Sosa brushed the hair from her eyes, her elation marred by the fear on her mother`s face.

　　The wind blew dust into her face as it dragged at the trees and ripped the heavy laden clouds through the sky. The air was heavy with the threat of rain and more. Things in the trees, both natural and unnatural sent their shrieking cries into the screaming wind of the imminent storm.

　　Sosa finally saw the crowd of people, or more, she noticed the abandoned things in the market. Gris was busy inspecting bundled rolls of twine, tugging gently on each until he found some he was satisfied with. He was not the only one stealing things from the deserted piles, the wind now too was carrying things away.

　　Those who had fled the market now found themselves watched by a woman in bronze armour. For many this was too much and they fled. Some screamed. It didn`t bother Eleris. The guardian looked briefly around the village. Sosa searched for some reaction, surprise, recognition, interest. Eleris` face remained like stone.

　　Sosa`s mother reached for her, inserting herself between Sosa and the guardian. Sosa tried to step away.

　　Sosa, come away,` her mother shouted above the wind. Go back home, where it is safe.`

　　Sosa turned and frowned. It`s okay, Mmawe. This is Eleris, she`s who we went to find.` She gently pulled free of her mother and stepped out to watch.

　　With their exhausting flight here, Sosa had not had chance to envision this moment. She had not imagined it would happen so immediately. There should have been time to talk to Eleris while they awaited Gris. There should have been a chance for Sosa to ask all her questions. Their flight through the last stretch of forest had not afforded her any opportunity and she had been nervous to bring anything up before. She had only dared ask what they were fleeing.

　　The dark hides more than bodaki. That was all Eleris had said. There was not enough for breath for more.

　　They had fled the forest, not using Eleris` alternating running trot, but ran like their lives were already in the claws of something that followed. Something that filled their heads so full of dispair, if they had stopped for even a moment, stopped to rest, to breathe, it would have been too much. Even Eleris had fled like she had no defence against this thing. There had been something on her face. It might have been fear.

　　That possibility terrified Sosa.

　　Eleris still held the spear. She`d carried it with ease even during their flight. The skin under her armour glistened with sweat, but she didn`t look as tired as Sosa felt. She was truly incredible. That she had also shown fear made her even more so. It gave value to the easy fearlessness Sosa had come to expect. What monster did even a guardian fear? Sosa shuddered and decided it was best to never think of it.

　　Gris, looking ever the old man, still picked at wares that flapped on the ground. He was far more dangerous than he looked, but Eleris would have no difficulty killing him.

　　Sosa was certain.

　　Certain.

　　She had to be. If they failed, if Gris swatted Eleris away, if he killed her as easily as he had Devon or Korassi, then what would happen? What would happen to the village of Rala who relied on the guardian`s protection? What would happen to the people who ran to Rala to find a someone to kill the thief? What revenge would he take on them?

　　Eleris seemed clouded by no such doubts. She had seen Gris without needing to be told and strode towards him. She spoke something, low and gutteral, a warning perhaps. The wind swallowed it, but the reaction was clear. Gris looked up startled, then shocked, even frightened. Whatever happened now, the man who had killed her brother deserved this. The man who had slaughtered Korassi, Devon, Arilla, Rem and Ego so heartlessly deserved whatever violence Eleris visited upon him.

　　There was something else under the shock. Was it shame? The wind sent his matt of grey dancing across his face making it hard to read.

　　Gris raised his hands and opened his mouth but instead of speaking he made some small gesture with one hand and then was still. Eleris` back was to them and Sosa wished she could see the guardian`s face. She began to move, to risk getting a little closer.

　　Sosa,` Kala whispered. Sosa moved regardless.

　　Gris dropped his eyes. Again he didn`t speak, but he made a small angry gesture with his hand.

　　Closer now, Sosa could hear occasional words, but knew none of them. Was it the wind, or was Eleris talking to him in another language? How did she knew Gris would understand? It must have been a trick of the wind.

　　Gris looked down at the bundles of twine he was clutching, then thrust them to the floor.

　　Damn this wind, Sosa was desperate to know what was being said.

