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[fromthedeskofmuffin]

Lost: Cat, Gem in Forehead: Chapter 4

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

"Prithani, would you come here a moment? I need to tell you something." Maya sat at the dining room table, with a mug of tea. Another mug sat on the table in front of Prithani's usual seat.

Five and a half years had passed since she found him in the desert, and he was now a handsome and charismatic young man. He entered the dining room, and took his seat. The look on Maya's face concerned him. "Maya, what is wrong?"

Maya looked into Prithani's eyes, her face solemn. She had agonized over this decision for a week, afraid of what he might think. "I wanted to keep this from you, but there is a part of my past that I now must share. ...I used to be part of a secret order, as part of the inner council. The Allegiance of the Nine Daggers. We would also have been known as assassins." She paused, and watched Prithani to see how he would react.

His eyes widened, and his face flickered through a range of emotions. He didn't know how to react at all. Prithani had come to love Maya as a son loves a mother. Assassins were killers, weren't they? He had heard stories of people who killed important leaders in Tameu and vanished without a trace. But she said used to be. For how long? Did she kill a lot of people? Could he even ask that? Finally, he found his voice. "Why... are you telling me this?"

Maya took a deep breath, then sighed. She looked tired. "One day, I believe you will leave this house and this town, and I wish to ensure you will be safe on your own. There is something you must understand, first. The Allegiance were not hired killers. We were a society that tried to guide Tameu towards unity, but would use any tactic available to us. Assassination was not a first resort, but it was a necessary tool sometimes. For the most part, we attempted to guide rulers, or sometimes put our own in place. We worked in darkness. However, there was a schism. I and a few others of the council left. I do not know what they do now, but old friends still tell me things."

Prithani looked more thoughtful now. This was something he had never heard about, at least in the small bubble of his life up to now. He rather expected this wasn't something even very well learned people knew about either. "Then... so... what did you do in this society?"

Maya sipped her tea, and stared at it. "As I said, I was one of its' council members. One of the people who would direct members, train new ones. Sometimes, I advised Nomarchs. If a new direction or course of action needed to be taken, the council would vote, and the order would follow that decision. There are many in the shadows, literally and metaphorically, aiding the cause, and it can be hard to keep track of them all, but for the most part, everyone moves towards that singular goal of unity."

"Did you... ever kill anyone?" Prithani asked, quietly.

The mug made a soft thump as it was set on the table, and Maya looked into Prithani's eyes. "Yes. I did it well, and quickly, and I was never seen. Three people. I do not wish to discuss this particular line of questioning further." Her face was serious as she spoke. "It was necessary. That is all I will tell you. Killing should never be taken lightly, and only done in the most extreme circumstances."

Prithani nodded. He was doing his best to meet Maya's steady gaze, but he could feel her eyes boring through his skull, as if she was making sure the information was being filed correctly. He knew better than to ask who she had killed. "Then... I am sorry, but I still do not understand why you are telling me this."

"Because I am going to train you," Maya replied. "You will learn the way of the Assassin, but you will not join the Allegiance. It is not the right life for you."

"Then why should I learn to be an Assassin?" Prithani asked.

"Tameu is dangerous," Maya said, gripping her mug tightly, "As I said, someday, you will leave, and with this training, I can ensure your safety."

Prithani looked at Maya in hurt confusion. "Why are you so sure that I will leave here?"

"It is the way of young people," she said, unwilling to tell him the true reason, "I am sure when you are older, you will want to find your own way, and share your music with many others."

Prithani considered this. Maya was probably right, as usual. He didn't want to leave her at the moment, but he occasionally wondered where he came from, or what was beyond the sands that surrounded their home. "What is this training like?"

Maya nodded, pleased that she seemed to be getting through to him. "You will learn stealth, how to lie to further your goals, as well as our ethics and philosophy. Finally, you will learn how to end fights quickly."

"Do you not mean how to fight?" Prithani asked, confused.

"No. I do not," Maya said sharply, shaking her head, "Fighting, and ending a fight quickly, are very different. You do not want a fight to last more than a few seconds, because the longer it goes, the more likely you are to lose. It must be quick, and merciless. However, ending a fight quickly does not mean killing. There are many ways to incapacitate a foe. You should also learn when to run away. This can also end a fight quickly. To fight is always a last resort, and to kill should be if there are no other options. Do you understand?"

Prithani nodded. "Yes, Maya."

"Good," Maya said, mollified. "We will begin tomorrow. For now, dinner will be ready in two hours. Do not be late."

The next few months were the start of a regimen quite unfamiliar to Prithani's more sedentary lifestyle. Morning stretches preceded calisthenics, and then a series of balance exercises. They would discuss philosophy and ethics in between each activity, along with the art of espionage, concealing emotion and telling convincing lies, including court manners. Afterwards came light sparring, which frequently stopped in order to correct an incorrect stance or clumsy movement. Sparring was perhaps the wrong word for it. Maya taught a series of movements to "end fights quickly". There were a number of grabs, throws, and strikes that she taught Prithani for any situation. For the next few weeks, his whole body ached as it got used to this punishment.

"Now, one of your most important weapons, Prithani, is your head." They were resting in the shade after Prithani had been getting thrown into the sand for about an hour. The sun hung in the cloudless sky, but there was a light breeze dancing through their fur.

"Yes, I know, Maya, I need to read my opponent properly before trying to strike." He felt bruises all over. The sand was soft, but Maya's arms and legs were like iron bars.

"No, mera baccha, your head." Maya lifted one finger, and poked the gem in Prithani's forehead, which made him flinch, then touched her own. "This is a secret weapon. One that not all Tameui have. Every Tameui has claws and fangs, but not every Tameui has a gem. Even so, not every Tameui with a gem knows they can use it in this way. To strike with the head is unexpected, faster than a limb, and your gem will focus the power to its' tip. Shāh Māt."

Light dawned in Prithani's eyes as he realized what she meant. "I never thought of that! Can you teach me?"

Maya smiled as she nodded. "Of course, but you must not use it in our contests, as it can easily break bone if done correctly. I will teach you the proper movements, and you will practice on inanimate objects."

