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The Valley of Shelter.
In a long time past, not long after Kestrels death at the fall of the Lord Armen’s City. When the beastmen looked for a place to call their own, where they could seek sanctuary and safety until they were strong enough to venture out again.
Our story starts with a great Beastman known as Talat, a cunning and clever beast, fast and agile. He travelled with a small pack, which hunted in the northern mountains, food was scarce at the best of times, and the winds cold. That year the winter grew so harsh and cold that tracking prey became almost impossible, and the cold bit through their thick pelts. Yoni, one of the females of the pack turned to Talat and said, “I am concerned for myself and the other females.” “For what reason?” “I and my sisters are all with cub, and the winter grows too cold, and the hunger rises within us. If we do not find food and shelter soon we shall lose them and possibly ourselves.” Talat looked to the mountains, turned to the rest of the pack and spoke. “I see a cave about half way up this ridge. The wolves that lived there died not long ago, we shall settle there for the night. In the morning I shall look for food, I shall leave before the morning sun rises.”
As the morning sun rose Talat battled through the wind and snow, which clung to him, but he pushed on knowing he must find food or die trying. As he walked till almost noon. His legs felt heavy bellow him and he stumbled against the rock face grappling for something to hold onto, but he slipped upon the ice. He felt his ankle snap as he tumbled forward. He lost consciousness before he even hit the bottom. When he awoke he found that himself in a bloody heap, but grass bellow his battered body, he looked up to the mountains rising above him he slowly turned and looked into the valley, he gasped at the site before him. The purity of the valley took his breath away, he stopped a watched the gentle patter of rain fall into one of the lakes down bellow. Suddenly he thought of his companions stuck in the cave, freezing. He felt the urgency to bring them here safely. As he stood he felt his leg give way under his partial weight, knowing that his leg was easily shattered and probably bleeding heavily he knew that even if he could stand he wouldn’t be able to make it back to the cave before he died let alone bring them to the safety of this lush valley. He whispered to the wind, “ Spirit I ask for you favour, my pack waits for my return to them to bring them news but I cannot stand, and I doubt that I will survive for long. Allow my spirit ride upon the wind so that I may bring them to this place.”
“I am old and tired.” Came the reply “I will allow you this if you were to take my place, so I may rest at last.” Talat didn’t even need time to think and he pledged his promise to it, “Bring my people to safety, and I will take your place as spirit of this Valley.”
Yoni Sat watching out of the cave face when she swore that she saw something glitter in the snow fall. As she looked she made out the shimmering shape of Talat standing before her, a green light covered his body and she swore she could see throw him then she heard a voice calm and clear, “Yoni follow my trail, I will lead the pack to safety, but do not hesitate, I will not be able to guide you for long.”
Yoni woke the rest of the pack and quickly they followed the spectre into the wind and cold snow fall. They walked for three hours and Talat warned them of all danger and showed them how to transverse the treacherous mountain trail. As the snow started to clear, Talat turned to the pack and spoke, “Do not cry for me, I will always watch over you and all our kind within this valley. While I lived I made sure I could offer you all the safety I could. I will do the same as the spirit of this Valley, This Valley of Sanctuary. Show it respect and it will treat you well.” With that his body faded from sight and the green light danced then spread to the wind. Yoni Lead her pack into the valley floor where they found Talat’s broken body, cold and stiff. They wrapped his body in cloth, built a funeral Pyre from the fallen wood, place his body upon it and let his body to the wind.
This is why the Valley was first known as the Valley of Shelter and also why we burn the bodies of our fallen, so their spirits may return to the winds. |