Dragoncrest Cliffs & Lord, if I’ve never had courage in my life before, let me have it now —

Dated for 3/24th! Everyone following Vaure to Diaspora will be tagged.
I’ll post once/twice more towards the end of the thread, after everyone’s gathered. (A follow-up thread at Diaspora will be written soon.)

Everything had led up to this morning.

The silver was cinched with both a resignation of the cliffs and an anxiety for their pilgrimage to begin. Her warbling, airy peal had flourished some while ago; unfurling towards Hougeda and for those who knew of the exodus. Now, she waited at the hillocks of Drageda’s perimeters, argent eyes watchful of the redwoods. If not all would come, then surely some would.

A now-familiar, faint furrow resided at her scarred brow, coaxed from how worn and weary the past weeks had left her. With this migration southbound and her impending delivery, patience was an element that had begun to fade from her. But Aure knew that the more kru who straggled after them, the more they would endure, and thus have a more favorable voyage in the end. It was well, too, that there would be those other than herself who knew the way towards the Valley.

So wait and waver she did, for @Isleña and her cousin; for Dio’s children, perhaps?; for @Blodreina, who she’d learnt had become with child, too. Yet, after several heartbeats of no arrivals, Aure waddled her resolute way back up the spring knell, digging claws into new loan and growth.

@Vercingetorix had since waited with her — and now she leaned, stretched up to him to press the pink of her now absently, ardently to his own. A mumble of soft nothings, foreign and incoherent fluttered from her lips. Regardless of these misgivings, her night-of-life was with her; his dark presence now kept her tethered, as it had when she’d first come across Takiyok.

Like that meeting, too, she was fraying; but she needed to remain some sort of porcelain pillar for those who deemed to away with them. It was all Aure could do — knew to do, because no eloquent tangents would be waxed this morning. Not as she settled at Verx’s shoulder, feathered her tail about her, and became somber and silent and ponderous once more.

He was a dark statue by her side, staring out into the trees, his expression impenetrable. Aure occasionally gave him a nuzzle, but he didn't return it, too abstracted as he was by everything else. Trying to figure out why it all had come to this.

This might just be another moving day for the mother of his children, but for Vercingetorix, this was a monumental shift in existence. He was Trikru by birth, Drakru by choice. Protector of Heda (a fine job he'd done, there). This was everything he had ever known, and today, he was following through on the decision to walk away from it all.

It doesn't have to be this way, said a small, selfish voice within his head. You can stay. Go back to Trigeda, perhaps, or even Sangeda. Offer them your services. You don't--

Verx shut it out of mind, gritting his teeth. Wherever he landed as a result, the choice had been made. Had he not felt them move within the woman, strong and true, he could have perhaps abandoned his children--but they had won his heart then. He would be a father, not merely a sperm donor.

Looks like folks aren't keen on becoming natronas, he remarked to no one in particular, his voice bitter as the cold and salty sea wind.

the initial hesitance in her approach to where aure's call rises is because of several things, because she is drakru born and bred, because being drakru is everything she is and everything she will ever be regardless of if she leaves or doesn't. it was who she was. there is a deep sadness in her but beyond that a conviction that with no return of a fos goufa and blixen's obvious struggles that it is a fissured kingdom waiting to crumble in on itself; and beyond that the threat of rusalka still remains large. they'd almost killed vercingetorix, after all. drageda was no longer the pillar of strength it'd once been. when heda had thrown herself from the cliff she doomed them all to this.

blodreina was scared. her fear was a greedy beast that threatened to paralyze her with each step she took towards aure and vercingetorix. she does pause and swing her head to study her flank. perhaps there is a subtle roundness to her that hadn't been there before, she can't really tell. the truth is, despite her best attempts to pretend like it wasn't so, there was life growing within her womb. there wasn't much of a maternal bone in her body really but she feels an obligation to think of the life she was creating because it isn't just about her anymore. would it have been, she'd have seen drageda to it's end the way her mother helped see it's conception.

she'd started walking again, at some point and soon finds the figures of aure and verx and her pace slows upon her approach. aure looks like she's about to pop any second. blodreina is pregnant but not so far along that she can't help verx take care of aure on the journey. blodreina isn't sure how it's going to work, truth be told. she doesn't know how to be anything but drakru and she isn't sure how well adjusting is going to be for her ...if she ever adjusts at all. she supposes the trick is to find a pack that can tolerate her and her ways.

shof op, verx. she snaps light-heartedly. it's not like it's an easy decision. blodreina adds seriously. at least, for her, it hadn't been easy. she's still not sure it's the right decision but she's here; because her dreadful feeling that drageda is a jenga tower ready to collapse, because of rusalka which in the end is an ouroboros circling back to the simple fact of the life she carries in her womb and the fact that maybe there is a spark of protectiveness in her heart for the cubs.

