Stories in the series "Spirit of the Wood"
# 1: Spirit of the Wood Part 1
The acrid smell of the 'smokers' stung loric's eyes and he rolled onto his side to cover his head with his lightly tanned arm. This position was soon ruined also, as an errant beam of early morning sunlight stole under the shade on the window and hit him in the corner of his left eye. Soon the battle of boy versus nature was over and Loric groaned as he gave up and sat up. He watched the dancing motes of dust ... [ Read More ]
# 2: Spirit of the Wood Part 2
Loric had no chance to reply to Oldsir's query because their dialog was interrupted a the high whistling call from below them. Oldsir looked down and said to himself "So soon..." "Loric the call has been given. You must go below and stand on the ground with your friends. I wish you luck." Loric looked at his grandfather and then closed the distance between them. He hugged the old man fiercely and said "If it means your time of death has ... [ Read More ]
# 3: Spirit of the Wood Part 3
Loric thought it was strange to return to the empty hut that up until this morning he shared with his grandfather. He looked at the lifeless structure and felt the shadows of despair creep upon his heart. There was no real use in becoming a man, he thought bitterly, for even if he could do everything that the elders wanted of him, it still wouldn't bring back Oldsir! "I passed the ropemaking and firestarting tests today," he thought to himself, "even ... [ Read More ]
# 4: Spirit of the Wood Part 4
The openness had a smell all it's own. Loric breathed the clear, cool air above the trees with a special relish. One borne of the open spaces. He believed the stars over his head exhaled a sweetness unlike anything in his valley. There was a rustling below him and he leaned out to see his sister Silsia climbing up behind him. He smiled at her adeptness, knowing that it represented many forbidden practice runs. Runs she would have been punished for ... [ Read More ]
# 5: Spirit of the Wood Part 5
The sound of prowling animals awoke Loric the morning after his sister left. They scratched the bark around the base of the trees and called up to him. "Loric where is your song?" "Do you fear the dawn?" "Fear it more than others for today you die!" Shivers ran through him as he crouched on the wide limb that his home sat on. The time of his death had come! Perhaps they won't see me,I can stay here all day. But ... [ Read More ]
# 6: Spirit of the Wood Part 6
Loric Loric floated just above himself. There was a warmth surrounding him and a buzzing in his ears. An eternity later is seemed, the buzzing resolved itself into speech. His eyes came into focus and he stared long at the canopy of trees above him trying to decide if he was above or below them, and when someone walked around the edge of his vision, he knew that he had not gone to the Spirit as he thought he should have. ... [ Read More ]
# 7: Spirit of the Wood Part 7
Loric's first sight as a man was the sun pearling through the caul that surrounded him. For a moment he didn't recognize where he was and struggled with the thin membrane of skin, flopping onto the forest floor like a ungainly hatching. It was late afternoon by the look of it and the air smelled of impending rain. He took a clean lungfull and puzzled over why he felt that it had been ages since he had done so. "OH" said Loric as ... [ Read More ]