Ancient legacy

Well, here we go again... expect this chapter to be updated and edited to tears since I have no beta... and English is not my first language... I wanted to create as different a world as I could... Rustic, alien and beautiful... dunno if I did good. Please let me know if it pleases you?
*Edited 1/17/11*

Chapter 3: Down the rabbit's burrow

The early spring fog curled lazily around the tall trees of his homeland. Pale rays of light struggled to pierce the gloom to shine over dormant grasses and roots waiting for the sun's warm embrace to stretch heavenwards. Standing up, he shook his head, sighing with relief as his ears and tails unfurled from hiding at long last. When he was Chosen 19 cycles ago, he'd undergone his first transformation. His mother the Pillar, had warned him that given his Elemental Choice, he would walk between worlds. Such was the nature of his magic. To this day, it took more energy than he wanted to expend just to remain on his neutral birth form. Thus, he traipsed all over Breswen sporting a fox's tail and ears. He stretched, taking a deep breath. The fog extended icy, cold tendrils around his bare midriff, making him shiver.

'Should have brought something warmer. Must remember to bring a change of clothes if I'm allowed to return.' he mused distractedly, rubbing goose bumps from chilled skin. The cold morning air condensed his breath as he walked home briskly. Fire, his element, made him particularly vulnerable to cold and preferred the toasty warmth of his own room inside the compound.

'Ah, my hearthstone! How sorely I've miss thee!' a sigh left his lips willing the warmth inside his mind into his half-frozen limbs. The hard soil crunched loudly as he tread his way home. His eyes rose to absorb the bare limbs of the trees above him, taking in the patches of green that spouted seemingly overnight. He nodded approvingly.

'Frost started early this cycle.' a gamin smile spread his handsome face before he bent to go under a fallen log, his clawed fingers running lightly over the log's surface. His ears twirled busily, taking in sounds and sights of life teeming around him while thinking of the boy he left behind: his anamchara, his soul-mate, at long last. Desire and longing tore into his soul whenever his mind's eye pictured the ever-changing kaleidoscope of barely repressed emotion crossing over his mate's face. Those lavender eyes were a particular source of fascination for him.

'In order to confirm the golden flecks shining inside that purple haze, I believe I will be forced to come lots closer to you, my anamchara!' A perverted smile curled his lips while his tail twitched. He'd been truly surprised when he found the boy -a male- stretched comfortably on a branch of the Guardian; smack in the midst of the magic circle where he was told he'd found their new Pillar. At first, he'd turned his back on him in confusion because surely it couldn't be right. A male couldn't be Pillar. He shook his head with amusement. Even as his mind reeled at the ramifications of a male Pillar, his instincts brought his body closer. His curious ears honed on the pleasant tenor that calmed his usually restless inner fox. Images trickled into his mind as his element recognized the youth for what he was: anamchara. He'd made contact with his soul-mate before he was consciously aware and by the time he crossed through the portal, the raging loneliness inside him vanished.

He knew there would be trouble but his instincts were unusually sharp. Traditionally, the Chosen were a triad: the fiery spark of life cradled deep inside fertile soil until it was ready to come forth and breathe. The Pillar stood at the center, blessed by the goddess, directing the motions of life. As an embodiment, he or she was mated to the Chosen. Their issue or closer kin were typically Chosen during their first Thiebnal. Since the current triad was all male, it was expected that the Pillar would be female. It had been so for the past 400 cycles. His father had been chosen like his sire before him. There was no particular rule concerning sex of the Pillar or the Chosen. Only that the mix was expected to bear blessed fruit just like the ground under his feet. He sighed tiredly. He didn't want to think about Niells's reaction when he was told of their very male Pillar and the patent lack of heirs in the future.

