Shinlai Holiday Party

Silas snarled a little looking up at Aderyn. He got off Ananth and walked away from them. Surprisingly he didn't say anything, too cold to come up with a retort.

Melody sprinted through the snow, yipping, "Coldcoldcoldcold! COLD!" as she ran, looking for a warm place. She skidded to a stop and quickly walked in circles around strange tracks... Tree, shinlai, a cart and... a box? Shaking her head to dislodge any snow, she follows the path, going fast as snow caught chillingly close to her skin in her short neck-fur and clumped in her long leg fur. "I cannot wait until I am finished growing." she grumbled to herself. She looked up at the sound of familier shinlai "Whur coo?" and bolted foreward, "Alkone?!" she said, skidding to a stop, looking from shinlai to shinlai in the clearning.
"Uhh..." she said, nervously, "did I interupt something?" she shivered and scooted up to Alkyone, trying to block oncoming wind and snow. Lifting her feet to keep blood circulating... Call her greedy, but she likes all her toes.

Phew. Well, Rondun didn't seem to be malevolent at all. She still shivered, half from the cold and half from the mostly-passed shock of having a humongous Daila-following Elite come to a tiny Darkblood courier's party. Scylla's attention shifted from his tortuous antler-like horns to the deer he carried. "Any idea where I can put these for you?" he asked warmly. "She might need a good place too."

Scylla smiled as Alkyone jumped up to aid Rondun in carrying the food, fumbling with the deer and mumbling incomprehensible words. "Yeah, why don't you come in?" she said, "The snow is piling up." Scylla noted Vega's annoyed demeanor with a smirk. Seems as though there were plenty of Shinlai who didn't care for the snow. As she turned back to her cave she saw Dagda and Kordi wrapping the tree with colorful streamers. It looked fabulous, softly illuminated by candlelight.

"Don't worry, he's fine" Alkyone told her. She trusted he was or else she'd have a hard time seeing her hang around the Elite. So this calmed her just a bit. She watched Alk pick up a doe and asked a muffled “Whur coo?".
Just then a small light grey shinlai skidded down the snowy path and stuck to Alk's side for shelter. It took less than a second for Vega to recognize that shinlai.
Banshee.
She clamped down on the rope and grinded it between her teeth. She could taste more of the bitter-salty tang of her own blood. A deep breath later and she decided to ignore the banshee for the time being. It was way too cold and wet to waste energy on getting angry. Everything will be better once everyone gets inside, where we can all calm down and rest, she told herself.

Yeah, why don't you come in? The snow is piling up." She heard Scylla offer. She almost, -almost- missed that little smirk she gave at her annoyance. This is what happens when there are too many in one area. Personalities clash.
"Something amusing you dear child?" She sweetly asked.

Dagda picked up a few ribbons and set about winding them around the top of the tree. Before picking up a small shiny ball and attached it to the top of the tree. He eyed it uncertainly, it looked as though it could fall off. He gave it a slight nudge. It wobbled but stayed where it was. He smiled triumphantly to himself and finished of wrapping the ribbons around the tree.

He stopped as he saw Kordi backing away from the others looking slightly nervous. Moving swiftly but not as fast as to startle him Dagda moved behind Kordi, stopping him from backing away. “Don’t worry, everyone here is friendly.” He said encouragingly. He knew what it was like to be shy around others, especially large groups. “It’s the holiday. There’s no way you’re staying at the back throughout this.” He said lowering his head and giving Kordi a gentle nudge towards the others.

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Alkyone was about to pad into the cave when she heard her name been called. She looked awkwardly and saw a small grey Shinlai running through the snow. “Oh hui Mwel.” She attempted to say as the little banshee scooted over to her.

“Did I interrupt something?” She asked looking as though she was trying to hide in Alk’s fur.

“Nu, whur gust avin uh chah” She mumbled. They looked at her blankly. With a roll of her eyes she started forwards and padded into the cave. Placing the doe in a cooler corner of the cave so to keep them fresh. “What I was trying to say was, No we’re just having a chat.” She said, now with her mouth free to speak.

Kordasai lookedat the crowd with amazement over his snall shoulder, he was not enirely sure if they would all get along as he noted one of the few he did know... Silas. And old... "friend" of sorts which he could not help but smirk at, waiting for him to turn his attentions to the tree.
The tree was almost done and this was a good tihng, as Kordi finished the bottom half the top half required a star of some sort.

The male behind him began to speak and this, startled him a little and he had to shake hi head before looking back. Did this one know he was of the Darkness element? He was born corrupt and with such a fine gathering... he was not as sure as his larger counterprt if he would indeed fit in with the group.

Then again... Silas had arrived.

he felt himself nudged forward by a large hard mask and if he were human would have stumbled on two feet and been blushing in embarassment!