Prithani nodded obediently, his eyes glittering with new possibility.

Head strikes became a part of the daily routine. Maya showed him that striking the soft tissue of the nose or mouth with his head was the best use of this strike, as it would stun, or knock an opponent out quickly. She also showed him proper form, as it would always hurt to headbutt someone, but you could minimize that self inflicted pain. When Prithani asked why they weren't practicing with magic, Maya reminded him that magic was how most Tameui fought. An Assassin must take every advantage they have to end a fight quickly, and being trained in hand to hand combat when your opponent was not, was a big advantage.

After half a year of hard work, Maya began to implement climbing and stealth into the regimen. First, scaling trees, then her own house, all without creating noise. She taught him to walk carefully, how to use color (not black, never black) to hide in shadow, and to use noise to mask quick movement. They even played a sort of hide-and-seek, to train his senses. Maya would hide somewhere, and Prithani would have to point out where she was, as he detected subtle wrongness in the area. Once he understood the basics, they moved to climbing around the rooftops of the town at night. Prithani enjoyed these nights the most. The night air, the stars in the sky, and the knowledge that no one else knew that the two of them were up above their heads. People, on the whole, do not look up, Maya told him.

It was now ten years since Maya had brought the thin and exhausted boy to her home. Their hide-and-seek had become more impromptu. Sometimes Maya would try to surprise Prithani, sometimes the other way around, by one pouncing on the other. Prithani had only managed to get her one time, but Maya assured him that he was doing quite well. She just had forty years of experience on him.

Prithani and Maya still trained every day, and Prithani even won some of their bouts.  They sometimes used training daggers now, as Maya knew, one day he would sadly need the knowledge. Combining the fist and the dagger enables a speed and flow of movement that many opponents cannot deal with. However, she drilled into his head that he should never be the first to draw. To draw a blade is to escalate a conflict, and would needlessly endanger him. Daggers were quick. If his opponent were to draw a sword, he could draw faster, and End the Fight Quickly.

A few years ago, they had heard news of a new Nomarch. Zuri, Guardian of the Southern Ruins, had accepted the throne from her grandmother, Ruwa. Prithani did not understand the troubled look Maya had when she heard the news, and when he pressed her for an explanation, she would not answer. Now, news of Kazrah's invasions were now reaching even their small town, but he had still not attacked Ankho. Prithani didn't seem worried by it, assuming that their small town wasn't important enough, but Maya worried that it would come any day now. She had been hearing rumors of an old friend for the past few months, and decided that now was the time.

Maya found Prithani outside, in the shade of the house. Like any day with a little time for himself, he played the oud. He had grown to be very handsome, and good with words. His voice was rich and resonant, like the instrument he played every day. He would be perfect for what she had planned. They had even managed to curb his humming, at least a bit. "Mera baccha, I have something for you."

Prithani stopped playing, and looked up at Maya. He gave her a wide grin. "Is it another thrashing?"

"It will be, if you keep on making jokes." Maya's mock fierce expression made Prithani laugh. She would miss his laugh, deep and bright, it filled any space he was in. Her face softened. "No, Prithani, it is a letter. I have been hearing that the Nomarch of Nehra has been looking for talented musicians, and I would like you to travel there. Your music is too beautiful for only this small town, and I believe you will serve her well." Even better than either of you know, she thought.

"You want me to go see Princess Ima?" Prithani's confused expression was plain on his face. "Do I not have more to learn?"

Maya shook her head. "You have learned all I can teach you. I know this must feel sudden, but you can always write to me, and the sooner you get to her, the better. It is a great opportunity, and Nehra is beautiful. You are extremely capable, and have taken my lessons to heart. You are ready."

For once, Prithani couldn't decide what to say. He didn't want to leave, but he could feel wanderlust tugging at him. Over the years, he had heard stories of ancient heroes, tales of lands far away, and something in his nature dragged him to find... something. After a long time, he nodded. "If you say I am ready, then I will go."

"You are. I know it." She stared at him with misty eyes. Quickly, she rubbed at them, to avoid full tears, and turned to go inside. "Follow me, there is something you must take with you."

Prithani followed his teacher into the house, placing his oud in its case and locking it tight. Once inside, Maya presented him with an ornate wooden box, finely lacquered. "Do not open this," she instructed, as staying matter-of-fact and giving him orders was currently the only way she was holding it together, "Nor will you open the letter. They are both sealed, and must stay this way, as they are for Princess Ima. Do you understand?"

Prithani nodded dutifully. "Yes, Maya."

"Good." Maya placed the box and letter inside a sack, and placed them on the table. "Now, I have made preparations for you. There is a caravan leaving tomorrow for Nehra. You are to go with them, only as a passenger. If trouble arises, they should have plenty of guards, you need not assist. Do you understand?"

Prithani fidgeted, then nodded again. He wanted to use the skills he had learned, but Maya's word was law. "Yes, Maya."

"Good!" Suddenly, Maya couldn't think of anything else. She could feel a lump rising in her throat. Her voice began to grow hoarse. "Now... Now I suppose we should head to town. We must celebrate your last day here, and your friends w-will miss you." Damn it all, she could feel her lower lip quivering, and her tail was twitching back and forth.

"Maya? ...Are you okay?" Prithani asked, starting to become anxious. He had never seen his teacher like this in all his ten years here.

Without warning, she threw her arms around Prithani, hugging him so tightly he was sure he could feels ribs cracking. He could feel her shaking, and he realized that Maya was crying. He wrapped his arms around her as well, holding her close as he felt hot tears pour down his own cheeks. "I w-will write, I promise. Every day."

"I am sorry, P-Prithani... I am s-so sorry..."

The words were almost too quiet for him to hear, but he squeezed her tighter. "You have nothing to apologize for. Thank you, Maya, for everything. I owe you my life."

The pair stayed this way for a long time. When they finally managed to pull apart, staring at each other, they each felt dehydrated. They both looked like a mess. Maya's makeup had run, and Prithani's face fur was matted with dried tears. Realizing that they both must look ridiculous, the two persians burst out laughing, hugging tightly one more time before separating. Each wore huge grins as they stared at each other.

