Those that came before

Kaj stared thoughtfully down into the river valley and what lay within. The tribe’s teller had often spoken of such; the time before places. Dark places full of darker creatures awaiting those foolish enough to venture there. From his vantage high in the boughs of one of the forest Sitka it didn’t look like a ‘dark place’ it looked almost peaceful; the hard angular lines of the ancient buildings had been softened by two centuries of vegetation growth as the Earth mother sought to heal the scars left by ‘those that came before’. Indeed most of the constructions had already crumpled into piles of rubble and been consumed by the forest; only a few still stood, silent and empty; defying Earth mother’s healing efforts.
Silent. It struck him for the first time; the forest was silent. There were no bird calls no insects, only the quiet whisper of the wind in the upper canopy. His eyes fell on one of the remaining buildings; half again as tall as the forest around it with many windows; the glass long since gone. It was almost like those dark openings were the many faceted eyes of a spider staring back at him; daring him to approach.
A cold breeze brushed him and he shuddered, his hackles rising; the first, vague rumour of fear surfaced. After a moment he growled it away; old tales to frighten the tribe’s children. It would take more than that to turn him from his quest.
With all the agility of a creature that had spent his life in trees he dropped through the boughs to the soft earth beneath. Going into the city was the only chance he had.
Noda was more handsome than he was; Patram was bigger and as strong as a grizzly and Sek’s family were of higher standing in the tribe. In that company Kaj finished a poor fourth; there was no chance that Lita would choose him as her mate unless he could return from the city with something. It didn’t matter what as long as it could have only come from the city.
He smiled to himself, remembering her look of wonder when he told her of his intention. Neither Sek nor Noda would even consider such a venture and even mighty Patram would think twice. Only he, Kaj had the courage. Loosening his flint knife in its sheath he started toward the dry river that led into the city.
The sun was already touching the snow capped peaks on the western horizon and to the north the beginnings of the sky fire was flaring as he stepped down onto the dry river. It felt strange under his bare feet and he stopped, crouching to sniff at the strange surface. There was the faintest burnt odour emanating from it and on closer inspection he saw that its surface was pitted and cracked with a few hardy saplings fighting to take hold. He stood again, looking back out of the valley where the dry river was swallowed by the forest after only a short distance. Yet in the valley itself it snaked down toward the city virtually clear of growth; almost as if something were keeping it clear…