Lore of the Wild, Part One: Tooth and Claw

[Kimiko Shihoin]

Kimiko continued to stand over Eadgrils watching as the healers of his pack tended to the wounds that had just been inflicted upon his massive body. Although the lion was so large that he was easily two of Kimiko the wounds that spread over her body were equally large meaning that there was a good chance that the leader of the felines and perhaps the future king of all Beasts was fighting off death at this very moment with the aid of his own subordinates. At the same time though Kimiko was experiencing something just as troubling through the senses of Haunzu who had just tracked the scent of the serpent to the pack territory of none other than Eadgrils pack.

Kimiko's expression shifted for a moment displaying her slight irritation at the very likely possibility that Eadgril had just been attacked by someone carrying out the orders of another lion that sought to gain control of the situation. Haunzu couldn't get any closer to the pack at the moment or else it risked sending the wrong message to the leaders of the Beast right now on top of the fact that Kimiko herself would be put into danger. "Make your way around. You'll be able to pick the scent back up even if you lose it for a bit so just get out of sight and get behind them. See if the scent leads past the territory or the source is inside of it somewhere." Kimiko spoke to Haunzu telepathically without any sign of the communication to anyone.

The little black and grey wolf pup would make his way from the front of the territory over towards another group of Beasts. He'd get out of sight and then begin to walk through a space between two territories to the back of them where he would then start to make his way to the back of Eadgrils territory. He had an assignment to accomplish from his Queen and although it was dangerous she was counting on him to gain the information she needed and that was specifically what he was going to accomplish. At the same time though just as Kimiko had finished speaking to Haunzu a new voice was heard it seemed to be addressed to her as she watched from the small distance away at Eadgrils current condition.

This new voice belonged to a new male lion that Kimiko could immediately see was younger yet similar to Eadgrils. It only took him a moment to introduce himself as Skofnung the son of Eadgrils and currently the acting leader due to the condition that his father was in now. "Well I guess that gives me another suspect." thought Kimiko knowing full well that if another lion was going to plot to overthrow Eadgrils the idea of his son doing so would make a fair amount of sense. Skofnung brought up the fact that Kimiko had sent out Haunzu after the attack. He claimed that he would believe she did so as an ally instead of a traitor until he was proven otherwise.

It was at that time though that Haunzu or at least another Haunzu walked in front of Kimiko and sat at her feet sniffing the room and listening to everything in the area. "Tracking an assassin is something that my wolves are very accomplished at I assure you Skofnung." Kimiko although keeping the political air the same did cause a tension in the air as she made it perfectly clear that she didn't approve of Skofnung assuming Haunzu as a mere dog. The young lion though continued to speak and it seemed that he wished to defy his father claiming that now he would give access to the Beast Realm to all of the Beasts freely in order to keep them all from fighting one another.

This was something that was unforeseen as Kimiko had believed Skofnung was the most likely to have set this all up in order to gain the power that his father was going to gain for himself. Yet this was the opposite as far as she could tell or was she missing something? In the next moment though it seemed that he wished to have Kimiko work alongside him as he put his massive paw on her shoulder. Kimiko was starting to feel her blood boil with both rage and excitement at the prospect of battling off against this young Beast. He more than likely believed that he could simply tear her head off her shoulders at any given time and yet he like so many others had no idea just how powerful the Shihoin princess had become.

Skofnung seemed to want Kimiko to do much of the work that his father was in charge of in order to win over the other Beasts that weren't swayed even by his words. "While I find most everything that you bring up acceptable I also believe it to be incredibly rude towards your father. Soul Society's interest supersede my own personal opinion or belief in this matter which means that so long as we enter into a peaceful alliance together and we learn how to access the Realm of the Beasts there is a chance we will accept terms. However, while we agree to an alliance of power I have already made my personal opinion on the matter clear. I have nothing further to say as to whether or not you should all come together even with Eadgrils in his current condition and the assassin trying to make a run for it. You should make this decision together and because I'm not one of you I don't have the right to place weight on either side." Kimiko was ready for Skofnung to make a move knowing full well that she might die yet at the same time knowing she could deliver a fatal blow to him as well in that single instant before death should he take her words and decision in a bad way.

Shikai: 2/4

[Zeich Yajuu]

Zahra stepped forward, breaking her role as a “guard” for Skoll suddenly. Her words came as a demand: she wanted access to the Beast-Realm. But being a loner, and nowhere in the chain of command, her demand came off as impertinent and disrespectful, something that showed in the murmuring of the other Beast-Clan leaders, all of which had their eyes fixed on Zahra. Many of those looks were disapproving, while only a few were curious. Skofnung, to his credit, took it in stride, his expression and body language calm despite Zahra’s demand. Instead of reacting negatively, he simply turned to her to respond. In this moment though, his presence felt incredibly overpowering; a wave of spiritual pressure swept over the room, and though Kimiko would stand with ease, Zahra would be shoved to the ground rather roughly, made to fall to her hands and knees before him. She was lucky it did not harm her, merely shove her down roughly. Off still “examining” the fallen Eadgils, Skoll fell to the ground as well, driven completely prone by the powerful spiritual pressure.

The pressure vanished almost immediately after it came, the point made, and Skofnung looked down coldly at Zahra. The calm, kind diplomat he had demonstrated himself as a moment before was gone, and his gaze was cruel, as if he was considering executing her right there on the spot. But he didn’t; instead, he spoke with a tone that weighed heavily with both authority and condescension, like he was talking down to a child. “Little one,” he said, his tone turning that common address for inexperienced Beast-Clansmen into something to call her inferior. “You are not an Alpha, nor are you even a member of a pack; a loner like you does not deserve to lay claim to the birthright of the greater race. The needs of the one do not outweigh the needs of the many, and one who cares only for herself and her own survival should not have any say in our land.” Stepping back, he gave Zahra a look that dared her to defy him. She could attack him, if she really wanted to, but would that be a wise decision?

