Posts by NADINE --

✧ "Yeah, he's peachy," she replied, her voice dropping to a more annoyed tone and the smile slipping from her face. Nadine, certain that Jace can handle carrying their newest member, turns and signals him to follow her with a flick of her tail. Her stride is long and her shoulders are stiff, muscles coiled beneath her fur. She'd just wanted to go on a nice walk, none of this life saving bullshit. It was such an annoyance, and a necessity, which was probably why the medical field had never called to her.

"So, Turin, anything else wrong with you besides your dehydration and fucked up humor?" Nadine calls over her shoulder, rosy eyes briefly meeting Jace's in a kind of, I don't know what I'm doing, but it's boring, way. Greeting strangers was nice and all, but treating them wasn't.

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✧ Boy oh boy, she really had to pick the place filled with family issues to make her home, didn't she? The Ruins are practically filled with children missing their parents and parents with the emotional capacity of children - oh, wait, maybe that's just her. Either way, the lithe third tier makes her way over with a smile on her beautiful face as she takes in the little guy. Little might be the wrong word to go with; Nadine is a serval, a species inherently smaller than, well, most things.

She's got to say, though...how can this canine be the son of Jace? "Hey there, kiddo. 'M sure your dad'll be here real soon. You just visiting, or sticking around?" She idly kicks at a bone in the sand as she speaks, pausing only briefly to consider adding her name. Aw, why not? "'M Nadine, by the way."

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✧ "Ooh, that sounds peachy! Was it a good trip, hot stuff?" Nadine coos as her long strides bring her to the scene, hating herself for using the tone but hopeful that it'll provide some kind of attention. It was getting really lonely sleeping in a space made for two, and even if she didn't want this strange man (ew) to be her lover, it's still fun to pretend. In the long six or so weeks that Nadine has called the deserts home, she hasn't had any real need to pretend to be attracted to anyone, and she almost missed the way her sultry words felt on her tongue. She definitely missed the hungry stares and did not miss the vulgar words that came with them. Ah, to be a slut.

Nadine isn't exactly defensive of the Harrow Desert - she doesn't think she has any otherworldly claim to it besides her own ego, and Untamed - Abysswalker, she guesses, which is fun - has done all the hard work of interception. If the stranger really is one of their own, then there's nothing to worry about. Hell, if there is anything to worry about, there's nothing the plain serval can do. Alas, the only supernatural thing about her is how smoking hot she is. If it comes down to a fight, or a power show, she'll just cheer them on. After all, everyone loves cheerleaders.

A little sigh escapes her at her own thoughts, dreamy instead of exasperated. Yeah, she can let the other two be violent; she has much cooler ways to use her body. "Can we grab a name, hot stuff? Unless you prefer my nickname for you," she smirks, tilting her head slightly. "'S no fun being strangers. 'M Nadine - your turn."

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✧ Seeing Abbi grin made her grin in return, even as a small voice in the back of her mind wondered how he could stand to be near her when he's seen her outbursts. She isn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth though; it'd been a long time since she'd had someone she could really call a friend, and Nadine isn't going to worry too much about how such a sweet kid can stick by her. "A hint, huh? Well, they're not in or on anything, but I'd be lying if I said they weren't near the pyramids," the serval offers him a wink, an almost-earnt sense of pride swelling in her chest.

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✧ Nadine can't help the smug look on her face as the title of Lion is handed to her, her chin tilting upwards and a smirk setting itself in her features. She, the little servaline problem child, is a Lion.That sounds pretty delicious to her ears, she had to admit it. The third tier hums the thought to herself almost like she's testing the way it feels on her tongue. Nadine the Lion, the Socialite. Mhmm, she can get used to this.

"Noted, bossman, and thanks," she purrs while offering a mock salute. It's probably just as well she can't hear what Kukiko's thinking; one of the women is rightfully ambitious, and it sure as hell isn't Nadine - her brand is home-grown attention seeking.

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✧ The sun is sinking slowly behind the congregation of icy pyramids, the last fingers of daylight stealing away the heat of the day and leaving a comfortable coolness in its place. Between the two is Nadine, her fut picking up the warm glow and throwing it back to the sky, lit up in oranges and shrouded in shadows. Her rosy eyes roam lazily across the horizon, taking in the silhouettes of her fellow Ruiners as the stalk across the sands. They're few and far between. It makes her squint.

