Finishing The Talk

Islana sat without saying anything for a few moments as she tried to figure out what all of this meant. Not just the words but between this, the talk of war and magic from Wim, and the words of Omen whatever was coming was not good. It sounded evil not a word Islana used lightly.

As Islana let those thoughts mingle in her mind for a moment, she opted to say something else to Gonyaul, doubting the bodies found would be left a secret for long but wanting to get any more ideas he might have.

"A man was found yesterday who kept saying the trees spoke to him. When we, myself and the two others sent to investigate, went to the area he had been we found those soul catchers high in the trees and the other item carved into the trees. The trees almost looked as if they were bleeding though it was sap." Islana lowered her voice to a hushed tone more for respect for the dead as there wasn't anyone around to hear them, "We also found a pit with several bodies in it, there was not much left of the bodies. So, I need to know, if you have knowledge of such things, who would make such things and why would that man say the trees were speaking to him? Or anything else you might be able to tell me."

It was not expected that the man would know more but she had to find out.

When Islana started speaking again Gonyaul gave her his undivided attention. He cleared his mind of any internal dialogue and simply listened. He definitely came across as someone that did not operate from a place of scarcity.

After she finished speaking he took a moment to think. His breath moved in and out calmly as he formulated a response and constructed his words into hers.

“I answer one at a time. First, nature does not speak in human tongue, it speak in nature tongue. If man heard tongue of man leading to spot, then not trees.” He hoped that his explanation made sense. “Be careful what you listen to. Not all voices you should follow. Sound good, but use you for ruin.”

“Second. Sap was sap.” He knew for a fact it was not magik, because magik is nullified in his presence. “You learn more from town apothecary. I took them this sap.”

“Third. People that use soul catchers with dead do not do so and move on. Like a vile beast that return to its own vomit, they come back.” His sweet and calming expression suddenly looked very worried on her behalf. “They have seen you.”

Gonyaul didn’t mean to spook her, but the likelihood of Islana being monitored from a distance by those who set up the soul catchers was exceedingly high. In question, was why she didn’t end up in that same ditch.

The first thing Gonyaul made sense, it was possible that the old man who had said the trees called him, had been all ready unstable and people had been in the trees speaking to him. The second part made her feel a little better knowing the sap was not magical. The third part however was very concerning and her concern likely showed on her face. They had seen her but not just her, they had seen the ones she was with. Jiyn had said he was going north, so it was unlikely she could get word to him. Wim was not trustworthy, in the slightest, in Islana's mind, so there much debate on whether to fill him in. That left Hendrick, should she tell the Hendrick? She would decide that but in the meantime, her mind focused on the task on hand.

She could really only think to ask, about the people that made the soul catchers, "Would they come into the town?"

Islana felt for a moment as if she was catching her breath as the last question came from her mouth. The expedition or future ones into the woods could that be what sets off the war?

Gonyaul could tell he didn’t help any anxiety she may have been feeling over these issues. He was sorry he couldn’t have been the bearer of good tiding and joy. Her question was a quality one. Would they come into town? There were just too many unknown variables to consider to be certain.

“Not sure. Not from Ostri…ostaria…Ostiarium I think.” That word always tripped him up. “From here.” He gestures to the land they were in.

“It is not easy to keep fox out of chicken house if it really want to get in. Fox may pay price, but some chickens not lucky.” He was trying his best to say if they want to get in at any cost they would.

Islana looked out over the land for a moment as if in thought, she was really taking a breath internally. She did not have the luxury of getting upset over this knowledge. She needed to figure out what to do next.

Islana then looked to the Gonyaul, "There are people or one person in particular that needs to be told this information. I do not have to tell him where the information came from unless you agree to it."

Gonyaul pondered this. He got up to his knees so instead of looking up at her from the ground six feet away, he was now five feet away and their eye lines were at roughly the same level. He was silent and still, but his dark eyes were looking directly into her own as if looking for something. If her eyes were an emerald ocean, then his were a free diver swimming and navigating to the depths. He came up for air, figuratively speaking, and sat back on his heels.

He nodded with a grin, confident as if he found what he was looking for, “I trust you.”

Islana nodded to Gonyaul, "I appreciate your time and the information you gave me. I really must be going."

With that, she rose from her seat to start to leave.

Gonyaul rose to his feet as well after she stood up. “You are welcome.” His gut said she would most likely decline an invitation to walk her back to town, assuming that was where she was even heading; however, he would have been a rude host if not to offer. “Would you like me to walk with you back to town?”

It wasn't that she distrusted Gonyaul to walk her back it was more she did not want to impose on the man any further, there was no need for him to walk her back. "I do appreciate the offer but it is really unnecessary.". The polite way to decline. She thanked him once again then started back to the town.

Gonyaul understood and deferred to her decision. “Pahpehttovos naem gnin taas asars kana asbor iagnht yoa muas” he farewelled.

He hoped she, and the other she spoke of, were going to be ok. As she disappeared from sight he thought to himself, it was like watching a sunset. Gonyaul looked to the food she didn’t touch and decided to finish it before moving on with this rather interesting day.