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PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 8:40 am 

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Peace between the Kingdoms. That was what Maka, Queen of Akamu, wanted. Peace, a new future, prosperity. He had listened to every word intently. When the Queen was done speaking, cheer went up and everyone began to move about.

It had truly been a moving speech.

No-Claws Errapel, who was a lover of peace, had attended this festival mainly out of curiosity. So far, while he slowly moved through the crowds, he looked around the various stands that had been set up around the area. Everything was taken in carefully. The Akamu had really outdone their selves with making this festival as welcoming as possible. This was his first time in the Kingdom, for obvious reasons of him being a magic used, and he had to admit, for an entire Kingdom devout to their hatred towards magic users this was a nice experience. There was plenty of joy around him so he had not been entirely let down. He was not necessarily expecting to be let down, frankly he was not sure what to expect. The thought of the Akamu allowing mages into their Kingdom was shocking as it was.

That being said, something inside of him made him feel that this peace was almost forced. The thought did contradict his opinion of the speech, he would admit that. And Errapel might not know how to run a Kingdom, and certainly did not have any intentions to step up to the throne, but he couldn’t help but feel that this was a little too forced. He did understand the need for peace. As an enforcer of peace himself, though refusing to get into politics, he would want to find a way to gather people together. Of course tensions would be high… maybe he was simply not expecting them to be as high as they still were. People still looked at him oddly. The Akamu did not like magic users; some of them didn’t really do a good job of keeping that to their selves. It was uncomfortable; eventually he tuned it out and just focused on having fun.

Knowing his luck, that wouldn’t last long. Trouble does tend to find him despite his efforts to stay out of it. Wasn’t that how it always was? For someone who does not like politics his work is a little difficult. Everything was politics, politics were everywhere, and could not be avoided easily. It was strange. He hated politics yet he was always thinking about them. Maybe he was just nervous, afraid that he would be dragged in. Rather than choosing to let it go he puts way too much thought into trivial things. But that was just like him. He bottles up his mislead, quickly drawn conclusions and when they come out, it is no doubt an ugly thing to witness.

Errapel decided to sit at one of the tables near a food stand. He observed everyone, the food that Akamu had to offer, noting just how different everything was. The smells were different and not quite he was use to. It wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to try any of it at the moment either. His stomach was telling him otherwise. Eventually, Errapel had let his curiosity get to him and decided to go see what all they had to offer, eventually helping himself to one of the many teas they had to offer. He blew on it a few times to cool it a little before he took a sip of it. The taste was a little sweet, yet bitter at the same time; he didn’t need to think twice before he came to the conclusion that he liked it. He kept the small cup with him while he browsed around the games.

He mostly kept to himself, wandering from stand to stand, curiously looking through everything, even striking up a conversation every now and then with one of the locals when he felt the need. Some of the locals around here were friendlier than others. Who and who not should be approached was pretty obvious after he tested the waters a little. But this festival was for the sole purpose of having fun, and that was what a lot of others seemed to be doing.

When it came to dancing, he was unfortunately someone who had two left feet. The music playing near one of the food vendors had a catchy tune and, at some point, he couldn’t help himself. He more than likely embarrassed himself. Well, scratch that, somehow he had actually ended stepping on someone’s toes. There weren’t very happy about it. He didn’t blame them. If someone stepped on his toes, he wouldn’t be very happy either; it was just rude and ungraceful. Whichever came first. Ungracefully rude might actually be a better way of putting the two together now that he thought of it. Try as he may, he couldn’t calm the other person down. They were pretty adamant about not accepting his apology so eventually Errapel, after getting tired of the restrained harshness of the Akamu’s words, left the area in search of something else to do.

A few moments later, Errapel, by this point already tied out from jumping into all of the excitement all at once, pretty soon, found himself leaned against a wall close to yet another area where food was being served. At a closer look, it was familiar. He had gone in a huge circle, lost in all of the entertainment.

With a smirk, he threw himself right back into it all.

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PostPosted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 11:05 am 
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As White Shadow was about to follow this cat-lady in what probably would've been some "rousing" adventure, she saw the strange duo of human and ferret disappear inside an inn. Well...now I know where they are, maybe checking out a room? No, that wasn't it...unless he's a pedophile? No, he didn't have that intent about him, more helpful. Shaking her head from the many theories she remembered that Cinder-Fur was now present in the festival. Part of her wanted to jump for joy, but she contained it, not even sure if she should go to him as a representative of the mire-shadows here. Was that why she was here? No that couldn't be it, they would've just told her outright. No, her job was still unknown even to her bosses.

Sighing she nodded her head slightly to impart she was leaving and then disappeared into the crowd. Just another body among hundreds. Something she had a lot of trouble at first doing without clothing on, but thankfully her black wrappings did well in keeping her mostly aloof. Maybe she didn't look like every other guest here, but she doubted anyone cared too much about the dressing habits of a Nezumi. After snaking her way through the crowd for a bit she finally made it to where the leader of Akamu and Cinder-Fur were "catching up", at least that's what it looked like to her trained eyes and her precise ears.

Once Cinder-Fur had a reached a break in his introductions and formalities, Shadow weaved her way to his side, making sure to make her presence known so some moronic guard didn't get in her way. Once she was next to him she leaned in and whispered. "Welcome Cinder-Fur, the Mire-Shadows appreciate your presence here." With that the albino nezumi backed away and disappeared once again into the crowd, pausing briefly as she felt an antagonistic air from someone. Turning she locked eyes on the human next to the Akamu leader. What's with that air about her... A slight smile appeared on her lips when she realized what it was. Boredom...I share the feeling. With that White Shadow was gone, making her way to the inn.

When she arrived, she snuck herself inside, deciding to keep as much attention as possible away in order to observe without interruption. Taking an empty seat among a group of particularly drunk wolves and humans, she watched the strange duo, once again intrigued by the unique nature of the pairing. Now let's see if you do something interesting.

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PostPosted: Sun Dec 08, 2013 5:59 am 

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to

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Nadja


The excitement in the air was palpable as she disembarked in RyDauge, light eyes sparkling at the mere thought of seeing other people, another country. Slipping unnoticed to the back of the crowd, she was able to make out the last of the Queen’s speech, heart hammering out of her chest.

How long had it been since she’d seen other people, people outside her own family, her own guard? How long had it been since she’d seen something outside her own walls and ventured even just outside her front door?

Too long.

It’d taken a lot to get out of Gizli Yangin, having to take some precautions that could, potentially, come back to hurt her later on, but she needed to go. To see other people. To be a part of something that didn’t leave her tired and worn at the end of the day. She’d try the conventional route, asking if it’d be in their country’s best interest to put forth a show of good faith and send someone forth that was the epicenter of their entire being; Her asking was merely a formality, approaching the council to ask for their blessing on her trip over to Akamu for the festival.

“We’re striving to keep a peace between us, a peace that needs be kept in place because of our own past actions,” Nadja had reasoned. “Had we not attacked them in the first place, relations between us wouldn’t be so tense.” A pause as she tried to think of the best way to broach the subject. “If I were to go, one of the three who keep our islands safe, don’t you think that’d show some faith in their intention? That we’re sending one who’s seen as one of the valuable assets? You don’t think that’d work in our favor to show that we’re as invested in this peace as they are?”

“It’s too dangerous,” they’d said, without so much as a hesitation, any forethought.

I wanted your blessing…not your permission… Nadja thought, a slight anger brewing at the thought of going back to her room to keep watch over the islands. It may have been her duty, but it wasn’t one she asked for. If she were to keep her islands safe, she needed to be there. ...So she went against one of her own rules.

Her hands, the gesture slight, started twisting and turning at her hands, the spell woven beneath her breath. “Tha epitrepste mou na paw...” she started, staring them down hard, eyes unblinking and concentration fully on her aim. Those in the room knew what she was planning, getting up to break her focus, but not daring call a guard, unsure of what she was after; The language of the gods rolled off her tongue with an ease that the others couldn’t make out, falling victim to an enchantment they were helpless against. “Tha to deite san mia kali idea…tha mou dwsei tis epithymies sas kai tha paw xwris provlima…Meta tin eksafanisi mou apo to site sas, tha ksexasete gia ti synantisi afti. otan rwtithike, opou eimai egw panta eimai, zitwntas kamia enoxlisi…”

And, just like that, they blinked and she was gone, the tone in the room completely shifted to one of a more amiable nature, her visit forgotten but a sudden urge to allow more of the inner ring to go to this…festival if they so chose. The shift in their thoughts was seen as odd, but shrugged off as nothing more than a change of heart.

