[Self-Rp] Untouchable [Muroki, Taka, vultures]

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((Previous plot fell through so screw it! =D I'll do it myself! Call it godmoding if you want. But frankly, pharaohs were considered gods and Muroki's already taken the most damage of all the DW who're RPing in the war so far. While he is fully mortal, belief is a powerful thing and while they've strayed, the vultures were once DWers too. So he alone gets to walked unscathed into the Temple and only for this little while. ))

The moon still reined over the western sky while the sun just touched the opposite horizon, a bloody orange sliver of the solar disk. It gilded the sand dunes and threatened the inky night sky with its light. It was reflected in the eyes of Muroki was he walked, liquid gold above his glossy black burden. He always woke up early to pray Jua. But today was a special day and the star Sopdet hung in the sky too, a companion to the sun. Today was the first dawn of the first season of ahket, the season in which the Chione flooded and her banks were made fertile, so that the prey may prosper, so that the Dawnwalkers might proser.

So it had always been. So it always would be.

And whether the vultures like it or not, today he'd take his prayers to the heart of their lands. The jewel in the gold setting of the desert. To the Temple, to the very shrine in the sacred lake. If they dared attack him today then the vultures had truly abandoned their ways, every last scrap of them, and he'd fight to the death. Muroki hoped however there was a shred of dignity in their hearts and if they'd forgotton everything else about their place in the system, they'd remember this:

He was a god-king.

Oh it rarely showed. Hell, Muroki was the first to admit he felt too passionately and he'd been know to trip into bushes during undignified games of tag. He was a mortal. But he was also king and within his heart there burned a tiny spark of the holy light of Jua, the Dawnwalker's manifestation of the sun. It was no less true than the lion god Radhi-Nuru, or the story of the pride that believed the sun was the collected souls of the dead, nor that it was a great buck racing across the sky. It was true and if the vultures remember that, on this holy day they wouldn't dare to touch him.  

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Baqir called harshly, his screech filled with bitter fury, when he first sighted the hated figure approaching in the distance. His mate, who perched next to him on one of the lion statues that lined the avenue to the entrance, echoed the cry and it was taken up by every vulture within the ancient compound. They all squarked again when minutes later, the lion reached the first figure in his own sweet time and laid his burden to rest on the sand with dignity. The broken body of an adult vulture. Prince Adil! His son. Sadaf, the female beside him, lifted her head with a lone cry of pain and launched herself to the morning sky, to fly away, filled with grief.

The vulture leader shifted, talons digging at the old stone and finding a good gripe at it's brow, his place on the stone lions head making it seem like he was trying to blind it. Claws to the eyes. How he wished he could claw out the eyes of the large lion who stood looking at him expectantly, great head held high and one heavy paw lifted to gesture at the body.  

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Court language. Usually he hated it and found it hard to speak. Kainda had more luck with it - until she started laughing. Court language, court language...must get it right. Must stand tall and proud.

"I come with the dawn. That is my name and that is my duty. It is also my duty to deliver the body of your son who fell in battle." He spoke loudly, steadily, turning his head to address the birds. Inwardly Muroki knew he should be scared. He should be more than scared, he should be running as fast as his legs would carry him, away from the danger. Here he was alone, with all the vultures of the desert staring at him from a hundred different places with murder in their beady eyes. Yet he felt calm and sure of himself, strong.

"...and I deliver him with more respect than with which you delivered the bodies of the cubs you murdered in cold blood. Maybe you'll learn by example what honor means." Now he let a growl creep into his voice, let his lips lift to show his fangs, his brow and nose wrinkled with a fury that matched Baqir.

"But then you've shadowed my steps so long Baqir I feel I know you. You have little honor left. Maybe you could redeem a little of that honor today by continuing as you are. Watch. Screech your rage. But do not touch me, or you shall be cursed by Jua himself for your insolence before him." The growl softened and Muroki felt his own sense peace and security within himself bloom. Around it, he imagined, around him, blazed the glory of Jua. Protection. Power. It made him grin his own crooked grin, before he resigned himself to his task and a dignified walk down the aisle of statues.

"I am the vessel of Jua this dawn."  

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A young vulture, just into it's adult feathers, took off from it's place and made to divebomb Muroki, furious. How dare he! The scum! The absolute scum! Coming here all airs and graces, with the body of their prince, all mangled from the filthy paws of the teal female...like he was untouchable. He dove at the lion almost straight on, expecting others to be taking wing behind him, talons and beaks ready to rip him apart.

He'd be a hero, the real leader of the charge that brought death to their most hated enemy, promoted beyond his wildest dreams with the flock. Goka the magnificent! Goka'jua! Goka, new prince of the vultures of the Temple!

WHAM.

