Samuel yelled for three young Humans and they ran forward and climbed the bindings. One carried a vine that was placed under Scottys arms and around his back, and two of them lowered him to the group waiting to receive him. Cegee landed right behind him and Jesa ran and climbed the vines before anyone could move. Jingo saw her coming and she threw her arms around his neck and started crying. He whispered, I cant use my arms to hold you, Jesa.
She looked at him and kissed him, I dont care. I need you in my arms.
Three youths climbed up and lowered Jingo to the ground. Scotty looked at Samuel and Jing, We lost more than two hundred in the fight. He saw their immediate sadness.
Jing looked at Scotty and asked, Were you able to save the Zords newborns?
Scotty gave a small smile and said, The Torg did not get even one hatchling. We saved them all.
Samuel took a deep breath and asked, How many Torg attacked?
Scotty said, We estimated more than half a million.
Zreeg said, There were at least that number, and probably more. My leader requests a meeting with you at the next full moons at midnight, if that is acceptable.
Jing looked up at the giant Zord and said, We will welcome you to our communities.
Other giant warriors were landing and the community began welcoming home the brave archers that had been feared lost. Zreeg looked at Scotty and then lifted to make room for the returning archers.
Jing asked, Whats wrong with your arms?
We fought the Torg for nine hours and I fired more than three thousand arrows. I think I pulled things that I didnt know I had.
Two women came running up and escorted Scotty away. Samuel knew they would care for the injured warrior. Jingo was escorted away by Jesa and the two leaders knew he was in good hands.
Samuel watched the Zord fly in with their cargo of weary archers and saw the Zords respect for the brave Humans and Cainth that had fought for them. They waited to get the names of the ones killed in the fighting, but they both felt a sense of pride of what their warriors had accomplished. The two stayed until the last one arrived and was cared for by the waiting communities. Jing looked at Samuel and said, Half a million Torg. Our defenses have been greatly strengthened by what they endured.
Samuel shook his head, I wish I could have witnessed it.
Jing got a far-a-way look in his eyes, Just think about it; half a million Torg.
Jingo lay on the ground under one of the small trees next to the central clearing. Jesa was massaging oil from the halbeg tree on his four arms and he was in heaven. She continued to rub the oil on his lower right arm and asked, Did you do as I asked and avoided taking dangerous risks?
Uh oh, Jingo thought. Im here, my love. I must have done something right.
Jesa looked at Jingo and continued to rub oil on his arms. Thank the creator he listened to me, she thought.
The archers told the community of the fight and the bravery of those that were lost. The archers adopted their fallen comrades families and vowed to treat them as their own. No one believed the tale that was told. Everyone just knew the story was embellished as war tales often were. Some of the teenagers didnt believe any of it, but kept their opinions to themselves. The archers slowly healed, and finally the time for the meeting arrived.
Jing and Samuel were waiting at the fire and the two communities were sitting around them at the edge of the trees. Scotty, Jingo, and Jesa sat with Jesas parents and waited for the Zords arrival. Scotty looked up at the two full moons and the blanket of stars. He thought about how much had happened since the previous meeting and hoped the Zord would keep their word about no future attacks. As he stared at the stars, a huge number of them were blocked out. He turned to Jingo and said, Theyre here.
Bleath and the four elders came in together this time and landed beside the fire next to Jing and Samuel. Jing walked forward and said, Welcome back to our community.
Bleath looked around at the gathered Humans and Cainth, then looked at Jing and Samuel. We have come to give honor to those that came and fought for our children. What they did will never be forgotten by us. We could not see the fight taking place in the trees, but one of us was able to view a small portion of it at the end. We feel it is important that you bear witness to what your brave archers endured to save us. Bleath looked out at the gathered communities and sent the vision Vring had given him.
The community saw a view of trees that were dodged and flown around as the one viewing flew through the forest. The vision was as real as being there seeing it happen. Then the view shifted down and the pathways leading to the community were seen; they were choked with Torg. The view flew over trees where archers were firing at huge mounds of dead Torg. Then they saw Scotty and Jingo running forward and start firing at the giant ging where the Torg had broken through to its trunk and were charging around the giant tree. They watched as Scotty and Jingo held their ground in front of the mass of charging Torg as other archers joined them. The mound of dead animals surrounding the tree was high and getting higher. Then the view changed as the viewer flew into the forest.
The view started again as the Zord flying through the trees approached the nesting ground again. They watched as hundreds of giant Torg pulled at the dead bodies around the giant tree. They saw as the flyer released the load of quivers and watched them fall to the gathered archers. Then the view changed as the giant tree rushed into view and came to a jarring halt.
The community could see that the flyer had hit the tree and was hanging on. The view below looked like a vision from hell as the Torg pulled bodies away from the tree. Then the community saw Scotty looking up at the downed flyer, reach down and grab four quivers of arrows, then run toward the tree. Jingo was right behind him, and the two of them climbed the mound toward the flyer. Then the view changed to the level of the two archers on top of the mound killing Torg at an unbelievable rate. They saw Scotty kill six Torg as they tried to attack the wounded Zord. They saw the jaws of a giant Torg come within six feet of the wounded Zord. They knew the Zord was now on top of the mound with the two archers. No one counted the number of arrows Scotty and Jingo fired on the mound, but many Torg came within an arms length of them before they fell back into the climbing mass. The view shifted to the pathways, and the Torg filled them as far as could be seen in both directions. Then the other archers arrived and the killing amazed the communities. When the four hundred archers came down the mound, one being led by Scotty and the other by Jingo, the dead Torg filled the pathways ten feet high. Then they saw the Torg turn and rush away from the archers advancing up the path. The view shifted to one high over the forest and the community watched as the Torg began running from the forest in hundreds, then thousands, and then hundreds of thousands. Even the archers that had been in the fight were shocked into silence.
Jesa looked at Jingo and he could see she knew he had not heeded her advice to not take any risks. He lowered his head and said, Im sorry, Jesa.
She lifted his chin with two hands and looked into his eyes, Ill never be as proud of you as I am at this moment. She had tears in her eyes as she held him tight. You would not be here if you had followed my advice. Jingo put his head on hers and said, I love you.
She nodded and whispered, I know.
The doubting teenagers felt their shame. They looked at the archers that faced the Torg herds and were silenced by the bravery they witnessed. They vowed to become just like the brave archers.