A Child No More

[Northen Light36]

Flame had been practically trembling with nerves all morning and it annoyed her. Why was she so nervous about this? She'd been raised from birth to do this and knew the ceremony by heart. She was eighteen today. She'd get to spend the day celebrating her birthday, then she'd bath half a sun mark before nightfall, dress in the robe-like ritual-dress and enter the bare, one room hut that had been set up. There she'd spend the night in silent prayer for guidance and meditation on the duty of an Elder to her Clan until dawn.

Then came the dawn ceremony, the swearing of her oath as Elder, and the celebration. Simple. Easy. There'd be no unexpected surprises, nothing to fear. No one had screwed it up in all of Fira's history.

I can be the first, Flame thought, sitting down on her bed and staring at the fine silk robe with it's decades worth of embroidery. It had been worn by her mother once, when she went through this. But she'd been older, more accomplished. Surely Tres hadn't sat shaking on her bed and wanted to throw up?

~You'll be fine,~ Secret whispered soothingly to Flame. ~This is just you taking that last step to leaving kittenhood behind you. Everyone needs to learn to hunt for themselves sooner or later.~

"I think I'd prefer it was a few years later," Flame murmured and drew her knees up to her chest. She didn't feel like a grown woman. She felt like a little lost child, wanting her mother or father to hug her.

Happy birthday indeed...

[Kender Bard]

~Flame?~ Libre called out. He wasn't quite at Flame's hut yet but was slowly making his way over as he paused a multitude of times to speak a word or two with a clanmate. ~I'm here now. Are you in your room?~

[Northen Light36]

Flame stiffened, took a deep breath and forced herself to calm before she replied, trying not to let the doubt and fear creep into her mind voice. Not to Libre, her big, strong brother. He couldn't have doubted like this when he took up their father's position and she didn't want to look pathetic in front of the one person who mattered most.

~Yes,~ she replied and privately cursed as the mental word came out clipped and nervous.

[Kender Bard]

After a few more minutes, Libre finally stepped into the hut and made his way to Flame's room. "There you are," he greeted her cheerfully. "Happy birthday, baby sis. Got a present for you! You want it now or do you want to wait?"

[Northen Light36]

"A present?" Flame repeated the words in almost puzzlement. For a moment it simply didn't make sense, with all the normality of birthdays drowned out by what this birthday meant. Then it clicked. "Ooh! Now, please!" A flash of excitement pushed away her nerves for the time being. "What is it? And Libre, I'm not a baby anymore."

[Kender Bard]

Libre didn't bother to argue the point even if he had no intention of changing what he called her. But he would need to be mindful not to call her such in front of anyone important from here on out.

He brushed his signs and focused, holding out a hand as he caught the bow he teleported. Grinning, he held the item out to Flame.

It was a gorgeous bow, about the same size as her current favorite one, but made of a very fine yet strange orange colored wood. Furthermore, it had delicate and ornate carvings all along its length, done in a style that was distinctly Beastlands in look. All of it was cat motifs.

"Happy Birthday, Flame," Libre said, holding the unstrung bow out to her.

[Northen Light36]

Flame stared, her eyes wide with delight, before getting up off her bed to take it and begin examining every detail, cooing over it like it was a beloved child. "It's wonderful. And just my size. Oh Libre... Where'd you get it? What's the wood? Oh, look at the cats!"

[Kender Bard]

Libre chuckled in delight at her joy. "It's a wood called hedge apple. I picked it up from a local woodcutter who'd found a few trees and took the wood over to the beastlands for making into a bow and carving the designs. I'm glad you like it; I hope to see you shoot it soon. It should be fine. I'm told this particular type of wood is especially exquisite for bows."

[Northen Light36]

Flame ran her hands gently over the carvings, tracing each of them with a finger. "We could go set up a target. I bet it shoots beautifully. Forces, Libre, this must have cost you a fortune. I... Wow... Thank you."

She carefully, and reluctantly, set the bow down for Secret to sniff and hugged her brother tightly. "Thank you so much!"

[Kender Bard]

It HAD cost quite a bit but that didn't bother Libre. He didn't live so lavishly that it bothered him to splurge a bit on Flame. "Anything for you, Flame," he murmured as he hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. "Even if it wasn't your most special birthday, I would have gotten it for you. I love you very, very much and it's nice to be able to get you fine things."

[Northen Light36]

Flame smiled and rested her head against her brother's shoulder. "Well, don't get me too many things like that. Not that I don't love them, but people will start thinking I'm spoiled. Or they'll raid the clan to get their hands on all my treasures."

She giggled briefly then murmured softly, "Libre... How'd it feel when you became Master?"

[Kender Bard]

Libre idly lifted a hand to stroke Flame's hair in a gesture both soothing to him and to soothe her as well. "Well," he said slowly. "Actually before I came Master was the hardest part. Right before, when they were still tallying the votes. It was rather close, you know. And I was very glad I hadn't bothered to eat or drink prior to that or I'm quite certain I'd have thrown up all over poor Xavier. After it was determined that I would be the next Master I was just plain relieved and pleased and excited. After all, it's what I've wanted for most of my life. I was a little bit nervous too, but father did well to start training me on the duties I'd be taking up. It made the transition far smoother. I already had many things in progress and taking up the mantle of Master just made it more official..."

He gave a low chuckle. "And more work." He looked down at Flame. "Nervous, hm?"

[Northen Light36]

Flame nodded slowly. "I shouldn't be... I mean, mum was training me for this my whole life since there was never any doubt what I'd be. And, unlike... Gems... or Ann, I've never wanted to be anything else." She swallowed hard. "But it always seemed something that was a long way off. Now it's... almost now... What if I mess up?"

[Kender Bard]

"First, I doubt you will," Libre replied. "Just keep doing what you've been doing. Nothing's really changing, Flame, especially not at first. It's a title. And it's one that you'll grow more comfortable wearing. Secondly, even if you do something as an error--again, I doubt you will--then nobody will hold it against you. I'm pretty certain most people are going to expect you to be a bit nervous. It's like the first time you ever had to do anything with real weight to it. The first time using your sign offensively, the first time handling a weapon. There's risk and it's fine to be a little nervous."

He pushed Flame back so that he could look her in the eyes and smile. "But I also know what a brilliant lady you are. You've done amazing things. And you'll keep doing them, too."

[Northen Light36]

Flame smiled, though the expression was a little weak. "I guess you're right..."

"He is," Ann said quietly, then laughed and held her hands up as Flame instinctively grabbed for the dagger on her hip. "Easy Flame. First rule of Eldership; Don't stab the Honoured Leader. It looks bad."

Flame chuckled slightly and released her grip on the dagger. "Honoured Leaders shouldn't creep around like thieves."

Ann smiled ruefully. "Flame, love, do you realise how hard it is for me to go anywhere in the clan unnoticed? And I really wanted to give you your present without half the clan watching." She gave Libre a smile. "Though I didn't mean to interrupt family time. Sorry, Libre."

"You count as family, right Libre?" Flame commented with a smile, reaching out to take her brother's hand and eying the cloth wrapped bundle Ann was carrying curiously.