My name is Estrid-Corill-Darrath. the daughter of Garinell-Litsom-Ellien and Illium-Corill-Nareen; And sister to Ajaht-Litsom-Esth. I have no fear of revealing my true name here. They will never find me I will never allow them to. I can't allow them to get me.
You might be confused. 'Who are they ?' You may ask.
They are the yeerks, a race of sentient parasites that crawl into your ear canal and drag their slimy bodies up past your ear drum, through the most sensitive parts of your ear; and then squeeze themselves into your cranial cavity. Though you won't feel any of this thanks to the numbing agent they secrete as they crawl through you. You might feel pressure, but you won't feel your eardrum snapping or your inner ear shifting to make room for the yeerk.
But that isn't the end to what they do.
They flatten themselves into every crack and cranny of your brain, completely covering it. Once they have themselves snugly wrapped tight around your little bit of gray matter, that is when they take control. No longer are you able to move by your own will or even speak for that matter. Actually, the yeerk has control of every function of your body except your own consciousness. You will be totally aware of what's going on every second they have control of you.
Your eyes, legs, arms, mouth… Practically everything that isn't a an involuntary function of the body. You no longer have control over your actions or choices. The yeerk for now on will be deciding what you do, when you do it, and how you do it.
The most horrifying part is the fact that they have access to your memories. They can open them up like a text file and read them. What they use them for is to be you. That is how they get more bodies and how people don't know about this silent plague.
You will be trapped within your own mind, silently screaming for help. But no one will ever hear you and no one will ever know what happened to you. The yeerk will play you so well that no one will suspect anything. The perfect infiltration method… Almost.
Every three days they must leave their host body and return to a pool called a yeerk pool to absorb liquid nutrients and light energy called 'Kadrona rays'. If they do not return to this pool within that time limit, they will starve. But they have ways to make sure they don't lose their host, so this isn't always a chance for freedom.
But there is good news, there are others who are fighting them here on this planet called Earth. They call themselves the 'Animorphs'.
They are a group of four humans, a nothlit, and an andalite. Though a very small group, they have caused quite a considerable amount of damage to the yeerks. Impressive considering this is just a group children.
I had met them during my mission on Earth. Though the circumstances were not the best…
I was commissioned by the andalite government to create a virus specifically targeted to eliminate the yeerks on earth. Due to my expertise in biochemical engineering… More specifically applied plintconarhythmic physics, I was able to develop a virus I believed will work only on yeerks… I was rather foolish in hindsight. Killing a whole species, no matter who they were, wasn't right.
But thankfully with Aximili's interference, the plan was quickly stopped.
Though my tutor Arbat-Elivat-Estoni's true, as the humans would say, colors were revealed. Not only had he murdered one of our ship mates during a battle' but he had also been quite willing to risk a whole planet in the name of 'science'. If only I had seen the truth sooner then I could've avoided that whole situation…
Through some fortunate events, he was stopped and left for dead in the yeerk pool. My actions were not left unpunished though despite the 'happy' ending. Not only had I lost the respect of Aximili but I had earned the ire of the humans as well. I had quite possibly almost caused the genocide of their whole species. They had every right to be angry with me. But that didn't mean it hurt any less…
As I took my first step into the ship, I stopped. My guilt weighed my hooves down heavily, making each step harder than the last. I couldn't help but turn an eyestalk behind me, looking at Aximili who was already cantering away. I felt a longing to run after him. To… Make things...
I couldn't leave things like this… I need to do something to help.
(Gonrod… I will not be leaving.) I stepped back off the ship's ramp, keeping my eyestalk on Aximili. I did not know what had suddenly made me change my mind but something told me that I should follow him. Maybe it was my guilt telling me that I had to do things right or perhaps it was simply my want to make things right with him. But whatever the reason, I could not leave.
Gonrod turns from the control panel quickly, looking rather startled. (Stay? Have you lost your sense Estrid?) He stomps his hoof at this, looking at me with all four eyes. I turned my gaze away from him, slowly shuffling around to chase after Aximili.
