Vibrant blue eyes searched the area as the now fully grown clouded leopardess traveled the tunnel. Silent paws graced over the rock and rubble that made up the tunnel's flooring. If one were to look at her now they would be deceived by the calm sure paw steps one after the other. Deep down inside her very being trembled, quaked with an insecurity as she searched for the one gembound she found herself most close to. Her big brother Leon. She had not seen him since the elections even then she had not gone down to see or visit with him. He was far too busy with her sister; his future wife. The word still felt odd on her mind, but it was not for her to decide what was odd or not.

Alas, that was not why she was now searching for her beloved Big Brother. She had to talk to him. No, she needed to talk to him. To seek his counsel of things she did not understand, but that maybe he would be able to. She sought his advice over any other as he was the one who knew her the most. Her long tail was held unmoving behind her as she looked around. His scent was faint in the area and she knew he just had to be there, but to make sure that he really was and she was not just catching another scent Amaria summoned upon her magic. Whispering for it to do as she bid....

She felt the tendrils of sensations moving up along her tail and slowly, but surely, the feeling of another's heart beat soon consumed her. It was in that instant she felt far more nervous than she ever should have. It was stupid to feel that way on top of everything else. Leon was her brother and she had always thought they to be close no matter how much they really didn't see each other these passing days. No matter how enthralled he and Makyna were with each other they were still her siblings. She loved them and she knew they loved her too; she hoped.

Her mouth grew dry as she slowly prowled closer and closer to the heart beat she had felt and when the bear's brown fur came into view it felt like a boulder was lodged into her throat. Amaria clung to the shadows for a long moment, desperately trying to talk herself into going up to him. She knew the subject she was going to bring up with him would probably be a little odd considering how he felt about the subject she was about to inquire counsel about. She just hoped he would understand.

In-taking a large breath to ease her sudden jittery nerves, Amaria stepped from the shadows and a small smile slipped across her features. "Hey...bubbi," She called to him, hoping she would not startle the bear from her sudden appearance just behind him. There was no turning back now.

"Speech."
____________________________________________________________________________
Tags: @Leon
@Makyna
OoC: IT IS TIME. LEON and just ammy right now. :D Makyna can pop in later if you want bri.

@Makyna

Patrolling had once more entered the regime of regular practice now that Leon was fully recovered and life was beginning to get back on track. He was thankful that Bevy had allowed him forgiveness and given him his rank back - it was quite a blow to his pride having to apologize to everybody and explain that he wasn't a selfish, violent monster, but at least it was enough to return to his previous position in the hierarchy. As one of Maji Walezi's founding members, he felt he deserved the respect of his groupmates almost in a different way than was expected towards anybody else, except Makyna and Bevy who had helped to found the group as well. Not that Leon was going to enforce it. He merely expected it, and when somebody didn't show it, then... well, Leon couldn't help himself when he acted disappointed in it. It could have been construed as manipulative, had Leon's intentions been less admirable. The bear simply wanted to be treated with the respect of a senior, more knowledgeable Gembound.

That wasn't the only positive development during the elections. He had also proposed to Makyna then, and she accepted, donning the crown he and Arkrael had made for her. She looked absolutely stunning in it, and he was sure she'd look even more beautiful wearing it during the ceremony. He couldn't wait - at the same time, he was nervous. Things always had a habit of going wrong, but he'd extended his invitations to all his friends and hoped that with everybody there, knowing how much Leon was looking forward to it, they'd all behave themselves. Maybe they'd have to put somebody on patrol to make sure Cancer didn't crash it. The thought made him queasy.

There was still one person that Leon hadn't been able to find and invite. His brother Rohan hadn't been seen for several weeks now. The last time he'd seen him was when Leon had fled to this very tunnel, and out of nowhere the white wolf had reappeared donning the armor of some creature Makyna had told him about. They sat and talked and went their separate ways, despite Leon desperately begging for Rohan to come back with him to Maji Walezi. His brother had said that he was on a mission of some kind. Maybe, by now, he'd be done... and maybe here, they would meet again. He'd left on what had first been a patrol, but his curiosity and longing got the better of him. Now, the bear wandered the tunnel, making his way to that cove in the wall where the dusty shards of two shattered chrysali lay.

