After meeting the twins and their "papa", the rodent needed to get a little air. Walking all around the tunnels, remembering bits and pieces of events with each place she visited; but it all seem to lead to one location. A familiar sound called out from down a tunnel, something that triggered a memory. Home Quickening her pace, Carrie turned to find herself back in the place she first woke all those cycles ago. Under the waterfall of this wet room. Just over there, near the edge of the lagoon, her chrysalis was waiting to hatch. The place she woke up and almost drowned upon entering this world. It was all a blurry memory, but she hoped that coming back here would help her remember something more. Yet, she did remember someone who helped her that day but . . . the image of their face was fuzzy, yet she was sure if she saw them again she would remember on the spot. "Why has it been so long?" Dropping her head down to gaze into the pool of water. With a sign, the rodent would lower herself down to rest of the floor; gaze still in the water now. If only she could better understand what happened in the past with her, not everything was so clear and after speaking with the "papa" of the twins, she was afraid she was even more confused then before. --------- "Speechy speechy speech." OOC: open to anyone who wants to meet Carrie!

Firenze was deep under the lagoon, his heart just as bitter cold as the water that surrounded him. He was waiting for Lavonia to come back to him, as she was having more and more of these 'trips' away from him, but he knew what she was doing. She was always searching for Vicktor, who was busy chasing Clover. He didn't even know Clover and he hated her, hated that she was the cause of Lavonia constantly leaving him for their friend.

What did she even want with Vicktor anyway? She only saw him once when they were kids, and he was the one who took care of her and tried to make her happy. This was stupid.

He saw a fish glimmer up near the surface and he saw his chance. Swimming like a demon in the water, he caught it in his teeth and crashing through to the open air and onto shore, his teeth sinking into the fish's flesh to make it stop thrashing around in his mouth. Blood, rich liquid iron poured over his tongue, and he felt marginally better, knowing he'd caught something delicious to eat.

He shook off the water once he got to shore, and looked around - and stopped cold, seeing he'd gotten this other gembound completely soaked through.

"Mrphh," He spat the fish out and let it flop pathetically on the ground. "I'm sorry about that. Are you okay? Can I warm you up?"

Feeling terrible for splashing her, he reached for his magick to warm her up properly, but too much heat rose to his paws at once, and it felt like he was dancing on red hot coals. He bit his yelp down and quickly ushered back to the water, the water hissing as he did so. He sighed internally. This would leave blisters again for sure.

"Speech"

@Carrie

As she was staring into the water, a silhouette began to form. Was someone in there, swimming around? Stretching her neck out, squinting her eyes to try and get a better look but there was no need. For the shape grew bigger and bigger then SPLASH. A face full of water. She looked up to the one who had come up from the water and it defiantly wasn't what they were expecting at all. Not a water gembound like she saw once when she was young, no. This was one who waled on land like she was seemed to swim very well indeed. "Oh no, it's fine. Water doesn't bother me at all." That was a lie, she LOVED water and was probably going to jump in herself if she didn't notice the other in there before her. The capybara stood up and began to shake her body, letting some water fly off but instead all the water seem to vanish into her body as soon as they mentioned warming up. Remembering warmth coming from a paw, she held still where she stood. The place where her rear leg started to change color, a slight burning sensation began. Some sort of phantom pain? The rodent remembered such magic, but as soon as she felt she was getting somewhere she noticed the other had hurt themselves. "Oh . . . are you alright?" Inching closer, the female would let her brown gaze all onto the other's paw. --------- "Speechy speechy speech." OOC: words words

@Firenze

For the past little while, there were a few places in particular that Leon had taken up residency. For the most part, he and Makyna took turns guarding their den. Perhaps they were being a little overprotective in that sense - Pisces was probably the safest cave he knew, for him and his children at least. With the ever watchful Bevy and the rest of the Maji Walezis almost always around, he knew that they wouldn't be in too much danger. By now, most of the group learned of the trio of chrysali propped up against the wall in the den, but Leon had stressed that he didn't want many more to know about it. Because, at the root of his paranoia, there existed Vazi.

Down to his core, he knew the problem that the water elemental stag posed. He knew that if given the chance, Vazi would storm the cave and steal his children out from under his nose. He was thankful in that they were safe in their gems for now, but what would prevent the stag from smashing them apart? What would prevent him from destroying them where they sat? He doubted anybody in Maji Walezi would be able to hold them off - with exception of Leon himself, and maybe Makyna, but he didn't want to take any risks. That was why he'd been obsessively guarding the den when Makyna wasn't around.

