A visit home [K Tribe RP]

[Kailia]

Kailia's limbs began to flail as the powder is stirred up. A little of it entered her nose and quickly she halted all breathing as it began stinging her nose immediately. Even her eyes began to sting as the powder got into them.

 

This was not a punishment? They would not hear her out? But then, hearing mention of conserving water she remembered. Everyone is made of water. Clenching her eyes closed further she began calming herself once more, and praying to the element of water.

 

Within a matter of moments, the tears she had shed upon the fetish lifted silently and entered her nose, collecting the powder that stung her so. Powder too also washed out of her eyes before the water that was her tears settled back down upon the fetish.

 

Her eyes still strung from having come in contact with the powder, but any potential damage that could of happened would now be averted. So they wanted her to be silent? Then that is what she would do. So until she was permitted to speak, she simply entered a deep meditation once more, slowing her breathing and even her heart rate down considerably, as she thought on happier times. Of the places she had been and seen... from Gridania and the Black Shroud, to La Noscea and Limsa Lominsa. She finally settled on the memory of the time she spent with Ul'Dah Garden in Costa Del Sol.

 

And thus she layed there, completely still in an almost comatose meditation, focusing on Costa Del Sol, and the fun she had there, yet still being alert enough to respond if the elder decided to let her up.

[Lyraciilee]

K'yohko's gaze turned even more severe as his disobedient daughter spoke up. She spoke ill of others and implied that K'luha and K'haali had lied about the scouting mission. Such insolence. Such gal.

 

But his Grandmother spoke up quickly, imparting sharp words of wisdom. Words not sharp enough for the silent Nunh and watchful father. She may not have known him, but he certainly knew her. He had watched her from afar her whole life, done things for her in ways she could never know or comprehend. And it he done it like that for a distinct purpose. And yet...

 

 

K'yohko closed his eyes again, breathing in deeply the air within the tent. He could smell the faint burning of the powder in front of K'ailia. He inhaled that burning sensation deeply, letting it burn his lungs and throat faintly before he once more opened his eyes.

 

"There is an infection in our people, in my daughters..." His words were dark, raspy, and thick with emotion and meanings incomprehensible to someone like K'ailia. "...poison... illness..." K'yohko dropped his head and muttered a deep yet dark prayer to Azyema. Slowly his head, insurmountably heavy, raised and he looked past K'ailia and K'takka with a rising dark fire in his very being. His eyes paused, looking down to his silent and still daughter. She still failed to grasp even the most simple of concepts.

 

He knelt down in front of her and reached forward, grasping her bangs and pulling her head up to look at him regardless of the bowl that would probably cover her eyes.

 

"Falling into memories of elsewhere is still cheating, girl. Be aware of your surroundings still, or I will push your nose into that powder and make you breath it until your magic cannot save you." K'yohko's words were dark, filled with the promise of threats and the agitation of her inability to understand. "Do not use meditation and magic to cheat. You may fool others, but you will never fool me." And with that, he dropped her head and blew a large cloud of dust in her face.

 

K'yohko stood, powerful muscles moving visibly as he stepped outside of the tent's flap. When his daughter was no one in sight he scowled darkly.

 

"K'rahto!" K'yohko bellowed in a voice so loud and deep it might have sent tremors along the sands and frightened anyone who heard the silent nunh raise his voice. "Find K'nahli and bring her to me." He ordered loudly, arms crossing beneath his chest as he waited for the Tia to dutifully respond and go about his task. Either that, or face the thick and dark wrath of the angered nunh.

[Clover]

When K'yohko emerged from the tent, his expression alone was enough to freeze the blood of many. K'rahto Tia had been standing at a certain distance from the crowd, back resting against a pile of wooden boxes and hands behind his neck in a lazy, uninterested pose. As soon as the sound of his name thundered in his ears, he quickly came to attention with wide open eyes.

 

The Nunh -his secret rival- asked him to find K'nahli with a voice that already sounded like a punishment. What made the Tia especially nervous, however, was the fact that he'd been the one chosen for such a task. Why him, out of all the miqo'tes? Had K'nahli spoke to her father about his challenge? K'rahto frowned, tense, and nodded without much of a choice.

 

 

"Understood."

 

This said, he started running in the direction K'nahli took earlier.

 

------

 

 

Among all the Miqo'tes who witnessed the scene, K'mih's expression turned into pure fear at the look in her father's eyes, at the sound of his voice. Her sister K'nahli was going to be punished, and K'mih couldn't even begin to imagine in what ways. She'd likely suffer the same-- no, even a worse fate if her father ever managed to take a peek into her forbidden thoughts, wouldn't she? He'd cast the same dark glance upon her, eyes like fire that had the power to burn and break hearts.

 

Trembling slightly, the girl took two steps back with her head down, shielding herself behind the other Miqo'tes. Time needed to pass faster, much faster, until the nightmare was over and she could wrap her arms around her wounded sisters. It only passed slower, though.