He'd found the lightning opal embedded in the rock, covered in a layer of grime from months of neglect. Leon plopped down onto his rump and was busy wiping away the residue when a gentle voice sang out from somewhere beyond. Furrowing his brow, Leon turned his head, and there stood Amaria just a few paces behind him. "Mia!" He exclaimed, clambering to his paws so he could turn around and face her. "What are you doing here? Boy, it feels like its been forever since I talked to you! Where've you been?" Leon laughed and reclined to his haunches again, tilting his head as he gazed upon the younger feline, his darling sister.

@Amaria

Mia!

The sound of her own name spilling forth from the giant bear made the feline jump a little as her very heart seemed to lodge itself right into her throat. A sense of sudden anxiety gripped deep in her stomach, turning and twisting it into unpleasant knots as she now stared helplessly at her elder brother. Ears pinned themselves self consciously against her skull before they slowly lifted and pressed forward. Once the sudden anxious feeling subsided a small, adoring smile alight across her features and she could do no other as she hoped right over to the bear and greeted him with an affectionate nuzzle to his chest before she did what any feline would and rubbed her side along him.

"It has been forever it feels," She commented to the last bit of his words as she soon settled down upon her haunches as well. Though she did not sit in front of him, but rather next to him. Uncertain whether she could hold his gaze as she spoke of things she knew in the back of her head may upset him. Yet, Leon was her elder brother. Her beloved brother. Surely he would understand. "I was looking for you, honestly," The words nearly came out in a whisper as she felt the tremble of anxiety start to peak up once again as her mind raced a mile a minute trying to figure out how to bring up what she wanted to talk to him about.

"I've been around..." Her words choked in her throat. She hadn't expected this to be such a struggle. She had always felt like she could talk to Leon about anything and everything. Though to think on how he would respond when the topic she was wishing to discuss was the very feline Leon seemed to loath with every bit of his being had her a bit nervous. She wasn't Makyna though, so it really shouldn't be that big of a deal.

A shuddering breath escaped her as she let loose a sigh. "I need to talk to you about something...I didn't know who else to go to," Her eyes shifted off towards the wall to her left, studying the large crack within it. Giggle came to mind soon after studying the crack. As to why she honestly could not answer even herself on that one. Her words rang through her head, repeating over and over, yet she was still at a loss for what they truly meant. For now she sat there to see his reaction all the while trying to gather her own thoughts to word everything and to even just begin talking about what had been on her mind as of late.

"Speech."
____________________________________________________________________________
Tags: Leon Makyna
OoC: sorry it's so bad ;w;

@Leon
@Makyna

The bear settled in, wriggling slightly as he made himself comfortable. His gaze lingered on the clouded leopard as she very slowly accumulated a response for him, agreeing that it had been forever. It had, but that was okay. Leon could forgive her if she felt... what, replaced? If she felt like she'd been abandoned? It had been his fault after all. He should have made the effort to at least see her while he was off living in Orion. Maybe she felt jealous, or like she had no place with he and Makyna now together. He did spend a lot of time with her... but should he be made to feel guilty about spending time with the one he loved? He shoved the thought aside. Whatever the issue he was, he was certain they could sort it out.

She seemed to be having trouble speaking to him still. He had noticed the small break in her voice as it all built up to a confession that she'd been looking for him, needing to speak to the bear. Leon was more than willing to offer his wisdom to her. Or maybe she was seeking a heart to heart. He wanted to repair their apparently damaged relationship. She was important to him, after all. "Of course, Mia! You can talk to me about anything." He answered gently, tucking his front paws in front of him as he cast a warm, innocent and unassuming smile towards her.