Without word to her family, creating an illusion, a lax illusion, that would only come into play should they enter her room. If any of her family looked, they’d see her in front of the window, sitting on her usual perch, in her usual trance.

In reality…she’d hopped a barge and left.

Here she was now, amid a crowd of wolves, humans, some of the Nezumi she’d heard about but never actually seen up close. Everything was overwhelming, the sights and sounds, the clusters of people. No training in the world could have prepared her for what it felt like to actually be surrounded by the very people she had visions of, those she swore to protect, and those she swore to protect against. Her mind was in overdrive, eyes wide, flitting from person to person, from booth to booth, unsure of where to linger, where to look, where not to look.

A hand resting on her chest as she sought to gather her bearings, she looked a fish out of water, out of her element. Where she’d been so skilled at manipulating those in her inner circle, those in her kingdom, here…she held no rank, no title, no nothing. Here, she was another face in the crowd. Unlike Olahn where rumors of her existed among those who were privy to direct information, none of that would reach here. As far as she knew, she’d be just another face in the crowd of people accepting an invitation from a queen who sought to maintain peace.

The very peace you came to help maintain, to show your commitment to, Nadja reminded herself. So…mingle somewhere.

Mingle…easier said than done. When your name was “Nadja the Quiet”, a name she’d earned at a young age and held true, it made talking to those outside your comfort zone, outside your circle of family and those who helped keep your lands alive…talking to someone else about anything seemed nearly impossible.

A frown set into her features, ears twitching toward each and every sound they heard, unable to focus. Images of what could come to pass then bombarded her mind, blinking as she sought to clear her vision of what didn’t existed and focus on what did, which led to nerves, nerves nearly palpable and stifling to her person. The cloak she wore suddenly felt confining, heavy, too thick for its own good despite it being made of the light material. A seat…I need…a seat…

Settling for the first seat she found, she hastened into it, catching her breath. I may be overwhelmed…but this is for the good of Olahn, for the good of our alliance. A show of good faith. You just have to get used to all the people and relax…relaxing is key, Nadja coached herself, a claw idly tracing circles about the table she’d taken up at, nonsensical shapes and lines. Just relax…relax…

The new, comforting mantra in mind, she focused on that and waited for something specific to catch her eye, her body in Akamu while the other part of her remained home, unable to leave her duties even for a moment.

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PostPosted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 3:48 am 
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Lief looked up at the dragons in stunned amazement his mouth slightly ajar. The queen certainly knew how to capture an audience. Lief smiled and shook his head as the queen ended her speech. Lief ran his claw through his hair as he looked around, not quite happy with how tall everyone seemed to be in comparison to himself. Standing at four feet and five inches tall Lief was tall for a ferret but he was towered over by most of the crowd around him. Shrugging his shoulders to resettle his chainmail Leif let his hand fall to the hilt of his sword by habit as the crowd surged around him. Lief didn't feel particularly great about being in a strange place like this with only a sword and dagger but they would probably wind up getting in his way. As the crowd started to disperse into the chaotic throws of a festival Lief's companion Alrek turned to him a wide grin on his face.

"That was incredible. So we are at a party, Lief it's only right we go find the nearest source of liquor. I think I see an inn right over there." Lief looked over to the side of the street where Alrek was pointing. Lief licked his lips as her looked back at Alrek.

"Alrek we are here because the raiding this year has been paltry at best. We need some trade agreements, not more alcohol." Alrek smiled and wrapped his arm around Lief's shoulder and leaned in dropping his voice down to a loud whisper.

"Very true, but how would it look to these prospective partners if we were to pass up their wonderful beverages on such a holy day." Lief licked his lips again as Alrek moved closer towards the inn. Looking around he grinned at Alrek his tail lifting slightly.

"I really should find some dignitary and see about getting some trade agreements... Then again it would be rude not to drink at such an important party... One drink couldn't hurt. Right?" Lief spoke talking himself into a drink as he followed his grinning friend to the nearest pub. Just before they reached the inn Lief frowned and grabbed Alrek's shoulder and pulled him off to the side. Keeping his grip on Alrek's shoulder Lief looked him dead in the eye his face serious and hard.

"Alrek we are not here to make enemies, so I do not want you to draw any weapon unless you absolutely have to." Lief started walking into the inn and paused for a second outside the door casting a smirking glance back at Alrek. "And try not to kill anyone who doesn't deserve it."

Pushing the door open Lief was hit with the strong smell of alcohol and sweat that often indicated a good place for a lot of drinks. Letting his eyes adjust to the dim light of the inn Lief took measured steps towards the bar making note of rooms exits. Grabbing a tankard of ale from the barkeep Leif grinned as Alrek drained his tankard and ordered another in his usual boisterous way. Patting Alrek on the back Lief grabbed the first empty chair he saw taking a sip of his tankard as he looked at the person across from him. A bunny.


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 09, 2013 8:16 pm 
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At the table was a human, a wolf, a bunny and a ferret. If it was the start of a joke, it seemed the ferret would deliver the punchline. The human and the wolf were paying no attention to anything, it seemed, and the bunny was paying too much attention to everything except what was going on at his own table. His ears, poking through the brim of a neat, black bowler hat, were constantly moving. The bunny was Kolbjorn's Ves and he felt it was his duty to survey the festival and uncover whatever tricks the mages were up to. He lacked the sense of smell that the wolf typically had, and he did not have extraordinary eyesight, but his hearing was second-to-none and if a mage was whispering of betrayal - which Ves assumed any mage always did - then Ves would hear it. The background noise of the festival was lessened due to shape of his ears, and he could focus them in any direction he chose, and right now that was anywhere but that of the ferret.

The ferret had introduced himself as Lief Firefoot and all but one glass of the pitcher of wine on the table had been downed by him. Ves tried not to listen to him, but the ferret was gradually rising above the murmur of the crowd in volume, making him more of a "foreground noise". Blocking him out was something Ves should have been trained in, a practice all bunnies learned as a result of growing up in enormous families, but it had been many years since Ves had been home.
The ferret was not important. He was clearly a warrior, and Ves was geared towards fighting magic. The bunny ears shifted direction again and picked up some nezumi shouting insults. The rats were not his problem either. They were not magic, probably.

Lief off-handedly said something about Olahn and the bunny ears at once turned on him.
"Sorry, I was daydreaming," Ves lied, unless it counted as day-dreaming to imagine that any second all the mages would shoot fire, and Ves would spring to action and singlehandedly save all of Akamu. "You are from Olahn?" Ves immediately marked him as his enemy.

As it turned out Lief was from Olahn but he was not magic. None of his family were, and while it could be a filthy mage's lie then Ves had to admit there was nothing about Lief that looked like a mage. Which, of course was what a mage spy was supposed to look. In addition, some of Lief's fur was scorched, which validated Ves' idea that the mages had been practicing fire magic and were about to scorch the festival.
Ves had four sheathes at his side, and three weapons inside of them. He did not move his hand to rest on the hilt of the bottom-most blade but he mentally prepared himself to draw. In addition, Ves' leaned into his natural sitting position, which would allow him to jump away at a moment's notice. Rather than sitting on his buttocks, his feet were on the bench and his knees were next to his head. He was curled into an adorable, small package, and all Ves could think about now was outwitting his ferret enemy, and get him to spill the details of his evil plot.


