Ruan
It had been years since he last made the journey to the Valley. In truth, he didn't want to make it now, but felt it was necessary to ease his mind if nothing else. The sooty black of his hide mixed with the shadows of the mountain trees as he paced himself. His spine and ribs stood a stark contrast, however, with pale skin and mulberry-purpled leopard print. Morigan had similar markings. He hoped to find her here.
Ruan knew he hit the boundary when the wolves howled. It started rough and harried, then drew longer and low as they caught his scent. He could imagine at least a few of them would be old enough to recognize him by smell. They seemed to have accepted him and the sound grew distant as they kept their melody but picked up the patrol further off.
It was a wolf's song in his mind as he continued his trek; a greeting to old family. He hadn't been back since he was a child. There was a meadow in the center of the valley, he knew, where the inhabitants would gather en masse. There were caves, too, and he looked out in their direction without thinking. He had been raised in them, until Morigan had come. She had seen his malnourished body, and the state his mother's mind was in, and taken him away.
They both had returned once, in search of their mother, but had never found her. Now he came in search for his elder sister Morigan instead, the only mother-figure he truly had. He reached an overhang at the edge of the mountain and his brow creased with worry as he gazed at the valley below. There didn't seem to be as many people here as he thought he remembered, but he was so young then. Nonetheless, Morigan did not appear to be there. Where could she be?
There was one that caught his eye though, a grullo very large with child. She seemed preparing to birth and he grimaced. He didn't want to intrude, but he had to find his sister. Perhaps he could do something for her..
Ruan lost sight of the mare as he ventured deeper into the trees and lower in the mountain, scaling his way to the base. It took him a while but when he cleared the trees, he saw she was in labor. His mind couldn't even comprehend how much she was having to endure, motherhood was truly miraculous.
Ruan hesitated a great distance away, unsure at the appropriateness of his presence at this time, but stayed nonetheless. He knew there was nothing he could do to ease her physical exhaustion, but perhaps he could provide her at least a little respite from her efforts.
His gaze focused on the air above her spine. He sensed more than saw the water molecules there, flowing with ease in the warm temperature. By slowing them down, he would be able to cause the temperature to drop as the molecules banded together. But as he targeted them, he saw them already shifting to do as he intended and more. His widened eyes flew to a stallion, materializing from the air near her. Ruan tensed instinctively. It was a powerful magic this stallion wielded so easily, one Ruan had not witnessed elsewhere. Power meant danger, his sister had told him once. She was very cautious and did what she could to instill it within him as well.
But the other stallion did not act maliciously as he did things to help the mare even Ruan had no power to do. He suddenly felt as an unwelcome stranger witnessing intimate events. He wished he could remember these people from his childhood, but he did not. The eldest wolves seemed to recognize his scent at least enough to grant him passage, but he supposed he was just a stranger here to the other inhabitants.
He maintained his distance until well after the triplets had been born. Triplets! Birthing was no easy feat, and she had done it thrice in rapid succession. His mind awed at the notion, blown away by the thought of motherhood, the true magic of the world. She seemed wearied, but strong. Amazing.
He waited as the stallion spoke low to her. At Ruan's next step, even at this distance, he could see the stallion became aware of him. His chest tightened anxiously, but he pressed forward. He halted when he could speak without having to raise his voice to be heard.
"Congratulations," he said with a polite smile. "The gift of life is not so easy as you make it look, I am sure. You have done truly wonderful."
His eyes lit with genuine happiness for her. His sister often told him he was too friendly, too selfless and it seems it may have been true. Ruan looked to the children, his smile widening. There was something in the innocent play of a child that thoroughly warmed him. Especially when he would form snow flurries and watch them give chase, squealing in joy. He wasn't a father, and didn't think of himself as one any time soon, but he did so enjoy playing with them.
He drew is gaze back to the adults.
"I apologize for my intrusion. I was born in the Valley and haven't seen my sister in years. I was hoping she would be here." He glanced around as if hoping she had shown up in the time he had been standing there.
He had planned on searching for her and moving on to the next place if necessary, but.. he hesitated. Perhaps he should stay, in case she was searching for him too. It was likely that she would also end up here to find him, where he and his mother had lived.
