The bruin-heart arrived at stillrift and peered down into the darkness. She knew the girl was kept here, and she was interested to speak with her. Maybe she could be taught to know the bear and to serve Ursus.
She placed the rabbit she was carrying down and searched for
@Indra III.
Are you hungry?
she called out, making sure her voice was calm and welcoming so that she could lure the girl into thinking the healer actually cared about how she was feeling. Arielle only cared about those who served the bear, but there was still time for this one to learn.
This time when she was visited, she smelled the rabbit before she saw it.
Indra thought it was the young man from before — the one who brought her the first rabbit whose ears had become precious to her. Beneath the scent of rabbit was that wolf's scent, but as the stranger came in to view - and then spoke - Indra knew immediately it was someone else.
Maybe they were related to the dark wolf; but it was not one she recognized between the two already infrequent visitors she'd had, and so she was slow to creep forward, and did not answer. Her eyes were wide and fixed upon the rabbit, though.
Movement drew the bruin-heart's eyes to where the girl crept out from the shadows. The red of her fur gave her away immediately.
Arielle noted the way the child eyed the rabbit. She smiled and called out: Come up here and it's all yours.
She could see the hunger in Indra's wide eyes and figured she would give into it eventually. The healer had things to show her. Her lessons would start now, assuming the bear king hadn't already started them himself.
She would sit patiently and wait, sure of her plan to lure the girl out of the rift.
The stranger was a woman. She was inviting like the others but also warm, which was something Indra had been sorely missing in her life. It didn't take much more prompting for the girl to come crawling from the dark towards the rabbit, but she did not grab for it, and waited for permission first.
It wasn't an act of humility that held her back. She wasn't being polite. Merrick had come before and made a deal that had drawn her out of stillrift for a time, for water. Aventus had given her a similiar rabbit in exchange for another lesson.
Indra waited for whatever it was this stranger wanted of her; another lesson, most likely. She wasn't about to lose out on the chance for another rabbit.
The girl finally came out and moved like she was going to take the food. But then she hesitated, as if waiting for permission. Smiling again, Arielle cooed: Go ahead; you can eat.
Clearly food had been how the others had gotten her to do things; it made sense.
The bruin-heart waited for her to start eating before saying anything else, assuming she was finally coaxed to do so. What is your name?
she asked softly. Arielle knew her name, of course, but she wanted to create a sense of normalcy, if that was even possible. She wanted the child calm and trusting before she took her see the altar; she would need to be able to concentrate.
When the woman gave her permission, she dove for the rabbit. Even as desperate as she was for something to eat, she was careful to pull apart the belly first, then began gnawing at the legs. She purposefully left the head with its flopped ears intact for later.
Through the messy sounds of eating the girl heard the question and was surprised by it. Nobody had asked her that before.
I'm Indra.
She slurped some wet meat out of the rabbit's belly and felt the warmth seep down her throat with a hard swallow. Rabbit blood marked her cheeks and she didn't have the awareness to clean it off.
The girl stole glances at the woman after that, realizing how quickly she'd gorged herself and feeling spotlit by the performative nature of the situation.
The girl was ravenous, and for a few moments seemed to not have heard her question. Arielle was patient, though.
She said her name was Indra once she was able to pull herself from her slurping and smacking. It was a strange thing to watch, disturbing even, but the bruin-heart let the child indulge herself for a bit.
When she was done waiting, she stood and smiled at Indra. Would you like to see something special?
she asked sweetly. Only special wolves get to see it,
she coaxed. She hoped the girl's curiosity would win out.
The kindness in the woman's voice continued to awe Indra, who blinked and looked from the rabbit carcass to Arielle and back. What could be more special than this?
Filled with intrigue and the curiosity of the innocent, she gave a shy nod and moved as if to follow -- but then she stopped and looked to the rabbit's head that remained of her meal.
She grabbed for it and tucked it neatly by the stones that had been her hiding place, then returned to where she had been standing beside Arielle, looking at her hopefully.
It worked; Indra was intrigued by what the bruin-heart promised, enough that she moved away from her meal. When she stopped and turned back, Arielle frowned. Had she changed her mind? Arielle's patience only went so far.
