to feel his bones burning inside

Nantli, niyopolihui— She swallows her worry and treads lightly among the undergrowth, unfamiliar territory overcoming her vision as she passes the border marking the new land nantli had described to her. Tall, thick trees greeted the cerulean damsel and her golden eyes flitted downwards, eyeing the heavily trodden paths beneath her. So many had passed through this same road long before she had, and somewhere among those many souls had been her mother, much older than she when she found this land. The Azteca was still blossoming, youthful and full of potential with her childhood just beginning to slip from her grasp. Nantli had sent her here, told her to tie up her loose ends for her and to discover more of her dam's past, to delve deeper into this unique world that was so far from Arto. 

She had traveled for months, following specifically the directions given to her by nantli, praying to the gods she could make it safely to the fabled "Helovia." She sacrificed in their names, holding her own rituals to honour them and provided offerings as she went in hopes her prayers could be answered. They were, as she made it without trouble to the foreign land. As she passed through the border, her entire being shifted and changed. She felt a cry, loud and thunderous in the back of her head as she stepped into a realm reigned by all new deities. 

It was like losing a loved one, feeling all the emotional hurt of watching them leave you behind. Subtle at first, her sorrows welling until finally she shed tears, whimpering at the hollowness of her heart and mind. Her soul was let go, her gods took their hands from her spirit and let her free. She had never felt so alone, even when she had traveled on her own for months she had always felt their presence, but now the maiden felt their support and watchful gazes peel away from her. It was like tearing away a scab from a healing wound, slow and strenuous as she stepped further and further into Helovia's forest. Nixayo... for you. She turns to bow her head, giving thanks to the gods for the safe passage and entry. Swearing her golden eyes catch a whisper of the forms of her gods, standing there to watch her depart from them. She heard their voices, whispering goodbyes to their daughter as she turned from them, from her past, facing her present.

The peafowl turns to face what now lay before her, thick green undergrowth that was so different from her homeland, so strange. She felt lost, like she didn't belong here. But she knew she must continue on, for nantli, she would be brave. Her tears dried and her sorrow sunk, numbing her spirit until finally she felt empty and quiet, letting her fears eat away at her from the inside where no one else could see.

Moca, nantli. She remembers clearly the words that still lingered in her mind, the descriptions and names that had been assigned to faces. The herds that roamed the lands, the experiences her nantli left with, it was all tucked away for her reference. The young warrior had them all stored, paying particular attention to the talk of an ivory pegasus with grullo staining and an arrogant stride, someone her mother mentioned more often then others in her stories. She sought him, but where he roamed escaped the azure damsel.

"Tiaz, Yoatl. Tiaz auh taciz Helovia." She had told her, looking at her troubled and uncertain, like she had wanted to keep Yaotl at her side for as long as she could. But alas, the tlactl had to remain with Arto and rule over the slowly expanding herd, she could not follow her daughter though her heart had wished her to. Maybe one day she would return to her nantli, but that day would not dawn for another many years. 

-- nantli is "mother", niyopolihui is "i am troubled", nixayo is "my tears", moca "for you, for your sake" tiaz auh taciz Helovia is "you will go and you will reach Helovia" tlactl is "lady" (as in a a woman in power). grammar probably isnt correct but im working on finding some grammar guides for nahuatl atm c":