Rite of Rebirth
It was time. The little ones were not so little anymore. Lifting her dove grey crown high, the shaman let loose a bellowing call for the children. They would soon become acquainted with the wills of the gods, and become young adults. Free to roam as they pleased, with no fear of death. This place was perfect. The primary soul bonds of the dynasty tended to lean towards the avian variety, thus an estuary would serve them well. Pacing towards the edge of the marshland, she let the mud squelch between her toes. Today was an auspicious day, and celebrations would be called for quite soon. Joy fluttered in her chest like a million butterflies. This was it! Songbirds chirped and warbled all around. They weren't as plentiful as in spring. It was time for migration to begin, after all. Hopefully this would not harm the ceremony in any way. That would not bode well for the futures of her charges. Bisected gaze roved the landscape. Nests, empty for at least a few weeks, sat in the branches all around. The water was alive with spawning fish. Seating herself upon the soggy ground, she waited for the children. Broad shoulders pushed back, she curled her tail around her paws. Perhaps it was a selfish act of vanity, to bother with appearances at a time like this. Regardless, she wanted to make this memorable. For herself and the children. A soft smile touched upon her lips, waiting for their eager faces to emerge from the undergrowth.
"speech" |