Red Eagle - VoK Pride Writing

[Nia The Elf]

D2 - 300xp claimed
Enaid was known within the pride as being a very skilled warrior. She was one of the strongest in the pride, she was frequently requested to join in a hunting patrol to take down something larger than their usual prey. So when the day came for Sabira to call the pride to meet below her and announced Enaid's new role as Paladin in the pride; whose role would be to help in hunting, defending, any combat ever to arise, the pride reacted as if it was a great gift for her. Enaid, however, did not reciprocate the enthusiasm.

What she enjoyed, was helping other people. Well of course, many lions wanted to help others, but Enaid had passive knowledge on the healing abilities of certain herbs - just a bit of medical knowledge - but she knew more than most and she liked applying this knowledge.

If someone gets injured during a hunt, they usually slow down to the back, the rest of the hunt continuing on, not risking the loss of their prey. Enaid will step out, make sure the injury isn't too grave, give some advice or quickly find something to help, before getting right back in if needed.

This was something she needed to bring up with the founder. She didn't want to imply she thought Sabira was impaired in her judgement, but as much as she helped out with her strength, she knew in her heart what she really wanted to be.
It seemed Sabira was more observant than Enaid had come to realise; for as she tentatively made her way towards the founder's den at the head of the pride's ravine home, a familiar monochrome head appeared from inside.

"I can tell you're troubled, come on in." Sabira turned, her tail flicking in motion for Enaid to follow. They retreated into the shade of the sandy alcove and curled up on the bedding inside. Sabira held her gaze steadily as Enaid waited, building up the words carefully on her tongue.

"I feel like, I would be best suited in a different role... Or perhaps, it would be more realistic to say, I would feel more comfortable with a different role within the pride." She finalised.

It was a quiet two days after then. Sabira had been supportive, as she always was with her family. But Enaid kept her distance, opting to fish or hunt small prey to help provide for the pride. But when she arrived with a hare hanging loosely in her maw and the whole pride were turned to watch her clamber down the steep sandy path, she felt more connected than she ever had before with her family.

"Enaid, if you would like to join me?" Sabira called out to her, a bright smile pulling at her eyes.

"I have spent some time thinking, considering what would be best to make everyone in the pride feel welcomed and worthy - not only through their innate abilities, but through what they wish to do for themselves. It is why, today, I wish to announce a new role in this pride. Enaid; I hope you will accept your new role as Druid of Red Eagle - a healer, a sage, able to take on any role in the pride, but first and foremost - a source of help."

Something warm brewed deep within Enaid's heart then.

[Nia The Elf]

D5 - 125xp claimed

[Nia The Elf]

D2 - 300xp claimed
The first time a rift appeared, Fenice was right there, staring into it. The shards shifting in a kaleidoscopic way, light flitting through the shattered pieces of reality.

"Stay back, we have no idea what this is!" Sabira shouted out, appearing from behind the small crowd of lions to take her place in front of the group, as founder. She stood next to Fenice, who had yet to take her eyes off of the floating rift. "When did this appear?"

"I was patrolling the border when the hunting patrol were arriving; then this suddenly appeared," she explained, enraptured in the shimmering shift of whatever was before them. Then, as quickly as it had manifested, it vanished - breaking Fenice's focus.

Sabira turned to talk lowly to Fenice, "Keep your eyes open - if whatever that was shows up again, I want to know about it. Don't try anything." And at that, she led the pride to disperse, back to their home.

It had happened again a couple more times after that. Never really in the same location, and Fenice was certain she had missed a few appearances since she couldn't be everywhere at once. Each time, the rift materialised; shimmering, flowing for a while as she watched, before eventually vanishing. There was seemingly no pattern for their locations, appearances, or how long they stayed.

She had reported this to the founder, as requested, but was displeased with what she was told.
"I don't want you going near them until we know what they are, they could be dangerous."

"How will we find out what they are and why they're here if we don't do anything about it? Maybe we should touch it or go into it, we need to know what they are." Fenice argued. She didn't think it was any more safe to do nothing than it would be to see what on earth these anomalies were.

Sabira shook her head. "I cannot afford that risk yet. It is best to leave it alone for now." It was an order, not a suggestion - Fenice could tell through the tone of voice.

A scream echoed through the ravine suddenly, Fenice and Sabira rushed out of the den together. Below them, another anomaly. The pride stood by the walls of the ravine, keeping away from it. They swiftly climbed down to the lower level, but Fenice padded up close to the rift.

"If we don't take a risk," she addressed Sabira, "this will keep happening." She then turned, addressing the entire pride, watching with worry etched into their expressions. "We have no idea what this is, if it's dangerous or not. And we won't know if we don't try anything with it."

This felt, somewhere in the deepest parts of her heart, like a turning point for the Red Eagle pride. It was a spark for something new; she just had to initiate it.

"Well, If you won’t go through then I will” she promised, and stepped into the portal.

[Nia The Elf]

D2 - 300xp claimed
Gawain finds happiness in youth.

The young are untainted by life's hardships and reality, they have innocent and aspiring minds which Gawain finds absolutely wonderful.

