Chapter Two
Kozmotis
Night had fallen in the valley of Pathra, yet its inhabitants and those of Arabas were awake. It was one week since the Birth of Erik Aster and so it was time to offer his future life and all his deeds to the pooka gods, as was tradition. An enormous crowd starched from the edge of the village at the valley base to the banks of the valley's river, the place where the ceremony was to commence.
At the edge of the water stood one of Arabas's council members, next to a wooden table.
"It is time," she announced, "let the child be brought forth."
Though the crowd walked Erom and Rimier, Rimier held their son.
All was silent as the two pookas came to the table and then Rimier passed Erik to the council member. Both of the baby's parents took a few steps back and the ceremony began.
"As is the way of things," the pooka began, "I Trana, daughter of Torback and Lomie, offer one, Erik Aster Bunnymund to you the everlasting kings and queens of Pookarier."
At this point Trana called out the names of each of the pooka gods and asked that they blessed and guarded the baby.
After this was done she thanked them for bringing this new life into the world and prayed that he would bring happiness and pried to his parents. The baby was placed on the table and was washed with a small blue cloth, and then Trana held him up to the night sky so as to bath him in moon light.
At this point every one of the multitude turned their eyes to the sky and prayed for the pooka child.
When all was done, Trana gave Erik back to his parents. Erom and Rimier smiled down at their son, hearts glowing. Erik stared back at them and twitched his tiny whiskers, he didn't have any idea what was going on or why he had been given a wash but his mummy and daddy were here so all must be right with the world.
It was scarcely then seconds since the ceremony ended when the other pookas began to crowd round Erom and his wife, not only to congratulate them but also to have a look at the baby, for most present this was the first time they had seen or indeed heard of the pooka child. Rimier was happy to show her newly bone son to all who came to see him, and of course to thank them for their prays. Erom thanked them as well but in truth he wasn't enjoying himself. Erom wanted nothing more than for the other pookas to evaporate. This was a special time for him and his wife and he wanted to share with her and her alone, and their son of course. As he stood there shaking paws with a pooka female and trying to maintain his small smile he saw a glint of silver with the corner of his eye. Turning he was surprised to see that it was a breastplate of silver armour that had caused the glinting, more surprised still was that the wearer of this armour was not a pooka but a man. The man was tall and handsome with golden yellow eyes resembling an eclipse and glossy black hair that is styled to come out as slick spikes from the back of his head. His clothing was black, other than the silver breastplate. He also carried a short-sword.
"Excuses me," Erom said to the pooka female who was talking to him, then he walked over to the man.
"Kozmotis Pitchiner, what are you doing here?" he enquired.
Erom," Kozmotis replied and claspped the pookas paws, "it's so good to see you again."
Erom and Kozmotis were old friends. When Erom had been a teenager and still at pookarier's main universety a stranger had come to the planet, Kozmotis, a boy at the time.
Erom and Pitchiner had soon become aquainted and had formed a friendship.
Kozmotis had come to pookarier to learn more about the races other then his own and had stayed for a full two years, in which time he and Erom had had enjoyed their stable friendship. In truth their had been troble makers and caused mayham wherever they went, but now that was behind them and both were far more mature then they had once been.
"likewise," Erom said then added, "so what are you doing here and what is with the exuberant getup?"
"I'm on my way to Palmantas," the other explained, "it's not far from Pookarier so I thought I'd come and see an old friend, didn't expect to find him with a wife and son though."
The pooka shrugged, "What can I say; I met a female and fell in love, end of story."
Pitchiner smiled, "Congratulations."
"Thank you," Erom said then once again asked about the other's armour.
"Oh this," Kozmotis answered, "Well I'm in the army these days, corporal Pitchiner of the army of Lunanoff."
Bunnymund knew of the house of Lunanoff, they were allies of the pookas.
Erom crossed his arms, "My guess is that you didn't put on a suite of armour just because it would look nice, what's up?"
Pitchiner became serious,
"You're right," he replied, "There's trouble on Palmantas, a small war or something, my commander has been sent to stop it and that means I go too."
Erom was about to enquire further when Pitchiner turned his head and looked over to Rimier and said, "Enough about me, let me meet your spouse."
"Very well," the pooka responded and walked over to Rimier, Pitchiner following.
Rimier, this is my friend Kozmotis," Erom said, introducing her to Pitchiner, "Kozmotis this is my wife."
"And this must be your son," Pitchiner said, smiling down at Erik.
Erik looked up at the stranger and starched out a tiny paw. The other reached for it and let the baby's small fingers close round one of his own.
"He's very beautiful," he told them, "you must be proud."
"You should have one of your own," Erom said, as if the idea of Kozmotis doing anything other than that would be foolish.
Kozmotis laughed, "I don't think so, I doubt I would make a good father."
"Allow us to disagree," Rimier responded then added, "If you wish to stay with us tonight you are welcome."
"I cannot," Pitchiner replied shaking his head, "I must return to my ship but thank you."
"Until next time then," Erom said.
"Until next time," Kozmotis echoed.
...
It wasn't long after Kozmotis left that the two pookas returned to their home in Arabas. Both slept soundly that night, their son lying between them.
As the pooka child slept he dreamt of the stranger who he'd met, not knowing that together they would one day alter the course of history.
