THE FLAMES IN THE SHADOW

betwixt Darlia and Zedzka. Joy was gleaming in their eyes even as they busied themselves with gatherin

women was a keen knife with which she was harvesting. Very close to each of the women was a largish wicker b

ith aromatic wild flowers and spices and herbs, and the several kinds of scents formed an aroma

ous; some twittered, others made liquid birdsong, and a lot of them had feathers whose colours were mellow. And again, there we

the woods appeared a vast roof that was made pocked and fair by a few glades an

ing in the air, beneath the welkin, shading the ground, moreover, f

l the inhabitants of the woods did slake their thirst. Birds of prey a

ller animals. Nevertheless, the glory of the springs and freshwater pools surpassed the peril that they carried.

tness whilst running bleak, hence the women who were in the woods were amazed at the weath

e to their several havens. The heavens had started to fall sullen, making anxiety hold the whip hand over the women's spirits. T

he woods and the purlieus of the woods. Damage, alas, would supervene. The eeri

s and fruits. Some shrubs might soon cease to get support from their roots sinc

the gale. Leaves that had gone adrift were flying abou

e of the clairvoyants declaime

hy clairvoyant made a gurner. "An omen, it is

. Her ice-blue eyes were halfway shut, and

med, holding a largish wicker basket that was somewh

powering about as if it had a craving to convey an adult bison from the face of land. So 'twas tha

a large stone building where very devoted clairvoyants and priestesses of Ordess were dwell

irmament had already become sullen. Dark clouds were scuddi

t up the murk, hence the afternoon seemed well-nigh as dark as overcast dusk, an h

ing a slow descent, veiling hilltops and mountaintops, looking like a vast pall of smoke, coiling, and there came

rrow that had been fired from a divine bow, was herding fairly fast on the short grasses which, albeit would

oods. A great stone statue of Ordess, the goddess of earth and wife of Rezos, reposed at the midst

men fluttered like storm-tossed flags. Similar to an invisible wall

whereupon they were making headway while protecting the leafy harvest that they had gathered lest it be made to fly away. Sheet l

only sibling, was slumbering and oblivious of the gale. Neither the howl of t

le to make her take notice of the perilous weather. Owing to the inc