Chapter Eight:
By the time Shanara got there, it was to late. He'd already been gone by the time that Pat had gotten to her. She stood by him for a moment, filled with
grief, and disbelief. He looked so peaceful.... almost as though he were sleeping. Pat jumped up beside his lifeless master and nudged him helplessly."Please wakeup.... don't leave me...." the cat meowed piteously. "Please...." But of course, it did no good.
Shanara sunk to her knees, head in her hands, silent teas streaming down her face. She didn't understand.... she had thought he would get better.... she hadn't even known what was wrong.....
Pat, seeing his young friends distress, immediately forgot his own anguish and leaped down and began to try to comfort her by purring, and soothing, though it didn't do much good, she seemed completely oblivious to the fact that the cat was even present. 'Poor kid.' he thought. 'Now both her parents are gone. And she'll be thinking it's her fault because she couldn't find anything to help him...' he brushed his soft head against her hand, purring louder than ever, and was very pleased when she picked him up, and like any sensible cat would do, he licked her tears dry and waited patiently for her to say something, anything, to be sure that she was alright. But of course, she wasn't alright. She couldn't be.
Finally, after along while, the heart sore cat sighed and said, "We shouldn't leave him there. He needs to be buried. Properly. Which means we'll have to leave the mountain. But we don't have to now...." he added hastily. "If you're not feeling up to it, we could always wait... and kid, I'm real sorry. I know how bad this hurts you. It hurts me too. But it won't do us any good to sit here and cry and dwell on it. We've still got to live, and we can't do that if we allow ourselves to get lost in our grief. He wouldn't have wanted that." It was quite a speech for the cat, and he was a little shocked at his own since.
Quite suddenly, Shanara got to her feet, dropping Pat, who was to grieved and heart weary to be disgruntled, and then she said, "Your right. Absolutely right. Let's go now. The sooner the better. I can hardly stand it as it is. I need something to do." she forced back the rest of her tears and resolved that she would never allow herself to feel pain like that again. Never. She wouldn't grieve over it. She wouldn't cry. Now that she was over the first shock and her brain was thinking sensible things again she realized how many things were going to change now.
She'd be alone except for Pat. To her knowledge she didn't have any other relatives, no other friends, except perhaps Aranak, but he didn't do her a whole lot of good. For one, she didn't even know him, for another she highly suspected that her father had never really liked him, and even without those doubts she had no clue how to open a portal. No, she was alone now. She'd just have to grow up. And fast. **************************************************************************** *
The trip down the mountain was for the most part uneventful, and both Pat and Shanara were to tired and inattentive to really notice, care, or even wonder why. With Pat's expert help, Shanara had managed to make a kind of floating stretcher, she could hardly carry her fathers dead weight, and they had set off as soon as they were satisfied that it was good enough.
Normally, the pair would have been attacked by goblins, trolls, and any number of other beasts they unknowingly passed by, but at the sight of them, all turned away, unable to raise weapon against such piteously sad people, who's grief seemed catching. Despite their unwillingness to attack, they were very grateful when the pair had passed on.
So they made their way down the mountain and to the large forest at it's base, and then, despite Pat's protests, close to the forest's heart. Shanara wasn't going to allow just any place to serve as her fathers grave. It had to be beautiful, serene, and somewhere she wasn't likely to find again. If it was easily accessible, she had the feeling she would spend her every free moment there, not something she wanted.
Finally she found a spot she thought suitable. It was a clearing, a spring of water running through it, those exotically colored trees she so loved forming a wall on the it's opposite side. Standing back from the waters edge, not quite one with the rest of the forest, was a large tree, it's blue and slightly purple leaves rustling softly in the light breeze. It was then that she wondered, dimly, why they hadn't been attacked on the way here, and weren't being attacked now. She silently thanked whatever god or gods really existed for this lucky twist of fate, though she suspected their return trip would be more lively.
And then, looking around the lovely clearing, and listening to Pat's murmur of awe at her excellent choice of place, that she felt a moment of stupidity. Just how exactly was she going to burry him? No digging materials, no nothing at all that could help. Had she not been extremely determined she would have given up there and then. Instead, she improvised, finding a large fallen branch, judged it suitable, and then moved to a spot not far from the tree, and began to dig, all the while feeling rather foolish, but if she was a fool, at least she was a fool who tried.
