Journey to the Trinity Tree - Summer event prompts

[Kitten-Girl-500]

The heroes have all arrived, and the crowd is drawn to a hush as the last few of the portals close, having brought their accompaniment to the field. And finally, the goddess speaks. A glowing face appears in the knots of the giant tree to turn and address her visitors "Thank you... warriors... for heeding my call.." it says, a voice made of many voices, of something distant and far beyond. "I need your help to maintain the balance...for the army of death comes for us all.... great soldiers of rot and pain, and we cannot fight alone." Cats of many shapes, of many sizes step forward. Great lions and cats with their forms resonating in power- the guard for this goddess who stand tall at her defense, their eyes aglow with a mystical power. "I plea you will join us in our fight... we do not have much time..." The tree twists as its roots bend and twist, opening the way to deep tunnels, a path to a city below the tree itself, built among the curves of its roots. "Come with us." A new voice addresses its visitors. "Come with us and we will teach you how to fight this threat."

Your group has mere days to prepare to fight a new enemy, one that is unknown. Do they spend their time training for combat? Learning to help with medical needs? Learning about their foe? Or do they spend the time exploring, and studying the society? Who do they look to for guidance, and does the mounting pressure take a toll on them? What do they do in the calm before the storm in this place they have never explored?

Username: Kitten-Girl-500
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt:
Ichyr | Ravah | Subira | Luina
Link to their pride or group: Summitfall Pride
Prompt level completion: Level 5

Prompt: A gasp slipped from Subira’s lips as she stepped through the portal to find herself amidst a gathering—yes, an army—of lions. Smaller cats that had thicker fur all over their bodies, not just in manes, weaved amidst the lions’ paws. A little ways away, Subira thought she could see a glimpse of white-speckled tan fur. Might have been Desmi, Cowrie’s daughter from the Sevasmos Pride, or a completely random lion. Who knows.

There was a great tree in the center of the field Subira stood in. Its gnarled roots and tangled branches stretched up to the heavens.

Ravah moved to stand next to her, and Subira had to stifle a cry of surprise as she noticed Luina straddling her father’s back. She gave the small cub a stern look, then leaned closer to Ravah. “What in the name of Sekhmet is your daughter doing here?”

The mottled gray lion snorted annoyedly. “Stubborn girl ran after me and jumped through the portal.” He glanced back to where the portal they had come through was just vanishing. “There’s no sending her back, either.”

Subira’s ears flattened against her skull. The last thing the Summitfall squad needed was to watch over a cub while fighting an unknown enemy. One thing was for sure: Subira was not getting stuck with cub-sitting duty. There was too much to do here.

Ichyr moved to stand on the other side of Subira. Even she, with her shapeshifting powers, felt dwarfed by the half-manticore lion. He was a formidable opponent, and she didn’t want to be on the receiving end of any blows dealt from his horns and tusks.

The crowd hushed around her, and Subira craned her neck to see over the heads of the lions in front of her. She tensed as a glowing feline face appeared in the center of one of the great tree’s knots. Who is that?

“Thank you… warriors… for heeding my call…” A ghostly voice, not unlike the one that had wafted from the portal, wound its way over the crowd. It was many voices combined, unlike anything that Subira had ever heard.

“I need your help to maintain the balance…” the voice-of-many-voices continued. “For an army of death comes for us all… great soldiers of rot and pain, and we cannot fight alone.”

Lions and smaller cats slunk out from behind the tree, of many shapes and sizes. Their eyes glowed, imbued with raw power. They formed a ring around the tree, facing the army gathered there.

“I plea you will join us in our fight… we do not have much time…”

At this, Subira stood taller. Whatever the mind behind the tree was, it was obviously important. She would do everything she could to protect it.

There was creaking and groaning as the roots bent and twisted themselves around to create an opening. A dark maw yawned in the shelter of the roots, a pathway to places beyond the surface.

A new voice sounded. “Come with us. Come with us and we will teach you how to fight this threat.”

Immediately the army started moving forward, filing into the hole. Subira stayed close to Ichyr and Ravah, keeping an eye on young Luina. She wouldn’t put it past the little miscreant to try and meet some new lions while she was here.

As the Summitfall group passed through the root tunnel, Subira felt a wave of peace wash over her. Even though she didn’t usually go underground, it felt surprisingly… familiar to her.

Subira glanced over to Ravah to see Luina snuggling into her father’s mane. The young cub was currently trying to hide herself from all the “scawy” lions and cats around her. Subira couldn’t help rolling her eyes. Young lions were so ridiculous.

They emerged into a giant root cavern. Subira gasped in awe and wonder, taking in the towering ceiling of roots far above them. Buildings of all shapes and sizes were cobbled together, forming an underground city, hidden from the storms of the surface. The lions here were unlike anything she’d seen before, with unusual features and unnaturally-colored pelts. She saw one lioness with spikes attached to her legs pass by. Weird.

A perky, black-pelted lion came up to them, electric green gaze full of energy. “Hi! What group are you from?” He pulled them off to the side of the main pathway, out of the way of oncoming traffic.

“Summitfall Pride,” Ichyr answered, immediately assuming his role as leader of their band. Subira tried not to let her annoyance at being reduced to just another warrior show, but she was barely able to keep her tail still.

“Great! Welcome to Ikaika. You’ll be staying in the Meakanu District,” he said, waving them along with his thick-tufted tail. “It’s a great place; lots of friendly lions.”

“And just who are you?” Subira broke in. She couldn’t put her paw on it, but she felt that something was off about this lion.

“My Ancient name is hard to pronounce, but you can call me Cycad.” He then continued along, humming a tune that sounded both old and new at the same time.

Subira followed him into a section of the city that was more… earthy, for lack of a better word. It felt like a refuge in the midst of the chaos, and a home. Cubs played about, while lionesses weaved sticks and vines together to form weapons and tools. A large lion stood on a rock in the center of a clearing, proclaiming something about the Trinity Tree.

What he said, exactly, Subira didn’t catch. Cycad led them into a large building; he couldn’t look more chipper if he tried. It was a tavern of sorts; sleek lionesses walked about the gathered lions offering food and drink, while stairs led to the upper levels.

“Welcome to the Chantrieri Tavern,” Cycad announced. “You’ll be staying here while you’re in Ikaika. Don’t worry, the staff’s really nice, and the food’s great.”

