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The weathered shadow rushed carelessly through the bramble. The distant cries calling. He had glimpsed them running through the thick fog a couple of weeks ago. Two before. He had spied a complete triad this time.
Uncertain of what would happen if he had actually found them, Sutra pressed on. Memories flooded back of weeping mothers lamenting the loss of their labored fruit. Not this time he promised himself.
He had seen what resembled a simple sod and sharpened log wall slowly take shape deep within the forest center. These past months had been spent cartographing the newly formed terrain Sutra had stumbled upon. Mother's voice seemed to echo - her vision unfolding before his minds eye.
The freezing winter had made its home here now. His breath crystallized into a serene mist right before his eyes. Breaking twigs broke the silence. No, not breaking twigs. Bubbling water? There. Giggling. Children's laughter. "Out here?" Sutra posed.
A rainbows flicker just to his left preceded an untraceable chortle. The shade slowly inhaled and waited for the perfect moment. A thick pine bush feet before him began to rattle. Sutra reached for the cold handle of a hidden blade and squinted, trying to penetrate the foliage with his Elven eyes. Nothing.
Sutra stood in silence. An explosion of howls emanated from the bush and its owner shortly followed. The map makers hand gripped the handle in anticipation. A small dog weighing no more than 20 stones leapt out of the pine undergrowth and stood its ground. It barked with such fervor that it's front feet cleared the ground with every loud exhale. Amusingly bewildered Sutra took a knee and tilted his head in chuckling observation.
The salt and pepper canine suddenly stopped its barking and fervently began wagging her tail. A red ribbon adorned her neck.
"Well then little lady...", Sutra looked in each direction expecting her companion to claim any second now. Nothing. Odd.
The chilled Sidhe reached into his pouch and produced a bit of jerky.
"What's your name little one?" Sutra asked. The little dog simply continued wagging her tail and watched him. She blinked occasionally. She even seemed to wink at him, though he attributed that to his imagination.
Slowly, with right hand extended, Sutra offered the new found friend the treat.
"Don't you dare, you don't know where it's been!?" exclaimed a small voice from behind.
"What!?" Sutra quickly exclaimed as he turned on his heel. A bright flash of light blinded him. Sutra stood up with a start and began to stumble backwards. His left heel hooked a dead vine and felt gravity work its magic. The heavy thud startled migrating birds from their perches.
Sutra rolled to his right with a low moan. He wasn't as young and agile as he was years earlier though his level of unamusement was much more refined this very moment.
"Seriously...." he managed to gasp out.
"What have I told you!? Never accept gifts or treats from strangers young lady!?" the small voice belted out. A whimper and a muffled bark followed. Sutra could make out the sound of wet paws making their way back into the forest. He could have also sworn he had heard the sound of tiny fluttering...wings?
Fairies? Here? Sutras head began to reel and a welcome fatigue began to set in.
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"Ovar heer!"
The distant voice thundered like an approaching storm.
A warm wet sensation tickled Sutra's forehead - starting from his right eyebrow and extended to his left hairline. The sound of smacking lips. And the booming voice again.
"E'S KNOT DAED YE!"
Sutra's eyes snapped open and traced the huge beard and calculated the curvature of the neck line - right to where the jugular meet the jawline. His hand artfully produced a simple black blade and pressed it to the strangers throat.
"AAHHH..YA...E'S AWAYKE THAN..." exclaimed the surprised voice.
"Did you just lick me?" asked the angry youth.
The beard telegraphed the barbarians answers. "Dat aye di...haid to mayke ture ya weren't dea..."
"If you EVER lick me again...I will cut out your tongue and stew it for an Orc. Understood?"
"Ay...undarstod..." the blurry figure slowly backed away from the blade, standing up; easily towering over the toppled figure.
"Ah, you found him then? Good!" Spoke a second more familiar voice.
"Aye di.." the first voice replied, followed by a mumbled "thouh aye shad ave left im fer de dags - de ungraytfal baastar..."
"That'll do Thorgar. He'll thank you in his own way."
Sutra propped himself up on his elbows and shook his head. "Eniad? That you?" The scent of dried venison blood clung to the air. "Torgas?" The giant barbarian grunted a hearty greeting. A third figure stood between the familiar faces.
"Yes sir, it is. Decided to show the new blood the lay of the land. Thorgar, this is Sutra. Sutra. Thorgar." Eniad declared.
The two new acquaintances simple nodded to each other. Awkward silence filled the cold air.
"Well then, I guess we'll leave you to your nap then?" Eniad jokingly posed.
"No, I think I'm good for a couple hours actually." Sutra smirked. "Did...any of you see a small gray and white dog wandering around?"
The three figures looked at each other questioningly and shrugged their shoulders. "No." they answered simultaneously.
"Bet de dog wood mayke Torgas' stew betta do!" Torgas hungrily exclaimed.
"Yeah...nooo...thanks anyways." The cartographer slowly stood up and began to wipe wet twigs and dead leaves from his backside. "And Shadowhawk's heirs are back at camp...right?"
Eniad answered. "Both of em, a little bored but their father pledged to take them out hunting within the hour. Should still their minds for a bit."
Sutra's puzzled look invited Eniad's curiosity. "Been seeing things again then?"
Eniad received a low grunt for an answer.
"Thought so. Now what?"
"Guess I wait till I decide to take a nap in the middle of the forest again for the voices to find me."
"A dog you said?"
"Dags go gud wid salt and mead yea!"
"Yeah...a small gray and white one at that."
"Uh-huh."
"With a red ribbon tied to it's neck."
"Yeah...so we're heading back to camp. Ya coming?"
Sutra considered the possibility of scouting deeper into the woods but realized a hot mug of mead and a campfire would fare better.
"Yeah. I'll catch up in a sec."
Sutra once again nodded to the new comer and shared a wordless laugh with the wizard and barbarian before the triad disappeared in the camps direction.
The shadow stood motionless, straining to hear the giggling again. Silence. Only the howl of the wind winding through the thick winter pines could be heard.
A strange magic had begun to take root here. As was with all youthful birthplaces of the dreaming, an electric excitement charged the air around him.
Sutra laughed at the image of the ribbon sporting dog and the licking barbarian.
An excellent tale to share at the fire tonight indeed during the laying of travel plans to the kingdoms endreign.
S
[con't]
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The general who advances without seeking fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do service for his sovereign, is the jewel of his kingdom. -Sun Wu
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