Just Another Day

As the celebration ended, so symbolically did the youth of four more dams as they were lead to the Cave of Stones. Shanku was the last in the procession, so she could give encouraging smiles to Adhira in front of her. Misen had been quite surprised at Shanku's change of heart, and helped her prepare a clay pot for use at the ceremony. Shanku felt quite silly with the imposter turkey egg, and overall found the whole thing ridiculous. But, it was tradition, and she was on strict orders to learn to follow orders, so she intended to try to make the best of it.

Dancing with a turkey egg in a pot quickly became one of the strangest things Shanku had ever done in her life. While the other three dams were smiling with pride with the honor being bestowed upon them, Shanku's irreverant sense of humour was fueling her own grin, and was a welcome distraction to help her through the ceremony. When it came time for her to toss the pot into the fire, she had to suppress a giggle at the lovely pun of the flames gobbling up the turkey contents before time for the bath.

Undressing at the pond was not as unpleasant as how frightfully cold the pond was at this time of year. Shanku nearly jumped out of the water and into the fire. Thankfully, the bath was more about ritual than cleanliness, and after a cursory swab from an annointed wash cloth, the dams were allowed to dry off and return to the blessedly warm fire. With continued encouragement from Shanku, not once did Adhira make a mistake, such as falling into the flames when required to leap over them.

When that was finished, it was finally time to get dressed again and protect themselves against some of the chill in the air. With the worst of the ceremony over, Shanku relaxed and indulged in the fine feast that had been prepared for the celebrated night. The last thing Shanku saw before they were ushered into the cave was the look of sheer pride on her mother and granddams' faces. One of her last thoughts was that was preferably the final time her relatives ever saw her naked.

Now it was time for the mysterious innards of the Cave of Stones. The first several walls were bare and boring. The central chamber was painted up with several murals detailing many points of adult life, some of which Shanku could have done without seeing. The first month inside the cave involved learning how to create cubs. Shanku couldn't help but wonder how the sworn unpaired high priestess was considered an expert on that subject. Perhaps she drilled her priestesses for information since they were allowed to marry? The true answer was far more concerning to Shanku, as the high priestess explained she had dedicated herself to a life of solitude for the sole purpose of being able to aid couples in distress. The second month revolved around the eggs and cubs. How to keep them warm, turn them frequently, when to crack open the shell for a struggling infant, and many basics of caring for cubs.

The final weeks involved career evaluation, courting, and compatibility with future mates, of which Shanku was nervous about since she still hadn't been accepted into the guard. The priestesses bombarded them with questions and tasks now that the studying had concluded. Shanku's domestic skills were passable, but she was quickly ruled out as being the keeper of a nest. To her surprise, the priestess said she was to work hard on her military career and scolded her roundly for not being stronger than she already was.

"You are a fine set of dams, ready to take the journey," the high priestess nodded when the day finally came for them to be released back into Scissortail society. "You may take a companion whenever you are ready, but it is recommended you wait until after you return before taking a mate. You should find a sire within the next ten years to have a chance to produce the healthiest cubs possible. It is unwise to wait too long."

"What if we're not interested in either a companion or sire?" Shanku asked, to Adhira's disappointment.

"Then you'll be the primary nominee for dangerous missions without any widows or orphans to leave behind," the high priestess said coldly.

"Somebody's gotta do the dirty work," Shanku remarked with a shrug.

The high priestess sighed and turned them away to seek out their families and prepare for their final rite of passage.

"Welcome back!" Nari said heartily as Shanku entered their home. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Not a bit," Shanku laughed. "But at least I'm out in time to go visit the Heyen, eh?"

"I figured you would bolt as soon as you escaped," Nari chuckled. "You're practically an adult now. The only one you answer to is your captain. Be sure and get his permission before you vanish south."

"Naturally," Shanku nodded. "Any takers on this trip?" To Shanku's disappointment, she would be going alone this year after the largest harvest festival. To her relief, her captain did give her permission to leave, and Shanku got a blissful month of solitude and travel after having been cooped up for three months underground. She even welcomed the mists and rains of autumn. After a pleasant visit with old friends, it was time to return home and buckle down on the final bit of studying she could get in before spring arrived. Shanku was the top candidate among the other hopeful cubs wishing to join the guard. There was only one last trial left: the great journey the other cubs whispered excitedly about.