Amber Ark E-Book

Evelyn G Lohmann

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 604

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

Ark of Hoof Prints. Book Five. Amber Ark. The Iron Man wants to make the Old Emperor pay for the death of his father and for banishing his family. He’s plans are twisted by She-With-The-Sight, she uses her own kin to take her revenge on the Iron Man cruelty. She let the Iron Man take the boy, but ReeMara has the power, she will carry the amber stones to the city to place under the temple. The girl does not know she has been manipulated till the sward is in her hand pointing at the Iron Man’ hart. He killed her family, destroyed her village, he took her brother. The real danger to the city and her and those ReeMara loves is She-With-The-Sight! She-With-The-Sight wants the twins ReeMara’s younger children. She-With-The-Sight wants to disgrace ReeMara and ReeArk, put the twins in their places as Emperor and Empress. Control the trading city or destroy it as she wishes.

Leseprobe

For Uwe.

Ark of Hoof Prints. Book Five

Amber Ark.

The Iron Man wants to make the Old Emperor pay for the death of his father and for banishing his family. He’s plans are twisted by She-With-The-Sight, she uses her own kin to take her revenge on the Iron Man cruelty. She let the Iron Man take the boy, but ReeMara has the power, she will carry the amber stones to the city to place under the temple.

The girl does not know she has been manipulated till the sward is in her hand pointing at the Iron Man’ hart. He killed her family, destroyed her village, he took her brother. The real danger to the city and her and those ReeMara loves is She-With-The-Sight!

She-With-The-Sight wants the twins ReeMara’s younger children. She-With-The-Sight wants to disgrace ReeMara and ReeArk, put the twins in their places as Emperor and Empress.

Control the trading city or destroy it as she wishes.

There is no Future

without a Past.

The beach curved into the blue horizon both sides of the midday sun. The sea washed the band of open sand as the wind caressed the sea grass that grew on the dunes before the twisted pines. The pine trees held the sea’s playful winds from ReeMara’s village.

ReeMara’s feet were not quick enough to stop the sea splashing her; it did not even try to stop her from knocking over her brother as they tried to run away from the playful water. The sea’s white waves mixing with their laughter, ReeArk was back up on his toddler’s legs ready to splash ReeMara, he was not going to wait for the sea to knock over his sister again.

The two children’s mother and aunt were too busy to enjoy the youngsters’ games. The men were fishing out in the bay. They were hoping the last storm had sent big fish into their bay. From the amount of seaweed and shells there should also be many of the floating stones for the women to collect.

The children were supposed to help find the flashing bobbing stones but the storm had kept them hemmed in their huts for two days and their held in energy could only be set free on the open beach.

Reed baskets already had many of the light stones held in them, the driftwood only need to be dried before it could be used to heat the village’s fire. The kale weed was used to feed the horses in the lean winter months, there were other seaweeds the folk could eat. And, as long as storms did not stop them from setting out in the long boats to cast out their nets, there was fresh fish. The last storm had thrown many of the villager’s daily needs onto their white sand beach. It only needed willing hands to collect it.

Hooves pounding the wet sand did not stop ReeMara and ReeArk from splashing in the shallow water. ReeArk was the first to be frightened; so many horses were galloping towards them, screaming into the rising wind! ReeArk did not know there were men lying low on the strange horses’ backs now disturbing the village grazing hard. He did not see the cold steel held in the man’s hand till it had struck his mother.

ReeArk’s little body twisted in the air, the hard hand held his ankle; he could see the white water swirl before his eyes as he was swung over the back of a horse.

ReeMara grabbed at his dangling feet as the sword swung again. It missed her; she felt it passing like a leaf from a tree.

The blade caught ReeArk’s up turned face, a cruel red line ran from over his eye and down his left cheek, his flaxen hair was soon matted with his blood.

The sound of man and women shouting, their screams mixed with the water that pulled ReeMara under into an incoming wave; it drew her away from the beach into the deeper sea.

Losing the sand from under her was the last thing ReeMara could remember. Only the image of her brother’s damaged face and the pleading look in his frightened blue eyes came with her as the sea dragged her away from the beach.

Why the sea spat ReeMara back onto the beach, ReeMara did not want to ask when she tried to brush the sand from her eyes and spit salt water from her mouth.

A woman’s body lay, not far from where ReeMara lay, if her mother looked the same ReeMara did not want to know. If she had turned the body over, she would have known it was the body of her mother’s sister.

ReeMara stood up the beach was as empty as it had been that morning when they had come to comb the beach. If tears had not been running down her face she would have seen the sand smeared with blood and the blood merging into the sea.

Deep patens of hooves and feet had scuffed the wind smoothed dunes ReeMara did not understand the meaning of the marks, not even when she then saw smoke rise above the dune.

A strong smell of burning wood did not cover something ReeMara did not want to try to comprehend.

The smoke was black and thick and chocking as ReeMara came out of the trees guarding her home from the winter’s cold wind from the sea.

If the huts had still been standing the smouldering mound in their midst would not have been noticeable. They had so often cooked their meals in the communal coals; it was not fish backing in the glowing charcoal. The blackened hand lost its hold in the embers; it could only crumble into its reddened bed.

ReeMara sat shivering where she was; she could not move it did not seem right. It was her folk ashes that were blowing away in the sharp wind heralding another storm from the sea.

“If you are going to sit there any longer, you may as well sit on top of the fire.”

ReeMara jumped she turned to where a pair of black eyes peered out of a black feathered head set on a sleek gray body with his wings folded like the village alder when he was scolding wayward youths.

