Druid Kin (Excerpt)

1
  Stormchild woke from his dream gasping for breath. Beads of sweat formed on his head as memories of the haunting nightmare came to him. Images of fire and destruction danced in his mind. Everlife, the great pine that towered over the village of Cree, had fallen with a devastating crash, and out of the flames strode a Dark Armor, whose expression was that of the devil Karr himself.
  Stormchild looked around the singe room. Nothing had changed. The hearth's fire was now little more than a few red coals, and his jars remained preserved on the shelf. He stared at the small clay pots and woven baskets at the foot of his mat. From there he turned his gaze to his bedside table, where a single candle burned near to the end of its wick. Drops of melted wax formed on the top and slid soundlessly down its side to meet with  its smooth clay surface.
  Thinking back on his dream, Stormchild tried to convince himself that it meant nothing, however deep within, he knew it did. The druids believed that such a dream was a sign from fate, and that no matter what effort, such a calamity was destined to happen. His attention was returned to reality and was focused on the small candle burning out its short life. The small flickering flame seemed to return his gaze, and the warm glow it provided gave him enough comfort to lay his head down and slowly fade back into a seemingly endless sleep.



2
  When he woke, Stormchild assumed the responsibility of telling the four wise ancestors who led the druids the vision that had occurred the night before. As he lifted aside the skin flap leading outside into the village of Cree, Stormchild took in a deep breath of fresh air. The sound of birds chirping made him feel even more at rest. It was a very peaceful morning, but it was early. Later in the day, all the druids of Cree would wake and the village would be full of men and women completing their daily tasks. He stepped out into the morning mist and began up the sloping road.
  The homes and waterwheels he past were still and calm. The streams that ran beside him trickled in harmony with the musical calls in the trees above. It was a rare sound. A sound one would only hear when time itself stood still. He could stand and listen to the beautiful melody composed by nature, but there was more on his mind.
  As he made his way up the hill of Cree, he took in all the sights of the morning. Each flower he past seemed the most majestic he had ever saw as slow realization gripped him that he might never see it again. His matters seemed less important as he took in the serenity of his surroundings. If there was a chance that he would never feel this way again, then he would spend as long as he could to savor the small senses of comfort and awe.
  He stood in the path, facing a small garden of beautiful wildflowers. The scent rose up to him as he basked in it's glory. On impulse, Stormchild bent to pick up a withered violet off the side of the stone path. The dry flower's petals fell to the ground with a sense of despair. What was once a manifestation of beauty was now a hopeless reminder that everything came to an end, no matter how long its life.
  An Incessant tapping on Stormchild's shoulder forced him to drop the flower and face the opposite direction. He was immediately greeted by a familiar face. While not entirely welcome, he was relieved to see his friend Melinda staring at him with her miraculous blue eyes. His original intent was to spend the morning alone, but sometimes it was better to share the glory of the day with another of whom he could care about.
  Without more than a moments hesitation Melinda spoke with a tone that hinted only curiosity and nothing more. "Storm, why do you wander at such early hours of the day?"
  Though it was a considerably reasonable question, Stormchild was almost surprised to hear the words coming from her. He did not wish to worry her, or send her away with the suspicion that he was up to no good.
  "I came outside my tree to adore the beauty in which our goddess Alure brings to us." His voice held a high note of gratitude and care.
  The young girl noted this with the smile that had spread across her face. "The gardens are quiet in the morning. It's why I came here too. I've always taken an interest in beauty, but true beauty lies within." Her smile had faded as she stared off with listless eyes.
  "Storm... Can I trust you with a secret?" Stormchild eyed her with a great sense of curiosity and suspicion.
  "Indeed you can Melinda. What is it that you hide from the others?" He said with a raised eyebrow. Melinda stopped to hold his gaze for a moment before continuing.
  "I have been outside of the city gates-"
  "As have we all," Stormchild interrupted hastily. He had no desire for others who may be poking about to overhear what he was sure she needed to confess to him. When she began to speak again, he did not stop her.
  "What I meant to say... was that I have been outside the gates without an elder to guide me. It is not that I do this out of spite or adventure, but to seek the beauty that the world beyond us holds." Her voice was remarkably calm for the great misdeed she had committed. Her safety was at a grave stake and she knew the consequences of going outside.
  Stormchild was worried, but not at the least bit surprised. It was all too like her to wander off.
"Your intentions do not bother me, however I must know how far you ventured beyond our walls. There are reasons for rules such as these."
  Thinking carefully about her answer, Melinda spoke slowly with a soft tone that was almost a whisper. "Not far. It's my secret area to hide or think. If you would like to accompany me, I could show you." Stormchild had no reason to decline her offer. He was of the age to guide her along the forest as he had done so many times before. Time and time again Melinda would ask to go exploring with him and he would accept. They ventured far to the east and west, exploring caves, groves, and other sights of interest. Curiosity struck him like a mallet. What area could she know of that they had not already explored and did not seemed dangerous?
  "Well then," he said with a smile,"Let's waste no time in getting there." She nodded quickly and led him out of the garden and into the overgrown cobblestone streets of Cree. Running at a steady pace, they crossed the august bridge over the village stream. Leading Stormchild behind the grand tree that was Everlife, Melinda came to a dislodged part of the great wooden wall surrounding Cree. Using surprising strength for such a young girl, the great beam slid across the dirt and was leaned up against the other pylons. Melinda then slipped through the wide crack, revealing to Stormchild the location where she had been sneaking out from.
   Beyond the gap in the eminent work of druid craftsmanship were trees taller than those in the village, but none as tall as Everlife. They stood triumphantly over the two druids with great majesty.
Stormchild was captivated by the tremendous size of the spruce trees that surrounded them, for it was seldom that he ever went beyond the great wooden gates that barricaded and protected their village. Time was short however, and he was not able to take in the sight as much as he would care to. The villagers would be waking within the hour and would surely notice the absence of their own kin.
  Melinda seemed to know a great deal of the area, as she would duck and weave when necessary to avoid low branches, and would take paths that led through bushes or over small boulders of which the average traveler might overlook. Without even the training of a scout, the young druid appeared to have a natural curiosity for exploration.
  Her expert memorization of the forest floor was extraordinary. A skill that was incomparable even to the most experienced of hunters in Cree. Her small size allowed her to squeeze through the thickest of shrubs, and if Stormchild had not still been young himself, he might have lost chase and given up.
  His gaze remained focused solely on her as he strode over thick roots and logs. He had not only the intent of keeping her in sight, but to also exult himself in her grip on adventure. She showed such great effort, interest and dedication. Her mastery of such a coveted skill and at such a young age was all it took for him to realize that there was something different about this girl. Something that he had not noticed about her in her childhood. After pondering what it was for a short while, Stormchild moved onto another thought. If Melinda can guide herself through this forest, how well could she travel through the areas beyond the Enchanted Circle?
  No. Why would he think of such things? It is strictly forbidden to leave the circle. Not because of any misguided religion or traditions they might hold, but because of the danger that lies in wait outside their protective boundaries. There are Dark Armor camp's all throughout the hills past the circle, and it was no secret that they had a thirst for blood. And if he were to be responsible for...
  Stormchild refused to finish the thought. The mere idea of any harm coming to his cherished companion was enough to send apprehension throughout his whole being. He concentrated more on the path set by Melinda rather than his own thoughts. Wherever this place of hers was, it was a ways away from Cree, and even more- safety.



