Midian
Cub
Cub of Ge-Rad
semper fi
Posts: 40
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Post by Midian on Apr 12, 2010 9:14:24 GMT -5
Midian looked steadily at his mother. He knew she was giving him a very special gift. Her love and devotion were self-evident in her words, and each line of advice came from her heart. He accepted her sentiment with a slight nod, and smiled gently as she moved on to Talar. It was true what she said of him, he thought. He loved Ge-Rad like he loved a country, with pride and patriotism, of course; but he loved Ge-Rad even more because it was where his family was, and so long as they stayed, he loved Ge-Rad like he loved his mother. To him, they were very nearly one and the same. Inseparable.
He was suddenly overcome with such profound joy that he wanted to howl. Here was the family he left behind, not gone nor forgotten, but here before him as flesh and blood, speaking to him, passing down traditions and experiences, learning and growing together. He wanted to shout out to the world: this is Ge-Rad! This is family! We are not gone, we are not defeated! We live, and we will keep living! But he only smiled triumphantly, instead, and let his emotions roll over him like a tidal wave until he was saturated by the raw beauty of life's greatest gift: family. He laughed suddenly to himself - a soft chuckle under his breath unlikely to be heard by anyone - as he thought of the boys waiting for him at the border. 'If they could see me now, or hear what I think. Fenris! They'd think I'm as soft as pansies, and that I should've been born a drappa instead!'
He shook his head, and collected himself just as his grandmother prepared to share her dreams. When she spoke, he was ready to listen. He looked at her intently, flashing his pale eyes into her strong, feminine face. She paused for emphasis, and as he thought of her few last words - we travel the lands and give little thought to where we come from - he was shocked to find it was true. Every dusty mile he'd traveled was little more than a footnote in his journey. Midian rarely considered how important the land was he walked on, what miracles or devastation the earth had been witness to. He never thought what each step could teach him - only that he must take another step and continue walking, bored out of his mind. He grinned.
Grandmother resumed her course, shedding light on the concepts which he'd never considered. He did not remember being born - who did? - but he could understand what Uskiya was telling him, and he was immediately compelled to agree with her. To be a Varg was everything. To run freely with the wind, hear the leaves fall, taste water from a clear spring, and scent a thousand flowers on the breeze - that was what it meant to be Varg, wasn't it? To live as a free wolf? But her ominous warning perplexed him somewhat. If nature could smite him down so easily, so completely, when he was a strong and proud creature whose very best trait was survival, then what did it mean to be Varg after all? He looked at her with furrowed brows, nodding slowly in agreement - he did want to learn what everyone else seemed to know - but how could he teach himself?
Talar blurted the question before he could ask it himself, and he glanced at her curiously as she suddenly had an epiphany. Almost trembling, she told them all about her revelation, shedding light on her secret thoughts. Midian watched her until she was finished, feeling a little left out. He thought he knew what it was to be Varg, but what if he was wrong? How could he possibly teach himself things he didn't know? He frowned, and asked: "What does it mean to be Varg, anyway?"
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Ayasha
Sikla
Ge-Rad's youngest Warrior
Ge-rad's spitfire, Loving the chewing fettish mann of Ge-rad
Posts: 253
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Post by Ayasha on Apr 15, 2010 20:14:28 GMT -5
Ayasha listened intently as her mother began to weave her dreams for the three of them to listen to. But as she listened to the story she began to wonder herself, if being varg was beyond what she had thought it was. From the looks on their faces, both Midian and Talar were equally confused, and even wary of this news. Much would have to be explained after Uskiya's initial story. Until then, Ayasha continued to listen and formulate what to say to them afterwards. But it occurred to her, as she listened, what could she possibly tell them that would make any sense? What she had already said only seemed to confuse them more. It isn't that they don't quite understand. It's that this goes against everything they've been taught to believe. And, rightly, who should they believe. Who is Uskiya to come in and tell them differently? Not that she's wrong, no I'm not implying that. But maybe if they understood what she's trying to say. But that's silly, that is exactly what she's trying to do. Ayasha shook the fumbling thoughts from her head.
Once Uskiya had finished, Ayasha waited for any questions from Midian and Talar. As expected they asked the simple question. "I think what your grandmother was trying to say, is not that you don't know what it's like to be a varg. Or that you've done something wrong by leaving your place of birth." Ayasha paused and tried to piece together the words. "We are always connected with the earth. Our four paws touch these grounds more times than we can ever count. But, that does not mean our hearts do. You see, there is a distance between our hearts and the ground we touch. Sometimes, it's easy to forget that there is more to us, than just us." Ayasha wrinkled up her nose, as if to poo poo what she just said. As if it had left a bad taste in her mouth. She had said something, that she hoped would tell them something else.
