Places to Chat
Emilie and Jessica!
Chatterbox: Inkwell
Emilie and Jessica!
Emilie and Jessica! All right, if no one else will make us a thread I will. So... What do you want this to be about? I was thinking fantasy, as long as we don't have any "fractured fairy-tales." I mean, they're great, but for all the eliminating of cliches, they're becoming cliche.
submitted by Emilie L., age 14, WA
(January 24, 2010 - 8:24 pm)
(January 24, 2010 - 8:24 pm)
For straight ahead of them, rosy in the light of the rising sun, was Mount Tenjo. A light green wood lay at its foot and curled around the western side, and facing them a rocky footpath curled up the side of the mountain to a high village that was nestled on a stone ledge. A clear waterfall trickled off the ledge and fell into a pool below.
Skyonso made his way to the pool, and stopped to drink. Then he lay down to sleep. Laran knew she was in the middle of the forest in wild country, but she felt safe to lay by his side and go to sleep as well. When they woke it was midafternoon. Skyonso stood and stretched. My mother is in the forest on the western side of the mountain. Laran nodded. Can I walk today? she asked. Yes, answered Skyonso. We are not hurrying, but searching. And so they set off.
(March 4, 2010 - 11:46 pm)
Ohh, sorry you were sick Jessica! That must really stink, having a partner then getting sick and losing them, like when I went to camp and my RR'R died...
(March 4, 2010 - 11:26 pm)
They walked for a while, side by side, until they reached the western side of the mountain. They headed into a small wood and walked some more. Laran was just beginning to wonder when they would meet Skyonso's mother when they stopped in front of a glade. Skyonso peered inside. Mother? he asked.
Skyonso? a voice replied, and out came a beautiful white doe, with silver hooves like her son. What are you doing so far from your forest? And with a HUMAN?
I am searching for the Golden Pheonix, Skyonso explained. The king has been hunting me for some time now, and I wish to restore peace to the forest. This is Laran. Laran smiled shyly. She wished to come. Laran, this is my mother, Matria.
Hello, Laran thoughtspoke.
Matria gave her a long look. Then she sighed. You always were rash and impulsive, Skyonso, she thoughtspoke sternly, but Laran thought she could detect a hint of amusement. But all right. I will help you find the Golden Pheonix.
Andy says mydy. It's his first birthday!
~Wolfgirl67 signing off.
(March 5, 2010 - 3:28 pm)
Sorry I've been busy, but I will post more soon...
(March 7, 2010 - 6:01 pm)
Don't feel bad, it's ok. :)
Andy P. says pizz. Pizz-azz, maybe?
~Wolfgirl67 signing off.
(March 8, 2010 - 3:02 pm)
Hey, Jessica. If you want, I'll do a story with you. (that sounds weird, but... oh well.)
(March 11, 2010 - 8:54 pm)
******************************
The Golden Phoenix makes his home in the Northwest of Chary, Matria continued. You will find him on a tall pinnacle of rock, on the far north side of the Great Forest. The southern edge of the Great Forest is across a wide plain, which begins just north of here.
Skyonso scratched the ground with his hoof. A plain? Is there no way by forest, or some other concealment?
None, answered Matria. A great city is on the east of the plain. To go around that way would be folly. To the west of the plain lies the Mist Marsh. To stray too far that direction would be greater folly. None have gone into the Mist Marsh and returned.
I see, muttered Skyonso.
(March 12, 2010 - 12:33 am)
Laran swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Here was the adventure she had been wanting. All of a sudden she wasn't sure she wanted it anymore. But, to get to the Golden Phoenix, she had to follow and trust Matria.
When do we begin? she asked.
Both deer looked at her. Tomorrow, I think, said Matria. You, child, need some rest. And we need to prepare.
Prepare? Skyonso said. Why do we need to prepare? Why can't we just...go?
Because, Matria told him in a stern way, we have a human traveling with us, and although we can eat grass, she cannot.
All of a sudden Laran felt like an awful burden. She was slowing them down. And the sooner they got to the Golden Phoenix the better, not only for Skyonso, but for the whole King's Forest.
I was actually kind of thinking of the Golden Phoenix (outside of the story, can we just call it the GP?) as a girl. :P Prob'ly should have mentioned that...
Andy says vxbp.
~Wolfgirl67 signing off.
(March 13, 2010 - 12:56 pm)
No, a surprise! They don't know it's a girl. Also when they find it, it's an egg.
(March 13, 2010 - 6:27 pm)
But she put aside these thoughts for the moment. That day they rested and Laran gathered fruit, berries and roots. Skyonso wouldn't let her take any meat. Laran learned that Matria would stay with them until they came to the Great Forest, and then head back to her home. She went to sleep uneasily that night, lying on the ground with her cloak wrapped tightly around her. She wondered how Skyonso must feel about crossing the open field when he had lived in the shelter and protection of trees his whole life.
