The Offering Dance

There was so much going on lately, the Summoning Offering, the date with Rya'ikimo, her chores, its mother- She grumbled folding nyr arms. Why was everything so intense lately? Its eyes started to water. Nie bit her lip before letting out a long heavy sigh. Fuck this, she thought standing up. She let out a small string of curses as something hit her head. Nie looked up, immediately seeing someone running away. "Oi! Frick off!" She barks. The person continued running. 

She stood there with its eyes narrowed, biting her lip. Nie knew she shouldn't, it has already spent too much this week. She bounced on one of her legs. It's been a long week, she thought. Spending the rest of my money on that sour cream and cinnamon walnut swirl coffee cake wouldn't be that bad of an idea, right? It hummed a little before shoving her hands into her pockets, feeling its money bag. 

The money bag was light, way lighter than it should be if she were to enter the cafe. It found, however, that nie did not care, and that the sour cream and cinnamon walnut swirl coffee cake was so so worth it. So what if it'd be broke? She felt a tiny little tinge of reason and responsibility make her pause, but soon enough her impulsiveness got the better of her, and it spent all but three dollars on that, and a peppermint tea.

Wisteria sat at one of the various tables. It hummed in delight, doing a little jiggle as nie bit into the coffee cake. She ensured to drink her tea here and there so it wouldn't get cold, but if it were to be honest, it didn't work out too well, she still finished the coffee cake before the tea and the tea still ended up cold. Thankfully it didn't bother it too much. Cake was still cake, and tea was still tea.

Nie stood up, making sure to tip whoever had to tip its table. She let out a long sigh, a smile on her face. She interlaced her fingers and rose her arms up high, stretching its back. Nie hummed softly hearing the various pops from her back. It felt much better, a little more free. With a small yawn, she turned around.

"Oi!-" 

"Fuck- ouch!- Sorry!" Two voices said at the same time. There was a small pause before Wisteria looked up, up and up. She blinked looking at the tall person. Nie gulped. "Erm.. Sorry- for bumping into you." It says again. The other persons eyes narrowed. 

"Be careful shortie." They muttered, walking inside of the cafe. Nie gulped again before nodding to itself, heading home. Why are people so grumpy nowadays? She wondered folding her arms.

She made nyr way up the stone path, ensuring not to touch the bits of water hidden inside of the cracks. It remembered the instances when she's done such. Wisteria winced a little remembering the screams, howls, and often nightmares that would plague nym later on. It took a deep breath before continuing on the path. 

Eying the top of the path nie shoves her hands into her pockets reviewing what she had for an offering. It felt the empty money bag, awkwardly biting her lip not proud of the spending, nie felt the various keys used for her house and nyr library. She felt nyr other trinkets, like the amethyst, tigers eye, quartz and rose quartz, a few diamonds and others. Those odd little glowing berries of hers too, that felt like rubber balls and the odd black goop with sparkles that somehow never stuck to you. 

She knew in her other pocket there was its more academic stuff, like paperclips and note cards, tiny little spellbooks too. Nie frowned, none of these were good to offer to the council. She sighed deeply. "Oh there's no better God than-"

"You again." A voice interrupted her. Nie blinked a few times, scrunching up its eyebrows. 

"Eh?-" It looked up from her pockets. Nie blinked again. Oh- it's them. Her jaw clenched a little, and she nodded nervously. "Yeah.. It's me again." She says. The person lets out a long, long heavy sigh. 

"I'm Rrreegghh'ilka." Nie blinked.

"What?-" They huffed in defeat.

"Reg, roll the the letters. Alee. Ka. Rrreegghh'ilka." They repeated. She stood there for a little bit and just when they were going to open their mouth again, it spoke.

"Rrregh'ilka." She attempts. A hint of a smile reached Rrreegghh'ilka's eyes.

"Close. Rrreegghh."

"Rrreegghh."

"Alee."

"Alee."

"Ka."

"Ka.

"Rrreegghh'ilka." They said finally, grinning.

"Rrreegghh'ilka." Wisteria says with a smile, feeling proud. They nod a bit, and a moment of awkward silence past. Rrreegghh'ilka raises an eyebrow before nie caught on. "Oh! Right," it laughs. "I'm Smith Wisteria, I use she/nie/it pronouns. I'm a witch of the Novice Council." She says with a small bow. The other lets out a sound of surprise. 

"Ah- so we're doing formal greetings." They say awkwardly. Nie looks at them with a shrug. 

"You don't ought to." Rrreegghh'ilka gives nie a look.

"I'm Quio'simakl Rrreegghh'ilka, I use xe/they/cro/fae pronouns. I'm a witch of the Middle Council." They say with a similar bow. Nyr eyes widen. 

"Qee-o-sim-ak-l?" She paused as she attempted to pronounce it, taking note of Rrreegghh'ilka's face. Nie said it right. "They- you-." Nie paused and that made them smile a bit. "The Quio'simakl are one of the greatest witch families," it bows her head. "I'm honored to meet you, Rrreegghh'ilka." Xe laugh awkwardly. 

"No need for that- please-" It blinks, looking up at crow. 

"I-" It remembers them being surprised at the formal greeting. "You don't like all of that, do you?" She asks xem. They shook their head. 

"No, I never have." Fae responded with a small sigh. Nie nods a little.

"Okay, I'll do my best to remember that." They nod a bit.

"You'll have to when you enter the Council Hall with me." Rrreegghh'ilka says with a small frown. She rose nyr eyebrow. "The offerings are for us, the Quio'simakl. It's the-" Its eyes widen.

"The Summoning Offering!" Wisteria shouts. "Good Gods- Oh I forgot-" Her hands flew to her hair, combing through the strands of black. Rrreegghh'ilka stood still, gulping.

"Erm.. You- shiiitt." Xe hisses. Wisteria's grip on nyr hair tightens as she murmurs curses beneath its breath. "Ey ey ey-" Fae says, putting a hand on nyr shoulder. "Ssshhhh-" She looks up at xem. 

"The Summon-"

"Don't tell anyone." Xe whisper, she had to strain her ears to hear them. Nyr eyes widen in confusion, and then it felt it. Cro slipped something inside of her pocket. "Since you're the first non-Quio'simakl I've seen, Smith Wisteria, you will be my dancing partner for tonight." She blinks before smiling a little. 

"Well then, Quio'simakl Rrreegghh'ilka." She nods. "We shall dance."