Frogspawn Swamp the doctors saved you,

@Eldritch, AW

The swamp would have been more welcoming and travelable if it were still winter, or if it had happened to be later in the season. As it was, the ice was too thin to be safe, already beginning to splinter apart in the middle of the water as the temperatures rose with spring's arrival. Even the muddy shores of the stagnant waters was melting, thick and sucking to her paws as she lifted them from the mire with each step. It was most unpleasant but the night-child had suffered worse than a little mud and persevered, pushing on as if the muck did not bother the pietist in the slightest. Later, though, she would wash the black mud from her feet and ankles with great care.

A strange rock, for there were a few mixed in amongst the imprisoning, tar-like mire, drew her dual-toned gems and attention alike as they moved along. She gave Eldritch a small poke  with her inky nose, gesturing as she moved off towards the dark stone -- which was marked by strange white lines. As she trotted closer, stopping before the solidified chunk of riverstone, the dark girl saw that they were not lines but bones, several skeletons of frogs encased in the stone -- forever on display like an exhibit at the museum. 

"A sign of Sithis," Mati would lilt to the Nightwish when she had seen too. "We are on the right path, yeah."

The large white brute was travelling back to the pack he called home with a branch in his maw tiny green buds bloomed on it here and there. He held the branch almost reverently for he was going to replant it in a place worthy of this plant and a place where he'd have access to it's herbal wonders.

Intrigued by voices he drew closer and he too looked at what was being pointed out, His deep word rumbled around his precious cargo "The gods certainly enjoy their tribute." He smiled hoping not to surprise them or intimidate them with his hefty bulk.

The swamp indeed was unwelcoming, sucking at her own paws with wet noises as the Nightwish traveled alongside Mati. Once they stopped, Eldritch too would bathe and get rid of the muck. 


Pulling her attention to Aerenys as she felt the poke, the Seer pulled beside Mati as the Melonii pointed out the skeletons of frogs, a sign from Sithis. 

"Agreed. I think we may find a home not far from here." Eldritch mused. 
Immediately at the presence of a stranger, the Seer turned with alarm, ethereally unsettling white eyes shooting into Vein. 
Tentatively at his words, she relaxed "Do you too know of the Daedra?" 

The Priestess failed to notice him at first, absorbed as she was by the unique fossil of amphibian loss, and gave a small startle when the ice giant drew near speaking of the gods. Eldritch had already asked the question that the man's words spurred to her mind and peered up at the pallid Priest in wait of his answer. Perhaps it was not the Daedra he spoke of but some other false gods of another land.

He shifted into a more comfortable position and sat in the mud oblivious to it clinging to his pelt, he was not one for vanity only comfort and standing took far to much energy. and a conversation of the gods, well he could speak for hours on that topic

"The gods are known by many names, no matter what name they are known by they all deserve tribute, The gods I serve are pleased most by blood sacrifices."

He tested this new word out "What is it the Daedra seek?"

Interest sheened through Eldritch's white gaze as Vein spoke. But, unsure of how to answer past what little she had learned so far, the shadowhound remained silent and allowed Aerenys to answer instead. False information was a sin Eldritch didn't intend on straightening out later, best to leave it to the more seasondd witch.

Mambo's lips curled in a wicked grin. "Death," the raven purled up to the pale giant, her deceptively soft octaves a rasping hiss not unlike the voice of the serpent she wore around her neck. "Your gods. They are not so different from the Daedra, yeah," the witch murmured in consideration, mismatched gaze flickering earthbound in thought. They snapped back up to the blood-streaked male's molten gaze after a beat, somber and serious. "But our gods are not to be mistaken. They are never pleased. Never sated. Not by blood, not even by death. They are chaos embodied -- the abyss of the afterlife's unknown darkness." Her thoughts turned to the falling star they had just witnessed, tearing into the earth and breaking open the realms of hell. 

"You would know them if you met them. They are prideful gods. You would know their names if they had spoken to you," the Bayou wolfess promised him with a small nod, knowing this without a doubt in her addled mind.

Vein smiled his eyes gleaming with the same devotion as she, As he spoke in his rich deep rumble he realized he did not know their names ”No you are right, dearest, the gods can never be truly sated, but they do love their offerings even from lowly beings such as we, and the highest honour to give them is our lives blood; our very souls. Chaos and Death are but a few of the gods, They all deserve devotion and honour, for to place some above the others would be disgraceful.” He hummed for a moment a rhythmic hum as it he were humming a prayer of sorts.

“They are prideful and secretive, they wish us to obey but do not deign to speak often to we, the lowly beings, the servants. Even so, some.. Such as I, do receive the honour of interpreting their will from time to time.”


Vein lifted a paw and bite into his pad paw muddy as it was and blood begin to leak from his new wound, He played a paw upon the bones encased in stones and rolled his paw “I offer freely what it theirs to take. My life is but to serve them and their desires” He held his paw up after smearing the bones red and allowed the blood to pat pat pat upon the ground above the fossils. He watched his blood reverently then as the dripping slowed his sun golden eyes flicked up to the females. “Would you offer yourselves to them? Leave them an offering worthy of their notice? Or would you scamper off and only pretend your devotion?”

