The light of day

Hocho had a hard time falling asleep again, it was too bright and he thought he heard the wild animals moving around just outside the walls. He moved closer to mother and fell into a few hours of uneasy sleep.
At age 4 he had been dubbed 'the prodigal child' of the village elder for something he didn't even remember now. His blessing was obviously something of a curse. The other children in the settlement played long hours in the dusk and dark but would always stop when he joined in and stand absolutely still until he got bored of them and walked away. He knew it was no idea to look back at them any more but still the sound of their games and laughter made deep emotional scars in his back each and every time.
'They do not want the younglings'
'When does one stop being a youngling?'
'It is not yet time for that', had his mothers answer been. This scared him since in the past her answer had always been 'It is many years until then'. The time when they were not after him was apparently coming to an end.

'At nine cycles of the stars the prodigal child must be released', it was the dark skinned man under the heavy hooded robe that had spoken, 'nine cycles has almost passed. The scripture was very clear about the timing, I do hope you remember this.'
'I remember what I read in my young years, but the boy is not yet ready for the task at hand. He needs more time to prepare or else all years of his training will be for nothing', answered Hochos mother Cho Wei.
'There is no more time, you know that as well as I do. You know our chants are growing to weak to hold the grey at bay. And when we cannot hold the grey away he must be the one to stand against them. After tonight you will tell him his mission, why he is'.

The glow of morning

Nighttime was setting, the last rays of light was slowly disappearing over the mountain ridge and the sounds from the wood increased as the different nocturnal animals competed against each other about who that was loudest one.
The scent of inscense was flowing heavily from the small settlement as the evening prayer session was about to start. Low mumblings was heard from several tongues as if choreographed by a single mind. The mumbling rose over the following minutes to become steady chant and out of the chant a single boyish crystalized. The song was fragile but grew stronger and more secure and continued for hours and hours. Finally the single voice cracked and was cut short by coughing. The chant silenced and nature regained the position as primary creator of sound around the settlement.
Morning was closing in and the settlers was closing up themselves in their small huts and houses made from carefully planted and formed bamboo. The silence of day was about to break and only the sentryguards peered out at the surrounding landscape, scanning the horizon over and over as if expecting an attack any second.

Hunted and full of fear Hocho was running through the forest. Something was close behind him, so close that he could feel the hot and humid air flowing out of it's throat. Something dark kept just out of sight when he tried to look over his shoulder running over roots and newly shed leaves. The ground was slippery and treacherous and he knew it was only a matter of time before he slipped and would feel teeth sinking into his vulnerable skin. He tried to grab on to a tree to make a quick turn but slipped and as expected started to fall over. He let out a short scream and found himself flayling wildly with his arms.
Opening his eyes he saw his mothers face as she held him.
'It's just a dream. You are still young, they do not want the younglings. You are safe with me'