He led them to the front desk. A stern-looking lioness with glasses glanced up from the ledger she was writing in with an ink-dipped claw. “Are you wanting separate rooms, adjoined rooms, or a large room for the lot of you?” she asked, claw poised above her paper.

[2256/1000]

[Meekins12345]

Username: Meekins12345
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Erastus, Ciqala, and Axel
Link to their pride or group: The Cloud Coalition - A sub-pride of The Pride of Wikimak
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt: June 2nd

Entry number two of the Adventures of the Strange Portal. We went deeper into this strange place and found, to our surprise, others have come here, too! It appears there are many other groups here as well, along with our own. Some of these lions look familiar while there are others I have never seen before! There are even smaller lions... They look like cubs but they're not! I could easily squish one if I wanted to... Not that I want to! A-Anyway, we all gathered around this large tree and it actually spoke to us! It spoke with all sorts of voices, not having just one. I thought that was absolutely fascinating. The tree spoke to all of us and thanked us for coming to it's call... And then it explained why we're all here.

Apparently, there's this 'army of death' on it's way to this very place. They bring with them pain and rot, from what the voice said, and, apparently, these folks can't fight this army alone, and I'd definitely not expect them to. So it ultimately opened up all these portals and just kinda called whoever would answer. It's asking for help... And as uncertain as I am about this whole ordeal, we really can't go back anyway. We'd be rather selfish if we were to just turn around and leave. We... We have to fight, and we have to train to do so... well, some of us, anyway... and apparently we don't have much time to get such training done, which only leaves me feeling rushed but what can I do about it?

Next thing we know, the tree's roots twist and wreath around and, lo' and behold, there's a tunnel underneath the thing! I was completely flabbergasted, seeing something like that. Shortly after we heard a voice to 'come with us', and so our group followed with the others. I was amazed to see there's a whole city underneath the place! And there's so much to see here, too. It looks... so sophisticated, not like the wilds of Kildonia, not even close to what I've explored.

We ended with taking up residency here and we'll be remaining here for the majority of our training... Axel went on ahead to go explore and, I think, after that, he spoke of training himself. He has said he's pretty rusty... He hinted at me that he's done fighting of some sort in the past but he's never really elaborated on the subject. I think he's just kind of shy about it, believe it or not when it comes to Axel... Either that, or he just doesn't want to talk about it, which is fine, I'm not going to make him... Although, I will admit, I am really curious about just what it was that he did. Nevertheless, I'm sure he'll be a great asset and a wonderful addition to the group of fighters that will be, most likely, heading this war. I just hope he doesn't get himself hurt too bad. I know he's skilled, but he can be kind of reckless sometimes. He's a smart guy, don't get me wrong... it's just sometimes his feelings get in the way.

Then Ciqala, she went on her own merry way. I have no idea where she went. I think she still holds a grudge against me from earlier. I didn't mean to sound condescending... did I sound condescending? I mean, I'm the general, the lead general. I'm supposed to be the glue that holds this group together and yet she thinks that I'm not fit for the job? I'm trying my best, Ciqala, what can you possibly expect? I'm learning, too. The least you can do is just let me learn and try to be good at my job... I wish she wasn't so rude sometimes. I'll have to figure out something to make her happy, if something can even do such a thing... Geez Louise, I just hope I don't end up making her all the more angry.

Me? ...Well, I've been keeping up with my writings and I explored a little bit of this place, too. It's absolutely huge! There's so many pathways and tunnels and strange dens with all sorts of supplies and information. I thought it'd be smart to learn about our foe so I went to the libraries here. It seems they have accounts and such when it comes to the enemy, and thankfully I can read what they've written, which is a big plus! Although a lot of it confuses me... and I will admit, I got confused and kind of went off to look at other things. There's a lot on the society here, too, since there is one down here. I haven't really seen much concerning the native folks around here but I hope to see them soon. The least we can really do right now is get to know our allies, I like to think, anyway. We're going to be fighting alongside them, after all. It's a great opportunity to make some friends and comrades, if worse comes to worst.

After a bit more reading I came back home and started writing in the log, as I'm doing now... I'm a bit concerned about this whole war thing. Do we even have enough time to train properly? Will we be able to win this war? What if we don't win this war, then what? Will this army of death come into our world, too, and wreak devastation like they might here? Will we die for this cause? ...Such questions have plagued me since I've gotten here. While I do enjoy the exploring and studying... I feel the stakes weigh heavily upon me.

But then I've got other questions, like what if we actually win? What will it be like to win over such an army, and will we get a reward for doing so? I wonder what sort of reward we'd get... of course, I wouldn't ask for anything! These people and spirits need us, and I'm more than happy to help, reward or not... although, a reward is a nice thought.

Looks like Axel just came back home, and Ciqala, too, thank goodness. I suppose I'll keep this updated on our statuses. I just hope this all ends well... Goodnight.

- Erastus (1,053 wc)

[Firedancer77]

Username: Firedancer77
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Envy, Kina, Cole (not focused on in this prompt but still around)
Link to their pride or group: Isle of Roses and Graveyard of Gods
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt:

How ironic, that Envy would be acting as a champion for a goddess, when she herself paraded around pretending to be one to maintain power within the Graveyard of Gods. She could only imagine how Pride would react had he been the one to crossover only to find that his sentiments about it being a portal to the realm of the gods was much more accurate than he likely thought it to be. No doubt the tom would have floundered in finding a way to spin this to his advantage, and Envy wishes she could have been able to see that scenario play out.

But the golden she-cat didn't have time to dwell on the various amusing scenarios her brain concocted of how Pride might handle being face to face with an actual god. There was an army coming, and something told Envy that would be a lot harder to fight with her words than with her claws, though even that thought seemed daunting, to say the least. Envy had no qualms with selfishly trying to find a way to avoid going into the fray herself, leaving the actual fighting to those who wished to risk their lives for the goddess in the tree while she would worm her way into a position that was more strategic. Whether that be by actually presenting herself as a strategist for the war, helping to plan their side's attempts to battle, or by simply finding the safest place in the fight without fleeing like a complete coward (she was, after all, not Pride, who would no doubt have given a rousing speech about bravery and sacrifice for the good of the whole before disappearing to go cower somewhere while everyone else fought) so that she could fight with the lowest chance of being hurt.