Turning to Kimiko, Skofnung’s gaze softened once again, and he shook his head. “For a representative, you don’t seem to fully understand our political system. I mean that without disrespect; perhaps our politics vary between races. Among the Beast-Clansmen, power is authority, and strength is what lends weight to the speaker’s words. If it were a simple matter of superior numbers, then my father’s decision would have already ruled. And if it had been that simple, I would have acceded to his wishes. But it is not; while those on the side of alliance are more numerous, they are also weaker. They are not weak as a whole, but as individuals, they do not weigh point-for-point against those on the opposing sides. This is why we have had a stalemate for so long, you see?”

Put simply, it was a matter of numbers and strength. On one side, there were more members, but each was of weaker strength, while the other had lesser numbers but greater strength. The two balanced each other out, and a decision could lead to one side being enraged at either being enslaved or left to fend for themselves. The strong didn’t want to be under the yoke of the weak, while the weak didn’t want to be left to survival of the fittest, where they would surely be crushed under the strong. This was the purpose of such a clash between the two. But if Soul Society was behind one side or the other, it would lend enough strength to that side to remove any stalemate, and leave the decision fully decided.

“I cannot make this decision, not without the firm and strong backing of Soul Society. I know that they do not want to interfere in a way that could potentially ruin an alliance with the Beast-Clansmen, but I can assure you that no matter what you do, even if you remain neutral, someone will likely disagree with or oppose you. By lending power to one side or the other, you gain the support of that side, and a peaceful alliance with those who are in charge of this new world. You will always have a side opposed, a side oppressed by the stronger force, no matter what you do. As one who is slated to be a leader herself, a Captain among the Shinigami, surely you must understand that there is no way to make everyone happy. There will always be those who suffer for the majority.”

Skofnung stood firm, his posture strong as he crossed his arms before Kimiko. He had the bearing of a leader now, as he presented the final decision. “Soul Society must have its decision made, Kimiko. If they do not, then they will have an alliance with nobody. The Beast-Clansmen will not ally themselves with someone too weak to pick a side. Make your decision.”

[Zahra]

When Zahra spoke, she heard the mumurs, probably because Skoll told the guards she couldn't speak. But honestly, at this point she didn't care. She highly doubted the wolf could do any kind of healing, because it would've made sense that he wouldn't healed himself from the injuries he sustained from the fight that they just went through. She had also never been in a pack, so she had no idea what she did was a bad thing.

All she knew was to ask or demand what she wanted, and she would get it. Well, that or they dropped it while they ran away, but she still got it. She had no reference on how to talk to her own people. It seemed like this was not the time to actually learn how to talk with them now. She kept her eyes on the lion, waiting for some kind of response. When he turned, however, she felt something was off about him.

Was it his power that she was feeling radiating off of him? She cocked her head slightly, trying to figure out what was wrong. Then, the huge wave of power hit. She tried to fight, but it was useless. She hit the ground hard on her hands and knees and she wore a look of surprise on her face. She had never met another Beast-Clansman with this kind of power before. What was he? To her, it was almost.....unnatural.

The wave left as quickly as it came, Zahra not really appreciating what just happened. When he spoke, however, Zahra got rather annoyed with him. Being called little one made her angry. Zahra wasn't little! She was the perfect height for what she did best, stealing shinies. She did catch the tone he used. She had seen souls in Rukongai use this with their children. It was that fact that annoyed her even more.

He then said since she was alone, she didn't deserve to demand to go there. Her needs shouldn't outweigh the needs of the many and she only cares for herself? She shouldn't have a say in the land because she cares for her survival?! Okay, now she was pissed. He immediately judged her before he knew anything about her. He had no idea how she lived, or what she did when she actually met a pack.

She immediately stood up quickly and just looked at him, seething. After he finished speaking, she would talk again. "HEY! WHO YOU HAVE SAY ON REALM?! I LONE BECAUSE MET NONE LIKE ME IN SOUL SOCEITY! ZAHRA MET KIND HERE AND TRY TO BREED HER! OBVIOUSLY THEY CARE ONLY ABOUT THEM, SO THEY NOT GO EITHER?! NO JUDGE UNTIL YOU KNOW! MAYBE I WOULD BE PACK IF I MET MORE IN SOUL SOCIETY, BUT WE FEW THERE! NOT MY FAULT!

ANIMALS VALUE SURVIVAL ABOVE EVERYTHING AND LOTS HERE THINK SAME WAY, FROM WHAT ZAHRA SEEN FROM PACK GROUPS. Lion too judgy. Zahra say lion shouldn't decide this on own. Poll EVERYONE to make fair. NEVER JUDGE ZAHRA AGAIN!" She yelled half of it and honestly, she didn't care what happened. If she was exiled, so be it. She barely knew any Beast-Clan in Soul Society and how could she miss something she hadn't seen in the first place? So she stood, again, waiting for this lion to speak.

[Kimiko Shihoin]

Kimiko stood where she was as the new Haunzu that had regenerated from the separated tongue that the original had bitten off and spit onto the ground moved to her left ankle. The small black and grey wolf pup looked up at the large lion with eyes of stern steel knowing full well everything that Kimiko did about the situation. In truth while they were different many of the spirits shared the same opinion on many things and right now both of the spirits that were released along with Kimiko herself felt the same about this current situation.

