Ghost of a Forgotten Past

Chapter 2- Forged from fear and fire

Eleven years later...

The string was taught, the wind was still, and she had the deer in her sights. Breathing slowly, she released the deadly arrow, whizzing through the air it found its mark burying its head deep in the deer's chest killing it instantly. Creeping across the rocks and coming to the carcase, Lanora removed the arrow with one quick motion. Gathering up its fore legs she dragged it away. Always checking an area before stepping out into the open, she made her way to the very sweet stream she had stayed at all those years ago. After Lanora had left the village she had made her way back, in that direction not knowing why, but feeling it was the right way to go. After she had reached the stream, Lanora had continued with Phantom on for about half an hour and came across a narrow ravine, after measuring the distance they jumped it landing squarely on the rough dark grey stone on the other side. Continuing on through the thick soft ferns, they found by pure chance a cave entrance covered by ferns and vines, a small cleft in a vast rock face, Lanora stuck her head in to investigate it was dark and a feint breeze blew from an unseen opening in the darkness. After looking around inside they went a stone corridor leading to a hopeful home, they continued on through to the other side, this cave opened up on the other side to a shallow circular hollow carpeted in spongy moss. Looking over the top of the hollow Lanora ran her eyes across a glade or meadow ringed like a bowl by cliffs and dotted with many different coloured flowers. After exploring every inch of this wonderful place Lanora now knew there was only one other way out of the glade and this was up a steep stoney ridge that led to the top of the highest cliff peak. This was the perfect place to start her new life.

Washing away the gore from the tip of the arrow, Lanora separated the meat and hide from the carcase, wrapped them up in wet leaves and stowed them away in her bag. Starting off at a jog, she hopped across the stream, and quickly travelled to the narrow and deep ravine, that split the land as far as the eye could see. Taking a running start she leaped clean over the deadly drop, landing on the polished grey rock that had become smooth from her many landings. Casually she walked through the low scrub, coming to a sheer rock face blanketed in thick deep green vines, tangled with the lime green fronds of the ferns growing from cracks in the rock and peeking through their protective layer. Counting her steps along the thin winding trail, she stopped when she got to twenty three, glanced around and side stepped, the living curtain swallowing her up and she vanished into darkness. Emerging from a dark hollow Lanora looked out across the lovely field, she was home. The sun warmed her skin and the air was filled with that elusive scent of wild flowers. Lanora's home was a secret place, this was the only place the, wild flowers grew in the entire forest. Yes there were the common wild flowers in the forest but not these particular types. These flowers were special and rare; they were Star Dust, Angel Wings, Black Rose, Feather Lace and the fierce looking Dragon Orchid, and each was lightly dusted with sparkling gold.

Stepping out into the light a welcoming neigh shattered the silence; it was Phantom cantering through the trees to greet her, his cascading mane and tail flowing out as black as the night sky. Lanora adored him because he understood her and they had grown up together, their bond was unbreakable. And he had grown into the most magnificent stallion and was lord of the night. They came together in a master and horse embrace, then he escorted her back to the overhanging rock shelf that acted as her living area. Dropping the content of the bag into a freezing cold rock hole that she used to store the catch for the day, she saddled phantom, put on her cloak, last her blue and silver half mask. There was a change in the air the trees were still and no bird sang. They left the glade and travelled a different path that veered off to the right. Galloping through the tall trees and out over the ravine towards their training grounds. In those eleven years that she was alone, Lanora had turned herself into a warrior, fit, agile and with heightened senses. Now she could protect herself, she had outwitted enemies before and even killed to prevent being killed or captured herself. Forged by fear and the fire within she had become the masked archer or to those who she fought she was known as the Shadow.