Salo walks out of his village lugging a heavy sack of belongings, packed for a long journey -- waterskins, bow and quiver, hatchet, hunting knife, and witchwood ritual knife. A girl his age is following him, carrying a serpentine staff of witchwood and red steel, and following her is a young boy pushing a wheelbarrow full of saddlery; he knows the girl well, but the boy only in passing.
There's a crowd at the gate, ranging from curious to angry, and two younger men Salo recognizes as his brothers are among the latter. They murmur "witch" and "siratata" (a pretty nasty insult for a man) as he arrives, setting down his luggage, and Salo hides how much the words sting; he has no idea how he's going to win these people over. The girl offers him the staff, telling him not to mind them, and he takes it even though he doesn't believe her.
He freezes when he sees some of the clan council, including both his fathers, walking expressionlessly out of the gate, but the girl tells him it's good that he has so many witnesses; now it will be harder to reject him when the totem responds positively to him. The staff tingles in his hands, and he suppresses a surge of unwelcome memories; the girl goads him a little, telling him not to leave them in suspense, so he blocks out the rest of the world and walks over to the gates, where a metal statue of a massive leopard sits on an overhanging beam.
Suppressing more unwelcome memories, Salo claims the staff, pushing cosmic essence into it to forge a tether that settles at the back of his mind. It immediately reveals to him that it's a kind of mental lens, helping focus his mind on a single task. Then he casts his mystic Seal towards the statue, an application of his shards that he understands instinctively how to do. Patterns of light weave themselves into a spinning cube of diamond hanging under a red star; everyone who sees it instinctively understands that it belongs to a young mystic born to a house of leopards.
The star flares blinding for a moment, and when it vanishes, the statue has opened its eyes. It rises to its feet, fluidly graceful, metal transforming into spotted white fur over all but its face and legs. It flexes the ruff of metal spines around its neck, then leaps lightly to the ground, stalking around Salo in a circle. Salo is frozen, not in fear, but in shock, because the cat -- Mukuni -- has become an extension of himself, acting according to his intention without conscious thought. Salo raises a hand to pet his old friend, the fur as soft as he remembers from childhood,and Mukuni purrs as he lies down on his belly in a clear show of submission.
The crowd isn't pleased, murmuring with dissent and argument, but Salo's father, the chief of the tribe, steps forward with a raised hand. He welcomes the totem back among the clan, and quells the brewing discontent with a short speech, making clear that he won't tolerate any question of Salo's worthiness. The totem has always chosen whom to serve, and he has chosen Salo; VaSiningwe commands that the rest of the tribe respect that decision, with no room for argument.
He continues, saying that he's glad Mukuni chose this moment to reawaken; since Salo has a long journey ahead of him in service to the clan, VaSiningwe had worried that he'd have to make it alone, but now he has a powerful and formidable companion. He turns to Salo, softening, and wishes him well; every step he takes, he'll be in his father's heart and prayers. Salo kneels and thanks him, trying not to cry, and meaning it more than he's ever meant anything.
Salo saddles Mukuni, straps the staff to a harness, and is about to climb on the cat's back when an old man approaches him. He's ashamed, knowing that he hadn't managed to find the man to say goodbye, but the old man -- Aaku -- doesn't seem to mind. He knew that Salo had many other things to do and that they'd be meeting now in any case. Salo notices that Aaku seems unusually sober, haler than he can ever remember seeing him, as he explains that he wanted to give Salo something before the journey, something he acquired when he was a boy but never had the courage to wear. It's a ring, enchanted to produce light from the citrine stone adorning it, and Aaku hopes that it will brighten Salo's way in the darkness. He thanks Salo for giving an old man something to believe in, and tells him to make sure he comes back.
Salo hugs the old man, not caring about the onlookers, and then forces himself to climb into the saddle, no matter how much part of him wishes that he could just go back to how things used to be. Mukuni's gait is as smooth as a ship on water, carrying him rapidly further from home. At last, he looks back and waves -- at his father, at his friends, and at a familiar figure, armor glinting like stars, watching him from where Mukuni once stood vigil. He meets that figure's gaze for a long moment, but at last, all he can do is wave once and turn away.
