Stormy night

Dinner time was over soon and then the group gathered around a recent addition in the Fort: a huge chimney.

During supper, with all the playful noise, Tonati had been fine. But now that it was quiet and the thunders were easily heard, she was withdrawn. Zhyan had noticed it and observed her carefully.

"So, Zhyan, how is it that you didn't get caught in the storm?" Syms asked. Each man was standing at either side of the hearth.

"I wasn't caught in it, because I flew with it."

"Say that again?"

"I like storms." Zhyan shrugged and walked to meet Syms. "To be �caught� in one -you make it sound like such a bad thing!-, even one as feeble as this one, is to me like a morning stroll in the garden for Salix. Invigorating." Zhyan feigned a punch at Syms, who deflected it with ease. "You should come with me and I�ll show you real storms to get caught in! You�d like the ice lightnings at Aurora!� Zhyan stepped back to avoid the hit Syms sent against him. Grabbing that fist, Zhyan started to pull Syms in for a choking hold but the later moved forward, colliding on the archangel with force. When Zhyan tried to compensate and keep the grasp on Syms, a delicious aroma made both of them stop and look towards the room�s entrance.

"It won't stay hot and good forever, so come and get it." A soft voice called them. The pixies were sauntering all over the place carrying trays with cookies, scones and other treats; Tonati was pouring hot and thick cocoa into huge mugs and soon, each team member had one filled to the brim with the sweet beverage.

The archangel with Tonati, who was cuddled against him to watch the fire, claimed the sofa. Syms was leaning on a plush chair as he observed the pixies come and go while Salix, ensconced on that very same chair, seemed to listen carefully to the creatures' musical chatter. It made Zhyan ponder if Salix understood their talk. *Perhaps,* He thought. *she thinks they plan to steal her cocoa.*

Syms� eyes trailed a specific pixie and, slowly lifting his right hand, he pointed at the tiny figure with his index. A small energy ball flew out and targeted the pixie that, noticing the attack, dropped his tray and ran away. Out of the room the pixie went with the energy ball after him as Syms quietly counted down. �� 3, 2, 1�� Syms whispered �boom� and he spread his fingers. Only a strangled cry was heard as the power caught upon the pixie. Syms buffed his nails against his shirt in satisfaction. Zhyan smirked.

"Syms, that reminds me!� Salix pouted. �You'd better practice away from the forest, or I'll be mad at you. And the Leszi might come and beat you." She added.

"Really?" Syms, who was considering to comply with the request and to not suffer the wrath of the dryad, perked up at her words. "I love a good brawl early in the mornings! It�s invigorating!" He winked at Zhyan and started to practice some fighting moves; as Syms began to skirmish with his own shadow and move faster, the pixies stopped in their work. Not knowing where to go to remain safe, a few of them started to gather near their Lord, hoping that the closeness would spare them any damage. Tonati rolled her eyes and looked into her drink, wondering on the sugar level of the hot chocolate.

"�like this!" By then, Syms had changed to training mode and was throwing kicks and punches to the air. "See, Salix? You always put your whole body when you strike� Wait, what�s a Leshki? You meant he'd come and fight me, right?"

"He�s a guardian of the woods.� Salix answered him. �He lives in the forest and he can change his height to reach the tallest trees.�

"Hmm. A magical Nature creature. Same as you are?" The dryad nodded.

"If you walk through his forest, he'll use his magic to confuse you; you'd loose your way and then he'll kill you." Salix said as she all but pounced on the cocoa carafe. �Unless you wear your clothes backwards.�

"What if I fly or use my teleportation skills?"

"Then you're not going "through" his forest, are you?" The dryad's expression grew serious. "But if you keep training there and you hurt the trees, he'd come anyway. And I won't forgive you."

"You could always come and train with me, y�know?" Syms replied. "That way, you�ll make sure I stay away from the forest. And the training will help you protect it, too.� Salix looked up at him. "Don't look stricken like that, sis!" Syms chortled. "It isn't the first time I said I'd like you to train with me; you have potential. Everybody does." Syms looked towards Tonati. While Zhyan had made a few comments during his shadow play, she was paying very little attention to it all. The storm was even fiercer and when a lightning bolt hit close Tonati jumped, startled, to a half standing position before the noise diminished.

"Sparky, a thunder won�t hurt you." Syms said.

Scowling, Tonati moved her left hand in an intricate wave; a sphere of smoke emerged from within the chimney, dense enough to rearrange Syms' hair as it whooshed over the sajayin's head.

"Sparky!" Salix exclaimed. "How did you do that?"

"It�s part of my current lessons." She said and massaged her now sore wrist. Zhyan took it between his hands to soothe it. "One shouldn't take things for granted. Even something as thin as smoke can harm you."

"OK, that was cool, Spark!� Syms commented as he rearranged his hairdo. "How strong can it be?�

"A bit stronger than that. Strong enough to knock down a human, if I have to."

