While getting the next chapter ready to go, I found something else. Low and behold, I forgot a couple paragraphs at the bottom. They have now been added.
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Chapter 3 Mother and Daughter
"Hush, Sela. Where are your manners?"
"I can't help it! Did you see him flapping around like a rag doll?" Sela continued to laugh, though she tried to mask her humor.
Malia tried to cover her grin as she remembered seeing the man/spirit carried away by the wind. "He can't help it, he doesn't know how to control his veeja yet. Remember when we had to learn how to move again?"
Sela sobered slightly as she recalled how disoriented she was when her spirit had first separated from her body. Her mother and herself had been encased deep in the earth, and they hadn't known how to get out. "I suppose we should help him," she admitted grudgingly, "but he's so entertaining!"
"Come, daughter," Malia motioned as she effortlessly glided toward the wildly bobbing man. The pair rode the wind upward with practiced ease and circled around Thonolan.
Thonolan was trying to get a look at the women that were circling him, but the wind whipped him around at will. The girl continued to giggle at him, making him feel like an untried youth meeting his Donii woman for the first time. "Who are yooooooo?" he yelled as the wind swept him upward away from the females.
"I'm Malia, and this is my daughter, Sela. Don't fight against it, use the currents to your advantage, like this." Malia shifted herself slightly and circled him.
Thonolan desperately tried to watch what she was doing, and tried to mimic her movements. He felt himself change directions, and sighed in relief. Then the wind pushed him downward, "I'm gonna die!" He cried out. He was in a nosedive headed straight toward the ground.
"Use your shoulders, too!" Sela called out, "and don't worry, you're already dead." She giggled again and followed him.
He tried; he really did try to stop falling. The earth came up so fast and he flailed his arms as he dove headfirst toward a rock wall. He braced his arms in front of him and squeezed his eyes closed. After a few moments, he realized that he was unharmed and opened his eyes. Blackness! No, not just black, there were many shades of colors, even some glittering deposits. He moved his head around, and the view changed slightly.
"I'm embedded in rock! How am I going to get out of this? I don't know which way is up!"
Sela was laughing so hard that she was doubled up on the ground. "My...side...hurts!" She managed to get out. "His...feet!"
Her mother couldn't keep her mirth in this time. "They're sticking...out! Flailing!" The man had used the wind to nosedive right into solid rock. Once he started to enter, the wind stopped its momentum and left him there, legs and feet sticking out, and striking in all directions to find solid ground.
Thonolan was feeling desperate and waved around his arms and legs to try to push his way out. He noticed that his legs and feet felt less resistance than the rest of his body, and decided to try for that direction. He pushed desperately at the wall in front of him, looking more like he was swimming in a rock. His thighs were nearly clear when he felt someone tugging on his legs.
Both women were in tears from their laughter by the time they pulled the man out. He was too relieved to notice and was thankful to see the wonderful, beautiful sun. "I didn't think I was going to get out of that one, I thought I was doomed for sure!"
"That's exactly why you ended up that way. You still think you have a body." Malia sat down with the winded man and motioned her daughter closer. "First of all, you can't be hurt, you can't be doomed, that would have happened already, and you can't die. You have all the time in eternity to do what you want. You may be stuck in rock for years but it doesn't lessen any of the time you exist. It may not be comfortable," she broke off as she stifled a laugh, "but you'd get out eventually."
"We can still feel emotions. All of them seemed to be amplified, but your ability to control them is that much greater," Sela added. "I don't think that I've come to appreciate all of the changes that has happened to me yet, either," she put in as a concession.
Thonolan grinned ruefully, "I guess I did look ridiculous, and I was afraid I was going to die." He paused and studied the women. He felt his lack of manners and held his hands palm up to them. "I am Thonolan of the Shamudoi, born of the Zelondonii."
Malia held her palms up; "I am Malia of the Sungea of the 2nd hearth, healer of the bison camp. This is my daughter Sehala, my acolyte, also known as Sela. We greet you." Sela held her palms up to him, and greeted him also.
With the formal introductions over with Thonolan felt it was time for questions. "Are you spirits sent by Donii?"
Malia laughed, "I wish we were so lucky. We are veejia, just like you." She grinned at his perplexed face. "Veejia, no longer living in human bodies, and not yet fully spirits. The living have called us 'the watchers.'"
