This story may contain triggers!

Neclect from others, the plague, hidden depression, injuries

 

Spring 108 - Autumn 109

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Peacefully and sheltered, three siblings came into the world under the gracious skies of a valley, in the heart of a growing community. Tya was the second born in the litter and grew up with her two brothers Avari and Atlas. The threesome was the second litter of a traditional healer named Kaylin and a gifted fighter who went by the name Bolide.
 

The valley where they lived was large and fertile, and the group of dozens of cats saw a huge willow tree as their home. Along with other cats their age, the siblings learned the basics in education and hunting. At that time, they were still sometimes taught by her older sister Senna (formally Reva) before she found her own way of life.

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Tya had learned the love that a mother and father could give, even if Bolide was more distant. From their first week and faltering steps, they supported their innocent children. And like any bond forged through birth, Avari, Atlas and Tya began to grow very close. 

For as long as she could remember, she had been listening to the old and new stories

the elders had gathered on their journeys, learning about their way of life. Older cats who had lived

through the time before and after the plague often told their stories to the young cats with passion - and fear. The wasteland, the hardships it brought, the ground that broke up and left the last living creatures without hope of survival - until it suddenly stopped. Even after repeating the stories a hundred times, Tya's fascination with slipping into their skin didn't diminish.

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With the stories of The Plague and the tribes, Tya kept wondering which Spirit would choose her and how she could use those powers for the better. What happened to the old Spirits? Had they disappeared with the old world?

As she learned about the past, she heard more and more that the tribes did nothing to save outsiders. The only good thing they did was to open the gate to this new, healthy world. And even after they entered the life-saving land, many were shooed away if they did not pledge themselves to one of their Spirits. They had no right to reside on the self-proclaimed territories of the tribes. So had the founder of the community and her own child. Mara never felt resentment or hatred toward the tribes as she mourned the loss of most of her family. Her son Oliver had now been living with the tribes himself for many, many years. 

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No matter what the opinions of some of the anti-tribe representatives, the world had been saved from its doom, and only the tribes were the ones who saved the world - once mortal cat beings now given godlike powers. 

They made the world a better place. That was what Tya wanted from the beginning, what she always wanted. She was not willing to remain helpless, was not willing to let others suffer once again as she or her ancestors had done before. With determination, the calico wanted to put an end to it. A lifelong promise to the world - the preservation of Corondryx from any evil. 

But her nature and person were different from other cats, she tried to see the world from many different perspectives and not just her own. This was the beginning of her often being misunderstood and shunned by others.

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Avari became a decent hunter, a valuable young cat, and a respected member of the community. A cat with many strengths and few weaknesses, for he was smart and learned very quickly. Despite his young age, he was an idol to many cats of his generation. He embodied everything that Tya and Atlas had not been, presenting himself as mindful, strong, and fair. Avari would have been the kind of character that most stories would have chosen as a protagonist.

It wasn't easy for Tya, who felt more like an exception than a companion. Other cats didn't want to be alone with her, and she didn't even know what made her so different. It didn't make sense that she just couldn't belong, did it? When her brothers were around, she felt safe and somehow less lonely. As observing as he is, Avari was always aware of that. To get his siblings out of their seclusion, he made sure they were always around, whether others liked them or not.

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Tya showed more talent at an early age in the basic healing practices that her mother practiced. The young cat's exceptionally good memory made her quickly learn the names and benefits of healing herbs, and even applied her own tweaks to recipes. Meanwhile, Atlas developed practical items that improved the lives of the community. Each of the three blossomed remarkable skills in their specialties. 

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In early spring in year 109, a dark blue and heavily pregnant she-cat joined the

community. Suva brought the family something for which they were end-

lessly grateful. She gave birth to Lazariel and Nazareth, and soon the two

bonded with Avari, Atlas and Tya. Kaylin also warmly cared for the youngest

addition to the community, and it didn't take long for Laz and Naz to see their

own in the family of five. To be sure, Suva little understood why her

kittens did not give their mother the unquestionable love they gave Kaylin.

But Tya and the others quickly realized that Suva wasn't keeping up to this

responsability due to a lack of a partner and problems burried deep inside her.

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The early days with the newborns passed quickly, so that as soon as Suva re-

gained her strength, she was preferring the outside more than staying inside

the den with her offspring.
Sometimes she would disappear for days at a time, returning without a word

and isolating herself emotionally from the group.

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Time flew by, and even though she and his siblings liked to dream big, they

always stayed where they were at home. It hurt to think of having to leave their mother and father.

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Lazariel was more attached to the withdrawn Tya and Atlas, leaving his extroverted brother Nazareth to get thick with Avari. Tya and Atlas became Laz's greatest confidants, while his brother enjoyed Avari's company and grew to become the centre of the new generation. In contrast, Lazariel focused on the things in his head, fiddling with thoughts and imagination alien to others in his age group. But that did not put a stop to the jealousy that was flaring up between the two brothers.

