There was none left. At least with the will to continue what needs to be done. A wicked smile pealed across Viné's face. It was perfect. There was no one who could sniff her out, no one that could deny her claim to this body and all the power it gave her. Best of all, it was her alone that could claim the title of Patriarch in this new land. Oh, and what a sweet call it had been the words rang in her head like a song. Ripe and fresh, succulent and sweet. She would bite into it, the juice would drip down her chin and she would revel in that sweet flesh.

She called, her voice deep and Baritone; a perfect male voice to the others. The liar would not be found out now, not ever and she would not dip her head to anyone else. Jezebella's line would become the strong one in this land; even if Jezebella herself had to do all the work. Let her brother's line try. Let Crowley try, but this was now her land and the Casimir would grow strong under her shepherding. Of course, there was others, stragglers from Leviathan's loins. Her lip twitched at this, it wouldn't do to let them out pace her though only one at most seemed to be of breeding age. The lazy creature wouldn't hinder her; no, it was the others and they would grow fast. Viné required a plan.

Of course, the first step would be acquiring a place were the Casimir reigned. She considered doing as her son had; claiming a neutral land in the stead of an official pride land. It had its merits of course; the most being that they could not be extradited at a whim, the downside being that a neutral land hindered growth and Viné craved a strong reign. She would prove she was always meant to lead the family to greatness. A pride. That was the choice she had to make for the sake of her hubris.

The second step was being sure none of the main branch of the Casimir came against her. There would be no blood of course; the Casimir do not kill their own and those that have met with consequence. No, they would need to be kept busy. The cubs would be easiest; they'd be given purpose perhaps even married to those of her choosing. Alliances built for her needs. The lout could be made happy with toys and a food. Easy enough once they found a female or two to provide for them. It was a shame that the ones that carried their name was so young. But the scraps of the family would be enough; Viné only required their support until her line was strong enough to carry her dreams ahead of her.

First gather, then a home, then conqueror. A plan and a wicked grin that slipped behind the mask of the Liar, the deity of depiction.

""

don’t get caught, i’m dangerous

it’s always been like that.

code by corvus

Of course it wouldn't be long before one of the Casimir called for them. The family was never far away, much as Wodnik might prefer to be left alone. Well, if he was going to be forced to hang out with anyone, he supposed it might as well be his own flesh and blood. Granted, he hadn't seen mom or dad for quite some time, and he didn't know if uncle Ifrit and aunt Dahlia had made the trip, and they were the ones he would be most willing to serve under, but he'd tolerate the others because they were family, and they had the best chance of understanding him.

So he came at the call, taking a leisurely seat before the other male, waiting boredly for whatever would be said. There wasn't anything to call their own for the moment, surely no place they would be interested in at least. If they were intended to live in this misty, desolate place then he supposed he'd just wander on off again. Surely this man wasn't that stupid.

It had taken Rythian so long to get here and yet all he wanted to do was rest, he felt so tired and worn out. Even in his darkest dreams he could not rest as once again he saw things he did not understand. The nightmare this time was one he had felt before but it made no sense because it was not his childhood. It was one where his father was a mighty and powerful King and then one day an intruder comes alon and him, his father and his new born brother are cast out. The biggest heartache though was looking back to see his mother stood at the new King's side. Yet despite this obvious betrayel she was still an angel and this stranger had corrupted her soul and there was rage... so much hate.

Rythian bolted upright the moment he awoke, breathless and the image of this beautiful silver mother fading. Shaking his maned skull with a sigh still puzzled by it all. His mother had been a brown lioness and his father? He'd never met them but they certainly had not been a King. Why is this happening to me...

The call was a relief if only because it was a distraction. Unlike the last this one was more private intended for family. Casimir. Why did that family name seem so familiar? He had barely given it much thought at all as he began moving towards the lion that had asked for the gathering and Rythian clearly was not even thinking straight. He was no Casimir and yet there he was walking over and only when his eyes locked upon Viné did the brute suddenly freeze up like a deer in headlights. What am I doing here?

It had been a long long time since he had been among his kin. While he cherished his brother, Crowley, with every bone in his massive frame the other male was older than he. The clear heir to whatever kingdom had been set forth for them in that land. And while, for a short moment, he had tried conquering a land of his own, an adjacent and allied pride, it was soon abandoned, assimilated by his elder sibling. None had really wanted to leave that king behind for his venture. So he had left. Making his own way in the world because it was the only way his greed could be sated. Let his brother rule over a distant, paltry kingdom. His legacy would be far greater in lands unknown and unfamiliar with the line of demon kings. And so he had.

That is until he grew bored of the give and take of power. Had grown bored of the whiny subjects beneath him, and had left it to a good friend and his eldest son. Sure he had an empire to make those of his line envious but very little to entertain him. He'd lost a pair of wives to childbirth, which was sad, in the moment but ultimately he moved on. There was always more to take, more to sate his greed. More to claim as his own. Its how he had found Tenley, then later on Pistis. It was how he had found himself in this new land. And now, it was how he found the call for his line.

