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“...No it doesn’t, does it?” Waffle sighed. She hoped that wasn’t the reason she wasn’t getting many customers today. Hungry, happy smiles on dragon’s faces, as they bit into their favourite donut or croissant, was something she wouldn’t miss for the world. Shame one person had to ruin it for everybody.

Waffle waited for Melody to ask who it was, looking unsure. “I don’t know. Hestia came by earlier, and immediately ran off thinking I said it was her. Didn’t want to open her door to clear up the misunderstanding. Dragons probably began to think it was her, poor thing.”

When Melody mentioned the hat, Waffle looked up at her again with surprise, and then a laugh. “Hah! I like your enthusiasm, always so lively! If you need me to play Watson, I’ll take a spare hat. Sunka and Angus are probably hot on the perpetrator’s heels, but it doesn’t hurt if keep an eye out, eh?” She gave Melody a little nudge. “And I bet the song will be absolutely wonderful, you’ll have to sing it to me sometime. Speaking of, now the boring, adult warnings have been said, and you be careful now, how about we talk about your projects? I’m dying to know about them!”

[center][size=6][b][u][emoji=sun]The Evening[emoji=sun][/u][/b][/size][/center] [quote=The Exile] [center][emoji=torch] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [emoji=torch][/center] The Clan was entirely filled with activity from morning till evening. After everyone heard of Hastur’s bone-chilling experience, they started discussing and thinking up their own theories about what had happened. Most of them voted Hestia, the adventurous Spiral. She was Hastur’s sister, but she could have easily obtained anything on her travels that she could use for malicious purposes. Others were simply stunned and confused with the sudden turn of events, and followed the majority’s line of thought. Eventually, Sunka and Angus tallied up the votes with Hestia having the most by a long shot. Sunka solemnly declared the Spiral’s fate, “Hestia, for the attempted murder of Hastur, you are now exiled from this Clan.” The Spiral looked shocked, shaking her head and saying, “I would never try to kill my own brother…” Seeing that no one was truly convinced by her defence, the Spiral sighed in resignation and packed her bags, leaving the camp by nightfall. [/quote] [emoji=ping][b]Oh no, an innocent Clanmate down…[/b] [u]Hestia was a Civilian.[/u] [emoji=comment]The Nighttime starts now. Guard and Killer PM me with who you want to guard (Guards) or kill (Killer). Seer and Magist can PM me as well, if applicable. And if you still haven’t joined the Discord, hurry and do so [url=https://discord.gg/XQpNSZ4]here[/url]! [emoji=subscription update]@GayScreeching @Winterrox66 @ThanosBottomText @TumbleweedArmy @DuskofDawn12 @SweetToothArt @Greyh0und @Kristan @CorvvusCorax @HolyShipper @unicornponies @SuddenlyJoxar @skittlebow @CryptikAngel @ShadowWyvern15 [quote=Current Allegiances] [img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/191007/b1b1c456a953124e9a311e8a69a7eddf.png[/img] [emoji=gold crown][b]Leader:[/b] Sunka | Male | Tundra | GayScreeching | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/386#post_40842687]Link[/url] [emoji=silver crown size=1][b]Second-in-Command (Pit Fighter):[/b] Angus the Lion | Male | Tundra | Winterrox66 | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/386#post_40841160]Link[/url] [emoji=d20 size=1][b]Demon:[/b] Raiden | Male | Wildclaw | ThanosBottomText | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/385#post_40838039]Link[/url] [emoji=wing size=1][b]Emperor:[/b] Yes, Maybe & No | Female | Emperor | TumbleweedArmy | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40844916]Link[/url] [emoji=purple gem 2 size=1][b]Magician:[/b] Starclaim | Male | Imperial | DuskofDawn12 | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/385#post_40837562]Link[/url] [emoji=cauldron size=1][b]Mad Scientist:[/b] Arian | Male | Tundra | SweetToothArt | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40846204]Link[/url] [emoji=gear size=1][b]Mechanical Engineer:[/b] Colton | Female | Coatl | Greyh0und | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40853111]Link[/url] [emoji=candle size=1][b]Miner:[/b] Kazaya | Female | Gaoler | Kristan | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/391#post_40884781]Link[/url] [emoji=maple leaf size=1][b]Adventurer:[/b] [s]Hestia | Female | Spiral | CorvvusCorax | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/385#post_40838250]Link[/url][/s] [emoji=special eyes size=1][b]Performer:[/b] Melody | Female | Skydancer | HolyShipper | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40852459]Link[/url] [emoji=money bag size=1][b]Merchant:[/b] Hastur | Male | Spiral | unicornponies | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40845069]Link[/url] [emoji=ceramic jar size=1][b]Potter:[/b] Clayscale | Female | Guardian | SuddenlyJoxar | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40843654]Link[/url] [emoji=apple size=1][b]Baker:[/b] Waffle | Female | Tundra | skittlebow | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/386#post_40841369]Link[/url] [emoji=gust size=1][b]Knitter:[/b] Pan | Female | Guardian | CryptikAngel | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/388#post_40861010]Link[/url] [emoji=music notes size=1][b]Therapist:[/b] Arthur | Male | Imperial | ShadowWyvern15 | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40854649]Link[/url] [emoji=familiar heart][b]Relations:[/b] ? x ? -> Angus the Lion, Clayscale ? x ? -> Hastur, [s]Hestia[/s] Arthur x Pan -> Unknown Sunka x Waffle -> Unkown [ 7 females // 7 males // 14 total ] [/quote]

