shape in the snow 》 Alithís Evgenis visit

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THE KINGPIN

golden lung dragon & black jaguar w/ vitiligo & platinum silver fox. unknown age - ancient. bai shi lynn lingré. proper chinese name is lin bai. prefers lynn if close. they/them. blind. wind element & electric element. firstborn son of jerisidie lingré & current head of family/general. courting delilah evergarden & halo mercer. kingpin of alithís evgenis. demiromantic gray-asexual. parent of veris, arvin, leoku, erian, flos, kekhai, evarhi, and laeglin. elder brother of ramona and hope, uncle of quennel and cosette.

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the moisture and scent of the boardwalk was close around the dragon as it slowly made it's way down the boardwalk, the close cover of trees far too tight for them to slip through and take to the skies. breath escaping aching lungs, the dragon paused in it's path to cough, a mighty wet sound. hopefully, for their sake, it was merely a cold and not the return of what nearly killed them months before. blind eyes squinting against the light that showered through the foliage turning delicate hues of yellow, red, and brown, they rumbled as their nose picked up the scent of prey. the cold autumnal breeze from the ocean was a constant reminder of the winter to come, brutal and unforgiving. there would be enough food if they could free this coastal forest from the grip of the bandits. they had no doubt that they would  e able to, it was mainly the fear of the younger members being caught up in this war that made them cautious. the beast was out here to explore the forest, the same forest that regularly kept the group out with rumors and sightings of indescribable things. lucky for the kingpin that they were blind, unable to see what might drive off those who still had their sight. they had come out to explore the forest and to see what laid in wait for them, and their trip had not been in vain for they had found various rare herbs and gemstones and ores, marking mentally that the forest held a wealth of resources apart from prey and lumber. such precious items were carried in a hamper held by a strap in their maw, although the hamper was designed for one of their smaller bodies, it was far easier to carry it like this at the moment.

soon their travels would bring to their nose a medley of new scents, their paws having brought them from the shelter of the trees into an open expanse where the brine of the sea affronted their nose and made them sneeze at the gale of wind blowing scents in their direction. now there was no choice but to figure out where this scent was coming from. the beast gazed ahead, nearly fully blind eyes only able to make out a tall dark shape standing ahead, visible only for the bright sky behind it. they could not tell what it was but they approached without fear, rumbling softly to their own self, making note of the fact that the boardwalk continued out to that point at least. as they approached, they listened to the wind, noting it had lessened and whistled more sharply, indicating some strange mass ahead. nearly running nose first into one of the buildings, the dragon back pedaled with a grunt, setting their hamper down to take a better reading of their surroundings, the ancient beast rising up on its hind legs and squinting against the sunlight assaulting their healing eyes. there were foggy dark shapes below, buildings of some sort or another, they could only surmise. lowering back to the wood below them, they noticed the thicker scent of living things that were not considered prey. picking up their hamper again, the dragon slowly moved into the mass of buildings, sorely wishing to have someone where they were going, having to rely on their long whiskers to tell them exactly where they were until the came upon an open space.

settling in this open space, the dragon turned it's head, inhaling the strange new scents, no doubt drawing the attention of those around with their presence and own strange scent. clearing their throat, the dragon settled comfortably, deciding to wait for those who would come to inevitably confront them. letting their hamper rest next to them, the golden dragon waited patiently, scarred over eyes falling closed to preserve their sanity should they see any movement. they might be huge, but the kingpin was no threat unless provoked, and they would prefer to get to know whoever inhabited this land in order to find out if they may be a danger to their own group. "hello. i am here to speak with you, and i bring with me a gift." they would speak, knowing that by word of mouth or instinct, the leader or someone else would soon show up to deal with them. they were rather intrigued to meet with whoever lived in this place, and all of the possibilities that this meeting would bring with it.

[TOADWHISKER.]

GOTTA TAKE SOME TIME TO REALIZE

THAT MY FRIENDS THEY COME

AND THE LINES THEY GO BY

A broken, rotting mass, picked clean until structures that once rung with the chime life breathed into winding passages offered only frightful groans and settling murmurs, deserted once and now again. For only so long this second period of restless slumber, however, visited upon boards rotten and bloated a quiet tempo, haste missing in the forward momentum drawing once spectre forth, the veil his past had taken sorely missed. Peace all he wished, a moment of freedom from the bolstrous hum, conversations woven together until individual words and voices impossible to distinguish.

