Old Ways Meeting New Ways

[Petra Cavataio]

Oh, how nice Leritor was for Petra and her witches. The ones with her right now we're working with magic to build their stronghold. For Petra, she was relaxing. It was a busy morning with making the main chamber. The massive multi-level kilometers vast space. It was little draining as her magic and powers were still flowing in and out of her and the planet.

The signs were everywhere as the other witches’ spells were no longer green like ichor but purple. The natives, Sauvax, were more peaceful to the witches. Also, some seem pleased and accepting of the idea of a deity over the world. Many Sauvax fought the idea, but the corruption was happening.

The world was feeling more like home each day. Petra had spent thousands of years on Dathomir, and the change was different, but it was needed. There were hundred and one reasons the move had to happen. Biggest was for the Dathomirian; they were completely free on this world to continue their ways without force haters. All of this brought a smile to her face.

Getting up, a walk was needed now. The small herd of Rancors where coming closer to the stronghold. It was always nice to be with them. They were all descendants of Petra last familiar, the herd mother of the Morte Clan Rancors. Since her return, she had not taken a familiar. Her bond with the previous was so long that the lost still felt fresh to her. This could be why she moved these rancors first and took extra care of them all.

[member=Katrine Van-Derveld]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

She knew. One didn't grow up on Dathomir and not know. The stories, the legends, the history. Katrine Van-Derveld knew who had chosen their domain on the Leritor the moment the spirits had alerted her to the presence of an ancient Witch whose ichor turned purple. The power was undeniable. Mandragora watched of Ryloth before other worlds but all of the CIS space was under its protection. And when a Witch made a home on one of its planets than it was the Nightmother's duty to approach said, Witch.

That was the purpose of her journey to Leritor. She had remembered her last visit there, the Seven Seas resort had only just been opened and Katrine had met the Rylothian Viceroy of the new age. It had been a visit with a purpose as this one should be.

Nocte Aranea docked at the spaceport before she would find one of the local's drivers and request she be taken to see the Viceroy of the planet. Now, Katrine knew the stories and from those stories, she knew she was facing a Witch with her own cult. She also knew the same woman had her own clan. Morte Clan. And that Nona had once charged her and Kat's Aunt Kytarra to represent Dathomir. However, none of her history lessons included Leritor so Katrine couldn't tell if this was new history in the making as many things were or if it wasn't something that was mentioned to Dathomirians in the time she was growing up. Or perhaps the Singing Mountain Clan elders knew none of this to be able to speak of it.

Either way, the driver would take the Nightmother where she needed to go.

[member="Petra Cavataio"]​

 

[Petra Cavataio]

The driver was getting the request to go to the Viceroy offices. He drove the Nightmother to the offices that were known for the Viceroy. There was life in the building. People were working to keep the CIS informed about activities. However, their Viceroy that they were told about appeared once and had not been back. They all sort of knew where she could be at. There was talk of ships and massive beasts appearing in the mountains.

Back with Petra, she was enjoying time with her babies. The full grow rancors that came to meet her as she was doing the same. Making sure each one got a greeting; the witch talked to the ones that were chattier than the others. They all were asked about the world and how the hunts were going. Many desired to eat the Sauvax near the mountains. Of course, Petra had to remind them of the rules. She did not deny it would be fun to watch; however, she did the sort of right thing with say they would all get a special meal.

Of course, the new energy was not ignored when it arrived. Petra was more focus on her rancors over that feeling. Still, curiosity was there. It just needed to wait for the time. Making it into a game would be fun; yet, she had no clue who it was. Slipping through the force, the path was straight and easy to follow. The witch she saw was unknown. A cute stranger but really never seen before. So spoke to her. “And you are?”

[member=Katrine Van-Derveld]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Inside the Viceroy building, the explanation had been brief and slightly confusing. The Viceroy was there but not in the building. They weren't allowed to go where they thought she was but there were ships and massive creatures. Katrine hadn't followed what she was being told.

She was a little nervous if she was going, to be honest with her. Nona always told her stories of the past. She knew bits and pieces, enough to know Petra Cavataio was someone powerful. Someone of power. Katrine didn't know all the connections though, especially not the connections that in fact connected the Hawks and Cavataio, or even the connection between [member="Petra Cavataio"] and her Uncle Isley. She just didn't know.

