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Cool, the boarders of AniWaya are right were Cwmfen was prior to this thread... Let’s say that she’s at the North Eastern boarder, OuO
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Cwmfen nic Graine walked silently upon the darkened lands. The snow fell heavily, but the wind was minimal. The world was gradually being suffocated by a blanket of cold, and it lay tranquilly to accept this inevitable fate. She felt, then, closer to the world, for her own life, it seemed, had taken a similar road. A light sigh escaped her, releasing a white cloud into the world. She knew not what was in her own mind. She walked quietly, deep in thought. The Long Nights had ended. She had lain with Haku, and he, inadvertently perhaps, had initiated her into womanhood. But she had to admit that she had felt more than that with their joining that night. The chocolate male had intrigued her—it was his superiority among others, but his dark personality too—but he was not available to her, for he belonged to Firefly. She admitted envy towards the other female of her pack, but she admitted it quietly. She would not let such a thing get in the way of their own relationship. She was sure that there would be some one for her some day, and that would be good enough for now.
It was strange and frightening, too, for she had found her dream animal. Indeed, it should have been a relief, an event worthy of celebration. But its form was what frightened her. Raven. Perhaps it was merely coincidence? She’d like to think so.... Indeed, the Raven was not completely an ill omen: skill, cunning, single-mindedness, bringer of knowledge. The raven taught one to learn from the past, not to hold onto it. But the Raven was also trickery, conflict, death and war. Indeed, despite its ambiguity and ill-omen, the Raven seemed to suit her well.... Or perhaps it merely foreshadowed a darker fate. Corvus. She thought of her father. The crow wolf...
Perhaps it was merely coincidence....
The crows cawed about her in the woods. The warrior paused, her white orbs turning towards the snowing heavens. One raven had followed her, its deep croaking unique from the lighter calls of crows. Its pied plumage haunted her memories, and she knew that he would be accompanying her until she died. The raven, however, had its left eye missing, and she wondered why her companion had been chosen thusly.... More ill-omens? Despite its ominous appearance, the Raven had already given her a dream. She dreamt of a tribe newly formed, a tribe lead by a warrior female. She wondered why the Raven had chosen to show this vision to her, and so she now searched for this tribe.
Cwmfen traveled in luperci form, bearing in her hand a newly made spear. The shaft was decorated patiently and beautifully with designs much like the ones that covered her own body. The blade of the spear held the image of her dream animal, the raven. It would be her emblem from now on, a source of her power and pride. Tied to the flute that held the blade was a raven’s feather, the tip dipped in read, a token of her kills. A identically decorated feather was tied in her mane—a kill feather. It seemed that now she had passed the rites of womanhood, she had grown into a warrior worthy of her skill. She stood proudly now upon the boarders of AniWaya, though she knew not where she was, and wondered at it. This place was so far from Dahlia de Mai. Planting the spear into the ground, Cwmfen nic Graine howled into snow-filled sky, calling, wondering, for this leader of whom she had dreamt. The dual coloured raven called as her voice died in the wind, and landed upon the arm that held the spear. The white orbs turned to look upon the raven, and she found that it did not frighten her any longer. He clicked his beak, a mischievous glint in his inky eye, but was silent as they waited together.
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[html] http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/ ... table2.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> Sorry for the wait on this. DX
Tsigili, as with most of his time, stayed perched on a tree near the borders, taking flight every so often to light on a branch in a different area. The owl was her eyes when her own eyes could not see, keeping careful watch of their borders, more-so than usual. It was a daunting task for a spirit, though one that the owl took with acceptance and pride. If their lands were to be attacked it would be Tsigili that would be their saving grace, for his word would reach the raven woman far before the blood seeking bodies of the enemy would. It was he who first saw the lone traveler, he who caught first glance at the raven that followed, and the owl was immediately on alert.
Unfortunately for her owl friend, the sounds of the traveler's voice reached her ears before the owl had. Ayegali had already risen and removed herself from her small make-shift shelter when the owl finally appeared, speaking of a warrior and death, but of no army that accompanied them. "Thank you." It was all that she could offer her friend vocally, but she knew the owl understood how much it meant and how very much appreciated he was. Concerned, Ayegali clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, calling her horse from deep inside of the woods. They would ride to the borders to face this warrior, but Ayegali meant to make no assumptions about the situation.
