~*~ Sky Whisperer ~*~
By: Chelsey Coble
"Dark Flower..are you sure of this?" The young girl asked with nervousness. She looked at the coal black owl, waiting for an answer. Perched on the girl's arm, she nibbled her human friend's hair with affection.
"I am always sure my friend. Don't forget it, and don't forget me." The owl jumped off of the girl's arm and soared into the night sky. A tear slowly ran down the child's face, and she didn't bother to wipe it away.
"I'll make sure of it that you are not forgotten my friend." The girl whispered with sadness.
"Sky Whisperer...come quickly...." Came the voice of an elderly man. Sky Whisperer opened her eyes, and saw her grandfather. His face was white with grimness and he was sweating much. The girl threw open her bed covers and climbed up off of the ground she had slept on that night. Her grandfather gave her a hand up, and together they ran off into a clearing in the forest. Sky Whisperer stopped abruptly when she reached the clearing. In the middle of the open area was a small, black bird. Her grandfather placed a hand on her shoulder, but the girl ran to the dieing bird's side. She picked Dark Flower up easily and cradled it in her trembling arms. The owl looked at her lovingly with her dark blue eyes.
"How..I promise I'll kill those-"The owl cut her words off and slowly closed her eyes.
"You .will do nothing of the sort ...Sky Whisperer..Please do not kill.It is not your nature." Dark Flower whispered across the girl's mind. A small tear fell from the child's face, and onto the now dead, body that was once Dark Flower.
She did not know how long she had stayed in that opening of trees, holding Dark Flower in her arms. Grandfather left her be, for she had already lost a loved one before. Her only sibling, whom she just called Little Sister, had died a year earlier of ammonia. Her real name was Mary, but she was given an Indian name by their grandfather.
Sky Whisperer wanted to be Indian, and only liked her Indian name. She did not wish to share the same name as her parents, who had left her and her sister to die in the woods. Grandfather was not even family, but Sky Whisperer liked to think he was. Other than Little Sister, he was the only other person she cared about.
Sky Whisperer stood up and walked back toward camp. A boy, who worked for her grandfather, sat in the shadows of a tree. He looked up at Sky Whisperer and smiled, but thoughtfully. "Your grandfather told me of what happened.are you okay Samara?" He asked. The girl watched him, as he worked hard to sharpen a hunting knife. He was only a bit older than her, about two years thought the girl. She stared into his dark blue eyes, and giggled. She didn't know why. It was hard not to laugh when she looked into his eyes. Sky Whisperer hated the feeling of being foolish, but at the same time, enjoyed the rest from thinking about Dark Flower's death. She nodded and sat down next to him. He was the only person who called her by her birth name, but she didn't mind. She had known him for a long time, since before the great fire.
"Gab, when will you call me by my rightful name?" Sky Whisperer asked annoyingly. The boy knew she didn't mean to be angry with him. This was some-what a game to them. He smiled and stared up into the sky. Gab's blonde strands of hair fell into his eyes, and the girl moved to brush it back. He hated when people messed with his hair, and quickly caught her wrist.
"Leave it be, will you?" He asked her calmly, and then let go of her wrist. His eyes still shut; he sighed and breathed in the morning air. His white shirt blew in the soft breeze, and his hunting knife rested on his breeches. Sky Whisperer, tired of the quietness, kicked his left boot. He jumped and looked at her. The girl laughed ad so did he.
"Now boy, you must stop your day dreaming. One day, may it be soon, you will surely get confused for as a worthless child or a beggar. Though, I think you've already reached that stage." Sky Whisperer laughed and then laid down on the cool grass. Gab, busy again with sharpening his hunting knife, paid no attention to her. The girl watched him for a while, relaxing under the shade of the tall tree. He was what other girls would call handsome. Not Samara though. She didn't like to think about her relationship with boys, but hoped that one day she would find the right one for her.
Sky Whisperer blinked back small tears at the thought of love. She could still remember from when she was a little girl that her parents had arranged for her to marry someone she didn't even know. Gab placed his hand on hers and she stiffened, forgetting all about her thoughts of love. Sky Whisperer looked at the boy named Gab. His hair was blowing in the soft breeze, and his eyes sparkled sky blue. This confounded Sky Whisperer, because she had known Gab for a long time now, and she never remembered his eyes changing different shades of blue.
His hair was a blonde shade, and blew around him softly. Gab's skin was not pale, but a little darkened, showing that he worked outside a lot. His shoulders were strong and he was a normal height for a sixteen year old boy. Sky Whisperer liked these features in him, and hoped to one day be as strong minded and thoughtful as him. Gab took a deep breathe and smiled.
"You don't need to change at all. Honestly, I don't understand you girls sometimes. Always worrying about what other people think about you. It can get a little annoying sometimes." Gab said calmly but not seriously. Samara sighed. Gab had the power to just sense what others thought. People called it "the gift." He was rather good at it, and would one day need a teacher. He didn't want one though, and Sky Whisperer thought he was very foolish indeed. Grandfather just thought that Gab had the right to make his own choices, so she didn't bother him to much about it. Samara wished she had the gift. Anyone would be good enough for her. Healing, great senses, wild magic, she didn't care. It was just the thought of having such power that made her dream about it. She wanted to be able to help people and animals with the magic. That has been her dream for some time now.
