She expected many things from the pup, one of which was fear. He'd been listening to Magdalena's tales about the ones who lived here gobbling him up and she'd just told him that she would do so... and yet he didn't jump in fear or quake. He simply turned his head to look at her. The queen smiled, laughter ceasing as she looked right back at him and gave a wink. Even when she was threatening someone's life she could hardly keep that smile off of her face... well, until she was called a coward then that smile fell and she looked hard at the wolf. Just what sort of game was he playing? The one where she really did slit his throat rather than just playing along with Magsie's story?

She would have spoken then but the pup continued on with his long-winded explanation. She could at least let him speak. If he was a dead wolf then he might as well get his last bit of words out, no? And boy... did he have a lot of words. Throughout the whole thing the mongoose kept her dagger raised to his throat and her other paw braced against the back of his head in case he tried to get away. While she did this her mind wondered and she thought over what he was saying. How could one his age know so much? It stroked her ego and probably helped him a little that he mentioned her --self proclaimed-- title but this was severely unnerving. Her eyes narrowed briefly in suspicion as she stared evenly back into his blood-red eyes without flinching. She might do her deeds and dirt in the dark just as he said but she was not afraid of open combat, at least not with someone as puny as him and with her poison spear at her back. He'd be dead in an instant if she willed it. There were a thousand ways to die in Monoceros and she was in control of every single one.

Finally, his speech came to an end and the cave was left in silence. The mongoose stared at him and considered a thousand things at once. She could kill him now, destroy all of that info that he'd somehow managed to collect... But how would she find out where he'd gotten it. Either he had some sort of leader or he was some freak observer... Either way, she would have the info or have him even if she had to blind him and force him into subservience. Someone with his knowledge was not just happened upon so easily. The mongoose blinked, linked her lips and then gave her classic smirk that exposed that pink fang of hers. After Magdalena's comment she gave a hearty laugh as if this was all a joke and like she found the wolf's words amusing... but she never moved that dagger.

Still in an amused voice she said, "You've got quite a set 'a lungs on ya! I'm impressed, kiddo! Impressed... but really, ya need to learn how to watch what you say," With that she used the paw at the back of his head to attempt to pull none to gently at his head fur and skin. "Yes, I am the Queen a' Thieves an' therefore I'll be treated with the proper respect! If ya think I'm a coward I'd be happy to dispute it with ya in a fight but until then," Even if he did she was certain of her ability to win. Even if she didn't she had Fire to stomp on him and throw him behind bars. "In any case, kiddo, yer playin' a dangerous game. Someone should teach ya t'keep yer mouth shut or one day someone'll shut it for ya. Maybe it'll be me... Because while yer smart... Yer too smart. You know too much an' because 'a that... I ain't lettin' ya go no matter how much ya plead or scream or beg. Yer in Merrymen territory now an' therefore you belong to me... forever." She tickled the dagger at his throat almost playfully... if her words weren't deathly serious. Quite unlike her usual playful tone she held no joking note in her voice and her smirk had all but disappeared. "An' as such yer gonna tell me exactly what ya know an' how ya came t'know it... Now, will ya do so the easy way or the hard way?" Normally she was never so territorial but now that this pup had shown so much knowledge and spoke to her in such a way... she was feeling indulgent.

The mongoose glanced up at the canine and though she knew that Magdalena couldn't see her she winked anyway. "Tsk tsk tsk, kids these days don't know when t'keep quiet, eh Magsie?" And she gave a mirth-filled laugh before her attention turned back to the pup.


____________________________________________________________________

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

817
Magsie, Zephyr
Ish got real...
10/10

Zephyr's gaze never wavered, his eyes never showing fear, for he did not fear the mongoose, he did not fear the dagger she held to his throat, rather he felt old. How many times she had done this, how many lives had she taken while she wore that smile, enjoying the power she had over others. This was something he wanted no part of.

"I know what I know simply because of what I see, the world has a million stories, it's just a matter of looking at the right ones that make up the story that holds the answer for what you seek, for the questions that remain unanswered."

