#Uhhhhhhh also this is day one of my self imposed one month writing challenge

[looseleafteeaves]

Oritemi Saves the Forgotten

(Note, Kikɔpelim is a servant of the evil spirit of the masters/slave owners "patron". The Me'eri believe him to be the source of greed and evil.)

Gather and listen, young ones. For we seek the light and the water, and this story will show you the way.

Oritemi, remembering the task assigned to them by Pelsi, raced across the surface of Mivena. As they did this, they came across a mountain steeped in the greed of the Kikɔpelim who resided at the peak.

This Kikɔpelim was strange- not only was there the Me'eri trapped underneath, but there were a handful of Me'eri forced to dance and follow him about at all times. So, Oritemi disguised themself as one of these dancers and followed unnoticed by the Kikɔpelim.

"Young Me'eri, why do you dance for him?" The strange Me'eri did not seem to notice Oritemi speaking. This troubled them, and they came closer. The dancers seemed to be lost in a fog of confusion, unable to respond or speak to one another.

Oritemi's concern grew greater, and they fled from that place. Oritemi flew, running feet passing over the compound and darting through any crack they could find, untill they found the Dive that always led to the Me'eri. Oritemi didn't even pause as they dove into the deep dark hole that had gobbled so many of Mivena's people.

They whistled, a tune like note as they fell, darting into one of the branching tunnels that led to the Me'eri's home.

"Oh tunnel-bound Me'eri! I have brought to you seeds and stories as Pelsi bids!"

Immediately, the Me'eri began to step outwards, gathering in the rough stone hall. Oritemi passed around seeds and laughed as they mentioned that Lotarima and Korevian had danced together in the sky once again.

As Oritemi finished dispersing what they had brought, they grew quiet. They pondered what they had seen and finally, as the Storyteller approached, asked the burning question.

"Storyteller, who are the Me'eri trapped with the Kikɔpelim on the surface? Why do they not flee towards the light? Why do they not hear me speak?"

Storyteller, wise beyond her few years, sighed gently. "Oh, Oritemi. I am so sorry you must learn the hardest lesson from me. Those Me'eri are the Forgotten. The most beautiful of us- when the Kikɔpelim come and examine everyone, are taken. They are stolen from us, and we are powerless to stop them. We watch, as before our very eyes, they are forced to forget everything. Who they are. Who we are. Our language. Our beliefs. They are drowned by the Kikɔpelim inside their souls, and so far, we have been unable to save a single one."

Oritemi is shocked, and horrified by this. "Storyteller, how can I help the forgotten? They do not seem to know me when I walk amongst their midst, or to understand me when I speak. I was so bold, trying to speak with them, that I danced before Kikɔpelim!"

Storyteller, tawny eyes sad, looked at them. "Temi, They are kept from any memories. The Kikɔpelim erase them often until the Forgotten is no longer beautiful. Then they send them to a new mine, never the one they came from, because if they remember the secrets of the Kikɔpelim, the Me'eri could destroy them. We help the Forgotten who are given to us. It is all we may do."

Oritemi accepted this, heart hurting. They danced back up the tunnels and located the Pekolo. They took the form of a mine bird and flitted into the branches to think.

"How can I help the Forgotten? For surely, even if Mama, Mapa, and Papa have forgotten them, I can do something." And so Oritemi looked around. Suddenly, they save a small chip of stone, with a hole perfect for string to hang around.

Oritemi blinked and grinned, alighting on the ground in human form.

"They have forgotten themselves," they thought. "They need something that will give them at least that. " And so, Oritemi began to carve.

Four lines capped with swirls traced the diamond stone. It surrounded a place perfectly spaced to carve a name.

"I cannot do much. But I can show them the way." Oritemi said to themself. "I can show them how to find themself."

And in a flash, Oritemi flew to Storyteller.

"Sister, I need to know a name I can share to one of the Forgotten! I am small, and tricky and all I can offer is a path forwards to find themselves."

Storyteller, face aging backwards with her grin, leaned forwards. "Oritemi, I name you the Namekeeper. Find one whom to you looks like they are named for the night flowers, Nem'ir. Give them the Name Stone, and watch them discover the path."

Namekeeper, Oritemi, grasped the carved stone and leaped for the light. They flew through the fortress, until they came upon the most beautiful of the Forgotten who resided there.

"Nem'ir, Ne'mir, I name thee Nem'ir! Dance in the suns and run by the moons, Nem'ir I shall always follow you!"

The beautiful Forgotten still did not seem to hear them. Oritemi alighted in front of him, holding the Name Stone dangling from their beak. They hopped forwards, as the Forgotten stared at them.

Oritemi repeated the hopping twice more before the Forgotten curiously reached a hand out.

Oritemi dropped the name stone in his hand, chirped "Nem'ir, Nem'ir, I name thee Nem'ir! Dance in the suns and run by the moons, Nem'ir I shall always follow you!" Before flying off.

The newly named Nem'ir held the stone before he seemed to blink into awareness.

"Nem'ir... I am... Nem'ir?"

With a sigh, Oritemi should have know the path didn't appear instantly, they watched him put the necklace on.

So this remained for several days. Oritemi began to lose hope when Nem'ir suddenly sang a little song to themself.

"Oritemi temi, Oritemi temi Sunrise and Moonfall, dance the paths and wander the ways, I will follow you."

And Oritemi laughed and ran past Kikɔpelim, who cursed and called for gaurds for Kikɔpelim would never drown Nem'ir again.

They named the nameless, and remembered the Forgotten.

The Namekeeper remembers them all.

I have shown you the light and the way, now go.