Witch Way? (Satara)

[Valiens Nantaris]

Dathomir was a place of mystery and wonder, a primeval and dangerous place even after so many years exposed to the currents of the galaxy as a whole.

As the freighter touched down one of the last passengers to emerge was Tamara. Her dark hair was pulled back and she wore a conservative outfit with an equipment belt and a small bag over her shoulder. She stepped down onto the landing pad and looked around at the small settlement and the distant jungles and mountains beyond.

As if searching for inspiration Tamara held out her hand and called a pebble to her hand with the Force before tossing it down again and heading towards the settlement.
She didn't have a plan for what she'd do. She rarely did...things tended to just happen!

@[member="Satara Hawk"]

 

[Satara Hawk]

The forests whispered, the watchers had spread the word. A ship had arrived. The Witches were never quite used to foreigners in their world. Some were more welcoming than others. As soon as word had reached Satara Hawk, the clan mother called to her rancor Nadie and rose to her back. The large creature ran through the forest, stopping only once she had had the ship in sights.

The female didn't leave her rancor's side though, watching the black haired female quietly for a second before Nadie slowly walked closer to the stranger and stopped her on her way to the Singing Mountain. "Welcome, tokeca wiya."

(tokeca wiya - strange woman)

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Tamara of course knew about rancors, but to have one suddenly there in front of her. It was something of a surprise, even if she had possibly been here before. And then there was the witch. For a moment Tamara gazed at her, and then smiled.
"Strange indeed, my dear. I am Tamara, and I am here to...well I'm not quite sure. It's been a while since I've been to Dathomir. A pleasure to meet you," she added to @[member="Satara Hawk"] politely.

She looked around at the wild scenery. Dathomir was definitely an interesting place.

 

[Satara Hawk]

It didn't escape the witch that the woman had understood her Paecean. Most foreigners didn't. Which of coursed opened plenty of questions. It had not been a while since since the woman had been to Dathomir? How curious.

Gently, Satara petted her rancor and Nadie understood what it mean, lowering herself into a lying position, letting the Clan Mother get off her. As soon as the creature knew the Witch was off her, she returned to former position, on all for and stood close to the Clan Mother.

"I'm Satara, Clan Mother of the Singing Mountain," the female pointed out, her palm resting at Nadie's side. "You have been here before? When was was this? And who taught you our language?" Most outsiders didn't border learning their language and most Witches frowned on outsiders knowing. It was their language. And like most things, they preferred to keep it to themselves.

So, who was this woman? What was her story?

@[member="Tamara"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Satara Hawk"]

Tamara gave a vague wave of the hand as if encompassing the whole wide plains. “Satara? I have heard of you. Your fame as Clan Mother has proceeded you,” she said with a liberal dose of flattery.

“Oh, I picked it up as I went along. It’s been quite a while now,” Tamara added evasively. If there was one thing which defined Tamara it was evasiveness and deception on any topic related to herself or her origins.

“This is a most magnificent rancor,” she added, changing the subject. She didn’t try and pet Nadie because, well, those big sharp teeth probably liked a nice hand now and then. “Is she yours?”

 

[Satara Hawk]

Heard of her? Satara blinked a bit rapidly but that was as much of a reaction she gave to that piece of information. Over time Satara had learned that flattery worked only in small doses and taken in by caution from strangers.

She did however find the next thing curious. Tamara had picked up Paecean as she went along. "That's not quite common." Most didn't pick it up along. That sort of thing just didn't happened. "You must have been taught by someone..."

The topic turned to Nadie. She glanced at her for a moment and the large rancor turned her large head at her, roaring gently. "She is mine as much as I am hers. She is the mother of our herd. I raised her from infancy. We're family more than anything else." It was an elaborate answer. Satara did leave a lot of details though there was no harm in telling the woman this.

@[member="Tamara"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Satara Hawk"]

“The bond is very strong between an Allyan and her mount. Symbiotic even,” Tamara agreed. She wasn’t sure if the witch knew what that meant, but she liked the words so…hey.

“As you’ve said yourself, Clan Mother, I’m not quite normal myself,” Tamara said with a little chuckle.

“I would very much like to see more of Dathomir. Quite a coincidence, I’d like to return to see the Singing Mountain, so it’s good I met you, yes Clan Mother?” Tamara said innocently. It was as if she had accidentally landed just near the location she wished to go to. What a coincidence….

 

[Satara Hawk]

The Witch nodded to the symbiotic relationship. The word could apply, yes. Tamara clearly knew about the ways of the Witches.