PPing isleña w/ player permish!

having been nomadic all her life, and blissfully untied to any place in particular, tashkent can't grasp the somber atmosphere of the leaving party. still, she knows not to put on too much of a happy face around a bunch of sad sacks, even as she wants to dance and wrestle and flirt. she settles for walking close to her cousin instead, occasionally giving the other luk a nudge, her eyes glittering with excitement.

aşçgabattı körgen waqıttan beri köp boldı, she remarks to isleña. men onıñ küyewi äli de esek ekenine tañğalamın.

tashkent sidles up to aure, giving her a small bow and smile in greeting. hello, aure, she purrs, eyes briefly drifting over to the brute by her side before returning to the woman's face. is this the entire party, then? it's quite a small group; she wonders what the rest of drageda will do. she doesn't quite understand the circumstances behind all of this, but—oh well.

isleña is close to aure, and their destination lies in the mountains. it is quite the coincidence, and a means to an end.

Her stomach dropped when she heard the howl rise up to the winds. It came so soon, she thought! Although she knew, even if not by the finest details, she understood. Everything was crumbling around her, even when she had just begun to find her own footing after everything, heartache after heartache--so really, what would some more be?

Opalia would go to see them off, but she could not yet go--not with them, or anyone this soon. With her brother, there was unfinished business, and she knew he loomed back and away. Now that the weather was warmer and the pale skayona had helped her build her confidence abroad, this young gona believed they could achieve almost anything.

She came upon the gathered wolves silently, and feeling uneasy, she approached Aure first. Opalia knew Verx would be here, but Blodreina too? And the others? Her mismatched eyes flicked over them, then lowered. Aure.. she murmured, somber, and reaching to nose beneath her chin and then staying close. Blixen and her father wanted to usher them back to the new heda, it seemed, and the budding warrior only wished they could all stay together like this and heal together, safe and protected. We still have unfinished business, Dacio and I.. she told her, but then what? Would they go back to Trigeda? Perhaps Sangeda, or some other -geda that their family only knew about. Opalia didn't know their names, or if she would be theirs one day. Her heart still felt tied to the cliffs of her birth, even after it all, Drakru first and foremost. I don't know what will happen after, she said in tired trigedasleng, hoping they could all reunite one day soon and all would be as picturesque as they deserved.

The Drakru were dispersing and it was difficult for her to process, and terrifying to attempt to understand. Her ears fanned back, but she was determined to bite back the whine she felt rise up her throat. You will be alright, right? she stepped back, hovering slightly as the hurts tied her throat shut.

She had hoped to help guard Aure's pups one day soon, maybe teach them how to be fierce and watch them meet the ocean for the first time. It had been a new aspiration, one quickened by her time spent on the road, alone with the skayona's company only, but it had been something good in her days--something to look forward to. Now? She couldn't even say if she would get to meet them, so because of this, she wasn't certain if she could watch all physically them go.

Opalia would stay long enough for a  goodbye, and would return to her brother soon, quieter than ever before, but with a hardening resolve. They wouldn't fail any more.

maybe my only reply or i might sneak in one more... idk i'll see but ;~;

ok! I’ll post one more time after this one <3

Everything within her was screaming: the sea, the wind, her heart. Only the Road was ahead, and the aching eyrie within her wouldn’t allow anything sweet and chiding to roost.

She hadn’t been stoppered in a geda long enough, brewed since birth, to understand the weight that those gathered carried with them. She herself had stayed, at first, for love — love for the kru, love for the cheka, of the cliffs. Now she left for life, for children, for the kru who made to follow. And if those before them did indeed follow them... would they stay? Or would they strain away into the world, without another word? 

Aure didn’t entirely understand the concept of natrona, and therefore couldn’t entirely comfort — not unlike how she’d regarded the despondency in the wake of Antumbra’s passing. ...But she’d favor being branded a deserter, rather than die at the fangs of the oubourous of the Sound. Yes; she would gladly stride from all of this if it meant delivering her children to a place more prospering.

