Welcome to Gaia! ::

Astoria:

[Iokaste]

When he released the bindings on her legs she stood up and looked at him. "I have done nothing I wouldn't do again. My Conscious is clear." She wouldn't turn over the one's who had given her information, she knew well enough what he was capable of and she wasn't about to surrender them to his vicious ways.

Her heart did sink though. Pelinore was standing there, unable to do anything and she would not call out to him or give reason to draw attention to him. It was probably one of the hardest things she had ever done.

She always made sure the children had someone there when she went away. Her mate had quite the extended family and she had gotten to know a number of them that had been more than willing to make sure they were watched while she was off and about. They were old enough to care for themselves but she still never left them completely alone.

In time they would see that there was more to life than what Shen was offering them. Things could be better, they could live a life without fear or injury. She had no regrets about anything she had done up until this point. Pelinore had been doing what he could to keep their family safe and she had been doing everything she could to ensure they had a safe future as well. They both had their parts to play and she was fairly certain that her part was about to come to an end.

While it wasn't what she had hoped for, it was something she accepted. The Weaver had a plan for all of them.

Thalion:

[ Shen Lung ]
The tah's eyes nearly blazed with outrage. She would do it again!? She would throw her entire tribe under the paws of fate once more?She would see them leaderless, without direction, without culture, pride, or honor? She would sit back, grinning like a fool, as empires rose around the fire tribe, making them essentially second-class citizens in the eye of the world? WHY!? Their mountains held riches waiting to be mined, ore ready to be forged into weapons for the soldiers and fine ordiments for the nobility and artisans. They lived alongside the flame, laughing in the full glare of the sun while others slank into the shade. Their proud horns were meant for more than digging about in the stone, hoping to pick a living out of what they found there. Their throne sat empty and unfinished, their halls silent, without songs or stories of great warriors. Their cubs- by the weaver, is this the future the cubs deserved?!

"You... are not of the flame." He growled, his voice threatoning violence.

He glanced to Kyle, his form trembling as he contained the volcano that threatoned to burst. He was better than that...

"Stand down for now, soldiers... you will finish her off. I am not lowly as all that- I still have honor." He lowered his horns. "Let her defend herself. If she has the strength to defend her trechery against me in single combat- she will be rewarded with her life. Never let it be said that we are not without honor- even in the face of those that would see us spat upon."

He looked back to the nan and bared his teeth. "You. Defend yourself. Kyle- choose your soldier. This will not last long."
[ Pelinore ]
He could feel his clawtips scraping the ground under him. The world seemed to fall away, his stomach fell right out of his body and left him feeling empty. She wasn't a soldier! She was delicate, soft, and warm... she'd not set paw onto the sparring fields or flashed her fangs in anger...by the Weaver, Shen was a mountain compared to her. The emperor had done little more than spar, train, and fight. He still remembered the scene in the throne room. He'd thrown down another tah as if he was nothing more than an annoying parro!

Thalion:

[ Pelinore ]
The B'alam's head snapped up, his eyes suddenly going round as saucers. It was as if his name was spoken from the end of an empty hallway, it sent a cold kick to his gut. How- but why!? He wasn't a stand out soldier- fairly decent, quick, and...but....why? Did he know? Did anyone? He glanced to the B'alam beside him, his expression almost desperate for a heartbeat. Knowing that hesitation was as good as a death sentance, he found his paws moving forward. It was all happening too fast, he could hear the blood rushing in his ears.

"....sir." Someone's voice answered- by the weaver, it was his own. It was as if something else, someone else, was moving him forward. His mind reeled, screaming betrayal, but he quickly remembered the two little idols sitting, waiting, for their parents to return.

Astoria:

[Iokaste]

She was going to have to duel? She felt her heart sink, she wasn't a figher by anymeans. She'd defend her family if it came to that, but to raise her paw to another without rightful cause. That was against every fiber in her core.

She just wasn't woven that way.

Her head whipped to look at her mate as he was called forward. This... This was not happening.

Seruta:

[Yahui] dipped her head respectfully at Shen at his dismissal. She figured his mind was clouded enough from the smoke his inner fires was stirring within him. She knew better than to upset him. She flicked her tail and turned, standing aside for a moment before wandering casually back towards Forge. She knew what was coming and even though she proudly watched and admired the day Shen she'd blood and rose to power, she just wasn't feeling like seeing a Nan with no skills of fighting being thrown to the fires like coal. Not today...