(Perhaps I have. Good-bye Gonrod, please tell my family of my message and… my fate. If you survive.) I pushed forward with my back legs, spurting me into a sprint. I dared not to stay to hear what Gonrod had to say. But much to my surprise as I left the ship behind me he did not try to stop me. But he did tell me this,
(Estrid-Corill-Darrath, may your tail be swift and your hooves be quick. You may be a foolish girl but you certainly do have talent. I look forward to seeing you again if we both survive this damn war.)
I couldn't help but kick up my hooves at this, signaling that I was pleased by his words. Yes, I was certainly foolish. That I could not deny…
But will my foolishness lead to my end or a new beginning?
I could not say really but right now all I knew was that I needed to get to him .
(Aximili! Aximili!) I called out desperately, stretching my legs far out with each step. He had gotten so far away so quickly. I hadn't realized how fast he was! I hoped that I could catch up to him! I stumbled for a moment over a hole in the ground, but I did not stop.
His head snaps up in shock, face already partially morphed into his harrier morph. He suddenly stumbles back onto his haunches as his legs were suddenly sucked into his body. I could've laughed at the sight but I was too focused on getting to him. I hopped over the scraggly bushes that he was hiding behind and skidded back onto my haunches for a quick stop.
(Aximili, I will be staying.) I said in a firm, sure tone of voice. Though I didn't feel as sure as I sounded.
(Staying? What about going home? What about making the people see?) Aximili demanded, already demorphing back into full andalite body. I ignored the sound of snapping and crunching of his bones reforming, sizing myself up to reply.
(I know you do not like me...) I started.
(I do not like you Estrid-Corill-Darrath.) Aximili confirmed, looking warily up at me as he rises back up onto his forming back legs.
(But I believe that I would be far more useful fighting here than returning home.) I looked at his expression carefully with my main eyes. I was surprised to see a flicker of happiness on his unusually stony expression. I held back the urge to smile at him because of it. (I do not wish to leave things as they are Aximili.)
I knelt down onto one knee, lowering my tail to the ground in a sign of submission. Shock slowly crawled across Aximili's face as he stared down at me. I lowered my eyestalks, keeping my gaze firmly on his.
(Aximili I will serve you and the people until my very last breath. You are my Prince and thusly so, I am always at your command.) I looked up at him with a firmly confident look as he stared back at me with an equally shocked one.
Aximili's face falls to a stony look once more after what it seems like minutes of silence between us.
(Estrid do not call me your Prince…) He replies in a deadpan tone as he scuffs a hoof along the ground. The only sign that he was uneasy. I knew why he was uneased by me calling him a Prince. Arisths are far below the rank of Prince and calling one that was considerably strange. But I needed something to make him agree to allowing me to join him in battle.
I rise back to my hooves, shaking my eyestalks in reply to this. (Aximili you are my Prince.) I stomped a hoof into the ground in defiance as I continued to stare steadily at him. I wasn't going to back down.
Aximili's face was starting to show the slightest bit of discomfort now.
(Estrid I am not a Prince.) He lets out a loud gust of air through his nose. It took me a few moments to realize that he was imitating a human's sigh. We andalites don't force air through our noses like that. He had been around humans for far too long.
(No, but you are my Prince.) I replied firmly, angling my ears against my head. Aximili stared at me with a lost look for a few moments before slowly turning away. He lowered his tail in defeat before starting to morph again.
(Very well Estrid, I am your Prince. But I still follow Prince Jake's orders not my own. That means his orders are your orders as well.) There was a crack as his nose breaks before bursting through his skin, turning an odd shade of yellow. I had to force myself from turning my gaze away from his.
(As you command, my Prince.) I replied staunchly, not enjoying the idea that I would had to follow the orders of a human. But something about Aximili having so much respect for him seemed to soften the blow slightly. If Aximili was willing to give so much loyalty to him then he couldn't be a bad leader… Right?
(Now morph into your crow and let's leave. I… you will be meeting your fellow warriors.) He sounded slightly defeated even tired perhaps. But I gave him a firm nod with my eyestalks in reply to this.
(As my Prince commands.)
" Excuse me!?"
The human called Rachel shrieked.
The other humans were looking at each other, unsure and uneasy. They seemed to be sharing the same thoughts as the golden haired before. Albeit, not as loudly or with as much anger.
