Already the temperatures had dropped, winter on the cusp of taking over the island. Atop the mountain slopes felt especially cold, though he didn't have the thickest of fur. Instead his pelt was rather glossy, well kept, with flowing locks atop his head that cascaded down in a way that presented more as beautiful than anything else. Paws toyed on the inner sanctum of the ice caverns, though even inside here the cold seemed to permeate, clinging to the air; however, the inner caverns seemed to hold a degree of warmth that the outside world refused as the smallest trickle of water ran across the center of the main cavern.

Reflections played against the walls, though there was not much within the cavern. Rock and ice seemed to be the only two existing formations within the cave. No living thing appeared to be present nor had been for some time. Slit pupils slid about the caverns, admiring the frigid beauty as he ventured forth, breaths coming in short puffs of visible condensation.

Doubt that anything useful might exist within the frosted cavern there could still be an adventure, a break from the loathing of feeling different, alone, from his brothers. To perhaps spend more time with @Opium to grow more used to her aggravating antics.

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The tundra was a welcome escape from the humid beach of the Lagoon. She had welcomed the invite to the caverns, hoping to avoid Envy as much as she could - only because she owed him a report, and unfortunately, very little had happened between her and Walpurgis since she joined. The lioness was always off doing a thing or another, and Opium was too proud a creature to chase after the mongrel's coattails. Still, she would need to procure some kind of progress soon, and when she returned to the Lagoon the following day, she'd try a bit harder to at least learn something from the brolic lioness.

Even if Opium doubted any of it would be very important.

She let @Archaic lead them through the caverns, taking her time to look around, to admire her reflection in the icy walls as she crept through the cold caverns. The swirls on his back danced like slithering black snakes as he walked, his muscles beneath his tri-colored coat rippling and adding to the effect. It was both a blessing and a curse that the males of her family were so vain. Sure, they were nice to look at, but also aggravating to speak to.

"Did you know Envy sent me on an assignment?" she asked, wondering if he had remained in the tundra since the meeting, or had he had his own tasks to attend to? Had he noticed her absence, or was it just pure luck that they met up today? "I've been in the Lagoon trying to learn its leader's motives." Her voice echoed through the cavern, but it didn't seem to bother her at all.

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Since the family meeting he had remained in the tundra, though he ought to be learning of prominent families among the island and perhaps securing connections for the Black family. Unlike @Opium there had been no meeting between he and Envy. Out of the three brothers he possibly lacked the most ambition and was instead a devout healer, always looking for a way to cure the Black family fever as he envied his brothers for having it. Always on the outskirts of his brothers, he wasn't one to delve deeply into the leadership roles as he assumed Recluse or Poltergeist would rather take those positions.

Irregardless of his brothers' intentions he had buried himself in medical work. Testing plants was part of his position. As betrothals had been announced he had noticed Opium's absence. Part of him thought that she hadn't been pleased with the betrothal arrangement. Many of them were new to each other, though at least he and Opium had met prior to the family meeting.

Even if they got on each other's nerves.

No. A simple flat statement came in reply to the information bestowed upon him. Such information would explain the thick sent of a pride land on the multi-colored hide of his to-be wife. Do you like it there? He supposed if she did that he would need to join the pride with her, as a good husband would do. While he might hold steady expectations of how Opium should act with him there was incredible doubt that the lioness would ever be any less unruly than she was.

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They followed the icy tunnels casually, eventually the end spilling open to a large cavern with thick icicles hanging from the ceiling. By their size and girth alone, they didn't seem to be breaking off anytime soon. Opium's dual-toned eyes were on the ceiling, admiring the point on a lot of the icy spears; at one point, she almost walked into @Archaic. Claws scraped against the stone floor, and she was quick to sidestep, to pretend as if it had never almost happened at all. She pretended to be interested in the weird way a wall had formed, its icy surface almost porous in nature.

"It's very hot," she responded, unsure if he knew the situation at Scilla Lagoon. "And the High Sovereign is a complete dipshit. Envy wants me to learn her weaknesses and get on her good side, and honestly, talking to her is torture." Opium raised her eyes and looked pointedly at Archaic.

They were assigned to be partners when they got older; to produce beautiful cubs for the Black family. He wasn't her husband yet, and she'd be quick to remind him in case he went and tried to control her, but at the same time, she tried to include him in what she was doing... if only because she thought it'd benefit her, too.

"You should join the Lagoon, too," Opium began, wandering around the cavern and looking casually at the way the ice formed. "Your diplomacy skills could be an asset to the mission."