"Vee-jee-a, " he tried the sound on his tongue. "Why aren't we fully spirits?
"The mother only knows!" Malia said in a perplexed tone, "those who do not have a proper burial seem not to have enough status to be accepted by the mother. Status in the spirit world is extremely important, or so I've learned."
"Will we ever be able to ascend to the mother?"
She closed her eyes, holding back her grief. "It has happened on many occasions, that a veejia has earned a right to ascend. They can also be doomed," she added quietly."
Thonolan did not want to press her, but hungered for answers. He smiled, exuding his unconscious charm. "So we wait for someone who has a proper burial and go with them, right?"
A faint smile played on her lips; "not all things are so easy. You must watch over the person in life, and earn their status with them. Many who are fortunate to have a veejia are said to be favored by the mother."
Thonolan's eyes lit up. How many times had people told him and Jondalar that the mother favored them? "I think I may have had one, but where was it when I died?"
Sela shook her head at him; "you were foolish. Those who wish for the mother to take them early are not deserving of a watcher's attention. They left you and your brother to watch over others."
He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. After they left the Mamutoi, he felt loneliness and a vulnerability that he hadn't had before. "What you say is true."
Malia nodded. "We have spent much time here, and have left our other subject vulnerable for too long." She motioned to Sela and they moved to depart.
"One more question." He saw her pause and continued, "who are you watching over?"
"My mate, Luthio and daughter Vaelia. They live apart, so we travel between." She saw his eyes spoke of more unanswered questions but didn't have time for them. "We will meet again. You will learn much by listening for the voice of the mother. Come Sela, we must hurry." Sela joined hands with her mother. As if of one mind, the two rose up and moved away, heading in an easterly direction.
As he watched the women go, he realized how lucky he had been for them to be there at the right time. He recalled the words they had said about the Watchers leaving him and his brother. Was he still a favored one of the mother?
"Thonolan!"
He frantically looked around. Where was that voice coming from?
"Thonolan," the voice was agonized now, "Thonolan...why did you have to keep on going? O Doni, why? Why did you take my brother?"
His shoulders slumped. He knew that voice. It was in his head, reverberating through his soul. "Jondalar, what have I done?"
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Chapter 3 Mother and Daughter
"Hush, Sela. Where are your manners?"
"I can't help it! Did you see him flapping around like a rag doll?" Sela continued to laugh, though she tried to mask her humor.
Malia tried to cover her grin as she remembered seeing the man/spirit carried away by the wind. "He can't help it, he doesn't know how to control his veeja yet. Remember when we had to learn how to move again?"
Sela sobered slightly as she recalled how disoriented she was when her spirit had first separated from her body. Her mother and herself had been encased deep in the earth, and they hadn't known how to get out. "I suppose we should help him," she admitted grudgingly, "but he's so entertaining!"
"Come, daughter," Malia motioned as she effortlessly glided toward the wildly bobbing man. The pair rode the wind upward with practiced ease and circled around Thonolan.
Thonolan was trying to get a look at the women that were circling him, but the wind whipped him around at will. The girl continued to giggle at him, making him feel like an untried youth meeting his Donii woman for the first time. "Who are yooooooo?" he yelled as the wind swept him upward away from the females.
"I'm Malia, and this is my daughter, Sela. Don't fight against it, use the currents to your advantage, like this." Malia shifted herself slightly and circled him.
Thonolan desperately tried to watch what she was doing, and tried to mimic her movements. He felt himself change directions, and sighed in relief. Then the wind pushed him downward, "I'm gonna die!" He cried out. He was in a nosedive headed straight toward the ground.
"Use your shoulders, too!" Sela called out, "and don't worry, you're already dead." She giggled again and followed him.
He tried; he really did try to stop falling. The earth came up so fast and he flailed his arms as he dove headfirst toward a rock wall. He braced his arms in front of him and squeezed his eyes closed. After a few moments, he realized that he was unharmed and opened his eyes. Blackness! No, not just black, there were many shades of colors, even some glittering deposits. He moved his head around, and the view changed slightly.
"I'm embedded in rock! How am I going to get out of this? I don't know which way is up!"
Sela was laughing so hard that she was doubled up on the ground. "My...side...hurts!" She managed to get out. "His...feet!"
