By Amy Jiao(as all the stories here are)
The four chiefs rose out of their bodies, but before they could go into the depths of the Duat a stronger breeze swept them miles away from Mother Africa.They landed in a hut,and they materialized in a room themed like the savvanah,with four beds sized just for them.A panda and a grey heron awaited them expectantly."Otto, you were a great hero."the grey heron told Otto,then turned to the three other chiefs."You were arrogant in the battle,but helped Moko in the end.I shall reward you all by making you alphas of this haven for animals, Jamaa.Follow me,you have much to learn.By the way,I am Mira, Mother Sky, and this is the chief alpha, Lisa."Otto and the others had no idea what she was talking about, but they followed her anyway.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Otto's Final Battle
Chapter One
Otto had no idea that what Ruby said could make all the tribes want to fight the others, but Apophis must've been around, because the battle was chaotic.Giraffes smacked rhinos on the head, rhinos charged elephants, elephants treaded on crocodiles, and crocodiles bit giraffes.Otto took some of Moko's powers and calmed his tribe, but Apophis's influence was too strong to fully overcome.He spotted his bestfriend Kokopellan try to stop a rhino from barreling over a giraffe,but he intercepted the blow instead."Kokopellan!"he cried sadly."R-remember my sacrifice to stop Ruby from killing Edmund."Otto realized that if Kokopellan hadn't intercepted the charge, Edmund and the giraffe tribe would've gone FLUSH. Aｍilky substance covered Kokopellan's eyes, and Otto did a quick battle funeral his father had taught him.Now, the battle was getting worse. Blood stained the oasis,and dead animals lay on the ground everyone."So many dead..."he whimpered.Then rage overcame him.Why did Apophis had to sacrifice so many minions to take over Africa?!?Why did he have to kill Kokopellan, a good warrior?!?He was lifted up as he was united with Moko's body completley, and his mermories flowed into Moko's as two streams of memories united.He had summoned a battle avatar to calm everyone and find Apophis.
Chapter Two
Everyone was suprised when they saw his combat avatar,and kneeled.Nobody hesitated to pay their respects to the image of Moko.Even the fierce chief Ruby kneeled,and stopped fighting."Apophis is rising!"he shouted,and his voice was amplified."Brisingr!"A fire helephant appeared next to him,and lifted up all of the tribes easily."We must head north to the sea,then battle Apophis."It didn't take long, since helephants can step a mile at a time, and they set the tribes down at the sea.At first,nothing happened,but then the sea began to bubble. A yellow eye appeared below the surface, then a grey serpent spiraled out of the water untill it was as tall as Mount Everest, and that was only 1/4 of his height.Otto noticed that Apophis was crafted out of foul thoughts, and every time somebody in Africa thought a foul thought,he grew an inch taller.Apophis flicked his tongue,and Otto saw that it was crafted out of blood from the oasis."CHHAAAARGE!"Otto ordered the tribes.They reluctantly dove into the Duat, a sea of magic lands underneath the real world,and whacked Apophis in different layers of it.Otto battled the head of Apophis in the real world as it was weakened by battling others in the Duat.
Chapter Three
He charged the head,then when it tried to spit acid on him,he flipped over it's head and drove his spear into Apophis's head, then landed on the sea.He stood on the water as Apophis blindly turned around,looking for him.Otto knew that he had shut some nerves down in his head,as nerves and ichor poured from the wound.Eww.He shot an arrow into Apophis's mouth as it turned toward him,but he forgot to shift position to make sure that the serpent didn't sense him.Apophis leered,then spit some dark energy onto Otto.The avatar protected him,but he grew weaker,especially since moving in the avatar was like moving with a mattress glued to his back. "AI-YAH!"he shouted as he dove below the surface.It took a while, but he found Apophis's tail,a fluffy point with a poisonous thorn.He grabbed the tail,careful to avoid the thorn,then started wrapping it around Apophis.Apophis must've realzied what Moko was up to, since he started to thrash and pull Ｍoko onto land,but he was determined to finish the job.After what was like six tiring hours, he finally tied Apophis into a knot,and threw him into the sky.The other chiefs popped out of the Duat, and he used his energy to make them custom battle avatars."Thanks, man!"Ruby said as she watched the Apophis knot fly out of sight.But then,the knot fell back down,and Apophis hissed."That was foolish,young hero."Apophis glared at Edmund,and he was blasted backward.He did the same to Ruby, then Cornelius,untill only Otto was left.Anger welled up inside him."You #$%$#@#$$% serpent!"he shouted at Apophis.The serpent leered at him.
Chapter Four
Otto should've been worried,but he was angry at Apophis for shrugging off his allies."I SHALL PUMMEL YOU, STUPID SERPENT OF CHAOS!"Otto shouted."AAAAAAH!"He summoned all of his spirit, and stomped on Apophis.The other chiefs joined in,devoting as much life force as they had.Apophis screamed,and dissipated.However,the struggle was enough to shatter them.Their tribes gathered to gather their pieces as the great chiefs died to restore order.However,they did not die, as they became alphas. Read the next story to find out what happens...
Otto had no idea that what Ruby said could make all the tribes want to fight the others, but Apophis must've been around, because the battle was chaotic.Giraffes smacked rhinos on the head, rhinos charged elephants, elephants treaded on crocodiles, and crocodiles bit giraffes.Otto took some of Moko's powers and calmed his tribe, but Apophis's influence was too strong to fully overcome.He spotted his bestfriend Kokopellan try to stop a rhino from barreling over a giraffe,but he intercepted the blow instead."Kokopellan!"he cried sadly."R-remember my sacrifice to stop Ruby from killing Edmund."Otto realized that if Kokopellan hadn't intercepted the charge, Edmund and the giraffe tribe would've gone FLUSH. Aｍilky substance covered Kokopellan's eyes, and Otto did a quick battle funeral his father had taught him.Now, the battle was getting worse. Blood stained the oasis,and dead animals lay on the ground everyone."So many dead..."he whimpered.Then rage overcame him.Why did Apophis had to sacrifice so many minions to take over Africa?!?Why did he have to kill Kokopellan, a good warrior?!?He was lifted up as he was united with Moko's body completley, and his mermories flowed into Moko's as two streams of memories united.He had summoned a battle avatar to calm everyone and find Apophis.
Chapter Two
Everyone was suprised when they saw his combat avatar,and kneeled.Nobody hesitated to pay their respects to the image of Moko.Even the fierce chief Ruby kneeled,and stopped fighting."Apophis is rising!"he shouted,and his voice was amplified."Brisingr!"A fire helephant appeared next to him,and lifted up all of the tribes easily."We must head north to the sea,then battle Apophis."It didn't take long, since helephants can step a mile at a time, and they set the tribes down at the sea.At first,nothing happened,but then the sea began to bubble. A yellow eye appeared below the surface, then a grey serpent spiraled out of the water untill it was as tall as Mount Everest, and that was only 1/4 of his height.Otto noticed that Apophis was crafted out of foul thoughts, and every time somebody in Africa thought a foul thought,he grew an inch taller.Apophis flicked his tongue,and Otto saw that it was crafted out of blood from the oasis."CHHAAAARGE!"Otto ordered the tribes.They reluctantly dove into the Duat, a sea of magic lands underneath the real world,and whacked Apophis in different layers of it.Otto battled the head of Apophis in the real world as it was weakened by battling others in the Duat.
Chapter Three
He charged the head,then when it tried to spit acid on him,he flipped over it's head and drove his spear into Apophis's head, then landed on the sea.He stood on the water as Apophis blindly turned around,looking for him.Otto knew that he had shut some nerves down in his head,as nerves and ichor poured from the wound.Eww.He shot an arrow into Apophis's mouth as it turned toward him,but he forgot to shift position to make sure that the serpent didn't sense him.Apophis leered,then spit some dark energy onto Otto.The avatar protected him,but he grew weaker,especially since moving in the avatar was like moving with a mattress glued to his back. "AI-YAH!"he shouted as he dove below the surface.It took a while, but he found Apophis's tail,a fluffy point with a poisonous thorn.He grabbed the tail,careful to avoid the thorn,then started wrapping it around Apophis.Apophis must've realzied what Moko was up to, since he started to thrash and pull Ｍoko onto land,but he was determined to finish the job.After what was like six tiring hours, he finally tied Apophis into a knot,and threw him into the sky.The other chiefs popped out of the Duat, and he used his energy to make them custom battle avatars."Thanks, man!"Ruby said as she watched the Apophis knot fly out of sight.But then,the knot fell back down,and Apophis hissed."That was foolish,young hero."Apophis glared at Edmund,and he was blasted backward.He did the same to Ruby, then Cornelius,untill only Otto was left.Anger welled up inside him."You #$%$#@#$$% serpent!"he shouted at Apophis.The serpent leered at him.
Chapter Four
Otto should've been worried,but he was angry at Apophis for shrugging off his allies."I SHALL PUMMEL YOU, STUPID SERPENT OF CHAOS!"Otto shouted."AAAAAAH!"He summoned all of his spirit, and stomped on Apophis.The other chiefs joined in,devoting as much life force as they had.Apophis screamed,and dissipated.However,the struggle was enough to shatter them.Their tribes gathered to gather their pieces as the great chiefs died to restore order.However,they did not die, as they became alphas. Read the next story to find out what happens...
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Cornelius's Tribe
Chapter One
Cornelius made sure that everyone was in the large tank Twolegs had left behind,put some"oil" on the wheels,and whipped the demons to take them to the Oasis.It sounded like it was something in a fairy tale,but they even rose up to travel on the clouds.Birds soared past them,and the crocodiles either fished or sunbathed on the land portion of the tank.It was luxury,and the demons were tethered to the cart,and they coouldn't break free unless Cornelius wanted them to.He thought that it would be a trip through heaven,before the plane came.The large bird was huge up close,and Cornelius wondered why Twolegs needed such a big bird to get around.But then,it dove toward them,not noticing the cart."Faster!"Cornelius shouted.The demons didn't need to be reminded,and shot up to warp speed.The plane dove through the clouds an inch away,and they slowed down to conserve energy.By now they could see the Libya border,which meant that they were swerving far too northwest."Swerve right!"Cornelius ordered them.The demons careened down toward the oasis just at the Libya border.A little too fast."Slow down!"he ordered the demons,but they were out of control now.They crashed into the water,spilling non-native fish everywhere.
