Island Spirits Welcome page | Chapter One

The air was crisp and clean, and smelled like salt. It left Utel very confused, because the air where she lived was hot, heavy, and full of desert dust. She opened her eyes and immediately knew she was somewhere else. The trees looked similar, being the palm trees she was used to… but everything else was different. There was lush vegetation everywhere, a virtual paradise. Birds sang from the trees in hope, and there were signs of animals aplenty. Following the sound of rushing water, Utel rounded a corner to stop and stare.

Now this was something she had never seen. Water pounded down over a cliff face, crystal clear and bountiful. The sounds of fish playing in the resulting roil of water was intriguing and made her stomach growl. It had been a long time since she’d had a succulent fish, living off scraps of drying vegetation in the desert and whatever the aging hunters of her village could bring in. Which wasn’t much. It had been a particularly brutal cold season, taking the lives of many of the village’s most vital and healthy people.. leaving nothing but skeletons where there had been a prosperous village.

Pushing these thoughts our of her head, and refusing to wonder at her good luck, Utel thanked the Watcher and hurriedly stripped down to her skin and waded into the cool water. She avoided the deep areas instinctively, never having learned to swim, and sidled up to the falling water, letting it run down her body and wash the constant dirt away. The water was so powerful it nearly hurt, but the sensation of being clean for once was so amazing that she welcomed the small pain.

Heading back to the bank of the water, she suddenly realized she was not alone. She was not worried about modesty, for that was never something she’d worried about in her short life with a closely-knit family that lived practically on top of each other in small caves in the desert. However, she did not know this Sim’s intentions, so she was immediately wary, and she dropped to a defensive crouch, squinting her eyes to focus on the woman that stood on the other bank past the spray of the salty water.

The woman was old, but healthy, and looked well-fed. She spoke something, but Utel had to shake her head, unable to understand a word the woman said. The woman tried again, then pantomimed eating something, pointing at Utel and motioning for her to follow her. Finally understanding, and not feeling in any danger, Utel gathered up her filthy wrap and followed the woman warily into the underbrush.

They came out onto an expanse of water and sand like Utel had never seen. A large wooden craft of some kind was tethered to a tree that was clearly heavy with mouth watering coconuts, and Utel briefly wondered if the wooden monstrosity was a way to get the food down. She was quickly dissuaded of this thought, as the woman climbed INTO the wooden shell and motioned Utel to do the same. Utel did so, carefully, and with no small amount of fear, but the woman ignored her unease and simply untied the rope and used a wooden stick with a flat end to push away from the shore. Utel squeaked in fear and distress, but again, the woman smiled gently and she confidently moved the craft away from the sandy shore.

Gripping the sides of the shell tightly, Utel watched in utter horror as they moved farther and farther into the water, but still the old woman showed no fear. The flat of the stick she held slapped the water rhythmically as they slid seemingly effortlessly through the impossibly blue water. Slowly, Utel’s curiosity got the better of her and she peered over the edge of the shell, wondering at the amount of fish and colorful life she saw under the surface of the water. Surely, she had died and gone to the afterlife, to be where food was bountiful and within reach. Before Utel could really form much else of a thought, the woman paddled around a corner and a small hut came into view.

Utel looked in consternation, wondering what held the little structure up. Just then, a young boy ran out of the opening of the hut, waving excitedly and calling, again in a language Utel couldn’t understand. The woman tied the boat up to the wood that ran it’s way around the strange man-made cave, and confidently exited the wooden craft, making her way towards the beach. Utel looked around in confusion, wondering what she was supposed to do, then the old woman motioned for her to follow her, and Utel finally understood. She slipped over the edge of the rocking shell, and waded towards the shore.

The boy greeted the woman enthusiastically with a hug, then warily peered around her skirts at the new addition to the beach. Feeling more than a bit confused still, Utel motioned to her chest and simply said her name. “Utel.” Then she motioned towards the pair standing in front of her. Both replied with sounds like Utel had never heard before, and she shook her head in confusion, trying to say her name slower to them, in the hopes that they would understand to say whatever they had said slower.

“UUU-aaa–crooww” the boy said, pointing to himself, then pointed at the woman and said slowly, “Saaaaeee-luuuu-aaa”. Utel tried making those sounds, pointing at each in turn, and the boy nodded enthusiastically.

After several more repeats of halting introductions, the boy turned to the woman and babbled incoherently in their language for a moment, before motioning both to follow them towards a steaming pit on the beach. The woman reached the pit first, and pulled the leaves back to release mouth-watering smells such as Utel had never beheld before. Nearly weak with hunger, she knelt down beside the pit, and took the trencher of food she was offered in utter gratitude.

For a while, the only sound was of the three of them eating, although the boy couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off of Utel in his curiosity. At the end of the meal, he collected the wooden trenchers and headed off towards the water, clearly intending to clean them up.

