Savage Dawn ((private thread))

[Joe]

"Impressive for one that is self-taught, foolish to think a woman weaker. You will learn as we progress that those things mean little." Something about walking on the glacier made him feel ill-at-ease. "I am glad that these few here have learned to follow you."

[Jenny]

Amber nodded her head a little. “It is foolish, but it is our way. In time, more like me will come. I must be brave and do what my heart tells me. Father must respect that. But everything has changed now, the Broken Fang has diminished. I must step in for what warriors are lacking. That much is easy. But the men may not like that.”

She smiled. “They were afraid, I only had to guide them to follow. One must take a single step before they are able to walk a distance.”

A deep throated growl came from in front of them. They had found the beast that had taken the path before him. The saber tooth’s massive claws dug into the ice as it kept it’s body low, ready to spring. The men in the tribe ran up beside Amber and Asher, brandishing their spears.

“Nobody move.” Amber lifted a hand to stop them. The cat’s yellow eyes searched among them for an easy kill. Amber alone stepped forward several paces, bending to one knee on the ice and holding her spear in both hands, pressing the tip of the staff to the ground.

The cat yeowled in rage and surged forward for the small woman and leapt. Amber let out a cry as she judged the angle and braced for the impact. The cat’s claws scratched at her upper arms but it’s body went no further, the point of the spear had been driven by it’s own body weight into it’s heart. The cat’s eyes lost their glint and it collapsed, the massive body going limp around Amber. She let out a teeth-grinding grunt as she used her foot to propel the cat backwards and crawled from beneath the deceased feline.

The men lowered their spears and looked at Amber with a new perspective, new respect.

[Joe]

Asher frowned, walking over and kneeling beside the beast. He placed a hand on its matted fur and said a small prayer. He opened his eyes suddenly as he felt something, a groove on a bald spot of skin. He rolled the beast over and examined the mark, he looked concerned. "This beast bears a brand.. the mark of Sandaha, marauders. It must've escaped from a nearby camp.. or been released to hunt these grounds for outsiders."

[Jenny]

She got to her feet to retrieve her spear and looked down as Asher put his hands on the saber’s body. Upon his examination of the mark, she ran her fingers over the bald spot.

“What he says is true.” She turned her head towards the murmuring clan members. “May the gods forgive me for such an abomination.”

She sighed as she knelt beside the beast and took out her knife. She flipped the blade and used the hilt to knock hard at one of the longest fangs to break it out of the bone. She caught it with her hand before it struck the ice.

Amber closed her eyes for a moment then opened them, looking up at Asher. “I looked into the beast’s eyes as it came for me, and I was not afraid of what I saw. Will you assist me in finding if I have a bond with this animal, Asher?” She raised up the saber tooth, palm up.

[Joe]

He nodded, kneeling next to her. "To do so we must go back to the spirit world." He took her hand and gazed into her eyes again, sending them again back to the world of the spirits. Next to them the soul of the slain animal began to seep from its body, coming out like smoke. The fang in her hands glowed with spiritual energy, "You must channel its essence into your totem.. I will help you." The wisp of his form moved close to her, and she would feel a sensation like arms coming around her. "Submit yourself to it, it must come willingly."

[Jenny]

She looked into his eyes so that she may transcend into the spirit world a second time. Her eyes moved to the fallen saber cat as the soul rose from it’s body. She lifted up the fang towards the soul, trying to reach out so her soul touched it’s own. Her whisp shimmered brightly, flaring if only to touch the cat’s soul. At contact, she could feel the animal submit to her own soul and the two of them bonded. She let out a sigh of thanks and lowered the fang.

“It is done, Asher. It has accepted me.”

From beyond their own voices, a worried tribe member spoke up nervously. “The Sandaha… we cannot stay here, princess.”

[Joe]

As he released his hold of her the spirit world vanished and he fell backwards, exhausted. Taking someone besides yourself was fatiguing. Using his staff, he pushed himself back to his feet. "Good, I did not expect it so soon.. but it is a good sign."

[Jenny]

Amber did not move from that spot for a few minutes, holding her head and trying to catch her breath. Her mind reeled from what had just happened. She rejoiced that such a strong animal had bonded with her, especially one so admirable as the great saber tooth, but she was also shocked and a little afraid that she had done it, even with the shaman’s help. This was all happening so fast… but, with a new beginning for her people surely she must be willing to change for them.

She got to her feet, clutching the saber tooth in her hand. She looked up and around them for signs of the enemy tribe. “Come, quickly now.” Amber coaxed the group to keep moving forward. Trembling, they did so though it was instinctive to hide.

