It was fitting, the place where he was born. The shimmering interior of the moonstone chrysalis shone with the blue light of Polaris--and more recently, with the light of the fires glittering within. And from the other, closer end of the tunnel, the glint of dancing lights from Orion's starry quartz ceiling played on the stone. The inhabitant had opened his eyes a week ago, and had watched the play of color and shine as it touched his now-translucent stone home. He'd raised a gentle paw, holding it to the rock, awed at the display. Awed that this was his world. He felt privileged. He had grown, though--grown until his fur pressed up against the stone, until breathing was hard, until abruptly he felt the shock of claustrophobia. And now he struggled, at times, frantic bursts of thrashing inside what had become a beautiful pastel prison. This was one of those times. He kicked at the stone, scratching with hooked claws as best he could from this cramped position--but in the end, he couldn't get out alone. Someone would have to help him. ______________

@Vazi

VAZI HASIRA

"shattered innocence"

---

His life was over... What else did he have to live for? His brother was dead. The wolf he'd once loved he now scorned. He walked with his head down, his body was haggard and ungroomed, in his mouth was clasped a shimmering white stone. The one piece of Wynry he had left was in his mouth while the one piece of Arkrael was wrapped around his antler tine. For now it was forgotten as he roamed aimlessly through the tunnels. He felt nothing... Only an intense emptiness in his heart. What could fill it? Revenge, perhaps but how would he get it? The dog was large and he was small. He'd felt a bit of satisfaction from telling off Arkrael but he'd also felt sadness as he had still loved her. However he could not be with her. She and the dog were one in the same. Dangerous beasts with fangs and claws for eating meet. He was different, he and Wynry were softer. At first he had been trusting but look what it had gotten him. A sad mind and an empty heart... Would he ever be happy again?

His hooves dragged in an unnaturally sad gait. He was tired but he kept going, lead on by some unknown power. Why hadn't he died yet? He didn't know... He wanted to. What did he have left except for sadness and a hole in his chest?

Click!

His hoof smacked against the side of some object. Some strange thing. He looked and felt his heart nearly leap out of his chest. It... It was a moonstone chrysalis! Just like the one Wynry had hatched out of! Oh! Oh! Was he back? Had the cave realized what a beautiful creature it had lost and worked to bring him back? His body he had left buried in the tunnel from Orion but magic was alive and real here. A part of Vazi's soul argued that he was being irrational that once dead a being would not come back but he didn't listen. He had an irrational hope and he clung onto it for dear life. It made him happy again. Oh! How he wanted his brother back! He wouldn't fail in his duty again! He would keep his eyes on Wynry at all times and never leave him alone! Oh! He had been granted a second chance!

"Come, brother! Come out of your chrysalis! You've been given a second chance at life!" His voice was light and giddy as he leaned down and hit his antlers against the stone in hopes of breaking it open.

words: 434
tagged: @Beast
ooc: ---
muse: 6/10

"Talking looks like this."
Thinking looks like this...

k

The ball of white within the stone let out a plaintive cry. He could hear someone outside, feel something smacking against the rock--feel it cracking, weakening, just a little. He kicked out with his hind paws, and with his front ones, struggling to free himself from the now-damaged chrysalis. A piece splintered away, and then another, and he felt the shock of cold air consume him, but still, he was bound. Only his back, its fluff of tantalizingly misleading white fur matted with amniotic goo, was exposed to the world; his head was still tucked deep within the stone cocoon, his paws stuck tightly in place. He let out another cry, a mewling whimper, begging for help from whatever was outside--fear of his confinement gripping him so that fear of whatever lay outside was beyond his comprehension. No--whatever was out there was surely his salvation. ______________

@Vazi

VAZI HASIRA

"shattered innocence"

---

It was him! He could hear him in the stone! That plaintive noise could only be a sound made by his dear dead brother! He had come back to life. The cave had gifted him! Tears sprang to his eyes as he let out a joyful bellow. He reared onto his hind legs and boxed the air in his exhilaration. How lucky was he?

He brought himself back down to the ground when he saw a piece of moonstone fly from the chrysalis and onto the ground. He peered into it and lo and behold there was white fur! He really was there! He poked his nose into the chrysalis and snuffled at the fur. "Wynry! Wynry? Don't worry! I'll get you out of there!" He laughed, he cried, he snorted, and began to tap at the stone with his antlers again. His little brother was a baby again but that didn't matter! He'd raise him again! Teach him all about the world! If he had to do it ten times agian he would! And he'd cherish every single moment and make it last forever! Yes yes! That's what he would do! He just had to get him out of that stubborn egg.

words: 203
tagged: @Beast
ooc: ---
muse: 6/10

"Talking looks like this."
Thinking looks like this...