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Light touch, or the ghost of a perceived touch, left him mildly surprised that @Opium would drift that close to him. Dual-toned mismatched eyes would glance to the slightly taller female. Touch would be welcomed by him although he made no attempt to press back against the woman as she seemed preoccupied by the presence of an ice wall. Dips within the wall created pockets, making for an interesting spectacle he supposed. Within the walls of the ice cave the temperature felt cooler here, far unlike a place he would wish to linger.

Word of the lagoon made it sound rather tropical. Hmmm, hot you say? Imagery of any coastal region brought to mind humidity. Tepid air was not good for his hair, the multi-colored locks that cascaded down the side of his head and swept over one eye. Pointed ears flicked at the description of her assignment. How like Envy to assign them to prides to investigate, maybe to find chinks in walls that might be easy to crumble. Talk of the high sovereign did make him curious as to how incompetent the leader might be from Opium's description. Interesting I daresay. It's a wonder she holds a throne at all with the description you've given. Ink lips curled out of diluted mirth. His intended wife was not likely someone to take a bunch of guff, much less not speak candidly.

It did surprise him that she invited him to join Scilla Lagoon with her. Spending time with his intended would be beneficial to learn her ways better. A thoughtful expression crossed his mostly umbra face. And why would I wish to spend time around this high sovereign if she's as you say she is? Folly to spend time with someone so witless, even if they were high sovereign, it was likely a waste of time to charm them. Decidedly, joining Scilla Lagoon would be for Opium, not to practice his political skills.

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Opium was confident in most things, but when it came to @Archaic, she felt kind of awkward and out of place. Love was not something she was gifted with; it wasn't something she had experience in. She didn't know what to do with it. And what she had with Archaic wasn't yet love - really, it wasn't yet anything, but they needed to make it something to benefit the future.

So, Opium offered Archaic an olive branch by inviting him to her mission was Opium's way of trying to include him in things. Perhaps it wasn't the most romantic offer, or was bursting with benefits they'd both like... but it'd help Opium further her mission, and if Archaic wanted to hang around her, they could both work their charismatic magic on the Sovereign of the Lagoon.

She turned and nodded to him when he repeated the temperature to her. Yes, she didn't miscalculate that, unfortunately. She found it easiest to conversate about her assignment because that was what she was focused on right now... and she was grateful he found it interesting enough to ask follow-up questions about it. "She does because she's a strong and capable fighter, and no one has been able to overthrow her yet. And that is the main part of why this mission is delicate." She swept her tail to further annunciate delicate. She paused, looking back at Archaic. "She's unintelligent, so she can be easily persuaded or dissuaded into doing things if one uses the right words and plays on the right things she likes, but if she's made angry, she can really do some damage." Opium had really been observing Walpurgis as much as she could. The lioness filled her day with simple things - like playing in the waves at the beach... at her lonely beach.

"To make Envy happy," Opium answered, as if it were obvious all along. Didn't he want to suck up to the Patriarch so that he got the best positions when Envy took a pride for himself? "And to help me," she added, as an afterthought, watching him with sparkling eyes and a curiously flicking tail. Perhaps that last part was just a test to see what he would say.

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rip me; sorry for all the darn typos in my last post xD

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Partnerships were announced at the family meeting but he had yet to woo @Opium. Advancements on his part weren't something he took into consideration. Although he thought the lioness attractive in appearance there was no real desire to court her as of yet. Too much seemed to hang imbalanced for the Black family, too much kept on his mind about his medic duties.

The idea of meeting this high sovereign of Scilla Lagoon held no inkling of interest to him. While intellect wasn't his top priority in a lioness there was the idea of trying to advise a bird brained idiot about how to associate with other prides that left him feeling hollow. They didn't want to find themselves in a situation they couldn't get out of, or worse, one that would threaten the Black family.

Options weren't plentiful within the Black family, thus he supposed he ought to accompany his betrothed to the lagoon to both find out more information on this high sovereign as well as to get to know the woman who would be his wife. Perhaps to even teach her proper manners. I see. A flat statement was made about the high sovereign's prowess in battle. Any burly lion could bully their way around he supposed. Even take a throne it seemed. Sometimes the stupid aren't as malleable as you think. Dumb lions could be dangerous if not handled properly. Sure, if they handled this high sovereign appropriately, then perhaps they could mold her into a tool of the Black family, but if this was just a bull-headed lioness then it was doubtful they would get very far with persuasion, no matter how charismatic they were.

Motivation to join her seemed to come with the expression that while yes, she wanted him to help the Black family by completing some assignment to gather information, that Opium herself wanted him there. Emphasis on the 'me' part had lead him to believe that his company was actually wanted by the paler girl.