"Ahh little tikes. They will run you around a hundred times and yet still have energy to climb all over you like a tree. Being a tree is the best feeling in the world. Right above crushing in an enemy's skull and being merry with good friends." Lief chuckled. It was two glasses of wine later, and Ves' hand was beginning to cramp up from being prepared to draw his sword. Lief was turning out to be very difficult to hate because he sounded exactly like a good-hearted warrior and not like a treacherous mage. Which was of course how a treacherous mage was supposed to sound.
As they had talked Ves had briefly forgotten his suspicions and mentioned how he hoped to someday be surrounded by kits, and Lief had revealed he was himself a parent. Ves once more gave in to the temptation of friendship and spoke honestly about his strengths:
"I doubt children could tire me out. My legs are my strongest feature, they do not tire I can run for hours on end and then run for hours more. I will not enter the arm-wrestling tournament because I will lose, but if there was a leg-wrestling event I would win." Ves nodded internally at this truth. He was resting his weight on his legs when he was sitting, and they were not tired in the least. He could sit in an alert position forever. "Come to think of it," Ves continued, "have you heard of a running competition? The longer the race the better my chances."
He was fast, but his true strength was his stamina. He imagined a cat would win a quick sprint. He absent-mindedly reached into his vest pocket and drew forth a small, dried-up leaf which he popped into his mouth. It was spongy and not easily chewed, and it colored his spit purple, but Ves also immediately felt calmer. He relaxed his shoulders and stopped readying for a fight.

"I am Kolbjorn's Ves, I think I forgot to introduce myself." He offered Lief his hand to shake. "You mentioned nothing better than fighting enemies and being merry with friends. I, too, love this, but I also love fighting with friends. If there is a place for sparring I would love to duel you. Just... a wooden sword or some sticks or some such. No permanent injury, just two warriors showing off. I'd like that. Besides-"
Ves had kept his right ear fixed on Lief, but his left one had been rotating about. The calming effect of the kanbana leaf was removing his desire to run around looking for signs of a mage conspiracy. He rarely focused both ears on the same point for long, unless it was necessary to hear what was being said. Bunnies were not cowards by any meaning of the word, but they did have a habit of always being on the lookout. And it was his left hear that once again picked up on the nezumi harassing someone. Ves turned his head and saw a white-furred fox in some red dress. She was beautiful, he guessed, for a fox. Her face was too narrow for his taste and her tail was too long. Ves liked his rears small and poofy.

Ves's nose twitched excitedly and he shot the ferret a small grin. "Lief, how are women treated in your land? Here they are supposed to be able to stand up for themselves and kick the ass of anyone who provokes them. But there's a dainty fox to my left who has not learned the Akamu way. Do you want to go and beat up some rats to teach her how to do things in the future?"
Ves got up, and it was a good thing, too. As he went to help the albino fox, another fox found his table and sat down, looking flustered. Kolbjorn's Ves did not know the women by face or by name, and not even by her rank, but for the sake of world peace one of Olahn's divine savants should not be introduced to Akamu by Kolbjorn's Ves.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 14, 2013 9:36 pm 
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Kalani

Kalani the White stood in the crowd which had gathered at the center of RyDauge city to listen to the queen of Akamu's opening speech, though it may have been more accurate to say that she stood out in the crowd instead. As usual, she had brought her best dress to the event, and it shared much in common with what little she remembered of its original appearance. It was a wonderful thing made of vibrant red silk, tied by a pale yellow sash and decorated with elaborate gold embroideries which became increasingly dense as they neared the base of her feet. To fit the occasion, many of the changes which afforded the thing any measure of practicality had been reversed, and as a result it sported sleeves which reached past the fox's knees and a hem which restricted her movement to, at best, a brisk walking pace. She had even painted her eyes and styled her hair in a matter befitting such an important informal event, and she carried with her an oil-paper parasol of matching colors.

In all ways but one, she represented the very pinnacle of nezumi fashion. The "one" was, of course, the fact that she was not a nezumi, and several rats who were not paying quite as much attention to Maka's speech had clearly taken notice. They stared at her in equal parts disgust and indignation, offended by how she had adopted their culture seemingly without permission. She was used to the look; indeed, she had spent most of her life growing accustomed to it from one person to the next, but the disapproval of others was rarely something that a simple change in appearance could fix. If that was the only problem, Kalani could overcome it easily, and if it wasn't, she found that giving people an obvious but insignificant detail to focus their hatred upon was useful. They would always find their own if she did not.

By far, the thing which was making Kalani most uncomfortable was not the spiteful attention she was receiving but the sweltering heat of the mountains instead. Olahn Korlarin's weather was always unnaturally perfect, and even there she spent most of her time out of the sunlight as a result of her condition. Without the maintenance of the Divine Savants or naturally milder climate of the Mirelands, her parasol seemed insufficient to protect her from the open sky overhead, and even the light fabric of her kimono felt stuffy around so many other people. That she was trying very hard to avoid looking undignified by panting was no great help, either. She imagined that rather than being graceful or dignified, she looked like quite the fool.

Queen Maka's speech ended with a marvelous display of dragons flying overhead, and it distracted Kalani from her thoughts for long enough that she found herself cheering in her own quiet way along with the rest of the crowd. Unlike many of them, it was not because of the impressive pyrotechnics or from her adoration for a benevolent monarch. Instead, she cheered for the message of the festival itself, and out of gratitude for the mere fact that she had been allowed to walk freely throughout the city. It was the first clear sign of forgiveness from Akamu over what her ancestors had done, and on a more personal note, a confirmation that the world she was striving to create might eventually become more than a simple fantasy. True to its name, the festival had given her hope, and she was determined to express her gratitude before it was over.

Unfortunately, the crowd was dense and its inhabitants had begun to move. A great deal of people wished to see the queen much like Kalani did, and those nearest the platform had already created a crude blockade of bodies which only grew thicker as time passed. As she was unwilling to shove her way to the front, and likely lacked the strength to succeed even if she wasn't, the fox simply sighed and resolved to find a later opportunity when things were less hectic. She turned around to find shelter instead, and almost dropped her parasol in surprise.

There were silk moths touching down outside the festival grounds; more in one place than she had seen in five whole years spent visiting the Mirelands.

Kalani knew only a handful of nezumi who possessed the luxury of owning moths for the purposes of transportation, and three of them were the Red Ladies themselves. It was a sign of incredible status, reserved for the subordinates of clan leaders, aristocrats, and extremely wealthy merchants. To see so many at once could only mean one thing, and she suddenly felt a need to be anywhere else. She wasn't prepared to meet the patriarch of the Gunpowder Dynasty so soon - indeed, she hadn't even expected his daughters to make an appearance.

She tried to escape somewhere indoors, but didn't get far without interruption.

"Hey, pink-eyes!" a voice cried out from the crowd, loud and belligerent. She tried to ignore it, but a hand caught one of her sleeves and held it fast.

"I'm talking to you, white ****ing," it continued threateningly. The speaker was a male rat somewhere early into his adulthood. His clothing marked him as a farmer, or possibly fisherman; shirtless, sparsely covered, and composed mostly of segmented insect chitin and cheap plant fabrics. Three others in similar attire stood nearby, silently cheering him on.

"Got somewhere to be?"

"Yes," Kalani responded calmly. "I don't believe we've been acquainted. Did you need something?"

"From an unlucky thing like you?" the rat sneered. "Glad to say I don't. My friends and I," he said, gesturing to the other nezumi behind him, "were jus' wondering how a foreigner got her claws on such a pretty dress."

"Feels nice," he added with a tug.

"It was a gift from your people," she answered. The nezumi laughed.

"Sure, sure! Heheh... I suppose the Grand Boss gave it to you himself for your good behavior, did he? Shame to see it wasted on one of the Sunless, though. A fine thing like that is too good for you."

Kalani merely sighed. Insults were nothing new to her, but the cities and people of Akamu were. She had hoped to avoid making a scene while visiting a kingdom with no stake in her problems, but the rats didn't seem willing to leave so easily.

"Is that really what you think?" she asked, still as composed as ever. "Or is there another reason that you've decided to antagonize me?"

"What are you talking about?" the nezumi replied in a weak attempt to be coy.

"I'm asking what you find uglier - what I choose to wear, or simply what I am."

A grin spread across the rat's face as the realization kicked in. He looked back at his comrades.

"Hear that, boys? The ****ing knows after all, and she still shows up to darken the skies of this festival."

The others offered a variety of disapproving cries, loudly enough that some members of the crowd began to take notice. It was exactly the sort of attention that Kalani had hoped to avoid. Although she didn't show it, she was becoming somewhat desperate to leave.