Chapter Two
The crocodiles managed to swim up to the surface,but the demons were now only stone slabs,and the tank was in pieces at the bottom of the oasis,so their only transportation home was destroyed.The other chiefs looked at them skeptically,and saw that their carriages were a little more reliable,and still intact."Did I just see the crocodile tribe fall out of heaven?"Edmund squeaked nervously,and all the other tribes laughed,except for Cornelius's.Otto raised his trunk high above Edmund's head,and all the other tribes were silenced."We are holding a council to unite all the tribes,and this would be disrespectful.A greater danger is arising while we have fought aimlessly,and everything Moko fought for could be destroyed if we don't act.The name of the danger is..."Otto didn't have to finish his sentence,because everyone knew,as far as Cornelius was aware.Apophis."Lies!"Ruby shouted,and her tribe took up the chant."This IS the worst danger,as far as I am concerned.The other tribes are stealing our grass,which means they want us to shrivel up and die!This means WAR!"The tribes charged at each other,yelling insults.Otto tried to stop them,but it was tto late.The tribes were intent on killing each other.
Cornelius made sure that everyone was in the large tank Twolegs had left behind,put some"oil" on the wheels,and whipped the demons to take them to the Oasis.It sounded like it was something in a fairy tale,but they even rose up to travel on the clouds.Birds soared past them,and the crocodiles either fished or sunbathed on the land portion of the tank.It was luxury,and the demons were tethered to the cart,and they coouldn't break free unless Cornelius wanted them to.He thought that it would be a trip through heaven,before the plane came.The large bird was huge up close,and Cornelius wondered why Twolegs needed such a big bird to get around.But then,it dove toward them,not noticing the cart."Faster!"Cornelius shouted.The demons didn't need to be reminded,and shot up to warp speed.The plane dove through the clouds an inch away,and they slowed down to conserve energy.By now they could see the Libya border,which meant that they were swerving far too northwest."Swerve right!"Cornelius ordered them.The demons careened down toward the oasis just at the Libya border.A little too fast."Slow down!"he ordered the demons,but they were out of control now.They crashed into the water,spilling non-native fish everywhere.
Chapter Two
The crocodiles managed to swim up to the surface,but the demons were now only stone slabs,and the tank was in pieces at the bottom of the oasis,so their only transportation home was destroyed.The other chiefs looked at them skeptically,and saw that their carriages were a little more reliable,and still intact."Did I just see the crocodile tribe fall out of heaven?"Edmund squeaked nervously,and all the other tribes laughed,except for Cornelius's.Otto raised his trunk high above Edmund's head,and all the other tribes were silenced."We are holding a council to unite all the tribes,and this would be disrespectful.A greater danger is arising while we have fought aimlessly,and everything Moko fought for could be destroyed if we don't act.The name of the danger is..."Otto didn't have to finish his sentence,because everyone knew,as far as Cornelius was aware.Apophis."Lies!"Ruby shouted,and her tribe took up the chant."This IS the worst danger,as far as I am concerned.The other tribes are stealing our grass,which means they want us to shrivel up and die!This means WAR!"The tribes charged at each other,yelling insults.Otto tried to stop them,but it was tto late.The tribes were intent on killing each other.
Edmund's Story
Chapter One
Edmund looked at the trees.Blood.At the ground.Blood.Even at his giraffes.Blood.After the rhinos invaded,everything was caked in blood,mostly giraffes'.All his warriors were in critical condition,and he wasn't much better.There was a wound where Ruby had stabbed him,a cast in a broken leg where she had charged him,splints in his neck where she had thrown a stick at him,and blood pouring from embarrasing spots on his body.Some of his warriors couldn't be healed even by the best herbs the tribe healers had,so they were left to the vultures.But most needed healing only by using uncommon herbs,which wasn't too hard since they had a lot of new healers join last spring,which meant more herb-gathering patrols.The younger giraffes that didn't fight were cleaning the blood off the trees so that it was safe to eat,and the even younger ones disenfected many wounds while clamping dead leaves over their mouths.Everyone in the tribe was pitching in to clean up,and even the elders held a council to discuss new battle tactics.Edmund just had to give directions to his tribemates,which wasn't too hard since his father had experienced a lot of fights with rhinos.Every time Edmund asked him about the other tribes,he would tell him about the humble elephants,the proud rhinos,and the sly crocodiles.All the chiefs were selected by Moko,which meant they had to be heroes and also children of the current chiefs."Edmund!"a firewood gatherer shouted to him."Does the central fire in the commons need kindling,or all sorts of wood?"Edmund glanced at the commons."Just kindling,Oke."he told the small giraffe,and sighed.Some of the trees were being cut down by Twolegs,but other trees were alos being cut down,and Edmund suspected that the crocodiles were doing that,because they were talking about making a dam so that their little ones had a place to safely play.Edmund saw reason in that,but why did they have to take away their food?He was convcinced,since he saw Cornelius chewing down a tree last night.Now Cornelius owed him a proper explanation!
Chapter Two
Two weeks later...
Edmund rallied his warriors as they prepared for war.They were going to invade the crocodile island,and make them sorry for stealing their trees.The crocodile tribe also owed them an explanation!"Giraffes,to me!"he would shout every mile they marched,making sure that everyone was with him.Soon,the raging rapids of the river appeared,and they marched even further."Woo-ah,wooah!"the crocodiles bathing in the shallow end cried in alarm,and crocodiles dressed in armor popped out of the water and out of pits,clearlysunbathing while waiting for orders."Giraffes,attack!"he shouted,and the giraffes charged at th crocodiles.Even though they were clumsy herbivores,they knew how to attack crocodiles.When they nipped at them,they swerve to avoid them and struck them with their hooves.Soon,the crocodiles were piled in a sloppy heap."Tell me why you are chopping down our trees!"he growled."Your chief was chopping down a tree last night!"A tired crocodile weakly looked up at him and bared his teeth."Weeee do noot know of our chieeef doing such a wreeetched thing,"the crocodile hissed slowly."Heee was ooonly sharpening heez teeeth,and accidentially choppped it doooown.""Take me to Cornelius!"The crocodile reluctantly pointed at a single hut on a large island in the middle of the river.The other crocodiles slept on the ground,which wasn't suprising for lesser beings."Weee have given cleeearance for any giraffffe,but de raaapids are enough to sweeeeep a strong crocodiiiiile away.Good luuuck,Eddddddmund."Edmund waded into the river,determined to get to the island.
Chapter Three
The rapids tugged at Edmund's legs,trying to bring him down into the waters of despair and failure.But he didn't try to give in,instead he fought."Yoour journey eez hopeless..."the naiads whispered in his ears.He didn't believe them.Soon,he reached the hut,and avoided a few rocks meant as traps,with one weakening demon binded to each.A few mini streams flowed around the hut as a place to safely drink,but he easily hopped over them.As he opened the hut door,he saw that there was a hole in the sod roof,meant for the chief to sunbathe in,and a diving pool.The pool was filled with fish and rocks,sand and rivergrass and watercress,just so that the chief could fish in the comforts of home.Cornelius sat in a dark corner,playing in sand,when he noticed Edmund,and nearly got buried by the living sand."W-what are you doing here?"Cornelius stuttered,blowing sand off one of his scabs from being trampled by Ruby."You have to explain why you are chewing down the trees my tribe uses for food every day."he said in a stern voice."I have caught you red-pawed!"Cornelius stared at him in disgust."The tree I chewed down was just to complete the dam,and it was dying anyway.If you think that we are chewing down ALL your trees,then the Twolegs must be costing us more turf than we realized."Then a blue macaw flew in,a letter in it's talons."Sir,"it said."we must gather all the chiefs to the oasis in Egypt,for a meeting.Moko will punish your tribe if you do not come.-Otto."Cornelius muttered to himself,and he realized that Otto had sent a letter to them just when Edmund and Cornelius were in the same spot."We must go."they said at the same time."This could be a way to right things out,or destroy everything we've ever worked for."
Edmund looked at the trees.Blood.At the ground.Blood.Even at his giraffes.Blood.After the rhinos invaded,everything was caked in blood,mostly giraffes'.All his warriors were in critical condition,and he wasn't much better.There was a wound where Ruby had stabbed him,a cast in a broken leg where she had charged him,splints in his neck where she had thrown a stick at him,and blood pouring from embarrasing spots on his body.Some of his warriors couldn't be healed even by the best herbs the tribe healers had,so they were left to the vultures.But most needed healing only by using uncommon herbs,which wasn't too hard since they had a lot of new healers join last spring,which meant more herb-gathering patrols.The younger giraffes that didn't fight were cleaning the blood off the trees so that it was safe to eat,and the even younger ones disenfected many wounds while clamping dead leaves over their mouths.Everyone in the tribe was pitching in to clean up,and even the elders held a council to discuss new battle tactics.Edmund just had to give directions to his tribemates,which wasn't too hard since his father had experienced a lot of fights with rhinos.Every time Edmund asked him about the other tribes,he would tell him about the humble elephants,the proud rhinos,and the sly crocodiles.All the chiefs were selected by Moko,which meant they had to be heroes and also children of the current chiefs."Edmund!"a firewood gatherer shouted to him."Does the central fire in the commons need kindling,or all sorts of wood?"Edmund glanced at the commons."Just kindling,Oke."he told the small giraffe,and sighed.Some of the trees were being cut down by Twolegs,but other trees were alos being cut down,and Edmund suspected that the crocodiles were doing that,because they were talking about making a dam so that their little ones had a place to safely play.Edmund saw reason in that,but why did they have to take away their food?He was convcinced,since he saw Cornelius chewing down a tree last night.Now Cornelius owed him a proper explanation!
Chapter Two
Two weeks later...
