Sea Lion Shores Seashore war

Day of the High Tide: offerings are placed within the sea to appease Sedna during the oceans highest/largest tide. Any can interrupt and/or witness and/or question the ritual!

The raucous call of the sea lions was but a minor distraction to Jinx, who strode across the beach with purpose evident in her stance. Carried awkwardly in her teeth was a bundled rabbit pelt, stuffed full of offerings for Sedna, the sea goddess. She was a minor figure in Jinx's voodoo, but nevertheless required respect every now and again, just like Amarok. Sedna controlled the creatures of the sea, all precious to Atka, and was responsible for the storms that railed against the coasts worldwide. Her temperament was unpredictable and her wrath lethal.

Even though Jinx's home was to be a mountain, and not coastal, torrential rains could drown the sides of her home and cause mudslides. Rains came from Sedna and the sea storms, as well. Everything was connected. It was the Day of the High Tide. No doubt Kaskae or Gareth would be leading the procession of offerings to Sedna in Brightfish Cove at about this time, assuming the warrior Harbinger hadn't done away with the Bay's rituals altogether. The thought was bittersweet, for she believed the Bay was now devoid of its blessing by Sos and Atka, yet to imagine her homeland faithless was depressing.

When the surf licked her toes, the pale Kesuk placed her bundle upon the ground and let it fall open, revealing its contents. The majority of them were small pinecones, with ridged teeth, that Sedna could use to comb her hair. It was known to all mambos and houngans and shamans that the sea goddess loved her hair more than all the sea creatures in the world. Hidden beneath the bulk of pinecones were five ribcages from sparrows, with the spines still attached and as much flesh as possible painstakingly removed (though they were still very messy) and three mouse skulls. A small beryl stone was tucked into the bottom of the pouch, bordered by two long maidenhair ferns.

These items she picked up one by one and placed into the margin where the sea surf rode up onto the sand, starting with the pinecones and ending with the pelt. All the items were light enough to be carried away by the pulsing of the waves, save for the beryl. Once the other offerings had been swept out to sea, Jinx picked up the stone in her mouth, waded deeper into the ocean, and gently touched the beryl to the surface. Salt assaulted her tongue as the surf washed into her mouth, and gently she let go of the stone, letting it roll into the silt at the bottom where it would be sucked out into the sea's depths by the undercurrent.

The beryl was the most important. It would bring a blessing should war ever find its way to her and her wolves. She said nothing during all this, but when all the items were taken, she spoke in a voice brimming with sincerity. "Sedna, accept these offerings as proof of our fealty to you and our respect for your strength and beauty. Protect my kin and I from your storms, and let your waves and rains drown our enemies."

Ah i couldn't resist a jinx thread with Thistle

Thistle had started to get incredibly suffocated by the pack borders. It was becoming more and more obvious that something was very wrong, though she refused to believe that she was pregnant as of yet. She wanted definite proof and since she didn't have any other than feeling a bit off she doggedly continued on with her day to day schedule.

Today she decided to go on a walk towards the beach that was not claimed, perhaps she would find some pretty shells or some more seaweed for her bindings and her wrappings. She carried two flat stones in her mouth her mother had taught her how to grind any and all herbs by pushing the two together and standing on them and then pack them away in shells. She missed her mother a lot especially when she remembered something she had taught her.

As she continued to walk towards the beach she happened to notice another wolf and giving a small chuff to let the other know she was there she sat down and waited she did not wish to intrude upon the other as she noticed she was doing some sort of ritual and her mother had told her to never ever interrupt that. she had lived in a pack once before where they were very rigid about their religious factions, and Thistle had grown up with a healthy respect for other's beliefs.

For a short while, she merely stood and watched the surf rolling. She had heard the sound of acknowledgement behind her, but assumed the other would do the typical thing and leave. Many of the wolves in the Teekon Wilds were heathens that disregarded the Gods. This wasn't unusual to Jinx, who had come across many wolves who didn't believe in the Gods, but never had she experienced such a disrespect for them as she did here. It was on this basis she expected her would-be companion to disperse. Few of them entertained even the possibility of Sos and Atka being real.

When she turned from the tide, however, the cinnamon-dusted she-wolf was still there. Stiff-legged and lock-jawed, the pale Kesuk watched her for a moment, assessing her for whatever her purpose was. Unable to determine it herself, and spurred by an irritating familiarity in the back of her mind, the female chuffed back her own response in her usual abrasive fashion: "What?"

Unlike the other wolves around here, Thistle did not have a disrespect for any other's gods. She may not believe what the others did, but the simple fact of the matter was that the other did and it was only kind to respect that. Her mother had taught her that.

"I was just watching, my mother told me about her former pack would do something like you just did. Though I do not think it was the same ritual. Oh dear i'm sorry I'm Thistle Cloud by the way from the Ridge. She smiled again and asked for curiosity's sake, "What were you asking a blessing for may I ask? Thistle tilted her head and then moved her shells around.