"I told you I had somewhere to be. If you do not want anything from me, please release me before this becomes a concern of the guards."

"I want you gone, pink-eyes," he growled, pulling her closer. "The Boss is here and I'll be dead before I let you ruin this event for him just 'cause your parents were too stupid to drown you when you were still a helpless pup. You want to go? Fine," he said, releasing his grip on her sleeve. "Go crawling back to whatever cursed hole you came out of. If we ever see you again, we'll-"

The sight of a young fox pushing her way between the two interrupted the rat.

"...What do you want?" he asked, clearly annoyed by the intrusion.


Dusk-Walker

When Dusk-Walker had first heard news from his master that they would be traveling to Akamu, he was excited. Everything he knew about the place suggested that it was dangerous; full of savage warriors who would fight to the death over even the most insignificant slights, all of whom together composed an army so large that it threatened to outnumber even his own kingdom's. He had heard from stories in his past life that the soldiers of Akamu were raised from childhood to be fearless killers, if less effective ones than any member of the Mirelands' military, and he now saw it as a challenge in both respects. Wild fantasies about throwing screaming wolves from the backs of the dragons they rode had dominated his thoughts for the lesser half of a week before he finally thought to ask Cinder-Fur exactly what the reason for their visit was. At the time, he wasn't even quite sure of what his expectations were, but they had been grand, bloody, and entirely unreasonable.

His acknowledgement of the latter did little to soften the blow when he learned that his master would be attending something called "The Festival of Hope and Peace."

Dusk-Walker was no warmonger. Indeed, he rarely thought about war or peace at all, having experienced life-threatening conflict and complete serenity both under what was allegedly peacetime, but he knew enough about the common person's idea of peace to be certain that he would not enjoy the celebration itself. To make matters worse, he was under specific orders not to kill unless absolutely necessary. His master was simply there to "see the mountains", and had assured him that they would both find the visit agreeable even without it ending in a planned assassination. Although he trusted Cinder-Fur, he couldn't bring himself to believe it.

As their moths touched down in RyDauge City, the ninja was reminded of another reason to doubt his master's words; the crowd which had gathered in the streets below was one of the largest he had ever seen. From a personal perspective he loved crowds for their potential for mass panic, but he was in Akamu on business, and they were no comfort to a bodyguard. So many people in one place represented an overwhelming problem for the Boss's security, and he could already tell from a distance that weapons had not been confiscated from the festival's participants. As the Patriarch's so-called "living shadow", it was enough to make him worry that he lacked the ability to protect the two of them by himself.

A small group of guards approached Dusk-Walker's group, and he took stock of each one immediately. Spears and shields were not the most common armaments in the Mirelands, but he knew how to deal with them all the same. It was no great tax on his imagination to play out a scenario where he simply grabbed the mens' weapons and pulled them loose, or even broke them down the middle - foreigners in particular were never prepared to deal with his unusual strength. From there, his mind wandered to darker places in spite of numerous instructions to the contrary. He always looked ready to kill, and on one level, he was hoping that it would deter the northerners from acting against Cinder-Fur.

Much more deeply, he hoped that they were as ruthless as he had been told, and that nonlethal action would not be enough.

Cinder-Fur started to move with the guards, and Dusk-Walker followed closely in his footsteps. With an escort, they cut a clean path through the crowd directly to the queen of Akamu and her own entourage, and the two leaders began to speak. Their conversation was unfortunately not something that the ninja could afford to listen to, as he was already required to take in far too much information to concern himself with whatever his master thought about peace. He could ask for that later, when no longer needed to simultaneously watch and listen to more people than he could count.

He was too focused to notice, but the activity made him look like a caged beast - liable to lash out at the first thing to provoke him. As far as he was concerned, he and Cinder-Fur were surrounded by enemies, and the queen's guards were no exception.


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 1:45 pm 
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The sights, the scents, the sounds! What things Akina saw in this new and interesting festival! Rats, rabbits, people of her own kind were all among the masses as they watched the queen speak and the dragons fly through the sky majestically. It took much concentration to keep herself from jumping for joy and squeaking loudly like a little kit, but her tail didn’t seem to listen, as it twitched eagerly at all the different things there was to see. So many people she had never seen before, she now walked among. New fashions to take note of, new foods to try, everything made the journey and the money spent worth it. Now all she needed was to find a job.

The whole reason the brown fox had come to this new place was because of the festival. She was certain that she would find someone who wanted an apprentice in cartography, though her sister Nami had to disagree. “All that’s going to happen is you wasting your hardearned money on mere trinkets that you see, and you might not even FIND someone to train you!” Of course, Akina was ever the optimistic one, so she went anyways. So far, everything was very exciting, but her job search was not progressing one bit.

Even if she couldn’t find someone, she was enjoying herself immensely. She nibbled contentedly at a piece of spiced meat on a stick that she bought, watching everything happening around her. Though she was wearing her best dress, it seemed like she was sorely unwealthy compared to everyone else garbed in gold and silver.

Her eyes grew large in awe as soon as she caught sight of something white amongst the people. A fox lady, clothed in a beautiful kimono, with fur as white as snow. She was gorgeous! The silly youth pushed her way towards her, mouth agape as if she were a wouldbe artist examining a masterpiece. “You are so pretty!” She nearly squealed, but managed to control herself in front of this woman. Her tail twitched excitedly as she looked her over. Compared to this lovely being, Akina was a peasant!

Her ears flicked slightly when she heard someone clear his throat, and she turned around to see a few nezumi, the kind of which she had yet to see before then, giving both fox women the staredown. Akina cocked her head slightly, confused about what she had walked into, “Am I… interrupting something? I’m terribly sorry!” She gave both parties a slight bow, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 4:04 pm 

Crossing my fingers to see some familiar faces here soon

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Zasha was starting to feel worse for her behavior. She came to the conclusion... after some thought of course. That she would try and get along with everyone while attempting to mingle. She could not help the rising feeling of something wrong though. Which was one of the reasons that she did not want to mingle in the first place. Standing upright, she took a step or two forward to survey her surroundings so, she could decide what to do. Zasha had seen Marcus-Til go into the Inn. Though it may be best to let him recuperate from her shouting. After a few moments of undecided choices.

She just shrugged, then ran into the crowd. Attempting to get lost in the festivities. Adjusting her dark red top, she scanned the crowd. Maybe to find someone to talk to... after all, she owed Marcus-Til that at least. So far, there was nothing really worth paying attention to. Besides the arrival of the Nezumi. Which she was highly surprised by. She looked to her right. There was a couple of foxes and a couple of rats and to her left was a large group of different cultures. Someway, somehow. She ended up tripping over the tail of... well, she had no idea. She was looking about while sitting on her stinging tail. Though no one was beside her that she could have tripped over. She sighed softly. "This is why I hate being in groups and being social..." she said to herself, while growling over her irritated tail.
----------
Marcus-Til was sitting at his table in the Inn. With all the ruckus in there. The ones with jobs in the Inn must have there work cut out for them. It was also getting rather headache inducing. Standing up, he moved back outside into the festival and walked to the front of the Inn. He leaned back as he took in all of what was going on. He even saw Zasha fall down. Though he could not help but let her attempt to get up on her own. She would probably get mad at me for it anyway. he thought to himself. Shrugging, he looked about as the rats crowded the party and such along with some party stragglers that came to it to late. He felt kind of sorry for them due to there lack of seeing the start of it.


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 26, 2013 3:42 am 

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Maka could have kicked herself if she had been able, such a simple and yet so important a custom and she forgot. At that moment she was glad her parents were not alive to see her then, to see the embarrassment of her actions. Add to it how he corrected her in such a friendly and forgiving manner, Maka felt like she had been brushed off as just some irresponsible child. It took every ounce of her will power and training, to not reflect in her face.

The silk, which she knew to be a highly valuable commodity, was something she had not expected. “Lord Cinder-Fur, this is, well there are no words, truly. Thank you,” she said, eyes on his own as she remained upright, despite the desire to bow. The box was taken, one of her guards waved over and given the box. It was taken to her private bedchamber, what she would do with it she was not sure, but something would me made from it, she knew that much for sure.