"A-alright," he spoke calmly, stumbling only over his words rather than his feet, luckily there were four to balance himself upon.

Kordi sat beside the tree in a bun fasion before looking over the other shinlai, mainly Silas and the hostess who was overjoyed still at the appearance of the newcomer, dancing in her front door with cold clinging to her like the darkness stuck to him.

(( OMg... just noticed awesome Kordi Smiley! Yaaaaay!))

Before he could object, Alkyone moved in and snatched up the doe from its position on the ground. By the way she handled it, it was obvious she wasn't used to carrying that much weight. But knowing Alk though, there wasn't much Rondun could do to change her mind. He grinned and nodded his thanks as the water Shinlai, her mouth full of deer neck, asked Scylla, "Whur coo?"

Suppressing a laugh, Rondun followed Scylla's lead as the small female brought the group to the cave entrance. Once inside, he was more than happy to shuck off the two remaining does and untie the buck from his pack in a cold and secure corner of the cave. Turning around, he noted Alkyone's half deer-muffled engagement with another female who had arrived shortly after him. Rondun couldn't help but comment, "Waay to talk with food in your mouth, Alk," he joked.

As he took in all of the decorations and noted the different Shinlai present, the Elite reminded himself of the reason he was there. To relax and have a good time. It was the Holidays and not a time for him to worry too much about a war of beliefs and who thought what. Besides, it wasn't like there were any Kordeths attending at the moment. He had obligations, but obligations could wait.

((RONDUN IS FORESHADOWING IN INTERNET ROLEPLAY. MIND = BLOWN))

A spray of snow and slush whipped from the trees as a squealing figure burst through, sprinting past much of the group and stopping to greet Alkyone before turning and seeing the rest of the Shinlai, whose gazes were a mix of surprise and resent. Rarely was even Scylla so loud. "Did I interrupt something?" the Shinlai said.

"Nu, whur gust avin uh chah," replied Alkyone. Met with silence, she sighed and placed the doe she carried into the cave, clarifying: "No, we're just having a chat."

"Way to talk with food in your mouth, Alk," chortled Rondun.

Scylla's giggles ended when she realized that the flames she had painstakingly created in the cave were barely smoldering as the gusts of freezing wind flew in. "I-is anyone here a Fire wielder? I'm not exactly the queen of kindling," she said loudly.

Ananth made a soft, concerned sound, rolling to her feet to follow after him.
"Silas don't walk away from me." She said, but not demanding, more pleadingly. She caught up enough to nudge against his side.
"It's the holidays. our first holiday, I'll remind you." She said,nipping him lightly.

Aderyn watched them go, with a measured level of disdain, snorting softly. He turned around, and instead made his way to where he had seen the gathering shinlai.
He didn't plan to attend any sort of event they were hosting, after all he probably did not know any one of them. But he could always find a comfortable perch and watch them like the creep he was.

Silas looked at her,

"I was t-trying to get away f-from your b-brother." He shivered, and nudged her a little,

"I am r-really t-to cold to t-think." He looked around and noticed a small trail leading to a den.

"Scylla is throwing a p-party, should be w-warm." He started to walk towards the den.

Mel nodded, "Ohhh... I see.", then happily trotted into the den after the water shinlai. She noticed a few shinlai already there, some she knew, others... Not so much. She looked around and her eyes immediatly locked on the tree; it was soo pretty... She thought back and how some humans had pretty colored glass ornaments on the tree... she didn't have any glass, but... She jerked her head up and said to Alkyone, "I'll be right back!" and ran back into the cold. Looking from tree to tree, she grabbed icicles with curves to stay on Scylla's tree and made their centers light up. With several lit up, she back-tracks and trots back into the cave. She walks over to the tree, and puts the icicles on the floor next to the tree asking Alkyone's mate... Dagda?- she couldn't remember, "Do you think these could work on the tree, or should we hang them from the mouth of the cave to let others know?" Everyone else had brought something, she didn't want to come without anything, either!
(Science be damned, the icicles won't melt around a water shinlai! They. Will. Not. Melt.*determinedface*)

Dagda smiled as Kordi agreed reluctantly but calmly. He watched him for a second as he watched Scylla dart around the new visitors. “My sister seems to enjoy entertaining guests.” He mused out loud. He smiled as he saw Alk haul a doe through the cave entrance. “Ohhh so now she does the heavy lifting...” He muttered, he sat down and wrapped his tail around his feet, sat at the opposite side of the tree to Kordi.

He chuckled at Rondun quip at Alkyone. “Rondun you know she talks all the time.” He added with a grin. He received an eye roll from Alkyone, making him chuckle. He stopped as the young Balance Shinlai totted over to him.

