96th Reaping [District Seven]

The forest dances;
a breeze caressing her cheek.

The old gods cry out in pleas; a wind blows past her drenched sun-kissed hair. Nails trimmed to a point; swab set between the edges where blood and dirt mix into the pleas of the past few nights. Sacrifices for the gods themselves; old and new. Blessings upon this mortal shell of hers as if she doesn't belong up in the skies or the halls of the immortal. The gentle preening underneath her careful eyes; pulling on the edges of a beauty she'd always carried since before birth. The process started late in the night; where the moon shined upon the pond towards the east of their home. The forest providing the blanket of cover where she'd gone as the warmth of the sun had faded to the extreme chill of the night's stars. Drenched in foliage; flowers kissing her skin as she moved with an ease of a staling predator. The moon was full; a pristine image against the darkened sky where the craters of gods visible on these nights. The light filled with a million different stories; blended into a simple gleaming ray into the pond.

Underneath the robes; she carries a simple rabbit; whiter than any other one she'd managed to get her hands on. The shivering rabbit sticking it's long ears against her heart; ever so sweet as if the pure creature was begging to be saved. Nuzzled against her, there's a sudden beat of a heart as he nails run down the rabbit's head, scratching the stress away from a creature so docile. The old gods always sent her these messages; destined through the quiet days where the forest dances with sound. Bugs warring, birds singing, and the leaves laughing. Ever so gentle, Vali Forrester had approached with a single carrot in hand. The orange against white as the pure creature comes towards her; ever so calm. Unlike now, she'd thought the creature to be cute; worthy of being taken. Now, she sees the words of the old gods; gentle in their approach. Understanding in the simplest of turns; the time had come for her.

The pond's water glistens with the moon; a gentle image of rock against water. The light having gone completely through the water to the dirt underneath; absorbing all of the power behind the light. The robe is unraveled. Silk dripping away to leave her alone with the gods' gentle breeze; leaves dancing in time were every step she takes. The rabbit snuggles in closer; understanding that Vali was the only source of warmth left. Ever so clear; her feet press against ice. Born to freeze; she strips away the rest of her humanity for the sake of being so pure for the old gods above. Tomorrow would be the final act before the gods themselves; a wish to return to them or become one of them upon the mortal land. The water rises up to her stomach; chilling the bones where her teeth start to chatter from the icy cold depth.

Warmer than the last time; she can feel the moonlight against her legs, her feet, and her stomach. A gentle vision of blessing upon her skin. Hand going to the rabbit, she scratches across the side giving one last soothing gesture to a pure creature. Ever so gently, she wraps her hand around to the other side, keeping a firm grasp to the rabbit. A single breath of air; the gasp of a beast to the sky where only the old gods wait. The struggle of mortality as water splashes against her chest with icy chills. Arms holding tight with the ever shaky presence of her chants echo into the air; a tongue unknown to many as she whispers to the sky.

"Of gods, old and new, hear me. For I am just another daughter of your flesh; I plead with thee for my own immortality once more. I've brought you a pure beast; untainted by the mortals of this realm. Let me see what you ask of me; through blood and vigor, I wish to know my path home."

The struggle ceases; a silence renounces through the forest where the sky grows dim; stars glittering against the black. Vali tastes the fresh chill of the air; almost burning against her throat as she sets in the chill. Eyes brighter than before, she can feel the breeze as she holds her breath for a second more. It's a smooth motion. A complete dunking of her body where it's colder than before. A simple moment where soaked hair sets against her back, her chest, and her neck. Vali Forrester stares ahead to the water once more; gently stopping before she closes her eyes.

The blade is trained; her hands pulling it against the rabbit's lifeless body. The air no longer dragged into it's lungs; the red starts to spread out into shapes. Figures against the water dancing as if the water's come to life itself. Eyes scan against these images; reading what is to come to her. The blood swirls and swirls; almost giving form to a vast forest. Empty and cold; she can see the flickering snowflakes in the blood. Almost as if her fingers had caused the blood to sweep away, except she can see it all written there before her. A body so pure, running against the cold. A vision of beasts chasing after her; she can't feel her fingers. There's a taste of blood upon her lips as if she could feel the blades; a cry wanting to escape her lips. Victory. Sweet, sweet victory. A breeze settles in and she's always known there would be a time for her to leave this mortal body.

