Holes [Sheloe & Rein]

If it could even be called a job, being the castle physician was a good one - sleeping most of the day on a soft bed was more than she could ever allow herself to dream of. When not sleeping, she prayed, meditated and looked out of the window as she mused over questions that could not be answered. Only sometimes some of the duties of a medic called her on, and she found herself capable of fulfilling them easily. Overall, it was an easy life.

The real work began come evening.

She shut and locked the infirmary doors, then made her way through the spacious corridors to one of the windows and jumped out through it. Her wings were her gift and her guide; even when she was lost, they always knew where to go. She trusted them. Mostly drifting, only occasionally giving a lazy beat, they took her above the castle grounds, the utility buildings and the dormitories. The sun had already set, but the skies were still grey with the lingering light of dusk, as was typical of summer days. Sheloe shivered, fur ruffling against the impending coolness.

Scotland... why did it have to be Scotland?

Soon, hopefully, she would find out. Sooner, rather than later, though she dared not cling to the hope. Eventually the land beneath her turned to hills, and she felt herself drawn to the ground and descended slowly, making wide circles. Yes. This was the place.

The few trees around there were ancient. She landed next to one and touched its rough bark briefly, as if in greeting, then proceeded through the grass towards a certain spot that she had been visiting every night for the past few days. She was not sure why, but she knew she had to dig, and the hole in the ground there kept getting deeper. Yesterday, she was close to giving up, considering that maybe she had been mistaken, but divine providence sent her a sign to show otherwise: a single vertebra.

Steeling herself for the tough labor, Sheloe jumped into the hole and began clawing at the ground where she had left off the night before.

Forever wandering, it seemed. The endlessly appearing and disappearing papers cuts, no longer worth a wince, from fingers rifling between the pages. He felt he was getting a good look at his eternity.

But there was some work still to be had outside the dusk and light of his desk candle. Gathering, samples, testing... He might have hated it before, but it was work outside of work. However, given what had happened at the graveyard in the town, well...he figured he best stay on the island for a little while yet.

He had time.

So, he hefted the small, weary backpack higher onto his shoulder. It encased the basics needed for his work tonight: his journal, a few miscellaneous needed items like pens and erasers, and a rough self-drawn sketch of a map for his own reference of where he had been and where to go with his own chicken-scratch of a legend. He needed nothing else as he trekked through the mountains in converse, skinny jeans, and tight-fitting t-shirt. It was hardly suited to the terrain or the weather, but he seemed unfazed as he walked aside a slight stumble every so often over a root, loose rock, or dirt pile too large.

As he started to near an area he hadn't really explored, the tall boy started paying more attention to his surroundings. But it wasn't until he had actually stopped to re-tie his hair up in a messy bun that he noticed the movement on the side of hill. Was that...a hole? And...a form he couldn't quite distinguish... Though, given the nature of the island, he wasn't sure his eyes could be trusted until he was closer.

So, with a raised eyebrow, Rein made a detour to investigate.

"Hello."

Fingers dug into the hard soil, loosening it up bit by bit, flinging it behind her in a wide arch. Once in a while she had to gather up the dirt and chuck it out of the hole. It was monotoneous, hard, and slow work, and she let her mind wander as she toiled away.
With every attack on the earth below her, she could feel it retaliating by sand particles, pebbles and bits of root getting under her nails and scratching up her fingers. It hurt, but she grit her teeth and continued -- that was part of the sacrifice. If only the physician duties didn't require use of the hands, she would leave the marks be, but she knew that healing people while having festering wounds of her own would not be the greatest idea.

Speaking of -- or thinking of -- sacrifices, maybe it was time for one. Sheloe was no hunter, but the livestock of the castle was numerous enough. She would take just a chicken or a turkey, though. She would go to the coop and pick out the weakest one. Like he would...

Lost in her planning and not expecting anybody to find her, Sheloe got quite startled at the sudden greeting. She jumped up, but bit her tongue as to not make a sound. Now, now, there was no need to panic. There were no risks of being captured here -- she was a citizen.

Slowly, she turned around and looked at the approaching stranger. The feeling she got from him (her?) was... strange, and she couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"Evening!" she called out. "Nothing untoward going on here, but a badger expanding their lodgings. Carry on, friend, carry on."

He smiled, slightly apologetically, as the being jumped. He hadn't meant to startle anybody. Though, this thing was doing something a bit suspicious...actually...was this a baboon? As he neared closer to the edge of the hole, he tried to get a better look through slightly disbelieving eyes. Well, it spoke - and politely at that -, so that was one thing slightly reassuring.

"Okay...but, do you mind if I sit a moment? I've been walking awhile." Yes, sure, he'd been walking awhile and yet no more tired for his efforts, but that was besides the point. The point was, this situation was suspicious and his curiosity had been peaked. Something felt off here, familiarly unfamiliar. "Or, perhaps I can help. Are you digging for something specific or just want another pair of hands?"

