The Kings and Queens of Promise. [ALL FULSI]

[adam]

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[atrb=background,http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab236/AxeMar_Equals_Me/adamtablemid-3.jpg] A crowd had already amassed in the center of the Gospel Tower Complex, the Fulsi members having arrived to the meeting far earlier than their Alpha. It was either the delicious aroma of food cooking on makeshift spits that hung over carefully watched fires or the weeks notice that had the majority of the Ring already in place, though Adam could also wonder if that many of his Ring just couldn’t estimate time well enough to know exactly when high noon was. Either way the Fulsi Alpha was quite happy with the turnout, if a little wary that so many of his Scouts would be far away from their posts. Though the Carna would be stupid to attack during the day, not when even a few Scouts could easily spot them and coming running back with enough time for the whole of the Fulsi at arms by the time they arrived. Shaking his head slightly to clear away his worries, Adam adjusted the sleeves of his dress shirt and peeked out the abandoned office building’s glass doors. So many people were waiting for him outside the building's elevated steps. A few more people of note even sat in whatever chairs could be found, though they were placed with their backs to the building and faces to the crowd. Starr, Risk, Ira, Redd, Casey, Dalton, Kierlan, Trance, and Greyson, they would have to speak along with him. But for now they were free to partake in the feast he’d bullied his Hunters into working the extra hours for. Two whole stags and a multitude of smaller prey animals were being dealt out to the hungry crowd on whatever plates were salvaged from the mall’s furniture store and whatever other objects that could hold food. A few vegetables were being passed out as well, even though Ira’s farm hadn’t began to produce near enough to feed the entire crowd. This was just to show the Fulsi how much a dish could be improved upon with just a few potatoes of a bit of corn. It was also to show them a taste of a life closer to what they’d had on the outside, perhaps even a life that was bearable in this place that was supposed to be a living hell. A small smile wormed it’s way onto Adam’s lips at that. He couldn’t wait to see his ringmates’ faces once they heard that electricity might be in their reach. Checking his pocket watch briefly, Adam confirmed that it was time. With one last minute taken to straighten his collar and cuffs, Adam stepped through the doors to greet his ring. The crowd roared appropriately and he smiled, gesturing for his Beta and Delta to rise from their chairs and flank him. Then he turned his attention back to the crowd, waiting just long enough for most of the noise to have died down. “Good Afternoon, my fellow Fulsi! I do hope you’ve had enough time to enjoy the food that we’ve laid out for you today. As you can see it’s a bit special.” The first pause in his cheerful speech was to give time for the word to spread of the vegetables and fruits being served. “In fact this meeting is pretty special in and of itself. Because unlike our usual meetings, the Fulsi is gathered to celebrate our advances and discuss what changes should be made to increase our good fortune.“ Another pause to let the crowd consider this, a few voices loudly proclaiming the victory of the raid and the recent influx of food and weapons. “We can start off with the proposal to treat anthromorphs as our equals and allies.” With that Adam signaled Casey, sending him a silent mental message that it was time to bring out Sascha.

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[Casey DeLaney]

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[atrb=background,http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i319/sketchedesigns/CASEYMID.png] Today is all we've got, The moment’s here then not... Casey was too anxious to eat or join in the festivities. All he could think about was Sascha, and how the ring would react to their proposal for the Fulsi to treat Anthros as friends instead of enemies. Though the mouthwatering scent of food drifted on the breeze, it only made Casey’s nervous stomach turn. What if they outright rejected it? Sascha would never be able to come and see him in the Fulsi… But not only that, Casey wanted his friends to be able to accept the man he loved for who he was, not what the keepers had done to him. After all, anthros were just shifters like the rest of them; he couldn’t see why people found them so horrifying. Adam’s unexpected signal made Casey jump; he hadn’t even seen the Alpha emerge from the tower, and the roar of the crowd had been just a haze. ‘Get it together, Casey!’ The scout nodded to his alpha and jumped up from his seat on one of the bottom steps. Sascha was waiting for him just around the corner of the main tower. Casey didn’t like the idea of leaving him out so long, but he supposed it was better than him getting stared at while the Ring ate and socialized. The last thing Casey wanted was for Sascha to get hurt or feel unwanted. When Casey finally reached him, he greeted the bat anthro with an excited hug and a quick kiss. “You ready?” Casey asked him, taking Sascha’s hands in his. “Don’t be nervous,” he added, reading the look of worry etched on his lover’s face. “They’re gonna love you, just like I do.” With that, Casey lead him out from the side of the building and up onto the steps, where the entire crowd could see them. He stopped a few steps below Adam and the other higher-ups, and put a comforting hand on Sascha’s shoulders. “Uhh, hey there, everyone,” Casey greeted. ‘Oh god, I’m terrible at this.’ He fidgeted slightly under the eyes of the majority of the Ring, most of which he’d never even spoken to before. The Fulsi was definitely not the closest of the Rings, and so he wasn’t sure that these near-strangers would give him the chance he was hoping for. “This is Sascha, and as you can see, he’s an anthro. I brought him here with me today to show all of you that anthros aren’t the enemy! They can be our friends and allies! They’re absolutely not monsters like those Viruses; At one time they were all shifters like us. So I’m just asking you to give them a chance, please. They could be a great ally to the Ring, and you all should get to know them. …Err, thanks?” Casey glanced up at Adam for some sign that he’d done well, or even just to confirm that he’d said anything at all. He could barely recall the past few moments! Casey’s stomach was still flipping nervously, and he found himself pressing against Sascha for comfort. What would he do if his Ring rejected the person he loved the most? ...And if tomorrow never comes, I'll be standing with the one I love.

