The Egyptian Pantheon: The Story of the Shadow Jackal

Chapter 1

"Ríver. Ríver. Ríver. RÍVER "

"Give up Rach, Ríver is a heavy sleeper, it would take you a miracle to wake her up, without her punching you."

"I know that Joey, everyone knows that, but that does mean I'm giving up" "Of course you not going to give up, but may I remember you Riv gets very very cranky when anyone wakes her up."

"Yes, I know that, and I also know that there is one among many to wake Riv up without them punching or getting cranky"

"And what is that?"

"Niles, you know her pet Sulimov dog!"

"Niles. Rachel, you plan to use Niles to wake up Ríver, are you mad!"

"Relax Joey, Niles is just going to lick her."

"Okay, oh Niles sweety come here girl, pretty please!"

Rachel and Joey hear floor textiles clacking, and then happy yapping. "Good morning, Niles girl," said Rachel, more happy yapping "This is going to be one of your dumbest plans or stupidest, yet," said Joey,

"No, it won't"

"Now Niles, up-up-up-up-up on to River's bed"

"Good girl Niles, now give River a lot of wet kisses." Said Rachel. Doing as Rachel said, Niles began to give her owner wet kisses. "Your plans never work, they........." said Joey, then Joey was cut off by Ríver's giggles, and tried to get Niles to stop licking her and get off her. "Good morning, Ríver," said Rachel with a grinning smile pointing at Joey. "Good morning, Rachel Joey," said Ríver, "Good morning, Ríver," said Joey with a defensive look on his face. "And, GOOD MORNING, Niles. Who's my adorable black Sulimov dog." Ríver said as she showered her dog with love and baby talk. "Okay, that's never not going to be weird." said Joey, "Okay, come Ríver get dressed, then come down," said Rachel, "All right, now get out so that I may change into my day clothes." Rachel and Joey go downstairs to wait for Ríver.

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It has been a little close to a decade since Rachel, Joey, Phoebe, Acxa, Connor, Alexander, Cassandra, Lysandra, Dorian, and Rachel's brother Aaron found me wet, cold, and alone on the bank shore of the Nile Ríver. With zero memories on how I got there or who I was. I didn't even remember my own name. But I'm glad they found me and helped me back then and now they are still helping me find out who I really am and where I came from, thought Ríver. "Come on Niles, let's go downstairs and get some breakfast.

"SSSSSSHHHHHH, she is coming down the stairs." Someone whispers

"Hey, why is it dark, where is the light switch? '' said Ríver.

Ríver hears people whispering, then "SURPRISE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Ríver." Shouted Rachel, Joey, Phoebe, Acxa, Connor, Alexander, Cassandra, Lasandra, and Dorian. Everyone hears AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH. Then they hear a loud hit then a thud, then a groan. "ooooohhh, Ríver just punched Dorian in the stomach," said the person to Ríver's right, it's Cassandra. "Well, this is what happens when someone tries to get the jump on Ríver, you get hit hard. "I'm so so so so sorry Dorian, it was a reflex to hit someone when I get scared," said Ríver. "Wow Riv, you have a strong right hook," grumbled Dorian.

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"It's been... what 10 years, since we became friends and you still aren't used to us giving a surprise party!" said Connor. "CONNOR!!!!!" "That's mean," said Lysandra, then Lysandra slaps Connor very hard on the back of his head. "OOOWWWWW, that hurts" "Why did you hit me, Lys?" yapped Connor in pain. While Connor and Lysandra were arguing back and front about manners and social indecency. "Sigh, the twins are out it again," said Acxa, while everyone else is trying to hold in their laughter. "Anyway, Happy Birthday/Gotcha Day Ríver and Niles," chippered Phoebe. "HAHAHA, thx guys. But please stop the surprise parties, I don't think Dorian, Alex, Connor, and Joey's nose(s) can survive another right hook without fracturing or breaking" said Ríver while giggling. "Well like what Marie Antoinette would say, let them eat cake," said Rachel. While everyone was circling around the cake to see Ríver make a wish on the candles. "I wish... I wish... I wish to find out where I come from, who I am, and if I have any family or someone out there looking for me," thought Ríver, then she blew out her candles. Cassandra cut the cake, while Acxa was getting the ice cream and passed out the slices of cake and scoops of ice cream to everyone. When everyone got a slice of cake & scoop of ice cream, they all sat down on the couch and/or on the floor.

