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Cost of Authority - Ascendeds are looked upon as leaders of the community, and being a leader means hard decisions need to be made. Will you sacrifice the few to save the many? Or is every life precious, even if keeping it is detrimental to healing Vykeli?
Depict your noulicorn overseeing a group of others - this can include strangers, friends, family, NPCs. A decision must be made for the betterment of Vykeli, but in doing so, others will be hurt or angered.
Options for this prompt include: sending a group of noulicorns into dangerous territory, requiring some sick or injured noulicorns to sacrifice themselves to native predators, requiring gardeners to give up their food for a newly resurrected species, asking noulicorns to go hungry in order to feet a native creature of Vykeli, etc.
Fawn glanced at the tree as the flowers on its branches seemed to swell with magic. The air around her wavered as it had the previous two times and she stood in the midst of Homewood. The home of many and the place of plenty. But she knew that lands around them weren't so much and not every Noul, familiar or Rat could make it to or want to, come to Homewood. The air around her was crisp as it seemed that Winter had fallen on Homewood and the surrounding lands.
There had been talk of some families outside Homewood being snow bound and unable to get food. There was also talk that some places their crops had failed and wood was thin. Foals were going to bed hungry and to the point that does were failing to carry full term. Fawn hadn't carried her own foals as of yet, but someday she hoped to, but the thought of her Juniper failing to eat or going to bed hungry killed her. But those around her spoke of forgetting those who were weak for the betterment of Vykeli. Why feed those who would die before the winter's end? Why share what they had in plenty with those who were without?
Frowning, Russet Fawn looked at those around her with a scrutinizing eye, who were they to decide who lived and who died? Was it their right to tell a Doe that her foal had to die for the advancement of the planet's healing? Weren't they all important to the health of Vykeli? The young and the old? Shaking her head she snorted at those around her causing the talk to stop and eyes fell upon her.
"Got something to add Russet Fawn?" asked a buckskin Stag as he almost towered over her on his perch.
"Find something not to your liking?""All of this is not to my liking. Who are we to hoard our resources like rats while our people starve?" She asked, stepping forward looking at the faces around her.
"Are we really that selfish to withhold something we have plenty of and can share a hundred fold?""The winter season has been harsh, but we need to focus on keeping up our strength to heal. Even if that means cutting off a few loose ends to do so." chimed in an aging dapple doe who's feathers were starting to molt.
"Vykeli does not need those who can not survive on what is handed to them."Fawn's ears twisted back as her own expression twisted with it. She had grown up alone and with the help of others. Sure she lived primarily here in Homewood, but was willing to go out of her way. Her herbs had saved many nouls in one means or another. From fevers to infections when a Vivify could not be found. She could not believe that these Nouls would forsake their own for their own betterment. Was her fate to be like these older Nouls who spat on those who struggled to survive? Were their needs more important?
"You really are blind to what is past your nose. ALL of you. Sacrifice those who can help heal Vykeli to keep yourselves in your prime. From where I stand, your times have past, your ways have become fiction." She voiced very openly as those around her scowled. Hooves stomped as their displeasure was right clear on their own stony faces.
"What would our founders think or their descendants? The would be disgusted. Each one sacrificed themselves for everyone. The strong and the weak. Are you going to forsake that for greed?"The buckskin leaped from his perch to land in front of Fawn whom stepped back from him. Giving the older noul space as he whipped his wings forward to try and buffet her from the center of their circle. There was fire in his eyes, as he minced at the air.
"You know nothing of our sacrifice. While you were suckling from your mother's teat we were out there making sure you had a home to stay in."These words bit hard into Fawn's heart as she knew his statement was false. Her mother had passed before she had that chance. A fire lighting in her own eyes as she huffed, stomping the ground. Then she just raised her head as if what he said didn't bother her though she wanted to bit back.
"They always say that you are only as strong as your weakest link. So really, you are as weak as they are." Fawn stated calmly, though insides she raged and wanted to kick these members in the head to smarten them up.
"So we shall cut the weakest link" snapped the molting doe as if it were that simple.
"That is not the point, release the weak and you leave yourself wide open. Your strength is dependent on them and they on yours..." She was cut off as the other scoffed, fluffed their feathers in defense.
"Then they should work harder and then their crops would fail." Chipped another from behind her.
"It is not our fault that Vykeli has deemed them unworthy of her gifts."This chipped at her as she ground her teeth together, looking from one nodding had to another. So they would forsake their own children, grandchildren to die because they weren't strong enough to do the work of an ascended? Was this really how these Nouls felt? It was disgraceful, shameful even. Shaking her head she glanced at the stag that was standing still before her.
"Fine, oh wise one. You and your own stay here, warm and cozy by the warmth of your Solar. I am going to help those I can. With or without your help." With that, Fawn turned away from the council as shouts followed her.
"I can only hope that your children don't follow your example, or we all will be at death's door before winter's end."She heard not what they said, she had things to do. Even if it would upset those of Homewood, but there were lives at stake and she was going to try and save them. But first... She had to ask those who's crops hadn't failed if they would be willing to share for the betterment of Vykeli and Noul-kind. For one act of kindness would offset the greed of others.. Despite the darkness that lived in the hearts of many, she would be the light to beat it back. One herb at a time...
Russet Fawn had worked hard to get to where she was. Her garden was flourishing and Nouls were coming far and wide for the herbs. Things were going well, she had made a few friends from the latest adventure. She was still nursing a wound she had gotten from the bone crusher beast that had been unleashed upon the world. She still frowned at the choices those who were on this council made. Then again she too had done something that could spell disaster for Homewood. Those whom had joined her on the quest for the gear... That piece of metal she had brought home so that no one else could use the doors. 
