Rezik gave a quiet "harumph" at Wilder's words. One might think that this noise was an exaggeration, a literary device, but no; he actually managed to say, "Harumph." And he hardly seemed pleased, either, at Aure's suggestion; an indigation suited to royalty seemed to overwhelm him. "I?!" he demanded, head thrown back in shock, "Retreating to my stone?! Like some craven coward? I think not. Let them come! You will defend me, servants." He then tossed his head and turned, strutting off into Canis' bones.

It seemed that Rezik would make guarding him something of a challenge.

Behind him, even the Collector seemed distracted, staring at him, watching him go. "Err..." Crimson pinprick eyes blinked, returning to the present, looking to Eythan. "Hmm? Ahh, yes. Very wise; very wise." Scarlet gaze darted after Rezik, then to Eythan again, and a sly murmur crept from the Collector's hood. "Good luck with that one, eh?" And one quiet laugh later: "Certainly, I have many items that grant others magic. Two of you already bear my gifts," he added, glancing meaningfully to Wilder, and the enchanted blue ring she wore as a collar; "but I think I have something that would hide its bearer, if temporarily." He paused, drumming claws on his own arm. "Though I'm unsure who among you can wear a cloak." Their bodies were not suited for it--four legs, rather than two, and all that. Still...

"Allow me to make some suggestions." The Collector pressed his palms together, talon-like nails clicking to hold at their tips. "There is a magic cloak that would allow you to change your form, though it makes it more difficult for you to hide--it glows. I also have various objects that might be used to intensify certain elements, or I could offer items that grant spells--though despite what our good master Astraea commands, most of such things have innate drawbacks. One cannot undo balance. I have items for those who prefer to use their minds--the Jester's Grin for those who want to play things ever-safe, or the Daredevil's Gambit for those who like to live on the edge... a little danger, a little risk, a little reward. The Brute's Boast is like the latter for those who prefer combat..."

The Collector spread his hands palms-out. "I will return when the two cycles are up, and if you have succeeded, you may tell me what you wish, hmm?"

Members may exit whenever they wish, or may speak further to the Collector. Members of the Bonebound may tag Rezik for a thread at any time.

Rezik has exited, and unless spoken to further, the Collector will also depart.

@Aure @Wilder @Aries

Aure was usually a nice person, but he really was about to start throwing rocks at people.

Rezik vehemently rejected the idea of a perfectly sound method of being protected. If he was going to simply wander around and flaunt his apparent authority, then so be it. But, the wyvern wasn't about to take the down-talking and not have it thrown in the deer's face. Aure trotted closer to Wilder once the asshole left, lowering his head and nipping at her oversized ears. "Hey, don't let him talk shit to you - he seems like the kind of guy to make everything a drama. He can go cry about it if you 'embarrassed' him," he snipped, then paused. Maybe that was too harsh. Bellowing out a barely restrained sigh, he tried again, "it's not your fault he's so uppity."

Then, once Eythan and Aries finished speaking with the Collector (without waiting for the looming figure to seemingly vanish, because he'd hear them anyways) Aure acknowledged his whole group, "we don't have the numbers to give him an entourage - even if it was absolutely necessary. We can keep eyes on him, at least - and if he's being attacked, we'll deal with it then. I don't think we want to spend any more time with him than strictly necessary." Crimson eyes fixed on his family; "I probably don't have to say this, but if anyone does attack him, don't kill them. Just send them on their way and let the rest of the Bonebound know."

"All he has to be is in one piece," Aure reasoned.

@Giggle @Aries @Wilder

Giggle came lumbering back in a few minutes later. She glanced around--the stag was gone, Rezik was retreating, and the Collector looked poised to go.

"Give me something I can use to mend others' wounds," she barked at him, bluntly, before closing with her son.

Her voice dropped lower as she spoke to Aure, her dark eyes solemn. "Aure--the bones are quite clear," she murmured, and then turned toward the others. Any of the Bonebound who drew close enough, she'd raise her voice so that they could hear. She hesitated, and for a moment, it likely seemed as though the hyena was the bearer of very bad news--until she spoke, at least. "I expected... ill omens. Not this. The bones spoke of exchanges, alliances, gifts. Cooperation--it goes both ways. Now, I don't know if that means with Rezik or the stag--the real stag--but it doesn't matter, I think, in this case. Cooperation with either one'd be the same, since the task they're giving is the same. But what comes after is--weirder. The bones speak of taking chances, of seeking... better outcomes, unexpected. Playing games, even. They speak of a... change. This can be good or bad; all things come in cycles. But I think in this case it is... new. A new change, like light in a dark place. Something better, or... enlightening, maybe."

