The once-mighty Viper Queen rested against the gentle embrace of the riverbank, its waters whispering secrets as they flowed through the heart of Vermeda. She gazed into the shimmering depths, tracing the contours of her reflection, a haunting reminder of the battles that had shaped her. Her ears danced to the symphony of nature, but her heart beat a somber rhythm, echoing the weight of her past. The tip of her tail tapped anxiously against her hind legs, each beat a heartbeat of memories that surged like tides within her. She fixated on the scars that marred her body, each one a testament to a fierceness born from struggle and fire. Memories of every conflict, every fight that had carved her destiny in this vast land flooded her thoughts, and in a moment of anguish, she swiped a paw through the water. As the ripples danced away, her dampened paw grazed the empty void where her eye once resided, a stark reminder of the price she had paid. A heavy exhale escaped her lips as she surrendered to the weight of her history.

@Lathan

table code by daanyen

"Reflecting?" He rumbled, the assassin moved forward, exiting the shadows quietly as he approached the scarred, former queen. Silver gaze noted how her damp paw grazed the socket that was now empty. His keen gaze shifted over her form, her wounds seemed fairly healed, but the pouch upon his neck wouldn’t help her even if she asked for something to soothe a wound. He could certainly offer them to her anyway, but he wouldn’t explain their properties. He was fairly certain that everyone within the Brook was at least somewhat aware of his interests and while they may not know the level of his skill, they should all be aware he delved in poisons, not healing herbs. Large, dark gray form came to a stop next to the grey lioness on her good side, his gaze turned from her to the reflection. He had his own scars, though his face was far prettier than her own, they were fewer. He was not a skilled fighter. Darkness swirled in his sharp silver gaze. A pointed ear angled towards the former queen, waiting for her to speak- if she chose to at all. @Miaran "Speech."

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The Executioner found herself adrift in her thoughts, but the stillness that enveloped her was shattered by the sudden appearance of a surprisingly familiar figure. Though her wounds had long since closed, the heavy burden of a lost crown weighed heavily on her heart, stoking the smoldering embers of anger she felt towards the boy. A tense silence hung between them, stretching out as if time itself held its breath, before she finally found her voice. What has become of the cub you returned to Vermeda the last time our paths crossed? she asked, her words laced with a bittersweet blend of curiosity and unresolved tension. Their shared affinity for poisons lingered in the air, a reminder of their intertwined fates and the same blend darkness that connected them.

@Lathan

table code by daanyen

The tense silence should have bothered him, but it didn’t. He sat, watching his own reflection as much as he watched hers through the corner of his eye. When she finally did speak, the words came as a surprise to him, startled that that was what she wished to breach the silence with. He thought about Zwei for a moment, wondering how much he should tell her about his adopted cub. "Her blindness never left. A boy here tried to drown her. She has learned to move about in her never ending night." He paused, hesitating. She is an explorer, I followed her to Freyr Peak, she climbed all the way to the top, accompanied by a tiger." He snorted softly, bemused by the interaction. Lathan had served as a shadow that day, ready to leap in if it had become necessary- but fortunately, it had not. "She lacks understanding of the cruelness of the world." Despite having nearly been drowned, Zwei seemed to try to find the goodness in any she met. Or so were his observations. Perhaps that was a failing on Lathan’s part, but he enjoyed seeing the goodness in her, pleased that his darkness hadn’t consumed her and corrupted her. That this place hadn’t corrupted her. Silver gaze shifted as his skull turned to regard her and not her reflection. He didn’t know what to say, the question that burned on his tongue was not one that she would answer honestly. Thus, he remained silent, waiting for her to say something. @Miaran "Speech."

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The ice shattered as she posed her unexpected question about the blind girl discovered in the Passage all those seasons ago. @Lathan gave his answer about the girl that they had found together. A heavy silence lingered in the air, thick with anticipation, until she finally spoke again, her voice a mixture of determination and zeal. I know you must have questions swirling in your mind, like why I stand before you here instead of back in Caladan, oui? She rose with an air of confidence, her presence commanding as she began to gracefully circle the Noble, each step imbued with purpose and intrigue.

table code by daanyen

The viper queen was full of surprises. She remained quiet as he spoke, but she did not remark on a single thing he had said. Clever. He hid the smirk that threatened to pull at his lips. He did not mind telling her about Zwei, about the one child Icefang could not keep from him. Zwei was his, Miaran knew that, had seen the possessive nature of the Noble the day they had found the young blind girl. He had shown the girl softness, a trait he had yet to show anyone else…except maybe the queen and in a very different way. The former queen stood with a posture exuding confidence. Lathan shifted, turning back to the water, watching the reflection as she came in and out of view. Her words were true, he was curious why she was here and not there, but he merely raised a brow, shifting his head to find her scarred form. "No. That much is obvious." He pointed out, it was clear she had lost that home, "I wonder more about if you are a temporary guest, or a permanent resident." It was not a question, a thought, a wondering of his. No, Lathan wanted to know her goals, her ambitions now that she is no longer the highest ranking member. "So why don’t you sit and we can discuss that." Again, not phrased as a question, his voice was calm, a polite purr, but there was a dark edge hidden deep in his voice. He tired of her circling, reminding him less like a viper and more like a porcupine with all of those barbed edges, circling and waiting to stick its quills into whatever threatened it. @Miaran "Speech."

Art by Rabbit and code by Shazaki

As @Lathan's gaze lingered on her, Miaran's fierce single eye locked onto the Noble, an emotion flickering across her face—a fleeting frown that hinted at depths uncharted. With a subtle flick of her tail, she spoke, her voice laced with a chilling calmness that defied the storm brewing within her. I have married Velasco. For now, I choose to remain here, biding my time until I decide my next move, she declared, the weight of her words hanging in the air, heavy with unspoken determination. She didn’t bother to sit, instead merly stopping her measured pacing around the larger male, an unyielding predator in search of justice. Until I exact my revenge upon those who have wronged me, she continued, a venomous edge creeping into her tone that made it abundantly clear: crossing her would lead to dire consequences. If fate demanded her life in this relentless quest, she would face it with open arms, unafraid. Here, where fear reigned supreme among many, she had embraced the shadows of Death, welcoming them like an old friend.

table code by daanyen