He Who Walks In Shadows

"I stand before you with this plea, as he has chosen me as his mate and I mated with him. It is but a hybrid of species that will eventually rule this land and this planet, but it starts with me and my ability to carry this child to term. If I die, all hope will be lost for your kind and what is left of my kind that is tolerable of you." her words beseeching, "We all understand why we are here and why this has happened. I was chosen, I was given, now, I beg you to let me live, and bring forth the one who will bring your protection against the evil that hunts you and myself down in the light of day. We must be cunning and quick to dispatch their kind and their obsession for taking us from our destiny."

She looked upon the crowd, continuing to implore them, "If you do not believe me, ask He-who-walks-in-Shadows, my mate, giver of the seed, reader of fate, and leader of your clan. He has chosen me for this task, he, who has seen the future in my eyes and soul. I have loved and devoted myself to his purpose because of it. He-who-walks-in-Shadows has called me Woman-who-brings-light, does this not mean that I am the chosen one to fulfill the prophecy of the clan?"

She turned to him, awaiting his voice, still imploring them with her own, "Do not doubt my words. I am but a carrier of the life and love of my mate, BUT I am the chosen. Will you not trust your leaders decision and devotion to his mate, the will to protect his clan and it's future? Must I carry your burden as well as mine? Tell my tribal elders, you speak amongst yourselves, do you not believe I am the selected to deliver you and your clansmen at the choice of my mate?"

She pressed ahead, fear and antipathy overtaking her, "He did not bring you unto us for approval; therefore, we have no will to do your bidding. He-who-walks-in-Shadows chose you at his own free will, you are not the chosen in our eyes. You are not the one chosen for him by his people! I was not presented because that was his will for I was an outsider. I present to you now in my swollen form, closer to the end of my growth, ready to birth at the rise of the next new moon. He is strong, like his father, he is cunning like the cat in the jungle, he will rise and lead you, but you must allow me the safety and sanctuary of your kindness."

Hissing and grumbling came from the crowd.

"He-who-walks-in-Shadows appeared from the darkness of the trees behind her, placing his hands upon her shoulder and engorged belly. He spoke to the crowd of those who did not believe with haste and truth, he spoke to her with love and protection."

"I bring to you the chosen. She is Woman-who-brings-light. She has shown me the light many moons and I have brought her to our clan for help, as I am needed her, and can only protect her if she is at my side. My son comes soon. I must be here as the Darkriders approach. I cannot fight for our people if they do not help me. The prophecy states the fair woman of raven hair will bring us our leader and peace will reign across our lands. I cannot leave her alone to fight against the evil that has already swallowed much of our realm, leaving us to live on this small region."

He looked to her, decision already marked in his eyes. The crowd jeered, cursed, threw hatred and disbelief. Somewhere in the sea of his clansmen, his name was called and the elders came forth.

"Do not bring this woman here, take her beyond the mountain and slay her. She is not the chosen, you haven't the right to bid such preference. She is not worthy of your skin, let alone your seed. She is worthless to your kind. Do away with her, or let the Darkriders have their bidding with her. But she will not be the chosen one for your clansmen."

He looked to her again, putting his arm about her waist, bringing her close. His words were dark and low in tone.

"Then you have chosen your own fate as a lost clan. I will no longer lead you, I will no longer guide you and I will no longer declare myself as part of you. Should any survive of the Darkriders, I wish you luck. Perhaps then you will see that I was correct in my choosing, and Woman-who-brings-Light is the one."

A voice rung from the crowd: "The one we seek is among your clansmen, she has been the chosen for many moons."

They pushed her forward through the crowd, up to where he stood. She looked at him and he was aghast. Her form was young and able, but her eyes said she had been well used in her day. He scoffed at her, saying that she had no right to lie with him because he had laid with many others of her clan. He was amazed at her reaction as she quickly changed form and lunged forward. She did not lunge for him, she lunged for his mate.

He swiftly pulled Woman-who-brings-Light backwards, covering her to protect her from harm. She gasped when she hit the ground, and he tumbled over her to protect her from the slashing of the others claws. He was too his feet half man half beast, holding the she beast about the neck, squeezing just enough to make her still. He held her high, presenting her to the crowd and then tossed her away like a rag doll. The crowd stood shocked at his actions.

He turned to his mate, swiftly picking her up from the ground where she lay, nuzzling his muzzle against her form, smelling of harm to her body. She winced in pain and brought a bloody hand to his sight. Suddenly he growled, howling loudly, startling her. His voice was soft to her ears when he spoke to her.

"My love, you will be safe. Do not leave my side. I can not live with out you now. You and I are one, we bond, we are complete, our son is with us now."

She looked upon him, weary eyes searching, his beastly form fading in front of her, his soft eyes caressing her. She whispered her love and was gone. He put his head to her chest and felt her breathing slow, and her heartbeat wither. He howled again and a fierce beast appeared where man once stood.

