Okay, I've decided to try something different here. I actually wrote this for an rpg I'm on, but I decided I might as well put it up. I'd love to know what you think of it and the general writing style. R&R!

The life of Liara Emberflower:

I am Liara Emberflower, a warrior, a recorder and a loyal member of Fort Rivenwood. Today, my friends, I am here to tell you the tale of my life and how I came to settle here, at this very fort. My tale is long, and full of trials and adventures which I fought to overcome.

It is at the request of my many dear friends that I tell my tale, and step into the world of the recorder, if only for a short time. I hope that you enjoy my story, and that I have finally aswered the questions of the mysterious wildcat, that, no doubt, filled your minds.

And so, I feel it is best to begin this with the story of my ancestors, whose lives are as much a part of this as mine. Listen well, my friends, to what I am about to tell you...

Silve

It began many seasons ago, in the wild green country of Mossflower, at castle Kotir.

Lady Tsarmina, the daughter of Lord Verdauga Greeneyes, was restless. Tsarmina, ruthless and ambitious as she was, had become desperate to ascend the throne. She was a rebellious young creature, and watched over the relatively happy woodland servants of Kotir with distaste.

One day, a band of roaming players came to Kotir, and when Tsarmina saw their wildcat leader, she begged her Father to let them in. Her Father, of course, gave in, and that evening the performers put on their show for all of Kotir.

Their leader, Zaaman the fire-breather was a fiesty and carefree young tom. Tsarmina fell into a foolish love with him, but he left after a few days, his welcome spent and his wild heart calling for adventure. Tsarmina was left to wander the dark and gloomy corridors alone, cursing the tom-cat that had left her with a child.

Meanwhile, her Father grew weak, leaving Tsarmina to take control and work the woodlanders bitterly. The country of Mossflower had come across a dark time. The woodlands were no longer filled with laughter and Tsarmina's mood and her Father's illness settled over the whole land.

One of those shadowy evenings, Tsarmina's child was born in her bedchamber.

Tsarmina despised Zaaman and hated her daughter for being his spawn. But she could not hand the child over to the nurse maid. What other female wildcats lived in this castle? Reluctantly she named the little girl Silve, and hid her from others, in a private nursery.

The dibbun was taught reading and writing, as well as being fed by a ferretmaid, Comfrey, the only maid Tsarmina could trust. Comfrey had cared for Tsarmina herself as a child.

Despite this, Silve's childhood was sad and lonely, for Comfrey could never give up her normal duties lest others get suspicious, so Silve never recieved enough attention. As for her Mother, well, she held a grudge against her all her life. She was only ever around to teach her daughter how to fight, which she trained her in, or occasionally to inform her of goings on in Kotir.

Uncle Gingivere was her only real friend. He always talked to her and brought her gifts, treating her like a real cat. But Tsarmina insisted he visited no more than every ten days, saying he was a bad influence. Silve always hated her Mother for how she treated her and vowed she would never become anything like either her or her Father, whom she knew little of.

It was during the Winter when Elletsa was fifteen seasons old that Tsarmina finally achieved her ambition as leader. When Silve had heard that both her Uncle Gingivere and a young warrior mouse had been imprisoned, she was furious. Her anger grew when she heard tales of the poor woodlanders, told from her Mother's own proud mouth. Tsarmina grew more distant from her daughter, nigh abandoning her, and her Nursemaid rarely visited. It was then that Silve decided she could stay no longer.

The blood of a wanderer ran through her veins, and she headed South, towards the promise of a new life. She may have been young and headstrong, but she was no fool.

I never learned how she did it, but she crossed the legendary desert and the canyon, with nothing but a bow and her own teeth and claws to defend herself. Silve was determined, and soon passed a recently abandoned abbey.

Here in the South, the weather was sweltering, and Silve's thick fur did not help. The landscape had changed. The greeness was gone, to be replaced by dry grass and stunted trees. The land was hilly, with barely a home in sight. But Silve continued, and before long the independant young she-cat came to the sparkling aqua sea, and found refuge in a small coastal village.

But Silve didn't stop there. The village was a poor one, she had no future there. The honest villagers mistrusted her, and, her quest for adventure still strong, Using her clever tongue, she convinced a ship of sailors to let her on board, demonstarting her useful skills. They relented, and she joined the on the epic and testing voyage to the South.

Yet, as they docked into this new, unknown land, more surprises were in store and she found herself wandering the streets of Salimar, ruled by King Salimeerika. The city was grand and impressive, filled with wide paved streets and exotic homes. Of course, as with every city, there was a dark side too, which Silve promptly avoided. This prosperous kingdom, however, was not for her. She wanted more freedom.

So, after using what little gold she had earned on the ship by work, she managed to get some provisions, and head to the great desert at the city's end. She had been warned by merchants of the wild creatures there, but paid no heed and marched off recklessly into the desert.

It was not as long as she expected before her trek was cut short. The 'savages' as it turned out, were a powerful tribe of desert sandcats, who were both intrigued and delighted by the appearance of the Northern wildcat, Silve.

