enna . calypso
sweet and soft . critical and melodic
ooc ;; @Makyna @Al-Addir @Eeya @Leon// @Amaria @Dark @Cancer @Remedy @Sonata @Cadence @Lillith @Quintus

Despite the chill in the air, Pisces never felt warmer and more like home. Even as snowflakes drifted down as though they were in a sleepy slumber of their own, catching on crimson and ebony feathers, the whole cavern was a buzz with life. Bevy had just checked with Leon and Makyeon, and today was the day that their children would be introduced to the rest of Maji Walezi... Which wasn't saying much, considering the cozy family now made up most of the group. Still, there was Dark, and Eeye... Perhaps Eeya's new friends would join them today as full fledged members-- that would be nice.

The bird's mind was swarmed with hundreds of thoughts, but most important on her list was the thought of Remedy. Her beautiful, cat-like form graced with her vibrant plumage. Though a sick churning feeling in her stomach came up whenever she thought of the darling cub, Enna couldn't be a prouder mom. It had been just over four cycle's since Cancer was exiled from Maji Walezi, and that meant that today he could walk into his birthplace with their daughter, head held high. He had helped against Hasira, and his service would be recognized today.

She wanted to offer Remedy a place with the waterfall, but she was already sure the child enjoyed her dusty new home and was sick of moving, surely... The Bonebound were good people, those she trusted with her whole heart. Her child would be safe in Amaria's motherly shadow, so much safer than in her own.

Now's not really the time for this, Calypso's curt voice broke through the quiet thoughts of the bevy of birds. The pitohui hopped up on to the stony perch where meetings were held, grasping at the white quartz put there by her old leader, pride swelling through her chest. Today, everything was going to be made right again. Families would come together and share in a moment of peace and love and prosperity.

You're right, Caly. I'm sorry. It's a bit much, she thought back to her headmate, internally smiling as her red gaze flicked across the blue slate and growing hills of moss. She could pick out her nest from here by the vines growing over the entrance, small red berries and flowers like pinpricks on her green home. It felt so... Festive. She shook her head, getting the cold snowflakes out of her feathers.

Just one more. We don't have to be the leader after this. Calypso's voice was tired, battered and broken. She had been doing so much work over the past few cycles, and although Enna couldn't help but ask, I thought you liked being leader, she knew that they weren't in a good place anymore. A darkness had swallowed their heart, and together they wanted to back off and let someone else take control so they could handle themselves for a while and not worry so much.

Whenever you're ready, Calypso huffed. I am... Cancer should be here any minute now. The bird nodded, mostly to herselves, and then let out a bright, cheerful song.

"Now we're back to the beginning.. It's just a feeling and no one knows yet, but just because they can't feel it too-- doesn't mean that you have to forget! Let your memories grow stronger and stronger, 'til they're before your eyes... You'll come back when they call you~"

It wasn't the traditional way of calling a meeting, but that was alright. It would catch their attention and pull them in, get them to listen to her song. Calypso cleared their throat and called out after the musical chirps faded, echoing distantly around the cavern, a murmur under the roar of the waterfall.

"Maji Walezi! Please, gather around! It's time for a meeting!"

But don't you come here and say I didn't warn you
About the way your world can alter
And oh how you try to command it all still
Every single time it all shifts one way or the other

And I'm a goddamn coward, but then again so are you
And the lion's roar, the lion's roar
Has me evading and hollering for you
And I never really knew
what to do
...

GUESS WHAT EVERYONE IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! Bonebound is allowed to come join in this moment of merriment, HOWEVER there will be a time limit on posts! Everyone has until December 13th to post saying they're here, and every day after that I will post once (assuming I have the time) going over important notes. In no particular order, the topic of events will be as follows:

Current News, Cancer's Exile ending, New Membership (and new children, including Makyeon Children and Remedy, Member Ranks (Dark becoming a Scout, among others), and last but not least, Re-election/Bevy standing down. Feel free to hit me up on cbox or pm if you want something specific to be mentioned, but your character can always post with their own suggestions!

NOTE: This thread takes place AFTER HASIRA GETS NEARLY KILLED. The Carnivore/Herbivore war is currently in a lull as the Herbivore leader is healing, giving the caves a short period of peace. It should be a happy time for all involved! Also it's snowing because Christmas.

