by John Jones

Created on: August 12, 2010

The Spirit of Warmth and Light.

As if she were summoned by his thoughts, the girl Kon ached for stealthily emerged from the darkest shadows. She gracefully rounded the towering, pines.   With her left hand she grasped at pine boughs too steady herself as she picked her way over a heap of rocks. When she was safely on a level footing she sniffed the pine scent on her hand and turned her eyes to the moon.  She said something softly to herself or perhaps to the moon. Kon had been waiting anxiously for her and now he furtively observed her taking her forbidden pleasures.

Kon tried to address her casually and confidently but in his excitement his voice slid an octave higher causing a birdlike, distressed squawk. “Chia”

With good reasons Chia was terribly frightened when she heard her name called.  People rarely talked to her for it was forbidden and it was especially upsetting to have some one address her when she was wickedly stealing through the darkness. Recklessly she had left her area of duty to enjoy the forbidden stars on the western side of their mountain.  Driven by boredom she had irresponsibly wandered out of her sacred area of duty. It was a small transgression but it still burdened her with a guilty anxiety.  When Kon called her name she nearly fainted in fear.

Recognizing Kon, the fire keeper, down the length of her long nose she bravely demanded.  “What is the trouble, Fire Keeper?  How can I help?” 

Kon the Fire Keeper’s anxiety was also at a furiously high flow for he intended to commit a great transgression. As a result he was too rattled to answer her question.  He balled his fists and clenched his teeth as his anxiety mounted.   His mind was clouded and made ineffective by the great anticipation of taking her and then stealing his freedom.

Kon was bitterly disappointed with his poor performance and it caused him to doubt whether he would get what he wanted. His small dark eyes blazed like those of a starving rat.   He thought if I am too backward to speak how will I win her heart and take her away. If I stand here mute and reeling with indecision how will I inspire her confidence?

Kon’s manner struck Chia as menacing rather than indecisive and she correctly sensed danger. Though she was afraid she wanted to meet the trouble with the suitable dignity and competence appropriate to her station. Like a flock of small excited birds

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