[PRP] Reunion (Hayalet & Revenant)

[Cajmera]

 

[Cajmera]

It was a wonderful thing to be home, Hayalet reflected. More to the point, it was a wonderful thing to have a home to return to. He'd always known he was a fortunate fellow, to have a loving (if atypical) family, a happy youth, and a place to call his own upon reaching adulthood. Yet had he ever truly appreciated all that he had, or had he merely paid lip service to the idea because it sounded correct? Was it even possible to truly appreciate what he had, without having experienced some sort of loss or tragedy with which to compare?

He had never experienced a personal tragedy of such a magnitude, and he hoped he never would. Philosophical exercises on the subject aside, Hayalet loved his family, his region, his home; he did not want to sacrifice any of that in order to appreciate the remainder.

Yet after his recent trip to the Lowlands and his firsthand witness of the aftermath of the Kalona war, Hayalet was feeling much more justified in his love of his home. He'd only just returned to his mountain plateau this morning, and he had yet to resume his normal perch on the rocky outcropping the protruded out past the outer limits. Instead, he walked slowly about the plateau, observing the little things he so appreciated about it; the privacy, the comfort, the little cave where he could shelter from the cold, the two very persistent fruit trees that stubbornly clung onto life in spite of the harshness of the climate, the beautiful view...

Yes, this was his home, and he loved it here. What it feel like to lose it, or to never have had it? Almost absently, he touched a wing to his thick, wavy black mane. It was a hallmark of his family, practically; they all sported long hair, in either black or white. Their father had the most impressive mane, but Hayalet's was nothing to sneeze at. Apparently this was confirmed by the very spiders; like Cyn, Hayalet had to deal with spiders nesting in his hair. This had always been the way of things...

Except now, there was more in his mane than just spiders.

Uta

 

[Uta]

Cajmera

. . .things I forgot. xD Yeah, Kalila probably packed up as soon as she heard of the Kawani tragedy. She has a draw to the Kawani given her history, so . . . good thing we picked Revenant!

Revenant was worried. It wasn't typical of the usually relaxed, and gentle spirited mare to be so, but she couldn't help herself. . . the past year had been very troubling in the Kawani, and he was concerned over the gossip of fellow herdmates, or the songs of the migratory birds, and the chittering of the mountain wildlife. She had watched as many within the lands had gone off to war against the Kalona almost a year ago. . . .and had heard of the bloodshed that had stained the lands. Most recently, she'd witnessed the thick cloud of smoke that burned relentlessly through the Kawani, had heard of the animals that had been displaced or killed. . . .and the soquili and tribesman. Many of her herd mates had also gone down to help, and Revenant had considered following suit.

She had never gone so far south, had never left the land, though her mother had packed her things and headed south as soon as she heard of the fires destruction. In fact, Revenant was considering joining her mother, to see if she might be of some aid, of some comfort to anyone.

Unfortunately, all she seemed capable of was offering prayers to the spirits, and trying to give assurance that everything would sort itself out, one way or another. And yet, such blessings seemed hollow in lue of not one tragedy, but two, and with little rhyme or reason. Revenant had always waxed spiritual, but these trying times were beginning to cast doubt in her faith. Sometimes, she had to wonder if the gods above actually listened, and whether or not they simply toyed with those below.

It wasn't an easy time for the ebony mare, but her woes were miniscule compared to the anxiety, hurts, fears, and exhaustion of those suffering below. Honestly, she felt idle by staying safe in the mountains, by not offering her time, her ability, her youth. Surely, she might provide comfort to someone in need. . . . if nothing else.

So it was, the mare had thought to seek out her brother. He had left, had gone down, and only most recently returned. Perhaps she would get a better idea of what the climate was like down in the Kawani, to see if it weren't too late to offer aid. The ebony mare picked her ways up to her brothers usual chosen abode, calling out in her usual fashion. "Haaaayaaaaaaaaa~!" She hoped he hadn't snuck off elsewhere in the Grove, or to another summit. She needed to talk, especially to one who had been down in the plains first-hand! Besides, she hadn't yet seen him since his return, and had greatly missed him.

It would be good to catch up, and perhaps he could help guide her restless and guilt ridden soul.
 

