Kirah~

"There's Eniyan and Ember, and that other cat guy. We just have to find them."

As much as I hate to admit it, Dar'sava has made multiple points here. I stay silent and re-direct the ATV towards the spot where we first saw Smoke, which is where I assume "that other cat guy"* appeared. Dar'sava and I hop out of the ATV and start looking around. I notice very faint tracks in the dirt, disappearing into the tall grasses. looking into the grasslands srawling out in front of me, I see a tall, very old tree in the distance. It's our one shot.

"C'mon," I whisper to Dar'sava, motioning to the tree. He raises his eyebrows.

"Are you sure about this?" he asks.

"Will you shut up if I say yes?" I snap back, stepping into the grass. It goes up to my hips. I hear Dar'sava following behind me. I go quickly, knowing there's no-one around us, and soon end up at the tree. I look around it, then just knock on the bark of it. "Hey, it's me and Dar'sava! We have something important to tell you."

A sort of door opens just a crack in the trunk, enough te reveal the head of a black-haired girl whose features sort of resemble that of a Homo felis. Also, she's pointing a gun at us.

Our hands shoot up. "Hey, Ember, can you come tell this cazy lady that it's us?" Dar'sava shouts into the hideout. I give him a kick in the leg.

"What was that for?" he hisses.

"Because you yelled, but mostly for fun," I reply. He opens his mouth to shoot something back at me, but before he can say anything, I hear Ember say, "Kirah, what did you give to me earlier today?"

"The flowers Catastrophe's army has been harvesting," I say back, trying to stay quiet. I did assure myself earlier that no-one is around, but...

"Let them in, Kira," Ember says. The girl, who I now know is Kira, opens the door and slowly lowers her gun. Dar'sava and I tumble down the stairs. We're met with an odd group of people I wasn't quite expecting. Ember, Cadao, and Eniyan are there as well as someone who is definitely a "cat guy", but the raccoon anthro and the Sanukan who came to our safehouse earlier are also here, as well as an unconscious woman I don't recognize.

"What are you two doing here? And who is she?" Dar'sava asks.

"That doesn't matter right now! Guys, R'oko is a spy. He planted a bomb in the ETL, and now he's got plenty of information that will probably get some of us killed if we don't go after him."

"I'm sorry, Kirah," Ember says, sounding strained, "But we might have to go find a city if we want to help her." she gestures to the unknown woman, whose clothes look charred in some places. 

"Okay, well, we either hurry to the city or split up. But we can't choose," I say flatly.

~~So... kinda looks like they might have to split up yet again :/ Maybe only Ember and Selena go to the city, while Kira and Cadao stay behind and the rest go after R'oko? 

(Also the name/age/location/captcha boxes are outlined black when you click on them now and it's weird) 

