Children of the Sky

The thrum of crickets filled the forest as auburn and amber leaves fell from the branches above. Elise walked through the chilly autumn air as Perseus wagged his tail from a few feet away. The day was calm and the wind had died down, leaving only a gentle breeze to caress the young girl’s rosy cheeks every few minutes.

“I very much doubt we will find anyone this far from the village,” Elise said to her trusty companion. The dog whined happily as they continued around a tall oak tree.

Her hands were encased in little mittens; soft wool gloves handmade by the elderly woman next door. The old widow lived within the village limits in her small hovel and made clothing for the villagers when they would bring her wool or cotton. This time of year, Elise was very happy to have such a nice lady as a neighbor.

“Remember, if you hear anything out there, you have to let me know!” The girl wagged her finger at Perseus to ensure her point got across to the old hound. The Bearded Collie was barely shorter than the child and kept close to her side.

It was good she was so close, as the girl slipped on a log hidden under the layer of leaves. She grabbed out and gripped onto the long hairs of her pet, keeping her balance. The dog yelped from the pulling of the hairs but did not lash out nor pull away. She was a loyal pet and served the girl's family for over ten years. One slip up was not enough to upset the aged mutt.

“I am so sorry, Percy! Oh, I hope I didn't hurt you.” Elise gasped.

She pet the dog in the area that she had pulled on, matting the fur back into place and trying to calm Perseus. The dog did not feel any pain from the pull, but he was not going to stop her owner from giving him a scratch behind the ears and a pat on the side.

“Once we find those chokeberries, I will give you a few. Don't tell papa, though. It will have to be our little secret.”

The girl noticed her necklace had fallen out of her scarf. The medallion shone brightly as the morning light glinted the polished brass. The symbol of a large, two-sided ax wrapped in a thistle plant was intricately engraved with the details of her village’s patron god, Vrontus. The patron deity of the mountains and sky watched over the denizens of the mountain folk.

“Oh boy, I do not want to lose that,” she said with a giggle, “Mama would be very upset if I did. You remember when they gave me this for my birthday, right? They were so happy…”

Elise remembered that it had been a while since she last saw her family so happy. The village had been visited by the city people earlier in the year and they made a lot of the older people in town less happy. Their discussions were too complicated for the girl, but she could tell that they were bad people.

“Don't you worry, though. I will bring back a lot of berries and then we can make a pie and everyone will be happy again!” She said with a forced smile towards her pet. The dog licked her on the cheek.

She wished he had not licked her, as the wetness made her face cold. She wiped the saliva off with the back of her mitten. Her wool jacket was buttoned to the top and made moving her arms a little difficult, but she was a big girl and knew she could find the berries without the help of her older brother. He was busy working at the carpenter’s shop today anyway.

From up the hill on the other side of the gulley, a loud snap was heard. Elise gasped and looked over but could not see anything.

“Do you see anything, Percy?” She asked the hound, but he did not show any response. Perseus looked at the area but seemed to not see anything either. He looked over the area below and above the noise, scanning the gulley and the ridge below. Nothing seemed to be there.

“Maybe it was an acorn?” she asked the dog, “Or maybe a pinecone?”

She used her left hand to cover over her eyes so the glare of the morning sun was no longer limiting her vision. She squinted a bit and also looked over the area. She saw nothing except the underbrush of dry bushes, tall trees, and a lot of leaves.

She shrugged and patted the dog on the head. They continued down the hill and into the ravine, making sure to take their time on the slippery slopes of fallen leaves. The autumnal debris littered the forest floor with such a vast amount of foliage that the ground below was not visible. She grabbed onto small saplings to let herself down the muddy slope that had given way under the weight of the debris. It was slick from the morning dew and made her little leather shoes slip a few times before gaining purchase. When she was down the two-foot slope, she put her hands on the back end of Percy and helped him down too.

“Whew! Who would have thought that this would be so tiring?” she said as she wiped her forehead with her hand. She was not sweating, but she saw that her dad and brother would do that when they worked outside. She assumed it helped with hard labor, so she did the same.

