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Winter Solstice - Old and New

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A soft whining drew Kasatka slowly awake, and she lifted her head up to look into Nootka’s glittering eyes. They’d been aboard the Trickster’s Pride for nearly four months, and the little dragon wasn’t so little anymore. In fact, she was about the size of a Shetland pony, with the appetite of a lion. She and Kasatka had started sleeping up on deck for more room, which was fine with the shape-shifter, as her fur kept her nice and warm despite the winter chill starting to settle about the area. They’d been docked in Jackston, the coastal trade city of Crow Island, for nearly two weeks and the place was starting to get to her. All Kasatka could smell was fish, salt and the stench of unbathed fisherman. All she could ear hear was shouting, gulls screeching and the constant thump-thump of freshly caught fish flopping on the frozen ground.
And indeed it was a cold, dead land. What did grow was hardy and spiked, close to the ground but spread out in all directions. Past the city of Jackston, however, life sprang up in the form of a terribly dark forest, the trees bearing near black bark and skeletal limbs. A freezing wind whistled through the naked branches, making them snap eerily. It was the middle of December - the winter solstice, actually - and a harsh cold had already set in.
Pushing up, Kasatka - in her maned wolf shape - stretched her long body and sat down, shaking herself to spread warmth back to her legs and tail. Looking to the quickly growing dragon, she led the dragon over to the rail, where she knelt down and motioned towards the water. Nootka seemed to understand and eagerly leapt onto the rail and down into the sea. She’d been getting better at swimming and, though she couldn’t fly yet, she’d fairly mastered hunting fish.
A sharp wind whistled across deck, sending shivers straight down to Kasatka’s skin. Despite having a warm coat of fur, maned wolves weren’t exactly built for cold weather and even Nootka, warmed from an internal flame, tended to chill easily. Kasatka knew she would have to find a place for herself and the young dragon to sleep within the ship before it got too cold. And given how quickly the dragon was growing, it wouldn't be easy to find somewhere with enough space. Kasatka returned to the nest of blankets and allowed her body to change shape. Her frame seemed to shimmer and melt into a shower of golden sparks before solidifying in the shape of a young woman about twenty years old. She stood, shaking out her dark wavy hair as she reached for a knapsack containing clothes.
After she’d dressed, the elven shape-shifter decided to get some food for herself and so made her way down into the ship, through the halls and finally into the galley. Just through the door, she saw one of the other crew members hovering near the table. The pirate, Claire, always unsettled Kasatka a bit, since she wasn’t completely corporeal and seemed to appear randomly.
Claire hovered near the sink, washing and drying pots and pan for Penny, their fish-man cook. Kasatka noticed a vaguely unsettled look in her eye, but she seemed calm enough otherwise. The elf’s soft footsteps seemed loud enough to draw her attention, though, and Claire soon turned to the girl with a smile on her face. “Good morning, Kasatka. Did you and your dragon sleep well?” She asked.
Kasatka nodded silently. Her silence, the others had slowly learned, wasn’t out of rudeness, the elf just didn’t care to speak unless words were required. Most of the time, she hardly said a word.
The shapeshifter went to one of the cupboards and pulled out one of the apples from inside. Hopping up on the counter, she grabbed a knife from the block and cut out a slice. Glancing over, she held up the apple as if offering a slice to the Soulless.
Claire smiled gently and shook her head. "No thank you, I'm fine. I went out to gain nutrition yesterday, so I should be fine for a few days. And if not-" she gestured to a little, lockbox placed on a high shelf "I've got back-up solutions in that".
Kasatka cocked her head, confused. "Gain nutrition?" She asked.
A thoughtful expression took over Claire’s features and she turned around, leaning against the counter as she searched for the right words. "My apologies. I forgot we never really had a chance to meet." She smiled slightly. "I'm not human, you see. I have more in common with vampires, actually, though the diet of my people is very different from theirs". She gestured to the illusion of legs and feet beneath her, willing them to blur and fade into the darkness. "See? Half-shadow, half human. In appearance, at least.”
"If not blood, then what?" She asked in her simple manner, nibbling on another slice of apple.
"Souls and emotions, mostly. After the War of Souls, we discovered that we can also ingest certain types of liquid," Claire said casually. As Kasatka stared at her with a slightly shocked expression, Claire elaborated. "Don't worry, I'm not dangerous. I was the one who discovered that soulless could live on emotions only, not just souls, and it spread to the rest of us after the Fusion. I feed mostly on negative emotions, so there's no danger".
Kasatka looked at her for a moment - through her, actually - and nodded thoughtfully. A second later, though, her head snapped up, drawing Claire's attention. She tilted her head this way and that, trying to listen for something.
"What's wrong?" Claire asked.
Without answering, Kasatka bolted out of the kitchen. She made a bee-line for the deck, her legs carrying her with seed more akin to an animal than any human. Behind her, Claire faded into the shadows and followed closely, calling her name out softly as she did.
Skidding her way onto the deck, Kasatka immediately stood stock still, moving only to turn her head with miniscule movements. As Claire glided up onto deck, a strange scent filled the air - something like sulfur but sweeter, like with a touch of citrus.
