Journey to the Trinity Tree - Summer event prompts

[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:005

[Spotted.Newt]

Username: Spotted.Newt
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt:Tulca-Noen and Acacia
Link to their pride or group: The Cosmos
Prompt level completion: 5
Prompt:

Prompt 5

[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 5th

"I still can't believe Ciqala just up and left us without a second thought," Erastus commented, frowning slightly as he spoke.

A huff came from the redder male. "Hmph. I can believe it. You know how she was, I could see her leaving without so much as a goodbye."

"You make her sound so rude, Axel."

"Am I wrong?" He'd give with a risen brow. "You know how she is. For as long as I've known her she's always been that way... and she only seems to get worse when I try to butter up to her or tease her. Sure, I'm concerned for her safety, just like you are, but we really can't help it if this is what she wanted... and we can't really make her come back without going into those woods, now, can we?"

"You have a point," Erastus grumbled. "You always have a point. Why is it that you have your smart moments, but you don't throw your intelligence around at all?"

"Ouch, that's a compliment?" He'd tease, soon just shaking his head. "Perhaps you'll figure it out someday, but I'll give you a pretty good hint. No one ever expects the casual, sarcastic guy to be the smart one, and it's pretty funny to see the looks on their faces when I prove them wrong... but we're getting off topic. Ciqala is gone, and we can't do anything about it." He'd comment with a shrug. "But I bet I know someone who's got answers."

The blue male perked at that. "Who?"

"Our lovely and gracious land-lord. The tree." He'd comment, soon smirking at the surprised face Erastus made.

"Oh, yeah! ...Are you sure? The only time it's spoken to us is when it called us all. I haven't heard much from it since."

"Maybe it's just waiting for somebody to start the conversation."

Those words had Erastus huffing, he soon just sighing before nodding, then rising to his paws.

"It's worth a shot," He'd reply. "I'll be back in a bit. No moving!" And with that? Erastus left the den and made his way outside. He wandered through the city and, ultimately, through the tunnels, out onto the surface.

He looked over to the woods in the distance, recollecting last night, when Ciqala had just up and left without a second glance, or even a bit of hesitation. A soft sigh came from him then before his yellow gaze locked onto the tree close by. He would admit, he hadn't taken time to really appreciate the beauty of the thing. It wasn't like any other tree he had seen back at home. It was such a large tree, with beautiful glowing markings and a strange face hidden within the tree itself. It looked like a feline... and it made him wonder if the feline within the tree had grown from it, or was encased in it... was this tree a prison? But it seemed to hold the air of that of a deity or something like that. Nevertheless, he approached the tree with caution, and ultimately sat down close by, looking up to the face within the tree and it's bark.

He looked down a moment with a small frown, thinking of just what he would ask her first. He wasn't sure if he should it about Ciqala, or the enemy... It took him a few moments before finally looking to the deity in the eye, flashing her a hesitant smile before finally begging his question.

"What happened to the cats who left? ...Would you know?" He begged with caution, yet curiosity.

If anyone would have the answers, certainly, this deity would... Or at least he hoped so.

----

Ciqala wandered through the woods quietly, continuing onward as she drew farther and farther away from the tree of which had brought them here. She couldn't help but notice how the scenery seemed to change as she continued on. Life began to grow older...deader. Things were decaying around her, and she could only wonder why. However, her question seemed to be answered once she drew into the reaches of the forest where the army from before stood. She stopped in her tracks a moment as she saw the army just standing there, motionless... as if she were not a threat. As if the other cats around were not threats, either. It was peculiar... but she didn't dare say a word.

The tree that caught her attention seemed to be within the ranks of the decaying numbers, themselves, and she couldn't help but wonder if this was their commander. They had a tree commanding them, the cats back at the more glowing tree. Certainly, this could be their form of a general, yes? As the thing spoke to her, however, she perked, only to hesitate... then step forward. She came closer and closer to this tree, looking over it in it's decaying state.

