T - Kitty, Xenon, Nako, Bee

[Kitty]

It was a good feeling, having them both listen like that without much effort. However, her tail and her whiskers twitched at Orin's next comment and limped toward him, her expression nothing more then a challenge as she lifted her head and got pretty damn close to being nose to nose with the bull.

That sounded like a bit of a threa-

She paused, turning her head to peer at Karrock as he landed. That was fast! did that mean all the fighting was over? The things he said, they were a little strange and quite obviously she wouldn't be able to stop the bull this time. Nope, there he went. She sighed and looked at Karrock again.

Thanks. Make sure the chicken is ok, and make sure our little charges don't escape, ok?

And, as if to emphasize her point, the little weasel poked his head over the top edge of the crate, messy golden sticking out everywhere as he eyed his surroundings.

She gave him a short, mildly pleading expression before disappearing out the door herself. Her pace was slower then the bull's of course, and she only managed to catch the very end of the rather touching, if not morbid and out of place scene.

She came up beside Orin and purred with satisfaction, a smug expression on her face as she poked his side with one of her claws.

See? told you realm doesn't matter to everyone.

[Nako]

Orin didn't speak for a long time, his throat working reflexively but not really coming up with any words. He was aware of Alohilani stepping up beside him though he did not acknowledge her at first.

Her words though, made him frown. It wasn't rage. No.. it was almost a sadness. Finally, the bull shook his head.

"No. No it doesn't." But the sudden look he shot her way was not that of agreement. His eyes were reddened with emotion. "But it's because of their realm that they be sittin' in a pool of blood. It be why whatever love they may have had for one another ended up hurting so many people. It's selfish. Destructive."

Love didn't have a place in a world like this. His father fell in love. That's what brought him into this world. And their love wasn't enough to keep his father alive. And his mother… dear mother. A victim to a war that her own realm had nothing to do with. He hated the fighting. But he knew that things were in such a state because it had been such a way for so long.

[Kitty]

Her ears lowered and her expression fell when he gave her that look. His own emotions could be read so plainly that they struck a cord with her and she sat down next to him, stubby little tail dancing.

That's because neither of them could embrace change. Most people can't, but a feud like that that's been going on for as long as anyone that's alive can remember.... I can see that being a hard thing to will yourself into disbelieving, even for something better.

That's largely why her parents wanted nothing to od with her inputs and business strategies. She had grown up around the company and knew all the things about it better then the back of her paw, but they were afraid that change would lead them to ruin, she could see the Marshlanders and the Lowlanders having a similar mental block.

But, ultimately, their fate was in their own hands, as well as the people that followed them. If they hadn't wanted to be here, doing this sort of thing.... they wouldn't be.

Her gaze had drifted to the pair, who had been joined by another human, one who looked like he might have once been rather nicely dressed at some point. She'd let him have his moment without her being an audience, and swept her gaze back over to the bull. Part of her mind was in a fair amount of shock at having an actual intelligent conversation with the thick headed male, but it was nice change of pace to wanting to break a chair over his head.

You did a lot of good things today, don't forget that.

[Lucca]

Arkady whimpered at Rosewood, not wanting the Swan to go out on the field alone, but...everything looked so chaotic, and as he took a step towards the battle, his paw twinged. He bit back a cry and sat down, miserably. That little misstep was all it had taken for Rosewood to place himself in the thick of things. He gave Farran a small glare when the Feline said that. He didn't understand. He couldn't. Arkady had made a promise, and he had to protect....everyone.

He knew that was impossible. He watched with sad eyes as blood spattered all over the ground, and then...and then...somehow, everything turned into...plants? A field of grass, sweet-smelling flowers, trees, and distant chiming bells. It made him feel a bit calmer, really...but it didn't seem to have that effect on all the combatants. In fact, two of them were locked in a heated battle, growling and mauling each other with such reckless abandon that they could only be enjoying it, on some sick level.

The man was Cale, wasn't he. And he'd die before getting Piers's message. Arkady danced to his feet, glanced at Dima, shook his head...but there was nothing he could do. Anyone caught in that flurry of blades would surely die. And then...well, something happened that seemed so odd and out of place, Arkady could only stare. There was too much going on and he couldn't take in the other Lowlanders, the dead bodies, the large and odd-looking Crocodile mix, and the brightly-colored Ferret trying to gather body parts from the deceased...but he could clearly see Cale and a Josiggy woman making out even as they stabbed each other through the hearts.

How very, very bizarre. As the fighting seemed to have died down, he slowly picked his way across the grass, as if drawn towards the scene...