After all, she needed to go back home after this, just so she could wipe the smug look off of Pride's face when he saw Envy return (relatively) unscathed. It would be even more satisfying if it was after he told the rest of their group that she had died (because she was under no delusions that he would not do so if she did not return quickly). Granted, it could potentially jeopardize her just as much as it would jeopardize Pride and the other two she-cats carrying the title of God, but it would be worth it to see Pride squirm. Besides, the charlatan would no doubt find some way to worm out of it; if anything, he would pronounce it a miracle, or perhaps proclaim that Envy must have chosen to regain her mortal form instead of ascending back to her status of godhood upon death.

Before she could think about that personal victory, however, Envy needed to focus on the victory over the apparent "army of decay" that was coming. She knew there was a library where she could no doubt find records that at least contained some references to the army, and Envy would definitely check there sooner or later, but before she turned her attention there, the fluffy feline fully intended to take advantage of examining the new world she was being released into. The underground city was expansive, captivating, and no doubt full of secrets for Envy to uncover; she could only imagine the dirt she could uncover, and in the process, she was certain she would be able to ascertain details about the incoming army. Sometimes, residents and their perspectives, no matter how biased they were, could offer much more insight than a dusty old tome in a forgotten library ever could.

Especially when you knew just what buttons to press to draw that information out.
---
To say Kina was overwhelmed with the scale of the world on the other side of the portal would be an understatement. The second youngest of the Isle of Roses' Heirs was floored by both the number of felines flooding through portals not unlike the one she had just come through (only to see it blink out of existence behind her, a statement to the current permanence of her choice to come through as the Isle's Champion) and by the world that they had all entered into. It was magnificent, and Kina couldn't help looking back and forth at it with wide eyes, trying to soak in every sight and sound. The tree alone was a beautifully humbling sight, but when it opened to reveal the city below, the blue-eyed lioness was truly flabbergasted.

She knew that she ought to be working to prepare for the oncoming onslaught, but when she first exited the tunnel and stepped into the city, Kina could not help spending the first bit of time simply exploring like a child who had gone to a candy store for the first time. She had never seen anything quite like it before, and she was fascinated with learning about every facet of the world. It took more effort than she cared to admit to wrench herself away from exploring so that Kina could focus on determining a plan of action.

Obviously Kina needed to prepare for the incoming army. Not for the first time since her arrival, she felt a stab of guilt over sneaking through the portal and bypassing whatever decision Nasaba would have made over who was to go through, despite still feeling the thrumming in her veins telling her that she was the one meant to be there. After all, when the scope of the reason why the portals had opened was revealed, Kina couldn't help feeling small and woefully under qualified. Maybe she ought to have allowed someone else to go.

But it was too late to dwell on whether or not she made the right decision. Kina had no way to undo it, so she could only do her best moving forward.

There were plenty of options on what she could do, and Kina didn't even know where to begin. She felt like she needed to learn everything to make up for her inadequacies. She should learn how to tend to the wounded, learn as much about the incoming army (and the goddess who had summoned them, and the city they were now spending their time in) as she could, and learn the best methods for fighting (a thought that had come to her when she saw a large, gray lion with a pale, braided mane putting on armor to - presumably - go and spar). With so much to do, the lioness wasn't sure how she would decide what she should start with, let alone go about doing it all, but she would do her best.

Kina had taken her fate into her own paws, and she wasn't about to just squander the chance she had made to prove herself.

[ 1131/1000 words ]

[minifun990]

Username: minifun990
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt:Ladon Melli
Link to their pride or group:Mystic Isles
Prompt level completion: 5 (1094 words)
Prompt: June 2nd

[Goddess Sword]

Username: Goddess Sword
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Mitko (Main character), Beatrix (Main character)
Link to their pride or group: The Wayfarers
Prompt level completion: Level 5 (1,927 words)
Prompt:

The heroes have all arrived, and the crowd is drawn to a hush as the last few of the portals close, having brought their accompaniment to the field. And finally, the goddess speaks. A glowing face appears in the knots of the giant tree to turn and address her visitors "Thank you... warriors... for heeding my call.." it says, a voice made of many voices, of something distant and far beyond. "I need your help to maintain the balance...for the army of death comes for us all.... great soldiers of rot and pain, and we cannot fight alone." Cats of many shapes, of many sizes step forward. Great lions and cats with their forms resonating in power- the guard for this goddess who stand tall at her defense, their eyes aglow with a mystical power. "I plea you will join us in our fight... we do not have much time..." The tree twists as its roots bend and twist, opening the way to deep tunnels, a path to a city below the tree itself, built among the curves of its roots. "Come with us." A new voice addresses its visitors. "Come with us and we will teach you how to fight this threat."

Your group has mere days to prepare to fight a new enemy, one that is unknown. Do they spend their time training for combat? Learning to help with medical needs? Learning about their foe? Or do they spend the time exploring, and studying the society? Who do they look to for guidance, and does the mounting pressure take a toll on them? What do they do in the calm before the storm in this place they have never explored?

They say that cats always land on their feet. This, however, is entirely untrue. Some cats manage to crash headfirst through portals into strange worlds and land with their legs splayed out in every direction as they utterly faceplant into the earth, earning themselves a mouthful of grass and topsoil in the process.

In this case, Mitko was that cat.

He winced as he rose to his feet, spitting and hacking in vain to try and get the dirt out of his mouth. After one last attempt, first scraping his tongue against his teeth and then simply hanging his tongue out of his mouth and shaking like a dog fresh out of the family pool, he gave up and looked around. And...

Oh. Well, this was an interesting development. All around him were cats of all sorts, some small, some large, some with long manes of fur around their necks - Lions, he recognized, though he'd of course never seen one in person - through the crowd, he could have even sworn he'd seen one with horns and scales, and another with wings... no, two with wings? And yet another with horns... what was this place?

Ah. And there, wandering happily in between the felines large and small, was Ragin, tongue hanging from his mouth and tail wagging, seemingly oblivious to- Oh, no, not quite so oblivious, Mitko realized as the fox bounded over to him and pounced, knocking him over with a cheerful, triumphant yip.

"Okay, no," the cat said, pushing his friend off of him. "I don't know what you're thinking, running off through random... glowing... things-" His tail swished in irritation. "-but we're going home now."

The fox blinked at him as he prepared to get up... and then promptly laid down, draping himself across Mitko's side and belly and pinning the cat beneath him.

