2019.04.28:Revitalizing Totem Hill

Revitalizing Totem Hill
The Halcyon pride attempts to jump-start the growth potential of Totem Hill, and fight a monster
IC Date	April 28, 2019
IC Time	Early evening
Players	Sonya, Aidan, Jordan, Alexander, Antonio, Natalie, Halcyon
Location	Totem Hill
Spheres	Gaian Bastet

Having summoned the pride to Breckenridge Manor, Sonya has the large luxury SUV gassed up and ready for travel. She is sitting on the steps of the manor, waiting as she taps her thumbs along her phone with a hum in her throat. She's wearing a pair of dedicated workout leggings and a matching sports bra with a windbreaker on. The van is full of barrels of water, as well as barrels of chicken and pig blood that they were able to obtain from a number of local butchers. They have the components, now they just need to make the drive over and carry what they can up.

Aidan had spent some time ensuring both water and blood were Cleansed, getting them as purified as he could for the nature of the ritual at hand. He's got on hiking boots and cargo pants, with a tank top on over it. All sturdy and old looking, the sort that's easy to just get rid of rather than trying to clean. He's also loaded some extra Cleansing supplies in the back, as well as towels and spare clothes. He's leaning against the work van, waiting patiently for the others to arrive.

Alexander doesn't have much to bring himself, but save a backpack of Tony's herbalism supplies and a couple of gallons of pure water. He'll ride with the others out there, rather than trying to drive yet another vehicle.

Natalie arrives, wearing a pair of maternity jeans because, frankly, that's the best she could do, and a tank top. She gets out of the car, a charcoal mustang, and reaches into the back to lift out a duffel bag before she turns to stride toward Sonya. "Hey."

Tony arrives of course with Alex, and shadows him in whatever vehicle. He also has a pouch and additional supplies just in case they are needed.

"Hey guys." Sonya says as she pushes herself upwards, heading for her SUV as she takes out her keys. "I'm borrowing Brandon's beast today, one of his twenty or something. We have /so/ much water and blood in there. Also got a few hand trucks as well to help carry them out once we get as far as we can drive." She climbs into the car and rumbles the engine. "Ready when you guys are. Can all drive up with me if you want."

"Yeup. Not that I can't lift some barrels, but gotta save these muscles for any throwdowns." Aidan says with an easy grin and moves to help with any unloading to the van. "Yeah, van's got room, and less suspicious without a whole convoy. Everything else is loaded, so we're ready to roll out. Just call dibs on a seat."

Natalie nods and she walks over to the SUV and pulls open a door to climb in. Simple as that. "Sounds like a plan." She says simply.

Alexander lets out a low, rumbling chuckle and gladdly takes an available seat. "Has anyone determined the amount of damage yet?"

"I did a walk by a few days ago and saw some of the damage, and it was enough to make me shudder. I didn't go any deeper into it." Sonya says once they are all settled, then puts the SUV into drive to carry the pride upwards and onwards to Totem Hill.

If no seats are left by the time Tony gets into the van he'll curl up in Alex's lap. "I heard there wasn't nuthin' left up there at all. Like somethin' had nuked it. I never been up there."

When everyone rumbles on over to ye olde parking spot, things look the way they should when you're out in the middle of nowhere. No one around at the moment, it's hot and sunny but the heat is ebbing away, and nothing immediately leaps out to murder everyone. A ways up the trail leading to the burned hill, sitting on a jumble of rocks, is a ridiculously regal looking jet black house cat. Just sitting there, looking amazing and soaking up the sunlight.

Once the SUV is parked, Sonya brings out the hand trucks and starts to stack the barrels of water and blood upon them with a low grunt. "This is going to be a very long day for us, my family." She says with an optimistic grin. "And it will be the greatest day of our lives, I hope." As she heads down the trail, pushing her own handcart carefully, she pauses at the sight of the cat before them. "Hello." She calls over curiously. << Spirit you think? Familiar? >>

"Nuked is a sufficient term. I don't know if someone didn't hug August enough as a child or something, but he really has anger management issues." Aidan remarks as they set off. One long drive later, he steps his way out of the van and into the ashen landscape. He wraps a bandana around his face to help filter the worst of any dust they'll kick up and begins the process of unloading while Sonya addresses the spirit.

