A triad of both the avian and the crowned come forth — a short woman of cream and cerulean, a devil winged succubus, and a girl of the moon whom both gentle aroma and royal splashed hide she, the Nightingale, recognizes as the longing artisan of the Asylum, kin, cruor, and she allows the merest of gazes to rest upon she, a softening dancing within the contours of a delusional mind (for even the cursed, the forsaken, is no fresh face to the affections of a family, and she shall risk both life and crowned dome in order to lift them into salvation, far from the trembling and bony grasp of eradication and sodom), before dancing as pallid and furtive flame to the aureate beside her— and once more up to the gilded caliph as the phoenix that sails alongside him emits a screech from its breast, and alights upon his spine and withers (she does not fear the aureate and flame entrap beast, for she is marvelous and glorious, but the seething that chokes and winds as rope to ensnare her bosom is far more encompassing, far more empowered, a wildfire to match that which scalded within the soul of the fire kissed bonded).

Indeed, this, is where the Nightingale begins to pay proper attention to the Caliph; a song of etchings and lyrics escaping his onyx maw in a cascade of song— and she fixates the passive, violent in variation and hue, a turmoil of storm and brine crashed beach, of clockwork and intelligence and there is a darkness that broods as ice beneath the surface, a edge, for she is no childe and she, too, has once heralded the title of leader amongst her kin, has once led them into and from salvation, and she shall not place the fate of their brothers and sisters within the hands of a King if she does not approve of their flesh and marrow, of their personage, she shall not place her brothers and sisters in the hands of a stranger as she would not place her newborn babe into the hands of a purloined eradicator of men or women alike.
(If he so much as harmed a hair upon the pelt of any of her kin, she would allow him the knowledge of quite how much an irate and ireful female could be when faced upon the harm of their newborn cubs).

She does not give pause to her intentions, a gaze any mother would recognize, for he is handling her kin and she eyes him with the baleful expression a father may when examining their childe daughter's choice in men, strict as stone (and yet malleable to the future), does not pause when the cruor Queen drags a feather touch of a muzzle across the sleek sinew of her neck, impassive, for if the cardinal woman was a sword— she was the shield.
The cruor Queen remained reticent, leaving the Nightingale to observe the Gilded Caliph and the Jester Queen with the (highest) of a pliable frown. As the Caliph began to speak once more, the star-breasted woman tilted her dome upward, turned toward the dual couple standing (statuesque) upon the pedestal, queries and clockwork, Machiavellian ideas and curved cruelties, her kin drove her from home and bedding in the name of the forsaken and if a crow King with a trillion and few army feared the wrath of the witch, then they, too— would learn to wither and cower in her presence, to weep, to murmur and plead and she would see that each dagger lain blow would rest upon a grave of roses.

They would not see the violet eyed mistress for whom and what she served— not until Thanatos laid icy fingers upon clammy hide — and she would relish the primal rush of hunger as they succumbed to poisonous herb and tenebrous magic alike (let them suffer, let them believe, a Queen of cardinal would sit the throne and wear their bones for a chair).

“I would see this herd grow strong and flourish, both Asylum and those that claim Hidden Falls.”
She wished for them to rise to aptitude, to prestige and sovereignty, to spread salvation and aphotic meanderings across shivering earth, for they would rule under the sign of the realm in which they laid forth cause themselves, and if any dared stand in their way, she would draw both scalding dagger and sword to strike them down as the cretins they were (and she would begin with the skull-faced war schemiel). Her Queen leans upon her side— and she queries as to her thoughts, her ideals, her atrocious and nefarious induced speculations and deliberation, succoring glow from her flesh calming furious intentions within her own mind. But as the Caliph spoke once — she finds herself baffled at his lyrics, a haze of turbulence trembling within the contours of her mind. “I would also move to honor those that stood in a position of power.” Inquisitive.

And he beckoned for them. The cruor Queen and the forsaken Nightingale.
Why?