"Urk! Get off!" he snapped, kicking at the fox's legs in vain. "Ragin, get off of-"

And then the voice came. Or rather, a group of voices, all speaking out in an eerie harmony that made his fur stand on end.

"Thank you... warriors... for heeding my call," the voices said. And immediately, Mitko had a problem with that. He could fight, certainly. Being able to hunt meant being able to fight... perhaps only creatures a fraction of one's side, but still, a fight was a fight. But assuming them all to be warriors? Quite presumptuous of these voices. He quickly realized that, whatever they had in mind for him, he wanted no part of it.

"I need your help to maintain the balance... for the army of death comes for us all..."

No, indeed. In fact, he would like to leave immediately.

---

Beatrix had tumbled through the portal after Mitko at just the wrong time, it seemed. The sounds all blending together, a cacophony... it was just like the shelter, a chorus of voices screaming for food, for attention, cries of, "Pick me, pick me!" all echoing against the unfamiliar walls together in an overwhelming wave of sound that sent her into a panic. It was all she could do not to flee at the all-too-familiar calls.

But then... no. This voice, these voices were different. There was no crying out, no yelling, no dozens of different phrases mixing together into a horrible, unbearable noise. They spoke the same phrase, calm and only the tiniest hint out of sync. This sound wasn't terrifying. It was... ethereal.

"I plea you will join us in our fight," the voices said, and Beatrix gazed around at the forms she'd found herself weaved in among. The heads of cats her size and only a bit larger poked out from between the mighty legs of big cats; lions, lionesses, and even a leopard... Oh, the pang of longing when she saw him. Her human had had a plush toy of a leopard not too terribly unlike the one standing some feet away from her, only much smaller and with a funny little letter marking on one of its paws. She'd played with it with her human when she was a yet smaller kitten, the girl faking roars that sounded really nothing like those on the tv, but which brought her comfort.

Beatrix hoped she might see that toy again soon.

She was drawn from her thoughts by a shaking in the ground, not an earthquake, but the shifting of the great roots of the tree in the center of the gathering, parting to reveal tunnels in the earth, lit with a soft, strange glow. "Come with us," another voice said, "and we will teach you how to fight this threat."

And Beatrix would have loved to, were it not for the flood of paws large and small that blocked her path as cats big and small all made their way towards the city beneath the wood.

She supposed she would wait for them to pass.

---

"Yes, I'd like to register a complaint," Mitko said to one of the lions who had appeared at the voice's behest. The lion, for their part, seemed unimpressed by the little feline standing before them, gazing down at the cat unspeaking, and with a vague hint of disinterest in their glowing eyes. "I," he continued, "am not a warrior. I'm simply here-" He placed a paw on the snout of the fox, whose tail quickly stopped wagging as he gazed in confusion at his friend's paw, going almost cross-eyed in an attempt to see it better. "-for Ragin."

The fox yipped happily in response to his name, and gave a friendly lick to the cat's leg, which he quickly withdrew with a hiss. "Must you do this now?" he chastised.

He shook his head and returned to addressing the otherworldly lion. "So. Having found him, I would like to return to... I assume this is another planet or something? Regardless, I'd like us to return to where we came from, so if you would simply reopen the portal from which we arrived in-"

"You may leave when the war is won," said the lion.

Mitko was rather taken aback by this, and his tone grew sharper in response. "Uh, actually, I'm already sort of tied up in another journey I'm not particularly invested in, so if you'd please allow my companion and I to return to that mess of a situation, it would be greatly appre-"

Another voice cut in from behind, and Mitko groaned. "Oh, good lord, the mess has come to me."

"Mitko! Ragin!" Beatrix's voice rang out, and the fox spun quickly around, tail wagging furiously. "Hey, buddy! I though I heard your yip!"

Mitko held his paws up to his muzzle, pressing into the corners of his eyes, and sighed. "Beatrix," he asked, "what in the world are you doing here?"

The younger cat smiled as she lowered the front half of her body into the grass and pressed the side of her face into the soil, looking up at the fox who had raised his upper body high in a playful stance. "I followed you!"

"Of course you did," he said, and turned again to the lion. "Well. Now that the menagerie is all here, may we please leave?"

The lion again said, "You may leave when the war is won." Mitko got the impression they weren't especially happy to be repeating themselves.

Then again, neither was he. "Okay," he said. "Again: I am not a warrior. She-" He gestured to the cat who was presently wriggling about on her back in the grass. "-is most certainly not a warrior either. I'm just here for Ragin. And she is just here because she has no sense of self preservation and decided that following a cat through a portal on a wild fox chase." He glared at her, and she pouted at him. "Neither of us are warriors. We were just trying to get our fox back."

The lion watched as Ragin pounced on top of Beatrix, who laughed. "You were following the fox?" they asked.

"Yes."

The lion smirked ever so slightly. "Then perhaps your vulpine friend is the warrior we need instead." He brushed the vulpine's side with his large paw, and Ragin jumped up, excited. "This way, little one." And he began to trod off through the tunnel, Mitko's companion following close behind him.

"Wh- He's a fox!"

Beatrix shrugged, standing up and brushing past Mitko, flicking his nose with her tail as she made to follow the two. "C'mon," she said, "it could be fun!"

Had he the ability to make the exasperated gestures his former owners had when he was still among them, his might have been the most exaggerated of all of them. "Or it could be a cult!"

"Cults can be fun," Beatrix declared, completely unaware of the word's meaning, and she disappeared around a bend in the roots.

Mitko shook his head, exasperated. I should have begged the humans to let me sleep on the porch, he thought to himself, and followed after the group.

---

Beatrix seemed in awe of the city beneath the tree, and was happily chatting to the strange lion who, though still composed, seemed to be a bit more open to the younger cat's excitement than they were to Mitko's grumblings. "So, when you say we're going to fight, and you're going to train us," she babbled, "does that mean we get to have, like, swords and stuff? Or do we get wands that let us transform into superpowered versions of ourselves like in the cartoons my human likes? Or..." The lion seemed content to simply smile and shake their head, occasionally muttering gentle "No"s or "Not quite"s.

The brown tom, meanwhile, was unimpressed, thanks in no small part to how much he absolutely did not want to be here. Why should he risk his life in a war he had no stake in all because his friend liked shiny things a bit too much for his own good, hm? He glared at his reflection in the reflective window of a nearby building, while Ragin pawed at his own, mystified, only a few paces ahead.

