Post by Seirei Hisakata on Jun 22, 2012 21:28:36 GMT -1
The three siblings raced through the northern plains, twirling, whooping, and laughing. They soon left their village behind as Kurai and Seirei led their little sister to the base of the mountain range which veered off to the west. The mountains themselves circled the entire lands of Yoru, creating a rocky border around the thousands of acres that formed the legacy which the young wolves would one day inherit.
Mei gazed around herself in wonder as they began to pick their way over boulders to join the rising pass that her brothers had often explored. Expected to fulfil her duties, to her mother especially, within the palace, Mei had never been allowed to see her home lands with such freedom. Whenever she did leave the confines of the towering walls, she almost always had a group of escorts watching her every move. It was for her protection, they said, yet for Mei it was her suffocation.
After several minutes, Mei had to stop, her tongue hanging out slightly as she panted, “Is it much farther?” Her paws were slightly inflamed, not used to the rough terrain.
Kurai turned back at her, grinning. “Not tired already are we, Mei-Mei?”
Mei lobbed a pebble in his direction. He dodged it easily of course, his grin broadening. “Don’t call me Mei-Mei,” she snarled.
Seirei laughed at the two of them; always the middle child, always the peace-keeper. “He doesn’t mean anything by it, sis. You think you can keep going a bit longer? It’s only a little further, see?” He pointed up at a small peak which jutted out from the main body of the slope that they were climbing.
Mei squinted, and could see a shadow on the peak. “A cave? We came all this way for a cave?”
“No, not just a cave,” Kurai replied, but he would not give away anything more. “Now, c’mon. Up, up, up!” He scooted behind her, and pushed her forwards with his head, forcing her to dash up the path.
“H-hey!” she began to protest, as her legs stumbled at the speed. Seirei laughed again, but said no more, following the two of them up the track at a steady pace as they zoomed ahead. They soon arrived at the destination and Mei, freeing herself from her oldest brother, slumped down with a huff onto her behind – not very elegantly – her tail flopping over her lap.
Kurai could not help grinning at her pouty face. She was not used to being pushed about. “Hey, cheer up, grumpy. Don’t you want to see your present?”
Mei could not help pricking her ears up at that. After a fond poke on her brother’s shoulder, she followed him and Seirei to the little cave. Just outside the entrance, they stopped, and Seirei engulfed her in his enormous wings so she could not see.
“Your palace awaits, m’lady,” Seirei announced in a grand-sounding accent, one based off a character that she immediately recognised: the grumpy steward who always stood by their father’s side during affairs in the great hall, and who could be said to be somewhat disapproving of the two Princes’ conduct. Giggling, Mei’s pulse quickened with excitement.
“One …” counted Seirei.
“Two …” continued Kurai.
“THREE!” they shouted together, and Seirei swept away his wings, nudging his sister into the cave.
Mei gasped as she took in what was hers. The cave was compact, but decorated in every nook and cranny: blankets spread over the ground, plush pillows of all shapes and sizes – some, she realised, which really belonged in the guest quarters – silk drapes hanging from the stalactites, and a few of their old childhood toys scattered about.
“It’s a den, just for you, little sis,” Kurai said, his voice warm and kind.
“We know how hard it is for you to have time for yourself, especially with Mother being so restrictive,” Seirei added softly. “We thought you were old enough to have a secret place of your own.”
Mei’s eyes began to tear up, and she quickly hid her face behind her paw, but she could not stop the shakes of emotion. “It’s … it’s perfect. Thank you …” she began to sob, and her two brothers said nothing, but immediately embraced her together. It was all they needed, to know they had done a good thing. They stood in a huddle like that for a few moments, until they broke apart, Mei wiping her tears away on her paw.
Seirei looked out of the cave entrance at the horizon, and he frowned. “Kurai, the sun’s beginning to set. We’ve been here too long.”
Kurai turned his head in the same direction, saw, and nodded. “Time to get back. Father will kill us if we don’t get back before dark.”
Mei frowned, but she knew they were right. She knew they would take the blame for her sake, but she could not let that happen. “We’d best be quick,” she said, worried. Anxious, she bolted out of the cave and started for the slope which led back down to the base of the slope.
