but he was number one | open, shadow veil on border

TAGS ✦ ✧ ✦ — So, someone needed Aleksei? Something about this didn't seem right. What was so urgent that they needed their leader?

Ella looked at the NPC she had been traveling with and asked them to get the leader. She watched as they hesitantly left and then went over to the male at the border. She didn't quite recognize him so she had no idea he was a fellow leader. Even then though she probably would have treated him the same.

" ALEKSEI should be here in a few moments," Ella assured the other and smiled softly at him. She figured it would be okay to have had the NPC search for someone since she had someone else with her. Even then though she was still a little tense. Guess being attacked really could take a toll on the mind and the body.

^{THE IRONY HOWEVER, IS THAT I'M NOT ACTUALLY ANGRY —}

^{"In the mean time, what can I do for you?" The deputy asks as she approaches the small group. Surely Soundcheck would remember her when she was trying a trial dual alliance. Clearly it didn't work out on her end since she was loyal to BlizzardClan, but the male was very nice to her when she first joined. Taking a seat next to Ella the dragon moves her tail to almost protectively curl around the girl. She should be resting, but Kady won't snap at her. She did the exact same thing when she was sick.}

^{Anyways, she would have asked how Soundcheck was doing, but she didn't want to accidentally reveal any information she might not supposed.}

^{— I'M TRYING TO LEARN HOW TO BE HAPPY, AND THAT IN ITSELF IS A WAR}

✧ — THE MEMORIES OF YESTERDAY ARE NOW GONE / TAGS

" Y-You killed someone because t-they didn't give you the i-information you wanted?!." Ladon in disbelife spoke up with a upset tone as he had followed out with Kady that day which was why he was standing here right now hearing this rather upseting news because otherwise he wouldn't have dared step outside if there wasn't anyone else there with him. Mostly he prefered Kady though since she was a dragon and everything so made him feel more safe to hang around her. But what he heared had really striken him the wrong way because of how easily he had taken a life away like it had meant nothing. It wasn't the first time he had encountered this. Leo had got killed for the same reason by Feliks, and even himself had got his life taken just because his killer had have an issue with someone he knew. " That's w-wrong.." he shaky spoke just by the thought that this person had got sent down to a eternal after life of agony now made him feel sick inside. Life was prectious and anyone had a right to live not to get taken away for something as stupied like this!.

He really didn't have much to say in light of Soundcheck's news. Regis had already beat him to BlizzardClan, and Piedpiper really didn't think some drama with the Thunderlands and Soundcheck's sister was major enough to warrant the annulment of the ceasefire Aleksei had granted to the Thunderlands. Especially not after the mindless faux pas Soundcheck had committed recently. Taking a seat beside Kady, he waited in stoic silence for Aleksei to arrive. Even after his fight with one of the Thunderlands members, Piedpiper wasn't particularly motivated towards revenge. Not when there were so many other things going on that trumped his personal grievances. Big picture stuff.

✧ —FOLLOW THE SOUND OF THE PIPE / TAGS

Aleksei was promptly fetched and his eye narrowed at the sight of the Shadow Veil leader. He arrived at the same time that Soundcheck began to speak, giving a curt nod of greeting towards the others. Ladon brought up a point--funny how Soundcheck killed a liar, but entertained a rapist in his Clan.

"I refuse to allow a Veiler to train here in BlizzardClan when you're harboring a rapist, Soundcheck," Aleksei snapped back coldly in reply. Why should BlizzardClan let someone learn how to heal, when that knowledge could be used to save the life of a rapist? "Plus, you clearly have no respect for BlizzardClan's laws by doing nothing to stop a BlizzardClan exile from going to BlizzardClan." Aleksei had even heard that Soundcheck had specifically given permission to go.

Aleksei was already leery of Soundcheck's handling of the Shadow Veil, since he seemed like he wanted to turn it into a tool to get personal vengeance. These two incidences had cemented Aleksei's idea that Soundcheck was a bit of a fool.

BLURRED REFLECTION OF STANDSTILL POND !

He was a good man, but he had a broken heart —

[ooc] whoops late reply, sorry

[ic]

He was late, yes, but he was here. Caught up in the tangles of his own paranoia, it had taken him a little while longer to meet Soundcheck here. His eyes couldn't help but shift over his shoulder every so often; ears pricked in the desperate hope of catching the sound of pawsteps- if only to prove his sanity. Drawing up beside the leader upon the mention of his name, the otherwise naturally charismatic leopard gave a curt nod in greeting.