Ordinarily, Jinx was a difficult individual to get along with. She found things to dislike in others easily, and fixated on those things as if they were irreparable. So dearly did she wish to find something distasteful about Thistle Cloud that she ended up staring hard at the other female, waiting for that inevitable scornful comment to touch her ears. Gods aren't real, the other taunted from afar, they're figments of your addled imagination and you're stupid for believing in them.

That wasn't what Thistle said at all, however. The reality was pleasantly surprising, and elicited for one of the first times an almost kind response in Jinx. The corners of her lips tugged into a small smile, no doubt fed by the other's interest and possible connection. Though there was nothing to draw a connection between this female's mother and Shearwater Bay, Jinx felt a natural camaraderie with any wolf who properly honoured the Gods, no matter who those Gods were. For her, Sos and Atka were the only true Gods, but others believed in other Gods. She imagined all the Gods were just different names and aspects of the Bears.

"Jinx," she introduced openly, drawn in by the other wolf's familiarity with her customs, "mambo and Alpha of Silvertip Mountain." She allowed a brief pause before addressing the other's question, though she burned to ask one of her own, too. "It is a prayer," she said, "A gift to Sedna for protection from her storms, and a hope that she will bless my wolves should war ever come to our doorstep." Pause. "What manner of ritual did your mother do?"

Thistle wondered why the other was staring at her so strangely. It was if she was trying to bore a hole into her hide for saying something distasteful, when frankly she hadn't said much of anything yet. It made her a bit nervous.

Suffice to say Thistle did not truly honor any gods, but she respected those who did and her own mother had honored some at times she still would send blessings off every season.

Thistle smiled at that blessing her mother had made similar ones in the past. "My mother has done different ones and she still does, I do not know all their names. The one that sticks with me the most is one she told me about. She had lived in this pack and there was a ritual one day where they had to gather all this food or offerings and if they didn't the big bear would get them. She frowned she used to have nightmares about that one after her mother had told them about it. "That was just one of the many, I am afraid to say that I do not practice as my mother does, but I have a healthy respect for any and all who do. She offered a small smile in return.

For the briefest of moments, Jinx held Thistle as an intellectual equal, something she had done for very few wolves since leaving the Bay. Ironically, Jinx was clever for a Kesuk but stupid compared with many wolves, so considering anyone her intellectual equal was an insult more often than it was a compliment. The woman was ecstatic to find another wolf who held some faith, even if it wasn't specifically in Sos and Atka. Whatever name the girl gave to her Gods, it was just another moniker, just a different label, but all the same Gods. Thistle confirmed the identity of her mother's religion by mentioning the Bears (Crow Moon, she knew), and her respect grew.

But the brevity of her high opinion was astounding. Thistle's mother rose a notch on Jinx's scale of respect while the girl herself dropped two. It seemed that only the mother properly worshipped the Gods, while her daughter held no faith whatsoever. Jinx pursed her lips thoughtfully, but said nothing about it. To find another with whom to discuss spirituality that was not her madman husband was too much to ask for in this land of atheists.

"Your mother is wise to respect Them," Jinx said in a tone that was slightly less accommodating than before. Flipping her ears to the sides of her head, the pale Alpha sauntered in Thistle's direction, keen to identify the extent of her tie to the Ridge and how close she was to Akhlut, but she stopped short with a question: "and why do you choose to ignore Them?"

I apologize for any typos o n my phone

thistle was extremely smart wolf she knew this. however she did not hold that against anyone some wolves just weren't as smart they held other skills. Thistle titled her head.

thistle nodded her head my mother is a very wise woman she's a healer and a midwife as well. the air around the other female grew decidely more chilly as did the females tone.. Thistle however offered her a smile all the same. she frowned in contemplation and spoke f I believe that there is a higher being however I do not fully understand enough to be able to fully choose a diety.I want to learn more before I fully choose though my mother has taught me all the rituals for her gods of choice though she has told me she doesn't know them all the one who was teaching her disappeared and she soon followed.

A midwife. The title held no meaning to Jinx. Like her mother before her, and quite unlike herself in her youth, the woman had always been more of a maimer herself. She had briefly served Neverwinter as a Surgeon but her true skill had never been in herb lore nor healing of flesh and soul. It was a craft utterly beyond her. She couldn't identify with this ridge wolf nor her mother before her on that level, but she stored away the information, jealously aware that that meant Thistle Cloud knew more than she did about something.

More interesting was the way the cinnamon-peppered female referred to more than one deity. This caused the Kesuk's ears to dart backward as she laughed, "choose? You do not choose a deity, girl. You choose an idol, which is nothing but a distraction from true faith. A falsehood. There are but two Deities, and They are Supreme." This was one example of a never-ending battle where Jinx attempted to turn wolves back to the Gods of their ancestors, and more often than not, failed. She had failed with almost every individual she had tried to teach.