“Please also accept my apology for the bow, for you know that no such disrespect was meant,” she said to the older leader. “Your customs are a bit different than ours. See, while you see the bow as a sign of weakness we bow to show respect and trust to the one we are greeting. As if to say, “I trust you enough to remove my gaze from you, so that should you attack I would not be warned a head of time.”” she quoted a lesson she learned long ago from her father.

“I will see to it that the dragons are out of the sky in time for your surprise,” topic moved on to something safer and something she was far more comfortable discussing at the moment. “They are likely to be annoyed at that, but after it is done I will let them end the night with their own fire display,” tone friendly and warm. “As for my day, well there are a few upstarts that I need to beat in some events today. Plus there is the dragon display,” she mused aloud, though it had been intended for Cinder-Fur. “So, with that being the case I will happily enjoy spending a few moments in your company. We can walk and talk, at your pace of course, about the various on going within our respective Kingdoms. You know just talk and catch up. How does this sound to you?” she asked the elder, whom until this day she had not really been sure what he even looked like.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 1:21 am 
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The Fire-Furred King couldn’t help but be somewhat amused by the young ruler- he’d always been the more colloquial sort, and although some niceties were essentially ensured given his position, he much preferred to be conversational, crafty, and when necessary, blunt as an unfinished blade. “You are quite welcome for the gift, Queen Maka. We may be an empire of the people, and of new ideas, but we still understand the important of custom. Now then, a walk? Sounds fine. Don’t fret too much about my pace, I won’t slow you down.” He encouraged, standing. “I just need a brief word with my retainer.” He rumbled, turning to Dusk-Walker, and shifting into their harsher, chittering native tongue.

”Go and have the moths tended by the Sky-Piercer. Send the Tarnished-Sword to go inform the airship to stay away from the dragons, and wait for my flare before starting the show. And if you can help it, don’t kill anyone unless you can pin it on someone from a different kingdom, if you would.” Cinder-Fur instructed. ”Not that I think you’d have any trouble with that, I’d just like you to think a bit longer than usual before killing someone, yeah? Shouldn’t be a reason. Besides, I’m safe here for now, and her guards don’t look so tough. the older rat laughed, patting his rather skittish companion lightly on the shoulder before speaking again in a common tongue.

“Well then, off you go. It’s probably better lady Pale-Fur didn’t come- she’s dreadful at parties.” Cinder-Fur added with a smirk, nudging Dusk-Walker along. “Find me in a while. I doubt you’ll have trouble.”

The Grand Boss turned back to the queen and her entourage with a wide, playful smile. “Right then, talking, walking, shall we get to it? Thank goodness I never told Hook-Tail I was coming out to this- he’d be obsessed with trying to hunt himself a dragon, like in the old legends.” He laughed. “But old stories are for another time. I’m sure you’re more interested in what’s more recent, yes?” he asked. “The plague was much rougher on us than the war, really. Some of the rural folk still think it a curse from the magic-users. I entertained that theory once, anyway- disease isn’t new to the Mirelands, but something so virulent hadn’t ever been seen in the recorded history of the old empire. It didn’t take root in any of our neighbors, either, strangely enough.”

The elder rat straightened himself out, old body still rippling with more muscular bulk than was common among nezumi when he moved. “Are you sure you don’t mind having me tag along? I’m sure I could wander the city a bit if your appointments are political in nature. Nezumi in these parts don’t often get home, let alone to Black-Rock. Probably haven’t seen me since the war, if at all. Maybe their parents did.” Cinder wondered aloud.


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 3:41 pm 
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Nixus

It was always a wondrous sight when the dragons made their appearance in the skies above the city, and the night of the festival was no different. Gazing up with a slight smile as the dragons spread apart and released gouts of flame into the sky, Nixus brushed the white fur on his forehead with his large paw, the glow of the air-licking flames dancing across it gleefully. He was proud of his nation, his general and his queen, since despite the danger of such an event, to make an attempt at peace was admirable, if foolhardy. The massive white bear returned his attention to his duty, having earlier been warned to remain ever aware and ever vigilant to any potential threats. Being so large definitely had its advantages, allowing him to scour the massing crowd with little obstruction, but it had the negative impact of drawing attention. As he pushed among the denizens of the festival, they eyed him, not with suspicion or fear, but with sheer shock at his presence. What he would give to mingle with them, but were he to make such an attempt, he would surely intimidate the many who tended and visited the stalls and conversed with their friends in the immediate area.

After releasing a steady sigh, he chuckled lightly, then spotted one of the men under his command conversing jovially with several young Akamu women. As Nixus slowly approached, the subordinate immediately took notice, his words to the girls fumbling from his mouth. They walked off giggling and eyeing Nixus, while the Boian commander placed a paw upon the younger warrior's shoulder.
"I understand the festivities appeal to you," He stated in a low but calm voice, "but even I won't be able to protect you from the Manauia if something bad happens on your watch... Enjoy the sights, but keep your mind prepared for how this celebration may unfold."

- - - - -

Wandering in circles around the fountain, with a plethora of reassuring sideways and backwards glances to his General in between, the bear discerned a sudden slight breeze wash over the mob, drawing their attention skyward. Closing his eyes, Nixus knew what presence now graced the air above the festival, which was none other than the Nezumi.

Now the real fun begins…

The entourage of giant moths landed some distance away, and Nixus could just barely make out the figures that descended from them as several members of the Akamu guard received them. Though he considered going to meet them in person, he thought better of it, instead opting to remain in the background for the time being. For such high ranking Nezumi to make an appearance, there must be some purpose for it. Their nation has a tendency to make waves wherever its involvements lie, and not always or often in the best ways. Watching intently as a pair broke away from the arrivals and made their way to the platform where stood the Queen and General. After a few minutes of exchanged gifts and pleasantries, the one appearing to be the leader consulted his attendant, who shortly separated from them.

He is choosing to be alone with the Queen and Arnia…? Unless her Majesty plans to send the General away as well… I’m not sure what to make of this.

Unsure of what action or inaction to take, Nixus did his best to mingle in the crowd, visiting various stalls and tasting many of the delicacies. It was unfortunate when many of the participants in the festival recognized the commander, making obvious displays of both respect and avoidance. He clenched his left paw in anticipation, armored with his usual metal gauntlet he wore in case he needed a weapon.


I suppose wearing a hooded cloak wouldn’t help much would it? He joked to himself.
This is shaping up to be quite the party indeed.

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 8:49 pm 

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An exchange for an exchange, as it were.

While Cinder spoke to his retainer, Maka did likewise with her sister.

“Arnia, 'f?l?? di lé'étsoh. Ta-a-neh hólo´ t'áadoo a-tkel-el-ini, hágoónee'?” the near musical language rolled off her tongue in a hushed whisper. When it was understood what her wishes were and that she would have them followed she once again face the old King.

The talk turned to the current events in their lands, a fierce plague that some of the folk thought was the work of magic. It was not too far fetched, at least from the legends of old from the War and how many fell at the hands of the magic wielders.

“Fortunately, we have not suffered such trouble,” she remarked while she waved at a passerby. “If the Magic Kingdom thought to start trouble again, well they are certainly dealing with the whole Kingdom,” she smirked. “No one messes with the Nezumi, right?” a hearty though friendly laugh spilled from her lips. “Why are you so concerned with slowing me down? This is essentially a party, even us leaders deserve a small break, no?” she asked, the friendly smile still there on her lips.

Occasionally, her ear flicked from one sound to another. Sure it was a party, but she was still royalty and even in her own Kingdom she knew better than to be completely off guard.

“I am going to see some of the events and even participate in a few,” then as if the thought just struck her. “Fancy a ride on a dragon?” the grin that accompanied the question was devious in nature and perhaps a less brave individual would be concerned. One could wonder about the bravery of the Cinder Furred King...

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PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 12:43 am 
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Cinder-Fur grinned. “The old empire was content enough keeping the nezumi under thumb that the plague did not spread much from our borders. For a time, any nezumi attempting to flee even to human lands was to be killed- they were much more loyal to those abroad than to those at home.” He explained. “A fatal trait for a ruler of the people to have.”

