even as the sun is exalted in the heavens ☥

open to any/all niawaki key members! assuming @Taliba & @Mesen-ka are present!

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 khaemwaset had not allowed himself to look back for fear face might translate the pain and the fear he felt to leave. his faith was in guardianship and in his ability to return, and for now he adjusted a carry-strap of skin across his chest, where he carried several fine pelts and glittering stones among the folds of satin fur.
 only when they had made a first camp did he allow himself a single glance in the direction of the desert which had fallen away as they came to greenery and the nearby sound of falling water.
 khaemwaset called out into the dusk. "if there be travelers near, please, come and join us. we have come peaceably."

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Sen is busy with work until Wednesday. Permission granted for the PP on Kyo, but I won't be proceeding until he can properly join! I'm assuming the next round won't happen until Aka's full party can join too. Assuming the other two are present but can alter if needed/they don't end up here

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They had known the inevitable would come knocking sooner than either Kaicho would like. Ever since @Kyo had run into a pack wolf just beyond the safety of their mountain, both knew that the other claim had to be far too close. Had they been settled, had they more numbers to bring a sense of comfort and security, perhaps then Kei would have felt comfortable with the situation, but the reality was that there was no such thing as ready. Not in the truest sense where it mattered. You could prepare all you want, but there would always be something more that could have been done.

The sun was setting while Kei and Kyo trailed the exposed edge of Niawaki. With their numbers, both council members had doubled their patrols to ensure a strong claim. It was tiring, to say the least, but a proven necessity when a small voice called out from the growing dark. The dragon cast a side glance to her partner as the call reached her ears. It was young...and it was close. More importantly, the child had said 'we'. Both Kaicho seemed to have the same idea, as a silent exchange was made with a change of course to greet their company.

Breaking from dark rock and shaded jungle, Kei lingered just past the line of exposed undergrowth with a lit gaze matching the shade of the setting sun. Much to her surprise, it was not just one child present, but two. A man was in their company, to which she once again looked Kyo's way. He gave a subtle nod, confirming her thought. “And who might 'we' be?” She now knew the answer, but despite her own guarded nature, the dragon kept her words neutral, pleasant, if not a bit humored. It would do no good to make enemies from the start, but the fact that there were children present brought comfort. No one in their right mind would start fights with tooth and claw before their own kids.
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Strangers traveled on their land.

Taka approached warily, eyes narrowed and skeptical. They came peaceably? Those of the Order would judge that.

He hadn't been far off from the Kaicho, pausing alongside them. Waiting in silence as Kei addressed the newcomers, he stood by in case they did not come as peacefully as they claimed.

---

Edited this post to follow after Kei/Kyo. Can be cameo, unless he is addressed!

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Prince Khaemwaset will nail himself with bone into the bed of all who dared near the Goddess and king.

He stands by the prince with eyes that check the blooming jungle. They would be good traders for ome another. This marks the beginning of time for the young royal, and it marks the beginning of his daughter's training into the mold of a warrior. He suspected the girls would make this bond, but perhaps it will instead be Khaemwaset and Taliba. 

Today they will decide if those of the key are friend or foe.

Little nephew is new to political relationships. He will decide how this starts and ends, and it is strange seeing the face of his brother in the cub. Takes him back to somewhere, being here and doing this.
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Taliba fell in step behind the prince as they approached the key. Her surveillance focused upon their rear as her father's eyes trained forward into the jungle.

As their procession halted upon the key's border, she stood at the opposite flank of the prince. One ear canted back, sun gold eyes trained upon the wolves that approached. Her expression remained neutral apart from a glitter of curiosity in her gaze.

Did the wolves of the key have their own kingdom?

