Lion Head Mesa yesterday i woke up sucking a lemon

@Toula @Rashepses

he had left the wilds with his mother in her search of his once-siblings long ago, but they had never strayed far. at some point, he’d found himself completely alone- and he had spent his months just south of the lowlands, making an odd life for himself, somehow- motivated purely by a canine’s instinctual drive to keep living. there were hazy memories of the time before he was by himself, but they were few, leaving him with little to identify himself with. he knew his own name: athamas ostrega. he knew that his dark-furred mother had considered herself an important creature destined for greatness, the daughter of a supposed queen he never knew. but his former connections were lone-gone, and his childhood was a box of unanswered questions. 

he did seek purpose, still. in spite of the emptiness, and the loneliness, that he felt, he had understood there was more that could be gotten out of life. being alone now didn’t mean he needed to be alone forever. and though he often dreamt of a reunion to his blood-kin, one where he would’ve had more time with his siblings, a better understanding of what friendship was- the hope for that reality had withered away. 

he came to the mesa by way of the meadow. the autumn heat had begun to fade into early winter chill, and in this morning a light mist clouded the land. the grasses beneath his paws became sparse as he made his way towards a great, flat mountain that stood out against the bleak grey sky. the borders smelled of a group, a promise that he could be part of something… part of a community… athamas hesitated here for a long moment, indecisive. he was shy to summon anyone- who was he, to ask for a place anywhere? he had nothing to his name, no accomplishments worth mentioning. he was a remnant puzzle piece to an old legacy that he had never known, a skinny boy with little to offer except his desperation to know love and belonging. 

despite this all, his choice was finally made, and he released a call up into the empty morning air, standing then with his tail held low beside his haunches and his posture slightly submissive, a display of his respect to whoever might arrive.

psst toulashepses is still in muat-riya, i will send u a prince <3

to khaemwaset, there was no reason not to act as he had decided himself to be. early he rose with the priest to sing solemn prayers, then it was off for study with the physician. back to the hem for lorekeeping and histories, the annals of a powerful dynasty.

he had come to enjoy the wellspring and the attention of the servants there, but always, always were his Horus-eyes turned toward the horizon. enemies lurked there, and his young imagination created a thousand stories about what must be happening beyond the line of mountains.

that call rose when he was in the middle of sparring den under the watch of a mazoi. parting, he panted and turned his sharp ears in attention. choosing not to wait for senmut, the amiir left their fighting-grounds and trotted along the red paths until he was outside the mesa. 

sun struck his eyes; brow furrowed, khaemwaset made his careful day down the three great steps and out into the red land.

a retinue followed, kept at a distance by a slash of his paw. the stranger was thin and of little account save for the blaze of autumn marking his frame. mollified by such respect, khaemwaset attempted to look down his own nose in the manner of rashepses. "you have come to akashingo, the Red Land inherited by my mother, pharaoh isetnofret toula. my father is the divine God of the Red Serpent, rashepses of ta-senet." he did not blink. "who are you?"

oopsie daisy! i had no idea, since i just rejoined i haven't read up on ongoing plots or anything... X) thanks for saving the thread!!!

 


the time that he waited felt like an eternity to the anxious athamas, who had already begun to regret calling anyone at all. he had no idea what he ought to say or do, and he had very little social experience whatsoever in comparison to most. he could only trust his base instincts- a submissive, non-threatening wolf will tuck his tail and avert his gaze, never wishing to give the impression of putting up a challenge. 

a group approached, to his surprise- and the man, no, the boy that lead them quickly became clear. he was dark-furred like athamas, though he sported brilliant golden accents, a contrast to the yearling's rusty orange nape. athamas seemed to shrink even smaller when the boy arrived in front of him, although secretly a bit confused to see someone younger than himself taking charge of these wolves. 

he seemed confident and stable as he introduced his land and his kin. the way khaemwaset spoke made athamas feel as if he ought to know these names or their significance, though he had little understanding of what being a pharaoh or divine god meant. still, it was clearly important.

ah... thank you, for letting me visit the edge here of your akashingo. i am athamas ostrega. he replied. i... i am looking for a place to stay and work. he was not sure how else to justify his presence here... he craved community, he was desperate for it- but he knew it could not be earned through nothing. i can work in whatever you need. i would be greatful for the chance to help your akashingo, if it is needed... despite his politeness, his speech pattern was clunky and awkward, plain. but the best he could do was give it a shot and hope that there was a place for him anywhere.