The First Descent (Solo Flashback)

[Asha]

Time Stamp: 9 Autumn, 382

A Young Asha :

Asha clung fiercely to the fur of her mother’s back as they descended the slug suckle steps to the ground of the forest. Asha appeared as a ball of black fur firmly attached to the dark brown fur of her massive mother. She was only 49 years old, a small child among her people. This was the day her mother, Subira, would finally take her down to the ground floor of the Spires. Until this day, her mother had always left her behind in the care of her father’s other wives while she foraged on the ground. Today she had decided that Asha was old enough to accompany her as she reaped Bala’s glorious bounty.

Asha couldn’t wait to see what the forest floor was like yet she felt apprehensive of the terrible monster stories one of her older brothers had filled her head with. What if they came across one of the horrible yukman he had told her about? Asha shivered and huddled closer to her mother, gaining comfort from the security of the adult Jamoura’s massive strength. Her mother finally reached came to the end of the staircase and stepped down onto the solid ground. As the forest floor spread out before and Asha examined the soil below her all of her apprehension vanished and she felt only excitement at the adventure before her. She was really truly on the ground! She loved her home among the treetops in the city, but the solidity of the soil and loam beneath seemed almost exotic to her young gaze.

“Can I get down momma?” Asha whispered in her mother’s ear. She moved restlessly on her mother’s back, desirous of touching the solid ground herself. Subira chuckled softly and put a hand back to steady her unruly child, the other hand holding a large woven basket to hold whatever she collected that day.

“Not yet, little one. We still have a ways to go. You will be able to get down soon, have some patience.” Subira chided gently. Obediently Asha ceased her wriggling and clung silently to her mother’s back. Asha forced herself to be content with watching the scenery pass by as her mother trod further into the woods. She looked up at the trees above them, the city looked very different from this perspective. She couldn’t even see the buildings or any sign of her home. No matter how closely she examined the foliage all she could see was dark, dense leaf cover. It seemed strange to be completely out of sight of the city she had always known but it just made the day feel like even more of an adventure.

[Asha]

Asha and her mother walked for a quarter of a bell before coming upon a small pond. Asha’s eyes widened as she took in the idyllic scene. A large willow tree grew from a small hillock out over the pond, its wispy branches lightly brushing the water surface. Beside the willow tree and surrounding the majority of the pond were thick blackberry bushes with a multitude of birds coming and going, sampling the delicious fruit that it bore. Other bits of bracken and plant life grew among and beside the bushes. On the side of the pond that Asha and her mother approached there was an opening in the bushes that allowed access to the pond. The area was well worn down where many creatures had come to sate their first and find a meal.

“You may climb down now, small one. I’m going to be picking some of these blackberries. Don’t go far. Stay within my sight always. If I cannot see you I shall be most displeased when I find you again, Asha.” Subira’s words were stern and Asha mumbled her acceptance of the terms as she climbed down. Asha placed her small feet onto the solid ground for the first time in her life. The petals and surfaces in the city proper were solid of course, but this was different. This was SOLID. There was nothing that could change this sort of solid. It was the sort of solid that just kept going and going and going. It was endless in its solidity. Asha stood for a few moments accepting the new presence beneath her.

Subira strode a few paces away to the nearest blackberry bush and reached her hand deep within the bush to get at the fruit other creatures had thus far been unable to. Unsure of what to do in this vast expanse of woods and soil, Asha followed her mother to the blackberry bush. Asha saw a large berry deep within the bush that looked so plump and juicy her mouth began to salivate immediately. She reached her small hand in and pricked her finger on a thorn. Startled, she quickly put her injured finger in her mouth with a gasp and looked up at mother.

“Oh Asha, watch out for the thorns. You really ought to know better, little one. It’s not like there aren’t thorns in the city. Don’t be so greedy about the berries and try to be more careful.” Subira instructed as she laughed gently. Asha nodded with wide eyes and inserted her hand into the bush more carefully, navigating around the thorns until her fingers grasped the plump berry. She extracted the berry from the bush slowly and examined her prize. The bubbly, dark fruit glistened in the sunlight slanting through the trees. The berry was so plump some of it had burst on Asha’s fingers from the pressure of her grasp. She plopped the berry into her mouth and chortled happily as the tart fruit burst in her mouth.

