Gwinn sits down and motions for Mathy to take the seat at the table, she hands her a mug of fresh ale"
Ahh yes, I promised you a story.. the tefusang story.
While wondering the wilderness searching for Eid, my mind wondered off to a time when I was a small girl. My sister Paylay and I would run through the fields near our village.
My younger sister was a mischievous and tenacious child. When I tell you she had no fear, I promise you I am being cautious in my assessment.
One day we happened upon a baby tefusang. Her eyes began to twinkle in a very familiar way, I knew her mind was working. Which usually meant at the end of the day our parents would be sorely cross with us and we would gain extra chores for a week.
“Sister” I said “What are you scheming?”
In a moment she raced toward the Tefusang “Comm on sis……” she yelled as she headed toward the unsuspecting animal.
I knew what she was planning , so I trailed after her to stop her. “no, Paylay don’t.. momma will have us cleaning the temple for weeks!”
“This will be great…" Payaly beckoned ," Comm. On… COMM ON!!”
Before I know it, she jumped on the tefusangs’ back. The animal waved its’ claws , making a curdling sound as it frantically bucked trying to remove the most unwelcome little girl from it’s back.
All the while my sister grasping her arms around its’ neck, laughing and whooting as she held on for dear life. “Sister STOP IT…. Get off it NOW!!” I yelled, but she continued.
A few times her feet lost their grip and flew up behind her head. Fortunately she recovered quickly and maintained her grip upon the baby beast.
I was both impressed by my sisters’ tenacity and furious with her stupidity.
What we didn’t know was that, that horrible noise coming from the tefusang was it calling for its’ mother.
*gwinn Leans in*
Though it wasn’t long until we found that out.
*then she relaxes back in her chair*
For over the hill we heard it, calling back to it’s offspring, a loud shrieking growl.
Panicked I called to my sister “ Paylay get off… get off”
Her eyes grew wide suddenly realizing what that sound meant.
“I don’t know how sister.. I only know how to hold on!!!!”
The mother Tefusang was on her way, charging toward her baby, Shrieking and growling.
There was no doubt in my mind I was about to be an only child. I ran toward the tefusang screaming. “Paylay…..!!!!”
As hard as I could I jumped up at my sister knocking her off the tefusang, we both hit the ground with a thud. “uuahh”
It was on us! Stomping and swinging at us. The baby beast wanted its’ revenge. We rolled and dodged. “ahhhh” my sister gasped as it caught her leg. “Paylay!!!!” I screamed. The mother was almost on us now. I scrambled to my feet grasping my sisters arm pulling her with me.
“RUN!!!!!!!!!”
We ran as fast as we could toward our village, my sister’s running limp slowing us down.
I felt a burning pain at my shoulder as the mothers’ claw grazed me. I screamed out, and pushed on, I was certain we were done for.
I could see the outer wall of the village. If only we could run a bit faster… just a little more to go.
Heart racing, lungs burning I ran dragging my limping sister after me.
“Paylay come On! We are almost there.”
Suddenly the air around us felt charged. Bright lights burst like tiny stars from the village wall. I could hear the bell ringing in the tower. The ground behind us shook. “THUD” The gate pushed open. I watched the warriors from our village pour out and take defensive positions in front of the wall.
My back seared with heat as the baby tefusang landed a blow. I screamed and cried out “MAMMMA!!!”
Again the air felt charged as lights erupted from the wall. An arrow of light flew just past my head singeing my hair. Behind me the baby beast let out a shriek. I felt the ground shake as I heard the thud.
I did not stop running until we were through the gate. We both collapsed on the ground, immediately the healers rushed in and treated us.
Then I heard her voice. A lump formed in my throat as I knew that tone well. It was the tone of guilt filled dinners and hours of scrubbing and cleaning.
At that moment I wished for the tefusang to return and finish me off.
“Gwinn!!!!.... Paylay!!!!!” my mother Bellowed. “What were you thinking……” She turned toward Paylay and then to myself, shooting us the look only a mother can give.
My stomach twisted, as suddenly it became unbearably hot.
I opened my mouth to speak, as Paylay excitedly blurted out.
“Momma momma did you see… I was riding it…. Gwinn didn’t want me too… but I did.. I did good!”
then with a confident nod of her head she smiled as innocently and proudly as if she had just picked my mother flowers.
My Mother simply shook her head rubbing her brow, pointed to the temple and handed us our buckets.
For the three weeks we spent scrubbing the temple. My sister recounted the incident over and over, each time the tefusang grew ten feet in size and our wounds grew more severe. I hadn’t thought of that day in years.
*gwinn smiles at Mathy hoping this story has lifted her spirits*
