Disappointment seeped through her, weariness over her long journey wore down her resolve to be strong and the desire to cry caused her eyes to burn.
Coming through a break in the trees upon this village she knew that somehow she'd gone wrong, either the legend was false or she had somehow taken the wrong path. No! She knew she'd followed the map included in the legend perfectly, this had to be the village, but where were the monsters, the men animals the legend spoke of? Looking around the village at the women working, and the children playing she knew these could be none other than humans as was she, no resemblance to any monster or beast could be seen on the faces or bodies of those she could see.
Head sagging in confusion she sat upon a dry spot of grass and letting her pack slide off her shoulder she considered her options. Walk into the village and inquire about the men spoke of in the legend, or turn around and walk back down the mountain through the thick forest and see where she took her misstep. She'd just made her mind up to head back down the mountain when a child of about 4 came running through an outcropping of rocks to her right, the child had yet to notice her sitting there so lost in her game she was. Bridget watched the child play a game with an imaginary friend noticing how intently the puppy at her feet was paying attention to her game.
If she lived to be 90 she didn't believe she could have prepared herself for the sight that unfolded in front of her, the child speaking in a foreign tongue suddenly fell to all fours, arched her back and disappeared into thin air, replaced by a canine identical to the puppy who'd been chasing her. Scrambling away from the fearful sight she tripped over her pack and watched as the two animals instantly changed back into beautiful human children, the girl started to scream, the other child a boy about 3 stared at her and just shook his head, looking straight at Bridget he spoke in the foreign tongue. He tilted his head to the side as if to ask if she was daft, even if she'd understood what he'd just spoken she never would've been able to reply after her scare.
Still in a half sitting half crouch ready to dash for safety she was once again surprised when a woman ran up the mountains in apparent response to hearing the childs screams. "Na' ah tague shoen" Clucking her tongue she swept up the little girl animal in her arms and soothed. "Sho ariu acohl faio" the boy spoke animatedly to the woman while pointing at Bridget. Turning child on hip the woman looked at Bridget, "Kleua ghea' neuch saol ghea' chole rea " she gasped at her, shaking her head she spoke again "welcome to our home, we have been waiting for you" stepping forward she stopped suddenly when she saw the fear in Bridgets eyes, "we have no reason to harm you, please come with me down to the village, we have much to discuss" Picking up her pack Bridget wairily followed the woman, the girl stared at her over her mothers shoulder and the boy ran ahead of them all shouting as he went.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Chapter Three
He could feel it coming. His body poised and restless as if preparing for attack. Sniffing the air he scented something foreign and definitely female. Karick had never before smelled something so earthy and feminine before, and was surprised with the expectation rising within him to find the source.
Karick didn't know what to expect, nobody had ever made it through the impossible forest into their land before. The trail had been hidden well, and the traps to discourage those who might happen upon the trail had been fool proof. In his 24 years of living he'd never seen one from another world, he'd heard stories told about them, men who were just men, who had no abilities outside of their strength and minds. He wondered how their species survived, he never honestly believed they had. But this female coming through the woods spoke of the truth that somehow, in some other place, other men existed. But why would she come here he thought.
Standing up to his full height he was impressive, deeply tanned from the hours of working in the sun his body was covered in battle scars and marks that most of the men in his village shared. Those injuries earned while fighting in their alternate forms carried onto their human forms and animals with claws could cause more physical damage than a man with his bare hands. Dark hair curled slightly at the base of his neck and his green eyes were as bright as the grass covering the hills, but showed a wariness that had been gained spending years in battle with the men of the night, his village had been plagued with the violence of these creatures since before his birth.
Scanning the hills and trees he walked down to the village to share the news of the coming visitor with his father. As the village leader his father would know what to do. He knew now the storm he'd felt brewing earlier was linked to this woman making her way towards them right now.
Karick didn't know what to expect, nobody had ever made it through the impossible forest into their land before. The trail had been hidden well, and the traps to discourage those who might happen upon the trail had been fool proof. In his 24 years of living he'd never seen one from another world, he'd heard stories told about them, men who were just men, who had no abilities outside of their strength and minds. He wondered how their species survived, he never honestly believed they had. But this female coming through the woods spoke of the truth that somehow, in some other place, other men existed. But why would she come here he thought.
