Awaiting Enlightenment

[Nathalia]

((OOC: I'm looking for Amuni, Euclides are welcome as well, but Amuni are what I'm looking for, as many can come in as they want.))

The Masquerade lounged on top of an elaborate tomb. The marble, coffin-like structure rested above ground, the long limbed Patchwork stretched out full length upon it. The smooth stone glistened in the moonlight, the leaves of nearby trees dappling the Euclides' white fur with dark patterns.

One of her front legs dangled off the side, her fur blowing gently in the slight breeze. Her eyes were slitted against the breeze, the blank white orbs blending with the white fur, adding in the mask she looked as though she was asleep.



Here in the Churchyard, she lay. Waiting for opportunities to present themselves to her. She had been there for an hour already, but she always knew that the waiting game was often one well played. Especially if it were...unscheduled.

She was aware that Amuni would occasionally frequent the churchyard, from what her followers had reported lately, she was interested in finally meeting one for herself. The idea behind the interested her greatly, she could imagine nothing more interesting than speaking with one...unless of course someone truly amazing were to happen along...

She sighed and stretched her back legs, smiling, as she watched the grass around the tombstones wave. She could wait, even if it took all night. She could wait.

[Kitty Love]

Jukaestus had taken to visiting the Churchyard often, especially at night as it was really the only time he could sneak out alone. He had also perfected his technique, being able to sneak out from under even his sister's nose. Tonight was a night like any other for the teenage Amuni and he really didn't expect anything out of the ordinary.

He had hit that awkward stage in life and the mixture of creatures he was didn't help at all really. Large ears set atop a rather finely featured head and regal looking neck down to equally fine and graceful front limbs, however as one traveled along a lithe body they'd run into larger, rather muscled hind limbs and a feline tail adorned with a jingly silver trinket he'd picked up from his teachings.

He padded along, far from silent and totally oblivious to the fact that he wasn't alone, until he saw something out of the ordinary perched atop a familiar piece of the scenery. He paused, ears standing at attention as he peered at the creature inquisitively, nose twitching as it gathered information as well. She smelt.. .different, but carried the scents of familiar creatures as well. Curious ... curious indeed ...

[Nathalia]

The Masquerade listened to the bells coming toward her without moving...those sounded like the bells she and Mulsej crafted to give to members of her Cast and Court. She listened intently to the footfalls...small and light, quick...a youngling. But heavier that the Lapines and slower than that disgusting Infection's daughter.

She didn't recognize them, was this a new child that Mulsej had snagged? How lovely.

She opened her eyes and looked forward.

Amuni...

There was no mistaking it. The markings, the way the creature held its head, the smell of it. She could barely stop herself from grinning ear to ear. She finally turned her head and looked down at the small creature as it approached, the bells on her mask chiming softly as she turned to look down at his beautiful blue speckled pelt.

"Good evening, child...what brings you out here?"

She watched his face, his eyes, waiting for his reaction. An Amuni, she had so hoped...and such a young one too...this would be fabulous.

[Kitty Love]

His inquisitive expression didn't waver as she spoke, but his motions ceased. He would indeed maintain a bit of distance between himself and that of this unknown, but somehow familiar Euclides. And those bells on her mask, those bells sounded much like the ones that hung from the bracelet he wore upon his tail. He was also exercising caution cause of his age, his lineage and his rank, he was, in a way, the heir for the most prominent face of the Amuni and he knew that came with a price, a curse and a blessing all in one really.

She didn't seem to carry any ill intentions, but he was, indeed, aware of the fact that that could change in an instant and his large ears swiveled slightly when she spoke, a bit of smirk appearing upon his thin muzzle.

I could very well ask you the same thing.

His tail twitched a bit, softly jingling his own bells.

[Nathalia]

"Could you, now?"

The Masquerade asked, rolling over so that she was facing him fully, her bells chiming softly. Her scales catching the light and making her sparkle slightly and she moved.