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{ R E D D ;

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Redd watched on as Casey spoke to the Ring, proud that his friend was brave enough to get up there and stand up for what he believed. Redd still wasn’t sure how he was going to get up there and speak himself, when for most of his time in the Fulsi, he’d been practically a recluse. Still, they were discussing the idea of anthros first, something Redd just couldn’t see the value in. He grimaced as he looked up at Sascha, and the wings sprouting from his back. It was a creature stuck somewhere in-between their natural forms, something Redd himself just couldn’t imagine.

“That just ain’t natural,” he mumbled under his breath. He felt badly for Casey, but he didn’t know if he wanted a bunch of mutated shifters walking around their territory.



ooc: Mourge next? c: With Sascha and Boni? Idk. XD

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I’ll bend the world to our will, and we’ll make t i m e stand s t i l l.

[Bonifacio Russovo [RIP]]

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[atrb=background,http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i319/sketchedesigns/saschabg.png] Sascha was trembling slightly as he heard the festivities going on just a corner away. He could smell the food wafting on the air, a smell that turned his stomach and made him want to vomit. Ever since the Keepers had transformed him into an Anthro the smell of the old food he would’ve sunk his teeth into seemed to repulse him. At first he’d been craving it, but now it just made him sick. Sighing, he dusted at a few smears of dirt he had on his arms and chest, trying to make himself look presentable. It was slightly embarrassing that he would be going up there on stage shirtless, since his wings wouldn’t allow him to wear a shirt. When Casey rounded the corner, Sascha let out a sigh of relief. He was nervous – the Fulsi had never been very welcoming to his kind, and he’d been chased off the land more than once. Not to mention they’d evicted him from his home at the Inn. But if Casey said that he would be accepted, he wouldn’t doubt it. “I am ready,” he said with a fanged smile. “I try not to be so nervous – after all this are your friends!” Sascha grinned and drew Casey’s hands to his and placed a soft kiss on them before following after Casey, the man he loved, hoping for a new future. When he stepped onto the stage he could feel their eyes boring into him – could hear a few slight, soft gasps of surprise and murmurs rippling through the crowd. Sascha gulped and started straight ahead as Casey spoke, fear in his eyes and a trembling smile. He couldn’t understand in-depth most of what Casey was saying as his English wasn’t the best, but he assumed it was the best. “Thank you, Casey.” He said, his nerves settling some. With a deep breath he let large, black leathery wings spread to their full expanse behind him. “I…I am Sascha. Yes, I am Anthro. And I...I can fly.” He said with a nod, his thick Transylvanian accent making it difficult for him to translate properly into English, especially with his nerves on edge. “I can help the Fulsi.” Sascha felt Casey lean slightly against him, and with a soft smile placed a comforting arm around him, and with that they faced the crowd together.

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[atrb=background,http://i35.tinypic.com/169ero8.jpg] He was among the ones sitting in the chairs – after all he was one of the only Fulsi who had been with the Ring since it’s first Alpha, Kane. Biding his time and keeping his silence, Bonifacio attended the meetings to show his “support”, though in most aspects he had grown to despise the Fulsi and it’s ways. His loyalties were torn, true, but his loyalty was not to Adam or to the Fulsi. It was only to the few friends who held too close to his heart to leave behind. The Fallen was where his heart truly was – and that was why he was here today. To ensure that there weren’t any new plans concerning the Fallen that would endanger his family there. Sighing, he picked at a few bits of the feast, though since the big Carna raid that had scarred him so badly, it seemed that his appetite had decreased. As the meeting came to order Bonifacio listened intently, navy blue eyes narrowing as Adam announced the suggestion to make Anthros friends and allies. Interesting. His brows raised further when an Anthro stepped up next to Casey, his impressive black wings spreading wide. He heard a few murmurs of disapproval around him; he thought perhaps he should speak up. After Casey had finished speaking, Bonifacio waited a moment before clearing his throat and getting to his feet. “If the Alpha permits me, I would like to say a few words.” He paused, turning to face the crowd, wincing as he turned his neck and the terrible burn scars pulled painfully. “I have been with the Fulsi from the start – and though the Anthros are relatively new to our world, I never agreed with the treatment the Fulsi accorded to these fellow human beings. As Casey said – this is what they are. Though the Keepers have changed them, they are still people.” He drew his hands together in front of him. “However different we appear, I do believe that anthros are a viable asset to our Ring. I know many of you may have doubts – but I have seen many Anthros in action before. They are endowed with often extraordinary skills and qualities that we as a Ring could benefit from. Casey’s friend Sascha alone could aid in transporting wounded Scouts and Hunters from attacks. And who knows the undiscovered strengths of other possible allies.” He glanced back at Casey, smiling. “I for one give my support to Casey and his friend Sascha – Anthros should be given certain rights of non-violence we have previously withheld from them. Thank you.” With that he sat down and turned the floor back to Adam. ooc; lol boniramble :x

