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Post by Seirei Hisakata on Feb 16, 2012 21:08:49 GMT -1
Seirei had reached their den in no time at all, following his departure from Hiruko and Mira's home on the other side of Lacina Forest. He had been away from his den for a while and was surprised to see small piles of earth everywhere. He had forgotten his instructions to Tersias to build safe tunnels, in case Koatia, or in fact any enemy, were to attack and threaten their family.
He quickly put down Sai and Kai next to their other siblings, and the pups huddled together with worried expressions on their faces as Seirei gently laid Tersias down on the bed.
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Post by Tersias Tara-Hisakata on Feb 16, 2012 21:11:50 GMT -1
"He's still out there... why did you let him stay?" she whimpered, still dazed and confused "Seirei, you should have seen it. If he stays, I just..." She was shaky, her small frame racked with tremors.
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Post by Seirei Hisakata on Feb 17, 2012 21:18:28 GMT -1
'It's alright kids,' Seirei said softly to his pups. 'Mum's just having another vision, you know how it is.' With that he quickly ushered them into a side room. Before shutting the door he muttered to Ebony, 'Make sure you all stay in there until I come and fetch you, ok?' He could trust her most he found, she was the most responsible of the lot and the most mature.
'Ok, Dad.' she whispered back. Seirei gave her a brief smile then turned back to his mate, shutting the door behind him.
Tersias' shakes weren't as violent as a few moments ago, but she was still quivering in fear from whatever she had seen. Seirei set about busily making something warm for her to drink, starting a roaring fire with a casual flick of his tail, heating the water in a pot, then adding mint leaves and other herbs from a wooden bowl they kept on the side. The forest was full of them luckily, so Seirei had grown to know them and their general properties by chance and scent. He looked over his shoulder occassionally as he waited for the leaves to brew, trying to give reassuring smiles now and then at Tersias.
Finally it was ready, and Seirei quickly poured the water into a cool bowl, leaving the dregs of the leaves behind in the pot. Warm steam rose from the drink, filling the room with a soothing aroma. 'Here, hun,' he said calmly, as he tilted her head back with one paw, and slowly tipped the water into her mouth. Hopefully the willow bark and lavender should soothe the pain and calm her he thought. He would let her speak first, but only when she was more relaxed. He sat there, next to the bed, brushing the top of her head with his wing.
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Post by Tersias Tara-Hisakata on Feb 23, 2012 16:24:12 GMT -1
An odd shiver ran down Tersias' spine as she drank. The mist in her eyes began to clear slowly, and she sat, still shaking, as her breathing slowed to its normal rate and she tried to control her emotions a little better.
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Post by Seirei Hisakata on Feb 24, 2012 12:37:47 GMT -1
((OOC - Tersias, your post is too short, please view the rules thread if you're unsure how long they should be))
Seirei breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed that the remedy was taking effect; Tersias' shakes seemed to be under control and her breathing normal. 'There, that's better isn't it?' Seirei said, smiling reassuringly. He pulled the blanket that lay sprawled across the bed higher so it covered her up to her chin and so that she was more comfortable. 'Do you think you're ready to tell me about your vision?' he asked tentatively. Seirei had been patient, but he was quietly desperate to hear about her vision, why it had made her act so strangely towards Kiryu.
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Post by Tersias Tara-Hisakata on Feb 24, 2012 15:35:26 GMT -1
She gasped in the air, glad to have regained contact with the outside world. "I'm sorry" she mumbled quietly. "I know I'm a pain to deal with when I have visions, but it's not like I have any control over them..."
Looking up at Seirei's patient, but worried face, she took in a deep breath and began to explain. "Everything was gone. The grass was burnt, the forest was felled, the birds were silent..." her face was grim and solemn. "We were all fine, but I was talking to you, and you said...." the words were jarring in her throat. "You said that we couldn't survive another attack like the last. And that you couldn't see how we could defeat an army that was already dead. And that was when I surfaced. They must know he's gone Seirei, and I don't think we have much time - the cubs were there and they weren't even a year old yet. I doubt we have more than a few weeks, a month if we're lucky."