Giggle took a breath. Now came the hard part: putting that half-incoherent, semi-rambling prophecy into some useful guidance. That was the thing about being a shaman; it wasn't enough to read the bones. You had to read your family and friends, too.

"My interpretation," she was careful to say, "is that we should not only take him in, but try to get to know him. Be kind to him, even." She glanced after the retreating blue back with suspicion. "I don't know why, but the bones know more than I do."

________________

ROLL THE BONES

@Aure

Or what?

Aries bristled with excitement, eager to give the Collector a taste of exactly what he would do. He grinned, then stepped forward and opened his mouth- but Eythan cut him off. He closed his mouth and leaned in as the gryphon told him to rein it in. Aries felt himself grow hot with embarrassment. He stepped down apologetically and glanced at the Collector, shooting him one more hard glare as he huffed more smoke from his nose.

He watched the conversation for a while, keeping his big mouth shut. He last thing he wanted was to ruin things for Eythan. Also, it was entertaining to listen to his not-love interest's snark. Aries couldn't help but smile. It was pretty hot. It seemed that Eythan could handle himself with this guy

Feeling unneeded, Aries excused himself and peeled off toward the others. He overheard Rezik's inflated ego, practically felt it too. Aries groaned and rolled his eyes. He could already tell Rezik was going to make this harder than had to be. This was going to be a great test of willpower. "If it looks like I'm gonna butt 'em, kick me in the nards." He mention to Aure, half joking. However, Aries wasn't known for his patience. One piece, that's good enough for me.

Aries gathered closer to Giggle and listened to her fortune. What she said puzzled the ram. "Nice to him." He repeated and almost scoffed. Still, Giggle's bones hadn't been wrong.. not yet. He glanced over at Rezik, who now a blue speck in distance. Aries was aware that things weren't so black and white, Khloros had taught him that, but it was hard to see the gembound in someone who threatened all he cared for.

Suddenly, he was reminded him the spider's disturbing vision of Hydra. "Uh, Giggle." he cleared his throat, then looked around at those who gathered to listen. "I've been meaning to tell you, I saw the Spellweaver and she had a vision about Hydra..." He furrowed his brow. ...freezing over." It sounded even crazier saying it out loud. "And I just can't shake the feeling that it's the trial Astraea mentioned." He felt his gut grow cold. If he was right, then it wasn't long before the rest of it came true.



TAG: // OOC:

"Thanks," Eythan grumbled, staring after Prissy-McPrissy with narrowed eyes, "I'm gonna need it."

Anyways - an invisibility cloak might be nice, but it seemed it was made with bipeds in mind. Someone could maybe wear it over their forelegs (assuming it had sleeves) but that seemed like more of a hindrance than anything practical, especially if it was temporary. Changing form, though - "like, actually make you different? Or is it just an illusion." Party tricks were useful maybe once, and that seemed like something that could be accomplished via magic. The other things had incredibly vague names and equally vague descriptions that he couldn't possibly glean any actual meaning from them. It wasn't like the Bonebound had to use these things, right?

Giggle barked her own request, and the gryphon followed up with a quick, "yeah, what she said. We'll think about that stuff and keep you updated, yeah?" Crimson eyes flickered away from the Collector, as Eythan trotted off, "see ya', bud."

He sat down in the clan pow-wow circle, butting shoulders with Aries. "Oh, I'll kick ya' in the nards if my brother doesn't," Eythan grunted. "I can't imagine being nice to him. He smells like flowers." Who in the caves took the time to try and smell nice? Assholes do. "But, I sure can try. Just turn off the 'I give a shit' part of my mind." It was already off ninety-percent of the time, anyways. "Worse case scenario, I get pissed off and beat up Aries." He grinned at the ram, all brotherly-like. All that was missing was a noogie.

Wilder seemed to shrink when Rezik cold-shouldered her apology and turned to speak very rudely to Aure. She shouldn't have woken him up. She shouldn't have bothered. She should have just taken her story and gone with that. Or asked someone that might have known Rezik first. Or just, well, not trusted him - he had, after all, murdered his friend. How had that not been a red flag?

