Fool's Gold

Chapter 1

A/N

Not all of the historical facts, terms and items described are accurate, the story is based upon historical events that took place but most of the events described are made up. I have combined  facts with those I made up becuase of a lack in information about the civilisation, therefore the customs, rituals, buildings and way of life are not accurate. 

Nevertheless, enjoy...

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The heat of the fire only added to the panic that coursed through the village. Numerous loud bangs and screams rang harshly in my ears. I could see huts engulfed by flames but my vision was obscured by people running about frantically; parents quickly gathering their children, children calling out for their parents, and the warriors, collecting the weapons, saying goodbye to loved ones and sending them off to safety in the hills.

Then the horns sounded. Three sharp, short blasts, meaning danger. Serious danger and immediate evacuation. As if people needed to be told, as if the screams hadn't given it away already. 

I felt something small knock into my legs, then tug on my furs. I slowly bent down, rubbing the dust from my eyes and found my younger brother coughing and spluttering as he pointed away from me. 

"Papa." He managed to choke out. I followed his finger and saw a small huddle of people. I recognised the brown speckled fur boots standing at the front of the huddle, the man was patting the heads of the other children circled around him. They were my father's boots. I picked up my brother and rushed towards him, he burrowed his face under my furs as I poorly tried to cover him from the smoke.The boots turned around, and I looked up to see my father. Relief spread across his worn face, the shadows of the flickering flames dancing over his eyes, portraying his true feelings that he'd been trying to mask.

He wrapped his arms around us, whispering prayers of thankfulness under his breath. 

"Inka, Toto." He mumbled as he grabbed my head. Lightly he kissed me on the forehead and then he did the same to my brother. He leaned close to me, "Whatever you do, always keep your eyes on him, don't ever let him from your gaze." I nodded and pulled Toto even closer towards me, I couldn't let my father or my brother down. 

The other children in the huddle were from the other huts, their parents either searching for them or already dead. It was horrible to think about. 

"Where's...mother?" I asked in between coughs. I looked around, father would not have let her fend for herself. He stared down apologetically, taking a large gulp.

"She's coming soon Inka." He smiled hopefully but I held my stern gaze. I don't mind if he lies to Toto, he's only five winters old. But I'm fourteen winters now, old enough to be told the truth.

He gave up the simple facade. 

"She went into the North temple before I could stop her, she said she would come back here as soon as she could." I could see the guilt in his face and I relaxed my gaze.

"I know how stubborn she can be, don't worry.” I whispered.

A scream came from behind me. 

I whirled around to see a woman kneeling down, weeping loudly as her hut burned down before her eyes. A child from behind me ran forward, my father put out his hand to stop him but he ducked underneath and knelt down next to her.

"Mama?" She looked to her side and heaps of fresh tears flowed down her face, this time of happiness. She held him tight and he began to cry too,his little body shaking with fear.

My father nudged me.

"You must go now, with Toto, into the hills. I will come to get you soon but I must stay here with these children till they find their mothers." I gulped back tears as he pushed me into my chest and we hugged for one last time.

"Tell Mama I Iove her." I said, choking back tears. He nodded and ruffled Toto's hair. 

"Bye Toto, be careful and do what your sister says, okay. Take care Inka, love you." His eyes were brimming with tears.

"Love you too, Papa." Toto let out a little cry and papa kissed him on the head again. 

"Go, quick, go now, hurry! Through those trees, follow those people over there." Papa shouted.

I held Toto close and ran over to the gap in the trees where the other people were fleeing from, there's a small path that leads to the top of the hill from here. Papa had shown it to me once or twice, because there are amazing views from the top. 

I managed to catch up with the people who were in front of me. The boy whom I was walking behind, skipped over a branch and landed with a thud on the ground. Something fell from his skins. I eyed it on the floor, it was a small wooden totem. 

Given to a boy at his birth, usually an animal, always the most precious possession to own.

I picked it up and examined it. It was unusual, not the normal kind of totem. Instead of being an animal, it was a picture. The paint had faded slightly but you could still make out the scene, it showed a thunderstorm. A terrifying scene to witness, but of course we can’t control the Gods, no matter how many sacrifices we offer. 

The token is presented to the boy at his birth ceremony, and the animal (or in this case the picture) is always relative to it’s recipient. And there’s only one person in this settlement who could be fit for this totem. 

“Coy?” I asked, hoping he would hear. The boy turned turned around.

“Inka?” he said uncertainly. “Inka! You're alright!” He hugged me tightly. I grinned, at least I had a friend to accompany me on the journey to hills.

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Hello, this is my new story. I hope you like it! Feedback would be great and please vote if you think it deserves it :) thanks!