The Pearl Fox

Sky Lore

Twenty years had gone by. It was another scented breeze, blowing through the woods on the edge of the valley. There were pale shapes in the night, scattered across the fields and more inside the dense forest. They were old, broken ruins. Collapsed. Fallen. Cracked paving. Shattered statues. It was said they date back over 12 million years. Just within the ruins as if cradling some treasure, unearthed fossils of giant animals, that once roamed Diaphry. Of the prehistoric beasts they were the spiked elephants, woollen crocodiles, gigantic reptiles, and large winged dragons, all now extinct.

"The three maidens dance above, we shall all celebrate. T'was they who filled the sky with flowers. And they who sing of love that makes us glide. The golden mother on her throne of light above, smiles and nurtures her children below. T'was she who filled the sky with milk. And she who sends warmth that makes us grow."

A song from the Astronomikan, sung by priestesses who were gathering wood, mushrooms, flowers and pinecones. They wore long dresses of many individual colours and each colour represented different duties of a priestess. They were young, happy and optimistic. They sat on towels near the ruins and fallen columns covered in moss and brambles. An ancient statue of an eagle was covered by the roots of a tree and growing up into the stone. These were the Vralli Ruins, a relic of Diaphry's lost age. It had been a city once near the Green Snake River. Now it's overgrown with plants and trees, vines, ivy and a home to the wild animals. But the priestesses visit the Vralli Ruins to bless the site. The priestesses ate fruit, cheese and bread. They sipped water from little bottles.

One particular priestess stood against a tree, finishing off eating her apple. Unlike the other girls of the Jasmine Temple, this one had a connection to nature. Her hair was moonblonde, a very pale shade of light blue that shone almost as white as full moons. Her eyes were green and her complexion bronze. The most visible trait of her origins from North Diaphry are her sharp teeth and her glowing nocturnal eyes. The eyes of a predator. Her name was Jade of Applerock, an orphan, raised by her maternal aunt. The city of Applerock wa part of werewolf territory, that was known to everyone in the Jasmine Temple. So the women were extra careful towards her just in case she got angry. That only happened once. Jade once attacked a man while she was a novice at the temple several years ago. The man was wounded with deep bleeding scratches and nasty big bites but he survived. "We accept all people," declared the holy mother of Sky Lore faith. "From humans to monsters that serve our spiritual mission. If anyone has a calling, human, animal, beasts, abominations, then we must never turn our backs on them. Our Prophet protected animals, did he not? Our Virgin Huntress Goddess could turn into a wolf, could she not? Our Creator, the father of all, made us in his visions and dreams. All of us belong to the world and sky. The Sun Mother and the Moon Maidens all gave love to us whoever we are and whatever we are." That was once said by the late Sarrinia Mater of Jasmine. Her words meant dear to the Jasmine priestesses who all loved the matriarch, mother priestess, the mater, for her wisdom, aged beauty and courage. Most of all, Jade felt so much love. She belongs here.   

Aside from the noise of the wind, birds, insects, amphibians, monkeys, and other sounds from the forest, the singing voices of the priestesses lifted the spirits. They sang their harmonic tunes with gentle soprano voices and they each sang individually for different times. The priestesses are Bedrinel, Clara, Karikal, Nuella, Esta, Marinda, Violet, Daisia, Lucy, Sara, Robret, Ella, Tricia, Yopen and Jade. They all sang from the heart, and gave thanks to the gods and forest spirits. Then each priestess gave a blessing and asked for a wish. Often wishes were subtle - a fruit bowl in her chamber, some fresh water for a village, good harvest, rain, healing, good health for someone. Charitable and unselfish wishes. It was Jades' turn, and it was her first outing in the Vralli Ruins and the first time that she openly requested from the higher beings. "I giveth thee a gift," Jade looked up and her vivid sharp green eyes saw the monkeys in the trees. "In exchange that you grant the wishes by your devotees." The others watched Jade open a stopper and pour a bottle of wine onto the grass. It wasn't all she wanted to offer. The rest will be later. When the rite was done, the three moons turned over the tree tops and stars glittered like chinks of diamonds. The priestesses settled within the large rose coloured tent, and went to sleep under knitted blankets.

Only Jade stayed up to fulfil the promise she made. She disrobed, and ran naked between the trees , while the moonlight shone on her hair. Her body dropped down on all fours, and she became a wolf. She caught a monkey and closed her jaws over its neck. Then she returned to the camp of Temple Jasmine priestesses. Everyone was asleep. She listened to the silence as it always happened, whenever she became her second self. Jade became human and held the dead body of the monkey and said: "A sacrifice of blood." There was blood on her face, and blood dripped onto the ground. "A gift for you. Now grant the wishes that your devotees asked for. I am your humble maid." She dropped the monkey and went over to the pitcher of water and poured a little, to wash her face and hands. She put on her dress and went inside the tent, joining the others in sleep. Before morning, creatures would've eaten the monkey and the rite will be completed. Ever since Jade assumed her role as priestess, Temple Jasmine had never experienced live sacrifices and blood offerings before. She gave the higher ones blood. Before Jade, the temple gave offerings of food and wine.

Not all were happy allowing a lycanthrope into the holy temple of Jasmine. Her presence was a concern for some authorities of Sky Lore faith. The new mater, Amela, was afraid.  Temple Jasmine was part of the religion called Sky Lore. It was one of the main religions of Diaphry. Sky Lore was an institutional faith and adheres to the Astronomikan, the book of Sky Lore philosophy. There are twelve Sky Lore temples around Diaphry, and one of those is Jasmine, located in Central Diaphry near the Green Snake River. The temple is a step pyramid made from dyed orange, green and blanch white limestone, and with etchings in phosphorant colours that glow at night. Marble statues of maidens line the walls. The maidens represent the daughters of the Creator who shaped the Blue Star world and its animal realm. Temple Jasmine was almost 12,000 years old, standing proudly against time, often self regenerating and cared for with love by the priesthood and their labours. Priestesses live in their own apartments inside the temple, for the site is residential, and has two canals beneath the ground floor. One canal carries fresh water. Another canal is herbal and full of heavy metals to kill evil spirits and bacteria. Inside the walls were fixtures of resin and platinum to create artificial lights. Priestesses make fresh air circulated inside the rooms of the temple by using wooden fans, jars of oxygen gels and cooling salts. The temple was full of bubbles of cool air, and the scent of peppermint.

The priestesses cared for the sick, and treated animals and humans. Now, ever since Mater Sarrinia took the moonblonde wolf girl under her wing, animals have been found dead. The horrified priestesses appealed to Sarrinias' good nature to protect helpless animals but the elderly mater felt town between aandoning the girl with so much to offer or be merciful and let her remain. A meeting was held in the temple among the senior priestesses when Jade and the others returned from the Vralli Ruins. It was chaired by both maters Amela and Polly-Zia, and others in the meeting included Werand, Cilly, Brenda, and the elderly senior Ombry. They sat on a cedar table, with inscribtions decourated in crystals.

"We must decide what we're going to do with the werewolf priestess," said Amela.

"As our late mater Sarrinia said," responded the elderly Ombry, "We accept Jade as our daughter priestess, whatever she is. Let that be an end to this tiresome debate."