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Post by Seirei Hisakata on Feb 24, 2012 21:16:39 GMT -1
Seirei's brows furrowed as he listened to his mate. Tersias' visions weren't always set in stone, the future could always change depending on certain circumstances, but this time it seemed too detailed to be pushed to one side. Seirei did not know, or really understand, about the place called 'hell' that Kiryu said he had been sent to, nor did he know how beings from this other underworld could ever get to Tialka. The only way of controlling future events that he knew of was to keep an eye on Kiryu, any changes in attitude, any worrying climate-related signs.
'From what I gathered from Kiryu's brief explaination,' Seirei spoke slowly, 'Kiryu wouldn't willingly let anything from that place find him again. Just looking at his face when he spoke, you could tell that he wouldn't go near that place again if he could help it ... unless, there are others who could would want to burn everything we hold dear. Koatia perhaps ... or Seema? Alone they may not be able to cause such large scale destruction, but if they had allies...'
There had been so many newcomers to the world recently, some he knew more than others, so who knows? Maybe some would turn in that direction one day.
((OOC - Seirei isn't aware of Kurai's recent arrival and motives))
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Post by Tersias Tara-Hisakata on Feb 25, 2012 8:51:24 GMT -1
Tersias sighed. She knew that she was only young, and that she couldn't always understand the things going on in the world around her. But she also knew what her instinct was telling her - her instinct as a mother. "All I know is that every single bit of my instinct is telling me that we need to get rid of Kiryu, and fast. And I know I'm not the most logical thinker, or the best planner, and I know that my instinct is always to overreactt. And as long as I know that there's a chance of things going that way, I'm going to be on edge, Seirei. I'm scared, this is bigger than me and bigger than I can understand, and it's terrifying me."
Her little face was solemn, her big, bright eyes wet with tears. "I can't see enough of this to make decisions, I know that. But please, Seirei, whatever decision you make, make it the right one."
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Post by Seema Tara on Feb 27, 2012 22:03:06 GMT -1
Seema reached the forest just as darkness swallowed the land. She sighed - it was dark business, but she had hoped to do this in daylight. Arriving in the dead of night with such news weighed heavily on her heart, and she was reluctant to continue. But there was no delaying what had already been, and there were many arrangements to make in the homeland. It felt wrong though, disturbing a mother at night to tell her news of her own mother. Seema loosened the scarf which had been wound tight around her face in her travels - the heat, sand and insects were gone now, and it seemed right to enter this situation openly and honestly.
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Post by Seirei Hisakata on Mar 3, 2012 17:27:39 GMT -1
"I promise I'll try, for you and our pups." Seirei said earnestly, nuzzling his foreheard against hers affectionately. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes, their breathing as one. Their bond was strong, nothing could tear them apart. Sure they had their disagreements every now and then, but if anything happened to his mate, Seirei's fidelity meant he would get her back at any cost.
Reluctantly he pulled away from Tersias and went to open the door to the room where the pups had obediently stayed put. Seirei chuckled when he saw them snuggled together in a little pile in the middle of the room, worn out from digging, with little smudges of dirt on their paws and noses, sleeping peacefully. These are the moments that make living worth it, he thought contentedly.
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Post by Seema Tara on Mar 5, 2012 19:11:08 GMT -1
Seema's feet felt heavy as she approached the den. As much as she disliked her little sister, and as much as her mind raced with the possibilities being back in Tialka could offer her, this was not how she had imagined returning to Tersias' home. The news she was here to share would disturb Tersias greatly, she had no doubt of that. And the position it left in the tribe for Tersias to fill would need to be declined extremely diplomatically - and therefore slowly. Reaching the enormous tree the den was hidden beneath, she knocked the door, the dull, hollow sound of her paw on the wood seeming somehow ominous and empty today.
