The Spell of Rosette - Kim Falconer [8]
Kalindi awoke with a start, the events of the night flooding back to her before she opened her eyes. After taking a few deep breaths, she peeked out through the entrance of her sanctuary. Shafts of early-morning light illuminated the woods, turning everything gold.
I’m still alive…thank you!
She crawled out through the opening and stretched, scanning the dense terrain.
Has anyone seen Jarrod?
Her thoughts radiated out from her mind, filling the forest with her question along with her gratitude. She got a comforting response, an energy that made her feel safe. Jarrod must be in the area. He hunted here most mornings and she planned to find him quickly, before he went looking for her at the estate. He would help her figure out what to do next, and he would probably have news and something to eat. He might even be looking for her already. She let out several long whistles like the high-pitched cry of a red-tailed kite.
After waiting, her head tilted to the side, she went in search of a drink. The creek was nearby, down a long descent just past the boulder grove. She could glimpse the pines that surrounded the huge rocks from where she stood. They weren’t far off.
Leaves fell from her arms and back as she bent to take off her boots and tie them together by the laces. Hoisting them over her shoulder, she squatted down and relieved herself before heading towards the rocks. She had spent her childhood exploring these woods, even though the forest was considered uncanny, taboo. Almost no-one came here and her family had forbidden her to. She ignored their warnings. The woods called to her, always had, and today she felt especially glad she’d listened.
She reached the boulder grove and smiled. She and Jarrod had named it years ago for no other reason than its massive rocks. They used to pretend that in ancient times giant children played games here, the monoliths mere pebbles to them. They towered over Kalindi’s head, warm to the touch. She slid her hand down the smooth stone in greeting, her eyes welling up. Pressing her lips against the surface, she whispered to the granite stone, I’m scared.
A light breeze touched her face, cooling her cheeks and drying her tears. She walked to the centre of the grove, dropped to her knees and buried her hands in the soil.
‘Goddess of the woods, please help me.’
When she rose, she felt lighter, though thirst dried her throat and her stomach growled. ‘I’m going for a drink and a wash,’ she said to the grove. ‘If you see Jarrod, please send him my way.’
She stopped a few times to navigate the steep descent, occasionally mimicking the sound of a kite.
No answer.
What if something had happened to Jarrod too? What if the entire township of Lividica had been attacked? Could another war have started?
She slipped a few feet before catching herself on a willow root. Steady. It’s a long way down.
She reached the bottom of the gorge and jumped the last few feet to the white-pebbled beach where the creek danced over rock and stone, jabbering like an exuberant child. She dropped her boots, hurrying to reach the water’s edge. She sank her hands into the flow, washing them with white sand before drinking deeply.
Water dripped down her chin as she stood pulling her sweater over her head. Her undershirt followed. She tossed both by her boots and stepped out of her long skirt and leggings.
Gingerly, she walked into the stream, goose bumps rising up her arms and legs. You’re freezing today!
At thigh depth she bent over and splashed her face and breasts and underarms, washing away the dried sweat and fear of the night before. Leaning back on her elbows, she submerged her whole body before jumping up, spluttering.
Kalindi hopped around on the little beach, getting the colour back into her fingers and toes. Her breath came in gasps as she unbraided her hair, letting it fall in front of her face, where it hung past her belly in a sheet of black ripples. Combing out the leaves and twigs with her hands she gathered it together, twisting it into a long rope and