Gab poked her on the side of the head. Samara woke up from her deep thought and stood up.
"I thought you were caught in a spell by the way you were staring off into nothing." He smiled. The girl did not answer. Instead, she started to run off into the woods. She didn't know why, but something told her that is what she must do. Sky Whisperer always trusted her instincts without a doubt. Gab went back to his hunting knife, not worrying about the girl. He was used to it. Samara always ran off without reason.
When the girl reached the opening where Dark Flower's body was, she smelled blood. It was fresh though, so it couldn't be the owls.
A voice filled the girl's head. It was a nice, soft sounding one.
"Samara.help me.....I am to weak to see through the darkness...I think I'm dieing.please come to me..." Samara was too shocked to do anything. She tried to determine whether the voice was male or female, but she could tell nothing. Where had it come from she thought. It sounded faint, but yet it seemed like the person was close enough for her to feel their breathe on the back of her neck.
"Whose there?" Sky Whisperer wanted to know. The strange, misty voice did not answer her. This irritated the girl. She moved uncomfortably and then stepped back. When Samara turned a fearful scream poured out of her throat.
Mrs. Smith stood there. She was from a neighboring group that was also camping out in the woods. Her husband and her were newly weds and wanted to move to the kingdom of King Jonathan, to start a new life.
Samara looked the women over, her face still hot with sweat. Mrs. Smith, also known as Julie, was a thirty year old woman with light brown hair that was shoulder length. She wore a dark green dress that matched the color of her grey eyes. Julie had pale, almost white, skin with rosy red lips.
Samara was jealous of Julie's beauty, and one day wanted to have some for herself. She had remembered all of the nice comments people had given her about her looks, but she just couldn't agree. Samara had blonde hair that almost looked white. It reached down to her waist. Her skin was to pale and her eyes were a dark blue/grey. Even though the girl was fourteen, her body was small and thin, but not starving.
Julie smiled thoughtfully at Samara, and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. The weight from the woman was hard on Sky Whisperer's body, but she remained firm standing. Mrs. Smith fell to the ground, and Samara knew she had to get help, and soon.
"Gab, grandpa! Help! It's Julie!" Samara yelled with fright. Mrs. Smith was in serious trouble, and all she could really do was call for help. The two men came running from off in the distance. Grandpa was ahead and soon more men came. One of them was Julie's new husband. When he saw his fallen bride, he didn't stop to ask questions, but run to her side.
Sky Whisperer stood back so that the men could roll Mrs. Smith to her back. Luckily she had fallen on her side, and not her stomach.
She gasped for air and her husband held her hand tight. Samara looked at Gab, who also stood back from the busy men. His face showed something that seemed like interest. She walked over to him, and looked at Gab with annoyance. He saw her staring at him and laughed.
"Yes? What do you want?" He asked. Samara glanced over to Julie and then quickly turned her head away. Now she knew what was going on. Julie was in labor.
Gab said something, but the girl did not hear. She turned and ran as fast as she could. She wanted to get away from the commotion, to somewhere quite. Gab followed. Samara decided to go to the spot under the tall tree where her and Gab had talked earlier.
"No..This can't be happening. Not now." Samara whispered when she finally got to the tree. Gab leaned up against the tree, and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Samara..what can't be happening?" He asked calmly. Sky Whisperer could feel tears running down her eyes and Gab whipped them away. She wanted to scream, but knew she could not. Her voice was nothing but a whisper and it sounded choked.
"Julie-I mean the baby.I don't think its going to survive for long." She blurted out. Gab stared at her with shock before he sat down on the ground. He started to rub his forehead, for he was deep in concentration.
"How do you know such a thing Samara?" The boy wanted to know. His eyes were dark with worry. Sky Whisperer wished she could tell him, but she was afraid he wouldn't believe her. Gab waited patiently for her answer, and she gave him none.
Later that night, Sky Whisperer waited in her tent for the news regarding the baby. It was about seven when Gab entered the tent with a joyful smile on his face. "So.?" Samara asked with eager anticipation. Gab opened the ten flaps and grandfather walked in holding the small child in his arms. The old man placed the baby in Samara's arms and she held them gently.
"Her name is Mara." Grandfather said, but his voice seemed distant. The girl was too focused on the baby to hear. "Julie and her husband named their child after you. Why, if it wasn't for you calling for help, Julie could have laid there and died along with Mara here. According to Kem, Mara was born three months earlier than expected." Samara nodded her head in understanding.
"I would be honored to have this child named after me grandfather. Please tell Julie and Kem this." She said with happiness. It gave her a huge relief that Mara was healthy, but something still told the girl to be alert.
Sky Whisperer stared down at the baby girl. She had her father's light green eyes and his curious look. Mara's hair was black as night and her skin very pale. Much to pale thought Samara. The girl did not know where the baby had gotten her black hair, for her mother had light brown and her father had blonde. Her cheeks showed little color than they should have and her lips were red like her mothers. Sky Whisperer thought that Mara was a perfect name for such a beautiful little girl.