A soft nipping at her ears had her at least look up at Aure. She was trembling and it'd been a long time since she'd looked so upset. She seemed to barely be holding in tears and only nodded a little at Aure's comforting words, although they didn't seem to do much to pick her up much. She was dug in too deep. She didn't say anything in respond, as she didn't trust herself to speak at all right now, or else she might just start sobbing.

Or throw a tantrum. Either one.

Because Rezik not only had her feeling regretful and doubtful, but also uncharacteristically angry. She wanted to yell at him and scream and go apeshit because there were too many things weighing down on her tiny, weak, immature shoulders and she just couldn't handle all of them at once. Maybe each one individually, but certainly not at the same time. She didn't want any of the Collector's little trinkets. She didn't want to protect Rezik. She just wanted to cry.

Oh, Wilder's face. He'd seen those wide pink eyes glassy only once before, and that situation had been far stickier - far worse. Aure lowered his head, almost leaning down, and whispered lowly into her ear, "hey, you can go if you need to. The Chambers are quiet and you can - beat on the walls." In case an outburst was necessary to vent through - or if she just needed a place to cry and be with her own thoughts for a moment.

Giggle approached, though, and Aure had to divert his attention elsewhere. He straightened, perching where he was and listening with ears swiveled back; his mother seemed to be preparing to deliver a bad omen, of sorts. But, it was not. The bones seemed optimistic about this turn of events, a mutual exchange. A chance taken to find something newer, different. Enlightening. The wyvern hummed softly, only giving an awkward sideways stare to Aries - his little joke had fallen a bit flat on him. That wasn't really his sort of humor. "I see," Aure intoned, inhaling deeply and letting it out in an almost-whistling sigh. Shrugging off the tension with a shake of his wings, he reasoned, "he may know things that we don't - and we might know things he doesn't."

His gaze averted towards Eythan, at his offer to chat it up with Rezik. "It'd be good to have him in our corner, I suppose." Rather than exiling the strange-stag to wander Canis and call to them whenever he's being attacked. "This doesn't seem to be an ideal situation for any of us, but we can try to make it bearable. If you're up to it, Eythan, you could go hunt and bring Rezik something? I can't tell what he'd eat, so find plants, just in case." Aure nodded at his brother, then looked to Giggle, "hostility's... the wrong way to go. What Astraea did was - excessive... too aggressive and controlling for my liking. It has me on edge. I don't feel good about this, at all, but - we can make do."

Aure nuzzled Giggle briefly. "We always will."

The Trial mentioned had the wyvern's feathers standing on end, trepidation creeping into his bones. Hydra, but bitterly cold. Heat could be dispelled, dealt with. Cold settled into your bones, overtaking until there was nothing less but a ruthless end. "I think that's all the more reason to avoid failure," he murmured softly, beak grinding in thought.

@Giggle @Wilder @Aries

The Collector spread his hands, answering the single question about the cloak: "It is but a disguise, though I think it does have some effect on the voice, as well. Anyone you have seen, it allows you to impersonate." Spies and tricksters had found it useful, in the past, before the glow had inevitably given them away. "I will return, later on, then."

And with that, the Collector swept away, pacing behind a pile of bones--and simply disappearing.

Impersonation was pretty deceitful, but it'd be a cool party trick, even if it glowed. It'd be like a Rudolph situation, y'know? Need a light? Here, I've got this cool cape that can be a light source and make me look like you.

Eythan shook out his wings and neck preemptively, scattering a few downy feathers around. He wasn't too knowledgeable about plants, considering he'd never eaten one in his life, but his gaze wandered towards a particular grove for the briefest of moments. The crow-dog wouldn't mind a little plucking, right?

Regardless, the gryphon waved a claw, "right on, chief. I'll be back soon, my love." After a brief pause for the dry joke to sink in, Eythan tossed his head and trotted off in the direction of the garden.

;exit Eythan
@Giggle @Wilder @Aries

"I don't know about 'in our corner,'" Giggle murmured, staring off after Rezik. It wasn't a correction, just her muttered opinion, but after a moment she looked back to Aure.

"If you want me to talk to him, let me know. If you need me for anything--you know where I'll be," she said. "Let me know if you want me to track him, either with fungus or with Omen." She offered a return nudge, gently affectionate, and then turned--loping back off toward her bone pit, looking rather deep in thought.

________________

ROLL THE BONES

exit the Giggs