But the child only wanted to hide her rabbit, and the healer allowed it for now, just to ensure the girl would still feel comfortable with her. With Indra at Arielle's side again, she turned and started to walk.
She was silent as they made their way to the altar. As they drew close, the scent of decay filled the air. It was pleased the bruin-heart just as it pleased the bear.
The altar was a sight to see; the healer had worked hard gathering and sacrificing and arranging things; it was her faith given form. This was how she communicated with the spirit. The most noticeable thing about her work of art was the rotting coyote corpse draped carefully over the flat stone. They had killed it only a few days before. It was stiff with wide, staring eyes and a look of pain stuck on the creature's face. Globs of dried blood, turned dark from sitting so long in the air surrounded the sacrifices neck where it had spilled from a large gash where Arielle had ripped out its throat. It all fit so well with the bones, skulls, and elder that was gathered around the carcass.
The bruin-heart stared at the altar with pride for a moment before turning to Indra. Have you been told about the bear?
she asked. No sense in wasting time going over what she already knew.
Indra stared after the woman for a while as they walked. She didn't know if they left stillrift behind or if they went to another part of it; the woman didn't slow her pace at all, and the girl was left to find her way. She kept to their heel until they came to the altar.
The smell hit her like a brick wall to the face. It was almost like the smell of the rabbit but much stronger, and she wasn't yet wise to the difference between dead meat and dead thing, and found her belly rumbling despite her recent meal.
Displayed across the altar was a body frozen in time. It was rigid where it lay. Indra didn't look at the face at first; she crept under its splayed limbs to join the woman on the other side, and then saw all the things decorating the plinth along with it: blood, made black by time; bones and skulls which Indra might've mistaken for toys.
The woman asked about the bear.
Indra was about to answer when she locked eyes with the glossy, empty face of the coyote. It looked red like her --
She looked away and stared down at the ugly dirt, unable to answer.
Indra didn't answer, and Arielle could feel herself grow angry. She wanted to lash out at the girl for her disrespect, but she knew it would only ruin the tentative trust she had gained.
The child seemed interested at first, but quickly averted her gaze. Something had disturbed her, which was the wrong reaction to have to the bruin-heart's creation. Don't look away, Indra,
she instructed sternly. This altar is sacred.
Her firelight eyes drifted slowly over the corpse of the coyote. Flies buzzed around, promising writing maggots in just a few days time.
I made this for the bear; it is how I communicate with the spirit,
she explained. Stare into the coyote's eyes and tell me what you hear.
Maybe the bear would chose to speak to her. It would only happen if it sensed worth in the child.
Don't look away, Indra.
The woman commanded of her, sharply. Something was different now. The warmth had dissipated and Indra was acutely aware of the tone of their voice -- of being corrected.
She shuffled her feet. Her lip trembled for a moment but she slowly raised her eyes to the altar again; the woman was talking about the bears.
Aventus had told her about the bears and how they'd saved her. Slowly the girl began to put pieces together; staring at the horror-stricken face of the coyote now.
She stared, and stared, and stared, until her eyes were dry and stinging. She didn't know if she heard anything but was afraid to be silent for too long.
I...
She gasped, tasting the foul air and the hunger in her belly turned in to something she couldn't identify.
I don't --
finally she blinked, and looked at the woman with weeping eyes. I don't know.
I'm sorry!
Arielle was quiet as she waited. Indra stared into the dead eyes of the coyote as instructed but said nothing for a few moments. Then she stammered, and the bruin-jaw knew she had not been deemed worthy. The girl started to cry. Don't be upset, Indra,
she said, her tone warmer than it had been before. Sometimes the bear can't recognize your worth until you let it into your heart.
There was a slight pause. We will give the rest of your rabbit to the altar as an offering from you.
Arielle smiled again. It will hopefully make up for what just happened.
The bruin-heart stood. Of course, some will never be worthy.
She looked down at Indra. It doesn't end well for them.
Death would meet any who could not prove themselves to the bear.