Edmund rallied his warriors as they prepared for war.They were going to invade the crocodile island,and make them sorry for stealing their trees.The crocodile tribe also owed them an explanation!"Giraffes,to me!"he would shout every mile they marched,making sure that everyone was with him.Soon,the raging rapids of the river appeared,and they marched even further."Woo-ah,wooah!"the crocodiles bathing in the shallow end cried in alarm,and crocodiles dressed in armor popped out of the water and out of pits,clearlysunbathing while waiting for orders."Giraffes,attack!"he shouted,and the giraffes charged at th crocodiles.Even though they were clumsy herbivores,they knew how to attack crocodiles.When they nipped at them,they swerve to avoid them and struck them with their hooves.Soon,the crocodiles were piled in a sloppy heap."Tell me why you are chopping down our trees!"he growled."Your chief was chopping down a tree last night!"A tired crocodile weakly looked up at him and bared his teeth."Weeee do noot know of our chieeef doing such a wreeetched thing,"the crocodile hissed slowly."Heee was ooonly sharpening heez teeeth,and accidentially choppped it doooown.""Take me to Cornelius!"The crocodile reluctantly pointed at a single hut on a large island in the middle of the river.The other crocodiles slept on the ground,which wasn't suprising for lesser beings."Weee have given cleeearance for any giraffffe,but de raaapids are enough to sweeeeep a strong crocodiiiiile away.Good luuuck,Eddddddmund."Edmund waded into the river,determined to get to the island.
Chapter Three
The rapids tugged at Edmund's legs,trying to bring him down into the waters of despair and failure.But he didn't try to give in,instead he fought."Yoour journey eez hopeless..."the naiads whispered in his ears.He didn't believe them.Soon,he reached the hut,and avoided a few rocks meant as traps,with one weakening demon binded to each.A few mini streams flowed around the hut as a place to safely drink,but he easily hopped over them.As he opened the hut door,he saw that there was a hole in the sod roof,meant for the chief to sunbathe in,and a diving pool.The pool was filled with fish and rocks,sand and rivergrass and watercress,just so that the chief could fish in the comforts of home.Cornelius sat in a dark corner,playing in sand,when he noticed Edmund,and nearly got buried by the living sand."W-what are you doing here?"Cornelius stuttered,blowing sand off one of his scabs from being trampled by Ruby."You have to explain why you are chewing down the trees my tribe uses for food every day."he said in a stern voice."I have caught you red-pawed!"Cornelius stared at him in disgust."The tree I chewed down was just to complete the dam,and it was dying anyway.If you think that we are chewing down ALL your trees,then the Twolegs must be costing us more turf than we realized."Then a blue macaw flew in,a letter in it's talons."Sir,"it said."we must gather all the chiefs to the oasis in Egypt,for a meeting.Moko will punish your tribe if you do not come.-Otto."Cornelius muttered to himself,and he realized that Otto had sent a letter to them just when Edmund and Cornelius were in the same spot."We must go."they said at the same time."This could be a way to right things out,or destroy everything we've ever worked for."
Ruby's Inheritance
Chapter One
Ruby hated grazing,but she was nice enoughto not complain about it.Her old mother told her that it made Ruby the spunky rhino she was,but she didn't think that hunching over and eating grass all day when you could be running through straw dummies really was that useful.But the day that she accused the giraffe tribe of stealing the rhino tribe's rightful grazing grounds was the day she was scouting for better grounds to graze on,as her mother expected her to do.She had inherited the leadership of the tribe from her mother,but if being chief meant grazing all day like a nobody,she wanted to just be deputy chief.That fateful day,she saw Edmund,the giraffe chief,bending down to eat grass right smack where the rhinos usually grazed."What are you doing?!?"she yelled at Edmund."That's our turf!"He didn't respond.Even now,she was nice enough only to ignore him,which didn't do her any good.She tromped back to camp.As her mother ran to greet her,she ran right past her,making her mother yell at her,but she didn't care.She needed to contact the elders.
Chapter Two
The pot-bellied rhinos decorated with jewels and bird feathers waited for her on benches in the council's hut,drinking wine imported from Greece.They joked about Moko and Apophis,which was very disrespectful,but she quieted them with a shout.They gathered around the round table(was it a table or a lean-to?),and waited for her directions."Elders of the rhino tribe,I have seen a giraffe intrude on our grounds,and he is Edmund!This is a violation of the code!And I thought that the crocodiles were bad,eating our children!"The elders started roaring angrily,but Ruby banged her chin against the table,making it sway."Silence!"The elders stopped throwing pears and zebra pelts."We shall accuse the tribe of stealing our grass,if Edmund was seen grazing.The crocodiles have accused us of stealing their fish when we were only drinking from their stream,which is OUTRAGEOUS!And the giraffes stealing our grass is another OUTRAGEOUS thing!"The morale of the elders was boosted dratastically.They chanted,and she could see the rhino tribe winning an upcoming war with their sharp horns.
Chapter Three
The brave rhino warriors,clad with armor,natural and artifical,walked up to the Tree Circle,where the giraffe camp was located.Giraffes snacked on leaves there,which Ruby thought were yucky.Oi-yuop!"she shouted,and her warriors took up the chant.The giraffes looked at them,suprised,then yodeled to the other giraffes of an invasion.Soon,giraffes and rhinos stood opposing each other,seperated by a line of tree.The clouds were modeled into a shape of a snake by the winds,which nobody paid attention to."Chaaaaarge!"Ruby shouted,and the rhinos charged angrily.The giraffes dodged,then swung their necks back to strike,but their attack barely hurt the rhinos."Why are you doing this,Ruby?"Edmund called out to her."I thought we had a truce!""Well,you stole our grass!"Ruby retailiated in words.Edmund looked suprised."We giraffes don't eat grass!"he shouted."I was picking flowers and looking for my monocle!That was a misunderstanding!""Lies!"The two chiefs clashed,horn against hoof.They fought,untill the giraffes backed down,and the rhinos retreated triumphantly."Losers!"Ruby shouted at the trees as they ran back to their camp.
Chapter Four
Ruby walked back into the camp,a whole parade of barely hurt rhinos following her.As each warrior passed by their hut,they went back to their families.Soon,Ruby was heading back to her hut alone when she heard a cry from the northern tower,meaning that there was an invasion."Crocodiles,attack!"Cornelius shouted,and crocodile warriors waddled in,snapping at passerby.Not a very scary mob,if you ask Ruby.They weren't stopping to fight induviduals,though,and they were heading toward the chief's hut to make another accusation."Rhinos,to me!"Ruby shouted,and rhinos charged toward the crocodiles,cornering them.Either fight the chief early,which wasn't their plan,or get slowed down by fighting a whole troupe of rhinos.They chose the more reasonable plan:fight the troupe.Ruby got just enough time to run back to her hut,gather the bodyguards,and get ready for battle herself when a few badly wounded crocodiles filed in quickly,trying to impose a threat.The others were either dead or battling the rhinos trampling them.As she finshed finshing them off,she wondered:Where was Cornelius?But then she heard a cry from the back of the hut,and knew that he had tried a backward assault.She ran to the back,and ran over him as she tried to defeat him,but his pelt o' scales was too thick.Ruby managed to throw him out before she blacked out with exhaustion.
Chapter Five
She awoke with a cool cloth on her forehead."Mom?"she asked thin air.Everything came into focus."Mom!""Yes,dear."The wrinkly face of her mother appeared over her head,smiling."But Cornelius got away..."Her mother shook her head."No,Ruby,I am very proud of you.You proved yourself to me by defeating TWO tribes in a row!You are a great leader,though I'm not sure that Edmund really was grazing."Ruby's insides boiled inside of her."Mom!I'm sure that he did!I saw him chewing grass right before my eyes!"Her mother sighed,and rolled her eyes."Ruby,your eyes must've been playing tricks on you.As he said,giraffes don't graze.""MOM!"She bolted out of the house without warning,heading toward the dummy pit.
Ruby hated grazing,but she was nice enoughto not complain about it.Her old mother told her that it made Ruby the spunky rhino she was,but she didn't think that hunching over and eating grass all day when you could be running through straw dummies really was that useful.But the day that she accused the giraffe tribe of stealing the rhino tribe's rightful grazing grounds was the day she was scouting for better grounds to graze on,as her mother expected her to do.She had inherited the leadership of the tribe from her mother,but if being chief meant grazing all day like a nobody,she wanted to just be deputy chief.That fateful day,she saw Edmund,the giraffe chief,bending down to eat grass right smack where the rhinos usually grazed."What are you doing?!?"she yelled at Edmund."That's our turf!"He didn't respond.Even now,she was nice enough only to ignore him,which didn't do her any good.She tromped back to camp.As her mother ran to greet her,she ran right past her,making her mother yell at her,but she didn't care.She needed to contact the elders.
Chapter Two
The pot-bellied rhinos decorated with jewels and bird feathers waited for her on benches in the council's hut,drinking wine imported from Greece.They joked about Moko and Apophis,which was very disrespectful,but she quieted them with a shout.They gathered around the round table(was it a table or a lean-to?),and waited for her directions."Elders of the rhino tribe,I have seen a giraffe intrude on our grounds,and he is Edmund!This is a violation of the code!And I thought that the crocodiles were bad,eating our children!"The elders started roaring angrily,but Ruby banged her chin against the table,making it sway."Silence!"The elders stopped throwing pears and zebra pelts."We shall accuse the tribe of stealing our grass,if Edmund was seen grazing.The crocodiles have accused us of stealing their fish when we were only drinking from their stream,which is OUTRAGEOUS!And the giraffes stealing our grass is another OUTRAGEOUS thing!"The morale of the elders was boosted dratastically.They chanted,and she could see the rhino tribe winning an upcoming war with their sharp horns.
