Her thoughts return to the previous evening... Jaek had returned late to find her, once again, asleep on the sofa, the fire long burnt out as she waited for his return. She had become accustomed to being alone, Jaek spending most of his waking hours in Calenhad, deep in discussion with his trusted Elven Council or, during the last week, in the Infirmary, watching over the Gypsy, Kathena, trying to utilise all his Druid knowledge to revive her.
Amethyst sighed, she hadn't been to see Kat since the Arch Druid, Fitheach, had succeeded in bringing her back from the brink of death. Jaek had forbidden it. He had taken her hand and assured her that Kat was well taken care of, but that her wounds were not such as he wanted her to see.
She shook her head... no, it would not do. Whatever Jaek thought he was protecting her from by exacting her promise to remain at the Cottage, busy with her writings, could not stop her from going to check on the animals she nurtured and tended. There was always an injured bird or a newborn wolf pup that might need some assistance and she had built up a book full of knowledge of simple herbal remedies and such, that often eased injuries or pain for the smaller creatures. Much of what she knew was entwined with memories of her grandmother, a village healer... untrained, yet wise and always well respected until her death.
Her mind made up, she quickly threw a light cape over her shoulders and grabbed her basket with the mix of salves, tinctures and cloth bandages and headed out of the Cottage towards the forest.
As her eyes adjusted to the heavily shadowed woods, her mind quietened and her senses sharpened. Her apprehension at breaking her promise to Jaek was quelled. She had listened to his daily reports when he arrived home, weary and troubled, but she had never told him that she knew that he was not telling her half of what was occurring in the Lands.
Juste, her Hobbit friend, had not been so careful with hiding his news and through him, she had heard about Drows and Demons, death and decay invading this peaceful realm. Juste visited near daily, bringing her the pies she loved and later meat for "da Druid", agitated and well-meaning as ever as he gave her his gifts and babbled excitedly, "da Druid needs some of da foods so he can fight da demon and da dowries.!"
The attack on Kathena may have scared the wee Hobbit enough to keep him from journeying through the woods to visit her, but the increased pleas from Jaek to remain at home had been enough for her to realise that the danger was increasing and the Druids and Rangers were surely planning to avenge the deaths and rid the Lands of its enemies.
She shuddered as she dwelled on the danger Jaek was most likely in. She couldn't bear to lose him. Breathing deeply to steady her nerves, she concentrated on the task she had left the cottage to do. Her eyes scoured the woods, the underbrush and hidey-holes that each creature chose for its own safety.
But as she penetrated deeper into the forest, her steps quickened. The smell of burnt wood surrounded her and was soon followed by her arrival at blackened soil, her boots sinking into ashen ground. She turned and surveyed the scene, but as far as she could see, the earth was black, dead, but not long so, as slithers of smoke still wafted lazily upwards.
Her senses going into overdrive, Amethyst listened hard for any sounds, her instincts leading her to back up towards a large oak tree. She carefully stepped over the fallen, burnt trunk of another mighty tree and reaching the Oak, placing her basket to her feet, she leans against the tree, her eyes moving hastily over the area ahead.
Trying to steady her breath, she jumped but managed to stifle a scream as she heard a whimpering sound nearby.
Trembling, she peered down and around the trunk, and nearly cried out with relief as she spies a lone piglet, cowering at the base of the tree.
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| Amethyst and the Piglet |
Carefully moving around the trunk, she scoops the unprotesting animal into her arms, gathering her basket and moving carefully away from the burnt area towards to woods heading for the Cottage.
Just a few paces from the Oak Tree her gaze falls upon a bloody trail to the left of the path and as her eyes cut to the trail's end, she sees the massacred remains of the mother sow, tossed aside towards some bushes.
Rapidly walking onwards, her hands tighten around the piglet, its legs still shaking, but calm in her hold. She sobs quietly as the vision of the dead pig, bloody and lifeless, fills her mind. Who could possibly kill an innocent creature and leave it without a second thought. Amethyst sucks in a breath and concentrates her thoughts on the path she has taken. She must tell the Druid and the Rangers about her find. The Rangers will bury the sow as befits any worthy creature of the Lands.
She sighs as the Cottage comes into sight. Jaek will likely be livid with her for her recklessness, but she had saved the poor, motherless creature in her arms, which helped to calm her nerves.
Now she had experienced for herself the evil overtaking the Lands. Whether the fire and the death of the pig were caused by this Demon, she could not know, but as she reached the safety of their home, fear for Jaek gripped her, for certainly Darkness had befallen the Lands and she dreaded that the Shadows were strong enough to consume them all.
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