Posts by shrivenshade

^{Scoffing lightly, she would look at Belial after the tom made his comment, dismissing it with a flick of an ebony paw. "Let's just play the kissing version, Roman. It seems that my lips need to be deflowered." There was a hint of disgust that wormed way into her usually airy, crisp, tone. But not a trace of humor, she would nod to the bottle rather seriously as she deadpanned, "Somebody start."}

^{"Attachments, Belial?" Quizzically, she would look to the male, the corners of her mouth twitching into the faintest of knowing grins. Ah, he thought that this had to do with loyalty-- That the Ruins was a group she had lived previously, or had friends in. "If you care to address complaints about who I've chosen for allies, we can discuss it later on." The Ruins would stay an ally for many moons, though; so long as they did nothing to give her reason to think otherwise. It was not due to friendship, though, instead it was. . . Quid-pro-quo. They had given her something, so in return, she ended the war between them. Tilting her head, she would look with faint interest as Yptix had a change of heart, Roman interjecting with a suggestion of his own. "We can hit both the Sanctuary and the Shadow Veil. Two quick border attacks in rapid succession, getting in and out before we get too severely wounded ourselves. It can serve as a reminder of sorts: The Exiles are back, and we won't be playing for long."}

^{" Jailbreak Host a game of confessional nature, which will encourage members of the tribe to disclose their deepest secrets to one another. Call it a bonding activity." The queen would nod towards her father, supposing that he had an. . . Amicable way about him that would make such a game seem natural and fun. Shrivenshade wasn't much for playing, but she liked the idea of uncovering bits of information about her tribe-mates.}

^{Shrivenshade would arrive, blinking at the bustling male with an improbable mixture of disdain and interest etching way onto her expression. Chesh was somebody who she did not necessarily enjoy, an obnoxious flirt of sorts-- Frankly, she thought that indiscriminate flirting was just a form of pandering, flattery, and she was not fond of it. Crinkling her nose slightly, she recalled how shamelessly he had thrown himself at her father. Yet, she liked the set-up he had; not because she was tantalized by the many smells wafting about, but because she could see. . . Potential in his little 'kitchen.' "Can I borrow this area sometime?"}

<sup>Shrivenshade had obliged her smaller friend's request at doing "something fun" for reasons that she could not quite discern. Ordinarily, she thought she might have picked something disgusting just to spite the person who was oh-so particular. Glasshouse was, however, different. As polar opposite as the two seemed to be, she had more or less established herself as a true companion. Loyal, perhaps to a fault, there was a lot that could have been exploited in the female; but the dark sorceress, for all of her wicked intentions, could not find it in her heart to take advantage of the fragile soul in such a way, and felt the irritating desire to even repay her for all of her adherence.

Perhaps that was why she was there. The queen was not artistic in a traditional sense, though perhaps her passion for brewing potions and poisons could be seen as creative in some way or another. Painting certainly was not something she had interest in, but. . . Here she was.

"Right then. I'll participate," she would offer, tone brusque as she settled herself down.</sup>

^{Shrivenshade would flick her ears as Roman seemed to be in agreement, her maw briefly parting to answer his question before the queen shifted to look to Belial. Always eager to challenge her, it seemed. But his current ideas were good, and she had brewed poison that she had been wanting to get rid of. "Let's do both. A raiding party as a distraction, while one or two members venture deeper into the territory - undetected - to sabotage the clan more intricately. If anyone present has fire elemental abilities, then we could certainly go that route -- But if not, I'd say that damaging their food or water supply would be a good option. I have a storage of poison readily available back in the marshlands."}

^{The opossum was the kind of animal which she wouldn't even put in her cauldron. With beady eyes and grabby little hands, she thought them to be a rather revolting looking creature. It did not help that in the old world, they were most often seen on the side of roads, flattened to a pancake like state with an air of death and petrol about them. Perhaps it was mostly this association that made her disdainful of getting too close. Yet, apparently this small mammal was sentient-- The queen approached, careful to hide any of her prejudices and merely looking at the stranger with the same degree of skepticism she would look at any. "Shrivenshade. One of the two leaders here. What do you want?"}

^{Her pale green eyes would flick over to Yptix, the leopardess silently making note of the other's presence without verbally acknowledging her. The pup was everywhere and while clearly one of those unhappy with the takeover, was still being pretty productive for her age. Shrivenshade approved of her overall. Turning back to the opossum, she would give a curt nod at the reply given. "Consider yourself member, then. Soon, we will have a branding ceremony, where members - new and old alike - will be given the mark of the Exiles. This is mandatory, but if you've no issues with that. . . Congratulations, you're in."}

