Storytime

Writers: Mirren, Paula
Date Posted: 10th February 2016

Characters: Raghad, Torianna, Hadgar, Deseida
Description: Raghad tells a story of his adventures to a bunch of children and Torianna is considered too old for it.
Location: Citrus Bay Hold
Date: month 4, day 7 of Turn 8

"Tell us a story!" One of the little ones insisted, tugging on Raghad's sleeve.

Torianna smiled. "He might be tired," she told the child. It fell on deaf ears as the other children started pleading for a tale.

Raghad smiled. "You wanna a story, eh?" It was raining outside, so it was actually a perfect evening for a storytime. He really hadn't anything pressing to do. "Let's get seated first."

"Torianna, be sweet and get us some juice and nibblies from the kitchen, please," Raghad asked her and picked up a little girl. A granddaughter. It took awhile to get them all settled down around the large, comfortable chair that Raghad favoured for occasions like this one. Kids were looking for pillows to sit on and few adults discreetly drifted closer, to the hearing range.

Torianna nodded and hurried from the room. She remembered when she was the one sitting on her father's knee, or on a cushion near his feet. Growing up was sad once it meant being sent out of the room to miss the fun and bring food for everyone else. Not that she'd refuse, but if she hurried, she might catch the end.

"So, have I ever told you how we defended our trader caraven from a feline attack?" Raghad asked from his avid listeners. There was head shakes and no-answers.

"Alright then. This happened long ago. I was not yet full grown, around Torianna's age. We were moving thru some really wild and rough country so the men were alert and had weapons at hand. Bows mostly, and few hunting spears and blades. The road, if you could call it road, went through a dense forest. Closest Hold was days ride away. Two man were riding ahead, clearing the road from scrubs that tried to take it over. I was driving our wagon when the front wheel hit one of those potholes hidden by underbrush..."

~*~ flashback begins~*~

"Dad! We hit a hole!" Raghad called, pulling the reins to stop the draftbeasts. He leaned over to see if the wheel was damaged.

"By Faranth's left tit!" His father had a collection of colourful and imaginative curses. "This road is worse than the ass-end of the Red Star!"

Raghad hopped down and signaled the following wagons to stop. Then he leaned to inspect the wheel. "I don't think anythings broken, dad, but we need to lift the wagon to get the wheel out. There's no way the beasts can pull it out."

"Fine feckin'…" the old man mumbled under his breath. "Out!' He shouted. "Everyone off the wagon?'

Mother and the little ones poured out while Raghad's older brothers came to help to get the wagon out of plight.

None of them noticed the figure creeping inside the forest. The pride was hungry, the hunting had been lean and these two-legged ones seemed like an easy prey. Not to mention the large herders they had with them, slow moving, juicy meals.

Hadgar scowled at the wheel. It was going to take some tugging. Luckily they'd gone this often enough and had it down pat, more or less. "Get in place and hurry up." He glared at one particular lad. "Come on, my ancient aunt's bum moves faster than that."

Raghad's brothers hurried to place the large poles to lift the wheel out of hole.

The attack was silent, tawny figures leaping from the foliage. Their main target was the draft beasts. One of the women screamed and one of the felines turned it's attention to her.

Hadgar swore. "Get the women and children under cover." He all but shoved a woman under the stuck wagon. He grabbed a knife out from his belt and started toward the ruckus.

Raghad snatched a whip from the driver's seat while his brother used the pole to defend the draft animals. If they got killed, they would be stuck for good. It was confusing. Someone fired an arrow and one of the felines went down. But there was more of them. Raghad cracked the whip, getting a good slash at one of the felines. Of course, that just angered the beast and it turned to look him at him with it's yellow, hungry eyes. "Oh, the Thread eaten trundlebugs!" Raghad cursed. He needed something more substantial than the whip.

Hadgar saw the standoff and swore again. "Oh no ya don't!" More concerned about his son that himself, he lunged at the feline, knife in hand, teeth clenched in rage.

Raghad dived to the sideways, rolling away from the beast. He still felt claws rake his arm and hissed with pain. His brother hit the feline to the head with his sturdy pole, same time as their father reached it. Getting back up to his feet, Raghad noticed that the men had formed protective circle around the caravan, battling the felines. Old Widow Deseida hit a feline with a frying pan, right into the nose. The beast seemed dazzed and her son finished it off with a blade. "Don't make holes into the hide! The pelt's worth of few marks!" the widow scolded him.

"Aye, but kill 'em!" Hadgar growled. He slashed at one and managed to jab a knife into its eye. It growled and reared back, trying to dislodge the weapon. It was going to be dangerous before it died.

Raghad found a sturdy three branch to use as a club. Some of the felines were already retreating since this prey had turned out to be too tough. He saw one of the runnerbeasts kick attacking feline. The feline bit the mare's leg and she went down, trashing and neighing with pain. "Shaffit!" It had been Dawn, one of their best breeding mares.

Hadgar growled. He grabbed a pot from one of the women and hurled it at the feline. He missed, but it bolted away into the darkness

Suddenly, it was over. The felines either dead or fled. But the caravan had suffered.
"Oh, Faranth, they've gutted my husband!" one of the women wailed.

Raghad leaned against the side of the wagon, blood dripping from his arm. He was exhausted. Widow Deseida started to organize the first aid. She had been trained in healer hall in her youth.

~*~ end of flashback ~*~

"...and I still have scar from that, see?" Raghad ended up his story and rolled up his sleeve, showing of a long, old scar line in his arm.

Just then, Torianna returned carrying a tray of food. She sighed and everyone crowded around to eat and drink. She'd really wanted to hear that story.

Last updated on the February 20th 2016

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Storytime