The rat followed along as they talked keeping pace, but ever so slightly slower than the other ruler. “Yes, well, even if our general numbers dwindled, trying to incite a war with us would be unwise.” Cinder continued. “As for the slowness? Well, call it courtesy. We are capable of it from time to time, rare as though it might be. I suspect my daughters make up for a great deficit of it in our society.” The rat chuckled.

As they walked, Cinder-Fur was greeted by a few nezumi, many of whom were old, and spoke in their native tongue while near the region’s royalty. There were surprising faces that he remembered- one was Soot-Ear, a wily bastard of a rat that had been at his side when they’d breached the citadel’s wall. The Fire-Furred King did not forget a face or a friend, and he distinctly remembered the old rat being there when he’d lost one of his children. Crack shot with a musket, too; but he’d since retired to being a trader with a handful of other grey-furs from the war. Based on the quality of the blade he had tucked inside his tunic- something only a nezumi would spot- he was doing rather well for himself.

Then there were the young ones, children of traders, some of which had likely never even seen their homeland. It never fully dawned on him before what his son meant when he said that Cinder-Fur was not simply a king, but living legend. He held up a young pup to let him touch Earth-Splitter, the little rat’s face eager and full of awe. The way they looked at him made him feel more like a statue than a person, and he wasn’t exactly sure that he liked it. It certainly wasn’t modest, even if the nezumi that stopped him were usually quite discreet in it. At least none of the children were particularly loud about it- any nezumi would likely give their children a bit more than a firm scolding for bothering a clan leader too much.

Still, despite all the interruptions, Cinder-Fur kept up well enough with Maka as they went, but her last question was the most interesting, certainly. “I dare say my kind were likely used as food for dragons back in the old times, but flight doesn’t frighten me, and neither does fire.” He laughed, thumbing towards his burn-scarred left ear. “Might as well have been born of it, really. So then, dragon riding… Hook-Tail will be furious if I ever decide to tell him.” The elder rat wondered aloud. “Axe stays with me, though- hope weight isn’t an issue, but the thing's like one of my own limbs after all these years.”


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PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:04 am 
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Ro'que marvelled at the sight of dozens of citizens crowded into the center of the city. He'd just made his way back from a field outside of the city walls where he'd left Osebon in the care of Akamu's specialist Dragon handlers. He'd had been the lead rider for the formation of Dragons that had flown over the city at the end of the Queen's speech. And although he was dissapointed to have missed it, he couldn't have felt more honoured to lead the group in its' glorious display.

Now though, he was to return to his usual duty of guarding the Queen. He began his search strolling casually through the hoardes of festival-goers, with the volume of people that were out to celebrate he imagined it'd be a while before he spotted the Queen herself. It wasn't long, however, before his eyes found a pack of Silk Moths being cared for by a number of Rats. The Nezumi had decided to attend and by the looks of the moths, the Grand-Boss, Cinder-Fur himself, had made an appearance too. Ro'que's left hand instinctively rested upon the hilt of his sword, Ahael. Grand-Boss or no, where ever the Nezumi were present, there was constant threat to any one of importance. And he could think of no one more important than Queen Maka.

Being a Royal Guard required a stalwart mind when it came to security, despite whether his protectee thought they were safe. And in all his years of training he couldn't name anything more dangerous than a Nezumi assassin, aside from a Dragon of course. Now would be the perfect time to strike, amongst the crowd of jubilant and unsuspecting citizens. He just hoped that Queen Maka had kept whatever entourage Arnia had organised for today. He was also sure that Arnia, his direct superior, would be alongside the Queen, which is why he snarled when he spotted the Manauia on her own.

Ro'que strode over to her, the fur on the nape of his neck beginning to stand on end. Then upon reaching the Queen's sister, he snapped a fierce salute, slamming his right fist over his heart and his left hand behind his back whilst standing as rigid as a pole. It was hard not to notice such a perfect display of the Akamun Military salute but the leopard cleared his throat nonetheless. "Madam Manauia, I am reporting to return to my duty. Where is the Queen going?" His stare was fixed and serious, laced with the tiniest bit of worry. No matter how much he tried to keep his feelings from his expression there was always a little part that showed.

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Ashton took a deep breath of the fresh air, it was always strangely relaxing, even after his two years of being in Akamu the air felt different likely due to lack of pollution. He made his way through the crowd, taking a moment to enjoy the display of dragons after the Queen's inspiring speech. Peace, now that's a hopeful outlook. If only more shared the young Queen's view. Continuing down through the crowded streets winding his way through with the occasional nod at passerby, he didn't stick out so much from the rest of the crowd as he usually did. The sight of more humans than normal was comforting and disconcerting at the same time, he knew his people could be a volatile bunch and that was the ones who did not use magic. That worried him as well, while magic was not a problem in his homeland, magic is not only looked down upon but one step out of line could bring a swift response from the military of Akamu.

I hope this festival remains quite... His train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of an airship. "The Nezumi of all people..." he whispered softly under his breath, quickly moving towards the landing moths.This set Ashton on edge, his mind began racing as he move, the Nezumi were bad news.

Rounding a corner Ashton came to a halt, clanking in his plate mail armor, his hand gripped the pommel of his sword. He watched the exchange between Maka and Cinder-fur as he moved closer, before he could reach them the two moved quickly away and only Arnia who was technically his commanding officer was standing there. He picked up the pace slightly and stopped in front of her, noticing Ro'que coming up at the same time. He snapped off a salute and waited for the Ro'que to speak first knowing him to be his superior, as he watched the Queen and Cinder-fur retreat.

"Mam, is everything alright here?" His voice came with a slight echo beneath his helm and his face bore a worried look, not that that it could be seen beneath said helm. He shifted his weight slightly, his armor clinking as he did while gazing up at the ship. Hand still gripping the pommel of his sword he began to think of all the possibilities and what the outcome would be if someone decided to pick a fight.

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A pit formed in the deepest reaches of the polar bear's stomach. Looking on as the Queen and Nezumi boss seperated from Arnia, his eyes narrowed slightly, the unease welling within him. He believed wholeheartedly in her Majesty's combat abilities, but he also felt deep within that the old rat had some sort of scheme in the works... Nixus didn't know what it could be, but he understood full well the nature of the potential enemies that now graced the festival, and that was enough to garner his suspicion. Cinder-fur may be old, but he is far from decrepit. Once or twice, as Nixus took fleeting glances at the pair of leaders while they triapsed through the crowd, Nixus swore he caught a mischevious gleam in the eyes of the old Nezumi, forcing the silvery-white hair upon his shoulders to bristle in anticipation.

I must have faith... I have to hope that the Nezumi desire peace as much as our Queen.

Lowering his gaze to the Azurnium gauntlet that embraced his left hand and forearm, he clenched and released, the gleam of the festival lights glancing across the metal in a mesmerizing dance. Though he was not in charge of the entire security operation, Nixus could not help but feel responsible for ensuring the safety of his Manauia and the Queen. With the General unarmed and vulnerable, and the Queen alone at the side of the Nezumi boss, the gravity of the situation was increased tenfold. He'd have to trust that the abilities of the rest of the royal guard would be enough to overcome and adapt to any situation.

The Snow-Spear lifted his gaze once more, in time to see two figures approaching the Manauia. His heart jumped while his body surged forward several paces through the crowd.

Are they making a move on the General...!?

As several onlokers eyed him in alarm, he paused, realizing the figures were not Nezumi. In a sigh of relief, the bear momentarily shut his eyes in an attempt to relax. With only mild success, he took several breaths, then refocused his attention on Arnia. He recognized the two who had joined her, one of them an Akamu ambassador he'd met a few times, Ashton, and the other a younger Boian he'd trained with on many occasions, Ro'que. Nixus cursed himself under his breath for not recognizing them at first glance, then pushed towards the trio through the crowd.

"Ro'que!" He called the leapord's name cheerfully in an attempt to mask his unease, as he fell in beside the three warriors,"Enjoying the festivities?"
He crossed his arm over his chest in salute to Arnia before placing a hand on the Boian's shoulder.
"I'm surprised a strapping fellow like you hasn't found a date for this party yet!"
Smiling, Nixus threw a side glance towards the backs of the Queen and Cinder-Fur, who marched through the crowd some distance away in conversation. His jaw clenched slightly.

