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« on: February 02, 2005, 10:30:00 pm »
The leaf stirred dizzily in the soft turbulence caused by the splashing waterfall. Knee deep in the stirring waters poised with spear set, her attention was distracted and transfixed by the simple beauty of the meeting of the elements of nature. Minutes passed by still and unoticed, the soft sounds pleasing amidst the forest calls. She felt waters fall on her drop by drop, cool by comparison to the now stirring soft wind.
Wait…the wind is warm, brushes past like breath, the smell. Normally not so heavy; full of life and call - not end.
Her senses picked out the minute carbon dust passing in the breeze as a small ember flitted past her view.
Waters splashed and she lauched into full flight back towards the tribe camp, large jumping strides took her past brook and tree, bush and stone in instants, instinct placing every footfall with surety and speed. Branches whipped past as she focused her senses on following the warm flow from the burning, smoke wisps started to fill the air dark in the bright sun rays, peircing the forest canopy. Her heart thundered in her ears jamming her senses straining to gather the sounds of what lay ahead. Calls she could hear her tribe call – battle calls; heard so rarely and never by her. She sensed Menyn speeding to meet her, he had sensed the ill long before.
Her throat tighened, lungs strained and tears stung her eyes as she desperately she tried to gain speed in her race through the forest in the now dark charred smoke. the calls were clear and near now, though she hardly recongnised the trail only making way by sound alone. Crashing and brutish sounds followed and then seemed to fade away.
She crashed into the camp almost head first into a tent so dense was the black smoke. Hearing her people talk rapidly all around her she rubbed her eyes and made way to the center, her panic making her now clumsy tripping over cooking implements and spear and clothe racks, Menyn dashed ahead yelping at the smoke. Already she could hear the mourning songs, a few torn voices high with the end of life – then she came upon the scene. Masses of burning bundles dotted the ground around the camp, created so as to make the smoke that would hide an attack – an attack that had been successful a little – but the quick defence of the Wild Elfs even more successful. Bodies lay strewn, corpses charred and some - the bodies of Wild Elves who had raomed forest and plain for centuries – now snuffed out like the flames on the smoking woods.
*********
“Oilccalcailo come in … what took you so long?”.. the elder elf sat with his scripting tools across his lap, surrounded by the vast array of wonders always concealed in his tent. He looked up from his current work, the finely craft beads in his long dark hair clicking softly, his eyes tinged with sorrow.
“I was helping the clearing Jel’a Loth”..she bowed her head, not only as befitted respect for the elder but also because she too, was touched with sorrow shared by the tribe.
Jel’a Loth made a slight chirrup sound like a Swallow. “Always so far from the tribe..why, why is that? Do you not share joy of home and roam with your Laylmyllamla?”. Oilccalcailo stood almost motionless, her heart turbulent as ever, Jel’a Loth was one of the few of the tribe that seemed to accept her errant ways; headstrong and stubborn, more wild at heart that most, she often chaffed the other Elders with her seeming lack of respect for the Tradition, her inquisitive observing of the other races her Tribe avoided whenever possible.
“No matter what has begun will be”…he humphed and moved his scroll work out of the way..”Come here child”..he reached out his gentle hand and bade her sit, nestled on the furs she pulled up her legs and leaned her chin on her knees waiting.
“I am he who listens.”. he paused, if anything Jel’a Loth like to be dramatic, she smiled into herself. “it is my task to listen to the Dreams sent by the gods. Some sleep easy, not troubled, but that is good, it is for I not to. My dreams are dark, my sleep not restfull.” . Oilccalcailo prepared herself for another boring sermon on Tradition and the tribe, the lands, the gods but Jel’a Loth stopped, sighed and turned to look at her both worry and sadness in his gaze. “You must go away, travel.”
Oilccalcailo caught herself, her heart in her throat – leave the tribe? She sought to still herself her emotions though Jel’a Loth seemed to see right through her and patted her cheek softly. “Now child, you must. Look at you. You roam far from the tribe, all the time – you seek different things from the others.”. He sighed, his emotion was evident. “That is why I must send you”. Oilccalcailo was confused she wanted to scream no, she wouldn’t leave Jel’a Loth ever, she’d be good never stray from the Laylmyllamla again, please don’t send her away. She fought to hold in her feelings as all of her tribe did. Again Jel’a Loth saw all.
“ah my child”..he leanded forward and kissed her forehead.”My dreams are dark child, ill comes. The Blood will once again wash through the land. What happened,” he paused smoothing his hair, “will happen again and worse, I dream danger and ill for the Laylmyllamla ahead, and for many more. It is a terrible thing I do to send you Oilccalcailo, selfish but perhaps for the best, for you are not even safe here with the Laylmyllamla any more than anywhere else.”. His proud bearance sagged a little at the admittance, their Tribe stayed ever out of the affairs of the rest of the lands.
“There is once again dark in the Lands Oilccalcailo, and I send you as a seeker. To find what you can. It is our task as the Laylmyllamla to find darkness that would take balance from the lands and fight it, even our own camps are no longer safe child. My heart wearies in this life to send that which is so dear, so dear. But I am He who Listens and I do what must be done”. He paused gravely this time for quite some time. Oilccalcailo’s mind raced, her emotions unbalanced, Fallenleaf her tribe name had been because she had fallen far from the tree as such. Birthed by her mother far from the tribe, for which her mother had died with none near to aid here. Now it seemed her birth name was ever more to dominate her life.
Jel’a Loth smiled. “Ah my child but there is still wonders you may see, your spirit is strong, you will find your way may Kithairien be kind”. He chuckled softly.” And take that wolf with you I want him not pissing against my tent no more!” . Oilccalcailo blushed, she’d tried to tell Menyn too many times but he also had a will of his own.
It was late and dark when Oilccalcailo left the camp o anira Laylmyllamla. Jela’ Loth was one of few to bid her warmly goodbye, the rest still concerned with the deceased and rebuilding of the camp. Jela’Loth had been sad yet resolute and gave her his blessings and love. Of so little she had given the tribe, not being there when it was attacked she was sure she would not fail him in this.
Oilccalcailo called to Menyn and hugged his shaggy neck before setting off through the forest, trepidation at where her path may lead, and heart heavy and full.
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