[beeqlass]

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res
-forest queen
-can’t control their power,
-spreads across the forest


Setsuko

[faunsie]

res

[morrissey]

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[Individuality]

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[Fwutter]

MARK

[Kurai.]

res

[doktor monty]

xxmarking ❤️

[iuno.]

JESUS res

[tcw]

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big res <3

[Silver Pandorica]

yσυ αяє sυρρσsє∂ тσ ρяσтє¢т lινєs...
Kaniehtiio - "beautiful snow" in Mohawk - female

ησт тαкє тнєм

The ice and the snow are two different things,
The goddess of winter knows this more than anything.
Respect and revere her,
You have been warned.
For this goddess of ice and snow has been torn.
Her heart broke in two after the man she loved,
Disgraced and disowned her, so she ascended above,
Where she resides in the clouds high up in the sky,
Looking way down below with tears in her eyes.

The country was plunged into an age of ice,
For the goddess was angry and hurt in a trice.
The people suffered for decades on end,
Until one little boy could no longer fend.
With a great big breath he let out a scream,
Calling the soul down from her dream.

“What happened?” he asked, about to cry.
“Have you forsaken us for not respecting the sky?”
For the first time in years, her heart was softened.
It seems in the darkness that she’d forgotten.
Her people had troubles larger than her own,
All because she preferred to be left alone.

“No,” she said deeply, wiping his tears.
“I have not left you, let go of your fears.
My heart has been broken, and in my despair,
I let the world fall into disrepair.
Forgive me, my child. Go and be free.
The ice will thaw soon, you see.
Once the winter is over, and spring has begun,
I will free the world of this age without sun.”

“What’s winter?” He asked, a frown on his face.
“And spring?” For he’d never heard of this place.
The goddess gave a great laugh, her first smile in years.
“They are seasons!” She chortled, wiping her tears.
On that very day, the four seasons were born,
And from that day on, they were never adjourned.
The snow soon was depleted, and the people rejoiced.
“Praise Kaniehtiio! For our problems have been voiced!
She heard our prayers and our cries of fear,
May she be honored forever and always cheered!”

And from there on, a celebration was thrown.
An annual parade for the savior of their home.
The festival honors the goddess who placed,
Her own problems aside and winter erased.

Despite the great joy she felt from the people,
Her own pain still dwelled like a crumbling steeple.
The strong-faced facade cannot hide her depression,
For the one who pushed her into oppression.
And so, her smile only comes once a year,
When the people’s rejoicing rings in her ears.
But the remainder of the three-hundred and sixty-five days,
All she can think about is what was lost in the blaze.

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Shiloh's mother closed the book,
setting it gently on the table beside his bed. He
let loose a grin. “I can’t wait for the festival,
mama!”

The woman smiled, leaning down and giving
her son a peck on the cheek. “Yes, it’s a big
day tomorrow. That’s why you need to go to
sleep.”

The Spring Festival was coming up in honor
of the goddess Kaniehtiio, an old tradition
that had stuck around for many years. Shiloh
loved hearing the story of how she saved the
earth, but a darkness stirred inside of his
heart. “Mama?”

She turned, almost already out the
door. “Hm?”

“Did...did all that really happen? Is she real?”

Surprising him, she only smiled. “That’s up
to you to decide.”

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⬣ ⎔ ⬣ ⎔ ⬣ ⎔ ⬣ ⎔ ⬣ ⎔ ⬣

⬣ ⎔ ⬣ ⎔ ⬣ ⎔ ⬣ ⎔ ⬣ ⎔ ⬣

Am I real? The question popped out of nowhere, bouncing around Kani’s mind as she dragged a branch through the mud, rain drizzling down around her from the sky. It ran through her fur, sending a refreshing chill down her spine.

“Of course you’re real, you idiot,” an icy voice snapped back.

She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. Legends said that she had powers, but she preferred to call them ‘curses wrapped up in a pretty little gift box.’ What people didn’t realize was that her control over winter was more like having two people arguing inside her brain.

It was quite tiring.

“Please be quiet, for once in your imaginary lives,” she muttered through the branch in her mouth. It was more of a log than a branch, actually. It had been blocking the path from the village to the main town for a days. From the shelter of the trees, she had watched the villagers struggle to move it, giving up at last when the rain began. As soon as they were gone, Kani decided to move it for them. Her large build was good for something, at least, and her hooves helped her push through the mud with ease.

“Almost there!” Snow chanted encouragingly. Finally, Kani dragged the log all the way off the trail and into the forest.

“Goodness,” she said aloud, dropping the end she had been holding. "Quite the storm Rain put on, was it not?"

(words used for history + personality: 800)

People often got confused when Kani tried to explain her abilities. Saying that you’ve got voices in your head tends to be a bit off-putting to others. So, a while back, she stopped trying. The sense of mystery was better than the truth.