[Kailia]

She could feel her head being moved. Was she being finally let up? No... this was rough handling. She could hear her father's voice. How did he know she cleansed her nose and eyes? How did he know the state she had put herself in?

 

Suddenly more powder was blown onto her face. But the moment he spoke of shoving her face into the powder, she immediately halted letting breath out, and closed her mouth and eyes tightly. She felt more powder thrown in her face. It was as thought they want her to burn her lungs.

 

They had wanted her to be quiet, to stay calm. And they considered meditation cheating? If her father went through this punishment, could it be why he had become a cold, silent male? The images of Costa Del Sol had faded. Now, rage had taken over.

 

So now her sister K'nahli would pay for bringing her to the elders. Perhaps taking K'ile's offer to come back to the tribe camp was a mistake. In fact she was sure enough days had passed that they would of arrived about the same time. Even if he could not find her mother, she thought for sure he'd return himself.

 

Could his invitation of been a trap? A last moment way to get back at her for nearly taking his kit making abilities away? Her fists began to clench as her tail fuzzed out. They wanted her thoughts in the here and now, and to stay silent. So be it. But she would tolerate no more powder thrown in her face, lest they too, want it spread throughout the tent.

 

So she stayed there, anger boiling. And the images of K'ile was at the root of that anger now. If that tia possessed any inkling of wisdom, he would come around her no more. She remembered the time she had her first dislike of that Tia, which began five years ago, when he grabbed her and shoved her to her mother, when all she wanted was the tribe shaman's help. He was the last to see K'piru that day. Could he of contributed to her leaving? Much like he had contributed to her own decision to do the same?

 

And to think, he seemed to be at the root of her mothers anger too. He was playing with her emotions. She could almost bet on it. He was probably the one that led to all the breakdowns with her mother after he had gotten them back together that first time. What was his game? It matters not, her mind began putting pieces together, and all trails led back to K'ile Tia.

 

And to fuel her rage, she took let out the breath she had held, then took in a swif deep breath, feeling the powder on her face pour into her nose and began to burn her nose, throat and lungs. Fueling the flames of hatred she now held for K'ile.

[Twinflame]

When K'yohko inserted himself, K'takka gladly eased her weight off of K'ailia, letting the bowl be pushed off the girl's head so that she could be lifted into the hands of her just and disciplined father. K'takka's thin lips smirked, eyes gleaming at her son. He may make a better Elder than a Nunh, as great of a Nunh as he was.

 

When he released K'ailia again, K'takka watch the girl collapse, and then slammed the bowl down on her head. She growled, "And now you are angry? Sad, flimsy child. Selfish. The spirit of the lesson has no interest to you, nor does the suffering of others." K'takka's tone turned heckling as she crouched over K'ailia, "You have not been mutilated. You have seen none of your children die. Nothing have you lost or suffered worth lamenting, and yet all you think off is that poor little K'ailia wants to come home. Your return insults all of us! Insults yourself most of all!"

 

To be honest, she was having fun. She was not cruel, and there had been some inkling of a want to teach the girl, of a thought that she might warrant mercy. But she was too stubborn, too sure of herself. She was unteachable. K'ailia would never change her ways because she thought herself better than the world around her. Always had the girl been abusive of her elders, never respectful. K'ailia was like an echo of K'aijeen that had sought to conceal itself, but had been revealed in time. She could only pray that K'luha was not going to act as K'piru had, turning bleak inside.

 

Standing, K'takka spun on the other Elders, "You have been wiser than I this day. I should not have spoken to the girl." Her silver eyes fell on K'deiki, "Perhaps she was born an outsider, but more likely it was a mistake to pretend she had passed her trial of adulthood. She was a selfish child, taking much, and brought nothing back to us."

 

K'takka imagined the darkness that had taken K'piru after her daughter had left, a despair that had left her ghostly, pale, ill. After the Calamity, the woman had all but died to it. Perhaps this was the source of the disease that K'yohko perceived, and perhaps not. But they would have to keep a careful eye on K'luha.

 

As for K'ile Tia, who had not even returned from the scouting mission, who had been outpaced by a selfish, rotten child...

 

The thin woman hissed, her voice towards the exit carrying sharp and long as an arrow from a bow, "Yohko. Return to us." This said, the thin, ancient woman retreated. She felt older than she had in a long time, the scarred flesh on her tail and back turning strangely cold as she moved into the shadowed tent, seeking the comfort of the furs and pillows her adoring scions had gifted to her. Such presents were fewer now. Her children were thinning with time and age.

[K'nahli]

K'nahli didn't get very far before her forgotten sense of fatigue from the long day of work had finally caught up to her. Coming to a gradual halt in between a number of towering dunes that shielded her from view of the camp, she lurched forward over herself and began breathing heavily while promptly latching her trembling hands on to her knees tightly to anchor herself in position as she did so. The young girl's crimson gaze, once firm and direct was still unfamiliar, remarkably wide with shock while they frantically eyed the apricot-tinted sands below her feet fearfully. After a number of deep and much needed breaths, the refreshing air poured in and filled her lungs pleasantly as she slowly brought a restless hand up to greet her throbbing temple. She felt so incredibly foolish, though it was for a multitude of reasons. Her own rationality insisted that she had overreacted, that she had read too deeply into a scenario and responded with an unjust emotion - a convincing concept considering her unrivaled ability to quickly jump to a state of agitation or even rage. Though her lack of confidence would not allow such a thought to win over her mind so easily. "What ifs" continued to plague her thoughts with unyielding determination. The stress alone was enough to make the girl feel sick to the stomach.

