Reseda's tongue flickered as her interest rose. She had wanted Envy to say something like this, something to admit their weakness. Had had something to work with. "You don't seem to have much faith in your kingdom," she rumbled. She glanced towards Pride. "Don't you want to be rid of those idiots too? Don't you want to even try?" She turned towards the remains of the moose and raised her claws to take out the gem when the moose thing was flying into sight.

Distracted, she watched as Pride's magic set it down before them and she stepped back, realizing what this meant. They could easily turn around and say that she lead this one here or she had brought them here on purpose. She listened, her tongue constantly flicking, tasting tears on the air...and fear. She swiveled around to face Pride and Envy. "Don't think I brought her here. I might be ambitious but I'm not trying to destroy our kingdom. We can't let her go - she'll just turn around and bring the news straight to the goose. We should kill her or at least keep her here until we figure out what to do."

@Dread

Dread lifted his head, blinking, at Envy's new command. As he started off, however--lumbering toward the sounds, and toward Pride--the strange hybrid came floating through the air unbidden. It didn't seem to be flying, which bewildered him; it was set down nearby, and immediately started mewling.

Still, Envy had asked for it to be brought to them, and in return for shinies and food. He didn't want to eat something that was talking and crying--not really--and anyway, he was already full; so instead he plodded heavily forward on legs and wings (one foot still clutching the singing crystal), after turning around, and came up to it. He nudged at Baneberry, trying to push it ever-so-slightly closer to Envy.

...Job done.

He looked expectantly to the green weasel. This meant gold things, for sure.

Pride winced. He released his magic, looking over the huge, yet obviously-crippled Gembound. It looked much like Blueberry--and Huckleberry, too, he realized; an obvious relation.

He glanced at once toward Reseda, his expression empty, but her protests came so hard and fast that he immediately decided not to make the accusation himself.

There was no need to.

He turned his attention at once to Baneberry. He didn't want to kill her--she was begging, and wretched--but nor could they let her go.

The tower, though... It had only one exit, no? They could keep her there easily enough. Time for lies, though--just in case she did escape.

"Your father? He was diseased--we do not know how. We are friends with Huckleberry, you see," he said smoothly. It was a long shot, but... doable. If she believed.

He strode forward, his expression becoming sympathetic; he leaned down and even offered the hybrid a gentle nudge. "We are not going to harm you, do not fear. We are not violent, not like that. It seems... there is a sickness going through the caves. He is not the first to be claimed; the dragon may well be sick, for he has eaten it against my advice," Pride continued. He was oblivious to Dread's head swinging toward him, the dragon alarmed by his words. "But that is why we had to burn the body. What is your name?"

He glanced toward Envy, doing his best to send a brief, and simple, message. If they utilize the tower, my King, perhaps we can suggest they be quarantined there for their own safety, under our care, for a day or two..? Until they are calmer, and we are certain they are convinced. I do not wish to kill it.

He saw very little downside to this plan. It gave them time to sort things out--and to ensure that the hybrid was sufficiently brainwashed to their "truth." He hoped the king would see it the same way--and for now, he had little time to deal with Greed. This was far more pressing.

@Envy

From the day we arrive on this planetAnd blinking, step into the sun

It had been impossible to miss the roaring.

But Reign had been far, well away from Orion, and so he had had to travel. Many would think he would be able to clear several caves quickly, but they would be wrong. Fast he may be, he was only that. His stamina was lacking, and he could only run for a few hundred feet before he had to stop to catch his breath.

So most of the action was over by the time he arrived - coming to see Envy, Pride, and Greed near a charred corpse, the massive reptile's muzzle bloodied (it was obvious that he had eaten and, probably, burned, the corpse) Pride speaking of the corpse being diseased.

The Royal Cheetah came to a stop, taking in the group of them. This was... one of the odder things he had walked into. But he would not speak, instead waiting to see what Envy - or Pride - decreed.

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

There's more to see than can ever be seenMore to do than can ever be done

Envy watched as the intruder was yanked out into the open, and their spines prickled upright, and trembled. They couldn't remember if she'd been there to help tear them apart, but they felt their spines quivering- they knew her. But they tried to stay calm, seated upon their massive throne. As Pride took over talking to her, they turned towards Greed, fur prickling and standing on end.

They were beginning to get sick of her shit, and they secretly weighed the benefits of kicking her out entirely. But no- their kingdom couldn't shrink at a time like this, and if they did, she might want revenge. They had the uncomfortable reminder that she was the one who brought the Seven together, not them. Driven by the want to keep their words secret, they scampered down the vertical surface of the Throne, then pattered over to Greed.

They lowered their voice so that the Bloodberry wouldn't hear.

"It's not about faith, Res-... Greed. It's about staying alive. If we overestimate the Seven, we die. None of us have ever killed before, save for--" They glanced sideways at Baneberry, then narrowed their eyes to glare at Greed, pointedly. "But they've killed many, including me."

The weasel finally turned towards the intruder and listened to what Pride was saying. Finally, they moved over to him, and the Bloodberry spy, standing on their hind paws a safe distance away. They looked over her, appearing distracted for a moment as Pride's message reached them. Then they nodded, as though in agreement. "Yes, a... sickness. He went mad. Foaming and frothing at the mouth and attacking with neither aim nor care!" The weasel shook their head fearfully. "Or... so I hear."

