How Much Can You Withstand? -- O; Death

[SirDio]

[align=center][div style="width: 45%; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -1px; font-family: times new roman;"]♡ — It was still there. That nagging feeling that she was going to die. Even with the feeling on her heels, she did her usual work. Visiting camp to deliver prey, tidying up around the house, but always looking over her back, over her shoulder, peering into bushes and the trees. She tried to go on as normal, to just ignore it, but it was always there. But eventually, the calm settled in, she could breathe easily. Usually, a calm happened before the storm, but Medusa didn't care. Oh, how she should've cared. Maybe this tale would not be as tragic.

Wandering the forest surrounding her home, she felt the air tighten in her chest. The overwhelming scent of wild animals, wild canine, took hold. Before she could even think, or even see, pain exploded around her midsection. Shaking. She was being shaken. Through the pain, a fire started on her front paws, which she used to force the attacker to release her. She dropped down, pain throbbing, blood coating her scales, and fur on her midsection. She tried to run, but the canine took hold of her hind legs and crushed them in its bite, sending a violent screech from her. She turned, felt and heard her lower back break under the movement, and clawed at the beast's eyes. The beast released her and she tried her best to crawl away, fire on her tail and back, repelling another attack. The beast thwacked her tail with their paw but was burned by the fire, and ran off further into the forest. Good. Leave.

She feebly crawled toward the house, growing weaker and fearful. Palmclan. She wanted Palmclan. She wanted Rhine, Quasar, Vaas, Foam... She wanted her family. There, she could die peacefully, surrounded by them. But why would fate treat her kindly now? Entering the front yard area of the house, the smell of lavender and honey, a sweet, peaceful smell, she collapsed. Breath going shallow and quick, she let out a quiet sob. Why did she have to die here? Was fate that cruel to her? Why? Why did she have to die alone, without even a single friend or family member around her? As the sobs kept coming, She saw someone arrive from the forest, clad in a robe and larger than her. They smelled heavily of lavender and mint. As they spoke in unfamiliar tongue, she reached out to them with a weak paw.

Strength gave up, her body collapsed, fell limp. Light and life left her eyes. The stranger approached with solemn eyes, gently picking her up by the scruff, aware that she had friends and family who would rather attack them than mourn with them. Knowing this, they simply dragged her away, to their own secluded cave, where no one would find them. There, they would spend days mending her body, drawing her soul back.

When any Palmclan member arrived, they would not find Medusa's body.

"Speech"

////Long story short, Medusa gets attacked by a wild canine, crawls/drags herself to the house, and dies in front of it. A stranger arrives and takes her body to a place where they can revive her. No one will be able to track them, but anyone can search the area.////

[SirDio]

DRIFTING - FEATHER

Drift was more of a wild card within Palmclan. Never in one place in the camp, sometimes outside it, just generally everywhere at once. Medusa was a passing card in the deck, but she liked the snake hybrid and wished she could have done more to help her. Big enough to sneak by being out of camp for a prolonged period of time, she heard the screech. Panic. It was Medusa. It had to be Medusa. Rushing over into the forest, she was too late. The pool of blood, the smeared trail left by whoever soulless bastard took her, the scent of stranger and blood. She stumbled back, feathers puffed. No.. "No.. Medusa..! MEDUSA!!!" Wild energy sprung the dinosaur forward, sniffing the air again.

"I need an adult.." She whimpered, before tearing away from the forest and running back into camp. Most were shocked by the terror in the beast's wild eyes, but some didn't listen to the senseless babbling the terrified girl said. "Medusa! Please you have to listen to me! Medusa... Medusa's gone! Something got her! Please, just listen!"

[Grimm]

To know love, allow such tumultuous waves to engulf a heart delicate in poor construct, is to welcome agony alongside. Cruel the very idea one may extend beyond time, occupy moments catalogued in dwindling memory, always present for each trickling grain of sand through glass figure. Torment of own creation such wanton desire, asunder torn in wake departure carves, a ceaseless cycle implored to end with a happy conclusion.

