The land did not go by the name Arohanui then, it was simply known as the wilds lands The squirrels enslaved the faeries to do their work for them while they sat back getting fat off the labours of their captives. The howl of wolves would fill the nights as they bragged to Nacreous and Jentl of their evil intent.
Throughout this time the womanatees and the lakequine lived their lives in relative peace. They fought their own battles within the lake with the slippery giant eels who inhabited the muds of the lake bed but the lake was more peaceable than the lands of that time.
The womanatees would come ashore in the morning sunlight to evade the eels at their most active period. They would graze along the lake shore and sun themselves. The radiant glow reflected from their golden skin kept would be land predators away. The reflection so bright it appeared the sun shone brilliantly from the lakeshore and not from the sky at all.
The gentle womanatee would play with their children and gather the warmth of the sun to take back with them into to cool depths of the lake. Theirs was not a hard life, many of the land creatures envied them their peaceful days.
The wolves though resented the fact they could not get near these fat lush creatures. Their mouths watered at the thought of tearing into that golden flesh and savouring the blubber below. But the glare from the reflected sun seared their eyes whenever they got near enough to stage an attack, pain and blindness kept them from their goal.
Over generations the wolves resentment grew until one rather sly and particularly malevolent cur, by the name of Ranulf, devised a plan so foul that even his kin shuddered at it. Fear rippled its way down their spines at the thought of it and how easily it could go wrong.
The thought though, of that tasty blubber, just waiting on the lakeshore for them, had them readily agreeing to aid the cur. So it was that a pack of wolves led by Ranulf made their way from the wild lands in search of the vile weapon they sought.
They travelled many, many miles and almost a year passed before they finally found that which they had been seeking. In a baron and parched land they found a shedragon guarding her lair from all who would seek to steal from her, her treasures.
She sat atop a pile of parched bones her legs stretched out possessively and great talons dully reflecting the sun's glare. She jealously guarded the remnants of every unfortunate creature she had ever consumed and kept their bones as a tally of her spoils. She glared a warning at the wolves as they sought to come to close.
"My prey now walk to me? I do not have not have to ssseek them out? How fat I shall become without even lifting a wing to consssume my meal," she hissed at Ranulf and his kin.
"Pray let us speak with you oh ruler of the skies," Ranulf said not quite sounding sincere in his humbleness.
"Why should I ssspeak with my food? And sssuch insssolent food it isss. I do not merely rule the ssskiesss I rule all which I sssurvey! I can decide in a moment whether you live or die. I can decide whether the land burnsss or not. Who are you to wish to ssspeak with me?"
"I aplogise your greatness. I did not mean to offend," Ranulf said with a bow. "I believe we can be of service to you in a much more meaningful way than as your next meal."
"Hahahaaa!" She laughed a laugh so lacking in mirth it made the hairs stand up on each and every wolves necks. "How could you sssnivelling little creaturesss be of ssservice to me in any other way than to sssate my appetitesss and give me a little entertainment in the acquiring of my meal?" The shedragon responded as she raised herself to her full height and towered over the pack.
The other wolves looked uncomfortably at each other and began to rue the folly of their mission. It seemed they would be eaten now before Ranulf had even explained his plan to this monstrous beast. A couple became restless, shuffling and making ready their chance to flee. Ranulf cast them a threatening glare and they settled into an apprehensive silence.
"Your eminence," Ranulf wheedled. "Why should you satisfy yourself with our poor miserable beings when you could have a multitude of spoils and delicacies such as you have never tasted before?" The shedragon raised a scaly eyebrow at his words, her interest piqued just a little.
"Go on morsssel, ssspeak your piece. You have my attention for the moment."
"We have travelled many miles to bring to you news of such delicacies and spoils. For over three hundred days we have sought your lair so we could inform you of that which until now has escaped your notice," Ranulf said only to be interrupted by the shedragon.
"Why should you wish to bring me newsss of such richesss? Why would you not partake of them yourssselvesss if they are sssuch a delicacy? I bid you caution in your reply." Always shrewd the shedragon was not to be easily taken in. She had not wreaked terror across the lands for centuries to be so easily duped. It was apparent the wolves wished for something in return.
"You greatness," Ranulf simpered. "The truth be known this delicacy is out of our reach. It shields itself behind a screen of light so bright it tears at our eyes. But to you who would cast a shadow over it from above it would have no protection. We merely wish for a small share in the spoils by way of reward for our information."
"And what would stop me merely destroying once I have my spoils?" she demanded. Ranulf bowed his head in mock humbleness and simpered up at the beast.
