Absolutely beautiful piece done by the wonderful   RavenTenebris

Crow really enjoys Niobe's design, and she wanted to get something with her and Lierahen. I was much more than happy to oblige! Raven was the first artist we went to to get this done, and both Crow and I love the piece! There's so much detail in everything, even the distant mountains! I also figured that this piece would be an amazing opportunity to not only reveal some of Niobe's personality and story, but also Lierahen's. I was honored to use Crow's character in this story.

Niobe (left) belongs to me,   TheGoldenJackal

Lierahen (right) belongs to the amazing   DespicableCrowButt

ORIGINAL POST: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/32194022/

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Europa. The realm in which the mythical wanderers of Aetas go to relax and pass the time. The way into this place of rest is a closely guarded secret between the beings of legend. No mortal has stepped foot in this sacred place.

Niobe decided to take a break from following Siber and Luca around to sit down and relax. After all, she had not visited Europa in a while. The tall jackal entered the realm. A light breeze flowed through her hair, and the sunlight warmed her fur. It was a nice change from the winter storms and overcast skies currently covering Aetas.

Niobe took in the view. Gentle streams flowed into a central lake. White marble columns stood tall on the island in the center of the pond, eroded away by time, yet still beautiful. Niobe walked across the stone bridge connecting the island to the mainland. She took a seat on one of the smaller fallen columns.

The jackal sat and enjoyed the view. She thought to herself about how she should come here more often. It was always so relaxing and quiet. Nothing but the breeze blowing through the distant trees could be heard.

This silence made it easy to hear the footsteps of someone else in the grass behind her. Niobe perked her ears before turning around. A cougar walked curiously toward Niobe. Her white fur was perfectly clean, with different shades of gray marking her arms, legs, and back. Her tail swayed back and forth. Niobe quickly noticed the large wings the cougar had. Even with them folded back, Niobe could tell that her wingspan was easily at least three times her own height.

The jackal then noticed a very intriguing item in the cougar’s left hand. She held a lantern, burning with the light of a thousand suns. Niobe could sense the power that it held. The energy within was very similar to her own Aura.

"Hello, there," Niobe spoke.

The cougar perked her ears. She looked into Niobe’s pearlescent eyes and sensed pain, hidden deep behind several millennia's worth of memories. She sat next to the jackal.

"It’s nice to meet a fellow wanderer. What’s your name?" Niobe asked.
"Lierahen," the cougar answered.
"What brings you here, Lierahen?"
"You do, Niobe."

Niobe was shocked. How did this stranger know her name? She was sure they had never met before. Sentient felines like Lierahen were not of the Caena region, but of the Felia region. The cougar saw her confusion.

"I know a lot about you, Niobe, just by sensing your Aura," Lierahen explained, wiggling her lantern, "life force is my specialty, too."
"You’ve got me curious now. What do you know?" Niobe questioned.
"I can sense pain, deep down in your heart. I want to help you. I want to guide you to answers."
"I don’t mean to be rude, but why me? It won’t make a difference for me. I’ve lived for four thousand years, so one small thing like that won’t change anything."
"I live to help people find closure. I can’t exactly find my own, so I help others with finding theirs."

Lierahen placed her lantern next to her and leaned forward, looking into Niobe’s eyes once again.

"I also am helping you out of respect. You are one of very few that can sense and use their life forces like you do," the cougar added, "a lot of time and effort are needed to master that."

Niobe sighed. All of this was extremely sudden. She needed a moment to think.

"Let me help you help me," Niobe spoke after several moments of silence, "what is it you need me to do?"

Lierahen smiled. Her kind words got through to the jackal’s reasonable side

"Just talk to me. Anything at all," the cougar replied, "or perhaps tell me what brings you here."
"I’m here to relax. You can only guide people so much before you need time for yourself," Niobe explained.
Lierahen nodded, "who do you guide?"
"Two jackals, Siber and Luca. Both of them can control their life forces, like me."
"Why do you guide them?"
"Bonded Jackals are supposed to become stronger. The only way to do that is to create a bond with another, and then shatter it."
"Shatter their bond? That doesn’t sound like a good thing."
"Whether it is a mother bear giving up her dead cub, or two partners in a relationship splitting up, letting go and moving on is one of the hardest things a living being has to do."

Lierahen nodded in agreement. She too, had to learn that. Her past wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, either.

"What about you, Miss Lierahen?" Niobe spoke up.
"What about me?" the gray feline asked.
"What’s your story?"

