Li was still upset from meeting Imperia for the first time in so many cycles. She had walked off in a haste, desperate to get away from them. They could see right through her, know exactly how she was feeling. And she hated it. She hated how Imperia just knew her. Knew how she acted, what she felt. It was to be expected, really. Imperia had given life to that stone when they were still young.

Now, she sat beside the waterfall, looking into the lagoon that the water crashed into. Staring at her reflection. As she thought about the stone that Imperia had given life to, her paw moved to the orange, spiky gem. She touched it lightly, lightly enough that she wouldn't accidentally prick her paw on it. The last thing she needed was a bleeding paw pad.

She thought about how, if Imperia hadn't killed the one that gave her this stone, what things would have been like. Would Imperia be killing others? Giving life to those stones? Maybe then they'd have someone who actually wanted to do what Imperia wanted. Though, really, that couldn't be good for the caves. Imperia was bad enough.

And, really, she wasn't all that good either.

She quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts. She looked down at her reflection. Her face was littered with scars and burns, and she could still see that scar that ran across her chest. So much had changed. The scars were old, but she remembered how she got each and every one. They were all from Imperia. Almost the only one to ever actually be able to get a scratch on her. Imperia had taught her well, that much she knew. She grew up in the caracal's care - if it could even be called that - and they had taught her to fight, with the intention that she'd fight alongside them. Of course, that never really happened.

Didn't stop them from trying, though.

And now the two were separate. And she had wanted to keep it that way. She wants to keep it that way. It has to stay that way. Meeting Imperia again solidified that. The two shouldn't be anywhere near each other. And she was perfectly fine with that.

She looked up at the waterfall and away from her reflection. She couldn't stand to look at it a second longer. As she looked around, her mind couldn't help but drink back to the last time she was in Pisces. Back when she was still with Imperia. She was still young then, so young. She'd grown so much since then. She'd changed. That much was obvious. She thought back to how she had risked her own life to save Kallista, the cat who was so terrified upon seeing Imperia. She thought back to the look on her face. She looked so scared. As if she thought Imperia might rip her other eye out.

And then, many cycles later, she attacked her. Burned her, lashed out at her. Let her emotions take control. She had done the very thing she swore she wouldn't do anymore, to the one she risked her own life to save.

With a sigh, Li lowered her head again. She had to stop thinking about these things. She needed to stop thinking about her bitter past, and look more toward the future. She had to improve herself, make herself nicer. Stop getting so angry and into a fight like she did with Kallista only cycles ago. She had to be good.

But would her future really be any better?

"Li Speech." Envy Speech.

Why did I think coming back here was a good idea?

Rift continued to speak the words over and over in his head as he walked along the shore of the lagoon. The waterfall crashed down closer then he had ever been and he could hear it, despite the tight wrapping of leaves he had covering his ear. It was muffled, thankfully, but he knew that if he took the leaves off, it wasn't going to be pretty.

Which was exactly his plan. Why was it his plan? He had come up with it in his wanderings. Randomly. That maybe if he stood near the waterfall with no leaves over his ear, then he would be able to train himself to bear noise. Would that deafen him? Maybe. Hopefully not. But there was no way to know before he tried.

He continued to walk, though, as if finding a good spot would make this any easier. No, he had to do it. If he wanted to strengthen his ability to hear properly, to be able to bear loud noises, then he had to do this. This was the perfect exercise.

He plopped himself down at the water's edge and slowly removed the wrapping of leaves. Immediately, sound crashed into his ear and he cringed at the volume. He didn't bother raising a paw to cover his ear, however. It would do nothing to help him.

Instead, he stood and tried to bear it. He needed to focus on something else. That something else instinctively went to his paws and he felt the magic swirling under his body. A few plants peeked from beneath the water and, within moments, bloomed into water lilies. Suddenly enamored by this new magic, he leaned forward to sniff them. However, he misdjudged how far they were and how slippery the shore was and he lost his balance. With a loud cry, he crashed into the water. He floundered, trying to keep himself above the water, but he wasn't a great swimmer.