Her heart drummed, wildly beating against her chest and she swore it would soon end up on the ground before her paws. She had to figure out how to word this the right way. She did not want to upset him, but she truly had no one else to go to. She most certainly could not go to Makyna about this. "I've been seeing someone..." She began, her mouth dry from the anxiety that was going through her in massive waves. "Sort of...I guess," Amaria couldn't really call it 'seeing' someone. She wasn't exactly sure how she felt about the entire ordeal. When she was with him she was at ease. Relaxed so much that she just felt happy. Even though they only just started interacting more and more these days the two of them had been through enough together.

"I wanted to talk to you about him is all...." She turned a hesitant glance towards Leon, brows furrowing up with concern as she curled her tail tight around her side. Perhaps if she kept the name from his ears then Leon would not react like how Amaria was fearing. Amaria didn't want to upset him with the information on who it was knowing full well what the two of them had been through. "See...I don't know if I'm really made for this 'love' thing. I don't feel anything like what I assume love to feel like. I mean, I watch you and big sis and I see it, but I don't really think I understand it nor feel it with him. It's just...when I'm with him everything is just...." She paused for a moment, trying to find the right words to use. It was all still very confusing to her. She had always shunned the thought of having something like Makyna and Leon had. It was just something that did not interest her at all.

Yet now here she was, seeking her big brother to try and figure out what she was feeling. "I'm just comfortable around him, I suppose. Like, I feel like he actually wants me around..." Again she paused as she used one of her paws to aimlessly draw across the ground they sat upon. A light grin ghosted across her features, before it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. "I don't know...I guess I don't even really know what I'm trying to ask you..." She sighed heavily and dipped her head down as she averted her gaze away from her brother. It all felt like a mess. She couldn't out right tell him who she was talking about, surely he would feel like that was a stab in the face. She had already went after Cancer when Leon had come home injured to all hell instead of going right to him and making sure he was okay. "I don't know what I'm suppose to do, or what I'm suppose to feel about any of this...Is there something I'm suppose to feel? I care about him, I do, but it's nothing any more than how i feel for a friend, or even for you..."



"Speech."
____________________________________________________________________________
Tags: Leon Makyna
OoC:

@Makyna

@Leon

Leon was completely oblivious to the uncertainty in the clouded leopard's heart as she settled down to begin talking to him; at least, that the uncertainty was leveled towards him. Anybody seeking advice would naturally feel uncertain about themselves, but Leon had committed himself to helping Amaria. After all, she was his younger sister and he cared about her, and any troubles she had he would make it a top priority to help her get over them. He was loathe to see his loved ones struggle. So, he remained silent, nodding as she started to speak. Seeing someone. That news made his stomach churn slightly, but it was mostly that natural, brotherly concern he had for the younger female. Perhaps Leon was bias, but more often than not romantic encounters had a tendency to end badly - with exception to he and Makyna. But that was probably the bias talking.

The bear listened attentively as she went on to say that she wanted to talk to him about the person she was seeing - fair enough, Leon would try to give her the best romantic advice he could. And maybe he could try to weasel the identity of her possible lover out of the clouded leopard. Just... because he was curious. And a little protective. His head tilted slightly as she spoke of love, only that she didn't really feel it like how she expected to feel it. But he knew that it was different for all Gembounds - the relationship between Makyna and Cancer had been a lot different than with he and Makyna. From what he recalled, Cancer had slathered her in goopy, gushy love sick compliments. Leon really didn't know, but from having observed from afar it felt superficial. But again, the bear really didn't know. He was just inclined to make assumptions due to his painstaking distaste for the leopard.