"Only need to work on the aim." Zhyan chuckled as he kept rubbing Tonati's wrist. It made her smile until another thunder rumbled.

�It�s a deluge." Syms tilted his head. "And it's really bothering you, uh, Sparky?�

Tonati blushed lightly and Zhyan whispered something to her, making her smile again. �Sorry, guys. Yes, it�s bothering me. I know it shouldn�t.� Tonati admitted.

�You weren�t bothered earlier, Spark.�

�No, Salix. But it�s grown stronger and has lasted so long; it just� brings back bad memories.� Zhyan squeezed her shoulder, encouraging her.

"Back then my family lived in Zitlallan, our main city.� Tonati started. �Ticahui, my eldest brother and I, had started to go to a new school and my younger siblings were on a different one. How I loved to go to school! I was a very small child when I became very demanding on going, even before it was my time to do so. The school was in this huge building and my classroom was in one of the highest stories; I used to look through the windows and the sight was beautiful on bright days. On our windowsill, we had pots were we grew our gardening projects. Mine was a mix of flowers and herbs -I've always had a good hand with plants-and I remember that Gran'ma always said that I had green fingers." She winked at Salix, who giggled. Tonati sipped her drink and stared into the flames, listening to the storm. "I was 9, almost 10 years old. And then��

"Then?" Syms asked.

"And then we were on holidays, off from school for a couple of weeks. Gran�ma wanted to have some company so Father agreed that the Mother and the younger ones would visit her, while the older ones would stay with him in our Hacienda. We�d do that again, with Ticahui and me visiting next time. It was rain season and Tlaloc was having too much fun, just like he is now.� Tonati cuddle against Zhyan as the memories glazed her eyes. �I was home that evening. I should�ve been studying but I was instead busy doing needle work; I liked it a lot at that age. When I finished with what I was doing, the rain had been falling for quite some time and the house was very quiet. Father had left earlier, taking my brother with him; looking out through my window, I could see the trees in the garden bend under the storm. The water was pooling on the cobbled streets carrying branches and other things. It wouldn�t take long for nightfall to arrive and it was very dark because the storm clouds were very thick. And the thunders were as bad as these but even more frequent. The power was out, but I had a small device in which I was listening to the news.�

�In a frying pan instead of the cauldron?� Zhyan said and covered his midriff, barely avoiding the nudge from Tonati�s elbow. It caused Syms to smirk and Salix to roll her eyes.

�I was listening to the news,� Tonati playfully scowled at Zhyan, before the story caught her again. �go from bad to worst. I tried to keep myself busy with some knitting but the light soon wasn�t enough t and, as I was doing it out of nervousness, I had a scarf the length of a comforter� and it had the oddest pattern.� She blushed as her audience chuckled. �I was so worried about my family that I wanted to go outside and wait for them. I just had to. I� paddled?� She looked up to Zhyan and made a short motion with both her hands. �You know, walk like a duckling?�

�You waddled.� He corrected and Tonati nodded.

�I waddled to the main door; the water reached my hips, but I wasn�t very tall for my age so, I didn�t think much of it. I pushed the doors and suddenly, the current pulled at them breaking the hinges and I was dragged away. There was so much more water outside the walls! I struggled to stay on my feet, but the water would throw me down again and soon it was too deep for me to stand so I tried to hold something and keep afloat. I swam until I hit this tree, big enough to support me and, after I rested a bit, I started to climb up. I think I might have heard people, but the roar of the water was too strong and I was never sure of that; many lives and homes were lost that day�� She said softly.

�I didn�t know it, but a near dam had broken and its waters were adding to the flood. I could only watch the torrent swirl with fury around the trunk and hear its ominous sound. From time to time, big objects would hit against us, shaking the tree. I grabbed the branches as strong as I could, afraid of falling but not desiring to go any higher. I was scared, cold and hurt and all I wanted was to go home with my family.

�I kept my back against the current, holding onto the trunk and I don�t know if I had dared to go any higher. The tree wasn�t extremely tall, though it would probably look so to a kid I�d certainly never tried to climb as high as I was, under normal circumstances. The storm had lasted for hours and a couple of lightning bolts hit so close to me! I wanted it to end, as I was growing tired, when I suddenly heard voices. I answered back. I noticed then that the water had retreated considerably and there were already rescue squads searching all over the place. They found my tree and I saw a man climb to help me go down. He asked me my name, and told me to let go of the tree.� Tonati smiled. �As fiercely as I�ve been hugging the trunk, so I grabbed him. I closed my eyes all the way down and after making sure I was not in immediate danger, they took me to a refuge where they treated my injuries and they also reported that I was fine. I had several bruises and many scratches. I remember I was sore and felt exhausted for several days.

