Rift approached the Throne, tail swinging gently behind him, his speed one of haste. He had a lot of ground to cover and very little time. He'd already notified Dragon of the trial - Cetus was just next to the entrance of Eridanus, after all, so his path took him now to Orion. The Seven and, after that, the Bonebound. Already, people were talking. Whispers were going around about the trial and the murderer who would be put under question and finally be judged if her life could continue living. Rift shuddered at the thought, only now wondering what would happen if she was judged guilty. He would bet that many would choose to kill her, but how could he serve that sentance when he'd sworn his Kingdom as an organization of peace, only called to action if they must absolutely must? It was a little scary to think about and he had, not for the first time, an intense stream of doubt.
So much so that he paused, wondering if he should continue. If he should just turn around and cancel the whole thing. But he'd started this already, the northwestern caves were already alight with rumors. He couldn't call it off now.
He steeled himself, whispering to his thoughts that
Rift continued forward until he was at the base of the Throne, around which the Seven gathered. He cleared his throat, his deep, rumbling voice calling out and echoing through the stony cavern.
"Yes?" The voice was smooth, fluting, and the click of hooves from near to the Throne echoed out of the shadows. Pride slipped into view, his head lightly tilted, and blinked. "Ahh, Rift. It is good to see you. Is everything all right..?"
There was a pile of bones beside the Throne, though Pride gave no sign of noticing them; perhaps they'd been there for some time. "I am uncertain where King Livius is at the moment, but perhaps--..." He turned, slightly, held with poise and grace as he concentrated for a moment on his magicka.
A shimmering image appeared high above the Throne: a faint white glow, looking like Pride himself hovering in lights up in the air. Beside it appeared a green shape, aurora-like, only vaguely resembling the weasel. It wasn't perfect, but it would, he hoped, get the point across, should Livius look this way. He held this for a long moment before releasing it, and then looked back to Rift.
Placid silver gaze regarded him with confidence, and with intensity.
Rift dipped his head to the stag as he approached, only then noticing the bones that sat next to the Throne. He blinked, wondering if they'd been there the last time, or if they were perhaps old bones, like those in Canis. No, they looked fresh. Or, at least, newer then the ancient, blackened things that littered the ground in the room of bones. He shuddered, wondering what creature had met that fate and why they had seen fit to display their bones in such a manor.
He was silent for only a moment while he considered this before turning his attention back to Pride.
Pride's eyes gradually narrowed, brow furrowing in consternation, his fur bristling and his body tensing as he listened.
"She is alive?" he repeated, and to say Pride was "shocked" or "startled" would be an understatement. His utter disbelief had him baffled; Rift may as well have told him that up was down, or snow was hot. "That is impossible. I saw her destroyed with my own eyes," he answered, with a shake of his head. "How did you come to hear this...?"
His mind was running through the possibilities; the idea of the trial didn't even factor into his mind, yet. The most likely scenario was that this was a trap--something laid by Jayberry, perhaps, to draw them in. The second was that somehow she had survived--perhaps the chrysalis had formed, but--how? The rock had already fallen on her, the black hole taken most of her body, at least from his perspective.
Pride glanced at Rift. Instinctively he thrust his magicka forward, without thinking it over, but when he felt a tentative link flicker open he didn't close it, either. It wasn't that he thought Rift was lying: but he wanted to see for himself, if he could. Something about this was all wrong, impossible, even; there was no way that he and Livius combined had been that fucking incompetent.
He had to get to the bottom of it.
@Rift
Rift wasn't at all surprised at Pride's reaction - he was, as his name rightfully suggested, extremely prideful. Knowing that he'd failed at something he'd long believed to be true would definitely be hard. He waited for the link to open (since, surely, Pride would do so) and immediately began thinking back to when Wilder had told him all of this. She'd looked worried, terrified, and Rift felt only confusion - they'd spent some time together, good time. They'd searched through the forest and Rift had only harbored a sort of fatherly affection for the cat during their little mission, patiently following her and allowing her to take the lead as she explored. So this news, that his enemy was still alive, it was a shock, but he was, at least, certain that it was true.
He paused, wondering if Pride was still listening in on his thoughts before he continued.
