everybody knows / FIRE

[emil]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; padding: 10px; height: auto; overflow: auto;"][div style="width: 400px; padding: 0px; line-height: 14px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"]deep within the darkness of the forest, hiding under the cover of night, a falcon came to land on the dirt trail leading to the rosebloods' mansion. beady eyes like black pearls traced the path from the dirt up to the trees hanging thick overhead. it would take much to get these creatures out of this place. prestige knew the way, deep down, but the young and inexperienced leader was just that. he could not influence the rosebloods greatly enough to ensure their devotion, and this place was not where ra would receive much worship. not with the ties, not with all the history of it. they just needed... a push.

the falcon settled his gaze upon a nearby tree, breathing embers onto the bark of it and some others until a flame grew upon the forest. his next target, the mansion. strong wings carried him quickly to the doorway; the sentry on duty fast asleep, it was easy for the god to make his way inside, first setting ablaze the mess hall filled with rotten, flammable bodies, before he moved to the wooden walls and staircase. as fire broke out from within and members began to notice, the falcon fled, with one heavy beat of his wings he was outside the mansion and returning to his ethereal form.

--

it was a night that sleep had finally found the exhausted leader, taking him deep into the fog of dreams. he was by no means a heavy sleeper, not usually; but tonight, it seemed, it had managed to drag him under. it was not until smoke had filled his room and seeped into his lungs that the snow leopard snapped awake, eyes blown wide at the deadly black fog encasing the place he slept, causing him to choke and wheeze. prestige leaped from his place in his bed to the door and swung it open, breathing out a horrified gasp at the sight of the mansion.

"FIRE!" the pharaoh roared. "EVERYONE OUT! GO, GO!" he turned down the hall, taking a running leap through the flames to reach the other side of the hallway, banging his paws heavy on the doors and making sure everyone was out. with the stairs on fire, it would not be an easy task to escape; prestige was willing to take the risk to save his members.

/ the mansion is on fire! outside, the forest as well has been set ablaze, though it has not yet reached the main path out of the territory! hurry, and be quick not to be swept up in the flames!

[rushy]

[align=center][div style="width: 51%; text-align: justify; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0px; font-family: verdana;"]Different times of day meant different things to Lydia. Morning was somewhat pleasant, although waking up and having to do things was certainly not. Afternoon was usually too hot, and the heat never did wonders for the scent of corpses on The Rosebloods' territory. Evening was Lydia's favourite though, it was warm (but never too warm) and the atmosphere, from the painted sunset skies to the shimmering firefly air, was so pleasant. Nighttime was dangerous. It was dark, easy to hide things like enemies or monsters, or in this case, smoke.

Lydia woke with a start and was immediately hyper aware of the sounds of crackling and hot and heavy air that surrounded her. The mansion was on fire. The tabby leapt up from her bed, bounding towards the door and knocking it open. She stumbled quickly, but blindly, into the main hall, choking out loud as she tried to avoid breathing in too much smoke. Her eyes watered as she searched for someone she might know, alarmed to find that the stairs were on fire and partially unsure how she was supposed to get down them without leaping and catching on fire or breaking every bone in her body.

Lydia spotted the form of Prestige, banging on fellow Rosebloods' doors and looking highly alarmed, at least, she thought so through her half-blindness. "Prestige?" she called out hoarsely, immediately breaking into a bought of rough coughs. Being upstairs was none too helpful in a fire situation, since smoke rises and all. If anything, this was really what could put them into true danger. "Prestige, how am I supposed to get down?" It was slightly whiny, but in a way there was no way she could leap over the flames on the stairs. This was one instance where being one of the smallest wouldn't ever come in handy.

[Character Graveyard.]

[align=center][div style="width: 45%; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -1px; font-family: times new roman;"]♡ —Stockholm wasn't a very big fan of mornings or afternoons. He liked the night. There wasn't as many people out and about during the night like there was during the day. Plus it was quiet and he found that to be very soothing. He hadn't been able to sleep, so the child had decided to look through the room he was staying in. It was more feminine-looking, but he honestly didn't care. He was more feminine then masculine after all. He had found a small yellow satchel with a lavender pocketknife inside and there was a book about herbs in it too.