Maya was the first to speak. "You must be sure to write! I have to know what my Prithani is doing in beautiful Nehra! It does not have to be every day, but do write to me. You will also take my dagger. Remember me by it." She unhooked her dagger from her belt, and handed it to Prithani. He took it with great care, and drew it, inspecting the blade. The handle was a work of art, but fit perfectly in the palm, and almost felt as an extension of the hand. The blade shined brightly in the light, with a slightly different hue to other steel he had seen, but it was simple, as it had one purpose. Prithani could feel the weight of Maya's history within it.

Prithani nodded and sheathed the dagger again, smiling as Maya wiped tears from his eyes. "I could never forget you, Maya. You are the only mother I have known. I will make you proud."

"I know you will, mera baccha. My child. My life. Now go clean up, and get your cloak on. Let us tell everyone the news."

Two cloaked and hooded figures strode across the sands towards the town. One leaned against the other as they laughed and joked. This would be their last night together for longer than either of them would know. They made it count.

The End

[fromthedeskofmuffin]

Lost: Cat, Gem in Forehead: Chapter 3

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 4

It was a month later. Prithani had fully recovered by the second week since he woke up, and was acting much more like a boy his age. Maya would still catch him staring up at the stars when she woke up at night, humming along to the strange song he heard in his head, but now, she also caught him sneaking spoonfuls of stew when she left it to simmer. He would argue when she didn't let him go into town, citing that he wasn't ready. Of course, he knew he was ready, and tired of being cooped up. Maya's almost supernatural senses seemed to always know he was about to sneak off, and the argument would ensue. As frustrating as his behavior was, it was also a relief. It meant that his mind was healing. She didn't know if this meant that his memories would come back, but at least now she was on firmer ground. Boys his age were familiar territory for her, and her past experience was a great help. She knew she would have to take him to town sometime soon, however. If she didn't, he might run off whether she knew or not, and she shivered to think of him going out alone. Besides, she had an idea.

"Prithani!" she called, one morning after breakfast, "I am going into town, would you like to come with me?"

The boy burst out of his room, eyes bright with excitement. His tail stood straight up. He had been waiting for this day for weeks. "Do you mean it? I can come with you?"

Maya nodded, laughing at the young persian's excitement. "Yes, mera baccha. It is about time, and I would like to buy you something. Go get your cloak and boots on," she said, waving a dismissing paw.

Within two minutes, two cloaked and hooded figures strode across the sands towards the town. One was nearly bouncing with excitement, the other moved with confident elegance.

"What are we getting, Maya?" asked Prithani, barely able to contain himself.

"We are going to visit a store that I believe you will like very much," Maya said, chuckling, "I hope to teach you an instrument. You have music inside you that is fighting to escape at all hours, so perhaps this will provide you a welcome release."

Prithani's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. "An instrument..."

Maya nodded. "I have learned to play a few different instruments in my time, but I have not done so in a while. I certainly hope you take to it."

Once in town, Prithani became the focus of more attention than he expected, or wanted. It was certainly a larger town, as it had one of the more lush oases in Ankho, but was still limited by being in the desert. This meant that almost everyone knew Maya, especially the other ladies her age. By association, that meant that everyone also knew that she was taking care of Prithani, and now, they all got to meet the 'young man' who they were hearing so much about. Prithani was uncomfortable. He was doing his best to be polite for Maya, because she seemed so happy about him. However, the more people they met, the more his ears flattened, and the more erratic his tail's twitching became. This trip wasn't going the way he had hoped it would. When they had a moment alone, he tried to pull Maya aside.

"Maya, there are too many people," he said, a pleading look on his face.

Maya was surprised, she was just on her regular rounds. But the anxiety and upset was clear on the boy's face. She felt guilty for not realizing it sooner. "I am sorry, Prithani," she said, giving him a reassuring smile. "We will go straight to the shop, and then back home. Does that sound alright?"

Prithani nodded, and seemed to relax. Maya made sure to take the shortest route to the shop. It was odd for a music shop to be in a town like this, but that was why Maya had chosen this town in particular. It wasn't far from the capital, but not too close, and she needed to maintain her own instruments. There were, of course, other musicians in the town. She would play with them sometimes in the cafes. If Prithani took to music, she thought, the cafes may be a good way for him to meet people without as much anxiety.

The shop itself wasn't much from the outside, but inside, it was a treasure trove of Tameui instruments. String instruments like ouds, tars, and sehtars lined the walls, and display cases showed off ney and santurs. Tonbaks and kamanchehs sat on stands. All of Prithani's anxiety was flushed out of his body as he looked around the shop. He began inspecting every instrument closely. Maya left him to explore and met the shopkeeper. He was a large, rotund Luxray, who greeted Maya with a wave and a smile. "Hello, Maya!" he said, "Welcome back, it's been nearly a month! Where have you been?"

Maya smiled at him, and gestured towards Prithani, who was currently tapping the top of a tonbak. "This is why. I found him half dead in the desert, and now look! I want to buy him an instrument. What do you think, Abasi?"

The shopkeeper observed Prithani for a moment, looking him over as he wandered around. "Very curious boy, that one. Do you know what he will play?"

"Not yet. I will let him choose," Maya replied, then called over her shoulder, "Prithani! Come here please!"

Prithani stopped marveling over the shape of a tar, his ears perking up at the sound of his name. He crossed the floor and stood next to Maya, then smiled at Abasi. "Hello," he said, a little shyly, "You have a very nice store."

Abasi gave Prithani a wide, toothy grin. "Thank you, my son. You like what you see, I can tell! Do any of my fine instruments interest you?"

"Umm..." Prithani looked around, then pointed at the tar he was looking at earlier. "What is that one?"

"It's called a tar. My own favorite." Abasi turned, and picked one off of the wall behind him. Setting it on his round belly for support, he picked a quick succession of notes, his fingers flying over the frets. The sharp, bright tones filled the shop. Prithani could almost feel the vibration of the skin over the bowls of the tar as the large man played. When he finished, he raised and eyebrow and looked at prithani expectantly. "What do you think?" he asked.