It was ironic then that one of the individuals she had managed to teach was this very wolf's mother.

many things were Ironic on this day, not only was it funny that Thistle's own mother had been taught by the Mamba in front of her, but her mother had also used the tile Midwife all those seasons ago and the Alpha had not known what it was then either, it was amazing how easily things are forgotten as time marches on.

Though Thistle Cloud may know more about healing, Jinx would definitely know more about religions and rituals than Thistle. Thistle Tilted her head, Which two do you mean? My Mother would tell you Atka and Sos? Are those the two you worship as well or are you like my mate and worship at the feet of Odinn or like the other Arctic female and worship Freya? Thistle was not being rude she was merely curious, when she had said she liked to learn about the deities or deity that Jinx herself worshipped she had not been lying, knowledge to the young female was always warranted and always wanted though unlike her silver husband she would not be willing to give up everything in pursuit of.

Jinx was resolute in her beliefs. She knew next to nothing of the other gods wolves believed in, but she was confident all of them were farcical. Their names may have been whispered most reverently from any wolf's lip, and the Kesuk would still believe they were fake. A wolf could call upon their gods for miracles, and she could witness those miracles, and she would claim it was done by Atka and Sos. They loved Their children, the wolves, even when the wolves had forsaken Them.

“Odin? Freya?” Her tone could easily be mistaken for interest, but it was not interest that Jinx had in these gods. It was skepticism. “They are merely false idols. Your husband is a fool to believe in them.” If Jinx thought this was rude to say aloud, she certainly didn't show it as she went on to say, “Sos and Atka are the only Gods. All things done are done by Them. If your husband worships this Odin it is only misplaced faith, for any act of worship he commits is seen by Sos and Atka, and all responses given by Them.”

Thistle was still very much a blank slate where religion was concerned. Her mother had her faith and she had taught some of it to Thistle Cloud. But her mother had also made sure to let her forge her own path and did not force anything onto her. She smiled as she thought of her fawn colored mother whom she missed dearly.

Thistle did not find it neccessarily rude she just felt that it was the opinion of Jinx and thus far knowing how her husband was she also knew that some people did not give any ground when it came to their beliefs and she just assumed it was the same with Jinx. So she decided to change the subject to just Atka and Sos.

She blinked and spoke Perhaps he is, though it is not my place to say. I respect his beliefs if that is what he wishes. Now please correct me if I am wrong but Sos is the dark bear and Atka the light one correct? And you choose which one to follow yes? I am almost positive my mother followed Atka. Though she spoke of a pale wolf that tried to teach her of Sos. She told me she had too much darkness already in her life to embrace the darkness. She hope she was remembering correctly, maybe it had been that her mother had told her she had to follow both not one or the other, but she was drawing a blank.

“It is up to the wolf,” answered Jinx, who was pleased that the subject was changed from Thistle's mate's false gods to the True Gods. “Some walk in Atka's Light and some cloak themselves in Sos' Shadow. Some tread the line between Them, and pay homage to both.” Jinx considered herself to be among the latter, but that was a recent change. Once, the woman had devoted herself solely to Sos, and in a dispute would still choose the Dark Father... But Atka had found a place in Her daughter's worship.

Being generally callous and self-involved, Jinx didn't care too much which of the Bears Thistle's mother had followed. She made no further comment, if only because she didn't think another's preference for one God or another was important or necessary information, so long as it was either Atka or Sos they followed.

Thistle listened Yes my mother Spotted Fawn follows Atka I am pretty certain, but she did try and teach me about both, though she did not know all that much about Sos to be honest. She said he was to be respected and such same as Atka she just chose to worship to Atka. Thistle hadn't even thought about putting her mothers name in there is just came out, it seemed so strange to be talking about someone without giving their name, a habit she picked up from both her parents admittedly.

Her mother had taught her enough about both bears, but not nearly as much about Sos, in a way she was pretty certain her mother feared Sos and the things he could do.

Thanks for the thread! Sorry for her abrupt exit!

Jinx's ears flickered in the moment that Thistle Cloud revealed her mother's name. She was awash in memories, suddenly, though they weren't necessarily good memories. SpottedFawn had been an Initiate of Shearwater Bay, and the two sisters had been considering her for a Beta position when suddenly, the Midwife had disappeared. Jinx had taken it the hardest, for although Kaskae had been closer with the older wolf, Jinx had been more emotionally invested in everything back then, and her sister had dismissed it with a warrior's resolve.

She shared that trait with her sister now, and grit her teeth to keep from snarling hateful words. “That's a weird name,” she ground out, suddenly wishing she could be anywhere but here on the beach with the daughter of a traitor to her family. “Excuse me,” said Jinx in a rare show of politeness, but the way she turned and strode away along the strand without a further word was far from polite. Yet she did so briskly, eventually turning to disappear into the bordering forest, consumed by her memories.