//------------------------------// // 4: Leaf in the River // Story: The Chronicles of Ravensong // by Ravensong //------------------------------// Chronicles of Ravensong Chapter 4 Leaf in the River Raven ran, powered by anger, until she came to a stream.  How dare that odd stallion tell her such tall tales!  And why did the others seem to go along with it all.  She was confused, everything was jumbled together.  After Skull, the Solifugus, the... things that had attacked Corvid, she didn't think she could be confused anymore.  But instead of things making sense, that... Fás... the things he said had made everything else seem commonplace.  As the confusion rose, her anger drained away.  She flumped down onto the creek bank and dangled her front hooves into the icy mountain water. Graz found her there, intently watching the circles her hooves made as she played in the water.  He was transfixed.  It dawned on him, she had gotten bigger.  How long had she been in his care?  A few months?  No... closer to half a year.  Yes, she would have grown.  He made a mental note to ask her how old she was.  Cautiously he approached her.  "Raven?" She turned her head to look at him.  "Oh Graz!" She cried.  "Nothing makes any sense!"  She smacked a hoof into the water, making a splash that disturbed the nearby trout. He hopped over to her and patted her shoulder.  "I know."  He thought for a moment, both in silence.  "Maybe, since this is all so new to you... we teach our hatchlings about the Treaty in school... hmmm..." Eyes wide, Raven shook her head. "You... want me to go to... school?" Graz nodded his beak yes. "No. Schools and I don't get along."  She said firmly, thoughts of the bullying back in Equestria firmly in her head. They sat together a few moments, the only sound the rushing gurgle of the stream.  Finally Graz sighed.  "Please? Wait.  Before you say no again... how old are you?" She started a touch.  "Um... " Splish, splash went the water as her hooves slapped the stream surface. "I got my cutie mark... when I got my wings." He blinked twice.  Graz's golden eyes bored into her. "That wasn't the answer you wanted was it?" "No." "Oh.  Okay.  Well... " She sighed.  "Twelve."  Her voice was a barely audible whisper. Graz patted her shoulder again with a wing.  "Twelve. That explains it." She looked at him, eyes questioning. "You got taller."  He did not wait for her to respond.  "Please.  They will be fascinated by you, but they will not treat you badly.  You need  to know this." She sighed and rested her head on her forelegs.  "k" She mumbled. "Good."  He got up and ruffled his feathers. "We should get back."  He hopped a few times back toward his home, stopping to look back at her. Raven picked herself up off the stream bank and shook.  Her star-lit dragon wings ruffled, novas flaring deep within them.  Then she tucked them tightly by her sides, hiding the infinite depths they showed.  She followed after him back to Cavatina's home.  His home.  Her new home.  Both silent, lost in thought. <>         <>         <>         <>         <> They got back to the house to find it completely silent.  Neither Cavatina or Fás were to be found anywhere.  Raven heaved a sigh of relief and went to lay in what was fast becoming her corner of the building.  She found a leather bound book laying there.  "Graz?"  She pointed at the book. He veered away from the kitchen to see what she was pointing at.  Peering closely at the book, eyes narrowed in deep suspicion, he examined it closely.  Finally he opened it.  He peered at the first few pages, turning them slowly.  Raven could not quite make out the writing on the pages, just a word here and there, but nothing that made any sense.  Then the pages were blank.  Graz closed the book.  He stared at it a moment. Making a tut tutting sound, he pointed at Raven.  'It's yours.  But I will ask... please do not look inside it.  Not until after you spend a day at the school.  Okay?" She was confused but she nodded.  "Okay" Before she could ask any questions or discuss the matter further, Cavatina came back in.  "Oh good, you are back." Raven looked at the front door in horror.  "Where is...?" "Oh, Lord Earraigh?  He went back to wherever it is he comes from."  Cavatina shrugged.  "Did you find his gift?" Graz answered.  "We did.  I've asked her to not read it.  Not yet." "Why would you ask that, Graz?  He left it to help." "Because it will only confuse her further."  Graz puffed up.  "Besides, she is going to go to school.  They'll give her the basics, then the book will make sense." Raven listened to the exchange, worried at what might be in the book and annoyed at being treated like a baby.  She didn't want to have another childish outburst so she sat down and looked at the book.  The leather was old and engraved.  There was silver and gold filigree inlaid in intricate patterns all about the cover, but conspicuously there was no title.  The voices of Graz and Cavatina talking faded into the background as her full attention shifted to the book.  