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 Posted: Sun Aug 27, 2023 7:17 pm
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It had been a long few months for the Baandari Traders, but this was to be expected of a group that wandered the lands endlessly and only got together rarely to catch up and re-stock their goods for the next trip out. Selling, trading, buying. The game was always afoot and what could be sold was not always of the physical realm. Information sold just as well, as did a myriad of other things.
For now however the herd had stopped and gathered in the heat of the summer to enjoy a night at the beach. Ja'zah-ra, the herd's current leader, was surveying the beach and ensuring the safety of all who attended this gathering. Keen green eyes moved from place to place. From the young at heart chasing crabs around, to the familiars helping prepare the feast that would be held later. His chest swelled and he released a huge happy sigh of air for once at ease. His mate was off among the crowd doing whatever she pleased on this rare day of rest, and while some small part of him fidgeted at not having her in his sight he knew she needed a good rest and time off from his, at times, overbearing protective nature. A fanged smile split his lips as he saw his sister approaching, with a lovely young hanger on following her. "Ji'aaj!" He called out happily, nearly startling his younger sister with the unusual demeanor.
"Hello to you too Ja'zah. This one thinks that one is being rather strange. Is that one really this one's brother? Has that one been replaced? This one is unsure..." She was completely teasing him of course. She knew no one could replace her dear over protective brother and get away with it. Not with her keen sense of smell. He always stunk of his herbs and plants that he mixed into potions and ointments to sell to those in need. She smiled at his confused expression and changed the subject, "Do not worry kitten head. This one knows that one cannot be replaced. That one is far too stubborn to be moved let alone replaced." She watched her brother frown at her before he bumped his forehead into hers in a rare show of affection. "So brother how goes the preparations? Is all proceeding well?"
"Aye sister everything proceeds well and the night will be perfect for family, food, and stories. A rare clear night after all and this one relishes being with family again." He paused for a second and then looked around, "Has that one seen Raska or Ashi? They seem to be late. Ashi doesn't surprise this one but Raska is usually on time..." He felt himself frowning again wondering if they would make it for the event. He knew not everyone could but hoped a good few would be there.
Word Count: 477 |
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Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2023 11:39 am
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 5:41 am
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"This one reckons that you have a point brother. When there are more kittens about they'd benefit from some good stories... Anyhow, this one is going to go get ready for the story time. Enjoy the beach!"
Ja'zah walked off into his makeshift lean-to set up by the herd's more nimble fingered familiars and looked around to ensure he was completely alone before dropping the flap to hide himself.
He was on fire, nearly feverish with the delight of being able to tell this story at last. Lorkhaj... The Moon Prince himself... Oh how Ja'zah wanted him to be real...
If one were to look upon him at this time he would look half crazed but he knew he had to hide it well. If Raska were to catch even a hint of how he was acting right now he'd be in trouble. He was no danger to his herd, his family, this he firmly knew but there was something about the tale of such a being that just lit a dark fire within his soul, and he liked how it felt.
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Some time later as the moon finally crested the mountains and sat fat and heavy on the horizon shining a pale gold light down upon the waiting herd scattered loosely around the large bonfire in the middle of the sand.
Ja'zah made a grand show of his entrance, wearing a mask of pitch black burnt wood, emblazoned with bright blue dyed streaks in the shape of tiger stripes with hollow eyes to show his own slitted green beneath them. His eyes were near sparkling with delight as some of the herd gasped at him. They knew well the mask of the Moon Prince and wondered with fear why their beloved, protective, leader was wearing such a thing! The chatter cut off sharply as he began to speak in a low voice...
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"Long before the time of the Khajiit there existed only two. Fadomai and Ahnurr. The two, brother and sister, and yet lovers still gave birth to the many spirits we know and worship today. From the First Cat Alkosh, to the Wind Sister Khenarthi, to Mother Mara the spirit of love... But not many know the story of the Moon Prince. Lorkhaj..."
He heard a few gasps in the crowd and smiled a toothy grin beneath his charred mask before continuing, "Yes my dear herd the Moon Prince. Born in the darkness at the center of all, our prince was suffused with the darkness that resides within all. He IS the darkness in our hearts and is with us always..."
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"But this one digresses. He is getting far too ahead of himself. Fadomai and Ahnurr loved each other dearly, for what love can be deeper than that of litter mates, and the love of their children was all they needed or so they thought. Ahnurr began to grow jealous of his wife for the love their children showed was so often more in her presence, and one fateful night he struck her, leaving long thin bleeding scratches upon her beautiful face, the fur split by his cruel claws. Immediately he felt shame for what he had done, but Fadomai recoiled when he tried to apologize and fled from him to hide in the great darkness of the world where she knew he would not be able to find her.