[center][size=6][emoji=crescent moon 2][b][u]The Nighttime[/u][/b][emoji=crescent moon 2][/size][/center] [quote=The Kill] [center][emoji=skull] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ [emoji=skull][/center] Pan was feeling quite dizzy. Sure, it was night time and sleepiness was setting in, but she never felt this dizzy before. It was as if someone had fogged her mind over. This was very strange, and very worrying. Staggering to her desk, she squinted to look at her materials and tools. There. An exposed needle, its tip reflecting the lamp light into her eyes. She could swear she saw something on that needle. Something deadly. Outside her den, Hestia watched Pan collapse helplessly onto the ground, a victim to the poison-tipped knitting needle. She smiled in her victory, then a sound behind startled her. Turning, she saw another dragon, half-concealed in the moonlight. She narrowed her eyes, asking in a low whisper, “What are you doing here?” The dragon tilted their head. “Me? Well, Hestia, I have a confession to make. I’m the one who tried to kill Hastur.” Hestia’s eyes widened, filling with rage. “You? I never thought--- I--- You tried to kill him--- What’s wrong with you?” She advanced upon the dragon, but they rushed away in a flash. Snarling, Hestia raced after them, following them down a archway and down stairs and leaping down platforms. Eventually, she realised she’d followed them into the mine. Blinking in the semi-darkness, she looked down the path that was lit by a few torches. Not seeing the dragon anywhere, she growled, “Come out. Don’t stay in the shadows like a coward.” “Ah, let’s not start getting a little violent, shall we?” The dragon stepped into the light, raising their claws. Up above, Kazaya had been alerted to the noise and intruders in her mine. Cautiously, she headed down the steps into the mine. Strangely, as she approached, the voices seemed to silence. She peeked down, then gasped in shock at the blood splatters all over the walls. There was a clang behind her, and she saw the dragon throw some of the torches through the air at her. She glimpsed the burning fire with wide eyes, before she felt its searing heat on her scales. Then, the pain was gone and darkness consumed her entirely. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The Clan would find Kazaya’s badly burnt body in the mine the next morning. A bloody trail would lead out of the mine and out of the Clan camp, which would eventually reveal to be caused by Hestia’s wounds. [/quote] [emoji=ping][b]Seems like the Clan has suffered great losses...[/b] [u]Pan was the Witness. Kazaya was a Guard.[/u] [tl;dr: Hestia killed Pan by poisoning her needles. The Killer lured Hestia into the mines, where they fought and Hestia, injured, escaped out. Kazaya went into the mines, where the Killer threw a burning torch on her. ] [emoji=comment]The Voting starts now, put in your post who you would vote to exile as the Killer. You may also discuss or put in your assumptions/facts [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325]here[/url] until The Voting ends. And if you still haven’t