Standing up to his full height he was impressive, deeply tanned from the hours of working in the sun his body was covered in battle scars and marks that most of the men in his village shared. Those injuries earned while fighting in their alternate forms carried onto their human forms and animals with claws could cause more physical damage than a man with his bare hands. Dark hair curled slightly at the base of his neck and his green eyes were as bright as the grass covering the hills, but showed a wariness that had been gained spending years in battle with the men of the night, his village had been plagued with the violence of these creatures since before his birth.
Scanning the hills and trees he walked down to the village to share the news of the coming visitor with his father. As the village leader his father would know what to do. He knew now the storm he'd felt brewing earlier was linked to this woman making her way towards them right now.
Chapter Two
The sun was rising fast as she packed up her few belongings and threw dirt on the last smoldering embers of the fire.
The wind was rising and the leaves blowing across the forest floor broke the silence making her wish she were already well on her way this morning. Finished with her pack, she slung it over her shoulder as she set her foot back on the trail knowing she had long way to go before she reached her destination by nightfall.
She let her mind drift and thought back to the day many weeks ago when she left what was left of her family and her village and her dreams behind. "I don't want you to go bridget, why can't you stay here and let one of the men travel in your place?" Abigail her youngest and now only sister was still a child, although the recent events had caused her to grow up swiftly she still couldn't understand the legend that placed her in charge of speaking for her people. "Abby, you know why I have to go, we've gone over this too many times for you to not realize that i'm the only one destined to take on this responsibility. Should I send one of our men, go against what's been written many years past, it would be on my head if we fail and lose even more of our people. Could you ask that of me?" Head tucked down she could hear her sisters soft sniffles as tears fell against her skirt.
Even that was a reminder of how they'd suffered, weeks ago her sisters skirt would never be covered in dirt and animal leavings. When her mother was alive she and abigail would never have had to tend to their own clothing. Now their dresses were marked with stains and neither had the left over energy to beat the spots out. Taking her out of her thoughts Abigail once implored "Then let me travel with you, I promise i'll listen to what you tell me, and I'm as strong as you are, I can help you on this journey, please don't leave me behind." Holding her sisters hands in her own once again Bridget softly chided her sister "Abby, I would love to have you along with me, but the legend says.." Cutting her off her sister wailed, "Who CARES what the legend says, we can't possibly find the village it speaks of, it's HOPELESS. Nobody has ever heard of or seen these people it speaks about. And who would want to their monsters, they're demons, they're probably worse than what's slaughtered our parents."
Tired of arguing, and knowing she'd never sleep tonight and be able to travel in the morning if she continued allowing her sister to fight her on this she stood up and looking down on her sister said "I know it seems hopeless, but I could not live with myself if I broke the legend and let our people die. If the people the legend speaks of exist, then they are destined to help us fight those monsters and save our village. Now run to Emilys house, she will care for you while I am gone..no do not argue with me any further, i've been more tolerant than momma would allow and I want you to think about the changes losing momma and da will cause when I get back. Now run along, and Abigail, remember, I love you."
In the silence following her sister leaving she finished packing and looking around the room she'd grown up in, and shared with her older sister Muriel she gave into the urge she'd been holding back and threw herself on the bed and weeped for all she'd lost.
Shaking the memories from her head she looked around and recognizing the mountains the legends spoke of turned her course towards them and prayed that she hadn't lied to Abigail, and that these men animals would truly be destined to help her, or by the gods she might be dinner for these beasts.
The wind was rising and the leaves blowing across the forest floor broke the silence making her wish she were already well on her way this morning. Finished with her pack, she slung it over her shoulder as she set her foot back on the trail knowing she had long way to go before she reached her destination by nightfall.
She let her mind drift and thought back to the day many weeks ago when she left what was left of her family and her village and her dreams behind. "I don't want you to go bridget, why can't you stay here and let one of the men travel in your place?" Abigail her youngest and now only sister was still a child, although the recent events had caused her to grow up swiftly she still couldn't understand the legend that placed her in charge of speaking for her people. "Abby, you know why I have to go, we've gone over this too many times for you to not realize that i'm the only one destined to take on this responsibility. Should I send one of our men, go against what's been written many years past, it would be on my head if we fail and lose even more of our people. Could you ask that of me?" Head tucked down she could hear her sisters soft sniffles as tears fell against her skirt.
