The Journal of Morwyn mac Tíre

– | Wayward Youths ->

Tresle shone in the palm of the Storm last night. The viridian dreams were strong as starlight, sharp with fresh blood and ashen skies. Good omens that the quarry was close.

Came toward Brolko from the wilds. The proper ways. Quieter. Less words and two-legged herds. I dislike traveling Kavones in this season, too warm and bright, but haste was needed.

Smelled the blood and smoke on the wind long before reaching it. A farm burning, fields in ruins. Others were there. Four women, one scented of wolf and elflight. They clashed with strange things. Octopus plant-things that spat barbs and caught prey in endless tendrils.

Decided to join the fray. We fought and won, killed the plant-things. They burned well, izih-guth. Some injuries, no survivors.

Hatsuko-enzidh – I am sure she is the wolf-elf – was swift as in dreams, cutting plant-things apart with blade of grass and wind. Leera – night-elf, distant and cold as stars – ferociously skilled ninna with arrows like falcons snatching prey. Lishan – many-hued azah-elf – iridescent magic like starfall. Charlotte – elegant artificial girl – nimble and sharp and precise as needles. Another joined the struggle, a large panther that mauled and fed on the dead plant-things. Lucky. I was only able to taste one burned morsel, too sweet and too vegetal.

Plant things are called aartuk, wanderers from the great astral seas beyond the moons. Thinking plants still burn well.

One survivor of aartuk before we arrived. A woman. Lishan-azah granted her mercy. Wise – kul kusura udmeda – the farm was her territory, ruined by violence and honoured by saving her. Also in the farmhouse was a small dog, nervous and afraid. Hatsuko-enzidh talked to it, truely talked to it – how marvellous! – it came out and told us all it knew. I got to pet the dog. It was cute.

Also in the house was a dead creature, stranger even than the aartuk. Charlotte-zaazi knew what it was once Leera-ninna regathered the parts. A beholder-kin called a gazer. Another alien thing from beyond the moons. The pack say that the aartuk must have tracked it here. Impressive hunting skills to track prey across the stars, worthy of respect. What threat brings alien hunters to Kavones? What is this pack hunting?

Travelled with them to Brolko. The little dog said that the injured woman’s wife was there. Good. She can help her rouse and recover from her harms. Talked to the pack on the road. Learned their names, and that the panther was a person as well. Vivian-bhakhir is comfortable as she is. I respect that, almost envy it though I prefer my own claws to hers. Such purity of existence, not caught living between two worlds.

We reached Brolko and found the wife’s grave. I should leave a flower there for her and reward the dog for good service.

I will travel with this pack for now, until I know why the skeins of dreams have drawn me here, to them and this place.