Two Stories.
Two Onis.
One Pack.
Read both origins of the Riverdawn pack to understand the whole story of Riverdawn's existence!
The First
The story of Akhena, Masaharta, and Lah.
In the beginning, there was no such thing as Riverdawn. Instead, there was a population of stray dogs that lived in the port city, Rasheed/Rashid/Rosetta. The dogs who lived there were comfortable, and the people there provided them with food, water, and shelter, despite none of the dogs being owned. There were considered the city's dogs, for everyone to pet, admire, and love. However when World War IV, began the whole attitude towards dogs changed. They were now seen as pests that sucked up the city's resources. Rashid officials started poisoning, starving, and shipping off dogs to 'research' units in Europe. This caused many dogs to either die off or leave their home. The dogs that left followed the Nile in search of a new one.
Three of these dogs were, Akhena, Masaharta, and Lah. The trio's mother had been killed by poisoning in the city, so they followed the group that left. Lah, the runt of the three, was starting to slow down from hunger. So Masaharta decided to go in search of food for her sister to eat. She didn't have any luck in catching any prey, since she never had to before. Just as she was turning back, Masaharta spotted a dead rabbit, she wasn't too sure about grabbing it or not. She took a sniff, and to her, it didn't smell like it was spoiled so she took it.
Lah started to get violently ill the next day, and she died that night on a new moon. Masaharta and Akhena were both devastated and refused any condolences from any of the other dogs. They buried her before sunrise. Masaharta couldn't forgive herself, but Akhena constantly told her that it wasn't and there was nothing she could do but move on for Lah. When the group continued their journey, Masaharta stayed in the back.
Both dogs started their individual grieving processes, Akhena numbed his mind by helping the newly forming pack by helping organize patrols and making sure the dogs were safe. He soon gained the nickname Oni from an elder dog, and would soon catch on with the rest of the pack. The pack also started to call themselves River, due to their traveling alongside the Nile.
Meanwhile, Masaharta stuck to herself, trying to make sense of why this was happening to them. She soon started to have strange dreams about her late sister. She felt as if Lah had back to hunt her for her 'wrongdoings'. Soon she started to retain a bit of what she had in the dreams. It sounded like Lah was telling her "Dawn" "Oni" "Moon". Eventual Masaharta wanted help from her brother to interpret these dreams with her.
When Masaharta finally told Akhena, he snapped. Grieve stricken he told her, "Why can't you let go!? You've only thought about yourself and apparently these idiotic dreams these past weeks! Leave Lah to rest! You can't keep this up ...please Masaharta. I just want you to be my sister again... I've already lost one."
This only further led the two apart, and lead Masaharta to focus more on the dreams and omens. Feeling as if they could help her overcome her grief and depression and help Akhena understand. She had deciphered most of the dreams, Lah was telling her something along the lines of "Sun follows Moon, Stars keep watch. River meets the new Dawn"
Eventual this led to a big fight at night (on a full moon), before it escalated a HOWLING wind stopped them. When they both turned around, they saw the ghostly form of Lah. Shellshocked, they tried to get closer to her but she ran. They ended up following her trough the sun desert in which they had to pass the sandy hills. Masaharta couldn't run as fast so she lagged behind a bit through the hills, Akhena however was more athletic then her and kept up as he leap over the hill that would eventually be named in his honor. His maw dropped when he saw the oasis, the sun greeting him through in the horizon. When Masaharta eventually caught up, she looked at the oasis and back at her brother, tellling him that he shouldve listen to her. still in shock he nodded.
The Switch
The story of Sabacon and Miranda.
*reminder, present-day dogs do not know the truth behind their god's origins nor can they contact the dead before Sabacon's reign. Example: A dog can not contact Lah, but can contact a dog that died two months ago.*
It has been 20-30 years since the first Oni, Ahkena, the first Shaman, Masaharta, and the first Moonhowler, Lah. The pack was very different from how the pack is now. Dogs openly shared stories from their ancestors about big cities and strange ape-like animals called Humans. Their history was to be told and to learn from what their predecessors went through. Three generations of dogs had been given the title of Oni in Riverdawn, all happen to be descanted from Ahkena. While the original Oni never had any pups his sister Masaharta did. Ahkena trained his nephews to be strong dogs, and after his death, the pack choose his nephew Sadiki to lead. And his son leads after him, and his son, Asmit, leads as well. Every time Oni's time was up, the pack and past Oni made the decision to the next one, who was usually the son of the previous Oni. However, Asmit didn't believe his son, Sabacon, was fit to lead. He was impulsive, rude, and untrustworthy. Instead, Asmit had his eyes on a certain blue-eyed she-dog who refused to be a Moonhowler. At the time, blue-eyed dogs had a choice to join in Lah's image and howl to the spirits and the moon but it was most common that they choose this route. The strong-willed she-dog Miranda didn't want that for her life and instead wanted to be a silentfoot.
Miranda believed that in order to be of the best service to her pack, she should strive to help all of her packmates. And Asmit saw and understood this passion. He decided to mentor her when she became a smalltooth and allowed her to shadow him while he did his Oni duties. Meanwhile, Sabacon lazed around and not doing his titan duties, instead, he stayed in camp chatting with elders and telling fairytales to pups and dogs who listen. Sabacon believed that it was his birthright to be the next Oni so there was no point in proving it. Asmit had only nonmale pups other than Sabacon who was the only one who was actually interested in the position. As the years go by, Asmit decides that it's time to step down. Sitting on highstone Asmit looked over his pack who awaited his decision. "I believe it is time for me to step down."
