An untrained eye would never have seen it for only those in the know could tell that the gentle sway of a lower branch and the wind in the other direction would signify that someone sat near the trunk of the great fir tree that towered upon the mountainside. Closer inspection by anyone with knowledge of such things would have revealed a small group of men discussing the finer points of a collaborated plan that had been in existence for the past four years and with every clan around the entire world, thanks to its helpers.
Still there were disputes, the clan had never revealed themselves to society, and though some thought that these people were more than figments of the traumatised imagination nothing had ever been available to prove that was so.

Now, only now, it had become a necessity, for as Sarah had told Devin, the habitat that these people had relied upon for the past few thousand years was widely being eaten up by the need for housing or food or both.

Their language though was not what Devin had heard. That had been purely for his benefit only. They did speak in tongues they did know animal sounds and their meanings and they did use these to confuse new and un-trusted helpers, but it was not their language although what was, was difficult to decipher. It was a language all their own. However for the purpose of this tale, a translation is provided.

Within the clan, the men folk were the head of the family, just as the Bible conditions families to be for their own benefit, the men were looked up to and respected by their wives and their children, Grandfathers were respected by their grown sons, and with everything, everyone knew their place. Due to that there were few arguments as in its own time the wheels of motion were so precise that life was as easy as it could be for people that resided in caves and tunnels throughout the mountains around the world.

Four years ago though, a problem arose. A family had died through malnutrition. It should never have happened with a clan as close knit as these people could make it, but pride is apparent in every nationality and no one was made aware that the family in question were starving and cold and slowly dying until it was too late, and as one they were found huddled in death around the meanest campfire any of the clan had ever seen, and the question was proposed – how had we let this happen? How did we not know that a family among us needed our help?

The answer came swiftly and was not an option, times were changing for the clan, and each found that food was not as abundant as it once was. Illegal hunting had taken from them animals that they had relied on for food source, and logging rights sold by governments meant that much of the natural habitat required for creatures was quickly disappearing. With that precious bees were lost, bees that had previously pollinated bushes that bore fruit that in turn fed the clan and their little ones. Thus drastic measures were sought and the ultimate answer found, the clan had to make themselves known to society as frightening as that may be. Hopefully land could be apportioned to them for their own protection and interference would be minimal once the first journalists had had their fill. For there was no doubt in the minds of the clan, their ‘coming out’ would make world headlines. They would be spectacles, but sooner that than face the loss of the clan, and perhaps in many respects it might prove beneficial to the survival of their race if they could present themselves to mankind and if they continued to adhere to their own lifelong rules.

Only the older men were not so comfortable with the idea. For thousands of years they had overcome obstacles, had lived a secret life in a secret world seen rarely and then only by some weary traveller or someone lost and injured on the mountain. At such times when stress was maximum trauma made the mind believe that all manner of impossibilities were so, just so. And therefore, the first of many arguments were heard among the clan until it became necessary to appoint leaders and for the first time ever in the generations of the ‘clan’ two leaders to each clan were appointed all around the world. And with the aid of the helpers databases were established with family names each to a clan, so that individual could be called upon wherever they be to put forth their arguments and have them cushioned and smoothed away, until only contentment was left and the belief that yes, the way forward was open and they had no choice but to go through that particular doorway into a new world of their own making. Except, the older men argued that once they were beyond those ‘doors’ life would not be of their own making. The world would step in and take over and they would be come spectacles in an alien world where hostility would become rife.

“Yet what should we do?” It was a question heard often these days, as the clan disputed the matter.

“We’ve discussed this. There is no other way! You’ve seen how the rest of mankind is forcing his way beyond the fringes of our world and why not? If he does not know we exist how can he know that he is trespassing? How can those that cut the trees and hunt the animals know that they are doing anything other than ruining the environment without a care in the world? They do not worry about such things but bring them a man, another of their kind and maybe it will stop their constant onslaught of those things. Are they not kin? In some way, we are all a part of the same mould, and once they recognise and know what they are doing to their ‘family’ maybe they will stop and we can survive as before.”

