Lore of the Wild, Part One: Tooth and Claw

[Zeich Yajuu]

Name: Lore of the Wild Part 1: Tooth and Claw

Participants: Kimiko Shihoin, Vannan Harper, Zahra initially; members from a waiting list given here may be cycled in depending on the circumstances.

Location: Deep in the forests of Myanmar, Asia.

Difficulty Level: Medium

Setting: Death Enabled

Plotline: This adventure is the first arc of the Lore of the Wild storyline for the Beast-Clan. As stated, there is currently a large state of unrest between a major number of Beast-Clan packs, one that is starting to spill over out of their territories and begin to affect the world around it. The two sides are obvious; those of the Scylding pack, who have subjugated dozens of other packs under the standard systems of alpha-omega dominance that exists for most packs, and the packs that resist their rule. The issue is clear: those in the Scylding pack claim they have information on the Beast Realm that all Beast-Clansmen hail from, and that to gain access to this knowledge, packs must submit. The other sides are mixed; some wish to join them, willing to make themselves subservient in exchange for access to the realm they hail from in an attempt to flee the expanding human world. Others choose to fight for their independence, to take the information by force, and claim the Beast Realm for themselves.

Kimiko Shihoin has been sent by Soul Society to act as a mediator between the two sides, and hopefully calm the fighting long enough to work out a compromise. Her skills as a powerful fighter are expected to aid her in dealing with the physically-strong Beast-Clansmen that lead each side. Her goal in the compromise is not only to settle the fighting, but to also gain access for Soul Society to study this new world, with the promise that any research will be non-invasive. Vannan Harper has been sent to infiltrate either side and study the situation, even resorting to supporting one side or the other in order to gain as much information on the Beast-Clansmen as well as the Beast Realm. Zahra has come for the simple purpose of being involved as she chooses, as all Beast-Clansmen within Soul Society have been given permission to use the Senkaimon to join the Human World Beast-Clansmen and possibly even return home to their world of origin.

However, while each has their given roles, they all have the freedom to act as they choose. Should it come to war between the two sides, participants may be forced to choose one. In doing so, they will visibly ally their faction with that side should they be part of one, with potentially far-reaching consequences. And those who are with factions know that in the end, they have one goal: by any means, they must reach this Beast Realm and return with the knowledge of its location. While doing so through combat is not ideal, and in fact most sides would prefer peace or even alliance with the growing nation of Beast-Clansmen, in the end, the goal is more important than the means. Keep this in mind as you go forward.

Estimated Enemy Strength: 4-2, with the potential for a Class 1 boss.

Estimated Time Until Completion: Unknown

Starts: Immediately after the GM post.

Special Conditions: Members will be cycled out if they are deemed to be too inactive in the thread to continue. If something has come up that will keep you busy IRL, please notify me via PC or PM, and we will see what we can do regarding it. Also note that there is no turn order until other wise stated.

[Zeich Yajuu]

Many have visited the forests of Myanmar before. There are those who have gone deep into it, claiming to have surveyed the larger area and found nothing. But those people were wrong. For the longest of times, these forests were one of the oldest homes of a race of half-animal humanoids known to the spiritual realms as a Beast-Clansman. Often unseen by those who lived in the World of the Living, the few sightings of this race were often dismissed as folk tales and fables. Stories of werewolves, yeti, sahuagin; these were often in truth sightings of Beast-Clansmen, these few sightings being a chance encounter between humans and these animalistic creatures.

The truth of this area, though, was known only to a handful of people. Around a large area in the center of the forest, a spiritual barrier had been put up to repel anyone lacking the spiritual power to step through it. By who, it was unclear, though some signs pointed to the famous shopkeeper hidden within Karakura Town, who often was involved in a large number of incidents, though he tended to keep within the shadows and allow his associates to act in his stead. Others say it was a relic passed down through the Beast-Clansmen, used to create a safe haven for their kind. Regardless of how it was put up, it was a sanctuary that was known to many of those in the spiritual worlds. It was also considered to be a distinctly neutral territory, its rights protected by Soul Society, though to others there was little to be gained with disturbing the Beast-Clansman, so it was one that did not often need to be safeguarded.

Normally, there were probably a dozen or so packs scattered over this area, with a fair balance of power between them. Sometimes territory disputes came up, but this was between the Beast-Clansmen themselves, not something for outsiders to deal with. Often, the issues were settled quickly, and power would wax and wane for different packs as they came up. But now, now there were an untold number of Beast-Clansmen within the sanctuary. No less than four thousand had been counted within this area, packed for space within the sanctuary that was meant to support maybe a couple hundred, and more were streaming in every day from across the continent. While this was far from all of the Beast-Clansmen residing in the World of the Living, such a gathering was unheard of, as the race of anthropomorphic humanoids weren't exactly known for being social. Something was up.

However, in order to maintain the territory's neutrality, forces had not been sent in to investigate, assuming that it would be resolved between the Beast-Clansmen as it always was. An occasional individual looked in on the meetings, but anyone who got too close was often chased away by snarling guards who did not approve of interlopers. The most that could be gathered was that a confrontation was starting between two major factions, a level of organization never before seen in the Beast-Clansmen. The reason for the confrontation was as of yet unknown, but it was obvious that it could scale into something much larger. And so, the first forces were sent in to investigate.

Soul Society sent in an unseated Shinigami, a weaker individual who was intended to be shown as a sign of peace, rather than coming as a harbinger of war or subjugation. However, the man soon stopped reporting in. A week after his initial dispatch, he was found once more... or at least, half of him was. Torn apart brutally, the body was found covered in bites and scratches, bones broken and muscles torn. The first reaction was to send in a squad to handle things with force, but Central intervened, citing that such attacks were likely provoked in some way, as few Beast-Clansmen wished to cause a confrontation with Shinigami. Besides, with tensions as high as they were in the sanctuary, it was very possible that the attack was unintended, and happened in the heat of strife that was starting to consume the various factions. Thus, while this incident was looked upon as a poor reflection of the Beast-Clan leaders to keep their members in check, it was written off to avoid a war, possibly an extermination.

Other forces took note of this initial death, of course, and considered the situation. Xcution was hesitant to get involved, but was determined that, if they did, these beasts would have to be wiped out, so they waited to see if the situation worsened or threatened the World of the Living. Heuco Mundo didn't care much for them aside from seeing a potential feast of feral souls all in one area. The Vandenreich were showing some interest in those who could kill a Shinigami so easily, even if it was only an unseated officer, and considered sending in units to try and recruit the Beast-Clansmen if possible. And of course, those Beast-Clansmen living in Soul Society were interested, and many petitioned to be allowed to be let through the Senkaimon to involve themselves with whatever was going on. In the end, Seireitei acceded to their requests, and set up a special permission for all Beast-Clansmen who wished to enter or exit Soul Society, allowing sanctuary for those who did not want to deal with the possible confrontation. It was a show of good will that would, hopefully, create some lasting ties between the two groups.

And indeed, that faith had paid off. After several Beast-Clansman attested in Soul Society's favor regarding their free passage to and from the other world, a delegate was let through to Soul Society, and an explanation of the situation was given. Soon, it became known that there was another world, one that had been hinted at by the Beast-Clansmen for some time, called the Beast Realm. In this realm, there were untold possibilities, and potentially some great resource that could be used by Soul Society. Central decided quickly that it was in their best interest to resolve this conflict, hoping that it would earn them the standing to gain access to the Beast Realm, at least in terms of non-invasive research. Maybe it would progress to more, but baby steps would be the best way to move in.

That was why Kimiko Shihoin, the Captain of Squad 7, was sent in as a mediator. Though her social skills had been unproven, the fact was that she was a Captain, a powerful figure in both authority and actual physical strength. Beast-Clansmen responded well to dominance and authority, suggesting that a powerhouse like Kimiko was the best to send in to resolve the situation. She was tasked with discovering the truth of the conflict and, if it came to it, finding a resolution between the two sides. If it was impossible, and battle broke out, she was to pick one side or the other and support it as best as she saw fit. Her goal would always be to advance the side that got her access to the Beast Realm, information that Soul Society sorely wanted, and she was given the license to take whatever means she deemed necessary. She was, however, cautioned to use force as a last resort if possible.

The Vandenreich, on the other hand, had sent Vannan Harper in once they got wind that Soul Society was involving themselves in this affair. They knew little of the situation, and so Vannan had been sent in to gather information, determine what was going on among the Beast-Clansmen that had Soul Society so interested and, if necessary, act to claim it for the Vandenreich in whatever way was necessary. Such a task would be difficult in and of itself, as the Quincies had not been given the same invitation that Soul Society had, and as a result, infiltration would likely be met with resistance unless he acted with caution.

