Post by Therdde on Jun 30, 2009 23:30:00 GMT -5
Characters:
Kein - Male Cougar
Nayeli - Female Cougar
Paoro - Female Cougar Spirit
- Pine Grove -
Last night seemed to crawl by as thunderstorms rolled over the mountain. Sleep did not come easily and did not last long, but with the rise of the sun, the rain and thunder ended, and a pleasant, soft smell now fills the pine grove. Though Kein remains tired as dim light filters through the pine needles, he does not suspect that sleep will be coming again. No, he's awake, and currently lying not far from where he and Nayeli spent the night sleeping, casually grooming his fur. Soon, he will actually pick himself up and set about his daily routine, but for now, he is satisfies to rest here for a while longer.
Only for brief moments did Nayeli find the fleeting night difficult to sleep. Understandably, she's been rather exhausted lately, especially evenings and mornings. She sleeps hard, curled up, save for her tail which lies extended on the thin grass. Though gentle light breaks on her eyelids, they remain shut. Peaceful is an appropriate word to describe the way she appears now, despite the ongoings within the Tribe.
The pine needles strewn across the ground stir as a cool breeze picks up, swirling the dust around in little whirlwinds before carrying it off to a new resting place somewhere along the wind's path. A bird calls, then falls silent. Though none can be seen or heard approaching, there is the distinct feeling of a certain 'presence' among the trees here besides the closely bonded pair. The breeze returns from the other direction, carrying the same dust on the wind as it had before, though this time the swirling flurry stays. Perhaps going unnoticed at first, the dust slowly and strangely begins to expand and take shape, forming the blurry outline of a mountain lion -- and when the image speaks, there can be no doubt who the form is of in particular. "Nayeli." Is it a dream? A hallucination? Perhaps. It may seem so, particularly to the sleeping matron. But when a shifting dust-paw reaches out to brush lightly against the female's cheek to wake her, the reality becomes a bit harder to ignore.
If it is a hallucination, and it may very well be... Then it is a powerful one. A shared one. The presence does not go unnoticed by Kein, but his eyes do not exactly focus on the form until a familiar, if vaguely so, voice reached his ears. When he spots the form that this presence takes, his jaw drops. It's blurry, and obviously not made of flesh, but the form itself combined with the voice he heard leaves no doubt as to what... who... is beside his mate. Despite what Nayeli told him about her previous experience with Paoro, which he was not entirely sure actually happened, he was not expecting to see this particular cougaress ever again, or at least not while he still walked this world. He does not speak, does not make a noise, but he watches, perhaps in awe.
A deep breath is taken as Nayeli is gently stirred to her senses. She hears her name being called, but it certainly isn't from Kein. It's familiar, no, it's *unmistakable*. Her eyes open quickly, her head lifts. As her blurred vision comes into focus, she looks around, trying to see exactly what was happening. Quickly, she notices the entity directly before her. Nayeli is surprised to see the spirit manifested by dust so close, but isn't frightened. Still resting on the ground, she debates if she is dreaming or awake or both. "Paoro." It isn't a question, it isn't requesting confirmation; Nayeli knows exactly who spoke, who touched her. She smiles, very pleased to see her, whether it is a dream or not.
"It is so good to see my children's children...and my children's children's children." There are none of Nayeli's children here, but perhaps the ethereal spirit of Paoro can sense the unborn ones growing within her nonetheless. "Ahiga and I are proud to see our lineage carried on so strongly. Though perched atop the highest mountain, the Amaranth have not gone without their share of woes." Pupil-less eyes turn from Nayeli to Kein, and back again. "I have not been blind to the troubles plaguing the home of my family. I longed to return to you, even cursed my death as preventing me from helping to guide the Amaranth back onto the trail of goodness. But I knew this was but a trial of the spirits, something that you, as leaders of the Amaranth, must have handled alone. And you have. And you have done well. Both of you." A pointed glance to each in turn once again, and then the solemn gaze of the swirling figure turns up into a faint smile. "But I bring you good tidings, my children."
