WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.520 --> 00:00:05.759 For decades, people have disappeared in the woods without a trace. 2 00:00:06.519 --> 00:00:10.279 Some blame wild animals, others whisper of creatures the world 3 00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:14.160 refuses to believe in. But those who have survived they 4 00:00:14.199 --> 00:00:18.679 know the truth. Welcome to Backwoods Bigfoot Stories, where we 5 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:22.879 share real encounters with the things lurking in the darkness bigfoot, 6 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:28.239 dog man, UFOs, and creatures that defy explanation. Some make 7 00:00:28.280 --> 00:00:32.320 it out, others aren't so lucky. Are you ready, because 8 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:34.640 once you hear these stories, you'll never walk in the 9 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:38.920 woods alone again. So grab your flashlight, stay close, and 10 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:41.840 remember some things in the woods don't want to be found. 11 00:00:42.520 --> 00:00:46.240 Hit that follow or subscribe button, turn on auto downloads, 12 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:48.399 and let's head off into the woods if you dare. 13 00:01:02.880 --> 00:01:05.319 As many of you who listen to my other podcasts 14 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:09.079 already know, I have written five books on the subject, 15 00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:13.359 Born Wild Coda's Odyssey. My second book was a story 16 00:01:13.400 --> 00:01:16.000 that rattled around in my head for years before I 17 00:01:16.120 --> 00:01:18.519 ever set a single word of it down on paper. 18 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:21.840 I shared all of that first volume right here on 19 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:24.640 this show a few years back, and those episodes are 20 00:01:24.680 --> 00:01:27.079 still sitting in the back catalog. If you want to 21 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:29.680 go back and listen as a refresher before you start 22 00:01:29.760 --> 00:01:33.599 volume two. I'd almost recommend it if you have the time, 23 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:36.680 because the road Coda walks in this book run straight 24 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:39.439 out of the ground the first volume laid down. You'll 25 00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:42.359 meet him again either way, But the weight of what 26 00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:46.079 he carries now, the losses that shaped him, the bonds 27 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:49.400 that were tested, and the ones that broke, all of 28 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:52.120 that lands a little heavier when you've already walked the 29 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:55.159 first stretch of the journey beside him. For those of 30 00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:57.760 you who were here the first time around, coming back 31 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:00.439 to this world feels a little like returning to place 32 00:02:00.480 --> 00:02:03.680 you used to know. The forest is the same forest, 33 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:07.920 Coda is older now, harder in some ways, and the 34 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:10.479 quiet that used to mean safety doesn't mean quite the 35 00:02:10.520 --> 00:02:13.479 same thing anymore. And for those of you just finding 36 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:16.199 this story now, you picked a good place to stand. 37 00:02:16.759 --> 00:02:20.000 Everything you need is right here. There's a particular kind 38 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:23.280 of quiet that settles over a forest right before something happens, 39 00:02:23.879 --> 00:02:26.479 And if you spend any real time in the deep woods, 40 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:30.319 you know exactly the quiet. I mean. The birds stop, 41 00:02:30.840 --> 00:02:34.120 the wind holds its breath, every living thing that can 42 00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:37.560 feel the change goes still and waits. That's the quiet 43 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:40.800 I want you sitting in as we begin, because that's 44 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:43.680 the quiet Coda is living in when this book opens. 45 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:47.960 This is volume two of Born Wild Coda's odyssey, and 46 00:02:48.039 --> 00:02:49.879 over the coming weeks, I'm going to bring you the 47 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:54.280 entire thing, start to finish in seven parts. There's a 48 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:57.360 reason I like telling a long story this way. A 49 00:02:57.439 --> 00:02:59.960 tale like this one breeds better with space around it. 50 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:02.400 When you have to sit with a chapter for a 51 00:03:02.439 --> 00:03:05.520 few days before the next one arrives, the characters have 52 00:03:05.560 --> 00:03:08.159 time to move into your head and take up residence there. 