Esther
Nicknames (if applicable): None. Esther would not appreciate a nickname.
Family / clan affiliations: Death Clan
Date of Birth: Esther is the only horse that while a reincarnation of all the previous horses, also may share a continued existence with them, since she’s only partially of the physical living world, and also of the Gray, or the world in-between for the spirits.
Forms:
All of the four horses take different forms dependent on the current power / ascension level of their respective horsewoman. Esther begins as a death’s head or hawkmoth, then an owl, then finally a black chopper motorcycle.
Why these forms?
- Death is often associated with wild beasts, such as ravens or wolves. Crows and bats can frequently be omens of death, as well as cats, owls and moths. Moths and owls, though, can also be seen as the spirits of the dead.
- Esther’s first form is the death head or hawkhead moth, which has the image of what appears to be a skull on it’s abdomen, only helping encourage the connection to death. This is a real moth, and moths creep me out too. 😉
- Esther next becomes an owl, a gray colored owl the color of the moth, spirits, the gray and the between. Again, the owl is associated with the world of the dead and a symbol of the departed spirits.
- Esther’s final form is as a black chopper motorcycle. Black because the gray / black is associated with the death horseman. The chopper motorcycle because of Nia’s petite size (and how this makes it more challenging for her)… and my own association of motorcycles and being so much closer to the road…and potentially death. Images of Esther’s other forms are stylized decoration on the black motorbike.
Quirks / Interesting Facts:
- When Esther first appears as a moth, she’s not quite able to fully enter the physical world of the living, which is why she flickers in and out of visibility. She’s crossing back and forth between the world of the Gray and the land of the living.
- Esther communicates with Nia like a spirit would communicate – which means she uses the lights, broken communication that can come through the Veils, and is strongest and most able to clearly communicate in dreams and in The Gray, where she is more whole.
- While writing Death, I was also dealing with the grief of losing my grandma. Nia’s bibiji is a very strong force in her life, and I imbued in Esther a mother grandmotherly figure than any of the other horses. I also gave her traits and elements from both of my grandmothers who I loved very much, like her name itself and the scent of cinnamon gum which I associate very strongly with one of my grandmas. She also fulfills this role for Nia, helping give her the nurturing and love that she should have received from her father when he was still alive. Nia more than anyone needed someone who loved and would look out for her, instead of the closer peer-to-peer level that many of the other horsewomen encounter with their horses.