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Chapter 3
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After a long morning of riding we reached the thickest part of the old forest. A place where the tree tops seemed to touch the clouds; where almost no daylight reached the forest floor. The trees stood so thick that we had to get off our ponies and lead them through. We reached a small spring and made camp among the many eyes of the ever awake forest.
After many days of gathering, pounding, and drying roots, the girls and I began to grow accustom to the silent forest. There was so much life among the trees; you could almost sense yourself being taken under the spell of the forest. The forest frightened me; shadows always seemed to lurk in the underbrush. I kept my knife extra close to me, and Dusty was always at my side.
One sunny and lazy day, I became sluggish with my work. The woods began to grow on me, that day I left my knife and bow at camp. The sun was warm and the birds chirped in the high branches of the trees. I leaned my back against the trunk of a willow tree and Dusty came and stood beside me. I sighed heavy. The weather was humid and breezy, the smells from the willow made me sleepy. I looked up at Dusty, who was staring out into the deep forest, her body was relaxed, and her ears lay lazily on her head.
I reached up and rubbed her shoulder. Dusty looked at me and then lay down and placed her head on my lap. I stroked her gentle muzzle, while resting my head against the soft bark of a willow tree. A calming stream bubbled over a few rocks making the air smell of waterfalls. The tree's long and lazy vines covered us in a circle of greenery. A small white flower fell from the sleepy willow tree. I picked it up and twirled it between my thumb and pointer finger, making the flower spin so fast that the little petals seemed to blur together, in a big white circle. I took the flower and began to weave it into a braid using Dusty's mane.
I finished and let the braid dangle down in front of Dusty's face. Dusty lifted her head and sniffed at the flower in her hair. She began to try and eat it, mouthing it with her soft pink lips.
"No, no Dusty," I said, "don't eat it, it looks to pretty to eat."
Dusty then again lowered her head back down on my lap. I looked up toward the sky. The branches of the willow tree blocked the bright sunlight.
I thought about Kagura's marriage proposal. It would soon be time for Kagura to except wedding gifts from him. I wondered if Naraku had approved of him, since I hadn't even approved of him yet.
The sunlight felt warm on my face. I shut my eyes and pictured my life with Kagura, if I chose to marry him. As hard as I tried to concentrate on my new life, my mind began to drift away.
My mind was back in the village, back at the horse pen. I remembered the glace from that young man. Who was he? Why had I not seen him before? Why did he smile at me? I suddenly realized that I was smiling to myself. What was it about this young man that brought a smile to my face after just a first glace?
"Strange," I said out loud, "here I thought that I was settled, yet I'm having second thoughts. I wonder... if... he is..."
Dusty lifted her head and turned a curious brown eye at me. "Oh Dust," I laughed, "I don't think it means anything, after all it was only a smile. Its not like I'm in love with him or something...," my voice trailed off. I smiled again to myself.
"Do you think my guardian spirit will direct me in the right direction Dusty?" Dusty settled her head back down on my lap and sighed a heavy sigh, making the dust, around us, swirl in tiny storms. I leaned over her strong neck, hugging her with my body. I stroked her flank, and we both sighed contently. My eyes fluttered and began to softly close. The air blew delicately, carrying with it my consciousness as I slipped into a dream.
~ I was standing in freshly fallen snow. I felt its chill through my moccasins. The wild wind howled around me. The soft flakes touched my face and hair. A winter of protection was around me.
The wild carried my soul up and down among the falling snow. Snowflakes touched my face and cheeks. Stinging with an icy touch, like a mint kiss. The wind was kissing me. Then, the wind brought the flakes to a stand still. My lose hair fell around my body from my undone braids.
The snow storm passed in front of me. It looked like a tiny tornado of wind and snowflakes. The small winter storm swirled in front of me. Then with a soft rush of wind, it blew away, leaving behind an oval shape that was blurry at first to my vision but as I walked closer it began to take shape. I stared at the form that was in front of me, a mirror of ice and crystal. I looked into the mirror and the image that stared back at me was not unfamiliar.
My reflection stared back at me. I lifted my hand and touched the mirror's surface. Running my fingers down the smooth ice, I felt a sense of warmth, radiating from the mirror itself.
In the refection, another figure came into the background. I turned in my dream looking behind myself, to see nothing but empty wind, yet, I felt the presence of someone else, and it felt like a warm blanket of velvet fur. It touched my shoulders and neck, with gentile strength. I shut my eyes, letting the feeling interlace with my heart.
