so heavy i fell through the earth,

She had dragged her way from the foamy tendrils of the ocean for miles and miles. Stalked the great mountain tips - and fell through the rubble back to earth again. Kye had lay her aimless claws to the earth and dug up existence in ruthless exploration. She wanted to taste the blood of each creature that crossed her path. This was no longer the swampy marsh of her birth and death. This was a new land not deflowered. Did the weak and strong exist here? Why had this place yet to be devastated by misfortune? It was still so vast and new, so virtuous by extension. 

Kyeza had sought to taint it with her bloodlust. It had kept leading her south, and south, with whispers of like-minded beast nestled somewhere near a jungle. It was a wake up call, a reminder of a rotten shangri'la. She had lost everything. Everything to the point of falling over an edge. And now she had been gifted this new place to wreak havoc indiscriminately. Where she would not be reminded of her children or play things. Where her heavy past could not dig bones from a shallow grave. 

She does not trespass too long usually, but finds herself tittering the edges of a strong musk. It was a pack that gathered around the ring of forest. They dotted each tree in blatant warning. She was brazen, but not stupid and so kept her distance waiting to be found. But after a day only, patience had evaporated into unjust demanding, and Kye had thrown her head back to howl her arrival at the Nightwalkers borders. 

And when they came, her lips would already be pulled over her teeth in awkward greeting. The way a devil might trill it's hello, disguised with a smile. 

"Are you one who wishes to conquer this world?"

Kyeza was big, queer only in the excess of tail that was missing fur, and her bright blue eyes. Thinning hues of a gray purple brindled across the majority of her coat, with the exception of her head and paws. Her right side was stained with scarring from a bear, shifting from shoulder towards belly at an angle that would have suggested she should have died long ago. 

"Show me."

@Vengeance
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With their unfortunately low numbers, there weren't enough to go around and check the borders regularly. Most of the time Vengeance would wander them only to return to @"Bramble"'s side and check on the healing medic, eat, sleep during the day, and repeat the next day. It felt like he had done all this before, and patience was simply not a virtue the man had in order to repeat a similar path he had once upon a time - even if it was simply through déjà vu.

It was the call that quickened his pace, cutting through his usual path around the borders to freshen them up himself until they had more members to do so for him. Perhaps this is what he demanded, finally a wish becoming reality as his empire would grow one member at a time to become the powerhouse they deserved to be. The strength to revere and fear.

Soon enough the figure who summoned him appeared through the mist, lurking on the cusp of his borders and a grin split his toothy, stained maw. At least his borders were obvious enough now. As he observed her figure become more clear through the mist, Vengeance's pace slowed until they were at a comfortable speaking distance away.

A woman after his own heart. Straight to the point and didn't play any stupid little mind games. “Yes.” And his answer was just as simple. Letting it linger in the mist as he waited for what else she would have to say in regard of what she was seeking here.

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Vengeance shows up a spectre of the land haunting the edges of the inner territory from a respectable distance. Kyeza's eyes follow him upon arrival almost immediately, and they never stray from their eerie stare. Her insatiable blood thirst unmasked in only the right eye, where a past run in with death had left her with mydriasis. It was fitting to her sinister disposition. Off-putting as she was, crouching like a jaguar in the heaving brush of Blackwood, her breath like fog. 

"Yes"

He says, piercing the silence with a confident baritone. Kye sits in response for a long thick moment of silence, where the only thing heard between them was the heavy of her chest - rattling with excitement. She had toppled empires bigger than this. Had clawed her way from the bottom to the top two times over - escaped father death three times over. It would take more than an affirmation for her to be convinced to the side of this power. Kyeza wanted to ensure her time would not be wasted, she wanted to ensure that this would not be a useless conquest in comparison to pursuing her own. She was more than adept at leading when she needed to be, and often gained an accidental following after her vulgar display of indiscriminate violence. It was get out of my way, or you are in my way.

She takes a step closer cheekily, keeps her lips pulled over her teeth. 

"I have earned my place beyond the guttered trenches of peasants once before." Her tail lifts and tail swishes. She does not challenge his place of authority as much as challenge what her's may be. She hopes her stark brashness might err on the side of impression instead - though if a fight was to come her way the ex-matriarch would welcome it gladly. "I will climb my way over bodies, be you wish it, but not as a grunt." Another step forward as she haggles with the beast. 

"Do you understand?"

If she joined here and now. She wanted a promise of some form of power.

