Daughters Of Hera

Chapter 40-Clan of Fauns

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As they made their way through the vegetative arc, they found the interior so different than the exterior and other enchanted parts of the forest. For one where they were was calm, peaceful and a weird tranquility resonated and transpired among the broad leaves that had thick wide branches, so thick that there were structures on them.

The wind shifting through the leaves of the trees and the ferns and grasses on the ground, with little petals of flowers separated from their stigma rustling, was all the sound that this enclosed portion of land gave, the space was more or less bigger than a village square, and at it's corners and sides were fences weaved neatly with Vines and broken tree branches.

"There's no one here!" exclaimed Joanne, her face filled with a twang of disappointment. "Why did you even bring me here. Is it to teach me inner peace or to view the shitty scenery?"

"Hush child!" hissed Sylva. "Such little faith you have in me. I've brought you this far haven't I? Just stop being irritable impatient for a brief moment."

Joanne hated being treated as a child, one would reckon that because she was old enough to drink, she should be treated appropriately. But still she pouted her lips and stayed silent, or as silent as she could be, before her patience became tried.

Then it was as if time itself stood still in that enclosed space, there was chirping of birds, singing in accordance with the joy in their hearts while frogs croaked in the distant. and the suns began setting, all at the same period, it was peaceful and harmoniously

It was peaceful and harmonious in the sky as the suns began setting, all at the same time, then a moment went by, then another, then in a brief while passed, before . . . Something began to appear to happen, or better still appear.

Surprisenly from the trees, above a wooden contraptions, box-like and constrained with vine ropes, it was making it's way down from the above the trees, all at the same time, this contraptions were used to transport sets of figures from the tall broad trees.

The ropes squeaked and strained like the mechanism used to draw water from Wells, and they stayed from side to side as they touched the ground softly, making a silent this as they did.

And the wooden box-like contraptions flung open and Joanne could see the sets of figures clearly now, but to her utter dismay she found out they were humanoid, like mortals this sets of figures that descended from the trees had faces, with the right amount of eyes, nose and mouth, and they had legs, or so Joanne had thought.

But upon squinting of her eyes, she held the figures more clearly and accurately, and then she believed that they really weren't mortals.

This set of creatures had similar features of mortals, but instead of two wobbly legs, these particular creatures had hind legs and hooves from their knee below, like that of deers, brown and furry, with white polka dots seasoned on on their legs, cheat and faces respectively, and out protruding from their males heads were antlers or  horns.

"What in Hera's name are those?" asked Joanne, stunned beyond comparison. She was notably staring at their hind legs, but Sylva struck her arms hardly, with a scowl on her face, she scolded. "Don't stare at their legs. It's considered rude." So Joanne stopped. "These are fauns, do well to employ and learn their culture and way of life. You might be here for a while."

These creatures called fauns, had by now all descended from the trees, both small and young, big and old, male and female, even infants, all scurried together, particularly in groups. Sylva made it her personal duty to show and present Joanne to the different tribes of this clan of creatures called Fauns, for they were gathered amongst each other, all tribe creatures surrounded by it's own familiar creature of familiar characteristics.

There was a sort of orderliness as the Fauns present was organized, and Sylva tried to make Joanne understand that this particular society was so tightly knit and we'll constructed, that it was by their separation that the community and clan were able to flourish fruitfully, and without conflict, every fauns had to stay on it's own lane, and not get into the other tribes way.

Firstly, Sylva introduced Joanne to the tribe called Arlord, this particular tribe compromised of the rulers and dignitaries of this settlement, they controlled all the activities of the other tribes.

They were encircled round a bonfire, because the night was coming. The Arlord tribe looked more dignified and exalted in behavior, they moved like Royals, Joanne thought, they had grey eyes that penetrated the very soul, golden cascading hairs, sharp tilted spotted ears, with grey sharp majestic horns on the males, their skin was a reddish-brown and they walked, moved and talked in a sense of elegance.

Their eminent ruler was a female fauns called Rhenos, who was courtly and refined, strikingly beautiful and young for that matter, she, like the females around, wore a long piece of clothing that barely covered her privates below, which was tied with beads around the waist, her lustrous breats was covered by another piece of linen that held her bosoms firmly and twisted around her shoulders, her neck held a beady necklace that were similar in material to the Bangles on her wrist. Her voice was soft toned and contralto, although she was female, she held a flamboyant, weblike horns that were decorated with beautiful flowers.

"On behalf of the clan, I welcome you. I pray to the goddess Gaia that our home would be a refuge to you, just as it has been to us." said Rhenos. "What's the name of your young companion, Sylva of the mortals?"

"Her name is Joanne, your eminent one. She's in grave danger, for the evil Regent Durga searches for her avidly." said Sylva, while curtseying. Joanne tried to do the same, but it only came out as a sheepish attempt to stretch her back, she was never the one that bowed to people, people bowed to her Instead. But what she lacked in proper manners, she more than made up in being drunk and witty conversations, as she spoke with a childish indignation. "Your highness—eminent one—uhmm, your great faunness. Do you by any chance have any wine? Not the distasteful kind, I must add. The sweet but tipsy kind." said Joanne casually. But Rhenos didn't reply, she just nodded and bade them a nice stay. Which Joanne thought was rude for a ruler, but Sylva inclined to point out that who was she to judge, seeing that Joanne wrote the book on bad governance.

The next tribe they met were gathered in a circle around a tree, they swayed and swooned in odd movements, as if they were in an erratic trance of some kind, they worshiped and revered to a presence that was uninterpreted to Joanne, buy Sylva was sure to explain that they were the tribe of Sesal tribe, the tribe of priesthood and worshippers of Gaia, they had deep-brown eyes, white long hairs, little fawn like ears, their antlers were mooselike and brownish, their skin were a tanned-caramel, and other than the white spots on their bodies, there was a red colored symbols and animalistic images drawn with chalks.

As Joanne and Sylva settled alone, because no faun came to fraternize with them, their eyes fell on a cheery company of fauns whom held small games of bushrats and tiny squirrels, and arrows coupled with bows was strung on their backs.

Sylva called them the Gapron tribes, which were the hunters of this settlement. They were characterized by their deep golden eyes, darkish brown hairs, striking elongated ears with darkish green horns, that camouflaged with the leaves of the trees, and they had a brownish skin.

As Joanne was quick to observe there was a bunch of huge, muscled, brawny fauns guarding the entrance and several vantage points of the enclosed space, they resonated fear and security, while their hands held weapons of bludgeons, it wasn't hard to guess that they were the guardians of the settlement. Their tribes were called the Kiasue tribe and their traits were of whitish eyes, with fierce ram like horns, they had jetblack hairs, with floppy ears, their skin looked thick and brownish, they had a built-up and beefy body.

Soon all was quiet and drab in the settlement of fauns inside the enchanted forest, Joanne couldn't possibly denote how improbable it would be to actually live in a place with no fun, how such an ugly loathe she would have for this place, and how unpleasing and terribly depressing she would be, so she sat there with Sylva, who looked occupied in her own thoughts, while the different tribes speculated and chatted amongst themselves, like it was a private party and Joanne was promptly not invited.

Chapter continues in the next chapter!
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