can you feel the sun?

sleep don't visit, so i choke on sun // and the days blur into one

He had originally been in King’s End, stretching out his wings, following a curious herd of deer he thinks, before the creatures separate and split as the trees grow denser, as a river juts out to connect with the rest of the Wilds. He doesn’t realize it’s the Greatwood yet, not until the dragon sweeps down closer to the water, dark talons slipping over the surface in a spray of mist, before he’s drawing up toward the shore.

It seems wide enough to handle his shift, so he lands, broad head lowering to try and peer through the trunks of the trees only to find the deer quite definitely gone, and the sound of birds he isn’t used to filling the air. Oh, fuck, woops. The dragon rumbles to himself, drawing up on all fours to look back down the river from whence he’d come, pausing to tuck his wings in tight and catch his breath.

and the backs of my eyes hum with things i've never done

SUNJATA

the lullaby

I had a dream about a burning house
You were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out

It isn't often that dragons fly over the Greatwood. Not even the one who lives within them tends to do much soaring. Though the alchemist can't imagine the ascended would try what they'd done in Halo in the Woods, still the sight of a dragon—Sunjata or someone just wearing his shift—has the alchemist up and padding through the Woods after the shadow of the great beast.

Conveniently the voice that rumbles from the creature's mind is not one so easily faked, and the accent has Remi almost instantly at ease. He might have just left Sunjata to his own devices if not for the strangeness of his presence. Though perhaps he was just looking for Ronin.

Ronin is up at the houseboat. The manticore offers conversationally from where he appears on the opposing bank. Though you will not fit that far upriver as you currently are. He adds, of Sunjata's enormous bulk.

I lay beside you and pulled you close
And the two of us went up in smoke

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// tonight my demons come out to play, all my anger goes away, i'm ready for it //

He tucks his wings in as the realization that he’s now in the Greatwood overcomes him, and with the change in region, so comes the change in leadership. He hears Remi before he sees him, the dragon turning to crane his head over to spy the manticore. And compared to the last few times they’d spoken? Sunjata feels relatively calm, content, collected, all there mentally.

So the Lullaby is met with a soft laugh from Sunjata’s end. No I don’t suppose I will, huh? He agrees, shifting from his dragon to a shift smaller than Remi’s, the panther that stretches out among the water. If he’s already made it to the Greatwood, well, might as well stop to see his friend anyway. I was following a herd of deer from King’s End. Seems the Greatwood wanted to keep them hidden. No qualms with it, the panther pads over to Remi in a more official greeting and a quiet hope that the manticore could show him the way.

Glad to see you’re doing well, Remi. I hear congratulations are in order? For ruling again, of course, Sunjata isn’t sure how he might take a congratulations regarding his children.

SUNJATA

the lullaby

I had a dream about a burning house
You were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out

The last time Remi had seen Sunjata as a panther he'd been quite convinced the sea was trying to attack them. Or had it been Sunjata attacking him? Gods but he can't remember aside from the fact that the panther before him makes him want to laugh for some reason. The Greatwood is quite good at doing that. Remi agrees, of the deer.

As the panther nears, Remi finds his head turning somewhat. For...? He wonders with a slight furrowing of his golden brow. The Flood knew already of Hotaru's pregnancy, though perhaps not that the twins had been actually born. Assuming it was that, the manticore seems to shrink somewhat, before straightening. The twins, yes...Thank you. Hotaru...is not here, if you were wondering. He adds, perhaps a touch guiltily, perhaps with a blush of shame as well.

I lay beside you and pulled you close
And the two of us went up in smoke

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// tonight my demons come out to play, all my anger goes away, i'm ready for it //

Indeed it is, but Sunjata doesn’t need to comment on it. Instead, he approaches the manticore with a surprising amount of ease – the weight that had been building on his shoulders is gone, the frustration and anger of their previous meetings far behind the Flood. In fact, even the anger regarding Hotaru’s escape via Remi was now gone, too.

Ultimately, Sunjata finds he doesn’t care about much these days. It’s easier. It’s more freeing.

