Post by lilikoi on Sept 3, 2016 23:40:24 GMT -5
Story time...
This actually began after I was inspired by a roleplay on these forums a few years back. And by a few years, I mean it was in 2012. It started as a warriors fanfiction, and I started posting it on the site, but I ended up not liking how it was going and took it down. Now, it's been completely reworked, and the characters are human in a similar society. So if it seems similar to how the books are set up, now you know why.
If any of the people from the original roleplay stop by, check in with me. For now, I'll just credit you as Eaglepath, Echomoon, Honeyflower, and Shadow.
Secondarily, I have big plans for this series, and it is going to be the first of three installments. I am open to any kind of criticism, so long as you can tell me how to fix what I've done wrong. Otherwise, I'll be posting this incrementally. The prologue is super long, so I'm dividing it into...six? Six sections. and I'll be posting two at a time. So please enjoy.
Well, most of the crowd.
Brii watched bitterly from the temple—her new home. Zahare said something about her sister’s death implying that Brii was a better choice for priestess, not Dove. Of course, he didn’t say this until she had enough calming solution in her system, preventing her from going completely berserk. She still wanted to, but she was simply unable. Weariness and complete numbness kept her in place, only allowing her to stare at him in utter confusion and quiet fury as he continued the conversation with Rose, who agreed wholeheartedly with his statement. It made it that much less painful when the two of them died.
“Spirits, I worry now that you’ve abandoned me.” She muttered, watching the new Indran proudly step down from her elevated place and walk over to Jaye. Not only was she a part of her tribe—she was trying to take the one she loved.
She—Brii—and Jaye had a long history. As children, they instantly developed quite the liking to each other, and ultimately decided that they would be together one day. Of course, the day they said that was before Dove died and Silver came into the equation. Now he was acting all friendly towards her, hanging out with her every second he wasn’t busy with other matters. It drove her crazy. It was like Silver was sent to ruin everything. Brought to Indra to unleash a fusillade of trials for her, testing just how much she could handle before going insane. She hated her for it.
Jaye turned and spotted her staring. She averted her eyes and turned, heat rising over her face. She headed back into the main room, looking over the stocks of herbs and potions to make sure everything was in order.
“Brii?” Bri nearly dropped the bottles she had been pulling together as the familiar voice sounded at the doorway. Jaye stood outside, leaning against the stone frame. He peeked to the side cautiously to meet her eyes, wearing a blatant expression of concern.
She sighed and pushed the small jars back onto the shelf, pretending to inspect each as she turned to him.
“What is it, Jaye?” She asked, her voice as indifferent as she could manage. Seeing him stand there, she could feel her heart wither. She never wanted that to be the way she greeted him. But it had to be. He paused for a moment.
“Am I alright to come in?” He asked warily. She averted her eyes from him, now glancing over the flower stock. For what? Well, she didn’t know. She sighed and rushed forward.
“Get in here.” She ordered, grabbing his arm and pulling him inside just before slamming the doors. He looked taken aback as she yanked him into the temple, but he still simply followed her. She dropped his hand as they reached the stone circle in the middle of the room, covered with a golden hide. The sun filtered down on them from the circular gap in the roof, lighting up the features of the two. She turned and left him to stand there, rifling through her stocks.
“You know, it’s a nice place and all, but you’d really have to get used to the smell.” He joked, blinking away moisture from his eyes. His eyes widened as she froze, and he realized rather quickly that his words were terribly chosen. “I mean…” He began.
“No, Jaye, it’s…it’s fine.” She said quickly, replacing all the things she was fiddling with and putting them in their proper places. “After all, you’re right. I never liked the smell, but now it’s just become one of those things. I feel like I appreciate fresh air now.” She said. Her tone was dull, and he could see her optimism was nothing but a front. She hated it here. He knew she did. There was a smile on her face, but he could see her deep down. He always could. As kids, she would always get cuts and bruises. But she wasn’t like all the others who fell down and cried. She always said she was okay, even when she dislocated her shoulder. He learned quickly how to pick apart those façades, leaving her in all truth before him. That was the beautiful thing about them. There were no secrets.
“You know, I’d be happy to hear how much you hate this job. I’ve been looking to rant lately, so why not do it with someone else?” He proposed, stepping over to her. She turned and placed her hands over his shoulders, looking him dead in the eye.
“I don’t need you to patronize me. I’ve been honored with this job, I won’t complain.” She said, her old fire returning to her eyes.
“But you still want to.” He said. She drew in a breath and tightened her grip on his shoulders only to fall into his chest and release a quiet sob. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as she stilled her breathing. He felt her form droop as she exhaled.
“I just wish…” She trailed off in thought. What did she wish? That Silver had never shown up? Maybe that she’d never gone with Dove to retrieve the water? Maybe that she’d never dared to love or to hope. “I just wish things were different.” She said simply. That was the only way she could phrase it. She felt him nod.
“Me too, Brii. I’d give anything to go back. To change things for you.” He said.
Brii found herself pushing him away and walking off. His gaze followed her to the center of the room.
“I still love you, Brii. You know that.” He insisted, walking after her and placing a hand on her shoulder. She jumped at his touch, but she wouldn’t turn around. He couldn’t see her like this. She reached back and put her hand over his—not holding it, just feeling it there. Like it always should be. Like it simply couldn’t be.
“I know you do. And I still care about you too…I still love you too. But the fact of the matter is that we can never be. I’ve moved on, and I think it’s time for you to do the same.” She turned finally, a joyful smile on her face and eyes glimmering. “I mean, you’re the vice for crying out loud! Who wouldn’t want you?” She asked, her voice weak from the strength used to hold it together. Jaye raised his brow.
“It doesn’t matter who wants me. It only matters that I want you. And I know you’ve not moved on. You’ve just given up.” He said as she walked away to open the temple doors again. She turned and met him with a grim expression.
“Even if you’re right,” She told him, breathing in the outside air. “there’s nothing to be hopeful about. This is what the fates have set. All I can hope for is a great reward in the next life.” She looked down. “It won’t replace you, but it makes my struggles less depressing.” She returned to the far reaches of the room and leaned up against the wall.
“So! What do you have planned for today?” She inquired, diverting the topic as quickly as possible. Jaye sadly looked at her and sighed.
“I’m probably just going to check the borders.” He said quietly.
“I see. I guess it’s better than just hunting. We’ve probably collected all the game in the forest by now.” She said, glancing at the incoming party, deer, rabbits, and fish in mass slung over their backs. Summer really was treating them well this year. “Well, I shouldn’t keep you then. Go on and keep Huyana in check.” She said playfully. Of course, Huyana wouldn’t be out of line. They never had been. In her entire life, she had never seen trouble from anyone in that tribe. It was rather wonderful how well the two groups got along. Jaye nodded, turning to leave her to her thoughts once again. He felt that it was all he could do anymore.
“By the way, you should know that Silver isn’t as bad as you think. I saw how you were looking at her, and…you know I understand. But she’s changed, Brii.” Stepping away slowly, no reply came from the woman. No noise of approval or disapproval. No protest or agreement. And her silence made him wonder if the words should have remained unspoken.
And in her mind, they really should have been.
A bitter expression made home on her face as she watched him disappear into the territory. Silver wasn’t any different. She was still rebellious. She was still selfish. And she still continued to break her heart every day. If she wasn’t here, none of this would have happened. Dove would instead be the new priestess. She and Jaye would possibly have their first child on the way. She could sit next to her sister and proclaim her an aunt as it was born. And she would be the warrior she always dreamed of being—the hunter that brought back what no one else could. Her future could have been so beautiful. It could have been. But she ruined it.
“Can you two keep your vow exchanges quiet over there. I only got to sleep at sunrise…” A somewhat irritated grumble resounded from the wall behind her. Brii spun around, finding Thorn sitting upright on the floor, his golden hair spiky from tossing and turning during the short time he was sleeping. Fire burned beneath Brii’s features, her hands trembling.
“Thorn! How much did you hear?!” She demanded, worry eating away at her insides.
“Too much. Take it elsewhere next time, seriously.” His neutral tone conveyed nothing but disinterest, worrying her that he thought light of the matter. Not a problem, if it didn’t foreshadow his possibly spreading the word to others.
“Thorn, you can’t tell anyone what you heard, alright? Okay!?” Her panicked tone made him draw back.