ReeMara was still too shocked to understand what she was doing but she fallowed the crow’s instructions and rose to her feet and let the bird lead her away from what once been her home.

To take the human back onto the beach as not a way the crow could lead the little girl. Great waves were pounding the beach as if it wished to punish the open sands for what they had aloud to happen there that day. The other way was to take her through the salt marches; its tall reeds would hide her from the wild men that had destroyed her folk and home. She was small it might be too defalcate to get her to move through the reed’s curtains.

The storm took that route away from both of them. It had picked up the fire from the village, and taken hold of the reeds in the salt march. That only way left open was between the flaming reads and the twisted pine trees; that was the way others were taking.

The wild cat, C’raw did not like the look of it. If they had not been hurrying out of the path of the fire he would have had to worry about its’ presents.

C’raw had too worry about the speed or lack of speed the young human was making; he dipped his wing at her to get her to hurry, her short legs did not cover the ground as well as his wings could.

A horse brushed past ReeMara, she fell to the ground C’raw could not get her up before another’s hooves pounded past.

ReeMara saw the bird fly in the face of a horse, it had to slow down or hit the bird; the one behind it collided with the slowing mare, pushing her into the way of a leaning pine. C’raw had to peck ReeMara to get her to cling to the mare’s mane, she heard him say, ‘She would have had to learn to ride sometime!’ When she could catch her breath she would have words with that bird. She had been cling to horses’ backs since she could crawl, so had ReeArk! That bird pecked her again!

The mare picked up speed once she freed herself of the tree C’raw had used to slow her. Her hooves covered the ground better than the small feet of the girl, but not to the satisfaction of the worried bird; he helped guide her as the smoke whipped them all before it.

Flames were hidden in the leading smoke, no one had to be told, had they stopped the flames would not have waited to burn them. The mare did see the flames devour a familiar horses’ solute, as it sank into the smoke.

C’raw was in the air over the strip of land that leaded to the higher ground, hidden from those trying to out run the fire were humans with their spears pointed, waiting for the meat being driven towards them!

She-With-The-Sight would not except any excuses if he did not get this last remaining human to her. Why it was so important he got the last remaining human to her, he had not been told. For his acceptance trial C’raw would have like a less taxing test than the one facing him now.

Spears were pointing at the frightened animals racing before the wind driven flames, towards the strip of land held by those holding the sharpened points. If he was going to carry out her wishes he was going to have to think of something soon.

The mare turned suddenly she pushed the youngster following her towards the darken bank above the water reflected the leaping flames; they jumped into the living waters with the little girl still cling to the mare.

The mare and her son swam away from the shouting men and the devouring flames. C’raw rose above them to search for a point on the opposite bank where they could set hoof onto dry ground and be safe from the hunting humans.

Wherever C’raw looked the chalk banks would not let a horse climb out of the water.

“You will have to swim past that point.” C’raw was saying as the mare and her youngster were holding their heads above the cold water. If you can make it there you can get out of the water and rest, the tress are too thick and the over hanging bank will not let you set hoof on safer land, but it will give us time to work out what we should do next.”

Two horses found the shallows took their weight and the covering chalk bank took the wind away from their wet coats. They were also glad to have the overhanging bank to hide them and the girl from the humans prowling among the trees above them.

The humans did not take any notice of the watchful bird. They were not even interested in the carcass of a goat that they could have fished out of the water easily with a stick. If they were not hunting for meet, than what were they hunting for? While the humans were about C’raw was not going to try to move those hiding under the bank.

The first light of dawn was creeping over the still water, salt water, fresh water did not make much difference wet was wet! ReeMara was cold, wet and hungry and they were arguing? The mare and the black bird were heatedly disusing how they were going to get out of this uncomfortable hiding place.

A child could scramble through the roots if she stood on the mare’s back but to get the youngster and his mare through the over hanging roots was just not possible. The only way out for them was to swim, and that was not the only the problem!

The mare was saying she wanted to get back to her herd, the youngster need to be weaned and the time was coming, when she could enjoy the stallions attentions, she would like to foal again this coming season.

The black bird’s argument they should get this human to She-With-The-Sight with all the speed their hooves had! That did not impress the mare, why should she worry about a crow’s problems? He had to remind her, without him she would have ended her life on ‘the end off a spear.’ and her foal as well!

The decision to swim out into the lagoon had to be made before the new days’ light could brighten the water, C’raw was worried if there were still humans about they would be easy to spot in the clear waters mixing with the chalk bed of the lagoon.

C’raw felt in the tips of his wings it was important to get this small girl to She-With-The-Sight.

The humans had not been hunting! They had let too much meat just float by; he should know as he was a crow and crows did not kill their meat, they scavenged seeing meat was not wasted. The humans last night had prowled the woods; they had not been dragging way carcasses. That really puzzled C’raw; it could not all be part of his acceptance trial?

To C’raw’s horror the young horse would not get back into the water, not even when C’raw pecked his rump would the youngster move. The girl seemed to be making a decision, was she going to climb out of the chalk dell? She was soothing little colt:

“There is only one way out of here, hooves are not made to crawl their way through chalk banks.” her voice was calming and reassuring. “If we just swim over there, I am sure we will find just the right spot to get onto dry land!”

The little girl swam with the young horse, helping him keep his muzzle free of water; the mare let C’raw lead the way to where he had spotted a place where the swimmers could get out of the water. What did trouble him was as they swam the water mixed with the chalk, leaving a white trail! If anyone was looking out over the water would see the white chalk slick with a dark hart. A black sheep would have had more chance of not being spotted in a herd of white sheep!

