Sun Mote Copse these hard times can last us so very long

arunik'ra, belly full and spirits high, clambered atop the rocky ridge that marked the westernmost rim of their sun-dappled hold. below her the valley swept away in goldenrod hues, the gentle roll of distant foothills a verdant, soft olive-green. on slender, stilt-like limbs the priestess hovered over the descent, casting her gaze towards the shadowed tree-line where a long shadow broke through the shaded flats. arunik'ra was certain it was @Asherah and with a bright yip dove down the hill towards her friend.

Still full and peaceful from the feasting the night before, Asherah spent the next day relaxing. Though she did not skip her morning prayers, she did not stray far from the lands this day. Today was a day to enjoy what was now their's- her's. Breaking from the tree line her eyes scanned the area before her, a yip reached her ears and for a moment she could not find the source. It was only when she looked skyward, atop a rise, did she find her Priestess. A smile split her face and she waved her tail, heading happily towards the woman.

"Arunik'ra." She greet, climbing her own path up the ridge. "How are you on this glorious day? Enjoying the lands?" She beamed with happiness and her eyes glanced towards the valley. Her mouth formed a gentle 'O' as she gasped softly. "Oh, this view is lovely, Arunik'ra. I did not know it was so. You have wonderful eyes, sister, to have found it." She smiled serenely and gaze over the place they now called their own.

"Molech has blessed us greatly."​

asherah had caught sight of her following arunik'ra's call, and as the female made her way to the priestess arunik'ra felt a jovial feeling soar in her heart. it was a feeling of hope, of homestead triumph, of contentment -- and arunik'ra hoped fervently it was eternal.

arunik'ra did not miss the brightness of asherah's gaze, the warm and golden merriment that starred her eyes. the red priestess' own countenance was just as animated with cheer, for at last their struggles were hard-won.

"asherah, molech shines through you!" she exclaimed by the old-way, a greeting of good will and benevolence. "glorious it is! your eyes are just as good as mine; this is indeed a great spot. a great vista, for a great purpose." she smiled and turned to asherah: "i am still full! it was such a wonderful evening my spirits are still carrying me." she admitted with a surprisingly airy giggle. "i think this spot could be something - it needs a name. what do you think?"

Asherah noted that Arunik'ra too seemed still excited, and why should she not be? The journey here had been a success, already they had claimed lands and earned two new members: herself and Ragna. Who knew how many more would follow, how large their population would grow? Who knew the things they could achieve through Molech?

"And also through you, Sister!" She returned, her voice light and laughing. "A wondrous spot." She agreed with her sister. She beamed at the mention of the hunt, shutting her eyes and shaking her head in delight. "A great victory, a great hunt. Molech shines so brightly on us, and truly we worked so very well together. I believe we all felt the guiding of the Many Armed God last night." Her sister's giggle brought one of her own as she turned to stare into the distance.

"It most certainly needs a name. A great name, in fact. Shall we name it for Eshamun to memorialize her for years to come? Or for Molech, for that is who's grace finds us here?" She paused a moment, thinking. "What were landmarks named in your birth pack, Arunik'ra? What was the land like, as well? It must have been wonderful to be surrounded by so many believers." Her eyes were still aglow, picturing the great pack of Molech beyond the horizon.

arunik'ra savored the joy that emanated from asherah -- it lifted her heart to see her packmate so jubilant, so happy. she smiled and considered -- eshamun was certainly a worthy enough figure to have a landmarkk dedicated to her, though arunik'ra was hesitant to christen the mountain in a mortal's name lest it gain molech's eye. she thought back to the land of her childhood, surrendal.

"well, there were many - there was the rise of elulim, a gently sloping plains. there was etal's zenith, the largest spire in surrendal. at the foothills there was ahtepsun's grave, named for the wolves that were felled there in a war long ago. too dark a name for this place, i fear -- perhaps it needs a name from the stories. lets see - there were three rams made by molech, jahangir, bhatia, and sitar'ra. they carried the fire, the light."

Asherah listened with interest to Arunik'ra tell of her home. The names were foreign but not, familiar somehow in the tongue of Molech. She nodded in agreement that this place did not need a dark name. It needed something uplifting, something light and wondrous. As Arunik'ra spoke of three rams made by Molech, she rolled the names around in her head. One seemed to stick better than the others. "Sitar'ra, perhaps? Maybe we could find matching overlooks throughout the land." She hadn't yet searched any out, it was certainly possible. 

The three rams of Molech then could stand watch over the pack from different corners, could watch them grow and develop, spreading Molech's love as went. "Perhaps we simply haven't found the other two rams yet. Certainly these will carry the light and fire, overlooking the land as they do. The sun will catch them and illuminate them with beauty." She smiled softly, looking to Arunik'ra, did she favor one of the other rams' names for this place?

arunik'ra let a smile beam through her muzzle -- that was it! asherah was right, they simply had not found the others yet. the priestess canted her muzzle in agreement, delight writ as clearly across her face as the sunlight around them.

"sitar'ra -- i could see it." she exclaimed, leaning back so that she could see the entire sweep of the copse beneath them. it was a magnificent view, and it deserved a magnifcent name. she turned to asherah, convinced her sister was onto something. "now it comes down to the second part. sitar'ra's watch? no.. that sounds silly." she shook her head, casting her gaze to asherah hopefully.