I knew this was a bad idea


___________________________________________________________

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Aaliyah
notes: here

It has been a while since Rinaotei has been in Pisces, her birthplace. She has been too preoccupied endeavouring to learn how to fly correctly and walk again what with these large claws. Her large talons did look daunting, but they in a way exhibited how Rinaotei was not one to resort to fighting in ordeals. The ivory claws were pristine and superfluously overgrown, almost no parts of them were chipped off or broken, and except for the sharp ends, they were smooth to the touch like they were marble. Rinaotei, however, has been planning to possibly file the sharp tips as they have often been a bother when just strolling along the caves.

Nonetheless, Rinaotei is glad to revisit Pisces it's as marvellous as she recollects it. The sound of the water, the atmosphere it has, was enough to for once have a minute respite here before withdrawing to wherever she decides to go. Albeit she wished it was warmer currently, so much she has curled up her whole form to preserve as much heat as the wolf-dragon can. The warmth she has managed to have ails Rinaotei to be content so much that with the sounds Rinaotei's form commenced to slump until she got whisked away by slumber unaware that two feline Gembound are relatively proximate to her currently.

Her minute nap was fleeting though, and she was expeditiously returned to the waking world when the sound of someone maybe yelping or screaming followed by a loud splash of the water proximate to Rina, woke her with her ears perked in response. Gradually she uncurled herself and picked herself back up to discern what that was, and soon she perceived a Gembound struggling to endeavour and stay above the surface of the water and return to the land.

Oh goodness...

Rinaotei got more proximate to the coastline of the lagoon and hoped to endeavour to avail them of getting out of this ordeal.

She picks her body off the ground a little with the beating of her wings til she was right above them and meticulously as she can, attempt to pull them out of the lagoon. Snaking her tail under the water and them, moving it up until it hoisted them up a little bit and could get utilised as support to hold their lower torso up. Soon Rina did the same with her front legs of sorts to hold up their upper body and endeavoured to utilise that as an expedient to perhaps ail in getting them out, which does appear to be working currently.

"Speech"

Tag: @Aaliyah @Rift

If Li took notice of the other cat who approached, she made no notion of it. She was still looking down at her reflection, though she had now closed her eyes. If she was going to truly be good, she'd have to against everything she'd ever learned, everything she'd been taught. But she could do it. She had to do it. She had to be as different from Imperia as possible.

It wasn't until she heard a loud splash! that she looked up in alarm. Eyes wide, she watched as a young cat who looked, from what she could tell, strikingly similar to Imperia. In fact, they looked too much like her for her to be comfortable. She walked over to where she was, and debating with herself on what to do. She'd never been much of a swimmer. Imperia never liked it much, and had therefore never taught her how to. So she was left there, knowing she should do something to help, but not knowing what.

It was then that she noticed the definitely familiar wolf. A sigh escaped past her lips as the sight brought her back to the fire. The wolf had been there, and had clearly attempted to help, but she had been so terrified of those claws that she'd backed away. She shook her head now. She didn't need to focus on that. She was going to forget her past, and move toward the future. Starting now.

She watched as the wolf helped lift the other out of the water, and breathed a sigh of relief. Looks like she wouldn't have to do anything to help, which was fine with her. She didn't exactly want to get her fur wet. So for now, she sat down, long tail wrapped around her paws, and watched silently.

"Li Speech." Envy Speech. @Rift @Rinaotei

Rift didn't see the flying wolf, but he felt her claws dig into his scruff. He froze as she began to lift him out of the water with what seemed like very little trouble. Within moments, his entire body was out of the water and flying towards the shore. Once he found himself over land, he touched down lightly, a perfect rescue.

He turned back to the wolf, taking deep breaths to steady his heart. "Thanks," he gasped. "I thought I was going to die." For a second, he didn't really realize what he was seeing. A wolf with wings was right in front of him. She had pulled him out of the water. A wolf. With wings. And then he realized what he was seeing and just stared at her, confused.

He'd never seen anything like her before. And then, gold fur caught his eye and not far away was another strange creature. A cat that looked similar to him, but looked different. He looked between the two, gaping. He wondered if he had, in fact, died already or maybe he was dreaming. Was this all a dream? No the waterfall sounded real enough. But right now the loudness of the crashing was the least of his concern.

