Daylight Dancer

[Cearia Tserta]

OOC - this is an open thread so please join if you like


Many blessings had been bestowed to the people of the Undead Fires - united by the common goal of survival, the clan had prospered with perseverance as the favored chosen of the gods. They were slowly thriving as a people - bellies were no longer hungry, some were even large with child. Livestock slowly grew in number as more verne were herded, Beast Riders continued to train rancors - bonding together and rotating as part of the sentries that guarded the sacred lands of the clan.

All of that devoted work allowed the few children that survived to play.

"Daca no fair! I got you!" Jadis, all of seven rotations, puffed out her chest defiantly towards her companion with a sword, a branch with twine holding the hilt together. She wiped at her face, which was no longer gaunt from lack of food. "I felt it hit you!"

Daca was two rotations older and had a considerable height advantaged for her age. She shrugged with disagreement, awkwardly trying to twirl her spear, its tip made from rough bark to not elicit any real damage.

She ended up loosening her grip on the pole, the end bopping the top of her head. "Ow!"

Her face coiled together in pain, rubbing the throbbing that started. Another bruise to explain to the sisters watching over the orphans while Jadis laughed. The majority of the children's parents had died during the great cataclysm. Jadis and Daca were not the exception.

Sharp whistling caught both girls attention and looked up to see a smug Lantess firing off pretend arrows at them. "Ah ha! Got you both!!"

Both girls glared at the night boy, displeasure lining their smudged faces that he got the jump on them. Their little bodies stiffened before they looked to one another. Unspoken understanding passed between the young ones.

Lantess knew exactly what those looks meant. "Uh oh!"

Tiny as their voices may be, Daca and Jadis cried out, trying to mimic the ones used among the hunters. Their attempt sounded like a dying bolma, but they charged at him, weapons raised high.

The three of them ran wildly through the encampment, dodging adults and weaving around large legs - Lantess laughing as the girls jeered with promises of capturing their prey. To gain some distance from them he vaulted over a wagon, knocking over a line of salted burra fish. Exasperated mutterings of displeasure slowly disappeared behind them as the trio raced further away.

"SORRY!" was all they offered to appease the older night sister.

As the ground began to incline the closer they moved towards the caves, it made it harder for little legs to climb the slope. This challenge would not deter the girls for they would never admit defeat to a little night boy. With huffs and puffs they ascended, wanting to get a better vantage over him with the high ground but were surprised to see Lantess hiding among the bushes, happy to see them.

He pressed his finger to his lips and with the other, pointed towards a woman that was well known to this trio. Cearia, lead hunter for the clan and bound to Mother Anjali, never wanted to play with them. Everyone else in the clan would participate - either to teach or play - bringing some joy that elicited fond memories when the clans were full of children. Regardless of how the clans differed in raising them, they cared deeply for the next generation that would uphold the values of their people.

Now these three were the future of the Undead Fires and they were the children to all.

They were also constantly disappointed that one of the night sisters who had so much to teach, ignored them every ... single ... time.

Lantess waved them down, wanting his friends to join him. Daca and Jadis slowly crept down and smooshed against him as there wasn't enough cover. Huddled together, they watched Sister Cearia converse with a night brother.

"Why even try?" Jadis asked. "She never wants to play."

Lantess shrugged. "So?"

"So? Let's go. She's no fun," she pouted, as that should be enough to end the conversation.

"Bah. This will work."

"You said that last time," countered Daca. "And she ignored you."

"She kicked dirt at me."

"Which just happened as she walked by!"

"Shh!" he hissed, then grinned brightly with confidence. "Trust me. This will work..."




Cearia was with Enjo, going over supply needs for the clan - food stores, water supplies, materials for clothing. It was through intense labors that the Undead Fires hunters allowed minds to be eased and focused on living and thriving - not worry where supplies would come from. The hunters came and went on long ventures to keep that stability. Thankfully the gods had blessed them with more verne and the breeding efforts were underway. This cycle of their mating season was almost over and she was concerned that nothing would come of it. She was mindful that even beasts had to acclimate to a new way of life, being scattered across a damaged land. The cataclysm was felt by every living thing and adjustments had to be endured by all.

"Keep me updated on the mating endeavors, Enjo. Hopefully the gods will have blessed us with success."

"By the grace of the gods, I hope so," agreed the night brother.

Enjo was also blessed by the gods. After incurring the Clan Mother's wrath several moons back for speaking out of turn, Cearia had argued on his behalf that his skills were needed with the herd. He had a way with the animals and she trusted him while she was away on hunting parties. Anjali had agreed, but her suspicions towards the night brother had only tempered partially after she had sensed his interest in Cearia back then was now extinguished since the two women took their oaths.

