Quip #2 from Raven's Shadow

With the last post I sort of introduced you to Brenna - the Raven in Raven's Shadow.  With this quip I'll introduce you to Ailen - the Shadow in Raven's Shadow.

He woke to the sound of voices, voices without faces.  He blinked his eyes and blinked them again but still saw nothing but black.  He raised his hand but it would not move.  He tried his other arm to the same result.  He tried to turn his head and still nothing.  He went into a panic, and struggled against whatever it was holding him down.  He tried to scream but his lips did not move either.  His heart seemed the only thing in motion and it thundered painfully inside his chest bouncing off the cage of ribs that held it in check.  From further out in the darkness he felt something and his heart quickened. The presence drew closer until he felt the pressure of someone holding him and the voices, distant before, now were right next to his ears.

“Calm, boy,” a strong masculine voice called through the darkness.  A lady’s voice softly broke into the painful darkness surrounding him. “Easy lad,” her voice came to his other ear.  He thought he felt gentle cool hands on some part of him but everything was dark and blank and dull feeling.  In his panic he struggled with them, or he thought he struggled with them, he must have struggled and gotten free from them for he felt himself falling.  Then he hit the floor with a thud and fell into a painful unconsciousness again, one that felt all too familiar.  There was someone waiting for him in that black, someone who reached out to him with small hands, looked up at him with bright emerald eyes, freckled cheeks, and lips that smiled up at him.  There was no voice that came from those lips but when he reached out and touched her hand he felt at peace despite the pain coursing through his entire body.  There was peace so long as he held her.

When he awoke once more he did it with more calm than before, already expecting the darkness and the stinging sensation which plagued every inch of his body, though more so to his face.  He felt someone close to him and concentrated on reaching his hand out toward the feeling, thinking it would be the green eyed girl, knowing to touch her would take his pain away.  He took a deep breath as the sound of the lady’s voice returned to him.  He could not reach out.

“Easy, lad,” she said softly and he felt her move closer to him.  “I am here for you and will be here beside you.”  There was a pause in her voice and he thought she might be looking at him.  “I can not touch you just yet, lad,” she said with remorse.  “But, know I am here and will not leave you as long as you are with us.”

He tried to speak but could not move his mouth, his jaw, or his neck nor any other part of him.  He felt her raise her hand up to his shoulder though she didn’t touch him, he didn’t think.  “I know it’s difficult but try to remain calm.  You were in an accident and were brought to us to heal.  The only way that can happen is if you stay still.  Should you even squirm we will have to redress the wounds yet again.” The calm in her voice kept him from panicking again and he’d come to realize he no longer had any choice but to comply.  He tried to nod but couldn’t do that either so he just hoped the fact that he didn’t move told her he would comply.  And soon he fell back into the familiar unconsciousness with naught but green eyes to guide him into a peaceful sleep.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed only that time had indeed passed.  He quickly grew accustomed to the voice that called to him in the darkness; each time he stirred it was there again.  Her voice and soon her touch…not the feeling that perhaps she might have wanted to touch him but her actual touch which came to his cheek, his shoulders, his chest.  Green eyes and her touch found him wondering if they would be the same.  Part of him thought as much but there was a part of him that knew it could not be.  The green eyes were somewhere else, somewhere beyond his conscious reach, remaining behind the veil of his dreams.

He stirred into the dark of wakefulness and felt his heart skip a beat as he really stirred; his head had moved, he could tell by the stinging through his neck and shoulders that he had really moved.  And his lips formed a small smile, one that nearly cracked the scarred flesh surrounding them.  He felt the woman’s smile and knew this time he felt her fingers touch his face.  “There now lad,” her voice called to him.  “It is time.”  A breath left him and he felt his chest move.  It was time.  Her gentle fingers continued to touch his face, and each time he felt the cool soft of her fingertips getting closer to him, pressing through the layers of gauze and dressing. Light began to penetrate through the darkness and he winced at the sharpness.  Then it was all around him, the white of light, so bright it nearly burned his soul and he welcomed it, hated to close his eyes lest it be gone again.  But, when he could no longer take the intensity and did blink the light returned when he opened them again. 

There was a sigh of relief and it wasn’t from him. 

“Good, you will see,” the woman’s voice spoke.  “We worried you would not.” 

Quip from Raven's Shadow

The following is a piece of one of my stories ;)  Hope you all enjoy!!!!