“And maybe they will make specimens of us. And put us up for public display! You have to understand that not one of us has ever been seen literally by mankind. They will be amazed by what they encounter and everyone will want to look.”

“That’s not strictly true. Remember that family that had a baby stolen?” Members of the clan looked to the speaker. He was big as they all were, his golden hair covered by thick layers of wolf fur, as was his back and legs, chest and arms. Each used animal fur to cover himself - it was warmest and on their feet they wore boots made from hide.

“I do not remember this,” Another member spoke up, “A baby stolen? What from one of us? When did it happen? How long ago?”

“One question at a time. It was about forty years ago, maybe less. And it was here, in Alaska and caused much distress at the time. A traveller was found, lost and with hypothermia it was not expected that he should live. The family of Prowling Cat took him in. They were unsure what to do if he should die and it looked very likely that he would. Prowling Cat chose to leave his pregnant wife and children and come to the elders to seek advice, but in his absence though it was less than the time it takes for the sun to rise and set, the traveller recovered enough to aid Prowling cat’s wife give birth, and then steal her child away into the twilight before she had realised what was happening. We searched for the thief, but he was as careful as concealing his tracks as were we. Hence the child was never found even though the thief’s passport had revealed a name. One that eludes me now, but Prowling Cat would know.”

“Is that why he’s so anti traveller? Why when he saw that last lost soul out on the mountainside, he almost left him for dead. It was only thanks to one of his children remarking on his moodiness that alerted us to the fact that he had seen someone in time for us to act on and rescue that poor Devin Wells.”

“That’s another thing, while we are on the subject, would we have reached this same conclusion about our future had it not been for the pressure of our helpers? Though they can do good, in many ways they are a thorn in our sides. Have you seen or have you heard of some of our clan becoming romantically involved with such ones? We have to keep ourselves clean! Once we allow others to sully the clan we will never be the same again, it would be impossible for it to be so, and we will not have helpers living among us. Therefore that would mean our children being exposed to the helper’s world, and then where would that leave us!” The old man’s voice rose higher and higher as he became more indignant. “I’ll tell you shall I? It would leave us where we are now facing an unwise situation and one such as we have never encountered. If we face the world it will be the end of the clan you will see. We will not be accepted - we will be misfits in an evil world that we need no part of. I say that we forget this foolish idea and find another way. We have existed for thousands of years and we will go on for thousand of ears and if we don’t…then what would it matter? Times change and maybe its time for the clan to die, maybe we have done our bit and its time for us to perish…maybe…”

“That’s enough old man!” The elder looked up to see who had spoken stunned to the core to find it was his own grandson. Never before had a younger member of the clan spoken so disrespectfully to an elder and a huge gasp went up among the people. Even so the elder fell silent, listening with antagonistic interest to what his grandson had to impart.

“Maybe nothing!” The younger man stood in the centre of the group and made his presence felt. He walked pacing from the feet of one member where he sat on the ground to the feet of the next looking nowhere and everywhere at once, but never at any one of their faces as he continued his charade. “Everywhere, civilisation has changed, life is constant, flowing like the great lakes, moving onward except for us. We are a stagnant race, never altering, and for why? Life is passing us by, our little ones know nothing of what is outside their own stony world, and that is not right. Other children have everything, have you not listened to the tales told by the helpers? Children of the world have so much, and don’t you find that unfair? A child among us was lost, taken by the world into the world, absorbed, not forgotten true, but never found either. Out there…” and he extended an arm above their heads to convey the world, “is where we will find life…and if one of their little ones is lost, then they have all the means to recover him, the search is intensive and continued, all leads followed through. Why was Prowling Cat’s son not found? I tell you shall I, because the fringes of our world are such that none of us could go beyond it. That traveller…what?” He bent down as someone outside the group joined them and spoke and after he listened a moment the speaker went on to announce, “apparently the traveller was known as Pater, John Pater, he stole the child, and because we could not cross over the boundaries of our world into his, and because way back then we did not have the helpers we have now, the child was lost to us. John Pater knew that, and he stole from us something precious and where that child is today no one knows, because quite simply there has never been any coverage worldwide of that missing child, even so, does it not make you realise that should it happen again we would be in the same situation? However, had we already presented ourselves to the world, then everyone would know where such a child belonged and it would be harder to keep concealed and more easily returned to us. What if Prowling Cat’s son is with kind people, what then? How is it possible for him to be returned to a race that as far as the world is concerned, simply does not exist? That child will be considered a freak of nature a one off, and if he has survived, does not your heart go out to him in his belief that there is no other like him in all the world?”

