2. Sharyssa "Skytalon": Birth of an Eagle

During nightfall Sharyssa remained hidden within the natural protection of a bush on the plains of Arathi. Curled up into a ball and filled with fear the young girl began to think that she'd not return home from her Rite at all. She had already been walking aimlessly for days without finding anything she deemed herself strong enough for to kill. For her it began to appear hopeless and she cried herself to sleep each night. hidden away in the dark.
She felt cold and hungry, she didn't know how to survive in the wilds at all, she didn't know how to hunt. Her stomach was constantly aching and each day became more difficult then the last to get to her feet and continue her quest to find a suitable animal.
While the night passed she barely managed to sleep at all, her dirty and naked body shaking at each sob. Her long black hair tangled and almost glued against her skull.
In the morning, with her muscles still and sore from sitting in the same position all night Sharyssa slowly lifted her head at a sound in the distance. Curious where it came from she forced herself onto her feet as she rubbed her eyes, groaning in pain at the soreness of her muscles.

Right there and then she saw it as if all her worries of the last days had vanished with the rising of the sun. The young girl stood in awe, tilting her head to watch the sky without ever adverting her gaze. How tired or hungry she might have been, it no longer mattered, it was no longer a burden because she had found what she was looking for. While watching the great animal soar it let forth a loud screech that vibrated in every fiber of her being.
Involuntarily her lips began to curl into a wide smile, impressed at the size of the Eagle with its wide spread wings, envious of the freedom that was given to the magnificent bird flying over her head. His screech sounded like a call to her, as if it was luring her to him.
Afraid to lose it out of sight she began to move her feet, one before the other and she could feel her heart beat rapidly inside her chest. Sharyssa felt alive, like never before and adrenaline coursed trough her veins, she could feel the breeze into her hair as if it began to spurr her on to follow, to fly, just like the eagle. Without hesitation she kept her eyes upon the bird above her as it began to fly further away from her, now that she had found it she wouldn't let it go away. Or did it find her?

The wind carried her and she pushed herself further and further, her feet carrying her over the sunbathed plains as the sun rose higher. With a sudden loud laugh escaping her she could feel the freedom like it was presented to her, she was flying and spread her arms to the sides, pretending to have wings. Her voice sounded hoarse when she began to whisper, her words unclear untill her tone began to grow louder as she allowed them to be spoken outloud. Her voice having an edge of admiration and a deep respect to it when she repeated only one word over and over untill she started to yell it. Still following the eagle and never pulling her eyes away from it, her feet stomping on the grass without even noticing that they felt sore from all the days she had already wandered.
“Ara, Ara, Ara, Ara, ...”
(eagle)
The bird soared in a large circle and came back to her, a loud screech could be heard from it as it was answering her and her heart leaped from joy. Sharyssa stopped in her tracks when the Eagle came closer, it landed onto a stone not far from her, spreading its wings wide in a great display of grace and beauty. Almost staggering on her feet she forced herself to a halt, gasping for air while each breath burned in her lungs from the long run. In silence she just watched with her mouth wide open in awe. The sun reflected upon the feathers, catching the light and shining brightly. To Sharyssa it felt as if she had never seen something like this before, the size of the Eagle proved to be greater then just the average of its kind. It tilted its head and stared back at her without moving.
Her mind began to race and her hands shaking while keeping them at her sides, how was she supposed to be able to kill it? Curious what would happen she leaned down, picking up a decently sized rock with her eyes locked onto the bird infront of her, which did not move at her action.
Could it really be this easy? She didn't hesistate despite the doubt she felt to actually kill such a great animal that had shown itself to her. But the moment she raised her hand to try to throw the stone towards the eagle it spread its wings and instantly began to fly higher into the sky.
She chuckled and nodded slowly to herself, she had understood that it wasn't going to be given to her just like that and with the stone clenched into her small hand she allowed her feet to carry her once more, guided by the wind.

Several more times the Eagle would land and fly away again the moment Sharyssa would attempt to toss the stone. It nearly felt as if it was mocking the young girl and she began to feel a certain amount of insecurity. Had she understood it all wrong? Maybe this was not at all what she had thought it would be. But as she would nearly turn around and walk away with a heavy heart the Eagle soared directly towards her, she could feel the feathers of the wings brushing over her hair and a loud screech filled her ears. It sounded like an encouragement, atleast to her.
Within a mere second the animal had managed to change her mind, it had known that she was about to give up already and shown her that it would be the wrong decision. So she began to follow again, no matter how exhausted she was or how much her body protested against the strain of the constant running. She allowed the eagle to guide her, she even closed her eyes to listen to its wings above her, letting the sound show her the way to go.
They kept “flying” for hours and she never stopped in her tracks, feeling one with the Eagle as if it shared his own freedom with her, it felt so much like she was given his wings that helped her to continue, aided her in running after it.