“You’re going, right?” A soft voice rang in her head. It used to make her jump every time Ice or Snow would arrive, but she’d gotten used to it over the years.

“I...” Kani trailed off, not sure how to answer Snow. The festival was coming up, marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Although a soft blanket of snow still covered the ground, the festival took place on the same week every year. Usually, Kani didn’t mind attending. But this year, she was feeling especially nervous about it. All she was nowadays was a myth. People didn’t truly believe in her anymore, so what was the point?

“Shut up, powderpuff,” Ice burst in sharply. “Let me handle this.” It was almost as if she could feel Ice shoving Snow out of the way. “Look. This is a celebration of you. Just go in disguise like you always do. What’s the big deal?”

Kani sighed. “They do not even know I exist, and I am okay with that. What is the point in me going? Let them have their fun.”

Snow slipped in again. It was hard to explain, but Kani could feel that she was glaring at Ice. “We want you to have fun, dear. When was the last time you did something for yourself?”

Rolling over onto her stomach, Kani peered over the edge of the fluffy cloud, far down below. If she squinted, she could just see the village through the light fog, tinted pink from the rising sun. Dozens of lanterns glowed brightly in the dimness, and even from this high, she could see people bustling around, hanging decorations and setting up booths.

“A long time ago,” she whispered into the cool, silent air.

“Well?” Ice urged.

“Alright,” Kani said softly. “As long as it will shut you two up.”

***

The festival always began the evening of the first day of spring, going for a full seven days. The opening ceremony was quite entertaining. Clip-clopping down the cobblestone street, Kani flicked an ear underneath her cloak. This thing was extremely itchy. With her large antlers, the hood just made it look like she had a weird, lumpy skull. It wasn’t very effective, but it was the best she could do. At least it kept her frizzy hair out of the way. It had gotten quite disheveled during the fly down here.

The parade was always the first event, and one of the best by far. Colorful streamers and confetti exploded onto the streets, the paraders showering the villagers with candies and beads. Kalons pranced down the road in vibrant costumes, and children laughed with glee. After the parade, the first of seven lanterns was lit, an offering. However, it was more of a competition now than anything. The lantern lighting went to whoever won the most games during a particular day. Most of the children were sent to bed afterwards, but a majority of the adults stayed up late to celebrate and have a drink or two.

"This is a bad idea," Snow murmured as Kani made her way to the village pub. The beginning of the festival had lifted her spirits a little, but her mood still hung low. A cold breeze blew past in agreement with her thoughts. She needed a drink.

"It'll be fine," Ice shot back. "Let the lady take a load off. Loosen up a little."

Kani nodded. "Thank you, Snow, but I'll be okay." She said it out loud in habit, getting odd looks from passerby. Blushing, she ducked into the bar, warmth greeting her. It was rare that she ever went out in public like this, and her odd habit of talking to people she couldn't actually see stuck out like a sore thumb. It wasn't so much that she minded being looked at as a lunatic. It was more the fact that she didn't want to attract any unnecessary attention to herself. Padding over to the counter, she slumped into a stool. The bartender nodded in her direction. "What'll it be, miss?"

She looked over at a man to her left with three shot glasses in front of him, all empty. He was swinging dangerously far back in his chair, laughing about something a little too loud. "Whatever he's having," she said tiredly. The man raised his eyebrows, but didn't try to convince her otherwise. He grabbed a small glass and began to fill it up.

"Kaniehtiio! What are you doing?" Snow exclaimed suddenly. "You know whatever you put in your body affects us, too!"

"Hush," Kani muttered under her breath. "I can do what I wish." The bartender slid over the glass and she bowed her head in thanks, her antlers pushing up uncomfortably beneath the cloth hood as she did so. She was just about to take a long swig when someone slid into the seat beside her.

"Bad day?"

It took her a moment to realize he was speaking to her. She lowered the glass, turning her eyes towards a young, rather unkempt man staring right back at her, awaiting a response. "One might say so. You do not look so good yourself."

He cocked his head, a small grin picking at his lips. "What? With all these jolly old events going on? No idea what you're talking about. I'm having the best day of my life." Kani snorted at his obvious sarcasm. The man turned toward the bartender. "Gimme one of those," he said, pointing to her glass.

"What could possibly have you so glum, stranger?" Kani asked.

"How terribly rude of me. The name's Shiloh."

"Kani. That still does not answer my question."

Shiloh raised a brow. "Just not really into this stuff, I suppose." His drink was delivered and he picked it up immediately. "Your turn."

The goddess sighed. "Was passing through here and thought I would look for something I lost many years ago. I did not find it."

