“Delights,” Yueshi echoed. He wondered what delights these wolves could exchange. Alliance… well, he could understand that, even if he had experienced neither trade nor alliance. Yueshi was a nobody, really, he had no great bloodlines, and he brought only death.

He grinned. “Oh, I'm not teasing you! Our meeting is fortuitous!” The slender wolf slid back down to dangle his front paws off the flat rock.

“I'm here because… I'm looking for answers.” It wasn't an outright lie. “And here you are.” A pause. “Following me,” he laughed. “But I did not expect to meet you here, of all places,” he added with more gravity and a wave of one paw.

Skill — Trickster

Yueshi spoke without speaking, and Hotep felt no closer to an explanation. Some gods left signs in ways that were hard to understand and interpret, it was true, but most were sent with clear intent. A wisdom to chew on.

Hotep knew now of the great affliction to the land, of beings with powers that did not have the interests of mortals at heart. He had been warned through omen of one... not far from here.

He kept his features neutral, then tested, I knew tonight would be the meeting of two bulls, when Khonsu consults Ra in the heavens. The lands are afflicted by dark magicks, and much has been uncertain of late. I thought to pray for guidance. Have you come to advise me?

Ra did meet Khonsu, but only when the moon came to its fullest roundness. And Ra was the eternal sun, it was dawn and dusk that the bulls met. An agent of Khonsu would know this, and, Hotep thought, be quick to correct the inaccuracy. A demon or educated pretender might know it, too, but these he would expect more holy words from to sell their deception.

Meeting of two bulls? Yueshi's ears at once came forward and folded back. He lowered his head and ran his tongue along his leg, cleaning it of little scraps of meat.

Khonsu was… the moon. Two bulls. The other was Ra. Which one had he determined that one was? The sun? Meeting in the heavens…

It wasn't what Yueshi had wanted to talk about. He might have even spoken some half-truth about his own dilemma, but the subject remained ever on the gods. Setemhotem loved his gods. Did he think of anything else?

Yueshi, however, was very interested in this talk of dark magic afflicting the land. It reminded him… well, of himself.

“I am afraid I did not come to advise you,” Yueshi said. How could he advise a man like Setemhotep anyway? It was why he left. Playing games would only get him so far without the knowledge to fake it, and he was not stupid enough to think he could bumble his way through on sheer luck.

“I have my own troubles,” Yueshi stood up at last, bowing into a deep stretch, “and I don't think you need any help from me.” He smiled coyly and sprang down from his perch, landing with a squelching sound in the mud. It sucked at his paws as he walked towards Setemhotep with surprisingly graceful steps considering the terrain.

That may be true. Yuèshí claimed godly purpose, but lurked in the distance away from what priests and living gods were available to him, and scrounged a living off scraps left by others in haunted places. He did not affirm Hotep's misinformation... but did not correct him, either. The well of uncertain suspicion deepened, but did not yet spill over.

Then perhaps I am meant to aid you, instead. Tell me of these troubles, Hotep ventured, mostly holding his ground as Yuèshí approached, but sidestepping a little at the squelching mud. Would he get answers, even a clue? Or more half-words and dismissal?

Rune Discovery : 「 Failure - Dre Klage present 」 

---

Slow, deliberate, and alive, the fog seems to move like breath; it rolls ponderously between the half-shrouded pines, softening the world into distant silhouettes and hushed whispers. Moonlight filters in through the clouds overhead, but it stops short of the mist, as if afraid of something that lurks within...

Your voices are low, nearly lost beneath the crushing weight of the surrounding forest. Two souls conversing on the topic of gods and fate and dark magicks, and one of you laughs, but the sound is warped and dies too quickly in the muffled forest.

The fog thickens; the insects have gone silent. Even the shadows seem to have fled as the clouds gather darkly to cover the moon above.

Somewhere beyond the tree line, a branch snaps - not loud, but the sudden noise is sharp enough to break the casual banter of your conversation.

There is a heavy stillness.

You can leave now, avoid the danger -

- Or you can stay.

Yueshi stared at Setemhotep for a long, silent moment. He seemed to be trying to peer into the sesh's mind to weigh his intent, but Yueshi didn't trust him.

He looks for weakness, for the lie he senses.

Red eyes turn down and Yueshi turns his head away, peering into the trees and the fog.

Something about the world around them begins to shift. There's a thick, ominous presence. It's too quiet, Yueshi notes. The fog seemed thicker, and the shadows fled as darkness became all consuming.

He didn't move from his spot, but he turned to look at Setemhotep with round eyes.

Hotep had felt the comfort of his gods in dreams. Their directives clear in his mind, encouragement on the breeze.

This was not the same. Oppressive and hateful — swallowing Khonsu, swallowing shadow, swallowing...

He flinched at the snap of stalking monochrome darkness, and saw in the next sharp turn of his face that Yueshi claimed no control of this. A charlatan could wait.

Hotep was not a warrior. But demons were relentless, and if one had found them, he did not believe fleeing would abate pursuit. Who is there? Show yourself!