i'm coming to terms -- ae kids & battle summons (open!)

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LAEGLIN NIAZAI LINGRÉ

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[div style="background-color:#BG COLOR;width:90%; overflow: stretch;text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt;"] eyes glancing around, snow mounted in piles before and after, ears laid back. the yearling gave a weary sigh, the serval tom looking at the snow before his path, his gaze flicking back over his shoulder to where the other young members of alithis evgenis followed behind him. biting at his lip, the strawberry colored tom would give a grunt, pulling himself through another drift of snow, the makeshift device for his backlegs wet and straining against his fur. shuddering at the snow slipping between his rear heels and the planks of wood tied there, the cold wetness making him hiss in discomfort. the sky was dark, darker than it was when he had left with the scouting patrol.

puffing out his fur against the cold and bitter snow, he led the group from the snow-laden coastal forest out onto palmclan's boardwalk, praying against all olds that the wooden structure would not give away beneath their group. struggling through the snow, he hissed out an annoyed sound, "gods be damned ... the snow drifts are worse here than back home ...", he would speak to himself as he drug himself through another pile of snow, enjoying the sounds of the other kids having some fun in the background, playing in the drifts. anything to keep their minds from the battle that was about to commence.

finally, he could see buildings, his shoulders aching with the cold and the strain he had been putting on them within that day. his body was so sore ... getting his mangled legs to work in the makeshift guide that his brother had made, and walking around in the snow behind the scouting patrol. he had important news to deliver, and he could practically feel the warmth of the lights in the shacks that he could see. clearing his throat as they came closer, he would call out, "hello! my name is laeglin, and i'm here from alithis evgenis! i'm bringing the youths with me!", he gave a deep yowl, body sagging into a snow pile with a soft oof, toes spasming from the effort he had put on his body that evening, one ear bloodied and missing, cobwebs pressed to it to stem the bleeding. taking a deep breath, he would announce, "may i please speak to someone of authority? it's in regards to the raid! bai shi has called upon palmclan to join the fight against the bandits!", he rumbled, pulling himself back up to his full height when he noticed someone approaching. -

[W]isker

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        Popy wobbled through the snow after Laeglin traveling to Palmclan. The snow would have been to cold for him on his bare skin so he was bundled in fur that caused him to tile while he walk having tense mussels and looked very fat. When a warm place came into view was a relief the journey through the snow was very draining. When Leaglin called out for someone was kind of disappointing since he couldn't yet enjoy the warmth.

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Wuyi bounced after Laeglin, having a much easier time than both of Bai Shi’s children. Even as a cub, Wuyi’s thick fur kept the snow at bay, and xe enjoyed playing in the snow through the entire way here. As the terrain turned gradually more snowy, Wuyi couldn’t be any more delighted (except, perhaps, if someone gave him a giant barrel of candy corn).

“Look at all this snow! I’m gonna make so many snow creatures! If I have time in between flight lessons with Nine!” Wuyi chirped. Xe wasn’t exactly talking to xyr companions, as Wuyi had a tendency to blurt out every little thought in xyr head.

“That reminds me!” Wuyi sat down and cupped xyr paws together. “NUMBER NIIIIIIIIIIIIINE, WHERE ARE YOU!”

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

It had been some time since Bai Shi had arrived to ask for Palmclan's help, but that didn't mean that the tom had forgotten. Rhinestone had the battle against the bandits hanging in the back of his mind often these days, and he had just been waiting until things were put into motion. It seemed as though the time had finally come, considering the call that echoed out over the wooden boardwalk. The sick leader had been back near his clan's beach camp, but he still managed to hear Laeglin, and it wasn't long before he made his way over. Despite the sickness that had been bugging him quite often as of late, he was still going to help out with the raid, figuring that fighting might help him sweat it out. When he arrived in front of Laeglin, he was surprised to see the contraption the other was hooked up to. However, he supposed that Bai Shi had told the lot of them about what Lae would look like, so he shouldn't have been that surprised. Clearing his throat, he spoke with a slightly tired smile, "Hello, Laeglin. I will round up my warriors, and follow you to where Bai Shi is waiting. The children will also be well taken care of here, with someone named Number Nine helping to watch over them." He had expected Nine to participate in the battle, but considering how he and Wuyi had hit it off, it wasn't entirely surprising that the jaguar had opted to stay behind.