"I think I'd like to stay," he said carefully, not fully confident in this decision. "Who should I seek to be accepted?"
Ruan knew he hit the boundary when the wolves howled. It started rough and harried, then drew longer and low as they caught his scent. He could imagine at least a few of them would be old enough to recognize him by smell. They seemed to have accepted him and the sound grew distant as they kept their melody but picked up the patrol further off.
It was a wolf's song in his mind as he continued his trek; a greeting to old family. He hadn't been back since he was a child. There was a meadow in the center of the valley, he knew, where the inhabitants would gather en masse. There were caves, too, and he looked out in their direction without thinking. He had been raised in them, until Morigan had come. She had seen his malnourished body, and the state his mother's mind was in, and taken him away.
They both had returned once, in search of their mother, but had never found her. Now he came in search for his elder sister Morigan instead, the only mother-figure he truly had. He reached an overhang at the edge of the mountain and his brow creased with worry as he gazed at the valley below. There didn't seem to be as many people here as he thought he remembered, but he was so young then. Nonetheless, Morigan did not appear to be there. Where could she be?
There was one that caught his eye though, a grullo very large with child. She seemed preparing to birth and he grimaced. He didn't want to intrude, but he had to find his sister. Perhaps he could do something for her..
Ruan lost sight of the mare as he ventured deeper into the trees and lower in the mountain, scaling his way to the base. It took him a while but when he cleared the trees, he saw she was in labor. His mind couldn't even comprehend how much she was having to endure, motherhood was truly miraculous.
Ruan hesitated a great distance away, unsure at the appropriateness of his presence at this time, but stayed nonetheless. He knew there was nothing he could do to ease her physical exhaustion, but perhaps he could provide her at least a little respite from her efforts.
His gaze focused on the air above her spine. He sensed more than saw the water molecules there, flowing with ease in the warm temperature. By slowing them down, he would be able to cause the temperature to drop as the molecules banded together. But as he targeted them, he saw them already shifting to do as he intended and more. His widened eyes flew to a stallion, materializing from the air near her. Ruan tensed instinctively. It was a powerful magic this stallion wielded so easily, one Ruan had not witnessed elsewhere. Power meant danger, his sister had told him once. She was very cautious and did what she could to instill it within him as well.
But the other stallion did not act maliciously as he did things to help the mare even Ruan had no power to do. He suddenly felt as an unwelcome stranger witnessing intimate events. He wished he could remember these people from his childhood, but he did not. The eldest wolves seemed to recognize his scent at least enough to grant him passage, but he supposed he was just a stranger here to the other inhabitants.
He maintained his distance until well after the triplets had been born. Triplets! Birthing was no easy feat, and she had done it thrice in rapid succession. His mind awed at the notion, blown away by the thought of motherhood, the true magic of the world. She seemed wearied, but strong. Amazing.
He waited as the stallion spoke low to her. At Ruan's next step, even at this distance, he could see the stallion became aware of him. His chest tightened anxiously, but he pressed forward. He halted when he could speak without having to raise his voice to be heard.
"Congratulations," he said with a polite smile. "The gift of life is not so easy as you make it look, I am sure. You have done truly wonderful."
His eyes lit with genuine happiness for her. His sister often told him he was too friendly, too selfless and it seems it may have been true. Ruan looked to the children, his smile widening. There was something in the innocent play of a child that thoroughly warmed him. Especially when he would form snow flurries and watch them give chase, squealing in joy. He wasn't a father, and didn't think of himself as one any time soon, but he did so enjoy playing with them.
He drew is gaze back to the adults.
"I apologize for my intrusion. I was born in the Valley and haven't seen my sister in years. I was hoping she would be here." He glanced around as if hoping she had shown up in the time he had been standing there.
He had planned on searching for her and moving on to the next place if necessary, but.. he hesitated. Perhaps he should stay, in case she was searching for him too. It was likely that she would also end up here to find him, where he and his mother had lived.
"I think I'd like to stay," he said carefully, not fully confident in this decision. "Who should I seek to be accepted?"