joined the Discord, hurry and do so [url=https://discord.gg/XQpNSZ4]here[/url]! [emoji=subscription update]@GayScreeching @Winterrox66 @ThanosBottomText @TumbleweedArmy @DuskofDawn12 @SweetToothArt @Greyh0und @Kristan @CorvvusCorax @HolyShipper @unicornponies @SuddenlyJoxar @skittlebow @CryptikAngel @ShadowWyvern15 [quote=Current Allegiances] [img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/191007/b1b1c456a953124e9a311e8a69a7eddf.png[/img] [emoji=gold crown][b]Leader:[/b] Sunka | Male | Tundra | GayScreeching | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/386#post_40842687]Link[/url] [emoji=silver crown size=1][b]Second-in-Command (Pit Fighter):[/b] Angus the Lion | Male | Tundra | Winterrox66 | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/386#post_40841160]Link[/url] [emoji=d20 size=1][b]Demon:[/b] Raiden | Male | Wildclaw | ThanosBottomText | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/385#post_40838039]Link[/url] [emoji=wing size=1][b]Emperor:[/b] Yes, Maybe & No | Female | Emperor | TumbleweedArmy | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40844916]Link[/url] [emoji=purple gem 2 size=1][b]Magician:[/b] Starclaim | Male | Imperial | DuskofDawn12 | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/385#post_40837562]Link[/url] [emoji=cauldron size=1][b]Mad Scientist:[/b] Arian | Male | Tundra | SweetToothArt | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40846204]Link[/url] [emoji=gear size=1][b]Mechanical Engineer:[/b] Colton | Female | Coatl | Greyh0und | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40853111]Link[/url] [emoji=candle size=1][b]Miner:[/b] [s]Kazaya | Female | Gaoler | Kristan | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/391#post_40884781]Link[/url][/s] [emoji=maple leaf size=1][b]Adventurer:[/b] [s]Hestia | Female | Spiral | CorvvusCorax | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/385#post_40838250]Link[/url][/s] [emoji=special eyes size=1][b]Performer:[/b] Melody | Female | Skydancer | HolyShipper | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40852459]Link[/url] [emoji=money bag size=1][b]Merchant:[/b] Hastur | Male | Spiral | unicornponies | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40845069]Link[/url] [emoji=ceramic jar size=1][b]Potter:[/b] Clayscale | Female | Guardian | SuddenlyJoxar | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40843654]Link[/url] [emoji=apple size=1][b]Baker:[/b] Waffle | Female | Tundra | skittlebow | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/386#post_40841369]Link[/url] [emoji=gust size=1][b]Knitter:[/b] [s]Pan | Female | Guardian | CryptikAngel | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/388#post_40861010]Link[/url][/s] [emoji=music notes size=1][b]Therapist:[/b] Arthur | Male | Imperial | ShadowWyvern15 | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/forga/2558325/387#post_40854649]Link[/url] [emoji=familiar heart][b]Relations:[/b] ? x ? -> Angus the Lion, Clayscale ? x ? -> Hastur, [s]Hestia[/s] Arthur x [s]Pan[/s] -> Unknown Sunka x Waffle -> Unkown [ 5 females // 7 males // 12 total ] [/quote]