Man, this is boring.Everyone seems so low, in numbers and spirits. Isn't she the life of the party, the wild girl? There's no way she can let everyone know that the lack of people is getting her down - it'd so totally destroy her image if even more people know what she's actually like behind the smile. So, what can she do to make everyone (and herself, really) happy, or at least briefly entertained? Nadine hums to herself and worries at her lip as her gaze becomes more critical. Honestly, she doesn't even know enough about these people to know what would make them smile. If only she knew some random and strangely insightful facts about them all, delivered in a way that would intrigue and entertain everyone present. Oh, wait, there is.

"Anyone still up? Could be fun to play two truths and a lie, y'know?" Nadine calls out eventually, punctuating her words with a yawn. Someone she doesn't know at all passes by with a scoff and the serval whispers, "Pussy," in a drawn out hiss as she watches, unblinkingly, as they leave. The second they leave her sight she's back to a large, inviting smile, hoping to get some participants.

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✧ Something about the drawn out weather, resulting in the sweltering sun overhead, makes Nadine feel isolated. Even laying with her body pressing flush against the warm sand she can't help but cast her mind back to the few things she can remember. Most of it was in the dark, as you'd expect from her level of night life - dark liquor keeping her warm on darker nights when she was surrounded by the murkiest of morals. That was what she'd gotten used to as positive attention. Those were the people she'd gotten used to as 'friends.' The serval had never really thrown the name for it around; if anything, they were drinking buddies, lovers, girlfriends, but they were never friends. Friends ask what's wrong and try to make it better.

Friends were typically in the same age range, too. Presently, the third tier wonders if it's that lack of concern that made her so happy to accept Abbi's concern as friendship. The two are so similar that she can't help feeling safe around the kid who's...a third of her age? She can't help it when they have so much in common. Was it so terrible that the anxieties they shared were so similar? Or was it worse that that was what had led to the two of them bonding?

No, she decides as she pushes herself up, stretching indulgently before heading off to find her colleague. It's definitely healthy that they'd had that venting session turned sleepover; better out than in, as the saying goes. But if she's going to burden Abbi with all of her shit, it's only fair that she also treats the kid to something a little lighter every now and then. Even if she started their friendship with the firm idea in mind that she didn't mind ruining whatever they built up, it isn't true any more. Something - maternal instinct, a desire for friends, something - makes her want to stay friends with Abbi, as strange as that is for her. Sigh, emotions.

"Abbi? Kiddo, buddy, my guy?" Nadine calls as she walks around camp, realising that she doesn't know where he spends most of his time. Gosh, she's going to look like a really dumb bitch if this is one of the days that he's in the Veil. "You around?" She squints and juts out her lower lip, hoping it'll help her look for him. Somehow.

// abbi . here it is!!

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✧ She'd watched the little guy stalk off like a man on a mission with a genuine smile on her face. Was this, like, legitimately a good idea? It seemed to be making Abbi happy, and even if he was the only one participating so far that's enough for her. She's proud of herself for thinking it up and can feel a happy sound building in her chest, which she struggles to keep down. All of the paint matting the fur on her paws very suddenly seems worth it.

When he shows off the 'egg' he's found, she can't help the laugh that finally gets past her. Man, that's one malformed little bunny. How'd she not notice the ear she'd messed up? "Yeah, I did! They're not all that bad, I promise," Nadine raises a paw as she speaks to show how serious her promise is, though she can't quite school her features into something serious. She opens her mouth to keep talking (she does love the sound of her voice,) when Abyss interjects. And makes her frown.

"'M not sure if you're cheating or giving a really good hint," she says with her eyes squinted in suspicion. What she'd said was a lot more direct and cryptic than what Nadine had offered up, somehow. The only problem she can find with it is the fact that Abysswalker isn't participating herself. This, of course, in a terrible affront to the work the serval put in to distracting herself from her multitude of other tasks by painting the rocks. "Why don't you join Abbi, hun? There's plenty for you two to find if you want to keep looking." The last part is mostly directed at the more feline of the two, though if the big scary woman knows where everything is she's probably already looked, right? Nadine takes satisfaction in that.

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✧ The serval offers a bright smile and a tilt of her head to Ranulf as he says that he'll play. Exhibit A - besides having been there for his joining, and knowing his name, there's legitimately nothing else that Nadine can say she knows about the guy. She definitely doesn't know anything about his past, or what he does for fun or necessity, or even a favourite colour. Well, she can guess for that one. If he's anything like her, Ranulf probably holds a special place in his heart for the unnatural hue that makes him...special. Ah, well, at least he's a normal size, like her. They're practically twins, right?

