there's no alibi

Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away

"I know. It's very reassuring."

The soft touch was accepted without protest. Maea even returned the nudge in quiet support over Charlie's frustration as their (admittedly haphazard and unfocused) efforts yielded no rewards. "I would like to do something that helps you, if I can," she replied. "Whether that is to keep digging, or ask Dygra for some clue on where you might find something of the past... I'd be happy to assist." Maybe there were things she shied away from, but there were just as many areas where she wouldn't mind getting her hands dirty too.

Gazing around the cavern, she considered the sprawling labyrinth of tunnels that made up the Burrows and how long it would take to find each one, let alone search them for the flowers. If there even were any to see. "No, I'll go with you," Maea decided, despite the lurching unease tumbling through her gut at the thought of confronting Danta so soon. "I promised to help with the portal... I can always come back here later."

Rising to her feet, she offered Charlie a hand to help her up. "I did mean to ask you, if there's some kind of ritual you think I might be able to do to honor Dygra? I still want to worship, even though it probably is tame compared to what you're used to..." Hunting, perhaps, or something to do with fire - she was open to suggestions, and frankly interested in learning more about the goddess she had chosen to live with. The more she knew, the better she could make her own choices, and feel like she had agency over her own life.

Maybe then it would not seem as terrifying to embrace chaos.

I can't relate to  d e s p e r a t i o n

"Thanks!" Charlie's voice was bright despite the way a frown was trying to tug the corners of her lips into a frown. "You know what I'd like even more? Helping me find new stuff." Curling her tail, the blonde glanced around the cavern with a bit of a sigh before shaking her head. "Maybe we could go shopping together? You could help me find places who can make the sort of things I was looking for here, since I doubt I'll find anyone who still makes ritualistic daggers or blood-letting urns." Accepting Maea's hand immediately, the priestess stood. Reaching her arms over her head to stretch, Charlie paused midway as she considered, before placing her hands on her lower back and tilting her head up to crack her back. "Well....obviously spilling blood is important if you want to summon Dygra, but even just a pinprick will do." Charlie explains. "She's like the OG Alpha predator, so if you can imagine what it's like to be in that position, it becomes a bit easier to think of what she might like." A lion likely cared very little for the way ants brought meagre bits of sugar or sparkly bits of glass, no matter how well intending the ants might be. "And it's almost like...the harder you try and please Dygra, the less pleased she'll actually be. And if what you're comfortable with is a pin prick of your finger and maybe the bones from your latest kill, then it's better to start with than to try and go with something that clearly isn't you." The priestess continues. "Does that make sense?"

.

Don't paint wonderful lies on me that wash away

Understanding gleamed in the pale girl's eyes, but she merely nodded - far more gravely than Charlie, without attempting to match her brightness. "Of course. I'd be happy to, just say when."

Listening to the explanation, it actually made sense. No one likes a tryhard, flowers are only welcome when given without a reason, just because - it certainly made her feel better about what little she had offered in the past. At least she could honestly say it had been freely given.

"I really like that line of thought," she replied, even as her shoulders came down and lingering tension bled away. "It makes a lot of sense - makes me feel a lot better, honestly."

Falling into step beside the priestess, it was in a far calmer and more contented spirit that she joined Charlie on the travel back to the surface. Whether it was undertaken in silence or continued conversation, it was pleasant; the more time spent in her company, the more Maea found herself enjoying it.

[Fin]