The next morning dawned clear and sunny. Laran and the two deer walked to the edge of the forest on the northeast side of Mount Tenjo and looked out over the vast grassland.
(March 14, 2010 - 8:04 pm)
Skyonso took a deep breath. I don't like the grasslands, he confessed quietly to Laran. They make me feel unprotected. Still, I suppose we must cross them, for better or worse. He deliberately looked away from the grasslands, as though he didn't want to have to look at it any more than he had to.
Come, Matria said, walking forward. Skyonso followed her and Laran came at the back. They walked out into the open. Matria was considerably calmer than Skyonso, who jumped at every breeze. Laran wanted to comfort him, but wasn't entirely sure how he would take that. As an insult, or as help from a friend who was just as nervous as he was?
Suddenly Matria stopped. Get down, she thoughtspoke, and they ducked. And not a minute too soon, for at that moment an arrow flew over their heads.
Andy P. C. says avmi.
~Wolfgirl67 signing off.
(March 15, 2010 - 12:59 pm)
At a distance was a figure that Laran could make out was a soldier. He notched another arrow to his bowstring. Suddenly Laran had an idea. Skyonso! Get behind Matria and Lower your head. He obeyed. She slipped down off his back and began to run towards the soldier, who lowered his bow, surprised to see a young girl running toward him. When she neared the man, she did her best to act indignant. "Sir!" she called. "I am shocked!" The soldier looked at her and back at the animals far away on the grass in confusion. So did Laran. Yes, she decided, they looked the part. "Why on earth were you shooting at me and my horses?"
"Horses, Miss?" said the man slowly. "I could of sworn they was deer, just a second ago I thought..."
Laran sniffed. "Nonsense. When do deer come out into the open like this? And since when were deer white? Wait 'till my mother, the duchess, hears about this."
The man shook his head and tried to apollogise, but Laran just stalked back to Skyonso and Matria.
(March 15, 2010 - 10:50 pm)
Haha, that was funny! You are a good writer! :)
Still shaking his head, the man walked away, muttering something about not drinking wine for a couple of days. Laran, smiling, turned to the deer.
Brilliant, Skyonso said amazedly.
Matria said nothing, but Laran could tell she was impressed.
They continued walking, looking around to make sure there were no more hunters. Laran wasn't sure she could pass off two deer as horses again-or herself as a duchess' daughter.
When night fell, they camped under one maple tree that had been brave enough to live away from the forest. Laran was tired from the day's trek and fell asleep almost instantly.
She woke up to a loud howl.
Andy P. C. says kbrd.
~Wolfgirl67 signing off.
(March 16, 2010 - 3:44 pm)
As she looked around her in the wan moonlight, she reallized Skyonso and Matria were already on their feet. Then she looked again. They were sleeping, on their feet. She tapped Skyonso. "Wake up!" Even if he couldn't understand human language, the noise would wake him. "Wake up!" He jerked awake. Laran! What is the meaning of- He broke off as the long howl rolled across the plain once more, sending shivers down Laran's spine. Skyonso, is that a wolf?
Yes, said Skyonso. Look. A wolf sat on the plain where their backs had been towards. It is a lone wolf, he told her. It knows it isn't strong enough to bring us all down. And so it is howling for its pack.
(March 17, 2010 - 9:52 pm)
Laran felt a chill run down her spine. A wolf pack-what on earth were they going to do? She could climb trees, and the deer could run, but they couldn't stay together.
The wolf continued to howl. Skyonso and Matria were clearly having the same thoughts as she was. She shut her eyes tight, trying hard not to panic. There had to be a way out of this!
Suddenly the howling stopped. Not daring to think what that might mean, Laran slowly opened her eyes.
The wolf was alone. It had stopped howling, and was staring at them with a strange expression on its face. Then it turned and abruptly walked away.
It didn't go far. Pretty soon it had come back. It woofed softly at them. What's it doing? Laran asked.
I don't know, Skyonso told her. I don't speak wolf, and she can't thoughtspeak.
She?
Yes, she. That is an alpha female.
I know what she wants, Matria broke in. She wants us to follow her. She snorted. The only question is why?
To lead us to her pack? Laran suggested.
No. Matria shook her head. If she wanted her pack to come, they either would have come at her howl, or she would have gone and got them. There is something very strange going on here.
Andy P. C. says rktg.
~Wolfgirl67 signing off.
P.S. Sorry if you wanted the wolves to be the bad guys, it's sort of a habit with me. You can guess from the name I am a total wolf lover, LOL.
(March 18, 2010 - 12:57 pm)