Dance of the Sprites
By Winter Thunder
Dedicated to: Parade, for her belated birthday present. I hope you like it, dear! -Happy birthday! -
A/N: It didn't turn out how I would have liked, and I wanted it to be longer, but I'm actually quite satisfied with it. I hope you all like it, and please review!
A slender, lithe figure darted around in the shadows, heading for a small clearing in the forest. But she was not human—her body emitted an almost unearthly delicate white- blue glow. A water sprite, not far from her home of the waterfall-river.
Another figure, similar in build to the first, darted around the shadows from the other end of the forest, heading for a small clearing in the forest. She was also not human—but instead, the almost unearthly glow around her was a mixture of greens and light browns. A tree sprite, moving away from her home of the mother oak tree.
At the edge of the clearing both the water and tree sprites were headed for, yet another figure appeared, in a flash of sky blue light. The air sprite had arrived from the skies above the forest. She did not emit a colorful glow—rather, the air moved around her, twisting and turning like a cat twining around its beloved owner.
The three formed three of the four points of a diamond. A fiery orange-yellow light—the last sprite had arrived. Heat emanated from this one—the colorful glow around her the same as the light that had brought her here. The small clearing glowed with multicolored lights and hummed with the power of the sprites.
The four elements combine.
Thus, the dance of the sprites begins.
A small fire burns strongly in another clearing of the forest. Three figures are gathered around it; then four. They speak amongst themselves quietly, assessing their situation, and eating. One drips with water—he caught that night's fish. Another's hands are slightly smudged with dirt—he gathered that night's wood. The third's hair is windswept—he was the lookout that night. The fourth was sprinkled with spark-marks and wood bits—he started that night's fire. The four nod to each other, not saying anything. They are tired from the day's work; now, it is time to rest. The windswept one glances at the rocky outpost that is open to the air, then shakes his head slightly. Tonight he will scout out the forest. He stands and disappears into the dark of the forest as the other three turn in for the night.
Magic—is it magic?—moves in the air around and in the clearing. The sprites dance their dance. Long, lithe bodies twist and turn gracefully, exotically in the clearing. The sprites dance amongst each other, feet turning in the soil and creating the pattern that protects the forest.
Then, the fire sprite's glow becomes as strong and hot as a forest fire. Trees darken to a black, leaves shrivel to a crisp brown and fall to the ground.
The fire renews.
Her glow fades and softens to the lightest candle-flicker. Her job is done tonight, but the dance continues with all four of the queen sprites.
Now it is the tree sprite glows a strong earthy brown-green. The trees become lighter, the leaves regain there green. Comfort washes over the forest.
The mother is here.
The tree sprite's duty is done. And as with the fire sprite's, her glow lightens and her power is retained under its leash. The dance continues.
Exotic, other worldly beings that dance to the rhythm of life.
The forest is home.
A blue glow rises around the clearing now. It rains—but only in that clearing. The pattern that is being danced out does not fade—strange—and the dirt does not turn to mud.
Healing liquid, life-giving water.
The trees seem stronger, the leaves seem fuller, and the flowers bloom greater as the blue fades. The queen of water has fulfilled her duty.
And at last, the queen of the skies raises her hands as she dances with the other queens. The air whistles around them, it picks up their hair, their clothes, covering them with a blanket of calm.
The final gift—air to sustain.
The queens have given their nightly gifts to the forest.
Renewal.
Comfort.
Life.
Sustenance.
But the dance does not slow.
The glows around the sprite queens fade, as does the magical pattern created by their bare feet. Magic dances around them in thanks, before spreading in a blanket around their forest.
The magic of life.
Tonight, as with all nights, they have their old lives for a few hours.
Born as warrior girls, dying as such…they return to mortality for the few hours of the early morning. Darkness still covers the forest, the stars still twinkle above, but the fairy queens become who they once were—happy young women, full of love of life and dance.
Smiles grace their lips as their fairy magic fades and they become human once more. Happiness radiates from their faces' as their tinkling, bell-like laughter fills the clearing and they dance to the rhythm they hear in their hearts.
Love draws near for these queens.
He watches the exotic, lovely, gentle dance. His eyes focus on the brown-haired beauty. He did not see their ethereal beauty, he did not see the magic—he came to late. But he does not know that. He sees this lovely young human woman, light white dress floating around her, long brown locks whirling around a lovely heart shaped face. Starlight hits her face, moonlight lights up her body, and for a moment he can see a smiling, sweet face with dark chocolate colored orbs. The light fades, and when it comes back, he can almost see her smile lingering, looking at him. Again, the light fades, and when it comes back, the young women are gone. He frowns, wondering where they went. He is curious about them—why are they out, alone, and…his calculating thoughts drain away as he thinks of the sweet smile and eyes of the brown-haired girl.
He wants to meet her.
Because she looks so familiar.
Tomorrow night, he will come back.
"Just one more hour." Tenten said wistfully, staring up at the beautiful night sky.
The four girls were by Hinata's home—when she was a sprite. Sakura nodded absentmindedly, trailing her fingers in the water.
"Why did we have to die?" Ino asked abruptly. "We were only seventeen, for God's sake!"
"Ino." Sakura sighed. "Do you always have to bring that up?"
"Ino just misses him, that's all." Hinata interjected quietly, preventing Ino from snapping at Sakura.
"Don't we all?" Sakura asked dryly. "We were lucky to get a second chance, you know." Ino looked like she wanted to slap her rose-pink haired friend.
"I know, Sakura," she began bitingly.
"You've been thinking about him, haven't you?" Hinata asked Ino. A defeated nod was her only answer. Sakura's emerald eyes softened at that and she touched Ino's shoulder. The blonde looked up at her in surprise.
"We'll get through this, together. You'll see."
"Thanks, Sakura, Hinata." The young woman's sad blue eyes flickered to the sky, then to their unusually quiet friend who was lying on her back and smiling up at the stars. The other two noticed as well.
"Tenten?" Hinata asked gently. "Tenten?"
"Tenten?" Sakura poked the unmoving girl with her toe.
"Tenten!" Ino yelled.
"…yeah?" She answered dreamily. The other three girls exchanged looks before bursting into laughter. Out of all of them, Tenten was the one least likely to have her head in the clouds, even if she was the air sprite queen. "What?" She blinked at the laughing girls owlishly. "What is it?"
"What…what…what…what…" Sakura gasped. Tenten propped herself up on her elbows to raise an eyebrow at her friends.
"Spit it out, girls." She ordered, fighting back a smile.
"What are you…thinking about?"
"I think I saw Neji tonight."
A/N: I didn't feel the need to put names in the beginning--I hope it added mystique to the story! This is kind of like a prologue, so I'm sure you're all kind of confused. Don't worry, it'll all be explained in the next chapter. If you do have any questions, feel free to ask in your review or PM/email me!
Hope you liked it, Parade-chan!