Nice to see you're enjoying this story Galem. Why not make an account so we can have a good natter?
Waking up in Kokua's arms, Anuenue glanced around at her sisters and brothers, then watched the butterflies as they perched on the wall slowly shifting their wing colours.
"How are you feeling sis?" Amaya silently asked while stretching, managing not to disturb Takanuva, "Over the worse of the heatstroke, hungry and..." the rainbow hued Turaga smiled sadly, "Wanting to go outside." Nodding Amaya got up and helped her sister to get up without waking Kokua, as they then headed for the door, the butterflies moved, fluttering over to land on the Turaga of Colour.
"And they're hungry too." Anuenue whispered as she and Amaya headed for the kitchen, while the butterflies shifted their colours.
After getting some fruit and canisters together, the Toa and Turaga went outside and sat on the stairs leading up to the crystal orb, "We'll have to do something with the ashes." the rainbow hued Turaga murmured softly while sharing her breakfast with the butterflies.
Amaya nodded then glanced over to where the seven piles of ash lay. Gazing thoughtfully at where the pyres had stood, Anuenue rested her chin on her staff silently going through various things.
The butterflies once they'd finished eating, glanced up at Turaga Anuenue then took off heading for the piles of ash, "Sis, what are they doing?" Amaya commented, accidentally breaking Anuenue's train of thought, "What? Oh, I'm not sure. Let's go and find out."
As they followed the butterflies across the kolhii arena, Kokua came to the door and watched curiously before going to rouse the others.
...
While they stretched, Kokua shook Takanuva's arm to wake him, sleepily, the Toa of Light turned over and caught the Torahka in a big hug before fully waking. "Taka! Just wait until 'Maya hears." Aikane managed to say as the room erupted with laughter and Kokua blushed deeply.
The light gold Toa grinned sheepishly while letting their winged sister go, "Lewa would give me more grief than 'Maya would." he replied as they left the bedroom, Kokua giggling madly, and went to see what was happening in the arena.
When the Toa and Turaga of Colour reached the ash piles they saw that the butterflies were hovering about them, "It's like their waiting for something." Amaya whispered.
"Yeah, but what." Anuenue replied, glancing round as movement near the tower caught her eye.
"Turaga, what's happening?" Malie asked as he and the others reached her and Amaya, the Turaga shrugged, "I'm not sure, but I think we should watch." she quietly replied.
Turning their attention back to where the butterflies still hovered over the ashes, the group watched as the seven butterflies then dipped lower as if to perch on the ash. A sudden gasp escaped everyone when tiny sparks of light leapt from their wings to land on the piles, which slowly began to shrink and glow.
Glancing over at Aikane, while the others watched raptly, Anuenue noticed her sister's eyes were glowing intense blue, then they faded back to aqua before the Toa of Twilight smiled at her curious sister. Moving to stand beside Turaga Anuenue, Aikane squeezed the Turaga of Colour's shoulder gently, "A little extra colour is needed, Turaga." the violet hued Toa said formally while their brothers and sisters watched intrigued, and the Toa Nuva arrived and moved to join them.
"Sister what is going on?" Gali whispered to Amaya, "I'm not sure." the Toa of Colour replied, watching as Turaga Anuenue nodded in response to what Aikane had said, then moved to stand in the Destiny part of the Bionicle symbol.
Stopping in the centre of the spot, the Turaga of Colour felt a sense of calm surround her as she raised up her staff and activated it, calling a stream of rainbow coloured light into being. As the colour grew brighter, the butterflies moved to brush their wings against the colour they matched before returning to the now brightly glowing tiny piles of ash. Landing on the pile, the butterflies wings turned incandescent, causing those watching to shield their eyes, "Wow, bright-light." Lewa murmured, moving closer to Kokua.