There was no truth in such false narratives, the hardship of the crafted end swept aside in favour of only the pleasantries pertaining to magnified joy. Easier to accept sugar coated lies, allow survival to continue, when the fantasy that pain may find a concrete end was supposedly within reach.

From ruin once more built a home, about the quiet din of background thought the structure central occupant. Known, if within terms simple and thus may be assured past speaker understanding a possibility, that which transpired, necessitated change in scenery. Quelled his prior worries, their idle words over her move offering rather demeaning when unpermitted was visitation, to know she at least swelled in safety enough for the moment. Disregarded it all, warning and bribery bearing no use, the structure of community, about enclosed expectation and law, secondary to personal desire. Broached the entangled woodland and path was drawn through poorly made mental map, one he may follow again even as prior expedition ended only a few days ago.

Disentangled the mess that lay atop solitary bedding, occupied a corner as life once more populated the underground hollow. From among taken one in particular, adored for blues of varying shades spread along the surface, about speckling points depicting stars. Poor the manner it was folded, corners hanging out of crooked folds, edge dragging when it was pulled upon his back, fidgeted with until it may settled in place he deemed suitable. Assistance once may have been sought, but, for the purpose intended for that which offset slow, stumbling steps, the notion must be disregarded. Well did Foam know the reception that met his wandering beyond the camp, in part accepted if given proper chaperone, the best one may hope for as staying was not an option any longer, and so hidden his intent.

Progression impeded before it had begun, the snow thickly layered only begun melting and so sodden the paws that halted, confusion alighting in pale green depths. Rare, and exceeding far between, the instances Drift broached the shallow walls sloping into valley, occupied with external objectives. Brief the joy that shifted the contours of visage, lightened beneath smile that broke with greeting swallowed, her words a ceaseless babble mind refused to understand. He must, however, distance closing as her voice grew defined, the message imparted if unwelcome.

Medusa was gone.

Possibly it had been the issue of prior abandonment, clung to this life that had promised the baseline necessities he had been robbed of, soft the heart bruised and beaten, close held so many. Between clenched teeth breath seeped, aching heat wound about chest for held too long that long exhale, edges breaking with the quiet notes of a whimper. Desire to speak lay heavy on tongue, withheld for shallow each breath next taken, departing in a moment after, head falling to observe manner claws dug into the frost and sand beneath. Denial there, a chiming bell ringing with a singular word, thoughts grown lax and heavy as they swirled in quickened tempo.

Forgotten all but her in that moment, behind fluttering the discarded gift, a field of stars supposedly carved from the sky well above, a dark covering of clouds shifting as though in silent laughter. Too soon may adrenalin that flooded hammering heart wane, still present the sickness that refused to respond to treatment, crushing stone against diaphragm, left wheezing as only begun his path. Harsh the fear that contored surface level thought, before arising the twisted trunks that spoke in hushed tones, the wind whistled through the needles with a promise only of heartbreak. Within did he plunge, given no time for second thought, clumsy on paws heavy, legs steadily grown stiff. Stopping may not occur and on was he forced, blood welling along lower lip held tight between clenched teeth, the agonising heat all he may focus upon, progression slow and looping as he struggling to make sense of the dense growth.

Hours seemed to pass before the ruin met vision grown blurred about the edges, sharp the copper note, soil adorned with shed blood. Hesitation marked his approach when destination was now present before, strangled the cry that slipped through, begun the free flow of tears. Blood he had seen, death inescapable for one must perish for another survive, known the once living state of that he consumed, different this. Family had been Medusa — was, she was apart of the family. Falsehood lingered in mind even as it seemed improbable she continued to live, trail cutting through the undergrowth attesting to this not being the site of her supposed attack.

"No, not real." Mantra repeated, again words spoken until it as all he may do, clumsy the paws that dug out soil and threw it, rather carelessly, over the blood that smeared the ground before the house. If no evidence existed such would mean no crime had transpired, she would be safe in her home and he may give her the blanket. Even as he hoped such a childish wish may be true some part of his mind, quiet yet persistent, contradicted it. She was gone and he was destroyed the evidence, the trail that may assist. Finally Foam could do no more, barely covered a small patch as he collapsed. No longer restrained the sobs that flowed freely, broken by dry coughs that grew more frequent, body on fire as he tore at the ground.

