OOC: Set post war

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Paws carried the weary girl slowly towards the borders of the Brook. It felt weird to approach the borders of her birthplace with the intent she had. Never before had she needed to request to rejoin her birthplace, but it was what was happening now. Before she had gone to challenge for the Mire, her and @Myrkvi had agreed upon going to join the Brook now that she had failed majorly in her quest to challenge for the Mire. And now that's why she was here at the borders of the Brook. A glance was given to her husband as they slowly approached the borders of the Brook. A soft sigh escaped the Valour girl as she stopped at the borders.

She was still sore, as she had come here the day after the war started by her own challenge. "Shall we..?" She asked softly, shifting her position to remove the weight from her wounded shoulder while looking towards Kvi. After waiting a few moments for his response, Cassandra would let out a soft roar. She was aiming to call for her mother @Talisa and @Aquila - either of which would be a welcomed sight. Any of her family would be welcomed as well. Though... she wasn't sure she wanted her younger sisters to see her in this state. But after she officially rejoined the Brook, they were likely going to see her in this state regardless at some point. It was inevitable, so even they would be a welcome sight at the borders.

The act of walking to the Brook from the shoreline had tired the young girl out, and as such she wasn't able to remain standing for too long. Wobbling a little bit, Cassandra slowly lowered herself to lay on the ground. It looked a bit odd, but she figured her family would understand.

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He was excited to hear her call coming from the borders. Her plan had not followed through but he did not care. Aquila was proud of Cassandra. More than words could describe. The challenge had been reckless, a little impulsive, cascaded into chaos, but it was nothing Aquila had not done himself before. It was a relief to see someone try to do something to right the world in his eyes.

His approach was quick, his own healing wounds aching all the way. But go, go said his heart. He did not waste a second. Seeing her on the ground was not so weird as it was concerning. They were all nursing their wounds, he knew better than any the toll they could continue to take on you after the fighting ended. The emotional ones didn't help either. He saw her on the ground and his pace quickened towards the borders, tired chest breathing heavily with each thunderous step of his bronze paws until he was right before @Cassandra, his head dropping down towards her. "You ok?"

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The Sigrun prince padded alongside his wife. The movement provided only mildly uncomfortable pulling at the healing lacerations on the right side of his chest. Some bruises protested, but the worst of it all was his face. The swollen wound on his left cheek was irritating. The consequence of letting his own actions take no heed of his predicament in that fight. Shall we? She would ask him as they arrived on the borders of the Brook. He gave her a simple nod, opting to keep his jaws shut for comfort. He came to a stop beside her as @Aquila appeared to check on her as she laid upon the earth. They’d have to forgive him for not saying much.

@Cassandra

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There was no doubt that the pride itself had become pretty quiet in the aftermath of what had happened in Ecrosia. A moment in time that one Valour woman could not forget and at times woke up with a nasty fright, realizing what she had done. Proud of herself but also tormented by what she had had to do and would have to do in the future to continue to protect what was precious. So when @Cassandra called for her she struggled to leave the den but knew it would be important to show. @Myrkvi stood beside her as strong as he could while she chose to lay down, to which she couldn't blame anyone for needing a moment's rest. Not after all that. @Aquila had already arrived and seemed to ask a very important question. Should I call for a medic? Talisa followed her cousin's questions as she came up beside him, gazing at her daughter's wounds carefully before looking to Myrkvi to look at his potential wounds, too. They had all been battered and bruised and despite her success, she had come out of it relatively unscathed.

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As @Myrkvi trailed behind her and took a seat on the ground as her uncle @Aquila quickly heeded the summons she sent out, Cassandra aimed to lean against her husband for some extra support to keep as much pressure off of her injured shoulder as possible. Her uncle’s concerns made her quickly do a review of what all injuries she had sustained from her fight, and her duotoned gaze glanced to her shoulder. His head dipping down towards her, the fluffy Valour would aim to gently butt her head against his if he’d allow her to do so. "As good as can be expected I guess. Alaric wounded my shoulder pretty badly. It hurts to bear weight on it for too terribly long right now."” Cassandra admitted.

She understood why her husband was silent - his facial wounds had to hurt from his battle with Ronin she was sure of it. As her mother @Talisa appeared as well, Cassandra shook her head. "Not at the moment - we just want to get settled in if you’ll still have us." She said, a dark ear pushing back. She was sure they would allow them in, but one still had to ask to make everything official and all that. "But perhaps after we get settled in it would be handy." She admitted.

