The Three Kings waited, tense.

Their home--a small alcove off one side of Orion--glittered with an uneasy light, cast by their constantly-shifting body. Its purple-blue, smoky color shone through with silvery lights, like stars. Within, their stones--black star sapphire, moonstone, and sunstone--could be seen at the center of their chest, the other two orbiting the moonstone at the center. Right now, the phoenix-like bird's eyes were an icy blue--but every now and then they shifted to red, a smoky hue taking over the body, or golden, with a bright glow, as the bird seemed almost to argue with itself.

"They will not bother coming; the hunters will find their prey," a voice said, and though it came from the galaxy-strewn bird's beak, another voice answered it from the same. Lighter, kinder, and the eyes shifted to gold: "They will come. You will see." There was a gentle confidence in that voice. "It won't do to argue, not now."

"We will wait," they all agreed.

This quest is open for anyone to join at any time. Anyone is free to say they heard, by word of mouth, or from Crown (whose player has given permission), that the Three Kings are seeking help, and Crown suspects there may be 'wings' as a reward. The details of this are as yet unclear...

Did Poco Loco make good decisions?

No, no she did not.

So despite being incapable of any magic, when she heard that 'Three Kings' (she hadn't the faintest clue what a 'King' was) were seaking help, she went to see what she could do.

She'd never been to Orion before, so she gasped as she took in the stars, purring excitedly, making her way to the glittering alcove. And all three eyes widened at the sight of it as she gasped "Oh!" taking in the lights, the stones, and the beautiful bird.

The kitten bounced from side to side excitedly as she approached, chittering her teeth and calling out "Are you the Three Kings? You are very pretty! You need help right?"

Alrik had just kind of been running rampant in Orion.

The kitten was growing older, and boredom seemed to be following his age. He had a better grasp on words now (or at least he thought so), but... hardly anyone to practice with, really. He hadn't run into any fun strangers in a while now.

It was lonely.

No matter though, Alrik didn't need other creatures to go on cool adventures! Not having others around was a... a, uh, lifting of a burden! The, um, burden of annoying company! Hm... no, this wasn't working, Alrik needed somebody to talk to. He was feeling rather frustrated that no one was around. He didn't want to yell and kick and scream about it, no, that was what awkward little kittens did! He was passed that. He wanted some kind of catharsis, however, for the loneliness and the frustration both.

Creeping around Orion, looking for curiosities, nooks, crannies, anything really, Alrik would find it. An alcove, lit strangely, inhabited by a chattering voice that mentioned something about-- there were creatures (plural!) in there! Were those creatures? Only one way to find out, Alrik supposed.

"HEY YOU!! Or, uh, YOU TWO!!"

Alrik would enter.

"WHAT ARE KINGS?"

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Puck wasn't invited. Puck was never invited--Puck invited themselves. He had overheard a discussion between a sheep and some other creatures. Safe and unnoticable within the branches of the trees. Something about three kings. It seemed important, and Puck enjoyed the idea of having exclusive knowledge. That was all it took for him to decide it was worth his while to check out.

They repeated the phrases to all that would hear, spreading the word throughout the caves. Puck's teeth were bared in a grin as he trapezed over the ruins and stones of Orion. Gaze and movements focused on the bright lights the phoenix exuded.

Upon arriving, he settled in on an short mound of rubble and stone, somewhere behind Un Poco Loco and Alrik. He tilted his head, giving them a look-over for valuables they carried. The little creature curled his tail around him, and brought his attention back to the phoenix.

"Puck help." He said, though his face said the opposite. Eyes wild, an opportunistic grin slicing across his features. Puck would have fun. "Puck always ready to help."

Scout had come after learning from Crown about the three kings. The promise of a prize, as mysterious as it was, was attractive, and should it prove to be literal or not, she wanted to know. Either way, perhaps she could use the prize to further her own goals, to try and rejuvenate the caves and spread life and growth throughout them.

Besides... being able to fly sounded useful. She was too young to do much now, so she may as well try to do something with the life she'd been given.

