Back story! Visit to Fire Mountain. Will be editted to add more material.

[golden_hawke]

Travel by Naroon'hah was not necessarily hard but it was tedious. To spend the course of nearly a fortnight on the back of said animal that more or less served as a living barge was interesting at best, lethally boring at worst. The only people who were with Hawke on this particular journey (at least those he was close to) were Shai and Roo. They would remain for the course of five full turns of the moon. For training.

Hawke wasn't apprehensive about staying that long. He knew Kirin and Kirin customs, and of course he was Faunlyn. But he'd never been away from Sohl for so long. Not that they were attached to the hip--well. Maybe a little bit. But still, five moons was a long time and the Mountain was in the center of Four Winds, a desert place that no human dared to venture. How fortunate for the Faunlyn to have a series of underground tunnels that allowed them to travel out of sight and away from the harsh climate of the land.

Emergence from that ancient route had Hawke's stomach in knots that were only slightly quelled by the soft fluff that rested in his lap. Whenever he moved, Roo's dark tail would squeeze gently around him as a purr bubbled from his friend's throat. With a small huff, Hawke flopped over onto the Kirin's side, nuzzling into warm, smooth scale as he sought comfort.

"All is well, Hawke," Roo purred softly, speaking with the accent of Fire Mountain. He had been raised there for longer than he had been living in Earth. There was a story behind his upbringing that the human had yet to learn about. Sharp claws scraped lightly against Hawke's skin, making the nerves tingle and his body to shiver.

The lumbering creature finally came to a halt, settling with a groan as various traders and travellers disembarked. They had all sympathized with Hawke's uneasiness, assuring him that no fear could ever be found in Fire Mountain. Hawke of course, agreed. To be afraid was to allow one's mind to be closed and the body to lash out without direction. Fear of the unknown was crippling, sometimes even deadly.

It still did not calm the twisting of his gut.

He helped unload the supplies, using work as a distraction as accustomed himself to the familiar but not quite surroundings. The smell in the air was slightly different even though the cavern was almost the same as back home; grassy fields, the sound of water, Lightkin's magical orbs creating 'daylight' as he worked. But work could only distract for so long. Gleaming pearl scales shifted beside him as the maw of a hand clasped his shoulder.

"We should go, now."

Hawke didn't hesitate leaning into the tall body beside him. He would stand tall and make his teacher proud once they started walking. Hawke was Faunlyn. He was BloodSpeaker. He would not disappoint.

The mountain was similar to Earth: A mere ghost of its former glory. Where thousands upon thousands of Kirin once lived, there were perhaps maybe 1500 remaining. Many of the structures of the mountain were closed off and unused. Now only the upper portions of the Mountain were inhabited. And the upper portions of the mountain were truly up. Giant columns of carved and honed stalagmites stretched heavenward to the point of the mountain, providing homes in hollowed out levels as well as the flat platforms on top of the monoliths. Stairways and rope bridges connected the twenty pillars that easily dwarfed the tallest trees on Earth. Skyscrapers may be a human marvel, but they were nothing compared to these natural structures.

Hawke, having seen those skyscrapers once, gaped openly at the pillars. As his neck strained he could feel his head swim as he tried to comprehend the dizzying heights. He moved forward when prodded, walking silently. Instead of climbing the stairs, a lift supported by ropes and the stone column that would be lifted to the top of the column. From there were a set of rope bridges that were situated like spokes of a wheel and each bridge connected to a different pillar. Each pillar ranged from one to two football fields around.

Shai stepped out first once they were at the top, his hooves sounding heavy on the stone. Roo came second with Hawke close behind and his tail wrapped around the blond's waist. While Hawke was used to heights, on Earth Mountain those heights were sloped and layered with floating rocks and slate that followed the lines of the mountain interior. Here the heights were nearly vertical and made him dizzy and disorientated. It didn't help that any normal everyday activity came to a sudden stop when they stared at him.

Kirin's eyes were different than human's. They had no white part or black pupil. Their eyes looked like solid marbles, making it nearly impossible to tell which direction they were looking in. Hawke knew that every pair of eyes were targetted on him, and he didn't like it. He remembered this happening when he was new to Earth Mountain, but those memories were vague because he had been six. Ten years passed since then, and those statues seemed to strike his soul harder now than ever before. Hawke lifted his chin, pulling his hair away from his face and followed Shai, not sparing the others a glance back.

Platforms surrounding the lift pillar contained large tents and Kirin milling around them. This particular platform had the most colorful tent from what Hawke could see. His head tilted to the side as he looked at it and the silent question was answered. "That is the Elder's home."

