Films About Ghosts Part 1 (Forsaken)
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writing_shadows((This is the story version of Sheena's background. This is very much OOC knowledge and I will warn you that the background does contain information you might not want to know IC, it might come as a surprise to many. I would also ask that the information in the background is not discussed, I trust those with access to this and I don't want the knowledge to get confused as to IC and OOC if too many know about it. Other than that, comments please :)
This was posted to just my story journal (this one) before, but since I joined the community I thought I would add it here too))
***May 20, 1985***
The young girl hummed to herself as she washed the dishes, her brain busy trying to work out the last details of the song she was writing for her father. Her long, brown hair which was tied back in a plait, swung in time with her rhythm as one foot tapped out the beat. Lost in her own world, she didn't notice for a moment that the door had opened, in fact the first inkling she had of the presence of anyone else was the sound of her mother's voice.
"NO!" Her mother's voice had never sounded so afraid, she spoke quieter now, "Please Pietr, say it isn't true?"
"I’m sorry Eileen, he died bravely." Pietr answered curtly, whatever grief he felt masked from view.
Sheena turned her humming forgotten and when she saw her mother's face she suddenly understood that her father was never coming back.
***May 28, 1985***
There were no clouds in the sky, a sharp contrast to the mourners all in black gathered around to lay her father to rest. Her brother Peter stood at their mother's shoulder, his arm entwined around hers, lending silent support to her tears, their younger siblings Feisal and Isla still somewhat too young to fully grasp the implications of the gathering.
Sheena stood at one end, a slight breeze buffeting her hair as her voice rang clear over the assembled crowd. Though still somewhat immature, her voice sang of love and the joy of a Father's return, a song that he would now never hear. As she drew to a close, her mother's sobs became overpowering and Peter lead her off to help calm her down.
As the rest of the gathering started to head off towards the gathering that was to follow, she stood a moment, staring at her father's grave with eyes still dry of tears. From across the grave, Pietr stood and regarded her a moment before nodding his head slightly to her and heading after the rest of the assembled mourners, leaving her to stand a moment, lost in her own thoughts.
***October 9, 1988***
Peter stood tall and proud in the doorway, his bag all packed beside him. "Well Sis, this is me off." Sheena smiled at him, then threw her arms around him hugging him very tightly, conflicting emotions running through her as she held on to him and fought the urge to cry. A part of her desperately wanted to stop him leaving, afraid that the life he had chosen in the army would kill him and another part of her was so proud of what he had achieved.
She stepped back, clinging desperately to her smile "Take care of yourself, you stupid oaf or I'll have to come and find you and knock the stuffing out of you."
Their mother hugged him then, her face streaked with tears as her eyes regarded Sheena, shaking her head very slightly at her daughter. Inwardly Sheena swallowed, wishing that she had never promised to keep her mother's illness a secret, knowing all too well that her brother might never see her again while she lived.
***January 17, 1990***
It was the waiting that was hell, sitting around endlessly in the waiting room hoping for news of how her mother's operation was going. Every hour or so she would phone up Rahel and check on Feisal and Isla to make sure everything was alright there, other than that it was just a case of sitting and waiting.
She couldn't bring herself to read anything; her mind just couldn't focus for very long on anything. Sheena just found herself sitting and half jumping up every time a doctor or nurse entered the room, but none of them ever had any news for her.
After eight hours of waiting she was dozing off when the sound of the door opening startled her into consciousness. The doctor was standing there looking tired, his face a mask of professionalism, "Miss McLetchie?"
Sheena shot to her feet, heart pounding fit to burst as she nodded towards him, her breath catching in her throat as she felt a sinking feeling cascade through her whole body.
"I'm sorry to say this, but your mother died on the operating table, we did everything we could to resuscitate her but there was nothing we could do." His voice trailed off out of her hearing as her universe crumbled for a moment, the words sank deep into her heart, she didn't even realise he was still speaking until he called her name again.
"Sorry, I have a phone call I need to make." With that she stumbled out to the pay phones and with shaking hands dialled Rahel and Pietr's number.
"Wienczyslaw residence." It was Pietr's voice, his calm and familiar tone an instant balm to Sheena's turbulent state of mind.