53 00:03:08.759 --> 00:03:11.520 You start wondering about them while you're driving, while you're 54 00:03:11.560 --> 00:03:14.599 falling asleep, while you're standing at the window looking out 55 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:17.719 at your own tree line. That wondering is half the 56 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:21.039 pleasure of a serialized story, and it's a pleasure we've 57 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:23.719 mostly forgotten in a world that wants to hand us 58 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:27.599 everything at once. What follows is a story about loyalty 59 00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:31.639 and about loss, about the strange and unlikely bonds that 60 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:36.000 form when the alternative is annihilation, and about the terrible 61 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:39.840 arithmetic of deciding who is worth fighting for. It gets 62 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:43.960 dark in places I won't pretend otherwise, but there is 63 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:46.840 light running through all of it the kind of stubborn 64 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:49.400 light that refuses to go out no matter how hard 65 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:51.759 the world leans on it. And I think by the 66 00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:54.599 end you'll feel the same way I do about where 67 00:03:54.599 --> 00:03:57.520 Coda's road is heading. Let the noise of the day 68 00:03:57.599 --> 00:04:00.319 fall away behind you, and let the trees come in close. 69 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:04.400 The quiet is settling, the wind is holding its breath. 70 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:09.879 This is born Wild Coda's Odyssey, Volume two, and this 71 00:04:10.120 --> 00:04:15.639 is where it begins. The Pack Part one Shadows in 72 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:21.720 the Forest, Chapter one, The Hunt. The dog man called 73 00:04:21.800 --> 00:04:24.519 Vorn moved through the forest like a shadow given form, 74 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:28.199 his massive frame, barely making a sound despite weighing over 75 00:04:28.199 --> 00:04:32.240 four hundred pounds. His fur was a mottled gray and black, 76 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:36.680 coarse and thick, covering muscles that rippled beneath with every step. 77 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:40.600 Unlike his pack mates, Vorn stood nearly seven feet tall 78 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:44.079 when upright, his legs reverse jointed like a wolf's, but 79 00:04:44.199 --> 00:04:48.160 powerful enough to propel him forward with terrifying speed. His 80 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:50.800 snout was long and filled with teeth designed for one 81 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:54.680 purpose killing. He paused at the edge of a ravine, 82 00:04:55.160 --> 00:04:59.000 his amber eyes scanning the darkness below. The moon was 83 00:04:59.079 --> 00:05:04.000 nearly full, casting silver light through the canopy overhead. Behind him, 84 00:05:04.199 --> 00:05:06.879 four other members of his pack emerged from the underbrush, 85 00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:10.319 each one equally imposing but unique in their own way. 86 00:05:11.160 --> 00:05:14.120 Rask was the youngest, barely five years old but already 87 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:17.120 standing six and a half feet tall. His fur was 88 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:20.839 darker than Vorn's, almost black, and his eyes held a 89 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:25.240 wild eagerness that sometimes worried the pack alpha. He was fast, 90 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:29.120 possibly the fastest of them all, but his inexperience made 91 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:32.680 him reckless. He hungered for battle, for the rush of 92 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:35.839 the hunt, in a way that reminded Vorn of himself 93 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:40.360 at that age. Beside, Rask stood braun, broader, and more 94 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:44.519 muscular than his younger pack mate. Bron's fur was reddish brown, 95 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:48.360 unusual among their kind, and a long scar ran down 96 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:51.079 the left side of his face, a reminder of a 97 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:55.560 fight with a black bear years ago. He was methodical, patient, 98 00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:59.959 and loyal to a fault. Where Rask was fire, bronze 99 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:04.279 with stone. Dask moved to Vorn's right, The second largest 100 00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:07.040 of the pack, his fur was steel gray and his 101 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:11.319 eyes were darker than the others, almost black. Dask was 102 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:15.600 the thinker, the one who planned and strategized. He rarely 103 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:19.720 spoke but when he did, the others listened. Some said 104 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:22.959 he had once lived among humans before returning to the wild, 105 00:06:23.079 --> 00:06:26.120 though Dask never spoke of his past. And then there 106 