Posts by ELIAN

[ffdsjghwp, i've been pushing this off for way too long. obviously elian can't be determined as the culprit, he's doing this as prank. uwu]

— It was a beautiful morning, at least to the desert standard. With the flowers in bloom after the recent rain, long forgotten plants now dotted the sand with multiple tones of green. The sun was still journeying to its throne high in the sky, a beautiful robe of vibrant vermilion and amber following in its path. Even the air seemed cleaner, as though a strange aura of comfort and positive energy had engulfed the ruthless dunes overnight. Precipitation in the desert was rare, so it wasn't surprising that such a large storm brought in this temporary blessing. It was today that Billie would awaken to find a bouquet of flowers siting outside her den. Tightly bound by the stems with pink ribbon, a large bow was also crafted to sit snug beneath the beautiful petals. Striped lilies, bright red roses, and spotted cactus flowers all situated themselves in the bouquet, just waiting for Billie's sweet verdant eyes to notice.

BILLIE --  

[ low quality warning, sorry ;w; ]

The chilly breeze against his wet fur would force a small shiver, his tufted ears pinning back to avoid the tugging winds. Fuck, he forgot how cold that water was. It was only when Lola spoke her soft inquiry that he remembered her nearby presence, his brows creasing with frustration as he snapped his untruthful answer. "No." Luckily for the grouchy second tier, he had fire elemental and could thus dry his long-fur rather quickly. The heat of shallow flames would radiate from his muscular form and puffs of smoke (or would it be steam?) whisked across his shoulders. Casting a stern glance over his shoulder, he'd make note of the serval's ability to keep up. She'd crossed the currents much quicker than he'd predicted.

"Honey?" That certainly wasn't an answer he'd been expecting. Having never tasted the sweet substance before, Elian thus hadn't really considered it a contender in her masked plans. Still, the answer remained, why did she bring him? Was it truly just for that single Billie question or was he still missing something? Sorrel nose twitching at the thought dismissively, it was the female's next comment that once again snapped him to reality. "I'll just fucking burn the thing down!" This was almost a scold, anger trickling into his tone. Scared? Eli? Nah, that wasn't possible. He could see the border and the line of trees that walled the territory, miracle they were surviving. So this was the reason for their long walk? This honey better be worth it.

— The feline would trudge forward on large paws, his pale gaze resting on the ebony panther. Normally he didn't waste time with these type of social gatherings, however, the maine coon was quite intrigued by the Ruin's history. He hated how soft the group seemed, how they associated with proclans as though such pathetic groups deserved their time. What use were they? They'd crumble under pressure, cry at the sight of torture, what use did they possibly have? He doubted the Ruins of the former days would agree with the present. He'd always heard rumors of how ruthless the desert dwellers used to be, how feared they were, these dunes deserved better. Sorrel nose twitching, Elian would lower himself to the cold desert sand. Perhaps Jace would have the puzzling answers to their disgusting shift in morals.

— Truthfully, Elian had originally been quite content with watching this scene unfold from afar. There were plenty of others to address this newcomer and he'd rather not waste his time. It was no secret that the rugged maine coon despised social interaction, his snippy attitude and careless responses making him a sole member of the unwelcoming committee. However, curiosity had rattled his bones and pulled him to his paws. For a simple joiner this stranger was certainly attracting a lot of attention. Hazel orbs narrowing with suspicion, Elian would approach the group with his typical scowl etched into his features. Someone returning, perhaps? Surely that was the case, although this serval certainly failed to ring any bells of familiarity. Probably someone not worth his time, he might as well return to his lounging spot while the sun was --

"Billie,"

Elian would immediately halt, rounded screens of bronze flickering back toward the wildcat. How did she know Billie? The tom would remain silent, scouring his mind for information, perhaps details he'd once tucked away that would now serve as valuable clues. Someone once from Amalfi? No, that wasn't possible. Proclan scum wouldn't be interested in joining the ruthless desert, not when they had a peaceful mountain of plentiful prey. Anger was bubbling within, his mind struggling to give an identity to the feline before him. Everything else was just nuisance noise, his thoughts like a hurricane as they jumped from one possibility to the next. Surely someone could have switched bodies, just like he had, but who?

"M-mom? Is that you?"

