Dawn was just breaking over the Amazon village, only a few of the women were up and about, noise could be heard coming from the cooks kitchen, which was not unusual, the common clatter of pots and pans and the chatter of cook talking to her partner. Except for this morning, kitchen utensils had grown wings over night and began to flight out the back door to the cooks most precious herb and vegetable garden. The guards stationed at the tree line on the other side of the wall that protected her garden became alert at the noise. Watching from high above in the trees, they observed the red-faced cook chasing someone. Whom they couldn't tell, because the person had their arms protectively covering their head as they charged out the back door. A huge skillet flying overhead just missed as the scampering body fell to leaf covered ground after performing an impressive dive over the wall. Rolling to their feet in one fluid motion, they were but a blur running to the shadows of the trees.
"Must have complained about the cook's gruel this morning." one guard said to the other.
Much the same happened at the healers hut, with her chasing someone out using a crutch as a weapon and sending curses of incurable diseases to the now runner intruder.
Brie had risen at an ungodly hour to her, dawn! Something her eyes rarely seen, stomping around her and Xe's hut looking for god only knows what, scrolls became projectiles as they sailed across the hut, giving up she headed for the food hut to feed the monster in her stomach. Going to the table, which had bowls of fruit setting on it she took a whole bowl with a mixture of things in it to sacrifice to her appetite. As she sat there, most women came in grabbed a piece of fruit and fled, which was not unusual if they were running late to relieve the perimeter guards.
With the progression of the early morning more women entered the food hut, they sat down to eat whatever cook threw before them. Grumbled greetings were occasionally heard, but no chatter of voices discussing the days plans were heard.
The temple of Artemis was not spared disruption as the priestesses took cover outside the heavy doors. Food from the alter; hit the walls, floor, ceiling and the white robes of the running women who didn't take the first opportunity to get out.
Screeches of terror carried on the winds in the forest, small twigs echoed as running feet hit them, occasionally a loud thunk was heard followed by a scream.
With the centaurs close by, they high tailed it back to their border, and placed extra guards between them and the Amazons. Runners were sent to neighboring villages to send out warnings of doom, the news traveled fast as mothers and fathers grabbed their children and barricaded themselves in their huts to wait out the danger.
All day long screams could be heard from with in the Amazon borders. Ephiny was seen chasing a fleeing body to the edge of the village with a heavy set of chobos. "And don't come back!" She yelled. Huffing from anger, she made her way to the food hut where she joined her Queen in silence at their table, which was covered with mutilated fruit.
As the full moon rose in the night sky the village was unnaturally quiet, no fire was built in the center, no torches at the temple doors, just the soft glow of candles in some of the huts. It was only outside the village a half candle mark away that a roaring fire was built. 30 to 40 bodies sat around it drinking port and ale, some were cooking meager meals, no laughing was heard only a soft-spoken word now and again. The one question that went through all their minds was. "Will I survive this war?" Ears picked up at the crashing of a body coming towards their camp at great speed. Dozens of eyes watched as the person came into view then collapsed on the ground to lean against a large log. Bare foot and filthy, hair tangled and eyes wild, the person showed true terror from being in the village.
"Well Xe, glad you made it out alive and in one piece."
"Thanks Poni, it was close there for a minute, didn't know if I'd make it out or not!"
A blue light was seen outside the circle, in a second it was gone just as fast. Artemis with her arms full of wineskins sat down beside her daughter.
"I just couldn't take it anymore, Cyrene went nuts, I'm glad I can just pop out otherwise that big skillet she has would be a permanent part of my body!"
Xe looked at her other mother with a raised eyebrow. "Whose idea is it to have half the nation on the rag at the same time anyway?"
"I don't know but if I find them, on the next cycle they will find themselves hog tied and in the center area of the village with a note on their chest saying. I hate amazons! In big letters.
War on a full moon
By Larisa
Hecate3366@frontiernet.net