What makes him happy, is to nurture cubs. He isn't a father himself yet, but he loves to volunteer to look after cubs, or cubsit for his pride. Cubs are always so inquisitive and curious, so when Gawain sits down with them, they'll often look at his wings in awe and ask him questions until his ears fall off.

"Are you half bird?"
"Can you fly?"

So Gawain would erupt into an extravagant story - exaggerating tone and details to enrapture the young cubs - about how whenever he wanted he could stand at the edge of a massive cliff, flap his wings, feel the wind whistle through his feathers; leaping off of the cliff before spreading his wings out at the very last second and shoot into the air. He told stories of meeting massive vultures in the sky, of seeing the skeleton of a dragon lain wasted in a dune.

Fantastical stories fed the creativity of the young cubs' minds, he loved to see excitement and inspiration etched deep in their expressions, he loved to see them play together with new imaginary ideas of flying at the highest heights and swimming in the deepest depths.

But by far, what made Gawain most happy, other than inspiring creative minds, was showing you can do anything, no matter who you are or what you look like.

There weren't many unusual lions like him in Red Eagle, so when Green Bean was born he knew she would need a little friendship. Having been the only child of Ashari and Anhora, his pridemates, born with unnatural colouration different to her parents - Gawain knew from his own experiences how alone that could make you feel.

"Green is just... its the colour of swamp weed growing in the river. My sister is such a lovely sand colour, like home. Why must my name reflect it." she mused disdainfully.

Gawain curled around her, his wings enveloping the cub in a private shadowed embrace. "Green is a wonderful colour, like the fresh vines of the jungle, you've never seen the jungle have you?" She shook her head and so the winged lion shuffled upright into a more regal pose, like he would undertake for all of his exciting stories.

"Well, the jungle is humongous! It's vast, thick land of trees that can reach almost the tallest mountain's height, leaves and canopy so thick - you can hardly see through the huge blanket of emerald. I love to soar over the jungle and look down; you've never seen such GIANT leaves in all your life, I promise you! There's leaves bigger than an elephant, and moss grows so thick there that it's like sleeping on clouds. Nobody could camouflage in the jungle as well as you, I'm sure," pausing, he looked down.

"I felt much like you do when I was a cub. Nobody else had wings like me, I was the only one of my family - my pride - to be able to fly. But that's what made me special, I could use this gift to my advantage. And you, when you're old enough, you can visit the jungle and stalk amongst the underbrush, never to be seen because of your fur, and you could hunt anything you wanted. You could be jungle queen," and he tucked a feather gently behind her ear.

To see the smile that slowly grew on her face, to see cub's aspire for something great; that made him happy.

[Nia The Elf]

D5 - 175xp claimed

[Nia The Elf]

D2 - 300xp claimed

Hellekin has three eyes.
Stating the obvious, sure. But what is less known is their use.

The two eyes in the centre of the face, where regular ones would normally sit - those are used to see the world as it is, the mortal realm, how any other being would view their surroundings.

The other eye marking, sat slightly higher on his head, give an insight into the fae realm. With that eye is open, he is able to see the fae folk - who are usually hidden to the mortal eye - in their realm.

With all eyes open, he is able to see the fae interacting with the mortal realm, he can see both his world and the next together merged into one.

Sometimes, Hellekin can get distracted, or not know which eyes to use. It is a blessing and a curse.
The fae are laced in trickery and deceit; they know of his eyes, so some of them enjoy tormenting the lion, tugging at other lions' ears, hiding belongings.

He keeps an eye on the realm of the fae, he watches to make sure the malevolent ones don't act out, but he also watches in case they need help.

He watches his own world, to keep his friends safe and to live his life.

Sometimes he watches both, sometimes he watches neither. Sometimes, he watches one and misses what happens in the other.

The patrol he was on created a sense of safety for him, a strong team; Elyan, Morgause, Urricea and himself. They were scouting the territory, keeping watch for any unusual threats or packs encroaching on their land. It had been quiet, so Hellekin felt comfortable watching the world only through his fae eyes and following in the sunken pawprints of his pridemates in the sand.
He watched Brownies peer at him from the shadows, and Piskies float overhead. They screamed at him, pointing and screaming in anger.

"I'm just.. going to check something out, you go on ahead," Hellekin announced to the patrol. He heard affirmations, so followed the fuming Piskies over to where they were pointing.

A small fey whose wing was trapped under a rock; the illusion of immortality cracked by the sight.

Carefully, Hellekin tucked his paw under the rock and pushed it up to let the fey crawl out from underneath.
"You should be more careful with your games, if you can't lift a rock like that... I'm not always around, so..." he trailed off, raising an eyebrow. The faefolk were now pointing avidly back where he came from.

Opening his eyes, he saw his own world again; far in the distance he saw his patrol under attack.

Elyan had a large gash in his flank, Morgause was pinned and Urricea was snapping at her attackers. He didn't hear the attack and he was too busy looking into the other world to see it happen. He had left his pridemates alone to get injured. So he surged forwards, leaving the fae behind, closing those eyes and keeping his other eyes peeled on his friends. Panic pulsing through him as he ran.