　　There was a back and forth, Eleris` voice was angry, threatening, her words alien. Gris responded with jerky hand gestures or head movements. He never made a sound. He wouldn`t meet the guardian`s eyes for a long time, she noticed, but when finally, for just a moment he did, Sosa saw something there& something she found very odd.

　　Eleris advanced on him. Gris didn`t retreat though he looked small against Eleris` armoured bulk. The wind stole all Eleris` words and Sosa could no longer see his mouth to know if he raised the courage to actually answer her, or if he kept making his silly gestures. Sosa could not blame him for being frightened. She found Eleris terrifying, but there was pleasure to be take from seeing his fear.

　　Sosa circled around until she could now see Eleris` face. There was anger there, possibly more than just aggression. It reminded her of Mmawe`s face when she or Halo had done something wrong. Something really wrong.

　　Was there pity too? A little flash of disgust? Watching it felt uncomfortable, like watching a child being told off by a parent. Eleris grew taller while Gris shrank, his face downturned.

　　Eleris` anger broke and she shook the spear in his face shouting something that made him flinch. Sosa could not understand a single word. She cursed the wind, but was certain Eleris spoke in other words. It was more than just the weather and the guardian`s strong accent that kept Sosa from understanding.

　　Eleris threw the spear down at his feet. A strange thing to do, perhaps it was some sort of challenge? Was she giving him the spear, offering to fight him perhaps? If that was the case he didn`t take it. His hand gestures became smaller, less angry. It was strange to see this man who had terrorised their village for so long reduced to this. Still it wasn`t enough. He`d attacked Halo and now Halo was dead. He`d killed killed the others with his monstrous bodaki, or his bare hands. Talon and Sosa had not fought their way through the forest to find woman who would simply scold him. She wanted him dead. She wanted to watch while Eleris skewered him on Grampawe`s spear, to cut him open and watch him bleed like Halo had bled. She wanted to watch him die and then send him back to the trees one last time.

　　Eleris was right in his face now. Whatever her words, both Eleris and Gris looked shaken, upset. When she was done she backed off a few paces and stared at him. Gris took a step towards her, perhaps seeking mercy, but she stepped back, maintaining their separation.

　　Gris held up a hand before his own chest, closed fist, then moved it sharply towards Eleris then out as if indicating the gathered crowd, then back towards himself. He held it there for a moment, slightly inclined towards Eleris.

　　The guardian gave a bitter laugh, glanced towards the crowd and back to him, her words sharp. He dropped the hand.

　　The old man swept his eyes over the crowd. Sosa felt them touch her. He looked betrayed, as if he hadn`t expected the village to react to his thievery and murder. This time when Gris` eyes dropped to the floor, it did not look deferential. This time his brow wrinkled and he brought a hand up to touch his cheek, wipe one knuckle softly under his eye.

　　Eleris spoke again, one last time, driving home whatever point she`d been making. He looked crushed by it. Then he nodded, thoughtfully, glared one more time at the gathering. One last show of defiance, perhaps, one attempt to show he was not afraid? He seemed to look strongest at Sosa, but perhaps she imagined it. Despite being at some distance, they all took an involuntary step back. All except Eleris.

　　He looked bereft. Alone. If he hadn`t caused the death of her brother, she would almost have felt sorry for him. His eyes met Eleris` once more. His hands up, he took a step forward, one final plea. Though to Sosa, it looked like a plea for something else. He looked almost sorrowful. Was he begging forgiveness?

　　Sosa frowned. It wasn`t for Eleris to forgive his crimes.

　　Eleris turned her head to the side, eyes cast down as if disgusted.

　　For the first time, Gris mouth opened. It looked awkward, his lips moving clumsily. There was a single word. Did he try and say her name? There was no way to be sure.

　　Was he so inhuman this thing, that he could not even speak?

　　Gris turned away, a slow reluctance weighing every step. Was she just going to let him walk away? Eleris stood, not even watching, as the old man shuffled from their village, leaving only the spear Eleris had cast at his feet and the bundles of twine.

　　Sosa watched Gris until he had disappeared from view, walking towards the edge of the village and the trees. She glanced back to Eleris, hoping the guardian would shed some light on what had happened, but the armoured woman was already gone.

