OPEN all out of hope - return + assisting DOTD

[Montgomery]

[Continuation of this thread.]

The trip from the Descendants of the Departed was not a pleasant one, nor was it the easiest, even with the new stepping stones. The walk to and from had been brutal. Not to mention hot too. Clearly, Montgomery was not used to the heat and did not prefer it, as the heat mixed with the humidity caused his curly fur to puff up as he approached their border near the River of Life. Rather than walking further, he let his paw intentionally trigger the tripwire. The windchimes clashed above his head as he sat down onto the ground. Someone would come eventually. Until then, he would wait patiently and let his thoughts run wild.

Lucia had always spoke of a lion named 'Meteor,' but the archon had never put a name to a face until now. He had always kept Valerius and the Descendants of the Departed at a distance for a reason. The former pharaoh, despite his donated rations, had shot thinly veiled threats towards the congregants. Lucia's stories about this 'Meteor' did not help either. Needless to say, they were far from his favorite. To discover that Valerius was dead and that Meteor had replaced him came as a surprise though. He could deal with Valerius' pettiness from afar, but knowing Meteor had wronged his love would rub him the wrong way... and it already was.

The canine was clearly frustrated as he sat there in silence. His brow was furrowed and his mouth was pulled back into a firm frown. He needed to figure out who to send to the Descendants of the Departed for assistance, but his list was growing short. Upon request, he could not send Seven. To him, Lucia could not go either, even if she was capable. He would not let her endure Meteor's presence. Montgomery hoped she would not fight him on that, but he could not be too sure. That is what scared him.

Just like when he had left, the fur on his nape was standing up, except it was more visible now. Anyone who would approach would be able to tell. Whether he would hide his struggle upon their arrival was debatable.

MONTGOMERY S. - ARCHON OF COG

[Brutei Tsune]

The chimes echoes for a fair moment before something stirred deeper in the forest, hidden by fallen snow. Brutei's fox-ish head shook snow away and stood, icy blue scales glittering in the light. Brilliant red eyes blinked as they stretched, moving sluggishly out of their hibernation. Shit, what did they miss?

They moved toward the sound, slowly picking up speed until they spotted Montgomery - shit, what did they miss- , and came to a halt some meters away. Instinctively, they lowered their head to be level, if not even below, Montgomery himself.

"Not looking too confident, Archon," Brutei rumbled softly, and their nose twitched at the smell that came from the dog. The cannibal group. "Not smelling too nice, either, no offense."

[LUCIA S]

(i can’’t be saved) reaching for the life I threw away

watching as it circles in the drain

The cabbit’s long ears twitched at the sound of the chimes. She walked, then slipped into fast hops. Today had enough distance from the last ‘pain day’ that the ache in her abdomen faded to a dull throb. She didn’t bother to notice if the sudden acceleration caused the pain to change. Her mind was on Monty.

If he had to request food from cannibals? She worried for him. By Requiem and Vayu (no, Neandryne!), her former home was no place for him!

But he had returned. Intact, too. She slowed and shifted from hops to a walk. A glance to Brutei, because they’d stated what she’d observed in nicer language than she would’ve used.

The cabbit attempted to nose the despondent dog’s shoulder. The carnivore stink clung to him. But she didn’t mind. That stink was familiar. She’d been born into it, had worn it for her entire life until she’d disappeared from the Big Island.

As much as she hated Valerius and many of his followers… that carnivore stink smelled like home.

“My love?” she asked. A slight tilt of her head to the right. Her left ear lowered a tad. “The cannibals didn’t hurt you, did they?”

Her nose twitched. A double-check that he didn’t have fresh-blood or open-wound smell. And he didn’t. That was a relief. But then her brows furrowed.

He smelled like a Prometheus. She assumed he’d met with Valerius. But when Monty usually met with Valerius, the pharaoh provided rations. And they desperately needed food. “What’s the news?”