Interesting, oh so interesting was it? To find those he had left behind prospered and grew until they thought they could hold the throne. Silly silly children, he was here. Old blood, pure of the line. Something they had likely forgotten about in the years he had been away. Something he would have to educate them about.

The beast stalked forward from the edge of the fog, massive frame carrying him across the sand. An original demon come from the depths of hell, coming from beyond to meet the spawn left behind. One moment the liar is alone with those she thinks she owns, rules(plus a random rather familiar straggler) and the next he is there. Emerging from the gloom of night, balefire running over each face in turn. First he turns to Wodnik, his gaze not lingering for long. He had not called, and was but a child. Next his regard lands on Rythian, recognition flickering there. He was surely a Demondras; he looked like the man his father had been so closely allied with when he was young. Yet he did not belong here, so he moved on. The last member of this little party, a garish red and spotted and striped boy. Half his age and full of himself. Silly boy. There his silent regard settled, his burning gaze unwavering, unmoved. Considering the strange youth with a stare that had broken many before him. Would shatter many after him. The nightmare held that stare far longer than any soul would consider appropriate but it allowed the wraith's presence to seep into all here. Then, finally, dark lips part fangs flash as he finally speaks. "Thank you for calling them together for me" he rumbles, his voice level, allowing no argument. If this upstart wished to claim the patriarch role he would have to challenge for it. And while, in recent years perhaps they had leaned away from rule of fang and claw, he was truly an old fashioned Casimir in that way. He would simply teach this upstart his place if need be. It had been a while since he had a worthy opponent; it would be oh so fun to teach this babe exactly where he sat in the hierarchy of their clan.

@Viné @Wodnik @Rythian

His face had long stopped hurting and itching. The fresh pink scars pulled the corner of his lip up high in a twisted grimace towards his silver eye, one that would adorn the left side of his face for the rest of his life. The snake was despondent, though he had his cousins nearby, the shattered remains of what was the Casimir family, his thoughts were a fester. Her voice filled his ears still, the feel of her claws in his flesh. His only thought was of her; his hatred growing with every waking moment, bubbling up and spilling out like miasma. He followed with no were else to go. To hurt to fight off the rouges, his cousin had made sure he escaped even above helping his father, Vine's uncle. It didn't matter. He was sure Ifrit lived on somewhere, the demon would burn forever. The snake however, festered and poisoned.

The sand was under his feet when his thoughts broke away from the beast of his waking nightmares, only realizing he'd drifted away from his cousin when his call rang. No where else to go, so he came closer; finding himself in the company of those he did not know. He would have ignored them all, not cared in the slightest who or what they where, but the words that touched his ears brought his gaze towards the male, oldest of them gathered. His mouth stayed firmly shut, though the twisted scar pointed it way to the clay covered male. It was a word that had his face torn asunder, and if there was anything he'd learn from his match was to keep his words silent. Though his piercing gaze towards the male did little to hide his contempt. Stupid, as if the Casimir would follow just anyone.

""

Code by Naya image by Naya

Sister, gone. "Little" brother, gone. There was no surprise that his sire and his side bitch had vanished long ago. The one constant in Raum's life was being abandoned, The gaunt from of the lion meandered behind the groups, listening, watching waiting. He saw no sign of the woman who had birthed him, the bitch could rot for all he cared, and seeing her probably wouldn't spur him to much action regardless. Raum, as it were, was the epitomy of slothfulness. There was a part of him that almost followed behind Hecuba. There was a piece of him that enjoyed her wit and her guile and perhaps he would have, had he not had a taste of forbidden fruit. He licked his licks at the thought of her. So small, so delicate, so easily broken by his teeth and claws and the girth he held over her. She'd screamed so deliciously for him in that night, it still sent shivers of pleasure down his spine when he thought of it. Too much for her and not enough for him. Spirits, what he wouldn't do for another taste of that, to be surround by ones just like her at his beck and call. The sloth was never one for goals or achievements, had he spent his whole life childless and alone he wouldn't have been bothered as long as an easy meal was in paws reach at all times. But this, now, it changed him.

His mind was elsewhere when he first heard the call of the Casimir, and he was never one to hurry regardless, so of course he would be last to arrive. The dark lion did, also, hear the brazen words from the unknown male, his eyebrow quirking up at the statement. "And? You think we care who you are?" He grunted, not afraid of what the beast could do.

Shambles, they came. Only the males seemed to have survived the battle; proof of the casimir's claim of weaker sexes. Jezebella knew it as well; her body had failed her all those years ago when they'd run from the land that had burned and melted under their paws. It was good that her body reflected better her spirit now. It was her turn to do what was needed. The youngest of them that ended up gathered were just shy of adulthood. The yearlings would be strong and fit, in her eyes, even the one with the nasty scar on his face; cousin and grandson, both. It was why she'd taken pains to bring him along. Both of her lines would continue, Bael's in the body she inhabited and Ifrit in the scared boy. She refused to let either of them trickle into nothingness. As for Leviathan's boy, hed be useful as long as she kept an eye on him, wouldn't want him getting ideas of grandeur.

