Yellowhair: An Elf Hollow Prequel

NINE | Crawling

CHAPTER NINE

Crawling

Qello slithered sideways, as the mists from the gorge chilled her. Any part I move will hurt and help to keep me awake. Vague, dizzy thoughts swam in her head. Devil's Dive Gorge—the place where ancient courses of River's former incarnation ran deep between worlds, allowing the gilt of the sun to reach one world and the darkness so deep to spring into form on the other. Why do I know this? Qello's head was fuzzy. She blinked, clearing her eyes and tried to keep from relaxing, knowing she would never get up, if she did. She used her own pain and exhaustion to stay conscious, clambering more toward and onto the small downward back slope, away from the crest, then onto its smooth, more moss-covered rock toward the open fields beyond.

For a while, Qello just lay there. The part of the slope below her would rarely receive sunlight, through most times, but now, just at this moment the light was still there. She longed just to reach that spot and lay still. She breathed deeply on purpose, expanding her lungs, and grunted, giving her strength to move to her front.

She struggled over the stone, it felt still cool, but less cold than the rock at the top of the falls. Thinking this was as far as she could get, now—she let out a moan. She had nothing remaining to make her arms and legs move. Fully tapped from exhaustion, she bawled in a roar, to give herself power—as loud as she could. Limbs seemed unconnected. Oh, Mama, I can't do it. I can't find anything left. She rolled onto her back and mentally called, I'm not going to make it. I'm sorry. The great Nought has come calling. I fear we're both beyond help.

Qello's arms flung wide in her sprawl, lying face up. The back of one hand found a patch still in the sun that was warmer further down on the side. The rock curved out and into a field, and she resolved to pull herself to it. Knowing she was nearing her end, she gave one more heave, so her body might at least roll and warm kindly before she would clearly take leave of this world. Muma, will I see you? Whatever happened, this warm wonderful rock would hold her in full sun through to her end, if that's what it wanted. I'll stay with you, forever in my mind and my spirit. I love you, Muma. I love you. I hope your heartsong finds me.

As Qello slipped from consciousness, she left all hope and all reason. And the rock made off with her shivers. It did begin to warm her. It seemed that the rays stayed just a little longer here on this day—some or somewhat—or mostly warmer. And that helped.

But time had been passing.

Agony came with Qello's stillness, now—sometimes drifting, sometimes unknown thoughts of places took her off to journeys she couldn't recall. She returned in confusion and finally, yes—eyes blurred and swimming, she looked out, unsure if time had passed or where exactly she was now, but she was coming back to her senses. She pushed herself up.

Wide open space before her, like Qello had never known in her whole small life supported the rise she was on. It sloped away to a great upper valley that was shallow. She was high in the hills—blue, purple and green grandeur, unfolding forever. White slivers of snow still high up, melting, ran in delicate streaks, carving the mountains into beings from beyond this time.

On one side of this highland was another mountain, wide on its face, that embraced several more mountains all rimming the high side. Her River ran along hills and toward her, in a trench she could not really see. The valley, scooped like a large flat bowl, was huge and the air was crystal clear. Angular portions of rock rose in stands to meet smaller cliffs and far across the bowl the land to the southeast dropped away toward a broader upward slope, where she couldn't see detail, but from a distance, she noticed it climbed gradually, to form faraway hills and still more purple-blue mountains. Her lungs drew in this part of the world. Faraduke? Is that where Faraduke is? Eldrid! Are you out there? Her longing reached all the way over to him.