The cold chill seeps into his veins as he tackles the mountain. He grunts but that is the only indications he is dissatisfied with such conditions. With each step, it gets worse. The wind bites and bites away. It freezes him to the bone. Honestly, why is he even going up the mountain? Well for one it would give him a good view of surrounding regions. That was pretty much it though. Mephistopheles was not inclined towards the snow that littered the place. The silence, however, was perfection. He relished in it. Depeche Mode hit something with their song "Enjoy the Silence". Why couldn't more just appreciate the hauntingly beautifully silence? But no, unfortunately, most are the talking sort and Mephistopheles abhors such trifles. Actions should do the aforementioned talking yet, it is not that way. Everyone cares about "honour" and "my word is my bond" it is all big steaming pile of elephant dung if you could hear his thoughts. Buncha hocus pocus. Stupid. Mephistopheles understood loyalty to your family but that is where it ended. You don't owe anyone outside your family shit. It made him sick. Seeing all the lovey-dovey stuff. Ew. Now Mephistopheles was capable of love but it is intense obsessive love. Once you are his you perpetually shall be even if you leave. You are his forever. Even death shall not do you part.

Licking his lips he perseveres up the mountain. Soon the climb shall be rewarded. Soon he shall know. Grasping each free edge he hauls himself. Because ya know what else is he gonna haul? Cocaine? Whoever heard of cocaine being smuggled up a mountain anyway? Now, he does not just haul himself up normally. No, no, no Mephistopheles has another character to play and is limping to the peak. The lion is perfectly fine yet, he has decided to disguise himself. To his family, he is Mephistopheles Casimir, brother to Gwyn but to everyone else, he is Amalric, recently escaped slave. An anxious flighty but well-meaning lion. This is his facade and he intends to put on a performance.

He does not reach the peak. But he is far enough up that he can see much of the land below, including the weird fog that clings to certain corners. What exactly is it hiding? It is odd. What is it concealing and why? Never mind that, he stores it for later. It's interesting but not what he came for. Sitting on the first snow-free ledge he saw, his gaze goes to the Badlands and the dunes beyond. Hot he imagines it to be, of course, cold in the evenings but it was not a bad place to settle.

@Pandora

Pandora couldn't just stay in just one place, she couldn't stay still without allowing her paws to carry her to where she wanted to go, where her heart pushed her to. And once again she was on the Peaks' this was her favorite land, her favorite place to stay, not only because it brought her to the place she was born but the beauty it brought to Amarylis was something Pandora thought. No other place so far had conquest her heart as much as these mountains.

Again she was extremely careful as she walked through the rocky terrains under her white paws. Claws out from their coverage to help her have firm traction and tail moved for balance. She didnt want to fall to her death, she guessed no one did. Unless of course there wasnt anything right on one's mind. But well, with the little experience in life she had, she didn't have the right to judge those who choose to end it all like this.

She reached to a place tall enough to be able to witness the lands. Some she had yet to explore, but in due time she will. She wasnt in a rush to do so.

As she resumed with her climbing she found someone lying on a nearby cliff, one without snow. But again she decided not to bother them by sitting in her own place, at a safe distance.

@Mephistopheles

You loved me and I froze in time

code by corvus

Something about the cold is enticing despite how he loathes it. It speaks to him. The bitterness, the harsh blow across his face. It reminds him and it comforts him. He is contradictory. Loathing yet loving. Too complex to be described in a sentence. He was used to harsh conditions, just not environmental ones. What do these lands hold? He crawled out of hell to get here and he wasn't leaving until the other devils came to drag him again. Fortunately, Mephistopheles is not interested in causing trouble immediately. No, that would come far later. He was not an idiot. No, not by far. Now Mephistopheles did not intentionally cause trouble, however, he was born from hellfire and had no qualms with behaving as a demon should. The lion was an acquired taste. Those with little minds could not comprehend hell on earth. Evil! They cry and reach for their weapons. Yet, a demon is beyond such folly. A demon just is. We exist. Our true damnation is our being and if Mephistopheles is wicked for being alive then he shall be the reaper of souls. We often don't think we're evil but you don't need to be evil to end up in hell.

Breathing deeply he scans the horizon. The dunes were interesting but, he wasn't only inquisitive about them. There were other sights to see. His eyes briefly go to whence he came. He is grateful that he followed the stink no matter how stale it was getting. Even if their relationship was like a glass cannon. He is loyal they both know, yet is he worth it? Only time would tell. His love for family was unconditional even if they concluded him trouble. Ah, trouble, such a subjective thing. One man's trouble is another's normal. To Mephistopheles he didn't bring trouble, he brought true order. How it always should be. It was hard to escape from teachings that had been corrupting you since before you were born.

Faint footsteps and a certain aroma. He knows they are there. Yet, he does not turn around to see them. Maybe he could get away with ignoring. If not, then the precipice shall be his stage. He despised interaction though, it could be useful. Sometimes, he'd rather just live in his hole or perhaps steal everyone's tongues. If everyone was just silent for a change perhaps we would let our actions speak for us. Well, it would certainly permit Mephistopheles a moment of peace. Alas, such things are wishful thinking and he doesn't do what-ifs.

@Pandora