Falls of the Hinterlands opal

arunik'ra had informed her of the wolf brought to the malkaria, a man of sound body, and there was one wolfess among them who must also be brought forth. but this was for the eyes of three canaanites alone. it was not for all; it was not for every malkaria wolf to consider. beneath the cover of night did eshamun move from her den, to seek out the res drunak, and with quiet steps they strode to where asherah had made her shelter, and into the darkness eshamun whispered: "@Asherah. rise. say nothing and come with us."

when the girl had presumably fallen into step, the tophet-dweller led the priestess and the fervent follower of molech over the borders, until the crash of the falls covered the sound of their voices, and turned to asherah. "we wish to train you for the priestesshood." her tone suggested there was much more to this than her words revealed.

A voice in the night woke her and she lifted her head with confusion. Eshamun stood silhouetted in the entrance to her den. Though Asherah's lips parted, she heard her sister's words. Not being allowed to speak puzzled her and worried her. Was something wrong within the borders? She waste no time in following the orders of Eshamun and scrambled quickly from her den.

Her heart beat fast, worried at the state of the pack though she had full and utmost trust in both Arunik'ra and Eshamun. She fell into step, glancing about her with caution. All seemed well in the night, however, and only when Eshamun spoke were her fears put away. Her words made Asherah's eyes grow wide, a smile breaking onto her puzzle. She wished to thank Eshamun, and Arunik'ra too, but held her silence. Speaking might be forbidden in this rite, she did not know and would not dare risk.

Asherah nodded, pushing forward to nudge her sister's side once, lovingly, to convey her thanks. Her eyes flew to the sky and she thanked Molech and asked that he bless her path.

swiftly did the two wolves attend her, asherah nervous but full of faith for molech's light. eshamun smiled gently at the child, dipped her head before the priestess. "dear asherah. the path to such is not one of ease. near to us is a cave where you shall complete two of your rites." she paused, leaning forward to nudge the she-wolf.

"beneath molech's eye you shall drink of a brew made only for the acolytes of the priestesshood, and once immersed, you shall shed blood in the name of the eight-armed one." green eyes appraised asherah quietly, gauging her reaction.

She turned to face Eshamun with reverence clear on her face. She listened to her sister with rapt attention. She nodded slowly, she did not expect the path to be an easy one. Molech gave so much, it was not unexpected that The Many Armed God ask much in return. Asherah glanced around looking for the cave, but did not yet see it. Her heart thud in her chest, heavy with excitement and anxiety. Was she worthy of this honor? Truly?

"I will walk this path for Molech, for the One who has given me so much I would sacrifice all." She would not flinch from what was expected of her, not from the drinking of the potion, nor of bleeding for her God. She would go willingly to it, if it was what Molech had intend for her. "I will do as you say, sister. My faith burns strong, as does Molech's light." She smiled softly, nervously at her sister.

asherah glowed with the fires of the god; eshamun saw this and her heart was lifted with joy. her eyes glinted as she turned to the priestess at her side with a nod, and when arunik'ra had spoken, the ekar-aji gave asherah her attention. "you have given of yourself unselfishly. beyond these falling waters is a cave. come," she invited, her legs carrying her swiftly toward the place.

once beneath the falls, eshamun shook out her wet hackles and glanced to see that the res drunak and asherah had accompanied her. in the mud she had excavated a hole, and within it, dark water welled, with small bits of plant bobbing there. "this is the ta mitra, sacred drink given to the priestess acolytes of the malkaria. it will give you visions. drink now and we will begin the first rite, the marut dat."

The pride and love in Eshamun's eyes in turn made Asherah all the more proud. She deeply adored her family and the God that had made it all possible. Listening to both her Preistess and leader, she stood tall and confident, prepared to face whatever task they asked of her. Her ears perked at the mention of a cave, wondering what importance this held. She did not hesitate to follow, her actions giving truth to the words she had spoken only moments earlier.

The water beat down on her back, the sound thundering in her ears. It felt like traveling to another world, like being born. The world on the other side of the falls was darker, for obvious reason. The sound of the falls thrummed within the air, bouncing off the walls. Eshamun shook, and Asherah followed suit. She looked around the place and commit it to memory, knowing that this was a pivotal point in her life. With all her heart and soul she believed that this was something worth telling, worth knowing.

