Return to Blackberry Valley Chap2 (work in progress unedited)

Chapter two –

Riley eased himself up, grabbing onto a fallen tree. He didn’t dare take his eyes off of the person in front of him, a person that moments ago he could have sworn was his 96 year old great-grandfather, but now he was not sure.

“Riley, I feel weird.”

“Pawpaw? You look weird. Maybe, uh, maybe you should wash off in the creek a little?”

The man in front of Riley knelt down and splashed water onto his front. The mud ran off and for the first time Riley could get a good look at him. The man who stood up looked like his great-grandfather, but his face and body had filled out. His skin was no longer wrinkled and leathery, but tan and flush. The hair on his head was fuller, and a dark brown. His brown eyes, so often glazed and watery back home were now fierce and clear.

“Pawpaw? I, uh, think...uh, how do you feel?”

“Ok I guess… no, wait, I feel really good actually, now that I think about it. And what’s up with my voice Riley? What the hell is going on boy, tell me!”

“Pawpaw, you look ...well, younger.”

“What do you mean younger?”

“I dunno, just, younger… look at your hands Pawpaw…”

Eric looked down at his hands, the age spots gone, and the bony hands now fleshy and full.

He looked up at Riley, his eyes rimmed with water. “I think we did it Riley, I think we’re back…” his voice barely a whisper.

Riley looked around. “It doesn’t seem any different.”

“That’s what I remember, but look at me Riley. I’m different… something’s happened. Something… Let’s get up the bank here and see what is out there in the sun.”

Riley reached down and picked up his bow and quiver. The two scrambled up the bank and found themselves at the edge of a large field.  Across it lay tall trees and a small pile of boulders.  The top of the tallest of which was a good ten feet off the ground. Riley felt a shiver go down his spine.

“The rocks… are those the-“ Riley asked.

“Yes. What?”

Eric saw Riley’s face go white. Before he could ask what, he knew the answer. A huge booming voice came from behind him.

“Eric is that you?” Eric spun around and was face to face with a large black rabbit. It was a lot larger and somewhat less cute than Riley had imagined it would be. Eric put out his arms and gave the rabbit a large hug, which seemed to surprise the rabbit as much as it did Riley.

“Walter!”

“Oopf, easy does it there Eric. Glad to see you in one piece. Welcome back.”

“Glad to be back Walter, lots of questions, but glad to be here. What took you guys so long…” Eric stopped for a moment, suddenly realizing that while what he meant to ask was why it took 75 years for Karn to send for him, the fact that he now felt and seemed to look hardly any older than when he’d left the valley 75 years ago might mean that no time at all had passed. He tried to figure out how exactly to ask about this when he heard Riley clear his throat.

“Um, yes, so, ahh, how long has it been? I mean, since Pa- Eric, since Eric left?”

Walter looked over Eric’s shoulder with a slight frown on his face.

“Well, let’s see… that would be five. Five years. And you are?”

“Riley, pleased to meet you Walter, I’ve heard so much about you.”

Riley stuck out his hand. Not sure exactly how greetings worked. Walter smiled with his mouth but his eyes did not. He stuck out a paw.

“Well, any friend of Eric’s is a friend of mine.”

“Oh, I’m not his friend… I ‘m his…well-“

Eric cut him short. “He’s a cousin. A cousin, related.” Walter looked at Eric with a puzzled expression but said nothing.

“Well, yes, alright then. Come along now Eric and um, Riley. The others are waiting for us by the rocks. By now they may be getting worried, I am afraid we have spent longer than I wanted out here in the open.” Walter paused, turned to look at Eric directly. “Time has a way of getting away from us sometimes.” Riley could have sworn he saw the giant rabbit wink, but he was not sure.

Walter gently lopped off across the field to the large rocks Riley had seen earlier. He recognized that they must be the same rocks where Eric had first met Walter and the rest. As he began to walk after Walter he felt Eric touch his sleeve.

“Riley, best to uh… keep a low profile on exactly what has happened, at least until we can figure out exactly what has happened. I’ll talk to Walter tonight and try to sort it out.”

Riley shrugged OK and they hurried to catch up to Walter across the field.