Upon feeling the hot air around him and hearing the crackling sounds made by fire, Stockholm would let out a sudden squeak of fear. He hated fire. It was beautiful, but the hungry flames seem like they could devour anybody it wanted to. He would hurry out of his room, keeping his mouth shut so he didn't inhale any of the smoke. He would stare wide-eyed at the flames that were devouring most of the mansion quickly and he froze in place from his fear.

[Jiyu Simul Stamus]

Of course, luck would have it that Jiyu had been out patrolling when she had smelled the first traces of smoke and sped back towards the mansion. Regardless of the cause? Smoke always required careful watch and reaction, it was on her way back through the forest that she realized the true gravity of things, noticing the sparks of flame in the sides of her vision and rushing to make it back before her path could be cut off. Most animals would likely flee to somewhere they figured the rest of their group would meet them later, but Jiyu just could never do that, not knowing it was very likely fellow roses could get trapped in a burning mansion or woodland.

"Everyone!"

The whole mansion was on fire, and she could easily tell that most paths outside of it from the interior had already been cut off, considering she could see flames in almost every window. How many of her group were trapped in there?! The flames burned flickering in her vision, but she didn't falter, she couldn't afford to freeze up, every second she waited to do something, someone weaker in the group could surrender to the smoke if not the flames themselves. Jiyu had to find some way to get in if she could find some way to get back into the mansion, then she could find some way to get everyone out! However, this was going to be one of the hardest things she had ever done, considering almost none of her powers worked anymore, and she couldn't just fight flames, especially not of this scale, the mansion was going down it was just a matter of how much it took from them until it did.

She could hear Pres shouting and the soft voice of who sounded to be Lydia in the front, though both were nearly drowned out by the flames. The fact she could hear them at all? meant they were close to the front of the mansion, she had to save them first, not because it was her job to guard Pres but because it was more than her job to keep everyone safe, it was her life. Anyone trapped in that fire? Was not safe, and thus she would do whatever necessary to help them escape. "Pres! I can hear you, get anyone you can with you, I'm going to find a way to get you guys out!" there had to be things that would not burn fast as wood that she could grab and push to them as ramps or something. Maybe the tree's could be a viable escape route for smaller members? If one of the windows could be broken some of the branches close to the mansion had not yet caught fire. She needed help, but she couldn't wait for it, animals would die. Something on this building had to be at the very least resistant to the flames!

This was a battle and she couldn't waste time, she would just have to improvise

Without any further thinking, she simply got a running start from shortly into the woodline and threw herself into the front door, several times, until the rotted wood gave under the force, causing her to crash into the entryway. The calico first appeared in a mass that sprung from the shattered wood amongst the flames, but she didn't stay there for even a moment instantly rising and making a B-line for the first thing she thought could help save them. With a quick search, she found that a single one of the couches in the main living room connecting to the entryway was not yet consumed in flame, making haste in gathering anything else soft that had not caught fire in the room onto it and then slamming her body into it repeatedly to push it along. She wasn't some heavyweight large cat like Pres, but she was large enough to do this, especially with the fear of someone dying running hot through her veins. "Quick! Jump onto it, once your down go right for the door!" the door that wasn't there because she had broken it, thus leaving an area where the flames could not become a complete wall at least for a few more minutes.

She had to find some way up now that she had found a way to get them down, there was no way only three of the group had been trapped, she had to find everyone which meant going further up and deeper in. "Pres, the forest is on fire too." he had to know that, so he could hopefully figure out there was nowhere safe in the territory he could take everyone, if they went to the lake they would become surrounded, the graveyard would also have the same result in the end. Most of the territory was wooded, if they tried to stay close, they would get trapped. "The main path is clear, but it's closing quickly." there had to be some way she could get onto the second floor herself, she could get everywhere from there, she knew this mansion better than the back of her paw, but she needed something to get her up there. Seconds later she noticed one of the tall cabinets was not completely engulfed, so she ran to it, climbing and scrambling to get onto it so she could make the jump to the second floor with its aid. "I'm going to look for anyone who may still be trapped. Where are you sending everyone I need to know where to send anyone I may find." they needed to know where to run to, or the chances someone would get cornered by the flames again increased, they had to have a goal. Everyone had to survive, she couldn't lose anyone, she wouldn't.

