Raven's Watch birds of a feather

True liberation is to no longer have any earthly tethers.

Those words clung to her in the many eulogies that were spoken by her mother, the most unaffectionate and calculated woman Mictec had ever known. It was no wonder that she turned out the way she did with a mother who make the suggestion for her daughter's exile.

In her travels, Mictec had rid herself of her family's name, choosing to adopt a new one that was inspired by her affinity for forests and her favorite bird, the raven. So to have found herself slowly scaling the mountain and arrive at a place where they fluttered about carefree brought her an uncanny sense of peace.

Oh to have wings to fly.

Ravens were often associated with bad luck. Evil. Death. Kirain couldn’t understand it. How could creatures so free, so intelligent, embody such grim omens? Watching them go about their daily lives was anything but ominous, it was peaceful. Serene. The occasional cry of a raven pierced the stillness, but even that seemed to blend harmoniously with the quiet.

She felt an unexpected kinship with the solitary birds as they flitted about, tending to their own needs with practiced independence. A lonely life, she mused. The thought brought a pang to her chest, memories of times spent among packmates flickering at the edges of her mind. She shook her head, as if to cast those memories aside, unwilling to let the ache take root.

Her gaze shifted to the sea of red, yellow, and orange spreading out below, a tapestry of autumn’s fleeting brilliance. What must have once been a lush, vibrant paradise was now surrendering to the inevitable cycle of change, its former glory stripped bare by the advancing season.

How fitting, she thought, a faint sadness tugging at her heart.

Her dark pelt allowed for her immersion into the small crevices where shadows retreated from the low laying afternoon sun. When one of the raven's took flight unexpectedly. Mictec understood another's presence was near. She was still not back to her full strength from her travels having spent sometime along the sequoia coast in quest of meaning. But she always kept her wits about, and made the decision to conceal herself.

The breeze was blowing in her favor, redirecting her scent so that the other could not detect her presence. Que mal suerte she thought to herself, with a pelt as pure as snow and innocence being so near her cursed self. Perhaps Mictec should try to scare her away, so her infection could not harm a being so pure.

As if reading her mind, the caw of the raven seemed to suggest otherwise, a voice of reason in the chaos.  But that did not stop the attention drawn to her. As the other seemed to be alert of her company, Mictec took it upon herself to intimidate the other, unsure if it was an act of mercy and a swan song.

In a low growl, her voice unusually lower than normal Mictec spoke, "Mercy is not so easily given when intruding on someone in a meditative state."

Kirain froze, her ears pinning flat against her crown as a low growl rumbled from an unseen presence. Her tail instinctively tucked partway between her legs, and she lowered her head to signal she meant no harm. Her gray eyes darted around, scanning her surroundings for the source of the threatening sound.

“Forgive my intrusion,” she murmured, her voice soft. “It was not my intention to disrupt your peace…”

As the words left her maw, her gaze swept over the rocky landscape until she finally spotted the other, a shadowy figure concealed within the crevices of the rock face. Kirain’s breath hitched as she took in the faint silhouette, her muscles tense with uncertainty.

She remained frozen, her body caught between instinct and reason. Retreating seemed wise, yet something held her there, a quiet respect for the other’s space, or a flicker of curiosity about the stranger shrouded in darkness. For a long moment, she simply watched, waiting, unsure if her presence would be met with hostility or acceptance.

Mictec took a step forward into the light as it melted around her paw as if she was being molded before their eyes. Her obsidian pelt only made the white fur on her face more pronounced, like the moon glowing on a night with no stars. She kept her head low, washed of emotion other than a deadpan expression. Some had said this was far more disturbing than bearing teeth, in constant question of what her next move may be.

"I don't doubt that."

Mictec could inhale the stranger's scent as she drew close, one that laced any other which allowed her to relax slightly that it lacked the mixture normally associated with a pack. Still, she only closed the distance between the slightly, the ravens seemingly uncovered as they continued about.

"I do caution though, as someone who is foreign to this territory, it's best to never assume you are alone."

“You’re right. Traveling carelessly is a mistake,” Kirain admitted, her voice calm yet thoughtful. “I suppose I’ve just been spared the pleasure, or misfortune, of encountering many others along the way.”

