Redsand Canyon Love belongs to Desire, and Desire is always cruel

Specifically tagging @Kukulkaan, but anyone else of Tikal is also welcome to join.

Went a bit "all out" for his first post. No obligation to match length! :3

It felt like a dream. In one place one minute, another the next. A startling wake; and yet, he was never asleep to begin with. He was never truly an impatient man, but a question still lingered near, pleading to be answer: will this turn out to be a pleasant dream, or a nightmare?

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A long travel, it had been, to find this strange place. Ajtzak knew what brought him here, but he still did not know fully why he'd come. Perhaps to serve a better purpose... one true to himself. Or maybe simply for a new start; one he wouldn't have been granted back home.

Here in the mountains was grand. A bit too sandy and dusty, but grand all the same. He couldn't help but spell a sigh at the sight. Pleasing to the eye, but how did it make for homeland? 

Clearly someone had chosen it to be so, for it reeked of piss. The markings of a claim. Yet not just any claim. A familiar scent lingered. It was that of the man he'd come for. Kukulkaan. Once of his birthplace, but now here, making a life of his own.

Knowing better than to tread on land not his own, despite who it belonged to, Ajtzak would wait borderline. A call would be made to any who heard it. Kukulkaan would come himself, or another would. Maybe it would be the holcan—or maybe they did not venture far from their charge. He did not know. But he hoped for a familiar face. If not, it may be difficult to explain his presence.

---

a familiar voice.

a familiar face upon the horizon.

ajaw moves swiftly to greet.

for a moment, there is only a flash of memories long buried. of a boy and not a man. not a yet a god.

kelem, strong one, is how ajaw greets their cubhood friend. a familiar nickname in place of a name ... for they hold true to their beliefs that names are sacred.

Their friend, the one he hopes to see, is in fact the one that comes to greet him.

Tail flicking with a light wag, Ajtzak dips his heavy skull. Kukulkaan, friend. He could have even called him brother, given their close friendship during their time of youth.

You have done well for yourself, I see. This claim is yours, I assume? He could have only assumed correctly, but he wanted to hear it from them himself.

---

kukulkaan. ajtzak speaks their godname.

would it have been anyone else, this might've ignited rage, for there is power in names. in knowing them. in holding them in one's mouth.

tikal. ajaw tells ajtzak; reusing the name of the empire he had relocated. or attempted to. those who had wished to follow had ... and those who did not: were left to the sands of the rio bec.

have you come to join this one, old friend?

Tikal.

There is rebirth here. Ajtzak hears this with fondness. 

I would go nowhere without you. He assures his friend. 

After all, it was he Ajtzak had followed. Where else could he go?

---

then you are welcome. ajaw invites, sweeping their body to the side in a gesture of welcoming.

come, old friend. this one will give you the tour.

Ever so pleased by this welcoming, Ajtzak moved to join his childhood friend without a second of hesitation.

Home, he had found once more. And thankfully enough, it was with those he could happily call family.