Wolf RPG

@Eshamun @Arunik'ra

Speaking with Giana had broken the seal on her secret. She had savored in within herself for a time, when she was not busy being violently ill, of course. Yet now that she had told someone, she wanted to tell the world. She would seek out her priestess and her leader, sister's both. She brought an offering to the shrine, laying the flowering herbs she had gathered near the skull. She bow her head to say her thanks, to plead her everlasting loyalty once more. When her thanks had been given to Molech, she lifted her head with a smile, before tilting her muzzle to the bright sky. 

She raised her voice to the heavens, calling for both of her sisters, if they could come. Her voice was happy, excited, but she was in general a happy person since Molech had found her. They would have no reason to suspect her news, though her scent might catch their attention. She moved away from the Shrine and took a seat. She let the autumn sun warm her coat, watching as the motes for which this place was named danced. Truly, this was a blessed place.

asherah's call roused eshamun from her hunt; reluctantly the woman turned away from where she had been stalking a stoat, its pelt already transformed into the winter colours. the attention of the newest acolyte must be heeded; eshamun knew that her knowledge might be needed. her tail waved behind her hips as she trotted along a newly-trod path in the direction of asherah's call.

arunik'ra had not been seen in some time, but eshamun trusted that her sister had merely withdrawn to commune with molech. and so she alone came before asherah, eyes bright with joy. "has molech blessed you, asherah?"

She could not control the joy that radiated within her body as she saw Eshamun make her way forward. A smile broke across her face, and as the woman spoke, Asherah felt a laugh bubble out of her. "Oh, Eshamun! I have been blessed so many times over since arriving here, but Molech has found me worthy of yet another." She stepped forward to embrace her sister. "Children, Eshamun. Children for the pack to raise and teach. Yours as much as mine to embrace and rejoice in!"

It came out in an excited rush, for she could see the joy spread over Eshamun's face. She had wondered if telling Eshamun of the pregnancy would upset her. If it would remind her of the illidu-dam. But once she saw the joy, she could not contain her own. She wanted the other to know that she would be most welcome to the children, as much as she wished. Asherah would not bar her way if she sought to nurture them. She hoped, in some way, her litter could heal Eshamun's heart. And she was more than willing to share her blessing.

aside from the slightest tint of bitterness upon her tongue, eshamun was overcome with pleasure. "children," she murmured in a hushed whisper, though delight was writ into her words. asherah's excitement was palpable, infectious, and soon the ekar-aji leant forward and kissed the acolyte's cheeks. "you have blessed us!" soon there would be small bodies underfoot and the communal raising of young ones could begin in earnest, if other women in the tophet fell pregnant. 

"we must give you the best of food. tell me; the father? was it ar-khalba?" surely it was; eshamun could not fathom that the girl would take another lover. she seemed quite bonded to the man, and this the ekar-aji would allow, so long as it did not interfere with her duties.

Eshamun repeat her cry, but Asherah heard none of the bitterness lying atop her tongue. Instead she saw only the excitement spread, felt the kisses on her cheeks. She returned the affection, squirming with delight. "Molech has blessed us and I am the but the messenger."

Eshamun questioned her of the father and Asherah spoke with confidence. "Ar-Khalba, yes. He has proven himself as well. A good male to be our only." She did have a bond with the male, though this was likely born of the fact that he was her only partner in the physical sense. It was a virgin's attraction, though she knew better than to think it love. She loved the male as she loved a pack member, certainly, but she did not desire his warmth like a mate. At least, she told herself she did not. And she would never admit to having such desires, if she did, for she knew it would not be the way of the Malkaria and above all else she held Eshamun and Arunik'ra's opinion. And above their's, Molech's. She would never dare to cross the God who had blessed her so, over and over. Saving her from death only to bless her with young and life.

"I pray the other's find themselves fruitful too, so that the children may grow together." The idea of her children having many brothers and sisters, many loving eyes upon them made her glow. Her life had been dangerous before, unsafe at every turn and full of loss. Though her young may feel loss themselves she knew they would have many siblings and mayn parents to help them. They would not end up alone and wishing for death as she had.

so. ar-khalba had proven himself to be a father, and had seeded asherah with the next generation of the malkaria. eshamun smiled broadly and nudged the girl again. "i hope for that also." her eyes found those of the acolyte; she sat and invited asherah to do the same. "we must speak of what you must now do."

she lay her tail then across her paws. "i wish for you to travel and seek followers for the malkaria, and spread the word of molech before the snows come. do not go far, for you carry life, but i set this task before you." her viridian eyes glowed. "do you accept?"

Asherah sat as she was bid to, knowing that Eshamun wanted to speak to her about something more than her pregnancy. Her ears perked as Eshamun spoke again. She was at first startled at her leaders wishes, thinking of the pregnancy and of the danger of wandering from home. Eshamun soon tempered that worry, bidding her not go far.