[Cajmera]

Sometimes, it was far easier to appreciate things from a distance than up close and personal. Such was the thought which immediately came to mind when the strident, somewhat piercing tones of 'Haaaayaaaaaaaaa~!' broke in on Hayelet's meditations, causing Hayalet to wince slightly. He'd grown up hearing that particularly enthusiastic greeting on a regular basis, but it still had the power to make him practically jump out of his skin when he was taken unawares. The fact that he had been living on his own in a mostly silent environment had not helped his tolerance for loud noises one bit.

Still, there was something to be said for the saying, 'love the sinner, hate the sin.' She did it because she wanted to find him quickly, he reminded himself, and she wanted to find him quickly because she cared. It wasn't like he was, or ever had been, a particularly useful Soquili to seek out 'just because.'

All the same, it was nice that his houseguests were finally out and about, foraging for something to eat. They were a pretty sound pair of sleepers, but he was sure even their skills would be sorely tested by his sister. For his part, he was pleased with the visit, even if his ear drums weren't; it had been far too long since he'd seen any of his family.

"I'm right here, Revenant, as I'm sure you can see by now. Spare us both the ringing eardrums and hold off on any further shrieking." Still, he was smiling as he walked towards her, engulfing her in a feathery wing hug. He'd always thought their family must look quite a sight when hugging; all wings and hair! It was fortunate that they never got tangled, because unravelling them could no doubt be quite complicated!

"What brings you up to my little corner of the world?"

Uta

 

[Uta]

"Oh! There you are," she spoke, flattening her ears momentarily at the gentle rebuke. The silver eyed mare had overlooked her brother's presence, so she had taken to calling out for him. The mountain peeks could get ridiculously barren, so sometimes being vocal was the best way to compromise. Finding someone within the woods wasn't easy, and as there was no concern of avalanche, Revenant figured a little shouting would go a long way. Clearly, she was right. . . . if a bit premature. "Sorry 'bout that. . . Didn't see you! I'll spare you the pain, if not the aggravation, of having your sister call upon you instead." She grinned, her words obviously in jest. She nuzzled her sibling affectionately, taking him into a winged embrace all her own, before stepping back just a hair.

It was good to have Hayalet back. With the destruction in the plains, from both kalona and fire, Revenant had worried about her scattered family. The entire herd had seemingly separated-- some had lingered to care for the family and lands high up in the hills and peeks, while others wasted no time in going south to help those in the plains. Revenant had prayed and fasted, hoping that the spirits would be kind to those that remained. . . . but she was beginning to feel as if simply offering assurance and prayer wasn't enough. Were the spirits really listening? She would probably be better off getting her hooves dirty. . .

"I came to see how you've been, first and foremost," she finally confessed, giving her thick tail a little shake. The bells that were twined in her hair gave a soft twinkle, almost like their father. Unlike Cyn, Revenant was no pure, nor did she have a domain to call her own. "I also came to . . . to talk. I had a few things on my mind, and I thought you might be able to help me sort it out. . .where prayer has not." She was, perhaps, the most religious in her family, though it was difficult not to be given her father's position, and her mother's history. The spirits had caused too much mischief for Revenant to think that there wasn't something that guided the land.

Cajmera

 

[Cajmera]

They might be male and female, light and dark in coat and coloration, but it was obvious to any onlooker that Hayalet and Revenant were brother and sister. The same lush, long hair, the same ground-dragging tails, the same spreading angeni wings; they were clearly siblings, even with their few differences. But beyond that, they shared an affinity for the spiritual and the contemplative; Hayalet had settled into this little plateau after stumbling upon it accidentally; while the little cave and small area of smooth ground was pleasant and companionable for Hayalet along, it would only take the addition of a couple more full-sized Soquili to feel cramped. It was the perfect mountain retreat for one.

And that was the way Hayalet had always had it. Like his sister, Hayalet had always embraced a meditative lifestyle. He would spend hours lying motionless on an outcropping of rock at the far edge of his plateau, eyes closed in thought and prayer. From that perch, if he so chose he could watch the Kawani lands below; they spread out before his eyes like a vast patchwork quilt, meadows blending seamlessly into forests and foothills, with the silvery smudge of a great lake below. It was a beautiful scene, if a bit abstract at this height; there was no way for him to see any individual creatures moving around down below.

