Lion Head Mesa the games gods play

Tags for ref!

Word travelled fast about the mesa, and Akhtar was rather good at listening. His paid off fellahin delivered news straight to his floppy ear, and he indulged a lazy smile as he stretched across his bed of furs.

Such violence, even in the days of peace. With the artistry of a dancer, he leaned forward, as someone who might catch their chin in their hand. The dice, his dice, rolled between his paws.

Do send @Khusobek a congratulations on the accomplishment. Such a win is always good for an ego. He did not send a congratulations to @Zaahira, guessing that it would not be well received. The handsome brute seemed like he’d enjoy a bit of an ego stroke. He waved off the fellahin a moment later, rising from his furs with a stretch and a pop of his spine.

Ach-! Oh seven devils he was getting old. He rolled the hip that had popped alongside his back in its socket, quietly cursing until the pain rolled off.

He was overdue for a good soak, he thought. The wellspring was calling his name. Daintily, he went bouncing out of his rooms to do just that.

"rumours have it our priest has become lecherous. again," tavina teased. 

he was headed to the wellspring, akhtar; she fell into step beside her friend, perhaps one of two she had inside the palace.

"have you seen that new guard? all muscle, down to his big head."

Tavina, such a glorious sight to see. 

He laughed, low and rolling.

Oh, perhaps a bit. He flashed an over-exaggerated wink to the sesh, his face broken into a genuine smile. Tavina and he had always seemed to get along, he gladly counted her as a friend.

Oh goodness, isn’t he? Big and strapping! He emphatically bounced an eyebrow.

Makes me wonder! Wink wink nudge nudge.

"does worshipping the gods make someone this insatiable?' tavina inquired dryly, though the arch of her brow said she did not want an answer.

nor to the next; the sesh rolled her eyes. "well, we all know ramesses indulged in the same. it also wouldn't surprise me if that elegant suitor of toula's was that way too. why not, akhtar?" tavina chuckled. "you deviant."

He snickered to that point, flailing a paw about for a moment as he considered his next words.

Alas, I don’t believe I have a chance in that department. A wistful little sigh.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the man was just as thick as his skull. Alas. He chanced a glance at his paw.

Or he didn’t particularly swing that way.

Or Akhtar looked like an irradiated deer to most of the wolves here, but that was far from the point.

"how would you know if you did not ask?" tavina was trying to keep up their banter, though she was becoming a little bitter that she went to bed each night among cold furs from which nala's scent had all but faded, while akhtar had many other choices.

it was her own decision, she knew, and still —

"can you imagine a man other than senmut in charge?" the sesh murmured, thinking of the moment when they would have a pharaoh again, and not seeing how it would be another woman.