"Abomination! A bad omen! A curse! Unnatural!' I can almost hear him... old fart." he mused out loud, pausing for a second to take in his surroundings. His head cocked to the side, arms and legs akimbo, taking the view as if seeing it for the first time. "Really, I wonder what he will make of this." He grinned, thinking of the dark-haired teen he left behind. His restless gaze took in the dry grass dancing by the playful breeze, the naked trees shivering under the pale rays of light, the sprawling meadow that slowly awakened and further ahead the garths dotting the fields near Breswen. Fallow lands and pastures would be left to their own devices until next spring while the rest would have been divided into lots to be plowed and sown. He was looking forward to tasting the crisp early-spring greens and early tubers. They would make an interesting change to the dreadfully boring Winter diet. Guilt speared his chest. Their boring diet was directly related to their current situation, which had more to it than bland food. The wooden bridge resonated with his steps. Agitation sank its fangs on him and he stopped right in the middle to watch the murky waters flow restlessly towards the lake he knew was near. Eagerness and dread flooded his being, thinking of the task at hand.

'Surely they will understand. I know it is completely unexpected but they will adapt as will he. Given enough time, surely he will-' His mind screeched to a halt as he noticed the maudlin turn his thoughts were taking. Messing his hair, he let out a long shout; his voice echoing eerily. He blinked and finally realized where he stood. He let go of the wooden rail when a hawk screeched, circling over his head before swooping away towards Breswen. Intense yellow eyes squinted, following the bird's progress with sudden apprehension. He sighed shaking his head.

'What will be, will be. Go on Ru'n. Fly fast and tell Aherin the youngest has returned.' His booted foot stumbled on a pebble making him laugh with surprise. Turning halfway, he finally took in how far he'd come without running. A long time ago, watching him walk would have been enough to send for the medic. Now- He veered sharply off that trail of thoughts.

"My, my. Your mind is riddled with pitfalls. Time has changed you, Cinead!" He whispered humorlessly.

About an hour and a thousand waved greetings later, he finally made it into Vala Garth.
This garth was bigger than most because it housed the Ysbail or those consecrated to the gods. Built by the Chosen of the 12th Pillar over 150 cycles ago, it sat proudly atop a grassy hill a few lengths away from the center of Breswen. Each Chosen had his/her own area within the compound. It followed the traditional arrangement: Heat, Soil, Aether and at the very center, their Pillar. Each hearthstone or area was designed to provide the Vala or Chosen privacy and comfort depending their element. He thought with longing of his own hearthstones. The wooden furniture, covered in warm pelts and decorated simply with woven rugs and fabrics dyed in the deep reds, golds, oranges and russets favored by his element over practically every surface. The hearth would be piled high with logs to keep the temperature warm and toasty even in the midst of the coldest Winter. His bones throbbed with need for warmth, making him shiver.

'Maybe this time, Clodagh will surprise me with a hot cup of greine like she used to.' he sighed wistfully. Clodagh was his eldest and only sister; beloved of her brothers but cursed by the village cronies. Her sole existence was reason for strife and dispute. Only with Clodagh's birth was tradition broken... He scoffed. Insidious voices murmured against her mere presence in Vala Garth. They claimed that she was a curse placed upon Breswen by their enemies. That the curse was intended to weaken their strength, their lands and their men; only through her death would they be freed. And they came to the crux of the matter. Their mother, the old Pillar warned them against taking Clodagh's life. She was Chosen by the Tides and her safety must be ensured at all times. Currently, she was taking their mother's place while the new Pillar was selected and blessed. A virulent lung fever had taken her life and many others almost 4 cycles ago.

Before he knew, his body had taken him to his hearthstones. He hurt with cold and frost. Home, he was home. Safe, warm. Instinct screamed at him to burrow deeply under his blankets and furs, to wait until Dew'dashan brought along the fires of summertime. He pushed temptation aside, willing his errant feet to turn and take him to Clodagh.

