#critter.fic

Grandmother wrapped a fine furred coat around her smiling as she watched her granddaughter approach with a wide grin on her painted face. The box in her hands was overflowing with decorations that still needed to be put up around the house. “Grandma where are you going? We’re still not done setting up!” She giggled and ruffled her granddaughters hair planting a sweet kiss on the top of her head.

“Just for a night stroll- Get some fresh air on my old bones before we have our celebration.”

Her granddaughter furrowed her eyebrows and eyed the clock on the wall. She seemed nervous as her eyes flicked from the clock to her grandmother standing tall and elegant in front of the door ready to leave. She had a good reason to be worried it was Naberus after all and who knows what would greet her on the road if anything at all. The night was still very young darkness had barely settled across the land grandmother was not worried at all though as she looked down at her granddaughter with a confident look. She has lived through many Naberus nights and she would live through many more. She knew to never leave the house without gifts. She recalled fondly on the ghostly hound she meet a few years back on her nightly stroll who she gave some scrap jerky she had in her bag.

“Should I get a servant to escort you? I’m sure one of them isn’t busy!” “Dear trust they are all very busy setting up for the party and other house matters. You leave them be now you and your brother already bother them enough during Naberus with your pranks and sca-” As if on cue her grandson jumped from behind a corner a kubrow pelt and skull draped over his body as he howled loudly trying to scare his sister. She just laughed instead and unloaded the box of decorations into his arms as he slumped defeated at yet another failed attempt to make his sister spook.

“I’ll get you one day sis.”

“Suuuure you will and one day you won’t get sc- BOO!” She laughed as her brother jumped nearly dropping the box of decorations from his hands. He glared at her from behind the kubrow skull as he stomped his foot and huffed turning away from her and walked off.

Grandmother chuckled as her granddaughter giggled, she went to follow her brother to make sure the decorations were set up “properly” but she paused turning towards her grandmother before she left face filled with worried.

“You promise to come back home safely?”

“I promise dear I have gifts to give to anyone I run into I’ll be home before the next hour.” She opened the door and stepped into the fresh cool night as her granddaughter turned to follow her brother. She began her annual trek down the path leading to the crossroads. She wondered how many spirits she’d meet some years she saw no one on others she ran into a lot. Who knows how many will greet her this Naberus year. She passed a few people on the road mostly other Orokin who where painted up for the festivities she gave them polite waves and nods as she passed. It wasn’t long though until no one was on the walking path and that’s how she preferred it as did the spirits. She inhaled deeply closing her eyes for a moment taking in the night air and it’s silence. In the distant she heard a long low howl a signal for anyone still out on the roads to hurry home. It seems the night truly started after the howl she could feel the nights energy shift in just a few moments as a low fog wrapped around the land and large dark clouds filled the sky. She opened her eyes slowly and smiled as she began to walk again. Naberus was an important night to her much more than just the simple mockery of death as most have made it out to be now a days. It was in her eyes a night to honor the dead, to honor death and the cycle of life. Many Orokin thought of themselves above it but she knew better. They where simply cheating death they had no real mastery over it and they where all fools if they thought they did. She knew one day death would come for them for the Orokin for everything. It was something she never dared to speak out loud to other Orokin even to her own family well except for Albrecht. Her and him would discuss many things that they could not speak to others freely. Topics that even other high standing Orokin would meet swift punishment for if they uttered them around the wrong person.

---------------Animal/Avian death skip to next break!------------------ She walked for a time before a loud crowing caught her attention turning her head a flock of black feathered birds flapped their wings as they cried out to the sky. She softened her face seeing their bodies hung from the tree a cruel display indeed. She’s sure some Orokin youth did it as a celebration for tonight the poor things did not deserve such a fate. She walked off the path towards their tree and they went silent looking at her. They puffed up their black wispy feathers screeching at her with anger as she approached. She may not have been one of the ones to end their lives so cruelly but she was still an Orokin still a sinner in their eyes. “Oh little ones I’m so very sorry here let me give you a proper send off.”

She reached out her long arm untying their corpses from the tree and setting their bodies down gently on the ground. They eyed her suspiciously but their feathers softened as they saw her treat them so gently. Though it was not enough one of the birds swooped down and landed on her shoulder leaning eerily close to her eyes a silent ominous threat. Her righting a wrong done to them would not be enough it was the bare minimum to rest their bodies respectfully it was not a gift.

She smiled at the ghostly bird petting its head softly which seemed to spook it a bit as it puffed it’s feather ups.