The old woman grunted, said something approximating Utel’s name, and motioned for her to follow her into the man-made cave. Utel followed, gasping at the array of dried herbs and plants hung up from the hut’s windows. Never had she seen such bounty, and she couldn’t identify a single plant. Slowly, it dawned on her that this woman must be a mystic or shaman to have such knowledge of plants. The woman lit a bit of leaf, wafting the powerful smell over both of them, and indicating that Utel should breathe deeply.

Utel started to feel a bit woozy, and quickly sat down in front of the woman, fearing for her balance. The woman indicated she should breathe deeply again, and Utel did, wondering if it was the smoke that was making her feel wobbly.

“There, there, dear.” the woman said, and Utel looked at her in consternation. “Can you understand me now?” the woman asked, and Utel nodded mutely, her eyes wide in wonder. How did the woman suddenly know how to speak her language??

“You’ve come a long way, Utel.” the woman said, her voice deep and powerful. “And you have a far longer way to go.”

“What?” Utel asked in confusion, wondering if she was hearing things.

“You must not be confused. You’re having a vision, dearie. You must hear me and understand, or your very life is at stake.”

Utel looked at the woman, wide-eyed and mute, trying desperately to understand.

“You are still in your dry homeland, you are merely asleep.. but before you wake you must hear me. Find a strong warrior to accompany you – and pack all your things. You must walk many days to get to where I am. Follow the mountains into the trees, until the trees start to thin. You will find a grassy clearing with plentiful fish, but you must not stop there long. The trees will become thick again, and very tall. Make your way ever on, until the water is clear and you can see the smoking mountain. Beside the mountain, you will find your new home. And me. I will be there too, and I will help you and your warrior find a new village that will welcome your youthful energy.”

Utel shook her head in confusion, but the woman merely repeated her directions, then slowly motioned Utel to lay down on a pile of furs nearby.

Unable to speak for her exhaustion, Utel complied, and laid down, soon drifting into a deep sleep.

When Utel next awoke, she looked around in fear… for once again, she was in her small cave in the desert, and she had nearly slept so long the fire was out. In panic, she built the fire back up, then squatted next to the flames pensively. Clearly she had dreamed, but never had she had such a vivid dream. Peering outside, the early rays of another scorching day were coming over the horizon, and Utel made up her mind. She quickly packed her small store of personal things, and headed towards the main cave.

She found the mystic mixing some sort of concoction in a bowl in the back of the main cave, and she approached her warily, not wanting to distract her from her task.

“Utel, I expected you this morning.” the ancient woman said quietly, looking up to see if anyone else was in hearing distance. “You’ve had quite a night, I think.”

Utel nodded, wondering how on Earth the mystic knew the things she clearly knew.

“I think you should follow your heart, Utel” the woman said, motioning to the bundle of personal things she carried. “You have far to go, and not much time to travel the distance. This tribe is dying, Utel. You are young, you are strong, you need a tribe that can appreciate you. Take Nork.”

“Nork?” Utel said, wrinkling her nose. “Why Nork?” she asked, thinking of the selfish young man the mystic indicated.

“Because he is the strongest. The rest are needed here. Nork will make a good protector, a good father for your young.” the mystic continued, completely ignoring Utel’s sudden protests. She patted Utel’s shoulder, and placed a small packet of medicinal herbs in her hand. “For your journey. It’s the last I have left, and you may need the medicine on your way. You must not argue, you don’t have time. Go. Pack the rest of your camp. I will get Nork.”

Utel, struggling to understand exactly what was happening, took the herbs and returned to her small cave, packing up her shelter and what she would need to start a fire. She packed all her survival tools, and shouldered her packs confidently, returning to the main cave where the mystic waited with Nork, who was similarly burdened, and looking no more pleased than Utel felt.

“Utel, you know the way.” the mystic said. “Do not waver from your path. You will know where to camp each night if you search your heart. Now I must go tend to the chieftain. His days are numbered, and I must ease his passing.

“Can you believe this?” Nork finally said as they watched the old woman toddle away. “Traveling so far on just the mystic’s vision??”

“It wasn’t the mystic’s vision.” muttered Utel… and she quickly turned and walked away. Towards the mountains in the distance. She knew of an oasis halfway there, but they would need to travel quickly in the day’s heat to reach it before nightfall. And arguing about it with Nork was definitely not high on her list of priorities at the moment. For now, she felt sure of her future. She didn’t know why.. but she did. And she wanted to get back to her dream. Back to Uacro and Saelua. And all that food. If traveling with this man was the Watcher’s will.. who was she to argue. Arguing took too much energy, anyway, and she would need all of that for this journey. She could hear Nork complaining behind her, but she didn’t slow her walk. She had too far to go. If he was coming, so be it. If not, she would go alone. It did not matter to her.

Author’s Note: This is the start of my Sulani History Challenge. I’m not sure exactly where all this backstory came from… I just sat down and started writing. But that’s the way all good stories start, right? I hope you liked the start of this, and I hope the rest of the story is as good as the beginning of this is! My intention was to just start in on the challenge and let the story happen, but for some reason I started writing this prologue, and .. well, it’s here now. So here it will stay. Enjoy!

Island Spirits Welcome page | Chapter One