"Pietr, it's Sheena. She… she didn't make it."
There was silence for a moment on the other end of the line. "I'll be right there."
The period of time in which Pietr took to arrive blurred to Sheena. There were questions which she answered mechanically, forms to be signed and other arrangements to be made. The staff at the hospital were kind and sympathetic, though her lack of tears seemed to unnerve them slightly. When he arrived his presence helped her to get through the rest of everything that needed to be done.
Finally everything was done and sorted, "Pietr, take me home please". He nodded in response to her question and the two of them headed off in silence.
The house was deathly still when they entered, her younger brother and sister still staying at Pietr's house. The loneliness of the place made the absence of her mother suddenly hit her like a hammer and she collapsed into Pietr's arms, tears finally coursing down her cheeks.
He held her awkwardly as though not entirely certain how to react to her sobs until she finally calmed down. Raising her head from his chest to look at him she smiled, somewhat embarrassed at her outburst. She opened her mouth to say something, but Pietr shook his head at her and gently reached down and wiped the tears away from her eyes. The sense of compassion in his touch sent a shudder through her and, without really thinking what she was doing, her hand reached up behind his neck and she pulled him into a kiss. Pietr's response quickly turned from surprise into a very passionate embrace, with his fingers locking tightly into her hair. As she started to frantically fumble at his clothing, he easily swung her up into his arms and carried her upstairs.
<***March 22, 1990***
He had been absent solidly for five days now, giving Sheena plenty of time to reflect on the whole affair. Her mind wandered while her hands were busy with the cleaning, the house still quiet as Isla and Feisal yet to return from School. She had known Pietr for all of her life, a friend of her parents and certainly old enough to be her father, in the cold light of her reason, the whole thing seemed incredibly foolish.
It had started due to a need for comfort, she had felt so lost and alone and she just needed something to keep her strong, to keep her going as she frantically tried to keep her family from being torn apart by the absence left by her mother's illness and then her death. Isla and Feisal had each other to rely on, they could cry and share their grief, but Sheena had little recourse for that, she had to make sure everything kept moving and Pietr had become the solace she needed in order to keep going.
The funeral hadn't helped matters any, with her brother ending up in a huge argument with Pietr just because he had been helping her out with everything, which to Peter seemed to have meant that he was interfering in the family's business and he should keep out of things. She sighed inwardly, it was alright for Peter to say that they didn't need Pietr's help, he wasn't here, and she did need it, just, not perhaps in all the ways she had before.
Footsteps outside made her look up from her task in time to see Pietr heading down the path towards the house. Sheena sighed again and steeled herself for the conversation ahead, it was time to start acting like a grown-up woman and take responsibility for her own life.
***November 17, 1990***
Tired didn't even begin to describe how Sheena felt as she pulled the shutters down on the shop, it was now getting on for midnight and she had been working since twelve that afternoon. Her feet ached and she felt as though she was years older, after all even when she got back home there was household tasks that had to be done, and then she was working again tomorrow. Sheena sighed, flicking her braided hair back over her shoulder as she straightened up, trying to ignore the ache in her back as she did so.
Suddenly she felt hands grab her round the waist from behind. Startled she twisted quickly around, her knee half raised ready to attack whoever it was. Her cry of alarm quickly turned into a cry of delight and she regarded the young man who stood there grinning wickedly at her.
"Ruraidh! Bloody hell, I almost cracked you one, took you for a mugger or worse!"
His brown eyes twinkled in response to that and to stop her complaints further; he pulled her in close for a kiss. Her aches suddenly seemed less of an issue while in his arms and she found herself once again thinking how much his presence in her life had made it easier for her to cope with the stress of juggling a job with looking after her siblings.
***January 12, 1991***
Ruraidh was out with Isla and Feisal having taken them out for the day when Peter stormed in. Sheena was sitting quietly in the living room with her feet up, grabbing a rare moment of peace. She shot to her feet instantly as he came in, brandishing a piece of paper, "What the hell is this? Why are you getting help from that man? Is the support I give you not enough?" He yelled at her, his face seeming red with anger.
