Festival of Death, Day 5: Vainoharha and Myrkky

''Drinks on me tonight!''
The whole bar was sparking with life. All candles were emitting bright lights, fireplace was crackling and walls were full of colorful flowers that were smelling almost heady. The support beams of the bar were wrapped with feathers, colorful leaves and small skulls, celebrating the great goddess of Death of kukuris. It was also believed that as goddess of the sky, Death would keep her eyes on pirates and protect them from her furious sister who loomed under surface whenever they travelled across oceans. Whatever was the truth, pirates did know how to party for their saviour and protector. Liquor flowed, violins played and everyone was dancing, singing or drinking. It was the crew from same ship where Kyynsointu currently had her home.

Tonight the mermaid was far from her collected self. She had already poured multiple jugs of ale down from her throat and was dancing on the counter alongside with their steerman. The captain was only one who didn't particiate to celebration; he had his hands full when arranging the next trip across the sea. On counter was also sitting a huge pearl kukuri, who kept her green eyes on her handler. She was protecting her, since sometimes when crew got a little tipsy, they either started touching the female crew or started a fight. But after Vainoharha, ram-horned luminescent dove arrived to among them, those fights had been significantly decreased. She was also having fun, licking off the remains of ale from mugs and stealing jerky beef whenever the bartender wasn't looking. This was her party too, since the festival of Death was more than familiar to her. She remembered going to old, almost ancient statue inside her territory and dropping skulls on the pedestal of it, small and large. Now she was far away from the statue though, and hoped silently that someone had been taking over her territory, paying visits to the old Death instead of her.

In the corner of bar was sitting another kukuri. It was very small and pale, and it clutched small skull on its paws, trying to remain silent when everyone else made their best to racket. Vainoharha walked down from the counter and approached the pup who refused to make eye contact with the pearl dove.
''Why are ya sitting here all by yarself? Why don't ya pay homage to ol' Death?'' the white ghost asked with her raspy voice. The kukuri pup was male, named Myrkky, and it had almost colorless velvet crimson coat, but his eyes were sunken and they had really piercing blue gaze.
''...I don't like noise...'', he answered quietly.
''Wha? Ya make no sense! It's the festival of Death, it's supposed to be noisy'', Vainoharha answered and reached her arm to pup. She gave him a little tug and made the rook stand up. Myrkky kept his eyes on the ground.
''If ya don't like noise, go outside then, whelp'', the pearl dove said and turned around. She walked straight towards the door, out from the hot bar and took a long sniff of fresh outside air. The moon was lighting the small town which was hidden by the mountains and forest, and its reflection was beautifully painted on the open sea. Vainoharha lifted her brow almost surprised, when small velvet crimson pup walked out after her.
''Isn't it more calm out here, whelp?'' the pearl dove asked grinning so her green gums shined through the darkness.
''But the handler said we shouldn't leave her sight...'', Myrkky said nervously.
''She is so drunk she wouldn't see if her own mother was on the same room'', older kukuri said. She sat down on a large rock and listened how waves hit the rocks nearby. Myrkky remained in safe distance, but slowly he started moving towards the pearl dove, sitting next to her. He was holding the skull still on his paws.
''Why won't ya put that thing down?'' Vainoharha asked, still looking at the sea, ''It is supposed to be the gift for good ol' Death.''
''I don't know who is Death'', the pup said. Vainoharha lifted her brows and looked down to other kukuri, now looking honestly surprised.
''Ya don't? Didn't ya parents tell... oh'', she interrupted herself. Myrkky was stolen from farm far away from here, and probably never did had much time to spent with his parents. But now the velvet crimson rook was looking at the older dove curiously, for the first time when they were together somewhere. Maybe it was the pressure of Synti and Raatotanssija which made Myrkky so nervous all the time, but with Vainoharha he seemed more open. Pearl dove gave one look to the pup and then watched the sea for a while in silence.
''Lemme tell you then'', Vainoharha whispered and told the tale of two sisters.