Nikita Valesta - King Bling and the Fishpeople

She had spoken with Svetlana more, but the only herb that she could think of that would be helpful on the first part of the great task was that of Aspen, the smoke rising from the burned leaves would bring her eloquence, but it would also make her voice stronger, something sis did not want to risk when under Aeolus' cover. if all went well, she might get it easier with the aid of Wild Cherry and that was the one plant that she planned on asking for help. Finding one were not easy, but through the help of a Cornflower, she did manage to track one down, a single wild cherry tree that had grown from the seeds of wild cherries carried across the oceans by luck and the animals.

Chiccory also succory, wild cherry, wild succory
Carry to remove all obstacles that might crop up in your life. If the spirit agrees to share its other strength, painting the naked body (under the clothes) with juice helps obtain favors from great persons.

The Celectial Raven could be said to be a great person.. of sorts. In the forest when she had played with Mohusha's cubs, she had found a plant and though it was difficult, due to her being alone, she did manage to awake the plant and she stretched and yawned.
With honesty Nikita told the wild flower of her plans and plight and the beautiful spirit agreed to letting her help, and she let Nikita pluck ten of the not-quite ripe berries in return for her returning in the late summer and plant ten seeds so that the cherry could spread further.
Thusly prepared she went out on her task.


Nikita had sought the advice she could. She had steeled her mind and carrying the spear and the net in her hand, as were given to her by the fishmen and on her arm were the mark put on her flesh by the Shaman of their tribe. She had wrapped the spear and net in a cloth and it was not untill the mist covered her that shde uncovered the gifts and bore them in her hands.

As she walked down the beach, she sent a quick thought to the wooly underclothes... they were to keep her warm, even when she crossed the water, and as she came closer to the place where she would cross, the honorguard of Fishpeople formed up. They waded wobbly down the beach and as she swam, she were very thankful for the woolen leggings and shirt, for even though it were heavy and she had to carry the spear by her belt as she swap, it meant that she did not freeze as hard when she left the water, and holding the spear and net, she was escorted up to the Shamans hut and let in.

Three of the cages held people inside the hut, people, Nikita knew, that would be sacrificed to the Kraken to keep him strong and the fishpeople able to stay in touch with him even from across the great distance between them and their homerealm. As before, Nikita did not look at them. She did not make eye contact, even though it tore at her sense of justice, and the fact that no woman or children were inside the cages did not help the least.
"Youuuuuuu rettttttuuuuurrrrrrrrnnnn ttttttttttto ussssssssss, cchhhhhild off Pegaaaasssussssssssssss" the gurgling hiss of the shaman greeted her from the shadows where the old creature stepped out into the light of the fire. She nodded her head "As promised. I have spoken with the wisest shamans, and I bring words for you. A Lord of Ravens sit on the land and he is seeking his lost shiney, a bauble of his that has been stolen from him." her eyes drifted towards the clothcovered sphere on the table.
The shaman saw her eyes and every quill on her back rose "Wwweee arrrre nnnnoot thiiiiiievessssss!" and then she let out a gurgling sound that were not in a language that Nikita had ever heard and in through the door opening sprang three of the fish creatures and before Nikita knew, she was lying wrapped in a net and with spears poised at her neck. She did not struggle. Her rage were kept in check easily and she shook her head to block out the frightened screams from the three men in the cages.
At that point, Nikita wished that she had brought the Aspen along, but she hadn't.. there were just her and her own eloquence and it was with stronger voice that she called out for them - knowing that she only had a single chance to make them pause. "Wait! Hear me out! I did not claim you to be thieves, I never would!" a searing pain burned in the back of her mind and she saw the Shaman stand and point at her. She looked straight at the creature and after a few moments the pain subsided and the shaman gurgled something, causing the fishmen to release her, but they only stepped back, they did not leave the hut.
Nikita stood. The only thing injured was her pride, but she had to swallow that one. The Shaman watched her with glittering eyes "I ammm lissssssstttennnnnningggg"
Nikita spoke slowly and her eyes did not weaver from the Shaman. She closed off from the cries and the sobbering from the cages and focussed her will on speaking her intents to the shaman. "I will go and speak with the Celestrial Raven on your behalf. He know his Shiney and he will know how to get your people home."
The Shaman listened and her quills quivered and then settled "Yooouuuuuu arrrrrre wissssssssssseeee sssssssshhhhammmmannnnnn, chhhhhhhhhhild offff Pegggggasssusssssssss. Ggggggooooo annnnnnnnnddd ssssssssssssssppeeeeeeeeak fffffffffor ussssssssssss. Hhhhhhhelllllppppp usssssss ggggggggo hhhhhhhommmmmmme" the fishies by the huts door disappeared outside and Nikita nodded. "I will speak to him before the sun sets"