Even here, where the world the recluses know drew to an end, such a commodity he may only lay a faulty claim to.

Highly suspect the odd scent that arose among those natural to the hulking structure of wood and stone, brine tainted beneath loam, tantalisingly rich and lacking any hint of the overbearing salt. Brief the moment Toad pondered over the situation, the notion his own approach may be of any worth far from forefront, even when separate entities a mere lowlife he among ragged tally. Snuffed the idea of departure, however, with the rise of voice. Distinct the exhaustion clinging about syllables warmed by the rumbling depths they arose from, honey across clacking gravel, returned narrowed depths to an opening leading further within.

The harm that may arise from his own entrance a minimal thing, word dismissal by those who may staved their own approach after, and thus closer did the smoke hued feline tread. Unprepared he for that which greeted widening vision, beast of legend not shared by overworked lips, among them the eldest only speaking of the hulking beasts alike themselves yet apart set. Golden shimmering mirage that which rest among dull backdrop, plucked from depths of overworked imagination surely. It was their cargo, simple it with construct not unlike that they used for storage, that shattered the illusion.

"You, uh…" Trite the silence that followed stuttered words, attention drifting as teeth dug into lower lip, grounding the dull ache arising from the grind blunt points conducted against cracked flesh. "I ain't leader or nuthin but… Can I ask what are you." Wrong may it have been to be so forward with such query yet it wa some that demanded attention, slight the cant of head, across the dimensions of draconic beast his eyes roving.

code by Reggan

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

The merger between the boardwalk group and Palmclan had taken a toll on Rhine, for better or worse. On one paw, he knew that the event was great for all of them, and that the union would hopefully lead to plenty of prosperity in the future. Not only that, but it meant that the boardwalk was now part of their territory, opening up a large chunk of land that they had never even considered before. On the other paw, it meant a lot of work. Introducing the boardwalk creatures to Palmclan's traditions, getting them integrated into a group as a whole, making sure everyone knew what was going on... it was crazy, and Rhine knew that he would soon need to call a meeting. Just the thought of it made him wince, a yawn pulling his jaws forcibly apart as he walked, exhaustion gradually catching up to him. Once he had his next meeting, he would hopefully be able to sleep for a while, in order to recoup his schedule that had been decimated by getting trapped on the boardwalk in the first place. Palmclan couldn't afford to have a leader that was constantly on the brink of falling asleep where he stood, after all.

The leader let out a soft grunt as he pulled himself through the gaps in the bottom of the boardwalk, eventually pulling himself up through the hole that existed between several of the wooden planks. It was the path that Vass had shown them after the negotiations, and Rhine was grateful for it, since it meant they wouldn't need to clear out the area that had collapsed. Not yet, anyways. The current way in and out worked, but it was hardly ideal for those that were larger, which meant that the ramp would eventually need to be fixed. That was just yet another task to add to his list, a soft sigh falling from him as he thought of it, glancing at the buildings all around him. Several of the structures that already existed on the boardwalk would need to be spruced up sometime soon, so that they could serve as homes or shops or whatever else Palmclan needed them for. However, that wasn't exactly an urgent task, considering all of the different structures already had sturdy skeletons, and it was only really aesthetics that they were worried about. That was at least one thing that didn't need to be added to his list of things that very much need to be done very soon.

Already the scent of the boardwalk group and Palmclan had become to mingle, as more and more warriors and apprentices came to check out what the fuss was about. Rhine had no doubt that soon some would be choosing to take up residence on the wooden structure as a sort of second camp, and he couldn't say he wasn't tempted to as well. Unfortunately, he wasn't willing to give the go ahead on all of that until they made sure that the rat problem had been fully taken care of. Couldn't exactly have kits dashing around and playing when they were risking their lives to the conniving little beasts that lingered below. The thought made a shiver run up Rhine's spine, and he sped up his pace, moving fluidly throughout the rows of buildings. He had come to see how things were proceeding, and if the scent was anything to go by, they were going alright. Soon enough, there would be no such thing as the boardwalk land and Palmclan land. Once everything was settled, they would be just one unified clan, with new strength and life breathed into them. That alone was enough to make him smile, even through the tiredness that haunted his every action these days.