The pies were warm and ready, straight out of the oven. It seemed Nana Pan had been late to come today, which wasn’t the norm... Which worried Waffle. Especially since Nana was living alone and being an older dragon...

Waffle quickly closed up shop for a break, a little more rushed then normal, not even closing the hooks properly. Grabbing a pie, she flew over to Nana’s carved stone den, and stood before the looming door. “Nana?” She called. And called again. She might just not be able to hear me from here. She started to believe this more and more, as she approached the smaller door carved into the bigger one and she could hear the familiar gramophone playing.

The door creaked on entry. “Nana?” Somehow the large guardian sized cloakroom seemed empty and cold, as if time had stopped. Surely just the slippers, right? Since they’re not here, Nana must be home. Carrot Cake’s slippers were here, ready for her return. Waffle walked up to them, and sized her own feet next to them with a smile. “Wow, I haven’t realised Carrot Cake grew so much... She’ll be excited when she comes back, there will be so much to catch up on.”

Next to the slippers, she saw a bag partially open, full of knitwear. It looked like a mountain to her. But she did catch a note near the surface, pinned to a dark blue scarf with autumn leaves: ‘Hestia, I’m sorry for the misunderstanding, I didn’t want to vote anyone, it seems I had to. You are such a darling.’ Ouch. Waffle turned and continued onward, her padded paws making such an echo as the den was so huge.

As she got closer to the living room, the tick tock of the grandfathers clock echoed louder and louder in conjunction with her own steps. “Nana? Are you here? I came to see you.”

Nana should be here... Waffle could see the half eaten pie on the table as she slowly paced forward and was able see more into the living room. But when the gramophone starting skipping, anxiety began to fill her with dread and the pain in her head returned. Her voice was starting to crack.

“Nan-?“

She saw a wing level with her eyes.

The pie dropped and splattered all over the floor.

“Oh my goodness!” Waffle rushed to her aid. “Nana! Oh my dear-“

Realising it was too late, she hugged Nana’s big muzzle in despair. Her vision blurred, but she did manage to catch a glint of something that wasn’t her tears... A needle...

Her stomach turned as the cogs turned in her head. Suddenly feeling terribly afraid, Waffle knew she had to get back to Sunka. She may not be here alone.

Turning one final time to Nana, Waffle let her paws droop. She tried to speak, and though she managed it, it was with a heavy heart and through sobs and cracks. “I am... So sorry. I will hand out every single scarf, sweater and slipper you have knitted for you, I’m sure you would have wanted it. May you have a peaceful rest.”

Waffle flew in a tearful rush to tell everything to Sunka.

This very early morning, Colton learned a very powerful lesson in psychology: one can associate the result of an event with the event itself, even if it comes from a different source. In theory, a dog would hear her owner ring a dinner bell and instantly salivate, yet the same dog may salivate at the sound of a bell a passerby's outfit. Colton associates the smell of smoke with Nolan's daily toy tussles. Even the faintest scent of burning embers could send her up with the emergency bucket. Today was a prime example of that, with a once-sleeping Lynx being doused awake and his owner in complete confusion.

Colton had no time to feel guilty about Nolan's rude awakening. If she hadn't started the fire, who could have? To find out, the Coatl skipped her morning routine and wandered out of her den. She followed the faint wisps of smoke, her confusion turning to concern as she stopped just outside the entrance to Kazaya's mine. She wasn't a miner, far from it, but Colton was pretty sure fire had a dangerous role in the underground. She carefully stepped into the Gaoler's property, fixing her goggles as to not let the smoke in her eyes.

"Kazaya? What's the meaning of all this smoke?" She masked her worry with her usual ornery attitude, keeping an ear out for any response. When none came, she shuffled deeper into the caverns, lightly waving a hand in front of her face. She could barely see in the darkness.

"Don't you have a proper ventilation system?! You've got me acting like a fi-"
She cut herself off as she tripped over something. In the darkness, she felt around for a torch to light and found ashes and some sticky substance on the wall. She quickly felt what she tripped over and her blood ran cold: it was a body.

Colton dashed out of the mine, stumbling through the entrance in a fit of coughs. Raising her hand to cover her mouth, she saw the dark redness of blood still smudged to her claw tips. She had no idea if it were an accident, but if Hastur had truly been attacked, there's a chance that whatever she'd stumbled into was deliberate. She dashed off to find Angus, leaving single prints from her bloody claws.

Something—no, someone was on fire. Angus had tried to ignore the concerning smell at first—all too often had he rushed out of his den, awoken by the scent of fur and flesh burning, only to discover that it had only been Colton's troublesome companion Nolan. After so many pointless scares, he subconsciously learned to ignore the scent, no matter how much it disturbed him.

