So. Need all characters that are going to be part of the Carnivore side to take down Vazi and his murderous herbivore group.

Quietly she had watched from the shadows. Followed his every step until she knew there was no other option. The terror he was putting the caves through had gone on long enough. Frosted paws paced back and forth, leaving a small divot within the moss and foliage she now stood in. Just feet away from her was the trench that was oh so familiar from her first few moments of being awake. The place where she had met her hatchmate. Yet, now none of that seemed to be on her mind. Her body felt numb, unable to process what her mind was coming to terms with and her heart was in no better shape.

It had to be done. With a slam of her paw against the ground she spun her direction, facing the entrance of where Eridanus led out to the other tunnels. She had need of others as she would not be able to do this task alone. Not when he so easily forced others under his command. She was unsure on how many follows he had corrupted into his madness, but it mattered little. She would gather her friends that she had left and she would plea to them for their aid. In doing so perhaps they would have others who would follow her until this new evil threat was washed away.

She stilled her heratic breathing, lifted her head even higher as her tail followed suit. She would steel her emotions in that moment as the hackles upon her neck began to bristle. Her gem instantly vibrated, humming ratherly darkly as her magic came to life. Neigh instantly the ground just before her paws began to tremble, breaking away as a large fire opal burst through. Jagged edges quickly smoothed out as it rose higher from the ground and Arkrael took no hesitance to jump atop the gem even as it still grew. Once it came to a complete halt, Arkrael took the moment to judge how high it was. A good two feet it seemed. It would be enough for everyone to see her when they all gathered. If they hopefully did.

With one final intake of breath, Arkrael lifted her nose to the top of the cave and sang the loudest howl she could muster, calling those she knew would hopefully come to see what she had to say. Her mind quickly worked, going through every name and gembound she knew, hoping they would hear her summons of them and join her. Her song clipped off short and the wolfess lowered her gaze, intently watching and listening for any response. All she could do now was wait for those to gather and hope to all Origin that they would head her plea and stand beside her in her upcoming task. There was a tightening in her chest, a breaking deep inside of her, but she had to pushed it away. Forcing every last emotion and thought away that would render her mission to ruin.

"Speech"
'Thoughts'

---

Tags: @Leon @Feral @Azazel @Giggle @Bucephalus
OoC: Tag anyone else you may know that will be joining this side

Behind Arkrael, the half-grown dingo glanced back, flicking her ears and wincing in irritation. The rumbling earth had been loud enough, but the howl was downright deafening.

She knew it was a summons, one meant for other ears. She was already all the way behind Arkrael--she knew the wolf had been deeply troubled, lately, irritable and upset, at what had become of her... friend? Mate? Feral hadn't quite asked, but she knew that it struck her as odd, this whole wolf-and-stag thing. For her, she'd have eaten him. She was still all for it, really; Arkrael was looking for aid in taking him down, and Feral would help her--but she'd have fought and killed Vazi anyway, or tried to.

There was little point in mincing words. Vazi was a deer. Deer were for eating. Though she'd never say that, not in front of the wolf--not only because Arkrael was larger and older, but because she was hurt by it--by all of it.

With a faint, sly smirk, Feral came up to sit alongside the gem, peering up. She was going to make a wisecrack, something about the howling waking the dead, but the look on Arkrael's face made her keep her silence and stifle her smile. The wolf's gaze held a determination and a pain that, Feral knew, jokes had no place coming near.

So instead, with a soft sigh through her nose, she sat quietly and looked ahead, tawny ears perked up and amber eyes searching Eridanus for those who might answer Arkrael's summons.

(I'm gonna clarify that this should take place after the wedding, and after Leon's fight with Vazi, for timeline reasons!)

It was fortunate that Leon was already on his way to Eridanus to see the black and grey wolf. If there was ever a reason for him to see Arkrael, it was regarding what had just happened in Orion only days ago. He was thankful he had Bevy back in Maji Walezi who was well versed in the art of healing - she and Makyna were responsible for patching him up multiple times, but this time around it seemed his injuries were far more intense than before. He'd made the mistake of putting too much faith in his fire. It was a mistake he had made before ad one he'd easily make again, despite how traumatically it had wounded him. The fire consumed his head and chest, tearing fur and blackening his skin. He came from the battle with burns along his muzzle, cheeks, and back - at this point, however handsome the bear had once been was but a distant memory.