Here goes nothing...

~~~ 

The boy looked out onto the horizon. This part of the Grasplands was once silent and still as a statue. Now he could hear the rumble of a train in the distance, and people and cars often came along the gravel road about a mile to the east. He had often considered moving his home, only to make the same excuses. He wasn't sure why he had run - fear of his own mortality or worries of letting down his friends, the people who had relied on him...

Some job I've done, he thought.

The idea of going back and apologizing had come up again and again.

They won't want to see me. I'm no better than a common traitor. Worse, actually. 

Seeing the men cutting flowers had been startling. He hadn't seen men in those uniforms for what felt like years. He had sat in the shade of his tent for ages, waiting for the men to leave, hoping they wouldn't come any closer.

The rumble of thunder sounded right above his head. Quickly he ducked his head into the tent. The Grasplands was notorious for its thunderstorms. The sky flashed for a moment, then an enormous rumble shook the small tent. He sat for a long, long time. He hoped the storm would drive people inside, where they couldn't find him. He listened to the rumble of the thunder and the rustling of the long grasses and wondered, not for the first time, how he had become so bitter and afraid.

A voice rang out very close by. Cries for help from across the plain. To his surprise, he grabbed a stone from the extinguished campfire and strode out into the storm. The voice belonged to a man who looked to be as old as the earth he walked on, wearing a ragged cloak and limping along with the help of a cane. The man saw the boy and waved his cane in the air, swaying in the strong wind. The boy was struck by a moment of indecision. Should I help this man? was his first thought. I don't even know who he is or who he works for. His next thought was revulsion at his own selfishness. This man obviously needed his help, and there was no-one else for miles around. But what does he want, coming here? If he were a normal traveler, he'd go by the road like everyone else. Besides...

Lightinng snaked down from the sky and struck the man. A thunderous crash. Before he knew it, the boy had dropped the stone and was running, running faster than he had run for a long time, running through the grass, running toward the poor man, who was now lying face down in the grass, smoking lightly. The boy skidded to a halt. To his relief, it was only the man's cloak that was on fire. He tore it off and stamped out the flames. The cane - where was the cane? He looked all round but couldn't see it. Blown to pieces by the lightning, he concluded. Lightning struck again. With no other choice, the boy picked up the frail man in his sunburnt arms and ran for the tent. It seemed that the sky was being torn apart by the storm. Thunder sounded, shaking the earth. The boy stumbled and started running again. The tent was close now. The grasses whipped at the boy's legs, curling round his ankles, but still he struggled on. With the last of his energy, the boy sprinted into the tent and just managed to lay the old man down gently before collapsing himself.

The boy stirred. He ached all over. He opened one eye and saw the old man warming himself by a roaring fire. Quickly the boy sat up.

"Glad to see you're awake," the man said slowly with a twinkle in his eye.

The boy was terrified of this stranger that he had let into his home. Should he kick him out? No, the storm, while subdued, was ongoing. He remembered something he had been taught when he was quite young. Know your enemy.

"What-" The boy's voice croaked with disuse. He cleared his throat and tried again. "What's your name? Sir," he added quickly.

"Call me Eron," the man said, slowly and calmly. "That was a very brave thing you did, saving me like that. What do they call you, young man?"

"They...don't call me." The boy quickly changed topics. "Are you all right? After being struck by lightning, I mean."

"I shall be just fine, I think," Eron said. "I have twisted my ankle, but I think I shall be just fine."

The boy sprang to his feet. "We need to get you help."

"I think I will be all right," Eron said, still calm.

"No! This is bad! I could have saved you from all this if I hadn't been so scared! Please, let me make it up to you..."

"Very well." Eron stood up on his knees. "If it will make you feel better, then you can help me."

Eron outstretched his hands, and with the boy's help, situated himself on the boy's back. They left the tent and began walking towards the gravel road.

"Which way to the nearest town?" Ronan asked.

~~~

Ronan has returned! I've wanted to return to Kyngdom for a while now but was a bit intimidated considering I haven't posted in almost 3 years. A piece of surprise correspondence inspired me to return (thanks, Micearenice!) I do plan to continue this story and begin writing again for Catastrophe as well. Don't hesitate to let me know if I've made any mistakes - I've missed a lot! Gosh, it's great to be back!

Captain Phantasma (this is a dream)~ 

It's cold and dark and I can't move. A boot is planted on my chest, squeezing me to the floor, keeping me from breathing...speaking...living...

"It's just you and me now," Death says in a horrible, rasping voice. The force of her weight is focused directly on my necklace, and as she pushes harder, the fang that is trapped beneath her foot bites through my shirt and deep into my skin. "Your treasure is all gone."

My breath comes in hoarse, moaning gasps, maybe a couple each minute. Just when I've almost lost the strength to heave my lungs against her weight, she relinquishes her foot, and I gulp raggedly for air. I would cover my face and roll to the side, but I can't; I can't move; I'm stuck on my back to the floor.

Death leans over me with a mocking smile. She's hideous--split into two halves: her left side is normal--beautiful, unblemished. Her other half is zombielike, made up of blistered, scarred burns; she's missing an eye and lots of hair, clothes in tatters. Her intact eye is aqua, burning with intensity. Familiarity. Hatred.