How did it come to this? She knew life ultimately ended. That's why it was called life, for one could not have life without death. She looked about to ask what it wanted before she heard it's words to her of the tree she had come from. The tree... wasn't what it appeared to be? She frowned at that. It didn't make sense, at least not in her mind, with what little information she had on her at the moment. She didn't know much about the tree, but maybe, with this possible new informant, she could find out something... something the others might not know. And if not? Then she could always just find out if this decaying tree general was lying, too. For the truth always comes out, one way or another.

She looked to the tree then, soon clearing her throat before settling down before the members of the opposing army. She opened her mouth and begged the question.

"Then what is she?" She begged curiously. "If she's not what she appears to be... then what is she?"

She'd be learning sooner or later if this question would be a mistake, and she knew it. But she was taking the plunge anyway.

Here goes nothing. (1,023 wc)

[Firedancer77]

Username: Firedancer77
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Envy, Kina, Cole
Link to their pride or group: Isle of Roses and Graveyard of Gods
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt:

Envy sat before the tree, the expression on her face almost bored as she stared up at the goddess. Her golden eyes glanced around the area, dancing about as they landed on feline after feline before settling back on the main attraction. The mixed reactions of the crowd were interesting, to say the least.

Some lashed out, actually throwing themselves at the tree and attacking it before they calmed, some leaving after and others sitting down now that their anger had been vented out on the closest thing they had to the source and they could think clearly, rationally. For those that didn't calm, they were eventually dragged off the tree and tossed aside, scolded for their rash decisions and sent away (or escorted away if getting dragged off did nothing to calm them from their childlike tantrum). Others of the remaining champions began to insist that they were not angry and had no intentions of attacking the goddess, but that they believed they ought to be receiving some sort of reward for risking their lives for her. Whether they asked for riches, good fortune, or something else that was equally ridiculous didn't matter. Envy was just as wistful for a reward of some kind, but she had no intentions of angering the goddess who was currently under attack and providing them with their shelter. She was the one who brought them there, as far as Envy knew, and because of that, she was most likely the one that would let them go home. She was not going to do anything that would jeopardize her opportunity to return to the portal once everything was said and done.

Finally, those that wanted rewarded trickled away, and those who cowered under the goddess' stern expression and presence disappeared as well, leaving only those with legitimate interest in speaking with the goddess in the tree behind. Envy could care less for who else had remained; the golden she-cat had information she wanted to retrieve, and once she had that, she was fine to leave the goddess to her own devices (what she did with her free time since she was stuck in a tree, Envy didn't know, and she did not particularly care about finding out either) and continue preparing for the next attack.

There were questions posed out of fear. Cats and lions alike were afraid, and they asked the blatant questions, the ones about getting back home or what would happen if they died here or other time wasters. Once those were out of the way, the better questions came. Who had sent the army? Why were they coming? How would the champions know when they were going to attack again? Where had the rest of the champions gone? What was the mysterious feeling last night?

None of them were bad questions. In fact, they were helpful, but none of them got to the root - no pun intended - of what Envy wanted to know. The questions being posed didn't dig deep enough to expose anything, and though she had wondered if she'd even have to open her mouth, it was evident that Envy would have to ask it herself if she wanted to be told what she wanted to know.

"Why have you brought us here to serve as your champions, when there is an entire city of citizens underground willing to fight for you? Or, even better, why not summon creatures of your own to fight for you, like your enemy seems to be doing? Why bring us, creatures from completely different realms than this one, to fight for you?"

It was the only thing that Envy truly wanted to know, because she firmly believed that, depending on the answer given, it would give her all the information she needed on the goddess before her. There was no way to know whether this goddess was just as bad as Pride. Granted, it would not be in the same way that her leader pulled the wool over everyone else's eyes; it was evident that, regardless of her answer, she was indeed a real goddess. However, despite making herself appear to be benevolent, there was no way of knowing that for certain. The golden she-cat stared back at the tree, silently awaiting her response. If the goddess was a charlatan akin to Pride, it would certainly give her a new approach to the situation; she would suddenly be attempting to skin a very different cat, and she might have to do so without arousing the suspicions of the other champions.

