Bloodstone Hope

Long ears erect, the rabbit sits up listening. Ever wary of predators, it sniffs at the air searching for some indication of what passes so close. Still for long moments and sensing no danger from the chiming of the tiny bells it continues its meal of sweet grass.

 

XXX

 

Driven by the sense of urgency, the cry of helplessness emanating from the mysterious faint chiming of bells, Dain leaves the comfort of his rough camp and moves off into the forest to follow.

 

White moonlight filtered thru the umbrella of leaf and limb to pierce the darkness of the forest floor with just enough light for him to make his way cautiously. Picking his way careful to remain as silent as possible he followed the faint chiming.

 

Suddenly he paused listening. The chiming no longer sounded in the night, even the normal sounds of the forest had disappeared. Near absolute silence! No sounds of scurrying animals searching for a meal. No breeze stirred the leaves above. For several minutes he stood patiently waiting for the soft sounds of the tinkling chimes to return.

 

Standing under the dark shadow of a tree, he turned his head one way and then the other, straining to capture the sound of the little bells. Impatient, he feared that the sound of them would outdistance him and he would not discover the cause or the need.

 

The longer he waited he began to wonder at his actions, his foolishness at following the intriguing sounds thru the forest in the middle of the night.

 

“I am lucky not to have stumbled across one of the many night predators. Definitely wouldn’t be any fun trying to fight off a bear or even mountain lion with just a hunting knife” he thought. “Even worse would be a fall! No help for many miles, now that would be a real problem.”

 

About to give up and make his way back to camp, the faint sounds came again. Ignoring the thought of danger or harm, he continued on picking his way carefully thru the forest.

 

Now the chiming seemed to grow a little clearer with each step, until he realized that the source had stopped not too far ahead. Moving with more caution he crossed a brightly light strip of open ground perhaps ten, fifteen yards wide. Stepping into the shadows he felt the darkness descend, oppressive and forbidding. Each step forward became a struggle as if he had to force his way against a wall of gale force winds, yet there was no wind, no sound. It seemed as if the darkness fought to keep him from moving toward the chiming; it seemed to block his way.

 

Within a matter of minutes the effort began to tire him. The day had been long, up before the sun and now it had to be well after midnight, he felt the effects of his effort. Refusing to give up he struggled on until just as he was about give up the resistance vanished.

 

Reaching out, feeling his way, his hand touched the thick truck of a tree. Slowly he sank to the ground lean back against the solid comfort. The thick darkness had not abated. Stretching his arm out into the black night, he couldn’t even see his own hand. Total darkness!

 

Few people have ever experienced total darkness and even many of those knew fear. Having been in caves in years past, he was familiar with the sensation yet it still was a helpless feeling.

 

XXX

 

Perched high at the top of the tallest tree the yellow eyes of the Raven peer down watching, waiting and knowing that soon the wolf-spirit will enter a completely different world, an ancient one now remembered only as fantasy by Man. The heart of the isolated meadow filled with the clear brilliance of the Lady Moon would soon see a new beginning that would cause both happiness and grief.

Author's Note

All comments are welcomed

Reviews

[Diamondjules]

More more more!!! Finish this series or at least let me know when you have added to it!! Bravo! I am on the edge of my seat here :)

[Wildfleour]

This is such a bittersweet piece. You have found true inspiration through Raven, as reflected in this piece. I would love to see a continuation.

Please consider posting this to "The Sun and the Moon and the Stars" group.