Sun Mote Copse wait a minute i'm passing out, win or lose

@Ragna

at sunfall the gilded rays of sun shimmered through the copse, brilliant slants of amber besides dark shades of umber-green. it was a summer glow, the yellow boon that painted the world in soft tones of green and gold; and arunik'ra savored the beauty while it lasted.

soon it would be winter, and sunset would be cold and dark.

once the last sundappled rays had fled the earth, and the ground was vanquished of the sun's last warmth, arunik'ra made for the river. she had a small ceremony to perform, and wished to do it under the coven of solitude.

Assumed Arunik'ra reached the river, lmk if you want me to change that!

If the sunset had been beautiful, Ragna didn't notice. Since her settling at the river several days prior, Ragna had not left. In the warmth of the day she had crossed at a shallow point to the east banks of the river. When the day's fading burst into glorious beauty, Ragna had been hard at work, overturning rocks to see what would slither out. In this way she had caught several small lizards and a snake.

By nightfall she had grown bored of her sport. Her stomach was full and without the heat of the day the muddy river bank was cold and uncomfortable. Ragna slipped into the cool water to clean herself, deep enough that the water lapped up her sides. She might have left, then once she felt that the water had washed away the worst of the mud, but keen ears picked up the sound of a predator's quiet movement. The underbrush of the copse on the other side of the river rustled as it bent to give way to whoever passed. Ragna watched the treeline, curious and unafraid of who might emerge.

she had not expected company at the mouth of the river, but it appeared another wolf was likeminded as she -- resolute to salvage her evening, the sunspear slipped carefully into the water and eyed the stranger from a distance. she was a pale creature, her fluff sagged by the weight of water -- where arunik'ra was sharply cut, this woman seemed made of a better and kinder cloth.

"nice night." she ventured, the thick accent somewhat offputting. she offered nothing further, though she studied the female for a reaction.

Since the woman emerged from the copse, Ragna assumed that she, too, was a member of the Malkaria. Considering her newly tendered membership, Ragna crossed the river completely, taking to the water gamely before splashing up near the woman.

Like Eshamun, this woman was sharp and red. She had nothing of Ragna's soft curves, but did not seem inherently unfriendly. Ragna ignored the small talk, more interested in learning more about the Malkaria, their god, and their ways. Malkaria? she asked simply, gesturing at the other with a nod of her muzzle.

arunik'ra had not known eshamun had secured the pale wolf for their flock, so when the female ventured a single question arunik'ra's features arranged sharply with surprise. she cupped her razored ears forward, extending her muzzle outward to sift from the wind whether or not the female had been recently visited by one of her companions.

she thought she scented eshamun's presence across the gently rippling water, but remained wary. she stood plainly in the river, feeling the lolling tide as it trundled past her and cooled her aching limbs. "yes." she answered truthfully, though she was somewhat guarded. "who are you?"

The woman confirmed that she was of the Malkaria — as Ragna had suspected, due to the similarity between her and Eshamun — and Ragna allowed herself to relax. Though she had not spent much time within its borders, Sun Mote Copse belonged to the Malkaria, and Ragna was not afraid to defend its borders.

Ragna drew herself fully from the river's waters, giving a great shake to rid her coat of water. Then we are packmates, she said as she extended a leg to lick at it. I am Ragna, she said, leaving off her titles. It would not do well to lord her heritage and breeding over others, after all.

she watched in silence as the female dredged small ripples in the river's course, headed towards the bank with a chevron of rising waves in her wake. the water poured from her fur in loud patters and when she shook, it nearly reached arunik'ra -- idly, she watched the smattering of water fall like rain on the river's gentle surface.

they were pack-mates; that explained it. arunik'ra had always had a nose for liars, and did not sense any untruth issued from the female. she dipped her head and a warm smile erased the guarded expression that had haunted her muzzle moments before. "ah. ours is to smile at your induction, friend. have you seen the borders?" she rose slowly, trailing the rippling waves that ragna had left in her departure. "i was planning on patrolling -- after a drink."

It came as a relief to see the subtle hostility ease from her pack mate's features, replaced by a warmth that suited her far better. This woman was the first of the Malkaria Ragna had met, aside from Eshamun. Briefly, Ragna wondered how Eshamun fared, for it had been several days (i think) since they had met. This new woman seemed just as pleased by Ragna's membership as Eshamun had.

Ragna's ears perked at the mention of the borders. She had not done a full patrol along them, but had seen bits and pieces that needed to be connected. Her desire was to be the Malkaria's champion and guardian. She would need to know its borders in order to do that. May I come? she asked, ready to follow at a positive answer.

in turn, the scarlet priestess was delighted by the pale wolf's initiative -- when she asked to come, arunik'ra supplied a gentle nod of her slender head. carefully the priestess slid out of the water completely, trailing a small portion of the rushing river behind her.