Forgetting that Gab was still there, she started to sing a lullaby. Grandfather had already left the tent five minutes ago. Gab listened quietly as Samara sang. She didn't know any lullabies, so she made up words as she went. When she finished and the baby was sound asleep, Gab spoke in a whisper. He was hidden in the shadows the whole time, so Samara was startled when he stepped forward.
"That was." He started to say, but Sky Whisperer cut him off.
"Awful, right?" She said and laughed about it. Gab shook his head in disagreement.
"Not at all. I thought your singing was very good." He said as he lifted Mara from the girl's arms. "Mara thought so at least." Samara stood up to face Gab. The top of her head reached the boy's nose.
"Oh. So now you're saying my singing was awful? That only Mara liked it?" She accused the boy. Gab stepped back and laughed.
"No, no. That's not what I meant at all." Gab sighed. "Why am I always the bad guy?" Samara giggled and played with Mara's hair.
"Because.You make a good villain." They both smiled and gave Mara back to her parents.
Gab didn't go back to his own tent. Instead, he stayed outside and started to set up some blankets. Sky Whisperer watched him from the door of her tent. Grandfather had told her that Gab's parents sent him out into the world early. They already had six younger children to care for. Samara felt sorry for the boy, but then started to feel sorry for herself. Tears filled her eyes, and for the first time since she was little, she cried. She hid her face in her fist and leaned against a nearby tree. She had hoped that Gab did not see her. She had always tried to remain strong minded and strong willed in front of people, but she had to cry. It was a relief to let out all of the feeling that had built up inside her over the years.
"Sky Whisperer.?" Came Gab's voice. He placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, but she batted it away. Whipping her eyes of water, she walked slowly into the deep woods. Gab followed this time. Samara walked to the spot where Dark Flower had died, and fell to the ground. She thought about the owl's death, and Mara's birth. It was funny, she thought, but in an ironic sort of way. Dark Flower had died and then Mara was born on the same day.
Gab was standing behind Samara, for she could see his shadow on the ground ahead of her. She wanted to yell at him to go away, but she didn't have the heart to do so now.
"If you don't mind.I would like to know what's wrong." He asked her. Samara's voice was quite and cautious.
"It's just that-"Someone's screaming voice came from back at the tent area. Sky Whisperer didn't waste any time before she was running toward the cry.
Gab and her reached the camp and found Julie on the ground crying next to a man's body. Samara looked around the area. Tents were destroyed and some set afire. Supplies and goods were spread out over the dirt.
Sky Whisperer almost screamed herself, but knew she couldn't. The sight of what laid ahead of her made her insides turn. How could this all have happened in such a short amount of time, she asked herself. Gab must have been thinking the same thing.
"Magic." He whispered. Samara jerked her head around.
"What?" She demanded to know. Gab shook his head sadly.
"This was not the work of ordinary thieves Samara.I believe that ones with the gift caused this. I can feel their magical energy everywhere.Mara!" Gab sprinted toward the baby's tent. Samara could do nothing else but follow him.
Sky Whisperer stopped dead when she saw the baby's tent. A strange, milky white light was coming out of it. Like mist, she thought. Gab stopped to look at her.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing.." She said. She continued to race toward the baby's tent. Her feet froze once she came to the tent's entrance. The flaps blew open and the girl had to shield her face with her arms to keep the dust out of her eyes. The wind died down and finally stopped all together. Samara walked into the tent with great caution.
She had suddenly forgotten how to breathe and almost choked, but Gab patted her on the back gently. A little girl was standing in the center of the tent. Her eyes were emerald green and her hair was night black. She couldn't have been any older than seven. Samara didn't want to think, didn't want to believe that this young girl could possibly be Mara. The baby she had cradled in her arms earlier.
Gab stepped forward and held out a hand. Mara stared at them both, her eyes full of blankness. She let out a soft cough and walked slowly toward Gab. Taking his hand, she collapsed into his arms. The boy lifted her up and motioned his head toward the bed. Samara went over to the bed, and started to fix its covers. Gab laid the little girl down and covered her with the warm blankets.
"Who.Could it possibly be? Is she?" Sky Whisperer asked. She knew what the boy's answer would be, and was right. He nodded with grimness on his face.
"I do think so. She is only unconscious for now. Mara should awaken.It is too sad for me to think about it."
"Think about what?" Gab rubbed his forehead and sighed.
"Well.now she to, has lost her parents." Sky Whisperer knew very well that Gab's parents still lived, but he thought not. He was the eldest of seven children, so his parents were never really there for him. Samara's mother and father were killed.
"Kem.rest his soul. May the mother goddess protect him." She cried. It had become much easier for her to cry now. It was something that felt new to the girl, but every time it got easier to do.
"We'd better tell the others.though I don't know how Julie will react to this. I don't know how to explain this, but I might know someone who does.If their still alive that is.." Gab suggested. Sky Whisperer whipped away the water on her face and then followed Gab out of the tent. She had many questions to ask, but no one to listen to them. Could Gab actually know someone with the answers to this mystery? She hoped so.
