna, however, had eaten enough to knock out an entire herd.
Perna hiccupped as her front paws gave way. “Whassshappenning…” she moaned, her eyes drooping closed. She groaned as her mouth fell slack and her body began to slump over. And then, with a great thud, the plated grazer flopped onto her side. Only her great belly rose and fell with a deep exhale.
Rain bolted from her place on the ground, past Perna, and to the back of the stone court. She snatched the orange stone from its pillar and bounded back the way she had come.
Blinking to keep her eyes alert, Rain had barely reached the forest when the feeling of extreme exhaustion began to slow her limbs. She trudged further, running through the evening light more and more erratically. She could scarcely keep her eyes focused when the boney head of a horned grazer came into view.
“Rain!” Rhoger seemed to jump with excitement. “Goodness, you’re running like someone called you ‘late for dinner’!”
Rain tripped over her feet and caught herself with her hands. She was heaving and could barely keep her head up.
Rhoger’s jovial expression immediately soured. “Are you okay?”
He rushed up to her moments before her eyelids fell closed and she collapsed.