"Why it is our belief your eminence that you will find the spoils so great and so rich that you will gladly reward us with a few morsels and our lives."
The great beast stood over the wolves considering Ranulf's words for several moments. Then seeming to come to a decision she tossed her head and blew two jets of icy cold air from her nostrils. The wolves leapt back and cowered their tails between their legs. All that is but Ranulf who stood boldly in the face of her display.
"So be it morsssel but be warned if your words do not live up to their claim I shall make your deathsss slow and immeasurably torturous."
"I do not believe you will be disappointed your eminence." Ranulf said in his simpering way.
Suddenly the great beast let out a roar which had them cringing once more and seeking to cover their ears from the bloodcurdling sound. Their fear grew as her cry was answered by many similar screeches from the nearby hills. Soon the sky filled with a swarm of greenhorns as they came to their mothers bidding.
"You shall be our guidesss," the shedragon said as with a nod of her head she indicated for the greenhorns to snatch the wolves up in the great talons. They left Ranulf though for their mother, she would be giving him special attention if he proved to be a spinner of lies.
With Ranulf shouting up directions to the shedragon they flew now directly to the wild lands. Though it had taken nigh on a year of searching for the wolves to find her it took this beast but a couple of days flying to return them to the land whence they came.
She took much joy in circling the land with her children and watching its inhabitants scurry this way and that, in fear of the very sight of them.
"Where are thessse ssspoilsss you talk ssso much of morsssel?" She hissed down at Ranulf and he felt her talons close a little closer around his chest.
"There, over there by the lake." He replied. "What those ssslugsss, sssurely you jessst? Giant slugsss cassst in gold and you call thessse delicaciesss?" she hissed. Ranulf felt her talons tighten further and struggled to catch his breath as she slowly began to crush the air from his chest.
"They are no slugs your eminence," he wheezed his reply. "They are Womanatees, fresh from the lake and full of blubber. The sweetness of their flesh will drip from your chin and stain your scales with its juicy stickiness."
The shedragon swooped low and dropped Ranulf as she sped by the lakeshore. He tumbled and rolled across the ground, coming to a halt he looked into the sky to see the great beast circle around and blast freezing air upon the womanatees. Her kin followed in her wake scouring them with auburn flames. The womanatee slow and cumbersome upon the land turned for the lake, pushing their children ahead of them they attempted to flee their fate.
Swoop upon swoop the dragons came and the womanatee cried in their desperate retreat to the waters of the lake. Their golden skin bubbled and crispened under the intense heat of the greenhorns flames. Many a mother died as she attempted to shield her child from the searing heat. Others were frozen to the spot by the shedragon's breath only to be thawed and cooked by the scorching flames blasting from the greenhorns gaping mouths as they followed in her wake.
Ranulf stood at a safe distance and watched the scene play out before him with a smile of triumph lighting his face. So few of the womanatee made it to the waters of the lake. Many who did carried with them terrible burns which would scar black across their golden skin for the rest of their days. As they sank away from the slaughter behind them they began their lament. And the Morosium rang out across the wild lands.
This was the first time it had ever been heard upon these lands and all who heard it fell into despair. Even the wolves who had set this plan in motion were not untouched by the wretchedness of the lament. They looked upon their spoils and retched. No longer did the taste of blubber draw them.
The Morosium wound its way into their blackened souls and there it drove them mad. Those who had been led by Ranulf turned upon him, for they saw him as the cause of their despair and slowly they closed in on him. Ranulf's own brother was the first to leap upon him followed by the others.
As the womanatees lament ate at their sanity they tore him to pieces before he could take more than a few steps in his escape. But the madness had now sunk its claws deep within them and they did not stop at ripping apart Ranulf. Soon not one wolf from Ranulf's pack still stood. They all lay in a pool of congealing blood, only yards away from the fallen womanatee.
The shedragon circled her spoils a malevolent smile touching her lips. The Morosium could not wind its way into this creatures soul for she had none. Soon she and her children swooped from the air to alight upon their spoils. With mirth and a joy, which repulsed and sickened every living creature who witnessed it, the dragons feasted that day on the fallen womanatee.
They gorged upon their victims until they could no longer move, they would set up camp at the lake shore until their spoils were sufficiently digested to allow them flight once more. As dusk began to fall the dragon's sprawled amongst the carcasses, burping and groaning and rubbing at their engorged bellies.
At first they did not notice the pale shapes as they loomed out of the gloaming but as more and more began to appear they roused themselves to lift their heads and peer into the half light. All around them now stood white curly coated goats. These goats did not seem afraid of the dragons, instead of cowering in their presence they all as one knelt on their front knees and bowed their heads. The shedragon began to snigger and sneered at the goats.
