Sebek appears from the underbrush.
Sebek has arrived.
s
You find a path through the trees, and eventually reach a grassy hilltop.
Lonely Hilltop
This is a truly odd place, startling in its abrupt change of scenery. It is a large, grass-covered hill, without so much as a single tree on it. However, all around the foot of the hill, the forest crowds in, trees packed densely together. A large stone, perhaps three feet in diameter, sits on top of the hill. One face has been sheared away as though by a great axe, leaving a glimmering reflective surface. From the hilltop, it is almost possible to see over the treetops, but not quite. The greater heights of the eastern mountains are visible from it, in distant, hazy splendor. There is an air of peacefulness that hangs over the place, almost a sleepy feeling. Most of the time, few noises can be heard except for the blowing of the wind.
The dark green of the forest surrounds the hill on all sides. Going any direction will likely be something of a struggle.
Sebek steps out of the treeline to the north.
Sebek has arrived.
+phoon
The moon's current phase is full, which corresponds to the ahroun auspice. For more information, examine #1676.
Sebek runs up the hill, grinning happily. "This place is so pretty!"
Sepdet looks around thoughtfully. "Not here. Maybe..." She squints up at the moon. "Yeah. Probably." With a smile, she walks over to the boulder and sits down in front of it.
You start to reach through the umbra.
Sepdet contemplates her reflection in the gleaming side of the stone.
You enter the umbra, with a feeling as though passing through some kind of membrane. Colors jump into brightness and contrasts sharpen.
Sepdet seems to shimmer momentarily, and then vanishes.
Umbra: Hill of the Stone
This is a great circular hilltop amid the Umbral woods, startling in its lack of trees. The hill is cleared of all but grass from the hill's crown to its foot. A great stone sits on the hill's crown, perhaps three feet in diameter. One face of the stone has been sheared away as though by a great axe, leaving a gleaming silver surface that seems to shine with an inner light. Off to the east, the mountains can be seen, seeming to rise higher here than in the human world. They seem to be watching this place from afar.
Extremely faint pathways descend from the hilltop, leading north and south.
Contents:
Anpwhotep
Anubis
Obvious exits:
North South
Anpwhotep nods. She was to meet me here.
Anubis looks slightly amused. Apparently so. Hello, Sepdet.
l anu
Anubis has sleek, jet-black fur, with dark, old, wise eyes, though he looks fairly young. He is an elegant-looking wolf, if odd in appearance as well. In fact, he has obvious jackal blood in him, evidenced by the overly long and narrow snout and the tall, sharply-pointed ears. Perhaps oddest of all, the fur directly behind each eye is white and trails off from in it in a line along the side of his head, as though to suggest the stylized eyes in Egyptian art. He is fairly large, but looks more like he has the wiry strength of a runner than the brute strength of a warrior.
A jagged white scar is visible running through the fur of his right shoulder, and patches of fur here and there seem to be shorter than others, as though in the process of regrowing.
Sebek seems to appear as though emerging from some kind of pool of invisibility, head appearing first and the rest of the body following.
Sebek has arrived.
Sepdet steps out of the rock and shakes herself, still reeking faintly of the city. She drops down to one knee to smile at Anubis. "Rhya."
Anubis pages: You notice that the old wound on Anubis' shoulder is covered with congealed, but not yet crusted, blood. Anubis doesn't seem too bothered by it, however.
Sebek seems to appear as though emerging from some kind of pool of invisibility, head appearing first and the rest of the body following.
Sebek has arrived.
Anubis's nostrils flare slightly, and gestures toward Tep with his head. I mean to teach something to our Elder, here, if you'd like to join us.
Sepdet ducks her eyes. "I would be glad to." She takes a step to one side to put a reassuring hand on the disconcertingly familiar-looking boy's shoulder.
Sebek _stares_ at Anubis for a moment, mouth agape, before dropping his eyes to the ground in deference.
Anubis's eyes narrow slightly as he looks at the boy. ~Have we met before, Stranger?~
Sebek shakes his head. ~No sir.~

l sebek
This four and a half feet tall, thin brown-skinned boy has a soft, sad look about him. His dark hair is brushed back, revealing his knotted brow, wrinkled with concern and worry. Beyond his hazel eyes lie a wisdom far past his almost fourteen years. The four small claw marks across his face bear testament to his experience. His light body moves quietly, his feet treading gently upon the ground with natural grace. Thin, delicate hands dangle from his scarred, small wrists, moving almost constantly with nervous energy. Sebek speaks with a slight Egyptian accent in a clear and distinctly soft voice.