Somewhere in the background, the familiar er of power follows the shadow like a ghost. Her presence is familiar but welcome. Be that Vengeance showed a shred of weakness, the both of them could descend as righteous furies driven mad in their search.
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As they lingered in a moment of silence, both titans looking over one another and judging with shallow interest for now. She seemed formidable, capable, but looks could be deceiving. The way she carried herself however spoke levels on her pride and confidence in her prowess, that is what intrigued him most.

It was her words that perhaps both amused and annoyed the goliath. He was certain any of his followers desired the same as she, to lead instead of follow - to hold power above the rest and respect with a title to show for it. “If you walk among us, you will work and earn your rank like the rest.” But he would not be swayed so easily. Trust and capabilities were of the utmost importance after all - she could talk the talk, walk the walk, but would they clash and be the downfall of the empire he was already building here?

It was not a risk he was willing to take.

Besides, he already had a favoured option for General, and it was not some greenie on his border barking orders at him. He already had to keep an eye on Eldra who was learning to behave, the last thing he needed was another untethered soldier to wreak havoc among his growing ranks.

“Is that understood?” He tossed her demand back at her. Not willing to bend under her influence. Not now, nor would he ever.

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Leading a group of wolves, she wondered if the esteemed leader understood the implications. There would always be someone waiting to overthrow him. A more witty enemy leering for their place with snapping jaws. Kye would always be one of them. Too seasoned in the acts of war to bow down to any wet-behind-the-ears warlord. Her pride was her biggest catch-all. The most dangerous part of her personality that never quite hid behind a policy of patience. She was almost certain she would die because of it, kicking and screaming the entire way down. 

His words are not heard on deaf ears, although she almost wants to pretend she doesn't hear them. The great beast stood toe to toe bearing their horns like bulls, hooves digging inches into the dirt in vibrant threat. Kyeza opposing Vengeance with a rebellious grin. The nomadic wolf - a stranger to these lands - still stood like she crawled her way out of hell and deserved the option of emulating satan. 

"Have you earned yours?"

As she had not proven her strength to him, he hadn't stepped beyond the shield of his borderland. Kye would not tear him down, but she might seek battle if it meant proving herself. She was truly torn at the edges on rather she might join or make an enemy out of a budding pack. There was opportunity hidden in a rise to rank, but so was there in proclaimed royalty. 

For now, she might test her luck with continued brokering instead and chance the shifting plains of this new world to discover.

"How about a deal then." In an anthropomorphic gesture, the woman sets the outer side of her arm up and across the front of her chest. Parting the plum of fur that sat like a lions mane. "Be it I conquer a piece of land for my own with a ragtag group of mercenary perhaps or a war mongering group of traveling killers, we sit as tentative allies."

A pause as she considers him again. Her crystal blue eyes traveling wherever Vengeance might stray. Wondering if he might take the offer and er on the side of the caution, or if she had already made an enemy out of her travels. There was one thing she knew, she would not be dragged about as a slave to a master - and nor would the ghostly haunt who always followed.
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Will delete if desired, just smack me lol <3

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Back was she from her journey as given by Caligula. 
And after her meet with him, she decided to refresh her own scent within the trees.
And...another scent wafted through as she neared closer to the borders, and dutifully, silently, she trotted with soldierly purpose to investigate. 
Overhearing some of the back and forth, Eldra already didn't like this new woman and her own haunting, purple gaze narrowed slightly at the hellcrawler that tried to barter with her Lord. 
As much as Eldra would love to speak up and voice that the brazen bitch was either insanely bold, or insanely stupid, or maybe both; Eldra kept her mouth shut and instead hung back somewhere by Vengeance's flank, one - to sate her curiosity, two, as support in case the hellcrawler decided to test the already dangerous waters.
She would not move or speak unless given the order or the gesture, by Vengeance and Vengeance alone.
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She was a tenacious one he would give her that. Coming up with some kind of "deal" to strike up between them. The way she spoke to him seemed to rub the Warmonger the wrong way. Now with a growing band of warriors behind him, a taste of power flooding his veins once more, he didn't quite appreciate some loner speaking to him as if they were some kind of equals.

Eldra arrived on the scene, non too late to be some kind of back up and defend her lord and land to prove her loyalty and lessons learned from previous lashes. A flick of his tail along her shoulder as she hung by his backside offered a brief acknowledgment of her presence. Eldra would see that her lord and master took no shit from anyone no matter how sweet the deal may be.

For what if they were empty promises?