[kierlan]

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[atrb=background,http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc403/melieatsyou/kierlanmiddle.png] Kierlan was on a rising high; the sort of ecstatic pleasure you got from doing something for yourself, and absolutely no one else. Sitting in front of all those people, he felt undeniably important. And he liked that. In a way, for years, he had missed that feeling of being powerful. And now it was back. Maybe he wasn’t as relevant as the Alpha, Beta, or Delta… but… he was still there in front of it all. The smell of food in the air made his mouth water, but he didn’t eat. He didn’t need the distraction of food; in fact, just then, he felt like he didn’t even need food. His hands rested in his lap, and he was constantly playing with the twenty rings on his fingers; twisting them in circles, clicking to together occasionally, although the racket of the crowd drowned out the noise. Finally Adam appeared; the first words he spoke were rather irrelevant to Kierlan, but they had a certain affect on the mindless body of the crowd. Ah. Raising spirits, was he? But the last thing Adam said caught the Head Hunter by surprise. Anthros…? Kierlan thought to himself, but didn’t voice his momentary confusion. Casey rose, disappeared, and then brought an anthromorph trailing after him. Kierlan’s eyes appraised the mutant—that’s all he saw Sascha as, really—and he attempted to gauge the usefulness of him. Sascha’s thick accent caught Kierlan off guard; it reminded him of home, for just a moment. He shook off the sense of familiarity, however, and continued to evaluate the bat anthromorph—having him as an ally could, indeed, have its usefulness, couldn’t it? He had wings; the ability to flight. And he seemed large enough to support at least one other body while in the air… …Bonifacio seemed to be at least partly following Kierlan’s thoughts. Partly. He seemed too accepting of them, didn’t he? Kierlan thought that Boni was a long-standing member of the Fulsi, but Kierlan also understood the influence one man could have on a crowd. Kierlan, as soon as the other Fulsi sat down, seized the moment to voice his thoughts. Had he been anyone else, stage fright probably would have strangled his throat—but he was not anyone else, and he spoke easily, almost lazily. “This is the second time I’ve heard anthro’s called people in the last few minutes,” he drawled. “But we aren’t people, are we, Fulsi? Well, we aren’t human, anyways. We’re shapeshifters; and anthromorphs were shapeshifters once as well, but they’ve lost their ability to the… Keepers. We are no longer the same, but we shouldn’t be inhumane towards them, should we?” Kierlan smiled, his eyes turning to the crowd; they flicked towards Adam for just a moment. This was a free-speaking meeting, after all—he had the right to talk. “We should approach this from a more strategic point of view. Put aside our fears and differences for just a moment, and think of the affect that anthros could have on Fulsi—the positive effect, mind you, not the negative one. Although I’m sure there are some. This anthro here, as Bonifacio said, could be of assistance to the wounded. How differently would you feel about… Sascha… if he one day saved your life? Or the life of your friend? And think of the other anthros, and their… abilities. Like I said, think strategically for just a moment. There are many differences between us and anthromorphs, yes, but they could definitely be an aid to Fulsi.” His smile didn’t really falter throughout the speech; it was a small, almost unimportant grin on his lips that would be hard to catch unless you were standing or sitting close. “We’d have to take special measures, I’m sure, to assure the safety of anthromorphs and the shapeshifters in Fulsi. Because not everyone would agree with this, would they? Too many fear of us them. Anthromorphs are freaks of nature—no offense Sascha, but its true—they weren’t ever supposed to exist. The Keepers made them… but, hell, we all live in the Menagerie. Why should Fulsi spend their time protecting borders against rogue anthromorphs when we could have them help us? It’s a waste of time; and, on top of that, think of the looks on the faces of the Carna if we charged into battle with the aid of new allies? It would be certainly be an advantage.” Kierlan was not entirely pleased with the speech; nor was he entirely happy with the possibility of anthros becoming a part of the Fulsi. They were inferior to shapeshifters, weren’t they? … They were so much closer to human then they’d been before. And he could not even bring himself to pity Sascha. Strategic point of view, Kierlan. C’mon now; they would be good allies, worse enemies. They’ve got abilities normal shapeshifters don’t. However, Kierlan would rather have them in the way a man would want a guard dog, or a pet. He didn’t want them as friends. ooc - - - homg x__x ignore freakishly long post and Kierlanrant. SORREHHH D8 NEXT POST SHALL BE WAY, WAY SHORTER

