ORIGIN

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Oliver was, admittedly, the most worldly of the gathering; Mercurius couldn't deny the crow-dog that title. He'd hardly left Eridanus since his beloved disappeared into the woodwork — perhaps in hibernating somewhere (Caves, he still hoped that were true) — and settling into his garden. It may not be healthy to linger in one place for so long, and most certainly not to become a bit of recluse, but... that was how it was, hm?

Rift denied the option to inform another of their whereabouts, their abandonment of Eridanus for however-long and a great weight settled in Mercy's gut. His tail flicked, head lowering in a downcast manner. To go into hiding and (further) isolation was one thing. To do so without any warning was another.

The pale beast scuffed his paws across the ground, giving a great dadly groan as he rocked to his feet. Moonset eyes fixed upon Rift's, earnest and hopeful. "With due respect, Rift — I've two sons. They're the most wonderful children I could ask for, and they are mine — and Pride's. We may not hold each other to be our beloved, but we are family. I cannot possibly ask them to come home and find that I'm gone with nothing to indicate where and how. They would be — heartbroken," Mercurius pleaded, "I have to, at least, tell them that we are leaving, that we will be gone for some time, until ... things quiet down."

Mercurius didn't answer as to whether or not he would aid Rift in establishing their new home, uncharacteristically stern.

@Oliver

Oliver listened, quiet. When the appeal for name suggestions came, he perked up, some; the bird-dog had a hidden creative streak, and at once joyously threw his mind to the task.

"Oh, um! We could be. The-... The Garden-Makers?" he suggested, and then stared brightly at Rift.

(No one ever said his mind was a good one.)

"Or uh--the... Tree-bringers. Or something. Though-" and here, he squinted; "then Astraea might hear about us and realize who we are. If it's plant-related, I mean." He then paused, frowning--visibly frowning, his doglike face twisted down a little with focus. A new thought, on the tail end of this other, was drifting through his mind.

He looked to Mercurius, Huckleberry, and lastly Rift, in obvious concern--and his voice came a little quieter.

"...I thought Astraea was s'posed to be nice?" he asked. "Would he... really do that stuff to us?"

@Huckleberry

Huckleberry sighed with relief when Rift accepted his proposal to protect, at the very least. Shiny purred loudly and pride echoed through their bond. She hadn't wanted him to go out to kill someone, even if it was to protect his found family - this was the better option. "I won't let you down. Any of you." He stood up a little taller, sparks dancing across his fur. He was ready to do this.

His claws unconsciously traced through the dirt as his feet as he considered the problem Rift had set in front of them. A new name? He wasn't very...good at naming things. Probably not much better then Oliver, but he really tried to think of something that would fit their...thing. "Um, what about like...Woodland Wanderers? Or maybe Gardener's Refuge? Or..." He trailed off as Oliver made an excellent point. "Then how about just The Wanderers? Or, like, Windborne Refuge, since we'll be in Monoceros? I don't know," he looked down at Shiny for help, but she didn't have any other bright ideas.

Expression fell at Oliver's worries. Was Astraea known to be benevolent? Huckleberry had never met him before and his first impression had been nothing very good. "I don't know but...if he's supposed to be, he's shown his true colors now. I don't think he was joking."

Rift looked over at Mercurius as he groaned, looking uncharacteristicly stern and almost...pleading? He realized, as the lion spoke, that he'd, perhaps, been a little too harsh. "Oh, of course. My apologies. Close friends and family that you do not want to abandon without warning, you can tell that we are leaving. If you are absolutely sure they will not betray us to the Masters or will tell no one else, you can tell them where to find us, but only if it's absolutely necessary. Not just for our sake, but we don't know if Astraea will show them mercy, if he finds out they know where we are and didn't tell him." He would hate for anyone else to get hurt on the account of their choices and with Astraea having made such a dire threat, he couldn't be certain of anything.

He considered the names offered to him for a moment. They were all...okay, although Rift felt like nothing would sound good to him, as he was fond of the Kingdom's name already. "If we're trying to stay hidden, anyways, I don't think it should be a problem. We won't exactly be spreading our name anywhere. But perhaps it would be smart to play it safe." He hummed to himself but then shook it off. A name wasn't important right now. He'd think about it, consider it, and perhaps the others would have their own ideas in time.

He was about to call to break up the meeting when Oliver spoke again, quietly. He lowered his head sympathetically and leaned forward to touch Oliver's side. "It's hard to believe, I know. I once saw the stag as a child and I was in awe of him. He was good and he seemed to me to be a god. But I saw him, some cycles ago, become aggressive when a wolf poked at his pride. I didn't see what happened, but if he could get that way...I think he'd be perfectly capable of being this cruel as well."

@Mercurius

Mercurius hung his head slightly, a bellowing sigh of relief echoing from his tight chest - it dislodged the hooked talons that'd wrenched themselves into his lungs. Moonset eyes blinked slowly, a genuine expression of thanks washing over his features. "Thank you, Rift - I won't tell them of where we are hiding. I cannot possibly ask them to host that information and shepherd it away from such a..." the beast hesitated, "cruel being." Such a thing was not to be said lightly - after all, Astraea had to have some sort of motive for this, yes? - but there was a peculiar... edge to those words. An unnecessary harshness that spoke of something almost enjoying all of this. "I'll tell them and not let them see where I go."

