New Nathair

[T i G E R]

Lepra stood in front of the three Nathair that Hekate had just introduced, still wondering what the crystal pool actually was, and quite awed about the whole aura of Hekate's Shadowrealm. She'd never been in a place like this before. And that tree, the Yggdrasill! It was the tallest tree she'd ever seen in her life - she even doubted if she could reach the top by flying. Instinctively, she stretched her wings. Then she looked at the other Nathair, waiting for them to start talking, because she wasn't quite sure what to say.

[Hekate]

.::.

Astarot looked down at the small, young nathair positioned before him. "Right." His deep, yet quiet voice boomed. "Since your so eager to start, lets begin our little tour at the highest branches of the Yggdrasil, shall we?" With that, Astarot spread his mighty wings and leapt into the air, speading quickly for the top of the tree before Lepra could even blink. Hearing the quick hissing order, Livyathon and Annabelinda followed.

As he was speading through the air, he called behind him. "Are you keeping up?" Livyathon and Annabelinda didnt have to answer, as they both knew their general wasnt speaking to them.

[T i G E R]

Lepra blinked. A tour. So that's what we're going to be doing today. Well, that's cool. This place seems kind of interesting. I'd love to have a tour. And this Astarot Nathair winged serpent seems cool enough. She continued to think to herself quietly as she took off after Astarot, gliding along gracefully, hardly needing to keep herself streamlined because she was a serpent. Serpents had sleek, straight, narrow bodies – what was there to keep streamlined anyway?

She heard her fellow Nathair's question over the strong breeze and called back as loudly as she could, knowing the wind would probably drown out most of her cry. "I am," she said, stretching her neck forward and looking down. She liked the view of Hekate's Shadowrealm. It was a beautiful place.

[Hekate]

Astarot stretched his great pterodactyl wings before him and landed gracefully on the topmost branches of the World Tree. Though his sudden weight still made the tree branch tremble, even more so strange that the branch had a 34 foot diameter. He glanced back as Livyathon and Annabelinda landed beside him. Annabelinda was just a few centuries younger then himself, so she bore pterodactyl wings too. But Livyathon was many centures younger, and he bore what looked to be like slightly feahered bat wings, probably from the late Cretacious period. Livyathon himself was a greenish color, with red wings. Annabelinda was pure black with yellowy-red eyes.

Astarot groaned inwardly. "And where, may I ask, has our new friend gotten too?" The winged snake looked over the edge of the branch to see Lepra steadily, yet speedily, zooming towards the top. Though for Astarot's tastes, she was slower then malasses. She would need some training later. Astarot began to metally list the many fields she would have to train in. 'Flying, battle, secrecy- and then, looking down at her small stature, Astarot noted,- and eating.'

[T i G E R]

Lepra soared upwards and landed on a branch close to Astarot's. She'd seen him land, and she'd seen the branch tremble - though she wasn't as heavy as Astarot, she didn't want to further strain that particular branch.

She looked expectantly at Astarot, wondering what he was going to do next. She heard his words earlier, but she couldn't make out exactly what he had said, except the last word - eating. She frowned curiously. "What was that?" she asked politely.

[Hekate]

Astarot looked at Lepra with an expression on his face that could only be put as annoyance. He didnt like to repeat himself. But, this new nathair would learn that soon enough.

"I said." He began. "That we need to work on some of your skills. As in, you need to become bigger, stronger and faster." Then with a harsh tone, he added. "And your hearing."

Then, Astarot supposed he would have to start the tour. "What you see lain out before you is Hekate's entire Shadowrealm. The tree's here are taller, older and denser then anywhere in the human world. Our Shadowrealm consists of many creatures long thought to be Myths. Like the Torc Allta, the Torc Leon and the Torc Tiogar, or the Were Clans. Her Shadowrealm also consists of many Shadowy creatures that you will not wish to meet, or even know what they are. But you will see them all eventually." Astarot took a breath. This convorsation was getting long. "As for us Nathair, we sleep in the Hollow part of the very top of the tree. As long as we are protected by Hekate's magic, we shall not die. I myself am thousands of years old, and counting. And, as Hekate said earlier, dont touch the crystal clear pond you see below you. You can go peer in it later to see why, but just dont get too close to it, or touch it." Astarot finished, addressing the fanged faces inside of the pond, known as water Nymphs. Water Nymphs were some of the strongest creatures inside of the Shadowrealm. They had a chance of killing a fully trained and sized Nathair, while a new recruit would be easy prey for them.

Astarot was about to take off, when he remembered somthing else. "We eat dinner with Hekate 2 hours after sundown. At the middle of the tree there is a large open branch which is known as Hekate's dining hall. The Torc Eolaf surve us our dinner." With that, Astarot jumped from the branch, motioning for Livyathon and Annabelinda to follow him. With that, the three highest ranking Nathair dissapeared into the sky, leaving Lepra to her own devices.

[T i G E R]

Lepra felt slightly insulted at Astarot's superior behavior, but she didn't really care to express it. She listened carefully and interestedly as Astarot spoke, wondering why on earth she'd never come across this place before this.

The fact that Hekate's Shadowrealm was inhabited by mythical creatures didn't surprise Lepra in the least. She herself was a mythical creature, after all, and The Weird Lands was full of them – Pokemon, unicorns, vampires, hippogriffs and griffins, daemons. In fact, it was a surprise when somebody here was not a mythical creature.