C’raw knew he could not hurry the swimmers, he could see they were tiring; standing with your fetlocks in cold water all night cannot have been be pleasant. The skies were brightening, the normal early morning flyers had taken to the air. If C’raw had not seen the humans attack the fisher folk with his own eyes he also would have enjoyed the warming thermals, now last nights’ storming winds were worrying some other place.

At least the horses looked happier with their hooves on solid land; the mare did not seem to mind the girl on her back. Maybe the girl did not have to learn to ride; she was not disturbing the mare as she trotted over the turf, with the youngster close to her.

They did not stop to take a close look at the smouldering remains of what had been a village.

ReeMara did not want to see any more evidence of the horrors she had seen the day before; it must have been repeated here.

ReeMara thought she had been to this place before, but it had looked so different. ReeMara remembered cling to her mother and hiding her face in the woven wool robe, to shy to look at the other people there; ReeMara wanted to feel her mother’s warmth.

It was not her mother’s warmth she felt, it was the mare’s mixed with the sun. They could not apologise for what had happened. ReeMara buried her head in the mare’s mane, not caring if her sobs were heard. The mare made sure her hooves did not jar the little girl, she needed to cry, whatever has happened to her?

No one had spoken since they had left the smouldering village. They were crossing open land C’raw was worrying as he circled above them; the land was too open for his liking, there was nowhere he could hide the two horses and the girl.

Humans had horses when they were hunting or trading with others; could the mare and foal out gallop the human hunters? C’raw was happy to reach the tall beach trees even if the rising hill was making the horses puff.

Now C’raw was worrying that he had not seen any humans! The woodland fringes were where the folk came to collect firewood and they must need firewood after last night storm. There were normally many humans here but now there were none! C’raw did not feel comfortable even though the forest was where he had been hatched, where he had leant to fly, where his family had lived since the first egg of time.

The beach trees were mixing with taller pines, the ground was clear for the horses to move easily, the twisting brambles did not start to grow thickly until the worn tracks lost their way in the Old Forest.

The Old Forest was where the undergrowth would be too thick for those on the ground to follow.

C’raw had not thought of how was he going to get them to She-With-The-Sight? Her dwelling was only assessable from the air, he had never had to think about it before, he had flown in and out without having to think about bring a human or other ground bound!

C’raw did not have time to think about it, anymore! Three members of his flight were heading towards him through the swaying pines.

C’saw was always sparing with his words; C’raw was not offended with the lack of normal greetings:

“We are to escort you all into She-With-The-Sight presences.”

The other two crows dipped their wings in greeting as they turned to lead the way.

“Hay, we can’t follow you as fast as you are leading us.” The mare’s voice sounded cross from the ground. C’raw fluttered down to land on her withers; the girl was asleep on her back. He would have to wake her before they reached She-With-The-Sight. C’raw had not had to think about finding a ground bound way to her dwelling, when he had been required in her presence he had just landed on the old tree; from this level the forest looked very different.

C’saw was in charge of escorting the strangers, his directions were sparse as his speech, the other two birds had to drop down now and again to check those on the ground were going the right way.

Thick walls of brambles grow out of the ground, weaving the tree’s saplings into its mass. ReeMara did not know how they were going to get through it or round it, sleep was still trying to call her back, she would have fallen asleep again had three strange crows not stopped her party and C’raw asked her to drop to the ground.

“Here, take a stick, you will need it to open the way.” C’saw’s short words were not enough to explain what ReeMara was supposed to do, was she to beat the brambles away?

A crow drop down to explain, ReeMara was to pull to one side an over hanging curtain of straggling strands of the massif bramble plant.

Behind the hang was a tunnel large enough for her to stand, the mare could squeeze into the opening of the tunnel, she had pushed her youngster in behind the little girl. The mare did have a lot to grumble about, the dangling brambles caught in her mane and pulled at her tail and scratched her back. Her grumbles could be heard as their group emerged into the clearing.

The clearing was dominated by a tree, a tree so knolled and twisted, if the top most branches did not have leaves to show it was an oak, it would have been hard to tell what it was or what it could have been.

ReeMara had not seen anything so impressive, she was standing in the way as the mare shook herself free of the last arms of brambles trying to keep hold of her.

“I don’t know how I let myself get talked into this!” Was all she was aloud to say; C’saw announced they were to stay there, food would be brought to them and water could be found stored in the roots.

C’raw would have joined his flight brothers, but C’saw told him to stay with those he had brought here. C’raw was surprised and a little hurt when he had to stay down with the land bound.

Berries and grass were delivered as promised, but not words were exchanged, his arrivals were tired just glad to rest and eat the feed that had been given them. Why the crows delivering the food had been told not to talk to them annoyed C’raw; he had been looking forward to at least catching up on what had been going on.

She-With-The-Sight had to wait till the daylight slipped into the night; her pale eyes did not like light. She did not know how old she was or how old the tree was. It was as if she had never left its inner cave; never left its’ protecting cover, the sun would only hurt her.

It did not mean she did not know what was going on around her; every Flight of Crows reported to her the land under the mists busyness, for her use.

That it was a child asleep in the curling roots did not fit her plan. If one human was to escape the shadow that had befallen the sea surrounded lands she controlled; she had not thought it would be a child and a girl at that! She was not pleased with the crow that had managed to find the survivor that had slipped away from the men with the long metal arms.

She-With-The-Sight would have preferred one of the crows from an older flight, further along with the doctrine of her thinking; still the youngster was keen to serve!

“My eyes, what do you have to tell of maters in the land ringed in water?”

The old woman was twisted like the roots around her, asked the large crow that had entered the inner space through a hole where a branch had once been.