EXTRA NOTE: THIS THREAD DEMANDS YOU POST OR YOU WILL BE SKIPPED. If you have to shit post to get a post in, that's fine! SHITPOST all over my thread you monsters. I'm not kidding by the way, this thread WILL be finished before Christmas, if you can't post then just let me know and tell me what your character would be up to and I'll just scribble it into some footnotes. You can vote OOC if you are busy with real life stuff! <3

The owl spent much of his time, these days, staring at nothing. He listened, and thought, but didn't learn much of use. More often than not he wound up practicing his magic, or simply sleeping, a pile of ragged featherfloof in one of his several nests.

Now, though, he happened to be in Pisces--and when Bevy's call rang out, he immediately responded.

With a melodic hoot that carried over the sound of the falls, and a beat of his wings followed by a swift, silent glide, he came to her side. He tumbled over the rock as he usually did, pulled himself up, and ruffled his feathers clean.

Then he looked around, listening for her--and upon finding her, drew closer, settling himself in. He wasn't sure why she was calling a meeting--but he was here, at least.


"Bevybevybevybevy," he murmured by way of greeting, his tone content and interspersed with the clicking of his beak. Eyelids slowly lowered over emerald gems, and there he waited, quietly patient.

________________

Ah, it had been a lovely week. The birth of her children had happened and that stag had finally been put down. She was sure with the beating he had gotten that he would stay down. It was terrible that they had to use such force on another gembound but it was obvious that something to that effect needed to be done. His mind had acerbated beyond all recognition and it was necessary. A shame...

But with his downfall now Maji Walezi was able to focus on other things. Makyna for one could focus on her children! Or the one she had now. Cadence was seated in front of her, her face turned away but certain to have a scowl, and Makyna was working on that headfur of hers. For some reason Cadence could always end up getting it all mussed up and in her face! It looked absolutely awful and unkempt to the golden lioness. Others would think she was a terrible parent if she let her child wander around without her fur fixed.

So, she used her tonuge now to comb the grizzly lion's headfur back onto her head so that it was back into place and not over her eye. She heard a sigh from the cub and a murmur that she couldn't quite catch. "What was that, Cadenza?" Another murmur from the cub and Makyna let out a sigh. "You're acting like I'm hurting you! Really? Don't you want to look pretty for everyone today? You should really take a few tips from Sonata. Now that cub knows how to keep her fur looking pristine and beautiful." Sure, Sonata was a bit shy and secluded but with all that staring in the water her fur never seemed out of place and Makyna appreciated it. If only Cadence would take a few tips.

"Just one more thing..." She mused to herself as she reached out her magic to pick up one of her purple flowers. She was ready to affix the flower to the front of Cadence's right ear when she heard the singing of Bevy. Wow, she never knew the bird was so musical.

Neither did she know her child was so fast.

Before she knew it Cadence was out of there! The last thing Makyna saw was her stubby tail disappearing down the cliffs. "Cadenza Songcat get back here! I'm not done with you yet!" The lioness put the flower in her maw and raced after her daughter. With her longer legs she caught the wayward cub at the meeting area and held the protesting cub while she fitted the flower to the front of her ear the hard way. "There! We're ready, Bevy." The lioness grinned up at the leader with a bright smile.

---

460
Cadence
---
7/10

"Talking looks like this!"
"Singing looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

Why did her mom always insist on decorating her and ruining her hair? Ugh, Cadence fixed it just how she liked it and Makyna always came along and ruined it! The pudgy cub could feel her mom's tongue running over the hair swoop she worked so hard to put into place! "You're ruining my hair..." The cat said under her breath. "What was that, Cadenza?" "Cadence..." She grumbled again under her breath. Her siblings got to be out with Papa Bear while she was stuck here getting fashion lessons from her mom! It was so unfair! The cat wanted to spit she was so angry. Really, she didn't care about looking nice. All she wanted to do was go out and explore and have fun!

Now she just had to sit here and-- oh? An ear pricked as she heard the singsong voice of Bevy. That must mean a meeting! It was her saving grace! She would have stayed there and been a good girl. Really, cross her heart and hope to die. But if she had an excuse to bolt then she would take it!

While her mother was distracted with finding the perfect flower she took off, down the cliffs and straight to the meeting area. "Woooo! Freedom!" And it was glorious! Until her mom hooked her with a paw and slapped the flower on her ear. "No! Mom! Stoppit! Nooooo! I look so stupid!" There was nothing she could do now. The flower was firmly seated on her ear and her hair was successfully groomed into place.