3
  Several moments later Melinda halted in a dead stop. "What's wrong, you just stopped out of-" There was a noise in the brush beside them. It was a sound unlike one he has ever heard before... There was a rattle, mixed with a low hiss.
  Looking around, Stormchild noticed a peculiar creature dangling from a low branch. Melinda signaled for him to come closer to her. Never taking his eyes off of the strange hanging creature, he crept to her side. A slender finger slid up to her lips, and then she reached into a low pocket of her outfit. The beast's strange black eyes, having a curious silver slit for a pupil, watched her every move.
  It's lengthy, furred body slid slowly off of the branch and fell to the forest floor with a soft thud. Melinda carefully pulled her hand out of her dress and revealed a decent sized stone. Almost in a whisper she told Stormchild her plan. He was to run straight ahead when she threw the stone. She would be right behind him. Nodding his head in acknowledgment, Stormchild turned his body slightly and knelt ready to make a dash.
  The brown stripes of the creature's fur were hypnotizing as they moved across the forest floor in S shaped pathways. It's gentle body glided over leaves and rocks until it was little more than a few feet away from where they stood in gripping panic. A mere second later and it was already close enough to attack if it willed.
  The silver slit in it's pure black eyes gazed up at Melinda with a deadly sense of malice. It hissed softly and slid even closer. Fearing for her life, Melinda quickly jumped backwards, giving her just barely enough room for she what was sure the thing would do next.
  In one sudden movement the hairy snake-like creature struck; it's purple tongue extending under it's venomous fangs, only to be met by the rock Melinda had hurled into it's wide awaiting mouth.
"Run!" She shouted.
  Stormchild was of off of his knees and into the air within seconds, being only ahead of her for a moment before she had taken the lead again. The two raced through the forest, paying no attention to their path. The creatures in the forest were dangerous, and deadly quick.
  Melinda looked behind her to see streaks of brown darting in and out of the bushes on either side of them. It was gaining ground at a quicker pace than them, and would catch up to them relatively soon. Seeming to know her surroundings, Melinda dived into a nearby bush. Stormchild followed suit, leaping into the thorny shrubs.
  He was surprised to find himself rolling downhill, hundreds of thorns grazing his face and arms. The faint pain was imperceptible over the jagged boulders that dotted the hillside crashing into his legs and side. He hit the ground with a hard thud and opened his eyes to just barely see a figure blurring overhead.
A quick moving beast was already sprinting up the hill at a blinding speed.
  The same bush that Stormchild had come through rustled, and bolting out of it was the snake-like creature that had been pursuing them. A slight jump and a single movement of it's thick neck caught the furred snake dead in the beast's jaw. It's teeth closed around the snake hanging from it's mouth, causing the thing to split in two. This new monstrosity turned to look at Stormchild, still hungrily licking the blood off his snout.
  "Good boy, Wynd." Melinda called in a gentle voice.
  "That thing is yours?" Stormchild asked, his voice slightly cracking.
  "Yes," She replied "And his name is Wynd if you don't mind."
  "What is it?"
  "A darkehound... I think."
The darkehound pounced down in front of Stormchild to meet his glare. A low, menacing, growl escaped his throat, but was quickly silenced by his apparent master.
  "Bad boy!" She scolded, "Is that any way to treat your new friend?"