While the Toa and Torahka blinked the remaining afterglow away, the Turaga of Colour watched amazed as the butterflies wings returned to their usual shades, then the dark aqua and red one fluttered over to her and landed on her arm for a moment before returning to where it had been. Intrigued, Anuenue followed the butterfly over to where Dume's pyre had been, "Spirits." she whispered awed, for sitting where the pyre had been was a small dark red gem, glancing around at where the other butterflies still hovered, Anuenue saw six more gems.
"Turaga, is everything alright?" Tahu called out unexpectedly, his voice breaking the silence. Glancing over to where they stood watching her, the rainbow hued Turaga smiled and nodded then turned her attention back to the nearest gem.
While she reassured the others, the dark aqua and red butterfly began flicking it's wings impatiently, "Alright little one, I'll pick them up." Anuenue murmured softly. When her fingers brushed over the gem, the butterfly settled on her shoulder and as it landed, Anuenue sensed it was happy that she'd picked the gem up.
Watching as the Turaga picked up what ever the butterflies had been guarding, Kopaka glanced over to where Aikane stood, an enigmatic smile on her mask, "What have you been told?" he wondered.
Gazing at the seven gems in her palm, Turaga Anuenue glanced at the butterflies now resting on her shoulders before moving to rejoin the Toa and Torahka, "What will you do with them sister?" Pohatu enquired after the Turaga of Colour showed them the gems.
"For now I'm not sure, but I think we should leave them in the conference room for the moment." she replied before glancing at the position of the suns, "I should go and reassure the matoran that I'm alright." she added.
"We'll come with you." Malie suddenly added while they returned to the tower, the rainbow hued Turaga chuckled softly as she walked beside her peridot hued friend, Gali and Aikane, glancing up at the mute Toa affectionately.
Placing the seven gems on the table in the conference room, Anuenue gazed at her brothers and sisters. "Are you sure they will be safe?" Kopaka mused after he, Kokua and the other Toa had finished examining the gems.
Glancing at the gems again, the Turaga of Colour nodded before moving towards the entrance, "Yes." she replied softly, a smile crossing her mask briefly. "It's good to see you smile again." Solisha murmured as they followed Gali, Tahu and Kopaka, who were deep in conversation about something.
"It'll help to begin the healing." Anuenue softly replied before chuckling when Malie signed hopefully, "The midwinter party!"
"Yes that would help all of us." Onua grinned at the mute Toa, who in turn glanced hopefully at the Turaga who smiled before agreeing with Onua, "Alright, you and Lewa go and see how the preparations for the midwinter festival are going." Anuenue said then giggled as Malie swept her up in a hug before placing her down and hurrying over to where Lewa, Kokua and Pohatu chatted as everyone made their way to the chute station.
xXx
Unknown to the Toa, Turaga and Kokua, roughly half an hour after they'd left a glow appeared in the conference room and coalesced into the spirits of the Turaga.
Silently they peered curiously at the gems, which had formed from their ashes, then glanced up at the weaving.
Matau was first to move, he placed his hand over the green gem and waited for his brothers and closefriend to do the same, as they did a second glow formed and Rhya Nui joined the group.
"What now?" Nuju asked after the spirit Turaga bowed to the dusky Great Spirit, she smiled, "We return to the spirit realm and watch." she replied enigmatically, then laughed as Matau pulled a face before Nokama could nudge him. As the dusky Great Spirit's melodious laughter swept around the room, the spirit Turaga moved to join her and all vanished leaving the gems shining brightly in the sunlight.
xXx
Watching Lewa and Malie as they left the chute at the Le-metru main station, Turaga Anuenue found herself trembling as she and her sisters headed towards Ko-metru.
"We're here sister." Aikane and Amaya softly whispered, shifting closer to Anuenue, "I know, thank you. If no one minds, I'll leave Ko-metru until last." she replied, glancing up at them and Solisha, who'd drawn closer to her diminutive rainbow hued friend.
As they passed through the chute over the icy landscape, the Turaga of Colour gazed unseeingly out the chute, lost in her memories, while the Toa watched anxious but respectful.