"Your worship meansss nothing to me, though it doesss flatter me a little. Mossst would flee at the sssight of me and my kin yet you have the temerity to come and bow down in front to usss. You are either courageousss or the most naively foolish creaturesss I have ever laid my eyesss upon," she said.
The goats did not answer her they kept their heads bowed and quietly at first, then slowly becoming stronger and louder they began to chant. Their words winding their way into the Morosium rising and falling with the rhythm of the womanatees lament. Tears ran down the cheeks of the goats as they chanted pooling at their knees until they began to run in little rivulets towards where the dragons lay.
The shedragon looked bored as she watched the goats from her prone position amongst the remnants of her feast. Her attention was soon caught though as the first of the little rivulets of tears made their way towards her children. Something seemed to be happening to the tears as they ran across the ground, they began to glow with a luminescence which had the matriarchal beasts eyes narrowing. Her nostrils flared as she tried to catch a scent of what was approaching.
The greenhorn nearest to the goats gave out a screeching cry as the first of the tears ran under it. Heavy with the spoils of its feast it was not quick to move or lift itself into the air on its leathery wings. It twisted and turned in agony as the glowing liquid seeped between it scales and seared into the flesh beneath. From beneath its scales its flesh began to take on the same luminescence of the rivulets and soon light was pouring from behind its scales.
On and on it continued its tortured dance as first one then another of the sluggish dragons was overtaken by the goats tears. They too joined their brother in his macabre dance, realising the danger to themselves the dragons were scrambling to get themselves into the air. Their mother screaming at the goats demanding they tell her what spell they had cast.
She was unable to follow through on her threats to turn them to ice where they knelt as she discovered she could no longer produce her usual freezing blast. She was confused now and wondered what sorcery had been cast upon them, not realising that the very blubber they had gorged upon had doused their fire and ice.
"This is no sorcery lady," Amaranthe the matriarch of the goats spoke in reply to the shedragon. "These are simply tears of grief and love for those who have been lost. Our words a simple prayer to Koati goddess of the land."
"Then why do thessse tearsss glow and why do the burn my children ssso. You ssspeak liesss!"
"We the Caprimythic clan never speak ill truths. Perhaps it is that Koati has joined her love and grief with ours in these tears and it is the touch of pure love which burns its way through to your blackened souls. Perhaps it is the pain of love and loss which sears at you now." Amaranthe replied guilelessly.
In the air now the dragons circled not wishing to leave their ill gotten treasure and wishing to strike back at the goats. They hesitated though unsure of what would happen to them if they should lay a talon or fang upon their new found nemesis. Presently a flock of grey birds formed above the mountains, at the sight of them the shedragon gave a cry of alarm and those of her children still able, turned and fled in her wake. The formation of grey birds swung about to follow them.
One of the greenhorns who had been touched by the tears struggled into the air but spun and danced in the sky as his brethren had done on the lakeshore. His glowing form spun out of control and the last that was seen of him was as he spiralled into the lake not far from where it met the mountains. A cloud of rising steam the only remaining evidence of his fall.
With the leaving of the dragons more creatures began to slink from the gloaming. Among them were another pack of wolves. These not associated with the bringing of the dragons had not been driven mad by the Morosium. Though they were affected by its song of despair they did not let it keep them from the thought of an easy meal. They were not though willing to touch the carcasses of the womanatee, the Morosium and what had happened to the dragons did at least sway them from that atrocity. No they had other evil at mind.
The wolves now closed in around the goats as they still knelt in prayer and grief over the womanatees. They thought themselves to be unseen and therefore unchallenged in their would be slaughter of the gentle Caprimythic clan. From behind them though came a low rumble, at first they did not distinguish it from the chanting and the Morosium but soon it became loud enough for some to look about themselves to find its source. Others were more focused on their prey and readied themselves to strike at the unsuspecting goats. Before most could act upon their attack they were set upon from the rear by large snarling beasts.
Some managed to strike upon the goats still, with several carrying off younger smaller kids who bleated and cried, beseeching their mothers to save them. Caught up in the melee their mothers could do nothing and the cries of their young tore at their gentle souls.
The wolves battled and fought with their attackers but these were large and strong beasts, equal to them in every way. These beasts also had the benefit of surprise on their side and were not having to try and comprehend a sudden attack. This was a ferocious battle with combatants falling on both sides but the wolves were struggling and were, as is the way of those with evil hearts, seeing the benefits in retreat. They would slink back into the mountains and wait their opportunity to strike an ambush against this foe. They would look to take them unawares when they least expected it.