Aximili had arranged to have me meet with the humans within the human Cassie's barn. Though it was rather smart to do it did take a few hours for the humans to get here. They all had to conciliate their parents which was supposedly a normal thing you were suppose to do.
(It was her choice to join us. I could not turn down potential help.) Aximili had one of his eyestalks focused on me while he kept his main eyes focused on the four humans before him. He sounded calm and confident which eased my stress slightly.
(Aximili are you sure about having her around? She did try to release a deadly virus not too long ago.) I turned an eyestalk up looking around this dusty and grass smelling barn for the nothlit that calls himself Tobias. I spotted his silhouette resting on a wooden beam above the window that me and Aximili had to fly through to get in. I wanted to speak against his words but I kept my thought-speak closed off. This wasn't my place to talk. At least that was what I believed.
(Yes but she did not, Arbat had tried to.) Aximili replied, looking to me with both eyestalks now. I could tell he was now wanting me to speak.
That made me slightly nervous.
"But she was the one who made it right?" The human Rachel crossed her arms over her chest, looking directly at me with what I assumed to be a glare. I could not deny her that I had made the virus myself nor will I say her anger is unjustified.
(I did not expect any of you to welcome me with lowered tails… Uh…) I decided to move on instead of pondering that one. I did not know the human equivalent of that metaphor.
(But I will lay down my life for all of you if it means fixing what I have wronged in your eyes.) I stood up a bit straighter at my words but much to my chagrin I was met with silence.
I shuffled my hooves, uneased by their gazes.
(Prince Aximili, I believe this was an awful idea.) I said to Aximili in private thought-speak. He seemed to start for a moment when I did.
(No, this is a start. They do not trust easily and even more so due to a rather unfortunate series of events that transpired before you came here.) Aximili replies, keeping his tone as even as possible. (Also please refrain from calling me Prince in public thought speak. I do not wish for them to find to find out.)
(Yes my prince…) I replied with a small sigh, not surprised by his request.
Jake began to pace in front of his little group, eyes focused on the ground. After a minute he stops to look at me before looking back at his small group. The one named Cassie was biting her lip, looking at him with an unsure expression. The short one, I believed to be named Marco, was reclined on a haybale looking as if he was deep in thought. Rachel was still staring at me directly with an untrusting glare.
"Okay, I think we should talk about it." Jake turns to me, looking at me with a curious but stern look. "Without Estrid. Ax take her home or wherever you want to put her. We need to discuss this." Jake commanded Aximili. Aximili seemed to flinch slightly, just a small twitch of his leg, but it went unnoticed by the humans it would seem. I realized they probably couldn't read his expressions like I could, which surprised me a bit. How do they expect to connect as a team if they wouldn't even bother to understand andalite body language?
(Yes my Prince.) Aximili replies simply turning to walk away.
"Ax?"
Aximili stops and turns an eyestalk on the human.
(Yes Prince Jake?) He asks, starting to shuffle around to face him.
"Don't call me Prince." Jake sighs, giving him an expression that caused the corners of his mouth to curl up ever so slightly.
Aximili seemed to return a small smile to him, bobbing his eyestalks as he does.
(Yes my Prince.)
He then turns away, walking past me as he does. The small exchange between the two confused me slightly. Why did Aximili disobey his Prince's orders like that? Was the human smiling? Is that why Aximili smiled back?
I couldn't help but cast an eyestalk towards Jake as I followed after my Prince. He didn't look angry nor was he glaring at Aximili in the same way as Rachel did to me.
(Aximili?) I looked up at him as we ran across the field that led to the forest where Aximili currently resided.
(Yes Estrid?) He replies, not looking at me with any of his eyes. I twitched an ear before looking forward as we hopped over a broken part in the fence.
(Why did you call him Prince when he told you not to?) I asked in an uncertain tone of thought-speak.
Aximili turned the gaze of his main eyes on me now, looking a bit surprised. (Ah… Of course.) Aximili looked away, an amused smirk appearing on his eyestalks. (It's what humans call a 'joke'.)
(A joke?) I questioned uncertainly, tipping an eyestalk slightly to the side.