No writing on the spine either.  How odd.  She glanced back up at the pair of Corvid. "I still don't understand why you are so adverse to her reading the book, son." "Did you look at it?"  Graz snapped. "No, it wasn't given to me." Their conversation faded into her background again, as Raven looked back at the book.  She was so curious, what had Graz seen in the book that had obviously spooked him so much as to ask her to not look at it.  What harm could a book do.  As quietly as she could, she opened the cover.  The first page was discolored, waves and swirls on it from residual moisture from the leather.  She turned the next page.  The title of the book... The Chronicles of Ravensong.  Her eyes widened.  She quietly flipped a few more pages and a name on the page caught her attention.  Cinder.  Her father.  She read a line, then another.  How did anyone know about her father's death?  Raven bit her lip and closed the book.  She was mad.  If someone had known, why had they not bothered to try to help when Skull had attacked.  Who was it?  Was it... Fás?  She opened the book again and flipped farther in.  Blank.  Blank.  Most of the pages were blank.  The last page with text... she blushed.  Detailed her kicking the stallion in the face.  She closed the book again and delicately picked it up and tucked it away. "Um... Cavatina.  Graz.  Please stop."  She said quietly. Graz nodded and went back into the kitchen.  Sounds of him rummaging around as he started to cook floated back to Cavatina and Raven. Cavatina started to fuss over Raven, but Raven stopped her.   "Cava... um... Mom.  He's right.  I.  Er.  I peeked.  I don't understand." "Shh, hush." Cavatina hugged Raven tight.  "Graz is fixing some food.  We'll relax the rest of the day.  And you'll go to..." She sighed. "School tomorrow.  They don't know everything there but maybe Graz is right." "Why do you not like the idea?" Raven asked. "Graz is... a touch blinded, my dear.  When it comes to the teacher." "Huh?" "Oh, nevermind.  Why don't you... go see if Graz needs some help."  Cavatina was flustered. Raven did not ask, she just got up and a subtle flick of a hoof pushed the book farther into its hiding place. She went into the kitchen, ducking slightly to get through the door. <>         <>         <>         <>         <> The rest of the day passed without event.  It was pleasant.  It reminded Raven of her home back in Equestria, only with more laughter.  That night she slept almost peacefully.  The next morning, however, was anything but enjoyable.  Graz roused her early and hovered, nit-picking, as she brushed out her mane and tail.  He finally huffed, grabbed the brush, and tackled the spots that she had not been able to reach.  Still fussing, he hurried her through a quick breakfast of oats. It was her turn to grouse when he then proceeded to take a full ten minutes to pick out a shiny rock from the garden out back.  "For the teacher."  He said. Raven sighed with relief when they finally got to the school.  It was not in a building, but in an open grove.  No walls for her to knock into by accident and no roof to make her feel closed in.  She felt better about this already, but not much.  She took a few steps into the grove and stopped, realizing that Graz was still at the tree-line.  She turned back at him and gave him a look.  He didn't notice.  He was staring at a Corvid that had just landed in the center of the grove near a tall standing stone.  It was different from other Corvid, it's feathers had red undertones instead of the blue black that she had become accustomed.  Other Corvid were arriving, adults and blue-grey and black hatchlings.  The black-red Corvid called out greetings to the new arrivals.  Then Raven realized, it was female.  Raven went around behind Graz and planted her nose firmly into his back, pushing him forward into the clearing. They were quickly noticed.  The black-red Corvid called out to them, but it was most definitely not a greeting.  "Grazioso.  What are you doing here?"  Her eyes narrowed as she hopped angrily toward Graz and Raven.  Raven stopped short, leaving Graz to flutter along in her withering stare.  The Corvid's necklace, Raven noticed, was identical to the one that Graz had put on shortly after they had arrived, but instead of a sapphire set in the middle of the ornate collar, her's held a ruby.   Graz stuttered.  "D-d-dolci... you look good..."   "Oh shut your beak you!" She snapped and glared at him. While Graz just stood there, looking at the ground, Raven studied her.  Another Corvid approached.  They wore gold bands around their legs like Tremolo had, but Raven noticed a slight red undertone to their black feathers.  This one was older than the other hatchlings but still noticeably young as they still had grey patches of down among the sleek black adult feathers.  When they spoke, Raven realized this one was a male.  She was surprised, his voice sounded familiar.  "Mother?  