Ill at ease with a mix of cold and trepidation, Cinead pushed open the heavy oak door leading to Clodagh's hearthstone. He mumbled apologies and entered, his eyes searching for the one that never left her quarters nowadays. Pain, sharp and hot, stabbed his heart as he took a second to study his Elder. Clodagh, his beautiful and sweet eldest sister was standing with her back towards him, her thick auburn hair bound in a braid that swung down her back. Her body was hunched over her scrying cup as she concentrated. He cleared his throat, trying to call her attention to no avail. He cursed under her breath when she did not reply.

'I must come closer.' he winced, taking a cautious step, then another and a couple more. His tail lashed nervously signaling his hesitation. That his tail and ears telegraphed his emotions was source of constant teasing from his brothers and sister. Soon enough, he was close enough to touch but he was loath to. He knew how badly she reacted to touch nowadays. He tried again, worrying his lip with sharp teeth as his ears laid flat against his skull. She was never good at coming back to reality whenever she scryed this deep.

"Clodagh..." He murmured soothingly and braced for the worst. With a frightened cry, she turned and retreated, panicking at the looming form before her. Her hip connected with the table, sloshing water all over her work. Frightened emerald eyes swept the room searching for escape routes as she panted, poised for flight. He cursed under his breath but stood still as a statue, waiting for recognition to come. Soon, her smooth, pale complexion turned waxy as her eyes lost their fight.

"'Tis Cinead, Clodagh! Do not fear. I'm Cinead, your youngest brother." he reminded her softly and she relaxed visibly but her eyes never truly left the door. His heart ached with despair as he fought his desire to gather her in his arms to soothe the fear away. His thoughts flew to the last Thiebnal, he could not believe how much they had changed. 'Only last Thiebnal', he thought, remembering her laughter and impish smile. He would wait for her to come out of her room and pounce! She would yip and hit him while laughing. Images of long hours talking and drinking greine flashed before his flickering gaze. He wanted to break something as he remembered what used to be her reaction to his teasing. He wanted her back to normal but that option was taken from them overnight.

"You came. What news do you bring?" She replied tersely after a while, willing calmness into her features. Awkwardness smothered them before she retreated, nonchalantly putting the worktable directly between them as she talked.

Cinead grimaced while staring at his boots, willing the tears away. She would be humiliated knowing she was the reason behind her brother's weakness. Of all of them, she was the one who lost the most. He repressed a memory with a slight shudder. Squaring his shoulders, he raised his gaze to confront her flat gaze. He owed her not to hide from her unwavering stare.

'She barely smiles now. She always used to welcome me with a hug and a laugh.' he thought sadly, remembering her smile and her warmth.

"I hunted high and low on the Otherside for the one who would be our Pillar. In the center of the magic circle, I found Aylwen's Other-self sitting among the branches of the Guardian." His words dried in his throat, hesitation in his every move. He was sure his search was true but he knew she would not like it. A male Pillar would be too much to accept after-

"Where is the one you were told to retrieve?" A curious voice interrupted his musings. Gold Sapphire and Emerald orbs turned their attention towards their interloper. Fox ears perked when his mind registered the previous Fire Choice, Niells.

"Niells!" Cinead moved quickly, offering his forearm in greeting. "May Ah'nu keep your fire bright!" he saluted, knowing his elder to be a stickler for tradition and protocol, even if he himself did not stick to it.

"Likewise... May she rest inside you... runt." The taller male replied with a teasing light in his eye. Cinead repressed the urge to roll back his eyes, aware the elder male would not hesitate to cuff him before his sister. "Now, pleasantries aside, tell me where have you stashed her? What is she like?" His eyes searched the room, inspecting every piece of furniture as if expecting the missing Pillar Candidate to spring forth out of thin air.

"Did not bring... there is no... I mean... well, feisty for a male, I guess." he stammered hopelessly. Shutting his eyes tight, he crossed his fingers while willing them to somehow gloss over the last part.

Silence met his words and he stepped back, hunching his shoulders in a defensive posture. His sister remained impassive while the previous Pillar's Mate paled. Understanding lighted his dark blue eyes and he patted Cinead's back hard.