She nodded at Astarot's words, peering at the crystal pool and resolving to go and explore it someday, though she took the older Nathair's advice to heart and didn't intend to actually touch the pool. She'd just go for a look.

"Dinner with Hekate two hours after sundown," she repeated, to show that she understood. She had no idea what a Torc Eolaf was, but she didn't bother herself with that; she was, by now, too busy gazing around at her surroundings.

Are we going to continue this? xD If so, where? It would be really interesting to RP out the dinner!

[Hekate]

-2 hours after sunset.

Hekate sat at the head of her wooden table. Looking across, she took in the sight of her three Nathair guard, Astarot, Livyathon and Annabelinda. They were all sitting at the table, but not in chairs. Oh no, they were much too big for chairs. Now Hekate was in her crone form. She was old, wrinkly and had a crooked smile. Now, her dress glowed a shimmering green and blue. The colors dancing across the black background always changed with her age. She looked completely different from her child form, save for her attire, which was slightly the same.

Looking to the other side of the table, Hekate took in the chair she had the Torc Eolaf set aside for Lepra. Lepra was much smaller then the other Nathair here, and of course, would need a chair.

Hekate looked back at her Torc Eolaf. They were patiently holding the platters of food. Though by now Hekate was getting annoyed. Lepra was going to be late if she didnt get their in the next couple of minutes, though in Hekate's mind is was going to be the next five seconds, or they would eat without her.

Looking back at her top Nathair guard, she regarded him sternly, before giving him orders. "Next time, tell that new one to be a half an hour early."
Astarot bowed his head to the Shadowrealm's mistress. "I appologize, My lady, I will do that next time." Bringing up his head again, he looked hungrily at the Torc Eolaf holding the large platter of Dire Rats, ferrets, small foxes and cats. That particular platter was just for Astarot. He usually got special treatment, considering he was the head of arms in the Shadowrealm, and also considering his emense size. The other nathair got smaller platters of smaller creatures. Grumbling to himself about slow rookies and a "stern talk" that would probably be less deadly then it sounded, coming from Astarot, he turned his head back to the sky, wondering where in the world Lepra was.

Torc Eolaf-Were Wolf. Dire rat-Big, usually menacing rat with red eyes.

[T i G E R]

But you can't just say Lepra was late like that >.< That actually counts as controlling my characters, in a mild form.


Lepra slithered in to the dining room, too polite to fly in considering her wings would probably knock over a few things. She looked around nervously – it was her first time in Hekate's dining room (and her first day in Hekate's Shadowrealm), and she still wasn't quite used to how things worked around here.

Hesitantly she looked at Astarot. She gawked at his food. That much?! she thought, taking a look at Astarot again. He was big, sure, but she couldn't imagine ever eating that much food in one go.

She wondered where to sit down. There was a vacant chair in the room, but she wasn't sure if it was for her, and she didn't want to just go and take it. It might seem rude, especially if she was new.

"Er," she said pleasantly. "Where am I supposed to... position myself?"

Sit didn't seem quite appropriate.

[Hekate]

Both Hekate and Astarot shot exasperated looks at Lepra. Astarot quickly said somthin, so Hekate would not have to. "Well, theres one chair empty here, and everyone else is seated." He said sarcastically, motioning to the empty chair. "I wonder where your supposed to sit." He finished looking pointedly at the chair. Inside, Astarot was joyous. Oh, thank Danu Talis we can eat now! He rejoiced. Then, he looked at Hekate, who stared back at him. Lookin at Lepra, she siged.

"Fine, fine." She said, nonchalantly, though she was very hungry too. "Torc Eolaf, serve us!" She snapped her fingers, and the werewolves trotted over, carrying the plates. The one holding Astarot's platter wearily tried placing the large plate of dead, and some half-dead, creatures in front of him. Astarot had a hungry look in his eyes, and if he wasnt in the presence of Hekate, he would have rightfully bit the Torc Eolaf's arm off in an effort to get the plate quicker. But he remained pateint. The other Nathair were having similar notions running through their minds, but they too were passive.

Then the next Werewolf brought out Lepra's plate. Setting the smallish dish on the table of where Lepra was to seat herself. This plate consisted of two mere Lake Trout, one normal rat and an eagle egg. Astarot could remember when he was small enough for that kind of food to sustain him, but now, in his full grown glory, there was now way that would sate his hunger. Hekate new that if she fed him that little, he would very well go after the Torc's in her realm. And, of course, the Torc Clans knew that too. So, wolfing down his rats and ferrets, Astarot completely forgot about Lepra in his mad dash to eat. Who cares if she sits down before he eats, she was here, and that was all that mattered to him.

Livyathon turned to Lepra before diving into his own plate. "Sorry, Lepra. Astarot gets a little..... cranky, when he's hungry." Annabelinda nodded, agreeing, then she started to gobble her food up too.

[T i G E R]

"Right," said Lepra cheerfully when Astarot made his sarcastic remarks. "Just that, you know, I didn't want to be rude, but I guess I can't to anything right. But it doesn't matter!"

She watched as the Torc Eolaf began to serve Hekate and Astarot and the other Nathair. When her own plate was set down she felt grateful that hers was not as huge as those of the others'; for though she was definitely not small, she was still smaller than Astarot.

She shot a sidelong grin, her tongue hissing, at Livyathon and Annabelinda. "Uh-huh," she chuckled. "I can kind of see that. I'm glad you don't!"

Then she dug into her own plate hungrily, swallowing most of it whole, her wings folded neatly at her side.