meet the brady bunch
pythia
Calliope was off on another adventure, which left Finch rather pitifully alone. She didn't like to think about it like that, but it was patently true. The Raid Queen was really the only friend she'd made here so far, even if the word "friend" was a bit of a stretch. Finch had decided to make the most of her time in Raider territory by busying herself, ever a slave to productivity, and today she skirted the edge of the Vericona Plains. Tall grasses blew in a blustery spring wind, creating a pleasant swishing sound across the open field. It reminded her in some ways of the Range that Avalon laid claim to. Struck by the thought, Finch stopped and paused to admire the scenery and think about home.
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For a blind girl, Pythia walked almost languidly over the plains. Anywhere else, she would not be so comfortable walking so openly, but here it was different. Here was home. One howl away from rescue if she ever needed it. Not that anyone would be stupid enough to try and take her. Pythia was anything but frail. Vericona Plains had become one of her fondest places to spend her afternoons. Even as the lingering scent of fear attempted to blind her further, she prevailed.
Following underlying notes of parsley and rosemary, Pythia wandered. Long steps carefully avoid rocks and old stumps. Recent rains made the pathways thinner, waterways clogging up the land threatening to cover her precious white fur brown. She passes a prickly yarrow plant that scrapes along her shins, requesting attention. Why not turn the rather dull into a herb gathering trip? As she plucks a sprig of yarrow, her ears tune into the sound of another.
"Who goes there?" Pythia requests, ethereal voice soft, yet stern.
"speech"
Pythia is completely blind.
Another gust of wind rippled across the Plain, drawing her gaze in a line across the plains as the grasses rustled. Her eyes hit Pythia just as the young girl cast her discerning voice in Finch's direction. Finch pricked her ears and stood slowly. She could tell from the paleness of Pythia's eyes and the way she seemed to look towards and through her that she was blind. She cleared her throat and approached Pythia at a slower pace than usual, allowing herself to rustle the grasses as she went so that she could be easily tracked as she got closer. It seemed that the younger girl was harvesting a plant - Finch's eyes roved quickly around the area, spotting a few useful herbs for healing as she did.
"Hello there," FInch said, always pleased to see another wolf. This pup seemed like she was around the same age as her Auntie Theory's brood and her stomach immediately twisted as she thought of her family. "Collecting yarrow? This place seems ripe with all sorts of herbs, but I'm a new arrival. My name is Finch, and you must be..." She'd already met Wake, and Pythia seemed to be cut from the same cloth. "Another of Calliope's siblings?" Finch spotted another yarrow clump nearby and began to carefully uproot this plant as well. "Mind if I help you gather?"
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Much to Pythia's surprise, this new wolf sounded as if her movements were intentional. Her brow draws together ever so slightly, confusion at the thoughtfulness. Most didn't offer her such niceties. It is clear that her facial expression speaks surprise before the lines smooth and her head droops into a more relaxed position. She refused to adjust to such things since most seemed to enjoy tromping through fields as if the whole world was deaf.
Finch's tones are delicate and pleasing in a way that brings a smile to Pythia's lips. Already, she took to the girl unlike many others. The consideration alone was endearing. "From the scent and texture," she takes a moment to feel the miniscule petals once more to confirm, "I would be inclined to agree that it is yarrow," Pythia's smile grows as her expression turns from stoic to humored.
Reaching out to grab another sprig of the yarrow and tuck it away for later, her ears perk at the mention of her sister, Calliope. "A pleasure, Finch. You are more than welcome to join." She nods her head briskly, hesitating to answer the previous question. There was no denying Calliope had risen the ranks quickly for rightful reasons, but they had never interacted well together. Chewing on the end of the yarrow sprig, she thinks for a moment before resolving to answer. Finch did deserve to at least know her name.
"I am Pythia, a younger half-sister to Calliope. We share a mom, but I came from the miracle conception with Jael while she came from Gilgamesh," she speaks matter of factly, slightly tipped ears folded back as her lips turn downward. While they shared blood and similar colored coats, that was about as close as it got for the two.