Finally, Zahra was one of those who had been let out of Soul Society through the Senkaimon along with a group of other Beast-Clansmen who had gone to join in the growing debate and conflict. Some of those around her were willing to subjugate themselves for the sake of getting to their ancestral home, while others were determined to fight for the information so that they could live freely. Fighting had even broken out between two members of different sides once on the trip to the sanctuary, leaving the advocate for independence with a broken arm and several thick scratches on his form. If this was what was happening in a small group, one could only imagine what could happen if a greater conflict broke out.

Each would arrive in turn, with their own goals and decisions. And in the end, what each did was on the individuals. Would Kimiko succeed in garnering peace between the sides, or at least gain access to the Beast Realm? Would Vannan manage to recruit these beasts to the Vandenreich, and perhaps even pick up information on the Beast Realm himself? And would Zahra pick a side, or would she walk away from the conflict?

[Zahra]

Zahra found herself walking around in what the black and white people called the 'Human World.' She had never truly been here, but she had heard all the stories about it from others. Well, while she eavesdropped in on others talking about it. It seemed like a truly wonderful place and she was rather excited to see it firsthand. She wasn't disappointed either, when she arrived. Everything was so new and wonderful, she couldn't help but look around the entire time she was walking with her little group. Now, how did she end up here?

Well, about a week ago, Zahra had heard the black and white people talking. Or was it a month ago? She was really bad with tracking the flow of time. Anyway! She was eavesdropping in on the black and white people from the center of the walled off city. She was hiding in the shadows when she heard them talk about something called a Beast Realm. Beast Realm? She had never heard of that before.

She was so shocked by what they had said, they were too far out of the shadow's reach for her to try to sneak around them anymore. She didn't know a lot of other Beast Clansmen she could ask. Arjaka she hadn't seen in months and her mate really knew nothing about it. Though, her mate, seeming to be free from whatever it was that was making him act weird, was out a lot more. They saw each other less than what was normal.

It let her do what she wished in the cave, but she had to admit that she missed the feeling of oneness that her mate gave her. She made a note to talk to him about this the next time she ran into him. So, having no other of her kind to talk to about it, that she knew of, she instead decided to eavesdrop more. It was, in her mind, the only way she would be able to get more information about this interesting place.

So, it turned out that these people had sent someone to see what was going on and they got killed. It kinda made sense, having an outsider in one's territory was never a good thing to a beast. But, she didn't know that there were packs of her people. Honestly, she didn't know that there were more than three of them. She knew there had to be more, but the numbers that she was hearing seemed like very large numbers, so there was a large gathering of her kind.

She would continue to listen to various talks for days, finally hearing that they were letting Beast-Clan from here go to this 'sanctuary' place where the meetings were taking place. Zahra smiled, excited to see the Human World and more of her people. After hearing that, she stood up and walked towards the place the black and white people called home. Though, while walking through the place she was surprised to see something.

There were more Beast-Clan! She was a bit amazed to see all the other Beast-Clan roaming around here, ones she had never seen before. She assumed that they were like her, wanting to go to see this Beast Realm place. She would sniff the air constantly, trying to remember scents, just in case something happened, she knew that these people came with her and that they might know how to get back, if anything crazy happened.

She had crudely wrote a note to her mate, saying what she was doing, in the hopes that he wouldn't get too worried about her. Anyway, if she found this place, they both might want to live there to get away from the black and white people. But, she would decide that once she got there. Once she got to the gate, the other beasts were sniffing as well, probably figuring out their surroundings.

The black and white person looked at them and then gave them access to some weird thing she hadn't seen before. It opened and she reflexively took a step back. She hadn't seen anything like it. It seemed that some of the other Beast-Clan were a little worried as well, sniffing the air first before a few brave souls walked in. After they did, Zahra sniffed the air a little more before walking through the gate, leaving Soul Society behind.

That brings the story to the present, with Zahra walking with the other Beast-Clan towards this 'sanctuary.' She had to avoid a small fight breaking out between two of her fellow race, she heard something about one of the clans, it started with a S. She knew that that one had to be one of the major factions that was talked about between the black and white people. So, Zahra would continue, with her head held high, walking with the others and leaving her judgement until she saw what was waiting for her.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Abilities}
Strength - 250 Points (325)
Speed - 250 Points (375)
Spiritual Pressure - 135 Points (81)
Reiatsu Strength - 100 Points (50)
Instinct - 150 Points (225)
Senses - 250 Points (187)
Energy sensory - 50 Points (37)
Healing Expertise - 50 Points

[Martial Arts: Hand to Hand] [2]
[Weapons: Throwing Knives] [2]
[Stealth] [2]
[Battle Focus] [2]
[Anti-Stealth] [2]
[Stealing] [1]
[Heat Tolerance] [2]
[Acrobatics] [2] {/spoiler}

[Deleted]

The wilderness of the Myanmar was a place of mystery not only to well versed travelers, but also to those living near it. Not much could be said about this land yet here in this seemingly unknown land a change was happening, a change that both intrigued the Vandenreich and made them fear. For the longest time the information about the beast clan that roamed this part of the afterlife was very vague and held little interest to those in power, but rumors had started to spread, rumors involving shingami and growing numbers of the once thought to be feral creatures.

With so much activity being reported in the wilds of Myanmar the Vandenreich were forced to act. They knew that something was going on in this normally quiet part of the universe was now booming with activity. Whether or not this would be for their benefit to intervene was unknown at the time. Yet they knew that standing by and allowing their rivals to move forward while they stayed in the dark was unacceptable. There had to be a reason for all of these reports and it was up to one lone Vandenreich to go in and find out what was happening.

Given the nature of this situation along with the lack of information the higher ups decided that it was unwise to throw a lot of resources into this, given the nature of the beast clan that they had come in contact with before. However they knew that they needed someone to investigate. That was where Vannan stepped in, given the nature and risk of such an operation they wanted a volunteer to willingly risk their life for a possible trap. This information was passed around the captains and lieutenants to see if someone would step up, while a few did ask to take the mission upon themselves Vannan himself proved to be the best one to embark on this mission. He had argued that his skills of acting, lying and stealth made him a prime candidate for such a mission and so here he stood before a gate ready to jump into the dark.

A gate opened in the shadows of a tree and out he stepped into the wilds a few hundred feet away from where the massive amounts of beast clan had been spotted. From afar one could see a white silhouette step out of the shadows like a ghost. He was wearing his uniform in the proper way. No longer did he leave his jacket wide open or tossed on half haphazardly. He had it crisp and clean fastened up, ontop of his head he wore the officer's hat which covered up most of his silver hair. Yet most noticeably he wore a long white overcoat over his clothing to keep himself warm and safe from the elements that could be lurking in the wilds.

The overcoat seemed a bit much however it hid something very important. It was the fact that he was stepping into this enemy territory armed. On his belt he held two guns on each side and over his hands were a pair of rather strange gauntlets. However the best weapon he had in his arsenal at the time was inside of a satchel that was hanging from his left shoulder strapped across his body. Inside was the stealth cloak he had bought from Kazura, but even that was nothing in comparison to a single letter he had in his possession. How could a single letter be more impressive than the guns or the stealth cloak he was hiding? It was what the letter said.

The letter read as the following.

Dear Lieutenant Vannan Harper:

By my authority I, Chancellor Baal hereby grant you permission to use whatever means you find necessary in order to ensure that the mission you have been tasked with does not fail. This entitles you and requires you to act as a representative of the Vandenreich for any political means needed. You are hereby empowered to accept, offer and bargain for any deals with any foreign powers under the name of the Vandenreich with the full support of the Vandenreich when dealing with any foreign powers if such a time arises.”

I trust my faith in you is not misplaced, Chancellor B, The Boss, Baal

For such simple words to carry that much weight was a true testament to the power that the Vandenreich had within their ranks. With this letter Vannan could do as he pleased under the Vandenreich's name, however he also knew that this was a doubled edged sword as if he abused this power he would face the chopping block once this was over. So it wasn't something that he could use lightly, however he wasn't a fool and knew exactly what sort of deals that the Vandenreich would accept and be expecting to see come out of this.

He smiled as he took a step forward his black boots crunching the grass under them. He drew in reiatsu from the forest around him ready for what was to happen. Here he was and he was ready for his mission. However what exactly was his mission? It was simple yet it had the potential to go so wrong. His mission was to find out why the beast clan was gathering in mass in this area, learn why the shingami were getting involve, find out if there was anything of value to be taken from this area and take it for the Vandenreich. Finally but of most importance see if there are any powers forming that the Vandenreich could use to further their own goals and secure an alliance with them. Slowly he made his way to the reports of beast clan members where sighted, keeping an eye out for any signs of resistance from shingami or beast clan alike.

