Thread: WhiteTiger's writings: update, New stories, High-fantasy with realism, all tag types:

Anousinka Puli Breaking through the bush with his machete, making their way up the small mountain, Anousinka watched her mother and father, two well-known archaeologists, make their way through the underbrush and the foliage. I can not wait and am hoping we can actually find this rumored temple!, Garati, her mother said, while deeply breathing from the exhausting work. We will, I know we will. I feel it is close!., her father, Rajasi Aishwarya said to them, with sweat pouring off all of them and trying to avoid being dinner for the insects that seemed to swarm all around them. At the moment, they were in the province of Himachal Pradesh, in Mahendrangar, and deeper into the local area of Uttarakhand just outside the village of Hardiwar. His clothes were more modern and functional, with short sleeved khaki shirt, relaxed Khaki pants that belted at the waist, blending in with his rich dark skin color and coal short cut black hair. Proceeding along, all at once, what seemed more underbrush, the machete suddenly hit something hard. Thinking it was a stubborn tree trunk, her father hit it harder until sparks flew off of it. Reaching with his hands towards it, he realized that he had hit stone. Garati, Anousinke, come help me clear this off., her father ordered her mother and her. Both she and their daughter, Anousinka wore more traditional clothes, but it made it much harder for them to work their way through the bush, but these were the times and customs had to be followed. Such had been her life as far back as she could remember. Both her parents being field archaeologists, who had met on a dig, they formed a bond and then married. While out in search of more discoveries, Anousinke, herself had been born into that world in the year of nineteen thirty-two and had been that way for her ever since, now being the age of sixteen. Being now in the year of nineteen forty-eight, dozens of temples had been discovered, with her parents hands in a quite a few of them and onward they persisted. This time it was because while traveling through the small town of Hardiwar, heading for their home, that they caught rumor of a very ancient Temple of the Tiger deep and buried in the forest. No one would even talk much about it as the locals said it was cursed and a horrific tragedy had over come the entire tribe as they were just becoming united as one. The temple was over half way through in the construction of it before they all just disappeared. Some say many of the bodies were found floating down a river, partially eaten but that was a long time ago and no one knew much else. So of course, her parents being who and what they were, Ansouinke now found herself on yet another search. One day I will be tired of all this digging around for things long dead and meaningless and will have a real life, a real husband and will have her home filled with the finest of things., as she remembered some of her summers in her beloved Uncle's house on her mother's side, who had a beautiful house, wife, children, servants and the finest of things everywhere in every room of their twenty room mansion. At my age, I should already be married, but for their unwillingness to take such time away from their discoveries to arrange a marriage for me., she thought quietly to herself. She wanted away from this life but felt trapped within it. Resenting her parents for it she did as she was told, but kept her dreams held steady in her mind. Working hard to clear the vines and shrubs away from this sanctuary, hidden for who knows how long, they worked for hours until they came upon what appeared like a break in the structure. Working with more anticipation, they cleared away the rest and found it to be an opening to a very old temple that appeared only half built. Anxious to get on with more, instead Anousinke's father said, We will make camp here and start fresh in the morning., in the apparent center of the temple. What they didn't realize that with the first strikes of his machete against the rock, somethingsome one else also awoke after centuries of slumber. Preparing their tents, a still running, clear fountain was at the center. Washing up, they prepared their dinner, a nice fire and retired into their tents for the evening. Mean while, an ancient presence began to loom around the temple, watching them carefully, observing. Waking him up after so long made him very very hungry. Waking up the next morning, they each left their tents after making their beds. Spending a lot of time here was their intentions but Rajasi knew they didn't have enough supplies to last and would have to leave sooner than they would like, but return again as soon as possible. The mist in the morning air of the Jungle was thick as droplets of water formed on their skin without any effort and made breathing difficult with the altitude. Again, gathering fire for a fire wood and gathering extra, as he also put Anousinka to the same task and she did so, begrudgingly. We can not take full documentation of this site until it is cleared, but he had his camera already out, taking some early pictures. So much of the temple was filled with overgrowth that it was a wonder why the fountain in the center of the seemingly circular based architecture had not suffered the same. Never the less, grateful as they were for it, they proceeded on with their standard Hindu rations, though none of them followed those believes, it was just a habit of their cultures and background. As the fountain always seemed to be pure, probably from a tapped well hundreds of years ago, the water always seemed to be pure, clean and crystal clear, so Garati chose to wash their soiled clothes there and laid them out for the slow drying process in such a humid environment. Hardest of all was the general appearance and the break from traditional temples that this one had and Anousinka's parents knew they had found something utterly new and amazing. The first thing at had was to clear away the over growth of hundreds of years, to see the half constructed temple as it was when it was suddenly stopped so long ago. Each of them were sent in different directions with cutting and hacking tools to begin the careful work. Anousinka could do it in her sleep, as she had been doing this at birth and off they went to a different section of these strange rounded structures. While working and profusely, sweating, Anousinka found it odd that there were no bugs attacking her like in the forest, villages or even the city. In fact,, she thought, There have been no bugs since we entered here., and