Chapter Three
The brave rhino warriors,clad with armor,natural and artifical,walked up to the Tree Circle,where the giraffe camp was located.Giraffes snacked on leaves there,which Ruby thought were yucky.Oi-yuop!"she shouted,and her warriors took up the chant.The giraffes looked at them,suprised,then yodeled to the other giraffes of an invasion.Soon,giraffes and rhinos stood opposing each other,seperated by a line of tree.The clouds were modeled into a shape of a snake by the winds,which nobody paid attention to."Chaaaaarge!"Ruby shouted,and the rhinos charged angrily.The giraffes dodged,then swung their necks back to strike,but their attack barely hurt the rhinos."Why are you doing this,Ruby?"Edmund called out to her."I thought we had a truce!""Well,you stole our grass!"Ruby retailiated in words.Edmund looked suprised."We giraffes don't eat grass!"he shouted."I was picking flowers and looking for my monocle!That was a misunderstanding!""Lies!"The two chiefs clashed,horn against hoof.They fought,untill the giraffes backed down,and the rhinos retreated triumphantly."Losers!"Ruby shouted at the trees as they ran back to their camp.
Chapter Four
Ruby walked back into the camp,a whole parade of barely hurt rhinos following her.As each warrior passed by their hut,they went back to their families.Soon,Ruby was heading back to her hut alone when she heard a cry from the northern tower,meaning that there was an invasion."Crocodiles,attack!"Cornelius shouted,and crocodile warriors waddled in,snapping at passerby.Not a very scary mob,if you ask Ruby.They weren't stopping to fight induviduals,though,and they were heading toward the chief's hut to make another accusation."Rhinos,to me!"Ruby shouted,and rhinos charged toward the crocodiles,cornering them.Either fight the chief early,which wasn't their plan,or get slowed down by fighting a whole troupe of rhinos.They chose the more reasonable plan:fight the troupe.Ruby got just enough time to run back to her hut,gather the bodyguards,and get ready for battle herself when a few badly wounded crocodiles filed in quickly,trying to impose a threat.The others were either dead or battling the rhinos trampling them.As she finshed finshing them off,she wondered:Where was Cornelius?But then she heard a cry from the back of the hut,and knew that he had tried a backward assault.She ran to the back,and ran over him as she tried to defeat him,but his pelt o' scales was too thick.Ruby managed to throw him out before she blacked out with exhaustion.
Chapter Five
She awoke with a cool cloth on her forehead."Mom?"she asked thin air.Everything came into focus."Mom!""Yes,dear."The wrinkly face of her mother appeared over her head,smiling."But Cornelius got away..."Her mother shook her head."No,Ruby,I am very proud of you.You proved yourself to me by defeating TWO tribes in a row!You are a great leader,though I'm not sure that Edmund really was grazing."Ruby's insides boiled inside of her."Mom!I'm sure that he did!I saw him chewing grass right before my eyes!"Her mother sighed,and rolled her eyes."Ruby,your eyes must've been playing tricks on you.As he said,giraffes don't graze.""MOM!"She bolted out of the house without warning,heading toward the dummy pit.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Graham's Story
Graham,the crafty monket alpha,is wise and isn't a stranger to the forge.But where did he start his journey to become the best inventor of all time?Let's find out in this tale lost to many centuries of rotting...
Chapter One
Graham looked up at the trees,gazing at the stars.His mother pointed out every single constellation,from the Big Dipper to Draco to Hercules.The shadows beneath them on the forest floor didn't bother Graham one bit,as long as his mother's hand was stroking his messed up hair.He had a knack at making gizmos and thingmabobs out of the human waste that had washed up on the shores of the beach.Every machine was crazier than it's predecessor,some useless,like his robot dog and a catapult that fell apart when a small bunny tripped over it.But he was determined to make a good gizmo now,one the gods couldn't ignore."Mama,will you let me go collect some metal from the temple?"he asked her softly.She frowned down at him."Graham,I have nothing against you,but the shadows haunt that place."she told him."The metal there is blessed,but artifacts are strewn everywhere,some unsafe."The word "blessed"made Graham want to go even more,but it was time for bed before he could think about it."Time for bed,sweetheart."his mother told him as he was laid to bed.He closed his eyes,and dreamed of floating masks chasing him all around.
Chapter Two
Thirty years later...
Graham now worked at his forge endlessly in a hollow tree,putting together a Spirit-extracter 3000,so that he could take the spirit of Mira out of her statue so that she could take on a more physical form,or at least revive Zios.There was a war between the newly born phantoms and the alphas outside,but Lisa had promised that they would protect his tree so that he could bring back Zios before it was too late.Mira had locked herself in the statue partially to weep,and she was weakening.Now Graham worked like crazy,eating graham crackers at an alarming rate.He just had to make this invention,he had to!Some of the blessed metal from the temple had been put in the extracter,most of it from Zios's statue.Just as he secured the last screw...a large phantom crashed in through the window.So much for Lisa's promise."I am the Phantom king!"he screeched."I possesed Zios as a mere shadow,but rose from Mira's tears!Puny monkey inventor,I shall tear you apart before you can reverse my deeds!"The sound of the battle raging below made it clear that no help would come.Graham feinted,then sucker punched the phantom.Ichor poured from it's leg,but it showed no sign of giving in."Yaaaaah!"The phantom lunged for him, and Graham made a tough decision.He held up the vacumn shaped machine,and the phantom's spirit was temporarily seperated from it's body.As the phantom disentigrated,the phantoms below realized that their king had fell,and fled.The alphas cheered,and his invention clattered to the floor,now a useless vacumn.
Chapter Three
The alphas came in,and hoisted him up on their shoulders.Graham was carried all around Jamaa twice before he was finally let down."So what happened?"Lisa asked him.Graham told her the story.She frowned,since they couldn't revive Zios or Mira.Now,Mira barely came out of her statue,only to grant quests.Lisa knew something was wrong with her,but Cosmo said that she was fine.Now,the only thing to see to was to make Graham an Alpha.He didn't refuse,since they had good supplies,but he was sad that his invention only postponed the next great phantom battle."Hey,I couldn't have done better."Greely assured him."I know evil well,and believe me,we would've lost without you."Graham sighed,and accepted alphaship from the Alphas as he wandered off to customize his room.
Chapter One
Graham looked up at the trees,gazing at the stars.His mother pointed out every single constellation,from the Big Dipper to Draco to Hercules.The shadows beneath them on the forest floor didn't bother Graham one bit,as long as his mother's hand was stroking his messed up hair.He had a knack at making gizmos and thingmabobs out of the human waste that had washed up on the shores of the beach.Every machine was crazier than it's predecessor,some useless,like his robot dog and a catapult that fell apart when a small bunny tripped over it.But he was determined to make a good gizmo now,one the gods couldn't ignore."Mama,will you let me go collect some metal from the temple?"he asked her softly.She frowned down at him."Graham,I have nothing against you,but the shadows haunt that place."she told him."The metal there is blessed,but artifacts are strewn everywhere,some unsafe."The word "blessed"made Graham want to go even more,but it was time for bed before he could think about it."Time for bed,sweetheart."his mother told him as he was laid to bed.He closed his eyes,and dreamed of floating masks chasing him all around.
Chapter Two
Thirty years later...
Graham now worked at his forge endlessly in a hollow tree,putting together a Spirit-extracter 3000,so that he could take the spirit of Mira out of her statue so that she could take on a more physical form,or at least revive Zios.There was a war between the newly born phantoms and the alphas outside,but Lisa had promised that they would protect his tree so that he could bring back Zios before it was too late.Mira had locked herself in the statue partially to weep,and she was weakening.Now Graham worked like crazy,eating graham crackers at an alarming rate.He just had to make this invention,he had to!Some of the blessed metal from the temple had been put in the extracter,most of it from Zios's statue.Just as he secured the last screw...a large phantom crashed in through the window.So much for Lisa's promise."I am the Phantom king!"he screeched."I possesed Zios as a mere shadow,but rose from Mira's tears!Puny monkey inventor,I shall tear you apart before you can reverse my deeds!"The sound of the battle raging below made it clear that no help would come.Graham feinted,then sucker punched the phantom.Ichor poured from it's leg,but it showed no sign of giving in."Yaaaaah!"The phantom lunged for him, and Graham made a tough decision.He held up the vacumn shaped machine,and the phantom's spirit was temporarily seperated from it's body.As the phantom disentigrated,the phantoms below realized that their king had fell,and fled.The alphas cheered,and his invention clattered to the floor,now a useless vacumn.
Chapter Three
The alphas came in,and hoisted him up on their shoulders.Graham was carried all around Jamaa twice before he was finally let down."So what happened?"Lisa asked him.Graham told her the story.She frowned,since they couldn't revive Zios or Mira.Now,Mira barely came out of her statue,only to grant quests.Lisa knew something was wrong with her,but Cosmo said that she was fine.Now,the only thing to see to was to make Graham an Alpha.He didn't refuse,since they had good supplies,but he was sad that his invention only postponed the next great phantom battle."Hey,I couldn't have done better."Greely assured him."I know evil well,and believe me,we would've lost without you."Graham sighed,and accepted alphaship from the Alphas as he wandered off to customize his room.
Harper's Mother
Chapter One
Everything was at peace in the Alpha hut,before Peck sprinted in,panting.
Harper was molding a statue of Mira for the holidays before Peck ran into her room,almost tearing off Mira's wing."WHOA!"Harper screeched."Peck,I was trying to take Mira's spirit out of her statue by transferring it to this statue,then extract it using my claws!"Peck ignored her,as her rebellinous streak showed through."I saw phantoms when I was exploring the uncharted lands."Peck said,as if that explained everything."And?"Harper asked her.Peck stuck out her tongue at Harper."I won't tell you unless you tell me the legend of Cithara and Firetail.I want to paint it!"Peck said like a little brat,which she was.Harper sighed,and told her the northern legend.At the end,Peck looked truly gratified,and she left to get her easel and paints,but not untill she retied the ribbons in her tail and told Harper what she had saw."The phantoms were attacking a few foxes in the valley where Amelia was born,but we haven't retrevied the spirit stones that the phantoms cast across Jamaa.I would've helped them,if they weren't guarding the fox spirit stone.I think that you should retrieve it,since I have not exprienced any phantom wars,while you fought many after you beat Firetail."Peck wasn't Graham or Cosmo,but she was right."I know that I am not Lisa,Mira or Zios,but I request that you accept the quest to get the spirit stone.""Quest accepted."Harper teleported into the valley,as close as she could get to the spirit stone.