The little cub found, rather unexpectedly, that he was choking. He'd inhaled sharply and the fluid in his chrysalis, now that he was open to the air, was killing him rather than sustaining him. His next cry was cut off by gagging and rattling gasps, and it was only because of Vazi's further damage to the stone (and he could hear him, hear his joyful voice, muffled but welcoming him to the world) that the lion cub was actually able to at last break free. Out he tumbled in a wet ball of white fur, half-rolling out and over the rock, the shattered remnants of his moonstone strewn around him. He kept his head bowed for a moment, retching out liquid and gasping in air, all the while leaning up on Vazi's foreleg, which was the first thing he'd bumped into upon falling free. Then, blinking away the fluid, he looked around--and up--for the first time. There was stone, and light--so much brighter, outside of the stone--and there, above him, a great brown figure. Was this his savior? His own thoughts were so primitive, childlike, but the surge of joy and love that rushed through him had no need for complex words. The lion knew little, but he knew that this creature was his family, and that he loved family. Instead he immediately tried to wrap forepaws gently around Vazi's leg, mewling quietly in happy greeting. ______________

@Vazi

VAZI HASIRA

"shattered innocence"

---

From the struggling within the gem and the rest of the chrysalis being knocked away as a result he knew it wouldn't be long before he saw his brother again. That white fur, those sounds, it could be no one else! He silently urged the lamb onwards, mouth working in anticipation while his steel gray eyes stared down at--

What wasn't his brother. This thing... It was white, it had moonstone horns... but it was not Wynry. It was a lion... A carnivore... One of them. Had he been deceived yet again by one of their kind?! He felt the elation that had been rising in his heart, the elation which had filled the void in his soul, swiftly evaporate. All at once everything was again gone. The sun hid behind the clouds and he was once again left cold.

No... He truly would never be happy again.

Perhaps if his brother had not been killed by one of them then he would have just moved on or even took in the little thing. However, he could not... His heart hurt and there was a hole in it. The hole would never heal and he would never feel love again.

He looked down at the creature, the filth, the abomination that dared take on the guise of his dear brother. Were the caves just out to mock him? Had everything he known been a lie? Why was he being tortured so? If he was given a second chance he wouldn't leave his brother ever again! Why couldn't he be granted this one simple thing? He wanted it! He wanted it now!

Tears flowed freely from his eyes but they were no longer happy. They were sad with the realization of his fate. He looked down and could see the fluffy white lion at his leg. Where he should have felt affection or some sort of pull to be caring he felt nothing but contempt and anger. It was irrational and something within him knew he should not feel this way. The cub had no idea about his recent loss and no idea that he looked anything like Wyrnry.

Still... Vazi could not change his heart and for some reason... He didn't want to.

He glared at the tiny thing and disdainfully lifted his hoof from the ground and into the air. Hopefully dislodging the cub and throwing him off. "You filthy imposter! Get away from me!" He bellowed vehemently at the newborn. The anger, throwing an innocent creature down to the ground... It gave him power. It didn't fill the hole but it numbed it. "You gave me such hope..." He went on, more quietly. "But then... you snatched it all away. That's what you all do. You kill and destroy and hurt others... That three-headed beast that killed Wynry... Arkrael who took my time away and made me neglect my duties... Then, you..." His gaze which had clouded over in sadness now locked onto the white thing at his hooves. Angrily he glared down at the cub. "You snatched away what I wanted most... It... It is your fault! You did this! Wynry could have been born again but instead it was a piece of filth! You... You ugly disgusting BEAST!" One of his hooves lifted from the ground and hovered over the cub's head. He wanted to hurt it, wanted to destroy it.

Make it bleed!

Make it hurt!

Kill it for what it's done!

Unnatural!

Abomination!

Dangerous!

His hoof trembled in the air... He could not kill it... But... Could he make it so it would hurt anyone? He would train though it but he wanted a safe creature. One that wouldn't be able to harm anyone even if it tried. He could not kill it but he could do something else... Maybe...

He pulled on everything inside of him, the sadness, the hatred, the anger and aimed a fierce stomp at the cub. He wanted to step on and crush one of those legs so it wouldn't be able to run. If it couldn't run then it couldn't catch prey, problem solved.

Only... He faltered. His hoof slammed the ground next to the cub but he could not touch it. He had been hurt by these foul carnivores and yet he still could not lift an antler to do away with them. Weak... He was a weak herbivore. He needed to work on himself... If only so that he could live long enough to kill the prime offender.

words: 686
tagged: @Beast
ooc: ---
muse: 6/10

"Talking looks like this."
Thinking looks like this...