“Do not worry I have gifts to give.” She removed her jeweled earrings and her ornate bracelets placing them on the ground the flock of birds flew down and examined the shiny offerings. Pecking at them before they cawed flapping their feathers. It was an agreeable gift it seemed they picked the jewelry up and flew off into the night disappearing into the darkness. The one on her shoulder lingered looking at the bodies of the flock but grandmother nudged it a bit encouraging it to take off.

“You better go you don’t want to loose them little one.” The bird leaned close to her rubbing it’s beak against the side of her head a gesture of thanks before it took off from her shoulder after their flock into the dark sky. -----------------------------------------------

She continued to walk the lonely path as the sky opened up a ray of light illuminated a field she was strolling past . There on the grassy hill a silhouette of a girl sat softly crying on the hill. Grandmother approached her and she looked up sniffling. She looked down at her legs and grandmother looked down at them as well greeted by the sight of mangled twisted feet.

“I just wanted to dance…”

She crawled towards grandmother reaching out to her with her ghostly limps. Ah- this is a spirit she has heard about her grandson talked about “The dancer” as she called it. He ran into her last year and the boy offered a “final” dance which was customary with her. Many young men and women have been discussing her in recent years all of them giving her a “final” dance but none ever offered a solution. Grandmother leaned down stroking the poor girls hair. She reached up digging her nails in her arm.

“Please dance with me any dance-” “Oh sweet dancer you don’t have any shoes. How can you dance without shoes? Here- they may be a bit out of fashion but they are very good shoes they support any feet perfectly! Here try them on.” The spirit seemed shocked letting go of grandmother she sat back on the grass and watched as the older women leaned further down removing her shoes. She then reached out to the girl gesturing for her to extend her leg which she hesitantly did. Now- if the girl was living the shoes would most certainty not fit and even if they did they would have not helped the poor girl achieve her dream of dancing. Spirits did not abide by such silly things they ran off of emotions and intention. Grandmother watched as her foot untwisted fixing itself as she slipped her shoes onto the dancers. She slowly stood up Grandmother helping her. Steadying her for she has not stood on her own two feet in many years. Grandmother smiled at the young spirit who began twirling on the hill side dancing getting a feel for her new shoes. She turned towards Grandmother the night sky shining on her she hugged the older women tightly and she hugged her back as well planting a soft kiss on her head.

“Please will you dance with me?”

“Of course dear I wouldn’t dream of leaving you without a dance.” Grandmother may not have been as agile as the girl but none the less the two enjoyed a dance laughing as the spirit felt fulfilled. Grandmother watched as she began to disappear from the realm of the living and by the time the dance ended she was gone but the warmth of her happiness hung in the air. A quiet whisper of thanks passed by her ear as she turned to continue her walk down the path. She didn’t come across any other spirits after that and as she reached the end of her walk she looked around as she sat down on a bench she had installed just for her to rest her bones on her walks. Usually she would come across a spirit at the end. They’d be waiting here at the crossroad. It was a very powerful place and many spirits where drawn to it for many reasons. Though it seemed this Naberus it was empty she closed her eyes and leaned her head back enjoying the silence of the cool night as she took a short break. Unknown to her the fog that clung low to the ground began to rise darkening in color wrapping the crossroads in an unnatural light. The temperature dropped suddenly and as the quiet click of hooves could be heard coming down from the path way Grandmother opened her eyes her heart beat quickening. She slowly stood up looking into the dark fog as the figure of a keith and it’s rider slowly began to emerge. Her skin broke out in goose bumps as she was greeted with a faceless figure. They stood and looked at each other Grandmother was stun locked as she studied the hollowed rider.

Even though she had no mouth to speak an otherworldly voice filled the air stern and demanding.

“Present your gift.” Grandmother looked down all she had was a few pieces of jewelry and her lavish fur coat keeping her warm. Looking up at the rider and their keith who stomped dragging one of their front hooves across the path. She swallowed a lump of anxiety as she observed several heads attached to the saddle of the keith blood slowly dripping from a few of them still. Her mind began to race trying to come up with anything to gift the lonely rider. She swallowed down her fear and spoke with shaky words trying her best to not loose her wits.

“Well a coat of fur would do you no good I suppose.” “It would not for I feel no night wind.” The rider reached to her side slowly unsheathing her whip blade.

Grandmother fiddled with the few pieces of jewelry she still had but she knew they also would be rejected by the rider.