With explanation of their medical situation, Standstill resisted the pull of his ears to flatten against the top of his head. The shard of pride lodged in his sole was a permanent affliction. It irritated him to rely so heavily on allies. Of course, in terms of their medic, they had little choice but to gain some expertise from one trained and capable. With the looming explosion with the Thunderlands, it was a matter of heightening importance. His maw proceeded to part, preparing for the delivery for some introductory words, although it seemed Soundcheck was not yet done.

His leader announced a death by his hands, a tactless move if any for a warning against wrath induced for the Shadow Veil. His jaw hardened, an awkwardness stiffening his shoulders. The reaction from their allies was clear- understandable if BlizzardClan was still a proclan as he remembered them. Although, he had been gone a while. Long enough to not recognise BlizzardClan's leader when he saw him. He remembered a different face entirely, a different name. Another era. Aleksei, he assumed. The male was not impressed and Standstill could not place blame in him. Although, his loyalty was to his clan and he would not voice retaliation against Soundcheck in front of strangers. Soundcheck was new, inexperienced, learning. Mistakes were to be made.

"Aleksei? I'm Standstill." He was unsure of the weight that name held any more, if any. The time of the Toxic Alliance was gone, and so was ToBE. He was not the creature he used to be. "Can you put a name to this alleged rapist? Some proof? For political matters, you understand- necessary actions, if any, can't be taken on word alone." Although, he had a feeling he already knew the face attached to this dilemma. And yet, Feliks was a clanmate that had seemed to deny his past actions through changed behaviour. It didn't give any resolution to the past, but he was still now a Shadow Veiler and granted the same rights as any other till proved otherwise. "As for allowing Feliks to attend here? That was a mistake on our behalf," he mentioned, turning his eyes towards his side to glance at Soundcheck. He hoped he wasn't overstepping his mark but it seemed as if this situation could spiral quickly out of control and the mistake was, in all honesty, their blame.

Whilst he could not mention that it wouldn't happen again- the decision solely for Soundcheck to make- he hoped the apology would be enough to pacify the situation at least slightly. "Truth is, a lot of ours are getting hurt and I don't want their blood on my paws." He was not one to sit back and watch his clanmates suffer when there was ways around it. He could shove his pride aside for this, at least. It was a selfish motive, if any, to want to remove any future guilt before it happened. Yet, he would not sit idly by. "I'd be real grateful if you'd let me train here, if we work with you to resolve this thing." How the leader would take that, both in fact, would soon be seen.

— That'll take even the best of them down

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#maisietemplate

Irene, still resting in the medic den while recovering from the attack, had been sorting through some herbs when she heard a few NPCs whispering to each other outside. She didn't hear the whole conversation, but she managed to catch something about Soundcheck requesting assistance from Blizzardclan. The pregnant catsune remembered the Shadow Veil leader asking for her help in training their members in medicine, and so out of curiosity, she slipped quietly from the medic den and made her way towards the group at the border. Once she arrived, the medic lingered near the back, hoping not to be spotted by Kady or Piper for fear of being scolded. However, as she listened on, the femme realized the situation was much more complicated than she originally suspected.

Irene hadn't been around when Feliks had done all those things, nor when he was exiled, but she had heard bits and pieces around camp. She could understand why Aleksei wouldn't want to give Blizzardclan's aid to a clan that was harboring a rapist, but she also understood the Veiler's need for a capable healer amongst their ranks. Her own clan was suffering with even just one medic, so the hybrid could sympathize with their desperation. Luckily, the Arcanium might have an adequate solution. Pushing her way through the crowd, Irene limped to the front to stand next to Aleksei and face the two Veilers. "I might still be able to help," she rasped softly, glancing sideways at her leader in an attempt to gauge his response to her words. "While I support Aleksei's decision not to allow Blizzardclan to help you until Feliks is punished, and I fully agree that he should be, I am also the head of medicine in Sunclan, so if you still want my help, you can approach Thea about it there." It would relieve Blizzardclan of their obligation, and still allow the Veil to get help. A win-win, right? So long as Aleksei didn't take it as her trying to undermine him.

[sorry for the late reply]

Aleksei's pale eye went towards Soundcheck's companion. Standstill's name didn't ring a bell with him. "Feliks--Outside of what I've heard second-hand of his crimes in the Exiles and his harassment of a child, I myself have heard him boast consistently about his rape of various people." There was a small snort of disgust before he added, "You can see my memories if you want to."

