It's a new year in the Kawani lands! Winter is in full swing and much of the land is covered in snow. Does your soquili do anything to acknowledge or celebrate the new year? Are they part of a herd or family that has a tradition or ceremony? Have they made a promise to start the new year with a clean slate and change themselves for the better?
Or did they simply try to stay warm and wait for the snow to melt and spring to arrive?
Or did they simply try to stay warm and wait for the snow to melt and spring to arrive?
The last year had been a long one. Fero would argue, in fact, that it had seemed to be longer than most. Upon his separating from the rest of the herd to seek contracts, he had surprisingly not found a single one during his travels. Not strictly unheard of, true, but it was definitely unusual. He was left to his own thoughts for company as he wandered, ever winding back towards the arranged gathering site. Echoes of Ayaz's worries over the fate of their herd followed his steps as he trekked through the snow, now.. more than ever. They weren't entirely unfounded, sure- their original patriarch had not been seen for several seasons now- but that was at least somewhat expected too. The old gryph was particularly solitary. It just, didn't exactly help matters when the rest of the herd was growing stressed.
Perhaps his wanderings had another reason, as well. He shifted his wings, gently shielding his small passenger from the biting wind. Spiced Cider was so very small, and fragile. And most certainly not a contract. The tiny mouse had given him much solace from his lonely travels, and she deserved stability, even if she stuck with him on his journeys. Perhaps he could turn this new year more towards that goal. Nodding once, he glanced back at his shoulder where the little dear was curled up and comfortable, and resumed his forward march. The herd was set to gather during the height of summer- so there was still time to change his mind, or to build up more reason to stick with the choice. Right now, however, in the face of mounting snow and frozen winds.. the answer seemed plainly obvious.
"Little one, do you remember what Ayaz spoke of, when last we gathered?" He paused for just a moment, before nodding his head. "He was the one of my brethren with the night coal coat and stripes of cool waters. The one who worries over our herd's lack of leader while the Patriarch is wandering free." Angling his ears back, so that he could hear the small mouse's reply, he nodded once again and continued. "And what say you, do you share his worries?"
"It sounds like you do, to me." Her voice was small, against the wind, but pitched to carry to the stallion's ears.
"Hm.. perhaps I do, in a sense. I cannot help but wonder what sort of quarry the patriarch has found, though I also wish for his swift return to these lands. Perhaps with his return, our companions will lose their worry for the future. Should he not, however, hm. Of my kin, Ayaz is the one who has presented these worries the most. I may bring it to a vote, then, and see what the herd as a whole decrees. I have faith him him, I believe. When he was younger I would not have held this stance, true.. but in the last gathering we all could see how he had matured. Speaking up with worry for the future is a sign of that growth."
He let his words trail off as he thought, shifting his wings once again to spare his partner the wind as a particularly bracing gust blew past. Speaking the thoughts out loud, however, revealed to him that he had put more thought into the matter than he was aware of, himself. Well. A new year had begun, the stars shining brighter before this latest whirl of snow had come to cleanse the ground of its past. Why not step forth into the new, while embracing something new? He could still hold out, and observe, see how Ayaz had truly matured when the time came to once again gather at their watering hole. It would not be too unusual to elect a temporary patriarch until theirs returned to them- a single guiding voice for the herd to keep organized was, after all, a valuable asset. And, should Fero observe that Ayaz truly had matured?? he would not mind raising a claw in favor of the young gryph. He had tenacity behind him, that was a fact that had always been true. Even when said tenacity had oft led him into a bit more trouble in his youth. It was a learning experience.
Nodding once again, he raised a claw to adjust his hood to hold tighter against the wind. "We shall see what this year leads us to, hm little one? I find myself however feeling rather.. hopeful, for our brethren's future. I am certain that we shall all be in good claws." With a quiet chuckle, he once more placed all of his focus onto the path ahead of him- invisible beneath the snow, and yet familiar all the same.
Word Count: 798