So, she awaited her answer, because if the goddess did not give a satisfactory one, if she did not have a good reason for summoning strangers from another world to fight for her instead of beings of her own creation or those that already lived beneath her, Envy was more than willing to go digging to see just what dirt she could find about the goddess in the tree and her city underground.
---
There was a second tree.

Out of everything that Kina had expected when she followed the thrumming that she couldn't shake, she was not expecting another tree. Danger? Probably. And she supposed she did get that in the form of the army that surrounded them on all sides, though they currently seemed lifeless and showed no signs of attacking the many champions that had followed the call. But, when she'd envisioned the call potentially being hostile, Kina had envisioned it leading them into a trap, not leading them to the potential reason for them being summoned in the first place.

But the thrumming in her bones that had led her here felt like the same one that had led her to cross over in the first place. If she trusted the first call to be good, then she ought to trust this one to be, and if that was the case, then the tree in front of them was the reason for their summoning for a completely different reason.

[ 1000/1000 words ]

continued here

[Sunlitsecrets]

Username: Sunlitsecrets
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Calypso , Barley
Link to their pride or group: Starheart's Regiment , The Wanderlust
Prompt level completion: 5
Prompt:
The two have questions. Many of them.

[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 (1130 words)
Prompt: June 5th

[-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:

Your cats have chosen to stay in the safety of the tree. An investigation starts into soldiers who were lured off, but to those who ignored the call long enough, it no longer sings to them. They are left to wonder where their companions have gone. In the meantime, when investigating something aboveground, they find themselves alone with the goddess in her tree, her eyes glowing as she studies them. She says nothing, only waiting, as if expectant of them to speak first.

What do they ask of her? What questions do they have? Do they attack her for bringing them to this place, blame her? Do they feel pity, or look down? Do they lash out in fear? Or show respect? Do they ask for a reward or good fortune? Do they walk away without asking a thing?

Story B
Your cats have chosen to follow the strange voice as it leads the way through open field and into the twisting path of the forests, growing darker and darker the further they get from the great tree and into the deep reaches of the bramble and thorn. At the end of the voice, they find another army. A... not so pleasant one. The army of decay stares, expectantly. They do not attack, they simply stare with empty eyes as another tree lies among them, rotted and gnarled. "Ah... I see you have come." a voice responds, deep, polluted, and dripping with mystery. "...Please, sit. We have much to discuss. The goddess isn't who you think she is...." it says, evenly, showing control that the monsters it had sent the night before most certainly had not shown.

Do your cats run right away? Do they decide to hear out this strange dying god? Do they attack, or fight back?

Valerius walked quietly just behind Khalida through the dark woods. He couldn’t help but remember what King Chikondi had tasked him with at the beginning of their journey. Valerius was supposed to make sure the winged princess never made it home, and in return he would be granted permission to marry the other.
Initially he had thought to agree to the idea simply to appease the king. But if he were honest he had later considered the possibilities of what might occur if he fulfilled his end of the bargain. A good marriage into a powerful pride, wealth and numbers behind his cause. It would be a shrewd choice, and it would be so easy to lose her here in these dark woods, or even kill her.
And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. If she had been truly wicked, as he had been led to believe, perhaps he could have managed it. But she wasn’t wicked at all. Misunderstood perhaps, and prickly for sure, but not cruel. And besides, her sister loved her dearly. He couldn’t imagine killing one sister to marry the other, who would undoubtedly be heartbroken at the loss.
No, he had decided he wouldn’t do it. At times doubts plagued him, reminding him that he had others who depended on him for protection and food. But he couldn’t justify such an act even for their sake. So he would bide his time, and perhaps still marry the princess after all.
That is, if they ever escaped this place. Even now he wondered if they might end up trapped here, cursed to roam the dark land forever, or forced to stay in the city where it was supposed to be safe.
It was not a good thought, but he didn’t know what to expect here at this point. The further they got into the trees the more on edge he felt, but if his companion felt the same he couldn’t tell.