R’Taw was a large bird his feathers and set of wing told of his leadership and command of all the crow flights.

“The only living human from the peninsula is that young human. The iron clad man has seen to the destruction of every living animal, except for the two horses C’raw used to bring the human here.”

R’Taw knew She-With-The-Sight would not be pleased with the little human, too young for whatever she had in mind.

It was not for him to guess at what She-With-The-Sight was planning. As long as her plans kept him in command of the crows and skies over the Islands in the Mist, he would see she got the things she asked for.

“What of the humans living on my land’s skirts; has the iron clad man kept his word?”

“He has taken villages not in your argument.” Was all R’Taw could say as She-With-The-Sight was laughing! Any warm hearted sole would have felt its chill deep in their bones, R’Taw could only smile.

“See that the child has what a child needs.” She-The-With-Sight seemed to except the child. All hatchlings needed care till they were fledglings. The girl was of an age that She-The-With-Sight could pass on the knowledge the girl would need.

A flight could only be as good as the knowledge of their leader. R’Taw acknowledged her last remark as he swooped out of the old tree’s massive trunk; he would see She-The-With-Sight’s wishes were carried out, personally.

ReeMara did not know what to make of the nuts had been given her; there did not seem to be a way to open them, but the fruit, she could eat. Thankful for something to eat and drink she rocked her body to sleep in a blanket of leaves, in the base of the tree’s roots.

Sleep was still in ReeMara's eyes as a small female crow pecked her to follow her. It soon became clear that she was not going to be able to fly into the tree as the little crow had hoped. The darker hole was too high, and the knurled wood was too smooth for such a small person try to climb. Cam was at loss as to how she was going to get the visitor to She-The-With-Sight!

The little crow watched ReeMara crawling in and out of the roots legs as she and C’raw tried to puzzle away to get the child to She-The-With-Sight. Crows could carry messages but not heavy humans!

The little human solved their problem by exploring the spaces under the great trunk. A visitor did not usually squirm their way into She-The-With-Sight’s presence from under the tree’s roots!

As ReeMara’s eyes got used to the gloom inside the tree, a figure as bent and twisted as the tree its self appeared to move from the inner stem towards her, ReeMara had not expected to see a pair of white misty eyes following her.

ReeMara did not want to trust the root to support her, she did not know if it was her child’s mind that saw such a twisted body, or just a trick of the tree’s gloomy shadows?

“Child, take my hand.” She-The-With-Sight’s voice commanded ReeMara to come to her side. ReeMara took the hand to find it was not made of wood, though the skin was white like the eyes; it was as if gnarled bones were taking her hand. ReeMara wanted to pull her hand away but did not want to break the fingers like twigs in the forest.

“Let me look at you.” For eyes that did not see she could see into the sole of this child, it surprised her to see the strength behind the little girl’s expression. She could use this strength! The child did not look away, nor did she try to take her hand back.

“What did she say to you?” C’raw wanted to know, she had not been away long.

“I have a lot to learn. ReeMara said. “I am, to return to her as the sun sinks tomorrow.”

C’raw could only turn to the little crow that held her head on one side as she said:

“We had better see to more mundane needs, if they are going to be staying longer.”

C’raw could hear Cam discussing with the mare, the mare did not sound happy at the idea she should let the child suckle.

“Your youngster is ready to stop suckling, to keep enough for this hatchling would not be troublesome, we do not have another possibility to provide for a young human needs.

You have saved her life, the responsibility lies with you to see she thrives!”

Sea Spray was finding it hard to argue with the little crow, she did not like to be told what she had to do. Her youngster decided to allow the human’s head rest on his warm flank, as he sleepily rested in the protection of one of the roots, how she could have thought to refuse to help to nourish the human?

The crow had taken to the air promising to see more feed suitable for horses was made available.

Cam returned later with a flight of crows, all carrying well chosen grasses for the horses, berries and nuts for the child. C’raw had the idea to drop the nuts from a high branch, in hope their husk would brake so the girl could eat the flesh inside. ReeMara had to duck away from the dropping nuts while trying to grab their flesh.

From inside the tree it was strange for She-The-With-Sight hear a child’s voice.

The days and weeks that followed saw as the sun went down a little human wriggle into She-The-With-Sight’s presence. At first she let the girl play with the stones that held the day light, wonder at their difference in colour, enjoy their warmth, peer into their depths, to see spiders on their webs, or leaves and the drop of rain balanced on it.

There were green moss stones like shadows in a green summer forest, and there were stones like mares’ milk and stones holding misty and rainy days. Little secrets ReeMara could find to play with in the woods were held in some of the stones that ReeMara was aloud to play with, as she played with them, She-With-The-Sight told her stories.

“There was a great village alder; he was not only the alder of the Village of the Sun but of all the villages in the Isle’s of the Mists. He had many horses that run with him in the winds that drive the sun onto the next dawn.

One day his son asked if he could run with the winds and horses as his father did. Proud to see his son wanted to match his father, the alder agreed. But, the horses did not like the extra weight on their backs, they bolted with the wind.

Without the wind the sun was left alone, it burnt the earth and scorched the trees! As the sun did not move the villagers covered their skins with ash from the earth, so the sun could not scorch them. When the horses had been gathered and calmed by soft returning winds; the villagers thought the winds would blow away the scorched earth they had used to protect themselves, but the softer winds could not blow away the earth’s colours from the humans’ skin.

The humans had as many colours on their skin as the horses had in their flowing coats. The herd stallions carried they pride with their colourful flowing manes and tails, stamped their anger on the newly burnt earth, to protest at having to share colours with the villagers.