Sabacon stood up, smirking at the dogs around him. "So I have made the decision to give the greatest honor one can give a dog of Riverdawn." The crowd leads in, holding their breaths. "Miranda! I with the will of the past Oni's and the packs, would be known as Great Oni Miranda" Shock rippled through the pack, and then excitement. Most dogs agreed that Miranda deserved the title, for all the hard work she had done for the pack. However, there was a small minority of dogs who shook their heads at choice, one of them who was equally if not more shocked was Sabacon.
Tears of shame threatened to spill from the haughty dog, this must be a mistake! Sabacon stood pushing past Miranda, nearly falling back due to the white dog's strong build and hopping on top of highstone. "You must be mistaken!" He whipped his face back towards the crowd and a now extremely annoyed Miranda. "Shame on all of you for cheering! This she-dog is not your Oni! My father has clearly gone senile in his old age, and made an honestly stupid mistake." Sabacon zeroed in on the 'supposed imposter' of an Oni, "And you, you tricked my father in believing that you a dog with the blood of dirt-" "SABACON!" Asmit roared, only seconds before biting into his son's scuff, ripping his feet off the ground and flipping him onto his side. The old canine pushed Sabacon's shoulder down and bared his teeth. "You have said enough." The growls from his father tremored through him, as he started to whine in submission, tears now freely flowing. "You should be lucky that I don't exile you to deserts of these lands, but, that's not my choice to decide anymore, it's our Oni's." Asmit lifted his head towards Miranda, waiting for her orders.
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The moon-furred dog gazed up at her predecessor, huffed, and shook her head, "It's fine, Asmit, let him go." He nodded and lifted his paw, Sabacon spurred up, dashing out of camp in shame. He ran as fast as his feeble legs could take him, up the same Nile river that his great-granduncle traveled down.
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Sabacon finally collapsed due to exhaustion, sucking in the same air that seem to taunt him by leaving sore lungs no matter how much he breathed in. He felt pathetic, he was pathetic. He felt betrayed, abandoned, and deceived. The ginger dog gazed up at the rising sun, "Please, I don't know if you can hear me... but I've been told stories about how you led Riverdawn down this river and how you were loved and adored.. * Hic- * And.. ever since I wanted to be just like you. * sniff * Please, I don't know what to do... I wanted my story to be told just like.. you... Help me." Sabacon closed his eyes, listening to the rushing water next to him. He would almost enjoy peacefulness if it weren't for his circumstances. He was suddenly snapped back into reality, when a large gust of wind invaded the calm circling him, while the sun shined brightly through the cracks of the trees, blinding him. Sabacon stood up, squeezing his eyes shut and stumbling around from the shade against the rays.
Dashing under a nearby sycamore, he finally opened his eyes to see the trees bustling from a strong current of wind. Sabacon hesitantly crept forward following the wind, peering out of the forest of dark trees and spotting a bridge that look like it was made out of multiple flat trees. He cocked his head in confusion, he's never been out this from camp and everything here was new and a bit scary to him. The mutt turned his head back to the place he felt outcast from, squinting his eyes from the ever-present wind blowing him towards a new region. Averting his attention back to the bridge, Sabacon took a few steps forwards before shutting his eyes and rushing across. Past exhaustion crept back up his legs and he started to pant again. He took a glance back, before continuing to follow the wind, which was whistling in his ear along with his quick heartbeat.
The night had started to peek over, the sun now watching Sabacon from the other side of the Nile. He was still following the wind, his paws are now sore and cracked, his body slightly sagged against the dry dirt, and wind howls were now only white noise to him. Despite it all, he continued until he spotted a cave. Sabacon walked inside and slipped down to rest. While he waited for the night to lull him to sleep, he scanned the cave. It looked stunning with its dazzling sandstone and gypsum. As he closed his eyes, he dreamt of a gorgeous camp like Riverdawn, and as he observed the charming details, he glanced up to what he thought was the moon, but what was instead Miranda. The ginger growled, stepping back before leaping ahead, attempting to bite the she-dog. Suddenly Miranda shifted into Akhena, and Sabacon stirred awake.
Lifting himself up in a panic, he surveyed his surrounding once again. There was no one. Peering up at the marvelous teeth of the cave, Sabacon was lost in thought. Was that Akhena telling him something? What is he telling him? He shook his head and began to start his seemly unending journey. Stepping out, the wind assaulted his ears again pulling him in the direction he just trotted through. Deciding to continue using the wind as his navigator, Sabacon followed.
With the wind leading the way, he traced back his previous steps till the wind suddenly change it's course. It's direction now pushing Sabacon deeper into forest. As the branches and bushes rustled with the winds, it almost sounded like chirps and whistles but he ignore it and focus on following his cool navigator. Soon the wind slowly faded, and finally it ceased once Sabacon reached the place that he saw in his dreams. It was as endearing as he last seen it, if not more alluring now that he can fully experience it. Trotting around he observed it's details more, imaging the camp more bustling and lively with dogs. If only he could show Asmit what he found, maybe then he would realize that he should've been chosen as Oni.
... -Wait maybe that's what he had to do, and maybe that's why Akhena shown him this place! But even if he did go back and told everyone, no one would believe him. Suddenly an idea hit Sabacon causing the ginger to smirk, he eventually walked in a bushy hole and started to build upon this newly forming plan.