However, Rhine's peaceful walk around was soon interrupted by an unknown scent reaching him. Immediately he paused, unable to identify the smell as either distinctly of Palmclan, or distinctly of the boardwalk. With his entire body on edge, the tom made his way over to the source of it, eventually coming to where Bai Shi was, with Toadwhisker standing before them. Rhinestonestar tensed up at the sight of the dragon, confusion hitting him like a truck. The other sort of looked like Stormspine or Palejaw, but different. They seemed to float on the air, and that alone was enough to further worry him. However, it seemed as though Bai Shi was looking for him, and he wasn't about to just turn tail and run. Not when the other had something potentially important to discuss. After taking a moment to compose himself, the rusty colored feline approached with several long strides, clearing his throat, "Hello there. My name is Rhinestonestar, and I believe you're looking for me... this boardwalk is part of the territory of Palmclan. So I'd appreciate knowing your name, and what you came to speak about. I... I thank you for any gifts, too." This dragon had to be some kind of loner, right? Elders within Palmclan had always discussed the possibility of other groups, but it was always just that... discussion.

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

— Reggan

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THE KINGPIN

golden lung dragon & black jaguar w/ vitiligo & platinum silver fox. unknown age - ancient. bai shi lynn lingré. proper chinese name is lin bai. prefers lynn if close. they/them. blind. wind element & electric element. firstborn son of jerisidie lingré & current head of family/general. courting delilah evergarden & halo mercer. kingpin of alithís evgenis. demiromantic gray-asexual. parent of veris, arvin, leoku, erian, flos, kekhai, evarhi, and laeglin. elder brother of ramona and hope, uncle of quennel and cosette.

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peculiar were the scents of the living beings drifting around on the winds, the lung dragon noticed, their head turning to catch each new scent, trying fruitlessly to categorise the scents into one general category or belonging to a species. they felt lost in this land so different from the one that they knew like they knew the halls of their childhood home, lost to time long ago. they could pick up on feline scents, their nose twitching softly as they sought out a common taste in the scent. there, that was something. they could file that away mentally - this was unknown. some place new and alien to them, some place that was unknown to them and their group. comforted by that small fact, the dragon turned their attention back to the forms of life around them, inhaling deeply as they filtered through the scent signatures of rats, cats, birds, rotting fish and moulding wood. exhaling, they eased their weight side to side, wary of the creaking of the boardwalk below, did it need more supports? could it hold their weight? they prayed that it would, at least for the fact that it could support the great weight of the abandoned ferris wheel behind them.

the sound of waves lapping against stone and wooden constructs was soon to be overrode by the sound of paws, small and not a threat, a sound that reached their ears before wind whistled past and made them wonder if they had imagined the sound in the lonely area. no life had breached this far in so very long, not the kind of life that would be good. these buildings falling into the void, collapsing in upon themselves had not known any love in such a long time. they had seen many storms and many years, standing inhabited and then forgotten. they stilled as they heard the innocent sound of paws light on the wood, they were not imagining such a thing. soon, toadwhisker's scent slipped past their nose as his voice reached them, lowering their head the slightest to hear him better. his stutter reminded them that they bore a foreboding and startling appearance, and for a second, they debated on taking a more ... friendly shape. deciding against it as a second scent soon joined not long after, they turned their head once more to hear rhinestonestar's words. such curious small creatures, sharing the size that their own children had once been.

