Under a Starless Sky

The induction ceremony to become an apprenticed Sister was not a secret affair. Men and women were invited to witness. It was meant to be informative and inspirational. It was meant to encourage respect for the Sleeping Forest. There were people from Midelay, and province outside of West Midelay, along with a party from Easterly. Midelay was in charge of the ceremony. Fourteen candidates were accepted. Candace was one of them.

The group in attendance stood some distance from the forest. The candidates were lined up ready to go. N’Ma instructed them. “Just within the edge of the Sleeping Forest, there are painted trees. The first three to touch such a tree and return here will be apprenticed. Go.”

The girls ran. The girl in the lead ran as if she knew nothing about Sleeping Trees. She didn’t trip over a root. Her speed and momentum from running and jumping made her foot ‘tap’ significant enough that the tree responded. A psychic burst put her to sleep, along with the girl that was right beside her, competing to be first. They both went down hard.

Shen immediately moved as if he were going to render air, but G’Ma tripped him. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

Candace was spread out from the groups, wanting to avoid being taken out by someone else’s misstep. There was audible gossip about her being coached. Six girls, Candace included, made it to the thick of the Forest. The light only penetrated so far, shadows seemed alive, indicating a silent rustling of leaves. Candice hesitated at this boundary. Inside, clearly marked by human hands, were Sleeper Trees painted from root to about the height of an adult’s reach. She chose one and went in, her speed cautiously reduced. There was no clear, fast track to a tree, as roots went in every direction, crossing each other. If she stayed feet to earth only, she risked breaking an ankle if she fell. She put a hand on a tree, singing softly to it. Prayerful, asking permission to touch it. She balanced on a root and went in. She made it to the painted tree, and saw another, just beyond this. It was this side of Heart’s Wall, and visible. She tried to stay Heart, but the sound around her, and the flickering of light through trees kept bring her out. If she closed her eyes, the movement of leaves reminded her of fire. She went to the next, deeper painted tree. There was another deeper in. She looked back. She could see out. One of her peers met her eyes, smiled, and went further in. Candace went in. Her Heart confused her. There were a circle of trees all around, tightly enough that if she thought she were enclosed by trees. With her eyes, she could discern darkness and lightness, and knew which way was back by this alone. There was no painted trees behind her. She circled her tree, and found that painted side was on one side. She circled their tree, and headed back, drawing a straight line from painted side out. She was baffled to find herself emerging simultaneously with another sister. She felt for sure they would have been ahead. The one that emerged with her had gone as deep, if not further in, as she. There were more girls at the edge, asleep. Had they hit a root? As she and her fellow candidate emerged, a thud sounded. A Master had shot a bolt from a cross bow and tagged one of the trees. As she went down, she saw two other bolts. She and her peer slept.

Shen went forwards.

“Hold your ground, or I will make you sleep,” Lanore said.

The group dispersed into smaller groups, sat down on the Earth and on blankets, and began to eat and drink. Lanore, Tell, and Neva sat at their campsite with their apprentices and their families.

“Come on,” Tama said.

Shen looked to her and then approached Lanore. “L’Ma, I am worried.”

“Boys will do that,” Lanore said, garnering appreciative smiles from her group.

“They could be hurt,” Shen tried.

Lanore looked at him. “They could be. They may die. This is not your concern.”

“This is the way it has always been done, boy,” G’Ma said.

Shen started to walk away.

“Where are you going?” Tama called.

“Home,” Shen said.

“Come back and sit your ass down here,” G’Ma

sent your own daughter out

mother here doesn’t know what’s in line for us? We do what we do, all of us. The sooner you come to grips with reality, the easier this path will

“No!” Shen said.

palm of her hand. He went down as easily as the

“It’s about time

She fell over sideways, sound asleep against Ceolla who eased her all the way

else tired?”

No one from her group met her eyes. Tell seemed amused. Neva struggled not to judge. Tama’s eyes were on her

me of coaching again, and I will

without it being apparent they

“What is wrong with me?” Lanore

“Maybe we should give the boy more information. He only reacts emotionally when he is concerned for the wellbeing of others,” Neva

all this double talk. Treat him like a boy, I get grief, and now you want me treat him like a woman, make him privy to our ways?” Lanore asked. “It’s not his

place to care

“He challenged me in public!” Lanore

you in public,” Tell said. “He can’t question you in

agree with Neva?”

too soft on males,” Tell said. “But then, if you make anyone sleep in water they drown. So, naturally their way is

would do something different here?”

“He knows

things,” Lanore

with so much confidence that you’re not going to beat

things,”

are irrelevant,” Tell said. “He will respond to those beliefs, then to ours. He

with crazy. Rabbits and science and nonsense words that mean nothing, gift

you entertained that he is

touched them

of these people they created were spectacularly useful, like the ant and bee people and the glow beetle people, and the bird people. They were the first to distribute the seeds of life. Tree Sprites, fairies, unicorns, elves, all of these beings are simply manifestation of the trees. As the trees aged, their sophistication in bringing forth life increased. We, the people, are also manifestations of the trees. Each of us is tree spirit, dreaming of being human, and when we die we return to the tree, bringing them stories of the minute world. They hold the ages, we hold the days. Each incarnation

been