His sister stared at him for a moment, her face a combination of shock overlaid with a growing hint of anger, "I assume that you are referring to the occasional help that Pietr has given me in order than this family can continue?"
Peter glared at her then, his face twisted with anger, "How could you Sheena? You know what I feel about him?"
Sheena glowered back, her own temper rising fast to match his, "Because I will do whatever is necessary to make sure that this family is provided and cared for! I know you do all you can, but you are hardly ever here and I can’t do everything!" She bit her tongue then, resisting the urge to yell at him about all the things she had given up to make sure the family kept together, while he got to pursue the career he wanted in the army. "So, there is nothing I can do to make this stop then? Whatever I say you are just going to ignore me?"
"In this matter, yes. I will not refuse his help and I do not care what you think about that."
"Fine, then maybe you can do without mine." With that Peter spun round and headed out the front door, grabbing his bag as he went and slamming the door loudly behind him.
Sheena sat for a moment, her body shaking with rage, then she turned, grabbed a nearby lamp and hurled it with force at the door where it shattered, raining ceramic debris all over the floor.
***February 20, 1991***
The doorbell rang almost immediately after the news finished. The family had been watching anxiously for news of the Gulf War as Peter had shipped out there again not too long before. She had received a letter from him in that time apologising for his outburst and promising to sort things out between them on his return.
Sheena opened the door to the sight of a man in a very crisp military uniform and her heart leaped into her mouth, realising all too clearly what it was likely to signify.
"Miss McLetchie?" Those words, words that reminded her so much of those that had delivered the news of her mother's death, hit her like a hammer. She grasped the doorframe tightly as he started to explain what had happened to her brother. Sheena barely heard a word he said, her face going very white and her whole world seeming to spin out of control. After he had gone she sagged down to the floor and with her head pillowed on her knees, her control utterly shattered she burst into tears, not even aware that her younger brother was watching her from nearby.
***April 23, 1991***
Weird dreams full of odd imagery woke Sheena. Her leg was throbbing from where she had been bitten the day before. She was on her own as Ruraidh was staying at his own place that evening. The house was quiet as she got out of bed and wandered over towards the window.
Pulling back the curtains, she was confronted with the sight of a very large gibbous moon; it seemed to be glowing uncommonly brightly to her eyes. As she looked out over the city, her sight seemed to flicker a bit, as it had been doing for last few weeks, so that she could see glimpses of strange things moving at the corner of her vision.
Sighing, she started to head downstairs to get a drink, trying not to think too much about how odd everything had become since she had gotten the news about Peter's death. First it had just seemed like she was seeing things occasionally, but with the attack yesterday by the creature she swore to herself could not really have been a wolf, Sheena was fast wondering if this was what going mad felt like.
After getting herself a drink she was about to start to head back upstairs when something she saw out of the corner of her eyes made her freeze suddenly. Pietr was standing in the doorway of the house and his eyes… something in his eyes reminded her of the eyes of the creature that had bitten her before.
He looked intently at her and simply said, "We need to talk."
***July 24, 1991***
The old warrior, looking battle worn and proud stared at the young woman in front of him, frowning slightly as he surveyed a slender form obviously unused to combat. Her brown eyes seemed determined though and she did not shake under his scrutiny. "So you seek to join us Cahalith? You are no warrior, what makes you think you are worthy? Tell your tale to me."
Sheena regarded him, her chin tilted in defiance of his attitude, "You say I am no warrior and you are right, but I know much of battles and of war, though perhaps different ones to what you are used to fighting. Life is a war with each day, week and year being battles, with challenges and enemies we must overcome.
"I have seen much of death; I was twelve when Xenophon brought home the news of my father’s death and when we laid him in the earth to rest. I did not crumble, I did not fall, I grieved but I went on living. By the time I was almost seventeen I was an orphan, losing my mother to an illness that no strength could combat. Still I did not fall, even though the burden of looking after my siblings now fell to me. I struggled on, fighting to make ends meet, working hard to keep my family together. I lost my brother to the Gulf War also, so as you see I am no stranger to death or to loss.
