Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #18 September 2015 | Page 53

The first time Keilara Moonfall felt the Call,
she was in her first decade. She had just burrowed into
her bed, prepared to sleep the day away, when she felt
it. A tickle in the back of her mind, urging her to get
out of bed and go to her window. Curiosity, at that
point, was her weakness, and she gladly left her bed to
see what was so interesting outside her window. What
she saw left her gasping in awe and wonder, free of
fear of the creatures that mulled about the city wall.

At least half-a-dozen shadowcats were
prowling about, their soft growls detectable even
at the height she was at. Blue eyes wide with
amazement, Keilara leaned out of her window to
watch, wondering what brought the wild cats to Ahila.
Granted, yes, the Aryvadsi lived in harmony with
them in the first place, but it was so unusual, so odd,
that the shadowcats would deliberately group together
like so.

On the tail of that thought, she looked up and
spotted several Aryvadsi guards rushing over, trying
to shoo the beasts away. Not that they were causing
any harm, but it was always a concern when the whole
group gathered into one spot. One never knew if a
shadowcat would suddenly attack. It was why that
while they shared a homeland, it was best they stayed
out of the city. However, as Keilara watched them
break off and rush back into the forest, she suddenly
felt the urge to leap out her window and join them. So
strong was the urge she had to clutch her windowsill
to keep from falling out.

For the next moons cycle, it was an occurrence
every night. Eventually, one day, at dusk, the guards
approached her mother. Keilara knew she shouldn’t
have eavesdropped but her curiosity got the better of
her. She sat at the doorway of her mother’s wardroom,
listening at the head of the guards spoke to her about
the oddity.

“I beg your pardon, First,” the captain was
saying. “But given it is your home those shadowcats
have been discovered nearest to, we cannot help but
wonder if there is a connection.”

“I do understand,” her mother, Kryssania,

replied. “So ask me what you will.”

The captain nodded. “Are you feeding them?
Luring them by Druidic means?”

Kryssania shook her head. “No and no. My
mate is a priest of Eiless. And you know what I am.”

The captain sat up straighter, giving Kryssania
her full due. As First, she was literally the second in
command of the Aryvadsi should the High Priestess
be incapacitated, and the first in command in all things
military. More, she was the protector of the High
Priestess. One crossed her with extreme caution, and
only if they were desperate or foolish.

“Do you have children, First?” the captain
asked.

Kryssania hesitated; then nodded. “I do. A
daughter, into her first decade.”

“Is she Druidic?”

“She has not shown signs, no.”

The captain frowned. “Has she shown signs of
any gifts?”

Kryssania shook her head. “She is young yet.”

Keilara twitched; she heard that tone before,
when her mother had to compromise the truth. Did
she have gifts? Is that what she was experiencing?
She kept hearing that sound in her mind, a song of
multi-layer voices. She only mentioned it once, in
passing, and her mother dismissed it out of hand. Was
she remembering that now? Uncertain, almost fearful,
Keilara quietly crept away, deeply disturbed by what
she had heard.

Once again, that morning, she heard it, stronger
than before. Again, when she went to the window, she
saw them, prowling as if seeking, searching. Recalling
the conversation she had heard earlier that day, she
bit her lip, thoughtful. With all the concentration she
could muster, Keilara focused one thought to the

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