He was pleased that Standstill acknowledged the Veil's mistake in allowing Feliks to attend, but that wasn't an apology from Soundcheck, who had enabled the disgusting fuck. "I don't want it either, but the Veil currently has shown nothing but a lack of respect for its relationship with BlizzardClan and your own values. It was not more than half a year ago that the Veil lodged complaints against Deutschland for his harboring of the same rapist. Why the Veil would accept such a piece of shit into its own clan in violation of its own policies is beyond me."

His eye snapped towards Soundcheck and he advanced one step towards the Veil leader. "Bull-fucking-shit, Soundcheck. You were there during the war with the Thunderlands, where the same fact was brought up multiple times by Sekhmet. Plead ignorance all you want--I refuse to believe that you were unaware of the fact when you were involved in the war. I've specifically heard that you fucking gave Feliks permission to go to BlizzardClan, despite the fact that you were aware of the fact that he was exiled." There was rage dripping from his voice at this point.

"How fucking dare you lie to my face and try to ask for help again?" This cunt was no better than Deutschland when the Thunderlands leader attempted to dupe BlizzardClan into an alliance and covered up for the criminal. "You choose what to do with your pet rapist--you're the Veil's leader."

His ire rose as Irene came up, suggesting an idea that would circumvent his denial of the Veil's request. His jaw clenched slightly. "If you hadn't disrespected our alliance, Soundcheck, I would've granted you aid." His gaze looked to Irene. "If SunClan wants to help a group that is sheltering a known rapist and disrespects its allies, I won't do anything," he returned, his voice cold.

The dragon's attention turned back towards Soundcheck. The Veil's leader was proving himself more of a fool each moment--with such a moron at its helm, how would the alliance actually fare? Judging from the current blunders, it seemed like it was not going to go well. "Since you've shown you don't give a shit about our alliance outside of what aid you want to leech off us, I should just drop you to neutrals. However, on account of the Veil's history with BlizzardClan, I'll give you one week to fix your mistakes and apologize before I do. Get out."

Piedpiper watched the interaction between the two leaders, mouth shaped in a frown. The Shadow Veil had been a longtime ally of BlizzardClan, and a clan he had liked in the past. But it seemed that this one animal, Soundcheck, might destroy the years-old alliance with his carelessness and lack of common sense. What leader let someone they knew was exiled by an allied clan back into that clan for a party? Even a child knew better.

His pink eyes briefly flickering towards Irene and Standstill, they soon returned to Aleksei and Soundcheck, wondering if the latter was going to make another mistake today.

✧ —FOLLOW THE SOUND OF THE PIPE / TAGS

^{IT’S A DEFECT IN MY CORE —}

^{This was enough proof of why he avoided this portion of the earth for the longest time ever; the politics were too messy. There were some creatures at the helm of the clans that were obviously not fit to lead and it was laughable how evidence was denied when there was actual proof provided. But that was all he got from the situation, nothing more. Macushla was unaware of the whole debacle in the first place but the words slung from either sides painted a big enough picture for him to fill in the cracks. What he learned; Shadow Veil was shittily lead, there was a unrepentant rapist running around, and Aleksei was a petty fuck (understandably though, Macushla mirrored similar sentiments regarding rapists). He also did take note of the Blizzardclan catsune who offered Sunclan help out of the blue, now wasn't that weird? He couldn't help but scoff a little at that, was it normal for members to step on the leader's toes like that? Macushla would hate to be the catsune medic with the loose mouth. But like Piedpiper, he said nothing. The direwolf was content with just observing the interesting situation that he happened to come across.}

^{tags + ref + plot}

Irene quickly noted that the situation was beginning to spiral out of control again. She knew Aleksei was intense and tended to have a short temper, so she should’ve expected his response to both Soundcheck’s and her own words. And he was justified in his reaction; the Veil was wrong for harboring an exiled rapist, and she shouldn’t have opened her mouth. Her intentions had been in the right place, she’d simply wanted to offer assistance, but it was clear to her then that she’d unwittingly undermined her leader. That point was driven home by the irritated look he shot her, and the medic lowered her head slightly. When she’d made her suggestion, Irene had been acting as a member of Sunclan, not Blizzardclan, and it was only now that she was realizing it wasn’t the proper setting to do so. For the first time, the femme wondered if her position in Sunclan would compromise her duties in Blizzardclan. Having immediately recognized her mistake, the winged hybrid moved back to tuck herself into Kady’s side, ears flattening back against her skull in silence. Perhaps now would be a good time to rethink her constant need to try to help anyone and everyone.

