And Your Point Is?

Ralla · 01-20-2011, 09:58 PM

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Located around the Spirit Oak. This could also count as a small prelude to Ralla's actual Spirit Journey, although that won't take place for awhile >.>

Four days. Four days was all it had taken for Ralla and Noss to hurry back from the Halycon Mountains, their journey being more straight-shot and less uncertain as before. The two of them had not been able to leave the Anathema territory fast enough, and Ralla was just glad it was over. No good vibe had rolled off onto her from that place, and the haunting offer of Naniko began to lay itself dormantly--blessedly--within her mind, a promise to never bother her with the pack's strange system or haunting aura again.

Now in her home--safe, comfortable, happy--Ralla was walking around the southernmost part of the village itself, working her way through the hibernating and coniferous trees to the place she had only heard about and had yet to fully see. A small grove where the trees give way to a small field of grass. In the center of the grove is the Spirit Oak, where the tribe's guides are carved into a sacred wood. Her little journey was mostly to satisfy her own personal curiosity--the visiting of a sacred icon long delayed--and to see what she was lacking. Ever since she had arrived at AniWaya, she had felt the presence of the Spirit Guides through her tribe mates, wondering what those gatherings of energy were, but had left them well enough alone. The manifestations and what the Great Spirits chose to do was out of her hands, although she had secretly wished, fervently, that they would see fit to bless her with a Spirit Guide as well. One had yet to come.

The tall grass she had once heard about was long since dead from the winter chill and snow, but the Spirit Oak--Adanvdo Tsusga--still stood in the center of the clearing, the long-since dead tree devoid of leaves and beginning to turn ashen white from its age and wearing. She walked up to the tree peacefully and bowed her head to say a prayer as she stood in front of it, aware of its significance. Every tribe member who had been with a Spirit Guide had carved the likeness of the animal in the bark of the tree, and when they died... The carefully cut holes in the branches were testament to the dead tribe members who had passed on with their guide, as if leaving behind an emptiness that could no longer be filled. The ancient tree's branches still twisted and expanded to make a great cover, and through the branches Ralla could make out the etched figures of animals representing her current tribe. There were a few too many, and she wondered if there were other members who had gained a Spirit Guide but who had left the tribe to go elsewhere, leaving the tree to wonder how long it would bear the burden of anchoring a guide to the mortal plain.

Reaching out a hand, Ralla drew back the snowy paw in hesitant respect, wondering if it was alright to touch the sacred tree. But she wanted to outline her fingers over the carvings; to feel the power that coursed through this tree. Her fingerpads gently touched the raised part of a panther, and she wondered who it belonged to. She could imagine a time--if before or after, the distinction was blurred--when the tree may have or might be full of the animal carvings, and so appear to be a parade of dancing animals. And then...when the owners died...All that would soon remain of the tree would be splinters. Death was a necessary but sad part of life, but looking at the hollow parts of the tree, as if a blip had appeared and taken with it what once had been, it was a grim reminder of the fact. Behind Ralla, in the trees surrounding the grove, a barn owl landed and almost appeared to watch her, tilting its head to and fro to catch a better glimpse. But its presence was not noted, so engrossed was Ralla in her task of locating the current animals on the tree, even as her mind pondered as to why the Great Spirits had not given her a guide. Is it because I have yet to tell Father about my leaving the Moon Tribe? Do the spirits see me as unworthy? Have I done something wrong? Such thoughts re-entered her conscience mind to peck at her, but Ralla was not deterred. If she had done something wrong, she would fix it. As for her father, there was nothing she could do about that until she, Kemo, and Noss went south.

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

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