Seneca had heard the cry, but distance from the Lagoon had kept him from witnessing the event himself. Still, he knows what it means, and when he is certain that his newest brood is safe and Aidoneus has recovered enough to maintain the Oasis on her own for a day, he heads for Scillan territory. His progression is not as quick as it ordinarily is; the damage to his achilles tendon is slow to heal and it weighs on him still. Visibly, his wounds are healed over from the hyena ambush, but it has certainly come with repercussions. He has to know, however, if Saga lives. While he has little doubt that another Sigrún would be quick to rise in her place -- they do seem to regrow two heads when you cut off one -- he has a particular interest in the chimeric woman, as he should. Approaching the borders, he slows to a halt, surveying the relative peace of the territory. He can't quite decide if that's suspicious or not, but Seneca maintains his neutrality as he rumbles out a low chuff, seeking familiar faces. If @Saga is unable to answer him -- either because she is dead or too wounded -- then he expects @Magnus will be quick to show himself in her stead.

image by k'sariya, code by koi

Magnus did not keep any visitor waiting long, let alone one of such standing as @Seneca. A valuable ally would not be ignored, especially not in light of all that had transpired recently. And so he would approach the border swiftly, offering a chuff of greeting to the monochrome Miroslav. "Seneca." A nod of the head. "She is alive. I will bring you to her." And then, with a gesture of the head, he motioned for the High Sovereign to follow him into the depths of the Lagoon. It would not be long before the pair stood at the mouth of Saga's den. "Sister," he spoke into the shadowy depths of the chamber, waiting for the Queen to speak. He doubted highly that she would stay silent in the presence of the Miroslav. After all, they had much to discuss.

@Saga

irish

This content might touch on topics that are sensitive or triggering for some readers. Trigger Warning for mentions of cub death, ptsd

"you’ve done well, saga. and you will be rewarded." the voice reverberates around her, shaking the very earth with its bass tones. and while she was expectant, happy, in the moment... now there is only ruin. the children lay dead on the beach, their little eyes closed and their bodies drenched with the cold, cold seawater. their baptism had been minimal, a sprinkling of the ocean on their brows, but even so they sputtered and wailed and slowly faded in her grasp. "you will both be rewarded." he'd said, so firmly, so confidently, but there is nothing for her, now; their bodies cool in the frigid air and hakon is little more than a fading shadow as he walks away. panic starts building in her gut, threatening to send her into the sea, herself, to follow her children but - but there's a voice. familiar, demanding;

sister, he says, bringing her from the dream.

she wakes as close to panic as a child clutched in the throes of a nightmare ( because that's what it was, right? ). a paw curls to her stomach, pressing against the swell to remind her rapidly beating heart that yes, yes, it was only a dream. not a premonition, surely. she is no oracle. but a part of her thinks this could be punishment for intervening on hakon and calypso's relationship and stealing what could have been uncomplicated joy between them.

surely the world is not that cruel. surely.

realizing that @Magnus is not alone takes her longer than she cares to admit. but @Seneca's scent slowly registers in her mind and she rapidly blinks the remnants of the foggy dream away, sitting up gingerly. "come in, please." she asks them, glancing around her den with a smothered grimace. they've all done well to keep it clean but it still smells stagnant, lived in, and she longs for the day she can drag everything from it and fully clean it out.

or perhaps she needs another new den. the last one had been abandoned after asteria's blood stained the stone - and this one? perhaps it would be abandoned before the next brood arrives.

"Magnus," he returns amicably, glad to see the former king in good health. He had worried, after Desdemona's cryptic commentary in Vermeda, but whatever happened seems to have passed now, which is best for them all. He confirms that Saga lives, and Seneca wastes no time in venturing across the border to follow Magnus to the woman's den. Alive, but not without repercussions. He could have suspected as much. He accepts @Saga's beckon, venturing into the darkness of her den and taking a moment for his eyes to adjust, suspecting that the other Sigrún will file in after him. Seneca leans onto his haunches on an open wall, taking stock of her injuries for a long moment, and the crude splints that bind her legs. "You've looked better," he comments dryly, having never sugar-coated himself for Saga. He isn't about to start now. "Another from the enemy clan, I imagine?" he queries, his brow quirking slightly. Of course, he has no idea exactly who Saga has slain, or that it means vengeance has been found for Solvi's death. There are other things to discuss, more reasons why he is here, but this matter takes precedence over any lapsing politics they'll get into soon enough. "Enlighten me further on this feud," Seneca presses, his gaze drifting between the chimera and @Magnus. He knows little more than that there has been bloodshed, chaos, and death — and it has come dangerously close to his family. It's high time he knows the full truth of it if he has any hope of being the ally that the Sigrún need him to be.

image by k'sariya, code by koi

@Seneca's comment is received with a short scoff. She's not offended - it's true and the two of them have never been the sort to dance around one another - but it comes out vaguely amused. "I would hope so." She adds with a quick upturn of the corner of her lips. He correctly guesses the cause and her amusement turns to a scowl. "This one had a personal vendetta. I think the man I felled was important to her." She says it almost reluctantly, because she's loathe to consider that the rike truly have connections and affection for one another. It's easier to imagine your enemies are always beasts.

"The fight has been for generations.' she starts, shifting her weight and sitting up despite the way it leaves her breathless and nauseous. Her attention shifts briefly to @Magnus - she remembers her promise to hunt down her daughter's killer - and offers him a faint, tense smile. "The Rike are godless heathens." She says simply, though there's rage in her eye if you look closely enough. That they would shun vellen is unthinkable at times. "they killed so many of us before we came here. And the one I most recently slayed...." She trails off for a moment, swallows hard past the uncomfortable lump in her throat. "She's the one who killed solvi." Her eye rests on Seneca, then, pain showing in the depths of the brown. Shared pain between them, surely?

It was without hesitation that @Saga would encourage the pair further into the den, and Magnus would oblige with ease, lowering himself to settle a few feet from the High Sovereign. @Seneca was quick to seek more information on the circumstances, as expected, and Magnus would remain silent - after all, his sister could speak for herself. She spoke of the second killing, and the melanistic brute would steel himself inwardly. Katla. He could not, would not dwell on her identity, and would voice himself briefly - if only to stay present in the conversation. This one would be an important one. "They are rats, but, alas, they are tenacious. To have felled two in such short succession is no small feat, but it has only served to bring more of them out of the woodwork." Unfortunately, he had no way of knowing to what extent - not yet - but the fact that there had been such swift retribution from their enemy after the first fatality implied that they had eyes in more places than the clan first thought. They could take some sort of comfort in the fact that Solvi had been avenged, but how long would it be before the next attack? "They will strike again, and we must be ready. We do not know how many of the Rike have followed suit, but we must prepare as if there are legions upon legions of them. We will need the support of all of our allies. Together, we can eradicate them once and for all. They are a blight that must be purged." Magnus' expression remained sober as it shifted to settle fully upon Seneca. "Knowing what you know now, Seneca, can we rely on your support in this?"

the finest fury is the most controlled

code by corvus