The sun is rising agian, which means its time for me to get up. I sigh, and rise from my hard bed, and roll up the blanket which I call my own. Stretching out, the purple dawn dawning over me, rolling over me like a stream's water. A cart thunders by, and the dust demons scream, as they are woken from their slumber, and fly into the air.
I watch, tears in my eyes, as they scream in pain, and terror. There are such horrible things that other creatures cannot see. I look up into the sky, I have learned that the best way to make the dust demons quiet is to ignore them. Finally they tire down, and I step onto the dusty, beaten path, walking slowly and steadily to avoid stepping on them.
The dust demons are not very many, but once you find one, then you will never forget it. They rise up, screaming, as you tread, or your horses, tread onto them. Humans cannot see them, nor can they hear them, they only see a dust rising, never the pain they cause.
No human has ever been able to see the pain he or she is caused. I do not blame them. They are simple, dumb animals. That's all, they are like a dog, or a horse. I cannot blame them, though I suppose I should, for ruining my forest, for driving me from my home.
But, I cannot. I sigh as I tread wearily along the path, listening to my stomach contemplate life. My stomach speaks to me, all my parts speak, but sadly, they have nothing very good to say. Currently, my stomach is talking about teas, the various ones, and asking me which I like best.
"Mint." I reply, sounding depressed.
"Oh." my stomach replies, and goes on to discuss with the lungs some fairly stupid ideas.
Another cart comes by me, this one slowing down and stopping. I sigh, knowing what is coming, and lower my head, wishing it to be over quickly.
"Lookit! Mummy!" A little girl has climbed out of the carriage and is pointing at me, "Mummy, its a Centaur!"
I continue to walk by, head low. I dislike being pointed at, being recognized. A centaur wants nothing more than to be in his or her forest, and to study the stars.
"Ooh! A centaur! They're fortune tellers you know!" Mummy says, getting out of the cart, and hobbling towards me. My heart aches for her, I have seen about her in the stars, last night. Her future is not good.
"I've always wanted to see one.." Mummy's eyes are watering, and I wish to reach out and wipe them dry, but I should not. I shouldn't interfere. No, keep walking.
"Please, Sir!" Mummy calls out, and I stop. "Come, have something to eat with us. And perhaps we can discuss the stars!"
That gets me, as I haven't eaten for days. I stop, turn around, then trot over to her. She smiles at me, and looks me over. I suppose I am not what she has been wanting to see since she was a little girl, but apparently I am satisfactory, because she leads me, her child, and the horses dragging the cart to a shady glen, where she sets out a breakfast of wonderful proportions. I sink down onto my knees, grateful for the rest, and the meal.
We ate, not speaking, the only sounds are the sounds of the birds singing, of the wind blowing, and of us eating. After the meal is done, I perform a quick fortune teller's act, faking that I saw only good things for the woman and her child, bowed to them both, and ran off.
I cannot stand lying, it hurts to lie. I sink down by a small stream, and weep, for the tales I have told.
But it would have been worse, if I had told them the truth. So I cry for them, for my soul, for the world.
It's going to be a very long journey, walking on man's road...