For..? Hits his mind and he pauses to come up beside the manticore, head tilting curiously as if he hadn’t been quite clear enough. The mention of the twins has him nodding, however, mention of Hotaru has his ears wavering uncertainly. Ah. I wasn’t wondering, truthfully. He offers, sending over another pulse of just how over it all Sunjata was at the present moment. How much he didn’t care where Hotaru was for the moment. Right now, he’s got the more immediate in mind rather than the what ifs. I hear you’re leading the Greatwood too? He pauses, ears perking up as he turns to face the same way Remi is, dwarfed easily by the manticore’s size. I’d love to see Ronin and the houseboat if you’re willing to be my guide? There’s a tinge of hopefulness that cascades over Sunjata’s mind.

SUNJATA

the lullaby

I had a dream about a burning house
You were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out

It's strange, to feel Sunjata's indifference. Truthfully the manticore doesn't quite believe it. That likely says more about him than it does the Flood though, given the various ways Remi has chosen to cope with his past drama and bagagge. That..is surprising. Remi admits, though without any judgement. If anything it relieves some of the tension in his shoulders as well, leaving both cats standing relatively at ease.

Oh, yes I am. With two of the fae, Nephele and Juniper. The alchemist says with a lazy shrug, coiling his tail tightly over his back so that its poison won't accidentally be touched. Of course, so long as you promise you are not here to whisk him away. I am rather enjoying having him always around. Only half joking about this (of course Remi won't actually mind if the pair slink off, though it's absolutely true he's more in love with Ronin now than he ever has been), Remi nods his head into the thick Woods.

This way. He hums, leading them slightly aware from the Stonesong if only so that they can take a more direct route. How is life without leadership? He wonders over his shoulder as they prowl nearly silent through the Greatwood.

I lay beside you and pulled you close
And the two of us went up in smoke

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// tonight my demons come out to play, all my anger goes away, i'm ready for it //

It is surprising, and Remi’s zero judgement on the fact only bolsters the Flood’s mind over it. She sent a letter a bit ago. Cleared some things up between us. Mostly the fact he wasn’t losing his mind, that she had taken part of the arson. And I just… Realized it was easier to not care. It didn’t affect him anymore. Nothing could when it came to attacks on his home and his region. He was a king of nothing now, and all he had was his family to watch out for.

Far easier than a sprawling land with people both on your side and against it.

He nods at the mention of Juniper and Nephele, not knowing Nephele’s name when it came to who attacked Nate so long ago in Torchline. Juniper, however, receives a warm rumble from the panther as he moves to follow Remi. I haven’t met Nephele, but I always admired Juniper. Offhanded commentary (of course he had met Nephele, he had sunk his blade into her side once).

He does manage a mental laugh, whiskers twitching at the idea of stealing Ronin away. It’s certainly not my intention. Though there might come a time, I mentioned I’d be willing to help him figure out his dragon shift if he ever needed it. His tail sweeps behind him with a mental shrug.

He’s glad to follow Remi, though, to not get spit out of the Greatwood in a random spot to try and find his way out of again, that the steel gaze of the panther does scan the manticore curiously as the question is aired. So much easier. I feel like I’m a person again. And that he’d lost so much of himself when he’d ruled.

SUNJATA

the lullaby

I had a dream about a burning house
You were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out

It is much easier. And on that point, Remi doesn't think he's ever agreed with anything the Flood had said so completely. It might be one of the worst things to do the alchemist had learned, but he'd not force that lesson onto the other man. No, Sunjata had his own wounds and scars, his own circumstances. Besides, the last thing anyone needed was advice from Remi.

As they pad toward the houseboat, Remi gives the panther an appreciative nod. He has been leery of using the shift, which I understand. The manticore rumbles. But I think it will just get worse for him if he tries to ignore it forever.

Snorting under his breath, Remi flashes a grin full of shark-teeth over his shoulder toward the panther. Leading suited you for a while. He offers, before shrugging. But then something changed. You, or Torchline, or...both. Both, he thought, but for all Sunjata had gone through, Remi was inclined to believe it was Torchline that had become more hostile to the Flood than he ever had towards her.

