[PRP] Coming of Age {Xana and Edana}

[Lunadriel]

This is a private roleplay for Northspring Harpy only.
(Backdated rp to when Xana was younger.)  

[Lunadriel]

Today was the day she had been waiting for. A journey to come, and a chance to prove her worth to her Queen and her sisters. The day started before the sun rose from its slumber, the air cold and dark. Xana woke to the sound of her aunt telling her it was time. Xana slightly surprised she had ever fallen asleep. The excitement seemed too much to get any rest. Yet, she didn't even remember curling up in the nest of flowers and furs that had been prepared to help her rest. Xana should have known Achlys had prepared a concoction to help her sleep and sprinkled it on the furs. It was Achlys who looked down at her now with fur and feather that glowed in the torchlight.  

[Lunadriel]

Tiny stretched claws, feather, neck, and wing. Her tongue flickered in a big yawn. Clicking her beak and curling her stretched claws, she blinked up at everyone. Being that she was not a Northspring Harpy, it is not required that she participate in the Coming of Age Ceremony. Tiny would not miss a chance to see the world beyond Northspring though! She would accompany Xana and join her in the ritual brought forth to all members.
The Coming of Age Ceremony is a passage from yearling to a true sister of the flock. Northspring mares when 5 seasons old and their red flower bloomed are ready to begin the prooving. They are bathed, scented, and released from the Northspring Flock.
From there, they leave in search of a strong and healthy sire to woe into relations. The search has no set time, only that the young mare may not return without a round belly kissed by the gift of life.
What she tells the stallion, is her story to weave, as long as the truth is never told.
Any mare that betrays them during this time, will fall under the wrath of the Hatetalon Queen.  

[Lunadriel]

Most of the flock had turned up for the occasion, save for those caring for young or the injured. Xana stood up and greeted each sister in silence. One by one she went to each with a press of her neck to theirs and a gentle touch of her wing tip to the other side of their neck. They follow her as she leads the way to the hot springs.

Once to the hot springs, a raccoon approaches to unbraid her hair while two sisters began to brush her, one on each side. They brush hard and Xana does not show discomfort on her face. It is important to brush out any dirt or the stench of battle.

After the brushing is done, Xana enters the hot spring filled with natural salts and minerals from the Earth. The salts give a clean sting in her fresh brushed coat. Her hair curls and snakes out around her in the water, reaching out further and further the deeper she goes. Xana stops with the water at her sides and reflects on the moment. Torches blaze around the spa painting Xana and the waters in a warm glow of firey colors.

Embers dance across the horizon behind the mountains as the sun begins to bubble from down below, getting ready to breach the line between Earth and sky. The scene of her standing in the pool with her hair fanned out around her, coat glowing and the not yet risen sun is breathtaking. A new dawn approaches fast welcoming Xana in her journey ahead.  

[Lunadriel]

Xana kneels down and dips her head under the water. The heat is so hot, she feels her whole body flush. Lifting her head out of the water she sucks in the cold air. The sensation of hot and cold giving immense enjoyment to her. Exhaling, she can feel the tension and expectation of this day releasing. She could do this!

Behind her, she heard a gentle swish in the water. She turned to see her Queen joining her. The swish noise, a branch of Berry that Edana stirred at the waters with. The fruit covered branch a symbol of fertility. Xana bowed her head to her mother without taking her eyes off of her. They were taught to never take your eyes off your enemy. While Edana was not her enemy today, Xana did her best to make sure to never be on her bad side. Dropping her defense could be insulting, and taken to mean that Edana isn't a threat to her. On a bad day, this would anger Edana. Edana could be so temperamental! So Xana tread wisely.  

[Lunadriel]

Edana wore a feather cloak with sash and cord around her waste for each daughter born to her. The sash against her waist was the blue you see in a cloudless sky. A thinner sash in a royal purple laid on top of that one with a bow, covering all but the edges of the blue fabric. Then a cord of gold wrapped around them perfectly centered, and tucked under the bow. 3 daughters had Edana gifted this herd with, and 3 adornments she wore.
It is a proud moment when a mother is about to participate in their daughters right of passage.

Xana would leave a young mare, and return heir to the throne.  

[Lunadriel]

Edana waded into the waters with her branch, her sashes fanning out around her in the ripples she created. Her ceremonial garb wasn't something she wore often. This moment called for a special representation of the day at hand. Edana had her garb made for just this day. Her first born, being the first to come of age, and leave in search of a suitor to further the bloodline. While Edana's heart is hard and full of hate, this moment brought her great pride. She isn't beyond love, it's just not an emotion she has time for. Today though, you could almost see the love in her face. This is the blood of her blood standing before her in the pools of destiny.

Edana raised the branch and sprinkled the waters over her daughter, humming as she willed thoughts of health, fertility, and strength over her daughter. One might mistake her for a nurturing mother, watching the scene unfold.

