Ananu was lying on the ground, not maintaining the shape of a clay figure, but simply lying down.
It did not stay with Enkidu and Humbaba.
It has been a long time since it entered Enlil's forest with Enkidu, at least hundreds of days have passed since it was counted in the unit of "days".
They entered the forest of Enlil, spent eighty days to find Humbaba, then spent eighty days to call Humbaba's attention, and then spent eighty days to understand Humbaba's language.
After that, it was quite a long time.
During this period, it and Enkidu had been following Humbaba, observing, learning, and understanding.
But they also need to think alone. This is the conclusion they reach after going through program judgment.
They need to sort out what they see and hear in the forest, and then prepare for where they should go.
That is - Uruk.
There, there is the person they need to persuade and bring back - the king of Uruk, Gilgamesh.
Ananu was lying down, and a bird sat on his antlers, but he ignored it.
Enkidu and Ananu are not too far apart. Although they are "each other's company" in Humbaba's words, it does not mean that they will not be separated for a short time. This is normal behavior.
Enkidu was also thinking. There was a rabbit that seemed to use its body as a shallow cave, digging the mud to both sides, and then got in.
Just like Ananu didn't care about the birds, Enkidu didn't care about the rabbits either.
Because there is no need to move now.
"Ah! Ananu, Enkidu! You are here!"
Girls are coming.
Humbaba is not a single existence, they will turn into various or even plural existences, but the essential thoughts, superficial thoughts and thoughts, will only exist in one - that is, in Ananu and Enkidu
The one shown in front of.
Ananu and Enkidu noticed Humbaba's arrival, got up and moved towards Humbaba's direction.
The birds were frightened, the rabbits were frightened away, and the clay men and perfect humans came together again.
"Do you still remember what happened to us?"
The girls climbed on top of the clay men and asked them in cautious tones.
Ananu and Enki both nodded without much pause.
They remember and must remember.
...Maybe there is also the factor of "because of the mission", but the girls, Humbaba, did leave a deep impression and shadow in the hearts of the clay people.
It is impossible to forget.
This is also part of the "agreement".
"Very good!"
The girls laughed happily.
This is a question they must ask every time they see Ananu and Enkidu.
Ananu and Enki both found it strange - why did she ask the same question every time?
Isn't this what was agreed upon?
Later Ananu and Enkidu learned that it was called "fear".
The flowers on Ananu and Enkidu's heads were still blooming, but they looked wilted at some point.
The girls smiled and told Ananu and Enkidu what they had seen and heard.
The clay figures did not make any other movements, they just lay motionless on the ground, listening to the girls' voices and stories, just like before.
But this time, Humbaba's expression became sad as he spoke.
Both Ananu and Enkidu were a little confused.
what happened?
"Na."
"Na."
"We are your friends."
The girls disappeared, leaving only one.
She was lying on the back of the clay figure. Ananu and Enkidu's backs were both wide. Now they were leaning together, just enough for the girl transformed by Humbaba to lie down.
Ananu and Enkidu listened to Humbaba's words and said nothing.
But they have heard Humbaba say this many times, and they have to emphasize it every time.
They are friends with them.
Humbaba is friends with Ananu and Enki.
After Humbaba says these words, he usually rolls on them as if playing.
But not this time.
She just sat up, with a hint of loneliness in her expression.
"...But, we soon stopped being friends."
Ananu and Enkidu were both a little dazed.
what does that mean?
"Ah, I don't mean that I don't like you anymore."
As if realizing that his words might bring harm to the clay people, Humbaba quickly waved his hand.
But she herself had forgotten that the clay people's psychology would not be harmed.
They are just a little curious and a little puzzled.
"It's just...I can't leave here anymore."
"We can't go anywhere anymore."
They said this to the two clay figures, with helplessness and sadness in their voices that the clay figures could not understand.
Can't go anywhere.
Does it mean you can't leave the forest?
But - Humbaba clearly has four limbs and has not lost the ability to move, so why can't he leave the forest?
Humbaba also seemed to realize that Ananu and Enkidu might not understand what he said.
She smiled, turned around, knelt on the backs of the clay men, then stretched out her hands and touched the heads of Ananu and Enkidu.
She looked at the wreaths still hanging on the clay people's heads and sighed softly.
"We can no longer see the same things as you."
She leaned down and held the clay man's head with her arms.
"Because, we will definitely forget you."
She closed her eyes, and there was a little grievance in her voice, and a cry that the clay men couldn't even detect.
But even though he was sad, Humbaba still showed a smile when facing his "our" friends.
"do you know?"
"To us, Ananu and Enkidu are like flowers."
"You have liberated us from the endless resentment and the endless abyss of loneliness."
"Ahh..."
Even though she was smiling, the girl's closed eyes still revealed something that the clay men didn't know or understand.
Crystal clear, like a gem.
That is, tears.
"I hope that one day you will be able to meet someone who is like a flower to you."
The girl transformed by Humbaba cried.
This made the clay men a little confused.
Crying, the girl continued talking with a smile on her face.
"People like you, even if they wither and wither, will eventually bloom again."
"If only you would notice—"
"There must be people blooming everywhere... like flowers."
At some point, the shining light appeared again around the girl's body.
But the light disappeared in a flash.
Because the girl didn't know when she disappeared from the backs of Ananu and Enkidu.
This is the first time the clay people have experienced the feeling of "loneliness".