"speech"
Pythia is completely blind.
The longer Finch observed Pythia, the more she came to realize that she was as different from Calliope as she could possibly be - so much so that they almost seemed to be different animals entirely. It was endearing. Branches from the same family tree could separate, divide, become something different and new. Pythia invited her to join and she eagerly busied herself with the work, finding no small comfort in the familiar activity. She may be far away from home, but yarrow was still yarrow wherever it grew. Finch carefully cleared away dirt from the roots so that she could preserve as much of the plant as possible, a holdover from Avalon's penchant for farming.
A miracle conception, eh? She knew wolves across Boreas and Auster favored certain belief systems. Auntie Thalia followed Abraxas, although she wasn't much of a talker so Finch wasn't quite sure of what that entailed. Whatever brought a wolf comfort was fine by her, although she didn't feel the need to turn herself over to some higher power. Finch found comfort in the natural, explainable cycle of nature. The seasons changed. Things grew and things died. Why search for meaning? She found meaning enough in this. Nevertheless, she simply took Pythia's words at face value. Regardless of what you believed, a miracle was a special thing. "A miracle? That's lovely," she murmured, continuing to work on freeing the yarrow's roots from the ground. Now came the tricky part - removing the plant from the soil without botching the whole operation. She wriggled it from side to side carefully.
"I've met Wake, as well - you must have quite a large family, Pythia. How nice, to be surrounded by such a boisterous crew," she grinned. Her own family was small but terribly close knit. Even now, she wondered what Jay and Corvus were doing. Did they miss her? Surely they'd noticed her absence by now. "Would you tell me more about them? Your family, that is." Seeing as I might be stuck here for a while... With a soft exclamation of satisfaction, Finch released the yarrow plant from the ground and laid it gently upon the earth. "There's one yarrow plant down. Do you prefer to harvest a particular part of the plant, or do you retrieve it all with roots intact?" She added, glancing at Pythia as she worked to see what the customary activity might be for the Raiders. They certainly didn't seem agriculturally inclined. Imagining Calliope having the patience to tend the fields, plant something and toil and wait for it to grow... it was almost laughable.
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Pythia hums at Finch's comment. She knew, understood even, that not everyone believed in the divine. Hell (excuse her language!), not even her whole family believed in it. Her own mother had taught each litter a different level of Abraxas from devout like Pythia to Abraxas who? with her oldest siblings. It all depended on what one needed from the heavens that would dictate their belief. For Pythia? Her blindness (though it could perfectly be explained from her collie genetics) was one reason, her taller size, and the fact that she came from two moms naturally led her to believe that Abraxas was very much real and looking down upon her reverently.
Instead of commenting, holding her tongue, she listens to Finch dig at the plant, revealing the delicate roots and her inquire about her family more. Finch even asks if she preferred taking the whole plant or specific pieces of it. Rather than start on the tale of her family, Pythia reaches out to feel the plant that Finch had dug up. Her paw moves over the revealed roots and prickly stem. Oh, what she wouldn't give to be able to see the plant and its beauty. "It depends. If I am alone, I take a little as possible. Since I cannot see, I cannot truly tell how much is available. If I am with company, such as yourself, I am comfortable taking more if I can trust you to be honest," her matter of fact tone doesn't denote sweetness like one might imagine with her demure appearance, but she's anything but. "Sakana and Nimbus has a vast garden so if you think they might be interested in some yarrow plants, we should take them more," she nods, grasping another sprig of yarrow for her own supplies before changing the subject.
Thoughtfulness lines her expression as she plunks herself down into a sitting position. "So you have met Calliope and Wake, interesting," something lingers beneath her words. If she were being honest, those were the last two siblings she'd recommend meeting first, but one couldn't always plan those things out. "If you count Jett, who my mother and father lost during their first litter, I have 19 total siblings, and 4 of them are full siblings. Corsair, Tide, Davey, and Lyra are my full siblings and we all share similar wolfdog characteristics. The reason that there are so many of us is because my mother, Modesty, was raised devout Abraxan - at least that is what I call it. I'm unsure of the religion's true name, but Abraxas is our God," she pauses, taking a breath and a moment to shift herself into a more comfortable position.