"My life has not been easy, but I have met each challenge thrown at me without flinching, without breaking and without despair. Those battles and challenges have made me strong, not of body but of will. I do not give up, I do not surrender, but instead I struggle on through whatever pain and strife my life brings. I know that the path of an uratha is hard and I accept that, whatever challenges Mother Luna brings me, I will not flinch from my duty as I have not flinched from the duties of my life before, the duty to my family.
"I may not be a warrior yet, but I will be and I will be a good one. I will train to be the best I can be and I will not bring shame on the Blood Talons should you let me join. My father was a Blood Talon as was his father and many others in my ancestry. My brother was a soldier, so the blood of warriors flows in my veins.
"Give me a chance and I swear on their blood and mine it will never be regretted." She stopped speaking, still staring at him in challenge, awaiting his response.
He looked over her for a long moment and then smiled warmly, "Well then daughter of Freki, welcome to the Blood Talons."
***June 16, 1995***
As soon as the premonition had left her, Sheena was instantly awake, checking in her mind where the rest of the pack was even as she quietly rose from her bed. She quickly gathered together all she needed for her duties as an Uratha and started to creep out of her bedroom, trying not to disturb the sleeping form of her husband. As she reached the door, Ruraidh stirred from his sleep.
"Sheena?" His voice sounded tired and he sat up, turning towards where she stood, "Going out again?"
Sighing internally, Sheena turned back to him, wishing for the millionth time that she could just explain the truth to him and not have to go through this every time her duty called her away from her family. "I won't be long; I just have something I need to take care of."
"But you won't tell me what it is." It wasn't a question; Ruraidh was getting very used to her recalcitrance when it came to her nightly wanderings.
"I can't, I'm sorry."
There was an answering sigh and then a pause, "Take care." Sheena nodded in response and slipped from the room.
On her way towards the stairs, she popped her head round the door of her daughter’s room, checking that she was tucked up and asleep. She smiled down at the sleeping form, wishing that her duties didn't have to pull her away from Siobhan's side so much, but then, considering all the dangers that would otherwise threaten her, what choice did she have? Her younger siblings seemed to still be sleeping as she headed out of the house and into the night. Silently she prayed that they would all be kept safe, the Pure were getting far too ambitious of late, and it didn't bode at all well.
***May 20, 1996***
Blood trickled down her neck from the swipe of claws that had very nearly been fatal. Sheena was sweating as she faced her foe; the sheer size of his Gauru form compared to her hishu just seemed to make her task seem all the more impossible. The words of her mentor echoed in her mind, "Find a Pure and take him on in single combat, you can use gifts, but no changing forms." Nothing was impossible though and she knew that there was no way he would have set her a task he did not think her capable of completing.
She ducked another blow, using her smaller form to advantage and nipping round to the side, punching him with great force in the side, grateful for the fact that not only could she ignore her own pain, but the force behind her fists was more than a human would manage in the same situation.
Inwardly she was pleased, her opponent would have to change forms soon and had still so far failed to manage to do her enough punishment to force her to the ground. If she could just evade the brunt of his next couple of attacks she possibly had the stamina to survive this.
He swung round, his powerful claws connecting with her upper leg, Sheena winced, for while the wound didn’t hurt, intellectually she was aware of the damage and she could still feel the blood trickling down her leg, even if the wound would not slow her movements. One thing was certain, if she survived this she would be in a lot of pain.
Moving round him she kicked out, her foot connecting hard with his leg and she could hear the crack as a bone gave way slightly. Her opponent grunted in pain, his body shifting down to dalu form, limping slightly as he could not lean weight on that side.
Sheena grinned wickedly, now the odds would shift in her favour. His leg would slow him and make his movements easier to predict while her own wounds hindered her not at all. While he still had some advantages of form and the fight was still by no means over, it gave her a good chance to actually beat him.
In response she stepped up the attack, raining blows at him and sacrificing much of her ability to defend herself as she did so. With her final blow she aimed a kick squarely at the leg she had already fractured and was rewarded when the Pure screamed in agony and dropped to the ground, not unconscious but hardly in much of a state to move.
She bent down and his face turned towards her, regarding her with hatred "Go on then, kill me." He said to her, his expression defiant.