She joined in on the chuckle with the female as she made the remark about normal. It was a silly little notion. "Definition of normal vary from person to person. It's quite subjective as most things in life," Satara pointed out, adding to the conversation. Her great granddaughter would say normal was boring and would have nothing to do with it. Satara herself found a sense of peace in those quiet little normal moments. She liked them.

See more of Dathomir, or specifically the Singing Mountain. Satara smiled though she reached into the Force, reaching for her Sense, reading the person's alignment. All she read though was the neutrality. Neither good nor evil. The woman could have been hiding it, of course. However, nothing what Satara felt told her that the woman could be capable of it. She didn't feel so high in the Force either. "You aren't aligned to either side?" She asked then, curiously. It was not unheard of. Satara herself, while good, sometimes did lean more towards neutrality though not as much. It was something based on how her life had been going. She still had to have this out of the way before showing the woman anything. A tour of the territory was not out of the question but such things needed to be asked first.

@[member="Tamara"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Satara Hawk"]
Tamara raised an eyebrow, perhaps sensing the alignment detection, or merely perceiving the question Satara had asked.
"Side? I'm not altogether on any side because no one is altogether on my side," she said, deliberately misinterpreting the Witch's words to mean political rather than moral side. "I am not a Jedi, I am certainly not a Sith or a Templar, a Shadow Knight or an Imperial Knight, I am not a Disciple of Twilight or a Sorcerer of Tund. I am...Tamara." She paused, tapping her lip with her finger, eyeing the Elder Witch. "Sides, as you say, are rather subjective. Right and wrong, good and bad, vary greatly between people on a planet, let alone a galaxy. There are of course levels most of us can agree on...but not all."

"Do you still have Nightsisters lurking in the depths of the jungle? A bad lot mostly, I think you'd agree," she added with a smile.

 

[Satara Hawk]

No one was altogether on her side. "Such a pity, it's good to sometimes have someone on our side," Satara went off on what Tamara had mentioned. Her words rang true, allies were important if it had nothing to do with which side someone was on. But then the woman started listing all possible sides she was not part of. My, there were so many of them. That was the galaxy, always with so many options and paths to choose from.

Perhaps Tamara was true though. Sides were rather subjective. Satara chose many years ago to remain good despite her little... accident. And then Allya rewarded her for her decision by giving her someone pure of heart. So yes, Satara could believe such a thing. Though such things were not discussed with strangers. Satara merely nodded in a silent agreement to what the woman was saying. "I can see that point of view," in the end she said.

Next, the subject turned to Nightsisters. Were they still lurking the depths of the jungle? "Since they're first existence, the Nightsisters have not stopped their lurking. At this point, it's hardly possible to think they could perish, much like Allyan Witches. We're all in a sort of symbiotic bond to Dathomir. It has become theirs as much as it is ours." After so many years, Satara was really starting to see that to be true. Once, she had thought them to be nothing more but parasites that need eradicated but that was a long time ago. "And yes, they're still a bad lot. Very bad lots. Darkness to our light. Creatures balance, if you will."

She smiled at the end of that. Satara was in favor of balance more than anything else. It was good, it made sense. Balance was important to nature so why wouldn't it be important to them as well?

"You have had dealings with them, I assume?" She asked.

@[member="Tamara"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

Tamara, as was her habit, offered an airy wave which might indicate anything. "Once or twice. They are not the most...understanding of people. However, like some people consider the Sith and Jedi, they continue to exist in a relationship with you and with this world. One suspects that Dathomir will never be free of them, just as the galaxy is never free of the Sith. They are the manifestation of your darker sides, just as the Sith are the dark mirrors of the Jedi Order."
Tamara seemed to consider something, then looked at Satara. "Would you, Clan Mother, ever consider an option which destroyed the Nightsisters forever...but at the cost of having to leave Dathomir forever?"
Not that Tamara had the ability to grant such a boon, but as a philosophical exercise it was interesting. And once again she had cunningly manoeuvred the conversation from herself back to Satara.
@[member="Satara Hawk"]

 

[Satara Hawk]

She nodded. There was a somewhat understanding between the two of them and how light and dark functioned. She did not have to elaborate further on her words. Dathomir was after all, in its own right, a galaxy in small. What the Jedi and Sith were to the galaxy, the Allyan Witches and Nightsisters were to Dathomir. Tamara clearly understood as much.

The question was an interesting one. Would she destroy the Nightsisters if it would mean leaving Dathomir forever? Satara fell silent for a bit and thought about for a bit. She glanced at Nadie for a second and the femlae rancor looked back at her. Would she do such a thing? "Some hundred or so years ago, I would say yes without a second thought. As long as the Nightsisters were destroyed for good. But I could never leave Dathomir and I understand their purpose better. The eternal bettle of light and dark is just that eternal. There will never be one true victory."