“Should that occur you may return and we can speak of an alliance then.” He encroached, stepping forward to solidify his position on the matter and how unwavering his decisions would be. No Warlord would bend to the will of some loathsome traveler. “I will not be holding my breath for possibilities.” And what he had done with Celnes was a one-time deal as both leaders-to-be were on level ground... now such offer was impossible as far as he was concerned. Phase one was behind them, and his eyes were toward a future filled with fire and brimstone.

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She did not fear the appearance of a suckling follower, who curled around the muddy Vengeance as a scarf with teeth. Kyeza had faced against bear and lions and lived to tell the tale. She had trekked across an ocean continent and washed ashore as a furious siren - singing the death of sailors. Later, later she might call upon Vengeance (she idly thought) and lure him to his demise among the crashing waves of the sea. Her wrath was an all encompassing one that possessed even captains to leap to their death if she bid it. 

But that was later.

She does not fear Eldra, but is not embarrassed at the concept of retreat. A prideful creature she could be, but not entirely a daft one. Kyeza cannot help but feel a growing rise of resentment for the other haughty monarch, but she has suffered rejection before. It does not sting nearly as much when you could return with a warranted consequence. Be it Vengeance called himself brave - but the stranger had seen the way he only took a step forward when he had the aided appearance of a bond-mate. 

Another weakling.

Noire, she thinks, would have attacked them both just then and Kyeza would have perhaps let her. At least until the backup of the rest of his makeshift group showed up to tangle in the battle. 

"Very well." White eyes flicker to Eldra and it is the only acknowledgement she gives the white shadow. Her lips still pulled tightly over her teeth to bare red gums and fang. The hefty wolf would turn to make her leave thereafter, carefully listening to the footsteps that may follow or attempt an attack. And be it nothing came of their last words of decision --

she would be laughing the entire way.
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Eldra was unsure how to feel about the stranger showing up like she did.
She wasn't sure how to feel about Kyeza at all.

But whether the Siren feared them or not, Eldra didn't much care for it. The white titaness hadn't seen the things Kyeza had, but even not knowing the brazen one's thoughts, she did not approve of someone being that ballsy without something to show for it. 

And as the black one bared teeth, Eldra growled and fully bared her own as the arrogant bitch turned to walk away laughing. 

The soldier would only attack if ordered to. She didn't desire another oppression and/or beating. Yet even still, the white beast was and had been watching Kyeza since she arrived. Like a hawk on a mouse, closely. 

Inquisitively, Eldra looked to Vengeance to see what he wanted her to do.
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She must think him to be stupid to just demand a rank in exchange for her presence in the pack.

Or perhaps she was daft herself. Lazy, incapable of comprehending the need to work your way up to the rank one deserves as opposed to just being handed it upon a silver platter the moment they arrive at the doorstep of a budding pack.

Whoever she was. The Warlord had decided already against allying himself with them. Celnes and Hydra would disapprove of her attitude as well, he was certain - and such a personality among their trust would only cause discourse.

As the blackened woman bared her fangs, so did he. Thick, yellowing fangs glistening in the dim light of the mist. A rolling growl offering his only warning for her to leave - and so she did. Perhaps he should have attacked here and now, gotten rid of the bad apple among the batch - but she was quick to retreat and he had no interest in chasing her down. No, he had another plan instead. One far less risky for himself and the others who trust his lead.

Crimson hues turned to Eldra as she looked at him for guidance, this time, she was right in her actions more or less... should she have attacked this time, it would have been a valid act. “In the future, if you had lunged her, I would have no quarrels with it.” But he was not livid with her actions this time. His tone was approving for once as he didn't talk down to her like some weaning whelp.

“Find out who she is, where she plans to lay her claim. We will snuff out this troublesome flame before it spreads.” This would be Eldra's moment to prove herself to be more than a burden to the pack.

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Eldra's attention didn't waver. As she listened to Vengeance, she took her orders seriously and gave a curt nod.

"I'll set out in a few days, if that's alright. Gives us time to make sure she's not still in the immediate area and waiting to ambush one of us." She responded, voice hesitant in case Vengeance had other ideas
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“Remember you are now a part of a pack, a howl travels far should you need reinforcements for that exact reason.” At least Eldra was thinking. She thought ahead and took what she thought would be the wisest route. With that said and done, he would return to the thick mist and check up on their healing medic. Turning around, he'd rub shoulders against Eldra before passing, a brief contact and a voiceless sign of appreciation. She needed some positive reinforcement, a sign that she was doing better than before, and he wasn't above doing that when it seemed worthy.

^^

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last from me!

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