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 Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 10:48 am
Oh to the spirits above!!! WHY??
The panicked voice in Takoda's head was screaming, screaming to get off this stupid bug right this instant!! But the girl was falling, his momentary relief as her fever broke replaced by the sudden shock to find the wadana had enough of the two of them and was preparing to dislodge them. Of course this meant the girl's body was rolling away from him and OFF THE TREE ALTOGETHER??
Heart hammering in his chest he wondered idly if it would burst before he got a chance to prove himself in this situation. Without much thought he lunged towards the girl grabbing her only to find that he mis-stepped his foot twisting awkwardly on the slick branch and with the added weight of the girl in his arms he found himself falling.
Praying to the spirits of the tree's that they both wouldn't die upon landing, some part of his brain contemplating if the nodwi would swarm with fresh blood around... a stupid thing to be thinking when falling off a branch, he clutched the girl in his arms hoping he would at least take most if not all the impact upon landing.
The sound they made as they crashed onto the forest floor seemed comical, but the impact rushed all breath from his lungs and he felt them burn for air but found himself too stunned to function properly . The weight of the girl possibly didn't help matters but her continued to clutch her like she was the reason of life itself.
Air, glorious air finally decided to fill his lungs, the burning eased though he gasped and gulped it down like a fish returning to water. His whole body ached exhaustion was threatening to overwhelm him, that adrenaline wasn't going to last him forever. A twinge of pain announced he probably hurt his ankle...wiggling his toes he found nothing broken though the discoloring announced some damage had been done.
Considering everything he came off light, though he was pretty sure his back was going to be a mottle of bruises and cuts and scrapes as well his knee's. If he lived through this...he would probably be sleeping the pain off for days.
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:08 am
The girl began to cough; whatever had knocked her out clearly dislodged by the fall. She managed to roll herself off of Takoda, a hand pressed gingerly against her ribcage. The Nondwi above did indeed begin to flutter down. They surrounded the girl once more, creating another winged dome. They fluttered fervently for a number of minutes before finally beginning to disperse. The girl had vanished… and the giant insects began to disappear as well, making their separate ways off into the trees.
”Takoda…” The voice was gentle, familiar. It belonged to the Elder with whom he had spoken earlier. A small smile played across his lips as he knelt down at the shifter’s side. ”Here.” A small vile was being passed towards the Prentice, a healing potion to reduce the boy’s swelling and pain.
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:18 am
Takoda felt the girl cough and them move off of him, he felt himself reach for her reluctantly the ache in his entire body feeling like he had been the one to suffer all those war wounds but his eye's went HUGE as the nondwi surrounded the girl forming a dome of wings. Sitting up (got to love fear induced adrenaline) he scrambled to go after her but then they were scattering and she was gone.
Dumbfounded he then wanted to shrink back and scream, had the nondwi really eaten the girl alive? There was nothing!! Nothing left of her! He wanted to shout at them curse their existence but all he could manage was a garbled sound like he was choking on his own words!
He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard his name, forced to turn his head he winced at the pain that was starting to throb along his back, he stared at the elder, he wanted to point to the tree's explain what the nondwi had done but he had a vial pushed into his hand's and the momentary panic was replaced with confusion. He knew this potion it was used to help heal extensive wounds and exhaustion.
Words dying in his throat he unstoppered it and tried to not inhale the mixture. He felt it go to work immediately the pain in his body easing off though not gone entirely.
"Elder..." He began tears welling in his eye's, he felt like he had been hopeless in this situation. He couldn't properly help a single person...and the one person he managed to 'rescue' was ...gone...eaten alive by a swarm of nondwi.
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:49 am
Oh, perhaps he was a terrible old man (really, he was. He had after all, devised this test), but the Elder couldn’t help but chuckle in delight as tears filled Takoda’s eyes. He set a hand on the Prentice’s shoulder, patting it gently, by no means attempting to exacerbate the wounds that he had received upon falling. He was simply amused.
The boy had done so well and here he was, completely distressed and unaware. Takoda had faced War, Illness, and Insects without fleeing. In fact, he had kept his head well enough to find the correct medicines to assist all four of his fallen tribesmen. Better yet, he hadn’t known he was being tested; he had helped his comrades of his own volition, instead of simply choosing to escape the nightmarish circumstances.
”Takoda. You’ve done well.” The Elder insisted. "You, my boy, have proven yourself capable of being a very adept Healer." He motioned behind him. Eight figures moved forward, their faces revealed by the glow of the forest’s mushrooms. All Seven Shifter warriors stood there, along with the girl whom had just minutes ago been “eaten” by the Nondwi. They were all smiling, although looking slightly worse for the wear. An enormous, powder blue Nondwa was even settled on the woman’s shoulder.
"So, what do you think?" The Elder asked, his expression more serious as he continued to study the Prentice. "Do you still desire to become a Healer?
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:58 am
The words almost seemed foreign to him as if the elder was choosing to speak something other than their native language. He had done well? This...was a test??? Part of him wanted to rage against the older shifter and yet all he could do was cry. He didn't put his head in his hands, all he could do was let the tears flow down his cheeks as he stared at the elder.
His head jerked around when he saw the warriors and the woman whom he had assumed was eaten by the swarm of nondwi earlier. Relief flooded him on the latter, good so those were still vegetarians.
Only when the elder spoke to him again did he finally return his gaze to the Elder. The question hung in the air so a moment, his gaze flickered back to the ones he had helped those who's lives had been dependent on his quick reactions, he wanted to strike out at the elder, demand why he would do such things to him when it was obvious that his fears were what was being test. The fact he hadn't fled in terror at the bug people, or shrank back at the fire, or even passed out at the swarm of nondwi as well the wanada...proved to even himself that he could handle helping people even when faced with his own terrors.
This didn't mean he wouldn't suffer later for such developments always came at a cost. Nightmares would be a constant friend for awhile.
"A..h..." He tried to find words, but tears were still coming down his cheeks in a torrent. So instead he nodded his head vigorously. Yes he would do this...he would still become a healer. Though he made a mental note when he was older to harass the elder and the rest of them for what they did to him.
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Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:12 pm
The Elder smiled, giving the younger Shifter's shoulder one last, firm pat before rising to his feet. "Good. Then, your fellow tribesmen, gathered here, will serve as witness." One of the archers stepped forward, handing the old man a small leaf bowl filled with a rare, red powder.
The man dipped his thumb into the powder, drawing a few, temporary lines across Takoda's left arm and forehead. When he returned home, it would be clear to all who saw him that he had successfully completed his quest. "I declare you, Takoda, a Healer of the Shifter Tribe."
Those gathered around laughed and applauded, each taking a turn to step forward, recognizing Takoda's new position and accepting him onto their level, into the Second Stage.
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