Child of Land and Sky

Chapter 2

Fidgeting, Sparrow adjusted her long skirts as she sat on the sturdy fence her Uncle Gull had built with his own two hands. Her Aunt Chickadee would have a fit to see Sparrow sitting on the fence, straddling it so she wouldn’t fall. Of course, she wasn’t supposed to be out in the fields anyways. After the incident two days before, Sparrow was never to be alone in the fields. She always had to be with her uncle or another male farmhand. Dove had been wholly forbidden from leaving the house. Yet Sparrow often did what she wasn’t supposed to do. And staying in the house and away from the woods pained her. She couldn’t explain it. Her chest just ached when she couldn’t see the woods for too long.

As she straddled the fence, her feet resting on the second rung, Sparrow searched the edge of the woods. Part of her wanted to see that Gi, Wolfe, again. She had liked meeting a Gi, even if it had terrified her. Very few exciting things ever happened to Sparrow, and she rarely met new people. The nearby town wasn’t that big, and she knew most of the people thereby sight, if not by name. Plus, most strangers didn’t want to talk to Sparrow. They saw her green eyes and thought it better to avoid her. 

A wind wafted over a small cloud of cotton-fur from the wild fur plants that were blooming between the fence and the woods. 

Shaking her head, Sparrow felt the invasive cotton-fur tickle her nose. Sneezing three times, Sparrow coughed and then spit out some of the bothersome cotton-fur. 

           “That is un-ladylike,” Sparrow could just hear her Aunt Chickadee scold.

Sparrow didn’t care about what was ladylike. It was hard to keep track of all the things that she should and should not do to be a lady. Looking out over the grass fields that made up her uncle and aunt’s ranch, Sparrow didn’t see how being a lady would help in the wildlands of Neokosmo. It had been three years since they had moved to their new home, and Aunt Chickadee finally felt that she was bringing civilization to her small town. 

Swinging her legs in boredom, Sparrow stared at the grand house in the distance. Holding her hand over her eyes, Sparrow stared up into the sky. The sun blazed and twinkled down at her as she felt sweat begin to trickle down her neck. 

She could tell from the sun’s placement over the tree that it was close to noon. Lunchtime would be soon, but Sparrow didn’t want to go in. She preferred being among the cattle to being stuck in the house. When she was in the house, Aunt Chickadee forced her to study letters and practice writing on a cracked blackboard. Her cousin giggled all the time about Finch, a boy from the town she had a crush on, and Sparrow had to try not to puke. Dove was four years older than Sparrow and thoroughly boy crazy. Sparrow just didn’t see the appeal of boys the way Dove did. 

The only boy Sparrow liked was her best friend, Heron. Heron was all right, and he was good at catching frogs. Yet Dove always teased Sparrow about Heron, saying stupid things about how Sparrow and Heron were going to get married one day.  

“You don’t know what you are talking about,” Sparrow would shout.

Her cheeks always burned when Dove teased her.

“I do too,” Dove would tease. “I am a woman, and women know these things. Heron is sweet on you, Sparrow, and in time you will see him as a man, not a boy.”

“Heron is just my friend. Not everyone is boy crazy like you, Dove.”

Giggling, Dove would prance out of the room. Dove didn’t know what she was talking about, Sparrow told herself. Thinking of Heron, Sparrow looked towards the town road. Uncle Gull had been expected last night, but he hadn’t arrived. Being late wasn’t unusual for Uncle Gull. He often was sidetracked by friends and people asking for help. Uncle Gull had never learned to tell them no. Yet, under the current circumstances, his delayed returned had made Aunt Chickadee a bundle of nerves. It was part of the reason Sparrow has snuck out of the house. 

Sparrow wondered if uncle would take her to town the next time he went, so she could see Heron. It had been almost two weeks since they hung out. His father was staying in town for the month, and Heron stayed with his father. Usually, Heron lived at two farms over. It was still a reasonable distance, but they could walk for an hour each and meet half-way. Going to town took half a day. 

Sighing, Sparrow swung her leg over the rail and balanced for a moment before jumping down. She knew Aunt Chickadee would be looking for her soon. Sprinting back to the house, Sparrow wanted to make it back to the barn before Aunt Chickadee realized she wasn’t there. Glancing back one more time at the woods, Sparrow tripped, her feet flying from under her. Tumbling forward, she rolled hard in the grass, her dress gaining several grass stains. Mentally cringing, Sparrow stood, brushing her skirts off. Biting her lip, she looked back at the woods. She had tripped out of surprise. Sparrow had thought she saw a man standing at the edge of the woods. However, there was no one there now. Part of her wanted to tell her aunt, but another part didn’t. If she told her aunt about the man, Sparrow would have to admit that she had been in the fields alone and not in the barn. No. She didn’t want a s******g. Trotting off, Sparrow shook her head, already knowing she was in enough trouble for staining her dress. 