Speaking of people she really doesn't know, here comes the ever-ominous Abysswalker. She knows that the Priestess has a particular affinity for the Red God, and the murder that he endorses. The scary lady also seems a lot stiffer than most of the people here, speaking with a really weird formality that is a complete opposite to Nadine's own syntax. Where she's all short sentences and swears and nicknames, Abyss is a walking thesaurus of death and condescension - the kind of vocab only an overly-proud parent can love. But if the rumors are true (and let's face it, they are,) Abyss doesn't exactly have parents left to love her. Damn.

Doing her best to ignore that her brilliant idea for a game has just been dissed, Nadine rocks back onto her butt and claps her paws together. "Okay! I'll start, and whoever gets it right first can go next, m'kay?" Nadine looks between the two to make sure they're still with her before going on. "Cool! Let's see... my favourite colour is red, my favourite time of day is dawn, and I have three sisters."

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✧ Jace's positive reaction to her words relieves some of her worries over the two of them being alone - there's so little that she knows about them (says the broken record,) but knowing that her humor hits home always makes things easier. A smile tugs at one corner of Nadine's lips and she nods, more to herself, when he agrees to help. Poor bastard doesn't know what he's getting himself into, does he? Knowing her luck, they'll be stopped by some angry old man and run away laughing, but at least it'll be fun.

"fuck their pyramids, let's make mine gorgeous. Come on, big boy, I know where some paint is," she throws a wink over her shoulder before trotting towards a different pyramid, her paws light as she passes over the sand with an ease that comes from practice. A very easy way to put Nadine in a good mood is to go along with her ideas eagerly, however questionable they may be, and it shows in the way she's presently humming.

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✧ Nadine has never been one for jewelry in a practical sense - it's expensive and, back when she used to spend her waking nights in a throng of bodies, way too easy to lose. For purely aesthetic purposes, however, the serval adores the idea of being adorned in gold and onyx and ruby. She could have bangles gracing her paws or jewels gleaming at her throat. Or, more in line with her current tastes, a diadem to adorn her brow. Nadine's pretty sure that it'd make her look incredible and powerful, and it would definitely catch the attention of others (not to mention her narcissistic self). The only problem is the source of the jewelry.

In line with her stubborn pride, the third tier hasn't apologized for calling Haruka a 'fuckface' when they first met. Understandably, this could make demanding free goods a tad on the awkward side. She comes to a stop next to Petra when Jace finishes talking, her head tilting to the side. "Anything as pretty as me?" Nadine asks slyly, a purr rumbling beneath her words.

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✧ Sanguine Ruins seems to be a place attractive to people seeking to reform themselves, as evident by a number of the population. Maybe the nature of the group is what draws them all in - a place defined by death, it can kill the wretched past and allow them all to walk forward as new creatures. It's almost like a baptism with all the blood that surrounds the group, drenching the past, the sands, and the members all in equal measure. Yet even the group seems to be undergoing it's own changes as the members diverge into a more diverse populous, with the murderous and murderless living together. Though they're violent, they have morals at heart.

Family values entwine many of the Ruiners, too. Nadine herself is a mother with a alcohol fueled background similar to Funhaus, though she has mostly shed that element of herself for the sake of her four beautiful children. The fact that she hasn't seen them in quite some time does make her paws itch for a bottle, a primordial ache aided by the strained relationship she holds with their other mother. The serval wants to make amends with Loki, but the ghost of Crimsondreams that she holds in her mind is prying the two of them apart as she tries to reconcile their past with their future. Her self destructive nature is a silent third party, and Nadine pulled the seat out for it to join them.

So she walks. She no longer has the option of downing her problems in liquor and the hungry attention of others, so she lets them dehydrate in the desert plains. Nadine enjoys the faint sting of the sand thrown at her pelt and feeling the grains crunch between her teeth no longer infuriates her. The rhythmic nature of simply patrolling - step, step, step, step - helps muffle her thoughts, the droning pulse of her blood easing the buzzing need in her head. The Ruins had offered her a fresh start, which she'd taken with greedy paws and shaped into some grotesque version of the sense. She'd built herself up in the bloody desert but left her grimy foundations beneath it, not quite able to shake the past from her pelt. Even with her new relationships and rank, she's the same old addict, the same old whore; she just has something new to numb herself with.

