Quick and tedious were the steps of the black jaguar, white marring their darkened pelt, head down turned to the path below them, jaws spread to taste the air, feeling the lightning in their blood crawling to respond. Lifting their head up to the encroaching gray clouds, they rumbled a low breath, "Fate changes with each lightning strike ..", they murmured to themself as they exhaled, turning their head back to observe the territory that was misty and dull to their eyes. One could say that the world had ended, they wouldn't know any better. They knew what they were missing from the world without their sight, and they were welcoming of the slow return. Shaking their head, the antler-ed jaguar stepped towards the inn, squinting against the picking up winds. Sitting down after checking that the inn was empty, they cleared their throat before letting out a roar, "Let any Alithíans wishing to patrol gather here with me! We are going on a border patrol and a hike!" they boomed, paws pressing into the cobbled stones with excitement sparking upon their tongue. It was rare that they could go out in a storm, having kept to their nest and cubs when they were too young to leave. This flamed excitement through the shifter's guts, their eyes glowing with the force of the lightning inside of them.

When enough of their members had approached their curious summons, the jaguar turned their head to take in their compatriots, "we will take a patrol from the inn, around down to the path of the waterfall and along the cliffside. feel free to stop and gather what you wish, right before a storm is best to pick herbs on the cliff. we set out now.", they rumbled, eagerly kneading the ground as they leapt to their paws. they were overjoyed, they hadn't seen this territory before Goldie had blinded them - they only knew the pathways after traveling often across these lands, their eyes enlightening them as they made their way to the group of their group mates, tail flicking in astonishment at everything around them.

Exhaling softly, the jaguar bounded ahead, taking the lead of the group, paws greedily feasting upon the land that they called home, each breath bringing in a clearer sense of their surroundings, eyes glimmering for what little they could make out, Malak's help was truly paying off. They felt a strange feeling, something strange welling up into their lungs and throat. Much to their amazement, they could feel laughter slipping from their lips as they leapt between shadow and light, claws digging deep into the dry and pounded dust. Who was to say that adults couldn't have fun? There was enough stress in their world at the moment, and laughter was a good cure to the thoughts that circled their dreams and crushed their skull in the night. Spreading their jaws as they slowed to a walk, the jaguar drank in all of the scents, fur standing on end as they heard the ominous rumble from the clouds far out on the ocean, welling and towering high above the bodies below. Oh by the gods, to experience this sight again ... their heart was nearly exploding from their chest. Making a quick paced circle about the inn, they checked for fresh bandit scents, marking the trees with their scent, eyes slitted against the wind that promised the sting of rain.

Paws bringing the being from the trees surrounding the inn, they bounded outward, noticing all of the overgrown land, their tongue clucking against their teeth as they walked, paws falling into the prints that were left behind by others, gaze quiet but oh so praising of the land about them. This was their home ... they needed to protect it from now on and for the remainder of their life. Feeling the next cannonade of thunder out about the ocean, they smiled against the wind, skin prickling and sending their fur on end, small bolts of electricity jumping across their scarred pelt. They were quick and thorough with their patrol of the inn, checking its inner courtyard and outer walls for the scent of the invaders. They found nothing and began the climb towards the cliffs, their eyes taking in the shortly hewn grasses and heathers, spotting clumps of grasses and herbs that they did not recognize. Malak would know what they were for, they realised quietly as they led their patrol on against the wind. Their excitement grew untold amounts at the crash of thunder as the storm drew over the land, bringing with it rain and lightning abound, the jaguar standing at the top of the cliff in order to feel the swell of the storm against their fur, sullenly reminded of their family and friends that they had lost. Shaking their head, the jaguar led their patrol back down to the path, safe from the edges of the cliff and any dangers that awaited any unlucky being far below.

The scent of the two wolves calmed the jaguar some, enjoying the presence of two friends and group mates. Sam was correct, they were cheerful today. "my apologies for that day, Sam. There has been a lot of stress on me lately, and it was not fair to take it out upon one such as you who are innocent and unknowing of such issues that plague me. Hmn. How do you feel about splitting off to check out some of the cliff side housing, Sam? It would be of great aid to me, I'm barely able to keep this form out of my excitement. I haven't endured storming in so long. It has been a silent season of weather and I expect this storm to be vicious as it sets in. Don't go too far, check out the state of the pathway and the first house and report back, we can make a better patrol of it later." they would ask of her as she made small talk, grateful for Asteri's quiet but optimistic presence in the group. "Asteri, stay with me and help me check out the other side of the cliffs. Sam, we will meet you back here at the stairwell into  the cliffs. Be careful of the rain on the stairs, both of you." they forewarned before descending the flight of stone stairs, splitting left and leaving the right to Sam, their tail curling as they walked. How overjoyed were they for this moment? Very. "Asteri, how are you settling in? Are you enjoying it here? It's been nice and peaceful for a time." they murmured to her as they led the way along the stone stairs, cautioning to walk not too far out, but far enough that should she wish to move ahead she could.

▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎

Sam will encounter the bandits in Encounter 1(click me!) and come back with the bandits on her heels as they flee the destruction.

don't be so distant,

code by spacexual

Quick and thunderous was the roar of wind and thunder ripping  through cracks in stone and smashed beams, the plaster of walls peeling off, the warmth of the drenched fire a distant memory, the Queen laid upon her furs, paws over her muzzle as she struggled to wake up, woken by one of her bandits shaking her shoulder, threatening to grab her by the scruff. Twas not long before her sleep addled mind clicked and put the pieces together, realising that the ground under her painted paws was shaking, threatening to rip itself asunder. Suddenly, she could hear the chaos of the storm, as if cotton had been ripped from her ears, air filling her lungs as she tried to make sense of her unfamiliar surroundings. Oh where in the hells was she? Where was her mate? Where was everyone? Shaking her head, the Queen snarled at the bandit that had shaken her awake, hauling herself to her paws as the ground trembled once again to the deep growling and crashing of rock and wood outside the broken door of the house she had set up her den in. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her worries to the back of her mind, snarling as she stumbled towards the door, sides heaving as panic wormed it's way up her throat, red eyes glaring from the shadows of her face, teeth a glowing ivory against the darkness of her gums and lips. If only a snarl and fierce expression could stave off disaster.

Shouldering open the door, weighed down so by a rock slammed up against the door, the Queen dug her claws against the rock, hauling her own frame up to the top of the boulder, wind and rain whipping her ears and making her brain scream for relief from the sound. Exhaling sharply, her red eyed gaze taking in the chaos and detriment around, the storm that had stirred her wreaking havoc upon the buildings, even the steady drone of the waterfall drowned by the screaming gales and gusts of wind, soaking her to the bone instantly. To her eyes laid the destruction of several cliffside houses, the wooden pathway around it broken and smashed through by boulders and stalicitites, stranding some poor fools to frightened to leap below or make the leap of the gap. Gritting her teeth, she leapt off of her boulder and onto the pathway, slickened with moss and neglect, her claws sliding for grip as she raced to help her bandits with a howl. "BANDITS! ESCAPE UP THE CLIFF AND WATCH YOUR FOOTING - THE CLIFF IS FALLING APART!", she ordered, the last of her mate's scent as she tore off to aid those stranded and too afraid to make the leap. Crossing such gaps and bringing her members by their scruffs to what remained in tact of the pathway, she urged them upwards and up the stone hewn path running up the cliffside, catching those who stumbled, unable but to watch in horror as rain made the footing foul and knocked some poor souls over the side of the stairs and into the monstrous swells of water below.

Grabbing one of the smaller bandits by the scruff, she worked her way up the stairs more slowly, fearing every howl of wind and lash of rain against the cliff would send her to her doom. Eventually, the bandits would flee into the slight shelter of a pinnacle of rock, left to make the climb up to the edge of the cliff, no longer trusting the steps as it wound in land and away from the edge of the unstable cliffs, where she would take over the group gasping for breath, the horror of the storm leaving them all shaken. Shaking her head briefly to clear the rain from her eyes, she barked and snapped at their heels, urging them on as she raced to the front to take the lead, streaming up the remaining steps and onto the plateau of the cliff top, the wind threatening to knock her legs asunder, claws digging in as she started off, knowing that they were far too close to the inn and reclaimed territory of the group. She could only pray to whatever gods were listening, if any were out there, that they would not encounter any of the group's members as they fled. Little did she know that they would not be so luxurious in their luck.

so distant from me

Amusement filters through them, glad to have gotten the mix up with Sam handled, they dipped their head with a wide grin. Hearing her on her way, they led the way down the stairs, purring in their throat, comforted by the presence of one of their companions and group mates, "Good, I'm happy to hear that you are settling in so nicely, Asteri. I've noticed that you and Sam are getting along, it's good to bear witness to.", they chuckled softly and warmly. "My eyes, hmn? I'd have to say that it has something to do with the electricity in my blood. I discovered it after I lost someone, I can use electricity, and my body also is a host to it. It's been sparking up in reaction to the storm and my excitement.", they admitted with a soft laugh as they guided her about the cliffside, grateful for the company and the widening of the ledge.

Turning their head up to the sky, they reveled in the crash of thunder and downpour of rain, tail curling in delight. "Its been forever since I've been able to be out and about in a storm.", they admitted, mind drifting back to a different time where they had once been curled up beside a pale lion, curling their body around him to keep him safe as he suffered nightmares during a storm. Closing their eyes, they huffed out a short breath, the storm covering the sound of the bandits escaping far behind them, attentive to the way that the cliffside began to turn muddy and slick, digging their claws in. They would be fine should they slip, they were built for this.