As if sensing his thoughts she said, “I don’t like this, it seems…wrong.”

“I know what you mean,” he responded. “This place feels wrong. Like something terrible happened, or something terrible is here. I’m not quite sure.”

“We’ll have to be very cautious how we proceed.” Khalida’s only wish was to see if this was dangerous before she let her sister anywhere near it. Something seemed off about all of this, and she wanted to find out what it was.

“They could be luring us to our death,” he said, uttering a curse under his breath as he stepped in a patch of thick, oozing mud.

“This whole place is decaying,” she commented, wrinkling her nose as the smells grew stronger the further into the woods they got.

“It’s odd, how the city is so brilliant and healthy, and yet out here everything fades so quickly into the opposite.”

“I wish we could have learned more of their history than we did. But at times I got the feeling they were not being too forthcoming with us. And I don’t like that. If they are hiding something I want to know what it is, and why. I won’t blindly help them if they aren’t going to be honest.”

“Well, perhaps this trip will give us some answer,” he said.

Khalida nodded in agreement, hoping that would indeed be the case.
Already Valerius had noticed that others seemed to be following the same general path as they were. Some had seemed very optimistic, as if sure better things waited for them at the end of it all. But Valerius also noticed that he and his companion were not the only ones to have doubts. Others seemed cynical, even scared. Though he noticed a few also seemed determined to be heroes, eager to prove themselves.

As he walked the whispers of a voice still echoed in his head, urging him onward in a way he didn’t find entirely comforting. Feeling like he was being controlled didn’t sit well with him and he longed to be rid of these voices he heard, that of the goddess and whatever it was calling to him now.

As they got toward the center of the woods the voice seemed to grow louder, as did his dread.
The forest began to open up somewhat before them, and there at the end of their path, the army awaited them. Many of the creatures, their bodies all covered in wood and mud, stared at him and the others with their soulless eyes.

Ahead of him Khalida had stopped, tensing at the sight of the enemy so close. Every instinct made Valerius want to be on guard, ready to fight. And yet the creatures didn’t advance on them, simply watching for now.

They were gathered around a tree, this one rotting and twisted and yet somehow similar to the tree they had come from in some vague way. The smell of it alone made Valerius want to gag, but he stood silently, warily, as a voice sounded from the tree.
Though it said several things, none of them unexpected, one thing stuck out to Valerius immediately. The goddess isn't who you think she is.

At those words he felt a sense of foreboding, and when he looked at Khalida he could tell she felt the same.

What if they had been right to doubt all along, and the goddess herself had lied to them or misled them in some way?
But then again, perhaps that was what this creature was doing now, lying to them to gain their trust or support.

“Do we listen?” He murmured to Khalida, knowing what he wanted to do but wanting to hear what she said.

“Yes,” she responded quietly. “This thing may be lying to us, but I’m not willing to take the chance that it isn’t. Because if he isn’t, that could change everything.”