With the might of their many hooves the ground broke up and splashed into the sea sending spray of protest to the sun. The sun spat fire at the spray turning it back to the sea, the sun laughing as the spray copied all the colours that had made the stallions so angry.

In the colours were parting gifts from the trees and plants the sun had scorched, animals, birds and insects added their memory to the spray the sun sent back into the sea.”

She-With-The-Sight waited as ReeMara turn one of the sun’s stones over in her small hands.

“The sun and the sea remember the day the Alder and his son tried to run with the horses of the winds. The sun and the sea like to through the spray holding the memories back onto the beach, to remind the village alders not to let their sons try to ride the wild horses of the winds.”

ReeMara remembered the beach before the men had come with the horses. Similar stones to these in her hands, her mother and aunt had been collecting. She as a child had never been aloud to play with them. Now She-The-With-Sight had told her their story, ReeMara could

understand why they were not for babies to play with. ReeMara turned another one over in her hand that looked like it was holding a little of the sea’s spray! ReeMara put it into She-The-With-Sight’s twisted hand; the old woman was slumped in sleep as ReeMara left to join the others that night.

She-The-With-Sight told ReeMara more about the sun and sea holding little secrets from the trees, animals and birds in their stones. The sun kept some of its light in them and the sea kept them in its depth to throw at the land so the horses would not forget they did not own all the colours.

She-The-With-Sight took a rough stone and she struck it to light a small pile of brush wood, in its flickering light she through a handful of sparkling dust, like the sea throwing some of the stones for the sun onto the beach. A smell filled the hollow tree, telling of plants and flowers! ReeMara did not want to leave She-With-The-Sight alone to enjoy the senses in the fire’s dancing light, that night.

ReeMara did not understand how could the stones be so old? They had come from a time long before her folk lived in the Isles of the Mist! That much her mother had told her.

ReeMara rubbed a stone on what was left of her clothing, she set it next to the cold fire of the night before, so she could rubbed another, ReeMara saw a flack of wood ash move towards the stone and then another!

“When you rub a true stone, it can draw little things to it. Folk think a stone that can do that will gather good fortune for them. Good fortune they need in hunting or the kind of good fortune folk like to have when they build a dwelling. If they place a piece under the fundament of the dwelling, they think good fortune well be attracted to the life they lead there.”

She-With-The-Sight hand stirred the ashes so ReeMara could see more flakes move towards the stone she was playing with.

ReeMara’s days were spent with Sea Spray and her foal Sea Soul, were watched over by C’raw and Cam. In the evenings ReeMara was with the old woman, She-With-The-Sight.

ReeMara liked to play with the stones She-With-The-Sight showed her, she peered into their depths delighted in the creatures captured there, and wondered at the way the fire light played in stones and at all the colours they showed.

She-With-The-Sight would often through chips of the stone into fire, from a bag she kept tucked among the roots of the old tree, their smell mixed with the warmth from the fires embers, it help her twisted body to find comfort as she told ReeMara her stories.

C’raw surprised ReeMara when he said he was going to take them to a beach by the lagoon, were they could enjoy the shallow water. And the grazing was undamaged by the resent season’s storms.

ReeMara did not know she and the others had been sent to the lagoon beach, so they would not see the man, who was to visit She-With-The-Sight.

He was different to the folk that lived in the Isles of the Mists. The folk here were fair skinned with flaxen hair and blue eyed. To see a man with dark skin and squarely built, his did not match the pale faces of the island folk. Black leather and iron did not match the folk of the Isles dress; they used woven wool from their sheep and ponies.

When ReeMara saw the man moving alone through the trees she was curious. The man was so different that ReeMara did not move form the tree trunk she had slipped behind, she had not intended to hide from C’raw. He had tried to persuade her from leaving the fun of the beach, C’raw had been so insistent they should go to today.

Not even Sea Soul wanted to retune with her to the strange tree. But ReeMara wanted to play with the fire stones and listen to She-With-The-Sight tell her tales and stories about the stones; they were not like the cold stones she had played with on the small beach.

Thank goodness ReeMara did not move thought C’raw as he was cling to his perch, if the man saw the girl, he would kill her.

C’raw had not been told why he was to bring one of the humans back to the tree. He had not been given orders as to who he was to bring there, only the last he could find. A good flight member did not question his orders.

C’raw was worrying that the two horses would want to follow ReeMara, if they were to make themselves known trotting through the trees while the Iron Man was heading towards the old tree, he did not know how he was going to warn ReeMara!

The Iron Man cut his way through the guarding brambles, his sword flashed in the evening light as ReeMara watch fascinated despite fearing the man. ReeMara saw the Iron Man climb the twisted tree to where the branches would let him drop into the tree’s center.

ReeMara wriggled her way into the trees’ roots; she did not use the route she used to visit She-With-The-Sight. There was something she did not like about this man! She did not like him visiting She-With-The-Sight.

C’raw did not like what he saw! It R’Taw knew what was happening he would peck his eyes out, for sure! He could not stop ReeMara crawling into the trunk; he could only perch in the branches opposite to were he knew ReeMara would be watching the Iron Man and She-With-The-Sight.

“You did not keep your word Iron Man. My eyes have been dimmed with time, but I have seen you have destroyed the folk on my islands, without them how are you going to harvest the amber you came here for?” C’raw heard She-With-The-Sight say.

“Old hag, you have not understood my intention. I want to control the amber, stop it leaving the islands. The amber will fetch a better price when there is not much to be had.”

