Post by econdha on Apr 16, 2005 16:38:15 GMT -5
This is the legend of Hana'khe's travels along the silver path and meeting with Jayfar the frost bringer
Domini'Jayfar, the frost carver has always been a bitter enemy of our people. He sends his windhounds, Faerlyn and Daerborn out to hunt for humans. With our furless skin we are easy prey for their heat stealing fangs. At the beginning of our tribe, many of us were taken by them. It was a dark time when even the stars seemed to abandon us.
One day, Hana'khe, the first daughter of Heedar, the great elk, decided to give her people a gift. She took her warmest cotton and linin clothing to protect her from the bite of the winds. She set out for the silver path. Many had tried to travel across the sea on this path and many had fallen prey to the waves.
At the edge of the sea she stood. The silver path, the reflection of the greatstar that was Heedar shone before her. She took some of the white ice from her bag and tossed it onto the silver path. The ice she had found in the deepest, coldest cave in the mountains of ice. Ice that was made of frozen air.
The path slowly began to become solid and Hana'khe heard the howling of Faerlyn and Daerborn behind her. She stepped out onto the path, spreading more white ice before her as she went. Behind her the path melted, leaving the two great pale hounds howling for her warmth on the shore.
Hana'khe traveled for many days and nights, always following where Heeder's path led her. She ate nothing and drank nothing. She had filled her bag only with white ice.
Then the day came when she realized she would have to turn back or she would not have enough white ice to return. If she turned back now, her people would still be prey forever to Jayfar and his winds. If she didn't go back, though, she would be trapped on the sea on a shrinking piece of ice.
Heedar was close than ever before, though. So close she was sure she could almost touch his white face. She decided to travel on.
The next days brought further challanges. Clouds covered the sky, blocking her veiw of the greatstar and obscuring it's silver trail and Hana'khe had to use much white ice keeping her path solid benieth her feet. Once, a great black and white fish broke through her trail, knocking her off her feet. She only caught a glimpse of it's red eyes staring at her from benieth broad white eyespots before it slid back into the blue blackness of the water.
She began to feel weak from thirst and hunger. She was sure, though, that she could hear Heedar's voice encouraging her. Telling her she could make it.
It seemed so certain. She had enough white ice to make it all the way. She was so certain. Heedar took up most of the sky now, and she could see the stairs that lead upwards to the greatstar. Then the ice ran out.
The choice of whether to risk staying on the melting iceflow or try to make it to the stairs wasn't a difficult one. Death was certain once the ice gave way and dropped her into the freezing currents where monsters like that fish waited. So she leaped.
Her feet touched the stairs and she collapsed, exhausted, too hungry to climb. Her quest was surely ended, so close to her goal. Jayfar would win.
She awoke in a forest like none she'd ever seen. The trees were tall, with the foliage at the top in green lumpy bunches. The ground was covered in green plant life. There was a tall, stately elk standing before her. He became strangely...human and smiled at her with a father's love.
"Welcome to the forest of the Ung, Hana'khe. I am Heedar." He held out a paw...hand to her. His hand was covered in fur, like an animals. "You came seeking a defense against Domini'Jayfar. I have what you need." He took the fur from his shoulders and placed it around hers.
"You're giving us fur?"
"The animals of the forest have heard of your plight and wish to help. No, you will have to earn your fur. In battle with the creatures of your land. When you win your battles with them, they will give you their fur, each one of them. Now, my daughter, I will take you to the home of Jayfar, and you will earn your fur."
The soft, green forest vanished from around her and she found herself in a land much more like the land she had been raised in. The low, trees with their spikey needles huddled under blankets of hoarfrost. She had a spear in her hand, the point made from the tip of an antler. She heard the howling of windhounds.
These were not Faerlyn and Daerborn, though they were like them. These growled and leapt at her, expecting to tear the life from her as from all the humans they'd known. She lifted her arm in fear and the beasts' teeth could not pierce the thick fur she wore. They retreated but it was too late. Instilled with confidance, Hana'khe pursued them, slaying one with the point of her antler spear.
The animal died, nodding respect to her and offering it's fur. She pulled the fur on over the elk hide. A flurry of snowflakes spun about her, reveiling Jayfar, the frost bringer. He was dressed, like Heedar had been, in the skins of creatures. He had a long, cold face and a spindley frame.
"You are brave young human. You have gone to the elk and learned the secrets of stealing the skins of others. I admit defeat for today. Someday, though you will find that those hides are not protection enough to keep me from finding you. Then you will belong to me." He dropped to one knee and touched the form of the dead hound. Its fur was restored and it ran off to join the rest of it's pack. "You will be welcome here, Hana'khe, daughter of Heedar."
Jayfar disappeared as he had come and Hana'khe found herself standing on the edge of the sea again. The lights of her village burned close by. She felt the warmth of the two furs covering her body. This would ensure her people's survival for many generations. She walked back to the camp, accompanied by the two silent guardians she wore over her shoulders.