The shapeshifter's ears popped just a second before, far ahead, in the darkest section of the forest, something seemed to suck in all the area around it a split second before exploding out, sending up a column of blinding white light into the sky still dark from night, the sun about a half hour before rising. The pillar of light seemed to reach right out into space and lasted for just a few moments before it faded away. As it did, a shockwave slammed into the ship, sending Kasatka flying back onto her butt. Nootka, after the shockwave, flung herself out of the water and clawed her way back onto the ship, shaking with fear.
Claire, seemingly unaffected by the blast, hurried to Kasatka’s side, helping her up. As quickly as it happened, it was over, but Claire continued to hold onto the elf for a few moments, her senses on high alert as she scanned the area. "What in the name of the Moon was that?" She muttered, completely bewildered.
"I don't know." She replied quietly, going to Nootka’s side and checking her for injuries. Not finding any, she then went to the rail. The birds - pelicans, gulls and all - were having an absolute fit, and she knew that the rest of the animals about the island would surely be behaving in a similar manner. Her own canine spirit was agitated, its spirit pacing within her mind. And yet something unidentifiable was drawing her towards that strange light, pulling her spirit to it. "I want to check it out." The words came out distractedly, her glowing eyes riveted where the light had come from. Normally, the glow in her eyes wore off almost immediately after the transformation. But that wasn't happening now.
Claire nodded once. "I'm coming too," she declared, glancing towards the darkness. "There's... something strange going on." The last words came out in little more than a whisper. Kasatka didn’t know, but Claire had the same pulling sensation in her chest – as if someone had reached into her ribcage and was tugging on her heart. One thing Claire felt differently, however, was some strangely familiar feel. Familiar, and yet different at the same time. "Let's go," she said, looking to the elf. "No time like the present.”
Kasatka shifted down into her canine form and took a moment to pad over to her blankets and grabbed a worn leather knapsack.  Stuffing some clothes inside, she went back to Nootka. Meanwhile, Claire hurried below deck and, just as Kasatka finished securing her bag on the baby dragon's back, Claire returned with a small lantern. All set, the trio set off at a steady pace of sorts, with Kasatka in the lead.
"Something is definitely in there," Claire muttered as they drew nearer to the forest.
Kasatka glanced between Nootka and Claire before starting into the tree line. She moved slowly, her long legs treading carefully atop the blanket of pine needles. Nootka followed clumsily and Claire, as always, moved with an eerie silence. It took the shapeshifter a moment to realize what felt so wrong about the area - there wasn't a single source of life anywhere nearby. All the animals seemed to have vanished.
"Let's be careful," Claire whispered with a nod to Kasatka. "This silence... it's not natural, as I'm sure you've already noticed. Just minutes ago there was life.” The Soulless paused for a moment before speaking again. "This darkness… it’s messing with my eyes.”
Kasatka hesitated before continuing forward, worried by what Claire had said. The shapeshifter could feel magic around her, but it was weird magic. It had an unusual smell about it - like old parchment but rusted metal. She led Nootka and Claire absentmindedly, allowing that pull to guide her.
As they moved further into the forest, the pulling sensation began to slowly change - at least to Claire. At first she didn't know what it was exactly, but the further they got, the more... familiar it got. Claire froze abruptly, her eyes going wide as flashes of memories fluttered across her mind - cloudy days spent on deck talking and having fun, grey eyes filled with life as they shared stories of past adventures, golden hair catching the late sun’s light. "Sarah Grace..." she whispered, looking into the darkness, as if she could will herself into seeing past the nearest trees. Then she sped off, throwing caution to the wind as she called, nearly shrieked, out repeatedly. "Grace?! Grace, where are you?! Grace!"
Claire’s sudden burst of life jarred Kasatka, snapping her back to reality. She charged forward, snapping her jaws onto the girl's coat, yanking her to a stop. Claire struggled to get out of Kasatka's grip, and she probably could've done it easily. Yet she didn't. Instead she slumped to the ground, like all energy had left her, and wailed.
"Grace! She's here, I can sense her, Kasatka! But she feels different... she could be trapped somewhere, alone! She's my friend, why are you stopping me?" The words were whispered and Claire sobbed, her whole body trembling with them. She stayed like that for some time, and Kasatka let her, until the soulless finally brushed the tears away. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "That was foolish. You'd think after thirty years it'd be easier to stay calm, but... I've missed her. I still do". She sighed and got back on her feet, cracking a few joints and shaking her head. Then she lifted her lantern, lit it and looked ahead. "If she really is out here, she'll at least have something to follow.” She said with a smile, looking only slightly forced.
Kasatka gave a small nod and they continued on. As they continued, animals started to appear but their behavior was unsettling. Predator and prey walked side by side, in the same direction, towards that something that seemed to be pulling the two pirates. They moved through the forest for some time, until the trees started to grow further apart from each other, the forest thinning out until they reached a small field.
Compared to the rest of the island, this area was full of life. A great tree stood at the exact center of the green field, ancient and standing with its branches so tall it practically tickled the sky with its strange red leaves. Ebony-like bark was twisted and thick roots shot through the dirt around it, curling up from the earth before sinking back down again. And against the tree was a tall, marble pedestal. Beyond the pedestal, the sun rose, and its light fell upon the stone. An odd humming sound filled the glen, and a great tear seemed to rip through the very air, hanging before the pedestal of its own accord.
