Sunlight poured through the slits between the timbers of the little
cabin. A light film of dust coated what remained of the furniture
and spider webs decorated the walls. Once a frequent stop for weary
travelers, the cabin had fallen into disrepair and would soon be
claimed by the forest. Ivy was already growing up the outside walls
and birds had made their nests in the eaves. What had once been a
well-worn trail was almost grown over by ferns.
With a few hours left of daylight, Asiza and her twin Cloe meandered
through the forest, playfully throwing rocks and sticks at each
other. Identical in almost every way, the two were a magnificent
team of master thieves. They were careful never to be seen together,
which often confused law enforcement when one was caught and several
people claimed to have seen her someplace else at the time of the
alleged crime. But being caught was a thing of the past; neither had
been caught in more than 10 years. Since joining the Storm Weavers,
the pair had even acquired new skills. Marawen had blessed them with
the ability to disappear in her forests and see clearly even in the
darkest night. They also had an uncanny knack of being able to
conceal and carry a tremendous amount on their bodies.
The twins reached the cabin at dusk and were more than a little
pleased to be able to sleep protected from the frigid night winds.
So confident were they of their safety that they didn't even bother
scouting around. They smashed the furniture and used it to build a
cheerful, warm fire before unrolling their sleeping mats. Wadded
cloaks made comfortable pillows and the fire gave off plenty of heat.
Cloe pulled a bundle from under her jerkin and unwrapped a couple of
small biscuits and a wedge of cheese. The sisters ate the meager
meal in comfortable silence, enjoying the warmth and cheerful popping
of the fire.
As Asiza got up to throw more wood on the fire, Cloe got a
mischievous grin on her face and began twisting up the rag that had
held their meal. When her twin returned, Cloe lashed it out and rat
tailed Asiza on the thigh.
"Ow! Cloe!"
"Ha!" Cloe was on her feet and running before Asiza could say another
word. The ensuing chase ended with Cloe laughing hysterically and
rolling around trying to evade the fingers that knew exactly where to
tickle her.
They lay on their mats, exhausted and completely happy. The symphony
of nocturnal creatures lulled them into restful slumber. During the
night a brief spring storm battered the cabin, but the two occupants
slept on undisturbed.
Asiza woke in the intense darkness that precedes dawn and stepped out
into the crisp air of the dark forest. A few seconds later, Cloe
stood at her side and together they watched the spectacular display
of colors as the golden orb slowly rose into the sky. The light
refracting from the many raindrops that still clung tenaciously to
the foliage gave the forest a surreal appearance.
Asiza noticed a puddle beside Cloe and her eyes gleamed. She hooked
her foot around Cloe's ankle and pushed her over into the mud. Cloe,
never to be outdone, grabbed two handfuls of the muck and hurled them
at her sister, striking her in the chest and hip. Peals of laughter
rang through the forest as the twins rolled and smothered each other
in mud. By the time they stopped, there was not an inch on either of
them that was not absolutely filthy. They decorated each other with
leaves before gathering their things from the cabin and making their
way to the river to bathe.
Sounds of a camp reached their alert ears before they reached the
river. It appeared that their mischief had provided them with very
effective camouflage as the crept along the forest floor. The men
were awake and cooking breakfast. There were four of them, all big
and burly. Asiza and Cloe looked at each other and grinned; this
would be a piece of cake. Cloe moved silently over the carpet of
dead leaves and lay motionless a few feet from the nearest man.
Asiza circled around the other side of the camp and found a suitable
bush. She picked up a stick and broke it loudly, the noise snapped
the men to attention and they all looked nervously in her direction.
In three seconds flat, Cloe had snatched two backpacks and disappeared
on the forest floor. Asiza shook the bush and growled like an ornery
bear, bringing all four men to their feet with swords drawn. As they
approached the bush, Cloe dashed out and picked up everything, even
the skillet on the fire and concealed it all beneath her cloak before
once again vanishing into the woods.
When she was sure her sister was clear, Asiza stopped making noise
and hit the ground, blending perfectly. The men surrounded the bush,
astonished that there was nothing there. They looked at each other
in confusion and swore as they turned to find that all that was left
of their camp was the pile of embers from their fire.
Asiza lay still, the men were close enough to touch and here eyes had
caught sight of a moneybag tied to one man's belt. She also noted a
dagger in the boot of another man and slipped it out without him
noticing. Testing the blade and finding it suitable for her purposes,
she watched the man with the moneybag until he took a seat on a log
not twenty feet from her. She moved stealthily behind him and cut
his belt. He didn't notice the purse slide slowly to his back and
off of him entirely. The group was still in shock that their entire
camp had disappeared and so no one saw the shadow gliding into the
forest.
Asiza headed toward the river and followed it until it ended in a
fifty-foot drop to the lake. Undaunted by the height, she splashed
into the river and let it carry her over the edge. A powerful
swimmer, she resurfaced despite the weight of the many accoutrements
pulling her down. Scanning her surroundings, she caught sight of
Cloe sitting on an otter mudslide. When she saw her sister, Cloe
grinned and slid down the slide into the water.