Without warning, the feeling was pulled from me. I opened my eyes and found myself no longer staring in a mirror but staring into the eyes of my brother. A sneer of death formed at the corner's of his lips. Fear struck me, as his eyes began to glow a bright red color.
The red turned to black as it spread down his face and turned his cheeks black. His face protruded out and dark whiskers were created around long, ravenous fangs. His face now resembling that of a panther, the king of stealth and darkness. Then he was joined by his other soldiers of darkness, the blood-thirsty wolves and the tricky raven.
They all formed around the panther's great head, sneering and snarling
back at me. Suddenly, just as the mirror had appeared, it shattered
into a million pieces in front of me. I felt the force knock me off of
my feet. My soul was torn from my terrified flesh. I fell, it felt,
for forever. Blurred images passed before my eyes, all leaving me with
question and fear... ~
I woke with a scream of terror and pain. I stared down at the ground, getting my boundaries back.
Suddenly, Dusty picked her head up, flaring her nostrils and moving her ears. "What is it?!" I said feeling frightened. Dusty's ears twitched and turned around on her head. My body began to shiver with fear.
"What is it Dust, what do you hear?" my voice reduced itself to a whisper. She suddenly stood up, panic stricken she began to shake as well. Her ears were listening to the whole forest. It was as if she could sense the darkness. She looked at me with fear in her eyes. My heart beat like a woodpecker pounding on a tipi pole.
I was too scared to move. My eyes looked in the direction of the trees and then I saw the dark shadows. I knew not what they were, but only that they were pure evil. I was terrified, my mind was screaming at me to do so many things, my feet disobeyed.
I had to see what the shadows were. I lowered my body, in a trance, and looked into the underbrush. I could see more than one figure, it moved with stealth and wickedness. My mind shot suddenly back into reality and I turned and ran for Dusty.
I jumped and quickly tried to climb onto her back. My fear made me miss her back and I fell down in the dirt. My breath left my body and I landed heavily on my stomach, glaring back in the direction of the growls; my eyes searched the underbrush for the figure of darkness. I was frozen with fear.
Dusty turned back to me, anxious to run, she was scared, so was I; but she didn't leave me. Instead she backed up and lowered her hind end to the ground. I dared not to breathe as I reached one hand out and as silently as I could I rose to my knees and then to my feet. My eyes glued to the direction the growls came from. I knew as soon as I turned my back to jump on Dusty's back she would bolt and the darkness would follow. I had to get this right. Their might not be a second chance, even though Dusty had reduced the distance for me to jump up onto her it was still high for me to do from ground level.
I slowly took in a long, silent, deep breath and pushed off the ground with my feet. I swung one leg over Dusty's back and as I did Dusty bolted up. When she was up on all fours I positioned my body, balanced high up on her shoulders. I was up.
Dusty sensed the danger and she turned and ran with all her might. I had not realized that I had made it up until I felt the breeze on my face. I opened my eyes. I turned my head too see if the darkness followed us. It did. I could now make out its figure... wolves; huge, possessed wolves, a whole pack, they ran to kill.
"If only we were not in the forest it would have been easer for Dusty to run." I thought. But the trees blocked her from traveling in a strait line. She also had to jump over roots and logs, as well as keep me balanced on her back.
The wolves were close on our tail; they easy manipulated their way through the forest. Sweat streamed down both our bodies, our hearts racing. Dusty ran toward the edge of the forest, yet the edge seemed so far away. I wished that I had carried a weapon with me, how foolish could I have been? Now we ran for our lives.
The pack began to come around the sides of us, heading us off. With I high leap, a silver-blackish wolf with white-as-snow teeth jumped in our path. Dusty slid to a halt in front of the dark animal. Dusty turned on her heals and wheeled around to go back, but it was too late, the pack had circled around us; we were trapped. The glowing red of the wolves were fixed on our every move. Their hot, steaming saliva drooled down from their muzzles and onto their shinning teeth.
Dusty turned in every direction to try and find a way to get out of the circle. But there was no way; the wolves were as tall as me sitting atop Dusty. Then Dusty made a last attempt at freedom, with a surge of strength she took a stand still leap over the circle of wolves. The wolves were shocked at her action and I thought it would work and we would be free.
Yet, as Dusty's hooves hit the ground, she was soon knocked off them. The silver black wolf had made a plunge for Dusty's lower flank, and hit it with success, leaving a deep wound and torn flesh. The sent of blood was in the air, we could not fight forever.