Taliba is keenly away of the empty air to her left, the right occupied by Prince Khaemwaset. She mimicked her father's stance. After all, she was a guard on duty.
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noted! i think we are good to proceed, lmk if not! <3

---

 khaemwaset had never seen a jungle before. the tangled green vines, the heavy moss, the ivy which lay upon the ground like serpents. it was an altogether beckoning place, beautiful in its sheer unknowability. he wanted to explore, to forge forward; not until this moment had he been compelled to do so. 
 in him grew the seed of a conquering explorer, but so far only the first portion had ever developed. khaemwaset understood that his role was to uplift akashingo and to bring their kingdom back under Ma'at's proper light, though he feared in his spirit to cross pharaoh at all. but these things were not those upon which he must dwell now.
 two figures seemed to appear, materializing near the edge of their claim. he tried not to start, to hide his jerky step with a quick straightening of his body. she was graceful and held authority gentle in her bearing, a creature spun from nightfall and twilit clouds. her eyes pierced him as a sungold speartip, but no threat came. her counterpart was swathed in crimson, face darkened to shades of black ochre. that gaze was paler than the first, but khaemwaset knew at once that neither was to be disregarded. there was even a third guard following behind, a towering creature which seemed to be cut from the very trees, and khaemwaset caught sight of iceblue eyes gleaming not far off.
 it irked the prince to hear the first unknown man address not him but mesen-ka, and his quick smile and head tilt was to recapture their attention. "i am the amiir khafraemka-wehimbre of akashingo who has recently come to claim the desert's oasis," he began with gilded aplomb, restrained now by his newness. his words were directed at the woman who had first spoken, believing her to be a leader. "my mother is pharaoh isetfnofret toula, Blessed of Amun. my father Divine Consort rashepses, God of the Red Serpent." and this was a short recitation of titles!
 it felt odd to give the formal version of his name, though the boy understood its necessity. "akashingo seeks to explore beyond its borders and comprehend what we do not know. i ask for passage or for peace to settle here for a short rest. our people are quite fond of trade, and so as prince i have brought gifts for the intention of establishing such a route as to benefit all."
 his heart raced! the prince attempted to wear both the unaffected self-assurance of rashepses as well as pharaoh's interested expression of goodwill. a difficult task. uncertain of what reaction he expected, or what might suit, he was quiet now, his gaze encouraging.

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The rustling behind them drew the dragon's ear, but she wouldn't turn her head. It was one of their own after all, even if they shouldn't be meeting with outsiders yet. Kyo would greet the man known as 'mesen-ka', but it was not him who answered. It was the boy. Suddenly the pieces began to click as the whelp rambled on with names and titles that fell on deaf ears. It was always the ones with overly long names and titles that seemed to want you to kiss their toes, but she'd keep that opinion burried beneath the stillness of her face. Instead, she would try to pick out what names the boy offered and store them away for later.

Trade, settling here to comprehend what they didn't know. In other words, bribes and peering into a world that did not belong to them. She'd pardon his interest. It was in the Order's best interest to learn other cultures to better keep peace and languages to communicate, but some things were sacred and not meant to be shared. Once more she'd look to Kyo hoping by now he would know her looks to follow her lead, “We don't have the authority to let you stay. Only our own are allowed here.” She spoke as if she wasn't part of the Kaicho, but an ordinary member. “The pass from which you came is fine to traverse, but you will not pass our borders as part of our custom. Hopefully, you can respect that.” There was no hiding that they had settled, not anymore, but they could still keep New Kaida's location a secret. Their dens, their school, the heart of it all.

The formality of it all made her want to bite her tongue and roll her eyes, but she knew it was needed to play nice and keep them off their tails. If this lordling was going to be a ruler, they didn't need to offend the kid. “You can call me Ryū,” then with a tilt of her head to Kyo, “that's Wayfarer.” As for Taka, who she now caught from the corner of her eye, he was unnamed, and so he went unaddressed. Hopefully he would not speak if they pointed it out.

“We have nothing to offer you, so don't take our rejection personally. It's only fair to not accept something without a gift in return if you mean to trade. We can speak to our leaders and see what they think of your offer. If that appeases you, then if you would be kind enough to tell us where we might find you, we can discuss further once they have made their decision.” An Oasis was mentioned, but Kei hadn't ventured beyond Arenrak. Kyo had also met their guardman there, so perhaps it bordered the savannah. It would make sense with the change in land at the very least.
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I didn't realize it was my turn and got confused, sorry everyone! </3

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His daughter, of who he has no shame of. It is pride that fills his body. He thinks ahead of a ceremony for this evolvement. Vines from the key, flowers from the oasis blossoms with help from the princess' feminine eye. 
​
"My daughter," he introduces.
 