Eldritch was beginning to wear thin in the department of patience, yet kept her ever-peering gaze neutral as Vein's words went on...and on...and on...

With a firm step forward, the shadowhound leveled her ghostly eyes on his own.

"We know what we are doing in our practice. Our offerings are made with nothing less than wholehearted dedication. The Daedra are as they are, and as Aerenys says - chaos embodied. Never truly sated." 

Her words were calm enough, but had an edge that barely veiled her ire, for she perceived Vein's speech as condescending and that he might think Mati and her were "doing it wrong". 

And if he voiced such things, Eldritch would not stay so calm.

The witch's features neither shifted nor morphed as the man's words droned on, though when she felt herself growing flighty and impatient a brow would arch as a mismatched gaze slowly panned over the goliath. A soft, inaudible scoff escaped her lips as they quirked incredulously. The Bayou queen of vodoun was not interested in a pissing contest, over a stranger's gods no less. His were not the Daedra, that much was clear, as much as he might protest otherwise and thus, his pantheon was inconsequential to the working couple of Daedric witches. 

"I do not need to shed blood to hear Sithis. Nor do I need to impress the wayward. My blood holds no meaning to your false idols," Mati murmured, not one to be goaded into some weird challenge or display of religious power. 

If the man wished to believe that they worshipped the same gods, or that his were somehow better than her own, then let him. It was of little importance. Soon enough they would be on their way and this little spat would not see them to a covenstead nor would it fill their bellies. 

Still, she readied herself at Eldritch's side, awaiting violence if that was the male's response. 

okay but on a real note, why is it that none of my characters get along with Vein except for Aerin lmao? XD

Vein snorted softly then ended with a chuckle, still sitting relaxed he leaned forward as if speaking conspiritorly though really he was putting his weight forward just incase the two attacked him. He was unafraid of their ire and could tend to his own wounds or had others to help. And he felt that he alone weighed more then the two of them put together besides the gods would not allow these heathens to kill him. He whispered softly as he met the heretic priestess’ eyes with his sun golden ones, “You think the Gods or Daedra as you call them want just pretty words?”

His smile was more of a bareing of teeth then a real smile, as he glanced toward the devout follower behind the priestess his voice warming. "I agree the Gods are never sated, not so long as there is life upon this earth able to serve them, I’d be willing to believe they are one in the same or at least of the same sect.”

The muddied shaman was ready for attack yet, looked far too completely relaxed, his muscles loose aside from the slight forward lean. His gaze shifting back to the one he considered far more dangerous, the fanatical worshipper his next words may be the ones to placate or invite attack if his first sentence had not “Enlighten me, what is it that one should offer to the Daedra, so that I might offer to them properly.”

Vein has that effect on more wolves then I can count I need to get me a nice goody two-shoes toon next I think.

His first sentence was enough. 
The question of if they thought the Daedra wanted just pretty words.

Eldritch didn't let him get further than that. Instead interrupting him mid-sentence as she moved forward with every intent to strike.
"We offer more than pretty words to our gods. Perhaps your HEART!" 
At her last word, she was already springing, aiming wicked teeth for his face.
For his eye, maybe. Something to get the point across that the Daedra worshipers were not wolves to talk down to, like Eldritch perceived Vein to be doing.

It seemed her words had caused some offense, though that had not been her intention. Aerenys felt his words strike a weary, annoyed chord in her heart -- or maybe that was a migraine building behind her mismatched eyes. The man was incendiary, her every word or move to settle things peacefully only riling him into repulsive behavior further as he blatantly insulted the duo's worship. Mati would have been more than happy to roll her pretty blue and purple gems, turn her back on him and leave the creep out in the mud. But when Eldritch lunged, she didn't hesitate. The Nightwish was her night-sister and Mati would never let her go into battle without back-up, at least, not if she could help it. 

Silently, she dove towards the shaman as well, a wordless snarl of challenge booming through the swamp as the smaller, darker witches set to tear into the blood-soaked shaman's hide. If he was so willing to bleed for his meaningless gods, then the Mambo would oblige. 

y'all lmk if you guys wanna do a dice roll to see if their hits land, or if maybe y'all wanna just rp it out that's cool too. I'm down for whatever!

RP is fine no permanent harm this time please, wounds are welcomed

Though the first to lunge at him was match for his height, his bulk she didn’t have. He had leaned forward as if to whisper conspiratorially when in fact he was getting ready for just this outcome. He needed to bleed for a ritual he planned for,  and this would be far easier then drawing his own blood.

He opened his maw wide to protect his vulnerable eyes, bone on bone, teeth to teeth, gums would bleed but they also heal by themselves fairly quickly. The clacking force between he and she, would send reverberations through them both. Not prepared for the force, she’d drive him back some, though he’d remain sitting almost casually, he’d dig in with his hind quarters, claws searching for purchase in the mud, the very same mud that would also impead the femme's forward momentum.