With another attack from three other wolves, Dusty fell over onto her side. I was thrown from her back and then landed heavily on the forest floor. I looked up and could barely see Dusty's body lying on the ground; the whole pack was on her, tearing and ripping at her flesh. I could hear the sound of her soft neighs for help and then I heard the last one on her death. I heard her bones' cracking as the flesh was torn from them. I felt helpless to her aid.
I gently began to stand up, I only managed to get to my knees before the wolves had censed my movement and a few turned from their kill and bared their teeth again, slowly walking toward me. My heart was no longer beating. My sweat was cold on my neck, my senses numb. My eyes were met with those of the lead wolf. Again the ruthless silver black one glared at me with horrible glowing red eyes.
I will never forget his eyes.
Dusty's blood dripped from his teeth, turning them from white to slightly pink. With another huge leap, he jumped onto me. I felt his great weight upon my weak and helpless body. My hands were in between his jaws, his teeth inches from my face. My strength failed me, my arms went numb, and he lunged for my neck. The fur of his body covered me, my head was thrown back, I remember, looking up to the sky, to the tree branches blocking the sun... I felt the teeth pierce my skin ...then they were gone... I heard a yelp, then a swish, a thud, another yelp, loud whimpers, then feet running towards me. I felt a slight breeze then I heard low growls, followed by more thuds and the sound of something flying through the air, louder whimpers, and then the cry of retreat.
My breath was hotter than a blazing fire. My body was weak, yet I was suddenly sitting up. I suddenly became aware of my eyes; I looked in front of me. Three bodies of wolves lay on the ground two had huge gashes in their sides, and the other one was further away from the other two, lying in two pieces.
My feeling to touch came back to me and I realized that I was in the arms of a young man. I heard a voice speak, "Shh, its ok. Rest. Rest now. Everything is all right."
I could not find my voice to answer. My body just broke down again and I went numb. My eyes failed me, and I was forced to look at a certain spot with a lame-like manor. The only thing I could feel was my body being manipulated off of the ground.
I was carried through the forest and then lid down on something soft. They young man held by body and let my head rest on his chest. I finally felt safe. My sudden clinginess must have felt awkward to him, but I was still in a petrified state; as I clung to anything that could offer me protection. I have no idea for how long I slept.
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OoOoOoOo Cliffy... lol... Who do you think saved her?!? Don't worry I'll post more... I'm not that mean... ; )
Chapter 3
~*~*~*~*~*~*
After a long morning of riding we reached the thickest part of the old forest. A place where the tree tops seemed to touch the clouds; where almost no daylight reached the forest floor. The trees stood so thick that we had to get off our ponies and lead them through. We reached a small spring and made camp among the many eyes of the ever awake forest.
After many days of gathering, pounding, and drying roots, the girls and I began to grow accustom to the silent forest. There was so much life among the trees; you could almost sense yourself being taken under the spell of the forest. The forest frightened me; shadows always seemed to lurk in the underbrush. I kept my knife extra close to me, and Dusty was always at my side.
One sunny and lazy day, I became sluggish with my work. The woods began to grow on me, that day I left my knife and bow at camp. The sun was warm and the birds chirped in the high branches of the trees. I leaned my back against the trunk of a willow tree and Dusty came and stood beside me. I sighed heavy. The weather was humid and breezy, the smells from the willow made me sleepy. I looked up at Dusty, who was staring out into the deep forest, her body was relaxed, and her ears lay lazily on her head.
I reached up and rubbed her shoulder. Dusty looked at me and then lay down and placed her head on my lap. I stroked her gentle muzzle, while resting my head against the soft bark of a willow tree. A calming stream bubbled over a few rocks making the air smell of waterfalls. The tree's long and lazy vines covered us in a circle of greenery. A small white flower fell from the sleepy willow tree. I picked it up and twirled it between my thumb and pointer finger, making the flower spin so fast that the little petals seemed to blur together, in a big white circle. I took the flower and began to weave it into a braid using Dusty's mane.
I finished and let the braid dangle down in front of Dusty's face. Dusty lifted her head and sniffed at the flower in her hair. She began to try and eat it, mouthing it with her soft pink lips.
"No, no Dusty," I said, "don't eat it, it looks to pretty to eat."
Dusty then again lowered her head back down on my lap. I looked up toward the sky. The branches of the willow tree blocked the bright sunlight.
I thought about Kagura's marriage proposal. It would soon be time for Kagura to except wedding gifts from him. I wondered if Naraku had approved of him, since I hadn't even approved of him yet.
The sunlight felt warm on my face. I shut my eyes and pictured my life with Kagura, if I chose to marry him. As hard as I tried to concentrate on my new life, my mind began to drift away.