Chapter Two
The situation wasn't as bad as Peck had described,since only two collosal phantoms attacked the family.Peck had probably drew the other phantoms that probably helped them exploding,but these phantoms were resistant to magic,as Harper could smell.But her best powers weren't magic.The family should've died long ago,if spirits of foxes hadn't been rising from the stone and defending them.But the spirits were weakening,and Harper knew that a moment later,she would've been too late."Hey,big and ugly!"she shouted at the phantoms."Fssssk!"one phantom said angrily."Puny seal,you have no idea what we are doing for our king!"the other translated.Harper didn't respond.Instead,she sliced the phantoms to pieces as the foxes watched from their den,awestruck.When she was finished,she sharpened her claws on the rocks,and waddled over."We have to flee!"she told them grimly.They didn't need that thought.Slabs of rock were falling down the valley wall,and the spirit stone needed magical attention.Harper grabbed the orange spirit stone,but noticed that there was a secret passageway behind the stone,as if the stone had used an illusion to fool the eyes of the foxes."Go!"she told the foxes."Get to the savvanah!Tell everyone that foxes are coming to Jamaa!I'll be fine!GO!!"The foxes ran,never looking back.Harper looked at their beautiful tails one last time,then crept into the passage.
Chapter Three
Harper knew that she needed to go through,because a portal took her back to where she had once lived,the North Pole.A grey seal poked at the ice with a polar bear tooth,looking for fish not so primitively.Harper recognized the seal."Mom!"The seal looked up,and alarm spread across her face."Harper!"They slammed together in a polar bear hug,and tears crept down both of their cheeks."Mom,I thought you were dead!""I thought so too!"Harper told her mother her story,then Harper's mother told her story in exchange,though she seemed to not get over the fact that she hadn't shed her baby fur coat.
"I was kidnapped by Firetail when you were young,and he froze me in ice as a hostage.But he didn't have time to bring me out when you battled him,and I was buried in sand for many years,untill a polar bear busted me out.I went back to where we had lived,thinking that I was gone for only an hour,but you were gone!I asked around,and I learned that you had hosted THREE gods without burning up,but died valiantly fighting Firetail.I moved on in sorrow,but now here you are!"Harper's eyes welled up with tears,but she had a quest to complete."Mom,come with me."she told her mother."I can take you somewhere safe,a place in the lands of no-ice where polar bears don't roam."Before her mother could answer,she teleported both of them to her bedroom in the bamboo forest.
Chapter Four
They arrived in her cold bedroom,where everything replicated her arctic home.There was even a mini swimming pool that mimiced the arctic sea,with fish schools living in the depths.Snow covered the beds,and Harper only needed to imagine a bunk above her bed to create one.Her mother was stunned,and started to slide on the ice a bit."No polar bears will lay paw in this replica!Wa-hoo!"Harper left her mother to fish in the pool as she went into Lisa's bedroom.It was like a chinese bamboo forest,with live pandas crawling through the stalks and a bed that looked like something molded out of bamboo,live bamboo,which it was.Lisa sat in a tree,dabbing face paint under her eyes,when she noticed Harper."Hello,friend."she said,distracted by trying to imagine more NO POACHERS signs all over the room.Then she noticed the fox spirit stone,with a rune etched on it for a fox.The stone was attracted to the stone on Lisa's cane,and the two jewels fused.Another unique animal spirit was suddenly avaliable for everyone.Lisa smiled."You have done us all a favor,and you shall be rewarded."she said.Harper smiled,and shook her head."Nah,Lisa,I already have everything I want.This land,Jamaa,is a gift for everybody!"
Everything was at peace in the Alpha hut,before Peck sprinted in,panting.
Harper was molding a statue of Mira for the holidays before Peck ran into her room,almost tearing off Mira's wing."WHOA!"Harper screeched."Peck,I was trying to take Mira's spirit out of her statue by transferring it to this statue,then extract it using my claws!"Peck ignored her,as her rebellinous streak showed through."I saw phantoms when I was exploring the uncharted lands."Peck said,as if that explained everything."And?"Harper asked her.Peck stuck out her tongue at Harper."I won't tell you unless you tell me the legend of Cithara and Firetail.I want to paint it!"Peck said like a little brat,which she was.Harper sighed,and told her the northern legend.At the end,Peck looked truly gratified,and she left to get her easel and paints,but not untill she retied the ribbons in her tail and told Harper what she had saw."The phantoms were attacking a few foxes in the valley where Amelia was born,but we haven't retrevied the spirit stones that the phantoms cast across Jamaa.I would've helped them,if they weren't guarding the fox spirit stone.I think that you should retrieve it,since I have not exprienced any phantom wars,while you fought many after you beat Firetail."Peck wasn't Graham or Cosmo,but she was right."I know that I am not Lisa,Mira or Zios,but I request that you accept the quest to get the spirit stone.""Quest accepted."Harper teleported into the valley,as close as she could get to the spirit stone.
Chapter Two
The situation wasn't as bad as Peck had described,since only two collosal phantoms attacked the family.Peck had probably drew the other phantoms that probably helped them exploding,but these phantoms were resistant to magic,as Harper could smell.But her best powers weren't magic.The family should've died long ago,if spirits of foxes hadn't been rising from the stone and defending them.But the spirits were weakening,and Harper knew that a moment later,she would've been too late."Hey,big and ugly!"she shouted at the phantoms."Fssssk!"one phantom said angrily."Puny seal,you have no idea what we are doing for our king!"the other translated.Harper didn't respond.Instead,she sliced the phantoms to pieces as the foxes watched from their den,awestruck.When she was finished,she sharpened her claws on the rocks,and waddled over."We have to flee!"she told them grimly.They didn't need that thought.Slabs of rock were falling down the valley wall,and the spirit stone needed magical attention.Harper grabbed the orange spirit stone,but noticed that there was a secret passageway behind the stone,as if the stone had used an illusion to fool the eyes of the foxes."Go!"she told the foxes."Get to the savvanah!Tell everyone that foxes are coming to Jamaa!I'll be fine!GO!!"The foxes ran,never looking back.Harper looked at their beautiful tails one last time,then crept into the passage.
Chapter Three
Harper knew that she needed to go through,because a portal took her back to where she had once lived,the North Pole.A grey seal poked at the ice with a polar bear tooth,looking for fish not so primitively.Harper recognized the seal."Mom!"The seal looked up,and alarm spread across her face."Harper!"They slammed together in a polar bear hug,and tears crept down both of their cheeks."Mom,I thought you were dead!""I thought so too!"Harper told her mother her story,then Harper's mother told her story in exchange,though she seemed to not get over the fact that she hadn't shed her baby fur coat.
"I was kidnapped by Firetail when you were young,and he froze me in ice as a hostage.But he didn't have time to bring me out when you battled him,and I was buried in sand for many years,untill a polar bear busted me out.I went back to where we had lived,thinking that I was gone for only an hour,but you were gone!I asked around,and I learned that you had hosted THREE gods without burning up,but died valiantly fighting Firetail.I moved on in sorrow,but now here you are!"Harper's eyes welled up with tears,but she had a quest to complete."Mom,come with me."she told her mother."I can take you somewhere safe,a place in the lands of no-ice where polar bears don't roam."Before her mother could answer,she teleported both of them to her bedroom in the bamboo forest.
Chapter Four
They arrived in her cold bedroom,where everything replicated her arctic home.There was even a mini swimming pool that mimiced the arctic sea,with fish schools living in the depths.Snow covered the beds,and Harper only needed to imagine a bunk above her bed to create one.Her mother was stunned,and started to slide on the ice a bit."No polar bears will lay paw in this replica!Wa-hoo!"Harper left her mother to fish in the pool as she went into Lisa's bedroom.It was like a chinese bamboo forest,with live pandas crawling through the stalks and a bed that looked like something molded out of bamboo,live bamboo,which it was.Lisa sat in a tree,dabbing face paint under her eyes,when she noticed Harper."Hello,friend."she said,distracted by trying to imagine more NO POACHERS signs all over the room.Then she noticed the fox spirit stone,with a rune etched on it for a fox.The stone was attracted to the stone on Lisa's cane,and the two jewels fused.Another unique animal spirit was suddenly avaliable for everyone.Lisa smiled."You have done us all a favor,and you shall be rewarded."she said.Harper smiled,and shook her head."Nah,Lisa,I already have everything I want.This land,Jamaa,is a gift for everybody!"
Otto's Journey
Otto is a lesser alpha,one who likes trade and sometimes even trades new jammers a gecko plushie for nothing!He is a mysterious figure,one who imposes a threat to small bunnies.Let's peek at the past of this gentle pachyderm...
Chapter One
"Father,what is that tree?"
Otto asked his father.
"Otto,that is Moko,the elephant god."his father relpied.
"Tell me the legend!Please?"
His father sighed,and got a faraway look just looking at the baobab tree shaped like an elephant.
"A long time ago,Africa was a land of landfills and evil.Spirits of chaos roamed our land,terrifying the few inhabitants.As the animals were driven to extinction,Moko was born from their last prayers.Everywhere he stepped,life overcame death.Jungles and savvanahs grew in his path,choking the chaos.As soon as he reached the South Africa,Apophis rose to oppose him.'Brother,I cannot let you defeat my minions of Death and Chaos,and Life and Balance will make their last stand HERE!'Where Apophis stood,serpents of shadow crept over Moko.He resisted,but they binded him to his spot.When Moko could fight no more,he summoned a spear decorated with phoenix feathers and drove it into the shadow serpent's heart.Apophis died,but Moko did,too.Moko managed to travel here,and became that tree,which protects all of Africa today."
Otto was awestruck."Where did the spear go,Daddy?"he asked his father.
Otto's dad's expression became serious."Young Otto,you cannot go around asking questions like that,"he warned.
Otto looked disippointed.
