Those that had been Stained with blood, she would watch over and keep. The colours of their Aura's she would see upon the wind and she would find them. But as to what shape the blood Stain reformed into she would not know, only her Aura Brothers and Sisters themselves could tell her such things.
<~★~>
A small smile broke free from her lips as soon as she saw her diminutive spear-wielding Sister.
Altan, she who always smelled of wild flowers and even wilder dreams. How Daeli had wished each time to greet the Spirit Hopper as a Liska Hunter would greet another Tribe's member. But as per agreed, Dae would not tread upon the beliefs of the Grass Aura'd girl and respected how she wished to be treated. For one, Daeli was no longer with Tribe and for another, Daeli was okay with how she always greeted Altan anyways.
Like a big kitty, Dae could not help but purr as she sidled up to Altan and when all was ready, Dae pounced and began to rub her cheeks, nose and head up against little Altan as a cat would greet another. If allowed, the big Hunter would dote over her friend, cleaning her and grooming her
. "Sooooo happy is Dae that you travel with us, Sister. To the Badlands have you always wished to go, no? An idea of what you desire to hunt, you have Aura Grass? And interested am I of what ritual you must do. Prepared are you, little Sister?"
The big, burly blonde would hug and hold her friend until she was given sign that the golden-eyed girl had had enough. And once the girls parted, the frown would return to the blonde Hunter's face; how she wished she could have Stained Altan so she would be able to always find her friend, but alas, Dae was resigned to respect the other Nomad's wishes and ways. And as she had seen Altan do many a time, Dae tapped her lower lip like the Spirit Hopper would tap her own lip with an inked quill, eyes full and distant, pondering what to write next.
"Tribes apart, yet untied here, younger Sister. Watching over you will this Hunter be. Oh, rest assured, you will be with this soul of mine, Aura Grass..."
<~★~>
The blood dripped across the back of the silky white Sister's gown.
Escarletè, she whose heart always seemed to be pinned upon her sleeve, bright, bold and always full of bitch. Dae caught the snow-hued sister's gaze as she saw the stain upon her pristine gown, and of course, Dae braced herself for impact. Yet still swaying and chanting neath her breath was Dae and Escarletè's eyes lit up with recognition; she actually and truly understood what the towering hunter was doing. A slow nod, a hint of a smile Daeli conceded to the Scarlet Aura'd girl as fingers dipped into the fresh blood upon flowing gown and found home upon a powder white cheek. Several more words the burly blonde chanted in her native tongue before reaching up and completing the 'Stain' with her own bloody thumb. And into another place another time was she thrust...
The day was darker than it should have been as it always seemed to be when Dae was
inDreams. There she saw Escarletè in a time when Aura Scarlet was lit up with shades of anger, attacking a stuffy-man target repeatedly and with all abandon. What was that in her Sister's eyes at that moment? Rage? Pain? Shame? All of the above? But whatever the case, Daeli had decided to stay Escarletè's arm and attempt to soothe the savagery and senselessness of her strikes. The blonde reached out and grasped the arm of the silvery white headed girl and immediately the other arm lashed out and caught Dae unawares with a motherload of a backhand slap. Eyes locked. Daeli had no idea what Escarletè saw in Dae's icy-blues, but what she saw in Escarletè's eyes frightened her and yet... enthralled her all at once. The sight was like the Tempest itself looking into a mirror. How enticing... But suddenly, Dae tasted blood and broke free from entering a Rage. The Scarlet Aura had split open the Sky Aura's lip.
Dae bit down upon her lower lip to stop the bleeding and in doing so, she found the way to abate the driving Rage that the Tempest always tried to use to free herself from Dae's internal Wall. To calm herself in desperation, the Hunter would bite down on her lower lip and remember the look in Escarletè's eyes, bright and honed wicked sharp. She would not allow what she saw therein to ever exit from her heart. Perhaps that was the major reason she always kept Escarletè at an arms length... perhaps.
>>The colour of Anger upon the wind I will know you, Aura Scarlet...<<
<~★~>
It was a motion that meant a vile threat upon another, but from the hands of chestnut-haired Brother it was a signal to Dae to stop what she was saying or to 'knock it off.'
Andren, he whose sweetness permeated from all that he said or did, only he could make the gesture of slicing one's throat open a gesture of playfully telling Dae 'enough is enough.' And what did the gesture mean once the big blonde slid her bloody thumb across his neck? The chant followed her to another place, another time as she 'Stained' this Emerald Aura'd Brother...
