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 Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:05 pm
Careless
Tahigwa didn't understand why Yaholo hated Zena so much. It was a beautiful land of white and blue, colors that she had never seen before. Sure, she had seen blue before, quite a few shades, but a stark white such as this was very different. It was pleasing to her eyes and to her feet as she ran across it. Her new friends had all but left her to travel along her way through this beautiful land, giving her a new cloak and some food for the journey. Her task was to go up to visit an elder called Joln'ku, who would be able to give Tahigwa some insight into her dissonance with her linage and her tribe.
Of course, knowing Tahigwa, her heart pointed her down the longest path possible. She got lost, but only by our standards, and wandered endlessly forward through the snow. It was so wonderful and white, so blissful and calm... Why hadn't she run away like this before? All of this was waiting for her, and she had let it sit here for so long....
Suddenly, a loud thump caught her off guard, and her attention snapped behind her, where a cloaked figure stood. Her eyes lingered upon them curiously, before she slowly approached them.
"You spooked me a little!" She exclaimed, smirking. "I've never been up here before, could you tell me how far Joln'ku's house is?"
The figure's brimming grin could be seen from underneath the hood that they were wearing, a sign that they were amused with the girl standing before them. Without a sound, they whipped off their hood, and began to laugh.
"I would certainly hope that I would know, my dear Tahigwa!" The woman underneath jeered. "I happen to be the woman who resides there herself, Joln'ku!"
She wandered around behind Tahigwa and grabbed her wrist, before tugging her back around the way she had come. "Hurry along now, you're late!" She scolded. "Kreeya told me you'd arrive by tea time, and it's an hour past. You mustn't be so careless, my dear! Especially in new surroundings, who knows what could have happened to you!"
Tahigwa's eyes widened as she was simply carted away from where she had been busy playing. Kreeya had told her that she needed to be with Joln'ku within three hours, and it had been almost five. She blushed nervously and allowed Joln'ku to lead her up a long set of stairs. Yaholo was right... She was careless.
(Word count: 415)
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Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 5:54 pm
Sharp, Quick, Beautiful
At first glance, Joln'ku seemed like any old woman. She was wobbly, spoke respectfully, and had a fleeting memory. However, as Tahigwa settled into the many cushions settled around Joln'ku's home, she began to notice some key differences. First, and most defining, was her laugh. It was louder than her brother's laugh, her mother's laugh, and her own laugh combined! Then, her level of dexterity was another oddity. How she could bend and carry and reach upwards in her old age was baffling! What sort of powerhouse was this woman?
They had some tea and snacks, which Tahigwa thoroughly enjoyed. Mammu meat was delicious! She had never had such a flavor before! After eating, however, came talking. Joln'ku pondered about her mother, her aunt, and squealed over the idea that she had an older brother instead of an older sister. In fact, she demanded that the next time she came for a visit, Yaholo would need to come along. The prospect of dragging her brother all the way up to Zena, a place he said he disliked, was daunting. He was already cross with her, why put him in a worse mood?
Joln'ku seemed to see her every shift in attention, her eyes were just so... Focused! Tahigwa couldn't even look away from her for a second without feeling as if she was offending her or making her angry, despite the fact that the woman herself was perpetually smiling towards her. Towards the end of the conversation, or, rather, the long drawn out vocalizations of Joln'ku, there was a period of silence that allowed Tahigwa to take a moment to look around the room, and her eyes spied something that excited her.
"Joln'ku, are these your blades?" She gawked, pulling them out from underneath the clutter of items that they had been partially hidden under. They were beautiful! The metal seemed to be painted a off-teal color, making it very shiny to the eye, and twice as eye catching. She flipped them over, ran her fingers across the handles, and ultimately placed them down upon the seat next to her, her face growing distant again. No, these were special blades, she couldn't ask. Oh, no, no, she was a guest here and these were probably really special and she couldn't possibly...
"You don't like them?" Joln'ku asked, her eyebrow arching. "I swore that they would suit your favor, dear. Yaholo remarked at how much you adored the color teal and it took me a very long time to find a craftsman who painted metals as well as that. Would you like new ones?"
