Lion Head Mesa [mp] yonder

curiosity got the best of the little lady, as racharra trotted through the halls of the palace. she figured if she'd be here, she may as well familiarize herself with the palace.
marigold eyes flicker around, the sights adding to her curiosity. she poked her head through any entrance she found in her expedition, glancing around in case anything caught her intrigue.

a part of her also hoped to find her mother in one of these quarters - worry fraught the lady about her mother's whereabouts. in a way, moving around served as a distraction for her mind.
she hadn't realized that her mind had circled back to the exact reason why she decided to explore. she blinked to adjust oncd again to the world, and she found herself standing still when she should've been moving. the clumsy trot through the halls stirred back up, the sound of her claws clicking with each step accompanying her once again.

the cub halted once again however, when she passed a quarter only for something to glimmer in the corner of her eye. she stuck her head in first, eyes darting about until her eyes led her to a den, seemingly unattended. light only seeped in to shine on the den, but everything else was pitch black. it took a moment for racharra to adjust before she ventured in. her stubby legs lumbered as they carried her closer to the den, dragging each step.

Top side for a brief stint. Not long enough to disgrace Tavina’s order of sequester. She needed air, but had no desire to show her face to anyone after the events in Queen Toula’s hall. Chaos seized the palace despite their good Queen’s governance. What it meant she could not know.

Feet made quick work down sprawling passageways, head lowered, intending to slip back into her chamber unnoticed. Between her teeth she held something she’d found in the sand- the glittering shell of a scarab beetle. A flicker caught her low eye.

A child. She sniffles. She should return as ordered to her keep. But surely this darkling girl is not meant to be unattended? The blue beetle is placed beside her feet

“Hello young Lady,” she whispers gently so as not to startle the occupied girl, “I am Eset, a fellahin of the palace. May I escort you someplace?”

at the sudden sound of a voice, the cub gave out a yelp in the dark and she flinched so dramatically her paws nearly lifted off the ground before she set herself straight. her lowered as she realized it was just a fellahin, and a tiny sigh of relief slipped past her lips. Racharra couldnt recognize the face but perhaps that was because whenever the fellahin tended to her, the little lady was just waking up for the start of a new day.

damn her jumpiness, she thought to herself. first with miho's prank and now this. she was supposed to be a noble wolf and yet acted more like the rabbits she would chase back home! this fellahin asked a question though, and unfortunately it wasn't one the cub could answer with just a look or pout or bark. 
still deep in the strange quarter but not yet at her destination, the cub paced around as she puzzled over what to do until her stubby legs halted. Racharra stood proud, puffed her chest out as if that would make her any bigger and gathered up all that she could muster to speak.

..i'm exploring. despite her confident posture, her voice was quiet and her words curt. saw a star here.

The girl flinches, Eset instinctually crouches to match her height. This lake pup was only a few months old, but already she bloomed tall, speaking to the physical power that would soon be her’s. The coywolf’s thin limbs looked rather fragile in comparison.

“A star?” She meets bright golden eyes with a brush of intrigue. “I've never seen one underground before. Can I help you look for it?”

She’d have preferred to march the noble child back to her room lest her mother or sister seek her, but she supposes for now it wouldn’t be so inappropriate to indulge her. She’d recently had her whole life uprooted after all, and she can imagine it's difficult relocating from her home to the desert.

a tinge of self-confidence curled Racharra's lips as Eset matched her height. the young noble had been born to large, commanding presences her mother and father held, so seeing a wolf a small as Eset would've been culture-shock alone had the rest of Akashingo not already expanded her world. of course, she still had to tilt her head upwards to meet the fellahin when she stood full-height. but Racharra couldn't wait for the day she'd be the one that towers over all, even when she isn't the largest in the litter.

Eset's offer reminded her of her expedition though, and Racharra pointed with the end of her little nose to the farthest corner of the cavern - a den had caught the little lady's attention.
here. she chuffed.

now assured with the presence of an adult, the pup trot closer to the den. her tail bounced with each step as it stood like a flag - just in case Eset lost her, somehow.
Racharra knew the thing that caught her eye wasn't a star- it couldn't be. stars belonged to the sky, forever unreachable. but whatever it was, it glimmered like one. maybe the pup made a break-through in the world she still had yet to learn.

She cranes her neck to the dark. Tuna’s tour had not covered this hidden corridor. Something feels inexplicably wrong about exploring the depths of this ancient palace, as if they were likely to come upon remnants of the past- memories that were better left buried.

“Alright,” she relents- because a secret part of her was just as curious as the young lake cub, and that half that was not so bound by compliance. That half wanted to know everything.

“Let’s go.”

Racharra exchanged a quick nod, as she led the coywolf inside the den. she glanced around, and when she squinted her eyes, she could tell there were small, colorful formations stuck in the walls of the rock. she pawed at the closest one to her, and it clinked onto the floor.

gems - though the noble lady had never seen one, she could tell this was something more special than the stars in the distant sky. these she could actually touch, and they were rather cold at that. she moved her head around to watch the gem reflect the glow of a dim light, fascinated by it. she had to know more, and she wondered if Eset would know. adults always seemed to know all the wonders and dangers of the world, so why not.

this is? she nudged it to Eset as her head craned upwards. for once, the cub's eyes were full of wonder. as expected of a cub still too young to have even considered there could be wolves outside of the lake.