Something was wrong. The cub's eyes were clearing, and he could see that the stag's were not. He was dripping water from his eyes, and somehow, the cub knew that this was bad. Sad, even. His voice had grown harsh now that the muffling of the chrysalis was gone--or perhaps something had upset his new family. The stag stomped a foot down, staring at him, barking harsh words--and the cub wasn't sure of any of it, bar Beast. Perhaps that was his name? He didn't know why Vazi was upset, but he felt both fear and, odd for one so young, compassion. The impulsiveness of the young lion's heart was innocent, and he stepped forward, pale eyes wide, and gently lifted the paw that Vazi had considered crushing. He tried to place it gently on Vazi's leg, letting out a soft and questioning mewl. If he'd been able to speak, he'd have voiced the impressions that came to him, emotion and without word. What's wrong? and Everything is okay, and Please don't hurt, and What can I do to help? But this "Beast" knew no words, and so all he could do was stare up, and mewl softly, imploring the stag to understand. ______________

@Vazi

VAZI HASIRA

"shattered innocence"

---

He hated himself. He was weak, he was neglectful, and he couldn't even kill a filthy carnivore when it was practically begging to be killed. Abominations. They didn't deserve to live! They were a plague to the cave... and he still couldn't kill it. Perhaps... Perhaps he could do something with it other than destroy it or just maim it. Alone they were destructive but perhaps he could temper them. Teach them humility and educate them about the destructiveness that they sowed. Perhaps... He could train them. All of them. Start a purge of the evil carnivores' destructive natures. Starting with this one.

He looked down at the white beast who again tried touching him. He felt disgust go through his entire body at the touch. A horrible filling that made him want to vomit. It wasn't just because it was a carnivore but because its eyes were filled with caring and concern. He didn't want it. Didn't want to believe that carnivores could truly care. He wanted to believe them destructive. That deep inside they wanted nothing but to hurt... No matter how much they thought they loved other creatures. It was an illusion. It wasn't real.

He yanked his leg away from the beast again, eyes glaring down at the creature. "Keep your filthy paws off of me! I do not need the pity of a beast! You have no pity to give! You are an abomination! A terror, a plague, on these caves! Do you hear me? Do you understand me? All of my problems stem from your kind!" He spoke angrily but he wasn't bellowing as he was before. His voice was matter-of-fact as if he were teaching a child a new lesson. Which in his mind he was teaching this cub a very good lesson about what he truly was.

words: 305
tagged: @Beast
ooc: ---
muse: 6/10

"Talking looks like this."
Thinking looks like this...

The cub flinched back, a little, as Vazi jerked away. Then he waited, cringed down now, his gentle concern giving way to fear. Have I done something wrong? he thought. Words were barked down at him--nonsense sounds, sounds he had no meaning for. Yes... his savior, his family, he was angry with him. The sternness was there. He heard some words spoken with particular emphasis--abomination. Plague. Beast. Yes... yes, he was doing something wrong. Or--had done? Beast turned, glancing uneasily around, a strange new feeling gripping him. Guilt, perhaps--it wrapped him in nauseous uncertainty, making him feel horribly exposed and as if he owed something to this stranger. He let out a confused mewl, peering up again, listening to Vazi's words. At long last, he tried his best to emulate one of the words, the sound squeaking past needle-sharp white fangs. "B... eaaa... st." There... maybe that was what Vazi wanted? Maybe he'd done the right thing, now...? The world churned around his roiling stomach, leaving him trembling and afraid. ______________

@Vazi

VAZI HASIRA

"shattered innocence"

---

Idiot. Could he understand nothing? Wynry could speak when he'd come out! Wynry could even play with him! But this thing seemed to only be able to stare upwards and mewl with its pitiful noises. He hated those noises! They sounded just like Wynry... He shook his head. More anger poured from gaze as he glared down at the helpless creature. "Shut up! Speak sense, you idiot! Can you not grasp the concept of words?" Perhaps all those evil carnivores were like this. Stupid and impressionable at birth. Hmm... what if they were? He could use that. Rescue them and teach them the error of their natures. Oh... He had much work to do in these caves.

Finally, a word squeaked out from between the white imposter's lips. All of a sudden the anger seemed to cool from his eyes, leaving an almost pleased expression. "Yes... That is correct. Beast." He almost purred. "Do not worry. Your soul is nothing but filth that needs to be cleaned but I will help you. I will help you clean your soul, purge it, so that you can be more. But... But never more than me or any of my kind for you are still a filthy carnivore and you will never be anything more. You hear? You. Are. Filth." Him and all the rest of them that wandered around the caves. "Now, can you tell me what you are?"

words: 237
tagged: @Beast
ooc: ---
muse: 6/10

"Talking looks like this."
Thinking looks like this...