Edana passed the branch off to a sister, then leaned in to whisper to her daughter. "Do not disappoint me." she said with a stern voice. This is her nature. She might look the part of a caring Queen, but she would rip you apart if the mood suited her.

Turning back and rising out of the waters, she addressed Xana and those around her.

"As one of us comes of age, our womb thickens, preparing for the seed of creation. Creation ensures that we thrive. Increasing our numbers ensures stability and strength." she pauses and she gets out of the water, and a few sisters tend to her, drying her off. Edana dismisses them as she faces to address Xana directly. "You have proven yourself worthy in battle. Now you must prove yourself worthy by finding a sire. You must do so with the weapon of your mind. You will travel with no weapon and no armor. Use your wit to win the heart of a stallion, for however long he's needed. When you succeed, we will welcome you home with open claw." she finished, implying that Xana better not return home until she is successful.

Edana glared at the attendants that stood by her, indicating that they should already be stripping her of her wet garb. Even though she dismissed them from such an action only moments ago.

Her familiar Talon, aided in the process. "Well said, my Queen." Talon assured her with a raspy voice.  

[Lunadriel]

Xana held her breath as her queen approached. Even though that is her mother, she is always a queen first. Xana learned that early on, and it helped her to learn where she stood. Even still, Xana couldn't help but smile as her mother rained the branch over her. She closed her eyes, taking in the vibes of fertility with a deep breath. As Edana leaned in to whisper to her, she froze. Her mothers words like ice. Do not disappoint me. At this, Xana looked at her mother with wide eyes, then down at the water as her mother turned. Such expectation a weight on her head. She shook it off as two sisters began to wash her hair and body, while her mom spoke. She lifted her wings up out of the water, so her feathers would dry. A fat raccoon climbs on her back, nestled between her wings, to help with the washing. It gently goes over her feathers, assuring they were also clean.

Tiny Feather sat perched on the edge of the pool, getting treated in oils. She would leave the roost while her bonded is gone from Northspring. There is no coming of age ceremony for familiars, but Tiny insisted she rise to the same challenge.

Xana ignored those that tended to her trying to focus on the Queen's every word, as she continued her short speech. Her heart quickened in pace. Leaving her flock is something she is prepared for, but she is still nervous. As nervous as she gets before a battle. Though Xana pushes her nervousness down, she still flushes a little. The hot waters could be aiding in her pulse and red color. As light filled the sky, turning the day blue, Xana held her head high. She could do this. The fear of only sons, not even something that crossed her mind. Until her mom sat there looking at her expectantly, after she was done talking. Succeeding at finding a temporary mate was one thing. Having daughters, something you couldn't control on your own. Only fate could decide.

She leaves the waters to go stand by her Queen, wings still extended. Edana aids in covering Xana in oils, though only briefly. The raccoon from the bath, and the one that brushed her hair earlier, join together to brush her hair and braid it while still wet. When finished, they move to her tail. Her Flock sisters add strings of beads and flowers to her hair. Practically shining from the fresh scrub and oils, Xana sets out.

Pausing in her decent, she turns back to look at the picture of all her Flock, standing together to watch her leave. "I will not disappoint you." she says in reply to her mothers whisper, when out of earshot. Edana raises an eyebrow at her, knowing her words, even though she didn't hear them. Time would tell.  

[Lunadriel]

Sabina Hatetalon watched the whole morning unfold. Bitter and jealous of the attentions given to her blood sister. Sabina had not been afforded the same respect her mother showed Xana. Unlike Xana, Sabina looked to her Queen as a Mother. This had made her life uneasy, and left her wanting more. She had failed in battle when she tried her claw at it. Desperate to prove herself to her mother, those failures had come several times. Edana barely took notice of her, even when she tried to win her attentions. Yet she never missed Sabina's failures. There had been her mother each time, to watch her like a hawk, then say nothing at her defeat. Her disappointment in Sabina, palpable. Sabina should of done something besides try to show strength. But after she had failed once, there was no turning back. Only a strong warrior could take her mothers position, should she ever fall. This is what Sabina wanted more than anything. Yet she just couldn't match even a feathers worth of her mothers power.

So as Xana prepared for her ceremony, Sabina stood back and watched with a bitter eye. She didn't will her sister to succeed, but to fail for once, and be on her level. She didn't even stay to watch her leave, and was gone before her mother had finished talking. No one even noticed as she made her exit.

Anger and hate filled her. She used her claw to crush an empty basket as she walked past it towards her nest. Being born to this family was unfair! The spirits were cruel. Her own twin didn't pay her mind. Sabina had never felt so lonely. As she got to her nest, she flopped down with a cry of rage as hot tears streamed down her face. She would think of ways to make her life different...and do whatever it took....