2010 HASA Birthday Stories
Elena Tiriel's 2010 Birthday Gifts!: 6. Not in Our Stars — Tanaqui
Not In Our Stars
by Tanaqui
When, in the Hatching Days long ago, the Elves taught us the tongues of the flightless ones, as they taught many, they spoke often of the lights in the sky. Perhaps they thought we Ravens, creatures of the air, would care for such things. But why trouble ourselves with where our wings cannot take us ?
Wind and weather, and the slow-shifting tug of the land below us that guides us home—that the Elves, for all their wisdom, know not—are our concern. What care we for sickles or swordsmen? If we should name such things, we would speak otherwise!
oOo
Aye, if we were so foolish as to make signs of those feeble sparks, would we not direct our gaze rather to the Carcass? Our wisest would debate, I trow, whether 'twas a fallen warrior of the flightless ones or one of the great beasts that bear them into battle.
And there, those seven stars: the wriggling Maggot! Beside it, the Carrion Beetle would crawl, and beyond the Rat scurry, all fearing the beak and talons of the Great Raven.
He, spread wings shadowing all, would feast well upon the brightest amongst the lights, those juiciest of morsels: the Eyes!