Was it truly that long ago when she stood there, staring at herself in the mirror. She could feel the haze of time now, here even
inDreams, for some reason, Most would feel self-conscious of staring intently at themselves in the mirror whilst repeating a thousand fold what one was being taught. Blowing kisses was easy-peasy to learn. Winking on the other hand...? Not so much. Andren stood just behind Daeli and used one hand to cover one of her icy-blue eyes, then the other, in an attempt to get her open only one eye at a time. He laughed. A lot. And so did she, but not once did he ever laugh directly at her. Not once.
And so once she finally got the hang of it, he removed his hands from her face and barked out one last shout of encouragement and Dae nodded The big blonde gave one final triumphant whoop in response and donned the mirror a perfect wink. Both Auras cheered so raucously and wildly that many younglings came rushing into the quarters to see what had happened. Oh, but even Veerdante was there...
Veerdante... oh, but he was still so vibrant, joyous and alive. They had all bounced up and down altogether, circling round as arms and hands linked all sisters and brothers alike. The Emerald winked at the Sky and she actually managed to return the wink in kind without missing a beat. She embraced him in time to a chorus of more cheers.
And so what did it mean to Stain Andren across his neck? It was a great statement of honour from a Hunter to a friend. Most would say: 'I will die for you.' But the Stain from this Hunter said:
'I will never hurt you.'
>>The colour of Sweetness upon the wind I will know you, Aura Emerald...<<
<~★~>
A smile made of something more than met the eye, she donned the massive, muscle-bound 'Brother.'
Marcus, who always smelled of the earth and fresh leaves. Towards him she traipsed, hand held out as she danced and chanted, offering something that she had never offered him before; a chance.
But the look upon his face said it all. Fear? Disgust? Whatever it was, what it said to Dae was that he did not trust her. For all the ways he knew, she was sure he for one would know that she did not offer her blood to him as a symbol of slaughter; did he not cast spells himself? The big Hunter merely lowered her hand and nodded at him, passing him by, but no anger was cast from her icy-blue eyes. Yet she still had to look away as she brushed past the Earth Aura'd 'Brother.' He smelled of earth and fresh leaves but could not mask the smell of what the earth and leaves tried to cover up buried down below.
But at least her suspicions upon him were that much more justified; he was a deceiver not meant to be trusted. It was only a matter of time before he stabbed them all in the back. No, she was not angry with him, she was merely disappointed; she would have to take out one of her own.
"Pleased that you will join us, Brother," said Dae a shiny veneer coating her eyes and smile whilst she spoke to him, staring off at the younglings in the distance,
"watching out for you this Hunter will be. Oh, rest assured, Aura Earth..."
The Monster would show itself and The Hunter would lay in wait to finally cut its head off.
<~★~>
This other,
Red Aura'd but less angry, silvery headed girl, she had seen running hand in hand with her Brother Märchen . She had even seen him hug her. And that is what Daeli did too.
Into her arms she swept up the little Sister, chanting as she pressed her fingers into the girl's cheek, Staining her as she smiled.
"Your name Daeli does not know. But your Aura have I seen when fighting the Assassins you were. Red, it chased you and flowed from you like ribbons in the wind."
Dae released the girl and extended a hand out to her as the Hunter was taught to formally greet others.
"Hello there, young Miss. My name is Daeli deLouve. I am a Soul Manifestor with a Sky Blue Aura. What is your name? How are you today?"
A very unnatural, rigid pose and even more rigid smile, Dae held while the girl answered then finally the big blonde sighed and eased up. Her smile became genuine and her posture became that of a huge jungle cat once more. But most importantly, the icy-blues found their feral lustre once more.
"Well met, younger Sister. Watching over you will this Hunter be. Oh, rest assured, you will be with this heart of mine, Aura Red..."
<~★~>
He was the first to be Stained with her blood, right after their dance together.
Märchen , he who sang so sweetly and enchanted her with his musical talents. She had pressed her thumb into his forehead and marked him there. A fond smile had crept up at the corners of her mouth as she chanted softly and soon enough she found herself in another place, another time...
