Impossible Dreamers

Part Three, (mek), Chapter 27 (degtwi-mek): Climbing Greblara

'None of those things,' she paused to breathe deeply, 'except that I have brought provisions and shelter for myself. And it is myself that I mostly bring you. Myself as a part of your party. Myself and my understanding. Myself and my support.' Elara stopped again, looking down at her stick, and taking deep breaths to allow her words to catch up with her thoughts. Then she continued, 'I will go with you, if you will have me.'

The group looked at one another. They were all wondering the same thing. Would Elara be a help, or a hindrance to the party? She was a good deal older than all the others, and not very fit. Even on the flat earth, she needed a stick to walk. Would she be able to climb the sheer walls of Greblara?

Trentaya broke the silence: 'Honoured Elara, your offer is welcome, but...'

'Trentaya,' Elara interrupted, 'before you explain to me that it is not my place to go with you, let me make my case.' Elara smiled.

'Very well, Honoured Counsellor,' Trentaya said, smiling in her turn.

'You can address me as Elara', the Counsellor interrupted again, 'On this trip I will have no special status.'

'I understand, Elara,' Trentaya continued, 'but if you will accompany us, I must warn you, as I have all the others, that this will be a hard and dangerous journey. Seren-ila should not risk losing another of its most capable and useful Wise Ones. So my own feeling is that you should await our return, and use your wisdom here.'

'As Piacho would say: "Ha!"', the others all laughed. 'I understand your concern, Trentaya,' Elara said, gently, 'but I feel that what small wisdom I have should accompany you on this trip. It will do more good with you, than waiting here in Seren-ila. And though my body is old and tired, I know that my understanding will be a help to you.'

'In what particular way?' said Jengara.

'You may not know, young friend, but from the time of my showing, when I was a deal younger than you are now, I have always had an interest in the plant life of Greblara. My study in this field has continued for many, many years, and I think it will serve us well. There are plants growing on this mountain that can provide nourishment and strength to us, and there are other plants, some of them with a very similar appearance, that would cause illness, or even death. You will need to know these things. You cannot hope to survive the whole trip on the rations we can carry.'

It was true that they had planned to supplement their rations with food that they could forage on Greblara. Trentaya had some understanding of what was edible and what was not, but she had nothing like the knowledge that Elara had.

Trentaya spoke again. 'Elara, what you say is true, but still we cannot...'

'I know what you are thinking. An old woman with a stick will slow the party down,' said Elara. 'Very well, if I do so, I will turn back. I know how important this trip is.'

But was it practicable for Elara to begin the journey, and then to possibly have to turn back before the end? Trentaya hesitated.

Then Bolseno spoke: 'Honoured Elara...' Elara raised her hand, but Bolseno pressed on, with emphasis, 'Honoured Elara – as the youngest of those here, I can't fail to address you with the respect that a Wise One deserves – I understand your reasons for wishing to come with us, and I also understand the hesitation of Trentaya and others in this party. I don't think we would be comfortable with the idea of you turning back, even if you were slowing the party down. But I have much strength and vigour. I think I have more than is needed for this task. So I propose that I lend my strength to your weakness. I will be your prop and support. I will be your stick on this journey. I will get you through. If the others are willing to trust me, and my strength, we will gain your wisdom to take us on to Bartyronis.'

Trentaya was still not sure that they were doing the right thing, but the others all agreed with this plan, and so Elara was welcomed into the party.

They set off again, carrying as much food as they could manage, as well as the portable, folding shelters that Falera had constructed. Even the first part of the journey, across the shallow slopes, overgrown with bright yellow plants, was hard work. The spiky plants grew out of a sea of grey ash from the now silent volcano. The ash was knee deep in some places, and they made slow progress under the weight of all the food and equipment. Surprisingly, Elara, with her sturdy stick, made just as good progress as the others in this part of the journey, though Bolseno was always at her side.

Trentaya knew this area well. She had flown over it many times, and she had picked baskets full of the yellow plants – herelina. It was from these plants that the stuff was made to go into wrist-flyers. How much easier it had been to travel across this area before, able as she then was to hover above the spikes and move quickly from one plant to another. Trentaya remembered how important it had been to always leave behind a good proportion of the growing plants. Only one in every group of ept could be picked, and only once in each year. But even when she didn't have to pick the herelina plants, she liked to fly over this peaceful place and breathe in the strong, sweet smell.

Trentaya knew that a little further on there was a place that was sheltered from the ash, where the ground was soft and springy underfoot, comfortable as a mattress to lie upon. This was a place where she would sometimes land and rest after a flying session, getting her strength back for the journey home. It was a place that Ralkino had shown her, in the time when they had been able to fly together. It was towards this place that Trentaya led the party.

It would be a long, long journey.