 

After a short while, her expression finally began to slowly grow softer into one that reflected an appearance of mere sadness. The tips of her fingers massaged across her temple soothingly though they offered little comfort to her mind.

 

 

Taking only moment to relish in the tiny relief, she brought herself back up to a normal posture and allowed her mournful eyes to travel upward from her feet to stare out across the vast, darkening desert before her with lingering sense of melancholy. She couldn't deny that the idea was tempting. Surely it was the least she could do for her family.

A small gust of evening wind infused with tiny grains of sand rolled over the dunes toward her and brushed across her fragile face, causing her hanging locks, tied with ornaments to flutter lightly across her face. With it however, came an opposing thought.

Wouldn't she be as bad as K'ailia? Wasn't this in a way, even more selfish? Unlike her estranged sister, K'nahli actually served great value to the tribe in the same way that every huntress did. Yet K'ailia, despite the expectation and her repeated disappearances leading up to her final departure, was the victim of brutal and a most bitter welcome. Wouldn't a young huntress that displayed discipline and aptitude when it came to catching, slaying and preparing food be a more troublesome loss? Even if no-one missed K'nahli, the loss of extra help, given the tribe's dwindling state, would surely be problematic.

 

 

What would her decision be?

 

 

The slow, thumping of her heart beating against her chest seemed to amplify itself until all other sound was eventually drowned out beneath it. It was partly for this reason that the steps of an approaching female remained unheard to the young archer as she lay lost within her silent moment of thought.

[Kailia]

K'takka's words broke through the anger. So this was a lesson? And yet, all she had thought of was her mother running. Of K'ile's actions towards her. But it all sunk in. All she thought of, was how they effected herself. She was selfish. A trait she shared with her mother. She was thinking of herself.

 

Why did she return? What was the lesson she was to learn? She had ventured out on her own to learn. Yet here in the tribe, K'takka was trying to teach her something, and she could not see it. Still could not. What was the lesson then she was to learn? Being quiet? She was doing that. Using multiple techniques, and yet all considered cheating.

 

What does she have to do to please the elders? What must she do? How can she find this out if she is now allowed to ask? If spoken words were not allowed... she closed her eyes and this time silently prayed to the earth. The sand that was not covered began to shift, and the words 'I am listening, please teach me' appeared.

[Naunet]

There had been nothing to say as K'takka delivered her lesson, nothing that could have altered its outcome or the minds of those involved, and so K'deiki had not spoken. That did not mean she remained passive, however, and as her half-sister and half-sister's grandson attempted to impress upon her own wayward great-granddaughter, K'deiki had devoted her energy to prayer.

 

Knobby hands worked themselves rhythmically into the soft sand beneath her knees and the many layers of the colored cloth adorning her body, and with each slow, aged breath, she sought their Warden's wisdom and protection for her family. K'ailia had need of it most of all, she thought, not to shield her from the consequences of her actions but to guide her, to teach her. The Warden was ever willing to offer lessons to those who would listen, though even as she prayed, K'deiki wondered if now too few of their young were willing to listen.

 

She could sense K'jhanhi's presence near and knew what the old man thought and felt without asking. The silence of his bitter rejection was a kindness for the young girl bowed on the ground before them, a sign that he did not wish to push her further. With a heavy heart, K'deiki recognized that it also meant he had given up. There would be no lessons from him, no prayers for their great-granddaughter, and she couldn't fault him that.

 

She lifted her head as K'takka called for K'yohko once more, took in the shadowed forms in the tent cast in oranges and yellows in fire light, and finally spoke, her voice rattling out from her ribs, "We have seen what your actions have done to your mother. We saw it in how she came to us desperate and hateful of herself. In abandoning your family, you risked breaking them, when we have already lost much. Will you only see that once she's become as empty a shell as my own daughter?" Her words dragged from her throat with difficulty, and she coughed once, a dry, raspy sound, before continuing, "I do not want you to have to watch your family crumble so that you may learn a lesson. Think of others, K'ailia Yohko. Do not think of your wants for now. Think of others."

[Izmina]

Tahj stalked the sands carefully, as quietly as her not yet fully trained footsteps would allow. She was nervous, she'd not been so far out of camp unescorted. Worried for her sister, Tahj strained her senses, ears flicking this way and that, keen nose occasionally catching  scent traces of her quarry on the wind.

 

The sun traveling towards evening deepened her sense of urgency, knowing she'd been even less likely to navigate the unfamiliar terrain without Azeyma's light. Wondering if she should call out to K'nahli, Tahj rounded a dune and her sister's scent became stronger.Smiling Tahj quickened her pace, and finally spotting her quarry,approached K'nahli reaching out to touch her shoulder to offer silent support, eyes asking if the girl was ok.