As this was playing out a dark form swooped from the sky and friend and foe alike flinched away and cried in fear believing the dragons to have returned. But it was no dragon who now rained terror from the sky but one of the wolves foes who upon hearing the cries of the little goats and seeing himself outrun, somehow had taken to the sky in his desperation to save them.
He quickly gained ground on the fleeing wolves and knocked them from their feet as they sought to escape. Rescuing the kids he spared the wolves their miserable lives. One by one he took them down and sent the kids running back to the safety of their mothers.
Back at the lakeshore the wolves had been seen off and the goats were gratefully thanking their saviours. They looked up in awe at these tall beasts and wonder how they had not happened upon them before.
"We have much to thank you for," Amaranthe said humbly to them her large amber eyes shining with gratitude. "If not for you we should now lay slain here alongside the destroyed womanatee."
"You have no need to thank us," One of their saviours said as she stepped forward from the rest. She was a large golden hound of striking beauty. "You have rid the land of the dragons and it is we who are beholden to you."
"We do not even know who you are and yet you step forth to save us and then also to tell us you are beholden to us?" Amaranthe said.
"We are the hounds of Kuri te Aroha," The beautiful one said. "We have lived here only a short time, having travelled through the pass in the mountains some months back. We have wished to make this land our home and have fallen in love with its more gentle creatures. We have no love though, for those whose hearts are black and wish only to cause harm and unsettle the natural balance of the land. We see no good in such folk and would protect those who cannot protect themselves from such creatures."
"Yet you have a look of the wolf about you," Amaranthe said.
"It is true, we do, but we would hope none of their blackness of heart," The hound said.
"What is your name lady? I am Amaranthe matriarch of my clan."
"I, good lady, am Cill Airne and queen of mine." The hound said.
As this exchange took place the hound who had flown to the kids rescue swooped down from the sky to land not far from his queen.
"What is this magic? A hound who can fly? Amaranthe asked.
"This is Syd the magnificent," Cill Airne said. "He is a great wizard amongst us, one who has discovered a power not known before among hounds. It comes in very useful in times of great need."
"How on in the name of Koati did he discover he could fly?" Amaranthe asked in awe.
"It is a long story but I will tell you a little of it now," Cill Airne said. "On our journeys we have been beset by many trials and tragedies. Some more terrifying than others. Have you ever been misfortunate enough to have met a behemothbat?"
The goat shook her head in response. "It is a terrifying creature who sucks the life from its victims leaving them a dusty and empty shell. It strikes from the air in the dark of night, there is often no hope for any it sets in its sights. They fly in small flocks and will take out whole clans of creatures in one attack."
The goats if they had not just witnessed with their own eyes the tragedy of the womanatee would never have been able to conceive of such a thing.
"We were set upon one night when the moons had fallen behind the horizon. We had already lost several of our kin to these unspeakable monsters when suddenly Syd took to the air. We did not see him at first in our desperate struggle to escape the behemothbats. It was only as he continued to fly between them, and us their prey, that we noticed something was running interference." Cill Airne said sending a warm and grateful smile towards the mage.
"Somehow he managed to confuse the bats and distract them enough for us to make our escape and find ourselves a safe haven. He then took it upon himself to lure the behemothbats away. Such risks he took with his life to save ours. He still cannot tell us to this day how he managed to shake the behomothbats off but he was returned to us and we rejoiced in his return. Our hero, our saviour as he has now become that of your children."
Amaranthe and the clan Caprimythic all turned to look at the now blushing wizard, as one they all bowed low to him. He shifted from foot to foot looking uncomfortable at their attention.
"We are humbly grateful to the Magnificent Syd for the return of our children. We cannot thank you enough. On our part we would be most honoured if you would make your home here amongst us in our fair land." Amaranthe said returning her attention to Cill Airne. "Indeed there are a set of caverns over yonder where you may wish to set up home."
"Thank you lady." Cill Airne said on a low bow. "I hope we can make this land one of peace and harmony. A land where love prevails and all can live peaceably with one another."
"If you can do that my new friends you will find many who will honour you and give you their friendship and allegiance," Amaranthe said sagely." Now we must make our ways back to the hills and the safety of our own caverns. We leave you with our utmost respect and our friendship."
With that the goats melted away into the darkness leaving the hounds to find their way to the caverns Amaranthe had spoken of.
So began the rise of the house of Kuri te Aroha and the birth of Arohanui.
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