Workings of the Force didn't go unmissed by the Nightmother as she waited with unknowing clerks. The spirits stood in attention to the presence as well. Katrine had felt the Witch arrive as she did, the question forming soon enough. Who was she? "Katrine Van-Derveld Hawk," she responded. Normally, Katrine didn't bring up the name she was born to have. Most of the time siblings just went by their Father's name. They were Lupines as he was. Yet, Van-Derveld Hawk was who Kat was. "Your presence here on Leritor has stirred the attention of the Mandragora spirits, Elder Petra, so I've come to meet you,." Katrine didn't expect a woman like Petra Cavataio to know who she was. She might have recognized the name Hawk from previous dealings with the Singing Mountain Clan, she didn't know. But Kat wasn't here on behalf of the Hawks or the Singing Mountain Clan. She was here on behalf of the Mandragora and the spirits.

[member="Petra Cavataio"]​

 

[Petra Cavataio]

There was so much in those twenty-five words that made Petra chuckle where she was really at. The biggest thing that amused the crazy deity was the bit about getting the attention of the Mandragora spirits. In her entire life, spirits were only viewed to be temporary batteries to boost oneself in the force. Listening and apparently coming on the whim of spirits was so funny to Petra. All spirits she ever came across were consumed and destroyed so they could never return. She might have a field day with these beings. Unless they were chickens and stayed away.

Another piece that followed behind spirits, the child’s name, and more exact the name of Hawk. All the years she lived on Dathomir. The millenniums there and countless people she crossed, some families were said, and everyone knew their clan. Also knew a lot about the type of person they could be just on a family name. This one to Petra was noted over others a little more because of her attempts of taking Dathomir entirely for herself centuries ago. The Singing Mountain Clan were one of the last to fall under her influence, so her cult to rule over the world. The Hawks were a little headstrong during that period of time. However, how she saw the witches now. Petra missed the old days when it was more amusing.

We could sit and pick at each word like Van-Derveld because there was one that Petra cross path once or twice, but the man was very amusing to her. Then Elder, a title that Petra have not heard in ages. There were so many other titles she was called these days on top of the ones from the past. In addition, Kat coming out to meet her on Leritor while that made Petra now looking for this little one to come out and visit. The question was how to get Kat out to her stronghold. There many styles to go with but an idea did form that was more like home.

Petra happily said, “Well, child… enjoy some shopping and relaxing for right now.” That was Petra assuming that was what kids these days. She was old and had no young children anymore. Continuing on, “Then close to dusk, outside of the city will be a rancor waiting for you to ride or walk with… He’ll bring you to me.”

With that said, Petra’s presences disappeared. She was told what she wanted to know and said what she wanted to say. Looking at one of her babies that was among the largest, it was the one being sent out to pick up her guest. The others were told to keep an eye out but not to worry. Then Petra was going to continue to work. There was still a lot to the stronghold.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]​

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

After her introduction, Katrine was surprised to hear the response. Enjoy some shopping and relaxing? She was here to meet an Elder Witch, not indulge in something she could do any other time. She hadn't really had much drive for shopping anyway, with how hectic her life had gotten, in just a few short weeks. Before she had spoken though, the Elder had gone to say that she would send a rancor close to dusk which would lead her to the woman.

She nodded, deciding an argument over it wasn't a good idea. Then the woman disappeared from her eyes, her presence vanishing shortly thereafter.

Katrine was left to her own devices, something she didn't particularly like and returned to her ship where she spent rest of the day. Despite what the older Witch had said, Katrine wasn't feeling much desire to shop at all. She'd changed from her dress and returned to reading books she had about the Lupines. She was nearly finished with the ones she had, feeling it as a sign for her to go home soon, leaving her study only when she had needed food then returning to keep reading. Time drew closer and Katrine dressed again, leaving her ship on her own speeder now that she knew where she was headed, leaving it outside the building she had been left before but staying outside. A rancor would be coming for her soon.

Her writer was a little weary because she knew a lot more than she did about the woman she was meeting but Katrine, Katrine told her to toughen up. She was the future Lady of Figaro Favoura VII, she was the Nightmother of Mandragora, daughter of Curupira and Ket. She had beaten her own curse, she was the desecrator of bones. There was no fear.

[member="Petra Cavataio"]​

 

[Petra Cavataio]

With the rancor sent, Petra want back to work with the others she had brought over from Dathomir. This new stronghold would be better than the old Morte Clan’s stronghold. It had to be since more Dathomirians and rancors were coming. The Mandalorians might be fine with Witches now, but in the past, they were not. That fact could mean they could flip and start oppressing her people. This was not the first decision but currently only one that would the Dathomirians safer.