If looks could kill everyone in the cave would be dead. The white cub's blue eyes were narrowed while her mouth was curved downwards into a complete frown. Her ears were pinned at the sides of her head as she stared furiously ahead.

No one had better say a word to her about her hairdo or she would blow a gasket.

---

321
MW Meeting
---
8/10

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

I hear your heart beat to the beat of the drums,

What a shame that you came here with someone...

It was a couple days into their birth and Leon was already raring to take his children on an adventure. Well... a safe adventure. And less of an adventure and more of an educational field trip. And less of a field trip and more of a visit to the lagoon edged up against the wall fed by the waterfall that poured near their den. Alright, so maybe Leon made it sound a little more exciting than it really was, and maybe his children had caught onto that fact by the way they seemed slightly disinterested in what Leon had to say as he told them about fishing and how important the cave fish were to their life style. But they needed to know the important role the cave fish played, as well as how to respect them, whether or not they were being hunted. Disrespecting a vital source of food could end very badly for the lot of them, considering cave fish were practically a staple of their diet.

He was still sitting on the edge of the lagoon, not yet allowing his son and daughter to venture into the waters - first they had to go over Leon's carefully crafted Water Safety lessons - when Bevy's song had gone up. Leon stopped mid-sentence, turning his eyes to where the bird was summoning them. Then, he frowned. "She's interrupting the lesson." He grumbled, and once she topped it off with a summoning, he brought his paw to his face and dragged it, exuding an acerbated sigh. "Alright. I GUESS we can finish this later. Sounds like Bevy's got something important to tell us." The bear grunted and rolled onto his paws. No doubt Baroque and Sonata would be chomping at the bit to see what this meeting was all about.

Then again, it would mean reconvening with his wife. While Leon adored spending time with his children, it was beginning to wear on him. They were a handful. Like, three children, none of which ever seemed to want to do what Leon needed them to do. They had to learn about safety! They had to learn about their role in the caves! Stranger danger!!! They needed to know!!!!

He made his way towards the meeting alongside Baroque and Sonata, quick to notice that they had been beaten already. Dark was there with Bevy, and Leon felt a small swell of relief - he hadn't seen the owl in a while - and Makyna was there with Cadence. His previous agitation at the interrupted lesson washed away with a lingering warmth in his chest as he approached the lioness from behind, making a gentle nip at her ear before giving her a toothy grin. "Ah, my darling, my Goddess," He rumbled with a laugh then glanced down at Cadence, lifting a paw and noogieing her on the head, promptly mussing up the fur that Makyna had spent so long grooming. "Hey kiddo." Leon sunk onto his rump and there he waited, orange eyes flitting around to the rest of the gathering, but mostly remaining on his children to ensure their behavior.

@Baroque @Sonata

Why did Macawi always end up in other Gembounds’ meetings? It’s not like she actually belonged to any of these groups. Somehow, though, she was drawn to them. She was very good at randomly showing up to these things. Did she know any of these Gembounds? She didn’t think so… The lioness looked vaguely familiar… Ah! The foobaw game! Though, the coyote didn’t have a clue what the blue-eyed lion’s name was… Oh well! The bird who had called the meeting didn’t look familiar, and neither did the white… little lion-thing. It wasn’t quite a lion. Macawi had no idea that that foobaw game had been because of a wedding, so she made no connections between the big brown bear from some time ago and the lioness here. Therefore, she had no idea that Cadence was half-bear.

Not that any of that mattered to the little coyote. She padded quietly up to Makyna, whose name she didn’t actually know yet, and gave a jovial greeting. “Hello there! Macawi is Macawi! Who are you? And who is your… young charge?” The last question was obviously aimed at Cadence, and she gave the lion-bear a friendly grin to show that she was included in the conversation.

"Speech"

Words: 204
@Makyna / Cadence

When Bevy - actually, he guessed it was Calypso, and not his sweet Enna at the time- had come to him about the Election in Maji, Carcino had wanted to refuse her invitation. He feared seeing Makyna again, on a personal level. More than that, he feared Remedy, if she came, wouldn't want to leave knowing they had a home there again if they wanted it. He wanted to stay in Canis, segregated from the rest of the caves, reclusive and exclusive to his family and closest friends. It had begun to seem like the perfect life.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling of nostalgia that washed over him as the mist of Pisces dampened his fur for the first time in four cycles. Half a lifetime ago, but it had seemed far longer than that. He'd agreed to come, to bring Remedy to see her mother, to try and bring Amaria and Cure along too just in case Leon's trio were born by then. He'd managed to bring Remedy ahead of the other girls, to discuss her behavior in the coming events.