After the inevitable water fight and drowning attempts, Cloe and Asiza
hauled themselves out the lake and sprawled out on a boulder to dry.
"They were cooking bacon for breakfast, it was tasty."
"I suppose that means you didn't save me any?"
"No, I knew you would want me to have it." Cloe grinned.
"Heifer." Asiza retorted.
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Take it back or I'll beat you with this skillet!" Cloe wielded it as
though it were a weapon.
"You'll never catch me!" Asiza cried as she rolled to her feet and
sprinted off into the forest. Cloe shot after her and stayed hot on
her heels for miles until they came to unfamiliar territory.
"Where are we?" Cloe asked.
"Do I look like a map? Lets try to find something familiar."
"'Kay"
The twins wandered aimlessly for several hours, still uncertain as to
where they were until they reached the edge of a bluff and stared at
the vast expanse of ocean. Convinced that they now knew where they
were, they headed back into the forest, walking with sure steps until
they came across their own footprints.
"Are we lost?" Cloe asked.
"Probably."
"You can be honest."
"I have no idea where the heck we are."
"Tell it to me straight, I can take it."
"We're just going around in circles, completely freakin' lost."
"I can tell when people are lying to me you know."
"We'll probably die out here."
"C'mon tell me, are we lost?"
"Nope, I know exactly where we are."
"Oh good. I was worried there for a bit."
Asiza sighed and rolled her eyes, then began laughing quietly to
herself. Both of them knew they were utterly lost and frankly,
neither of them cared. As far as they were concerned, it was all
just a new place to play filled with new stuff to steal.
Darkness was falling and the forest looked strange in the lengthening
shadows. The twins scouted a giant evergreen whose massive limbs
were weighted down with thick layers of needles. A perfect place to
spend the night. Asiza and Cloe scaled the immense tree and curled
up in its branches.
An arrow whizzed past them and lodged itself in the tree trunk.
Asiza lazily opened her eyes and gazed uninterestedly at Jil, who
stood looking back up at her. Hands that were accustomed to moving
faster than the eye could see could easily snatch an arrow mid flight
and so neither twin considered arrows a threat. Asiza looked at the
arrow then down at her sister, who snored softly, her sleep
undisturbed by the shot. Asiza was surprised to note that it was
already daylight.
"Get up you two!" Jil commanded. "And toss down my arrow."
Asiza jerked the arrow free and dropped it down to the archer. She
knew Jil was a skilled archer and not to be underestimated. As a
porcupine for the Storm Weavers, she had earned the trust and respect
of the two raccoons as they had earned hers.
"So much for being lost," Asiza mumbled as she nudged the sleeping
Cloe. Cloe didn't stir so Asiza simply pushed her off the branch.
That woke her and she barely had enough time to avoid other branches
and make a graceful, cat-like landing. Jil laughed. In her opinion
as well as some of the other Weavers, the twins played a double roll
of raccoon and otter. The way they constantly tormented each other
always brought smiles and laughter.
"The others are camped nearby, we were wondering when you'd join us.
Milady will want to know what you've been up to."
Cloe tackled Asiza as soon as she hit the ground, and the two of them
tumbled and rolled about. Jil looked on, amused, then decided to put
an end to it and smacked the twins with her bow. They sat looking up
at her contritely, rubbing the spots that she had struck.
"Let's go you guys." Jill took off into the forest.
"Party pooper," Cloe grumbled as she and Asiza followed.
The Storm Weaver camp was really nothing more then a Storm Weaver
gathering. Jil smiled to Jac who welcomed her with open arms. The
badger and wolverines sparred a stones throw away from the main
gathering. Upon seeing the two raccoons, everyone took a quick
personal inventory of their things. The Weavers made a circle around
Asiza and Cloe with a space for Milady. When the high priestess had
taken her place and given a nod, the distribution began.
Out came a medicine chest filled with all manner of vials and gauze.
This went to the deer. Two swords, a battle axe, a mace and chainmail
armor went to the warriors. A harmonica, flute, mandolin and small
harp went to the robin. A quiver of arrows and a crossbow went to
the porcupine. A good size stack of books and scrolls went to the
owl. The twins unloaded pockets full of money and fine jewelry,
small intricately carved figurines, a chess board and pieces, a
compass, a spyglass, incense, playing cards, tools, hair clips,
fabrics of all types to make clothes, a sewing kit, a child's doll,
several bridles and saddle blankets, sacks of flour that had somehow
been kept dry, dried fruits, vegetables and meats and finally a small
statue of Marawen.
Milady shook her head in disbelief. How could they carry all of this
let alone conceal it? She was certain that they still had more in
their seemingly bottomless pockets and folds, but she didn't press
them to share it. Let them keep a few things for themselves. Looking
around, she could see the looks of astonishment on the faces of the
other Storm Weavers. Cloe and Asiza looked quite pleased with
themselves.