It took only a moment for the dark woman to gather her spear, which was made from a branch of the great red tree, and fashion it at her horse's side, bound in cloth to protect the both of them as they rode. She mounted him easily, keeping her left had at the side of his neck and her right wound carefully in his mane and after barely a second they were off. She leaned into him as she rode, head tucked down but silver eyes alert as ever, keeping the wind from her face the best that she could. Riding was not something that she liked to do often in winter, the ice and snow and wind stung both her and her companion, but there were times that called for such measures. Since the last attack on her tribe, it was better to be safe than sorry.
It didn't take long for the woman and her horse to come into view of the stranger, to which they reacted by slowing their traveling speed down to a walk. The two approached carefully and, giving Vtsi a careful tug on his mane, stopped quite a few feet away from the stranger. A careful pat to the horse's neck was given before the woman dismounted, though she left her spear behind as she approached the traveler. Her approach was slow and cautious, but as always her demeanor and facial expressions were that of acceptance and kindness. There was no point of needless hostility and, from the immediate impression that she got from the stranger, something told her that the other woman was more honorable than most she had met.
"Death's servant accompanies you." She informed the stranger, but she suspected that the woman already knew that. The Raven Mocker. This creature that followed the woman was not a spirit at all though, not a witch nor a spirit in disguise, only a bad omen, in their belief, to the one whom it followed. "I am Ayegali Kala and this is AniWaya." The woman seemed like she might understand better than others, for Ayegali couldn't ignore the resemblance of their markings, the blue of the stranger and the red of the Kalona that stood before her, both seeming tribal in nature.
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Cwmfen’s form remained lithic in the snow, impervious to any stimulus. The white orbs watched the approaching form through the snow. The gaze was steady, calculating. She found that she did not recognize to what creature such a form belonged. It was large—a bear, perhaps? For the wind and the snow, the female was forced to rely only upon sight. Yet, despite the danger accompanied by such a creature, the woad-marked warrior maintained the façade of impenetrable serenity. For the way in which the silhouette seemed to move did not resemble any movement of bears. Steadily, the black fae studied that approaching figure, curious now. It seemed as if it were this creature that answered her call, and yet it seemed to take on such an unlikely form. The dual-coloured bird cocked its head to view the creature with its single eye as well, yet he seemed unbothered by it. Such a reaction—or lack thereof—hinted that there was no danger to this matter.
The creature was close now, and upon inspection, the form was composed of several creatures. The one observed initially was the black luperci. Through the snow, the woad warrior was unable to catch the details of the other’s appearance, and her attention briefly fell to the second form. It was a horse. She recognized it from her homelands. Many of her mother’s people were known to ride these creatures—and with unmatched skill. As a warrior, she, too, would have been instructed in such an art. The crow-wolf, however, had not permitted for such freedom. His desire for the blood of Graine’s family was great, and the woad-marked fae now understood why he had desired it so. She wondered if he were even a wolf at soul. Perhaps he was something else. The clicking of the Raven’s beak brought her attention back to the approaching female.
She was of a distance that permitted detail to permeate the swirling walls of snow about Caledonian-Korean. Cwmfen was intrigued to observe the red markings that characterized the other’s body. So similar and yet so different from her own.... Cwmfen’s markings had been given to her by her mother, and she had carefully dyed her fur with the woad even when she had been unaware of her luperci form. Yet, it seemed almost as if her fur were naturally so, a result of some freak birth. But, with the spring seasons, she would grow the woad and apply it still, if only for ritualistic purposes, if only to ponder their presence. The white orbs lingered a few moments more upon the other markings, wondering of the plant that would make such a shade. Then she turned those white eyes to the other’s grey when the first words between them were spoken.
A smile danced upon her maw. "My Dream," the silver toned alto began, indicating with her maw the bird, "is the Raven. Perhaps an appropriate one." War was, after all, the female’s passion, her life fire’s source of power. She allowed for momentary silence to fall between them as she considered the song that the earth seemed to sing. The song of Ayegali Kala was beautiful—unique. It was unlike anything she had ever heard. Perhaps it was this that intrigued the female, the allowed her to put aside her natural timidity. "I am Cwmfen nic Graine of Dahlia de Mai," she replied with a slight bow in greeting. The white orbs flickered briefly across the spear left with the steed. Such resemblances between the two females were striking, and not easily dismissed.
