The younglings were sent out on their own as a test of how they handled the moor and humans. Last time, Moql was caught by the shepherd, and it was discovered she wasn't fully Folk. What would have happened if he had never caught her?
The younglings, left to their own devices, drifted apart, some joining playmates higher up on the moor, others searching for mushrooms at the edge of the woodland. Moql found a few wild berries and wandered from bush to bush, until she saw a telltale clump of wool on a twig. Looking around, she was startled to see that she had nearly walked right into a flock of sheep. If she had done that, the shepherd surely would have noticed her, which would have caused quite and argle-bargle when she got back to the Schooling House. Looking around, she saw the shepherd, a big burly man. Moql shivered with relief at having noticed the wool in time.
As night fell, the younglings ran back to the Schooling House, joyous at having been free on the moor all day long. Moql had long since forgotten the shepherd on the moor. What did it matter? No Folk ever thought too much about the past, they lived for the present.
As Moql continued her schooling, it was discovered that she couldn't properly shape-change or wink out. That would be dangerous if a human came upon her. She promised to try harder, she could learn, she knew it! But as her schoolmates became full members of the Band, and she still couldn't shape-change or wink out, Pittittiskin knew she couldn't stay. He went to the Prince, and while neither of them could figure out why she was like that, their short memories forgetting the human man who had once lived in the Mound, they knew she couldn't stay in the Mound. She was a danger to the Band.
After a long discussion, the two of them decided Moql would have to live among humans. They chose a baby named Mayree to trade her with. Curiously enough, Mayree was the only daughter of a woman named Saaski and her husband Herewic.
How much would her waiting a couple years change her life? Would she still be chased out of the village? Or would she live life as a human, never caring about the Moorfolk again? It's an interesting question; perhaps someday I'll continue this story and answer it. Oh, and by the way, Herewic was the boy who tried to push Saaski into the pond.
©Chaelyn