Why dig a hole here? Why immediately say that there was nothing strange going on here?

Sheloe let out a discreet sigh, reluctantly accepting the unplanned-for company. She didn't want to stop digging, but surely there was a reason she had been interrupted. Perhaps just to test her determination, but until she knew for sure...

"Well, then, weary traveler," she said, "sit down and warm your bones by the lack of a campfire and have a nonexistent drink, yes, as that is all I can offer back for your kindness..." She glanced briefly down to her feet, amused. In a way, she already did have two pairs of hands. "I must pass on your help, however, this is something I must do very much alone." She paused. "Yes."

All the while, she stared at the stranger. What were they? The strange aura, the glowing eyes and the fact they did not flinch as they found a weird creature digging a hole in the wilderness... and, Hell, the fact that they were in the wilderness themselves... Ah, life here would be very different from what she had known.

"That suits me fine." He gave a goodnatured shrug. He didn't need a fire for warmth and he wouldn't even be able to accept the drink, so, all was well. "And if you insist, but, may I ask what it is exactly that you are doing that you must do alone?" He raised an eyebrow slightly and dropped his bag next to the hole, but away from where the dirt had been being thrown, sitting cross-legged.

He gave the space of carved out Earth a curious look. He was aware that there were many oddities here, and not all may have direct reason nor do the inhabitants of this island seem to have much reason behind what they do, but here he was searching for them anyway. Dragging his eyes away from the dirt, Rein locked eyes with the other being.

The stranger seemed keen on both her company and on taking her seriously. While normally, Sheloe would be grateful -- being who she was, she was used to different sorts of treatment -- right now, she would have preferred to be left to her own devices. Well, maybe it was not to be. Maybe this creature had something to bring to her more important than the hole.

She sat down. "I'm digging. Well, yes, saying that may be an insult to your intelligence, and for that, I sorry." She cleared her throat. "I am... searching, I suppose. I know that there is something here to be found. I do not know what, yet. But I will know when I find it." She paused, but not for long enough to actually let the other speak. "And you? What may you be seeking, here, in the light of dusk?" She leaned forward curiously. "And who are you to be seeking whatever it may be?"

It took him a moment to place the feeling. It was faint, and possibly incomplete. But, it was there nonetheless. He would have commented on it after the baboon's explanation, but then it was asking questions of its own. He blinked, but gave a soft, unassuming smile.

"I'm a simple researcher." He then gave a short nod to the hole. "I'm studying things much like what you'll find later in there, but that's your quest, so I'll go find another. However..." And the boy seemed to go a bit off into his own thoughts as he dragged his bag over to rummage through for his map. He pulled out his notebook and a pen, and slipped his makeshift grid of the island from just inside the cover. The boy then set about looking around him quickly and then pondering the map a moment before making a mark on the chart. It would probably be wise to mark this place as having something, even if he wouldn't know what or be able to examine it. "There, that'll do." He grinned a bit and nodded before looking back at his current company.

At the nod, she turned her head to glance at where he was pointing, as if she could see whatever was down there, then back to him with a furrowed brow. She opened her mouth to inquire, but seeing him pull out a notebook, decided to politely wait until he wrote down whatever he needed to. It didn't seem to be much, however. How peculiar. There were a few suspicions she was beginning to harbor, but she saw no reason why should she divulge them, or even act as if she had them; no, she just bundled them in close for safekeeping and decided to approach with a trustful heart.

When he looked to her again, she stood up and walked a few paces forward, climbing out of the hole. "So, you claim you know, and research, what is down there? Not that I disbelieve, far from it," she quickly added, waving a hand. "I am just curious, yes, see--" She gestured over herself. "Monkey, right? Curious. Stereotypes are, of course, true. Ah-ha. So you know more than your humble servant, which is, granted, not hard." She bowed her head. "I would be honored if you would share, if just a tidbit. About your research, yes. Or whatever you would see fit to give."

Sometimes, she amazed herself with how much she could say before running out of breath. Surely, it was another of his numerous blessings.

He gave the baboon an amused look as she climbed out of the hole. Finally, someone who was friendly and pleasant to converse with.

"No, I don't mind, really but," And it wasn't that he didn't want to share for any particular reason, more of he just didn't know how best to word exactly what it was he worked with. He took a hesitated moment to think before continuing. "I guess you could call me a mortician of sorts. I find, study, and take care of things and beings that have passed. So, actually, if I may ask, why are you digging here in particular? Are you looking for something like that specifically, cause I'm fairly sure that's what you're going to find." He trailed off a bit- He didn't want to ruin the surprise for it, but well, even he didn't know exactly what it was, just of its basic nature.

