instead of caring for me until I was no longer a new one, like how I've protected Flot and Jet, after a few snows I was left to grow up on my own. I was still allowed to talk to Charm, but I was given my own room, and told not to see her much.
I still wonder why things changed, if I had done something wrong, or if one of the leaders decided to keep me from her. Maybe I had grown too close to her, or relied on her too much.
Being strong enough to take care of yourself is important, because everyone must help the Crag. How can people help the Crag if they cannot even help themselves? It's possible that someone decided to change my life so I'd grow up strong. So that I could someday fight, and someday lead.
Maybe that's what it was all about. Maybe the leaders had been planning for me to lead the hunt all along. It would explain why Lagan wanted me to replace him. Maybe even as a new one I showed skills that they would want in a leader.
I may never know, because the one man I would ask, Lagan, has been covered in grass and clover. Maybe Charm knows why I was taken from her.
We finally reach her room. I pull Charm's curtain back and put my head inside.
"Charm, it's Sam and Ebb. Can we come in?"
"Yes, of course you can come in," says Charm.
We step inside. There is just enough room for Charm's bed, her clothes, and the stumps that she uses as chairs. Ebb and I both sit down. Charm's long white hair touches the bed that she's sitting on. It's so straight and beautiful that it seems out of place in the Crag. She is knitting something out of yarn.
Charm is one of the best in the Crag at knitting. Each snow she knits me a new shirt or pair of pants. The clothes that she makes are very strong and last a long time.
"So why have you come to visit, Sam? Is it because of the dragon you fought?" asks Charm.
"You heard about that?"
"Of course I did. What, do you think an old woman like me wouldn't talk to people, wouldn't hear things?" asks Charm, smiling at me.
I can tell that Charm isn't upset at me, that she's just teasing. That has always been Charm's way. Thankfully, she is very good at knowing who is safe to tease, and who is not.
"No, it's not that at all Charm," I say.
"Good. Just because I am a gray one doesn't mean that I'm useless."
"I know!"
"Yes, well now that I know that you know, what have you come for, if not to tell me about killing a dragon?" asks Charm.
"I have been wondering why I was taken from you when I was still a new one," I say.
Charm's face shows loss and sadness, and I think I even see some anger in it. I feel bad for asking, because it makes her unhappy to think about it.
"I've been wondering when you would get around to asking me that," says Charm. "You see, when you were first found, you couldn't walk or talk, or even eat without help. There were a few of us that hadn't yet had any new ones, so we took turns feeding you, cleaning you and watching over you. As the snows came and left, most of those that helped take care of you found other people to join with, and they started having new ones of their own."
"But you never had any new ones," I say.
"No, I never did. Until I met you, I never really wanted to have new ones. But by then, I couldn't have new ones anymore."
"I'm sorry, Charm."
"Oh, don't be. I loved you as if you were my own new one. Once I saw you, something inside me changed. You were so small, and so pink, and your eyes were always wide open, looking at things. I could tell that you would grow up smart. That someday you would do great things," says Charm.
"I haven't done anything great," I say.
"Yes you have. You saved the hunters today. At least, that is what people are saying."
"People are also saying that I am the Sky Child."
Charm looks at me for a moment, smiling.
"That's because you are," says Charm.
I look over at Ebb, who seems surprised by Charm's words, but she smiles at me and nods. I turn back to Charm.
"I can't be the Sky Child. I'm not special," I
I still wonder why things changed, if I had done something wrong, or if one of the leaders decided to keep me from her. Maybe I had grown too close to her, or relied on her too much.
Being strong enough to take care of yourself is important, because everyone must help the Crag. How can people help the Crag if they cannot even help themselves? It's possible that someone decided to change my life so I'd grow up strong. So that I could someday fight, and someday lead.
Maybe that's what it was all about. Maybe the leaders had been planning for me to lead the hunt all along. It would explain why Lagan wanted me to replace him. Maybe even as a new one I showed skills that they would want in a leader.
I may never know, because the one man I would ask, Lagan, has been covered in grass and clover. Maybe Charm knows why I was taken from her.
We finally reach her room. I pull Charm's curtain back and put my head inside.
"Charm, it's Sam and Ebb. Can we come in?"
"Yes, of course you can come in," says Charm.
We step inside. There is just enough room for Charm's bed, her clothes, and the stumps that she uses as chairs. Ebb and I both sit down. Charm's long white hair touches the bed that she's sitting on. It's so straight and beautiful that it seems out of place in the Crag. She is knitting something out of yarn.
Charm is one of the best in the Crag at knitting. Each snow she knits me a new shirt or pair of pants. The clothes that she makes are very strong and last a long time.
"So why have you come to visit, Sam? Is it because of the dragon you fought?" asks Charm.
"You heard about that?"
"Of course I did. What, do you think an old woman like me wouldn't talk to people, wouldn't hear things?" asks Charm, smiling at me.
I can tell that Charm isn't upset at me, that she's just teasing. That has always been Charm's way. Thankfully, she is very good at knowing who is safe to tease, and who is not.
"No, it's not that at all Charm," I say.
"Good. Just because I am a gray one doesn't mean that I'm useless."
"I know!"
"Yes, well now that I know that you know, what have you come for, if not to tell me about killing a dragon?" asks Charm.
"I have been wondering why I was taken from you when I was still a new one," I say.
Charm's face shows loss and sadness, and I think I even see some anger in it. I feel bad for asking, because it makes her unhappy to think about it.
"I've been wondering when you would get around to asking me that," says Charm. "You see, when you were first found, you couldn't walk or talk, or even eat without help. There were a few of us that hadn't yet had any new ones, so we took turns feeding you, cleaning you and watching over you. As the snows came and left, most of those that helped take care of you found other people to join with, and they started having new ones of their own."
"But you never had any new ones," I say.
"No, I never did. Until I met you, I never really wanted to have new ones. But by then, I couldn't have new ones anymore."
"I'm sorry, Charm."
"Oh, don't be. I loved you as if you were my own new one. Once I saw you, something inside me changed. You were so small, and so pink, and your eyes were always wide open, looking at things. I could tell that you would grow up smart. That someday you would do great things," says Charm.
"I haven't done anything great," I say.
"Yes you have. You saved the hunters today. At least, that is what people are saying."
"People are also saying that I am the Sky Child."
Charm looks at me for a moment, smiling.
"That's because you are," says Charm.
I look over at Ebb, who seems surprised by Charm's words, but she smiles at me and nods. I turn back to Charm.
"I can't be the Sky Child. I'm not special," I
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