[Asha]

Asha picked a dozen or so berries before the lure of the forest became too much for her to resists. Some of the berries she picked even made it into the basket. The little Jamoura’s face and hands were dark red with the juices of the berries as she trotted a few feet away to inspect a decomposing log on the ground. Asha kneeled down and looked inside of the log but it was too dark inside the long log to see very far. With the impulsive curiosity of youth Asha thrust her left hand into the log. She looked up at the sound of her mother tutting in her direction and she grinned widely. When she pulled her hand out there were a variety of bugs stuck to the juices on her palm and hand-fur. Holding up her juice and bug clad left hand she plucked a termite with her right hand and thrust it into her mouth. The bug was almost as juicy as the berries had been but had a much different, though just as enjoyable, taste. The crunch of the carapace delighted Asha and she quickly began to plop other bugs she enjoyed into her mouth. Soon she had only unknown bugs on her hand which she wiped quickly in the grass. Asha began to walk around the perimeter of the pond and blackberry bushes her mother called out to her. “Don’t go too far Asha! The forest can be dangerous, stay near.” Subira called and Asha nodded as she trundled along. She wandered to the other side of the pond where the large willow protruded over the water. She grasped a whippy branch in her hand and fingered the slender leaves. Willows were her very favorite kind of tree. She loved the elegance of their branches swaying in the wind, so flexible and yet so firm. The willow tree always reminded her of her people. The Jamoura too swayed with the winds of nature but it never broke them. Both the tree and her people were well designed to withstand the storms of nature without falling like the unyielding oak. Asha heard leaves crunch softly behind her and she whirled around with a startled gasp. It was only her mother, holding a finger up to her lips for silence. Asha nodded and smiled sweetly up at her massive mother. Subira scooped her up with one arm with the woven bowl of berries grasped firmly in the other. Her mother carried her through the sheet of willow branches and approached the tree trunk. Asha felt Subira thrust her up towards her shoulder and Asha climbed back to grasp her back fur securely. Subira reached up for a branch and pulled her large body up, the weak wooded willow tree groaning beneath her weight. Her mother began to climb the tree quickly with Asha clinging to her back. Subira only climbed a few branches above her height but was almost ten feet from the ground. She wrapped her legs around the tree and Asha climbed off her shoulder to sit upon a branch. “Be quiet now, little one, there are creatures approaching.” Subira whispered up to her. Asha nodded and her body naturally triggered her fur to lighten to the grey brown of the willow bark. Her mother’s fur did the same and Asha could no longer smell her familiar scent. Asha’s eyes searched the areas around the pond for any sign of movement, curious as to what her mother had sensed approaching.

[Asha]

Asha would not be left in suspense for long as a trio of small, brownish deer slowly approached the pond. Asha squinted her eyes to try and see them better. She noticed that the little deer had tusks protruding from their mouths and two of the deer had antlers. Thick chunks of fur stuck up from their heads in a peculiar fashion that tempted Asha to giggle but she bit the noise back for fear of startling them. “Tufted deer.” The whisper came very low from behind Asha, her mother did not want to scare the deer either. The three deer cautiously approached the pond and sniffed around hesitantly. Perhaps scent of Asha and her mother lingered in the area that they had passed through so recently. Finally the tufted deer seemed to think the area safe enough and ducked their heads to drink to the water at the pond’s edge. Every few moments one would raise their head and look around to ensure that it was still safe. Asha bit her lip in glee as she witnessed the small creatures pass through life without knowledge of the camouflaged voyeurs in the willow tree. Barely two chimes passed and the tufted deer moved on to find their next activity. Once they were completely out of view Asha sighed with disappointment. She had hoped they would stay longer so she could study their habits and movements. Everything down on the ground below the treetop city seemed exciting and marvelous. But things came and went so quickly, it was difficult to take it all in. It was the opposite of the calm, slow city that nestled in crown of the bloodwoods. “I think its time to go home now little one.” Asha turned towards her mother and nodded sluggishly, her fur turning back to her natural black. She detested the thought of leaving this new world she had discovered yet she knew fighting her mother’s will would only result in discipline. After Subira climbed down Asha followed slowly under her mother’s supervision. Her small fingers and toes sought purchase in the knobbly bark of the willow tree and she carefully lowered herself down step by step. Asha shook her head when her mother held out her arms to carry the young Jamoura. “I can walk myself mother.” Asha said, with all the determined conviction of a child. With that Asha turned and strode off in the general direction of The Spires. The journey back took considerably longer with the slow walking Asha leading them. She stopped to inspect each new plant and bug she noticed and soon covering the short distance had taken them a full bell. Asha squeaked happily as she spotted the first slugsuckle vines that help them ascend into the treetops. The tree it was connected to was still a small distance away but within easy eyesight. Asha looked back triumphantly at her mother only to see the large female with her head craned to their left in concentration and some agitation. Asha disliked to see her mother with agitation written across her face. Anxiety began to tickle her chest and she opened her mouth to inquire about the problem when she heard the loud snapping of branches in the distance.