(Yes it just means what they're saying is what they don't really mean. But it shouldn't be confused with sarcasm.) He was looking rather happy to be explaining this to me. It seemed to me that human culture was somewhat of a passion for him. I couldn't help but feel happy at his excitement.
He was rather attractive when he got this way.
I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me at that final thought. I just managed to hide it from him. It would seem I harbored some kind of feelings for him, or at least I was attracted to . But how they formed so quickly… All I could guess was just adolescence finally catching up to me. Ah what a sweet time to be doing so as well.
(-And if they're angry with you then you know it's sarcasm.) I realized that I had wandered away into my own thoughts and just barely caught the last few words of Aximili's speech. I felt hot under my fur as I realized he was looking to me for an answer.
(Yes that is all rather fascinating.) I quickly, and rather ungracefully, answer. (I believe I have much to learn from you…)
' If they don't decide that I'm not safe enough to be around' A little voice in my head whispered. I couldn't help but shake my eyestalks in response to this. Why would they deny me? I would be a great help to their cause after all!
Yet that little inner voice persisted.
I was really starting to wonder if I was perhaps insane after all. Does any other andalite deal with so much self doubt?
(We are here Estrid.) Aximili slowed from a canter to a brisk trot as we came upon a seemingly empty field. But a quick sweep around with my eyestalks told me all of the signs that an andalite was living here.
I slowed to a slower trot than my Prince still looking around. He had picked a rather nice spot in terms of what he had to work with. One might even say it was rather quaint in looks. Even the little scoop he had made for himself somehow gave me the impression of Earth.
I respectfully waited a few feet away from him while he erected his scoop. Once he had finished, I couldn't help but stare at all of the little trinkets and objects hoarded under his tent. He even had some kind of primitive viewing system! I know we andalites could be resourceful, but I had to wondered how he managed to get all of this. It would seem to be rather hard to carry this all out here.
Aximili walks back out from under his scoop and motions with an eyestalk for me to come in. (You'll be staying here until you build your own scoop.) Aximili starts as I slowly clopped over to him, eying the odd objects he was keeping in his scoop.
The andalite kept his expression and voice neutral as he continued to speak,
(Please watch where you step, some of these things tear easily.) He picks up a few odd rectangular objects that seemed to be just a collection of thin rectangular objects. I watched as he drops them onto his personal seat before glancing back over at me.
(You may come in.) He said in a slightly amused thought-speak voice. I had been lingering at the entrance once he had told me to watch my step. But as I looked around, there were still objects all over the floor. I glanced back up at him with my main eyes, uncertain.
He sighs through his nose before offering a hand to me. The gesture caused a rush of shock to run through me. Why was he holding his hand out to me? Was this another strange human gesture that I did not know about? He seemed to notice my hesitance and snatches his hand away.
(I am quite sorry. It has been awhile since I've had…) Ax rubs his hand for a moment, looking slightly embarrassed. (It's something I saw on a human television show. The human female was feeling was uncertain of the human male's offer to ride on his two wheel petroleum powered machine called a motorcycle by humans. He then offers his hand to her… Which I believe is a gesture to show confidence to her. Which seemed to work because she had taken his hand.) Ax was still staring down at his hand with an uneasy look once he finished.
I tipped my head slightly to the side, observing him. So he was simply confident that I wouldn't break anything in his home? I was a bit flattered by it but I was worrying a bit that the humans were starting to change him. Andalites didn't often touch each other unless they're close or are family. Though I was certain that we were neither of those things.
But not wanting to make this anymore awkward, I took a step into the scoop. He glanced up at me with his eyestalk. I gave him a confident smile before taking a few more steps in. (I'm glad you are learning to fit in better. I would believe it was hard to hide your true identity if you didn't act human.) He bobs his eyestalks for a moment, standing up a bit straighter.
(Yes, maybe one day when this war over I would be an expert on them too.) His nose flushes a slightly darker color as he gazes aways from me. (That is if… We survive to the end of the war.) A look of sadness flickers across his face before he steps past me.
I shuffled around so that I could face him with my main eyes. He stops outside of his scoop and turns his eyestalks on me. (I must return to Prince Jake and the others so stay here. If you hear any motorized planes above you can collapse the scoop and lay under it until they pass.)