“Relax! I couldn’t care less about it all. You haven’t broken your commitments as far as I know.” He said, pulling up his knees and resting his arms and head on them, apparently not awake enough to walk to his room and sleep.
Brii sighed, dropping down on the stone floor. He never did seem interested in the code of the priests. And while in this scenario, it was a good thing, she didn’t like that he was a priest apprentice with that attitude. One that made the code something less than superior. Of course, it’s not like he wanted to be a priest. Thorn was born with a twisted ankle—one that wouldn’t allow him to fight or hunt properly. And while he could have just stayed with the retired, Indra wasn’t one to favor carrying others, regardless of how incompetent they were. Of course, they would do it, but they much preferred that everyone carried their own weight.
“Yeah…” She whispered, leaning against a shelf that seemed to lack the usual ingredients. A wave of dizziness washed over her, sending her vision spinning. She felt her head droop, realizing only now just how tired she was. Perhaps it was always like this, and she had gotten to the point of dismissing it. She hoped that was the case. It would certainly prepare her for the long nights ahead. And not only that, but it gave her grounds on which to hope that her sorrows of a lost future would end up the same way.
What a thing to hope for—that suffering would become normal.
“Yeah, Zahare told me all about it.” She began. “The two tribes came together under the rule of Indra and Huyana, both of which were esteemed among the people as natural leader, after a desire for society came about. Each person chose a village based on the terrain he or she desired to live in. But a group of people who didn’t want to live within an organized society spread out among the two sections of land and called themselves the wanderers, working for and taking from no one. Of course, the tribes weren’t terribly enthused by this, but they chose to overlook it. Soon the original leaders passed away, and new ones rose to power. But unlike the harmony that Indra and Huyana had, one overpowered the other. Sokah was a weak and cowardly fool…Rone was a confident and capable chief…” Jaye sensed her reluctance to say those words. But just as the historians had taught her, she kept on. “Soon a crisis came that tested their strength as leaders. A famine struck the land, withering all crops and starving all the game. People in both tribes were starving to death, and the leaders knew they had to do something. Rone, taking charge, proposed an ordinance…The Wanderers’ Ordinance. That because wanderers were taking food from the tribes without contributing to them…they must all be gotten rid of. And from that day on, all sighted wanderers…were taken prisoner and brought to Rone. If that proved too difficult…they were killed on the spot.” Her head drop, her eyes flaring with a fury that could not be concealed. “But I was lucky. I was given grace.” Jaye nodded slowly as she finished her oration. And it was all too clear to him that those last statements were not additional commentary. They were just another part of the recitation.
This actually began after I was inspired by a roleplay on these forums a few years back. And by a few years, I mean it was in 2012. It started as a warriors fanfiction, and I started posting it on the site, but I ended up not liking how it was going and took it down. Now, it's been completely reworked, and the characters are human in a similar society. So if it seems similar to how the books are set up, now you know why.
If any of the people from the original roleplay stop by, check in with me. For now, I'll just credit you as Eaglepath, Echomoon, Honeyflower, and Shadow.
Secondarily, I have big plans for this series, and it is going to be the first of three installments. I am open to any kind of criticism, so long as you can tell me how to fix what I've done wrong. Otherwise, I'll be posting this incrementally. The prologue is super long, so I'm dividing it into...six? Six sections. and I'll be posting two at a time. So please enjoy.
Sparks
Prologue
It was the kind of calm that was all consuming. The breezes had stilled and the leaves within the tress painted gold and scarlet by the cool caress of fall had halted their motion. Silver clouds lazily drifted in front of the sun, casting a shadow over the small village of Indra.
The town was situated upon a hill, overlooking the ocean that stretched for miles upon miles, isolating its people from whatever was left in the rest of the world. While many of the villagers were curious about what rested beyond the island, they simply resolved to spin great tales about these far and fathomed lands to keep the children entertained. As it was, life on the island was good. The only other village on it, Huyana, was peaceful and equally prosperous, leaving little room for strife or jealousy. The weather was fair, the fruit was plentiful, the spring was cold, and the game was abundant. The people of Indra and Huyana were happy. Therefore, there was no need to go venture into danger to seek new lands.
It was barely noon, and the Indra camp was already bustling with men and women as the clouds overhead swelled with another bout of autumn rain. A young girl named Brii, painted darkly by the sun, bounced around the outside of the temple, eager beyond words for the reappearance of her sister Dove, who was just recently given the title of priestess’s apprentice. Never had there been a day she had been so proud of the younger, fairer girl. Acquiring such a title was remarkable, almost as much so as taking the status of chief, and she would be sure to let her know that in word, attitude, and deed.
Of course, Brii found no real interest in her own being a priestess’s apprentice, or even the priestess herself. The job demanded the entire attention of the person who took it on, and in order to assure that, priests were not allowed to marry or have children. She had never desired such a solitary lifestyle, prestigious or not. She couldn’t imagine life without kids or a husband, even if she was respected and looked up to by the village. She knew she would much rather raise her own flesh and blood and take pride in them than take the lives of wounded and ill people into her shaky hands on a daily basis. Fame and power never were desires for Brii, but love was another story.
The small-framed girl with long hazel hair—Dove—crossed the entrance of the building, casting a glance over her shoulder and spotting her rather excited sister. She rolled her grey-blue eyes but couldn’t help loosing a smile to complement the gesture. Brii could only smile back as she sat, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. She knew her sister thought her a bit overbearing at times, but the wonder of the moment may have distracted her from such things.
It wasn’t long before she nearly skipped into the clearing with a wooden bowl held tightly in her hands. She was in finer clothes than Brii had ever remembered seeing. A gold cloth shaped like a breastplate overtook a sheer white undershirt that reached up the chest and made a ribbon-like collar around the neck. A rabbit skin cloak was wrapped around her shoulders, the fur groomed down smoothly. She wore a silver sarong around her waist as a skirt, tied at her left side. Copper anklets attached to new, leather sandals that didn’t seem to rub as badly as her old ones. She knew it was custom to outfit the officials in the finest, but she felt that this outdid the usual. Brii rose eagerly to her feet, pursuing Dove.
“Dove! Dove, wait! You have to let me collect herbs with you! I want to tell my kids that I watched Indra’s greatest priestess perform her first task!” Dove stopped short and allowed a slight laugh to escape.
“Brii, I’m just going to get water. It’s not a big deal.” She said dismissively, her sweet, airy voice wavering slightly, revealing that she was just as excited as her. Brii shrugged off her lack of enthusiasm and kept to her animated demeanor.
“But what if there’s a wolf? Or a cougar!” The dark-haired girl gasped at the pictures coming together in her mind, her heart speeding up as if they were real. “Or what if there’s an enemy patrol?!” She demanded, her olive-eyes wide with self-induced worry.
“An enemy patrol? From Huyana?” Dove questioned doubtfully, her tone unchanged aside all of Brii’s propositions.
“Yes. They’re too quiet. I don’t trust them.” Brii said stubbornly, casting a glance over her shoulder in the bordering village’s direction.
“You’re crazy.” Dove said with a light sigh.
“I’m being safe. There could be all kinds of danger out there! And who better to protect you than me?” She beamed proudly, swiping at the empty air with an imaginary dagger.
“Myself or anyone else.” Dove said curtly, beginning away from her excited sister. Brii’s shoulders dropped at the dismissal, and she felt herself sag in disappointment. She wouldn’t be joining her. She could tell. When Dove got like this, it was no use at all trying to convince her.
“Dove…” Brii murmured, her distress sounding louder than the words themselves.
The golden haired child turned and found herself taken aback at the sight. Was she really that excited to come along?
She felt her feet root in place, refusing to go another inch without her.
Certainly her master wouldn’t mind…
“Okay. Fine. You can come along.” She said with a defeated sigh. Brii shot to her feet, a wide grin immediately replacing her remorseful pout.
“Then what are you waiting for?” She cried joyously, racing to the empty space that made the doorway into camp. “Let’s go!”
- - -
Thunder rumbled as the two trekked through the dimly-lighted territory, weaving around the widely-spaced trees. Indra was hardly a forest, but it was still full of trees. There just wasn’t any density to it. Everything was spaced out too much.
Brii could make out faint rays of the sun filtering through the clouds and onto the elevated plateau below. Not a few meters beside them was a cliff that led down to the tumbling ocean, a dark sapphire color beneath the stone-grey sky.
