Annanu and Enkidu walked hand in hand through the streets of Uruk, calmly looking around.
This was considered Uruk's commercial district. Merchants bartered goods here, temple officials carried off merchandise using clay tokens, and rotating guards supervised large transactions.
Everything was orderly.
After observing for a while, Annanu and Enkidu left before anyone noticed the two strange figures, and the guards following them left as well.
Annanu and Enkidu had noticed that someone was following them, but they did not care.
Their intelligence made it clear why they were being followed. To this city, it was still uncertain whether they were trouble or friends.
They had merely entered the city in the name of observation and understanding.
After leaving the commercial district, they wandered into the residential area.
There were taverns and brothels here. Children, barefoot like them, ran along the streets, while the adults were nowhere to be seen.
"At this time of day, the adults should be working," Annanu said expressionlessly as he walked.
"More or less. The adults should be tending livestock or managing their fields." Enkidu wore a faint smile.
When the playing children saw two strangely dressed strangers arrive, they all stopped what they were doing and stood far away from Annanu and Enkidu, watching them with some fear.
"Do humans fear strangers?" Annanu was somewhat puzzled.
"The adults might not care," Enkidu replied.
When they had been in the commercial district, everyone had been busily trading. No one had paid them any attention, let alone been afraid of them.
They had only shown their truly terrifying forms to King Gilgamesh and Shamhat, as well as the guards on Uruk's walls.
They continued walking.
It was already past noon when they reached the farmland and pastures surrounding Uruk.
What had been destroyed by the natural