The Entry
The green-skinned woman knelt by the tree, humming softly as she inspected the flora that grew at its base, identifying which were edible and which held medicinal properties for future use. She smiled, cooing softly at a small little sprout that seemed to be struggling to the break through the soil's surface. "There, there, littlest one. You shalln't admit defeat so easily, shall you? Come now, rise so I may lay sight upon you. It is all right, none shall hurt you while I am here," Iskara purred, smiling as the little plant pushed through the soil, slowly sprouting up a few inches.
Amaranth sat on a fallen log a few yards away, looking utterly vacant. He'd only been with his new guardian and her sister for a couple of weeks, but he'd already grown used to their pep talks with plants. His gaze was focused on the sketchbook the sisters had presented to him as a gift, his pencil tracing lazy doodles of the surrounding area. He wished they were doing something vaguely interesting, like fishing or hunting. Sadly, when he'd made the suggestion earlier, his new family got huffy and offended. He hadn't said a word since, spending the trip thus-far in sweet silence.
The boy's hollow black eyes looked up as a droplet of water fell on his notebook. The once clear-skies had started to cloud over, the dark grew clouds billowing ominously across the sky. Rain. The boy sighed, closing his leather-bound sketchbook to protect the pages from the water as he stood. He hoped the rain would hold off, just until they got back to the safety of the tents.
"Aye, looks like the skies are going to start weeping soon." Iskara said, standing to her feet. "We should return to camp, lest we be drowned like May kittens of old." The woman glanced around, frowning slightly. She couldn't tell which way they had come from; the grass they had walked on was no longer pressed down; the little blades reached up towards the sky, thirsting for the oncoming rain. "Mine child, I believe we are lost." she said, looking back at Amaranth.
Amaranth merely shook his head at his guardian, motioning for her to follow wordlessly as he disappeared into the treeline. While the ever-darkening clouds did hamper his ability to track the desired location, it didn't eliminate it. He moved about the the woods silently, his feet barely making a sound as he made his way towards the camp. He could hear his guardian following after him, questioning how he could be so certain. The blonde child offered no explanation or vocal response as he continued on, only stopping when they reached a familiar looking river.
"Aye, mine child. You have done splendidly!" the woman praised, giving her son an affectionate pat on the head. "But, pray tell, where is the bridge? We must've strayed farther laterally." The woman smiled slightly, a knowing glint shining in her eyes. Amaranth made no comment; either he didn't notice or he didn't care to speak of it...probably the latter of the two.
Amaranth ignored her question, merely turning southward as he walked along, following the river's current. After a good ten minutes of walking, climbing, scaling, and almost-tripping, they'd made it to the bridge. By now, the rain had arrived, falling from the sky in unforgiving torrents upon the two. The boy's vacant expression had slowly morphed into a look of mild annoyance, the locks of hair that clung to his face enhancing the effect. The boy stomped across the rickety bridge made of branches, eyes locked on the faint firelight in the distance.
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Ezri looked up from the campfire as the two soaked, muddy individuals walked under the canopy of leaves. "Wow, ye two look like ye've been through a doozy of a time." the teen said, giggling as she held out two bowls of steaming hot stew out to them. "I was worried ye two wouldn't get back before the food ran cold. So, he passed, I take it, sister?" Her eyes widened as the last comment slipped out of her mouth, slender hands flying up to cover her mouth. "Oops! I'm sorry, sister. It slipped out. Word vomit, ye know?"
"You planned it." the boy's tone was low and flat, his narrowed black eyes flitting between the two siblings. He was soaking wet for some sort of test or initiation?!?! Without another word, the boy retreated to his tent to change into dry clothes. To say he was furious would be an understatement; the boy was seething with rage. He did NOT appreciate being made the fool!
The sisters watched him retreat to his tent, looking worried for a moment. Then, smiles slowly crept upon their faces and laughter filled the air as they remembered when they had worn the same expressions when their parents had done the same to them. True, it was a bit mean, but it was a tradition. Every Elmbark had to go through it at least once.
Amaranth sat on a fallen log a few yards away, looking utterly vacant. He'd only been with his new guardian and her sister for a couple of weeks, but he'd already grown used to their pep talks with plants. His gaze was focused on the sketchbook the sisters had presented to him as a gift, his pencil tracing lazy doodles of the surrounding area. He wished they were doing something vaguely interesting, like fishing or hunting. Sadly, when he'd made the suggestion earlier, his new family got huffy and offended. He hadn't said a word since, spending the trip thus-far in sweet silence.
The boy's hollow black eyes looked up as a droplet of water fell on his notebook. The once clear-skies had started to cloud over, the dark grew clouds billowing ominously across the sky. Rain. The boy sighed, closing his leather-bound sketchbook to protect the pages from the water as he stood. He hoped the rain would hold off, just until they got back to the safety of the tents.
"Aye, looks like the skies are going to start weeping soon." Iskara said, standing to her feet. "We should return to camp, lest we be drowned like May kittens of old." The woman glanced around, frowning slightly. She couldn't tell which way they had come from; the grass they had walked on was no longer pressed down; the little blades reached up towards the sky, thirsting for the oncoming rain. "Mine child, I believe we are lost." she said, looking back at Amaranth.
Amaranth merely shook his head at his guardian, motioning for her to follow wordlessly as he disappeared into the treeline. While the ever-darkening clouds did hamper his ability to track the desired location, it didn't eliminate it. He moved about the the woods silently, his feet barely making a sound as he made his way towards the camp. He could hear his guardian following after him, questioning how he could be so certain. The blonde child offered no explanation or vocal response as he continued on, only stopping when they reached a familiar looking river.
"Aye, mine child. You have done splendidly!" the woman praised, giving her son an affectionate pat on the head. "But, pray tell, where is the bridge? We must've strayed farther laterally." The woman smiled slightly, a knowing glint shining in her eyes. Amaranth made no comment; either he didn't notice or he didn't care to speak of it...probably the latter of the two.
Amaranth ignored her question, merely turning southward as he walked along, following the river's current. After a good ten minutes of walking, climbing, scaling, and almost-tripping, they'd made it to the bridge. By now, the rain had arrived, falling from the sky in unforgiving torrents upon the two. The boy's vacant expression had slowly morphed into a look of mild annoyance, the locks of hair that clung to his face enhancing the effect. The boy stomped across the rickety bridge made of branches, eyes locked on the faint firelight in the distance.
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Ezri looked up from the campfire as the two soaked, muddy individuals walked under the canopy of leaves. "Wow, ye two look like ye've been through a doozy of a time." the teen said, giggling as she held out two bowls of steaming hot stew out to them. "I was worried ye two wouldn't get back before the food ran cold. So, he passed, I take it, sister?" Her eyes widened as the last comment slipped out of her mouth, slender hands flying up to cover her mouth. "Oops! I'm sorry, sister. It slipped out. Word vomit, ye know?"
"You planned it." the boy's tone was low and flat, his narrowed black eyes flitting between the two siblings. He was soaking wet for some sort of test or initiation?!?! Without another word, the boy retreated to his tent to change into dry clothes. To say he was furious would be an understatement; the boy was seething with rage. He did NOT appreciate being made the fool!
The sisters watched him retreat to his tent, looking worried for a moment. Then, smiles slowly crept upon their faces and laughter filled the air as they remembered when they had worn the same expressions when their parents had done the same to them. True, it was a bit mean, but it was a tradition. Every Elmbark had to go through it at least once.
