| The morning was cloudy, the temperature colder than it had been in quite some time, reminiscent that Fall was rapidly on it's way. The winter born Sea Spawn spared a glimpse at the thick, dense clouds that drifted across the sun at random intervals, as they drifted lazily across the sky. He was no Naturalist, but he wondered if it would rain in the coming days. Sea green eyes flickered back to the sand beneath his paws, his toes dug into the warm grains of earth, reveling in the feel of it, of being close to the Mother Sea once more. Their journey had not always afforded them the luxury of being close to the coast and he was relieved to be by Her once more, sure that the Adepts he had been tasked with protecting and serving on the journey were, too. He only felt at home in Her presence, having taken to his Nereides ancestry like a fish to water. He had not entirely spurned his mother, Nasak's beliefs in Atka and Sos for his father, Kerberos believed fervently in Atka but Kerberos had never had reservations about telling the truth even when it came to being torn between the two. Atreus had been given the choice when he had been six months of age and it had never been much of a choice. In his dreams and waking hours the Sea had called to him, singing her siren's song. There was no contest to what his decision had been and Atreus had been well aware of what he had been signing up for when he had sought out the Nereides and joined with them. He had sacrificed many things to serve the beautiful and feral Siren-Amazon women but he felt that he had gained so much more than he had given. He understood he might never be chosen as a breeding consort, that he might never have his own children, that he would never take a mate. Atreus was ok with that, had accepted it long ago. He had been painfully shy as a child, much like his father, but the Nereides and Mother Sea gave him a purpose and broke him out of his shell.
What was hidden in the timid shell that he had clung too like a security measure came to find that perhaps the Kesuk blood ran stronger than anyone had originally guessed. Sass, it would appear, had been something he had also inherited from his wild spirited mother, though luckily for Atreus he was nothing if the obedient servant when spoken to by the Nereides — anyone outside of them, however, was free game for said sassy behavior. His loyalty was paramount to the Nereides, he was strong willed, territorial and fiercely protective over the women though they hardly needed him. It was ironic how he had been tasked with protecting Aella and Leukothea when in reality, they could probably take care of themselves. Even so, it was nice, Atreus deduced, feeling needed and he intended to fulfill his task as 'Escort' to the best of his abilities to prove himself. If he provided for them and did as they asked of him perhaps they would put a good word in for him and that his ability to protect her daughters the Mother Sea would be pleased with him. His eyes went to the two women protectively, having chosen to stand a bit away from them, not wanting to get closer unless he was invited to do so, contently dining on his strip of seaweed he had taken when the Sea had offered it to him. |
The journey from Themiscrya had not been an easy one for the Young Adept. She would never get used to live so far from the ocean as she had been for the last moon. But what's undeniable is that it had been an wonderful opportunity to see places she hadn't in her not so short two years of life. The mountains she had came to cross, the sea of green she navigated before coming to shore had been beautiful to behold.
When the salty smell of mother Ocean reached the Amazon's nostrils she felt both an immense relief for coming back to her, and melancholy for her adventure had come to an end. Eager to feel her again, the beautiful Amazon slowly trotted in the sand to reunite with her mother, and when she reached the water she kept on walking until the water covered her body entirely. The water was a sanctuary in which she washed all her pain and concerns, and from which she came out renewed and in peace. She slowly sank her head and let the ebb and flow of the waves wash her stress.
After a long moment of peace she came out to breathe, she looked back at the shore where she found the young Drudge that had been appointed to escort her and Thea to join Aktaiê's cause. He hadn't been broken yet, but Aella wasn't being too harsh with him, she did snarl at him from time to time to let him know what his place with them was, but she'd never use force with him, she knew enough to see them as living things rather than mere objects and she didn't give them as much importance as her sisters did. Even though he was young he had shown commitment to the Nereides during the journey, he never hesitated when the Adept gave him a task and had barely said a word to them in the whole time they spent together. He was a promising creature.
The Amazon gave a few steps towards him looking him in the eye as if trying to see through him, "She called us back.." she said in a stern tone, "Aren't you gonna show her gratitude?" her words were calm yet demanding, she knew he was grateful, she had seen it in his eyes, but she wanted to see how he reacted to a little pressure.
Leukothea, in all of her silence, had journeyed mostly in the serenity of quiet. Aella was a strong comfort to her – Atreus was simply a guardian to the future fortress that Aktaie would surely bring to fruition. She was tantalized by this opportunity – her true future lay ahead.. she held no doubt of this, and it was a steady pace she had maintained.
As the ocean tickled her senses, Leukothea felt her paws dance, energized by the salted air. Her icy gaze lingered to her sister’s form, pleased as they moved closer to her true mother. She spoke nothing – vigilante in her silence, and skittish as the possibility of the unknown loomed so close to her.
