Okie-dokies, here's the next chappie. It's short, just a bit of backround, really. I can't write more, so deal. Tever.
Chapter One: Teetering on the brink of change
Three days after Zai-Wultu divined her tumultuous future, Gwe’netha-udori stood atop a rocky cliff, staring down into the place that she had called home for seventeen years of her life. Dawn was rising in the sky behind her, scrubbing clean the black of night to the soft pastels of morning. Pale sunlight filtered in through the trees, dimly illuminating the Ledethekian village below. As of yet, no one was out of their tree-homes expect for her.
Ledetheke boasted of being home to the largest trees in all of Utarnya. Nestled at the base of a line of mountains known as the Grekken Range, these trees were not known for their height, but for their colossal girth, spreading over great spans. The Ledethekians had long ago discovered the value of these trees, and set up their homes in partially hollowed-out trunks.
And so the people of the Ledetheke lived. They were peaceful, never going to war, against themselves or others. The rest of the world, known as the ‘Outsiders’ or Degentioac in their language, left them alone to govern their own affairs. In all of Gweneth’s lifetime, she had only once seen an Outsider, a decade ago when a group of lost travelers had sought shelter from a storm. Like most of the tribe’s children, and a few adults as well, she had stared with unabashed wonder at the travelers’ fair hair, pale skin, and dark eyes. How different we are, Gweneth mused as she contemplated the dawn. Despite the fact that some of us may live no less than six leagues from each other, we are worlds apart.
She also remembered how the others had stared at her, a girl of only seven summers, who had been able to understand every word the travelers had said without any teaching. The whole tribe knew of her ability, and she had been honored for it even then, but it still gave many of them a pause to hear her fluently conversing with people from a whole different race, or even stranger still, with the horses they had been riding.
It wasn’t as hard as the others thought. All Gweneth had to do was look an animal in the eye, reach out her mind, and meet them halfway.
Promises, Gweneth thought as she turned around and began the descent back to the village. Words like flat stones skimming across still water, distorting all that you had known before to be smooth.
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Later that day, Gweneth was sitting cross-legged outside of the tribe’s cooking tree, scouring an enormous pot to be used for tonight’s soup. Dinners were communal, and so was the work. She didn’t usually mind preparing meals ... it was the cleaning that Gweneth disliked. Yet still, she could most often be found outside of the tree, cleaning or mending something. Ah well. Those who ask must be content with the answers, she thought wryly, taking in a deep breath. The smells of hart over an open fire danced indecisively along the zephyrs, teasing her nose one minute and flying away the next. Smoke drifted out of the chimney to stain the blue sky.
*"Ethewente, Udoria."
Gweneth looked up from her slightly vindictive scrubbing to see Zai-Wultu standing over her, leaning on a birch-wood staff that was the same color as her braided hair.
"Ethewente, Zai-Wultu,"she answered, pausing momentarily to bow her head in acknowledgment of her elder.
"Best be prepared today, Gweneth," the Wisdom-Keeper answered, green eyes alight.
Puzzlement set over her features. "What has happened?"
Zai-Wultu chuckled softly. "It is not about what has happened, Udoria. It’s what will happen that counts. The spirits have confided much in me. Make sure you’re ready."
"Ready for what?" Gweneth insisted, pot forgotten as she stood up.
"For dinner tonight, of course," Zai-Wultu responded enigmatically. "I suggest you continue with your obligations." with that as her parting words, the village elder turned and hobbled off, leaving a confused Gweneth behind to be rebuked by the head of the cooking tree for shirking her responsibilities.
Yeah, that sucked. But I'm out of ideas for chapter one. Stupid ((insert spoiler here)). Anyway ... consider that a cliffie. ^^;;
*Ethewente is used as a greeting.
Udoria means Listener, from udori, listen.
i like her ! Now time to write us a real chap!!!!