takes place shortly after this post of this thread!

Giggle herself could not come.

Canis, after all, was under siege.

Instead, a Hallowed Caller--black, with a single red eye--shot into the cave guided by her mind, screeching half-formed words that it didn't understand the meaning of: an echo of Giggle's thoughts, twisted by a Lesser mind, garbled by a Lesser tongue.

"HELP! HIVE! HELP CANIS HIVE CANIS! BAD CHAOS HIVE BAD! HELP! CAN-CHAOS HIVE BAD!"

The screeching went on like this, the Hallowed Caller circling as high up as it could, crying its warning to anyone who would listen: Canis was under siege.

Life had been enjoyable so far; Good, simple, maybe a bit boring. (Though maybe it was only simple because the Opal had yet to grasp its complexities. And considering the environment in which they lived, the latter was probably the truth.) Activies he enjoyed included: Running in circles around the cave, pressing his ear against the walls and listening to the cave breather, and trying and failing to eat those delicious looking crystals.

Its relative peace was disturbed by a little dark shape rocketing through the Aperture, catching the child's attention as soon as it did. Breaking into a gallop, she followed the Caller's circling with her own gleeful movement, watching the frantic red look down upon her. None of the words it screamed held any weight to him - he simply interpreted it as meaningless noise.

Its heads were craned upwards and its arms swatted and grabbed at the bird - all part of the game, it knew it was too high for her to ever truly reach it. "Bird!" She exclaimed, rearing and skipping.

In the crypt that was Draco's nest of chaos, Cain had been... Napping, perhaps, was the wrong word. Ever since it had seen the forces gathering in Ursa, it had rarely felt a true sleep. Instead, it lingered between twilight and alertness, half-resting in the way only a feline was particularly suited for.

The hallowed cries of a Caller, screeching at the Forge for aid, drew its attention. It stepped out from its den, wings unfolding as its scarlet eyes locked upon the singular crimson of the bird.

The urge to take it by the blood and impale it on a spike was momentary and fleeting, driven by an emotional reaction of annoyance. It overcame that simplistic, animistic urge with a snort, ears swiveling forward to listen more intently to the words it was crying over.

Exhaustion was smothered by adrenaline as realization hit the Overseer. A hiss escaped its throat, and it did not waste a single moment: it leapt from its perch on the cavern wall into a swift dive. Its wings beat in practiced motion, swooping past the Opal and the bird. Its destination was Canis, and as its body went into autopilot back to its birthplace, it's mind reached to a familiar, powerful Master.

Vargas, the thought was simple and urgent. Send reinforcements to Canis. I will inform you of the situation further when I arrive.

It had a gut feeling, one that could have perhaps been foolish to follow so blindly. Still: if it was a trap, then let whoever wished to harm the Forge try to catch it. The Overseer would lead the charge, and it would make sure the path was clear. Whoever would follow it, Cain would ensure they would have the advantage.

@Vargas for visibility! other forge members may post in the OvC thread under the assumption that Vargas sent them as Cain's backup, assuming that Dark is good with that <3

also an exit oops haha

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas's head lifted, alarm thrumming through him.

What is this..?

"FORGE?" he bellowed. "CHAOS FORGE." Whatever this was, they'd need to head out, and investigate at once. Keep me updated, he thought, as loudly as he could--and hoped Cain heard him.

Then he struck out for the Aperture--where he'd wait for those of the Forge who were present to join him. And--barring some catastrophe--set out to see just what the hell was going on now.

All Forge members are welcome to post, but this is a post before Vargas heads out to this thread--he will arrive on Round 2.

Azrael lifted his head. The call of alarm sparked a fire in him that had been dormant since joining the Chaos Forge. Not that it was better elsewhere but at last, perhaps, his decision to join was coming to fruition.

And the bird had just called the word "Hive". That. Was perfect.

He leapt up from where he'd been resting and let out a roar. "THE HIVE WILL BURN!!" His magic reached for the lights, to flicker them as he chased after Vargas, but the lights barely dimmed to his call. That was fine. There would be more time for dramatics later. He had his mind set forward and viciously on the destruction he was about to bring. On the Hive, on Mother, and on Order!