Billie's comment would instantly snap him into reality, his head jerking toward his sibling. Always Dead? Had their dear mother returned? No, no, no! He had this huge thing planned for Billie, she would simply ruin it all. Why did she protect such weakness, why did she treat Billie's sensitivities as adorable aspects meant to be coddled? It was irritating, annoying, absolutely appalling. If this truly was his mother standing at the border and seeking a warm welcome, it seemed he'd have to add an additional family member to his kill-list.

— The demon's copper gaze would narrow as Lola spoke, a single tufted ear twitching dismissively. He found it both intriguing and odd that the serval seemed so concerned with his opinion of her. He didn't really like anyone, so why was she trying so hard? Did she still believe that his pessimism could be altered? Surely by now she realized that 'saving him' was hopeless. Still, he opted not to comment on the matter. He supposed she'd figure it out eventually. As Lola began her lesson, Eli's cold stare would flicker toward his sibling with annoyance. Had she just nodded toward her? Hmm, perhaps his original concern of the two working together wasn't as ridiculous as he'd first thought. With this pit of disgust churning in his stomach, he'd turn back to the wildcat with a small grumble. "Isn't water of equal importance?" This was hardly a question but rather a crude comment stemmed purely from his dislike for Billie. Lola wanted to associate herself with traitor scum, she'd get some of his fire.

— The desert night's were indeed testing, an unrelenting territory was quite suitable for such unforgiving occupants. With the moon high in the sky and the twinkling stars swirling the dark canvas above, Elian would sit perched on a nearby dune and scour the land for unwelcome life. The sharp and chilly winds whistled through the air and nipped at his triangular ears, his sorrel nose scrunching with irritation. Lately he'd realized just how much he'd been abusing his fire manipulation, its power still drained from his persistent warm temperature demands. He'd been using the ability as a portable heater rather than a life-taking force, and because of that he wanted to rest his elemental and re-acclimate his body to the frigid cold.

Noticing Ezra in the distance, a small frown would form along the second tier's maw. What was he doing out so late? It was normal for Elian to wander the camp in the late evenings to early mornings, he didn't sleep well, yet it wasn't too often he encountered other members outside their dens. "You get lost Noeyes?" The tom would grumble as he slid down from his sandy pedestal.

— "Ah, Petra." While still a threat to his plan, he couldn't see her getting quite as involved as their mother would have. Good, he hadn't wanted to deal with that mess anyway. Bitter stare flickering to his sibling, he waited with wry amusement to see her reaction. Perhaps she'd stifle her emotions and hide her tears but, surely she was still disappointed. That little glimmer of hope that she'd be reunited with Always was surely just shattered, forever alone and forever trying to keep one step ahead. He'd catch up and knock her down eventually, right now he was practically skipping. "Welcome back." He'd say this simply, not really fully concentrated on the former vice-leader.

— Elian would absorb the panther's words with interest, his head tilting to the side as though a fascinated mutt. Jace was an elder, that much he could tell, yet if he'd truly lived throughout the vast majority of the Ruin's historic changes, why was he allowing such pathetic softness now? Had he once advocated for these petty changes? Did he agree with the emotionally driven actions and his clanmates today? The maine coon didn't understand and probably never would, it wasn't like he empathized or saw value in most those seated around him. "You refer to these times as the good old days, do you plan to make changes to mirror how things used to be?" He'd inquire this carefully, not wanting to show bias toward what he'd hope the leader to say. Those days that Jace had described sounded quite perfect to Elian and he was annoyed knowing that others thought differently.

— The maine coon would listen intently to the panther, pale orbs squinted in thought. It seemed the clan was rather divided, something that amused him greatly. The Ruins was intended to be heartless, why were they so surprised? If they had wanted a clan that didn't have murderous intent then why had they even joined? It was pathetic infiltrating the group just to demand change, such attempts deserved to be punished. He was tempted to lash out at those that seemed so appalled by the history lesson to comment, yet Jace and Nadine were both present. For a moment the feline's judgmental stare would settle on the female leader, a frown forming along his ebony lips. Of the two, she seemed to be the softest. Was she the one at fault for their proclan alliances? His sorrel nose would twitch at the thought, his claws unsheathing to pierce the desert sand. Ugh, what a mess.

"The Ruins is soft. How can we even call ourselves an anticlan?" His inquiry was directed at Jace, perhaps believing the melanistic wildcat to be the only one truly uncertain of the clan's current standings. "Allying ourselves with proclans as a 'just because' is perhaps the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Its not a collection, we don't need to support those groups so why are we?" Clearly the grouchy tom wasn't too thrilled about what he'd come home to.