"If you expect me to die a martyr for a cause that means nothing to me in a battle against forces I've never heard of, you've got another thing coming," he interrupted in a huff. "Why should I, a civilian, get myself killed for people I don't know in a land that's not my own in a war that is literally meaningless to me?"

The lion turned to him, that same look of half apathy, half irritation bearing down over the small cat, who still stood tall despite the larger feline's gaze. "If you do not wish to fight," they said, "then you do not need to fight." They gestured to several buildings to their left. "There are other jobs which need to be done. Apothecaries, scouts, historians... Yes, perhaps a bit of history would do you good. Go see our librarian. They may yet be able to show you the value of this place."

Mitko rolled his eyes. "I'm going to climb on top of your shelves and sleep there," he declared, and wandered off in the direction the lion gestured, Ragin bounding happily after him.

They huffed. "Then perhaps one of the books you sleep on will teach you respect!" they snapped, and then turned to Beatrix, who was fighting back a grin and a laugh. The lion chuckled softly themselves. "So, little warrior," they said, "tell me more about these fusions your human loves so much."

[-Isabella-]

Username: Isabella45
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Khalida, Nthanda, Ravi, Valerius
Link to their pride or group: xxXxx
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt:

The heroes have all arrived, and the crowd is drawn to a hush as the last few of the portals close, having brought their accompaniment to the field. And finally, the goddess speaks. A glowing face appears in the knots of the giant tree to turn and address her visitors "Thank you... warriors... for heeding my call.." it says, a voice made of many voices, of something distant and far beyond. "I need your help to maintain the balance...for the army of death comes for us all.... great soldiers of rot and pain, and we cannot fight alone." Cats of many shapes, of many sizes step forward. Great lions and cats with their forms resonating in power- the guard for this goddess who stand tall at her defense, their eyes aglow with a mystical power. "I plea you will join us in our fight... we do not have much time..." The tree twists as its roots bend and twist, opening the way to deep tunnels, a path to a city below the tree itself, built among the curves of its roots. "Come with us." A new voice addresses its visitors. "Come with us and we will teach you how to fight this threat."

Your group has mere days to prepare to fight a new enemy, one that is unknown. Do they spend their time training for combat? Learning to help with medical needs? Learning about their foe? Or do they spend the time exploring, and studying the society? Who do they look to for guidance, and does the mounting pressure take a toll on them? What do they do in the calm before the storm in this place they have never explored?

Khalida nearly stumbled coming out of the portal, using her wings to right herself. Though it had taken only a moment to get through it she was left feeling a little dizzy and disoriented, not even realizing at first that her companions were still beside her, each of them getting their bearings.
It was a voice, no, not one. More like many voices, that greeted her and drew her out of her confusion. To her amazement the space before her was filled with lions, and what appeared to be smaller more delicately built lion-like creatures that stood with them. It was a huge group, no, an army of lions and lion-like creatures.
But perhaps what was most amazing was the tree before her, twisted like an aged tree would be, and yet seeming somehow more youthful and alive than any tree she had ever seen before. She was so captivated by the sight of it she forgot her companions for a moment, awed as she listened to the words of the deity who appeared among the trees branches.
It was almost surreal, warriors, an army of death, fast approaching doom. She could scarcely believe it was real, and always being skeptical did question it even as she stood there staring into the face of the goddess that had called them.
As the tree twisted once more to open up Khalida looked at her companions, trying to gauge how they felt.

Her sister seemed thoughtful, and like her a little awed by it all as she stood there and observed all the lions gathered before them. Standing beside her Ravi seemed less awed and more wary as he saw how many other lions were there, his gaze somewhat distrustful as it landed on the face in the tree.
Valerius on the other paw seemed curious, perhaps even calculating as he looked on over all the lions and listened to the words being spoken to them.

"Come with us. Come with us and we will teach you how to fight this threat."

The new voice brought Khalida’s attention away from her thoughts and observations as she looked once more toward the tree, unable to help but wonder what awaited them through that opening.

“We better go,” Nthanda said quietly to her companions, watching some other lions file in ahead of them.

“Just be on your guard,” Ravi responded.

“Who knows what might await us,” Valerius murmured thoughtfully.

“Just stick together and remember the plan,” Khalida said before leading them toward the tree.

No one argued with her, just following her into the opening, alert and full of both anticipation and trepidation as they followed the path formed by intertwining roots. As they got to the end Nthanda noted that there were more vines and leaves interspersed into the roots.

She’d barely had time to study them when the path opened up before them to reveal a city, larger than she could’ve imagined.
The roots of the tree formed a dome like ‘ceiling’, and beneath it was a city with structures built into the roots on the sides of the city and extending toward the center of the dome.
All the structures seemed interconnected, like a web or hive of sorts. Even more surprising perhaps were the city’s occupants. Lions and those smaller lion-like creatures, coming in every shape and color wandered among the paths and structures, some with unusual features like horns, extra fur, glowing eyes. She even spotted a few with wings.

“It’s amazing,” she breathed.

“We have no idea what they are like, we have to be careful,” her sister reminded, her rosy hued gaze taking in the city and its occupants in a skeptical manner.

“We should get to know them though, it might help us,” Nthanda said.

“We can do that and still be careful,” Ravi interjected, taking note of what appeared to be some armored lions lingering around one of the structures.

“Look at how the buildings climb.” Nthanda had been amazed to see that some of the buildings were situated halfway up the wall of roots, then they were connected to other buildings on the side of the wall that stretched on until they reached ground level.

“There must be a million ways to get lost in here,” Valerius commented.

“And we can’t afford that,” Khalida added. “We should learn what we can of this…army. And how we might defeat it.”

“What kind of damage it can do as well,” Nthanda put in.

“And how to heal from any such damage,” Valerius added.

“We should be prepared as we can be for anything” Ravi agreed.

“Well let’s-“ Khalida stopped talking as they were approached by a lioness with glowing eyes.

“Welcome,” she said, her tone soft and sincere. “I am Sandrine. I will be your guide while you’re here. If there is anything you need, or anywhere you wish to go simply tell me. Now, if you will allow me, I will show you our city.”

“Thank you, we’d like to see,” Nthanda said before her sister could protest.

Sandrine smiled then turned to lead the way.

“We could’ve explored on our own,” Khalida murmured to her sister.

“We have less chance of getting lost with someone who knows the city guiding us,” she replied.

Khalida sighed but didn’t argue as they followed the lioness.