Across the gulley and up the other side, she and Percy continued their trek through the woodland. She had seen many others from the village go down the mountains to find food, but never up. Without telling her mama, she left the village on the southern side and circled around to go uphill. She had a feeling that she could find some berry bushes not taken by the others.

Her papa warned her of traveling too far up the mountain. That is where the gods lived, he had told her. She knew better than to go to the peak. But a little up the slope was fine, right?

As she continued, the quietness of the forest was getting to Elise. She liked when there was noise around. At home, quietness was only around when the city people visited or if it was nighttime. Nighttime was scary and so were the city people. She wanted nothing to do with either of them.

“I know, Percy. Would you like me to sing you a little song? Mama taught me it after we visited the temple. It sounds nice when mama sings it. Maybe it will make this walk easier.”

The dog whined in agreement and rubbed against her leg. She took that as his approval and started to sing.

May the shine of his light be upon you,

And lift you up to the sky,

May the birds and the leaves and the branches,

Raise your soul up on high,

From the peak of the tallest mountain,

To the plot of the smallest stone,

May your bow be nimble and fruitful,

And your plow find the softest loam.

As she sang, the duet made their way up the other side of the hill and farther into the mountains. It had been a while since she had left the village and she had not seen another gatherer the entire way. She felt confident she would find the best berries in the land.

Not too much farther up the hill did they find a clearing from the trees. Instead of soil, the ground became rocky and led into a stony plateau. They overlooked the entire valley from the eastern side of their mountain. Elise could see for miles and miles. Given how small she was, the distance seemed endless.

“Wow…” she said. For once, the child was speechless. She took a break with her pet there on the edge of the mountain and looked over the lands beyond. She had a sealed skin full of water that she held within the woven basket in her right hand. As they rested, she sipped from the container and poured a bit into a divot in the stone for Percy to drink too.

“I really hope we find the berries soon,” Elise said between swigs of water from her waterskin, “because I am getting hungry already.”

The dog barked, looking over to the northeastern edge of the karst hill. She smiled and rubbed him behind the ears. He let his tongue wag in the wind before barking towards the cliffside again. Elise looked where she was barking and suddenly smiled a wide smile. On the edge was a giant path of chokeberry bushes.

“Good boy, Percy! Look at you! You found them!” she praised the Collie as she got up from her break. She started to gently pick the berries and put them into her basket.

There were many berries on the bushes, but the best ones were along the edge of the cliff. She was small and could not reach some at the tops of the vines, but she grabbed what she could and filled the woven container with the sweet fruits.

From over the bushes, they heard a roar. From over the mountains, they heard a roar. The roar was clamorous and intimidating. Elise left the underbrush of the bushes to see from where the roaring came. The light of day was still within the land, but the roar made the landscape feel as cold as midnight. The pair looked around before realizing what the roar was coming from.

She dropped what she held within her little mittens and got onto her knees. She called Percy over and grabbed the top of his head, aiming it at the ground. It had been a very long time since Elise was told the story of the children of the sky. The sky god Vrontus never ventured into the mortal grounds below his heavenly domain. He was, figuratively and literally, above the mundane peoples of these lands. His domain was the mountains and the clouds and the sky. He, who kept the mortal realm separated from the realm of the gods, would not grace their lands with his presence. His children, however, did.

As the glorious being passed overhead, its large wings and majestically-patterned body left those who looked on in awe. Wings beat against the crisp autumn air as the bright demigod punctured an ashen sky. Burnt umber and raw sienna graced the sky child’s body. It looked like its form had been painted by the colors of the rainbow. It felt so natural, yet so out of reach. The traveler kept on her knees and looked on at the divine omen. She did not gain the god’s ire. They took its visitation as a blessing. Elise only felt comfortable enough to look up when it was over a mile away to the north.

She felt both relieved and terrified, but above all she felt proud of herself for doing as her mama told her many times before. If you come across the children of the sky, kneel in their glory, she always said. She did so when she saw the sky child. She was a good girl.

As she got up, blood rushed through her arms and legs and away from her head. She was too excited and had got up too quickly. She felt woozy and her head felt fuzzy. Percy barked. The ground seemed to shift as she fell forward.