Alexander keeps his eyes and ears open for other attendees to this little party.

Natalie climbs out of the vehicle as well, and slings the duffel over her shoulder, careful with how she does it, which means there's probably blades in it. She comes around to take one of the hand trucks after it's loaded, though she doesn't try to lift on it herself, not with the prominent belly she now has.. She then looks up toward the black cat, and she murmers softly, "Mistress?"

Tony helps as much as possible, chosing to help the pregnant Natalie and take as much of the burden as he can off of her. He glances towards Sonya and the cat.

Alexander is good for heavy lifting! "I hope we brought enough." his eyes drifting to the cat and Sonya a moment, before looking around, especially toward anything that might provide cover for a stealth approach

The cat up ahead slips off the rock before anyone gets too close, but keeps popping up along the major hike. (Remember to hydrate!) It's always just up ahead, just lazing, sunning, and waiting on the pack mules to come along. After this long hike, the wind has taken a bit of a cool turn, and the description of the area is as you see on the room desc. Scorched, carbonized, utterly destroyed. There's a bit of mangled dirtbike hanging from a tree, but there's not much else in the way of man-made debris outside of bike parts.

Glancing upwards at the dirtbike hanging from a tree, Sonya gives a furrow of her brows. "Alex, think you can get that down?" She asks as she pushes the handcut into the ash covered area. She takes a few steps forward and sighs. "Look at this place. How terrible. This is depressing." She kicks a bit of the dirt about with her feet. "I'll take a peek in the Umbra real fast and see if we got trouble. Most of us know the cleansing rite as well if necessary."

Alexander lumbers and swells, clothes stretching like they were purple pants as he takes his Sokto form for better reach. This desolate place seems to hold few possible onlookers, and his ears in that form should give plenty of warning.

"Realistically, we may have to do this a few times to cover all of the area." Aidan says towards Alexander as he takes his own Sokto form for the extra boost. "But we'll handle the core of the territory first." He works on hauling one of the barrels along through the soft ash and dirt as they come upon the site. "...fucking mess. I hope the ash never washes off his hands until he's made contrition for this."

Tony glances around the area, his face reddening from the hike, "This looks like one of those end of the world movies. Quess we need to pick up all these parts 'n shit before we kin start the ritual?" He just starts doing it before he gets the answer."

Natalie gives Tony a smile of thanks for the help. With his help she gets her hand cart to the area. She stops and gazes at the destruction for a moment, then says to Sonya, " Ican help with looking." She approaches the woman as she offers.

Giving a nod to Natalie, Sonya smiles, then reaches out with a hand as her eyes shimmer with a blue ethereal light. It's almost as if they were flickering much like the light on a movie projector would as she pierces the gauntlet with her vision to stare.

A large black cat, sleeker and less boxy than a panther, appears noiselessly atop a sun warmed stone just a ways away, curling her tail around her paws and watching with an unreadable and mysterious expression."

Alexander gets the bits of dirt bike, and gathers them together, careful to keep anything that might be leaking with the opening upright to not spill.

Aidan watches his sister at first to study her expressions, but the arrival of the cat refocuses his attentions. He dips his head to the feline in a gesture of respect, but otherwise waits with the supplies they've brought up so far.

Giving her eyes a few blinks, Sonya shakes her head out. "We're clear. There is nothing on the other side. It's all dead over there as well. No other wildlife is near by. No birds, bugs, nothing." She says as she lets out a breath. "So, let's get sweaty then."

Tony is still busy gathering up little bits and pieces and placing them out of the way in a pile. His eyes shift back to the cat curiously from time to time

Natalie spends a moment more than Sonya, looking at the black cat. When she blinks her eyes back into focus, she dips her head to the black cat respectfully. Slowly she approaches the black cat as much as the cat allows and she speaks softly and respectfully, "Are you here to witness?"