The winged cougar thought for a moment. Her past wasn’t really something she liked to talk about. It was a painful story. A story she’d rather forget.

"My home was destroyed by humans from the Hom region," Lierahen said quietly, "nothing is left. I remember the day like it was yesterday."
"If it bothers you to explain, I won’t push you to," Niobe comforted her, placing her hand on her new friend’s back.
"In order to move past it, I must explain it."
"Maybe I can help you."

Lierahen looked into Niobe’s eyes.

"You would do that?" she questioned, "but we only just met."
"That means nothing," Niobe smiled, "besides, you’re helping me with my problem, too."

The gray feline sighed and closed her eyes. She ran through every second of that tragedy. The screaming, the fire, the ruins.

"Just talk to me," Niobe said again.
"It was almost five hundred years ago," Lierahen started, "when my whole world was burned to the ground."

The cougar looked at her lantern. She winced slightly at thinking about what the lantern was used for.

"A group of humans had invaded our small border town. They crossed the border at night, and sneaked into our small village. They carried a single lantern into my home. I woke up to smoke filling my bedroom."

Niobe tilted her head in curiosity. All of her attention was on Lierahen as she explained this horrible experience.

"I rushed to my feet, and escaped out of the window. By the time I got out, the rest of the village was burning. I saw no one else escape their cabins. For all I know, I am the sole survivor."
"What was your village like?" Niobe asked.
"All of them were very kind, happy, innocent people," Lierahen responded, looking down at her feet, "none of them deserved what happened to them."

The jackal nodded and patted the cougar’s back. She thought for a moment and took a deep breath. She pointed to the lantern.

"Is that where the lantern came from?" Niobe pondered.
Lierahen nodded, "yes. It is the same one those humans used to destroy my home."
"Why do you carry it with you?"
"After the attack, I picked up the lantern. I could feel it’s hot metal burning my hand. I kept a hold of it. That’s when I felt something. It felt as if someone was right next to me. I turned and looked, but there was nobody. I felt it again and again. It was as if the souls of the people in the village were surrounding me, begging for answers. Why us? Why did a small, peaceful village like ours deserve to be burned to the ground?"
"They begged for closure."
"Indeed. I tried the best I could to give it to them, but it was to no avail."

Lierahen picked up the lantern. It seemed to be burning brighter than before.

"I carry the lantern with me to find answers. The village’s souls live in this lantern, still waiting for closure," the gray cougar explained, "many other souls have entered and found closure. Those were wanderers who had passed away long ago. I promised them shelter and closure if they enter the lantern, in exchange for keeping it’s fire burning."
"Soulfire," Niobe whispered under her breath, "I know Siber and Luca can control their own, but Lierahen can seemingly control the soulfire of others."
"It’s not exactly controlling other people’s life forces."

Niobe jumped at the sudden inclusion of Lierahen’s knowledge. This cougar was just as cunning as herself.

"Your kind wields yours as a weapon. My kind gathers it to let the owners be at peace," Lierahen spoke.
"I’d love to learn something like that," Niobe mentioned.
Lierahen smiled, "I can teach you, if you want. I just need to know more about what your motivation is."

Niobe sighed. It was back to where the two started. She didn’t want to talk about it. Her hatred for the reason kept her from ever speaking about it. The jackal shook her head.

"I can’t do that, Lierahen," she said softly.
"I understand," Lierahen answered, "let me know when you are ready to speak about it."

Niobe was jealous of how open Lierahen was about her past. The cougar was very direct with everything she had said. She was willing to explain her past, even with all of the pain it caused. She knew her purpose, and was executing that purpose perfectly.

"Thank you, Lierahen," Niobe spoke up.
Lierahen shook her head, "it is I that must be thanking you. I haven’t had anyone to talk to personally for a very long time."

The winged cougar placed her hand on Niobe’s shoulder.

"Whatever darkness is ailing you," she said, "we will find it together, okay? I want to help you."
The jackal nodded and smiled, hesitating to speak up, "thank you."

Niobe stood closer to Lierahen. She rested her head on top of hers, and wrapped her arms around her. Lierahen was surprised by the jackal’s movements, and pulled herself closer.

"I’ve not had someone care this much about me in several millennia," Niobe spoke softly.

Lierahen sensed some of the darkness surrounding Niobe’s soul fade away. The jackal’s golden markings gave off a faint glow before she gently pushed herself away.

"I’ll see you around, Lierahen," Niobe spoke one last time.

The cougar nodded and watched as Niobe returned to her world. She felt a connection form. A connection that she hadn’t felt in years.