Riley and Eric, now caught up, followed Walter around the large rocks at the other end of the field. There, waiting, were several other rabbits and one other person. Riley recognized one of the rabbits as the grey rabbit with black marks that had delivered the note to him in the garden, although he was now many times larger. There were two other seemingly identical rabbits, both a tawny brown.

The other person broke out into a wide grin upon seeing Eric. Riley recognized her at once as Jet, a slight but tough looking woman with short black hair and a fierce look. Riley could see why it had taken Eric several days last time to recognize her as a woman. She wore what seemed like men’s clothing, loose fitting pants and a brown tunic. She also wore a dark brown felt cap, hiding her face somewhat. She casually walked over to Eric and gave him a slug on the arm and then a deep hug.

“Eric you look terrible! You look a hundred!” Eric pushed back, his face looked surprised, but Jet just laughed. “I’m kidding! What? You look fine.” Jet’s levity trailed off, she was not sure what had just happened.  She looked at Walter, who just shrugged. “Well Eric?”

Eris laughed out loud. “Well Jet? Still the same polite and demure little lady I see.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere peffa.” She scowled and then laughed too. “So who is your friend?”

“Oh, uh, my cousin, actually. Riley, this is Jet.”

Again Riley offered his hand to shake, Jet smiled and cocked her head. “Cousin eh? He could pass for your son Eric. Welcome Riley.” By this time the three rabbits had hopped up to Eric and Riley too. The grey rabbit with black marks smiled at Eric.

“Path! I should have known. Riley described you as the messenger, am I right?”

“Yes,” said Path with a mischievous grin on his face. “You owe me big time too Eric, had to outrun a dog on the return trip. Nasty creature.”

“Sorry to hear that. Thank you Path for coming over all the same, I was getting worried.”

“Yeah, it’s been a while,” Path said casually.

“You have no idea,” replied Eric.

“And these are my cousins Eric.” Path said, his paw pointing to the two tawny rabbits behind him. The two seemed noticeably smaller and younger than either Path or Walter. They hopped up to shake hands with both Eric and Riley.

“I’m Richard, and this is Adam. Did you really come from the other side of the bamboo? We’ve never been, too dangerous for us still says Path, but we hope to get there one day,” said one of the two in a breathless tumble. Riley guessed they had to be twins as he could not tell them apart. Even the white beards on their front below their mouth were identical.

“Come on now guys, don’t pester them,” said Path.

Walter cleared his throat in a meaningful way. “Not to cut things short, but we’re not entirely safe here anymore than in the open, I suggest we get a move on.”

Eric nodded, but Riley, still in shock over the four very large rabbits and his great-grandfather’s transformation shook his head slightly. “I’m sorry, but to where? Where are we going?”

Eric, who had moved towards Walter, turned around. “To Mayblossom Riley, like the note said. Right Walter?” Walter nodded his head yes.  Riley frowned, his brow creased. Eric put his hand out to stop Walter.

“Walter, let me talk to Riley for a moment ok? Alone?” Eric looked pointedly at the twins, who took a second to register but then quickly hopped back a few steps.

“Riley, look I know this is all weird.” Eric said, coming in close to Riley and speaking in a low voice, “and if you want to go back now I would be fine with that. In fact it might be a good idea. I imagine your mother would be worried if you did not show up.”

Riley breathed out slowly and looked around carefully at the deep green forest. His mind raced, but something inside was tugging at him, not back towards home, but forward, towards… towards the unknown. He felt almost dizzy.

“I… I think I’ll be ok. Here.”

“You sure?” Eric asked. Riley couldn’t tell if Eric was relieved or disappointed, or maybe a little of both.

“Yeah...sure.  It’s an adventure, right? What do I have to go back to really? I figure this is about as good a way to get off the mountain as any Pawpaw.” Riley saw anger flash in his great grandfather’s eyes.

“OK, but listen, you cannot call me that anymore, got it?”

Riley, taken aback by the display of the old Pawpaw’s anger silently nodded.

“Ok Walter! Let’s go. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do as we walk!” Eric trotted back to Walter and the whole group began to walk away from the rocks into the dark forest.

Riley hustled to catch up to Walter, not wanting to miss a word.