Her tail flicked slightly as she studied the female before her, unease creeping in. The wolf’s expression was unreadable, almost unnervingly so, sending a shiver down Kirain’s spine. Doubts began to surface, gnawing at her thoughts as she tried to decipher the stranger’s intentions.

“May I join you? Or shall I move on?” Kirain asked softly, her tone respectful yet curious. “I have no wish to intrude on your space.”

Though her words were polite, her curiosity burned brighter with each passing moment. Who was this wolf, and what had brought her here? Kirain tilted her nose, attempting to catch a scent, hoping for a clue, a trace of pack life, perhaps, but the wind worked against her. All she could detect was the faint salt of the distant sea.

There is no good, there is no evil. There is only balance. Ones actions is always met with the opposing force. So when you can choose good, do it and only choose evil when necessary.

Abuela knew best, she always did even when la madre would pick and scorn at every imperfection. And as expected, abuela's words always danced in her head when at a crossroads, when she felt the chance to tip the scale of the balance. Mictec felt her eyes narrow slightly as she got a better look at the stranger. Fleece as white as snow she thought to herself and so easy to bend, like water. 

Mictec decided she was not a threat and using the momentum of her drooping head, she arched her back into a satisfying stretch. Cracks and pops could be heard as her limbs realigned themselves. Still, she made sure to keep her vacant expression as trust was something she had lost so long ago.

"I am no alpha so I cannot dictate what you do or don't do."

Why the stranger had not turned and ran off intrigued Mictec, with a face like death others were quick to judge. Perhaps this was one of those moments where Mictec felt she could make her own decision and not follow the path la madre forced her down.

Accidentally doubled posted

“Alpha or not, you have every right to dictate your space, especially after I’ve offered to vacate. No one should feel cornered or set upon.” Kirain’s voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of unease she couldn’t fully mask.

She allowed herself to relax slightly as the other wolf’s posture shifted to something less overtly threatening, though the emotionless mask still left her feeling off balance. The unreadable expression gnawed at her nerves, keeping her uncertainty alive.

Taking a cautious step back, and then another, Kirain moved deliberately, careful not to make any sudden movements that might provoke a reaction. Finally, she lowered herself to sit, her posture non-threatening yet poised. Every muscle remained taut, ready to spring her into action if necessary, but for now, she presented no challenge.

"Humor me then, as quickly to submit as you do it's unexpected for you to be alone." Her Spanish accent wove intricately with every word she spoke. 

Mictec softly bushed the ground below her, small pebbles that had broken off bigger rocks carelessly rolled on their own journey like her own. She allowed herself to lay on the ground, her front paws crossing as her tail with its luscious locks draped behind her, perhaps the only feature of herself that she did not immediately recoil in disgust.

Seeing the other slow retreat, Mictec knew a game of taunt would be for naught and decided to offer a small smile. While it lacked warmth for a love she never felt, it was enough to begin reducing the tension she tended to radiate.

"I only bite when necessary now and I'm not one for cannibalism." She let out a soft chuckle, gauging to see how the other would react to her sadistic humor.

Kirain let out a strained laugh at the dark humor of the wolf before her. It seemed, at least for now, that a fight wasn’t imminent, and that realization brought a wave of relief. Confrontation had never been her strong suit, a disadvantage for a lone traveler who often had no choice but to fend for herself.

“As long as you don’t mind…” she murmured cautiously, her voice measured. Slowly, she lowered herself to the ground, mirroring the other she-wolf’s posture. The movement was deliberate, her intention clear: to dispel any lingering tension or hint of threat.

“I’m Kirain,” she added, her voice soft and friendly, though laced with an undertone of caution. “May I ask who you are?”

The sun had begun it's trek towards the horizon, slowly but confidently as the day transitioned into a late afternoon. Some of the raven's had taken flight towards the river, most likely in search of a snack.

Her obsidian pelt seemed to absorb all light from the sun, warming up her tired bones with a renewed sense of purpose.

"My name is Mictēcacihuātl, though I go by Mictec." Her tongue seemed to relish in washing over the ancient tongue of her ancestors, a language that had begun to lose meaning from her birthplace. This was the least she could do, try to carry on a legacy that was quickly fading into the oblivion

"That's beautiful," she murmured softly, her words laced with genuine admiration. After a brief pause, she added, "What brings you out this way?"