Domini'Jayfar, the frost carver has always been a bitter enemy of our people. He sends his windhounds, Faerlyn and Daerborn out to hunt for humans. With our furless skin we are easy prey for their heat stealing fangs. At the beginning of our tribe, many of us were taken by them. It was a dark time when even the stars seemed to abandon us.
One day, Hana'khe, the first daughter of Heedar, the great elk, decided to give her people a gift. She took her warmest cotton and linin clothing to protect her from the bite of the winds. She set out for the silver path. Many had tried to travel across the sea on this path and many had fallen prey to the waves.
At the edge of the sea she stood. The silver path, the reflection of the greatstar that was Heedar shone before her. She took some of the white ice from her bag and tossed it onto the silver path. The ice she had found in the deepest, coldest cave in the mountains of ice. Ice that was made of frozen air.
The path slowly began to become solid and Hana'khe heard the howling of Faerlyn and Daerborn behind her. She stepped out onto the path, spreading more white ice before her as she went. Behind her the path melted, leaving the two great pale hounds howling for her warmth on the shore.
Hana'khe traveled for many days and nights, always following where Heeder's path led her. She ate nothing and drank nothing. She had filled her bag only with white ice.
Then the day came when she realized she would have to turn back or she would not have enough white ice to return. If she turned back now, her people would still be prey forever to Jayfar and his winds. If she didn't go back, though, she would be trapped on the sea on a shrinking piece of ice.
Heedar was close than ever before, though. So close she was sure she could almost touch his white face. She decided to travel on.
The next days brought further challanges. Clouds covered the sky, blocking her veiw of the greatstar and obscuring it's silver trail and Hana'khe had to use much white ice keeping her path solid benieth her feet. Once, a great black and white fish broke through her trail, knocking her off her feet. She only caught a glimpse of it's red eyes staring at her from benieth broad white eyespots before it slid back into the blue blackness of the water.
She began to feel weak from thirst and hunger. She was sure, though, that she could hear Heedar's voice encouraging her. Telling her she could make it.
It seemed so certain. She had enough white ice to make it all the way. She was so certain. Heedar took up most of the sky now, and she could see the stairs that lead upwards to the greatstar. Then the ice ran out.
The choice of whether to risk staying on the melting iceflow or try to make it to the stairs wasn't a difficult one. Death was certain once the ice gave way and dropped her into the freezing currents where monsters like that fish waited. So she leaped.
Her feet touched the stairs and she collapsed, exhausted, too hungry to climb. Her quest was surely ended, so close to her goal. Jayfar would win.
She awoke in a forest like none she'd ever seen. The trees were tall, with the foliage at the top in green lumpy bunches. The ground was covered in green plant life. There was a tall, stately elk standing before her. He became strangely...human and smiled at her with a father's love.
"Welcome to the forest of the Ung, Hana'khe. I am Heedar." He held out a paw...hand to her. His hand was covered in fur, like an animals. "You came seeking a defense against Domini'Jayfar. I have what you need." He took the fur from his shoulders and placed it around hers.
"You're giving us fur?"
"The animals of the forest have heard of your plight and wish to help. No, you will have to earn your fur. In battle with the creatures of your land. When you win your battles with them, they will give you their fur, each one of them. Now, my daughter, I will take you to the home of Jayfar, and you will earn your fur."
The soft, green forest vanished from around her and she found herself in a land much more like the land she had been raised in. The low, trees with their spikey needles huddled under blankets of hoarfrost. She had a spear in her hand, the point made from the tip of an antler. She heard the howling of windhounds.
These were not Faerlyn and Daerborn, though they were like them. These growled and leapt at her, expecting to tear the life from her as from all the humans they'd known. She lifted her arm in fear and the beasts' teeth could not pierce the thick fur she wore. They retreated but it was too late. Instilled with confidance, Hana'khe pursued them, slaying one with the point of her antler spear.
The animal died, nodding respect to her and offering it's fur. She pulled the fur on over the elk hide. A flurry of snowflakes spun about her, reveiling Jayfar, the frost bringer. He was dressed, like Heedar had been, in the skins of creatures. He had a long, cold face and a spindley frame.
"You are brave young human. You have gone to the elk and learned the secrets of stealing the skins of others. I admit defeat for today. Someday, though you will find that those hides are not protection enough to keep me from finding you. Then you will belong to me." He dropped to one knee and touched the form of the dead hound. Its fur was restored and it ran off to join the rest of it's pack. "You will be welcome here, Hana'khe, daughter of Heedar."
Jayfar disappeared as he had come and Hana'khe found herself standing on the edge of the sea again. The lights of her village burned close by. She felt the warmth of the two furs covering her body. This would ensure her people's survival for many generations. She walked back to the camp, accompanied by the two silent guardians she wore over her shoulders.
