Being given orders had never been something she had excelled at. Ember was close enough to being so stubborn that she would rather die in the fiery pits of this hellfire than be told what to do, how to do it and when to do it. At first she does not see the lion who beckons with a singular COME and frantically searches to locate him. He was large and old but easily to see now that she had spotted his silhouette in the light of the fire. She begins to ruffle towards him when a limb on fire crashes down next to her and she moves instinctively. @Odhgrimm expresses to her the River and she questions for a moment on which direction she had seen the river before banking it after the male. Surely that was where he was going, too!

As @Adalwolf rushes past her with a singular and aggressive demand, she snaps her teeth at him as she runs. Frustrated by his clear lack of respect towards her and his immediate insistence to be first. So Ember ran after the two males as fast as she could. Limbs racing to keep up with them as well as to avoid any patches of fire that were spreading towards her. Heart thumping quicker than ever in her large body than it ever had before. Feeling as though it might explode and she'd die from a heart attack here and her body would then be incinerated. Luckily for her, she made it to the river but hardly stopped there. She dove right into the shallow parts at first before going a tad bit deeper to keep her distance. It couldn't get her here, right?

From this cool water, she could see leaves on fire floating down from their branches. Limbs being snapped off and crashing down to the ground, where there was once trees filled with bouquet's of leaves, there was now only fire. A deadly but beautiful entity that took and devoured everything in its path and left nothing in its wake.

Trade XP:
+5 - Practice speed or strength (2/2)
+15 - BWP related thread (2/3)

BWP Tickets:
+1 - Make a BWP-related post
+2 - Analyze the changes being made to the land
+5 - Complete a BWP-related thread (with 10+ posts)
+5 - Complete a thread with a character you've never threaded with before (odhgrimm)
+10 - Complete a thread with a member you've never threaded with before (anyu)

Nazonal might have compliantly taken Finnulf's help to find the exit. And at first she was right in step with him, nodding and looking to the clearer sky and still intact forest. Then her heart stopped in her chest. Naz, still in close to @Finnulf, held her breath and they began to look around. Not for a ways out but for something that carried on the wind to her, over the roar of fire crystal clear Nazonal heard something. That's my sister's voice- Nazonal said with intimate panic, a quiver grasping the cords of her throat and beginning to choke them worse than any smoke cloud could. They broke from the other young lion- tripping over @Calcifer as they began to navigate away from him. I can't leave- I can't. Naz said aloud, weirdly apologetic as she refused Finnulf's help and began to head straight back into danger.

Between flames and smoke she thought she could see @Eiran, and some much larger lion at her side. White hot walls licked up, flashing and surging threatening with each gust of wind fueling them. EIRAN! Nazonal screamed, glancing frantically left and rights for ways to get around this fire, to get to her sister and get this stranger (@Viggo) away. They'd go through the fire if they had too... And step by step on hot charcoal and burning under growth that's exactly what Nazonal began to do to get to Eiran. The smell of burning hair and flesh began to fill the air, her hot breath joining the chorus of smoke and ash rising to the sky. I'm here Eiran.

It would take a while for Fissure to finally skirt around the angry flames, coming around to observe the chaos of various lions, some making a break for safety, others doing their best to help anyone trapped in the maze of smoke and heat.

There wasn't much for Fissure himself to do, only look to see if he could see anyone in need of help, ears straining to pick out sounds or calls that had gone unnoticed by anyone else. He did not much care for the idea of getting burned in order to try and save someone, but he would likely be driven by instinct to do so if the need arose.

It would seem most had gotten out, moving to the river. One foolish lion had gone back inside the growing firewall, intent on helping someone, the panic in their voice suggesting it was someone important to them. Fissure would not follow after her, instead, moving to the river to observe the lions there. "The river might slow the fire, but it will not stop it from spreading this way." He warned, not wanting anyone to become complacent due to a false sense of security.

image by moogle/code by saph

change your heart or die ▽ Finnulf aimed to bow his larger body around @Nazonal, to herd them in the direction he had come from, but Calcifer slams into him and causes him to rock forward a step. As he catches himself with a paw he says "Fokk!" and whirls halfway to face the assailant. The chaos all around him was breathtaking, but also just really annoying. Everyone was panicking. Everyone was coughing. He could hear distant screams. But this one, he recognized her. She was a pirate. Finnulf gestured with a jerk of her head for her to come with, trying to stay close by brushing his hip against her in case the smoke was blinding her eyes like it was his. "Come on, we’re leavin-" He strained to say, his throat tight, but before he could finish, Nazonal had said something else panicky and began to trail off. "Wait! Where are you-" A hack punched the words from his throat. Blinking, the merle beast tried to locate Nazonal’s shape in all the biting smoke to no avail. "You hálfviti! You’re…going…to die." idiot. He wants to follow her, to save Nazonal. But no, the red fire blooms in his eyes and he stops himself, a branch consumed by hellfire crashing a few paces to his right, spitting sparks. "Oh, Fokk!" He snarls again, slapping his foot on the ground, "Come on, stelpa, we’re going…" girl Nazonal was on her own. He doubles back to @Calcifer and wastes no time in shoving her in the only direction he sees that is clear. A tree has fallen, but was propped up by something else. Underneath it was an opening they could crawl through. Finnulf aims to shove Calcifer toward it, "Under….there." His voice punctuated by coughs, he aims to make a dive underneath it as well. The forest smoking like a dragon’s nostrils, the heat bearing on him. Finnulf was a superstitious creature, but he didn’t pray to Vellen then. No, he knew he was on his own. But if he survived, and even managed to save others. Vellen would know his name, then. Vellen would bless him. Drowned by fire.