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Post by Seirei Hisakata on Mar 5, 2012 19:26:31 GMT -1
Seirei's head jerked around when he heard the tap at the door. "Who is it this time?" he muttered to himself, slightly frustrated. Would there ever be a moment's peace? He quickly trotted over to the other side of the room to open the door. As he did so, a chilling breeze forced its way through the opening, and there she was. Seema. Of all the people to call. Seirei knew that he had to keep his anger inside of him, in case he caused Tersias any unnecessary worry, so he kept his voice low as he growled, "How dare you show up here. What do you want?" He wouldn't even let her breath the same air as Tersias unless there was a decent explaination.
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Post by Seema Tara on Mar 5, 2012 19:30:49 GMT -1
Seema knew she had to play it carefully with Seirei. After their last... encounter... he was never going to trust her honesty or decency. So if he wouldn't believe her being genuine... why not play it a little dishonestly?
She breathed in sharply, dragging her gaze sharply away from Seirei's as if embarassed of ashamed. "I have..." her voice was little more than a whisper, and it cracked as if laden with emotion. "I have to speak to Tersias."
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Post by Seirei Hisakata on Mar 5, 2012 19:37:45 GMT -1
Seirei frowned slightly. He wasn't a fool. He knew how Seema could be a master at manipulating the emotions of others. Then again was it really his business to butt into something that wasn't really any of his concern? He looked back at Tersias, whose head had pricked up and was gazing curiously at the door. Genuine or not, it was Seirei's way to always give one chance, but if that chance failed ... "You can come in, but where I can see you. Stand there." Seirei closed the door behind him and made Seema sit in the middle of the circular room, a safe distance from Tersias. Seirei carefully placed him self to the right of Seema, so that the door where the pups were sleeping would be concealed. "Speak." he said bluntly.
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Post by Tersias Tara-Hisakata on Mar 5, 2012 19:44:57 GMT -1
Tersias jumped to her feet. Half of her wanted to dash over and hug her sister and tell her how much she'd missed her, and the other half wanted to grab the cubs and run before trouble inevitably followed her. In the end she settled for standing cautiously, making sure she was between the cubs and her sister and keeping the door in sight.
"Seema...." she was confused, lost, her mind was swimming. The day had been emotional and confusing to say the least, and the reappearance of Seema was not what it needed to top it off.
"What's going on?"
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Post by Seema Tara on Mar 5, 2012 19:49:01 GMT -1
"I came as quickly as I could" her tone was urgent, her voice firm and purposeful. "I know mine is the last face you want to see right now, Tersias, but I had to come. The council has been called together for a meeting - a passing meeting." her face was sad, and she reached into the small leathery pouch hung by her waist and pulled out a single black feather. "The fifth seat is empty, Tersias, and you've been called up." she took a step towards her, holding out the feather. "Whether you take the seat or not, you cannot ignore the call, Tersias. I'm sorry to have to break it to you like this, but you have to come home."
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Post by Seirei Hisakata on Mar 5, 2012 19:55:41 GMT -1
Seirei looked between them as the conversation went on, very confused. As far as he was concerned, Tersias wasn't going anywhere. "Hey, wait." he said, cutting across Seema's field of vision to block his mate out of view, "What do you mean council?" He looked at Tersias' worried face. Why hadn't she mentioned any of this in all the time they'd been together? Was there some kind of role that Tersias had been avoiding?
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Post by Seema Tara on Mar 5, 2012 20:03:41 GMT -1
Seema sighed. This was going to take a while, but it had better be dealt with. She took a deep breath, looked Seirei in the eye and began to explain. "The council is a group of seventeen foxes of high esteem who advise our people and decide on their laws and policies. They cannot be chosen on popularity, but on merit, and so when a fox takes up their place on the council they will then nominate in presence of the other members a successor who will take their place should they be taken from this life. The choice must be approved by at least ten of the other members as suitable. All this is done in secret, so that when the member passes from this life to the next a suitable successor is already named and can be summonned, but to ensure that nobody will try to force death's hand for personal gain."
Her face grew sad and serious again. "On Friday, the fifth chair holder in our council was taken to the next life. Their passing is mourned greatly by our tribe, and now I have been sent to bring the summons to their successor - Tersias. I must assure you now that Tersias neither knew of this or sought it, and that her being named comes as much of a surprised to her as it does to you."
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