[tpl] pavati

s t o r m b o r n
☁
it was very loud, that night.
lightning flashed across the sky, the roaring of thunder following suit. the storm was absolutely merciless; its vicious winds blew over the icy territory of the north, branches bending at its will, the entire world seemingly tamed by its uncountainable wrath. however, mariabelle's attention wasn't drawn to the anger the heavens displayed, but rather, her newborn's cries. then and there, amidst the chaos of the tempest, her firstborn had come to the world- the newest member of the north tribe, the sickly pale palette of her pelt fitting the cold of their realm. silver and white mixed in a tender bundle of fur, huddled by her caretaker's side. the mother, exhausted and overwhelmed by fatigue, was only kept awake by her mate's encouraging words, his praise and love a source of warmth and hope to drown the sound of the storm raging outside their shelter. the picture of a happy family, untained by anguish and ready to take on the challenges the future presented, warmly welcomed their first daughter. pavati, mariabelle whispered, half asleep now. pavati, her mate echoed approvingly, placing a gentle lick to his newborn's freckled forehead. in the cozy darkness of the den, jackal swore he heard the rain subside ever so slightly, if only to let his family rest easy that night.


m o o n l i t
🌙
it was quiet. very, very quiet.
it had been four moons since the storm that welcomed her to the world had caused havoc in the land. now, with not a single cloud in sight, the moon was free to extend its benevolent glow across the dark horizon of the sky, its haunting light dauntingly illuminating the northern land. the symphony of cicadas that had disrupted the evening silence had grown quiet just a few hours into the darkness of night, leaving the three cats feeling awfully alone.
the process had been surprisingly easy; smooth and nearly painless, jackal & mariabelle's second daughter came gently to the world, so silent her parents had feared for the kit to be lifeless. however, pavati's little sister was very much alive, and just as eager to cuddle to her mother's flank. unlike their firstborn, who had earned her mother's spots & her father's pale colors, this new kit resembled a blank canvas, stainless white nearly shimmering as the moonlight descended to kiss her tender complexion. behind her father, pavati stared, wide-eyed, at her sibling. both the only kits of their litter, both rare cases, both bound to grow together. the tiny bengal decided she would be the best big sister (the bestest ever, even) the white kitten could ask for. 
she promised.


w o l f s b l o o d
✘
their family grew strong and happy, their days filled with glee. all four tribers saw warm summers and merciful winters pass, memories of stale anguish and fierce storms long forgotten. pavati's sixth moon was fast approaching, and just as swift to grow was her excitement. the stubby bengal couldn't wait until she became seven months of age and finally recieved her stone- she could barely keep quiet about it during the day, and fantasizing of the marvelous powers she would acquire in a few moons time kept her awake through the chilly nights. pavati was quickly familiarized with the tribe's icy territories, and even got to pick a few favorite spots; among them, an old, wise tree by the riverside, where she first saw a certain bird. a crow -a mere hatchling- with feathers as white and pristine as freshfallen snow, which reminded her of her younger sibling. the sight made her smile whenever she padded by, and she grew hopeful to befriend the avian family someday.
 her younger sister, sickly and frail, would follow her around and happily mewl at her joy. pearl's eyes as clear as her namesake, glimmering irises of depthless silver. despite her eagerness, pearl was usually kept indoors, away from threats and harsh weather. everything her older sister possesed, from physical strength to perfect health, the little kitten lacked, leading their parents to care over her with a watchful eye and distrusting paws. it was okay, though; with pearl as the little sun to keep them warm, they were a family. happy, loving, and everything pavati could ever ask for. for a time, everything was truly perfect.


e c l i p s e.
🌕
wether the evening was loud or quiet, she didn't know. she didn't want it to be, at all.
the illness caught them by surprise. it came stealthy and slow, grasping the delicate kit's body through soft coughs and faint fevers. the family hadn't seen it coming, not until the day their youngest daughter had fallen bedridden, wheezing and whimpering and unable to move despite the healers' best efforts. pavati could her them mutter the names of herbs and diseases she didn't recognize, and didn't bother to try; she only had eyes for her little sister now, as she always had, blue fixed on snowy white as they shared their last moments together. the stone-tinted bengal had stayed close to her sister's soft nest, not knowing what she was waiting for, but dreading the moment it came. her mother, sleep deprived and absolutely desperate, was tiredly licking her youngest daughter's forehead, eyes firmly closed. it was hard to see through the tears anyways, so the difference was barely noticeable. their father, sturdy and strong, weakly hummed by his partner's flank, his half-lided eyes ever watchful of pearl's slowly rising & falling chest. pavati left the heavy scene long past moonhigh, but it was hard to tell the time. her paws carried her towards her own nest against her will, and fatigue quickly soothed her mind into a dreamless sleep. she vaguely remembers waking up a few hours after and glancing through the dens' entrance to notice the moon was missing, failing to illuminate the inky, starless black sky. her parents weren't crying anymore, she noted, but went back to sleep without it troubling her. she found it hard to differenciate dreams and reality anymore, but in both realms, her little sister slept as peacefully as anyone could, taking their mother's lullaby to wherever she had gone when morning finally came.


a q u a ma r i n e
☼
seven days after her sister's death and seven days before she recieved her stone, pavati visited the old wise tree by the riverside.
it didn't seem as mighty or knowing anymore; it was a scrawny, dead thing, and the creaking of birds guarding their hoards no longer filled the air. the northern cat saw herself visiting this place so very often in the past couple moons, splashing with stubby white paws and teasing the youthful white crow that lived nearby. as the memories slowly flooded her mind, the soon-to-be apprentice found herself unsheathing her claws and digging them in the soil, teeth bared. there wasn't any love for this place left in her; all she had to offer was resentment and dread. her small sanctuary had been ruined by life's unconsiderate choices, just like their family had been broken. her parents tried their best to keep her happy, to make sure their firstborn was as strong and accompained as ever, even as they mourned their youngest kit. but pavati couldn't help being bitter, not even when she caught sight of the same baby crow, as pale and helpless as her sister had been, laying on the snow. the cat hissed angrily, snarling and growling at this tiny creature that reminded her of the one she had loved most. it wasn't fair. why were they so weak? why would the gods give the world a creature so frail it was born to die?
the she-cat was ready to turn and leave, paying no mind to how odd it was for the bird to writhe and squeal on the ground, until she caught a glimpse of wet crimson among pearly feathers. a messy cut on his left wing rendered the colorless bird hopeless. well, she couldn't just leave now, could she?
pavati debated long and hard, but finally picked up the bird, as gently as she could, and her heart broke as it weakly protested against her tender hold. "don't worry." she whispered ever so quietly, craddling the crow as she reached from some bandages her father had given her in case she got a scratch while adventuring- the gods knew getting in trouble was her main talent.
"you're safe with me. i'll be the best protector ever." the bestest, even, she promised in her mind.
she promised.