"I know not of the Merry Men, I had no knowledge of your group, and wish you no harm. Perhaps it was rash of me to call you a coward, must be the youngling in me, I want no part of your band, or what you do here. I do not want wish for a fight, I do not wish for animosity, I merely would like to be on my way. I have told you everything I know, because that is the truth.

She fell silent. Diamondfang had taken control of the situation, and Magdalena would never voice her most inner thoughts - opinions, wants, urges that never left her locked sanctum. She listened as the mongoose turned her threat to the child, claiming that he knew too much. He was attentive, and maybe he'd come to read the situation as well as the wiser of the Gembounds. Maybe somebody really had told him vital information, but she couldn't imagine who. The point was, Diamondfang believed that this definitive knowledge was taboo for him to pass so freely. Magdalena mostly agreed.

Still, he insisted that he didn't know anything about them. He backed up with a claim that he was simply adept at observing. He was apologetic, pleading even to be released, she wondered if he had the strength to back up his rash speculations. "That no longer matters at this point," Magdalena said dully. The part inside of her that cloyed for excitement was itching to emerge. For what reason had she come down here in the first place, restlessness? Boredom? Escaping the idle threat of her memories? What better way to distract herself?

Post-Roll Edit:
Finally, her haunches unfolded. The borzoi extended her hind limbs, achieving a frail, diminutive height. Her legs were thin, her sides starved. She looked more like a ghost passing through this misty uncertain realm. The sickness roiled inside of her, the bacteria clamoring for escape. Her blind eyes rested unnervingly upon the pair. It wasn't a cough, or even the clearing of her throat, or a cloudy wheeze. She simply exhaled and its tendrils bled from her jaw, saturating the air around the mongoose and the wolf. Even if he escaped, she would know where he was. She would be able to find him. "If you come with us you would be unharmed." Magdalena said suddenly, fixing her focus on the wolf.

She still hadn't decided for what reason entirely she'd want to kidnap the wolf. There was no more room in her heart for lost, lonely children. Perhaps another subject - a hardier one, that wouldn't crumple into himself. Erebus' fate had been an explosive one, an intriguing one, but it still wasn't what she wanted. What did she want, exactly?

@Diamondfang

Something eerie seemed to emanate from the she dog, and he knew something was wrong. She stood, why was she standing where as before she had been sitting, why had she opened her maw?

He didn't like the sick feeling that seemed to roll off of her in waves, she was too thin, she was ethereal in a rancid sort of way. He didn't know what to do, if he resisted he was as good as dead, if he went with them, who would guard them?

The tiny queen snorted as she heard the little pup speaking once more. He was still trying to weasel his way out of capture. He did he not understand his situation? It was already said and done. This little pup was now Merrymen property. Even if he was only an observant little know-it-all that was too much knowledge to just let go. It was immodest of her to hold the poor pup at knifepoint like this but when had Diamondfang ever cared? "Lissen, kid, it's far too late to be tryin' to talk your way outta here. Your already here in Monoceros and our property. So 'ere's what's gonna happen. Your gonna walk on up to there to those ledges where me an' my--" It was then that she felt a zap from her dagger and on reflex she dropped it with a hiss and drew her paw back with a rather explicit word.

Her dagger fell to the ground with a clatter as the pup was left temporarily unguarded while she nursed her paw. "Magsie, nab 'im!" She hollered out on reflex but then she remembered who she was talking to and raised her voice. "FIRE! COME HERE! WE GOT A RUNAWAY!" To be fair she didn't know if the kid was running but it was better to be safe than sorry. Just in case the trino didn't come in time the queen reached down with her paw and drew out her spear which she jabbed at the pup. She didn't throw it point first but used the blunt end to jab at wolf's head in hope to knock him out or slow him down enough so that he could be grabbed and thrown into prison.


____________________________________________________________________

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

287
Magsie, Zephyr, @Nemesis
---
6/10

Nemesis heard the call of her leader and she dropped what she was doing-- which was nothing more than watching her sweetheart, precious little Hestia do her thing-- and raced for the entrance to Monoceros, her feet pounding out a drum roll that caused tremors in the earth bellow her heavy weight.