“Hey! Slow down, you can’t see where you’re going without us!” Seirei yelled after her, but she was out of ear shot. Cursing, Kurai dashed after her, Seirei at his heels. It did not take them long to find her. Hurtling round a bend in the track, they skidded to a halt when they heard a high pitched scream. Ears flattened in terror, the brothers dashed off in the direction of the noise. Seirei saw her first. Mei’s claws were dug into the loose earth of the side of the pass, her body dangling over the side.
“MEI!” Seirei yelled, pointing her out to his brother. They both ran over to her.
“MEI HANG ON!” Kurai shouted over the edge. “Seirei, find a long root, or … a branch, or something!” Panic was filling Kurai’s voice. He could not pull her up with his teeth, he would hurt her, and then she would let go. Seirei looked about him desperately; there was nothing like that in this barren landscape. It was just dirt and rocks. Instead, he went over to Kurai and placed his front paws over Mei’s, tears now filling his own eyes as well as hers, which were full of fear.
“Mei … please, try and hold on to me,” he begged.
“I .. can’t …” she whimpered.
“What are you doing?!” Kurai yelled at his brother, I told you to go get something!”
“There is nothing up here!” Seirei bellowed back. Seirei could see in Kurai’s eyes that he knew that it was true, but his brother’s fury was building up.
“You’re USELESS,” he snarled, swiping at Seirei with his right paw, knocking him backwards … causing him to let go of Mei. In a matter of seconds, she was gone.
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” Seirei shouted, tears now streaming down his muzzle. Kurai said nothing. He sat there on the edge, stunned, still as a statue, in shock. Cursing, Seirei launched himself off the edge of the peak, and spread his wings. He hurtled down, flattening his shape as much as he could. He could see Mei’s silhouette a few metres below him. He was gaining on her, he could catch her. He beat his wings violently until they burned with the strain.
He heard the thump on the earth but would not accept it. “MEI I’M COMING” he bellowed. Blinded with tears, he landed heavily, rolling several times before he stopped, the dry earth rising in a cloud around him. Groaning in pain, Seirei forced himself up onto his paws, dragging a limp back leg behind, over to where his sister lay still. He did not need to touch her to know that she was gone. Her neck was bent at an unnatural angle, drops of tears still fresh on her cheeks. It was her special day.
Every year, it would always be her special day.
Mei gazed around herself in wonder as they began to pick their way over boulders to join the rising pass that her brothers had often explored. Expected to fulfil her duties, to her mother especially, within the palace, Mei had never been allowed to see her home lands with such freedom. Whenever she did leave the confines of the towering walls, she almost always had a group of escorts watching her every move. It was for her protection, they said, yet for Mei it was her suffocation.
After several minutes, Mei had to stop, her tongue hanging out slightly as she panted, “Is it much farther?” Her paws were slightly inflamed, not used to the rough terrain.
Kurai turned back at her, grinning. “Not tired already are we, Mei-Mei?”
Mei lobbed a pebble in his direction. He dodged it easily of course, his grin broadening. “Don’t call me Mei-Mei,” she snarled.
Seirei laughed at the two of them; always the middle child, always the peace-keeper. “He doesn’t mean anything by it, sis. You think you can keep going a bit longer? It’s only a little further, see?” He pointed up at a small peak which jutted out from the main body of the slope that they were climbing.
Mei squinted, and could see a shadow on the peak. “A cave? We came all this way for a cave?”
“No, not just a cave,” Kurai replied, but he would not give away anything more. “Now, c’mon. Up, up, up!” He scooted behind her, and pushed her forwards with his head, forcing her to dash up the path.
“H-hey!” she began to protest, as her legs stumbled at the speed. Seirei laughed again, but said no more, following the two of them up the track at a steady pace as they zoomed ahead. They soon arrived at the destination and Mei, freeing herself from her oldest brother, slumped down with a huff onto her behind – not very elegantly – her tail flopping over her lap.
Kurai could not help grinning at her pouty face. She was not used to being pushed about. “Hey, cheer up, grumpy. Don’t you want to see your present?”
Mei could not help pricking her ears up at that. After a fond poke on her brother’s shoulder, she followed him and Seirei to the little cave. Just outside the entrance, they stopped, and Seirei engulfed her in his enormous wings so she could not see.
