In Dreemlyn, that place somewhere between reality and oblivion, there is a valley about the size of one of those inland seas known as the Great Lakes. Here, the WereFolk make their home. These Children of Diana were blessed with the ability to shift their animal forms for human. These are their stories, their legends, their myths…
It is tradition that all young WereFolk go on a “trek” before reaching full adulthood. This trek is considered to be a rite of passage and a vital part of the maturing process that helps to determine their place in WereSociety. The custom was started as a result of the first WereFolk Assembly. According to the legend, it was decided that in order to fulfill “The Prophecy” all WereFolk had to become more familiar with the ways of each tribe. The membership determined that a trek that took young ones to other tribes was an excellent way to do this and legend states that each tribe agreed to this idea.
Throughout WereFolk history each tribe has maintained hospitality accommodations for just this purpose. These treks are not arranged in advance with the receiving tribes. It was decided that no special arrangements were necessary, only common hospitality. The trekkers offer what skills they have to the tribe to pay their way at all times; this is no vacation, but a learning experience. Each young one goes to as many tribes as they wish during their trek; the time allowed is between them and their own tribal leaders.
History Unit #7429 The Customs and Habits of the WereFolk.
Hearts Afire
GentlePaws fidgeted as they waited at the South Gate. She and SilverFur had traveled along the river in tiger form, away from the troubles at SanZisco. Although SanZisco certainly had charms. She smiled faintly, thinking of Jake.
But then the clerks shuffling papers brought GentlePaws back to reality. They had come to the South Gate, one of only three passes into Diana’s Path. Of course, each of the valley’s three gates had certain procedures that had to be followed. The WereFolk were friendly, but they were not fools. Still, this should not take long, and then a short ride on the DMS to Divine Wind. Father was a close friend of the Daimyo of the Silver Sword estate there. She was looking forward to returning, but she was also a little wistful. She had been enjoying SanZisco, and being independent. She sighed softly. There was no use worrying about it now though.
At that point, SilverFur bounced into the room. That was unusual in and of itself– her sister had been enjoying their freedom even more than she had, and had complained all the way up the river about this “travesty of justice.” SilverFur sat down quickly next to GentlePaws a big smile on her face. “Guess what, sister!”
GentlePaws face broadened into a smile. “I have no guesses. But I’m sure you’ll tell me. No?”
SilverFur kept to herself the underlying reasons why she wanted to go, how she had convinced WhiteTalon that this was a way for them to perhaps search out some clues about the other tribe’s knowledge of her mother’s death. Instead she said quickly to her smiling sister, “Father said we could go on our Trek, now.”
GentlePaw’s eyes widened. “Really? This isn’t like that time Father said we could go hunting in the south forest?”
A lazy voice from the door drawled, “No, this is real, GentlePaws.” GentlePaw’s smile widened as she recognized the voice and then the form of her old friend, and her father’s close ally, Swift-Comes-The-Falling-Death (although he was usually called Swift) of the Moccasin. A tall thin man with a complicated history, but very nice. She jumped up to give him a hug.
He returned her hug with a smile. “You’ve been making sure little SilverFur here doesn’t get in over her head.”
All the while, Swift watched SilverFur and smiled at her with confidence, letting her know he understood her personal mission and her reasons for keeping quiet. He thought to himself how glad he was that WhiteTalon had finally recognized the warrior spirit that flows through SilverFur’s blood. She would be a fine spear someday.
GentlePaws smiled. “Oh, she did very good in SanZisco, Uncle Swift. I hardly had to watch her at all.”
He smiled back and replied, “That’s good to hear, because your father has decided that now is the time for you to go on your trek. I was coming here to conduct some business with the Lions, so he asked me to deliver the good news.”
“This is wonderful.” Gentle Paws exclaimed. “Can we go with you to the Lions?”
Swift’s smile dampened slightly. “Already been, I’m afraid. I’m catching the shuttle back shortly actually. Going to the Lions is a good idea though. They will treat you well. But I would like to take my favorite nieces to dinner before leaving.”
The next morning, GentlePaws and SilverFur left the compound and transformed to tiger form. They began padding along the trail towards the Southern Bluffs Pride. It was the dry season, and the grass had grown tall and turned a warm caramel colour. After a while, SilverFur stopped and crouched quietly. She turned and nuzzled SilverFur in the language of tigers.
“Do you see the straight horn ahead?”
GentlePaws nodded. “Straight horns are meat, curvy horns are folk. Shall we hunt?”