Is something wrong?" Graz's head snapped up.  "Mother?!" He stared at the newcomer. "Go back to the class Innig."  The ruby wearing Corvid ordered.  He turned around and hopped away, briefly looking back at Raven and Graz.  "You did not answer me, Graz.  What are you doing here?" "He brought me."  Raven pipped up, seeing that Graz still had not found a voice. She looked Raven, really looked at her, for the first time, then fluffed.  "A pony?  What are you doing out of Equestria?"  She turned back to Graz.  "What have you done?" Her voice started to become a touch higher.  Scared.  "The rules!" "He found me outside Equestria!"  Raven cut in quickly. "Dolcissimo."  Graz finally found his voice.  He looked quickly over at Innig, who was hovering nearby, then back at her.  "Earraigh has ordered her to the Council.  She's just..." He sighed, silently hoping Raven would not be mad at his next words.  "a child.  Equestria doesn't teach about the Pact or the Veil.  She needs to know."  Dolcissimo started to protest again but Graz cut her off.  "Please, not for me.  For her.  Her name is Raven.  Ravensong." Dolci's eyes widened a moment.  "Really?  Your name is Ravensong?" Raven looked down.  "I guess it is now.  My... " She swallowed.  "My parents called me Ashe... but... they're dead and Graz saved me."  She stopped, took a deep breath.  "Please can I listen in to class?"  Raven took a flying leap of faith and when she saw Dolci's eyes soften, she knew it had worked.  Dolci was indeed the teacher. "Of course you can stay.  How old are you, and what all did they teach you in Equestria." "Twelve... and.  Um... I....er.... "  Raven couldn't bring herself to look at either Graz or Dolci.  "I never really went.  They... didn't like me so I stopped going." "Oh dear."  Dolci said quietly. Graz thought back to when he first met Raven.  How her wings had been useless.  He thought about how children were.  Suddenly he understood why she hadn't wanted to do this.  Pride rose in his chest, that she would face this fear for him. "Well, I will sit you with Innig.  He's one of the older students, about your age.  He'll help you." Dolci was in full teacher mode, and completely ignoring Graz. Graz quietly left, vowing to be back to pick her up when school would let out.  At the edge of the clearing, he looked back.  At Dolci.  At Innig.  He face intently thoughtful as memories of thirteen years ago flooded his mind. <>         <>         <>         <>         <> Raven went to sit next to Innig at Dolci's instruction.  She muttered a quick, shy hello and bowed her head, trying hard to ignore all the stares she was getting.  All the hatchlings were staring, to the point that even Dolci tutted at them to get their attention.  Innig leaned over, "It's okay, they've never seen a pony before." "You have?" She asked. "No.  Well, just pictures in books.  Mom won't let me leave the city."  He hushed up quickly.  Class was starting. “Good morning, class.” “Good morning, Ms. Dolci” the hatchlings all chimed. Dolci smiled and turned to the standing stone.  She tapped it with her beak.  There was a soft chiming note that came from the stone.  She mimicked it.  Carvings in the stone started to glow a soft yellow, pulses of light running along the patterns from the bottom toward the top.  When the pulses reached the pinnacle, they flared outward forming beams of light that twisted and bent forming a picture.  It was a large globe with water and land masses that filled the surface and floating white clouds that made slow dances across the surface.  Muted colors; blues, greens, and browns slowly filled the globe. “Today, class, we will learn about the Pact and the Veil.”  Dolci started. Innig leaned over toward Raven again, “She was going to go over hinky-punks and how to deal with them today, but she changed it.  Just for you.” “Oh.”  Raven muttered, her full attention on the globe and Dolci. “This… is, or rather was, Gaia.  The world we lived in long ago.  There were many different beings that lived here, not just Corvid.”  Dolci nodded toward Raven. “Ponies lived there.  Both of the Daoine Sidhe lived there.  Each of the races that make up the Host.  And the race that none have seen since the Pact was formed.  The sons of Man. When Gaia was whole, the sons of Man came to Gaia and caused an imbalance.  There was not room for them.  Most of the races of Gaia silently moved over and tried to make room.  We Corvid took to the trees and skies at that time.  The Daoine Sidhe, though, refused to give up any of their holdings for the newcomers.  War broke out.  Daoine Sidhe and Man slaughtered each other in droves.  The fields turned brown from the salt in the blood.” The hatchlings all shuddered at the description of carnage.   Raven watched, eyes riveted, as the globe turned from blue and green to brown and red. Dolci continued.  “Each of the races that had stayed out of the conflict sent delegates to the Daoine Sidhe.  We pleaded with them to stop the conflict.  We pointed out how Gaia herself was dying.  