When she came outside with the shaman, the old creature of the seas spoke in their foregin tongue. The fishies listened and one of them asked something that were replied to and then a murmur rippled through them as the fish people formed a Honor guard for her. She did not feel like a prisoner and she walked with her back straight and her head held high. In her hands she carried the spear and the net and as she took to the water, she turned and saw the Shaman. The creature were in no way, shape or form human, but the emotion of hope shone from her. Nikitas heard swelled... she was their hope and it was with strong arms that she swam back to the shore.


As she reached the edge of the mist, she wrapped the cloth around the net and the spear. They were not dedicated and bound to her soul and she could not bring them with her into the umbra. The woolen clothes were taken off as well, they had served their purpose for now and along with the gifts, they were hidden between the rocks of the cliffs. There she stripped down completely and still within the edge of the dense fog, she took out the berries.
With calm hand, she squeased them into the bowl from her ritual kit and after mixing it with pure water, she tipped her fingers in the juice and drew the patterns across her body. Some were glyphs, some were pictures and some were in a language that she did not understand, only she knew to draw the symbols for Luck, Favor and Great. As she took her wet clothes back on, they covered the symbols and she drank the remaining juice, letting the strength flow in her as well as on and after rinsing the bowl in the oceans water - she would have to clean it properly later - she once more stood and entered the umbra.

Calling out, she quickly found someone she knew and within moments, she was in Wolfen form, the white stripe marking her pitch black fur and the bronze necklace hanging glittering around her neck, while following the guidance of Shimmerlight the magpie, approaching the place where the mighty Lord of Birds sat, holding court. As she approached, she took her human form, not to hold any illusions and she approached the mighty spirit.
Speaking fluently in the tongue of the spirits she adressed the great spirit. "I bring news of your shiney. Hear me out so that it may be returned to you before Helios sets on this day."
With a caw, every bird in the area took wings and they flew high on a roar of wings.
"Speak, little one. Where is my Shiney? Who has it? who has stolen it?"
Nikita felt the cherrys patterns, the warmth of the slick juice on her skin and she felt confident and calm as she adressed the Lord of Ravens.
"A tribe of fishmen has stumbled across this world. They live in desperation and they have reached out to get help to come home. When they arrived here by accident, through a wild rift in the worlds, they found a most beautiful pearl and their shaman found that with the pearl, they could retain the smallest of threads, they could communicate with their god, a kraken creature of the deepest oceans. They wish nothing more than to come home, and only you, who know the secrets of the Heavens, can open the portal to bring them home. They await you to come to their island and claim your shiney and both they and I ask that you help us to preserve the secret, that you send them home to where they belong."
The raven listened and his feathers bristled
"They endanger the balance. They do not belong." Nikita nodded. She had delivered her speech and all she could do was hoping for the best. The Raven bedecked with jewelery and shiney metals turned his head to the side, studying Nikitas with an eye that had seen the world when it was young. "You are wise in comming to me. I am the only one who can call on the strength of the Shiney. I am the only one who can wield it. Lead me to them, little Death Proves Strike, so we can get this settled." Nikita could have sighed deep in reliev, but she just smiled and dipped her head "Right away"


