The foreign incursions of the so-called divine aren't something to be heralded as a blessing, and that you think I might have been excited to hear as much says much about your intelligence. Pray tell, have you forgotten the title of my people? We do not consider ourselves to be your cousins, as you consider us, and every Word that leaves your mouths is an omen of the end of times.
- From the letter of response from Lord Ferrah of Harandal in response to the continental address of the Veratocracy
The swarm fell together in the small artificial clearing Ana led us to. We had been allowing ourselves some rest every day, so we weren't anywhere near the collapse we'd driven ourselves to, but we had been working hard and traveling hard, while still fending for ourselves and feeding ourselves. Suffice to say, there wasn't a single soul who complained about the extended break we seemed to be getting for now. Arwa's children had grown nearly to an adult size at this point and they were already bigger than the Wave Wolfstags. Joral had named them all, but I hadn't cared to learn any of the others' names, and when Joral wasn't leading them, the Wave Wolfstags had begun circling around Sybil, and they always left at least one of their number behind with her.
To my surprise, Sybil seemed to enjoy their company, and worked with Joral to continue training our furry companions. He was their leader, but near as I could tell, all the wolfstags considered her to be their queen of sorts. She had gotten to the point where she could communicate and give surprisingly complex commands to the creatures: "Seek deer", "Scout in that (points) direction", "Defend me". That last command led to all twelve surviving Wave Wolfstags circling around her, Sybil in the center and protected on all angles. It was pretty impressive, all things considered.
"How did you do it?"
"They are simple creatures–tell them what to do, and they do their best to accomplish your commands. They are much better to work with than you hardheaded reptiles." Sybil smirked at me. "I did not even have to offer to mate with them."
"That came later than our cooperation began, so far as I know. And it's been long enough," I grinned and leaned closer, "that I may need a refresher."
"Well… I do not think we want me to end up gravid and having to leave eggs behind before we can raise them." Sybil leaned forward and tenderly nuzzled at my shoulder, near where it joined with my neck. It sent the primal, involuntary remembrance of exactly how long it had been down my spine, and I half considered taking her right then. I suspected she wouldn't mind, either, given how she continued to flirt with me. Sure, it was also probably some sort of subtle declaration of her position in the swarm to any that might have been wondering about how likely it may have been for them to sneak into my bed, but I didn't really care. I just wanted her… but I wasn't so foolish as to give in to mere urges. Just as I was able to gather my thoughts and attempt a comeback, Sybil slunk away, the wolfstags falling in step as she went.
"I would like to have some, though." I called out, and Sybil turned and looked at me.
"Like Trai?"
"Like Trai." I confirmed. "She's… good to have around. She makes me happy, and I would like to have what Foire has with her."
"I concur. When we finally have a home once more, I will look forward to the rearing of new life. And the creation of it." Sybil flicked her tail teasingly as she walked away and began to confer with Shemira.
I watched, and began to look for Foire, but instead took the time provided to rest. I missed the wolfstag pelts we'd tanned, and settled onto the ground, finding the softest position I could as I laughed at my petty desires to indulge. Just days before, I'd been running for my life, and now I complained about the bedding? I laid my head on a tuft of particularly long grass as I succumbed once more to sleep.
For the first time in a while, I dreamed. The riot of battle filled my head, the shrieks of dying keelish, the wet sounds of claws and fangs finding purchase in flesh, the coughing explosion of magics clashing. All around me, though, were beautiful mountains, herds of creatures, and happy keelish. I couldn't hear anything but the clamoring chaos of warfare, and the strange combination stunned me. I couldn't do anything but watch the idyllic scene as my mind raced with the possibilities presented by what I could hear. Sybil approached me, her walk casual and comfortable, and she twined her tail with me, the intimacy from her action somehow gone. I couldn't feel anything but dread and my blood boiling.
Trai's whimpers woke me. She was laid nearby, and she twitched fitfully in her sleep. Foire was asleep nearby her, and I stepped close and rested my hand over the convulsing body of the child. She slowed and stilled before waking up and looking groggily up at me. I managed a smile, and she rested her head back down on the ground, her voice quiet as she asked in the tones of the still sleeping, "But Alpha… how can… we live…" her words faded off, lost to the oblivion of sleep. Even so, I felt the discomfort in my stomach surge at the meaning of what little I'd understood. My continued thoughts were torn from my mind as Ana approached.