Not really speaking to anyone, he asked, "What are you?"


___________________________________________________________

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Aaliyah @Rinaotei
notes: here

Rina was concerned when they went limp of sorts, albeit it did make carrying them out of the lagoon relatively more manageable to handle since they weren't endeavouring to fight Rina or anything as a way to make her let go of them. However soon they shifted themselves back onto the dry land afore she let go of them herself, so perhaps they are entirely alright then.

That's good.

Soon Rina herself conscientiously lets herself fall back down to the ground, wings still out to make the fall, more gradual and softer till she was ultimately back onto the land herself nearby the other Gembound she just helped. Gradually she lies back down again and folds her wings, albeit she doesn't close her eyes and is paying full attention to this here feline.

"My pleasure. Yes, that was quite the harrowing ordeal there. But please don't worry you're safe," Rinaotei endeavoured to calm the feline down more with her own words, her voice as always is like honey. The thought of possibly going to die and unable to fight it must be such a frightening thing to be trapped in, Rinaotei believes she can understand that despite how much of a solid grip she has on her emotions.

"Something on your mind?" she drawled with a question, Rinaotei descried the way they were observing her as if puzzled, Rinaotei thinks she can theorise why but instead of assuming, the draconian-wolf will endeavour and inquire them just in case she's incorrect of something being wrong.

She soon saw the other feline very close; observing them. Rina recognised and quite honestly was worried about as she was uncertain on whether or not they were alright after such an ordeal, they did seem to be in quite the vulnerable state during that incident after all. So, Rina couldn't help but give them a soft smile; she was relieved to see them safe and well.

"Oh, hello again. I have to say, it's delightful to see you again, and safe, what with the circumstances of our previous encounter," Rinaotei purred to the other feline in a positive, genial manner. Rina's body language was very relaxed additionally, which in a way shows how gratified she is that both of these felines here are safe.

Soon afterwards her attention was back to the feline she just saved, querying of what she is, well it seems they're asking the other feline that question additionally.

Still...

"A mere winged-reptilian wolf it seems," Rinaotei answered them with such sarcasm, said sarcasm wasn't harsh, more teasing, albeit that classification is Rinaotei's speculation as to what her current form is supposed to be.


"Speech"

@Rift @Aaliyah

Li watched as the wolf successfully got the cat out of the water and set them down. She turned to the wolf as she spoke, and blinked. "Hello," she murmured. "Yes...It feels good to be safe. Hopefully I won't ever have to deal with fire again." She was sort of at a loss on what to say, never having been one for talking to others in the first place. Imperia had tried to teach her to be charming, get others to trust her only to stab them in the back, but it hadn't worked very well. Sometimes she would stumble over her words and not know what to say.

She turned back to the other cat as he spoke and flicked her tail, gaze turning to the wolf briefly before going back. "And...I'm a cat. Sort of...like you. A hybrid, really. Between a caracal and a puma." She didn't speak anymore, not wanting to mention anything about how she came to be, or where her parents were now.

"Li Speech." Envy Speech. @Rift @Rinaotei

Rift blinked, realizing that he'd been staring. "Sorry, I've just never seen anything like you before." She was certainly strange. He hadn't met any reptiles that had wings or horns like that, but he guessed that he just hadn't met them yet. She was cool. He wanted wings too, but he guess he would have to stick to plants. That was okay, he liked plants too.

He turned to the other cat, his eyes shining. "That's so cool! I'm a Puma too!" For some reason, this pulled the friend switch in his mind and he now immediately assumed, since they were both kind of the same species, that they were now friends. The tip of his tail twitched with happiness. "I'm Rift! What's your names?" He swiveled his head between the two, a few small dandelions sprouting along his pelt.

But then he noticed the puma-caracal's somber demeanor. He looked at her carefully, letting the excitement trickle back down. He wondered if she was okay and if he had interrupted something. Embarrassed, he shuffled his feet, realizing that that was probably what had happened. But it was too late now, he was here and he wanted to help. "Are you okay? You seem kind of...sad."

