Anyho, this one isn't that bad, I could've kept writing...stupid time-limit. ~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
(August 9 ’08)
Prompt: Go forth
Time: 15 min
Words: 773
“Go forth, my son. It is your time; it is your destiny.”
The words still hung clearly in my mind, the old voice, thick with both emotion and age sang in my head.
I had nodded to those words, my head bowed as a sign of compliance.
It was my time.
My littler sister was the hardest to walk away from. Her dark brown eyes gazed up at me, confusion muddling the innocence that shone forth.
“Why do you have to go, brother? I thought we were going fishing tomorrow…” Her soft, childlike voice spoke as one who had more age than she. She had tilted her head, her dark brown hair falling softly on her shoulders.
“Father will take you to the stream, little one.” I knelt down, forcing a smile to my face, using the nickname I had given her long ago. “I will see you.”
“How? I don’t understand.” Her words were more frantic as I turned to leave.
I hesitated before turning back to face her, pushing every tear away.
“I will be in your dreams, little one.”
Her eyes were not clear of her confusion, her mouth open to say more. I couldn’t let her do that though, I had to leave. Lingering behind was not good, I could miss my opportunity.
This was my time.
I brushed aside the memories, glancing quickly to the sky. Dark blue streaks raced across it, the bright sun was now slowly dieing on to the west. A new one would be born in the morning, following the ancient ritual that had been going ever since the dawn of time.
I too would be following an ancient ritual, one that I half wished I could do without. I was almost an adult, though, and I had to go through the rite of passage that every boy my age went through.
If, and only if, I came back, bearing the marks of the Wise ones, I would be accepted as an adult, and honored man, back home. If I failed, my family would not know me, and the tribe would shun me.
The thought of never seeing my little sister again was encouragement for me to face the passage, no matter how scared I was.
I suppose this is a good place to sleep tonight, I thought, gazing at the meadow I had found. It was small, but the tall grass was soft and comforting against my thighs. Soft, golden light filtered over me, and I could feel the pulse of nature surround me.
This was how it should be. I knew, I could feel it deep within me, resounding with certainty.
I did not do much before falling asleep. I needed no fire to warm me as the cold breath of the Vikarn had yet to sweep over our land. Pulling out some bread from my pack, I slowly chewed it. Closing my eyes, I could see our home. Right now, little Kayana would be getting ready to sleep. Mother would be cleaning everything in preparation for the new day. Father, well Father would be coming back from an elder meeting, his father weary from the long day.
I could not deny the longing that I felt for that scene. More than ever, I wanted to run back home, to bury my face in Mothers’ soft robe, to run through the streams with little Kayana, laughing as she fell down before falling down myself to make her happy.
That would not happen; I could not see home until after I had made the way through the passage. And then, once I finally got home, I would no longer be a child. Instead, I would be an adult, and would assume the responsibilities of one.
Once home, I would find a women, pretty and nice. We would settle down, not too far from my home. Together we would live, two as one, as it has always been. Mother would await the child, as she always did love children.
That life seemed years away from the warm dusk that now stole my thoughts. It was time to sleep; I would need all the rest I could get for the long walk tomorrow. I still had many miles to go before I found the passage.
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