The river loomed before him, a safe haven in a maelstrom. But it would only be temporary safety for the lions that raced from the wildfire. The wind - some created by the fire itself - would soon see the fire spread across the river by blowing sparks and burning leaves across the body of water. In places above the canopy on either side never broke, giving the fire a bridge over the waters.

He crashed into the water, sending waves rippling out from his body. The cool water was a welcome relief after racing through the dry jungle with the fire how on his heels. Around him others had found their way into the water, but he didn't recognize any of them and he didn't yet see Odhgrimm. He did recognize the girl that splashed into the water near him, whom he had yelled at only moments before.

She seemed fine, and he wasn't going to involve himself more than that unless he had to. His charity only went so far. "The river will only protect us so much," he said out loud, not looking at @Ember, acting as if he was talking to himself, but letting her hear the words as well. The question was, which way would it be best to go? Follow the river down, staying in the water, or cross and keep running through the jungle?

He wasn't sure.

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+1 - Make a BWP-related post

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Drowning - its certainly the word Calcifer would use, in spite of there being very little water anywhere near her lungs. Her hearing is impaired, stuffed full of crackling fire and roaring flame - her eyes sting and her mouth and lungs are full of smoke. She can barely see or hear, can only feel the mighty bulk of @Finnulf next to her as he brushes against her. Touch - she can rely on touch. Unable to really discern anything the colossal boy is saying to her, Calcifer instead follows blindly - her side glued to his as he nudged and shoved at her towards what she assumed was a safe place. They needed to get out, needed clean air and less noise. When a crawl space opened up and Finn shoved her towards it, Calcifer blindly dove for it, wriggling underneath and trying desperately to clear her lungs with hacking coughs. "Thank you." She gasped out, but felt that perhaps they were still in the heart of danger.

Welcome to the playground, follow me.

🎫 +1 x3 - Make a BWP-related post

Fissure recoiled as a flaming branch snapped off and fell with a crash some yards away from him. It clearly was not safe to loiter here any longer. As much as he might be willing to save some poor soul from the fire, he felt he had seen enough for one day.

Others seemed slow to leave the area, and having encouraged them to go, he had done his part. With a flick of his tail, the lion would turn away from the burning jungle, headed off in a northwest direction. He had no destination in mind, he simply wished to get away from here.

-exit Fissure-

Stay for the night, I'll sell you a dream.

code by corvus

As others crashed into the river and began to disperse, still escaping the raging fire that was already nearing the banks, Adalwolf made the decision to follow the river out and away from the jungle. There was no use in staying here, waiting for the fire to reach him, and he didn't care much if anyone else made it out alive. He might help in the moment, but he wasn't about to go out of his way for anyone here. Except perhaps Odhgrimm, and even that was up for debate.

He swam to the opposite bank, where the fire had not quite reached, and climbed onto it, just out of the water but close enough to leap back in if he needed to. Without a second glance over his shoulder to see how anyone else fared, he trotted along, out and away from the dangerous blaze.

/Exit Adalwolf

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+1 - Make a BWP-related post
+5 - Complete a BWP-related thread (with 10+ posts)
+10 - Complete a thread with a member you've never threaded with before (nova)
+5 - Complete a thread with a character you've never threaded with before (ember)

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Lucky for @Adalwolf, she wasn't a girl that needed to be coddled and pampered. She did just fine for herself most days and did not feel the need to rely on others too heavily. Now that he and @Odhgrimm had at least helped her find her way out it was a lot easier to put herself first. So when the wheat-coated lion spoke up that The river will only protect us so much, Ember nodded her head gently in understanding and confirmation. She knew that this was not a permanently safe position.

Ember gazed out towards the madness and other bodies that she could see either running elsewhere or making their way to the water. Watching as the fire ruined everything that it touched without hesitancy or remorse, continuing down the line until there would be nothing left to latch onto. While the idea of wildfire was beautiful in its own strength, she could also see that it was destructive. More destructive than she could've ever believed.

So when she turned her head and saw that the male that had given her some help was beginning to wade down the water, Ember quietly turned to try and make her way through the waters and down through the Jungle. Following at quite a distance if only to follow him enough to her own safety. exit ember

Trade XP:
+5 - Practice speed or strength (2/2)
+15 - BWP related thread (3/3)

BWP Tickets:
+3 - Make a BWP-related post
+2 - Analyze the changes being made to the land
+5 - Complete a BWP-related thread (with 10+ posts)
+5 - Complete a thread with a character you've never threaded with before (odhgrimm)
+10 - Complete a thread with a member you've never threaded with before (anyu)
+5 - Complete a thread with a character you've never threaded with before (adalwolf)
+10 - Complete a thread with a member you've never threaded with before (abjectterrier)

Old indeed as @Ember so kindly notices, which is why he arrives last to the river, beaten to it even by @Adalwolf. Despite his rush, the grey Rike doesn't move much faster than that steady jog, carefully pacing himself as they escape the crackling flames. He isn't sure how far this fire has spread yet, doesn't know how long he'll need to run. Even reaching the river wasn't a guarantee of safety, but they have little choice.

Thick brush parts as he passes, and he finds the short with a sharp exhale of relief. Heat is all he feels, and he envisions a billow of steam erupting from his skin as he steps down into the water. All of the smoke comes from the flames, though, and he casts green eyes back toward the inferno from a place where the river coasts over his back. Standing there, letting the others continue on, he watches the flames eradicate foliage, smoldering before catching before burning.

This jungle would not look the same after all is done. Trees fall, their strength sapped away by a force impossibly stronger. Odhgrimm thinks of all the herbs and poisons wasted, destroyed before they could be properly used. It's a shame, really, and a deep disappointment settles within him. Turning, he begins to make his way down the river, steps moving him closer to the shore so that he might move quicker within the water. He could not remain still for long, knowing full well that the inhalation of smoke will inevitably weaken him.

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