Valerius detected a note of concern in her tone and guessed she was concerned for her sister back at the tree with the goddess. He didn’t blame her, but for now all they could do was stay and listen, and hope that whatever they were told they made the right choice in the end.

~~~~.......~~~~

Back at the city Ravi and Nthanda had been helping with cleaning up when they had seen some lions and cats heading above ground. Deciding to see what was going on they had followed as well, only to find that the goddess was there, her gaze resting calmly on the crowd.
Some were angry at her, asking questions and accusing her of bringing them here and not protecting them. They clawed and hissed, determined it seemed to hurt her, perhaps so she would feel the way they had felt. And yet nothing seemed to bother her.

Others were demanding compensation for their efforts the previous night, saying a reward was deserved or that they couldn’t continue on without some assurance of rewards at the end. But she seemed unimpressed with their demands and petulance.

Some were more practical, wanting to know how to heal their injuries and whether the hurts they sustained here would accompany them back to their own worlds. Others were wanting to know where their companions had gone, and whether they had been sent away.

When some didn’t get immediate answers they left in a huff, others decided to try to return home, done with the mystery and danger they had found here. But as questions were asked in quick succession with no immediate answer Nthanda held her tongue.

Finally the questions died down, and she waited, willing to ask her own questions if needed but wanting to give the goddess a chance to speak and explain things first.
The air around her was practically buzzing with expectation and tension as all had their attention on the goddess, awaiting her answers, or perhaps her condemnation.

[hypnowave]

Username: reyligion
Link to cat(s) involved in prompt: Shrike
Link to their pride or group: Augures
Prompt level completion: 5
Prompt: Story B


Shrike could have spent today sunbathing on a large rock atop a cliff overlooking the sea, belly full, paws outstretched, with the gentle seaside breeze ruffling his soft fur. He could have curled up there, laying next to his mate, watching as the sun slowly progressed further west. He could have listened to the waves crashing, one after another, while the music from the fairgrounds drifted through the salty air. He could have walked home to the comfort of his own nest, chin rested against cool moss, a brief refuge before his night patrol session. He could have done all that and more, and would have been more than content.

Instead, here he was. When the portal first opened, the other members of the Augures had to decide who would go. Soseki was not a fighter; Eir had left that life behind. His own mate was expecting kits, too. Shrike knew he had no other reason to stay, and recent events made him wonder what lay beyond the limits of his understanding. His life had changed so much since he first joined the Augures, and though it was hard for him to get accustomed to life so different from the Clans, nothing challenged his beliefs the way a literal portal to another world did. So into the portal he went, after bidding farewell to his lover and his friends.

The portal took him to a place so mystifying that he had to wonder if he was already dead. He had seen StarClan with his own two eyes; this was not it, he quickly realized. There was a heavy unrest in this world, and he was still able to feel it in his chest, in his heart. The training he endured was nothing compared to the fight against the army of the undead. He had to wonder why he was chosen for this when he saw cats who wielded power beyond anything he could comprehend, but somehow, he pulled through. Powers be damned, tooth and claw proved worthy on its own, he learned. He already bore wounds from the fight, but he wasn't going to back down anytime soon. Even if his cheek stung after a painful jab in the face, he pushed forward nonetheless.

That probably explains why he decided to leave the safety of the tree. Now that he'd seen it all, felt it all, he was filled with an insatiable hunger to know more, to see more, to understand what it was like to make his own choices in a world where his whiskers tingled with magic and every blade of grass had a jolt of electricity behind it. He felt immense power in each step he took, and though it may have been a fool's errand, he took pride in seeking out what this mysterious voice had to say. Pray to StarClan that he would come out of this alive, if they could even hear his prayers from so far away. He turned away from the tree, though he could feel its glowing eyes follow him out into the open fields. He did not look back, only gazing into the solemn eyes of the other warriors who chose to tread the same path. They said nothing, and he said nothing back.

