Blueskye

It was a beautiful, warm summer day. The Garanka family trekked through the forest path with their togglers following behind. They came upon a stream where they usually have a family picnic and sat under a large shade tree.

Ulama, the Toggish mother, set out the meal fit for a king on a slightly stained cloth on the mossy earth. The family made quick work of the food placed in front of them and then Ulama and her husband Grag relaxed. The children ran over to the stream having a competition of who could throw the biggest stone into the water.

A short while passed when the children called to their mother “Mama, someone has lost their basket in the water and we can’t reach it.” Grag hesitated before getting up and going to the side of the stream to inspect what the ruckus was about. He looked at the young children and said “My little togglers, if it is in the stream, then it must not be important.” He turned to return to his spot on the picnic cloth, but noticed the disappointment in the child’s eyes. “Alright, if you really want it”. The youngest girl looked up and smiled at her father and he stomped into the cold stream.

Grag waded over to the basket, which was covered in a cloth, and pulled it out from the rocks it was lodged in. He went back to the shore and put the basket down before returning to his beside his wife. The children hurriedly opened the basket and then stood there in silence.

After the silence was too long, Ulama said “My little togglers, what have you found that can keep the silence so long?” The children brought the basket over to their mother. To her surprise, a small human child was in the basket. Ulama looked in the basket for a while, before touching the child. The warmth was a good sign and the baby opening her eyes was another. Ulama inhaled and took the baby girl out of the basket. She wrapped her in the picnic cloth and in Grag’s shirt. After an extensive search of the area for other people, the Garanka family went home.

Despite search efforts for the family of the human baby, the Garanka’s lost hope of finding them. They thought of taking the child to a human home, but decided to keep the baby themselves.

Ulama was sitting outside with her family and the baby when she said “We must call the baby by a name.” The Tog children gathered around tried to think of a name that a human would give their child. The youngest girl stared at the baby, silent for a while. She then said “Her eyes. Blue like sky. Her taste salty.” Ulama smiled and thought. After a few moments of silence she looked at her girl and said “She will be called Blueskye Oceanbreeze”

Blueskye grew into a beautiful young woman. Yet she felt that she had something missing. She did not fully fit into the home she had grown up in. Although she was strong, she did not join the other children when they played TogBall with the odd rats. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and didn’t have the pale green skin like the rest of her family. She loved her family dearly but wanted to search the world for her place.

On Blueskye’s 17th birthday the Garanka family had a farewell party for the child that they had taken care of.

Ulama embraced Blueskye with a tight embrace, saying “I know you will find great things, because you are a strong girl. You are good and I will miss you.”

Grag stood in front of Blueskye, unsure of what to say. He buffed his scalp, making it shine. Smiled down at her and said “My Blue, I thank the Gods for letting me find you. My Blue shall find many vano”. Blueskye smiles at Grag and knows that she will find many friends on her journies..

With her final goodbye’s, Blueskye leaves the only home she has known to find herself in Elanthia. She brings with her a small amount of material goods and prays that she will learn all that Elanthia has to offer her. She takes with her what she has learned from her family. To not dwell on the small things in life, and to enjoy the simple things

Last Revised: 06/28/03