Speaking of the children, Rhine soon turned to the group of them, faintly glimmering gaze landing on Poppy and Wuyi first before he spoke, "Hello, children. Welcome to Palmclan. I know it seems a bit chilly right now, but I promise it's a bit warmer in the buildings, and in our camp. It's also good to see you again, Wuyi." The tom dipped his head in xyr direction, glad to see that xe still seemed to be doing well. Chuckling as the other called out for Number Nine, he soon added on, "I'm sure Number Nine will be here very soon. He was out hunting last I heard from him, but he did promise that he would keep an eye on the lot of you." It was a bit of a relief, to know that someone had volunteered for the role of babysitter. While Rhine knew that it would be a communal effort, he didn't want any children being left unattended, especially when they were from another group. An allied group, no less.

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

— Reggan

[number nine.]

The loud and drawn out call of his name caused Number Nine to lift his head, ears perking up as the jaguar inspected the forest around him. He had been having a hell of a time attempting to hunt out in the Twisted Forest, but it seemed as though he no longer needed to focus on his ill-fated little task. Instead, he now had children that he needed to watch over, if his judgment of the voice that had called for him was correct. Letting out an amused little chuckle, Nine slowly spread out his large and small wings, taking off into the air and being careful to avoid the trees that crowded around him. It wasn't long before he was airborne, gliding lazily from the cramped forest towards the wide open expanse that the boardwalk presented. As he grew closer, he could already see the crowd of shapes that were following after Laeglin, clearly the entire crowd of children that they had been told they were going to harbor. As he came to a landing next to Rhinestone, he shook his pelt and feathers out, dropping off a few fallen leaves before he spoke, "You're Laeglin, right? Bai Shi told us about you. I'm Number Nine, a warrior here. Like I'm sure Rhine already mentioned, I'm gonna be helping to watch the little ones while the battle is going on." He then offered the tom a calm smile, hoping that Laeglin was alright despite the trek that he had taken to get there.

Turning his attention then towards Wuyi, Nine felt a fond rumbling laugh unfurl forth from his chest, his words kind as he exclaimed, "Wuyi! It's good to see you again... I'm excited to teach you all about flying while you're here. And maybe some other combat things, if we've got the time. Although, hopefully Alithís and our warriors can drive those nasty bandits out real quick." He then reached a broad paw out to pat xyr on the head, a surprisingly carefree smile on the jaguar's muzzle. While he had initially thought he was just going to head into battle with the rest, he had ultimately decided against it, mainly due to his interactions with Wuyi. While he didn't really want children of his own, he certainly didn't mind playing babysitter, something that was becoming quite obvious at the moment. With his hidden gaze moving from Wuyi over to Poppy, he questioned softly, "And... who might you be? Like I said to Laeglin there, I'm Number Nine. But you can just call me Nine, since it's easier." Poppy seemed a great deal more shy than Wuyi, but that might have just been because Wuyi had been in Palmclan's territory before.

HELLBENT ON MAKING YOU LOVE ME TOO

[SirDio]

DRIFTING - FEATHER

Gentle the tak, tak, tak of someone fumbling on the boardwalk, wanting to get away from camp for as long as possible. She wasn't expecting children from Alithis to show up. Gently walking toward the group, arms pressed against her body, she looked to the group. Wuyi, poppy, Laeglin, among many others. Children. Friends, maybe?

She dipped her head gently, "I'm Drifting-Feather. You can call me Drift, though." Hollow the voice that was forced to sound friendly, dull eyes revealing the grief that clung to many in PalmClan like moss. "I hope we can be friends."

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LAEGLIN NIAZAI LINGRÉ

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[div style="background-color:#BG COLOR;width:90%; overflow: stretch;text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt;"] turning his head as he heard a voice, the tom gave as warm a smile as he could muster, "hello, rhinestonestar. hello number nine and drifting-feather. i'll lead you to where they're waiting, but i'll be coming back after. i ah ... i've realized that i'm not an asset in a confrontation.", he would laugh with a sad look to his eyes, the fresh scratches on his body aching. shaking his head before smiling once more, he adjusted his posture, "well. i'll lead you now if that's okay? could you give 'em a good beating for me? they took my sister and my best friend from me.", he wasn't about to mention that the friend that the bandits had killed had also been his crush. sneezing, the serval tom rubbed at his nose with a shiver, looking back at the snow drifts he'd crawled through with a bite of his lip. he made the trip once - he could do it twice, though he would love to leave the contraption behind. doing that would only prove to slow him down further.

stamping his paws to shake off melting snow, he ushered the children forward, unease prickling his pelt at a blast of wind. he knew they were in safe hands, and he hoped that he could lead the warriors here back to his father safely. oh what he wouldn't give to be curled up warm in his nest as a kit again, nestled against his mother's belly. looking up to the sky, he clicked his tongue against his teeth after licking his lips, shaking ice from his whiskers, "it's a good night for a battle. looks like it might snow, though. i hope the snow will help.", he murmured softly, absent mindedly. what he wouldn't give to make a friend here. -

[W]isker