She was being pushed into making a decision for all of Soul Society and the Beast race itself at this very moment or else she risked losing the potential ally that the Beasts could become against not only the Vandenreich and Las Noches, but Hell as well. Soul Society wasn't all mighty although many of the Captains and Shinigami chose to see it as such. Kimiko knew that and she knew how important and needed allies were going to become in the near future although it went against her personal belief that the strong should lead in order to protect those that can't protect themselves it seemed she'd have to hope the Beasts could reach that same belief in time.

"We stand with you my Queen no matter your choice and remember you will be saving the lives of thousands when the Beasts become allies to Soul Society." Spoke telepathically the Haunzu that was currently moving around the lion territory to avoid being seen. While Kimiko knew that her spirits were always by her side it was still reassuring to have another opinion and to be reminded of the benefits and not just the costs to her choice. However, the Haunzu beside her suddenly lifted his head and began to sniff the air turning slightly a few times and then stopping to look up at Kimiko. "My Queen the Shadow of Nothingness is present."

Kimiko's expression for a brief moment changed from intense consideration and thought to that of mild surprise only to then become discontent annoyance. It seemed that someone she had once believed to be a friend was here in the camp and using Haunzu's sense of smell not only could he smell him, but Kimiko could as well. He was close to the main tent and forever reason was not moving. Kimiko didn't want any of the Beasts especially not Skongung to find out about the Shadow that was loaming over them all right now. So keeping the communication between herself and her spirits a secret from everyone Kimiko simply waved with her left hand gently sending Haunzu out of the tent. "My apologies Skofnung tracking the culprit seems to be much more difficult due to it's species."

"I've come to a decision. I believe that it's in the best interest of your race and Soul Society if at the moment all of the Beasts are allowed into the Realm for everyone's safety. It has become apparent that there are those that would wish to cause harm to any of you with authority. Once inside of the Beast Realm even if you all remain separated in your own packs I believe that meeting together to discussion problems that you all face as a race is for the best just as you have all come together now. Soul Society will stand as the ally of the Beasts in this time of war between so many different factions." Kimiko was finished speaking her mind and hoped that if nothing else Skongung didn't have plans to seize control right now.

As Kimiko had been speaking though Haunzu was on the move getting out of the tent and moving from that location over to the location where the scent of the Shadow originated from. It would take a few moments due to his physical limitations that his pup form was under, but he would reach him after those few moments. "What are you doing here Aevus this place is dangerous and the Queen won't be happy if you make a move on any of them here." There was no telling whether or not Aevus would have seen Haunzu coming, but the small wolf pup spoke quickly as he walked past Aevus from behind him as if he had said nothing. He knew not to make it obvious that there was a conversation happening right outside the tent, but Aevus needed to know that Kimiko knew he was there and more importantly didn't want him to make any action against any of the Beasts here.

Shikai: 3/4

[Zeich Yajuu]

“Enough.” Even as Zahra started to yell at Skofnung, following Kimiko’s answer, the lion seemed to vanish with an almost fluid grace, moving at an incredible speed that she couldn’t keep up with. Suddenly, a powerful hand gripped around her throat, squeezing firmly enough to reduce the air flowing to her lungs; she could breathe in gasps, enough not to suffocate or pass out, but her vision would begin blurring almost immediately. “You, a loner, should not dare to question my authority, and my knowledge. I judge those before me because I am experienced to do so. I am not one, I am many; I am the voice of my people, not just my pack, but all Beast-Clansmen. I have walked among them, I have lived with many packs. I have talked to the weak and fought with the strong. I have sat with those who have died, and I have been there at the birth of new lives.”

“Let me show you the strength of one who has become the voice and soul of an entire people, and not just a selfish, individual loner, who seeks to selfishly survive.” Suddenly his spiritual presence started to grow again, but it was not just his Gravitational Pressure this time. None in the room would be shoved downwards or slammed into the ground, but instead, it’d be the opposite; they’d feel their hair rising, their clothing seeming to float about them as though they were submerged in a pool of water. They’d feel the incredible density of the Reiatsu in the air, something unheard of for most Beast-Clansmen, whose spiritual strength was only modest at best. Yet it wasn’t a sense of outpouring Reiatsu; rather, it was a sense of drawing it in, taking from that around them.

Zahra and Kimiko would only see the rudimentary form of it, the growing swell of Reiatsu and the sensation of it being drawn in. Yet those who had a finer sense of Reiatsu would see that it was flowing from every one of the Beast-Clansmen in the room, Skoll included, and into Skofnung. There was no sense of draining, tiring, or exhaustion for Zahra, and Kimiko of course would remain completely unaffected. It was as though the young leader of the Scylding Clan was taking power from them without actually taking it, communing with each of the Beast-Clansmen in the room and becoming one with them on a spiritual level.

Suddenly, enormous wings practically glowing with golden plumage emerged from Skofnung’s back, and a single beat of those powerful wings sent a gale through the room that knocked several people down. Kimiko, with her strength, would be able to remain standing, but Skoll would be blasted backwards against one side of the tent. Another flap would leave the tent walls starting to leave the ground, the ropes holding them straining and creaking before snapping. Soon, the tent itself was collapsing, then blown to the side by yet another powerful burst of gale-force winds. They would be left standing in the center of the sanctuary, no longer covered, only the crowd around Eadgils hiding him from immediate view. All eyes would be on Skofnung, anyway.

