by Matthew "Dra'Gon" Stohler
Minus 5 nights:
"The Night comes soon," she growled to her mate as he prepared the required herbs.
"I know that. Cease your reminders. This takes time and we have yet five more nights before we are able to do it. Have you seen to the Others?" She sniffed as if the answer were obvious. "They need to be..."
"It has been done," she interrupted. She padded around on all fours as the Male continued his work diligently.
"Gather the workers. Tell them what they must bring. And make certain the salamanders are well fed, the kettle needs to be hotter than usual for this to work." She growled her assent and left the cavern.
The sky soon darkened and the Male realized he must quit for now to hunt. Going down to all fours, he shifted to his hunting form and left the caves. Being one of the People, all creatures made way for his passage - hoping that his meal would not be them, yet knowing that it would be an honor to be the meal of such as He. But the Male was in the mood for a chase before taking his leasurely meal. This night he would hunt one of the great cats.
These creatures were nearly fast as he and had instincts close to his own. But there the similarity ended for they did not have the intelligence of the People nor the drive which that intelligence brings. Further and further the Male had to travel each time he hunted one of these cats for they had enough intelligence to understand that he would hunt them less if he had to travel greater distances.
The Male and Female were the only two of the People in this region - which was how the People preferred things - so there was little chance of encountering another of the People as he hunted his territory. But soon the great cats would depart his territory into another's if something wasn't done to ensure the Male's dominance over his neighbors. That was what the Night was all about. A Celebration which would give him authority not only in his territory, but over all the People as well.
The chase lasted well into the night and the Male ate his fill - leaving the remains for the carrion which would quickly devour it. As the Male returned to his caves, his mind went over the Celebration. He'd discovered it many long moon-cycles past but had to relearn things the People had long forgotten. The Celebration was deemed a dangerous magic of the highest order and - according to the runes - a magic which would cause the downfall of the People if not done properly. But the Male had been cautious in his preparations, making certain of every detail. He had not taught the Female to read the ancient runes lest she be tempted to take his rightful place as leader of the People.
She was necessary, however, as the runes say there must be two each of the particular creatures who would be in attendance at the Celebration - one male, one female.
Yes, it was almost complete, and nothing would stand in his way.
Minus 4 nights:
"The preparation must cool for two nights," he growled. "Seal this cavern with your magic." The Female acknowledged the command with a short snap of her powerful jaws then placed the spell upon the opening and around the walls surrounding the cavern. The Male sniffed around to make certain not even the tiniest creature could gain entrance. When he was satisfied, he dropped to all fours and went to where the salamanders were kept.
The warm cavern was swarming with the small creatures. They were entirely without intelligence by People standards and could not escape from the cavern though only the simplest of magics were used to keep them there. Two had been separated from the rest by means of a magicked wall. These two were slightly larger than the others and kept well fed. The Male inspected them and growled his acceptance of these two. Next he went to the under-caverns where the Others roamed freely.
The Others weren't physical creatures but they looked - when one could see them - very similar to the People. They were smaller and only had fur on top of their heads. They had no snouts and only the barest of protrusions upon their heads for sniffing - nor did their jaws seem all that powerful. Some had globes of Other-flesh on their chests while others had a sexual organ such as a male of the People had. What the globes were used for could only be guessed at - since none of the People knew exactly what the Others were - but it was thought that those with the globes were females and those without males.
The Others didn't appear to have any purpose and couldn't be touched - nor eaten, for that matter - in any way. They could wander where they wished but preferred to remain in the under-caverns for whatever reason. With the use of a lower magic casting, they could be guided, but - until now - there really hadn't been any reason to do this other than simple amusement. The most annoying trait of the Others was that they seemed to enjoy gathering in large groups. They had no sense of territory and did not appear to battle each other for any reason.
The Male could not discern one from the other since they had no smell and all looked alike aside from the maleness and femaleness of the Others. He would have to simply guess at which might suit him best for the Celebration as the runes gave no clue on how to choose which of the Others attended. With a shake of his luxurious mane, he left the under-caverns and went outside where the bright, slivered moon hung in the night sky. This night he would hunt simply, and close to the caves. He did not wish to be far from the preparation while it was cooling.
It wasn't that he didn't trust the Female at the moment - she, too, had an interest in the Celebration being a success - but there was always a chance that her magic would fail. That was a problem the People had been having lately. Their magics had seemed to be failing with disconcerting frequency in more recent times. The runes said that the Celebration would bestow great magic over all the world's creatures. They did not say if this was true for all the People or just he who would preside over the Celebration - the Male preferred the later, of course.
His hunt over, the Male went to his sleeping cavern - just across from the cavern he'd chosen for the preparation - and laid upon the fresh grasses the workers had brought in during the day. He'd already selected the workers he would use in the Celebration. Two night-flyers, two day-flyers and a pair of tunnel dwellers. He'd commanded these six to remain apart from the other workers - without explaining why they'd been chosen, of course. Yes, all was ready for the Celebration and the Male laid his head down to contented slumber.
