Dragoncrest Cliffs Song of the Sea

The sun was falling on a glorious late-summer day. Little fireflies hummed across Bluepeace Meadows as Sapphique’s red-tailed seafarer cruised towards the Roja den. However, he was surprised to find it empty. Following a fresh scent trail, he crossed Mossbloom and wove through the Saltmarsh until he found Erzulie and Rosalyn’s new den.

“Bonnie night, isnit?” He called into the den. “Are y’home @Mireille, @Sobo, @Loko, @Coraline? Are y'kids too old fer bed time stories yet?” he asked with a large grin on his face.

mireille tried not to feel so excited. 
the adjustment from the den to the beach had been harder for the girl than she had expected, but she would never admit it. mireille threw herself into studies of the world around here. when njord's voice sounded, she tipped out of the saltmarsh and onto the open ground, nettles caught in her striped little nape.
"da njord," she greeted, her small tail waving. the yawn that wanted to come out was caught instead in a sneeze. "i not be too old!" she smirked, wondering if sobo would feel the same.

Ooof! squealed Sobo when a feisty little crab up from the seaside got its pincers around his toe. Being a hardy Pebble of Sapphique, he was quick to compose his reaction. It was his fault, anyway. The crab was minding its own business digging among the shells, but the dark-faced Dahomey-Rivaini cub was too curious for his own good.

He gave his foot a great shake, sending the crab flying. Oh! Sorry! he called out to it when it splashed into the river, moments before Njord's boisterous brogue called his attention away from the river. A boy never forgot about a crab so fast! Sobo scrambled back to the marsh where Mireille was already present, arriving at the tail end of her greeting.

Me neither! he sing-songed, careening into his striped sibling's side and grinning up at his da.

Sorry for my delay! My writing muse has been absent...

The children hurried, like delighted little minnows, up to Njord. All worries that they had forgotten him while away were wiped clean. Mirielle, freckled face and bright green eyes, proclaimed she could still entertain a bed time story. Brother Sobo zoomed into place, vying for his seat with enthusiasm. These two little ones brought so much light into the islander’s life. It was had to remember Njord had bemoaned about the absence of love just a few moons ago… now, his heart was full – just as moonwoman Kukutux said it would be.

Njord laid down and cleared his throat. “Wha’ a good crowd I ‘av!” he praised the children. “Now… lemme tell ya ‘bout tha Shepherd of tha Sea.”

A long, long time ago. There was a she-wolf who lived by tha’ ocean… jus’ like us. ‘Er coat was sandy like tha’ beach… eyes blue an’ like tha wa’tr. Day an’ night she watched tha waves ebb an’ flow. When tha’ moon rose high in tha’ sky, she ‘owled to tha moon… an’ one night tha moon answered back!

“Child,” tha moon said, “Yer voice is verra beautiful… but why do you sing ta me?”

“Moon mother,” tha woman sang back, “I am lonely an’ dinna ‘av a family.”

Tha moon fell silent, sad ta see one of Earth’s cre-tures so bereft.

“Well, then, come live with me ‘an be my Shepherd,” mother moon offered.

Tha she-wolf took a step into the water… an’ ‘er pelt turned silver! Deeper an’ deeper she swam, fur shimmerin’ in tha waves. ‘Er tail turned into fins… body strong and able as she coursed though tha’ wat’r. Miraculously, tha she-wolf turned into tha most bonnie fish. She lept from tha water, thankin' tha moon!

“Child, you an’ I will help those who are lost in this world,” the moon instructed. “Together, we will swim thru tha dreams of yer kind, and be a beacon of hope for those who need it.”

Njord fell silent for a moment. “Tha she-wolf is still out at sea to this day… and I’ll tell you a secret… I saw ‘er on my journey to Meares Island! She saved yer Da from drownin'.”

<3

mireille laughed happily as sobo came up alongside her, and nipped at his shoulder roguishly. 
but then da njord was speaking, and her bright eyes had fixed raptly upon him.
he told them about the shepherd of the sea. she was a wolf like those in their home, and the moon answered her. mireille's eyes widened. she had not thought the moon could speak.
the red-tailed pirate went on, and each of his accented sentences propelled further the girl's imagination. not to have a family! she could not imagine being without her network of mothers and sisters and siblings and da njord, who always brought them gifts and stories. but the moon decided then to be the family of this wolf.
she took her as the sea shepherd.
mireille gasped as njord described how the woman turned to moonbeams — and then a fish! but that was not all. "you saw her?" the girl exclaimed. "what did she be sayin' to ya, da njord!?"