OOC: reiatsu 2800/2000 +500 for cross + 300 for spirit fragment

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength ☣ [150] Points x.33= 50

Speed ☣ [200] Points

Spiritual Pressure ☣ [200] Points

Reiatsu Strength ☣ [400]x2=800Points

Light Aura ☣ [75] Points

Dark Aura ☣ [25] Points

Instinct ☣ [150].33=50 Points

Senses ☣ [50]= 50 Points

Energy sensory ☣ [0]x2=0 points

Healing Expertise ☣ [50].33=17 points


☣SKP ☣ 17/21( 1 free) 2/8 to next SKP

☣ [Stealth ] [3]
☣ [Crafting] [3]
☣ [Acting] [2]
☣ [Focused Eye] [3]
☣ [Strength of will] [2]
☣ [Battle analysis] [3]]

SPOILER: Click to show

Item Name: Utility Belt
Item Type: Carrier
Item Description: A thick, leather belt reinforced with metal. Five pouches are arranged around the belt, each capable of holding different kinds of items. Shaping crystals, flashbang grenades, small items like that can easily fit into these pouches. Additional 'clips' can be bought. Possesses the same RS as the user. Each pouch can hold one 'serving' of an item.
Price: 1,000 ryo
Donatedtoshop?(Yes or No?): Yes
Owned: 1

Item Name: Pistol Clip
Item Type: Carrier/Special
Item Description: A rigid leather holster that can fit most types of standard handguns. A clip on the back is meant to clip onto the Utility Belt. Possesses the same RS as the user.
Price: 200 Ryo each
Donatedtoshop?(Yes or No?):
Owned: 2

Item Name: (UE Contacts MK I)

Item Type:(Wearable Tool)

Item Rank: (A)

Creation Skills: (Crafting 4)

Item Description:

This pair of contacts was made unique and custom for Vannan by Kazura. They aren't prescription, so they don't adjust eyesight at all, but they do have a few handy features. At mental command, these contacts can shade themselves into standard sunglasses to protect the eyes from bright lights and over exposure. To protect the eyes from more than just natural sunlight requires a second level of shading which costs 100 reiatsu per post and lowers visibility by 25% (100 senses would be an effective 75) while this shading is taking place. In addition, at mental command and a cost of 50 reiatsu, the lenses made out of Kazura's reiatsu circuit material can extend to allow the wearer to have a zoomed in view of an area. The zoom is fairly basic, reducing the apparent distance by ten feet, for example, making something twenty feet away look like it was ten feet away. Anything within ten feet of the user will appear to be in their face, though.

Price: (5,000 per pair)

Added to a shop?: (No)
Owned: one
Item Name: Vannan's Unique Gauntlets
Item Type: Weapon/Defense
Item Description: This pair of guantlets has had the air cannon locked into the frame and rerouted for a different effect rather than a straight shot. It is capable of firing through the air flaps and through the holes in the fingers to produce a 180 degree pulse that extends 10 meters. While it has 150 strength for purpose of pushing back objects and people, the frequency is fine tuned to be perfect for breaking natural glass. Any glass caught in the blast will shatter immediately and violently. It is capable of holding six portions of air, and needs 3 of them per pulse. It intakes air at a rate of 1 portion per post.
Cost: 7,500
Owned: 1 however it is a pair of gauntlets

Item Name: Super Stealth Cloak
Item Type: Clothing
Item Description:

Item Rank: A
Item Description:
This is a cloak created by the infamous Mr. Hat & Clogs and upgraded by the famous Kazura Uzaki designed to enhance the natural stealth capabilities of those with Reiatsu. It was inspired by the Lothlorien Cloaks from Lord of the Rings. Basically, it creates a field of Reiatsu around the user, masking them from site by blending them into the background, while simultaneously masking their spiritual pressure further. With added Reiatsu storage, channeling, and nullifying abilities, it goes beyond the abilities of the original cloak. With 1 point in Stealth, someone would need 200 in Senses or Energy Sensory to detect their presence. Each point in Stealth beyond the first adds 50 to the requirements.

It can only be used for 10 posts total in a thread, before becoming a normal cloak for the duration of the thread. To use, the user must give up 100 reaitsu for each post, and draw the cloak around them. Techniques up to Class 5 can be used while the cloak is being used, but Releases and techniques of Class 4 or higher cannot escape detection. Unfortunately, due to the delicate nature of the network of reiatsu storage and transfer, taking a direct physical blow to the cloak causes it to cease functioning at peak nature. The user will be able to be sensed with a flat 200 Senses or Energy Sensory, regardless of level of Stealth and their techniques. Obviously, something that exits the cloak such as a Quincy's arrow will no longer be hidden.
Price: 100,000 Ryo
Donatedtoshop?(Yes or No?): No
Owned: one
Item Name: Firearm License
Item Type: Other
Item Description: When looked at, this is a simple photo ID showing that the person is allowed to purchase and own firearms. Purchasing this item allows the purchase of Firearm class weapons. Item is not allowed to be owned by anyone under Class 3, so only Class 3's to Class 0 can own a license. This license only allows for the purchase of Human World Guns
Price: 30,000
Donatedtoshop?(Yes or No?): Yes
Owned: 1

Item Name: M1911 Handgun
Item Type: Weapon
Item Description: The Colt M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, recoil-operated pistol handgun chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. The magazine size is 8 rounds and it fires bullets at speeds of 600. The strength of each round fired is 300. Uses Handgun ammo. Is a Human World Weapon, meaning it is useless against any beings made from Spirit Energy (Shinigami, Arrancar, Hollow, etc)
Price: 10,000 ryo
Donatedtoshop?(Yes or No?): Yes
Owned: Two

[Kimiko Shihoin]

The forest of Myanmar another vast location of trees and psiritual energy. Such a place was where the Beasts normally called home and felt most at peace with themsleves. There was just one thing now that changed all that. The Beasts were struggling over who was rightuflly the boss and who was loyal. One of the beasts apparently had found some way back intot he original realm that they all came from. Such a plavce that long ago had been foresaken and forgotten. Seemed to be tainted what little sanity there was to be held between packs.

The Senkaimon gate appeared in the forest only for the dark skinned Captain of Division seven to step forth from the white doorway into the forest. Immediately upon entering into the world of the living Kimiko extended her perception outwards using her energys sensory to try and pick up if there was anything near her. What she sensed though was incredible. There were so many Beasts in one place that for a moment she didn't actually beleieve that she had been brought to the world of the living. Kimiko had dealt with the beasts multiple times in the past due to her own training methods and this felt much larger than even an entire pack.

She wasn't that far from the main gathering area of the Beasts so she began to make her way towards it. She had been sent here to speak between the two sides of the beasts on behalf of Soul Society. She wasn't completely sure why she had been sent. Most of the other Captains didn't know of her constant interaction with the beasts of the wilderness in Soul Society. Whether they knew of it or not didn't matter though. She was here to try and stop a war between them while also obtaining access to the beast realm should it actually have been found.

She was getting close now. She could hear movement around her a few paces off. She was being watched by the scouts that surrounded the encampment. Not only that, but the scent of them all was getting stronger as well. "Good thing I'm not picky." thought the Captain as a smile edged its way across her face. Seeing the encampment of hundreds possibily even thousands of beasts Kimiko smiled at it all. Having admiration for the strength that the beasts held while also pleased to see if only for a moment the possibility that all of these individuals were working together.

It was short lived though as she started to see the arguements between them revealing that many of them held hate and anger towards one another for not sharing the same beliefs. "Just like everywhere else I guess." she thought as she picked up a familiar scent. Soemthing that she knew not the scent of an individual, but as a species. She moved through the crowds of beasts most of which overshadowed her small stature. It would take her a few minutes to reach it, but there they all were speaking together. A pack of wolves that suddenly looked up to stare at her.

Kimiko smiled for a moment at them all while looking through the numbers to find the Alpha. They without a doubt would be sizing her up as an individual. Most of which would base her on the fact that she was small. However, there was one thing that none of them would be able to miss. Kimiko's scent wasn't that of a lady not a fancy noble. She smelled of wolf just as they did. She'd finally spot the Alpha and begin her approach walking slowly into the fold of her pack. She needed to speak with someone about everythign that was going on and felt most comfortable with them all. "I need to know what's been going on and where this beast who demeands to be the new Alpha resides."

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats & Skills}
Strength: 400 {1000}
Speed: 400 {700}
Spiritual Pressure: 200 {100}
Reiatsu Strength: 100 {50}
Instincts: 300
Senses: 150
Energy Sensory: 50
Healing Expertise: 0
Light Aura: 60
Dark Aura: 40

•[Martial Art: Hakudo] {3}
•[Martial Art: Pressure Points] {2}
•[Strength of Will] {2}
•[Battle Analysis] {2}
•[Acrobatics] {3}
•[Stealth] {2}
•[Hoho] {3}

[Zeich Yajuu]

Zahra was not the first to arrive at the sanctuary, one of the many streaming into its safety. It would be easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of Beast-Clansmen there, of many different species and appearances. As she walked through the outermost edges, the ones that were near the edge of the barrier, she saw at least a dozen different packs; wolves, hyenas, alligators, horses, even a pack of jackals that perked up briefly at her passing before realizing that she was not one of their pack. The female Beast-Clansman would also see plenty of individuals sprinkled throughout the larger packs, providing an even greater array of colors and sounds among the various species. It was amazing, seeing so many of her kind in this one area, yet she was only on the fringes.