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[Montgomery]

At the arrival of Brutei, the archon looked up from the ground and towards the dragon. While they spoke, he couldn't help but let another thought cross his mind. Would Brutei be good enough for Meteor? The congregant had a size advantage and wings, but no arms to accompany that. He hated that the thought had come up, but the Descendants of the Departed were a picky bunch and he could not risk losing some members to violent cannibals. Even so, he had an idea. If they could transport a few members over, rather than walking the stepping stones, that would be useful enough for them... right? 

He cut off the thought before it continued any further and responded instead. "I got us food," he started off positively. His tone quickly descended into a grumble though. "Requires some manual labor with a side of discrimination though." The canine clearly was not happy, but calm enough to disregard the dragon's next comment, especially since he knew it was true. The Descendants stunk. The garbage did not help either. "We'll be cleaning their beaches of garbage in return for enough food to last us awhile. Then we can all smell like this." Usually, he'd laugh. Not now though.

Lucia's arrival caused his demeanor to loosen though, especially as her nose grazed his shoulder. He melted into her for a moment, even trying to offer a brush of his head against hers in return, before pulling back. "I'm alright. Don't you worry." At least for now.

The news... How could he start? The leader did not want to use his authority, especially as her husband, but he needed to in this moment for sanity. "The news is not great." A frown lined his face. He was not sad for the loss of Valerius, but for what he was about to say. "I'm afraid you won't be going," he mumbled shamefully. "Valerius is gone and Meteor has taken his place. I can't let you push yourself when you're in pain and endure his mockery." His eyes attempted to lock with hers, practically pleading for her to listen to his demands. Montgomery expected her to fight back on his decision. Maybe she'd listen just this once though... Doubt it.

MONTGOMERY S. - ARCHON OF COG

[LUCIA S]

(i can’’t be saved) reaching for the life I threw away

watching as it circles in the drain

Lucia listened. Her pink eyes flinted from Monty’s face to her paws to the icicles dangling off the evergreen trees. Her husband was never very good at withholding the truth from her. Even at times like these, when his protectiveness wanted to lie.

As the truth came out, the cabbit’s long ears flicked back. A hardness in her pink eyes. For an instant, she looked more like a lynx than a hybrid should, but that shift wasn’t ferocity. More like muscle memory. Who she’d had to be in the Descendants of the Departed. Then her nose twitched, and she relaxed her posture with an exhale.

“Not great news, yet… I would trust Meteor to keep his word over Valerius.” Then she frowned. It’d been years since she’d known him. And she… well, her perception of Meteor was clouded, wasn’t it? She had loved him. “But it’s been years since I knew him.”

She licked her teeth. Nerves. A reminder of her neurotoxin fangs.

Then a memory of teenage boy Meteor: “Some are not worth saving.” But what Meteor had meant was most—anyone not of use to him, who wouldn’t follow him—were not worth saving. Whatever happened to him since the years she left the Big Island, she doubted he would have become less ruthless.

Lucia ducked her head and attempted to gently headbutt his shoulder. Affectionate, yes. But to keep her calculating expression out of sight from Monty and Brutei alike.

“I’m fine, the pain’s over. For now.” A partial lie. It’d faded down to a dull throb. But it’d disappear completely—until the next pain day. That was the pattern. That had to stay the pattern.

“And Meteor doesn’t… mock.” She straightened up. Frowned slightly, as she met her husband’s gaze. How could she explain this in a way he’d understand? Even the other Descendants had thought of Meteor as vicious with his words as with his claws and lightning. She shrugged. “He makes observations. When he sees a psychological wound, he can’t help himself: he has to twist the knife. He doesn’t even enjoy inflicting emotional suffering, not really. He’s just… curious about the depth of the infection.”

Then she shrugged. “You need me to go, Monty. Meteor probably thinks I died that night. My presence will distract him. Throw a wrench in his calculations.” Then her head tilted a tad to the right. “Besides, I know how the cannibals think, remember? If this is a trick… well, I’m the only one who’ll know what to watch for.”

