Chapter 1: The Warlord's daughter.
High up in the northern parts of the Air Continent, above the dungeons of North-Wind Field and Northern Range, there was an island.
In this icy land lived a tribe of Meowth for many generation. Longer than any of them can remember, they evolved to flourish in this harsh area. A thick fur not only protecting them from weather, but also from attacks of enemies and friends alike.
These Meowth live for the battle and the violence. Born raiders and conquerors. These Pokémon, despite their aggressive and dim-witted nature, taught themselves how to build boats and small ships to sail to the main land without the help of other flying or swimming Pokémon.
They used these ships to raid villages scattered in their local area of the world. They would set sails from time to time, seeking settlements of Pokémon weaker than they are and "take on other Pokémon's property".
Others, for the thrill of battle and for fame and glory at home, would go out into the wide world by themselves to prove their own strength and superiority. Many returned not in one piece anymore, others never returned, never to be seen or heard from again.
These Meowth would rarely wander into more distance parts of the world, so many Pokémon never even heard of them before.
The island was divided into five small town, each ruled by a powerful Perrserker Warlords, who would speak and act in the name of his or her ruled Pokémon. These Perrserker Warlords, or just Lord, would meet regularly to discuss about events, territory rights or future conquest on the northern parts of the Air Continent.
Any Meowth or Perrserker was able to doubt the rule of a Warlord anytime and could elect either oneself or someone else as the new Lord. The old Warlord and the one who wants to be the next then had to face each other in a fair duel. The winner would be or stay the Warlord and the loser's fate would then be decided by the Warlord him- or herself.
In the southern parts of the island was a town known as Sif Village, ruled by the Eiwaz clan and represented by the Perrserker Warlord Saga Eiwaz, the Scyther. Lord Saga, or in this case Lady Saga, who "inherited" her title from her late father, had a husband, Gorm Eiwaz, who instructed young Meowth in the art of war, and two children, Little Snorry, the youngest member of Sif Village, and of course his older sister: Valdis.
It was early in the morning and a light fog laid over Sif Village. Valdis was still asleep in her hay bed, snoring like an Ursaring. She wore a single earring on her left ear and an anklet around her right foot, both thick and simple looking rings, made out of gold. She shared the room with her other family members, but they already got up by now. The sun was shining through her window, directly into her face. Valdis responded by grunting, turning over, scratching her messy beard, pulling a crumb out of it and throwing it away.
With a loud slam, the bedroom door opened. In front of it stood an above average tall Perrserker, looking at her angrily with it's big, red eyes.
"Valdis!", the Perrserker shouted. Valdis was upright in her bed immediately.
The Perrseker stomped towards her, grabbed her by her tail and held her in front of it's face. She was now facing him directly, just upside down.
The Perrserker looked at her, then smiled and said: "Happy birthday, daughter of mine!"
Of course! Today was the big day! Her "Sweet Sixteen"!
In Meowth tradition, a Meowth or Perrserker was considered and adult, a true warrior, and a full member of their society once it reached it's 16th year and proved him or herself by accomplishing something great. The Pokémon's accomplishment would then decide his or her rank in their society.
Valdis thought about what she wanted to do for a long time, and had already decided what she wanted to do. No other except her knew, but tonight she wanted to reveal it to the whole town.
"Morning, dad!", Valdis answered. And with that, her father let her fall to the ground. She hit head first.
"Who can sleep can also work.", her father told her as she got back up. "Everyone is already busy for the party preparations. If you don't want others to mess up your special day, then go and make sure they don't."
Valdis quickly rushed outside.
"Yes, dad! Bye, dad!", she quickly said as she rushed past him, through the door, through the living room and outside.
It was still early and foggy outside, but the town was rarely so busy.
All the other Meowth and Perrserker lived in small wooden huts scattered around. Most of them seemingly not stable constructed enough to withstand a greater storm. Valdis' house was something different. The Warlord also had the privileges to own the largest and most stabled house in town. This counted for every Lord. Some maybe better build than others. Like all the other towns, Sif Village was build by the shores to the wide and cold sea. Ships, build out of great pine trees, some for single Meowth, some for whole armies, were placed at the beach. While smaller boats only had paddles for movement, larger ships also had sails.
Some Mewoth and Perrserker gathered long tables and benches to sit on and placed them near the town square, others transported large wooden barrels. A Perrserker was giving many small Meowth orders, a single Meowth gathered sticks and logs of different size and placed them on a pile of more wood.