When she finally comes across Funhaus on the boarder, nervous thing that he seems to be, her body is warm from the sun and her walk and it takes a moment for her to speak. An absent smile, toothy, spreads across her face as she huffs out a laugh. "Shucks, Funhaus, we aren't that scary. Well, most of us, anyway. Some of us. Welcome to the Ruins, hot stuff," she says her words with an absent ease, hoping that her tone will tone down some of his incessant worrying. It'd be kind of fun to see how he reacts to Kukiko and Abyss if her flirty nature makes him more nervous. "'M Nadine. Do you need anything? Tour, water, snacks?"

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✧ "Oh, y'know, the good ones," she says with a shrug, her giggle bubbling up a moment later. What colours does she have for this? Nadine picks up the speed, eager to see what she has to work with, and her lungs are pleasantly burning by the time she arrives at her destination. Rosy eyes cast towards Jace with the widest of grins and she beckons him over, too impatient to simply wait around. The idea of painting the side of her pyramid is currently dominating her mind and driving out any other plans she might've once held for the day.

She kicks a stray pebble from her path with too much enthusiasm and snorts out a laugh as it crashes around. "Oops. The paint's 'round here somewhere, I swear," the delivery of her words boarders on manic, Nadine having to stifle her laughter with a paw. When she's happy, she's really happy, but when she's sad, well... Jace doesn't need to know that, now does he? "Anyways, big boy, what're you up to these days? Can't be much if this seems like a good idea."

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✧ The serval pouts almost comically as both Abyss and Firefly guess right on the first try. It's possible that she thinks too highly of herself and had hoped that it would take them longer to figure it out, but that was asking a lot of ignorance of her fellow Ruiners. Jace questioning the number of sisters she has is understandable, on account of him being... invested in one and only knowing Violeta and herself. Nadine has spent several weeks blessing them all with her beauty and habitual oversharing - it's only fair that at least some of them can figure out one lie about her. They'd have to be pretty unobservant to think she liked being awake at the asscrack of the day.

"Yeah, you're right. I prefer any time after dark, really," she sighs dramatically when admitting defeat, the very picture of unimpressed. Being awake at dawn required a certain level of commitment to living productively that Nadine simply can not muster. The few times she has been awake at that time have been the result of night terrors plaguing her, her past coming back to throw the horrible truth of itself in her face. Dawn is a time of rebirth and life and revalations and goodness; Nadine can't genuinely say that any of those things appeal to her. At they very least, she's never appealed to them.

A roll of her rosy eyes brings her back to the present, looking over the four before her before settling on the winners of the last round. "Since you both got it, I guess it's fair game for the next round, huh? I mean, Abyss has more claim to it, but I want to learn random junk about both of you, so who can speak faster?" A brow raises in challenge of the two as her previously offended expression is traded for a smirk. As much as she'd like to learn anything about Ranulf, the blue man hadn't spoken and thus remains a mystery. The idle idea of seeking him out after the game crosses her mind, and Nadine isn't sure if the sly look she gives him is from habit or amusement.

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✧ "You're never too old, trust me," Nadine laughs, partially to ease any worries Jace might have about egg hunting at his age, but mostly at the idea of being too old to join in on such things. Even as she's getting physically older she doesn't seem to be maturing very much, as evidenced in the way she talks and the ridiculous extremes her emotions can reach. Something like this event, however childish, held appeals beyond just getting praised for thinking up something fun for the younger members of the desert. If she hadn't hidden all of the 'eggs' herself, she'd be out there right now flinging sand every which way in a search for her prize.

She was about to offer Firefly a hint when Abbi called her over, so she smiles instead. "I think that's your cue," she stage-whispers, her tail pointing in the direction of the catsune. Nadine thinks the two young boys she'd be the best of friends based on age alone, but can't remember seeing them hang out all that often. She dismisses the horrendously motherly thought of organising a playdate for the two by talking to Jace instead. Thank fuck for having other adults around; her empty-nesting mind set will get the best of her one of these days if she's alone for too long. "Well, big boy, I think there's some near the Oasis if you aren't afraid of getting your paws wet." She offers up, gaze sliding in the general direction of the water feauture.

Of course, it hadn't really occurred to her that the paint might wash off.