"You almost had me! Feisty for a male, eh? You are a true Fire Choice! Your father would be very proud. In my time, I was known to be a bit of a prankster myself but now its time for business, Cinead. When you are nervous your tail always swishes so!" He laughed heartily before hardening his expression. "Once again, where is she?" he asked neutrally, as if expecting him to produce the expected female with a flick of his wrist.

'He's the Pillar not a hare!' He thought with an edge of hysteria, biting his lip to still the laughter that threatened to erupt at the absurd image of a lavender-eyes bunny rabbit.

"Cinead! The Pillar, where is she?" Niells prodded impatiently. Cinead flinched, utterly aware of eyes digging into his skull as if by doing so they could extract the information from his brain. He hated how young Niells always made him feel. Here he was, an upstanding member of society reduced to stammering, flattened ears and lashing tail of an uncouth youth. 'Get a grip on yourself, Cinead!' He squared his shoulders and met the steely gaze unflinchingly.

"I said it already. There is no she, unless you make us hunt a nearby village again. I went to the Otherside. I hunted where I was bid. I found Ysbail and he's MALE!" he bit testily, curling his fists at his side.

"Impossible! The Gods will not punish us with such a disgrace! It was enough with Clodagh! My sons will not partake of a male pillar! It's not seemly! That union would never bear fruit! You know the Choice usually comes to the children of the Pillar and their Chosen. She must have done something with the prophesy! Why else would the Pillar be a male? She feared being barren with the other Candidates so she is using this! My sons will not remain childless thanks to her!" The old man paced anxiously, raging against nobody in particular. In his rant, Clodagh and Cinead seemed to vanish from his notice. His sister's hands clutched his shoulders convulsively at Niells's words and he felt rage burn coldly inside his gut. A low warning growl erupted in the vicinity of his solar plexus.

"There is more at risk than your wish for succession and lack of heir! We are at war, have you not noticed? Blight damages our crops and children lie cold by their parents! Your sons, my brothers, were Chosen same as Clodagh and I! They have prepared for this day and surely both will accept their mate regardless of sex! If the goddess will it, then we are all willing to sacrifice future issue to attain peace! If our line must die with us so be it! We need a Pillar and Keenan, the Chosen One, is both male and from Otherside! There is nothing you can do to change it! Clodagh had nothing to do with it!" he practically screamed into the old man's face as if willing him and any doubters to believe him. Niells pushed him away, making him stumble a little but he kept his temper under firm control. He knew his words were provoking but they had to be said.

"Abomination! You were Chosen by Fire during the Thiebnal of your birth same as every Chosen before you! Piers, your father and I, Seathaach's eldest and youngest issue were Chosen along Liam, her 2nd cousin as the new Pillar's mates after her death! I hunted and found Maben, your mother. You know Maben was happy and our union was fertile! The rituals and the harvests were plentiful! The livestock was healthy and children were strong!" His breathing was labored as he paced with agitation.

"It was healthy for a reason but if you must lay the blame somewhere, please remember! It was you who sired two sons instead of one daughter! Tradition demands one child per mate, not two! No one suggested we get rid of either Aherin or Weylin and they were born a day apart under a mischievous star!" He barked, his inner fox tearing into his psyche, clamoring for freedom and Niells's blood. Unbidden, his eyes zoned into the other's exposed throat and the throbbing pulse he could practically taste. He felt his fox gathering to pounce into their prey. He was close, so it would be easy to snap that neck! His anger had triggered his inner predator and it wanted to bathe on pulsing innards and warm lifeblood. The need to run his prey to the ground, to feel it's life trickle out rose with his temper, making him blanch.

'Its been too long since I last allowed the fox to hunt.' he realized with dismay. Now was not the time nor the place to do so. It would have to wait. He concentrated on pushing away from the edge of madness as he tried to reason with Niells.