Tahigwa sat straight up against the cushion, her eyes wide. These blades were made for her? But... How did? Who? What?! She grasped them firmly in her hands again, fully examining them, before shaking her head at Joln'ku's words.
"No, no! They're perfect!" She cried, tears forming in her eyes. "But I can't believe that they're for me! They're much too pretty, look at all the details and effort! How could you give something so beautiful to a girl like me? I have no idea how to wield them!"
Joln'ku blinked, before rolling her eyes. She puffed a short breath of air out of her mouth and placed her hand on Tahigwa's shoulder.
"You, my dear, a very special to a lot of people." She replied. "Your brother told me how much he thought blades suited you, and Susuya couldn't help but agree with me in our letters. In fact, your own mother said that you would blossom just as well as your brother has with a set of blades at your side."
She shifted to sit next to Tahigwa and snuggled her close.
"Of course, you'll have to train to master them, silly!" She chuckled. "Do you think your mother, aunt, and brother knew how to use their weapons on day one? Don't focus too hard on how they're doing and focus on being the best you that you can be!"
Tahigwa clutched the blades to her chest and pressed herself against Joln'ku. Her brother had asked that these be made for her! These were so beautiful and perfect and... She couldn't wait to get out there and use them! Her blades, her blades, HER BLADES! The words repeated themselves over and over again, making her feel all sorts of emotions. Man, she wasn't used to this emotional stuff, Joln'ku knew just what to say to make her feel so many things! She set the blades to her side and gave Joln'ku a big hug.
"When I get back to Jauhar, these blades will be put to good use!" She exclaimed. "I'll head out in the morning, if you don't mind me staying!"
Joln'ku shook her head and pointed outside.
"You'll be staying tonight, and possibly the next few days." She explained. "A blizzard is on it's way here, I can't have you wandering out there in such extreme conditions!"
Tahigwa's mouth gaped open at the amount of clouds in the sky and heaved a heavy sigh. Just her luck! She finally figures out exactly what she wants to do with herself, and she gets stuck in Zena during a blizzard! Well, at least she has a place to stay, instead of being outside. Her hands reached over to her blades, and gently grazed their handles. She couldn't wait to show Yaholo her new blades, if he wasn't still angry with her.
(Word count: 907)
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Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2013 11:36 am
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Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 9:46 pm
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:29 pm
The Things I Come Home To!
The journey back from Zena had been alright, if not a little cumbersome. Tahigwa wasn't all that used to her new swords, and leading an elder and her daughter back to their home village wasn't exactly ideal. Ptolemy was probably the most intolerable person she had ever faced, besides, maybe, her aunt and her cousin, and the only good thing going for her seemed to be her adorable hybrid child. It took all of Tahigwa's will power to not give into the urge to snuggle Ptolemy's daughter and steal her away to Andile, but it was a relief to be able to wave good bye as well. She was a Blade now and could, in her own time, ask Aisha for a daughter of her own. There was no need to steal another Sister's child, even if they were the cutest thing she had ever seen.
"I'm hoooooome!" She announced as she cracked the door to her home open. It was eerily quiet for the afternoon, which should have been a clue in of itself. She blinked and slipped her way inside, before making a beeline for her bedroom. Everything had been left in the same manner, from her clothes to the unmade bed in the corner, causing for a sigh of relief. "Good... It seems that nothing major has happened since I left..."
She allowed her swords to slip to the floor and tossed herself onto her bed, aiming to take a nap. However, as she nuzzled into her pillow and made herself comfortable, a pair piercing cries resounded through the house, followed by the familiar thudding steps of her older brother making his way down the hall. Her muscles tensed and relaxed as she listened to Yaholo sing a lullaby in the next room and allowed herself to nuzzle back into bed, when suddenly, her eyes snapped wide open.
"You... You have... Babies?" She panted out as she darted into the next room, a grin stretching across her features. She weaved her way around her brother as he came to greet her and stared lovingly at the twin boys sleeping in the makeshift bassinet beside him. Nephews... Her nephews...