Ink toes glided across the slick surface of the frozen cavern. Here the chill sunk into his bones. Multi-colored eyes would flit to the taller form, appreciative for a moment of the curves and stark contrast of white against the telling ink markings that flowed curiously over her body. I'll come then, to help you with your mission. Deep lavender shoulders rolled to dismiss the gesture, as if he felt awkward in suggesting he was doing anything because of her. I'm not sure how much there is to find out if she's as empty headed as you say though. Envy might not like what there is to know... though perhaps this lagoon would be an easy target for the Black family to make a home in. Umbra lips turned up slightly as he wanted her to know that he did support her, that he would come but he was still skeptical of how much work there was to be done.

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Opium allowed a haughty smile to settle upon her face as she moved in front of @Archaic as the two of them passed into a rather narrow pathway of the cave. Their voices echoed off of its cold, stone, and icy walls as they continued their leisurely walk. Really, they were just talking and they could've stood still and did that, but Opium wasn't complaining either. She memorized the cave, noting that it once belonged to band that lived in the area. Scents lingered, but they were very faint, only stuck to fibrous surfaces now, and there weren't many left in there because summer was over and the tundra was freezing over again.

"You're too cautious," she observed, flicking her tail and hoping to prod Archaic in the chin with it. She looked over her pink and lilac shoulder back towards him, pausing slightly in her step. "I will never know unless I try. Live a little, Archaic." Opium pushed boundaries within her family; she knew this. The females were assumed to be meek and obedient, and she was the opposite. While well-behaved, she said and did what she wanted, and no one (not even Envy) was going to stop her from that. She ruled her own life, and Archaic best learn that sooner rather than later. It'd save him the stress.

"Now you're getting it," she purred as he observed the Lagoon to be an easy target for their family to settle into. She picked up her pace and exited the narrow path so that the two of them could walk side-by-side once more. "It beats sitting around in the manor flicking your tail, doesn't it?" Unless he preferred to be bored. She knew little of what he did in his spare time, and even less about what he did with his plants. Perhaps in time she'd learn more about him, too.

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Since the family meeting there'd been part of him that thought Envy didn't care for him much, pairing him with a lioness like @Opium. The haughty smile passed back his way as he trailed behind the multi-hued haunches spoke of an attitude he doubted would fade away. It was something he'd need to adjust to if they were to have a successful betrothal. Just as his betrothed would need to adjust to him. They hardly knew a thing about each other as it were.

Dull, lingering scents pervaded certain areas of the ice cave. Nose twitched occasionally, though he wasn't aware of anyone else that took residence up on the peaks. Some group must have resided here at one time, though not all of slicked walls carried scents. Vague curiosity of who might've lived up this way before the Blacks came and went as Opium's tail tip flicked against the side of his muzzle.

Mmm? The single eye that peered without locks of hair impeding vision looked upon the pastel form with black ink that swirled about. What makes you say I don't live? Brow line raised then, ink face regarded the lioness with an inquisitive echo in the multicolored eye. From back here he had a nice view of her backside, it made him hopeful for the future.

Umbra lips turned down at his to-be's next words. Whatever ideas she had of him it became obvious that she thought him lazy. Yet he'd collected and stored herbs for use to cure sickness or help stitch wounds should any of them find themselves in trouble. While he hadn't infiltrated a pride yet it didn't mean that he couldn't, or wouldn't. Slit pupils contracted somewhat, displeased with the woman's attitude toward him. You will find that should you be in trouble my plants can have many uses. As if he wanted to navigate the politics of s simpleton's brain, yet that is exactly what Opium proposed he do. Archaic's main use to the Black family had always been knowledge of medicine. Perhaps some day discovering a cure for the Black fever, but for now, he helped any family member with any ailment.

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Opium peered over her shoulder again, hearing the defensive tone in @Archaic 's voice. She paused in her step, allowing him to catch up to her once more so that they could walk side-by-side again. She shook her head, chuckling a bit. "You misunderstand me," she began. "I am not insulting your work. I don't doubt you are very skilled with your herbalism; I'm merely saying that you would be doing a whole lot more for the family if you took a more... proactive position in the grand scheme of things." There, maybe now Archaic could stop assuming she was rude whenever something fell from her parted lips.

"You would do well to appear a little busier at my side," she continued, offering him a wry smile. Couldn't he see that she was trying to help him? Sure, to him, experimenting with plants at the Hot Springs might've been busy work, but to everyone else actively scouting out prides and fighting for positions within them, he just seemed like he was hanging back out of the action. "And you can play with your plants during the quiet times."

They were coming to the back of the caverns now where they would eventually have to turn around and find their way out through one pathway or another, back out into the cold to find their way back to the Hot Springs. Perhaps she'd stick by Archaic's side a little longer... or perhaps she'd head back to the beach - hopefully, with him in tow.

/exit Opium via fade-to-black

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