A single drop of rain fell from the clouds, landing squarely on Dove’s nose. Then another. Then another. Then a million.
In moments, rain began to pour down from the sky, soaking the two immediately. Dove quickened her pace and Brii followed suit.
It wasn’t long before every step became labored, and Dove had to shake out her cloak every few seconds, causing it to fall from her shoulders.
She probably shouldn’t go on like this. She might end up sick tomorrow. Brii worried. And just think of the reputation that would give her. Sick on her second day!
“Maybe you could just take back the rain water. That should work, right?” She suggested, noticing her sister’s weary demeanor. Through heavy breaths and struggling movements, she shook her head, and breathed out—
“No. This is my first task. And I’m doing it right. She said get it from the spring, so I’ll get it from the spring.” Brii’s shoulders drooped. She felt bad for her. But there was no turning back it seemed.
“Okay, well…I’m getting really tired of walking. Can we just take a quick break?” Brii asked, suddenly drooping more than she had been only seconds before. Of course, she was just fine. But she knew that if she was to suggest Dove rest for her own sake, she would refuse that without a second thought. Dove paused. She looked back and forth for any shelter, eventually finding her sights caught on a large-limbed tree that still had most of its leaves.
“Fine.” She said after a long moment. “But only for a little while.” If she had any idea of why Brii really wanted to stop, she didn’t let on.
The lowest branch was easy to climb onto, and soon, they were huddled together, reveling in the mostly dry warmth of the shelter. Lightning flashed and thunder roared as they waited and waited and waited for things to lighten up.
They didn’t.
But a certain flash of color peaked Brii’s interest after a while, alongside the sound of hurried footsteps just outside. She stiffened as she followed the path of the object. Dove looked over in alarm.
“What?” She asked, her frame tensed in concern. Brii got to her feet and began to lower herself off the branch, dropping to the saturated ground with a splash.
“It’s that wanderer, Silver.” Silver was a young wanderer that had a tendency to roam Indra’s territory and take what she wanted. If she was lucky enough to catch it anyway.
She seemed to be completely alone, with no one to teach her or tend to her in illness. More than likely, such factors would make her completely unthreatening. But they simply forced her to teach herself what to do, which not only added to her intelligence but to her belief that she had a right to the things she caught. Brii didn’t take that lightly.
Dove sighed. “Please tell me you don’t plan to attack her. She’s just a child.” Brii’s frame tensed up.
“She’s our age! It’s an even match.” She hissed out. “And I don’t want her to think she can just barge in and steal uncontested!”
“Just tell Zehare. The chief will scare her off just by showing up.” Dove said, indifference almost conquering her tone.
“She’ll be gone by then. And her tracks will be too with this rain. And you know Zehare. He’s all peace, no war, ever. It’s annoying. He never employs the chaotic option, and that’s probably all that will work at the moment.” Brii’s argument placed a sourly surprised look on Dove’s face.
“And just when did you become vice?” She questioned.
“When the other one stopped doing her job.” Brii’s tone was far too even, as if she had thought this a million times.
“You’re not exactly qualified.” Dove persisted.
“Oh well.”
With her final statement, Brii dropped to a crouch and, eyes peeled, followed the path of the intruder. Dove was right behind her.
“Brii, just please stop this. This isn’t any condition to be out in, let alone fighting in!” She pleaded. Brii shook her head.
“Don’t worry. It won’t take much.” She said.
“Just listen to her. Go home.” Another voice sounded from right beside them. Brii whirled around to see a scrawny, orange haired girl crouched beneath a bush. Her hair was thoroughly drenched and her ribs were clearly visible through the ripped garment that clung to her body. Still, her yellow eyes burned with life. Glimmered with rebellion. She wasn’t afraid. She knew she wasn’t supposed to be here, but she didn’t care. Brii wouldn’t let her go unpunished.
“Get out.” Brii ordered. Dove winced at her abrasive tone. Yes, her sister was in the right, but it pained her to see any person in such a condition be turned down shelter. Or food. Or rest. Even if she had been robbing them for most of her life.
Silver remained in place, only showing signs of worry in quickened breathing. She didn’t say a word.
“Out!” Brii spat. Silver rose up, her bones clearly lining each of her limbs. She stalked forward until she was as close to the enemy as she dared get. She wasn’t quite as tall as her, but she was close. The two pairs of eyes locked in a standoff that seemed to radiate tension. Both Silver and Brii were rigid, neither willing to leave but neither willing to initiate the fight. Brii moved a single step closer.
“Get out of Indra territory.” She hissed, her olive-colored eyes gleaming with resolution. Silver copied her motion, advancing one single step and whispering the nearly inaudible words—
“Make me.”
She did.
She lunged at her, the two immediately locked in a rolling and flailing tussle. Hair flew and shrieks of pure fury were released, drowned out only by the rolling thunder above.
“Brii!” Dove cried. She launched herself into the midst of the fight, catching several swipes and slashes herself. She couldn’t tell who was who, what was what, or where was where. It was simply a matter of blocking nails and fists and hopelessly attempting to make sense of anything. Then hopelessly attempting to talk sense into either of them. Or more-so hopelessly trying to talk at all. A blade scored the side of her face and she felt blood rush through her head at the sting of the wound. She lashed out, pushing a dark body and kicking a lighter one, but only to watch them draw back together to carry on the battle. It seemed that if she didn’t do something, this battle would only end at someone’s death. And separating them seemed impossible.
Until lightning struck.
A brilliant flash overtook everyone’s vision, and an earsplitting crack deafened them all momentarily. Brii and Silver jumped away, scrambling as far away as possible from the source. But Dove remained rooted in place, unmoving and unresponsive. At the sight, a million different scenarios passed through Brii’s mind.
Silver kicked her head too hard trying to get away.
I kicked her head too hard trying to get away!
Oh, Spirits, she’s been struck by lightning!
Knowing that Dove would be fallen on the ground had the first two happened gave Brii some relief, allowing her to breathe once more. But the concept of only Dove having been affected by a lightning strike’s being impossible didn’t. It would have. Truly, it would have made her day. But she had realized too quickly what the lightning did strike.
The massive tree limb above Dove.
She looked up in horror as the branch wobbled, its foundation wearing down more and more and more until it was only attached by a single fiber of wood.
And then it fell.
___
Down, down, down, she watched the limb fall. Everything moved so slowly. Too slowly. Brii’s mind was racing so quickly, but her body, her mouth, Dove—everything else moved too slowly. She wanted to force herself to move faster. To force her feet to surpass the laws of what they could do. To force her lungs to push air faster and her jaws to form the simple word move. But she couldn’t. All she could do was inch towards her at a rate much, much slower than the plummeting tree. All she could do was wish wish wish to save her. All she could do was meet the terrified gaze of the pale girl once more. The petrified blue eyes that had stared back at her the moment she opened her own. The stormy pearls that always presented such an air of dignity and goodness. That was all she could do before her sister was crushed.
The branch landed squarely across her back, reaching from the back of her spine to the back of her shoulders. Funny how her eyes never displayed pain. Never displayed a realization of what happened. Never registered her own demise or any sort of injury at all. All they held was the astonishment she received from the blinding blaze and deafening thunder. Only the fading shock of the flash and roar. Nothing more. Never again would there be more.
The thought made Brii crumple.
Silver stared in horror at the happening, not daring to look Brii’s way. She heard the Indran call out to her. Or, to someone. To no one. Or to anyone.
“Help! Help! Help!” She repeated herself over and over again, as if a songbird with knowledge of only one sound. A young sparrow, repeating the same chirp over and over again. No change of inflection, no change of energy. Just a single word played on repeat forever. It hardly helped Silver release herself from a state of trauma. Everything around her spun into a sort of vortex that enveloped her every thought.
Oh, Spirits! It wasn’t me! The only thing that reached her was the rustling of the bushes behind her. She jolted and tried to run, but found herself captivated in the sights of a massive, muscular man. A black haired woman followed him alongside a smaller boy. The woman’s eyes widened at the sight of the Silver. Her hand reached to grab her dagger as she began to advance towards her. The oldest reached out in front of her to hold her back.
“Shade, tend to Brii. Get her back to camp with Arrat.” He ordered. She froze, her eyes shutting in resentful submission.