Thank anything possible for her habit of patrolling late into the night, otherwise, she may have not been able to give the information, nor help them, considering her room was very near to the attic.

[sephiroth]

SEPHIROTH

MALE — ROSEBLOODS — MEMBER — HOVER FOR TAGS

[div style="background-color: #292727; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify; overflow: auto; width: 500px; height: 340px; padding: 10px;"]The one time he didn’t stretch his senses as he slept…

It was Prestige’s call that woke him, making him practically jump awake and roll out of his bed, crashing to the floor with a thump.  Sephiroth’s eyes snapped open, and he was greeted by the sight of smoke filling up the room he occupied.  The lion would leap awake, adrenaline flooding his blood as he scrambled to his paws.  He ran to his door, not even bothering with opening it or pressing a paw to it to test heat and full on breaking down his door with his great weight and strength.  He was immediately greeted by the fire around him, illuminating his eyes and catching in his throat as he hacked up smoke.  The silver lion would turn and rush down the hall, paws and purpose carrying him along.

Amongst the chaos the tiny form of Stockholm frozen like a deer in the headlights caught his eye down the hall as he approached.  He didn’t think, he just did.  Running at the kitten, Sephiroth would reach down as he ran past to grasp [member=2254]Stockholm[/member]  in his jaws, gentle enough not to harm but firm enough to keep a good grip.  With the young one hopefully hold tightly in his grasp, he would continue to rush down the hall as he caught sight of the burning entry hall.  Once again running on impulse, Sephiroth would take a mighty leap down into the hall.

His paws burned, his lungs felt like they were going to burst, but he kept going.  The lion leapt out of the building through the door that Jiyu has knocked down catching himself as he skidded to a halt outside keeping his grip firm on Stockholm.  Sephiroth would crouch, keeping low from the smoke as he looked over his shoulder and mane to see if anybody needed his immediate help.  His enhanced senses picked up the main path, but something strange in him wanted to see if anybody needed his services.  He wasn’t leaving them behind.  He had pledged his life to his group, he was going to serve them.

#psychosocial.

[emil]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; padding: 10px; height: auto; overflow: auto;"][div style="width: 400px; padding: 0px; line-height: 14px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"]ears perking in alert at lydia's voice, the snow leopard turned to where she stood in the hallway, watching as the flames edged ever closer. through the roar of the fire he could just barely make out jiyu's voice, and somewhere further down the hall he spotted sephiroth running to help stockholm. blue eyes returned to lydia as he bounded toward her and dipped closer to the ground. "get on my back," he instructed. "i'll get you down. hold on tight."

assuming she had climbed on, prestige then stood. he stared down the blaze devouring the walls ahead of him, and for a moment, he felt almost paralyzed by fear. he did not want to die again. he lashed his tail once, twice, and gathered his courage. bunching his muscles in a crouch, he broke into a sprint with a strong thrust of his hind legs, and leaped through the flames. once through he headed for the railing of the stairs, perched himself on top for just a moment, before he sprung onto the couch jiyu had pushed over, landing a bit shakily on the cushions before he bent again to let lydia down.

"i want everyone at the edge of the territory, out of the fire's way, as quick as possible. anyone with water elementals, keep the flames at bay until everyone is out." the mansion, at this point... it was beyond saving, no matter how much he hated to say. they couldn't come back from this. prestige clenched his jaw briefly before turning back to the second floor with a frown. "i'm going back up to check for anyone that may be stuck. if i'm not back by sunrise, then you leave without me, alright? no exceptions." he looked to jiyu as he said this, his gaze stern but trusting. she would keep her word, he knew she would. with a quick nod the snow leopard turned and stood on the back of the couch, leaping with all his strength to the second floor, and heaved himself over the railing once more to search for more survivors.

