She sat there staring at the sky, hollow eyes drifting from star to star counting every soul in the heavens. Each one beyond her grasp yet somehow feeding her existence with enough energy to sit and wait like a statue. The screams from the souls she had consumed before, ringing in her ears begging to be released. She couldn't tell you what silence sounded like with out screams, each soul she stole hoping to be released and begging for freedom. Some to The Mother, some to the Greater Spirit, but all bleeding into each other in a never ending white noise.
Her gargoyle stance and her perfect stillness melded into each other, turning her into what had almost seemed like a perfectly colored statue over watching The Valley below her. The Valley once held her home. The Valley once was loud and busy with excitement. Lives waiting for every single bated breath that was exhaled, and moments of suspence to pass. This was the world she grew in. To hope every moment held more for her every heart beat. Once there was nothing that could calm her, but as time grew older so did she.
Once was a time where she felt her soul, and she loved where she lived. Once; however, was a very long time ago.
The wind pushed her hair against her face, blocking her views of the souls safe from her grasp, and forcing her surroundings to her senses. The dirty pungent smell of wolves grew stronger as the whistling of wind through branches got louder as if it was a single object advancing in her direction. Moans and screams drowned out what she would have found were the footsteps of a pack and the snapping at following monsters hungry for another meal.
If she had feelings, she would have thought it odd that fear was non existent, or peculiar that the idea of running away was already miles away. This lack of emotion was not new. The lack of movement from her legs seemed to be her changed instincts. You will not be the prey. You are the Hunter. And so it goes.
Wolves stared at her menacingly daring her to move though she continued to look upwards towards the sky.
"Who are you?" The leader barked, the only one taking a human form. Her head fell to a tilt and red eyes that shined like fine opal looked at him through long dark lashes. She could smell his fear in that moment, and hear his rapid heart beat in his chest. She could see every one of his hairs stand on end. He looked... Appetizing.
Her smile at first was a very pretty one, strait white teeth behind soft pink lips.
"Let me tell you a story Wolf." She spoke. "Once there was only The Lord and The Lady. The Lord sang and the Lady danced to his song. With every step, she made the ground, with every note he made the wind. The notes were too beautiful for her to bare and her tears became rivers and oceans."
"I said who are you." He demanded of her once more. Her smile fell from her face. The breeze stopped and quite nearly all sound ceased except for the heavy breathing and warning growls of the wolf pack.
"I am the Lady's first mistake." She answered eyes staring back at the stars. "I am made of her dust. I am her reflection." The heavy stillness to the air could have smothered the light of a fire. "I am body." Slowly smooth gray skin, soft like marble, changed shape. Her jaw became square like a snake's and teeth grew the size of a young dragon's. White eye brows morphed into silver ridges and the opal shine grew into the whites of her eyes. " And just as She craves his light, I crave a soul."
The monsters that followed closely behind the wolves had caught up to the group. Out of the surrounding mountains more wolves in the form of humans came out to protect what was theirs.
"Father!" One of them called out in the form of a young man. His soul, she could taste it, strong, light, and satisfying. His movements were like quick bursts of wind, and his attacks were efficient slaying a good deal of the monsters trying to pick off his family one by one.
"Kouga! Take the pack and retreat." The elder ordered noticing the manic hunger in her eyes.
Her movements were quick, strong legs bouncing her from ridge to tree, and her sash billowing behind her like wings on a sky dragon. With pure ease she pushed herself towards the youth's direction claws shining with a deadly venom ready to consume yet another soul. Even though she was quick the elder was quicker and intercepted her attack on his offspring. Her hand poised ready to strike the heart was shot by primal arrow made of hollowed out bones.
"Father!" The Youth cried to the elder. "I won't leave you!" His promise however lead to his father's ultimate destruction. With his father's attention turned away from the main threat, overly large jagged teeth bit into his throat and ripped away. The horrified look on the youth's face and scream was ignored as she ate his father's soul before his eyes. Shaking with rage and fear, he listened to the instinct screaming at him to retreat. Thus he ran behind his pack defending what was left of the traveling family and lead them into a cave close by hidden by a water fall miles from the bloodshed.
As she finished consuming the elder wolf her face returned to the hollow mask of a beautiful woman and her hunger was momentarily satisfied. She stood under the starlit sky monsters evading her. Blood marred her marble like skin as The Lady shined shamefully towards her and the mournful notes of the breeze whistled through the trees.
Centuries had passed, the Lord's children progressed, and villages were raised from the valley she once lived. Time flowing on with her in her permanent form hopping from one region to the next looking for a soul to ease her never ending need. Her gluttony pushed on until one evening during the change of seasons.
The Lord's warmth was too dim to burn her skin while the Lady just started her chase for his light. A never ending cycle. New birth comes with new death and if a soul escapes her claws a Wisp will come and ferry it to the Ever Turning Wheel, where it will be born again in a new form.
Bandits were raiding near by, the tortured screams of women and children being raped and murdered could be heard through out the surrounding forest, a call for a feast as long as she could get there before any Wisps. Jumping from tree to tree she followed the sent of blood and sound of screams from the dying. Her face again changed shape, mouth drooling poison. Once she got to the village the houses burned and bodies piled high. Souls were in a frenzy not knowing where to go, making noise in the fires.
"Let me tell you a story," She whispered to the spirits touching each one with claws lapping them up as she went. That is when she saw him. An old monk dressed in yellow and red clothes with tattoos of lilies and Suttras. "Let me tell you a story." She spoke to him. He calmly looked at her and replied,
"Let me tell you the end." He took a shoe-less step towards her, thin anklets chiming against each other with every step he took. His scalp gleaming and eyes fierce."You have been stealing the Lord's children for far too long."
The Lord's light diminished past the horizon and the only light that surrounded them was from the embers. The Monk's words were a Lord's Child's, strong, soft, and warm. Far too warm and meaningless to the Firstborn of the Lady. Her face reverted back to that of a lady yet again and forced expression onto her mask.
"His children have lived for far too long." She took a step forward holding open arms to him. "I am sure Brother that your soul must be tired. Come rest." She spoke gently, like a mother to a child. "End it's weary travels and sleep."
"Your tricks do not work on me Serpent." The man spoke in tongues at her and the ink embedded to his skin started to glow. Advancing towards him her claws secreting venom and something in her screamed. "Tonight you will be sent back to your Dreaded Mother." She lunged at him quick and accurate to do critical damage to his strong and lean body. Muscles curled as he dodged
her relentless attacks on him. Hours had passed and the Lady began her decent back under the horizon. Both grew tired with every attempt to subdue the other, the air started to heat as the Lord's reign started again to start a new day.
With one last attempt she jumped onto him teeth and claws bared and with that moment the Lord's light touched her skin burning her as she ripped through the Monk's soul.
Perhaps it was the suttras on his skin, or the heat of the light coming over the mountains; which ever it was the souls she devoured prior were released and his had consumed her body. All his warmth scorched her from the inside. For the first time since her true creation she felt. She felt fear and pain, confusion and respect, compassion and envy. All colors and shades morphed into her newly made soul, and just as the Lord and the Lady had done for centuries before she had mourned as light touched her skin for the very first time.