SilverFur smiled a tiger-smile showing lots of teeth. “I’ll circle around, and you spook it.” SilverFur padded off into the grass, silently. GentlePaws slowly counted to twenty, shifted to half form and leaped out of the grass with a roar. The impala was spooked and leapt away, right into the path of SilverFur, who brought it down, with a powerful swipe to the neck.
GentlePaws padded over. “Shall we eat as tigers or humans?”
SilverFur transformed to human and shrugged. “How far do you suppose we are from the Bluffs?”
GentlePaws looked at the sun a moment, thought, and said, “Maybe pretty close. Get out the map.”
SilverFur reached down to her side and pulled a sheet of paper from her bag. Both girls had leather bags attached to them, in order to hold their valuables (and clothing) while they traveled. “Here you go, sis.”
GentlePaws looked at the map, then at the sun, and then at the mountains. “Should be about twenty minutes that way, in human form, maybe 45? Do you think we should take the meat?”
SilverFur smiled. “Yes, it can be our contribution. It beats cleaning out the Latrine.”
GentlePaws giggled. “I still think they did that to SnarlyOrange as a joke. Besides we are much nicer than he is.” Laughing, the girls headed into the brush.
After a while, they came to some high hills with some low caves, and a pair of lions lounging on a rock. They walked down and smiled. SilverFur said, “Hello, we are trekkers.”
One of the lions, a young male, transformed into his half form and smiled. “Welcome, then. You have meat to share?”
SilverFur smiled and said, “Yes. Where shall we take it?”
The male jumped off the rock and pointed into the caves. “Take it down that way. Just keep heading to the left, and ask for RedHeart. He is the tribal food gatherer.” They wandered through and found RedHeart, an elderly male with a hearty smile.
He bowed deeply and said, “Welcome to our home, daughters of the tiger. Are you trekkers?”
SilverFur and GentlePaws smiled and curtsied. GentlePaws said in her dulcet voice. “We are.”
“Well, we are happy to have you, and this delicious impala. Would you like to wait in our commons room? There will be a feast in about an hour. If we could add your meat to the festivities?”
GentlePaws smiled and said. “Certainly we would like to stay, and we would be very pleased if our small gift might add to the evening’s meal.”
They were led into a large room in the center of the cave complex. It was a large almost round room, with a hollow roof. The sun came down, and more importantly the smoke went up. They sat lazing and chatting with several of the young lions lounging around. They asked all kinds of questions about what life was like in the forests among the Wolves and Bears and Boars. GentlePaws and SilverFur giggled at some of the questions, but they graciously answered them all.
After a while the food came out, and it was delicious. So many different spices from the ones in the forest, and the impala was delicious. The assembled group consisted of most of the WereLions of the tribe and a few assorted visitors that the girls had not yet met, including a sleek WereCheetah that watched them intently.
Where a few minutes before there had been a great din of noise, a silence began to move through the lodge as a large elderly golden male made his way toward a slightly raised section of the room. It was obvious a special story would be told this night. SilverFur watched as GentlePaws settled herself into a comfortable position; her eyes were gleaming with anticipation.
All attention now on the golden figure as he transformed from full human to his powerful half form, showing his regal carriage. SilverFur felt her heart pound faster as she watched the change. He moved to his full animal form and let out a mighty roar, signaling to all and sundry that the nightly story time was soon to begin. Back to human form now, the elder WereLion began to speak very softly… as the group quieted down his deep rich voice could be heard throughout the room…
Bowing formally to the young female tigers he said, “We wish to honor the daughters of WhiteTalon this night with the story of how the bond between our tribes began. The tribes known as GoldenLion and WhiteTiger share a common history that begins with this story. Come one, come all and gather close to hear of the fusion of fire in the hearts of our ancestors.”
“They met at the first WereFolk assembly, each the respective representative of the young adult generation of their tribes. GoldFire was regal and golden, his amber eyes bright as the sun. SilverFire was graceful and sparkling, her blue-gray eyes shining like the moon. Different as night and day they were, but no love before or since has been so deep, so rich or has burned with such passion… such fire.”
*******
“SilverFire eased into the conference room. It seemed unnaturally quiet and at first she thought her late arrival had been noticed. But no, it seemed all eyes were on a golden figure at the front of the room. She slipped into a chair in the back of the room, enjoying this human comfort that her elders were not yet used to. As the young male voice gently spoke of the new age of their WereSociety and how the future belonged to them to enrich or destroy, he held the young membership spellbound with his melodic voice.
