Ursa: Choices (Chy. 27th, Late Gravetide-Early Morningtide)

[Niamh Windwalker]

Restless dreams, promptly forgotten each time her eyes opened, finally stirred a groan of disgust from lips as she stirred beneath the light blanket. Niamh wasn't generally taken to worrying, such mental gnawing over uncontrollable events was the purview of gray-furred grannies and elders. 'Bother'.

With an agile roll from her sleeping mat, blood rushing to the limbs formerly stilled in sleep, she crouched in the center of her little home. Glancing at the tautly stretched skin, her hands stretched forth to caress the familiar smoothness. Her eyes, pupils stretched wide in the darkness, traced her belongings, foundering on the familiar. It struck her then, that somehow, in the midst of her dreams and lack of sleep, she had chosen her path, and these last moments of tactile sensation... were... in a manner, a farewell.

'She must have someone to guard her back.' It took barely a few flickers for Niamh to gather her few belongings in a small compact bundle. Besides her weapons and clothes, there was little enough to assemble, barring a few pristine feathers and a few polished stones.

Wrapping her Kanthar slowly, she found herself pondering a prayer in her deepest thoughts. Grant my eyes the sight to see, grant my body the way to defend our kind, protect us from the unknown. The Kanthar twined tightly around her form, as one might fashion it when preparing for a hunt. With an almost stately air, she wrapped the vibrant purple famirl about her waist, tucked her bone daggers in the band, and gathered her things.

'Now, to find Oni. Without a backward glance, Niamh swept the tent-flap back and stepped forth to inform her mentor of the decision she had made.

[Brytan]

The village lay quiet before Niamh as she exited her tent. The murmur of talking going on to her left alerted her to the presence of two...three individuals. She recognised the voice of Hawkeye whom seemed to be addressing several kit who sat too far away for her to make out clearly who they were.

A sure bet at this hour to look for Oni would be to go to the Kanthan's tent. It would not take long to get there. As she arrived she would find the Kanthan sitting in front of her tent, legs crossed, hands folded, eyes closed.

[Niamh Windwalker]

Moving next to Oni, Niamh dropped into an easy crouch beside her mentor. "Good morning, Oni."

The Kanthrop's fingers rested on her knees, but despite her newfound convictions of the night, she was yet a trifle nervous. "I've decided to go with Catherine."

The words spilled forth, eager, uncertain, jumbled. But after that mad rush of syllables, she fell silent.

[Brytan]

"Good morningtide to you too."

The Kanthan opened her eyes and acknowledged the young Kanthrop. Only burns earlier had Catherine occupied the exact same spot. Only burns earlier they had discussed the nature of her journey.

"Cutting right to the chase as always Niamh? A worthy trait no doubt."

Pause.

"No one can stop you if you choose to go. You have attained the shift, which means you have attained the right of passage." She stood up. "Give me a flicker."

The Kanthan went into her tent and came out only a burn or so later, holding something small in her left hand. She sat down again on the same spot where she had been and held out her hand to Niamh. I gave a similar stone to Catherine only burns before. It will allow you passage to the isle from any portal made of the same material through the Heart of Ursa. All Kanthrop gain one as they achieve their warp.

She waited for Niamh to accept her gift. "Mind if I ask you why you choose to go with her?"