The question lingered in the air, and though she knew it wasn’t truly her business, loners had every right to wander unclaimed lands as they pleased, she couldn’t help but ask. There was something about Mictec that intrigued her. From the glossy sheen of her obsidian coat to her cautious demeanor and peculiar accent, everything about her seemed shrouded in mystery. A curious being indeed, and Kirain found herself wanting to learn more.

Mictec kept a vacant expression though sorrow remained laced in her words. "I was exiled."

To her, Kirian was an interesting creature, radiating innocence that Mictec felt an odd sense of censoring her own tale. It reminded her of a child, who still had optimism that the world was not so shrouded in misery and decay.

"I come from far beyond in a place of abundant sun and not much rain. These lands are nothing like that and I followed one of the ravens to this perch. They didn't seem to mind me here unlike other places."

The yellow tag on her ear begun to irritate her as she raised a paw to scratch at it, continuously observing her as she deflected with her own question, "And you, what brings you here?"

Exiled. The word hung heavily in the air between them, an unspoken weight that neither could ignore. What could she have possibly done to deserve something so cruel? Kirain's heart ached for Mictec, imagining the suffering she might have endured as a result. Questions burned on her tongue, but she held them back, uncertain if asking would be appropriate.

“These birds are rather accommodating,” she said softly, trying to shift the mood. “I’ve just been wandering. No real goal in mind, no place to return to. Just… enjoying what nature has to offer.” Her voice, though steady, carried a quiet weariness. She hoped the explanation would suffice, even if it didn’t feel entirely honest. Truthfully, she had no purpose. The emptiness it left behind gnawed at her, leaving her hollow and tired, desperate for something, anything, to fill the void.

Mictec was the only one to survive her litter, the one said to have been kissed by death. She carried that burden since that moment and was forced to undergo training for a position she did not want, one focused on spirituality. But she was tainted by the madre, showed how to be cold, calculated, cruel. So in that moment, Mictec saw two paths before, one to follow in the steps of the madre, or one sculpted from her own vision.

"My own people did not understand me and the only one who did fell to disease." Vulnerability can be a powerful thing, those with great power who know how to wield can move mountains her abuela once said. So to feel these words drip from her tongue was a strange sensation.

"After I lost her, the ravens begun to follow me and the pack feared me, called me la muerte viva, the living death among other titles. I hunted too close to the two legged beasts that my pack saw me as a threat and the madre, my mother, exiled me."

Mictec’s explanation only deepened the ache in Kirain’s chest. None of it had been her fault, none of it within her control.

“Fate follows its own laws, caring little for the rest of us,” Kirain said softly. “Your mother’s actions were cruel, and I’m so sorry for your loss.”

Her voice was gentle, threaded with quiet sympathy. Loss was something she knew all too well, how it lingered like a shadow, how its sting never truly dulled, no matter how many years slipped by.

"What will you do now?" She queried gently.

"Carve my own path."

Mictec had for awhile debated an idea, one that she had previously thought would not be possible, hence her arriving at this location in search of a meditative space.

"I don't know how I would do this but there must be a reason that I find myself here."

A lone raven's caw in the distance was reassuring to her, as if she was on the precipice of discovering a new life's purpose.

Kirain offered her companion a gentle smile. To carve one’s own path required both bravery and diligence, qualities she was certain Mictec possessed in abundance.

“I wish you the best in this pursuit. I’m sure you’ll come to the right decision for yourself,” she said warmly. “And I do apologize again for intruding on your thoughts.”

Turning away, her gaze wandered over the serene surroundings. Birds drifted gracefully through the air, some perched quietly on branches or stones, as if the very landscape itself invited contemplation. It truly was a perfect place to reflect on the road ahead.

She pondered for a moment, about the poor woman the way she seemed to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. We truly are on our own journeys in this life she thought to herself. The ravens seemed to displays this, the way some had crowded around each other, cawing vivaciously at each other with rich gossip while others appeared to be in their own solitude.

"No apologies necessary. In truth, the one who I confided in the most would agree that having the ability to vocalize one's thoughts makes it easier to achieve revelations."

