[Yael] A Concurrence Among Sisters [Naq | Cey]

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

A Concurrence Among Sisters

Naqenni had at least spoken with Akeldama, and while it was refreshing to note that among her sisters, she was not alone in vehemently disagreeing with the most recent turn of events, still things weighed heavy and restless on her mind. She was angry, helpless to change the things that mattered most, and by virtue of that, filled with a seemingly unquenchable energy.

She needed to shoot something.

And, she decided as she stalked out from her own tent, it might help to take counsel with one of the other eldest among their own tribe, her fellow bloom-sister: Ceylinae. They were perhaps not as close as those raised by the same two mothers, but Naqenni had not had any other girl raised by her mothers, so Cey was as close of a sister as it came, in that sense, and while they did not do everything together, and had in fact progressed in their own ways largely independently, she still held a high respect for the girl as one of the first three. Her comrade, and one of those most responsible for leading all their younger sisters forward as their race came into full fruition.

It was only natural to seek her out. She needed another listening ear, for all that she hated to over-chatter. This was important. Before that, though, she knew she would need to key in on something Cey would latch onto. Training was usually the ticket, and thus, she headed first for the archery ring, and when she did not find her there, she began to search the trees.

It did not take long.

“Sister,” she barked up a trunk, toward where Ceylinae was lounging after a climbing session, her own weapon already at her back and fully geared for a hunt. “I need to make something bleed. Accompany me for a hunt?”  

[Orpheus Solon]

The Only Black Uke

Lifting an arm up Ceylinae set to rubbing her face against her arm, wiping away some sweat. She'd gone on her normal run around the village earlier and after that gone up her favorite tree. Well, her favorite normal tree, her favorite over all was their Great Mother but one couldn't really climb up into her branches now could they? From the tree she was in she could see a good distance, take in what was going on in the village, as well as what was going on outside of it. There didn't seem as though there was enough going on if you asked her but maybe she was just in too much of a rush? Not everyone trained as obsessively hard as she did after all.

Her antennae set to twitching rapidly as she heard someone coming up to the tree she was perched in and she dropped her aqua gaze, starring at the one that was down there. Ahhh, well now... if it wasn't Naqenni she thought to herself, leaning forward a bit, "Hello sister."

She needed to make something bleed? She blinked a couple times then nodded, making her way down the tree in a careful though quick manner, landing on her feet next to Naqenni, "A hunt sounds good. I could use more food for Savage, he's hitting another growth spurt." It meant he was going to be a giant sooner then layer which was good by her. The moment he was big enough she could finally use him as the mount he was supposed to be.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Orpheus Solon

At least Cey agreed easily enough, which was a relief. As the girl dropped to the canopy floor, however, Naqenni had to debate how to approach her true topic of interest. For, while she did feel a distinct lust for blood and the desire to exercise her excess negative energy on something — there was more on her mind than that.

“Patience could also use the food…” she murmured idly, buying time for herself as they moved out, her mind in a rush, until eventually, as they were on the way out from the village, her eyes already idly scanning the surrounding area for signs of tracks, she chose to cut directly to the point.

“Have you heard?” she asked. “Of the journey to the mainland…” But no, more than that. “To the old homeland, of traitors…those all our mothers warred against?”

Just speaking it made her bristle, her antennae coiling, and pale green eyes narrowing on their surroundings, attempting to be attentive—but distracted by her own thoughts. “The Matron is taking our mystic to meet with the enemy…to aid them, with their problem…”  

[Orpheus Solon]

The Only Black Uke

Ceylinae followed along after her sister, a curious look on her face as they went. The hunt was nothing out of the ordinary, she'd done that sort of thing in the past with various sisters and cousins. It was more the look on Naqenni's face at the moment that had her curious. What was she thinking about? Was she really in that much need of something to feed the one called 'Patience' that she'd get that expression on her face? It had to be something more, an arguement, perhaps?

A moment later she got to know exactly what it was that was weighing her sister down. She blinked slowly, then gave a sigh, "I had a bit of an indication that it might be coming. Our mystic asked be about leaving the island in a hypothetical manner not that long ago." She gave a wrinkle of her nose just thinking about it, "It just doesn't seem smart to me... or safe. Our cousins were banished by that group, sent to a place that could have been a death sentence, and now we're going to go back and beg them for help?" The idea just made all of her antennae twitch in distaste.