___________________________________________________________

"Speech looks like this."
Thoughts look like this.

tags: @Rinaotei @Aaliyah
notes: here

Rinaotei somewhere was relieved on how this feline didn't panic upon encountering Rina once again; they were most likely panicked last time because when they met it was when Eridanus was in flames. Albeit when she arrived at Eridanus, there was no fire, well there were designations of one getting put out a moment ago, but something about Rina herself seemed to have put this feline on edge, she was sceptical why, as she believes it was their first time meeting each other. Nonetheless, Rina is glad her presence before them doesn't ignite any panic in them. She gives a minuscule hum in agreement regarding not wanting to have to deal with fire ever again, those were some less auspicious circumstances, so she had to agree, well 'less auspicious' is putting light on it in a way. And thankfully, albeit it's a factor to why Pisces is algid, its air is thick with moisture, not to add there isn't an abundance in greenery here like in Eridanus, so it'll be a challenge for a fire to blaze through here.

"Yes, it would be preferable. Still, how have you been faring, if you don't mind me asking?" Rina hopes to perhaps have a cordial and casual conversation with them here, of course, she will have no issue if they prefer not to discuss things such as recent events. It's not her place to prod, and they seem to have a lot on their mind even in their first encounter; so, she hopes to assist in perhaps calming their thoughts somehow.

As with her refusal to pry into matters she believes she has no place to prod on, Rina didn't ask this hybrid feline to elaborate on being a hybrid. Rinaotei herself is a hybrid of sorts. A mutated wolf is more what she is, after all, Rina was not always what she appears to be now physical appearance wise. Aforetime she was a regular wolf and found herself caught in an inauspicious situation because she had her guard lowered and made incorrect assumptions that she was safe, leading to her going into comatose as an outcome, evading death by a hair and reawakening with this new form of hers. Albeit Rina doesn't wish to base assumptions of them by chance having a similar adverse circumstance too and perhaps not all like this hybrid have their biological makeup like this because some incident happened like hers was, despite this, they did seem reluctant to discuss it. Rinaotei lacks parents herself and is only faintly aware what it means so asking them where their parents are at never come across her mind since she has never had any and has gone about these caves alone for exploration and adventure. Even if Rinaotei were ever consider anything like it, it wasn't her place to inquire them about it anyway.

"It doesn't bother me," Rina answered this much younger feline in regards to staring, she wasn't offended by it. Rina relaxed more as this Gemling got exhilarated how they too were a puma, she's blissful how they are withal managing to have a such a friendly and casual conversation also despite how they experienced such a fright earlier with falling into a lagoon.

"Rinaotei or perhaps Rina. Hello Rift," Rina relaxes a little more, stretching herself out on her side luxuriously after she introduced herself. Rina listened with care when Rift gave an inquiry to the other feline about whether they were alright, mentioning they appear to be unhappy about something, Rina remains silent once again opting not to prod one inquiry should be enough anyway.


"Speech"

@Rift @Aaliyah

Li flicked an ear. "I've..." What was she to say? That she'd been fine? That wasn't necessarily true. She could still see the look on Imperia's face as they saw her, the look on their face while they talked. She closed her eyes briefly, hoping to get rid of the image, but it only persisted. She opened her eyes. "I've been fine," she grunted, speaking perhaps a bit too harshly than she intended. But whatever. It was already said, she couldn't take it back.

She looked over at the puma, and the image of Imperia only seemed to grow stronger. She shook her head lightly, small enough that she hoped no one noticed, and focused on the words the other cat - Rift? - was saying. "I'm Li." Having heard Imperia say her full name recently only solidified the fact that she didn't want to be called Aaliyah anymore. Aaliyah was the name of her past, the name she held while under Imperia's care. She was Li now.

At Rift's inquiry, her fur instinctively bristled. She tried to smooth it down with varying levels of success. "I'm fine." Once again with a bit more harshness than she meant. She kept an eye on Rift, suddenly wary of the cat. Even moreso than before. Imperia always had the ability to tell more or less how she felt, and it seemed this puma at least had something like that. And, to put it plainly, she didn't like it.

"Li Speech." Envy Speech. @Rift @Rinaotei