Pride...? I feel like there ought to be a magic for this. I have a few spells that make me sick. I don't know, but, I could try making her feel sick. It's a long shot, but it might help our story look more real.

The weasel's ears twitched, and they turned as Reign approached- behind schedule, but here. They panicked slightly, wondering if he'd heard what they'd said about him. But he didn't appear to be here to Protest so they soon turned back towards Baneberry.

@Baneberry

Speech. Thought.

Baneberry tried to calm herself, desperately. But the tears would not stop coming. The only slowed as she hiccupped. She didn't try to stop the dragon, only cooperated. However, the deer's kind words helped calm her.

"Father was the only one to understand. Mother wanted to hurt, wanted to fight, wanted to kill. Father stayed away, Father was kind. He loved Mother, but he did not fight often. He liked his plants and helping. He did not deserve death!" She wailed pitifully. Father deserved better. "Huckleberry? My brother. Where is he? I saw him not long ago. I worry for him! Mama is ruthless, she does not like it when we leave! If I came back... oh Mama would drive me out! What have I done? Father is gone, Mama must hate me."

The hybrid was a mess, hardly anything but a wailing lump of crippled flesh on the ground. She wanted to sit close to Father, and bury her snout in his fur and hold him close, but he was nothing more than a charred mess of bones and burnt fur and flesh. "If Father was being cruel... he must have had a reason or he must have been sick. He was too kind, too merciful." She mumbled, mostly to herself. Then she remembered that he name was asked.

"I am Baneberry. But call me Bane. Mother wouldn't want me to bear the berry name after I sat here and watched this and did nothing...."

@Greed

Reseda glared at Envy and narrowed her eyes but said nothing. Any rebuke against what Envy had said would only make the situation worse. So she did the wise thing and backed off. Besides, they had another thing to worry about. She turned away from the weasel and stared at Baneberry. She glanced towards Pride, though, when he started his lie. She didn't get it at first - what disease were they talking about? But then she caught on any she nodded with agreement. "Yes...he was like a beast without conscious. Wild eyes and rabid."

A moment later, she realized the point of this lie. You're a smart one, Pride. But I will be taking the responsibility for this one. She stepped forward towards Baneberry, adopting a sympathetic gaze on her face. "I can tell you are one of the good ones...like Huckleberry and your father. We don't want you to catch the disease as well, do we? With...my king's permission, we could offer you some safety from this virus. We could give you a place in the tower to make sure that the disease does not catch you as well." She turned back towards Pride and Envy and tilted her head innocently. "Is this agreeable?"

@Dread

Dread stared in disbelief, all the spines along his neck bristling. This stupid white deer was claiming he'd eaten the ...other deer without permission! Immediately, rock-dumb, he protested.

"YOU TOLD ME TO EAT IT!" he roared, the bellow echoing. He was, quite clearly, displeased; he even rocked back farther on his hind legs, wings mantling like a hawk over prey, neck arched back to stare angrily down. Ember eyes flickered.

"YOU SAID THAT I COULD! BOTH OF YOU!"

Pride peered toward Reseda, quiet for a beat. She had expressed exactly what he was going to suggest--coincidence? He dourly doubted it, but he thought at her nonetheless, in case she was listening in. Don't think I don't remember your shitty tricks, Reseda, he snapped--mentally--and there was real venom in it. But whether she heard, he had no idea.

Aloud, he spoke only calmly, staring directly at Reseda. He could not have been colder were he formed of ice. "Funny, I was about to suggest the same thing. I--" And then the dragon was screeching.

Pride wheeled, turning on it angrily. How the hell were they supposed to recover from that? He hissed and sharply turned back to Baneberry, quietly apologetic as he trotted over--ensuring that this time the overgrown lizard wouldn't hear. "I apologize. It's a bit of an idiot, as useful as it is, at times. We told him he could have eaten it if it were undiseased. Hopefully reptiles--if it even is one--are immune, or we're going to have a serious problem on our hands." He glanced back to Dread, speaking up with clipped tone. "Yes, of course we did. My mistake."

"...I was about to suggest that we all go together. This way we can see that your needs are met. Do you need anyone to take a message to your family..?" he added, politely.

ooc - ignore roll, wasn't intentional O_o

@Reign @Envy

From the day we arrive on this planetAnd blinking, step into the sun

Reign looked between the group - at King Envy, who reiterated what Pride had said, although the Cheetah had not been here to see if the pair were telling the truth. Who chastised Greed for endangering the Seven-who-were-not-seven.

Despite himself, he felt pity for the hybrid. She was crying, and had just lost her Father, as he understood it. Her words were rambled, speaking of a dangerous and, seemingly, mad, Mother, but a kindly Father.

And then Greed, too, was agreeing with the pairs' story, so he assumed it must have happened. The Cheetah had come only after the Moose was dead and burned, so he didn't know the lie that was being perpetuated. The reptile offered a shelter for the hybrid - but something deep in the Cheetah told him to be wary.

But Dread, the Dragon, was furious - bellowing and roaring angrily. The cheetah's mantle rose, and he narrowed his eyes, readying to step in if he needed to. But then Pride was stepping in, as well, likely making it even worse, but that was his cue.

"I could carry the message, if you have one." he offered, not unkindly.

@Envy

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

There's more to see than can ever be seenMore to do than can ever be done