(Yes Prince Aximili.) I replied with a respectful dip of my eyestalks. He did the same to me before cantering off. I watched after him silently until he disappeared into the darkness of the forest. Once he was out of sight, I looked to the orangish-blue sky which was so very strange to me. Night was falling and I wondered if there were any deadly Earth predators lurking out there. From what I had read Earth had many nocturnal predators which did not comfort me.
I found myself wishing for the brightness of the moons as the last of Earth's sun's light disappears behind the trees. Andalite eyes were poor in darkness just as poor as a human's actually.
I turned to the inside of Aximili's hoping he kept a light source. Much to my surprise I my eyes settled on something in the corner. I took a few steps towards it before reaching down under it. Much to my delight my hands brushed under a string and I wrapped my fingers around it. With a bit of effort, I clicked it and a small florescents bulb snaps on the top of it. It buzzed slightly while giving off a little light.
It was primitive, but by my tail it was fantastic.
Now that I had a bit of light, I settled outside of the scoop. I leaned back onto my hind hooves and rested my tail over my back so that my blade was hanging off to one side. My eyestalks moved in different directions while my main eyes kept focused in the distance.
This was my twenty-seventh night on this planet if I remembered correctly. Though not as bright nor as lovely as andalite nights, Earth's nights did have an allure to them. I enjoyed the chirping that started up at dusk and continued on until the day. Something about it was soothing as if I wasn't alone.
I breathed out a sigh, closing my main eyes.
I had no idea when I fell asleep but when I woke up, Aximili was walking past me. Looking to the sky I realized that it was still night time which meant I probably hadn't been asleep for long. But it must've been for at least a little while since I felt energized by my rest.
I turned a stalk sleepily towards Aximili examining his slightly slumped over posture and lowered tail. I felt a wave of pity washed over me at the sight of him. The humans must've been incredibly hard on him.
(It didn't go well I take it.) I said, getting up off of my hind legs. I softly gazed at him slowly walking to him but he held up his tail a bit more which made me stop. That was a sign that he didn't want me close to him. So respectfully, I took a few steps back.
(It was… Difficult.) He replies quietly, looking at me with a single eye. (But they agreed that having you around has more benefits. But… They also have told me that you are going to be backup.)
(Backup?) I echoed, feeling slightly disappointed by this. Yes I am useful to keep around but only if I'm a last resort. I felt slightly relieved by this but at the same time, slightly angry. Was I not good enough to fight for them?
' No… They don't trust you. ' The little voice in my head whispers soothingly to me. Yes… But why backup? Wouldn't that require some form of trust? Maybe this was their way of seeing if I truly was trustworthy or not.
(Yes.) He turns off the lamp, looking slightly annoyed as he did. He then walks over to a quietly humming machine in the corner and knelt down beside it. He twists off the cap before peering inside.
(Do not turn on my electrical devices unless you need them. The generator takes petroleum and that is not easy to obtained.) He snapped in at me as he twists on the cap again.
(Yes Prince Axilmili.) I replied stiffly, wondering where that outburst came from. Couldn't he have just told me without getting irritated at me? Maybe the argument with the humans was a lot more mentally tiring to him than he was showing.
I almost felt like taking his head into my hands and soothe him for a moment.
Aximili then lowers onto his front knees before pulling his legs off to the side, laying down in front of the human television. (They want to speak with you tomorrow afternoon though. They have their classes tomorrow which they wish to get some sleep for.) He then turns, turning his eyestalk away from me. A bright light washes over Aximili it flickers on.
An odd sound reaches my ears as I take a few steps forward to peer at the screen. There were a couple of smiling humans eating what seemed to be circular objects stuffed with various things. At the corner of the screen there was some text that read 'future-something', I can not read human text perfectly yet, while focused on a single human. After a few more moments of this someone began to speak,
"Where do some of America's most successful get their start?"
After a few more seconds the screen switches to a logo of a bright yellow M with a red background.
"Did somebody say Mcdonalds?"
I scuffed a hoof on the ground unsure of what to make of this.
(Aximili… What was that?) I asked uncertainly as the screen flickered to yet another sequence of odd images.