"They're just like you, Yaho." She remarked, lifting them up into her arms. "Aisha must really love you."
(Word count: 380)
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:32 pm
As A Sister Should
Ilyra was no where in sight when Tahigwa first arrived home and was still missing in action over the course of the week afterward, which made Tahigwa nervous. Had Ilyra gone off looking for her after she had run away to Zena? Had she been found by her biological mother and stolen away? Why wasn't she in her usual places? It wasn't like her to avoid her when she called out to her, so something had to be wrong, right? Tahigwa didn't want to think of anything harming Ilyra, it was gut wrenching. She hoped with each passing hour that Ilyra's figure would appear behind her and wrap her arms around her, effectively making all of her worries disappear.
It was of no surprise to her family that she had fallen in love with her best friend, espescially Yaholo. After being scolded for running away and being praised for returning with swords in her hands, he simply laughed at her preview of her confession to Ilyra and patted her on the head. He knew so much about them, he claimed, and it was only "right" in his mind that they become a couple. But, what if Ilyra's feelings weren't mutual? How could she be so sure of herself? This wasn't a perfect puzzle as her brother had presented it to be. It was like eggshells, not stone, hell, it wasn't even close to the comfort of sand against her bare feet in the evening. Telling Ilyra about how she felt could be the downfall of their friendship and ruin everything Tahigwa had fantasized about. A large family, a house in the trees, and a pair of elderly Sisters laughing at all of the other elders who cling to their so called "values" as if they were the air that they breathed. It was almost tempting to keep her mouth shut and continue dreaming like this instead of actually announcing her feelings, but in the same token, she knew that she couldn't.
So, what was a young girl like herself supposed to do about this? She couldn't lay around and linger upon it forever, even if she really wanted to. She'd give anything for Ilyra to tell her the very same things her heart was screaming, but, as the end of the week reached it's end, it seemed that she wouldn't be doing so, if ever.
"Come on, Najden, let's see if Aisha can help me out." She muttered, giving her Roati a scratch behind the ears.
(Word count: 413)
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Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 10:33 pm
A Plea For Support
Tahigwa never understood why it was always so much more peaceful at the base of Aisha's roots than within the walls of her own home, but it was. She had perched herself in her usual space and done the usual prayers that her mother had taught her, before standing and placing her arms around Aisha as best she could. Hugging Aisha was something that not many others did, judging by how she had never witnessed another Sister embrace their Great Mother this way, and, as such, felt it was her own unique way of expressing her love to Aisha. Once she had greeted her Mother properly, she sat down at her base and smiled up into the branches above her, her hands drifting to a bud that was growing close by.
"Evening Mother, I'm here for a quick chat." She said, "I've been away from home... Far, far, away, actually."
A short gust of wind blew through her antennae as she spoke, almost as if they were being smoothed backwards, which made Tahigwa laugh.
"Oh, come on, I haven't been gone that long, Mother." Tahigwa protested, running her fingers along the bud's petals in a soothing manner. "I've brought back swords, too, a gift from an elder called Joln'ku, who Yaholo knows through friends in Sauti and Zena. She's a character for such a small woman, and seemed to know everything about me before I got the chance to really talk to her... She even knew who my mother was, isn't that funny?"
The breeze became soft and kicked up a few fallen petals and leaves on the ground which fluttered onto Tahigwa's lap. Though Aisha hadn't said a word in response, Tahigwa felt that this meant that Aisha at the very least agreed with her, and was pleased to know she had returned safely. However, as the air settled again, Tahigwa felt what seemed to be water droplets falling upon her head, and reached up to find that a handful of petals had landed there instead. The silence that followed was long and awkward as Tahigwa remained knelt and still, her hands gradually resting upon her lap. Eventually, her mouth fell south and her body language became somber as the minutes went by, until her eyes rose up from the ground again.
"Mother, do you... Think we'll be alright?" She asked, her gaze mild, but anxious.
A breeze began again, only to become more forceful as it dissipated, and a sigh was drawn from within Tahigwa's chest.
