Kanya had been staying with Berhanu and his mother for just about a week. It had only taken her a few days to recover from her spill into the gorge and the events leading up to it. But Kanya had yet to get a chance to talk to Berhanu about losing one's sight and living in a dark world. For her, not being able to see was normal but she felt that for Berhanu it was something he would have to work at and come to terms with.At that moment he was out fishing so Kanya had time to herself, something that the red leopardess was beginning to realize that she did not have much of. Wishing to remain alone Kanay wandered from where she slept to the edge of the small forest that Berhanu name his home. There she lounged beneath a tree basking in the warmth of the sun and the scents the wind brought her.
For the past two months or so Val had spent the majority of her time split between her cubs, who were now adults,Yourath, a male who had come looking for healing and had stayed for his own reasons, and for the random others who show up for help. She had not neglected her duties as a healer and a herbalist but a few days ago she had found that she was running low on some very useful plants. So she had spent the last day gathering plants and she expected to continue gathering for the next few days. Her family knew what she was doing and they knew not to worry, after all it was not a good idea to mess with a goddess.Using her powers to locate a patch of herbs nearby Val hurried in that direction. It was not far from where she spent the night so she did not just 'pop' over to them, but she did use a combination of the god powers of flight and illusion to become invisible and untraceable to the normal mortal. Dealing with pride borders and hostile guards was on on her to do list that day.
Kanya's mind was wandering so she was not paying attention at first when the wind brought her a new smell. it wasn't until the scent became much stronger and was accompanied by the sound of soft breathing that she realized she had been smelling and hearing both for a little bit. The sound's really wouldn't have come to her attention since it would have been from a large herbivore that wandered close but Kanya could hear no grass being stepped on or feet hitting the ground, just the soft even breathing. The scent the wind was brinning to her was odd as well. It smelled of lioness, herbs, and an otherness that Kanya had never smelled before.
Not entirly sure if her mind was just making up the souds and smells that she had picked up Kanya called out softly, "Hello? Is anyone there?"
Val was nearing a small forested area when she heard someone call out. Glancing around the goddess soon spotted the red leopardess laying in the shade of a tree. For a split second she almost returned her greeting but then she remembered that for a mortal she would not be visible so she stayed silent but she did move closer. Val's curiosity was sparked. How did she know that Val was there? Did she know? Was she just calling out? Walking on the air above the grass Val waited in silence to see what would happen next.
No one answered Kanya but then again she half expected no answer. She would have shrugged off the scent as the wind picking up something farther away and the sound as her imagination but both sound and scent grew stronger as if whoever they belonged to came closer. The fur on the back of her neck stood up and Kanya could feel eyes on her. They weren't hostile but she knew that someone was there, someone who had not spoken out when she called a greeting. This bothered her so her voice was a bit sharper then she meant when she said, "I know you are there. Who are you and what do you want?"
Val was surprised that this mortal seemed to know that she was there, just in case thought Val looked around. There was no one else around but herself and the leopardess. Keeping quite at this point was, well pointless, so she asked, "How did you know I was here?" She didn't sound anything more then just curious, after all she was invisible and since she was above grass level Val made no sound.
The voice that answered Kanya was soft and full of curiosity. She, for it was a female voice, did not seem to pick up on Kanya's irritation or they did not care. Nor did she answer Kanya's question but since she did speak up and didn't seem to be angry Kanya answered her question, "Because I can smell you and hear your breathing. Now if you would be so kind," she was still a bit irritated and so was still a bit sharp, "who might you be and what might you want?"
Val was surprised. This leopardess knew she was there by sound and scent alone? The goddess knew that she had a personal scent of herbs but most didn't pick up on that but to hear one's breathing, that was something new. She must have very good senses to pick up such minute hints. Val was absorbed in her thoughts so she caught the tail end of the questions that was asked, that and the snippieness still in her voice. With a smile, she found the attitude funny, Val responded, "I'm Val and I'm just passing through. I didn't mean to startle you and well if you don't mind me asking but can you see me?" The thought occurred to her that it was possible that the leopardess was unable to see at all or maybe she was a seer and could see that which others are unable to perceive.
Kanya felt shame when she heard the smile in Val's voice, even as a small part of her was bothered by it. Kanya really didn't have an excuse for being so sharp with the lioness. "It is nice to meet you Val, I am Kanya. I am sorry if I was a bit," she paused to think of an appropriate word, "blunt, but sometimes being blind is not easy. And I dont mind you asking, I am blind but why would it matter?" Her words were soft and carried no bitterness or snippieness that they might have carried earlier, it was just full of curiosity.
"I can only imagine Kanya. It is after all mostly my fault for you see I did not expect anyone to see me. I mean that quite literally." Val smiled as she thought of the last time she spoke with a mortal while invisible, she nearly scared the fur off the cub for a little bit there. With that thought Val explained a bit more, "You see since I am a goddess I can appear or disappear at will and since I did not feel like dealing with border guards or pride borders for that mater I figured not being able to be seen would fix that. I did not expect someone with such fine tuned senses to detect me." She laughed softly and with happiness, finding such a surprise doing something as mundaine as collecting plants was something Val was not use to.
For a moment Kanya was speechless. It was a goddess she had snapped at? It was a goddess that was talking to her like she deserved an explanation?! It was a goddess that was complimenting her?!?!? Kanya had never met a god before but she really didn't expect such a down to earth person, pardon the pun. She didn't really understand what Val meant but she nodded anyway, "That makes sense I guess but why dont you make the grass rustle as you walk through it?" That was one of the things that bothered Kanya when she first noticed the discrepancies in what she was hearing.
"Hun?" For a moment Val was confused, she had forgotten about the fact that she was standing above the grass for just a moment. "Oh that's because I'm not standing in it but above it. Its another god thing." She made a dismissing gesture even though she was still inadvisable and Kanya couldn't see her anyway, it was habit. Val was more then willing to spend more time talking with Kanya but she was a bit behind schedule. "Forgive me my rudeness but I really must be on my way Kanya." She smiled apologetically, her voice showing that she meant no offense and she really did have to go. Val said one last good bye before heading on her way, her day looking much brighter for meeting Kanya.
Kanya was still confused but at least she hadn't missed Val going through the grass, she walked over it... This thought sorta stalled Kanya's mind so it wasn't until Val was almost done with her good bye that she really heard the goddess. Belatedly she called out, "Good bye." Once the feeling of another presence faded Kanya sunk back into her thought although this time rather then her mind drifting aimlessly her mind was trying to wrap around Val and the things she said.
Fin
Wordcount: 1578
