"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
The meadow is buzzing, whirring with faces. She watches quietly, her face stoic. With the Jungle gone Nayl is hollow, destroyed, but she gathers the pieces and tries desperately to cling to everything she was – is. The Jungle defined her; it embraced her and recognized her, but it hadn’t been enough. She failed, but she won’t again. Despite the kingdom having eaten itself, destroyed to nothing, Nayl clutches onto her memories and what knowledge she has attained. The Jungle is physically lost, but never forgotten, never truly gone.
When she breathes in, it isn’t what she remembers of the meadow. It’s new, an innocent virgin, until months of trampling will wear it down. The meadow was where she met father before he passed away. It was a brief sanctuary where she met her sister and saw her mother truly smile. But everything – their faces, their scents, their words – are all wiped clean. It’s strange and Nayl’s body tightens as a wintery gust kisses her. She is unused to the change of seasons; the Jungle housed her and blanketed her in warmth year-round. Bitter and exhausted from the changes, she huddles near a tree where she can see the scrambling of horses. They’re finding homes and finding each other, stacking themselves like cards to petition for land. Nayl’s ears swivel and for a fleeting moment she wants to be them, to search and reunite with her family, but alas she is alone. Both mother and father have passed. Siblings? Who are they? She only knows Thorunn, Rhonan, and Tytos, but whether they survived the change, she is uncertain.
A long breath is sighed. Her autumn eyes peer out curiously and she considers finding the sisters again, but the brief moment of solitude away from them is more tempting, suspending her in temporary solace.
She felt heavy, though, she was chubby and compact anyway, she felt heavy in the heart. She wondered if she had stepped up too quickly in the forest. Nayl seemed less than pleased with her doing so, and for that she felt bad. The last thing she needed was to have a fellow sister dislike her for the wrong reasons. She signed, what was she going to do. She knew if she did not do well in a year, that the sisters would overthrow her, though she was going to try to be as good a queen as she possibly could be. She wishes she could shift into her panther form and climb the tallest tree and let her mind rest....but of course, she could not.
She pushed along, trying not to drag her feet, as her mind dragged her down. She was nervous. She couldn't let them down. As she lifted her head and took a look around the now slushy meadow, her green eyes picked out the smokey painted coat of Nayl. She perked her ears and started toward her, a humble smile spread across her dark lips. She nickered with a pleasant tone, her words sincere.
"Nayl, I didn't think I'd run into you here. I wanted to say I am sorry."
She lowered her head respectfully, and raised it again so to meet Nayl's eyes with sincerity.
"If I made a bad impression the other day, I am sorry. I just did what I thought was right at the time before all the sisters began to fight over the past. I did not think I would upset you. I know you must mistrust me since you do not know me well. I wanted to get to know you better, and for you to get to know me better, since we started off on the wrong hoof. Let's try this again?
She meant it, and she did not mean to upset Nayl. What was done was done, she couldn't change it now, all she could do was try to make a mends with her. Naga was not power hungry, nor was she pushy or abrasive. If only Nayl had known her before the jungle was lost. She was a dedicated sister, a beloved friend to many, a playful babysitter to the children of the jungle, and a loving mother. She wished she could have seen her playing hide and go seek with Draconis when she was just a few weeks old, or telling stories of her youth to Imogin. She wished she could have met her twin deer shifting daughters, Iluna and Eirwen, they would have liked her. There was so much she didn't know about our dark lady, and so much of Nayl that Naga did not know...
Maybe there was still hope for her to grow to like our feline girl.
09-14-2016, 04:58 PM (This post was last modified: 09-14-2016, 05:04 PM by Nayl.)
She spun the stars on her fingernails
Nayl almost recoils when she hears her name spoken on familiar lips. She had heard sentence after sentence from the Amazon, and so there is no mistaking Naga creeping from the treeline to join her. The tranquility that had enveloped Nayl’s mind has been carefully unpeeled by the kindness cushioning Naga’s statement. Their meeting isn’t abrupt, at least. Quietly, the girl turns her head to look at the proclaimed leader, her eyes reduced to near slits. ”Why are you sorry?” but her question is quickly answered as the shifter settles comfortably in front of her, their gazes burning in unity. There had been tension, but most of it had been concocted by Nayl’s brash personality and her mistrust for strangers.
Her eyes roll away almost in disinterest, but her ears are closely listening, hungrily devouring Naga’s words. The shifter mentions the truths and what lies in her perspective of the situation. The information is offered on a silver platter with an apology as the grand topping. Nayl mulls it over with steadied breaths and an occasional shift of her body to brace against the cold. Her heart screams for the Jungle, its history lining the walls of her veins, and yet she can’t bring herself to openly trust Naga, a fellow sister. She sighs and blinks slowly. Without looking at the mare she replies, ”Don’t apologize.” Her pride is rattling the bars of its cage but Nayl fights to suppress it. ”You did what you thought best,” and everyone thinks they know what the right path is but in reality it is never up to them. Beqanna always weeds them out; things happen for a reason. ”I will admit that I didn’t appreciate such a quick grab for power when all of us were just relieved to see one another,” there is still an edge to her tone, but it’s just barely subdued and dulled by her sigh.