My mind was back in the village, back at the horse pen. I remembered the glace from that young man. Who was he? Why had I not seen him before? Why did he smile at me? I suddenly realized that I was smiling to myself. What was it about this young man that brought a smile to my face after just a first glace?
"Strange," I said out loud, "here I thought that I was settled, yet I'm having second thoughts. I wonder... if... he is..."
Dusty lifted her head and turned a curious brown eye at me. "Oh Dust," I laughed, "I don't think it means anything, after all it was only a smile. Its not like I'm in love with him or something...," my voice trailed off. I smiled again to myself.
"Do you think my guardian spirit will direct me in the right direction Dusty?" Dusty settled her head back down on my lap and sighed a heavy sigh, making the dust, around us, swirl in tiny storms. I leaned over her strong neck, hugging her with my body. I stroked her flank, and we both sighed contently. My eyes fluttered and began to softly close. The air blew delicately, carrying with it my consciousness as I slipped into a dream.
~ I was standing in freshly fallen snow. I felt its chill through my moccasins. The wild wind howled around me. The soft flakes touched my face and hair. A winter of protection was around me.
The wild carried my soul up and down among the falling snow. Snowflakes touched my face and cheeks. Stinging with an icy touch, like a mint kiss. The wind was kissing me. Then, the wind brought the flakes to a stand still. My lose hair fell around my body from my undone braids.
The snow storm passed in front of me. It looked like a tiny tornado of wind and snowflakes. The small winter storm swirled in front of me. Then with a soft rush of wind, it blew away, leaving behind an oval shape that was blurry at first to my vision but as I walked closer it began to take shape. I stared at the form that was in front of me, a mirror of ice and crystal. I looked into the mirror and the image that stared back at me was not unfamiliar.
My reflection stared back at me. I lifted my hand and touched the mirror's surface. Running my fingers down the smooth ice, I felt a sense of warmth, radiating from the mirror itself.
In the refection, another figure came into the background. I turned in my dream looking behind myself, to see nothing but empty wind, yet, I felt the presence of someone else, and it felt like a warm blanket of velvet fur. It touched my shoulders and neck, with gentile strength. I shut my eyes, letting the feeling interlace with my heart.
Without warning, the feeling was pulled from me. I opened my eyes and found myself no longer staring in a mirror but staring into the eyes of my brother. A sneer of death formed at the corner's of his lips. Fear struck me, as his eyes began to glow a bright red color.
The red turned to black as it spread down his face and turned his cheeks black. His face protruded out and dark whiskers were created around long, ravenous fangs. His face now resembling that of a panther, the king of stealth and darkness. Then he was joined by his other soldiers of darkness, the blood-thirsty wolves and the tricky raven.
They all formed around the panther's great head, sneering and snarling
back at me. Suddenly, just as the mirror had appeared, it shattered
into a million pieces in front of me. I felt the force knock me off of
my feet. My soul was torn from my terrified flesh. I fell, it felt,
for forever. Blurred images passed before my eyes, all leaving me with
question and fear... ~
I woke with a scream of terror and pain. I stared down at the ground, getting my boundaries back.
Suddenly, Dusty picked her head up, flaring her nostrils and moving her ears. "What is it?!" I said feeling frightened. Dusty's ears twitched and turned around on her head. My body began to shiver with fear.
"What is it Dust, what do you hear?" my voice reduced itself to a whisper. She suddenly stood up, panic stricken she began to shake as well. Her ears were listening to the whole forest. It was as if she could sense the darkness. She looked at me with fear in her eyes. My heart beat like a woodpecker pounding on a tipi pole.
I was too scared to move. My eyes looked in the direction of the trees and then I saw the dark shadows. I knew not what they were, but only that they were pure evil. I was terrified, my mind was screaming at me to do so many things, my feet disobeyed.
I had to see what the shadows were. I lowered my body, in a trance, and looked into the underbrush. I could see more than one figure, it moved with stealth and wickedness. My mind shot suddenly back into reality and I turned and ran for Dusty.
I jumped and quickly tried to climb onto her back. My fear made me miss her back and I fell down in the dirt. My breath left my body and I landed heavily on my stomach, glaring back in the direction of the growls; my eyes searched the underbrush for the figure of darkness. I was frozen with fear.
