She pried herself from that distant and desolate realm, half-alive, keening. Where once she'd been a brittle and battered Queen, emerged from the ashes something hardened, razed by her sickness and left raw in its wake. There'd been nothing left but the most primal parts of her. She had lost everything, and in that loss she had found the strength to lose it all over again. And again. And again. Where once there was a broken woman had emerged from the ashes a wolf, teeth-bared. And though within her breathed a fire borne of her mother and her grandfather, Avaneira's return to Amaryllis was quiet, and in the night where she slipped through the dappled of silver moonlight through the trees that rustled in the wintry breeze.

How would things change now, she wondered, no longer the sovereign protector of her family and her pride. She had left things in capable paws, but leadership had humbled her, and even she knew it was a lot to ask of her sister to keep what Avaneira had handed her afloat. She had placed into her sister's hands a heap of broken glass: jagged, unrelenting. Avaneira would not make the same mistake again. No, wasn't it better to live as if she'd had nothing left to lose? Would fate finally be tricked if Avaneira felt as if nothing else could be torn from her?

Her ferocity was a malignancy, creeping along her presence like an aching fire, licking at her heels, burning in her belly. She was mad at a world who had done nothing but take from her. She was mad at her own sorrow, her own weakness, and her inability to fight back against all that sought to take from her. And what, now, did she have to show for it? An outsider would see nothing but a small pale lioness trudging through the passage, straddling the sandy shores of the strait and the trees that marked the forests just beyond. But inside, Avaneira was burning. Almost celestial.

elke wasn't a creature of darkness. she woke when the sun dipped past the horizon; she ran when the light dappled the earth, and from its body, she was nourished. now, however, elke made it a habit to lurk amongst the shadows. the newborn noble turned to where she was needed best, hiding in the midst of the darkness to study the passing of rogue bodies. it took her some time to get used to the hushed silence and emptiness that the passage was swaddled in. but, elke did not need to search for long.

as the moon turned over and cast its light upon the land, it unearthed a lioness walking along the shoreline. elke watched from her perch high in the cliffside, before she slid down, half excited and half expectant. nervousness wasn't on her mind as she approached the woman, who was similar in size to her, but older and, she noticed, possibly experienced in life. she recalled talitha, her easy smile, and kind voice. for a moment, elke thought the lioness would appear by her side. but the lioness she was looking at wasn't like talitha just by one passing gaze at her face; she looked hardened and stern, the years wearing away her appearance, yet she was still beautiful. and if there could be an opportunity to expand the rainforest then elke would look past everything. a chuff slipped out of her mouth, green eyes brimming with the youth and determination that clung onto her still. hello she said, voice rich with warmth. my name is elke, a representative from firnen rainforest. would you like to learn more about our home? @Avaneira

It was not too often that Vermedan's came to the Passage but Talisa was trying to make an effort to stretch out of the normal. Wanting to be able to investigate the Passage and to see the changes that were being made daily and what better way to know that than to venture into Maua's entrance? As luck would have it, she found someone of great interest and did not hesitate to make a beeline towards. Brown legs rushing forward while she sustained a few injuries here and there but it was easy to ignore thanks to the bleeding emotional heart of the Valour. Avaneira? she called, knowing her wife's sister's name and having remembered it after all this time. Memories of @Valhalla clear in her mind and how heartbroken he was not to be able to be a solid figure in the lives of his young children. Are you alright, dear? As soon as she was close enough that she could potentially embrace the lioness, her eyes began a quick once over to judge if @Avaneira needed extra assistance. @Elke nearby was unfamiliar but Talisa eventually offered her a soft smile and a nod of her head. Glad to see that someone was present but could not help but have her attention elsewhere.

^{MANIP BY ZODIAC !}

Despite her recent injury causing for her to step away from Heiress and slip back into her past rank, Valkravn would not let that deter her from trying to keep up some duty and responsibility. With her ear scabbing and healing slowly, Valkravn was beginning to grow restless of keeping herself close to the Brook. So she took to heading toward the passage, soon enough catching scent of @Talisa and a couple others. It would cause for her to steer herself in the direction the scents were coming from, and soon enough would lavender gaze land on two unknown lionesses. As her tail flicked to the side would she come to stand on Talisa's left, a silent guard for her Sovereign. She would give the Rainforest woman a nod of her head before her attention went to the rogue, keeping her expression neutral. Oh, if only she knew this woman was way more than just a simple wanderer - soon you will know, Valkravn.

@Elke @Avaneira

code by dee, art by spu

The first to arrive is a stranger, one who smelled of the Rainforest. Avaneira briefly wondered if it were still ruled by the woman Sangria, but then the brutality of that battle reared like an aging scar, igniting as a brutal reminder of what she had lost that day. Sangria lost her pride, just as Avaneira had lost. The Rainforest was no longer hers. Thus, when her attention turned toward @Elke, there was something steeled and unreadable in her rosy gaze. “Who is your king?” she asks in response, her memories slowly drawing back to her, half-erased by the sickness that had spent a year nearly killing her. Cupid. An ally, a friend. He had ascended similar to Avaneira: unexpectedly, loudly.