Sandrine led them all around the city, explaining things along the way. “These are the lower levels. Most of the shops and businesses are situated here.”

“What’s on the higher levels then?” Nthanda asked.

“Living quarters mostly. And a few other establishments, such as the healer’s ward.”

“Healers ward?” Valerius questioned.

“Yes, it’s where our most talented healers work on new cures and produce the things necessary to keep everyone healthy. A fascinating place really, very necessary to our society.”

As she spoke Khalida was nodding slowly, noting that since their need of healing told her none of these lions was completely invincible.

“Do you have a leader?” Nthanda wondered.

“Oh, we follow our goddess, her word is law to us,” Sandrine said.

“What is she like, or who is she and where is she?” Khalida questioned.

“I’m afraid I cannot tell you too much right now, it is not yet the time for all questions to be answered. Just know your faith and courage will be rewarded in the end.”

Khalida was clearly dissatisfied but didn’t press the lioness, just listening as she kept talking about the city, sharing little about its occupants.
~
Over the next few days the four of them tried to learn all they could. Sandrine wasn’t too forthcoming about her goddess, or the other members of the city, but seemed willing to tell them about anything else.
They had learned from her that the voice that brought them here, or ‘the call’ as she called it, could be different for different individuals as it called to them in the way that would best reach their hearts and souls, or something along those lines. They also learned that the smaller lion-like creatures, cats, as she called them, were also members of this society and had been called to the city to fight as well.

They agreed to split up their learning and exploring so they could get more done. Ravi was placed in charge of learning what kind of fighting they’d be expected to do, and if there were weapons to aid them in the city.

Nthanda was placed in charge of finding out more about the healer’s ward and what methods they used for healing, and what hurts or illnesses it was they needed to tend to in this city.

Khalida took it upon herself to learn more about the city’s occupants and try to get whatever information she could about the army from them.

Valerius was tasked with trying to find out more about the history of the place, how it came to be and who founded it. And whether this arm they spoke of had been a threat in times prior to this.
When they weren’t off doing these tasks they shared with each other what they had found and practiced putting the skills or tips they learned to use.

Most times they were all together, or in pairs, Ravi with Nthanda and Valerius with Khalida. But at least once Ravi and Valerius got left behind when the sisters went with Sandrine on a ‘ladies’ trip.
Still not really used to each other or totally trusting each other the male pair tried to occupy themselves with working on fighting tactics to keep distracted until the princesses returned.

“So, why did you volunteer to come anyway?” Ravi finally asked, just wanting to break the awkward silence between he and Valerius as they pretended to work while waiting for Khalida and Nthanda.

“To accompany Nthanda of course,” he replied.

His use of the princess’s name rather than her title grated on Ravi some but he didn’t let it show. “I was under the impression you’d be leaving soon. Didn’t expect you’d stay around for this.”

“Well, the princess is worth staying around for I believe,” he said with a familiar half smile.

“How do you know?’ Ravi asked, sounding almost irritated.

“She is pleasant, polite, has a sense of humor, very beautiful, charming…What’s not to like?”
“That’s all true but doesn’t mean you really know her,” Ravi said matter-of-factly.

“Well, I’m working on fixing that. If we marry I’d like for us to know each other well enough. But now it’s my turn to ask, why did you come?”

“To protect the princess of course.”

“Yes I know, but you weren’t asked to come. Or ordered. You probably could’ve stayed quiet and never had to come at all.”

“She is my princess and I’m sworn to protect her. I cannot break my oath to do so.”

“Something tells me there is more to this than some oath. You care about her, do you not?”

“As much as a guard should care for the one he is sworn to protect, yes.”

Valerius grunted. “Oh please, anyone can see it’s more than that. You must at least consider her a friend?”

Ravi didn’t respond at first and Valerius nodded slowly. “Or, perhaps more than a friend?”

“She is a princess, there is no being friends and certainly nothing more than that. It would not be possible.”

“But surely if she were to choose-“

“She has no choice,” Ravi interrupted, sounding harsher than he intended. “She has to marry where her father approves or nothing good will come of it. Which is exactly why she will be kind and polite and marry the first prince or king who seems suitable, whether he knows her and whether she cares about him or not.”

Valerius was a little taken aback by that but after a moment said, “I see. I thought she did have some say, but I see I was wrong.”

Ravi nodded curtly but said no more, and Valerius went back to his work quietly, finding he had much more to consider that he shouldn’t be letting himself get distracted by during this time of war and trouble.

[Frisco]

Username: Frisco
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Sen, Rei, Varjo, Marlevort
Link to their pride or group: Night Watch | Purradise Lost
Prompt level completion: 5
Prompt:

Sen stood in the spot he came out at and eyed the area around him. The vegetation was lush and an unfamiliar colour of blue or unnatural shades of green. The sky was the wrong colour as well and everything seemed to glow a little. /in front of him was an enormous tree, carved with runes that shone with mystical aura and hidden power. All around him new portals opened, popped out felines and closed. The faces of the newcomers varied with emotions. Astonishment, confusion, determination and fear.

One portal opened right next to him and a large lion flew out of it and landed on it’s back with a thud.

- Ow - it said, then it’s eyes met Sen’s. - Commander? Hi. What’re you doing here? - he scrambled back up onto his feet. - Also where is here?

His eyes narrowed with suspicion as he watched the new and fantastical surroundings.

- I do not know, but it seems to be a different dimension of some sort. Like the dream hub. And everyone around must be champions chosen to defend the tree.

Rei snorted.

- I know that’s what the voice said, but should we believe it? It gave us no proof. I think we should look for the quickest way out of here and be gone before we get turned into some weird plant monsters.

- I trust it.

They both turned towards the source of the quiet voice. It came from a rather skinny lion, shorter than the two of them and looking much less impressive without a bushy mane being tangled by the wind.

- And who are you? We were having a private conversation here.

The blue-eyed lion looked surprised and a little hurt.

- I’m Varjo. Private of the Night Watch? We trained together - he added desperately, as Rei gave no indication of remembering him. - I’m your cousin!

Nocte narrowed his eyes and carefully watched Vari. Suddenly, he laughed.

- Oh yeah, I remember. You always came last during races.

Vari’s shoulders sagged.

- It’s good to see you, Varjo. - Sen chimed in to lighten up the atmosphere between the two. - I’m honestly glad I’ll have some of my trusted comrades beside me in this weird world.

