[ Ereshkigal shows her the path towards her office in the cemetery, but stops in her track. H-Her children? Well it's true she thinks of the souls that way. She's an Earth Mother Goddess after all, it's supposed to come naturally to her. Yet again so is Ishtar, and she's not the least bit maternal... ]

Yes. [She nods.] Human souls need someone to care for them. And I can never trust anyone else with that task. And besides...

[ She marks a pause, looking noticeably sadder. ]

... For most of human history, one out of two children would die before reaching adulthood. [It is a recent phenomenon, the very low rate of child mortality.] They're always terrified. They don't understand what's happening to them. How could they understand death when they never even had a chance to live?

[ But in spite of how sad she looked mere seconds ago, Ereshkigal is smiling. ]

I read them stories to help them fall asleep. I can't understand what they're saying, but they can understand me. When some souls have a particularly difficult time falling asleep, I take their cages with me and rest alongside them. [A pause.] And when they finally awaken, that means they are ready to move on.