Kein always suspected that he would be called to answer before Paoro someday. He did not imagine that it would be while he was still alive. As she 'looks' to him, Kein stands. There is no aggression to his stature. He is ready to accept her judgment willingly... And the judgment that she passes enheartens him, makes a smile cut away even his often dour expression. Of course he knows he has always done his best, knows that he has done as well as he can, but it means much to him that others know that too, that other approve of his efforts. Still, he does not speak, but he does take the first of the steps that will bring him to stand beside his mate to receive the remainder of whatever message Paoro has come to deliver.
Kind words and blessings are exactly what Nayeli needed to hear. The spirit glances over the matron, and refers to Kein as well. Content, Nayeli yawns as she slowly rises and sits, looking at Kein behind her. He seemed much more dazzled than her. As he comes closer, she meets him with nuzzling and a humored smile. "Morning..." This is precisely how Paoro has visited her before. As Kein can see, it's not exactly an easy situation to explain. Nayeli turns her head back to where the entity has chosen to manifest. "Thank you. It's very nice to hear you again, Paoro." She is very interested in what the spirit has to say, be it good wishes or judgement as well.
Spirit-Paoro smiles faintly at Nayeli, nodding her head in agreement. "I feel much the same, granddaughter." But the old Shamaness did not come here merely for the purpose of a reunion and pleasantries. "Kein," she begins, addressing the Chieftain this time. Nayeli's role will come. "Your mother was wrongly taken from you. This unforgivable act, the shedding of a Sister's blood on Amaranth soil, and by the Chieftain sworn to protect her, no less, has corrupted the essence of our lands. Many things that have happened since then...have been a mistake. My eldest daughter sacrificed herself to destroy a maddened Tribe-King, her own mate. You were both called upon to lead your family's tribe in the midst of the ensuing chaos, children orphaned by the very mess you were left to clean up. The daughter I named to follow in Nayeli's footsteps, before passing on and leaving you Shaman-less, has lost her sense of propriety and fallen from grace. The son of Chesmu is delirious with rage and would seek to destroy my family's bond even further. Amaranth weeps for its sins, and longs for redemption. Perhaps if we cannot undo what has already be done...then we can be given a second chance to make things right again." The dust shudders, rippling along the length of the apparition's form, and when Paoro speaks again, she has turned her focus onto her granddaughter. "Nayeli, you are heavy with child...but these are very special cubs you are carrying within you. I have felt their spirits developing inside your womb, granddaughter, and they fill me with much hope for Amaranth's future." She pauses for a moment to smile, then doesn't prolong the news any further. "One of them is a soul lost to the Amaranth, the daughter Ohanzee never had. Her life was cut short while still in the womb, leaving only her brothers to survive. She will find her home here, finally, through your love and care. The other is a lost soul of the Amaranth, as well, though it had a chance to live before its life was cut short." There is a hesitation, and Paoro's gaze turns towards Kein before she explains: "It is the returned soul of your mother, Kein."
Kein stands in silence as he listens to Paoro's voice. He remains stoic through the recounting of all the troubles that Amaranth has faced, both before he was Chieftain and since, and remains so as Paoro turns to telling them news about the nature of the cubs that Nayeli is currently carrying. The first does not surprise nearly so much as... The second. His mother? Kein's eyes close as he turns his mind to thinking of the last time they saw one another. Their farewell. He can hear her promising him that everything would be all right, that it wouldn't be the last time they saw each other, a promise that she couldn't keep... Until now? When he opens his eyes again, there is profound sorrow in them, a sorrow he has learned to keep contained so that it does not go further than his eyes. His mother? He opens his mouth, but it takes him a moment to speak, as he cannot be certain of his voice. And what is there to say, really, except... "Thank you." The words are barely audible, and given that his eyes are unfocused, there can be no certainty about /who/ he is thanking.