Although there were many, many others brought here by the same mysterious forces that led him to this very spot, Shrike didn't care to wait for them to make their own choices. He was ensnared in the idea of watching things unfold. He felt like the decaying god, whoever it was who was attempting to speak to them, would not attack if there was a chance to speak their mind. Besides, he felt safer with the rest of his allies here, though he knew them not. He sat down, eyeing up the beasts; their formless limbs, their amorphous bodies, their eyes which reflected no light. He wondered what his brother would say if he knew about these creatures, so miserable, so strange. Would he even believe what Shrike had to say?

He sensed the doubt from his fellow travelers. He heard some of them whispering among one another - fleeting conversations of whether or not their interlocutor was lying. The goddess seemed convincing enough, kind enough, honest enough - but they were only visitors in this realm, cats who knew nothing, selfless but foolish. The unrest irritated him a little - he did not want to admit fear, but yes, deep down there was a reluctant part of him gripped by the mortal terror of dying in such a faraway place without a way to tell his mate that he wouldn't come back. He would fight until the very end, but here, that seemed unnecessary. His loyalties had shifted before, and he had no qualms with doing so again. He'd broken rules he previously swore to uphold with his life, and had sent himself into exile for his misdeeds. If he were to end up on the so-called enemy's side this time, he did not care much, for the goddess was not of his faith, and of her intentions he was unaware.

In order to calm himself, he closed his eyes. He called out to StarClan one more time, drowning out the noise and the magic in the air that still tickled his nose. His ears were pricked, and he would spring to action if it were necessary, but for now, he simply wanted to reach out to his ancestors, praying for an answer. I need you, he thought, I need to know if I'm doing right by you. Despite the goddess, despite everything, he knew he still answered to them. He wanted to broaden his horizons, but that did not mean he would leave his spiritual home.

An answer came. He did not hear words, but he felt it - a warmth that enveloped him and told him he would be alright. He thought of his mate, he thought of his future kits, he thought about home. He relaxed, opening his eyes, awaiting the outcome of his decision.

1009 / 1000

[Tiger♥Bear]

Your cats have chosen to stay in the safety of the tree. An investigation starts into soldiers who were lured off, but to those who ignored the call long enough, it no longer sings to them. They are left to wonder where their companions have gone. In the meantime, when investigating something aboveground, they find themselves alone with the goddess in her tree, her eyes glowing as she studies them. She says nothing, only waiting, as if expectant of them to speak first.

What do they ask of her? What questions do they have? Do they attack her for bringing them to this place, blame her? Do they feel pity, or look down? Do they lash out in fear? Or show respect? Do they ask for a reward or good fortune? Do they walk away without asking a thing?

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:

SPACESuha nodded in agreement to Mandla's statement. "Indeed. It's important not to underestimate the enemy."
SPACE"Perhaps we should have some of the guardians look into this. See what they can learn about the champions being lured off." He stretched his limbs and rolled his neck before giving her a smirk. "Don't think this sparring session is over."
SPACEShe lifted a brow. "I'd hope not." Stretching her own limbs out and flexing her toes, her claws gently scratching the dirt. "I'll be waiting here for round two."
SPACEMandla chuckled before leaving the ring, supposedly going off to find another general or higher up to discuss the situation of champions being lured off into the forest. As she stood there practicing her moves- dodging, positioning, and things of the like- she thought about what could possibly be out there. She hadn't wanted to risk getting caught by the enemy forces. It was strange to think about. It had to be the enemy luring them in and yet...so many were pulled away and they didn't seem repulsed by call or anything like that. If it was the enemy, what was their goal? Separate the champions? Divide the forces? Or was there something more to it? Trying to plead their case? Manipulate the felines into believe they've chosen the wrong side? All plausible explanations. In fact, the more she thought about it, there wasn't really anything saying she was working for the right side of the fight. What if the goddess was the real enemy here and the foe had been wronged only wanting to defend themselves from the goddess and her guardians? There was a lot left unanswered and she wasn't going to get answers sitting her wondering about them. But she had to be careful. Talking about her concerns with this rotting army was one thing if they really were a threat. If, however, she was on the wrong side and started to talk about those concerns, what would that mean for her? Would they banish her from the plane? Would they fight her next? Would they try to deny it, claim the enemy is lying? There were too many variables in this situation. She'd have to continue what she was doing- keeping her eyes and ears open for everything and anything. If anything, the possibility of fighting for the wrong side made her more anxious. She'd be sure to keep an eye on her surroundings.