"Sky Whisperer.Kem is...Oh how can this be happening?" Julie broke out in awful cries as she sat by her husband's dead body. Gab gave Samara a look full of grief and the girl walked over to grandfather. She cleared her voice and looked up at the old man. "H-how did this happen exactly, and so fast?" She questioned him. He remained staring at Kem's body and the weeping Julie.
"There's just no talking sense into that women. She had a baby, so you'd think she would want some rest." He spoke in an annoyed tone.
"Well..her new husband did just...pass away. Julie just needs time to get over it.I guess."
"Yes.but even so, that's not a very good reason not to be resting after giving birth. She could hurt herself." Grandfather nodded his head slowly and walked away.
Samara found Gab taking inventory on all of the things that were destroyed. She wondered who he was talking about before.
"Um..Gab? You said you might know someone with knowledge about all this." The boy looked up from his list surprised.
"Yes, I believe I do. His name is King Jonathan. He is said to be the voice of the Bloody Hawk tribe. They are a group of people that live west of here.why do you ask?" Samara twisted the bottom of her shirt around nervously.
"Well..um. Does that mean we have to return to crowded streets and tall buildings that block out the view of the mountains? Because I doubt I could ever go back.not after what happened that is." Her words became a whisper that she did not wish for anyone else to hear. Gab took a deep breathe and smiled.
"I'm afraid we must. You see, the king's castle is only about five days away if we go over those mountains." Gab pointed off into the distance, to where the sun was rising. Samara had been so busy with the events of the day racing through her mind, that she hadn't realized how tired she was. The whole night had gone by without her noticing.
"Well..if we must then.I suppose.." Sky Whisperer yawned and almost fell as she walked to what remained of their supplies. She saw a fairly decent blanket that had barley gotten burned, and wrapped it around her.
"Plus.We could use the supplies. Luckily, we still have few weapons to protect ourselves and hunt." Said Gab when he came to get a sleeping blanket also. Grandfather walked over to the two, and whipped his forehead.
"The men have just finished burying Kem.I wish I could have helped, but these old bones just aren't what they used to be." Gab stepped forward and pulled his blanket tighter around his body.
"I know of a place we can go to stock up on supplies. Just over the mountains. Don't worry. I've been over those giant hills many a time, and they won't be any trouble. I'm guessing that we should arrive in Tortall in about five days and five nights if we only stop once. We'll take turns sleeping. I also have a few things to ask King Jonathan." Grandfather looked at the blonde headed boy with uncertainty. He finally nodded his head in agreement.
"Okay then, if you're sure we won't have any trouble getting there. Not to forget about any trouble once we're there of course." Grandfather added.
"Oh.of course. No trouble at all. I used to work for the king as his stable boy, and he trust me fine. If I say your friends of mine, he'll believe me."
"Good. Then get some rest you two. We'll be leaving in only six hours." Samara stared at Gab. How could he make a deal with grandfather to leave so soon? They should at least gather some food first. Who knows how long it will be till they find any game.
Once Grandfather had left, Gab turned around to the girl. He put his fingers up to his lips to keep her from speaking.
"Listen Samara.I went back to the tent to check on little Mara. She was sleeping sound as a baby in the bed."
"Well.then that's good." Gab shook his head in disagreement.
"You don't understand." Samara hated when people told her that she didn't understand, especially Gab. He sometimes seemed like he had to be so right about everything. "Mara was sleeping sound as a baby, because she was one!" He whispered harshly. Samara choked in the middle of a breathe. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"That can't be. Could it? Just a little while ago she was.Do you think that she has a kind of gift, like you do?" Gab shrugged and sat on the ground.
"The sooner we get to Tortall, the better off we'll be. If the king can't answer our questions, then someone else there must be able to. I'm sure of it.I think that whoever destroyed the camp, is also heading there. This is the only path leading anywhere and good wanderers would know that, and stick to it."
Sky Whisperer stopped to think. Why did Gab change the subject like that? Is he scared of the possibilities? "You think that the people who did this are wanderers?" Samara asked confused. She hadn't really paid much attention to what he had said.
"Without a doubt. According to your grandfather, they stole some things. Not necessarily voluble items, but essential. I think they were not only wanderers, but road bandits. They would most likely have some people among them with the gift. That would make it easier for them to steal. They left quickly for some reason.I just can't figure out why though. They would have to be heading for Tortall. The only other place that the path leads to is the roof of the world and they would be crazy to attempt to go that way." Samara looked at him with shock. He never seemed to be the kind of person to read books or any sort of learning. Sky Whisperer always thought that he was laid back and care free. Lately though, so many thoughts had been going through his mind. The girl wondered what he thought about now.
"Huh...?" She said wearily as someone pulled her from bed and to her feet. Grandfather stood there in the dark and he pushed some clothes into the girl's hands. He told her to get ready for the trip over the mountains. He left and Samara put on the breeches and white long sleeved top. She figured it would probably be freezing up there, so she also put on some thicker clothing.
