'Like Mother, Like Daughter'

It had been some many years since the Kh'raal had been exiled and Myisha was growing into a very bright young girl who was the spitting image of her mother. As she grew more and more of Tolya could be seen in her, from her raven black hair to the same striking eyes. She was her mother through and through. However it appeared she was only her mother in looks because she was very much her father in personality.

This day was an exciting day though as having been chosen today was the day she would be introduced to the mothers on the sands with the other chosen. Today was the day when they would see if they were suitable enough to be given an egg.

Even then though there was still a chance that the hatching within the egg would not find them suitable when the time for hatching came. That however was not something to think on just yet, first one had to actually be given an egg before one could worry about whether that egg would imprint to them. Today her father was also watching, there was a look in his eyes that said he was very proud of her. She knew then and there that no matter the outcome her father would be very proud of her.

Turning her attention back towards the mothers she followed the others in an orderly fashion, they would be greeted by Gold Lyaria first. She was one of the daughters born during the Great War on the now unused hatching ground once used at Hinaea Eyrie. Would it be in her fate that she would find her partner here from Lyaria’s small clutch? She waited; with baited breath as for the five eggs she had lain she chose five chosen from their large group.

There were always more chosen than there were eggs and even then sometimes a mother would choose to give an egg to someone who wasn’t a chosen, or the egg given to a chosen would imprint to someone else. Getting an egg was just the first step, it didn’t however guarantee that one was an Is’kyr rider. She let out a large breath from her lungs when Lyaria had passed her over. Obviously it was not to be for her from this clutch.

Looking back she watched as all the others walked from the sands with their eggs in their arms, guided by one of the other riders who would later help teach the young ones everything they needed to know. Next for them was Vyskia; she didn’t know Vyskia terribly well though as much as she knew was that her rider and her mother had once been very good friends and grown up together. What happened between them she didn’t know, but she did know that her mother never had the chance to speak to Vyskia’s rider one last time before she died.

Once again however she was passed over, Vyskia didn’t want her either apparently. Despite knowing how proud her father was for coming this far she still couldn’t help but feel a little put out and depressed because not only had she been passed over once but twice now, once by a Is’kyr whom her mother knew so well once upon a time. There was one last chance for her, at least for this time however.

In this group there were not that many left, some had already chosen to leave after being passed over twice by the other mothers some, however chose to stay just that little longer to see if their luck also held with the last mother. Without even realising it Myisha’s head had dropped and she wasn’t feeling particularly confident. Though she hadn’t really looked around to see that all that was left of the group was the exact same as the number of eggs left on the sands.

Following the others to the last mother she didn’t even look up to see that it was Zyliria herself, the one Is’kyr besides her mother’s Escaia whom she knew so well, had grown up around and in fact after her mother’s death spent a fair amount of time with her mother’s best friend Hinaea, who was Zyliria’s rider and her children.

One by one Zyliria accepted each of those remaining, if anything everyone knew Zyliria had no preference for her children and gave everyone an equal chance regardless of what the other mothers may have said about the particular chosen they had rejected. She was kind and fair and never ever seemed to let any rumours about anyone dictate how she chose someone. Eventually there was just one egg left and Hinaea went to move towards Myisha. However a hand on each of her shoulders stopped her, looking to either side of her she found both Bercik and Zephyr stopping her.

Hinaea had come to view Myisha as one of her own after Tolya’s death and now seeing her in such a position all she wanted to do was rush forwards and tell her that everything would be okay and that they were still proud of her. Zephyr and Bercik knew she needed to experience it all herself and soon enough Hinaea came to realise it too, no matter how much she had wanted to run for her.

She hadn’t been this worried with her other children, both of whom had been chosen before they had reached Zyliria. They were her children though, they still had both her and Bercik. In some way Myisha was deprived of this, her mother would never be here to see her find a partner. Watch her grow old, give her siblings, or even live to see grandchildren if Myisha ever had any. Hinaea in some ways felt responsible as if she had to be the one to look after her now that Tolya was gone.

Looking towards her father, who stood with Hinaea and Bercik; Myisha suddenly felt as if not finding a partner today would mean she had failed in their eyes. Regardless of the truth of that statement it was how she felt.

‘Do not worry my child, you are far too much like your mother to ever fail anyone. Come here my child.’

The soothing voice that suddenly entered made Myisha finally look up and towards the mother of this last clutch. It was Zyliria and suddenly she didn’t feel quite as fearful or upset anymore. Moving closer to where the copper lay she found herself sitting on one of Zyliria’s forearms that lay across the sands. Leaning into the copper, the one she had always been able to bring secrets to no matter what. That comforting presence that made her feel safe and warm, who told her stories of her mother, of her bravery. Myisha looked up once again at the copper.

“I’m just so afraid I’ll fail them. I don’t want to let them down, especially mum. I know dad will say how proud he is of me and how much like mum I am. I just feel like I’m letting her down you know, after all she did for us if I can’t get this one thing right. I just feel like I’d be letting her down then.”