Pat, seeing what she was doing, started to protest, but she shot him a glare and he quickly quieted. All in all it was almost dark by the time they got the job done, and even then Shanara refused to leave. After she had the grave carefully recovered she, strongly surprising Pat, pulled a small knife from inside her boot, and began working at carving something on the trunk of the tree, a difficult task in the dieing light. Pat also thought it was very bold, seeing as the creatures who lived here would more than likely be very angry at this violation of there tree, but when she was done, he couldn't help but think that it was rather fitting. She had carved into it:
HERE RESIDES THARN, WIZARD OF ALL
And beneath it a small charicrature of a panther. 'Wizard of All' was a title Tharn had often used for himself, his reasoning being that he had no particular skill, he was good at it all. And the panther was in away his symbol, seeing as he put it on any spell books and things that he created.
Once she was satisfied with her work, Shanara went and washed her face in the spring, feeling almost like crying again, but just almost. She sat there for along while, aware of the growing dark, and Pat's growing impatience, but she didn't care. She was to tired, to weary, to sad, to care about much of anything at the moment.
Then she was dragged from her thoughts by a rather loud commotion behind her. She heard the thudding of many hooves, and Pat gave a loud meow of fright before scurrying over to her, and she promptly stood up and turned to face this new foe, and was shocked at what she found.
She had a brief glimpse of many centaurs, at the front of the group one she believed was called Rothar, though she couldn't be sure having only heard bout him and seen him from a great distance, and then her two, almost forgotten friends were on her in a frenzy. "We saw...Oh Shan... I'm so sorry!" it was very awkward indeed to have to centaurs, a race not at all used or accustomed to touch, trying to hug her at once, and if she hadn't been so shocked by the whole thing she would have been yelling at the two idiots because the other centaurs weren't supposed to know they were friends. They would undoubtedly be punished harshly.
Dethrin and Amaris were both extremely concerned for their friend. They couldn't even begin to imagine the pain she must have been feeling. But, Dethrin was feeling much worse than his sister, for she had been right. Shanara had needed them, had been in trouble, and they might, though his more sensable side greatly doubted it, have been able to help in some way. And he had shrugged that possibility off without much thought, and he thought guiltily, this was the result. They didn't, couldn't have, known that it wouldn't have made much difference either way.
Shanara was very shocked, very shocked indeed, when he pulled her into a very uncentaur-like embrace and all but cried with his anxiety. Shanara, however, was becoming increasingly angered, confused, and unhappy about this over display of affection.
"What are you doing?!" she pushed away from them both, looking at the mass of ten centaur warriors who stood behind them, and then back at her friends sternly. "You...." but she was cut off as a rather powerful, intimidating looking centaur stepped forward and spoke. "We are very aware, human, of this unlikely and improper friendship between you and these two." he cast the siblings a stern glare which would have sent many a brave man to trembling. "And it was of our best interest to kill you and be done with it. However, the more sensible of our number were overruled, seeing as you are only a child, have caused more help than harm, and seeing as we would likely have to kill this lot as well just to get to you. And we aren't completely heartless, even if you are a human." his disgust with the whole thing was obvious.
"But," naturally, there had to be a but, "You are to have no further dealings with our kind, and I highly advise you to go to some more human friendly place, for after this night you are free game to any who would wish to rid our planet of such scum." he paused here then returned his attention back to Dethrin and Amaris. "I cannot even begin to comprehend why we are allowing you to live human, and my advice is that you leave promptly, before I change my mind. Dethrin, Amaris, come! I will not suffer any more embarassment to your foolishness!" with that, he turned and galloped off, and was quickly followed by his fellows, and a rather subdued, upset Amaris.
Dethrin remained behind for a moment, gazing intently at Shanara. "They can't keep us from being friends. If ever you are in need of aid, I am here. Always." he gently took her hand. kissed it in what he thought was a human like manner, and then tuned and galloped off to join his people.
Shanara was very shell shocked at the whole ordeal. Pat, it seemed, was of the same mind. "What was that all about? We arn't really going to leave Rawn are we? I don't want to. This is home." The cat was so sincerely devastated that Shanare promptly lifted him in her arms. Then turning in the direction of the Jagged Mountains, were her home was, and said, "No, of course not. You think they could drive us away? Hardly. Now lets go home."
Authors Note: I know some of you are probably thinking, 'What the heck?" but please people, just go with it. Everything here happened for a reason.