"Why does that news not comfort me?" Aidan says with an unsettled sigh. "Well, let's get hauling then. Alex and I can handle the barrels if you guys want to map the area and the route we'll be taking this time. Make sure the way is clean." Then he's off back down the hill with the dolly to begin the long back and forth hauling job.

As if in answer to Natalie's question... ~There was a pure reason buried under all this desolation.~ The voice slips through the minds of each Bastet and kin present as if by pack-chat, and for each there's no mistake that the voice belongs to the large, unusual cat. Feminine, purring, no-nonsense and with that air of mysteries between her words, she turns her head to look around the burned out hillscape as the folk pick up, set up, and get ready for their ritual.

Alexander closes his eyes a moment, and then reopens them. "If that is the case, then the slate has been wiped clean, and the time to rebuild has come."

Nodding her head, Sonya looks over to the spiritual cat. "We will fix this." She assures the cat with a smile. "We will, for that is our purpose." She gives a look upwards, then plucks up a barrel once she takes her Sokto form. "I'm ready."

Natalie dips her head to the beautiful feline, and says quietly, "Will there be worse harm if we heal the damage done? It feels wrong to all of us to leave the hill damaged and decimated."

Tony blinks when he hears the voice, and can't help but look at the ground at his feet for a few moments. He continues with his work until the others are ready to start.

It takes a few trips to get the several barrels of cleansed water and blood, as well as two wheelbarrows. "Figure this is the closest to traditional we can get and still be practical. Load into a wheelbarrow, then walk and dribble as you go. Since the ritual has a farming overtone, this seemed reasonable." He looks to his pride and then the feline. "I'm ready to get this started if everything looks right."

~Do more than fix it.~ The Mistress' voice sounds pleased with the dedication that she hears and feels in those present, but with a nudging and almost motherly tone, ~Learn from it. What wouldn't you do to protect the Bastet from monsters? Where do stop before protection becomes ruin?~ The cat turns to look at Natalie and answers after a moment, ~All things move in cycles. If you have the strength to try...~ When it looks like the ritual is ready to go, she lapses into silence once more. It'd be rude to be distracting during this, after all.

Alexander looks the hill over for a long moment. "Where do /we/ stop? After the Ritual that is? Clutter it in arcane protections? Restore it and let it run it's course?

"We respect ferocity, but there is no place for needless ruin just to prove you're big and tough." Aidan says as he starts opening barrels. "I'm an angry cat, but temperance is key. Otherwise, you just end up another monsters. So, let's get this place back on the road to recovery. It'll take time for everything to regrow, but we owe it to the Mother and Nala to give the earth a bit of a helping hand. So let's get this show on the road."

Nodding her head, Sonya begins to give out instruction on how the ritual begins and ends. She will take the water, while Aidan will take the blood. With a quick confirmation through their pridal link, she goes in one direction while he will go the other as they chant in tandem in the mother's tongue the prayers they had to memorize. She will take it slow, trickling the water along the ground. The plan is simple, when one barrel is empty, Alex, Tony, or Natalie (and Jordan!) will hand them another barrel quickly. If they run out, the rite will fail, and they must meet back where they began.

Natalie nods to the black cat, then turns to come over to the rest. She prepares to follow Sonya with more water, and follows after her, outside of the circle she's making, with another water barrel.

Alexander drags the bike parts away from the area they are about to fix, following the Twin's directions as far as placement of ritual needs.

Aidan saves his sister some of the barrel lifting and empties out the water into her 'barrow and blood into his. "Already Sony, lead the way with the water. If you need a refill, just signal to the others and they can bring it in. No one else cross or mess up the line until we've completed the circle. Ideally, we don't want the supply to run out, so we may have to refill while moving." He remains in Sokto for now just in case there's unexpected guests. Once Sonya begins moving, he'll follow.

The ritual isn't just a single blast of magicy stuff at the end, but a slow, steady resurrection of the area's will and ability to live. Drawing the essence of the fertile earth up to combat the destruction and sterility, attracting the spirits that stir creation and vitality. The spiritually perceptive of you can feel that slow, steady build up as the ritual begins, a soft hum in the soul as water and blood dribble onto the land on their respective paths. At first, all is well, but the area is laaaaaaarge and this is going to take a little while to get done. Good thinking on those wheelbarrows!