Once she was finished, Leon gave a sagely nod. "It sounds like maybe you're trying to force this relationship, or he is, I don't know. Either way, you're pretending that its something it's not, and if you don't really feel love for him, then somebody's gonna end up getting hurt." He began, but that wasn't all he had to say on the matter. "Then again... Mia, you're still young. I mean, it's possible that you could feel love in a different way than what you observe in other Gembounds. Maybe you just don't feel it the same as others. Thats okay, everybody's different. Or, maybe you aren't feeling that way because... well, maybe what you aren't feeling is love, its just... friendship?" Let it be known that if ever there was a love guru in Origin Cave, Leon was not him. "Either way, you shouldn't base what you think you should be feeling off of what you see in others. You should go with your gut."

Leon nodded again and cast a sly glance over to the leopard. "...Do I know him?" An important question, obviously. Obviously.

For the first time after beginning this conversation, Amaria rose her gaze to her brother and listened closely as he spoke. HIs response drew her mind to wonder if perhaps he had been right. Yet, then again it wasn't like either of them forced this either. It just sort of happened. They had grown close, fond of each other. Perhaps maybe for all the wrong reasons, but it was there. It just wasn't...- She just didn't know how it should feel, or if it was just something because they both seemed to be dealing with their own inner emotions and they had fallen to each other. "But I do not know what my gut is saying," She sighed heavily as she once again dropped her gaze away from her brother. It didn't feel wrong, but it didn't feel heavenly either. It was comfort. Companionship. Something she didn't feel like she received from anyone else anymore.

Ears twitched as his inquired about knowing the person and she nearly froze in her spot. Her heart beat began to race and she shifted almost nervously. "Sort of...." She didn't know what else to say about it. There was no honest to reason why she would continue to hide it from Leon aside from the fact the two of them had tried to kill each other. Cancer had nearly succeeded in that though and she knew it was probably not something that should be mentioned at this very moment. "I don't think he'd intentionally hurt me though...I don't think that's what any of this is about." Quietly she thought over his words again, but it just did not add up at all. She shook her head and furrowed her brows once again, "If he had wanted to hurt me, he would not have cried when he had nearly broken my ribs...."

It wasn't until the words slipped from her maw did suddenly realize what she had said. Her eyes widened and her body fell rigid. Perhaps maybe he would not catch on to that. Hopefully.

"Speech."
____________________________________________________________________________
Tags: @Leon
OoC:

Even despite all his advice, it seemed Amaria was torn over what to do. He furrowed his brow slightly, truly concerned. It pained him to see her so torn up about this, and he wished that he could understand the context of it better - maybe if he knew the Gembound she was talking about, he could give her a little more insight, more of an idea of what to do... but she neglected to tell him, for now. Kind of. She did eventually answer, sort of. The bear's brows raised in curiosity now, and all of his attention was fixed on the clouded leopard. Her words slowly entered the atmosphere, gentle and delicate despite the internal war raging inside of her. And then, suddenly there it was. The answer.

It was Cancer.

The bear couldn't help the anger that bubbled inside of him. It was always Cancer. He was always the source of Leon's problems, always hurting the ones he loved. He had cast Makyna's feelings aside and selfishly discarded their relationship, and now he was, what, trying to force some kind of a relationship on his darling Amaria? A growl simmered inside of his chest, but he swallowed it down for now. "It's... Cancer...?" Leon managed, confused, but mostly angry. "But why? Amaria, you know... you know what he's done..."

His words hit her and they hit hard. She heard the sudden change, felt the shifting of his massive body next to hers as her senses quickly went off in response. Her head swung around towards him, blue eyes wide and unsure as her ears pinned back. She knew how he felt about Cancer and how Cancer felt about him. A strange emotion twisted in her gut and she suddenly felt nauseous. Perhaps it was because she felt the anger beginning to boil within him, heard it within his voice. Or perhaps it was guilt to have admitted such a thing knowing full well how Leon may feel about it. "Leon I..." Her voice trembled, nearly stuttering as she tried to figure out what to say.