Claire stared in wonder at the glowing orb, feeling her own powers dim down by being near it. "Ancient magic..." she whispered, the awe clear in her voice. “Must... keep desire to study... down..."
Kasatka stepped forward but paused before taking another, her paw hovering in the air. There was a stone ring all around the tree and pedestal, made up of narrow stone bricks. Carefully, she stepped over its threshold and, immediately, her canine form melted away involuntarily.
Startled, she looked down at herself and tied to change back but something prevented it, sealing off her power. "It..." The words ground to a quick halt and she reached for the bag on Nootka's back. Pulling out some clothes, she quickly pulled on the clothes she’d brought before standing up, shaking her hair free of the shirt. "It's suppressing my magic." She remarked, glancing back to Claire.
"A magical field, able to repress the animalistic magic in a lupine shape-shifter," Claire mumbled. "Unsure what it would do to a soulless, but... it's pulling me.” She reached out as if to feel the air just in past the stone ring. "It's so... familiar..." she touched the field.
They approached the tear and the trip faltered. “What in the name of the Lunar Mother is that?” Claire breathed, stepping closer to it.
Kasatka reached out and put a hand on Nootka. The little dragon had been uncharacteristically quiet nearly the entire way, and now she was anxiously pawing at the ground, looking both nervous but also excited. She turned her dragon eyes up to Kasatka and the shape shifter nodded. With one hand on her scaly neck. Looking over to Claire, she nodded towards the rip. At once, they all approached it. As they got closer, that tugging feeling became almost unbearable.
Up close, it looked as if the tear cut through the very air itself, almost like a floating picture frame that looked into a very green world. Everything within the tear was blurred, showing only streaks of color - blue, green and brown, with splotches of grey. Being so close to it was like being near a black hole - it wanted to draw everything into it.
Just when Kasatka started wondering if either of them would move, Nootka jerked forward. She reached out to grab hold of the bag's shoulder strap while her other latched onto Claire's sleeve. As the dragon's nose touched the edge of the tear, the world seemed to suck into itself. There was a moment of absolute darkness, where Kasatka lost every single sense except for her grip on the dragon and Soulless. A suffocating feeling took over for a fraction of a heartbeat as the nothingness around them pressed in. And just as quickly as it came, it had gone and they looked up into a very different world.
When the world stopped spinning, Kasatka heard Claire groan, who then proceeded to curse out every god she knew, even the moon. "Stars be damned, it hurts! Who decided it was a good idea to literally pull on what is the closest thing I've got to a heart?!" She rubbed her chest, looking around. "Where in the blazes are we, anyways?"
Kasatka leaned back and looked between Claire and Nootka, before pushing to her feet, rubbing her aching legs. It felt as if she’d slept on a freezing floor for several nights, around encircling them, but pretty much everything else had changed. Small pools stood out here and there, with sparkling water fed from underground reserves. The sky was a bit lighter, and the sun a bit higher, but even the grass was a far more vibrant green. Not only that, but a stone path led from the ring, with a worn trail leading towards the rising sun. "Were we…sent back in time?” She mused aloud.
"I don't think so," Claire frowned. "It's... I don't know, this place feels like Crow Island, but... altered, somehow. Not to mention that I can still sense Sarah Grace. I just can't pin-point her soul exactly.” She sounded a bit more relaxed, and that helped Kasatka calm down a bit.
Some flutter of moment seemed to catch Nootka's eye and the dragon took off, with Kasatka and Claire scrambling to catch up. The dragon led them along the worn trail that gave way to a flagstone path. And when they came up over the crest of a small hill, they saw a comfortable looking house just head. It was modest - small, with a garden just off to the side, a cow, some chickens and a cat sunbathing by the door.
Claire, though, didn't see the house. She saw the woman – a nymph really - picking strange purple flowers. She had her back to the small group, with white gold hair falling in gentle waves to her tailbone. She stood and the folds of her long pale dress brushed against her ankles. Standing, Kasatka saw that she wasn’t all that tall, but had a slender body. For whatever reason, she seemed ever so vaguely familiar to the shapeshifter, though she had no idea from where. And then the woman turned and looked up with surprise. "Oh, hel- Claire?”
Claire let out a wail, making Kasatka jump, and rushed towards the woman, throwing her arms around the fair woman, knocking her over so that they both sprawled on the grass. "Grace, Grace, Grace, Grace!" Claire cried, holding the nymph in that way someone did with a relative they thought they had lost. "Oh, I've missed you so much! I thought... when Dan didn't find you, and when no news were heard, my birds coming back with no-!" She took a deep breath, obviously trying to calm herself. "Moon above bless us all, I'm so happy to see you!"
Kasatka approached slowly, with Nootka at her side, as the woman held still in surprise for a moment before looking at Claire, really looking at her, and her features melted into a tearful smile. "Oh my- How did you get here? How- Oh my maker, how are you Claire?"  She wrapped her arms around the pirate and hugged her tightly, desperately.