The lion’s powerful legs flexed, and suddenly he lifted into the air, taking Zahra with him, still held by her throat. His grip was like an iron vise, unable to be broken as the two of them ascended higher and higher, until they were a good three hundred feet in the air. From that height, a fall would most certainly kill Zahra if Skofnung felt the desire to drop her. From there, it was the best place to make a strong point. “Now do you see what it means to be a part of our greater family? To be one with our clan? You loners see your own strength, your own selfishness, your own survival; though I do not condone the actions of some of our packs, they still band together, to stand strong and protect one another. Surely you have seen it, the bond between pack members, even when they may seem cruel or evil.” And indeed she had, in the fighting arena; Zahra’s opponents had suffered sorrow at the loss of one of theirs, despite their unkindness to her previously. They were a group, as opposed to the solitary loner.

“We, as Beast-Clansmen, are all descendants of the same original sin. We are all family, one great race bound by blood no matter how much it has thinned. Within our blood, our bodies, our very souls, we house the potential not just for our own species, but that of hundreds of others. It is thus you see: a ground-bound lion like myself can now soar to the skies, taking on the aspect of our winged brethren. Only those who are united as closely as we are can possess such a power. No other race has such an ability to bridge all of the gaps between the different members of their kind!”

Suddenly, another sense of drawn-in Reiatsu came, and the lion’s tail began to shift and twist, taking on armor-like plates that spread to the tip of it. The tufted end twisted and coiled, and soon the head of a serpent capped the end of Skofnung’s tail. In a moment, it had suddenly lashed about, twisting around Zahra’s arm even as the leonine leader continued to hold her in place. “And among our kind, only those who understand and embrace the unity among our many differences can draw upon the power of all. This is Lineage. Do you understand now, little one? Do you not see now that I understand more about our individuals than you could ever dream of?”

Suddenly, the serpent let out a long, warning hiss, as if reflecting Skofnung’s mood. “For your transgression against our people, for your selfishness, I curse you. For the sake of those who would live together when you would choose to walk past for the sake of your own gains, I curse you. May you know solitude, and may you forever walk alone, until the day comes when you truly understand the despair of being isolated from the rest of your family.” With that, the serpent suddenly struck, its fangs sinking deep into Zahra’s right arm, just above the elbow. The pain was light, the serpent’s fangs small, but the warmth that spread suggested venom of some kind, coursing through her veins.

The fur on her arm turned into a bright, vibrant red color, a single band of that crimson shade coiling itself around her as though a snake was wrapped around it. Its head started at the place in which Zahra had been bitten, and its body coiled all the way down to the wrist. When it had fully spread to just before the hand, the serpent removed its fangs, and no more pain came. The warmth of the venom was gone as well; it had marked her, but it had not crippled or injured her. Yet there was a sense of something more ominous to the marking, something darker than simply leaving a tattoo of alteration upon her limb. This was no mere marking, but by Skofnung’s own words, it was a curse. And even as the serpent’s bite ceased, the marking seemed to fade away, becoming invisible as it sank into her very being.

“Though the Beast-Realm will be available to all from this moment on, even selfish and solitary individuals like you, it will not be welcoming to those cursed with the mark of solitude, of sin. Know that, should you come to our world, you will be treated like the outsider that you are, the stray who has and wants no pack. The world itself will reject you for your sin. You are now Fallen in its eyes.” Those words spoken, Skofnung suddenly let go of Zahra, releasing his grip on her throat. Immediately, gravity began to take hold, and she began to plummet, falling towards the ground. Such a fall would surely be fatal, snapping the bones in her body and leaving her broken against the hard ground. Had he cursed her only to kill her? What was the sense in such an act?

Even as she fell, however, Skofnung fell into a dive of his own, speeding downwards as his wings folded at his sides, allowing him to not only catch up, but fly past her at incredible speeds. Before she had even crossed half of the distance, he was nearing the ground, and as she started to approach, his wings spread for landing. They gave one, two, three mighty flaps downwards, a mass of air exploding outwards once more. As Zahra drew close to the earth, those wings drew upwards once more, and a blast of air seemed to catch her, striking her like a fist to her body and leaving her jarred and battered from the sudden loss of motion, but stopping her fall long enough to reduce the speed to a survivable level. She would still land roughly if she did not catch herself, falling a good twenty feet to the ground, but it was better than being dead.

His power demonstrated, Skofnung let go of whatever ability he was using, letting the wings recede and his tail turn to normal. Once more, he stood as a normal lion Beast-Clansman, but the aura of power about him was unmistakable; they could still feel his strength, see how he had called upon the latent powers of his ancestry in those moments. Now, all would know that Skofnung was the sum of their peoples given flesh, one that understood and was one with those about him. No one would ever forget the sight that they had seen there.

But now, it was time to attend to other matters, now that he had demonstrated who and what he was. After a moment to catch his breath, Skofnung was ready. Kimiko’s decision was taken with neither smile nor frown, but rather, a neutral and accepting nod, and a lightly-spoken word of thanks for coming to a decision. Then, straightening, Skofnung seemed to consider his words carefully, deciding on the best way to respond, and then turned himself to face the gathered Alphas who were still kept together by the guards. Taking a deep breath, he began. “With the agreement of Soul Society, we have now come to a decision as to how the Beast-Realm will be given to the people, and the structure of our race within it. With the support of Soul Society, we will make the Beast-Realm accessible to all of our kind who wish to return to it. Those who do not are welcome to stay here, or return to Soul Society if they have homes there.”

The proclamation was met with stunned silence. Those who had expected order, shelter in numbers, and strength as a group looked almost disappointed, as though Kimiko had let them down, while those who lived by their strength, such as the bull Romus, were pleased by these words. Yet even as expressions shifted to give way to the emotions each side felt, Skofnung raised his hand again. “Yet we will not rest here, on this decision. We will see it through, and introduce the realm to our people. We shall reclaim our homes, settle our territory, and live in a world that is our birthright. But once that is done, we will once again come together, and we will once more talk about a system of unity and structure. Perhaps it will be a system of authority like my father envisioned, or perhaps it will be a council that comes to agreements to protect all of the Beast-Clansmen. That is for the future, and it is something we must all consider as we go forward now.”

