Silent fingers trailed over the rough bark. The thin canopy of leaves only allowed a few glimmers of sunlight to filter to the ground, but light seemed to fill the clearing. Something ethereal floated in the air making everything slow down. Soft cloth brushed the skin of her knees, and when she looked, she saw leaves, golden brown and flaming red, matching the trees. Under her fingers, a tree rose to the sky, taller than all of the others. Its snaking branches spreading far enough that the trees hadn't grown near it. Instead, flowers spread amongst the moss and grass at her feet. She couldn't name them, but admired their beauty. The only sound in the clearing was the rustle of her feet against the moss and flowers and grass.
She sat down and started braiding little white flowers together, making a chain of flowers which she looped over and over. After a while, the light started to dim in the clearing. She draped the thick rope over the stubs of old branches and tied the ends together with grass. Tiny sparks dotted the centre of the flowers. She reached up to touch them. A jolt shocked her, sending her stumbling backwards. A red tint slowly seeped through the white petals. The peaceful atmosphere which had reigned before had fled in an instant.
A low guttural growl sounded at the edge of the trees, echoed by another, and another as she whirled around. Dark forms slipped into the clearing, casting long indiscernible shadows in the last rays of light. They disappeared into the deep, silent dusk that crept across the grass, but the growls approached slowly. Her hands gripped the rough bark, scratches scoring her hands. A low whimper echoed the terror bubbling over inside her. The flowers she had draped around the tree pricked tiny rivulets of blood down her back. Their dull red light pushed back only a small space of dusk.
"Come to us." A bare, rasping whisper called to her from under the growls, ever approaching. The red light shone off of bare orbs not too far away. "Come to us and they will go." The growls crept closer still as she crouched down, hiding her face in her trembling arms. "Come to us."
She woke with a start, clutching at the thin sheets which covered her, shaking. She sat up, taking deep breaths. Her gaze spiralled around the tent she lay in, taking in the embers still smouldering near the centre of the ring of stones, the prone forms in the other cots revealing the rest of her family still sleeping. A dim orange light crept around the rag serving as a door. She passed her hand over her face, still hearing the low growl in her ears. "Come to us." Standing up silently, she quickly pulled on a rough tunic and trousers before hefting a saddle and a few blankets and padding out of the hut.
Other tents littered the grass surrounding her. No one had risen to greet the sun as she had, and she encountered only a warm wind as she strode through the encampment towards a herd of grazing horses. A soft brown mare trotted over, bumping her softly with her spotted velvet nose. The other horses lifted their heads sleepily, then went back to eating grass. The girl flung her arms around the horse's neck. “They won't stop, Eki,” she mumbled. “Why? What do they mean?” The horse just nuzzled her. She sighed, kissing Eki's nose before lifting the saddle onto the horse's back and tying deft knots in the leather straps. swinging up onto her horse's back, she circled the other horses a few times, counting them as she rounded them up. Once she was sure they were all there, she turned to the camp, riding back to her tent.
As she reigned up in front of the tent door, a young man stepped out, not even blinking at her presence. “Mornin', Keilei,” he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
“Good morning, Asti!” she sang, leaning down to plant a kiss on the rough stubble covering his cheeks. “Wake up, brother, we're going to the bazaar today! ” His eyes lit up as he blinked the sleep from them.
“Have you got what you want to trade?” She nodded, patting the saddle bags hanging against Eki's side. "Is anyone else awake?" She shook her head, beaming at him. "Wait for me." She shifted in her saddle as she watched him go back into the tent, then out again, carrying his own saddle. A low whistle had a black horse trotting towards them, flicking her tail and snorting. Asti quickly saddled her, and was on her back before Keilei could even tell him to hurry up.
***
Drums lead a heady tattoo under the busy noise of the bazaar, in time with hearts. Somewhere, music played and songs filled the air, enticing feet to tap and dance, but Keilei couldn't find them find in the maze of stalls. Spices and dust filled the air, dancing in the sunlight. The bag she had taken from Eki's saddle was no heavier than it had been before, but only a few of its contents had been hers before she had arrived at the bazaar. She had lost track of Asti a long time ago, but wasn't worried. They had agreed to leave when the sun touched the mountains, and they had tied up their horses in the same place so they wouldn't leave without each other.
With nothing left to trade, she milled around the bazaar, aimlessly admiring the fine cloths that she would never choose to wear, but which she still found beautiful. A fire surrounded by smoking food had called to her, and she picked at a dumpling as she gazed at delicate wooden carvings of horses and riders and birds. People sat together on rugs, laughing and smiling lazily. A wave of detachment swept over her as she watched the people. The only people she had ever laughed or smiled with were her family. She questioned too much, was too fascinated with the Staeil for the others to be close to her. Her refuge was with the horses, with her brother, out on the open plain, away from everyone.
A strong, wizened hand grabbed at hers, startling her out of her daydreams. Whirling around, she saw an Elder tracing her palm.
"Elder? Can I-" the old lady shushed her, hunched over her hand. She hummed and frowned, her white-haired head bobbing up and down. The bangles on her arm jingled as she tuned Keilei around, catching her hands again. Tugging her down to the same height, she gripped Keilei's face between two clawed hands as she stared into her eyes. Keilei found herself drawn into the deep pools of the Elder's green eyes. When the gaze was broken, she gasped, startled. The wizened woman shook her head.
"I am sorry for you, child."
Confusion swirled in Keilei's mind. "What do you mean?" The Elder rooted through the pouches at her hips, before dipping a finger into one and drawing a sign on the girl's wrist. Two swirls in dark ochre paint met but didn't touch.
"I can do nothing else. Let us hope for the sake of everyone that keeps Them away. Don't go to them, child." She pressed three fingers to her collarbone before hurrying away. Keilei stared after her, dumbfounded. The few people who had actually stopped moving to stare now turned away and continued down the long path of the bazaar. She blinked, shaking her head before moving away. The sun was almost touching the mountains, and she had a meeting to keep with two horses and an older brother.
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