Before she could inquire further, however, a far more familiar presence quickly made her way toward the gathered lionesses. Even the hardened Avaneira could not help but falter in the warm presence of @Talisa. She allows the woman close, and upon their embrace lets a small smile slip onto her lips. “I'm alright,” she responds, but knows her answer is far from the truth. She had abandoned her sister and her cubs, though not by choice, and the scars left from it were still wailing. As Talisa pulled back, Avaneira could spot the silent and encroaching form of @Valkravn. At first, the lioness bristled from the quiet approach, but as the reassuring scent of Vermeda wafted from her as well, Avaneira quickly calmed. “Where is Morrigan?” she asked then, her gaze returning to her sister-in-law.

there was no friendly smile, no chuff given to her as a response. elke didn't blame the pale woman for her coldness. her question was to-the-point and elke didn't have any reason not to be direct. our high sovereign is talitha caelinus, who co-rules with mordecai caelinus. as she spoke her queen and king's name, she idly wondered if either of them would come too. talitha would no doubt be overjoyed at having another prospective member join - especially one who wore their history on their face.

before elke could properly respond, two other lions join them. the first one, a woman with drip-like markings on her face, knew the pale lioness as @Avaneira. both new arrivals gave elke a nod of their head in greeting, which she responded in kind. but seeing the recognition from avaneira and her smile, elke decided that the firnen may not have a new member after all. yet still, she chose to remain, if only to assess any situation that she may bring to her rulers. @Talisa @Valkravn

Through the time spent apart, Talisa had always felt sorrowful that she had never gotten the opportunity to know her sister-in-law better. Never had truly had a moment to know who @Avaneira was nor could acquire more stories of her and Morrigan's childhood that her wife might not wish to divulge out of embarrassment. Thankfully the pale lioness attempts to assure the Vermedan Sovereign that she is, in fact, alright. It did not look to be any severe injuries but physical appearance could be deceiving. Wounds were not always on the outside. Morrigan is in Vermeda now, could she believe it? Talisa sometimes woke and was surprised to see her wife laying there beside her. It still felt surreal. @Valkravn approached and while Talisa could feel the warmth radiating from a pridemate, to a friend -- there was a deep, heart-wrenching pull that drew at her as she realized the weight of the situation. A part of her could only assume that the Greyflood-Tollaire would come to Vermeda but there was always as chance that the pretty lioness (@Elke) near to them could easily sway her to Firnen. Not that Talisa would see that as a heavy hit -- she had found that she really, really liked Talitha and it (to her) was just as good a place to settle down. That being thought out, she couldn't hold back her own heavy punch. Ava, this is Valkravn... Valhalla's sister. Her tongue lingered on introducing Valkravn to Avaneira, but couldn't be too sure if all the information was known about Ava being mother to her nieces and nephews.

^{MANIP BY ZODIAC !}

Silent she stays as the rogue begins to speak, inquiring on who was the current ruler of Firnen. Gaze would flicker over toward the Noble as she obliges, Valkravn storing the names of the rulers for if she ever needed to retrieve it. And then another question, this time more specific, asking where Morrigan was. This would cause for a subtle quirk of her brow as she readjusted her attention back upon the small lioness, and as @Talisa took the time to tell her where the warrior were now located she could only assume that this woman was more friend than foe.

And then the Valour would introduce the Viking, taking a moment before telling the other who she was related to. Valkravn would try to hide the curious expression that now crept onto her face as Valhalla was mentioned, tail flicking to the side. You knew my brother? Her question would be spoken in a steeled voice, hints of wonderment entwined with the words. She hadn't met many that knew of her kin outside of the Valour and now she were wondering why this mention had even happened in the first place.

@Avaneira @Elke

code by dee, art by spu

Even Avaneira could not deny the disappointment that came with @Elke's answer. It would be unreasonable of the lioness to expect Cupid to have kept the Rainforest in his clutches through the long year she'd been ill, but a part of her had selfishly hoped that Amaryllis had stood still in the wake of her absence. The last time it had not, and she had nearly made enemies of her allies and razed what all her sister had meticulously built up. She would not do it again. She could not. Her gaze returned toward the Rainforest representative, giving her nothing more than a firm nod, before her attention returned to @Talisa and @Valkravn once more.

Morrigan is in Vermeda now.

So the Cove was lost, too. Her dread wore more clearly on her expression now, more fearing for Morrigan's safety; she had no right to fault her sister for losing a pride she did not ask for. She had only hoped that Caladan was challenged for and won, and not thrown into some sort of danger, and left in ruins. Avaneira would go wherever Morrigan went, now, determined to repay the same loyalty that had been shown to her. “Then Vermeda is where I will be, too,” she responded. The Valour had been far more than an ally to the Greyflood's, though Avaneira feared the strife that may be brought to the peaceful pride's doorstep, unaware of all that had already nearly brought them to their knees.

Ava, this is Valkravn... Valhalla's sister.

Avaneira flinched. Suddenly, the idea of looking at the lioness by Talisa's side seemed an impossibility. She felt undeserving of his family, now; unable to care for the children of his she bore and left rended and ruined for a year before she was able to return. What would they think of her now? What would he think of her now? You knew my brother? she asks, and Avaneira swallows hard. “I did, and I have failed him,” she breathed, finally turning her gaze toward the lioness, “I was far too wounded in my last battle to raise the children he gave me.” She could only hope they had remained with Morrigan under her care, and perhaps brought to the Brook, where they'd know nothing but a life of peace.

it was disappointing that her first venture into the passage was met with nothing. still, this was a good first-hand experience for elke to know what she ought to do next time she met a rogue. plus, there would always be other rogues, other lions who needed her. and, with time, she too would bring home newly anointed firnen lions. looking from the lioness @Avaneira to the others, elke realized there was some familiarity between them. it wasn't her place to linger here any longer than what was needed of her. elke decided not to speak anymore, but to simply leave and head back to firnen. [exit elke]