Living and Breathing (Colombina)

[Shapiksoa]

Winter 16th 511 AV, One Bell Before Dawn


For all Shapiksoa knew, today could be the end of everything she knew and the start of something beautiful, something glorious, and something terrifying. It was the day of change for her. It would be the day she went from awkward adolescent girl into an actual woman of the tribe with a guardian and everything that entailed.

She day had not started yet for the rest of the tribe, but Shapiksoa knew that the day had already begun for her. She rose and removed some of her heavier furs to be exchanged for her cloak and her usual outfit. She tied the leather cords of her cloak around her neck to hold it in place, folded the feather-lined leather around her body, and shivered in apprehension.

Now that she was ready there was only one place she could go.

Outside.

She closed her eyelids, inhaling deeply and savouring the fresh air of the desert. This felt like her last day, like the end of it all and like if she returned, everything would be different.

She would no longer be Shapiksoa, but something greater and better. Something stronger and much more wise and serious.

Not that she wanted to be serious.

Opening her eyes again, she stood still for another few minutes, tensed as she willed herself to just move forward into the arms of fate and step beyond the door. Eventually, she managed. She coaxed herself out of her insecurities, for now, and stepped into the stories she had been told as a child about this ritual, this rite of passage. She remembered the excitement she had felt then and the joy that she would be one of these people bonded to spirits. What other people knew that honour? She remembered the pride she felt even at that young age and stepped out of her tent.

In the dim almost-dawn's light Shapiksoa could barely see, but she found the amulet around her neck and held it tightly for comfort, reinforcing herself with the knowledge that a part of her would remain the same. The warm beak pressed into her palm and she released her anxiety and bad energy with a few calming breaths.

Looking around slowly, Shapiksoa found her immediate vicinity was without another. She was alone when she expected someone was going to wait on her. For a few moments she wondered if they forgot, but then she saw the low red and orange glow of a fire and excitement thrilled its way through her. She walked towards the glow, trying to not just run and get it over with, taking calming breaths regularly. She was afraid of failing this, of somehow angering the gods and being swept away in the sand, but she held onto her faith that she would succeed and know herself better than she did now.

Her eyes lifted as she neared the fire and slowly she smiled even at those who could not see.