The Books of the Shadows III- Silver Tiger

4

Silver led the girls through the forest but as they were not prepared for the wilderness, they were chained together holding hands and they stumbled in their long skirts by the uprooted roots of the old trees. Although they were trying to keep up, it was obvious that they were not used to exploring. They could barely breathe after an hour of walking on the wild paths. 

He stopped when he felt sorry for them. They could no longer walk and simply threw themselves on the bed of leaves and moss to rest, thinking they could take a breath. The light was already dim and it was even more difficult to see the path and walk on it without stumbling.  

He looked at them and decided to just find shelter. They could not last long, they were tired and not used to walk this long.

"Mom!" he tried to reach in his mind. 

"Silver? where are you?"

"I'm still in Dire, mom. Found them, they are safe, but they can not walk on much longer. We need to stop and sleep. I can't reach the spot tonight with them"

"There is a cave, Silver. " Images popped into his mind, clearly pointing out the path for him. "Find shelter and be safe tonight."

"Thank you, mom. You need to know they don't want to go back with him".

"We will talk about that when we meet then."

"Alright. Going to find that shelter now. Keep me on the right track?"

"Ofcourse"

Images from his location already invaded his mind. The sight of the surroundings blurred a little, as a focus on an unknown path drew his attention as it was already created in his neurological path. 

-Come on, up! unless you want to climb the tree to sleep in so the bear won't reach you! he said out loud after he received the location his mother sent him. We need to find shelter.

When they heard the word bear, the girls felt no more tired and jumped up almost prepared to walk with so much enthusiasm as if he just told them they were going shopping. Silver laughed again. His laugh was so sincere and Senere began to study him better. Something attracted her to the stranger in front of her and her curiosity ate to find out what was hidden under this mask on his face.

She was still upset that he had called her selfish because she endangered her maids, but how could she leave without them? They were her only friends, and they were childhood friends, they could never break up. So she kept quiet and walked the path with a majestic attitude, like a sullen child.

Silver realized she was upset. He thought about what could have upset her, maybe something he did or said. But he could not find anything wrong with what he said or did so far. So he let her live her emotions and thought that when she would be ready, she will let him know herself. In the meantime, he was content only to observe her and learn all he could about them, about her, and about their world. But especially about her. 

The way he walked, for example, was so delicate, almost sneaking in and trying not to step on any leaf, it was funny. You couldn't walk through the forest and not step on a fern or a branch somehow, no matter how hard you tried. But she tried perseveringly, convinced she could.

Holding the raised edges of their dresses in their fists, they were not at all equipped with a route through the forest, none of them. He will have to talk to Moon to help them with better clothes because he didn't even want to think about the moment when any of them would discover an ant on her or who knows what other insect.

They walked together for almost an hour in an indian line, during which time the girls resisted heroically. He really didn't expect it to go so well. Maybe they weren't so helpless after all. Maybe they just needed to exercise more in order to learn how freedom feels like. He smiled again, his sister will teach them right. 

They reached the cave his mother pointed in his mind. the opening was hidden with a curtain of green vines that descended directly from the mountain. Slightly reluctant at first, the girls followed him inside. It was hot, humid, and dark, but at least they were safe and not at the mercy of nature. 

The cave was long and narrow enough for a man to pass. The tunnel was widening at one point with a space that they could use as a room. There was a large enough c***k in the ceiling, through which the stars could already be seen shining in the sky.

-Stay here, he said to them. I'll go get some wood to make a little fire, is going to get colder at night.

-And you leave us here all alone?

-Well, you are not alone, there are three of you here, right? He smiled at them. Don't worry, I won't take long. I'll be back very soon and make the fire, alright?

-We better come with you... We don't like to stay here alone... Senere grabbed his arm looking at him a little scared. 

Silver sighed deeply. 

-Then I suggest you go out with me and gather firewood nearby. Although you would be safer here, inside; and in the meantime, I have to find some food, because tomorrow we set off early and we won't have time to hunt. We will eat at home, in the capital.

-We can gather wood with you.

He looked at them, convinced they have never even carried one little log, nor put one in the fire. But if they wanted to gather wood with him then, who would be him to stop them doing so?

-Well, let's go then. He pointed the way with his hand, letting them get out of the cave first. 