"Midian, your father is part wolf and part dog. He has never forgotten that, and many have never let him. But, he has shown that it isn't just in varg, the things that make us strong. Talar, you've come to Ge-rad, from paths that we may never know of. But a pack, does not make the varg. I think you learned that, and that is why you came here. But rather, a varg, the spirit that resides in that varg, is what makes the pack." Ayasha looked to her mother in hopes of some reassurance that she had said something understandable. These were the things she had never really thought about herself. Being raised in a pack had shown her the ferocity, loyalty and compassion of the varg. But venturing out on her own had also shown her the vulnerability and faults that can also plague the varg. But, as she came to realize in her life, those things weren't necessarily bad. That is to say, they aren't negative. There wasn't some sort of free card that one got simply because one was varg. That she had learned the hard way. That is what she wanted them to know. That the title didn't mean anything , if one lacked the heart.
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Post by Uskiya on Apr 15, 2010 20:31:02 GMT -5
As expected, Midian and Talar showed signs of confusion as Uskiya began to weave her tale. She knew that this would all seem strange and who was she to tell them this anyway? The crazy ol' nurse of Ge-rad. The one that stayed behind wandering the lands like a silent ghost. Ah, but what did she care? They could think what they wanted, because when it came down to the bare bones, she was the one left. She was the one she had to deal with, and quite frankly she enjoyed herself. From beside her she could feel Ayasha tense up. Once Uskiya had finished she chuckled to herself at Ayasha's obvious annoyance that none of this was exactly as she wanted it to be said. Uskiya had to admit that it was a bit confusing, but then again most things that were important to understand were.
As Ayasha spoke, she couldn't help but smile at her daughter's knowledge of the world around her. She nodded her head gently and gave a gentle smile when Ayasha looked to her for reassurance. Perhaps now was the time to make it as simple as possible. For everyone's benefit. Uskiya lifted her orbs to the heavens and watched the clouds float by, nothing disturbing their ambling. "Hmm. These things may be confusing. And I'm sorry to say there is no actual definition of what it means to be varg. By that I mean this." Uskiya brought her orbs back to rest on Midian and Talar. She gave them a reassuring nuzzle.
"Listen to your heart. To be varg is what lies underneath. What is in our hearts, that spirit, that knowledge is varg. The connection we can get with all of life, if we listen to that, if we feel it, that is varg." Uskiya nodded her head approvingly. I think, that is what mother was always trying for but could never get. So she took it out on me. Because she could see it in me. But I never knew it was there, not until later. Not until I stopped and felt the ground. The gray fae rose to her paws and trotted a few paces away to gaze out from the shelter of the forest, toward the open spaces that surrounded much of Ge-rad. Her nares took in the scent of a few herla making their way across the sheltered area not too far from here. But she wasn't hungry, instead she was intrigued. "Come here you two. I want you to use your sense of smell to find out, but I want you to use your heart to make your decision."
She said nothing else, did not turn toward them. She just stood facing the direction of the herla off in the distance. This would be a test, this would show her if they were ready for the next step. Not that it would matter, for they would be ready when they were ready. But she was curious if now was the time. Or if they would ever come to understand it the way she did. If not, that was fine. There was nothing special about her way. It was just another way. A way that took her values and put them to use for her. Her daughter had benefited from it and maybe these two would as well. If not, then not.
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▪ Talar ▪
Sikla
What is a mystery that cannot be solved? Or is Worth solving?
Posts: 136
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Post by ▪ Talar ▪ on Apr 18, 2010 13:40:15 GMT -5
Talar awaited her answer. She knew it wasn't even a good question to ask, because it was something that no one could put into words. And she learned that defiantly right now as Ayasha tried her best to explain that the only thing we'll have to matter what; it the Earth. And as her friend said that, Talar studied the ground under her feet. She closed her eyes trying to imagine seeing the world in a much different view. She imagined feeling each tree's root connected, and all in a circle. But as she tried to feel it she almost felt as if she were joking herself and gave up with a sigh. A distance between our hearts and the ground...A distance from everything it feels. Talar knew she understood maybe the half of it, but would it come to tell her at Witt's end at the near end of her youth. She craved it now, not to rush, but to understand more. The fae nodded, "It is the varg... Thanks Ayasha." The she-wolf smiled gratefully, and she knew that there was much that her pack did not know about her, but that would only come over time for Talar to explain. For maybe right now she didn't feel the need to change the subject on her. Possibly a last thing she might want. Instead she looked to the man next to her and felt sympathy, what a choice, choosing between a future with your youthful friends, and then your home pack. But like a bird from it's nest. Everything must fly the way it chooses and learn from their mistakes in the end.