A... mortician. She blinked, taken aback, then quickly put on an overly disappointed frown. "Ah, and here I was, thinking you may be a geologist and tell me thrilling tales of this soil's properties. Shame." She tutted. Mortician. It made her wary, well, even more so; the word held a threat of conflicting beliefs, and conflicting beliefs held a threat of stones being thrown. But this youth seemed polite, and perhaps even if they disagreed, it would mean only some passionate discussions to be entertained later.

"I'm digging, you may say," she said tentatively, "on a hunch. I simply know that I must. I'm a prophet." The last sentence was barely mumbled with Sheloe acutely aware of the ridiculousness of the idea. "I have a vague knowing of what may be down there, yes." She shifted in place slightly. "Would you have minded if I continue as we talk? My limbs itch with eagerness hard to contain."

"Well, my sincere apologies. I'll be sure to look up on that so that next time we meet I may better thrill you." A slightly sheepish expression inclined with raised eyebrow and smile. Though, that smile soon dropped slightly at her last sentence. Prophet? He blinked and shook his head, gesturing with a hand to the hole.

"Oh no, please, do not stop on account of me." He hesitated and watched a moment, obviously in some thought. He leaned forward with elbows on folded knees and chin propped upon palms. "If I may ask though... A prophet of what, or for whom?"

She huffed. "You better. I'm the doctor, I have you know. Get on my bad side, you get the bitterest of meds." She liked him, she decided. Even if it didn't look like he believed her prophet status. Not many did.

With a nod and a brief, amused smile, she turned around and descended into the hole again. The smell of rustled earth filled her nostrils, the smell of humus, of things so long dead they would rot no longer. Slowly, she dragged her hand across the soil. And then, the question came. Sheloe stilled, suddenly aware of how defenseless she was, in a hole and turned away from him. There was probably no reason to worry, though. Probably. People did happen to have negative reactions both to religion in general, her religion in specific, and her position in it in very specific. But... this person was so nice, and seemed so harmless. She wanted to trust him. Or... her. The gender was still hazy, but 'he' seemed to be a more neutral word.

Realizing that she'd let the silence drag on a little, she flinched a little, shook her head, then continued the digging as to pretend it was nothing. "My god." she said casually. "I get sparks of glimpses of his insight."

At her huffing jest, Rein's smile widened, treating it as such. He'd never be going to the doctor for himself, but being on the good side of those with medical knowledge was never a bad idea. It was also probably best that he was now acquainted with their doctor for the sake of anyone who may need it, should he find himself in the position to need to get someone help. It didn't seem unlikely, given where they were. However, watching the baboon go back to work, he hummed.

This last bit of information was by far the one that sparked his curiosity the most.

The boy tilted his head a bit. "I'm sorry if I seem to be prying, I just enjoy hearing about beliefs other than my own. Would you be offended if I asked what God you follow?"

Somehow, she knew that he wouldn't let it be at that. He would keep asking questions. A researcher, indeed. It wasn't that she minded his prying, she loved nothing more than to talk, she was just worried about the truth ruining everything. She made more enemies than friends with it. Honestly, she should just not leave the infirmary and avoid interacting with people unless necessary. There was no point to it.

She clawed at the earth for a bit in somber silence.

But... there was nothing she could do. Nothing but try her best, again and again, failing a lot and succeeding some, believing that in the bigger scope of things her humble efforts were worth something. That she didn't leave an entirely bad impression... even despite the prolonged and slightly awkward pause right now.

She cleared her throat and shut her eyes. "He is a god of silence." Wow, she had really demonstrated that well a moment before. Despite the inner critic, she continued in a calm, low tone. "Of peace. Of well-deserved rest. He does not judge. There is no good or evil in his eyes, and the merest of algae and biggest of heroes are equal in his eyes. His mercy brings solace to those in pain, the tired, the old and sick. His presence brings new vigor to those who think of giving up." She let out a breath of a chuckle. "You may know him."

He would wait. He didn't want to push too hard for information despite how much he wanted it. Still, it seemed an uncomfortable while -during which he had started to fidget his fingers - till the monkey spoke again.

He listened carefully with peaked curiosity. The telling was vague, but intriguing to such a being as he who thirsted for such things. It sounded like a riddle - of which he tried to figure in his head even as she spoke.

At the end, he raised an eyebrow. A God he may know... Sitting back, this Rein pondered.

"Well, this God sounds very fair indeed. Very worth worshiping. But, I am regretful to say that I am unclear as to who he is specifically to even know if I know him."

His words made her smile. There was something of an awed, curious child in him, and not of the sort that violently pulled at one's wings to see if they were real. A respectful child. She paused her digging to ruffle through her fur, find her necklace and give it a squeeze.

"I do not actually know if you..." She trailed off, then shook her head. "He seems both very close and very distant to you. I haven't felt it this way before." Mortician... If that was the way morticians felt, they must have been a very special breed of people. Sheloe dragger her hand across the dirt one last time, then turned around in the hole to watch Rein as she spoke.