The beast appeared in the distance to Zephyr, Mags and Fang in only moments. Which she looked primarily like a rhinoceros, down to the massive horn on her snout-- there was a patchy, thick scaliness to her hide that appeared too thick and calloused for a normal rhino. Her head sported a hard, shell like frill and just by her ears-- two more horns, as though she was the evolutionary step between a triceratops and the white rhino she had been born as.

More curiously was the cluster of orange gem on her brow, which glowed brightly with the heat of her magic. As she drew closer to the small crowd, one could see that her feet were burning with hot flames. Her ears smoked, her tail blazing a burning inferno behind her. The flames licked at her skin and she drew closer, the stench of burning flesh filled the air-- but there was no sense of pain from the rhinoceros, only anger.

"Who DARES threaten my home?" She roared as her charge drove her straight towards them. "Let me at 'em, Fang!" The mother rhino was filled to the brim with the sense that she had to protect her home and her newborn child, and she was more than willing to charge down the wolf... But she slowed to a stop before her leader and her lover, midnight gaze passing over Magdalena for just a moment.

"What's going on?" She hissed, sending an accusing glare to the trespasser, her body burning with her wrath and the venom in her tone all too clear. She was not messing around, and if Fang asked her to, she wouldn't hesitate to kill the stranger.

"Magdalena Speech" "Nemesis Speech"

( nem won't actually kill zeph, but she thinks she's gonna, lmao )

@Diamondfang

Then, all at once, any control she may have had on the situation slipped right out of her grasp. She hadn't seen it or felt it or heard it, but there was just that brief zap of electricity, the smallest shock that had caused Diamondfang to hiss in the middle of her words and drop the dagger, which clattered - and she knew something had happened. Magdalena's head instantly snapped to Diamondfang, if only out of confusion. Then she focused on Zephyr, those pale yellow eyes lingering somewhere in his direction; quiet, accusing, begging an explanation. She'd given him an ultimatum. They both had. He could cooperate, or they would take whatever part of him they could. And from the sounds of it, it didn't seem like he was going to cooperate.

Before she could really react - especially to Diamondfang's command - the mongoose had called out for her Fire. Magdalena raised her head and pushed her ears forward, but it only took a couple seconds for the trino to come charging at them. The stench of burnt skin reeled in the otherwise cool and stale air. Magdalena knew the smell, but she couldn't decide what feeling it was stirring inside - pleasure, or worry? In that fleeting time it took for Nemesis to arrive, perhaps Magdalena could be useful. She'd already saturated the air with her bacteria. Maybe they could do her some good.

Post-Roll Edit:
Her mind wavered. Her focus shifted - it was gone as soon as Nemesis had charged onto the scene, shouting a threat at the intruder. Magdalena bit her tongue, resisting the urge to scowl in frustration. She could have had this. She could have... slowed him down... Her tense shoulders gradually eased and her head lowered again, pursed lips falling into bleak emotionless. Magdalena waited for only a moment, but she didn't see a need to hang out any longer. If they were going to kill him, then that was her victory ensnared - otherwise, she would only be another obstacle in whatever dangerous dance they would conduct. "Pity." She seethed, still stung by her own failure. Magdalena stepped back and her head turned in Diamondfang's direction - those clouded eyes stared past the mongoose, but her expression read clearly enough: I want him. Then, that was it. Magdalena backed away from the group.

Her paws would take her back into the safety of the platforms; she would monitor the events from afar, for now.

exit Magdalena @Zephyr Bloodking

Zephyr saw the disaster unfold before him and knew that right now, the only option available to him was to run, and that is what he did. He didn't waste anytime dodging out from Diamondfang.

However he felt her paw smack him, and was barely able to escape it feeling a gash on his back but he didn't stop running.

Post Roll:
Suddenly he felt heat behind him and saw the trino charging towards the group and doubled his effort, urging his still young legs to carry him as far away as possible as fast as possible. He did no want to die here, not when he still had life in his body.

He didn't look back, sparks of electricity danced over his black pelt, showing his anxiety, his agitation, his fear. He didn't want this place, he didn't want the sickness that seemed to cloak this place. This was a place where things went to die, he didn't plan on being one of the dead, not if he could help it.

He sprinted through the territory, praying to whatever deity, if there were any, to grant him speed. He kept urging his body to run, his lungs hurt, but he was more afraid of what was behind him.