It was close to nightfall when the sun began to set that once again that the bird landed upon a large rock, presenting his size with its wings spread to either side of the large body to her. Sharyssa just smiled and bowed her head in deep respect and slumbed down to sit before him. The rock was still clenched into her fist, unwilling to let go to the only weapon she'd have. Sweat was shining on her dirty and skinny frame and it made her shiver once the sun no longer warmed her. She could feel every muscle in her legs burn from the constant running.
She just sat there, patiently waiting for what would happen next with her observant and strangely focussed gaze locked onto the eagle, just as the animal would stare back at her in the same fashion.
It became dark around them and tiredness caught up to Sharyssa but she didn't dare to close her eyes, afraid that once she'd open them it would fly away from her. For hours she struggled and fought against the sleep that was creeping up to her.
Suprisingly the bird bowed his head and tucked it underneath his wing to rest himself like a sign to her that it was alright to rest and with a nod she leaned down onto the grass. Pulling her knees up curl herself into a ball once more for some warmth during the cold night.
She slept lightly and woke up several times, anxious for her own safety out here in the wilds and only to make sure that the magnificent eagle had not dissapeared yet with a quick glance to the large shadow upon the stone. Once she felt entirely reassured that what she woke up in the morning it would still be there she allowed sleep to catch up to her entirely and drifted away in her first solid sleep of the past days.

There was a rustling close to her and a gentle breeze washing over her small body when she woke up, a somewhat gentle picking at her hand made her jerk up instantly, her heart jumping. When she opened her eyes she saw the Eagle right next to her, tapping her clenched hand with its beak repeatedly. She was taken aback by such action, suprised that it had come down to approach her.
For several seconds she just stared at it and slowly tried to extend her other hand to try and touch the feathers that kept her mesmerized. The eagle craned his neck, a low screech warning her to pull back her hand which she instantly did. Suddenly it pecked at her fist more viciously, as if it was becoming impatient with her. Curious to the intention of the animal she uncurled her fingers with a slight reluctance. The stone was presented on her open palm and she held her breath to what would happen next, but the bird just launched itself into the sky again after nudging against the object she held. Sharyssa instantly jolted up to her feet, ready to follow if needed but she didn't have to because the bird returned to his previous spot on the stone, remaining still and motionless. She grew nervous and uncertain, what did it want from her?
The moment she watched it bow his head she blinked several times, was it submitting to her?
She could feel the weight of the stone, heavier then before and it all became clear to her, it had given her the sign that she was allowed to kill it and she felt nervous. She didn't know if she was able to do it at all, if she missed she would fail and it would all have been in vain.
It took her a few minutes for gathering the courage to raise her hand, staring at the Eagle before her, afraid that it would change his mind and fly away from her and abandon her entirely.

Within the flash of a second she brought her arm back, focussing with a burst of self-confidence as she launched the projectile with a sudden strong swing forward, aiming for the head.
“Freda do thor Ara” (forgive me great eagle)
The stone hit with precision and the eagle fell down nearly instantly after swaying once on his great talons that curled against the stone. Sharyssa watched the animal fall, feeling a small hint of regret that she had taken the life of something as great and beautifull, it took some time for her to realise that she had succeeded, that she had proven herself worthy. It had simply allowed her to throw the rock at him.
She moved closer and kneeled down next to it, her eyes scanning the fallen bird infront of her while she picked up the stone that she had used to kill it. With trembling hands she reached underneath the eagle and lifted it to place it back onto the rock it had been sitting on for all these hours. Thought after thought passed her mind, what should she do next, what would she take from the eagle without entirely ruining the greatness she had learned to respect and admire?
Her eyes fell upon the talons and it didn't take her another second to realize that she'd take one, leaving the head, wings and feathers intact. With another bow of her head to express the now deeply rooted respect her sticky and dirty hair fell down, almost like a blanket and a flash of realisation hit her.
She would leave something in return, to thank the animal for his sacrifice. Determined with her decision she sat down and began to scrape the stone in her hand onto the rock repeatedly. It took her hours but she never stopped and never slowed down until she was pleased with the result.
Sharyssa turned the stone around in her hand now that it had a long sharp edge and trailed a finger over it with a proud smile upon her face.
With the stone in one hand she moved her other arm to reach behind herself and gathered her hair into a fist and pulled the long locks upwards to slice trough the strands with the stone, having to repeat the motion several times until she held it all into her hand.
“A sign of my gratitude” was all she said in a low voice when she placed all her hair over the slain bird before she used the same stone to remove one talon.

With in one hand the sharp tool she had created and in the other the large talon of the great eagle she turned around, and despite her exhaustion she could feel a sudden strong breeze in her back and she smiled. The eagle was still there, it was within herself and it was showing her the way, guiding her. Sharyssa felt complete and looked forward to return to Stromgarde, she had succeeded and she had never felt this alive before, never this complete.