The Elder turned out to be a Firekin bathed in scales of scarlet red and streaks of gold and orange that made him look like a living firework. The moniker "Elder" was just that. This man was slightly younger than Shai himself, give a century or two. And it was this 'young man' who scrutinized Hawke as he stood before him. "Mmm. And you have passed all the tests that a young Kirin must in order to remain Faunlyn."

Hawke's head dipped low. "Yes. I bear the mark of Faunlyn. I have taken a First. And I am Shai's student."

The Elder's brow ridge arched at that statement. "Shai's student? And here I heard that Shai refused to teach others. Now he has two? One as a human, at that." Even though it wasn't asked verbally, the Firekin's ear flicked as his shifted his gaze to Shai.

Shai bowed his own head, respectfully showing his horns. "He is worthy. And he is here, honoring the request of a mother."

"A mother?"

"I believe she was known one time as Illeanna."

That made the Elder sit up. "Illeanna." The name rolled off his tongue as if he were remembering a long forgotten memory. "I have heard stories about her. Many, many stories. But that had been a very long time." His attention snapped back to Hawke as his tail swished thoughtfully. "And many, many cycles have passed since then. Surely she has passed--"

"And has been born again. Humans pass through their own cycles to their Ancestors much more quickly than we do."

The Elder listened but he wasn't looking at the large Moonkin. Instead he came close to Hawke, peering into the teenager's grey eyes. Hawke remained still, unblinking as he waited. "I believe you have eyes like her." Firekin sat back, smiling warmly before addressing Shai. "You and your brother always had a penchant for picking up strays, didn't you?"

Shai didn't smile, but his expression wasn't hard. "The strays know where they will be well cared for."

"Aha! Truth!" There was a sudden flourish of tail and scales as the Elder clapped a hand on Hawke's shoulder. "I am called Aohd'han. This is my mountain. Before I was given life, your mother lived here for a time."

Hawke didn't question it. Kirin were very long lived creatures and it wasn't startling to learn that they could have known a human in a past life and remember them today. What was startling was that the said human had been his own mother. Hawke had to take a minute to process that before he could speak again. "You... this mountain knew my mother?" He did not dis-believe it, but in turn it was very difficult to comprehend. His eyes shifted both to Roo and Shai. "Does she know of this?"

Shai's sapphire eyes shifted slightly as he shook his head. "The body can take many turns to remember what the soul has not forgotten. She knows, but she does not remember yet. And it is something we cannot tell her until she is ready."

"But why tell me?"

Aohd'han fell back against some floor cushions, stretching with a small sound before answering. "Because your Teacher believed you were ready to learn!" The grin was back on his face, showing sharp fangs. "And I must admit, I too am curious about new things. I wish to talk while you are here about humans."

"Yes, of course--did I live here before?" Perhaps that was the reason why they were here? Even though his mother had a life here at one time, perhaps he did as well.

"I do not believe so," Shai responded. "Your soul feels... new, as Poe said once. But to learn of Faunlyn is to learn how your mother was woven into our stories. It was not chance that you came to live with us, Hawke. There is much to learn."

"Yes, there is! But first, you must be tired from your travels. My home is your home. There is a tent that has been set for you on the sixth pillar. Once you have bathed, there will be a meal for you, and then you may rest." The Elder nodded once, curling his tail around Hawke's feet. "Do not worry, young one, your questions will be answered in time."

The baths were down on the 'main lever' of the mountain with the majority of them hollowed out stalagmites. Some were larger than others and there was one pool that didn't have a wall; more or less, it was an 'inground pool.' Shai had to meet with another BloodSpeaker so the students were left to their own devices. Roo knew the mountain and could act as a guide for Hawke. Once again he paid no mind to the stares as he walked with Roo, knowing that it would be sometime before the mountain became accustomed to his presence.

The girl who was in charge of the soap jars stared openly at the blond who walked up. Hawke was beyond polite to her, bowing and greeting her formally. "I am looking for a newborn cleanser if you have some? And a jar of the pine, for my friend." He motioned to Roo who was trying to lift the heavy mass of hair from his face as his tail gave a wave, his long hair serving as a flag.

The girl was too stunned to move at first and continued staring at the pair. Finally she shook herself from it, the jewelry hooked onto her horns tinkled softly. "But you are not a new born!"

He smiled softly, his words gentle. "I have no scales."

"Y-yes. Of course." Two jars were passed to Hawke without much thought, her eyes still staring at his face and chest, lingering on the tattoo over his breast. She didn't even acknowledge his thanks as he walked off with Roo to look for a secluded pool. Hawke was becoming uneasy again with eyes following him. While he did not mind looks and curiousity, having everyone gape at him felt a little too much like being put on display.

Comments

[crux-ofmylife.livejournal.com]

This is really lovely *_*