"the borders were last patrolled last night, but i like to keep wary. i have discovered there are two packs at least around us - one close to the creek, the other tucked in the fold of this river further west." she slowed as they neared the border, bending her body along a briar-bush to depart snags of her fur as a marking.

"let us leave our mark here, so they may know of us." she instructed, rubbing her body along the bough of a pine next.

Ragna followed with well contained eagerness, taking in every inch of their route. She watched where Arunik'ra left signs of the Copse's habitation, and listened well to where their neighbors were. Are they aware of us? she asked. It would be good to know where they stood with neighboring packs. If they were hostile to the Malkaria, Ragna's self-assigned task would not be so simple.

At the next marker, Ragna joined Arunik'ra, adding her scent by rubbing against a tree trunk in passing. Tufts of shed hair remained, carded out by the rough bark. Will you tell me about yourself? she asked, curious about this woman and how she had come to worship Molech.

ragna fell alongside her, content to share the burdensome task of reinforcing the malkaria's outer perimeter. arunik'ra kept a thin ear turned in her direction, awaiting the natural rise in conversation. when it came in the form of a query, arunik'ra paused to consider the answer.

"i don't know." she answered truthfully, for she had never encountered a wolf from either pack near the malkaria. rather, it was the other way around -- she had come across one wolf in the delta, and the other outside of a hazelwood grove.

"one may know of us, the pack in the river ford - but as for the other, i am not certain." she resumed her duties, scratching her paw pads along a damp piece of earth. ragna's second query came as a surprise to the red woman, but she obliged anyway: "what would you like to know? i am sister to the ekar-aji -- that's the alpha for you -- eshamun. we are daughters of ashtorath, the high priestess of malkaria's homeland, surrendal. i have served molech for three years now, and wish to see plenty more."

Neighbors were not troublesome unless they were hostile. Though Ragna burned to know more about the surrounding packs, she would not seek them out. It was not her place and she did not trust herself as a representative of the Malkaria. Eshamun or Arunik'ra, wolves that had grown up with Molech and their ways, better represented what the Malkaria were meant to be.

Ragna did not respond to Arunik'ra's answer but for a firm nod of understanding. She listened to the other's brief story and bobbed her head again, following with, you look similar. A few feet after Arunik'ra's marker, Ragna squatted and marked the side of a tree with a thin stream of urine. After, she provided a short answer to the same question, though she had not been asked. I was born on the coast in these wilds. I have three brothers. Are there legends about Molech? Stories?

they shared the same duties, strengthening the bonds of both their home and their pack. arunik'ra listened attentively, wondering if the brothers had seen the light -- and if they, like her, were in the valley.

she drew her slender frame along a broad bush, rustling the leaves from their stalks as she did so. "your brothers - are they still alive?" she queried curiously, tilting her slim head to the side.

"there are many stories, though most simply revolve around being dutiful, obeying the sacraments and not defying the god that feeds you. molech is vengeful only to those that wrong the light - we understand this, and praise it. there is one fable i heard as a child, and enjoyed - have you heard of molech's fire ram, jahangir?"

They walked on, each bend in their path still unfamiliar. I do not know, said Ragna. There was very little she knew. Were her brothers and her mother still in the Wilds? Still alive? Ragna had not visited any packs but the Blackrocks. It could be that they lived near. Soon I will leave to find news of them. I will not be gone long, she told Arunik'ra, hoping the priestess would not impede her attempts.

The thought of her brothers was troublesome, and Ragna was glad to have an excuse to change the subject. I have not. Would you tell it? She had always been a lover of stories, and thought there was no better way to learn a culture than by hearing their tales.

STORYTIME!! I WILL BREAK THIS INTO BITS so i make a better story!! *crack knuckles*

ragna revealed plans to scout for her sibling; arunik'ra offered a wane smile in response. it was not her place to forbid ragna from finding her blood-relations, and if anything, arunik'ra identified. it caused a pang in her heart to think of even a day without eshamun. "of course."

when ragna asked if arunik'ra would tell of the story, she obliged. "jahangir was one of the suntouched -- the suntouched were beings who radiated light; small golden stars given corporeal form." she paused, motioning for ragna to do the same. "perhaps this is more the story of kalemos, and ekar-aktimi. this is the story of the First Curse."