The group started a fire and began preparing the evening meal. Milady
had to intervene when Cloe and Asiza attempted to burn each other
alive. In truth, the twins would never purposely harm each other,
but it always looked like they were trying to kill each other when
they played. Such rough games kept them sharp and alert and gave them
an incredible pain threshold. When the meal was ready, Asiza and
Cloe wolfed down their servings, they hadn't eaten since the day
before and were famished. The other Weavers had to eat their meals
quickly to avoid losing it to either twin.
When they were done, the robin struck up a merry tune and there was
much dancing, drinking and laughing. The festivities continued well
into the night until they all collapsed exhausted. The twins had
drunk way too much and as usual, were in the mood for mischief. The
other Weavers lay on the ground, most of them asleep. Jil and Milady
awake and sober. They watched the twins play with a coil of rope and
a dagger, not sure what kind of outrageous ideas were going through
their heads. They waited up as long as they could in hopes of seeing
what the two nuts would do. Finally they fell asleep, disappointed.
The next morning Hope woke the group with a shriek. Startled, they
looked around to see what was the matter. Asiza lay face down with a
dagger in her back and Cloe hung by her feet from a rope tied to a
nearby tree. Both of them were soaked in blood.
They cut Cloe down and lay her next to her sister. Her body was
stiff and cold. The gentle deer began to cry and even the warriors
blinked back tears. Jil and Milady were the only ones not convinced
that the twins were dead. Jil knelt over and felt for a pulse. Sure
enough, the strong, steady rhythm of a heartbeat was there.
Cloe couldn't contain herself any longer; she erupted in laughter and
was soon joined by Asiza. The two roared in laughter at the
astonished group. Milady couldn't hold back a chuckle and was soon
laughing as hard as the twins. Even Jil shook her head and laughed.
"How did you do it?" someone asked.
"It was simple really, we used the dagger to kill a boar and soaked
our shirts in its blood. We used its hide to protect Asiza's back
when we 'stabbed' her. Then we climbed that tree and tied one end of
this rope around the branch and the other end around my feet. Asiza
lowered me down, then went to lay down over here."
"But how come you were cold and stiff when we cut you down?"
"It was cold last night and we were far from the fire. As for being
stiff, I had to consciously tighten all my muscles."
"Unbelievable."
The two pranksters grinned and apologized for making the deer cry and
upsetting everyone else. Not that they regretted doing it in the
least. As a peace offering, they brought the carcass of the boar and
everyone ate to their heart's content.
As they were accustomed to being constantly on the move and generally
disliked crowds, the twins took their leave and headed out to explore.
They remembered their proximity to the ocean and decided to head that
way and see what kind of fun they could have. As there was no trail
down the steep bluffs, the twins butt-slid down to the sand and raced
headlong into the water. Within seconds they were pummeled by the
mighty waves. They resurfaced with ease since they no longer carried
their load of goods. Waves carried them back to the shallows and
they splashed back out to ride them again.
When the other Storm Weavers saw what fun the twins were having, they
decided to join them. By the time their companions reached the water,
Cloe and Asiza had grown bored of body surfing and were scaling the
wall of rocks that jutted into the sea. The thrill of cliff diving
kept them entertained for hours. When they finally grew bored of
that, they decided to explore the caves that had been carved by the
constant battering of the sea. The slippery rocks posed little
difficulty and they laughed whenever a wave slammed them against the
cliffs.
On the other side of the rocks, Cloe and Asiza were delighted to find
miles of giant sand dunes. They leaped and rolled down the massive
dunes, reveling in the soft sand and sinking up to their knees. As
the sinking sun cast long shadows, the twins decided a game of hide
and seek was in order. The boundary was from the far side of the
caves to a patch of seaweed that they had drug up the dunes. They
only got a few rounds in before they thought it might be a good idea
to start looking for something to eat.
They searched the tide pools for mollusks and whatever fish they
might find in the rising tide. Not finding much, the two decided to
try their luck at spear fishing. They tied daggers to branches of
driftwood with some dried kelp and dove into the water. Although
their vision was blurred underwater, they could still see fish in the
darkness. After a few fruitless attempts, they finally succeeded at
spearing a good-sized halibut. They hadn't realized how far out they
were until they had to drag the fish back.
"I hope a shark doesn't get our fish."
"If one goes after it, we'll eat the shark too."
"You'll eat anything."
"Sharks are tasty, you've had them before. Besides, we can use the
teeth and skin."
"True."
But, as fate would have it, they didn't get attacked by any sharks
and they settled on the beach to cook the halibut. They built a fire
from driftwood and wrapped the fish in kelp leaves so that the salt
would season their meal.
"That was good, we should come down here more often."
"Yeah, lots of room to play too."
"Yeah."
The twins lay on their backs looking up at the stars and listening to
the waves crashing upon the shore.
"We're gonna be all crusty tomorrow," Asiza laughed.
"Yeah, but at least we'll be able to move. Not like that time we
fell asleep in that mudbath."
"Oh yeah! Ha! I remember that! We were stuck in there for hours,
stupid mudhole. Weren't we hiding from something?"
"Bounty hunters I think."
They laughed and reminisced over their past mishaps until sleep
finally overtook them. They slept well that night.
