Familiar Song

Kali sat with Blake in her arms. Grey tinged her hair and crow’s feet from her long life sagged at the edges of her eyes. She was old now, but she still remained rather spry, compared to other people her age. She was glad that, even now, her daughters remained close to her. She had hated it when Blake had run off with that Taurus boy when she’d only been thirteen. It really had hurt her, but that had been decades ago by this point and both of them had largely healed from it. Blake would never fully recover from the intense abuse he’d put her through, but Kali had helped a great deal with her soul healing, and therapy had done wonders as well. She started to hum softly, a familiar tune that Blake had learned as a child. It had taken Kali a while to master the song, as Menagerine wasn’t her native language. But she was used to it by now. However, it was the translation that Blake had made many years ago on an album by Team RWBY. It was a traditional Menagerine lullaby from the years following the Pogrom after Menagerie had been first settled. Even now, the tune warmed Kali’s heart and carried hefty meaning for her after Blake had run away, then returned to her. wandering child of the earth, do you know just how much you’re worth…? It was a beautiful song and she was glad it had penetrated into Faunus communities outside of Menagerie on the mainlands. Lots of different people had translated their own versions and covered the song on social media. It was incredibly popular in Faunus communities due to how much it spoke to the fragility of life but continuing to move on despite the hardship. You have walked this path since your birth, you were destined for more. The melody was just as gentle and fleeting as the people it spoke to as well as the times it had been made in. People had been so afraid, so uncertain if there evenwasa future. She had heard the tales from the older Menagerine generation after arriving there with Ghira. The Pogrom hadn’t been pleasant and the times after weren’t either. Mantle had attempted to kill off its Faunus slaves on an industrial scale. Blake had been the one to blow open the history and show the world Mantle’s true atrocities during the Great War. There are those who’ll tell you you’re wrong; they will try to silence your song. So much fragility in this song… She knew Blake absolutely loved it. Even now, her girls would come to her when something was wrong. Unfortunately…her time was approaching. She could feel it. Her soul was dimming. Melanthios would come for her soon. But her life had been a long one, full of happiness and heaviness alike. But that was just the price of living. Nothing could be perfect all the time. She finished the song and held Blake close. Blake was fast asleep in her lap. The lullaby almost always put her to sleep. Kali was glad. Every moment was precious to her especially at this point. She had maybe a few more months left until Melanthios claimed her. She wouldn’t let any moment go to waste as long as she still drew her breath. For now, though, she kissed Blake’s head and held her close. Her daughters would miss her, but everyone had their time. Hopefully, they wouldn’t mourn too much… Kali would fill as many moments as she could with warmth and happiness. Life was a joy and they should take it as such. She hoped they would celebrate her life rather than mourn… This lullaby would forever remind them of her, and she was glad for that.