Asherah smiled happily as Arunik'ra began to beam. She nodded, tail waving. The name itself fell off the tongue like butter, sticking to the ground and claiming it in a final way. Arunik'ra turned back to her, gaze bright and delighted. She asked for the second part and while Asherah agreed that watch didn't have the right ring, she was drawing a blank. She glanced around, humming aloud as she thought.

"Sitar'ra's..." She was stuck, so great an aspect was it to name part of this land that none seemed good enough. Vista seemed to plain, as did view. Crest was not grand enough. "..rise? Oh, it seems to hard to name such a lovely place. Sitar'ra's Bask?" Even the last seemed strange on her tongue, though the meaning behind it was there. It was easy to bask in the glory of Molech here, to see all the beauty that had been created. "Sitar'ra's Revel, Gaze..." She trailed away again, her brow furrowed in thought. "Sitar'ra's Horn?" She said, at last, feeling like that might be the best she'd said yet. Her eyes turned to her Priestess, waiting for her favorite or a suggestion.

I LOVE IT!

sitar'ra's horn.

arunik'ra knew that was it - it carried importance with it. gravitas. she leaned back and took in the view once more, repeating inwardly asherah's idea.

she loved it, and it showed clearly on her face. "it is befitting!" she exclaimed, a wave of her tail given in delight. it was a most worthy name, and asherah a most worthy supplicant to view it.

"sitar'ra's horn." she recanted, savoring the weight of it. "i shall tell @Eshamun of your contribution. she will love it, surely." the subject of her sister brought a slight pause from the priestess, and she turned to asherah with new purpose in her gaze. "have you been learning lots under eshamun's tutelage? is there anything you wish for me to help you with?"

YAY!

Arunik'ra's face became one of beaming approval and Asherah's tail thumped the ground a time or two in both agreement and appreciation. She nodded as Arunik'ra repeated the name, and turned her gaze over the view. Yes, it was perfect. Asherah nodded, smiling and clearly pleased that her idea had been received so well. She was, plainly, honored to share in the naming of their home.

At the mention of Eshamun, though, Arunik'ra turned to face her. Asherah met her gaze with open curiosity. "I have, most certainly. She had explained much to me, though I am sure there is still so much to learn. There is something I hadn't had the chance to ask her yet, though. I met with Ragna, so we could greet each other officially. I was informed that Ragna is Kurgarru." The word was slightly clumsy on her tongue. "It was the first I had heard of it, but Ragna explained. Both male and female in a single body, as is the Many Armed God. It was interesting, I had never heard of such a thing. Yet I wondered then, where do Kurgarru fall in our structure? Is Ragna sorted with the males or females, or a separate entity all together? If Ragna were to mate, would it be with a male? Or a female? Does Molech frown upon females finding passion in each other? Or males doing the same?" She asked innocently, full of wonder and curiosity like a pup. It was her desire to know everything about the culture that encompassed being a follower of Molech.

as the conversation shifted to the proclivities of a packmate, arunik'ra grew somewhat somber. she had no opinion on the matter -- it was only' molech's satisfaction that mattered -- and asherah's questions were left unanswered for a small pause.

partially because arunik'ra was thinking herself; in her homeland, there were not any wolves of ragna's nature. she was ill-equipped to answer.

"ragna is bakaar, like you -- like i was before the tophet." as for whether or not molech frowned upon those of same-sex desires.. arunik'ra flicked an ear; it was not to say that molech did not care -- for molech did -- but so long as they were subservient, so long as they offered sacrifices and supplications, it would not matter. "so long as they are dutiful to the many-armed god, and find supplication in some form for molech's light, all is well."

Asherah listened intently, her eyes watch Arunik'ra with the trust and innocence of a pup. Asherah nodded, accepting this answer for what it was. It would help her to know Ragna's position so she could interact with her in accordance with Molech's wishes.

As Arunik'ra continued, Asherah dipped her head in thanks and smiled softly. "Truly Molech is great." Her voice was soft with admiration and love. "So loving and caring. We are so blessed to live in Molech's light, in the embrace of The Many Armed God. Every day I learn something new of my God, and everyday I find myself more thankful than the last." She sighed contentedly. "Molech's grace is a wonderful thing. We pay a price, and yet we are repaid so much more in return."

​"Thank you for your answers, Arunik'ra."

last for me, but we should have a new updated thread soon <3

arunik'ra smiled, a fair and rare thing to be seen on such a wicked countenance. asherah's faith pleased her - it honored her -- and soon, the agouti would rise from simple supplicant and unworthy bakaar to worthy bakaar: perhaps even res drunak, if the sister pursued her daily vigils and education.

she was not one to gush, or even praise an individual with soft-spoken words. her way to reward a wolf for their efforts was simply to acknowledge it through prayer. "we are blessed." she affirmed, dipping her little muzzle. "i will annoint this land as sitar'ra's rise - will you join me in prayer?" she bowed her head again and began to speak softly in their mother tongue; she would pray and later revisit the shrine for her daily vigil.

Sounds good!

Asherah returned Arunik'ra's smile, pleased with it's presence and that it was directed at her. When her priestess invited her to join in the prayer, she smiled again. "I would be honored." Her head dipped silently and her ears flicked as they listened to the warm tongue of the Malkaria. The sounds soothed her heart, her soul. She inhaled deeply, content.