The Adventures of Laisa and Miarta

Nu'numic

Gray fog hangs densely along the beach, shutting out the world, turning it into a monochrome, two-dimensional image.  Laisa and Miarta slowly walk along the high tide line looking for shells, sand dollars, or any useful piece of flotsam that may have washed up with the tide. Since coming to the coast, this has been a daily routine for the two girls and Talini, their pet fox.

"Aren't the waves loud today Miarta?" Laisa ask.

"No louder than any other day if you ask me," Miarta replies somewhat sarcastically.

"Oh, Miarta, open your ears and listen for once. They sound louder because we can't see them."

"That doesn't make sense Laisa."

"Sure it does. Like when you close your eyes and you can hear better and smell better."

"I guess so." Miarta grumbles.

The girls continue along the beach, stopping every few feet to pick up the ocean's treasures, when, somewhere towards the forest, a loud roar sounds. Talini stops in her tracks, her nose and ears pointed towards the sound.

"Miarta!" Laisa screams as she runs to her sister.

"Oh calm down Laisa. It's just the same roar we often hear at night. We've heard it almost everyday since we arrived here. " Miarta puts her arm around her little sister to calm her. "Father and the others have searched for whatever makes the sound. They don't think it's anything dangerous. "

Laisa holds her sister tight, "I know, but this is different. We've never heard it in the daytime, and especially not down here at our beach. I think we should head back Miarta. "

"Don't be a baby, Isa. See, Talini has resumed her usual smelling. Everything is fine. Come on, let's keep looking awhile longer. It looks like a big tree has washed ashore over there. Maybe it can be used in camp. Father would be quite happy if we found something useful for a change."

The tree is a large pine, or was at one time. The bark has been completely stripped off by the sea and only the largest branches are still attached. Being much to large for the girls to do anything with, they decide to tell their father about the tree so he can look at it later.

Suddenly Talini lets out a soft whimper and stops. Turning to face the woods, her hackles raise and she growls a soft growl the girls have never heard her make before.

"Laisa, look."

Laisa turns to where Miarta is pointing. At the edge of the forest, a large shadowy figure moves through the fog. It walks on two legs and its long arms hang loosely at its side. Its head moves from side to side as it searches the scents in the air.

Instinctively, Laisa grabs Miarta's hand, "What is it? It looks like a giant person. "

"Yes, it does, but there's nobody in our tribe that big. It's some sort of creature. Look at how it sways slowly back and forth. It's smelling something." 

"It's smelling us Miarta!" Laisa says nervously. "I think we should go now."

"No, no, let's stay and see what it does. I don't think it knows we're here. Get down behind the tree. If it starts walking this way we'll run."

Talini's growls begin to grow louder and she lets out a warning bark. The creature quickly turns its head towards the sound.

"Talini, quiet girl. Come hear and calm down." Laisa whispers.

The fox slowly makes her way to the girls, watching the shadowy figure closely. Laisa's heart is racing. She wishes they would leave, but knowing her sister's sense of adventure, they won't leave until Miarta's curiosity is settled. One of these days, Laisa thinks, she will get us killed.