"How I am? I good, better than I've been in ages, Grace," Claire got up and helped the Grace, Grace, to her feet. "As for how we got here, we're not sure. I think... all that matters most is that we are.” She let go of Grace and turned to look at Kasatka, who still stood off to the side a bit. "Kasatka! Come and meet one of the best people I have ever had the honor of travelling with. And a damn good pirate, Maggie would definitely approve.” She looked at Grace and frowned a little. "At least if you were... that is to say, you've gotten older than the Grace I knew before that horrible day.”
"And yes it has been...a few years." Grace replied. "Kasatka?" She looked past the soulless and a small smile appeared in her face. "Ah, I remember you." Grace beamed, letting go of Claire to look back at the shapeshifter. Her eyes slid to Nootka and she knelt down, more tears coming to her eyes. "Is that... The egg I gave you. It hatched?"
Kasatka nodded silently, suddenly remember from where she remembered the woman. Just before joining the Trickster’s Pride, she’d been met with a young nymph who gave her the egg that would soon hatch into Nootka, and then she’d vanished.
Nootka walked forward slowly, her eyes riveted on Sarah Grace. And then, with a burst I life, the dragon launched forward and barreled into the nymph's arms. With a surprised squeal, Grace and Nootka tumbled back. "Bless the maker, you're even more beautiful than I could've imagined." She praised, looking the dragon over from the top of her snout to the very tip of her tail.
"She hatched not three weeks after you have the egg to me." Kasatka explained, stepping forward, still feeling a touch uncomfortable.
"How long has it been for you, since the shift? How is the crew? Riddle and Sparky and, oh where are Aisuru and all the others?" She asked, standing up excitedly. Kasatka knew that look in the nymph's eyes - like someone desperately searching for their family.
Claire face fell instantaneously and it took her a while to find the words. "It's a long story. You... you might want to sit down.”
"Is everyone alright?" Grace asked quietly, horror sliding across her features. "You mentioned Dan had looked for me. Surely they're all alright." Claire sighed. "The amount of time has been a little different for all of us, but... how do I say this…" She looked at the ground, her hands twisting together. "To me, it's been 30 years. Same with Riddle - or Elouisa, as it turns out her name is".
It was with a melancholic smile that Claire raised her head and looked into Grace's eyes. "We sail under a new captain, now - Riddle's daughter, Magpie - Maggie for short. Grace, the Black Fedora Pirates are no more. We are the Navigators of the Mist, now..." she laughed sadly. "And only a fraction of the ‘originals’ have found their way to the new crew".
Grace paled noticeably in the short amount of time it took Claire to relay the first wave of news, something even Kasatka didn’t know the entirety of. Slowly, the elf reached out for the nymph, fearing that she might faint.
"Grace, I'm so sorry... none of us have heard from Aisuru. Sparky sent someone in her stead, and both Linda and Leelu are with us, same with Zoey. Truth is there, too, as is Infinity, Infinity is dealing with a bit of amnesia right now... The rest..." She trailed off, unable to look up at her friend.
Everything was quiet for a moment until Grace’s knees buckled and Kasatka helped her ease back down to the ground. The older woman was struggling to catch her breath, sobs making her entire frame shake. Claire moved to her side and Nootka rubbed against Grace’s hand. "I didn't think... How could it have changed that much?"
"Time is fickle," Claire whispered, kneeling by her side and wrapping her in an embrace. "In the span of a few years for some, but three decades to me, I've lost my home, taken a student, led an army to victory and become the leader of the few soulless left. In that same time Lady Riddle became a mother of three and set up a somewhat respectable business in keeping an inn. I think it was only seven years to Truth, possibly fewer to you.” She looked at Kasatka. "I'm chancing a guess it was even shorter time for you, Kasatka".
"Time did not change for me." Kasatka replied, walking up to the two women. "I met Grace, you called her, shortly before joining the crew."
"I met you the night of the shift." Grace said, wiping away her tears. "After that night, after the shift, I was sent forward in time, not quite 150 years. I tried to get back to our time but things... Some things went wrong." She said quietly.
Claire froze. "One... You were sent 150...?" she stammered, her mind freaking out at the revelation. She took a good look at Grace's face, as if searching it for answers. "Grace, what happened?!"
Grace took a breath and then stood up, taking Kasatka’s hand when the girl offered it. "We should go inside. It's not a short story." The words came with a forced chuckle. The nymph then led Claire and Kasatka, as well as Nootka, inside the small house and into the kitchen.
Despite being small, especially with how large Nootka had grown, the home was warm and Kasatka actually felt very relaxed inside. Once inside the kitchen, Claire and Kasatka sat down at the table while Nootka curled up on the floor and Grace set about making a pot of tea. When it finished, she poured three cups and passed them out respectively. Kasatka took a sip and was, quite frankly, amazed at how delicious it was.
"The night of the shift, I was thrown forward in time, about 150 years. I met with someone in that time that told me about a person who might be able to help me. That person, a mystic called Bjolf, told me how he had been trying to achieve time travel. I offered my powers to help if he could send me back to the time period before the shift and, while he did send me back, he made a miscalculation. I was sent much further back than intended."
"By how much?" Kasatka asked.
"Four hundred years." She replied quietly.