Cathal saw the smoke rising into the blue of the sky and knew without a doubt that there was no way he could get to the village in time to save it.  The smoke drifted to the nostrils of his horse filling the battle-hardened charger with anxiety.  He pranced and chomped at the bit, tugging at Cathal’s firm hand.  The smell spoke of war and the horse was always battle ready.

“Easy Toby,” the man said placing his large strong hand on the horse’s mane.  He dropped his fingers through the thick hair and soothingly stroked the horse’s neck.  The stallion eased a little bit and Cathal nodded in approval relaxing in the saddle and looking back up towards the thick stream of smoke climbing up into the sky, dissipating into the clouds.  “We will get there soon enough to aide the survivors and find out who is responsible.  There is nothing we can do for them now.” The guilt could not be hidden from his voice.  Though he had no idea of what had happened in the village and no way of preventing it had he been aware trouble was in the area, it was still the way of most to feel the guilt as they came upon the destruction.

He let loose the rein and let Toby go, riding at an easy lope through the forest, keeping to the shadows and keeping his eyes and ears open to all that surrounded him aware of every little creature that called this place home and those that might be trespassing as well.  He trusted Toby’s instincts, watching the dark horse’s ears flick back and forth to each and every sound that filtered into them.  They came upon no one, enemy or friend, giving Cathal the hint that survivors would be few and whatever enemy the village had was not traveling this way if indeed they had moved on.  Or, he mused, it could be a simple village fire caused by a milk cow tipping over a lantern.  His instincts told him otherwise and one reason he was still alive was because of those instincts.  Preparing himself for the worst he topped a final hill and slowed Toby to a trot to see the village, or what was left of the village.  There was hardly enough to call it a village now.  Not one house remained standing, nor one barn, not a single building.  He could see where the buildings had been by the charred squares on the ground.  At the edge of the village he pulled back on the reins asking the horse to wait.  Toby snorted in his protest and pawed at the ground.

 “We must wait,” he explained soothingly.  Toby snorted again.  Cathal chuckled.  “Just like a woman, you are Toby,” he said.  “Have to have the last word.”  When satisfied that the enemy had left he gave Toby his head and they walked to the first pile of rubble.  Here he dismounted and began sifting through the ashes to find clues and by some miracle any survivors.  Despite his talents in investigation he found no clues as to the culprit and was halfway through the village before he found any sign that there had even been life in the village.

He stopped in the road, resting his hands on his hips and looking from one side of the village to the other.  “Strangest thing,” he commented and kicked his toe at what remained of a blanket.  To his surprise there came a whimper from beneath the blanket.  He looked over his shoulder at Toby and then knelt down and picked up the blanket uncovering a young girl.  When their eyes met, her large soft brown locking with his deep blue, the girl sprang to her feet and sprinted away from him only to collapse in a heap of bones and flesh a few yards from him.  The knight rubbed his chin and looked up at his equine companion.  Toby’s head lifted, his neck arched, nostrils flared, and his eyes stared at the interesting little creature. 

“Well, well,” he said as he stood.  He walked to the girl and scooped her crumpled body into his strong arms.  She fit like a ragged doll in his hold and though he could carry her with one arm he held her in both, ever so gently lest he break her scrawny body with his hold.  “She’s but a runt, Toby, and barely that.”  He held his find up for the horse to investigate.  Toby sniffed her body and shook his head pinning his ears back and barring his teeth at the smells the girl carried with her. 

“Magic then is it, Toby?” Cathal mused having seen this expression on Toby before.  Toby bore the taint of magic before and lived to hate it and those that wielded it.  This girl was not a wielder of such but had been touched by one who did.  “Well, that would explain such a scene, wouldn’t it now?  How it is completely gone.” he turned his body again taking in the mess of what used to be a village before them.  “Only such as a wizard’s battle could make such a site.  Even bandits leave something of their handy work.”  Cathal held the scrap of a girl close to his chest as he continued his search for survivors.  When they had reached the end of the village he looked down at her. “Only you,” he whispered.  “And I’m not even sure you were part of this village.” Her pale skin told him she was not part of this region and her scrawniness told him she’d not been fed well.  He looked around him and sighed.  Caring for her would greatly delay him.  Yet, not for a second did he consider leaving her to the wolves.

“What are we to do?” he asked aloud and in response she mumbled something completely incoherent and snuggled closer to his chest.  “Yes,” he said with a nod though he had not understood a bit of it, “rest would do us both good.”  He turned his head to his horse and motioned with his chin to the forest.  “Come Toby,” and he and the horse walked together to the trees surrounding what remained of the once civilized village.  Just inside the tree line a small creek made its way through the forest growth.  Here he lay the girl down and began setting up camp.  He started a small fire, unsaddled Toby, gave him a good rubdown and let him loose to graze then he turned his full attention to the girl.  “You child,” he said as though she could hear him, “are a mess.  But then what else could we expect eh?” Taking some water from the creak an the rag he used to polish his saddle he set to work cleaning the ash, soot, and mud from her. 

