Phoenix Maplewood the healing of nations

at first she was glad, and enthralled, and even a bit charmed by his pleading. a tiny thrill worked down her spine and settled in her belly, a rumbling sadism — then his offer sounded in the air, and the red woman gave pause to her many feelings. she is loyal to the rose-wolves. but his offer tempts her in ways that cannot be expressed. what he offerse is exactly what she has been hunting for — a flock. she is mightily tempted, and thankful, but hosannah cannot accept. perhaps in time she can return to him and to his corrupted lessers, but not now. not while she is rooted to the roses.

but is she truly? her lord looked down upon the world, saw her false marriage, and ended it. he looked upon the beauty of the world itself, and the good fortune, and saw reason to wipe it all out; he was teaching a lesson to all creation! and she, surviving it, was humbled. perhaps this was His intention all along. that she use the rosings as a means of keeping safe, of staying alive in this physical realm, so that she may do more good upon the earth.

this sad man, this manifestation of all things wretched, she held him up with her spindly legs and her fleeting promises. this thing which was too far gone — hosannah knew in her heart that he was not worth the effort, that he would be purged by the daystar eventually, but she was eager to prove herself to her lord. deftly, she nodded.

and with that tiny motion, agreed to shepherd this lost flock back to the light.