When she'd surfaced at the edge of the swamp, far out, in front of a cave mouth that sank deeper into the ground, she could smell it.She could smell the rot.
Cautiously, she started to make her way down as a caiman, but soon it was a mare, creeping down the slowly spiralling hole. Honestly, she hadn't walked much before she stopped in front of a row of glowing lights, almost like fireflights in formation but -
- that was where the rot emanated from.
She paused, and in a while, her softly glowing eyes adjusted to the dark. The row of lights had been shifting, a skittling noise scraping across the ground, but as she peered at it, it too, stilled.
She was face to face with a massive worm, its mandibles around the - shoulders? of a kin's carcass, somewhat decayed. Whether the missing parts were rotted or devoured, it was not clear.
Its multiple claws held the carcass with a solemn grip. Here she was, vulnerable, as a worm paused through its rancid dinner with a stare.
As her eyes adjusted further to the dark horror, and shifted between its - mouth? and the carcass, she was surprised she felt no further fear. So that was a dead kin. So that was a worm, eating it, Back into the cycle of the swamp. It was only natural, however they were felled or claimed.
"Hello," she ventured.
"Hello," it returned.
"Wait, what?"
"Hello," it returned a little more insistently this time, until she realised that the bobbing row of lights was an entirely different colour, like the ripples of a lake under moonlight. (Which is to say, teal.)
She squinted and made out the figure of a zikwa, those wrinkly members of kin society. The worm had returned to its dinner, munching contentedly. Slightly embarrassed, she quickly replied, "I was drawn here...do you know you're about to be a mother?"
"No," and it was slightly irritable. "Well, I should hope not. It would be an unpleasant surprise - I would much rather be the father, so I hope that's what you're here to report."
"Well, congratulations," she squirmed, suddenly more in fear of the offended zikwa than the rather peaceable worm. "Somewhere out there, your line will continue."
"Ah," and it turned light. "The wonders of nature. Is that all you're here to say? I'm assuming she didn't send you, if you were 'drawn' here."
"You ought to be more respectful right before a blessing," she snapped, returning to her natural self. He laughed and bowed, the glow rippling.
"Please bless my children." He said rather irritatingly this time, voice smooth.
"Any requests?" It was almost sarcastic. At this point, she'd wished it was just the worm, who was polishing off a hoof.
"Let them feel the light."
She did grin at that.
"Done. Who's that, by the way?"
"That kin? Don't know - was just expired when we got here. I said a little prayer, Legendary."
"Hm," She said approvingly, and it seemed they both watched the worm finish its dinner.
END