Claire went deathly still, her expression revealing no emotions and not a muscle moving. The look on her face deeply unsettled Kasatka. Then she raised a hand, rubbed her eyes and sighed. "I give you ten seconds to prepare before my recently discovered motherly instincts smother you," she said, a deep sorrow showing in her eyes. "400 years in the past, my goodness. I was but a sprite by then, but I was in my proper time... I cannot imagine how..." She trailed off, clearly at a loss for words.
"See, something we hadn't really thought about was that, if I was sent back, it would have to be perfect. No matter where I landed, there was little to no way of sending me forward at all. So when I got here, to this time, I was stuck. And I have lived here for some time. And being sent back had some… Well, there were some negative effects we hadn’t even accounted for."
"You can't go forwards in time, can you? Not even if we take you back with us the way we came?” Claire asked, the words coming out rushed as if she was trying with every bit of strength she had not to cry again.
"It’s not like that, though I can’t go back with you, but that is for other reasons." She said with a small smile. "No, when I was sent back again, something went wrong along the way and I... I lost my abilities. When I made it to this time, I was very weak and sick. A guard found me and took me to a healer. I told her everything that had happened and she believes that my abilities were eaten away when I was traveling back, and that they were taken rather than my life. So, as you see me now, I'm more human than nymph, and nymph only in blood."
"Oh, Grace," Claire whispered, reaching out to hold her hand. "So that's why you 'feel' different.” When Grace looked at her confusedly, Claire sighed. "Before we passed through that... rift, or whatever it was that brought us here, I could sense you. Like you were right there, in the forest with us. But you felt different, that's why I thought something physical might have changed - your soul feels older, more delicate. Though, I suppose that makes sense.”
When the conversation stilled, Grace turned to the shapeshifter. “I'm sorry, Kasatka, but I feel as if I barely know you, and it probably feels as if I’ve ignored you this whole time.” She said, her cheeks coloring noticeably. “When we met, I gave you the egg. She's hatched, I see.”
"Yes, she has been growing very quickly." Kasatka said. "And there is not much to know. You gave me the egg, I joined the crew under Maggie, and have sailed with them since." She replied.
"You feel magical. If I might, what kind of magic is it?"
"I am a shapeshifter. I take the form of what is called a maned wolf." She answered.
"Just the one animal?
"That is all I am aware of."
"Hmm. Alright, if you three would like to come with me, there is someone I would like to visit. She should be able to know how to get you back to your time. Her name is Bera. She's the mystic I was brought to when I wound up here."
The girls agreed and, with a not-so-little dragon by their side, made their way outside. The sun was making its way well into the highest point of its arc. Kasatka was quietly amazed that the day was passing so soon but then she remembered that it was the shortest day of the year.
"Who are your friends Grace?" A deep voice asked, making Claire and Kasatka turn with surprise. A very handsome and kind looking man dressed in what was very clearly a guards uniform was approaching them. He was tall with short fair hair, a full beard, and friendly green eyes. In his arms, he carried an excited little girl, with light blonde hair and pale green eyes.
Grace smiled and went up to him, standing at his side when she addressed the two girls. "Claire, Kasatka, I would like you to meet my family. This is Marcello and my daughter Eira."
Claire gasped in delight. "Grace, a daughter!" She smiled brightly. "Oh, but this is wonderful, absolutely amazing, congratulations!" She moved slightly closer, in such a way that made Kasatka chuckle. After a few moments, she clapped her hands together happily. "She is a marvel, just gorgeous. If Riddle were here, she'd be over the moon with joy. That makes three of us ladies from the old crew mothers, even if mine is adopted.” She took a step back and bowed to Marcello. "Sir, it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Claire de Lunar-Pacific, and I am a very old friend of Grace's.”
Marcello smiled and bowed in return. "Ah, so you're Claire. Grace has told me a great about you and the rest of the Pirates from her time." He explained. “Many of your adventures together have become bedtime stories for the little one here.”
"I told you that a guard found me when I arrived here. Well, that was Marcello here. He took me to Bera. When we figured out I couldn't go back, he offered to let me stay with him." Grace explained.
"She started telling me about you all and, a few years later, things came together and not long after that we had this little one." He said in his heavily accented voice, bouncing the little girl on his hip before setting her down on the ground.
Eira walked up to Claire in that stiff-legged manner that toddlers have. She looked up at the soulless curiously. "Hewwo." She said.
Claire let out a happy little noise and knelt to be at Eira's eye-level. "Hello, little one. I'm Claire, and it is very nice to meet you," she chirped, ruffling the girl's hair. She turned slightly and gestured to Kasatka and the dragon. "That is Miss Kasatka and Nootka. We are friends of your mommy’s and adventurers from very far away.”
"Are you piwates?" The little girl asked, her eyes twinkling.
Claire winked at her. "Aye, the best there are! A different crew than the one your mama and I sailed with, but still the best. We travel the seas to discover the wonderful world that is out there.” With a small smile, Claire touched the little girl's cheek. "You remind me of my own girl back where I come from. She's a bit older than you, and not mine by blood, but I still love and miss her very much".
“What happened to her?”
"I left her with my husband on an island called Froststein, while I'm out looking for a new home for the rest of my people," Claire's smile faltered a bit. "She wanted to come with me, but I wouldn't let her. I couldn’t let her." She added as an afterthought.
“Why not?”