— "Aww, fwuck." What the hell was going on? The maine coon's ear would drop to his skull in annoyance, his lips tightly pursing together. Why couldn't he speak properly? Perhaps he was having some strange dream? The grumpy tom would grit his teeth, his fur bristling up along his spine. He'd test a few words by speaking them quietly, trying to reconstruct his voice back to how things regularly sounded. What was going on? Was Billie somehow behind this? Perhaps this was some messed up ability she'd discovered, like her emotion manipulation. Brows furrowed, the demon would stop out of his den only to realize multiple others were struggling with their speech as well. Still, he refused to say anything. Talking like some child would certainly wreck his reputation.

— "Yes, former anticlans that understood they were going against their alliances by such change. If they didn't consider it, why should we accept it? They are taking advantage of us. Herbs? We have healers, what the fuck are you going to do with a den full of chamomile when The Cartel comes to take your children, huh?" Venomous orbs would flicker toward the horned queen, his ebony claws curling into the desert sediment with annoyance. Thus far he'd managed to control his fiery temper around the two leaders, wanting to evaluate them further before finalizing their value. It wasn't the most wise decision to challenge any higher position, especially not those in charge, yet Elian also wasn't one to pedal down from an argument simply for that reason.

"How can you sit here and say any of this. If Arya was murdered and the Rogues captured her killer, you trust them with handling the punishment? No. Because they'd be cracking jokes and healing the wounds your daughter splayed with her last breath." His ramble would end would a small growl, his ears pinning to his skull with disgust. "No wonder she came to me for training rather than you. Do you even know where your loyalties lay?" He was tired of games and pretending, Nadine was too close and he was firecracker on the verge of igniting. Nose scrunching, his head would whip toward Jace with a second scoff. The other leader's words also failed to impress him, how predictable. Getting to his paws, the grouchy maine coon would exit the scene in a careless trudge. He was done wasting his time.

// out, sorry for this fiery boy. uwu

— The feline's bitter stare would jump to his disliked sibling, a wry smirk forming along his thin, leathery lips. Lola had managed to swim the Nile quite flawlessly the other day, he could only picture his sister flailing like bird with one wing, maybe even sinking from the rock that replaced her brain long ago. Hm, what an interesting thought. Everyone was so narrow minded, perhaps he could dissect Billie's brain and compare it to another. Did they look slightly different? Even a minute difference between the brain of an emotionally driven and logically driven creature could be quite an interesting breakthrough in his studies. Tufted ear flickering as he took a mental note of such, he'd finally decide to comment on Billie's past observation. "Obviously." At least she knew the whole thing was a ridiculous myth too.

— It was about time they did something. Anger still bubbled through his veins following the whole history lesson from earlier, his frustration practically radiating from his form. His mother had been guiding the group down a path of masked chaos, a rough exterior with nothing but a bunch of quickly-made foolish decisions and an emotionally soft interior. Perhaps he'd expected to return home to the desert to witness change, which he did, but not the kind he'd been anticipating. The former warlord no longer understood the true motives behind the Ruins, it felt messy. Nose twitching, Elian would settle down a good distance away from his sibling and look toward Ver for further instruction. At least he'd be capable of relieving his pent up stress soon, he loved cleaning his claws of fresh blood. War was beautiful.

— To say he was pissed was quite the understatement, orbs narrowed on the queen with disgust. His tail would lash as he settled it at his paws, a wry smirk of amusement forming along his maw. This meeting merely mirrored the serval's fear, it had to. She disliked being challenged and that would only drive the maine coon do it more frequently. Surely that was the only explanation. Did Nadine even know what was going on in the Ruins? He hadn't seen Abbi in almost a week, Ver popped in just yesterday for the first time to pretend like things were all fine and dandy, even Morgan hadn't been heard of in quite some time. Who the fuck even was Plaitedpaw? Billie was a three-legged healer, hardly even capable of assisting in raids and certainly not gutsy enough to lead them as the rank duties entailed. His pale orbs would flicker toward his sibling, teeth gritting with spite. Yes, she continued to sweet-talk her way to the top and it was so beyond appalling. Or, perhaps his bitterness toward Billie was solely the fact that she was now ahead of him in rank. Not that it would change anything, if anything, it just pushed her death date closer.

