[Osse]

Still Bear stood on the hill, peering up into the heavens. The ruddy light of late afternoon turned into the golden light of sunset, and still Bear stood gazing at the sky. The clouds that Wolf and he had seen rolling in from the west had stopped overhead, and had blackened. Still Bear looked into the darkening sky.

Looking, searching in vain for solace. The black clouds shouted their last threats, and lightning rent the sky to the south. Rain stung his upturned eyes and soaked his shaggy mane. Still he peered into the tumultuous dusk.

Movement to his right suddenly made him tense, and he looked to see Kestrel standing there, also peering into the clouds.

“How long have you been standing there brother-wife??” He asked, unsettled.

“Not as long as you apparently! You are soaked right through, and your meal is ruined, such as it was!” Was her reply, she drew herself up to her full height, and though she was shorter than he, she still seemed formidable.

Bear’s gaze once again returned to the forest of water that was the sky.

“What trouble or ailment causes you to stand out in the rain thus? Or should I say what madness?” Kestrel’s voice was filled with the usual sharpness, but Bear thought he could hear a touch of genuine concern in a deep undertone.

“I am worried about Wolf, his troubles are laid thickly yet he seems unable to share any of the load…”

“Yes, I too am worried, Calem’s death has taken its toll on him…it troubles me also. What can this mean? Have our gods forsaken us? What is this sign?” Bear looked down at her as she said this. The rain had slowed, but not yet stopped and her face was specked with droplets.

As he looked one of these gained enough weight and started it’s decent to the ground, it ran down the left side of her face, and into the long scar that marred the eye on that side. Like the lightening above it flowed through the shaft, giving her face an even odder look.

Suddenly what she had just said sunk in.

“Dead??? Calem is dead? When… wh… how??” The shock rose up and like icy fingers it curled around his throat, gently yet inescapably stopping the air reaching his lungs. His brother, his own flesh and blood had neglected to tell him of such an important event… life changing even.

“What? Didn’t you know? He was killed by the southmen… I know Wolf was going to keep it concealed, but I mean… you’re his brother.” She stammered. The words came haltingly, she was unsure.

Bear looked up once more to the heavens and the rain concealed the two silent tears that in his weakness he had allowed to roll onto his cheek. Without a backwards glance he trotted away into the darkness, soon lost to Kestrels half-sight.

<font size=1 color=339966>[ 2:36 PM January 25, 2004: Message edited by: Osse ]