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:: It's not yet dawn as you're walking past the Chronicles :: :: of the Winds board, and you're struggling just to shake :: :: off the sleepiness of the night before, when you see the:: :: strangest thing. Perched on top of the board, is the :: :: biggest chipmunk you've ever seen. It's the size of a :: :: small cat. When you step forward to get a better look, :: :: it leaps away and flits out into the morning light, your:: :: eyes are drawn to a new scroll fluttering in the breeze :: :: stirred up by the chipmunk's passing. Curious, you lean :: :: in and begin to read... Issy been sittin' fer a while wit' jus' 'er thoughts fer comp'ny, Thinkin' on th' Zodiac. Never did put be puttin' much weight on such things 'fore, since she be reckonin' folk be made more by the choices they take than by the stars up 'bove. But when Issy be readin' 'bout the Metal Pig, she did be feelin' a sort of a tug. Gentle, they say. Issy be knowin' she warn?t born wi' much fight in 'er heart. Old Lena, see, she did be teachin' Issy that it be takin' more strength t'be gentle than angry. She be showin' Issy how t' bind a wound, calm th' fever, an' listen real quiet when folk be needin' their silence kept. Issy still be carryin' those words. She don't be goin' for 'er fists 'less there be no other path, an' e'en then, she be feelin' t' weight of it a long time after. Broad-minded, too. Issy did be seein the worst of lean days growin' up, when coin did be scarce an' meals too small. She did be learnin' from th' woods that ev'ry soul, big or small, do be havin' its own special place. She don't be measurin' folk by th' jingle in their pocket, nor th' clothes on their back. Ol' Lena did be teachin' that a weed be havin' healing in it, an' a frog be havin' music in its throat. Same goes fer people. Issy be tryin' to see th' worth in 'em, even when the world weren't 'xactly fair. As fer bein' frank, well, Lil Issy never did be havin' patience for twistin' words all pretty-like. She be speakin' plain, an mebbe rough at th' edges, but it do alw'ys be truthful. Some folks might be callin' 'er blunt, but she rather be blunt th'n false. Words that be cuttin' clean be healin' quicker 'n lies that be festerin'. Helpful be mebbe the part she be feelin' most. From th' day 'er arms be strong 'nough t' be carryin' a pail, Issy?s hands been turned to aidin' folk 'n critters. Don' matter if it be it herbs, band'ges, or just sittin' with folk who be holdin' sorrow, Issy be findin' 'er place in th' givin'. Maybe she can't be fixin' th' wide world, but she can be tryin' t' mend th' bit that be set in front o' her. That be enough. And Issy be 'sponsible too. Issy be reckonin' that be th' root of it all. Once she be takin' a task, she don't be settin' it down till it be done. E'en when her legs be givin' out an' 'er spirit be falterin', she be carryin' it through. That be how she still be livin' after all the trials life been givin' 'er. Anyway, after all 'er thinkin, an' spec'latin', Issy be thinkin' th' Metal Pig be her sign. She still be havin' a lot to learn, still be stumblin' plenty, but if'n th' stars did be seein' fit to shape 'er this way, she ain't gonna be arguin'. Issy'll jus' keep walkin' th' path as best she can. :: If there was a signature, it seems to have been gnawed :: :: off, leaving nothing but small tooth marks at the bottom:: :: edge of the paper. :: | |