By the time Shanara got there, it was to late. He'd already been gone by the time that Pat had gotten to her. She stood by him for a moment, filled with
grief, and disbelief. He looked so peaceful.... almost as though he were sleeping. Pat jumped up beside his lifeless master and nudged him helplessly."Please wakeup.... don't leave me...." the cat meowed piteously. "Please...." But of course, it did no good.
Shanara sunk to her knees, head in her hands, silent teas streaming down her face. She didn't understand.... she had thought he would get better.... she hadn't even known what was wrong.....
Pat, seeing his young friends distress, immediately forgot his own anguish and leaped down and began to try to comfort her by purring, and soothing, though it didn't do much good, she seemed completely oblivious to the fact that the cat was even present. 'Poor kid.' he thought. 'Now both her parents are gone. And she'll be thinking it's her fault because she couldn't find anything to help him...' he brushed his soft head against her hand, purring louder than ever, and was very pleased when she picked him up, and like any sensible cat would do, he licked her tears dry and waited patiently for her to say something, anything, to be sure that she was alright. But of course, she wasn't alright. She couldn't be.
Finally, after along while, the heart sore cat sighed and said, "We shouldn't leave him there. He needs to be buried. Properly. Which means we'll have to leave the mountain. But we don't have to now...." he added hastily. "If you're not feeling up to it, we could always wait... and kid, I'm real sorry. I know how bad this hurts you. It hurts me too. But it won't do us any good to sit here and cry and dwell on it. We've still got to live, and we can't do that if we allow ourselves to get lost in our grief. He wouldn't have wanted that." It was quite a speech for the cat, and he was a little shocked at his own since.
Quite suddenly, Shanara got to her feet, dropping Pat, who was to grieved and heart weary to be disgruntled, and then she said, "Your right. Absolutely right. Let's go now. The sooner the better. I can hardly stand it as it is. I need something to do." she forced back the rest of her tears and resolved that she would never allow herself to feel pain like that again. Never. She wouldn't grieve over it. She wouldn't cry. Now that she was over the first shock and her brain was thinking sensible things again she realized how many things were going to change now.
She'd be alone except for Pat. To her knowledge she didn't have any other relatives, no other friends, except perhaps Aranak, but he didn't do her a whole lot of good. For one, she didn't even know him, for another she highly suspected that her father had never really liked him, and even without those doubts she had no clue how to open a portal. No, she was alone now. She'd just have to grow up. And fast. **************************************************************************** *
The trip down the mountain was for the most part uneventful, and both Pat and Shanara were to tired and inattentive to really notice, care, or even wonder why. With Pat's expert help, Shanara had managed to make a kind of floating stretcher, she could hardly carry her fathers dead weight, and they had set off as soon as they were satisfied that it was good enough.
Normally, the pair would have been attacked by goblins, trolls, and any number of other beasts they unknowingly passed by, but at the sight of them, all turned away, unable to raise weapon against such piteously sad people, who's grief seemed catching. Despite their unwillingness to attack, they were very grateful when the pair had passed on.
So they made their way down the mountain and to the large forest at it's base, and then, despite Pat's protests, close to the forest's heart. Shanara wasn't going to allow just any place to serve as her fathers grave. It had to be beautiful, serene, and somewhere she wasn't likely to find again. If it was easily accessible, she had the feeling she would spend her every free moment there, not something she wanted.
Finally she found a spot she thought suitable. It was a clearing, a spring of water running through it, those exotically colored trees she so loved forming a wall on the it's opposite side. Standing back from the waters edge, not quite one with the rest of the forest, was a large tree, it's blue and slightly purple leaves rustling softly in the light breeze. It was then that she wondered, dimly, why they hadn't been attacked on the way here, and weren't being attacked now. She silently thanked whatever god or gods really existed for this lucky twist of fate, though she suspected their return trip would be more lively.
And then, looking around the lovely clearing, and listening to Pat's murmur of awe at her excellent choice of place, that she felt a moment of stupidity. Just how exactly was she going to burry him? No digging materials, no nothing at all that could help. Had she not been extremely determined she would have given up there and then. Instead, she improvised, finding a large fallen branch, judged it suitable, and then moved to a spot not far from the tree, and began to dig, all the while feeling rather foolish, but if she was a fool, at least she was a fool who tried.
