Jackals in a Storm

[Knight Kat]

[align=center]Legend of Tyago[/align]

 

[video=youtube]

 

Just wanted to share what inspired this story. Adrian Von Ziegler is so great. His music makes my imagination feel unbridled.

 

 

 

One hundred cycles past, in the midst of an Autumn storm, a Keeper of the Moon stepped out from hiding. Her name was Tyago Jakkya.

 

A storm of lances and fire rained upon the Twelveswood. Rhalgr had come to destroy the forest. While many cowered away from this god out of fear or respect, Tyago dared to deny him. “Your Lightning is powerful, great god, but this forest has weathered many storms.” She declared.

 

Rhalgr payed the tiny being no mind. No mortal could stop him. But the fate of the forest was not decided solely by him. Mayhaps he was testing the people, or mayhaps he simply watched his children make the storm for him. One can not know the motives of a god.

 

The storm continued on, and Tyago only grew more enraged by the destruction of her home. “Now I become the jackal.” She declared. “I need no light but the Moon, and my nose can guide me true. I need no home, for I can live anywhere I must. I need no tradecrafts, for I can take what others leave behind. I need no society aside from my pack, and even if you take them from me, I will live on alone. I need no armor, for I will not be where my enemies aim. I need no bravery; I will kill my enemies as they sleep. I need no allegiance; survival is my flag. I am a jackal in your storm, and all storms eventually pass.”

 

When the nights became cold, Tyago crafted spears and knives of ice. When she felt lonely, she remembered Menphina’s unending love. When she needed hope, she looked to the Moon guarded by her red hound. When Tyago’s muscles grew tired from running and fighting, she relied on her frigid will.

 

Scavenging and hunting, hitting and running - Tyago and her followers knew the forest better than the storm. The lightning could strike where ever it wished, for the jackals would not be there. Beating a god was impossible, but not the way. Beating his children could not be done alone, but even that was not the way of the jackal. Nay, the way of the jackal was to outlast it all. Survive until the god grew bored, and survive until his children fell.

 

A Griffin is powerful, but when one attacks, all the other beasts ignore the jackals. Fear in the hearts of the forest-born and all those who shared fear with them turned to anger. That anger became a force unlike anything seen before, and never seen since.

 

Althyk demanded the storm end, and Halone demanded retribution. Menphina may be The Lover, but when scorned, she will only give ice!

 

Tyago watched as the storm faded, and Autumn gave way to Winter. As the first of Halone’s winds blew, she gave the goddess an oath. “For our survival, we offer you our fangs and claws in the next storm. Any who threaten this forest again will pay in blood.”

[Knight Kat]

[align=center]Tefh[/align]

 

[align=center]Near present day.[/align]

 

The apple crunched as teeth bit into it. The deep, enticing red of the fruit was almost as flavorful to the eyes as it was for the mouth. An easy Twelveswood breeze blew through Tefh’s hair as she stood perched on a tree branch. The girl closed her eyes, and took in a breath of the fresh air.

 

Leaf-litter crunched, and her ears flicked to turn towards the noise. She opened her eyes, and gazed down upon an older Hyur man. He was silent as he stared up at the Miqo’te in the tree.

 

“’Ello.” Tefh greeted the farmer with a smile despite holding one of his grove’s apples.

 

The man tipped his field hat with his thumb and finger. “That wasn’ ready for harvestin’.” He spoke in a relaxed tone.

 

“Tastes ready.” The Keeper replied with a smirk and shrug.

 

The man nodded slowly “what’s your name, miss?”

 

“I ain’t a miss. I’m Tefh.” She answered simply before her teeth dug into the apple once more.

 

Their exchange paused as nearby birds interjected with songs and calls. A giant flower turned on its stem to hiss at one of the birds that got too close. Tefh and the farmer’s gazes remained on each other.

 

“Well… Glad you like my apples.” The farmer broke the silence. “They’re my livelihood, after all.” His face was a stoic mask, but his tone was soft and casual.

