Sun Mote Copse the goddess pillar

meaning 'change'

@Ar-Khalba @arunik'ra @Ragna @Asherah @Giana @Honey @Bastian @Anatha @Elohim @Aurora Artemis @Cosmos
small pp to gather the pack; giana is welcome to stay in her den, but i do need asherah <3

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it was in the morning light that eshamun lifted her face to the skies and decided she could no longer lead the malkaria. for alongside her was curled ar-khalba, and there she wished him to stay — a man, forbidden to her for more than breeding. but yet the redfurred woman had come to adore the man, and his loyalty not only unto her but the legacy of her pack, and eshamun had readily surrendered her heart. she knew also she could give no more children back to molech, for though it pleased her god, the ekar-aji knew she was weak, and could not suffer again putting a child beneath the cold waters of the river.
molech spoke, and whispered unto the tophet-dweller the name of the one who must lead, and eshamun smiled. turning, she roused ar-khalba with a gentle nudge behind his ears. "go to asherah," she murmured, before removing herself from the den, heading to the shrine her sister had created in the territory. there she called for her wolves. 
when those who were able had gathered, eshamun swept them all with an affectionate eye, before her gaze settled upon asherah. "my beloved malkaria, i can no longer lead you," the canaanite said softly, viridian eyes brimming with saltwater that she had not expected. "i am weak in the eyes of molech; i have broken the commandment of my mother and loved dearly a man among us. and i can make no more sacrifices to molech, for it draws my strength from me and leaves me barren."
she paused, praying that her words would not anger the eight-armed one, and nodded at the acolyte. "molech has spoken to me all the same, and said that asherah must lead if i cannot. she is holy in the eyes of the god — she is stronger than i, and she has been a boon to the malkaria since her arrival. i trust her in all things."
stepping aside, eshamun motioned that asherah step into her place, and touched the she-wolf's forehead with her muzzle. "walk with molech, asherah, ekar-aji of the malkaria." 
surely now the pack would be safe, no longer in danger of displeasing the god by eshamun's actions, and relief swept the red woman, though her heart thrummed with a bittersweet tremour. she herself — she would depart, but not until asherah had been properly placed upon the pedestal of leadership.[/tr][/td][/table]

Pulled from her den and to the shrine, Asherah was confused and concerned. Had something happened? It could, perhaps, be the ritual for Honey's chose child but she wasn't sure why this would need to be so public. Concern hastened her steps until she stood before the shrine, quietly waiting for Eshamun to speak. A whisper of change made her shiver, unsure of what was happening and only knowing that it was something big.

Eshamun looked over all the members, but her eyes landed on Asherah herself and the woman's brow furrowed in concern. She tried to piece together some meaning from Eshamun's face but found no clues. Her soft words sent a ripple of shock through the red woman and Asherah had to catch herself from staggering. Tears instantly came to her own eyes and she shook her head in disbelief. Why? What was going on?

The admission of loving a man shook Asherah further and she knew instantly that Eshamun meant Ar-Khalba. She herself had flirted with attraction to the man beyond what was allowed, but she had always kept herself steady. But what had caused this in Eshamun? Asherah could not wrap her mind around the words, what the woman meant. Her head was spinning and the more Eshamun talked the more surprised she became. When her sister spoke that she herself must lead the Malkaria, Asherah was floored. Her eyes flew open in surprise and she shook her head a little. She must lead? Surely this was a joke, Eshamun did not mean to leave at all this was simply a prank.

Eshamun motioned to her and she stepped forward in a daze, intent on convincing the woman that there was a mistake. Eshamun's nose brushed her forehead, and she named her Ekar-Aji. "But Eshamun," Her voice shook with both fear and sorrow, her voice whispered quickly to the other. "Surely there must be some way you can stay? How am I to lead? Molech help me, I am still but a fledling to the teachings. If I will complete the illi-du-dam from now on, can you not have your own litter of children with Ar-Khalba?" For a moment she paused, knowing even as she spoke the other would not want to lay with any other and would not want Ar-Khalba to lay with any other. It shocked her to see Eshamun disobey the rules of Molech.

"If I am to lead, what will you be within the Malkaria? What will Ar-Khalba be?" It had not yet dawned on her that the woman meant to leave, and likely would take Ar-Khalba with her. "Surely I can pray and Molech will send us an answer?" She had never before aspired to lead, but if Molech had spoken her name then it must be what she should do. Was this why she was sent here? She couldn't believe such a grand thing of herself, such a destiny.

The howl roused Ragna from a light sleep. She had spent the night dragging the corpse of a mountain goat back from where he had fallen and broken his legs, and when she arrived at the shrine a few hours before dawn, she took the chance to rest not far away. The howl startled her awake, and she made for the shrine, leaving the body of the goat behind. Curiosity pricked her for a moment, but the Shieldmaiden trusted she would know why the Ekar-aji had called to assemble them soon.

Ragna quickly found a spot amongst her pack mates upon arrival. She remained a distance away from Asherah and steadfastly avoided her gaze, still embarrassed by her behavior during Asherah's heat.

Eshamun did not wait long to speak, and when she did, Ragna was shocked. Eshamun had seemed unshakeable, a rock among troubled waters. Ragna could not understand why these reasons Eshamun presented made her unfit to lead, and she felt indignant. Yet it was not her place to speak, not when she did not have a full grasp of the situation. Rather than say her piece, the bakaar kept her silence and awaited the answers to Asherah's questions.

He was busy with the badger's corpse when her call rose in the morning air, too full of thoughts to sleep comfortably through the night. It irked him to leave his work so soon, but he could not deny the Frau. He left, following the still unfamiliar paths through the Copse to her, waiting for the others to gather. 

She spoke many words, but her meaning was certain: she was stepping down. Asherah was stepping up. He looked towards her as she protested, keeping silent for the moment. This was something he didn't know about. He would hold his tongue and watch until the aftermath.