Dark Woods. Land of Beonia Book 1

Chapter 5

We walk for what seems like forever...well in reality only an hour. Ahron continues talking to Abak while Storshu keeps his head down behind them. I walk behind him and take in my surroundings. We exited the woods about twenty minutes ago and now were in a vast meadow. Abak had instructed Ahron to clear a path in the front while I was to close it behind us, to cover our tracks from those who would harm us, Abak had said. Who would want to harm us? The plants here were different from the ones we had in our settlement but to make a connection with them was slightly easier. There was less resistance when controlling them more like the plants themselves were curious.

"Storshu, how do you know Abak?" I finally ask walking next to him. This question had been burning in my mind since we left the house.
"He's my grandfather." He states bluntly. I pause accidently closing the milkweed and bluestems in front of me. He turns, crossing his arms looking at me as I maneuver the plants away and then back in place.

"Grandfather? Isn't he too young for that? Wait, how old are you?" Yes my brain had fried thanks to his answer.

"I'm 22. My mother had me when she was 22. He had her when he was 22." Storshu simply states as we continue to walk.

"So 22 is like the age to have kids in your family? Your wife must be missing you." I stated.

"He has not had the honor to get married yet." Abak responds from the front. I notice a slight flinch from Storshu at the remark. "We do not allow our people to marry as easily as the Naur."

I see Ahorn grin at the statement. "Well Ahorn had been waiting for the appropriate time. He's only waiting about six years." I state, causing Ahorn to cough. 

"Storshu should have married last year but failed to impress his would-be inlaws. That's why he is on this journey." Abak dryly states.

"She must be very important to him." Ahorn chimes in.

Storshu smiles awkwardly and nods his head, a gust of wind rushes through the group and Abak glares at him. "Control your emotions or they will control you." Abak snaps as he turns. "We will go another hour and then we will rest...if we have gone far enough."

I roll my eyes and sigh rearranging the knapsack on my back. I wait a few minutes before talking again. "Is there a way you can keep him from listening to our conversations?" I whisper. Storshu looks at me surprised. "Like you know, create a wind thingy to block the sound." 

He smiles and I notice the air around us shift. "Yes. I can do something like that."

"I can talk freely?" I ask. He nods. "Your grandfather seems like a real piece of work to be honest." I say and look at the back of Abak's head waiting for him to turn around...nothing.

"He is just very serious. He takes being Ventin Nadartach very seriously."

"From an original family?" I ask getting a nod as an answer. "Wait really?" I had only ever heard of descendants of the originals.

"You sound shocked. Doesn't your settlement have descendants of the originals?"

I shake my head no. "We only have a few Nadartachi. Only two Naur families and one Luran family have consistently been having Nadartachi."

"You don't keep records?"

"Nope. We don't see the need for them. Everyone has a purpose whether they are Nadartach or Normteach. Being Naur mainly just means we are good with the land, don't need gifts to do that unless there's a bad harvest." 

"Each tribe really does things differently." Storshu mumbles. We continue walking in silence as the air returns to normal around us. After an hour Abak looks disgruntled.