Her hand moved towards him, he didn’t flinch. No death blow came though; instead she ripped from his neck a chain that was hanging there. Standing she turned as though to leave, pausing a moment to speak once "The People do not murder the People." With that she headed proudly back the way she had come, secure in the knowledge this victory would win her a place among the Garmir.
This was posted to just my story journal (this one) before, but since I joined the community I thought I would add it here too))
***May 20, 1985***
The young girl hummed to herself as she washed the dishes, her brain busy trying to work out the last details of the song she was writing for her father. Her long, brown hair which was tied back in a plait, swung in time with her rhythm as one foot tapped out the beat. Lost in her own world, she didn't notice for a moment that the door had opened, in fact the first inkling she had of the presence of anyone else was the sound of her mother's voice.
"NO!" Her mother's voice had never sounded so afraid, she spoke quieter now, "Please Pietr, say it isn't true?"
"I’m sorry Eileen, he died bravely." Pietr answered curtly, whatever grief he felt masked from view.
Sheena turned her humming forgotten and when she saw her mother's face she suddenly understood that her father was never coming back.
***May 28, 1985***
There were no clouds in the sky, a sharp contrast to the mourners all in black gathered around to lay her father to rest. Her brother Peter stood at their mother's shoulder, his arm entwined around hers, lending silent support to her tears, their younger siblings Feisal and Isla still somewhat too young to fully grasp the implications of the gathering.
Sheena stood at one end, a slight breeze buffeting her hair as her voice rang clear over the assembled crowd. Though still somewhat immature, her voice sang of love and the joy of a Father's return, a song that he would now never hear. As she drew to a close, her mother's sobs became overpowering and Peter lead her off to help calm her down.
As the rest of the gathering started to head off towards the gathering that was to follow, she stood a moment, staring at her father's grave with eyes still dry of tears. From across the grave, Pietr stood and regarded her a moment before nodding his head slightly to her and heading after the rest of the assembled mourners, leaving her to stand a moment, lost in her own thoughts.
***October 9, 1988***
Peter stood tall and proud in the doorway, his bag all packed beside him. "Well Sis, this is me off." Sheena smiled at him, then threw her arms around him hugging him very tightly, conflicting emotions running through her as she held on to him and fought the urge to cry. A part of her desperately wanted to stop him leaving, afraid that the life he had chosen in the army would kill him and another part of her was so proud of what he had achieved.
She stepped back, clinging desperately to her smile "Take care of yourself, you stupid oaf or I'll have to come and find you and knock the stuffing out of you."
Their mother hugged him then, her face streaked with tears as her eyes regarded Sheena, shaking her head very slightly at her daughter. Inwardly Sheena swallowed, wishing that she had never promised to keep her mother's illness a secret, knowing all too well that her brother might never see her again while she lived.
***January 17, 1990***
It was the waiting that was hell, sitting around endlessly in the waiting room hoping for news of how her mother's operation was going. Every hour or so she would phone up Rahel and check on Feisal and Isla to make sure everything was alright there, other than that it was just a case of sitting and waiting.
She couldn't bring herself to read anything; her mind just couldn't focus for very long on anything. Sheena just found herself sitting and half jumping up every time a doctor or nurse entered the room, but none of them ever had any news for her.
After eight hours of waiting she was dozing off when the sound of the door opening startled her into consciousness. The doctor was standing there looking tired, his face a mask of professionalism, "Miss McLetchie?"
Sheena shot to her feet, heart pounding fit to burst as she nodded towards him, her breath catching in her throat as she felt a sinking feeling cascade through her whole body.
"I'm sorry to say this, but your mother died on the operating table, we did everything we could to resuscitate her but there was nothing we could do." His voice trailed off out of her hearing as her universe crumbled for a moment, the words sank deep into her heart, she didn't even realise he was still speaking until he called her name again.
"Sorry, I have a phone call I need to make." With that she stumbled out to the pay phones and with shaking hands dialled Rahel and Pietr's number.
"Wienczyslaw residence." It was Pietr's voice, his calm and familiar tone an instant balm to Sheena's turbulent state of mind.
"Pietr, it's Sheena. She… she didn't make it."
There was silence for a moment on the other end of the line. "I'll be right there."