　　No!` Sosa gasped and started to run. She could hear her father`s footsteps behind.

　　Eleris! Wait!` She was striding across the village towards the open grass that led to the forest. All the questions Sosa so desperately wanted answering were just walking away back into the darkness. She wanted more. She wanted revenge for Halo. She wanted answers. It could not end like this. It could not!A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

　　She caught Eleris only a few paces from the forest and grabbed her shoulder. Eleris span, catching her wrist and yanked her off balance sending her tumbling into the mud.

　　Foolish child!` Eleris shouted, tears had tracked clear tracks through the dirt on her face. Touch me and I`ll kill you, understand?` Sosa shrank away. The guardian`s accent was stronger than before, her voice thick, sounding rough in her throat.

　　Sosa stared up, afraid to move. Talon arrived and inserted himself between the woman and his daughter and lifted Sosa up.

　　You haven`t told us what happened.` Sosa said, feeling a little braver now she wasn`t alone. You didn`t kill him. Is he gone? What happened?`

　　He is gone. He will never return.` The way Eleris` lip curled suggested these words tasted bitter to her. You have what you wanted.` She stepped away, flapped her hands at the pair as if they were children to be dismissed and turned away.

　　Sosa stopped herself reaching out again. But, you can`t just leave. You& you haven`t taken your payment, you left the spear.` It lay in the dirt at the centre of their village where she had thrown it.

　　It is not mine to take. It was not yours to keep.` She stood facing away, not walking, not turning back. Sosa walked around to look her in the eyes, but they were closed and for a moment, her face softened, but it was not enough. Some decision had been weighed and resolved. Eleris looked at Sosa, just a little of that softness remained, but Sosa watched it fade.

　　You have what you wanted.` Her words sounded sad.

　　Eleris strode past Sosa and in a few steps was so deep in the trees that the dark closed behind her and she was gone.

　　I don`t understand.` Sosa said. What did we do wrong?`

　　We didn`t do anything wrong.` Talon looked around, but there was no one from the village who had followed them far enough out to see this last exchange. Even Kala had stayed rooted. She says he is gone. I don`t believe she would lie. We did it. We won.`

　　Why doesn`t it feel like it?` Sosa looked at her father and saw the same question written in lines of worry.

　　She was strange, solitary. I don`t think we`ll ever understand quite what happened here, but when Eleris says he is gone, I believe he is gone.`

　　Can we be certain?`

　　Talon laughed and shook his head. Who knows any more. I just want to dig a big hole and sleep in it and never come out.`

　　Come on, let`s go explain ourselves. Before the Elders decide to have us exiled for the sake of it.` Sosa looked out at the forest. I never want to go out there again.` As the words fell out of her mouth, she knew it wasn`t true. She would think about her adventure in the forest always. Dreams of what lay beyond the village would creep into her thoughts forever.

　　The villagers had not fled, but huddled in fear. Kala handed Talon the spear. Talk to them.` The wind made talking difficult, so Talon`s account was short. When he was done, and told them that the woman had come to banish Gris, to his surprise a cheer rose up from those gathered.

　　Kala slipped and arm around Sosa`s father and hugged him tightly. Sosa could see she was wrestling with tears. Then her mother embraced Sosa too and pulled them both away.

　　Grammawe rewarmed some food which for once was not water. It smelled good. Sosa`s stomach grumbled. She sat on her own cot, smelling food, smelling her own village, her own hut. Then Sosa burst into tears. She just wanted to sleep. Her whole body hurt and cried out for food, water, sleep and to be bathed. She had the energy for none of it.

　　Kala held her a short while and even Grammawe came to comfort her. Then Kala served food into four bowls, setting out an empty fifth empty and for a silent moment they each spoke to Halo-ki before they ate.

　　Kala seemed agitated and Sosa realised that she wanted to know what they had been through, but didn`t want to wear them out by asking. With a hint from her, Talon gave a version meant to minimise the distress. There was no mention of the numbing despair, the monster in the tree, or the mad flight into their village. Sosa knew better than to correct any of his alterations.