Prithani put his hand to his chin to think, and started humming. Abasi looked at Maya, who waved a dismissing hand, directing the shopkeeper to ignore it. After a moment, Prithani spoke up. "I like it a lot, but what is that one?" he asked, pointing at an oud.

Abasi turned, and picked the oud off of the wall. "Ahh, the oud! I am not as familiar, but Maya..."

Maya rolled her eyes and offered a hand. "I am best with sehtar, but oud is my second."

The shopkeeper handed Maya the instrument, who sat on a nearby stool. She plucked a few strings to get a feel for it, then looked at Prithani, whose tail had stood up from only a few notes. She nodded to herself with a small, satisfied smile, then began to play.

Prithani's tail was stock still, standing straight up. His ears sent strange signals to his brain as the resonance of the sound, and the odd bends that the notes made filled them. His eyes were wide and focused on Maya's fingers as they danced along the neck of the instrument. He felt electrified. By the time Maya had finished, Prithani was completely in thrall of the oud. "That one," he breathed, "it's perfect..."

Abasi had been watching Prithani throughout Maya's performance with increasing bemusement. "I should say so!" he said, laughing, "You look about ready to fall over, my son!"

Prithani shook himself, then blinked as he looked at Abasi. He had forgotten there was anyone else in the store. Maya chuckled as she handed the shop keeper the instrument. "I think we will buy it," she said.

Half an hour later, the two were home again. Prithani was vibrating with excitement as he clutched the hard leather case that held his new prized possession. "Maya, can I play it now? Please?"

Maya patted the top of his head and smiled at him. "In due time, mera baccha. First, you must learn to take care of it. An instrument is very valuable, in both sentimentality, and in price. The second is not as important, but if it breaks, you must understand that fixing it will either be very expensive, or impossible. It is not like a tool that can be mended. If the bowl cracks, the sound will never be the same. It is as if the soul of the instrument lives inside, do you understand? If it breaks, the soul escapes."

Prithani nodded solemnly, staring down at his oud. He was more than ready to believe that what he was holding was alive. "Then, how do I take care of it?" he asked, looking back up at Maya.

This was how they spent their days. For the next two years, Maya taught Prithani how to play and maintain his oud. Tuning, cleaning, repairing broken strings, and of course, how to hold it, where to place his fingers, the correct way to pluck the strings. Everything she showed him, he learned patiently and doggedly. It was as if a long lost limb had been reattached, and it was only a matter of work to regain feeling. Within half a year, he was playing by himself. Not composition, but freehand melodies that Maya had never heard, and she wondered if it was the music of the stars. He played at nearly every free moment. He was still a little clumsy, and he had not fully grasped the intricacies of the instrument, but the soul of it was there. By the time four years had passed, he was well on his way to becoming a master.

In between lessons, Maya would teach him other things. She taught him how to cook, especially his favorite stew. How to survive in the desert. He had done as well as he could, but the tricks she showed Prithani would extend how long he could live, should the unthinkable happen again. Not only that, she taught him magic. She was a full mage of the Pride of the Eclipse, and so, she had quite a lot of knowledge to impart, when Prithani was interested. Maya's specialty was in enhancing magic, utilizing dark energy to focus the mind…

Prithani learned Nasty Plot!

Or use an enemy's strength against them…

Prithani learned Foul Play!

And even to enhance the strength of natural weapons, though she stressed this should always be a last resort…

Prithani learned Bite!

One day, quite by accident, he learned that he could project his voice much louder than anything Maya had ever heard, and ended up breaking a few windows.

Prithani learned Hyper Voice!

He had grown into a very confident and considerate young man, Maya thought. Far from the scared teenager that she had seen so long ago, he now quite enjoyed visiting town, and speaking to his newfound friends, even if it was usually while he had his oud on his lap. She could not have been more proud, almost as if she were his mother. However, as the next year passed, she also began to start hearing troubling news from the east. A Pride of the Sun Nomarch named Kazrah had begun to expand Erna by force. The details were sparse, as Erna was far away, but from what she gathered, he would not be content with a little extra space. One night, Maya watched Prithani from the window, now fully grown as he sat under the stars, playing his oud. Perhaps it was time. One day, he would need to know how to protect himself with more than magic.

[fromthedeskofmuffin]

Lost: Cat, Gem in Forehead, Chapter 2

Chapter 1 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Prithani was staring into space over his breakfast, his tail swishing back and forth as he hummed his strange melody.

The smell of chaiee forecasted Maya's entrance into the dining room where he sat. She set two mugs of the spiced black tea on the table, then took a seat across from Prithani. After watching him for a while, she spoke up. "What is the matter, Prithani? You haven't touched your food."

Prithani stopped humming, and was silent for a moment. "Maya, what happens if my memories never come back?" The question sounded more curious than worried. He still stared into space, his face unreadable.

Maya sighed, but not unkindly. It had been a week since she had found him in the desert, half dead and delirious. Since then, he was recovering well, and able to eat solid food without trouble. She had made the mistake of just giving him the bowl of rice without thinking, the first time she gave him food. After one bite, he ate so quickly that he ended up with a stomachache for half the day. She forced him to eat slower after that. It was heartening to see strength return to the boy, though his memory trouble was vexing. Maya had never seen anything like it, but it wasn't something that she couldn't handle. "Then you will make new ones, mera baccha. They are no less important because they are new."

This didn't seem to satisfy him, but now his eyes focused on hers. "But I will not know where I came from, or who I knew. I probably have parents, as well."

Maya nodded. "Yes, this is true. I am sorry that I cannot help you find them. Your clothes, when I found you, were better suited for rags, so I could not tell what nome you would have come from. However, if you cannot remember where you come from, you can come from anywhere. You could come from here, should you wish. You will come to know new people, and they can become as dear as anyone may have been in your past. You will find that you cannot miss those you do not know."

Prithani thought about this. "You said I can come from here? Do you mean I can stay with you?"

"Of course, Prithani. I have the means to take care of the both of us, and it would be heartless to turn you out into the desert. Where would you go? It would be unnecessarily cruel. Perhaps someday you will remember, perhaps not. For now, you may come from here. I will take care of you." Maya sipped at her tea. "Now eat your breakfast."