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[atrb=background,http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww267/Eclipsewolf_24/trance_table2.png] Trance didn’t want to be there; not really. The only reason he was doing it was because Adam had asked him to. If it was his choice, he would be in the very back of the crowd, farthest from everyone, barely able to overhear what people were saying… but sitting where he was, he could hear everything. Trance bit at his bottom lip and stared down at the worn tips of his boots. When Adam appeared, it brought him some amount of comfort. But that was taken away again as Casey brought Sascha out and then some stranger in the crowd spit out a speech full of all sorts of statements—and approval, Trance thought. Honestly, he didn’t know what to think about anthromorphs. He hadn’t ever seen anything like them, other than fleeting glances in the Menagerie while on Scouting trips. And then it was much like a ‘car crash’ affect. He couldn’t tear his eyes away, no matter how terrible it was. When he glanced up at Sascha, much the same thing happened. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he clamped his jaw tight to keep it from falling agape. Trance quickly redirected his gaze to his feet. They want those things in the Fulsi...? The thought was terrifying. He didn’t like them; they weren’t right, they weren’t natural. But then again, Bonifacio said they were still people? Maybe. But they didn’t look like it; next a dark-haired blue-eyed man spoke; one of the ones that was sitting down as well. Kierlan, Trance thought his name was, but his brain was too scrambled to keep up with the words. Damn. He wasn’t good at these sorts of things. They required opinions; and above all else, a guard dog did not have an opinion. He just acted. He did not think. He was purely physical… right? ooc - - - short, suckish post xD

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[greyson]

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[atrb=background,http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc63/Jackmur/blackheartcopy-1.png] Greyson stood with the others after having his meal. It was like his prayers had been answered when they handed him a large plate of food. He had been starved before that, getting very little from the Hunters thanks to his status as a naive tenderfoot. Though he disliked his treatment, he hadn’t said a work about it ever since the Raid. In fact, he’d been keeping his mouth quite noticeably shut since the raid. He didn’t want to be noticed or seen ever since his cowardly incident with him sprinting out of the Carna warehouse after being attacked, leaving his Beta behind. His eyes quickly dashed over Risk then back to his feet where they had always been before. It didn’t take much to figure that Risk was finished with him. Could he blame him? Not really, but then again that didn’t mean Greyson believed he should be punished. He’s still that naive tenderfoot he mentioned earlier. Greyson trembled slightly while he lifted his gaze and locked them on the Anthro. His cheek twitched and his hands tightened into tight balls looking at them. The control he had on his tongue lately was remarkable for Greyson, but there was nothing he could do to hide the emotion on his face. Hate, fear and resentment all lingered in his icy blue eyes as he just stared. Memories of his brother’s final days living as a moment haunted him. They were not natural, and they use to be people. Now, to Greyson, all they were are the bodies of people that once meant something to someone. To him, the Anthros were a burden. He looked back down again and just frowned, shoving his coiled hands into his pocket to restrain himself from doing any more. Anyone with good hearing could hear the thundering of his heart beat slamming against his ribcage. All he wanted to do was just run far, far away from this place if it meant Anthros were going to start moving in.