The shock of it turns her spine to concrete— why? What has she done to deserve such ranking? What has she endeavored, but to defend a Queen from a skull-faced liar?

As light as a mouse the woman slinked forwards, delicacy and grandeur spreading as rivulets down her frame, dome stretched high toward he and she, disbelief evident in the violent hue of her pearls.
"King of Dragons, you call upon me?" Her sharp gaze snapped to Eris and smiled— ever so slightly — as the surprise was clear in the woman's gaze, before returning once more attention to the Jester and the Caliph.
“Would ye stand as Sleuth, overseer of spies?”

Once again, bafflement filled her, widening purple to dance across to the Empress, and then once more to the Caliph. Did they wish to bribe, to extort, to exact loyalties upon them with the promises of high ranks? Did they wish to draw them into their armies with saccharine promotions? She was not a cavalier, a vain childe, and yet the deference was not cast away, demanded null, for she would always place the safeties and weight of her people upon she whom would aid them.
And so, with a dry mouth, the Nightingale spoke, honeyed, silvery, pallid and wavering, weaving saccharine songs with the air drawn to led lungs. Yet, strengthened, with the knowledge her kin delve among her.
"My acceptance is given. I will safeguard our kin from prying eyes and sharp tongues, Gilded Caliph— may I prove my worth of the position with fidelity and allegiances to our cause."

   (And for once— the cardinal Queen and the Nightingale serve a common ideal: Lord of the mountains, may they forgive her).

CIRCUTA and ERIS

I watch as the faces pile on in. Some I can recall - familiar enough in passing through the Asylum and other occurrences - others have no place in my memory of souls and horror. I allow a gentle smile to crawl upon my face the more they enter, though I cannot say I truly feel pride or joy as one might feel. No. The smile is simply one of those practiced responses that comes easily to me after years of doing it.

I will admit, dagger eyes did reach a few of the Asylum members who looked beyond high on whatever concoction it was that Oxy seemed to consistently be taking. However, the melodic voice of Reizend calms the anger of Schwere that was beginning to boil from the unruliness before us.

Midas and I had talked, I had explained what I knew of the Asylum before I disappeared to find that cure and who I felt would be strong enough to pull some weight inside the herd. And, he was beginning to promote them - to try and find a way into the good graces of a herd of insanity. Eris is the first to accept - and I merely watch, studying her movements carefully. What will come of this, I am not sure. It is Ghost's words of whom I catch next, the smile of practiced responses that appears so real is widening upon my maw. I give her a light dip of my cranium in response before Circuta speaks up - accepting the position as well.

Midas addresses the rest of those who had joined the meeting before nodding his head to me, and I shift just a little before allowing my mind to start placing words at the tip of my tongue. "For those who have yet to catch my name, or do not know of me I am Seele - and as Midas stated I will be standing beside him per the Earth God's wishes." There is a small pause as I take in a gentle breath before allowing my voice to curl out to the spectators before us. "I will be in charge of sleuths and healers, Midas is in charge of warriors and crafters. We will be watching, in these upcoming weeks, to see who we would like to promote as the heads of each rank - and hopefully the Earth God will find someone he wishes to communicate with to become our Storyteller - who will be in charge of all the others who wish to aid our family in growing and advice..." Another short pause as I glance to Midas - we were partners now, as the God had requested. I could accept it, seeing as how he was willing to attempt to accept those who were definitely not normal.

"As for warriors - there will be a marathon. You will be broken into teams, with a leader and you will have to gather something left for you in each of the lands and return them to us. The leader of the winning team will get to stand beside Eris as another Legatus, and the first two members of a team will get to stand as third in command, standing as a Preator. This will not start right away, though. At the next herd meeting Midas and I will announce groups and leaders, as well as the object you are looking for in each of the lands. So be prepared - you will have a chance not far from now to climb ranks."

