"Through the study of our rites we taste divinity."
It was a good thing that Eve had always been an introspective sheep, always been prone to falling into deep pauses of thought in random corners or near the fires she constructed because it meant that none of the- her? - followers disturbed her when she took a silent seat near the edge of The Garden. The Crimson Eye's own whispers had quieted in her mind, granting her the peace to continue mulling over the information she had gained from that latest encounter with the chained god.
All this time, she had assumed this to be merely a contract of regaining power - that she would take the time to gather the followers, build up the resources, fix the desolate and abandoned cult grounds and when it was all done, she would be free to carry out the rest of her life as a free-ewe. She had never intended to stay in the Lands of the Old or even with the Garden once it was completed and she had never intended to lead the cult in any, permanent or long-term way, All the work, time and effort expended had been in the interest of repaying her assumed debt for being granted a second chance at life.
But now even the Lord of Death seemed to believe this arrangement was permanent.
She exhaled slowly through her nostrils, lessening the about of noise she made while she sighed.
Eve hadn't completely ignored the cult when she returned of course - she'd collected quite a few berries, wood and stone to further their repairs of the camp and during the slower, less blood-spattered moments of travel she had absently woven a few flower necklaces to share among them. When she spotted the hard, cold spots on the ground they had all (Ratau included) been sleeping, she'd merely sat down and began the process of showing them how to weave simple grass sleeping spaces. They weren't the most comfortable in the world, but she'd used them before she'd been captured and they were comfortable enough with the bonus of being being and flammable, good for making a fire-pit on in the morning for breakfast while the smoke conveniently masked her scent,
When that was finished, Ratau had been eager to lead her into the temple to begin another sermon and declare her first doctrine when he spotted the commandment stone in her hooves. She'd felt uncomfortable and awkward though the Crimson Eye kept her from stuttering, fed her the right words and made her sound like she was confident in it all. It was even kind enough to bring up the concept of a simple, bonfire ritual as their first doctrine - a dance and rite performed by most cults as a means of bonding under the light of the moon or the glare of the sun.
Blessed lamb of of such incredible mercy.
Eve blinked, snapped from her own thoughts by the intrusive voice of another. She had been struggling to control this new ability granted by the One Who Waits though the red crown. Was this a normal struggle to have? For her mind to go wandering and find itself in the heads of others? At least it was a good thought, Valefor (the new red worm she'd brought in and paired with Amdusias for joining) seemed to express the same amount of glee and reverence for her that the stag,
Reading minds hadn't been as... earth shaking as she anticipated. People thought about all the things she assumed they did.
Oh these camellias are beautiful - it was so kind of the lamb to pause their crusade just to gather these for me.
It's been a while since I've eaten - perhaps I can try one of those berry mashes?
This grass bedding is much better than sitting on the ground - should I make more?
Eve immediately flashed that follower - Maon - a pleased blink and inclined their head subtly, watching the rabbit immediately rush to do just that. No matter who you were, it was always smart to reward the behavior you want to see - and she wanted to see these cultist helping making life better for each other since their god certainly wouldn't. She hadn't even needed to say anything about 'reading minds,' it seemed the cult had assumed she'd had such an ability from the very start when they caught the red crown upon her head. A wide and intelligent assumption really, it was after all, the reason rams from her flock weren't permitted to know their variant of the Tongue of Palms.
"Blessed lamb?"
She turned her attention to Lumor, the stag who was wringing his hooves a bit nervously.
"Forgive me truly if I am overstepping your worship but I..." the deer took a deep breath. "I was interested in meaningful way you communicate with your hooves?"
She paused thinking the desire over as Ratau came closer, eagerly stepping up as a translator.
"...this is a language, a tongue taught from mother to daughter, not typically given to those akin to a ram," the rat recited, watching the deer immediately become crestfallen but understanding, clearly about to accept that and move on. Except that Eve's palms were still moving and the lamb was still speaking. "However as the last sheep... I have doubts that I will ever be a mother and further ones that I will have a daughter. So perhaps you are a suitable exception."
"Oh thank you blessed lamb for allowing me to partake in such a glorious aspect of your being," the deer said immediately dropping to his knees to bow.
"Well the first thing you should know is that my expressions are not mere hints but are part of the language itself..."