Myisha voiced her fears towards Zyliria who gently dropped her head to nuzzle the young girl comfortingly well those were always perfectly normal fears of course although Zyliria knew Myisha didn’t quite think of them like that.

‘Sweet child, your mother would be proud of you no matter what. Each in their own time she’d always say and if you didn’t get it the first time she would still be just as proud as if you did. Myisha so long as you just try and give it your very best, no one cannot be proud of you or whatever you do or do not achieve.”

Zyliria’s words were of wisdom and great insight, though she had not mentioned yet about the last egg waiting. No she would wait on that one some more before she did, she wanted Myisha to believe in herself, that no matter the outcome everything would just be fine. Myisha however sighed, Zyliria was right she supposed; after all she had heard of her mother and how often she was compared to her she guessed she should have more faith. Everyone had always been so supportive of her no matter the choices she made and no one had ever said they weren’t proud of her.

“I guess you’re right. Well I guess I better go tell them I gave it my best.” Myisha in her lack of attention earlier had missed that there was one egg left and believed that instead Zyliria’s words were also words of comfort as well for not making it. Pushing herself off from Zyliria’s paws she decided she would go to her father and well she didn’t know what she would say when she got there but she started walking towards them when a voice suddenly stopped her.

‘And where are you going missy. I still have something yet for you.’

Turning around Myisha was stunned as suddenly there was Zyliria standing there besides her holding out an egg to her in her paw. It was the very last egg of her clutch, slightly smaller than the others but still an egg from her clutch. Myisha was stunned and for a moment didn’t move until finally her joy broke through and with a squeal she gathered the egg up in her arms and held it close, whispering thank you over and over again to Zyliria for it.

‘No need to thank me child, this one has been waiting a long time for you... Like mother like daughter.’

Myisha was puzzled by the last bit of Zyliria’s words which to her sounded oddly cryptic as if the copper knew something already that she did not. She gave the copper a questioning look but all she got back was a cryptic look which she thought was odd, instead however she brushed it off and with another squeal she near ran to her father were it not that was for everyone’s warning to be careful with her precious cargo.

It was a little over a month that passed before the eggs all decided to hatch, some hatched a little early and others right on time. There were a few however that were a tad late and Myisha’s was one of them. It was late in the evening and Myisha was sitting on her chair backwards, both her arms were resting on the back rest of the chair as she watched her egg for any sign of movements. She was beginning to doze off however and her eyes were dropping shut when there was a little peep.

At first she thought it was nothing and despite her brief moment of awareness she found herself drifting off again. This time she managed to sustain some sleep before finally a chirping noise awoke her and she found herself roused from her sleep.

She was greeted with the blurry image of a grey fuzz ball, but no that couldn’t be right her egg was still showing no signs of hatching when she dozed off. Rubbing her eyes for a moment she blinked a couple of times before looking down again. No the grey fluff ball was still there apparently, she was stunned and there was several long moments of staring at the grey fluff ball before it all sunk in. Her egg had hatched, oh how had she missed that and then and there she was cursing herself for not paying better attention to her egg. Nothing could be done about it now though and she found herself sighing, leaning down she reached out a hand to the little one.

“Hey there little one, I’m sorry I missed your hatching. I hope you aren’t mad with me.”

The grey fluff ball looked at her for several long moments before chirping a few times as if conversing with her before finally rubbing its head up against her hand. Myisha was stunned at the softness of the little ones fur and softly continued to pat her gently. Eventually she leant down to pick her up into her arms and felt this overwhelming feeling come over her as the little one nuzzled into her chest.

‘Shiaria is hungry.. feed Shiaria’

The voice was like nothing she had ever heard before and struck up an old memory, one that reminded her of being a little girl and of a blurry woman with long black hair standing above her singing her lullabies as she drifted off to sleep. It was enough to bring the tears to her eyes and eventually well over into tears that streamed down her face without stopping. Burying her face into the grey fur of Shiaria, Myisha stayed there for several long moments before she finally was able to stop crying.

“I’m sorry Shiaria... I should feed you.”

Myisha apologised to her new partner softly, for the moment it still had not sunk in yet that she was now an Is’kyr rider, though of what colour. That was to yet to be seen. Wandering down the halls trying to find somewhere she could get food for Shiaria, Myisha suddenly found herself surprised by her father, Hinaea and Bercik. They were waiting in the common room for her with a large bottle of mixed fruit just for Shiaria.

“Congratulations sweetheart.” It was her father to give the first congratulations walking over to pull both her and Shiaria into his arms in a warm hug. He couldn’t have been prouder as a father, well it didn’t matter that she had imprinted, she had now but even if she hadn’t he still would of been proud. That much he was adamant about.

It was soon followed by a big hug and much congratulation from Hinaea and then an awkward but kind hug from Bercik. Sitting down in the common area with them she was passed the bottle by Hinaea, it was of her own special mix. Ever since she had imprinted to Zyliria she had quite the talent for blending baby food for the little Is’kyr and had since added the recipes into the handbook which was now widely available to all the new Is’kyr riders and their teachers to help them through their journey.

“It’s odd isn’t it... the feeling.”