Pride's eyes narrowed. He was aware, almost at once--given Rift's thoughts and the nature of his imagery--that somehow, the cat knew of his mind-reading magic. He couldn't remember ever having shown or told the cat, but perhaps he had forgotten, or someone else had informed him.
It mattered little. He tilted his head, and showed Rift, briefly, something of his own.
Blackberry, huddled in the little cave. Pride releasing a sharp blast of magicka, his intent to kill instantly, quickly. Painlessly--better than he felt she deserved. This much was all clear in the flicker of mind-magic. Before he could show the rest--the shuddering fall of rocks, the rip of the black hole--the spell slammed shut on his mind hard enough to send him flinching, staggering back a hard step. He hissed out through his mouth, eyes shut.
It took Pride a long moment, past the searing pain in his head, to formulate thoughts again--and frustration welled up in him. He was already angry at this news. Furious at Wilder. Even angrier and more frustrated that somehow the goose had survived not one but two masters of magicka hurling fatal magic straight for her. The failure of his spell--a backlash, a backfire that kept repeating itself--only drove his anger higher. He snorted and struck the ground with one sharp hoof, the ringing crack echoing around the Throne.
For a moment he stood, breathing heavily, his head lowered and his ears forward, his fur still bristled. His eyes opened again, blazing silver, but he took a moment to gather himself before speaking, nonetheless.
"I had intended to show you her death, but my magic, it seems, is not cooperating." There was a hiss of venom in the words, though not at Rift--but at this point, it was almost at everything. "Perhaps. For the best. I do not trust the cat; she lied to us more than once, and used her false, naive charm to mislead us, even while using her magic to contact the Bloodberries by mind. But if you do find Blackberry alive, we will come. She is absolutely a threat, even now--but I warn you, Rift, be ready for a trap. I genuinely do not think it possible that she could have survived our combined assault. I struck a gemstone for her heart, she was engulfed by a singularity, and half a small cave collapsed on top of her, at the end. I do not think anyone could survive that."
@Rift
Rift was ready for Pride to be angry, but still, when the stag hissed and staggered back, Rift at first mistook it for a small tantrum. His one ear pressed back and he stepped away instinctively, ready to run if, for whatever reason, Pride chose to attack or something, but he wasn't counting on it. He knew the deer to be more level headed then attacking him purely out of anger.
He blinked slowly, calmly, wondering if backfiring the magic of the mind caused physical pain. Perhaps that would explain his sudden break in composure, but he didn't think too hard about it. That wasn't important.
He flicked his tail.
He paused, and then added--"If I do find the goose, I will bring her to Eridanus for the trial. That had been my initial plan. I imagine that all of you there deserve closure on this more than, even, she needs justice. And if you find Jayberry? That one has to die. I presume you heard the things the wolf was saying to Enka--she is a sadist, that one. In fact--if you go seeking the goose, be aware you may find the mutated wolf, as well. And if there is a trial, she may well charge in. I would hold it somewhere safe," he advised, solemnly, "and perhaps prepare a few defenses. If you do want to use Orion, it may be easier to see enemies coming, but that is merely an offer and your decision."
@Rift
When Pride mentioned the gemstone hibernation, the phenomenon that had somehow saved him and many of the kingdom, a sudden thought occurred to him and an expression of alarm crossed across his face.
Rift paused for a moment.
Pride looked immediately infuriated, and absolutely shocked.
"Truce?!" he cried, losing his precious calm for perhaps the first time in Rift's presence. "I was warning you of potential attack, I did not know you had offered the bitch a truce! I will-..." He paused, seething, his silver eyes ablaze with rage and unblinking as he stared in disbelief, as he calmed himself enough to speak coherently. "If I see Jayberry, I will do my utmost to kill her. I will not adhere to a truce with that monstrosity."
He nearly trembled with anger. Had these fools no sense of justice?! That they wished to entertain this mockery of a trial for Blackberry was bad enough; but he'd accepted that, he'd even been the one to initiate it, on the grounds that everyone who'd been harmed by her had the right to decide her fate. But Jayberry, being let free?
"She is a criminal, as bad as or worse than her mother is, Rift. I have no idea what you are thinking in offering her a truce, but she must be brought to justice just as much as Blackbery must."
@Rift