The Forgotten Zodiac

((I don't remember, so I'll make it up. Well, I sort of remember.))

"He's a Moot," Israel said, sitting down Verdi so the little rabbit-like creature could eat. "And it's a long story. First, we were captured by warlocks and... tested upon, then, when we got to the Selkie village, it was attacked." Israel sighed. "We couldn't fight them off, so we were taken, and now we're here... wherever this is."

"Oh no!" Lilac frowned. "That's terrible...mommy, can we let them out of the cage?" The girl whined, looking up at her mother. "Please?"

"But...Lilac, I don't trust them...if we don't have people to act out the right parts by next week, we'll be cut off from the circus...mommy doesn't want that. I can't go back to that...so we have to listen to the Ringmaster and do things right, okay?"

"What will happen if you get cut from the circus? Can't be all bad..." Verdi muttered.

"No." Ela shook her head at once, speaking forcefully. "I won't travel down that road again, Moot."

Lilac looked up at Ela, then down at Israel and Verdi. She leaned forward and whispered, "Mommy used to kiss people she didn't know for money. After daddy died, she couldn't find any other jobs." Lilac shrugged, but from the look on Ela's face, it had clearly been more than 'kissing'.

"Oh," Israel said, understanding now. "I see." He reached over and picked up the bowl of soup, starting to eat and feeling extreemely awkward. It just didn't feel normal to be sitting in a cage, having people watch you eat, for obvious reasons.

Ela and Lilac stood there for a long time, before the older finally spoke. "Come on, Lilac. Let's go talk to the ringmaster and get the costume for these two." She looked at them. "I'll give you the day to rest. But after that, it's right to practicing your part. Understood?"

"Mommy, they can't rest in there!" Lilac exclaimed, jumping up and running out of the room. She returned a few moments later with blankets and pillows that looked suspiciously like they were stuffed with seaweed. But it was a kind thought, getting such things for prisoners. "There," Lilac nodded after she had stuffed the bedding into the corner of their cage.

"Right. Come now, Lilac," Ela shook her head, turning away. The girl jumped up at once and darted after her, smiling away.

"Thank... you," Israel said, but the girl was gone. He shook his head and sat back, allowing Verdi to choose his bedding first.

Verdi curled up on one of the pillows, whimpering. "Israel...I'm scared. I don't want to be in a play! I don't want to be in this cage, either..."

"It's okay," Israel murmured, grabbing a blanket and pulling over his wings and shoulders, then curling up on his side by Verdi. "I'm sure we'll be fine. I mean... it could be worse, right?"

"Yeah...I guess. I guess we should just...make the most of things, right?" Verdi nodded. "The others will find us eventually. They'll do it." He sighed, eating a bit more of the soup before dragging his pillow closer to Israel and snuggling up next to the Siren. "Israel...I'm glad we're here. I mean, not happy we're here, here, but...together. So long as we stick together, we can make it through anything...right?"

((Skip to someone else? I dunno if there's anyone else. >.<

But yeah, once we've looked at everyone, we should seasonskip.))

((We have Gabe and L'arc and Sylas and Minori and Apathy and Jerod and... was it Reetah?))

((Reetah, indeed. You can get us there.))

((I merembered! Whoo!))

((Real fast though, is Sylas better yet? He was insane the last time we saw him. And L'arc's hibernating, so... I guess we'll go to the dragons first.))

Minori stood out on the balcony, in the frigid winter air that, for some reason, didn't seem as cold as the interior of the castle. For, though he was lothe to admit it, there was more than just a bit of trouble facing the manakete kingdom.

It had been his father that had decided to wage war on the demons and humans, while allying with the forest kingdom, against the... "wise" counsel of his advisors. For ((did the manakete kingdom ever have a name?)) Ceolis had long been neutral, from time out of mind. The sudden change was disturbing for some, and maddening for others. And, despite mourning over their King's death, the people had looked to Minori, hoping that he would reverse his father's actions.

Such was, of course, not the case. Minori had long admired his father, and now strove to follow in his footsteps. Tensions had risen when the young king announced that they would remain in the war, but never ran higher before now, that he had agreed to harbor the Forest Prince himself from the dangers of demon-human attack.

Minori rubbed his temples and closed his eyes, trying to assauge the worries that had been brought to the front of his mind after just escaping the last council meeting, which had dispersed only minutes ago.

"Vile councilmen," the manakete uttered under his breath, a resigned sigh passing his lips. "From the way they talk... I'll have a civil war on my hands before the year is out..."

((Cue Reetah and/or Jerod.))

((They were both put to sleep by Bermuda. Who is unable to wake them up from where he is. And no, he wasn't fixed yet.

And no, I think we just called it the Manakete Kingdom. xD))

"They're not all bad," Jerod chortled. "Reetah has always sided with the forest. Which I suppose is natural, she grew up there..."

"I'm not biased towards the forest realm because of that," Reetah snorted. "The humans and demons are wrong in this conflict. And so are a lot of the councilmen. They're so obsessed with keeping to ourselves...the Forest Realm will perish without our help, and we'd then be the only thing standing in our enemies' way."

