Wind Talon - Revelations of Duty

[Kyle]

-< Wind Talon >-
Revelations of Duty
Lyrics from: Winter Born - Crüxshadows

     Illuminating the dens entrance, the seeing moon offered little comfort. Its cold light diminished behind a gathering of wolves whose scent was as seemingly unfamiliar as the surroundings. It was this sense of un-familiarity that roused Wind Talon from a sleep that weighed heavy and had lasted long. The inferno of Griffin’s rage that had burned so brightly in his heart was gone, its absence brought uncertainty of whom he was anymore and made glorious memories of battling the wyrm pale against a growing remembrance of those fallen. The soul wrenching deaths of his pack, tribe mates and of so many other Garou who had battled the Eater of Souls burned in his mind as the lost species of the world burned in Griffin’s. The triumph of that one battles victory held questionable weight against fears that the numbers and strength of so many would cost the war.

Dry your eyes and quietly bear this pain with pride
For heaven shall remember the silent and the brave
And promise me they will never see, the fear within our eyes
(my eyes are closed)
We will give strength to those who still remain

     Growling at the stiffness of unused muscles, his attempts to rise meeting with little success. The helping muzzle of another lupus born received only instinctually barred fangs and snarls for their trouble. His warning received as tail tucked and body recoiled.

     “Wind Talon, you are safe, you are amongst friends.” The soft yips and barks, stayed continued aggression.

     “Where, where am I ?” A distressed feeling clung to each gasp of breath.

     It was in the following moments that true sorrow set in as those gathered around him told the tale of the entire battle and not just his part in it that had brought this moment. By the tale’s end, there was no peace to be found in the breeze that carried the scent of pine and damp earth, or the musk of the remaining Red Talon’s that had protected him as he slept. Neither his Garou pack nor his wolf pack was here and at least one never would. Surrounded by unfamiliarity he felt lost and alone amongst so many.

So bury fear, for fate draws near
And hide the signs of pain
With noble acts, the bravest souls
Endure the heart's remains
Discard regret, that in this debt
A better world is made
That children of a newer day might remember
And avoid our fate

     “Months, for months I have slept, half dead to the world.” The realization that had he been a normal wolf in his state, they would have left him to decay and return to the cycle. A wolf pack could not afford to support one so needy, but he was not just a wolf anymore, and that reminder only made the pain worse, as concern for his mate and pack became foremost in mind. He had seen all but one, of those who even knew he had a pack die before him, his desire to keep them safe in secrecy seeming to have betrayed him now. The only clinging comfort was that perhaps Alexander had survived and watched out for them. The very thought of losing more than he had already, tore into the few remaining scraps of self that remained.

I've waited all day in the pouring rain, but nobody came, no, nobody came

     “Leave, leave, leave, leave, LEAVE!” Desperate barks of frustration echoed through the den and out into the dense forests that sheltered him. A spark of Rage igniting the simmering coals left by Griffin’s departure as the fury of that loss battled Wind Talon’s entrenching sorrow. The renown he had come to earn delivered immediate obedience and evacuation of the den, granting the solitude he sought.

     The tide of his emotions continued to battle for supremacy, wracking his mind in pain until enough strength of flesh had returned allowing him to move beyond the den’s entrance and into Luna’s offering. The first caress of her light over his muzzle brought a deep howl of mourning in response, one echoed by those gathered. The light of his birth soothed his homid mind yet inflamed his wolf’s heart. Pangs of frenzy sent wave after wave of shivers from head to tail, bring clarity to dulled senses, as familiar scents were grasped from the passing air. Without Athena’s gift that still hung from his neck, he would likely have lacked the will to stay its release in what he now realized were the lands of his birth.

     Those that had departed at his insistence now surrounded the entrance, reverence and concern in their demeanor. Seeing for once each of those gathered, anxiety stayed any action. He was uncertain what to do or say before so many, his thoughts and emotions still sorting what had been told to him. Then in the distance a spiritual scream that infused him with confidence and purpose as if Gaia herself had reached out a hand to caress his scruff. From the skies above in fiery shimmers of red and golden feather came the source of the cry, as Griffin buffeted air and earth the soil relenting under razor talons that marked his landing between savior and the many wolves that now bowed low and tucked tail in suffrage. As Wind Talon moved to lower himself in Griffin’s presence, the great hunter and protector of lost species spoke.

And in the fury of this darkest hour
We will be your light
You've asked me for my sacrifice
And I am Winter born
Without denying, a faith is come
That I have never known
I hear the angels call my name
And I am Winter born

     “Rise Wind Talon, you need never stand below me. You have purified my soul and returned me to my charge and children. Your prowess in hunting the human infection, now known to me reveals that your heart that contained all my rage and did not burst is my heart. You are not just a child of mine, you are kin.”

     Words could not express the feelings that Griffin’s words brought, there was an understanding deep within Wind Talon. These words were not understood by his Homid mind, as it was neither pride nor arrogance he felt. The words were only understood by his wolfs heart… as Truth. A truth he had always questioned as a pup when he had heard Griffin’s calling even before his first change. In that instant of clarity a doubt that had hindered him in all that he had done until now, was gone. The seeing moon finally saw as Gaia had intended him too.

