Settle for a Ghost - O; Glades Visit

[SirDio]

MEDUSA, THE FIRESTARTER

Power was hidden under a cautious gaze and quiet paws, rudimentary basket filled with herbs and some prey items - a meek excuse for repayment. She hadn't been here when Stryker opened Tanglewood's borders to her people. She wasn't there to stop Quasar. She wasn't there to stop her friends. She had been dead, probably. Or struggling to cope with near-death. Either way, the stories she heard disgusted her, horrified her. How Palm Glades had managed this far will always surprise her.

Stopping before the border, she dropped the basket and looked out into the woods. A deep breath drew from the leopardess/snake and she held her head high. "Tanglewood - I have not been here since I confronted a tyrant. Since then she has died, unfortunately not by my hand. But I have heard of what has happened. I've heard of the wrongs my group has done out of desperation." She winced, lips peeling back in a grimace. "I've been unable to try and visit sooner. I bring with me gifts, in hopes in starting a mending between Tanglewood and The Palm Glades. If I am unwelcome and you demand my leave, I will leave without bloodshed. Your anger toward my group is understandable." She coiled her tail around her body and waited with baited breath.

I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR AN ANSWER BUT I AIN'T FOUND ONE,
I'VE BEEN KNOWN TO TEAR SHIT UP AND GO OFF LIKE A GUN!

— Reggan

[rhosmari]

The sound of someone's voice made the woman pause in her patrolling. She was alone for the most part but she was sure there were other Tanglers within the area that were out and about. Still the mention of the Palm Glades made her blood boil. She remembered clearly the attack on Salvia and the taunt of them fighting a child. No harm had come to theirs even though he had tried to mangle Aurum's son. They came and hunted on their lands and for what this do called desperation. A low growl emitted from the pale lioness' throat as she moved through the swamp. Her powerful figure easily slipping through the murky waters. "She claims desperation. All this one hears is lies." Her tail lashed back and forth, flaming mane becoming wilder and untamed as she looked at the hybrid. Her flicked her eyes down to the basket and all she wanted to do was swipe it. Throw the basket into the sodden swamp and tarnish these so called gifts. But she held herself back and turned her crystal gaze on the other that had come here. She was his Shadow Regent. She had to wait for him. But everything in her screamed to turn her away. Get her out of this swamp.

"She and her's sided with a tyrant. Saw how the Coalition treated the Tanglewood people. Battered and starved us. Attacked us. Stole from us and never once did this one's own think to say no. They helped him and now she comes after the damage is done, after we have lost so much. Lost our leader, to ask for better. This one spits on her words and too late actions." The woman's voice lowered a growl rumbling in her chest. Hatred sparked in her heart and she whips her flame tipped tail against the more solid ground, claws unsheathed as her peach toned muzzle curled to reveal sharp teeth. The huntress of flames felt it crackling in her veins but she still had to wait. Wait for the Luminary and his words. The only group that had been given truce was the Pitt. This was no Pittian.

[SirDio]

MEDUSA, THE FIRESTARTER

She moved her eyes toward the lioness, meeting her furious gaze with one of patience even as a flame started in her mind. A strange anger grabbed at her. But she forced it back even as the lioness spat her anger at the hybrid. Her body tensed. Her, side with a tyrant? She stood up and almost knocked away the basket, holding herself back. "You dare claim me to side with a tyrant such as Stryker or Stheno? I should say that I was dead for seven days, missing a good bit of issues. But that wouldn't matter, would it? Because you see nothing but the flaws and bad deeds of a group before thinking about who makes it up! I sided with no one but my own group - I was wholly against Stryker's bullshit reign. But we were fools and played with his shit. We took our own stand on the last raid - we helped the Typhoon. You-" She shut herself up. Slowly she drew a breath and she fell back on her haunches.

"Desperation drives men mad. It makes even the calmest and kindest turn on their family and friends. Surely you'd know.." Her voice seemed quiet, small. A thin red line trailed down her lip and she tasted copper. Averting her gaze, she gently pawed the basket.

"I know that, even if your leader.. new leader.. takes pity on me, it will be far too long before bonds are mended. Take what you will, but please take what I say with an open mind - Had I been still breathing and alive during the territory scuffles and prey stealing, I would have stopped them. I would have stopped everything. I would have broken ties with the Coalition, I would have done everything I could have done.." And she fell silent, fearing that words would fall on deaf ears, a woman too angry to see the lines between lines, in the margins, in red inks.