After 10 minutes of happy, joyful chattered and asking questions, "What did you wish for Ríver?" asked Dorian, "Slap" "Ow" "That hurts. Acxa, why did you hit me?" shouted Dorian. "Because you ask someone what they wished for because if they tell you their wish will not come true, you asshole," said Acxa. "It is okay Acxa" "No it's not, this asshole should know by now not to ask someone what they wish for when they blow out their birthday candles," argued Acxa. Ríver sighed in defense while Dorian was rubbing the back of his head, "What you say is true Acxa, but still doesn't give you the right to hit Dorian that hard on the back of his head. Maybe next time you can punch him lightly on his shoulder." said Ríver, "And as for my wish, it is the same thing I've been wishing for the past 10 years!" explain Ríver. Rachel, Joey, Phoebe, Acxa, Connor, Dorian, Alexander, Cassandra, and Lysandra, all gave each other and Ríver a look of sadness, pity, and understanding. "It's okay Riv" "We did say we will help you find your family and where you came from," said Rachel and Phoebe. "Okay, no more mopping around." "If we are all done with eating the cake and ice cream, let's clean up and put everything up,." said Cassandra. After Cassandra said all that, everyone started to clean up and put things back where they found them.

After 30 minutes of cleaning up and putting thing's back up where they belong. "Alright, now that is done, we need to get to work," said Cassandra, Lysandra, and Acxa. "Oh man, do we have to go to work now," complained Joey, Connor, and Alexander. "Yes, we do. Now stop acting like babies, and get ready for work. Come on Nile." said Ríver. "Rív is right," said Alex, "and... oh shit, we have an hour and 30 minutes, until we are late." panicked Alex

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One hour later, Ríver and her friends along with Niles race to the museum, so their boss doesn't rip their heads off for being late again. Finally, after leaving the house 20 minutes ago, and trying to avoid city traffic they finally made it to work with 10 minutes to spare. While Dorian, Connor, and Alexander race to change into their security union formals, Ríver, Rachel, Phoebe, Acxa, Cassandra, Lysandra, and Joey quickly speeded walk to their jobs in the café with Niles tailing Ríver. Once the eight of them got to the café and got into their union formals and Ríver put on Niles vest caring try, they got to work. Cassandra and Lysandra welcomed people to the café and took orders, while Acxa and Phoebe were making the orders, Ríver, Joey, and Niles with her tray caring vest took the orders out to their respectful tables. "Welcome to the Hounds and Jackals café, let me show you to your table. My name is Cassandra" said Cassandra, As Cassandra is talking the customers are staring that the dogs walking around, balancing trays on their vests. Cassandra traces their stares, "Oh, if you are wondering why we have different dogs taking orders out that is because at our café we have medium to big-sized dogs taking orders out to waiting tables, and if you see one of the dogs with jackal traits, it is okay. Because that would be Niles, she belongs to one of our amazing servers, Ríver," said Cassandra. As she says that Niles walks right to pass them carrying a tray with drinks on it out to table 4, and with her teeth, she takes the tray off her back vest, and Niles places the tray she was carrying onto the table, and waits for the customers there to take their drinks. They do with awe and wonder on their faces, but after Niles puts the tray back onto her back vest and before she can leave, one of the customer's little girls offers a treat to Niles, Niles hesitates a bit, then gently takes the treat and eats it. Then she gently nogged the hand of the little girl, then walked away. "I'm guessing you are wondering why that little girl gives that Sulimov dog a treat." "Well, some of the customers are given a choice to tip their canine servers with treats or pats.," explained Cassandra. "That little girl chose to give Niles a tip treat, and Niles showed her gratitude to the little girl.", explained Cassandra.

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A few hours later, after the morning rush, almost everyone is taking a break. "Hey Ríver," "Yes"

"Will you please bring Aaron his lunch that he ordered?" asked Rachel, "Sure, but who is bringing Dorian, Connor, and Alex their lunches?" asked Ríver. "Oh, well Acxa brings Connor his lunch, and Cassandra is bringing Alex his lunch. It is quietly adorable that Cassandra is bringing her baby brother's lunch to him, and as for Dorian Lysandra is bringing him his lunch" answered Rachel. "Oh well okay, so where could I find Aaron?" asked Ríver. "I believe he is at his office or he might be showing some new investors for the Egyptian pantheon part of the museum around showing off the exhibits and the plans for the new exhibits." "So, if you find him showing the new investors around, just leave his lunch on his desk, alright.," said Rachal, "Okay, thx Rach" "Let me just take off Niles's severing vest," said Ríver, clip clack thud sap "There we go, come on Niles. Let's go find Aaron and deliver his lunch, then we can go and see the giant jackal statues.," said Ríver.