"Bad people made her grow up too quickly, so I want her to have as much…fun as she can, before she comes with me.” Claire rose and ruffled Eira's hair again. "You are a bright child. Your soul is warm and kind. You are going to grow up to be beautiful, smart and loved. I am sure of that."
Eira held her arms up to Claire and the soulless knelt back down, allowing the girl to wrap her short arms around her neck. "You look sad. Mama told me that when people look sad, they need a hug." She said, then let go and went back to Marcello's side.
He picked her up and balanced her on his hip, kissing her forehead. Looking over to Kasatka, he smiled. "I'm afraid I don't recognize you from any of Grace's stories."
"We met before the shift." Kasatka said quietly. She wasn't used to being around so many people, or being directly questioned. Marcello was nice, but he reminded her of people from her past. "I sail with Claire."
“She's our spy," Claire declared, smiling proudly at her friend. "A good one at that.”
"I have had little opportunity to prove that." Kasatka said quietly.
Marcello chuckled. "You would make a fine soldier, I think. Any chance you plan to stay in the area?"
Kasatka turned to Claire. "We cannot. We must return to our time."
"As much as I want to kidnap her and bring her with me, I know it's true.” Claire put in sadly.
Grace nodded. "Their place is with the new crew, and my place is here. And I want to take them to see Bera before they leave. I will be back later tonight, love. There is food on the table." She said, giving him a kiss and then kissing Eira atop her head. "I'll be back, little one." She smiled.
Kasatka noticed Claire smiling fondly at the scene before the trio finally set off down the path, leading further away from the strange field and tear. As they walked, Claire and Grace started discussing stories like two soldiers discussing war stories. Kasatka hung slightly back with Nootka, letting the two reminisce. She was glad to see Claire so happy. Thankfully, though, it didn't take long for them to reach a small shack just outside of a decently large town. The shack was smaller even than Grace's and just a bit run down, with worn sides and dirty windows.
Grace ushered the girls forward and stepped up to knock on the door. They were called in by a soft, warm voice and entered the strange home.  At first, both Kasatka and Claire found themselves staring in awe at the sight of the room. Kasatka was transfixed by the woman sitting in the chair by the fireplace. She was incredibly old with long white hair and eyes so pale they were almost the color of starlight.
Claire, on the other hand, saw the herbs and contraptions hanging from the ceiling, plants she had never seen standing in pots beneath windowsills, a small fire in the hearth.
The woman turned those sightless eyes to those that had entered and offered a gentle smile. "You have brought friends, young one."
“I have, Bera. This is Claire, Kasatka, and Nootka.” Grace introduced.
"Hello, Madame," Claire greeted, bowing politely.
"Hello, my children. Ah, come closer, you two." She smiled, beckoning them near with a wave of her frail hand. "An elf and... Hmm, child of the moon, perhaps? No, not quite." She mused, tilting her head this way and that, as if trying to figure Claire out. "Ah, a soulless, yes. But different than those here."
Claire smiled sadly. "Difficult circumstances in our... era has brought many changes to the soulless," she whispered, lowering her head. "When I am from, I lead a broken people recovering from a civil war.”
“Ah, time travelers then. Very intriguing indeed.” Bera remarked playfully. "And you, my dear, do come closer."
Kasatka was stunned for a moment but did as she had been asked, jumping when Bera reached out and took hold of her wrist. Her merry expression fell and a frown creased her face. "Oh, my dear child, you've had a painful past indeed. But you also have great power within you." She mused and leaned back a bit. "I should like to present the two of you a gift. First, young soulless, you may select any one thing from my home to take with you back to your time."
Claire's eyes widened. "I... thank you," she whispered, looking around with even more interest than before. Kasatka watched, as if she’d been guided, Claire immediately went to the shelves along the wall, each shelf filled to the brim with books. There were many on seemingly every subject, however, there was one book in particular that the soulless grabbed for. It wasn’t not much to look at - relatively small, bound in blue-dyed cloth with a pattern of stars printed on it. The pages looked worn and were made of a thin material, but overall it seemed well taken care of. The inside revealed lines upon lines of hand-written text, a travel-log of sorts, with little sketches here and there.
Claire gasped when she realized what the book she held was, drawing it close to her heart. "Pardon me, Madame Bera," she whispered, breathing deeply. "I didn't know you had been in contact with Medama Orchana before. To find one of her old logs warms me to the core. If you would let me have this one book, I shall be forever grateful.”
"I should have known. You're a pupil of hers. I can feel it now. You have similarities with your dear teacher. Of course you may have it my child." She smiled softly, then looked to Kasatka. "And you, my dear. I have something special for you. Grace, dear, would you mind fetching the small chest from the shelf above the fireplace?"
"Of course I don't mind." Grace replied and did as she had been asked.
After receiving the chest from the nymph, Bera set it in her lap and opened it. From inside, she pulled out a small bit of stone. It was black like onyx, but flecked with a lighter substance, making the stone look like a solid bit of night sky. She cupped the stone in her hands and a bright light seeped out from between her fingers.  When the mystic opened her hands, she held up a small pendant.