"Rem." He broke through her babble, for the cub had been talking non-stop since they'd left Canis. She didn't hear him. "Remedy." Again, she kept talking. "Remedy Karkata! Listen!" He finally snapped sternly and the cub paused, shocked, and finally slowed to his side as they walked, to listen.

"While we've been invited to sit in on the Election, we're still not members of the Maji Walezi, understand? We won't get a vote in who becomes the new leader." Remedy barked back that obviously her mother would remain leader, so it didn't matter anyway. He stifled a laugh. "Perhaps, but we need to be prepared for anyone to take the position. Remember, as Bonebound, we are allies to the Maji, and we must respect whatever decision they come to." Remedy nodded solemnly, and the pair continued through the cave and up towards the sing-song tones of a familiar voice.

As he rounded the lagoon, he noticed with a tension in his stomach that the Songcat family had already arrived, with three little hybrids in tow. When Remedy became excited and stepped ahead, as if to run at them, Carcino dipped his head and scooped her up unceremoniously between his teeth. Though three cycles old and getting heavy, the little hybrid was still small enough to be carried- unlike her rapidly growing twin, who now stood as tall as her mother and just as sleek. Three cycles. Has it really been that long?

Silently, and without sparing more than a glance at Leon- pointedly keeping his eyes away from the wife and children he sported- the leopard carried his offspring to the base of the cliffside, below where Bevy perched. There, regal and poised, he placed Remedy back on the ground between his feet and sat straight, curling his shortened tail around his paws as far as it would go and taking on a professional, almost royal pose.

Below him, Remedy did the same, if a bit less poised than her sire. Carce looked up at Bevy above and offered her a knowing smile- he'd come, despite his reservations, and it felt good to be there again. He was home, though aloud he'd never admit it. Finally, his eyes slid across the crowd gathering and he began to silently pick out familiar faces from the strangers there. He recognized some- Leon of course and briefly, his eyes passed Makyna- she looked well- and their trio of newborns- two white daughters, looked like, and an auburn son. A son. His eyes lingered on the boy a moment, then moved on to the others gathered. Dark, he knew. A few others he knew. He paid little mind to those he didn't know, opting to return his gaze to the avian leader above.

When Papa had told her that she'd be visiting Pisces cave to see her mother, Remedy had all but flipped her axis. She'd become so excited that she'd flown circles around Orion while waiting for Carcino to make his way through on paw. She'd only landed for the tunnel out again, and as they entered the new cave, her attention turned to literally every new sight she could take in.

"Woah, Pa, look at that! There's so much water! Oh, look, green stuff! Like what Cure talked about! Oh, there's so many people here! I can smell them all, like you taught me- oh man woah is that your map!?" She'd almost run off, but finally, her father's stern voice snapped her back to attention. Quietly, she returned directly to his side and barely resisting a birdly grin, stared up at him as they walked. He explained a few things and she nodded along boredly, distractedly, until finally her eyes settled on the tiny bird sitting by the waterfall.

Mama! Her step perked up but she stayed by Carcino's side obediently. As the pair made their way closer to the gathering of gembound, Remedy's attention veered to every new face she could see- and some she'd already seen, once or twice. Her Uncle, Leon, was there, sitting with a paler cat- she guessed her to be the Makyna her parents barely tolerated talking about- and by their feet... cubs! Newborns! Three tiny new faces, all alike in some way, two white girls and- oh. Remedy stared for a moment at the male cub, head tilting. He wasn't like his sisters, almost a direct duplicate of Leon, but with slightly paler fur and a line of longer fur down his neck. His tail was long like Makyna's. Remedy glanced at the two girls again- they were pretty, if noticeably fatter than she and Cure had ever been, she decided- but the smaller boy seemed... less there than them. He was all tucked and quiet compared to the twins. As they passed them, she veered in their direction, to try and make contact.

Papa had other plans. Suddenly, unceremoniously, she was scooped into the air. The hybrid protested with a squeak, but otherwise turned still. Bigger and heavier than she'd been at their age, Remedy couldn't struggle, lest she risk injuring herself on his fangs or damaging her new adult plumage. So, she waited until her paws touched stone ground again before shifting away from him and twisting to preen what feathers had been ruffled and dampened. Her eyes travelled back to the little male cub again, lingering, until her father spoke up above her. She twisted, immediately paying full attention to her parents, eyes drawn to Bevy like glue now that she was close enough to really see her.

