White Ghost and the Poison Arrow Read Online Free

laughing and playing still, and can still
smell the cooking boar, but is far enough away from them to be able
to relax.

    Far above in
the clear blue sky, Arella watches a couple of eagles play in the
thermals. They weave and dance, not moving their wings at all, just
effortlessly floating yet never coming down. The gradually move out
of Arella's view and drift off over the forest calling to each
other as they go. The sounds from the village have quietened down,
a sure sign that the boar is cooked and everyone is tucking in.
"Give it a minute and I will go get some myself." Arella sighs to
herself as she watches the world around her. A small green lizard
runs along the ground next to her, chasing a cricket that hops away
eagerly. The lizards green legs moving as fast as they can carry
its scaly body, kicking up small colours of dust as he goes. He
finally catches the cricket, and eats it with a crunch. Arella has
always loved watching nature at work, and the relationship between
predator and prey.

    Arella is startled awake as a group of riders from her tribe
gallop past her at speed, causing dust and stones to fly
everywhere, catching the delicate skin on Arella's legs as them and
their horses go past. Arella gets up from her resting place, the
sun now on its way down. "Hmm, must have fallen asleep. I'd better
go see if there's any food left." She says to herself, doubting
that there will be anything left eating on the carcass
anyway. "Wonder where they were going
anyway?" She thinks. "Must be going for an evening ride." She stops, realising what it must have been. "An initiation of course. When a new male member
of the tribe is born, another is promoted to hunter. That must be
it. Now it makes sense. Can't believe I didn't see it before. Come
on Arella, use your brain."

    There is still
a little meat on the left flank of the boar, now a little tough and
cool from over cooking then being left, but it still tastes good.
Arella can taste the mud the boar rolled in, the fruits that he ate
and the fresh are he breathed and she chews the meat. It is just
heavenly. The village is now all but empty, all the men gone off
for the initiation, and the women and children gathered to tell
stories. The sun is beginning to set, and now sits low in the
sky.

    "I think another long walk might be in order." Arella thinks to herself. "Maybe some target practice too." She
heads back to her small tent, climbs inside and retrieves her
dagger. Arella then hooks in inside her right boot, in the special
leather compartment she sowed to them, hidden from sight but easily
accessible. It belonged to her mother, one of the few things she
has from her. The blade is sharp and cold, Arella can feel its
presence close to her skin, even though the leather, the ornate
handle only just visible at the top of her boot. You wouldn't see
it there unless you were looking for it.

    Arella follows the stream down to the lake, and skirts along
its edge, just the same way as she had done the night before. As
she gets to the forest, she begins to feel her spirits lifting
again. It is an addictive feeling, being free and able to do what
she wants without others looking at her. To even exist without
anyone judging her feels amazing. Arella makes a pact with herself
as she walks through the forest. "I will
learn how to live without my tribe. I will teach myself how to
hunt, and how to protect myself. Then I can feel free all the time,
not just when I leave the tribe on a night. I can wake up knowing
that I will not be stared at, or whispered about behind my back. I
will finally be free, and now is the time to do it. If I stay away
from other people, no one will be able to tell me what to do, or
hurt me ever again." The more Arella
thought about it, the better the idea became. The practicalities of
it however were not quite the same. Once she got thinking, Arella
realised just how much she had to learn, but then again, others do
it. She was sure that she would be able to