THROAT FULL OF GLASS | joining

Harsh words were seldom heard from the midnightbringer; longer sentences were as well, if one thought back carefully enough to take note of it. Gray eyes peeked out from underneath the hood of her cloak, as the girl studied the male before her, not speaking for a few long moments as silence fell between them. Empty eyes betrayed none of her thoughts, and finally, a quiet murmur could be heard, lacking malice, but also lacking the kindness that the others showed towards joiners. "You are?" She finally said, her head tilted ever-so-slightly, curious as for what the response would be.

Kira recognized him.

As the blonde realized exactly who it was at the border, his fur bristled, and he was unapologetic as his hostility began to show. This was one of the Exilers that had been there at the raid for Rohan, one who had been around when they'd massacred the birds back in the Flights. His ears flattened and his hatred concentrated in his harsh lavender gaze. Scum. Had he known about Cody's little change of heart, perhaps he would have been more kind (doubtful as it was), but unfortunately that was not the case.

He steps up next to Adara. "That kind of arrogance from an Exiler... how charming," he hums sarcastically. His voice is tar. His head hangs low between his shoulders, ready to prowl, but his single eye is sure to never leave Cody. He has never trusted Exilers. And, considering his own personal history with them, it was almost surprising that he hadn't outright attacked the other yet. But hearing that he wanted to join stirred... questions. "Or did you leave them behind?"

His brows furrow sharply above his single eye. He thinks of Doraneko, and his rage surges once more through his veins, but he forces it down. After all, he'd mishandled things before. It would be best not to do it again.

Kira's words had the girl's carefully neutral expression contorting, just a bit, recognition clear in gray pupils. Of the name. Of the things that they had done. Killed Riptide. Crippled Leesha. Took Sasha. They were cutthroat, much like how Adara had been at one point, even if their actions were driven by emotion and anarchy rather than duty and that firm belief that it was their only purpose in life. Perhaps that cruelty was what drew Hex to them, was because the male was so used to violence that he could never escape it. That had been Adara's original intention when she first came to the Veil, to be the weapon she was taught to be. She only seemed to realize now she hadn't accomplished that purpose, but she found it surprising that she didn't mind all that much.

"Ver or Riptide will decide." She said quietly.

It was decisions like these that Riptide wasn't sure he was right to make. The Shaderunner had heard from a passing NPC that there was some sort of issue with a joiner at the border, and had wasted no time in getting himself over there. Sometimes he felt like it might just be best to make his home out here in the pines, with how much trouble he seemed to have to deal with on their borders. The large dark-furred tabby strolled forward to take a stance beside Adara, glancing down at the smaller feline with a warm greeting hidden behind his gaze. He knew she wasn't all too comfortable with the trappings of close friendship, so he said nothing and focused his attention on the stranger the were all gathered around.

The Exiles. Yes, he'd caught that part on his way up, and the mere mention of the name brought visions of pain and ice and death to the forefront of his mind. Till the day he died (if that ever truly happened) he would remember the suffering he'd experienced at the hands of Kukiko, and honestly Ty wasn't sure he'd ever get over the anger and bitterness he felt because of it. He hated the Exiles with every fiber of his being, and would never be able to change his opinion of them now. But from what he understood, Cody had left before he'd ever been executed. The maine coon could understand, on some level, what it was like to want a fresh start and an escape from your past. He himself hadn't originated in the Veil, and his past was as complicated as anyones'.

The brute said nothing for a good long while, still trying to work through the thoughts muddling up his brain. It was up to him whether or not they would allow the lupine to join, and based on the feelings some of his clanmates had about Exilers, himself included, it wasn't going to be an easy decision. If Ver were here now, he was sure that she would've turned Cody away without hesitation. But was that what he wanted to do? Sure, the Exiles had committed heinous crimes against the ones he loved, and had tormented his clan since the day he'd arrived here. But he also held some belief that people could change, if they were given the chance, and maybe that was all Cody was looking for. A chance. Ty didn't want to bother trusting the guy, given his past, but he tried to imagine what he would've done if the Veil had turned himself away.

Finally Riptide focused back in, his intense ocean eyes leveling the wolf with a hard stare. "I understand that not everyone can be held accountable for the actions of their clan, and you do seem like you're trying to distance yourself from your past crimes. However, the Exiles have caused my clanmates a lot of unnecessary pain. This is my family, and I don't know that I can trust you with their safety." He still wasn't sure whether or not he would let Cody in, but he'd at least give the guy a chance to explain himself. "How can I be sure that you'll actually be loyal to the Veil? What made you come here?" It was a simple enough question, and yet he was hoping the answer would show the former deputies true intentions.