About five minutes into the ritual, the ground rumbles. Just a tremor at first that shivers the blood and water in their basins, and then a real shake that sends stones skidding down the hill.

Tony looks to Alexander, but unless instructed otherwise he just waits for orders to help refill and in the meantime watches the area around them as he normally does. As the tremors though his eyes widen. "Is... is that what is suppose to happen?"

Alexander quickly moves to steady the basins, keeping his ears open to listen for what is causing the tremors, if it's not part of the ritual anyway.

Continuing to move through the area, Sonya grasps the wheelbarrow tightly, chanting louder to the sky above as she asks for rain, to the soil below to ask for life, to the sun to bring energy to those that will soon rise from the ground. As the ground shakes, she keeps moving, trying to hold the instrument steady as she trails the water in a line. She is calm, for now, casting a glance now and again out towards where Aidan walks.

Aidan keeps up his low chanting, speaking in a melodious blending of Kheur and Korean, following in the path of the wet earth and staining it red with blood. Water to wash the land, blood to feed it, words to bid the spirits for healing and restoration. He does look up at the tremors, and the expression on his face suggests he does not recognize this from the learning of the ritual. He shoots a look towards the rest of his pridemates with a warning narrowing of his eyes, but he doesn't dare stop what he's doing or his chanting.

Natalie is ready to swap out barrels, or refill them, as needed so there is no break in the flow. She stumbles briefly when the ground starts shaking but she sets her jaw and steadies herself and continues, trailing the twins.

~Oh dear, it looks as though you have a problem.~ sounds the feline's voice in the heads of the pride, a certain mischievous yet confident edge to her tone. And then *blip*! Just like that there's a small explosion at the top of the hill. Rocks rain down in all directions, peppering the ritual crew and just generally being annoying. "Raaaaaaaaar!" It sounds much scarier than it looks when it's typed, the sound emanating from up on the hill, pretty much in the middle of the area being spiced up.

Jordan was there to lend hands, voice, gnosis - whatever it takes. He kept an eye on the proceedings, maybe to help - maybe to learn. At the explosion, he glances up towards the sound. "Damnit." He growls, digging his feet in - ready to shift if needed.

Alexander doesn't like the sound of that one bit. So its a quick snarl and feet hitting dirt as he pushes himself toward the sound of incoming battle, clothes fading into nothingness, and claws kicking barren dirt up behind him as he propels himself into the fray. Or whatever awaits at the top of the hill.

<< Jordan, Alex. You need to protect us. Tony, Natalie, keep handing us barrels. >> Sonya says as she continues to push the wheelbarrow in an attempt to not spill anything. She focuses on her gift of royal armor to protect her.

Aidan takes to his Crinos form, because at least if he's gonna get pummeled with a rock or monster he'll be better equipped to take it. But Armor of Kings is not a bad idea either, and so he tries to divide his focus just long enough to fire it up while keeping up his chanting. Crud crud mystic stuff crud.

Maahes' Sword summons up the power of the ancient warrior kings of his people, and shrouds himself in their blessing.

Tony pats his pouch, and his pockets, reassuring himself that his healing vials are within easy reach if necessary and stays alertful and ready to refill as needed, heal or whatever he is needed for.

Jordan shifts up to his war form - growling in response to the roar up the hill. Claws dig into the dirt, the Qualmi setting himself for whatever might barrel into him.

Maahes' Sword last, but not least, the Simba lets out a deafening roar as he makes it to the top of the hill, or at least within sight of their prey, bellowing his challenge to the heavens.

All four paws dug into the earth, Russet Paw growls in defiance of what monster might come.

From up at the top of the hill, a monster crests the rise, rushing and scrabbling towards the pride, tripping and sliding along the slope. It's a mangled, burned monstrosity, it's impossible to determine what this thing was before it went through an incinerator, but what it is now is a fused amalgamation of tortured beings. Snapping mouths, screams, clattering bones and seared flesh, it radiates pure rage and agony as it attacks the first thing to disturb its pained cowering.