Members of the clan nodded, and the older men began to realise they were on slippery ground, besides though they would never admit it, the younger man had some valid points that they could not dispute.

“I propose that we ‘go forth and reveal ourselves to the world.’ The younger man told the group, “Those with me raise your right hand, those unsure raise your left and those against abstain entirely.”

From a group of thirty-two, there was a mixture of hands, but the vote was carried, twenty-three for, three against, six unsure. “Motion passed. I’ll deliver the word, the helpers can update the records and a date can be set for our ‘appearance’ and I for one cannot wait for that day. It will be day of days for the clan, the day that we set foot inside the real world, a world we have remained cut off from for far too long.”

There were cheers of agreement and some dissatisfied grunts with murmurs from those with mixed feelings, but the overall sentiment was one of apprehensive excitement. The clan were going to expose themselves to the world and that would cause a stir such as mankind had never seen before and likely would never see again. The elusive yeti did exist, except…though this label would be placed upon them, the clan did not adhere to that name, and did in fact know of another group to whom it should be attached. But those ones were altogether another story entirely…

*** *** ***

That Devin was subdued about something was clear to both Father and Vincent but both let him be, knowing he would reveal all in his own time and no amount of pressure would have him do so before he was ready. But he worried them. He had arrived with a broken arm and tales of how he had survived five nights out on the snow until rescuers had arrived. Anything else Devin felt unable to reveal to them. The magnitude of what he knew was beyond anything he had had to bear before but even so he could not even hint at what had happened to him up on that mountain. In fact on waking every morning he was so sure that it had all been a figment of his imagination that he had brazenly gone to his wrist certain of not seeing the snake like tattoo, and stunned each time to find it was there. One morning as he stared at the mark, Catherine walked into the chamber a pot of boiling coffee in her hands. “What you got there?” Catherine remarked with an infectious smile that had Devin’s lips tweaking at the corners. “Chandler that’s the closest you have come to being outright nosy.” He told her, sitting up in the bed to retrieve the pot from her hands. He placed it on the cabinet beside him and drew his empty mug from the night before toward him. “Here I’ll do that.” Catherine told him, “Is that what it is then? A scald from yesterday?”

Devin wasn’t with her, “Sorry, me no comprehendi?”

“That.” Catherine indicated with a nod toward his wrist, “Did you scald yourself yesterday trying to juggle a coffee pot and a mug without getting out of bed?”

“Oh that.” Devin half laughed, causing a frown of concern to furrow Catherine’s brow. “It’s nothing. And no it’s not a burn.”

“Then what is it? You got a rash or something, cut yourself maybe?” Again she smiled, cheekily so, she knew it and he knew it that she wasn’t going to leave until he told her what was so darn interesting about the underside of his wrist.

Devin sighed, wearily so, and Catherine raised an eyebrow. “That bad huh? Infectious disease? Should I stand well back?”

“No.” If she had thought he would reply with light-hearted banter Catherine was wrong. A very serious expression formed on his face. “What’s wrong, Dev?”

“Chandler?”

“Wells.” Catherine corrected him.

“Sorry,” Devin apologised meekly.