"Of course I trust in you, Aisha. Please, don't doubt me." She muttered. "I... Really only meant if my family and I would remain together. Do you anticipate any of us to die? Will my brother return safely?"
Silence followed these questions and Tahigwa could feel the weight of them fall down beside her. She was asking too much. Her fists clenched against her skirt as the breeze blew through her dreads, leaving a few petals where it had blown through. Again, Tahigwa sighed, but, this time, forced herself to smile. She stood and bowed, before giving Aisha another hug.
"I love you, Mother." She said. "I trust in you and know you will be with us when we set off tomorrow morning. We are your daughters and we will protect our homes and the homes of those we love in your name. I hope to see greet you again soon."
(Word count: 569)
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Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2014 2:12 pm
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Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2014 5:14 pm
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Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:48 pm
Jagged And Jaded
There was no solace, not even in the forest. The visions, the screaming, the blood, it followed her everywhere. Her dreams were wrought with the eyes of the people who had fallen and trampled while protecting what mattered the most to them. She could do nothing but cower, crouch, and pounce around like a frightened animal, which sickened the very core of her soul. She was so much more than this, she knew that, but what she had seen, what she had been exposed to, was far more than what she had been prepared for. The final shreds of her innocence had been sharply torn away from the spaces along the edges of her sanity, and there was nothing she could do to sooth the wounds that had formed in their place. It ached, it burned, it itched...
Her heart wanted nothing more than to know if they had all made it to the afterlife and found their peace where they belonged. All those people, all those lost souls. She knew where all of her fallen Sisters had gone, back to the safety of Aisha's arms, but what of the Earthlings who had died? They were fighting alongside her and had fallen in the same depressing heap that every subdued warrior dreads to see, surely they would be given the same peace her Sisters deserved? Her chest throbbed and ached as she continued her loops, racing through every single phase of battle she had seen as if it were still happening all around her.
The world was still broken, nothing had been solved, and in her mind, there was only one person to blame. Oh, how she wanted to lunge at Yansa and snarl, even as she raced through the trees and slammed against their bark. She wasn't there to attack, to blame, or to slander, but in Tahigwa's mind, she might as well be. Her elder was the reason why they failed, she was convinced. They were grossly unprepared because of her, Sisters died because of her, HER! Elders were to blame, it was all their fault! They pushed, they pulled, they FORCED her into war. They made her this way! There was no one else for her to shake her swords at, no one but them. If they hadn't allowed her to go to war, she would still be able to control herself!
...At the end of the day, with her knees curled to her face, she was more lost than before. Her swords sat at her feet, coated in dirt and fibers from the foliage around her, while her hands found their place against the sides of her head. She was miles from home, certainly closer than Zena would ever be, though it didn't ease her nerves any further. Her head throbbed, her tongue was dry, and her eyes were filled with tears. Their faces, their eyes, their screams... Were like broken glass being rubbed into a fresh wound.
(Word count: 492)
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Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:49 pm
Wrong Path Crossed
After sleeping a few hours in the forest, Tahigwa felt well enough to try and figure out her way home again. The path that she was currently on was unfamiliar to her, but not without distinct markings on direction. Andile was a good three hours from where she stood, it seemed, and she was far closer to Tale than she had previously thought. She sighed at the sign in disappointment, more so at herself than anything else, and made her way toward where she needed to be. Her family was probably worried sick about her and, quite frankly, she wanted nothing more than to be back in her bed and safe herself. Everything was still so painful and blurry, despite her nap, and it did nothing to dull her paranoia. Why was she always so flighty? Why couldn't she have stopped earlier on and gathered herself before she got totally lost again? What was it going to take for her to feel comfortable enough in her own village for her not to want to dash off like this? It was starting to get ridiculous, even by her own standards!
She lumbered around the bends of the path in front of her in a somber manner, her body swaying from side to side as she went along, and only paused every so often when she heard the rustle of a tree or bush. Something about the area she was in didn't feel right in the center of her stomach. It was too quiet for the time of day it was, where were all the animals? This forest was always filled with sound, whether human, Alkidike, or beast made... This, just wasn't normal. Her mouth twisted several ways as she made another turn, just as a figure jumped out from the trees.
