I Who Should Not Be
Chapter 22
Onika sat with Arya and the newest of Orik's children, a small boy less than a year old with big brown eyes and a mop of curls that matched his mother's. Onika couldn't remember his name, so she called him what she called all children: pup. They had both changed their clothes after their arrival, Arya into looser leggingsand a loose shirt in bright yellow linen and Onika into a similar outfit of pale green. However, when they had been sure that they were alone, Onika had stripped off her clothes and sat down in the grass with a sigh. The little dwarf baby sat on her lap mostly and tore apart flowers that she handed him.
Onika listened to Arya humming a song and chewed her lip. She loved the sounds of singing, but she had no idea how to do it herself. The elf looked up from her woven grass bracelet that she was making and tipped her head. She had noticed the Wolfborn's sudden silence, and wondered what had happened. When she saw that the Wolfborn was watching her, the elf smiled.
"What's the matter, Onika? Is he asleep?"
Onika glanced down at the baby in her lap and shook her head. The pup was still awake, and was starting to fuss. She sighed and laid flat on her back and put the little boy on her chest so his ear was over her heart. The boy snorted and calmed a little, but the little child would not settle.
I suppose that I could try to sing. I can mimic a whole host of sounds, why not song?
She thought about what it was like to howl. The tonality was similar, only the sound had to come straight out her mouth, rather than reverberating in her head and then coming out her mouth. She tried it, but the child and Arya both looked at her like she had made a horrifying sound. She tried to mimic Arya's song, and to her surprise it sounded like the song, less like a howl.
As she continued, the little boy's eyes began to drift. Arya closed her eyes too and listened. The song was not her own, though the initial melody was the same song, but as time passed, it changed.
Her voice… It's low and it's rough. I think that the elves would like her singing. I wonder if the Wolfborn have traditional songs or dances… There is so much that we don't know about them. So much we could learn…
Her eyes drifted over to one of the stone trees that surrounded them. The dwarves had shown them this forest and Onika had chosen it for their haven. The elf agreed that there was a certain…charm to the dark place. She saw Onika's long wide ears twitch and the elf strained to hear what her friend heard.
"What is it, Wolf Sister?"
The Wolfborn looked around at the elf and carefully pointed toward their feet. Arya followed her finger and noticed a small distortion in the air.
"Kenbosi?"
"No. The Kenbosi don't like this place. They can't hear the words of their Mother. No, that is a Stone Ghost."
"Will it let me see it?"
Onika looked at the small distortion and made a few low melodic sounds that flowed up and down in tone that sounded like speech.
In Onika's eyes, the creature looked to be a strangely shaped man that would stand hip high on the elf, with a mossy beard and one burning red eye. The rest of it's face was featureless, without a mouth or nose, it's skin grey veined with blue and red. The Stone Ghost glared first at Onika as she spoke in it's language, then turned it's permanent glare to Arya. The sudden intake of breath from the elf told the Wolfborn that the spirit had decided to let her see it.
"Are they kind spirits?"
Onika smiled and sat up, turning the sleeping child toward it and holding the boy out to the spirit. The glaring eye seemed to lessen it's intensity as it looked upon the child, then reached out and touched the child's hair gently.
"They are the guardians of the dwarves and of all children. They also will protect women if they are pregnant or have a child under their care."
The Stone Ghost looked to its right suddenly and both women saw Murtagh coming into their part of the forest. Onika smiled and put the baby on the ground on top of her discarded clothes. Arya rolled her eyes and stayed silent. Murtagh flushed red and looked down at the child before kneeling down and looking closely at the boy.
"This is Orik's boy?"
"Yes… Murtagh…"
"Hm?"
"Somebody wants to talk to you."
"Eh?"
He turned his head and yelped at the sight of the Stone Ghost. When he met the glaring red eye, he felt a very clear message.
This child is protected by me. These women are also under my care.
Murtagh swallowed and nodded sharply, relieved when the creature nodded, pleased with the human's response. The Ghost glanced around at the group before sinking slowly into the earth. Arya sighed and rose to her feet, taking the child with her.
"I'm going back into town. I'll see you both soon I should think, as dinner is no doubt going to be a party to remember."
With that, she left. Murtagh's eyes stayed fixed on Onika and the Wolfborn tried her best to look bored. Her mother had always taught her that if the male was truly going to be a worthy mate, he would do something to make her pay attention to him.
She gave him a sideways glance and smiled to herself.
What would he do to get her attention?
A/N
Hey everybody. I was thinking about what he could do to 'get her attention', but then I had a thought. I want to know what would get your attention. Feats of strength? Artistic ability? The ability to care for children? I have my ideas, but I want to know what you want to see.
Also, I have been on vacation, and that is why chapter 20 took so long. Believe me, I needed the vacation from life. Now I feel good and am ready to write and be reviewed by my wonderful readers! I love your reviews, so please, please. PLEASE review!!
DC