Chapter 9

Everyone eventually heads towards the center of the Forest. After a few days of travel, Torque realizes that she's near her homelands just as a voice booms out, "Who goes?"

Torque, recognising the voice, plunges forward to its source finding, to her joy, a dark haired centaur armed with staff and bow. He lowers his ready arrow on recognition and bows in greeting. His eye then catches the party behind and the point once again finds its aim.

Torque, pushing the arrow away, smiles warmly. "Calm down, brother, they will do you little harm."

He raises the arrow again, glowering back in annoyance. "Who are these people?" he demands "And what are they doing here? You should not be in such company."

Torque, becoming embarrassed by her brother's impertinance, swaps her smile for a stern mask. "Tranvic, these are freinds and aquaintances of the Tavern's owner. They are to help the Dryad with the problem in the forest, as am I."

He snorts derisively, hanging his bow at his side. Three more of the clan walk from the surrounding bushes pleased to see Torque but remaining silent. The note of sarcasm strong in his tone was strong enough to taint Torques anger. "Well met, 'little' sister."

Thorn looks between the centaurs, then at the trees around her. Ah, this was the place she first met Torque. Torque's grove of centuars lived all about this place. "This is a safe place to rest, is it not? Shall we stay here this night?"

Cael frowns as he listens to the dark-haired centaur talking to Torque. "Oh, by the thirteen hells, he sounds just like a high priest with that attitude." His eyes glanced skyward. "Eho, please help me," he whispers quietly. "Do not let them figure out that I am one of your followers. This mission is too important for petty squables."

Gwenh eyed the centuar and bit her tounge, she wanted desperately to yell that she wasn't a two legger...but she didn't, instead she stood silent, watching, and impatient.

Tranvic smiled at seeing the other's impatience.

"It is safe here, guards patrol the boundries as was, I belive, my vigilant brother. Then we shall rest here if no-one objects" Torque annouced. "You shall be guests of the clan. Tranvic, run back and have a meal and rooms prepared"

Tranvic had hoped his attitude would dissuade, but Torque had a point to prove here and he knew it. As he passed to leave he whispers something unheard to all but Torque which made her blush deeply. Then trotted out of sight.

The other centaur which were standing near by beamed happily as Torque approached. They glanced back with some apprehension at the bipeds but were obviously much more pleased to see the chief and took heed of her assurance.

They start forward through a well-worn track leading the way and talking in hurried tone using an old dialect.

The track turns to a baked mud road which widens out to a clearing. Two guards dressed in fine leather of various shades of green, one hawk's quill plaited in to their hair, raise the spears they hold and bow in greeting. More of the clan nearby share mixed reaction. The feeling is split, some know anger at the intrusion of these strangers others a cautious interest.

It's a simple village and one much orientated on tradition. The forest is invited to grow around the stone dwellings. There is one building which stands out from the rest. It is central to the village. Before it a large open space with a great stone slab large enough for forty people to sit at. In its surface symbols representing a dear and oak are carved which match those above the door of the largest building.

The party is settled into the most comfortable arrangements that bipeds can make in a centaur village. Torque sees to it that you are all fed and treated with, if not respect, at least tolerance.

Just before bed, Thorn has another spasm, and her burn mark grows some more.

During the night, there is a sudden hullabaloo as the perimeter guards discover a truly unusual sight...

The centaurs get their drinking water from a stream that runs through their lands. Standing on its banks, gleaming in the moonlight, is the form of a centaur...composed entirely of water!

Hearing the excitement, Toshiro slips out into the woods and follows the now alert villagers to the stream. Seeing the watery visage, he is awed. "By the blood of my ancestors..."

Then it comes to him- this could be a product of whatever god the centaurs worship. Or a weird, which would be a really bad thing to face right at this moment....

Glancing around, he notices that Cael has appeared and has a somewhat concealed look of wonderment on his face.

Cael slept poorly, worried about Thorn's shoulder, and the bigger problem it represented. When the alarm was raised, he was already awake. He followed centaurs towards the commotion, and stopped in sudden awe. By Eho! he thought. It looks like...like a statue of water!

A sudden thought hit Cael, and concern quickly crossed his face. What if it is a water demon? I remember some of the elder priests talking of those. Could the despoiler be aware of us, and have called this thing to attack us? He watches the water form warily, staying well back from the riverbank.

Torque one of the first to arrive after the alarm was sounded watched with caution, though without fear but interest, awed by the magnificence. She turns to Cael as he was, in her mind, the one who could explain such.

Tranvic, on the other hand, already had the guards readying weapons and surrounding the strange figure. He takes his place beside Torque his brow furrowed with deep lines of anger and suspition "This must be the work of the strangers!" He whispers under his breath in a taught tone. "This is the reason they are unwelcome in our village! Who knows what they have brought with them!"

Torque just sighs and shakes her head, bored by her brothers complaining. "Please brother, still your tongue awhile. Why does it take our form?"

Tranvic's face turns an ugly shade of red and he ignores Torques question. He steps forward to be pulled back by his sister's restraining hand. He glares then speaks again in a demanding tone towards the water figure. "Who and What are you that should be in our village!" His face pales at the upset on Torque's face at the greeting he had given.

The liquid centaur looks around himself and takes a hesitant step back toward the stream. It is hard to see in the dark, but those close enough and with good night vision can see that his tail drags in the stream.