"Dark Flower..are you sure of this?" The young girl asked with nervousness. She looked at the coal black owl, waiting for an answer. Perched on the girl's arm, she nibbled her human friend's hair with affection.
"I am always sure my friend. Don't forget it, and don't forget me." The owl jumped off of the girl's arm and soared into the night sky. A tear slowly ran down the child's face, and she didn't bother to wipe it away.
"I'll make sure of it that you are not forgotten my friend." The girl whispered with sadness.
"Sky Whisperer...come quickly...." Came the voice of an elderly man. Sky Whisperer opened her eyes, and saw her grandfather. His face was white with grimness and he was sweating much. The girl threw open her bed covers and climbed up off of the ground she had slept on that night. Her grandfather gave her a hand up, and together they ran off into a clearing in the forest. Sky Whisperer stopped abruptly when she reached the clearing. In the middle of the open area was a small, black bird. Her grandfather placed a hand on her shoulder, but the girl ran to the dieing bird's side. She picked Dark Flower up easily and cradled it in her trembling arms. The owl looked at her lovingly with her dark blue eyes.
"How..I promise I'll kill those-"The owl cut her words off and slowly closed her eyes.
"You .will do nothing of the sort ...Sky Whisperer..Please do not kill.It is not your nature." Dark Flower whispered across the girl's mind. A small tear fell from the child's face, and onto the now dead, body that was once Dark Flower.
She did not know how long she had stayed in that opening of trees, holding Dark Flower in her arms. Grandfather left her be, for she had already lost a loved one before. Her only sibling, whom she just called Little Sister, had died a year earlier of ammonia. Her real name was Mary, but she was given an Indian name by their grandfather.
Sky Whisperer wanted to be Indian, and only liked her Indian name. She did not wish to share the same name as her parents, who had left her and her sister to die in the woods. Grandfather was not even family, but Sky Whisperer liked to think he was. Other than Little Sister, he was the only other person she cared about.
Sky Whisperer stood up and walked back toward camp. A boy, who worked for her grandfather, sat in the shadows of a tree. He looked up at Sky Whisperer and smiled, but thoughtfully. "Your grandfather told me of what happened.are you okay Samara?" He asked. The girl watched him, as he worked hard to sharpen a hunting knife. He was only a bit older than her, about two years thought the girl. She stared into his dark blue eyes, and giggled. She didn't know why. It was hard not to laugh when she looked into his eyes. Sky Whisperer hated the feeling of being foolish, but at the same time, enjoyed the rest from thinking about Dark Flower's death. She nodded and sat down next to him. He was the only person who called her by her birth name, but she didn't mind. She had known him for a long time, since before the great fire.
"Gab, when will you call me by my rightful name?" Sky Whisperer asked annoyingly. The boy knew she didn't mean to be angry with him. This was some-what a game to them. He smiled and stared up into the sky. Gab's blonde strands of hair fell into his eyes, and the girl moved to brush it back. He hated when people messed with his hair, and quickly caught her wrist.
"Leave it be, will you?" He asked her calmly, and then let go of her wrist. His eyes still shut; he sighed and breathed in the morning air. His white shirt blew in the soft breeze, and his hunting knife rested on his breeches. Sky Whisperer, tired of the quietness, kicked his left boot. He jumped and looked at her. The girl laughed ad so did he.
"Now boy, you must stop your day dreaming. One day, may it be soon, you will surely get confused for as a worthless child or a beggar. Though, I think you've already reached that stage." Sky Whisperer laughed and then laid down on the cool grass. Gab, busy again with sharpening his hunting knife, paid no attention to her. The girl watched him for a while, relaxing under the shade of the tall tree. He was what other girls would call handsome. Not Samara though. She didn't like to think about her relationship with boys, but hoped that one day she would find the right one for her.
Sky Whisperer blinked back small tears at the thought of love. She could still remember from when she was a little girl that her parents had arranged for her to marry someone she didn't even know. Gab placed his hand on hers and she stiffened, forgetting all about her thoughts of love. Sky Whisperer looked at the boy named Gab. His hair was blowing in the soft breeze, and his eyes sparkled sky blue. This confounded Sky Whisperer, because she had known Gab for a long time now, and she never remembered his eyes changing different shades of blue.
His hair was a blonde shade, and blew around him softly. Gab's skin was not pale, but a little darkened, showing that he worked outside a lot. His shoulders were strong and he was a normal height for a sixteen year old boy. Sky Whisperer liked these features in him, and hoped to one day be as strong minded and thoughtful as him. Gab took a deep breathe and smiled.
"You don't need to change at all. Honestly, I don't understand you girls sometimes. Always worrying about what other people think about you. It can get a little annoying sometimes." Gab said calmly but not seriously. Samara sighed. Gab had the power to just sense what others thought. People called it "the gift." He was rather good at it, and would one day need a teacher. He didn't want one though, and Sky Whisperer thought he was very foolish indeed. Grandfather just thought that Gab had the right to make his own choices, so she didn't bother him to much about it. Samara wished she had the gift. Anyone would be good enough for her. Healing, great senses, wild magic, she didn't care. It was just the thought of having such power that made her dream about it. She wanted to be able to help people and animals with the magic. That has been her dream for some time now.