The period of time in which Pietr took to arrive blurred to Sheena. There were questions which she answered mechanically, forms to be signed and other arrangements to be made. The staff at the hospital were kind and sympathetic, though her lack of tears seemed to unnerve them slightly. When he arrived his presence helped her to get through the rest of everything that needed to be done.
Finally everything was done and sorted, "Pietr, take me home please". He nodded in response to her question and the two of them headed off in silence.
The house was deathly still when they entered, her younger brother and sister still staying at Pietr's house. The loneliness of the place made the absence of her mother suddenly hit her like a hammer and she collapsed into Pietr's arms, tears finally coursing down her cheeks.
He held her awkwardly as though not entirely certain how to react to her sobs until she finally calmed down. Raising her head from his chest to look at him she smiled, somewhat embarrassed at her outburst. She opened her mouth to say something, but Pietr shook his head at her and gently reached down and wiped the tears away from her eyes. The sense of compassion in his touch sent a shudder through her and, without really thinking what she was doing, her hand reached up behind his neck and she pulled him into a kiss. Pietr's response quickly turned from surprise into a very passionate embrace, with his fingers locking tightly into her hair. As she started to frantically fumble at his clothing, he easily swung her up into his arms and carried her upstairs.
<***March 22, 1990***
He had been absent solidly for five days now, giving Sheena plenty of time to reflect on the whole affair. Her mind wandered while her hands were busy with the cleaning, the house still quiet as Isla and Feisal yet to return from School. She had known Pietr for all of her life, a friend of her parents and certainly old enough to be her father, in the cold light of her reason, the whole thing seemed incredibly foolish.
It had started due to a need for comfort, she had felt so lost and alone and she just needed something to keep her strong, to keep her going as she frantically tried to keep her family from being torn apart by the absence left by her mother's illness and then her death. Isla and Feisal had each other to rely on, they could cry and share their grief, but Sheena had little recourse for that, she had to make sure everything kept moving and Pietr had become the solace she needed in order to keep going.
The funeral hadn't helped matters any, with her brother ending up in a huge argument with Pietr just because he had been helping her out with everything, which to Peter seemed to have meant that he was interfering in the family's business and he should keep out of things. She sighed inwardly, it was alright for Peter to say that they didn't need Pietr's help, he wasn't here, and she did need it, just, not perhaps in all the ways she had before.
Footsteps outside made her look up from her task in time to see Pietr heading down the path towards the house. Sheena sighed again and steeled herself for the conversation ahead, it was time to start acting like a grown-up woman and take responsibility for her own life.
***November 17, 1990***
Tired didn't even begin to describe how Sheena felt as she pulled the shutters down on the shop, it was now getting on for midnight and she had been working since twelve that afternoon. Her feet ached and she felt as though she was years older, after all even when she got back home there was household tasks that had to be done, and then she was working again tomorrow. Sheena sighed, flicking her braided hair back over her shoulder as she straightened up, trying to ignore the ache in her back as she did so.
Suddenly she felt hands grab her round the waist from behind. Startled she twisted quickly around, her knee half raised ready to attack whoever it was. Her cry of alarm quickly turned into a cry of delight and she regarded the young man who stood there grinning wickedly at her.
"Ruraidh! Bloody hell, I almost cracked you one, took you for a mugger or worse!"
His brown eyes twinkled in response to that and to stop her complaints further; he pulled her in close for a kiss. Her aches suddenly seemed less of an issue while in his arms and she found herself once again thinking how much his presence in her life had made it easier for her to cope with the stress of juggling a job with looking after her siblings.
***January 12, 1991***
Ruraidh was out with Isla and Feisal having taken them out for the day when Peter stormed in. Sheena was sitting quietly in the living room with her feet up, grabbing a rare moment of peace. She shot to her feet instantly as he came in, brandishing a piece of paper, "What the hell is this? Why are you getting help from that man? Is the support I give you not enough?" He yelled at her, his face seeming red with anger.
His sister stared at him for a moment, her face a combination of shock overlaid with a growing hint of anger, "I assume that you are referring to the occasional help that Pietr has given me in order than this family can continue?"
Peter glared at her then, his face twisted with anger, "How could you Sheena? You know what I feel about him?"
