Companionable conversation stirred between himself and @Opium. It would seem he was a bit estranged from his brothers at this point, though surely @Poltetgeist would comment on their brother's rise to the Black family mantle at some point. Though it was undeniable that since cubhood he'd held a key difference from his siblings, for unlike them he'd not inherited the Black fever.

Slit gaze slid around those gathered, noticing their numbers had fallen. @Recluse had done his part to repopulate the Black family, whereas no one else had. As his brother introduced his spawn to the family he glanced shyly toward @Opium. Some day they would need to do their part in bolstering the Black family genes.

Attention stirred back to his brother as news of Envy's departure became apparent. A frown crossed the umbra lips as he considered this information, then took a moment to consider the question posed to him and Poltergeist. I would not take this from you Brother. Should they all wish to lead perhaps the responsibilities of the Black family patriarch could split three ways, but he was not extremely interested in leading the family. That would be better left to Recluse or Poltergeist.

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"Likely the best one out of all three of us to take it, Archaic," Poltergeist responded with an irritated tone. He offered a leveling glare at his brother, ignoring his betrothed's comments entirely. Opium was another problem entirely. Archaic knew @Recluse was the better one to take such a job - how dare he question it!

Another spawn of Recluse joined them as he turned back towards their new Patriarch. "You're the best chance we've got. Envy would be lying if he hadn't noticed your ambition!" Poltergeist argued, sticking up for his favorite brother because of the special bond they shared. Unfortunate for @Archaic, they did not have any sort of special connection.

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No Lamb For The Lazy

No Battles Won In Bed

"Unfortunately, it will be your heavy head that must wear the crown... no one else seems very willing. You must feel honored." Odium's dark, sarcastic tone drifted onto the scene seemingly out of nowhere, arriving with a darkened scowl resting upon his features. He was fashionably late to the whole endeavor.

He had made a point not to stray too far from his sister ever since they had found each other. He gave her a wide berth out of respect for his only kin... but he did not approve of her attending the meeting with @Archaic at her side. Of course... he would prefer her to renounce the 'Black' name altogether, but they had not spoken so heavily upon the topic just yet.

Odium's dark, bottomless gaze was fixed intensely upon the new family lead as he stood on the outer rim of the main audience. From here he had a relatively good vantage point on the rest of the family... feeling a need to keep tabs on the others who were present as well. This would be the first time in a long time that most of them would be seeing him again. He wanted to be sure he was at the top of his game, lest one of them tried anything too bold.

@Opium @Recluse

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@Poltergeist had decided to join Vain and the cub and indulge in the comfortable warmth of the Spring's waters as they waited for all this political drabble to wear itself down. In all honesty, Vain couldn't care less who was in charge... He had never really felt the paw of Envy during his time here in this land. He didn't expect any of that to change now that @Recluse was stepping into the old man's place.

Vain watched as more arrived, spotting @Opium as she flashed a smile at the cubs... and of course he saw the male she had come with. Surely Envy could have found her a better betrothed than @Archaic.

~ Surely.

It was only after Poltergeist and Archaic has declined the invitation from their brother that a very familar voice rose up to poke fun. It had been quite a long stint of time since he had heard that voice. His Icy gaze then fell upon Odium, and for a moment Vain's heart fluttered in his chest.

'Perhaps we'll see something of real interest now.' He thought to himself, shifting in the warm pool to more effectively direct his attention to what was to unfold before them.

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Laveau spotted the familiar face of @Odium, her adopted brother, then she slid her gaze to @Vain and a purr sounded as she strolled over to greet him, it had been too long since they had been separated from each other on their way to Amaryllis. She butted her head up against hist chin and nuzzled his neck gently before settling down on her haunches, looking up to greet him, "Brother..." She breathed out, how had she missed his presence, why had no one told her he'd made it here? Of course he did, she was the one who had been separated, stolen away under the cover of night...

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Neither brother seemed interested in the position at the head of the family. Recluse would nod absently, guising the slight disappointment he felt. The Blacks needed more lions with ambition, lions eager to bring them back to a place of importance. He could try and encourage them, offer inspiration through his own acts, but that would only do so much. Attention would turn to a pair of lions who would be even more problematic than his brothers. Odium was one he never met personally, though he had heard of the family line. They had rejected their name and thought they would be allowed to take the family's gift with them along another line. He inwardly celebrated their destruction, though it seemed Odium was not so accepting as his sister was with what had happened. "@Odium is it? What happened to your family was unfortunate, but it was a risk they knowingly took. None here are responsible for their deaths, your anger serves no purpose here." He said quietly, giving the boy something to think on. "I will tell you, and anyone else here, to be a part of this family is a privilege, not a prison sentence. If you do not wish to be a part of it, you will be dismissed, your surname stripped. In the case of those that shun the gift given. Used to be you were killed for it, but I will not kill those wishing to leave. Those that have the bite can, but only after they are stripped of the ability to pass it on to any offspring." He announced, eyes sweeping the gathered lions, wondering if any would wish to leave.

code // art // do not use without permission

No Lamb For The Lazy

No Battles Won In Bed

@Recluse took his sarcasm lightly, holding his nose high and looking down from it upon Odium as he spoke... at least, that's how Odium himself saw it. His fangs bared openly as the other male spoke of his family, as though he were hoping to separate himself and the rest of this disgusting clan from the violence that had been done... as if to alienate Odium and his sister as mere creme from a bad crop that they had so selflessly taken under their wing!