That seemed to do the trick. Prithani ate his breakfast without further comment. Such a strange boy, Maya thought as she watched him over her tea. Perhaps he was still getting over his ordeal in the desert, but he was the quietest teenager she had ever met, save for the humming. And his tail... It never stopped its pendulum like movement. Just like the humming, he wouldn't realize he was doing it until you brought it up to him. Even then, it would only stop for a minute until his mind moved on to something else, and both would begin anew. It gave her the impression that he was constantly agitated about something, but he was always so calm. Unreadable. Hmm. Not yet. Figure him out first, then, maybe. If we can control his humming.

As Prithani ate, he thought about what Maya had said. It still wasn't completely satisfying to him. She had told him that he looked to be about thirteen or fourteen, and that was a lot of years to forget. Then a thought occurred to him--the humming began again, and Prithani didn't hear Maya sigh to herself--what if there wasn't anyone to remember? He woke up injured in the middle of the desert, what kind of life would he have had to have ended up in that position? It couldn't have been a good one. Maybe this life would be better, and he was getting a second chance. He smiled to himself. Maya was right, there was no use worrying. Besides, he liked the name she gave him. Prithani. Prit-tahn-ee. It just felt right, and he liked how it sounded when she said it.

Maya waited for Prithani to finish eating before she spoke. "What do you remember of your time in the desert?"

The question surprised him. "What?"

She repeated the question. Prithani's brow furrowed. "Do I have to tell you?" he asked.

"No, mera baccha." Maya shook her head, "But I would like to know. Currently, it is all of your life up to now."

Prithani was silent while he thought. "Okay. Can I have more tea please?"

"Of course." Maya stood, and took Prithani's empty mug and plate. She smiled at him as she left the room, and soon Prithani heard the clink of glassware.

He stared at the ceiling. The desert. He could remember some of it. He could remember the music. There didn't seem like much else he could tell Maya, besides a lot of walking. Should he even tell her about the music? What if she thought he was crazy? His face stretched into a grimace, and his tail began to twitch in real agitation. But Maya was trustworthy. She said he could come from here. She gave him nice clothes that fit well. He had thought it was strange that there were already so many in the wardrobe, but was too grateful to ask why. She had saved him.

Maya returned with the tea, and set Prithani's mug in front of him. He didn't notice until she touched his paw with her own. "Your tea, Prithani," she told him.

He started, blinking and looking at Maya, and then at the tea. He relaxed. "Thank you," he said. His tail stopped its more erratic twitching, and returned to its metronomic swing as he took a long drink.

Maya sat down across from Prithani again, and eyed him coolly. "Do you think you are ready to tell me?"

Prithani hesitated, then nodded. "I think so." he said.

There was a pause as he tried to put everything in a coherent way, and then he told her. About waking up, and seeing the stars above him, about deciding which way to go, and the water skin. How it felt when he finally ran out of water, and how disgusting the muddy ground water had been. How the wind hurt. Then he told her about the music. How, after two days with no water, he heard the music, and how it drove him onwards. The Sun, as it played searing, harsh melodies that attacked his mind. The Moon, its' tone ethereal, and haunting. The sand beneath would make harmonies with the celestial bodies, and between them he was filled like an empty vessel. And then, he told Maya, there was a night with no moon. The stars themselves sang to him, louder than anything he had heard before, and drove the melodies of the Sun and the Moon from his body. The song of the stars filled him, then, and he... he... Prithani stopped talking. Maya's face was a mask of concern, and... was it fear?. 

"What happened?" she asked.

Prithani shook his head. "I... I think that is when I fell. Maybe. I do not remember anything else until I woke up in your house."

Maya looked thoughtful, she hadn't expected this. The mirages, yes, voices, certainly. People got lost in the desert all the time. Not everyone survives, but those that do, often share stories like that, but... not music. She looked Prithani in the eye. "Do you think that is what you have been humming?" she asked.

Prithani was embarassed. He looked away, and his ears flattened. He shouldn't have told her. "Maybe. I don't know. You always have to tell me I am humming. I do not notice until then."

"It is okay, Prithani," Maya cooed, "Thank you for telling me."

He looked at Maya again. She was giving him a warm smile, and he felt himself relax. He couldn't see the way her tail flicked and twitched behind her. He nodded. "Can I rest now, Maya?" he asked.

"Of course," Maya said, nodding to the boy, "call for me if you need anything."

Prithani nodded as he stood up, and made his way into the bedroom. He left the door open a crack.

At the dining table, Maya sipped at her own tea. She had let it get cold as Prithani told his story. Well, she thought, that explained the humming. It still worried her, but she knew she would take care of him anyways. For as long as he needed her.

[fromthedeskofmuffin]

Lost: Cat, Gem in Forehead: Chapter 1

Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Shouting. The roar of wind. Blood. The sound of spells. Running. The stinging sand. Falling. Nothing.

...

The boy woke up. The first thing he noticed was the bright blue sky above him.

...

The boy woke up. The first thing he noticed was the starry expanse of the night sky. Suddenly, he gasped in agony as his head finally realized what had happened to it. He rolled over, and clutched at it, groaning. He stayed like this for a while, until, while his head wasn't exactly feeling better, he had gotten more used to the pain, and struggled into a seated position. In response, his vision swam, and he became so dizzy that he nearly threw up. He sat there for a while, breathing heavily as he tried to keep whatever was in his stomach from escaping. Questions marched like soldiers to the beat of his pounding head. His tail twitched in agitation. What had he eaten last? When did he even last eat? Where... was he? His vision was starting to clear, and he looked around, blinking. There was a rocky outcropping next to him, and sand dunes that stretched upwards on either side. That was it. He assumed that he was in the desert, but he couldn't remember how he had gotten there.