“Valuable jewels hold no value to you either.” “That they do not, I have no need for them for my flesh can not be pierced to wear fine earrings. Nor do I have the eyes to take in their beauty but even if I did they would still be nothing but shiny rocks to me and I am not a bird who values such things.” She approached Grandmother slowly as did her loyal keith who loomed behind her.

“It seems your head is the only gift you can offer. Give it willingly and no pain shall be felt but try to deny me and pain you will feel.”

Grandmother took a few nervous steps back her mind racing to try to come up with something to gift the rider. She did not wish to leave her beloved family behind. She did not wish to break her promise to her granddaughter that she would return home safely. Right as the rider was face to face with her it clicked in her mind. She did have something to give in fact, something so valuable she almost didn’t want to part with it but the glint of her blade convinced her.

“Dagath.” The rider stopped tilting her head at the women confused for moment but she realized what she was offering. She stepped back lowering her weapon slowly intrigued by the odd but powerful gift she was offering.

“Hollow-Rider, The faceless rider, the headless women- none of those are a proper name now are they? For many years you have gone without one well no more will you wonder fair rider. Take mine find new purpose as Dagath “the mirror that accuses”. Return to the night with a new purpose and let me return to my family as their grandmother.“ The fog began to lower back down losing it’s dark color. The keith nickered and bobbed it’s head in agreement it thought it was a fine gift for it’s rider. For it had a name but she did not. Grandmother stared at the empty face but an eerier glow filled the empty and she was greeted with a reflection of herself with a soft smile before it disappeared leaving a shimmering glowing reflective surface where her face would be. The rider turned away from her and hoisted herself up on her steed who reared neighing loudly with joy. The rider turned away from her but not without a final word before she rode off back down the path to return to her nightly ride.

“Go grandmother return to your family this night and let them know the Hollow-Rider is hollow no more.”

She nodded as the keith galloped away into the fog disappearing leaving Grandmother all alone at the crossroads. She fell to her knees the fear that gripped her finally released she felt a sort of emptiness inside of her. For she had a name no longer and it was a strange thing to have something so important to you to no longer be yours. She doesn’t know how long she sat there but she rose eventually as she heard the familiar voice of her son call down the path she could hear the underlining fear in his voice afraid he would not find her or worse he would but not as she left.

“Oh dear please lower your voice! You’re going to disrupt someones night with your hollering.” Rushing over to her he looked his mother over before sighing seeing she was missing her shoes and almost all of her jewelry.

“Mother…..your night walks worry me! Please don’t wonder so far from home next year….”

“Oh I hardly went that far dear! Now help your mother home for I’m a bit weak in the knees.”

“What happened? You’re trembling mother.” She gripped his arm as he helped her walk back down the path to the safety of their home. She sighed deeply leaning against him for support.

“Oh dear I gave away something most important tonight.”

He scrunched his eyebrows with a look of worry but she just smiled at him softly patting his arm.

“Now you must never utter my name again dear for it is no longer mine you hear? I am a grandmother and that is what I am to be called from now on understand?”

He sighed deeply a look of sadness crossed his face.

“Who has your name? Who could have possibly taken such a thing from you?”

“The hollow-rider but she is hollow no more. With a name she has a purpose now and I’m glad she has one. Even if I do not have a name I am a grandmother and that gives me a purpose still but she had none.” He nodded there was nothing he could do about it so he would not waste words to object or complain. What is done is done he is just thankful she is able to return home safely this night.

“Oh this will make a wonderful Naberus Tale I can’t wait to tell the children!” She smiled softly as he shook his head his mother was ever the positive one never letting anything drag her down.

“Well let’s get back home to them quickly then.”

--- "Small" time skip--- Grandmother softly snored inside her pod curled up enjoying the warmth faint memories of her life before danced in her head giving her a rare but welcomed pleasant sleep. She slowly stirred though as she felt a presence approach her. Unfurling the pods petals she rose stretching yawning loudly as she looked at who stood in the door way she laughed as she leaned forward propping herself up on the petals. She grinned at the familiar figure standing in the shadow of the doorway. One she has not seen for many many many years. A figure she would never forget one of the very few memories that was still crystal clear in her head despite the state of her mind.

“Oh Dagath I’m afraid you’re a bit early for Naberus! Come back in a few days and I’ll have a gift ready for you then.” The figure seemed to laugh at that as she approached grandmother opening a bag filled with tokens. Grandmother smiled as she took it gesturing to several items near her.