"Intriguing young one, might I make your acquaintance?" She asked, holding out a forepaw delicately.

"I am the Lady Dayobi...whom do I have the pleasure of addressing this fine evening? I have not seen you before, do you wander these grounds often?"

She could not help but like the look of him, and how very strange and welcome it was to have such an interesting youngster approach...she would delight in learning what she could about him. What need had she with fights and killing? Learn all there was to know...someday someone would pay for the information...no matter how minor it may have seemed a detail at the time.

She smiled benignly, beak slightly agape to look more friendly.

"The jewelry you sport is quite fetching, I simply must inquire as to where you found it...do you by chance know a man by the name of Mulsej?"

[Kitty Love]

He continued to watch the other still somewhat cautious but not outwardly so, growing up in a family like his you just couldn't escape without some kind of prejudice, however Jukaestus was swiftly becoming nothing like his family. This fact became more apparent as he aged and his studied and habits changed... but his parents hadn't noticed this as wrapped up in their war as they were. He'd been a somewhat quiet child, unlike his sister, and the saying runs true, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

This Euclides was actually quite a fine specimen actually, rather lovely indeed. At the extended forepaw his expression became a bit more intense as an image of his father passed through his mind, making him wonder, briefly, about what it was he was really doing here and now. He shook his head lightly, fur softly bristling as he extended his paw to her own and gave her a proper introduction, one to fully push the image f his father from his mind.

Jukaestus Kaerjius the Second, tis a pleasure m'lady Dayobi.

A smirk appeared on that fine muzzle of his. He had just committed quite the sin and nothing had happened, no wrath from Amunuku, no sudden death, no unpleasant side effects what so ever. This furthered his thoughts that perhaps he'd been brought up learning the wrong things and that change was definitely needed.

It was a gift actually, and I believe it was given to me from the one you speak, poor fellow is rotting off the bone. Definitely the work of a lazy, bored God.

He moved his tail, jingling the bells again, he rather liked the sound they made.

I've actually been looking for him, I'd rather like to add a few... matching peices... friend of yours?

[Nathalia]

Dayobi smiled at the fine introduction he gave her...very prim and proper this boy...he reminded her delightfully of her dear Atreju.

His small smirk was rather endearing, as was his posture and large ears. She listened when he told her where he has received the familiar looking item, smiled and rolled onto her back on the tomb, looking up at the stars.

"A lazy, thoughtless god indeed...my dear boy. My poor servant never had much to look forward to in life...though I must admit that he does well with what he has been dealt. One must wonder how your god can be seen as any better...were he truly the loving and kindly father he is portrayed as, would he not assist us...or perhaps end our suffering? Instead he allows us to further breed and create more lives that shall do no more than dwell in perpetual horror and agony. A tragedy that the greatest muses have overlooked..."

She rolled back over to face him again, expression still serene, smiling in a sad sort of way.

"Not to insult your way of life...I know that things work out well for you, but one would think that a god of the boasted caliber would give a bit more of an attempt."

She flicked her tail at the last question, causing the small bells to chime.

"Know him? My dear sir, he is one of my most trusted servants, he has always done well by me. You would like to acclimate a few more trinkets? Well, I should see no reason why you shouldn't have any, please come with me, you can visit my home and meet some of my companions. Fear not for your safety, I hold the reins in this Cast and Court...they know that what I do is for the good of all...perhaps you could help us as well."

She stepped down off of the tomb, standing before him and reaching into the small fur lined pouch hanging about her waist. From it she withdrew a thin white cloth, this she held out to the small pope.

"You'll forgive me for requesting that you wear this about your eyes, dear Jukaestus, but I fear for the safety of my family...as I do not yet know you well, allowing you to know the route to those I care most for would be rather silly, would it not?"

She smiled, paw to cheek, bowing her head slightly. She had learned from Mulsej that family and the concept of love were highly valued to these Amuni...perhaps referring to her Cast as such would gain his understanding...she smiled...what a beautiful night.