I'd of blown the scoundrel up
Watch his head and heart hiccup
Erupt in tinsel and blue cinders
turn August into winter

The flittering glimpse of the red-eye'd bird wasn't though of as much. The warning that crowed from it's beak made it freeze with concern. Vargas's bellow made it flood with panic.

"OPAL!" It called, lumbering after it's child. It's crimson gaze whipped violently to and fro as it looked for it's other child. "JASPER! COME HERE. NOW." It tried not to show it's fear, not in front of it's children impressionable spawn. Not in front of Master Vargas. Not in such a dire situation could it afford such weakness. But calling it unafraid would be a lie.

Once the shaggy-furred form of it's second spawn appeared, it would address both. "You must stay here. It is too dangerous for you. I will go fight." a heavy pause. "But I will return." A promise. It would not repeat what happened before.

And then it set off hastily to where Vargas was waiting. "I can travel through the water tunnels. I would not have to pass through Ursa, then." It told him, "Unless you think it's wisest we travel together." It would wait for a response, tensed and alert and in the full throes of flight-or-fight.

It knew this would be war.

Good thing it was a soldier.

@Vargas @V-Opal-One @V-Jasper
[perms given to say Jasper came over]

The Jaspers came when called, lumbering from the shadows. One head stared up at the bird that squawked nonsensical threats, eyes wide with confusion. The other focused on Master Vargas and Labradorite, as the hair down the back of their spine prickled.

"... We'll stay," they agreed, casting a glance toward their wide-eyed twin. When they did not respond, the first head nosed the side of their cheek. "We'll stay," they repeated, more urgently.

The other head glanced down, lips drawing back in a grimace. "If we have to," it agreed, reluctantly. "We could help."

"Staying here is helping," the other explained, though at the moment they couldn't explain how staying put was helping. They understood it, regardless, that they would be only a distraction. Two grunted in reply, as much of an acceptance as they would give.

One's gaze turned toward their hatchmate, and they reached out their forearms for the other child, toward Opal, webbed fingers stretching. "Leave it," it said-- about the strange, talking bird-- more request than demand, "I don't think we should hurt it."

"It's scared," the other observed, nose crinkling. Squawking or not, it was still a bird, and a lesser. It wasn't talking so much as barking words that it had heard, right?

@V-Opal-One @V-Labradorite-One

As it frolicked, another shape swept past - another bird? No - "Kitty!" But it was gone as soon as he noticed it was there. He was about to voice his displeasure at being left behind so soon, when others came barreling through, stirred up by the Caller's squawking. "Vargas! Other... Goat! Where are you going?"

She moved to gallop beside them, following them to wherever they were headed - it must be very exciting place to elicit this kind of reaction, they thought - when the voice of their life-giver stopped her in her tracks. Its previous intent was only made clear with the bunching of muscles, they loosened as she turned to trot towards the Labradorite's call.

"Aw." They were barred from joining the charge, like so many other things that would definitely be a lot of fun if her superiors would just let it do them. He had so much to offer! So what if he'd only existed for two months! It let its siblings come to their own decision, before nodding along. "We will stay. You fight them. Win. Eat them afterwards - maybe." (The only combatants it had encountered were rats and rat-sized creatures - it figured that The Hive would be just as edible.)

Lab left, and he turned to blink innocently at the Jasper. "I wasn't gonna CATCH it. Just play." Opal let out a bitter huff. "Everything else is leaving us anyways."

@V-Jasper @V-Labradorite-One

- THE LEVIATHAN -

Vargas considered, if briefly.

He was not all that familiar with the water tunnels and their layouts. But he knew the waters of Polaris could be treacherous. "If you can meet us in Leo--and together we will go from there. But know that the waters there get quite hot. If you are not familiar than just travel with us on foot," he added.

He glanced back, then, at the children, and his eyes narrowed. He needed someone--anyone who wasn't Nidhogg (and therefore liable to eat them)--to stay behind and guard the children. His mind went first to Zoisite--but she was not present, at... well, present.

"RUBY-BETA," he bellowed. "Gather those who cannot or do not wish to fight and bring them to Totum. Stay near the Black Spire--keep them safe!"

The rest, well-... He hoped they'd be enough.

For whatever the hell the Hive was about to throw at them.

His glance to Opal was a brief one. "To war," he answered, curtly.