Giving a flinch she asked in a tone filled with surprise and disapproval, "They are really delivering our mystic them?" That she hadn't heard of.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Orpheus Solon

“We are not going to them for help,” she snarled, “we are going to help them.” Nothing could get her past how much this infuriated her. There was simply no inkling of reason for why this ought to be appropriate.

Everyone on this island had fought against their own blood, those they had known for years, to prove their ideals and fight for what they believed was right.

She had been raised on that concept since her blooming. She assumed all of them had.

And now, the Matron spat in the face of that concept. To help the enemy, they were going to take their one mystic hundreds of miles across treacherous territory, reveal their numbers, bare themselves, make themselves vulnerable on all fronts-

And for nothing.

“This is a problem born of our cousins’ history…it afflicts them. And it predominantly affects those we left behind for a reason.” She shook her head. “Not one yet has given me a single explanation as to how this benefits any of our sisters here…it only risks everything we have, and makes us meek and vulnerable before them…”

At They are really delivering our mystic them?, though, she felt her skin prickle anew with revived disgust.

“They are…the Matron is taking our mystic to their enemy to aid them with their problem…across dangerous territory, for no discernible motive…” ‘I think she has gone mad with age…’ lingered at the tip of her tongue, but Naqenni held it back stubbornly, not sure yet exactly where Ceylinae fell on the line of trust when it came to their alkidike Matron.  

[Orpheus Solon]

The Only Black Uke

"Is that really what it feels like to you? Some of our cousins make it seem as though only they have the information on how to deal with the Dretch. Things that we weren't even aware existed until they popped up and stole someone out from under us." They had been told that it was because the creatures were just stories but she didn't like that as an answer. She also didn't like that it still felt as though they were relying more upon their distant cousins, those that send the Alkidike that lived on Yael away, for help going forward.

Crossing her arms over her chest she murmured, "Why didn't the Matron demand a emissary from that group come to us?" Her antennae gave a twitch before she said, "Likely because they'd refuse to come since we're all enemies. So why did she approve of doing the same?" She found herself half asking the question of herself, not liking this in the least. It made her stomach do flips and made her want to return to her training, as though a few more weeks would prepare her for what was to come. She doubted it would be she couldn't help but to want to do something instead of sitting around doing nothing while they waited.

Lifting a hand she set to chewing on her thumbnail as she thought on what her sister said next. Bringing their mystic to the enemy for no real reason, leaving their people without someone that could speak with Elzira. Their Great Mother wouldn't be able to be talked with, wouldn't be able to speak with their mystic, and it would be back to how it was before there was an Elarian mystic at all. Surely though that wasn't the motivation. She was just getting paranoid because of all these strange steps being made by the Matron.

"Despite being of the 'First Three' I feel like it gives us nothing in the way of power. It's like it's some empty title we can't take advantage of." Ceylinae didn't think herself worthy of leading, she wasn't ready for that, her training wasn't nearly far enough along. At the same time it would be nice to be able to voice their thoughts without getting shot down because they were just children compared to their cousins.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Orpheus Solon

“It is,” Naqenni murmured, mentally checking herself and forcing her tone down a notch. No matter how cross she was, she needn’t shout at Celyinae. It wasn’t her doing, as was evident in her sister’s responses as much as anything. They were stuck together in the same position of helplessness. “But, even if what you say is true, if they know information of the Dretch, then there are already far more of them and they should be able to handle them. Our Matron ought to know as much as they, and even if she doesn’t…we can learn what we need to without going to them to beg.”

Naqenni sneered.

“And, we most definitely could learn what we need to without bringing our Elarian mystic to the traitors…if the Matron believes they have such valuable information and thinks someone of ‘importance’ should go, then she could make the trip herself—with whichever of our cousins are still eager to return to their ‘true’ homeland.” She was well aware that some among the tribe, all alkidike so far as she could see, were eager see what was once home to them again, but this only seemed to make her more cross. They had fought a war for this land. This was home. “The Dretch are our cousins’ problem, not ours…they took a cousin, and so much as I hear, that is their predominant focus. They should manage it without endangering everything we are…”

At Ceylinae’s valid questions, Naq could only shake her head. “There is no reason it should have been us, and even less reason it should involve the daughters of Elzira…” And, at her observation regarding their relative powerlessness despite being the eldest among their own kind, Naqenni nodded. “They pay us no heed…even Nivalis is ignored and the Matron drags her around like a toy to meet the enemy. One day, things will be very different…I just feel that day cannot come soon enough and I hope that we live to see it.”  