This White Aura'd Brother was there in the grass, sitting comfortably and quietly, neath the darker than it should be afternoon sky inDreams. And where was Daeli? She was but a stone's throw away, icy-blues glaring intently into the bark of an old and innocent tree. But it was not the tree she was focusing her anger upon, no, as usual it was upon herself. The Hunter had just failed a test; meditation of all things. Oh but how the Tempest called to her to 'break down the Wall.' And in response to shut it up, Dae would take it out on this old and innocent tree.
Wham! Her golden skinned forehead slammed into the tree.
Wham! Yet again. W
ham! Wham! Wham! Wha-- Wait. Was that music? Blood flooded her vision but she could still make out the young man in the distance.
He was standing now, yet in full motion. His grey hair swished against his forehead as he swayed. Eyes shut, arms expertly posed as he held his viola in one arm, the other holding the bow, flowing this way and that, creating the most amaaaaaaazing sound she had ever heard. His shoulders moved in time to a rhythm that he could only hear; it was as if he were caught in the ebb and flow of a sea of musical notes.
Then he opened his mouth and out came the sound that a baby would recognize as the glory of a goddess. The words she could not follow, but the sound soothed her, comforted her, caressed her like only a Mother could. And so happy was Dae that the blood fell into her eyes; they masked the tears as they streaked down her cheeks as well. She had been so moved and enthralled.
When he opened his eyes and looked up at her, even though she was a bloody mess, he would see her swaying in time to his music just as he did. Suddenly, without warning, the big blonde fell to her knees before him. For whatever reason, he had reached out and wiped gently at her forehead smoothing the creases there and healing her wound at the same time. Icy-blue eyes met his red-eyed gaze before she leaned forward and he cradled her head.
>>The colour of Mother upon the wind I will know you, Aura White...<<
<~★~>
Who else could she think of when she first thought about the Monastery?
Laukai, he who was always there for you, for all of them, forever; he who was always there. The blood upon his forehead was pressed with much love and affirmation. Once done Staining him, she pulled him close and embraced him tight as she continued to chant bringing them both to another place, another time...
It was inDreams where they stood together right at the spot where they made a promise. They had climbed to the highest spot known in the Monastery, the broken bell tower. It was supposed to be darker than it should have been, but for whatever reason it was as bright as it was that morning right as the sun rose. A hand reached out and touched his shoulder then inexplicably she was able to reach up and touch his forehead. This was not part of the memory. Icy-blues popped open wide. She had never before experienced this while inDreams; Dae could do more than relive the memory, she was able to speak as if he was there. And he was.
"Remember do I when we said we would one day be here. The highest place we know. At dawn we said. Here, it was here where I would tell you a secret, no?" the hues of purple on the horizon fled as soon as the oranges broke free in the sky beyond,
"Remember do you, Brother? Held both your hands did Daeli, as Daeli does now. And right before the sun rose into the sky, did Dae say the truth to you, but a truth we meant to keep secret. Together.
"Dae said to you: "In the mind of the Hunter, the story says that she killed her brethren, the Hunters-to-be in the Liska Hunters Tribe. But in the mind of the Girl, the story says she protected them and failed. Remembers when the Tempest was born does the Girl. But remembers not does the Hunter. Both of them is Dae; Hunter and Girl. Bad things, very bad things happened when Dae was 13 but Dae cannot remember.
"Breaking apart is this Daeli deLouve. Failure here at the Monastery will be the result for me. Flee now must I Aura Gold. From the depths of this blackened heart does Dae apologize, but packed are my things and flee now must I--"
He had removed his hands from hers and pressed his fingertips upon her forehead and spoke the words she would always say in her own way;
"Your back I have, as always..."
There were more words, but Dae could not remember, but what she did remember was her eyes being flooded, overwhelmed by the gold of the sun breaking free from the dark. It was as if she had seen it for the very first time in her life. The Gold consumed her whole and she let it. When she came to, he was holding her tight with all his might, with all that he was, with all that was Gold.
"Let me go, you would not, Brother.You never did. And here we stand together inDreams. 5 years later and let me go you will not. And never will I let you go, Laukai Kenkuri, Aura Gold. In the waking world, into the Lands Beyond, and when we meet here again when breathe no more we will find us here. At the top of the Monastery, holding each other tight. Let us go, we will not.
"Let us go, we will not. Let us go, we will not..."
Into the waking world were they both thrust. And as she chanted softly for him, she was holding onto him in an unbreakable embrace.
>>The colour of Warmth upon the wind, I will know you, Aura Gold...
...and let us go, we will never...<<
<~★~>