She had found her adventure.

The sandcats were wild creatures, dressed in the furs of their prey, and used tropical dyes to tattoo their impressive bodies. Silve was young, but quickly adjusted to their life. These cats had many traditions, and Silve learned how to kill poisonous snakes (a delicacy of theirs) how to survive in the scorching desert heat, and even how to tattoo tribal designs.

It was not long, of course, before she fell in love with a cat named Margar Thorn, and came to raise her children. I might have never been born had she let her children grow and mingle with the other cats, and become a firm part of the tribe, but Silve had other plans.

Elletsa

Hundreds of seasons passed.

Silve was long gone, as were her children. She had three, and although one died young, the other two grew up in their tribe. The boy Silve had plans for. She sent him on a journey North, making sure he found the family of wildcats there, and made his own. Her daughter she sent South, to find her way there. She was never heard of again. Silve was sad to lose her, but she had done her duties. She had raised her children to protect and look over whatever lands they came to, so no one should live through Tsarmina's cruelty again.

Elletsa was a young wildcat growing up her parents in Northern Mossflower.

They lived in a fine little fort, kindly watching over those under their protection, in this rarely visited part of the forest. Elletsa may not have known it, but through her Mother's line she was a direct descendant of Tsarmina, while her Father was a minstrel, inheriting his leadership of his band from back through the ages.

She may have had a relatively kind childhood, but she could never stand the pompous air her family had developed. They had grown conceited with their power over the woods, and acted like royalty. Elletsa was determined she would never allow herself to stay here for her life.

But her Father was a restless tom, and soon left, when Elletsa was just eight seasons old, to lead his band across the forest. He had always been away on trips when she was younger, but now he was gone for good.

Two seasons later, her mother became depressed. She had held up before, but had finally given in to her aching heart. Elletsa hated it here. She needed to break away, and experience the world. Three seasons later, when her mother talked only of her father, she did just that.

Just like a young cat ages ago did the same, she travelled south, through the heat and the storms, the foes and the loneliness.

Passing through a pretty little town, wealthy from trade, she found her esacpe. The docks. Finding a ship, she became a stowaway, on a long voyage to the lands of the far south.

Alas it didn't last long and soon she was caught by the captain of the ship, an otter merchant named Tallerfall. He disliked the mysterious young wildcat, but allowed her to stay. What else could he do? The voyage was lengthy, and as unused to the open sea as Elletsa was, very unpleasant.

The ship was small, and they were lucky not to be run aground by the vicious waves that tossed these infamous waters. Elletsa still wonders how she made it off that boat without too throwing herself to the waves.

It wasn't long before she took the smae path as Slive, and discovered the great desert. Silve's arrival so long back was long forgotten, and soon Elletsa was expected, as impressed by they were by this mighty she-cat. The blood of Queen Tsarmina ran strong through her, and after many seasons of learning their ways, she became leader to the sandcat's of her new home.

Her story might have ended there, had she not caught sight of the young tom, Roosoo Fang.

He was a strong, fighting sandcat, loyal to his tribe, but alas, rash in his decisions. He had always admired Elletsa and it was not long before they fell in love. She always found time from her duties to spend with him and he was always faithful and loving.

Unbeknowst to her, many creatures of her tribe were conspiring against her. Kaarkarr Storm, a senior warrior, was furious at this mix of blood. He had always been convinced that only pure sandcats could rule his precious tribe, and gathered together a band of followers to stop her.

When Roosoo Fang came to love her, Kaarkarr made his plans.

Meanwhile, Elletsa eventually came to give birth to two children, a boy and a girl. She, unlike her mother, was determined to cherish her children. She and Roosoo named their son Gilder Emberfang, combining their second names. Their daughter, they named Liara Emberflower, Elletsa insisting 'Fang' wasn't pretty enough for her. And that is how I happened to come across my unusual name.

For a few weeks Elletsa lived with Roosoo and her children in her chief's quarters, a network of rooms upheld by bamboo beams and hidden inside a great sand dune. But it was not long before her happiness was shattered.

During a dark night, she lay in bed inside her guarded home. A small gang of masked cats swiftly sneaked up and knocked out the guards, and wasted no time in heading straight to Elletsa's bedroom. But Elletsa woke. With a shriek of fury, she leapt at the smaller sandcats, but it was no use. They had already grabbed Roosoo. Elletsa had no choice but to hold her children in her arms and allow them to leave her outside.

A terrible sight awaited them. A small circle of war-painted sandcats surrounded the entrance. They ordered her to kneel before them. When she refused, as defiant as ever, they forced her, shoving her into the dust. Her husband was bound and gagged.

Then he was given the choice.

Kaarkarr Storm laid a dagger before him and ordered him to choose. Seeing as there was one dagger, Roosoo had to choose whether it was for him or his wife. Elletsa cried out against this, slashing and biting the cronies that held her, but to no avail.