[Orpheus Solon]

The Only Black Uke

Ceylinae gave a nod of her head, "I see." Was it better that they were being lead off to help the others with the Dretch or would it be worse to ask them for help in general? To be honest she really didn't want to do either thing. Her antennae gave another twitch before she murmured, "How do we even know that this isn't some sort of trap concocted by those distant cousins? One the Matron is walking blindly into because she's one of them, or at least used to be."

If she was walking into a trap on her own it was one thing but the idea that she'd take their mystic with her. She didn't like that in the least bit. Just thinking about it had her hackles up. Shaking her head to try to clear her thoughts she turned her attention back to her sister once more. She couldn't agree more with what she was saying, "There is no reason why Nivalis should have to go. Unless she wants to go... but even then I don't think she should. It too dangerous and we are certain to be out numbered no matter how many of us went." There just wasn't enough of them to even try to contend with the numbers that were likely to be found across the ocean. Not only their traitor cousins but any Earthlings they may be allied with. A thought that caused her nose to wrinkle a bit just thinking about it.

"One day... yeah, when that one finally passes." She blinked a couple times then looked at Naqenni, eyes slightly wide, "Ah! Not that I am threatening her or anything, just saying, the only way things will change is when she's not in charge... and it seems like she's not going to let hold of the reins of power while she's still alive and kicking."

She hadn't meant to sound so ominous and now she couldn't help but glance around, making sure nobody had heard her words. Last things she needed was for people to misunderstand and think she was inciting a coup or something. That was far from what Ceylinae wanted.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

“It hardly matters which it is,” Naqenni admitted after a moment with a bit of a grimace. “Whether we are traveling to aid the enemy or traveling to grovel and beg for help, both are despicable and far too much of a risk for no foreseeable gain.” At Ceylinae’s initial question, she immediately nodded. “Precisely. These women are our enemy. All of them are those our mothers fought against and slaughtered by whatever number they could. There is no reason to trust them, and it opens us to every vulnerability…”

In fact, the more she thought on it, the more true it was. They would both be baring their mystic and a select few of their number to the traitors, and on the opposite hand, their village would remain in depleted number, more poorly defended. Both ends of their already meager numbers stretched thin and no way to properly guard their mother tree or their mystic.

“Both Nivalis and Elzira will be made vulnerable simultaneously because of this choice…”

When Ceylinae mentioned Nivalis and her desires, Naqenni shook her head. “Nivalis does not wish to go. She would prefer to remain here, with Elzira and her sisters. The Matron, however, is insisting…” Her hackles bristled. That even Nivalis’ word was still not enough to carry any sway among the tribe was infuriating. True, she was still young, but she was their leader, not the alkidike Matron, and while she knew some in her tribe would disagree, that was concretely how she saw it. It was insulting that their mystic was still being dragged around like a little girl by their mother cousin ‘leader.’

“When she finally passes,” Naqenni agreed with grave conviction, her eyes flicking to Ceylinae and appreciating the momentary concern for what it was. They did seem to have the forest to themselves now. “I wouldn’t slit the throat of our mystic’s teacher…but I do believe she is endangering our tribe and could spell our extinction with this move. It sickens me. I can only hope to survive long enough to see the day Nivalis truly leads our people…until then, we must all wait.”  

[Orpheus Solon]

The Only Black Uke

Giving a nod of her head Ceylinae said, "I agree, it hardly matters which it is since both of them are terrible options that we shouldn't even be getting tangled up in." She murmured, it didn't really seem to matter though. It wasn't something that they were going to be able to stop since the Matron wanted it to be so. As such they were going to have to go along, to protect those that were going, to make sure that their mystic was able to return at the very least.

Ceylinae's antennae all twitched in sync before she repeated, "She doesn't wish to go? So she isn't even going because she wants to?" The matron was dragging her along against her wishes to a dangerous place? Crossing her arms over her chest she set to chewing on her lower lip in a displeased manner. This was just getting worse and worse the more that she learned about what was going on with those in charge. This really was a grating situation.

