Post by Taxx on Nov 16, 2017 14:08:48 GMT -5
The sun was starting to set on the end of another day. Rumble sat at the entrance of the cave, guarding- and watching the shadows lengthen slowly as the light fell behind spurs of rock. Wind swept down the slopes, stirring the leaves of the tenacious trees that had planted themselves in the ground close by. Behind him, the cats of the Tribe were settling down, sharing prey and words with each other, relaxing after the difficult day of hunting; the wind was more than just an annoyance up here, where a single wrong step could result in severe injury or death. But all the cats who had gone out had come back, even though the hunting had been poor.
A voice called his name and the ginger tom turned, blinking at Osprey; the young prey-hunter was padding toward him, unease in his eyes. On his paws in an instant, Rumble moved to meet him. “Everything okay?” he asked. Osprey turned, blinking at the small alcove where Skyteller had made her den. He nodded toward it as he spoke, and the worry deepened at the tone in the younger tom’s voice. He started toward the small den, pausing only to ask Storm to take his place guarding the entrance.
Entering Skyteller’s den, Rumble’s eyes rested on the old she-cat lying to one side of the cave, beside the shallow pools of water that covered most of the floor of the den. He had only been here a couple times before- he hadn’t had much reason to visit Skyteller, and she rarely ventured out of her den. She slept and ate here, brought prey and looked after by the to-bes. Rumble stepped closer, pausing as her eyes opened and fixed on him. Hazy and dull, she still seemed to recognize him, but a brief attempt to push herself to her belly failed and she fell back, her chest heaving from even that small exertion.
“Rumble, good. You came. Need to talk to you…” A deep breath, eyes closing, a moment of silence before she spoke again. “The Tribe of Endless Hunting is calling me. The signs… they were not clear. Maybe I failed to see them. I should have had more time to train you…”
Rumble blinked, a jolt of shock setting his fur to prickling. He had expected some sort of sign she needed to talk to him about- a danger, perhaps. But she was speaking of training him, and there was only one reason she’d need to do that. Panic woke on the heels of shock, and he opened his mouth to refute it- she couldn’t mean what she was saying.
“Our ancestors have chosen you to follow me. You will be Skyteller now. The Tribe of Endless Hunting will help you learn what you need to know. Our Tribemates will look to you.”
“I can’t.” He’d meant it to be a firm statement, but it came out in just a whisper, confusion and an overwhelming realization that everything was going to change.
“You must.” Another deep breath, a hint of a rattle on the exhale. “You’re strong. Our ancestors chose you, and you must answer their call. As must we all.”
A moment of silence followed. Rumble’s tail flicked restlessly, wanting to deny it. Surely there was someone else just as worthy? He had never imagined he would be more than just a cave-guard, protecting the Tribe in this new place. But, if the Tribe of Endless Hunting had chosen him themselves- how could he refuse to accept? Skyteller was dying. Someone would have to fill her place.
“I answer it.” Acceptance did not calm the flutter in his belly, the worry that somehow this was a mistake and she’d got the wrong cat.
“Good. You are Teller of the Mountain Sky now, cat of the Tribe. May our ancestors always give you guidance.” Quiet claimed the small space; Rumble glanced up through the cracks in the top of the cave, where the light was fading. A heavy sigh broke from him and he started to turn, to return to the Tribe and inform them of Skyteller’s fading life and his own new rank; the old she-cat blinked open her eyes again and spoke one last time. “Stay with me? The Tribe will know soon enough. I would… prefer to not be alone.”
Turning back, the ginger tom settled beside the she-cat, pressing his body to hers to offer warmth, giving her what comfort he could until her spirit left her body. They spoke no more- there was nothing left to say.
When the last breath had left her body, Rumble… no, that was not his name anymore. He was Skyteller now. Rumble of Distant Thunder, cave-guard, the cat who had lost all his family and who had made the long journey with the rest of the Tribe- he had died with the former Skyteller. In seasons to come, would he remember it? Would his Tribemates, the ones he had grown up with, trained, protected?
Skyteller rose, leaving the body of the old she-cat on the ground of the den. She would be buried soon, but first, the Tribe had to be told. Padding into the main cave, the tom glanced around at the cats. Would any challenge him? Surely not; the customs went back for as long as any could remember.