[Callypso]

After leading the befuddled Tulgey over to Cale, he stepped back a few steps to allow them privacy, and looked over the gorgeous meadow his newfound magic had created. A gorgeous meadow that was now a bloody monument to the hate and prejudice that had had the two realms at each other’s throats for centuries.

He looked around at the others that had joined them. The weasel-man was beckoning Cale not to die. Trix was collecting herself as Gaurin stared unseeing across the calming meadow. The swan biped gave his message and stared confusedly, unsure of what to do.

A soft padding sounded as the young Solandrian made his way from behind the building and forward, drawn to the gathering of odd individuals. Behind him, the Villa feline limped awkwardly, turning his head to and fro as though unable to process the scene at hand. He idly wondered where they had come from – the scene had shocked them, yet they came sporting several injuries of their own. If they hadn’t been privy to the War, what had they encountered that had drawn blood so?

Emery looked down, to view the damage to his person. To his surprise, his body had filled out a little since the corpse had taken hold of him. Perhaps he would return to his normal size once the day was over.

Over… he looked again at the others. He felt odd, as though the wind had been taken out of him. He had seen a lot of things today, things he hoped he would never have to face again. Though, after today, he was sure that he would never feel the same. Today, as awful as it was, had offered him opportunities it had never had. And after all this, he would feel lost, stuck in a world that didn’t accept him.

What happens now? He found himself murmuring softly.

------------------------------------------------------------------

The Villa was still staring. A meadow, full of trees and flowers and wonderful green grass had sprung up 80 feet in either direction. It was strange, to have so beautiful a scene appear after he had seen all those bodies and limbs, so nice after everything he’d been through.

An Ace, of all creatures, bounded across the meadow to collect Rosewood and spoke before pulling him toward a man still lying on his back after his passionate struggle with a Jossigy woman. Farran was stunned – what had happened here? The bodies of the dead had sunken into the earth, the only hints at what had happened visible in the streaks of blood across the soft green, the injured laying about the field, and the two people, both impaled by swords in the distance.

Arkady gave him a strange look, then padded forward to be with Rosewood and the others. He followed, on edge and unsure, though it was awful hard to feel as scared with the trees waving in a soft breeze and the gentle peal of bells striking from who knew where.

Limping after the boy, Farran came to a rest at the circle that had formed around the man. Farran was no doctor, but he looked like he was dying…

[Nathalia]

((Cale barely felt anything anymore, though he did try to move his arm up to Morpheus's gesture once more. "Bit late for that, Morpheus...but I'll see you in Hel, mate." He gave a wry grin as a tall Bird faded into his vision; white with black...rather pretty among all the mess.
"Who're you?"
He mumbled, feeling the world make less sense as he spoke.
The words the Swan spoke seemed to come from a distance; but the importance behind them held him.
"Piers? Piers, where-?" He listened, struggling not to interrupt, his eye-patch sliding off into the flowers as he suddenly flung his arm around the corpse of the woman impaled practically to him.
After all he'd just gone through, he would not lose his prize.
She had fallen first.
He had won her.
"Ahh...my poor Piers." He whispered, his remaining eye filming over...though it could have been tears. "Thank you for...listening to him...probably meant a lot, was a good man. It's ok, though...it's all ok...I'll see him in Hel." He mumbled, a small smile breaking through.
A faint look of surprise broke through his smile. "Used t'work in the Bakery wit' Mrs. Lovett...long time ago. Should be down under the loose brick by the oven...you lot have it, won't do me much good now."
He slumped backward, all ability to hang onto anything gone.
"I knew it would be beautiful...in Hel..."
He stared sightlessly upward, Resta's body hanging off of him, with a slight twitch, he died.
Resta's sword vanished.

Gaurin staggered and fell, the flowers only slightly cushioning his fall, as he gasped, the skin around his eyes so pale it was almost white.
"Okay...? No, my Lady...can't say I am." He grunted, watching as blood continued to gush feebly from his arm's stump. "Though I'd say, yeah...s'over. Good fight, eh? Beat 'em, I think."
He sagged to the ground completely, his chest rising and falling as his eyes wandered over the meadow.
"S'nice...inn't it?" He asked her, turning his head with more effort than it should have taken. "M'gonna miss you, m'Lady. Go well, righ'?" He asked, his breathing shallow, eyes tired and distant.
She really was quite beautiful.
It had been an honor to fight alongside a real Hellhound.
Trix...

Remi wrenched off the Cow horn and was able to watch as the tree roots closed over the gap he'd made.
The wind whistled lightly over the area.
It was done.))



~Nathalia