From top of the already and constantly existing stage, a Perrserker, it's feet, paws, tips of it's horn like ears and the amulet colored in a bright green colour, was watching over everything that was happening. Next to it was a tiny Meowth, a literal ball of fluff, playing with the Perrserker's tail. It was her mother, the Warlord, and her baby brother. Despite her title she mostly kept her youngest by her side, until the day when he was old enough to attend school.
As Valdis approached the stage where her mother stood on, everyone around her who was working just then stopped as they saw her. For a short moment everything was silence. Then, everyone altogether began cheering and calling her name, pumping their fists in the air and some started to laugh.
Today was her day, and Valdis felt proud as she walked past the members of her town and up to the stage to her mother.
Warlord Saga went down on one knee and roughly fondled Valdis hair and ears. At times like these it was hard for Valdis to believe that she was their leader, and even a well respected one.
"Happy birthday, I can't believe how much time has passed!", the Warlord said to her daughter.
Another Perrserker passed by the stage and started to snicker in a mean way as it saw her talking this way. Saga reacted by hissing at it, rolling up her eyes, so only red could be seen, and expanding her claws, making them appear like blades coming out of her paws. The other Perrserker hurried away.
Little Snorry walked up to his sister and began to nibble on her paw. He was about half the size of Valdis and did not learned how to talk yet.
"You should watch out what you're saying, mom. They might see this as a sign of weakness.", Valdis told her mother and tried to shake of her little brother of her paw.
Saga stood back up.
"My Pokémon know EXACTLY what happens if they try to defy me.", Saga said and looked over to one of the working Perrserker. "ISN'T THAT RIGHT, SVART?!"
A Perrserker, rolling a barrel, had a big "L" branded on his silver amulet on his head.
"Dad said, I should help with the preparations?", Valdis informed her.
Lady Saga began to think about what she could do.
"Well ... the other Warlord have already bee invited, setting tables is almost done, grog ...", she thought loudly and counted with her paws while doing so.
She looked back to her daughter.
"I have a job for you!", she said, picked up her son gave him to the slightly confused Valdis. "Take care of you baby bro' until sunset. You know what a pain he can be."
Snorry began to pull on Valdis' earring.
"Well.", Valdis thought. "I had worse tasks."
Valdis bid her mother goodbye, took her brother by his paw and walked back how with him. It was only a matter of second until he was tired of walking, so she dragged him behind her across the cold and wet grass.
She already knew how to spend the remaining day before the party. She borrowed a rope from their house, walked with her brother to a small hill near their town to a tree. She tied one end of the rope to the tree and the other end around her brother's belly. The only thing she had to do know was to watch out, that Snorry would not cut the rope or get taken away by a larger, predatory bird Pokémon.
Valdis then sat down by another tree and watched the little fluff ball run around in circles.
"Babies sure a dumb.", she thought. "Especially him."
She often looked after her brother this way. The first few times she did this, it was funny. It got rather boring the often she did this. He never got away, he never got hurt, he never untied or cut the rope. He seemingly never understood he was even tied. Valdis once tried to fresh things up by throwing small stones at him. He never dodge, he only made a weird noise when she hit his head.
After just a few minutes, that felt like an eternity for Valdis, she stood up and looked down the hill to her home town. The fog had almost completely disappeared and the town was still busy.
Valdis crossed her arms and sighted.
"Probably my last day here and I mostly spent it with ...", Valdis said to herself and looked behind her. Her brother ripped some grass of the ground and was chewing it.
"Why your last day?", a voice from above Valdis asked.
Valdis was startled for a moment and extended her claws. preparing for battle. She looked up and saw a familiar face.
"How long have you been up there?!", she angrily asked.
"Some time?", he said. Another Meowth was standing on a branch of the tree Valdis stood by. He came down to her, leaving the marks of his claws on the bark.
Tofi Jera, the Giant. He was one of the less Meowth that got his nickname before getting evolving and even Perrserker never received a nickname. The reason was impossible to be unnoticed. Tofi was suffering from gigantism. Because of this he was even slightly taller than the average Perrserker.
Valdis knew him all her life. He was two years older than her and used to play and, of course, fight together. With the time he started to be a pest for Valdis. Because of her status of the Warlord's daughter and his future as an intimidating warrior, most Meowth loved to seem them getting married one day. Tofi loved this though as well, but marriage was the least thing Valdis cared about now.
"Are you sick?", Tofi asked.
"Now that you are here, yes.", Vadlis turned back to her brother to stop him from eating more grass.
"Come on, Valdis! Something bothering you?", Tofi insisted and walked to her with his huge steps.
Valdis grunted. She did not knew if she should tell him or not. She walked past him and sat down by the other tree again.
