crickets and creatures will come in the night
keep my back from the reaper
who's hunting or running, you gotta decide

September followed after him, not quite able to match his stride one for one, so he instead trotted alongside him. "Dangerous sounds fun. I like danger!" He snorted and tossed his head up. "Nothing like some adrenaline to really feel alive!" And that had surely been lacking of late. If this wildfire could happen, then maybe he'd finally get to feel his blood really start to boil and run hot! It had sort of turned from a "offer to help Arsu because he was nice" to a more selfish "im excited about this and I want it to happen now". But still, the heart and intention were there.

He shrugged and looked at Arsu, a slightly mischievous glint in his eye. "I don't know if I've given the idea up. I think I'd like to see it first before saying that's for the best but...if it's anything like Canis, you think anything but that would get rid of it all? Besides, plants grow back." Gembound could be evacuated, plants can be regrown. To him, it seemed like a good plan. Things could go wrong, sure, but if they had power enough on their side, he was sure they'd be able to get it done!

He saw the throne as soon as Arsu turned a bit to make his way towards it. His head raised, trying to get a better view. "That's the Throne? I don't see Pride sitting on it."

september

@Arsu

Arsu gave September a disapproving, warning glance. His voice was soft but reproachful. "Be excited about a battle, if you wish, but danger inflicted on innocents is not... exciting. If deer burn alive in there, or the forest is lost to us, that is not 'fun.' And yes, it will work. To my knowledge no one has organized any form of concerted effort. And I wouldn't mention that in front of Pride. He won't agree to burn the forest down again. He might even try to stop you. Controlled fire in individual... blasts, I suppose, is one thing, but 'burn the forest down'... No. He's very old, in any case; I'd listen to his advice."

He looked up. Eyed the bones over the throne, and then called out. "Father-?"

Then he looked to September. "He does not sit on it. He's... he said he holds the place for a slumbering King; I've never met them. But he doesn't claim the Throne for himself. Ignore the bones on it. Pride is generally kind, unless you threaten someone who doesn't deserve it. Which... again, makes me hope that whoever attacked you was not one of his."

He made his way to the foot of the worn marble seat, looking around with a flick of his tail. "I hope that he's not far. ...FATHER?"

@September

crickets and creatures will come in the night
keep my back from the reaper
who's hunting or running, you gotta decide

September frowned and grumbled to himself, something about "well we could get them all out first" or "trees grow back", too distorted to be understood - a child ranting to himself. But he swallowed his pride (heh) for now and decided to be a little more smart about this, if his father was really as wise and mildly intimidating as he was making it seem. "Okay, fiiine. I still haven't given it up, though."

He looked up and stared at the throne, tilting his head. "What's the point of a slumbering king? If he's not there to lead that kind of defeats the purpose, right?" But he shut his mouth then, in case Pride was nearby. He eyed the bones, wondering what unfortunate creature had gotten themselves in that position.

september

@Arsu

Arsu's glance at the comment about 'not giving it up' was distinctly less friendly--a warning now, no longer amused. "Don't." He took a breath, steeling himself. A child playing with fire was the worst possible thing to loose in Eridanus, and he was already doubting this. "Please do not make me regret aiding you."

This said, he shook himself and looked ahead, moving to the other questions. "King... Livus?" he began, squinting. The name was wrong--close, but wrong--but he couldn't remember it exactly from Pride's stories. "They went into slumber, but it wasn't particularly about a point. Pride is their... steward, I suppose? He has led the Seven for a long time. I've never even met Livus. But... it's just something that happens, sometimes. Gembounds return to their gemstones to sleep. I suppose you could say the King was wise for finding themselves a replacement, to keep the Kingdom in their stead?" He shrugged, and it was clear he wasn't really particularly invested in it, one way or another. He'd never met Livius; he didn't care who led a Kingdom he wasn't part of. "It doesn't particularly matter; the leader listens to and helps out the other members, so it isn't so much a matter of the title. The Kingdom is... loose, and more about cooperation than... how would you say it? Rigidity? I suppose."

"Arsu-?" Pride called. He'd thought he heard someone, but he wasn't sure. Pink-gold ethereal wings trailed wisps behind him as he touched down just behind the Throne.

Already he was steeling himself. He loved his son, of course, but the last time they'd spoken had been... stilted. Sad. Because the time before that? Arsu had come to tell him that his twin--Pride's other son--had died. He was still holding the gemstone, as the family decided (as a whole) to decide what to do with it. Arsu was pressing to have someone specific revive it, or attempt to, and Pride was willing but it was no certainty yet; and the grief and misery still hung heavy in his gut, as though he'd swallowed lead. It was a poison, that grief. It tainted everything, and even now, when he stepped out with pale grace, it was with a somber sense of melancholy.

The wings faded, their shimmering light vanishing into nothing. Pride nodded to Arsu, and then looked to his companion. For a moment he startled, a little, at the appearance and the horn, wondering if Arsu had taken the gemstone away after all-... but no, that wasn't the right stone at all. He pushed the thought away--pushed all thoughts away--and tried to be polite and welcoming.

