What you're made of ( Cenn's initiation )

[Ghaul]

Ghaul sat among the Hama N'dore for the first time in a long while. Aiel tradition said that once a warrior is made Clan Chief, he no longer belongs to his society, but in reality the bond between a man and society remained throughout his entire life. And in this case Ghaul was among the Hama N'dore for an initiation. Cenn, who recently joined the Hold has expressed his desire to join the Hama N'dore. Well as an ancient wise man once said - "If you have a desire, you have a problem". It was time to see if Cenn was to solve the said problem.

 

As the group left the Hold, the night has set it's veil on the world. Temperatures have plummeted but the Aiel have learned well how to endure the elements. On their departure, Ghaul turned to a warrior, Neiran.

 

"Neiran, before dawn you are to visit Cenn's tent. Wake him up and tell him that we'll be waiting for him at the foothils of the Serene Mountain. Tell him he has three days to get there, then hurry back to join us. Tell him that he should not taking anything but water,his weapons and tools to start a fire. He is to be hunting for his meals on the trip." - Ghaul turned his sight to the mountains, who's peaks were visible on the horizon. - "It should not take us more then two days to get to the mountain. We'll be waiting for you at the summit."

 

 

Neiran followed Ghaul's instructions precicely. It was before dawn when he went to Cenn's . The young warrior was still sleeping, and Neiran was ready to bet a amethyst ring he was not expecting a wake up call. But he would get one either way.

 

"Wake up" - Neiran's voice brought Cenn back from the world of dreams. Even id Cenn was surprised to see another warrior in his tent, he did not show it. - " You are summoned by the Hama N'dore. In three days time, you are to be at the foothills of the Serene Mountains, where you will recieve your next instructions. If you are not there in three days time you will fail your task. You are to take nothing but water, your weapons and tools needed to start a fire, you will be hunting for your meals on your way. Make your preparations and leave when you're ready. And remember - you must be at the Serene Mountains in three days time if you want to be one of us"

[Essy]

Cenn's wake up call wasn't exactly what he had been expecting. Then again, what HAD he been expecting? The warrior instructed Cenn to bring weapons, water, and tools to make a fire. Well, that's dandy. Considering that's about all I have on me right now, since I arrived her a few days earlier. His face remained stern throughout the speech, and as the warrior left, Cenn thought he noted a small smile smirk across his brothers face.

 

It wasn't long before Cenn was out of the tent, with his water canteen to be filled as soon as he could. He would spend till dawn figuring out his stops, the best places to hunt, then he would run as if He Who Comes With The Dawn was chasing him himself to Shayol Ghul. He would stop an hour before dawn, and he would find his food for the day; whether it be a goat, snakes, rabbits, whichever called to him first. He would gather his tools, build himself a small fire to cook the meat (depending on what it was, of course,) eat and then sleep. Cenn was a deepsleeper, but he could almost wake on instinct. Most Aiel could, if they sensed danger they'd probably be awake before the danger-ee was even in the hold.

 

That would be his first day. The second day is where he had to pick up his pace. Once the sun began to set, he would leave his shaded area and sprint once again as far as he could. He should be able to make clear view of the mountains foot, by then. If he could get close enough, he would finish the journey during the day. If not, he would wait and repeat what he had done the night before. Then during the night, he would make his final dash towards the mountain.

 

It was a long day with several nods, but no condonlences from any of the other Aiel. None seemed to know what was going on. Just as well. He had not made many strong brothers and sisters. All he would die before, but would they die before him?

 

It wasn't the first time Cenn had been out on his own. Why, just four days ago he had traveled three and a half days from the Blood Pool sept to his new home. He had his water, his weapons, and his tools. He slowly made his way out of the hold. A few nods from fellow Aiels, and even a smile on one or two of the womens faces. He would come back a Hama N'dore, or not at all. Cenn had decided.

 

As he reached the entrance of the hold, he stopped only for a moment. He looked beyond the barren desert, and with a crack of his neck he lept off to a trot. It was a long run to the mountain he was instructed to go to, and would probably take the Aielman two days; if not a little more, to reach it.