"The rest of the scrolls were burned by the remaining followers of Apophis,and our defeat is still a touchy subject."
What Otto's dad didn't realize,though,was that his answer fed Otto's curiousity even more.
Chapter Two
Five years later...
Otto opened the stone door of Moko's temple,nested safely under his tree.Three moons ago,his father had died,leaving him as the elephant tribe's chief.All of the maidens in the tribe had gathered to dress him in his father's robes,which prepared him for this moment,the time where he would recieve a quest for the sake of his tribemates,from Moko.The musty smell of the temple made him want to plug his trunk,but he needed a paw to use.When he was six,Father had told him about Moko and the origin of Africa,which would prepare him for the war he would soon experience.The rhino tribe had accused the giraffe tribe of stealing their grass,while the giraffes accused the crocodile tribe of taking their trees.The only tribe that wasn't fueding right now was his,but Otto was sure that an accusation would be made soon.The torches on either side of him were blazing green,which made no sense to Otto.Wasn't the color of fire red?When he got to Moko's little altar,he saw the elephant warrior and the Egyptian chaos serpent Apophis battling each other,frozen as statues.Apophis was in pieces somewhere in Uganda,but Moko's spirit was trapped in this tree,radiating life.The green spirit of Moko fluttered around in the chamber,trying to warm up Africa in these dark times.Statues of Moko supporting the stone ceiling,in full battle armor,showed any tresspasser that Moko wasn't someone to mess with.His bulging muscles was enough to scare his fellow chiefs,the rhino chief Ruby,the giraffe chief Edmund,and the crocodile chief Cornelius.The small brazeir in the center of the room glowed green,as all the torches did,making Moko's skin look reptilian.Otto walked up to the central statues,and dumped some acai berries into the sacrifical bowl,along with half-dead scarabs extracted from Egypt.He began his prayer to Moko.
Chapter Three
"Oh Moko,answer my call."Otto cried to the vent in the ceiling,leading up to Moko's burial chamber,where his spirit was coming from.The mist was slowing down it's cycle through the chamber now,as if it was listening."My father has died,and our beloved land is being torn apart by the four tribes.O Moko,please send me advice."A tattered scroll floated down from the vent,and a fresh breeze smelling like fresh flowers and dry grass blew in.Otto grabbed the scroll with his trunk and unwrapped it.These words were etched on the papyrus clearly,as if the writer had freshly written the message.
YOUR ANSWER SHALL BE FOUND
AT THE OASIS
WHERE THE CHIEFS SHALL MEET.
COME TO MY CHAMBER
AND RECIEVE YOUR QUEST
TO AVENGE ME.REMEMBER,
NEVER GIVE UP HOPE.
Otto stared at the message in disbelief.As far as he knew,nobody had been up there in millenia!It was an honor to see Moko's coffin,but Otto didn't see how he was special."How will I fly?"he asked.New words were scrawled on the scroll,and Moko's voice seemed to resonate in his ears.
JUST IMAGINE YOURSELF FLYING.
THIS POWER HAS BEEN GRANTED
TO YOU BY ME.
Otto imagined him,a one ton elephant,flying up toward the vent.Before he knew what was going on,he was floating into Moko's tomb and gawking at his sarcophagus.
Chapter Four
The tomb of Moko was grand,but vines had choked many of the urns and shabti,,making the place look like Moko hadn't bothered to spring clean it.Only one thing was sacrificed from the plant treatment,which was Moko's sarcophagus.Otto wanted to open it,revive Moko,but a force kept him away.The coffin radiated power,and the full spirit of Moko rose from it.He looked like a helephant,with a jeweled loincloth covering his front butt and a phoenix feather headdress.Moko trumpeted,and Otto smiled."My lord,speak."Otto said.Moko was given the ability to talk after millenia of silence."Otto,my son,you must unite the tribes against Apophis."Moko said."Other gods will play a part in this,but they do not matter right now.I shall inhabit you,use you as my host untill you have fulfilled your destiny.Giving is better than recieving,and you will sacrifice much to battle Apophis.Goodbye and hello,Otto."Moko's spirit disentigrated,and was sucked into his body.With a pop,the god of life was living inside his body."
Chapter Five
He went back to the huts,and his elephantskin awaited him nervously."What is the quest?"General Eltoto asked him impatiently.Otto gave them the truth calmly."We're going to gather the chiefs for a meeting at the oasis in Egypt."he said,"and try not to lead them into a slaughter.Impossibly impossible,isn't it?"
Chapter One
"Father,what is that tree?"
Otto asked his father.
"Otto,that is Moko,the elephant god."his father relpied.
"Tell me the legend!Please?"
His father sighed,and got a faraway look just looking at the baobab tree shaped like an elephant.
"A long time ago,Africa was a land of landfills and evil.Spirits of chaos roamed our land,terrifying the few inhabitants.As the animals were driven to extinction,Moko was born from their last prayers.Everywhere he stepped,life overcame death.Jungles and savvanahs grew in his path,choking the chaos.As soon as he reached the South Africa,Apophis rose to oppose him.'Brother,I cannot let you defeat my minions of Death and Chaos,and Life and Balance will make their last stand HERE!'Where Apophis stood,serpents of shadow crept over Moko.He resisted,but they binded him to his spot.When Moko could fight no more,he summoned a spear decorated with phoenix feathers and drove it into the shadow serpent's heart.Apophis died,but Moko did,too.Moko managed to travel here,and became that tree,which protects all of Africa today."
Otto was awestruck."Where did the spear go,Daddy?"he asked his father.
Otto's dad's expression became serious."Young Otto,you cannot go around asking questions like that,"he warned.
Otto looked disippointed.
"The rest of the scrolls were burned by the remaining followers of Apophis,and our defeat is still a touchy subject."
What Otto's dad didn't realize,though,was that his answer fed Otto's curiousity even more.
Chapter Two
Five years later...
Otto opened the stone door of Moko's temple,nested safely under his tree.Three moons ago,his father had died,leaving him as the elephant tribe's chief.All of the maidens in the tribe had gathered to dress him in his father's robes,which prepared him for this moment,the time where he would recieve a quest for the sake of his tribemates,from Moko.The musty smell of the temple made him want to plug his trunk,but he needed a paw to use.When he was six,Father had told him about Moko and the origin of Africa,which would prepare him for the war he would soon experience.The rhino tribe had accused the giraffe tribe of stealing their grass,while the giraffes accused the crocodile tribe of taking their trees.The only tribe that wasn't fueding right now was his,but Otto was sure that an accusation would be made soon.The torches on either side of him were blazing green,which made no sense to Otto.Wasn't the color of fire red?When he got to Moko's little altar,he saw the elephant warrior and the Egyptian chaos serpent Apophis battling each other,frozen as statues.Apophis was in pieces somewhere in Uganda,but Moko's spirit was trapped in this tree,radiating life.The green spirit of Moko fluttered around in the chamber,trying to warm up Africa in these dark times.Statues of Moko supporting the stone ceiling,in full battle armor,showed any tresspasser that Moko wasn't someone to mess with.His bulging muscles was enough to scare his fellow chiefs,the rhino chief Ruby,the giraffe chief Edmund,and the crocodile chief Cornelius.The small brazeir in the center of the room glowed green,as all the torches did,making Moko's skin look reptilian.Otto walked up to the central statues,and dumped some acai berries into the sacrifical bowl,along with half-dead scarabs extracted from Egypt.He began his prayer to Moko.
Chapter Three
"Oh Moko,answer my call."Otto cried to the vent in the ceiling,leading up to Moko's burial chamber,where his spirit was coming from.The mist was slowing down it's cycle through the chamber now,as if it was listening."My father has died,and our beloved land is being torn apart by the four tribes.O Moko,please send me advice."A tattered scroll floated down from the vent,and a fresh breeze smelling like fresh flowers and dry grass blew in.Otto grabbed the scroll with his trunk and unwrapped it.These words were etched on the papyrus clearly,as if the writer had freshly written the message.
YOUR ANSWER SHALL BE FOUND
AT THE OASIS
WHERE THE CHIEFS SHALL MEET.
COME TO MY CHAMBER
AND RECIEVE YOUR QUEST
TO AVENGE ME.REMEMBER,
NEVER GIVE UP HOPE.
Otto stared at the message in disbelief.As far as he knew,nobody had been up there in millenia!It was an honor to see Moko's coffin,but Otto didn't see how he was special."How will I fly?"he asked.New words were scrawled on the scroll,and Moko's voice seemed to resonate in his ears.
JUST IMAGINE YOURSELF FLYING.
THIS POWER HAS BEEN GRANTED
TO YOU BY ME.
Otto imagined him,a one ton elephant,flying up toward the vent.Before he knew what was going on,he was floating into Moko's tomb and gawking at his sarcophagus.
Chapter Four
The tomb of Moko was grand,but vines had choked many of the urns and shabti,,making the place look like Moko hadn't bothered to spring clean it.Only one thing was sacrificed from the plant treatment,which was Moko's sarcophagus.Otto wanted to open it,revive Moko,but a force kept him away.The coffin radiated power,and the full spirit of Moko rose from it.He looked like a helephant,with a jeweled loincloth covering his front butt and a phoenix feather headdress.Moko trumpeted,and Otto smiled."My lord,speak."Otto said.Moko was given the ability to talk after millenia of silence."Otto,my son,you must unite the tribes against Apophis."Moko said."Other gods will play a part in this,but they do not matter right now.I shall inhabit you,use you as my host untill you have fulfilled your destiny.Giving is better than recieving,and you will sacrifice much to battle Apophis.Goodbye and hello,Otto."Moko's spirit disentigrated,and was sucked into his body.With a pop,the god of life was living inside his body."
Chapter Five
He went back to the huts,and his elephantskin awaited him nervously."What is the quest?"General Eltoto asked him impatiently.Otto gave them the truth calmly."We're going to gather the chiefs for a meeting at the oasis in Egypt."he said,"and try not to lead them into a slaughter.Impossibly impossible,isn't it?"