Before her sat a hole in the mud, and her eyes moved from it, to Eshamun as the woman began to speak. At the mention of preistess acolytes she felt a shiver race down her spine. Eshamun had begun the journey with the words of begining her rites, but hearing it again made it seem all the more real. There was no fear in her. A smile bloomed on her face, though her eyes betrayed her as being nervous, nervous only that she still might not deserve this rite. 

She shared one last glance with both the women before stepping forward and dipping her muzzle down. She drank deeply despite the taste of the plant, fighting and succeeding to keep her face serene. She drank a few great swallows before she lift her head and look to Eshamun for more instruction. She had drained much of what lay in the pool. Carefully she lowered her rump to the ground. As moments passed, her head began to feel lighter and she turned her eyes to Eshamun, silently asking if this was the first sign of a vision to come.

fade here or w your next post! i will start the next <3

eshamun lowered to her haunches beside asherah, watching as the girl trustingly lapped up the hallucinogenic drink. it had been some years since eshamun herself had partaken -- she recalled the elusive reality and the vibrant colours of her visions. but there was more to come -- asherah must prove herself in another way.

the girl's eyes alighted on her own, and the canaanite nodded gently, granting the acolyte a smile of encouragement. she must give into the drink now, and lay with what images it granted her. eshamun wished to tell asherah to have no fear, but did not want to plant the idea in the girl's mind, and so she was still, offering a warm presence to the acolyte.[/ooc]

Will fade after this!

The world blossomed into colors that Asherah had never seen before. She looked to Eshamun and saw the smile, but the other's face was soon so bright that Asherah had to look away. The cave around her melted away and she felt the warmth of the sun burning within her. Or perhaps it was the potion? She lifted her eyes to a sky of kalidoscopic colors, shifting and changing even as she looked. 

She felt no fear, for even in her state she knew Molech would protect her. As she watched the sky, marveled at the lightness in her limbs, she saw a black spec appear among the colors. She blinked, attempting to clear it, but it only grew bigger. Though the shape kept approaching, growing closer and closer to her, she felt no reason to be alarmed. She smiled softly, lazily, at the now not so small spec. Before long it touched the ground, ground that she now noticed was covered in vibrant green grass. She rubbed a paw along the plant, feeling the tickle of it on her pad. For a moment she was distracted by the grass, and did not see the shape approach.

When she felt a presence near her, she lifted her eyes and felt her mouth fall open and her eyes fill with tears. The once-spec was not before her, all at once towering over her and standing at eye-height. It had no features, seemed to be simply a shadow of swirling dark, but at the same time she could see the eyes. Her own eyes traced over this figure, noting the lupin shape of the body. She was not naive, she knew who this was. She dropped to her belly, sobs rising from her throat. One of the eight limbs lifted and touched her head. She felt warmth envelope her, heard the softest whisper in her brain. The voice was both masculine and deep, yet light and airy. 

"Asherah," It spoke, and she trembled with joy and pride. "Blessed are my people. Those who would give all to me. Blessed are you, child of renewed faith. One who lived in shadows and leapt into the light. Know that I am here, and heed the sights I send to you." She nodded, groveling at the paws of her god. She thought to speak, but as she blinked the presence before her flashed into bright and blinding flame. It seared at her skin and fur, but she felt pleasure in the consumption. It was not a painful fire, but a cleansing one. She basked in the radiance.

No sooner had the fire consumed her whole, did it slowly cool. She glanced around her. A den lay near, the inside shadows glowing as if the sun hid inside. She followed without a thought, sticking her head in the earthen hole. Once more the light was too bright for her, and she had to wince against the power. Soon it moved, splitting into two. The fire of Molech lowered to the ground, pooling against the dirt like water. Before her eyes it formed the shape of two children, two pups. They grew before her, transitioning from newborn to adult in a matter of seconds. 

As they grew they glowed bright, illuminating the den, the world. Covering the earth with light. The fire dimmed against, retreating into the eyes of the wolves. As quickly as they had grown they receded, back into pups shapes and then, back into liquid flame. This flame rolled across the ground, flowing as a stream. It climbed Asherah's legs, her chest, soon it covered her eyes with radiance. She felt the presence of Molech at her side, heard the whisper of the voice once more. 

The remained of her visions would be less dramatic, harder to interpret. Her body did not move, even as she roamed this world of color in her dreamlike state. She lay beside Eshamun, seeing the Light of Molech dance about her.