the two voices, and two requests for information, something easy, something that they knew in this strange location. what had the more outspoken tom called it ... ? palmclan? palmclan. yes, that was this place, not the unknown, but palmclan. what were they, their identity, and their reason for being there. they rumbled in soft humour, the dragon stretching slightly to attempt to seem more friendly, aware and perhaps basking in the surprise and awe of these smaller beings. they let out a gentle sound akin to a purr, bemused of the situation, "what am i? my dear, i am a dragon, a beast some consider to be a mere tale. there is no need to be wary of one such as i, harm does not come with me, but opportunity and curiosity. my name is lin bai, but please, call me bai shi. greetings, rhinestonestar, i do not mean to interfere with your duties or tread so far upon your territory. i live down the boardwalk, far into the trees down along the shore, my home a long distance from here. this is surely a unique meeting, to be greeted by you with such interesting names. i lead a group of my own, named alithís evgenis, and that is our home down past the woodland. i've come today in seeking who we might share these lands with," they began as they blinked, unable to make either tom out save for an individual red and single grey blob below them, neck craned to look at them, brows furrowed as their whiskers twitched when brushing against the nearby structures.

this was an odd feeling for the creature, but a welcome interaction, one that they would tell their children of should they ask for a story. "well, rhinestonestar, i have also come with an invite, now that i am here before you. i would assume that you are the one in the charge of this land? i would like to invite you and yours to our group's feast and to get to know you better. we are peaceful, but we have encountered a struggle. should you come to the feast, please be on your guard for any ... bandits if they dare come near the forest. the boardwalk leads into our territory, it would be easy to find our camp, or someone will guide you to our main camp. ah, the gifts. yes. in our territory, we have come across some unique herbs as well as some ores and gems. my group specialises in trading, and should you need anything from any passing merchants, if they still come this far out, these would be good to trade with them. i also bring news of abundant prey in the woodlands, i do not know the state of your prey nor your group's stomachs, but if you need it, there is enough forest to feed both parties. i would have brought prey with me had i known i would find a settlement out here, but i fear that it might be too big for your group." they would speak, head tilted slightly as if embarrassed at the lack of food that they brought with them. they certainly hadn't intended to stumble across this group, nor, they expected, did either tom expect to stumble across a stranger upon their territory.

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

A dragon. Not only that, but Bai Shi had come from another group. That alone was enough to leave Rhinestone slightly stunned, the leader staring up at Bai Shi for a long moment. Any talk of other groups had usually been hypothetical, with the most interaction Palmclan had in the past being smaller clans that quickly faded away. There had been Goldenluxury's visit, but she and Lovekit had spoke of a home that seemed so impossible far away, and yet Bai Shi had come to tell them about a group right next door? He supposed technically that had been the boardwalk group up until very recently, but it still felt surreal to hear of Alithís Evgenis, especially when they were led by such a fearsome creature. Although Rhine couldn't help but notice the way that the dragon slightly squinted at them, as well as the non-threatening position that the other had taken up. It was clear that they weren't here to hurt Palmclan, especially when their actions were taken into account alongside their words. Rhinestone forced himself to calm down slightly, taking a couple of deep breaths before the fur along his spine settled, and his pale gaze lost the faint fearful sheen that it had to it. Even if Bai Shi had been there with threats on their lips, a leader wasn't meant to look fearful in the face of danger.

After he had calmed himself down, Rhine rose his pale blue eyes to meet Bai Shi's, even though that took a bit of effort on his part, along with some painful craning of the neck. He nodded his head a little before speaking, forcing his voice into a slightly more firm tone as he spoke to the other leader, "Alithís Evgenis...? That certainly sounds like a very interesting place. I wasn't even aware that we had neighbors on the other side of the boardwalk... it's good to know, though." Turning a bit, Rhinestone gestured one of his limbs back towards the beach, continuing in a low hum, "Palmclan's main camp is on the beach, but our territory runs from the cliffs, all the way to the edge of the boardwalk. We're currently in the process of making the boardwalk a sort of... second camp, so to speak. So, I'm sure that we'll be seeing a lot more of each other... not that that's a bad thing." He was quick to add on, not wanting to earn another group's ire so soon. Palmclan was quickly growing in both power and prowess, but Rhine still wanted to avoid any battles, or even worse, a war. He added on jokingly, chuckling a little, "We're very peaceful, mostly... basically, as long as you don't fuck with us, we won't fuck with you." It was a rather crude way of putting it, but it got straight to the point, and Rhinestone appreciated that.

