Qebhet thought a moment as she poured the just-boiled water into the teapot. "I never knew forests in Egypt," she said. Carrying the pot over to the table, she pulled up a seat for herself and, as she spoke, began sharing out chicken, rice and fried plantains between their plates. "We had groves and gardens, many of them, but not that... not that pure wilderness. There were wetlands, though. Great papyrus swamps all along the River, twice as tall as a man, and lotus flowers that opened with the sun. In the Harvest Season – in summer – the water was blue as lapis, and so cool." A faraway smile played across her face as she fell into reminiscence. "I used to go swimming at night, under the stars. Do you remember the stars before cities, Much? How bright they burned? They were even brighter then... the Milky Way like a river up in the sky. Some believed it was. Some said it was the milk of the Heavenly Cow. Some even said it was me." Qebhet sighed and her eyes closed briefly, her expression wistful. "Yes, I do miss the stars."