Harmony's Dream - May 1997Kristen Only!
Thursday 1
Kris is sitting calmly in the Umbra, practicing her silence ritual when
she is suddenly hit hard from behind. Marianna, seemingly in an insane
rage starts beating at Kris. Kris falls down. Just before Marianna is
about to pulp her, Andrena turns up and drives her off. She demands to
know what that was all about. Kris says she doesn't know, but it might
be connected to Samantha. Kris explains Samantha's current whereabouts
and behaviour. Andrena runs off to talk to Marianna. When she returns,
she tells Kris that Samantha swallowed a whole lot of medicine and is
in hospital. She says that Marianna is extremely annoyed with Kris, and
doesn't want to see her. Andrena takes Kris back to Bounteous Plenty,
and gets the wound on her back treated - Marianna's claws broke off
inside. Andrena then takes Kris out to run, as a lupus, to try and experience
the wolf.
Sunday 4
Kris speaks to Andrena about Samantha. Andrena is
fairly casual about it ("It is a Blackfury matter") and then demands
to know what Kris is doing tomorrow. Andrena says that Kris has not spent
enough time amongst the Blackfuries and they will be having a gathering
tomorrow night - Kris should be ready. Kris says ok and heads back.
Monday 5
Andrena arrives and knocks Kris unconscious. When she comes to, she is
laying in a grassy area, watching the sun finish going down. There is
a small of fresh sea air and clean growing things. Kris also feels
that she is in a caern. Andrena is next to her and says that she cannot
be permitted to know certain things about the caern yet, thus she had
to be brought here unconscious.
Kris is led to a fire burning up on a small rise. A pot is above the fire.
A number of Furies stand around the fire, awaiting Kris and
Walks-in-Dreams-Alone. As they approach and close the circle, some of
the older Furies start a quiet chant. Three Furies stand behind the
pot. The oldest says "You are Kristen Dreamwalker. Tonight, you are here
to run with the Baccantes. Every Black Fury must run with us at least
once in their lifetime, so as to know whether their place lies with us
or elsewhere in our tribe."
The fire dies as the last of the sunlight disappears from the sky.
The youngest Fury raises a chalice and a knife from the ground and
By the blood we shed each moon
She cuts her wrist and drips it the blood into a chalice and hands it on.
By the life we give to babes
The 'tween Fury cuts her breast and trickles the blood into the chalice
By the lore, earnt with pain
The eldest Fury cuts below her eye and blood runs into the chalice
We are all Furies, we give eternally,
So that life may know Gaia,
and Gaia may know life
The eldest holds the chalice high, to the dark Moon.
By the light of Selene
From the bow of Artemis
A shaft of silver
The moon flashes into full and light streams down, a bright beam,
boiling the blood in the chalice. The youngest fury drops the knife
and picks something else up.
By the claw of my sister
She cuts herself with what Kris realises is the claw of a Crinos,
set onto a handle of bone, and then passes the knife and chalice
to the 'tween Fury
From the bones of my mother
The 'tween cuts herself again and more blood is bled into the chalice
Life lost to know its abscence.
The eldest also cuts herself again and when she has given to the
chalice, it is passed amongst the Furies. Each bleed into the chalice,
and pass it to the next Garou. When it has passed around, it is returned
to the three in the centre and they each drink from the blood. The chalice
travels around once more. As Kris sups from it, she can feel a surge
of power, of strength and speed and a knowledge of her place, a feeling
of living life for the now. The chalice is returned to the eldest and
she casts the remnants upon the fire. The fire burns red for a moment and
then returns to a dull glow. The 'tween Fury speaks
What will you give, so that life may live?
Every Fury says "All!". The Eldest says
What will you do, so that a sister can feel the Earth and seek the moon?
Every Fury growls "Everything!". The youngest flows to Crinos and speaks
A shadow moves 'tween the moon and a sister - what will you do?
Kris knows that a shadow exists and it is the prey. All shift to
Crinos form and search out the prey. Kris is running with her other
sisters when a cry goes up - the prey is found. All the Baccantes
start to chase the prey, to chase the shadow from the moon. Kris can feel
the earth under her feet, the sea breeze in her lungs, the sudden silence
as the hunters pass, the bitter tang of fear as the shadow flies
before them, the spoor of the prey as it flees. Glimpse ahead
of the prey running. A sister moves to cut the two prey off to the left.
Another surges ahead on the right. The prey run, flee from the
Fury of the Goddess. The pack runs. Cold earth under paws. Cold night
air in the chest. Glory of the chase. The prey stumble. One is taken
by a sister. Another turns and stops in front of Kris. She strikes the
shadow. Orange-red tang of blood, full of fear. Tearing of flesh,
quenching of thirst, slaking of hunger. The shadow is gone. Selene's
light bathes a sister again. The prey is shared with the sisters.
The night is young. More prey awaits.
Tuesday 6 May
Kris awakens, sore and tired, sleeping in a hollow on a beach.
Around her are her fellow Black Furies, slowing wakening with
the new dawn light. The eldest Fury comes to Kris and says "So
sister - you have run with us, and known the true Fury within.
Will you stay with us? Or return to your home?" Kris considers
for a few moments and then says that her place is with her pack,
in Melbourne. The eldest nods and turns away. The rest of the
Baccantes either dive into the cold water or shakes themselves
off and head into the forest. Andrena guides Kris back to the caern,
where she is put to sleep. When she awakens, she is at Bounterous
Plenty. Andrena says that she is no longer to be Kris' guide,
but another will come. Kris says when, who, and Andrena replies
that it will be when it is. Kris goes home.
That evening, Kris feels herself slipping into one of her
nightmares. She is running along a street, with swords for
hands and is chasing someone. However, her other senses tell
her that she is on soft earth, near the sea. Kris takes control
of the dream, slowly, and then declares "This has served its
purpose. I know who I am."
The dream shimmers and the streets fade to become trees and
forest - a memory of the previous night. This too shimmers
and fades and Kris slips back into sleep.
Wednesday 7 May
Melinda and Marianna move into the lounge and wait for Kris' housemates
to leave. Melinda asks her if she knows that Samantha and her parent's
have gone missing. Kris looks surprised and says she hadn't known, but
she might know where they are. She shooes Melinda and Marianna out
and heads to Bounteous Plenty. They give her directions to find Andrena,
who is in the Fitzroy Gardens.
Kris trots off there and says hi. She asks Andrena where Samantha and
her parents are. Andrena gives her an odd look and says that Samantha
is fine, she`s being taken care of. Kris asks where and Andrena says
that Kris doesn't need to know at the moment - she is safe. Kris starts
to get narky. Well, where are her parents then? Andrena stares at Kris
with an odd expression and says "what?". Kris says "Where are they?,
What has happened to them?" Andrena looks at Kris like she is an idiot,
and says they came between a sister and the moon. Kris looks blank.
Andrena is starting to get annoyed now and says "What do you thing you
were doing last Monday night?" Kris' expression changes through about
5 differnet emotions as Andrena continues. "They came between a sister
and the moon, and we did what needed to be done." Kris seems to have
trouble with the concept that Sam's parents were there, because they
were in Melbourne, and Andrena walks off a bit. Kris runs after her and
says that she never would have condoned that if she had known - they
may as well slaughter 90% of the people in the world for the same reason.
Andrena says "That sounds like an idea." Kris looks shocked. "I'm
not human Dreamwalker - I care very little for humans." Kris snaps
back with "Neither am I" to which Andrena replies "I know it - but
I don't think you understand it." and leaves.