(These Messages.) Aximili replies, not taking any of his eyes off the screen.
(What is the purpose of These Messages?) I studied his face noticing that he was looking a bit excited now. I turned an eyestalk on the screen, noticing little colorful circular objects being poured into a container of some sort. They sort of looked like Jelly beans which made my stomach twist slightly in hunger.
(They are to inform humans about things and they also entertain them too.) He replies after a few moments of silence.
(Ah…) I was uncertain of it still.
' Why would this be entertaining? ' Was my first thought but then I quietly corrected myself with ' you're not a human so why would it?'.
I still didn't understand why Aximili found it entertaining. Maybe… He was learning from these? That was the only reason I could find.
(Would you like to watch them with me?) Aximili turned to me with an eyestalk. (I will be happy to explain to you some more about them if you wish.) He shifts around, giving some room to the side of him as he does. I was uncertain if I should or not, but I would need to learn about humans sooner or later if I was going to stay unnoticed if I were to morph a human.
(I believe I will.) I take a few steps forward before laying down a few feet to the side of him. He gives a small bob of his eyestalk to me before turning it back to the television again. I settled into listening Aximili explaining the various things going on the screen before us.
Though I knew he still didn't like me I was glad he was willing to share his knowledge on humans with me. I was even more glad that he was willing to even have me around to help fight. Earning his trust back wasn't going to be easy… But I knew earning the human's trust was going to be far, far harder.
But I decided to push away these thoughts and focused on Aximili's words as he continued to speak. I needed something to calm me before I had to face the humans tomorrow.
…..
(Hey am I interrupting something?)
I practically leapt to my hooves when Tobias suddenly spoke in my head. Aximili wasn't as quite started as I but he did look a bit surprised.
I leaned out of the scoop and gazed up with an eyestalk at the sky. I couldn't see the nothlit but I knew he was close enough to be speaking with us. Though as I continued to look around, I was surprised that the sun was starting to rise now. Aximili stepped out beside me, glancing towards the horizon where the sun was rising.
(No Tobias, I was simply explaining television to Estrid.) Aximili was looking above his scoop. I turned my eyestalk to where he was looking I saw that Tobias had landed on top of one of the poles that held the scoop up.
(Oh boy, how's that going?) He asks, looking towards me with his sharp gaze.
(Estrid…) He looks to me with a small, sheepish eye-smile. (She is getting it far faster than I have.)
(That's because you are a good teacher.) I reply to this stepping past him, heading a few feet away from the scoop. Aximili turns his main eyes on me in surprise before looking away. I believe I might've embarrassed him with my praise.
(Anyway, should we not be doing the morning ritual?) I scuff a hoof on the ground, remembering that arisths in training had to do that every morning. Aximili looked to me for a moment before nodding his head.
Another human gesture but I knew what it meant. He meant yes.
(Tobias, would you like to join us?) Aximili asked the nothlit, who was now preening his feathers.
(Wouldn't you guys want to do it alone?) Tobias asked as he looked up from his work.
(I believe it would be a learning experience if you did join us.) Something about Aximili's tone told me it was more then that. Tobias' face did not give away any emotion as he continued to stare at Aximili. Then again, how could he ever be expressive with a face like that? It looked stiff as a kafit's.
(Yeah I guess.) Tobias opens his wings and flaps a few times, taking off into the air. (It's going to be awhile before anything comes out of their burrows.)
This surprised me a bit. It sounded like he was saying that he hunted. Didn't humans get their food from a store like in These Messages? He was a nothlit now but he had human friends who could fetch him the meat for his dietary needs.
(You hunt Tobias?) I asked as Aximili trots past me. I trotted after him, assuming he was taking me to start the ritual already. Tobias circled around us for a moment before suddenly rising high above the trees.
(Yeah? Why?) He answers me. I could've sworn I detected some unease in his voice? Or perhaps nervousness? Both sounded the same in thought speak to tell the truth.
(I thought you simply got food from the other humans.) I turned my right eyestalk to the right, observing a few four legged creatures with large ears in the distance.