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✧ To a degree, it could be said that the serval is the polar opposite of the little tiger in terms of crowds. Nadine doesn't like them, per say, but the pulsing attention that they provide is to her like sunlight to flowers. She wasted away a lot of her adolescence by trying to make herself the center of many an unsavory crowd, trying to get some kind of hollow validation. It's only recently that she's started to prefer the company of her lonesome self, and even that requires the condition of quieting her mind with tedious walks.

If Nadine had some insight into Nesley's distaste for crowds, she'd hardly be able to scoff at it. The poor kid has been through so much shit lately, what with being born in enemy lands and then whisked away back home. That is not the foundation needed to be fond of the attention of strangers. Unfortunately, Nadine is a stranger to the kid, and loves giving attention for the selfish reason of getting it back. The world has a funny way of throwing opposites together and calling it a day.

"Hey, kiddo," the third tier greets, barely stopping herself from cooing. She misses her own children, dammit, and can't help her motherly nature from extending to the youngest child around. Sadly, that currently meant the maltese cub. "You're one of Stone and Petra's kids, right?"

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✧ The foreign language makes Nadine want to scrunch her nose up out of pure dislike of not understanding it. She's fully aware that there's a lot of things in life that she doesn't quite have a grasp on, such as her own mental and emotional state, but social interaction was supposed to be her one saving grace. How can she manage that if she doesn't even understand what's being said? The best she can do in this situation is assume whatever he was talking about isn't vital to the topic.

"Aww, aren't you the sweetest!" She gushes, having controlled her face before coming to stand next to Petra. The group at the boarder is one she knows in passing - a cute little tribe run by an itsy bitsy spider last she heard. Nadine's pretty sure Stone would be interested in whatever this little visit entails. Huh, maybe she should go visit her own ambassador clan since this has reminded her. "Thanks, Georges; 'm Nadine. How's the tribe going these days?"

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✧ The serval tilts her head when the cub - Nesley, cute name - looks away, but his reaction seems pretty positive regardless so she doesn't really question it. She puts it down to him being young and shy with strangers, which are both out of his control and not for her to judge. Something she can be confused about is the fact that Petra and Stone have their own, home-grown army now; talk about a power couple. She absently wonders if Petra will be the new Princess and the two can lead their lineage to victory over the Exiles. Now that's a thought.

"'M Nadine, Nesley. You're his sister, right?" The second part is directed at Plaitedcub and served with a smile. Conspiracy theories aside, seeing all of the tiger cubs alive and well really warms her heart, and it's all she can do to keep the joy from straining her words.

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✧ Firefly's rage called to her like a beacon and the serval had promptly picked up the pace, concern morphing into anger on her face. She doesn't know Petra all that well, but the woman seems nice enough, and definitely pregnant enough for this to all be completely immoral. The Exiles have a weird thing for beating up the Ruins - okay, fair enough, war is war. But Petra is pregnant and even soldiers should have some guiding compass to steer them clear of such irredeemable things. They've taken one of their Warlords and bitten off more than they can chew. Hopefully.

Nadine comes to stand beside Abbi, her tail tapping against one of his legs to let him know that she's there to support him even as she glares at Turin. "He's sweet, but he's not dumb. We all know this is serious, fucker, but if even I think a plan would be good we really fucking need a plan." Spoken from a notorious dumbass, her words would hopefully carry a certain weight. The serval can concede that Turin can be snappy about his kidnapper taking a new victim, but they need to think clearly - a task she herself can't manage with her anger sending energy through her limbs.

The third tier shakes her head, trying to think anyway, before her eyes lock onto Jace. "You're a Warlord too. What's the plan? Should we get our allies to help, or just send in some of our own? We've got Abyss, but I think they've got Kukiko, the assholes. There's no way she wouldn't be here snarling about how useless we are if she's free." Her front paws are bouncing against the sand with a strange combination of nervous and eager energy, but she manages to keep her words mostly still.

//psst 'fucker' is the only neutral nickname I can think of, it's not u it's me

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✧ "Well thank you for reminding me how many there are! I guess I forgot," Nadine practically coos in response to little Plaitedcub, her expression flipping like a coin to a doting smile. She just can't help adoring the little tiger cubs, even if she barely knows their parents. The serval scoops up the painted rock that Abbi had dropped off at her side and holds it out for Plaited to see, balancing on her hind legs to point out the painted features. "These rocks have some bitching - I mean, pretty colours on them! Maybe Firefly and Abbi can help you, kiddo; they're just over there, see?"

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