All expressions became solemn at this point; those who had lost in their decision now showed signs of hope; unity was not lost, and perhaps in the end, this was for the best. Those who were smug and pleased were satisfied with the answer, sure that not only would they find their homes, but they would continue to work as a race despite their individual packs and territories. All were agreeable and amenable to the decision made, and Skofnung had given his address without the slightest doubt or disagreement. It was almost as though he himself were satisfied with the answer, as though it would be one he would have chosen. Kimiko had made a wise decision on behalf of Soul Society, and surely it would benefit relations with them later on.

With that in mind, Skofnung gave a pleasant, yet restrained smile to Kimiko; it was a calculated smile, not fake, but enough to show respect without being unprofessional. He offered his hand to her, a gesture of friendship from one race to another. “Kimiko. You have done our race a great service today. I only hope that from here on, we can continue to foster relationships between our two peoples. Once we are settled, we will allow passage for the Shinigami of your world to visit our home, as we have promised. Our home is one that will welcome friends, and shun enemies, and we count you among the former. Once more, thank you.”

((OOC: Just about done now, folks. One round of reactions, wrap-ups, and interactions, and then we’ll be done.))

[☾ Aevus | Umbra ☽]

Aevus was at an impasse, his fingers brushed the handle of his Zanpakuto with an overbearing hesitance. There was a weight to the weapon at that moment. The first conditions of his order seemed to be coming to fruition. He’d have to act soon if Kimiko didn’t change the beast’s mind. His heart beat began to steadily rise, after every second that he waited there. Thankfully he had the senses to listen to the conversation, so eavesdropping was a simple and rather easy feat. Kneeling beside the tent, Lumina’s ears would twitch as she heard the beast raise her voice.

There seemed to be some unrest in her voice as she spoke in that broken beastly tongue. "What are you doing here Aevus this place is dangerous and the Queen won't be happy if you make a move on any of them here." Aevus would release a hefty sigh at that turning to the wolf to reveal that sleepless visage of his. Was this one of Kimiko’s supposed wolves of her release? Judging from the fact that the wolf pup knew his name, he was afraid so. This sure as hell complicated things for the reaper.

For one, he no longer had the element of surprise and Kimiko was more than likely, a lot stronger now. It’d be next to impossible to capture the Alpha with a Captain there. Especially with it being Kimiko. Of all the Captains, why did it have to be her? One he actually once knew and sparred with. She was on par with him during their first fight, matching his skill with Hakuda alone. But she had also quickly rose in both strength and rank. He knew he was weak compared to her and she only seemed to grow stronger as time went on.

It wasn’t so long after, that she became a Captain. While he had remained an unseated officer and stagnated. What will we do now, Aevus? Lumina’s voice paraded through the reaper’s mind and he would clench the handle of his Zanpakuto in turn. “I don’t know yet...” He really didn’t and as he spoke he would look to his spirit gazing into those silver irises of hers. “We’ll have to wait, listen and hope that this wont come to pointless bloodshed.” He was clearly disheartened about the likelihood of that happening.

He remembered Kimiko’s brash nature from there bout in the human world and during her time in squad 2. But yet again she was a Captain now and people change. But yet again he never really got to know her beforehand. Maybe she could compromise with the Alpha and he wouldn’t have to act at all. He sure as hell hoped so. Listening carefully he remained silent as Kimiko finally came to her decision. A decision that caused Aevus to give a sigh of relief.

Lumina on the other hand fell away from the tent. She couldn’t see what was happening but she felt it. As if submerged, her furs began to stand on end. A burst of sudden air brought the reaper to his sandaled feet, causing him to fall back. He could hear the flapping of wings and beating of the wind against the tent. Lumina shivered as another force of air ripped that shroud away. Wide eyed and slack jawed Aevus was captivated as a winged beast sought to the skies. It was as if he was frozen in place from this beast’s mere presence. Even Lumina couldn’t look away.

A bird... It became apparent that this was a show of strength and power. Part of him wanted to run and he knew Lumina had felt the same way but he had to see this through. Whatever this Alpha planned would decide Aevus’s actions. He remained still as the gathering of beasts watched the winged Alpha fall from the heavens and give his speech. Tensely he stood, his eyes narrowing the Alpha. Aevus's grip on his Zanpakuto would loosen alongside the tightness in his chest from that gesture of friendship. “Lumina, let’s go.” The shinigami would begin to walk away with his spirit at his side. Not even giving a subtle nod or glance towards the Captain.

[Kimiko Shihoin]

Kimiko stood watching the decision that Skofnung had come to in regards to the black canine looking beast clan female that had been demanding entrance into the realm since she had come into the tent. Kimiko wasn't sure if she would do the same thing yet was surprised more so by the display of abilities than she was anything else. She could feel as the tension reached it's peak between this female and Skofnung the reiatsu within Skofnung changing and then she began to sense it throughout the whole area and yet it didn't feel like anything she had ever experienced.

Kimiko didn't know what was going on and in fact was actually both annoyed and worried that at any moment she might have to fight her way through not only Skofnung, but all of the other Alphas and none alpha Beasts that were present in the area while also doing everything in her power to make sure that Aevus wouldn't be devoured. She didn't know why he was even on her mind in truth. The two of them had only been friends for a short time and then after that he had stopped speaking to her. He avoided her as if there had been something wrong with her while making sure that he never stood out or tried to accomplish anything remarkable. Yet still despite her disappointment in him she couldn't bring herself to leave him behind if it came to that type of situation.