The wiser of the Daoine Sidhe saw the truth to our delegates.  They met with the sons of Man on the fields of battle and the Pact was formed.” The illusion of Gaia, the globe, expanded and focused in on a field where two sets of beings met under a flag of truce.  Both sets of beings looked odd to Raven’s eyes.  They were similar, yet so very different.  They all walked on two legs, with their front legs hanging down by their sides.  One side was dark and shorter than the other, yet more powerfully built.  The other side, those with the flag, were tall and the air seemed to shimmer around them.  Their eyes were black and lit by stars.  Raven gasped, remembering Fás’ eyes. “The Pact was this:  Gaia was to be split.  The sons of Man would take the upper world.  The Daoine Sidhe would take the lower.”  As Dolci spoke, the illusion panned back out to show the whole globe which split into two shadow versions of the one.  Several other shadow versions of Gaia also appeared.  “When Gaia fractured to accommodate the Pact, it created more pieces than just the two.  Our Corvid is in one.  The ponies found themselves in another piece that has come to be called Equestria.”  The illusion developed names on different fractured pieces.  Raven smiled at the small piece that was labeled Corvid.  The piece labeled Equestria was a familiar shape to Raven, and part of it touched Corvid. “Not all of the Daoine Sidhe were happy with the pact.  Nor were the sons of Man.  When it was discovered that it was possible to travel from fragment to fragment where they touched, parties of both peoples started slipping through to attack the other.”  The illusion lit up at each point where the fragments touched.  Corvid seemed to be a hub as its borders lit up all over.  Equestria lit up in a few places.  “When these parties started killing the other races, we came together with the ruling house of the Daoine Sidhe.  We created the Veil.”  Here the fractured image of Gaia shimmered as interconnected walls raised up along all the borders. “Volunteers of each of the border peoples gave up their lives with their families and people to guard the borders of their lands.  Their only job was to ensure that the magical construct of the Veil would remain intact, forever separating the Daoine Sidhe and the sons of Man.”  Dolci looked right at Raven.  “These volunteers were not immortal, they aged and died.  Some lived longer than others.  It was the duty of each volunteer to find and train their own replacement.  This was important because as a direct result of the raising of the Veil, the Daoine Sidhe split into civil war.  Even the ruling house split.  Those that agreed with the Veil and the Pact on one side, and those that did not on the other.” “The Aes Sidhe, the Daoine that agree, have stayed for the most part reclusive.  The Aos Si, on the other hand, are constantly trying to find a way through to continue the war.”  Dolci stopped for a moment looking thoughtful.  “So far, the guardians have kept the peace.”   She ruffled her feathers.  “Lunch time, my hatchlings.”  The illusion faded out as the glow drained out of the standing stone. The hatchlings all broke off into groups, chattering and laughing, as they picked out where they wanted to eat.  Innig stayed with Raven. <>     <>     <>     <>     <> Graz went back home.  He pushed thoughts of Dolci to the side, along with questions about Innig.  As he flew, he reached into his feathers and pulled out the metal disk that he had taken from the Solifugus’ corpse.  He knew he had kept it a secret for too long.  It was time to find out if his suspicions were right.  Quickly he landed and ducked into his mother’s house.  Cavatina was home, talking to Fás.  The Aes Sidhe had dropped his pony illusion.  Even sitting in the house, he was tall and had a slender build.  His bronze skin had solid muscle definition without any bulk.    His long green hair was pulled back into an elaborate braid.  All around him, there was a star-lit glow.  Graz immediately disliked him. He took a deep breath and announced himself.  Cavatina greeted him warmly.  Fás just laughed.  Typical.  They always laughed.  Graz found himself having a moment of intense pleasure when he saw the laughing face change to one of shock and anger when the disk was presented. “Mom, I found this on the Solifugus that Raven defeated.” “She defeated a Solifugus?”  Fás asked.  “With no training… interesting.” Graz ignored him.  “I can’t translate the writing.” Cavatina took the disk and looked at it.  She flipped it over.  Then she handed it over to Fás.  Fás studied the disk resting in his long fingered hands.  His mouth twisted in distaste.  “Change is good.”  He said, shaking his head.  “That is what this rune means.” “It is of Aos Si make.” Cavatina pointed out. Fás gripped the rune, his eyes angry for a moment.  Then he slipped it into a pouch at his belt.  “Tonight I will go back and… talk… to the maker of this rune.”  He turned his attention to Graz.  “Where did you meet the bearer of the rune?” “In Phyra’s grove.” “Phyra?”  Fás asked, not recognizing the name. “A phoenix.” “Hmmm.  Then tell me more of the encounter with the Solifugus, please.”  Fás’ eyes danced in a way that filled Graz with anger.  “I would hear more of how Ravensong handled it.” <>     <>     <>     <>     <> The rest of the day passed quickly for Raven.  Dolci called the class back to attention and the afternoon was spent learning how to make a healing poultice from common berries and herbs.  The class split into pairs to test their poultices.  Raven sat staring at her mixture when she was tapped on the shoulder.  Inning grinned as she looked over.  “Partners?”  He asked. She lit up like the sun.  “Yes!” His poultice singed the fur from her foreleg. Her poultice bleached out a patch of his feathers. They were even and parted at the end of the day as friends. <>     <>     <>     <>     <> Raven arrived back at Cavatina’s house in high spirits.  She had never had so much fun at school before and found that she wanted to go back.  All thoughts of tomorrow fled her mind when she entered the home.   She saw Cavatina and Graz talking to a being that she did not immediately recognize.  It was odd, tall and thin.  When it looked over at her, she recognized the eyes.  It was Fás.   They quickly brought her up to speed on the conversation of the day about the disk.  The more they talked, the more her illusions of going to school and being friends with Innig shattered.  Raven wanted Fás to go away.  She just wanted friends and family.  What she was getting was fairy tales and monsters.  Just as she was about to flump down onto the floor in pure frustration her ears perked up. “Graz.  Phyra!”  She said. “It’s okay.”  Graz said, almost automatically.  “She was fine when we left, with her clutch intact.” “No!  You forgot.”  Raven flattened her ears against her neck.  “Remember, she said she was missing one.” “Oh no!”  Graz gasped.  “How could I…”  He covered his face with his wing. Fás pulled the disk from a pouch on his belt and looked at it.  “Change is good.”  He sneered.  “This bodes ill.” “We have to find that egg.”  Raven said, not sure why it was so important.  What Fás said had made her gut clinch. “No.”  Graz said.  “You have to go with Fás.  Please, don’t argue.  You need to meet with the council and with other Guardians.” Raven knew what he was saying was right.  She knew it was what she had to do.  “Could you… please tell Innig that I said bye?  Please Graz.  I had fun because of him.” It was the last thing that Graz wanted to hear.  He gulped.  “Okay, I will.”  He turned to his mother.  “I will lead the search for Phyra’s egg.” Cavatina looked from her son to Raven and back.  She nodded. Raven shot Graz a worried look.  “Can’t Tremolo lead it!”  Deep inside, she knew what Graz was volunteering for was dangerous.  He was family and she could not bear to lose any more family. “My Ravensong.”  He said, hugging her.  “First tenet you will learn from me.  Death before Dishonor.  We promised Phyra so I will lead the search.  You will learn more about the gifts Heliotrope gave you.  We each have our duty and we much each fulfill it.  Understand. Raven nodded her head and blinked hard to keep from crying.  “When do I have to leave?” “Now.”  Fás spoke up.  “We.  Leave now.”  He smiled at her.  Graz fluffed with anger.  Raven was confused. She got up and went to her corner, grabbed up her book, and stood there forlornly.  Cavatina came over and opened a cabinet nearby.  “I had hoped to give this to you after you had some time to be a hatchling.  Er… foal.  But we are out of time it seems.”  She pulled out a saddlebag with her cutie mark inlaid on the covers.  Cavatina helped Raven get into it and took the book from Raven to slide it into the bag.  “This is home if you want it.”  Cavatina gave Raven a hard hug. Fás had stood up and was waiting for her at the door.  “You will like Eiru.” Raven moved stiffly, trying to extend her time with Cavatina and Graz.  “Eiru?”  She asked, “Who is that?” He laughed, a tinkling musical sound.  “It is not a whom but a where.  Eiru is the land of my people.” Graz looked at Cavatina as the door closed behind Raven and Fás.  “Do you think…” He started. She cut him off.  “She will be fine.  She is strong.” “I hope so.  I hope so.”  He said, eyes full of worry. <>     <>     <>     <>     <> Fás and Raven walked together to a nearby pair of statues.  Both statues were of beings like Fás.  One statue was male, the other was female.  They stood facing each other, arms out-stretched and uplifted with palms touching.  The air between them shimmered slightly. Fás paused beside the male statue.  He gestured her through before him.  Raven paused, looking at the statues.  She wondered where she was going and what strange things she was about to see.  Taking a deep breath and pushing aside fears of never seeing anything familiar again, she stepped through the statues with her eyes closed.