Lesson
- Wanderer Prompt -
{Majanthi #4}

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This was not the first creature coming to her for guidance and knowledge, and it certainly would not be the last... but it was one of the few Majanthi had ever come across that was so truly obedient.

Most that sought her out endeavored to be obedient, of course- and many were able to manage it for the most part as well. Most she met did as she asked of them with patience and temperance, and few ever complained- after all, it wasn't often Majanthi did or asked anything that would truly exasperate another. And any times of her actually doing so were usually reserved to those she had decided to take under her wing and to teach...  but even then, she never intended to exasperate at all (though perhaps she did at times without realizing it). Everything she did, she did with purpose and thoughtful care and planning- a good nurturer ought never to do things without thinking them through, and should never do harm in anyway, intentional or otherwise. There was already enough unrest and ill-will in the world without her adding to it, and so she always did her best to be kind and gentle and to never stir up any unease or anger between herself and the other living things she endeavored to serve.

But perhaps for the first time, she was pondering on doing the opposite- but what other choice did she have?

This creature- this small, sturdy, common ram- this one had been constant.

Most creatures that chose to follow in her footsteps and study her teachings found some way to be persistent, even as she moved from place to place and without end. But they usually only reconnected with her months, or even years a time between her moving on and so forth.... few ever found the tireless energy needed to seek her out in all corners of the land, and fewer still had the wish to do so at all. But this ram?

This ram had found her constantly, making it's way across lands and leagues and never wavering as it sought out rumor of her passing, and her work. No matter how far it was, or how long the journey would take- or even if she was gone before it reached her, the distance never seemed to matter.

Constantly Majanthi would look up from her work and found the ram waiting there among the other onlookers, enraptured in every little detail of her movement and her technique- and still remaining even as things wound down and she began her march anew. In the trail of critters and creatures of all shapes and sizes following her lead, Majanthi would glance back and more often than not recognize this particular ram among the many. And still find it following even as the ranks thinned and the journey became too long or too hard for many others.

When time permitted, the ram approached her with questions and inquiries and always with something knew it wished to know or to learn. Majanthi was no stranger to the questions, and she was happy to pass on what she knew when asked- but usually as time dragged on, the interest weakened and the thrill of learning faded too... but not for this one.

The interest never faltered, and the delight never peaked- this stout, tireless little ram remained a dutiful follower and was ever willing and wanting to learn more and more. It took everything she had to teach it to heart, and it seemed to devote it's every waking moment to her teachings and her craft- almost with a tirelessness and selflessness that would rival Majanthi's own. No matter the task she gave it, or the lesson- it never complained, and it did as she asked with focus and precision and the utmost patience she had ever seen in any one living thing- even herself.

In many ways, this little ram was so much like Majanthi herself, sometimes she felt as if she were looking into a mirror image of herself.... and perhaps seeing some of the least desirable traits she had within that ram too.

Devotion, loyalty and selflessness were wonderful qualities to have- and ones she appreciated.... but to what end did devotion and blind loyalty turn from wonderful qualities, to flaws?

At what point did dedicating time to, and trying to please another become a barrier to pleasing oneself, or ensuring your own happiness and needs? Was it alright to be so devoted to a craft and to the greater good, if it meant being blind to yourself? And what was better for you?

The more she saw of this creature, the more she was faced with questions and feelings of her own well being- and how much she ignored her needs for the greater good.... she did not wish for the self-reflection, nor like being constantly reminded of her own shortfalls. And for it, she found herself beginning to harbor feeling of resentment and annoyance toward the ram, and not for any good reason at all. She knew she shouldn't feel that way, she knew it was not at fault- she knew these were just things she'd buried for so long now, and she shouldn't let them taint her image of something so innocent, and so pure.

This creature had done nothing wrong, nor did it harbor ill-will of any kind- and she knew that. She knew from all the time she'd spent with it, it only wished to help and to heal and she should not resent it because of her own internal strife.

She would not face her own shortcomings, nor her own fears- she'd spent so long running from it all already, and she would not change course even now. So she pushed it back and she cast away the feelings that came along with the moments of seeing this ram and being reminded her and herself. Instead, she focused on what she was best at- helping anything and everything as best she could, even if she never truly helped herself.

So as many years passed, where the ram remained a loyal follower and student, and eventually learned near all Majanthi had to teach it, and - she decided finally that she only had one last lesson to give.

"For your final lesson, all I ask is that you bring me a stone." She told it simply, "Make your choice, and bring it to me. I will tell you then if you have passed."

The ram did as she asked as it always did, without complaint. A day passed and it approached Majanthi, delicately rolling a smooth, grainy-white stone through the sand with it's muzzle and resting it at her feet. It looked up at her expectantly, wandering if it was what she wished for and if he had done as she liked.

Majanthi looked the stone over for only a moment, before shaking her head.

