Pride of Tortall
Prologue - Discussions in the darkness
It happened a few days before midwinter between years 463 - 464 of Human Era, that, on the voyage back from the Ambassadorial visit to Copper Isles, or rather, Kyprish Kingdom, that an animal god, one of the greatest among them, visited the half-mortal daughter of her sometimes rival, oftentimes friend Weiryn of the Hunt.
Veraldaine Sarrasri Salmalin, usually called Daine the Wildmage, was deeply asleep cuddled next to her husband Numair, in the cabin onboard the ship they shared with their infant children, when she was roused by something wet and cold upon her face. Knowing the feeling of being licked into wakefulness all too well, she roused silently, if not exactly joyfully.
Something felt odd to her, but she was still far too sleepy for her mind to fully detect what. As she finally opened her eyes, all before her was an absolute darkness, out of which gleamed two large, yellow cat eyes. By instinct, more than by anything else, she looked thru her magic. She almost flinched. The golden glow of power was so strong in the surrounding darkness, it made her dizzy.
He, or perhaps she, was an enormous black panther. Or rather, black panther god.
She almost groaned. She hated it when gods got involved with her life. Instead, she took a deep, calming breath, and addressed it formally.
"How may I be of assistance?"
The yellow eyes just continued staring into her. Finally, when Daine was at the absolute limit of her patience The great cat goddess spoke. Or at least her voice appeared female. The voice was quiet, velvety, and yet, there was silent terror lurking deep within it. Something not unalike the rumble of thousands of hunting calls, and cries of the hunted. If shadows had voices, they would be identical to the voice of panther goddess.
"I came to ask you a favor, daughter of Veiryn and Green Lady. I will offer you nothing in return, but you can ask for anything I could provide you with, if you are so inclined."
"Excuse me for saying so, but you do not sound like any other god I've met." Daine could have kicked herself. She had no idea where that came from.
"As it should be." The voice did not change at all, but somehow, Daine got the impression that the goddess before her was rather amused. "But, no. I really am rather different in nature from all other animal gods, save perhaps the Tiger god and the Jaguar goddess, and as for those two, I refuse to be anything alike. The reason is simple, we are not strictly Animal gods. We are worshiped by humans as well. I among the three of us have the greatest human patronage"
Daine was shocked, to say the least. She was also, more than anything curious.
"How come that came to be?"
"Some humans were created by the Greater gods. Most, though, came from the children of us, the animal gods, that turned themselves into humans. But, of all of them, mine alone remained loyal to me." There was a note of smugness in the goddesses eyes, and for a short moment, the darkness was broken by short, dark red flash, and many pointed silver ones. Daine presumed that it was some twisted sort of cat-grin.
"Others came to worship me by their own free will, as they did the Jaguar goddess, and the Tiger god. It made the three of us very powerful" The great cat continued.
"Wait! Are you telling me that the chained goddess of Copper isles is actually the goddess of Jaguars? I thought it was just a name. And, isn't she one of the great gods? Does that mean…" Daine was getting more and more enamored with the story that was unfolding to her ears. She was at the point where excitement was making her somewhat frantic.
"Easy down young one. Your father seams to have left out a thing or two in your education. No god can take a part of another gods name as a name or a title of his or her own. Not even Mithross or the Goddess. And, no. None of us are great gods. We are… something in between. Not unalike the Graveyard Hag. We are primarily minor gods, but we share some aspects of some of the other gods, including the greater ones. It depends on how do the humanfolk celebrate us." Another cat-grin flashed. "I for instant, besides being the goddess of panthers and leopards, am also a hunt deity - it really annoys your father, a night and day one, and a dream one. The Jaguar shares only being a war god although she is second only to Mithross, and Tiger is war and justice deity, besides his primal role. But, of the three of us, I alone chose to remain in my original form, for all of my worshipers."
"So, if you are a dream goddess as well, why did you have to wake me physically? Badger is not one, and he sometimes visits me in my dreams." Question Daine
"Gainel does not like when I prowl his realm outside my duties, and he sometimes mates with me. He is a good mate, so I avoid upsetting him if I can. But that is not why I came to you. Will you do me a favor, young one?"
Daine got flushed when the panther goddess started talking about mating, and even more so when she was reminded that the goddess was not there for a chitchat with her. She hurried to apologize and fumbled with words as she rushed to assure the Panther that she would gladly do anything for her.
"Good. Two of my children will arrive to Tortall shortly after you. Tell the girl :'Even though you have lost your honor among your people Kashana still looks at you, and her eyes are filled with pride' Do not worry, when the time comes for you to give your message, everyone will understand your words. I made sure of that. Afterwards, give her this." The yellow eyes lowered, and rose again, something brightly silver dangling few inches below the eyes. It was a necklace made of silver animal teeth. Daine's eyes went wide.
D/C - The Tortall, surrounding kingdoms, inhabiting characters, creatures, gods and immortals are in no way, term, or indication in my ownership.