Star lifted her hand and felt the rain hit her hand and the wind blow against it. She smiled. "I missed you rain…"
She looked up at the shadows of the mountains in front of her and touched her new bow on her back. "Slouen. We just follow these hunting paths. Do they take us up the mountain top?"
"Hahaha. You're impatient girl. This path will take us to the start of the range."
Star cursed under her breath. "We haven't reached the start of the range yet."
"You'll be climbing the mountains soon. Now lets stop here and have something to eat."
She nodded and sat under a large tree as she watched Slouen started a small fire using a fire battery. She opened her pouch and pulled out some dried rabbit meat chewing on it as waves of warmth started drying her clothes.
Star looked up and pointed at the closest mountain. "Is that where the range begins?"
"Yes. That's where it begins. Once we reach the top of that mountain, you'll see the range and what we'll be climbing up soon."
She looked at him, as he turned to her. "Before we go up there, you need to know of the rules."
"Rules… What do you mean by rules? Do you mean the mountain tribes have set rules for climbing these mountains?"
"Yes. The mountain tribes have rules and each territory have their own rules. If you break the rules, there is only death. No chance for explaining. The first one is easy. As we climb higher, I'll explain more."
She watched as Slouen drew a symbol in the dirt. "Each tribe has a symbol. When we reach the top, you'll see animals marked with a symbol. Don't shoot it, don't aim at it or even think about killing it."
"BOOOMMM!"
Thunder roared over their heads. They both looked up and watched as lightning strikes hit the mountains. She looked at Slouen who cursed. "I thought we could make it to the first camp before the storm hit. Looks like we're camping here tonight… You get some sleep. I'll take the first watch."
She nodded and moved her pack under her head closing her eyes instantly falling asleep.
"… Girl wake up… It's your turn to watch the fire."
She opened her eyes and sat up. "It only feels like I've been sleeping for a few minutes…"
She stood up and moved closer to the fire. She watched Slouen roll over and fall asleep. She sighed playing with a stick and poking the fire.
She smiled at the small insects and moths dancing around the fire. "It seems you're happy with your lot…" She listened to the rain fall around her. "At least the storm is over." She added a few small dry branches to the fire listening to it crackle. She looked at the scars starting to show over her wrists and legs. "Just because I became lost, I wanted to die… I can't think that way anymore." She cursed. "Never can I be this way again. I can't rely on others like I did in the past… I must be stronger and make my own path. Rule my own destiny."
She picked up her bow and smiled. "That blacksmith and his strange apprentice. I wonder what they're up to?" She traced the design on the bow and smiled. "They only saw me once and knew exactly what I needed."
She put the bow on her legs and stared at the fire sitting in silence.
"Bow. We share the same heart and heartbeat. We both must be strong, and our arrows must be always straight. Never curving or missing."
"No more tears… No more feeling sorry for myself." She looked up at the mountain with determination in her eyes. "The truth is up there."
She stared at the fire. "After I find out the truth… What will I do next I wonder?" She shuddered and shook her head. "When I get up there, I'll know what I need to do next."
She stood up and stretched her body. "I've no idea how long I've been staring at the fire, but it seems dawn is breaking…" She bit into some dried meat smiling and looked at Slouen who had rolled over and was looking at her.
"You look motivated this morning." She smiled and nodded. "That's good. It was boring to just see death and revenge in your eyes."
She looked down and finished her morning meal in silence. "Let's go. We need to reach the camp by nightfall, or we'll have to go down the mountain to camp again. We'll need to increase our pace. Follow my steps."
She nodded and focused on Slouen's footwork and copied it to the best of her ability. She looked at Slouen's back and sighed. "Soon… I won't need to be following someone's back. I won't have to look at anyone's back…"
"Girl if you walk this way then your saving energy for making it up the range. Up their air gets a bit thin, so you'll will have to practice your breathing as well."
Star nodded following Slouen closely as they quickly walked up the hunting trail towards the peak of the first mountain. She took a deep breath when they reached the top of the first mountain her eyes wide open.
"It took us all day without stopping to reach here. This is very beautiful Slouen."
"Look there." She turned and looked at where Slouen pointed. "That is where we'll be mountain walking. This was just a warm up. We'll be needing all our tools and strength to get up there."
Her mouth fell open. "That is the start of the range… It's impressive. So let's go…" She took a step forward.
"The day is almost over. We'll rest in the camp first and head out tomorrow. Even though it looks close. It's quite far and will take several days. Also, here it is very dangerous to walk out at night as the tribes sometimes don't like strangers in their territory and will kill them on sight."
Star nodded. "Okay, so where do we camp tonight?"
"Follow me… This way. It's a place that the tribes allow mountain walkers to camp."
She saw Slouen stop in front of a cave. "Inside is where we'll be resting for the night. Go inside. The tribes-people look after the mountain walkers well."