I hate this... I can't seem to relax.


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PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 4:40 pm 
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Dusk-Walker

There was too much noise, and far too much movement, taking place around the festival grounds. In an effort to reduce his burden of information, Dusk-Walker had taken to ignoring the crowd where it fell within Cinder-Fur's line of sight, and trusting the old rat to at least put some effort into protecting himself in spite of the questionable situation he had forced the two of them into. It was hardly a reckless decision, of course; the fire-furred king had not survived for so many years through charisma alone, and he definitely knew how to spot a killer in hiding, but his apparent trust in the queen of Akamu was hardly reassuring.

While he was content enough to ignore the conversation taking place between Maka and Cinder-Fur, the familiar sound of the latter speaking in his people's native tongue was a significant enough event to demand Dusk-Walker's attention, but after hearing the patriarch's orders he almost wished he had ignored that as well. He turned to stare at his friend's eyes in stunned disbelief, and for a moment, lost track of what he was supposed to be doing. Fortunately, nothing was attacked in the meantime beyond his sensibilities.

"Safe? Boss, we're surrounded by foreigners from three enemy kingdoms and you want me to leave because you think you can take the guards? Anyone in the world who might want you dead could be here. I'm glad you didn't let them know you were coming, but you're asking too much."

"What? Do you think I can't handle myself? I'm not *that* old yet, Dusk-Walker."

"I think that they'd be idiots to simply play fair if they wanted you dead. What if they use archers? I would."

"We both know even if they did have bowmen, they'd be far more conspicuous in their perch than a Sky-Piercer, and I've picked them out at range before on my travels. I appreciate the worry, but my wife died years ago, and I'm not looking for another one in a Mire-Shadow assassin," the older rat chuckled.

Dusk-Walker did not receive the joke well, answering his master's stubbornness with a frustrated squeal. It was impossible to convince Cinder-Fur of anything once he had made up his mind, but he could at least still force a compromise. He subtly produced a sealed pellet with curious symbols etched into its side and slipped it into one of the folds of Cinder's clothing while the two of them patted each other's shoulders.

"Make noise if something happens and I'll have you out in two seconds," he said.

“Well then, off you go. It’s probably better lady Pale-Fur didn’t come- she’s dreadful at parties,” the patriarch said, reverting seamlessly to the common tongue that their hosts understood. “Find me in a while. I doubt you’ll have trouble.”

Despite the rather insistent gestures that his master was making, Dusk-Walker did not immediately leave. Instead, he shifted past the old rat and stared down what he assumed to be Maka's second-in-command, a human woman with a hard expression but an otherwise unreadable face. He didn't think much of the latter, or even about how she was a human serving a queen of wolves, mostly due to the fact that he had never interacted with either species before. The swamps were not kind to foreigners, and it was a very rare occasion that one of them would become important enough to be a concern for the Grand Boss or his retainers.

"H-he gets hurt," Dusk-Walker stammered at the human, having no small amount of difficulty speaking a language they could both understand, "I come for the one who did it."

At first it seemed as though the woman had only just begun to pay attention to him, and he wondered if he had even used the correct words after such a long time without practice, but after a moment she met his gaze and responded in kind.

"And if anything happens to her... what happens to him will be the least of your concerns."

The answer was not surprising, given what he had been told about the warriors of Akamu, but somehow it bothered him all the same. It wasn't that he was afraid of the human, or even of the consequences of what might happen if the nezumi were implicated in her queen's death, but rather that she was unafraid of him. After so much time spent in his own kingdom, Dusk-Walker had come to expect everyone he met to treat him based on his reputation, and to see someone who seemed to know nothing about it hurt his pride more than he realized. It reminded him of his youth, when appearing small and unimposing was a sure sign of weakness rather than cause to be underestimated.

He turned his back slowly, wishing the entire time that he could draw his sword instead, and allowed himself to disappear into the crowd. In his mind, he cursed Cinder-Fur for holding him to such a difficult promise.


Last edited by Ganelon on Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:44 am 

It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to

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Everything about this felt so…wrong. Why were they chatting with the old rat, anyway? It’s not like he had much to offer the kingdom, other than his damn silk, but that was too impractical anyway. The idea of Maka wearing a dress of silk and prancing around, frolicking about to greet people was enough to make her want to laugh aloud.

But, she couldn’t. So she didn’t.

Instead, she let her mind wander away from the stench of death and onto what she could be doing right then. If I find someone willing to lend me a pelt of some kind…I could harass the drunks…That’s always a good pastime… she thought, remembering fondly the drunken brawls. Sure, she wouldn’t have Maka to back her up that time, but she’d take a punch to the face over listening to this drivel. The sudden clicking included.

Had it not been for the clicking and incessant harsh tones, she’d have missed Maka’s attention turning on her. Tuning back in, eyes on her sister’s, her gaze held what her face could not. Very clearly in her utter distaste for what was being asked of her. Why can’t someone else do it?! she screamed, as though speaking without actually doing so existed. Why can’t someone else do it?! You want me to leave you alone with THAT?! A hand pushed itself through her hair, the mussing she’d done to it earlier now gone and back to its normal state of chaos.

“Adeezhí… chʼééh… tʼáá shǫǫdí…” was all she asked back through gritted teeth, her nod curt.

Yes, the lack of interest in anything the patriarch said was bordering on dangerous levels: dangerous enough she was considering doing just a little something to liven things up. Something along the offensive variety…or accidentally falling (you know how pesky humans are, when it comes to balance and doing things)…But her pride wouldn’t let her do that. Just as the thought of catching another’s eye to do it and give her an excuse to “punish” them off in some dark corner somewhere, other words that did mean something to her caught her interest.

For all the wrong reasons.

Eyes that had long gone unfocused refocused in, this time on Dusk-Walker, keeping her face as placid as she could while the nonchalant threat was made. Stammering taking away from the seriousness of it, she merely nodded. Awww…that’s cute, came a wry thought. “And if anything happens to her…” she started, voice even. A pause. “What happens to him will be the least of your concerns.”

The rat was lucky to waddle off, that she had to behave. Words spoken so callously to her often ended in at least one thrown punch, “on principle,” she’d tell herself. But, this was a peace festival, and peace wouldn’t be had with her punching Cinder’s entourage, no matter how decrepit they may be. Her expression remained otherwise unreadable as she watched them walk off, only to feel another presence encroaching just as fast as the last had…except this one was far less wanted.

Does no one know how to do their damn jobs?!

Both the hairless monkey and Gigantor appeared to her at the same time, giving their salute and asking questions they should have already known the answer to. The human, for what it was worth, she could have justified. He’s stupid. He’s not been here nearly as long. The big ass leopard, on the other hand…

And again, another interruption. Her eyes narrowed tenfold as yet another joined the party gathering around her: the Polar Bear. I feel as though I’m on my way to being the butt end of a joke… Arnia thought with growing agitation that was kept inward once more, only her eyes showing exactly what she felt for all three of them in that moment.

“Right,” she started, smile on her lips that held no mirth. Her head tilted up to properly stare him down. “Let’s start from the top. Ro’que, what did I tell you to do earlier? Just like I told everyone else: this is meant to be a festival. You’re meant to be vigilant, but not directly in the action. Do we not know how big we are? You’re a ****ing giant. Let’s just hold up a flag, wave it around, and set off a light display to say ‘hey! I’m a guard who doesn’t know what I’m doing’! The queen is going where she was requested and you’ll do well not to follow her around like the big hulky bodyguard no one can seem to shake.” Everything was rattled off in rapid succession in their native tongue (and would continue to be so), barely letting out a breath in between each word. Despite the anger she harbored for the sorry lot, the words still held their standard musical quality. Match that to the smile and she’d appear to be sharing almost an inside joke.

“Next; You,” came the next breath, rounding on Ashton. “Everything was dandy until we all decided to congregate at once. Do we not know how this works? Were you asleep when we went over protocol? Is this how we handle things? I don’t know how it is back in Atlygaea, but that’s not how it works here, and you’d do best to remember that. Apart from a veiled threat, we’re doing ****ing perfect.”