 

The night passed quickly under the bright moon, but the Aielman never took notice. Not even stopping to drink, he would drink while he was running! Making sure he didn't spill any of his water, that's for sure. The sun was beginning to droop below the clouds, and Cenn was beginning to feel the effects of the day. Even through his long training, his one lung was beginning to feel the effects of the suns beating presence that was beginning to show it's emerging face beyond the mountains.

 

This was a good time for him to stop and grab something to eat , he thought. Lifting a few rocks he finally found two large, non-venomous snakes. Quickly striking with his dagger he took the heads off of them. Stronger survive, the weaker die. It was a saying that was often said in his old sept. Hunters of the Shadowtwisted, were most of his family; blood and kin.

 

He kneeled down beside his low spot of shade and quickly made a very small fire. He cleaned the two snakes, and began eating. This was a feast for an Aiel, atleast for Cenn. He smothered his fire, and leaned back upon the rock that had given him shade for the day. After eating the snakes, he let his head rest back and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

 

When he woke the sun was still up, but was slowly being devoured by the jagged ridges of the mountains beyond. He still had much of his water left, and a few pieces of his snake-meal. He took a few bites to keep him going during the day. I guess that's one thing about having chest problems. My strength is always to high for my own good!

 

He began his run again, with his spears clanking against eachother on his clothed back. He ran for what seemed to be forever in the sun; which actually turned out to be an hour. But an hour under the Three Fold Lan's sun felt like an eternity to most. Soon, when the sun passed the torches to the moon the time passed quicker. It wasn't long before, once again as the night before, he was looking at the sun emerging to the east. Cenn slowed to a halt, and looked around him. Luck, once again, had found Cenn this day. Two large rocks that would be fit enough for a Clan Chief hit a hundred paces away from him. He trotted over, and almost smiled to himself. Now for some food. I wonder if they're more snakes around he- His thought was cut off as he whipped his dagger out of his leg strap. Yes, there was a snake. Only one, though. He inspected it carefully, to make sure it was not a blood snake. But instinctively Cenn knew it as not. It was a Brown snake. Not as vicious as a Blood snake, he still had enough poison to kill any two Aielman within a matter of hours. Cenn had to reach the snake before he reached him.

 

Cenn circled the snake slowly, sizing his opportunity to strike. When he saw, he threw himself at the large, venomous snake. A wetlander wouldn't know what happened; but Cenn knew. He had left his position wrong, and left a opening in his bottom exterior. The snake saw this, and leapt and sank his teeth and poison into Cenn. Cenn didn't wait long to cut the head off the snake, though. He had been trained what to do if a snake bit him, from his Wise Ones. He dropped down, and despite not having food, and that the sun was coming up, he opened the cloth on his leg; and began to suck.

 

He had to get the poison out, before it went through to his blood stream. He could feel it ooze out of his wound, and the thick texture inside his mouth. He spat it out, and cleaned his mouth out with his own saliva. He sighed in relief, and even managed a chuckle to himself. Apparentally his luck wasn't all that cracked up as he would of wanted it to be.

 

But whatever bad luck had escaped him, and the good luck came tumbling back. Behind the two rocks, emerged a medium sized goat! Where it came from Cenn did not even want to ask. Who cares? It's here now.

 

He drew his right spear, and crept slowly along the side of the rock. When he was nearly on top of the animal, he thrust his spear into the belly of the goat. Not to where it would ruin the meat, but where the lungs were. Cenn had learned a lot about lungs. The goat stumbled over, and Cenn began to cut pieces off the goat.

 

He repeated his night before, and made the small fire and cooked several pieces of the goat. While he was eating, he looked beyond the desert and, once again, laughed at himself.

 

"I did it. I made it!" Not an hour run away from him hid the foot of the mountains. Cenn finished the majority of his meat and slept for the next few hours. It wasn't a very deep sleep, but it was sleep enough.

 

The night rolled in and Cenn made his last run. His leg was a little sore, but he would live. He paid no heed to hit, and within half an hour; past his original thought, he was at the foot of the mountains staring at several Aielmen. They did not seem satisfied nor disatisfied.

 

"You have bid me to run, so I ran. You have bid me to come, brothers, and I have come." Cenn had said in the most monotone voice you could imagine. But that's how he mostly spoke, nowadays. That's how he always spoke, now that he thought about it.