Kingsfall from your sadness, our happiness grew

Karina stared up at Kjors after he gave his answer, thoughts whirring as she attempted to understand. It seemed to Karina that if the Mother really wanted something done right, she would simply go to a wolf and ask for it... but then again, who was to say that the wolf would actually comply with her wishes? Karina’s eyes lit up as she finally understood. Approaching a wolf with Her plan could only get her so far, but manipulating events to Her liking, behind-the-scenes so to speak, that would ascertain things would go according to plan. It might take longer, but at least it didn’t depend on the fickle whims of a mortal wolf. The Mother played the long game, Karina realized, and that might be something she could learn from.   Kjors continued to teach, and as he did so things fell into place for Karina with sudden, enlightening clarity. The All-Mother, of course!  This was why she harbored such an aversion to harming living creatures—they were all children of The Mother, brothers and sisters! Karina realized that what she had interpreted as weakness all her life was simply a different, perhaps higher level of devotion to The Mother. What a relief it was to know that she wasn’t pathetic at all, just religious! Karina closed her eyes to settle into this newfound identity, and as she did so she exhaled everything about the old Karina. That anxious, secretive, confused, reactive girl was only part of her wolf-shell, shed easily if she put her mind to it. She opened her eyes to find that Kjors’ flickering, fiery aura was visible, his dragon humming contentedly with wings folded protectively around her.    “Tell me more,” she heard herself urge, tone even and words blooming from her mouth gracefully, like a flower opening up in the morning light. “Why does The Mother allow Her children to harm one another? Why does the wolf feed upon the deer? Is it because The Mother loves wolves most? Is She a wolf Herself?”  Firing questions at Kjors would have made Karina’s wolf-shell feel anxious and guilty, but Karina the Priestess was calm and patient, fixing her cloudy, inquisitive gaze upon her tutor steadily. The child felt her own flowing aura reaching out toward Kjors in curiosity, like the tendrils of an ivy vine extending slowly toward the sun.

(This post was last modified: Jul 08, 2015, 04:09 PM by Karina.)

   

    
 

"Ah'll tell y'everythin'," the dragon lord was happy to oblige, brightened by the notion someone else could be so curious about the Mother and all She stood for.  She was, after all, the All-Knowing.  It was remarkable how ignorant others could be, he thought, though this alone was not enough to motivate him to educate the masses.  Before he could spread that sort of word, he needed to establish himself, and his legacy.  This would come with time, once settled more firmly in the forest of Relic Lore, and once he had more intimate knowledge of those loners and packs that called it home.  

In the meantime, he was happy to educate his student – after all, she was the one bright enough to become a priestess.  It was so much more than being aware and accepting the Mother's presence, but actually beseeching her, and learning to understand Her will at a much more intimate level.  With a soft croon, he shuffled closer, settling in to groom the female as he chose a spot to continue his lecture-  No, that was the wrong word.  Lectures were boring, dull, practically a punishment in their own right.  This was a gift.  The Mother was joy and all things right with the world.  This sermon was meant to be enlightening, uplifting, even.

So much different than everything the swarthy exterior emanated.

It was everything the dragon adored, and if allowed, it would happily curl around the doe that had come so willingly under its wing.

"Ah'm not sure if allow is th' right word bu'…s'jes' th' way of life.  Th' world's too small fer everythin' t' live ferever.  Some are called back sooner than others.  Not always harm, bu' sickness, an accident, 'nything," he hummed, trying to find the correct words.  "Bu' understan' this – She is a Wolf, an' we are her favorite children, so yes…this is why we eat th' deer or th' fish or th' rabbit.  Bu' when we die, we become th' dirt, an' tha' th' grass, an' wha' do th' deer eat?  It all goes back in th' end."  He hummed softly.  "Tha' th' deer is yer gift doesn' change 'nythin'.  Dragons aren' her favorite, either.  Jes'…is wha' it is.  Th' deer knows peace an' secrecy.  Th' dragon knows ferocity an' loyalty…an' knows value when it sees it, yes?  Yes.  's simple, when y' think on it fer a while."

(This post was last modified: Jul 10, 2015, 03:10 AM by Kjors.)

Kjors’s golden aura brightened and beamed out like the sun as he described the All-Mother, and even the dragon-shadow yawned contentedly. This “Mother” was possibly the one thing Kjors’s two halves had in common, and so for once they seemed at peace with one another. Her teacher’s explanation rang truer to Karina’s ears than any other explanation of the circle of life that her family had provided, and thinking of death as a “call back” rather than an ending finally set things into place for the girl. While the earth was too small for all the Mother’s creation to live in harmony, She must reside in a much bigger place, more than large enough to accommodate all her children.  “Then why put us here at all? If we’re her favorite, and all her children go back to her eventually.. why must we be separate now?” Karina thought of how much she cared for Kjors, and if the Mother loved him even half as much she couldn’t imagine Her separating from him long enough for him to live a mortal life. “What.. what is her plan for us? For.. me?” The princess knew even as the words were coming out of her mouth that he would be unable to answer that question, for he had already stated that no known wolf could communicate directly with the Mother. "I think the Mother intervened and brought me you,” Karina said suddenly, realizing with a start that she would know nothing of Her at all if it wasn’t for Kjors. She must have wanted Karina to know Her, to worship Her! Perhaps Kjors was a reward for the good work she had been doing, preserving and nurturing Her entire creation. Karina thought of the hungry nights she spent in the communal den, trying to get to sleep after denying herself a supper of flesh.  Kjors was worth every skipped meal, in her opinion.