Her mother couldn't keep her mirth in this time. "They're sticking...out! Flailing!" The man had used the wind to nosedive right into solid rock. Once he started to enter, the wind stopped its momentum and left him there, legs and feet sticking out, and striking in all directions to find solid ground.
Thonolan was feeling desperate and waved around his arms and legs to try to push his way out. He noticed that his legs and feet felt less resistance than the rest of his body, and decided to try for that direction. He pushed desperately at the wall in front of him, looking more like he was swimming in a rock. His thighs were nearly clear when he felt someone tugging on his legs.
Both women were in tears from their laughter by the time they pulled the man out. He was too relieved to notice and was thankful to see the wonderful, beautiful sun. "I didn't think I was going to get out of that one, I thought I was doomed for sure!"
"That's exactly why you ended up that way. You still think you have a body." Malia sat down with the winded man and motioned her daughter closer. "First of all, you can't be hurt, you can't be doomed, that would have happened already, and you can't die. You have all the time in eternity to do what you want. You may be stuck in rock for years but it doesn't lessen any of the time you exist. It may not be comfortable," she broke off as she stifled a laugh, "but you'd get out eventually."
"We can still feel emotions. All of them seemed to be amplified, but your ability to control them is that much greater," Sela added. "I don't think that I've come to appreciate all of the changes that has happened to me yet, either," she put in as a concession.
Thonolan grinned ruefully, "I guess I did look ridiculous, and I was afraid I was going to die." He paused and studied the women. He felt his lack of manners and held his hands palm up to them. "I am Thonolan of the Shamudoi, born of the Zelondonii."
Malia held her palms up; "I am Malia of the Sungea of the 2nd hearth, healer of the bison camp. This is my daughter Sehala, my acolyte, also known as Sela. We greet you." Sela held her palms up to him, and greeted him also.
With the formal introductions over with Thonolan felt it was time for questions. "Are you spirits sent by Donii?"
Malia laughed, "I wish we were so lucky. We are veejia, just like you." She grinned at his perplexed face. "Veejia, no longer living in human bodies, and not yet fully spirits. The living have called us 'the watchers.'"
"Vee-jee-a, " he tried the sound on his tongue. "Why aren't we fully spirits?
"The mother only knows!" Malia said in a perplexed tone, "those who do not have a proper burial seem not to have enough status to be accepted by the mother. Status in the spirit world is extremely important, or so I've learned."
"Will we ever be able to ascend to the mother?"
She closed her eyes, holding back her grief. "It has happened on many occasions, that a veejia has earned a right to ascend. They can also be doomed," she added quietly."
Thonolan did not want to press her, but hungered for answers. He smiled, exuding his unconscious charm. "So we wait for someone who has a proper burial and go with them, right?"
A faint smile played on her lips; "not all things are so easy. You must watch over the person in life, and earn their status with them. Many who are fortunate to have a veejia are said to be favored by the mother."
Thonolan's eyes lit up. How many times had people told him and Jondalar that the mother favored them? "I think I may have had one, but where was it when I died?"
Sela shook her head at him; "you were foolish. Those who wish for the mother to take them early are not deserving of a watcher's attention. They left you and your brother to watch over others."
He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. After they left the Mamutoi, he felt loneliness and a vulnerability that he hadn't had before. "What you say is true."
Malia nodded. "We have spent much time here, and have left our other subject vulnerable for too long." She motioned to Sela and they moved to depart.
"One more question." He saw her pause and continued, "who are you watching over?"
"My mate, Luthio and daughter Vaelia. They live apart, so we travel between." She saw his eyes spoke of more unanswered questions but didn't have time for them. "We will meet again. You will learn much by listening for the voice of the mother. Come Sela, we must hurry." Sela joined hands with her mother. As if of one mind, the two rose up and moved away, heading in an easterly direction.
As he watched the women go, he realized how lucky he had been for them to be there at the right time. He recalled the words they had said about the Watchers leaving him and his brother. Was he still a favored one of the mother?
"Thonolan!"
He frantically looked around. Where was that voice coming from?
"Thonolan," the voice was agonized now, "Thonolan...why did you have to keep on going? O Doni, why? Why did you take my brother?"
His shoulders slumped. He knew that voice. It was in his head, reverberating through his soul. "Jondalar, what have I done?"