The Oath - Chapter 1

1. The Oath Tree
Once upon a never, not far from the village, there stood a lone tree on a hill. It was white from root to branch and from thorn to leaf. Tip climbed the hill, bloodied his thumb on one of the sharp thorns and smeared it on the trunk. As he did this, he swore an oath. Legend told that those who kept their oaths would have good fortune. Those who broke them would be cursed with bad luck. His blood soaked into the bark, the red smear fading to white. His oath had been accepted. Full of a certainty that he would keep his oath and gain good fortune, Tip strode down the hill and headed back to the village.

2. A New Friend
On the way back, he heard a faint sound by the side of the road. A black kitten was trapped in a bramble, mewling. It cried louder when it saw him. He freed it, scratching himself in the process. The kitten rubbed up against his leg. It seemed all alone, just like Tip. He fed it some of his food and walked off a few paces. It followed him on shaky legs. After a while he picked it up and put it carefully in his hood, where it purred quietly. “We can both be alone together. You’ll need a name. Let’s call you Bramblepaw,” said Tip. Bramblepaw purred louder.

3. The Walk Home
The village wasn’t too far now, maybe another mile. He recognized a tree in the hedgerow that always reminded him of a bear because it had thick limbs and a knot that looked like a face. Tip growled at it and Bramblepaw poked its little head out, looking around sleepily. “Don’t worry, it’s just a bear,” said Tip. A breeze from the village wafted the smell of smoke. A large, dark bird alighted on the bear-tree, its black eyes glittering as it watched him pass. He ignored it and walked on.

4. The Old Brown Cow
Passing the meadow, the old brown cow raised its head and looked at Tip, unimpressed. “Hey now, old brown cow,” said Tip. He turned it into a song in time with his footsteps. It helped to keep him distracted. “Hey now, old brown cow. You eat your grass cos it’s your chow. The old brown cow, the old brown cow. You’re not a pig or you’d be a sow. The old brown cow, the old brown cow. If you was an ox you could pull a plow. The old brown cow, the old brown cow. If you was a cat, you could say…” At that very moment, Bramblepaw meowed.

5. Bramblepaw’s Dream
Bramblepaw was born in a hedge. Her mother always looked after her and the others. She hid them and fed them. One night there was a terrible sound and Bramblepaw shut her eyes tight. When she opened them, one of her sisters was gone and her mother hissed into the night. This happened every night until soon it was just her and her mother left. Her mother stood guard all night and attacked when the terrible noise came again. Bramblepaw opened her eyes to find herself alone in the dark hedge, monsters closing in. She awoke in terror with a “Meow.”

6. The Burned Village
Tip approached the great old oak at the edge of the village green. Its branches still burned in places. Around him, the homes and buildings were rent by great claws, torn apart and charred. Here and there, corpses of the villagers were strewn around, torn limb from limb and showing dark claw and bite marks. At the centre of the green, shadows oozed and flowed like mist out of the well. The large dark bird perched on top, watching him.

7. The Pyre
He set about building a pyre for the dead, taking a tooth from each of his loved ones and holding them in his closed fist for a moment. Six teeth, bloody and full of dark emotion. The shadows oozed and pulsed as he worked. He built the pyre around the well, piling on any unburned wood and then the bodies. He made sure to put all parts of a body together, binding them with red thread and murmuring a few words. The dark bird watched him, dodging when he loosed a few stones its way. He hadn’t expected it to work but it was worth a try. For a day and a night he worked, piling on possessions, unburned wood, bodies. Bramblepaw darted here and there, meowing when she found something. Then Tip would go and carry it onto the pyre. All the while, the dark bird watched. The smoky shadows reached lazily for them but were slow enough to dodge. As dawn approached, they were done. Tip fed and watered Bramblepaw, who climbed back up into his hood. The pyre caught as soon as he put fire to it, flames rising high, summoning dawn from night. He spoke the names of all who had died as their ash fell into the well, smothering the shadows. He pulled each tooth from his pouch, spoke the name and cast it into the flames. As the last and smallest tooth left his hand, he broke down and sobbed.

8. The Harder Path
With the fire blazing at their back, Tip and Bramblepaw left the village. They headed along the road to the next village to warn them. Not half a mile out, their way was blocked by the dark bird which stood in the centre of the track. It flicked its head towards the forest. Tip took a step towards the next village and his mind flooded with visions of the village being destroyed as his had been. He took a step backwards and those visions faded, being replaced by visions of him struggling through dense forest. Bramblepaw peeked out and hissed at the bird, then ducked back into Tip’s hood when it turned its head to glare at her. “It’s fine. We’ll take your deal, bird. You spare the village in return for us walking the harder path,” said Tip. The dark bird nodded and flew off. Although the road was now clear, Tip turned and headed into the forest. He kept his word, just as he kept his oaths. Soon enough, the bird would see. The undergrowth was dense and he ripped his clothes getting through the forest. It was hard going. After an hour, Tip found a small deer path and followed it to a small pool with several stone statues in the undergrowth around it.