"Mother would never hear of it! Her children were a gift from the goddess! Stop this talk of curses and death!" He attempted to reason fearing words could be said that were best left unsaid. This raving madman was a caring father to all of them. In truth, the loss of his mind was one of the many casualties of being Pillar-less.

"Tides'd never Chosen until Clodagh! Liam should have paid heed when I warned him to drown her after the Choice! We are cursed! The holy triad plus one? Are you daft? Your arrangement has wrought nothing but death, blood and tears!" the pale face turned red with anger in the blink of an eye. Incensed, the man panted and paced like a caged beast spurring his own instincts. He paused as if searching for a way out. Cinead tensed and prepared for he knew the old man would not contain his fury for much longer. His inner fox purred with anticipation, he would be an easy kill. "If she does not lie, then you surely hunted wrong! The Pillar can not be male! Your brothers, you... only Clodagh... Unnatural! Lies! All are lies! Tell the truth, Clodagh! If your mother could see you she would die again of shame!" He turned accusing eyes on his sister making her cowered. Riled, Cinead stepped between them to draw Niells's attention away from his sister.

"She had nothing to do with this! She only recorded mother's-, I mean, the last Pillar's prophesy at her deathbed! You," he paused trying to gather his thoughts and leash in his temper. A rampaging Chosen was enough. Allowing his fox free reign would spell tragedy this close to the edge. "You knew about it and insisted on hunting for candidates closer to home! Tradition! Truth! Rightfulness! You taught us this yet you forced us to wait and endure! She lost more than any of us! She has enough reasons not to want another Pillar but she would never turn against her Choice! You, as Fire Chosen for the last Pillar and youngest issue to Seathaach know she can not lie when the Tides speak through her! You sent me, following the prophesy. I hunted and I found the Pillar, a male Pillar! The inner fox knows this to be Truth and claimed him! Ask your own after I bring him home!" He spat, his temper flaring but with a measure of control. Deep inside he wondered why Niells had not realized how close to the edge he was. Cursing, he swore he would not hurt the older male even if he attacked. He had to control himself. "I hunted and I found truth!" he barked as his hackles rose. His body trembled with tightly repressed violence. It would be so easy...

"Clodagh!" The taller male turned livid eyes on the frail figure behind Cinead. Her hands quivered slightly but she straightened, meeting his eye. He turned away. "Surely you heard wrong. Please explain this! You are our only resource. The Pillar can not be male!" he argued softly, searching for her support. Emerald eyes turned into deep jade as the Tides overcame her. Niells tensed as the bond of Choice stepped forth, curling fog rising from the scrying cup and wrapping like a cloak around Clodagh. She swayed lightly on her feet. Cinead wrapped an arm around her to offer support, uncaring of the bone deep cold that threatened to consume him.

"I once more bide thee spirit of fire to hunt high and low on the Otherside, for the one who must return, our Ysbail. Weaving their power, the coven beckons Ysbail: Ash, Fir, Rowan, Hazel, Hawthorn, Elder, Willow, Fir and Birch. Aylwen lies; dormant and waiting as the spirit of Ah'nu gathers around the guardian Oak. Darkness comes swiftly upon us. Strife and discord shall reign supreme until the Ysbail bloom o'er our fields." Her usually warm voice was tinged with frost and their breath clouded around them. Cinead knew the Tide was communicating the will of the goddess and he was bound to act. Niells balked at the order, unwilling or unable to recognize the Tides as messengers to the goddess.

"Abomination, you will bring the rage of the Gods upon us! You say Maben saw and guide us to a male Pillar? And you fox, you blithely accept a male Pillar to mate? You make a parody of our beliefs! Are we to have a male Pillar and 4 mates? What sort of issue will there be? The Pillar not the Choice births the new Chosen! 4 male plus 1 female equals a barren Pillar with coupling with male Air, Hearth, Soil AND a female Tide? May the goddess wrath consume you! The surrounding nations will scorn us! Cursed, I tell you we are cursed! Mark my words! Your silvery tongue spouts lies and it shall cost you! Tradition states we choose inside Breswen! Your detour from tradition will bring ruin upon us!" He screamed, finally at the end of his rope. His body sprang into motion, launching himself and his power against them. His intent clear: destruction.

