Character: Chi'Sire

[Cassie]

6 Tabaxi Enter A Storm:
Gara'Fel easily saw the chaotic storm as it rolled in from the East while she walked behind her parents ahead of her on the worn dirt path through the open field she knew well. She could feel the hum in the air of lightning ready to unleash on to the Earth and it  caused her orange-and-black-striped fur stand on end and her Cobalt blue scales on her forearms to tingle. Savoring that sensation as she always has, she knew this storm was the perfect one for their family's new addition. 
Lead by the Howling Storm Tribe's Cheiftan, Path Forger, and the Tribe's High Priest, Earthen Magic, Gara'Fel and her parents carrying their small, still bundle trekked Eastward toward the holiest place within the boarders of the Tribe's well preserved land. It was only 10 years ago her parents made this exact same trip in the middle of another storm for Gara'Fel herself. Only a week old at the time, she could not remember anything from her anointing at the Temple of the Portal. However, she promised herself, she would remember every detail she could and tell her new sibling about it when they were old enough to understand the ceremony's importance.
Though the storm grew closer and darker still, Gara'Fel felt no fear and could easily see her black-furred, bronze-scaled mother and her yellow-and-black-spot-furred, brass-scaled father. She could also see the tiny yellow-and-black-striped tail of her three-day-old sibling hanging limply over her father's arm. Her mother said the baby would not awaken until after they were anointed even though the child was breathing and very much alive. Readjusting her grip on the heavy kettle of multicolored jewels and platinum shards she carried as the offering in the ceremony, Gara'Fel steeled her determination to make sure nothing went wrong tonight. She has wanted a sibling for so long she would do everything in her power to ensure the baby survived.
As a bolt of lightning struck a few yards away and rain began to fall heavily from the sky Gara'Fel and the other members of her tribe howled out their response to the colliding powers and magnificent energies of the storm. Drawing their courage from the storm, they pressed on until they came upon the hidden enterance to the temple her father told her about. A massive circle of towering stones encompassed a large space. The stones stood about fifteen feet apart a were all bare except for two standing sentinel at what seemed to be the end of the path. They  were marked with the symbol of the Howling Storms, two feline clawed hands cupping a storming cloud. Her father had told her that powerful magics protected the enterance of the temple. Should an ordinary person come upon the stones they would simply pass through them being none the wiser.
But the Tabaxi are no ordinary people, Gara'Fel thought as the Cheiftan and the High Priest stepped up to the marked stones.

[Forest]

Ooooooo, Didn't realize Chi-Sire was all tribal...

[Cassie]

From Temple to Den:
Coming to stand just outside the ring of stones, Gara'Fel's parents first turned to their tribe Chieftain. 
"Always remember," he spoke in the low timbered voice, "No matter the outcome, the tribe will support and accept the child. In this life or the next our kin are treasured." 
Her mothered nodded her thanks while her father used his free hand to clasp arms with the Chieftain before they turned to the High Priest. The Priest held out his hand to Gara's mother who put the pouch from her hip into it then to her father who removed the platinum symbol of their tribe from around his neck and did the same. After safely storing both items within his robes the Priest then moved to kneel before Gara'Fel. 
"I must take your symbol as well, little one," he stated while removing her own magical focus for her given that her hands were currently tightly wrapped around the kettles handle. "Once you are through to the other side, it is important that you do exactly what your parent tell you to do. And understand that though Jo-Lynra may have existed with us harmoniously up until now, he is like any other powerful being. He can be soothed or angered in a single breath."
Gara bowed her head to her elder as he moved back to his position opposite the Chieftain. Both the Priest and the Chieftain then drew small arcane symbols in the air using their hands before touching either stone pillars in front of them. Lightning from the stones shot straight up into the raging storm above them and a transparent wall formed between the spaces of all the pillars in the ring.
"Come, Gara'Fel," her mother ushered her as her father quickly stepped through the newly formed wall only to disappear. Gara immediately moved behind her mother and followed her past the veil of the hidden portal. 
The first thing Gara'Fel noticed as she passed through with her mother was that they were no longer in the wide open field she was named after. They now stood with in an enclosed doom-like cavern with a large circular skylight that seemed to reveal another storm. Though she could still feel the lightning in the air, Gara could not be sure if her family was still in the Howling Storm's tribal lands or if they were just teleported somewhere far beyond she ever knew.
The second thing she noted was the multitude of colorful lights around that swirled and danced about the walls and floor of this new place. Blues and greens she had only seen in nature cascaded around them. Reds and yellows of the most passionate infernos streaked and flashed. Colors Gara had never even seen before clashed against the the stone walls. All the lights reflected off piles and mounds of similar jems and shards of platinum that she curried in her now relatively small seeming kettle. Clusters of precious stones and metals the world sought after and fought for lay on the ground in every direction shining and sparkling colors in a whirl of beauty.
However, it was not until Gara'Fel's mother stepped forward into the middle of the massive chamber and faced the mountain of platinum on the opposite side from them that she finally saw that not only did the light and colorful swirls center around that mound, it looked as though they were emitted from within it. Before her eyes the lights grew brighter and spun faster as suddenly that same mound began to shake. The platinum pieces fell away while the sound of deep breathing broke the silence of the chamber. Gara watched in awe and fear as a large reptilian tail swept out from the falling metals followed by massive scaled wings. Then finally the huge, powerful creature that was hidden beneath the pile stood up, revealing a beautiful, white-scaled, . iridescent dragon.
Halos of colors, all shifting and flashing, ringed the dragons massive body. The light radiating out from it's scales was so intense Gara almost wanted to turn away but found she was unable to. This would be the most beautiful thing she would ever see, she knew it.
The dragon lowered it's large head to her mother and a gravely, deep rumble echoed through the chamber. Gara'Fel almost did not recognize it as speech before she understood the words of the Draconic language her people spoke. "Ah, Catfolk. You have brought  another you wish me to spark life into."