She's me.

I gasp out in fear, but she doesn't do anything. She just stares, beaming her glowing eye on my weak frame, and I can't see myself, since it's so dark, but I feel chills creeping up my right side. Why can't I remember...my life...what happened?

"You took my treasure," Death says, leaning in closer and closer until her grotesque face is only feet away from mine. "So, too, have I taken yours. Your money. Your ship. Your crew. And...you."

She freezes, and I can no longer smell her hot, smoky breath. I hesitate, frozen myself, petrified. Her expression has changed--It isn't her anymore. Her eye flicks uncertainly. I move, and the body floating above me mimicks my action. I find that strength has returned to my limbs, so I reach up, and the person reaches down. Our hands meet on either side of the mirror's icy smooth surface.

I contemplate the reflection in the mirror. Such a sad face, made repulsive by incurable wounds. Is it really me? I let my hand sink down, and I touch the place where my right eye should be.

I feel it now. The pain.

I shut my only eye. I can't behold staring at myself.

Cold, alone, ashamed, I cover my face and cry.

Dar'sava~~

"Kirah!" I snap, becoming very frustrated. "You seriously need to calm down and think things through for once. If you just keep charging into things, you're going to get every single one of us killed!"

Her face contorts in rage and she opens her mouth to yell to me, but she's cut off by the Sanukan, Davina.

"Gotta say, cat-kid here has a point. Our first priority should be to contact the Sanukans. They'll be able to help with this R'oko guy, whoever he is," She says. Kirah's gaze focuses on her. "And anyways, Kimi and I aren't going to be much help. There's no way we're fighting with our injuries." 

Kirah looks frustrated still, but I see that she realizes Davina is right. 

"So then what?" Eniyan says gruffly. "We do nothing and we'll still die."

"They don't know about this place," The other cat boy, Griffe, says. "My sister, Kira, and I have been very good about keeping it hidden." Kira and Kirah. That's going to get confusing.

"Not good enough," Kirah retorts. "Dar'sava and I were able to follow your footprints here."

"Which means Catastrophe's soldiers will be able to do the same," I add. "So, yes, we need to do something, but we can't be reckless."

"So we go to the nearest city," Ember says. I can tell she's been thinking of a plan. "We contact the Sanukans, and they transport Kimi, Davina, and...her...to a hospital." Ember gestures towards the unconcious, half-burnt girl.

"And then we ask them for help," Ember continues. "I'm sure they'll be willing to help, R'oko will surely have information about them too. Besides, it'll mark the start of an alliance between Sanukaville and the Resistance...the thing we've been trying to do."

"Fine," Kirah says. "But if we're going to go to a city, we need to go now, before R'oko--"

"You don't seem to get it," Eniyan growls. "By this point, R'oko will have already told Catastrophe everything he knows. So you need to stop pretending you're still safe from that, and deal with the consequences."

Hurt flashes across Kirah's face for a moment, before being replaced with her regular cold expression. "That doesn't change anything. We still need to take out R'oko, before he does anything...more."

"Then let's go," Griffe says. "Kira, stay here with Cadao, and be ready to fight off any of Catastrophe's soldiers. The rest of us will go to the nearest city...which was Nevaru, but I think now it's Spiaggia--in fact, if we go there, we won't need a phone. We can just go straight to the Sanukan post."