He had always preferred it that way, not liking to get involved but through prayer. Through his pleasant relationship with the region's songbirds, he was able to stay on top of the news; the birds brought him word of everything of note or interest happening in the lands below. Thus, he knew what specific things might merit extended prayer.

The recent Kalona War had been something entirely beyond Hayalet's experience, however. A dedicated pacifist who had never even fought back against his sisters when they were foals, there was no way that he would ever consider fighting. Additionally, he was no healer; he lacked the horn and powers of a unicorn, or any medical knowledge when it came to local herbs. He firmly believed in the power of prayer, but for the first time in his life, he wondered if that was an inadequate response. In the end, he had done what he'd never before considered: actually descending into the Lowlands to personally visit the battlesites, praying for the souls of the departed and for cleansing for the land. It had been an unsettling experience, one that left him mentally and emotionally exhausted, as well as physically.

Still, with that exhaustion was the feeling that for the first time in his life he had seen tangible results from his efforts, and that was a pleasant feeling! Just as it was a pleasant feeling to see his sister on his first day back; truly the spirits were supportive of his ventures! "It's nice to know you still care, Revenant, and I've been well. Believe it or not, I've been travelling, which has been...an interesting experience," he finished, after a pause. "But we can talk about that later; obviously you've got a lot on your mind indeed, if you don't think prayer can help. Why don't you make yourself comfortable and tell me about it," Hayalet added with a gesture to the rocky outcropping at the edge of the plateau. It might not be the most comfortable thing to look at, but it was the best he had!

Uta

 

[Uta]

Cajmera

She knew her brother was being polite to query about her woes, but the mare wanted nothing more than to tackle her brother and demand he tell her everthing that he did in his travels. He had only just returned, and while she knew he had left, she didn't know details . . . and it was that subject she wanted to talk about more than anything else! Her black wings puffed out a bit, and she was quick to give a vehement shake of her head. "I don't mind making myself comfortable, but . . . travel was actually the reason for my coming to see you." She grinned at her paler sibling, before turning to look at his plateau. Thankfully, Rev wasn't spoiled or high-maintenance; she was quick to find a comfortable spot on the outcropping, and flopped down in an ungraceful jingle. Thankfully, her thick tail and mane helped make sure wherever she sat was at least a little plush. It took her all but a moment to settle in comfortably, her ankle wings giving a little flutter now and then, before she turned back to her brother. It was kind of him to give her the time of day, especially after he'd been gone so long. She hated to attack him before he'd time to resettle in, but, something in Rev demanded she figure out this uncertainty sooner than later. There was no time like the present, after all.

"I'd actually been considering taking wing and heading down to the lowlands, to see if there isn't something I could do that isn't . . . well. . . praying." Her voice dropped low, and almost a little earnestly. It was as if she didn't wish to offend the spirits, or somehow come off as some heretic. . . and she didn't! One thing Revenant had always been was faithful, but lately. . . well. . . . Her faith had begun to waver. Still, the mare refrained from admitting such a thing, as if voicing it would give it more weight and be extra difficult to take back. She believed that the spirits had a great plan, or at least could hear her prayers, but . . . . was that enough? Or was it just an excuse to keep her hooves and wings high above where the real work had to be done?

"Anyway, I . . . It's just been an extra hard year, and I've felt idle despite praying for all the broken families, hearts, and loss that happened. But I . . . I also wonder if maybe it might be useful for me to put my wings and hooves to work." If there was still work to be done. Revenant felt bad enough she might be jumping into help late in the game -- would they still need her? Would she find some use in the lowlands or was she too late?

"What did you find down there, Haya?" She asked quietly, suddenly turning unusually serious.