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:30.240 was Ashka, the only female in their immediate pack, Though 107 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:33.759 she commanded as much respect as any male. She was 108 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:36.959 leaner than the others, built for speed and agility rather 109 00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:40.560 than brute strength, but her claws were longer and sharper 110 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:44.560 than anyone's. Her fur was silver white, making her almost 111 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:48.279 ghost like in the moonlight. She was Vorn's mate, though 112 00:06:48.279 --> 00:06:52.079 they had no young, The pack was their family. The 113 00:06:52.120 --> 00:06:55.920 scent is stronger here, Oshka said, her voice low and rough. 114 00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:01.680 They've been through this area recently, many of them. Vaorn nodded, 115 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:07.319 lowering his snout to the ground. The smell was unmistakable, Sasquatch, 116 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:11.079 that earthy, musky scent that clung to everything they touched. 117 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:14.920 He had smelled it before many times over the years, 118 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:19.639 but never this concentrated. This territory had once been neutral ground, 119 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:24.079 a buffer zone between their hunting grounds and the Sasquatch clans, 120 00:07:24.680 --> 00:07:27.199 but food had become scarce in the north, and the 121 00:07:27.240 --> 00:07:30.639 pack had been forced to push south. How many Dask 122 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:34.639 asked Vorn sniffed again, swording through the layers of scent. 123 00:07:35.720 --> 00:07:41.879 At least fifteen, maybe twenty, multiple clans gathered together. Rask's 124 00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:45.600 ears perked forward, his lips pulling back to reveal his teeth. 125 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:50.240 A gathering. This could be our chance or our death. 126 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:54.120 Braun growled. Twenty sasquatch against five of us. Those are 127 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:57.800 poor odds. We're not going to fight them, Varn said firmly, 128 00:07:58.319 --> 00:08:01.360 not yet. We're here to scout, to learn their movements 129 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:03.720 and numbers. We need to know what we're dealing with 130 00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:07.639 before we make any moves. Rask made a sound of frustration, 131 00:08:08.199 --> 00:08:11.720 a growl mixed with a wine We've been watching for weeks. 132 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:15.319 How long until we act? Varn turned to face the 133 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:19.720 younger dog man, his eyes hardening. Until I say we're ready? 134 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:23.079 Or would you rather rush in blind and get yourself killed? 135 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:29.319 Get us all killed? Rask lowered his head, his ears flattening. No, Vorn, 136 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:34.159 I just I'm tired of hiding, tired of running. We're 137 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:38.480 not running, Oshka said, moving to stand beside Vorn. We're surviving. 138 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:42.120 There's a difference. The tension hung in the air for 139 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:46.759 a moment before Dask spoke, there's something else. I smelled 140 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:50.159 it earlier near the human settlement to the east. Fire 141 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:55.279 smoke but different, stronger, and the sound of machines. Vaorn's 142 00:08:55.279 --> 00:09:00.279 ears swiveled toward Dask. Humans this far out by just 143 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:05.360 passing through, they're staying building something. This was new information, 144 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:09.840 and Vorn didn't like it. The humans were unpredictable, dangerous 145 00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:13.240 in ways different from Sasquatch. They had weapons that could 146 00:09:13.320 --> 00:09:16.480 kill from a distance, machines that tore through the forest, 147 00:09:16.919 --> 00:09:21.759 and they multiplied like rabbits, always spreading, always taking more. 148 00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:26.519 The Sasquatch must know about the humans, Braun said, maybe 149 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:31.120 that's why they're gathering to discuss the threat. Varn considered this. 150 00:09:31.879 --> 00:09:36.960 It made sense. The Sasquatch were territorial but cautious, especially 151 00:09:36.960 --> 00:09:40.159 when it came to humans. If they felt threatened, they 152 00:09:40.200 --> 00:09:45.600 would band together, share information. Plan. We need to get closer, 153 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:52.240 Varn decided. Oshka, Dask, you're with me. Braun Rask. Circle 154 00:09:52.279 --> 00:09:55.600 around to the eastern ridge. Watch for patrols, but do 155 00:09:55.679 --> 00:10:00.360 not engage. We meet back here before dawn. The packs split, 156 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:04.960 moving through the darkness with practiced silence. Vorn led Ashka 157 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:08.200 and Dask down into the ravine, following a game trail 158 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:12.039 that wound between massive boulders and fallen trees. The scent 159 00:10:12.080 --> 00:10:15.279 of sasquatch grew stronger with each step, mingling with the 160 00:10:15.320 --> 00:10:19.879 smells of the forest, pine earth, the faint musk of deer. 161 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:23.679 They moved for nearly an hour, staying down wind, using 162 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:26.360 every shadow and depression in the land to remain hidden. 