The Iron Man’s voice sounded false in the restricted space of the tree. It also rang false in C’raw’s mind. Had so many humans died, just to please the Iron Man? C’raw had thought the human wanted the horses bred in the islands as they are sure hoofed over rock and sand and in sea foam.

Horses were exchanged for goods with the humans behind the mists. C’raw had known that, he had not known the seas’ stones were used in exchange as well.

When the sea allowed the humans to cross to the land beyond the mists, they would take other live stock as will as the sure hoofed horses; salt and wool were also among the things they traded with.

C’raw had enjoyed the human gathering he had attended with his flight. Food had been easy to find and chatter had been exchanged with other Flight of Crows.

She-With-The-Sight voice cut into C’raw thoughts:

“You think if you control the amber you have power over your people.”

“You have taken revenge on your people; they did not put you here because you are abhorrent to look at. Their fear of your foresight has made you captive in this tree. Your knowledge has been their down fall. That, and their foolish belief there is magic in the fire stones. I well use their belief to rule the lands on the other side of the mists. The Isles in the Mists will be as you wish; shrouded in magic. They well believe death is all that awaits them on this side of the mists.

This land is yours, held behind the mists. The land beyond is mine to do as I please! Civilisation ruled from the Seven Hills will know of my power!”

The sword returned the light from She-With-The-Sight’s fire. ReeMara did not wait to see what he did once it was free to swing over She-With-The-Sight’s head. She through a hand full of the stone chips from the bag She-With-The-Sight had shown her into the fire. The fire spat at the figures in the tree.

C’raw talons struck at the Iron Man’s eyes as his sword swung towards the twisted woman hart! ReeMara pulled She-With-The-Sight away from its sharp point as C’raw talons caught in the Iron Man’s black hair.

Had the Iron Man seen ReeMara? How could he protect the two humans? His cry was answered, other talons were tearing at the air above the Iron Man. Cam pulled ReeMara away from She-With-The-Sight, she shooed her into the safety of the old tree’s roots.

Crows were tearing the Iron Man away from She-With-The-Sight; his sword could not control their beating wings. As blood and feathers hissed in the fire’s embers ReeMara’s voice was lost in the crow’s wild cries, then she was held in the silence that was left behind when the Iron Man climbed into the branches above her.

ReeMara had been screaming her words were covered by the wings beating the air above the Iron Man. ReeMara hated his retreating back; her rage did not stop when her arm was held by She-With-The-Sight. ReeMara kicked at the fires red ashes, her anger turned on to She-With-The-Sight.

“He took my brother from my arms, he had killed my people… my mother… he was sent by you?!”

ReeMara sank to the ground tear stained and lost, not able to believe what she had just said. She-With-The-Sight sat slumped opposite her.

ReeMara was unable to speak; her feelings would not let her move, till Cam tried to lead her to Sea Spray. Cam did not knowing what to do with the sobbing child.

“You heard what was said when the Iron Man was here. You well know I had you spared from his and his men’s swords.” She-With-The-Sight was saying ReeMara did not want to hear what she had to say.

ReeMara had not at first obeyed when she had been summoned into the tree. She had refused to enter She-With-The-Sight’s domain up until now.

“I place a command on you; you are to see that the Isles stay hidden behind the mists. If you refuse my command your people well have died for nothing.” She-With-The-Sight saw ReeMara shrink away from her.

“You are to take the one thing the Iron Man fears the most, place these in the temple at the hart of the Seven Hills.”

She-With-The-Sight place next to ReeMara an amber stone, the stone was like an eye, an eye that seemed to look into your soul with its orange sun rise colour. The next stone She-With-The-Sight placed next to it was a deep red, the deep red of blood. ReeMara’s took it in her hand not wanting to look into its depths. The smoky form of a proud horse’s head held high with its mane lifting in the unseen wind. Deep in the stone was a milk tooth; like the one Sea Soul had lost on the day they had been to the cove C’raw had insisted they go to. May be that was a twist of a foal’s woolly mane mixing with the proud horses flying mane. ReeMara put it down, not wanting to enjoy looking into it. It was not the last stone She-With-The-Sight was to show her.

The green stone’s flat side looked as if it had sat in the dying embers of She-With-The-Sight’s fire, the deep green stone showed shadows that were like the sun in the trees of a great summer forest; such invitingly cool shadows in a summer’s heat, and their leaves offering shelter from a summer shower.

ReeMara did not know what a temple was, nor where the City of the Seven Hills was. Into that twisted woman face ReeMara did not want to look, though she could feel She-With-The-Sight was trying to draw her to look at her:

“Their lives have been taken so the Isles will be hidden in the sea’s mist. Should you fail, you will have wasted their lives and lose the Islands its secrecy.”

ReeMara was trying to understand what She-With-The-Sight wanted, what she was saying. Her child mind was clouded by the thoughts that were holding her. Her mother’s face was flickering in She-With-The-Sight’s fire, then the face of her brother, her father and aunt the other folk in her village. She was to be made responsible for their lives being wasted? Why did the island have to be secret?

Sea Spray did not know what to do with the sobbing child, she was sobbing as if her hart would brake, Cam insisted ReeMara scramble onto the mare’s back. Cam told Spray to take ReeMara out into the forest, she hoped the sun light and shadows would calm the little human. It would be hard enough for anyone to have heard what ReeMara had just heard! If Cam’s fledglings had been whipped out of the sky, she did not think she would be consolable.

Sea Spray was glad to feel ReeMara relax as she was lulled to sleep as they moved through the trees, Cam did not leave her watchful position on Spray’s crest.

