1x1 w/ myspoons

[nymx]

𝐕𝐎𝐊 𝐑𝐏
sky--lines x myspoons


Apollyon has recently formed an alliance with The New Guard, he plans to use it to his advantage.
Astrona is the founder and Guardian of Peace within The New Guard. She decides to pay her new
ally, Apollyon and The Kingdom of Highsun, a visit.

The Kingdom of Highsun | The New Guard

[MySpoons]

Astrona stands at the crest of a hill, tail twitching slightly. She keeps sniffing the air, looking for any sign of Apollyon. The tigress skirted around the red rocky hills that border the southeast of her territory, avoiding the mountains to get to the edge of the Kingdom of the Highsun's land.

It was nice of the Elohim to invite her to meet his pride, considering Astrona has not yet well acquainted herself with her neighbors. Perhaps he can provide information of the Valley and some local history. Apollyon, so far, has not given Astrona any reason to think this is a bad idea.

Forcing herself to not show her nervousness, Astrona sits on her haunches and closes her eyes, lifting her face to feel the warmth of the sun on her fur. At least it is not yet too hot.

[nymx]

Apollyon made sure that he was up early, not that he wasn't on any other day. He had invited Astrona, The Guardian of Peace to come and meet his pride. To see how things worked. Of course he hadn't expected her to accept, but she had, and here he was on his way to accompany the tigress back to his camp. He felt bad partly, he wanted to assume her land was not like his. Dry and deserted, for they were just bordering the desert. Then again, maybe she was used to it. She was not of these parts, he'd realized that instantly. Perhaps he'd learn more about her today.

Unlike his newest ally, Astrona was.. naive? She was younger than he, and he believed that she liked to see the best in everybody. Innocent. But she was clever, she exceeded in the areas that he had lacked. He found conflict easy, causing it or making it worse. Astrona, however, solved it. He admired that, as much as it went against his history, peace was a good thing and a rare thing. It was hard to achieve though, and he had no patience for it. As his thoughts subsided, he found the golden and red striped pelt in the distance.

"Guardian Astrona," he greeted the female as he approached her, dipping his head slightly as he stood confidently. No signs of weakness, but there was no need for his act. Astrona didn't expect anything, and he doubted if she did she would use him to her advantage. Still, he didn't want to risk it. "I hope your journey was easy?" he asked as he beckoned her to walk with him. "Do you need a drink? I can show you around the territory before going to the camp." He offered as he looked toward the oasis.

[MySpoons]

Astrona perks up when she hears Apollyon's voice.

"Good morning, Elohim Apollyon. My travels were fine, thank you." She stands up, shaking some of the residual red dust off her paws. Astrona regrets making sure she looked presentable before Apollyon arrived-- not that she's in disarray. The tigress always makes sure the string of bells around her neck and her Guardian ribbons are clean and gleaming. Her sun marking on her back is visible-- she's a little shorter than the golden lion, but she's longer and her fuffy tail stretches out behind her.

"I will not decline a tour of your territory, Elohim. A drink would be nice, if it isn't too much to ask." Astrona doesn't like the dry air. For someone like her who is used to the rainforest, the dry heat is new and intolerable. She follows Apollyon's gaze to the oasis. The tigress is learning that bright green spots on the horizon usually mean a body of water is near.

[nymx]

"I'm glad to hear that." he responded, dipping his head slightly as he beckoned her, his gaze set on the oasis. "Of course," he looked toward her briefly before focusing on the green patch in the distance. "I'm assuming your not quite used to the dry climate?" he asked as he walked. "It took me awhile to get used to it as well, even now I find myself regretting my choice of camp." he told her. He had adapted quickly to the dry climate, though he still longed for more forgiving climates. The oasis wasn't close but it wasn't far either from the camp, it was an easy walk though. He made sure of that at least.

As they approached the oasis, he noticed a few of his own pride there accompanied by a few guards. It was common for the pride to spend most of their day near the oasis, or in the shade at least. The heat was more than enough to make you sick if one stayed in it too long. The few pride members dipped their head respectively toward Astrona and Apollyon as they passed. He dipped his head to drink before standing back and waiting for Astrona. "How is your pride, Guardian Astrona?" he asked curiously, examining the oasis before locking eyes on the tiger.

Waiting for an answer, he continued. "What was life like for you before The New Guard?" he added, "I'm afraid it's not common for a tiger, especially a Guardian of Peace in this valley. At least for me." a pause, "No offense of course, peace is a good, rare thing. I'm glad your doing all that you can to help." His words were half fiction and half truth, that was the problem. Tying truth into lies, spinning them into lies, was easier than a full lie. It made it easier, and more believable. Apollyon found his words to be more truth than lies, he quite enjoyed Astrona's presence of peace, or at least he was amused by it.