"Do you think these could work on the tree, or should we hang them from the mouth of the cave to let others know?" She asked placing a group of glowing icicles on the ground.

He lowered his head to look closely at the glowing ice. “I reckon they’d look good on the tree. Help me put them on then we’ll see what we can do for the cave front.” He said carefully picking up an icicle. He hung it gently on the tree, watching it bob up and down on the branch.

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Alkyone stuck her tongue out at Ronny’s comment. Then promptly rolled her eyes at her mates quip. “Ronny you should know that one deer won’t stop me from talking.” She said, attempting to look nonchalant. She blinked as Mel rushed off before rushing back moments later heading straight for her mate. She raised a brow at the little ones eagerness but smiled when she saw the glowing icicles. She’d keep an eye on them and made sure they didn’t melt too quickly.

She padded outside to help Vega with the crate of oranges. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell her not to screech.” Alk said quietly to her friend as she tried to shove the crate into the cave. It didn’t get very far. “Good grief! How on earth did you move this thing!” She said shoving at it again. She wanted to give Vega’s gums a rest after seeing spots of blood when she spoke.

She smirked at Vega “Oh dear!” She exclaimed dramatically. “Is there no strong male willing to help us?” She said loudly, not looking in the cave but looking at Vega. She knew there were at least four males in the cave. It was just a case of which would take the bait.

(BECAUSE RONDUN WANTED SILAS TO MOOVE!... IT WORKED. :E )(lol jkjk)

"Obviously." The Elite smirked. He watched as Alkyone walked outside into the snow to help Vega with her crate. Moving over towards the tree, he remarked to Dagda, "The icicles are a nice touch," he turned to Mel and added, "What gave you the idea?"

“Oh dear!” Alk's over dramatic exclamation bounced off of the walls of the cave from right outside the door. “Is there no strong male willing to help us?”

"Really?" Rondun tilted his head. Raising an inquiring eyebrow at Dagda, "Are you telling me, she can drag a dead deer in here, but a human crate is giving her trouble?" With a laugh, Rondun turned towards the cave entrance, "It depends. Is he?" he called back.

"The icicles are a nice touch," a large dark shinlai said to Dagda. "What gave you the idea?" The large elite then asked Mel. "Oh, uh, I just remember colored glass on the tree growing up... My human family always had it, and the icicles are close to glass." She said with a smile. She looked at Alkone and noticed the black-and-white shinlai right next to her. "Vega..." She said quietly, not knowing if it was a good or bad thing... All the same, no very high notes for her! She looked and notced another dark shinlai other then Scylla, she walked over and said, "Hi there, I'm Melody... What's your name?" it sounded childish to her, but it was sincere.

She arrived at the mouth of the cave and dropped the rope from her mouth. Pushing the crate would be a better option at this point as her gums couldn't stand the chafing rope any longer. Just as she was getting ready to push Alkyone came out from the cave and said in a hushed voice “Don’t worry, I’ll tell her not to screech.” She was refering to Melody, the light grey shinlai who can almost make you lose your eardrums from her high-pitched screeching. At the very least she could give you a headache.

Vega flicked her eyes to see Alk attempting to move the crate into the cave. A few more shoves and she exclaimed “Good grief! How on earth did you move this thing?!” Vega laughed a bit to herself and replied, "I'm not entirely sure."
Alkyone shoved harder this time, to put on a dramatic display. "Oh dear!” She dramatically wailed. “Is there no strong male willing to help us?”
Vega rolled her eyes so hard thought she almost saw the insides of her head. Then she shook her head at her. Alkyone was one for putting on a show for the sake of a joke.
Or flirting.

Dagda gestured to Mel. “It was all her idea. And a very good one I must say.” He complimented smiling at Mel. He sighed as he heard Alkyone’s exclamation.

"Are you telling me, she can drag a dead deer in here, but a human crate is giving her trouble?" Rondun asked him looking amused.

Dagda gave a quiet snort. “She’s probably trying to get a mate for Vega...” He said feeling a tad sorry for the other female. Alkyone could be very forwards in her ways.

He laughed as Rondun called back to Alkyone. "It depends. Is he?" the large Elite replied, his rack bobbing as he chuckled.

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Alkyone stifled a laugh at Vega’s reaction to her over acting. Giving her a gentle push she said. “If it gets the job done then don’t complain.” She sniffed at the crate again before looking up as she heard Ronny’s reply.

"It depends. Is he?" She heard his deep voice boom through the caves.

She grinned as a reply formed instantly in her mind. “I don’t know.” She called back. “He hasn’t said anything yet...” She said trying not to laugh. The opportunity was too good not to miss. She grinned at Vega. “I’m sorry I just had to.” She apologised around chuckles. She giggled again as she heard an exasperated sigh from Dagda.