”I’m slow to trust,” she finally admits, but she assumes that the sisters have at least gathered that much about her, ”so yes, a bad first impression.” She won’t lie nor will she sugarcoat. Her brashness will either help or hinder her one day, but she never takes it into consideration. ”Just know that I do not hate you. Had anyone else been that way, I would have reacted the same. The Jungle has had its share of women who were eager to claim the throne but fell inactive and idle immediately after. They just wanted the title, to have their name marked in history.” Their eyes meet, Nayl’s orange to Naga’s green. ”I won’t allow that to happen again.”
She didn’t want to lead – not yet – but her soul is tied to the sisterhood and its success. Her life – her creation – is to help her home in any way she can.
Our dark woman notices the eyes roll as she first speaks, she laughs in her mind a little. Never has anyone treated her as such, and it almost drove her mad trying to make this woman like her. She had never been disliked, ever. Though it is a surprise to her when Nayl finally speaks of her concerns, first starting by telling Naga not to apologize for stepping up when she did. Even though Naga felt the strong need to, seeing as she was determined to find this woman's acceptance of her, and maybe even make a friend out of her, but at this point she doubted it would get to that point.
Though, it didn't hurt to look at her with hope instead, for someday not looking at Naga with a look of disdain.
"I can understand, and that is why I was sorry. I should have been more considerate, took more time to express my happiness for finding our sisters. That I regret. But, I guess I should not dwell on it now, since I am putting in the effort to really try to reconnect with everyone now."
She pauses as Nayl speaks again, and this time our dark woman is thrown off guard. Nayl admitted to being slow to trust...and that showed Naga that she maybe wanted to open up to her a little. That gave her more hope now, and she listens to her with a soft smile and ears perked forward. just know I do not hate you. The sentence repeated in her head. This was good, very good. Maybe Naga had a chance after all. She would work at it, slowly. Though for now, she continued to listen intently.
:I understand. I know. That is why I have stepped up, because I don't want us to go through losing a untrustworthy leader again. I want to help, I want to be here for the sisters, to help guide us to a better future in this new Beqanna. Nayl, I swear to you, I will NOT take this responsibility lightly. You have my word, I swear on our beloved Jungle.
Her eyes met the blazing orange of Nayl's, she nodded again, her voice was serious and strong...
"I will not allow it to happen again either."
She was queen now, and she would show the sisters that she COULD be trusted, and she COULD lead them without letting them down or leaving without a trace. She was going to be ranked with some of the Amazon's best queens, she was sure of it. She would MAKE sure of it. This was something she wanted, something she had worked hard for, and she sure as hell did not want to throw it all away just to say she had the title but did not put in any work or try to better the kingdom. She was not that kind of woman.
Nayl is unlike most. Where others immediately bend their knees and smile for the monarchy’s favor Nayl stands steadfast. The respect – the honor – has to be earned. The mere title granted isn’t enough and would never be. She isn’t a blind sheep following her herd; Nayl is her own identity, her own mind. The contrasting differences between her and the sisterhood is becoming vaster, but it doesn’t deter her from her loyalties. The Amazons will forever encase her heart and pump life through her veins. They are her purpose to live, to serve.
”No. You didn’t spend much time expressing happiness at having the sisters find you,” Nayl had found Naga and the others gradually followed when they inhaled that sweet taste of the Jungle, ”You were too focused on laying claim on being Queen.” Despite the sharpness of her voice the girl’s face is stone, her eyes piercing into their leader’s. There is a brief pause that hangs between them, the words dribbling into their minds, ”So do you see now why my mistrust for you was born?” Nayl didn’t want to establish a set commander in that instant; her intentions lied with gathering the others first. To her, that was most important: to bring together their sisters and assure that everyone was okay – that they survived – the world’s change. But her ideas were cast aside and Nayl sat aside grinding her teeth together agitatedly.
They all bent so easily and while Nayl did end up following them she still hasn’t quite pledged herself to Naga. It will take time. It will take patience. ”That is the downfall,” she replies coolly when Naga professes her loyalty and her goals, ”Every Queen has said that. Every Queen states she will bring us to greatness, that they bring new hope, but so many have failed.” Her body shifts to one side as a cool breeze kisses their skin. ”No Queen steps forward saying they will be horrible, that they will destroy our trust, but it happens. You can give speeches of your plans until you are blue in the face, Naga, but your actions will speak far louder than your words. You say you will not allow the Amazons to fall, so prove it.” There is a challenge in her voice, but Nayl is coaxing Naga and encouraging her to accept the task. ”With your acclaimed power you have made the monarchy no different than it was before, as though you wanted it all for yourself unlike the other lands who are sharing their leadership,” a grim smile creeps along her lips, ”so I hope you can handle the full responsibility. I hope you won’t repeat some of the history that Amazons have seen.”
”Prove me wrong, Naga. Prove to me that I can trust you, that our sisterhood made the best decision in electing you.” Nayl wasn’t in the category to appoint Naga as their Queen but despite that there is still hope that a relationship can be forged between the two of them. Patience and time.
