The Sage Seed Chronicles: The Unraveling Read Online Free Page B

area.’
    Erin thought about what Keir had said and
carefully reached out with her mind to search for a bird or animal
in the immediate area. There was a young skunk in the brush about
twenty feet to the right. Erin looked at Keir directing a
non-verbal question to him. He nodded. She quieted her mind and
gently called to the little animal. Soon there was a rustling in
the leaves, and a small face peered out. After a moment, the skunk
emerged from the protective underbrush. He was the size of Erin’s
forearm. His white stripe started as a narrow white line from above
his nose to between his ears, and separated into two broad bands
that ran the length of his back. His very fluffy tail was basically
black but had two white bands at the outer edges.
    He looked up at Erin curiously. ‘Did you say
something to me? Who are you?’ he asked silently.
    Erin’s smile went into her thoughts and she
knelt on the ground. ‘I am Erin. This is my friend, Keir, and yes,
I did call to you in friendship.’
    ‘Why?’ asked the little skunk.
    ‘Well,’ she paused in thought, ‘I am on a
journey. Along the way I am trying to get acquainted with others on
the trail.’
    The little skunk cocked his head and looked
at Erin. He did a rapid series of pouncing slaps on the ground with
both front feet. ‘Why would you want to meet me? Most avoid
me.’
    Erin grinned at him, then rapidly slapped the
ground with both hands. ‘I would like to learn about you, your
kind, and what is happening your part of the woods. I like your…’
again she did the two-handed beat, ‘…dance!’ She heard the laughter
in the skunk’s response.
    ‘It is the way of Skunks. I am known by my
family as ‘Tempo’ because I can get carried away with the stomp.
You honor me with your return beat, but I must say, you have an
accent the way you do it.’ Erin laughed out loud at that.
    Then Tempo’s grin left his voice. ‘There
aren’t any other skunks in the area. My family is gone and I am
traveling to the woods across the valley to find my cousins.’ The
little skunk looked up at Erin and asked, ‘Why are you
traveling?’
    Erin’s response was quietly honest. ‘My
parents were killed and I am trying to find out why. My mother
could speak to animal and birds, also. I sense that I am being
followed and I am trying to lose the person and get to some of the
towns several days’ journey away. I hope to find out why they were
killed. My plan is not fully formed, but I don’t want to keep
running forever. I am open to suggestions should anybody have them
to share. We need to be going. Would you like to travel a ways with
us? If you want, I could put you on my shoulder and you could ride
along for a bit.’
    Tempo bobbed his head in agreement and Erin
lifted him up to her shoulder. When he was secure, she got up, and
taking her direction from Keir’s flight path, moved off through the
trees. They continued on their way steadily uphill. Keir soared
away to check the path ahead and their back trail.
    Erin continued
the conversation with the little skunk in her thoughts. She
expanded on her story and on what she sensed. She spoke about her
plans to cover a piece of the distance across the valley without
leaving tracks by using the paraglider that her father had given
her. She did not want to carry Tempo out of his way, but wasn’t
sure if he would want to paraglide. The last thing she wanted to do
was startle him or cause this little one to be stressed. That
wouldn’t be pleasant for anyone. Tempo asked many questions before
telling her he would decide when they made camp for the
evening.

Chapter 3

The Warning
    By early evening, Erin and Tempo had reached
a small clearing near the top of the hill. Tempo had been walking
beside her for the last hour. Erin set up camp in the shelter of
some large stones. She didn’t want a campfire to be seen by any
curious human eyes and have it serve as a beacon to pinpoint her
location. Keir flew into camp just as she