Journey to Sorrow's End by Wendy Pini & Richard Pini

Author:Wendy Pini & Richard Pini [Pini, Wendy & Pini, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Father Tree Press
Published: 2020-08-18T22:00:00+00:00

“Redlance lives, thanks to your daughter,” Cutter told the Sun-Toucher. They stood to one side of the rowdy procession that wound through the Sun Village. Redlance was in danger of being spilled from his litter as the assembled Wolfriders jubilantly packed around him, howling their joy that he and Nightfall had been rescued from the desert. Amused at the chaotic welcome, Leetah supervised the progress of the parade, guiding the litter bearers, who alternated every few steps as the Wolfriders vied for the privilege of carrying their returned tribesman to her hut. The healer felt duty-bound to examine all the barbarians, for she was aware of the extremes they had endured. It was, besides, something of a miracle that this new tribe of elves had found its way to her village, when her people had always considered themselves unique and isolated in the world. Privately she admired the courageous, haggard strangers, despite the personal humiliation she had suffered at their hands.

“I hope that someday Leetah will forgive me for carrying her off like that,” Cutter said softly.

Sun-Toucher listened with interest to the soft burr in the young chieftain’s speech. Save for a sprinkling of unfamiliar words and phrases, the Wolfriders’ language was almost identical to that of the Sun Villagers. The difference lay in inflection, emphasis, and pitch. Cutter’s voice was youthful but deliberately low. He spoke each sentence as though divulging a secret, and always subtly underscoring his tone was a pleasant “thrumm,” not unlike the sound a purring great cat might make if given the power of speech.

“I did it without thinking,” Cutter continued, “almost as though I had no choice!”

Perhaps there was no choice, Leetah’s blind parent thought wisely. More and more, the Sun-Toucher found himself liking this very young, stranger, who, although impulsive, was earnest in his aim to do all that could be expected of a leader and more.

“We are the Sun Folk, and ours is the way of peace,” said the robed elder, placing a darkly tanned hand on Cutter’s shoulder. “We would have freely given you the provisions which you took by force. But though you came to us in violence, you are welcome now to stay and rest.”

Cutter felt his throat thicken. Rest! Not all the rest in the world could make him forget the events that filled the last half cycle of Greater Moon. It had been at least an eight of days since the fire had taken the forest and the Wolfriders had fled for their lives underground. Cutter knew that however long he lived, he would remember the torturous journey to this haven in the desert for the rest of his life. He turned to the Sun-Toucher, knowing that the sightless one “saw” and understood him well enough; but there were words that needed saying.

“No one has ever been kind to us before. We thought we were all alone in a world where life was short and often bitter.”

The pale-haired chieftain lifted his too-old eyes and searched through the milling villagers for a flutter of blue and gold, a shimmer of auburn curls.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.