There were rumors going around about this place, words of mouth from travelers who looked over their shoulders in a nervous habit, the shared looks and smell of anxiety was enough for her to know. She needed to go to this place. She needed to figure some shit out and the desert seemed to be the place to go to. That and the desert was in her direct path of wandering anyways. Her latest job lead her out in this direction to begin with, so it wasn't all that far from her path.

Time had found her in the forsaken desert, the burnt husk of the jungle laying long before her even as trees struggled from the floor, new greenery retaking the gray burnt remains of what once would have been something beautiful. It stirred a question in her chest: what had happened and why? Was it war? Was it an accident? She had heard that this group was supposed to have been warbound, at least once upon a time under different leadership.

Breath pushed from aching lungs, the heat of the sun beating down on her fur, enough that she felt she was baking alive. Pausing to tuck the mess of what could be called similar to a mane of fur behind the curl of one of her horns. Two toned eyes swept over the territory, a vast expanse of ... sand. Sighing, Nishiguchi set down her pack and shook her head, feeling her neck crack as she released a low growl. Exhaling through her nose, "Anybody around these parts?", she would call, scenting others nearby. She still didn't know these people but thought it was enough to see if anyone friendly was near.

[OOC: I just got a pc and decided to give this a try without telling anyone. ANY PRIOR ATTEMPTS AT A RETURN DO NOT COUNT LOL,  FYI he didn't wait at the border, he traveled through the jungle canopy then snuck through to the central plaza. OPEN TO ALL. ]


How much time had passed since? How many years had rolled by? How much had changed? Who now took pride in ruling this forbidden place?

Turn around.

This awful, rotten, hedonistic, impulsive, and violent place. It was a pit, a place you could never really truly leave. For to survive you would have to do things that followed you forever. Demons dwelling in the back of your mind. Guilt disguised as memories always tapping on your shoulder, making you turn around expecting to see something. Sometimes he did. Sometimes he would get stuck in that horrible moment. The slaughter and betrayal.

How many times will he die for this place till he learns?

Leave

His body was begging him. His heart was deafening, it was not like the coolheaded jaguar to be so on edge. It wasn't like who he used to be, who he thought he still was. Yet despite the tightness in his chest and twisting tight feeling in his belly... he kept walking. Kydobi wasn't thinking. A creature of habit, drawn by instinct or perhaps desperation to the only familiar thing he had. What's the worst that could happen? Do some kill him? Again? He could only wish to sleep forever.

A flash of darkness. A cold mildewy smell. No sound, no feeling, just isolation. Waiting. That was what death was for him. You don't remember who you were or what happened. All you knew was what you felt, and you felt that you were someone. Yet all you are is that excruciating waiting feeling. Nothing more. Until he would wake in his body, not sure where he was or how he got there. The last time he was covered in dirt, he would rise with the scars on his body and familiar faces thankful for his return.

This time he didn't arise. This time he just was. Brand new pelt, no scars to prove he earned his keep. Nothing told his story of how he fought and waited till he ruled. Nothing of the prior ardent. So why am I here? The man let out a hmph at his thoughts. It was all he knew.

The gunslinger was making quick work of the desert, dust was kicked up behind his massive paws. It was a solid and consistent gait that carried him. Long muscular trunks would extend, flexing as they pulled him forward.

---

It was the darkest hour, in the one to follow there would be the pink hues of sunrise on the horizon. The ashy soot had collected on his paws from the dead forest. Another thing killed during his time. Did the alliance and treaty still hold? Once again, the brute found himself trying to figure out how long he had been... He neared the jungle and swiftly traveled his way through the terrain, ghosting through trees when he did not feel the need to go around. A small feeling of pride and entitlement snuck its way in. This was his jungle. He may not rule it anymore, but it was what he knew. The man quickly made his mind up that he would not stay a desperado. There would be no more denying it, no more hate, no more finding your way. No. More. Dying.

No more trusting. These people are what they always were. Monsters. He had died too many times trying to save them. Trying to change them. Trying to help everyone. He was going to live and keep living no matter who he had to claw through. The shadow walked his way through to the central plaza. The sun had now halfway risen, and life was starting to come to the marketplace. His eyes would move to the throne and he felt molten rage. Smoke had begun to chuff its way out his nostrils when he saw his skull. So that was what they made of him? Just another grotesque spectacle. None of his previous members tried to show respect and bury it. What of all his lovers?

Just another fool. Another righteous fool.

Not anymore.