Moving deeper inwards, the density of the crowds increased, yet there were fewer individuals and more packs. Those who had solidarity within their packs also had the strength to camp closer to the center of the sanctuary, where, judging by the commotion ahead, the major activity was. Those who were individuals often got pushed towards the fringes, and only occasionally got the chance to move in closer. But there was also gaps between the packs, clear paths that allowed those who wished to temporarily traverse to the center to be involved in the current standings. Individuals would eventually be pushed out of the way for new arrivals or for those who had the strength to bully others out of their way, but that was the way of the beasts; strength determined authority and command.

At the center of the sanctuary, however, there were two major areas set aside. At one, a tent had been erected, a strange structure for the Beast-Clansmen, who either preferred to live in the wilderness, or at least within a den constructed from the natural environment around them. This tent was a fine one, and there were several guards ringing it, all of them leonine in nature and fierce-looking. Each one wore something akin to armor made from multiple layers of tanned leather to make it incredibly tough, covering their torsos, legs, and shoulders, but each was unarmed. That last part didn't matter, though, as Beast-Clansmen didn't use manufactured weapons; they fought with their teeth, their claws, their fists and feet. They were the weapons.

It was obvious that the tent was likely where the heads of various invited packs were meeting to discuss the situation at hand, and indeed, there were several others of assorted species standing outside in a rough line, and expressions varied; some were angry, likely ready to skip the line and charge in to cause a scene, while others seemed reserved, or even nervous. Odds were that there had been a number of incidents already, but if the calm and reserved nature of the guards was any indication, they were confident that they could deal with further such situations should they arrive. For now, things seemed to be under control there, a stark contrast to the commotion not far to the other side.

The other area set aside was an enormous crater set into the earth, the edges shaped to form waist-high walls and form a ring of sorts. In the middle of the ring, two teams of three Beast-Clansmen faced one another, while around the edges, there were dozens cheering on different groups as they fought. There were guards here, too, and of the same lion species as those at the tent; clearly their pack was in charge of this region. But they were a little less strict, mostly there to keep bystanders from jumping into the ring; after watching for a few minutes, Zahra would realize that this was likely a means of sport for those gathered and camping in the area. Tensions were likely high, and arena-based combat was probably a good way for stressed individuals to let off a bit of steam.

It wasn't all fun and games, though; as she watched, the jackal would see one individual go down, a goat-woman whose leg was bloodied and mangled to the point where she could not stand on it. Even as the crowd watched, her opponent, a tall lizard-like male, brought his foot down on her neck with powerful force. A loud crack could be heard as the female's eyes rolled back, and a second stamp came down on her face, followed by several more kicks. Blood sprayed out from the impacts, and the bruising continued. Loud howls of outrage could be heard from the female's group, yet the crowd surrounding the ring roared all the more loudly, spurring them on. It seemed that this was quite the blood sport, not the innocent sparring it had initially seemed.

For now, Zahra had a good idea of how things were laid out, but how would she proceed? She could try speaking to those around her, preferably of her own kind as they were most likely to be friendly towards her, or she could perhaps approach one of the guards that seemed to have things in such fine control. If she wanted, the jackal could even participate in the arena; even as the goat-woman was being dragged off, clearly dead with her neck snapped in half, the ring was being cleared, and participants for the next round were being invited to step in and claim positions for battle.

---

((OOC: Sorry your section is a lot shorter, but there's not a lot you've access to just yet as an intruder!))

The moment that Vannan drew near to the sanctuary, he would begin to feel a very powerful Reiatsu, one that was meant to repel rather than harm. It had a lesser effect on spiritual beings other than Beast-Clansmen, who were immune to its glamors, but even though Vannan would not be directly repulsed, he'd feel a strong inclination to turn around with the belief that he had discovered nothing there. Fortunately, the effect was not strong enough to stop him, merely cause him to pause. That alone was something to note, however; whatever this barrier was, regardless of what had caused it to be up, it was a strong tool that might be worth studying at some point, to be used by the Vandenreich in defense of their own strongholds.

As he drew closer, however, nearly at the edge of the barrier, Vannan would be stopped. The area was filled with Beast-Clansmen, and most of them looked unhappy to be there. Closest to him was a pack of tiger-like Clansmen, those glowing feline eyes almost daring him to come and cause trouble. Of them, one stood and strode to the edge of the barrier, keeping it between himself and Vannan. It was obvious that the Beast-Clansmen preferred to remain within their sanctuary, away from the outside world that would judge and harm them, but that did not stop this tall, imposing male from rising up above Vannan, easily a foot or so taller than him, and laden with heavy muscles.

At first the feline was quiet, watching Vannan, judging him to see if he could see past the barrier. Most humans would turn around and walk away after a few moments, but the tiger could see that the one approaching was no ordinary human. That was why the Beast-Clansman let out a slow, gutteral growl, one that was a warning and a threat in one. Eyes flicked to one of the females sitting nearby, her eyes also fixed on Vannan, and the she-tiger gave a slow nod to her companion in a silent signal between the two of them. The tiger-man cracked his knuckles and spoke for the first time to Vannan, his voice deep, yet his words were surprisingly clear. Vannan might even find himself surprised at such eloquent language from a beast, especially if he expected something a bit more crude and unintelligent.

“What do you want with us, outsider? This is a sanctuary for our kind, and you humans are not welcome here. Leave, or you will find that one of the packs here will sink their teeth into you. And I can assure you, we will be more than happy to take the first bite.”

---

Kimiko's approach to the barrier was a bit different than Vannan's, mainly because she could afford to use the main road that had the greatest amount of travel. As an invited guest, one that could prove her identity through an armband woven of some kind of golden fur that had been given to her at her mission briefing, the woman could simply walk through the front entrance and past the Beast-Clansmen without fear of being attacked. Well, no more fear than the other Beast-Clansman had, what with the constant risk of conflict rising around them. The armband's scent alone was enough to ward most of the Beast-Clansmen off, knowing that the Captain was the representative of the Shinigami that had cared for many of their race up until now, and combined with her own, oddly inhuman scent, Kimiko stirred up more than a little interest as she walked through the various packs.

She'd see much of what Zahra had seen, as well; the individuals pushed towards the fringes along with the smaller packs, the growing dissatisfaction and potential for combat between the larger packs, and the general sense of growing tension that became all the more apparent as she drew closer to the center. About halfway there, though, Kimiko would stop, her nose catching a scent that she was more than familiar with, that of a wolf pack. Indeed, camped not far from the main path, there was a pack of wolf-Clansmen. Those that were obviously lower on the hierarchy rungs were stationed around the edges of their claimed territory, keeping others back and establishing the edges of their region, while in the center, there were three females and a small handful of males, perhaps a few betas. Yet, oddly enough, there were non that appeared to be a distinct alpha among them.

So when Kimiko entered the ring, given permission to do so by those at the edge as they smelled the wolf on her as well as recognized the armband, not one, but three of the five males stood and approached her. Each of them seemed wary of the other two, and one of them even snarled at another who tried to step forward first to greet Kimiko. It was obvious that there was a ploy for power going on here, but that in itself was odd; the only time such competition arose among betas instead of between a beta and the alpha was when there was no acting alpha. If the leader had died due to illness, injury, or sickness, the younger males might compete to try and take his spot, and that was clearly the case here. But had it been death that had taken the leader, or something more? There were already rumors that packs were breaking among the Beast-Clansmen for an unknown reason, one of the many things that Kimiko was sent to investigate.

It was obvious that the woman had heard some of the talking as she had entered, as no word of the actual nature of the conflict had yet reached Soul Society. News of one claiming the position of “alpha” among all of the Beast-Clansmen instead of just a single pack had not yet been heard in Soul Society, and indeed, had they known this, they would have been better prepared to work this individual to their favor. No, this was entirely new information, which would have to be relayed to Soul Society when Kimiko had the chance. But for now, the Captain had gotten only the hints of information, whispers that would be dismissed as mere rumors among other races. Only among the Beast-Clansmen, often seen as simple and quite obviously the most straightforward of the races, would false rumors be unthinkable.