"Sounds good," I reply. "Griffe, lead the way."

~~~ 

Jira~

The soldier heads briskly to a row of small buildings (gonna pretend there's army barracks or smth similar lmk if that's not okay), and says a few quick words to the man guarding one of them. He looks curiously at me, but lets us in.

The soldier walks swiftly towards the end of the long room, and I follow. He bows. 

"[commander/general/admiral/etc] [insert name here]," he says. (does anyone have a charrie who could be here??) 

The days went by quickly. Ronan carried Eron across valleys and over hills, but no matter how far they walked or which direction they went, they never seemed to find a town, or any other sign of civilization for that matter. Ronan often felt like they were walking in circles, and the hot sun, rough terrain, and Eron's calm attitude got on his nerves. 

No no no. why do i keep forgetting?

youre not forgetting. youre procrastinating.

why? 

because.

but... Kyngdom is awesome... and I want to be a part of it...

but you procrastinate. you dont write your part. you abandon this.

but...

face it. you cant handle the responsibilty

(doesnt even try to protest) 

Im sorry everyone. Im taking a break from Kyngdom (and all other RPs)

i wish i could. but i cant. its just...

SIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

so. ill come back (hopefully) its just RPs have never been good/smart/right for me... ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

post this. post it. its not like everyone will be screaming at you...

but what if they do?

no. they wont. i think. 

im going to try to post again. 

but, um, for an update... 

Zan is fine. He escaped the burning/collapsed building and ran to wherever he goes. for the forseeable future, he's staying with his cousin Ashya (another Kyngdom charrie of mine) and they're taking a break. Ashya has the flu, Zan is just exausted.

Fay Opull left the ball with the mysterious red-haired boy. They were chased by another nightwolf and escaped to somewhere near Ashya and Zan, who are staying in a rented house for a while.

and thats it. ill come back, i promise. i mean... i hope. 

oh gosh, why? 

why am i abandoning everyone and my charries and-

stop dumping pain on yourself. 

pine... what in the worlds are you doing here?

we're all here.

=dontt besad!=

she has her reasons...

guys-stop pretending im-

Hush. Go to the house.

*???* wha... Okay? promise me you wont ruin things?

promise.

*leaves* 

=littl lierr...=

shush, Tomru, lets write.

You sure this is a good idea?

to write a part of her roleplay when we dont even know what she has planned?

(in unision) No. No. No. =Noooo.= 

okay, lets get on with it! 

so... what do we put here?

the name of the character.

=itsch arrie=

okay, guys, we got this...

~Zan~

(There, thats good! Ill start.)

its dark. thats pretty much all i can tell. i lift my head and crawl out from under the rubble of the broken building, my face marred with-
(HEY, LET ME WRITE!)
(Fine.)  
my face is burned. and im sore. but all that matters is im safe.
(=Thats cheez yyyyy=) 
(I DONT CARE) 
(my turn)
I decide to find safety-which is where? oh-i know. =Ashya 'shome!= I smile to myself and jump up, stretching out my sore muscles and-
(STOP BEING SO COMPLEX AND JUST WRITE)
(THEN YOU TRY!) 
(I WILL.)
I yawn and start walking. My cousin will have to be prepared... hope she has medical stuff, I think as I look at my scraped hands and wipe some of the blood off my face. Then I continue walking.

[SKIPPING TO LATER ON]

(where even does Ashya live?)
(I dunno. Make it up.)
(Guys, she lives at BIG's base.)
(=readd above=) 
(Oh my gosh Tomru youre so smart)
(=Ofcou rseii ammmm=) 
(OKAY LETS GET ON WITH IT.)

Im greeted with no one. I ring the doorbell again. This is where that BIG employee told me she would be... in a rental, recovering from the flu. i smack the doorbell hard, then again, then again-
(Thats not how Zan acts)
(But i. dont. care.) 
(Whatever.)

I stop ringing the doorbell, trying to think. Where would she be? Then the door opens.
"oh my gosh, Zan!"  Ashya definetily sounds like she has the flu. and she looks like it. her rainbow hair is all tangled and her wings are flattened against her back. i smile and say, "Hey Ashya... can I stay with you for a little? there was some... trouble... back in the Central Grasplands..." she smiles and nods. I sigh thankfully as she leads me inside the cramped house. She apolagizes for the mess and gives me the couch. "its not much but..."
