Vigil

She had finally made it to the pens to over see the ringing of the new foals. It was a disappointment that they had lost so many during the migration, but her mind was already on the pairings for next season's foals. From time to time she would look over to Gabe and his new scars. Could this young warrior be the squalling baby that she had tended to, when she was barely old enough to tend to herself? When had he grown to be so tall and so handsome? Did she blink and miss something?

She had to laugh at the group of young girls that had suddenly found a fascination in the kaiila, and in one particular young newly scarred warrior that worked with them. They were lined up at the fence, giggling and whispering among themselves, casting glances in his direction. To her it was amusing, but he seemed to not even be aware. That would change.


She was so proud of him, and knew that she did not tell him that enough. What is it, that keeps us from telling the ones we love, how much we care about them, and how proud we were of them? What made us fear this small showing of emotion? Did it really mean we were weak because we care? This was something that always puzzled her, but she was as guilty of it as the next person of keeping such things to herself.


Her thoughts were interrupted by Hallie crawling over the fence, crying and distraught. The girl ran right into her arms, trying to talk between sobs. She had drawn her away from the animals to the clan wagon, and finally got her settled down enough so she could understand what had her so upset. Hallie had blurted out that she had ruined everything for everyone, by assuming her mother did not want her at the pens. Tarra only did not want her there when the prospect was there, but Hallie had not understood it that way. Explaining this, she burst into a new round of wails, rambling on about her mother being upset, and her grandfather would probably kill her, and she would never get the chance to apologize and make things right.
She had listened carefully, getting the gist of what the girl was trying to say, and slipped an arm around her to comfort as she spoke gently about everyone making mistakes, explaining that even she and Tarra had made mistakes over the same situation. Mistakes that were unnecessary, had they only talked about it. And, when we make a mistake, usually if we were contrite and apologized, it would all take care of itself.
Hallie continued to sob uncontrollably and suddenly wailed that she could not apologize, because her mother was dying. Well, that caught her attention. Taking the girls shoulders, she squared her around so that she could see her features and ask her what she was talking about. Amid sobs she finally understood that Tarra was gravely ill, and being tended to by Kaeli.

Pulling the girl up from the platform she pulled her along as she raced as best she could to the Kaeli's healers wagon. Kaeli was inside, but there was a slave there tending to the fires that told her that yes, the spex was inside, and from what she could gather hovering between the two worlds. The slave leaned to whisper to her, eyeing Hallie, hoping she did not hear. Poison.

That brought her up short? Poison, who would poison Tarra? It just did not make sense. Taking Hallie, she found a mound of furs to sit upon, and held the girl as they waited for any word from inside the wagon. Soon, they were joined by Arkus, who she could tell had been crying, but was trying to act brave. She nodded for him to sit beside her, and was not surprised, when after a time his hand slipped into hers.

And this is how it was as they waited. Waited for Kaeli to give them some sort of word about what was going on inside the wagon. All of the crying and hysterics had tired Hallie out, and soon she lay down, resting her head on Cana's thigh. Her hand moved to stroke the girls hair as she watched the Central Fire make its' journey lower in the sky.

Closing her eyes, she knew that women could not pray, but she also knew that the Sky could see what was in her heart. And right now, in her heart was hope. Hope, that Tarra would survive whatever it was that had her in its' grasp.