“Yes, Zahare.” Shade said with a stiff nod.
“No!” Brii howled in protest as the two approached. “Dove needs help! You have to save her! You have to try to help! Please!” Her heartbroken wails nearly contested the thunder. Shade propped Brii up against her.
“Brii, we’re going to do what we can, but you need to get back to camp. You need rest and medicine. This state isn’t healthy.” Shade murmured.
“No! I’m not going back until you help her! I’m not going back without her. I can’t!” She cried. Shade winced.
“Arrat, I can get her back on my own. Just…see what you can do.” She told him. He nodded solemnly and headed to the accident. Brii’s eyes followed him, finally coming to rest on the limp body of Dove. Blood trickled from the corner of her jaw, dripping onto the soaked grass. Her limbs splayed out from underneath her, one bent at an angle that simply couldn’t be natural. Her eyes were blank. Blank. The terror had long since faded. They were blank. They were lifeless. Dove was lifeless.
The world spun and Brii fell, blackness overtaking her vision and forcing her mind into a chasm of pure nothingness.
And she was gone.
- - -
Silver didn’t know what to do. Brii seemed to have fainted and now she was surrounded by strange Indrans who already hated her and now probably blamed her for murder. To say the least, it was a bad situation.
She refused to believe what had happened was at all her fault. It was lightning. It was nature’s fault. She hadn’t done a thing to cause that. But a small part of her knew that some part of the accusation sure to come wouldn’t be completely inaccurate. She resented that part. It wasn’t her fault.
Arrat was forced to return to help Shade take Brii back to camp. He muttered something about “no use” with the grimmest look on his face. Shade sent a glare in her direction. She certainly blamed her. Why not? It had to be someone’s fault after all.
Nothing was ever just a complete accident. Someone had to be blamed.
But the looks she was receiving from Zahare weren’t quite like that, although she couldn’t exactly identify just what they were like. She felt her skin prickle as he stepped towards her, a million different thoughts rushing through her mind.
Run
Fight
Stand your ground
Reason with him
Discourage him
All she could do was freeze. He knelt upon reaching a foot or two from her, looking her over.
“So you’re the infamous Silver, huh? The way my people talked gave me a rather different impression.” He said, his voice too calm for the matter at hand. She couldn’t meet his gaze. Couldn’t respond. All she could do was stare at the ground.
“How about you come to the camp with me?” He offered. “I can give you food and shelter for the night.” Silver couldn’t stop herself from looking up in utter disbelief. This couldn’t be right. Not with everything that just happened. It had to be a trap. She felt herself begin to inch away, moments from making a break for it.
“It’s not a trick, Silver. Do you really put me below attacking someone not a quarter my size and not a quarter as trained?” He questioned. She stopped. He was right. If village people were different from wanderers by one matter, it was by their integrity.
She moved back, but not easily. Silence seemed to resound in the area, despite the volume of the storm.
“What do you want in return for that?” She asked, her voice as steady as she could possibly make it after mustering her courage for as long a time she thought she needed. She still knew that nothing came without a price.
“I want your consideration of a certain offer. But we’ll discuss such a thing later after we get there and you’ve gotten what I promised. So you’ll accompany me back?” He pressed, his tone almost warm in spite of the coldness she had received from those beside him. Inside, she knew that going with him would be something near suicidal. It was foolishness. It was credulity if not gullibility. But she needed it. She wouldn’t last out here much longer, and any bit of food would help. Any bit of shelter from the cold and rain would do her good. And if they had medicine to fend off the illness she felt building inside her every day, she would be better off than ever. She desperately needed what they were offering. So she considered.
And then she accepted.
- - -
The camp was bigger than she had expected, dwarfing any cave she had ever discovered and called home. Skin tents and rock buildings covered the Indrans that shared gossip of just what could have happened. It didn’t seem that anyone had any idea. Villagers sitting out in the clearing took shelter under the foliage of trees and rock ledges in a wall that backed the entire camp. All eyes fell on her as she crept in. Gasps of surprise erupted and incredulous mumbles sounded from the crowd.
“Is that really...”
“Well on my life, I never expected…”
“She’s showing her face here?!”
Correction. Incredulous and infuriated. She felt herself shrinking as everyone’s attention came to rest on her. Zahare stopped short as his attention was drawn by Arrat, who didn’t even seem to notice her there.
“Wait here. I’ll be back in a moment.” He said before heading off to speak with the boy. Now she was alone in a bigger group of strange people. A bigger group that hated her. Because things could always get worse. She stared at the ground to avoid piercing glares and questioning gawks. She didn’t dare make eye contact with anyone. It was a direct challenge in her book.
“You’re Silver, right?” A voice sounded from right behind her. She jumped straight into the air and whirled around, frenzy lit in her eyes. She seemed to have startled the boy asking the question too. She saw him draw back at her reaction.
“Um…yeah.” She whispered, her clenching her fists behind her back.
“What happened? Why are you here?” He asked. Contrary to what she expected, his tone was far from hostile. It was curious. Concerned, almost. Silver began to shiver at the recollection.
“Are you alright?” He asked, stepping forward to support her if needed. She drew back.
“Yeah, I’m fine…Just cold, I guess.” She lied through gritted teeth.
“I’d figure. You’re soaked.” He wasn’t exactly dry, but he wasn’t in quite the shape she was in. His shaggy black hair was slicked back and seemed glossy in the half-light. “I’ll take you to my family’s tent. It’s a lot warmer in there. And of course, no rain.”
He said, offering his hand to lead her over.
“Actually, I was told to wait here.” She said, sure that if she stepped out of line, any offer of Zahare’s may be revoked. But not only that, she wasn’t at all interested in meeting those who were close to the lost, in case news of the happening had finally gotten out or been figured out.
“Oh…” He said, almost looking disappointed. “Well, I can’t really top anyone’s orders.” He glanced back at his tent. “I should probably get back inside, though. But, if you end up wanting to look around while you’re here, just ask for me—Jaye. I’d be glad to show you around.” He said, a warm smile on his face. She simply couldn’t take that.
“Why are you being so nice?” She demanded, confusion and distaste in her expression. He couldn’t be genuine. There was no way!
He paused at her inquiry, seemingly unsure himself. A sigh escaped him.
“Because I believe in second chances.” He said, a slight weariness showing through. “You can’t take back the past. That’s why starting over is such a beautiful thing. And refusing someone that chance is refusing both yourself and them a better future. And what good does that do?” He walked off without another word, disappearing into the small hut. She found her mouth agape in lack of ability to formulate a proper response. She snapped her jaws shut when the cloth disguised him from sight.
She heard heavier footsteps sound from beside her and saw Zahare motioning for her to join him. He led her up to his stone home atop a large rocky outcrop. She looked in wonder at the structure, realizing that it was made for the royal. Each stone seemed to have been shaped into a perfect square and then placed. Mud welded one stone so tightly to the next that it seemed there was no space between them. Fine minerals colored the bricks and made them shimmer every time lightning flashed, and precious stones rested on each side of a petal covered walkway that led to the entrance of the house. Layers of hides were draped over the top to keep any and all rain away and even over them was moss that servants changed on the daily. She sidestepped all of the buds on her way to the house, although she saw Zahare carelessly crush them as he sauntered forward.
He pulled aside the waving, red curtain that acted as a doorway to the house and beckoned her forward. She cautiously stepped inside, but felt her worries ease as the warmth of a fire swept over her. Several blankets of rabbit fur rested on the stone floor, and deer hides were off in the far corner. There seemed to be an entire armory in the corner of the room—spears, axes, nets, bows, and an unbelievable number of daggers sat collecting dust. She wondered if this was just his personal collection.
“Take a seat.” He said kindly, walking to the fireplace and poking at a plank of salmon with a metal rod. She looked down at the finely stitched rug and knelt on it, only now realizing how tired she was. He stabbed the meat with the stick and pulled it out onto a wooden plate. Steam rose up from the fish and Silver felt her stomach crumple. He took a moment to sprinkle salts and herbs over it and carried it over to her, handing her the plate. She eyed it cautiously, trying her best to identify all of the contents.
“It’s not poisoned.” Zahare said reassuringly.