Tofi sat down in front of her, blocking her view to her brother with his might.
"Come on! I'm your friend! You can trust me!"
Valdis looked at him.
"Lesson one in school: Never trust anyone.", she reminded him.
Silence.
"It's about proving my worth as a warrior.", she finally said. "I know what I want to do, but I'm not sure how to do it."
Tofi listened carefully to her. He stood up and sat down again, now next to her.
"I should not be afraid, everyone dies sooner or later. But still, I don't want to fail."
Tofi took Valdi's paw in his big paw. Valdis responded by quickly pulling her paw back and hissed at him.
"What do you want to do anyway?", Tofi asked.
Valdis remained silent for a moment.
"I'll tell you all later at the party.", she answered.
Both remained silent for a while.
"Can you go away?!", Valdis told Tofi.
Tofi looked at Vadlis, slowly stood up and walked off, back to the town. He looked back to Valdis, who remained by the tree by herself, watching as her brother laid on the ground, gargling with his own spit.
Much later that day, when the sun already disappeared at the horizon, all Meowth and Perrserker that that already were true warriors gathered at the prepared town square. Tables were set with mugs with warm grog and rodents were grilled and prepared for the feast. Torches were put in the ground to light the town, even though Meowth and Perrserker could see in the dark. It was simply for decoration and warmth.
Another part of the tradition was that every current Warlord of the island would and visit this feast to show honour to the soon to be warrior. A gesture one would not get a second time, as long as this one would not become a Warlord him- or herself. It did not matter that Valdis was related to the Lady Saga.
The other Warlords were welcomed with much cheering, even thou some were forced to do it, because of respect.
Blann Rawl, the Pawless. During his fight against the former Warlord he lost his right paw. After the battle he attached his claws back on his stub.
Vekel Dor, the Scab. He suffers from a bad skin disease and lost most of his fur because if it, making him the most terrifying Warlord.
Joreid Tonra, the Jokester. She was the only female Warlord beside Valdis's mother. The former Warlord forced her into a duel after talking bad about him behind his back. To everyone's surprise, she won.
Dunfjall Hurson, the Gluttonous. He was the most overweight Perrserker and could eat like a Snorlax. When Valdis saw him for the first time she thought he was a very hairy Miltank, that was carrying another hairy Miltank on her back.
After their arrival and a "formal" welcoming by the Sif warriors, all Warlord, including Saga, stepped onto the stage. The Warlods normally discussed about their business, raiding and "stuff", in private, so it always was something special to see them all together. Every time it could always be the last time.
Lady Saga stepped forward. The crowd was still cheering, some were pushing others, some argued with each other already.
"Quiet!", Saga ordered the crowd. "Quiet! Be quiet, I said! ... WILL YOU SHUT UP ALREADY!"
The crowd stopped immediately.
"GEZZ", she loudly exclaimed as she turned back around to the others Lords.
"We all know for what we gathered for here tonight! Tonight, we celebrate the birthday of one of our not-so-youngest and welcome her to the live of a full warrior! Valdis Eiwaz, daughter of Instructor Gorm and me, Lady Saga!"
All the Mewoth and Perrserker began cheering again. Valdis stepped out of the crows and onto the stage. The Warlord gave her expectant looks as she walked up to them. Lord Vekel scratched himself on his left arm. Pieces of hair and dry skin fell off.
Her mother walked to a barrel place on the stage, filled with warm grog, and filled a wooden mug with this drink. She then handed it to her daughter.
"Valdis Eiwaz, my daughter, we saw you grow up into a healthy and strong member of you society. We, the five Warlords, feel pride in giving you the rank of a full warrior.", Saga spoke.
Everything was silent. Saga went back to the other lords. As they stood there, lined up, they bowed down to Valdis. She felt both proud and nervous. Before this day, she never drank grog. Meowth before coming into age were forbidden. She only heard how it would taste like, and her kind tended to make it strong. "If it's to strong, you're too weak.", they always said.
Valdis turned back to the crowd, closed her eyes and empted the mug in one go. Some of it spilled and splattered on her face and beard. Messy drinking was normally.
The others didn't joked. She felt it burning hot and strong in her mouth and throat, her eyes began to water a little. The crowd and the Warlords waited in anticipation.
Valdis hit herself on her stomach and let out a loud burp.
With that, everyone cheered. The crows, the Warlords. Valdis was now truly an accepted warrior. She victoriously threw her mug on the ground and let out a war cry.