The other place that Leon would be was, well, anywhere else in Pisces. Because of his watchfulness, his patrols had pretty much ceased. There were always others in the group to perform them, and it wasn't due to laziness or inattentiveness - he just needed to be able to watch those growing chrysali. So when the coyote had emerged from the water like a whale and startled the visiting capybara, it was inevitable that Leon would take notice. He'd been lounging on the lip of the overhang marking the entrance to their den, soaking in the gloriously artificial light of the lamps. The bear lay on his side, picking his most recent meal from his teeth with his claw, when he heard a great splash and a sputtering - an apology - and cast his gaze down to see Firenze burning himself in an attempt to warm up the capybara. He furrowed his brow for a moment, noting her pale leg. Weird. There was something familiar about her. Something he couldn't place.

Still, Firenze had burned himself and Leon felt the need to help. The bear rolled to his paws and lumbered from the ledge down the slippery trail along the rocky ridges. His eyes lingered on the capybara for the duration of his descent, but once he approached, he turned his gaze to the coyote. "Hey, Firenze," He called, keeping his pace casual. "you alright? Who's your friend?" The bear flicked his nose towards the capybara, but ultimately kept his eyes on his young friend.

@Firenze

He focused on the older gembound in front of him instead of the burning feeling of his pawpads, the pain a familiar houseguest. Instead he watched all the water on her completely disappear with interest and laughed, "Haha! That's incredible! So you're a water gal, huh? Feel free to douse me if I set myself on fire,"He said this nonchalantly, as if expecting it to happen.

then a familiar, deep rumbling voice caught his attention and he swiveled around, his ears straight up, and he broke out into a huge smile. With his tail swishing back and forth, he called out, "Leon! Leon, it's good to see you again! How are those fish treating you?" He smiled cockily, but with good humor, then answered both of their questions, "I'm alright, it's nothing you and I haven't felt before. This is....um..." He looked at her, then looked rather abashed. "I'm sorry, I don't know your name yet. I'm Firenze.

Then the bear came closer, and he was able to scrutinize them better, and he gasped, his fur setting on edge. "Le- What- What happened to your face, Leon? What happened?"

"Speech"

@Carrie

She was glad to see that their paw was alright, but the female kept a space between her and the canine. Nothing personal really, but the things a certain stag had told her not to long ago were still sinking into her mind. This one didn't seem dangerous, but she didn't want to judge. "Maybe . . . but I'm not that good at spells. They don't always work." Ears pinned as she did recall that about herself but soon heavy footsteps would catch her attention. Twisting her head around to the larger figure that was entering the damp room. I know them. There was a flutter in her chest, but not the kind that lifted one off their feet. No, this was the kind that twisted your stomach and made knees feel weak. How do I know them? The rodent looked back to the other as they seemed to show concern for the face of the bear. Names were exchanged. Leon? Leon. Leon! It came back to her, a little at a time as she stared as the face of the large gembound. Could it be?!? Was this really the same Leon from when she was just a child? Not even a cycle old? But this was also the gembound that used a spell to heat up their paw to stop the bleeding. Wait, what bleeding? Your leg. Mouth fell open, almost frozen in place now. So many mixed feelings filled her, conflicting emotions. A part of her wanted to run to the bear, another run away, leap for joy and scream in fear. This face was one of mixed feelings. The only thing that she could say now was just a single word. "Carrie." --------- "Speechy speechy speech." OOC: screw it, I'm going to roll with this

@Leon

The fish? Oh... oh yeah, the fish. Leon curled his lip in an expression that was half grimace half grin, snorting at the boy and dismissing his question. Having lost once was painful enough, he didn't need the coyote rubbing it in his face! Well, it didn't matter, Firenze was about to introduce her - or nevermind, since apparently he didn't know her name. Leon loosed a quiet laugh and leaned back, only for his friend to have noticed the gruesome scarring that crossed his neck, face and back. Thankfully, it had plenty of time to heal by now, but that didn't make it look any better. It was still as ropey and wrinkly and black as ever, the scar tissue twisted and gnarled. "Oh, it, uh-" Leon fumbled, trying to think of a quick explanation to give to Firenze that wouldn't outright make him seem like a monster.