Varjo smiled, cheering up a little.

- Me too, commander. I’m happy we’ll get to work together again. Shall we head closer to the tree? That’s what everyone else seems to be doing.

They looked around. Indeed, many paws started walking and making their way closer towards the gigantic trunk. Before Sen could respond, they heard a noise of a portal opening behind them. They all turned and saw a kitten walk out of it with confidence. It sat down and tilted it’s head to te side. The three figures of powerful lions loomed over it curiously.

- Hello - it said without a hint of fear in it’s voice. One blue eye and one brown darted from side to side and rested somewhere behind the lions’ backs. - You should get closer. The Trinity Tree is about to speak.

- Yes. We were about to.

Sen eyed the little cat suspiciously. It was expressionless and looked perfectly harmless. However, he could feel and unfamiliar magical aura resonating from it’s body. Many lions from the Valley of Kings had special powers or abilities, but this seemed different. It felt more like the magic of the area they were currently in. However, there was no time or real reason to analyse the cat any further. He nodded at the two lions and they made their way forwards. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed the kitten following them.

"Thank you... warriors... for heeding my call.."

A voice echoed around the clearing. It resonated, sounding as if it was coming from everywhere at once, multiple voices united into one.

All muzzles pointed up. Every pair of eyes watched the tree with a mixture of anticipation and excitement. The bark of the tree twisted forming into a face. You couldn’t tell if it was a cat or a lion, it’s features blurred, but otherworldly beautiful. It’s eyes glowed spreading a feeling of warmth and calm across the land, even though it’s owner was worried. Trinity Tree explained that this realm was under threat from creatures none of the champions ever heard about. And then the goddess did something so uncommon for a creature of her sort - she pleaded for help for alone she could not defend her land.

Before he stepped through the portal, Sen decided that he would land her his aid. He would do it to protect his pride and family, but hearing the soft voice, he gained new resolve. Though he was but an outsider, he wanted to save the inhabitants of this land as well. Sen took a glance at his companions. Vari was watching with his mouth slightly ajar and eyes sparkling, Rei seemed weary. Despite the seriousness of the situation, he grinned. It was good to know that despite the passing years, they have not changed.

The goddess finished her speech and the whole tree seemed to move. It’s roots twisted and turned until they revealed a large tunnel leading underneath it. From it, came out creatures almost indistinguishable from the lions and cats they were used to, but with markings and features that they’d never encountered before. The lions seemed to have a stronger, but shorter built, while the cats seemed larger. Bright colours and glow, so unique to their homeland, were perfectly common here. A large cat with a shock of violet fur stepped in front of them.

"Come with us." It addresses its visitors. "Come with us and we will teach you how to fight this threat."

Sen looked at his companions questioningly. They heard the plea. They understood how great the threat was. They chose to become champions. It was now or never to decide whether they were up to the task.

Varjo nodded with excitement in answer to the unspoken question.

The little cat was still following and still expressionless.

- I’m not going in - Rei announced and sat down. - This is clearly some hoax. I don’t see no army, they’ll probably eat us or something after they lure us underground.

Vari’s eyebrows narrowed and he was about to remark, but Sen was faster.

- Is that what you really think? You heard the goddess. We can’t be sure we can trust her, but she didn’t seem like the lying sort to me.

Rei avoided looking Sen in the eyes and sighed softly, turning his head to the side.

- It won’t be easy. From what she said, it’s a threat greater than any we’ve faced before. - Sen smiled encouragingly. - I may be your commander, but I won’t order you here, it’s has to be your decision alone. I won’t hold it against you if you decide to return home, but I know you’re up to the task. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were the best fighter here. - Sen knew he would convince him with the soft flattery.

Despite himself, Rei smirked and finally looked at Sen. He may have disagreed with his commander on many things, but there were some he liked him for. Everyone treated him like a son of a famous father that wasn’t living up to their expectations. Sen treated him like a young cadet that exceed his expectations.

- I wasn’t going to turn back. I just want you to remember that I told you so once we get turned into flowers and I can no longer talk.

They exchanged looks, a little worried, and slowly stepped into the tunnels under the tree’s roots, following the cat. They spread much further than they could have ever expected. They wound and crossed leading into all directions. The one they took lead them to an underground city. It’s walls and ceiling with decorated with glowing runes just like the trunk of the tree. It gave the whole area a mysterious and outlandish feeling.

The new champions started to spread around, but their group stuck together. Familiar faces in the land of unknown. They sat in a half circle to discuss their plans and the little cat joined them, making it a proper circle.

Trying his best to sound friendly, Sen asked:

- What’s your name?

- And what do you want? Why are you following us? - Rei chimed in immediately and Sen gave him a scolding look.

- We’re all strangers to this land, but we’ll have to work together to protect the Tree. He’s our new ally and we’re happy to have you on our side - Sen’s head turned from the black lion to the cat as he was speaking. - So, who are you?

- I am Marlevort. A champion of Thogard. I am here to defeat the army of decay before it destroys this world and my own.

For a moment they all stared in silence at the little, serious kitten. Suddenly, Rei started to laugh.

- Adorable - he said, ruffling the fur on Marley’s head.

The cat looked disapproving, but didn’t say anything.

Sen was a natural and experienced leader. He didn’t really mean to do so, but took charge out of habit.

- I think we should spend our time learning about this land and the threat we’re about to face.

- Yes! Let’s explore and learn all about it! - Vari has never been more enthusiastic.

Nocte rolled his eyes.

- You do know that you can’t defeat anyone with books, right?

- Actually, you can - spoke Marlevort.

The three lions watched him waiting for him to elaborate, but he stayed quiet.

- Alright, lets ask around and learn which bits of those monsters are the best to bite, but then we have to practice some biting. Fair?

Everyone nodded in agreement, including their new small ally.

[ 1589 words ]

[Sunlitsecrets]

Username: Sunlitsecrets
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Calypso (lion) , Barley (cat)
Link to their pride or group: Starheart's Regiment (lions) , The Wanderlust (cats)
Prompt level completion: 5
Prompt:
They need to plan, and explore, and understand the world around them. These two strangers are quickly becoming friends in this odd new place.