Thankfully though it didn't and she realized that almost as quickly as she realized she would do everything she could to save not only herself, but Aevus as well. This strange occurrence of reiatsu happening all throughout the area with every Beast along with Aevus and herself and all of it was going towards Skofnung. Normally Kimiko would assume this meant that Skofnung had some sort of ability that would enable him to absorb the reiatsu of everyone around him such as a Quincy yet this felt different. She didn't feel as if her source of reiatsu was being depleted it just felt different.

Kimiko watched as Skofnung managed to manifest wings from his massive back and soar upwards into the sky while restraining the female canine. Only through Haunzu's advanced senses was Kimiko able to hear the words spoken between the two of them. There was no question about what Skofnung's decision as punishment was for this female she was to be banished from everyone forever. Kimiko felt the punishment was a bit harsh yet Skofnung was likely making an example out of her for all of the other Beast watching the situation now. She was more interested in this ability that he was displaying which even allowed him to alter his long fuzzy tail into that of a snake.

Kimiko had never faced off against this ability which was actually quite aggravating for her at the moment. Kimiko believed that with the exception of the Captain Commander she was the Captain with the most experience facing off against Beasts and yet she had never seen this ability nor would she have believed it to be possess after fighting against them so much in the past. Normally Beasts fought in much the same manner as her with brute force and skill relying on nothing other than the power of the body and brain to claim victory. This ability though was so spiritual that Kimiko would have dismissed it as lies or miss information if anyone else had told her about it. The Captain Commander at the very least had to be informed about this new ability.

When Skofnung was finished with the sentencing of the canine Beast it seemed that he was finished with this ability as his body returned to normal. After that things seemed to just go smoothly as he agreed to what Kimiko had said only a few moment before everything had just broken down. The Beasts would all be allowed inside of the Beast realm while maintaining their packs. They would get together in order to survive as a race and make important decisions. Most importantly at least to Soul Society was that Kimiko had been successful in aligning the Beasts as a race together with the Shinigami gaining access to the Beast realm once it was opened.

Skofnung was forth coming about how he felt with the situation that had just been agreed upon. He smiled to Kimiko in a manner that Kimiko knew as mildly happy yet nothing involving bliss. She woudl smile back to Skofnung and shake his paw with her hand welcoming the new alliance and his kind words. "Do not thank me for all of the effort that you and your father did Skofnung my part in this was very minimum compared to the both of yours. I thank you for your kind words and hope as well that in the future we can strive to aid one another in making our races live on in mighty bliss. If you ever need a representative of Soul Society or an ally simply ask I will come to help you all."

Kimiko spoke how she truly felt more in those last few words than she had since arriving in the human world. She hadn't lied at all nor was anything she said false or twisted in anyway yet Kimiko knew that if the Beasts needed aid she would help them regardless of how the other Captains would feel. They were allies of Soul Society and thus the law extended to them now as well. Not only that, but Kimiko felt more attune with them than her own people some times which made this decision all the more easy. She would nod her head to Skofnung slightly and then turn opening a Senkaimon Gate as Haunzu shattered into black glass and reappeared in her right hand as the nodachi. She'd walk through the gates into Soul Society to report the good news and the potentially bad to the Captain Commander.

[Zahra]

Zahra was standing up and trying to explain herself and her situation. But, it seemed like this lion leader had had enough of her talking. She didn't even notice his movement and right before she actually spoke, she felt a strong pressure that was around her throat. It surprised her but for a moment before she growled slightly. She was listening to some of what he was saying and she just got angrier at him.

Wow, he was sure full of himself. Not questioning him? She thought that was what people did, ask questions when they didn't understand. He described his life and it seemed nice, but it seemed like he had never been to Soul Society or even seen how the Beast-Clan work there. He was making a lot of different assumptions about things. It seemed that he only really dealt with half of the Beast-Clan members.

After he stopped talking, she felt a weird pull and saw something weird happen to the lion in front of her. She growled again, not knowing what to do in this weird situation, but ready to try anything. Honestly, she probably couldn't mound any kind of defense like this, but she wasn't going to give up without a fight. It was then that she saw something weird. It was like a mass that was surrounding him.

She kept staring at him, wondering what he was going to do and trying to think up some kind of defensive move. Then, huge glowing wings popped out of his back. Huge....Golden....Wings..... and she was immediately distracted by the golden shininess of his wings. She was curious how in the world a lion could grow wings, but it was so shiny.... Her and the stupid shinies that she liked so much. But, then again, she couldn't help herself with shiny things.

He started to beat the wings and in her peripheral vision she noticed that he was pretty much destroying the tent they were standing in. Why would he try to destroy the tent that some of his people were in? She really didn't care too much, but from what he said, it would seem like he wouldn't actively want to hurt his own people. But....his wings were so.....shiny. If he looked at her in the face, he would see her just staring at his back.

She didn't even really notice that they were actually flying until she felt the air go over her fur. She then looked around and noticed that they were in the air. She tried to look down and noticed that they were several feet in the air. She still didn't understand how he could do this, but she tried to look for something she could throw at and there was nothing. She was pretty much at the mercy of this lion in front of her.

He wanted her to look over the land and she did. He talked of the groups banding together when the time is right, even if he didn't approve of what some of the packs did. If he wanted to lead, shouldn't he try to get them more in line? Like they all have set guidelines or something? She saw the Jackal pack again and growled more. Those stupid Jackals tried to make her breeding stock without even knowing her.

