The shadows of the moon have always been dark but it was the first that Tarra had seen it this dark, unmoving, silent and strangely peaceful. It felt as if she were floating in between the dark and light. In between the land and the mists. It was a nothingness. It was a place that one could lose themselves in.
There in lies the temptation.
The silence was not to last, "Tarra female,what do you think you are doing now." She knew that voice that shattered the silence. That deep baritone that could place fear into an enemy or soothe the soul of one he loved. She did not want to open her eyes, it felt to good to just lie here and be nothing, do nothing. But he was having none of it and as he bellowed her name again like some rabid tarsk she would look to him. He looked as she always remembered him. " Great skies, even in death you have to be stubborn, I have died haven't I?" she would ask but knew the answer. Although it sounded better than asking him what he wanted. The dark skinned warrior would smile and laugh, " Cha, died my Sami. " His words were always simple and to the point a mixture of mamba and gorean words. Lochley never did let her get away with much. " So, then what is going on." She would ask of him. But he would not say he would only offer his hand to her. "In time you will know. Come walk with me." And so it was she traveled farther away from the world of the living, walking with him to see what it was he wished her to know.She knew she didn't want to.
Yet, she would pause she could hear those of the tribe faintly, a few called to her, she heard her name and she would look back. Even where she was, there was that part of her that could still feel and hear those that would come into the wagon. Talking, their words would buzz thru her mind. She could not shake them out, why were there so many voices at once talking. No one but another Haruspex could journey into her mind regardless of what they tried or thought to do, at least not one as old as she was, but that did not mean she did not hear them. Kaeli was taking care of her, she felt her, she heard her. Tarra's first thoughts were of the child she carried and she felt a moment of panic she should be resting, Lochley stilled her with a single word, assuring her that the young healer was fine, no harm would come to her, in fact he made her realize that it was her own energy that was already engulfing Kaeli, protecting her, keeping her from harm and guiding her. Even though she was in that life and death battle, and chaos was being wrecked upon her body, there was a part of her that was ever watchful and always caring of others.
However, Tarra was gravely weak and unable to hold back various things as her mind touched to her because she was holding her hands, usually it was her empathic ways that would allow her to see others, in her current state it was her own mind that was within another, allowing glimpses of things to be seen. In her mind she would see the large mamba warrior, dark of skin, and adorned with scars. He was guiding Tarra along a smoke laden path, until he brought her to a place of the past, there she saw herself, holding the lifeless form of Lochley, his blood flowed profusely from many injuries drenching Tarra in its warm viscosity,she worked feverishly to save him but to no avail he died in her arms, but not before placing a necklace of many larls teeth about her neck, she could not save her own mate,she blamed herself even though she knew his wounds were to many, she saw her children witness it from a hiding place, blaming her for the death of their father for many turnings. Without pause would come the death of her daughter Tanzia at the inn she owned with her sister Dina, the blood soaked the ground, the echoes of pain and horror filled the air, and so was the rage that rushed thru Tarra as the dark witch surfaced, there was no thought only a primal rage that was focused upon those that killed her daughter, she not only revealed that it was not only men that could kill, but she reveled in it, as she without one moment of thought let her control slip and when she was done she stood in the midst of shredded flesh and rivers of blood covered her, limbs were scattered and hearts lay unbeating yet warm upon the ground. This was the part of her she hid and controlled, it was that dark power that would only bring the harbinger of death and destruction. Never did she let herself ever lose control of thought, emotion or abilities. The shadows would swirl and flow revealing the deaths of Kain and Lochlan who died for the tribe their blood quenched the thirst of the plains, just as her own heart had bled, in public she never broke down, in private she did not fully let go. "It holds you down. " Lochley would state. " To much do you carry within you. Some you cannot help, you can only follow what you feel is right and true." She wanted to run but he would not allow her, and it was not ended,he took her to the edge of the plains, there he would show her the enemy that had lingered and taunted them, the arrow was revealed, and what it had soaked in and coated with. "This is what the healer must know so she can help you before it is to late." It was revealed how it had delved into her shoulder, of how Ayguili removed it and kept it to give to Ba'atar, of Tarras words to not let anyone know until he could speak to the Ubar and her father.
Tarra would speak softly for Kaeli to hear, "Kanda. Kaeli. Kanda." With that Kaeli could no longer see what the Haruspex saw because Tarra would protect her from what was to come.
"You do not have to hide yourself or who you are. Those that are true will not think less of you." Tarra was not sure what he was up to but she sure was not liking this. "Mother you are allowed to be vulnerable, others can be strong for you also. Let them show you." That voice , it could not be. "Lochlan?" She would ask as she turned caught between father and son. "Tell Cana I am proud of her and Ba'atar is a good man." There was no escape as they closed in on her and held her between them, their hearts and spirits a part of her, tearing away all those things she held close within her, forcing her to feel the pain, the sorrow, the anger and the rage, the fears and the emptiness. The fears that lay deep within her were allowed to be released thru the floodgates of emotion.
As the emotions were released the fever would climb higher until it devoured her physical body at a dangerous level. Yet there were spoken words here and there. " Patience, Fonce." Was spoken a few times, "The plains hold the answers. You need to dance the ritual with us." Though it was spoken low and made no sense, it did in ways that in time would be revealed. " The skies have humor for Ba'atar." She would laugh softly. " Cana, a gift comes. Don't lose sight" , the markings upon her hands seem to burn into her flesh, "Falon, they are with you. No emptiness within." Various things were spoken of for various people, what did they mean. Maybe to each something different. Something important to them. " Ayguili do not lose faith. Time.. patience.. In time you will see clear. " Words were broken and spoken repetively. As her mind and body battled to survive.