[Lyraciilee]

It was with some relief, that K'rahto Tia understood his task and set to completing it immediately. His eyes scanned through the women and tias about the tent who looked up at his powerful voice. His eyes urged them to go back about their ways. He remained outside for a time, letting his fury simmer to a light smoke instead of a blazing fire.

 

'There is a poison and it eats away at our flesh...'

 

His grandmother's voice called him away, and he moved fluidly back into the tent. K'yohko watched the scared and shaking back of his treasured grandmother as she moved to sit in what little comfort she could. The situation as too gruesome for much comfort.

 

A faint movement of the sands, unnatural, stole his attention from K'takka. The sands shifted, spelling words. Words K'yohko could not read, but could recognize enough as the outsider's words. His foot move quick, snuffing them out and sharply releasing K'ailia's control of the sand. A deep scowl turned his lips again and did nothing as K'deiki spoke up from her prayers.

 

When she was silent, K'yohko crossed his arms across his chest again and let out a long breath of hot air.

 

Yohko's eyes looked up to meet K'deki's, glistening with a myriad of images, emotions. Full was he of things beyond the mere description of useless words. But he said nothing else.

[K'nahli]

The sudden touch of K'tahjha startled K'nahli, though this time she managed to retain her composure. The soft hand that placed itself tenderly over her shoulder offered a faint sense of reassurance before any words were spoken. Her body reacted only with the slight perk of both her shoulders and ears. Her eyes opened a little wider with both hope and shy expectancy, assured by the fact that only one person would be willing to come after her and that that person was who stood considerately behind her now.

 

"K'mih....?" K'nahli called back to the girl before turning to look directly at her. Her expression lightened for a moment but quickly faded again upon seeing that it wasn't who she had assumed it was.

 

"Oh....K'tahjha..." her voice trailed off with a mild sense of disappointment. Her softened, maroon eyes glazed over as they slowly lowered and escaped to look away to the side, avoiding eye contact with the girl whom she had barely acquainted herself with.

 

"Wh-...Why are you here?" she inquired solemnly, no longer trying to continue with her vain effort of trying to conceal her sadness.

[Izmina]

Tahj's ears drooped slightly in apology as it was obvious K'nahli had been hoping for someone else.Smiling gently at her sister, she attempted to catch the girl's gaze,"I was worried about you." hesitating only slightly Tahj reaches to try and give K'nahli a quick hug," I listen really well if you ever need."

[Twinflame]

The softness of the furs were a hiding place to K'takka. The bright pillow she brought into her lap was at once warming and cooling, its weight upon her limbs like a focus to hold her steady. She did not react to Yohko's dashing kick, muttering instead down towards the floor, "I may be done with the girl. She knows neither peace nor silence nor consideration for aught but herself. She is addicted to words, reaction, her own perception of her right to act. Disobedience is disrespect. An infant knows as much. Outsiders, it seems, do not."

 

Her eyes lifted to K'yohko for a moment and then wandered, perhaps finding the other Elders. She spoke as muttering, "If one wishes to walk, one must first stand still. If one wishes to speak, one must first remain silent," her words slowed, "for a long," and grew quiet, "long time."

 

Her thin body dappled with scars and ancient wounds, pale gaze falling back to the floor in front of her, K'takka closed her eyes and breath. Her bony fingers knit into the pillow she held.

[Kailia]

K'ailia felt her father crushing the earth made message. But she paid him no attention. Her ears listened instead to K'takka. Hearing she may be done with her, that she knows neither peace nor silence, nor consideration but herself she knew was wrong. But it was clear the elders seem to think she thinks only of herself.

 

Disobedience is disrespect... so that was what family was to the tribe? Absolute obedience? Now she understood why the elders were so angry. They were expecting from family, obedience only.

 

She could not help but think back to the first argument she had with her mother. She was afraid the elders would choose to remain in Sagolii, to sentence the tribe to death. But before she could tell of how she felt like an outsider already within the tribe her mother had an explosion of anger. But soon after K'ile talked to her, as a friend, as an uncle would to a wayward niece. And she had decided she would not leave the tribe then, and she apologized to her mother, just as her mother apologized to her.

 

She thought back to their stay in Eastern Thanalan, where she was left alone with nothing to do at their camp site. She'd taken trips then to Drybone, to the church. Beheld the suffering of the people. And she knew then, she wanted to help both her tribe and the outsiders. She had started to learn to read. Her intentions was, once they returned to the tribe, to offer to teach the tribe shamans conjury. To teach those who knew not how to read, how to do so. She had so much to offer. But seeing her mother's reaction to magic, to K'ile's statement that if she offered herself to learn to be a proper tribe mate, he'd force her to mate...

