Lion Head Mesa pyramid

@Satsu @Nephele @Arsenio @Sakai @Mouseberry @Jawahir @Sayf (also @Slate for ref/joining since she is present) optional!! no posting order

the gates of akashingo began when the flatlands turned from dying green to brilliant red.
it was there that ramesses sent up a call for all of the mesa. he too had gathered spoils from the vale. polished bones, the tooth of some poor animal. stacks of plant matter for the healer, wrapped in different strips of old skin.
not so profitable as he would have liked, but it did not matter. pharaoh himself paused in the open throne room, muddied with dust and stone and the red soil of the mesa. filthy. reeking of the mountains and of ursus and the saint's scent from where he and akashingo had taken what they wished.
it was satsu to whom he went first; he knew she would be there, assumed it with all of him, and searched for her eyes with a long look that blurred all else and all other beings.
"i have returned, my queen."

the stamping of feet upon sand did not make its way in to the palace, but it was enough for the fellahin to take note. it was tamar that came to satsu to tell her, as she was wrapped in the furs of the sun-man's bed, her eyes red-rimmed and her heart heavy, that he was returned.

there was no time for her to collect herself before he strode in to his own receiving room, then further, to where she lay coiled there, a mess; he was too, as she looked at him. more desheveled than satsu had ever seen.

a mess, but a victorious one.

having drawn herself unsteadily to her feet when he entered, satsu tried to fix herself, with tamar making little adjustments alongside, until she could take the fellahin's pecks and combing no further - only a few seconds tolerated - and dismissed her sharply.

her eyes were filled with the warmth of the sun.

In the stomp of returning feet, the Jodai did walk, proud despite her still stinging wounds. She peered across the narrowness of her snout, the skull in her jaws held by its empty sockets, bleached white by sun. From now on, perhaps she’d start collecting.

Slowly, she tilted her head until she made eye contact with the bird still rested upon her back, jerking her head skyward. The kestrel ruffled his feathers, but took off, making a point to hit the back of her head with a wing. But Nephele did not falter. And when Pharoah brought the war party into the palace, she peeled off with a dip of her snout to the Queen and gathered Fellahin, before the shadow slipped away from the gathering place.

She had decorating to do. The bird, circling above her head, followed.

The guard smelled the Pharaoh before he had appeared. Arsenio could feel his stomach churn at the thought of the royal returning to the mesa, inserting himself in all matters, strutting about with his head held aloft. The auburn wolf did not hesitate when the queen moved to approach her betrothed. He made sure that she was secured and moved to where he could hide, the shade of a large stone stretching around him.

Things at Akashingo would return to their normal bustle, or so it could be assumed by the proud return of the Pharaoh.

All the while, Arsenio thought of Tamar. He imagined them far away from that place, perhaps in another desert with warm sands and golden sunlight. These images filled his mind while he waited for the queen to be finished with her man.

Just one from me unless addressed.

One from me as well, unless addressed

They were victorious, yet the newcomer felt a sense of failure within. He saw no battle, he raged no war, he reclaimed no honor. By the looks of him as he strode back to the homeland, his pale fur painted, for those who had not met him yet he would look a russet color. The vain man thought it disgusting to present himself in such a way, and couldn't wait to feel water dissipate the filth from his frame.

Quickly, bringing up the rear yet again by choice, Sakai placed the spoils within the throne room but kept to the outskirts. He dare not step too far in, not quite understanding the hierarchy yet and having never set eyes on the queen before. Finally, he found himself dipping his muddied head to the Queen he had fought for. Respectfully, he kept his gaze low as the Pharaoh and the Shabti interacted, and quickly took his leave. Power made him somewhat uncomfortable when he did not know the wolf behind it. He would have to meet her on another day.

Sayf stuck the shadows whenever possible, watching and assessing the mood of the pack as they arrived home. Some might be disappointed that their help wasn't needed, but the fellahin was relieved. He could fight if needed, but it had never been his strong suit, especially against a larger opponent, which he thought there would be many. 

So unlike the guard, he was happy that things would return to normal. He could go about his usual business. Life was more comfortable that way. His mind was more peaceful. 

He didn't excuse himself as the pharaoh addressed the queen. Instead he watched them from the shadows, always curious about their interactions.

Slate heard the return of the pharaoh. A man she had never see nor met. She didn't know if today was about to change that. She was in the mesa, yes, but she was busy with Crowfeather. She had heard different opinions of the pharaoh. She didn't want to make any assumptions before meeting him herself, but she had liked queen Satsu, how bad could her husband be?

Slate made sure everything was in order as she left Crowfeather for just a moment to see this golden king. She looked upon him and found nothing out of the ordinary. Kings were just as ordinary as others. Merrick might be scary, but this one wasn't. She looked curiously as he spoke to his queen who greeted him. Slate watched from the distance, not sure how these interactions were supposed to go, what was her place in all of this?

The war had ended as fast as Ursus had lead it. She didn't know exactly what had happened during the war, but no one had been hurt from Ursus or Akashingo. No one had called for Slate and she saw that as a sign that no one had needed her. A fast and pain-free war. It was over. She didn't know what to make of it. She had waited for it, not longed for it like others, but she was not keen on war, even if the gave her work to do.

She watched the interaction and then felt awkward. It didn't seem like something she was supposed to watch or be a part of. She looked back into the room where Crowfeather was, then slid back in. They would call for her if they needed her.