The blood swirls; her sacrifice accepted as she chants once more; voice a hollow cold. Hair drenched against her back as she looks out to the moon, the forest, and the ground. "As you wish, I, daughter of Forrester, believer of the frost, and executioner of your righteousness will follow." Rising out of the water, she leaves painted in the blood of the offering she'd given. Silk against wet skin; she lets the body rest in the pond. An intermixing of blood and water, until it'll be taken by the beasts of the forest. The children of the gods themselves. A simple enough task to be followed by her own means.

Plucked from her skin; the morning that came was filled with a number of words spread among the holy. A dance of fervor as she rejoices in her message from the old gods. Siblings come to ask of her last whispers; remnants of what would once be her home. Some call her blasphemous for her whisperings in the moonlight; except she knows the truth. Picking at the blood underneath her nails, she smiles with the heavy weight of herself. There's a gentleness to the morning where she resides at the edge of her own room. Whispers from her lips; a gentle dance of air and sky. "Do not mourn for me, sisters, brothers. I was meant to return to them, but you'll still find me here. In the moonlight ponds, the chilling breeze, and the rattle of your bones when that cold sinks in deep." Gentle hands pat against her back, giving a touch of both sorrow and joy. A pleasure beyond their mortal flesh; the ache of a new path forward meant for her and her alone.

The square is warm; a gentle wind teasing against ears with whispers of long forgotten gods. Everyone watches in bated breaths for the names; the taste of impurity carrying through the air as if the blood in her veins could boil over. No one understands who they reside next to. A goddess walking amongst the mortal flesh; as if she were glowing in the sun where the trees bristle with sound. A rabbit, pure white of fur hopping along the side. Vali Forrester waits with face covered in the gentle fabric of the veil she's chosen carefully for her walk back to godhood.

The mortals wait until the first name is pulled; "Arachne Bane!" it speaks. Bright eyes looming through the veil to see the girl; ugly in heart and soul. A silent moment of waiting against the air as the crowd near her begins to grow. The sounds of beasts pulling at one another; the scratches of mortal skin bothering her senses for a moment too long. Memories flashing of the unworthy who dare to defy the gods themselves lingering there; she preens under the feeling of blood against nail, the driving of metal between the guts as Vali stares into her loving sisters and brothers. It's a vicious cycle. The ever-growing chill within these mortal shells; cold and unforgiving of their impurities. She's seen many of them become more than their skin. Born once again under the holy name of Forrester; a testament to the world around them.

The mortals with metal come closer; around the edges of the groups. Walking closer and closer to the impure where they taint these beautiful scenes of order with noise and annoyances. It's a simple step as the sisters around her know what's coming. Gentle steps as the sacrificial garment she's spent helping to make since she was a babe flows against the wind. A testament to the forest they've lived in for all of eternity; cradling the beauty of the natural with for a millennium. The outfit catches eyes as she moves to the center; unmoving for just a moment to breath the fresh air of her old home in once more. The chill underneath her flesh starting to set in as she steps one by one down the center split towards the stage, ignoring the impurity near her. Her voice is soft; a frail sound in the wind.

I volunteer..." Lifting the veil up and over her head, her eyes focus on the stage ahead. As if the forest itself has come alive, she feels at one with Mother Earth. Jörð would be proud of her; step after step as if she's gentle like the petals of a flower. The focused movement towards the center as she continues. "Destined by the gods, old and new, I've seen the Weavers of Fates plans for this mortal shell." Onto the stage, she lets the gown drag against the dirt, taking with her the earth itself. A confidence in her steps as the chill of the wind kisses her cheek with vigor, sending everything flowing.

"Váli Forrester. The chosen."

The forest weeps one last time.