It was then that he noticed his hand was sticky. His night vision was good, but with only the light of the stars to see by, all he could make out was a dark patch covering most of his paw. He brought it to his nose and sniffed, then recoiled. Copper. His blood, then. A moment passed as his throbbing head processed the information from the rest of his senses. His head was bleeding. A wave of anxiety washed over him, and he gingerly felt his head again. He hissed as he touched the wound on his head, flinching at the sting of his own touch. It was impossible to tell how bad it really was, but it felt more sticky than wet, so hopefully that meant it was healing. He took off his shirt, and wrapped it around his head. Better than nothing.

It was time to see if he could stand. The boy had stopped feeling nauseous about sitting up, and he needed to get a better idea of where he was. As he stood, he fought down another wave of dizziness. He held his head with one paw as he laboriously made his way up the side of one of the dunes. His legs somehow felt stiff and like... really wobbly stuff at the same time. Twice the sand gave way beneath him as he tried to climb, and it was a struggle to stand both times, all the while fighting the nausea caused by his head wound. Finally, exhausted and swaying, he reached the top. He scanned his surroundings, looking for anything familiar, his long tail moving to counter balance his swaying as best it could. The ice blue dunes stretched out in all directions, broken by the occasional rocky outcropping. No towns, no campfires, no lights of a caravan. His mind slowly started to go blank as he realized how bad the situation he was in truly was. He swayed again, this time too much for comfort, and he sat down quickly.

He threw up.

...

The boy woke up. He sat up slowly, and found that it didn't make him as dizzy this time. His mouth tasted like sick. The pale light of dawn was appearing on the horizon, and he looked around, trying to get his bearings once again. Nothing had changed in the better light. He was still just as hopeless. How had he even gotten here? He couldn't remember a thing... He couldn't remember anything? No, he could remember some things. He looked at his paws. He knew he was a persian. He lives in Tameu, in something called a Nome. There's all sorts of Nomes, which one did he live in? Which was he in now? Name... nothing. That really scared him, but he knew he had much bigger issues. Right now, the top three were water, food, and figuring out which way to go. There wasn't long until the sun began to heat the world, so he had to think fast. He wished his head didn't hurt so much.

Where could he go? He knew the sun rose in the east, but he had no way to tell if that was going to take him closer or further away from any towns that he might have come from. The same could be said of any direction, really. If he didn't choose any direction, however, he would be just as dead. He decided he would start moving away from the sun, to the west. He wasn't sure why, but something in his head told him that The Sun wasn't his friend for more than just the heat it would bring.

After only ten minutes of stiff, stumbling walking, which was the best he could manage at the moment, he saw a small mound, half buried in the sand. He moved towards it, and found it was a water skin. Looking around to see that no one was watching him, he picked it up. It felt heavy and full. He realized suddenly how thirsty he was, and nearly cried with relief. Greedily, he drank nearly half of the water before he realized that this might be all he would have, ever, and stopped. He stared at it. Who had left this here? Was it someone he knew? Was someone looking for him? He couldn't remember. Now that he was more hydrated, he felt that he was thinking more clearly. Surely that meant he could remember more, right? He desperately searched his memory for anything, his name, how old he was, where he came from... nothing. This time he nearly cried with frustration. Why did this have to happen to him? He didn't know enough about himself to know if he deserved this, but he was pretty sure no one deserved a fate like this. He kicked at the sand in a rage, until he felt dizzy again and stopped, breathing heavily. Fine. Nothing for it but to keep going then.

The desert sun beat down on his head. It was about midday, from the position of it in the sky. He saw a rocky outcropping not too far in the distance, and decided he would stop there and rest. The day would be reaching its hottest point soon, and something in him said that he needed to avoid travelling during that time. He sat down and leaned against the rock, thankful for the shade as he felt his body cool down again. He would want to travel more at night, when it was cooler. It was best to try to catch some sleep now. He took a couple small sips from his water skin, closed his eyes, and let the exhaustion take him.

...

The boy woke up, this time with a start. He looked around wildly, breathing heavily. Where was he? What was happening? No... no, relax... He knew where he was. Well, he didn't, but he knew what had happened in the past day, at least. Just a dream, then. A dream about what? He frowned as it faded from memory. Shaking his head, he got to his feet. The sun was nearly over the horizon, settling into its cradle for the night. Time to start moving, then. He willed his feet into movement, and began walking west.

This was how he traveled, moving steadily west, for days. He used the sun in the morning, and picked a star to follow at night. His water ran out after the second day. He knew there were oases in the desert, but... clearly they weren't in this one. Sometimes, when he stopped at midday, he dug until muddy water began to leach out of the ground, and he drank what he could, but it never felt like enough. His stomach ached with hunger. In the state he was in, he couldn't even catch so much as a scorpion. His tongue, already rough due to his feline heritage, was beginning to feel swollen and dry. His head wound didn't help, and he began to start seeing things. Figures in the distance that he thought were other people, but resolved into spires of rock as he moved closer, oases that vanished as he drew closer... he had heard about things like this, somewhere, but that didn't make them any less frustrating each time they happened.

Eventually he even began to hear things. Sometimes voices, but when he looked around, he saw no one. Echoes of music, half heard, half remembered, as his mind grew cloudy with hunger and thirst. Soon it was all he heard. The music of the sun as it beat down. The music the sand made as he half walked, half stumbled across it. The music of the stars, as they winked playfully at him. It filled his body, and he began to deliriously hum along to it, his ravaged throat barely able to make any sound at all, but he felt compelled. It was all he had. This madness pushed him along, moving... west? The music told him west. He followed it this way for two--or was it three?--days, until his throat gave out, and he could no longer hum to the melody that taunted him. His body gave in, and he fell.

...

Did the boy wake up? Something cool touched his lips.

...

Again. He felt hot, and cold at the same time. It was dark.

...

The boy woke up. There was... no sky? He blinked, trying to focus his vision. Something was covering him. He looked down along his body, and saw a thin linen sheet. He realized, in his feverish mind, that he wasn't lying on sand. This softness was a mattress. He was in a bed? There was no sky because there was a ceiling above him. He laid there for a while, trying to clear his mind, to understand where he was, but it was still foggy. The humming came to him again as he thought. He didn't even realize that he was doing it. He heard a shuffling, muffled by a wall, and a door opened. Footsteps, and then a face filled his vision. A persian, like him, except he wasn't purple. This meant the face belonged to the other kind of persian, that's right. She didn't look concerned. She looked old. At least, she looked old to him, but he was pretty sure he was young, so everyone looked old to him. The other persian just studied him, as he looked blearily at her. Finally, she spoke.