"I.. apologize for having caused everyone such pain and chaos… I didn’t really think too much on the consequences of challenging for the Mire." Cassandra said, looking down at the ground as she spoke. She still felt like she was the one to blame entirely for the war that had broken out at her challenge for the Mire…

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FORTUNE FORTUNE SMILING FATE
I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU MUCH OF LATE
NEED YOU NOW AND CANNOT WAIT
BUT WANNA LOOK, YOU'RE NOT AROUND

He was mad to hear that she hurt. By most accounts he had no right, she'd started the fight and it was not as if she alone had been hurt. Lions had left the scene hurt by Aquila that the lion felt no remorse for. But logic did not have place when it came to family and love all of the time. Not for the lion who wanted nothing more than to bear all the pain he could for his family and make their life easier. Knowing he couldn't take this from her was a hard pill to swallow and being mad at the lion who caused it was an easy balm to apply. Slowly he pulled his head away and stood upwards at his full height while still looking downwards with a frown tempting, tearing, and clawing to escape from his features. "The more sleep you get the better it will start to feel." He spoke from his own experiences. Sleep and rest were easy ways to let healing time pass. It meant less scolding from healers too.

"It was a war that started long before your time." He looked to @Myrkvi as well- meaning the comment as much to him as @Cassandra. "It's not your fault the next battle in it broke out when it did." He did not like to hear her bear the guilt of the war the Sigruns had brought to them. Her actions if anything were just the spark everyone was waiting for- it could have been her challenge, it could has easily been the next. It was unavoidable and inevitable. A gift from Maua and their Sigrun allies.

He glanced to @Talisa looking himself somewhat pain, struggling internally to the point he couldn't hide it entirely from glimmering in his eyes and sneaking into the trembling of his voice ever slightly while he spoke. "I can find someone to come check on them later. You should take the time with them make sure they settle in comfortably." He suggested, figuring Cassandra's mother would rather spend the time with her daughter than getting a medic to come tend to them later.

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@Talisa would join them, asking if they would want a medic. Later, thank you. He tensed at speaking, pain flickering across his expression before disappearing. Though his gaze drifted down toward @Cassandra as she spoke, feeling his heart twist as if she were at fault. She was not. It was far, far from her fault. His head lowered to press his nose against the top of her head in reassurance. @Aquila is right. Ouch. Do not blame yourself. The war was older than them both. Though Myrkvi had warned her of the potential. The blaze at the mire was sparked when the Brook had been challenged for the first time. Fuel to the fire with cub death and every Rike death after. His gaze lifted to look at Aquila and Talisa. I am happy to help here. Ow. Pain aside, it was important for him to say it.

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Of course, for she was not about to stand in the way of @Cassandra and @Myrkvi having time to get situated within Vermeda. Perhaps they needed some down time where they did not have to feel so weighted by the ongoings of what had happened nor feel as though they had to hide. It was only a matter of time, my dear. They had known for a small while now that time was really the only thing keeping their allies enemy at bay and it just happened that that was the last tick that was required on the clock. The chance that had been stolen at first opportunity. Myrkvi addressed that they would be attended to later by one of Vermeda's many medics sometime later, focused on getting in and settled now rather than later. Yes, she offered to @Aquila in a quiet tone with a nod of her head. They could come on in and get situated and they could have one of their medics drop by in the late afternoon just to take a look at them. Please, come in -- this will always be your home, and yours Myrkvi, always. If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to come to me or Mum -- Morrigan. She knew that she had instilled it upon her children that no matter where you were, that Vermeda was always a home and a haven. Whatever they needed, they'd be there to help.

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Regardless of what @Myrkvi, @Aquila and @Talisa told her, the young Valour still felt partially responsible for what had happened at her challenge for the Mire. "I just... I hate that all those I care about were hurt. I never meant to get anyone else hurt but myself.." Cassandra said softly, reaching up to gently brush her nose along Myrkvi's cheek to try to help ground her mind. She knew she'd have to get up and start moving here shortly, so she mentally prepared herself to push herself to her paws.

Carefully gathering her paws beneath her, Cassandra shakily pushed herself to her paws. If Myrkvi stayed near her as she rose to her paws, she'd lean against her husband for support to get up onto her feet. Taking a few shaky steps forward, Cassandra aimed to gently touch her head to her mother's. "I definitely want you and Mummy to come by once we settle in. Maybe after I heal a bit I'll be up to see my sisters again." She said softly. She did want to spend some time with both her mothers again, now that she'd be here more permanently.

Looking to Myrkvi, she started to slowly move across the border of Vermeda to seek out a den for herself and Kvi. Rest was what she desired at this point in time, and she was intent on getting it as soon as she could.

-exit Cassandra with Myrkvi-

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"I know..." Aquila said as he stood up and began to make space for the two lions to enter Vermeda and get themselves comfortable. How well did he know that feeling, how much it hurt when you failed at it. Theirs was no longer a world where only one lion would get hurt however. There couldn't be the Aquilas or Cassandras ready to jump into battle for family and bear the pain. Take the weight. He, and her, were not enough. "I know." At least she might be here, home and loved, while life continued to crush everything that they all were. "Rest up." While there was chance. exit

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