"Sister, we're nearly at the Po-metru main station." Amaya's quiet whisper and a gentle squeeze of her shoulder roused Anuenue and she smiled up, "Thank you for that." she replied.
When they left the chute, Anuenue hugged her sisters, while Kokua Hewkii, Olcas and Tanami joined them. Turning to her winged sister and friends, the Turaga managed to smile reassuringly.
"Toa Pohatu is sorry he's not here to greet you. But he felt that someone should let Keetongu know and has headed out to the cavern a few minutes ago." Olcas explained while they headed to the main square, pausing so that Turaga Anuenue could talk with the matoran whom stopped what they were doing so that they could find out how the Turaga was.
By the time they reached the main square it was midday and the Toa, Torahka and matoran watched as Turaga Anuenue, almost shyly, glanced around at those assembled, unaware that her colours had shifted to cinnamon and bronze.
"I know that the next few weeks will be awkward for us all. But I'm always ready to listen and help to the best of my ability." the Turaga of Colour said, her voice echoing around the square, she then smiled and told the matoran that the midwinter festival would be going ahead.
Arriving at the remote chute station, Pohatu wasn't surprised to see that he'd missed the Kikanalo herd, "Oh well I need to have a run." he murmured quietly, rubbing his Kakama before activating it and racing into the Po-metru wilderness, heading for Keetongu's cavern.
While he ran, the Toa Nuva of Stone thought back over the things he and Onewa had talked about and done, unaware that he was crying, the tears leaving a trail before slowly evaporating into the air.
...
Pohatu was roughly two thirds of the way to the cavern when a sudden movement flickered at the edge of his vision just before he was sent flying by an excitedly growling calf. Startled out of his memories and scrambling to sit up as the Kikanalo calf enthusiastically washed his mask, Pohatu spluttered and glanced round as the chief rumbled curiously at him, *What ails you tall one?*
Switching to his Rau, the brown hued Toa explained while the calf tried to start the chase up again until his dam called him to feed.
While Pohatu talked with the Kikanalo chief, the others shifted closer listening intently, tears began running down his mask again until the one who liked to tease Turaga Matau shifted to stand over him and gently licked the tears away.
Once the Toa of Stone had finished, the chief rumbled softly, the herd gradually joining in until the air around them throbbed with pulses of sound.
Sitting outside the cavern playing with some stones, Naneki and Keliana were first to hear the low rumble and they scrambled up seeking reassurance from their dam as she and Keetongu reached the cavern entrance. Hugging the cubs tightly, the adults rumbled soothingly in their tongue, reassuring their youngsters and comforting each other, after a while Naneki whispered that he wanted to look outside.
"We will all go." Notegeku crooned gently, brushing her son's face dry before glancing at her mate and daughter, the pale green/gold cub was clinging tightly to her sire, her fur wet with tears.
Keliana's small frame shook as she wept silently burying her face against her sire's neck, holding his daughter gently, Keetongu stood up and with Notegeku beside him carrying Naneki, they left the cavern and started towards the sound of grieving Kikanalo.
"What are your plans Turaga?" Takanuva enquired when she'd finished speaking, "To do the best I can." an almost inaudible whisper reached the Toa of Light as she glanced towards Onewa's home.
Unnoticed by them, Aikane, Amaya and Kokua, Kopaka was continuing his conversation with Gali and Tahu, "I still think Aikane is right." the Toa of Water replied, watching her icy closefriend as he nodded. "I'll ask her the first chance I get."
While glancing round at those watching her, Anuenue suddenly realized that her colours had changed. "How? I didn't activate my mask. 'Maya did you?" the Turaga quietly asked while the group headed for Pohatu's, "Not me sis." came the quiet response. Pausing as she reached their brother's home, Amaya watched her brown hued sister, not realizing that Onua and Aikane were doing the same.
The Turaga of Colour had stopped and was gazing towards Onewa's home, then Kopaka gently placed his hand on her shoulder and guided Anuenue into Pohatu's.
