The Exile

Carduus never explained where he came from.

He just showed up one day at the entrance to the lair -- bedraggled, exhausted, but unable to hide the strange glitter of his wings and body,even beneath the coating of rain and mud that plastered his feathers close to his skeletal form.

Sevens had welcomed him, then, as grandly and warmly as he welcomed any visitor destined for the bloody altar, with generous offerings of food, fire and drink. Carduus accepted the fire but not the food, and at first the Cultist mirror was puzzled by his wariness -- surely a traveler so exhausted could not exist the lure of provisions?

But as Carduus's fur dried, the answer to his strange wariness became clear. Eyes opened along his neck, flank and tail, red eyes of the plague clans, showing not only that his sight was not limited to what was before him, but also that he had been one of their number all along-- a true member of plague.

Sevens discarded the drugged food and drink immediately, welcoming Carduus to their coven with the warmth of a long lost brother, and inviting him to stay as long as he liked.

Carduus has stayed long.

But he's still never offered an explanation to where he came from, instead silently choosing the post of watchman, with nothing more than a flask of heated wine to keep him company through the night.

Sevens never gives up asking, though. And perhaps, some day, if he can ply Carduus with enough wine, he will find out where the beautiful, strange skydance really came from...

(belongs to @misterartist)