[Cassie]

The Toll of Magic:
Gara'Fel trembled in the presence of the mighty creature that just arose from the mountain of platinum. Her parents before her stood between her and the dragon with their heads bowed. As her mother spoken her voice seemed even and strong. "Great Jo-Lynra, we come to you once again with a tribute and a request." 
"Ah, Riverstone, I did not think I would see you here once more but  it seems your family grows again. You may begin with the tribute." The dragon's voice vibrated the chamber as lights still danced around the wall, being reflected off his massive scales. 
Gara'Fel's mother turned to her and held out her hand. Gara'Fel took a single shaky step when the dragon's beautiful rainbow-pulsing eyes focused on her. She quickly lowered her gaze and froze in place. "Hmmm, your first child if I recall. Come forward, child. I believe you have something for me." 
As the dragon beckoned her closer she felt true terrible fear lock her in place until her eyes caught the limp movement of the tail over her father's arm. Remembering why she was here and the promise she made to her new sibling, Gara'Fel tightened her grip on the bucket she carried and walked forward.
"Your child's heart is strong. Let us hope this new one is like her elder sister and not her brother."
Gara'Fel looked back to her parents in confusion as her mother  barely stifled a sob. She was an only child. She didn't understand what the dragon could mean. 
"Yes, Mighty Prismatic One. We must hope," her father said in a choked, hoarse voice.
"Here, child. Place the tribute here." The dragon reached out a massive clawed hand to Gara'Fel. Just one hand covered in irridecent white scales was as large as her entire body. Their tribute seemed meager as she dumped the jewels the platinum pieces into the open hand of Jo-Lynra. The dragon lifted it's hand to it's wide mouth and flicked a tongue over the treasures within it's grasp. It let out what sounded like a pleased sigh before saying Your bloodline always finds the purest of precious things, Balek Near the River."
Gara'Fel's father bowed the best he could while cradling the small bundle he held against he chest. "Only the best could ever be for you, Mighty Prismatic One. And your praise honors my family."

The dragon allowed the for the gems and metal to fall from his hand and land on the piles at his feet. "Now for your request." It's long tail which had been laying in front of them slithered off to the side to reveal a short stone column with a polished marble basin resting on top. "Bring forth the child and state your wish."

[Cassie]