Muroki's paw hit him like a ton of bricks, whacking him down, and as the lion settled onto four paws once more his teeth were there in a flash. Goka's neck was broken in an instant and he still had a look of foolish triumph on his face as it fell back on the sand.  

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One hit wonder!

The bird had swooped at him straight on, from an obvious place and all he'd had to do was rear up and bat it down. The attack had been what, half a minute long? The kill took barely a moment. Stupid creature. Too young, too young. Muroki looked down at it, almost with surprise - did I do that? - then looked around at the vultures. He didn't even keep him muscles tense and ready to run.

Not a single bird cawed. A few shifted and still, a hundred pairs of eyes followed his every move as he walked steadily the last few feet to the steps and ascended the stairs. But none had joined the youngster and none moved now. Not even Baqir. They shuffled for a moment then flew like a black cloud to the out wall to watch him, save the few who stayed to move the bodies of the idiot infidel (too young to have known better, the fool) and the fallen prince. None moved to stop him.

Muroki was in the Temple.
He was untouchable.  

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It was not much worse than it had been in this part of the Temple when he'd last padded across the smooth floor. He stopped where he and Hisani had slept, so long ago and looked across at the main complex. Here was clean enough. He remembered the lure of it. How you could reach the steps into the lake itself from along this walk, following the shape the outer walls. A trap. Lulled you into a sense of security. It almost seemed perfect.

But he could see and he could smell the filth in the biggest building. Half eaten kills - for who bothered to pick the bones clean now, when the vultures had gorged themselves on the outer meat? - rotted in a pile by the huge doorway. Refuse from what he guessed was their nesting area up in the upper levels was just pushed out and simply fell about the courtyards. Disgusting. He had until the sun was risen to do as he willed. Not enough to fully explore. He was almost glad for a second though he didn't plan to scout closer - no excuse to, he had no holy mission inside the barracks and common halls, and felt that would be objected to - now he'd noted where they'd set out their living spaces. Muroki betted it'd be rank in there.

Then he saw him, however. Even as he watched, a scruffy adolescent lion dragged a half decayed carcass out of the main doors - so they did use those? Hm - struggling. It was a large beast. Muroki calmly walked over and ignore the soft squarks of protest. The lion was a member of the Dawnwalkers and so fell under the protection of Jua. Muroki doubted he'd be allowed to use that to actually get the boy out of there, but steal a few precious minutes with him? Can do. He had until the sun was risen to do as he willed. Not enough to fully explore.  

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"My king Muroki." Taka knew him, his seers visions and the fact that this free lion had walked in making for a strong case. He'd seen him before as well, trapped then chased as an adolescent when he was just a young juvenile, peering from between his mothers legs and knowing they should roar a warning. The day Hisani was captured. This could only be Muroki.

"I'm Takasika." Maybe he shouldn't have spoken first? He wiped one paw over the other, aware of how ungroomed his growing mane and how dirty his fur was from all the work. But Muroki was looking at him with compassion not scorn in his eyes, even as he stood proud and blazed with the sun. He was also aware of not just his master looking on with disapproval for speaking to their unwanted guest and hear his own owner mutter with anger when he bowed.

"We won't have much time."
 

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"You have no time! You are my creature. Now get back inside and get back to work or you'll be set upon in time."

"He is Jua's creature and a Dawnwalker for all your claims of ownership. But I won't risk him punishment." Muroki fixed the vulture with a glare. Foolish bird. Moving slowly so as not to startle the younger male, he moved forward to offer an embrace. Awkwardly, obviously wary of embracing his king, Takasika moved. Like brothers or like a father with his son, they rested their heads side by side on the others shoulder and raised a paw. This also meant Muroki's mouth was by Takasika's ear and vice versa.

"How long have you been here?"
"All my life."

"How many slaves?"
"Few - many have been moved to remote places or killed."

"How many birds?"
"More - hundred, hundred and fifty roughly. Not as many as they'd have you believe."

"Hold on, we shall set you free. Working on a plan."
"I know. We're kept in the heights or underground."

They broke apart and Taksika started to go inside. It hadn't taken long to exchange the information swiftly. Muroki started to walk away, back to the duty he'd came for, to walk to the shrine. But Takasika spoke aloud as he vanished inside, something that made Muroki turn to look round and raise an eyebrow.

"Tell Safiya...tell her she has a brother and I'll meet her one day." So that was why he'd seemed vaguely familar. But did Safiya even have siblings? He was younger, he'd been a slave a long time. Interesting and worrying. He didn't let his concern or surprise show. Just nodded and went on his way.

He had rituals to complete before the time was up, for this was a holy morning - and he had to get back to the safety of the Oasis before the vultures saw the spark of Jua leave him. Muroki went.