163 00:10:27.159 --> 00:10:29.519 Varn had learned long ago that staying alive in this 164 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:33.080 forest meant being smarter than your enemies, not just stronger. 165 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:37.120 The sasquatch were powerful, yes, but they were all so confident, 166 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:41.559 sometimes too confident. They didn't always expect threats from creatures 167 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:45.080 like the dog men. Finally, through a gap in the trees, 168 00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:52.080 Vorn spotted firelight. He froze, signaling the others to stop. Slowly, carefully, 169 00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:55.360 they crept forward until they could see the gathering. It 170 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:59.480 was larger than Vorn had expected. Dozens of sasquatch filled 171 00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:03.759 a natural clearing, grouped around several small fires. They spoke 172 00:11:03.799 --> 00:11:07.679 in low voices, their language a mixture of grunts, clicks, 173 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:12.360 and sounds Vorn couldn't quite identify. He recognized the signs 174 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:16.799 of different clans. Some had lighter hair, others darker. Some 175 00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:20.519 were massive, while others were leaner, but they all shared 176 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:26.559 that same powerful build, those same intelligent eyes. There, Ashka whispered, 177 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:30.399 nodding toward a group near the largest fire, That one, 178 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:34.480 the big male with the silver in his hair. Varn 179 00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:38.080 followed her gaze and felt a chill run down his spine. 180 00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:42.039 The Sasquatch, she indicated, was enormous even by their standards, 181 00:11:42.519 --> 00:11:44.840 easily eight and a half feet tall and built like 182 00:11:44.840 --> 00:11:48.480 a boulder. His hair was dark but streaked with silver, 183 00:11:48.919 --> 00:11:52.279 especially around his face and shoulders. He stood at the 184 00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:55.240 center of the gathering, clearly a leader of some kind. 185 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:59.559 Other Sasquatch deferred to him, stepped aside when he moved 186 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:05.240 when he spoke. That's Caboda, Desk said quietly. I've heard 187 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:08.360 stories about him. He's the patriarch of the Hoe clan, 188 00:12:08.919 --> 00:12:12.360 one of the oldest and strongest in this region. And 189 00:12:12.440 --> 00:12:17.919 the female beside him, Varn asked Asha, his mate. She's wise, cautious. 190 00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:22.519 The clans respect her judgment. Varn watched as Koboda spoke 191 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:26.759 to the gathered Sasquatch, his gestures broad and emphatic. He 192 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:31.039 was telling a story or perhaps issuing warnings. Varn couldn't 193 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:35.679 understand the words, but he understood the tone, serious, urgent. 194 00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:40.679 Then Caboda turned his gaze sweeping across the forest, and 195 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:43.559 for just a moment, Varn could have sworn those dark 196 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:47.480 eyes locked onto his hiding spot. He held perfectly still, 197 00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:53.159 barely breathing. Ashka and Dask did the same. The moment passed, 198 00:12:53.639 --> 00:12:57.720 Caboda turned back to the gathering, continuing his address. We 199 00:12:57.799 --> 00:13:03.039 need to leave, Dask whispered. Now. Varn agreed they had 200 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:06.879 seen enough. Slowly, inch by inch, they backed away from 201 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:09.840 the clearing, not daring to stand fully upright until there 202 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:12.879 were several hundred yards away. As they made their way 203 00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:17.039 back to the rendezvous point, Vaughn's mind raced. The Sasquatch 204 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:22.000 