"Since she was a pup, my grandmother, Toxicity, or Granny Tox as we fondly call her, pressed it upon her own offspring that the only true way to rise into godhood and be one with Abraxas was to avoid sin and further their lineage through pups. At this point, I'm not sure how much my mother believes it, but after Jael's litter, I like to think that she believes it a bit more," her shoulders shrug, a half-smile on her lips. There had been a time where Modesty had been distant, unsure if Pythia would even make it. Fortunately for Pythia, she was destined to prove everyone wrong. "Out of the first litter, Deluge is the only one who still resides with us, the other three has since moved on. The next three litters, which two are of the same age, still reside here as far as I'm aware," Pythia can't help but laugh. It truly was a lot of siblings to keep track of! "Do you have any questions?" Her gaze moves away, as if she could truly see their surroundings.
"speech"
Pythia is completely blind.
Pythia's energy was a balm compared to stumbling through her interactions with Wake and Calliope. Were the rest of the siblings more like Pythia, or more... volatile? If she had to guess, Finch assumed they all leaned more towards the latter and perhaps the pale-eyed girl before her was the exception, not the rule. She mulled this over as she cleaned off the roots of the yarrow, flicking an ear towards Pythia as she explained her usual harvesting technique. "You can trust me to be honest," she said, not quite used to being the focus of any suspicion. Finch wore her heart and feelings on her sleeve, which is part of what made her current situation so confounding. How could she escape if Calliope could see every thought and intention written clearly on her face? She didn't want to bring the wrath of the Raiders to Avalon's doorstep. Extricating herself would be a delicate process.
"I'd very much like to see the garden," she added earnestly. "At home in Avalon, we tend to large fields and fruit orchards. I find the work deeply satisfying. I'll collect a few more whole plants and see if it might be of interest to them." True to her word, Finch turned and began searching the nearby grasses for more good looking specimens to unearth. As she worked, she listened dutifully to all that Pythia said, keeping quiet but comforted by the fact that Pythia couldn't see the look of abject shock that flashed across her face at the number of her siblings. Nineteen? That neared Avalon's total population! Boisterous crew, indeed.
Another flurry of inscrutable feelings flickered across her face as Pythia explained her mother's - and by extension, her own - religion. Abraxas. That was the same calling that Thalia and, to a lesser extent, Auntie Theory followed. Finch could never quite tell if Theory was a true believer or simply indulged her mate, but it wasn't an uncommon sight to see them quietly praying together deep within the orchard, or leading their children in some ritual that Finch was not privy to the nature of.
Pythia's soft laugh brought her back to reality just as she succeeded in finding another good, healthy sprig of yarrow. Finch set about digging around it again to protect the roots while she pondered for a moment. "I'm familiar with Abraxas, actually - my Auntie and her mate follow the religion, as well as their brood. I believe her mate has always been a devout follower and my Auntie joined later in life. In fact, the pups are about your age, give or take a season. Would you ever be interested in meeting them?" Perhaps if she could arrange a visit, Calliope might see how much Finch was missed... Not that it would sway her warrior's heart. If Calliope was set on keeping Finch here, she wasn't quite sure what she could do (beyond escaping, which would bring chaos to Avalon's door). It wasn't like she could easily challenge for her freedom. Calliope would wipe the floor with her, again and again. A strange shiver raced up her spine as she imagined being bested by her over and over. Finch pushed the thought down and away.
"As for questions... with so many siblings, is there an established inheritor of this pack? You have quite the reputation, as far as I understand it," Finch said carefully, hoping it wasn't a sore subject. She still needed to understand the lay of the land here. Maybe there was a higher power above Calliope she could appeal to?