Finally, as the three males vied to gain Kimiko's attention and answer her in a position of authority, one of the females—likely the original alpha's mate, or at least one of high standing, let out a sigh and strode over, speaking harshly to all three males. Ears lowered, and two of them simply walked away to sit with the other males in the center, while the third paused, looking rebellious. A quick punch to the stomach was enough to make the male think twice, and he retreated too, though far less gracefully than the first two had. The female just shook her head at the three of them and then turned back towards Kimiko, giving a toothy grin to the woman. Several bracelets of bone hung from the woman's wrists, and she wore nothing but a leather kilt of sorts that left her upper half bare; clothing was not necessary among the Beast-Clansmen, worn for comfort or simply for decoration, not for modesty.

“Greetings, wolf-woman. I am Aima, and currently, I lead this sorry pack of wolves. I am afraid our leader is indisposed due to the current situation, and as a result, our betas think that they can just walk all over another to take his place. Too bad they don't understand that a woman's the one who usually leads the pack, regardless of their titles.” Aima shifted into a more relaxed position, one hand on her hip, yet her stance was still dominant, forward, as though she was claiming control with her body language. It was a natural thing among the Beast-Clansmen, and Aima was no different from the others in that she worked to claim her authority. “But I suppose you know that, don't you? You seem to hold yourself with more confidence than those pups do.”

After a few more moments of sizing Kimiko up, Aima eventually turned and headed back towards the smaller circle within the larger one, inviting the Captain to follow her. The two of them were seated, with the more surly of the males set to Kimiko's left, clearly displeased with her presence, even going so far as to bare his teeth. Aima ignored him, instead filling Kimiko in on the current situation. “The short of it, pack-sister, is that we are starting to feel crowded, cramped. The human world is starting to invade our territory, and we are helpless to stop them. We were unsure of what to do, yet a single pack has risen up, and offered us a choice.”

“They offered us access to our ancestral home, the Beast Realm. All Beast-Clansmen hail from this realm, though we do not know where it is, only that before being reborn into this world, we were there. Their leader, Eadgils, has claimed that he has discovered an entrance to this realm. However, he will only offer this access in exchange for us serving under him, lesser packs underneath the rule of his own. Many do not see this as an unfair situation, as it is the natural order of things; the alpha has authority, and those who are not the alpha follow. Thus it would be here, a sentiment that my mate and I are in agreement on. As for others—”

“No! I will not give up pride and strength to serve under lion-clan!” The surly male spoke up, slamming his fist into the ground, his face twisted in anger. Unlike Aima, who had a bit more age and maturity and thus more intellect and eloquence, his words were a bit more rough and unrefined. “It is our home! Our land! We can't be betas for the lions just to go home. Not right! Not right at all!”

Aima gave the male a wry look and shook her head. “As you can see, not all are in agreement. This has caused a split in some packs; for the moment, my mate has been banished from the pack, as he was willing to let us submit in order to enter this Beast Realm. I am in agreement with him on this matter, but while I control the power of this pack, it is through my mate, and without him I am but another female in this group, albeit the greatest of them. And so, we find ourselves without an alpha, and a pack of squabbling betas who don't have the balls between them to truly take leadership.” This drew more than one glare, but the cool gaze Aima returned caused them all to back down. “If you're looking for more information, then I suggest you go to the meeting grounds near the center of the sanctuary. There is a tent there, you cannot miss it. Eadgils is meeting with the various pack-leaders to discuss the situation. Some are willing to talk peace, others are there to make demands. Be careful, as tensions are particularly high there, and even your armband won't protect you.” With that, Aima allowed for any further questions, waiting patiently if there was anything else Kimiko needed to ask.

[Deleted]

As he came up to the border between the normal world and the land that the beast clan claimed as their own he started to slow his pace making sure that he wouldn't be seen as a threat the moment he was spotted. So Vannan had spotted the beast clan packs before they made the motion to move towards him. Not knowing what was coming he prepaid himself by drawing in a bit more reiatsu before approaching the barrier, not attempting to cross it without permission. For now he would act with caution before he had to resort to another plan. After all his first plan involved being invited in by the beast clan.

He knew that he wasn't exactly welcomed here so the response from the rather large beast clan member was expected. He knew very well that right now he had no claim to be in their territory. So as the male tiger was staring him down Vannan calmly took a step back making sure that he was at the very least six inches away from the large beast. Slowly he raised up his right hand up from out of the large over coat his palm facing the beast while his left hand traced behind his own left leg removing it from sight. He activated his bow level two, at a first glace it would seem as nothing changed for Vannan. No visible bow would be seen nor would one appear. In a firm but respectful voice he spoke to the large male.“I come here to warn you and your kind. I only prepared my power in case of attack. The shingami that have been spotted around here have tricked you and your kind.”

With those words spoke Vannan shot out five arrows from his left middle finger aimed right at the ground. With his hand hidden behind his leg no one would see the five small balls fly out and shatter into millions of microscopic bacteriophages upon impact on the ground. Vannan had released his virus and just infected everyone around him in a twenty foot radius not just once but five times. However unless someone was behind him or had very high energy sensory would they know what he had done given that it happened all in a moment's notice. Before drawing attention to his left hand he slowly brought it back up to meet the side of his body before speaking again. This time his voice held a sense of general fear and his eyes held a worried look. Not for one of his own well being but for that of the beast clan. “The shingami have released a virulent virus in your area. Unless treated this could mean the end for all of your kind. I have come to warn and help your kind.”

Still keeping his distance he waited a bit before speaking again. His face held a soft look and his voice appeared to be concerned as if he was really worried about the beast clan. “If you don't believe me soon your eyes will turn yellow as a sign of being infected,followed by worse things if you are infected. My information doesn't cover how far they have spread the virus, but I plead that I need to speak to the alpha in charge of this area or the alphas. If not I fear that the shingami will preform another genocide like they did to me and my own kind.” He moved his hand to stretch out as a sign of peace. “I offer my help and the help of those above me to you and your kind, but I warn you if you do not act it could spell disaster for all of the beast clan.”

This was Vannan's plan, to use his skills in acting to fool the beast clan into thinking that he was there to help them to deal with a virus that would soon spread in their land. The very virus that was Vannan's power. It didn't matter if the tiger beast clan didn't believe him right away, that beast clan was already infected and all it would take is time for the effects of his virus to take effect proving that he his words were somewhat true. This plan would grant him safe access into their land, but also land him a chance to speak with the leader if they had one and the longer they took to act the further his virus would spread as the symptoms of the virus would cause it to spread in the tightly packed beast clan.

remaining reiatsu 3100/2000 +800 for cross and fragment - 200 for bow level 2 - 300 for five class two arrows


OOC: I hope this works XD if not welp plan B it is XD.

[Zahra]

Zahra was amazed at the amount of Beast Clan that were here. She had thought that she was one of few, but it turns out that her race was more numerous than she had originally thought. While walking through the edges, flicking her ears around for any weird noise and sniffing her surroundings, she smelled something familiar. She turned her head and saw a pack of Jackals. There were many different packs around, but she never thought she would see jackals here.

They perked up when they saw her, but turned around and talked amongst themselves when they realized that she was not one of their own. She had perked up as well, but when they turned around, she continued to look towards them. This was the first time she had seen another like her since she was alive and in the deserts. She made a note to come back to them once she was done looking around.

She continued to look around through the crowds and saw less unified packs than the fringes. There was a lot more diversity that she thought was possible. Also, the closer she got towards the center, the less individuals she saw. There were more large groups sticking together. So, it seemed that the largest packs were packed towards the center, where all the action was going to take place. She assumed all the Alphas would be meeting in the center of this huge gathering as well.

So, the strongest packs defended the center territory and pushed out all the weaker packs and individuals. While she was quickly making her way through the groups, she could tell that she couldn't stay this close to the center for long before she would get challenged and pushed back towards the fringes. It was then that she had made it to the center and saw the huge 'tent' that was erected. It had to be there where the meetings were taking place.

The guards were all lions. So the lions are the strongest here, since they were given authority to keep all the other packs and whoever else was here in line. She was a little surprised, but from what she had heard of lions, it didn't surprise her too much that that was the species that was guarding and/or leading this gathering. She then quickly walked over towards the other clearing that was nearby.

She could hear cheering and think of only one thing that could happen in this place, with this many Beast-Clan around, it was a fighting ring. Once she got closer, she was correct in her assumption. The scent of blood was also prevalent, which was another hint to her that it had something to do with fighting. She walked and found a good spot where she could actually see what was going on in the ring.

She watched as the lizard stomped on the goat's throat, obviously killing her. When he went to hit her more, one group, assuming it was the group that she was with, screamed and howled in outrage at what he was doing. She didn't think it was a good idea either. There was no point when she was already dead. But, the rest of the crowd was eating it up. He stopped and they dragged her body away.

She was strong. She knew that. She was stronger than her mate was right now. But, she had no idea who she would be put up against and she wasn't confident in her own fighting to try to test her luck in a pit with a lot stronger species than her own. So, she walked away from the pit, heading back towards the center where the fancy tent was located. She walked as close as she dared and tried to get a good sniff to see what was in there.