Anger was understandable - so why would Medusa get so angry as to defend her home? Even her own words stung her, as though she was telling herself. She could not fight the white flames that flickered around her piebald tail, inching their way up her back.

I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR AN ANSWER BUT I AIN'T FOUND ONE,
I'VE BEEN KNOWN TO TEAR SHIT UP AND GO OFF LIKE A GUN!

— Reggan

[arrow]

CAUSE EVEN BLOOD WILL RUN, LIKE THE TEARS OF A SAINT !
"Ladies, ladies, let's not set the entire swamp on fire, yeah?"

Admittedly, Arrow had not the slightest idea how she felt about the Glades, not yet. She never really, how would she put it...got out there lately. Even back in the day, she wasn't what one would call an ambassador. She was still putting together bits and pieces of what had taken place in her absence, and as of now, it was the Coalition, her homeland being overrun by invaders who used what they pleased, and that this second player was involved in the slaughter. What she did not know, not yet, was what had happened to Salvia. Everything made her dizzy all at once, and precious memories crawled up from the depths of her Hell to taunt her with their similarities. How much her people had suffered in their own borders. Supposedly, now, the Pitt was no longer their threat, and would not be attacked on sight. But she did not think she could ever see them again without curling her lip over her teeth in primal distress.

Arrow took her place next to Elsweyr, squinting at the basket offering from Medusa. It was a nice offer, admittedly, even if the source was...bittersweet. If that was what she was going with. "I'm missin' a lot of history here, man, y'all did what now?"

[rhosmari]

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''If she was so wholly against it then she should have done something about it. Spoken up against the actions but then again this one is not just going to trust anything she says. The masses follow their leader's law, she followed and she knows the consequences of what happened because of it.'' The woman had little reason to believe she was dead for seven days. Only to come back to life and plead innocence, one individual could have sparked something and they could have questioned the choices, the decision. But there was nothing but placated silence as Stryker tore into Tanglewood, as they stole their food and watched. She turned her head suddenly to the side as her words came to her and she wanted to snap her jaws. ''We did not become desperate enough to allow a tyrant to take over lands that did not belong to him. Nor turn on our own. We had to fight for our freedom. We had to hold on to our hope as Palm Glades watched.'' Calm was the last thing that was on her mind but she did not breach the border, she did not sink her claws into the hybrid and toss her away. In her heart, she felt as if she deserved it but she simply tilted her head as she listened to her. Belief was a hard thing to give, trust was even more hard to give when it was broken. She had seen them come in, seen them do as they did. So why should she give them trust at all.

She spoke of if she had been present she would have stopped them and she held her tongue. Watching her with narrowed eyes, blue gaze guarded but a blinding anger still rising in them. Her eyes almost seemed to morph shape, the pupils wavering and narrowing before they held their rounded shape. It was only when she heard Arrow's voice that she finally took her gaze off of the Glades member and looked to the ghost. It took her longer still to form words, to quell what she wanted to say and when she did she pulled her ears back. Asking what they did made things come back, the ground began to smolder, smoke wafting up into the air and she sighed sharply. ''This one is from Palm Glades. They sided with Stryker, they came here to hunt on Tanglewood lands, steal our prey and attacked Salvia while we were forced into his rule. She pleads innocence of involvement...with this basket. She does not care, this basket fixes nothing. She should go.'' And that was all she wanted to say on the matter, everything was still fresh, the pain, the mental instability. Everything hurt and they had helped to process that.

[SirDio]

MEDUSA, THE FIRESTARTER

She was silent as the lioness spoke, but anger surged in her eyes again, burning brighter than her patience. She bit her tongue again and drew blood, claws flexing in the ground. The fire on her back flared, but she stayed quiet as Els explained the situation to the new arrival. Then, she cut into the fray, words like diamond blades, tipped with a fire. "I plead with my own life, you absolute madwoman! I would give up everything to go back and change what happened, but I CAN'T DO THAT NOW!" She raised her voice and paced behind the border. "My name is Medusa. I was once a rat snake-cat hybrid. I challenged Stheno, a Cobra cat hybrid. My name is Medusa, and I am sorry for all the hurt we have caused but if i could change it, swap Salvia's life for my own, his head in Quasar's jaws for mine, I would have done it without a second thought."