[Asha]

“Run!” breathed Subira and Asha began to sprint towards the slugsuckle vines obediently. The small Jamoura extended each leg as quickly as she could and soon her young muscles burned with the effort. The fear in her mother’s voice had sent her into a panic and suddenly she didn’t know what was happening. Subira loped alongside her child but Asha was not going fast enough for comfort. She felt herself lifted up by the protective mother clung desperately to her fur as they rushed towards the tree. The snapping of branches became louder and soon it became apparent to Asha that multiple creatures were running through the woods. Subira reached the tree and began to climb as quickly as she could, Asha wrapped her hands deep into her mother’s fur so that the adult’s desperate climbing wouldn’t dislodge her. Only halfway up the tree Subira halted suddenly and grew still. Asha instinctively modeled her mother’s behavior and grew still as well, her small head peering over her mother’s shoulder. For the second time that day the pair’s camouflaging reflexes took over and their furs blended with the bloodwood bark. The sounds grew louder and louder until finally the subjects of the noise appeared through the forest foliage. A human man came sprinting into the clearing and seemed the race rather haphazardly. Perhaps he did not know where the ladders were. Asha was tempted to call out to the man but her voice was cut off as an inky black shape appeared not far behind the man and followed him silently. The man was getting out of breath, a heavy travelers pack weighed him down and his endurance was flagging. Asha’s eyes traveled upwards toward the treetops and she spotted the familiar, stoic figures of several Hakh’Shatara watching the chase below them. She sighed with relief and some of the tension eased from her chest. The Hakh’Shatara were here, all would be well. The familiar protectors of The Spires would see to it that the man was saved and the strange beast repelled. Doubt crept into the corners of Asha’s mind. They were so still… what were they waiting for? Didn’t they intend on helping him? A scream drew Asha’s gaze back down and she stopped breathing when she saw the man trapped beneath the claws of the black beast. The beast hissed and bit down on the man’s throat and his scream came to a sudden halt. Her stomach rolled as Asha watched the creature begin to rip apart its prize. Chime after chime Asha was forced to watch the dead man be eaten and sullied. Her mother had dared not move and reveal their position. The tiny eyes of the Jamoura child burned with the image of the creature reached its blood stained snout into the man’s stomach and coming up with wet, blue ropes in its mouth. Asha occasionally looked up at the silent Hahk’Shatara figures. They had let the man die without even attempting to save him. She had placed so much trust in them to keep her safe and now she wondered if they would allow the same to happen to her. Betrayal tasted hot and metallic in her mouth, like blood, and she realized she had bit her tongue to keep from screaming. Eventually the creature stalked off to allow scavengers to pick at its leftovers. Subira slowly climbed up the rest of the tree and set Asha down on the wooden petal platform.

[Asha]

“That was a miststalker, Asha. Usually they only hunt with the mists, it helps to conceal them. That poor traveler must have stumbled across their den and been chased.” Subira said gently. Asha stared at the Hakh’Shatara and then looked up at her mother, accusations and rage filling her eyes. Her mother sighed as she sat down and drew Asha close to her for a discussion. “Speak child.” “How could they let him die? He was just a man. Perhaps he was looking for The Spires, looking for us. Our hospitality…..” Asha began and then her throat closed as hot tears poured from her eyes. Her small body shook with displeasure and confusion as her young mind tried to make sense of what she had witnessed. “If the man had made it here he would have received our hospitality but he did not make it here. The forest is a dangerous place, Asha, and we cannot save everyone. And even if we could we would not, we ought not. It is the cycle of life small one. As we are all born so too will we all die. Kihala brought us into this beautiful world and one day Dira will embrace us and relieve us from our mortal duty of living. As Jamoura, it is our duty to uphold the cycle in the forests as Caiyha's chosen. Though that miststalker is frightful and dangerous it is wrong to deny it it’s meals. It deserves its life just as much as we do. Caiyha would strike it down if it were not meant to be there. There must always be balance in all things, Asha.” Her mothers soft words worked to calm Asha though she still felt bitter about the prior events. She nodded solemnly though deep in her heart she knew that she could not agree with letting the man die. It did not seem just in her small eyes. Her mother picked her up and hugged her tightly before carrying her home. The images of that man dying burned deep into Asha’s mind and she knew she could never forget what she had seen and the inaction of her brethren.

[Cinna]

And the forest reveals.... Whoa....I wasn't expecting it to end that way at all. The adventures of Asha sure are interesting! Asha : Skills: Climbing +2 Camouflage +2 Observation +2 Lores: The First Touch of Solid Soil The Allure of Blackberries Contact: The Tufted Deer Watching A Man Die The Bitter Taste of Reality Contact: The Miststalker If you have any questions or concerns about my grading then don't hesitate to PM me