“Gemstones.” They’re purified and glistening and hold to light in ways that cast it back upon the hidden grotto walls. Selfishly she will want them all, to adorn herself in the very luxury she’s seen on so many nobles with their bejeweled collars and sparkling dais. To be looked upon in envy and admiration.

She sees the child’s shared wonder. Perhaps they shouldn’t be touched at all and instead remain here in this forgotten alcove. But they were made to be seen and marveled at, were they not?

“I’ve an idea. Let’s gather as many as we can and present them to the Queen. She will be quite impressed with your discovery, don’t you think? But tell you what. Choose two- one for you and one for your sister and they will be yours to keep. It is to be our secret, ok?” She whispers to the young Nebet.

gemstones.. secret. she parroted, contemplating on the words before agreeing. she turned her gaze to the gemstone- blue like her sister’s eyes. this could be for her, racharra reasoned. 
perhaps she could bring one for her mother too, what color would she like? the cub’s body turned towards the gems that decorated the walls of the den and clawed at the ones she could. would she like yellow, like the color of her eyes? green, like the summer grass of the home they’d fled, or red. the color of war? what would her mother like, what did her mother like? the question haunted racharra as she found herself lost.

maybe her mother shouldn’t get one, for now. racharra set aside the gem that caught her eye the most. the red and blue gems made a gentle clink as they collided before racharra continued her work, prying the ones that fel off the most easily with stubby paws.

She lingers, standing back as the girl makes her careful selections. First a deep blue, and a second of crimson. “Those are beautiful. I prefer red, too,” the fellahin compliments.

With her nose she nudges aside a crumbling stone to reveal a pocket of brilliant blue-green lapis. “Look at these turquoise ones- a bit like the Queen’s eyes. Do you think she would like them?”

Racharra looked over to Eset's selection. she nodded, it did look quite close from what she's seen of the Queen. marigold eyes shifted to the collection. where should she put her own? dig a hole and bury them like rabbit bones? but it'd be a shame to hide such beautiful things when they'd already been kept in the dark for who knows how long. 
she took the crimson into the clutches of her jaws, awkwardly lifting it off the ground as it threatened to slip through. greed got to her though as she tried to pick up the blue gem too, letting Eset take the rest.
more? a gentle nudge at the pile with a small nose, and then a turn to the walls, and then back to the fellahin. get more? she asked again, her tiny body unable to contain her excitement as it shook to the rhythm of her wag.

The eager cub draws a smile as her little golden eyes reflect bursts of colorful light. The woman shakes her head apologetically, “I’m afraid we cannot carry anymore, my Nebet. How about we leave the rest for someone else to discover? We need to get back to your mother and sister, I’m sure they have been looking for you.”

It is a suggestion she’s not sure the lady will agree to, but ushers her forward with a paw before gathering what she can of the lapis gems. If the lake cub was clever she could always come back and sneak more of the gems, when Eset would be, willfully, none-the-wiser.

the nebet at first pouted but complied as she realized chuffing almost made the gems slip from her jaws. the fellahin had reason though. perhaps presenting these gifts to the Queen will allow for more wolves to take the precious minerals. she could return with Miho too, and pick out one for mother together.

galloping her way back out into the main hall, a sense of pride washed over the cub. she slowed down so Eset could "keep up" with her, as she marched her way back from where they came.

If the cub questions this decision it is not for long. Soon after she is padding merrily along the polished stone floors, leading Eset down the hallways to her family’s quarters. When they come to a little domed archway the fellahin helps the girl arrange her findings.

“Tomorrow you can present these to Queen Toula, how does that sound, my Lady?” She gently runs a paw along the glimmering turquoise stones.

“I had fun today, thank you for letting me adventure with you,” then in a softer whisper: “May I have your name now?”

Racharra. she gave a curt response as usual while the nebet found a safe cranny her keep could lay hidden in. the noble girl's tail wagged excitedly at the thanks, but she never properly responded to it.

the idea of presenting the gems to the Queen was fine enough — she'd been so kind to the cubs that it only made sense to Racharra to show some gratitude, even if it wasn't her idea.

with you? a questioning glance was thrown in Eset's way. why wouldn't the fellahin accompany her? she helped out too. in fact, why didn't the woman take one for herself? was it not allowed for servants? her eyes fixated on the crimson gem.

“If you prefer, my Lady. I’ll be right beside you,” She pledges, lips curling in affection for the little face, dark like her own. She rises to take her leave, but not before turning again to the cub to fix her with an adamant look.

“If you ever need something you call for me, ok?”

thank you. she gave an affirmitive nod as her bottom met with the stone floor. tomorrow she will present Queen Toula with the gifts, and drag Eset along with her. 

she didn't know where the fellahin's quarters were, or even if they had any. but she figured if she could find gemstones, then she could absolutely find Eset again.