Lion Head Mesa scythe & grain

the crocodile would not slip so far from the outpost before he slyly called for @Legend. normally, it would be zaahira whom khusobek preferred to feed his gossip, but his choice of the prince's lover was tactical. besides, he told himself, they had done little together as mazoi outside the order of princes.

"he has sent me to update those who stayed," khusobek explained as they set a liquid jog down the steppes, to flatlands where twistgrass tussocks gave way to rich red earth which marked their paws once more. "and i say we should bring back meat and wine. those princes will kill each other before they have a chance to wed our queen."

jokes and jests died a cold death when khusobek noticed that akashingo's ground was layered with unfamiliar scent. he was at once attentive; in the mien of a guard drawing a dagger, he stalked tensely up the wide red road, searching for sentries.

who had come?

"the strangers will show themselves immediately," khusobek ordered in a loud baritone, stopping before the large stone steps, "or be judged as enemies of the queen."

It had not been Khusobek's call who she'd have ever thought to intrude on her morning downtime. There'd been a silent stare, and then a fast response when she swept up the air by his flank and took to journey with him.

Well worth it had it been. She needed someone to ramble and poke at! Snarky jokes, subtle pesters and sneaky little comments, all in good fun- and the princes. "They want to wring each other's throats dry." A smile on her inky lips, an all-knowing knowledge laced behind her eyes as she did so that had the stench of repetition, and 'I've seen things'. Her tail quickly shook itself out, pointed straight behind her before it took curve over her back. "We will pick something aged? That help, yeah?" As in, something to knock them so deep out of their senses that they'd sit themselves still for a night. They were mazoi. Slip them something when they didn't feel like monitoring a fight to break out! It was also no secret to of the looming taunts of the title over her head. She quipped back- played into it more.
Though, Khusobek and Zaahira should know, they'd be on their own for a lot of that.
Legend found it much more helpful to give them a little something-something.

"Khuuu-sobek!" She called, ahead of him for a time, and her voice started to lead onto a question, until a scent...

Scent.

Her jaw shut as her posture fell relaxed, but body to a slink as she allowed the prowling assassin ahead of her. Smarter. Larger, more muscular. She put eyes on the sides of them, and the mazoi waited with a silence like a sound of ticking guns.

Upon a dusty hill and away from the steps, was a silhouetted figure. Dark, rogue-like with the sun reflecting off a fine figure. Beside them a small gray-blue creature, both too far to be a threat, but both alert with the shout of Khusobek's voice.

They appear to speak lowly to one another and the taller, more able-bodied figure takes a few bold steps before a grating sound halts them. Another voice, this one echoing from somewhere within the palace, up higher.

Now now, no need for that. Comes a creaky voice, muffled by distance.

Khusobek and Legend are not ignored. This alerted figure looks agitated but keeps that lofty distance. Just as it seems as though the command is not to be heeded, there is the scraping of claw against stone, a sort of click, click, thump, click, as the elder figure of Gil appears at the top of the stairs.

The woman's narrowed eyes and heavy crows feet give her a shrewd expression overall. Not a foe here. M'name is Gil, I'm a friend to your sesh. Was that enough explanation? Probably not, given the look of these two. A ruddy man and their dark companion—curious.

to her credit, legend as well came into her hunting stride. they protected the palace by setting down their ambitions when it was needed 

figures. a woman, speaking. she was aged into enough years that khusobek straightened, though his guard was not yet released.

the stranger claimed to know tavina. "our sesh is not here," the crocodile warned. "and our queen did not give you entry. who has led you here?"

poor sport to strike one so old, but darker things had been hidden behind helpless faces before.

Her guard had been roused. Her hairs went prickly, and unlike Khusobek, there was no shift in posture. Instead, she glanced towards the figures, yet continued to take eye upon their surroundings. 

No face, no age, no eyes, were beyond leaking venom. Her smile still remained, but whether or not it turned truly friendly would be up to the cards, and the nature as to these intruders. Her tail stayed on Khusobek's back. If she saw a threat, she'd tap it.

The woman gave a ragged sigh as if she were truly put-out by all the fuss. Otherwise she looked unaffected. In all her years she'd had plenty of precarious run-ins with strangers and anyway, Gil felt confident with her purpose here. The kind of certainty inherent to older women.

I am a doctor. Tavina sent one of your girls to me for tending, about a fortnight or so ago? I am here to return her, she tapped a foot against the stone a moment as she tried to recollect the timeline, then stilled, and seemed iron-spined.

I will admit, finding this place empty was not something either myself or little Nazli expected... Her gaze drifted away from the threatening aura of both warriors and slanted towards the hill, as if to catch a look at the two waiting there, but they were far from view.

Then, Gil stepped aside.

Well? Care to explain?

legend remained the picture of watchful tension and the crocodile thought this was best.

she was precise and surely missed nothing, he thought. motherly in a place that had no mother. "i do not know nazli," did he? "akashingo seeks an expansion. our queen will be married this year and wants a pleasure-palace for her coronation."

at last he mounted the steps to take her measure. "i am khusobek. this is legend. we were sent by the prince senmut."

Nazli. Naa..naaaaz

NAZLI?

THAT Nazli? Nazli she was supposed to fetch like a good dog and bring back for treats Nazli? NAZLI NAZLI?
Her mind whisked away to a stark emptiness. What the fuck!

"Where is Nazli?" 

The man was sensible, while the woman seemed to lose some cohesion as soon as Gil mentioned Nazli. The sharpness with which they uttered the girl's name made Gilthyra's squinted eyes look even more narrowed.

She is there, the woman motions to the far-off hill resting with my sister. If they were to look they would see both the figures outlined against the sun, but should they move at all, Kiaxe would hurriedly usher Nazli inside again.

Nazli is very weak. My sisters and I treated her and found a solution for her condition, to a point. I... will not speak further on that without Tavina present. It was a confidentiality clause, of sorts.

The woman's nostrils flared a moment and she took in both the mazoi on the steps, careful but stalwart. You will find the herbal stores refilled, and my sister takes her time to stock your larders when she is not minding the girl. We were worried the place had been abandoned for good— there was a subtle note of humor in her tone that could be easily missed.

Now, I must go see to the girl. She finally stepped back from the stone steps, turning her back to both the warriors. They either believed her or they did not, but she had no reason to suspect they would seek to do her harm.

khusobek did not answer, but offered a dip of his head to the woman as she left them.

larders. doctors. sick girls. "leave for a month and the palace becomes an infirmary," he jested dryly to legend as he led their way back down into the familiar chambers.

"i am going to — check on the larders." stuffed with good meat and wine he hoped. "i will meet you later for a patrol. go and play, legend."

Flicking her ear, she offered trust to his word of safety and immediately released her position. Nazli. Nazli, Nazli, Nazli!

At pack grounds.

Snapping at the air her frustrations, her lip quirked itself upwards before she took off. Pack grounds! All alone! Just them! And some strange old woman.