Asherah nodded without thought, trusting in her leader and her God. Knowing that she would do anything for either beings. "I accept. I know not where I will go, but I will begin to trek and search for others." Her eyes were worried, however. "I fear that I am not as talented as you or Arunik'ra at bringing others in. I worry that perhaps I come across wrong, that I either linger fearfully too long, or allow myself to speak of Molech too much. My devotion is strong, but I understand that can be worrisome to others." 

eshamun's ears cupped forward; she was touched that asherah shared so openly with her. "your passion is a detriment only to those who shall never believe," the ekar-aji murmured gently, "but i do see the truth of what is is you are saying. a bit of advice, if i may?" she murmured gently, smiling into her acolyte's gentle eyes.

"when arunik'ra and i departed surrendra to find this land, we met many wolves. i believe our passion for molech drove some away, and so i devised a method of speaking that offered the god's name, but if no interest was taken, i did not speak of the eight-armed one again. extend the name of molech to those who would listen, and if they take notice, speak of your love for the god then, but only then."

Asherah was frank with her sister, laid bare before her. She had met with others since joining the Malkaria, but had feared that perhaps she spoke too much of Molech to uninitiated. It would seem frightful for a wolf to babble on so lovingly of their God if you did not know the blessings Molech had given. If your heart was in the least suspicious it wouldn't strike you right. Some might be moved by such open devotion, but others still would flinch from it. Looking in the eye of unfiltered love and loyalty was something hard for many to handle, much less love and loyalty for a deity.

Her ears perked with interest and she listened raptly, offering a small nod of encouragement. She would take any advice greatly to heart. After Eshamun had spoken she nodded again. "You speak wisely. I will do that, Eshamun. Should they seem interested in joining us...should I then tell them of Molech as well? Or would we allow those who are skeptical in to see the miracles of our God themselves? I do not want to waste time on those who would never prove beneficial to us, but believers can be made as well as found."

eshamun grinned. "molech is blessed in turn to have you for an acolyte. tell them of molech as much as they will listen. servitude to molech is not a requirement for living among us, only that they observe our laws and find roles to serve the wolves of the malkaria. i would not turn anyone away who intends to work honestly for their keep; i can only hope that they come to see molech's light, in time."

she kissed the girl's cheek then. "i have something to ask of you, asherah. arunik'ra has left us to commune; i do not know when she will return. my sister is a wanderer. when the children are born, for they shall be born at different times, i wish for you to give the ones i choose back to molech. one child from each litter." her eyes met asherah's own. "will you do this for me? visions and sacrifice -- that is the lot of a priestess."

She dipped her head, grateful for the words of praise. She nodded as Eshamun told her the wolves living here need not serve Molech directly. Those who did not believe could still benefit those who could, and in turn make it easier for those who did to give thanks to the Many Armed God. The kiss to her cheek made her smile, warmth spreading through her.

Her head tilt as Eshamun spoke seriously to her, a look of concern rising into her eyes at the mention of Arunik'ra's departure. She had noted the Priestess's smell had started to grow stale, but had assumed it was all for reasons she knew not. To hear that Eshamun did not know when the other would return child her slightly, though she trust Molech and Arunik'ra herself, it was hard to imagine being without the red woman.

The request was a heavy one, both in what it asked of Asherah, and in the honor behind it. She did not falter as she nodded. "I am honored to be asked, to shepherd them into Molech's embrace. It will be a hard thing, but something I can do. I will do anything you ask of me, Eshamun. Anything Molech asks." She leaned to kiss the woman's cheek in thanks, then nuzzle her chin in a submissive gesture to accept her task. 

"My own litter, though. Shall I shepard my own child into Molech's arms as well, or...how will they go if Arunik'ra is not here?" She wasn't sure if the mother herself was allowed to send the child to their God. Would it break rules? Was Eshamun herself able to send the chosen child? Or would that too break some rule of the ritual?

The thought of the ritual was something she had been, shamefully, avoiding. She knew it would allow her children, one of them, to leave the world without suffering. It would be the greatest gift she could offer any child. And yet, the idea of losing a babe still fresh from her womb was a dark one. She knew she would not shirk her duty, but now with the idea of her own child gaining life within her womb only to lose it in her muzzle beneath the waves seemed...a greater burden still. She had prepared herself to watch Arunik'ra sacrifice a child...but she had not been prepared to sacrifice her own. She steeled herself for Eshamun's answer, knowing that she would need to pray much after this.

eshamun found herself strangely comforted by the nakedness of asherah's soul, or perhaps it was not so strange for them to take solace in one another. as the girl's gentle voice continued, asherah shaped the reality that eshamun lived over and over again in her dreams: the illidu-dam. often she was driven from her den with tortured wakefulness replacing sleep. the canaanite knew that all she did was for the glory of molech, but her jaws felt the delicate bones of her babes between them, and she saw their sleeping faces beneath the waters.

they had not suffered, but this was of no comfort to a bereft mother, and eshamun knew she could not ask this thing of asherah. "no, dear one," the ekar-aji whispered, the dew of tears flecking her cheeks. "i will take the babe from you and return him or her unto molech. i cannot order that you do the thing that broke my soul." 

