Saraqael stepped through the forest with purpose, the extra set of eyes on her knees giving her an upper hand with balance. While she couldn't see with them per se, they definitely gave her an advantage when wandering in dark and woodsy areas, where the ground was difficult to see. Such was the case today; it had been suspiciously dark out for quite a while - darker than it should be, even with the overcast sky. The sun still tried to peer through the clouds, but its gray-white light was ineffective at completely lighting her way. Her mother had sent her on a mission to find soothing herbs for her father's mind; he was a little more disturbed than usual today. The chamomile and lavender would hopefully help calm the anxiety brought on by having multiple souls in one body.
Growing up had been a journey for Sara, though she did not know any different. With one parent who was blind and mute and the other having more than one voice and more than one set of eyes AND wings, she had learned about the peculiarities of the world early on. While her brother had inherited her mother's blindness and her father's multiple wings, she had been lucky to come away with just the extra set of eyes. Perhaps a "soul problem" would develop later, but for now, she counted herself fortunate to not experience such complications.
Keeping her nose open, Sara made her way to the meadow where she expected to find the herbs. Upon reaching the threshold of the grassy field, she found that even this area reminded oddly twilit. She cautiously stepped into the field, ears alert. She was glad she had worn her metal face shield; though she wasn't sure it would be very effective in the event of an actual attack, it did give her a stronger feeling of security. The whole atmosphere of the natural world today made her fur bristle.
Sara meandered delicately through the meadow, avoiding trampling as many flowers as she could. The plant life here was valuable to more than just her family; she was aware of familiars and other families in these woods who relied on them for medicinal and even culinary purposes, gathering them as needed and doing their best to tend to the meadow when it was in rough shape. It was a team effort, even if she rarely saw the other members of this informal society.
As she gathered the white-and-yellow and purple flowers, Sara tucked them into the pouch she had been given. She was just about to make her way back (the pouch was full to bursting) when the sky suddenly darkened. Looking up, she pinned her ears. The bright white patch where the sun had attempted to break through the clouds was gone. It felt as if the world had plunged into night without warning. Silence pressed on her ears. Birds had stopped trilling and squirrels she had passed by ceased their raising of the alarm; the living held their breath.
Uncomfortable and tense out in the open, Sara moved to the shelter of the forest. The eaves didn't cast the same shadows; they were long and stretched. She hoped her parents were okay. Her mother would notice the strange quiet, while her father would perceive the sudden darkness perhaps even before Sara had. Her mother would stay calm, while her father would fall into a state of frozen anxiety. She felt that a little bit, herself; a frightened feeling fluttered faintly in her chest. Sara had never been afraid of others, but she did fear things that seemed to defy the rules of reality. Like this. Night time in the middle of the day? Would the sun ever return?
As Sara stood there, a dark being passed into the clearing. Its deep red color contrasted with the shaded greens and floral colors that surrounded them, and its many black wings looked familiar to her; her own family sported such a genetic anomaly. Starry ornaments adorned its body. Before Sara understood what was happening, the being turned its head toward her - and it was then that she realized that the wings behind its ears hid its eerie eyes from view. Something clicked, and Sara approached.
Walking to its side, Sara spoke softly. "Greetings. What do you make of this phenomenon?" she asked the being. It seemed to her to radiate a collectedness, as if its sense of self were so solid it made others tremble.
The being looked up, and its voice rumbled in its throat, the lowest pitch Sara had ever heard from another. "It is a happening beyond our understanding," it said, reasonably. "I suspect it is an act of nature which we would comprehend had we the tools with which to measure it, but alas, we do not."
Brow furrowing, Sara looked at the being more closely. It seemed somewhat otherworldly, and as it turned its head to make eye contact with her, Sara felt its eyes stare through her. How could a creature like this exist? Was it only here for this event? "Does this happening have a name?"
The wings around the being's eyes fluttered, as if to shrug. "I have heard it termed an 'eclipse,' but this is the first experienced in living memory."
A sense of unease rose in Saraqael's chest. "You speak as if you know more than just your share of experience," she said, taking a step back from the being. With her father's struggles, Sara knew enough to register syntax peculiarities as a sign of a potential delusion. She was also aware of different dialects and other linguistic characteristics... but this being spoke as if it was not even from this planet, let alone the Kawani Lands. Or like it was omnipotent.
Once more, the being turned its dark, hollow eyes on her. "Perhaps I do," it said flatly, and Sara squeaked as darkness fell on her.
-----
Sara sat up in her nest, darkness still pressing on her. Her eyes felt tired; she had been asleep. Shaking her head, her ears perked up to her father's voice. "Saraqael! You're gonna miss it!"
Getting to her feet, Sara shook her body and trotted to the edge of the forest, where her father stood. The sky was no longer overcast, but the darkness remained; above her, the sun was totally blocked by a dark disc, a bright ring encompassing it. "Only look for a second or two," he instructed. "It might harm your eyes."
Sara nodded, still in a haze. Had it all been a dream? The being had seemed so real, with its many wings and glittering jewelry. Its deep voice. Its all-knowingness. But perhaps she had just projected a fantasy onto her dreamscape; it would certainly be nice to know someone with more answers, cryptic though some of those might be. Would such a being know the identities of those responsible for injustice? Would it pass judgment?
Glancing up for a split second, Sara's mind tried to absorb the situation. This was so much like her dream - perhaps her body had detected the change in atmosphere as she was sleeping and reflected it with a new dream. Even as she thought this, the light began to return. "Where's Mom?" Sara asked, turning her gaze to her father.
"Helping the forest creatures return to their nests. Some of them were moving in quite a hurry, and she was worried they might get confused or clumsy."
Sara quirked a smile. That sounded like her mother, bent on bringing comfort to those in need. Their community was built on trust and caring; how else would a family like theirs survive? Adarael and Samael had a handful of familiar friends who saw to their needs, and the soquili returned the favor to the best of their ability. They helped their bird friends construct nests, providing hair to weave it together. They provided extra fur when the seasons changed and creatures other than them still needed insulation from the chilly spring. In return, the creatures helped them with tasks their hooves and Adarael's unseeing eyes were not suited for. "Have you seen or heard anything strange or unfamiliar today, Dad?" Sara asked, hoping to put her dream to rest.
"Aside from what we just witnessed?" Samael asked, raising his brows. "I don't think so. Why, did you?"
Sara's mouth twisted. "No, just a weird dream. Probably from this." She inclined her head toward the sky, which was brightening by the second. "Do you think we'll see another eclipse someday?"
Samael looked at her, eyebrows rising higher. "Is that what they're called? No, I don't think we will. I hadn't even heard the faintest whisper about these before, but your mother knew of them... She thought they were only legend, but she knew exactly what was happening when everything suddenly went quiet. But her family has always had a deeper connection with the celestial, as far as I know."
Sara hummed to herself a little. This whole happening seemed unreal, but it had occurred. That being in her dream had seemed so otherworldly, but... maybe it existed, too. Perhaps, someday, she would find out. For now, she went to check on her mother and tried to help the squirrels climbing groggily down their trees.
Reply