Elise awoke in a pile of leaves by the edge of the tall cliff. Tears welled in her eyes as she realized she was lost. She did not know where she was or how she got here.

It took her a minute to remember she was looking for berries. She looked around and found her basket sticking out of the edge of the leaf pile. Picking it up, berries fell from the side with some disappearing into the debris below.

“No, my berries!” She yelled as she grabbed at the berries with her mittened hands. She had her gloves off before when picking them from the vines, but did not think about removing them now. Rather than pick them up, she crushed them within the mitts and stained the gray wool red.

She bit back her tears as she realized what she had done. Those mittens were new and she had ruined them with the stain of the berries. She knew she had to be more careful on the trip. Now she was lost and had ruined her mittens. She did not know what to do.

Maybe Percy could help her find the way back? Where was Percy? She remembered hearing him bark when she fell, but not since. Did he fall over too?

She looked around and saw nothing. Maybe he was looking for her up the hill. Frantic, she looked down the sides of the cliff, then up it.

“Percy!” she called as loud as her little voice would go “Percy, where are you?”

She walked north, following the edge of the cliff so that she could find her way back up the hill and find her precious pet.

Following the stone outcropping, the girl made her way slowly towards the higher edges of the mountainside. Luckily she had fallen safely into the leaves that bunched at the bottom of the cliff. She was not heavy, with her thick coat padding her the rest of the way. She was very young and not too bright, but she knew she was lucky to not be injured.

Coming across the switchback in the hillside, she hobbled over a large log that had fallen in her path. Getting over obstacles was difficult with her basket and thick mittens. The mitts were now slick with berry juice as well. She really wished she would have left the berries there instead of staining the wool.

From up the path, Elise could hear a dog’s heavy breath. I finally found Percy! She thought to herself. She had not been hiking for more than an hour to get back up the hill, but to a child so young, it felt like an eternity.

Within the bushes of the undergrowth on the side opposite to the cliff’s edge, the girl saw a large canine hunched over. It was gray, like Percy. Surely it was him.

“Percy! Come over here!” she called out, “I thought I lost you!”

The dog looked up, and his face was stained red.

“Did you eat all the berries?” Elise asked, “ I told you to only have a few! I need the rest for the pie!”

As the dog got close, she realized that it was not Percy. The fur was gray and matted, but as it approached, it got bigger and bigger. Its berry-stained maw was larger and its head longer. She no longer thought that this was Percy.

She backed away. The hairs on her arms and legs stood on end. She was terrified. Tears welled in her eyes once more. She dared not speak, even if she could. She could not, as the fear caught her tongue.

The creature slinked and crawled its way towards her. She felt her little feat back onto the stone edge of the karst hill like earlier with the berry-picking. The cliff was only a few feet away. Should she jump? She did not know what to do.

As it got closer, she felt cold. She feared for her life, so her eyes were shut. She opened them towards the ground and noticed a difference. The sky was darker than earlier. It was mid day, so it should be bright out.

Looking forward, she saw the creature stopped. It looked like it was ready to pounce. Its hair stood on end. She dropped to her knees and covered her head with her little, stained mittens.

She waited. She waited some more. Nothing happened. Was she… dead? She was told that death was bad. That’s why you don't travel alone in the forest. It was dangerous without an adult. It seemed she died peacefully, like pappy did a few months ago. They said he went away to visit the gods on the mountain. Maybe that's what she was going to do as well.

She waited a long time before she had the courage to open her eyes. In front of her, the big dog was gone. There was not a single thing around. She dared not move from the edge, but she squinted and looked across the area. She looked up and down the path, across the hillside, and under the bushes. She found nothing there.

She felt a deep and impressive sensation behind her. She knew it was past the cliffside. She dared not turn around.

That was not a wise choice, Phoebe. A voice rattled in her mind.

“What? Who’s there?” She cried through gritted teeth and eyes full of tears.

Do not cry, little one. I have warned you before of these mountains. Why have you returned?

“I…I was picking berries for my mama and papa.” Elise said with complete honesty. She felt absolutely terrified of the presence around her, yet her mind was at ease. It felt like a warm trickle of water on her mind, soothing her worries. Mentally, she felt safe, like at home. Physically, her body was screaming to run away.

