A Distant Song (Echo - Solo Writing)

A Wisp of the Past - Part I

Late at night at the Maelstrom's Notch... (Late Winter, 1490 DR)

♪ “Don’t tell me not to leave, right before I go.” ♪

Echo sat on top of a large rock, her legs dangling off the cool stone to just barely brush the dew-laden grass underneath, as she fingered her flute to play an imaginary tune.

♪ “You don’t even know, what you’re asking me to do.” ♪

Instead, the tabaxi sang softly to herself. Above, a full moon hung high in the night sky and illuminated the small clearing within which she rested in a pale glow that made her fur look like thin strands of silver. Around the clearing stood a tangle of dark wood that was thick with twisting branches, black leaves, and shadows deeper than the black of Echo’s markings.

♪ “Don’t tell me honey, please, I have made a choice.” ♪

Her tail swished and swirled through the air like a dancer. The treasure hunter’s usual garments and equipment - the travel stained fabrics, the thick leather armor, and her array of weapons – were nowhere to be seen. Instead, Echo wore a tight-fitting pale tunic underneath a hooded black cloak, the likes of simple street clothing, though she still had her scarf wrapped loosely around her neck. Only one earring adorned a whole, undamaged left ear.

♪ “There’s nothing in the world, you can do to change my-“ ♪

A rustle from within the forest stopped the tabaxi mid-lyric. She lowered her flute, kicked her legs up to squat at the top of the stone, and peered into the gloom, her olive and blue eyes glowing like pale jewels from within her hood. Her ears perked up. Was something out there? Another rustle, closer this time. What was it? A third rustle, now just above her and hidden somewhere within the blackness of the canopy. Did it…did it like her song?

…

“Hey, Spots. What’s up?”

A somewhat raspy voice broke the silence. Could it be? A toothy grin spread across Echo’s face as she threw back her hood and stood up on the rock, turning her body so that her eyes could scan the surrounding trees. Sure enough, there she was. A small brownish dragon-like humanoid lay reclined against the trunk of a massive tree just at the edge of the clearing, her body suspended by a branch high above the ground, and her face covered with an alabaster mask in the shape of a dragon's head. Her red eyes, though, burned clear through the shadows at the treasure hunter and the moon glinted off fangs as the kobold wore her own smile.

“New song, huh? And here I thought you only knew that one about the lordlin with his head stuck in a privy. Played it near to death back at the hideout all the time.”

Echo placed her hands on her hips and stuck her tongue out.

“Go to hell, Wisp. I only played it so much because you said it was your favorite!”

The kobold laughed, a throaty rumble that was as sweet to the tabaxi’s ears as her own song had been.

“Always was. Though anythin you sing is pretty good, Spots. The new one is nice too, though a bit mopey. Lighten up! It’s a perfect night.”

With a giggle of her own Echo slid back down to lay on top of the stone, her eyes following Wisp’s as the two of them stared up at the moon. Without a cloud in the sky it shone clear like an iridescent pearl.

“It is really pretty, huh?”

“I meant that it’s a perfect night to rob some houses. You know Lord Hairy Butt’s or whatever always hosts his moonlit ball on nights like this. Easy pickins.”

“Wisp!”

“What?”

Echo crossed her legs and tucked her chin into her scarf. She huffed a little and extended both arms outward toward the sky.

“Look at how beautiful tonight is! And you’re thinking of robbing houses? I’m surprised you aren’t trying to steal the moon, too.”

“…you think I could?”

“Wisp!”

That same throaty rumble filled the clearing again, and Echo had to join in. For a while the two of them just lay there laughing and watching the moon and the stars. She remembered how they used to spend a lot of nights like this, laying on the roof of their hideout and planning their heists to the din of crickets, rats, and the occasional shuffle of a guard passing underneath. It almost seemed too quiet all the way out here.

After a short while the kobold sighed and rasped from above.

“So, uh, how’re things Spots? You takin care of yourself in that big ol’ city?”

Echo rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows so that she was facing her friend. The tabaxi’s tail swayed back and forth and she lightly kicked her legs.

“Yeah! It’s okay. A lot of different people and a lot of new things. Lots of water, too, but I’m dealing with it. Found a job as a performer for a nice inn in the merchant quarter. Good sized room. Called the Maelstrom’s Notch which is, like, pretty cool.”

The kobold scoffed and leaned down toward Echo.

