Gerard didn’t tell anyone of his part in it. He left Hyden, and Little Condlin, to guess whether or not his voice had anything to do with stopping the deer in its tracks. He let them tell of the strange encounter at the fire that night, and was glad that Hyden didn’t mention the ring at all. The Elders attributed the weird happenings to Hyden’s hawkling. Gerard held the truth inside, and some odd voice from within told him that that was the best way.
As the clan walked in a northwesterly direction, under the spacious canopy of bird filled oaks and maples, Gerard couldn’t help but try to manipulate every creature he saw. A squirrel had his attention at the moment.
“Are you well?” Hyden asked.
Gerard didn’t answer. Hyden wondered if he had even been heard by Gerard. Being the older brother, he took the liberty of slugging Gerard on the shoulder. Gerard stumbled to the side, but didn’t lose a step.
“Blast you Hyden!” he cursed. “I was thinking.”
“Aye!” Hyden laughed at the stupid expression on his brother’s face. “No doubt thinking of how easy it’ll be to get into all the girls’ small clothes now that you’ve got your ring!”
That idea hadn’t crossed Gerard’s mind as of yet, and he wasn’t mad at Hyden for the suggestion, but he tried to act that way. It wasn’t easy. He had to try hard to suppress the smile it brought to his face.
“You’re looking up into the trees like that bewitched Miller from that story Berda told us.”
“Aye Hyden,” Gerard laughed. “But it’s no golden acorn I’m seeking.”
“Well, watch your step or you’ll end up with knots on your head like me.” When Gerard didn’t offer any explanation, Hyden asked. “What are you looking for up there?”
Gerard glanced at Hyden. He didn’t want to answer. He didn’t really want to do what he did either, but even though he knew it was a mistake, he did it anyway.
In his mind, he told Hyden to leave him alone and just walk away. Instantly, he felt the tingle of the ring’s magic burn into his blood. For a long moment, he stared at his brother, waiting for him to comply.
Hyden felt the command come into his mind, a subtle suggestion that made him want to move away from where he was and walk alone for a while. He didn’t do it. Just as suddenly as the idea had formed, it had drifted away, and just as suddenly, the tiny hawkling nestled in the bucket he was carrying screeched out. Hyden didn’t take his eyes off Gerard’s. He watched his little brother’s eyes widen with panic as he realized that Hyden knew what he had just attempted. Gerard sighed and slumped his shoulders. Hyden wasn’t sure if it was a slump of disappointment, or a slump of shame. He decided he was so angry at being commanded like that, it didn’t matter.
“Don’t you ever use your magic on me!” Hyden said, through clenched teeth. “Ever!” Then he stormed off and busied himself feeding the ever hungry hawkling chick.
Gerard was left speechless. He was at a loss. He knew by the way that the magic had dissipated away from him, instead of gathering around Hyden that his brother wasn’t going to obey his mental suggestion. It put a strange feeling in his guts. He began to wonder if the ring had actually been meant for him. For a fleeting moment he was certain that it had been meant for Hyden to find. It was his now though, and he wasn’t about to let Hyden have it. No one would get it from him. Reflexively, he covered the ring with his hand and made for the other side of the procession.
Just after midday, the forest began to thin. There were still trees about, in small clumps of twos and threes, with the occasional copse here and there, but they were no longer in what you could call a forest. Soon, they would angle northward and start down into the gradually sloping valley that the giants called the Leif Greyn. Berda had told them it meant “Life Giver.” Hyden had always wondered if Leif Greyn was the name of the huge river that flowed out of the Giant Mountains, or the name of the lush valley that embraced it. He wanted to ask the giantess, Berda, that very question, but he could never remember to ask it when she was in the clan village visiting.
Berda was the wife of a herdsman, and the very best of storytellers. She loved to tell tales that showed the young clans folk the ways of nature and life. She was old and wise, as well as huge, and Hyden loved her dearly. Hyden couldn’t wait to show her the hawkling. She would have a tale for the occasion, he knew. She knew everything, and she had a way of teaching through her stories that was very effective. Those who listened learned much as she narrated her captivating tales. Most of the people in the kingdom lands thought of the giants, and the mountain clansmen, as barbaric and primitive savages, but they were wrong. In many cases, the mountain folk were far more intelligent. She had told him this repeatedly, and he smiled outwardly wondering what wisdom she would have to offer about his little bird.