Lion Head Mesa hazelnut dreams

The winter season came, and with it, Haizel slept less. 

When he did, he began to dream of things other than flower-field frolicking. He dreamed of rivers and his own nightmares, of flowers wilting. He dreamed of snakes, but they weren't there to harm his delicate blooms. No, they spoke to the deer-pelted man as if they were whispering into his sleeping ears. Renenutet, the snake whispered, touching her head to a wilted flower and it was given life once more before his very eyes. The man didn't know what that meant.

Haizel often wandered in his dreams, on the back of an animal he didn't recognize. It was far too large to be a regular lizard, longer than a wolf in length, and seemed to be as big as the whole of the land of red sand, if not bigger. Every pawstep felt like hardened stone, a hill to be climbed over as he traversed to the top of a ridge. Its snout was larger than the dreaming wolf, and he stood upon it as if it were a dune, eyes unyielding and yet not unkind. 

But Haizel... found this all rather weird.

WHAt was that-? he stirred, shaking his head. He was back home, in his chamber, surrounded by flowers. It was okay, he was safe. 

No big lizards here.

the flowerpriest had returned.

senmut was pleased to see him, this great favourite of the queen's. he found time to tour the frozen gardens but the ones still living were the ones he sought today.

the prince came upon haizel just as the hem grew wakeful. in polite quiet did he wait, glancing around at the rich blossoms which lived so strongly even as snow fell outside the mesa.

flowerpriest is the CUTEST title :3

On a bed of rich moss, grasses, and leaves he painstakingly collected and gathered, with down from birds and mixed in lavender, he lay. The forepaws of the giant were tucked under him and one hindleg stretching toward the edge of the bed - the other he rested on.

Another blink, a sniff; nothing but the herby, floral scent of many plants mingling. They lined his fur at times, complimenting the gardener's palette. What tan didn't look good with a little yellow?

But a presence became known to him, and his tail flopped in a wag as it slapped against his bedding. The dream's tones faded as the familiar and long-missed scent came to his nose. 

Senmut! a playful bark in recognition. I missed you! I... I actually want to... talk to you.

:D

"i too think fondly of your return," senmut told the man scented with all manner of fine rich things.

his attention belonged now to haizel, and he nodded for the other to go on, wondering what there was to speak on.

My dreams lately- they've... been odd. I dream of snakes that make wilted flowers whole again and this weird lizard that's big enough to stand on- Haizel started, standing up and shaking off the herbal dressings he put to help him sleep, in hopes they'd return to normal. It did not seem to be working. 

I don't know what's going on, so I wanted to talk to you about it. But Senmut was very busy, so he followed quickly with a - but you came here? Whatcha after? A pretty flower!?

the priest of flowers dreamt of serpents.

awareness flickered in the green eyes, but senmut must hear more. "tell me, what voice does this serpent have, if it speaks? and the renewing of flowers, is it a certain bloom or all?"

"tell me all you remember, haizel. i am not here for flowers. well," and he paused. "i wish to welcome pharaoh and consort home with wreaths of blooms that have been persuaded to grow inside. and then, perhaps later, a shrine to her firstborn. you will of course have full creative reign over all things, hem."

The flowers could come later, which was a concerning thought to the flowerpriest, but he pressed on. The snake has the voice of a woman, and she touches her head to all kinds of flowers. Says something like... Ra- Ren-in...nut-it? I think that's it, anyway- and he proceeds to recount his dreams. They were always the same when the snake appeared. Long and brownish in color, able to stretch her neck out wide and could gaze into his eyes without him moving a muscle. 

Do... you have any idea what it is? Or what snake-lady wants?

If anyone in the palace would know, it would be Senmut, because Senmut was awesome.

"renenutet."

"ernutet. renen-wetet. renenet. She has many names. but She is most often known for bestowing Her care upon royal children. She slaughters the enemies of pharaoh."

senmut could not ignore this. "have you had many visions, haizel? do they often take this form? i believe akashingo, through you, has received a warning for the future."

Feel free to interpret this sign however you may desire. Haizel will blindly agree because Haizel is a giant toasted marshmallow man.

I - uh - Haizel, being a gardener by passion, did not necessarily expect that any sort of higher power would come to him with dreams that meant anything. Wouldn't that be better suited for Senmut or another priest? He wasn't even sure why he'd been given that title. The man hadn't been counting for how long these types of dreams had been going on. -it's been in my dreams for- oh, how long has it been? When did winter start? A week, maybe?

Oh, Great and Glorious Toula wouldn't be pleased to hear of his dreams, would she? He didn't want to cause unrest within the palace... or the... other palace. There were two now. Twice as many flowers, but... twice as many wolves to keep safe, if this was as serious as Senmut said. His soft features folded into a frown, tucking his tail awkwardly around his paws. And it's... always the snake-lady, Re...nen...ut...et? and She's always making the flowers grow. Is it... bad? Or... good or - what is it, Senmut? his voice quivered slightly on the edge of the words. And why did She choose me over you?

<3

a week. senmut mulled over this as haizel became more upset; soon he held up a ruddy paw.

"do not question why or who the gods have chosen," instructed the erpa-ha in a firm voice. it was not a command, nor a cruel sound. "trust in Their word."

"She means we must be protective over the palace. over those royal. She brings life and guardianship. you must build an altar unto Her, haizel."

a small smile touched him.

"you are now Her priest."