"The Raven has Dreamed of you, Ayegali Kala. This tribe of AniWaya.... are they all warriors?" She knew suddenly that this was the one she sought, the leader of this tribe, and she spoke with a regality and respect for this leader. Her curiosity for her trade was unmasked as the wild flame flickered within the eyes of the newly initiated woman. "And the horses," she said again, as she admired the animal behind Kala. "Are they easily ridden?" The woad-marked warrior seemed to make empty conversation, and perhaps she was. While suddenly she seemed to know exactly why she was here, she knew nothing of what she truly sought. Why had the Raven lead her here. Indeed, she saw the similarities between the AniWayan leader and herself, but to what purpose would this meeting end?
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[html] http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/ ... table2.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> I looked and looked and looked for this thread and couldn't find it. I finally went to your post log and clicked the link, the links at the top say that it's in the AniWaya forum, but when I look through there it isn't actually there. Have you had any trouble seeing it? x___x
As intrigued as Ayegali was with the other woman, the presence of the raven had taken more of her attention. It was odd for such a creature to attach itself to another, and even more odd, that the raven wasn't a spirit at all. The Raven Mocker. Even just the thought sent her ears laying back, but Ayegali also knew that this creature couldn't be The Raven Mocker, perhaps just a living servant. Even so, the fact that the creature was there made the woman weary, but she finally peeled silver eyes away from it, back to settle on the stranger that had arrived at their borders. "Your dreams are haunted?" The woman asked quietly, despite the fact that it might have been quite the assumption to make.
"The Raven is a bad omen here." She informed the woman, though nothing that may have indicated anything bad. "The Raven hungers for death, they try to steal our lives before it is our time by preying on the ill and weak." But Ayegali knew that not everyone believed the same that they did. She did wonder, though, if the Raven did the same to others and they just were not aware. Instead of regarding the questions of the other woman, which would have been the polite thing, she spoke once more. "If you find yourself in more trouble than you can handle, come and find us." An offer that the Kalona wouldn't make to just anyone. It was for the well being of the woman that the raven followed and those that lived throughout the lands.
"We are not all warriors here, no." She answered finally, a very thin smile finally settling on her features, despite the fact that the presence of the raven made her uncomfortable. "There are many warriors here though, but only a select few who have taken that path of life." The very same path that Ayegali had taken, and would still be on were it not for the fact that she had been chosen to lead the tribe. "Our members have all manner of skills, from tracking to working with medicine, and even those who have chosen to settle with daily tasks such as upkeep." And each task was a task done with honor and pride which, perhaps, separated them even farther apart from most packs.
"And the horses, they are more our companions than anything else." And she smiled at this, because they were some of the best companions one could have. "They often choose on their own, who they wish to accompany. Once that happens, like any other relationship, it takes bonding and trust. After that, though, they are very easily ridden." But it was never just that easy. "Now and again you can find them in the wild, running free, but we've only ever taken those who wish to come with us on their own accord." Because of that, she believed, it was why they often chose to come with them. "Perhaps you can come and meet some of ours, maybe you could find yourself a friend."
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That’s really weird! I don’t have trouble seeing the thread; I found it through the forum several times.... I wonder what would make that happen. OnO
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The white orbs studied the other black woman with curious eyes. Those silver hued eyes were riveted upon the form of the dual coloured Raven, and he turned his one remaining black eye to watch the AniWayan with a strangely empty gaze. The bird’s beak clicked several times as if he were laughing, a strange and empty sound, before he crawed that strange raven’s croak. That sudden sound juxtaposed the mood of those prior clicks, for there was something sinister in that Raven’s voice. And when the crimson marked female finally looked away, the Raven’s gaze was unmoved and remained riveted on an empty space. The woad warrior recognized the discomfort experienced by the clan’s leader, and she had no doubt that such discomfort originated from the presence of that pied bird. The woad banded ears pricked forward as she cocked her head, as if uncertain as to what the other female was saying, but after a long moment, the female responded.
"The Raven is the animal which guides my Dream. He is my Dream." The alto voice spoke slowly and with great care, for she wanted to be clear. But this Dream was a cultural entity, she had learned, and not many understood. It was different from a spirit guide, and she was not sure how to explain in with language. "Dreams do not usually epitomize themselves." In fact, they had never epitomized themselves. And so this was why the female was almost afraid, because, while the Raven had shown itself to be her dream, if the Raven perching on her arm were not to be what he was supposed to be—the young female did not know what the implications would be. But that warning was clear in the back of her mind. She merely lacked the means to acknowledge it. "He suddenly appeared after my Dream was made known to me. He shadows me everywhere, and I could not shake him. I have accepted that he is my Dream." But now that she said it aloud, she was afraid of what that meant.