Sparrow ended up getting lucky. Dove came to get her about ten minutes after Sparrow arrived at the barn. Scowling at the state of Sparrow’s dress, Dove had quickly rubbed some Clear Fruit on the stains. Clear Fruit, aside from being a tangy snack, also had strong cleaning properties.  

“I’m doing this because I don’t want to hear mama complain all lunch about your dress,” Dove explained. 

Smiling, Sparrow didn’t say anything. She knew that her cousin always said that, but the truth was that Dove adored Sparrow like a little sister. Dove hated when Sparrow got in trouble. Once most of the stains were gone, Dove patted Sparrow’s head.  

“You really shouldn’t be going out to the fields, Sparrow,” Dove said gently.

“I didn’t…” Sparrow stammered.

“Then, where did those grass stains come from?” Dove smirked. 

Blushing gentle blue, Sparrow looked at her feet. 

“I know you get bored in the barn and house,” Dove said. “But mama is right. It isn’t safe for you if Gi are hanging around. And you don’t exactly blend in with the scenery.”

Stroking Sparrow’s pastel purple and yellow hair, Dove smiled sweetly. Sparrow knew what Dove was talking about. Aside from her hair, Dove’s skin was two-toned as well, starting as a pastel pink on her feet and legs and ending as sunset yellow on her head. Luckily, her two colors bled into each seamless, mimicking the way a sunset colors the gentle twilight sky. Yes, no matter what Sparrow did, she did not blend in with the green scenery.  

“Come,” Dove grinned, taking Sparrow’s hand. “Let’s go eat.”

Smiling back, Sparrow followed her cousin.  

Lunch was a simple meal. It was only meant to curb their hungry until dinner. Yet as lunch winded to an end, Dove jumped up from the table with a gleeful squeal. Turning to see what had caused Dove’s reaction, Aunt Chickadee and Sparrow saw Uncle Gull walking up the house’s pathway. Jumping to her feet, Aunt Chickadee quickly, but properly, strode out of the kitchen and towards her husband. Dove and Sparrow waited in the kitchen, watching with big grins. While they knew many couples married for financial benefits, Dove and Sparrow were always pleased to see how much Aunt Chickadee and Uncle Gull loved each other, even after twenty years. 

Once they had their sweet greetings, Sparrow’s aunt and uncle came into the house. Giving her father a big hug and kiss on the cheek, Dove twittered on about how excited she was for him to have returned. Finally, Sparrow was able to hug her uncle. He smelled of fresh air and sawdust. She loved that smell. In fact, Sparrow adored her uncle. Since her father had died when she was very little, Uncle Gull was the only father she knew, and she was blessed that he was a kind and loving man.  

Glancing at Aunt Chickadee, Sparrow wondered if her aunt would tell her uncle about the Gi. A stern look from Aunt Chickadee made it clear that the subject was not to be raised. So, Sparrow kept her mouth closed. 

They spent about an hour catching up with Uncle Gull on the news from town and his adventures of the past few days. 

Then Dove and Sparrow were sent back to their daily chores.  

When dinner came, Uncle Gull seemed a bit subdued. 

Instinctively, Sparrow knew Aunt Chickadee had told Uncle Gull about Wolfe. After the meal, Uncle Gull asked Sparrow to go into his study with him. There he took a seat and stared thoughtfully at Sparrow as she too sat down. 

“Your aunt informs me you met a Gi,” Uncle Gull said slowly.

“Yes, sir,” Sparrow nodded.

“Would you please tell me about it?” he asked kindly. “Everything you can remember, Sparrow.”

Taking a deep breath, Sparrow told her uncle everything she could remember. He listened tentatively, his expression stoic. When she finished, Uncle Gull stood and paced for a moment. Then he came over and patted her on the head.

“You were a smart girl,” Uncle Gull smiled gently. 

“Really?” Sparrow asked.

“Yes, you did very well at avoiding his questions. 

I’m proud of you. But, if you see that man or any man like him again, you come and find your aunt or me immediately. Do you understand?” 

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Go get ready for bed.”

Leaving the study, Sparrow felt her chest swell as it always did when Uncle Gull praised her. She knew she should be more worried about the Gi, but she wasn’t. Uncle would protect them. As she left the study, Aunt Chickadee came into the room. Her eyes wavered with worry. Uncle Gull sighed and pulled her close. 

“Do not worry, Chickadee,” he said softly. 