All the Beast-Clan here seemed to just make random assumptions about loners....about her. Oh, now she knew that he just didn't care about any point of view but his own and as long as everyone went along with it, there would be no issue. But, if one person questioned anything, he would have to do something about it. Obviously, no one had actually done what Zahra had done to him. She just kept growling, angry that he wasn't listening.

He talked about only Beast-Clan being able to do what he's doing, drawing on the power of other Beast-Clan races so he could fly. She saw another weird gathering around his tail and it turned into a snake. What?! This was getting weirder and weirder. He then said that if she embraced the differences of all the Beast-Clan, she could do this too, but honestly, she had barely seen any other breeds until now.

The lion then started to talk and she didn't really listen till he said the words I Curse You. She snapped her head to stare at him in the face. What!? What in the heck was he doing? She was trying to explain, but no..... Because she wasn't saying anything he wanted to hear, he was purposefully ignoring her. She was being..isolated? She felt a little pinch in her arm and looked down to see the serpent had bit her.

Suddenly, she felt a warm sensation from the bite and saw a red mark appear on her fur. It was a snake slithering down her arm, well her forearm. It then slowly disappeared and she was pissed. WHY IN THE HELL DID HE CURSE HER?!? She was growling louder now, at this stupid lion for not listening. It seemed that the Beast-Clan Realm he was talking about was open to everyone, but she would be shunned.

So, she came to see this place and even though she could go, what was the point if she was going to be shunned the entire time there? This lion had made the decision for her. She couldn't go there. He let her go and she knew she was either going to die or he would save her. She went more towards the death side. She thought back on what happened and she just got angrier. This stupid lion didn't even listen. She tried to explain and nothing...

She saw him dive past her and she was confused. He wasn't going to let her die? What?! But then, of course, he punched her with the air his wings were causing before landing. She was hit hard and made no effort to even catch herself. He probably could've stopped that too. So, she laid there for a moment, collecting her thoughts while the lion turned back to normal. No one said anything. Everyone here was....cowards. It was the only thing she could think of.

She slowly stood up and the anger was just starting to boil over. She had never gotten this angry before. She glared at the lion and looked through all the Beasts pretty much cowering around him. Oh, she had had enough of this place. The angrier she got, the more of her reiatsu would rise. It wasn't like his, but people would notice that her body was physically changing. She screamed loudly and her release was completed. Her hands now had bony growths over them.

Zahra continued to rage in her spot, glaring at everyone around her and clenching her fists, unknowingly gathering heat in her fists. "YOU!! HOW FUCKING DARE YOU CLASSIFY ME BEFORE YOU KNOW ME! GO TO SOUL SOCIETY AND SEE HOW LIFE IS THERE FOR US, YOU SELF-CENTERED ASSHOLE! MAYBE LISTEN TO OTHERS BEFORE YOU JUDGE PEOPLE YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT!" She looked towards Skoll, the smart talking wolf who was mysteriously silent now. "Zahra thought you better than standing quiet, Skoll. Zahra know better now and look for another to help in future."

Heavily breathing, she was still angry. She had come here thinking she might have a new place to call home and she was harassed by her own people, but then beating their butts in the arena with Skoll. Then, Skoll shut up in the tent with the asshole lion who didn't listen to new people or loners, which was stupid. She flipped both middle fingers towards the lion and everyone else in the tent. She angrily walked out, release still out and fists still clenched. She growled at everyone coming towards her and when she would punch, would get damage close to the worst fourth degree burns. She went back to Soul Society, trying to figure out what to do now.

[Zeich Yajuu]

Finally, the air seemed to settle, the tension beginning to abate. Even though the marked female had chosen to storm off, ill-content with the brand that Skofnung had placed on her very soul, things ended on a relatively pleasant and intriguing note. Indeed, the young leader had shown an impressive ability that few among the Beast-Clansmen knew existed, and no one outside of the race did. This ability had been given a name in its demonstration: Lineage. It was the ability to draw upon the shared ancestry of all Beast-Clansmen and take it into one’s form, allowing for drastic changes that were normally not available to those of a particular species. For example, the ground-bound Skofnung had shown the ability to take flight, going where most non-avians could not.

And now, allegiance had been established between the Beast-Clansmen and Soul Society. Skofnung had granted the Shinigami access to the Beast-Realm as well, once his own people had moved into it. From there, they would be able to study this new world, learning more about it. Who knew what could come from such research, but the opportunity to examine a completely different world was filled with limitless possibilities. Squad 12 would probably have a field day over this news, once it was delivered; they would have a whole new realm to test and experiment on. Of course, any field testing would have to be approved as safe for this world, but other than that, they would be given fairly free reign.

First, though, the way to the Beast-Realm had to be opened. This was difficult; as far as everyone knew, Eadgils had been the only one possessed of such knowledge. None of the Alphas present knew the way to the Beast-Realm, or odds were that they would have gone there already themselves. That meant that they had to hope that Eadgils would survive in order to get them to this world; if not, all their agreements and decisions up until this point would be rendered moot. Yet Skofnung seemed unconcerned by this; he had pushed Kimiko to make a decision on behalf of Soul Society despite the fact that Eadgils’ death meant that none of it mattered. He had a surprising level of confidence about him, as though he knew something the others didn’t. But now, after all the decisions had been made, what was next? How would they proceed? Would they wait out Eadgils’ recovery, or was there something else that Skofnung had planned?

It seemed it was the latter. Skofnung gestured for a guard to come forward, speaking quietly. Kimiko was, of course, close enough to hear what was said. “Clear the arena. I have an announcement to make. Pass it on to the other guards, and send them through the packs to gather our audience.” The guard gave a salute and then ran off. Giving a small smile to Kimiko, Skofnung gestured her forward, and the two of them slowly made their way out to the arena. The other guards let the remaining Alphas free as well, though they still moved protectively to guard Eadgils; though the lion’s son was their interim leader, he was still seen as the ruler of their pack.

