[Matori] What was that? [V'demhe/Eleina] - FIN

[Heras Box]

The chaos on the beach was actually a training exercise. V'demhe had wanted to train her familiars to be better equipped with working together. Considering she had two radaku and one janarim their sizes were very different.

Ascale, the Oban beast, was snapping his jaws at Dem in an attempt to capture her while he was flanked on both sides by the radaku. Maha, the blue one, was baring his teeth in full force and running toward his owner with intent to leap up and take her to the ground. Tanou, the pink one, was trying to be more stealthy and weave through the Janarim's legs and swipe at V'demhe's to make her trip.

The Alkidike held her blades in her hands and leaped back to avoid the paw aimed at her ankles. At that same time she had her weapons crossed in front of her so that the snapping maw of her larger familiar would be deflected. When she landed Dem tucked and rolled onto her back, laughing as Maha went sailing over her and into the sand. Not stopping her momentum the warrior completed the tumble and go back up to her feet. She wore a grin that was rather self satisfied as she waved her blades in a mesmerizing way and waited for the next attack to come.  

[a pet dino]

Heras Box

Eleina had been watching for some time now, but how could she not? She had heard of the warrior women being good at fighting, but still what she was witnessing right in front of her was something else entirely. Sure she had been there at the battle against the extremists, she didn't fight as well as she would've liked but still she fought. But that was a real battle, that was life or death and she didn't have time to really appreciate the movements of those around her. This was different, this time she was able to full take in all that she was seeing and she was excited by it.

If only she could fight like that, except with her magic and not swords. Mix her years of dancing with fighting. Maybe then she would get better, maybe then she would actually be an asset in a fight.

As she peered more from behind the tree, trying her best to stay hidden and yet see everything, Eleina didn't even realize that she wasn't quite as hidden as she had once been.  

[Heras Box]

a pet dino

As she waited for her familiars to come at her again she noticed that there was someone watching. From the skin tone V'demhe saw she assumed they were Oban. It made her wonder what someone from the fire tribe was doing in Matori since most seemed to prefer their desert. Not that she was against any of them visiting.

Her blades were quickly put away and she gave a shrill whistle to let her beasts know that practice was over. They all fell into step around her to receive pets and scritches. Maha was the first and most pushy. Her blue radaku had been the first beast she'd taken in so he felt entitled. After a moment of giving her attention to the animals Dem offered a smile and spoke to the person lurking by the trees. "It's rude to spy on others." The alkidike laughed and looked in Eleina's direction. "Did you need something?" Were they lost? Or was it that they had never seen one of her kind up close before? Dem had already met someone like that. In her mind it was better that she be the first impression of her kind than someone less friendly.  

[a pet dino]

Heras Box

She watched as the woman affectionately patted her companions. She loved Nova, but to have that many had to be a handful. Just training them all had to be a pain, and from what Eleina saw they were all trained pretty well. However what happened next had Eleina taking a step backward, the woman noticed her. If it wasn't for the smile on her face Eleina would have been scared, down right terrified.

"Please excuse me," Eleina took a few steps forward so she was no longer hiding in the trees before bowing at the waist, "I didn't mean to spy but you were fighting so beautifully with them and I didn't want to interrupt you. My name is Eleina. I must say, you guys were very impressive. I've never seen anything like it."  

[Heras Box]

a pet dino

"I'm V'demhe." She offered her name in return to the odd introduction. When the woman told her what she was doing there she laughed. "Nonsense. These three don't work as a team like they should. I'll eventually get them in line." After all, if something happened to her then they would be gifted to her daughters.

"So what are you doing in Matori? Come to visit the beaches or just traveling?" Honestly the Alkidike was curious. Judging by the respectful nature of the girl she didn't look like she was out looking for a family to destroy. Besides, Dem was fairly certain no Oban woul be daft enough to try and steal a Matorian when an Alk was in the area.  

