The painted dog was all but shouting questions at him almost the moment he finished speaking. Carni felt his shoulders tense to pull back, to crouch, submit- because this dog was bigger, and older, and stronger- but he held firm in his upright pose, only his ears pinching back. They had the right to know what he knew.

What did he know? He stole a glance at Fortune, worried, but turned back as Bones continued on. His brothers? Sisters? That, he didn't know. He wished he knew. He'd only seen Eythan recently, and...

He'd answer his questions one by one.

"Buried. I don't know how, or who, if there even is a who, or what." He tilts his head. "Nothing gives me the right, but my Father asked me, raised me, to be King in his place. I don't want to be someone's high and mighty tyrant, I promise. I just want to keep us together, and help however I can to keep the Bonebound alive and prospering. It's all I know.

"And my brothers? Sisters? I don't know. I haven't known for a cycle or more, except for Eythan, and now he's missing too." His voice broke a little as he spoke. Distressed, his concern as plain as day, because he could really use their support right now. He'd gladly pass the throne on to one of them, if they were here, and wanted it- or more to the point, were right for it.

He wondered about his family sometimes. Worried about them.

Now wasn't the time for family drama, though. He stood up and slipped down from the perch, coming to even ground with the ground.

"Please give me at least a chance. We'll figure out what happened, and if someone is to blame, they will be brought to justice." Even if... "That said, our security in Canis has holes, despite some of our best efforts. We need more attention on who comes in and out of our home, more communication. He flared his wings in a dramatic gesture. "I don't even know half of your names! I've grown up here! And you!" He gestures with one flared wing towards the stranger, Xin. "Are you even Bound?" And if not, well, he was welcome. Any were welcome, because this group was alarmingly small.

"We're one of the oldest groups in the caves. Azazel once led dozens of gembound. Now look at us." He puffed up his chest in a brave stance. "There's a future for us yet, and I for one plan on seeing our family back to its former glory, if not even greater! Who's with me?"

---

<sub>OOC : He's trying so hard and I'm scrambling to match this cotton-ball's enthusiasm sorry.

@Fortune @Bones @Kerberos @Xin @Amaria @GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG</sub>

As the meeting swelled in size, Fortune settled into a resting position, tucking delicate limbs beneath herself. Dark sapphire orbs flicked upwards to gaze at Carni, who stuck out like a sore thumb against the stony precipice the old King once stood upon. Quietly, the duiker marveled at how he seemed to fit perfectly on that stone, like he belonged.

Perhaps it was the shadow of the fallen King, or perhaps it was that of a fallen Princess. Few seemed to remember the Princess. Her name had been lost to the sands of time. Some did not pick up on the resemblance of her to the new King, apparently. Toon knew she did not know Mau personally, but she had seen the plush feline strutting about the tomb that was Canis. That is, until she met her untimely demise. The Caves seemed notorious for that; ripping the life from innocent Gembound in order to keep fate and destiny ideals to be... feared... welcomed? Unfortunate.

As Carni glanced at him for comfort, she offered a small smile and a flick of her ears, nodding gently. Fortune glanced to the small mustelid as the pale hybrid gestured wildly to him with one wing, and she gave them a small smile as well. She wasn't sure who they were, but they were welcomed. Toon would be sure that they'd feel that way.

Unfurling her limbs and standing, the ancient duiker's ears swiveled forth as the King ended his little speech. A slight flashback ran through her mind of the formation of the Bonebound. 'He's almost like his father...' her mind whispered, causing her lips to tug upwards in a slight smile. Azazel had been so righteous about forming the clan, about gathering a family for himself and others to call their own. Here Carni was, continuing the lammergeier's legacy, all while making his own.

"I am with you, my Bone King," Toon finally spoke, almost gliding across stone to stand at Carni's side.