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timeasmymeasure
Leaving on his pilgrimmage
Date: 2023-12-18 08:09 am (UTC)There's a crowd at the gate, ranging from curious to angry, and two younger men Salo recognizes as his brothers are among the latter. They murmur "witch" and "siratata" (a pretty nasty insult for a man) as he arrives, setting down his luggage, and Salo hides how much the words sting; he has no idea how he's going to win these people over. The girl offers him the staff, telling him not to mind them, and he takes it even though he doesn't believe her.
He freezes when he sees some of the clan council, including both his fathers, walking expressionlessly out of the gate, but the girl tells him it's good that he has so many witnesses; now it will be harder to reject him when the totem responds positively to him. The staff tingles in his hands, and he suppresses a surge of unwelcome memories; the girl goads him a little, telling him not to leave them in suspense, so he blocks out the rest of the world and walks over to the gates, where a metal statue of a massive leopard sits on an overhanging beam.
Suppressing more unwelcome memories, Salo claims the staff, pushing cosmic essence into it to forge a tether that settles at the back of his mind. It immediately reveals to him that it's a kind of mental lens, helping focus his mind on a single task. Then he casts his mystic Seal towards the statue, an application of his shards that he understands instinctively how to do. Patterns of light weave themselves into a spinning cube of diamond hanging under a red star; everyone who sees it instinctively understands that it belongs to a young mystic born to a house of leopards.
The star flares blinding for a moment, and when it vanishes, the statue has opened its eyes. It rises to its feet, fluidly graceful, metal transforming into spotted white fur over all but its face and legs. It flexes the ruff of metal spines around its neck, then leaps lightly to the ground, stalking around Salo in a circle. Salo is frozen, not in fear, but in shock, because the cat -- Mukuni -- has become an extension of himself, acting according to his intention without conscious thought. Salo raises a hand to pet his old friend, the fur as soft as he remembers from childhood,and Mukuni purrs as he lies down on his belly in a clear show of submission.
The crowd isn't pleased, murmuring with dissent and argument, but Salo's father, the chief of the tribe, steps forward with a raised hand. He welcomes the totem back among the clan, and quells the brewing discontent with a short speech, making clear that he won't tolerate any question of Salo's worthiness. The totem has always chosen whom to serve, and he has chosen Salo; VaSiningwe commands that the rest of the tribe respect that decision, with no room for argument.
He continues, saying that he's glad Mukuni chose this moment to reawaken; since Salo has a long journey ahead of him in service to the clan, VaSiningwe had worried that he'd have to make it alone, but now he has a powerful and formidable companion. He turns to Salo, softening, and wishes him well; every step he takes, he'll be in his father's heart and prayers. Salo kneels and thanks him, trying not to cry, and meaning it more than he's ever meant anything.
Salo saddles Mukuni, straps the staff to a harness, and is about to climb on the cat's back when an old man approaches him. He's ashamed, knowing that he hadn't managed to find the man to say goodbye, but the old man -- Aaku -- doesn't seem to mind. He knew that Salo had many other things to do and that they'd be meeting now in any case. Salo notices that Aaku seems unusually sober, haler than he can ever remember seeing him, as he explains that he wanted to give Salo something before the journey, something he acquired when he was a boy but never had the courage to wear. It's a ring, enchanted to produce light from the citrine stone adorning it, and Aaku hopes that it will brighten Salo's way in the darkness. He thanks Salo for giving an old man something to believe in, and tells him to make sure he comes back.
Salo hugs the old man, not caring about the onlookers, and then forces himself to climb into the saddle, no matter how much part of him wishes that he could just go back to how things used to be. Mukuni's gait is as smooth as a ship on water, carrying him rapidly further from home. At last, he looks back and waves -- at his father, at his friends, and at a familiar figure, armor glinting like stars, watching him from where Mukuni once stood vigil. He meets that figure's gaze for a long moment, but at last, all he can do is wave once and turn away.