“She thought to herself… he could weave magic with his words… so rich his voice sounds… so much passion in his words. SilverFire felt a heat building in her heart, an attraction that she had never felt before… she began to wonder who this young male was… and which branch of the OrangeTiger Clan he belonged to. She wondered if perhaps he had recently been ill, his golden coloring more tan than orange, somewhat different than most of the Gold-Orange tigers she had met. She searched around for a program, knowing an agenda had been planned. Perhaps his name and tribal connection would be listed. On the floor in front of her she saw a slip of paper there…
“GoldFire was pleased that he was holding their attention, he had been nervous at first. But as he warmed up he could tell that he had their interest now. He had made most of his points and only required a few more minutes before he would be through with his planned speech. Just then an audible gasp from the back of the room distracted him from his words. All eyes turned at the sound. He did not think he had said anything wrong, but the young silver-haired female was staring at him with very intense blue-gray eyes, eyes that were filled with despair, a slip of paper clutched in her hand. Thinking he must have said something wrong he quickly moved toward her to apologize…
“Please, young miss, do forgive me if I have offended you in some way. These are the very things we are here to discuss, we must find a way to learn of each other, and ways to grow accustomed to the culture and traditions of each tribe. Oh, please tell me how I have offended, what I have done to bring such sadness to your beautiful young eyes…
“SilverFire’s heart was pounding so within her chest, her mind racing as she stared into the beautiful amber eyes of the handsome young man, oh she had to stop thinking of him that way… after all he was a WereLion, a beautiful WereLion but a lion nonetheless. The taboo of loving outside of her clan, outside of her world. But the more he spoke, the more she loved, the more he moved toward her in gentle supplication the more she wanted to be held in his arms…
“GoldFire felt himself moving toward the young female, not for the first time he wondered if eventually they would be able to recognize the species characteristics in human form. What was she, he kept saying to himself. He felt so drawn to her, as if he could drown in the pool of her blue-gray eyes… She must be from the WhiteLion tribe, he had not known they were sending a representative but it was possible. But her traditions should be much as his and she should not have been offended… the more he said please the brighter with tears her eyes became…
“Suddenly her emotions overwhelmed her and as happens to all WereFolk under heavy emotional distress, she felt her hold on her human form slipping… the group had turned to watch the drama unfolding in the back of the room… with a sound caught between a cry and a growl… SilverFire ran from the room but not before the tell tale black streaking went through her lovely silver white hair…
“GoldFire felt his heart pound at the sight as the lithe young female body transformed to half form, her beauty overwhelmed him as he recognized her as a member of the WhiteTiger tribe. He turned to the room full of young WereFolk and shrugged his shoulders and with a growl ran from the room. His emotions were running high, and his handsome form shifted to half form as his rich golden mane streamed behind him…
“SilverFire ran until she was fully tiger and found her way to the wooded area surrounding the compound. She was quite embarrassed and did not wish to be seen in her animal form. Just as all of the other WereFolk, she had taken an oath to be always in human form in the presence of the membership during the conference hours. She had done so badly, and she was afraid of the feelings pounding through her body…
“Tired of running and emotionally drained, SilverFire stopped beside a stream and lapped some of the cool water. She lay beside the stream until she began to calm down, she closed her eyes as she felt her body transform back to human. And once again the tears began to stream down her face, Her mind asking questions that she could not answer… Her beliefs told her that it was wrong to love outside her species… She had always believed it impossible and yet… She had never had such emotional reaction to another being… tears fell but she held her form as she fell into a deep sleep…
“Dreams overtook SilverFire, so mixed up, so confused…
“In her dreams SilverFire saw the handsome face of GoldFire… but he was in her own fur, then she saw herself in his fur, back and forth, back and forth the mixing and blending of form and fur. His golden face with her blue-gray eyes, her hair turned to gold rather than silver, pounding blood rushing through her body with each change. Surrounding them the accusing faces of WereLions and WereTigers, changing back and forth between human and animal… Her family and the membership shaking their fingers… chanting no and no and no again… Everyone she loved turning their backs on them… but not before she saw the disappointment in their eyes… She turned to her love and touched his face, her vision blurring… He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips… She felt heat rising throughout her body… His eyes reflecting her loving face… She felt herself melting to him…
“GoldFire was uncertain of his feelings. His emotions rampant, he was full regal lion now. He did not notice the startled faces he passed as he ran from the compound, the shouts were only noise to him… He only knew that he had to find her. Instinct led him to the same wooded area SilverFur had so recently entered, and soon he came upon her lying on the grass beside the stream in a peaceful sleep a smile on her lovely fresh face, all evidence of her tiger form hidden…
“He did not want to awaken her and so was very quiet as he slowly transformed back to human form and knelt beside her, and watched her face as she slept. He could not help himself as he reached out to stroke her cheek, following the track of her so recent tears. She moved toward his hand in her sleep and sighed. It may have been at this moment he was lost to her. His heart filled with love at the way her lips curved; he lay beside her and was soon asleep as well…
“His dreams were filled with visions of a beautiful white tiger stalking gracefully through his tribal home. His family reacting with horror at the sight, he stood beside this tiger in his animal form and tried to make his family understand. They shouted at him, no and no and no again… When he looked for the lovely tiger he saw her transforming to human beside him reaching for him… He became his human self and took her hand and made the decision in his dream to follow her throughout eternity.