But, with so many Beast-Clan surrounding her, she couldn't really pick out anything of interest. It seemed to her that there was strength in numbers. She didn't think it would work out well if she stayed by herself. So, she started to walk back towards where she saw the Jackal pack. She walked through as quickly as possible, avoiding direct eye contact until she got out of the huge groups in the front.

Once she was out of there, she took a deep breathe, enjoying the smell of fresher air. She was short enough in that crowd that the air smelled funny and she was getting very hot from all the bodies surrounding her. She then looked around the groups and spotted the Jackal pack again. She slowly walked up to them, trying to keep her eyes away from the center of the pack, where the Alpha would be. Once she made her way over, she looked towards the closest member to her. "Me Zahra from Soul Society. Wanted introduce myself."

[Kimiko Shihoin]

She had found the small pank of wolves and almost immediately upon finding them had she been gievn way to proceed further and meet with the Alpha of the small pack. However, as she got passed the first few wolves she noticed that none of the wolves that she could see at the moment had the pride, experience or the eyes of an Alpha. It was soemthing that one could not fake and she could see plainly that the three males that now were on their feet fighting one another to greet her as the acting leader was a sign that this pack was in trouble.

She had heard that some of the beast packs were facing troubnle with breaking apart yet the idea of a wolf pack with no Alpha seemed insane. They were fighting among themselves for the position of Alpha something that was actually rather annoying to Kimiko. "No leader should ever need to declare themsleves the leader." she thought as they bickered. It was then that a female wolf in the center sighed in disapproval and moved over towards her. From the way that she was moving and the look to her eyes Kimiko saw someone with experience and knowledge. If there was an Alpha in this small pack which seemed to be debatable it was this female.

All it took was a few small words to make two of the wolves lower themselves. Moving back to the center with the others for fear of the woman. The last one had a spark of pride in himself that led to him being struck by the female. This female declared herself to be known as Aima and gave Kimiko some of the details regarding the small pack that at the moment she was looking over. From what she told her it seemed that the Alpha was not in the pack at the moment and the beta males felt that it was a perfect time to take the positions for themselves. Such a thing was stupid to even try. Even if they got the position the moment that the original Alpha returned it would be his once more.

Once fear and dominance was placed upon someone it was hard to overcome. Such is life. Now though as Aima shifted her stance Kimiko picked up on what she was trying to say without words. Kimiko smiled if she weren't on an assignment that took all prioity fighting off against Aima would surely be interesting to say the least. Kimiko instead kept her arms crossed over her chest beneath her bust while starring inmto the eyes of the wolf. Her own eyes were forgued of pain and experience. In the short amount of time that Kimiko had been a shinigami she had seen far more combat than the majority of other shinigami ever it throughout their entire lives.

She wasn't afraid of fighting off the pack of wolves or any of the other beasts and right now she was making that known to Aima. Both of the women then made their way to the center where the rest of the wolves sat. Aima started to speak once more explaining what was going on here in the world of the living. Not just in regards to her own pack, but to all of the packs in general. That was when Kimiko was told that there was a singular Beast that had apparently found access to the realm of origin that all Beasts hail from. This was news to Kimiko and when she learned of it her own eyes widened in shock.

What she was being told was unthinkable. That there was another spiritual world was something that hadn't been thought of for millenia. This singular Beast by the name of Eadgils had it in his head that if he had the information to get back to the home world of the Beasts thatg he could force all of the packs that wished to get back to their world to accept him as the one true Alpha. Kimiko had to admit that the plan was actually very well thought out considering that no one else as far as she knew had ever been able to find out anything about the origin of the beasts.

Amina made it very clear that she and the orginal Alpha of the small pack had decided that they would be willing to follow Eadgils into the beast realm. Some of the others though didn't like that idea and had risen up against the Alpha. This had all led to why he wasn't present at the moment. The idea that an Alpha would step down though was yet another strange occurance. After everything had been said and Aima had told Kimiko that there was a tent that at the moment had a vast majority of the Alphas and Eadgils present the Captain knew what she had to do next.

Standing up Kimiko smiled down at Aima. "I think you Aima for the hospitality and information. I don't have a right to comment on your standing when it comes to following Eadgils. However, what I can say as a fellow wolf is that at the moment this pack needs to come together. You all need the Alpha back or else it won't be long now until there won't be a pack for him to return too. A pack of wolves is only strong when all its members fight together. Without a leader your not even half of your true strength. Please think over it all so that you can all continue to survive. I'll take my leave now. Thank you again Aima."

Just like that though Kimiko was off making her way back to the path she had been walking on prior to seeing the pack of wolves. She now was on her way to the tent that held this so called Eadgils that apparently was a lion. This would be without a doubt at least interesting. So upon arriving to the tent the Captain of the seventh division pushed aside the entrance so that she may enter. When she did there would be without a doubt a large assortment of beasts. "I was told the one named Eadgils would be in this tent." spoke Kimiko her voice full of authority as to get the attention of all beasts.

[Zeich Yajuu]

Zahra quickly found out that the tension in the crowd was thicker than she could have imagined; just watching the brutal arena match, it was a clear sign that emotions were running high. Battles that were meant to be for sport and an outlet for each individual's feelings on the situation had become brutal and violent, the floor of the arena beginning to run red with blood. It was obvious that dissatisfaction wasn't nearly the term to describe the general frustration building up beneath the surface, and it was obvious why rumors of a civil war between Beast-Clansmen was looming on the horizon; anyone could seem that all were ready to fight, and few were ready to talk.

But getting involved in the massacre wasn't for Zahra, and she quickly moved away, back to the tribe of jackals she had seen prior. For now, it seemed as though it would be best to be among her own kind. As she approached, all ears perked up, noses twitching as they grasped for her scent, quickly recognizing her as a stranger. All but one of the males in the group stood aggressively, their stance hostile as they watched her draw close. Only the one in the center, a powerfully-built male that could put even some of the strongest humans to shame with his brawn, remained passive and seated. Despite his seated position though, he was nearly at Zahra's chest in height, indicating that he was truly a massive individual, and not one to be trifled with casually.

“Who are you?” One of the males asked, putting an arm in front of Zahra to prevent her from advancing. It seemed that, as a stranger, she was immediately treated with hostility, seen as a threat to their pack. “Don't recognize you, stranger. Not welcome here.” Though the male spoke with a fairly clear and articulate voice, there were obvious signs of his feral nature in the growling tone of his voice and the grammatical stumble of his last statement. The other males who had stood gathered behind the one who had spoken, growling their own assent and standing as a living wall before Zahra, preventing her from advancing.

The one who had spoken first, easily distinguished by the black stripes under each eye, strode forward and examined Zahra more closely, his gaze appraising as he circled her. The expression he gave was not comforting, though; he looked pleased, almost too much so. “Mm... you're a female, though. We're short on breeders. Perhaps you be one, eh? Heh heh.” Another murmur of general laughter came from the remainder as the striped jackal stepped up close, his muzzle nearly bumping into Zahra's. As he did so, the canine's paw reached up for her chest, as if to grab at it. “Take off cloth, now, woman. You want to talk, you serve pack as women do.”

With that, the others started to move up as well, beginning to surround Zahra. Suddenly, her attempt to be friendly was turned against her, a threat of captivity thrown at her. The jackal would soon find not just the striped male in front of her, but two more approaching from either side, ready to grab her and drag her into their pack's “territory,” where no other Clansmen would interfere.

---

Vannan's “warning” did not seem to provoke the tiger Clansmen at all, and as he watched, they simply exchanged a glance between themselves, especially once the Quincy claimed that the first sign of their illness would cause their eyes to turn yellow. Suddenly, the male that had been so threatening just burst out laughing, and Vannan would get a better look at the feline's eyes; they were already a brilliant yellow-green. “Hah! Puny human must be joking! Our eyes are already yellow. Your threat is nonexistent, cub, so why don't you get moving before we have to sharpen our claws on you, hm? I hear your kind are rather squishy compared to most.”

Regardless of how Vannan acted, he would probably become aware of one more thing; his virus, which he could detect despite its microscopic size, was dissipating as it tried to cross the line of the invisible barrier into the Beast-Clan sanctuary. It was obvious that whoever had set up this defense had done so with the intent of providing true protection for those within. His tactic to poison them and turn them against the Shinigami had failed; instead, all Vannan had done was make himself a laughingstock for those who had camped at the border. It seemed that attacking the Beast-Clansmen would not be in Vannan's best interest, not in an area that had been designed to protect them; as long as that barrier held, nothing of ill intent would make its way through.