Not knowing what to expect from the woman was the worst part of those initial moments. Indra let the tears flow freely until the woman's warm voice came again.
Her rabbit? Indra blinked, looking away from the altar and along the path they had traveled together, as if she could see the rabbit where she'd stashed it.
With a new furrow to her brow she looked back to the woman but was met with a sharp look and ominous words.
o-oh, oh..kay.
Swallowing her nerves, Indra focused on the altar a moment and the coyote's body was a blurry mess. She didn't really want to give up those soft ears and the promise of comfort they would give her, but the woman was frightening.
M..maybe, after, I'll hear... something?
Lashes fluttering as she cleared away the misting tears across her gaze, the girl's voice was oddly hopeful.
She liked the woman a lot more when she was warm and kind.
it was promising that she agreed to give her rabbit to please the bear. Arielle had seen the way she stashed it away before they left; something about the dead thing was important to the child, which was why the bruin-heart had chosen it as her offering.
The healer smiled down at Indra. Maybe,
she said. We'll try again in a few days, but you should try to think of other ways you can serve the bear.
It was important for any of them to find ways to serve the bear, but especially for someone whose worth was still uncertain.
Come on,
she said softly, rising up to her feet. Let's go get your offering.
There it was: maybe.
A flicker of hope. A lit candle with a short wick set against the wind; but it was there, and Indra grasped for it as desperately as she'd set upon her meal.
Indra hurried to follow the woman, sniffling the whole way. The closer they got to where she'd hidden her rabbit the more and more her stomach twisted, and the heavier the weight of her sadness became.
She didn't really want to give up the one comforting thing in this whole scary place.
When they arrived back at stillrift, Arielle jumped down inside and looked to Indra to follow. She would not be the one to pull the rabbit from its hiding place; it would have to be the child.
The bruin-heart would turn to Indra once she was next to her. Bring the rabbit to me,
she said gently. She watched Indra closely then, noting her expression and how long it took her to do as the healer asked.
She would learn many hard lessons in Ursus, but each one would make her stronger and worthy of the bear.
The woman sat and waited. She gave Indra an order and watched her after. It was a familiar feeling -- to be watched, to have the company of a female presence -- which in part emboldened Indra towards the stones where the rabbit was stashed.
She approached this and ducked behind, in to the shadows. Looking down at the bits and pieces that were left: a head with long flopped ears, a chewed neck. It was so small; its eyes were cold and glassy like the coyote's and upon making that connection Indra felt an immediate revulsion.
She reached out for those soft ears and stood suspended for a moment, hesitating, wanting to feel the soft feeling that made her so happy before -- but frozen there so close to it.
This wasn't for her. The woman wanted it. It was for the bear. She only took a moment but grabbed for the ears after and turned around. Indra came trotting from the shadows a moment later with the rabbit's remains in tow.
Good job, Indra,
she praised. There was hope for this one; the healer could see it in the way she struggled at first but ultimately brought the rabbit over.
I will take this to the altar and commune with the bear.
She smiled. This is a good first step. If you continue working to please the bear, then you are more likely to hear the spirit.
I will be back in a few days, and we will return to the altar and try again. Until then, do as you are told and think deeply about the bear.
Arielle would pick up the rabbit and climb out of the rift without another word.
She would spend the next few hours in front of the altar after placing the rabbit within the legs of the coyote.
Commended, Indra felt that tiny flickering hope swell to a new extreme; it wasn't much but it would have to be enough to keep her satisfied. She did not have the rabbit for comfort any longer -- and at least her belly was full, even if it felt like the rabbit meat was alive and kicking there.
The woman took the rabbit; she said she would come back and that caused a fluttering in Indra's chest. She was happy to have made a friend -- a strange friend, a somewhat frightening friend, but a friend none-the-less. Perhaps she could count this one among her first.
Then, she turned and she left. Indra wasn't tempted to follow her up along the edges of stillrift at all. She'd learned quickly that she was meant to stay with the stones, in the dark of the rift.
It was only too bad that she was alone again. She looked to where the rabbit had once been hidden and gave a pitiful little sigh.