“What have we under this mud pie?” he asked in a soothing voice as he wiped her face clean.  “Well, if I must say I do believe I’ve found a child beneath all this dirt.  And, a lass to boot.  Well, well,” he clicked his tongue.  “A pretty little lass too.  It has me wondering what such a girl is doing in such a place as this.”  He brushed her chestnut hair back behind her head and tested for any knots that may be on her skull.  He nodded when he’d found none.  “A good head you’ve on your shoulders, lass.” 

Random Thoughts - from me...Nooooooo

Random thoughts - just one of the talents I offer.  Another is sarcasm but most of the time it's friendly.  If it's not there's a long silence spreading out between me and a listener.  It's at such times that I can't think of anything nice to say and the old saying, "If you can't say nothing nice then don't say nothing at all" is best for all parties involved.

I titled this random thoughts because there's a lot going on around me and to put complete focus into all of that...just won't happen.  Maybe I could have titled it "Catching Readers Up" but then I'd have to change the first paragraph of the blog.  So we'll just leave it as it is and continue on with the random nature of my thinking.

I can breath again!!!  Though, sadly, not long without the handy dandy little inhaler I now pocket alongside my cell phone - and lose just as frequently. I never thought I'd revel in the fact that I could walk to the barn and back twice without losing my breath but around last Thursday that's where I was.  I had the check up and Doc thought my lungs sounded good and I'm gonna take his word on that one.  Unfortunately, he added that the complete recovery time can sometimes last a year.  Not exactly what I wanted to hear but it could be worse.  He recommended I get back to my life but just take it easy if there's even the slightest pressure on my chest.  So...I'm back in the saddle!!  Yay me!!!  Not riding as long or as hard as I'd like but I don't hear the horses complaining too much yet.  Riding NMRA is on hold and I missed a horse show last week that I'd offered to help and even compete in.  There's another this weekend and I should have no trouble showing up to that.  When I emailed a friend that I would be there to help she emailed back, "But you will be able to ride barrels right?"  I sure hope so.  I'm planning to ride in all of the show and then hit a jackpot Saturday night but we're gonna take it one step at a time.

Ginger, our orphan foal, is looking better all the time.  Little Ginger was four days without her mother when she was brought to us and for the first week of her life I honestly didn't know if she'd make it or not.  Since then there's still been days where a little more work was needed to keep her going.  The four days I was grounded to the house I watched from the window as she was led around the pasture to get her some exercise.  She was like watching a stick puppet being animated by her handler.  Now, finally, she has some meat on her bones and a sparkle in her eye.  She also has a cunning about her now as twice she's been found on the outside of her pen. As far as getting her caught up, that may take some time and patience is key.  Isn't it always though?

Merlin - the yearling paint - has his own pen now and I've been able to work with him some in the last week.  As it's mostly ground work, it is a little tiring on the rarely attacked but still attacked lung but he's coming around nicely and isn't complaining about the lack of hard work either.

The show goats and show sheep are getting some nice size on them.  There's still over a month until the county fair so the sheep may have to go on a diet while the goats get second helpings.  Yes, there's often dirty looks exchanged between goat and sheep pens when it comes time to meals.  I'm sure sometimes the sheep are conspiring many a wicked notion...if only they could get through that fence.

Ole Red - the show steer - also known as Grrr Beef is upset with his current situation.  We took Luna - the show heifer- to visit the bull for a week thus leaving Red all alone.  Sure, granted he has all the feed and water to himself but he's a lonely lonely fella and has resorted to trying to make conversation across the fence with Ole Elmer - a horse that has more than earned his retirement status.  It's been a desperate attempt on Red's part as Elmer never was the conversationalist type.

In May the decision was made and I am taking some time off of teaching.  At the end of the school year I had one more field trip with the FFA, chaperoning horse school in Albuquerque, and camps to bring kids home from.  The nephews returned to my abode while my sister works and so my future was put on hold while I saw to everything else.  Just when I had some time to decide what I wanted to be when I grow up the pneumonia hit and knocked my thinking out cold.  We'll call that a medical stall.  Now there's no excuses and I have to settle myself down and decide what I'm going to do with my little ole self and the future of my little ole self.