There's not surprise to see Traveler, but buried under the thunderous heart of a sparhungry warrior, there's amusement. Clever man. There are opportunities here. 

If Khaemwaset is the true son of Rashepses, he will find them.
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Sorry for the delay, have been sick since the 27th. On the mend now!

---

Through the air between them, Taliba senses the brief tension that passes from Khaemwaset. Her toes curl into the ground beneath her as she braces against it. Unmoving from her position, Taliba cups her ears forward to the wolves of the Key. Sun-gold eyes returning the gaze of the wolf known to her father as Traveler as he looks upon her. She does not flinch from him, even though his acknowledgement causes surprise.

Silent at that prince's side, she pays great attention to the words exchanged between Khaemwaset and the wolf Ryū. The shadowspun woman acting as speaker for the Key. Slowly her eyes drifted to the unintroduced party, the male that accompanied Ryū and Wayfarer. Was it a purposeful misdirection? Gaze now trained upon him, Taliba would not let him circle away unnoticed.
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im cool with no posting order if its easier, or we can keep to it <3

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 "i can," khaemwaset responded, stung by the insinuation that he would not act with respect. it offended, truly, the nobly arrogant part of the prince who had only ever been educated in what to do as an emissary. the clash of learned to reality was jarring for him, especially a child for which every door had simply opened.
 that the way was shut was not something for which he had been prepared. that their elegant gifts were rejected genuinely filled the boy with a childish surprise. that he was not in the presence of leaders at all bewildered khaemwaset.
 fighting the fierce urge to glance toward mesen-ka, he dipped his head instead in a practiced bow of acknowledgement.
 father's anger, flashing.
 grandfather, laughing.
 "it is a pleasure, ryū. wayfarer." and the third man, without a name. this interested the prince, but he did not make mention. "akashingo lies far west. when you have reached the sands, you have found our land." he wanted to throw the trade goods away into their jungled hills, stalk aside. "we will camp in the pass for some nights before we continue to our other destinations. perhaps you will find yourselves interested in a hunt upon neutral ground," amiir suggested. and some prods, he supposed, for he could not help himself. "if you choose to visit, my name will lift the fangs of every guard. might i ask what you call your home?"
 he should have given the order to turn then, to leave them. but he wished to hear their answer and remained open to a proper farewell. khaemwaset himself was not able to depart without some sense of recovered pride.

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Whatever works for me! I just wanna make sure people can get their skills/interactions. Sorry for the delay been a bit sapped lately

---

The dragon was surprised by the boy's tame acknowledgement. For one so young, he was well disciplined, whereas she hardly expected a boy prince to take 'no' well. She'd dip her own head in response, an ear tuned to map this group's whereabouts. She would have to do her own investigating soon, but that would wait until they were more settled and had a conversation with Kyo. To the boy's suggestion, she glanced once more at Kyo. A hunt may not be such a bad idea. It would show some reach of acceptance, of peace, without the need to commit to promises made to strangers.

That, and they could see what strength those of Akashingo bore.

“A hunt could be arranged... We will speak with our council about a representing party. If they reach a decision about your prior offers, then we can deliver that news before you set off.” It would leave neither side in debt, leave room for Kyo and her to think, and the Order could ensure it was a population well off if their spoils were to benefit both packs. Kei had been careful with names thus far, but it was a topic she could only skirt for so long. Though, perhaps she could answer his questions in a way that would leave him less curious for the secrets they withhold.

“To sate your curiosity, the jungle runs to the ocean's edge. It opens to a mountainous island close to shore, slicked by several natural falls. Pretty, but dangerous.” Details anyone would find on their own if they followed the coast and looked back. “We call it Niawaki Key.” Though she suspected that was not the real question Khaemwaset was asking, “Home to the Jade Lotus.” Revealing the Order's name wasn't ideal, but shortening it might make their group sound more like an average pack without ambitions, where they could continue to refer to the Order outside their claim as just that. The Order. It was a split decision made on her part, but one that she could claim was truthful even if she still held her tongue.
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