"with every story there is a beginning and an end, and ours takes place in the true Beginning, when molech made light. in the beginning there was no such thing as life and death, and as such, no such thing as hunting, or killing. there was no night and day, nor summer nor winter. there was simply life -- and light.

molech made wolves on the first of the beginning, and while molech did not make them suntouched, they were blessed with cunning. molech gave them slender legs to run on, and dense fur to keep them warm in the absence of light.

on the second of the beginning, molech made the suntouched flock - a small horde of rams, each as golden and bright as the last. where they touched, they cast brightness -- even their eyes seemed consumed by amberfire. they were not blessed with cunning, but instead blessed with fortitude. their limbs were stout and strong, to carry their brightness. to carry the fire.

for a long time, this was the way of the world - and the world existed in tranquility." arunik'ra's gaze swept to ragna, to see if she had followed along. "there were few wolves in the beginning, and few rams. among the wolves was a wolf known as kalemos. kalemos, perhaps more intelligent than the rest, noticed his fur lacking, and his light too little -- and questioned why the rams bore fleece of glowing sunlight while he possessed coarse fur of darkstone and earth. he approached molech in the realm of Solistra and demanded to be made suntouched.

molech said no." arunik'ra's voice fell deep, and her gaze swept up to ragna. "kalemos was stung, and felt the first sullied emotion of the world: anger."

oh boy B)

Ever a lover of stories, Ragna listened, rapt. Of all of the stories she had every heard, she loved origin stories the most, for they were always so different and so telling. In her eyes, nothing reflected a culture better than their stories of the beginning. This was no different, as Arunik'ra described Molech's gift of light and life.

When Arunik'ra motioned for her to sit own, she did so obediently, eyes fixed upon Arunik'ra with eager attention. Ragna was familiar with the pattern of stories like this, and knew that though the world had once been serene and free of trouble, that would change. Once a mortal wolf began to question his god, misfortune would descend. Ragna was eager to hear more, and prompted the red woman to continue. What next?

what next? arunik'ra passed her amber gaze over her clanmate, noting the interest that rimmed ragna's intelligent eyes. she afforded a threadbare smile. "ruin is what was next."

she shifted upright, recalling how the den-mothers of her youth had grown grave during this junction of the story. "kalemos wanted the light -- and as he grew angry, he lost his joy in serving molech. in those days the wolves were made to move the rams from each corner of the world; it was their duty to shepherd the rams, and to take care of them.

kalemos could no longer honor his charge and turned to ekar-aktimi, his sister. he told her of his want for light and of molech's swift rejection, and she too grew angry for her brother. they schemed together. 

the next day when it came time for the wolves to herd the rams, kalemos snuck into the pasture full of guile. he told jahangir it was time to move, and that they were to go to a different corner of the world today. sweet jahangir, brimming too full with molech's light, obliged his friend's instructions and turned to the rest of the herd to inform them of their new path. the rams went -- willingly.

but jahangir's trust was wrongly placed, and as soon as they were hidden in the sweep of a mountain kalemos and ekar-aktimi set upon the rams, swallowing them whole to consume their light." arunik'ra blinked solemnly, drawing a long breath as if to express her grief for her ancestor's folly.

"they were defilers of light, kalemos and ekar-aktimi -- and as they slaughtered their charges, the world grew darker with each killing; when the last ram was murdered the first night descended upon the world and molech's all-knowing gaze fell upon them.

molech knew the first crime of the world had been committed, and was struck with despair. not even kalemos' mastery of trickery could mask his crimes -- and molech, consumed by grief, banished both wolves into the night.

molech took their light, and replaced it with fear.

molech took their contentment, and replaced it with perpetual hunger.

molech, ever-wise, gave the wolves teeth and claws so that they could live with their burden, their curse of eternal hunger -- and in turn, provided the rams sharp horns to protect their young and hard hooves to dissuade their assailants. the First Curse -- hunger -- was kalemos and ekar-aktimi's everlasting reward for their betrayal."

The story went on.

Arunik'ra had the making of a great storyteller. She poke with great gravity, and her voice seemed to tap into the very threads of history. Ragna's respect for her deepened, as it would for any who possessed the right kind of mind to weave a story. And this story was a dark one, but it resonated with the ages. Ragna found it fascinating, having never thought of hunger as a curse, but just a thing that was. And indeed, now she knew it to be true, for wasn't hunger the very thing that possessed and drove wolves? If they never needed to eat, never needed to take the time to hunt, what could they accomplish?

Finally the story came to a close. Ragna blinked, as though breaking from a trance, and smiled shyly. Thank you for the story, she said softly.

with the story's conclusion, it seemed both parties were satisfied: arunik'ra, for sharing her lore with ragna -- and ragna, for hearing it.

ragna need not thank arunik'ra, for the sunspear was happy to share it. she afforded the female a rare genuine smile, and dipped her muzzle. "but of course." she replied, rising to her feet. "i will tend to the shrine now, but seek me out any time." the sunspear offered, making her way towards the shrine to perform her rites for the night.