C’raw was gliding above them, Soul did not really understand what was going on no one seemed to want to answer his questions. Not even when they had stopped did anyone want to talk. Sea Spray encouraged Soul to keep ReeMara warm; her little body still shook with passion when they rolled her closer to Soul’s comforting body.

C’raw was concerned he had not received any instructions!

What were they supposed to do now? ReeMara would not go back to the tree. One day had rolled into another and there had not been a word sent from the tree. C’raw could see the massif tree from the hill top they had made their camp. He had not seen any of his flight even start to fly in this direction, he was more than puzzled.

The sun was warm and the winds kind, ReeMara was enjoying being away from the tree. She and Soul were running in and out of the trees shadows. Neither crow had heard her laugh since she had left the tree, but to see her run freely with Soul was a good sign and Cam was happy now the little girl was eating again.

Summer turned into autumn, the trees took on some of colours that ReeMara had seen in the stones. Storms started to announce winter was on it way. The two crows decided the hill was not a place a human could stay the winter’s season. A more suitable place had to be found. Sea Spray was all in favour of the cave the birds had found, it at least offered shelter from the harsh wind.

If the Iron Man was still in the Isles to let ReeMara start a fire would not wise but in the cave a small fire would warm the child; and ReeMara could be kept busy collecting wood!

Cam was not in agreement with C’raw plan to take ReeMara to the remains of a humans’ dwelling. She did not want to see the little human so upset again. But, as C’raw pointed out the little human need things the woods could not provide. For instance the rag of cloth did not reach her knees any more! To sleep with a foal for warmth at night was one thing; a human cover would help her on a cold winter’s day.

She-With-The-Sight had Flights of Crows to collect fire wood for her and the berries and nuts she lived from were collected by them as well. The two crows and two horses and a child had a cave for shelter, it was better than nothing as Cam liked to say.

The next weeks were spent in gathering nuts and wood. The trip to the human dwelling did not upset ReeMara as much as Cam had feared. The things that ReeMara brought back with her would make her daily life more comfortable.

The wooden bowl meant there was water in the cave and soft skins were drawn together, held nuts the child could eat. ReeMara had insisted she would gather arms full of dried grass, at first they had thought it was to make a bed, as Soul was always being shooed away from the pile ReeMara had made:

“You well be sorry when the snow comes if you eat all this now!” Soul’s answer was to turn his rump to her and skip away before she could slap his bottom! Sea Spray knew what ReeMara was trying to do.

The little human looked funny raped in a sheep’s skin and the woven garment she had found amongst the humans’ things; that had not been burnt by the attacker’s fires. Bits of sea rope and leather thongs hang in the cave; Sea Soul did not see how ReeMara would find them useful. Unlike the flint fire stones, they made lighting the fire with cold little hands easer as did the dried twigs the crows had taken upon themselves to bring with them every time they came back to the cave.

Cam had worried that the cave could give them away to the Iron Man with its piles of twigs and piled grass and the bags of nuts stored in every corner.

A bit of fishing net, ReeMara had found on the beach was stretched at the mouth of the cave; she had woven ivy and bracken into it. Soul was not as clever as Sea Spray when trying to slip past it. The net had got caught over his ear, he was seen trying to shack it off; it would not let go not even when he bucked strongly. Those watching had to wonder why he was cantering around and around, if a tree had not been in the way he still would be!

A lower branch got caught up in the fun and snatched the net and its decorations out of Soul’s face. As he was trying to thank the tree for enabling him to see again, he fell over his own hooves landed in an untied a hep!

The hep stood up shook himself free of the reddish coloured leaves sticking to him. Soul found the others laughing too much. He kicked at the net that had tried to ride him, before he decided to go and drink at the stream; he hoped the others would stop laughing soon.

The sea’s white foam mixed with the flakes falling from the dark snow laden sky. It was quite on the beach they only heard the wind playing with the lapping water. It was as if the anger in the storm from the night before was forgotten, if it was not for the amber stones lying on the cleaned sands, it would have been.

ReeMara stooped to take into her hand one she spotted caught in sea weed; it reminded her of the summers’ sun. Sea Soul warm muzzle puffed hot air at the back of her neck. Soul was trying to tell her it was time to play; his hooves were splashing the shallow water at her.

C’raw and Cam looked up from feeding from the remands of a fish the storm had thrown out of the water. They could only smile as the two youngster race along the beach.

Sea Spray had to agree with the two crows, Soul had grown and ReeMara had as well! Sea Spray could see ReeMara’s bright mane mingle with Soul’s dark mane as they ran together.

Before ReeMara could ride on her son’s back they would both have to grow; persuading them to eat was not difficult, ReeMara like to put the fish she found into the embers of the fire in their cave. Soul found the seaweed Cam suggested to try to his liking. In fact the dried grass ReeMara had collected for the horses was only used if the winter storms made going outside the cave imposable!

When they could not go outside their cave ReeMara would play with the stones she had found on the beach, they were like many, She-With-The Sight had shown her.

It did not worry her, no one had heard from the old woman, in fact she did not think it was strange, but not to have heard from the Flight of Crows, C’raw and Cam did.

C’raw had flown back to the tree only to be told to return to the group at the cave and wait till She-With-The-Sight had instructions for him.

Of the Iron Man and his men the instruction C’raw had been given, was to see those in his command did not wander to where the human’s boats were sheltering from the winter’s worst weather.

Had the humans left the amber the Isle folk had stored in their dwellings, they would have been able to drive the horses they had gathered over the causeway. But their greed for the gathered amber had cost them their chance to cross over to the main land till the viscous winter storms past.

