the bite of winter wind chilled the giant lizard, movements slow against the bone-biting chill, lacking the fur to protect their body. golden scales numbed by frost and chill, blue eyes fixed out on the ocean's swells. exhaling softly, they shook their head with a tremor. why were they here? it was so cold ... and they were beginning to feel tired as winter began to grip the lands so slowly and cruelly. yawning, the dragon continued on, finding it to brutally cold to continue in this body. giving up their scales in favor of dark fur, the kingpin shifted into their jaguar body, pawsteps bringing them quicker as they shuddered. well hell, this was no better, but at least they weren't as slow.

raising their head, fur bushed out against the chill, the kingpin stopped at the border with palmclan, putting their head up as they rumbled, settling within the shade of a large boulder looming beside the boardwalk. this was a bit too bitter for them, this wind. hopefully, their scent would reach the members of palmclan, red antlers prominent, golden scales showing through. rumbling at the chill, they licked down their chest fur, ears swiveling around at all of the different sounds, focusing in on the sounds of water and animals below the boardwalk. stomach grumbling, they realized that they hadn't fed themselves in a few days and their stomach was now reminding them of their need to eat.

Simple the mind slow in expanding beyond restrictive boundaries, beneath whim changed until near unpredictable behavioural patterns that shifted between each day. Yet never lessened the drive wanderlust cast, how it warped quiet thoughts and begun a desire rather simple in and of itself, basic the map woven in his mind. Poor this decision, however, apparent this only when too far had he gone.

Behind he trailed as though a shadow carved from ivory and silver, drawn forth when exploration of the shoreline had become watching those foolhardy in their attempts to pluck from the depths various aquatic life. For so long may such retain his wandering mind and when one had split from the rest, solitary figure absorbed in their own affairs, after did Foam follow. Unlike the other he lacked a coat thick and long, harsh the biting chill that nipped at him. Against was it fought with spare furs constructed into basic coverings yet behind had it been left, deemed unnecessary for what was meant to be a short trek to allow him a chance to get out of the main camp.

Pronounced the manner he shivered, further apparent by how his teeth quietly chattered despite his efforts to silence them, when he finally joined the assembled few. A sight both made, few their own numbers that stood out in similar fashion, drawn attention to the speaker, however. Narrowed for a moment his eyes as he regarded xem, infectious xyr energy and quickly drawn across pale lips a smile, slight as it was.

"H-hi." Disrupted his quiet greeting, though he pressed his teeth together to stop their ceaseless movement, tail waving briefly. For the moment he would stay otherwise quiet, knowing his presence may be looked upon poorly and bearing no wish to be reprimanded.

quiet the rumble of greeting, kingpin's head filled with the sound of waves kissing the shores, gaze fixed out on the oceans, lost in a time so different to this one. a shudder gripping the being, they parted their jaws, eyes showing them a figure so far out of their reach, forever lost to them. dropping their gaze to the shore, their shoulders shaking, they raised a paw to their muzzle, pressing against eyes sore and reddened by tears. oh how their days became things of pain, memories they wished to push away rising up. eyes following wuyi in xyr exploration, they felt sadness blooming in their chest. would the child fall to the curse that hung around them? would the child be taken away by death too? exhaling, they shook their head. kade would have wanted them to look after her children, and that they would. a new scent, wreathed by the scent of fish, reached their nose and they raised their head, seeing hurricane without seeing him, a time before understanding triggered in their mind. gods, were they losing their mind now too? exhaling, they chuckled as wuyi answered the warrior, their own voice coming after xyr's. "hello, we are here to speak with your leader.", they murmured, voice thick with the remnants of a brutal cough.

they scented the air, picking up foamkit's familiar scent, causing a slight smile to split their maw. the child ... he was here too. they'd only seen him when he had dropped off all sorts of gourds and pumpkins. dipping their head to number nine, they gave as commonplace of a smile as they could muster, the chill air making their fur bluster around their shoulders. another jaguar? interesting, even with the fanciful patterns on his coat, and his wings. each to their own, and hells, wings would be nice to wrap their body up in. gaze taking in foamkit as he came forward to greet wuyi, their smile became warm, chuckling softly, "greetings, number nine, and hurricane. and hello to you too, Értóng.", they murmured to foamkit from where they sat, gaze warm. curse them and their soft spot for children, reminded of the recent loss of their daughter.

coughing slightly, they turned their head away, clearing their throat and lungs, wiping their paw with a paw as they turned their head back. they had isolated for the duration of their sickness, away from their groupmates, back in the nursery caves and by the gods ... they weren't prepared for the chill in the air. hopefully malak wouldn't scold them for making this trip so soon. there was much to discuss, and this was only the tip of the iceberg. another shudder claiming the kingpin, they shook their head, bushing their fur, thin from little nutrition and lack of self-care over the past few months and weeks. clearing their throat, they knew that they ought to assauge fears, "worry not, we come with good news and a request for rhinestonestar. our first matter of business is to invite you and your friends and families to join us for a bonfire, where we are planning to hand out gifts, as well as have food and drink.", they murmured, gaze catching on a youthful body late to join the others, trundling along.

voice catching in their throat, the kingpin watched tsekani with a hollow heart, their pulse beating in their ears. why was this jaguar cub here? well, they weren't any better, bringing wuyi with them. the child needed out of camp, and well, they could do that. they could bring the child out for a walk. eyes locked on yellow orbs, they held the child's gaze from so far away. his pelt ... so close to veris. emotions choking their throat, they fought back tears, their breath tangling in silvery threads deep in their throat, a strangled croak leaving their lips. they knew nothing yet of kydobi's demise, but this child standing at the back of the group ... he was enough to remind them of the other that they had lost in their own foolish aims to fill the void inside of them. crouching down a bit to get a better look at him, eyes freed of their blindness, they smiled, "hello there, little one. i promise that i don't bite.", they murmured, some part of their conscious screaming to ensure that this youth knew that they were not a thread. perhaps they were a bit too intuitive, but his red markings reminded them of veris, and of their lost beloved. chuckling softly, "sorry, i don't have any treats to give either of you this time, a certain swift-pawed juvenile has taken off with my stash of sweets. little one, call me old if you wish, but if my daughter were still here, i think you two side by side would be a sight to see. you would have been good playmates, and an old dearly beloved friend of mine might think of you as his own cub.", they murmured, paw touching the sash hanging at their side, emptied of it's sugary treats.

Értóng- child //