Anacrusis: Book One of Heartstrings

Chapter I - Part 12

Ahead, beyond the pine trees in the furthestdistance, the woods seemed to clear a little. There were more spaceswhere one could see through, and large patches of brightness from thesky beyond, contrasting with the dim illumination of the woods. Asthey headed in that direction, small animals began to appear, hereand there, on the branches of the trees. Red squirrels, jays,brown-eared bulbuls, and black paradise flycatchers. They perched onthe branches, watching the newcomers curiously, their little headsturning from side to side. The birds hopped a little, following themovement of the group, and chirped. Sometimes the animals hid shylybehind the branches or tree trunks. On the ground, a few otheranimals began to appear, poking their heads curiously and cautiouslyfrom behind the pine trees. Band-bellied crakes walked aboutcuriously, bobbing their head. Water deer and Siberian musk deer alsopeeked timidly from behind tree trunks, their long, curved tusksgiving them a striking look, contrasting with large round eyes andendearing, almost rabbit-like ears. They were small in stature andappeared quite harmless. They glanced at the group moving towards theedge of the woods.

Hunt seemed to notice the animals once the lagerones appeared, and glanced at them, smiling faintly, quietly. Shirotaseemed too hazy to notice anything, and continued to look ahead,walking quietly. As the animals appeared, the woods seemed to gain adifferent kind of life, a vibrancy that had not been therepreviously, in the rather still, motionless environment. There wasstill quietness, peacefulness and harmony in the atmosphere, but now,with the animals' arrival, it seemed to have something more, anenergy that had not been there before, an almost embracing sense ofnurture. The lynxes with the group noticed the other animals andacknowledged them, sniffing calmly in their directions. The juvenilelynx observed them most curiously, especially the band-bellied crakeson the ground as he passed by them, and then the smaller birds on thetrees, whom he followed intently with his gaze as they hopped aboutthe branches. Although the lynxes were clearly predators among thepresent animals, they did not behave as such, and, rather, as equals.

The group moved ever closer to the end of thewoods, and the light from whatever lay outside it grew brighter. Whenthey were within a few yards of the edge, the landscape beyond thewoods came partly into sight. There appeared to be trees, still, buttheir crowns were in full bloom with pink blossoms against the brightsky, and their trunks lighter than the pine trees'. Shirota and Huntnarrowed their eyes a little, their eyesight gradually accustoming tothe brighter environment beyond. Once they stepped out of the woods,they were met with bright blue skies, dotted here and there withwispy, cotton-like white clouds. Before them, was a large field, aglade, encircled by several gargantuan peaks. Dandelion seeds floatedin the air around them, almost glistening gold in the brightsunlight. There were a few yards of plain grass, between the woodsand the field ahead, but then there were dozens, hundreds of peachblossom trees. There were smaller and larger trees, rather closetogether but sufficiently apart to allow for ease of movement. Theircrowns, bright pink, combined formed a vibrant, yet somehow soothingpink tapestry all over the field. The branches and flowers swayedgently to a breeze, creating a faint rustling sound.

The same breeze touched the two boys' hair, makingits strands sway faintly, and their skin, cool and gentle, almostcaressing it, nurturing its tiredness and soothing its wounds. Thelarge field appeared to be a little oval-shaped, along the horizontalspectrum, and, from this location, it was not possible to sight theother side. Only that, beyond the field, in the very far distance,there were monumental, extremely high mountains. Both boys hadstopped as they entered the field, and had stood there, for a moment,quietly taking in the feelings of peace and rejuvenation that thescenery freely offered up to them. Even in his hazy state of mind,Shirota seemed stunned, judging by the fact that he had stoppedmoving altogether. Some peach blossom petals floated in the airtowards them. Hunt glanced at Shirota, seeing his reaction, andsmiled a little. "Come on," he said quietly, encouragingly."Let's go," he added kindly, as if realising that, althoughhe was enchanted with the scenery, he could admire it later. Hispresent state was rather poor and he needed to rest.