“It’s not like you’d tell me if it was…” Silver mumbled, surprised at her own audacity, but somehow leaving Zahare unfazed. He knelt down and leaned closer
“You aren’t wrong.” He said simply. “But consider this: If I had any ill-will for you, I would have carried it out long ago, when we were alone outside of camp. No one could accuse me. I could say a wolf appeared. You too were struck by something. Any number of excuses could have been made. But they weren’t, were they? “ He looked at her expectantly, his face covered in shadows from the lack of light.
“You aren’t wrong.” She said evenly, her voice sounding so small but so bold. He smiled.
“Tell me what happened.” He said, settling down into a comfortable spot on the rug.
“You all already think I’m guilty! Why act like you want to hear what I have to say?” She snapped, pressure weighing down on her. Zahare shifted nonchalantly.
“If you were guilty, you would have been long gone by the time our patrol got there. And I don’t think you quite have the strength to take down a tree limb like that. Goodness, I don’t think anyone does.” His words made her avert her gaze to her food.
He was right. Again.
“So now that we’ve established what didn’t happen, why don’t you tell me what did?” He pressed. She didn’t want to recall it of course, but she knew she had to. If she wanted to clear her name, she had to testify to what happened. Brii could say something else happened. Brii could believe something else happened. And she didn’t want the reputation of a murderer alongside her title of “game-stealing wanderer”. No one would let her off easy at that point.
She sighed, closing her eyes to replay everything. She had hoped to just block the incident from her mind and live on like nothing ever happened. But the little bit of heart the world left her keep refused her that option. The scene replayed itself.
“I was trying to take shelter under some tree roots when Brii and…and…” Silver realized she didn’t even know the victim’s name.
“Dove?” Zahare offered. Silver nodded.
“I guess.” She said, almost unworried about what now seemed like such a trivial detail. “I heard them talking about me. They knew I was there, and Brii said she was going to scare me off or teach me a lesson or something. And I hid. But, when she came out, Dove was trying to change her mind. And I told her to listen to her, which made her spot me. I wasn’t really worried about it. I figured Dove would stop her. But she didn’t. Or…couldn’t.” Zahare nodded, seeming to picture the scenario in his own mind. “She tried to break it up and lightning struck the tree limb over us. Brii and I…we both jumped aside. But Dove didn’t move. I don’t know why. She just stood there, and then…” She couldn’t continue. She choked on her next breath.
“So not only was it not your fault, but there was simply nothing you could do.” He said comfortingly.
“I know that. I just…I couldn’t believe that she was there and then…and then gone.”
And I could easily have been crushed too…The last statement, she kept to herself.
She nearly jumped as her stomach groaned, reminding her of the pressing hunger she had momentarily forgotten. She looked down at the food before her, realizing that she hadn’t even touched it. Zahare realized it too.
“Go ahead and eat. I have to go speak with Shade and Rose.” He said, getting to his feet and stretching, as if they hadn’t been discussing the gravest of matters. “But…before I go, I have a proposition for you.” Silver perked up at his hesitant statement.
“As cold as it seems for me to say this, Dove’s loss means the loss of yet another Indran. And we already have far too few members. We can’t really take a blow like this. And you seem rather capable. With some training, you could become a brilliant hunter and fighter.” Silver’s yellow eyes widened in disbelief.
“Are you…” She began.
“Yes, Silver.” She began to tremble at the thought. Would it really be possible? Could she truly be integrated into Indra’s society even after this?
“Silver, as a tribe, we’re in bad shape. We need more members to take care of those who can’t take care of themselves. And we also need a greater size to discourage any other groups from trying anything. And you, as an individual, are in bad shape. You need shelter, food, and medicine, especially with winter so close.” He said. His tone remained diplomatic, although his words implied that he was close to begging. And honestly, he was right. She needed help to survive.
“Will you clear my name? Will you tell everyone what happened?” She asked, her tiny voice nearly shaking. She was trying so hard to remain confident. To remain just as courageous and calm as he was. But it was so difficult.
He nodded, certainty affirming her safety. “I won’t let any other story get by.” He promised.
So she considered.
And then she accepted.
Chapter 1
“I, Shade, as the chief of Indra raise up this young woman in spirit to the heavens. Once an outsider, she has learned the ways of the civilized, and has committed her life to the Spirits and to Indra. We, as a community gathered together, request her recognition as an Indran.” Shade’s words rang through the clearing, every villager staring up at Silver so eagerly waiting to become a true member of this society.
Silver stood straight and maintained eye-contact with her new chief, who was clearly not overly pleased with what she was doing. Yet she was not willing to question Zahare’s dying wish to make Silver an official member. It was only three days ago that he passed on.
She waited in silence as Jaye had instructed her. She met his encouraging gaze in the clearing, flashing him a nervous smile. Shade took no notice.
“The Spirits have not intervened, so it is that they are for you. Now we welcome you as a true member of Indra.“
The crowd erupted in cheers and congratulations.
Well, most of the crowd.
Brii watched bitterly from the temple—her new home. Zahare said something about her sister’s death implying that Brii was a better choice for priestess, not Dove. Of course, he didn’t say this until she had enough calming solution in her system, preventing her from going completely berserk. She still wanted to, but she was simply unable. Weariness and complete numbness kept her in place, only allowing her to stare at him in utter confusion and quiet fury as he continued the conversation with Rose, who agreed wholeheartedly with his statement. It made it that much less painful when the two of them died.
“Spirits, I worry now that you’ve abandoned me.” She muttered, watching the new Indran proudly step down from her elevated place and walk over to Jaye. Not only was she a part of her tribe—she was trying to take the one she loved.
She—Brii—and Jaye had a long history. As children, they instantly developed quite the liking to each other, and ultimately decided that they would be together one day. Of course, the day they said that was before Dove died and Silver came into the equation. Now he was acting all friendly towards her, hanging out with her every second he wasn’t busy with other matters. It drove her crazy. It was like Silver was sent to ruin everything. Brought to Indra to unleash a fusillade of trials for her, testing just how much she could handle before going insane. She hated her for it.
Jaye turned and spotted her staring. She averted her eyes and turned, heat rising over her face. She headed back into the main room, looking over the stocks of herbs and potions to make sure everything was in order.
“Brii?” Bri nearly dropped the bottles she had been pulling together as the familiar voice sounded at the doorway. Jaye stood outside, leaning against the stone frame. He peeked to the side cautiously to meet her eyes, wearing a blatant expression of concern.
She sighed and pushed the small jars back onto the shelf, pretending to inspect each as she turned to him.
“What is it, Jaye?” She asked, her voice as indifferent as she could manage. Seeing him stand there, she could feel her heart wither. She never wanted that to be the way she greeted him. But it had to be. He paused for a moment.
“Am I alright to come in?” He asked warily. She averted her eyes from him, now glancing over the flower stock. For what? Well, she didn’t know. She sighed and rushed forward.
“Get in here.” She ordered, grabbing his arm and pulling him inside just before slamming the doors. He looked taken aback as she yanked him into the temple, but he still simply followed her. She dropped his hand as they reached the stone circle in the middle of the room, covered with a golden hide. The sun filtered down on them from the circular gap in the roof, lighting up the features of the two. She turned and left him to stand there, rifling through her stocks.
Jaye coughed as she tore open a pouch of herbs, releasing a pungent scent throughout the main room. His eyes watered as he laughed.
“You know, it’s a nice place and all, but you’d really have to get used to the smell.” He joked, blinking away moisture from his eyes. His eyes widened as she froze, and he realized rather quickly that his words were terribly chosen. “I mean…” He began.
“No, Jaye, it’s…it’s fine.” She said quickly, replacing all the things she was fiddling with and putting them in their proper places. “After all, you’re right. I never liked the smell, but now it’s just become one of those things. I feel like I appreciate fresh air now.” She said. Her tone was dull, and he could see her optimism was nothing but a front. She hated it here. He knew she did. There was a smile on her face, but he could see her deep down. He always could. As kids, she would always get cuts and bruises. But she wasn’t like all the others who fell down and cried. She always said she was okay, even when she dislocated her shoulder. He learned quickly how to pick apart those façades, leaving her in all truth before him. That was the beautiful thing about them. There were no secrets.
“You know, I’d be happy to hear how much you hate this job. I’ve been looking to rant lately, so why not do it with someone else?” He proposed, stepping over to her. She turned and placed her hands over his shoulders, looking him dead in the eye.