"We'll let you know what's happening later." Onua quietly told Olcas, Hewkii and Rahal as they followed him, "And could you keep an eye out for Pohatu's return?" he added, pausing outside his brother's home.
Once the Toa, Torahka and Turaga had entered Pohatu's, the matoran gathered to talk about what Anuenue'd said about the midwinter festival.
"It'll seem weird without the other Turaga." Kela whispered as she joined Rahal, he nodded, "I know, but it'll be a great way to honour them and Turaga Anuenue." her closefriend replied as they, Olcas and Hewkii headed for the chute station, quietly planning as they went.
Walking in the direction that the rumble had originated from, Keetongu and Notegeku were joined by Wanimua and Makeo, who circled down to land near by. The pheasant rahi chirped softly, glancing up at Keliana as she wiped her face dry, then he nodded as the golden rahi replied.
Roughly half an hour later, the small group walked round n outcrop and saw the Kikanalo herd ahead of them.
Most were still gathered around the Toa of Stone, but the calf had grown bored and was tugging his dam's tail, trying to get her to play with him.
On reaching the herd and Toa, Keetongu crouched beside Pohatu and let Keliana climb into their friend's lap, Notegeku smiled when Naneki softly chirped a question then nodded and let him down, watching as he joined his friend and sister.
As the afternoon shadows lengthened, Keetongu and Notegeku spoke with the Kikanalo chief and Anuenue's friend, while Keliana brushed her fingers over Pohatu's mask trying to make him smile.
"You should return and see how Turaga Anuenue's doing." Notegeku rumbled softly when the cubs yawned and sleepily reached for her as the dark green/gold rahi crouched beside Pohatu as he gently rocked Naneki and Keliana. "You're right, I thought that I should come and let you know." the brown hued Toa quietly replied, standing up as Keetongu and the Kikanalo chief joined them.
*Would you like a lift brown one?* the chief rumbled softly, nudging Pohatu gently in the ribs, *It's kind of you to offer, but I think someone is as tired as the cubs* the Toa replied, smiling at the calf who had curled up near by and was fast asleep.
Nodding, the Kikanalo chief rumbled his agreement, and then he and Keetongu watched as Pohatu switched to his Miru Nuva and headed for the remote chute station. After talking with the chief for a few more minutes, the healing rahi headed back to their cavern and the herd settled to rest.
...
Arriving at the main chute station, Pohatu listened as Olcas told him what had taken place them managed a smile, "Thank you for letting me know," he said then added, "Go and get some rest, you look exhausted." as Kela failed to stifle a yawn then blushed as Rahal and Hewkii chuckled.
While Rahal, Kela and Olcas headed for their homes, Hewkii walked with Toa Pohatu until they reached the main square then he bowed and headed for his home. "Welcome back brother." Onua said when Pohatu entered his living room, "We were just talking about the midwinter festival." Kopaka added while passing his brother some food.
Listening as he ate, Pohatu nodded as he glanced round at his brothers and sisters, Turaga Anuenue, still in shades of brown, was leaning against the arm of the couch as she blinked drowsily. "I think we should all have an early night." the Toa of Earth murmured a short while later when Pohatu went to put his empty dish in the kitchen.
Glancing round as everyone murmured in agreement, Onua scooped up the nearly asleep Turaga, "Looks like she's still recovering from the heat stroke." Gali murmured as they headed for the bedrooms.
"Think we should let Turaga Anuenue rest in the Turaga's room?" Takanuva enquired before wincing as Amaya thumped his arm, "NO! That's the last thing she needs." the rainbow hued Toa hissed angrily, then blushed as a sleepy whisper reached them, "Play nice sis and thank you." Turaga Anuenue mumbled before retuning to sleep.
Chuckling quietly, everyone entered the bedroom and settled on the beds, Onua gently placed Turaga Anuenue on the bed nearest Aikane before he got comfy on the remaining bed. Quietly they talked for a while longer, then Tahu and Kopaka dimmed the lightstones and everyone drifted into sleep.