[MySpoons]

Astrona keeps pace with Apollyon, making sure she is about a quarter step's worth of distance behind him. Close enough to talk, but not even with him. It's a subconscious habit to not walk abreast with a king.

"No, the dry air is new to me. It dries out the back of my throat in an unpleasant manner at times; I usually stay by the river or other water sources to combat it." Astrona replies, referring to the river that cuts through the forest in which she made her camp. "The wetlands nearby have made my camp comfortable for me, however."

The Kingdom of the Highsun's land is quite larger than her own. Guardians usually only take a sliver of space-- Astrona was lucky to have found unclaimed land. "The land that I'm on, do you know of its history? I admit, I was not expecting to find unclaimed land so easily."

As they walk to the oasis, the grass becomes greener and the dirt under the tigress' paws becomes softer with moisture. Astrona's tail flicks in relief-- it is an odd sensation to have grit stick between her pads. Astrona had plenty of that to experience in the two days it took her to descent the large mountainsides that made up the Valley's gorge.

Astrona studies Apollyon's pride members, trying not to be overt about it. She's curious to know the state of them-- their health, their affect, their attitude towards her. The Guardian dips her head to anyone she crosses, not smiling, but making sure her face is relaxed in friendliness.

"Hmm," Astrona hums, amused at Apollyon's question as she takes a drink of the oasis after him. "I am well, thank you. It is still just me, I'm afraid." The tigress cannot hide the soft note of sadness in her voice. It has only been a few weeks, she must be patient. Was the Valley so large that she had isolated herself?

It is why Astrona jumped at the offer to get to know a neighboring pride. She has no source of news, no way to keep an ear to the ground or her paw on the pulse of the Valley's events. With little else to do besides set up more dens in her camp-- which was tedious and boring and so far unnecessary-- Astrona spent most of her days traveling her lands, patrolling. Searching for any sign of... anyone, really.

"Life was busy before I cam here." Astrona takes another drink, savoring the chance to clear the dust from her throat. "Before I was preparing to make this journey, I had my own quarter to manage. It was a small, peaceful station. Good families, little conflict more than a spat or two." Even though she speaks fondly of her prior assignment, Astrona is not wistful or nostalgic. The Valley is so interesting-- and it is such an honor to have been selected for this mission.

"Do you get many tigers or Guardians here, Elohim?" Astrona focuses on Apollyon now, interested. She has not heard of any tigers from her area deciding to travel to the far west.

[nymx]

Apollyon nodded, a soft laugh escaping him. "Yes, our climate is rather unforgiving. I find myself wishing for moist air, a break at last." He told her, humor evident in his voice as he walked. Wetlands, ah. Now he could name the place. At her question he shook his head, "I'm afraid not, feel free to ask around. While I've been here longer than you, I'm still rather new. Feel free to ask around though," he gestured to his pride. "I've found prides easily come and go, the valley is vast and I believe there is still much to discover. Many leave in search of something better."

He softened at her saddened tone, "I'm sorry to hear that- You haven't been here long I assume? You'll find many lone lions," he began, "I'm sure most if not all of the lions around are curious of the new tiger guardian." It was true, he had heard of the guardian before he had actually met Astrona, it was so uncommon for the bells and ribbons to be tied to her as well. He perks as she began to speak about her past, and he listened intently. "That sounds nice, peaceful I'm sure." That was her purpose, was it not? To bring peace.

"I'm afraid you won't find as much peace here, many strive to bring it but chaos is unevitable, especially with so many prides- It will not be easy- bringing peace here." He wanted to be honest, and his tone was light unlike the weight his words carried. "I have faith in you though." Now that- that might've been a lie. Peace was hard to obtain, and these lands, he imagined, were like nothing she had experienced before.

"No," Apollyon responded, "you are the first tiger I've seen here- and the first I've ever heard of a guardian- at least one like you." he told him, raising a brow slightly. "Do you anticipate more?" he asked, "Are there more? Like you?" That was very interesting, she spoke of her own quarter. Speaking like it was normal for a Guardian to manage. Where she came from, that was very interesting. He assumed there had to be more where she came from. "The valley, you've come from beyond?" As foolish as it seemed, Apollyon couldn't quite remember how he had gotten to the valley, or if he had been born within it. It was such a vast land that he didn't know.

[MySpoons]

Astrona hums, not wanting to make it seem like she cannot tolerate the climate. It is her new home here-- she doesn't want to imply that Apollyon's lands are not to her liking.