"all we do is for molech, and we must do these things, but the eight-armed one knows our sacrifice, and i have come to believe that molech will not begrudge me my grief, and that the god will do the same for you."

Had Eshamun bid Asherah to complete the ritual with her own litter, she would have. She would not have second guessed her sister, would not have disrespected their God or her Ekar-Aji by refusing. She wasn't sure how she would have come to handle it, but handle it she would. Just as she had come to accept the sacrifice itself.

Asherah frowned to see that Eshamun wept, dipping her head apologetically as the woman whispered. "I thank you, Eshamun. I...I will serve Molech in any way that is needed, but some things are easier to do than others. Do not think my will faltering, for my love is unwavering for our God. Your own offering was a great thing, a truly selfless act. I am shamed to cower before such a task when you have complete it yourself." Her own tears began to drip down her cheeks. "I too will know that burden one day, this I swear, I will not accept any lesser suffering. With my next litter, I shall offer my own child so that you might have someone who knows the pain as you know it. There are no wolves in this world as strong as you, dear sister." 

She was disappointed in herself for not being able to accept Eshamun's bidding without her own selfishness shining through. Eshamun would allow her this, though, she would forgive her. Asherah would prove herself with her next litter. "I pray that Molech does not begrudge me my fear from this act. I have much work yet to do, within my self and within my soul, to become truly worthy of Molech. The Many Armed God is patient with me, I only pray that I please Molech in the end."

Asherah dipped her head at the compliments. The comment of being next in line to be res drunak gave her a small shock, though she shouldn't have been surprised. Acolytes occupied the role so that they could ascend if needed. The idea of standing in Arunik'ra's place, however, made her feel unprepared. Eshamun wasn't asking that of her now, though, she reassured herself. In time, she would grow more comfortable. She would learn more of the ways.

She nodded at Eshamun's words, her wisedom. She nodded, unsure exactly how she would feel at this time. It was hard to predict. It brought her some sadness, but all the same it also brought her joy. A child without pain and suffering. She knew all too well the pain this world could hold, the way it could rip you into pieces. They turned from the sad talk though, and Asherah was happy to move forward onto different subjects.

She smiled at Eshamun, chuckling softly. "You're asking hard questions today, sister." Her voice fell quiet as she thought. "I would like to grow our numbers, to spread the Light of Molech. Help our pack to establish so that it may live to see many generations beyond us. So that, perhaps, all of these lands near here will know Molech's name." She paused for a moment, smiling and laughing again. "A large ambition, I know. If I shoot for something so large, and only accomplish a fraction of it I will be pleased. Molech has plans for me, and I trust in the Light."

Asherah smiled softly at the nudge, then gave serious thought to the question. "Molech, certainly. My fire had burned nearly out when you came and rekindled my flame." She paused for a moment, thinking. "Family, too. I love our family here. The closeness, the affection. I was not able to have such a thing as a child. We loved each other, yes, but we had little time to show it. We did not stay still for long, it was one trek after another." She paused, lingering on thoughts of the past for a moment. Suddenly a new light entered her eyes. "And children." She smiled again, glancing to her side though no sign of her pregnancy yet showed.

"My passion is for those I care for, for my sisters and for the brothers we may soon have." She looked at Eshamun, wondered what this passion could be turned into in her priestesshood.

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eshamun listened quietly. "you are truly a woman of molech." she wished for asherah to teach, to inspire the rest of the malkaria to feel the same as she did, and to bring future generations into the light of the eight-armed one. she too glanced to the other's side and sighed. "it will not be long before they are here. is there anything that you need?" eshamun asked softly, indicating that they should press on. she did not yet wish to end their conversation.[/tr][/td][/table]

This compliment was a great one. It brought a smile to Asherah's face that she could not hide. "They grow so quickly, time seems to fly before me. I need nothing, but I would love to have your conversation for a while longer, Eshamun." The request was spoken politely enough if the other wanted to decline, but it seemed she too wished to continue on their way and converse.

Eshamun gave no direct answer, just another soft smile. They continued to walk and talk until they had reached the heart of the lands. The sky began to darken with sunset before they well and truly split. Asherah went happily to her den, pleased with the day and the time spent with Eshamun.