Fable - Ask of Heart and Sky

[Bridget Darkfield]

There was much one could glean from listening amongst the shadows.
Listening in to her clan's whispered words and prayers to the High Mother had told her that they were worried of the appointment of their Heir Daughter; that they may even fear what she would do to those that serve the High Mother first. They thought of Bridget to be too self serving, rash and uncontrollable after word got out she killed her mother. The Lady Mothers of the three clans ruled the kill as meaningful, and thus, no punishment was given.
But that did not assure all of the Sky Clan witches.
"We pray you calm the storm brewing in the Heir Daughter. We pray you calm the storm..."
Bridget moved, unseen and undetected in the shadows, to step out into the light that bore down upon the temple she was departing from. It was hard to find many that could trust her, only those that comprise of her coven had seen past the violent nature and accepted her appointment. With their support, Bridget was able to train her coven into becoming the most fearsome of the Clan.

In their histories, the Sky Clan was a formidable force that was capable on acting on the wishes of the High Mother. They were the Wrath, the judgement soon to pass. In a matter of generations, Sky Clan became peaceful after their chosen violence, but Bridget wanted the Clan to return to their battle prowess of their ancestors. They could be loyal to their faith and still wield a weapon in the name of the High Mother.

Where are you going?

The question had brushed against her ear, spoken from the shadows. It was a network among those that can wield, and Bridget could recognise the voice of her grandmother, the Lady Mother of Sky Clan.

I need to take a walk. She replied, voice low that none could hear her as she passed but loud enough to be carried by her own shadow to relay the answer. When nothing else came, Bridget kept on walking towards wherever her feet were taking her.

 

[Briar White]

The trees whispered secrets, if only one was keen enough to listen.

Briar was sitting on a tree branch about 20 feet up in a tree at the edge of the forest. She swung her legs lazily, listening to the trees. It was mid-afternoon and the shadows were the longest of the day. From her branch, Briar could see into the Sky Clan territory. The rolling hills were open to the skies and the shadows were few and far between, even at this hour.

It was a cloudy day, with a threat of rain. Briar hoped it did rain; it strengthened the trees and thereby strengthened her clan. The trees whispered as if they could sense the impending rain.

She was so focused on the trees that she nearly missed the flicker of a blonde braid. Her legs stilled and she watched as it seemed to hop from shadow to shadow. If she wasn't mistaken it was a Sky Clan witch. Briar could not make out who it was at this distance but she watched her carefully to see what she would do.

"Penny," she whispered, letting the trees carry her voice to where she knew her second was, hiding in another tree. The rest of her coven was deeper into Wood Clan territory. Briar and Penny were alone. Save for this Sky Clan witch.

Penny Mossriver
Bridget Darkfield

 

[Penny Mossriver]

Penny sat high in an ancient tree on the outskirts of the forest. She reclined back, eyes closed, with her feet resting on the branch, and hands behind her head, as if the branch she had chosen was a natural chair.

A spectral raven perched on a branch just a couple trees over where Briar was, keeping a eye on the Heir Daughter. Penny smiled as she listened to the tales the wind and spirits had to tell. There were so many spirts trapped that she couldn't possibly hear all the stories in her single lifetime. Suddenly the raven alerted her to movement, and she switched her vision to it just in time to catch a long blonde braid slipping into the shadows.

Penny...

Penny's pointed ears twitched, the trees carring Briar's voice to her. "I see her, Briar," Penny breathed, letting the leaves and branches relay her message. In a flash she had traversed the branches between them to appear at Briar's side, eyes scanning the trees for any other possible dangers. "What should we do? Follow her?"

 

[Bridget Darkfield]

Bridget's hands curled into fists as anger and frustration weighed heavily on her; her boots stomping slowly down the hillside as a scowl hardened her features. She ought to tell her coven to follow, yet Bridget did not want to burden them with her inner battles of dealing with the rest of the Clan.

If they were called Wood or Iron Clan, none would have been baffled by her methods that secured this position.