Dusty turned back to me, anxious to run, she was scared, so was I; but she didn't leave me. Instead she backed up and lowered her hind end to the ground. I dared not to breathe as I reached one hand out and as silently as I could I rose to my knees and then to my feet. My eyes glued to the direction the growls came from. I knew as soon as I turned my back to jump on Dusty's back she would bolt and the darkness would follow. I had to get this right. Their might not be a second chance, even though Dusty had reduced the distance for me to jump up onto her it was still high for me to do from ground level.
I slowly took in a long, silent, deep breath and pushed off the ground with my feet. I swung one leg over Dusty's back and as I did Dusty bolted up. When she was up on all fours I positioned my body, balanced high up on her shoulders. I was up.
Dusty sensed the danger and she turned and ran with all her might. I had not realized that I had made it up until I felt the breeze on my face. I opened my eyes. I turned my head too see if the darkness followed us. It did. I could now make out its figure... wolves; huge, possessed wolves, a whole pack, they ran to kill.
"If only we were not in the forest it would have been easer for Dusty to run." I thought. But the trees blocked her from traveling in a strait line. She also had to jump over roots and logs, as well as keep me balanced on her back.
The wolves were close on our tail; they easy manipulated their way through the forest. Sweat streamed down both our bodies, our hearts racing. Dusty ran toward the edge of the forest, yet the edge seemed so far away. I wished that I had carried a weapon with me, how foolish could I have been? Now we ran for our lives.
The pack began to come around the sides of us, heading us off. With I high leap, a silver-blackish wolf with white-as-snow teeth jumped in our path. Dusty slid to a halt in front of the dark animal. Dusty turned on her heals and wheeled around to go back, but it was too late, the pack had circled around us; we were trapped. The glowing red of the wolves were fixed on our every move. Their hot, steaming saliva drooled down from their muzzles and onto their shinning teeth.
Dusty turned in every direction to try and find a way to get out of the circle. But there was no way; the wolves were as tall as me sitting atop Dusty. Then Dusty made a last attempt at freedom, with a surge of strength she took a stand still leap over the circle of wolves. The wolves were shocked at her action and I thought it would work and we would be free.
Yet, as Dusty's hooves hit the ground, she was soon knocked off them. The silver black wolf had made a plunge for Dusty's lower flank, and hit it with success, leaving a deep wound and torn flesh. The sent of blood was in the air, we could not fight forever.
With another attack from three other wolves, Dusty fell over onto her side. I was thrown from her back and then landed heavily on the forest floor. I looked up and could barely see Dusty's body lying on the ground; the whole pack was on her, tearing and ripping at her flesh. I could hear the sound of her soft neighs for help and then I heard the last one on her death. I heard her bones' cracking as the flesh was torn from them. I felt helpless to her aid.
I gently began to stand up, I only managed to get to my knees before the wolves had censed my movement and a few turned from their kill and bared their teeth again, slowly walking toward me. My heart was no longer beating. My sweat was cold on my neck, my senses numb. My eyes were met with those of the lead wolf. Again the ruthless silver black one glared at me with horrible glowing red eyes.
I will never forget his eyes.
Dusty's blood dripped from his teeth, turning them from white to slightly pink. With another huge leap, he jumped onto me. I felt his great weight upon my weak and helpless body. My hands were in between his jaws, his teeth inches from my face. My strength failed me, my arms went numb, and he lunged for my neck. The fur of his body covered me, my head was thrown back, I remember, looking up to the sky, to the tree branches blocking the sun... I felt the teeth pierce my skin ...then they were gone... I heard a yelp, then a swish, a thud, another yelp, loud whimpers, then feet running towards me. I felt a slight breeze then I heard low growls, followed by more thuds and the sound of something flying through the air, louder whimpers, and then the cry of retreat.
My breath was hotter than a blazing fire. My body was weak, yet I was suddenly sitting up. I suddenly became aware of my eyes; I looked in front of me. Three bodies of wolves lay on the ground two had huge gashes in their sides, and the other one was further away from the other two, lying in two pieces.
My feeling to touch came back to me and I realized that I was in the arms of a young man. I heard a voice speak, "Shh, its ok. Rest. Rest now. Everything is all right."
I could not find my voice to answer. My body just broke down again and I went numb. My eyes failed me, and I was forced to look at a certain spot with a lame-like manor. The only thing I could feel was my body being manipulated off of the ground.
I was carried through the forest and then lid down on something soft. They young man held by body and let my head rest on his chest. I finally felt safe. My sudden clinginess must have felt awkward to him, but I was still in a petrified state; as I clung to anything that could offer me protection. I have no idea for how long I slept.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
OoOoOoOo Cliffy... lol... Who do you think saved her?!? Don't worry I'll post more... I'm not that mean... ; )