SPACEGeneral Mandla returned a while later. She had still be practicing solo and was so lost in thought she didn't really realize how long he had been gone. Minutes? Hours? Some significant time had passed, surely. She looked to him. "Any news?"
SPACE"I've talked with some of the other generals, told them what you told me. There were concerns from other champions about the same thing so some of the guardians already knew about it. They plan to assemble some of the guardians and investigate further."
SPACE"When? I know it might take some time to assemble them together, but this could be a very serious development that needs immediate attention."
SPACEHe nodded with a solemn expression. "You are correct. Some of the smaller groups have already started deployment. The rest of the teams will be moving out soon. There's a lot of forest to cover so it may take some time before we find anything substantial."
SPACE"Understandable and acceptable." After a moment of contemplation, she spoke up again. "I think I am going to help with the investigations."
SPACE"Oh?" Mandla tilted his head. "Not that we wouldn't appreciate the help in investigating, but what is it you plan to do?"
SPACE"There could be something we're missing that's a little closer than the depths of the forests. I'll just check the fields around the tree." Suha gave a small smile to the general. "Don't worry. It's like you said. This sparring session isn't over. I'll come find you later for more sparring."
SPACEHe gave a hesitant smile. "Looking forward to it." With that, she gave a small nod of acknowledgement and left the sparring ring.
SPACEOutside the tree just beyond the roots near the tunnels entrance, Suha took a deep breath. The air was refreshing. There was still some evidence of the scouts that had been here the other night, but a lot of it had been cleaned up. She began her walk around the tree. When she had reached the back, however, she could sense someone watching her. That distinct feeling at the back of her neck that made the fur stand on edge. Looking at the tree, she noticed two glowing eyes which were definitely taking her in. Looking back at them, it wasn't the fact that she was being watched that bothered her. The eyes belonged to the goddess in the tree. Suha stared back, unfazed by the goddess. What did she want? Why was she staring? Minutes passed as the two stared one another down. The thoughts she had earlier came flooding back. Was this the right side or was she on the wrong side? What could the goddess be hiding? Why was she so silent? Was it to protect herself or to hide her true intentions? Suha narrowed her gaze. She knew very little about this goddess. Perhaps it could be beneficial to learn more about her.
SPACE"We haven't properly been introduced. I am 'iilhat aldamar." The tree goddesses only reaction was a blink of her glowing eyes. Her expression remained the same, revealing nothing to Suha. She continued. "I answered the call on behalf of my creations. Keeping in mind that the foe was an army of decay and rot I thought it best for someone with abilities such as mine to be the one to handle it. After the fight we had the other day, I could not have been more correct. The blows they dealt were shrugged off with ease. Any of my creations would have been scarred."
SPACE"And the other deities?" The voice was neutral, uninfluenced. It was simply a question.
SPACE"Have other, more pressing duties. I was the best option to handle this and the only one not bothered with other things. Sometimes it's nice being the goddess of destruction."

[EchoIre]

Username: EchoIre
Link to cat(s) or lion(s) involved in prompt: Chetan and Kamala| Hazel
Link to their pride or group: Motoheri Pride | Hallow's Edge
Prompt level completion: Level 5
Prompt:
[1,036/1,000]

Just as Chetan began to wonder if he should follow the strange siren song, follow Kamala, the call vanished. The others were asking where their friends, family may have wandered off to. Feeling more anxious about letting Kamala go alone now that the call had vanished, Chetan joined the searchers. Anything to keep his mind busy - he'd hardly been able to sleep last night worrying about everything. It was... strange to be around the lions, though. So many weren't as open as Diablo, and the leopard truthfully didn't feel comfortable enough about the red lion to stick by his side, as if he relied on him for protection. So, for the most part, Chetan searched alone.

That was how he found himself standing before the spirit tree, alone, with the goddess's radiant eyes staring down at him, blinding him.