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Pythia did not do well to just stand around doing nothing. So when her bundle of yarrow was safely set aside, she began to nose around the grasses for something else to gather. She gave Finch her attention though, listening to the girl's story and questions. Compared to the others that have been gathered to their doorstep, she was finding Finch to be the most interesting and kindest. Is that why her sister had taken her? To add a softness to the harsh edges of the Raiders?
After a few steps through the scratchy grass, she comes upon a bushel of wormwood. Its distinctive scent wrinkling her nose as she sniffs at its leaves, stem, and base along the muddy ground. From what she could tell, the plant was in healthy condition and abundant enough to gather. Before her lips grasp around the base of the nearest leaf, she tilts her head to where she hears Finch rustling around. "I can show you the garden whenever you'd like. It is not hard to find and the boys welcome guests." A smile ghosts along her lips before she gathers some of the wormwood and tears it gently from its stem.
Disliking the taste of the wormwood, Pythia is quick to place it to the side so she can gather more. In the meantime, she ponders Finch's question before answering. "Avalon's orchard does sound pleasant and I am always interested in learning more about Abraxas. My Uncle Pontifex visits sometimes to give lessons, but they are infrequent." Her lips turn downward, a sigh of disappointment toward herself and her family before she turns to think of the questions that Finch poses.
"Deluge, Siduri, and Calliope are already posed to inherit from our parents. They will lead the Raiders as a trio of Queens so to answer your question, yes, there." Pythia laughs, finding humor in her words, wishing she could see Finch's expression. She had a guess why the girl was asking such questions, but it did not bother her nor truly concern her. Finch's escape from Calliope would be her own battle. "Any of us are welcome to challenge to lead the Raiders, that is between us and the Queens now. If any of us had wanted to inherit, we would have needed to step forward sooner than later," she shrugs, uncaring about the leadership of her family pack. As long as she was still protected by her mother and allowed to snoop and listen in on private conversations, she would be perfectly content.
"Did Calliope not inform you of her rank change?" She questions, head canting to the side momentarily.
"speech"
Pythia is completely blind.
Finch made a mental note to have Pythia show her the garden soon as she continued to work on gathering more herbs. The younger girl had located some wormwood, but Finch set her sights on a scrubby patch of echinacea. The bright purple blossoms were beginning to fade and looking worse for wear as autumn wore on, but there was still some small amount of life left in them. For a moment, she was struck by the thought that Pythia would never see a color like that, but she didn't give herself easily to pity. She was astute enough to sense that Pythia had her own ways of navigating the world by now and wouldn't much care for any pathos Finch might express on the matter. Still, she spared a few seconds longer than she normally might to admire the coneflower's color before she set about harvesting it, roots and all.
"Perhaps I will send word to the to visit. I'm sure my Auntie would like her children to meet others of the same age, and who knows, perhaps a friendship will spring from it," Finch mused. Theory was... overprotective. She wondered if her cousins had been allowed yet to leave the territory at all, in great contrast to Calliope and Pythia's rearing. Was one choice in parenting more correct than the other? There had to be some middle ground between complete free range and pinned beneath anxiously watchful eyes.
At her next words, Finch deflated. Of course. There was no higher power than Calliope to appeal to. She would be cursed to bow to her jailer as long as she chose to keep her here. A hot flash of frustration lanced through her heart and she was grateful that Pythia could not see the strange expression that twisted her features. Caught somewhere between a rock and a deep, deep chasm. "No... I suppose it hadn't come up. I'm sure she's quite busy with the transition, but I haven't yet met the other sisters you mentioned. Deluge, Siduri - what are they like?" she pressed onward, hoping for some fairytale answer that she knew wasn't coming. Finch set about carefully brushing the soil off of the roots of the echinacea she had harvested and then moved on to another good looking specimen. Setting herself to a task lifted some of the anxiety that had begun brewing and she threw herself whole heartedly into it, trimming back dead leaves and digging with frenetic precision.
