Raelith, Starlit and Onyx tributes: Nokt

Raelith watched with ill hidden nervousness as the evening sky slowly changed from it’s orange-rose hue, to purples and blues. The colours lit the dges of the leaves, branches and bark of the tall tree’s that ringed the clearing.The changes signaled that night would be upon her soon, and thus the large amount of gathered stryx would soon begin their tribute to Nokt in hope of  receiving their blessing.

At least Onyx, Starlit and their rider’s Ternen and Eluvien were all nearby, though none of them looked as nervous as Raelith or her rider Starlight. 

If Starlit was nervous Raelith could not tell, the calm and shy gryph seemed quite content. Starlit’s full focus seemed to be trying to stack a bunch of rocks and sticks as high as she could manage. If Raelith were honest that seemed like a very relaxing thing to do, rather than be a bundle of nerves like she was with nothing else to keep her attention or distract her from the impending tribute.

In complete contrast to Starlit and Raelith, Onyx was neither shy, calm or nervous, instead his loud boasting of his previous first place in the Daius tribute the week before could be heard even across the clearing. Raelith could not pick out the expression on Onyx’s rider's face, but she imagined Ternen probably just looked long-suffering about it as usual.

Soon enough twilight gave way to the darkness that was Nokt’s domain, the full moon shining proudly in the clear sky, the deity’s eye way upon them. Of the gathered stryx, Onyx was the first one to perform. 

Ternen started the tribute already in Onyx’s saddle, which signaled there would not be a lot of ground work in this dance. From the very start every movement and action was extremely fast, even the movement of rising from the ground to join the moon above was completed in one long and speedy line, no movement or wingbeat was wasted. The aerobatics matched Onyxs' personality, all sharp movements and fierce precision. Even in this Onyx’s nature bled through. Onyx and Ternen moved as one, Ternen using his weight to allow onyx to stop more abruptly, or fly faster, they were in perfect sync. To the Elders judging and the spectators watching the tribute brought to mind the cold and dispassionate grace of a hunting owl, no shrieks or sounds gave away movement before they completed their hunt with silent dispassion, for Nokt could be capricious and life was cruel, Onyx’s tribute seemed to sing the reality of these things into the very air with silent movements. After a short while Onyx and Ternen ended their tribute. This was a relief to the spectators, as the energy of the small bird’s flight and the fierceness it personified had bled into them a little, so that they were quite high strung and buzzed, almost anxious to move, hunt and strike prey that did not exist. It was a truly beautiful tribute, and all the spectators thought the Elders could do nothing else but pass such an energized, proud and fierce display.  

The wait between Onyx and Starlit’s tributes was longer than average, and those watching realized that the elders must be giving the spectators, and perhaps themselves a bit of time to calm and recenter themselves for the next tribute, to maintain impartiality. After about ten minutes of waiting, it was then Starlit and Eluvien’s turn to attempt to impress the elders, and most importantly Nokt who was watching from the sky above. 

Starlit and Eluvien’s tribute from the very first step was the complete opposite of Onyx and Ternens’ display. Starlit and Eluvien began with groundwork, leaping and hopping, body movements slow and unhurried. It was a beautiful display, with the true wonder was when the pair began their ascent into the sky to meet the moon and stars. Each wingbeat of Starlit’s was purposeful, at the apex her wings were splayed fully so that star’s shone between them. This served to make their ascent slow, and unrushed, almost like they were politely greeting the great moon above and showing their respect with their very souls. At the halfway mark as the pair approached the moon, white tendrils of ribbon studded with bright gems came trailing from Starlit’s back, for Eluvien was using both arms to hold the ribbons, trusting in her legs and Starlit to keep her in the saddle. 

To those spectating and judging from the ground it looked like Starlit was dancing with the moon itself. The ribbons flowed gently across and around the pale orb’s surface, weaving through each other and highlighting the moon’s brightness and beauty. The skill required to move and glide so perfectly that the ribbons danced in perfect synchronicity was truly awe inspiring. In a final and sudden burst of movement Starlit and Eluvien finished their stunning display. Their tribute had been so entrancing that there was a lack of clawed feet and hands clapping, purely because so many of the spectators were still enmeshed in the elegance of the dance, it felt wrong to break that respectful silence. 

Unfortunately for Raelith it was her turn to perform, and she was regretting her choice to go last, how could her clumsy movements possibly match up to the sharp skill of Onyx, or the elegance and grace of Starlit? Raelith let out a nervous, heavy sigh at the thought.

“We try our best Rae, that’s all that matters.”, came the calm and reassuring words of her rider Starlight. 

Bolstered slightly, Raelith managed to slowly walk into the center of the clearing, which only moments before had been silent, now there were murmur’s and small groups of people asking questions of each other, wondering if this performance would be better than the last two. It wouldn’t be, Raelith knew that, but hopefully Nokt would have pity and look upon her paltry efforts kindly. With that thought in mind Raelith began her tribute. 

Where Onyxs’ tribute gave off the energy and feeling of the struggle of life, Raelith’s was less abstract, and was more a reenactment of a hunt and the movements involved, certainly less impressive in form and feeling than both Onyx and Starlit’s tributes, but she hoped Nokt and the Elders would be pleased enough with her attempt.

Eluvien began the tribute not in the saddle but standing next to Raelith as they began their tribute.

Exaggerated movements from both Raelith and Eluvien make it clear that they were reinacting a hunt in a dance like way. Both were scouting the ground in large sweeping movements, clear to all watching that they were ‘tracking’. Both bird and elf leaped and jumped over imaginary obstacles in their journey, until with a sudden movement Eluvien leaped onto Raelith’s saddle, the ‘hunt’ was on!

The pair took to the sky, not as economical  or fast as Onyxs’ movements were, nor as elegant as Starlit’s rise, but it was the best Raelith could manage. Raelith flew in large, careening circles, ‘scouting’ their prey. I sudden dive to ‘catch’ the prey was the final chapter in the story the two were telling, and Raelith pulled up just before they would hit the ground, her talon’s raked gouges into the black earth. A polite scattering of applause greeted the pair as they made their way to the edge of the clearing, ready for the next tributee.They just had to hope their ‘story’ style made up for their lack of skill. 

It was a tense hour as the three stryx and their riders waited for all other stryx to present their tribute of skill and grace, but a short while afterward word came of their results.

The elders had deemed all three of their offerings as acceptable! Raelith was shocked, Starlit quietly pleased and the air about Onyx excluded that they thought any other outcome would have been farcical. 

A tired but pleased set of stryx and riders then made their way to their temporary dwelling nearby, to get as much sleep as they could before the sun rose and Nokt’s domain gave way to Daius.