"Unfortunate? That's all it was? For one Black to slay another under the same family name... in front of their own children? It was unfortunate?" He growled deeply, taking several intensive steps toward the man who stood on his pedestal... a pedestal no one else wanted. "As far as I’m concerned, everyone here is responsible for their deaths. Do not pretend you don't celebrate the actions taken so long ago." He spit at Recluse's feet with venom, ears pinned flat against his head and dark eyes swirling with hatred. There mere fact that he had diminished and disassociated from the severity of the murders that had occurred... this new head didn't give a damn!

"Strip me of the surname. I have renounced it already. But you will NOT deny me children of my own. You have no right to repress MY family any further." He said, attempting to come only inches away from Recluse's own muzzle, breath pouring from Odium's maw and nostrils in plumes of steam like smoke from an angered dragon.

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It wasn't something Opium ever talked about, but the ideas that her parents were killed by this line of Blacks... it made her a bit uncomfortable. And whether it was from the trauma or just simply a defense mechanism she developed as she grew older, Opium didn't remember what had happened to her and her brother that faithless night. She didn't remember her parents, and she felt no remorse for their deaths. The strife that lingered in her brother's memory was what made her uncomfortable - and with his return, it would seem to bubble up to the surface.

She offered the ghost of a smile to @Odium, though she did not speak to him. She had not come here to cause trouble, just to listen to what Recluse had to say, understand who to report to going forward, and be on her way with Archaic. Truthfully, she was a little irritated he had come just to stir the pot. He wanted to cause a rift, and because he was her blood-kin, she would be caught in the middle of it. Though, she was silent on this fact for right now. She'd listen, she'd learn of his motives, and then she'd choose for herself what to do next.

Hearing @Recluse speak of the gift, Opium had the sudden urge to sink her teeth into someone.

As her brother became more and more hostile, taking out the rage that boiled in his veins for years, Opium realized that it was not Recluse nor was it Odium that she wanted to sink her fangs into... but she couldn't deny the conflicted feelings building within her. She both wanted to snap at Odium for making a scene here, but... perhaps this was the best place to be heard out. The whole family was here.

She couldn't help but tense, though, as her brother closed in on Recluse. Had Archaic been paying attention, he would've seen the shift in her. She wasn't a fighter, and perhaps she didn't totally agree with what Odium was accusing Recluse of, but she wouldn't let them harm him.

"Odium!" she snarled, going against her earlier choice of silence by instinct alone. She rose, standing in place, though she did not move. She was readying herself for a war... one she wasn't sure which side she'd defend or fight.

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He was usually a beast that preferred to snark from the shadows, he couldn't help but get extra defensive when his Recluse was being threatened and accused of a crime he (nor anyone else present) committed. When Odium had the audacity to step towards Recluse, coming too close for Poltergeist's comfort, the cotton candy colored man sprang from the shallows of the springs to his brother's side. Dripping and wet, but his eyes were focused on the prize before him: Odium.

At first, he was silent, taking in the accusations as they came, but Odium's rage was quickly being made into ammunition in Poltergeist's mind. "The apple certainly doesn't fall far from the tree," he began, but that wasn't the end of it. "Consider yourselves fortunate," he paused, making sure he pointedly looked between the adopted twins, including his sister Opium, "that you weren't massacred with them. Clearly, Opium, your brother is showing us all why we should always tie up the loose ends." Words that were surely meant to sting and stir the steaming pot of rage that was almost coming to a boil. "Not take them home and adopt them."

Did Poltergeist have thoughts on this whole thing? Not really. He was happy the rebels were killed, but that was that. He didn't have anything to debate or question. It was definitely unfortunate that their children still walked among them, though, carrying the Black name they didn't deserve.

"Careful Odium," Poltergeist spoke with feigned concern. "You're starting to sound ungrateful."

---

if need be, feel free to bitch slap the dog shit out of him >:D @Recluse @Odium

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Vain watched with interest before another familiar face arrived on the scene. A purr filled the air as his own lost sibling made an appearance, and he couldn't help but wonder if Odium and @Laveau had found each other and made it the rest of the way together. She had obviously missed him greatly, her affection being received by him openly. He had missed her too... A hum escaped his own throat, content and as close to a purr as he was ever going to get. "Dear sister, It has been a long time. You must tell me where you've been... but another time. For now, I fear Odium's return will not bode well. Let's watch, eh?" He said, sinking deeper into the warmth of the spring water just as Odium began to bark back at their new family Head.

As Odium approached @Recluse, Vain felt somewhat torn. He looked over at @Opium, feeling for her. His father had always used Odium's love for his sister against him - to keep him quelled and submissive. Vain was sure it was still a viable way to subdue him, even now.

If only Vain had taken after Vanquish just a little bit more he would have snatched Opium and threatened to end her. It would most definitely force Odium's little outburst to come to an abrupt end... but Vain loved Opium too. Vain could not bring himself to do such a thing as that. Still, this needed to be handled. If Vain would not do it... someone still might. Vain startled as @Poltergeist flung himself out of the waters and charged toward Odium himself. "Laveau... Opium might be in trouble if this gets out of hand." He muttered, stalking out of the warmth quietly to make his way toward Opium.

Vain did not much care for Odium... but he wanted to make sure Opium was safe. He would protect her... and Poltergeist's words were quite concerning.

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