“Your palace awaits, m’lady,” Seirei announced in a grand-sounding accent, one based off a character that she immediately recognised: the grumpy steward who always stood by their father’s side during affairs in the great hall, and who could be said to be somewhat disapproving of the two Princes’ conduct. Giggling, Mei’s pulse quickened with excitement.
“One …” counted Seirei.
“Two …” continued Kurai.
“THREE!” they shouted together, and Seirei swept away his wings, nudging his sister into the cave.
Mei gasped as she took in what was hers. The cave was compact, but decorated in every nook and cranny: blankets spread over the ground, plush pillows of all shapes and sizes – some, she realised, which really belonged in the guest quarters – silk drapes hanging from the stalactites, and a few of their old childhood toys scattered about.
“It’s a den, just for you, little sis,” Kurai said, his voice warm and kind.
“We know how hard it is for you to have time for yourself, especially with Mother being so restrictive,” Seirei added softly. “We thought you were old enough to have a secret place of your own.”
Mei’s eyes began to tear up, and she quickly hid her face behind her paw, but she could not stop the shakes of emotion. “It’s … it’s perfect. Thank you …” she began to sob, and her two brothers said nothing, but immediately embraced her together. It was all they needed, to know they had done a good thing. They stood in a huddle like that for a few moments, until they broke apart, Mei wiping her tears away on her paw.
Seirei looked out of the cave entrance at the horizon, and he frowned. “Kurai, the sun’s beginning to set. We’ve been here too long.”
Kurai turned his head in the same direction, saw, and nodded. “Time to get back. Father will kill us if we don’t get back before dark.”
Mei frowned, but she knew they were right. She knew they would take the blame for her sake, but she could not let that happen. “We’d best be quick,” she said, worried. Anxious, she bolted out of the cave and started for the slope which led back down to the base of the slope.
“Hey! Slow down, you can’t see where you’re going without us!” Seirei yelled after her, but she was out of ear shot. Cursing, Kurai dashed after her, Seirei at his heels. It did not take them long to find her. Hurtling round a bend in the track, they skidded to a halt when they heard a high pitched scream. Ears flattened in terror, the brothers dashed off in the direction of the noise. Seirei saw her first. Mei’s claws were dug into the loose earth of the side of the pass, her body dangling over the side.
“MEI!” Seirei yelled, pointing her out to his brother. They both ran over to her.
“MEI HANG ON!” Kurai shouted over the edge. “Seirei, find a long root, or … a branch, or something!” Panic was filling Kurai’s voice. He could not pull her up with his teeth, he would hurt her, and then she would let go. Seirei looked about him desperately; there was nothing like that in this barren landscape. It was just dirt and rocks. Instead, he went over to Kurai and placed his front paws over Mei’s, tears now filling his own eyes as well as hers, which were full of fear.
“Mei … please, try and hold on to me,” he begged.
“I .. can’t …” she whimpered.
“What are you doing?!” Kurai yelled at his brother, I told you to go get something!”
“There is nothing up here!” Seirei bellowed back. Seirei could see in Kurai’s eyes that he knew that it was true, but his brother’s fury was building up.
“You’re USELESS,” he snarled, swiping at Seirei with his right paw, knocking him backwards … causing him to let go of Mei. In a matter of seconds, she was gone.
“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” Seirei shouted, tears now streaming down his muzzle. Kurai said nothing. He sat there on the edge, stunned, still as a statue, in shock. Cursing, Seirei launched himself off the edge of the peak, and spread his wings. He hurtled down, flattening his shape as much as he could. He could see Mei’s silhouette a few metres below him. He was gaining on her, he could catch her. He beat his wings violently until they burned with the strain.
He heard the thump on the earth but would not accept it. “MEI I’M COMING” he bellowed. Blinded with tears, he landed heavily, rolling several times before he stopped, the dry earth rising in a cloud around him. Groaning in pain, Seirei forced himself up onto his paws, dragging a limp back leg behind, over to where his sister lay still. He did not need to touch her to know that she was gone. Her neck was bent at an unnatural angle, drops of tears still fresh on her cheeks. It was her special day.
Every year, it would always be her special day.
