The Birthright

The Birthright

The pull of the spirit reached through the planes of existence, calling all who would hear it, beckoning to the time of creation. The cycle of seasons had renewed more than four thousand times since the last calling, longer than most... but now the time drew near, and the place had been chosen.

***

The dense forests were alive with chatter, the songs of birds filled the air as the morning sun rose over hills and began to shy away the wispy fog of the night. Bright sunbeams peeked through holes in the forest canopy, shining beautiful rays of sun through the moist air and illuminating small patches of leaves and foliage on the ground. All the energy of the forest was focused, waiting on the event that drew closer... this dawn would bring with it new life.

And with the place finally chosen, the Keatone began to gather.

A race unlike any other… the Keatone were a mystery to every other race they encountered in their travels. Ever curious and ever young, the Keatone never tired of observing the other creatures they found. Some proved to be great friends, others threats to the peace… and some just simple curiosities. But with each new species the Keatone observed, the wiser they became, and the better they became at defending the harmony.

Physically, they seemed so simple… a yellow fox-like creature with simple cloth clothing, standing on crouched feral legs only about five feet off the ground when standing at full height. They were all very small and thin, with torsos and arms barely resembling those of humanoid fashion. Each Keatone had three large yellow tails, tipped with white. The Keatone’s faces were that of an animal, long fox-like muzzles with pointed, perked ears. But their eyes… every Keatone had striking blue eyes that were almost hypnotic in their gaze, showing such intelligence, curiosity and innocence. Every Keatone that is, but one.

In a valley of the hills, the Keatone gathered. In the valley was a clearing, formed naturally with the forest lining the edge in all directions. In the centre of the clearing was a small platform of woven branches and roots, on which a pregnant Keatone lay. The soon to be father held the paw of his mate, both knowing the time was near. Around the platform a small group of Keatone danced in synchronization, swirling streamers of long reeds as they danced. All around the spectacle the other Keatone gathered, until almost 3000 Keatone filled the slopes of the valley.

A few small birds sat perched on the edge of the woven platform, chirping the song to which the dancers moved. There was no need for them to be trained, they knew their purpose, and so the Keatone smiled and watched the performance which surrounded the platform, awaiting the final arrival.

It wasn’t a long wait, and soon the last of the Keatone arrived. A young male bounded from the forest’s edge through the Keatone spectators, past the dancers and straight onto the woven platform, where he stood, barely able to contain his excitement. Looking at the smiling father with his emerald green eyes, the young Keatone finally spoke.

“I am sorry, am I late?”

“Not at all, Leyryn“ The father smiled, turning to look at his mate.

Finally, the female leaned forward, having difficulty balancing the extra weight as she whispered into her mate’s ears.

“It is time.” She whispered.

He nodded, and quickly retreated from the stage to watch with the rest of the spectators, leaving only Leyryn and the mother on the platform. Leyryn looked around nervously, thousands of Keatone curiously stared at him with wide, blue eyes. Even the dancers paused to watch the young one.

“You will do fine.” The mother finally spoke with a slight hint of pain, but giving Leyryn a reassuring smile anyhow.

Leyryn quietly nodded, grasping the mother’s paw in comfort and kneeling to deliver the child from her.

Quiet murmurs ran through the watching Keatone as the excitement and anticipation built, the dancers continued their movements, picking up the speed accordingly as the birds continued their sweet and simple song. The clearing and surrounding forest seemed to tingle with energy as the flow of spirit focused on the incredible scene… and before long, Leyryn held the small squirming mass of the new-born child in his hands.

Rising to his feet, Leyryn lifted the child into view of all to see, and the watching Keatone grew completely silent, also standing as tall as they could. Slowly as the flow of the spirit grew stronger they spoke, chanting a song in their language.

New life, it comes
New life, it sees
All spirit
Let Newborn jin us

As they sang the words, the spirit flow began to manifest, twinkling lights of blue and green filled the air as a silent flow moved around Leyryn and the Newborn. The birds ceased their song, and even the Dancers dropped to the ground as all the Keatone bowed in respect. And as the spirit energy wound its way through Leyryn and into the Newborn child, silence gripped the entire valley. Finally, as the spirit energy faded away, Leyryn looked at the child with his now deep-blue eyes, changed from the power of the spirit.

“Welcome, Newborn.” He whispered, looking into the child’s emerald eyes with a smile, before handing her into the mother’s arms. “It’s a girl.” He said quietly. The mother took the child with a wide grin and tear-stained eyes, barely able to contain her happiness as the father finally bounded back onto the platform to be with them.

At last, the Keatone crowd burst into smiles, happy laughter and cheering. Proud to have seen the first child born in four thousand years. Leyryn stood on the platform and watched the happy parents, before finally stepping off the platform, his duty now finished.

Within hours, the Keatone had all retreated to their various explorations… and the simple structure of branches and roots had been removed and scattered among the forest. The parents had taken their new child off to care for… all that remained in the valley was a simple stone with writing carved in it in the language of the Keatone, embedded in the ground where the platform had stood. A Birthstone marking the place of birth for the child.

Talinaqua
“Essense of the Winds”