"Are you the leader? I will not leave until your leader demands it of me. I will not follow the demands of someone who simply can't drop a grudge, no matter how understandable it is." She hissed, sitting down in hollow silence. The fire in her mind grew hotter and hotter with anger, but she held it back and she simply stared at her basket. "I fucking know this basket is nothing compared to the suffering of Tanglewood - I am only trying to be nice. I am only trying to show my sympathy." Again did her voice grow quiet, restraining herself as the fire burned even hotter beneath her skin.

"I care about life and freedom. Funny thing to say, I know, coming from a filthy Primus of Palm Glades, but it's true. I don't care for your thoughts, but if you want me gone, you'll have to wait until your leader agrees." Her words were coated in a poison, but they didn't cut the air like blades. They faded away with her quiet tone, and she stared at her basket as a sudden wash of regret, of anger, washed over her. "I am a fool to think tanglers were kind at heart and would be willing to listen."

I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR AN ANSWER BUT I AIN'T FOUND ONE,
I'VE BEEN KNOWN TO TEAR SHIT UP AND GO OFF LIKE A GUN!

— Reggan

[wormwood.]

[trojan g.]

[align=left]there's a chip on my shoulder *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Moth held no room in her heart for the Palm Glades. She wasn't at the final fight that had ended Stryker, though she had heard of what they had done, but they wouldn't be getting any pity points from the reaper for doing the bare minimum, for fighting someone they could have fought all along, especially when they had been part of the issue directly for Tanglwood. A basket of gifts was nothing compared to the torture they went through when the Coalition had brought their group over to help manage those in Tanglewood, especially if it was from the one member of their group who had actually done the right thing at the time, rather than their own leader.

Coming forward to stand beside her brother, the mutated jaguar would look over Medusa for a moment, listening to her words. "We thank you for the gifts Medusa, I hope you're healing well mentally from your being dead. The dislike shown here today is not for you, as you have proven yourself - at least to me - to be one who does what's right, but with your group itself." She would let out a small sigh before continuing on, tail lashing behind her once. "I personally hold no grudge with you, but cannot say the same for the Palm Glades, not until it's proven that the group as a whole is ready to apologize through actions and prove they won't do something so unforgiveable again."

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*  and it's big as a boulder

[SirDio]

MEDUSA, THE FIRESTARTER

Medusa listened with growing regret. She should have done something more, but now the past is past and the future is still unknown. "I will tell Quasar." She rumbled gently, aware of the spark of anger she held, knowing it was directed at Quasar. "I am Medusa, current Primus of Palm Glades." She dipped her head gently, then turned to Moth as she approached. Quietly she nodded in gratitude before directing her next words to everyone there.

"I am grateful to have had this audience. I'll report your words to Rhinestonestar and will work to prevent any such horrors in the future. You all have my word." Even if it holds nothing to your hearts. With a swift paw she turned to leave, but halted and looked back at Aurum. "Again, thank you for listening, and I deeply apologize for my outbursts." With that she turned and began back for Glade territory.

//out

I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR AN ANSWER BUT I AIN'T FOUND ONE,
I'VE BEEN KNOWN TO TEAR SHIT UP AND GO OFF LIKE A GUN!

— Reggan

[rhosmari]

Her eyes snapped over to look at Aurum, a rage bubbling in her bright blue eyes. She was livid that much was certain and much of what the Palm Glade member said rushed past her ears. She didn't care what rank the other had in the group or who she was. As long as she was with them she could not just see herself giving excuses. Giving them a chance after everything still laid fresh upon their lands. Their wounds. The Palm Glades had ridden the time of despair and destruction without suffering with them. Stolen their food and attacked them and she was being snapped at for trying to get this one to leave. She didn't care about enemies, nor did she care about neutralities. It wasn't about that in her mind. It was about protecting her home and she couldn't trust them. The whole while Aurum spoke from her to the pest that was still at the border she just stared. Eyes wide and it was slowly becoming unclear on what her own position was, feelings becoming guarded and hidden away. Her tail tip blazed, spark with embers as she just listened, giving nothing away on how she currently felt.

Then without saying anything she turned and walked away from the scene. Fire licked and curled across the ground from her paws, hissing and sizzling as it came into contact with the muddied ground. Slender curves of fire that looked almost like snakes on the ground. She had no need to be here and what was said was said. She would retain her feelings on the Palm Glades, neutrality or no. They didn't deserve to come near their border after what they did and what they had taken advantage of. Graceful figure slipped into the swamps and she didn't bother looking back, bone pierced ears pulled back slightly as she jumped over a fallen log and disappeared.

-- out