Rosewater Oasis let it blaze

@Racharra

nine days. nine days of relentless flight, of stinging cracked and raw pawpads, of the cold gnawing away at what little strength she had left. her once-lean frame was now gaunt, her ribs faint shadows beneath her dull, matted coat. she hadn’t allowed herself to stop—not truly—until now.

the sands stretched around her in eerie silence, swallowing every sound. tamasi finally let herself collapse, her legs giving way as she crumpled into the powder. her chest heaved with ragged breaths, each one visible as it left her lips in weak puffs of steam that rose into the quiet sky.

she didn’t care anymore.

let them find her, whoever they might be.

her body screamed for rest, and her mind could no longer conjure the fear to urge her onward. she lay there, the cold sand seeping into her fur, her amber eyes half-lidded but still faintly glowing with exhaustion. for the first time in days, she let the stillness take her, even if it meant being found.

familiarizing herself with the new territory was easier said than done. she stalked the vibrant grasses with sorrow, memories rushing with images of muat-riya.
the queen-to-be parted vines, and it led to the golden sands beyond the foliage. but more importantly, a woman.

my goodness! alone, and limp in the dirt, the queen-to-be rushed to her side. she was still breathing, but just barely. 
poor thing, racharra knew these sands well but many others didn't. the red woman lasted longer than most. the girl stood as a shield from the harshness of Ra's judgement. his mind was already made.

Ra has guided you here. you are safe now. racharra spoke with upmost regality, despite her concern. she tore away from the woman and snatched a leaf from the palms and returned into the safety of the oasis. she dipped it into the waters to gather as much possible. but each step spilled more of these precious waters, just enough was left to bring back life to the stranded woman. pelts would be much better for water in the future. racharra spilled what little remained over the woman, and waited with bated breath.

tamasi stirred weakly as the first drops of water trickled over her parched muzzle, a faint twitch of her cracked paw the only sign of life. her breath hitched, rasping and shallow, but the sudden coolness shocked her body into trying—just barely—to wake. her amber eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused, the vibrant golden sands blurring with the darker figure standing above her.

she tried to speak, but her voice was nothing more than a strained croak, her throat too dry to form words. tamasi blinked slowly, her mind struggling to piece together what had happened, who this stranger was, and whether she could be trusted. the words, however, pierced through the haze. Ra has guided you here. you are safe now.

tamasi’s weary mind clung to one word: safe. she wasn’t sure she believed it, but in her weakened state, she had no choice but to trust the one who had found her. she shifted slightly, enough to take in a shallow gulp of the precious water trickling down her muzzle, and let out a faint, grateful hum.

who... are you?

she stirs awake. racharra's visage, hardened by tragedy, softens just enough to allow a gentle smile to the auburn woman who lay before her. just a few drops and a drink from the oasis was enough to revitalize her. to get her to speak again. now, she would just need to walk again.

racharra of the redsands. she would leave formalities behind once she looked for a way to hoist the woman back to her feet as gently as possible. she slipped herself underneath the woman's arm as best she could, letting her lean on the dark body of the hemet-nesut for support. 
let's get you to water. she murmurs. slowly the wife-to-be guided the stranger through the foliage, careful to not move too fast but not too slow to drag out her suffering. the path to the oasis was a short one, but the woman had gone through enough.

they arrived at the grand pool, racharra leading her into the waters to cool and bathe her. to bless her in Tefnut's water. so that if the woman were to move on from the oasis, she may be looked down fondly by the divine above. but safety was never guaranteed in the desert — that's why she must build Vahanet.

taking her hands, cooing at the cracking in her paws. how long has she been out there? suffering? racharra palmed over it with water, and murmured soft prayers. she was no tavina, for now the woman's wellbeing would be left to the gods. a sesh would be needed for situations like this.
what is your name, if you wish to share. she whispers, marigold gaze intrigued by her. so that i may pray for you.

this woman meant no harm—at least, not yet. tamasi’s sharp amber gaze flickered to racharra’s face as she murmured soothingly, urging her toward the waters. so, with a begrudging acceptance, she allowed herself to lean on the dark-furred figure, her weight pressing into racharra as they moved toward the oasis.

the cool water stung at first as it met the cracks and rawness of her paws, but tamasi exhaled shakily, easing into its relief. her auburn fur soaked the oasis’s blessing. racharra’s soft prayers and calm presence disarmed her, though tamasi fought against the instinct to truly let her guard down. when racharra’s question came, tamasi hesitated. her name was hers, something she had clung to fiercely even as the rest of her world crumbled. to give it now felt like offering up a piece of herself, but she couldn’t find a reason to deny this woman who had saved her.

tamasi, she murmured after a pause, swallowing cold water upon a raw throat. if you must pray, pray for strength. that’s all i need. she couldn’t bring herself to ask for more—not after the moons she had spent running, fighting, barely surviving. strength was the only thing she had ever been able to rely on, and it was the only thing she dared to ask for now.

the woman had barricaded herself in many walls. racharra held no judgement towards her, only worked towards healing her ache and wounds. she shivered when water touched her paws, Tefnut's blessing surely coursing through her veins now. they hurt now, but they will heal soon.

i'll pray for your strength, then. though, you have plenty of it. not many can wander the desert and live. she murmured, watching as the woman fought with reason. she offered only the gentlest of smiles, wearied by her own struggles but nevertheless kind. do you have anywhere you need to go? i don't know how long it may take for you to heal.