"He is Death."

A curious, questioning look grew on his face as the baboon continued. Tilting his head to the side, his brain worked to try and figure out before the answer was given. It hadn't, and as it was revealed, he blinked a bit wide in surprise.

A moment passed before a wide, slightly shy, grin settled upon him. He ducked his head a bit sheepishly.

"Ah- A prophet for Death. I see." A hand lifted to scratch at the back of his head. "Yeah, I could see where that would be confusing about me. I know him, sorta-kinda. We have...an odd relationship." An embarrassed, nervous sort of giggle escaped him.

Honestly, she wasn't sure what to make of his reaction. She sat back on her rump and stared at him for a moment, half-curious and half-suspicious, tilting her head and squinting a little. It could still be some mockery or jape... but it really didn't sound like he was 'yeah, right'ing her.

"Yes. And, no kidding." She couldn't help a chuckle, equally awkward, as it was as infectious as amusement. It lightened the burden of doubt on her heart a little, though. Glancing behind her at the hole, she decided that perhaps tonight, her task was to dig deeper. Metaphorically. She looked to Rein again, intrigued, and stepped forward in his direction. "Would you care to elaborate? You can guess how it is curiosity for me." She rubbed the top of her muzzle unsurely. "Just whatever scrap of knowing you can spare, I will be happy with."

His face was a little blank - not in any aggressive or demeaning manner, but more in a way that hinted there really was a temporary failing in brain function and he wasn't quite sure what to say or do.

"It's...a little complicated to explain." Rein looked away as if nervous a moment, before turning back to the being in the hole. "It's kind of like...when things are dying, I get power." Even he seemed a little confused at his own words. "Or rather, I guess, when they're dead, they're given to me or...well, I guess more like I can take control over them...not really sure it's 'given', per say-" his face turned down and as his tone lowered, he started into a ramble. "No, it's probably more taken, I mean, I do it consciously now, but I didn't before. Before, they just sort of came to me and it was actually rather frightening-.. There was actually this one time- oh sheesh, scared the crap out of me, and that old lady next door, I swear, I think she literally hit a whole new pitch in that scream when that pie flew across the driveway...I mean, really- it was just..."

Sheloe listened intently, her head slightly inclined. This could be very important. Power from dying things... dead things? Dead things given...? The more Rein tried to explain, the more Sheloe's eyes widened and brow furrowed, until she felt like she was sitting in front of a plate of spaghetti, trying to figure out which strand started where and went where and ended where. Her butt plopped down on the ground and she waved her hands around, sending some grains of sand flying.

"No, wait, please, mercy. Too fast. This not my first language, I'm ever so sorry." She bowed her head. It was always safer to blame one's self. "Go again, if you please would, I beg." She cleared her throat. "Slowly."

Oh. The boy instantly clamped his mouth shut and turned a little red.

"I'm sorry." His voice was more than a little apologetic and shy. He took a breath and tried again, looking around. This would be so much easier with a demonstration. He looked back to the other.

"When things die, I can control them. I can either call them to me, or they can come on their own to me." The lijk seemed more than a little nervous upon mentioning the word. He wasn't exactly sure what being a Priest of Death was...but it seemed like it could possibly be an area of clashing beliefs here.

Seeing his embarrassment, Sheloe shook her head quickly as to say 'it's alright', but dared not interrupt him to voice it. In confusion, she glanced around as he did, not knowing what for. Right. At least one of them needed to keep their wits about them, and she blinked hard as to help herself focus.

At his explanation, her mind first went to summoning spirits, but when this new information connected to him saying that his work was related to what was down the hole, it all clicked together. Sheloe raised her eyebrows. "You mean... a necromancer?"

He blinked at the answer and scratched at the back of his head again, glancing away.

"Ah, yeah. Basically, yes." Well, he guessed that was an easier way to say it. Though, that had been the word he was avoiding, really. Seems the the baboon was okay with it for the most part...maybe, hopefully. It seemed nice enough, and was someone who hadn't been mean to him yet- he liked it so far.

Even though he answered, Sheloe did not give any sort of a reaction at all at first, sitting still as a statue with a slight thoughtful frown. It was clear that gears in her head were turning.

Necromancy... was something she was not clear about. She had no holy book to refer to, no higher priest to consult, all she could do was ask her god himself for guidance. There were two options, really... one, that messing with the dead was messing with death, and so an abomination of the highest degree; two, that it was a blessing come from death himself. Sheloe eyed the boy-girl before her carefully, weighing the options like a heart on a soul's way to the Underworld. Perhaps, this was what she had been sent here to find out.

Slowly, the Anubis baboon smiled.

"So it be," she said. "How is it? I mean." She shook her head. "How do you do it? What is the nature of it?"