Talar knew her days came much too early, she was still so youthful. In her prime. But Talar knew deep inside of her, as Uskiya spoke, there was the spirit of the varg waiting to be awoken or stirred up. But when would that time come, for Talar to find a solid place, maybe when she finally became patient and let it come to her? Lets say Yes. Then Talar sat again, her shoulders more relaxed. Until then Uskiya invited them to step up and use their sense of smell. Smell? Or feel? Talar looked to Midian, and almost hesitated. She didn't want to do this alone. Her eyes were a little unsure of what to do. She liked things quite black and white. But Uskiya just stood there silent looking out into the forest which held much mystery. Then Talar took a few slow steps steadily up right to the edge of the clearing. And every few steps looking back. Finally once Talar reached a nice spot she stood and closed her eyes like she had just did a few minutes before. She clawed a little into the earth below her and tried to shut out her other senses. Smell... the she-wolf thought on that, everything was dark to her, and she let her nose see for her. Not sure of what she was doing, she just let herself lead what she was going to do, and maybe be in control of her oneself for once.
Her nose reached and she also used her memory to vision the trees and paths of the land in which she had memorized for the past moons she had been in Ge-Rad. Then she could feel a shadow. Something hard to explain, but her nose had started to smell herla. And her nose started to tingle, and her legs ached to chase it. The herla felt so near, but she knew it was also so far. Was this it? Or was she doing it wrong? Talar could feel her tail lower almost to the ground at this time, and almost was lost for direction. Or was this it? These strong senses to know her own surroundings, was that what Uskiya was talking of. Inside she felt almost unready for this.
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Midian
Cub
Cub of Ge-Rad
semper fi
Posts: 40
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Post by Midian on Apr 20, 2010 9:18:04 GMT -5
He looked at his mother. She seemed intent on clarifying for him, illuminating the subject to help him understand what Grandmother was trying to say. But the proper words seemed like they were elusive, and she was having a somewhat difficult time trying to piece together a coherent explanation that would help him. He didn't understand; was the concept so hard to grasp, or was he just missing the point? Perhaps it was both.
Ayasha's explanation, however, was enlightening, and he suddenly smiled. It was as if a sunburst of understanding suddenly lit the entire wood, giving him the insight to what it was Mother and Grandmother were trying to say. With every word, he felt as if he understood a little bit more, as if he was finding flotsam among the surf and piecing together a ship from the wreckage. Every bit was important. Even when Mother stopped, wrinkled her nose, and seemed to abandon her previous statements for lack of clarity, he silently urged her to continue speaking. He understood - or thought he did - and he was suddenly enjoying this lesson. He glanced briefly at Talar, giving her an encouraging smile, as though they were two young children hearing a fascinating, inspiring story. There were indeed still young, and listening to a story of a kind, but it was different than all the legends he'd ever heard. It was life lessons they were being taught.
The mention of his father momentarily clouded his happiness. He wished his father had been around more when he was a pup - hell! He wished his father was here now. Midian never felt segregated from his pure-blooded family because of his mixed genes, but there were times when the dog in him showed itself to the world with foolish, tail-wagging antics, and he wondered if his father had ever had the same dilemma. If Kaemon had been around more, perhaps he could have taught his son exactly what it meant to be part dog and part wolf - or if there was any distinction at all.
Midian shrugged. He hardly worried about what could have been, only the present and the future. So he smiled once again, nuzzled his grandmother fondly in return, and looked to the silver Nurse of Ge-Rad, who continued to shed light on the subject. And when she stood up and looked off into the clearing beyond the woods, he rose and padded along beside her. Instantly, he spotted the herla, and he wondered if it was the same herd from which his mother had extracted the dead beast nearby. He glanced at it. Only Talar had eaten, but Midian's excitement to see his family had all but eliminated his feeling of hunger. When he looked back at the herd, he didn't know what to think. He lifted his nose obediently, and through the thick, earthy scent of Ge-Rad's woods, he could faintly detect the deer.
What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to decide? He glanced at Talar, and wondered if she was also at a loss. But suddenly he realized, he was going about this the wrong way. He was supposed to be seeing and smelling with his heart as well as his mind. It was the life all around him - not only his own - that he should be connecting with. It was the strength of the wolves - not brute strength, but some sort of spiritual and intellectual strength - that made them strong. And it was in every Varg, in every creature! It was in his father and his mother. In his grandmother and in Talar. Should they only choose to listen, to understand that there was a world beyond his own eyes, then perhaps he could begin to comprehend what his mother and grandmother were trying to teach him.
Needless to say, despite his openness and willingness to understand, he was still unsure of what he should do. He could speed out into the clearing, body low to the ground, but he didn't feel as though Talar wanted to hunt the deer - nor his grandmother, for that matter - so what were they doing by spying on the Herla? "My heart might be at a bit of a loss," he said, disappointed in himself.
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