Sun Mote Copse red breath

round two will end 9.17.16 @arunik'ra @Ar-Khalba @Asherah @Ragna free posting order!

they came, and eshamun's muzzle tipped shakily as she looked upon each one of their faces in turn, though her eyes filled with the secret pain she shared with ar-khalba as she looked upon him, the agony of parents who have lost their children. it is the will of molech, she told the man silently, tearing her gaze away from him to glance heavenward. the shaft of light had broadened to touch her more fully, and she knew it must be now, now, before she lost her ability to lead the malkaria.

"may molech look upon us favorably this day, as we gather in the glow of the eight-armed one's radiant blessing. i call you here today to witness the illidu-dam, the sacrifice i present so that we may claim this land beneath our feet, so that it is ours, and may bring forth fruit and life in the future."

her voice had gained strength as she spoke, but as eshamun turned and for the first time looked at the tiny, churning bodies that she had carried within her own for so long, as the mother's ache rose violently in her chest to cause a tangible pain, she felt her body shake with the weakness of their terrible birth and the grief that broke in waves across her heart.

"res drunak," eshamun murmured, turning to her sister. "you are the high priestess of the malkaria. you are the one who walks between this world and the next. help me to send these souls to molech, to satisfy the hunger of the great one." the ekar-aji's tones were firm, but her eyes quietly begged arunik'ra to stand beside her through the horrid thing to come.

she lowered her muzzle among her children; they instinctively flocked to her, to the scent of their natural mother, and eshamun could hide her tears no longer as she closed her jaws 'round one small, delicately boned body and waded gingerly into the shallows, casting a glance at the priestess as she awaited the words of her sister.