Pat, seeing what she was doing, started to protest, but she shot him a glare and he quickly quieted. All in all it was almost dark by the time they got the job done, and even then Shanara refused to leave. After she had the grave carefully recovered she, strongly surprising Pat, pulled a small knife from inside her boot, and began working at carving something on the trunk of the tree, a difficult task in the dieing light. Pat also thought it was very bold, seeing as the creatures who lived here would more than likely be very angry at this violation of there tree, but when she was done, he couldn't help but think that it was rather fitting. She had carved into it:
HERE RESIDES THARN, WIZARD OF ALL
And beneath it a small charicrature of a panther. 'Wizard of All' was a title Tharn had often used for himself, his reasoning being that he had no particular skill, he was good at it all. And the panther was in away his symbol, seeing as he put it on any spell books and things that he created.
Once she was satisfied with her work, Shanara went and washed her face in the spring, feeling almost like crying again, but just almost. She sat there for along while, aware of the growing dark, and Pat's growing impatience, but she didn't care. She was to tired, to weary, to sad, to care about much of anything at the moment.
Then she was dragged from her thoughts by a rather loud commotion behind her. She heard the thudding of many hooves, and Pat gave a loud meow of fright before scurrying over to her, and she promptly stood up and turned to face this new foe, and was shocked at what she found.
She had a brief glimpse of many centaurs, at the front of the group one she believed was called Rothar, though she couldn't be sure having only heard bout him and seen him from a great distance, and then her two, almost forgotten friends were on her in a frenzy. "We saw...Oh Shan... I'm so sorry!" it was very awkward indeed to have to centaurs, a race not at all used or accustomed to touch, trying to hug her at once, and if she hadn't been so shocked by the whole thing she would have been yelling at the two idiots because the other centaurs weren't supposed to know they were friends. They would undoubtedly be punished harshly.
Dethrin and Amaris were both extremely concerned for their friend. They couldn't even begin to imagine the pain she must have been feeling. But, Dethrin was feeling much worse than his sister, for she had been right. Shanara had needed them, had been in trouble, and they might, though his more sensable side greatly doubted it, have been able to help in some way. And he had shrugged that possibility off without much thought, and he thought guiltily, this was the result. They didn't, couldn't have, known that it wouldn't have made much difference either way.
Shanara was very shocked, very shocked indeed, when he pulled her into a very uncentaur-like embrace and all but cried with his anxiety. Shanara, however, was becoming increasingly angered, confused, and unhappy about this over display of affection.
"What are you doing?!" she pushed away from them both, looking at the mass of ten centaur warriors who stood behind them, and then back at her friends sternly. "You...." but she was cut off as a rather powerful, intimidating looking centaur stepped forward and spoke. "We are very aware, human, of this unlikely and improper friendship between you and these two." he cast the siblings a stern glare which would have sent many a brave man to trembling. "And it was of our best interest to kill you and be done with it. However, the more sensible of our number were overruled, seeing as you are only a child, have caused more help than harm, and seeing as we would likely have to kill this lot as well just to get to you. And we aren't completely heartless, even if you are a human." his disgust with the whole thing was obvious.
"But," naturally, there had to be a but, "You are to have no further dealings with our kind, and I highly advise you to go to some more human friendly place, for after this night you are free game to any who would wish to rid our planet of such scum." he paused here then returned his attention back to Dethrin and Amaris. "I cannot even begin to comprehend why we are allowing you to live human, and my advice is that you leave promptly, before I change my mind. Dethrin, Amaris, come! I will not suffer any more embarassment to your foolishness!" with that, he turned and galloped off, and was quickly followed by his fellows, and a rather subdued, upset Amaris.
Dethrin remained behind for a moment, gazing intently at Shanara. "They can't keep us from being friends. If ever you are in need of aid, I am here. Always." he gently took her hand. kissed it in what he thought was a human like manner, and then tuned and galloped off to join his people.
Shanara was very shell shocked at the whole ordeal. Pat, it seemed, was of the same mind. "What was that all about? We arn't really going to leave Rawn are we? I don't want to. This is home." The cat was so sincerely devastated that Shanare promptly lifted him in her arms. Then turning in the direction of the Jagged Mountains, were her home was, and said, "No, of course not. You think they could drive us away? Hardly. Now lets go home."
Authors Note: I know some of you are probably thinking, 'What the heck?" but please people, just go with it. Everything here happened for a reason.