"No!" In an instant, Cinead kicked the work table between them, retreating to the side while pushing his sister, still held in thrall, behind him. A warning growl and bark trumpeted his challenge, Athame at the ready. He would protect his sister regardless of the cost. Effortlessly, he called forth the protection of fire and held it before him like a shield. Warm flames licked at his skin with familiarity and ease, forming a cocoon around him. Ice cooled his flame with a shiver as the Tides stepped in to protect their Chosen. The room's temperature plummeted quickly around Niells, cooling his temper and exposing his limbs. The man's body seized in full-body shivers as he watched with apprehension.

"Fool! Leave before I am pushed to strike down one who was once blessed by Fire. Son of Fire, make haste, hunt and return to us what was once lost. " She stood regally, ice covering every surface around her. Niells cowered and turned tail when his body threatened to shut down due to the cold. Fire was not responding to his call so he knew he was bested by Tides. He scurried like a kicked animal, teeth chattering as he retreated.

"I hear and obey." Cinead bowed in acquiescence, ready to follow the Tides' command.

"Listen to our words, Fiery One. Return to us what was once lost but gain the Ysbail's complete acceptance before crossing through the veil. Once the choice is made, the path will close forever. If Ysbail does not fully accept, the Choice will not be permanent and Breswen will be torn asunder." The voice turned dark and forbidding.

"Leave now and make haste." His sister stumbled and sat on a nearby chair, breathing heavily. She refused to meet his eye and he understood her embarrassment. Whenever their element was channeled, desire speared through them. It would not be sated until dealt with. Either by their own hand or with a partner they had to find release. The energy left behind by their Choice continued to swirl and swell inside their bodies barely contained until an outlet was found. They needed their Pillar for rituals, harvests and this: sexual release. Cinead nodded and turned, leaving quickly. His body yearned for the warmth of home but he transformed in the blink of an eye. Taking off at a run, he detoured to use the shortcuts he usually favored. Now was not the time for delays. He was eager to see his anamchara. His instincts screamed with the need to hold and protect: to possess. He was wary of the task at hand but at the same time he anticipated meeting his beloved.

'His acceptance is key to the future of my people and our sanity, I know. That's one tall order to fill. How can I make him accept? Will he forgive us? Leaving it all behind, how could I make him do that willingly?' his mind raced as his paws swallowed the terrain as he made his way to the portal. A hare flushed out of its burrow and darted in front of him. He ignored it, pushing away the desire to give chase.

'Couldn't they tell me how to go about having his full acceptance, since they are so keen in having him back and all? What am I now, a miracle-maker? Making him accept without explaining will be a daunting challenge. He will hate my guts once he realizes... Maybe that's the idea...Nah... but surely...'

He located the portal and threw himself into it without completing his idea. He had a mate to bring home and he had an inkling on how to go about it. 'Anamchara...'


Dictionary:
Ah'nu - One of the names of the goddess
Anamchara - Soul-mate
Athame - Ritual dagger
Breswen - Main Seat for the Southern Lands
Dew'dashan - Is the first ceremony, marks the start of harvest. The goddess communicates with her people. About August
Greine- Stimulating beverage, cross between coffee, chocolate and tea
Otherside - Earth's dimension
Thiebnals - It's the fourth ceremony and the first after Winter. It's the most important one. About May
Vala - Chosen by elements
Vala Garth - The House of the Chosen
Ysbail - Chosen by the goddess


Please let me know of any errors... I had more planned but I found it too long, so I cut it in half. It's being written but I want to make sure I got Breswen right.