Harper's Tale(continued)
Chapter Six
Harper kept on sliding across the ice,untill they reached a lodge."Come on in."the spirit twoleg said,opening the door.It was cold in there,with furs hung above her fireplace.The twoleg frowned,and put some snow in the fire.It died,and Harper slowly grew accustomed to the warm temperature."Drink some tea."the twoleg said."I want to interview you,so that I can sign a petition against those crap Americans.Is Cithara very important to you?"Harper understood that the "Americans"the spirit twoleg talked of were the pale twolegs that hunted the pups only for furs."That's a silly question."Harper said."My mother told me about Cithara when i was a pup,and I still cling to that memory.She died shortly afterward.""Do you realize that the other seals think that you are hosting Cithara?"Harper scoffed at the spirit twoleg's suggestion."No way!Even a seal stronger than me would freeze to death if he or she tried to host Cithara,since she created the lands of ice,but the Firetail drakon created the broader land of no-ice.I can't even host the weaker Firetail deity!"The spirit twoleg furrowed her eyebrows."Then why do I see the face of Cithara in you?Your mother isn't dead,Harper."Harper realized three things.First of all,how could she know what the other seals thought without interoggating them?Second of all,how could she know where her mother was?And third of all,why does shse know her name?That was no seal spirit,or shaman.The spirit twoleg snarled,as if sensing her thoughts."If I could,I would use a gun to shoot you.Cithara,I cannot let the lands of ice exsist,since global warming cannot defeat your might.Goodbye,enemy."The body of the twoleg burned away,and a long serpent appeared where she once stood,a Firetail.But this one wasn't regularly sized,as Harper realized when the cabin exploded.The serpent kept growing,until it was touching the clouds.It was THE Firetail,the ruler of the lands of no-ice.And it was accusing her of hosting Cithara,when she only hunted in the deep.Harper was in big trouble,and she was aware that this wasn't a tale where she won quickly,like those myths about her now burned into her mind.
Chapter Seven
"You are a host of Cithara,and there is no denying it."Firetail hissed."Cithara's realm shallth be destroyed by my minions,and the entire world will be tropical,as it should be.""Those clubs that kill your kind are called guns,and I use them to kill polar bears to annoy Cithara.Just like the old days,eh?""NO!"Now a voice inside Harper's head made it clear that she was,in fact,a host of Cithara."You cannot destroy this land.Many animals depend on it,and the twolegs would be displaced.Chaos will not reign,Firetail."Her voice was doubled,with an anceint force backing her every word up with confidence."Give my mother back!"Firetail cackled a cackle no sane creature could endure."She is dead,young one.At least not now,but if you defend your land..."Firetail didn't have to finish his sentence.She knew that her mother would be cast into the depth of the Otherworld,maybe even incinerated in the flames of Firetail,or even fed to the rabid polar bears all those seals thought she fought.Then two other deities entered her body,and she nearly burned up,but her training deep in the sea prepared her.But there weren't any other deities besides Cithara and Firetail in the legends of the North.Who could the two other deities be?"We are Mira and Zios."the two other voices said."Cithara is our distant cousin of deities,but we will take you to our land after we defeat Firetail.The drakon blew fire onto Harper,but she raised a shield of hail and deflected it.The fire sputtered as it hit Firetail's scales.Harper threw a whole blizzard at him,and he flinched.Then he sent a dust devil at her,and she got seared."ARGH!"she howled.A large orb of winter winds appeared between her paws,and she thrust it at Firetail.The drakon screamed,disentigrating,but she brought herself down with it.As she lay dying,a panda's sprit hunched over her,and then she died.
Chapter Eight
Harper's spirit awoke in a hut somewhere in the land of no-ice.Cithara's voice no longer spoke inside of her,and three animals were staring at her.One was a beautiful panda,another a grey heron,and the last a floating mask."Seriously?"she muttered to herself."Of all animals to greet me,one had to be a psychic mask.""Respect your gods,Harper."the panda said."Especially since they helped you defeat Firetail."Harper sat up,icy energy swirling around her.Spirits of the winter gathered to gawk at her,a embodiement of Cithara."W-where am I?"she asked her companions.The grey heron smiled,as if she had done this a million times."You are in Jamaa,young one."she said."To my right is Lisa,to my left is the spirit of my husband and creator,Zios,and I am Mira,Mother Sky."Harper got out of bed,and felt her every muscle aching with power.She felt like she could lift an iceberg!Harper crawled toward the door,opened it,and stepped out into the breeze of no-ice.
Harper kept on sliding across the ice,untill they reached a lodge."Come on in."the spirit twoleg said,opening the door.It was cold in there,with furs hung above her fireplace.The twoleg frowned,and put some snow in the fire.It died,and Harper slowly grew accustomed to the warm temperature."Drink some tea."the twoleg said."I want to interview you,so that I can sign a petition against those crap Americans.Is Cithara very important to you?"Harper understood that the "Americans"the spirit twoleg talked of were the pale twolegs that hunted the pups only for furs."That's a silly question."Harper said."My mother told me about Cithara when i was a pup,and I still cling to that memory.She died shortly afterward.""Do you realize that the other seals think that you are hosting Cithara?"Harper scoffed at the spirit twoleg's suggestion."No way!Even a seal stronger than me would freeze to death if he or she tried to host Cithara,since she created the lands of ice,but the Firetail drakon created the broader land of no-ice.I can't even host the weaker Firetail deity!"The spirit twoleg furrowed her eyebrows."Then why do I see the face of Cithara in you?Your mother isn't dead,Harper."Harper realized three things.First of all,how could she know what the other seals thought without interoggating them?Second of all,how could she know where her mother was?And third of all,why does shse know her name?That was no seal spirit,or shaman.The spirit twoleg snarled,as if sensing her thoughts."If I could,I would use a gun to shoot you.Cithara,I cannot let the lands of ice exsist,since global warming cannot defeat your might.Goodbye,enemy."The body of the twoleg burned away,and a long serpent appeared where she once stood,a Firetail.But this one wasn't regularly sized,as Harper realized when the cabin exploded.The serpent kept growing,until it was touching the clouds.It was THE Firetail,the ruler of the lands of no-ice.And it was accusing her of hosting Cithara,when she only hunted in the deep.Harper was in big trouble,and she was aware that this wasn't a tale where she won quickly,like those myths about her now burned into her mind.
Chapter Seven
"You are a host of Cithara,and there is no denying it."Firetail hissed."Cithara's realm shallth be destroyed by my minions,and the entire world will be tropical,as it should be.""Those clubs that kill your kind are called guns,and I use them to kill polar bears to annoy Cithara.Just like the old days,eh?""NO!"Now a voice inside Harper's head made it clear that she was,in fact,a host of Cithara."You cannot destroy this land.Many animals depend on it,and the twolegs would be displaced.Chaos will not reign,Firetail."Her voice was doubled,with an anceint force backing her every word up with confidence."Give my mother back!"Firetail cackled a cackle no sane creature could endure."She is dead,young one.At least not now,but if you defend your land..."Firetail didn't have to finish his sentence.She knew that her mother would be cast into the depth of the Otherworld,maybe even incinerated in the flames of Firetail,or even fed to the rabid polar bears all those seals thought she fought.Then two other deities entered her body,and she nearly burned up,but her training deep in the sea prepared her.But there weren't any other deities besides Cithara and Firetail in the legends of the North.Who could the two other deities be?"We are Mira and Zios."the two other voices said."Cithara is our distant cousin of deities,but we will take you to our land after we defeat Firetail.The drakon blew fire onto Harper,but she raised a shield of hail and deflected it.The fire sputtered as it hit Firetail's scales.Harper threw a whole blizzard at him,and he flinched.Then he sent a dust devil at her,and she got seared."ARGH!"she howled.A large orb of winter winds appeared between her paws,and she thrust it at Firetail.The drakon screamed,disentigrating,but she brought herself down with it.As she lay dying,a panda's sprit hunched over her,and then she died.
Chapter Eight
Harper's spirit awoke in a hut somewhere in the land of no-ice.Cithara's voice no longer spoke inside of her,and three animals were staring at her.One was a beautiful panda,another a grey heron,and the last a floating mask."Seriously?"she muttered to herself."Of all animals to greet me,one had to be a psychic mask.""Respect your gods,Harper."the panda said."Especially since they helped you defeat Firetail."Harper sat up,icy energy swirling around her.Spirits of the winter gathered to gawk at her,a embodiement of Cithara."W-where am I?"she asked her companions.The grey heron smiled,as if she had done this a million times."You are in Jamaa,young one."she said."To my right is Lisa,to my left is the spirit of my husband and creator,Zios,and I am Mira,Mother Sky."Harper got out of bed,and felt her every muscle aching with power.She felt like she could lift an iceberg!Harper crawled toward the door,opened it,and stepped out into the breeze of no-ice.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Harper's Tale
Not much is known of the seal shaman, Harper.
What was her life like before she appeared so suddenly in Jamaa? Let's find out.
. .in this first installment of her story.But who knows what is in store for her?
Chapter 1
"See that gathering of stars, my child?" the
mother harp seal asked her daughter.
"Yes, mum," the pup replied.
"That is our spirit, the seal goddess Cithara. She
is what gives all things beautiful to this frozen land. From her eyes shine the
northern lights, from her sleek white fur comes the snow, from her silver claws
the ice, and from her tail the endless currents of the ocean."
"How do you know she's there?"
"Cithara is always there, she is our protectress,
our life-giver, and our guide wherever our travels take us. She lives within us,
here on the ice, and in the realm of the ice spirits. We are her children, just
as you are mine," the mother seal looked into the sky, her mind lost in the
stars.
"You'll always be with me," the pup whispered,
"right?"
"Sometimes you won't be able to see me, but I'll always be with you Harper."
"Always?"
"Always and forever."