An uneven number of legs of different sizes, the creature throws itself towards the group for the last few yards, intent on knocking Sonya and Aidan's barrows down and ending this ritual.

The over-sized prehistoric Lynx does what he can - using his mass as as weapon. As the multi-limbed monster leaps towards the rite, Russet Paw leaps into the air at the beast - sinking his four paws into the side of the critter and knocking it off it's trajectory.

Maahes' Sword has the physical power to overwhelm a Mac truck. His armor near impervious to harm. He is a living engine of destruction. He is also loud, noisy, and not the best tactician. As the Kzin found out, scream and leap has what most would consider the expected results. The mass of flesh and spirit hears the roar, and sees him coming and begins the initial pounding. It gives the impression of Spike pounding Tom into the ground like a tent stake. Why do his fights seem to start like this? Uncertain, but even when dice ARE being rolled, his first attack sucks.

Tony, tense and alert, has to hold himself in place as Alex and Jordan are rushed by that 'creature', forcing his eyes instead on Sonya and Aidan doing the ritual and standing by with Natalie to rush to the when they need refills. He gives his trust to the two Bastet to protect their backs. The next few moments seem like a century to the boy.

Strike-of-Heaven looks to the charging beast with a look of dismay, but it's the sort of a kid at someone else's birthday and looking at the toys with absolute jealousy. Oh how he'd love to fight, and the very sight of that fire-birthed monstrosity sets his blood boiling with outrage at August, but he's got a job and he does his damndest to stay focused and keep at the ritual. Just keep chanting, Aidan, just keep chanting and walking and maybe walk just a little faster and hope it doesn't get through his pridemates.

As the beast rushes down upon them, there is a deep SNARL from within Fire Runner's chest as the fur puffs up about her neck and shoulders. She unleashes the snarl of the predator gift at the creature in an attempt to strike fear and give the monster pause, so that the rest of her family can swoop in and attack.

The combined push-back of Russet Paw and Maahes' Sword help to avoid the two barrows being flung away, and it answers the fear inspiring snarl with a scream of pain and fury. It strains to get at the ritual pair, but these fucking cats are in the way.

A face of bone and charred meat snaps at Russet Paw, and sharp, stabby legs of fire hardened wood try to make a shish-kebab out of Maahes' Sword.

Like a sneaky bastard, one of those spikey legs tries to slip around the side and stab itself a barrel toting Kinfolk.

Maahes' Sword manages to move out of the way of the stabby. Mostly, enough for his armor to do it's work. But like a tub getting thumped, he gets knocked down, but he gets up again. He doesn't have to actually /kill/ the creature, just keep it away from the twins. As long as it's moving away from them, toward him and Jordan, he plays it defensive. Dodge, duck, block. Whenever it turns, or changes priorities, he's on it like fleas on a bone gnawer. (or any damn mutt) clawing and hissing and snarling.

As Russet Paw's claws dig into the flank of the creature - he clings on for dear life. Not much room for dodging, not when you're trying to rodeo a monster to the ground. He doesn't realize the bite was incoming - only realizing it when it tears into his side. With a growl, and hiss of pain - Russet Paw is shaken free (taking some bits of the monster with him) and tossed to the side.

As she continues to push the wheelbarrow, Fire Runner chants louder, as if to defy the Enemy even more. She gets a refill from Natalie as the streaky cheetah zips a fresh barrel of water, pouring it into her tool so that she can continue soaking the ground.

Out of the corner of his eye he catches sight of a spiky leg coming towards him and POOF, he and his barrel have shifted positions. But he was a hair to slow, and feels a sharp pain. Glancing down he notices a tear in his worn jeans, but there is little real damage outside of a scratch. Mentally he thanks Journey even as his attention goes back to the twins, rushing with a refill when they call for it.