Moving on from that, Rhine was slightly startled when Bai Shi lowered themselves further, expressing the fact that they had an invitation for the group to accept. Hastily nodding his head, the feline explained quickly, "Ah... yeah, I'm the leader of the clan, and I can definitely accept that invitation. I don't see any reason why we wouldn't want to go to a feast, and meet our new neighbors..." It was pretty damn far from traditional for Palmclan members to go anywhere besides their own territory, but Rhinestone didn't see the harm in it. A feast would benefit them all, not to mention the fact that it could make their two groups much stronger together. With the realization that there were other groups out there, making allies was suddenly at the forefront of the male's mind. That was also what caused him to pause when Bai Shi continued, their invitation also coming with a warning attached. Blinking up at the other, Rhine hesitated before echoing, "Bandits...?" Bandits? In the forest? So close by? That wouldn't be good for any of them, especially not if they decided to get closer. What if Alithís wasn't strong enough to fight them off? Palmclan would surely be the next target, and there was no way the leader was willing to let that happen. Not just after they had claimed land they had thought to be occupied for so long.

Eyes narrowing briefly in thought, Rhinestonestar tried to figure out what the best way to approach the subject was. Thus far, the leader had been pretty good at working out deals with others, and he wasn't keen to break his record so soon. Plus, this seemed as though it was an opportunity for both groups to benefit, which would surely end up bringing them closer in the future. Sparing a glance towards Toadwhisker, Rhine resolved not to think of how his brother would react to his newfound confidence. After all, he was fairly sure the other already found it weird that Rhine was a leader at all. Turning his gaze back to Bai Shi, Rhine offered them a slow smile before he spoke, "Your group seems as though it is very interesting... I think that maybe we could help each other. If you're having bandit problems, then my group would be more than happy to help out. We've got a sizable member base, and many of them are strong and well versed in combat. We could help you drive these bandits out, as a favor." He then continued, making sure to try and sound as reasonable as possible, like he really knew what he was doing, "In exchange, your group would just owe us a favor in the future. Like maybe if we come by to trade, or if our prey is running low for some reason. A friendly exchange of services, you know?" Hopefully Bai Shi was also the reasonable type, and Rhine would be able to secure yet another beneficial deal for his clan.

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

— Reggan

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THE KINGPIN

golden lung dragon & black jaguar w/ vitiligo & platinum silver fox. unknown age - ancient. bai shi lynn lingré. proper chinese name is lin bai. prefers lynn if close. they/them. blind. wind element & electric element. firstborn son of jerisidie lingré & current head of family/general. courting delilah evergarden & halo mercer. kingpin of alithís evgenis. demiromantic gray-asexual. parent of veris, arvin, leoku, erian, flos, kekhai, evarhi, and laeglin. elder brother of ramona and hope, uncle of quennel and cosette.

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His surprise was notable, they too would be surprised had this been their first time to learn of other groups in the area, especially so close to home. Dipping their head slightly, they licked their lips, fighting the urge to yawn. The current situation in their lands had left them without sufficient rest, their own concerns keeping the kingpin up until dawn broke and it was too late to rest. Shaking their head slightly, they listened to his words, accepting mentally the fact of the secondary camp extending to the boardwalk. They could relate to the desire of wanting to protect their group, the group was made of family and friends and they would never want to let them be hurt over a border squabble. Luckily for both parties involved, that they had no interest in seeking out aggressive actions against another group that proved to not be a threat to them or theirs.

Grateful for his acceptance of the invite, they smiled slightly, unable to keep the upturning of their lips. "Don't be too worried, Alithís Evgenis is strong, and we fight for more than just ourselves. Help each other? Most certainly something that would be of good interest to both your group and my own. We would most certainly welcome your aid in our bandit problem, Rhinestonestar, and happily owe and yours a favor in the future. Feel free to come to us for any reason, we would be happy to have you." they rumbled, gently motioning to the hamper that they had brought with them, "Would you be interested in having our groups exchange prey and items every month or so? Just a border check or something, to ensure how the other is doing?", they offered after a moment of thought.

[TOADWHISKER.]