“I don’t need you to patronize me. I’ve been honored with this job, I won’t complain.” She said, her old fire returning to her eyes.
“But you still want to.” He said. She drew in a breath and tightened her grip on his shoulders only to fall into his chest and release a quiet sob. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as she stilled her breathing. He felt her form droop as she exhaled.
“I just wish…” She trailed off in thought. What did she wish? That Silver had never shown up? Maybe that she’d never gone with Dove to retrieve the water? Maybe that she’d never dared to love or to hope. “I just wish things were different.” She said simply. That was the only way she could phrase it. She felt him nod.
“Me too, Brii. I’d give anything to go back. To change things for you.” He said.
Brii found herself pushing him away and walking off. His gaze followed her to the center of the room.
“I still love you, Brii. You know that.” He insisted, walking after her and placing a hand on her shoulder. She jumped at his touch, but she wouldn’t turn around. He couldn’t see her like this. She reached back and put her hand over his—not holding it, just feeling it there. Like it always should be. Like it simply couldn’t be.
“I know you do. And I still care about you too…I still love you too. But the fact of the matter is that we can never be. I’ve moved on, and I think it’s time for you to do the same.” She turned finally, a joyful smile on her face and eyes glimmering. “I mean, you’re the vice for crying out loud! Who wouldn’t want you?” She asked, her voice weak from the strength used to hold it together. Jaye raised his brow.
“It doesn’t matter who wants me. It only matters that I want you. And I know you’ve not moved on. You’ve just given up.” He said as she walked away to open the temple doors again. She turned and met him with a grim expression.
“Even if you’re right,” She told him, breathing in the outside air. “there’s nothing to be hopeful about. This is what the fates have set. All I can hope for is a great reward in the next life.” She looked down. “It won’t replace you, but it makes my struggles less depressing.” She returned to the far reaches of the room and leaned up against the wall.
“So! What do you have planned for today?” She inquired, diverting the topic as quickly as possible. Jaye sadly looked at her and sighed.
“I’m probably just going to check the borders.” He said quietly.
“I see. I guess it’s better than just hunting. We’ve probably collected all the game in the forest by now.” She said, glancing at the incoming party, deer, rabbits, and fish in mass slung over their backs. Summer really was treating them well this year. “Well, I shouldn’t keep you then. Go on and keep Huyana in check.” She said playfully. Of course, Huyana wouldn’t be out of line. They never had been. In her entire life, she had never seen trouble from anyone in that tribe. It was rather wonderful how well the two groups got along. Jaye nodded, turning to leave her to her thoughts once again. He felt that it was all he could do anymore.
“By the way, you should know that Silver isn’t as bad as you think. I saw how you were looking at her, and…you know I understand. But she’s changed, Brii.” Stepping away slowly, no reply came from the woman. No noise of approval or disapproval. No protest or agreement. And her silence made him wonder if the words should have remained unspoken.
And in her mind, they really should have been.
A bitter expression made home on her face as she watched him disappear into the territory. Silver wasn’t any different. She was still rebellious. She was still selfish. And she still continued to break her heart every day. If she wasn’t here, none of this would have happened. Dove would instead be the new priestess. She and Jaye would possibly have their first child on the way. She could sit next to her sister and proclaim her an aunt as it was born. And she would be the warrior she always dreamed of being—the hunter that brought back what no one else could. Her future could have been so beautiful. It could have been. But she ruined it.
“Can you two keep your vow exchanges quiet over there. I only got to sleep at sunrise…” A somewhat irritated grumble resounded from the wall behind her. Brii spun around, finding Thorn sitting upright on the floor, his golden hair spiky from tossing and turning during the short time he was sleeping. Fire burned beneath Brii’s features, her hands trembling.
“Thorn! How much did you hear?!” She demanded, worry eating away at her insides.
“Too much. Take it elsewhere next time, seriously.” His neutral tone conveyed nothing but disinterest, worrying her that he thought light of the matter. Not a problem, if it didn’t foreshadow his possibly spreading the word to others.
“Thorn, you can’t tell anyone what you heard, alright? Okay!?” Her panicked tone made him draw back.
“Relax! I couldn’t care less about it all. You haven’t broken your commitments as far as I know.” He said, pulling up his knees and resting his arms and head on them, apparently not awake enough to walk to his room and sleep.
Brii sighed, dropping down on the stone floor. He never did seem interested in the code of the priests. And while in this scenario, it was a good thing, she didn’t like that he was a priest apprentice with that attitude. One that made the code something less than superior. Of course, it’s not like he wanted to be a priest. Thorn was born with a twisted ankle—one that wouldn’t allow him to fight or hunt properly. And while he could have just stayed with the retired, Indra wasn’t one to favor carrying others, regardless of how incompetent they were. Of course, they would do it, but they much preferred that everyone carried their own weight.
“Yeah…” She whispered, leaning against a shelf that seemed to lack the usual ingredients. A wave of dizziness washed over her, sending her vision spinning. She felt her head droop, realizing only now just how tired she was. Perhaps it was always like this, and she had gotten to the point of dismissing it. She hoped that was the case. It would certainly prepare her for the long nights ahead. And not only that, but it gave her grounds on which to hope that her sorrows of a lost future would end up the same way.
What a thing to hope for—that suffering would become normal.
Chapter 2
“So you’ve never even attempted to swim? At all?” Falena shrugged at the inquiry of her black and white haired companion. He was always doing crazy things as it seemed, not really worried about consequences to what he did. Although no matter how often she tried to deny it, that was why she enjoyed being around him. He helped her forget about being careful and taking care of herself and doing everything they were always told to do in Huyana. It got boring. And he made village-life exciting again.
“I don’t know, Sparrow…Chief Shell said it was dangerous because of those giant-toothed fish.” Falena grimaced at the far-fetched picture forming in her mind—something similar to a terrifyingly oversized grouper with boulders for fangs. Sparrow laughed.
“Those guys? Come on! They’re called bottom-dwellers for a reason. Because they stay at the bottom. And I don’t figure you plan on diving too deep, right?” Falena gave a nervous half-grin.
“No…but…something could happen.” She continued, becoming slightly more worried as the sea grew closer.
“Yes, it could. But there could also be an earthquake right now, and we could both be swallowed up by the ground. But I don’t hear you stressing about that every day, now do I?” Falena sighed. She knew arguing more was pointless. He always had something to back up his case. And sometimes he was right. But only sometimes.
“Fine…” She grumbled, her shoulders drooping. Sparrow paused, taking in her composure.
“You—you know you don’t have to, right. I just knew things had been somewhat mundane lately, and I thought this could be fun.” Sympathy filled his tone. But Falena shook her head, breathing deep and coming up with a smile on her face.
“No, I want to. I need to not be so scared of stuff like that anyway. This should help. And you’re right. This beats sitting around in camp any day.” Sparrow looked uneasily at her, but quickly turned away, dismissing the matter. This was Falena. While she was more go-with-it than most, she would certainly object if she really didn’t want to do something.
The dark sea appeared before them in a matter of moments, the waves splashing an occasional few drops onto the dirt. Falena felt her heart jump as Sparrow dropped to his knees and skimmed the water with his hand, shivering as he pulled away and shook off tiny pearls of water.
“It’s still cold.” He said, tiny bumps already appearing on his skin from the icy conditions. “Can’t expect much more, though. The sun’s not been out for long.” His casual tone brushed away Falena’s hopes that they would come back some other time, and perhaps when she was more mentally-prepared. But it seemed he was determined.
He sprung up in place and launched himself into the freezing ocean. Falena ducked away as tiny droplets showered her, leaving her feeling like frost had suddenly manifested on her skin. She hurried forward as he disappeared, watching for his dark outline beneath the blue.
It wasn’t anywhere to be seen.
Her breathing quickened.
“Sparrow?” She called uneasily. She scanned the blue horizon, looking for any implication of his figure. Any bubbles, any shadow, any harsh movement of the water…yet nothing could be found.
“Sparrow?!” She cried. The entirety of the ocean remained still save a few waves that were nothing but normal. Nothing interrupted the quiet surface. Nothing disturbed the steadily darkening color. Nothing. She felt her heart begin to race.
No! No, this can’t be happening! Sparrow!
