Firefly Glen [PHE] jackals of heaven ☥

set before muat-riya message arrives <3

"@Neith."

khaemwaset's whisper came at midday, in the flurry of movement caused by the healers rising to join kukutux for a meal. noting that tavina was here, as well as some girl servant, and their mother, and satakh —

he saw how many obstacles and stayed out of the camp, crouching on its fringes and whispering. as they gathered to spectate, khaemwaset inched forward, grabbed his sister, and tried to rush her from the healing assembly; "the hunters are in the forest!" a laugh came to him; they would rush out from under seeing eyes and into the trees, just as he had promised.

Suddenly she was yanked back into the copse, toppling upon her and staring up into the wild-eyed grin of her brother.

“Khaem!” The princess chastises in hushed tones, “we’ll get in trouble!”

Besides! She’d already decided to stay at the healer’s circle. She was perhaps a little embarrassed to admit, but she found the healing flora and stories… well, a little interesting! Momma was right, there was plenty to admire and learn from the women, even if they were only mortals!

But as Khaem broke into laughter she could no longer suppress her own giggles. It was exciting, outsmarting the adults! Over her shoulder a last glance is given to momma and Satakh, but already their forms fade from view.

“I'll race ya!” The gilded girl grins, tearing off through stalks of tall grass with only the very tip of a dark tail in view.

"and then we will get out of trouble," khaemwaset declared, hustling neith as far from the healing-camp as they were able.

only when his sister began to run did the prince entertain the idea that they were going to get away with this machination. he followed her with more subtlety, keeping an eye on distancing tailtip and another on the swirl of activity at the healer's camp.

but soon the two were faded into the tall grass, laughing as they approached the hunting-ground. khaemwaset entered the thick forest without hesitation, inhaling all the brash scents which rushed down after he and she.

impish, Toula followed. it was the way in which her daughter was snatched from the scene that drew her, but the wind betrayed no stranger—only her son. she blended well with the golden grass, and the laughter of her children struck joy in her heart. 
she watched the grasses bend from the shape of them. and then, ahead, a third—it made a line for one of her cubs. Toula erupted from the grasses then, colliding with a streak of red that arced upward for her children. 
Toula was an inexpert fighter. it was messy, it was loud. and suddenly it was quite quick. by the end of it the red thing—a fox—was dead,
and she spun around, calling for her children, breathing hard and heavy. a Mazoi emerged, the thing limp in its mouth. 

lemme know if this lil plot twist is too much!

She inhales bursts of odor released by a day of heat mixed with the varied tenors of wolf-scent, her brother’s footfalls crunching close behind. The amiirad feigns a nip at his shadowy forearm and veers quickly aside to avoid retaliation. Breath fills her lungs and wind her ears, she feels untouchable, her limbs as strong as if she danced on the sun!

But a sudden rush of gold erupts from the lea, jaws wrapped fiercely around a struggling red mass, and Neith is launched back into the earth, teeth clamping on a terrified shriek. 

“Mommy!” She cries over the animal’s terrible snarls, chest lurching her panicked breaths and tail tucking in a fear response.

confident in their invisibility, khaemwaset found himself deathly confused as chaos sounded around he and neith.

first mother, divine mother, flashing before them.

blood in ruby droplets.

his eyes were wide, chest thudding with his inarticulate gasp; he found himself clasping neith to him, protectively covering her halfway with his arm as she cried out for pharaoh.

then, in that moment, the prince decided he would never be so caught off-guard again; it was terrifying as well as the start of a great humiliation for him.

never again, and he looked at mother with solemn worship.

the cry was answered with a gentle kiss. her heart hammered—it might have been you!—but in seeing her children untouched, she breathed easier. 
her eyes turned to her son, who she brought nearer. no anger in her. she adored them—she adored their love for one another. it is alright, my loves. more tests like this might come for you. until you grow into yourselves, do not go unattended—I will not have you taken from me so soon, she kissed their brows. 
and then, conspirationally, she asks, shall we go and watch your father hunt?

Too shaken to speak, too stricken even to meet the eyes of mother and brother, Neith burrows her face into Toula’s thick belly fur while Khaem holds her tightly.

She no longer wanted to go. It was safest to stay in the woman’s circle. Her shoulders sag with guilt.

"pharaoh. mother. i will stay with neith. you go and see father," khaemwaset ventured. his daring often ended where his divine parents began, but this; his sister wept and he was shaken.

the image of his mother's power would remain for all time emblazoned in his mind.