The Spark of Life:
Gara'Fel's watched as her father, Balek, stepped up to the stone podium before raising his unmoving child to his lips for a soft kiss on it's head and gently passing it inside the deep marble basin. "My family and  I come before the Great Jo-Lynra asking for the gift only your immense power can provide." Her father then took Gara'Fel's hand and moved them both back to stand with her mother several paces away from the basin. 
"Will you and yours respect the gift only I can give?" The huge iridecsent dragon known as Jo-Lynra stepped closer to the small basin Gara'Fel's sibling now rested in and held a clawed hand just over the rim. 
"We will," her mother and father answered firmly.
"Will you and yours honor the pact struck by your ancestors and all that it entails?"
"We will."
"Do you and yours understand the dangers the bearing of the gift will bring upon them?"
"We do."
"And will you accept whatever the outcome bestowing the gift will cause?"
Gara'Fel's parents bowed their heads momentarily before saying in more hushed tones, "We will."
"Then I will give on to your child the gift." Using it's other hand, the dragon lifted a few scales on the hand above the basin to reveal an old jagged scar across it's palm. The dragon reopened the scar by slashing a claw across it.  Several drops of blood seeped from the wound and fell into the small basin, filling it to the brim. 
Fear for her new family member, Gara'Fel took a step forward only to have her mother grasp her by the shoulder and hold her back. Turning her scared eye to her mother she saw her shake her head subtly and pull her back. Earlier that day Gara'Fel's parents had told her of the ceremonies importance and that she could not interrupt it once they were inside but her sibling was in that now blood filled bowl. She feared for the babes safety more than anything else at the moment.
Hiding her hands behind her back, Gara'Fel became drawing he magic symbol from a protect spell she had seen another member of her tribe preform. Though the high priest had taken her her magic focus talisman she had to try everything she could for her family. 
Then suddenly the stone chamber was filled with a blinding light as the Mighty Jo-Lynra took a deep breath and exhaled straight done on the basin with a beam of kaleidoscoping colors and lights. Gara'Fel could only gasp in shock as she lost her concentration on her spell and watched as the basin took the full force of a dragon's most powerful weapon. Tears spilled down her face as she stared in horror and awe at the beauty before her. 
How could anyone survive that? she thought. Was this what had happened to her and her parents and the rest of her people? How could a baby live through a dragon's breath?
It seemed like an eternity before the light within the chamber dimmed again and the dragon stepped back from the stone column. For a few seconds the basin itself radiated the same light that illuminated Jo-Lynra then returned to it's regular color as if nothing had happened to it. The chamber was still and silent for a moment and the tension was almost to much for Gara'Fel to bear when a soft cry came from the center of the room, within the basin. 
Her family rushed forward to discover the blood in the bowl was gone and the tiny infant inside was indeed crying and raising her arms up, grasping towards them. Gara'Fel's mother let out a breathless cry and picked up the distressed child. As the any came up from the basin, several clumps of yellow and black fur fell from her body to reveal brilliant green scales decorating her skin.
"Oh, Balek. She made it!" her mother crooned to her smiling father. 
"She is strong," Jo-Lynra said, lowering his massive head to get a better look at the child. "What will you name this one?"
Both of Gara'Fel's parents dowed their heads to the Mighty Prismatic Dragon that breathed life into their child before kneel down to her, giving her a better view of her baby sister.
"Gara'Fel Swaying Fields, meet your sister," her father said in a proud tone. "Chi'Sire Within the Treetops." 

[Cassie]

Unknown Horrors:
"So... Do you think we should take it?" Chi'Sire's companion, Hyren, asked as he indicated to the tarnished glaive spiraled by bones in a snake sculpture. 
"I don't know what they call it in your culture, but in my tribe we call that a red flag," Chi'Sire said in hopes to dissuade Hyren from touching the glaive. 
"Yeah, it looks bad, but I really want it." He didn't sound greedy to Chi'Sire. He mostly sounded curious, which she completely understood.
 Something about the shape of the sculpture nagged at her thoughts. Chi'Sire stared hard at the whirl of bones until she recognized the image. "I think this is a shrine to Dendar! The Night Serpent that the Yaun-ti worship. We really should not touch it."
"I believe you're right, Chi. And look here." Hyren pointed to particular bones in the sculpture then indicated to a few of the piles of bones scattered through the chamber. "The bones on the ground are all mostly human or humanoid, but the bones that are part of the serpent- Look here. They are serpent like and distorted. I think this is where the Yaun-ti snake people lay their dead. They put the bones into the sculpture of their god."
Both Chi'Sire and Hyren stood in silence for a moment after the realization of that fact set in.
"That's really creepy," Chi'Sire said while trying to move Mighty, her flying monkey baby back from the bones. "But maybe we could preform a ritual to Dendar while we're here so we could get more information about the Yaun-ti."
"What are you proposing?" Hyren asked cautiously.
"Well I got this incense from Fenthaza." Chi'Sire held up a small bundle of herbs and rinds. "She said it's how she communicates with Dendar. Maybe if we use it here we could talk to Dendar too."
"Do you think it will be a good idea to talk to Dendar? She is foretold to destroy the earth..." 
"Not really but I think this might be our only chance." Chi'Sire thought of the little she knew of the terrible place they were in and began to worry. "More knowledge about what we're up against can't be a bad thing, right?"
"I'll do it with you if you choose to try it," Hyren proclaimed confidently. "I wont leave you hanging."
Another minute passed before Chi'Sire said "Okay. Let's do it."
Both Hyren and Chi'Sire kneeled before the massive sculpture of a god they did not worship. Chi eyed her monkey baby who sat a few paces away and thought he should be fine there. She then placed the incense between her and Hyren and use a fire spell to set it ablaze. It instantly filled the area with thick black and purple smoke. Hyren and Chi'Sire took deep, filling breaths of the foreign air and for Chi'Sire it wasn't all unpleasant. The smoke seemed to sooth her nerves, dull her senses, and cause her to grow incredibly tired. 
Within moments Chi'Sire slumped forward on to the chamber floor and fell into an all encompassing sleep with the only thought of "What could possibly go wrong......."