"YA!" She cried, jumping backwards, her swords drawn. "Who are you and why are you following me?"
Her eyes drifted along this figure's frame and met with a pair of antennae, which caused her to soften her form a little. A fellow Sister? Following her? She took a step towards the Sister and opened her mouth to speak, only to be met with a kick in the stomach which sent her flying backwards, her swords landing several feet in the opposite direction. From her position on the ground, gagging and trying to catch her breath, she could see that the one Sister had suddenly become five, and all she could do was stare.
"...Wh-Why?" She stuttered as they group zeroed in on her. "S-Sisters..."
"We are not your Sisters, you perverted Sympathizer!" One of them barked, slamming her foot in Tahigwa's face. "Aisha should have destroyed you while your mother was still healing from her punishment! She was undeserving once she defiled Aisha the first time!"
"You are a pathetic excuse for an Alkidike!" Another added, grabbing Tahigwa by the hair and dragging her upwards. "How can you protect Aisha when you're busy fussing over the three atrocities that you house? You should do us all a favor and kill them off in their sleep, before we decide to do it for you!"
A third Sister stepped forward from the group and dragged her spear across Tahigwa's stomach, before slashing at her chest, drawing a screech from Tahigwa's mouth. The Sister that was holding her then slammed her face onto the ground and proceeded to kick her on the back and chest. Tahigwa, paralyzed with fear, remained stiff as a pole as she was beaten, and tried to let out a cry every now and then. But each time she opened her mouth to scream, one of the Sister's would slap her face or kick her chin, causing her to bite her lip or cheek instead.
"It's pointless to cry, you're miles from your family!" One of the attackers said. "No one here will ever help you, we want nothing more than to see your kind suffer!"
"But we're... All daughters of Aisha!" Tahigwa screamed, her face quickly met with a furious barrage of punches and kicks.
"You are no daughter, you're a dissenter!" Replied a Sister.
"Your mother deserved to die!" Screamed another.
"Her filthy decision to breed with a human should have been paid for with her blood!" The first Sister added. "But now that your vile, brown, monster of a thing you call 'brother' has violated our Mother, the blood of your entire family will serve as the repentance!"
A sword was then dug deep into Tahigwa's shoulder, eliciting a wail from Tahigwa's mouth. However, before she could turn to look up at her attackers again, the sword was swiftly withdrawn, and four of them had fled the scene. All that remained was Tahigwa and the first Alkidike, who had knelt down beside Tahigwa, her face filled with morbidity.
"Nyah, the youngling your mother stole, will be spared." She whispered. "She is much too young to know the difference between right and wrong, and can still be saved from the filthy lifestyle she's been exposed to. Everyone else, including you and your atrocious girlfriend, will die in the name of returning Aisha to her former beauty."
With that said, she stood, spat upon Tahigwa's face, and darted after the other four Sisters, leaving Tahigwa in a heap. Minutes ticked by slowly as Tahigwa allowed the entire ordeal sink in, and eventually moved to gather her swords. After examining her face and the wounds she had been given, her eyes turned to her hair, and narrowed sharply. They had ripped off her headband, the one that Joln'ku had given her while she was in Zena. Her hair was a total mess, matching her now beaten form. ...Then, a crooked grin stretched across her features.
"You messed me up pretty good, girls." She grumbled, moving to follow her attackers. "And now, I'm going to mess you up."
(Word count: 97 cool
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Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:52 pm
Sweet Revenge
A fire sat smoldering by the edge of a small camp that Tahigwa's assailants had fled to. Beside this freshly doused space lay several clumps of hair and broken beads, all cut from the heads of the girls huddled beside the tents on the other side of the tent. Terror shined upon their faces as Tahigwa lingered upon their faces and gave her shoulder a roll, a rather smug grin on stretched along her features. They were afraid, ashamed, and paralyzed, like children hiding in the brush. An unfamiliar rush filled Tahigwa's veins as she dragged her blades together and caught the flinch of the tallest girl in the group. That's right, now she was in control.