"Can you hear me?"

Her voice was matter-of-fact, soft and light. The boy nodded.

"Can you speak? Please stop humming."

The boy blinked in surprise, and stopped humming. He tried a few words.

"Hhgk--" His throat closed up around the phrase "Who are you?" before he could even speak the first syllable.

The other persian shook her head. "Don't try again. Wait here."

He heard her move away from the bed, and return. She knelt down next to the bed, and a wet rag was pressed to his lips. She spoke again. A command. "Drink."

Gratefully, he drank at the rag, feeling the water slowly salve his aching throat. The woman repeated this, dipping the rag in a bowl of water, and bringing it to his lips. After a few times, she stopped, and placed the bowl and rag on a table next to the bed. The boy began to feel better, and tried once again to speak. "Whck... Who... are you?"

The woman nodded, pleased that the boy could at least manage a few words. "My name is Maya. I found you in the desert two days ago. You were lucky. I thought you might have been dead, but you started humming that strange melody almost as soon as I gave you water. What is that?"

The boy shook his head.  His voice was weak as he spoke. "I... I don't know... I didn't know I was doing it until you told me to stop."

Maya frowned inquisitively. "What is your name?"

The boy struggled to remember, but even now, his mind was blank. Despair was clear on his face. "I don't know that either."

Now Maya's face softened. The wound on the boy's head had looked quite awful when she had treated it. The desert wasn't the half of it. He should have been dead from the head wound alone. "Do you remember where you came from?"

The boy squeezed his eyes shut, fighting back tears. "No..."

Maya reached out a paw and caressed his cheek in a motherly way. "There, there. Don't cry, child. It will be alright."

"Maya, I'm sc-scared..." he sobbed. He was doing his best to keep it together, but he *was* young.

Still caressing his cheek, she cooed, "Maya will take care of you, child, do not worry. Just rest. I will leave the water here. Try to drink when you can."

This, now, seemed to calm him down. He was so thin... She needed to feed him soon, she knew. "For now," she told him, "I will call you Prithani."

"Prithani..." he breathed. The boy... Prithani, nodded weakly.

She watched as he slowly fell back to sleep. Then she stood and left the room, closing the door behind her.

[fromthedeskofmuffin]

Morning Reflections

A new day was dawning on Fortee's Haven. The pink and orange glow of the sun washed over the beach. It was a secluded place, where people didn't go, and that was why Charlie was there. The Sawbones went to this beach when she needed to be on her own, to think without interruption. When she was young, she would go to this stretch of sand to be herself, to shed the mask of a street hardened, emotionless urchin. She had been up early. She usually was, but she had found it especially hard to sleep last night. Captain Kittelle's ship, the Blackfang, had been spotted near the Jagged Shallows, and Captain Raze had mustered the crew. They didn't know what was about to happen, but Charlie did, and so did the First Mate, Paz.

Charlie had been in plenty of battles in her time on the Fiery Dragon. Captain Raze ran a merchant vessel, and under Kittelle, any two bit pirate was more than happy to try to steal her cargo. The crew of the Fiery Dragon made that choice a poor one, every time, and Charlie often threw herself into the fray when the fighting reached the Dragon's deck. Today was going to be different though. This time, Captain Raze was going to be the aggressor, and they were to give no quarter.

She took a deep, slow breath and closed her eyes, letting the smell of the sea and the susurrus of the tide calm her mind, then let it out. She wouldn't be ready, never ready for something like this, but she had prepared. Her aid supplies were stocked, what medicines she had been able to acquire were aboard, and had been for a few weeks.

Someone, somewhere, had once told her something that rang in her mind now. "Those who desire peace, must prepare for war." She thought that was ridiculous. Even now, as she truly was preparing for war, the notion still sounded plain stupid. Of course, she understood why a violent coup was necessary, but at the same time, she raged at the world that had made it so. People were dying, because Kittelle couldn't lead a country, and so people had to die, so that Captain Raze could. It was stupid, and important, and in the end, all it did was piss Charlie off. Because of one idiot with too much power, her crewmates were going to have to suffer. Her family.

But she trusted Captain Raze. That was the worst part of it. Charlie had been with the Captain since the Fiery Dragon first took on crew. She had been taken into the Captain's confidence, and knew her unique ability to lead. Everyone on board had suffered under Kittelle's leadership in some way. There was no doubt that they would follow the Captain when the time came. Charlie knew all this, but… she was scared.

She paused as she realized this, watching the Sun slowly make its way above the horizon. It was difficult to pinpoint what exactly it was that made her so afraid. Perhaps it was death? Charlie had been in many ship battles before this one, and they never got easier. But that wasn't it. She never hesitated to fight when she had to. Her childhood and career up to now made sure of that. Was she afraid of losing the Captain? Possibly, but that had never bothered her before. Captain Raze always gave off the impression that she would be there, no matter what.

Maybe the future was what was so terrifying. What if they won? Of course, Captain Raze had a plan, and Charlie had some idea of what she wanted to do if they won as well, but she had never expected it to actually happen. So much change would happen incredibly fast. That must be it, then. To succeed would be the scariest thing of all. How stupid. What kind of irrational creature is afraid of winning? She sighed to herself, and kicked at the sand, without malice or anger. She was stalling, she knew. It was time she got going.

Couldn't be late to a coup, could you?

…

Now she was on her knees, hovering over the prone and bloody form of her Captain. A saw was on her left, coated in more blood and chips of bone, and a mangled arm lay next to it. The body of Captain Kittelle lay still in a pool of blood a couple of yards away. Charlie inspected her work. Why was it so hard to see? The Captain had lost a lot of blood, but not enough to kill her. Even as small and bloodless as the Captain looked now, with her coat off, and hat to the side, she still looked rock solid.