Did they have time... could she come out of it. Would the work of the healer be enough? Or was something more needed to guide her back.. The answer not yet known. For now she was once more still, her skin burning as if on fire.
There in lies the temptation.
The silence was not to last, "Tarra female,what do you think you are doing now." She knew that voice that shattered the silence. That deep baritone that could place fear into an enemy or soothe the soul of one he loved. She did not want to open her eyes, it felt to good to just lie here and be nothing, do nothing. But he was having none of it and as he bellowed her name again like some rabid tarsk she would look to him. He looked as she always remembered him. " Great skies, even in death you have to be stubborn, I have died haven't I?" she would ask but knew the answer. Although it sounded better than asking him what he wanted. The dark skinned warrior would smile and laugh, " Cha, died my Sami. " His words were always simple and to the point a mixture of mamba and gorean words. Lochley never did let her get away with much. " So, then what is going on." She would ask of him. But he would not say he would only offer his hand to her. "In time you will know. Come walk with me." And so it was she traveled farther away from the world of the living, walking with him to see what it was he wished her to know.She knew she didn't want to.
Yet, she would pause she could hear those of the tribe faintly, a few called to her, she heard her name and she would look back. Even where she was, there was that part of her that could still feel and hear those that would come into the wagon. Talking, their words would buzz thru her mind. She could not shake them out, why were there so many voices at once talking. No one but another Haruspex could journey into her mind regardless of what they tried or thought to do, at least not one as old as she was, but that did not mean she did not hear them. Kaeli was taking care of her, she felt her, she heard her. Tarra's first thoughts were of the child she carried and she felt a moment of panic she should be resting, Lochley stilled her with a single word, assuring her that the young healer was fine, no harm would come to her, in fact he made her realize that it was her own energy that was already engulfing Kaeli, protecting her, keeping her from harm and guiding her. Even though she was in that life and death battle, and chaos was being wrecked upon her body, there was a part of her that was ever watchful and always caring of others.
However, Tarra was gravely weak and unable to hold back various things as her mind touched to her because she was holding her hands, usually it was her empathic ways that would allow her to see others, in her current state it was her own mind that was within another, allowing glimpses of things to be seen. In her mind she would see the large mamba warrior, dark of skin, and adorned with scars. He was guiding Tarra along a smoke laden path, until he brought her to a place of the past, there she saw herself, holding the lifeless form of Lochley, his blood flowed profusely from many injuries drenching Tarra in its warm viscosity,she worked feverishly to save him but to no avail he died in her arms, but not before placing a necklace of many larls teeth about her neck, she could not save her own mate,she blamed herself even though she knew his wounds were to many, she saw her children witness it from a hiding place, blaming her for the death of their father for many turnings. Without pause would come the death of her daughter Tanzia at the inn she owned with her sister Dina, the blood soaked the ground, the echoes of pain and horror filled the air, and so was the rage that rushed thru Tarra as the dark witch surfaced, there was no thought only a primal rage that was focused upon those that killed her daughter, she not only revealed that it was not only men that could kill, but she reveled in it, as she without one moment of thought let her control slip and when she was done she stood in the midst of shredded flesh and rivers of blood covered her, limbs were scattered and hearts lay unbeating yet warm upon the ground. This was the part of her she hid and controlled, it was that dark power that would only bring the harbinger of death and destruction. Never did she let herself ever lose control of thought, emotion or abilities. The shadows would swirl and flow revealing the deaths of Kain and Lochlan who died for the tribe their blood quenched the thirst of the plains, just as her own heart had bled, in public she never broke down, in private she did not fully let go. "It holds you down. " Lochley would state. " To much do you carry within you. Some you cannot help, you can only follow what you feel is right and true." She wanted to run but he would not allow her, and it was not ended,he took her to the edge of the plains, there he would show her the enemy that had lingered and taunted them, the arrow was revealed, and what it had soaked in and coated with. "This is what the healer must know so she can help you before it is to late." It was revealed how it had delved into her shoulder, of how Ayguili removed it and kept it to give to Ba'atar, of Tarras words to not let anyone know until he could speak to the Ubar and her father.
Tarra would speak softly for Kaeli to hear, "Kanda. Kaeli. Kanda." With that Kaeli could no longer see what the Haruspex saw because Tarra would protect her from what was to come.
"You do not have to hide yourself or who you are. Those that are true will not think less of you." Tarra was not sure what he was up to but she sure was not liking this. "Mother you are allowed to be vulnerable, others can be strong for you also. Let them show you." That voice , it could not be. "Lochlan?" She would ask as she turned caught between father and son. "Tell Cana I am proud of her and Ba'atar is a good man." There was no escape as they closed in on her and held her between them, their hearts and spirits a part of her, tearing away all those things she held close within her, forcing her to feel the pain, the sorrow, the anger and the rage, the fears and the emptiness. The fears that lay deep within her were allowed to be released thru the floodgates of emotion.
As the emotions were released the fever would climb higher until it devoured her physical body at a dangerous level. Yet there were spoken words here and there. " Patience, Fonce." Was spoken a few times, "The plains hold the answers. You need to dance the ritual with us." Though it was spoken low and made no sense, it did in ways that in time would be revealed. " The skies have humor for Ba'atar." She would laugh softly. " Cana, a gift comes. Don't lose sight" , the markings upon her hands seem to burn into her flesh, "Falon, they are with you. No emptiness within." Various things were spoken of for various people, what did they mean. Maybe to each something different. Something important to them. " Ayguili do not lose faith. Time.. patience.. In time you will see clear. " Words were broken and spoken repetively. As her mind and body battled to survive.
Did they have time... could she come out of it. Would the work of the healer be enough? Or was something more needed to guide her back.. The answer not yet known. For now she was once more still, her skin burning as if on fire.
