Private Finding a Peaceful Spot

[Zaya Tawfik]

Location: Wolf Woods - Islimore
Attire: Outfit
Equipment: Ceremonial Spear
Tag: Miera Erevos

Zaya knew surprisingly little about Miera Erevos. The Lupo had been through a tough time, which was evident with her small stature, Zaya knew children that were taller than the older Lupo woman. It is a shame to see a Lupo so small and know it is due to years of gruelling and cruel treatment at the hands of criminals. Hopefully being reunited with her sister, being on Islimore and being surrounded by fellow Lupo who sought only to help her and empathised with her would help Miera come out of her shell. Zaya was also curious to see what the sister knew of Aelin's potential and her goals, did she support them? Did Miera have concerns? It was also a chance to see more of the Thorirsblood in person, Zaya was somewhat pleased that the encounter with Aelin went well especially since encounters with the Northern Twins and Gerwald Lechner had not been as successful. Were other wolves always going to be so difficult to deal with? The Twins had been unhappy with the restraint stance she held with them but then Gerwald called her xenophobic and heavy handed in dealing with humans. Which was she being restraint or heavy handed?

Closing her eyes, she sighed deeply and inhaled the dense forest airs. Sometimes she missed the desert, things were simpler, people listened and there wasn't as much squabbling and when there was, comprises and understanding were sought after. Not storming away, leaving things uncomfortable and sad. Especially since with the Twins, she couldn't help control her visions and she had hoped to help them. Her brother had decided to spend his day hunting, he told Zaya to be cautious and made sure she took her spear with her on the journey she decided to take with Miera. Sighing deeply, long braids fell down her back as Zaya lifted her head up to sky. Even though she spent days journeying with her brother, even though he had been assigned to protect and look after her, Zaya still felt so alone. He said few words and did not wish to hold much in conversation. Afraid of what Zaya may see or say about his future. That much was clear, she had terrified her siblings as kids when she mentioned how one of them would die and the Fayth followed that prediction that day. She hated that memory and wished, begged the gods that they would wipe it from her memories but it lingered. A curse of being a seer is what her aunt stated, but her aunt knew little about true seers. About the powers Zaya held.

Wiping the tears away briefly, Zaya focused as she looked around, looking for a smaller Lupo wolf around. Zaya knew that Miera liked to remain in her wolf form for long periods of time. "Miera Erevos? I am Zaya Tawfik, seer from the desert and thought that you could help me find a quiet place. Somewhere dedicated to the gods?" Zaya asked the forest, hoping that her visions held true and that Miera would heard and answer.

 

[Miera Erevos]

Listen​

Tag: [ Zaya Tawfik ]

Miera ran with the gods, when she ran through the forest. A pack gathered around her, fierce and proud, if imperfectly perceived by mortal senses alone. But then Miera was scarcely mortal herself. Aerðs, god of death and war ... of passionate and needed revenge ... raced at the front of the Pack. Miera greeted him with joy and thanksgiving, understanding a Price would soon be required of her. The many bitter and fierce prayers for revenge that she had begged of him had been answered. Gladly she'd pay the Price, that those who had enacted her revenge would not need to. He nuzzled her with vast affection, as if Aelin's love of her touched even that most ancient of gods.

V́atyn’s brilliant spirit form appeared as a weave of Fire, Sunlight and Moonlight. As always, Miera bowed her head to the wise, intuitive goddess of Light.

... and was nipped for it.

Never in her life had Miera managed to please this goddess that she craved so greatly. The Priestess's own hate, fear and doubt forever bound shut the doorway to inner healing, and the teachings the goddess so desired to bestow upon her. Guilt burdened Miera; she fell father back in the Pack.

