I Am Moondance Chapter 7
By Saphirerose
Starwind glanced down at Tallo who still had a blank look in his brown eyes. This look of death chilled Starwind for he knew the cause was a lingering sense of guilt and sorrow for his lover's death. Trying to cause a reaction he reach out and touched Tallo's check.
Tallo eyes turned to the right to glimpse Starwind's pale hand. Finally Tallo seemed to awake from his dreamy state and asked in a quiet voice,"why?"
Starwind shuttered at the despair that one word contained. He glanced away from Tallo's face and tried to find an answer that would not give Tallo more reasons for Tallo's over emotional mind to reject. "Because two deaths will not be any better than one. If you truly regret what you have done, you must be willing to try to make amends. Someone who does nothing but take his life is blind and uncaring to all the good they may yet do. I think that you may make amends by helping others with your gifts. Perhaps in time you will gain a sense of peace." Starwind said praying that the attack using Tallo's own guilt would work to keep him from trying to kill himself once more.
"So to pay this debt I must remain alive with this guilt." Tallo said unemotionally though his eyes seemed not quite as dead as they had been before. Now creeping back in was the sorrow.
"Your guilt is part of the price for your actions and to try and escape it would be as though you were trying to forget the cause itself.
Tallo nodded his head gently causing his long brown hair to cover his eyes. Tallo sat for a moment and then looked into Starwind's eyes for only the second time. Starwind now saw the change, Tallo's eyes had a sense of strength as well as a sense of purpose.
"If that is what I must do then I will do it and not try to escape anymore." Tallo said in a determined voice.
Starwind smiled slightly realizing that the strong, stubborn man he met in their argument was Tallo's true self. For the first time he wondered what training the willful young man would be like. This truly would be an interesting apprentionship.
"Are you ready to start your training." Starwind asked hoping this would not start a new fight. Tallo just nodded his head resigned now to his fate but still the need to make amends remained in his eyes.
"Come on then." Starwind put his hand out and helped Tallo rise from the bed. The quilt fell away revealing that Tallo was only in a pair of simple brown pants. "First I will show you where the baths are. Starwind lead Tallo to an area of a steaming lake surrounded by high bushes and trees clearly aligned to keep the baths private. Starwind reached down and quickly cleaned his hands in the hot water. "I will leave you here while I go get you some clothing. Before leaving he walked over to a hidden self and got a towel and a bar of soap. I will be back shortly. Just be careful not to get the bandages to wet."
With that Starwind turned leaving Tallo to his bath. Tallo quickly stripped himself and climbed in the warm water. He sat on a underwater ledge and enjoyed the gentle heat the was relieving the tension in his body. He grabbed the bar from beside the pool and scrubbed himself and his hair careful to used his uninjured arm. After coming clean he allowed his thoughts to turn to the enigma that was Starwind and the place he had been brought to.
~Everything here looks to be natural and not a real building at all. Then there are all the birds I have seen flying above us. I have never seen so many in one place before and yet Starwind didn't seem disturbed in the least with all the noise they were making. Then there is the fact that he himself has a white hawk as a pet. I have never heard of a white hawk before. Then there is Starwind himself. Not even including how odd he looks with his silver hair and blue eyes which is completely unheard of in my village except for the very old and from what I can tell Starwind isn't that old. Then there is the fact he lives in a tree high above the ground. I was almost tempted to refuse to climb down the latter for fear of falling. Another is the fact he isn't disgusted with the fact I desire men instead he tells me it is normal. What is it with this place? I feel some form of energy flowing from the very land. I just can't figure this place out.~ Tallo sighed and drew himself out of the water wincing as he put pressure on his right arm. Quickly he wrapped himself in the soft towel and waited for Starwind to return.
~~~Starwind POV~~~~
Starwind knew he was taking a risk in leaving Tallo by himself but he could sense that finally Tallo's desire for death was at an end. "Well at least Temporarily." he amended not quite ready to trust Tallo not to go back to bad habits.
Glancing around him Starwind noticed that most of the people were starting to get up. At least no one should bother Tallo yet. ~I don't think he is ready to face a vale full of people suspicious of him.~ Coming to his eckel Starwind climbed up. Walking to the clothes chest he decided that Tallo was about his size so he could where his clothing.
He grabbed an soft pair of pants and shirt and headed to the other room where Savil still slept. Glancing in he found her asleep with no intents to join the world of the waking yet with the quilt pulled over her head and only a hand and some gold strands of hair showing.
Chuckling at Savil's childlike appearance and what she would do if he told her how she appeared he left the room. Walking back to the baths he wondered on Tallo's reactions to his home. Firstly was how Tallo reacted to the ladder. Starwind sometimes forgot the people like Savil were uncomfortable above the ground. Next was the building and the birds. He knew Tallo was curious but he seemed disinclined to voice his questions for fear of appearing rude. Then there was the fact Tallo seemed to be looking for something.
Starwind continued to think on these while walking back to the springs. There he Tallo wrapped in a towel lost in his thoughts. Making a noise to alert Tallo to his presence he watched as Tallo jumped and quickly turn to look at Starwind. Starwind walked over and handed Tallo the clothes.
"Here put these on. I will be waiting for you on the path." With that stated Starwind walked away with Tallo watching him.