How is Nate? Kamaria..? He asks delicately, keeping his eyes trained on the path ahead of them.

I lay beside you and pulled you close
And the two of us went up in smoke

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// tonight my demons come out to play, all my anger goes away, i'm ready for it //

Mine tends to lean more toward hoarding and protecting my trove than what his sounds like. Regarding Ronin’s own dragon shift, that is. Sunjata’s is far less bloodthirsty, more of a guard dog than an attack dog. I agree. It’s a quiet comment over whether it was more dangerous to let Ronin loose with the dragon shift without trying to master and control it. I did… Tell him about that. That it would be dangerous. Either way I offered my own shift to combat it and help if he wanted to try. Perhaps that might soothe Remi’s worries, knowing that he’s got the twins still to watch out for.

Either way, there’s a grin of sharp teeth (something pings in Sunjata’s mind, a memory of those teeth latching onto him one way or another during the Climb Fever) and he hums a laugh back. Both I think. Though he can’t help but to preen a fraction at the compliment, having been more self-conscious about it than he might have otherwise appeared to be. He’d tried his best with Torchline and he had succeeded in some parts, failed in others.

But that’s how it went, right?

Kamaria’s good. She’s excited about living in a cabin in the woods I think. Having everyone close to her will be good for her. He can’t help the bit of pride when it comes to talking about his daughter, and he trots a bit faster to try and catch up beside the manticore as he continues. Nate’s about as good as he can be all things considered. A bit of an episode they’re both still working through, plus the whole… Letting someone cut into your whole fucking head, which still gives Sunjata a fair amount of pause. How is Mateo?

SUNJATA

the lullaby

I had a dream about a burning house
You were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out

Well, perhaps you can convince him that treasure hoarding is the thing to be done. Remi says with a chuckle. He's certainly seen Sugar hoard her fair share of shiny baubles and learned early on not to question her judgement about what should or shouldn't be kept as precious. The manticore grows tense then, for just a moment, as they pad through the mulch. He nearly killed me. Remi offers quietly. I know you are large and strong as a dragon, but... If he nearly killed me, he will almost certainly be able to kill you. ..be careful, just the same.

Sunlight dapples their sleek feline shapes as the Stonestong sings merrily on their left, hidden by the trees. All things considered? Remi provokes gently. I would have thought not being under Safrin's thumb would have suited him better. Though really, what did Remi really know about Nate?

He is good. He has opted to stay in Stormbreak and continue school rather than coming here. He has made fast friends with another boy which I think is good for him. The alchemist nevertheless sounds guilty about this, but then, unlike Kamaria, his child hadn't wanted to come along for a Woodsy-adventure.

I lay beside you and pulled you close
And the two of us went up in smoke

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// tonight my demons come out to play, all my anger goes away, i'm ready for it //

Have you noticed anything shiny missing that Sugar hasn’t taken already? Sunjata teases, flashing a pantheresque grin back at Remi as they walk. But all the humor and excitement fades immediately at the realization that Ronin had attacked Remi – a thing he’d forgotten. Of course, Ronin had brought it up in a roundabout way, Sunjata having no clue that it came down to nearly almost murdering Remi.

So there’s a hum of a sound, a nod, a hint of a somber note to him when he responds. I will. He pauses, whiskers flickering as his ears waver. I was hoping without him having as much… Emotional turmoil, it might be easier for him to control the dragon and its own rage. But of course, Remi already knew that. He was a predator as well. He knew ways of coping with it that Ronin as far as Sunjata knew, didn’t. Not yet, at least.

He's glad to have Remi as his guide, warming up slowly to the other man despite all the shit they’ve gone through, and the provocation has him nodding again. Ah, see, we can’t get away that easily. Sunjata snorts. No, Safrin thought it quite important to tell Kamaria all about how the Voice could control Nate’s mind and have him murder us in our sleep. So… That’s been… Difficult. Some of the things he hasn’t even told Nate. Certainly not the fact that he’d stepped down as Governor rather than telling Nate that he had to step down right after he’d promoted him.

Perhaps they both have secrets to keep from their husbands. How old is he now? I feel like it was just last year that Ronin was threatening me with changing his diapers.