The arrival of the Luks, truth be told, could’ve been called a blessing in itself; it saved her from shouldering between Reina’s and Verx’s remarks with a quip of her own, and gladdened her to know some had come with their word. When time was spent with Isleña or her brother, the kindling of wanderlust made itself known; dusted itself off before her like some long-lost, archaic tapestry. There were times where it lie before her, begging to be scoured — so she would, for these next few days.

Looking to the Luks with a guarded but not unkind gaze, ”Yes. We will head for Elysium, since Vonn has gone ahead. From there—“ But then she heard her name, wavering from Opalia’s voice; knew by the first consonant of it that Dio’s children would not follow. The Trigedasleng went unheard, unknown by her, but Aurëwen turned to heed Opalia all the same.

Instead, she found the yearling’s snout at her jaw, somber-eyed. The crescent of Aure’s own jaw became tremulous, then; a muscle flickering somewhere in her cheek. Since Verx’s impairment, she’d truly thought the well of her soul had dried of tears — but there they were, all infernal salt cresting dark lashes. She did not want Opalia or Dacio to remember her this way: rosy-cheeked and spittling through her words.

”We will be well... as well as we can be,” she breathed, and then arced her porcelain throat about Opalia’s cream shoulders without hesitation. It wasn’t so much to hide her tears as it was to convey all which she couldn’t express through speech alone. But she ruffled the girl close, tenderly, eyes heavy and hooded. Had it been her and Vonn alone in this world, she may as well have done the exact same thing Opalia meant with Dacio. But there was love in her heart — life in her hold. ”Wind guide you; sky guard you, sora mea... Give my faith to your family.”

No skrish, Verx rejoined his niece, rolling his eyes. Before the throat injury, he would have been happy to engage in a war of words with Blodreina. As it was, he remained quiet, taking in the proceedings with only his face to give away his thoughts.

Isleña and her cousin arrived; the latter gave him a look that sent his stomach dropping, and he quickly looked away, for once hating the feeling. Instead, he focused on Opalia's arrival, watched the way she and Aure exchanged tearful farewells. Truth be told, he didn't know that they were so close. He was glad to see it--but sad, obviously, to see them have to part ways.

Opalia, he rasped to her, trying for a smile and only barely getting there. If at any point you go to Sangeda, say hello to Helix and Gavriel for me, all right? But don't. . . He broke off, clearing his throat with a terrible sound before continuing, tasting blood. Don't tell them what has happened. Just give them my hello.

He gave the young gona a nod, feeling his chest grow tighter than ever.

Although she had seen many go in her life so far, it wasn't never the same, or simple--not when it was always so different, and while this was not as cold and hard as death, nor as unexpected as that could be in its various visitations, she was still weighed heavily upon.. and far worse than she had planned to be, actually. 

Through Aure's assurances, and words the pale Drakru would keep close to her heart, her worries still wanted to persist--were they alright with this? Was this best? As she glanced from face to face that would be joining them in their flight, she didn't know what to say, even! A part of her sorely wanted to just be relieved that they weren't staking out alone, but seeing so many of them taking their leave by choice, too, didn't really align to the unity she had just begun to grow into. She was sad, dreading the days to come worse by the moment, and this wasn't getting any easier as the pack splintered before her.

When Verx gave her purpose and her attentions slid from Aure to him, she blinked.. listened, but, yes. Her jaw slacked a bit as questions threatened to come in a mad rush, but she didn't have the energy to waste on it right now--it was just going to be too much, and she stayed quiet. She hadn't even thought about how this would present to everyone else before now, especially retold in some land faraway to here she had yet to see. If he felt it worth a mention, she would simply hold to that, so she nodded slow and stubbornly refused to sniffle her sadness. If I end up there, I will. She didn't know where she may be next month, or next year now that she thought about it--because if not here, then where?

Determined enough to see this through, she knew she had to make it quick if she intended to keep it together. She gave Aure one last soft nudge, Verx a firm nod, Blodreina one too after him, then she didn't really have much else to say to the Luks besides a lengthy glance, hopeful to remember them, and hopeful that they could be additional worthy guardians wherever Drageda could now no longer. I will miss you. Goodbye, she rushed, and then departed on a quick turn with their path free to go on without her as she went sprinting deeper into the claim.

hope it's okay i went ahead and posted her but it's her last <3<3