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[atrb=background,http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc63/Jackmur/unamid.png] Una was one of the many who had showed up early for the meeting. It wasn’t because she saw a crowd forming around the building and assumed the meeting was now or the delicious smell of food floating in the air—which did catch her attention—it simply was because she was eager for this meeting. Nothing seemed more exciting to her then some news and from the low mumbles of the crowd she over head as she passed by, there was something interesting going on. She pushed through the crowd eagerly, following her nose to that delicious smell. God, it smelt like a meal her mother use to make! The memories of home warmed her heart until she took one of the plates from the hunter’s hand which was filled up with more food than she usually saw. The edges of the plate were sharp from the chips they had endured, obviously a plate that had been damaged and was never sold therefore still remaining in the store. Still, she clung tightly to it, her eyes round while she resisted the urge of drooling over herself. The sight of not only meat but potatoes and other small portions of vegetables too was a pleasant surprise to find. When she managed to tear her eyes away from the food she was savouring carefully, she looked up and stood on her tippy toes, searching for a familiar face in the sea of people moving and pacing around her. When she spotted the afro of brown curls practically popping out compared to the other scalps of straight and wavy hair, she grinned to herself and began bouncing towards them. “Oi! Hector!” She called out, holding her plate carefully in one hand before raising her other to wave in his direction. Though they hadn’t known each other for very long, Una already felt connected to him. It probably had to do with the fact he saved her life, which was another reason why she admired him. She was still recovering from that incident with the Carna, but she was well enough to walk which was all that mattered to her, it was thanks to him that she was alive at all. He was a little bit jumpy—and possessed by various spirits, over 20, Una estimated—but had a good heart and was intelligent on top of that. When she reached his side, she bumped her hip playfully against his and offered him a smile. “Isn’t this grand? I wished we had meetings more often!” She chortled, then looked at his plate. “Be sure to eat everythin’ up, will ya? You need to keep your energy up to fight off all those spirits!” She said while eyeing his length complexion and then took a good portion of her meat and plopped it onto his plate. She licked her fingers while glancing back at the door, anxiously waiting for her leader. “You’ll be needin’ that meat more than me.” By the time she finished what was left on her plate, the doors opened and Adam walked out. Una smiled and placed her fingers inside of her mouth, whistling out loud in a celebration to see his face. When the shouting died down, she too patiently listened to Adam. She cheered out again when he mentioned the food. She turned her attention quickly with a more strained expression, following Adam’s gaze until she saw a red headed fellow and then another fellow who introduced themselves. An anthro, eh? Una looked at him thoughtfully. She had never been so close to an Anthro before or seen one up close for that matter. Though she was a little uneasy at first, she was quickly warming up to the idea. This Anthro didn’t seem so bad at all—in fact, he was easy on the eyes too. She turned to look at yet another man who spoke out and gave a firm nod, though it was just meant for herself. She agreed, though they were different, they were still shifters at one point so she didn’t see that as a problem at all. The Anthro seemed nice and Una was willing to give anyone a chance if they proved themselves worthy.

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- - - Grave

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Grave stood in the crowd of people, there were just a few rows of people between him and where the Alpha and his men stood. His belly was full, leaving him feeling in a rather good mood as he listened patiently to his Alpha. He looked at Trance too who caught his eye and would lighten his eyes, wondering why his mentor had such a glum expression on his face.

He looked at the Anthro with wide eyes. Someone could mistake it for horror, but only curiosity and surprise filled his face. He’d heard about Anthros before, but he had never laid eyes on one before. To see one was really something he thought at first and then suddenly it wasn’t anymore. What was the big deal? They didn’t seem that much different to him, but maybe he was looking at it too bluntly. He kept his eyes sharp while he traced over the Anthro, picking up anything odd about him. When he removed his look to glance at the others that supported the decision of letting them in, he then looked one last time to the Anthro.

They can join, as long as they’re useful, Trance finally concluded. He didn’t want to be dragging any weight, but if Adam and the others really thought they were useful, then they had to have some kind of proof of that. He was all in for trying something new, including letting the Anthros in.

ooc; x--x; managed to get my posts done! sorry some are long and drag on anddd i didn't read over them so there are going to be mistakes </3

[riskkoltun]

