FF Crystal Caravan Year 01

The Elder stood in front of the Grand Crystal. The Elder was a Selkie of over ninety years old. He was still a spry old man that enjoyed a morning jog, lunch in the woods behind the village and an afternoon nap. He was the single oldest Selkie in the village.

He was bright eyed and happy as he watched the Caravan rattle through the center of town. Mick pulled on the reigns as they rode up to him. Missy snorted and came to a stop.

"Courageous Caravaners, I trust you have returned successful!" The Elder said, looking up at Mick.

Mick grabbed the Crystal Chalice from behind the seat and stood up, holding it above his head. The entire crowd around him cheered and howled as they saw the Chalice full of Myrrh.

"I am grateful to you Caravaners. Please bring me the Chalice. I shall recite the incantation and use the Myrrh to purify our village's heart." The Village Elder said, pulling open the book under his arm.

Mick jumped down and set the Crystal Chalice at the Elder's feet. The Elder started to recite a spell. The Crystal Chalice started to glow. He stepped to the side of the Chalice and continued to chant.

The Elder finished the chant on a single loud word and he snapped the book shut. Nothing happened at first and then the Chalice's Crystal started to glow and a bright ruby red beam shot from it and connected with the Grand Crystal. The Myrrh started to suck upward into the crystal. The ruby red beam glowed brighter and a visible glow started to spread from the point of contact on the Grand Crystal. It spread outward until it filled the entire Crystal. The last of the Myrrh sucked from the Chalice and the beam fizzled out.

The Grand Crystal's glow gained a sun-like brilliance that was difficult to look at. There was something un-earthly about the Grand Crystal. It was so beautiful and so clear that no one could look away from it. The Crystal's glow moved upward and congregated to a blinding brilliance at the top of the Crystal. It snapped and sparkles flew outward from the point of the Crystal. They floated outward on the wind and disappeared. The Crystal was left sparkling brightly and beautifully clear.

The entire village broke into a cheer at once.

"It is pure!" The Elder cried, holding up his hands.

"So beautiful." Sala whispered, enraptured by the Grand Crystal.

"Sala! Flora!" A voice called out from the crowd.

"Mom!" Flora said, turning quickly.

Their mother Ezra and Momo both shoved through the crowd and came up to them.

"S...Sala? Is...Is that you?" Ezra stuttered, looking at Sala uncertainly.

Sala nodded and stepped over to her mother. Her mom was shorter than her and she had long crimson hair to her backside. She wore a small pair of shorts, a top and a leather apron. She had apparently been gutting fish when the Caravan had showed up. Sala's tail flicked nervously around behind her as she saw her mother's expression.

"You're so...different." Ezra said, looking her daughter over, "Your hair. your eyes. Cat ears...and a tail."

"I'm sorry mom, I don't know what happened. Its just been happening to me over these past two weeks." Sala shrugged, letting her tail flick around her midsection.

"There's no reason to be sorry sweetie, I'm just glad you're safe!" Ezra said, embracing her daughter, "And you too Flora. I'm so glad my daughters are okay."

"Mom, I have something to ask you, is it okay if I go out with Mick?" Flora said quietly.

"Is it okay? It's about damn time. You two have been flopping back and forth for nearly a year now. Yes honey, it's okay." Ezra laughed.

"So, this is what you were asking me about?" Momo said, looking at Sala.

Momo was a sexy Selkie with a large bust and beautiful blue hair that curled about her head. She was always seen barefoot and in a bikini. Even in the cold of winter, she rarely wore more than shorts and a small top. Ezra was crazy about her and they had settled down together quite some time ago.

"Well...Not really this so much as the feeling of battle. Is it common among Selkies?" Sala asked, scratching the back of her head nervously.

"I've heard of it before, but this I haven't heard of. You will have to talk to the Elder if you want any hope of learning about this." Momo said, smiling, "I don't know what it is, but this looks so right. It's almost like Selkies are supposed to look like you. I feel it down in my gut."

"Momo...I love you. I'm so glad your my mother as well." Sala said, suddenly embracing Momo. She was taken aback by Sala's sudden affection, but after a second, she wrapped her arms around Sala.

"I'm happy to be it." Momo smiled, "And I love your tail"

Sala giggled, blushing at the comment. She flicked it around and wrapped it around Momo's hand.

"Don't let me hold you up, go catch up with your friends. We can talk tonight at the feast." Momo said, stepping aside.

*******

The feast was delicious. Platters of meat, fish and fruit covered the long lines of tables. Everyone in the village had picked up their tables and brought them to the center of the village for their feast. Close to two hundred people lined three lines of tables. The Caravaners were given the honor of dining at the head of the first table with The Elder. Ezra, Momo, Peter's father and Mick's mother were sitting close to them as well.

"So, Sala, I talked with Momo today." The Elder said, turning to Sala.

"You did?" Sala looked up suddenly, a raw fish falling from her mouth onto her plate. Her tail stuck up behind her, laid over on her left shoulder.

"Yes child, and I have some answers for you. First of all, no you have nothing to fear, you will not turn into a cat. Although, what is happening to you is something incredible. Something I thought lost with the Selkies of my great-great-grandfather's generation. The Selkie's love for nature and affinity with it is not an accident. Ancient Selkies that lived a few hundred years ago had a special connection with nature: A physical combination with nature. Like you, they were born with animal traits. I suspect you are close to fruition with your change, but it is a very interesting thing." The Elder explained to their quiet group.

"But why? I mean, what has caused this change?" Sala asked, setting her hands down on her lap.

"You feel a certain sexual pleasure in battle do you not?" The Elder asked.

The openness about this particular subject was making Sala blush lightly. She nodded slightly.

"I thought as much. You are part of a special Selkie line. A line of Selkies that have skill in battle beyond comprehension. It was always thought that the secret of the Selkie's animalistic changes lay dormant within these men and women. It was just unknown how to unlock it. It is, of course, different for each person making it exceptionally difficult for any one Selkie to try. It would seem that something that happened over this trip has done the impossible. Something inside you changed and released these ancient changes. I assume that any offspring of yours will have the same animal traits as you do, meaning that you could be the start of a whole new generation of Cat-Selkies." The Elder said, cutting his steak into small bites.

"So you're saying that if I have a child, obviously with another Selkie, my child will be like me?" Sala asked, flicking her tail nervously behind her.

"Yes, that is my conclusion. Of course, there's no certainty because these traits have been lost for centuries. You are truly a wonderful example for our race. I hope it does not end with you." The Elder said, nodding.

"Wild. I would've never suspected that ancient Selkies were actually part animals. I always felt like I belonged in nature, but never actually part of it." Momo said, looking over at Sala.

"No kidding." Sala sighed, taking another bite of her raw fish.

*******

Sala was lying in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She was completely naked, tired from the festivities. Her mind was still buzzing with what The Elder had said though.

She was a product of an ancient and lost Selkie trait and it was possible her children would be as well.

Sala couldn't decide whether it was wonderful or not.

As her mind wandered, she forgot about her thoughts on the future and pulled the blankets up over her shoulders. She rolled onto her side and curled up like a cat, her head on her pillow and her arms curled beneath it. She curled her legs up and wrapped her tail around herself. Something about being balled up was very comforting and she fell asleep quickly.

Her last thought was that she couldn't wait to climb a tree tomorrow.