The female tiger, however, bore an oddly suspicious expression as she watched Vannan, and she motioned the male closer to her, speaking quietly in his ear. At the distance between the two parties, the Vandenreich Quincy wouldn't be able to hear what was being spoken of, but it was obvious that it was not good; the larger male's eyes narrowed, and his amusement faded in exchange for something more fierce and aggressive. Quickly, the male spoke to another feline nearby, sending her towards the center of the sanctuary, and then turned to Vannan. Standing at his full height, looking down at the Quincy, the Beast-Clansman bared his teeth, cracking his knuckles audibly as a threat. “Rina says that you have ill intent for us. She can read your soul, and you can hide nothing.” This was likely a bluff, as even the most skilled of sensors lacked the ability to do more than scan the basic nuances of a person's spirit to understand what they intended, but even that much knowledge was dangerous. This Rina could tell that his intents were hostile, and though she could not tell what his goals or motivations were, she knew that he intended to be a threat to them directly at least. How little did she know... or, given how good her ability to sense another's soul was, perhaps she knew more than Vannan suspected.

“You leave, now, human. I have already sent word to the council that you are a trespasser threatening us, and warning that there may be risk of an attack. If you comply, you will not be harmed, but if you attempt to trespass... I, Troga, will personally kill you.”

---

Aima gave a wry smile at Kimiko's words, but waved her off; it seemed as though the wolf-woman had her own plans for dealing with the situation, and did not need the advice of another. But it was an amicable parting, and though the same troublemaker scowled as the Captain left, none stopped her or bothered her further. Kimiko was able to leave, and make her way down the path that led towards the center of the sanctuary. She, like Zahra had before her, would see the broad diversity, the massive spread of Beast-Clansmen, the greatest gathering of their race in any recorded history. Indeed, few knew this many existed in the first place.

The trip itself was pleasant, but the next step was not as much so. Kimiko attempted to push her way into the tent, which had a long line in front of it with many different Beast-Clansman leaders waiting for their opportunity to treat with or argue against Eadgils. This, of course, earned her ire right away; by attempting to place herself in the tent before the others, she declared herself the most important there, higher than the leaders who were already waiting their turn patiently. In other words, by trying to cut directly to the chase and deal with Eadgils, she instead had declared the others behind her inferior. Naturally, this did not put her in good standing and, as she tried to step into the tent, a large, scaled hand belonging to a large crocodile Clansman grabbed her shoulder and threw her back roughly with an immense amount of strength. Unbraced and unprepared, there was no way that Kimiko would be able to stop it. She could, however, choose her own landing and reaction.

The throw itself was not meant to cause harm, but merely to assert that Kimiko did not belong at the front of the line. There was plenty of force behind it, enough that the average person would be thrown head over heels upon landing, but Kimiko was no average person; she was one of the physically strongest Captains in Seireitei. If she was fazed by this, it wouldn't look good for her as the representative! No, it seemed that she would have to wait her turn, if she intended to get through peacefully. Of course, peace did not guarantee that she would earn any authority in Eadgils' eyes; would he value a patient individual, who was willing to go with the system of order established to maintain the leader's rule, or would he value one who took the initiative, willing to claim a position above the others in order to impress him?

Of course, nothing said Kimiko had to pander to the leonine ruler either; if she wanted to cause a disruption, she could simply charge in, this time with serious intent. Doing so would probably earn her further ire and reflect poorly upon Soul Society, but at the same time, it would be the most direct and assured way of getting an audience with Eadgils immediately... though it would likely end with her surrounded by angered guards. Whatever action Kimiko took to get inside and speak with Eadgils, her decision would be the first step to affecting relations between the Beast-Clansmen and Soul Society. It all began here.

[Zahra]

Zahra walked towards the group, with her head down, trying to show submission. She felt tension and decided to look up to see that all the jackals, except for one, acting very aggressively towards her. She wasn't expecting anything different, she was different and not part of this pack. One of the males stopped her as they scented her, asking her who she was. She looked around and saw that everyone in this pack was bigger than her.

She also noticed one other thing. Most of the jackals in this group, that she could see, were male. She assumed that jackal packs were fairly even with males and females. Obviously, she was incorrect and packs were made of mostly males. It was going to make this interesting, if they decided to do anything. They didn't recognize her and it seemed that she wasn't welcome in the pack. "Me Zahra from Soul Society. Zahra no pack."

She answered while one of the males strode forward. They all growled towards her, making a wall so she couldnt' advance. This male looked her over a little too much, she didn't like how he was looking at her. She now kinda wished that her mate had come with her, to help fight off this idiots that are trying to do something with her. When he asked her to be a breeder, she growled low in her throat. The others' laughter didn't help things any.

She immediately pulled two knives out of her knife pocket, holding one in each hand. When he stepped closer and his muzzle almost touching hers, she held back a bite. But, when his paw started to reach towards her chest, she slashed upwards with her right hand, trying to strike at whatever part of his arm was closest, being forearm, wrist, hand or fingers. She was growling louder now.

No one would treat her with disrespect. Especially not this pack of jackals that she was hoping could help her in this place. Obviously she was wrong. When he wanted her to take her clothes off and serve like the other women of the pack, she couldn't take it anymore. She saw the men coming towards her and she would immediately throw both knives, one at each jackal that was coming towards her sides. Then, she would turn and run away from the pack.

If they tried to reach for her, she would try to use her acrobatics to flip out of their grip and run towards the center again. Once she made it back to the center, she would catch her breath and look towards the center again. Those stupid jackals had no idea what she was capable of and she hoped she wouldn't have to use her power here. It was then that she saw a shinigami near the tent. Now she was curious as to why shinigami would be here, for a Beast-Clan matter? She would sit and wait, keeping her nose and ears on alert for anymore Beast-Clan that might try to hurt her.

[Zeich Yajuu]

((OOC: I am giving a one-week warning on all participants in the thread who have not posted recently. By the end of this week, I will be shuffling out inactive participants and renewing the pool.))

[Kimiko Shihoin]

Making her way throughout the hundreds of beasts that had gathered together for whatg seemed to be the first time in recorded history Kimiko wouldn't help, but feel at least the slightest bit of excitement. One of the few reasons that Kimiko had developed so quickly into the force that she was now was due to the Beasts. While she had been taught by some of the most powerful individuals in Soul Society and forced to adapt and grow as an individual by her zanpakuto. It was also because of her constant battles against the physically superior beasts that Kimiko was now a physical force in her own right.

The thought of having to fight her way through all of them was an exciting one however one that she knew based on instincts alone that she wouldn't be able to win. There were hundreds of them and most of them would have some sort of advantage on her at least one. She also wasn't here to have fun battling to her hearst content against them she was here to try and get information and form an arrangment with this Eadgils. As she approached the tent she saw that it had a long line that she was moving past in order to get to the bottom of what was going on.

As she got closer to the front of the line though a massive scaled hand grabbed ahold of her shoulder and pulled her backwards. The strength of whatever beast had grabbed ahold of her was formittable not something that any normal individual would be able to handle. Kimiko herself knew immediately that due to the size of the hand that while she couldn't in fact see it's actual size it was far bigger than herself. That led to the problem that it more than likely was physically stronger than her as well. So if a fight was starting to commence than she'd have to fight smarter and not fight by brute force.

As she was brought off her feet though to be moved backwards Kimiko body seems to glide backwards gracefully barely off the ground. She had been thrown by the majority of her foes at some point and dealing with it now was onmly second nature to the Captain. She did have to displace the way she was moving though which brought on a quick flip backwards ending with her feet on the ground. She could see now that the beast that threw her backwards looked to be like a crocidila. An interesting beast that could prove to be a enjoyable fight.

However, she was here on an assignment and one that would require her to possibly handle taking on this self proclaimed Alpha of all Beasts and his own pack. Kimiko while she would love to face off against this reptile also knew that if all these beasts had the patience to wait then she could somehow manage it as well. The beasts were always being pushed around by Soul Society and many of them hated the entire race for their actions. So perhaps it would be best if she showed she could be different. Whether or not it was Kimiko simply grinned back at the reptile and took her place in line. There would be plenty of time in the future to bust a few skulls and scales.

[Zeich Yajuu]

((OOC: Due to ongoing inactivity, Vannan has been removed from the thread, and Aevus is taking his place at this point.))

The approach from the other jackals didn’t go over well with Zahra, who had no desire to become their newest “breeder.” Instead, she leapt back out of their range, drawing her knives and preparing to defend herself if necessary. Surprisingly, though, it wasn’t; the other jackals just let out their jeering laughs, staying within the lines of their territory. It was an unspoken rule, here in the sanctuary; once claimed, territory was inviolable, and no one would interfere within that area. Taking the fight out to the neutral ground would likely prompt responses for those who would seek to usurp territory, taking advantage of the ability to fight outside the constraints of territory.

