MONTHLY MEETING [DECEMBER 2020]

[Stryker]

The air was still in the crater. Those that had usually arrived on their own free will with their leaders in tow were no longer in attendance willfully. Instead, three of the mainland groups had been endowed with the pleasure of being taken over by a wonderful island hidden in the mist: the Coalition of the Condemned. Elysium, Tanglewood, and now The Typhoon were under the Kingpin's command with The Pitt soon to bow to his feet. Nevertheless, there was still a monthly meeting in store and no one wanted to miss this one.

The light's that shone in the sky were once vibrant and colorful, but now they were shining a sickening green across the sky. As members passed through the arches, the gem's auras faded and gave way to the dark. Their eyes would settle upon the base of the trunk where the leaders usually conversed. Three figures stood entangled in the tree's winding roots: Goldenluxury, Hani and Alani (who should really count as two), and Vigenere Cipher. All the lovely leaders of the fallen groups.

Amongst the mix was a bold lion who stood out in the moonlight, a devious smile donning his lips. As the crowd wandered in, their hushed murmurs and whispers spread across the crater. With every subtle movement from Stryker, they went silent, but for now, he was not going to pull any stunts just yet. Everyone needed to be here first.

[ninazu]

BURN
BRIGHT

Green flames flickered around the lioness’s neck, curling around her ears and waterfalling down her shoulders. A satisfied smirk graced her muzzle as she sat near Stryker. She raised a paw and picked at her fangs with a claw, eyeing the captured leaders with a baleful eye. If either those fools or their pathetic underlings tried anything, Ninazu would strike them.

Her forked tongue flicked out of her muzzle, and she stifled a yawn. Hopefully these idiots would arrive soon; she tired of waiting. Hell, she almost wished at least one would cause some trouble, for then she could have a bit of fun. Why should Stryker get to enjoy all the glory in this meeting, after all?

© MADI

[sykes]

TELL HIM THE NIGHTMARES HAVEN'T STOPPED

tell him i'm not sure what is real and what is not

Loey is the first to step foot within the gathering grounds aside from Ninazu and Stryker, and the sight that greets him is an unwelcome one. He sees Hani and Alani first and a sickness gathers in his stomach, he suddenly feels as if there's a hook tugging at his innards and twisting, and perhaps had he not been covered in fur he might have looked slightly green.

He wants to cry and scream and yell, but he doesn't. He can't. His broken jaw prevents it. Instead he keeps his head down and moves to sit a little ways off from Stryker and the captured leaders. He allows his eyes to travel across the other two in this moment, and his nose cringes as he notices Vigenere and Goldenluxury respectively.

His cerulean gaze stays on Goldenluxury for many moments as guilt wells up inside him, and his mangled paw moves, hidden beneath his curled fur. His tail, though, that is less easily hidden; the bandages he'd wrapped around the little stub he'd left behind were mostly clean though had become somewhat red with blood, he'd have to change them when he got back. And his broken ribs were perhaps the most noticeable of them all, for he'd managed to get help in wrapping them tightly around his middle, and as for his broken jaw... Well, his jaw would remain crooked for the rest of his life, and he could still feel his teeth grazing harshly against the scratches that Roxanne had left.

Yes, he feels guilty for his participation in the raid, but he had done it for Elysium... He had done it for Hani and Alani. And though he was sorry for the downfall of The Typhoon, he was not sorry that he had kept his home safe.

He appeared to adamantly refuse to look either Ninazu or Stryker in the face, his brows pulled into a frown as he watched the three leaders.

template by orion

[rhosmari]

It had been fun, robbing these groups of their freedom. After all that was what a war bound group did. Robbed them of what the valued the most. Caused pain and broken hearts. This was all she had ever known and she didn't see another type of life beyond this one. Here at the gathering she was amused. Her eyes of pale pink searching the slowly gathering animals as she walked her way toward her mother. A small chuff of greeting to the woman left her maw as she dipped her head, swinging her tail low before she settled down there and curled her paws underneath herself. She remembered what had happened to Goldenluxury. How the Tanglers had dimwittedly assisted in the removal of her leg. The poor thing. From her fights and altercations she had some healing marks. Burns that would fade over time and become unnoticeable. Tilting her head a bit she pulled her ears forward curious of the show that was to happen.