The antelope glanced at the others around her, some who were older, some who were younger, wanting to prove themselves and learn.

"... Three kings,", she mumbled, eyes closing, "I hope their wisdom is useful."

Crown had found her lounging about in Pisces - not at all unusual for her - and woken her up from a very good nap with the noisy clattering of his little hooves. The exchange that followed was rather grumpy for Glaive's usual demeanor, but she'd brightened up at: a.) the chance to help out; and, b.) the possibility of acquiring wings.

Through what means was unclear (yes, she'd asked) but... come on... not jumping on this opportunity? She could join the skies with Blight and the rest of the dragons!

Even with excitement thrumming deep into her bones, the whelp knew how big she'd gotten, and just how much space she'd take up in the alcove. She stood up against the wall outside, twisting so that just her neck and snout was hovering in the entrance. Present, but politely out of the way. Glaive was such a well-mannered baby.

Just remember, darling, all the while. You belong to me.

~ ~
~

She was in and out of Orion constantly, though never hanging around for elongated periods of time for there was always somewhere else to be, somewhere else to find new things. She never really cared about any of the others that came and went yet as she stood under the brilliant lights of the cave, leaning her side against one of the walls - which she was yet to discover what they were - she couldn't help but notice how others began filing in and congregating at one spot. Now that drew her attention.

The cub was quick to run over, the ghost of failure on her heels as if she might be left out of something vitally important. "Glaive-cave!" The large creature was lingering outside the alcove rather than fitting in with all the rest, how sad for her. Though the girl's attention was fast to divert elsewhere, she wasn't here for Glaive nor the other strangers, but the mysterious figure (figures?), but she supposed all the others were there for that exact thing. Disappointing, really, that she would have to share whatever knowledge these weird people had.

Walking straight past those that had gathered she went directly to the Kings, watching with fascination at the way their eyes changed and the orbiting of stones. Now this was not a sight you'd see often. "Hi, I want knowledge." Wide eyes staring up, for she had tried to get as close as she could, feeling infinitely small against these things and somehow as if she knew nothing. Oh wait. "Please." There we go, much better.

Aran, the ever so curious deer had gone to Orion after hearing whispers of things going on and happening. He was always curious, looking to gain knew knowledge every chance he got. Which lead him to Orion. The place glistened with fake stars, glowing his body and making the ring on his horn reflect the light with a golden shine.

Other creatures were running rampant through the cave of Orion - so many felines. Another horned herbivore, though much different then Aran himself. And then some others he didn't know. Some of the creatures were offering their help to those that he didn't know, so Aran offered them a nod in return. He wouldn't speak yet, he would listen.

Finally, a canine among all these cats.

Hargrave, of course, didn't harbor any disdain for those of a feline persuasion, but it was fun to think about narratively. She was simply ambling along, talked to by Crown, and had come here seeking some higher purpose than being one to survive the Trials and one of few to physically witness Lord Dhracia's... theft? Murder, for certain - removal of Masters.

Those weren't long-term activities to pursue, clearly.

Fiery eyes fixed on the bird as she strode in, ears pricked and listening keenly for whatever came next.

Wow, his thoughts bleated, word travels fast. The lamb shouldered his way into the alcove - alone, this time. His brother'd fallen asleep, hidden safely behind a tourmaline-streaked shell. Crown tried not to think about his being alone. No one here was familiar to him except for the Kings, and he barely knew them except as sources of wings.

He quailed softly, I want my dad... and blinked. A shuddering inhale punctuated that thought, and he skittered closer to the Kings, sitting before them. Best to stick to what he knew, and not worry too much about all the new information he'd be parsing by seeing so many faces at once. Overstimulation crawled under his skin, putting bile in his throat.

Oh - oh, magic. Crown reached for it. No response.

Pale eyes screwed shut for a moment, breathing in on a shaky four-count and exhaling for eight. He hadn't expected so many to come, and hadn't expected to get so... overwhelmed. "Lot... of people here - hope they can... help?" he bleated, "I tried to make - another banana for you guys. It didn't work, sorry..."