[Nia The Elf]

D6 - 40xp claimed

Art by Odogaron!

[Nia The Elf]

D5 - 125xp claimed


D5 - 100xp claimed

[Nia The Elf]

D2 - 300xp - claimed
Huon; practically the lion embodiment of a bee, worked so hard and fast - but his aches never dulled; for the pride's only mantra was for hard work. They worked hard through the year in preparation for winter. The only relief and solace he could find was within the beauty of the hardy Hawthorn. An abundance of white blossoms which he would pass by on his duties.

He considered these flowers his favourite, for the Hawthorn always attracts bees so busy, but they slow when around the white thorny flora. In what little time Huon could find to study and learn the natural world; he found the ogham symbol for Hawthorn offered clarity, patience and stillness, a sweet release he wished he could have, if not for his aches of cold. The winter climate worsened his health, which he had no diagnosis for other than the feeling of sharp pain.

Medicinal properties of the Hawthorn included lowering blood pressure and stimulating the heart, perhaps why the bees seemed to slow when harvesting from those blossoms; why Huon felt so at peace when sneaking gazing glances.

Huon had never been close up to a Hawthorn before, he had only ever seen it across from him when he was working. There had been a number of chances when his pridemate's backs were turned to their own work, that he could have stolen across to the tree and smelt the dew of the florets before hopping back into place without a doubt.
He hadn't chanced it before, he had been too tired.

Chancing it, however, he had decided that afternoon. With lions facing away from him, busy with more concerning matters, Huon crept over to the Hawthorn tree and lowered his nose to one of the branches; shaggy mane brushing the petals scattered across the ground lightly.

Sky flashing white, the world around Huon changed and warped, and as he stumbled back, his vision was filled with a more luxurious land of vibrant flora; little creatures with pointed features sat on the branches of the hawthorn and Huon had to glance behind him in worry of his pride noticing his absence.

Turning back to the light creatures before him, one began to speak.

"You are drawn to the Hawthorn, yes?" It giggled, light as tinkling bells, "Of course you have, you are pure like a bee, Hawthorn matches you perfectly.
These trees are under the fae's protection, look into the boughs and see our reflection!"

Another fae joined, "We saw you are tired, needing assistance; so here we've brought you across the distance. Leave your old home at last our little friend Bee, we'll send you away somewhere warm where you can be free!"

A cacophony of giggling and laughter tinkled in Huon's ears and before he knew it, both he and the hawthorn - now empty of fae - were transported across planes and landed safely to a new home for both. A place to relax and ease his stiff, cold legs.

[Nia The Elf]

Of all the weird and unusual things that Sabira had seen in her life, this was one of the weirder ones. It was dark, most of the pride were resting from a long day of work but Sabira sat restless under the stars, like she often did.

As a leader, it was probably best that she got as much sleep as she could in order to look after the pride properly, but she oft found herself tossing and turning, before her paws carried her out of her den so she could gaze over the pride and out at the stars.

Tonight however, was an unusual night.

The first thought to run through her mind was “shooting star?”, and so she closed her eyes and gently wished for the pride to thrive and be just. But as she glanced up again, the star hadn’t waned or dimmed in any way.
“In fact, it’s getting brighter,” she murmured with furrowed brows.

Blue light flashed across the sky suddenly, as the streak sped down towards the horizon.
A rumble.
The ground shook.
-
Cricket felt tremors in the air, like something big was trampling around somewhere. It didn’t wake the others; it couldn’t as it was far away, but Cricket felt it.

Padding out of her den and glancing around, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary. Though, glancing up, a pale blue streak of light stretched across the sky.
The source of the rumbling…

For it to be rumbling, it must be close, and must be on its way to crash to the ground.

The nearest lion to her, who would also be most likely to still be awake, was Clarine. She was as dark as the night she loved to stay awake for, so Cricket quietly crept out of her den and towards Clarine’s.

“Hello, are you still awake?” She whispered into the shadows cautiously, so as not to wake her if by chance she wasn’t actually still up.

A pair of bright yellow eyes shone out through the foggy dark of her den.
“Of course.”

Cricket stayed in the entrance, glancing back up at the thundering source in the sky. “Would you perchance feel up to investigating a certain shooting star with me? Except, the type of shooting star where it isn’t really a star, and seems to be falling rather than shooting?”

The yellow eyes blinked. “Colour me intrigued,” she answered and stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight; starry markings reflecting into Cricket’s vision.
The brown lioness led the way out of the den and up the slope to leave the pride. The streak was getting brighter, and seemed to also be increasing with size, alongside more violent rumbling.

The sky suddenly flashed, the ground shook. Clarine lifted a paw in surprise, whilst Cricket had to plant herself down as she felt the crash tenfold.
“Did you see where it landed?” Cricket asked.

“It seemed to come from the north, near the mountains? I presume we have no choice other than to be the ones to investigate such a phenomenon, hm?” Clarine headed the way she presumed, Cricket following soon after.