Sheena glowered back, her own temper rising fast to match his, "Because I will do whatever is necessary to make sure that this family is provided and cared for! I know you do all you can, but you are hardly ever here and I can’t do everything!" She bit her tongue then, resisting the urge to yell at him about all the things she had given up to make sure the family kept together, while he got to pursue the career he wanted in the army. "So, there is nothing I can do to make this stop then? Whatever I say you are just going to ignore me?"
"In this matter, yes. I will not refuse his help and I do not care what you think about that."
"Fine, then maybe you can do without mine." With that Peter spun round and headed out the front door, grabbing his bag as he went and slamming the door loudly behind him.
Sheena sat for a moment, her body shaking with rage, then she turned, grabbed a nearby lamp and hurled it with force at the door where it shattered, raining ceramic debris all over the floor.
***February 20, 1991***
The doorbell rang almost immediately after the news finished. The family had been watching anxiously for news of the Gulf War as Peter had shipped out there again not too long before. She had received a letter from him in that time apologising for his outburst and promising to sort things out between them on his return.
Sheena opened the door to the sight of a man in a very crisp military uniform and her heart leaped into her mouth, realising all too clearly what it was likely to signify.
"Miss McLetchie?" Those words, words that reminded her so much of those that had delivered the news of her mother's death, hit her like a hammer. She grasped the doorframe tightly as he started to explain what had happened to her brother. Sheena barely heard a word he said, her face going very white and her whole world seeming to spin out of control. After he had gone she sagged down to the floor and with her head pillowed on her knees, her control utterly shattered she burst into tears, not even aware that her younger brother was watching her from nearby.
***April 23, 1991***
Weird dreams full of odd imagery woke Sheena. Her leg was throbbing from where she had been bitten the day before. She was on her own as Ruraidh was staying at his own place that evening. The house was quiet as she got out of bed and wandered over towards the window.
Pulling back the curtains, she was confronted with the sight of a very large gibbous moon; it seemed to be glowing uncommonly brightly to her eyes. As she looked out over the city, her sight seemed to flicker a bit, as it had been doing for last few weeks, so that she could see glimpses of strange things moving at the corner of her vision.
Sighing, she started to head downstairs to get a drink, trying not to think too much about how odd everything had become since she had gotten the news about Peter's death. First it had just seemed like she was seeing things occasionally, but with the attack yesterday by the creature she swore to herself could not really have been a wolf, Sheena was fast wondering if this was what going mad felt like.
After getting herself a drink she was about to start to head back upstairs when something she saw out of the corner of her eyes made her freeze suddenly. Pietr was standing in the doorway of the house and his eyes… something in his eyes reminded her of the eyes of the creature that had bitten her before.
He looked intently at her and simply said, "We need to talk."
***July 24, 1991***
The old warrior, looking battle worn and proud stared at the young woman in front of him, frowning slightly as he surveyed a slender form obviously unused to combat. Her brown eyes seemed determined though and she did not shake under his scrutiny. "So you seek to join us Cahalith? You are no warrior, what makes you think you are worthy? Tell your tale to me."
Sheena regarded him, her chin tilted in defiance of his attitude, "You say I am no warrior and you are right, but I know much of battles and of war, though perhaps different ones to what you are used to fighting. Life is a war with each day, week and year being battles, with challenges and enemies we must overcome.
"I have seen much of death; I was twelve when Xenophon brought home the news of my father’s death and when we laid him in the earth to rest. I did not crumble, I did not fall, I grieved but I went on living. By the time I was almost seventeen I was an orphan, losing my mother to an illness that no strength could combat. Still I did not fall, even though the burden of looking after my siblings now fell to me. I struggled on, fighting to make ends meet, working hard to keep my family together. I lost my brother to the Gulf War also, so as you see I am no stranger to death or to loss.
"My life has not been easy, but I have met each challenge thrown at me without flinching, without breaking and without despair. Those battles and challenges have made me strong, not of body but of will. I do not give up, I do not surrender, but instead I struggle on through whatever pain and strife my life brings. I know that the path of an uratha is hard and I accept that, whatever challenges Mother Luna brings me, I will not flinch from my duty as I have not flinched from the duties of my life before, the duty to my family.