It was there, after many moons, that she gave birth to their last child. Lorkhaj, the Moon Prince, he of many names. His mother Fadomai soon died after his birth and the other spirits turned to their own thoughts and began creating the world where we the Khajiit would eventually live.
Lorkhaj was asked to do a great many things, many he considered tedious, but among them all he was tasked to create a home for the spirits by his sister Nirni. However being born in and of the Darkness, he was consumed by the need to trick his dear siblings and chose instead to trap them in this between place where most of the nameless ones died and became the stars in the sky. A few however, the more powerful ones, escaped and tore the Prince's heart from his chest and cast it far away hoping to kill him.
From that heart was born the Dro-m'Athra, the children of the moon and the dark. Dark spirits they are, a perversion of our great Prince's power.
Lorkhaj, weak from their attack, fled from his angered siblings back to the great darkness where it is said he died of wounds and became one with the swirling abyss again, but who knows if this is the truth... For all we knew he could be out there... Watching us, to see if we are deserving of the life given by Fadomai's sacrifice...."
The entire crowd was hushed as he ended the tale and watched their leader take a deep bow before he cast the mask into the fire, the flames turning momentarily bright blue from the dyes catching before returning to orange. Ja'zah face was twisted in happiness as he watched the flames consume the mask, his mouth open and panting with the heat from the fire warming his fur. His eyes however were flat, no longer sparkling, and carried within them a darkness that threatened to overtake him if he allowed it.
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High on the cliff above Ja'zah, deep in the shadows of the forest that crowded and cast dark shadows something stood just watching with bright blazing blue eyes, barely visible under the hood it wore. The figure was near motionless just a dark blob amidst still darker shadows, and only the keenest of eyes could see that it was smiling.
Word Count: 952
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 9:55 am
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Listening in to the story, Ri found it to be a little off and unsettling. He knew stories could be exaggerated and over the top to keep the listeners interested, but there was something about his story that seemed real. Seemed almost like it was something he lived through rather than made up. That was until it began to get out of hand. He almost sounded like he was getting more deranged as the story went on. This caused him to turn his head to Ja’zah and give a low growl. Not one out of anger, but one to get his attention. “Are you okay?” He didn’t ask anything further because he didn’t want to put any additional strain or stress on him. It was the last thing he wanted for him. He slowly rose to his feet and walked closer to Ja’zah looking directly into his eyes. There was something there. Something almost manic. He could see it and then he noticed his eyes shifted away to look at something else. He knew it wasn’t Ji’aaj because they were not sitting in that direction. So, being curious, Ri turned his head only to notice a set of bright blue eyes in the distance with billowing shadows around him. Whoever it was, they were not close, but just their presence alone was enough to drive his leader into a frenzy like this.
It was only for a split second. Maybe two at most, but Ri saw it. A smile. A smile that told him everything he needed to know. Then they were gone. He turned back to Ja’zah and looked at him with worry. “We should end this here.This can’t continue. Your unwell.” He told him in a stern voice. If there was one thing, he did well, it was protecting his family. He would give his life to do so and whatever that thing was in the distance it scared him even if he didn’t show it.
Words: 328
Total: 788 |
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 8:59 pm
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Ja'zah stared blankly ahead as Raska spoke to him. His worried tones lost on the entranced Khajiit. He felt the presence on the cliff, felt the fur on his back rise as he felt its attention on him, then it was all gone in an instant and he felt cold, lost, and so very lonely...
His head snapped to his brother and he stuttered, his voice choppy, almost as if he was shivering in the cold despite the heat around him, "Raska?" His voice was hoarse and barely sounded like him. The rest of the herd was gathered around watching him with eyes ranging from worried to horrified to fearful. His brain blanked on memories of the last few hours. The last thing he re-called was telling his siblings to enjoy the beach while he got ready for the stories then nothing. Just a persistent darkness covering all memories up. Just darkness....
His ears pulled back tight against his head in fear, his eyes wild with the distress that suddenly crowded his thoughts, then just as quickly as the thoughts came they ceased, as he fainted dead away. Falling in to the sand with a soft thwumping noise...
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Ji'aaj panicked as she watched their brother fall into the sand unconscious, and rose quickly to her feet, taking control of the situation as best as she could. "Raska. We must take him to his tent. Now." Her pupils were barely there with the panic she was feeling, but she tried to keep it all under control and be the leader in her brothers place.
With a little bit of finagling and some help from some of the braver herd members they moved their leader into his tent to rest on soft pillows until he woke and they could question him on what exactly happened. That story unsettled the lot of them. She turned to Raska with a worried look on her face as they started their long vigil till he woke...
Fin.
Word Count: 330
Total Word Count: 1,949
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