Gab poked her on the side of the head. Samara woke up from her deep thought and stood up.
"I thought you were caught in a spell by the way you were staring off into nothing." He smiled. The girl did not answer. Instead, she started to run off into the woods. She didn't know why, but something told her that is what she must do. Sky Whisperer always trusted her instincts without a doubt. Gab went back to his hunting knife, not worrying about the girl. He was used to it. Samara always ran off without reason.
When the girl reached the opening where Dark Flower's body was, she smelled blood. It was fresh though, so it couldn't be the owls.
A voice filled the girl's head. It was a nice, soft sounding one.
"Samara.help me.....I am to weak to see through the darkness...I think I'm dieing.please come to me..." Samara was too shocked to do anything. She tried to determine whether the voice was male or female, but she could tell nothing. Where had it come from she thought. It sounded faint, but yet it seemed like the person was close enough for her to feel their breathe on the back of her neck.
"Whose there?" Sky Whisperer wanted to know. The strange, misty voice did not answer her. This irritated the girl. She moved uncomfortably and then stepped back. When Samara turned a fearful scream poured out of her throat.
Mrs. Smith stood there. She was from a neighboring group that was also camping out in the woods. Her husband and her were newly weds and wanted to move to the kingdom of King Jonathan, to start a new life.
Samara looked the women over, her face still hot with sweat. Mrs. Smith, also known as Julie, was a thirty year old woman with light brown hair that was shoulder length. She wore a dark green dress that matched the color of her grey eyes. Julie had pale, almost white, skin with rosy red lips.
Samara was jealous of Julie's beauty, and one day wanted to have some for herself. She had remembered all of the nice comments people had given her about her looks, but she just couldn't agree. Samara had blonde hair that almost looked white. It reached down to her waist. Her skin was to pale and her eyes were a dark blue/grey. Even though the girl was fourteen, her body was small and thin, but not starving.
Julie smiled thoughtfully at Samara, and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. The weight from the woman was hard on Sky Whisperer's body, but she remained firm standing. Mrs. Smith fell to the ground, and Samara knew she had to get help, and soon.
"Gab, grandpa! Help! It's Julie!" Samara yelled with fright. Mrs. Smith was in serious trouble, and all she could really do was call for help. The two men came running from off in the distance. Grandpa was ahead and soon more men came. One of them was Julie's new husband. When he saw his fallen bride, he didn't stop to ask questions, but run to her side.
Sky Whisperer stood back so that the men could roll Mrs. Smith to her back. Luckily she had fallen on her side, and not her stomach.
She gasped for air and her husband held her hand tight. Samara looked at Gab, who also stood back from the busy men. His face showed something that seemed like interest. She walked over to him, and looked at Gab with annoyance. He saw her staring at him and laughed.
"Yes? What do you want?" He asked. Samara glanced over to Julie and then quickly turned her head away. Now she knew what was going on. Julie was in labor.
Gab said something, but the girl did not hear. She turned and ran as fast as she could. She wanted to get away from the commotion, to somewhere quite. Gab followed. Samara decided to go to the spot under the tall tree where her and Gab had talked earlier.
"No..This can't be happening. Not now." Samara whispered when she finally got to the tree. Gab leaned up against the tree, and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Samara..what can't be happening?" He asked calmly. Sky Whisperer could feel tears running down her eyes and Gab whipped them away. She wanted to scream, but knew she could not. Her voice was nothing but a whisper and it sounded choked.
"Julie-I mean the baby.I don't think its going to survive for long." She blurted out. Gab stared at her with shock before he sat down on the ground. He started to rub his forehead, for he was deep in concentration.
"How do you know such a thing Samara?" The boy wanted to know. His eyes were dark with worry. Sky Whisperer wished she could tell him, but she was afraid he wouldn't believe her. Gab waited patiently for her answer, and she gave him none.
Later that night, Sky Whisperer waited in her tent for the news regarding the baby. It was about seven when Gab entered the tent with a joyful smile on his face. "So.?" Samara asked with eager anticipation. Gab opened the ten flaps and grandfather walked in holding the small child in his arms. The old man placed the baby in Samara's arms and she held them gently.
"Her name is Mara." Grandfather said, but his voice seemed distant. The girl was too focused on the baby to hear. "Julie and her husband named their child after you. Why, if it wasn't for you calling for help, Julie could have laid there and died along with Mara here. According to Kem, Mara was born three months earlier than expected." Samara nodded her head in understanding.
"I would be honored to have this child named after me grandfather. Please tell Julie and Kem this." She said with happiness. It gave her a huge relief that Mara was healthy, but something still told the girl to be alert.
Sky Whisperer stared down at the baby girl. She had her father's light green eyes and his curious look. Mara's hair was black as night and her skin very pale. Much to pale thought Samara. The girl did not know where the baby had gotten her black hair, for her mother had light brown and her father had blonde. Her cheeks showed little color than they should have and her lips were red like her mothers. Sky Whisperer thought that Mara was a perfect name for such a beautiful little girl.