He was ugly. He was a fiend forged of the flames in a bid to save another like him, like Makyna. But he wasn't a monster. It was Vazi - the stag had escaped with wounds that nearly rivaled his own, but his survival wasn't Leon's great concern. It was what he said and what he was doing now. Arkrael - something had happened between them, and if the bear wasn't incensed to defeat the stag for the frail lion he abused, then it would be for her sake. He heard her call and hastened, though his skin was still taut and burned with pain. They insisted he stay and heal more, but the bear was no stranger to the effects of the fire. He would recover.

When Leon found her, she was stationed atop a platform of gleaming opal. A smaller canine was next to her, unfamiliar to the bear. He briefly wondered if the wolf would recognize him through his burns. The bear turned his gaze up to Arkrael, tipping his muzzle in greeting. "Arkrael," Leon's voice crackled, and he grimaced for a half second before seating himself before her. "I hope I'm not intruding." He added, uncertain of why she'd made the call in the first place.

The wedding had been fantastic and beautiful, and the gift that Leon had created for Makyna worked just perfectly. It was a few days after that, and Azazel was to pay a visit to Cancer and see how his old friend was recovering, but a great resounding rumble and howl set his course otherwise. Niru would take good care of Cancer. Arcing towards the source of the call, Azazel found himself in Eridanus. Atop a tall pillar of opal stone, there stood a very familiar wolf. He had yet to even find his name. Who was it, again? He could see a dingo and a bear down below. He knew not the name of the dingo, but did know the obsidian-shouldered grizzly from anywhere. Leon. Something was off, though. The man was a scarred beast, burns covering his body. Azazel had his fair share of burns still from the fight with the dragon, but Leon's were recent. Slowly, he perched on a low-hanging branch above the bear, tilting his head. "What's going on?"

taggin' giggle so she can be here idk hunting for more mushroom specimens @Giggle

I WILL FIGHT FOR THESE CAVES;
The colt had grown considerably since emergence, standing now at fifteen hands at his withers, and he had become much more sure in his steps. In fact, the young shire cantered gleefully about the caves, but he had gotten a little lost. Yes... he was somewhere with a lot of green. The floor was covered with green, and he could eat the green! So he was happily grazing until he heard a great earth-shaking rumble and a big howl. That was an astonishing experience for him, and he jumped up happily. He was pretty sure he could shake the floor too! But when he landed, there was nothing. Hanging his head for just a moment, the horse would curiously trot towards the sound, soon breaking into an easy gallop where he would hop over many gnarled tree roots with ease.

A great big tower of opal came into view, and Bucephalus skidded to a slow walk, eyes wide with wonder. Woah, that was so cool! Nickering, the boy approached and he looked at the other Gembound that were gathered around this spire of gem. A great big grizzly, a dog, and a bright orange-red chicken bird! As his head turned up, incredulous gaze found a great big wolf standing on the stone! Skittering over to the crowd, he plopped down on his rump, gangly legs sticking right outwards. He was quiet, save for his small nicker to try and get the others to acknowledge his presence, before he stared straight up at the tall tower.

THEY'RE ALL I'VE EVER KNOWN.

It had been no surprise when Feral had found her way to her side. Her gaze fell down towards the golden canine. She adored the pup, there was no lie in that, and she was terribly glad she still came around. Her thoughts were quickly pulled away as the sound of someone else drawing near caught her attention. Ears jumped into attention as the brown bear came into view. "Leon!" Her voice came out alarmed as she saw the shape he was in. She quickly leaped from the gemstone she had constructed and rushed towards the bear. She did a quick walk around him, judging all the damage that Leon had. "You're not intruding...Actually I'm glad you're here," A grim frown etched across her features as her ears flipped back to pin into a more agitated expression. "Who did this to you?"

Arkrael's attention couldn't stay on Leon for long as another's voice soon chirped up and she tilted her head back to look towards the bird. Familiarity quickly struck her and she tilted her head to the side. She remembered this bird from her childhood. They had few interactions, but it was enough to keep memory of at least his appearance. He was bigger since last she saw him that was for sure. "There's danger in the caves...I need to discuss it with anyone willing to give me their assistance..." It was all she said for now as she turned hard eyes to Leon. She was still curious to know who had caused him harm.