[Runnersback]

Username:Runnersback
Link to lion(s) involved in prompt:Achilles Letaba Diablo
Link to their pride: Realms of L’Oasis Lo
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt:002

[Tiger♥Bear]

The heroes have all arrived, and the crowd is drawn to a hush as the last few of the portals close, having brought their accompaniment to the field. And finally, the goddess speaks. A glowing face appears in the knots of the giant tree to turn and address her visitors "Thank you... warriors... for heeding my call.." it says, a voice made of many voices, of something distant and far beyond. "I need your help to maintain the balance...for the army of death comes for us all.... great soldiers of rot and pain, and we cannot fight alone." Cats of many shapes, of many sizes step forward. Great lions and cats with their forms resonating in power- the guard for this goddess who stand tall at her defense, their eyes aglow with a mystical power. "I plea you will join us in our fight... we do not have much time..." The tree twists as its roots bend and twist, opening the way to deep tunnels, a path to a city below the tree itself, built among the curves of its roots. "Come with us." A new voice addresses its visitors. "Come with us and we will teach you how to fight this threat."

Your group has mere days to prepare to fight a new enemy, one that is unknown. Do they spend their time training for combat? Learning to help with medical needs? Learning about their foe? Or do they spend the time exploring, and studying the society? Who do they look to for guidance, and does the mounting pressure take a toll on them? What do they do in the calm before the storm in this place they have never explored?

Username: Tiger♥Bear
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Suha
Link to their pride or group: Pekee Pamoja
Prompt level completion: 5 (1,034 Words)
Prompt:

SPACEThe travel through the portal was almost instantaneous. As soon as her entire body had slipped past the portal in Ukumbi wa Paradiso, she was walking out the other end in another plane of existence. Suha stood in a field with countless other champions who had chosen to enter the portal or perhaps willingly entered as she had. The large life-giving tree from which the tree goddess could be seen stood tall and overlooked the field where lions and cats stood together in answer to the portals call. She calmly looked around, taking everything in. It had an ethereal effect. The tree, like the portal back in the valley, crackled with a brilliant electric blue energy. Soft blues and purples colored the sky. If it weren't for the dire situation this plane would seem peaceful and magical.
SPACEThe goddess in the tree addressed the crowd, thanking them for answering her call. "I need your help to maintain the balance..." That was something Suha could understand. The greatest part of her duties as the goddess of destruction was to keep the balance of the mortal realm. She had witnessed what happens when there is no balance. In her case, however, it had been the opposite. Life and creation was overwhelming, there was no longer room to grow or expand. She had to step back in, bring death and destruction to bring back the balance of life. She couldn't imagine what it would be like had the circumstance been reversed. Only destruction? It would be chaos. She knew there must be harmony between the positive and negative, life and death, in the world. Hearing a bit more about the threat that plagues the tree, Suha realized she couldn't have been more perfect for the job.
SPACESome cats and lions stepped forward. It was apparent they were guardians of the tree goddess. The crackling energy of the portal- of this plane- was evident in the guardians forms. The roots of the trees unfolded and twisted out of the way. A tunnel lead down past the roots and below the trunk of the tree. The guardians led the way down, offering to teach the champions how to fight the army of decay. Slowly the champions entered the cavernous path under the tree. She lifted her head as she strode forward. Her first thought was to search for a guardian. She doubted the goddess would have time to speak with her directly. While Suha was the goddess of destruction and was extremely familiar with the concept of death and plague, she couldn't- wouldn't assume she knew how to deal with this foe. Magic was a very strange yet unique thing. It would be unwise to underestimate the enemy or even overestimate her abilities to withstand them simply because they shared a destructive nature. No, first she would seek a guardian for more information on this army and learn what they are capable of. If time would allow, perhaps she should also practice her combat skills. It wasn't one of her strong suits. She admits that she sometimes relies on her magical abilities too much. Who knew if such things even worked on this plane? Another reason to practice her fighting. Better to know how just in case than assume she wouldn't need to know how.
SPACEThe path opened up into an underground city spanning under the trees entirety. More of the guardians could be seen ahead among the natural streets. Those that had entered first seemed to have already taken up different areas for teachings. Some were sparring either with other champions or with guardians. Others sat before presentations with information on the enemy at hand. A few were walking alongside guardians, chatting. There were even some that appeared more fascinated with the area. Cats and lions stood observing the large roots which the city happened to be built around. Some were taking in the locals. She shook her head. She needed to focus. Her priority was to find a guardian, though preferably one that was in charge. A general or commander who is most likely to have the most information. Searching around she saw a group of the guardians conversing with one another. one of the smaller cats seeming to give out orders. Perhaps they were in charge. Suha made her way over.
SPACE"Excuse me." Her tone was professional as she called out to the cat. The small feline turned their head. Their eyes were a shimmering violet, fur a smokey gray with streaks that matched the eyes purple shade. Suha could practically feel the energy coming from the cat. Honing in on it she realized it was a shared energy. The tree, the other guardians near by- they were all connected to this energy. Perhaps it was the energy of the goddess. Or the tree itself.
SPACEThe cat dismissed the other guardians before giving full attention to Suha. "Yes?"
SPACE"I was hoping to find a general or commander- a guardian in charge."
SPACE"Then you are in luck. I am Kamau, the general of this quadrant. How may I assist you, miss...?"
SPACE"You may refer to me as 'iilhat aldamar."
SPACE"Ah. Excuse me, goddess of destruction." He bowed his head slightly. Suha also took notice that he wasn't otherwise affected by who she was. Not that she was expecting fanfare or praise or anything of that sort. More on the side he wasn't worried that who she was would be a problem for the cause. Hopefully that was a good sign.
SPACE"There's no need for that. I'm hoping you can tell me a little more about what to expect from this enemy. I'd like to know as much as I can about this army we will be facing."
SPACE"A wise decision. This threat is not to be taken lightly. They bring forth rot and pain. Death. It is not within our power to withstand the attack on our own. We aren't strong enough. It is why the goddess called out for champions, opening portals across many worlds. They fight with powers and magic that shouldn't be in their power to use. It is an evil unleashed, unrestrained. It's dangerous."
SPACESuha gave a small nod. "Yes. On that we can agree. While I may posses similar abilities, I understand there must be balance. I cannot act without reason or purpose. Thank you for the information, Kamau. Now-" She turned her gaze towards those sparring. "I should probably spend some time working on my combat skills."
SPACE"Of course. We have designated areas for sparring. You can also select your partner: a guardian or another willing champion."
SPACEShe nodded her head in way of appreciation before turning and making her way to the sparring rings.