Split Arrows

K

Kitti

Guest
Original poster

It was not difficult to tell where the path became less traveled, the dirt fading gradually into the newly erupted green shoots of grass with the tender stems of flowers beginning to show themselves with the onset of spring. This path was one rarely traveled, for few left the forest into which it led and fewer still would return. Though on the surface the appearance was that of a verdant and peaceful forest, those from outside knew better than to intrude onto the ancient and sacred village of the elves which dwelled within. A solitary line of footprints in the soil still soft from the previous night's rain indicated, however, that there was one person heading into the forest.

Sunlight filtering down through the leafy branches of the trees caught Vale's hair and caused it to shine as brightly as an emerald caught in full sun. It had been a long time since he had been home and yet it felt as though no aspect of the forest had changed. Even the tiny bird singing on a branch near his head seemed to be the same from his memory - the only thing that had changed was Vale himself. Smiling, Vale continued on what was now less than a path and more aptly a groove worn ever-so-slightly into the plants underfoot.

After nearly an hour of walking through the undergrowth, following the faint indications of a trail, Vale emerged into a large clearing. This was the sacred village, the elven home within this region. While fiercely guarded and older than any could recall, the village did not at first seem to be anything so old or impressive. There were simple wooden homes built into the trees and few across the floor made of rock that appeared as though they had been formed by nature's own hand for how naturally they emerged from the ground. At the center, a natural spring formed a basin of water clear and sweet.

A child near the entrance of the village looked up at Vale with wide, questioning eyes but said nothing. His hands were sticky with juice from the fruit that he was cramming into his mouth, evidenced by the residue left on the wooden sword he had obviously been mock training with. Vale ruffled the child's hair, wondering if the boy's mother might be one of the girls with whom he had spent his childhood. The time for idle thoughts was not this one, though, and Vale continued with a slightly faster step toward the stone structure at the back of the village, different from the others in size and ornamentation. This was where the elders spent their time resting, meditating, and resolving issues.

Larger than the rest of the structures and engraved across the sides with script and images of the goddess, the Goddess Stone was the pride of the entire village. This was where Vale was headed, to discuss the worrying affairs of the outside world which seemed so removed from this one.
 
A mountain, not far behind the Stone Goddess, climbed to the sky and was the only one that seemed to be able to pass the treeline and look out over the vast forest. Peaceful and serene, the birds would chirp, bugs would create their lulling buzz, but not for long.

Not too far in the distance, birds could be heard squawking and flying in a frenzy away from the mountain. As the culprit of the chaos got closer, Triss was running down the mountain side from behind the large stone screaming and laughing and disrupting the monks and elders for a moment as they stared at her in disgust while otherwise not phased before continuing their discussion and mediation.

Triss ran through the village to the spring and stopped short of falling in. Though, in this weather, a dip in the water wouldn't be such a bad idea. She hadn't even noticed others near the waters as she knelt down and splashed water onto her face and through her short brown hair after taking a long drink from the pristine waters.
 

Lost in his own thoughts, little had been able to catch Vale's attention since he entered the village. In truth, he had hardly noticed the elves milling about him as they went about their daily chores. Some recognized him, stopping and staring with disbelief and awe that their rough and tumble Vale had grown into a man who seemed level-headed and purposeful. To go so far as to say that this man was quiet, they could hardly believe that they were seeing the same person.

A sudden commotion moved like wildfire through the forest - the loud protests of birds and the equally noisy admonitions from elven monks tending to their affairs rang through the village and broke into Vale's pensive barrier. He turned, already several paces past the spring at the center of the village, and was just in time to see Triss darting toward the fountain as though she had not a care in the world. More yelped protests followed as the girl drenched her hair in the water that they were gathering their drinking supplies from in stoneware vases.

Though it had been long since the days that Vale and Triss had played at chasing butterflies and capturing frogs from the forest stream, Vale recognized the mischievous girl almost at once. It was a welcome sight to see her jubilant and bursting with energy, a reprieve from the stern order required in those guarding the city. It also relieved Vale to know that there was no possible way that this woman was the mother of the sticky child at the village entrance. That would have made him feel older than his years, he thought with a smirk.

Really, Vale thought, he did need to speak with the elders. The matter was fairly urgent and would need their attention... still, he couldn't keep himself from greeting the girl.

"Hey! Are you trying to be the tree branches that steal my time in the sun? I come back expecting all of the girls to swoon at what a hero I've become and here you are making a ruckus instead! What did you do, trade your brains to the monkeys?"

Vale's arms were outstretched and he was fully turned toward Triss, a grin on his face so wide that it seemed to stretch from one ear to the other.
 
Triss blinked, almost sure she was in trouble, but as she turned she would recognize Vale. However, she wanted to lead him on and make him think she had forgotten. "Excuse me, do I know you? If I don't, then maybe you should blow your head up around someone else before I let down your hopes."

And to further make him feel more awkward, Triss walked over to the young sticky boy and called out. "Time to go home, son. We've got to get you in a bath." She smiles and the little boy clings on, a mouthful of fruits, and starts to protest but Triss kept interrupting with loud outbursts as she carried the boy to his home and dropped him off. The whole way to the home, Triss was giggling and a bit giddy that her long time friend had returned.
 

The nearby villagers recognized Vale well and were used to his rambunctious and spirited sessions of antagonizing Triss with her paying it in equal measure. Instead of saying anything, they were willingly to thank the stars that Vale's return would keep Triss occupied and prevent her from doing any more terrorizing of the monks or others. Those already at the spring filled their water vessels hastily before Triss could come cause more trouble.

As for Vale, his original intent was all but forgotten as he dropped his arms and pulled a face at Triss's back. Before she could get out of earshot, he cupped his hands around his mouth, eyes twinkling bright even if she couldn't see the ornery expression on his face. That couldn't possibly, there was no way. Not after that sort of entrance!

"Stop messing with the children of others! I know that he couldn't be yours - who would want to lay a finger on a boyish monkey like you? They'd be too afraid of getting mange!"

Satisfied with himself, Vale turned and caught the eye of several of the villagers, who were still eyeing him with mixed admiration and suspicion. Was Vale grown from his time defending the castle city, or had he been kicked out and sent back here? Either way, his infectious smile seemed to be making the children more wild than usual and some of the girls in the village appeared to have forgotten swearing as little girls that they'd sooner kiss a frog than Vale.

That'll wear off, Vale thought to himself, suppressing a laugh. They wouldn't be so interested once they realized that you could take a boy from the forest but never the forest from a boy. The attention, though, was nice. He wasn't used to having people part around him while he strode purposefully toward the Goddess Stone.
 
After dropping off the random boy at his mothers house, Triss put her hands on her hips and murmured. "Mange.. I've had plenty of guys ask about me. Rude." However, Triss couldn't help but smile as she thought of Vale and his return to the village.

As the sun in the sky moved slowly from one horizon to the next, Triss had sat in the trees above the treasured stone and looked down quietly, watching Vale. Her hair gently moving in wisps and her eyes shined with the sun setting in the distance whilst she crouched on the branch of the tree, trying to remain hidden from sight.

In her mind, Triss couldn't help but think how much he had grown over the years and how little he seemed to have changed but only time could tell. Triss herself hadn't changed much and in her mind, she had hoped Vale hadn't either in fear that the friendship she had held dear in her childhood would be lost to a more mature Vale. In all her thoughts and memories, she had come close to giggling a few times but, kept her location hidden to her best ability.