I'm Crying, How Sweet The Sound -- Open

[SirDio]

Medusa

Wading along the shores of Palmclan territory, the Hybrid found herself staring out into the ocean. It was alluring, much like a siren, capable of pulling even the strongest and mightiest into it's deep blue. It was beautiful. It was about as deep as one can imagine and then some. It was terrifying, but calming. Cold but loving. Harsh but healing.

Cold water lapped at her shoulders now. But she didn't know.

The waves welcomed her, graced her body, tired by worry. The motion lulled her. Paws lifted from the ocean floor. They carried her a bit further from shore.

Suddenly, a yanking motion ripped her out from above the water, dragging her under. Her tired legs kicked into overdrive. She forced her head back above water as a wave crashed her under again. Holding her breath, she tried to swim back to shore. 'Stay calm - Don't panic.' She repeated the phrases in her mind but as she found herself drifting away from shore, the panic set in. Her legs kicked and kicked, spending precious energy. Eyes searching the shore, her heart sank - was no one going to save her? Hopefully she just couldn't see well among the panic of her mind, and someone was trying to figure out how to get to her. But couldn't most of Palmclan swim?

She found herself a dock's pillar, and gripped onto it for dear life. Climbing above the waves, she suddenly breathed in salt water, and she coughed. She kept coughing before her claws became slick and had issues scrabbling on the wooden pillar. She climbed further up, claws hitting the dock itself and hauling herself upon it. Shaking with panic and adrenaline, as well as cold, she dragged herself away from the edge of the dock, coughing out salt water. The ocean tricked her. It betrayed her.

Eyes blurring from either tears or salt water, she felt herself fall on the dock, heaving heavy breaths, too tired to try and move. She was safe, the dock was a safe spot. But the ocean wasn't. Not anymore.

[VASS .]

There was a tale, older than the ex-boss had walked the earth, longer than his mother's own twisted form of ritual was given life was spoken out loud- accepted as a gospel that caused the tiger to disdain- to flee in hate cowardice. A tale of another trivbe- a rival one that had lived upon the island with them: told of sirens of the allure of the sea. So they had build their ships and sailed with them, they had defied the laws of the tribe and when they returned- it was the story of the typhoon: not that many knew it. Before Vaas had joined it and when the first Roux stood and claimed a land he knew nothing about

the land was not his, and the sea was cursed

it needn't be said, after all the creatures known to traverse the lands. Who could truly understand the kind of foes that would lurk in the depths of the ocean?

Vaas was always more commonly found amungst the boardwalk than the sands of the camp. He preferred territory that was once his- even if the entire beach was now a part of their land. Someplace familiar was... alluring. It wasn't something he was able to show in the sense of his own home. He refused to retun towrads that dredded island, stare and the bodies- skulls of his family and know they never got to see their own son become something better

it filled him with a rage

Vaas was patrolling the edges of the boardwalk, where the sea met the land and saw the silhouette of Medusa's own heaving form and rushed forwards. Knowing without being told what had transpired- they had almost drowned. Either the sea had swallowed them or something dragged them. But instead the tiger moved to circle- putting himself between her and the edge of the doc and a gentle nudge in their direction closer on safer ground. After all: the docks were known to be falling apart enough- lets not tempt the fates that day.

"Medusa, breathe. It's... It's over now." The tiger was uncharacteristicly solemn as he spoke. "were still within the water's reach, hermosa" The tiger murmured, trying to coax the other further inland where the sight of her clawmarks was not stark in Vaas' sights. Their struggle for survival causing the shivers of panic to edge in his voice.

