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From The Jackals To The Shepherds 13: Three of Hearts
Manage episode 181022292 series 1412651
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The Woods:
The Map:
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Battlebards Tracks used:
Elven Dirge – Farewell – Score Music – Philippe Payet
Portents of the Future – Prophecy of the White Witch – Score Music – Lois Paton
Transcription:
For a long time, we were at war with The Jackals. But now, we’ve driven them off, and we have this – a year of relative peace. In this moment, there is an opportunity to build something.
A week has passed.
As Spring’s heat inches slowly towards summer, the mountain air provides little relief. The altitude prevents the sickening humidity we found in the city from cloying at our breath, but the rays from the sun beat down on our mining camp. Without the strong trees and foliage found across the river, the heat is unfettered in its assault. The shores of the riverbank are popular among us, and bathers flock to the cool relief of the water. Completed last week, the fish farms and netting strain against the river’s current, already flush with silvery trout.
The heat strains more than our bodies cool, however. Tensions rise as the sun bakes our heads. Tempers are shortened as days grow longer, but for the most part our snaps are short and our apologies are long. This is the case among adults, though, as our older members can calm ourselves quicker than the youngest.
Playing by the riverbank and sweating on the shore, Ezekiel and Yuen chase each other in a game of keep away. The watchful girl who’s been with us a long time has returned the ancient doll to Yuen for this activity, and despite the rigorous pulling and stretching between the children, the old fabric retains a surprising fortitude. Yuen throws a feint and a yank to pull the doll from Ezekiel’s hands and he falls to the ground. The baking sun has dried the river mud to a harsh and compact surface and he scrapes his knee on a hidden rock. Teary eyed, he looks at Yuen, holding the doll with both hands and yells out a cuss in her direction. Overhearing, Eileen shouts his name in admonishment which bursts his frustration out of control. As a shaken and upset Yuen runs off into the woods, followed by the consoling girl who’s been with us a long time, Ezekiel cries a tantrum under the hot sun.
In the woods, Yuen and her babysitter find a small copse of trees and Yuen collapses underneath them in tears. The comforting girl who’s been with us a long time sits down near her and holds her until they both fall asleep. Sleeping there they lay, while The Beast of prey, came from forest deep, to view the maids asleep. Bestial iris, burning bright, in the forests of the night; what immortal hand or eye, could frame that fearful symmetry?
The protective girl who’s been with us a long time, stirred by the plodding paws of The Beast, opens her eyes. As she sees the dripping teeth and shaggy mane, she blinks. With the lifting of her eyelids, her pupils change from round, black, and ringed with deep brown irises, to pointed lunes of pearlescent silver, ringed with shifting, tidal blue. She locks eyes with the beast for a painful moment as both monsters share an eternity, and then an understanding. The Beast lowers its gaze, and backs slowly into the woods.
When they return to the tow, Yuen tells of the circle of trees where she slept, how strange the ring of pines was amidst the sickly branches struggling upwards, how the pines looked healthy and full.
And a week passes.
Thank you for joining us for the thirteenth episode of From The Jackals To The Shepherds. If you like this show please give us a rating on iTunes, tell a friend, or share us on social media. As always the intro for the show was read by Dave Lapru, who is also our mapkeeper. You can find Dave on twitter at plantbird, and I’m at leviathan files. Please consider supporting the show on Patreon at patreon dot com slash Riverhouse Games. Music for this episode was provided by Battlebards dot com. Until next week, I hope your week goes well.
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