were organized, numerous, and led by experienced fighters. A direct 205 00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:26.039 confrontation would be suicide. But they couldn't leave either. The 206 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:29.480 pack needed this territory, needed the game that lived here. 207 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:33.320 The northern hunting grounds had been picked clean. When they 208 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:36.879 reached the ravine, Braun and Rask were already waiting. Both 209 00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:41.799 looked tense. We found something, Braun said, without preamble. Human structures, 210 00:13:42.039 --> 00:13:45.080 new ones, and they've cleared a large area of forest 211 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:49.919 right on the edge of Sasquatch territory. RAS's tail was rigid, 212 00:13:50.200 --> 00:13:54.120 his ears flat. The humans are building something big. We 213 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:58.960 saw machines, heard voices. They're not just camping, They're staying. 214 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:03.360 Varn absorbed this information, feeling the weight of its settle 215 00:14:03.399 --> 00:14:07.240 on his shoulders. The Sasquatch to the west, humans to 216 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:10.879 the east, and his pack caught in between. What do 217 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:14.759 we do, Oshka asked. Vaughn looked at each member of 218 00:14:14.759 --> 00:14:18.320 his pack, seeing the trust in their eyes, the expectation 219 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:22.799 they looked to him for answers, for leadership. He had 220 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:25.919 brought them this far, kept them alive through harsh winters 221 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:29.879 and leaner times. He couldn't fail them. Now we wait, 222 00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:33.519 he said. Finally, we watch, and when the time is right, 223 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:37.639 we make them understand that this forest belongs to us too. 224 00:14:37.960 --> 00:14:42.120 Rask's eyes gleamed in the moonlight. And if they don't understand, 225 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:46.200 Vaughn's lips pulled back from his teeth, a gesture that 226 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:50.480 was half smile, half snarl, then we teach them. Stay 227 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:54.039 tuned for more Backwoods Bigfoot stories. We'll be back after 228 00:14:54.080 --> 00:15:01.840 these messages. Chapter two, Gathering Storm. Three years had passed 229 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:04.759 since the clans had settled in the Eastern mountains. Three 230 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:07.279 years since they had fled the Olympic Peninsula and the 231 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:11.279 humans who had discovered their existence, three years since Adonoah 232 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:15.799 had been captured, since Varro had fallen, since everything had changed. 233 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:19.000 The sun hadn't yet risen. When Coda woke to the 234 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:22.200 sound of his mother's voice echoing through the cave system. 235 00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:26.399 He blinked asleep from his eyes, recognizing the urgent tone, 236 00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:29.960 even if he couldn't yet make out the words. Beside him, 237 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:34.279 Mira stirred her hand, reaching out instinctively. What is it? 238 00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:39.120 She mumbled, still half asleep, not sure, Coda replied, sitting up. 239 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:43.000 His joints were stiff from the previous day's patrol. At 240 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:45.919 fifteen years old, no longer the curious child who had 241 00:15:45.960 --> 00:15:48.919 first befriended a human boy named Eli, but not yet 242 00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:52.200 fully grown, he was expected to participate in the clan 243 00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:55.720 security efforts, especially now that tensions were running so high. 244 00:15:56.600 --> 00:15:59.799 But it doesn't sound good. They emerged from their sleeping 245 00:16:00.039 --> 00:16:03.000 chamber to find the main cavern already filled with sasquatch 246 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:06.440 from multiple clans. The air was thick with the scent 247 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:10.559 of bodies and the low murmur of worried voices. Coda 248 00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:13.799 spotted his father standing near the center, deep in conversation 249 00:16:13.960 --> 00:16:18.879 with Tyrek and Omaki. Asha stood slightly apart, her arms crossed, 250 00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:23.879 her expression grave. Koda, his father called out, noticing him, 251 00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:27.679 come here. Koda made his way through the crowd, Mira 252 00:16:27.799 --> 00:16:31.080 following close behind. As he got closer, he could see 253 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:34.399 the tension in Koboda's shoulders, the way his father's hands 254 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:39.720 kept clenching and unclenching. What's happened, Koda asked. Tyrek answered, 255 00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:44.200 his voice heavy. One of our scouts didn't return last night, Roksha. 