Nayeli remains attentive, yet relaxed as Paoro explains the situation of the Tribe. It's astounding how the Shamaness knows of all, but it doesn't surprise Nayeli at all. When she speaks to Nayeli, even just mentioning her children causes a wide smile. Ohanzee... Maulisho... The matron's eyes widen, this is phenomenal news; she can hardly believe what she's hearing. She can hardly believe who she's *carrying*. Turning to her mate, she nuzzles him, trying to keep him to his senses. "That is... spectacular!" The expecting mother tries to sound loud, but she too is swept off of her paws with this spiritual declaration. "Absolutely spectacular, Paoro!"
Paoro knows the words of gratitude are not for her, nor is she deserving of any -- she is merely a bringer of good omens, not the creator of them. Nonetheless, she smiles, broadening at Nayeli's excitement. "I am happy for you both. You have both suffered much -- it is time for the peace that once distinguished these lands to return. There have been many mistakes, but I do not believe choosing you to lead my family's tribe was one of them." The ghostly form of the old Shamaness shivers again, faltering briefly before the swirling dust resumes the fuzzy shape of her outline. "But I must leave you once again, now, my children. Thank you for making me proud." The flurry of dust begins to break and fly apart, some of the dirt settling upon the ground while other flecks are carried off on a sudden wind. "I will always be watching over the Amaranth," comes a last murmur from the disembodied voice, before the last visible lines of the cougaress' form disintegrates into nothingness, leaving the mated pair alone once again...though this time, with some much needed good news.
By the time Kein's eyes focus again, the dust that had formed the shape of a cougaress is gone, and he is left with only Nayeli... And the two very special girls growing inside of her. His throat still feels tight, and so he doesn't try to speak, but he does press lightly against the cougaress beside him and turn his head to nuzzle her. Never could he have imagined what Paoro had come to tell them, and now that he knows... He can feel nothing but hope for the future. Hope, and a renewed determination to see Amaranth toward the very peace that the spirit of Paoro mentioned.
Kein - Male Cougar
Nayeli - Female Cougar
Paoro - Female Cougar Spirit
- Pine Grove -
Last night seemed to crawl by as thunderstorms rolled over the mountain. Sleep did not come easily and did not last long, but with the rise of the sun, the rain and thunder ended, and a pleasant, soft smell now fills the pine grove. Though Kein remains tired as dim light filters through the pine needles, he does not suspect that sleep will be coming again. No, he's awake, and currently lying not far from where he and Nayeli spent the night sleeping, casually grooming his fur. Soon, he will actually pick himself up and set about his daily routine, but for now, he is satisfies to rest here for a while longer.
Only for brief moments did Nayeli find the fleeting night difficult to sleep. Understandably, she's been rather exhausted lately, especially evenings and mornings. She sleeps hard, curled up, save for her tail which lies extended on the thin grass. Though gentle light breaks on her eyelids, they remain shut. Peaceful is an appropriate word to describe the way she appears now, despite the ongoings within the Tribe.
The pine needles strewn across the ground stir as a cool breeze picks up, swirling the dust around in little whirlwinds before carrying it off to a new resting place somewhere along the wind's path. A bird calls, then falls silent. Though none can be seen or heard approaching, there is the distinct feeling of a certain 'presence' among the trees here besides the closely bonded pair. The breeze returns from the other direction, carrying the same dust on the wind as it had before, though this time the swirling flurry stays. Perhaps going unnoticed at first, the dust slowly and strangely begins to expand and take shape, forming the blurry outline of a mountain lion -- and when the image speaks, there can be no doubt who the form is of in particular. "Nayeli." Is it a dream? A hallucination? Perhaps. It may seem so, particularly to the sleeping matron. But when a shifting dust-paw reaches out to brush lightly against the female's cheek to wake her, the reality becomes a bit harder to ignore.