 

The tribe was not ready. If her mother was that strongly afraid of magic, then teaching the shamans of the tribe would be pointless. Such magics is probably why she was treated as an outsider as it was. Other Miqo'te tribes have already integrated themselves into Eorzean cultures, because they were ready. Her branch of the tribe though, was not.

 

But K'takka had given her hints if she was to speak, let alone walk. So she remained in there here, and now. She remained silent. They wanted her to remain silent for a long time. They wanted her to remain in place and do nothing the entire time. She now understood what K'takka wanted. So there she stayed. No tears. No anger. No magic, though she could still feel the powder irritating her lungs.

 

But she needn't have physical magic to take care of that. The monk training she underwent from the Hyur she calls Big Brother showed her she could move her aether within her, or as he called it... her chakra, to repair the damage herself. So she remained still, listening to the elders while moving her aether to deal with the immediate problem. She would not die for the tribe. And should her father attempt to assault her further with the powder, she would be left with no recourse but the defend herself. But she would not attack. There are ways to keep ones self from harm, without attack. She would do as the elder has now instructed.

 

Thus, she stayed still. Silent. Even if it took all night, the elder hinted she would eventually be allowed to speak, and move. There would be no more meditation. Her limits were reached. And she prayed to Azeyma that her father would attempt no further assaults.

[K'nahli]

K'tahjha's arms wrapped around the maroon-eyed girl warmly. The young miqo'te, despite only recently arriving to and becoming part of their family, was undoubtedly a remarkably, tender soul. Her lack of familiarity with K'nahli did not hinder her efforts to try and comfort and perhaps aid the cold-mannered archer, even in spite of their initial meeting - one which appeared to lack a great deal of interest on K'nahli's part. It was something K'nahli however failed to comprehend, though at the same time, she felt an odd sense of nostalgic, familiarity while lingering on the thought.

 

K'nahli's arms, having not yet accepted the hug offered by the girl hung awkwardly away from her. Like a confused animal she stood there with her arms stretched out past K'tahjha as if she didn't understand what was happening. It was a form of greeting that K'tahjha seemed fond of and, in truth, was only natural for those who didn't dedicate themselves to concealing their emotions.

Blinking a couple of times to clear her watery eyes, she slowly began to reign her arms in, bringing them to a synchronous close much like two closing doors that were carefully being drawn shut.

Suddenly, however, her arms stopped mere inches from Ktahjha's back. As if possessed by another being, K'nahli's expression immediately grew more fierce and with a swift movement, she slipped her arms back from under K'tahjha's and promptly thrusted herself away from the unsuspecting girl.

 

 

"I am not a case to be pitied!" K'nahli spat toward her angrily, demonstrating her unfailing ability to find the negative in even such soft displays of concern. Her stance alone revealed nothing short of a defensive state of mind as she subjected her younger sister to her wrathful stare.

 

 

The eldest girl's glassy eyes that had glared back into K'tahjha's softer hue of beryl darted away in retreat disdainfully. She glanced down toward the fading, vibrance of the desert sands absently before bringing an arm up to greet her eyes, briskly rubbing them clean and drying them of all lingering hints toward impending tears that blinking alone failed to eliminate. She exhaled sharply before returning to look back at her sister. K'tahjha, the mysterious young archer from Gridania, raised in an orphanage and member of the fabled archer's guild, she was so innocent and naive, tender and caring. K'nahli didn't need to be informed that the reaction was completely uncalled for, but the stubborn girl couldn't bring herself to admit it to someone who was still too 'new' to be thought of as anything much more than a stranger.

 

"....I'm heading back now..." she finally added with a more hushed tone, though her misguided irritation was not concealed completely in the way she spoke.

 

She began walking back toward the camp, leaving her sister behind though naturally expecting her to follow behind.

 

 

K'nahli couldn't expect K'tahjha to understand that she was not mad at her, after all she didn't know her well enough. If she were to also reflect on their first encounter too then perhaps she may easily get the impression that either K'nahli dislikes her or that she is simply a sour individual. She felt sorry for her ill-acquainted, younger sister.

 

She wanted to apologise, to tell her that she did nothing wrong in either case, that it was bad luck on both their parts... but she couldn't.

[Clover]

 

"K'nahli Yohko!"

 

Just when the female started walking back to the camp, the familiar voice of a certain Tia called her out. It was like an echo of the first time she and K'rahto talked for real, as well as the way she'd called her own father just a moment ago. K'rahto Tia stopped running at a certain distance in front of her, his expression deadly serious. Or so it was until he noticed hers. A small pang of surprise crossed his features at the look he found in her slightly red eyes, no matter how hard she tried to conceal it with her pride.

 

The Tia remained at a loss of words for a few seconds, before his frown deepened and his gaze averted from hers.

 

"The Nunh is asking for you. Go see him immediately."

 

'You will be punished' would the next bit, the one he refused to say aloud. He felt freaking powerless. He hated it.

[Izmina]

Caught completely off guard by her sister's rejection, Tahj stumbled back a few steps one foot hitting a patch of looser, deeper sand. Betrayed by her slightly unsure footing, the girl landed heavily on her rear, still staring wide-eyed and shocked into K'nahli's eyes.

