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dplax · 06-09-2007, 12:58 PM

Plaxica

"Daniel! Let's go!" Plaxica shouted to his son, playing yet again among the rocks.

A day had passed as they sheltered beneath a rocky overhang from a storm, which lasted almost from dusk till midday. The peaking of the sun on its path brought welcome warmness and surprisingly hot food. While chasing a lizard among the rocks, Daniel had stumbled upon a rabbit in a hole among the rocks. The animal, terrified from fear of the four year old was unable to escape. Ramella had produced a small pot from her pack and with some water from a stream nearby, and a few herbs Plaxica had with him, the rabbit became a most excellent stew.

"Coming!" Daniel shouted back, and soon his running footsteps could be heard approaching. His hands and face were covered in brown dirt and his clothes were dusty, at which Ramella was about to intervene, but Plaxica spoke first. "Well, well! Look at you! Seems like you’ve been digging in the ground. Find anything interesting?" Daniel shyly looked at his mother before replying. "Only a few beetles and a nice green stone," he said, opening the palm of his left hand and revealing the aforementioned stone. Plaxica gently took it from his son and examined it. It did not look like any precious stone he had seen during his travels nor did not look dangerous, so Plaxica handed it back to Daniel. "Now, go ahead and wash yourself a bit in the stream over there," he said pointing to where the gurgling noises of water were coming from behind a rock, "You know your mother doesn’t like it when you’re hands are dirty."

As the three of them ascended higher and higher along the northern slopes of the mountain, storm clouds started gathering along the eastern horizon. The peaking sun’s glow wasn’t enough to lessen their greyness and it was clear that soon a strong storm was to arrive. Plaxica hoped that the three of them would be at least close to the summit when the storm struck. Somehow he had a feeling that those clouds and the storm they brought would make it easier for him to contact the Windbringer.

The winds bearing yet another storm reached them half an hour before the storm itself and at several occasions threatened to blow Daniel, and even Ramella, off the mountainside. Multiple times it was only Plaxica’s vigilance that saved them from the gale force winds.

Several hours passed, yet the winds did not relent.

"Can you hear that?" Plaxica asked suddenly, during a lull in the storm. "Hear what?" Daniel asked, before Ramella could voice the same question. Plaxica's answer was drowned out by the renewed wind.

Yet even above the howling of the wind, above the sound of it whipping against the rocks and sparse vegetation at this height, Plaxica's keen hearing, sharpened by the curse flowing through his veins could pick up a voice carried by the wind. He could not make out the words being spoken or sung, but the tone of the voice left no doubt to its gender. Could the Windbringer be a female? Plaxica did not pause to think, he turned towards the source of the voice, and gazed into the murky distance, closer to the ominous, grey clouds than he had been planning on approaching.

Ramella put a hand on Plaxica's shoulder and inquired about the sudden change of direction.

"Can you still not hear it?" Plaxica asked. "Stay close. My call has been answered."

Any signs of vegetation and animals disappeared as they ascended the steep slope towards what appeared to be ledges. Plaxica had to carry Daniel on his shoulders.

As the slope smoothened, Plaxica spotted the slender tree. The voice was omnipresent here, whirling around them, and Plaxica could clearly make out that it was singing.

Plaxica set Daniel down and turned to face the tree.

"You have a beautiful voice," he said. "Do you bring the wind, or does the wind bring you?"

[ 06-09-2007, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: dplax ]

06-09-2007, 12:58 PM	#255
dplax Jack Burton Join Date: July 19, 2003 Location: an expat living in France Age: 39 Posts: 5,577	Plaxica "Daniel! Let's go!" Plaxica shouted to his son, playing yet again among the rocks. A day had passed as they sheltered beneath a rocky overhang from a storm, which lasted almost from dusk till midday. The peaking of the sun on its path brought welcome warmness and surprisingly hot food. While chasing a lizard among the rocks, Daniel had stumbled upon a rabbit in a hole among the rocks. The animal, terrified from fear of the four year old was unable to escape. Ramella had produced a small pot from her pack and with some water from a stream nearby, and a few herbs Plaxica had with him, the rabbit became a most excellent stew. "Coming!" Daniel shouted back, and soon his running footsteps could be heard approaching. His hands and face were covered in brown dirt and his clothes were dusty, at which Ramella was about to intervene, but Plaxica spoke first. "Well, well! Look at you! Seems like you’ve been digging in the ground. Find anything interesting?" Daniel shyly looked at his mother before replying. "Only a few beetles and a nice green stone," he said, opening the palm of his left hand and revealing the aforementioned stone. Plaxica gently took it from his son and examined it. It did not look like any precious stone he had seen during his travels nor did not look dangerous, so Plaxica handed it back to Daniel. "Now, go ahead and wash yourself a bit in the stream over there," he said pointing to where the gurgling noises of water were coming from behind a rock, "You know your mother doesn’t like it when you’re hands are dirty." As the three of them ascended higher and higher along the northern slopes of the mountain, storm clouds started gathering along the eastern horizon. The peaking sun’s glow wasn’t enough to lessen their greyness and it was clear that soon a strong storm was to arrive. Plaxica hoped that the three of them would be at least close to the summit when the storm struck. Somehow he had a feeling that those clouds and the storm they brought would make it easier for him to contact the Windbringer. The winds bearing yet another storm reached them half an hour before the storm itself and at several occasions threatened to blow Daniel, and even Ramella, off the mountainside. Multiple times it was only Plaxica’s vigilance that saved them from the gale force winds. Several hours passed, yet the winds did not relent. "Can you hear that?" Plaxica asked suddenly, during a lull in the storm. "Hear what?" Daniel asked, before Ramella could voice the same question. Plaxica's answer was drowned out by the renewed wind. Yet even above the howling of the wind, above the sound of it whipping against the rocks and sparse vegetation at this height, Plaxica's keen hearing, sharpened by the curse flowing through his veins could pick up a voice carried by the wind. He could not make out the words being spoken or sung, but the tone of the voice left no doubt to its gender. Could the Windbringer be a female? Plaxica did not pause to think, he turned towards the source of the voice, and gazed into the murky distance, closer to the ominous, grey clouds than he had been planning on approaching. Ramella put a hand on Plaxica's shoulder and inquired about the sudden change of direction. "Can you still not hear it?" Plaxica asked. "Stay close. My call has been answered." Any signs of vegetation and animals disappeared as they ascended the steep slope towards what appeared to be ledges. Plaxica had to carry Daniel on his shoulders. As the slope smoothened, Plaxica spotted the slender tree. The voice was omnipresent here, whirling around them, and Plaxica could clearly make out that it was singing. Plaxica set Daniel down and turned to face the tree. "You have a beautiful voice," he said. "Do you bring the wind, or does the wind bring you?" [ 06-09-2007, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: dplax ]