If the moon were any bigger, Strike-of-Heaven would be having a really hard time of keeping focused on the ritual over the battle. Oh it's hard, the Rage pulling at his gut and making his skin and fur prickly uncomfortably. He has to buckle down and hone his will to keep his focus. There's a startled hiss of warning through the pridal link as he sees the creature angling for Tony. His physical voice keeps up the chant with a note of relief as Tony isn't badly hurt and he nods for a refill.

Up ahead, so close yet so far away, is the completion of the ritual. Seeing it is probably great, but then again serves to prove how slow the mystic arts can be. You cant rush this stuff! Meanwhile, the creature dogs the ritual pair the entire way, desperate to stop this horrible build up of energy. It wails and shrieks with misery as Russet Paw tears a great chunk out of it, displaying insides filled with charred bug spirits churning and roiling, spilling from the wound and going into hysterics trying to find a place to hide. They don't attack, they're just icky. Spear-like legs stab and sharp teeth snap at the defenders.

As the ritual reaches its last leg (last pose round), the creature becomes more desperate, skittering backwards and giving a full on bull rush, trying to bash through the defending cats and take out those god damned tigers.

Maahes' Sword maybe took a shot a little to hard to the head earlier, and puts his straining muscles into just /pushing/ the creature back uphill. Bits and scratches and gauging digging in to draw blood past fur and armor as he just wants a little space to work with. Of course, then it decides to bull rush past and he gets himself stomped. Into the ground. Again. But this time just grabs hold of those legs and holds on like a kitten to a yarn ball. Tangle tangle tangle as he becomes living tied together shoelaces.

As Natalie refills one of the twins barrel he jumps again to refill the other's. The end of the ritual was in sight! Tony keeps chanting that and has to use sheer willpower to stop from being distracted by the raging battle going on just to their sides.

With trust in her pride, Fire Runner does not waver as she continues to chant, practically screaming the words to the sky as she calls upon the spirits of the lands to renew and come back from the ashes. Another barrel is swapped out and more water is trickled along the ground as she can see Aidan just in front of her, where they will meet where they once began.

Unlike his other warrior fellows, Strike-of-Heaven has no supernatural armor. He tried, but all of his energies must be going into the ritual, for there is no shimmering silver or stony green cast to his fur. So when one of the legs of the creatures goes flying his way, it spears right through one of the Khan's legs. It's only by sheer strength of muscles and will that the wheelbarrow doesn't topple over entirely, though a large wave of the contents does splash to puddle on the ground where his own blood flows. With a pained and defiant yowl, he slashes his claws through the leg to split the carbonized wood and collapses down to his Chatro form. With his rear right leg still run through and crippled, he's forced to use his jaws to hoist up the 'barrow and limp on his three remaining legs with an agonized slow speed, growling out his chanting that is heavy with pain. Hopefully he can make it to the end.

The circle is complete, and as much as Strike of Heaven is really feeling like laying down right now, the job isn't finished. He reaches around to yank free the thick stick jammed through his leg. He drives the red stained end into the earth and channels his spiritual power through it like a conduit fueled by his own blood, pain, righteous anger, and hope. Step by limping step, he drags a furrow through the ashen earth.

As she meets her brother, Fire Runner slips down to all fours and begins to drag her claws through the ashen ground, continuing to chant loudly to the spirits to bring life back. She feeds strength through their pride link, to keep up the battle, to stay standing, to give back to the land. We can do this. We /got/ this.

Maahes' Sword swats as the creature lashes out at Natalie, digging claws into dirt, and struggling to just hold it a few moments longer. It's not easy mostly ignoring the attacks sent Tony's way, but it doesn't take long to figure out Tony's teleportation has that handled.

As the circle is completed, Tony pulls vials out and readies them for Aidan and any other wounded, but doesn't dare to cross the circle even though he can clearly see the agony he is experiencing. As they begin to dig he starts muttering under his breath something that sounds like a prayer, or could be a spell. It's hard to tell with the battle still going on with that creature.