　　Sosa thought about Rala, while her father spoke. She thought of the woman in the shining armour. She thought of other places and other people. She thought of monsters. Old stories that were told to children, stories of ancient battles, of heroes in far away places, places where there were no trees. These stories rolled around her head and she began to wonder.

　　She replayed the day`s strange events. Would they ever find out what had really happened between Eleris and Gris? Was Gris really gone? They would know that at least, she supposed.

　　Then something occurred to her.

　　What did you mean?` Sosa asked quietly. Talon was in the middle of a description of the other village and he stopped to look at her. Sosa looked at her mother. When we got back. You said something. You said we`ve made a mistake.`

　　Oh.` Kala shook her head. When I saw that woman, and all the armour, well I thought that maybe& well it doesn`t matter now. I was wrong.`

　　No.` Sosa had avoided asking questions long enough only to watch her answers walk out of the village forever. Tell us what happened.`

　　Mmawe had been busy. She spoke of Hora`s death, of gathering stories about Gris, and the discovery of the armour and the picture that had looked just like what Eleris wore.

　　When I saw the guardian she was wearing the same armour& I just thought that maybe&` Kala gave a heavy sigh, I had a drawing I could have shown you, but Grammawe burned it.`

　　Why?` Talon asked.

　　She said it was Gris. She was thinking of the chronicle fadi, so she burned it before I could stop her.`

　　There was a set of guardian armour, in the village? Sosa`s mind spun with the possibilities. Where is the armour now?` Sosa asked.

　　Roo was gathering it for me, but it will remain hidden now we no longer need it.`

　　Mmawe!` Sosa exclaimed. I can`t believe you defied the council!`

　　I didn`t exactly. I was still nearly sick.`

　　Talon looked grim. Is it over? With Jode I mean?`

　　Kala considered carefully. I think it will be. I will write the record and stop asking questions. I will make it very clear to the chief that we all move on, no one has any reason to ask more questions about anything. Hopefully he will understand.`

　　If he killed Elder Hora, shouldn`t we do something about it?` Sosa asked a little horrified at the way her parents swept that aside.

　　We`ve done enough, I think.` Her father looked worried.

　　Kala nodded. It would be a battle of words. No one came forwards to tell me anything definite I could use against him and even if they did, I`d have to convince them to repeat what they told me in public. People just won`t. It would make us more enemies, whereas this way, we can ensure that Jode leaves us alone as well.`

　　It sat badly, but Sosa understood. Their silence bought them protection from Jode`s wrath. Jode had not yet summoned them to explain the arrival of Eleris or the banishment of Gris. If they mutually left each other alone, then perhaps that was the safest way to get on with their lives.

　　They slept, but things stalked through Sosa`s dreams. She knew the darktrees had been in hers and Talon`s heads, but now she was afraid they had left seeds.

　　Where darktrees grew in the village, they let them grow for the wood, but cut them down before they were large enough to invite the blackness. If they grew in her head, how did she cut them down? Did she just end up like Grammawe? Would their roots fill her mind, their branches tangle her thoughts? Would their leaves cast a dark shade over the rest of her life?

　　Would any of this ever be the same? Would she?

　　In the morning all three looking poorly rested returned to the fields. The workers were glad, and full of questions. Talon answered them all, keeping it brief. Yes, they`d been to another village, it was far away and yes, it was dangerous. Yes, they had brought back help and yes, the woman claimed to have banished Gris for good. No, they could not be certain, we would have to wait.

　　The fielders looked at them with awe. Where Sosa should have felt pride there was only darkness. Their questions followed her father and to protect her from their incessancy he sent Sosa to jobs that were out of the way so she could be alone. Eventually the work took over from the curiosity and they left him be. He came to join her and they worked side by side in silence.

　　It felt good to work again, her hands dusty with honest dirt, her arms and legs laden with a much more familiar ache. She had missed the smell of soil. She could feel the old ki and had almost forgotten how much she missed their presence. It all felt wholesome and good. At the same time nothing was the same.

　　Everything felt wrong.

　　Sosa`s thoughts strayed to the trees. The forest and its darkness was in her. Her body, her mind, were different. She stopped and leaned on the thin stave as a premonition began to unfold inside her.