[im sorry this is so long & late </3]

"Can't say it surprises me to hear that." Everybody wanted to take the moral high ground and tried to ignore when they'd fucked shit up, when they'd failed people. Diarmuid took no satisfaction from this former Exiler's hurt; that they'd all just...forgotten his brother and couldn't offer him shit rang a similar bell in his own chest, a constant fear that maybe Shay had returned, but no one told him Diarmuid was still around and he'd left. He didn't know how likely it was, he just- knew what it was like to lack the answers in the middle of a place like this. "Whatever it's worth, I'm sorry no one helped you." Everybody and their goddamned grudges, like they hadn't lost enough people to a hatchet they wouldn't bury- like there wasn't enough guilt to go around everywhere.

He'd seen some of the shit they did in the Ruins -the Veil's best buddy- and he'd seen the aftermath of what members of The Exiles had done. What was the fucking point of anything? None of them had to repeat past mistakes, but they did it anyway. "At least you're trying to change. That's more than a lotta people can say." Like certain people choosing to keep having kids when they didn't take care of the ones they had before, but Diarmuid wasn't going to drag out his distaste for the majority of the parenting styles around here. It wasn't the point of this, even though he could argue that if they cared so much about family, they had a funny way of showing it.

"But if other people can't accept that, you might be better off somewhere else. Maybe somewhere with a little less moral grandstanding, if you can find it." The feline rolled his shoulders, hoping Riptide would prove to be a little better than that.

———— ARVICAENA ————

AIN'T EVER WANNABES

The pup took a deep breath as Cody spoke to her directly. She knew he knew. She was caught in the open. "Arvicaena. Nice to meet you." She was firm in her words, though it was clear she was nervous about him watching her for as long as he did. She was sure she would be ousted. She just hoped her clan understood she was not one of.. Them. Exilers. She was no Exiler.

"Speech."

"I came here to better myself and learn to let the past go." Much to the Shaderunner's surprise, he actually resonated a lot with Cody's story. No, he hadn't joined a murderous clan just to get back at someone, but pretty much everything else was very similar to the events of his own life. When he first awoke and joined Shadow Veil after his resurrection (unbeknownst to himself at the time), he couldn't remember much beyond the faces of his mother and father. He knew he had a family, once, but had no idea where they were or where even to begin looking for them. Eventually he'd found his father and his mother again, only to feel utterly betrayed by both. Breakdance, who had resided in the Exiles, hadn't even tried to stop his execution. She hadn't even come to see him through the entirety of his capture and subsequent torture. And Alejandro, he was the reason that Riptide and all of his descendants were cursed to never truly die; something his father had neglected to ever bother telling him.

Yes, his family situation was complicated, and he could understand the desire to get revenge for all those things that had happened to him. But the brute also knew what it was like to have everything about yourself changed by a traumatic event, and struggle to get back to the person you used to be. After his murder at the hands of the Exiles, Ty had been angry, bitter, a more reckless and careless version of himself. He no longer cared about the consequences of his actions, and those who were close to him didn't miss that change. But then he'd been promoted to deputy, and he realized that he had to start thinking about more than his own petty desire for vengeance. The Veil counted on him in a lot of ways now, and so did his friends, and he had suddenly realized that the only thing he wanted now was to be the best could be, for them. Cody was just looking for that same chance to let go of everything that had shaped him into the person he was today, and make himself into the person he wanted to be.

Everyone deserved a second chance. Well, most everyone, anyways. And from what he could tell, the lupine standing at their borders was still redeemable, if thats what he wanted. Riptide sat in silence for several long moments, contemplating everything Cody had said, his stoic gaze giving away nothing. At Diarmuid's comments, the tabby glanced sideways, noting the disdain in the boy's voice but saying nothing. Finally he returned his attention to the former Exiler, and murmured evenly, "Alright. I appreciate your honesty, and as long as you remain honest with me, you can stay. And I think you'd be surprised, how some will care about you here, if you let them." The maine coon turned to go, prepared to show their newest member back to camp, when he paused and looked back over his shoulder. "However, since you seem to understand the importance of family, I will say this. The Veil is my family, and i'll do what I have to to keep them safe." It wasn't a threat, but he hoped that Cody would understand what he was trying to say. You'll regret causing trouble here.