If it is a hallucination, and it may very well be... Then it is a powerful one. A shared one. The presence does not go unnoticed by Kein, but his eyes do not exactly focus on the form until a familiar, if vaguely so, voice reached his ears. When he spots the form that this presence takes, his jaw drops. It's blurry, and obviously not made of flesh, but the form itself combined with the voice he heard leaves no doubt as to what... who... is beside his mate. Despite what Nayeli told him about her previous experience with Paoro, which he was not entirely sure actually happened, he was not expecting to see this particular cougaress ever again, or at least not while he still walked this world. He does not speak, does not make a noise, but he watches, perhaps in awe.
A deep breath is taken as Nayeli is gently stirred to her senses. She hears her name being called, but it certainly isn't from Kein. It's familiar, no, it's *unmistakable*. Her eyes open quickly, her head lifts. As her blurred vision comes into focus, she looks around, trying to see exactly what was happening. Quickly, she notices the entity directly before her. Nayeli is surprised to see the spirit manifested by dust so close, but isn't frightened. Still resting on the ground, she debates if she is dreaming or awake or both. "Paoro." It isn't a question, it isn't requesting confirmation; Nayeli knows exactly who spoke, who touched her. She smiles, very pleased to see her, whether it is a dream or not.
"It is so good to see my children's children...and my children's children's children." There are none of Nayeli's children here, but perhaps the ethereal spirit of Paoro can sense the unborn ones growing within her nonetheless. "Ahiga and I are proud to see our lineage carried on so strongly. Though perched atop the highest mountain, the Amaranth have not gone without their share of woes." Pupil-less eyes turn from Nayeli to Kein, and back again. "I have not been blind to the troubles plaguing the home of my family. I longed to return to you, even cursed my death as preventing me from helping to guide the Amaranth back onto the trail of goodness. But I knew this was but a trial of the spirits, something that you, as leaders of the Amaranth, must have handled alone. And you have. And you have done well. Both of you." A pointed glance to each in turn once again, and then the solemn gaze of the swirling figure turns up into a faint smile. "But I bring you good tidings, my children."
Kein always suspected that he would be called to answer before Paoro someday. He did not imagine that it would be while he was still alive. As she 'looks' to him, Kein stands. There is no aggression to his stature. He is ready to accept her judgment willingly... And the judgment that she passes enheartens him, makes a smile cut away even his often dour expression. Of course he knows he has always done his best, knows that he has done as well as he can, but it means much to him that others know that too, that other approve of his efforts. Still, he does not speak, but he does take the first of the steps that will bring him to stand beside his mate to receive the remainder of whatever message Paoro has come to deliver.
Kind words and blessings are exactly what Nayeli needed to hear. The spirit glances over the matron, and refers to Kein as well. Content, Nayeli yawns as she slowly rises and sits, looking at Kein behind her. He seemed much more dazzled than her. As he comes closer, she meets him with nuzzling and a humored smile. "Morning..." This is precisely how Paoro has visited her before. As Kein can see, it's not exactly an easy situation to explain. Nayeli turns her head back to where the entity has chosen to manifest. "Thank you. It's very nice to hear you again, Paoro." She is very interested in what the spirit has to say, be it good wishes or judgement as well.