She rose to her paws and took a hesitant step back as she lowered her head as if she were ashamed of herself. Then images flashed into her mind. Of the two Crysali that were now growing back in Orion. Chrysali that held not only her child, but Bevy's as well. Her jaw tightened and she lifted her head, setting hard eyes onto her brother. She would never speak of Bevy's interaction with Cancer, but she would not be ashamed of her decision. "I also saw his consequences, just as I saw yours for even starting the battle between you two," Her words were sharp and unwavering, but they were not angry. "I understand your hatred for him. Especially when it concerns Makyna. He was mean to you, I've seen it. No you didn't deserve it, but in the end he is the one that was betrayed and shunned by his entire 'family' if you can even call it that," The longer she spoke the more she couldn't control the deeper emotions that had been building up quietly within her.

"I don't even feel welcomed in that place anymore," She trailed off from Cancer, without even realizing she had done so. "You're too busy with Makyna, and Makyna just straight out ignores me. I get it though. This love crap. I don't damn you for it, but is it truly so hard to at least attempt focusing on others? For a moment her words faultered once more as she began to feel her eyes start to burn just behind the surface. "What options did you leave me Leon!? You both left me abandoned and no one else wanted to even bother with me! Except maybe Bevy, or who ever she was in any current time." The amount of emotions hitting her at once was a little overwhelming. She loved her big brother more than anything, but she felt broken in that moment. She had hoped he would have been a little more understanding. She wanted to tell him what was going on in Orion. Wanted to know that when the time came...that he would not place in her in a position where she would have to defend something so precious against him.

"Leon I love you...You've always been my Big Brother... But he has been the only one to make me feel like I belonged some where..." She couldn't keep the tears from her eyes any longer, slowly they began to stream down from the corners of her eyes. "I love him! Whether you like it or not, he has always been there for me. Even when he was with Makyna! He at least made time, if even only a little!" Her voice began to rise the more she spoke and she could feel her limbs begin to quiver with the intensity of her own emotions. "You LEFT me! Did you expect me to come running back and understanding like Makyna did?! Love is a vile thing! I wish I didn't feel that emotion ever!"

Amaria choked as she stared at Leon. She wasn't even sure what she was trying to get across to him. Her tail lashed around behind her as claws subconsciously slipped from the cover of her paws. "I don't even know why I tried to come to you...I should have known you would get mad..." Her ears pinned back and she quickly looked away from him, nearly growling at herself as if hoping that would stop the tears from flowing. Everything was just wrong. Leon had Makyna now. Why should it have mattered that Amaria sought out the one creature who made her feel needed. Though her vision only began to blur even more as a new set of tears began to gather. She was going to have a child. One that Cancer had fathered and now she was uncertain if that child would ever be welcomed in what was suppose to be her home. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to even try risking it.

Slowly her gaze turned back to leon, eyes full of hurt and now anger. "How is it fair...Am I suppose to just sit in the shadows like I have been doing while you get married? Would it be any different if it had been someone else?" She spat the words harshly, the fur along her back beginning to rise up as anger was quick to respond to the chaotic emotions that were overwhelming her. "HE should have NEVER been exiled from our home! Your love triangle spat with him should have been kept between you three! It should have never gotten as far as it had. You BOTH nearly died! I don't even need to tell you that! You tried to kill him just as he tried to kill you! How is it fair that he has to be exiled while you sit in Pisces like you had not done anything wrong! All because Makyna chose to only see his reaction to your assault!" Her sister's name fell from her tongue like venom. It twisted her heart the way she spoke it, it broke her even more to even be yelling at her brother. She loved them, but she was so tired. Nothing would have been a problem if this stupid thing called love had never came about. Their family could have lasted...

Giggles words rang in her head out of no where and a sob choked from her. This couldn't be happening...