 

As Tefh chewed down her meal, she looked at the man with her green, Keeper orbs. There was a wariness about her – a mistrust that could be seen in her stare. With a hop, she let herself fall down from the branch, and landed in front of the man. The fifteen fulm drop did not seem to bother her. She pulled a ten-gil coin from her shirt, and offered it to the man.

 

He shook his head. “Keep it. But you coul’ buy from my stall next time. It’d be much appreciated.”

 

Tefh canted her head, but slipped the gil back in her shirt. Her face betrayed her confusion, and her ears lowered. “You grow good trees.” She spoke in an awkward tone. Her voice no longer bore the apathy it had moments before. She turned and briskly dashed away before the man could repond.

[Knight Kat]

[align=center]Kiht[/align]

 

[align=center]One Moon before the attack on Baelsar's Wall.[/align]

 

 

The dawning sun beamed light through the dense canopies of East Shroud. The ambient sounds of nature – birds singing and wind rustling drowned out a distant commotion.

 

Peace was broken by a raptor crashing through brush in her emergence from the flora which hid her. Her feet tore into earth as she sprinted with enough power to create dull thuds with every step. Then another crash, and a second raptor burst from the brush. He was smaller, but no less fast as his graceful stride brought him up to the female raptor’s side.

 

Across a dirt road they dashed as they made for a clearing with nothing but spread-out saplings and very large, hovering vilekin. The massive Kedflies made way, and took to the air to avoid the charging raptors. Birdsongs came to a sudden halt as the feathered creatures flew to the winds from their perches on the saplings.

 

The female raptor let out a screech as she darted to the left; following the road a bit further before blitzing into the clearing. The male raptor had moved to the right, and entered the clearing from its West end. They were encircling something.

 

One songbird let out a curious chirp from where the raptors first emerged. Peace looked to return to the area again. Suddenly, another burst from the brush alarmed them into flight again. A Keeper with long, braided, black hair ran toward the same clearing the raptors ran with a spear in hand. Her breathing was fast and heavy as she dashed with a similar tenacity.

 

In the clearing, a Garlean steel sword gleamed in the sunlight as it was held high as if to be used for the impending fight. The red and black pot helm shadowed the face of the soldier as he stood at the ready.

 

From his left, the male raptor leaped into just beyond arm's reach, and sprayed a plume of fire at the soldier. The female raptor arrived at the opposite side, and hissed a spray of acidic venom at the soldier caught aflame. Both raptors jumped back to avoid retaliation then let out screeches at the burning Garlean soldier made of straw…

 

Supported by a stake, the straw dummy continued to hold up his sword in defiance. The pot helm began to catch fire more slowly than the rest of him, but under it was the grim, faceless, straw head that would not give the raptors the satisfaction of fear.

 

A javelin ended his last stand; flying into his head as if propelled by the wind. The stake gave out, and the burning dummy fell.

 

The Keeper woman paced up to the burning dummy, drew a gourd-shaped bottle from her satchel pack and cracked the glass with a hunting knife. Fire turned to smoke and steam as she threw the bottle onto the burning dummy. The blue-colored contents caused a blizzard-like burst once the bottle shattered. The fire was extinguished.

 

Kiht glanced to each of the raptors as they approached her. Suddenly her hand wrapped around the snout of the male raptor, and her other hand flicked his ear.

 

“Fire after venom, Dirk” she spoke firmly. The raptor whimpered, and she soon let go.

 

Her gaze found the female raptor. “And you had a head-start, why did he get a chance to attack before you, Estoc?” She asked, but the Raptor simply canted her head in response.

 

Kiht sighed, but grew a smirk. “You both did well, but no treats until we get this right. Haru finds the target, Estoc sprays them with her venom, and Dirk sets them on fire. I move in for the kill.”

 

The raptors didn’t understand what she was saying. They only knew they were in trouble. But they were quickly distracted by a Lalafell-sized beetle trying to climb a sapling that could not hold its weight.

 

“I am talking at the animals again.” Kiht muttered as she pulled off her gloves, and approached to place her bare hands on their fine-scaled skin. Moons of training had made them tame to her touch, and she closed her eyes as one hand rested on each raptor.

 

“You can not understand my words, but you can understand my spirit…” She muttered softly.