“And you!” Nixus was now stared down. “Calm the ever loving **** down or so help me, I’ll beat the tension out of you. This is ****ing ridiculous. If there wasn’t going to be an attack, you’re sure giving them a reason to with how you carry yourself. ‘May as well do what they think we will! Can’t breathe without them tensing’!” As his gaze slid over to where her sister and the old geezer wandered off, she physically reached up and grabbed his snout, pulling his face back with a laugh, one she forced to some degree, but still held the same annoyance her amber gaze did. “Stop staring them down! That goes for all of you,” she added the last with a glance at the other two. “Do you really think being so obvious in your observations is wise? It’s like I taught you nothing at all when you went through bootcamp. Keep this up, you’ll each be demoted and put on armor duty.”

A calming breath as a hand clapped Nixus on the nose, her eyes roving over all three of them while her peripheral went elsewhere. “Now, because of you three I’ve now been delayed in my own task, the reason I left her side in the first place. So, I’d be extremely happy if you could all do your ****ing jobs and go elsewhere? Mingle, pretend like you give a damn about this festival and not making sure someone stabs Maka, and just pay the **** attention. Are we capable of multitasking? Is that beyond your comprehension, or are you good?”

This time, the smile that pulled at her lips was genuine, eyes falling back on her target just before he melted into the crowd completely. “If you’ll three excuse me…I have a rat to follow.”

And with that, Arnia turned on heel and casually melted into another section of the crowd, careful not to be too close to Dusk that it was obvious, but not so far away that she couldn’t see him or what he was doing. Occasionally, she pretended to care about conversation as people spoke to her, if only to keep up the rouse of her own milling about and this “peace” bullshit. Yet, her mind didn’t wander. Part of her hoped that Dusk would try something, if only to give her an excuse to take his threat and shove it up his long-tailed, hunchbacked ass.
- - - -

Nadja


The shock was slowly dissipating for her, the longer she sat outside amongst those chatting and laughing. As the festival was supposed to be a joyous event, she shouldn’t have been surprised by the turnout, but it didn’t keep her from being caught off guard. But, when the festival is being held in a kingdom that you once fought with, that hates magic, you’re bound to be a bit jumpy.

Add that you’re not often around people, and it’s the perfect storm for a panic attack.

But, like all things, that came to an end (for the most part). As she spent more time sitting at that table, watching everyone interacting, watching the general casual, if excited, atmosphere continue to remain as such, her tension eased. Where a tentative fox once sat, a quiet but calm one now replaced it. Her warm eyes continued to flit from face to face, stand to stand as her senses were overrun with new smells, new sights (at least, experiencing them herself, and not through a vision). Part of her wanted to get up from the table and try to mingle, but there was that side of her that wasn’t sure she could do that; That she’d run into one person who wouldn’t care what the festival was for and would, instead, act out their prejudice.

She’d already heard as much in another area since arriving, so it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.

No, Nadja told herself sternly, letting out a calming breath. You need to relax and go for it. What kind of show of faith is it if you keep to your comfort zone, your own little bubble, instead of talking to those around you? What harm could it do?

With that, she pushed off of the table, and started to move. Where she was moving to, she was unsure, letting her feet and the general motion of the crowd decide for her. Though she wasn’t hungry, one of her travels led her to a food stand, handed something she’d never seen nor heard of, accepting it and taking a bite to be polite. It wasn’t bad…in fact, was really good, a smile crossing her features as she indulged for a while, milling about in the crowd of people in her own bubble of happiness for that moment.

At some point, what she’d been eating was finished, its wrapping discarded, stopping for a moment to figure out where to move to next. …It was then that her eyes hit him, and her mind clouded over with a memory.

The memory was a pleasant one, back in the days of her normal schooling. He’d been a friend to her then, even if they hardly spoke. She, too quiet, and he focused on his studies. He was the one friend she’d lamented losing when her responsibilities caught up with her and took her away from the rest of the world into obscurity, living as mere myth for those who hadn’t met her directly.

Is it him? she wondered, staring while telling herself not to stare. His face looks the same…if more mature…Last I saw him, he still looked more like a kitten, and now taller than I…Hard to be certain… Curiosity getting the better of her, she wandered closer to him, eyes on him still, glancing away now and again to try and appear less creepy, trying to discern if he were who she thought. How can I be certain?

THeia Therapeftis?” Nadja finally asked, eyes hesitantly making eye contact, praying it was he and that he’d recognize her, even if aged. Yes, she’d used his true name, not the name all would know, but, if he were who she thought, he’d understand.

Here goes nothing…

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 8:27 am 

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In just a few hours Errapel felt like he has seen just all there was to see. After he had finished playing a few games, he almost felt worn out and decided to relax in the shade under some trees for awhile. He was comfortable just watching everything for the time being. With his little mishap earlier still on his mind, he decided to steer clear of dancing for a little while. But he was not down for the count just yet, keeping the mindset that this was a time of relaxing and not just wild partying. The tiger has never been the partying sort anyway, sticking more to calm atmospheres where he could conduct his work in peace. Just being here was relaxing enough for him. Errapel was taking in the liveliness of the festival, and enjoying himself at his leisure, but one can only sit still for so long.

He wondered if there was a place for him to offer his services. In a place where peace was the main focus, it didn’t seem likely. However, there were those who did not agree to this peace. The more he walked around, catching their remarks from time to time, the more he began to feel uncomfortable. Even though it was that discomfort that made him want to offer his services in the first place, he still felt rejected before he even began. The reality that he was indeed in a place that hated magic, and that not everyone was agreeing with each other. There were still tensions, which seemed to thicken once word spread that the Nezumi were around. He had to admit, the presence of the Nezumi did made him a little uneasy. The murmurs that he heard about them were even more discomforting. Offering his services would have to wait another day.

A voice had called to Errapel suddenly. When he turned to face who had called him, he was faced with a vague sense of familiarity.

Errapel could have sworn he saw the fox before, but he could not recall when that had been. He looked at her for a long time. As if he was searching for something, his eyes studied her for a moment. “I…” He began, struggling to find words. “Not too many people know that name.” He raised a clawed finger and pointed it at her. For a moment it looked like he was going to just up and say he recognized her, but that did not come. Instead the tiger was having some difficulty finding the right words. She looked familiar, he knew that much, but maybe it was silly to ask if they had met before. What if he came off differently than he intended? What if they didn’t know each other and it was sheer coincidence that she looked like someone from his past… no, no. That was silly.

“Do we know each other?” It has been a long time. It was natural he would not recognize her right off the bat, right? Perhaps a little sad as well. He should be more aware of who is running the Kingdom. When all seemed lost, “Oh! I mean… hello… forgive me for not recognizing you… It’s been awhile, has it not?”

Suddenly, Errapel seemed to stand a little straighter. It had sunk in slowly but once it had, he knew who he was dealing with. He suddenly felt awkward. As much as he tried to appear as respectful as possible he felt restless. Should he stand straighter than he was? No… No, he shouldn’t draw any attention to her considering the situation she was in. Maybe he should relax. Yes, relax. He told himself a few times to ease his posture a little so he didn’t seem so stiff. It worked, to an extent. Now his only hope was that he didn’t seem too ridiculous or… unnecessarily wound tight.

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 15, 2014 3:39 am 
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Ashton gave his commander a salute and quickly moved off. He knew better than to tick Arnia off, her temper seemed to be only matched by just how hard she could hit. As he moved away he pulled his helm from his head and slipped it under his arm, scratching his beard he let out a light huff before moving to a food vendor. With a smile and a nod he took a seat and watched the people wander by, the place was full of happy people milling about.

Seeing a familiar figure in the crowd he stood up and with a wave he called out to the figure.

"Miria!" He yelled over the din of the crowd as he moved towards her. He smiled brightly and made his way through the crowd, when she spotted him moving through the crowd she returned the smile and waited for him to reach her.

After a brief exchange and light hug Ashton continued to smile and looked out over the crowd.

"Busy day today, much to be expected from such a large festival." He looked back to Miria "How has your day been, did you hear the Queen's speech?"

Miria nodded with a smile "Yes it was quite the stirring speech, things seem to be going smoothly for the time being"

After a brief few minutes passed Ashton stood up and bid Miria a good day, before moving off into the crowd to "mingle as it were".

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