suddenly the overgrowth she was working on to wall of the temple facing West gave way. Intrigued, she worked hard to clear the growth to find an ancient alter of some type carved from the the stone wall itself. Engraved around it were the barely readable markings of a big cat of some sort, but the language script around it she was unfamiliar with. Oh,, hmph, she said, My know it all father will probably know. Suddenly something caught her eye, a projection of sorts jutting out from the center of the rock alter on the wall. It was weather beaten and old, but she could tell the original carving was beautiful at one time and had been jammed into the rock forcefully somehow. Running with enthusiasm, she grabbed an small bowl, filled it with the endless water from the well, unknowing it was sacred purified water that held the temple, energies and beings trapped within the walls and ran to pour it over the projection and to clear the filled in dirt around the area and the thing jammed into the wall. To her surprise, it looked like a blade shoved into the center of a large cat and stripes could barely be made out. Ooooh I have to have this!, she declared to her self, with the natural effects of the water, being sacred and purified, she poured it over it, suddenly, without much effort, it came lose when it shouldn't have. The blade shown bright and was double edged very long dagger of some sort and seemed in pristine condition. Suddenly a voice was in her head, Well, I should thank you for that. Said the voice. Who's that?, she demanded and looked around to see the figure of a very large tiger slowly approaching her. Continuing on as he spoke in her mind, Centuries ago, the tribe who started making this temple were fools and instead of worshiping me, they drew my into physical form from the spirit world. By the time they had realized their mistake and how furious I was, they knew it was too late. As a last resort, the head monk drove that spiritually powerful blade that they used to draw me in, deep into the heart of the incantation that is etched on this wall and drew me down and forced me here. I, of coarse was still bound but now stuck forever in this half built temple and killed and ate everyone on the grounds. You pulling the blade have freed me and I have awoken after a long long sleep and am very hungry. Let me ask you a question young one, I know you do not like your parents or this life and they are so in love with their work, they just automatically think you should and do love it too. Now again, I am very hungry. I will eat tonight, will it be you that sacrifices your life to save theirs or shall I eat them and free you?, he asked menacingly, uttering a guttural growl as his large intense gold eyes focused in on her. Take my parents.. take them... I am tired of this life and want to be free!, she screamed at the tiger in total terror. By the way, the tiger said, My name is Puli, young Anousinka. I thought after so long that you should know the name of the last thing you see before you die. But you gave me a choice!, she said, her back against the wall, tears starting to flow down her cheeks. Indeed I did but humans have not appeared to change much and still as ever only seek for their own personal survival and know no compassion for others or self sacrifice. It was a test dear young one., and at that he launched upon her, pinning her to the ground, but not realizing it, she was till holding the sacred blade which had hit the mark of his heart when he attacked her. Ahhhh you have freed meeee, the voice whispered but then, as she was panting hard, some of her blood mixed with his combined with hers. Still shaking and holding the sacred blade, the tiger spirit suddenly screamed, Nooooooo you stupid stupid girl..., as the aura of almost transparent spirit began to circle into a vortex of orange and white and she was forced back against the opposite wall as a field of gold surrounded her and the vortex entered her through every opening she had in her body as the blade and mix of blood had trapped the tiger inside her body now. Now, Anousinka was transformed into a very hungry tiger and began to hunt her parents. First she found what was once her mother, Garati, working hard, as she snarled behind her for fun, to scare her and as she a had a little time before she had a chance to scream, then AnousinkaPuli, the tiger was upon her, killing her fast and eating he even faster. Still hungry, the tiger began to stalk what used to be her father. Finding him on his knees, digging out the roots of some of the over growth, she approached him quietly and put her paw on his back. Turning around to see which one of his family members it was, he was face to face with a blood covered huge Tiger. Before he had a chance to move, his paralysis took over in sheer terror as AnousinkaPuli lunged for him, tearing his throat out and then worked on eating him, more slowly this time, as she had time. Memories of herself and her life were mixed with that of the tiger's as she thought about her human form. Suddenly, her body began to shiver before her and move in almost a slow motion moment. There was no pain during this but she felt changes happening to her as her body then returned to the shape of her human form. Both surprised by this, she walked towards the borders of the temple to see if she was still sealed in. To her amazement, she freely passed the barrier, her clothes and face covered in blood, but her sight, smell, in fact all her senses were heightened and she felt strong and powerful. Smelling off in the distance the closest village, she headed for it. Approaching it, she feigned weakness, fear, horror, terror and morning, telling the villagers of what she had seen a tiger do and how she was the only one to manage to escape. Taking great pity on her, they took her in, giving her fresh clothes, and giving her all the information she needed to get back to her home. Sending a a messenger way ahead of time, her rich Uncle was there to greet her and take her into his home to raise her as his own. My poor poor niece! What horrors you have suffered after them dragging you all over India for all these years. Anything you need at any time I or one of my servants will get it for you. You will be completely taken care of. Any time you want or need to talk, I am here my precious niece to listen to you or just some one to lightly chat with. Feigning deep sorrow and pain, she stayed in her room and went out once a week, transformed into her tiger form to hunt. Rajasi Aishwarya Garati Aishwarya Anousinka Aiswarya That which has been asleep for hundreds of years, now awaken and hungry