 

Unsure how she had managed to offend the older girl, myriad emotions flitted through Tahj. First and foremost her feelings were hurt and her tail throbbed where she'd landed on it. Tears started rolling silently down her face, before she furiously rejected them. I won't cry, I need to be grown up, not a baby. 

 

Seeing the unfamiliar tia approach to talk to K'nahli, Tahj levered herself out of the sand. Rubbing at her hip slightly and brushing the sand out of her tail, Tahj stared at her sister's back. Her feelings still bruised, Tahj began to feel a slightly more foreign emotion, stalking towards the pair, Tahj's ears began to flatten, cheeks flushing, tail lashing.

 

As she stomped up behind her sister, Tahj reached out and took hold of her sister's tail and yanked hard, completely ignoring the male. Ears still flat and eyes flashing ,Tahj proceeded to yell in K'nahli's direction,"Just who do you think you are? Are you too good to accept help given freely?" Taking a deep breath, Tahj ran  a shaking hand through her short, honey blonde hair, tears once again beginning to fall down her cheeks,"I I'm sorry,"her voice much softer,"I didn't follow you because I felt sorry for you. You're my family, and family is more important than anything." turning away from K'nahli and heading towards camp, tahj whispered over her shoulder,"If you need to talk or anything at all, I'm here."

[K'nahli]

K'nahli's dejected gaze briefly flicked toward K'rahto as he suddenly came into view from behind the dune she was climbing. She analyzed him for a very, brief moment as he stood atop the delicately-carved mound of sand. His small silhouette that imprinted itself against the fading colours of the Sagolii sky appeared strong yet simultaneously it echoed his youth and inexperience, at least when compared to the likes of a nuhn or an older tia. Her gaze upon him only lasted a mere second or two before it returned to look past him again, proving silently that there was no interest or surprise to greet his arrival.

Feeling assured that she understood why he was present, she paid no heed to his sudden and loud call out to her. He fell silent for a few moments until she quickly drew nearer, her steps closely tracing the light shadow the cast down toward her over the soft, surface of the dune's slope much like a helpful path that guided her along. K'nahli, in her disinterested state, remained oblivious to the fact that he had noticed her otherwise obviously, distressed appearance. Her traitorous, reddened eyes, had been completely forgotten in her moment of anger, leaving the girl to instead believe that he had simply been waiting for her to come closer so that he may address the rest of his message to her more discreetly, given K'tahjha's presence.

 

 

"I am aware. I am returning now" she spoke bluntly when K'rahto anxiously explained that her father and the elders were still awaiting her return, though her tone was neutral and lacking her usual essence of anger.

 

When K'rahto would whisper something further however, she offered no response. It was as though his warning was irrelevant to her interests or concerns. Her expression didn't hint even the most subtle of changes. Such things were only inevitable given her sudden disappearance and behaviour less than ten minutes prior.

 

 

She had only taken a few steps past K'rahto when her tail was suddenly yanked painfully backward. The action had almost caused the girl to lose her footing in the loose sand as she stumbled backward a couple of steps across the top of the relatively, small dune that lingered shy and away from the distant titans that stood proud and tall like idols of the desert sea. An infuriated K'nahli quckly spun around with vengeance burning harshly in her radiant eyes that eagerly searched for the culprit. Her gaze initially threw itself upon a surprised looking K'rahto while her fists clenched tightly by her sides, trembling vigorously as they struggled not to launch into the male with an unwarranted assault.

That was until her sister, whom had quickly closed the distance, began yelling.

 

K'nahli's eyes widened in shock. Did this person, this stranger... this outsider really pull her tail? When she was in such a clearly, disturbed state? The rage churning inside the blue-haired huntress seemed to blur her vision and dampen her sense of hearing as the girl before her continued speaking. K'nahli's thoughts began racing wildly with anger, causing her to remain oblivious to K'tahjha's quickly softening expression and words that offered only peace and consolation following her abrupt actions. All she could see was an arrogant, young miqo'te. A miqo'te who thought she had quickly earned herself a place amongst the tribe and the right to call herself family.

 

Reason had been stolen from her mind amidst her stifling anger, all rationality has been ripped away.

 

With a quick stride, K'nahli brought herself immediately behind K'tahjha as the girl began heading toward the camp. A rough shove across her shoulder spun the young girl back in K'nahli's direction enabling the maroon-eyed huntress to fire a claw-like grip violently into K'tahjha's exposed neck that held her in place effectively. K'nahli's face drew in close as she brought her burning eyes to stare deep into K'tahjha's soft infusion of beryl as she hissed her next words menacingly.

 

"You have some nerve, girl."

Her words were like iron as they drew out haltingly from her throat.

 

"Allow me to make this perfectly clear for you. I don't like you. I will never like you, and I expect you never to speak to me again beyond absolute necessity" K'nahli spoke solidly with an unfaltering glare of complete contempt before releasing her grip on the girl with a slight push backward in the direction of K'rahto.