Was it worth the risk? I doubt those berries were worth a pet. I have not seen that dog before. Was it new?

The voice felt so calming, yet she did not know what was speaking. She did not know where it came from. Her curiosity got the best of her. She turned around.

Before looking at the creature, her head instinctively looked down at the ground as her knees buckled. Once on her knees, her mind processed what she had glimpsed. For only a fraction of a second, she saw the faint edge of the being; a child of the sky.

It was beautiful. Like a cascading waterfall of flowing leaves so vibrant her eyes could not process all the colors. The scales along the edges were like little stars from the summer sky. The feathers of the divine beast were so pretty, she wanted to hold one. Just one.

She had seen fancy clothing before, from a city person who came to talk to the adults. She remembered how pretty they were. But they paled in comparison to this sky child. Even if it was only for part of a moment, the image of its brilliance stuck in her mind.

You do not care to speak, Phoebe? the voice asked. It did not seem angry, but disappointed.

“M---my name isn't Phoe…” Elise tried to say, but her voice gave out.

I cannot hear you, little one. You will need to speak up.

“I---My name is Elli, oh majestic one. I am sorry, but my name is not Phoebe.”

Elise felt the chilly sensation get closer as she continued to stare at the ground below. A deep reverberation came from in front of her like a growling dog but much, much deeper. A gust of wind pulled Elise forward, and then back.

You look like Phoebe. You smell like Phoebe. How are you not Phoebe? It asked.

The wind of the being’s breath knocked her back and forth once more. Her pendant fell from her scarf and dangled in front of her buttoned coat.

The presence seemed to change its feeling, like a cloud turning into lightning strikes. It seemed angry and Elise became mortified. She had no ability to run like her body wanted to. She was glued into place from the sheer existence of the demigod.

That is Phoebe's! Did you steal it? Did you hurt her? The voice boomed in the little girl’s head like thunder.

She could not speak. The power that emanated from the creature was too strong for her to respond. It did not seem like the sky child was going to speak again until it got the answer it wanted.

A long, awkward pause sat on the hillside as the girl gained back her ability to speak.

“No… mine… gift,” was all she could mutter.

The storm quelled as though her words were a cool breeze to whisk away the clouds.

You are a friend? Sister? It asked.

Elise thought for a good long while before remembering that her mama’s name was Phoebe. She heard her papa call mama that name a few times after the city people came.

“Yes!” She exclaimed, “mama is Phoebe! She gave me this for my birthday!”

A child so young? How long has it been? I saw Phoebe not long ago. The voice seemed pleased but confused. It then asked, How old is your Phoebe now?

Elise thought for a few seconds before saying, “I don't know. Old? Older than papa, I know that. Are you her friend?”

The thrum of reverberation vibrated the ground she stood on.

Yes, a friend. The voice sounded content with that statement. It was enough to make Elise feel at ease.

The presence in front of the little girl seemed to fade as she knelt there in silence. The voice came back, yet it felt quieter.

Tell Phoebe that the debt has been paid. You will be safe on your journey back. Follow to the left of the sun and you will find your way home. Be careful, little one. The forest will not always be this safe.

With the last statement of the divine beast finished, so too was its presence. Elise looked up and confirmed that the child of the sky had left. She was exhausted. She felt so tired, she could sleep on that cliff edge.

But she had one task left; to get home. She slapped her cheeks with her mittened hands to wake herself up. She reached over and grabbed the basket off the ground.

She noticed a glint from the edge of the stone precipice. It shone brightly and dazzled the child. Elise was ecstatic when she realized what it was; a feather from the child of the sky.

She dumped the remaining berries on the ground and put the cyan feather into her basket, making sure to lay it gently and keep it away from any stains. Not wanting to be wasteful, she sat down and took her gloves off. She knew better than to try and pick the berries up with her mittens on.

“I hope Percy makes it home. I will eat a few extra, just for him.” the girl said to herself as a tear fell down her cheek.

She ate the remainder of the berries on the side of the cliff before heading home.

This is why children should not journey alone in the forest.