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[atrb=background,http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab236/AxeMar_Equals_Me/risktablemid.png] Though the afternoon was meant to be one of celebration, Risk's mood was far from mirroring the gaiety his peers displayed. His posture was a rigid one, his spine pressed stiffly against the unwieldy, thin backing of the folding chair. His arms were folded over his abdomen, in a loose gesture that would have appeared relaxed, if it weren't for the expression he wore. Caught between boredom and an ill-tempered grimace, he was glad for the fact that most had wisely chosen to give him a wide berth. Though he was recovering relatively well, it was slow in progress; a fact that only seemed to further sour the beta's typically even tempered nature. Most visible signs of his ordeal had faded, hidden beneath the uniform dark lines of stitches, or plain white gauze. His limp had all but vanished in recent weeks; in part because he had been far too impatient to wait for the tissue to mend, given proper time and bed rest. Instead, he'd forced his gait to even out, and had been pleased with the relative success of his forced recovery; save for a minor hitch in his step now and then, it was difficult to tell that the man had ever been injured. In part because he took such care with his appearance, as he had that afternoon; taking care to cover the more obvious bandaged areas with a curt adjustment of his cuffs and collar. The food held a lack of interest for him, though he'd taken a plate for appearance's sake, in spite of having settled for simply pushing the food around the edges of his plate in a listless, distracted manner. It was more symbolic for the rest of Fulsi, he knew, who rarely enjoyed meals of such quality. It was closer to standard fare for himself, ever since he'd struck a deal with Adam, all those months ago. Strange how quickly time had passed. In many respects, his demands--which had been closer to borderline threats--seemed like a lifetime ago. He hadn't expected to end up where he was now, and yet, it suited him. His gaze drifted listlessly over those assembled, and paused as they rested on Greyson. His eyes narrowed, mouth settling into a thin line. To say that he still hadn't forgiven the Tenderfoot for his cowardice was a grand understatement. However much he would love nothing more to break each of his bones with a ball-peen hammer, he'd kept such urges in check; more for the sake of Adam than out of any true sense of compassion. Before he could so much as gesture his displeasure at the Tenderfoot, however, the gathered masses broke into an enthused dull roar. Without needing to turn in his seat, he instinctively knew that Adam had arrived; a suspicion that was confirmed seconds later, when the alpha gestured both himself and Starr to his side with a curt motion. Risk rose from his seat quickly, wincing slightly as the skin on his abdomen pulled taut around his stitches in protest. The pain was momentary, however, and faded quickly, allowing him to weave his way quickly over to where Adam stood, taking his place at his right. His thoughts drifted as Adam spoke, and though his face remained politely attentive, he largely tuned out the introduction. It was meant to inspire, to draw them in for what was sure to be a tediously long afternoon. What better way to hold their attention than with some grand gesture of generosity and theatrics? He rolled his eyes briefly, and attempted a smile for his friend's sake. His attention returned to the conversation just as Adam made mention of a peculiar proposal indeed. The addition of Anthros in Fulsi. This time he made no attempt to disguise the grimace of contemptuous distaste that curled his lip, and as Casey began to speak, showcasing his lover, Risk's eyes rolled all the more heavily. He honestly had no idea what had possessed Adam in thinking that this was at all a good idea, much less that their addition would be beneficial and well received. In his opinion, the bumbling accent of the anthro in question only made the proposition--and the meeting--even more of a farce. But he held as tongue, as first Bonni, then Kierlan spoke. When silence settled over those assemble once more, he broke in. "Kierlan raises a valid point. They're not people. But neither are they shifters. They may have been at one time, sure, but that's invalid, now. So they certainly aren't like us." His eyes locked with Casey's at this last, clear disdain dripping from his tones. "You can argue their usefulness all you like. But all I see when I look at them is an accident. Freaks. They may have some enhanced abilities, but so do many of the Fulsi. Do we single those individuals out and point to how that makes them an asset? Anthros can't shift. That makes them, in many cases, slower than the rest of us. And think of the disaster they'd cause during a raid." His gaze hardened. "I don't believe they're an asset. A nuisance, perhaps, but certainly not worth the trouble of converting to our ranks, when we already have many capable men and women here with abilities equal to, if not better, than anything an anthro could offer us. And they certainly aren't worthy of being called Fulsi. So, personally..." he finished smoothly, "I think we're better off keeping the circus out of Fulsi. No need to be ridiculed and made into a joke by accepting them." He fell silent then, casually straightening out his left sleeve. Perhaps what he'd said could be considered controversial, and hurtful, in the case of Casey and his lover. But Risk, short on patience and pain killers, simply didn't care who he'd offended in that moment.

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[Dalton Williams]

[bg=000101][atrb=width,400,true][atrb=border,0,true] Unlike most of the people at the meeting, Dalton was ill at ease; in reality, he had been for the last few weeks. It wasn’t out of nervousness, no, but rather at the fact that no one besides him and the scouts, and whoever their friends were, had seemed all too concerned by the sudden, distressing decline of members holding that particular rank. Even after he’d learnt that the culprit had been found, it had done nothing to ease the turmoil in his stomach - nor did the feast. Perhaps a week before, the food set before them would’ve made his mouth water. Now, it only made him feel more nauseous, and he had tried to distance himself from it as much he could, uncaring of any reprimanding Tarrik might give him later for not eating. Truth be told, he’d lost weight again - the stress of it all had made him lose his appetite, so that more than half the time he simply passed on his rations to some one else who could appreciate it more. The man closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair as he waited for the meeting to start, then opened them again when unwelcome memories appeared behind his eyelids. He could remember every detail, finding every person - every friend - that had had the life torn from them so prematurely. The blood coating the grass where their bodies had laid would take a long time to disappear, even with the rain… One of his best friends, Fran, had been a victim of the attacks. She’d been found alive, but had succumbed to her injuries despite the medics’ best efforts. The loss was still difficult to comprehend, and he’d become rather numb towards it, in order to deal with it better. Numb and angry. His and Ari’s room was a testimony to his fury over the entire ordeal; all one had to do was to look at the holes in the far wall and the pieces of broken bottle glass that they were still occasionally picking up off the floor to realize that much. He could only hope that the issue would be addressed during the meeting, before he started going and looking for more answers again. When said meeting began, he listened with rapt attention, although soon felt a bubble of disappointment well up in him when he realized that the beginning was to be about anthros. It was a surprise, to be sure, although he wasn’t too sure if it was a good one. He’d never paid them much heed before, but when Casey brought one out - Sascha, was it? - he immediately began to weigh their benefits and disadvantages in regards to his ring. Others began to give their opinion, and he resolved to hang back, still listening closely to what they had to say. It was all very interesting of course; they’d have plenty of use, but, as Risk pointed out, could prove a bit cumbersome in battle. Of course, not all anthros were burdened by heavy modifications. He waited with polite patience until he had the chance to speak, then leaned forwards and rested his hands absently in his lap, eyes regarding the majority of his ringmates. One or two people caught his eye in the crowd, and he offered them a tired smile before licking his lips and then, raising his voice, lending his opinion about the potential new additions to the ring. “As others before me have said, they’re still people. It’s not their fault that the Keepers decided to take special interest in them and modify them, just as it isn’t our faults that we were put in this…dome. We shouldn’t shun them because they’re a slightly different version of ourselves,” his tone grew in volume as he added, “They don’t all need to participate in fights and raids. Let the ones who are quick or possessed of beneficial skill accompany us in such instances. Those that are slowed by their modifications can help us in some other way. There’s always jobs to do around here, after all. Everyone has some use, somehow,” He leaned back in his chair, expression ponderous. “I say, why not? We’d be gaining allies. It’s a chance to grow stronger in rank, and plus, there‘s safety in numbers.” He shrugged, gave a quick half-smile, and lapsed into silence, waiting to see what else had to be said on this matter, or if they’d move on soon. All he really wanted to do was address the scout-issue, and perhaps encourage those who ranked beneath him. tag;; /all Fulsi ooc;; ramblerambleDalramble