She ducked her head beneath the surface, her face protesting against the wintery chill. She felt her eyes nearly freeze as she swung her head from left to right, appraising any and every bit of the water before her. Nothing. She pulled back, her golden locks slicked back and heavy with ocean-water. She gasped and cool oxygen filled her lungs, momentarily dizzying her and stinging her chest. But right back under she went, her eyes burning in the salty liquid. She felt her fingers grasp tight to the grass, pulling her back every time she considered jumping in all the way to go after him. What if a bottom-dweller had gotten him…or a current…how much better would it be for both of them to die?
But she didn’t have to debate the subject much longer. Not after sharp blades grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in.
She felt her limbs flail as she tried to regain her balance, but whatever had pulled her away from the land did a good job of it. Her hands clawed and struck at empty air just before she was submerged into liquid ice. She felt her eyes grow wide and energy surge through her veins, adrenaline fending off the freezing cold of the waters. A sort of warmth ran through her body, forcing her to propel herself upward to the surface. She had to get out of here.
The moment she broke the surface, a gust of wind seemed to smack her in the face, making her want to dive back to the familiar temperatures of the ocean. But motivation to live was driving her forward. Not to mention the dark shape only a meter or so away in her peripheral. She didn’t turn. She wouldn’t. She just kept swimming forward. Forward. Forward. Nothing on the earth could slow her.
Nothing but recognition of her pursuer.
Sparrow!
She whipped around to see him staring at her, only seconds away from bursting into laughter.
Sparrow…
Of course. Now it made sense. Any sort of energy gained in the burst of adrenaline had left her, leaving her shivering, tired, and somewhat humiliated in front of him.
“That isn’t funny, Sparrow!” She cried, emotion and irritation thick in her expression. The boy’s entertained grin remained.
“I actually found it pretty amusing.” He managed, just before losing his composure in a fit of laughter. She drew back.
“I thought you were dead! And then I thought I was going to be dead! This is why I don’t do stuff like this with you!” She yelled, attempting to pull herself out of the water with some effort.
“But I’m not. And neither are you. So isn’t that a relief?” He questioned, catching up to her and heaving himself onto dry land.
“Well, yeah, but I’m still freaked out. Spirits, I’m never going back to this place again now!” She grumbled. Her nails hooked into the earth and she pulled herself up a bit, kicking and pushing against a rock beneath the surface to boost her. It didn’t help.
She slipped, crashing below the surface once again, feeling the water become more inviting. Maybe she should stay down here and try to scare Sparrow. He deserved it, after all. Considering not only what he had just put her through, but all the tricks he had played even previous to this. But before she could even consider swimming away, hands grabbed her under her shoulders and pulled her up onto the grass. Her thin form was dragged limply out of the water and onto the grass, her eyes half-closed in exhaustion. Sparrow sat next to her, beginning to wring out her hair and clothes. She just lay there. Normally, she would protest, but she didn’t have the strength right now.
“Just give it a few days, and you’ll be begging me to take you back here.” He promised, entertainment still alight in his eyes. She huffed, the autumn air feeling like winter’s worst.
“Vireo wouldn’t do something like that, you know.” She whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear. Yet he certainly did. He froze momentarily, his frame tensing up.
“I assume that’s a good thing to you?” He asked, his voice forcedly even.
“Yeah. I don’t like panicking. Or freaking out.” She grumbled, shivering as another breeze passed.
“He’s kind of boring, though. And he’s all hung up on Terra. He’s always been.” Falena’s shifted, beginning to warm in the direct sunlight.
“She’s the vice. She doesn’t have time for him. Besides, he probably is open to others.” Like me…
Falena was hopelessly crazy for Vireo. She didn’t know why. It was simply impossible to explain. But sometimes emotions didn’t need explanation. Feeling didn’t require justification. They just were what they were. So yeah, she had no reason to love him. But she did. And she didn’t know how to stop.
“Hmm…I won’t tell you you’re wrong. But I won’t agree either.” Sparrow sighed, inching slightly further away from the blonde girl.
“And why’s that?” She pressed, moving closer to him. Sparrow rolled his eyes at the gesture.
“Because, unfortunately enough, I know how people get when they have their eye on someone.” He grumbled, slightly less neutrally than he would have preferred.
“Well that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to win them over.” She said, her eyes fixed on the trees in the nearby forest. Just in the middle of the nearest row was where Vireo had first really talked to her. It wasn’t about anything important or meaningful of course, but she remembered just how much she enjoyed it. Or how much she enjoyed his presence anyway. She knew it was stupid that she remembered such a thing, but once again, she found no need to justify what her mind held onto.
“Well, it may as well be.” He said, finally standing and leaving her to think about him herself. She looked up as his warmth disappeared.
“You’re not going to tell me what to do about it?” She urged. “You’re Mr. Advice, aren’t you? Or Mr. Answers, anyway.” Sparrow halted in place, a slight tinge of frustration shooting through him. He wanted to say it. To say no. To say he couldn’t help her this time. And then to tell her why. To tell her he was too in love with her to let her find someone else. But he couldn’t. He knew how he felt every time she was sad. Every time her fragile heart seemed broken or even bruised. It made him feel so empty. So he wouldn’t. He would fake another smile, like he had long ago learned to do.
“Just…be around him when you can. Don’t be clingy, of course, but just…I don’t know. Hint that you’re interested? Geez, Falena, why are you asking me! It’s not like I’d know anything about how to get a mate.” He snapped. It wasn’t any intention of his. It was just frustration with the fact that she almost seemed to be taunting him with the matter. He knew she wasn’t, but still…
“You always have an answer.” She said. “I didn’t figure romance was a forbidden topic.” She said, shrugging away his irritation. He turned uneasily and sighed, feeling his shoulders droop. She turned to look out over the sea once again, the blue waters crashing against each other over and over again until they finally hit the shore.
“It’ll all work out.” He said after a long silence. “One way or another, it will.” As he spoke the words, he started away, his pace slow because he didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay here with her. Even if they had to talk about Vireo…it didn’t matter. He was okay with that. But he knew it wasn’t good for him. He knew it wasn’t good to lead himself on. So he would leave. And he would teach himself how to love her happiness more than her presence.
Her bright eyes tracked him as far as they could until he completely disappeared into the forest. She could still feel the dampness in her clothes and hair, but he had gotten a lot of the water out.
She rested against the soft grass, feeling surprisingly alone. She didn’t remember the last time she was alone. Not like this anyway.
Chapter 3
The border of Huyana and Indra was finally seeing a sunny day. It was rare enough for the brilliant light to show itself over one territory for the majority of a day, but even rarer for it to appear over both. It was an interesting change.
Jaye quite liked it. His sandals scraped against the dusty cliff-side path that made Huyana’s only connection to Indra. Technically, one could scale the steep cliff that just barely touched over the land, but that would require an incredible amount of strength and time. Unlike Indra, Huyana was sea-level, reaching into the ocean. There was no seashore or anything. There was simply land and then water. The water wasn’t that deep to start out. A person could easily survive going to the bottom and back up. But only inches away, it became impossible to even see the bottom. Most stayed away from it, but some ventured in.
He paused at the start of the grass, the indication that Indra was now behind him. It was funny how their borders worked. Both chiefs and both tribes knew that the farthest blade of grass was always moving. Some seasons it would be closer to the trail, some seasons it would be further. In spring and summer, nearly two meters of territory was gained, and in the later seasons, that and more was sometimes lost. But neither leader considered it anything. Jaye had heard that such things in other tribes would cause the greatest of battles and even numerous deaths. Such little things here just weren’t important.
He looked to the ocean beside him, watching the color darken as it came closer and closer to the edge of the horizon.
First sky blue, then azure, then cobalt, then sapphire, then midnight. It scaled the spectrum like the sky from dawn to dusk. Jaye had oftentimes wondered if such similarities were implication of the two being somewhat the same—the ocean and the sky, that is. After all, he had never touched the sky. He hadn’t a clue what it felt like. How it was to move in it. To breathe in it. Would it be easy? Would it be like swimming? Would it be more difficult than swimming?
He shook his head, releasing a sigh. He didn’t like his curiosity. He knew no one could ever answer his questions, so what was the point of asking?
He returned his attention to the ground. No footprints, as usual. He wondered why they even checked anymore. Huyana never bothered them. Even if someone stepped out of line, would they really bother anything?