He’d feel more teeth sink into his chest just in front of his left front leg. A thickly furred part due in part to the spring shedding season, but his blood would well around the heretic’s teeth easily enough. He didn't pull away just allowed her to sink her dagger's in, pulling away would do more damage to him then to her.

He did not fear either woman though he wanted to keep the larger one Maw to maw, where he could keep her attacks slightly more minimal, attempting to grab at her jaws and hold her with his own, he did not need to be ripped to shreds just yet, and perhaps they’d let him be if he bled enough for them, The drool coming from his open maw already stained red.

If maw on maw was how he wanted it, the Seer would gladly break his jaw with her own. 
She wasn't heavy like him, she didn't need to be.

So, she stood firm and clamped her fangs into the meat of his jaws, and began to thrash and twist like a crocodile on a zebra.

Her goal was to rip his lower jaw off his face, but maybe just ripping enough flesh from his mouth would send the desired message if Vein didn't die today.

Aerenys' teeth sunk into the hollow place where his throat ended, bleeding into the wide expanse of his snow-blanketed chest, tearing at his flesh with vigor as snarls filled the air -- not all of them belonging to the Daedric witchling. 

As the female grabbed his lower jaw he moved with her so as to not allow her to break his bones. It hurt and he was going to be sore if he survived this.... He quickly realized that it was going to take smart thinking to get him out of this, these two were running on something other then brain cells…

He clamped his teeth down on her Nasal Passages, Holding tight enough that she could not suck in air. Panting harshly not because he had to, but to make breathing for her very very difficuft. Exhaling carbon dioxide and not allowing her to get fresh oxygen until she let him go.

Their mixed blood in his maw was salty. He shoved forward with his bulk, trying to knock to the two female into each other in order to dislodge them both. If the one in his maw let go or passed out due to lack of oxygen; would they leave him to his gods tribute. The second attacked only after the first one did so.

Blood began to run down his leg making good footing hard for them all, adding in the saliva from their maws forced open, with bloody drool dripping upon the ground. He gave another shove digging in with hind claws, keeping the unrelenting pressure on the nasal passages.

If Eldritch hadn't been a Seer, she would have definitely been a fighter. As Vein tried to make it so she couldn't breathe, Eldritch instead shoved against him further, into the pain, and she kept jerking and shaking and eventually ripped herself backward from his grasp, blood coming with her. Hopefully she took his flesh with her.
An evil glint blazed in her white eyes as she charged again like hellfire incarnate, aiming for Vein's face again with a savage roar.

Aerenys pressed forward with Eldritch in eerie, hellish tandem. Her jaws aimed for his windpipe, seeking to grab it in her pearlescent incisors and squeeze. He would release Eldritch one way or another, her fangs promised as the shadows converged on the pale bear. Only when her night-sister had retreated would Mati, giving a last twist of her teeth with hopes of taking some of Vein with her. 

Aphelion, unnerved by all the violent thrashing and commotion, skittered quickly down her dark leg and slithered out of sight. The Priestess spared him a thought of protectiveness, hoping the gods would keep him safe for her. They had traveled quite a way together and it would sadden the darkling to lose her friend now. Still, the black widow focused her attention upon the brute of dirtied snow -- hackles raised defensively as a dark tongue swiped over her bared teeth.

When one pulled back so two did the other, as if they were of one wolf, one mind. They were nothing, they most certainly prayed to false gods, No real god would suffer this impudence. He had no choice though in this moment though he felt that he was not out matched he was out numbered.

Two against one was not in his favor, he had been given the name of one of them however accidentally, Aerenys, but the other he knew not her name, he however did know the taste of her blood and he’d not forget it. As she ripped away from him taking her blood toll and a bit of the flesh from under his chin, he was left with a strip of flesh from the top of her muzzle. The moment he was released he leapt backward.

He turned tail and ran, he was incredibly fast when the need arose, not a single movement wasted allowed for greater speed and compensation for his painful chest. He left the crazy pretenders behind they were not worth his time, besides he had a bit of wolf flesh he could offer the god along with his blood and hers.

Her muzzle stung, and as the brute ran away, El followed like a demon after a sold soul, snapping and snarling as she chased him for a good few yards, finally giving up after a minute, she turned and kicked mud his fleeing direction as a move of disdain before she turned to Aerenys, lunar eyes inquisitive.

"What so we do now?"

Mambo drove after him, low and slinking like the fluid ebony of a she-panther, snapping at the huge male's hocks and flanks until he was spurred on out of her reach. The stygian Priestess ground to a halt, snorting a whuff of breath through her inky nose as Aerenys watched the coward flee -- bested by two witches half his size, comes the spiteful addition to her thoughts. A glance back and her mismatched jaspers burned with sudden fury -- flickering as they took in the sight of Aphelion, crushed underfoot in the scuffle. The queen of vodoun swore she could feel a piece of her die with the familiar. 

"We go on," the Priestess answered resolutely, suddenly weary as her shoulders sagged and ears splayed. He would pay, she promised as she gently pawed a mound of soft mud over the still form of the serpent who had been her only friend, once. 

He would pay dearly.