 

 

"Stay the hells away from me" she sneered irritatedly while turning back on her to once again briskly make her way back to camp. Only moments ago, her anger directed towards K'tahjha came with an unspoken feeling of guilt and regret. This however, was not the same.

 

 

"See to it that she isn't preyed upon by a Sandworm, K'rahto" were the girls final words before falling out of earshot.

[Clover]

K'nahli's sudden outburst didn't fail to petrify the Tia. Nothing was done to stop her display of anger and violence against her new sister; he only watched, wide eyed, how the female he'd always looked at transformed into a more aggressive, more cruel version of herself.

 

As if she hadn't been cruel before.

 

When she was done tormenting her loving sister, she simply walked away without much of a hint of guilt in her voice. The boy just stood there with a serious expression, watching her back. His thoughts wandered, none of them coming out of the temple of his mind. Only after a moment he turned his gaze to the little city Miqo'te.

 

K'rahto had never spoken to her, but he'd heard about her story. She was the daughter of K'makanee Haaz, the woman who was exiled first, dead later. Everyone had lost someone in the Calamity, and yet everyone had been shaped differently after that night. This girl and K'nahli were very different, too much so. K'nahli hadn't been as strong, had she?

 

Despite the Tia's antisocial nature, he took a step towards the broken hearted girl and placed a hand on her shoulder.

 

"She'll be punished," he reminded her with a firm tone, his expression still serious. With eyes placed on the camp -or beyond it, wherever his thoughts were taking him-, he added. "Let's go back."

[Izmina]

Spun unexpectedly and violently around, Tahj's wide-open eyes locked with her sister's almost demonic gaze in complete shock. Not a single thought or emotion stirred in the girl's mind, she stood as if frozen under the whirlwind of anger directed at her. Then, just as suddenly as it came; she was released, shoved towards the tia angrily.

 

Tahj was vaguely aware of his and on her shoulder and his words attempting comfort. She was even more distantly aware that her neck hurt, skin reddening with the promise of a livid set of bruises. She did not care. Ears and tail hanging completely limp, the girl turned towards camp, tears beginning to blur her vision, she stumbled blindly through the sand. The first sob beginning to rack her frame, a stray thought floated through her mind, mama was right, never loose your temper with your family or you loose them.

[K'nahli]

After what seemed like too short a time, the blue-haired huntress found herself outside of her destination, lingering within the long shadow cast by the tent of her elders' that loomed intimidatingly over her shrinking form. The group of curious tribekin whom had congregated outside earlier had since dispersed, probably having either lost interest with the lack of activity or, more likely, because they had been shooed off by the unimpressed occupants.

 

A bead of sweat formed over the girl's notably, anxious expression as she loitered for a moment in silence. Though the elders would likely not see her leave without sanction, it was not them that she feared most. The thought of seeing her father again made her feel incredibly uneasy, not to mention the fact that her sudden and unexplained disappearance will only have exacerbated the issue. Perhaps it would even have been seen as a voluntary act of defiance.

 

Swallowing hard, the girl slowly stepped forward and reluctantly passed through the tent flaps with a noiseless stride into the heavy atmosphere that awaited dogmatically within.

 

 

"Forgive me..." she whispered humbly while bowing her head in respect. She had chosen a moment where her entry would not interrupt any dialogue though it wouldn't surprise her if she was scolded for speaking out of place.

 

"A moment of weakness stole from me my sense of priority. I am entirely responsible.." she added coolly with a soft, despondent blink without lifting her head from the compounded sand that was carpeted beneath the tent.

 

 

Though she could not see her father, she could feel his dominating presence lingering further within. It made her so painfully uncomfortable. Like a parasite, it quickly leeched her already-weakened sense of control and collection away from her body. However, she was in the presence of her elders now. She could no longer shield her vulnerability and fear behind anger while she held them as audience. Her tiny existence before them was comparable to a thin sheet of glass that lay daringly in the path of an enraged primal. Fragile and weak - so very close to being broken.

[Kailia]

K'ailia continued sitting with her face down, listening to the elders. She then thought on what K'deiki had said. Funny how the elder judged her based on her mothers behavior, without even knowing just what had actually happened. She seemed to think K'ailia thought of only herself, yet she never once stopped thinking of the tribe, or of ensuring the tribes safety.

 

K'ailia heard all the elders. She heard her father too. Yet all seemed to speak, with ears and minds closed. But she also knew her mother well. If her mother were here, the bowl never would of been placed over her head, and the powder would be thrown to the wind. Despite her faults, her mother was still the most important thing to her, and she knew she was still important to her mother.

 

K'deiki had said that she did not want K'ailia to watch her family crumble. That had already happened. K'piru had left the tribe. Most of the family was killed. Even her own favorite uncle was said to be dead. When she came back from Gridania, she saw her family suffering, and the elders at first rejecting the notion of leaving Sagolii. It took the young ones like herself, getting together and came up with the idea of a tribe meeting.