"Well, well, what do you think of your hair cuts?" She laughed. "I'm sure you're as pleased as I am, Sisters. They shouldn't be too hard to grow back."
The girls remained silent against their chosen hiding spot and gave Tahigwa matching looks of fear. It was almost humoring, the way they were behaving, as if it would get them anywhere with the girl holding the blades just above their antennae, she mused. It wouldn't, they deserved it. Beating her up and threatening her, no one, absolutely no one, would get away with that. She inched closer and peered at the smallest girl of the group, her grin falling to the side as she did. Instantly, she tensed and squeaked, inciting another round of laughter from Tahigwa's mouth.
"Oh, that's adorable! You aim to destroy me and everything that I love, and yet, you're nothing but squealing babies!" She howled, shaking her head. "You were lucky, once, just lucky. But if you lay a finger upon anyone I love, you'll be missing antennae, not just your hair!"
Satisfied, Tahigwa turned her attention to the fire she had exterminated upon her arrival. If only she had been more careful, she could have enjoyed burning every single bit of hair she had shaved from the heads of her attackers before setting off, but as it was growing late and the fire too dim to salvage, there simply wasn't the time. She sheathed her swords with the pop of her hip and took one last glance back to the girls at the tent. However, as she scanned their face one last time, she noticed that one was missing, and heaved a sigh.
"I suppose you've sent your fastest girl to get your elders, huh?" She said, pursing her lips. "Well, I guess we'll be seeing each other soon, won't we?"
And with that, she raced down the path, leaving the screams of his assailants long behind her. She didn't know how she was going to explain her way out of something like this, but being able to get her own revenge was well worth any consequence that might be thrown her way.
(Word count: 477)
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Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:57 pm
No Fear, No Face
Three hours of running went by in a flash and ended with a dull thud against the earth as she neared the gates of Andile. Sisters quickly swarmed her tired form, huffing and coughing from the exertion, and pulled her into her great-aunt's healing hut. Loss of blood coupled with the pounding of her feet had made the perfect catalyst against healing, but even as she was laid on a cot and fussed over, Tahigwa made sure the others knew of what was sure to come.
"Really? They beat you up?" A younger Sister cried.
"And they stooped so low as to threaten the life of a youngling?" Another gasped.
Tahigwa, dehydrated and dazed, could do nothing but nod in response to their exclamations. Several Sisters came through to speak with her, some younger, some far older, but all had their questions and their weapons at ready. No one was going to threaten an entire family in Andile and get away with it, not even if they were fellow Sisters. They promised that Tahigwa would be safe and they Nyah would be protected, drawing a sigh from Tahigwa's lips. It was comforting to know that her village was loyal to her, despite her inability to convey the entire story in a proper manner. All they knew was the threats and that she was bleeding from her shoulder, and nothing more. It was enough, wasn't it, then? She closed her eyes, take a breath, and allowed herself to slip away while Susuya set to bandaging her shoulder.
---
By the time she woke, everything had been taken care of. The elders from the tribe that her assailants came from had heard everything that Tahigwa had relayed and left, promising that the proper punishments would be taken against them. However, according to Nesrine, they had left with their noses in the air and their hips swinging, as if the words that they had said were a joke. Though Nesrine was her brother's age and the daughter of her great-aunt, Tahigwa allowed her warning to dot the outside of her ears and remain there, knowing full well that Nesrine appreciated next to nothing about their culture to begin with. Perhaps she had insinuated? Perhaps she had been right? Tahigwa refused, from her position in bed, to be led down the path of accusation. Again, she closed her eyes, another breath drawing itself inward, as a coy smile warmed her otherwise tired expression.
If they returned, she would be ready. The entire village would be ready. And if a single hair on the head of Nyah, Ilyra, or anyone she loved for that matter, was as so much as ruffled by one of them, heads, not dreads, were going to tumble along the forest floor.
(Word count: 460)
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Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 10:41 pm
Okay, so, these are mine?
