Sun Mote Copse Newb

For @Arunik'ra :D Gotta keep it vague about what she knows for right now since her thread with Eshamun is going on.

Things were much, much more different here. Not only from normal packs, but her own life too - never in her wildest dreams did Giana think she'd be a worshipper, much less even believe gods and the such, but here she was falling into the many arms of Molech willingly. He'd brought her here, she was sure - and he had stripped the Ferretti's from her because they weren't good enough for her. Of this, she was also very sure. Only her children had ever deserved her, and now it was too late for them - but Giana was going to save herself.

With her probation period over, Giana no longer had to strive day after day - half the day - just to please her leaders. She still took at least a piece or two a day to a cache, but now her focus was on bettering herself. Starting with physically, she'd been eating most of her catches - already in her time here she'd taken the edges of her bones. It'd take a while before she would be back to normal, but she was on in the fast lane.
Sprawled out not far from the shrine she'd been enlightened, Giana tore into the belly of a rabbit for its most nutritious bits - It was her first meal of the morning, and the fat, lazy thing hadn't moved very fast. A good start to her day!

thanks for starting!! <3

arunik'ra had spent the morning in vigil, and when she rose from the trance-like state of mediation she was made immediately aware (with great clarity at that) how empty her stomach was. her hunger was pristine, searing -- and with the dull pang came a strange light-headedness.

she rounded the corner of the large monolith and was surprised to come across giana -- a wolf she was familiar with by sight only. eshamun had told the priestess of her encounter, but nothing else -- arunik'ra was certain in time molech would reveal what role the sickly female played.

the dagger-thin female was not thrilled to come too close to the newest acolyte, if only out of self-preservation. she set herself a distance away, careful to arrange herself in a manner where the distance would prove difficult for even the most stalwart bacterium to travel. "enjoying your breakfast?" she asked, sitting primly on her thin haunches.

Giana ripped through it with ease, causally eating half before the sight of another catches her stormy eyes - having seen not a soul but Eshamun and Ragna, the woman was curious. She was confused as to why the priestess did not come close, but save for a swift and short lived furrow of her brow, the ivory starwatcher didn't comment. She did, however, nudge the rabbit towards the other woman, unaware that she was worried about getting sick. The scent of the infection had long left her, but Gia was no fool, knowing that Eshamun had likely spread the word of the sickly and starved woman within their Copse. 

                      "Very much so - would you like to share?" 

arunik'ra's thin features parsed into a threadbare and polite smile as giana offered to share her meal. the sunspear, not wishing to offend (yet equally unwilling to become sick) waved the gracious offer away with a flick of her thin wrists. "you need it more than i," she replied, her voice devoid of any guile.

she had her questions about giana's reasons for seeking them, as she was sure giana had questions with regards to their cult. never one to beat around the bush, arunik'ra queried: "do you believe in molech?"

It was clear the woman didn't want to share, but why Giana didn't know - but she didn't question it, either. The brand of fire was correct in saying she needed it more - if she was to produce children, she needed to be again fat and healthy. Nodding in acceptance, she took another bite of her meal. By the time she'd swallowed, Arunik'ra was asking if she believed - a grand smile took over her features, lighting them in a way no other conversation had been able.

                 "I do with all my soul. I believe it was Molech that stripped me of my toxic family, led me here to this place so perfect for me: but Eshamun said I would need to find the high priestess for that."

Her stormy eyes flicked to the woman's face in question - was this the woman she was told to seek, or just another curious Malkaria member looking for friends?

The Sunspear did not expect Giana to say she did not believe, all the same a part of her listened curiously as the wolf supplied an earnest and honest answer. Arunik'ra could not fault Giana for her conviction, and the answer to her inquiry was most satisfactory in its tone. 

She leveled her gaze to the wolf, her expression solemn: "And you understand the price you pay for Molech's light?" The Sunspear queried softly, her voice grim.

The woman seemed happy with her answer - Giana was starting to suspect that this was the woman she'd been seeking, but did not yet comment - but went solemn at her question. The ivory woman followed suit, her grin falling into a quiet mask of curiosity. The price?

                      "I plan to give a child to Molech from the litter I will carry after my next heat."

She tipped her head, questioning - was this the price meant, or was there something else she needed to know? Eshamun hadn't told her about a price.... Right?

arunik'ra scoured the female with her firebrand gaze, seeking any sign of deflection - hesitation - flinching.

none.

there was solemnity, but no artifice. she swept her mule-like ears back, both content yet disgruntled. "that is correct. that is the price you pay for light. the price we all pay. the rest, their burden is living." she wondered if giana would supply so readily the answer when the time came and the child was wrenched from her side. just as she wondered with eshamun, and many before her. it took a special kind of courage, and a strange mix of depravity, to give up something that came from you and was innately part of you.

she said nothing else, instead falling into a grim and contemplative silence. she made terrible company, it was true.

The priestess - or at least, that is the conclusion Gia came to under the pressure of the fire's eyes - confirmed and agreed with the offer the ivory woman'd made. Yet still her eyes searched, for what Giana didn't know, but even the proud, broken queen would have admitted that her shoulders bowed under the weight of Arunik'ra's gaze. 

In truth, Giana wasn't a good friend or good company - even under the scrutiny of her gaze, the woman was still more confortable sitting here in the silence than trying to fill it with forced words.

arunik'ra, though her pelt was kissed by fire, had never been a warm woman. when the conversation trailed into ghostlike silence she extended no further platitude. she rose then, a thin thing on thinner legs -- her gaze swept across giana's features.

she waved her tail by way of farewell, and without any further articulation the sunspear turned and headed towards the glade's hearth for dinner.