[Kitty Love]

He watched and listened to her speak, his ears flicking and swiveling every now and again with the different tones and pitches of her voice. He to was now doing a bit of research and every little detail of what she thought of the gods was definitely note worthy and was recorded and filed away. She seemed more versed in the scriptures then the others had, which intrigued him more.

I have been told that the gods themselves have a war of sorts between them, our own being simply a mirror of that. I am unsure of how truthful these words are, but it makes a great deal of sense to me... helping the others creation would merely hinder their argument against the other... gods are just as human as we are...

He peered up at the sky for a moment, expecting something great and terrible to happen again. The words he just uttered were sheer blasphemy and very unbecoming for a young Amuni, especially a Pope. But again, nothing happened. His large ears scanned the surroundings, carefully looking for any sounds that would give a spy away, he heard none... so the Church was still sleeping, the eyes were still closed.

He returned his gaze back to her, taking in that somewhat melancholy smile, his own face rather neutral and hard to decipher any feelings from. What you say offends me not, I seem not to share many of the thoughts and beliefs that are common placed among the Amuni, my research would all be in vain if I did.

At her next speech his head turned and he peered back in the direction from whens he came, the direction the church was located in. If he went, there would be more then a little trouble for him upon his return however, if he did not then it would bite at his ever curious mind.

He returned his gaze to her in time to see the white cloth that she produced, which he eyed oddly. Part of his screamed against his agreeing to this where as another part, the larger part, urged him on. He looked up, peering directly into her empty orbs, his expression anything but serious and he spoke to her in a riddle of sorts, partially a guarantee on his safety, partially a test of her intelligence.

I will go, but I warn you... my parents vision spans far and wide and should anything happen to me, Amunuku's wraith shall be your reward.

[Nathalia]

She listened to his cryptic warning, eyes dancing with a delight that her face did not proclaim. She leaned down, beak nearly pressed into one large, furry ear.

"No harm shall befall thee, son of Kaerjius, I would take the dagger meant for you myself...though it is strange to me that your species expects a dagger in the back far more often than any street demon... Fear not for your safety, none in my charge would dream of harming a guest."

She arched her neck gracefully, smile still slightly sad looking as she held out the cloth once again.

"Though I do not begrudge her the slight, your sister is quite the fiery one...following your father's path directly, I take it. Though I wonder what the story she told you encompassed...

She shook her head slightly as though recalling a funny...yet disheartening tale.

"I do have to wonder if she regaled you with stories of treacherous demons who wished to tear her apart...in reality she happened upon poor Mulsej trying to round up three baby bunnies and my dear friend Ja'Kaefrul... You have seen Mulsej...he is about as capable as causing harm as I am flying. Furl is a benign Chiroptae who would sooner slay himself than harm others... However evil we are made out to be, I see naught of those evils within my home."

Her shoulders shifted forward in a sigh, smiling as though to say Well, what can you do?

She held out the cloth again.

"So, my dear Jukaestus, care for a visit?"

[Kitty Love]

His warning was more a counter to the blindfold then anything else and thus, with her word, he took the piece of white cloth, wondering briefly if it meant to her what a white cloth, or flag usually meant... surrender. And surrendering was indeed what he was doing in a sense, blindfolded he was definitely more vulnerable even if his nose and ears were fully capable of picking up the slack. Even the very act of applying the thing was difficult, as he lacked any thumbs, or fingers at all for that matter, but he managed to accomplish the task and retain some form of grace whilst doing so.

He wondered how she planned on leading him to this court of hers, but he kept his thoughts to himself and merely peered at her, or at least where she had been before he'd willing taken on of his senses away. Those large ears swiveled all the more, acting like satellites patrolling their surroundings.

My sister does tend to embellish, but she is her father's daughter ... I sometimes wonder if it saddens him a bit that she's a mere Follower.