Chetan ducked his head to the goddess, feeling quite bare under her piercing eyes. He was even without Mitra; the fae wanted to explore this world more, seeing as it reminded them greatly of their own and they had seen creatures similar to themselves about the city, meaning this was one of the few moments where the leopard was truly alone. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Chetan felt the goddess would first, having graced him with her presence, though it seemed she felt just the opposite. Realizing this, Chetan awkwardly cleared his throat.

"F-forgive me, lady of the spirit tree." Why did he feel so nervous around her? He had interact with a god before, and while he wasn't exactly confident the entire time, it wasn't like this. Was it due to his lack of sleep? Her silence? The situation, the war? The lack of the magic between them that connected he and Pahar?

The goddess remained silent, watching.

Steeling his nerves, Chetan spoke again. "...My friend, and so many others, left yesterday, drawn away by some... force. I, too, felt its call, but refused it." Was that the right choice? "Do you know what called to them? Where they are now?" What could he say to Kamala's parents? "Are they safe?"


Hazel limped around the forest, letting out quiet grunts of pain occasionally. Her burns had left her bedridden the day prior, though thanks to the healing magic of this world's strange denizens, she was on a swift path to recovery. She was told she may not even scar, which was not normally something Hazel was worried about, but she was grateful for it now. She couldn't see much of the burns, but from feel alone she could tell it was bad. That, and by the looks she was receiving from other cats. The same big cat - a lion, apparently - that had slept with her and the other small cats outside that first night had refused to leave Hazel's side after seeing how serious her injuries were. IT was a sweet gesture, though it was getting a bit suffocating.

"I'm going to go back." Hazel mewed, looking up at the lion.

"Do you need me to carry you?" He offered, looking down at the smaller cat.

Hazel purred gently. "I'm fine, Aimon." She bumped her head against his giant paw. "I'm not used to being under trees all the time. I'm just gonna get some fresh air. You keep searching with everyone else."

The pale lion seemed doubtful, but agreed still. Hazel padded back to the spirit tree. She let out a sigh as she came upon the open air, feeling like, just for a moment, she was back home. Maybe she could wait out here for a while before going back underground...

Suddenly, something about the tree caught her attention, something that definitely wasn't there earlier. Hazel looked up, then flinched as she met the eyes of the goddess. The great spirit was silent, waiting. Watching.

Never speak to spirits.

The goddess had called Hazel here, but where she came from, it was dangerous to speak to spirits, especially strong ones. Wordlessly, she ducked her head and trotted up to the tunnel, slipping into the city without a second thought.

Kamala and Iah had grown closer during their time travelling together, and by the time they came upon the clearing containing the army of decay, they had been chatting amicably for quite some time. Had. A silence fell over the pair as the took in the great beasts. Iah, being a guardian of the goddess's tree, snarled as soon as he overcame his shock, shouldering his was in front of Kamala.

"Wait!"

Iah's snarl fell, replaced by a confused expression. He glanced over his shoulder at the lioness.

She touched her tail to his flank, stepping forward so they were shoulder to shoulder. "Look, they're not attacking." Kamala said gently.

And so they weren't. Instead they stared, lifeless eyes boring into the lions. At the center of the army sat a dark, gnarled tree. A from is came a equally dark voice, one withered by time and age.

"The goddess is not who you think she is..."

Immediately, Iah snarled again, scoring his claws into the soft earth before. "Liar!" The blue lion bared his fangs at the army. The nearest soldiers began to stir, ever so slightly.

"Iah, wait!" Kamala turned to her new friend. Their eyes met in a shared tense moment. Kamala was the first to speak. "I know this isn't what you want to hear, but-"

"Not what I want to hear?" Iah snapped. "This is-"

"But it can't hurt to listen." She held Iah's gaze, face stern and somber. "I know you've been protecting the goddess for years, but if I'm going to fight in a war, I want to hear both sides." Kamala said evenly. "Let me make the decision you made."

A conflicted, strangled look crossed Iah's face, like he wanted to say something he knew he couldn't. He broke Kamala's gaze, letting his eyes travel across the army of decay before finally coming to rest on the ancient, twisted tree. "...Fine." He sat down, shoulders squared and tail wrapped around his paws as he glared at the gnarled tree.

"Thank you." Kamala sat down beside him, looking up at the ancient tree. "Please, explain."