Blackfeather Woods akh

@Yonder

toula, accompanied by her attendants as ever, drew away from Akashingo to collect items for Iset. @Jakoul had gone, and toula prayed for the woman and her safe return each day after greeting Ra with the Hem. but she could not do so and give nothing in return! toula had the idea to provide Iset with something precious; something not of Akashingo! surely Iset might appreciate such a gift?
toula was not yet allowed very far. @Treva and @Ramesses knew of her journey, and may well be watching; she was only allowed so far as the edge of Blackfeather Woods, where they could still see her.
she would not disobey. she felt certain that even these borderlands would provide her with something, if she looked hard enough! and for Iset the young girl would do anything. and so began her search!

he'd looked everywhere. every open valley and thick forest, and near every river and around every scavenged bone. so, really, no one could blame him. nobody could say he'd given up too quick when he went from bending his neck to look at the skies, to keeping his eyes glued to the ground.

not that it mattered. soaring beneath thick clouds or scattered over snow, his sister's feathers couldn't be found.

and now yonder felt as bitter as the cold. 

the raven perched on a barren, long-dead branch of a felled tree - an engelmann spruce, he identified without pride - on the very, very edge of blackfeather woods. crows and ravens unceasingly cawed and croaked in the canopy far above, weaving a new rumour into the insults they already flung at each other -

hunters! hunters have come! there might yet be a corpse!

-but yonder did not care. feathers poofed, head partially submerged into own plumage, he looked off into the nondescript distance.

trying very hard not to end up misty-eyed.

toula did not speak the tongue of ravens, but she heard their herald. toula at once stood a little taller, gemstone gaze seeking. at once it landed upon the creature of the wood, and toula gasped in quiet reverence. all but one of the ravenfolk partook, and toula took this as a sign of Divinity.
in a whisper-quiet, reverent voice, she speak Nepthys, in awe. Iset's opposite—Her sister—stood in the branches above, in the vassal of a crow; the Gods and Goddesses could do as they liked, she knew, though they had their preferred shapes!
and if it was not Her, it was surely sent by Her; toula waited with bated breath, bowing her head in quiet worship.

what others could blame him for, was his own mistakes. like not hearing the crunch of snow. 

when the little voice spoke to him, yonder's head turned as if unscrewed, feathers fluffing more.

a- a canine. small and light, so the raven guessed it a coyote ( if only because foxes had longer tails ). and it... had said something to him. something which was then followed by a... lowering of the head...?

his mind's wings flapped in desperate attempt to make a single sensible thought fly. was he in danger? was this a, a threatening kind of thing? maybe flying apart the melded murder/conspiracy was a mistake. what did the word mean? neff- neffhee- uhg, something-

no.

yonder inhaled deep trough his nostrils. he parted his wings only slightly from his body, and shook them out. composure, composure, his thoughts repeated in a voice he'd rather not think too much about.

the raven relaxed ( or at least feigned relaxation ), and looked over the coyote ( he was certain ) again.

his sibling had a knack for toying with hunters. yonder, however, could only rely on a trickster's basest skill -

improv.

"keep thy head held-" his eyes briefly squinted. "-pale one. what reason has thou for approaching?'

hereby, if you're dead, please posses me.

toula could understand! this One spoke the tongue of wolves! it must be a Divine One that visited. she swallowed a gasp, but could not withhold her smile. she listened to the command, and heard the question.
to pay my respect, she answered, and... to ask why You are here. what You have come for, a little pause, and a bashful request, perhaps I might be able to help, in some way, the Amiirad thoughtfully added on.

he held himself as haughty as he could, looking at the coyote from down his beak. meanwhile, his brain put together the puzzle.

"hm! i am here..." again, a brief squint. "...in search of them whomst... art dedicated." yes, that seemed a good current to fly on.

"this land!" and the raven dramatically unfurled a wing, gesturing at the snow both within and beyond the trees. "it doth lacketh in faith! fie, where these wings have flown these eyes have seen only most wretch'd behavior!"

he was really getting into it. yonder sharply turned his head to the coyote ( ? ).

"dost thou agree, pale one?"

toula could hardly believe her ears. was such a thing true? how could it be true? but toula did not know of the ways beyond Akashingo. the young princess trembled, and one of her attendants that searched for trinkets turned to look to her.
but toula had eyes for the earth, in the wake of this Being. to hear this One was on a search... a search for those who were dedicated... she brightened. oh Divine One, you must see Akashingo. and for You, Great Sister to Iset, I shall build another place of worship. if it pleases You, toula blinked, her gaze turning now to the attendant who drew closer to her.
we seek trinkets to leave at the altar of Iset. I shall find one for You, too, toula blinked softly toward the fellahin attendant, who looked up to the tree. the divine would provide to the divine! it must be so.

if this meeting were a puzzle, it would have been one intended for ages 0 to 5.

"iset! yes, yes." and he nodded, enthused.

another coyote approached, and that stiffened the raven mid-nod of agreement. his eyes shot from them to the one before him.

well, he might've been incorrect in his identification.

and furthermore, he might be at risk of being chased off by an adult of the species.

"list- heed me, pale one!" yonder leaned in, focusing his gaze on the little worshipper. "iset, mine sibling, is in many ways mine opposite. i cometh cloaked in shade darker than that which frames thine orbs, but iset- iset cometh pale as snow." 


( windfather, he was good at this. )

"akashingo, i will come to it when moon swells full. by then, yes, build me an altar, and search-"

"for iset, pale as snow."

i'm being intentionally vague ;)

toula heeded the words. and knew at once what she must do.
she bowed even lower to the earth, lips hovering above the frost. of course Iset would be pale, where Nephthys was dark. as one was Life, the other was the caretaker of the dead, and air, too. it was no small wonder She and Iset came to this place with wings.
she nodded. it will be done, toula's words were eager. she must go and speak to the priest, who surely would thrilled to know she had convened with their Goddess!
toula retreated, still in a low bow, and bid her attendants do the same. some of them came to Akashingo knowing of their religion, their Gods, and so those of them that had come with her of that learning were devout.
it was as though Nephthys had lent her both wings and her element on her return home. toula rode the wind, and flew to Akashingo with great joy in her heart.

what fuuun! <3