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I think I’m not quite ready to let you circle the drain. all the things we’ve broken can be puzzled together again, all your sums and your pieces are enough to clean up all the messes you’ve made

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code by Wisker

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

Quiet was a luxury not often afforded to Rhinestonestar, at least not ever since he had stepped up as leader. He had grown used to the hustle and bustle of running the clan, constantly having something or someone to worry about. That day, he still had all of that upon his back, but at least things had been silent. It had been a kind of peaceful silence, with only the sound of the wind whisking the sick leader off into the pleasant land of sleep. Unfortunately, fate had always been a cruel mistress, and would continue to be well after Rhinestone was gone. She always had a way of luring one into a false sense of security, just before she dug the dagger into their back, and left them to die. Truly, the screech that tore through the air should've been the first strike of the dagger, but Rhine's exhausted mind had written it off, prompting him only to roll over. After all, the shriek could've just been the particularly loud call of an irritated bird, trying to wake everyone up. In this case, however, that "bird" would've been a boon, as perhaps the tom would've been able to prevent the events that took place. Perhaps he would've been able to give a middle finger to fate, and completely change things so that he wouldn't lose one that he loved as family. Of course, that hadn't happened. He hadn't left bed.

The frantic scream of Drifting was what finally prompted Rhinestone to wake up, his eyes opening immediately as soon as he heard her frantic tone. He was groggy as he stumbled to his paws, scrubbing at his eyes and leaving his den. The words that were leaving the dinosaur seemed baffling, almost as if they were some kind of practical joke. Medusa? Gone? That was impossible. Yes, Medusa had left camp in order to feel more safe within the forest, but she was still a part of Palmclan. She still cared for them all, a fact that she demonstrated over and over again with both her words and actions. Ever since the day that she had shown up, catching Rhine off guard and introducing him to the world of hybridization – or simply a more drastic hybridization than Lovekit had been – the tom had come to know her. He knew that she wouldn't just leave them, so what could Drifting be talking about? He felt so confused, and so tired, and there was a sinking feeling of dread that simply wouldn't leave his heart, threatening to work its way up and strangle him. He only managed to mumbled weakly, voice rough, "Drifting, what...? What do you mean, Medusa's gone?" The words still sounded foreign in his ears. Fabricated. Wrong.

The ruddy feline's exhaustion was forcibly dragged from him as Foamkit went charging forward, causing Rhine to let out a string of curses as he shook himself out. He had intended to stay with Drifting, and just figure things out, but the boy who was like a son to him had other plans. Rhinestone couldn't just allow him to charge into the woods alone, so he went racing after Foam, long strides carrying him out of camp and into the forest, sand giving way to more firm dirt. As he rushed along, the leader found that the feeling of his dread in his heart was only growing more, and more. Claws were sinking into him from the inside, pushing him to run faster and farther as the scent of Medusa reached his nose. He could smell fear and blood on the air, and the dread in his heart had grown, encapsulating his entire body. There was a roar of static through his mind, and his vision was only focused on a small location in front of him, his breath coming out in gasps. He didn't even know why he was running, when some part of him already knew that it was too late. Medusa was gone. He had failed her. He had not only failed to protect one of his own senior warriors, but he had failed to protect his friend. His family. How was he supposed to go on...?