SUNJATA

the lullaby

I had a dream about a burning house
You were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out

You know, I have not been keeping an eye out. Perhaps I should. The last thing I need is a dragon-hoarding war at home. The houseboat is simply not large enough. Remi chuckles back, and indeed, Sunjata will soon see for himself that their new home would not be able to withstand a dragon attack of any sort, such was its small size.

Swallowing hard, the abrasive curl of his tongue threatening to flay skin from the roof of his mouth, Remi considers. A blue swirl of unhappiness tinged with grey streaks through their bond; the nameless feeling of guilt, and anger, and remorse, all blended together. He...I have never seen him so upset. Remi manages after a moment. About Hotaru, and the twins. He always wanted a large family and now feels that...I have started one without him. The alchemist doesn't try and hide his confused sense of shame, nor his regret, but instead lets it nakedly flow out toward Sunjata's mind. I was not undeserving of his anger. He concludes. It wasn't Ronin's fault that he was one of the few who could kill Remi, after all.

Falling to an abrupt halt, Remi turns to regard Sunjata with wide green eyes. She what? The snarl on his lips is not directed at the Flood, but at the interfering starry bitch who seemed to meddle without reproach. Fuck sake. That...that is cruel, even for her.

Rolling his shoulders, age being a funny thing here, Remi nods over his shoulder that they might continue. Around 11. He replies, despite the fact that yes, Mateo had just been in diapers a year before.

I lay beside you and pulled you close
And the two of us went up in smoke

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

// tonight my demons come out to play, all my anger goes away, i'm ready for it //

A house boat definitely wouldn’t be large enough and Sunjata rumbles his amusement back as they continue to walk – until that amusement fades for something more shocking, more surprising. Perhaps that’s what Ronin had meant when he’d said that he’d hurt the one he loved – how Sunjata had done something so similar and yet, still so different all the same. So as the Lullaby mentions Ronin being upset by the twins and the whole ordeal with Hotaru, there’s only a pulse of more understanding.

The Flood and Lullaby can relate on that front at least. The regret is met and understood, a puff of a feline sigh slipping from Sunjata’s maw. I know what you mean. He pauses, head tilting a fraction toward Remi. Nate wants a large family too. I fucked it up already by having Kamaria… But. He loves her. And she loves him, I think. Though it was hard to say with Safrin’s revelation just where Kamaria landed on the scale at the moment.

A surprising huff of sound leaves him as Remi stops so abruptly, the panther stopping as well, ears flickering back as he sighs in the face of Remi’s rage. I made him Governor with everything going on. And it was either demote him right after promoting him or stepping away. I’m putting my family first before the war starts. Nate’s a demigod now and I’m marked by Safrin, so. I want as much time as we have left. He’s sure Remi can relate to that.

As for the rest of it, though, Mateo being eleven draws his ears forward – surprise coloring his face. That’s incredible. He offers, whiskers flickering in surprise. What's he studying? He wonders if it's just regular schooling or if Stormbreak is more able to coincide with the wishes of the children.

SUNJATA

the lullaby

I had a dream about a burning house
You were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out

Ahhh. Remi hums, feeling sad and hateful but also happy for the Flood as well. Ronin..he hates the twins. Properly hates them. The alchemist doesn't add that the Huntsman had said he'd wanted them dead, not wanting to reveal that dark sliver of truth to Sunjata for the sake of his friendship with Ronin.

Falling still and silent, the manticore fixes his gaze on the panther even as the muscles of his shoulders tremble slightly with restraint. Suddenly very much feeling the need to rake his claws down the nearest anything, Remi swallows hard. Fuck. He growls unhelpfully. That...fuck. Ineloquent if only because yes, Remi absolutely did understand, and in the face of that understanding, fuck was about the summation of it.

Mateo brings a smile to his lips and relaxes his shoulders Incredible and strange. Remi agrees with a chuckle. He studies a lot of botany and things. He is quite taken by plants. Whether he comes by it naturally or if it is because of all the babysitting the florist next door to us used to do, I do not know.

I lay beside you and pulled you close
And the two of us went up in smoke

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!