But the sand in her toes was enough to ebb away her fear, and releasing a sigh of relief, the pale dove was quick to follow behind her sister. The ocean water cleaned her spirit and while Aella ducked her muzzle beneath its depths, she lifted hers to the sky, feeling the cool breeze of autumn play with her silky pelt. Home, it whispered to her, and her eyes opened to study her sister jubilantly.
But the tawny female was moving to their escort now, and with shy indifference, Leukothea allowed herself to look at him. They were age-mates – though she knew nothing about him, nor would she likely ever. As an Initiate, she had much to learn, and as Aella’s voice stilled in the ocean air, she awaited for his reaction, wondering what it could be.
Their stop would only be brief – they would need to locate the others, but for the briefest pause on their travels, Leukothea felt relief for the first time. They had made it here safely and she believed their sisters had as well.
| If there was anything he had learned about the sisters he'd been tasked with escorting it was that they couldn't be more different from one another. Aella was tough and Atreus had a hard time deciding if she liked him or hated him. Of course, Nereides on principle didn't think much of their male companions and Atreus had known that long before he had ever sought them out. He didn't mind her direct and strict treatment of him, would have laid down and let her maul him if she commanded him too because that was his job. To serve her. Even so, every once in a while he would look to her to try to determine if he was doing a good job, if he was living up to or excelling the standards that they required of their Consorts or not but determining what she thought was like trying to read emotion in a rock to him. Impossible. 'Thea was quiet, following Aella willingly and came across as shy to him. Whether his assessment of the two Nereids he was charged to escort was on the bulls eye or not really didn't matter. After all, it was just a way for Atreus to pass the time. He paused midchew on a piece of seaweed when Aella approached, the gravity of her gaze making him feel like she was trying to see if she could burn a hole into him. He lowered himself into submission immediately, their combined gazes like a heavy hand that pulled him down. He chewed twice more and swallowed the sea weed, coughing once on it (for it had not been chewed enough for him to be able to swallow it correctly) and let out a low whine. Yes, my lady, He answered, and to pacify her and the onlooking 'Thea he ose, keeping his ears slicked back and his tail close to his body and moved towards the Sea. Brazenly he moved against the tide, wading into the water, his fur soaked from his chest down. Thank you Mother Sea for showing us the way back to You and I ask Your forgiveness for my impudence for not showing You my gratitude much sooner. The Drudge spoke to the Sea in softened, humble tone. |
Aella was more laid back than her sisters. She didn't actually care if the Drudge was grateful to mother sea or if he prayed for her forgiveness, it wasn't his task after all. Atreus was merely a guardian appointed to accompany her and her baby sister 'Thea. But as an Adept, she was supposed to break the boy, she had to make him a true consort and prepare him for the life he had ahead with the Nereides an it wasn't going to be an easy task for him. Her sisters were harsh with men and treated them with little respect. And if he wasn't broken soon enough he'd suffer a more dreadful destiny.
The Adept watched silently as the Drudge stepped forward to make his humble prayer to the mother. his words seemed truthful, it would have to do. She dropped her eyes on him, not showing any emotion. The Drudge lifted his head when he was done, and Aella watched for a couple more seconds with a stern almost annoyed glare. She turned her head then to 'Thea, who had been watching the scene in silence a few steps behind her. "They shouldn't be far, sister," she barked in a peaceful tone, and turning to the boy again she said: "Psamathe can easily hear mother's call; we will find them soon..."
She continued further, feeling the water lift along her sides and swirl at the feathery fur of her legs. She could feel the heartbeat of the ocean as it lapped higher upon her body, and soon, only the tips of her shoulder and neck were above the surface, the waves washing higher up. “This is home,” she muttered, more to herself than for her two companions. Here was where her life would truly begin.
The amazon watched her silver sister go deeper with ease, and breathing in once more the salty scent of mother ocean she felt the peace fill her. They were now close to reuniting with the sisters and that was something that couldn't be delayed for too long. Aktaiê would most likely have found a good place to settle down by then, so the only thing left to do was to find them.
"We need to keep moving..." the Adept said to both her companions and with swift moves of her long legs she came out of the water, she gave a quick shake to her shapely body to get rid of the excess of water, and turned to Atreus with a straight expression in her beauteous face "Go south, Drudge. The sisters shouldn't be too far, they didn't have much advantage..." she commanded leaving no space for questions, "I will go north with 'Thea. If you don't find them within two days you'll seek for us north from here, we won't leave the coast." a Nereid would always come back to The Mother, so the plan was simply straightforward.