The dark one, though, she was only vaguely aware off. A distance memory of a cub being carried to the caves by the betrayer before the power of the tree fractured and the veil fell over the spirit's eyes. Nybras had ignored everything that made her Casimir in the last years; not even giving her children the family name. It was no matter, Nybras and her line mattered nothing to her, and she would not go down a course of vengeance like Leviathan had, ultimately ruining everything that was built until that point with his rage. But no, she was sure this was not the same cub, though the similarities were striking. Instead split eyes turned his way "You are not Casimir." she told the young male with a raised eye; what did he wish from them?

Then, another whom she did not know. Curse that tree for loosing its power and crippling her. Her jaw set at his words; clearly claiming the name of Casimir and throwing his weight above her's as he was clearly her senior. Vin's lip fought a twitch at his boldness. "I didn't expect anyone from outside our last home to make it here." She told him calmly, her face as practiced mask of decades. "I am Vine, son of Bael, this is my cousin, Serpent and son of Ifrit. Jezebella was our grandmother. Those two," She motioned with the edge of her skull to the shockingly different males that hardly looked related at all. "Are Raum and Wodnik, sons of Leviathan who descended from Crowley." Split eyes blinked slowly, waiting for the clay beast to clarify where he stood in this sprawling tree called Casimir. Once she knew where he stood she could better reign back everyone under her paws.

""

don’t get caught, i’m dangerous

it’s always been like that.

code by corvus

ooc: are u ready ?? hahahahaaaa ~
also rated m for language

asura was in a mood. both her mother and her father had gone missing, and her siblings had the audacity to fuck off somewhere else without telling her. this, combined with being dragged to somewhere completely new with @Viné, was simply unacceptable. asura had just about settled with akuma in the falls, but the rogues had ruined that and now the ankle-biter was ready to bite off someone's toes.

the small child had complained pretty much all the way, without mercy for the patience of her family member. eventually though, they arrived at a new place and it all smelt horrid and... foreign. the casimir sat down with a huff. "This place is shit." She snorts with an ignorant huff, looking across at viné with a roll of her eyes.

before they could engage in much more conversation, more lions arrived. first was @wodnik, then @Rythian, and then @Gwyn. neither of these individuals she recognised, but her eyes remained fixated on them. she studied their overly large bodies compared to her own, all the while gnawing her teeth. she was hungry for trouble.

last to arrive was @Serpent and @Raum -- someone else she was yet to recognise. an overtly loud huff escaped her lips, as she stood up and walked right into the centre of attention. "I demand to know why we're here, and who all these lions are. Why aren't we going home yet?" she scoffed, looking from each individual until her eyes landed back on viné. "I also want food. Why don't you have food?"

None

Master

None

Sub-Master

Yellow

PVP

1d20

Hit Roll

3d20

Dodge Roll

5d20

Luck Roll

It seemed like this was going to be yet another boring gathering until an older male strolled in and acted like he owned the place. Oh boy, this would be great. Wodnik doubted Vine would take that sitting down, but as of yet the argument hadn't truly begun.

Instead, everyone was introduced, and he glanced briefly at Raum, the older brother he didn't know at all. Good to know, he thought. Serpent he knew at least, though it saddened him to not see Ifrit appear. It seemed his uncle of a sort wasn't going to be around. Damn. Hopefully nothing had happened to him. Wodnik hadn't seen much of him after the ridge had fallen.

"Silence your tongue," he rumbled to the young girl who started running her mouth almost immediately. She'd learn her place quickly enough if she didn't. His one and only warning given, he turned his attention back to the bold arrival, waiting to see what would come from him now.

Was it too late to back away quietly and pretend he was never here? The large dark tawny male begun shuffling a few steps backwards using Gwyn's arrival as a potential distraction so he could dip. All the while keeping his attention on what was happening and realising there may or may not be a potential challenge for the patriach of this very masculine family unit. There was a side of him (that's nosy feline side like my cats rl that like to stick their heads into every cuboard just because) that wanted to stay and see what happens.

Bright eyes centered his attention on Vine and Gwyn quickly determining that these were the Casimir that really mattered at this point, the rest were all too young and there was even a cub who arrived. At last a female though it was tricky to tell at first that it even was one since she seemed to be maned. Looking at Asuna he glared with narrowed eyes but not because of anything she said. He was glaring at her purple eyes, her dorsal stripe. Attention then turned to Raum noticing his purple eyes and another dorsal stripe. Serpent had a dorsal but not the eyes... yet Rythian was finding this a little odd.

Am I some kind of long lost Casimir? Is that why I look like some of them and know the name?

All this staring and thinking to himself had distraction Rythian from his backing up and by now Vine had turned his attention toward him staing the obvious (or was it) that he was not Casimir. "No.. I'm not." His voice was a confused mumble as if questioning everything he just said. "I just felt like I should be here." Which was a pitiful excuse really for crashing a family meeting and even he knew that.

"Goodluck with your family." It was a sincere comment from Rythian, he still felt like he could trust this gathering as if he was safe but did not know why. If only he knew he was actually a grandparent to many of them... in a previous life. Slowly Rythian now fully turned around and if not stopped he would leave them in peace.