Welcome to Gaia! ::

((This RP is for Padmapani members who choose to run from the fight. I've already spoken to those of you involved in this plot, but if you have a Padmapani member and want to join in, please contact me.

What occurs here is simultaneous with these RPs: Wheel of suffering, Bloody nails and broken hearts. For more information, see this thread. Warning warning warning! The RPs listed here will be of a dark and violent nature. Soquili deaths may will occur!

So far, this RP includes: Avalokiteshvara, Shrivatsa, Kakumei Tenjou, Mittrei, Unenlagia, Bushkin, Xelloss, Revyra, Devastrigarbha, Alyna, Karma, Vivace, Auva, Auspicious Adagio, Phala.... ))

"Yes, Vara." Shrivatsa now trotted alongside her great-grandmother. Unlike most of the Padmapani, she had actually encountered a skinwalker before. She had been attacked by Samsara and knew just what it was like to be at the receiving end of those claws. It filled her with dread to think of multiple skinwalkers on their trail, but Scythe and the others would be able to fight them off. She had grown believing Scythe and Hayagriva to be the invincible protectors of the Padmapani herd and her faith was still strong in them.

When her fear grew strong, she whispered the herd's favorite mantra to herself. "Om mani padme hum. Om mani padme hum." The familiar words calmed her and she began to see more clearly. "Stay calm," she repeated Vara's words both to herself and to those around her. "Just stay calm."

Anxiously, Kakumei trotted at his top speed in the shadow of his mother. In the naivety of youth, he had thought skinwalkers to be almost mythological. They were frightening and out in the world somewhere but not ever something anyone would actually see. His other mother, Utena, had stayed behind with the people fighting. She was going to fight a skinwalker. His eyes grew wet but he didn't let himself cry. Revyra had taught him to fight a little. He could fight a skinwalker if it attacked him, and Utena would be able to too.

Just then, he heard a horrible sound. He gasped in fear and sidestepped to press himself against Capriccia as the screaming roars echoed through the trees. The fight had started.

Shrivatsa couldn't believe her ears. "M-me?" she stammered. Each distant roar sent a chill through her and she wanted nothing more than to follow Vara's directions and follow her to safety. Vara was the wise one. She was the one who could make sure they all emerged safe and sound from this, not her.

"I can't do it!" she protested. "I'm not ready! What if we're attacked?" It seemed a very real possibility with that foreboding sound in the background. Who was to say how far they'd have to run to be safe, or even if they could escape at all?

Alpha Shrivatsa wanted to cry after Vara and beg her to come back and lead the herd but her throat was closed and no words would come from it. As she fought for air, she could feel the eyes of her herdmates upon her. They couldn't have missed the exchange that took place between Vara and her. If she broke now, they would know their new alpha had failed them.

Alpha Shrivatsa. Daughter of a murderer and a madwoman. In many ways she was an outsider to the herd, not laughing with the others, not playing with them when she was a foal. Did they even really have a reason to follow her, except that Vara had told them to? She could even just pass off the responsibility to Revyra if she wanted to. Vyra would definitely know how to defend the herd in its hour of greatest need. All these thoughts ran through Shrivatsa's head, and then finally she found her voice again.

"Everyone, we need to keep going." She didn't recognize the voice as her own. It was far more calm than she felt, though still with a wavering to the edges. "We need to put as much distance between ourselves and the danger as possible to make things easier for the ones that are fighting." She swallowed, took a deep breath, and turned to face down the path ahead of her. "Let's go!"

The herd ran, but danger was waiting.

Celestia ran alongside her brethren in this battle. Safety in numbers. The wolf had been caught up in the fervor of the moment. Letting loose a howl Celestia could smell the fear rolling off the members of the group. There were just so many targets to choose from though. Her charging pace faltered before she caught sight of her fellow wolves again. Their expressions of blood lust and carnage written for all to see. Celestia shrugged off her doubts and charged blindly ahead. What would come to pass would come either way. Her appetite was strong. She howled again.

Revyra honestly couldn't have imagined a worse possible time for Vara to pass off her duties. To top things off Shrivatsa was so young, possibly too young to be taking on this kind of responsibility. Still, somehow the young mare was pulling though and getting what needed to be done, done. She could hear the sounds of a fight as well as everyone else and fleeing was the task that needed to get done. As much as it troubled Revyra to leave Haya and the others to fight the skinwalkers she was needed here. Just in case.

After a brief moment Revyra knew for certain this was where they were meant to be. "TRAP!!!" She snarled spotting the trouble coming in at the side. In the space of a heart beat she head turned to face the oncoming danger and not three seconds later her wings opened with a snap giving her additional size as well as weapons. "Anyone who can't fight hide!" There was no time to strategize. This was what she and Haya had been training them for and it was the time to see how effective it had been.

It was unfortunate that this day had ever come.

Alyna clung to her mate's side, fear freezing her blood like ice running through her veins. Skinwalkers, the most dreaded of evil beings. Her friend Cobalt had fought one once, and he had nearly died...and he was so brave and strong. Alyna feared for the herd, but especially for Haya--she knew he would throw himself in the worst of it to protect his herd.

As Vara gave up her position as alpha and her granddaughter took the role, Alyna's heart filled with pride. She and Shriva had never been close, but blood was still blood, regardless of life's circumstances. Alyna was worried for Vara, but...she understood. Scythe was out there, in danger, and Vara needed to be with her mate.

The threat of danger to Vara and the ones who had stayed behind frightened Alyna. She tried to stay calm, tried to remind herself that this is what the defenders had trained for, but it was of little use. Her only consolation was that her mate was with her, and she took strength from his presence if nothing else.

Her children were safe too....or were they? Where was Parnasbari? Even though Bari was mostly insane, Alyna loved her daughter with the irrational love a mother holds for her kids. "Karma...where is Bari? She didn't...she didn't stay, did she?" Alyna's fear doubled as her daughter was nowhere to be found. It was too late to look for her, though she desperately wanted to, so Alyna ran with the herd, fear and worry on her spotted face.

And then they were attacked.

Alyna ran for cover. She knew nothing about fighting--she had always been a lover, not a fighter. Whenever she had gotten into scrapes, tougher Soquili had always been there to protect her. And now she had little protection, her rainbow-tinged mane voiding any camouflage her spots may have offered.

Lyka, who always remained in the background though she was silent more and more as the years went by, growled viciously, the need to protect her charge as fierce as ever. She was an old wolf now, her bones stiff and frail, but she loved Alyna, and she knew that she would protect Alyna even if it meant her own life was forfeit.