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[starrhaven]

When it's dark enough outside,

Despite the delicious smell of food that filled the air around her, Starr found herself without an appetite. It even confused her, why her under-nourished body didn't yearn the wonderful cooking that the hunters had spent so much time preparing specifically for the meeting. But yet there she was, sitting in her chair with legs crossed and back straightened, her mouth tensely stretched to a thin line and her hazel eyes hardened as her gaze drifted from shifter to shifter within the crowd. She had been in her seat since she had arrived at the meeting, not bothering to talk to the mass of Fulsi that had arrived before her. In fact, Starr had planned to be one of the first Fulsi to arrive, but she was still getting used to flying with her new shift's wings and had therefore resolved to walk back to the Fulsi from Delica Park, the place where she practiced with her shift, instead. Thus, she found herself annoyed and slightly embarrassed by her own late arrival, though she felt a little better to see that Adam had yet to arrive either. Now, looking out at the crowd, she focused more about what was about to happen. There were so many things that needed to be discussed, and it was time to be serious.

At the sound of the doors opening, Starr's head quickly turned to find the man of the hour finally make his appearance. She watched Adam carefully as she always did, clapping lightly with the crowd as he walked to his place in front of them. The Delta sometimes found it hard to break her old habits, still catching herself watching Adam as if he was still the innocent tenderfoot he had been when they first met. Back then he was like a little brother, and she had been thrilled to help take care of him and be one of his many friends. Starr couldn't help but be a little proud of what Adam had accomplished since then and how much he had grown. However, she had to remind herself sometimes that he wasn't that naive tenderfoot anymore, and that he had become a strong and reliable man, no longer needing her material support. Adam was her Alpha now, and she had to admit that he had been doing a pretty decent job since then, especially with all that he has had to go through recently. Her pondering was broken, though, as Adam signaled for her and Risk to stand with him. The Delta slowly rose from her seat and took her place to Adam's left, keeping at attention as Adam's introduction commenced.

Starr nodded when Adam began the discussion, and her gaze immediately went to Casey as he disappeared momentarily to reappear with the bat anthro. Nostalgia filled her for a moment at the sight of Sascha, remembering back when she, too, used to be a bat shifter, before the Keepers changed her shift into a monstrous dragon. If anyone, Starr knew what it was like to come back from the Keepers labs feeling like a mutated freak, struggling to cope with the sick joke the Keepers had played. So, unlike most, Starr looked at Sascha slightly sympathetic, wondering how the anthro must feel standing up in front of a crowd of unaccepting shifters who wished he would just disappear and not come back. But her focus shifted when Bonifacio stood up and began to speak. Starr kept her mouth shut, glancing over warily at Adam to see if he would continue to allow the man to speak. Knowing him, he was fuming internally, which she figured wouldn't have a positive result later. What a joy, Starr was defiantly looking forward to that…