[welcome to shadow veil! <3]

It's her fault for relaxing, her fault for turning her gaze away for a second and now once again another Exiler had come into their territory asking for sanctuary when they deserved nothing more than the brunt of her fangs. She doesn't despise Cody per say he never targeted her in particular and was more pleasant in personality than most of the lot of faceless mindless fiends and child-beaters. But that didn't at all mean she'd take a risk or roll on her back and let any Exiler tear into her stomach like she was some submissive bitch.

She's late but would arrive a growl rumbling in her chest and her tail held high in authority that she only ever gave off when needing to prove a point or simply for intimidation. ”You either have nothing in that brain or grew a pair Cody” her ire isn't hard to miss, former Exiler or not didn't change a thing in her eyes especially when it came to those who were entrusted and decorated by the Exiles at one point. She didn't buy shit when she knew just how easy it was to weasel her way into a clan for a spying mission. ”As much as I want to blindly agree with Riptide I have children to protect and I don't buy this whole turning over a new leaf thing for an instant, how the hell can I trust someone like you?” if she'd gotten here earlier she would've flatly snapped no and sent this bastard on his way instead of going against her clanmates. She didn't need to repeat the Ivorybones situation and make her case worse for herself.

”What can you offer us that's not a sob story Cody? If you can't prove yourself than I suggest you get your three legged ass out of here” it's a shame he didn't choose to bark this drivel in the Ruins instead she's sure the Ruiners would have a field day with him and they wouldn't be quite as naive as the Veilers.

Ver’s strategy relied mostly off of pissing her enemies off, riling them up to encourage the worst decisions from them. To distract them from the actual situation at hand, a fight was always what she was looking for. It was easier to deal with than having to argue her point to creatures who should understand the risks of allowing threats to pass into their home. The first words of his response cause a cackle to erupt from her, how utterly fucking ridiculous? She’d feel demeaned if she hadn’t had her wariness for people who were of the same traitor-breed as him glower down at her. She was used to it, allowed them to assume what they wanted when it would only serve to get them killed.

Her spying mission ended quickly before she’d stayed more than a couple weeks with the torture of a pregnant Petra that no one had raised a paw to help. Not Cody, not any of them. Lack of action in extreme cases as that was just as bad as doing to actual torture, but what can she expect from an Exiler. They were all a hivemind all serving a king and his vices rather he parade them as ‘redeeming themselves’ or as the scum of Agrelos they were.

”You sound proud of being a coward, what can I expect you to do here sit on your ass and watch while we all work? You’re not any better than them just because you didn’t get your paws bloody” most Exilers thought themselves better from the rest she’d seen, even their new leader fell into that category. They were all to busy licking their own balls and patting themselves over the backs for being more morally upstanding than the other Exilers. The only exceptions to the rules she’d seen were few and far between; Bubblebreath, Roy and hell even Breakout formerly.

”You do have to prove yourself to me just as you had to when you were sucking off Damion and Trash. I lead the Veil dumbass, and you’ll only be allowed here as long as you’re watched at all times” she wonders if she could manage to barter him off to another clan for them to handle or if he was that set on living here. ”You’ll be hardly more than a prisoner here until you can find some fucking way to ‘redeem’ yourself. Sound fair?” her lips pull up into a toothy grin every tooth practically glistening with malice.

No was exactly the answer she was looking for, even if her choices weren’t at all in his favor. He talks of self respect but in her eyes he’d lost in the moment he bowed his head to the exiles than ran away with his tail between his legs to a place that’d been the target of his former home for the longest time. ”Self respect doesn’t mean jack shit if you’re dead. You traded your pride away the moment you came groveling to this border” she snaps, everyone else is fine with me being an equal she doubts that even if she expects to be disagreed with and to have her protection construed into tyranny. She finds herself caring less and less.

”They aren’t your equals” she’d grown tired as a Deputy of being stepped over of having her words mean jackshit of not being listened to on account of her being warmongering or unaccepting towards those who didn’t deserve acceptance. ”Damion also allowed for his clanmates to kill and torture whoever they pleased. If my clanmates have anything to say than so be it, but I won’t risk their lives by turning a blind eye to obvious danger” when the fuck did the clans become a democracy anyway she’d listen to her people but wouldn’t just smile and nod to every naive aspiration and allowance they made.

