A Semblance of Choices (Len's Song, 2022 edition, Snippet 17)

A story fragment from the Dustsong Cycle

(Read Len’s Song, 2022 edition, Snippet 16, Part 2.)

After leaving the king’s house, Len saw that the streets of Danoh-town were still a-bustle. Consequently, he and Egwae wound their way back to the smaller, northeast city gate by way of side streets through the north quarter. Folk were out and about, with neighbors chattering and young ones playing. But unlike the main thoroughfare with its stalls and plazas, this route wasn’t so noisy. Leastways, Len didn’t get jostled or feel liable to suffocate.

Past the gate, the sun loitered midway on its downward course. Following his feet, he headed for a favored spot of his, just a short mosey east of the hills ringing Danoh. Instead of trailing behind like usual, Egwae walked alongside him to the top of a solitary, wind-beaten hillock. So rough were the gusts off Livyat’s fangs here, nobody had bothered to build or plant upon it.