4
  Stormchild could not help but feel that Melinda's pet was dangerous. He had saved them from the snake, but there was an insatiable blood lust in his houndish eyes when he closed his jaw around that creature. What is she thinking, Stormchild thought. Darkehounds are the vicious wolves lead by the Dark Armor clan. They're beaten savagely from pups and only a few survive. How could she have possibly raised one to be obedient?
  "Melinda," he began to ask, "Where did you get him?"
  "I found him in an abandoned campsite. The Dark Armors had been gone for weeks. It seemed right to take care of him, after all. Besides, it didn't seem like he had been beaten, even a little... He must have ran away."
  A darkehound that ran away? It didn't seem very likely to Stormchild, but it wasn't impossible. Although Wynd was born to be a murderous creature, from what he had seen so far, he decided that he was a loyal companion to Melinda and could very well be trusted.
  Their recent encounter had completely distracted him from the village. He stared at the darkehound intensely, looking for any sign a betrayal. Finding none, he moved his eyes to Melinda. Her eyes shone with a certain kindness as she stroked the animal's dark fur. Wynd's tongue hung out happily, giving him something Stormchild never thought he would see in a darkehound. Innocence. He looked down from the wolf and stared at the forest floor, finding himself smiling. As his mind started to wander he suddenly remembered their reason for being in the forest.
  "Melinda," He began, "Aren't you supposed to be taking me some place?"
A surprised look spread across her face, "Right!" Melinda exclaimed "The entire village will be up soon! Quick, follow me!." She continued, running towards the bushes at the far end of the clearing. "Come!" She shouted after a couple of seconds.
  Wynd's ears perked up and was already chasing after her. Stormchild hesitated for a moment and then began to follow the hound. He turned around to get one last glimpse of their makeshift campsite before continuing into through the rough forest.


5
  Following closely behind Wynd, Stomchild managed to catch up with Melinda, shortly after which the hound began sniffing the ground intensely. His thick nose snuffled towards a brown root protruding from a rock. It's delicate form remained untouched by the nature surrounding it.
  Noticing that her hound was no longer at her side, Melinda turned around. She walked to where the root was growing and knelt beside the hound with growing interest. She was huddled over it when Stormchild came beside her, laying his head on his shoulder to get a better look. When Melinda spoke, her voice was filled with amazement, and was lower than a whisper.
  "It's nearly blooming..." She said.
  "What exactly is it?" Stormchild wondered out loud.
She did not answer him, and instead reached down to her waist. Held in her sash was a small, clear jar. She took it in her hands and gently slid it under the root, angled slightly towards the sky. The delicate plant gleamed through the rays of sunlight coming down on them. Slowly, sticky drops of sap condensed on the plant's underside falling silently into the container. After four steady drops the plant ceased and curled into a magnificent spiral. Stormchild could still smell the captivating fragrance of the sap even after Melinda had sealed the jar with a cloth and tie. After the scent had dispersed she spoke.
  "It's a very rare sap," she said with a smile, "A healing root..." Her voice trailed off. The sun gleamed through the golden sap as she held up the jar. Apparently coming back to reality, she tucked it into her sash and nodded for Stormchild to follow her. The forest seemed to fold over itself in some areas, rocks and trees combined on the sides of the trail leaving a single path to follow. It wound through the light and shade of the forest, through streams and over small hills. Their walk was uneventful and the only sound came from Wynd's paws gently padding the dirt behind Melinda. The silence gave Stormchild a chance to ponder his situation. He knew that they weren't far from Cree, but the day's events had led to detours costing them valuable time. It wasn't long before he began thinking of Melinda again.
  She really is a great guide, he thought, casually scanning her from top to bottom. I wonder if-
  "There!" She exclaimed, rejoicing. In front of them was a decent sized tunnel, and beyond that was a light.     "Well, Come on!"
Stormchild had barely a second to merge back with reality. Before he knew it she was running past him barely giving him time to catch up. They raced through towards other side and came to a slow stop at the end. Shielding his eyes from the light, Stormchild walked forward onto the cliff and stood next to Melinda.       The two stared out over countless treetops, but one towered over the rest reaching towards the sky with a fierce contrast against the rising sun . Everlife seemed like more than just a tree from up here. It had power, majesty, and stood out against the sky like a grand emerald.
  "It's great isn't it?" She gazed at him deeply.
  The two sat on the overlook staring out over their home, Melinda's head against his chest. Stormchild took in the sight not wanting to look away. His breath stilled, his eyes closed, and his world came to a silence. It was happiness, and it was peace.