<sup>Shrivenshade would watch the spectacle with a keen green gaze, her expression remaining blank except for the tiniest flashes of bemusement. Glasshouse seemed awfully reluctant and she almost felt bad at changing it into a kissing game to begin with, the queen not having done so to make her friend uncomfortable. Yet, the panther had to hand it to her, she did it, and with an amount of snark which the usurper hadn't known her co-lead to possess. Amusement would cause the faintest of quivers of her light whiskers and she would comment wryly, "Careful, Glass. I think I smell love in the air." It was a comment made in jest, something which she did not ordinarily do-- Her sense of humor was usually a bit more cosmic. Belial and Glasshouse were a couple that she had a hard time imagining, but the other black panther was patient with the pointed feline and while she, herself, could envision the two butting heads at different times, she could appreciate the tenderness which he addressed her friend with. As rugged as he seemed, he had soft spots, she understood; was one of them Glass?

Yet, she would stiffen again as the bottle was spinning, spinning, and spinning. Of course, she didn't want to kiss her friend-- She was too small and too furry, plus more of a sister than anything. Her fur would rise as the bottle seemed to slow, lingering upon Shrivenshade herself for a heartbeat's moment before gaining inexplicable momentum again (thank you telekinesis- hopefully something so subtle that nobody else would notice) until it landed once more on. . . Belial.

Whether she manipulated it intentionally to do so or it was a happy accident was anyone's guess, and the usual look of stony nonchalance gave little away.</sup>

<sup>Shrivenshade did not care for family, truthfully. The queen had a decent-but-not-close relationship with one of her fathers, Jailbreak, but she hadn't seen her other parent, Jax, in seasons. A person like her did little for the "sake of blood", unless said blood was being poured into her cauldron under a moonless night sky. Ysmus was the family member who she was closest with, and even then, she did not view him as a brother. Instead, he was a useful alligator with a sharper mind than most gave him credit for-- As he grew into an adult, she knew it would be wise to have him on her side. In truth, in terms of familial attachment, she felt more kinship with Glasshouse than she did with those within her family. What is important to remember is that Shriven believed nothing to be more important than her studies: Her many spells cast, her potions brewed, and the magical powers which she possessed honed into concrete skills. At the end of the day, she cared more for herself than anyone else, and the loyalties she did find to certain people or places had a limit to them.

That said, she did not care about biological relationships in the same way others did. In this, she contrasted Belial's perspective considerably. While she knew of Bill Cipher from legends and lore, and certainly found the tales to be. . . Problematic, how could she possibly fault one of his infinite many offspring for his crimes? She would give everyone a fair chance and wait until they inevitably disappointed her themselves before throwing stones or calling the pot black.

But she was not disappointed presently. The dark sorceress, in fact, looked to the blue flame with interest. They needed "pyros" for their ceremonial branding. "Put the fire out for now. Are you looking to join?" Crisply did she interrogate, focusing on this question in particular, in contrast to Belial and Glass, because she wanted this stranger on her side. They would be useful for some of the plans she had in store for the clan of rogues.</sup>

<sup>Shrivenshade was next to arrive, her black pelt standing out among the barren landscape that was a canyon's edge. Hues of coal contrasted notably against the shades of brown, and she would ultimately take a seat beside Belial. Next to him, she looked like a smaller copy. In the marshlands, there had been no other leopards, much less any melanistic ones. Leopards were clearly a superior species of cat, however, the most versatile of all pantheras, so she would not complain about having the likes of Belial and Honeymoon within her ranks. It was. . . More of an issue with pride, you could say. The queen was not vain in a traditional sense, did not spend hours grooming her fur and, in fact, often had it dirtied due to the murkiness of the Valhalla's swamp. But she did view her lithe figure with confidence, as well as her glossy pelt, and of course her uniqueness. Now, wherever she went, there was another one of her. Larger than she, stronger than she.

Her jade eyes would flicker over her two clanmates and ultimately would go on to focus upon the stranger. Though Glasshouse was stammering again, she would wait and see how her co-lead handled this situation before speaking up herself.</sup>

<sup>"Yes, Mingan. Everyone and their mother knows that you believe yourself to be invincible. Do you ever talk about anything else?" Shrivenshade would appear from beneath a veil of invisibility, green orbs flickering across the bodies of the murdered. The scent of Valhalla wafted from them, but she was doubtful of their origins- What would they have been doing in the Chief Canyon? Nobody outside of Glasshouse supported her efforts to overthrow Athena, or had even known about them. The leopardess had her suspicions that their scents may have been manipulated with. But, even if they hadn't, they were strangers to her. "If you want to send a message to the Valhalla, then feel free to dump your next bunch of bodies there. I don't care about the lives of strangers, and you're doing nothing but making a fool of yourself if you believe anyone will be so deeply moved by their deaths." Shriven did hold a dual alliance still, but her priority would be to the Exiles. And, as far as she was concerned, the moment she stepped foot into the canyon, she was all Exiler. That said, she was. . . Skeptical.