"Huh. Yeah, well, that's life for ya." Shiloh lifted his drink. "Shall we?" There was a small pause. A moment of hesitation. And then, she picked up her own glass. Shiloh grinned, then they both tilted back their heads and downed the whole thing. "Oh yes. Come to papa!" Ice shouted. "It's been way too long since my last drink."

Snow seemed to stumble around dizzily. "No, no, no. You know I have a strong gag reflex!"

Kani blinked a few times, and the voices faded back into her mind, replaced by a small buzz. For the first time in years, they went silent. She couldn't hear Ice and Snow anymore. It felt good to have some silence. To get out of her head. "Woo!" Shiloh yelped. "Two more, my good sir," he grinned at the owner. "One for me and one for the lady."

And so they drank. And they talked. And they drank some more.

Despite her clouded mind, Kani decided Shiloh was a very interesting person. He was rather loud, sure, but he had a lot of good qualities. Humor, cleverness, and just a general goofy aura. They sat and they talked the hours away, blending in with the general noise of the bar. For a few precious hours, Kani forgot about her sorrows, her responsibilities, her burdens. It felt amazing.

"You're really pretty, you know," Shiloh burst out suddenly in the middle of their conversation about how confetti poppers were made.

Kaniehtiio blinked, taken aback. "Excuse me?" When was the last time someone had said that to her? She knew someone had...a long time ago. A man, yes. What was his name again? A sudden sadness filled her heart as the thought crossed her mind, although she couldn't quite figure out why. The ringing in her ears grew louder, and she set down her current drink, frowning.

"And funny." Shiloh slurred, gripping the counter so he wouldn't fall out of his chair. "You should take that s-stupid hood off," he remarked.

The ringing continued to increase, so loud that Kani flattened her ears. This was a bad idea. This whole thing had been a bad idea. "S-s-snow?" She called out mentally. There was no response. "I am s-sorry, Snow! You were right!" She called aloud. Where was she? Suddenly, Kani felt very alone and very vulnerable. Snow would know how to get out of here without blowing her cover.

Shiloh made a weird face. "What're you talking about?"

"My...my friend. She left."

The young man looked around. "You didn't come in here with anyone."

Nearly tripping over her own paws as she stood, Kani stumbled towards the door. "I must go," she said, almost to herself. "I must leave immediately." Shiloh's eyes widened and he ran after her. She continued to walk away, pushing the door open and stepping out into the freezing cold. The door slammed shut and she staggered down the road, Shiloh trodding hurriedly after her.

"No, please! Please don't go!" He gripped her cloak. "Was it something I..."

Silence. The cloak hung limp in his paw, and he stood there in awe. She couldn't even look at him. Tears filled her eyes as she waited for him to say something. Anything.

"You..." she turned around, head hung low. "Kaniehtiio." Please. This couldn't be happening. "Legend says she had sturdy hooves to help her tread through the snow. Large antlers to shield her from the sleet." He dropped the cloak, stumbling back a little.

Kani squeezed her eyes shut. "No. I am not-"

"I stopped believing in you so long ago," he whispered. "Kaniehtiio is supposed to protect lives, not take them." Angry tears streamed down his cheeks. "My mother was lost in a blizzard. You killed her!"

No. She was not responsible for this. It wasn't her fault.

Kani's ears popped and Snow burst back in. "I'm sorry! I can't hold it any longer!"

"Swallow it! SWALLOW IT!" Ice yelled desperately.

"I can't!"

Chunks flew from Kani's mouth, everything she'd eaten in the past few days pouring out of her in a puddle of sick. She leaned against a wall and hunched over, she and Snow retching simultaneously. Ice screamed like a little girl, running in imaginary circles. Her head began to throb violently. "Stop it!" She shrieked, slumping back against the wall just inches from her own vomit.

Shiloh backed away, shaking his head over and over again. "You devil," he spat, so quietly he was barely audible above the noise in her brain. Without another word, he turned tail and shot down the street, figure fading into the darkness.

Tears flowed down her face as little flakes of snow began dancing down from the skies above. Singing echoed from inside of the bar, celebrating the coming season where the great goddess Kaniehtiio would finally leave them be and allow spring to return once again. Shaking with sobs, she stood up and forced herself to walk away. Forced herself to return to the clouds and never come back.

This earth had suffered enough already.

And so once again, her heart was broken.
Twice now the goddess had been torn open.
Her curse had betrayed her too many a time,
Those gifts she was given appeared as a crime.

Icy sleet and fleeting snow,
death is cold no matter where you go.
The pure white fluff that covers the ground,
has sharp shards of ice hidden all 'round.

Winter, the rumored time of renewal,
is nothing but a disgusting removal,
of all the sins committed during summer, fall, and spring.
When the seasons reset, the birds can once again sing.

When the seasons reset, the goddess returns to hiding.

When the seasons reset, the people are free.

(words used for prompt: 1990)
Shiloh is owned by myself.
Art was done by myself