Charlie looked up, then, at the raging flames of the Firey Dragon. The ship had caught fire during the battle, and now it was sinking. Her home for nearly ten years. Sure, she had an office, and a room to sleep on shore, but that ship had been where she truly felt comfortable. All of her memories of it from now on would be tinted with the blood of her crewmates, and the orange tongues of fire. An old shanty rang in her mind as she grieved, always sung at the end of a voyage. The verses would change every time, but the chorus remained the same. Oh, the voyage is done, and the winds don't blow, and it's time for us to leave her.

"Charlie?"

The voice sounded like it had come from the left. On reflex, her ears swiveled as she turned, and she felt a sudden sharp stab on the right side of her head. She grunted in pain, and began to reach up to get a feel for what had caused it, but someone grabbed her arm.

"No! Don't touch it! It's… You look bad, Doc."

Charlie turned her head the other way to see the First Mate, Paz. She was still holding Charlie's arm. The back of her mind registered her sleeve, covered in blood. Was that her blood, or someone elses? She was having trouble hearing. "What are ye on about, Paz?"

The Buizel looked worried, her eyes flicking between the Captain's bandaged stump, and the right side of Charlie's head. "You really need to look in a mirror. Soon." Her eyes finally settled on Raze. "Is the Captain…?"

Charlie followed Paz's gaze to the steadily breathing form of their leader, and nodded. "She'll live."

Paz breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. Look, I'll watch her, okay? Just, go find a mirror. Bring bandages with you."

A mirthless laugh escaped Charlie's lips. "That an order?"

Paz looked directly at her, suddenly speaking in a much more cheerful tone, and with a lot of sharp teeth. "It is now, Grayson!"

Charlie flinched. She recognized that voice. Maybe she looked a lot worse than she thought. After a pause, she nodded. "Aye, aye."

She stood, and staggered, but Paz helped to steady her. She had used the bandages she had on the Captain's arm, but at least knew where that stupid Honedge of Kittelle's kept the rest of its supplies. With another nod in thanks to the First Mate, she slowly made her way there, bumping her right side into things as she went. Was she really that clumsy? She didn't feel dizzy, but something was wrong.

As she crossed the deck, she passed the ship's Ensign, a bulky Rillaboom. He stared at her with wide eyes as she passed, but kept his usual quiet. She nodded to him in acknowledgment. So he survived too. Four is good. That's more than three.

She hadn't had enough time to get her medicines before jumping ship, and her initial sweep of the Blackfang's medical stock had been very disappointing. She bemoaned the loss of her own supplies. So many expensive medicines from Kánitore and Ryukanshi, sinking to the bottom of the sea. After grabbing some fresh bandages from a cabinet, she made her way to the captain's quarters. Surely Kittelle would have had a mirror, the vain bastard.

As she made her way to the door, pain slowly started to creep in. The adrenaline was wearing off, and it felt like her face was on fire. Quickening her pace, she burst into Kittelle's office, and saw a full length mirror in the corner. She crossed in front of it, then saw herself and gasped.

It was like seeing the living dead. She stepped closer, and her trained eyes -- no, just eye, she now saw, which answered a few questions -- observed what had happened to her. She had operated on the Captain like this? No wonder Paz and the Ensign had looked at her the way they did.

The entire right side of her shirt and neck were covered in what she was pretty sure was her own blood. The rest of her clothing was coated in splashes of everyone else's. She leaned closer to inspect the damage, gently lifting her bloody eyelid with a grimace and hiss of pain. When the cannonball had ripped through the galley, the wood shrapnel had taken out her right eye, and tore off her ear, along with most of the right side of her face. Somehow, her skull hadn't been exposed, and nothing had fractured. Her training took over, and despite the anxiety that coursed through her, she still knew what to do. She saw worse all the time.

As she unrolled the bandages, she spotted a bottle of clear liquid on the late Kittelle's desk. There was a moment of consideration, then she shook her head. There was no way of knowing just what was in there. Better to find water later, and surely someone on the crew must have had some soap. With practiced but shaking hands, she wrapped her head with the bandages. It wasn't ideal, and she couldn't let it sit for too long, but she would have to clean the eye socket when the bleeding slowed.

She was breathing hard, but didn't feel any other symptoms of shock, which was lucky, given how bad the wound looked. Likely just panic. When it was done, she staggered to an overstuffed chair, and threw herself in it. With the adrenaline finally burned away, and the bandages pressed tight on her face, her whole body hurt like hell. Her limbs felt like anchors. She did her best to control her breathing, and felt her heart finally begin to slow.

So, this was winning. Missing limbs, a lost crew, and a ripped up face. Stuck on a hobbled ship in dangerous waters. Maybe she was right to have been scared, but that wouldn't help Kittlescor now. She sat there for a while, her mind ticking over medical procedures and common issues that came from a wound like hers. There wasn't a single one she could do on this ship. It was going to be an ugly as hell scar, that was for sure. With a sigh, she got up and left the captain's quarters, still bumping into things. This whole one eye business would take some getting used to.

With thoughts on how best to keep herself and the Captain alive, she rejoined Paz. The Ensign had joined her as well, and was leaning against the taffrail. As they waited for Captain Raze to awaken, they talked about nothing, and how they would manage to sail with only four crew, and what they would do when they finally made it home. There was no talk of the battle they had all survived, nor of the fate of the Firey Dragon and its' crew. Only about what came next.

[fromthedeskofmuffin]

About!

So, most of (all, so far) of these stories are about my characters from a collaborative RP community I'm a part of. Backstories, regular stories, the future. I'll have links to different characters so all their stories can be found in one place as I post them, but there may be some details missing in places, or names and places that aren't explained.

The stories here were written with the knowledge that my friends would be reading them, who know about these names and places, but I do my best to keep them self contained. There shouldn't be too much confusion.

We have a (fairly spotty, but I do my best to keep my characters updated) wiki about the world these characters are in, which can be found here (im sorry its Fandom I joined too late to weigh in). If you read a story and have a question, my askbox is open! I'm more than happy to field any questions about them.

I use content warnings as well, so enjoy without fear :)

Stories about:

Charlie Grayson, Ship's Doctor

Prithani, the Wanderer