(YOU TAKE UP SO MUCH SPACE!)
(NO I DONT!) 
(Guys, calm down!)
(=PFBHH!=)
(STOP WRITING SO MUCH YOU-)
(WELL ITS NOT MY FAULT YOU STINK!)
(I DO NOT!)
(YES YOU DO!)
(*sneaks off to write the rest*)
(sorry... theyre rather... shorttempered...)
(=Ihelp?=)
(sure.)
(okay...)

I dip my head in thanks and lie down. This has been one heck of a day-and even though I =dontt feell tired, ifall aslep= immedietly. i drift into dreams of burning ships and strange black wolfs... 

=goodd jobus!=

yeah.

=where areth eothe rssss?=

fighting. lets post it.

=okayy!= 

I love how Kirah and Dar'sava's relationship mostly consists of them yelling and kicking at each other. :3 And it's cute how Dar'sava is always focused on Kirah's emotions and expressions to see what she's thinking.

@HOO's AEs and CAPTCHA - That post was hilarious! Good job guys :P

Kimi~

It's been a long night, and I'm completely on edge, but I've calmed down as much as I'm able to during the walk to Spiaggia.  Now that the adrenaline is gone, I'm just a blob of exhausted muscles, bandages, and fur. I'm glad that the Resistance decided to help us.

When we arrive at the outskirts of the city, we find it buzzing with action. It looks like the Spiaggian reporters and soldiers are mobilizing to investigate the fires. My stomach churns, against my will, at what they're going to find. Ugh...I don't want to think about that. I don't want to think about that at all.

Dawn has arrived, and we're going to be spotted if we're not careful. I bet those reporters would love to get their hands on us. To make matters worse, Ember has an announcement:

"Hey. Hey guys? We've really got to hurry. Her fever just spiked."

Spiaggia is huge by Grasplands standards. Just like Nevaru, it's a port town, but farther south and a lot more modern. Ships and bells clang at the harbor, accompanied by the screeching of water birds. All the noise makes it easy for us to hurry through the awakening streets to find the water. Davina and I know that the Sanukan outpost in Spiaggia is not too far from the docks.

By the time we reach the outskirts of the port, the sun has fully risen above the horizon. Boats and people are already busy loading and unloading. If it weren't for me and Davina, this place would be in flames right now...

The outpost is a particularly large metal warehouse/hangar dedicated to storing both goods and the officials in charge of managing them. It's got a nice view of the port, but we have no time to notice that. The two security guards at the front entrance hail us as soon as we come into their view. They seem to be ready for us.

"Miss Starr! And Flammori. Congratulations on making it back safely. Hviti is inside. He will be glad to know you're here."

Davina nods, looking relieved. "We have Resistance members here with us. They're ready for an alliance, and they need some assistance. But more importantly, we need transport to a hospital for this prisoner."

"Preferrably within the next half hour or she will probably die," Ember interjects rapidly.

"Yes ma'am," the guard says to Davina. "Go ahead inside. I will call for escorts."

Hviti is right there in the front, and he sees us the minute we enter. I was thinking about saying something about him almost getting us killed, but I decided against it after realizing how many lives would have been lost otherwise.

"Davina, Kimi!" Hviti hurries over. "Congratulations, the mission was a success...You saved many lives here. We were worried when we lost communication with you, but I thought you might end up here if you'd made it out--which I was sure you had."

"Your inside man was definitely telling the truth," I remark, rubbing at my bandages. "I guess it was lucky you got the tip."

"We would've been back faster, but we managed to rescue the ship's captain," Davina tells Hviti. "We've got to get her to a hospital. And then, something's come up with the Resistance, but I'll let them explain."

-----

I was thinking that it would make sense if the explosion on the Thunderbird wasn't an isolated incident. There could have been several other bombs set off at the same time in other parts of the Grasplands, which the double agent didn't know about. Maybe the Black Skull is trying to create a trail of clues to lead their enemies to a trap.

Is this where the live chat will be be on the 6th? At 8:00?