Into the Forest

Chp 6

Chapter 6

                     The air was moist and warm, the trees were swaying in the wind, and the sky was blue. I looked around smiling as I remebered this place. Then I heard a growl and became afraid. I started running, but I fell. As I cried an elf appeared and picked me up. I cried a little more, but the reasurance from the other elf eventually calmed me. "Daddy?" I looked up at the smiling face of my father. "It's okay now, Asmira," my father said gently," the wolf is gone." I smiled and closed my eyes. . . .

                 I sighed as I woke up. That was one of the my favorite memories and dreams. I was Randock's age when that happened. I can still feel the suns warmth from my dream. Sometimes I wish I could hold onto my dreams a little longer, but, hey at least I have my memories. That's more than Randock can say. I shook my head and sighed again, heaving myself off of the ground. I stretched and scratched my back. As I looked around the room lazily, I saw that Suma was still sleeping and the sun had gone down. I sighed once again and gathered my bow and quiver of arrows. I know I said I hated the forest at night, but we needed food and Keko promised he would go with me any time I needed him. I quietly opened the door to my room and walked silently down to the room my brothers shared. I gently pushed it opened, so as not to wake Randock, and crept to the sleeping form of my eldest brother. I know it sounds bad that Keko is still living at home, but, unlike humans, it is honorable for the oldest son to stay home and take care of his mother and younger siblings. Plus, this house is his inheritance. As I neared him I held my breath, afraid of waking Randock. I knelt down next to Keko and gently shook him awake. "Wah? Whaz goin on," he slurred sleepily. "Come on, put your clothes on, we're going night hunting." His eyes widened in the moonlight and he nodded about to say something, but I put my finger to his lips and pointed to the lump of our sleeping brother. He nodded and gestured to the door. I got up and left the room as silently as I had entered.

                   After a few minuted Keko came out, pulling a forest green tunic over his head. I looked down at what I was wearing. I was still wearing the tunic from the past few days. I made a note to wash later. I waited a few more minutes for Keko to gather some fruit and his bow. When he was done we headed to the door, passing our mother's room. When we were outside, we pulled our boots on and continued on to the Forest. I was a step behind my brother, but he stopped and grabbed my hand, moonlight casting upon his face. "Stay close, I can feel something is amiss," he murmured gravely. I nodded and squeezed his hand reassuringly. He let go and we continued on into the forest.

               An hour or so later I spotted a rabbit and notched an arrow, pulling it back to my cheek. Keko stopped to watch as I loosed the arrow, peircing the rabbit through the eye. The familiar sense of guilt washed over me as I walked towards the rabbit to honor it and guide it's spirit to the Sky Kingdom. After I finished I looked up to see Keko beside me praying as well. When he had finished, I picked up the rabbit and gently put her in the sack we had brought and slung it across my shoulder, tightening the strap so it was secured tightly. I sighed as we continued walking Keko got a squirrel. After honoring it, we put the squirrel in another bag, so as not to mix the animals. On our way back the sun began to rise so we took the time to gather some berries and  trade our squirrel for some goat cheese and a loaf of bread from the baker. As we made our way back to the house, our Mother met us at the door. "Hello Keko, Asmira. Good hunting?" She asked as she eyed our packages. Keko nodded and leaned down to kiss Mother on the cheek. " Asmira got a rabbit and I a squirrel. We traded the squirrel for some cheese and milk, Mother," he said proudly. Mother's eyes softened as she looked at him then me. "I do no know where I would be with out my children." I smiled fondly at my Mother's praise. She moved towards me and stroked my cheek. "Thank you Asmira and Keko for feeding our family. I know it's been hard for the past 4 cycles, but it seems to be getting better," she said her voice growing hoarse. I nodded and gave a weak smile. I didn't like to see my mother sad. It scared me because she was always harsh and brash, like me, and it didn't sit well with me that something out there could make her cry. She shook her head and looked at me sternly.Here we go.

" Asmira."

"Yes, Mother?''