Wise Xæiar ran with her for a time. The goddess of divination and prophecy appeared to Miera always as a Wolf made entirely of shadow. Not a terrifying shadow; not doom or death. But the shadow of hope, of possibility; to fix her in a precise shape would be to fix the future, denying choice to all who yet lived. So with Miera, the goddess ran free, refusing to bind Miera to a fate. The winds rose; a Fate beckoned. Her own or another's, she could not see clearly. But the whole Pack swerved, to seek this Fate. Visions danced past her, but Miera knew better than to chase any. Not the one with Aelin claiming place as Regent of the entire world; not the one with Brynjar laughing in joy; not the one of Karim's safe return, or the one with a pack of pups swirling around her. Her own children. No, Impossible. She faltered in her run, hurt by the false promise of hope. A path opened, as if to make way for the whole of those impossible futures. The Goddess of Divination and Prophecy, whose eyes mirrored Miera's own, turned her head, fixing that gleaming silver and gold gaze upon her.

A vast sense of purpose swept over Miera; a choice was coming to her. One that mattered, vastly, to the future of her people. She smelled burning sand, scorched sky; grief and blood. A wounded tree, consenting to become a spear, to protect one who was both vastly loved, and yet terribly alone. Miera's heart lurched; was she to choose between all those things she craved, and one child's own path? A shudder swept over her; she wished to howl in grief but she did not -- she did not protest or waver. The Priestess accepted the burden of choice, praying she'd know the moment when it came, that she'd be strong enough to yield.

Her secret favorite, Rænör, nearly ran her over; he grabbed her by the nape of the neck and dragged her back to the middle of the pack; she'd faltered too long and fallen behind. He never, ever tolerated it; he was why she ran so swiftly and hid so well. She whined in his grasp, like the pup she was to them and he gave that adorable, garbled wolf-sound that was nearly a purr. The god of Life, he did not tolerate hopelessness; the god of Abundance, he did not comprehend doubt or fear. And as the god of the Hunt, he was so single-minded that it made her howl in frustration.

But he did not release her, his wayward, backward, awful foster child. He carried her amidst the Pack as they sought the future. For his Hunts were not merely for food, but for the Fate of his chosen people. Something akin to panic swept over her and she howled again. But Miera was forever a tool and servant of the gods and they swept her where they will.

Cérmæ moved to run alongside, and as always, Miera turned her head away, ears flattened, eyes squeezed shut. The Goddess of Wisdom, Strength and Protection nipped at her gently, waves of love and reassurance washing through Miera. Grief surfaced, at the sense of safety and belonging the Goddess offered. And rage; always rage. The jaws which held her suspended tightened. Miera grew still, submitting even to this invasion by the Goddess who had NOT protected.

Or offered strength. Maybe a little wisdom. A plant, balanced upon the water like a lily, though the flower was unto an Orchid, was shoved into her mouth.

Then Rænör released her, to run in her proper place, with the gods and goddess of nature.

Naé sang to her, as he always did, soothing and beautiful. Joyful on this occasion; a child of his was coming home, Miera suspected. Perhaps the Fated child, from earlier? A sense of laughter greeted the tentative thought; Unlike others, the gods who shared their presence so freely with Miera almost never spoke to her directly.

Arwen, radiating heat like a perfect summer's day, and sky blue, shoulder-bumped Miera in the universal invitation to a race. Miera leapt into a joyful lope, knowing Druanit (formed all of fiery Autumn leaves), Bibe (gentle Spring rain in the form of a racing wolf), and snow-white Nuaed, her foster mother, would race with them. Howling in delight, other spirits of the Wood and Gods of the Lupo joined them.

Miera embraced the now of wolf-time and left human thought and language behind as she Hunted with her Pack until exhaustion over took her. Silently, content as she only was after such a run, she curled into a hollow to sleep without fear or nightmare. Sounds woke her; someone weeping in near silence. Yet it was enough to rouse her from the gods-granted sleep.

A young lupo had ventured into the woods, still in the human form. A simple spear, exquisite gold jewelry and runes painted across her face. The mingled scents of determination, sorrow and fear clung to her. Miera could not discern, as of yet, their importance or how recent they were. Life energy twined through and around the stranger, bound to a particular shape. Curious, Miera drifted closer.

Closer.

