The Crow's Feather, the Wolf's Fang

by **Samantha McManus** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 3:03 pm

"Though you've read me... the best of anyone here," she said, still looking her strange doppelganger over.

by **Narrator** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 3:07 pm

"Makes you think, doesn't it? But maybe you need more time still..."

by **Samantha McManus** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 3:08 pm

"It frightens me, more than a little."

"Then again, you knew that too, didn't you?"

by **Narrator** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 3:12 pm

"Only just. It's hard to lie to yourself in this place but you're doing amazingly well in that regard at least."

by **Samantha McManus** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 3:13 pm

She sighed, looking away.

"...I've had practice."

by **Narrator** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 3:19 pm

"What do you want, Samantha? Why are you really here?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 3:30 pm

"I'd thought it was just to please her... but that's not really it."

"I want to know who I am... what I am."

by **Narrator** » Sat Jul 14, 2012 11:40 pm

"And are you scared of what you might find?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:27 am

"I already live alone..."

"...or I did, at least."

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:31 am

"I didn't ask if others would be afraid. But that's an answer in it's own way, aye?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:32 am

"It just... hasn't brought me anything good, aye?"

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:37 am

"I don't think she'd like to hear that. But that's a whole different thing you're trying hard not to accept..."

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:40 am

"No, it's not fair to her. It's not fair to anyone..."

"But I don't know if it's even something she'd accept. I don't know if I'm what she thinks I am."

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:48 am

"Does it really matter what it's called? You know it's there. That's what she meant, isn't it? It's not really a name you're looking for."

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:51 am

"I know it's there. I can wish as hard as I like that it wasn't but... that doesn't change it a bit."

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:56 am

"You're going to have a hard time finding your way back if you keep wishing that..." she says. And indeed, the path disappeared when it turned into a snake and chasing after the crow has lead Sam only further into the indistinguishable wilderness.

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:59 am

"It didn't do me any good even before I started eating weird berries."

"The voices don't go away. The strangeness doesn't."

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:15 am

"And yet you still make excuses. Still won't admit that you're scared of yourself. Giving me a shape you're familiar with."

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:18 am

"Well you're right. I am scared. I'm not just 'touched' like she says, am I? Not like she is."

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:24 am

"It goes deeper than that." she nods. "Part of you belongs here. Lives here."

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:27 am

"And that's what scares me. That I'm some cuckoo egg that no one knows what to do with, not even me. That if I let myself be this, I'll hurt someone. Again."

...or that I'll hurt her.

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:34 am

"You wish to control what you don't understand and you can't understand what you fear. She brought you here for guidance from the spirits but who guides them?"

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:37 am

"They were all just... reacting to me. Mostly when I drove them away..."

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:44 am

"You kept being wrong and they can't help you. Not the way she thought they could. You're one of them Sam but you fight it so much you even attacked yourself when you came here, tried to shut yourself out."

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:45 am

"...the crows?"

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:48 am

"You really think they follow you? You bring them with you, even if you don't always see them."

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:54 am

"So you're..." She lifts up a lock of hair, leaving the rest unspoken.

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:57 am

"Is it still that hard to believe?" she asks, a couple of crows emerging from her feathery 'hair'.

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 1:59 am

"I mean you're... all of them..."

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:03 am

"Yes and no."

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:08 am

"I don't know how I'm supposed to... accept you. I don't know where to start."

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:17 am

"Maybe with the idea that you have to 'accept' me. I've always been here."

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:21 am

"Aye... no matter how I try to deny you, or separate you from me..."

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:27 am

"...I'm always there. You scared because you can't control me and you never will because you have to..." she trails off, leaving the rest to Sam.

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:31 am

"I have to stop shutting you out, shutting myself away."

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:34 am

"Close enough..." she smiles as she slowly falls apart into crows that slowly take to the air.

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:37 am

"Wait, I've got so many..."

She let out a breath, shaking her head.

Then, finding her nerve she took to the air after them, becoming a crow herself.

by **Narrator** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:41 am

"They'll be answered in time. Don't worry." the crows answer as Sam joins them, sounding pleased. Meanwhile the rest of the 'world' starts falling apart around her as well.

by **Samantha McManus** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:43 am

As things started to fall apart, she tried to feel for the one point of stability she knew...

...Do'noma.

by **Nailah Weaver** » Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:51 am

Who seemed to be reaching out for her as well. She wasn't so much there as there was the feeling of her being there and taking Sam's hand before her eyes would flutter open. She's back in Do'noma's tent, the small fire having died down long ago.

"You have made it?" the shaman smiles at her.

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