Early morning, two days after the incident, Tahigwa had made up her mind. She inched her way outside of the healing hut, swiveled her way past her brother, and paddled herself across the isles. It was a nice day, warm, with a soft breeze billowing over head like a gentle caress. Ilyra had gone on a mission to spy on the Obans, which had filled Tahigwa's heart with fear the night before, and though she was on a mission of her own at the moment, her heart was with her sweet girlfriend as she trotted her way across the sand. Hopefully no one here would stop to chat with her, especially if that someone were Ilyra's birth mother.
She crept, anxiously, against the side of edge of Isle Ekene, her eyes keeping close watch for anyone in the area. Elders, Yansa, Eshe, anyone out there could catch her and make her pause. She didn't have time to pause, or time to think, she had to go now, or let this precious time slip through her fingers. The guards standing watch were easy enough to converse with. They had yet to know her, or to hear of what had happened across the water. She felt they were safe, not naive, but safe. They allowed her to pass with a smile and returned to their positions as the had been before, making Tahigwa feel all the more comfortable as she went around the bend.
"Great Mother, it's Tahigwa, again." She greeted, bowing inches before Aisha's shortest bough. "...I have something that I would like to ask you."
The area was still, but filled with sound, and a swirling wind waved over Tahigwa as she moved to embrace Aisha as she had always done. She smiled, stepped back, and knelt once more.
"I have no doubt that you heard what happened to me, and to the Sisters who I needed to punish." She began. "I pray with all my heart that you understand why I needed to remove their dreads. They dishonored me and threatened my family when I had done nothing to them. I felt as though they had forgotten what being Sister was all about, and as such, I gave them a chance to regrow their own honor... Do you think I was wrong?"
As she finished speaking, a lotus close to her feet shook and unfurled, to which Tahigwa smiled. She gently plucked the lotus from it's position, bowed her head, and drank the nectar that was inside, before placing the lotus back upon the branch it had been on.
"I understand. Thank you." She said, giving the lotus a gentle pat. "...Now that we've crossed that bridge, Mother, might I ask you something else?"
A breeze blew low across Tahigwa's nose, causing her to sneeze, and then, laugh, as a petal had landed against the tip of her nose. Of course she could ask a question, why couldn't she? She wiggled herself into an upright position, placed her hands in her lap, and gazed up to Aisha adoringly.
"Aisha, I would like to have a child in my image." She began, brushing the petal off of her nose. "I know that I'm young and still learning, but, I've hit a blockade I don't think I'll be able to cross. ...This blockade would make it possible for me to be a mother, however."
The air was still, but not desolate, as if Aisha were merely listening to her and not turning her away. Realizing this, so took a breath, and continued.
"I am not in the right frame of mind to continue fighting in this war." She said. "My fear is too great at this point and all I want is to be among the Sisters at home who need me. Nyah still needs a proper teacher and all of the ones who I trust have long since been tasked with war time projects. Instead of me, her older sister, going off to war where I feel the least proficient, wouldn't it be better if I stay home and teach her, while raising a young one of my own?"
The air remained still, but felt the same as it had before. Aisha was listening, not ignoring, listening, she could feel it. Just breathe and continue.
"Yaholo told me that Pahana, his sister from his father in Tale, has had twin daughters this past summer." She said, pursing her lips. "They were born healthy and strong, especially the younger of the pair, who, I was told, was partially named after my mother. An act of gratitude for all the support she showed Pahana when her mother threw her out of the house." She paused, chuckling. "I suppose you could say that I'm a little jealous of her, being the first to give Yaholo some nieces to watch over, and all. I mean, really, though. Both my siblings, sans Nyah of course, have children, and, I can't help but feel a little left out. Do you think it's silly for me to be jealous or..."
She gazed to the side, her words suddenly falling away. There was a breeze again, but it was more like a gentle wind pushing against her side. She peered, almost cat-like, to a branch near the very base of the tree. There, two uniquely colored blossoms had formed, ones that hadn't been there before, which brought tears to Tahigwa's eyes.
"These... These are mine, Aisha?" She whispered, another gentle breeze weaving through her hair. "...Thank you."
"They'll be more than safe with me."
(Word count: 926)
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Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 9:38 pm
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