#2 Y’shmeen Farana

Name: Y’shmeen Farana

Age: 862

Race: Elf

Class: Ranger

PB: Tilda Swinton

Y’shmeen was born into a war zone. The clans of Ata’an were at war, and had been for hundreds of years. The Compraas and the F’tali were fighting for control of the continent and Y’shmeen’s clan, the Dunan, were fighting just to stay alive. Trapped between the two clans, they were forced into the forest to avoid the bloodshed. It was either that or choose a side, something the Elders swore they would never do. The Dunan were shaman, healers, they cared not for power or destruction. They wanted to preserve the way life had been before one of the F’tali discovered a vein of precious gems underground and began lusting after wealth. Thus was the birth of greed and pride on their peaceful planet.

As is usually the case, pride goeth before the fall. The Compras decided the F’tali had too much and thought too highly of themselves. They refused to be ruled by greed and placated by gems. They began the war that would soon overshadow any other conflicts in their history.

Y’shmeen was raised in the forests of Abasor, listening to the stories of the way before. She knew that she alone could not stop the war, but she could at least keep her people safe.

She quickly discovered an affinity for animals, almost as if they could understand her. She took to wandering away from the village for days at a time, learning her way around the forest. She fell in love with the trees and it wasn’t long before she learned the power that lay within.

Centuries later, she’s considered the protector of the forest. The Elders have asked her numerous times to join them, become a leader in their clan. She’s turned them down each time, deciding instead to remain at the edges of their boundaries, maintaining wards and providing a safe haven for animals trying to escape the devastation.

She learned to perform some amount of natural magic, but she didn’t rely on it. Instead, she honed her senses and skills with bow and staff. She used her knowledge to train the children of the clan how to hunt and defend themselves. They were a peaceful clan, but that was no reason why they shouldn’t learn.

She was content to live this way. Separate from most, protecting her home. However, her world was about to be turned upside down.

*****************

“How can you stand it? Sitting here, watching the smoke of war.”

“Would you rather the smoke be your own home burning? If I can hide us, younger brother, I must do so. This is not our fight.” Y’shmeen fixed him with a stare. She knew he was part of the growing group within the clan who wanted to join the fight. He was young and impulsive; he did not yet know the way of things.

He threw a stick, watching the dogs chase it and fight for control of their new toy. “Maybe it should be. Are we to spend the rest of our days cowering in the trees like frightened children?”

“Rowan!” She scolded, “this is not fear. It is simply not our war. What purpose do we have to join the fighting? Which clan would we join with? Or would you have us fight both of them?”

“So your solution is to wait here until one clan destroys the other? What if they come for us, next?”

Y’shmeen’s voice dropped and her gaze turned to the horizon, watching the smoke rise. “Then it will be our fight.”

Rowan sighed, “the smoke grows closer every year. It’s only a matter of time before it is at our door.” He stood and strode back into the forest, leaving Y’shmeen alone with her thoughts.

He was right. It was only a matter of time before the battle shifted in their direction, and what then? They didn’t have the means to fight an army. But that was that was years away, yet. She settled more comfortably against the tree she was sitting against and closed her eyes.

A few hours later she was awoken by movement in the forest. She didn’t move, keeping still and listening. They were light on their feet, but unfamiliar with their surroundings. They were still a distance away so she took the chance to rise into a crouch and look around before leaping up and deftly climbing the tree. She hid among the large leaves, leaning out to try to spot the newcomers. She fought to keep her breathing under control when she saw the colors of the F’tali clan. Scouts.

“This is a perfect route. We’ll avoid the mountains entirely and get behind the Compras forces.”

“And look at this forest. We won’t want for food and water.”

The taller of the two looked around, “Do you think anyone lives in these woods?”

“Here?” He scoffed, “If they do, they’re likely savages, nothing we’ll have to worry about.”

The pair laughed and continued on their way, joking about the savages they imagined lived there.

When she was certain they were well beyond earshot she dropped out of the tree, staring in the direction they’d come from. This changed everything. She turned and raced through the trees to warn the others.

Category: 2011, Fantasy