GOTTA TAKE SOME TIME TO REALIZE

THAT MY FRIENDS THEY COME

AND THE LINES THEY GO BY

Minute the shift within stilled vision, brief the afterburn painted against the fluttering closure of lids though eyes flicked away from central figure, left in fleeting wake a poor imitation. Where once gold ruled in delicate swirls, touched against the ridges of serpentine frame coiled in semblance of relaxation in illuminated veil, lacklustre the rust of fine strands. Brief flick of summer born lightning the clouding presence arising upon dark countenance, where once had painted the delicate touches of innocent curiosity tight the severe curl against released lips, harsh replacement in dawning annoyance.

The blood present within family ran all the more shallow than that of the chosen, yet what made they, the one who ran and the one that beckoned with open arms.

Naive the trivialisation, surface level if even such may be adequately detailed in base descriptor, deep running the buried rot sowed in days long since laid to rest. Soft the sigh he voiced, proximity closed until to cheek may nose be briefly pressed. Once more did Toad allow distance to grow, silent an observer as Rhinestone handled his duty, yet, with each word spoken in effort to impart imagery of dignified regality, he saw only the child they had once been. Muffled the amusement masked with rather poor cough, arising paw in further hope dispelled the notion he may find anything about the situation unfolding laughable.

"A dragon…" Quiet the reverence that echoed through strained murmur, legend offered tangible sinew and muscle bound in scaled flesh, notion his mind found issue with even as the softness of their speech washed over him over more, aged beyond the meagre time he had seen trickle through the hourglass. "You could say something like that, don't recall many tales about dragons." Peppered among those more familiar fantastical the direction a few select storytellers had taken, yet few had dared to come to any conclusion on the matter of truth.

On the conversation continued, reduced to mere bystander as it grew apparent a leader the draconic beast — Bai Shi, a name interesting as that which carried it — prevailing over a land a short proximity from these shores. Hard the press of his lips as thoughts ran wild, curious over what else may be located in dense woodland that clustered along the cliffs. Lull in talk, business far from conclusion, yet arising the voice of a mere warrior.

"I would be willing to be apart of the envoy, if you are alright with that." Second thought the notion of seeking approval, expected reservations on the matter of his conclusion as it had been his own wanderlust that had further widened the gulf present between them. Yet the notion of travel, monitored and based upon a task that may be beneficial to both, offered both an avenue to queel such desire and erase the guilt that plagued his each thought.

code by Reggan

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

Relief flooded through Rhine's form as Bai Shi accepted the offered deal, a smile curling upon the leader's muzzle, carefree and pleased. Even if the dragon had seemed more than reasonable, there was always a chance that they would reject the offered help, leaving the two groups at square one with each other. Rhinestone was grateful that hadn't happened, however, and found himself purring warmly, "I'm glad to hear that you'd be receptive to our help. Feel free to call upon us when we're needed, and we'll be happy to help fight back against those invading your lands." He was painfully aware of the fact that Toadwhisker was nearby, no doubt amused by Rhine's efforts to be respectful and diplomatic, but the tom needed to push through. He wouldn't allow his brother to embarrass him in some childish way – they weren't kits anymore, after all. Shoving Toad from his mind for the moment, the rust colored feline found himself nodding at Bai Shi's kind suggestion. An exchange of goods every month or so? Rhine was unsure of how much Palmclan would have to offer, but considering they had an entirely new boardwalk at their paws to explore and loot... it didn't seem like a bad idea. He found himself nodding enthusiastically before he meowed, "That would be more than alright with me. We have plenty of places for trading or exchanging news, so an exchange of goods and information each month would be good... not just good, actually. Extremely useful." An alliance where they kept each other updated, and safe. That certainly sounded perfect to him.

When Toadwhisker finally spoke up again, Rhinestone found his ears perking with interest, his pale gaze flicking over to take his brother in. Toad had certainly seemed interested in the conversation that was going on, especially when it came to holding back laughter at his brother, but to hear the other actually get involved... it was surprising. Not a bad surprising, however. Rhine was glad that Toadwhisker was actually getting involved in clan politics, albeit on a slightly smaller level. Of course, when Toad expressed why he was getting involved, the tom found his chest tightening slightly. Logically, he knew that Toad volunteering to be part of the envoy wasn't a bad thing. However, the leader's emotional brain was more focused on the fact that Toad was trying to get away from Palmclan, again. Was he still not happy? Were they not enough for him? Shoving these emotions down for the moment – he didn't want to break down in front of Bai Shi – Rhine just muttered a bit stiffly, "It's... it's fine with me, if you're part of the envoy. I mean, I'm sure it will be a very interesting opportunity, to see the lands of another group, and maybe learn about them." Rhinestone then dug his claws deep down into the earth, resisting the urge to add on that's fine, as long as you don't leave us again.

