Chapter 10 - Chapter 9

Jhekel and Penny sat in a clearing around a small fire. Darkness had already fallen on Mossflower. Jhekel rested against an old rowan tree. He had pulled the hood of his cloak up and tucked his arms behind his head, nodding off slightly. Penny sat close to the fire, poking it with a stick, watching the sparks fly up into the air and disappear into the dark treetops above.

The sound of music is heard, a thin, reeling melody. It was beautiful, but full of grief and sadness. Suddenly, it faded. Jhekel allowed a thin smile to pass over his face under the darkness of his hood. “ `Tis a nice song, Penn. Play it again will you?”

“It wasn't me! I thought it was you!”

Jhekel pulled back his hood, peering intently into the darkness. His ears perked up as the music started up again. He stood to his feet, bow in hand, and motioned Pennybrite to follow him. He notched an arrow to the bow and crept out of the clearing into the darkness of Mossflower woods, Penny coming silently behind him.

The two creatures followed the sound of the sad song. Suddenly it stopped, only to be followed by the sound of singing close by. The singer had a wonderful voice, and Penny enjoyed listening to their song.



By the storm torn shoreline

A woman is standing,

The spray strung like jewels in her hair.

And the sea tore the rocks

Near that desolate landing,

As though it had known she stood there.



For she has come down

To condemn that wild ocean

For the murderous loss of her man.

His boat sailed out on Wednesday morning,

And it's feared she's gone down

With all hands.



Oh and white were the wave caps

And wild was their parting.

So fierce is the warring of love.

But she prayed to the gods,

Both of men and of sailors,

Not to cast their cruel nets

o'er her love.



For she has come down

To condemn that wild ocean

For the murderous loss of her man.

His boat sailed out on Wednesday morning,

And it's feared she's gone down

With all hands.



There's a school on the hilltop

Where the sons of dead fathers

Are led toward tempests and gales.

Where their God-given wings

Are clipped close to their bodies,

And their eyes are bound round

With ship's sails.



What force leads a man

To a life filled with danger

High on seas or a mile underground?

It's when need is his master

And poverty's no stranger,

And there's no other work to be found.



For she has come down

To condemn that wild ocean

For the murderous loss of her man.

His boat sailed out on Wednesday morning,

And it's feared she's gone down

With all hands.



As the song drew to a close, Jhekel and Penny stumbled upon the singer. A voice called out from the darkness. “Hoy, who's there?” A small light appeared as the speaker lit a small lantern. It was a female otter, cloaked and hooded. She sat on a large rock, holding out a long gnarled walking stick, with a lantern intertwined in a knot at the end. Something else hung from the end of the stick as well. It twinkled and glittered in the flickering candle light; a silver medallion on a purple ribbon.

Jhekel held out his hand as a sign of peace. “We mean you no harm. We heard your music and wondered who it was. I'm glad to see you're a friend, and by your medallion, I can see that you're one of the Moonsparrow clan as well.” He held out his own medallion. Penny reached for hers only to remember she had given it to Birch, and quickly put her hand down again. “How is it that I've not seen another Moonsparrow these past ten years, yet two stand before me now?”

The otter smiled. “I may be able to answer that, but first let me introduce myself. My name is Morgan the Traveler. And as for how I got here, well, I have business to attend to. The Council is summoning all creatures of Moonsparrow blood back to the homeland, to the Valley of Ciran.”

Jhekel's normally calm face looked surprised at this news. “The Council? Nonsense, they disappeared after the corruption of the Moonsparrow clan.”

The smile faded from Morgan's face. “They have been forced to regroup. These are evil times, mate. Lord Kreinach has expanded his army, and they now are patrolling as far as Mossflower and beyond Salamandastron. He is determined to wipe us out, we have stood against him for too long. Luckily, he has not found the passage into the Valley, yet. It is the one place we are safe. That is where I am bound”

Penny explained their mission to Morgan. The otter shook her head. “You can't do that alone. You'll need the advice of the Council. I can lead you to them.”

Pennybrite smiled and shook hands with the otter. “It looks like our twosome has become a threesome. Welcome! But it's late, we should get some sleep.” Morgan followed them back to camp, warming herself by the slowly dying fire. She leaned back against a tree and took out a small reed flute from a pouch at her waist and began playing softly. Penny listened to the music. She felt her eyelids beginning to droop, and she soon fell asleep.

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