Following the Red Tail

[Junoix 2301]

Accompanying Sonnos Lore

 

-

 

The sky was still a deep blue when Sonna awoke, nestled underneath a large oak tree with her husband, their children, and companions. Morean Arvellon slept soundly, snoring softly as his arms held the priestess tightly. She placed a kiss on his brow before looking at her daughter Naeri, sleeping upright with her back against the trunk and arms crossed over her chest. Her gaze drifted downwards to see Vallein cuddled in Naeri’s lap, chest rising and falling with his hands curled up towards his chest. The mark of Taynei’hiylu, embedded into his flesh, still laid on the back of the toddler’s hand, a constant reminder of the nature dragaar’s warning. Sonna reached over and ran her thumb gently across the scale, blinking sleep from her eyes with a gentle frown. Vallein had grown to love the marking, and his mother was not going to do or say anything that would change that. As long as he was happy and healthy, that’s all the matter to the Red Fox Druid. She looked at her left arm, completely bandaged to cover the Sirame seed tattoo; an image of the Green Dragon Spirit. 

 

Her emerald gaze turned finally to the red and snow fox, cuddled in a pile between Sonna and Morean. Suna and Fenn’ii she called them, her companions throughout life and gifts from the Sea Prince. Her brother. Her brows furrowed as she remembered their conversation, when Sonna finally told him that they were related by blood, and the royarch reminded her of the curse that ran through their blood.

 

“Dagnir will come.”

 

With a quick release of held breath, the young ame reached for the wooden mask gifted to her by her guide, in druidism and in life. The mask was a reminder that no matter what choice she made today, her mentors would always love and support her; she’d always have the Lynx and the Snow with her. Sonna placed the mask on her face and tied the in around her ginger locks, picked up Hileia, the Owl Druid’s ancient staff, and began to set off after gently patting Suna and Fenn’ii’s heads. She only looked back once as she started towards the island that held the shrine she prayed to whenever she needed help like this.

 

 

-

 

Sonna carefully parted the vines that shielded the grotto with her gloved hands, entering the haven with a happy hum. While it had received some damage from the Inferi siege, the statue still sat intact, its carved face still presenting that lovely fox smirk. Before the attack, the druid had told the foxes that call the grotto home to flee, and only a few returned. She can only assume not all of them headed their warning or had left in time. Regardless, three of them slumbered on the statue’s body, one on the tail, one on the back, and one on the head. Sonna quickly took a seat, Hileia standing upright as roots from the underneath the ground melded with the staff. As the fox priestess placed her hands on her knees and bowed her head, the fox on the shrine’s head slowly opened its eyes, gazing at the ginger with curiosity.

 

In a low voice she spoke, not wanting to wake the, mostly, sleeping foxes.

 

“I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what the right choice is. I know it may seem like something small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but this is a choice that will affect my family and my life forever. Please, guide me.”

 

And then she began to pray.

 

“Ellaurir’Vulnan,

Heya’leh orvull vulmaehr’ehya y’elame sohaera,

Kaean’leh ortilrun nae illerae.

Kaean’leh Sirame ay’nae’leh lye myumierae.

Oh Sonnos, vul’oem, nae’leh ahern kaean illera.”

 

A few tears trickled down her cheek as she finished her prayer, chuckling slightly at her own display of emotion. Being in the grotto she had made herself always made her feel better, gave her comfort even in her darkest hours. She waited there for a while, not for particularly anything, just simply mediating in her safe place. It wasn’t until after a couple hours she heard a soft plop before her. As the ame opened her eyes and lifted her head, she saw the fox that had been watching her standing before her, looking up at her with a tilt of its head. Not even a second after the druid had looked up, the red fox started to bound off, Sonna’s gaze simply following it at first.

 

“Follow your heart.”

 

Her mother and daughter’s words echoed in her mind, quickly scrambling to her feet and grabbing Hileia as she started to jog after the vulpine.

