A soft squeeze of Eclipse’s hand elicited a smile that came almost naturally. She couldn’t help but find herself on the verge of giggling since Imani had started speaking. The older woman turned her head to Padma, the mood quickly shifting.
“While I have been concerned about how you were doing, you had better be ready to return. Otherwise you will simply be sent back out with the next group in a moon’s time.”
“You can check me now, you know,” Padma told her, irritation in her voice.
“But what would be the point when you would just need to be officially checked again after we arrived?”
Imani turned her head back towards Eclipse.
“I’m sorry, my dear. I’m sure none of this is making any sense right now, but it will in time. I knew that Padma was bringing a Kageshi with her, but I hadn’t expected one so lovely. I can’t wait to see what color your hair is when all of that dye is out. Unless you want to keep dying it, of course.”
“I…I’ve never thought about whether I wanted to or not,” Eclipse pondered. “It’s never really been a choice before.”
“Oh I know. I hated the dying as a child and refused to let anyone come near me with henna for years after I joined the Na’Kageshu. Some things are much easier as a child. You know just what you like and what you don’t, and who cares what anyone else thinks.”
Imani laughed softly as though recalling those very days. Unfortunately, there were no such pleasant memories to turn to, and Eclipse wasn’t quite sure what to expect as they neared the edge of the cliff, the churning roar of water making it almost impossible to speak. Her eyes found a small bridge, the floor of it formed of alabaster stones that led them across the river just before it fell. Thick twine rope line the sides, allowing for a stumbler to grab hold of them before falling into the water and over the edge. The sun finally fell, leaving them to walk in the lingering red and pink tones in the sky, enough to make out a small path that led either way beyond the bridge, the one to the right leading to a set of steps that seemed to descend down to wherever the water fell. Padma’s excitement couldn’t be contained anymore as she pulled Imani who pulled Eclipse onto the bridge to stand there and look over the edge.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Padma sighed, happiness reading from every part of her. “Home.”
Beautiful seemed a very inadequate word for what Eclipse saw, lights of yellow, red and blue glittering in the velvet darkness and throwing hints of shadows from the large structures that dotted the land below. She didn’t have to strain her eyes much to make out the vivid colors that decorated both buildings and inhabitants. Her steps stopped as she clung to the side of the bridge, hands clutching the rope almost on instinct as she leaned a little further, taking in the layout, burning the memory into her mind.
“You can probably see much better once we are actually down there, m’dear,” Imani said, giggling at her reaction. “Although I should warn you.”
“Warn me?” she asked, nervousness seeping into the pleasant feelings she’d been indulging in.
“No, no, nothing bad,” Imani quickly corrected her. “It has been some time, perhaps a moon or so, since we’ve had a Kageshi decide to join us. There may be a bit of a hoopla about your arrival.”
“Hoopla?” Eclipse repeated.
“A party!” Padma exclaimed. “Oh, they will love you. Positively love you!”
As Padma once more grabbed her hand and led her across the bridge so they could begin their descent into the vibrant valley surrounding the waterfall, Eclipse made it a point to ask Padma just exactly what this concept of “love” entailed.
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