By Saphirerose
Starwind glanced down at Tallo who still had a blank look in his brown eyes. This look of death chilled Starwind for he knew the cause was a lingering sense of guilt and sorrow for his lover's death. Trying to cause a reaction he reach out and touched Tallo's check.
Tallo eyes turned to the right to glimpse Starwind's pale hand. Finally Tallo seemed to awake from his dreamy state and asked in a quiet voice,"why?"
Starwind shuttered at the despair that one word contained. He glanced away from Tallo's face and tried to find an answer that would not give Tallo more reasons for Tallo's over emotional mind to reject. "Because two deaths will not be any better than one. If you truly regret what you have done, you must be willing to try to make amends. Someone who does nothing but take his life is blind and uncaring to all the good they may yet do. I think that you may make amends by helping others with your gifts. Perhaps in time you will gain a sense of peace." Starwind said praying that the attack using Tallo's own guilt would work to keep him from trying to kill himself once more.
"So to pay this debt I must remain alive with this guilt." Tallo said unemotionally though his eyes seemed not quite as dead as they had been before. Now creeping back in was the sorrow.
"Your guilt is part of the price for your actions and to try and escape it would be as though you were trying to forget the cause itself.
Tallo nodded his head gently causing his long brown hair to cover his eyes. Tallo sat for a moment and then looked into Starwind's eyes for only the second time. Starwind now saw the change, Tallo's eyes had a sense of strength as well as a sense of purpose.
"If that is what I must do then I will do it and not try to escape anymore." Tallo said in a determined voice.
Starwind smiled slightly realizing that the strong, stubborn man he met in their argument was Tallo's true self. For the first time he wondered what training the willful young man would be like. This truly would be an interesting apprentionship.
"Are you ready to start your training." Starwind asked hoping this would not start a new fight. Tallo just nodded his head resigned now to his fate but still the need to make amends remained in his eyes.
"Come on then." Starwind put his hand out and helped Tallo rise from the bed. The quilt fell away revealing that Tallo was only in a pair of simple brown pants. "First I will show you where the baths are. Starwind lead Tallo to an area of a steaming lake surrounded by high bushes and trees clearly aligned to keep the baths private. Starwind reached down and quickly cleaned his hands in the hot water. "I will leave you here while I go get you some clothing. Before leaving he walked over to a hidden self and got a towel and a bar of soap. I will be back shortly. Just be careful not to get the bandages to wet."
With that Starwind turned leaving Tallo to his bath. Tallo quickly stripped himself and climbed in the warm water. He sat on a underwater ledge and enjoyed the gentle heat the was relieving the tension in his body. He grabbed the bar from beside the pool and scrubbed himself and his hair careful to used his uninjured arm. After coming clean he allowed his thoughts to turn to the enigma that was Starwind and the place he had been brought to.
~Everything here looks to be natural and not a real building at all. Then there are all the birds I have seen flying above us. I have never seen so many in one place before and yet Starwind didn't seem disturbed in the least with all the noise they were making. Then there is the fact that he himself has a white hawk as a pet. I have never heard of a white hawk before. Then there is Starwind himself. Not even including how odd he looks with his silver hair and blue eyes which is completely unheard of in my village except for the very old and from what I can tell Starwind isn't that old. Then there is the fact he lives in a tree high above the ground. I was almost tempted to refuse to climb down the latter for fear of falling. Another is the fact he isn't disgusted with the fact I desire men instead he tells me it is normal. What is it with this place? I feel some form of energy flowing from the very land. I just can't figure this place out.~ Tallo sighed and drew himself out of the water wincing as he put pressure on his right arm. Quickly he wrapped himself in the soft towel and waited for Starwind to return.
~~~Starwind POV~~~~
Starwind knew he was taking a risk in leaving Tallo by himself but he could sense that finally Tallo's desire for death was at an end. "Well at least Temporarily." he amended not quite ready to trust Tallo not to go back to bad habits.
Glancing around him Starwind noticed that most of the people were starting to get up. At least no one should bother Tallo yet. ~I don't think he is ready to face a vale full of people suspicious of him.~ Coming to his eckel Starwind climbed up. Walking to the clothes chest he decided that Tallo was about his size so he could where his clothing.
He grabbed an soft pair of pants and shirt and headed to the other room where Savil still slept. Glancing in he found her asleep with no intents to join the world of the waking yet with the quilt pulled over her head and only a hand and some gold strands of hair showing.
Chuckling at Savil's childlike appearance and what she would do if he told her how she appeared he left the room. Walking back to the baths he wondered on Tallo's reactions to his home. Firstly was how Tallo reacted to the ladder. Starwind sometimes forgot the people like Savil were uncomfortable above the ground. Next was the building and the birds. He knew Tallo was curious but he seemed disinclined to voice his questions for fear of appearing rude. Then there was the fact Tallo seemed to be looking for something.
Starwind continued to think on these while walking back to the springs. There he Tallo wrapped in a towel lost in his thoughts. Making a noise to alert Tallo to his presence he watched as Tallo jumped and quickly turn to look at Starwind. Starwind walked over and handed Tallo the clothes.
"Here put these on. I will be waiting for you on the path." With that stated Starwind walked away with Tallo watching him.