15th day of Spring, 505 AV
It was Liarra's tenth birthday, and she was bursting with energy. The little girl with her long black hair out of its normal braid ran, skipped, jumped, and danced all over the common room of her family's arvinta. Childish laughter filled the small, but cozy room as her family watched in adoration.
Liarra twirled in the center of the room, her green eyes glittering like jewels in the warm light of the fire, and her loose hair all but wrapped around her completely. "I'm going hunting!" She yelled at the top of her lungs before bursting into another fit of giggles.
Family tradition was that every healthy child, boy or girl, was to join a hunt with a parent or elder on their tenth birthday. The purpose; to teach the children where their food came from, why they should be thankful and grateful for the food the wild animals provided, and to begin learning the very basics of hunting. Liarra had barely been a season old when her older sister, Tolanna, had gone out on a hunt with Papa. Still, it was one of the earliest stories Liarra remembered hearing her sister tell. Although Tolanna had not grown up to become a hunter, it had been one of her favorite memories with Papa.
Now today was Liarra's turn to go outside of the Hold with Papa. It was the happiest day in the little girl's life.
"Liarra, hold still!" Mama scolded as she attempted to grab a hold of the squirming child. Liarra's response was only more giggles. "If you don't hold still, I won't be able to braid your hair, and then you can't go on the hunt."
"Yes, Mama," and Liarra immediately stopped laughing and began to be on her best behavior as she let her mother comb and braid her hair. Mama's strokes with the comb were always soft and gentle, and the little girl loved having her hair brushed very much. With loving hands her mother separated the hair that went all the way down her daughter's back into three sections. Careful not to make the braid too tight or too loose she wove the sections into a thick long tail that she tied at the end with some strong string.
"Don't go running off just yet," Mama warned. "Your braid needs to be in a bun today so you don't catch it on anything."
Though the little Vantha was doing her best to hold still, her body was getting restless. So instead of bouncing up and down like she so desperately needed to do, Liarra twirled her thumbs and had sword fights with her pinkie fingers. Meanwhile, Mama gently wound the braid into a bun on the back of the girl's head that she tucked into place carefully with hair pins.
"There you are. All done." Mama placed a kiss on top of Liarra's head and patted the braided bun.
"Thank you Mama!" she squealed with delight as she turned around and gave her mother a big hug. "I love you so much!" Liarra looked up at Mama with a big smile showing off her white teeth, and eyes that had turned a sparking blue with excitement.
"Well now," Papa's deep gentle voice boomed across the common room as he stepped in from outside. "Is there a little Vantha girl here ready to go on a hunt?" he teased.
"Papa!" Now able to release her energy, Liarra ran straight for her father and into his arms.
He laughed, heart full of joy at his youngest's enthusiasm. Papa set aside a small spear he had brought in with him so that he could lift his glowing daughter high up in his arms. She giggled, and it mixed with Papa's laughter into a beautiful familial harmony. Before setting Liarra back down, he kissed her forehead, and then he became serious.
"Liarra, today is very important. Not only is it your first hunt, but it is your first journey outside the safety of the hold. Do you remember what we talked about yesterday?"
"Yes, Papa." Liarra nodded politely, mirroring her Papa's seriousness. "I'm to stay with you at all times, not to wander off by myself. I'm to keep quiet, and if I have something to say, to say it in hushed tones. No running around, no playing with the hunting dogs, and I am to stay out of the way of the hunters."
"Good girl," he smiled the same toothy grin. Like father, like daughter. Papa reached for the small spear he had set aside moments earlier and held it in from of Liarra. "Now then Liarra, this will be your spear for today. I'm afraid it's not a gift, instead it is being loaned to you so treat it as if it were indeed your own. While we're out today I'll be showing you some basic moves with it, but you are not to throw it at anyone, even animals or into the open. Understand?"
"I understand. I promise I'll be on my best behavior, Papa."
"That's my girl. Give your mother and Grandmere a kiss, it's time we're on our way."
In a flash Liarra had darted over to the rest of the family, kissed them both and ran to get her cloak. Like many Vantha, including her parents, Liarra had been born with the mark of their goddess Morwen which helped against the cold but even still it was necessary at times to bundle up. All set and ready to go, the little girl rushed back to her father with flushed cheeks from expelling the last of her pent up energy.
Papa opened the door to let his daughter outside. He blew a kiss to his wife before stepping out and closed the door behind him. Taking his daughter's hand in his, he led them to the gathering spot for the day's hunt.
