Post by Mayetoro on Jan 2, 2011 12:49:35 GMT -5
The jungle hummed and buzzed around her as she followed Srin'yei along the barely discernible game trail. Dew clung to her arms and legs as she brushed through the heavy leaves and dangling creepers, but the warmth of the day was already seeping down through the shadowy canopy far above and so she did not mind the coolness on her skin.
"Hurry up, little stick!" Srin hissed back over his shoulder.
Maye glanced up and stuck out her tongue, smiling at his deep laugh. Srin could always make any occasion silly, even one as important as this.
The moment was interrupted as the trees opened up before the small group, and Mother Ujemb stopped to look out over the clearing, leaning on her bent wooden walking stick as the five young trolls collected just behind her, close like the small children they were about to stop being, quiet and apprehensive of the test the story keeper was about to give them.
Mother glanced back over her shoulder with that slow, teasing smile Maye had known her entire life, "Are we ready, little ones?"
"I am NOT little." muttered Srin…just loud enough for Mother to hear, and Maye could not help but agree, since he stood taller and heavier than any of the other men in the village. Maye tried to picture him as the little boy she had thrown mud balls at when they had visited the river with their mothers to wash clothes, but the image seemed unwilling to come to her.
Mother laughed softly and then turned, her ancient hands like leather on the worn spot where she always grasped her staff. The tiny feathers and bones tied to the top of the stick brushed and clicked against each other in soft whispers. She looked over the five young trolls before her and her voice was quiet and deep, bringing back memories of lullabies from endless warm nights.
"You will always be my little ones, and I will always love the children inside you, but it is time to be other things as well. Lovers, mothers, fathers, warriors, hunters…a thousand things children can only dream of." the Mother took a long, slow breath and Maye thought the old one's gaze paused on her for a long moment. Her voice became slightly stronger and she looked up to the rays of sunshine striking down through the leaves far overhead.
Mother Ujemb lifted one gnarled hand the color of old wood to the sun, "Forever have the sun and moon run across the skies and forever will the land grow and sing at their touch. But we are not forever, and so from childhood we must someday walk so that others who have gone before and those that will follow will have us to tell their stories and footsteps to follow through the green."
The old one dropped her eyes and looked about the group, "In the forest here there is something for each of you. You must find it and bring it to me by the end of the day. None of the others can help you, and no one can tell you what it is. Go out alone and find it. Bring it back to the village by sunset. We will all celebrate together with food and drink and songs and I will teach you the fire dance."
Maye watched the old one wave a hand, shooing them away, "Go! Go and find your future!"
Srin whooped and hit Maye in the arm, almost knocking her from her feet, calling back to her over his shoulder as he loped away. "Try not to bring back any Kiuy'pe poop, little stick!"
The young girl, now on the morning of being a woman, sighed as the others moved out into the bright, green morning. She rubbed her arm where Srin had touched her, the smell and feel of his strength and confidence wrapping about her for a moment, leaving her insides warm and her face flushed.
"Maye…" a soft voice whispered from behind her, causing her to whirl in a start and find the Mother standing so close she could see the glittering reflection of the world in the older woman's eyes.
Mother Ujembe reached out and touched Maye's forehead very softly with a single finger. "Do not let this get in your way, lovely flower." The ancient hand dropped to touch the girl's chest, "Your strength lies here." The old woman smiled slowly and turned away, "Do not worry, Mayetoro. I named you. I believe in you. All will be well."
Maye watched the old one move slowly into the forest, disappearing in the green with her deceptive way of moving. The young girl turned back to the clearing, the other trolls now invisible on their individual quests. "Yes, grandmother." She whispered as she spotted a tree off in the distance that seemed as good a place as any to start.
"Hurry up, little stick!" Srin hissed back over his shoulder.
Maye glanced up and stuck out her tongue, smiling at his deep laugh. Srin could always make any occasion silly, even one as important as this.
The moment was interrupted as the trees opened up before the small group, and Mother Ujemb stopped to look out over the clearing, leaning on her bent wooden walking stick as the five young trolls collected just behind her, close like the small children they were about to stop being, quiet and apprehensive of the test the story keeper was about to give them.
Mother glanced back over her shoulder with that slow, teasing smile Maye had known her entire life, "Are we ready, little ones?"
"I am NOT little." muttered Srin…just loud enough for Mother to hear, and Maye could not help but agree, since he stood taller and heavier than any of the other men in the village. Maye tried to picture him as the little boy she had thrown mud balls at when they had visited the river with their mothers to wash clothes, but the image seemed unwilling to come to her.
Mother laughed softly and then turned, her ancient hands like leather on the worn spot where she always grasped her staff. The tiny feathers and bones tied to the top of the stick brushed and clicked against each other in soft whispers. She looked over the five young trolls before her and her voice was quiet and deep, bringing back memories of lullabies from endless warm nights.
"You will always be my little ones, and I will always love the children inside you, but it is time to be other things as well. Lovers, mothers, fathers, warriors, hunters…a thousand things children can only dream of." the Mother took a long, slow breath and Maye thought the old one's gaze paused on her for a long moment. Her voice became slightly stronger and she looked up to the rays of sunshine striking down through the leaves far overhead.
Mother Ujemb lifted one gnarled hand the color of old wood to the sun, "Forever have the sun and moon run across the skies and forever will the land grow and sing at their touch. But we are not forever, and so from childhood we must someday walk so that others who have gone before and those that will follow will have us to tell their stories and footsteps to follow through the green."
The old one dropped her eyes and looked about the group, "In the forest here there is something for each of you. You must find it and bring it to me by the end of the day. None of the others can help you, and no one can tell you what it is. Go out alone and find it. Bring it back to the village by sunset. We will all celebrate together with food and drink and songs and I will teach you the fire dance."
Maye watched the old one wave a hand, shooing them away, "Go! Go and find your future!"
Srin whooped and hit Maye in the arm, almost knocking her from her feet, calling back to her over his shoulder as he loped away. "Try not to bring back any Kiuy'pe poop, little stick!"
The young girl, now on the morning of being a woman, sighed as the others moved out into the bright, green morning. She rubbed her arm where Srin had touched her, the smell and feel of his strength and confidence wrapping about her for a moment, leaving her insides warm and her face flushed.
"Maye…" a soft voice whispered from behind her, causing her to whirl in a start and find the Mother standing so close she could see the glittering reflection of the world in the older woman's eyes.
Mother Ujembe reached out and touched Maye's forehead very softly with a single finger. "Do not let this get in your way, lovely flower." The ancient hand dropped to touch the girl's chest, "Your strength lies here." The old woman smiled slowly and turned away, "Do not worry, Mayetoro. I named you. I believe in you. All will be well."
Maye watched the old one move slowly into the forest, disappearing in the green with her deceptive way of moving. The young girl turned back to the clearing, the other trolls now invisible on their individual quests. "Yes, grandmother." She whispered as she spotted a tree off in the distance that seemed as good a place as any to start.