“How can I not worry? That Gi was watching our house,” she replied, her voice low.

“We don’t know that. He could have been passing by and saw Sparrow. She is a curious-looking little girl.”

“What if he had taken her?” Aunt Chickadee suppressed a hiccup. 

“Gi don’t generally take children unless they are also taking the children’s mother. They have strict rules about children. Some of our people could actually learn from them.”

“Still, Gull…”

Aunt Chickadee shivered.  

“It does no good to fret over it now, my love. 

Sparrow and Dove are safe. I don’t need to go to town for another month. I will keep an eye out, and I will inform the neighbors.”

“The neighbors!”

Blushing a deep blue, Aunt Chickadee couldn’t believe she didn’t even think about warning them. She had been too concerned for her Dove, who was now a young woman and Sparrow.

“I should have…” Aunt Chickadee began.

“No, you did the right thing and stayed close to home. The girls couldn’t have been left unchaperoned, and none of you should have been traveling to the neighbors alone. I can go tomorrow and let them know.”

“It just scary that a Gi was so close to home.”

“Chickadee, this is their home. I am surprised more haven’t come around. We are the invaders of their land. Luckily, they haven’t fought us for it so far, but we cannot bear them ill will for being around. They are people, not monsters.”

“You, Gull Strass, are too kind for your own good. And you wouldn’t feel this way if that Gi had done something to Sparrow or Dove or me.”

“That, my dear, would be a totally different situation. If anyone, Gi or Ouranos, hurt my girls, they would feel the wrath of Pateras.”

Smiling, Aunt Chickadee cuddled deeper into her husband’s arms. She was just so happy he was home. She always felt safer when he was back. Chickadee Strass knew she was a lucky woman to have such a loyal and kind man. Hugging his wife tighter, Gull suppressed his own concerns.  

In town, he had seen a higher number of Gi than he had before. It didn’t bother him, and he hoped that it meant trade was increasing between their people. Yet he also knew that it meant the Gi needed things that they couldn’t get on their own, like supplies and medicine for those who were struck with cloud cough or night fever. 

Kissing the top of his wife’s head, Gull suggested they go to bed. Soon the family settled in for the night, warm in their beds with the lights out. 

Sparrow stared outside her window that looked over the cattle fields. The woods stood in the far distance, and she wondered if Wolfe was there. 

Rolling over, she giggled at her own silliness before falling asleep. 

Sparrow, however, was not wrong. Wolfe did stand at the same spot in which they had talked days before. He watched the lights blink out in the distant house. His mind was full of thoughts, so he didn’t notice the other man coming up behind him. 

“Wolfe,” the man said, his voice well-aged like fine bourbon. 

The man spoke in Ζώο, the common tongue of the Gi. Startled, Wolfe turned to see an older man watching him with owl-yellow eyes. 

“Runner,” Wolfe said in Lýkos, the language of the Agri tribe.

His shoulder relaxed in relief.

“Waiting long?” Runner also asked in Lýkos.

“No. Not long. How was business in the Sky people town?” 

“Profitable as usual. You should come with me sometime. You may like the town.”

Shaking his head fervently, Wolfe scowled.

“No, I do not want to go to their town. I have no interest in trading or speaking with them. That is what you like.”

Sighing, Runner placed a hand on Wolfe’s shoulder.

“Wolfe, having a good business relationship with the Sky people is good for the tribe. They have many medicines and….”

“And diseases,” Wolfe interrupted.

Pain flashed in Wolfe’s eyes. Bowing his head, Runner, too, felt pain shoot through his heart. The cloud cough had struck their tribe particularly hard, and both had lost dear loved ones.  

“Yes, they do bring that, but also good. You must realize this. Why else would you be staring at that Sky people's home?”

“They offer very little good. And I was only staring because, from a distance, I can pretend that home is in the sky like it should be.”

“Really? Is that the only reason?”

Squirming under Runner’s knowing gaze, Wolfe tried not to meet his older friend’s eyes. Wolfe was seventeen now, but he always felt like he was eight when Runner gave him that knowing look. 

“I also met a strange girl from the house,” Wolfe finally conceded.

“A strange girl, you say? What kind of strange?” Runner asked curiously. 

“She is a Sky person…”

“But?”

“She has green eyes.”

“Ah, so she is one of those….”

“Yes…I have heard others talk about them, but I have never seen green eyes. They are…beautiful.”

“And rare. But enough of this. We must return to the tribe. They will be waiting for the medicine I got in town.” 

Turning away from the Sky people’s home, Runner disappeared into the woods. Taking one last quick look back, Wolfe wondered if the little Earth girl was sleeping soundly. Then he trotted after his friend.