While the rancor marched on through the afternoon, purple ichor was manipulating the rock face. Pushing and pulling the atoms of the stone, it was being reshape to rough and crude shapes that they would carved down and put in details. Petra was one of the witches manipulating the rock. It was to make their stronghold entrance on this side of the mountain look more like a temple entrance way.

As the sun was starting to go down, the herd brought their catches in for the witches to cook up. They always brought enough for the hard and witches in the temporary housing. Food was being worked on, Petra hung out with her rancors.

Meanwhile the rancor sent arrived and looked around a little, but he sat down to wait. Little wild Yorshis came up barking and sniffing him. He just simply lifted a claw up a little bit. The dogs loved it. They were stretching themselves all over it. He started to make soft growls and noises like he was talking to them. There was little complaining that he was waiting. Then it hit him, this was an outsider and he would have to look for some witch.

Getting up, he went further in to the town. They normally were told to stay back. Maybe the Yorshis with him would help make him less threatening. He walked up to Kat since he thought ’Hey there is someone just standing around outside and not doing anything like other humans did around here. He did make a roar to greet the outsider.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

At the building, the rancor awaited already when she stepped off her speeder. Katrine approached it slowly, clearing her mind as she smiled at it. "Hi," the blonde greeted. Rancors reminded her of her home. Rylothi rancors were different, glowing in the dark. This one was definitely one like the ones she'd grown up around. Curupira's method of parenting with rancors was the same as everything else. She brought her then three-year-old among the Singing Mountain herd, put her in the middle of all the rancors and just told her to make friends before leaving there. Katrine was either going to become a meal or make friends.

She made friends.

This one was unfamiliar though that Katrine approached him slowly. "I'm Katrine," she introduced herself, not immediately noticing the little things around him before they began to bark at her. "Oh, hello. Looks like you brought some tiny friends," Kat told the rancor as she continued to approach, coming to stand in front of him. The rancor made the rest of the way and sniffed her. She probably didn't quite have the scent of a regular Witch, since she wasn't human at all. But the wolf was familiar with the magnificent beasts that she was completely calm. "I won't hurt you. I promise." Katrine said and waited until the rancor inspected her. "Can I ride on your back?" She asked after a moment. There were no powers or spells used. The Witch knew better than to manipulate a rancor. No, if he allowed her, it would be because she had earned enough of his trust.

After a moment, he lowered his massive body, making Katrine smile. "Pila’maya," she only said before she slowly mounted the beast, holding on to him lightly but enough not to fall back when he stood on all four. The small creatures continued to bark around them, moving around its feet but once the rancor moved, all of them skillfully avoided his massive paws, running around him as they walked back to their destination.

[member="Petra Cavataio"]

 

[Petra Cavataio]

Being as old as Petra, one could see, experience, or get first hand all sorts adventures. It was one reason why Petra made everything into games. Normal was so boring and could drive a person mad with each year ticked away. If the Nightmother, yes Petra knew because her good little La’Ca doing her job. If Kat wanted to come out to meet her, then a game had to be played. A speeder could have been sent out to get Kat and bring her to Petra faster than a rancor. It already took most of the day to get to the city. Now it had to walk to the stronghold.

Night was falling, the Yorshis left the rancor to go to their den for sleep. The rancor marched on. Petra was enjoying drinks and stories with her witches. Their dinner was great. Her rancor kids were such go hunters. Since her arrival on Leritor as Viceroy, she made sure hunting of any sort was outlawed. She did not want her rancors hunted nor them running out of food. That was why her witches never hunted. Animals hunting and eating were part of the circle of life, and it was one that could not be interrupted with sentient being laws.

At midnight, Petra went to bed. She wanted to rest before her guest arrived. Still, the rancor continued on walking to the stronghold. This went on for the night. Although when he knew was getting closer, he did slow down for dawn to come. So as the sun’s first light came up, it hit the stronghold’s almost finished entrance way, and the temporary settlement. The rancor roar as it approached. Petra had gotten up a little before the sun began to rise. Stretching in her normal outfit of jewelry and that was it, she went to greet her guest. Chipper and happy, Petra spoke. “Good morning, Katrine… I hope the travel was without any incidents. Feeling hungry, sweetie?”

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]