Lazariel, who desired more interest from the group, met Nazareth's desire to reap more interest from his mother. Suva rarely interacted with her children, but Laz learned a compatible way of dealing with her that she responded to.

Laz became a silent companion to Suva, and even though their common mother couldn't care less, Naz's jealousy continued to grow. Up to a point where both siblings could barely come face to face.
One open, warm and energetic, the other cool, thoughtful and strategic. The complete opposite.
Weeks went by and with them Suva's plan to finally leave the group behind came closer to the fore. She was sick of the company of this 'fake happy family' and could not possibly reconcile her own morals and principles with theirs.

Lazariel was the first to take Suva's side, to move out into the world with her and leave this community behind. His close relationships with Atlas and Tya also became increasingly distant as he unconsciously adopted Suva's rejection. It pained Tya to see the distnce grow day by day...
Nazareth was shocked and sided with those he saw as more like family than his own blood, defending the place of his birth.

The wedge between the two brothers grew until Lazariel with Suva finally left the group one stormy night in their 6th month of life (Naz + Laz) and never came back.

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Although Naz was only arguing with his brother, Tya easily recognised the pain the smaller blue tom was trying to hide. They all did their best to catch Nazareth and it seemed to have an effect when he proclaimed his true place at their side.

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But one night showed otherwise. Tya didn't know exactly why, but something woke her. Perhaps the raging storm of the night, perhaps an evil premonition. Peering out of her den, she spotted a familiar figure making its way through the wind and weather. Nazareth.

 

What was he doing there? Quickly one and one were put together. Of course the tiny tom was looking for his family. And no one could blame him. Tya didn't even think of letting him wander around the world alone and jumped up, following the figure that was growing paler in the rain.

The water picked up more and more speed and the wind clawed at her limbs as Tya tried to make headway. It was a bad night for the project. She knew it was not Naz's intention to involve his family in the drama. But he was one of them now! It was her job to follow him and bring him back safely. Easier said than done. Narrowing her eyes, she lost sight of Nazareth more and more until he finally disappeared completely into the distance.

 

All the shouting and complaining did not help, for the wind intercepted all the sounds and smothered them. Tya wandered aimlessly, perhaps even in circles, all perception reduced to a minimum while thunder and lightning fought wars above her head.

 

Suddenly a figure came to the fore, something she perceived in the corner of her eye. Something seemed strange, no, it couldn't be true! As fast as her legs would allow, she raced forward, eyes fixed on the small dot that turned out to be Nazareth. The cat was clinging to a cliff, no chance of holding on in this weather. He slipped, plunged into the depths.

Tya held out, her paws stretching to twice their length but still missing. His fearful look could not be goodbye. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger and leapt straight into the abyss after him, the acceleration allowing her to reach the smaller body. Like a snake, Tya wrapped herself around Naz, trying to break her fall as they both crashed into the underlying trees, injuring the fragile she-cat on the leg.

 

How they had survived was a mystery. A raging river welcomed the falling bodies with open arms and engulfed them between rain and flood. Fortunately, Tya was a good swimmer. She managed to hold on to a boulder and wood and get out of the water. Naz, however, was nowhere to be found. Adrenalin kept her going as she ran down the embankment.

 

If Tya lost him now, it had all been for nothing...

 

Then, finally on the bank of the river, she saw the blue figure lying in the sand. He was breathing. Both siblings were reunited, but the way home remained cut off beyond reach. They couldn't climb this cliff, so there was nothing to do but wander through this unknown forest, hoping to find a way around the mountains. Tya heard the forest as pleasantly quiet, everywhere was blooming and fragrant, food was not scarce here and both were slowly getting better.

 

But it was Nazareth again who seemed to literally attract bad luck.

A ravenous bird of prey took the cat as its target. Both cats didn't notice him until he screeched and grabbed Naz and took him into the air.

 

Not this time, not ever!

 

Instinctively, Tya feathered towards the sky, just in time to stop the bird from rising any further. Her claws caught the creature from below, and it dropped its prey, screaming wistfully. Bloodstained, another wound clung to Nazareth's body, this time it was his eye, which despite Tya's healing skills could no longer be saved while her left toes suffered from another hit.

 

Nevertheless, his gratitude was once again great, even if his body was weak and his spirit drained. This time, the recovery did not quite succeed and the siblings found it difficult to struggle through the day. The forest was their endless maze.

 

Were Avari and Atlas looking for them? Soon light broke through the dense leaves. Finally a clearing called to them. Louder and louder, until the two stood before a large figure. Immediately Tya was aware of what this was. , rememberint the writings and stories of her sister Reva/Senna. It was one of the totems, created to conntect to the spirits, a sign of their power. Here and now her paws pulsed, her heartbeat doubled. Tya couldn't resist the urge.

Naz was the first to touch the stone body. Tya followed suit. A bright light, a twitch and a draught as strong as that of a thousand birds at once surrounded her.

 

Linnéa, it whispered, softly at first, then louder and louder.

 

Linnéa.