"Congrats, Lola." He'd say this flatly, still incredibly annoyed with the day's turnout. Thus far, Lola had seemed quite capable and valuable, he found her and Ezra both quite deserving. Yet to have been around and then get jumped by both his disliked sister and someone that hadn't even been a second tier, it was infuriating. Whatever, if they thought thought keeping him at the bottom would keep him under control, they were quite wrong. With that, the former warlord would rise to his paws and leave the meeting without another word.

//out

Elian's sandpaper tongue would trace along his ivory teeth in thought, his cold stare resting on the young serval. Gradually, the smoke would dissipate from his form, thin silver wisps fading through the crisp desert breeze. He wasn't quite sure why he bothered to obey the wildcat, perhaps because she intrigued him. No snarky comments or defensive walls, she spoke to him as though he was normal. For that, he was unsure if she deserved an applause or a beating. Was the clan's shift in morals making him soft? Surely that wasn't the case, everyone else kept on their toes when he was nearby. Lola was just a bit different, an interesting specimen. Or, she was very good actress sent by his demon sister to uncover information. Hm, maybe she was both.

The rugged tom would follow the spotted feline as she climbed the rough bark and maneuvered through the branch foliage. "Where did you come from and why did you leave?" It was only fair he got to ask a question too, was it not? She was quite the mystery in his eyes, a giant question mark he was determined to understand better. Not because he cared for her or anything, of course, but because he needed to determine if she held any real value to him. As she delicately swatted at the hive, Elian found himself questioning if the process was truly worth the prize. Was honey really worth potentially getting killed by swarming bees? At least she was bold, he supposed.

As a chunk of sweet and sticky comb came crashing at his paws, his eyes traveled toward the golden delicacy. This was it, huh? Didn't look that appetizing, no blood or juicy red flesh. At this moment, he could only compare the substances to a mushy carrot. Had she really brought him this far for something as lame as that? This observation also meant that he missed most of Lola's brief battle with the upset swarm, his stern eyes only shifting back to her as she landed on the soft grass. A small smirk would form along his leathery lips but he'd quickly shove it aside. "You should have been quicker." Still, even as he spoke this, he'd be tracing over her pricked arms with an evaluative gleam. Apparently mushy and slimy carrots were indeed worth the sting so, he might as well give it a shot.

Hesitance lingered in his actions as Bellona pushed a chunk closer, his mind questioning everything. Why was he worth the trouble? Why had she chosen him for this? Was the honey poisoned? This wasn't an extreme thought, surely many of his clanmates secretly wished to get rid of him. Yet still, it truly didn't feel like that type of situation. Taking a small bite of the translucent goop, the fiend absorbed the flavor by allowing the substance to swirl in his maw. To his surprise, the honey was quite sweet, like fruit. No, it was more than that. It was pure sugar. It was nice, much more so than he'd expected, and he found himself wanting to eat more. It was difficult to remain stern in exterior, but he didn't really want Lola to know how much he approved of this tasty dessert. It was only after several moments of uncertainty that he would speak, his voice quieter than normal. "Next time let me use my elemental to make smoke screen."

— Elian would saunter forward next, unforgiving stare focused on nothing in particular. He chose not to acknowledge Nadine for reasons, knowing that even a single glance might force the dynamite within to ignite and explode. Still, there was no way he could possibly pass up a public torture. It had been too long since his ebony claws sliced through skin and felt slick sanguine blood on his paws. Lately, even his tufted ears had been ringing with the strong desire to be filled with bloodcurdling screams. This was his element, not even his anger toward the Queen could ruin that.

Rugged tail lashing viciously, the maine coon's thin ebony lips would raise in a hiss. "Fucking scum." It was a mutter at best, mostly spoken to serve as chamomile to his volatile thoughts. Personally, he didn't have many issues with The Cartel. When he had been Warlord last summer, it had been the Exiles that served as their primary target. Yet Elian didn't really care, he wouldn't turn down a chance at torture no matter who the victim was. Everyone had to die eventually, he just found it most amusing when it was at the extension of his own claws.

Catching glimpse of the kitsune's many tails, his brows would immediately furrow. Surely nobody needed that many tails, it was absolutely pointless, an aesthetic annoyance. He'd be doing Venus a favor, surely. Lunging forward, the dark tabby aimed to tightly grip one of the fluffy tails. Not enough to really do much harm, not yet, but enough to certainly serve as some some pressure and discomfort. Perhaps Nadine managed to win back a few points with this prize, just maybe.