If one were to listen closely they'd catch a hint of bitterness at the end of that sentence, something he tried very hard to hide. He was, indeed, quite frustrated with the fact that Kaerjius spent so much time with his sister. Yes, he did spend more time with their mother but she was rather dull and the only things they did together were strictly educational and he'd been told by Eli about the carousel, and the unicorn and it had made him somewhat jealous. The very feeling of jealousy had made him angry at himself and it had all just gone downhill from there and the church had seen less and less of him lately as he mainly kept his nose in his research.

Lead away milady Dayobi.

[Nathalia]

Dayobi listened to the slightly bitter undertone that welled up in the youngster's voice...

So...this sister was just as prized as she had suspected, for all that she was a mere follower follower...was that of equivalent rank to a puppet? It certainly sounded as though it must be. The Masquerade smiled as the small Pope adjusted his blindfold, watching his large ears swivel about, this was fantastic...she couldn't wait to get him home and show him off, and what a fine time he would have...she would make certain of it.

She moved so that she was directly in front of him, so that his large ears would catch her and that her scent flowing back to him would obscure most others due to their movement.

"Follow me, we'll move slowly and if you need assistance, just inform me."

She moved at a slow, strolling pace, leading him the long way through the park, keeping them on stone as often as possible and walking through water every so often, she smiled when they were half way to her home.

"Almost there, young Jukaestus...is there anything you would like to know before we make it there? We have about another ten minutes."

She assisted him in scaling a high bit of rock and watched to make certain he wouldn't fall.

"Anything you feel you should know about my home?"

[Kitty Love]

As they began to move he realized that it would be quite easy for him to follow her by sound alone, the jingling of her bells had a slightly different tone to his, as well as each other of hers individually. He memorized their melody and soon weaned himself from her scent as best he could, there were other things his nose could be doing.

She may minimized the scents that reached him, but that sensitive canine nose of his was still able to pick up things, especially those with more pungent aromas, or large masses, like the water, which would have been quite a shock to move through without any hint of it's approach.

He managed to keep up rather well, the pace may not have been fast but he was moving blind for the first time and it was rather awkward, even if his other senses seemed to heighten a bit to make up for it, making him wonder briefly how much better they'd eventually get if he were to become blind somehow. This thought was dismissed however, for vision was something that he was quite attached to and they came to a momentary stop, so a distraction came into play.

As she helped him up the rock she would notice that, although his paws were shaped like a canines, the way they gripped and the manner that his toes flexed were anything but. He had received the best of all three of the creatures he was a mix of and the closer he got to adulthood the more obvious this became. He would be a formidable leader one day, but for now he was at the mercy of this Directer, and willingly so.

As they always did when she spoke, those velvet lined satellites focused on her form when she spoke, and he didn't even have to think much about his response, for it had been nibbling on his mind almost since they'd left the churchyard.

Why would you invite the enemy to your home?

[Nathalia]

Dayobi smiled at this question, she had almost been hoping for it. She moved on for a few seconds in silence, helping him down onto flat ground and moving forward again.

For the same reason that you are following your enemy into her own home. Curiosity, hope, intrigue... Besides, I do not consider you to be my enemy...I do not consider your father my enemy, he hunts me, yes...but I do not know him and have no reason to harbor hatred or unkindness toward him or any of your race."

She continued forward, the great wall concealing the entrance to her home just visible now through the trees.

"I know your race sees my own as terrible abominations that should be wiped from the earth, but this was decided long ago, by those whose memories and names have nearly been forgotten, your father, I'm assuming from what I've heard, being one of the few remaining who remembers those he originally intended the vendetta against... While it is true that some Euclides are awful and unforgiving...I have seen some of your race who are the same way...we are not that different in that manner."

She stepped over a small stream and helped him over it as well, she was gradually leading him in winding circles. Even though the trip had taken an hour longer than it should have, it had felt as though they were traveling in a straight line the entire time, finding the place again would be quite difficult, even with a perfect sense of smell, the forest was hard to discern from one part of itself to another.