(I used to but it just wasn't right for me or the body I'm in.) Now he sounded uneasy for sure. I hoped that the subject I brought up hadn't made him uncomfortable. Though I was starting to get uncomfortable at the thought myself. I didn't think I could go from eating grass to hunting solely meat. Andalite were opportunistic omnivores but even I couldn't imagine surviving on just meat.
Aximili had been quiet up to this point but he did finally decide to speak. (He used to get his meals from Prince Jake though it was rather inconvenient for the both of them.)
The conversation ended there for either of us had an answer to what he said. I realized that this conversation truly was uncomfortable for everyone.
The rest of our walk to the stream that Aximili drank from was silent. None of us had a clue on what to talk about… Or at least I didn't. Aximili and Tobias were probably conversing in private thought speak as we walked. I wouldn't be surprised since I was a stranger in their home. Why would they speak to me with familiarity? Though the thought did make me feel a bit lonely. I really was a stranger to them all. Even Aximili, whom we share the same species.
Aximili stopped at the water and looked around for a moment before glancing over at me. (Do you know the ritual?) He asks me as I walked up beside him.
(Only parts of it.) I replied as I gazed down into the water with my main eyes. I watched Tobias land in a tree a few yards away, watching us with his sharp gaze.
(Very well, just watch then do it as I did.) He steps to the water and I followed his lead.
(From the water that birthed us.) Aximili dipped his right hoof into the water. (To the grass that feeds us.) Aximili then moved his hoof into a patch of grass and crushes it. He then spreads his arms wide still looking out to the distance. (To the freedom that unites us. We rise to the stars.) He looks up to the rising stars, all four eyes now focused on the sun.
(Freedom is my only cause. Duty to the people, my only guide. Obedience to my prince, my only glory. The destruction of my enemies, my most solemn vow. I Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, andalite Aristh, offer my life,) He raises his tail blade to his throat, causing a shiver to run through my spine as he does. He puts his left hand in a fist over his chest before his right hand moved over his back, assuming a stance.
He then relaxes, moving his tail blade away from his throat before looking to me. It was now my turn.
I dipped my right hoof into the water before echoing, (From the water that birthed us. To the grass that feeds us.) I slipped my hoof from the icy cold water into a brownish patch of grass crushing it underfoot. I ate a bit of it in the process.
(For the freedom that unites us.) I spread my arms out wide but not with the same grandeur Aximili seemed to have done it.
(We rise to the stars.) I looked to the sky with all four eyes, almost flinching at the bright sun.
(Duty to the people,)' Which you had failed to complete.' The little voice in the back of my head whispered. I shoved it back before continuing, (my only guide. Duty to my prince, my only glory.) I noticed Aximili look away with an eyestalk at this.
' Your prince is an aristh Estrid. What glory is there in that?' I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose at this thought. He was far more than worthy to be my prince. Even if he did not believe he was or that he was embarrassed that I had called him so...
(The destruction of my enemies, my most solemn… vow.) I heard my thought speak voice break off before vow. I had already broken my vow by not completing the duty I was given by the andalite military. I was probably sullying this most sacred ritual by even performing it. I was no aristh, I was a failure pretending to be one.
(I, Estrid-Corill-Darrath, offer my life.) I moved my small tail blade to my throat, assuming the same stance Aximili had. Though my blade lingered at my throat as I took in the silence around me. I was focusing on it's cool touch, wondering how many will feel it by the end of my life.
I lowered my tail before focusing on Aximili. The ritual was suppose to calm oneself but all it did was bring up thoughts that were far from wanted. How long has it been since I've doubted myself like this? It felt like a far memory from my youth. Why were these thoughts coming back again? What had triggered them?
(You did well.)Aximili said nothing else as he turns and starts cantering away. He did it so abruptly that I thought I really had done something wrong. But I was a bit afraid to ask what it was. Something told me that it wasn't a good idea to do so.
I looked up at the tree, noticing Tobias was no longer there. He perhaps left during my part of the ritual, not that I was surprised he would. So with nothing else to do, I followed Aximili.
END CHAPTER
So this is an old story I had on another AO3 account that I really don't care to go back to. So I'll be uploading chapters here and probably on my new account as well. I've actually got the drive to start this again!