The amount of time it took for the smell to dissipate should have been his first warning that something was wrong. Colton almost always doused her companion rather quickly, so for him to continue to smell the burning and smoke for so long was definitely a red flag. Still, he tried to convince himself that it was nothing, it would go away... And then he remembered what Hastur had told him the previous day, and in an instant he was springing up onto his paws, rushing out of his den and following the scent with his sensitive nose. Who cares if it was just Nolan—the lynx might need help, anyways!

He could feel his heart drop to his stomach as he ran, realizing that the scent was leading him towards the mine and not Colton's den. Had there been an explosion? A cave-in? Was Kazaya down there when it happened? How could no one have heard? How could he have been such a careless fool?

Before he could reach the entrance, he intercepted a rather shaken Colton dashing towards him, and he practically caught her rushing form in his arms as he skidded to a halt in front of her before backing up to look into her eyes worriedly. "Colton? What were you doing in the mine, is everything alright?" The metallic scent of blood almost immediately assaulted his sensitive nose, and he suddenly recoiled away from her, swiping a paw over his nose uncomfortably. Sure, he was plenty familiar with the smell of blood—it practically was a given with his career in the pit—but given the circumstances...

"Are you hurt? Ah, deities, I've never been good with treating wounds..." Lowering his head to sniff at and examine her seemingly-wounded hand, he felt a chill rush down his spine, the fur along it bristling in response. Something about the blood was off—somehow, it didn't smell like it belonged to Colton. No, that smelled like...

"...she's down there, then?" His voice was hardly above a whisper, and his lip slowly drew back into a snarl, his large canines bared in a rather frightening manner. Overcome your fear. Change it to anger. You can't allow yourself to cower when your clan needs you. "Then you..." He drew in a slow breath, calming himself to a less unapproachable level. "You must have found her then, right? That's why you came to me..." Of course that was it—who would be foolish enough to attack someone and then run out in broad daylight with their blood literally on their hands? But then, that must mean...

Oh, deities, I smelled it, I smelled her, and I did nothing. I was so careless... and now she's dead.

The Emperor saw smoke coming from the mines, as well as picking up a strong smoky smell. Like burnt flesh. "Oh my, oh my!" Maybe whispered, flaring her pair of wings open. "Someone's burnt themselves badly, huh?" No scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Probably nothing serious. That engineer's little lynx most likely weaseled it's way into Kazaya's place and burned up her things." Yes squeaked excitedly, thrusting her head forwards. "Really? Maybe we can play rescue and get it out!"

They raced to the mines, seeing both Angus and Colton outside the mines. "Oooo, the stench is really bad now..." Yes said. Maybe's ears lowered. After yesterday she was on edge, and now it seemed that someone else fell victim to another attempted murder. But this time, it looked like the killer actually succeeded.

The trio stepped over to the two. "Was someone killed?" Maybe fearfully asked, her whiskers quivering. No whispered back,
"Most likely, look at how much they're shaking."
"Shush! You're so insensitive sometimes."
"I'm not insensitive, I'm just reading their body language to answer the question you asked."
"Oh, so you're putting the blame on me?"
"No, I'm just pointing out your faults."
"Whatever!"

Colton was used to her morning panic being over by now, sated with a steaming cup of tea or coffee. Skipping her routine left her shaky enough, but to walk into the remnants of a murder left the Coatl shaking to her core. She couldn't get an alarm clock to work, much less protect herself from a ruthless killer. She calmed a bit seeing Angus and his air of authority: he had the political and physical power to stop whoever thought they could get away with this.

Colton was ready to spill everything, until he recoiled and went for her bloody hand.

"I-I don't know if it's hers." She stammered, quickly wiping the blood off on the ground. She already looked suspicious, trailing blood out of a murder scene.
Slightly cowering under his glower, the frightened Coatl regretted running to the one dragon who could snap her in two. But Sunka probably had other responsibilities, and the rest seemed too innocent and too guilty at the same time.