Minus 3 nights:
The Others seemed to be more restless than usual this night. The Male wondered if they knew what was to happen soon. The runes had said nothing of the Others having this ability but perhaps those who wrote the instructions had not known of it. No matter, the Celebration would go on as scheduled and nothing would stop the Male from becoming more powerful than any living thing.
The Female skulked about outside the caverns. She did not know how to read the runes and did not have access to them in order to learn. She knew she'd be able to just as easily as her mate for she was unusually intelligent - more so than most of the People even. This Celebration would give her mate strong abilities in magic - if what he says is correct - and she would grow in her abilities as well by association. But something was amiss. She didn't know what it was nor did she think it a good idea to ask the Male. She would have to make her own preparations - just in case.
Minus 2 nights:
Now the Male was becoming restless. The cooling of the preparation had gone well and the ingredients which were to be added on the Night were set aside safely. All was ready and he was impatient for the Night to come. What was needed was a good long hunt.
As he ran through the forests - making his way to where the great cats roamed - he caught site of an Other here and there. Unusual for them to be out so far from the caves. The Male did not really care why they were out this far, he only made a note of it. But then he came across a small group of seven Others and paused in his run. They seemed to be gesturing toward something which the Male could not see. He changed to his upright form and watched with curiosity.
They weren't gesturing for his benefit, he was certain, but for each other. When one pointed upward, the Male also looked up, but saw nothing which would be of interest. With a shake of his head, the Male decided that this was just one more of the many peculiarities of the Others and changed back to his animal form then continued on his hunt.
Minus 1 night:
Since he had awoken at midday, there'd been two of the Others continuously following him. A male and a female. They were annoying but there was nothing he could do about it. The Female had gone off somewhere to do whatever it was she was doing - the Male cared not as long as she was at the Celebration and did nothing to cause him trouble.
The Male checked the preparation constantly during the day, worried that something might happen to it and he'd have to wait a full cycle of seasons for another Celebration. But nothing was amiss there so he checked the workers and salamanders who would attend. Both salamanders seemed to be content and they glowed brightly with the extra heat which would be needed. The Male went outside the caves and wandered aimlessly - something he was entirely unused to. Finally he lay near the stream and contemplated the two Others who'd been following him.
Could they know what would happen the following night? This was a question he'd asked himself many times during the previous day. Are these two volunteering for the Celebration? Their behavior was too odd to tell one way or the other. Of course, if they balked, the Female could use her magic to herd them to where the Celebration would take place. The Male glanced to the old oak tree.
How could the ancients have known about this exact location so many cycles ago? Did they see it in visions? Did they know who it was who would be master of the Celebration in this period? So many questions the Male had and entirely too few answers. The Male had gone over the runes again and again, but always they directed him to that location. It must have been the old magic which allowed the ancients to describe it so carefully for it could not have been like this that long ago. It was the old magic which the Male would gain - with all the power that entails. None could stand against him then and his superiority would be assured.
The Night:
The kettle with the preparation was moved carefully by the workers under the watchful eye of the Male. It was nearly nightfall and wouldn't be much longer until the Celebration could take place. The Female followed the small procession, keeping close watch on the two Others - who seemed to be expectant of great things happening. It took a while for the workers to move the kettle such a short distance for they were small - though many. When it was in place, the Male commanded all but those he'd selected to leave the entire area and not return until morn.
Once everything was ready, the Male rechecked the runes. They said the moon must be at its highest point in the sky. There was mention about a full moon but the Male did not know what it could mean by that. How was he to determine whether the moon was full or empty? This hadn't been the only thing he couldn't determine within the instructions and thought that perhaps these were things which needed to be done after the Celebration when he was the master of all. Then the Male would understand all within the runes.
It was time to heat the preparation so the Male told the Female to place the salamanders on the kettle. The two creatures scurried around the kettle, pouring their heat all over the metal. Within moments it was steaming - but it would still need more for the Celebration. When the moon was finally where it was supposed to be, the Male began the chanting. Each worker knew what it was supposed to put into the kettle and at what point in the chant.
"Oh great Ancients, I beseech thee to grant me the power I seek. I have before me the elements which would allow thee access to this world. This potion, made from the finest of ingredients stands before thee as a gateway, awaiting only the keys to unlock thy passage.
"Oh great Ancients, I beseech thee to grant me the power I seek. The first key comes from the night-flyers. They bring to the gateway the ancient and powerful herb nightshade.
"Oh great Ancients, I beseech thee to grant me the power I seek. The second key comes from the day-flyers. They bring to the gateway petals from the mountain flower iris.
"Oh great Ancients, I beseech thee to grant me the power I seek. The third key comes from the tunnel dwellers. They bring to the gateway the mushroom called esculenta.
"Oh great Ancients, I beseech thee to grant me the power I seek. Here present are the Others, those who live but have no flesh. It is they who provide the forces for thy entry. Take from them what thou will.
"Oh great Ancients, I beseech thee to grant me the power I seek." Now all the Male could do was wait and watch the kettle.