As she stood there, watching the Meowth and Perrserker of her village cheering for her, still sick of what she just drank, her mother walked over to her and placed her paw on her head, smiling with pride.
"AND NOW, ...!", Saga suddenly shouted at her villagers again. This time they went quiet at once. "And now, some words from our fresh warrior!"
Saga made space for Vadlis to talk, to make her speech. Vadlis was unsure about what and how to say it. She never really thought about one moment. Everyone was looking at her to start talking.
"Mom, dad, Warlords, and warriors of Sif Village! Today I feel pride and honour. And I want to bring more pride and honour to my and my house in the future! Like so many before me, I want to achieve greatness! I want to do something, that-!"
Valdis was suddenly interrupted.
"Boooo!" Come to the point!, someone in the crowd cursed at her.
Valdis took the mug from the ground and attempted to angrily throw it at him. She hit another Meowth on it's head instead.
"I know what I want to do, to prove my worth!", Valdis announced. "Tomorrow I will set sails to the mainland of the Air Continent! I will gather as much riches I can find, and when I return, it will be with mountains of gold and jewels! That is what I want to do! That is what I want to be remembered for! I want to cover this town in gold, with these two paws!"
Silence.
One by one the crowd began to cheer again, not quite so strong as before. But Valdis was happy to have finally said it. Now she only needed to actually do this.
"Good luck with that!", Lord Vekel said as he and the other Warlords, except Saga, walked past her and off the stage.
The party had now officially began, and Valdis wanted to join in. Have a feast with her closest ones before departure tomorrow, followed by either fame or death. As she wanted to go off the stage too, her mother grabbed her by her arm. She didn't looked happy at all.
"Valdis. We need to talk. Now!"
Saga dragged her daughter behind the stage were no others were. She crossed her arms and looked very serious.
"Explain to me what exactly you wanted to do?", she asked Valdis.
"A journey!", Valdis answered, trying to sound mature. "I want to go into the wide world like so many did before me, and then I make myself the richest Meowth alive."
Lady Saga looked at her for a while. She slowly shook her head.
"That's not going to happen."
"Why?!"
"You're my daughter, I know you better than any other on this damn island and beyond. And I tell you, you're overestimating your abilities."
"Are you telling me I'm weak?!", Valdis shouted.
"I've seen Meowth stronger than you when they were your age! I saw Perrserker leaving this island with similar goals and never returning!", Saga shouted back.
"You can't tell me what to do!", Valdis argued.
"What?!"
"I'm a warrior now! I can do what I want!"
"No, you can't!"
"I'm not a child anymore!"
"You're still MY child, and I'm also still you WARLORD, AND YOU HAVE TO OBEY ME!"
Silence.
Valdis eyes began to water again. For a moment she was thinking about overthrowing her own mother, just she once did her grandfather. She expanded her claws.
"What are you going to do about that?", Saga calmly asked her.
Valdis reached for her earring. It was her grandfathers. She still missed him, and she knew fighting her mother was not an option. Tears rolled down her face, into her beard.
Saga looked down to her.
"Tomorrow we prepare a ship and have a raid. You can lead the raid, and that'll be your prove worthy task."
With that, Saga walked off to join the festivities, leaving Valdis alone and broken.
Five or ten minutes later Valdis also joined the others. She met up with her father again, and inevitably Tofi as well, who wanted to spent the night with her. Due to his size, he stood out of the crowd.
For hours the Meowth and Perrserker of Sif Village drank, ate, fought, drank some more, and sang songs about past battles, future battles, and the great warriors that lived before them.
When Valdis' father was off to get his mug filled AGAIN, Valdis leaned forward to Tofi, who also had enough to drink tonight.
"Tofi!", she said. "I need to go for little kittens!"
"Okay, alright!", Tofi answered, only half listening. "Good luck, doing that."
Trying not to look suspicious, Valdis sneaked past the other warriors, leaving the party and down to the beach.
She had a dream and wanted to prove herself. No matter if her mother was the Warlord or not or what she and the others thought about her. She'll show them that they were wrong, and when she returns, she would so rub it under their noses. If they had noses. And may it only be the alcohol and the anger she had.
Not knowing how to sail on a ship by herself, she decided to take one of the smaller boats, build for two Perrserker, and leave this island, her life and her family behind in the middle of the night. Only by herself, with nothing but her accessories, a boat and a paddle to row.
"I'll show them!", she thought. "I'll show them!"
After a while of rowing, she looked behind her, to the island she was leaving. She could still hear the singing and see the light of the torches in the distance, probably not knowing the one who's party it is will be gone now.
Valdis was slowly getting cold, and she shivered.