Hidden from the raging tempest, a small, dark figure huddled just inside the mouth of a cave -- an opening in the mountainside so discreet, passersby rarely noticed it. She looked out across the small valley, calmly awaiting the outcasts she knew would be shortly arriving. She had learned on her own the harsh realities of this foreign land. She had not had the benefit of a tutor.
A tremor ran through her minute frame as she recalled the first few weeks after her Fall. Hunger. Thirst. Fatigue. Fear. The burning midday sun and the freezing that came with the moons. It was only the desperation for food that had brought her crawling through the thin, piercing brambles that she was able to discover the slender crack in the towering mountain wall.
Now she hunched, hugging herself, watching the blessed water fall from the skies, pooling atop the parched sand. She waited. The wind howled and the ends of her hair rose. A grin crept across her face. It was time.
The dark sky was pierced as the first bolt of light struck the ground. The immense impact shattered the hardened ground, flinging chunks of muddied slate in all directions, but the girl never flinched. A massive form rose from the crater, its bulk even darker than the night around it.
Her smile faded slightly. There was only one being that could be. And if he had Fallen, things were worse than she had thought. But she would be glad to have him with her once again.
More light cracked the sky as other beings Fell. She knew the intensity of the storm could only mean a large arrival, and she was right. As more and more Fell, they gathered themselves into a milling herd until she could no longer count the individuals. Their fear, confusion, and anger drifted toward her, rekindling the memories of her own arrival that she wished to forget. Now was not the time for that.
She sent a wave of calm toward them, knowing it could never be enough to assuage all of their anxieties, but hoping it might help in some small way. Only when she was certain of the final Fall and the storm had moved on from her isolated valley, did she leave the protection of her hiding place.
As she approached the crowd, she drew up her strength, forcing herself once again to face the fears of the Fallen. Her enormous energy belief her tiny frame and acted as magnet to those new to this world. Each turned to find the source of her brilliance.
With all eyes on her, she extended her hands toward them in a gesture of acceptance. "Welcome," she called strongly, sending a silent, mental acknowledgement to her friend. "Welcome to Jericho."
I'd say go for more! This is good!
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