As he cradled her small hand in his, it occurred to him that Ain had been like this before, many centuries ago, when his influence had reached an all time high, and many people visited his temple for fear of their loved ones remains being eaten by jackals.
Many people of a particular village believed that he enjoyed humans as sacrifices—he did not care for much in particular, as most offerings would become his dogs feed—and ended up bringing a young child to act as a sacrifice, to 'appease' him; apparently, they believed giving him an outcast would result in saving the dead village leader's body.
It helped that they saw the child as something demonic and unnatural; two birds and one stone, as humans say.
Personally, Anubis failed to see how that was a fair trade to begin with, as it was not as if the child desired to be born differently from others, but humans and their hysterics rarely surprised him at that point.
Usually, such news would be of little concern to him, but there he was, quietly watching from his temple while his jackals prowled the front of it, waiting for possibly the strangest sacrifice he would receive, and for the strangest reason he was anticipating it.
'"Let me go!"'
A scream from a young girl awoke him from his stupor, and with a surprised look he peered from his temple even further to better observe the scene taking place in front of him.
'"A-Ain! L-Leave my sister alone—AIN!"'
'"Silence, it is for the good of our deceased chief and our village that murderers such as yourselves face punishment! Atone for your sins before Anpu!"'
The girl in question gave more protests while her brother—younger, most likely—cried for her, but the mob of worshippers pushed her onward until she slammed into the stone stairs of the temple.
Shaking, she stared up, locks of white hair—the symbol of her 'wickedness' and mark of an outcast—tumbling away to reveal fearful black eyes, skin that was already pale bleached white from terror.
Silent sentinels, Anubis, or rather Anpu's, priests stood over the quivering girl, faces obscured by jackal masks. Frightened, she predictably attempted to run away, only to stop when she saw the priests behind her holding her little brother in their grasp.
She gasped as she caught her brother, holding him close as he cried.
Bruises adorned the young boy, and with the protective fury only an elder sibling could truly have, she cried, '"What do you want from us?"'
His priest's parted way for the head priest who dragged her to the opening of the temple, a black maw of stone that seemed more like a tomb than a temple.
'"First, we shall see if Anpu accepts you,"' he intoned with authority, gaze steadfast and hidden beneath his mask.
'"As what?!"' she snarled, eyes all but feral, '"As a sacrifice? Or for judgement against an act of self defense?"'
'"Perhaps both,"' he looked down at her, and then she could see the eyes hidden beneath his jackal cowl, hidden from the world's cruelty.
'"However, I would not count you out yet with how keenly he watches you even now, and if he should accept you, your brother could be saved."'
His eyes were red.
That was the last color she saw before she was swallowed in the darkness of the tomb, and the gleam of jackal eyes surrounded her, observing her, testing her. Fear permeated the dank atmosphere, and the jackals snarled, a warning that if she did not intrigue their lord, they would rip her to shreds.
Inhaling shakily, she stood upon bruised legs, shaking as she moved a few steps—only to stop at the sounding of growls. She inhaled, exhaled, and then stared forward steadfastly, onyx eyes bright with intent.
'"Are you watching me right now, Anpu?"'
Silence overcame the tomb, the gleam of jackal eyes fading away before new eyes that stood several feet above her began to glow and eerie gray.
'""How interesting. To think a little murderer would speak in such a tone.""'
'"I! I... I... But I only wanted... him to stop... I didn't mean to... really, I didn't mean it at all..."'
A shift in the air; a warm hand resting upon her bowed head while she trembled; a soft voice that brought tears to her eyes.
'""I know.""'
Suddenly the eyes were at her level, and were not gray, but now gold.
'""Little Ain, will you be my Priestess?""'
And that was how they met, how they stayed together for centuries, a priestess and her god together for eternity.
'That's why, Ain,' he thought helplessly while gripping her frail hand, 'please live; please survive. I cannot bear the rest of this ageless existence to remain in the dark and cold of those tombs. Please... please, choose me once again...'