(This post was last modified: Jul 10, 2015, 07:54 PM by Karina.)

   

    
 

"Gotta prove our worth, first. Spread th' word. Undeservin' animals don' git t' return." And, of course, this was a terrible fate, for your everlasting soul to remain wandering until it was given a second chance, or banished from existence. It was the righteous and the loyal that would return to Her den and bask in Her warmth, he'd been taught. Not about doing the best thing, but by honoring her in all that was done. Take care of your family. Guide your pack. Live life as a wolf should. Importantly, do not forget who watches over you, and do not bring undo injury to her children, wolves or not.

Given, undo was up for debate, in Kjors' mind, and used rather liberally when applied to his own attempt to reestablish his father's pack and give Her followers a home, but this was something he didn't even consider bringing up. It was natural, after all. It served Her. With the dragon came violence, and She had given him the dragon. It served her, and it was not undo.

For he was the righteous and the holy.

Turning his head, he began to groom Karina in earnest, suddenly compelled to express his deep, blossoming affection for the younger wolf. "Ah dunno Her plans, gem," he reminded her softly, wise enough not to pretend, even for the yearling's sake. That, he often thought, was one of the quickest ways to find the Mother's ire. "Bu' Ah am certain she did intervene, aye. Ah could not imagine me life withoutcha."

Karina’s breathing hitched as Kjors finally imparted that only the deserving would rejoin the Mother after death. How had she not heard of this before? This was by far more important than anything she had been taught up to this point in her short life. Everything she might have attained in this life would have been meaningless if she had spent her days unknowingly opposing the Her wishes! How lucky Karina was to have chosen all on her own to sanctify all forms of life.. at least she didn’t have to start from scratch. Thank the Mother she was still young, with her entire life ahead of her to continue to devote to Her great plan! The girl’s heart sank to know that there were creatures that never made it back to see the All-Mother, but she had to admit it made a certain amount of sense. A rabbit who spent his days fertilizing the soil and creating more rabbits before he became a meal to a greater creature had served his Mother-given purpose well.. he was exactly the rabbit the Mother created him to be—no more and no less-- and She would joyfully welcome him back into Her embrace. On the other hand, a rabbit who spent his entire life wishing he was more—an eagle perhaps—would spend his days hopping incessantly up and down and flapping his long ears uselessly. That rabbit would eventually hop right off a cliff, thinking he could fly, and then what use would he be? Certainly none on earth, nor any to the Mother.  It was more complicated with wolves though—a wolf’s purpose was more difficult to interpret, and even if it was right there in front of him, a wolf’s ambition drove him to seek more.  Perhaps this was why The Mother loved her lupine children most; the wolf had it so much harder and had so many more possible choices, so it made it that much sweeter when he chose the Mother’s path. This, of course, was also why wolves needed so much guidance.. so much intervention and circumstance.  They needed someone Mother-sent to show them the Path, and Karina knew just the girl to do it. “Then I will use my gifts to serve Her children, and I’ll tell everyone about Her! I’ll make Her proud to call me Hers,” the princess vowed, snuggling against Kjors’s chest . He began to groom her vigorously, admitting aloud that he could no longer imagine life without her.   “Me either,” she concurred, joy radiating from her so intensely that she could find no other words to speak to Kjors. The pair settled comfortably into silence, both of them no doubt feeling the magnitude of the the child’s pledge. The Mother had gained a powerful advocate in Karina, and though neither teacher nor student knew it just then, from this point on the princess’s new faith would drastically affect their choices in the coming year, effectively altering the course of the rest of their mortal lives. fade

(This post was last modified: Jul 12, 2015, 03:10 AM by Karina.)

   

    
 

"Good."

That was the spirit of it, wasn't it?  Karina must be truly blessed, to understand and accept the Mother's will so easily.  He himself had a hard time grasping it as a child, though in his defense, his own father began to indoctrinate him as soon as the boy was old enough to understand basic vocabulary.  His father was one of the greatest mysteries, he did suppose – so loyal was he to the Mother, it made no sense that he was cut down in his prime.  Over and over, the dragon was forced to remind himself that he was not privy to Her will.  Perhaps he was simply too good for this world…and She wanted him to return sooner to his side.  For that, he supposed, he could not blame her.

Søren was a force of nature, all his own.  The first dragon he'd ever witnessed.

He'd have liked Karina, the male decided, pausing in his grooming for only a moment.  Certainly not the sort the man would have raised himself, but respectful, and smart.  So bloody smart, she was sharper than any tooth or claw, and she would blossom into an impeccable priestess someday.  It crossed Kjors' mind just then for he very first time that, perhaps, his beautiful gem might ascend to the rank of alpha herself – not for sheer force or bodily strength, but for her charisma and her newfound abilities from the Mother.

Allowing himself a roguish smile, he returned to his affectionate touches, murmuring only, "we'll work on this more later," in between grooming.  For now, though, he imagined the Mother would be content to allow them to bask in their newfound enlightenment, happy as Her children ever might be.

Fade.

(This post was last modified: Jul 13, 2015, 03:52 PM by Kjors.)