Lion Head Mesa Everything is lit except my serotonin

For @Akhtar <3

Melody had a problem.

She couldn't. Stop. Sneezing. Never before had she dealt with seasonal allergies, but it seemed the change in environment didn't quite agree with her body. Everywhere she went, something tickled at her nose and launched her into another violent sneezing fit. She was just about at the end of her rope.

In dire need of a distraction, she picked out a scent trail and followed it, vaguely recognizing it as belonging to one of the other priests. It still didn't feel right to think of herself as one of them; she didn't feel qualified at all. But maybe, if she could stop sneezing long enough to hold a conversation, she could learn something and take another step toward changing that. So she trailed after her packmate for as long as it took to find him, sneezing all the way.

His fellow priest would find him in his rooms, stretched out in the pile of skins with a little frown upon his features. The sneezing was ringing through the redstone halls, and Akhtar knew if he was sneezed or snotted upon, he would. Lose. His. Mind.

He met the girl at the door, one of his paws folded over his nose as sleepy eyes stared at her overtop the silver appendage bent across his long snout.

Dear girl, He wheedled expertly.

Shouldn't you be seeing the sesh with those sneezes? If you are contagious and I get your plague, I will not be responsible for what I do.

When she found him, she immediately regretted it. How rude! Melody wrinkled her nose at him, then turned her face away to sneeze again. She wiped at her muzzle with a foreleg briefly, self-conscious now, and glanced back at him with a slightly offended expression.

I'm fine! Just - the plants are making me sneeze, Melody insisted, trying not to let her annoyance bleed through too much. Anyway, you're - a Hem, right? I'm Melody. Hemet. I wanted to ask you some questions. If she could even get them out! She covered her nose for another sneeze.

Mmm. Snot. Quite the gross thing.

Akhtar held in the want to tighten his paw over his nose further. There was, perhaps, no hiding the bits of judgement in his face or his eyes, but he hummed all the same.

Quite correct. I am Akhtar, priest of Toth. He backed away from the door with a flippant flick of his feathered tail. An invitation, and a mental note to get this place spotless when the girl left. 

He would not be catching her “herbs” if he could help it.

What sort of questions do you have, Melody?

Melody narrowed her eyes but accepted the silent invitation, stepping forward with a great effort to hold back any further sneezes. She really did want to learn from him.

Toth? She echoed questioningly, deciding to start with the basics. There were so many different names to remember — it made her head spin a little. Melody wondered sometimes if she might be better off trying something else. But she couldn't fight, couldn't heal, had no interest in it — and with her own limited imagination, could not think of what else she might do. So, gods it is.