[a pet dino]

Heras Box

She smiled. A perfectionist this woman seemed to be. Eleina thought they worked together pretty well, but then again she was able to best them in the end. Maybe with some more training they would be able to pin their own master down. She couldn't even imagine what kind of opportunities that would give the woman. She wouldn't have to even fight those that were against her, she would just have to seen her companions after them and sweep in after they had done all of the hard work.

"I was visiting some of my father's family actually. I love it here in Matori. Although Oba will always be my birthplace I think I feel more at home here in Matori. Plus I always like getting to know my father's side of the family more. For so long I was barely able to leave Oba without fear so it's nice to now have the freedom I didn't have when I was young."  

[Heras Box]

a pet dino

Hearing that the girl was visiting some family V'demhe squinted her eyes and took a better look at her. As far as she could tell the girl was Oban but there, on her face, were the signs of a Matorian heritage. Just like her daughters. Dem smiled even more then and gave a nod. "My daughters are here to see their father's family as well. So I can understand that completely." And she really did.

"Is your family located around here or are they elsewhere? My daughters would benefit from meeting you, is why I ask." Here was this girl that was .... Part Matorian, but she was living proof that being mixed wasn't a bad thing. If she made sure of anything then Dem made sure that her girls understood that their hybrid natures weren't a bad thing.  

[a pet dino]

Heras Box

Eleina raised her eyebrows a little at the other woman's comment. It was always nice to meet other hybrids, and it was easy to tell most of the time that they were mixed like her, but it was also extremely nice to meet the mother of hybrids. Someone who like her parents looked past what society told them was wrong and right and what they should do and found love in someone that was outside the norm for them. She was surprised to find that the Alkidike woman had children with a man though. She had been under the impression that they were interested only in other women.

"They do and I would love to meet your daughters! It's always nice to meet other hybrids. For so many years I had to hide who I was, the part of me tied to my father's side, so meeting other hybrid wasn't very common for me. Now it seems there are more and more popping up everywhere. It's amazing!" Her excitement could barely be contained. Meeting new people was always fun, but meeting an Alkidike and possibly meeting her daughters that were half Matori as well was just an awesome added bonus!  

[Heras Box]

a pet dino

She gave a small laugh. "It's not that there are more popping up but the fact that they are now free to travel." Though Dem could agree that now hybrids weren't as shunned as they used to be.

Moving away from her familiars she got closer to Eleina. "My. You don't look too much older than my daughters." Of course there was the obvious gap in years but this girl was still young. Then again, the woman had become more and more motherly as time passed since her girls had been born. "Ah, sorry. I find my motherly instincts kick in all the time now." With another laugh and a large smile she motioned for Eleina to come closer. "Care to walk with me?"  

[a pet dino]

Heras Box

She nodded. "This is true. And in the case of most of the Matori women and men they are finally able to see those from the outside world. Before it was only Oban's they could interact with and not all of those interactions were pleasant."

Although she knew that only the Matori had been slaves at one point she wondered if there were other races that were only around one or two other races at some point. She knew that some mixed races were more common, due to proximity of homelands, but she was pretty sure no others had been segregated like the Matori. Well other then the Yael, but at this point most of their segregation was their choice.

She smiled at what she took as a kind of compliment. "You look younger then my mother, but then again my mother had me kind of late in her life." She use to tell her mother that her age maid her wiser, which was why she had Eleina so old. She needed to collect all the wisdom she could before having the girl.

"I'd love to walk with you!" Falling in step with the other women she decide to just come out and say what she had been feeling all along. "To be honest I've never seen an Alkidike beside when I was fighting besides a few in the war. How do you like it down here?"  

[Heras Box]

a pet dino

There was a thoughtful noise that came from her when the interactions between the Matori and Obans were brought up. "I am aware. My mate's family served." V'demhe didn't like that Virain had been in that type of environment growing up but there was nothing she could do about it now.

"My mother asked Aisha for me when she was in her later years. My little sister as well. So I can understand thinking other mother's are young." Not that there was anything wrong with the age of a woman when she had a child. Dem was sure that if she had waited to ask for her daughters then she might have had more wisdom to impart with them. She was learning though.

With Eleina walking beside her the Alkidike woman made a small gesture for her flock of beasts to follow along behind them. "If they make you uncomfortable let me know. I can have them walk farther back."  