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[Montgomery]

No. Not great news. Montgomery's gaze moved away from hers and he looked down towards the ground. The Congregants of Genesis needed assistance, but did it really have to come to this? The Emerald Isles and The Horde weren't that far away. Even if they did offer something, how much would it be anyways? Having all three groups donate was better than just two, even if the Descendants of Departed was more of an exchange and a mockery. They were weak. It was clear. Those vile cannibals would strike eventually, whether Montgomery liked it or not. All it took was fattening them up first.

He lifted his head up in an attempt to hide the negative aura he gave off to those present, but it wasn't enough, especially at the news at Lucia's condition. "For now," Montgomery echoed in his head. He wanted to frown at the prospect, but offered a hesitant smile for her sake. "That's an improvement," the dog replied.

"But is it enough that you can be present?" he continued cautiously. Sure, she was physically better, but what about mentally? "If he really is a curious cat, don't you think he'd inquire where you have been?" To Meteor, she was dead. Montgomery did not know what to expect from him and feared an irrational reaction, evident by his wide eyes and shaking paw as he pointed at her. 

As expected, Lucia protested. "I also need you though," came his wavering voice. "I can't risk that." The archon knew he needed Lucia in many ways, not just with this. He trusted his gut enough to know when danger was afoot, especially now. Lucia knew the Descendants of the Departed much better though, but he did not want to use his wife as a 'gotcha' with violent islanders, especially after her previous experience with their new pharaoh. Her insistence on how he twists the knife did not help.

His eyes shifted over to Brutei, expectantly looking for backup. Montgomery was not sure how the dragon would reply though.

"We should make a plan anyways..." The canine already knew they were going to stash the valuable trash for themselves. All they needed to figure out was how they were going to do it without the Descendants of the Departed noticing. His first thought was throwing it into a net, weighing it down so it'd sink on the coast, and coming back for it later. As for a distraction, they'd need one. Lucia, unfortunately, was probably their best bet. Montgomery was not willing to exhaust that option yet.

MONTGOMERY S. - ARCHON OF COG

[LUCIA S]

(i can’’t be saved) reaching for the life I threw away

watching as it circles in the drain

Lucia bit her lip. A serpentine fang poked out against her lip. Her pink eyes lost their focus on Monty as she considered his question. Enough that she could be present? After a hesitation, though, she grinned. Still with that fang popped on her bottom lip. “Yeah, I can be present.”

At Monty’s next question, though, a shadow of confusion. Her right ear twitched.

Behind her pink eyes, more calculations. The conclusion had been obvious—she’d taken Meteor’s lack of confrontation for granted—but how to explain the why? She shook her head. “I’ve been presumed dead for years. I know where the Descendants live. I could’ve returned at any time.” She tapped a paw on an ice-shined rock, glanced at it as she thought. She was, perhaps, exposing some of her own Meteor-like cognition here. In many ways, she considered herself more similar to Meteor than Monty.

“Meteor won’t care where I’ve been. If I’m not a chess piece on his board… with no possibility of returning to usefulness upon the Big Island… then, well… why should he bother with me?” She shook her head. “Acting out of emotion for a long-gone ex-girlfriend wouldn’t just be inefficient. It would make him look weak. Assuming he even has feelings left for me, which I doubt. I moved on long ago.” She grinned at Monty. “Meteor has probably done the same.”

Then, about the plan. She nodded. “We do need a plan.” Then a giggle. “Unless you plan on eating anything valuable you find to smuggle out in your stomach and intestines, but that might kill you. So, please, that was a joke.”

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[Montgomery]

Montgomery trusted Lucia. He really did. That did not mean he wanted to ignore the creeping thoughts that swirled around in his mind. The canine chose to believe her though, fighting against his urge to protest. "Then we will head out when the time is right," he remarked. "A plan comes first." One that'll keep not only her safe, but the rest of the congregants too...

[Continued here. Please post with your characters! ^^]

MONTGOMERY S. - ARCHON OF COG