Where was her brother? Surely he was here somewhere. Rom wouldn't miss this and she glanced around the crowd, though remained where she had positioned herself. Making sure to not be near the riff raff of the growing Kingdom.

[S. PENDRAGON]

Everything hurt.

She had been burned and shot out of the sky by the big brute that was currently carrying her over in a small cage made from earth elementals, the draconic beast rumbling as they set her down onto the ground rather harshly to the point where she lifted from the cages floor and hit the top with a soft grunt. "You... Twat..." She mumbled out quietly as she glanced over to see that not only was Goldenluxury entangled in the roots of the tree but Vigenere and the siamese twins as well. She dug her claws into the bars of her cage, her eyes locked onto Stryker as she grit her teeth trying to ignore the pain that was coursing through her body, it still hurt and she was certain that her pain wouldn't stop given that she had betrayed the lion that stood there where the leaders normally sat. She managed to sit down feeling the cold nipping at her right side where fur used to be before she had been burnt by molten lava. "Y-you're not going to get away with this!" She finally hissed out with her fur bristling and this made the giant dragon growl at her in response even if her hiss was directed to Stryker.

The draconic beast would wrap his talons around the cage in an attempt to startle and possibly startle the feline, his lips peeling back to show off his sharp teeth as lava dripped from his slightly parted jaws. The raid had gone well even if the pain had subsided something about that recent raid made him feel... What was it? This feeling? Guilty? Did he feel guilty about his actions? The large brute was uncertain as he sat to the side of the crowd near the tree and the couple that sat before everyone. The pain would go away, he was promised. The dragon kept his talons over the cage watching as several others began to gather, he'd snarl at anyone who decided to come too close.

[bubblegum]

DEAR FRIEND as you know,  your flowers are withering
your mother's gone insane, your leaves have drifted away.
    but the clouds are clearing up
        and i've come reveling, burning incandescently,
                                              like a bastard on the burning sea.

YOU'RE JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER,
BURIED DEEP UNDER THE WATER.

Giving the tigress any sort of opportunity to reach the lion would be a mistake. Whether or not she was successful, there was no chance she'd give up when presented with it. Water existed around them, and the air was fresh and new, not musty, hot, and dirty like the ones in her cell she'd been kept. If he did not intend to kill her right here and now, or quite soon after, it would be a failure on his end. But it seemed that maybe, for the time being, that his plans did not include her death just yet. Perhaps in an attempt to satisfy revenge for Jervis, but unbeknownst to him, she'd intended not to cage him, but kill him. She'd been lied to, and she knew it, but she'd no means of finding the lion, and at the time she had much bigger fish to fry. But, she has been waiting for this for a long time. And she would see to it she did everything she could to fight. She would never stop struggling, aiming for him.

And as they began to gather, she knew she was outmatched, outnumbered, her body weak and growing sickly from the untreated wound around her severed leg. But it was opportunity nonetheless, no matter if she were to lose or not. There was no strategy to be had in this situation - at this point she could only take everything she could get, and this was everything, for the moment. She knew the Typhoon would prevail, her crewmates would assist Tanglewood, and they would ultimately win, but she'd no time. No time at all. It was very well possible she could die before they manage to find her. And that would be fine.

The other leaders at her side made clear that the lion was looking to put on some sort of display. This could be her last moment for all she really knew. The Fate had warned her, and it surely must have been for reason. The tigress' paws twitch, a thunderous roar escaping her weakened body. It wasn't over yet. "Filfth náireach," (disgusting filth) she snarls towards the male, clear hatred in her icy gaze. "You will die, soon." It was not a threat, but a promise. If not to be fulfilled by her, then it would be done so soon by someone else. She'd made sure Keona left with such a goal in mind.

Her paws continue to twitch, and silently water droplets appear in the air, and she aims to use them to help further her electricity, shooting electrical sparks at [member=1738]Stryker[/member] . If they hit, they wouldn't be incredibly damaging, but they would burn. She couldn't kill him here and now, not from where she was, but she didn't give a shit. She would keep fighting until her final breath, do everything to make his life a living Hell.

[Kold]

The mighty Kiln was the first Pittian to show up. Kold warned against it, but as the salamander slinked into the area, the child's voice reached her once again, it wasn't like this last time. Something is wrong. Kiln snorted as her gaze met everyone. Neither Kiln nor Kold recognized anyone. The dragon seemed familiar to Kold, but Kiln knew no one.