Roosoo chose the dagger for himself. Today I still wonder if I will ever live up to his courage, and what would have become of us, had he not made that honourable sacrifice. But alas, Kaarkarr was a cruel beast. His face was etched with an anger my mother could not describe.

Kaarkarr drove the glinting dagger viciously into the back of his foe and my mother heard words escape his lips, 'A traitor's death for a traitor's life.'

He wasn't finished. As my father collapsed soundlessly to the ground, he turned to my Mother. She hid her babes behind her back, begging him to spare her youngsters.

Before either could say a word, a young female sandcat stepped out from the back of the group of murderers. Salson Cloud, a cat whom Elletsa thought she had befriended announced frantically that the wildcat's followers were coming. Alarmed, they immediately drew their weapons and raced around haplessly.

Salson grabbed my mother and helped her and her babes to disappear into the crowds.

The absence of moonlight was a blessed gift, and they raced through the dunes, to where several cats hid. Did everyone except her know that this was coming? Elletsa pondered.

The hooded sandcats were quick to wrap her and her babes each in a cloak and hand her a haversack packed with food, clothes and supplies.

Without a word, they took off, the sandcats carrying Elletsa's burdens as they made for Salimar.

Elletsa still doesn't know how she survived to arrive at the gates of Salimar after that awful night, but knew she was not safe. Bidding farewell to the sandcats to whom she swore eternal gratefulness, she carried on to the city port.

The seasons had passed since she had seen this port, but she was quickly accepted, after spinning a tale of a mother separated from her Northern husband on their journey home. She recieved a relatively cheap passage on the boat of Captain Tallerfall, now high seafarer in the service of King Salimeerika.When he saw Elletsa, he asked her had she ever been a maid of his.

The journey was smooth until that faithful day, half-way across the ocean. The sailors on desk first spotted it, a strange blue-sailed ship rearing in the distance. They avoided it, speeding up, but it was faster. Not before long Elletsa recognised the face that hovered at the rails.

Kaarkarr Storm. Elletsa's ship was no warship and soon succumbed to the ladders tossed across joining them. As the samdcats swarmed around them, it was evident Kaarkarr had come for revenge, and he siezed Liara and Gilder, as their Mother shrieked with fury.

The otters, terrified that they would lose both their ship and their lives, leapt forward. Tallerfall held Elletsa, a dagger at her back and begged the cats to let them go if he killed her. Elletsa was infuriated, but had eyes only for her children.

Suddenly, two otters leapt forward, one bowling over the cat, the other going for Kaarkarr, who held Gilder. But Kaarkarr was sly, and twisted around, slaying the otter with a single blow.

Reacting quickly, Tallerfall pushed Elletsa off the ship, and she fell backwards into the ocean. My mother tells me that all she felt at that moment was desperation, and a great coldness spreading through her.

Followed by a pair of paws yanking her shoulders upwards.

She found herself on a small lifeboat, surrounded by beaming otters. So Tallerfall was smarter than she had thought. When the coast was clear, she was hauled backwards onto the ship, to be assured by the otters that they had forced the cats back, who were now in a firm belief that Elletsa had drowned.

But Gilder was gone. Although the otters had managed to keep Liara, Gilder had not left the clutch of Kaarkarr Storm.

When my mother docked at the end of her grieving journey, she headed to Mossflower woods. Reluctant as she was to return to her abandoned childhood, she couldn't help imagining what had happened during this time, and what would be said when the wildcat that left them ten seasons ago was back, and with a fatherless child.

But then she saw the ruins. All that stood there was a broken pile of damp wood, and her echoing voice as she pelted through the wreckage, crying out for her family.

Elletsa was horrified. Where could she go? What could she do?She knew now, the only place she'd only ever fit in was by herself, and crept back into Mossflower woods.

My Mother was hungry, and filled with an aching sadness as she wandered through the moonlit forest, with nothing but a babe by her side. She passed a huge redstone building, barely casting it a glance and struggled on, tears spilling openly down her face. She must have travelled for days, and it was night again, not that she cared or even realised.

Mistakingly, she stumbled across the path of a territorial barn owl. Fearing for Liara, she shot off through the woods, ignored the owl calling after her, and nearly tumbled straight into a pool of water. Looking up, she realised it was not just a pool of water, but a beautiful lake.

The owl forgotten, she stared at the island in the centre of the tranquil water, and knew she had found safety.

Determined to explore the island, she built a fragile raft, and hoping it would hold, set out across the lake. After a few stumbles, she reached the island, seemingly lucky for once, and set out inspecting the isle, despite the dark night. It was uninhabited, but with plenty of food. Everything she could want.

Here was where she would raise her daughter.

Here ends the tale of my mother. In my next entry, a shall tell a more detailed account of the story of my own life, although I hope that I have envoked a little understanding already.

Liara Emberflower, apprentice recorder

Well, thats part 1. There are two parts, the second one being longer and depicting Liara's life. It'll be up next Saturday. Thanks for reviewing! (Those who did)