Swirling: a history

[Silence]

Swirling was born out of recognition and she was still very young when it was clear to her parents that she was a rockshaper. Her father, Clamstone was so proud, that he almost forgot that he had always hoped to have a boy. Still he raised her like a son, he made her exercise day after day, with different sizes and shapes and when she got older he challenged her to shape different kinds of rock.
He learned her to use a short sword, she had talent but she disliked weapons to much and after a while he had to abandon the lessons.

Her mother Capricious was a tailor and she loved to create and make dresses for her daughter. Later she assisted her mother and learned the basics but she was not as talented as her mother.
Swirling lived her whole live in the High Cove, she knew every tunnel, every cave.
First her father gave her daily a tour as he explained about her ancestors or showed her how to find the weakness and how to make it stronger until she was considered old enough to do some exploring of her own.

Thanks to her mother she could reshape her own body, nothing fancy, just her fins and tail, it was not like she could turn in to a fish or lobster or any other sea animal. She loved to be able to do so, she wondered how it would be to talk to the animals in their own language, instead of second guessing and interpreting their body language and sending. She still hoped that the gift of her mother, to be able to take the shape of every sea creature, would manifest in her.

She was always curious and loved to investigate new things, she is fascinated by the WolfFolk, she wants to learn every little thing about them.
When 100 years ago, a stranger was accepted, she wanted to know all about him. She wanted him to tell her about the other worlds he had seen. She wondered what the world looked like, outside the protection of the little safe bubble she lived in.
But Silence, she learned was his name, honoured his name, he wouldn't talk to her, and the pain in his sending stopped her from forcing the subject.
The unknown still fascinated her, and sometimes she dreams that she has explored all those new places. She never thought of leaving though because she feels responsible for the safety of her people. It is her job to control the integrity of the caves and to reinforce them where necessary.

She is still looking for her soulmate, she had some moments of pleasure but nothing serious that lasted. She never gave up hope, he was out there somewhere, and some day he would find her.

[Silence]

300 years ago Tidemist was 12, Snaketwist was 21, Tern was 23 and Swirling was 45 when they became close friends

Swirling, was a rockshaper, Tide, could float and Tern could water shape, having all magical abilities and Snaketwist being a contortionist made them all special and created a bond. Through their games and adventures their powers were put to the challenge and with the years they grew stronger and elaborated. They shared many moments of joy and laughter.

Tern and Snaketwist became friends as soon as Snaketwist could walk and talk passably enough.
Tidemist joined them from the day she could walk.
Tidemist being younger than the others couldn't always keep up with all they did, but whenever she could she tagged along both Tern and Snaketwist, she looked up to them, like they were her older brothers.

One day Swirling went to the caves, she knew very well that her father had forbidden her to go alone, but she was 45 and convinced that she could handle it. She didn't notice that she had 3 elves on her tail.
Tern had always wanted to go on an adventure, he had seen that Swirling regularly sneaked out to caves and he wished he could go with her. This time when he saw here sneaking of, he alerted Snaketwist and together they followed Swirling, the young Tidemist didn't want to stay alone and flew behind them.

They kept a safe distance, when Swirling entered the caves, they only hesitated for one moment. Carefully they followed Swirling along the slippery rocks, helping Tidemist when necessary. The scenery was magical, fluorescent mosses shrouded the caves in a blue-green light. In some caves the sunlight came through an opening under water and gave the impression that the water pool was made of pure light. They were admiring the scene when a loud rumble and a sharp cry startled them.

They hurried to catch up with her, but where once a path had been was now a mountain of stones, only a little opening was left, to small for a normal elf but no problem for Snaketwist. He slides and twisted his body until he was on the other side. There he found Swirling unconscious with a heavy bleeding head wound. He shouted to the others, "you've got to go for help, Swirling is badly wounded, I will stay with her, go !"

Tern guided Tidemist to the entrance and stayed there so they would know which entrance to take, Tidemist flew as fast as she could, shouting for help. It wasn't long before Clamstone, Capricious, Kaimeta and the other parents reached the entrance where Tern took him to the collapse.

This time their story had a happy ending. After this adventure they were bonded in a close friendship.

Swirling guided the three of them often through the labyrinth of caves, Snaketwist would consort his body through the smallest openings. When Tern used his power He could create favoring currents that gave them the sensation to glide down a slide. They categorized the caves that they discovered, Shining was the cave full of oisters and pearls, Honeycomb was a labyrinth of narrow tunnels, etc. Headquarters was their secret fortress.

When they grew older, their relationships intensified.Tern and Swirling became very close, too close for either to ever pursue the other. During the festival they always danced together and made a lot of fun. One time when Tidemist was a grown maiden she had dressed all grown-up. Snaketwist looked at her and realized that things had changed, he developed a crush on Tidemist, being too shy to express them, he kept his feelings to himself.
Swirling had developed feelings for Snaketwist. Because she took an interest in him, she saw him watching Timemist and guessed it anyways, because he looked at her, like she knew she looked at him. It hurt but she kept his secret. Sometimes she was a little jealous of Tidemist though, when she got all of his attention. But even those feelings faded over time because she valued her friendship with Tidemist very high.
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