 

[Cajmera]

There were some brothers who would pay lip service to their sisters' concerns while really wanting to rush on and talk about themselves. Heck, there were probably a LOT of brothers who would do that, to say nothing of sisters. But Hayalet had never been a 'typical' Soquili, so why would he be a typical brother? In all honesty, he WAS interested in hearing what Revenant had to say. Sure, he was looking forward to telling her about the Lowlands and the results of his travels; he was particularly looking forward to telling her about his new 'roommates.' Of the whole experience, that was the most positive, so it was only natural that he would dwell on it. He'd gone to the Lowlands hoping to find a new sense of purpose; he had found something to that effect, but he'd also found a lot of sorrow and depression. For a sensitive soul, that was a lot to deal with.

So yes, before he went into all that he wanted to hear Revenant's concerns. She was a sensitive soul with a heightened spiritual awareness, just like the rest of the family; she would empathize with the pain he'd felt as well as the pain the felt by the Kawani Soquili who'd experienced so much suffering.

Sometimes, it was problematic to be so sensitive.

Like Revenant, Hayalet had no problem settling himself down comfortably on the rocky plateau; in his case, though, the rocky surface was actually comfortable. Years spent lying in the same place had worn the rock smooth and perfectly shaped for his body; there was no creative tail arrangement necessary in order for HIM to be comfortable! "Well, we can certainly talk about that, Rev," he said in his soothing way. "In fact, I can hopefully help you out with that, because I was struggling with a nearly identical issue myself. That's why I went down there in the first place," he said with a slight inclination of his head to the Lowlands stretching out below. "I found the exercise to be therapeutic, honestly, though it was rather a sobering experience to be face to face with so much tragedy," he finished with a sad shake of his head.

He could understand exactly what Revenant was saying, having felt similar sentiments himself. He would always feel a powerful draw to the spiritual and meditative world; he felt at peace when praying, and knew that it would always do good. But it had been a positive experience to actually walk in the paths of the suffering, to SEE the sites of so much hurt. It was one thing to be removed and remote, but he was no benign deity to watch from afar. He was flesh and blood, and he needed to be among other flesh and blood creatures from time to time. "I'm not going to lie to you, Rev; it was extremely hard to be down there. Hearing about the tragedies was something completely different that seeing the results," he said with a slight shudder as he remembered the innumerable gravesites that dotted the landscape. "It's commendable to want to be involved, but being involved can be...depressing;"

Uta

 

[Uta]

Cajmera

The mare listened to her brother, though her wings flattened a bit as her brother stressed just how sad it was down in the lowlands. Revenant knew it wasn't going to be some joyride, and she knew that what she might find down there could leave her quite affected. "But isn't that all the more reason to go?" she finally asked, turning silver eyes to regard her brother anew. "if it's depressing to get involved, isn't it that much worse to those who were truly affected by all of it?" The mare was a sensitive spirit, and she knew she couldn't imagine the tragedy that happened down in the plains. The fire had ravaged the lands, killed many, and displaced even more. . . and that was after that ugly Kalona war! It seemed as if the lands hadn't been able to catch to a break, and while she had prayed and hoped that the spirits would be kind, be caring, be comforting, she . . . doubted whether or not that was the best thing for her to do.

Hayalet had not waited. So many within the Hourglass Summit had taken wing or hoof and made the journey without hesitation. They had gone simply because it had been the right thing to do, no matter the price or cost. Revenant had thought she'd done what was needed -- to instantly fall back upon her faith and to pray and cry out for the spirits to aid all those who were in need. But now, she felt more restless then ever, and guilt was eating her up on the inside. "I should have gone when everyone else went, should have saved my prayers until I had nothing left to give," she sighed, lowering her head and giving er thick tail a little shake.

Revenant's faith in herself and her spirit was wavering, but she knew it wasn't up to her brother to revive it. "Besides, I don't. . . I don't want this to be about me, even if it's my own heart that's stirring me to go. Surely there are good works to be done in the Kawani, souls I can help in more was than simply prayng." Couldn't she?

Silver eyes regarded her brother, and she wondered how Hayalet was fairing. He looked to be in good health, and his mane of hair certainly hadn't suffered. "What was it like? What did you do while you were there. . . ? And are you . . depressed now? or did you find a way to overcome all that sadness?" She figured she might as well ask. He'd been gone a long time and she wanted to catch up. . . .but she also figured his advice might be good to know as she was planning on a great journey soon.