"You have not passed. Bring me another."

The ram was not disheartened by it in the least, it never was- the defeat only made the drive to do better stronger. So it went off again, searching the sand and dunes and rocky hills, searching with little to no rest for the next stone- and hopefully this one would meet the Wanderer's desires.

The next was smaller, more polished, and a wonderful russet-red hue. The ram brought Majanthi this stone and waited for her to say that yes, this is what she wanted.

But again she said no, and sent it off to find another- job explanation, no reason why- just try again.

Bring another

The ram still did not falter, nor let itself despair even as the third, fourth, and then fifteenth attempts all ended the same. It brought small stones and large ones, plain colors and unique- spotted and striped and textures and makes of all kinds. But none of them turned out to be what the Wanderer hoped to see, so the ram just went back to search after every failure. It scoured all different regions and lands, and dug deep for even the most peculiar of stones to be found- each time hoping this one, this one will be as Majanthi wants it.

What should have been an affair of a day or two at most turned to a week, and then more. The weeks went by quickly, fifteen attempts turning to thirty, fifty and then a dozen more. The ram searched everywhere, bringing to the Wanderer every stone to be found under the sun, and still none passed.

It asked Majanthi what she wished to see, prodded and nearly pleaded for some detail more- some instructions, or guidance- anything on what she was looking for, so the ram would have a better idea of what to spend it's time on finding. But the Wanderer gave it nothing, and simply instructed it try again.... Again and again.

What unending patience the ram had had all the time Majanthi had known it, seemed to be running thin as the thirtieth attempt rolled around. She could see the unease, and the exasperation growing within the creature- emotions of the like she had rarely ever seen in it, and only fleetingly when she did. She knew she was causing it anxiety and unrest with her vague request, but even still she did not abandon her intent.

Bring another... And another, and another.... Until the lesson is learned

At about a hundred stones the ram ceased, the patience gone and the willingness to do as it was told now utterly spent. Majanthi did not see the ram again for many days after the last stone she turned away, and for a week and then a month after there was still no sign of it. No time where she glanced over her shoulder to those trailing behind did she see it's familiar figure, and she did not see it sitting along the crowd of onlookers circled around her as she worked. And as the third month came, still there had been no sign and she began to believe that perhaps her lesson had been failed to be learned.... And like many before, she had chased a student away with her less than orthodox methods.

Though this time it bothered her more than all the rest, she'd never had a student as long as she'd had this ram- only for them to quit.

She resigned herself to thinking she would never see it again, and believed it for a week after the third month... Until suddenly she was aware of something approaching her from behind, quiet and deliberate. She turned, her shadow casting over the smaller figure and eyes glinting from beneath her trailer mane as a stone was dropped directly at her feet- smooth, polished, and of an olive-green hue.

Majanthi glanced up slowly from the stone and leveled her gaze with the ram, surprise and intrigue igniting in her core at the familiar face suddenly before her and after so long of silence.

The ram bent it's head and pushed the stone closer to her, lifting it's head up again and staring at her- quiet, resolute, and pointed. No question, no uncertainty, and no amount of searching for her reaction or her approval.

'This is the one.'

Majanthi blinked lazily, her head tilting slightly at the statement- and the finality of it.

"This one?" She asked evenly, her foot shifting slightly in the sand and the stone rising from the earth slowly, floating in air between them through the Wanderer's will. The ram dipped it's head slightly in a nod, it's ears twitching in the faintest hints of agitation.

'This is the one.... It is the last one that I will bring.' The ram replied, it's voice echoing on the Wanderer's thoughts softly. 'I choose this one. You may take it or not, either way... This one is the one I choose.' The ram told her lowly, it's voice in her head trailing away to nothing as silence fell between them both, and neither the ram, not the Wanderer moved.

Majanthi looked slowly from the ram and back to the stone, the sunlight glinting from it's surface and glittering against all the many trinkets and things woven into her mane. She let out a low, soft breath, her head dipping low so she and the ram were at eye level.

"You have completed the lesson." She said simply, and the ram's ears perked in surprise. "You have remained loyal and obedient in every task I have issued to you, but you have always sought my approval above all else." Majanthi explained softly, the stone floating softly toward her as she touched her muzzle lightly to the stone's smooth face. In the ram's eyes was reflected the stone's green shine, the blaze of the sun washing over them from a point in the sheets blue sky directly between the ram, and the Wanderer.

"The purpose of this lesson was for you to defer to your own judgement, rather than to mine. You were to choose a stone and decide for yourself that it was the right one, regardless of what I wanted. You made the decision, you chose what you believe is the right one.... this is your choice, and so you have passed." Majanthi murmured, her muzzle pulling back from the stone slowly, and dipping her head solemnly to the ram.

"I have nothing left to teach you."

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Art To:
https://www.deviantart.com/1ore/art/Pueblo-807095614