With narrowed eyes did she watch the encounter between Belial and Mingan, her tail lashing from side to side as she pondered what her own move would be. "Yptix, she is likely to target you. Stay on the sidelines, and get ready to run if you see her charge at you." This was a brief warning, a telepathic message sent to the dire-wolf pup. Shrivenshade understood the importance of looking after her members, even if she did not feel a particular attachment to them as individuals. It seemed that the child understood that Mingan was an enemy -- Good. At least the cretin had solidified the fact that she would have no more supporters within the Exiles after this little spectacle.

Muscles bunched beneath her sleek pelt and she would soon find herself running across the battlefield, circling around the intruder and then attempting to come at her from behind, in such a way as to ensure that she would be "sandwiched" between herself and Belial. Ensuring that she would not be able to keep an eye on both of them would help keep the element of surprise alive in the battle. Two against one, she almost certainly wouldn't be able to keep up with it for long. Rearing up on her hind legs briefly, she would attempt to come down hard, aiming blow after blow upon the queen's haunches with unsheathed claws.</sup>

^{"Greetings. I am not likely to attend these very often, but I have news that I feel needs to be shared." A dark leopardess would reveal herself, stepping out of invisibility in a shadow-laden cloud. Smelling of Exiles with a hint of Valhalla lingering on her pelt, the huntress of the night reasoned that many would not welcome her presence there-- That said, she came in peace for the moment, and had information that needed to be spread. "My name is Shrivenshade, I am one of two new leaders of the Exiles. We have exiled Mingan, who many of you may know as being a predator against children; a kidnapper of them, as well as a murderer. I would like to make it clear that any crimes perpetrated by her from here on out have no affiliation with the Exiles. We have washed our hands of her, and have outlawed the injury of kits under the age of six moons." It was important that they understand that any further criminal actions against youth would not be done so by an Exiler- and if they were, well, Shriven would not hesitate to punish them. This was where Athena had failed during her reign, and she would not make the same mistakes. "That is all I have to share. Stay on alert, and be weary of strangers who join your clans and of mothers with copious amounts of "adopted" kits."}

^{Did Shrivenshade really seem like somebody who wanted to be a hero? The leopardess didn't care what kind of chaos Mingan wanted to cause in the world. She had been exiled as apart of a power exchange, nothing more and nothing less. The leopardess would utilize telekinesis to move a stone in front of her, blocking the fireball. A soft scoff would depart her maw as she watched the she-cat charge away. "If you're so keen on running, then please, feel free. Run off, as that seems to be your method of operation. Running from body to body, running from clan to clan. Dodging attacks and hiding behind a shield of fire." The dark leopardess thought that she was mostly all talk. An annoying little thing, much like the dirt between her claws. The queen slipped beneath a veil of invisibility once more, racing towards the other wildcat and attempting to score her claws across her muzzle before jumping out of the way.}

^{What? Throwing Roman a glare with crippling green eyes, lit ablaze in temporary annoyance, she would give her head a firm shake. "We can't do replacements, Glasshouse," she looked at her color pointed friend, managing to prevent a scoff from following her words. The little queen looked desperate to avoid this, but. . . Realistically, she had already kissed the guy. The leopardess was doing her a favor, really, in preventing her from having to kiss another stranger. "You've already done it once, Glass. Might as well do it again. One more won't make a difference."}

<sup>"Fire come from below,"

Pale green eyes would stare into the depths of her cauldron, a beastly black pot that bubbled ferociously. The aroma which wafted from the stew was a lot more tantalizing than one would often anticipate coming from a witch's mixture, this brew one without tail of dog or eye of newt. Instead, it was a concoction of alluring fumes, perfumed odors of vanilla and rose filling the air in the departing steam. The queen had not yet dabbled in witchcraft in the Chief Canyon, and preferred to do so in the marshlands of the Valhalla; the atmosphere there was much better for a sorceress, the air too crisp in the mountainous valley. The ambiance just felt wrong, and this may have stemmed from the kind of potion she was brewing. It was not poison, nor an anti-aging pathogen, and it was not even an attempt to block out the sun. Instead, it was a love potion.