"I think if I give it some time I shall adjust. The rainforest is very diverse within itself, but everything is the same if you've lived there long enough." She sniffs the air. No sign of rain yet-- but she's learned that storms can emerge quickly in the Valley.

"Hmm." Astrona had thought Apollyon had been in the valley for longer than that. It may be why the king is struggling with peace, and not that it's any fault of his own. "I will when I get the chance. It seemed to be unclaimed, and no one has challenged me for it. I doubt it would happen in the future if it's stood this long quiet."

Astrona absentmindedly brushes the golden rings hanging from her red ribbons with a paw. "Yes, talk of peace is easy to make-- and hard to create and maintain."

"Thank you, Elohim. Your support is helpful, truly. It is not a challenge for today or tomorrow, though. Information and meetings are always the first step." Astrona sits, and dips her paws into the edge of the water. As much as she would like to wade, it would be rude to swim in a pride's only water source. Her river flows well enough to allow her the privilage back home.

"I am from the far east, almost a lunar cycle's worth of travel. There the Silver Ruins resides, a community of felines living around the Guard. I am only one of many Guardians, but I passed through the last guardian's quarter three weeks ago." The Silver Ruins could only spread so thin before the quarters were too far away to support.

[nymx]

"Yes, I've assumed you travelled lots?" Apollyon asked, his head tilting softly. Her words about the land were true, most of the valley remained undiscovered, he doubted no lion had travelled it all. He dreamed of being the first when he was young, travel the whole thing. Just imagining how many lions he would meet, the thought caused a small laugh. "Most of the valley remains unexplored, most lions don't want to go through the trouble, especially if they are from the valley." He explained, "It's strange- though you'll grow used to it. Empty lands, grasslands turning to deserts in mere minutes." He gestured to the land around them. "It's almost- magical."

The king grew tired of politics quickly, but it always eased his mind. "Yes, most strive for peace, not all gain it." he replied, "It's a beautiful thing," a pause, "My pride- when I was a cub, they were peaceful. Not a single fight, at least that I remember. I can't say I remember much.." Apollyon's posture drooped only for a moment before he straightened again, "Yes, of course Guardian Astrona. I will do whatever I can to help you create and maintain peace." Her words made sense, for someone so young she was quite intelligent. Were these other tigers like her? He assumed so, and even more. His eyes gleamed with amusement as she stuck her paw in the water, as if realizing what she wanted to do. She was truly not used to the desert, or at least temperature similar. "Feel free, It would be rude to make you suffer in something your not used to." He offered, gesturing to the water.

Talk of home, always welcome. It gave you insight on a lion, or in this case a tiger. Silver Ruins? Odd. "Far away from home? I am too," he began, sympathy growing. "It has its perks and some cons." His next words were, dangerous. Though he assumed Astrona wouldn't take it that way- or would she? "Are you afraid, Guardian Astrona?" He asked her as he gazed around at the Oasis, finally meeting her eyes. "New land without your fellow Guardians- which I have to add is a little strange. Why were you sent here after all?"

[MySpoons]

"I've never been through so much empty land-- it is unusual for me. The land in which I grew up on is old, and the families that live on it have been there for generations." Astrona replies, trailing off in thought. Magical... would not be the word she used. For a tiger such as her who has lived in a rainforest, teeming with life at every turn, the emptiness of the valley is... eerie.

"Peace is an honorable thing for anyone to achieve; I am honored to be part of the process for some." Astrona takes her paw out of the water with a little smile. "Oh, maybe later. I'm no fish, I'll be fine without a swim." Astrona's tone is not very close to teasing, but it about as close as she gets. "I am not too exhausted with the heat yet."

She has adapted to the valley's more brutal climate by avoiding strenuous activities during the hottest parts of the day. She is thankful for her light-colored coat, as it does not hold onto the heat. Astrona usually spends this time of the day dozing in a tree, enjoying the shade and the breeze that is better found higher up above the sun-baked dirt.

"Afraid?" Astrona repeats, Apollyon's words drawing her eyes to meet his. Bright blue ones that cannot hide her emotions as well as she thinks. "... no, I wouldn't use that word." She murmurs, half-to herself. The tigress' affect changes slightly, without her conscious thought. Even though Astrona has yet to admit it to herself, she was lonely before she even came to the valley-- and its vast emptiness is doing her no favors.

"It was such an honor--" she keeps using that word, the word that she was showered with by the council when the decision was made as who would be setting out on their own. "--to be chosen, Elohim. I am tasked with founding a New Guard here in the valley. If the prides here will accept such a thing."