Spirit-Paoro smiles faintly at Nayeli, nodding her head in agreement. "I feel much the same, granddaughter." But the old Shamaness did not come here merely for the purpose of a reunion and pleasantries. "Kein," she begins, addressing the Chieftain this time. Nayeli's role will come. "Your mother was wrongly taken from you. This unforgivable act, the shedding of a Sister's blood on Amaranth soil, and by the Chieftain sworn to protect her, no less, has corrupted the essence of our lands. Many things that have happened since then...have been a mistake. My eldest daughter sacrificed herself to destroy a maddened Tribe-King, her own mate. You were both called upon to lead your family's tribe in the midst of the ensuing chaos, children orphaned by the very mess you were left to clean up. The daughter I named to follow in Nayeli's footsteps, before passing on and leaving you Shaman-less, has lost her sense of propriety and fallen from grace. The son of Chesmu is delirious with rage and would seek to destroy my family's bond even further. Amaranth weeps for its sins, and longs for redemption. Perhaps if we cannot undo what has already be done...then we can be given a second chance to make things right again." The dust shudders, rippling along the length of the apparition's form, and when Paoro speaks again, she has turned her focus onto her granddaughter. "Nayeli, you are heavy with child...but these are very special cubs you are carrying within you. I have felt their spirits developing inside your womb, granddaughter, and they fill me with much hope for Amaranth's future." She pauses for a moment to smile, then doesn't prolong the news any further. "One of them is a soul lost to the Amaranth, the daughter Ohanzee never had. Her life was cut short while still in the womb, leaving only her brothers to survive. She will find her home here, finally, through your love and care. The other is a lost soul of the Amaranth, as well, though it had a chance to live before its life was cut short." There is a hesitation, and Paoro's gaze turns towards Kein before she explains: "It is the returned soul of your mother, Kein."
Kein stands in silence as he listens to Paoro's voice. He remains stoic through the recounting of all the troubles that Amaranth has faced, both before he was Chieftain and since, and remains so as Paoro turns to telling them news about the nature of the cubs that Nayeli is currently carrying. The first does not surprise nearly so much as... The second. His mother? Kein's eyes close as he turns his mind to thinking of the last time they saw one another. Their farewell. He can hear her promising him that everything would be all right, that it wouldn't be the last time they saw each other, a promise that she couldn't keep... Until now? When he opens his eyes again, there is profound sorrow in them, a sorrow he has learned to keep contained so that it does not go further than his eyes. His mother? He opens his mouth, but it takes him a moment to speak, as he cannot be certain of his voice. And what is there to say, really, except... "Thank you." The words are barely audible, and given that his eyes are unfocused, there can be no certainty about /who/ he is thanking.
Nayeli remains attentive, yet relaxed as Paoro explains the situation of the Tribe. It's astounding how the Shamaness knows of all, but it doesn't surprise Nayeli at all. When she speaks to Nayeli, even just mentioning her children causes a wide smile. Ohanzee... Maulisho... The matron's eyes widen, this is phenomenal news; she can hardly believe what she's hearing. She can hardly believe who she's *carrying*. Turning to her mate, she nuzzles him, trying to keep him to his senses. "That is... spectacular!" The expecting mother tries to sound loud, but she too is swept off of her paws with this spiritual declaration. "Absolutely spectacular, Paoro!"
Paoro knows the words of gratitude are not for her, nor is she deserving of any -- she is merely a bringer of good omens, not the creator of them. Nonetheless, she smiles, broadening at Nayeli's excitement. "I am happy for you both. You have both suffered much -- it is time for the peace that once distinguished these lands to return. There have been many mistakes, but I do not believe choosing you to lead my family's tribe was one of them." The ghostly form of the old Shamaness shivers again, faltering briefly before the swirling dust resumes the fuzzy shape of her outline. "But I must leave you once again, now, my children. Thank you for making me proud." The flurry of dust begins to break and fly apart, some of the dirt settling upon the ground while other flecks are carried off on a sudden wind. "I will always be watching over the Amaranth," comes a last murmur from the disembodied voice, before the last visible lines of the cougaress' form disintegrates into nothingness, leaving the mated pair alone once again...though this time, with some much needed good news.
By the time Kein's eyes focus again, the dust that had formed the shape of a cougaress is gone, and he is left with only Nayeli... And the two very special girls growing inside of her. His throat still feels tight, and so he doesn't try to speak, but he does press lightly against the cougaress beside him and turn his head to nuzzle her. Never could he have imagined what Paoro had come to tell them, and now that he knows... He can feel nothing but hope for the future. Hope, and a renewed determination to see Amaranth toward the very peace that the spirit of Paoro mentioned.