[a pet dino]

Heras Box

She nodded. It was hard for many who served. "My father served, it was how he met my mother. Though he had it much better then most. Soon after they met she fell in love and the two of them moved away from their home together. My grandparents on my mother's side weren't thrilled about the whole thing, but my father is half so they allowed it." it was a story that was better then most, that she knew. "That's why most assume at first that I am just Oban. I am only a quarter Matori."

"I can see the benefits of both having children when one is young and when one is older. When your young you have more energy, but when your older more life experience. Both are useful in their own way."

She looked back at the animals for a second before shrugging. "I have a beast of my own, a snaptrotter, so they do not bother me. Plus after that show I actually feel better with them around. I doubt anyone would mess with me with them around."

"So how are your daughters liking Matori so far? I've heard that the jungles are much different form here." She wanted to go one day, to see, but wasn't sure she would like it all that much.  

[Heras Box]

a pet dino

"That is a wonderful thing. Falling in love." Dem nodded her head. She felt it. Lived it. Having learned that Eleina was only a fourth Matorian made her give a nod. "Ahhh, that explains why I was confused. Up close it is more noticeable though." It was also a very pretty combination. The dark skin tones of the Obans with the markings of the Matori.

V'demhe's gaze went back to look at her familiars then returned to Eleina. "Believe it or not.. it's the pink one that has the most attitude." Almost in answer the pink radaku gave a snort and a sneeze.

"My mate and I brought our girls here while they were still young. So they don't really know the difference. I favor the beaches more than anything. Reminds me of my island home." She supposed that it was a good thing that Galene and Masika had been too young to really recall Chibale or Jauhar. She didn't want them to miss it and get home sick.  

[a pet dino]

Heras Box

She smiled. She wouldn't know, not yet anyways. But she hoped to one day. From the way her mother described it the feeling was the most wonderful ever. It was like a bubbling all over your body that was both pleasant and exciting at the same time. A feeling that one could never get enough of. "Yes most people are confused at first, it makes shopping in the marketplaces here a pain at times. But I've gotten use to it, and the longer that I stay here the more that they seem to be use to me." She couldn't blame the older Matori people for their dislike of Obans, so she just had to be as sweet as possible and make sure that they knew she wasn't like that.

"Really?" That was something that she was surprised to find. The pink radaku was being more sneaky from what she saw earlier, so Eleina had assumed that one would be the most sly of the three. The most quite. "I would've never guessed. From what I saw I would've assumed the janarim or the blue one would be the one with the most attitude."

"Yes the beaches here are the best. So freeing. It makes you realize just how small you really are when you look out at sea." So her children only knew the ocean lands. Interesting. "Do you ever plan on bringing them back? So they could experience the jungle by your side?"  

[Heras Box]

a pet dino

"Heh. Try being an Alk." Now there was something. With the most recent battle scar running through Tendaji having been made by the extremists from her tribe, it was understandable that most people were weary of her kind. Dem gave a wink to Eleina though. "Most people are just afraid of the past so once you show them that you are the future they tend to relax." At least that was how she saw it.

V'demhe peeked back at the beasts as they followed at a leisurely pace. "Nah, the blue one there loves attention. And the Janarim is a giant youngling." Dem was still waiting for him to mature. Not physically but mentally. Danged thing was more playful than threatening.

With the mention of the sea she turned her attention to the rolling waves. "Yes, the ocean is majestic in many ways." Dem loved it and she knew the rest of her family did as well. Turning her head she gave a confused look to the girl walking with her. "Of course. The reason we came here after they were born is because my mate had never been to his homeland. He had been born to servitude. So he and our girls, and me as well, are experiencing it all for the first time together. But more than that.. I wanted the girls to know their father. The type of man he is. And how much I love him. If we would have stayed in Alkidike territory then he wouldn't have been allowed on the islands with us. So.. that is for a time when the girls are older and Virain won't miss anything in their life." From the way she spoke it was more than clear that she had a deep love and respect for the man she called her mate.