�It was some time until Father arrived. He had done his best to return home, but the flood didn�t allow him to. He let my brother help with the many wounded, while he joined to the search. The water had taken me some distance away for the refuge I was taken to, was actually in the next town. As it was, we had been very lucky. Once the water broke the doors, our home was inundated and the water dragged furniture and many other things away. We lost many irreplaceable things, but there hadn�t been any real damage. Days later, we visited the city and I was amazed with the damage. It wasn�t so notorious where we lived, but if it had been bad for us, it had been so much worse for them� houses collapsed, people still missing. And the stories the survivors were telling! So, some times when a storm is especially strong or long lasting, like this one has been, I can�t help but to remember some of this. Though it�s not really too often.� She smiled at their friends.

Zhyan looked at her as Syms nodded at her willingness to share this memory with them. Salix did more by jumping off the couch and all but tackling Tonati off the sofa. Tonati hugged the dryad back, when she recovered her balance.

�It�s ok, Salix. It was a long time ago. OK, not SO long ago!� She said and Salix chuckled at her comment.

The pixies walked around with their trays, until everybody refused to eat a morsel more. After some more talk about next day�s plans, everybody said good night before retiring to their chambers.

***

�What is it, Zhy?� Tonati asked, while she combed her hair and watched him through her mirror. He had removed his shirt and made it into a wad to squeeze. �You�ve been� almost sulking.�

�No, I haven�t.� He replied. Feeling her eyes onto him, he added quickly. �It�s nothing.�

Tonati went to him and, pressing her cheek against his back, hugged him. �Nothing?�

With a deep sigh, the archangel threw the garment to a corner and turned within her arms to return the embrace. �It�s just...�

�Yes?�

Zhyan kissed her forehead. �Your story made me angry.� He confessed. She was waiting for more, and he pulled away to start pacing. �You were only a child; if you hadn�t been alone like that, you would�ve been safe!� He blurted.

�But, Zhy.� Tonati took his left arm in her hands, stopping him. �I told you. Dad was away doing, ah� visiting someone.�

�See? You can�t recall! It was so bloody important, that you can�t remember!�

Tonati frowned at this. �They thought I was safe!! How could�ve they ever known �know?�

�It. Was. Rain. Season.� Zhyan said dryly.

�But it�s not as if floods happened all the time!� She answered back. �Quite the contrary� and they were, helping people until they could come through!�

�They should�ve been with you!� Zhyan almost shouted. He closed his eyes.

�It was long ago, it doesn�t matter anymore.� She tried to say more but a thunderbolt cracked the air, and she could not stop the shiver that ran through her body.

�Long ago.�� Zhyan said. Spreading his arms to strengthen his statement, he added. �It still affects you. It still matters. I�ll even wager it�s the source of your high anxiety!�

�But he� Father didn�t�� Tonati stuttered.

�Stop making excuses for them!� Zhyan�s voice boomed. He didn�t understand himself. From where was all this anger coming? In his mind, he could still see the image of a young child with raven hair and big scared eyes, holding onto that tree for dear life. Only then did he notice that he�d started pacing again. He tried to calm himself by taking deep breaths and turned to face his wife. Her brown eyes were bright with unshed tears and her lower lip was trembling. His heart sunk at the sight of her standing nimrod straight and he walked to embrace her.

�Ah, love. Listen, please, I didn�t mean to�� Zhyan could not say another word, for she threw her arms around him. �Tonati? Love?� He attempted to soothe her and she said something against his chest, something that he could not understand. He cupped her face, making her look at him. Zhyan looked at her, perplexed. �You�re not crying�� Her fingers caressed his face and she softly kissed his lips.

�Thank you, for caring so much.� She said and kissed him again, this time hungrily. Her arms were wrapped tightly around him as he kissed her back.

Soon they were in bed, cuddling in each other�s arms. Zhyan smiled. Would he ever understand his wife? She was full of surprises and quite often, she would astound him with her reactions.

Both knew that no thunder would bother her anymore; the storm had finally ended.

The End.

***

Notes: �Leszi, Leshii (LESH-ee) Slavic Mythology: "Forest lord". He often appeared as a peasant, either without a belt or with shoes on the wrong feet. Sometimes he was said to have wings and a tail and be covered in black hair. Many assigned him goat's hooves and horns like Pan. He is usually attributed with green eyes. He could change his size from that of a blade of grass to that of the highest tree. Usually he carried a club to show his rulership over the forest creatures. The Leszi could take the shape of a familiar person and lead you astray with the sound of their voice. Once in his domain, he might tickle his victim to death. In myth and art, the Leshy is often associated with the psychotropic mushroom Amanita Muscaria. If captured by a Leshy, a person returns mute, wild-eyed, and covered with moss. To protect against this, turn your clothing backwards or inside out, or make him laugh. Source: http://members.aol.com/hpsofsnert/Gods.html , http://jackowitch.com/faries3.html and http://www.winterscapes.com/slavic.htm