Despite the fact that he had already known it to be true, Rhine felt a small and involuntary sob rip from his throat as soon as he reached Medusa's home, the scene in front of him stunning him. Blood and scorch marks marred the ground, and while the scent of Medusa was everywhere, there was no sign of the actual hybrid. He didn't even know what to do, or how to handle what had happened. Was she dead? Was she really gone? There was no body, but there was so much blood, and she had to be... gone. He squeezed his eyes shut briefly, a shuddering and gravelly sigh of defeat leaving him as he stood there, feeling both sick and devastated. He was only broken from his stunned state by the sound of Foamkit, clawing at the ground and pouring his entire young heart out. Rhinestone felt deep sorrow in his heart, and part of him wanted to just fall to pieces alongside the boy, but he knew that he couldn't. There would be time for his own screaming, sobbing, and hating the world, later. He would get it all out, whether he wanted to or not. For now, he just pressed forward pushing through the scent of Medusa, and the stench of fire and blood, continuing until he eventually reached where Foam had collapsed. He reached a paw out for the smaller and younger feline, pulling the kit into his chest and curling his entire body around him, holding Foamkit close. He could do nothing more than comfort the child, even as tears began to slip silently down his own cheeks.

NEVER OPENED MYSELF THIS WAY
LIFE IS OURS, WE LIVE IT OUR WAY

— Reggan

[number nine.]

Number Nine hadn't gotten the chance to learn much about Medusa, at least not yet. To him, she had seemed pretty damn reclusive, and he couldn't say that he blamed or resented her for it. After all, he and Lewis had lived on their own out in the middle of the uncharted lands for ages before he had arrived here. He'd be a pretty big hypocrite if he went so far as to call anyone a hermit. Despite this, the hybrid certainly hadn't seemed like a bad person, st least from afar. She seemed kind and motherly, and it was obvious that she helped out, considering the fact that she was a senior warrior. Basically, if the clan as a whole trusted Medusa, then Nine trusted her as well. Unfortunately, it didn't seem as though the bounty hunter would get his chance to meet Medusa properly, or learn much more about her. Despite thinking that there would be all the time in the world to know what made the senior warrior tick, the world had evidently decided to cut her time short.

The jaguar had just been laying casually in camp when Drifting came rushing in, long tail twitching behind him as he let his gaze move lazily upwards. He had already completed his hunting for the day, and didn't really see any reason to be in any kind of huge rush. He had noticed the scent of blood on the air, and had even heard the scream from earlier, but had figured it to just be a particularly noisy piece of prey, or perhaps an intruder. If someone was truly in trouble, they would've shouted, right? It was difficult to make alarm bells go off in Number Nine's head, since he had grown so used to the cycle of life and death that living worked off of. In this case, however, the cycle had been rather forcibly moved. Drifting's frantic words cut through the air like a knife, and Nine immediately found his ears pinning back, anxiety filling his body. Medusa was gone? She didn't seem like the type to just run off, and he was fairly sure that wasn't the type of gone that Drifting was talking about. The kid seemed pretty shaken up about it, but both Foamkit and Rhine were already racing off, no doubt going to see if what they had heard was true.

Rather than go bolting after the pair, Nine chose to deal with the poor terrified girl in camp, slowly pushing himself up to his paws. The jaguar then moved over to Drifting, sitting down and putting on his most gentle voice, "I need you to take a deep breath, alright? Rhine's gonna get to the bottom of things, I'm sure. But you look like you're just about to fall over from all the hyperventilating you're doing. Just try and breathe, okay?" There would be time to properly grieve for Medusa later, when he was in the company of others who knew her well. For now, he was just trying to be of some use, by making sure Drifting didn't collapse in on herself.

HELLBENT ON MAKING YOU LOVE ME TOO

[SirDio]

DRIFTING - FEATHER

Violent were the tears that threatened to spill, eyes staring up at Rhine as words failed her. "Something... something got Medusa and.. and.." words collapsed in on themselves as she fell to her knees, breath quick and shallow. Her head has been pressed against her chest now, unable to see Rhine leave. Head shot up at Nine, wild and scared. Outstretched arms reached to grasp him, but she let them come back against her chest. Eyes squeezed shut as a heavy breath drew from her. None of this had to be real. Just a dream. But it wasn't a dream. It was a cold, terrifying truth. What could they had done better? The weight of what happened was heavy, and the way she covered her face in her feathered arms told that better than any words. "Medusa... I'm so sorry... I.. we all could have done something..." If only the clan had been a tiny bit more welcoming, if someone had taken time out of their day to talk with her, if someone had just done something, this probably would have never happened.