S o m e t h i n g had driven him back here, his endless walking a circle that had ended where it had all begun. His homeland, filled with frustrating memories that both irritated him...and soothed him.
Khaldun was not sure what he had expected to find now. Perhaps a part of him hoped that the people were still here, thriving in secret even after it had all been mysteriously abandoned. Or maybe he hoped to see a face from his past, smiling at him like he was no more than a grumpy cub. But what was he now, exactly? Little more than a grumpy adult?
He turned to peer over his shoulder. The girls had chosen not to follow him after all and he wasn't sure whether he was relieved or disappointed. Faeqa would obey him, as she always did, but Najiyya had that sense of adventure that the others of them lacked. Perhaps she had decided it was easier to listen to him this time. Or maybe she was afraid of coming to an empty, desolate place like this. Perhaps it reminded them of their own forgotten home.
He sighed, the wings against his sides shivering in the wind, feathers ruffled and unkempt.
Vultures lined the walls of the temple now, watching him curiously with their angry eyes. Their bald heads bobbed low to keep him in sight as he passed into the shade of the palm trees. The oasis was still there, a few fresh paw prints scattered about the dust. But there was no thrum of life. It really was all gone...just like his mother.
And where was father and sister? Had they dispersed, too? They could fly far and wide whilst he was left stranded on the ground unless by some luck, he found air and flew. It had happened once recently but it had not happened again and slowly but surely the frustration and hopelessness had sunk back in. He was a god, dammit, so why couldn't he be like one? What sins had he committed to render him so useless? He remembered only his childhood and that had not been so bad. If anything he had been the victim, being teased, being unable to do anything that marked him as superior.
He dropped down next to the water, staring into its reflection and remained there for some hours, near motionless and blind to all--
--until, a sound. A scuff of paws. A low whine.
Khaldun turned his head to see a small canine on the other side of the water. His fur was upright, eyes wary, but it was such a fragile looking creature that Khaldun did not trouble himself to get up.
Eventually, the canine - a jackal - gave a long whine and said: "you should not linger here. The vultures are cruel at times. We have to be careful."
"They won't hurt me," Khaldun moped, raising his wings just a little. He saw the jackal observe him, head tilting from side to side, and then the dog spoke again.
"I know you. Rokopelli's son."
He bristled at the sound of his mother's name, but "yes" was all he said, pausing to drink from the oasis at last. The surface water was warm but clear and it soothed his throat of dust.
"Everything has gone now. Your family, too."
"Then why are you still here?"
"Where else would I go? I can sneak about the rubble and hunt as I always have. Less competition from lions. I do well enough."
Khaldun snorted, water dripping from his chin. "This place is dead and you are alone."
The jackal's ears fell back against his head but he made no reply to which Khaldun knew that he was right.
"Why did you come back?" the jackal asked, at last.
"To see it for myself. To see it how it is now and remember how it used to be. Life is a horrible thing sometimes and everything I took for granted is gone now."
"Your family is not with you?"
"No. I left them and they did not follow." That was not exactly true. His mother had been beside herself with worry and had been chasing him across the rogue lands until her death. "Doesn't matter now."
"Seems to me like you're no different. You're just as alone out there as I am in here."
Khaldun shook his head, "I have...friends. They did not come here with me today." By the look the jackal gave him he could tell he was not believed. The canine probably thought these friends a figment of his imagination. Still, he didn't truly care. Let the canine think what he wanted if it made him feel any better.
"Do you hope that the pride might return to what it once was?"
"No. I do not hope for that. I do not see this land being reclaimed again, at least not by our people. They have scattered on the winds, moving in every direction. Some have found neighbouring prides and family elsewhere."
"And none still linger?"
"Some, but so few that I do not often see them."
"You could...come with us."
The jackal did look surprised at that, his mouth opening in a somewhat happier expression. "I did not expect that response from you. I thank you for the offer, friend, but I must decline. I shall probably live to regret it but...I have wandered out there before in rogue lands and I found no joy in it then. I was young, too, and full of life. I'm old now. Travelling is not for me."
They lapsed into silence and the jackal stepped forward to drink - clearly his intent at coming here in the first place. After a long moment, he stepped back again and eyed the winged-lion thoughtfully.
"Where will you go now?"
"Back to my friends."
"Yup will not seek out your family?"
"I do not know where to find them and they move faster than I can. I'll leave them to find me."
"I hope they do. Family is an important thing. I had one, once, before I left to join the Tuait'tekam. Never saw them again. Most likely they are dead, but I do not stop thinking about them."
Another pause.
"Take care out there, Khaldun. I hope good fortune finds you, if nothing else." And then the jackal was away and the god turned his head back to look at the abandoned temple, lined with vultures.
I think it already did, he thought. And believed it.
/fin