Led by Skofnung and Kimiko, the group made their way towards the arena. The crater had already been cleared out, though blood still stained the ground in several large patches. Without slowing, Skofnung leapt down into the pit and made his way towards the center, still leading Kimiko. He gestured for the other alphas to stop at the edge of the pit, however; they were to be part of the audience, not the spectacle. Even as the two strode to the center of the large arena, Beast-Clansmen were pouring in from all over the sanctuary, representatives of the many tribes that were currently there. Kimiko would see more species than she had ever dreamed of in this small area, all surrounding her, their eyes on her. This would be a moment to remember, one that could change an entire race.

Eadgils waited for a few minutes after reaching the center, remaining quiet as he let the final few representatives push their way to the front to see what was going on. His eyes scanned the crowd, as if gauging its size to determine the best moment at which to speak. But eventually, he took a step forward, and raised his voice so that he could be heard. “Brethren! My fellow Beast-Clansmen, my people! I am Skofnung, the interim leader of the Scylding Clan while my father, Eadgils. is incapacitated.” This sent up a clamor among the audience, who had not been present during the meeting, and the Alphas blanched, looking put off by Skofnung’s seemingly casual announcement of his father’s incapacity. “Though an agent of hatred towards our people has struck my sire down, despite this time of turmoil, our peoples have come together in unison, along with those from Soul Society, to make a decision and determine the course by which we may help guide our race.”

Skofnung let the murmuring rise to a frenzy, letting the crowd build up its own energy without his stimulus. He waited patiently, watching, gauging; he seemed to know how to work the audience. Finally, though, he raised both hands to get their attention. “Today, with the support of Soul Society, we have agreed to open the Beast-Realm not only to those who follow and support the Scylding Clan, but all of our people who wish to go there.” This brought a whole new clamor that would have drowned out any words, had Skofnung continued to speak. There was a large mix of emotions in the air at this point, ranging from joy to confusion to fury. Skofnung gave a gesture to his men standing among the crowd, and they started to try and calm the situation enough that the lion could speak.

Once it had died down slightly, the young Scylding leader spoke again. “While I would go into the finer details of it, including our plans for the future, I believe that we have all waited long enough to return to our ancestral homes. Though in the future, representatives of our packs will meet again in order to determine the best way to handle our territories, our freedoms, and our peace, I believe that right now, we should first step into this land that is our birthright. I believe that we, as a people, should finally go home! I, Skofnung, have been given the gift by which to lead our people back where they belong! And I shall use it today, for you, my brethren, so that we may return to our lands!”

With that, Skofnung reached into a pocket and pulled forth what looked like an engraved disc, big enough to fill his hand. In the center of the disc was a serpentine shape, a shifting, twisting snake that wrapped around a circular object, one that could be mistaken as a misshapen fruit or similar. Its fangs bore into the object, whatever it was, and lines of venom ran down the side. Taking the disc, Skofnung closed his eyes as though in prayer, and then tossed it onto the ground before him. The serpent seemed to glow, and then actually rose from the disc, floating into the air. It expanded and grew as it left the golden surface, twisting into a large circle nearly twice as large as a Senkaimon. When the full circle was made, the serpent’s tail emerged from the disc, and its teeth caught its own tail, making a full loop.

A void of space appeared between the serpent’s coils, an empty, black void. Yet it was merely a tunnel, several feet long; at the end of it, light emerged and showed a rolling grassland at the edge of their view. A breath of warm, humid air flowed through the opening, and the natural scents of an untouched wilderness greeted them. Skofnung smiled, and raised his voice one last time for all to hear. “It is time, my brothers, my sisters; it is time for us to go home. I ask only one favor, in return for this passage: that we all go through in peace, as one unified race. Once there, I plan to establish a new Sanctuary, one where our people can live and intermingle freely, a territory for all that wish to live together! Join with me, that we may live in pride, as the members of the Beast Clan!”

While the edges of the arena roared with new approval of this announcement, and with that, Skofnung started towards the portal. He gave a friendly smile to Kimiko even as he advanced through the portal. “Go back to Soul Society and bring a few of your scientists who wish to explore our land. We will grant you access from this portal here, and once there, I will show your people how this portal is created. I hear it is easier to understand when you do it from the other side. For now, let your leaders know that today, you have achieved peace among the Beast-Clansmen, and an alliance with our people. Soul Society will be known as our friends from now on.”

With that, Skofnung started towards the portal. However, in that moment something strange happened. As he stepped through, into that tunnel of darkness that existed between the worlds, the lion was surrounded by what looked like smoke coiling about his body. The shape was fuzzy, but it looked as though a pair of spectral serpents were clinging to his form, their fangs sunken into his form. One had sunken into Skofnung’s chest, the other into the back of his head. As he passed from the shadows into his new world, however, the images appeared to disappear like smoke. None other would show that same reaction as they passed through the portal. And as they stepped out into the light, into the warmth of their new world, Skofnung turned to address those who were emerging behind him. “Welcome, all, to our ancestral home, the land sealed away when our ancestors fell to their original sin.”

“Welcome to Eden.”

This is the end of the first part of the Beast-Clan Event: Lore of the Wild. What awaits in this new land of Eden? Stay tuned for Lore of the Wild: The Beast Within.



Zahra – 1600 TP and 1600 Ryo
Kimiko – 1600 TP and 1600 Ryo
Aevus – 800 TP and 800 Ryo

[Johnwaluigi]

4 pages at Medium difficulty (DE level): 2000 TP and 4000 Ryo to Z