((That's right.))

Minori turned to his two retainers, his closest advisors... his friends. He offered thema dim smile, the returned to his quiet contemplation.

A thought suddenly struck him, and he turned to the pair to voice it. "Why, do you suppose, they're doing this?" he asked. "I mean, world domination is hardly a unique ambition, but... there has to be some underlying motive, or that's what I think, at least. Why else would they attack us, when they were well enough aware that we would have stayed out of the conflict, had we not been provoked? It just... doesn't seem rational."

He thought a moment longer. "You don't suppose they're after the power that resides in the Sanctuary?" he asked, finding that to be the only rational solution. As soon as he had that thought, the pieces fell into place.

"Of course... that power could raise the Darklands back to our world," he murmured, looking north to the Barren Lands, which had once been a flourishing land where the demons lived. It was before Minori's time that the demons had fallen, even before his father's... Jerod may remember. It was during the reign of Minori's grandfather. The Foresters and Demons had never gotten along, but with the Oribes Mountains -  the realm of the Manakete - seperating their two lands, their actual fighting had seldom occured.

And then... the demons had petitioned the dragons for access to the lower ranges, where no Manakete lived, as a means of transport. Minori's grandfather, being a Dark Dragon and perhaps feeling a kindred spirit in the demons for it, agreed. Of course, he did not forsee the war, and in a harried attempt to right the "wrong" he had committed in allowing a front to be opened, agreed with the Forest King, when he came with the request that the war-loving demons be sealed away, using the power of the Ether Stone, relic of the Manakete race.

The sealing took great power from the ancient stone, causing it to shatter, the smallest shards scattering throught the land. The largest became the Orbs now residing in the sanctuary... and the one Minori wore around his neck, the Sun Orb.

His stone alone could, in the wrong hands, have the power to revive the Demon country.

"Of course..." Minori repeated. "That has to be it. Vengence on the Foresters, and the power to restore their lands. And the humans... are needed. Apart from the Manakete, they are the only ones that can acess the power of the stones..."

((I am feeling creative today!))

((.o. You are. Mother of pie, even I hadn't thought about these things. xD All I knew was that the humans wanted to build railroads for trains. o3o))

"That...is surprising. But...it makes sense. I suppose the only question now would be why Verolen Krow focuses so much energy on striking down L'arc, Sylas, Verolen, Burmuda, and all of their friends..."

"Probably because they're like flies. They're a hindrance, and annoying to him." Reetah smiled a bit. "But it's good. The forest realm would not have survived this long if they weren't constantly harrowing him..."

"Which is why I feel that the land is in serious danger this winter...like the last. They're all separated again...it worries me."

"And I, as well..." Minori murmured. "But how offened would our people be if I merely suggested that we send support to the Forest Realm at this time?" he asked rhetorically, knowing that they knew the answer. "It would seem that the most we can do right now is ensure the sole remaining heir of the Green Kingdom's throne remains safe..."

((I had a brainwave. XD

OH and by the way, we should possibly revisit Bermuda AFTER the time-skip.))

((Got eet. :3))

"Yes," Reetah sighed, looking thoughtful as she leaned on the railing. "I suppose there's nothing much we can do other than keep the people from revolting. Because you know that at the first sign of a civil war, poor L'arc will be in just as much danger as he would be alone, in the forest." She sighed, shaking her head.

"Then we must ensure that he's watched at all times. By those we trust." Jared nodded with a small sigh.

Minori nodded slightly. Currently, Apathy was with the Forest Prince - thought bereft of her transformation powers, her influence as a Princess, and one not tightly associated with the throne as it was now, was enough to protect L'arc for now. "That, and make sure that no demons broach our borders," he said, looking out across their domain again. "I..." he started, but did not finish the thought.

"You what? Fear for the others? We all do. But we must fear for ourselves, also..." Reetah sighed heavily, then did something unexpected.

She moved forward and hugged Minori. Then she left, without another word.

"She puzzles me, at times," Jared laughed a bit, then patted Minori on the arm. "We best be prepared. This will be a long winter, I fear..."

"It's already too long..." Minori murmured, looking to Jerod before heading back into the castle.

((You can take us to spring. ))

It was a very long time before the claws of winter began to loosen. The bitter colds slowly receeded, the heavy snow growing soft and light. Rush was lucky to be alive at this point; he didn't do well in the cold, and his wounds took a long time to heal. He had spent the majority of the winter in the tent, both keeping the warmth locked inside the tent and sleeping at the same time. Boy, did he generate a lot of heat while he was asleep.

Aries had managed to hunt enough during the winter to keep them fed, but there was one week where Aries declared that it was too cold to even go outside. They spent most of that time huddled up close to each other.

Thankfully, the cold chased the humans away, as well. But as it grew closer to spring, Aries was glad to see the Tree of Seasons growing. But on that fateful early spring day, Aries realized how close the humans actually were to them. She and Byrne were on a patrol, and were able to watch from the brush as a caravan lumbered past.

"Tch...they're gutsy," Aries shook her head, eyes narrow with a glare. "Ridiculous. An entire trading caravan..."