"Hm." Her response appeared to be for Enjo, and the night brother had thought it too, but it was really for the trio of troublemakers that were attempting to sneak up on Cearia. They moved along the grass like a pack of rancors, barely hiding their small bodies on the land. They had so much to learn.

"The hunting party will return soon. Take a small group to meet them and help break down the game. Bring water and fruit in welcome."

"As you command, Sister Cearia." Enjo bowed respectfully before taking his leave.

Cearia watched him go, acting unawares that another hunting party was about to attack.

"YAAAAA!"

"GRRAAAH!"

"AAEEIIII!"

Daca sprung into view from the bushes, brandishing her spear and jabbing it towards Cearia threateningly. Jadis jumped off the incline, slipping onto her rear, before scrambling back up. She swung her sword and bared her teeth. With a flourish, Lantess rolled along the ground, planting a knee and a boot to steady himself as he unleashed pretend arrow after pretend arrow at Cearia. Daca and Jadis were set with having fun, even as they knew the huntress was about to walk off and ignore them once again. Lantess still hoped differently.

Then the unthinkable happened. Cearia gasped, clutching her chest with a hand. Her eyes were widened, full of shock, as she tried to say something but her voice only crackled. Then ... she slumped to the ground and didn't move.

Jadis was stunned, body froze with disbelief. Lantess lowered his bow arm, unsure what just happened.

Daca was the first to say something. "WE KILLED HER!"

Lantess rolled his eyes. "We didn't kill her."

"How can you be sure?! She never plays! What if we scared her to death?!"

"Because it makes no sense. No one dies like that."

Daca crouched on all fours and shuffled along the ground closer to Cearia. She extended the spear and lightly poked Cearia's side, hoping to get some sort of response. Nothing happened.

"We're in so much trouble, Lantess! She's Mother Anjali's chosen!" Daca's voice was becoming shrill, panicked, as the reality of what was happening settled in.

Jadis stayed away for now, paled face as she watched the cave's entrance for the Clan Mother to arrive at any moment and hand down punishment for killing her mate.

"Ugh." Frustrated, Lantess shuffled closer too, looking long and hard at Cearia from boots to face with a stern expression but his eyes betrayed doubt.

"See!" Daca saw his face was just as concerned as hers. "She's not breathing!"

Lantess wanted to argue that she was wrong, but the huntress lay there as still as a log. Not once did her chest move.

"I ... I don't know. There has to be something that happened."

"Yes... we scared her to DEATH! YOU'RE NOT LISTEN - ..."

"GRAAAHHHHHGGGHHHH!"

Cearia suddenly shot up, arms and legs flailing, as she sent the lot of them into a screaming frenzy. Little legs and arms scrambled to get their bodies moving, completely taken aback that she fooled them ... and was laughing!

"Gotcha!" She grabbed onto Daca's leg, pulling her along the ground and into her arms. "Where do you think you're going?"

Daca blinked and saw nothing but amusement in Cearia's eyes. This confused her, but the two shared a smile.

"Your approach needs work. Stay low. Watch your footing. You must become the ground." Daca, wide eyed, nodded to what was said, excited she was getting advice.

Lantess and Jadis peered around a bush, then ducked down when the hunter's attention turned towards them. "You three will make a good hunting party someday if you heed my words."

"Really?" asked Daca, now sitting on Cearia's lap.

"Yes. I've always thought so. But you need to practice. More on being quiet. And hiding. Not so much with the jumping and running and yelling. Those things tend to scare the animals off."

All three of them laughed or chuckled, which coaxed Lantess and Jadis out of hiding. They gazed upon the huntress with new eyes, thrilled that all this time she had noticed them.

"May I see that?" Cearia asked, looking to Daca's spear.

She handed it over and watched the hunter tighten the wooden arrowhead that had come loose. "Here you go. All fixed."

Daca beamed as she took it back.

"Now go on. You three have others to terrorize," she said firmly, leaving no doubt the children had to disperse. She picked Daca up, helping her to her feet, watching as she rejoined her friends. They gave her one more look that was a mix of awe perplexity as to what happened here before running off, leaving the hunter to her memories as she sat there.

She was once like them - causing mischief and many a ruckus with the Red Hills Clan. Elders berated her for running through the trade areas, Wardens shoving her to the ground, forcing her to grow in strength until she was the one knocking them down in combat. With who she was now to the clan, it was her duty, and honor, to pass that along to the children.