He opens his mouth, but all that emerges is a silvery bubbling sound. He spreads his hands, palms up, and looks around again at the readied weapons. His hindquarters shimmer strangely...those familiar with horses (and obviously the other centaurs) might liken it to tensed muscles.

Tranvic's jaw tightens at the slight shimmer of the water centaurs hind quarters. He takes it as an offensive move, and the empty palms as little more than a trick. But Torque, seeing it almost as fear, raises a hand and the weapons are lowered. Though her brother makes no obvious disagreement, he says nothing keeping his sight trained firmly on the water.

The arrows though remaining at the bow strings are pointed to the earth. Though even Tranvic assumed they would do little to one created of the water element, the hunters felt safer with them than without.

Gwenh, who had followed the alarms to the river looked at the water centaur with a little awe. She had never seen a creature such as this before, but it made her curious as to what it wanted. She looked at the assembled gaurds and sighed, wondering what they planned on doing, scaring this majestic creature to death? The silver dragon looked at her long slender elvish arms, and wished she could take her true form, for about the zillinth time since they left on this quest.

Seeing the weapons drop, the water centaur relaxes a bit, but does not venture any farther away from the stream.

He continues to talk or sing in his silvery tongue. The sounds are measured and slow at first, and seem very tranquil. He becomes more agitated, next, gesturing angrily. When this draws aggressive moves from the other centaurs, he stops suddenly.

Tamar feels something familiar about the scenario...it's like...a ballad or story-song!

Tamar quickly explains to Torque what she feels is going on, and in fact draws forth her lute by way of illustration. The water creature points to it and stomps a forehoof in agreement. Together, they continue, with Tamar improvising an accompaniment to his strange song.

The song picks up at the angry part, with the water centaur making warlike gestures, seeming to poke spears into the stream beside him. He punctuates his story with claps that sound like splashes of water.

Then, the struggle is over, and the song becomes slow as before, but less peaceful and more mournful...Tamar has to switch to a dreary minor key for the accompaniment.

By way of finale, he hold his right arm over his head. In the pale light, no one had noticed until now that his substance was slightly murky, a darker, thicker color than would be brought about by mud or algae. The murk inside his swirls suddenly and you become aware of it. It flows around inside of him, then up and into his arm until the fingers of that hand are as dark as night.

He kneels, slowly, and presses that hand to the grassy ground near the stream's edge. Then he points upstream.

Finally he backs up, back into the stream. Suddenly, the water centaur collapses with a splash.

Gwenh goes over to look at the handprint, as does Toshiro. Musing to himself, he ponders the water creature's tale. Hmmm... I wonder if he is a guardian spirit. If so his message makes sense.

Cael peeks over the other's shoulders to view the spirit's handprint. I am getting so sick of portents and signs, he muses. Sighing, he tries, like the others, to puzzle out whan the handprint means.

The handprint is exceptionally easy to see, even in the moonlight. Where the creature's hand was pressed, the grass is as dead and brown as in midwinter.

"Well, Thorn, it seems that your trees are not the only ones rebeling against this 'defiler.' I wouldn't be suprised if the earth itself rises up to help us fight this evil." Cael looks upstream, then at Thorn. "Do you want to trust our watery guide, or once again try to sense for him again?"

Thorn agrees with Cael. "It seems that the stream does head into the center of the Forest, so I think that to follow it may be wise."

Cael will take enough time to brew up some kaf leaves (for whoever looks tired still) at the communal firepit before leaving the village. He had a bad night's sleep, and needs the stimulant the kaf provides to help him wake up fully.

Smelling the scent of Cael's kaff, Toshiro wanders over and takes a deeper sniff. "Aahhh..... Kaff. It has been long since I have smelled it. Please tell me, Cael, where did you find it? I thought the bean only grew in the great mountains of South Amic on Ter- I mean way south of here...." Whoops; almost a slip... Toshiro holds a nearly empty pouch up. "All I have left is one small bean," he said as he pulled the lone bean from the pouch. "I would love to find a sutable replacement for it."

Cael grins at Toshiro's almost plaintive statement, and hands him a cup of the brew. "I don't have much left, either. The Pearl Kingdom imports many different things, and I was able to, um, aquire some as a medical stimulant." He pats his ever present satchel. "I had gotten a fresh supply soon before I was... 'asked' to leave. The monastary, and the order."

His smile has faded, replaced with a mix of anger and resignation. "I grabbed what I could when I fled. Eho himself must've guided my hand when I grabbed up my satchel. Its contents have come in handy more times than I care to realise in my recent travels." He grins, weakly. "And the kaff most of all... it's helped me through more sleepless nights than I care to admit. I will be sorry when the last is gone."

Suddenly embarrased by this unburdening of his trials to this almost stranger, Cael quickly stands. "Well, we'd better make sure the others are ready to travel."

"Yes, let us make certain the others are ready for travel. I have a feeling that the way ahead may be paved with many troubles. Go on and start them getting ready- I will douse the fire." Toshiro said, his face not registering the abrupt change of subject.

As Cael left, Toshiro's eyes followed the troubled holy man. Hmmm... Maybe Eho might be attempting to create change among his followers though a small voice. Shrugging, he finished dousing the fire and polished off his cup. It's not as if I never had such problems...... yeah right.

After ensuring the death of the fire, He wandered back to the group as they prepared to leave.