" Why didn't you leave a note?"

 I winced at the ice in her voice. Now this is the Mother I know and take after. " I forgot," I mumbled weakly. She rolled her eyes and decided to spare me her lecture. Instead, she took the rabbit and gave me a list of shit she expects me to do today. As I walked away to begin my slacking. "AND NO SLEEPING YOUNG MAIDEN." Damn. I really have to stop being so predictable. I rolled my eyes and went down to the stream to clean myself up for breakfast in an hour. I stripped off my clothes and went to the deepest part, which was at least a foot above my head. I took a breath and jumped in. I shreiked as I resurfaced. " N-n-no-noth-thin l-l-l-li-ke b-be-low f-f-f-r-fre-ezing  t-to m-ma-ke  y-ou f-fe-el  a-l-l-ive." I stammered out, my teeth chattering uncontrollably. After dousing my head a few more times I got used to the water and began scrubbing the dirt that caked my body and face. After awhile Randock came down to tell me to hurry up. "Mama's almost done," he said eyeing my clothes. I nodded and told him to go. "AAWWW!!! I DON'T WANNA," he whined loudly. " Weeelll, then you can't help me with my mission," I said pretending to become grossly intrested in my nails. His eyes widened with oblivious innocence. Hmm. Must run in the family. "What secret miision? I WANNA HELP," he shouted. " Weelll, you will have to go bring me my green tunic, brown leggings, and hair brush." He looked dissapointed. " Well, I could always get Keko to help me," I said and that did it. " No way! I'll do it Sister!" He cheered as he ran to fufill his "secret mission". "Well that was easy." I muttered to myself.

"What was?" I froze and slowly turned coming face to face with my worst nightmare.  "AAAAAAGGGH AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs until Miran clamped a hand over my mouth. " God. what's your problem, Elfling," He snorted as my eyes went wide. He sat there with a hand clamped over my mouth until Randock came running, " I GOT YOUR oh. Hi Miran," he murmured shyly. " Hey little buddy, whatchya have there," Miran asked gesturing towards the bundle of my clothes. " NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Randock screamed, seemingly forgetting his shyness. At that Miran stood up to his full height of 6'7 dwarfing Randocks 4'2 stature. " Well, why don't you just run along and go have fun. I can watch your sister," Miran purred out. " Randock looked between me and Miran and shook his head defiantly. " I'll tell Keko on you if YOU don't leave," my stupidly brave little brother growled out. Miran shrugged and turned back to me. Then he seemed to realize, finally, that I was naked. Yep. This entire time I have been in the stream, naked as naked can be. Miran turned away quickly, turning bright red as he did, said something about having to be somewhere else to be and ran as fast as he could, with little Randock glaring at him as he did. " I don't like him," he said matter of factly. "Yeah he's one of kind, ain't he?" Randock nodded as he haned me my clothes. " I'll meet you at the house in a few minutes, ok?" He nodded again and ran back up the hill. I sighed as I got out of the cold stream. I dried myself off with my old tunic and slipped the clean one on. I pulled on the leggings and began to work the tangles out of my long hair. When I was done I began my way back home.

              When I got to the house the air was filled with the scent of the rabbit we would have for dinner and my mouth watered. When we were all seated on the floor surrounding the low table, we all bent our heads and thanked the Great Dragon for his gift of life and skill. When we finished we all dug into the goat cheese, fresh bread, and fruit that Mother had artistically splayed out across the table. After breakfast, I took the clothes and dishes back to the stream and sat to wash them. When I finished I brought the clothes to a tree with long, low branches and hung the clothes here to dry. I brought the dishes back to the house and put them away. Then I swept our home, dusted the library, studied Elven History, practiced my writing, and fed Suma. When I had finished it was a little before the sun was in the middle of the sky, so I decided to take a nap. No harm in a little, itty, biity, nappy time, right? Wrong.

           Just  asI found a soft patch of grass with the sun hitting it perfectly, Keko came rushing towards me, rage flaming in his eyes.