"Bring Glasshouse love that I do know,"</sup>

<sup>Shrivenshade was not a romantic herself. Belial had been correct in his estimation during the game of spin the bottle, even if he had intended it to be an absurd joke. Never had she kissed another or engaged intimately in any form. The dark leopardess was quite reserved in nature, a trait that was only matched by her selfishness. Such attributes did not summon romance readily, and she did not go looking for it. The usurper could not help but to view such things as being a waste of precious time, a waste of energy. The queen could see potentially the reward in exercising flirtation, of social climbing, but she had no need for this anymore as she had obtained power in a different, more admirable way.

When it came to her pointed friend, the queen was actually surprised that she was not romantic in nature. A soft heart and a lover of games, she could see herself getting swept away in some romantic fairy tale or another. Yet, for the moon they had known each other, Glasshouse had seemed rather oriented towards friendship rather than relationships. Shrivenshade approved of this, and had found the pair forging an odd-but-strong bond together; some way or another, Glasshouse had become her first true friend. But she was soft, and her recent attack proved as much. The leopard would not always be able to be there for her co-lead, and knew of only one person who had proven his strength, and perhaps showcased a soft spot for the femme: Belial.</sup>

<sup>"Make her heart blaze and shine,"

A lock of their furs had been stolen from their nests, remnants of a restless night of sleep or perhaps just shedding. The creamy mid-length pelt of Glasshouse and the short, black coat of Belial had been tied together to make a bow of sorts. This was a binding spell, meant to cast an invisible fishing line from their souls and bring them together for an eternity. With any luck, he would be keen to look after her, and perhaps his ruggedness would rub off on her small friend. Flinging the "bowtied" locks of fur into the bubbling brew, she would let out a witch's cackle as she crowed to the heavens,

"To bring Belial's love that will be thine!"

Just outside the prison was she, the moon high in the sky and the smell of sweetness lingering in the air.</sup>

^{"Yes," the leopard's answer would come simply, her tone crisp. Across the stony plains did the panther journey until she reached the border. Emerald eyes would search the pelt of the stranger, taking in the alabaster tiger's appearance with dull interest reflected in the grassy depths of her gaze. There had been quite a few strangers popping up at the border lately, and she'd be lying if she said it wasn't somewhat unexpected. "Who are you and what do you want with the Exiles? I'm Shrivenshade, one of the leaders here."}

<sup>Coldly did the leopardess regard the scene, her face a stoic mask as her eyes surveyed the damage done to her co-lead. The scent of the Sanguine Ruins wafted towards her, the putrid scent of a frozen wasteland which she had thought to belong to an ally. Had their shaky political agreement already reached an abrupt end? The queen was certain that she could trust Petra, if nobody else, with the snow leopardess having helped Shrivenshade specifically with her rise to power, her claim to the thrown. But this did not mean that everyone else was so quick to let the Exiles get off free for crimes perpetrated against them in the past.

Anger boiled within her at this betrayal, shown in the ferocity of her green eyes. Even deeper, she felt sadness for her wounded friend. "You'll be okay," she would insist, vehement in this as she settled beside Glasshouse, nosing the pointed female gently. At least she wasn't dead, but she was not in good shape either. Taking a deep breath, she would murmur a quick healing spell, willing herself to alleviate some of the co-leader's physical torment while they waited for medical aid, “Lord of Nature, we are One, cease the pain and make there none."

"If blindlove! or roman s. want to showcase their healing prowess. . . Now would be the time." This was called sharply behind her, the words tossed out in a way which could be mistaken for carelessness. But really, it was urgency.</sup>

^{Shrivenshade was suddenly more interested in Belial than she had been before, the way that her eyebrow-like whiskers arched upon her features signified just this. They had a thing or two in common, it seemed. Poison. Quietly, she would consider the discussion at paw and determine, "Very well. Yptix and Belial will play the role of poisoning and - yes, if you want, Yptix, destroying the herbs - while I will lead the distraction raid. We'll start with the Sanctuary and then regroup after, potentially hitting the Shadow Veil next."}

^{// I can get the raid thread up tomorrow (;}

^{The leopardess could be seen at the edge of the meadow, hostility radiating from her pelt like a furnace. A scent of stale mountain air could be picked up, the tell-tale mark of the Chief Canyon. Her father's observation of her was mostly correct- Shrivenshade did not play, and was eager to get the ball rolling. Cold green eyes would scan the terrain as she let out a single word, "Attack!" It was a nonchalant order, mostly, given only for the sake of the Sanctuary's members-- So they knew that there was no point in talking, demanding answers. They were here for blood, a quick in-and-out.}