Turning to look over at her sister she gave a nod of her head, "That's good to hear." She didn't want to think that her sister would go around slitting throats even if it might help to make things better for the Elaria. Shaking her head she decided that she didn't want to think on it too much. Glancing toward Naqenni she said, "I guess we will just have to be careful and make sure that she is kept safe, so that she will have the chance to lead one day. Hopefully one that comes sooner then later."  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Orpheus Solon

Naqenni grunted, and nodded. There truly was despicably little they could do. Nothing of consequence, at least at the moment as the case would have it, and no matter how restless that left her—she would simply have to deal with what was before her.

“I am sure the Matron will eventually feed her enough words that she will present it to us as a ‘good’ idea…” Naqenni hoped not, privately. She knew that initially Nivalis had objected, and she, Naqenni, had pushed perhaps harder than was appropriate in encouraging her mystic to fight that and stand by her own opinion. But to no avail. And a bitter, private part of her suspected that such would continue to be the case. Whatever insanity the Matron put before her, with enough coaxing-

Naqenni grimaced, though, and pushed that thought from her mind. She didn’t want to imagine Nivalis as a follower, and her mind refused to construct the situation any other way if she followed it too far down that path. Perhaps she was not truly ready to kill the Matron. It would be treason in the eyes of many of her sisters, no matter how close, she was sure. But at the moment it felt uncomfortably close to the right idea.

She needed to clear her head.

“You are making the trek, then?” Naqenni asked instead, diverting the subject to safer areas. “I do not know yet who all is going and staying…”  

[Orpheus Solon]

The Only Black Uke

Ceylinae's antennae all gave a bit of a twitch. The way Naqenni spoke it made it seem as though the Matron was manipulating Nivalis. Just the idea of that was something that put her a bit on edge. She didn't want to see Nivalis turned into nothing more then a puppet that the Matron spoke through to keep the Elaria in line. Shaking her head she said, "I hope it doesn't come to that."

Turning to look over at Naqenni as she asked if she was making the trek she gave a bit slight sigh, unable to hold it in as she might normally do, "I... will probably go. It wasn't something that I'd planned to do, I had my own plans, but if the Mystic is being forced to go then I feel I should go as well so that I can help keep Nivalis safe." It was important that Nivalis got back home after all and if Ceylinae could help that happen then she'd do her best and then some.

Looking to Naqenni she asked, "And you? Is it safe to assume you're going as well?"  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Orpheus Solon

“Mm.” Naqenni nodded.

It seemed that for the most part, as was often the case, Ceylinae shared her general sentiments. Neither had she initially intended to go. It still felt preposterous. But she could not leave Nivalis to make the trek alone, even if it meant walking into a trap in enemy territory. Perhaps especially so if that were the case, as it felt, for, as unconvinced as she was her role in this world was over, no future would have much weight without Nivalis in it.

“I will be,” she eventually said aloud. “There is no good choice that I see, so I will take the path at our mystic’s side.”  

[Orpheus Solon]

The Only Black Uke

Ceylinae gave a nod, glad to hear that Naqenni would be there along with the others. She didn't much care for the idea of going on this journey but she'd of liked it less so if Naqenni wasn't there. She knew her sister was strong, knew she was well trained, and knew that as one of the 'first three' that she was more then worthy of trust in all things. If she could pick anyone to be at her side on this surprise trip it would definitely be Naqenni.

"There is nothing I feel that we can do at this point other then help to look after our mystic." Not something that she liked to admit but they were still young in the eyes of the Matron meaning they couldn't really dictate what happened with their people or what paths they would or wouldn't take. Giving a little sigh she found herself thinking on how she might get stronger going forward, wanting to do whatever she could so she could be ready for what was coming.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Orpheus Solon

Naqenni nodded at her sister’s commentary.

As frustrating as it was, there was little else to do. Acknowledging it didn’t put her at peace per se, but it did grant an unanticipated kernel of resignation and clearer thoughts. This being their only option, better to focus her energies on how to best manage it than dwelling on the issues it gave rise to. At a thought, she spared her sister a glance.

“How goes your training with that beast of yours?” What was his name? Naqenni forgot, though it certainly seemed to be growing impressively. Her own training of Patience was progressing well, she thought, with the beast’s initial wounds now entirely healed and her focus having shifted to drills in command response and hunting, though she had much to learn about communicating effectively with animals.

She had always been curious, though, about how Ceylinae would manage hers.