Even that was a reminder of how they'd suffered, weeks ago her sisters skirt would never be covered in dirt and animal leavings. When her mother was alive she and abigail would never have had to tend to their own clothing. Now their dresses were marked with stains and neither had the left over energy to beat the spots out. Taking her out of her thoughts Abigail once implored "Then let me travel with you, I promise i'll listen to what you tell me, and I'm as strong as you are, I can help you on this journey, please don't leave me behind." Holding her sisters hands in her own once again Bridget softly chided her sister "Abby, I would love to have you along with me, but the legend says.." Cutting her off her sister wailed, "Who CARES what the legend says, we can't possibly find the village it speaks of, it's HOPELESS. Nobody has ever heard of or seen these people it speaks about. And who would want to their monsters, they're demons, they're probably worse than what's slaughtered our parents."
Tired of arguing, and knowing she'd never sleep tonight and be able to travel in the morning if she continued allowing her sister to fight her on this she stood up and looking down on her sister said "I know it seems hopeless, but I could not live with myself if I broke the legend and let our people die. If the people the legend speaks of exist, then they are destined to help us fight those monsters and save our village. Now run to Emilys house, she will care for you while I am gone..no do not argue with me any further, i've been more tolerant than momma would allow and I want you to think about the changes losing momma and da will cause when I get back. Now run along, and Abigail, remember, I love you."
In the silence following her sister leaving she finished packing and looking around the room she'd grown up in, and shared with her older sister Muriel she gave into the urge she'd been holding back and threw herself on the bed and weeped for all she'd lost.
Shaking the memories from her head she looked around and recognizing the mountains the legends spoke of turned her course towards them and prayed that she hadn't lied to Abigail, and that these men animals would truly be destined to help her, or by the gods she might be dinner for these beasts.
Chapter One
The screaming woke her.
Bolting upright, her head whipped around scanning the parameter of her camp before she realized the screams had come from her.
Raising her hand reflexively to rub away the burn her screams had caused she wondered if when this living nightmare ended if her dreams would ever be pleasant again. The panic that had begun in her dream and carried with her into her waking begun to recede and her breathing slowly returned to normal.
With one more quick glance at the darkness of the surrounding forest she added some branches she had gathered earlier to the fire watching it's hungry flames rise and envelope the branches. Leaning back into her pack she had been using as a pillow she thought forward to the next dawn and her journey, sighing heavily she closed her eyes knowing she'd need to gather strength before continuing. She had far to go before she reached her destination safely. Praying she wouldn't fail her people in the time to come she fell into a restless sleep.
Bolting upright, her head whipped around scanning the parameter of her camp before she realized the screams had come from her.
Raising her hand reflexively to rub away the burn her screams had caused she wondered if when this living nightmare ended if her dreams would ever be pleasant again. The panic that had begun in her dream and carried with her into her waking begun to recede and her breathing slowly returned to normal.
With one more quick glance at the darkness of the surrounding forest she added some branches she had gathered earlier to the fire watching it's hungry flames rise and envelope the branches. Leaning back into her pack she had been using as a pillow she thought forward to the next dawn and her journey, sighing heavily she closed her eyes knowing she'd need to gather strength before continuing. She had far to go before she reached her destination safely. Praying she wouldn't fail her people in the time to come she fell into a restless sleep.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Introduction
I live most of the time within my own mind and the universe i've created there. So it only makes sense that once in awhile that which is within would spill out. I love to write, always have, I have reams and reams of paper i've written on. Everything from journaling, to lists, to doodling, there is something about taking your thoughts and putting them down on paper. It's almost like a release of energy and creates a calming sensation.
The idea for this story originally came from an email game a guy and I played where he'd write a paragraph and i'd write one and we planned to write a story. Well it ended after a couple chapters as all good creative adventures end with one falling hard for the other, and the other running fast in the other direction. So although we never finished the story i've had the idea for this story in my head for months after beginning it with him. I'm planning to start fresh, but using this character and giving her similar struggles and goals.
Who knows where it'll go, for now it's just going to be for fun.
The idea for this story originally came from an email game a guy and I played where he'd write a paragraph and i'd write one and we planned to write a story. Well it ended after a couple chapters as all good creative adventures end with one falling hard for the other, and the other running fast in the other direction. So although we never finished the story i've had the idea for this story in my head for months after beginning it with him. I'm planning to start fresh, but using this character and giving her similar struggles and goals.
Who knows where it'll go, for now it's just going to be for fun.
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