[mobile sorry for any grammar mistakes]

✧ — THE MEMORIES OF YESTERDAY ARE NOW GONE / TAGS

Child thief?. So because of a personal grudge he had against his own sister had decided to take a life of someone how had nothing to do with it?. The same thing had happend to him only this one reason was most likely even worse. Did his sister hurt the kids?. By his story it didn't seem like it and even though he could agree on that taking children away from thier parents not was a good thing the picture he had got from this shadow veil leader made him wonder if she only stolen kids from parents how mistreated them and if so there was nothing wrong with that. There was alot in this story he not know about so going to sudden conclusion was a bad thing but his mind was stuck on the very reason of him thinking it was okay to kill someone innocent just because they not had told him about his sister. It was wrong, so, so very wrong. Lives where supposed to mean alot more then that.

About to say something more didn't had the chance before Aleksei appeared up and it was then this conversation really heated up. Ladon were not aware of everything he spoke about. Feliks was a name he remembered, someone he had meet to confront about after he had murderd Leo. But the word 'rapist' was not something he was familliar with. For sure had he heared that word before but no one had ever explained to him what it meant. The way it slipt out from Aleksei mouth though it most be something horrible bad. This whole thing was really upsetting for him to listen on though. It made him feel uncomfortable, unsafe and the anxiety started to make his heart beat faster. Whinning lowly the pup would bite his lip in discomfort as he just wished for this to be over with, all of them were scaring him. Aleksei more then the rest. Please stop..

But then it come, the name that made his gut twist itself inside and a panic beat leaving his chest. Deathstroke. The mention of his killer name was the last straw Ladon was able to take. His breathing got heavier and his flight instinct took in and before anything else could be said and done the Paladin Trainee turned around to rush of blindly into some other direction to get himself away from there.

//out

BLURRED REFLECTION OF STANDSTILL POND !

He was a good man, but he had a broken heart —

Mingan. She seemed to be an irreplacable constant in Soundcheck's life and Standstill near winced as the leader, once more, gave her life through his words. She seemed to be a thunderstorm in his mind that he had unleashed unto any who would listen. He was unsure he could swallow such words any longer. The repetitive rant meant nothing as time went further and further without adequate evidence of her deeds. Yet, far be it from the ever loyal male to shrink from his leader's words, his promises. Yet, he certainly deemed it the wrong time and place entirely to let loose intimate grievances.

It was, truthfully, the least of Standstill's worries. A soundless sigh rushed through his nose with the mis-wordings of the Shadowkeeper as he withheld an air of obsinate righteousness. With an ally such as BlizzardClan, diplomacy was surely more important? And yet? Sent off with a severed word to bite at their ankles, Standstill's face stiffened, irises trailing the shrinking form of Soundcheck as he moved homewards bound. "Shadow Veil knows the significance of an ally, if you trust my word which I understand if you don't" A maze of words issued to the leader, allowing a deliverance of promises. Although, Aleksei did not know him and Standstill did not expect the male to take his word so readily. Yet, Standstill wouldn't allow the rupture of an apparent long-fostered bond between the two clans. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have a look at those memories?" He was a fair man and he would only make fair decisions.

— That'll take even the best of them down

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#maisietemplate

Excuses, excuses. Wow, Soundcheck sure was a whizz at deflecting responsibility. He probably qualified for the damn world championships at being a scumbag. Piedpiper's sharp eyes didn't miss Standstill's subtle movements either. He wondered if the wildcat was a little embarrassed on Soundcheck's behalf. If he had any common sense (and he seemed to), he certainly would be. Still, it was very unfortunate that it was Soundcheck who led the Shadow Veil, and not... well anyone else. For all of Standstill's good sentiments, a reckless and oblivious leader such as Soundcheck practically wrote the death certificate of the BlizzardClan-Shadow Veil alliance. Aleksei wasn't one to suffer fools, and Soundcheck was their poster child. Still, Piedpiper was curious to see just how long Standstill was gonna stick around and what he and Aleksei might say next.

✧ —FOLLOW THE SOUND OF THE PIPE / TAGS