"Hello," he offered, voice soft and melodic. "Good to see you, Arsu. Welcome," he said to the stranger, and flicked an ear, awaiting introduction.

red deer img credit - dan seagrave

@September

crickets and creatures will come in the night
keep my back from the reaper
who's hunting or running, you gotta decide

September let it drop, not oblivious to Arsu's shift in attitude. If he didn't want to start a fire, fine, but it was still something September was thinking about - a lot. He'd have to go to Eridanus after this, check it out and see if he was thinking reasonably or...if he was just straight up insane.

He didn't understand how kingdom's worked at all. If there was no king, was it even a kingdom? And even if the king was gone, wouldn't the person in charge just be called the king? Was it a for life kinda title? Or was the king really that selfish that he'd refuse to let anyone have his title while he slept? September snorted again. "Well that just sounds like Pride's the temporary king or something. Don't know why it has to be a steward or whatever. If he's been gone so long, then damn just call yourself the king and be done with it."

He dropped that matter too when Pride appeared, eyes staring at the shimmering wings and the regal, snow white appearance. He glanced between him and Arsu for a moment and smirked. Without really thinking, he murmured, "Yeah that's definitely your dad." They were practically identical, save for Arsu's slight shape differences.

The calf stood taller in Pride's presence, trying to look very grown up and tall and proud himself. "Hello, Pride. I'm September." Was that enough for an introduction? He glanced towards Arsu and then back. He'd been planning on letting him kinda lead this conversation at the beginning, but that didn't seem like much to start with. "Uh. Nice wings."

september

@Arsu

Arsu glanced back as September introduced himself.

"Hello, father. I found September trying to graze out near the ruins. I took him to Mercy's garden; I regrew a bit. I hope that's all right." He knew it would be; his words, though polite, were warm. "And I hope we're not interrupting-? September here had an idea he ran by me. I thought you'd like to hear it, and... perhaps you could help."

He glanced back again, and then more solemnly to Pride. "That, and he was attacked, even as a child, and I hate to say it but the description sounds like it might have been family. No one I know, but... can you describe them again?" he asked, looking to September.

"It's good to meet you too, September. And thank you," he replied. There were plenty of terrible things in the world, but being able to fly--that was not one of them.

At the mention of an idea he merely offered an expression of polite interest, waiting. It was the mention of an attack, instead, that darkened his face, his brow drawing down much as Arsu's had done. He looked to September, eyeing him over briefly. "Are you injured in any way?" he asked.

red deer img credit - dan seagrave

@September

crickets and creatures will come in the night
keep my back from the reaper
who's hunting or running, you gotta decide

He waited while Arsu started it off, nodding along with his words. A good introduction while he put together his own little speech to tell to Pride. How to introduce his idea without saying wildfire but also slipping it in. He wasn't sure why he was so set on the fire idea at this point - perhaps because it was all he really knew how to do, but it just seemed like it would be a legitimately good option.

Anyways, Pride was turning to him now. He nodded, looking very formal under both gazes. "Yeah. He was like a navy blue with yellow streaks, stood on two legs. Long tail. He had these big batty wings too, could fly with them. Also long yellow hair on his head and antlers a lot like yours. Also," he leaned in a bit, looking closely at Pride's neck. "Actually, his gem was placed a lot like yours, except it was purple." He leaned back. "I'm fine, he just scratched me. But his scratch messed with my head - he said it was venom. It made me feel real dizzy and weak and like I was super duper happy and complacent. But I don't really fuck with being forced to feel like that? So it was kind of terrifying. Took me like a good couple of hours coming down from it. He just kinda left me there when I tried to fight back." He stamped his hooves on the ground in a sudden small burst of angered energy. "Told him he was gonna pay for that, and he will! So I hope he's not one of yours." But also I do, he thought, additionally, because wouldn't it be really funny if Pride just punished him instead? Or they both punished him?

With that out of the way, he calmed and shook out his still-growing-in mane. "Anyways, I think we should do something about Eridanus. Arsu was telling me about it - I hatched in Canis so I saw the same kinda white crap everywhere. But Eridanus has greenery and food and lessers and its a shame that its so...impossible to live in. Soooo, I suggested using fire to burn it away and then people - like Arsu - that can regrow can do that. And he said you know some people so we could organize like a group effort."

september

@Arsu

Any hope of skirting past the fire thing was immediately dashed by Arsu, who fired a sardonic glance between the two of them. It wasn't too sour, but more amused, though it did hold a tone of warning.

"He was a tad fixated on the idea of burning a bit too much. I've warned him it would need to be a group effort?" But he made it a question, as if he didn't want to order or instruct his father. Rather, he almost seemed to be asking Pride's approval or permission. "But otherwise, it is a good idea. Fire here and there, but also fungal magic--that works, yes?--and your blasts, father, and the like? I do not think there has been a concerted effort yet. I thought that you know far more people than I do--if you wanted to organize a little more thoroughly..?"

As for the description of the attacker, he left that one alone. He didn't know if Pride would know who they were, or not, but there wasn't much he could add to that.