Rosewater Oasis By the power of Ra,

his eyes, half-lidded and reflective, catch the light of ra’s brilliance as his head dips to drink alongside the other.

the pharaoh drinks deeply, water cascading down his sharp muzzle, staining his obsidian coat in dark streaks. when he rises, droplets glinting like tiny stars in his fur, his lips curve into the barest hint of a smile—a thing more serpentine than warm.

with a foreleg, he waves a paw.

you pay me in kind with your name, traveler.