His head remained lowered, shoulders sagging slightly, "I don't believe that - a change of name is required, if we are in hiding. We'll simply be a group, and always the kingdom." He shifted his weight from paw to paw, lowering his voice, "this isn't known by many - at least, as far as I know, I've not spread this around - but a few cycles ago, Astraea knowingly forced a Gembound into the Spire and claimed that we were nothing but slaves that belonged to the Masters. Its magic tore the Gembound apart, and it was saved only by some - odd being. The stag seemed furious about it, when the Gembound emerged from the Spire's base during the Olympics."

A heady pause, and Mercurius stood, "I'll go first - we should go one at a time, as to not draw notice; and... maybe just the four of us would have to flee. As far as the stag is aware, we are the only ones of the Kingdom that remain." That could very well be true, but he was antsy.

@Oliver

Oliver considered, quiet as he sat there.

"I can ask Dad if he'll come look after us, too. He's a Guardian. But only if you want. Are we going now?" he asked, and leaned back, using a hind leg to scratch through the ruffled fur-feathers of his neck.

He then pushed up, on all fours, peering around. He seemed ready to move, though he was taking careful stock of the forest around them--as if making mental note of what they were about to leave behind.

@Huckleberry

Huckleberry listened silently this time, feeling no need to add much more to the conversation - he would do what Rift asked of him now, all thought of hunting down Reji on his spare time blown from his head. He would help out by guarding and protecting, rather then hunting and killing. They had a stark difference in his head and this was, probably, the most telling of how much he'd grown.

"I don't have anyone to tell so...I'll protect the garden or go whenever you need me to." There was Agony, but the hybrid had wandered off somewhere after their conversation and Huckleberry felt no need telling them that he was leaving at all. After all, it wasn't like he trusted them very much.

Rift's expression grew serious again as Mercurius spoke of what he knew of Astraea. "Yes, you mentioned that to me earlier. I'm sure he's capable of much worse things and I think it would be safe if we assumed all of these Masters cannot be trusted." Not that Rift particularly liked the ones he'd met - the huge snake had, after all, ruined a very large portion of the forest while sliding through it, knocking over trees, damaging the ecosystem without a single care.

He thought for a moment before nodding. "I think going separately would be a good idea. You can go first, if you'd like, Mercurius, and then Oliver. If either of you feel the need, take Huckleberry to protect you. Otherwise, you'll go after Oliver and I'll go last. I won't ask the others to come with us, but I will let them know of our plans all the same. If they choose not to follow, I will ask them to abandon the garden. It would be cruel to leave them in the dark only for Astraea to find them still here when he returns. We must all be gone, or he may take someone else in our stead."

He sighed again. This was all very heavy and upsetting and he began suddenly very aware of how little time he had left to spend in this garden. He noticed Oliver looking around the garden and a sense of deep sadness permeated his heart. "If you think your dad can help us and you trust him with anything, then I think we would be glad for the extra aid. This will be...difficult."

@Mercurius

He'd just been bringing the other two up to speed; Astraea's cruelty, for fear of the information's spread leading back to himself and Pride, hadn't been widely announced. To many, it was likely rumors. Not that the stag seemed particularly concerned with keeping up his kind, deer dad-y nature. Not anymore, at least. Mercurius nodded regardless - perhaps none of the Masters were to be trusted, except, maybe, for the being in Pisces's lagoon. This was left unsaid. The phoenix couldn't do much for this, he was certain.

"I can go first - and, Huckleberry, protect if you must, but please do not kill. There are alternative methods to violence, remember," Mercurius groaned to his paws, "I believe I can hold my own, if it comes to it." He could be swift-footed, if need be, and he hoped he could bring himself to cast the magic needed to escape. The old beast would only do what was absolutely necessary. "Oliver - be careful," he rumbled softly, moonlit gaze glistening - his voice betrayed no deep-seated sadness and a preemptive mourning for his own garden, his own well-tended grove. It would have to go without care, abandoned like the one in Orion had been, for so long.

Mercurius found a modicum of comfort in knowing that his sons, at least, and Pride, could still make use of it. Arsu, at least, was skilled at tending to plant life and suggesting it to his own will.

With a bow of his head and a huff of finality - if there was nothing else - the storyteller loped towards his grove, one last time. "I will wait by the far wall, Kingdom." In his wake, there was a path of Queen Anne's Lace.

;exit mercy unless stopped?
@Oliver

Oliver was studiously making mental notes.

Wait until Mercy's left. I go next. Then when we've found a safe place, go find Dad. And try to find um. Reji?

He remained silent, watching Mercy intently, and when the white lion was gone--leaving behind only his lacy flowers--he nodded.

"My turn," he murmured, and slipped away into the foliage. His voice came muffled as he vanished into the ferns: "I'll meet you there," he said.

exit Oliver; @Huckleberry

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Mercy

Oliver

Huckleberry

Rift (Original)

Mercy

Oliver

Huckleberry

Rift (Original)

Mercy

Oliver