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"take me into your heart , accept me as your savior nail me to the fucking cross and let me be reborn" — an antagonist with a silver tongue , a pirate with nothing to loose and everything to gain .  vaas montenegro ; he who lives to fight demons should be weary he himself does not become one ." it's not like i am fucking crazy — "

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[SirDio]

Medusa

Lifting her head at the sight of a large figure hurrying to her, she tried to stand up. Her legs could not stop wobbling, shaking like wind chimes in a wind storm. But she managed up, tail searching for something to wrap onto, to ground herself, to sooth the panic within her. It found one of Vaas' wrists and tightened around it as she began to walk, shakily and silently out of fear, further inland. His words, the name he gave her, didn't make her react. Drenched in salty water and scales irritated, she just tried to get herself away from the ocean, Vaas by her side, or at least close enough to be in tail's reach.

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

The sea was an escape for many, especially when it came to those that lived within Palmclan. Nearly all of them knew how to swim, and most took to the ocean as a second home, and a welcome reprieve when everything came to be too much. However, Rhine was well aware of the fact that the sea could be a cruel mistress, as well. He had learned that when he had been just an apprentice, beginning to learn how to hunt aquatic prey. It was the field he had ultimately ended up excelling at, but not every step of his journey had been simple, or welcoming. His first time trying to swim alongside his mentor had been a disaster, and he had felt the ocean dragging him harshly beneath her waves. He was sure that, if his mentor hadn't been there, he probably would've died that day. Obviously, as time went on, Rhinestone had grown more used to swimming. The tom had gotten the hang of it, and had learned all the tricks of how not to end up in the same situation. However, that first introduction had certainly set him on edge, and caused him to view the sea with a healthy amount of caution above all else.

The gentle lap of the waves against the shore were like a background chorus to the rusty red feline as he walked along the edge, a soft hum leaving him in tune with them. However, his peace was broken when he spotted the dock off in the distance, with both Vaas and Medusa atop it. Usually, the presence of his clanmates would bring him comfort, and make him smile. However, he was near enough to see how drenched Medusa was, along with how the hybrid was stumbling further inland, clinging to Vaas for support. Speeding up, Rhine practically jogged over, his chest tightening what he saw the state that Medusa was in. Coming up alongside her, the leader pressed himself comfortingly against her, his voice gentle as he questioned, "Medusa... what happened? Do you need me to get one of the medics? You don't look so good..." He wasn't sure how much any of the medic NPCs could help, but he still wanted to offer. It wasn't as if it would be that much trouble, darting off in the direction of their sandy hollow camp.

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

— Reggan

[VASS .]

Vaas was no stranger to closeness, living in a close knit family such as he... had: such touches were greedily stolen from one another, and in such concern-edged panic on the cusps of his eyes he didn't hesitate when he moved, darting closer towards the cold-blooded creature until he could feel the wet wash of sea soak his own fur. Her scent dredged with the sea so similarly before but now it was drowned it- no sense of the bone-like smell of scales. it worried him.

He felt Medua's tail curl around his angle and he didn't stop his careful pace farther away from the docks. Rhinestone catching sight of them both and having the same worry-edged concern in his voice soothed Vaas in a way that at least he wasn't the only one concerned.

"The cage is close, I've got some shit there for nothing else- to warm ya up. The tiger offered, cutting the leader's train of thought- Vaas had similarly raised next to the sea, and as long as they were not actively drowning healing could wait for the solid comfort of ground and soft bedding. It wasn't camp, wasn't Medusa's den- but the boardwalk was a far distance from the camp at such a slow pace they were going.

He was of course, refering to his own... den as it were. It was too large for him to consider it plainly his, but even in the boardwalk the few NPC's they had they held more medical knowledge were the ones that had been once the boardwalk. Vaas could sent a messenger from there- or if nothing else hunt up the herbs. His den stockpiled plenty of... herbs as it were. Maybe the helpful kind. Maybe.

Catnip was considered soothing towards dogs, but it wouldn't help much another feline like medusa. They were part snake... and he had no clue on snakes. But- fuck it.

Vaas had made up his mind then and there, carefully the tiger lowered his head. Large jaws moving to grasp Medusa gently in his maw. She was moving so slow and didn't respond to either of them so far. Vaas was worried, worried sick and it was only the saving grace of the lack of drugs in his systems that kept him from screaming- pacing- manic.