Sebek is wearing a pair of somewhat baggy and oversized blue jeans with holes worn in the knees, as well as a black tee-shirt. He also is wearing an old, ragged brown winter coat. A mismatched pair of shoes (one pair of red Chucks and a black Nike cross trainer) adorn his tiny feet.

Anubis cocks his head slightly. ~But yet you seem to know me.~
Anpwhotep watches Sebek and waits...
Sebek says, ~My name is Sebek, theurge of our tribe, sir.~
Sebek says, ~I don't know you, sir. I do know you are an elder, sir, and of noble blood.~
Sebek refuses to look up at the elder Silent Strider, his eyes glued to a small rock in front of him. He turns red under the scrutiny of his elder.
Sepdet stands rather protectively at the boy's side, forceably and visibly keeping her mouth shut.
Anubis stands and slowly approaches the boy. ~I am ... old, in some ways, yes. But Anpwhotep is the Elder here. I am called Anubis by most. Look at me, Sebek; I am not here to lord over you, noble blood or no.~
Sebek shyly looks up at Anubis. ~Yes sir.~
Anubis sits in front of the boy. ~Good. And I see that you are respectful. You ... are Sepdet's brother, yes?~ His eyes suddenly seem to widen and turn an even darker brown than usual, almost as black as the pupils as the whites disappear.
Sebek glances to his sister, nodding. ~I am, sir.~
Anubis says, ~And so you came here to find her?~
Sepdet keeps her grip lightly on her brother's shoulder, watching Anubis' scrutiny of the boy with a nervous, trusting glance.
Sebek says, ~Yes sir, I did. It took a long time, sir.~
Anubis says, ~How did you finally discover her?~
Sebek says, ~She discovered me, sir. In...in...~
Anubis waits, eyes looking into the boy's.
Sebek turns beet red and glances at the ground. He bites his lip.
Anubis continues to wait silently.
Sebek clears his throat. ~The Black Spiral Dancers put me in a pit, sir, and hurt me. Sepdet and her friends came and took me away.~
Sepdet gives Anubis a pained and not quite accusing grimace, and caresses Sebek's cheek gently.
Anubis, seemingly ignoring Sepdet's glance, seems to get a more serious, grave expression. ~And now you have brought them here, haven't you?~
Sebek frowns, glancing up. ~What?~
Long distance to Sebek: Sepdet writhes quietly. :) Ack, Sepdet respects Anubis a lot. She'd deck anyone else for asking you that.
Anubis says, ~These Black Spirals. They followed you, did they not?~
Sebek says, ~They followed me to the city, but they've not followed me since they put me in the pit.~
Anpwhotep nods. Our raid on their nest may have been a failure at destroying them, but it denied them their nest.
Anubis cocks his head to one side, his intentness seemingly broken by Tep's interjection. ~That is good. Well met, then, Sebek. We should talk more later.~
Anubis stands again, and lopes back over a few steps away to his former position beside the stone.
Sebek still looks frightened and near tears. ~Yes sir.~
Sepdet nuzzles Sebek's shoulder in a rather lupine gesture, now that the interrogation is done. ~It's all right, Sen. He had to ask, he's our judge.~ She takes a deep breath. ~You gonna be okay? Anubis-rhya, can he stay here, or should I send him across to the woods?~
Sebek wipes his eyes and nods mutely.
Anubis seems to be acting uncharacteristically harsh this evening, but his voice does soften somewhat. ~Do not feel forced to call me Sir, Sebek. I am a simple Lupus, and such titles mean little to me.~ He pauses a moment. ~I usually have to have my packmates explain what they mean,~ he says with a slight lupine grin.
Sebek looks at Anubis and forces a smile before dropping his glance to the ground.
Anubis shakes his head at Sepdet. ~I am afraid not this time, Sepdet. The three of us need to speak alone for now.~
Sebek's shoulders slump and he nods again.
Sepdet nods and carefully slips her necklace off, the one that bears Jeremy's ankh and the gifts of two living friends. She hands it to her brother. ~Sit and watch our stars and my trees. I'll be right where you are, just on the other side of the rock.~
Anpwhotep nods approvingly at Sepdet's choice of places.
Sebek takes the necklace gently and puts it around his neck. ~Okay.~ He gives his sister a quick hug before going back to the realm.
Sepdet embraces him reassuringly and watches him until she's sure he's safely across before turning back to the others.
Sebek walks over to the great stone, staring at his reflection in its side.
Sebek has left.
Sepdet inclines her head in slight apology to her elders, and then sits down and tucks her legs under herself. ~Okay.~
Anubis watches the youth go, and then turns back to the other two, cocks an eyebrow slightly. ~I do not mean to be harsh to your brother, Sepdet. But only through adversity can his character be tested.~