Courtesy of Thayer
It was Liarra's tenth birthday, and she was bursting with energy. The little girl with her long black hair out of its normal braid ran, skipped, jumped, and danced all over the common room of her family's arvinta. Childish laughter filled the small, but cozy room as her family watched in adoration.
Liarra twirled in the center of the room, her green eyes glittering like jewels in the warm light of the fire, and her loose hair all but wrapped around her completely. "I'm going hunting!" She yelled at the top of her lungs before bursting into another fit of giggles.
Family tradition was that every healthy child, boy or girl, was to join a hunt with a parent or elder on their tenth birthday. The purpose; to teach the children where their food came from, why they should be thankful and grateful for the food the wild animals provided, and to begin learning the very basics of hunting. Liarra had barely been a season old when her older sister, Tolanna, had gone out on a hunt with Papa. Still, it was one of the earliest stories Liarra remembered hearing her sister tell. Although Tolanna had not grown up to become a hunter, it had been one of her favorite memories with Papa.
Now today was Liarra's turn to go outside of the Hold with Papa. It was the happiest day in the little girl's life.
"Liarra, hold still!" Mama scolded as she attempted to grab a hold of the squirming child. Liarra's response was only more giggles. "If you don't hold still, I won't be able to braid your hair, and then you can't go on the hunt."
"Yes, Mama," and Liarra immediately stopped laughing and began to be on her best behavior as she let her mother comb and braid her hair. Mama's strokes with the comb were always soft and gentle, and the little girl loved having her hair brushed very much. With loving hands her mother separated the hair that went all the way down her daughter's back into three sections. Careful not to make the braid too tight or too loose she wove the sections into a thick long tail that she tied at the end with some strong string.
"Don't go running off just yet," Mama warned. "Your braid needs to be in a bun today so you don't catch it on anything."
Though the little Vantha was doing her best to hold still, her body was getting restless. So instead of bouncing up and down like she so desperately needed to do, Liarra twirled her thumbs and had sword fights with her pinkie fingers. Meanwhile, Mama gently wound the braid into a bun on the back of the girl's head that she tucked into place carefully with hair pins.
"There you are. All done." Mama placed a kiss on top of Liarra's head and patted the braided bun.
"Thank you Mama!" she squealed with delight as she turned around and gave her mother a big hug. "I love you so much!" Liarra looked up at Mama with a big smile showing off her white teeth, and eyes that had turned a sparking blue with excitement.
"Well now," Papa's deep gentle voice boomed across the common room as he stepped in from outside. "Is there a little Vantha girl here ready to go on a hunt?" he teased.
"Papa!" Now able to release her energy, Liarra ran straight for her father and into his arms.
He laughed, heart full of joy at his youngest's enthusiasm. Papa set aside a small spear he had brought in with him so that he could lift his glowing daughter high up in his arms. She giggled, and it mixed with Papa's laughter into a beautiful familial harmony. Before setting Liarra back down, he kissed her forehead, and then he became serious.
"Liarra, today is very important. Not only is it your first hunt, but it is your first journey outside the safety of the hold. Do you remember what we talked about yesterday?"
"Yes, Papa." Liarra nodded politely, mirroring her Papa's seriousness. "I'm to stay with you at all times, not to wander off by myself. I'm to keep quiet, and if I have something to say, to say it in hushed tones. No running around, no playing with the hunting dogs, and I am to stay out of the way of the hunters."
"Good girl," he smiled the same toothy grin. Like father, like daughter. Papa reached for the small spear he had set aside moments earlier and held it in from of Liarra. "Now then Liarra, this will be your spear for today. I'm afraid it's not a gift, instead it is being loaned to you so treat it as if it were indeed your own. While we're out today I'll be showing you some basic moves with it, but you are not to throw it at anyone, even animals or into the open. Understand?"
"I understand. I promise I'll be on my best behavior, Papa."
"That's my girl. Give your mother and Grandmere a kiss, it's time we're on our way."
In a flash Liarra had darted over to the rest of the family, kissed them both and ran to get her cloak. Like many Vantha, including her parents, Liarra had been born with the mark of their goddess Morwen which helped against the cold but even still it was necessary at times to bundle up. All set and ready to go, the little girl rushed back to her father with flushed cheeks from expelling the last of her pent up energy.
Papa opened the door to let his daughter outside. He blew a kiss to his wife before stepping out and closed the door behind him. Taking his daughter's hand in his, he led them to the gathering spot for the day's hunt.
Courtesy of Thayer