They had to keep moving.

[Joe]

He frowned slightly as he saw Amber stand and begin to lead the group. He stood still as the rest of the tribe passed by behind her. He took up a position in the back, watching their back carefully - but he also did it to be alone with his thoughts. He had never taken an apprentice before, much less had a friend that he cared for. He was feeling things he had never felt before, exposing oneself in the spirit world made these feelings even stronger. He walked slowly with his staff, his head held low in solemn thought.

[Jenny]

Only several meters up the glacier and one of the women cried out, throwing her arms around her child and pressing him tight against her bosom. “Sandaha!” Every head jerked in the direction to where she was pointed.

You could barely see them among the dark stone. The two warriors were painted in mud paint, standing on the rise at the base of the mountains. The had their arms crossed, wielding spears in one hand. Beside them was a saber, but younger and less experienced than the one that Amber had killed. This one was not yet old enough to be set lose. But it yeowled for blood all the same.

Amber tightened her fist around the saber tooth as the Sandaha made their way towards them, unhurried and almost bored. They saw the women and children easy prey, three men they could deal with. And as for the young woman standing boldly before them, what could she do?

[Joe]

As the group stopped he peaked around, to see what the hold-up was. He scowled when he saw the Sandaha, running up to meet Amber at the head of the group. They were a marauder society, they would take the children and raise them as their own, and the women had obvious uses. He begin to think what they could do, what he could do, to stop them.

Perhaps they could be bargained with? He knew better, but he stood still a moment longer to be certain of their intentions.

[Jenny]

They paused one meter away from Amber, who had positioned herself in front of the tribe. Her eyes narrowed at them, showing no fear. If she died, it was defending the ones she loved. That was a good way to die. It didn’t cross her own mind that the enemy tribe may find another use for her rather than to kill, pretty as she was.

The warriors smiled a little at the look in her eyes. Perhaps they respected her for it, but never would it be anywhere close to how the Sandaha respected one another. They glanced coolly at the shaman who came to Amber’s aid.

One let out a command to the saber cat and pointed lazily with his staff to take out the shaman. The Sandaha had no use for another tribe’s spiritual leader, especially if that shaman was male. The cat pressed itself low to the ground, it’s ears pressed back against it’s head, bearing it’s fangs in a loud hiss. It started forward, gaining speed.

Ha! Amber jumped in it’s path, wielding the point of her spear. In that action she momentarily forgot the saber tooth clutched tightly in her fist, and the tip of the fang raked across her wrist.

Her eyes grew wide as she felt the saber tooth spirit’s presence and her vision changed. She saw the world in monochrome, the angles of light radiating strangely.

The young saber cat shrunk back and pressed it’s body against the ground in supplication. It could smell the spirit cat’s soul coming from the young women. The two Sandaha warriors gasped in awe and bent to one knee, tapping their spear points on the ground where they lay them.

“Yolande.” They said at once, ducking their heads respectfully.

Amber blinked a little as her vision changed back to normal and felt fatigued, using her spear shaft to steady herself. She looked to Asher in confusion, not knowing this foreign word for the saber cat god.

[Joe]

He eyed the Sandaha warriors cautiously, "It's the animal god they worship.. of the saber, they sense its power through you. Rather fortuitous that it chose you at this moment." The spirits had obviously known about this, they were protecting Amber.

He wasn't sure how the Sandaha would react, he had never seen many of them in person, they certainly couldn't join them.

[Jenny]

Amber nodded a little at that explanation. She closed her eyes, breathing in and out a deep breath. She knew nothing of the Sandaha’s dialect nor any words save one.

She turned a finger towards herself. “Yolande.” Then she pointed a finger at where they had gone firmly. The two Sandahan warriors looked at one another and bowed in respect and took the sign to mean she wanted them to return to where they had come. They called the saber cat to follow them. The beast gave her a final glance and trotted to keep up.

Amber breathed a sigh of relief and her people crowded around her, patting her with their hands and thanking the gods that she had turned them away. She raised a hand and motioned for them to move on.

Better to have her people focus on the road than any kind of hero worship. It was not her victory to take. She took stride with Asher for a while, saying nothing. From time to time she would look up as they passed the spot where the Sandaha had been.

[Joe]

"The spirits obviously have something planned for you.. but it is unclear." He looked to her then back to the ground with a laugh, "It seems you might not even need me to unlock your gifts." He ran his hand over his staff and the feathers adorning the top.