Mercy [Not Your Average Coyote] (prairiesongbird) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2019-03-16 18:05:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !complete, !narrative, ~2019 march, ~25 points, ~~mercy thompson (coyotecalled) |
Who: Mercedes Thompson
What: Questing
Where: Forest preserve
When: Thursday night to Monday morning
Warnings: none
Status: completed narrative
Mercy hadn't been ready. She'd gone over details with everyone who was keeping her from freaking out and throwing this wedding to the wind. The day was finally almost here. And only now did she realize it was a full moon. She'd picked it because it was the Spring Solstice. And now she felt stupid. She should have known. But it was too late. She would excuse Anna early and anyone else. She understood.
She'd taken off into the forest Thursday night, she'd reached a camp she'd set up away from her usual spaces. She wanted to connect when her ancestors. Mercedes built a small fire, took out the bowl she had carved, filed it with the herbs and lit it up. The sage smoke wafted over her. She hushed her stomach, she hadn't brought food with her. Fasting helped.
Charles was in her ear. She'd done a vision quest, and this wasn't one, though it held similar purpose. She wanted to get guidance for the Earth, to help her finish preparing for the wedding. She really wasn't loving how nervous she was feeling.
With the scent strong in her nose she put the fire out and started walking. The bonus of the Dome versus Aspen Creek was that she couldn't get lost here. Okay so she couldn't get lost there, either, between her nose and the wolves they'd have found her.
Either way. This was easier. She didn't have to think about survival. She could just let the place do with her as it would. She resisted the urge to shift, it was better to exhaust the human brain. The animal could resist that longer.
And so she'd walk, and fast, for the next few days and nights until she was tired and hungry enough to sit down and just meditate. When she opened her eyes she wasn't in the forest anymore.
And her father was sitting across from her playing with a feather. A long, white, egret feather. He turned it over in his hands as Mercy approached, looking up at his daughter with a sad smile.
“Mercedes Athena. Why didn't they name you with a native spirit name? A Greek goddess. A virgin one at that. Ha! That doesn't suit you at all!” He laughed as he hopped to his feet. Mercy just stared at him, she hadn't been expecting that. But it made sense. He was Coyote and this world was similar enough.
She grinned at him, “but my momma didn't know you well. How was she gonna name me?” She laughed and watched him stalk around her. It was hard to not feel like prey. Even if he was her father.
“You. You should have been Mercedes Apisi Alsoomse. Or she who brings chaos. That's my daughter. The independent coyote, who brings chaos.” He tapped he on the nose, then grinned. “My sisters say you do not fit that name, that I shouldn't name you a male name. But they don't know anything.”
Coyote grinned, “you are my daughter. You bring chaos with you, and may you gift your marriage with chaos. You topple the status quo and that's my girl. I expect nothing less. Perhaps I'll come watch you get married.”
Before she could argue - that would certainly be trouble! - she was back on the ground in the forest. But a handful of egret feathers were clutched in her fingers. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she hugged them to her. She stayed there for a few hours, before heading back to the pack house. She hadn't gotten the guidance she'd gone looking for, but it was very much something she was used to. Coyote never gave straight advice.