“Besides,” Catherine told him, “Its Catherine, remember? We are all one big happy family here.”

At the mention of family Devin balked and Catherine clearly saw that expression, “What you disagree? Has someone hurt you? Who? Come on tell me and I’ll get Vincent to sort them out. And if he won’t then I will.” Devin laughed as Catherine hoped he would and she was happy when she noticed affection in his eyes. “You’d do that for me?” He asked as if unsure. Catherine nodded, “Course. You’re my brother in law and you’re Vincent’s brother and you love him, and I love him, and I’m talking in riddles.” She slapped her own wrist, and Devin laughed out loud. “I knew living down here would send you mad eventually Ch…sorry, Cathy.”

Catherine sighed, “So come give do tell, as Joe would say. What’s with the tattoo? Little small isn’t it.” Devin covered his wrist, slapping a firm hand over the top of the tattoo, his eyes wary and wild all of the sudden. Catherine grew concerned. “Don’t you like it? Did some one do it to you when you were sleeping is that it? I’ve heard of that sort of thing. Mind you, I would have thought they would have used the occasion to tattoo something much more embarrassing than a little wiggly worm.” She eyed him spectacularly “Or is it somehow a reflection on your manhood?”

“Cathy!”

Catherine laughed out loud. Devin grinned from ear to ear and sipped at his coffee that had rapidly grown lukewarm during their stilted conversation. Over the rim of his mug his eyes were bright with humour and mischief. Catherine awaited her retribution. None came. After what seemed an age of expectation, the look in Devin’s eyes changed and he lay down the mug fiddled again with the tattoo on his wrist as if undecided about something and then suddenly much to Catherine’s surprise told her, “Some people like Vincent put it there.” Catherine’s mouth dropped open, she was sure her bottom lip had hit her feet. Devin thought so too, “You look like a fish.” He laughed nervously still unsure about his confession.

Wide-eyed Catherine stared at him, “You’re serious?”

“I wouldn’t joke about this, Cathy.” Devin told her in as flat a tone as he could muster. “And you were right in a way, they did it while I was sleeping, or unconscious as the case happened to be.”

Crossing to the side of his bed Catherine sat down. “When, where?” She whispered hoarsely. “Were they really like Vincent?” His eyes focused on hers, Devin nodded. “Couldn’t believe it, Cathy.” He shook his head while remembering and his eyes took on a faraway expression. Catherine could see he was dredging up his memories. “They rescued me. Put my arm in a splint, cared for me until the rescuers came, and tattooed my arm for identification. Then when they knew the rescuers were on their way they slipped a pill into my coffee that left me so unconscious they were able to depart, and remove all traces of their being there, so that by the time the rescuers arrived at my side, there was nothing to show that someone else had been there keeping me alive. They even took the splint from my arm, leaving me exactly as they had found me, only in better condition. Cathy…there’s loads of them…all around the world.”
Catherine gasped. She felt as though she were in a dream. Reaching out she touched Devin’s wrist, “But for this, you would believe you had imagined it all?” Devin nodded. “They do this to everyone that comes into contact with them.” He laughed, “Ironically, they refer to such ones as helpers.” He laughed again, “Amazing, huh? Apparently once we are helpers of the clan, we can be called upon for all kinds of services when they are in dire need…pardon?”

“You said the clan, is that what they are called?” At this Devin really laughed. Catherine looked at him wryly, “Believe me honey, if I told you what they were really called you would have me branded N-U-T-T-E-R rather than with this little wiggly worm as you call it. Knowing them as the clan will be good enough for you. Good enough for anyone come to that.”

“No, Devin come on, I believe you, thousands wouldn’t, but I do and this is important to me. Its bad enough Vincent believing he is some misfit of nature, but…” she patted her abdomen, “In here, I carry Vincent’s child…and if he or she…”

“Whoa! Cathy!” Devin’s eyes sparkled. He bear hugged her hard, “You’re carrying Vincent’s child? That’s wonderful news. Does he know?” Tears in her eyes Catherine nodded as her lips trembled, and Devin was quick to ask, “He’s not happy about it is he?”