But Zahra’s initial resolve had already been shaken, having come across a pack of her own species and learning that they saw her nothing more as a breeding tool, probably the same as with the rest of their females. Having been raised independent of such a lifestyle, the jackal had been appalled. What would she do now that she felt that she could no longer trust her own kind? Regardless, it seemed that they wouldn’t pursue, and as long as she didn’t go back into their territory, the worst Zahra would have to deal with was the constant laughter, the teases, the lewd and risque remarks about her. Once out of range, of course, the jackals would lose interest, and they would go back to their own activities.

At this point, speaking with the other tribes probably didn’t sound nearly as appealing; if her own kind was so rough, what hope did she have of succeeding with others? Yet at the same time, Zahra needed information, needed to find out more about this Beast-Realm and what it portended. Not only that, but if this was going to be an extended stay, she would need to find a patch of territory for herself. Odds were that there was some area set aside for refugees without a pack, but where that would be was beyond her. Perhaps one of the guards stationed around, keeping the place in order, would know more. Zahra could also go after that Shinigami she had seen earlier, or if she needed to let off some steam, the arena’s lines were always open. Perhaps she could earn a bit of a reputation for herself there.

---

Kimiko’s willingness to back down earned her some approval, at least from the guards watching the line. Others who were in line just smirked, thinking her another weak Shinigami. Her reaction had been good, but her passion and drive were weak, at least in their eyes. But Kimiko was not here to deal with the individuals, not yet; there would always be time for a show of force later. For now, she was here to treat with Eadgils, to determine exactly what it was that he had planned and to find a way to ensure that things were settled with minimal bloodshed. With the threat of a large-scale Beast-Clan conflict on the horizon, whose results would be bloody and possibly spill out into the world outside the sanctuary, something had to be done to mitigate or outright avert it. But for that, Kimiko needed answers, not violence. Not yet, anyway.

Fortunately, the line progressed quickly enough. Most of the meetings only lasted a few minutes, but most of the leaders that emerged had a mix of cold stoicism or outright anger on their faces. A few left with more content expressions, likely hearing what they wanted to hear, but the majority seemed displeased. This did not bode well for peace between the various factions, and it made Kimiko’s job that much harder; would this evolve into a civil war? The Captain would have to find a way to either head it off or at least mitigate it. Her main objective was to prevent any sort of conflict that could affect the World of the Living, and her secondary objective was to find out more about the Beast Realm. How would she go about accomplishing that? What would she say? Her time was coming soon, with only one Beast-Clansman in front of her, and he was allowed to enter soon. She would have to think hard on her presentation.

Finally, one of the leonine guards standing before the tent’s entrance beckoned her forward, pausing only briefly to note the armband on Kimiko’s arm, and then giving her a semi-polite nod and ushering her through the opening. As she stepped forward, however, that same guard leaned forward. “I know you are the representative from Soul Society, but do remember that Eadgils is in charge here. Show proper respect or you won’t get very far.” Advice or a warning? It was likely that the Scylding tribe didn’t want a war as much as Soul Society did, but it was up to Kimiko to decide whether or not to take it with a grain of salt. For now, she had an audience.

Entering the tent, she’d find herself in what felt almost like the middle of a small senatorial arena. At ground level, she stood in the center of a dirt circle, while around the ring was a set of raised seats, along which several members of various Beast-Clan tribes sat. This was probably a surprise to Kimiko, who had only seen people going in and out. Who were these other Clansmen, and what purpose did they serve here? But more importantly, there was another space that would catch her eyes: a large podium was set directly opposite the entrance, rising just above the other seats, and there stood a large, feline figure that could only be assumed to be Eadgils.

The leader of the Scylding tribe stood at an impressive height, easily ten feet tall and extremely muscular, adding to his imposing form. His long mane hung around his shoulders and in long strands down to the middle of his back, and it was adorned with various golden ornaments and gems that further gave the appearance of regal wealth. Bare-chested, the lion Clansman’s impressive form was visibly on display, framed by long, sinuous tattoos down either arm, while more black markings swirled across his powerful chest and down his stomach. On each arm, just below the shoulder, a golden armband squeezed around the arm, and similar rings covered the second and fourth finger of each hand. A bone choker, a surprisingly natural object as opposed to the gold and finery in his mane, hung around his neck and bore what looked like a full set of fangs that could have all come from the same mouth, judging by their shape and positioning.

“Greetings, representative of Soul Society.” Eadgils’ voice was booming and deep, the amphitheater setup of the tent magnifying his words and making them clearly audible. His words were clear and articulate, a sign of uncommonly high intelligence among Beast-Clansmen. “The Scylding clan, along with its supporting factions, welcome you to this meeting among the tribes of the Beast-Clansmen. We have accepted your visit today because Soul Society has long been welcoming and supportive of our tribes that have ended up in the spiritual realm. We had received your request to be a representative in our discussions on how to handle the unification of the Beast tribes and the transition into our native home, that which the unenlightened call ‘the Beast Realm.’ We accept this request, and grant you the right to speak for Soul Society in this manner.”

“Now that the formalities are out of the way, Captain.” Eadgils’ posture relaxed slightly, though he still remained as intimidatingly large and imposing as ever. “If you have any questions, concerns, or supplications, please raise them now. We will only be holding audiences for a short while longer before the main debate, so it is imperative you get your position finalized before that point.”

---

“I already fuckin’ told you, asshat, I don’t need a damn escort!” A string of foul language followed that remark as a particularly surly-looking Beast-Clansman was led out of the Senkaimon, followed by a Shinigami. On the surface, Aevus Renald had been given a rather annoying task: while most of the Beast-Clansmen received an escort through the Senkaimon so that they didn’t get lost in the trip between worlds, the Omnitsukido member was required to take his charge much further, all the way to the Beast Sanctuary. Normally such measures were not necessary, but the individual that he was escorting was considered to be an unusual circumstance. For one thing, he was obnoxious, crude, and generally offensive to the world at large around him. For another, his Reiatsu reeked of a Hellish aura.

Skoll Koryu was being escorted simply for the fact that no one knew what could happen if he got loose in the World of the Living. Already treated as suspicious for his demonic presence—no one knew that he was a half-breed Nakabakki, but that didn’t stop them from being worried about that dark aura either—the lupine Beast-Clansman only made matters worse with his generally provocative attitude and his unstable temper. As a result, simply because they couldn’t be sure what would happen if Skoll was simply allowed to run free, Aevus was assigned to transport the surly Beast-Clansman to the Sanctuary and hand him over to the local guards, where they would deal with him from that point on.

Of course, that was only the surface assignment. Aevus had a secondary task, one that had been assigned to him in secret, as befitting the Omnitsukido. Though a representative for Soul Society had been sent to try and mitigate the scale of the conflict, there were those within Central who did not believe a peaceful solution could be reached. As a result, they had chosen to send in a covert agent, one who would analyze the situation and deal with it in the most effective way possible. The decided path was that, should the potential escalation of a conflict become possible, he was to either capture or eliminate the head of the Scylding clan. Capture was preferred, so that he could be interrogated on information regarding the Beast Realm, but if necessary assassination was a possible solution to win the allegiance of those factions organized against Eadgils. If nothing else, it would give Soul Society a strong alliance to work with.

But for now, he had other things to deal with, at least until they got to the sanctuary. “Hey, fuckhead, didn’t you hear what I said? I said get the hell out of here, I can walk twenty feet without some shitty excuse for a babysitter to hold my hand.” Right, there was still the matter of Skoll not far behind Aevus. This promised to be an annoying endeavor. Hopefully the trip wouldn’t be too long; he just had to make his way through the Beast-Clan sanctuary to one of the guards in charge of the place, and hand over his charge before heading into his own mission.

[Zahra]

Zahra growled at that pack as she moved through the crowd. How dare they want her as a 'breeder.' She snarled under her breath just thinking about it. She now knew that if she ever came across her kind again, they would more than likely treat her like breeding stock and she would need to stay away from them in the future. She would only go back to another Jackal pack if she had someone backing her up. 

It wasn't that she couldn't defend herself, but it was because she would have another body to put between her and the idiot Jackals. While walking through the crowd, she noticed that none of the animals left their little areas. It seemed they treated those little sections of land like their own territory and like good animals, they didn't want to give their territory up. So, the majority of the packs would stay in their little areas while they would send others in their places.

She looked around, trying to find a good spot to stand or anything at all. She didn't want to step on toes, especially since she knew no one here. She needed her own 'territory' spot as well, so she could actually sit down or rest somewhat. She doubted that she could ever rest completely easy with this many animals around. The only logical thing she could think of was to ask someone.

Since it seemed like the feline Beast-Clan were the ones that were in charge here, it seemed only natural to ask them. She walked towards the closest feline that seemed to be on guard duty around the crowds. She reached the cat and cleared her throat rather loudly. "Zahra alone. Where Zahra find own space or neutral space?" She was asking if there was any way she could find her own spot of territory in this huge gathering or at the very least, an area that was designated as neutral.