She moved before him, pulling open a door, covered with foliage and dead leaves soundlessly...Furl had done his work well...and helped the Amuni in behind her...letting him advance a few feet before closing it, the moss coating preventing noise.

She then opened another door, beyond it a torch lit hallway stretched on in front of them, under the earth. She turned and gently pulled the thin material away from Juk's eyes.

"Young master, Jukaestus, welcome to my home."

[Kitty Love]

As she had expected the question, he had expected that answer. To most it would have seemed like pointless banter, but for Jukaestus it was making sure his bearings were correct. he needed the reassurance that she was not simply leading him to a trap just to get back at his father for pursuing them. The tone of her voice was far more important then what she actually said for most often liars cannot fully cover the faint changes in tone as they spun their false tales. Her words were proved genuine, or at least as genuine as tone alone could prove.

Yes, it has been rumored that my father was the first Amuni, actually... I've heard no arguments against that statement either. It's also been said that his enemies become those of Amunuku directly, and eventually must deal with him.

He knew he was now inside of some place, even if he couldn't hear the door open or close, and the scents of others drifted to his nose as well, two of which, besides Dayobi's of course, were familiar to him.

When the cloth was removed from his eyes he closed them at first and then opened them, letting his eyes adjust to the torchlight, which didn't actually take long since his eyes had been covered for the past hour or so. His nose had been softly twitching the whole while, separating the different smells and filing them away until he could put a face to them.

Thank you for welcoming me, my lady Dayobi... how many do you have living here, if I may ask?

[Nathalia]

The Puppet Master watched her young charge blink off the sudden effects of the light, and listened as he directly confirmed the rumors she had so longed to know to be true. Smiling she held out a purple scaled paw, gesturing him to walk with her.

"You are welcome, my dear. My home is open to many."

She moved down the hallway, the floor was hard packed earth, the walls decorated with gilt torch brackets, trinkets of jewelry, and pieces of colorful parchment. The floor laid with tattered, but beautifully ornate rugs.

"How many? That depends on the way that the times roll. My home is always open to the weary traveler, the terrified outcasts, or simply visiting friends. In permanent residence I believe we are currently host to about twenty-nine. In times of trouble or festivities there have been upward of fifty or so. We try to keep this place as a safe haven...many other Puppet Masters do not know of its location...many of them would seek those fleeing their wrath here or to prosecute the unjustly condemned."

She turned to look at him, mild curiosity on her face.

"How many are there in the congregation of your father? The building in which you live looks large enough to house hundreds, such a splendid place I have not seen in quite some time."

Every twelve feet or so they passed a wooden door, some more decorative, one or two possessing names either carved into them, or written in a bright white paint. In the five minute jaunt, they passed two other passages branching off, one which smelled distinctly of the old Torn known as Mulsej.

Dayobi led onward until they reached a thicker door, she pushed this gently open.

"Welcome to my Court...I hope it is to your liking."


Once they passed the threshold, it was easy to see that there had once been an intricate structure built in this room, perhaps a hideaway the humans had once used. The room inside was immense, considering what it had looked like from the outside. The ceiling was at least eight feet high and there were a few tables and chairs, covered in moldering velvet, placed decoratively around the room. There was a smattering of pale pillars around the room, and a door leading off in the back lit by a small lantern, placed in the doorway. There was a small stage, apparently under construction, standing in the far left corner of the room, the chairs and tables turned to face it.

Then there were the grapes.

Vines wrapped around every pillar, climbing up toward the ceiling, their overpowering sweet odor almost completely blocked the underlying stench of death. The vines crept along the bottom of the stage, wound around table legs and some had even begun to climb the walls. The bases of the pillars and stage had a strange mixture of dirt and foul smelling mulch neatly piled over the roots, growing into the hard-packed dirt floor.