“That’s the whole point Devin! Don’t you see, he’s only not happy because he believes this child if born in his image will be just another misfit, with all the loneliness to bear that he has had, smoothed slightly by the fact that our child has both parents but nonetheless not a happy occurrence, being how Vincent feels about himself. But if he isn’t the only one, if what he is was meant to be, then it changes everything…don’t you see?” Now Catherine’s eyes sparkled, “Devin, Vincent is one of many, he’s not alone anymore and our child will not be living in a hostile world where he/she has to grow believing they are the only ones of their kind. It changes everything, Devin, and for the better. So what are they called? Please tell me.”

Devin relented,“Well as far as they are concerned, their name, that is the name of the clan is unpronounceable to us. You see they have a language all their own and though there were some translators of their kind among them they still could not tell me the names of each member in their own tongue, but rather only a translation of it in ours. The fellow that spoke to me told me to call him Singing Jay, he introduced others to me by names I could understand, and in general were much like those of the Native American Indians. However, I met another helper at the hospital and she filled me in a great deal. Apparently, mankind refer to the clan as…” Devin paused to test Catherine’s response. She nodded eagerly in expectation. Taking a deep breath Devin told her, “They are referred to as the Yeti…The Abominable Snowmen, Cathy…” He half laughed, and watched her wide-open eyes absorb that piece of information.

“You have to tell Vincent.” She whispered hoarsely. Devin nodded, “I plan to.”

“When?”

Devin shook his head, “I don’t know. Soon.”

“When soon?” Catherine was still whispering. Devin understood, she was reacting just as he had with excited disbelief, if there were words for such an emotion.

Looking at her face full of eager expectation, hope and excited apprehension, Devin couldn’t resist, “Not sure Cathy, but I’ll tell him I promise…only not yeti.”

Catherine laughed, a nervous kind of hiccupping laugh and she hugged him tightly. There was a wealth of comradeship in that hug, Devin felt it right through to his bones. “I want to be there when you tell him.”

“Of course. Now will you let me drink my coffee before it goes stone cold.” Catherine smiled. “I’ll do better than that, I’ll bring you another pot of hot coffee, while you get dressed and then we can go find Vincent together.”

Devin hadn’t planned on telling his brother this soon, but oh well what the heck. He sighed as Catherine exited the chamber, ‘she took it well enough’ he decided, surely his brother would do the same?

However, for some unknown reason Devin didn’t entirely believe that he would.

*** *** ***

And he was right.

Pacing was something Vincent was notorious for but roaring, though sometimes done was only in extreme circumstances, however, Catherine had heard a lot of it lately ever since her pregnancy had been confirmed, so she did not wince quite as much as Devin did, who eventually had to cover his ears and shout, “Quit that Fur Ball you’re deafening me!”

Vincent stopped in mid stride, a half roar leaving his lips as he stared at Devin who had risen from his seat his intention to stride over and shake his brother senseless, only stopping when Vincent went suddenly quiet.

Strangely Vincent grinned, “You haven’t called me that in years.” Devin grinned too, and Catherine having not heard the expression before waited in nervous expectation for Vincent to get mad at the reference to his being or something, pleasantly surprised when he did not.

“Well at least you remember it.” Devin told him, “And when I used to use it.”

Vincent sobered, remembering his days of frustration at being what he was, at the boundaries that were imposed and the unfairness of it all. When the other kids, his brother included could go up to the park in daylight…when he was made to stay behind…he had roared then just as he had roared now, and Devin had called him fur ball thus reminding him that he only emphasised his uniqueness when he roared.