Mictec inhaled deeply, taking in the crisp mountain air so fresh and unlike her homeland. "And you, what is it you wish to hold in your next chapter?"

Kirain's response to Mictec's question dissolved into a profound silence. She turned away, her gaze drifting unfocused across the weathered, textured surface of the rocky wall. The stone's harsh contours mirrored the jagged landscape of her inner emotional terrain. 

"A home," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "A purpose." Her words hung suspended between vulnerability and desperate hope. "I'm not particular about the details. I simply cannot endure this crushing isolation any longer."

The raw admission seemed to physically diminish her, as if speaking the truth had drawn away what little strength remained. A profound weariness, deeper than mere physical exhaustion, seemed to seep from her very soul. It was an aching, hollow void that threatened to consume her, a relentless emptiness she was fighting desperately to fill.

Her response so delicate that if the wind had been harsher would have carried her words along with it. But Mictec understood, it was natural to crave a place to call home.

"I cannot offer much since I myself do not have much to give." That much was true as she turned to look out at the valley below. She knew her journey was pulling her towards the west, to chase the setting sun for reasons she could not quite explain.

"But I will say, I have plans to continue to move west. And I know solitude is a path not meant for all. So if you wish, you can accompany me."

Mictec gestured to the sinking sun, its trails beckoning to be followed.

"Tlalticpac," she said as she turned to Kirian, "that is what my pack will be called."

"Why west?" Kirain inquired, her voice a blend of curiosity and lingering caution. "What's out there?" Her gaze remained fixed on the she-wolf before her, studying Mictec with a mixture of interest and subtle wariness.

A pause, then another question, softer still: "Tlalticpac... What does it mean?"

As the words left her lips, Kirain felt a twinge of anxiety. She hoped her queries wouldn't irritate Mictec, whose offer had been remarkably kind. Yet, the uncertainty that had been her constant companion for so long gnawed at her, an unwelcome edge of unease coloring her perception of this unknown future.

Frustration welled up within her. Kirain recognized the creeping tendrils of paranoia that had begun to infiltrate her mind, a byproduct of her prolonged isolation. She chided herself silently, struggling against the instinct to mistrust.

The world isn't out to get you, she reminded herself. It's okay to trust. Connection is better than isolation.

With a sharp snort, as if trying to physically expel the negativity, Kirain shook her head. The huff of air seemed to carry with it some of the tension that had built up in her chest, a small act of defiance against her own doubts.

Mictec offered a small shrug as she herself did not understand why her path was on it course. "I am not sure. But my people revere the moon and sun, seeing them as gods themselves. If I am to embrace myself then I figure I should listen to my ancestors since no matter where one stands on this earth, the sun and moon will always move towards the west."

On the note, Mictec padded over to where she had concealed herself at the start picking up a peculiar item off the ground and trotted back over to Kirian. Kneeling her head, she placed the smooth obsidian stone, one that belonged to her abuela.

"Tlalticpac, it means 'on the earth'. Our time is fleeting here but when we are here, we should be doing our best to make sure we do not disturb the balance."

Her expression remained neutral as she let her paw run across the glassy surface. "I had done my part to upset that balance trying to prolong the famine my people faced. And so maybe the gods have cursed me for that, but I am going to make things right now."

The certainty felt more real that she could vocalize it, that the unknown would not be as terrifying as she once imagined. However, she knew that her standoff nature would hinder her ability to foster connection with others.

"‘On the earth’... That’s beautiful." Kirain’s voice was soft, her gaze gentle as it settled on Mictec. "I like your idea of balance. It’s something I believe in, too." Her eyes lingered on the stone she had held. "What’s the stone for? It’s stunning."

At the mention of famine, her expression shifted, hesitation and confusion mingling on her face.

"How did you prolong a famine? That doesn’t seem like something a single wolf could accomplish." She paused, curiosity tempered with skepticism. "That sounds more like the work of balance, doesn’t it?"

Her people, nomadic by nature, revered balance above all: the harmony of give and take, the acceptance of loss and gain. The notion of gods and their power was foreign to her, yet not unpleasant. She considered it thoughtfully, a quiet openness in her demeanor.