Chapter 2
Forever did not last long. Though it felt like days the light never differed, and as hard as she searched, Harper could not see her mother in the dark waters of their breathing hole. Her mother had set out for a hunting trip and never returned. A tear slid down her face, freezing droplets forming in her snowy, white fur. Deep down Harper knew her mother was not coming back, and that's why she was different from the other seal pups. She was barely five days old, still pure white, certainly not a sleek, grey ten-day-old. Survival? Impossible. Heart heavy, but will strong, Harper set forth where no pup had gone before - the dark icy ocean. Harper gathered herself at the edge of the ice, stared into the dark depths, and plunged headfirst. She froze in shock, the icy chill of the ocean tearing at her with it's cruel talons, pulling her into its lair of everlasting sleep. Harper shook herself, even her spirit felt like it was shaking, but she at last woke up and felt her body stir. I escaped, but this won't be the last time I evade the jaws of death, Harper thought. Even with the first flick of her tail she fell in love with the icy, forbidding waters. She new this was her home, and where she was meant to be. What she didn't know was that because of her close call with the endless sleep, her snow white fur would never fall. Harper would forever be the white seal pup that slid into the depths of the sea and found . . . hope.
Chapter 3
As Harper grew older she changed; though her body stayed small her spirit grew. The currents of the ocean could barely keep up as she cut the water like a streak of white lightning. At a standstill below the ice her silky white fur would glimmer and float in beams of sunlight, making her seem like a vision to fellow seals. The dazzling moonlight shining through the Arctic ice led her eyes to glow like stars. Other harp seals generally kept away, awed and intimidated by the strangeness of the white seal. Harper was fine with that. She spent her days and nights alone, and in doing so discovered the magic of silence. She could hear the voices of the distant whales, the whisper of the wind above the arctic ice, and the murmur of the sea currents on their travels. One night, however, she heard something else. What is that . . . singing? Harper though. She slowly pushed herself up onto a thin ice sheet, listening keenly. Hearing nothing she sighed, looking up at the stars of Cithara, the seal goddess, that her mother had shown her long ago. One seemed to wink at her, when she felt something strange. There was a gentle pulse of sound that came from the stars, one not heard, but felt. Harper closed her eyes, and let her spirit stretch out into the sky and stars. A melody of gentle voices wove through the night; whispers of the past, present, and future brushed Harper's mind. She opened her starlit eyes in wonder. It's the seal spirits, they live in the stars. Mother was right, she is with me even now, always and forever.
Chapter 4
Seeing the vast inequality between the two-leg hunters and her kind, Harper vowed to find a way to teach them that seals were not the helpless creatures they appeared to be. The animal spirit two-legs hunted the seals to live, Harper could see that, but the pale two-legs did it for their fur. Harper could see that greed in their eyes when they killed a snow white pup with their hideous clubs. Where the pup died the snow was stained, not only with its blood, but with its mother's grief. The death spot of a seal pup was avoided by all seals, even those of different species. As the years swam by Harper grew stronger, she was an adult harp seal with pale white fur, stronger than any male of her kind, her brilliant grey eyes where unlike any other's. Harper was also born with strangely long claws and immensely strong front legs. This meant she could travel on ice as well as in the Arctic waters. Harper began to sharpen her claws on the ice, and along with their constant use, the outer black slowly wore down to show a brilliant silver that stayed needle sharp. Though she didn't notice, Harper became the embodiment of Cithara, the Seal goddess, to other seals. Legends were spun of her great adventures to the land of no-ice, incredible battles with rabid white bears and pale two-legs, as well as her kindness towards all seal species. Fiction and fact became one and the same, her stories would be passed down generations, never to be forgotten.
Chapter 5
The ice crackled under Harper's paws as she walked and slid along the arctic ice. The bright sky illuminated everything around her, nothing went unnoticed. Suddenly, a small figure appeared in the distance. Harper tensed, but continued forward until finding that it was an old, animal spirit two-leg, one she recognized as the medicine female of a nearby two-leg nest. Harper let the two-leg approach, warily stepping closer to another seal's breathing hole.
"Do not be afraid my child," the two-leg called, "I mean you no harm."
Harper froze. How can I understand her? She thought.
"The same way I can understand you, little one," spoke the two-leg calmly, "I also am of a seal spirit."
"Are you, perhaps, one of the spirt two-legs of the ice village?"Harper murmured hesitantly.
"Yes, strong one, I am what they call their shaman. A wound healer and a tale singer."
"Have you come for me, wise one?" said Harper, now emboldened by the honesty and kindness lining the words of the spirit shaman.
"Yes indeed, clever one," the two-leg smiled, "I'm here to guide you in what you need for the next world."
With that she slowly turned back to the direction from which she came, beginning to shuffle through the snow and ice. Harper stood a while, watching the spirited one, head tilted in thought. She blinked in surprise at her own decision. With the gentle push of the wind and the whisper of encouragement from the deep waters Harper set off; head help high and silver claws flashing, following the two-leg towards the frigid horizon.
The Beginning Continues . . . In Part 2
"Sometimes you won't be able to see me, but I'll always be with you Harper."
"Always?"
"Always and forever."
Chapter 2
Forever did not last long. Though it felt like days the light never differed, and as hard as she searched, Harper could not see her mother in the dark waters of their breathing hole. Her mother had set out for a hunting trip and never returned. A tear slid down her face, freezing droplets forming in her snowy, white fur. Deep down Harper knew her mother was not coming back, and that's why she was different from the other seal pups. She was barely five days old, still pure white, certainly not a sleek, grey ten-day-old. Survival? Impossible. Heart heavy, but will strong, Harper set forth where no pup had gone before - the dark icy ocean. Harper gathered herself at the edge of the ice, stared into the dark depths, and plunged headfirst. She froze in shock, the icy chill of the ocean tearing at her with it's cruel talons, pulling her into its lair of everlasting sleep. Harper shook herself, even her spirit felt like it was shaking, but she at last woke up and felt her body stir. I escaped, but this won't be the last time I evade the jaws of death, Harper thought. Even with the first flick of her tail she fell in love with the icy, forbidding waters. She new this was her home, and where she was meant to be. What she didn't know was that because of her close call with the endless sleep, her snow white fur would never fall. Harper would forever be the white seal pup that slid into the depths of the sea and found . . . hope.
Chapter 3
As Harper grew older she changed; though her body stayed small her spirit grew. The currents of the ocean could barely keep up as she cut the water like a streak of white lightning. At a standstill below the ice her silky white fur would glimmer and float in beams of sunlight, making her seem like a vision to fellow seals. The dazzling moonlight shining through the Arctic ice led her eyes to glow like stars. Other harp seals generally kept away, awed and intimidated by the strangeness of the white seal. Harper was fine with that. She spent her days and nights alone, and in doing so discovered the magic of silence. She could hear the voices of the distant whales, the whisper of the wind above the arctic ice, and the murmur of the sea currents on their travels. One night, however, she heard something else. What is that . . . singing? Harper though. She slowly pushed herself up onto a thin ice sheet, listening keenly. Hearing nothing she sighed, looking up at the stars of Cithara, the seal goddess, that her mother had shown her long ago. One seemed to wink at her, when she felt something strange. There was a gentle pulse of sound that came from the stars, one not heard, but felt. Harper closed her eyes, and let her spirit stretch out into the sky and stars. A melody of gentle voices wove through the night; whispers of the past, present, and future brushed Harper's mind. She opened her starlit eyes in wonder. It's the seal spirits, they live in the stars. Mother was right, she is with me even now, always and forever.
Chapter 4
Seeing the vast inequality between the two-leg hunters and her kind, Harper vowed to find a way to teach them that seals were not the helpless creatures they appeared to be. The animal spirit two-legs hunted the seals to live, Harper could see that, but the pale two-legs did it for their fur. Harper could see that greed in their eyes when they killed a snow white pup with their hideous clubs. Where the pup died the snow was stained, not only with its blood, but with its mother's grief. The death spot of a seal pup was avoided by all seals, even those of different species. As the years swam by Harper grew stronger, she was an adult harp seal with pale white fur, stronger than any male of her kind, her brilliant grey eyes where unlike any other's. Harper was also born with strangely long claws and immensely strong front legs. This meant she could travel on ice as well as in the Arctic waters. Harper began to sharpen her claws on the ice, and along with their constant use, the outer black slowly wore down to show a brilliant silver that stayed needle sharp. Though she didn't notice, Harper became the embodiment of Cithara, the Seal goddess, to other seals. Legends were spun of her great adventures to the land of no-ice, incredible battles with rabid white bears and pale two-legs, as well as her kindness towards all seal species. Fiction and fact became one and the same, her stories would be passed down generations, never to be forgotten.
Chapter 5
The ice crackled under Harper's paws as she walked and slid along the arctic ice. The bright sky illuminated everything around her, nothing went unnoticed. Suddenly, a small figure appeared in the distance. Harper tensed, but continued forward until finding that it was an old, animal spirit two-leg, one she recognized as the medicine female of a nearby two-leg nest. Harper let the two-leg approach, warily stepping closer to another seal's breathing hole.
"Do not be afraid my child," the two-leg called, "I mean you no harm."
Harper froze. How can I understand her? She thought.
"The same way I can understand you, little one," spoke the two-leg calmly, "I also am of a seal spirit."
"Are you, perhaps, one of the spirt two-legs of the ice village?"Harper murmured hesitantly.
"Yes, strong one, I am what they call their shaman. A wound healer and a tale singer."
"Have you come for me, wise one?" said Harper, now emboldened by the honesty and kindness lining the words of the spirit shaman.
"Yes indeed, clever one," the two-leg smiled, "I'm here to guide you in what you need for the next world."
With that she slowly turned back to the direction from which she came, beginning to shuffle through the snow and ice. Harper stood a while, watching the spirited one, head tilted in thought. She blinked in surprise at her own decision. With the gentle push of the wind and the whisper of encouragement from the deep waters Harper set off; head help high and silver claws flashing, following the two-leg towards the frigid horizon.
The Beginning Continues . . . In Part 2
Anyway,Jammers,I am turning this blog into a story blog about alphas,the gods,and phantoms.Anybody can discuss how to control phantoms and revive the gods in the comments,but you have to comment to do this.Most of these stories are from Snowyclaw's storybook,but next parts of Harper's tale are from my own.Gather 'round for the next installment...
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