“I’m sorry.” Vincent apologised, “But…” Words were difficult and he had so many questions and so many thoughts raging through his mind. Devin awaited questions that did not come, stunned when Vincent told him, “Its just as I saw then. I dreamed this, Devin. I saw you on that mountain with those people around you.” Rather than feel elated that there were people like him out there, Devin was surprised by the flat almost dismayed tone that the thought brought him. “What’s the matter, Vincent? We thought you would be happy to know that you aren’t alone anymore, that is, that you aren’t the only one like you in this world.”

“I am.” Vincent said flatly as if he was anything but.

“Then what gives? What’s wrong?” Devin ventured to ask. His brother was a time bomb Devin could feel it as a brooding atmosphere wove its way around him - Vincent was set to go off any minute. Catherine too recognised the signs and she winced when Vincent took up his perpetual pacing once again. Arms out palms upturned fingers splayed Vincent tried to express his feelings into words, “I know I should be glad.” He began walking to the desk and turning on a dime to return to face his company only to turn on his heels and walk back toward the desk again. Devin was given a glimpse of power he had almost forgotten his brother possessed. Catherine was reminded of lions she had seen caged in the zoo as Vincent’s long mane of hair twirled around his head cascading down his neck and shoulders, tangling where it fell in trying to keep pace with his rapid movements.

“Yet, how can I be?” Vincent stopped to stand and stare at his companions as if they should know the answer. They said nothing, and he never expected them to as he took up his narrative once again. “I belong. Don’t you see? I now belong. I have a family, people I have been alienated from by the works of a kidnapper, for how else did I become estranged from my parents? And why should they continue to be without me? All those years, they thought me lost? All those years I believed I’d been abandoned…I had a family, probably one that loved me…and grieved for me…my dream…” He splayed his hands again in a helpless gesture, “it has to come true…I must leave here…go to them…go to where I belong.”

Understanding at once, Catherine rose to her feet and ran to him, “No!” She cried hugging him tightly, “I will not let you go.”

Expecting his arms to come up and around her, Catherine was dismayed, and distraught by the look of pity in his eyes, “What I have done to you…Catherine…its not too late…you can terminate this pregnancy.”

“No! Vincent, no you don’t mean that?” A look of hostility formed in Vincent’s eyes, “You should never have loved me Catherine. I’m not worthy of your love.”

“You are! I love you with all my heart.”

“Its not enough.”

“It is and we were married Vincent don’t forget that, you and I belong together.”

“You and I belong to no one. Except maybe I belong to someone, a family that has been forced to live without me all these years. I must go to them, with luck my parents will still be alive.” He was planning then, the look was obvious in his eyes, he foresaw brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, mother and father, uncles and aunts, grandparents maybe…his heart raced for the things he speculated and the unfolding of a dream he had known would bear fruit. “Will you take me to them Devin?” He asked hoarsely abruptly leaving Catherine standing in the centre of the room, dismissing her, their love, their dream, all that they had shared, turning his back on his wife and child to be. He was like a different man. Catherine stared after him unwilling to accept that he could be like this, disbelieving all he had said to her. And as she saw him going out of her life Devin stepped in with one very firm, “No. No, Vincent, you have a life here, and a family. If I take you, it will not be under these terms. This isn’t like you, not the Vincent I know. Its more like that other, are you sure he hasn’t taken you over?” Vincent roared and Devin ducked as a mighty arm passed over his head, reeling that his brother so very nearly gave him a matching scar on the other cheek as he ran from the chamber. Catherine quaked in a corner by the desk. She had never seen Vincent act so callously like this before…and too late she realised her own mistake, and that of Father’s, they had not taken his dream literally they had made him believe that it was just that a dream, but it had been real, and now in the aftermath of Devin’s revelation, Vincent’s frustration of who he was, was only just coming to light.

Tears slid down Catherine’s cheeks. Her husband she might be losing, but their child she never would. She would remain steadfast and faithful to the baby within her womb, Vincent’s child…the child of the love of her life…that would never change…come what may she knew she would love Vincent forever.

To be continued in Chapter Four