He knew the area was safe enough, as in the cave he already saw the sign of his house. It was one of the caves his parents were using for stops when they were taking the long trips through the kingdom so he would not worry about anyone trying to catch them. 

These caves were one of their main system of defense. They usually contained strategic reserves - fruit or dry food, weapons, and clothing, because in dangerous times, even wounded, a messenger or soldier could have resisted and conveyed the necessary message. 

But because he didn't want to give the girls free information, and he didn't want to consume the necessary resources for maybe someone else at some point, he simply made them gather firewood and in the meantime, he hunted two pheasants. With what the girls gathered, he made the fire and set the pheasants on fire in order to have dinner served. 

-Mmmm... This is so good!

- We never ate outside of our house before!

-Never??

-No. I was not allowed to walk into the woods and there was no need so... I did not. We did not get out much, anywhere. Everything is the same there. Boring. There is nothing you can do. Nothing to like. I hate it there. It felt like I did not belong.  I did not fit in anywhere. They were just tolerating me because I was my father's Daughter. 

-And your friends...?

-I only had Kale and Anterim. They were the only friends that kept me company. We did everything together. They took me to the market, even buy things there... they did my dresses and I could draw them and they would just use my drawings and make the dress just as I imagined it! 

-It seems interesting. Did you like that?

-So much... I liked it so much... But my father found out and he forbade it! He said a princess's place was not among the servants. That I should choose my place and be careful how I make my choice.  Because he will make it happen. And 

The girls looked really excited and happy. They were really shining and enthusiastic about doing all kinds of things they could not do before because of their cultural disadvantage. He could not believe how many things he could think of taking them for granted, simple things others could never know.

After they ate, they chat until they fell asleep. Feeling secure with the men they just meet. Silver did not like that. He thought about how really helpless they would be if they would have met someone else or no one else at all to help them.

Silver was watching the young women sleep while he was on guard at the cave opening. It was already dark outside when they finished dinner and went to catch some sleep. He told them he will not make dinner for them, yet he did. They would have starved if he would not. How could he let them starve?

They did not like the uncivilized conditions yet they did not complain and just lied down on the cold ground and stick to each other to keep warm. They fell asleep and kept each other close, as if they were afraid they would lose each other. Those maids seemed more than maids for that princess. And those maids felt close and loyal. 

He could not sleep, so he let them rest while he stayed on guard, at the entrance of the cave. 

The night was beautiful and the sky was clear.  Perfect for a stargazing night. Oh, he wished to share that with Moon, his sister. She liked star gazing and tonight was perfect for that. Was she seeing that sky? Like he was?

The sky was blue and those little lights were shining on its canvas, shining like fireflies. Small fireflies, big sky painters. A shooting star has begun its journey of fate. He descended rapidly, from high to low, towards the valley. What a beautiful light show! 

"Moon, do you see that"?

"I do, brother. Is beautiful, is it not?"

"Where are you? Where do you see it from?"

"I'm up in this tree. Is pretty tall actually. Is beautiful..."

"I saw one that fell down into the valley"

"I saw that one too. How are those.. females?" He could sense her laughing already.  

"Why? "

"Because I am dyeing to meet them. I will prove him wrong!"

"No need, little sister. They want to stay here, not to go back home. We can help them."

"WE??"

"Yeah, we. You can help them too. They can not hunt, can not fish, can not fight. Can not even make a decent dinner. It looks like all he said is true so far. They can not take care of themselves."

"Well then... We will teach them. We can teach them with all they want to learn"

"You think?

He looked at them as they were lying down next to the cave entrance. They were all three fast asleep, tired of the march he put them through. They could not keep up with him. They needed training and he had a lot of things he was supposed to do back home. They will take time to learn and he could not waste time teaching someone from the start. 

"I don't know... I don't have much time to train such inexperienced women. Maybe you should take care of it. They could use your help. I have other things to take care of too."

"And you assume I do not have? Not to worry, brother, I will take care of it! I will help them, you will see. They will be reborn"

He sensed his sister's joy. The way he knew her, she was already laughing inside, planning things ahead. Just like his mother. They will be in good hands, he thought. She was the best trainer, and also the best model for them too. She was a "female" just like them.