The Hollow Men
By Jeslyn Nighthawk
A/N: YAY! I graduated! No more school till August, which means lots of time to write. And, since this fic has received the most reviews, it will receive the most attention. Enjoy J!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Wheel of Time. This wouldn't be nearly as much fun if I did- I mean, who wants to torture their own characters anyway.
Chapter 3
There, the eyes are
Sunlight on a broken column
There, is a tree swinging
And voices are
In the wind's singing
More distant and more solemn
Than a fading star.
All of us jump, startled. I see fear that mirrored my own in the eyes of my two best friends. After all, a raven that did not act like a raven was the herald of that night.
We stand, tense, for nearly a minute. The silence of the clearing stretches around us. The sweat between my shoulders cools in the light breeze sending a nervous chill up my back.
The raven crows again closer this time and if possible we become even tenser. We wait, prepared for anything. Suddenly there is a rush of feathers all around us. I hear the others yell and recognize my own voice as I try desperately to avoid the beating wings.
As suddenly as it had begun it is over, and we all look at each other sheepishly as we see the fox trot off into the wood. Apparently, it had missed its meal of marsh bird, and managed to scare the flock into flight.
Next thing I know, we are all laughing in embarrassment. The tension eases, if not entirely, then at least it is not as noticeable. Mat is the first to speak.
"Hey…um… we're going hunting. Want to come?" Leave it to Mat to act as if nothing has happened. He still is slightly wary around me, but given Mat's suspicious nature… the fact that he still associates with me is a sign of how strong our friendship is. Mat always was one to look out for his own hide. At least that's what he wants us to think.
Perrin speaks up. "There have been sightings of wolves in the woods. Figure we might at least run them off, if not bag one or two. Worst case we come home with something to eat. Maybe we could camp? Get away from town for a few days."
I think about this for a few minutes before answering. Master al'Vere could probably care less if I leave, and Mistress al'Vere will likely be thankful for anything I bring home. It was a hard winter. "I need to check with Mistress al'Vere…but I'm sure she won't mind. I can be ready in an hour or so. I'll meet you back here then?" I need to get away from the stares as much as they do. I know that is the real reason for this excursion.
They both nod and head home to gather their things. I don't think either have any idea how lucky they are to have homes to go home to.
With a sigh, I turn and head back into the inn.
***
We found no sign of the wolves.
This is not surprising considering how close we still are to town. We stopped when we found a clearing suitable for camping, and spent the rest of daylight hunting dinner. That hare is beginning to look very small to split between three. Good thing I packed some bread and cheese that Mistress al'Vere gave me. We won't starve tonight.
Tomorrow might be another story.
None of us say anything as we prepare for the night. It is almost as if we are mimicking the eerie silence that seems to pervade the woods around us. The nearly full moon offers plenty of light, but for some reason it provides no comfort.
Perrin stiffens suddenly and looks to the west. The firelight reflects in his eyes momentarily giving him an inhuman look. A howl resounds through the night echoing, resonating. It is one long pure note that cuts off as suddenly as it began, but leaves a feeling of uneasiness in its wake. We are in their territory now.
Mat looks at Perrin, uneasy speculation in his eyes. Perrin does not look at him; his eyes are still staring in the direction of the wolf. Mat finally breaks the silence, but when he has voiced his question we all wish he hadn't. "How did you know the wolf was there?"
Perrin jumps and glares at Mat. His reply is defensive-"I didn't." He turns away and stalks to his bedroll. Mat shrugs, but the suspicion is still in his eyes. As I said before, Mat is not a trusting person.
"Mat," I say quietly. He turns his head towards me in acknowledgement, but he is not really listening. "Go to sleep." To reinforce this, I take my own advice and climb into my bedroll. I hear Mat behind me doing the same.
Let Perrin keep his secret.
***
A/N: Okay, that's it for chapter 3. I tried really hard to make it longer. Please bear with me as I try to work out where this is going. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I hope I can continue to live up to your expectations. If anyone cares, I also have a WOT, Lord of the Rings, Inu-Yasha crossover posted in the Inu-Yasha section. Um… sorry it took so long to update. I had graduation, Hawaii, and a serious case of writers block. Thank you for reading and please review.
Ja ne.