The circles of blood and water are closed, and as the Khan connect the energy lines by hand (paw, whatever) in a particularly vaginal sort of way, the monster fights and shoves against the blockade of cat. It's been torn half to pieces by now, kept moving with sheer desperation and an endless personal hell; broken bone, missing charred legs, and a trail of fleeing buggies lie in the wake of the struggle. It collapses under the attacks of the defending cats just as the furrow is finished, while the pair finish the last of their chant and channel their need, lying there as a heap of craziness. The blood and water lines flicker to life in a spectrum of light beyond what humans can see, red and blue, swirling with the gnosis shed into the ritual, the chared ground sparking lightly with a greenish hue.

And just like in your classic slasher flicks, right when no one's looking right at it, the monster jumps up to murder everyone! But don't worry, it erupts in green flames instead and dies horribly and very noisily. It's not the green of balefire, but of meadow grasses and spring green leaves, giving off no heat, leaving not even ashes behind. The light of magic fades, and a few seconds later a bird can be heard chirping close by, and a bug banks off Tony's forehead on its clumsy flight.

Maahes' Sword lays there, looking up at the sky. Ow. Painful. Ohhh.. pretty lights. Is it naptime yet? He's a cat, of course it is. Lay there. Soak it in.

Breathing heavily, Fire Runner collapses next to her brother, her throat raw from the loud screams and chants. She curls her large arms about him, burying her face into his neck and shoulder, letting out a raw sob of joy as she can feel the magic of life surrounding the lands once more.

By stick and even the ends of his saber teeth, Strike of Heaven finishes the line. The lights blind him, but he can feel the life in the air and the cascade of the monster's end in a burst of springtime freshness. And then he just tips over on his side outside the circle in a plume of ash and squelch of ruddy mud. He pants with pain and exhaustion, but his face shows his relief and joy at their success. He butts his head up against his sister and grunts out, ~Let this place be known as the Circle of the Mother, as a reminder of what we are fighting for, and what we should never harm, but be willing to give our lives for. Always.~

Tony swats at the bug that pops him. "Eeeeeeeeeeeew." But then he realizes the difference in the place. He can /feel/ the difference. He can /hear/ a bird. YES! His face breaks into a grin, his thin body shivering a bit from the multiple 'Nightcrawler' hops, but there is obvious joy is his exhaustion. He wants to shout, but his voice comes out in an awed whisper, "We done it...."

The Mistress of Cat Kind, in that guise of some long lost species of large black cat, pads out of nowhere and into the group of exhausted and spiritually drained cat folk. ~The price of going too far. It would have burned out on its own and you would have never known it was there on the other side.~ Oh yeah, that's right. Cat Mom brought that here! Maybe to make up for the deception, she travels amongst the worn out kitties and kin, licking wounds and healing her children. ~It was best that you understand, that you learn. That all this meant something to you.~ she purrs in agreement to Strike of Heaven.

Nodding her head in agreement, Fire Runner rumbles out to her, ~Thank you mother, for the lesson and the reminder. Halcyon will always do what is right to keep the mother safe, pure, and healed.~ She relaxes into the embrace of her brother, curling her large arms about him, giving a lick to his cheek in comfort.

Maahes' Sword nuzzles into the healing and attention all friendly like. Thankful, grateful, deferent. All those little things cats do to say 'I love you too' that involves their snuggle time before sitting up, stretching, and reverting to a more normal form

Tony doesn't find it hard to go into a crouch as the feline nears him, and then to his knees, tired and happy for the help, attention and affection. He nuzzles his head back against her fur and although he can't purr he does issue a pleasing similar sound from his throat.

Strike-of-Heaven rumbles out a noisy purr as he rests in the presence of his pride. His eyes turn from them to the spirit as she heals their hurts, a slow blink offered to their patron. ~The pride will see that the land is protected, to be a place that all who serve Gaia can come and learn the lessons of what pride and power cost. Thank you, for showing us.~

~You're welcome.~ The Mistress purrs, and once she's seen to the physical ills, if not the spiritual drain, of her kiddos, she stands and says, ~I have other children to see to, protect your efforts...~ She steps into the shadow of a large boulder and is gone.

Final Fantasy 7 Level Up music plays!!