Forgetting that Gab was still there, she started to sing a lullaby. Grandfather had already left the tent five minutes ago. Gab listened quietly as Samara sang. She didn't know any lullabies, so she made up words as she went. When she finished and the baby was sound asleep, Gab spoke in a whisper. He was hidden in the shadows the whole time, so Samara was startled when he stepped forward.
"That was." He started to say, but Sky Whisperer cut him off.
"Awful, right?" She said and laughed about it. Gab shook his head in disagreement.
"Not at all. I thought your singing was very good." He said as he lifted Mara from the girl's arms. "Mara thought so at least." Samara stood up to face Gab. The top of her head reached the boy's nose.
"Oh. So now you're saying my singing was awful? That only Mara liked it?" She accused the boy. Gab stepped back and laughed.
"No, no. That's not what I meant at all." Gab sighed. "Why am I always the bad guy?" Samara giggled and played with Mara's hair.
"Because.You make a good villain." They both smiled and gave Mara back to her parents.
Gab didn't go back to his own tent. Instead, he stayed outside and started to set up some blankets. Sky Whisperer watched him from the door of her tent. Grandfather had told her that Gab's parents sent him out into the world early. They already had six younger children to care for. Samara felt sorry for the boy, but then started to feel sorry for herself. Tears filled her eyes, and for the first time since she was little, she cried. She hid her face in her fist and leaned against a nearby tree. She had hoped that Gab did not see her. She had always tried to remain strong minded and strong willed in front of people, but she had to cry. It was a relief to let out all of the feeling that had built up inside her over the years.
"Sky Whisperer.?" Came Gab's voice. He placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, but she batted it away. Whipping her eyes of water, she walked slowly into the deep woods. Gab followed this time. Samara walked to the spot where Dark Flower had died, and fell to the ground. She thought about the owl's death, and Mara's birth. It was funny, she thought, but in an ironic sort of way. Dark Flower had died and then Mara was born on the same day.
Gab was standing behind Samara, for she could see his shadow on the ground ahead of her. She wanted to yell at him to go away, but she didn't have the heart to do so now.
"If you don't mind.I would like to know what's wrong." He asked her. Samara's voice was quite and cautious.
"It's just that-"Someone's screaming voice came from back at the tent area. Sky Whisperer didn't waste any time before she was running toward the cry.
Gab and her reached the camp and found Julie on the ground crying next to a man's body. Samara looked around the area. Tents were destroyed and some set afire. Supplies and goods were spread out over the dirt.
Sky Whisperer almost screamed herself, but knew she couldn't. The sight of what laid ahead of her made her insides turn. How could this all have happened in such a short amount of time, she asked herself. Gab must have been thinking the same thing.
"Magic." He whispered. Samara jerked her head around.
"What?" She demanded to know. Gab shook his head sadly.
"This was not the work of ordinary thieves Samara.I believe that ones with the gift caused this. I can feel their magical energy everywhere.Mara!" Gab sprinted toward the baby's tent. Samara could do nothing else but follow him.
Sky Whisperer stopped dead when she saw the baby's tent. A strange, milky white light was coming out of it. Like mist, she thought. Gab stopped to look at her.
"What's the matter?"
"Nothing.." She said. She continued to race toward the baby's tent. Her feet froze once she came to the tent's entrance. The flaps blew open and the girl had to shield her face with her arms to keep the dust out of her eyes. The wind died down and finally stopped all together. Samara walked into the tent with great caution.
She had suddenly forgotten how to breathe and almost choked, but Gab patted her on the back gently. A little girl was standing in the center of the tent. Her eyes were emerald green and her hair was night black. She couldn't have been any older than seven. Samara didn't want to think, didn't want to believe that this young girl could possibly be Mara. The baby she had cradled in her arms earlier.
Gab stepped forward and held out a hand. Mara stared at them both, her eyes full of blankness. She let out a soft cough and walked slowly toward Gab. Taking his hand, she collapsed into his arms. The boy lifted her up and motioned his head toward the bed. Samara went over to the bed, and started to fix its covers. Gab laid the little girl down and covered her with the warm blankets.
"Who.Could it possibly be? Is she?" Sky Whisperer asked. She knew what the boy's answer would be, and was right. He nodded with grimness on his face.
"I do think so. She is only unconscious for now. Mara should awaken.It is too sad for me to think about it."
"Think about what?" Gab rubbed his forehead and sighed.
"Well.now she to, has lost her parents." Sky Whisperer knew very well that Gab's parents still lived, but he thought not. He was the eldest of seven children, so his parents were never really there for him. Samara's mother and father were killed.
"Kem.rest his soul. May the mother goddess protect him." She cried. It had become much easier for her to cry now. It was something that felt new to the girl, but every time it got easier to do.
"We'd better tell the others.though I don't know how Julie will react to this. I don't know how to explain this, but I might know someone who does.If their still alive that is.." Gab suggested. Sky Whisperer whipped away the water on her face and then followed Gab out of the tent. She had many questions to ask, but no one to listen to them. Could Gab actually know someone with the answers to this mystery? She hoped so.
