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| Prince_Colin
Posts: 30 Status: Squire Karma: +9 [+1] [-1]   |
Subject: Chapter 8: The Hag | |||||
| It had been two days since Colin awoke upon this sandy beach. Two long, hot days. He had been surviving on fruit and these large round shells he found in a funny shaped tree, that were brown and covered in a coarse hair, on the beach for those two days. thankfully the shells were edible as well as containing a tasteful yet bitter liquid that quenched hisv thirst rather effectively. "Better than salty sea water." He said to himself out loud. He began speaking to himself the night before, because he found it helped with the sense of isolation. "I should take the day, to venture into the brush, get myself out of this heat." he said, eyeing the dense plantation. "I'll find some shelter in there." He began to collect the 7 shells he had found as well as some bright fruit of many different colors and tied it in his shirt that had become a makeshift backpack. He drew his knife and began to enter the jungle. A Short time later, Colin was hacking his way through the brush with his dagger, cutting stalks of grass with wild abandon, seeming to get absolutely nowhere. He began to feel tired and the jungle feeling hotter than the beach. The air being hot and sticky, moisture clung to his breeches as sweat rolled down his back. Colin decided to stop and rest, breaking one of the shells and gulping down the liquid he began to think of a different approach for moving through the wall of vegetation. Looking at the thick foliage, Colin realized that it would be folly to continue through there. Any manner of predator living here would not have trouble to make him a meal. So, he began to look up and what he saw was a vast network of branches and the most beautiful canopy of leaves he had ever beheld. Replacing the rest of the shell in his knapshirt he started climbing. When he reached the top, he decided to poke his head above the canopy and maybe get an idea of where he was. What he saw was breath taking. A sea of green treetops, all with flat heads and leaves that stuck out horizontally. A beautiful blue sky above and a mountain with a vibrant red top. It seemed that there was a harmony in this place not meant for the creatures of this world. A certain majesticness that made Colin feel guilty for even gazing upon its magnificence right now. He suddenly became aware of the sounds and smells around him, The singsong chirping and chattering of the jungle's inhabitants, the slight breeze that blew above the trees, cooling his sweat soaked skin just a bit. The sickly sweet smell of fruit wafted to his nose from below, the salty air of the sea from above, Colin began to feel a strong connection with this place. Feeling at home here. He noticed that there was a small dot on the side of the mountain. Squinting his eyes against the sun and peering hard he saw that it was the entrance to a cave. As he peered at it, it vanished. Leaving no trace to its existence. Blinking hard, Colin peered again but to no avail. "It's either the heat or a reality and there's no harm in checking." He said to himself. Feeling the cool breeze for one last time he ducked back under the canopy and began to run along the branches in the direction of the mountain. His practiced steps making not a sound on the bark as he passed through the jungle like a ghost in the wind. After running for what seemed like a while, Colin came to an abrupt halt as the branches opened up into a clearing. As Colin gazed downward he spied a small black kitten standing almost up to it's stomach in...the earth?! It appeared that the earth was attempting to swallow this animal whole! The kitten was fighting mightily to escape the earth's grasp but the harder it fought the quicker it sank. When it could no longer move it's legs the kitten began to mew pitifully, the sound breaking his heart, Colin grabbed a branch that looked flexible yet strong abd jumped from his perch. Trusting in his knowledge of the forest, the branch acted like a bungee. He timed his grab perfectly as he scopped his hand into the mud, under the kittens stomach and rebounded back into the tree on a lower set of branches. "Shhh...it's ok." He said trying to comfort the frightened creature. It shook visibly for some time, but afetr some petting and ear scratches, the kitten was soon purring loudly in his ear. "There ya go little fella. Your ok now. Let's have a drink together." He reached into his makeshift backpack and took out yet another shell. He cracked it in half and set the makeshift bowl in front of the small animal, which happily lapped up the liquid inside. Colin also shaved the inside of the shell with his knife and had a wonderful supper of fruit and shell with his newfound friend. Later that night, after the supper the pair began to travel in the direction of the mountain. The kitten sitting high in his part of the shirtbag was gazing around at the jungle as it flew by. Colin's feet making not a sound. The jungle had suddenly turned chill and a different atmosphere came to it. An almost tense feeling as darkness concealed the creatures of the night. The air tingled with an almost unnatural energy. It was a time of senses and instinct. It was the time Colin knew well. It was his time. The time of the hunter. He stopped. Going from running to standing with no slowing down in between, his balance perfect. His mind had sensed something, the honed senses of his skilled mind had caught a shift in the area. He smelled for a change, he listened for any sound not part of the melody of the jungle. He even tasted the air, trying to find something, anything, that would accredit his suspicion. At first, he heard, smelled tasted nor saw anything. Then after several moments, he heard it. He listened harder and began to make out a definitive sound. Thump...thump...thump...There was a beat drumming off in the distance. Curious, Colin headed off in the direction of the sound. After some time, Colin began moving cautiously, for the sound of the beat was loud. Colin climbed higher up and poked his head out above the canopy to see what he could. He saw the edge of the jungle just a few meters ahead, then the mountain he had seen from afar, although it seemed to be made entirely of a reddish brown rock and a huge fire that jutted over the treeline and high into the sky. He could make out distinct sounds of chanting being sung in tune with the drum beat and could make out long shadows in the firelight on the mountainside that danced and waved giant spears and shields. Curious but cautious, Colin made his way over to the jungle's edge, taking great care to remain hidden in the canopy. When he reached it, he saw what appeared to be a ritualistic celebration. Men and women alike, all in the nude, danced around the bonfire, their bodies waving to and fro in a rythmic, almost hypnotic dance. As Colin and his kitten peered on in silence, one of the women from the circle who wore a large wooden mask adorned with feathers and stones, as well as bright painted colors, Left the ring and entered the cirlce. She began to dance in an erratic manner, her body shaking this way and that in no specific rythm. She was moaning and wailing as she shook. Seeming to be lost in her own movements the woman raised her arms to the sky and yelled aloud. Almost perfectly in time with the woman's yell, the beating and dancing suddenly came to a halt. As the people watched, the woman continued her beatless dancing and singing. Slowly she grew quiet, everything seeming to come to a stop. Her singing quieting so that only the crackle of the fire could be heard. After watching for a short time and nothing happening, Colin began to leave when something up on the mountainside caught his eye. A door appeared up the mountain face and an image stepped out onto the ledge. At first Colin couldn't make out what the shape was but after he stared for a while, the image came to be that of a woman with long flowing blonde hair and a tattered black shift that hung down just past her knees. The woman raised her arms high, her head tilting back to the sky as she let out a scream that pierced Colin's heart. As he looked on, the people around the fire fell to their knees and bowed to her. She lowered her hands to her sides and focussed her gaze upon the throng. She clapped her hands together and a magically enhanced boom echoed across the expanse, birds could be seen fleeing the trees in the forest. The people before her stood and gazed at her in reverance. She wiggled her fingers and chanted softly for a while and as Colin looked on he could see a flaming dragon arc across the sky, bearing down on their position. Fear filled his heart as he watched the great wyrm swoop down to come across just above the treeline, as the fire creature flew overhead, Colin could feel the intense heat emenating from the beast. And as it passed over the people around the fire they all began their ritual dance to pay homage to the great beast. Being a member of The Realm of the Mystical Dragons, Colin knew that this was just a magic trick and decided that he would have to check out for himself just what was going on. He began to creep out of the forest, and using all of his training, began to scale the mountain face further down to gain entry, undetected, to the woman's lair. |
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