Last of the random thoughts aka catching up the readers:  When word got out I'd started a blog I was asked by friends and family members alike that I not mention their names in the blog.  God has placed some wonderful people in my life.  There's been people that enlightened me, confused and baffled me, dazzled and stunned me, and I've loved each and every one of them.  So the thought of not sharing them with the world may be a bit of a challenge.  I have told myself long ago I wouldn't mention names when writing about people close to me or even change the names to protect the innocent.  You might recall the story of the duck I learned from my New York Barrel Racing Friend.  Her real name shall be kept between she and I and I will continue to try and keep the anonymity in anyone I might write about.  This I so solemnly pledge.  And there's always the comment box so anyone can comment and say, "That's not how I remember it, Shorty!"

And thus ends the randomness of the day but not of the blog...no...never of the blog. 

Pneumonia? In the summertime? For the really reals?!?!

I must offer my apologies for having not posted in some time.  I was struck down by pneumonia.  That's right pneumonia.  :(  Who gets that in the summertime?  Well, I guess that'd be me. 

I'd been feeling like superwoman with all I'd been able to accomplish lately.  I'd even been getting up every four hours to feed the baby - foal that is, orphan foal - and not feeling too tired during the day.  Pride goeth before the fall. 

Smoke from the New Mexico and Arizona fires have plagued our neck of the woods so when I woke up one morning to a tight chest, I thought I was merely suffering the affects of the smoke.  I had jury duty that day.  I get called upon to do my civic duty once a year without fail. I think the judge likes to see me and I'm always dismissed from having to serve.  Blatant honesty, I suppose.  A comment that slipped my tongue at one such calling, "I didn't trust him before, I don't see how making him a cop will change that."  Now who wouldn't want me to serve after having said that? And the comment was in reference to a relative who serves...not to the officer involved in the case.

Anyway, I survived the jury selection by sitting as close to the sun as possible.  It was cold in there...even though I was told it was warm by everyone else.  By the time I got home I was freezing.  90 degree weather and I'm freezing.  I changed to my sweats and curled up in three blankets and the chest pain just got worse.  For three days I'd wake up with a tight chest but feel fine otherwise until the afternoon when the freezing would start again.  The fourth day I sought professional help...professional....right....................................................

The doctor I went to wasn't my regular doctor but Doc wasn't available so this guy had to do.  All my vitals were normal.  He said my lungs sounded good.  He couldn't understand what was wrong with me and I was probably just fine.  I was healthy and in good shape. I could hear his discussion of my case with another 'professional' outside in the hall and it was anything but 'professional'.   It was like the whole thing was a figment of my imagination.  Now granted, I do have a really good imagination but figments? 

Me and my figments went home.(I refuse to grant figments any grammatical respect.)   The next day the chills didn't wait for the afternoon. Actually, they'd never left from the day before.  The figments were worse.  I couldn't even walk a few steps without feeling the weight of the world - you know the weight of the world resides on the shoulders of every woman, I try to explain that to the nurses when they weigh me "It's the weight of the world" - pressing me six feet under.  So back to the medical professionals I went.  This time straight to the hospital. 

I already felt like Death was walking with me when I stepped into the ER waiting room but I was more assured he was there when I answered the first question on the paperwork.  "Are you an organ donor?"  Talk about confidence in their staff.

When I was finally admitted, the first thing they looked for were blood clots - that's SOME figment right there.  The location of the pain in my chest and the shortness of breath along with the chills were possible indication of clots.  And worse than having blood clots is having to take blood thinner which pretty much eliminates the ability to do almost everything I do in my life - or at least those things I most enjoy. In my state of mind I thought, 'Well, my organs are healthy.'

Four hours of tests later, the 'figment' wasn't blood clots but pneumonia residing in a rarely attacked portion of the lung. Now if only my luck of the rare drifted into I don't know...winning the lottery? Pneumonia was a much better figment than the blood clot figment, however.  This organ donor would keep her organs a little longer. Within hours after having two different antibiotics and one extremely affective pain killer pushed through my veins I was feeling the weight of the world lighten.   Not quite superwoman again but well on the way to getting my cape back.  Best of all I'm home in time to celebrate the 4th with my family.

In closing I'd like to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July and offer my highest amount of gratitude to those men and women who risked everything, went against ALL odds, and overcame adversity so that we might have the freedoms we do.  That same gratitude goes to those men and women who STILL risk everything, go against ALL odds, and overcome adversity so that we may continue to celebrate our freedom and independence.