“Cats of the Tribe!” Skyteller called, taking another step forward, lifting his tail to beckon them all. “Gather, there are things I must tell you.”
williams
BlooRey DVD
Phoenix
Fawn
A voice called his name and the ginger tom turned, blinking at Osprey; the young prey-hunter was padding toward him, unease in his eyes. On his paws in an instant, Rumble moved to meet him. “Everything okay?” he asked. Osprey turned, blinking at the small alcove where Skyteller had made her den. He nodded toward it as he spoke, and the worry deepened at the tone in the younger tom’s voice. He started toward the small den, pausing only to ask Storm to take his place guarding the entrance.
Entering Skyteller’s den, Rumble’s eyes rested on the old she-cat lying to one side of the cave, beside the shallow pools of water that covered most of the floor of the den. He had only been here a couple times before- he hadn’t had much reason to visit Skyteller, and she rarely ventured out of her den. She slept and ate here, brought prey and looked after by the to-bes. Rumble stepped closer, pausing as her eyes opened and fixed on him. Hazy and dull, she still seemed to recognize him, but a brief attempt to push herself to her belly failed and she fell back, her chest heaving from even that small exertion.
“Rumble, good. You came. Need to talk to you…” A deep breath, eyes closing, a moment of silence before she spoke again. “The Tribe of Endless Hunting is calling me. The signs… they were not clear. Maybe I failed to see them. I should have had more time to train you…”
Rumble blinked, a jolt of shock setting his fur to prickling. He had expected some sort of sign she needed to talk to him about- a danger, perhaps. But she was speaking of training him, and there was only one reason she’d need to do that. Panic woke on the heels of shock, and he opened his mouth to refute it- she couldn’t mean what she was saying.
“Our ancestors have chosen you to follow me. You will be Skyteller now. The Tribe of Endless Hunting will help you learn what you need to know. Our Tribemates will look to you.”
“I can’t.” He’d meant it to be a firm statement, but it came out in just a whisper, confusion and an overwhelming realization that everything was going to change.
“You must.” Another deep breath, a hint of a rattle on the exhale. “You’re strong. Our ancestors chose you, and you must answer their call. As must we all.”
A moment of silence followed. Rumble’s tail flicked restlessly, wanting to deny it. Surely there was someone else just as worthy? He had never imagined he would be more than just a cave-guard, protecting the Tribe in this new place. But, if the Tribe of Endless Hunting had chosen him themselves- how could he refuse to accept? Skyteller was dying. Someone would have to fill her place.
“I answer it.” Acceptance did not calm the flutter in his belly, the worry that somehow this was a mistake and she’d got the wrong cat.
“Good. You are Teller of the Mountain Sky now, cat of the Tribe. May our ancestors always give you guidance.” Quiet claimed the small space; Rumble glanced up through the cracks in the top of the cave, where the light was fading. A heavy sigh broke from him and he started to turn, to return to the Tribe and inform them of Skyteller’s fading life and his own new rank; the old she-cat blinked open her eyes again and spoke one last time. “Stay with me? The Tribe will know soon enough. I would… prefer to not be alone.”
Turning back, the ginger tom settled beside the she-cat, pressing his body to hers to offer warmth, giving her what comfort he could until her spirit left her body. They spoke no more- there was nothing left to say.
When the last breath had left her body, Rumble… no, that was not his name anymore. He was Skyteller now. Rumble of Distant Thunder, cave-guard, the cat who had lost all his family and who had made the long journey with the rest of the Tribe- he had died with the former Skyteller. In seasons to come, would he remember it? Would his Tribemates, the ones he had grown up with, trained, protected?
Skyteller rose, leaving the body of the old she-cat on the ground of the den. She would be buried soon, but first, the Tribe had to be told. Padding into the main cave, the tom glanced around at the cats. Would any challenge him? Surely not; the customs went back for as long as any could remember.
“Cats of the Tribe!” Skyteller called, taking another step forward, lifting his tail to beckon them all. “Gather, there are things I must tell you.”
williams
BlooRey DVD
Phoenix
Fawn