I allow the information to hang in the air for a moment before looking to Ghost and attempting to meet her gaze. "Ghost - I will need your assistance, your gift of flight, soon. Please come find me after the meeting, mein dolch." I could use her to help lay out these items for the warriors to find. She'd be perfect - quick with the gift of flight. Yes. Things would work out.

"Those who have questions still left should speak up now - we will do our best to give them an answer..." I offered, giving a gentle snort to signal the end of my speech and to open the table for the rest of our herd.

SEELE

I supposed that I would follow Midas. My intentions were shifted, though. Leader didn't so much matter anymore as long as I had Alleo there. For the moment he was my strength. He could understand me when I am left with no voice - and that was something that I had been missing.

Tears were wet upon my cheek from memories of the hawk as I slid through the forested areas into a land much more comfortable to my body - eyes taking in all the colours from the gift of the Earth God as I fought with the turmoil of emotions deep in my bodice. Life was starting again. I was going to have to find a new place. And, as I slowly comforted myself - forcing myself to stop the tears upon the call for a meeting - it took me longer than I had expected to actually find myself and center what was left of my depressed mind.

Eyes had searched for his painted pelt - mind craving someone to press up against and remind my soul that I wasn't going to be alone, that someone did care. The cold of the glass pin against my neck was a weight of memories of that hawk I had lost what seemed like only yesterday, and the fact that he was gone and not here with me was slowly beginning to make me angry. He should be here. He shouldn't have left me! I shouldn't have gone into these lands! How could he leave me?! How?! Why?! It was tearing my soul apart and I wanted to scream - but I couldn't, because no sound would leave my lips.

It didn't matter, I had to heed the call. And, as I slipped into the edge of the meeting I barely saw any familiar faces. No. The only familiar one was Midas. So I begged to myself that Alleo would appear - that I wouldn't be left again in unfamiliar territory what a herd that appeared to be mostly insane. Stabalizing myself I peered up toward the rock that Midas was standing on, giving him a gentle nod of my head and pricking my ears up. I'm here. Even if I can't speak to let you know I am...

Broken dreams. Shattered minds. Uncertainties of safety. They were all lurking - lurking behind the anger at the fact that my hawk was gone, and that he had left me to fend for myself in a world where he was needed.

Rasta

you're my downfall, you're my muse, my worst distraction, my rhythm and
blues - i can't stop singing, it's ringing in my head for you

Having stood towards the back of the gathering for much of the meeting virtually unseen the dappled stallion had heard what all had been said thus far. Some things were harder to wrap his mind around than others like the fact that in the time they had spent underground somehow the Foothills had been destroyed, yet here they stood on the exact ground only it was no longer the land he had grown to know. Everything was different now and he wasn't sure how he felt about the entire set of circumstances surrounding what he had come to call his family. Despite the jumble of confusion within his mind he still couldn't deny that he had a strong attachment to this place, he could not leave it behind. Many new faces appeared throughout the course of the meeting some young some older but all seemed to have similar opinions as to how the group should proceed.

At the helm of the action stood Seele and Midas, both of whom he had heard of from past travels. They now held the prestigious title of king and queen to the hidden falls herd, both he could see deserved the roles they commanded. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all was said and done, regardless he was here until the end. He could not turn his back on this place nor would he stand back and watch harm come to anyone within their family. Before when Apollo had stood before them he had remained neutral within the rankings but he knew he needed to do something more this time around. His intended task was to become a warrior that would help to keep the peace and provide everyone with a feeling of safety. His thoughts drifted absently to Parelia, with her here now he would need to step up and be one of those individuals that could be trusted to protect their family.

Emerging from where he stood he inched his way forward into view to make himself seen within the crowd. He would need to speak with Midas later on about possibly being allowed to become a warrior by title instead of just doing the duties at random. The competition sounded interesting and drew his attention, he would consider competing should Midas accept him. Lowering his muzzle to the makeshift sling around his neck containing the silver blue egg he smiled softly before turning his attention back to Seele and Midas once again.