[Aylwen Dreamsong]

The children and young moved quickly. They never stayed in one encampment for more than a few hours to half a day. Jasara knew what was following them and how close they were. She dared not tell anyone but the other leaders how frighteningly near the elders of the Painted Sand and Baobab tribes were coming. The elders came too close for comfort on several occasions. It was then that Jasara let Najah take over and get the young really moving at almost a jog.

Jasara began to fear her own ideas and doubt her judgment. She was no longerin control of her mind. But Jasara had come too far to back down, and for some unknown reason she still wanted to prove to whatever was inside of her that she could handle it all. She wanted to prove it to the elders, too. More than anything Jasara wanted to change what the elders thought, and show them that they underestimate their young.

The Eye's perfect plan was unfolding through Jasara, and it was visible and audible in every move and every run the young made to narrowly avoid the elders. The young were in far too much of a hurry to cover up their tracks well, but that would become necessary at some point. But that point had not come yet. Jasara was told and knew exactly when, where, and what to do by whatever haunted her.

Relax, Jasara. Run with ease, be carefree. Your time of ultimate power will come. Your proof will be shown to the elders in their last breaths as they die before you and the Eye that has chosen you...Jasara heard the hissed words, though she learned long ago that listening was wrong. The words were always ringing in her ears and lindered in her mind.

"Uri!" Jasara shouted above the din of the young packing up from another temporary camp. It was time to cover their tracks. The voice had shown Jasara how in a vision, and all would be well. It was false hope that Jasara had lost faith in long before, but it had to do for the time being.

Uri jogged against the wave of children moving west. Khasia was leading them now, hollering out orders that echoed the ones Jasara or Najah had originally given her. Uri was stained with dust and sand, his dark hair was sweat-soaked and plastered to his forward in every direction as he reached Jasara.

"We need to pause for a moment. We need to get the elders off our tracks. What we do is split up for only about a half mile. Khasia, Najah, and Nasir will take one group and take a more north-westerly route. You and I will take a more north or north-easterly route. Only for about a half mile. Then we'll take reeds or something to cover the tracks once we establish to the elders that the group has split," Jasara explained, finding the most complicated and yet simple way to tell Uri her vision. Uri blinked at Jasara, then nodded slowly.

"So, in a nutshell: We pretend to split up, giving the elders a choice to make and two fake trails. Then we meet back up at about a half mile west?" Uri simplified perfectly, sending Jasara into momentary self-pity and wonderment at why Uri had not been chosen by the Eye. Jasara nodded her reply and Uri immediately went off to tell Khasia, Najah, and Nasir.

The plan was under way quickly, for by then the young knew that this was no time to waste precious moments and seconds. Teenagers or young adults were appointed to cover the tracks as the groups made their fake trails. It had gone perfectly. Again. The Eye had never failed Jasara.

The groups met up as planned a half mile down and across their false pathways. Jasara felt relief course through her as she realized that they had bought precious time that would be of good use. Soon they would find the army; Jasara knew it.

"Khasia, when we find the army, I must speak with the priestess alone," Jasara whispered to her sister at one point down the short grasslands. The Eye had told Jasara who she would be meeting, it was all planned and ready. All Jasara had to do was prepare her people for it.

"No Jasara!" Khasia snapped angrily, causing her sister to lift a brow. What had come over her sister? "I will go with you! I've come too far now to be left behind just because of whatever voice you think is inside your head!"

Jasara frowned. Why was she even having this conversation with her sister? Khasia had no right to insult what had brought them this far in the first place. Nothing of the split would have occured if the Eye had never manifested itself in Jasara.

"I have not killed children and broken ties with my family for nothing. I would never have done any of this if I had not been truly called to do so. Speak unwisely against the Eye once more, if even in your sleep, and your fate will be that of the children hanging from the tree, sister or not." Jasara replied shortly.

She is power hungry. Nothing more. Let her go along with you and show her that she is not worthy or ready for being a decision maker...

Khasia was looking darkly at Jasara, about to protest. Jasara hesitated for only a split second, then thought better of it. Had not the Eye shown her the right way since it had first spoken to her?

"But very well. You may come along. Only you and me. We will talk to the priestess when we reach the Army. It will be soon, Khasia," Jasara added hurriedly, but then continued forward to lead the children.

[ July 26, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]