Watchers and Wanderers: The Bloodline

Sounds of the Forest

Watchers & Wanderers 1.2

The Bloodline: Dane

The moon has two sides. One an order and the other an implication.

I scurried inside the Royal Treehouse as the faces of Uliee's paintings followed me through the halls. I moved quickly, sprinting past the Queen's chambers and climbed the vine-staircase that twisted around Asha leading to Janelle's room. I froze at the final step and the slithering re-appeared from behind.

My face squinted and I prepared my blade.

"I don't need you," I said softly while caressing my weapon.

No mistakes, Master Zhao-Li.

I turned and violently sliced my blade through several of the small branches and watched them fall down the endless flight of stairs and crack in two. The slithering jumped and rattled the tree as it ran away. I was finally able to approach Janelle's door with the view of Najwa beaming through the moonlit window on my left with the increasing roars of spirit-animals following.

"I'm not ready," Janelle said before I could even knock. "I'm not ready to be Uliee's bloodline," she added more vehemently.

"Janelle, this isn't your Aunt," I replied, "There is a full-moon tonight, Princess, and the quicker we finish your ceremony, the quicker I can get my officers on the ground to fight off spirits."

I pushed his body against the door to force it open. The frame began to rip off, but the door remained in place.

"Janelle, your people are getting anxious."

There was no answer, only silence between us.

Slithering sounds echoed in the branches deep in the distance beyond the staircase as I started to pound on the door before it got closer to me again.

The Dred, Dane, do not forget the dred.

The slithering disappeared once more, sending a fire through my chest that I fought to resist.

"A spoiled child!" I screamed. "That's all you'll ever be. No bloodline ceremony will change that." I removed the crossed swords from my shoulders and swiped at the remnants of the wooden hinges until they fell from the frame.

"Fit to lead? Fit to fight? Your aunt is failing to see who the next Najwain leader really is."

I lowered my shoulder and pushed the door down so it slammed on the ground and shook the entire room as I emerged from a cloud of dust.

"I will not lose my rank because you won't leave your little room. I've worked too hard for that," I said in the midst of catching my breath and my blades resting by my sides.

I wandered Janelle's room, like a predator stalking prey.

"Come out, Janelle," I said as I paced on the creaks of the vine-floor.

I dodged the paper oaths of her alleged loyalty to our village, the one that took mine, that were shredded on the floor. Each step I grew more curious as space in the room was running out.

"Nowhere to hide," I continued.

A curtain flushed back and forth in the back corner of the room that caught my attention. I tightened the grip on my blades and ripped the curtain from the wide open window.

"She wouldn't have," I said.

The Dred, Dane.

I spun around, hearing the voice, but not the slither or the sight of it.