Timber's Folly (Western Human Tribe)
“Let me
tell you a story about Timber’s Folly, and how we became mated, Rose dear, and
maybe you’ll understand better what Fern means.” QuietForest smiled in pleasant
memory of the day Timber realized he wanted QuietForest for a mate.
“You may or may not know that Timber and I grew up in the same village. Different from your own before coming to the Island across the Land Bridge. We were childhood playmates, until the differences between males and females became apparent to us. Something you won’t have to worry about for another ten years, give or take.
As we became aware of our differences, we also became aware of others of the opposite sex. For myself, there was no one to compare to my childhood friend, but for him it was a different story. He noticed the most beautiful maiden in the village, and decided to try to pursue her. He would come to me and talk about ideas on how to go about it. There wasn’t a thing I could say that would dissuade him from his set goal.
Finally making his attentions known to MorningGlory, she was… well… cruel to him, though he never noticed it at first. She knew she was most beautiful, and she had many a suitor, Timber was just another in a long line. She played her suitors against each other, and she’d set the most impossible tasks for them to prove they loved her.
One such task she set for Timber was to retrieve an eagle chick for her to raise as her own. He set out to attempt it, and I learned of the foolish challenge and followed. Perhaps a fool myself for doing so, but the cliffs near our village could be treacherous, and if Timber fell to his death pursuing such nonsense I wanted to be sure to report it back to the village to bring down the vain little trouble maker.
He took the climb well, at first. Then half way up it happened. He reached for a handhold and it wasn’t strong enough to support his weight. The outcrop crumbled, and he fell twice his body length now. I hurried to him to see if he still lived, which he did. I quickly assessed the damages to him, he was hurt, but not to the point of death. I made him as comfortable as possible. And then set out to find the herbs needed to help him heal.
When I returned, I set about healing him to the best of my untrained ability. Seems I had a knack for it, come to find out. We spent several weeks up on the cliffs, worried the Flying Demons would find and either eat or enslave us, while he healed. I finally convinced him of his folly in pursuing MorningGlory.
When we returned, much to the relief of our village, who had assumed that the Flying Demons had gotten us. In the Village Center, Timber spoke to all present. He recounted his foolishness in pursuing one such as MorningGlory, who was vain and selfish, while the whole time before him was one worthy of his love and respect. He turned to me, and asked, ‘If you’ll have me, with all the foolish things I’ve done to you, I would be honoured to have you as my mate and mother of my children.’
I was stunned to say the least and happy at the same time. I agreed to being his mate. Though I think my father wished a better match for me. He’d be surprised to see Timber now as Chief of our small tribe.”
QuietForest gave a quiet chuckle. She looked at Rose seriously. “So you see my dear child, us females, though we are thought little of by are men at times, are much needed. Without us, they’d run around naked and live in dirty houses, not to mention do all sorts of foolish things to make our kind extinct. They don’t want to admit to their need of us, but they can’t deny it either. And we cherish every female born to us, just as men do every male child. To our female children we pass on much knowledge that keep our race alive.”
“You may or may not know that Timber and I grew up in the same village. Different from your own before coming to the Island across the Land Bridge. We were childhood playmates, until the differences between males and females became apparent to us. Something you won’t have to worry about for another ten years, give or take.
As we became aware of our differences, we also became aware of others of the opposite sex. For myself, there was no one to compare to my childhood friend, but for him it was a different story. He noticed the most beautiful maiden in the village, and decided to try to pursue her. He would come to me and talk about ideas on how to go about it. There wasn’t a thing I could say that would dissuade him from his set goal.
Finally making his attentions known to MorningGlory, she was… well… cruel to him, though he never noticed it at first. She knew she was most beautiful, and she had many a suitor, Timber was just another in a long line. She played her suitors against each other, and she’d set the most impossible tasks for them to prove they loved her.
One such task she set for Timber was to retrieve an eagle chick for her to raise as her own. He set out to attempt it, and I learned of the foolish challenge and followed. Perhaps a fool myself for doing so, but the cliffs near our village could be treacherous, and if Timber fell to his death pursuing such nonsense I wanted to be sure to report it back to the village to bring down the vain little trouble maker.
He took the climb well, at first. Then half way up it happened. He reached for a handhold and it wasn’t strong enough to support his weight. The outcrop crumbled, and he fell twice his body length now. I hurried to him to see if he still lived, which he did. I quickly assessed the damages to him, he was hurt, but not to the point of death. I made him as comfortable as possible. And then set out to find the herbs needed to help him heal.
When I returned, I set about healing him to the best of my untrained ability. Seems I had a knack for it, come to find out. We spent several weeks up on the cliffs, worried the Flying Demons would find and either eat or enslave us, while he healed. I finally convinced him of his folly in pursuing MorningGlory.
When we returned, much to the relief of our village, who had assumed that the Flying Demons had gotten us. In the Village Center, Timber spoke to all present. He recounted his foolishness in pursuing one such as MorningGlory, who was vain and selfish, while the whole time before him was one worthy of his love and respect. He turned to me, and asked, ‘If you’ll have me, with all the foolish things I’ve done to you, I would be honoured to have you as my mate and mother of my children.’
I was stunned to say the least and happy at the same time. I agreed to being his mate. Though I think my father wished a better match for me. He’d be surprised to see Timber now as Chief of our small tribe.”
QuietForest gave a quiet chuckle. She looked at Rose seriously. “So you see my dear child, us females, though we are thought little of by are men at times, are much needed. Without us, they’d run around naked and live in dirty houses, not to mention do all sorts of foolish things to make our kind extinct. They don’t want to admit to their need of us, but they can’t deny it either. And we cherish every female born to us, just as men do every male child. To our female children we pass on much knowledge that keep our race alive.”