All the Moonchildren had only ever worn loincloths and short, leather skirts, so far as I had seen, and Ana was no exception. Until now. For the first time, I felt that Bloodpriestess Ana presented herself as a dignified representative of a divine being. She wore what seemed to be a ceremonial robe of some sort, the moon in all its phases ringing the collar. Her breasts remained exposed, subtle attention being drawn to them in the curve of the lapels of the robe. The robe itself was silver and red, with motifs of birth and mothers nursing their children subtly shimmering into being as the robe fluttered in the wind. Somehow, the robe gave her a mystical, ethereal quality, and I stood tall and stepped away from most of the sleepking keelish to speak.
"How can I help you? I thought we were going to be resting for now."
"Fahvalo Ashlani Indraymaf," she intoned, "I apologize for the interruption. The Allmother is ready to see you. Come now to witness her and serve at her leisure. Do not compel me to use force."
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Ana carried herself differently than ever before when she presented herself to guide me to the Allmother. In all things she did, Ana was proud or even arrogant. When she was insulting the Veushten, the members of the Veratocracy, she did so from a place of pride and superiority over them. When she accepted me as fahvalo, she was elevating my status towards that of her own, a lofty position as an honorable foe. When she asked for me to punish her, it was because her pride had been threatened by her words, and she wished to immediately recover her bone-deep egoism.
When Bloodpriestess Ana asked me to follow her to the Allmother, she no longer displayed any of that all consuming pride. She apologized, and that merely for the interruption. Only once had she apologized before, and that for when she'd thought herself guilty of blasphemy. She bowed to me, and I'd never seen her lower her head to anything. This Ana was not the Bloodpriestess, the warrior and commander, but Ana, the servant to the Allmother, and she was the perfect model of a submissive, humble servant. A reverence accompanied her every move, and though her every movement remained strong and perfectly controlled, no longer did her every muscle radiate a feline penchant for violence.
"I… Ok. Let's go." I nodded to Ana before leaning down and gently patting the sleeping child. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Took and gestured her over. "I'm going to meet with the Allmother, the leader here. Let Sybil know."
Took nodded. "Anything I should do?"
I shook my head. "Keep an eye out. I'll let you know where we can hunt when I get back."
Another nod, then Took was off to interrupt Sybil and Shemira's talking. The three females were now most of the core of my swarm, along with Foire and Vefir. All those that remained alive would become the leaders of a larger, stronger swarm though. I swore as much to myself and the heavens, and I could feel Nievtala's approval settle over me like a mantle. Without any more consideration, I began walking beside Ana, whose steps remained deliberate and measured.
As we walked I took in Ana's ceremonial robe once more. Before, she had worn only a thick loincloth, the rest of her black skin and body hair uncovered. She, like all Moonchildren, was lean and muscular, the only real distinguishing physical characteristic of the females being their modest breasts. With the greatest physical difference between the genders being only a slight softness to the women, with this robe she finally registered as a "woman" to my eyes.
This robe she wore covered the top of her head, and draped down, splitting at the back before coming over the shoulder and curving around both breasts. The blood red, emblazoned with silver motifs of the moon in every one of her phases, waxing from the dark empty moon at the bottom, ended just below the bottom of her ribcage, and bloomed to "Narsha'at's" full glory at Ana's head. The headdress left the thick hair running down Ana's spine uncovered, and the skirt worn around her waist was a deep black that was more of a sheet than a tailored garment.
"You must listen to the Allmother's words." Ana spoke without looking at me, simply taking deliberate steps forward. "She may have much or little to say to you, but all that she speaks comes from what she Sees, and thus is more impactful and divine than you might think as an outsider. The Allmother is tolerant, but she demands respect. Offer no disrespect when you speak or act, as I am unable to tolerate disrespect shown to the Bloodsoaked Mother's mouthpiece."
I nodded as we carefully strode onwards, the trees and subterranean hovels diminishing in number around us. Finally, we entered a clearing in the forest of hazoma, and in the center was a shorter, thicker hazoma. There was an obviously well-trod path towards this separate tree, and more natural, narrow paths spiderwebbing across the clearing from the singular entry path. I wanted to ask questions, but I more than realized that now was not the time to ask potentially rude questions.
As we approached the apparent abode of the Allmother, a young voice called out, strident, "That's enough, Ana. Send him forward."
I glance towards the origin of the voice, and saw no living soul. In fact, I saw that the trunk of the hazoma had been hollowed out and there was a narrow entrance leading within. Ana nodded to the voice and stepped back wordlessly. Could the Allmother see us even when she wasn't within the line of sight?
With as little hesitation as I could muster, I began stepping forward towards the carved entrance before stopping a couple of strides away from entering. "I've been told that you are ready to see me, Allmother, so I have come as quickly as I appropriately could have."