256 00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:49.200 He was monitoring the northern ridge. Koda felt his stomach drop. 257 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:53.320 Raksha was young, barely older than Coda himself, but he 258 00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:56.600 was skilled and careful. If something had happened to him, 259 00:16:57.559 --> 00:17:02.120 could he have gotten injured? Mira suggested, fallen? Maybe we 260 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:05.319 sent a search party at first light. Omaki said they 261 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:09.599 found signs of a struggle. Blood Rokshaw scent was there, 262 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:14.640 but so was another smell, dog men. Koboda finished, his voice, 263 00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:18.240 tight with controlled anger. The word sent a ripple through 264 00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:21.759 the gathered sasquatch. Coda had heard the howls in the 265 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:25.039 distance had listened to the elder's warnings about the dog 266 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:28.079 Men pack that had been moving south, but hearing that 267 00:17:28.119 --> 00:17:30.559 they had actually attacked one of their own made it 268 00:17:30.599 --> 00:17:34.160 real in a way it hadn't been before. Is Rokshaw 269 00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:38.200 Coda couldn't finish the question. We don't know, Tyrek said, 270 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:41.440 we found blood, but not a body. They may have 271 00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:44.920 taken him. Taken him, Coda repeated. Why would they do 272 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:48.839 that to send a message, Kiboda said grimly, to show 273 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:52.160 us they're not afraid that they think this territory is theirs, 274 00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:57.079 to claim. An older Sasquatch named Brandt pushed forward from 275 00:17:57.119 --> 00:18:00.559 the crowd. Then we need to respond. We can't let 276 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:04.440 this aggression go unanswered. If we show weakness now, they'll 277 00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:07.599 think they can take whatever they want. I agree, said 278 00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:12.319 another voice. Coda turned to see Garak stepping forward. Mirah's 279 00:18:12.359 --> 00:18:15.359 father had proven himself a fierce warrior since joining the 280 00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:19.480 clans years ago, his family's harrowing journey from the destroyed 281 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:22.920 northern forests having forged him into someone who understood the 282 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:26.680 cost of hesitation. He was nearly as large as Caboda, 283 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:30.839 with dark hair and a hardened expression. We should gather 284 00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:33.880 a war party, track them down, make them pay for 285 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:37.599 what they've done, and risk more lives. A mocky challenged, 286 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:40.440 we don't know how many dog men there are or 287 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:44.599 how they fight. Running headlong into battle without information is foolish, 288 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:49.240 so as doing nothing. Brant shot back. They've already drawn blood. 289 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:52.519 How long before they strike again? How many of our 290 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:56.079 young do we lose before we act? The cavern erupted 291 00:18:56.119 --> 00:19:00.599 in arguments sasquatch from different clans, voicing their opinions, some 292 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:05.839 calling for immediate action, others urging caution. Coda watched his father, 293 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:09.519 saw the weight of leadership pressing down on him. Caboda 294 00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:12.000 had to balance the desire for justice against the need 295 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:15.079 to protect the clans, had to make decisions that could 296 00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:19.079 mean life or death for those he led. Finally, Kboda 297 00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:22.759 raised his hand and the cavern slowly quieted. We will 298 00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:26.880 not act rashly, he said, his voice carrying authority, But 299 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:30.000 we will act. Omaki is right that we need information, 300 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:33.480 but Brant and Garrick are also right that we cannot 301 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:37.880 appear weak. Here's what we will do, he paused, making 302 00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:41.720 sure he had everyone's attention. We will double our patrols. 