— A wry smirk of amusement would trickle along his maw, pale orbs gleaming with a icy interest. Yes, this would be perfect training for Arya. It was about time she felt the adrenaline of war coursing through her veins. Sparring with him was a challenge, sure, he wasn't afraid to use some claws and force behind each blow. Yet an enemy striking with intent to kill? It was a different sensation. "If you encounter too much trouble just shout." Of course he'd keep a close eye on his apprentice, she was currently quite valuable to him, yet barking orders and insisting she stayed close wouldn't suit a warrior like Arya. She was the type that liked to bend the rules, trying to contain her would only make her break away harder. She was in charge of her own actions and he had fire elemental to back her up when necessary. She had been doing quite well with his harsh training, perhaps even excelling, this was just a giant test of her current progress. He'd be watching and critiquing later. "She might surprise you, Ver." He'd respond this dismissively before padding off to the fight.

— Elian was the next to arrive, heavy paws thudding against the terrain with each determined step. Inhaling a deep breath of the brisk air, the demon let out a twisted chuckle of amusement. This was more of his element, sitting around camp had grown quite boring. Still, he'd have to remember to keep a close eye on Arya. She was strong for her age, but she was still a child and had yet to learn her limitations. Tail lashing, the maine coon would scout the premises for a worthy opponent to slay.

[please @ if attacking so i don't accidentally miss it. < 3 ]

— He was going to fucking kill him, there was no way away from the maine coon's lit dynamite of temper. Twig was cornered and terrified, trembling down to the very bone, yet Elian fed off such fear like a thirsty leech. A corrupt grin would form along his features, cynical and nearly manic. "Sorry? What the fuck is that going to fix?" The venomous inquiry was spat from his maw as though the words tasted foul. He was infuriated.Ebony dagger-like claws could be heard scraping against the stone as he kneaded the cave floor with anticipation. It was only moments later when Twig continued his frantic speech that the fiend backed away from his murderous intent.

"I can pay, I promise."

Those words sparked too much interest to ignore. "Twigbranch, huh?" He'd swirl the name in his mouth before allowing it to drop carelessly from between his thin, ebony lips. "You're new? Don't have many friends?" This was spoken out-loud but in reality was much more of a mental note. "They won't kill you if I don't say anything. But how do you expect to pay for your grand mistake?" Perhaps he could use both manipulation, lies, and fear to acquire a new minion. He was soft, much more fragile than his usual toys, yet he supposed errand boys didn't need a muscle or brain so long as they obeyed.

— Ugh, kids. It should come as no surprise that the former warlord had little interest in ever raising children. His lack of social skills wasn't limited to those in the adult category, and children could rarely handle his foul temperament or pessimistic views. The crying, the whining, the babbling, the dependence on others. It was all quite appalling to him. That being said, he had contemplating having a litter or two of his own. Not for the fatherly sake, it wasn't like he was really capable of ever loving the children he did sire, but because he was curious if his personality type was linked to genes and thus inheritable. He'd raise the most heartless and superior warriors ever to exist, probably killing off the ones that failed his expectations. Still, that experiment was yet to meet the top of his list. Finding a suitor for such a frowned upon task would surely be near-impossible, and with Billie around she'd probably just try to swoop in and rescue them. Pathetic.

Speaking of pathetic, he was somewhat surprised to hear his sister's response. Was she expecting to earn brownie points or some strange safety net by coming clean of her past mistakes? He supposed it had to account for something, that she regretted it, but that didn't mean he understand why she betrayed the group to begin with. He was still going to kill her, eventually, but perhaps he should have a talk with his tripod sibling soon.

Gaze flickering to Ezra, a small eye-roll would match the sightless priest's answer. Of course Billie had asked a question like that, but what was the point? Still, he'd remain completely silent until a question was returned. "To kill people by thought." He'd respond this with a small smirk, almost as though caught in the consideration of such glory. "But if you mean based on what I've seen as capable thus far, I like my fire elemental quite a bit. Although predicting the future could be quite useful as well." He'd speak this with a small glare back to Ezra, one which he quickly realized would go unnoticed. He still wasn't sure he believed in the other male's ability but, so far everything had seemed to line up based on his predictions.

"Who is someone you look up to and why?"