| Next morning, having broken her fast with two slices of acorn bread and a chalice of morning dew - very good for the complexion - she’d grabbed her new coat and even made it to the door before one of the leaves on the coat flicked over as she skipped along “Tidy......” “Oops!” Rowana veered to the right into her sleeping bower and managed to do the necessary before Mimi came to check. Back at the door, she decided to go without her cloak today. After all, a Spritling lass had to take care of her figure! The cloaks made some Sprites lazy, relying on them all the time to carry their owners around. Rowana knew only activity - a bit of branch hopping, trunk traversing and twig swinging - was the only way to stay fit and trim! As she paused at the door, Rowana recalled her cousin Tilia Limetree, had seen fit to ignore this truth and had tried reducing her nutritional intake, very little food, tiny sips of water - and just look what happened to her!! Wilted, fading, she started to resemble an autumn leaf. Just before she became so brittle she would have crumbled if anyone had hugged her, she was whisked off to see Fraximus Ash, the Sprite Healer. He eventually made her see sense. It helped being told that in depriving her body of sustenance, she’d forced it to start devouring itself ‘Not a pretty thought’ mused Rowana, ‘and the result wasn’t too sightly either !!'!!’ Thankfully, Tilia had recovered and now occasionally joined Rowana on her “Wood Roamings”, gradually regaining her strength and endurance. Although her roaming capabilities were not as developed as other Sprite lasses of her age. However, Fraximus Ash had reassured Talia and her parents that as long as she ate correctly and roamed frequently, she would, indeed, catch up in time. Rowana had arranged to meet up with Robinia Willow today. The two of them were to join Acer Maple and Alnus Alder at the edge of the wood. The four of them were to discuss the planning and organising of an “Out-wood Venture”! Rowana sucked her breath in through her teeth as she thought about it...scary!....but thrilling!! It was part of their final “Sprite Initiation”. All of them had gone through the first two stages of the process, in preparation for “The Testing” - the mandatory displaying of “Roaming Capabilities”. To show, not only that a Spritling was physically able to move both stealthily and swiftly through the trees, but also to assess an individual’s initiative, resourcefulness and sensual acuity - whether their mind, eyes, ears, touch and spacial awareness worked well enough to keep them safe - - and not just from falling!! Rowana’s right hand slipped into her Memory Box and touched a card. “Life is both a horizontal and vertical fall for a Sprite”. “Rowana!...Row..a..na..! Are you coming? or staying there day dreaming all pre-noon???!” Robinia’s face was peeking out from the leaves on the branch beyond Rowana’s threshold. “Oh, yes, sorry !!” The dreamy look left her face like water running off a hanging leaf. “Hang on... Will I need my Memory Box?” Closing her eyes in frustration, Robinia, who was prone to be impatient, answered “Well of course! It will help you to contribute to the planning. We can’t have those Sprite lads running the venture! Acer thinks that because he’s a Maple he’s entitled to have both the first and last say on anything and everything !!! As Rowana resettled her box - which actually, in her case was a very nice large leaf shaped bag - on her shoulder, she was reminded of her natterings with Faha and Mimi last evening before Rowana went to her bower. They’d decided that: “Instinct is what survives when what is learned is forgotten.” would be a useful and thought provoking Memory Card to carry with her to the Venture Planning. Some of the implications of it’s meaning had swept over Rowana’s head. Mimi had said not to worry; that when Rowana found herself in a “tight spot” and then managed to get herself out of it, she’d come to realise fully what it meant! “We all eventually put this one in” said Mimi. “Faha and I feel that you have a very strong and reliable ‘instinct’ developing. But you need this card now to remind you that at times ‘learnt’ things are not enough. You will need to free your mind to respond and act instinctively.” Rowana tapped the flap to check it was fully closed - the Sprite’s memory box’s lids were never fastened. Hands may need to slip in at a moments’ notice. Having to unfasten a lock or clasp could mean the difference between being “done” or “undone” themselves! Robinia rose to her feet as Rowana joined her. Greeting each other with the Spritling Hand Clasp - hands to wrists, slide to fingers hooked and release - followed by a skip of glee from Robinia as she turned to lead the way to the end of the branch. Both Sprite lasses focused their minds now, in preparation for the short journey to join the sprite lads. Reaching out for twigs above their heads, both drew a deep breath, paused momentarily, then pushed away from the branch. The twigs sagged, dipped, lowering them before rebounding, lifting the Spritlings higher, away from the branch they’d left, Having trailed their legs behind them, they now swung them through and up, curling legs and backs into a ball, before releasing their grips on the twigs. Their bodies continued in the rotation, bring their hands and faces under and forward in time to select and prepare for the next stage of their ‘twig swing’. On and on they went, gripping, dipping, curling. Rolling through the air to grip again. Robinia started showing off by adding a spin to her rotation. ‘Flash sort!’ thought Rowana. It caused an amazing sensation as the leaves streamed past your eyes, but risky! As it was now! On her third attempt, Robinia was getting a mite cocky! her spin was too slow; she missed her intended twig-grip and just caught a lower one with one hand!! “You idiot!” Rowana gasped, as she landed on the bough near where Robinia hung. “OK, OK! Don’t go on about it! Just help me up! I’ve lost all my momentum.” Rowana paused above her friend. “Perhaps I should leave you to get out of that ‘tight spot’ by yourself!” “And how pray, do you think I can do that?!” retorted the gently swinging Robinia. Chapter 4 | 