303 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:45.559 No one goes out alone. We establish clear boundaries around 304 00:19:45.559 --> 00:19:49.400 our core territories and defend them. Any dog men who 305 00:19:49.400 --> 00:19:51.960 cross those boundaries will be driven off or killed if 306 00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:54.920 they resist. At the same time, we send our best 307 00:19:54.920 --> 00:19:57.559 scouts to locate the dog men's camp to learn their 308 00:19:57.640 --> 00:20:01.160 numbers and capabilities. And if the the attack again before 309 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:04.880 we're ready, Garic asked, then we defend ourselves with everything 310 00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:07.920 we have, Caboda answered, But we choose the time and 311 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:11.279 place of any major confrontation. We do not let them 312 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:15.559 dictate terms. There were murmurs of agreement, though Coda could 313 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:20.559 see some still looked unsatisfied. They wanted immediate vengeance, wanted 314 00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:24.119 to strike back for Raksha. But Kboda's plan was sound, 315 00:20:24.559 --> 00:20:28.599 and most of the gathered Sasquatch recognized that. Coda, his 316 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:31.119 father said, turning to him, I want you on the 317 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:35.359 eastern patrol. Take Mira, Paka and Rayla. Keep watch on 318 00:20:35.400 --> 00:20:38.359 the approaches from that direction. If you see or smell 319 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:45.319 anything unusual, you report back immediately. Do not engage. Understood. Understood, 320 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:48.359 Coda replied, though part of him felt the same frustration 321 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:52.240 as the others. Rakshaw had been his friend. The idea 322 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:55.119 of just watching while the dog men roamed free made 323 00:20:55.119 --> 00:20:58.720 his blood boil. As the gathering began to break up, 324 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:02.599 Sasquatch heading to their assigned tasks, Cooda felt a hand 325 00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:05.559 on his shoulder. He turned to find Tyrek looking at 326 00:21:05.640 --> 00:21:09.480 him with those ancient, knowing eyes. I know what you're feeling, 327 00:21:09.559 --> 00:21:13.480 the elder said, quietly, the desire for revenge. But your 328 00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:16.599 father is right to counsel patients. The dog men are 329 00:21:16.599 --> 00:21:20.359 not like us. They're more aggressive, more willing to take risks. 330 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:23.839 If we meet them with equal aggression, many will die 331 00:21:23.880 --> 00:21:27.839 on both sides. Better to be smart than brave. But 332 00:21:27.960 --> 00:21:32.400 Raksha may still be alive, Tyrek interrupted gently, And if 333 00:21:32.440 --> 00:21:36.359 he is rushing in blindly won't help him. Trust your father, 334 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:41.440 trust the plan. Coda nodded, though the frustration still churned 335 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:45.319 in his gut. He gathered Mira, Paka, and Rayela, and 336 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:48.119 they headed out toward the eastern boundary of their territory. 337 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:52.400 The morning was cold, Misclinging to the ground between the trees, 338 00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:55.839 they moved in a loose formation, staying within sight of 339 00:21:55.880 --> 00:21:58.359 each other, but spread out enough to cover more ground. 340 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:04.279 Code sent were on high alert, cataloging every sound, every smell. 341 00:22:05.079 --> 00:22:07.839 The forest felt different, now, dangerous in a way it 342 00:22:07.880 --> 00:22:11.119 hadn't been just days ago. Do you think they'll really 343 00:22:11.160 --> 00:22:14.839 attack us? Rayla asked. She was the youngest of their group, 344 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:18.440 barely thirteen, and Coda could hear the fear in her voice. 345 00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:22.720 Only if we let them, Mira answered, trying to sound confident. 346 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:27.079 We're stronger, smarter, We know this forest better than they do. 347 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:31.680 But they're fast. Paka said he was broader than Coda, 348 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:36.160 more muscular, but his expression was troubled. I've heard stories 349 00:22:36.200 --> 00:22:39.759 from Sasquatch who've encountered dog men before. They say they 350 00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:43.960 move like shadows, strike before you know they're there. Stories 351 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:47.440 get exaggerated, Coda said, though he wasn't sure he believed 352 00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:51.039 his own words. We just need to stay alert, stick together. 