The energetic voice called out, "Please, step inside. Let us counsel together."
I began to feel nervous when my khatif sensibilities suddenly swelled within me, and I confidently stepped forward into the lair of the Allmother.
Somehow, I felt like it was disrespectful to look on the Allmother with my thermal vision, and instead, I allowed my vision to slowly acclimate to the low light available.
To my surprise, a hunched Sunkindred woman sat on a chair filled with cushions. Her fur had gone fully gray, and when she moved or shifted, a lightly glowing afterimage was left in her wake. Her eyes met mine, and she smiled as I stopped at a respectful distance. Then, I felt something moving behind me through my [Tremorsense] and I twitched, spinning to look at a figure that closed a door I hadn't seen behind me before stepping to stand beside the wizened Sunkindred.
Now at her side, a somewhat small Moonchild stood before me, her eyes veritably glowing in the dim light of the suns filtering through her door and the light that the Sunkindred shed. Those eyes… were off-putting, and after a moment, I realized that they had no pupils. All the Moonchildren had disconcertingly large eyes, and the irises spread nearly to the edge of the eye itself. However large their irises, however, there remained the black pupils within them. The Allmother's assistant's eyes faintly radiated a light from them, and there were no pupils to be found within them. Every one of her fingers showed the signs of having spoken the Phrases, and I could feel the unmistakable pull from her eyes that let me know she had spoken the sixth Phrase as well.
I also noticed that her skin lacked the looseness that comes with age–still it hung tight to her joints and firm musculature, and, except for her glowing, pupil-less eyes, the Allmother's assistant looked much like any young female Moonchild. She smiled at my searching eyes, her canines bared in a fierce grin.
"Hello, Ashlani." The Allmother said from her chair, her voice creaky but warm. "Thank you for coming. Do forgive the young one her impudence. She has not yet settled into her station." The words were a command, both to me and the young, off putting Moonchild. Contrary to what I'd expected, the Moonchild assistant merely nodded in acceptance of the reprimand and the Allmother continued speaking, "You were expecting the Allmother to be a Moonchild, were you not?"
"I suppose I was."
"In a few years yet, you will see one, if you are so trusted as to be allowed in our inner sanctums once more, Fahvalo Ashlani Indraymaf. There is much about our culture that you need not learn, instead, I had something to speak with you about." The aged woman said as she leaned forward, a streak of light trailing behind her.
"Fahvalo Ashlani Indraymaf, chosen of the gods." She trailed off, not finishing the sentence.
My mouth went dry. "What do you mean, 'chosen of the gods'?"
"Precisely that. We have stories of the chosen, that they experience explosive growth beyond belief, that they tend to raise others up with them. You are… about six months old, yes? Yet you have grown so much farther than could be predicted by any in that time. You have a solid knowledge of how to evolve yourself, solid enough to cripple one of your senses, for days at a time and among your enemies no less, with the knowledge of eventual improvement. Does that answer your question?"
I swallowed. Twice. "How do you know these things?"
"Where Huldtar burns bright and illuminates, I See." The Allmother shrugged. "Now," her voice cracked like a whip and she settled into her seat once again, her eyes glowing like miniature suns. "I have Seen two things which I desire to tell you before I leave you back to your rest and conversation with your children. The first is a specific answer to your question posed to our Ana–where to find more of your kind. Two day's travel north northeast, you will find them. They are far less advanced than you and yours ever were, but they should serve the purpose you seek. The second," At this, she tried to stand but the Moonchild raised a hand to keep the senior woman from rising before stalking over to a shelf built into the wall of the room.
I finally was able to tear my eyes away from the Allmother as she looked away from me to watch the other woman searching the shelf. The room… was odd. There were three layers of shelves that went around the complete circumference of the room, and nothing else, except for the chair in which the Allmother had been seated. The three shelves were filled with… random paraphernalia. Rocks, feathers, sticks, children's dolls, bones, coils of rope, parchment… and much more. The Allmother's assistant grabbed a stone about a foot in width and half that in height and length before carrying it over to me. As I grabbed it, I let out an involuntary grunt–she had carried it without apparent effort, but it weighed well over 100 pounds.
"The second," She repeated herself as I tried to settle the stone into my arms, "is this. Take it to Ytte, and tell her to investigate the stone. She will know, eventually, what to do with it." With a nod, the Allmother finished, "That is all. Enjoy your journey, for it is only beginning."
She'd dismissed me and her assistant quickly walked me to the door, where she ushered me out and closed the door once more. Thus ended my meeting with the Allmother.
Thanks for reading!
Join the swarm! https://discord.gg/RqzsKj8hkD
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