　　The trees would grow in their heads, taking more and more room until she could think of nothing else. When they could take no more, one of them would walk out into the forest, as Halo had done. They would not come back.

　　Will it pass?` She asked her father needing no explanation.

　　I don`t know. Remember our agreement?` Talon stopped and stretched his back.

　　She nodded. I remember.`

　　We can talk about it whenever you want to.`

　　I don`t want to talk about it. I&` she sighed. I don`t know what I want.`

　　Last night,` Talon said, I heard the dark calling. I should have felt safe here, where it can`t come. I should be afraid of its call. But I still wanted to get up and walk out there.`

　　Sosa nodded and then reached out and took his hand. I feel the same, Pawe.`

　　He dropped his hoe and took both her hands, his fingertips played over the wooden beads on her wrist. I`m not just your pawe, not any more. I think you should just call me Talon. Even before we left, I looked at you as a woman, not as a little girl. It took me some time to see it clearly, but now& You`ll always be my beautiful daughter, but we`re the same now, you and I. We`re equals.` He smiled, Sosa-ses.`

　　She laughed and made a little bow, Talon-ses,` she said. Her smile made her lips tremble and her eyes filled up. She didn`t try to hide it. There is a whole place we will never see again. A whole people we never got to meet. Now we never will.` She looked up at her father, her cheeks now wet. She could see his eyes glisten. It was everything, it was our everything for just a couple of days and then like that, it`s over. I`m not ready for it to be over.`

　　I feel that too.` he said. It will pass in time. Eventually this,` he scraped his foot across the soil, will feel normal again. I promise.` He pulled her in and hugged her to him. I was thinking,` he held her back at arms length. When this is over, we should tell your mother everything. We`re safe now and in a few days all will be calm. She will worry for us, but we should tell her everything, not leave anything out. We should have her write it all down. We should have her write down what she did while we were gone, put it all together.`

　　And hide it, obviously,` Sosa said.

　　Oh, of course!` Talon laughed. We never show anyone! But one day when you find a young man and have some little fielders of your own, perhaps a little chronicler you can teach to read and write, then you can show them this story and tell them what you did.`

　　Our own secret record.` Sosa nodded.

　　Her father - no, Talon - walked to the edge of the field and picked one of the wild orange flowers, the sort used for decoration or celebration in their village, a village with a name only they knew. But now the flower made her think of Rala. He crushed it between his fingers, rubbing the petals and stamens to a dry paste between his thumb and forefinger and he daubed it onto her forehead.

　　This was only for Elders,` she said.

　　Maybe. Maybe you`re more wise than any of ours.`

　　She took his hand when he was done and turned his finger on himself. She touched her own forehead as if she could feel it, smiled and returned to her work, while her thoughts wandered through the trees.

　　Back home, there were several arguments. Kala stormed out, furious that they would ask this of her after all she had risked.

　　Days passed and Kala found other places to work that were not the fields.

　　Eventually Sosa and Talon returned from the fields to find Grammawe cooking and no sign of Kala. Ushered inside to rest, they waited and listened to Grammawe talking to the stew.

　　Finally Kala appeared holding a short stave and looking grim. She sat beside them in silence and Sosa realised it was not a stave, but a tight roll of record sheet.

　　Without speaking Kala unrolled the sheet and weighed down the corners. Sosa saw that it was already covered in writing. Kala had been working hard on the record for the Elders, but she had been writing something else as well. Something secret.

　　They gathered around. The sheets were not only the story of what Kala had done while they were away, but began with the death of Talon`s father and the finding of the spear and everything that had happened since. Talon could not read it, but Sosa could and quietly read it to him while Kala listened.

　　If anyone else finds this, we`re in trouble.` Talon said.

　　Such is the burden of truth.` Kala said. But don`t let your mother see it, I`m not writing it twice.`

　　Kala held her stylus poised where the writing stopped.

　　You need to tell me what happened. Tell me everything and don`t hide anything.` She turned to Sosa. Start with what happened when you first went to look for Halo.`

　　So they told her and she wrote down every word.