However, before he could return, something over the border caught his attention. A rustling in the bushes sounded as he looked just a bit further. There were tracks, but they weren’t human. They certainly weren’t deer either. They were too big. They were…
They were boar tracks.
And a heavy weight barreling into him made him wish he had realized much sooner.
His heart leapt from his chest and his eyes lit with fear as he grappled for the dagger at his waist. He gasped as his fingers brushed the metal handle and unsheathed it, lashing out behind him. The weight had already removed itself by the time he swung, and he whipped around to face the—
He froze as his attacker became clear.
“Silver!” He breathed in astonishment. The girl was practically beaming with amusement.
“Calm down there, soldier! You nearly killed me.” She jested, slightly breathless from the near accident. Jaye stammered slightly.
“Me? What are you doing jumping all over people?” He demanded, although he looked more relieved than angry. “You nearly scared the life out of me!” He grumbled halfheartedly. Inwardly, he was impressed with just how stealthy she had been. But he did have to realize just how focused he was when she snuck up on him. Had he not been, he certainly would have noticed her before that.
“Aw, I’m sorry.” She said playfully, her yellow eyes glinting in the noonday sun. “Anyway, I saw you leave camp, and I wanted to know why.” She asked, settling down and brushing off her shirt.
“Why?” He asked, looking back over the border. Silver rolled her eyes.
“Shade sent me to spy on you.” She whispered. “She thinks you’re aligned with Huyana.” Jaye scoffed, his eyes fixated on the other clan’s land.
“Oh yeah? And what do you think about that?” He asked.
“I think…” Silver started, her yellow eyes deep in thought. “She’s right. You’re a traitor!” She jumped at him, her arms outstretched to grab his shoulders. He slid away, just dodging her and nearly sending her flying into the water. She scrambled to catch herself on the dry earth, skittering and sending fragments of rocks over the edge. But before she could steady herself, Jaye jumped after her, ramming into her side and sending her the rest of the way into the water. She gasped just before falling into the waves, feeling the chilly water permeate her clothes. She launched herself upward and took a gasp of air, feeling the faint current brush against and around her. She shook her head to clear away the remaining water droplets and found herself beginning to swim for the ledge.
“Was that necessary?” She asked almost breathlessly. He grinned slightly.
“It was payback.” She narrowed her eyes and grasped the ledge, allowing the rest of her body to float over the shallows.
“Fair enough.” She decided. “So will you be joining me? Or will I have to pull you in here?” She asked, turning to look out over the horizon.
“I would tell you you’d have to pull me in, but I don’t think you can. So I’ll make it easy for you.” He rushed forward and jumped in, leaving a small splash to mark where he disappeared beneath the waves. His form broke the surface once again only moments later. A peaceful look made home on his expression as he moved to rest next to her. He seemed at home in the water.
“I could too!” She protested. His green eyes displayed a sort of skepticism, but both of them let that go. They never really butted heads, odd enough considering the differences in their personalities. Silver was completely act-now-think-later and somewhat rebellious when it came down to it. Jaye was live for the future and someone who wouldn’t break a single rule in any book. Yet the two of them found a way to not only coexist, but to be really close companions.
“So I’ve been meaning to ask you, what’s up with that cliff up there?” Silver’s inquiry seemed loud among the quiet beauty of the land. Jaye found her staring at the cliff that hung over the ocean in Indra territory.
“What’s up with it?” He asked, a sort of darkness passing over his gaze. Silver took no notice.
“Yeah, like…why doesn’t Shade let anyone go there?” She pressed. Jaye sighed.
“Well, for one, it overlooks a ton of jagged stones that are about fifty yards down. Two, it’s caused a few…deaths.” He muttered.
“How so?” She prodded him, troubled to find his usual collected demeanor slip away, slowly being replaced by anxiety. He gave a troubled sigh and sunk back against the wall of land.
“You know the whole deal with Rone and the Wanderers’ Ordinance, right?” He asked, not really sure what all they’d told her about the village’s history. But in all rationality, there was no way she wasn’t acquainted with at least the implications behind it.
“Yeah, Zahare told me all about it.” She began. “The two tribes came together under the rule of Indra and Huyana, both of which were esteemed among the people as natural leader, after a desire for society came about. Each person chose a village based on the terrain he or she desired to live in. But a group of people who didn’t want to live within an organized society spread out among the two sections of land and called themselves the wanderers, working for and taking from no one. Of course, the tribes weren’t terribly enthused by this, but they chose to overlook it. Soon the original leaders passed away, and new ones rose to power. But unlike the harmony that Indra and Huyana had, one overpowered the other. Sokah was a weak and cowardly fool…Rone was a confident and capable chief…” Jaye sensed her reluctance to say those words. But just as the historians had taught her, she kept on. “Soon a crisis came that tested their strength as leaders. A famine struck the land, withering all crops and starving all the game. People in both tribes were starving to death, and the leaders knew they had to do something. Rone, taking charge, proposed an ordinance…The Wanderers’ Ordinance. That because wanderers were taking food from the tribes without contributing to them…they must all be gotten rid of. And from that day on, all sighted wanderers…were taken prisoner and brought to Rone. If that proved too difficult…they were killed on the spot.” Her head drop, her eyes flaring with a fury that could not be concealed. “But I was lucky. I was given grace.” Jaye nodded slowly as she finished her oration. And it was all too clear to him that those last statements were not additional commentary. They were just another part of the recitation.
“The wanderers who were taken prisoner…” He continued, adding yet another detail to the twisted history of the island. “Were brought to that cliff. They were given a chance to reveal the location of other wanderers in hopes of making amends with the tribes and the spirits, so they may have a chance to ascend to the celestial palace upon their deaths. But regardless of whether or not they gave up their friends and families, they were made to walk off or simply pushed over the edge to die on the rocks below. If that’s not bad enough, after the majority of these executions had ended, and Rone had long since passed away, some kids liked to go there and play ‘Rone and the Wanderers’. I don’t think I need to explain that one to you.” He said, interrupting the narrative for a moment. Silver shook her head grimly, allowing him to continue. “Anyway, it never really did pose a problem save for the desensitization that resulted in the kids. That is, until one day, those same kids had backed a real wanderer against it. Guards spotted the affair from far away and turned to request backup so some could take care of the kids, and some could take care of the wanderer. But before they could even reach the camp again, a great glow of orange spread over the sky for a split second. And when the guards turned back, all of the children were gone, and the wanderer had fallen to her knees, nearly frozen in shock. She turned and ran before they could reach her, and upon the rocks beneath the cliff, there was none other than the missing children. Zahare, ruler at the time, decided no more risks like that could be taken. Shade agreed wholeheartedly, and thus continued the policy upon his passing. Something around that place was behaving supernaturally, and if it was capable of that once, it could certainly cause trouble again if it desired.”
“Oh…” Silver said quietly. Shaking her head, she clambered out of the water and wrung out her braided hair, clearing it of the cool water. Jaye followed her, doing the same. Black pieces of hair stood straight up and bristled in protest against the water. He looked up into the sky, his green eyes stinging as they met the bright sunlight. It was in the later hours of the day, as he could see now, but it still wasn’t anywhere near sunset.
He averted his gaze, eyes clamped shut against the light, but opening again only to be met by Silver’s face a little too close to his own. He started and stumbled backwards, nearly tripping over his own feet.
“Still on edge, huh?” She asked, her brow raised. “What’s up with you?” Jaye felt heat rush into his face. He was being kind of jumpy. He shook his head to clear it.
“I saw boar tracks just before you ‘attacked’. I thought I was about to be killed and left bleeding out in the water.” Silver’s eyes widened.
“Seriously?” She questioned, alertness springing into her expression. “Maybe we should tell Shade.” She suggested. She was clearly as concerned as him, making him feel somewhat less foolish.
“Yeah, good plan.” He said, his words not quite as loud or decisive as they should have been. She nodded, sitting down to smooth her wrinkled leggings.
While there wasn’t much else to do, his tone had remained uncertain. Why? Well, he just couldn’t tell. Some little part of him may have still been in a sort of shock. Some little part of him may have been urging him to do more as the vice of Indra. Some little part of him may have wanted to make him believe some uneventful tragedy would occur because it was left to be dealt with later—some disaster that had little to no ground on logic. But even with every possible concern refuted, walking away wasn’t easy in the least.
Because some little part of him was convinced that this wouldn’t be anything simple.
