Tau, the Voice Stealer

An age ago, when the world was young, and the veil between the worlds was but shimmering glass, was a pair of sisters named Teya and Yenna. Ever the responsible doting older sister, Teya looked after her sister with care, teaching her the wise words of those who came before her. For the world even then was filled with danger. Monsters and spirits whose desires are not knowable by mere mortals. And none was as feared as Tau, the Voice Stealer.

"Don't wander through the forests at dusk my love. The veil between the worlds is thin then, and you may find strange creatures not of our world. Especially, if you see a beast, shrouded in black, with horns of a stag, whose face is covered by a shroud, with a golden shining collar around its neck... you must run." Teya would tell her sister. "and what more, you must not make a sound. For if you do, it will find you and steal your voice. And without your voice to remind you who you are. You shall be lost forever."

Yenna, always a wilful child, who was always too clever for slow wisdom, always piped in at this point. "You worry too much Teya, I'm too smart and fast for some old spirit to get me. And I won't forget who I am, I have you to remind me!"

And little Yenna did not heed her sisters instructions. And one day as the day grew dim and night yawned over the sky, she did not hurry home. For she loved the fireflies whom always danced the best at dusk.  So Yenna followed the fireflies into the forest, and did not come home.

For weeks, Teya cried and searched for forest, hearing and seeking no sign of her sister, even though she was a friend of the forest and beasts and they all helped look.  But one day, the old owl found Teya, and said he heard Yenna's voice coming from a old shadowy spirit.  All the forest wept for Teya, Your sister's voice has been taken by Tau, the Voice Stealer." they lamented, "she will never been heard from again."

But Teya was brave. And she loved her sister. And she was just as smart as any one had any right to be. So for a month, she prepared how she would outsmart the old spirit. And when she was ready, she gathered her things, waited till dusk and she followed the light of the fireflies into the forest. She followed them... and followed some more... until the light above seemed to shine with the light of other stars and the plants around her waved in unfamiliar ways.  And she saw that she was following the footsteps of her sister's little feet.

She followed the footsteps into a dark cave, that went down into the bowels of the earth, but she did not turn back. For she was smart and had brought a glass jar, which which she caught a single firefly to light her way.

She passed seemingly endless cages, filled with horrible beasts, whose screams and cries were silent, for they too had had their voices stolen. And she was not afraid. For she knew that they had all been bested by the old spirit, and she meant to best Tau herself, so she knew she had no cause to fear them.

So at last... she comes to a large room. so dark that the darkness itself seemed  to choke. But Teya held her little firefly jar up high. and strode in.... and waited. She knew the spirit was near. Waiting for her to speak... and steal her voice.

Teya waited so long that her hair grew out and reached the floor, but she knew she must not speak. And she could feel the creature's breathe in the air. Fetid and fowl.

*So... You have come for your sisters voice...* her sisters voice said sweetly from the darkness.  *you have come to the right place... and she is yet here yet... although without her own voice she has forgotten who she is....*

And in that moment a roaring fire lights the room. And Teya sees her sister.... sitting not 30 feet from her... crying with no voice. with no sound... as Yenna's voice continued from a shadowy horned figure from the corner.

*She misses her sister, Teya... She would but remember her own name, if she heard your sweet voice... will you not call to her?*

Teya could see her sister's sorrow her small body heaving with silent tears.. seemingly reaching out to her... and she could feel a urge in her to call her sisters name. But she bit her tongue so hard a tear leaked from her eye and she shook her head fiercely.

*My.. my... what a cruel child to deny your sister the comfort she needs.* her sister's sweet voice crowed. *you have failed then.. your sister shall remain here*

Teya smiled. For she had prepared for this. And from under her cloak she brought out the friend she had brought all this way. A fine crow who she had befriended.

And the crow winked at Teya... and spoke with Teya's voice.

"Yenna... its your sister Teya... come back to me! Lets go home!"

And with the sound of her sister's voice, Yenna's eyes lit up and the magic was broken. She remembered who she was. She remembered her home... and the sound of the rivers and the mountains. She remembered her sister who stood before her now.

The old spirit hollered in anger at his spell being broken. For he knew that a voice borrowed, like how the crow had borrowed Teya's voice, cannot be stolen. And he was so angry that he began to froth at the mouth until all the voice she has stolen came tumbling out of his golden throat until all the light faded away.

And Teya grabbed her sister... and the friend crow. And ran from the cave. The old spirit chased them. Through all the cave, whose captured animals now howled and screamed with the rage long silenced, and the cacophony drove the spirit, so accustomed to silence, away  so that the sisters were able to get away safe.

And so the sisters returned home. And ever after the sisters loved the crow and fed him scraps from their table and told him stories under the full moon.