@[member="Tamara"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Satara Hawk"]

For the first time Tamara offered a personal reaction. She sighed slightly. "You're more right than you know. I was once more idealistic, thought I could solve all the troubles in the galaxy...."

She waved a hand to dismiss that line of thought. "Anyway, it's getting late, Clan Mother, do you know somewhere I can stay?"

 

[Satara Hawk]

Satara nodded. "I think we all start idealistic to a point and then life teaches us important lessons," the Witch pointed out. Life had certainly taught her a great deal of lessons over the years.

The subject turned then. The woman was asking for a place to stay. "I can provide you with shelter for the evening within our grounds. I should warn you though, someone will be keeping an eye on you. We really aren't best with outsides." It was really the offer. The only other option Satara could think about was that the woman remained in her ship. It was up to her of course. There were empty beds she could offer but not all Witches were willing to let a stranger wander about unattended.

@[member="Tamara"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Satara Hawk"]
Tamara smiled mischievously. “I expected nothing less, Clan Mother. Observe away, I will do nothing more harmful than ask for an extra blanket. I remember it can get quite chilly here at this time of year.”

“Of course, for your generosity, Clan Mother, I am willing to pay. Whilst credits or other currency might not be of great interest to you I do have some other things you might be willing to accept.”
She produced from her belt a small bag and extracted a small, finely cut, sapphire which she used the Force to levitate to Satara’s hand.

“Consider it a thank you in advance, I suppose.”

 

[Satara Hawk]

An extra blanket. Curious request. It would have been provided anyhow but sure, Satara would agree: "Of course. When we expend our hospitality, we don't cheat." However, this willing to pay bit made the clan mother shake her head.

Though her mismatched eyes glanced at the small gemstone that came her way through the Force. "That's too much, Tamara. You should keep that safe." She couldn't possibly take such a thing. "During your stay, you will be under my protection. Remember that, just in case. Not all will be as welcoming."

She didn't take the offered gift, instead smiled a tiny bit and turned, gesturing in the direction she had arrived, leading Tamara back towards the stronghold. Nadie didn't need to be told, she followed slowly, taking lead quickly because of her large steps.

@[member="Tamara"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Satara Hawk"]
Tamara took the stone back and pocketed it. It was nice…she would have been sad to see the stone go. She wasn’t sure how she’d acquired it, but it had probably been noteworthy.

“I shall not forget, Clan Mother. On the plus side, I’m not male so unlikely to be claimed. Always an interesting process when I’ve seen it in the past. Offworlders are a bit confused by it….”

She followed Satara with the rancor loping ahead. Technology was still in limited use here outside the spaceports. It was quite a change indeed.

 

[Satara Hawk]

Satara chuckled slightly at the male remark as she kept moving forward. "Oh, you can still be claimed, Tamara. Your gender makes little difference in this regard. Males are considered second class citizens, if you will. However, many Witches prefer to claim or bond with their own gender, to their equal." While she was making chit chat, Satara was also giving the woman a little warning on why she needed her protection. Gender helped in this only to a certan extend.

It wasn't long before they reached the human-made path to the stronghold, a structure interwinded with the mountain that was now visible. Men and women could be seen now but they stood their ground as Nadie remained back and Satara with the visitor continued further.

@[member="Tamara"]

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

"Oh indeed? I'll keep that in mind, Clan Mother. I've been claimed before, was a little confusing. I mixed up two syllables and so ended up declaring my undying love for someone rather than complimenting them on their necklace. That was the Lahmarees...very literal people."
Whilst she was prattling on Tamara kept an eye out at the people watching. They didn't seem hostile so much as watchful, suspicious. In such isolated environments that was a common reaction to strangers.
@[member="Satara Hawk"]

 

[Satara Hawk]

Satara found this tale of accidental claiming most curious. Though she was not familiar with these Lahmarees. "I see. Then I would hope you've learned your lesson and use caution now with foreign languages," the Witch pointed out. While such a mistake could mostly not be made in Paecean, mistakes were still possible. Certain words had several meanings in the galactic accepted language. After having learned the foreign tongue, she could understand why certain people would have problems with it.

Curious eyes of her people focused on the foreigner but none of them attempted to address her. The fact that she was being led by their clan mother was crucial in this. Satara nodded to those she passed, greeting them but she didn't stop to speak to anyone as she led Tamara through the rest of the way, before reaching the entrance to the stronghold. Within, candles hung in small metal casings, giving just enough illumination through the hallways.

(OOC: To give you an idea, a picture)

@[member="Tamara"]