oathkeeper | mouserend introduction

[Lokisaurus]

Rat King.  The title was weighty, a heavy crown to take on, with generations of warrior-kings and formidable rulers behind him.  Uthyre had been crowned earlier than most.  Rat King Lakely Brushtail had died in childbirth, her only heir being a stillbirth.  The kingdom still mourned her passing, but there was tradition to keep and needs to be tended to.  Lakely's crown was given to her most trusted advisor, as was customary.  So now, the snake-skull crown that was Lakely's by birthright had been passed to him... some common squirrel from the Isle of Giants. 

Uthyre could hear his subjects pouring into the cathedral they were holding the coronation in from behind a set of thick oaken doors.  Carved by Yhster Greatmaw, the doors showed great battles and loves lost.  It was meant to be a celebratory piece, a gift to the wizened Mikhail Mouserend from the First Ages.  Now, the charging mice and badgers that were scored into the wood felt like a funeral procession.

Yes, Uthyre would be crowned today, but he would also have to give a eulogy for the previous Rat King, a eulogy that he had spent the previous night writing and rewriting in his head to no avail.  No words would be right because no words could bring her back.

"Your majesty, the lords and ladies of the realm have gathered.  Are you quite ready?"  A handmaiden had appeared from around the corner, looking extremely pleased with the silks she would be allowed to wear for the occasion. 

Uthyre gave her a smile, even if it felt more like a grimace.  "Of course.  Have the chorus begin.  My subjects await."
information

[XANTI]

straight for the throat you’re like an animal!

in for the kill, like you're an animal!

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Ximen squeezed into the cathedral and hunkered down away from the smallest rodents. Despite his lithe and lightweight body, the mutated cheetah was a gangly fuck with an extra-long scorpion tail and two extra limbs attached to his long body. The extra limbs—leather wings, not unlike the flying squirrels in appearance—stayed tucked to his back.

Blending in wasn’t an easy option, because 1) he couldn’t shapeshift and 2) he wasn’t a rodent. Smallcritter? He reminded himself to keep his mouth shut until he figured out their local customs and phrases. He had a feeling both of those words would’ve been offensive. He had to admit, for self-electing to learn about Mouserend, he hadn’t learned much about them before word came to Tanglewoods about their new king’s coronation.

In truth, Ximen wanted a reason to “disappear” from Tanglewoods, if only for a ceremony. And a long, drawn-out, traditional one with plenty to feast his eyes and ears on created a compelling distraction from his grief and anger, gift-wrapped in an excuse to observe an up-and-coming group, because, really, he liked observing, and observing meant uncovering information and information was currency in a trade-based economy.

Keeping one eye on the proceedings and the other on the crowd, Ximen’s ears twitched when the chorus began. Hmm. Interesting. Elaborate, which fascinated him, because no other group took leader transitions with such a grandiose ceremony.