“It is said that Diana came upon the young ones sleeping, saw into their dreams and felt their heartache and pain… She knew that they could bring “The Prophecy” to fruition, these young strong ones, these young hearts filled with such fire… Diana smiled upon them and spread her hands over their hearts to give them strength to hold their love for one another…
“SilverFire woke to find a sparkling apparition before her… Diana, smiling at her in such an understanding way. SilverFire said, ‘My Goddess, I have done wrong, I am not worthy, please forgive me… But I love him so…’
“Diana, smiled indulgently… My young one, you and GoldFire are the beginning… The two of you will be the start to bring Dreemlyn together in peace and love…there is nothing to forgive… Love does not care the color of your fur, the color of your skin, the color of your eyes, only the color of your heart, your desire and your need… Love is what it is… Do not let it slip away from you… Do not let the membership or anyone destroy it…
“SilverFire closed her eyes, unsure of how to respond, when she looked back Diana was gone… She lay back down and found her love sleeping beside her… She touched his face and he awakened to see her love- filled eyes upon him… He sighed as he reached for her and pulled her toward him… he placed a gentle kiss on her lips and held her close…
“Both of them realized at that moment that their souls had been searching for each other… That where yesterday they did not know what it meant to love… What it meant to ache to breathe the breath of another… Now they could not imagine going a single day without looking into each other’s eyes… they knew they would have to find a way to be together… no matter what anyone else thought…
“GoldFire slowly stood, bringing SilverFire to her feet, no words were spoken as they made their way back to the compound… Each lost in thoughts of how in a matter of hours their world had changed… From time to time GoldFire brought SilverFire’s fingers to his mouth and gently kissed the tips…
“Once inside the compound, GoldFire seemed to come to a decision and turned to SilverFire… My love, will you trust me to handle this…? To talk to the membership… To convince them of our devotion… To make them see that our love will be…
“SilverFire smiled and said, Yes my love, for I know we are blessed by Diana, she has spoken to me in my dreams… We are the beginning, we are the love, and we are the future of Dreemlyn… Tell them… With your magic words that we will love… That Diana wants us to be together…That a new future awaits the Children of Diana…
“And so it was that the two young ones with their hands clasped went to the center of the compound and waited, soon others gathered about for the tales had flown from place to place as tales often do. When the stern looks came their way they held to each other even more, amber eyes filled with love, blue-gray eyes filled with tender passionate devotion. Their emotions so high that they began to shimmer as they transformed back and forth between half-form and human… and even from time to time to full animal… each time letting out a roar that brought more and more of the membership to see the sight…
“All the while wise eyes watched from high above. Waiting for just the right moment to make his presence known…
“Soon the courtyard was filled with the membership, young and old all talking at once. Arguments breaking out about a spell being cast by some evil spirit to disrupt the conference. Or that the young tiger was some type of witch… there to enrapture the males…
“GoldFire had been growling for order, trying to calm everyone down so he could state his feelings for all to know, but with each growl they argued more, saying he must be bewitched. SilverFire was growling as well, but they paid her no mind, believing she would enrapture them as well if they looked into her intense eyes for too long…
“The noise was becoming louder and louder, and SoaringSpirit was afraid that there may be blood shed, so he decided now was the time. He flew down from his perch through the crowd, the huge wingspan of the majestic eagle distracting them from their arguments. He transformed to half form upon landing in front of the young lovers…
“All recognized him, all knew and respected him, a hush fell over the group as he very clearly said in his learned manner, ‘You will listen, you will hear what the young ones have to say. Our future is nigh, our future rests with them. I see Diana’s light shining upon them. Hear them, for Diana has a reason for all that happens and they are her children as are we…’
“GoldFire held to SilverFire’s hand as they each transformed to their half form smiling at each other as lovers do, secret passions to come. They became fully human together and walked toward SoaringSpirit each extending an empty hand to show their peaceful intentions…
“SoaringSpirit smiled upon them both, took their hands and squeezed them as he moved aside to allow GoldFire to speak…