When returning to the fog, the Fishies were gathered. Nikita had been carried across the water in the claws of the mighty raven and she was approximately dry - which was good, cause her woolen clothes and the net and spear were still hidden on the shore.
The Fish people were silent and the only sound were the flapping of wet feet and the crashing of waves onto the shore of the island. The crow spoke and the Fishy shaman responded. They spoke in a language that Nikita did not udnerstand, but she felt confident that everything would be settled now. King Bling would open a portal and the fishies would go home, but when the burd turned to her, she knew that it was not that simple.
"Strength is needed. Much strength. I will not open this portal on my own. I need the brightest spark." Kita frowned a bit, not liking the sound of this at all. The Raven continiued "The heartblood of three humans should suffice." Her heart froze, and then a rustle from the Shamans hut drew her eyes. The three people from the cages inside were brought out. Their hands and feet were bound and they cried though they were gagged. Nikita saw them and swallowed as they were made to kneel with their heads together.
The Shaman waded up to Nikita and looked at her with big, dark eyes "Wwwwwwwe arrrrrre ssssssssssssssso clllloooossssssssssse..." and in the eyes of the old Shaman, Nikita saw a plea so deep that it cut into her own heart. She looked at the three and nodded her head and a ripple went through the fish people. More of them arrived, padding up from the water and they gathered around the Raven, the Shaman and Nikita. The Shaman disappeared into the hut and she brought out a familiar shape. As the dark cloth was removed, Nikita gasped at the intense power that pulsated from the pearl. The colours of the rainbow and more were sparkling just under the surface and the ravek picked it up carefully, cawing and then Nikita felt it.... it was like a hum, a deep, primal song reverbrating through her bones and through the very ground of the island.
She saw figures dancing, shapes flickering in and out of existance and though she had never seen the forms nor heard the song before, she knew it. It was a primal song, a song of power and she closed her eyes and rose to her Crinos form. The men on the ground before her screamed and struggled, but were held fast. Though they were blinded, they felt her pressence, they felt the primal predator and the delirium came washing over them while three fish people held them fast before the black furred nightmare before them. The bow was on her back and the quiver by her side, the battle armor shining darkly with the shine of red in the hue of dried blood. The rythm grew stronger as she came closer to her instincts and she held out her arms, her warforms growls harmonizing with the hum and the song of the Raven and the Fish people and as the pitch and speed rose, as did the speed of her heartbeat. It raced and though no signal was given, no parts rehersed, Nikita knew in her heart what she had to do. It was her life or theirs. Shapes flickered, like images being overlaid over the world, bringing wiht them a strong sense of dislocation and vertigo washed over her, but she stood fast. Three men, three potential veil breaches. Their lives were forfeit, they knew too much and it came to her to protect the sacred laws. it came to her to uphold the Secrecy. She was in the song. she was part of the rythm and at the perfect moment, between two of her racing heartbeats, her claws and teeth came down and she riped the mens heads off, spilling their heartblood. As the drops of prescious vitae touched the ground, they were all thrown off their feet.


The light was soft and warm. The warm sun was shining through a mist that at once allowed the sun to bake her, yet without her skin being dried out.
As Nikita stood, she saw the Shaman and the Lord of Ravenkind standing by a shimmering portal of swirling colours. Blue and green hues shifted like soft waves and Nikita walked to them while she once more retook her Homid form. The air was different here, and she was standing on the shore of a wast ocean. Pebbles rustled under her feet and she saw trees and growths she did not recognize. they were not from the world she knew, and from the look of peace on the faces of the fish people she knew that they had succeeded. They were home. She walked to the portal and smiled and the Shaman smiled in return. As Nikita turned her left arm, she saw the mark still on her flesh. A straight line like a spear and a curved one with spines comming out of it for the fish people. The shaman touched her arm "Fffffffffrrrriennnnnnnnnnd" Kita nodded "Welcome home, Shaman." From the way the Shamans face contorted, she thought she had said something wrong and that the peace was ruined. As the Shamans face twisted and grimaced, Nikitas mind filled with horrible images of war. Fish people against Garou, shredded bones and flesh, the horrors of the innocence slain, and she was a heartbeat from once more taking Crinos form to defend herself, ready to go down fighting, but the images shattered like brittle glass as she saw... the Shaman was smiling.


Stepping through the portal, Nikita found herself in the claws of the Raven Lord as he flew to the shore. The pearl were clung in his other claw and though the claws held her fast, they were as gentle as if they were carying a chick and Nikitas skin had not even been poked open as He put her down on the shoreline. She turned to face the Raven "On behalf of the Sept of Aeolus Shroud, the office of the Keeper of the Land and Aeolus himself, I thank you, Lord of Raven kin." The giant bird cawed "You have brought me back my shiney... Now I can go home" She smiled and as the fog began lifting for the first time in ages, she placed her hand over her heart and bowed her head.

As she stood there, she felt the fog part completely and the sun shone down on her, drying her moist clothes. As expected, the Raven were gone. Looking out over the water, the isle were gone too. The fishies, the Bling Bird... Had it not been because of the spear and the net of unearthly design, they might as well have been a dream, but the scar on her arm, the straight line and the curve wiht the smaller lines stretching from the back, told her that it was not.
The danger was over, and though she had almost blown it at one point, everything had come together and it was with peace that she turned to the Haunt to get some rest.