She nodded walking into the cave, and removed her hood smiling. "Wow. They are very nice to the walkers. Stone benches, a fireplace and lots of fresh water…"
"Remember what I said about the marks on the animals when we hunt. Don't forget. We're already in their territory, and they probably already know we're here."
Star nodded and sat on a stone bench looking around inside the cave. "It seems like you were able to follow my steps quite well. You don't look tired at all girl."
She looked at him and smiled. "With all the practice at Maseli's tavern it wasn't hard to pick up."
"Good… Good. You set up the fire, and I'll go look for some food."
She nodded and stood watching as Slouen walked out of the cave and into the rain. She collected the dry firewood left in the cave by the mountain tribes and started a fire. She sat and stared at the fire as it grew casting its light on the cave walls.
"The tribes' people are very creative. All this artwork is beautiful…" She stood up and placed her hand on the wall. "Amazing. This is really detailed, all the hunters, the animals… It's beautiful…"
"I'm back… I found a goat that we can cook. It'll last us several days…"
"Girl… Are you listening? Girl…?"
Star turned and looked at Slouen and saw the goat.
"Goat looks like we'll be able to eat for a few days."
"What were you doing? I've been here watching you looking at the wall muttering to yourself."
Star felt her face turn red. "What do you mean? I've been looking at all the artwork on the walls. It's beautiful…" She looked at Slouen. "Haven't you stopped and looked at the paintings?"
"Girl… I don't see any paintings on the wall… To me they are blank. But that could be because I don���t have the same eyes as you."
"It's a pity you can't see them. It's beautiful." She looked at the walls. "They are of people, hunting, animals, and an amazing city built into a cliff."
She turned and looked at Slouen with a large smile on her face. "Could this city be where we need to go?"
"Not sure… I've never heard of a city among the tribes-people…" She watched him place the goat on the stone table and started preparing it for the fire.
"Since they know we're here. Are they going to be watching us climb the Stormy Mountain?" She sat near the fire.
"By the time we get to the Stormy Mountain, everyone will know…"
She looked at the fire and watched as Slouen placed some goat meat to be cooked over the fire. "Speaking of these pictures… Do you remember anything of your childhood?"
Star shook her head. "The earliest memory I have when I think back is Agnia teaching me how to use a bow in the circus… If I try and think further back, I get splitting headaches and want to be sick."
"When you were young what did the circus teach you… apart from using a bow poorly?"
"The circus didn't only Agnia and Red taught me reading and writing, how to be me, I fell in love with maps because Red was proud of his map in his office. They became my parents and family… Those in the circus were my brothers and sisters."
She smiled and felt a tear fall down her cheek and wiped it away with her hand.
She sat in silence looking at the walls and listened to the sound of the cooking meat. "Hmmmm. That smells great. You're a good cook Slouen."
"Thanks, come and eat some meat before I dry out the rest of the meat."
She nodded and sitting by the fire eating in silence, staring at the pictures.
"Did they ever tell you about the mountain tribes-people?"
She shook her head. "No. They taught me about the cities, and never really spoke about my eyes, and just said they're special." She closed her eyes. "They gave me my name. I can't remember even if I had a name before the circus…"
She laid back on the floor of the cave and her eyes opened wide.
"Incredible."
"What is it… What do you see on the roof of the cave?"
She could hear Slouen curse.
She looked at Slouen. "Do the mountain tribes-people wear masks?"
She saw him nod. "That's right… Each tribe has a different style of mask. It's part of their coming of age ceremony…"
"What I see is the mask of a dragon with its mouth open and human eyes. It looks like it's about to eat us… It's very realistic."
"Our blood she has… old blood… She is who mountain walker?"
She turned and watched as two large muscular men entered the cave with large swords on their backs. She looked at their masks and smiled. "Birds… Your masks are amazing."
"Girl eyes… mountain people… understand you come… mountain walker know war here…come why?"
She looked at Slouen with worry on her face. "She has been asked to visit her past, to meet someone from her tribe." She took a deep breath and could feel her heart in her throat. "I'm teaching her how to mountain walk and guide her home."
She looked at the large tribesmen. She could hear whistling and chirping of a bird. She looked at Slouen in confusion. "That's their language. It can travel throughout the mountain ranges. Its range is incredible, a lot better than the language of the lowlands…"
She nodded and stared at the tribesmen as they returned her gaze. "Tonight rest. Tomorrow follow go there…" She looked at the wall where they were pointing and smiled. "They want to take us to the city…"
"Blood yes… mountain walker no. Sacred place. If mountain walker comes. Never leave or die… Queen decides."
She looked at Slouen in worry. "What will you do?"
She saw Slouen's smile. "I'm coming to see this through. I'm not going back now. I hope the queen is generous."
"Brave good… tomorrow hurry war come…"