“You gettin straight on me Spots? I like that little flute of yours and all, but I never pegged you for the honest work type. What ever happened to all that treasure huntin you used to go on about? It wasn’t stealin in the normal sense, but it was still a damn good idea.”

The tabaxi whined a little and sank farther into her hands.

“Wisp! You know I’m trying! There’s…a lot of adventurers and stuff in the city and I haven’t exactly made a name for myself yet. It’s not easy.”

“So just steal something!”

“You know I can’t! Not anymore!”

The kobold hummed and scratched a claw against the bark of the branch beneath her.

“Yeah, yeah…I know. I’m sorry, Spots. Just givin you a hard time about it, is all. Glad to hear you ain’t on the streets again. I’m sure things’ll pick up. You may have not been the best at stealin between us-"

Wisp grinned.

“-but you were still one of the best damn partners a kobold could ask for. The lordlins will get the idea soon enough.”

Echo looked down at the ground and watched a drip of dew roll off a blade of grass. Even the drop glistened pale as it fell and disappeared.

“…thanks Wisp, that means a lot to me. I know you have my back.”

“Always do Spots, always do.”

Splayed out across the whole of the rock now, Echo pressed her face into the cool stone so that her voice came out as barely a mumble.

“I did make some new friends, though! I think. A lot of really tall people. One guy I’m pretty sure was made of, like, actual stone. Oh! And a weird bird lady that fell out of the sky and had really cool fire magic! We, uh…kind of ended up in jail that night.”

“There’s the Spots I know! Glad to have her back.”

“Hey, it wasn’t on purpose! Dumb guard wouldn’t let me take his key for just a second. But yeah, the inn owners are nice too. They weren’t too pissed when I kicked one of their lamps over the other day, and they like my performances. No kobolds obviously, so your scaly butt is still safe from being replaced.”

“Oh, thank Gaknulak for that.”

“Ha! You know you’d miss me.”

“…yeah, I would Spots.”

An uncomfortable silence descended on the two of them. Echo shifted on her rock and ended up again lying on her back facing the night sky. She slid backwards so that the lower half of her body hung limply over the side, the scaly form of Wisp now standing on the branch inverted. Echo’s ears drooped.

“You have to go, huh?”

The kobold crossed her arms and frowned.

“You know I do, Spots. Don’t like it, but what you gonna do.”

“You could stay.”

“Can’t.”

“Why not?”

Echo whined loudly. Wisp sighed and looked away.

“I dunno. I guess it just doesn’t work that way.”

Giving her back a stretch, the kobold squatted at the far end of the branch, her red eyes now the only thing visible of Echo’s friend.

“Take care of yourself. I’m sure we’ll get a chance to talk again soon. And next time I want to hear somethin excitin, okay? Some treasure huntin or stealin some lordlins soup spoon or at least spendin the night in jail with the town drunk. Live a little, huh? For me.”

Echo smiled a wavering smile and nodded her head against the rock. For a moment the two of them just looked at each other, green, blue, and red vivid as the clearing began to darken. Then the red of the kobold’s eyes blinked away. Echo’s breath caught in her throat. It seemed as if Wisp had already gone, but then her ears caught what sounded like the slightest rustle of leaves farther off.

“Wisp?”

The tabaxi’s voice came out almost like a whisper, and for a moment she feared that, even if the kobold was still there, she would not be able to hear her. But then that raspy voice called softly out from the forest.

“Yeah?”

“Where’d you go? That night, I mean. Where are you?”

For a split-second Echo saw the kobold’s eyes relight deep within the gloom, barely visible like a pair of almost extinguished coals. And then everything, the moon, the clearing, and all, turned black.

“Somewhere you can’t follow, Spots.”

---------------------------------------

Echo gasped and sat up. Moonlight streamed in from an open window off to the side and illuminated the familiar shadows of her room at the Maelstrom’s Notch. The outline of the new lamp sitting on top of a dresser at the far corner. The faint glint of her rapier propped up against the wall. The pale ghost of a dragon mask hanging off the corner of her bed. The tabaxi sighed and laid back down, turning and nestling her face deep within her pillow. Her voice, barely a whisper, rolled out into the night air.

♪ “Was looking for a place to hide away…” ♪

Echo closed her eyes and smiled softly as sleep once again took hold of her.

♪ “Instead I lost the heart I gave away.” ♪