"It is a bad omen where I come from as well—or can be. It is also the guiding entity that leads the soul across the river of Death." The female responded with a smile. "This Raven’s coloring is particularly foreboding for me." The smile faltered, for there was little for which to smile when it came to her father, her father who held the same colouring as this crow. "The Raven is silent and does not speak, and perhaps this is most disturbing." Cwmfen hoped that this bird would not bring an ill intentions into her life—or perhaps it had a different intent, something greater that she would not be able to shake. And so when Ayegali Kala offered to her aid should she require it, the female graciously accepted the proposition with a deep bow of her head. "Should it come to that, I will be grateful for your aid."
While she could not ignore the heavy weight of the bird, the mental digression that the AniWayan provided for her was welcomed. Of course they were not all warriors—she had been careless in the voicing of her thoughts. The female was aware that such a life was not for everyone. But there were many here, the AniWayan said, and she nodded silently. For AniWaya to be a successful clan, it would be wise to retain the wide array of professions that the other packs provided, and she knew that Kala knew this too. For war was not an eternal thing, especially in land where the packs strove to keep the peace.
Horses greatly intrigued the female, for they were a great asset for the warriors in her homeland. A horse was an inseparable companion in life and in battle. But Cwmfen was not sure if she needed a horse, or if a horse would need her, for that matter. And perhaps it was not something for her. But she could not help her curiosity, and, while the offer was open, perhaps the female would allow herself to check them out. "I’m not sure if I’m ready to accept another companion," the Dahlian began, gesturing with her maw to the Raven (who’s gaze finally lifted to observe his Dreamer), "But I’d love to see the horses, if you wouldn’t mind." The warrior’s tail wagged once behind her, and she hoped that she would be able to see these animals and observe what type of creatures they were.
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[html] http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/ ... table2.png); background-position: bottom center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"> It was apparently a problem with the AniWaya forum alone and Tammi managed to fix it for me. XD It was set to hide threads after a certain amount of time, for some reason. >__<;
While Ayegali was set in her beliefs and in the ways of her tribe, she was still as open-minded as they came. She understood that not everyone lived the ways that they did, that not everyone believed in the same things, but she also understood that they could all live together so long as there was a bit of understanding on everyone's part. It was the woman's explanation of the raven that made her curious, how it had shown itself to her in her dreams and then was suddenly there. The AniWayans never had any inkling of their spirit, or what it might be, until the spirit actually showed itself. The dreams were something that she would have to look in to later.
"He is odd." The woman admitted, amidst her thoughts of why the raven might have chosen the woman to follow. Having just met her, knowing very little about her, there was no way that Ayegali could ever really know though, especially since the woman didn't seem to know herself. "I don't think I've seen one like him before..." And that wasn't even including the missing eye, which seemed particularly odd. Was it possible that it had been sent specifically to follow her? Had it even existed before the dream that the woman had? There were to many questions in the Kalona's head, not enough answers that made themselves stand out, and she didn't want to make the situation any heavier by asking anything more. Things would reveal themselves in time, they always did, and she just hoped it wasn't to late by then.
"The horses roam freely." She said, waving a hand at the woman to follow her, trying to be sure that the transition of subjects was a quick one. "They can come and go as they please but mostly they choose to stay around here." She supposed it was because they were safe here, taken care of. Ayegali didn't know the others in the area that well and whether or not they might consider a horse food. "We provide them a shelter from the weather and gather up food for them, but mostly they can care for themselves." Ayegali was leading Cwmfen towards Vitsi, her own horse, who had been waiting patiently behind for the return of her friend. His immediate reaction as the nears was to crane out his head, where Ayegali carefully placed her hand.
"This is Vitsi, my own companion. There are others with companions and some without, who simply stay because we've allowed them to, waiting to find someone of their own." She gave the horse a bit of a pat, urging him off on his own, a sign that he was free to go if he wished to do so. "The rest are a bit farther into the lands, we put them in farther because we weren't sure how everyone else who lives in these lands will react to them." She explained as they went, Vitsi falling in to a slow pace at her side.
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