”If you don’t have the balls fo prove yourself than leave, I won’t send anyone after you. Go tell your sob story to Wind Haven or some shit, I hear they offer sanctuary to just about anyone” and don’t fucking tell their allies that they were harboring criminals or runaway kids. She still had a bone to pick with Cassiopeia about that or whomever was in charge now if the woman stepped down.

Well, Diarmuid was sure The Exiles probably had a few moralizers, just because most places did, but he wasn't an idiot who couldn't recognize a joke. He didn't smile, but he gave a conceding lift of his shoulders and tilt of his head, and he'd assumed that would be that. Riptide said he could stay, all was fine, guy'd probably take a little time to adjust, but that was it. Except it wasn't, because of course the first fucking time Diarmuid saw Ver after her absence was her butting into a resolved situation to fuck it up. He clenched his jaw, teeth grinding, his wings pulled taut against his body. Jesus fucking Christ he hated hearing this.

"So you're just going to stand there and pretend that the Ruins doesn't do terrible shit? Y'know, the Veil's bestest friend?" Guilty by association, working from her logic. "They're having a good ol' time trying to sacrifice people right now. The Exiles aren't any better, but at least they aren't trying to throw dead bodies at a problem thinking that'll fix it, and let's not forget how many tortures you've participated in." He shook his head, snorting derisively, and he moved to stand between Ver and Cody, chin high.

"Your family would be safer if you didn't go out of your way for that shit. The Exiles don't have to find a target on their backs because you've painted it there each time you torture someone." He wasn't going to forget Jace letting his child take a swing at Deathstroke, and how pissed off he got when Deathstroke lashed out, as though it hadn't been Jace's goddamn responsibility to keep him out of that. But he'd made a target of his own kid with his bullshit. Nobody was learning from each other here- it was some kinda echo chamber of mistakes and bad parenting. "Riptide said he can stay. Or are you just gonna ignore that the rest of us were fine with giving him a chance?"

This was so stupid. This would have never happened if his mother were around, but the sense left just about everyone when she died. One of his paws raised to press against his shawl instinctively. "Wind Haven's a helluva lot better than here, I can say that much. Leaders aren't so far up their own asses."

Ver would never hurt a child but apart of herself wanted nothing more than to punt fucking Diarmuid out of her and her families life. If anyone needed to keep their mouth shut about what was and wasn’t wrong was him, little prick. She despised him and what he represented with that face, of what she lost and couldn’t gain back. He knew nothing about doing what had to be done, never risked anything to protect them just spat out useless drivel and acted like he had any fucking say in discussions he had no part in. If only it was him instead of Leesha who got their throat ripped out, that yearning makes her feel sick and she’d quickly push it aside and smooth down her features not wanting to relay her thoughts to him.

She blinks and sighs in agitation trying her best to not wring him out for his impudence. She doesn’t need him making things worse both here and with her son. ”The Ruins are also our allies, regardless of where they stand on the moral spectrum. I do not harm anyone who doesn’t deserve being there, I don’t hurt innocents” she corrects, she never tried to hide what she did had no reason to anymore. Bad things had to be done for the greater good and she wasn’t someone who just sat by and watched, she disposed of the enemy did what she could to subtract their numbers.

She takes no pleasure in it, it was just a job. Something no one should want to do but somebody had to.

”My decision is in the best interest of the Veil not just those here but everyone back in camp. You have no clue who he is or if what he’s telling you is lies. You might be willing to gamble but I’m not” she wants to curl her lip at him but would avoid it even if her muzzle crinkles distastefully. She made a mistake giving him any power however minor it was, impudence with him was something she’d seen since he was a child and it hadn’t been curved. She wouldn’t try to curve it, didn’t want to even deal with the kid. Especially not right now.

"But they have." If he ground his teeth any harder, he was going to file them down into stubs. "And going off your logic, guilty by association, right?" How could she stand there and talk about deserve like she was everyone's moral paragon when she was making an exception for herself? He wondered how she'd feel if she knew that when Diarmuid went with Imp to the Ruins, a bigass dragon nearly ate the kid, and stopped himself only because they were allies. If Cody was to be condemned for the people he'd stayed with, then the same should apply to Ver and whoever she crawled into bed with.

"This is fucking ridiculous. Anyone could hurt people here at any time- wouldn't take much effort, and if that's what he wanted, he wouldn't subject himself to this asinine conversation." The feline exhaled heavily, a muscle jumping in his jaw. "You want someone to keep an eye on him, I'll do it. Maybe he'll do us both a solid and kill me, but you can't exactly inspire loyalty by treating him like trash. None of this prisoner shit."