He ears pricked over as a warrior was called forward and her red gaze shifted to see who'd respond. She held no reaction as she watched the male seemed to move as if led by an outside force. Perhaps he knew the Nan? That assumption was highly likely after seeing him react to the whole situation.

She sat a few feet away from Forge, acknowledging him with a soft nod before falling lost to her thoughts. She watched the Tah Pelinore briefly before looking over the rest of the warriors. She pondered over who else within the city was conspiring... who did this traitor Nan meet with within the city walls? Perhaps she'd have a talk with her little paroos later... see if any of their ever watchful eyes had seen anything else that'd be useful.

Thalion:

[ Shen Lung ]
He showed her some grace, some mercy, some ground to at least allow her to fight for whatever scrap of honor she had left to her name and still she defied him. A true fire B'alam would never turn down a fight, would never let their life simply be taken. It was the last insult that he would suffer to his tribe from this one. With a roar that would split stone, he charged forward, throwing volcanic earth up in his wake as his claws devoured the ground. He ducked his head, thrusting his horns outward to grab at her neck with the gap between them. With one fluid movement, he whirled his body about and tossed the smaller body against the nearest stone.

[ Pelinore ]
The look was returned, though there was a silent scream of agony that followed in his gaze. Everything happened in a blur. The emperor was enfuriated and moved forward like a landslide. Pelinore forced his eyes to stay open, forced himself to watch, forced himself to hear the crack of bodies meeting- and of a body meeting stone.

He swallowed around a too-dry throat. Please...let something stop them-

Thalion:

[ Pelinore ]
An involentary moan escaped his maw as his other half was simply torn away, leaving a raw, bleeding spiritual wound in its place. Sense left his eyes and his body felt faint. It was as if claws reached deep into his spirit, cold but strangely gentle, and pulled his soul in two. He never knew what it was like to feel...complete until that other part was taken away. He stood, staring dumbly, at the lifeless body of his beloved. Internally, he was screaming. Part of him hoped that she would stand up, take another breath, move...anything...but reason whispered that perhaps this was an answer to their prayers. She wouldn't suffer the claws and fangs of her bretheren- she'd been taken quickly...maybe she hadn't even felt a thing.

He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and turned away, his ears flattening.

Damn....damn...what was he going to tell their cubs? What...would he tell the little ones when they emerged? They were due any day....they'd never know her-
[ Shen Lung ] The emperor turned, waiting for his opponent to rise again. He'd not attack a prone B'alam- let the coward stand to meet him. He waited, counting, but she didn't move. Her ribs didn't rise or fall, and her neck...wasn't supposed to be bent like that. Weak. One blow and she shattered like glass. How unfortunate.

He snorted, took a slow breath, and lifted his head. "I'm afraid, commander, that your soldier will have to prove himself in another fashion. Seems...the traitor's body was as weak as her mind and soul." He spat on the ground and turned back to the soldiers.

"Trechery isn't a crime against me. It's not even a crime against our tribe. It's a crime against our very souls. We were woven to be honest, to carry ourselves with honor, to let our words be our code. In doing this- she attacked our very foundation. A traitor attacks the present and the future- never forget that. Now, commander-"

He looked over to Kyle. "Arrange a hunting party. I want this rat dragged out of the hole he's hiding in. And...see that if they come sniffing around our borders that they see what becomes of traitors. Let it be...an invitation to test us again."

Forge heaved a breath at the sight that just happened before everyone. Another flame had been snuffed out.

Scared and paws and claw dug into the earth, as he didn't turn his head from his wears to see what he could hear unfold. His dark ears turned back, and ever so slightly perked. Dark scared and scaved brow narrowed and burrowed forward.

He had head Yahui leave, but didn't register her return. Sensed her closeness-yet his mind was focused on memory that was racing past his eyes....

His rough and forged body remained still...

The pipe dangled in his maw, and slowly started to dim from the lack of tending to it.

His back remained partly faced toward the sight and the fire king, but his maw faced his wares. Not a soot shifted on his dusty pelt.

To those that didn't particularly know him, would say he was still and listening. However, to those that understood him-knew he would never let the flame on his pipe dim...