Now, the sense of clarity would be a blessing, for a moment at the very least.

And the tiger, without the hesitance and all the sense of getting the other someplace warmer, convincing himself more and more by the moment's- the other was part snake and thus needed to get warm. Snakes needed warmth and closed off areas to feel safe, and any sane person honestly-fuck -moved. Careful of his cargo, but giving a signal or the leader to follow him as he prowled closer towards his own den. Where there was warmth and pelts and a dark dim lack of activity, or so it would seem.

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"take me into your heart , accept me as your savior nail me to the fucking cross and let me be reborn" — an antagonist with a silver tongue , a pirate with nothing to loose and everything to gain .  vaas montenegro ; he who lives to fight demons should be weary he himself does not become one ." it's not like i am fucking crazy — "

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[SirDio]

Medusa

Cold made her horrendously sluggish. And she was cold. Blur in her eyes clearing up, she saw Rhine jogging up to her side. She tried to answer his worry, to quell his waves of concern, but only managed a gentle 'kuhh' from her jaws. Struggling to say anything, she uttered out, "Cold.... water... warm.. warmth.."

Panic jolted her body as she was lifted, only to be snuffed out as she realized Vaas had picked her up. The grip on his wrist lightened, but still her tail was wrapped. She needed warmth, either from others body heat or sunlight, and she wasn't willing to be outside right now. Again, panic welled inside her, probably from being exposed and out in the open, but she had a tiger and her leader with her. Why did her jaws clench? Why did her chest feel tight? She was in safe hands, right??

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

Although Rhinestone's question hadn't been directly answered in words, it wasn't difficult to figure out what had happened, once Medusa spoke in her broken and slow phrases. The leader wasn't sure how she had ended up lured into the cold grip of the sea, but he wasn't about to ask her now. That was a conversation that could wait for later – or maybe even never, if it really came down to it. He wouldn't be surprised if the hybrid didn't want to talk about this, once all was said and done. Honestly, who did enjoy talking about such a horrifying experience? Rhine's gut was in unpleasant twists as he watched Medusa's slow movements, along with the fear and panic that wasn't well hidden within the depths of her eyes. He wanted to reach out, and do something, but he found himself struggling. After all, what more could he really do, besides just be there for her, and press his warm side against hers? He had offered to get the medics, but that didn't seem to be the ideal route to go, something that Vaas silently pointed out with his next few words. The tom's ears flicked back briefly, processing what the larger male had said, before he eventually nodded.

Vaas taking control of the situation was a good thing, much as Rhinestone was hesitant to admit it. Despite being leader, Rhine had never exactly had to deal with a situation like this. Injuries? Sure, those were a normal part of life. Nearly drowning? That was an entirely different story. So, once Medusa was gripped firmly in Vaas's jaws, the rusty red feline was quick to follow, short legs having to move twice as fast to keep up with Vaas's strides. Even though he had known, deep down inside, that Vaas cared for others – that much was easy to see in how he dealt with those that had come from the boardwalk – the entire situation still felt a bit surreal. Vaas had a similar look of panic in his eyes to Medusa – no doubt similar to the look written all over Rhine's face, as well – although he seemed to be handling it well. Handling it in a way that was no doubt a relief to both Rhine and Medusa.

As they grew closer to Vaas's base of operations, Rhinestonestar hesitated for a moment before speaking, hoping that Medusa could understand him through her stupor, "Medusa...? I promise that you're gonna be okay. We're gonna get you to the cage, and there will be plenty around there to warm you up... I'm sure of it." Even though things had gotten off to a rocky start between he and Vaas, Rhine found that he did trust Vaas, as they went jogging to help Medusa's freezing form. The tiger had done nothing to steer him wrong thus far, and that was enough to make Rhinestone pleased, and also make him feel as though Medusa was safe in the other's capable paws. Chaotic as those paws could be.

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

— Reggan