The stone had been carved and smoothed into the shape of a paw print, similar to a dog's print. She smiled and held it out to Kasatka. "This will allow you to take the form of any canine you wish, not just the form you are able to take now. Additionally, when you return to your human form, you will appear wearing a set of clothes that will remain with you."
Kasatka reached out and took the pendant. "T-Thank you." She stammered slightly. She was unused to receiving gifts and something like this... "Is there anything you want in return?"
"Use your abilities for good." She said simply. "I feel a certain darkness associated with your ability. If you allow yourself to do harm to others, it will grow stronger until you resemble the monster those people wanted you to be." Her words were said in such a way that even Claire felt a chill.
“We will not let her." Claire declared, putting her hand gently on Kasatka's shoulder. "There's a whole crew of pirates ready to support and help Kasatka’s should the darkness ever come.”
"It is not as simple as you think, dear one, though if your friendship reflects that of your fellow ship mates, then you just might be in good hands." She smiled. “Now then, you should probably get back to what brought you here. The Solstice will end quite soon, I imagine. If it does and you are still on this side, I’m afraid you may remain here.”
Grace stepped up to Claire and Kasatka. "Thank you Bera. I'll see you again tomorrow."
The two pirates, accompanied by Sarah Grace and Nootka, made their way back to Grace's house and stood outside. Silence reigned for a few seconds as tears started welling up in Grace's eyes. She held out a note to Claire. "If you can, give that to Riddle. Something… I don’t know. I wanted to write her a letter not long ago. I guess it was for this purpose. I would love to see them but there's no chance for that, not as things are right now."
Claire nodded, struggling to remain calm. She took the letter and carefully folded it up, before she stored it in a little pouch hanging on her hip. She then grabbed Grace's arm gently and smiled. "You have my word that I shall personally deliver this to Riddle.”
Grace nodded and knelt to hold her arms out to Nootka. "Oh, my sweet, you've grown so much and I really hate to see you, see you all, go." She said, wrapping her arms around the young dragon's neck. "You've taken great care of her, Kasatka." She looked to the shape-shifter with sad eyes.
"She actually...is getting harder to feed and find room for." Kasatka said softly, looking off to the side awkwardly. “She’s getting too big for the ship.”
Grace's face fell for a moment and then immediately brightened. "I have a friend. They run a type of sanctuary for dragons. She could go there." Sarah Grace hopped to her feet. "Is that something you would like, Nootka?" The little dragon bounced all over the place, nodding her head almost violently, making small chirps and generally just wiggling her bottom like a dog that saw its owner grab a leash.
Claire laughed as they walked. "I think that means yes.”
It was a quiet walk the rest of the way back to Grace's home. Somehow, it just didn't feel right to say more. Like it'd disturb something. Both Claire and Grace looked on the verge of tears, and that seemed to bring Kasatka down a bit herself. As they came into view of the small home, the tiny figure of Grace’s daughter could be seen rushing towards them at full speed.
"It seems like a welcoming party has been sent out to greet us," Claire chuckled as Eira came tottering up, her hair fanning out wildly behind her. When she was close enough, Grace scooped her up into her arms and spun her around, settling her down onto her hip as she turned back to the two pirates, with Nootka settling excitedly down at her feet. “I still hate goodbyes, you know.” Grace’s words trembled a bit, her eyes shining with tears.
"You know as well that I do, that the feeling is mutual," Claire whispered in reply, gently placing her hand on Grace's shoulder. "I don't think this is good-bye, though. Certainly not for good. We will meet again, I am sure of it. This new world is full of magic, it wouldn’t surprise me if fate had something more in store for all of us.” She chuckled and ruffled Eira's hair. "Who knows? Maybe this little one will grow up to be a powerful mage or technician, creating something that could eventually reach us".
Eira held out her hand to Kasatka. "Mama's fwiends are leaving?"
"They have to go have more adventures, little one." Grace said in a voice that reminded Kasatka of how she'd once seen a mother address her infant. Nobody had spoken to her like that, certainly, but seeing someone else say that to their child filled her with a strange feeling of warmth and a smile slid to her lips.
Kasatka reached out and took hold of Eira's hand. “Be good.” She said softly, letting her eyes glitter a bit for the little girl.
Behind them, Marcello stepped outside, smiling to them. He took in the situation quickly. "I would invite you to stay for dinner but it seems as if your time here is about to end."
Grace wiped away her tears. "You should go back, before whatever brought you here vanishes without you." The words came out with hiccups.
Claire nodded, sighing once more, before she reached out to grab Grace's hand. "I won't say goodbye. As I just said, I don't think this is the last time will meet. So I'll keep it at this," she grinned weakly. "I'll see you soon.”
She turned and bowed to Marcello. "It was nice meeting you. Please take good care of Grace... for all of us," she smiled at him, a playful glint in her eyes. "And since Grace has no other known family anymore, as far as I know, who can threaten you, allow me to be the one to tell you this - if you don't cherish her and treat her right, Moon help me, all of us previous members of the Black Fedora Pirates will find out and hunt you down, even if we'll have to rip a whole in time and space.” She laughed. "Just so we're clear. I'm sure there'll be a day where you'll have to chase suitors away from the little one, too.”
“Yes ma’am.” Marcello said with a salute, before his face cracked into a smile. “I assure you, I could never do anything to harm neither Grace nor Eira. I would put my life before theirs a million times over.”