The majority of the pittians were too busy with their morning tasks to notice him. Maybe there wasn't as much unity as there once was. Or perhaps Kydobi strode around as if he belonged there. Of course, he would get a few stares, some people would brush it off as quickly as it came. For now, he would sit by a waterfall and groom the soot and dust off his body. If anybody came to question him then so be it. If no one did then he would assimilate quickly.

it was eating at her and she had no idea why. why did she care? what did he matter to her? the small dragon lost her mother and her father just didn't care about her? she was angry but held it all in. she held it all in and just focused on kold for so long. to long. far to long. bai jing ai was not going to be silent anymore. how could she even try to be? she was hurt and he just ignored her?

not anymore.

the small dragon left her nest high in the tree and scrambled along the branch. talons dug into the bark as she looked at the early morning sun. tail swishing behind her before she jumped down. gliding to the earth before stalking towards her fathers home. bai shi would know her and that was it. she didnt even bother to stop herself. her eyes finding him and she started in without a second thought.

how dare you. you can't just have a kid and ignore them! ignore me! she was screaming the words at him as she came to a stop near the blind dragon.

speaking

the dead eyed woman strolled along the boarder of her home. paws crunching the earth under her as she walked along. not that she needed to be silent. she was not fearful as she had no ability to be. she was fast and a fighter by nature. she felt little to nothing and often found herself alone. vale used to seek her out to ask her questions. that was what others needed her for. she was good for it. no emotions, no clouded judgements.

the woman could give brutal truths and harsh truths. the truths many didnt want to face, but she felt no qualm in giving them it. perhaps that made her more of a true pittian than most. she was cold, unfeeling, and a killer.

killer queen.

she stopped as she found a fresh set of tracks on the territory. eyes scanning them to see they were leaving. she knew that this was likely a visito that came for a bit then baled on the harsh enviroment. snorting. the woman turned and strolled towards her home. silent as she abandoned her original walk. not wanting to deal with possibly trespassers.

after all, she was not the best in social areas. it was almost dark when she came into view of her house. peaceful for the moment. but, that never lasted.

speech

the lion had never considered a pet before. after all, he had no idea what would suit him. he needed something flashy and to his taste. so, when he found the little peacock chick all alone, he was tempted to eat it. it was drab. brown and speckled. little and useless. yet, he decided to ignore it and walk past.

yet, the thing followed him. the entire patrol and to his house it followed. the brute turned once outside his home and narrowed his eyes. crouching to look at the tiny thing. unsure of what to do now. should he eat it? he pondered this until it snuggled up to him. nestling into his paws and he sighed. he was not thrilled with the ugly thing, but.. he guessed he could keep it for now.

speech

she moved in and he was beyond excited. he was waiting for her to settle into his home. to make it comfortable for her. ears perking at every step he heard in his normally quiet house. he loved hearing it. he loved knowing he was not going to be lonely at night. he had someone finally. someone that was worth his time and energy.

not that he didn't enjoy the company of olalla or bakari. he truly did enjoy them. hell, he even found kold fun to be around. that was saying something. he just felt different with sakura. she knew him. his past and his future. she was tangled in his mind like a string. string, that if pulled out, would unravel him from the core.

he needed her and that was why he left her a note to meet him at the oasis. he had set up a blanket, some snacks and drinks, and a wrapped box. roses lay on said box. he had crafted her a charm for one of her chains. whichever she wanted. it was made of crocodile skull bone and was of them together. he took ages to carve it and refused to admit how many wasted bones went to the scrap pile.

he just hoped sakura would love it. would love the sunset over the oasis. would enjoy the crocodiles as they hunted in the dim light far bellow his chosen spot. he just wanted her to be happy. to see her smile. so much so, he hardly thought about himself. something he had never done before.

speech

YOU'RE LOST
WITHOUT ME!

well Time, she did
as time, she does

Kold's house was nestled a good distance from any trees, though close to the plaza. It was far enough for no one to really hear her tossing and turning, breaking a pot from her bedside table. Her forepaws scratched across her face, dark blood welling in the small wounds. Her sleep was plagued with terrors, visages of her mother and brother, her own body and Boy. Images of what she could do, the terrors she could bring, all because of who she was. Who's daughter she was. The blood that ran in her veins.

Fire licked at her bedsheets, formed by her own paw, and quickly started to catch onto any fabric and wood it could find. The rose she had kept, dry and withered, was one of the first to go. The wooden supports above creaked and groaned, waking the woman up. Then the smoke had filled the room. With a startled and slightly strangled yell, she fell onto the floor, limbs refusing to work for a second. Her bedsheet followed, burning parts of her wings before she could wrestle it off of her.

The fire had grown quickly, partly influenced by her own emotions, and as she stumbled out of the bedroom, it's brilliant heat had lit up most of the wooden supports around her. Boy's room had already been engulfed in flames, oddly enough, and she turned for the door, grabbing the dragon bone dagger Bai Jing Ai had given her. She was almost there, almost out, when her manipulation had given life to an apparition. Canid in form, the fire blocked her path.

She was frozen in place, staring at this ghostly visage of family, before she felt her lungs burn from smoke. And she screamed, ruining her vocal chords, and ran through the fire. Her burned paw pads stung on the sandstone porch and her partially burnt wings stung from the sand as she collapsed upon the earth, loosening her grip on the dagger. It skittered from her, and she found herself staring at it.

Rousing herself to look at the burning house, she couldn't find it in her to scream. To yell out for help, for someone to get water. She could only watch as everything that house stood for started to burn away. It was, morbidly, a beautiful scene.

Kold Darcia Di Angelo - Pitt - Marauder