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

— Reggan

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THE KINGPIN

golden lung dragon & black jaguar w/ vitiligo & platinum silver fox. unknown age - ancient. bai shi lynn lingré. proper chinese name is lin bai. prefers lynn if close. they/them. blind. wind element & electric element. firstborn son of jerisidie lingré & current head of family/general. courting delilah evergarden & halo mercer. kingpin of alithís evgenis. demiromantic gray-asexual. parent of veris, arvin, leoku, erian, flos, kekhai, evarhi, and laeglin. elder brother of ramona and hope, uncle of quennel and cosette.

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listening to the interactions between brothers, the dragon exhaled softly, reminded of their own interactions with their siblings, reminded of the aching heart beating in their chest. those very siblings were missing, and had been missing from their life for the longest time. shaking their head slightly, the dragon found the ability to smile, grateful to hear that palmclan would not only come when they needed help, but they would stand by them as well. the news that palmclan would be happy to trade with them brought the dragon some relief, causing them to laugh deep in their throat, "trading word of mouth and goods will be of benefit to us as well, we recently found a whale drifted upon our shores. have either of you had whale before? quite a delicacy.", they rumbled in soft welcome, nose wrinkling at the memory of the carcass' stench.

they were not aware of the situation between the brothers, but the notion of an envoy did bring them interest, "we would be happy to have you visit our lands,", they murmured softly, sensing some spark of something, something that the beast had no need to stick their nose into. "alithis evgenis is more than happy to come when and where you should call upon us, rhinestonestar, and we will fight and serve with you and yours as if you were our own next of kin. within a month or so, one of our watches will come by with items.", they had the feeling that perhaps they should let these two brothers figure out whatever this disturbance was that lay between them like a stormy channel, and to give them some peace of mind.

//sorry muse is running low for this post//

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

Truth be told, Rhine knew that he was just lucky to have Toadwhisker around again at all, and he shouldn't have felt bitter about the other asking to be an envoy. After all, like Bai Shi, Rhinestone could've ended up without any of his siblings, something that the leader had come very close to not so long ago. It was still only he and Toad now, with their sister buried beneath the sands and their other sibling long lost to the hurricane, the pair unknowing of whether or not they would ever be back. So, if Toad wanted to chase some scrap of the freedom he never seemed satisfied by, then the tom would let him run off and be an envoy. As long as he eventually ended up coming back home, where he belonged. However, now wasn't the time to think about that, and Rhinestonestar knew it. Not wanting to zone out too much and leave Bai Shi hanging, the leader found himself chuckling at the dragon's question. As he shook his head, the feline explained softly, "No, I don't believe I've ever had whale before. None have ever washed up on our shores, and... we aren't exactly large enough to catch them ourselves." Just the thought of trying to catch a whale made Rhine want to break out into a laughing fit – it seemed so impossible, to one as relatively small as him.

With Bai Shi confirming the developing alliance between the two groups, Rhinestone felt a small smile come to his face. He dipped his head respectfully to the dragon before him, unable to stop the excited beating of his heart within his chest. After spending so long without a single thought or bit of knowledge about groups outside of Palmclan... it was honestly extremely exciting, learning of Alithís Evgenis. However, the leader was also sure that Bai Shi had his own business to attend to, and Rhine knew that he had a great deal to do as well. Palmclan was developing so rapidly, and stalling in that wouldn't do well for either group. With this in mind, Rhine spoke after a thoughtful hum, "Thank you, Bai Shi. It was a pleasure to meet you, and I hope that our groups can work very well alongside each other in the future. I look forward to those watches... please be safe on your way back home, no matter how short the travel." Rhinestone doubted that there was really anything the dragon needed to worry about between here and Alithís, but he wanted to be polite.

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

— Reggan