[Character Graveyard.]

[align=center][div style="width: 45%; text-align: justify; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -1px; font-family: times new roman;"]♡ —The sudden force of Sephiroth grabbing him firmly by his scruff, caused the small pink feline to let out a small, surprised cry from his mouth. He would bite his yellow satchel and he held onto it tightly, so he didn't happen to drop it. It was too important, so he didn't want to lose it. Stockholm would allow himself to relax and he would go limp, so he wasn't too much of a burden for the lion to carry.

As soon as the both of them were out into the open, the child would open his mouth to breath and he would attempt to free himself from the large male's grasp on his scruff though he didn't dare move a muscle. He wasn't sure where he could go where there wasn't any fire, plus he would rather stay where it was safe.

[PEYTRIVING P.]

PEYTRIVIING  M.

✯ — I KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN, OH

space

it was sheer luck and fate that peytriviing's schedule had landed him out in the halls, patrolling them for the night and keeping watch particularly of the surrounding spaces from prestige's room, the throne room, and the main entrance. the only downside being that the first flames had begun when they were still navigating through the maze of hallways and corridors. the smell of smoke was quick to catch their attention, though, and they hurriedly rushed to meet prestige at his bedroom. they skidded to a halt, seeing the leader charge through the fire with Lydia.

gods please, let him be safe. they thought, heart racing as they registered the orders given. they didn't have water elementals, but they had strength and room for the smaller one's to use them as cover. peytriviing darted between one hall and the other, their shoulders bumping into the crumbling walls in their rush. they shouted, barked orders for any strays to follow them through the mansion. they grunted when part of the ceiling collapsed in front of them, causing the manticore to lean to the side and make a beeline for the stairs. they were clear, but weren't sure for how long. they unfolded their wings and used them to push the licking flames back, keeping the staircase clear of any major heat for those who were still trying to get out from upstairs.

space

✯ — GENDERLESS. THE ROSEBLOODS. HARD PHYSICALLY. MEDIUM MENTALLY. REF. BIO. — ✯

#psychosocial.

[sephiroth]

SEPHIROTH

MALE — ROSEBLOODS — MEMBER — HOVER FOR TAGS

[div style="background-color: #292727; color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify; overflow: auto; width: 500px; height: 340px; padding: 10px;"]Sephiroth’s enhanced senses picked up the orders from Prestige, and that was all the validation he needed.  He almost felt emotional seeing the destruction of the mansion he had started to finally feel settled in.  The burning wood smell clung to his muzzle, and the heat of the fire was downright hellish.  He would’ve contemplated the scene more, but flames were lapping at his pelt now however, urging him along to turn and start towards the edge of the territory.

He kept a grip on Stockholm as he ran, every muscle and organ in his body dedicated to running.  For once in his life he saw no cowardice in fleeing; he needed to lie, he wanted to live.  Something in his mind pulled him towards the flame but he ignored it, focusing on saving himself and the young life in his care right now.  Sephiroth’s breaths came heavy, harsh, and ragged through his nose as he ran along the remains of the main path towards the very edge of Roseblood land.  With a mouth full of scruff he couldn’t exactly assure Stockholm about the situation, not that he would probably be able to otherwise.

#psychosocial.

[rushy]

[align=center][div style="width: 51%; text-align: justify; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0px; font-family: verdana;"]Lydia held on for dear life as Prestige let her onto his back. The distance was not great, but the fact that the majority of it was on fire made the travel much more perilous. She hissed quietly as she felt the searing heat of the flames cozy up to her back legs, but as soon as it had come it was gone. Lydia slid off Prestige's back, uttering a breathless "Thank you," before stumbling towards the front doors of the mansion. Once she had stepped outside, the feline broke into a sprint, obeying the pharaoh's instructions and dashing for the edge of the territory.