Yellowhair: An Elf Hollow Prequel

FOUR | Findaway Mountain

I wish to dedicate this chapter to @JessTitone and @triciabird. Hope you like the addition of my Outtake from the podcast, which you'll now find within this chapter. Your endless help is so, so welcome and appreciated. Thanks for everything you both have done! :))

Since time began, women have exercised their skills less visibly. They have trained their daughters unseen, whatever the skill set, no matter how proficient. In centuries past, patriarchs had punished women too long and too often, or made their lives hard, perhaps fearing their strength, and maybe, perhaps-especially in times of magic! As a consequence, in near times and now, all children receive their early years' training in quiet, reverent acceptance, taught alone by themselves, with their mothers, their mentors and magi. They are given no ability to compare to the training of other children. They learn without question and by feeling, unfolding their sense of their own sacred place in the order of things yet to become.

CHAPTER FOUR

Findaway Mountain

"Well! We're all ready. Come on, Honey. Did you give Mr. Groote that parcel of instructions I made for him?"

Qello nodded. The day of departure had finally come and Qello knew anticipation had begun to climb from her depths. She had thought this not possible, ever again. The pre-dawn day was starry-clear. The time to leave was close now. She felt excitement.

Luu almost giggled, like a child, suddenly, as the sun slivered its first light along the horizon. "Good. Then it's done. Here. Tie my red scarf around your head. Gosh, I hope the girls won't be in trouble, with us both away." And she winked.

Packs were tied on, tightly, with cords made from grasses that Qello had long ago gathered. The breezes whispered to her and Qello felt pride-not sure where this was coming from-it was all so new. She avoided her thoughts and fought to scramble upright over lumps of grass and roots, as her mother led the way up a steep path to the trees. They crossed the tiny bent bridge over a deep narrow channel where her beautiful River poured down from the mountain and ran between rocks and under her earth. After the bridge, it widened and came out among the trees of the Great Orkin Forest, not a long way off from their sweet earthen home.

Qello had been happy to stay in the house on their very last night. It reassured her. The blackness couldn't concern her on nights she stayed in. Darkest of clouds had blanked out her pale full moon, rising. It had rained buckets for such an early spring spill. More water had poured from the sky, than in the whole of last summer's downpour. The full moon re-appeared in the wee hours of morn, breaking away from the last bank of clouds. She smiled up to Om and felt comfort.

The heavy rain and thoughts of their travel, had made Qello much more grateful for their handsome, handmade house. Even she had once had her hands in the mud, slathering layer upon layer on in lumps, mixed with straw and sand to build walls. She herself had had a part in making its body-its warmth. Their home looked somehow finer this day-now she was leaving. Nonetheless, she was glad they were off. Goodbye house. She concentrated her love on its form, hoping her appreciation would keep everything just as it was, until they returned. With the storming now past, a fine sunny day was fully alive and well underway. In no time, they had crossed to the farthest edge of her fields at the lowest part of the slope on the Findaway Mountain.

Luu was focused. "I want to find somewhere to settle-in the woods-before it gets too dark." Qello tried to keep up.

At first, it was slippery, but after a while, Qello seemed to find her balance and they climbed, in the bright filtered sunshine, using trees to hold onto and pull themselves on. Through most of the morning they climbed. They went higher and higher. Sometimes, the path would level out and go sideways, offering some grass, but they didn't sit. They wound through the trees, until long past mid-morn.