“The crowd was ready to listen now, as GoldFire looked out over the sea of faces he wondered how he could make them understand, something he did not understand himself, how he could make them know that this was meant to be…
“As he began to speak, he felt the spirit of Diana in his heart, and knew that she had touched him. He smiled and was filled with a confidence that caused warmth to build in the hearts of all that heard that strong melodic voice. ‘My friends, when I was chosen to be part of the membership, I knew that I was coming here to meet my destiny, my future…
“He turned to his side and looked at her with such love in his eyes that the heat flowed between them, the love was there for all to see. He pulled her close to his side and began to speak again, ‘we have been given a gift, all of us, the gift that allows us to grow and protect our planet from any danger the future may hold. Our need to find harmony together will mean changes to all of our beliefs, it does not mean that we must let go of that which makes us who we are, only that we find tolerance within our hearts to allow others to be what they may be…
“He continued as he felt them hearing him, and understanding his passion, this is what he was born to do. ‘Diana has blessed us, her children with a gift of transformation, not only to make us strong, but also to give us that, which allows us to become a society of stronger beings. Communication between our tribes will allow us to become what she wishes us to be. Understanding will grow with time but it has to start now. Let is start with a thoughtful tolerance that love knows no boundaries, love is…
“The crowd was silent, and some even had tears standing in their eyes as they recalled the love they felt for their special someone. They knew if anyone had tried to tear that love from them how they would have died fighting, all he wanted was understanding, all he asked was that they suspend their tribal snobbery…
“Was this not something they would have to do anyway to be part of the membership and to become the beings which Diana had chosen them to be…
“Each looked around at the faces surrounding them, seeing the tribal differences, and though most were in human form some had moved to half form because of the emotions coursing through their hearts, all could see that they were the Children of Diana and this connected them …
The time has come… The time is now…
“As if Diana had appeared before them and blessed this union, they all nodded and with silent agreement recognized the right of love between anyone, anytime and anyhow… The young would convince the old that did not understand… The old would teach the young who had never loved… The WereSociety was born, and the greatest love that inspired our growth to continue has touched us all…
“SilverFire and GoldFire became great leaders of the membership, and inspired a tolerance and understanding that carries forward to this day…
“Our legend tells us that the descendants of GoldFire and SilverFire hold a special spark in their hearts and often a physical characteristic which marks them as offspring from the union of that great love. So the next time you see a Gold WereLion with gray or blue eyes or perhaps a White WereTiger with amber eyes you may smile and know the reason why…”
*******
The elder transformed to his half form as he walked to the side and offered a hand to each of the young female white WereTigers, each rapt with attention. His eyes half closed a smile crossed his leonine face; he spoke to them personally, but loud enough for all to hear. “It is our hope that the telling of our mutual history brings honor to the daughters of WhiteTalon, he with the amber eyes.” The great lion then opened his eyes and looked around the room for all to see, at last settling his stare on SilverFur and GentlePaws who could very plainly see the intense gray stare from the very golden face.
*******
Sleep was a long time coming for GentlePaws, her heart and mind had been stirred so by the story. It was not the first time she had heard it, but it was by far the best version. She kept remembering the feeling of the love between GoldFire and SilverFire. She was inspired and wrote the following poem:
Golden Pavilions
Golden Desires… Dreams…Wishes
Golden Days and Nights
Gathering of Tribes
Yelling, Clapping, Laughing all
A scene of Chaos
A Golden Man Stands
Strong and Noble, Straight and True
Silver Hair Watching
A Silver Smile
Listens to his golden words.
She feels her heart grow.
Realization dawns
She flees, Black stripes and white stripes
Her nature is clear.
He roars and follows
Deep in the wood’s ancient boughs
They find each other
A Silver Moon Shines
The Night reveals its secrets
Two Bodies Entwined
The Boars and the Bears
The Panthers Tigers Roaring
The Fox is Silent
The Lions growling
The Elephants trumpeting
Eagle swoops and speaks
The oceans churning
Leaves falling, the world transformed.
Diana is calm.
The Lovers Wander
Their passions not extinguished
Diana smiles.