"Sky Whisperer.Kem is...Oh how can this be happening?" Julie broke out in awful cries as she sat by her husband's dead body. Gab gave Samara a look full of grief and the girl walked over to grandfather. She cleared her voice and looked up at the old man. "H-how did this happen exactly, and so fast?" She questioned him. He remained staring at Kem's body and the weeping Julie.
"There's just no talking sense into that women. She had a baby, so you'd think she would want some rest." He spoke in an annoyed tone.
"Well..her new husband did just...pass away. Julie just needs time to get over it.I guess."
"Yes.but even so, that's not a very good reason not to be resting after giving birth. She could hurt herself." Grandfather nodded his head slowly and walked away.
Samara found Gab taking inventory on all of the things that were destroyed. She wondered who he was talking about before.
"Um..Gab? You said you might know someone with knowledge about all this." The boy looked up from his list surprised.
"Yes, I believe I do. His name is King Jonathan. He is said to be the voice of the Bloody Hawk tribe. They are a group of people that live west of here.why do you ask?" Samara twisted the bottom of her shirt around nervously.
"Well..um. Does that mean we have to return to crowded streets and tall buildings that block out the view of the mountains? Because I doubt I could ever go back.not after what happened that is." Her words became a whisper that she did not wish for anyone else to hear. Gab took a deep breathe and smiled.
"I'm afraid we must. You see, the king's castle is only about five days away if we go over those mountains." Gab pointed off into the distance, to where the sun was rising. Samara had been so busy with the events of the day racing through her mind, that she hadn't realized how tired she was. The whole night had gone by without her noticing.
"Well..if we must then.I suppose.." Sky Whisperer yawned and almost fell as she walked to what remained of their supplies. She saw a fairly decent blanket that had barley gotten burned, and wrapped it around her.
"Plus.We could use the supplies. Luckily, we still have few weapons to protect ourselves and hunt." Said Gab when he came to get a sleeping blanket also. Grandfather walked over to the two, and whipped his forehead.
"The men have just finished burying Kem.I wish I could have helped, but these old bones just aren't what they used to be." Gab stepped forward and pulled his blanket tighter around his body.
"I know of a place we can go to stock up on supplies. Just over the mountains. Don't worry. I've been over those giant hills many a time, and they won't be any trouble. I'm guessing that we should arrive in Tortall in about five days and five nights if we only stop once. We'll take turns sleeping. I also have a few things to ask King Jonathan." Grandfather looked at the blonde headed boy with uncertainty. He finally nodded his head in agreement.
"Okay then, if you're sure we won't have any trouble getting there. Not to forget about any trouble once we're there of course." Grandfather added.
"Oh.of course. No trouble at all. I used to work for the king as his stable boy, and he trust me fine. If I say your friends of mine, he'll believe me."
"Good. Then get some rest you two. We'll be leaving in only six hours." Samara stared at Gab. How could he make a deal with grandfather to leave so soon? They should at least gather some food first. Who knows how long it will be till they find any game.
Once Grandfather had left, Gab turned around to the girl. He put his fingers up to his lips to keep her from speaking.
"Listen Samara.I went back to the tent to check on little Mara. She was sleeping sound as a baby in the bed."
"Well.then that's good." Gab shook his head in disagreement.
"You don't understand." Samara hated when people told her that she didn't understand, especially Gab. He sometimes seemed like he had to be so right about everything. "Mara was sleeping sound as a baby, because she was one!" He whispered harshly. Samara choked in the middle of a breathe. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"That can't be. Could it? Just a little while ago she was.Do you think that she has a kind of gift, like you do?" Gab shrugged and sat on the ground.
"The sooner we get to Tortall, the better off we'll be. If the king can't answer our questions, then someone else there must be able to. I'm sure of it.I think that whoever destroyed the camp, is also heading there. This is the only path leading anywhere and good wanderers would know that, and stick to it."
Sky Whisperer stopped to think. Why did Gab change the subject like that? Is he scared of the possibilities? "You think that the people who did this are wanderers?" Samara asked confused. She hadn't really paid much attention to what he had said.
"Without a doubt. According to your grandfather, they stole some things. Not necessarily voluble items, but essential. I think they were not only wanderers, but road bandits. They would most likely have some people among them with the gift. That would make it easier for them to steal. They left quickly for some reason.I just can't figure out why though. They would have to be heading for Tortall. The only other place that the path leads to is the roof of the world and they would be crazy to attempt to go that way." Samara looked at him with shock. He never seemed to be the kind of person to read books or any sort of learning. Sky Whisperer always thought that he was laid back and care free. Lately though, so many thoughts had been going through his mind. The girl wondered what he thought about now.
"Huh...?" She said wearily as someone pulled her from bed and to her feet. Grandfather stood there in the dark and he pushed some clothes into the girl's hands. He told her to get ready for the trip over the mountains. He left and Samara put on the breeches and white long sleeved top. She figured it would probably be freezing up there, so she also put on some thicker clothing.