Finally, Claire looked at Eira and playfully pinched a chubby cheek. "Take good care of them for me. Your daddy makes your mommy happy, and knowing she is happy will definitely make me very happy. And seeing you grow up to be happy and beautiful will also make her happy, so do that too, okay?" She stage-whispered. Eira saluted the soulless, obviously mimicking something she'd seen her father do hundreds of times before.
Kasatka stepped up to Claire's side and looked to Grace. "Thank you." She said simply, unsure what else to say.
"Grace gave the shape-shifter a one armed hug and then stepped back, her eyes shining with tears. “I'll miss you both. But I'll take good care of Nootka. And, someday, I think we’ll all see each other again."
From over their shoulder, a pillar of light exploded upwards, throwing a shaft of light into the heavens.
"I guess that's your cue." Grace sighed.
"This is not the last time we'll meet," Claire declared again. "We will meet again, I am sure of it.” She turned towards the light and nodded once. "Shall we, Kasatka?"
"We should." The shape-shifter replied and after a few more silent goodbyes, the two girls made their way back to the strange glen. It was a silent and tense walk, as neither girl said anything. They couldn’t. What was there to say?
Coming up on the tear, they saw the moon just starting to poke its silvery face up over the far horizon. The tears shimmered weakly in the air before them. "Has so much time really already passed beyond this place?" Claire whispered, gazing into the tear. She sighed and shook her head. "I guess you can't expect much more on the shortest day of the year.” She looked at Kasatka briefly, finally letting a few of her emotional walls fall to reveal an expression of deep sadness and loss. "When we get back... don't expect me to go back to the ship right away. I have some... things, I need to do, before I can face them all again. Please give this to Maggie. If she has any questions, I’ll explain when I get back.” She said, holding out the letter Grace had given her.
As soon as Kasatka took the letter, Claire launched herself forward, rushing through the tear. Kasatka followed a second later, appearing alone on the other side. The tear shut behind her, and she was left in the silence of the night. Claire had already gone but, in the fading darkness, an inhuman wail of sorrow rang through the trees like a bell announcing the death of someone dearly loved. Kasatka couldn’t help but wonder if the soulless truly believed they would see Grace again, or if she had just put on a brave face for her friend.
Kasatka made her way out of strange ring and, once past it, she shifted down into a new shape - like a large, black dog. Her eyes still shone with golden light, but her entire shape had changed completely. Picking up the letter gently in her mouth, she padded silently back to the ship and climbed on board. Maggie caught sight of her and made her way over. "Well hello pooch." She said playfully.
Kasatka looked up at her for a moment before changing back to her human shape. True Bera’s word, she was mostly dressed - wearing a pair of leather trousers and a large cotton shirt, though no shoes. Maggie's eyes widened a bit. "Claire asked me to give this to you, to give to your mother." Kasatka said, handing over the letter before starting towards the stairs that would take her below deck.
"Your dragon, Nootka, where is she?" Maggie asked curiously.
"She's with a friend of your mothers, going to someone who can take care of her." She said simply and went below deck. She found the smallest corner she could, shifted down into the surprising shape of a fennec fox, and curled up into a tiny ball. She spent the day there, not wanting to talk to anybody. It had been an exciting day and she was worn completely out. A full moon rose steadily outside, throwing silvery light across the land.


It was many hours later when Claire returned, looking like a wreck, but with a much calmer air around her. Once back aboard the ship, she sought Kasatka out and stayed with the shapeshifter, sleeping and resting her body as if after a major battle.
Later, when the sun had once again risen, Claire could be seen with the old Black Fedora Pirates, whispering a tale of an old friend so close, yet so far out of reach. But there was no sadness in her voice, only a muted sorrow to spot behind a carefully guarded expression.
If one were to listen closely, in the end, they would have heard a tale of a loved friend being concluded with “she is happy, and so should we be. It doesn't matter that we're not happy with her in the same time. I think... as long as we know she is happy and safe somewhere, even in the past, then we should be happy too. It's probably what she wants for us".
Murmurs of agreement spread through the little group.
When night once more turned to day, Claire reclaimed her spot near where Kasatka rested. She sat there quietly for a bit, before she whispered: "I'm okay. I miss her, but I'm okay. She's happy".
And that was all that mattered.
Warning: very long entry
Warning 2: this is probably full of typos and errors, so I'm sorry for that.

This was an idea I came up with...a few months ago, actually, and have been working on with the help of the ever amazing NordicTwin. Tells you a little bit about what happened with Gracie after the shift.

Characters:
Kasatka, Nootka, Grace, Eira, Marcello, Bera belong to me
Claire, Medama Orchana belong to NordicTwin
Maggie and Riddle belong to Diluculi
Aisuru belongs to FloweringChaos
Sparky belongs to Silver-Razor
Truth belongs to TruthisTruth
Leelu belongs to Leelu
Linda belongs to DeeryDeerth
Zoe belongs to zstew2 (I MISSPELLED YOUR NAME I'M SORRY)
Infinity belongs to Negative--Infinity

Word count: 8673
© 2015 - 2024 little-blind-mouse
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Negative--Infinity's avatar
THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. Tears