The beast ended up sitting a good ways away from the group, sure that no one would want to get close to them. Kold's whimpering in their collective mind made it obvious that there was something wrong. Hopefully Gael and the others would get there soon. Soon. Soon.

"Kiln Speech"+"Kold Speech"

[gael]

[align=center]

♛ GAEL Ó BROIN

The vulpine is neither surprised nor impressed as he padded into the clearing, offering only Kiln a brief nod to stay on-guard.  They had no reason to act unless provoked, but it was better to be cautious.  He had known of Stryker's plans to take the Typhoon, though the other trapped leaders were somewhat unexpected -- using hostages; pathetic.

In fact, the faerie quickly deduced a flaw in the lion's apparent current victory; to keep so many prisoners in check, he and his own would be spreading themselves entirely too thin.  The logistics would simply not permit him to remain as he was -- even with a few allies.  And so the arrogant always fall in the end.

The Ardent took his seat beneath the Pitt's pillar, inclining his head indifferently as Sophiea hissed and Goldenluxury made a determined effort to fight back.  The Pitt stood alone -- free, and he would see to it they remain that way.  They had no cause to help or hinder the others, for now.

For a moment, his golden-hazel eyes locked on the dragon guarding the caged Tangler.  The lava dripping from his maw, and his very presence felt too familiar to simply ignore. Maybe.  Consequently, Gael wondered if Aine was far behind them, concerned for her wellbeing.

He released a breath, finally granting Stryker his attention.  As though bored, he raised a single brow -- the vulpine never cared for the sort of unnecessary flair the lion seemed to enjoy.

"I AM A STONE" —-- gael ó broin / faerie / ardent / lamby

[wormwood.]

NOTHING BESIDE REMAINS — Rage. It had been building in Aurum's chest for a while now, but it was finally coming to a head now. Aurum had expected that there would be no gathering, considering most of the groups were currently trapped under that asshole Stryker's claws. However, it seemed as though the bastard was looking to put on a show, something that only made the fire inside the angel to glow even brighter. As he approached the gathering place, flames danced freely over his golden fur, his elementals still responding to his emotions without him even trying. He also made no effort to stop them, knowing that his fury wouldn't be tempered until Stryker lay bleeding out and suffering on the ground. A heavy sigh left his parted jaws as he joined the growing crowd, before freezing when he spotted the leaders stuck together at the front. Vigenere. It was the first time that Aurum had seen Vig in months, and all he wanted to do was run in and hold the other close. In fact, he found himself calling, desperate, "Vig! Vigenere, don't worry, we're going to help you! And everyone else!" There was confidence in his voice, but also a bit of a waiver. What exactly was it that Stryker was doing here? Was he going to kill the leaders? He couldn't.

As the lion's one eyed gaze scanned over the rest of those present, he froze once again upon seeing Gael. The other was just... sitting there? Not doing anything? Hadn't he claimed for ages that all he cared about was his family? Clearly he had just been lying, considering he seemed to be forsaking every member of his family that wasn't in The Pitt. With the flames on his pelt growing in strength, Aurum found himself shouting once again, voice filled with rage, "Gael, you coward! Open your fucking mouth and do something, instead of being as ineffectual as you have always been! I thought you cared about your family? It's obvious that you don't if you're willing to just sacrifice everyone outside of The Pitt! I've never seen a cowardly man claiming to be noble. Well, except for him." He jerked his head in the direction of Stryker, his jaw clenched and his claws digging into the earth beneath him. He hated this entire situation, and to see that Gael was doing nothing was a travesty in his eyes. The moment that they got out of this situation, Aurum was going to make sure that Vigenere knew that The Pitt was not their friends. Not only not their friends, but a group that still deserved to be eradicated off the face of the Beyond, right after the Coalition. — OF THE MAN WHO WAS BORN AND DIED A KING.

[Kold]

Both beings felt relief as Gael arrived, nodding back to him. Blue rash pulsated gently, but as Aurum yelled and shouted, the pulsation quickened. He dares to shout like that? And to our ardent? His audacity. We'll make him pay. Not yet. Don't attack, we don't know what will happen here. Just be on guard. Fine.

The monstrous beast moved slowly, heat radiating off her as she eyed Aurum down. A snack, but off the menu. 

"Kiln Speech"+"Kold Speech"