Hold your head up high-for there is no greater love
Think of the faces of the people you defend
(you defend)
And promise me, they will never see the tears within our eyes
(my eyes are closed)
Although we are men, with mortal sins, angels never cry

     Looking calmly into the eyes of the great hunter of his tribe, the warriors shared an understanding as only two such as they can.

     “Griffin… I have followed the commands of many and I will do so no longer. Your voice has guided me from earliest memory and it shall guide me until my last. Your spirit has been within me and to be without you now would offer only Harano, let my fangs and claws be yours. Together, let us defend all Gaia’s creatures that would be lost and return to her the blood of all who would seek to take them.” The warmth of Wind talon’s loving rage for Gaia removed question and doubt. He knew what he was now.

     A shriek for battle and blood erupted from Griffin as he flew into Wind Talon, a scar in Griffin’s form burning into his chest, marking him forever as “Kin of Griffin”

     Either from pain or joy Wind Talon howled into the night with renewed passion. A call to all that Griffin had returned, that the Red Talon’s would grow strong again and that humanity would come to know the sorrow they have reaped upon Gaia.

So bury fear, for fate draws near
And hide the signs of pain
With noble acts, the bravest souls
Endure the heart's remains
Discard regret, that in this debt
A better world is made
That children of a newer day might remember
And avoid our fate

     “We are Red Talon’s, Griffin’s blessed, Gaia’s pure warriors, defenders of all her lands and the only ones who remain true to her desire for humanity’s destruction.” Their howls joined his, each with the same passion in their heart and dreams in their eyes.

     Their songs became a revel, and with it a trampling of paws south thru forest and across plains until the great pack of over fifty wolves came upon the town of buffalo, a town Wind Talon’s ancestor Three toes had once harried. Though its population had diminished greatly over the many years since, instinct it seemed called Wind Talon here to finish what had begun so long ago. In many long minutes, under a haze of fury and rage that brought horrified screams and expressions of terror, did that pack of Talon’s remove all human life from Buffalo and return them to Gaia’s embrace. Three hundred lives ended as the latest payment for centuries of wolf slaughter. While not all died within it boarders, those few that Talon’s of darker intent had scuttled away would desire nothing more than to have died with everyone else, in those last minutes.

And in the fury of this darkest hour
We will be your light
You've asked me for my sacrifice
And I am Winter born
Without denying, a faith in God
That I have never known
I hear the angels call my name
And I am Winter born

     For all that Wind Talon’s desired to leave the torn flesh of men laid bare in warning to others, even he knew to do so would bring dangers they were not ready for and so in offerings to Gaia each corpse and pool of blood was offered to spirits of decay and decomposition so they may be returned to the lands from which they came. Ravens and other scavengers were summoned to share in our offering, before finally, Howls as Thunder, an Elder Theurge called upon Helios and brought a great fire to consume the remains of the town. Just beyond the flames a field of wolves basked in the deed until sirens echoed out across the nearby hills warning that others had come and that we were to depart. The journey home was celebratory as many saw this as the dawning, if not practice towards the second great Impergium. Though far from such, dreams are there to inspire the young and evoke action from the old.

And in the fury of this darkest hour
I will be your light
A lifetime for this destiny
For I am Winter born
And in this moment..I will not run
It is my place to stand
We few shall carry hope
Within our bloodied hands
(bloodied hands)
And in our Dying, we're more alive-than we have ever been
I've lived for these few seconds
For I am Winter born

     The end of the night’s revelry brought a refreshing calm and acceptance of all that had transpired, as well as long desired reunions between parent and former pup. The pleasure of it all allowed Wind Talon to set aside the pain that the past held for now. By the full moons return much of that pain was resolved as three talons lead wind Talon to a clearing of wolves. Tears welled as he charged forward into the welcoming fur of his mate and pack that had indeed been saved by Alexander. All past sorrow faded in that moment, for the passing of Walk Both Worlds, Din and Mary had become accepted in their offering to Gaia of service and life, they were no longer mourned but revered for their sacrifice.

     Many more moons passed in what had been a quiet and recluse Caern as moon bridges seemed to be unending in their appearance. Elders, great warriors and impressionable pups came, spoke and celebrated Griffin’s return. Many pressed Wind Talon to claim more of the attention and to each he said the same. “I did no more than any honorable Talon would have. It is Griffin’s return that matters, for thru him we shall regain our great strength lost to doubt and beacon others to see and hunt humans as we have always known they should be.”

And in the fury of this darkest hour
We will be the light
You've asked me for my sacrifice
And I am Winter born
Without denying, a faith in man
That I have never known
I hear the angels call my name
And I am Winter born

     A great many tales from lands unknown to Wind Talon, brought a renewed desire to continue his hunts. He had learned a great deal and shared wisdom with so many of his tribe, yet remembered Three Toes calling to him, to travel along the banks of the Sammamish to the Sept of Endless Paths and defend them and open their hearts to the wolfs pure hunger. It was time to return to the lands that the Triat fight so strongly over, it was time to be Garou and not only a Talon again. Gathering those selected to travel with him and return a Red Talon presence to Washington, Wind talon called upon Griffin to stand at his side and open them passage. The Moon Bridge opened, they stepped upon it and in a flash of memory the present and the future became one.

     Wind talon stood once more in the lands that his ancestor’s had directed him too.

Within this moment now
I am for you, though better men have failed
I will give my life for love
For I am Winter born
And in my dying
I'm more alive, than I have ever been
I will make this sacrifice
For I am Winter born