The wind whispered to her of tears and loneliness; a history of the violence and horror that were the tragic birthright of the Lupo.

The young lady's whispered plea, to be washed clean of her tortured memories, reached Miera even as the Desert Seer requested her presence.

Silently, she slipped between worlds back to the physical one. Though she kept her wolf-shape, it shimmered and changed from the white wolf, to the black. Only the sigils and feathers, and the sacred eyes, remained the same. Without so much as disturbing a leaf, she padded forward, Silver and Gold gaze fixed upon Zaya.

 

[Zaya Tawfik]

Location: Wolf Woods - Islimore
Attire: Outfit
Equipment: Ceremonial Spear
Tag: Miera Erevos

As Miera stepped out in the shape of the black wolf, different to way Zaya had seen her in the visions, there had been a white wolf running around with the same markings. Zaya figured it had been Miera but could it be different? A descendant or ancestor? There was always so much unclarity with her visions that she had no idea what it had been that she had seen. For now, she took it as she misread her visions and that Miera held a black wolf form, though something inside her growled that there was more to the story than she could currently perceive. It was something that often happened to Zaya when she was seeing events through her visions.

The wolf moved around and silently stepped through the woods. It was clear she was a forest wolf, even a frequent desert wolf shifter would struggle to be this silent around the woods. Use to the shifting sands and hunting in that, the forest felt too firm, it didn't cooperated with movements she had learnt. Though she was rarely a wolf, when people approached a seer, they wanted the humanoid not a wolf. It was always while Miera pulled off the silent and insightful type, Zaya had to talk, to fill the air with wisdom that had been forced upon her through visions. It was hard to deal with such pressure and demands of the people around her. Dealing with the Twins had been the evidence of that, her encounter there showed that even if her visions came to her that people would not accept and want more. Need more.

Offering a small smile on her lips, "I have heard there were many temples around this area that were lost during the purge. I was wondering if you would join me on finding one such place and seeing if we could use it for peace. Sorry, not use to talking to a wolf, most approach me in humanoid form." Zaya explained as she realised that she was starting to repeat herself on what she came here to do. "I was also thinking that it could give us a chance to speak face to face. I have spent time with your sister Aelin and have seen visions of my friendship developing with her, it made sense that we should become friends as well." Zaya explained, it was likely the most awkward she felt with Aelin, there were bonds that she had felt that were decades old but she also didn't know Aelin bar a single encounter.

"If you wish to remain a wolf, I will respect that and just chat for the both of us. But, urm, lead the way." Zaya smiled warmly as she gestured forward.

 

[Miera Erevos]

Listen​

Location: Wolf Woods, Islimore
Appearance: Black wolf
Tag: [ Zaya Tawfik ]

The Seer spoke with a surprising warmth, given her tears and being so very far from her home. Dusky skin, dark curls, haunted eyes. Beautiful, by any standards. If not for that hint from the gods, Meara would not even know she was in such pain. But then if she'd been with Aelin for a while ... Aelin had a way about her. It was a matter of trust, to show her sacred places to strangers. Part of her rebelled at the need -- fear, there was always fear when letting anyone close to things that mattered. So she slipped close enough, to scent Aelin on her. To remind herself of the mortal Pack Aelin had invited her to join. The scent of tears and desert winds came to her, as well. So much sorrow, in the life of Lupo.

Miera let a soft sigh escape and pushed her head under the tense fingers of the young Seer, offering a small measure of comfort in touch. it was much easier and safer as a wolf. Her shoulder gently shoved the leg, and then she leaned for a moment in a soft press. A peaceful place. for visions, presumably. And one the Seer could reach in human form.

Oh.

She knew where to take her, what sacred place both needed a Keeper, and would ease her heart.

Miera let her ears prick, and her tail give a short, brief flare of approval. Then she padded silently into the deep undergrowth, seeking the scar in the midst of the Wolf Woods. Perhaps she understood, now, why the gods had left it. Would they let mortal hands shape parts of their Wood. a bridge, as others of their lost children made their way home. Like Karim .