The expected power would come from there and he would need to touch it before it disappeared again. In truth, the Male didn't know what he was watching for - the runes had not said. But he was certain it would be something out of the ordinary within the lifemilk-colored brew. The heat was so intense that it was difficult for the Male to remain near, but he did so for the power he would gain would more than make up for this small discomfort.
He was so intent upon the potion that he hadn't noticed the Female backing away. She did not trust this magic and preferred to be further away if it were to become uncontrollable. She also prepared a casting in her mind that would protect her from whatever happens. The Female noticed the Others draw closer to the kettle but said nothing to her mate - not that he would have heard her over his concentration. She did not notice the gathering of Others at the edge of the forest surrounding the clearing. Had she, she might have said something, gotten her mate's attention regardless of what was happening within the kettle.
Both the Male and the Female could feel the magic coming from the kettle. The Male wanted to take it, but he did not know for which point to reach. He did not see the two Others reach into the kettle. He did not see them grab at something and back away. All he saw was the potion, steam rising from it and bubble boiling within. But the Female saw, and feared the consequence. She saw the Others begin to solidify. She saw her mate begin to change form, though he would not have done so voluntarily. She felt herself begin to change. It was then when she uttered the casting, surrounding herself with all the magic she could bring forth. The Female ran off into the forest, only now seeing the many Others as they, too, began to solidify.
The magic which had surrounded the Female protected her from much of the ancient magic which, even now, changed the People. But it did not protect her from all of it. She changed into her four-legged form in order to run faster. On and on she ran, not knowing where she would end up - nor caring. Her mind seemed to be focused upon one thing only - survival.
The Male had completely changed by the time the Others had become fully flesh. They knew nothing of what had happened to them, only that there were changes. They saw the large animal as it sniffed the air about it and the smaller animals which went their own way. The Others looked at each other, then the kettle. There were two small animals clinging to its side. One of the Others went to the kettle and reached over in an attempt to touch one of these animals. He pulled his hand back immediately with a howl of pain then he picked up a nearby fallen branch and used it to tip the kettle over and attempted to hit the now fleeing salamanders.
Day 1:
The Female awoke with a start. She did not know where she was or how she got there. Bringing her paw up to her face, she noticed the change immediately. She had no fur! Furthermore, her paw looked like that of the Others. Looking down at her body, she saw that it was nearly entirely devoid of fur. There was a nearby lake so she scrambled to it - unused to the oddness of this body she found herself in - and looked at her reflection.
Her entire form was that of an Other! The fur left on her head was long and stringy - like the vines in the forest only thinner - and her beautiful snout was gone - replaced by a small mouth and a bump with two holes, which she realized she was breathing through. And her teeth! Her sharp teeth were no more. Instead she had small, nearly useless teeth. How can she hunt with such ugly teeth and no claws?
She had thought to protect herself from whatever had happened at the Celebration and instead she wished she hadn't. The Female would rather have died than to end up like this. Her senses seemed dulled and her limbs no longer had the strength she once enjoyed. What was she to do?
The Female stood upon her two gangly limbs and walked gingerly along the bank of the lake. She would have to find some way to hunt if she was to survive. She soon came to the river feeding the lake and decided to walk upriver, not knowing what else to do. In the river she saw fish. These she could catch without claws and eat without proper teeth - though she never cared much for the taste. It took her many tries to catch one then she devoured it hungrily and went for another.
The days went by swiftly as the Female got used to this new form. She avoided the Others whenever she came upon them in their groups. She had discovered a pair of the People and attempted to communicate with them but they simply growled at her in a threatening manner so she decided to avoid them as well. She did not know what she was to do and soon the night of the circled moon came. The Female was resting beneath a needle-tree when she felt the pains begin.
They started in her abdomen and were like nothing she'd ever felt before. She howled with the pain as it increased and her churning mind heard the echoes throughout the forest. The pain seemed to last forever until it at last finally subsided. She attempted to stand in order to go to the nearby river, but found herself on all fours in a once familiar form. She had tried again and again these past days to change but had failed to do so and now... This form was familiar, but it was also odd. The strangeness eluded her as she felt the hunger pangs.
She needed food, though not the food she'd been accustomed to in the days before the Celebration. No, this hunger was of a different sort and she sniffed it on the winds. The Female followed the scent until she came to a small group of dwellings. This is where she would find her food. She was careful for she had seen how the Others hunt. They used long sticks and always hunted together, teasing a large animal one way while striking another - a cowardly lot to be sure.
The Female came upon one dwelling which held only one Other and entered cautiously. It was asleep as she neared then she quickly struck at the Other's throat and held on as it struggled uselessly, silently. Within moments it was dead and the Female ate her fill then left as silently as she'd arrived.
The following morning the Female awoke once again in the form of an Other. She'd had a strange vision of hunting, then devouring one of them. With a new determination, she went to where she knew they would be and approached. This particular group of Others had been agitated by something. They were fearful and yet concerned that the newcomer had been in the forests alone.
They took her in as one of their own and the Female discovered what had frightened them so. Someone had been brutally killed and half-eaten while those around him had slept unknowingly. The Female remembered her vision and smiled to herself, thinking how much she was going to enjoy living with - and hunting - these Others.
End
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