Would a god love a killer? [open]

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Roxanne

It was the perfect day for an offering to Eperna: stark summer sun, dry earth, the raspy wheeze of crickets in the grass.

Roxanne loped up a cliffside trail, wanting to place her offering in the highest place she could. She reasoned that this way it would be closer to the sky and the sun itself.

She held her offering in her mouth. It was a little...unconventional...to say the least, but Roxanne hoped that Eperna would grasp the symbolism.

The offering squirmed and squeaked. Roxanne was trying very hard to not squeeze or impale the offering with her teeth.

Said offering was an ordinary brown mouse; ordinarily one would think that this was hardly appropriate for a god offering (perhaps even a bit insulting) but this mouse was not a mere carcass: it was alive. Alive and squeaking, for that matter.

Roxy's intention was to illustrate mercy-after all, what could be more merciful than a predator holding it's would-be prey gently, with no intention to harm?

Mercy. Certainly an emotionally loaded word for Roxanne: the mercy that she had so horribly lacked when she killed (murdered, you mean murdered, her mind whispered) that slave. Mercy was what she wanted to develop and embody. Mercy was what she needed from the gods, from karma, from her own relentless conscience and fiery guilt.

Finally, she reached the peak. Trees fell away and the sun struck her fur unabated. She spat the terrified little mouse on the ground as softly as possible, then held it there, gently but firmly, with her paw. She spoke: "Eperna, great goddess of the sun and the summer, please accept this symbolic offering and grant me the merciful heart I need to redeem my sins."

[DIVINE WOLVES]

EPERNA

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"Eperna, great goddess of the sun and the summer, please accept this symbolic offering and grant me the merciful heart I need to redeem my sins."

A single crimson ear twitched in response to the call that gently vibrated over the meadow. It was just rising to become mid-day, the sun's warmth creeping with a refined diligence over every hill and blade of grass, sparkling new prisms of life into fields of blazing red poppies and yellow-stained sunflowers. Eperna herself was nestled under a wide oak tree, her head resting carefully on her paws as flickering golden eyes watched the currents of the nearby creek flow before her.

Roxanne. That was the she-wolf's name who called of feverishly for her goddess. Eperna's mind could picture her daughter now, those eyes alight with the prospect of apologizing profusely to her mother, the brown mouse squeaking as the mortal female's paws held their quarry tightly to the ground. The guilt that poured over Roxanne's frame was almost suffocating too, with a strange saddening quality. Eperna felt for her, the whispers of murder and blood that invisibly coated her teeth and breath, the nightmares of that sklavin who begged to be shown mercy. Eperna was used to the feelings of her children but this was almost too much, the remorse that bubbled so vehemently in Roxanne's heart.

Eperna slowly got to her glittering paws before stretching, her mouth widening in a wolfish yawn. Then, faster than light itself, she spun on her paws and appeared before her subject.

Sparkles of sunlight in her fur and the poise and grace of a true goddess, Eperna delicately sat before Roxanne with her eyes flashing a subdued interest. The queen blinked a silent word of thanks before she gently slid her paw forward to release the mouse that Roxanne had dutifully brought for her. A pleasant gift, thoughtful and with much symbolism. Eperna cast Roxanne look that showed her appreciation, no words or sounds made beside the hurried movement and soft squeaks of the runaway mouse. Eperna glanced away at the sun before turning her attention back to Rox. Her voice was velvet on water, the sweet cascading lullaby of a mother's pride.

"Thank you, love."

It was simple, quick. Eperna stepped forward with a new detrmination, dipping her head before leaning forward to touch her coal black nose with her daughter's fragile forehead.

Lightning crackled through their bodies, a flash of fury and pain as Eperna's touch ignited the fuse. It was a strange, blinding passion that knew no bounds as it coursed through their blood, held them in check as grief overcame their senses. It was a mother's love for her daughter, the forgiveness that transcended through both of them. Immobilizing in thoughts and physical movement, Eperna withdrew her touch as the sensations lightened, the symbolic sins released from Roxanne. Forgiveness was hers, that much was obvious.

"I will always hold that grace and forgiveness for you, Roxanne. Use it to free your brothers and sisters from their chains of slavery. Your abilities to help others from their physical restrictions shows true mercy."

Eperna's sweet melody ceased as a white dove landed between the two. They made eye contact before Eperna's form faded entirely from sight. The only thing left of her arrival and actual existence was the snow paled dove that chirped on the ground, head lifted to the heavens.

"This is Segena. She will be your helper, your adviser. When the path seems dark, her actions will lead you to my light. "

The words reverberated around Roxanne as the bird lifted its wings to settle gently on her shoulder.

"Travel to Dürkell, the forest ruled by the high Alpha Hayashi. There you will find a home to start your new life."

It was soft dictation of Eperna's voice, a gentle prodding from the dove.

"Show them what mercy I have shown you, my daughter."

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