Page 7 - IBP2004LL OSS1 The Noh-Cha Classbook

the noh-cha classbook
leveled at the creature.
“What do you want?” he asked of it.
“Some heat,” it said, “Some company. Some conversation.” Angry-Never-Smiles snorted. “And why should I give you my fire? Or my
company? Even my conversation?”
The creature turned its head, and firelight lit up its face. The face of a young
human girl, with long hair that cascaded down either side of her face. She wiggled bare feet at the edge of the fire. “Well, you’re already providing me company and conversation, and I already have the fire here. Come and sit.”
Angry-Never-Smiles paused for a moment then moved closer. This creature, this girl, was no match for him if she decided to attack him. But there may be more of humans around. She wouldn’t be wandering the moors alone at night. Getting information from her about her allies was a good idea. And so, he moved to sit on the opposite side of the fire from the girl.
“I have no food or water to offer you,” he said.
“That’s okay,” said the girl. “I have my own.”
With that, an apple was suddenly in the girl’s hand. She took a bite, then
chewed, before looking up at Angry-Never-Smiles. “Would you like some?”
The Shaman’s stomach answered before his mouth could, and the girl laughed
and threw the apple towards him. He caught it quickly, dropping his staff, and finished the apple quickly with three bites. As he swallowed the last, he noticed the girl was staring up a him, smiling. She threw another apple at him, and another, and another. He hungrily ate them, almost swallowing them whole. After he finished, the girl spoke again.
“I know why you’re angry all the time. I know why you never smile.”
Anger flared within the Shaman. “How dare you! You don’t know me! You’ve only just met me!”
“I didn’t mean to upset you. But I do know why, though.”
Indignantly, Angry-Never-Smiles snorted and crossed his arms. “I very much doubt that, human child.”
“It’s because you’re lonely.”
“I am ....”
The words caught in Angry-Never-Smiles’ throat. As much as he was about
to deny it, the girl’s words were true. He was lonely. He was always lonely. He couldn’t remember a time he wasn’t lonely, even when he was around others in the tribe.
“How...” he started.
“How can I know this?” she asked.
The Shaman nodded.
“Most angry people usually are, or start that way,” continued the girl. “At least
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