Guys!! It’s snowing at our house!! And some of it–just a little–has been sticking! I have been staring out the windows, and skipping with happiness, and dreaming up snow fairies since it started.
I ♥ snow!!
Anyway, *cough* here’s the story:
Catania’s Forest: The Little Drummer-boy in Narnia ~ Part Two
~*~
Catania gutted her quarry and set off towards Tyre’s tower, just outside Syrelia’s wall—at least two miles from her hunting-ground. The tower was built on a high thrust of wooded land, over-shadowing the curving road that curled in a rough circle around the city wall. The young elf scrambled easily into a tree, and from its branches onto the tor. The tall tower was made of stone. It was crowned by a wide battlement, open to the sky, from which Catania knew Tyre watched the stars. She climbed into one of the trees that stood around the tower on the ledge. From one of its high branches she could see a long stretch of the road. She sat down on a high branch, and dangled her legs while she waited for Tyre to appear on the road below.
Finally she saw him come trotting around the bend—the centaur’s tall form was unmistakable. She swung herself down and started for the road. She stepped cautiously out into the open when she reached it. The flagstones felt—like always—startlingly smooth and hard under her feet, after the rough tussocks of the forest-floor. Tyre—in exchange for meat, of course—had procured her boots several years ago; but she had decided shoes wore out or were grown out of too quickly, and were too hard to come by. The young elf simply wrapped strips of untanned leather from her game around her light elf-feet to relieve the first bite of thorns and stinging bugs. She did the same around the first three fingers of her draw-hand to keep her bowstring from giving her blisters, but she still wore on her arms the bracers Tyre had procured for her.
Catania never dared to go into Syrelia herself. As an elf, she was lucky to be free; and she knew it all too well. If a Man discovered she had been hiding in the forest since his people conquered the city, she would be enslaved at once—if she was not killed.
With such danger coming from the city, she jumped as the sound of music reached her ears. She grabbed for an arrow from the quiver at her side, before she recognized the shrill song and relaxed.
The soft, whistling pipe drew nearer out of the forest in front of her, and a dozen swine came bustling onto the road. A tall elf came behind them, with the rest of the herd following him. He stood barely taller than Catania, and he was clad in a gray, woolen tunic that fell almost to his knees; and breeches, which were hardly visible between his tunic and the leather boots he wore to protect his legs from the forest thorns. A short knife hung from his belt, and he held a light spear in one hand. He was motioning to his charge with the other, and held his panpipes between his teeth. His pointed ears peeped out of his thick, sandy hair; one straight at the sky, but the other bent to point distractedly at the horizon. It gave him a lopsided appearance.
Catania was in a hurry, and would have gone on without speaking, but the swineherd spat his pipe into his empty hand and called out, “Hoy there, Tanya!”
Oh Hanna!
Why did you have to stop there!?!?! I know that I do the same things in my stories, but it’s a lot different if you’re reading someone else’s.
(It’s really good Hanna!? )
-Cerra Cat-
Yeah, cliffhangers are very fun for authors, very agonizing for everyone else. I know some people (*cough* Savannah *cough*) that also like to drop their blog readers on cliffhangers.
I’m glad you like it! 🙂
*grins innocently*
DON’T LEAVE US ON CLIFF HANGER LIKE THIS, HANNA!!!!!
IT’S SNOWING LIKE WHAT EVEN!?
It’s awesomeness, and it’s sticking!!!!!!
Jaidyn Elise
Yeah, sorry. Expect a lot more in the future.
I know, I was so excited when I saw it was snowing, and even more when I realized it was sticking!
NOOOOOOO!!!!!!! ( =) )
YES YES YES!!!!!! We’ve got about an inch already!! Yay!!!!!
Jaidyn Elise
PSST!! ( BTW, you should check out my newest post- and my header. =D)
Jaidyn Elise
I did! It’s fun! I’m ready for Christmas too.
YAY you posted part two! And I’M SO EXCITED about the snow – I’ve been watching it fall all day 😀
Loved this part! And Tyre is a CENTAUR?! Did NOT seeing that coming – but I really like it! (centaurs are one of my favorite mythical creatures 😀 )
(and did you get my LotR email? Just want to make sure it didn’t get lost in cyberspace 😀 )
Me too! But I’m sure you realized that. 😉
I hoped no one would see it coming. 😉 He’s the first centaur I’ve ever written about. It’s surprisingly hard to figure out how to have them move around.
And yes, I got it. It’s super frustrating when things get lost in cyberspace, I understand.
OH MY WORD HANNA, I just realize that THIS IS YOUR FIRST CHRISTMAS WITH HENRY!!!!!!!!!! *screams excitedly for you*
Jaidyn Elise
I know, it’s so exciting! Lucy came home right before Christmas too!
That is really cool! You guys got the perfect gift this Christmas–and the last! =) (btw, has Henry had his appointment yet? How did it go?)
-Ariel
That’s so awesome . =D
MISS YOU LOTS!!!!!!
Jaidyn Elise
( You know, we really should get together soon. =D)
CENTAURS YES!!!! They are my third favorite mythical creature-besides griffons and dragons. =) I REALLY need a pet griffon…
POST AGAIN SOON!!! *begs for hanna to post another beautiful part of her lovely story*
That’s a good list. My favorites are dragons and hobbits. 🙂