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Wishing for another sprig of the wormwood, Pythia reaches out toward the base of the bush. One ear still on Finch as the girl speaks, Pythia focuses on the plant. Gingerly grasping the base where stem meets stalk, she bends her head and breaks off the sprig. Again, a not so delicious taste spreads over her tongue, making her quickly place it off to the side so that she can rid her buds of the flavor. With two sprigs down and one to go, she lets out a thoughtful hum at Finch's over.
"I do hope you do. Our borders are generally open for most as long as word is sent ahead of time. My father is not keen on surprises as of late," Pythia adds the last bit with a frown. She has heard the late night patrols and worried conversations. Gilgamesh hasn't been quite in his right mind as of late and though no one cared to let her try and help, she still worried for him. That tingle of emotion wouldn't last long when Finch's words break the companionable silence once more.
"Yes, now that they're transitioning, I'm sure there is plenty for them to do," Pythia nods, trying to help Finch feel not so bad about not being informed yet. The only reason Pythia knew was because she'd been snooping. No one really pays attention to the blind girl. They let her sleep in the furs near their mother and never give her a second look. Of course, there are days where she truly cannot leave the treehouse. With every other sense being extremely overwhelming, having a quiet, calm, and dark place to rest was necessary.
"Ah, yes. Deluge and Siduri. Siduri is the nicest, by far," Pythia nods her head as she mulls over the best way to say things. "Though she is dangerous. She had been hit in the head hard enough that it knocked a few rocks loose and she can be unpredictable if upset," her lips pull down, once more anxious that she couldn't help her family member. Sid was in good paws though - Sakana was never far off to help. "Deluge is the oldest so she's the most mature, but perhaps the most unhinged. She sort of, uh, excuse my language, doesn't give a fuck?" Her nose wrinkles, hating how the vulgar language tasted, but there wasn't any better way to put it.
"Comparing the three, you lucked out. Calliope is called the Insidious one for a reason, but that also means she's the most protective. Deluge will throw anyone out at any moment. Siduri, like I said, is the nicest, but also the softest. I'm not Calliope's biggest fan because she has no empathy toward many," especially the blind girl who should've died according to Cal, "but she'll also keep you far out of harms way." There's a sort of tenseness to her tone that she can't hide. Indeed, her family was quite unruly and wild, but they were still good wolves deep down. "Does that answer your questions?" Pythia ends, curious if Finch wanted to know any more.
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Pythia is completely blind.
"Wonderful," Finch replied. "I'm due for a visit home once Calliope returns and I'll see what I can arrange." Theory was over protective, but the children were growing quickly - they'd be yearlings before she could blink, and where would being so sheltered leave them then? Finch had felt so unprepared when she'd finally began to explore outside of Avalon's borders in earnest. It would be good for the children to see another place, make new friends.
She refocused her efforts on harvesting the echinacea as Pythia reassured her that Calliope must be busy. There wasn't pity in her voice, but Finch could still see that offered it as a platitude. It was a difficult feeling, being the last one to know your
Finch continued to prune dead leaves and clear out the roots of the flower, ensuring it would be as successful a transplant as possible. Maybe she would find the Raiders' garden after this and take some time for herself to reassess how she was feeling. So much had changed in such a short amount of time. The leaves of this flower were a bright, blinding purple - striking and beautiful, just like the patchwork periwinkle on Calliope's pelt. Finch shook her head to rid herself of the thought. It felt almost inappropriate with her little sister standing right there. She cocked an ear as Pythia continued, telling her more about the other Queens. Nice... but unpredictable. Mature... but unhinged.
There would be no way out, that was for certain.
"I think that answers my questions, Pythia. Thank you, I appreciate how much you've shared with me about your family," Finch said earnestly. There was plenty to think about now after this little lesson on the Raider family tree. She tidied up the last of the flower's roots and placed it together with the yarrow. "I think I'd like to see the garden. Would you walk me back there, and I'll help carry our bounty?" She asked. It likely wasn't often that Pythia was asked to lead anyone anywhere, but Finch had a feeling she knew these lands by scent and touch far clearer than she did with her own two eyes.
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