Quietly, but not at all subtly, she rose a front talon to wave, trying to catch her mother's eye. She wore only affection and joy across her features now- excitement dancing through multi-colored eyes like wild fire. This is the best day ever! I get to meet Mama properly! I get to meet Leon's new kids! I get to see Pisces! THIS. IS. AWESOME. She took on a more polite stance after a moment, but her head remained cocked at an angle, watching her mother's every move, yearning to be up on that perch beside her, mother and daughter... just like Cure and Amaria.

@Amaria @Leon @Bevy

Baroque was supposed to be a Big Boy now. His daddy had showed him how to fish, and he was already hitting his first milestone... Or he was supposed to be. Somehow, however, he had failed horrible at managing to catch anything and instead burst out into tears. It didn't help that at that same moment, the supposed leader of Maji Walezi-- a loud bird named Bevy-- called for a meeting.

Probably to discuss what a horrible mess he was and how they should just turn him into fish bait. They would certainly catch more fish that way. His tears flowed from his eyes and he hiccuped, paws smudging into his face, until he noticed something. Something different. From the entrance tunnel-- the scary place that his sisters would whisper about when they thought daddy couldn't hear, the place where monsters lived-- came two gembounds at first, and then more and more.

Barry's fur did not fluff up, despite his fear, instead it laid even flatter as though he was trying to disappear from view. He saw a cub with the first adult and wanted oh so badly to stop crying but only managed to get his weeping down to a quiet sniffle. The baby boy looked up at his daddy and then promptly buried his face into the thick brown fur, wishing somehow he could just disappear.

He definitely did not want to go to this meeting, and he definitely did not want to meet anyone new. There were already too many people and he was sure they were all going to think he was a huge loser crybaby.

Baroque

When the call came up, the cat was jostled from his slumber in the den that he had been given to recover in. First it was the sound of her singing, coming in through the air, through his ears, rousing from sleep in much the same way another's gentle voice had done before. He heard it, and then he closed his eyes again, praying for sleep to take him back away. Maybe there he could match the voice to another's face.

But it persisted, and when the tune faded away and was replaced with a chipper summoning of the ones that lived here in Pisces, Bartos huffed a sigh and slowly peeled open his eyes again. There would be the shuffling of feet nearby and the rise of voices in discussion. He wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, especially now that the waking world had brought with it the usual ache of his leg. On his side, he hadn't bothered to try and raise his head to peer out his den. He could already see a congregation beginning to mount in the heart of the cave where members of Maji Walezi had come to Bevy's call, and he wondered if he was meant to join them.

Maybe joining them would take his mind off of everything going on. It would free him from the idle suspension of his usual progress, from the flashes of darkness that seemed to seethe from the otherworldly connection between him and the doe, his - oh, his sweet Goddess - how he wanted to find her and rescue her, and how he wanted to smear her from his thoughts, and how he hated himself for being so small and pathetic and vulnerable. He should have been able to protect her. He should have saved her from Hasira, and yet...

It would do no good to dwell on it.

The cat loosed a long, quiet sigh. He propped himself up on his forelegs, tiredly hanging his head, while the citrine chrysali had caught his eye in the flash of reflected light. Bartos glanced over to them, a pair of twin stones nestled comfortably against the opposite wall. He had settled them there after Quintus brought him to Pisces, and now they wouldn't move. He was tethered to this cave, then. At least for as long as the chrysali grew here. They were all he had. All he had of her, except for the flashes, those memories, but they didn't feel like her. Try and try he did to reach out to her, but he had never gotten anything in return. Nothing except for hatred.

Stop. Go see everyone. Quintus should be there. Bartos straightened up and gritted his teeth, he still hadn't gotten accustomed to the sudden loss of his leg. It jutted awkwardly out and behind him, the bone twisted or cracked and slowly mending itself in a position unnatural to his anatomy. The cat huffed and took a few wobbly steps out of the den, slowly working into a hobbling pace as he moved towards the gathering. He had no idea what would come of the meeting - groups had never really been his thing, but at least he was here with Maji Walezi, and there were faces he might know. The cat took his time limping towards the group and reclined near the far outer edge, tiredly watching.