What a wonderful story! Sobo gasped when the wolf stepped into the sea and turned silver, glancing down at his own pale flank as if comparing himself with the moon. Was it possible for a wolf to become a fish? Maybe the moon would speak to him someday!

Wow, said Sobo in a low whistle. His dad was so cool! The Shepherd of the Sea saved his life! He knew inherently that the sea was dangerous and not all wolves survived its wrath, so Njord must be something special to be chosen by the Shepherd.

Is she a loa? he wondered.

The children were delighted and awe emanated from them. This made Njord beam with joy. How lucky was he! A man who was privileged to instill such wonder into the future generation. Questions soon poured from their chirping mouths like hungry chickadees.

Njord gave a hearty laugh. “Oh, aye! I saw ‘er with my own two eyes! As I was swimmin’ towards Meares Island a storm covered tha sky. Rain came down an’ tha waves battered an’ bruised me! I ken I was close ta land, but I couldn’t see beyond tha rising tides. Suddenly,” he made a sharp movement as if to surprise them, “I hit a rock! And then another! Raked across a stony piece – I thought I was headed fer Davy Jones’ locker.”

Njord crossed his limbs around his sides, acting as if he were in great pain. “But then I saw ‘er – in tha distance a streak of silver jumped from tha wat’r! I 'eard her singin' a sweet song, an’ I knew it was tha sea shepherd ‘erself. I pushed off tha rock and swam as ‘ard as I could, followin’ ‘er path! An’ finally, I washed up along a sandy beach… an’ knew I ‘ad been saved.”

Njord had taken some liberty with his story, but there really had been a storm and rocks. He bore the long jagged scars on his side to prove it. He had been out at sea. Wounded, alone, and scared… but it had not been a fish who saved him, but the image of his children in his mind’s eye.

He turned to Sobo then. “Oh aye, I believe she is,” he affirmed with a nod. Njord didn’t know much about Erzulie’s voodoo or loa, but he knew about angels, spirits, and karma. “She is one of tha greatest, most kind, well-meanin’ ones, ya ken. T’was kismet I saw ‘er. Yer Da is a lucky man.”

da njord assured them that this fish woman was indeed a loa. 
she sought to exchange a deep look with her brother. "we be lucky do, dat she let you come back an' tell us about her." there was a reverence in mireille's voice that she shared around no other subject. the girl did not yet understand each facet of her mother's spirituality, but she and her siblings had been reared to be respectful.
she looked at njord's scars. "maman says de sea be choosin' always. maybe she asked de loa to come to you."
a grin, a sway of her tail. "an' you be home now! dat is de best part."

Mireille had such a way with words, focusing intently upon Njord and speaking selflessly to him. Sobo had not yet mastered that. He thought still of the silver fish loa of the sea and of the things Njord had seen and experienced out there. Questions crowded his mouth, held back only because his sister was speaking.

Of course he was happy his dad was home! His relationship with Njord wasn’t as strong as the one he shared with Erzulie or even Rosalyn, but bone-deep he felt safe around his father. Even if they had never shared the man’s identity with Sobo, he would know the role Njord played in his life, and not only because of his red tail. He had no idea how to say how happy he was his da was home. Thankfully, Mireille did it for him.

But as soon as she stopped, his selfish questions came tumbling forth. Where be Meares Island? he asked, followed quickly by, an’ what be Davy Jones’ locker?

Last post for me! The kids are so cute! We need a new thread together soon.

Njord smiled gently at Mireille’s observations. “Aye, yer maman is a smart woman,” he said with a nod. “Tha sea must’ve known I ‘ad hungry mouths ta feed back home!”

He stood up as more questions tumbled from Sobo’s mouth. Njord chuckled, amused by his son’s vast curiosity. “I like yer thirst for knowledge, lad!” Njord encouraged him, “but it’s late an’ time fer sleepin’…” He looked up and the moon was large overhead. “We’ll save those stories fer another night,” he compromised. “Come along, I’ll tuck ya in.”

Njord would shepherd the kids back into the Roja den and fluff their bed to make it comfortable. He would wash their faces, sing a small chanty, and wait for them to settle. When they slept (or at least, appeared to be sleeping), he would depart and shift his attention to the borders for late patrol.

same! <3

mireille gave a good-natured groan of protest, but followed happily alongside njord.
he was home. and that meant her family was complete.
when njord left the roja den later that night, the sea girl opened her eyes once and looked at the stars.
her dreams were of fish women and swimming wolves with red tails.

Awww, Sobo protested, falling in beside his sister despite it. Truth be told, he was feeling kind of sleepy already, and only felt sleepier once Njord had tucked them in and began to sing. It took almost no time for him to drift off to a dreamless sleep.