353 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:55.000 They patrolled for hours, marking the boundaries of their territory, 354 00:22:55.519 --> 00:23:00.640 checking the game trails and water sources. Everything seemed normal, peaceful, 355 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:04.599 Even birds sang in the canopy overhead, and Coda spotted 356 00:23:04.599 --> 00:23:07.599 a family of deer moving through a meadow, unconcerned by 357 00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:10.920 the Sasquatch presence. But then, as they approached a rocky 358 00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:15.000 outcropping near the eastern edge of their patrol, route mirror froze. 359 00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:20.000 Do you smell that? She whispered? Coda inhaled deeply, sorting 360 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:23.680 through the scents on the wind. There was pine earth, 361 00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:27.119 the lingering musk of a bear that had passed through recently, 362 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:32.559 and underneath it all something else, something sharp and musky, 363 00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:37.640 like wet fur and old blood. Dog Men, he breathed. 364 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:41.920 They all tensed, scanning the forest around them. The smell 365 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:44.920 was faint, probably at least a day old, but it 366 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:48.240 was definitely there. The dog Men had been here, on 367 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:51.759 the very edge of their territory. Should we follow it, 368 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:56.359 Rayla asked, her voice trembling slightly. Codah thought about his 369 00:23:56.400 --> 00:24:01.039 father's orders observe and report, do not engage, But he 370 00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:04.160 also thought about Raksha, about the blood the search party 371 00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:07.079 had found. The trail could lead them to the dog 372 00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:10.400 men's camp, could give them the information the clans needed. 373 00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:14.640 We follow it, he decided, but carefully. And if it 374 00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:17.079 looks like we're getting close to their camp, we turned 375 00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:21.680 back and report no heroics. The others nodded, and they 376 00:24:21.720 --> 00:24:26.039 set off, tracking the scent deeper into the forest. Coda 377 00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:29.720 led the way, every muscle tense, ready to run or fight. 378 00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:33.519 At a moment's notice. The trail wound through dense undergrowth, 379 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:37.160 over a small stream, and up a steep hillside covered 380 00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:40.279 in loose shale. They had been following for nearly an 381 00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:45.279 hour when Paka suddenly grabbed Coda's arm. Stop. He hissed, listen. 382 00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:50.240 They all froze, straining their ears. At first, Coda heard 383 00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:53.079 nothing but the usual sounds of the forest, but then 384 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:58.440 faintly he caught it voices, low, rough voices that definitely 385 00:24:58.440 --> 00:25:03.359 weren't Sasquatch dog men. Codas signaled the others to get low, 386 00:25:03.400 --> 00:25:06.680 and they crept forward as quietly as they could through 387 00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:09.920 a gap in the trees. They finally saw them. Three 388 00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:13.720 dog men stood in a small clearing, apparently in deep conversation. 389 00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:18.039 The largest was gray and black, his massive frame making 390 00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:21.480 even the trees around him look small. Beside him stood 391 00:25:21.480 --> 00:25:24.920 a leaner, silver white female, and beyond her a dog 392 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:29.079 man with steel gray fur and dark eyes. Coda's breath 393 00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:31.920 caught in his throat. These were the creatures that had 394 00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:36.599 been terrorizing the clans, that had possibly killed or captured Roksha. 395 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:41.240 Up close, they were even more fearsome than the stories suggested. 396 00:25:41.799 --> 00:25:45.839 Their teeth were like daggers, their claws like knives, and 397 00:25:45.880 --> 00:25:50.559 the way they moved with that predatory grace. The gray 398 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:54.720 male suddenly lifted his head, sniffing the air. Coda's heart 399 00:25:54.759 --> 00:26:00.319 hammered in his chest. Go, he whispered urgently. Now they 400 00:26:00.319 --> 00:26:03.839 turned and ran as quietly as they could manage, putting 401 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:07.640