Confrontation

     Devshi stared dejectedly at everyone seated around the campfire leaning against her tiger mount Somnadi. It was the end of the day and everyone was sitting around the fire before heading to bed for the night. Earlier that very day Irene and Nahla had tried to get her to talk about why she was so quiet. Devshi had no intention telling anyone about her crime, she had killed someone at the battle at  Grunlaager plaza. Everything had been going well until she saw someone sneaking up behind Bisha to kill him, there was no time to warn Bisha or anyone else. She would have to intervene or watch Bisha die. Devshi hadn't thought, she'd just struck. She'd picked up a good sized rock from the ground, rushed forward and hit the attacker at the back of his head all without thought. The attacker behind Bisha had crumpled to the ground, dead. She had killed a person, a sentient being in direct opposition to her orders teachings.

     Devshi was well aware that it was only murder that was banned by Parvai and the other gods of Kishnagar. What she had done was in no way murder, it had been in defense of her friend Bisha. But Devshi couldn't come to terms with what she had done to the the Haflalan who had attacked Bisha, no matter what the reason was. What Devshi had done had crushed her and she wasn't sure she'd ever recover nor was she certain she wanted to. Every time she closed her eyes all Devshi saw was the crumpled body on the ground with an ever growing blood puddle. She hadn't slept well since she'd killed the Hafla with her own hands.

       Devshi could feel Somnadi's grumbling purr vibrating through her chest. Somnadi was the only comfort that Devshi had and she was certain she didn't deserve the tigers companionship. Parvai had sent the tiger to her and Devshi was certain that it was only a matter of time before Parvai took Somnadi away. As if hearing her thoughts Somnadi turned her huge head and licked Devshi along the whole side of Devshi's head with a tongue that was easily as long as Devshi's arm. The raspy tiger tongue briefly raised Devshi's spirits and almost got a smile out of her. Devshi turned and wrapped her arms around Somnadi's neck struggling to keep her tears from falling. At least Devshi had first watch that night so no one would try again to get her to talk while they waited for sleep to come.

       All around her the rest of the camp was asleep while Devshi did first watch. At first neither Nahla nor Irene had let either herself or Bisha stand watch but since Ryah was also standing guards. Well it was more like laying watch but with her senses she didn't need to do more than that. Whenever a scent or a sound got her attention Ryah would go take a look. That was how they had discovered that strange creature that had been at the outskirts of their camp right after they had basically crash landed because of a storm. Ever since then Ryah had 'stood' guard with everyone that had that duty. Nahla wasn't concerned since Ryah would and did spend most of their time flying sound asleep.

      That night as she was on guard duty Devshi saw Somnadi walk up to her and butt her head against Devshi's head just like an oversized cat. All around her everyone was sleeping soundly secure in the knowledge that they were safe. Not only was Devshi now able to guard everyone but anyone doing guard duty also had both Ryah, Nahla's Ashfan hound, as well as Somnadi, her own riding tiger. Even when asleep both of them were very capable of defending the whole group. Not everyone slept on the ground around the fire in fact two of their group never slept around the fire. The engineer that joined them in Michocan and the banker that had joined them in Haflalan both slept on board. Fulha slept on board half the time and around the fire the rest of the time. Tonight Fulha was sleeping on board the Atlom's Axe so had joined the other two below deck.

      Devshi was halfway through her turn at guard duty for the night, walking around the camps perimeter. Somnadi was pacing along side of Devshi with Devshi's hand placed companionably on Somnadi's shoulder. Suddenly Somnadi stopped in her tracks causing Devshi to halt as well. Quickly Devshi looked around trying to find the reason for Somnadi's abruptly stopping where she was. At first Devshi didn't see anything out of order then she realized that there was no motion at all. The silence that accompanied the stillness was almost oppressive. Right next to her Devshi saw a leaf suspended in mid air, the leaf had been frozen in mid air during it's fall to the ground. The sight made Devshi's heart beat faster, she tried to call out but nothing happened, no one could hear her voice. The only things moving were herself and Somnadi.

        Out of nowhere there was a flash of light, brighter than the sun because of the darkness that had preceded it. Standing in the light was a form, a form that was her exact height and general shape. For a split second Devshi was terrified but just as fast as the fear had risen it was gone. Devshi went from fear to calm so fast she couldn't understand what had happened. Somnadi however had no such conflicting emotions she walked right up to the form and rubbed her whole body against the whatever it was like a huge cat saying hi, something that didn't reassure Devshi in the slightest. Devshi wasn't sure what was going on or why she wasn't terrified but for some reason her mind and emotions were calm and clear. More calm and clear then they had been since she had found out that her mentor was a traitor.

