Kinderling 44

 In case you are interested in starting this story at the beginning, Kinderling 1 can be found here:

The Tricycle of Thought: Kinderling 1

Please don't judge the story or the writing too harshly, this story is written with little to no editing.  It is just meant to get me writing regularly for practice.  

Now back to our story, already in progress..

To my surprise, Watcher and Daisy both stayed at the Garrison rather than returning home.  Not that I was sure they had a home or where it was if they did.  It's a toss-up as to who was watched more carefully by the villagers.  

Daisy was a Gorf, and therefore a known quantity.  One that added up to dangerous!  She seemed content to spend most of her time out on the outside garden terraces even to the point of finding a nice spot in an un-used corner of one of the terraces and making camp.  As soon as Mizzy realized she wasn't dangerous, to us anyway, and heard how Daisy personally carried me and protected me on our way home, Mizzy took to the young Gorf woman and took it on herself to make sure Daisy had plenty of food and everything she needed.

In a way, Dobbo was even more of an outsider than Daisy.  Only a few of the older villagers recognized or knew him, but there were enough that remembered that Dobbo was once one of Baot's people that the story got around.  Baot, of course, was very unpopular in the garrison at Outcropping.

Oddly enough, it was Watcher who was shunned the most.  The odd juxtaposition of being able to speak Kinderling, and also being a Gorf made him doubly strange.  The villagers craved a return to normal.  A talking Gorf was far from normal.  I think Watcher tried to win them over by displaying his most excellent manners, which just made him seem even more strange.

I finally pinned Watcher down and got his story.

"I have told you that I am an exile, but I have the job of Watcher for the priesthood."  Watcher explained, "As such, it is my job to watch for anything that might pose a danger.  The Kinderling village and the surrounding forest are my domain.  There are other watchers with other domains, but this one is mine.  The Mountain Gorf kingdom also has a watcher.  While you and Flower were unable to escape from the tunnel, Mouse and I were unable to.  However, when we were taken in front of the Mountain King, my mountain counterpart was right there standing beside the King.  I merely reminded him of his obligations to a fellow True Gorf, and he let me go."

"What about Mouse?"  I asked, dreading the answer.

"He was put in one of those infernal harnesses and he is now a one of the Mountain King's slave soldiers."  Watcher said.  I could tell it pained him that he was able to walk away while Mouse was still captive. "In a way, we owe the Mountain Kingdom's watcher.  The Mountain King doesn't hold to Gorphom.  When a child is born who is touched by Gorphom, they throw it off a cliff.  The Mountain King wanted to do the same to Flower's tribe because so many of them are blessed but Watcher talked him our of it saying they could use them as leverage when the Deep Gorfs attack."

"Is that at all likely?" 

"Not in the least."  Watcher smiled,  "The Priesthood would never sully True Gorfs on the surface, and there are not enough of us exiles to make a dent in the Mountain King's fortifications.  

"So poor Mouse is doomed."  I felt sad.  But sad wasn't right, I should be angry.  Sad never helped anyone.  Sad means acceptance.  To the Below with acceptance!  

"I do not accept that!"  I shouted.  There it was, that ball of anger in my belly.  Now I needed to ride it, control it, make a plan.

"Are you quite all right young Tandy?"  Watcher asked, concerned.

"Yes.  I'm angry!  Angry is right!"  I yelled, stomping my foot.  Watcher had that look like he was looking for somewhere else to be... quick!

"Oh no"  I heard Mama's voice from across the room, "I've seen that look before."