 

 

-

 

Sonna rushed out of the grotto, masked face whipping around to find the animal. The sun was beginning to rise over the sea, causing everything to be seen in a warm, golden light. She found the creature across the water on the mainland, it’s white tipped tail disappearing into a break in the village Siramenor’s walls. The druid raced after it, bare feet thumping on the wooden bridge that connected the two lands and crunching on the sand of the wood elven village’s beach. Once inside the walls, she spotted the fox’s tail once again, this time rounding a corner down the village’s path. Sonna chased after it, following the fleeting animal out through Siramenor’s main gate and past the farms, over the makeshift bride, and into Aegrothond. The fox continued deeper into the citadel, up some stairs into the massive forge, up some more stairs, and then disappearing around the corner to the right. The priestess huffed as she went up the stairs, sweating from the chase and the heat radiating off the stone walls. As she rounded the corner, she finally saw the red fox sitting in front of a pair of double doors, its tail wrapped neatly around its paws.

 

Feanor’s office.

 

Sonna carefully walked up to the door, remembering how her brother told her he often sleeps in that very room. She placed her ear gently against the wooden door, listening for any signs of life inside. A sleepy groan sounded from the room, as well as some rustling that the druid could only assume meant he was waking. She turned her head back around for the fox but it was gone, no trace of it left. A small smile tugged at her features underneath the mask as a silly thought popped into her head.

 

“I wonder if it has ever heard one of mal’onn’s puns.”

-

[Oriaros 180]

A red-headed boy continued out about his day, ignorance shielding him from the truth as he’d beam with pride each and every time his eyes laid upon the forest green scale that’d rest upon the back of his hand. To him, marking his destiny to become a great, brilliant guardian akin to the likes of she who blessed him with it. 

 

He never understood why his mother’s eyes faltered whenever he’d flash it off for others to see, promptly declaring his faith for others to know, to which who’s amazement and surprise delighted him as more people knew how much of a special kid he was. Maybe because she’s still upset he got onto that one girl who lied about being a raven.

 

"She’ll get over it one day." he thought, finding her concerns quite silly but she is his mother, and there’s no time to focus upon concerns which are silly. For now, he’d bask within his tattoo, swinging a stick left and right ready to smite imbalance and protect nature… As he’s told a good dragon would do.

 

Spoiler

OOC Disclaimer: This was written within the perspective of a young child who doesn't fully understand the situation or the true nature of the mark. Therefore leaving it unreliable.  

 

[Acostrob 321]

Morean seemed to wake up from his sleep, he would look around the room in search for his wife "Where's she gone off to?" He said in a sleepy voice, before shrugging and falling back to sleep.

[Kholibrii 1211]

Naeri awoke only minutes after her mother's departure from the group, letting our a soft yawn as she used her left hand to rub her eyes, seeing as there was a small boy on top of her right. After a few moments she'd slowly slide the child into her arms, carrying him as if he was still a baby, placing him down near his father's side. Naeri then took the crimson blanket which she'd used while sleeping and wrapped it around her upper body in an attempt to shield herself from the morning breeze. 

 

"Haelun, where have you gone?"

 

The young woman softly huffed out, shaking her head as she wandered down the beach toward Aegrothond, her feet getting hit by the waves on occasion. As she continued her journey she'd approach a ruined building along the shore, gliding her fingers across what remained of the stone structure which was lost in the fight against the Inferi. Now making her way on the main trail to Aegrothond, Naeri began to pick up her pace, slowly jogging through the wooded area, rounding the turn onto the temporary bridge and entering the Citadel, now slowing back down to her original pace. The 'ame would begin to wander through the winding halls of The Citadel, seeming to have no place to go to, gliding her hands across the stone walls which surround her.

 

As she rounded one last corner she'd hind herself at the top of the Citadel, the thrown room directly in front of her, the braziers on each side softly lighting the dim room as she enters. When she reaches the center of the room she'd come to a halt, her eyes flickering across the room, going from banner to banner and even the murals which cover parts of the walls. After standing there taking in the surroundings for a few minutes she'd finally continue, making her way through the rest of the room and coming to the balcony that looks over the Bay and nearby islands. 

 

Naeri would begin to look over everything she can see from the balcony, first the island that was burnt during the  fights against the Inferi, then to the Monastery island which was now just ruins of what used to be beautiful buildings, next she looked over the Father grove island, which had recently been healed, her graze caught hold of a Druii taking their morning walk around the western end of the island, then finally, her attention fell to a small family of 'ame looking over a canoe which was painted with stories and tales. all of them softly chuckling at something together.

 

"This is what we fight for."

 

She softly repeated, a phrase someone very important has recently said to her, a large grin covering her face. As the sun continued to rise the golden beams of sunlight would begin to fall across the balcony, eventually making their way to the young 'ame, covering her crimson wrapped body in lines of gold.