A new scent came to him almost instantly and her multi-colored gaze shifted towards the equine that was making their way over. At first glimpse she had thought it was Delphine, but on second glance she knew it was not so. Not to mention the scent definitely did not match Delphine's. The equine said nothing, only giving a nicker as if to show his presence. He was young, she knew, but she couldn't be picky. She offered a small smile to the colt before giving a polite hello. After that she gave her attention back to Leon, eagerly waiting what he had to say to answer her inquiry. Her stomach churned, almost anxious to hear what leon was going to say. Hopefully it had not been him....

"Speech"
'Thoughts'

---

Tags: @Bucephalus @Azazel @Feral @Leon
OoC: Tag anyone else you may know that will be joining this side

oh there's always time to change your mind!

@Black, @Fallah

Fisher had heard the howl, and more importantly, he knew who it belonged to: Arkrael. A quick trip through the icy tunnel of branching paths and he was out of Polaris and into Eridanus. He had asked Black and Fallah to come with, of course, but he bolted off before he could explain. After all, he wasn't entirely sure what the meeting was for-- but if one of his favorite hunting partners needed help, he would hear her out.

At least he would listen. The noodle practically barreled into Leon as he broke through the ferns and foliage-- and let out a squeal that sounded more like he was tearing a thick essay-worth of papers with his teeth. Then, the small brown mustelid let out a cackling laughter, mostly at himself, as he bounced back into the roots of a large, knotted tree, plopping down.

"My bad-- heya, Leon! Arkrael, what's up? You drew quite the crowd!" His voice chittered, tail wagging wildly. The bear was lucky he was going to shut his trap before an outboasting contest began. A cycle ago, seeing some of these faces might have hurt him, made him feel bitter and angry. Yet instead, delight spread across his features as he saw Aza'zel there, too! He had been at the wedding, of course, but he hadn't stayed long enough to mingle, really. To be fair, the whole affair had left him feeling a bit empty in general-- but Arkrael would have a real mission, an actual important, cool job for them all.

He couldn't wait to hear what it was.

tell me that you need me

to help you find a way

δεξιά . κέντρο . αριστερά

Quietly, like a shadow, the great Kerberos stepped through the jungle, into the clearing. He was the biggest creature there, a massive white wolf of three heads, and he said not a single word. His six pink eyes were pinned to Arkrael as he stood at easily twice the height of Leon, his shadow casting darkly over the gembounds gathered. His tail snaked past the trees out behind him, his path carved by his massive forepaws.

Most striking, however, was how his left forepaw was alight in a bright, violent orange glow, swelling up his massive leg muscles and dense, ivory coat. Perhaps it would have been more impressive if the glow spread to the rest of his body, but it seemed to falter, falling off and dimming as he took his seat at the edge of the gathering, watching them like a silent, massive ghost.

The Alpha wanted something. His mind was wracked with fear, swelling with concern-- he had the death of two sheep now under his paws. Accidents. He hadn't actually dealt the killing blow, but more than one gembound saw him as a murder machine. This was not the image his mother had promised him. Today, he would change that.

Arkrael had called for him, and he had answered.

Black stood uneasily, shifting from front paw to front paw. He'd wanted to stay in Polaris--Fisher knew that. He didn't want to leave the stone he'd given a portion of himself to; he wanted to guard it, to watch it.

But Fisher had called--perhaps he'd forgotten about the egg, but Black didn't press the point, didn't remind him. He just followed, silent and obedient, and hoped that the others currently living in Polaris would look after his... what, his child? The moonstone chrysalis that he and the strange crow had together created.

He found a gathering of Gembound, mostly canines and bears, by the looks of things. There were wolves, and a wolf that for a moment he mistook for the one who had awaken him at the moment of his own birth--but it was not. Black drew up close to Fisher and kept shifting from paw to paw, briefly eyeing the huge three-headed dog emerging from the jungle. His hackles bristled faintly; of all the creatures here, the enormous cerberus would certainly be the biggest threat. He edged closer to Fisher, remaining silent.

Black wasn't sure why they were here, but he supposed he'd soon find out.

________________

After resting a while form her adventures, Fallah was in optimum condition. She had gotten to see Fisher and Black again, but soon Fisher took off. He had told Fallah and Black to follow him and they did. Coming into quite the crowd, Fallah drew closer to her tall bark friend and long brown friend, ebbing at the small space between them. Why were they here? Who even were all these gembounds? Fisher seemed happy. That was good. Black did not seem happy- did he really seem happy ever- or at least less happy than the base happy which wasn't really happy either, but he seemed especially edgy and not quite happy. Fallah frowned slightly and looked away from her friends, waiting to hear what this meeting was about.