She decided to just spill the rest, in hopes that he wouldn't suspect her if she told the truth. "It's all over the walls. She- I- I tripped over her...body. I assume it's her, I don't know!" Her nose burned and she was glad her eyes had been covered: she would have tried to blame her small tears on the smoke if anyone had seen them. Since she had nothing useful left to say, she quickly turned and started the slow trek back to her den.

Sunka had woken up early that morning, cuddling into his mate as sunlight filtered into their room. He wasn’t looking forward to getting up, gods he didn’t want to leave the nest, but after the fright that yesterday brought he knew he needed to get up so when the sun became unbearable he grumbled and pulled himself out of the nest. Waffle and him spent the first half hour or so of their morning having a quick breakfast together before Sunka gave her a kiss and left to go deal with his daily duties as the clan leader. Gods he wanted to go back to bed.

As he left their den he took a long breath of the morning air, body relaxing slightly at the smell of dew that came up to meet his nose. The pleasantness of the morning only lasted for a few moments before another scent reached his nose. With his face practically buried in his mates fur earlier he hadn’t been able to pick up on the smell from inside but now that he was out his sensitive nose caught the scent of fire. It was much too late in the day for it to be from Colton’s den, he only ever caught wisps of the scent from her den when he passed by later in the day.

With his face scrunching up in worry he sniffed the air again, trying to pinpoint where the scent was coming from. It only took a moment for him to figure out where it was coming from but as soon as the realization hit him he was filled with dread. The mines. Kazaya.

Without another thought Sunka raved towards the mines, paws practically flying over the ground as he ran to the Gaoler’s ‘den’. As he raced through the clan his body grew, his face elongating slightly as his canines grew in length, the fur that covered his form practically doubling in density. The panic had made him more wolf than dragon.

When he reached the mines he didn’t even process the sight of Colton and Angus outside the entrance, the only thing his mind could process was the smoke, the terrible smell of burned flesh. Every hair on his body stood on end as his yellow eyes scanned over the entrance to the mines. He had to do something, he had to help her. With a low growl resonating in his throat he practically threw himself down into the mines, ignoring the smoke as he raced through the tunnels. He was going to save her. He had to save her.

Sunka didn’t feel the heat as he ran through the tunnels, he couldn’t feel the way his throat tightened at the feeling of the smoke, the way his eyes burned as he threw himself through the thick black clouds. When he finally reached the lowest part of the mines he saw the flames, the bright orange ethereal tongue of fire that ate everything in its path. In the center of it all was their faithful miner, the kind gaoler who spend her days below the earth to help the clan. He didn’t know if she was alive or not but he had to try, he had to try and save her if she was.

With a roar he threw himself into the flames that licked her body. Without another thought he grabbed her scruff in his mouth and started to pull her out of the mines, kicking up dust as he pulled the larger dragon along. He would save her if it was the last thing he did.

Up through the mines they went, the dirt and dust finally putting out her charred body as Sunka pulled her from the smoke filled caves. It felt like it took ages to pull her from the darkness below the earth but eventually he did. There was light behind him before it suddenly surrounded him, the sunlight bathing his charred fur. Once they were clear of the smoke he let go, letting her head drop to the ground before he looked up, eyes alight with the same fire that had consumed his clan mate, his friend. “Kayana needs buried. Deserves that much. But not in mine, body should rest with friends. Where friends may rest one day too.” His speech was less than elegant as he looked at the dragons around him, even through he had an audience of two.

With the gaoler’s body retrieved the adrenaline that had fueled him dried up, leaving him exhausted. All he wanted now was to curl up with Waffle in their nest and hide from the world, he wanted to protect her from this, from all of this. That’s when Waffle showed up, the familiar sound of her paws striking the earth as she ran reached his ears just before he felt her plow into him, hiding her face in his chest fur.

Sunka was startled by the sudden arrival of his mate but the gods knew he needed to see her. Without so much as another thought Sunka buried his face into her neck fur, trying to hide from the world in the embrace of his mate. That was until he noticed the tears. “Waffle... what happened...?” Sunka’s voice was soft as he looked down at her, unintentionally hiding the body of the Gaoler from his mate’s sight with his body. If he could spare her anymore pain he would.