 

And she did her part, she delivered the message given her by Ventus, offering aid to the tribe. And K'ile's attitude earned him her ire that night. But now... Ventus was in a coma, and she was now Headmaster of Ul'dah Garden. She was now in a position to offer aid to her tribe. If they agreed to the move, she could help secure a safe passage for the tribe. Her own mother would no longer need to goto Ul'dah, and face the merchants that have hurt her in ways she had no idea on.

 

But in order to begin helping the tribe, the elders must allow her to speak her proposal.

 

But then her ears twitched, hearing her elder sister's arrival. She suspected her sister would be treated much like she was. Especially with speaking upon entering. The situation was already tense. But then she felt the tickling sensation in her chest.

 

The powder that had invaded her lungs. She had almost forgotten about it. Her body's aether had finished gathering it into one place. But unfortunately her body reacted on its own. She pulled the bowl off her head just has she felt herself take a deep breath and coughed up mucus filled with the powder.

 

A couple more coughs and she started breathing normally once more. Her body had rejected the powders invasiveness. She rested the bowl on the bones and the remaining powder, but kept her head bowed, not looking at her father, the elders, or even K'nahli. But she also readied herself in case her father decided to try subjecting her to more powder.

 

She went back to waiting, to staying silent, listening, all the while a shielding spell in her mind, readied in case she needed it.

[Naunet]

For a very long time, the elders held the tent in silence. The weight of memory settled over the place, a sombering pressure heavy with grief and a longing for what once was. K'deiki continued to watch K'ailia, did not speak as the girl moved the bowl but remained cowed, did not move save for the occasional slow blink of her clouded eyes. K'jhanhi persisted in his refusal to acknowledge the girl and K'deiki understood.

 

The silence had permeated every corner of the tent until suddenly the small things, the unheard sounds of life like the slight shifting of sand in the wind outside and against the tent's walls, the movement of bone in flesh as lungs filled with oxygen and then released, the faint scratching of a beetle seeking purpose in some shadowed corner, and the wispy breaths of incense wafting from bowls about the tent. 

 

When all of these sounds became louder even than her own thoughts, K'deiki finally spoke once more, "Now is not the right time, young one. Soon we will leave behind all we've known for generations, soon we will be uprooting ourselves to seek a new beginning. It is all we can bear to manage just that." The old woman, once one of the tribe's most esteemed huntresses, closed her eyes and turned her face away from K'ailia. "We cannot shoulder a reversal of what little we have left, not yet. You must leave, as you already have, as so many already have." Her words faded as she spoke, until they were little more than a breath, and her head bowed.

[Lyraciilee]

K'yohko's mind was full of things his lips would never speak, his face would never show, and his body would never do. And all these things were forever masked behind an unchanged face of stone, cracked and chipped with the years of wearing, but still sturdy. The Nunh could stand the test of time until it swallowed him whole, but never would most of his thoughts leave that stone mask. They would die behind it and the wind would blow them away as if they were never there at all.

 

The older male waited with a patience tested for both his younger and elder daughters. For K'ailia, he waited for understanding. For K'nahli, he waited for tranquility. Waiting forever for things that may never come.

 

His burning violet eyes glanced up from K'ailia's form when the tent's flap opened. His elder daughter, she was supposed to be wiser. She was supposed to be so many things that she was not, and her deteriorating attitude after the Calamity brought only a word to his mind.

 

K'yohko stepped forward towards his elder daughter and looked down upon her in the way only a disappointed father could. His eyes were still burning dark beneath his stony face. With a swift motion many times practiced, his hand grabbed the back of K'nahli's shirt and he forced her down to bow to her Elders.

 

"You are not forgiven." The words were simple, blunt, but there was no hatred or anger in them. Only fact. "A moment is not five years. Now you will be silent and remain where I put you until you can be dealt with, K'nahli." Perhaps he had never spoken so many words at once to his elder daughter, as he was not a man for words, but there was a fire burning still in his chest that warranted for the release of some smoke.

 

His eyes turned swiftly to his younger daughter, whose lungs coughed and rejected her lessons. It was metaphoric, to say the least. K'yohko relinquished his grip on K'nahli and instead moved over to place a strong scarred hand upon her back. His eyes turned to K'deiki. To leave. And yet...

 

"I have proposal regarding K'ailia, but I would wish a moment in privacy with my wayward daughter first." This request was directed to K'deiki first, and then to his grandmother, and finally to K'ailia. All must agree to hear them before he would bother with the words for this.

[Twinflame]

Her head bowed tiredly where she hung in the brown shadows of the tent, K'takka's ears twitched when she heard her grandson speak. "There are laws against speaking with those who have left the family," she said, out of hand, "These apply to the Nunh as well. You are equal to K'nahli who kneels before us, and to violate the law would put you next to her in the sand. However."

 

The thin neck lifted the elder's head, and her eyes cast through the silver veil of her bangs to K'yohko. "Unlike your children, you do not tremble at the thought of sand under your fingernails, do you? The sand is the desert; it is home. One cannot walk and never fall. You may have your moment in exchange for a moment spent at level with the sand, if it is worth it to you."