"You will not have my protection. I abandon my clan. I will not lead such evil kinds. May the Darkriders have mercy on you, unlike that which you have shown Woman-who-brings-Light!"

He turned to look at the elders and the she beast that had crawled back to them.

"And you! Even your scent gives away that you have been used in the years. You are not pure of heart as the chosen one must be. I hope you have chosen well my brothers of kin, for I am no longer of you." With that, he disappeared into the darkness of the forest, carrying her limp body close as he bound through the trees in swift movements. He knew he had little time to save her, but if he was quick enough, she would live.

His solid form carried her swiftly to those who she knew. He begged the Gods to allow her life, he could not live without her. After he had dreamt of her being, she announced herself to him showing She was Goddess in her own right, from the skies and glory of the light. She had chosen him, chosen the love of him, and took the form of human for him.

He came to call her Woman-who-brings-Light after he saw her radiance. He was still not sure to the day if it was because of who she was, or the beauty she cast over him. Either was still the case of the name he was proud to give her.

She carried a goddess name, which he could not pronounce in his native tongue, and chose to give her a name that cast her beauty and light. She became this in his eyes and heart, and remained this until her last breath was taken from her.

Cautiously, he approached the place where he had come to know her, a shire deep in the forest of dark trees. He was unsure of what was hidden with in its Realm, but he knew that when she found him, he had been hunting there just before dawn and had fallen asleep just beyond the reach of the trees. This is where she came from, this is where she had taken him back to many times during her growth and their days, this was the only place he knew she would survive.

He found the path she had carried him along and quickly maneuvered it with skill and haste. She gasped for air as he cradled her to his chest, not sure if she would last. He had to stop because she came to watch him, looking as if her life was draining more. He lay her in a soft bed of dew laced grass and placed himself beside her. His form faded to the man she loved as he gathered her to him. She spoke almost breathless to him, but he understood her well.

"My kind love, He-who-walks-in-shadows. My time is short, I go back to my kind, the flame that is my life is leaving me. You must see that our child is safe, he is the truth that you seek, he comes to full the Clans foretold destiny."

"No! You must not leave me Woman! I can not bear another life alone with out you. My love has bonded us, you are my strength and my life now."

"As you are mine, but I was only given a short time on this earth to produce a life that will lead your clan to its fate. That was my quest for you Cadeyrn, and unto you I have loved and produced."

He looked at her strangely; it had been many moons since that name was called to his face. Only a spirit as pure as she would know the truth of his name. He gathered her closer, tears rolling from his eyes, his bold expression soft as the summer breeze that caressed them.

"I only know that my love was what would give you your need. I only knew that I could not let you suffer any longer with your task. I only knew how much I loved you from the first time I traced your sleeping form beneath the trees after you hunted. I begged for this task to become mine because of my love for your life."

His tears fell harder; his voice shook, as did his body. "You cannot leave me Woman; I only know the love is deep and true. I see what we have made, you cannot let this waver."

"I must, it is but my time. I am not in pain, only that of my heart for you." Somewhere deep from inside he spoke her Goddess name, it rolled from his lips as if it were his last breath. "No, I cannot go alone again in life Brawen."

"You will not be alone, our son will be at your side. He will grow to his father, and I will guide you from afar, just as I have before my love."

Her breath was lost to her, human form fading into the light. She reached to him, putting his hands to her belly, and then to her legs. She pushed and forced hard, bringing forth their child into his shaking hands.

"Take him, take him and care of him. I will not be lost to you. You will see my gift of love with-in his eyes. He is not mortal as you think. He has my lifeblood within his body. He has your bond as well, teach him, guide him, care for him. I will return in many moons to take my place at your side when it is my time again to be with you. My strength will be with both of you."

His eyes saw loneliness, yet hope. The child he cradled in his palms was unfamiliar and he did not understand her reasoning. She tore part of her gown and wrapped the babe, pushing him into the chest of the other, who cradled the child close, watching her fade into the darkness, her Life-force fleeting.

"My love will caress you both, when the wind touches your face, it will be me. When the night sky shimmers with light, I will be looking to you. Remember to teach him well and give him the knowledge of my presence about him. Keep me in your heart. I will always be with you my love."

She managed to softly caress his lips with hers and trace the edge of his jowl with her fingers, then she was gone. Her form that lay in the cool grass disappeared into the oncoming sunlight, just as she had come to him in the first. Traces of light danced about him and the child cooed. Her heard her voice echo to him and he called the child's name.

"You shall be Baden, Child-who-dances-with-Light. Your mother dances on the sunlight, she caresses you with tender care, she will never be away. In the moonlit nights, she will be aside you, shimmering. You will never be alone."

He kissed the child's head and looked into the oncoming morning, planning his next move. He would travel high in the mountain, over to the valley where he knew they would be safe from the fierce creatures and his kin that would be hunting them.