C’raw had seen the camp below him! If Cam had been had been assigned to the Iron Man’s men, the men would have faired better and the penned in horses would not have hungered. The pair of birds was glad they were to look after their ReeMara. Both birds enjoyed looking after their group now playing on the beach.

Sea Spray watched as the snow, whiten the path they had made to their cave, when Soul appeared among the trees with ReeMara close behind him Cam and C’raw were not any where to be seen.

ReeMara took a branch and mixed Soul and her tracks into the snow, Sea Spray did not need to tell them to duck quickly into the cave.

C’raw was frantic; the humans were too close to the cave! Cam did the only thing she could think of, she dropped the half eaten fish into the pack of hounds savaging among the trees above the cave. If it had not been snowing the men behind the hounds would have seen the track to the cave.

C’raw had turned away from the hounds he was preparing to swoop low over them in hope they would chase him. The fish Cam had dropped was distracting them, their hungry mouths were showing fangs. The fight that broke out between the hounds stopped C’raw from trying his plan. Men were shouting trying to stop the hounds from tearing themselves apart.

A horn sounded, the men whipped the hounds apart and sent them towards the horn sounding through the falling white storm. C’raw and Cam rested on an oak as the sound of danger faded into the snow covered forest.

If the sound of the horn had led them over the cave the men’s whips would not have been for their hounds. The two crows decided not to think about what could have happened; it was now safe to fly back to the others.

Though the snow fell thickly for the next few days no one grumbled at having to stay in the cave. If the Iron Man’s men were hunting for food, they were going to have to be very careful.

C’raw and Cam decided to keep an eye on the men camping not far away from the bobbing boats in the bay. In the trees above the men’s camp one of the two birds could perch when on watch.

The men were going out every day the weather aloud them. From what the crows could see there were not enough provisions stored for man or live stock to take them through the raging storms. Cam was glad they had managed to collect the stores they had.

The fish they had found on the beach packed in snow soon became as stiff as the ice ReeMara broke from bank of the stream that was for every trying to run into the sea, could be melted in their cave by ReeMara’s fire for them to drink.

C’raw and Cam could not fly over to the cove where the Iron Man and his men were, as the storm did not let any bird get safely in the air nor could any sane horse wander in the blinding snow, they all had to be content with sheltering in the cave.

ReeMara did not need to be told not to go outside even if Soul did. Soul was not happy playing with the amber ReeMara had found, though he was happy to comb the beach with her. ReeMara could always be persuaded to gallop with him, if those crows would let them, they were always stopping their fun and shooing them back to their cave.

C’raw came one day to say the men had eaten the last of sheep they had stolen from the isle’ folk, Cam had looked worried; she had said it would be safer not to go out today. Soul and ReeMara had both grumbled Soul knew ReeMara did not feel like playing with her stones today, he had been so looking forward to combing the beach with ReeMara.

When they heard a hound barking everyone stopped grumbling. Everyone held their breath; it was not long till the bark was answered by another.

A ferret’s face appeared under the fishing net holding the snow and chilling wind at bay, dark eyes blinking in the surprising light from ReeMara’s embers. Sea Spray tried to hoof the little intruder away, but it was too quick, it ran into the wool rap ReeMara was wearing. If ReeMara had not been so surprised she would have giggled as the little intruder tickled!

A hound barking stopped anyone moving, their protecting cave was now not allowing them escape from the hounds sniffing at the entrance.

ReeMara forgot the little intruder in her rap; she kicked hot ashes at the mussel of a hound trying to enter their cave. Its howling complaint rang round the cave, but it backed away. Scorched by the embers the hound’s second howl was suddenly ended as the snow above the cave entrance slid down forcing the hound and the one close behind it to back away.

From inside the cave they could not know the bank had let all its frozen snow cover the entrance; they could hear muffled human voices:

“Dam hound, going after a ferret!” a hound yelped, had it been kicked?

“Pull the bitch out of the snow.” An angry voice ordered.

“We lose, any animal, we will wish we were one!”

“I don’t want to feel his wipe, or his sword.”

“It won’t be his wipe or sword you will have to fear, it will be, mine!”

No one could hear anything it was as if the outside world had been cut off! The silence in the cave was broken by the squeak of the ferret in ReeMara’s clothing.

A neat face with bright eyes wriggled to the floor of the cave. The ferret had black points over a sleek red coat and her red tail was extenuated by long black hairs.

ReeMara’s fingers could not help but smooth the red fir; the little ferret arched her back with pleasure. The others did not know what to make of the little intruder.

“That was close!” said the little intruder. “I thought they would get me. Good thing I popped in here!”

“You could have given us away!” Soul could not help pointing out.

“How are we supposed to get out of here? Now all this snow had blocked entrance!” Sea Spray tried to muzzle the snow wall away. Before she could put her shoulder against the wall, the sound of a horn reminded everyone the Iron Man’s men were still in the forest!

“We well have to wait till we are sure they have gone.” C’raw was just as concerned as to how they were going to get through the fallen snow.

“Don’t talk the hounds may hear us!” Cam said softly.

“What are we going to do?” ReeMara asked she did not want have to wait to talk with someone new.

The day must have ended it was so still outside the cave, they heard an owl hoot sometime later but any sound of the Iron Man’s men did not reach them.

Cam was the first to ask the ferret her name.

“Piper!” said the ferret, “Why are you hiding in here, the snow was not falling that thickly?”

“It is a long tale, though time does not seem to be our problem right now!” Sea Spray was just as interested to know what a red ferret named Piper, was doing running around in the snow when most ferrets had changed their coats for ones that matched the white country side?