Equality in Kaora

Chapter 1 - A change of Pace

The forest laid calm beneath the hill, the wind making the blades of grass bend under its chill breath. A young Satyr was collecting dandelions in the grass, a pine needle basket at his dark hooves filled with icy blue blizzard fruits and flaming red crystal Mushrooms.

Another youngling soon joined "Cilix!" Cilix turned around to see his older brother- a blond-haired Satyr with a crown of vines on his head, named Leion. His neck was marked with a laying sickle moon, a symbol of their clan.

"What are you doing here? You should be long home," the older asked, worry and relief in his voice. "Naza and Saca are looking for you. The ceremony will start soon."

The younger brother turned around, green strands of hair wrapped around his horns and hanging in his face.

"Leion" Cilix sighed and put the bouquet of dandelions into the basket, picking it up as he rose. "Is it so wrong that I wanted some time for myself?"

Leion shook his head, smiling softly "No it's not. But we have to go now. Come on."
With that, the brothers started walking through the forest together. The natural silence was disturbed by their steps whenever they crossed a rocky patch, and by their calm chattering

"Are you nervous?" Leion looked at his brother with a gentle smile "I know I certainly was when I was your age"

"A little", his brother admitted, his eyes watching the roof of the forest "I don't feel different from last week. I always thought I would once I come off age"

"Growing up isn't as easy as having a birthday" he laughs "But I know how you feel. It's not as special as you think. But today will be great, I promise"

"You're probably right" Cilix grinned widely at the older Satyr. Even though they were only seven cycles apart, no duration for a Satyr whatsoever, Leion seemed much wiser, and so Mature. But that was to be expected from the chief's successor.

"You *are* right... Today will be great!" Whether he tried to convince himself or his brother, he wasn't sure.

The brothers soon reached the village- a group of wooden huts, made from large branches and small logs, with living roofs from moss, grass and other small plants. The Melo-Zedi village was laid at the river flowing through the Makaril-forest, a large forest south of a mountain range that all together housed 5 tribes of Satyrs.

The gatherers returned in groups of three as the sun started setting, and the hunters were busy preparing their catches. Younglings were running around and decorated the huts with flowers

Cil watched the scattered movement around the place, mesmerized by the thought that this was all for him. Because he had come of age. Something he didn't even control. It didn't feel right to be celebrated like that. And yet, he was excited for his ceremony.

Not only was it a sign of him becoming a full member of the clan and an adult, it also was deciding for his role in the clan for the future. Most Satyrs knew what they wanted to be from a young age, but not all of them became what they wished. Cilix remembered clearly the disappointment in his brother's expression when he became a hunter instead of a Crafter. But that was just the way it is.

"Cilix?"

The green haired Satyr blinked as he came back into reality as he heard a low voice say his name. He looked up at his father, a tall Satyr with all brown legs and large, coiled horns. His blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and decorated with flowers and vines, similar to his older son's, and his neck beared the same sickle moon symbol, like all adults wore it. It made Cilix strangely aware that he too would bear this symbol soon.

"Eh- Sorry, did you say something-?"
His Father shook his head with a small smile "No. Besides asking you if you are nervous?" He put a hand on his son's shoulder reassuringly, looking down at him with soft eyes.

The boy sighed a little "A bit. But, I'm fine. I'll be fine," he repeated himself.

"Alright then." The Chief, Silvas, looked around the village "It doesn't feel right. Having this ceremony for you. I feel like we just had you" His smile grew as he remembered his son's childhood "Having both my sons be off age... Well, I can dwell later." He snickered a little and shook his head "Cil, you should get ready. Your mother is inside, she'll help you."

He turned to his older son "And you, go help the other hunters. If I see correctly, they need help skinning the rabbits" With that being said, he pat both their shoulders and left to talk one of the elders who would lead the ceremony.

Leion nodded at his brother "Naza is right. Saca prepared the inks already, hurry up before they dry up... I'll go help my part" With that, he hurried to the hunters, leaving his brother to stand in the middle of the village.

He looked around one last time before he went inside the wooden hut his family lived in. It was bigger than the rest, due to his father's status, and separated into four rooms- Leion's, his own, his parent's and a small community area. His mother sat on a stump, while Maris, one of the healers, was mixing up a paste.

Maika looked up as she heard her son's footsteps. She quickly stood up, a happy smile on her face as she went to greet Cilix "Oh, there he is! My little kid..." She gently put her hands on his face, proudly looking at him "You grew up so fast..."

"Saca..." He sighed, but leaned into the touch. As he took her hands away from his face, he waved at the healer slightly "Maris- it's nice to see you"

The healer was a short, young male of 120 cycles, with dark skin, light, coiled horns and reddish-brown, large eyes. The scarred symbol on his shoulder was that of a star, and his legs were of white color with straight fur, in contrast with his coily, black hair. While Maris was born and grew up in the Teleni clan, he migrated to the Melo-Zedi clan when he was banned, as his father was a Larakas, and was fully taken in with his own ceremony a few cycles later, the Sickle on his throat barely visible on the dark skin. He had been at the Village as long as Cilix remembered, and had always cared for him. Today, he was there to give him his own tattoo–a sign of his adulthood.

Maris looked over at the younger Satyr with a calm expression "You're late. I don't want to rush it, but I need time to do this correctly" And with that, he motioned Cilix to sit down and took the pan with the paste, getting ready to start on the youngling's tattoos.