Cathli, Chieftess of Sa Jerag
Who am I? - I am the Chieftess of the Sa Jerag tribe.
Who was I? - I was born, the daughter of a merchant who had retired from business to the island of Cos where my elder brother and I were raised by Him after the death of my mother in childbirth.
Why am I a Taluna? - Before I was Taluna I was a slave, captured by pirates in a brutal raid on the island, where my father was killed and my brother and I were taken for sale in the slave markets of Port Kar.
Why then am I not a slave? - For the carelessness of the Pirate who gambled me away for drinking money to a Merchant of Tarnburg.
Then why am I still not a slave? - The journey to Tarnburg is many pasangs, and I was taken in a covered wagon with many others for sale in the markets of Tarnburg. Close by the city in the woods of Tarnburg, when we only had a short distance left to travel, the caravan was raided by fierce Women of the woods, outlaws who seized anything of value they could take.
Who took Me? - Loniki Loudon. She took Me as Her personal slave
Why did She take Me? - She told Me since that She took pity on the poor bundle of silks thrown out of the wagon in the panic of the attack.
Why am I still not a slave? - She chained Me and led Me on foot past bands who hunted Her and her Sisters down, till I thought I could walk no more and I would die from the hardship of the journey. She took me to the Panther camp of the Keh'ra Jerag as her personal slave. She taught Me how to hunt a bosk and skin a tabuk, how to live off berries in the Northern Woods. How to scent the smell of a raider when He was many pasangs away, how to move as silent as the night under the nose of the Hunter. She taught Me too what is beautiful that Men seek to prey on and what it is they want, and how a wild dance or a serve can please.
Why am I still not a slave? - She taught Me how to stand, released Me free as the wind in the jungles of Schendi where We had fled to escape the constant fear of raids and captures.
Why am I Taluna? Because I can live in the deep jungle, away from the wars of the cities and from the eyes of the world. Because it is my own hand that fashions my arrows and sharpens my spear for the hunt or to protect mine. And because My famiily is always with Me.
What am I? - I am Chieftess, I am partner to the One who loves Me as I love Her.
I am Chieftess to Her En
She is fire to my water
She is sun to my earth
She is everything to my nothing
She is sky to my ocean
She is laughter to my sadness
She is the sound that breaks my silence
She is love to my love
She is company to my loneliness
She is my desire
She is my love
She lets me walk in her shadow and dance in her moons
She is En an I am Chieftess
Why am I Chieftess? - because I am always proud of the Sisters who stay with Us...the tribe We all are. I feel the love they bring to each other and the desire to protect and care for each other. It is my honour to be their Chieftess.
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