At first Myisha didn’t know what Hinaea was getting at when she asked the question, then she realised that she meant about the first contact, the overwhelming bond that they felt. Well it was odd, she had never felt anything like that before ever in her life. It was also nice though, because it was suddenly as if she was complete in every way now, that void of her mother and everything felt as if it had just been filled up by the miracle that lay in her arms. Was this what her mother had felt like when she had held Escaia in her arms and later on in life Myisha herself. It was a vague memory but she could never forget her mother always telling her how much she loved her and how having her was just as good as having Escaia in her life and how she couldn’t live without either of them.

“I guess it is... What did I feel like for you?”

“Well for me, it was so overwhelming I cried my eyes out. Bercik found me and well there he was with his own little one in his arms.” It was Hinaea who offered that insight first, a look coming over her face that amazed Myisha. It was almost as if in some ways Hinaea was reliving that feeling of the first meeting she had with her Zyliria.

“It was overwhelming, mostly it felt as though everything was just right. Like all the pieces to the puzzle had finally just come together, not a piece missing.” Bercik offered his own simple insight as they sat in the common room near the fire that kept the room warm during the cold desert nights.

“I remember the day you were born. The look on your mothers face was the same as when she met Escaia. She turned to me then and there and said, ‘It’s as if my life is complete all over again, like I had a missing puzzle piece but with Escaia I just never noticed it, but now. Now I feel as if it’s truly complete...’ I felt the same and now seeing you with Shiaria it feels complete all over again.”

Her father spoke last, speaking about her mother still choked him up and he still found it hard to talk about her but he knew it had to be shared. He wanted her to know how much her mother loved her and just how proud she was of her little girl. It was Shiaria’s voice that struck him the most, gosh she sounded just like Tolya. Myisha did to an extent and sometimes it was only when she came out saying something that she sounded exactly like her at times.

“How do you know her name?” Myisha was a tad confused there; she knew sometimes it took days for the Is’kyr to willing give its name but to talk to others so soon. That was something she had not heard of happening before. Somehow her father did not look shocked at all, nor did Hinaea or Bercik. They were acting like it was completely normal and that it had happened many times before this.

“Well sweetheart, she called us while you were sleeping. She was hungry and didn’t know when you were going to wake up, so we thought we might bring something down for you to save you the trouble.”

Hinaea answered that question from Myisha, by the gist of it Myisha rationalised that it had happened before, and not just once before. She somehow now wasn’t surprised as she had much trouble staying awake for long periods of time when they days of hatching began to draw near. Often enough she found herself falling asleep on the chair she and sat near the manger that was full of sands she had changed more times than she cared to remember over the course of that month.

At least now she never had to worry about changing the sands ever again but now she suddenly for saw a whole lot of new things that she would have to do beyond just feeding and basic care.

“Gosh she sounds like your mother though.” It was her father that added that comment, which only confirmed the memory she had was exactly what she had felt it to be. Shiaria sounded just like her mother, more so than she ever did. The confirming nods from the others as they all agreed with Zephyr’s remark. Well she supposed that was quite comforting, almost as if her mother had done that so she knew that she’d always be there, and never leave her.

It was another long six months to Myisha before finally Shiaria could learn to hunt for herself. The teething phase she had gone through had driven Myisha to near distraction and had caused her to replace her own bed twice after a leg or two was chewed through by the rampant teether.  Today though she had just come back from first hunting trip and absolutely filthy she was, so much so Myisha immediately sent her up to the oasis where Myisha herself would join her soon as she picked up the cleaning gear she needed.

Shiaria had always been an odd shade of grey, she always had dark what looked to be sooty boots and then her fur itself was like a mixture of all different kinds of grey one could never quite work that one out, as to what shade of grey she was. Finally after Shiaria got herself well and truly wet did Myisha finally make it up to the Oasis to wash her.

Pulling out the mixture that was like a thick shampoo she proceeded to rub it into Shiaria’s fur. It took some time before she finally got through it all but eventually she finished and sent Shiaria off to wash off the shampoo she had put in her fur. Eventually she came back out again having washed it all off of her fur. Reaching over to pull the brush from her bag Myisha began to brush the long fur of her partner.

What she wasn’t expecting was the massive wads of fluffy grey down to come out as she brushed her, well it was to be expected since they were already meant to be gaining their true colours, it appeared that once again it was something that Shiaria was going to be last at. Brushing her fur some more Myisha found more and more great big clumps were coming out. In stunned awe she just kept brushing and finally some time later she was finished and bundling all the fur into the bag that she had brought up with her she was left to stand there and look in awe at her partner. There in large patches all over her body were long iridescent white patches of fur.

She was a white, just like her mother’s Escaia was a white; the first white born since her mother’s Escaia died. Suddenly she flashed back to the day she had been given the egg by Zyliria, the cryptic message she had given her. Now of course it all made perfect sense to her, what she had meant.

Everything was coming full circle to her and as she marvelled at her partner and her stunning coat which was slowly but surely coming through. Suddenly she felt as if everything was okay and just right, just as it was. Even that in some way her mother was still there with her, something that to her meant a lot.