Perhaps it was the fact she did not grow up as a witch, that she had been deprived of learning the ways of her Clan instead of tending to the farm animals that her father had on his property. She was happy, up until she learned there was more to her life.

Shadows materialised and cut through the shrubbery, cleaning a path for the Heir Daughter to move into the sparsely wooded area.


Briar White
Penny Mossriver

 

[Lylian Darkfoot]

Bridget had taken to wandering recently, which made Lylian's job a bit harder, but she didn't mind that part. What ruffled her feathers, especially this time, was that the Heir Daughter hadn't told any in her clan where she was or where she planned on going. Except for her grandmother. Lylian had overheard that little bit, and it was in part why she was following her. Bridget's entire clan (and then Bridget herself) would be punished if she was wandering alone, especially if something happened to her. Lylian knew Bridget could defend herself but she wasn't taking any risks.

She could feel the anger and frustration wafting off of the blonde witch ahead of her and Lylian wondered what had gotten Bridget so upset this time. She only had to wonder for a little while as she walked. Killing one's mother was thick stuff, especially in Sky Clan, where they viewed the bond between mother and daughter to be unbreakable, even in death. But to focus on one's own worries and problems was selfish. Lylian knew Bridget was not a selfish woman, but she was still relatively new to this witch thing, and killing her mother before becoming the Heir Daughter of Sky Clan was rather a shock to a few covens. After Bridget's mother's disappearance, everyone had assumed that Morilla's niece would prove herself worthy and become Heir Daughter, and they had prayed for her.

The day before Bridget had returned, the Lady Mother's niece had taken violently ill and died quite quickly. Lylian had been the first to step up and defend Bridget upon her return, when the covens weren't sure they liked her very much. Lylian was quite religious, even for a Sky Clan witch, and she had seen something in Bridget that day, something that resembled The High Mother. Bridget was a blessing sent from the Goddess Lylian believed, even if some others didn't exactly agree with her.

She paused a moment, watching as Bridget moved towards the trees. The border of the Wood Clan was close, and Lylian didn't particularly want to cross the paths of any of the soul-binders, not now, when everyone was on edge, waiting for the double lunar eclipse.

Lylian stepped between shadows, following Bridget. When Bridget stopped, Lylian was beside her suddenly. "You were going to go into Wood Clan territory and not tell me," Lylian said conversationally.

Bridget Darkfield

 

[Briar White]

Briar kept her gaze trained on the blonde girl flitting in and out of sight. Penny appeared almost soundlessly at her shoulder but Briar did not flinch. Briar was about to respond when she saw a flash of silver.

"There's two of them," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "And this is the border with Sky Clan territory... they're sky clan witches, jumping between shadows. Follow them, but don't do anything. Not yet, at least."

Perhaps she would get to fight today, if the two sky clan witches traversed further into Wood Clan territory. Because now they were in wood clan territory, and the tree's whispers faded as they took in their new guests. Briar wouldn't even have to do anything if she didn't want to, the roots of the trees would free themselves and make the two sky witches' lives hell.

Penny Mossriver Lylian Darkfoot Bridget Darkfield

 

[Bridget Darkfield]

"You were going to go into Wood Clan territory and not tell me,"

Bridget loosed a sigh and crossed her arms before turning to look to her Second.

"There is better manners in the woods than there is in our territory." The Heir Daughter could always be honest with Lylian. There was a kindred understanding between the two; both were deeply immersed in their faith to the High Mother, and their shadows sung together. Lylian was simply a born Second to Bridget, and it was a bond she would not wish to sever.

"No need to worry. If I wanted a proper death wish, I would have gone up to the Iron Clan lands." Bridget's lips pulled into a smirk. "Besides, I do not think we are alone." Bridget took a step forward and leaned in slightly to stage whisper. "The trees are listening to us." Amusement was brought to life in her sky blue eyes.

Penny Mossriver Lylian Darkfoot Briar White