The Delta decided to let everyone speak before her, figuring she'd let everyone have their two cents before she gave her own response. It would give her time to analyze all the facts and then determine her position. In all honesty, when it came to the subject of anthros, Starr was generally neutral. She knew they existed, but she never payed much attention to them since she never considered them a threat. Starr found it surprising that people were making such a big deal of it, and decided to put a halt to the debate once Dalton finished what he was saying. After a brief pause to make sure no one else was going to speak, Starr began. "I honestly don't understand what everyone is arguing about," she stated, shrugging at everyone's worries, "The proposal was 'to treat anthromorphs as our equals and allies.' No one ever said anything about adding them to our ranks." Starr moved some loose strands of raven hair behind her ear before continuing. "Getting back on topic, I really don't see the anthros as any threat to us." She admitted, a calm and cool look on her face, "Most anthros have their own lives to worry about in the Fallen or stay to themselves as rogues on neutral territory. Those who don't are ones that have been driven mad by their intense mutations," the Delta pointed out. "Risk is right, anthros have lost their shifts, making them a bit slower in battle, which also means that those who are a problem are easily eradicated. So why waste our scouts' energy trying to hold off anthros while we have more pressing matters for them to worry about, such as the Carna?"

Starr glanced down at Casey and Sascha for a moment before looking back up to the crowd. "And when it comes to treating anthros as our allies, if a rogue anthro feels the need to assist us, whether it be battle or just small things around the grounds, I don't see the reason to deprive them of their desires, if and only if they prove their good intentions." Starr motioned to Sascha, "I know that Sascha, for one, has never proven that he couldn't be trusted, so I don't see the need of wasting all that time and energy trying to keep him off the borders when he is helping us for virtually free. What burden is he to us if he merely visits every once and a while?" Starr put her hands in her pockets, her back straight and strong as an aura of confidence and assurance surrounded her. "On the other side, just as not all anthros are like viruses, not all anthros are like Sascha, so I feel like it would be unnecessary to so suddenly open up our ranks to the hoards of anthros out there, especially since so many among us are uncomfortable with them and probably couldn't function efficiently with the knowledge that they had to share a ring with the anthros." Starr looked hard at her listeners, showing them that she was being deadly serious. "The scouts' focus should not be on anthros who stumble across our boarders, but instead on the Carna and the Fallen, who we all know are a much bigger threat to us at the moment." She looked over at Adam with a question of approval on her face as she continued, "And I do believe that is the end of the discussion? Lest we spend the entire evening going back and forth on the legitimacy of anthros being considered shifters or not, I do believe we have more pressing matters to attend to." There was still so much that needed to be discussed, so Starr found it useless to bicker about the subject for too long.



ooc: Sorry for the wait guys. ^^;;

you can see the STARRs.

[Deleted]

the pounding of the drums of war

the joy of vengeance, and now our flag will fly

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,10,true][atrb=style,background-image: url('http://i53.tinypic.com/wb98wn.jpg');,true] AGAINST A BLOODRED SKY a get-together of this nature was definitely something of a pleasant surprise. kira ventured from the building for the first time in what felt like days, her hands aching from tirelessly tending to wounds and injuries of every kind. her dark hair was tied up in a messy bun, and despite the circles that hung underneath her eyes, the woman felt liberated -- more so than she had in months. she made her way eagerly though the crowd, waiting, waiting. she was finally handed a cracked plate heaped with food. meat, real meat, along with a meager supply of potatoes. despite the fact that it was all served upon an old christmas platter, she couldn't have been more pleased -- and for the first five minutes of the meeting the medic spent her time devouring her food, oblivious to the conversation taking place. when she finally did tune in, it was pretty clear -- and somewhat shocking -- what their intentions were. already murmurs of dissent were stirring. anthromorphs. these people wanted to bring anthromorphs into their ranks. a long-buried memory flashed into kira's mind, distracting her once more. it had been her first month in the menagerie. young, frightened -- had it really been merely a year ago? it felt like a lifetime ago, when she'd lived a relatively average life among relatively average people. when she'd lived as a triplet, when her secret was secret. she'd been swept from her dorm room and placed into this madhouse, and it was only three weeks in when she was attacked by a rogue. the girl was young and desperate, but she also had dangerous features in her arsenal, including the venemous fangs of a viper morph. the wounds had torn kira's skin and kept her sick for ages. she joined the fulsi days later, and it was them who rescued her from the brink of death. those medics inspired kira to become who she was, really. she'd been a toxicology major previously, but this gave her another drive. to help creatures like her -- and, really, she had a talent for it. a big glorious eff-you to the keepers, who did the exact opposite of what she did. finishing off a piece of deer, kira glanced back and directed her attention to the exchange. casey had just finished speaking, and, looking quite nervous, he introduced a -- well, an anthro. a freak. a freak who could fly, nonetheless, and despite her misgivings (despite the bad memories) kira could definitely see the tactical advantages welcoming these people could have. 428 WORDS , ALL FULSI , DEEP DEE DEE DOO DA!

table by california dreaming @ caution 2.0

[adam]

THREAD CLOSED

Due to the number of hiatus'd or busy people involved in this thread, it is closed. The contents of the meeting will be summarized and posted shortly. Sorry guys!