Only in the midst of his flurry of thoughts, the capybara had suddenly turned to him and sputtered out a name.

Carrie.

Leon looked to her. He blinked once, twice, then widened his eyes. It should have been obvious - she was the only of her kind that he had ever seen, how could he forget her? How could he forget that day, when his paws stung and he had witnessed an accident like no other, when Makyna had called for him and he came to help as much as he could? By then, it was already too late. Her leg was frozen solid. It would just have been dead weight, it would have gotten scraped and injured and infected; their only option was to remove it. Yet here she stood with a new leg in its place, albeit pale, like a ghost.

"Carrie?" The bear repeated dumbly, staring at her. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't..." He trailed off, furrowing his brow as he sought for the right thing to say. What could he say? "Sorry about your leg by the way, even though it looks like you grew a new one, no hard feelings, right? Where've you been all this time? You know Makyna was torn up about you, right? She was upset for days - no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that - we missed you - the bear cleared his throat. "It's been so long. Are you... how are you?" Leon pinned his short, round ears back.

@Firenze

Seeing the bear filled her head with such a rush of emotions. It was him, he was there when her lost was lost. No, it was him who took her leg off! Lord Hasair was right, carnivores were to blame for her loss of a limb and the loss of time she was asleep. Taking a few steps back, she kept a safe distance between her and the two meat-eaters. Leon was sorry? No, don't forget they will try and fool you. Right, that was right. Quickly, Carrie shook her head, "Not fine, not fine at all." Tiny ears pined back as she glanced at the exit. "Please don't hurt me!" Stomach was in a twist, but the rodent took off down one of the tunnels leaving the two of them behind. The poor thing was so scared, only the words of the great stag rang in her head. --------- "Speechy speechy speech." OOC: exit post, heading to Tunnel M Sorry for it being short

@Leon

He watched the exchange silently, frowning all the while. After Carrie left as fast as a flash, scared out of her wits, he turned to Leon with this completely confused expression, his ears back. He wasn't laughing now.

"Um....Leon, I know your face is bad, but it's not that bad." He said, in a subdued tone, his normal jokes falling flat. "What the heck happened? To you and to her?"

Silence.

"If....you don't want to tell me, that's fine, I guess." He said quietly, looking at the now dead fish on the ground that he'd caught earlier. Walking into drama was never fun, he knew. If there was one thing the caves were full of, it was drama. He just didn't think the happy Leon he'd met as a little kit would be embroiled in it too.

"Speech"

@Leon

Just as he was hanging on nervousness, worried that the worst possible thing could happen, the worst possible thing really did happen as Carrie essentially freaked out and bolted away. She said not fine and ran, begging not to be hurt while she made her escape. Leon's eyes widened and he leaned away, startled - making no attempt to stop her, of course - watching as she disappeared through the tunnel entrance and away from Pisces. The bear was left with his maw gaping, lost for words or really any idea of what to do. It wasn't until Firenze had piped up with a sobered jest, and Leon slowly closed his teeth and glanced over at the coyote. He was both embarrassed and disappointed; whatever had happened to Carrie after removing her leg, it hadn't been good. She must think of him as a monster.

"No, its..." Leon finally said, sucking in a sigh and rolling his shoulders back. "She was a friend of Makyna's, a long time ago. They were practicing their magic together when Carrie accidentally froze her leg. I found them and tried to help, and we had to..." The bear's voice trailed off and he glanced back in the direction the capybara had run off to. "I had to remove her leg." His lips tightened into a grim line. Maybe it was hard to believe, considering the capybara now had four legs again. Something must have happened to her for her leg to come back, but what? Worst of all, it had caused her to resent him.

The bear sighed and rose to his paws again. "She disappeared after that, for a long time. Makyna and I feared the worst. And now she's back, and her leg's back, and I - I probably shouldn't have been so upfront to her, I think I scared her pretty badly." The desire to pursue her, to right his wrongs and apologize, was nearly overwhelming. But he didn't want to make their encounter any worse. "Don't tell Makyna about this, okay? It'll probably break her heart." He huffed. The last thing he wanted was for Makyna to find out that he had freaked Carrie out and caused her to run away.

THIS IS AN EXIT NOW.