Hemlock rose the occasion, a sure huntress, protector and ruling agent all in one sleek, compact form. She added "entertainer" to her skill set this fine evening for the Festival of Plenty. Finally, she had a worthy group of her ideas. And boy did she have them. She saw grand visions that may or may not include debauchery. But it was all in good fun. She stood up and waited to she caught the attention of the mobile crowd. She pranced up, stood at the edge and watched speculatively at her victims. She perched at the edge, unsure of what to do until the birds flew ahead and claimed this particular segment hers. She waited until they calm down for the greatest actor of all time, her. She tentatively called out the dust, made sure her voice sang as the plants snapped to attention and their limber selves made pliant. She knew she asked much of them, She waited, grated her nerves and sang out the first true note.

They responded in kind. She continued the story.

"Follow" said the sky and in her tired state, she obeyed, breaking up the sky into bizarre segments. Although she prepared for it, her body needed time to climate to the sudden change of temperature, weight of air, and breathing process. She needed to breathe for more than just herself she understood immediatley. The breath was her antidote and made it what Kitchen seared tonight. It was what the kitchen saw tonight. Pain engulfed the tiny matchstick limbs. We were beautiful. She pointed upward and her tail twitched in agreement.

She stood aghast at the border and began her tale, hoping to ensuare them in the arm snare of possibilities. She began her story:

There was once an cha who thought she could take onto the world. She asumed that form, arms locking, shoulders squaring them backwards and pasted on a determined face. She started: There were two achas who got together to make two more achas. All was well until they were weaned off and hunting became more difficult as time became winter and the huntwas slow. The storytelling stopped and began again under the faster cadence of Hemlock. One day the father, a hunger, became tired at the dwindling pile of food and thought of the two achas. Surely the pile of food could be enough if you used it againsst the piles o f luxury. She looked up. She was in the great area of the political movers and shovers. In her haste, she agreed to accompany But wass left with protection or her own steed or mount. As was her brother. Winters were harsh and they were without food. They took shelter at the nearest cave they could find, unaware that the lip or entrance they chose led to a cave that was much deeper than they first imaged. And inhabited. By a great witch no doubt. And boy was she famished as fall collecting period was not successful for her. 




Original thread

Silhouette waited for her friend to come to a natural pause before she took up the mantle to continue the storytelling spiel.

"As winter was harsh, the witch was loathe to give up her new findings. She piled the two young achas with platitudes and foods until they trusted her to go further into her cave. They were so very green and did not understand or notice what that sickly sweet scent was that clung to the skin of the supposedly benign Totoma that fed them. The two achas did not know better and followed her completely to their doom. The sister was the skinniest and the one fed the most. It was the brother that caught on quickly to the Witch's dastardly plan. She was fattening them up and would look on with a mien of avarice each time they devoured something far too delicious. Day after day she would feed them without eating anything for herself/ They were fed delicious meats and soured vegetables that were crisp and brite. The two achas, not knowing any better, ate on with a fever as they finally were in a state other than devastating hunter. The male acha was the first to notice with unease the plan. He informed his sister and when they sought to rebel, the Totoma trapped them i a ring of boulders she had pushed with her large horns while they slept peacefully. Food coma.

But the totoma's plan was shortsighted. They were circled in a ring of boulders in the cave, but light did not peentrate deeply. Nor did the totoma have a source of light in the form of mushrooms or a fire salamander. Using this to their advantage, each time the totoma asked for the achas to stick out there leg, the male would use a skinny stick. No one wanted to eat tough, chewy and fat deprived meat! This happened for a few weeks while the achas grew stronger and more cunning. While starvation was no longer a constant companion, they plotted their escape. It happened to coincide, all of the plans, one fateful day when the Totoma could take it no more and forced them out. She let them free with only the fire. She thought she was mighty and that by doing so, they would be herded. But two against one, even though they were achas, they overpowered her. They had speed and agility on her side, plus they were a lot healthier than they urchin scraps they were. They forced the acha into the fire and let her burn. Should theye at her they asked one another? They decided not to because it was taboo and there were other foods to eat. They left the body and fire unattended, the fire blazing and dying out as it cleansed the foul begotten cave with its smoke. There would be no more lured away kin for this totoma to eat. As it was the way of the dessert and swamp, the sister and brother acha forged their own paths, never once thinking about the parents that left them to fend for themselves.

Silhouette finished her tale and sat down. She wasn't as gifted as others, but a story was a story and time was passed cheerily so.