"I may not be a warrior yet, but I will be and I will be a good one. I will train to be the best I can be and I will not bring shame on the Blood Talons should you let me join. My father was a Blood Talon as was his father and many others in my ancestry. My brother was a soldier, so the blood of warriors flows in my veins.
"Give me a chance and I swear on their blood and mine it will never be regretted." She stopped speaking, still staring at him in challenge, awaiting his response.
He looked over her for a long moment and then smiled warmly, "Well then daughter of Freki, welcome to the Blood Talons."
***June 16, 1995***
As soon as the premonition had left her, Sheena was instantly awake, checking in her mind where the rest of the pack was even as she quietly rose from her bed. She quickly gathered together all she needed for her duties as an Uratha and started to creep out of her bedroom, trying not to disturb the sleeping form of her husband. As she reached the door, Ruraidh stirred from his sleep.
"Sheena?" His voice sounded tired and he sat up, turning towards where she stood, "Going out again?"
Sighing internally, Sheena turned back to him, wishing for the millionth time that she could just explain the truth to him and not have to go through this every time her duty called her away from her family. "I won't be long; I just have something I need to take care of."
"But you won't tell me what it is." It wasn't a question; Ruraidh was getting very used to her recalcitrance when it came to her nightly wanderings.
"I can't, I'm sorry."
There was an answering sigh and then a pause, "Take care." Sheena nodded in response and slipped from the room.
On her way towards the stairs, she popped her head round the door of her daughter’s room, checking that she was tucked up and asleep. She smiled down at the sleeping form, wishing that her duties didn't have to pull her away from Siobhan's side so much, but then, considering all the dangers that would otherwise threaten her, what choice did she have? Her younger siblings seemed to still be sleeping as she headed out of the house and into the night. Silently she prayed that they would all be kept safe, the Pure were getting far too ambitious of late, and it didn't bode at all well.
***May 20, 1996***
Blood trickled down her neck from the swipe of claws that had very nearly been fatal. Sheena was sweating as she faced her foe; the sheer size of his Gauru form compared to her hishu just seemed to make her task seem all the more impossible. The words of her mentor echoed in her mind, "Find a Pure and take him on in single combat, you can use gifts, but no changing forms." Nothing was impossible though and she knew that there was no way he would have set her a task he did not think her capable of completing.
She ducked another blow, using her smaller form to advantage and nipping round to the side, punching him with great force in the side, grateful for the fact that not only could she ignore her own pain, but the force behind her fists was more than a human would manage in the same situation.
Inwardly she was pleased, her opponent would have to change forms soon and had still so far failed to manage to do her enough punishment to force her to the ground. If she could just evade the brunt of his next couple of attacks she possibly had the stamina to survive this.
He swung round, his powerful claws connecting with her upper leg, Sheena winced, for while the wound didn’t hurt, intellectually she was aware of the damage and she could still feel the blood trickling down her leg, even if the wound would not slow her movements. One thing was certain, if she survived this she would be in a lot of pain.
Moving round him she kicked out, her foot connecting hard with his leg and she could hear the crack as a bone gave way slightly. Her opponent grunted in pain, his body shifting down to dalu form, limping slightly as he could not lean weight on that side.
Sheena grinned wickedly, now the odds would shift in her favour. His leg would slow him and make his movements easier to predict while her own wounds hindered her not at all. While he still had some advantages of form and the fight was still by no means over, it gave her a good chance to actually beat him.
In response she stepped up the attack, raining blows at him and sacrificing much of her ability to defend herself as she did so. With her final blow she aimed a kick squarely at the leg she had already fractured and was rewarded when the Pure screamed in agony and dropped to the ground, not unconscious but hardly in much of a state to move.
She bent down and his face turned towards her, regarding her with hatred "Go on then, kill me." He said to her, his expression defiant.
Her hand moved towards him, he didn’t flinch. No death blow came though; instead she ripped from his neck a chain that was hanging there. Standing she turned as though to leave, pausing a moment to speak once "The People do not murder the People." With that she headed proudly back the way she had come, secure in the knowledge this victory would win her a place among the Garmir.
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