      "BE CALM" a voice resonated out of the column if light before Devshi. The Somnadi had turned herself around and was now seated at the side of the column of light. "I AM PARVAI AND I WILL SPEAK TO YOU." As the words were spoken the column of light resolved itself into a small Kishnagari dressed in priests robes just like Devshi herself.

     Devshi had dropped to her knees at the sound of the voice that resonated all around and through her. Her god was before her and Devshi didn't know what to think or feel and why was Somnadi sitting so calmly at Parvai's side. The look on the tigers face was identical to the one that Parvai sported, A  look of sympathy combined with concerned severity. Devshi hadn't even known was possible for a tiger to have any expression on its face but there it was right before her eyes. Devshi was certain that Parvai was here because she had murdered a Hafla back in Helgale. An action that Devshi couldn't forgive herself for and knew beyond a doubt that her god couldn't either.

      "I AM HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU," Parvai told Devshi. "YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE DISAPPOINTED ME, BROKEN THE LAWS THAT I GAVE YOU AND ALL OF MY PEOPLE. YOU HAVE NOT, BUT YOU ARE COMING CLOSE NOW."

      Devshi hung her head in shame certain that she was about to be told that she was no longer a priest of Parvai because she had taken a life. Devshi had always believed that killing any sentient was murder and carried the price of loosing her gods presence in her life. Devshi was merely waiting for Parvai to tell her just how disappointed her god was in her. Then Parvai would take Somnadi from her as well leaving her all alone, not even those who were traveling with her would understand what was happening.

     "TAKING THAT LIFE IN HELGALE ISN'T HOW YOU HAVE DISAPPOINTED ME. THAT ACTION WAS RIGHT AND PROPER. THE WAY YOU HAVE DISAPPOINTED ME IS IN NOT WEARING THE ARMOR AND USING THE WEAPON THAT YOUR LEADER SENT WITH YOU. THE ARMOR IS FROM ME AND CREATED FOR MY WARRIOR PRIESTS. THE WEAPON IS A GIFT FROM THE BEGINNING TIMES. FROM THE DAWN TIMES OF THE WORLD."

      Devshi could only stare at her god, not believing what she was hearing but at the same time having to believe because it was coming from her god herself. "But I committed murder," Devshi sputtered confused.

     "YOU DEFENDED BISHA. SOMEONE THAT IS NOT JUST A TRAVELING COMPANION BUT A FRIEND. KEEPING YOUR FRIEND FROM DYING BY KILLING THE ATTACKER ISN'T MURDER!" Parvai almost shouted into Devshi's mind.

     For a long moment all Devshi could do was stare at her god and her tiger in confusion. She had felt that death in her very soul knowing that to kill was wrong according to the rules of the temple that Devshi had thought she had understood. Apparently she had been wrong though according to what Parvai had just told her, there were times when killing wasn't automatically murder. She was going to have to meditate on this for quite a while.

     "I KNOW THIS IS DIFFICULT," Parvai said in a much gentler voice. "YOU WERE TAUGHT THAT ALL KILLING OF SENTIENTS WAS MURDER. UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WOULD BE CORRECT BUT THESE AREN'T NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. NOR ARE YOU A NORMAL PRIEST IN MY SERVICE. YOU WILL BE THE FIRST OF MY HOLY WARRIORS FOR A MILLENNIUM."

     For a long moment Devshi could only stare at her god standing before her, resting one hand on the the shoulder of the tiger seated calmly beside her. Then the import of what Parvai had said percolated through Devshi's mind.

    "You aren't angry at me for killing Bisha's attacker? You want me to be the first of your warriors?" Devshi couldn't believe what she had heard the shock of Parvai's words pulling Devshi onto her feet in shock.

     "YES MY DAUGHTER," Parvai's voice had softened completely, a smile playing on her lips. "YOU ARE THE FIRST OF MY NEW WARRIORS." Then her voice hardened, a grim look on her face. "THERE IS ONE THING THAT YOU MUST DO OR I REALLY WILL BE DISPLEASED WITH YOU. YOU MUST BEGIN TRAINING WITH NAHLA AND IRENE, AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANT YOU MUST TALK TO NAHLA. SHE HAS KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU WOULD BE WISE TO LISTEN TO. SHE WILL HELP YOU WITH YOUR FEELING OF FAILURE."

     No sooner had Parvai spoken those words, long before Devshi could reply in any way, the form of Parvai before her shimmered and turned back into a column of light before vanishing into nothingness. Once again the night was normal, the leaf that had been suspended behind where the god had stood slowly finished it journey to the ground.