56th Day of Fall, 513 AV
Celeste walked quickly, heartbeat in her throat as she sped to the Testing Grounds. It was another lesson on Morphing and not a day too soon. She’d been thinking about improvement endlessly; it’d been on the fringes of her every waking moment and some of her sleeping moments, too. Having begun to learn Riyanna’s secret, her mind couldn’t help but continuously dream up new, innovative models that she couldn’t even begin to try. The only way she’d ever get better was to learn new models, to continue pushing the limits of her djed.
It wasn’t long before made it to the Testing Grounds, eyes shining in her skull. The Warden was already waiting for her; Riyanna had made sure to start early in the morning, providing plenty of time for them to work together on whatever model the woman so chose. Celeste skidded to a halt, bouncing on her heels, eyes on her Master’s beautiful, tear-stained face. ”Good morning, Riyanna!” She said breathlessly.
”Morning, sweetie!” She said, visibly amused. Celeste was very obviously ready to get started. ”You don’t waste any time, do you?” She reached out and patted the young woman’s stomach. ”I worry you aren’t eating as much as you should.” Which was likely true. Nuit had neither the capacity nor the inclination to eat anything, and actual humans were few and far between. Celeste had acquired a taste for bone soup – bones and broth, actually. It had quickly become the cornerstone of her diet.
”I’m ready when you are,” she said, smile withering ever so slightly at the mention of food. Her stomach growled irritably. ”Alright,” Riyanna said, grinning. ”We’ll get you something a little later, but for now, let’s talk.” She gestured for the initiate to sit opposite her on the ground. This was a ritual Celeste had come to expect. The girl folded gracefully to the earth, ebony cloak pooling around her. ”So, have you been practicing your lynx?”
Celeste nodded eagerly. ”Good!” The Warden exclaimed, still smiling. ”Now, here is where things get interesting. I want to see you first, morph into the form of the lynx and then we can talk about which model you’ll be learning today.” Now that was more like it. Why had they sat down in the first place? ”Ah! Not so fast. Before you hop up, you need to meditate first. I haven’t been really forcing you to, because it seems like you have a good grasp on how to turn your focus inward. But remember – this isn’t a form you’ve mastered yet. You’ll have to take the morph slowly, so you need to really concentrate.”
Complying, she inhaled deeply, first clearing her mind. The breath slowly filtered out between her parted lips, hissing ever so slightly as it drifted away. She imagined all her other worries being carried off on that gentle wind, dissipating into the clear, blue sky. Celeste thought of the void, of nothing, for a moment appreciating the endless darkness beneath her eyelids, before her mind finally turned elsewhere, evaluating the first shape she’d learned since her apprenticeship began.
The lynx, she’d found, was far different from the dog. It was smaller, more compact, the bones thicker in some respects and more pliable in others. It had a cute, nub of a tail that felt strange in comparison to the thin, whip-like curl she was accustomed to. The tufted ears allowed her to hear further into the distance, while the glassy, reflective eyes allowed her to utilize even the softest of light, so that she could prowl the Prairie after dark. Even the fur was of a different consistency. Felines and canines were wholly different creatures, yet both were incredibly useful in their own, unique ways.
After a time, she extended her legs and crawled onto all fours, preparing to make the shift. Celeste admired the radiance of her djed, her fundamental composition. It thrummed along, blissfully indifferent to the circumstance it labored under, happy to simply exist and be as it was. Looking at what defined her always brought her some small measure of joy. She was happy to see life in the strands, to listen as they vibrated their inaudible tune of Celeste the Girl. But it was time to sing, this time to a different melody, so she reached within and began to sift through her threads of being, seeking each physical aspect with mechanical precision.
It wasn’t long before made it to the Testing Grounds, eyes shining in her skull. The Warden was already waiting for her; Riyanna had made sure to start early in the morning, providing plenty of time for them to work together on whatever model the woman so chose. Celeste skidded to a halt, bouncing on her heels, eyes on her Master’s beautiful, tear-stained face. ”Good morning, Riyanna!” She said breathlessly.
”Morning, sweetie!” She said, visibly amused. Celeste was very obviously ready to get started. ”You don’t waste any time, do you?” She reached out and patted the young woman’s stomach. ”I worry you aren’t eating as much as you should.” Which was likely true. Nuit had neither the capacity nor the inclination to eat anything, and actual humans were few and far between. Celeste had acquired a taste for bone soup – bones and broth, actually. It had quickly become the cornerstone of her diet.
”I’m ready when you are,” she said, smile withering ever so slightly at the mention of food. Her stomach growled irritably. ”Alright,” Riyanna said, grinning. ”We’ll get you something a little later, but for now, let’s talk.” She gestured for the initiate to sit opposite her on the ground. This was a ritual Celeste had come to expect. The girl folded gracefully to the earth, ebony cloak pooling around her. ”So, have you been practicing your lynx?”
Celeste nodded eagerly. ”Good!” The Warden exclaimed, still smiling. ”Now, here is where things get interesting. I want to see you first, morph into the form of the lynx and then we can talk about which model you’ll be learning today.” Now that was more like it. Why had they sat down in the first place? ”Ah! Not so fast. Before you hop up, you need to meditate first. I haven’t been really forcing you to, because it seems like you have a good grasp on how to turn your focus inward. But remember – this isn’t a form you’ve mastered yet. You’ll have to take the morph slowly, so you need to really concentrate.”
Complying, she inhaled deeply, first clearing her mind. The breath slowly filtered out between her parted lips, hissing ever so slightly as it drifted away. She imagined all her other worries being carried off on that gentle wind, dissipating into the clear, blue sky. Celeste thought of the void, of nothing, for a moment appreciating the endless darkness beneath her eyelids, before her mind finally turned elsewhere, evaluating the first shape she’d learned since her apprenticeship began.
The lynx, she’d found, was far different from the dog. It was smaller, more compact, the bones thicker in some respects and more pliable in others. It had a cute, nub of a tail that felt strange in comparison to the thin, whip-like curl she was accustomed to. The tufted ears allowed her to hear further into the distance, while the glassy, reflective eyes allowed her to utilize even the softest of light, so that she could prowl the Prairie after dark. Even the fur was of a different consistency. Felines and canines were wholly different creatures, yet both were incredibly useful in their own, unique ways.
After a time, she extended her legs and crawled onto all fours, preparing to make the shift. Celeste admired the radiance of her djed, her fundamental composition. It thrummed along, blissfully indifferent to the circumstance it labored under, happy to simply exist and be as it was. Looking at what defined her always brought her some small measure of joy. She was happy to see life in the strands, to listen as they vibrated their inaudible tune of Celeste the Girl. But it was time to sing, this time to a different melody, so she reached within and began to sift through her threads of being, seeking each physical aspect with mechanical precision.
