Prologue
" The forest is changing maman. I can feel it in the air."
" Aye. I fear your right. The trees are whispering of things to come."
" Will we stay maman? I doona wish to leave the wood."
" We will stay child, but twill now be easy."
The sun barely shown through the gaps in the foliage to where the two woman sat beneath the elm. The mother, her eyes aged with time, looked to the young one as she spoke. Her hands, pale and smooth, as if untouched by the years, grasped the child's in compassion.
" Rest here a bit dear. I will continue our gathering and return shortly so we can go home."
The woman rose and dissappeared into the trees. The sounds of her steps barely perceptible despite the fallen twigs beneath her feet.
Silence fell around the still form of the sitting girl. Her irredescent brown hair fell in soft curls about her shoulders to her waist. She took in deep meditating breaths. Her tired frame shaking slightly as she let each out. She was listening to the trees, to the wind. Both saying the same thing. * Change Ciara... Change....* they sighed.
Suddenly out of nowhere a howl split the air echoing about her. Ciara's head snapped up her eyes scanning the wood, ears alert. Seconds passed that seemed a lifetime before another howl cut through the air like a knife. Bounding to her feet she took off in the direction of the sound.
" Ok lord above keep my mother safe. Tell her I am on my way."
She ran through the woods her feet pounding the ground in rhythm with her heart.
Bursting forth unexpectedly she came to a crouch behind a berry shrub and peered through the branches to where her mother lay unconscious on the ground. A black creature, part material part other stood above her mother with its cloak drawn wide as if it were wings. It stood searching the land, searching for something it had mistakenly thought was her mother.
Ciara's breath caught in her throat a slight moan all that was escaping.
" Mother...."
She watched as the beast picked up her mother withing the folds of its cloak and dissappeared into the air surrounding it. No foot steps, not a sound was heard. One minute it was there the next vanished.
~~*~~
The trees were out to stop her it seemed as Ciara ran through the forest away from the vision she had just encountered. Tears stung her eyes and coursed down her cheek. *What am I going to do* was her only thought. She ran for what seemed an eternity before stopping to collapse on the cool earth below her. Sobs racked her body, her mind a vast pool of confusion.
" Oh creator of the earth, father in heaven, hear me please." She prayed, " I need help." " I can help you." came the whisper.
" The forest is changing maman. I can feel it in the air."
" Aye. I fear your right. The trees are whispering of things to come."
" Will we stay maman? I doona wish to leave the wood."
" We will stay child, but twill now be easy."
The sun barely shown through the gaps in the foliage to where the two woman sat beneath the elm. The mother, her eyes aged with time, looked to the young one as she spoke. Her hands, pale and smooth, as if untouched by the years, grasped the child's in compassion.
" Rest here a bit dear. I will continue our gathering and return shortly so we can go home."
The woman rose and dissappeared into the trees. The sounds of her steps barely perceptible despite the fallen twigs beneath her feet.
Silence fell around the still form of the sitting girl. Her irredescent brown hair fell in soft curls about her shoulders to her waist. She took in deep meditating breaths. Her tired frame shaking slightly as she let each out. She was listening to the trees, to the wind. Both saying the same thing. * Change Ciara... Change....* they sighed.
Suddenly out of nowhere a howl split the air echoing about her. Ciara's head snapped up her eyes scanning the wood, ears alert. Seconds passed that seemed a lifetime before another howl cut through the air like a knife. Bounding to her feet she took off in the direction of the sound.
" Ok lord above keep my mother safe. Tell her I am on my way."
She ran through the woods her feet pounding the ground in rhythm with her heart.
Bursting forth unexpectedly she came to a crouch behind a berry shrub and peered through the branches to where her mother lay unconscious on the ground. A black creature, part material part other stood above her mother with its cloak drawn wide as if it were wings. It stood searching the land, searching for something it had mistakenly thought was her mother.
Ciara's breath caught in her throat a slight moan all that was escaping.
" Mother...."
She watched as the beast picked up her mother withing the folds of its cloak and dissappeared into the air surrounding it. No foot steps, not a sound was heard. One minute it was there the next vanished.
~~*~~
The trees were out to stop her it seemed as Ciara ran through the forest away from the vision she had just encountered. Tears stung her eyes and coursed down her cheek. *What am I going to do* was her only thought. She ran for what seemed an eternity before stopping to collapse on the cool earth below her. Sobs racked her body, her mind a vast pool of confusion.
" Oh creator of the earth, father in heaven, hear me please." She prayed, " I need help." " I can help you." came the whisper.