the night we met
08-07-2019, 11:24 AM
Deity was on the hunt. Her nose was pressed to the ground, damp and cold with water. The scent trail of a rabbit lay heavy on the grass, despite the silvery dewdrops coating each blade. Deity could barely feel the sun on her fur, it was so weak, and the wind, chill with the promise of frost, blew from before her, ruffling her fur and cutting into her skin like a knife. She chuffed, uncomfortable with the idea of Winter fast approaching. The goddess’s fur was thin, and she was lean— not a good recipe to withstand the cold. She had to start traveling back south soon, she knew— perhaps back to square one, the hot springs. That, or put on some serious weight. You’d think she would have learned by now, by her third year, to do a little extra hunting in the summer; to fatten up a bit. The thought brought her back to the Hjarrandi market she’d visited. The stalls covered with thick, dried hides— maybe she should give that a go. Find a den to hole up in for the season. Line it with plush fur in the hopes that she’d stay warm. What a wild idea: staying in a den for more than a couple nights. A new scent tickled her nostrils, distracting her from her thoughts— it was canine. Deity raised her head, scanning her surroundings. She saw gray rocks— massive stones scattered around as far as she could see, stacked atop each other as though placed there deliberately. And, in the distance, she saw a couple silhouettes headed towards her. They seemed awfully small, but perhaps it was the distance. Deity tilted her head and let out a short, smooth howl, a simple alert to her presence. She didn’t want to surprise the strangers. She sighed— they were coming from the direction that the rabbit trail led towards, which most likely meant her prey was long gone. Her stomach growled. She hadn’t eaten in a day and a half. Being a rogue, being without a pack or a band, meant she pretty much had to resort to eating small rodents such as voles or squirrels. A rabbit was a luxury, and a luxury she wouldn’t enjoy today. |
And so our haloes became collars and golden chains; our proud, shining divinity became the very thing that bound us.