"Speech."
____________________________________________________________________________
Tags: @Leon @Makyna
OoC: We can do one or two more posts or the fight can escalate quickly and makyna can drop in if Bri wants and be done with this thread

Warning, lots of swears :O

Leon should have known that doubting her would have caused this little talk of theirs to turn south. He should have known that any mention of Cancer would have driven this discussion down a darker route, but he also should have minded his temper and tried to at least be a little more understanding. Hell, he barely had a problem with Cancer now - maybe that was because the leopard was out of his hair and suffering on his own in Orion, like he did before. Cancer was getting a taste of his own medicine, which Leon considered to be entirely just - the punishment of an exile for four long cycles might have been a little much, but he wasn't going to question Bevy. All Leon really had to worry himself with was getting his rank back. Cancer... Cancer wasn't even a problem.

Why was he so angry?

Everyone I care about, he takes them. He's doing this to spite me. I took Makyna from him and now he thinks he can take Amaria from me. That must have been the answer. He wished she could see it that way - he wished that she would understand that it was why he had gotten so angry. He wished she would realize that Cancer's intentions might not have been as innocent as she thought (and maybe he should have realized that maybe Cancer wasn't out to ruin everything for Leon). When she bowed her head and stepped away, the anger could have subsided, but instead her voice grew sharp and cool. She was turning this on him. Cancer played the victim - he always did. He always fucking did, and he roped her into believing that he was so hard done by, that he didn't deserve what he had coming to him for damn near destroying Leon's life.

But then she said she didn't feel welcome, and it was his fault. Not only his - Makyna's. No. That's not true. Leon furrowed his brow and his frown deepened. She spat out accusations of him, but Leon was blinded to anything but his own memories - he'd never neglected her. He wanted to make time for her, and he tried; in between settling back into his duties and drinking up as much time as he could with Makyna, he tried to seek her out. She was supposed to rise up to the Scout rank, and he was supposed to conduct her initiation. Had she forgotten about that? He watched as tears began to swell in her eyes, and his heart yearned to comfort her - but it was also scorned, and for that, he was torn. As much as he wanted to reach out and forgive her, he couldn't forgive what she had said.

The rest of what she said had come to him blurry and undistinguished as though wrenched up from the bottom of the ocean, words drowned out by the fury that was surely mounting in his chest. The heat began to rise to his skin, his face, his paws; crawling along his body like a manifestation of the anger itself. She consistently leaped to his defense, taking shots at him and Makyna as if they were the cause of all his problems - problems she had no right to defend, he'd done this to himself. And when finally she spewed the name of his love with only poison in her voice, Leon rose onto all fours with a roar he couldn't detain and a blast of heat exuded from his skin. "DON'T you DARE talk about her like that!" The bear snarled, bristling as he stared the clouded leopard down. "And don't you fucking dare act like you know everything, Amaria. Where were you? After I came back, where were you? Hiding out with Cancer so he could fill your head with all this bullshit about how he doesn't deserve anything the big bad bear did to him, right?"

He spat, unsure if at this point he was more angry at Cancer or Amaria. "So while you were flouncing off to go soothe his woes, I had a job to do. I had a rank to get back, and most importantly, I had to show them that I wasn't a mindless, angry killing machine - I had to earn back their trust, and what were you doing? Fucking around with him while he sat and soaked in his self-righteous misery, you know-" The bear uttered a furious roar. "-he doesn't even care, Amaria, he's using you to make himself feel better! Bet he told you every detail of his god damn sob story five times over, right? Bet he told you how he lost it all while the stupid bear's livin' it up with his girlfriend in Pisces, right?"

Against his will, he reached out for the only person that could possibly soothe the inferno inside of him. He hadn't even noticed the way his mind beckoned for her, reeling as it lost control of his emotions and clawing for something stable - he needed her, now, before he fell beyond from where he could find his way out again. The bear rumbled and stepped closer, teeth flashing and heat burning from his body. "It's not my fault he chose to be an asshole about this - it's not my fault he tried to dig my stone out of my back, he deserves every ounce of suffering for everything that he's done - and FUCK him for taking you away - I never wanted you to leave, you never gave me a chance! YOU LEFT US FOR HIM!" The bear erupted, very well shaking the tunnel with the volume of his furious voice.

@Makyna @Amaria