[Ilhuicatl]

[All invited to join! IC Ilhui only "officially" invites Sanguines, Sapphires, & Riverines but waltz in go ahead) 

Adulthood treated Ilhuicatl well. She could do a lot of what she pleased, and one of the things that pleased her the most was prepping a breakfast with her family members. She loved seeing her siblings, and they'd often bring their pups along with them. She loved to catch up with them and indirectly boast the fine bounty of her wonderful garden. She adored their praises more than anything.

The war put an end to that. Ilhuicatl had lost a lot of her family, but she had mourned them, and Ilhuicatl longed to return to just that small bit of her old routine. Her family was in disrepair, but under the pretense of some banquet for a season of good weather and reuniting the community, Ilhuicatl had whipped up another one of her breakfasts. 

She was always good with plants but never hunting animals. She was lean as a maned wolf but still lacked the athleticism. Instead the blue wolf always prepped for this occasion by plucking a few quills from her prickly porcupine companion until she had enough to make a simple fish trap. It wasn't something she could do often but she had fresh fish ready--and the stern demand to her family members to bring extra meat of their own. 

Everything was laid out nicely. Perched on slabs of old ruins near her den and laid neatly with broad leaves under the choices. Along with the meat she had collected a number of herbs and the like from her personal garden. A section was made for just, complimentary herbs, then there was some food for the plant-eating companions, and then a mash of things colorful. The colorful mash was prepared like a topical medicinal cream but laid out in dollops, intended to be lapped up. They had no great nutritional value for the wolves but they were spicy and kicking with flavor and to Ilhuicatl, that was plenty enough. 

The area was decorated in flowers, and that included the host herself. She always liked wearing a wreath of colorful flowers and fresh leaves from her garden. She stood proudly at her display, reserved but eager for her guests to arrive. She had encouraged plenty to come--and then once literally dove into the bushes to avoid having to invite an Obsidian. She wanted the finest to arrive, and to adore the bounty of the Riverine family. Yet some part of her hoped those uninvited would come as well, to see what finery they were intended to be excluded from.

That, Ilhuicatl could smile about all day.

[nadine]

nadine didn't really feel like an adult. she didn't really feel like a child either, though. she was jsut some ageless eldritch horror who haunted the pack or something equally disconcerting. the raven didn't mind. she didn't need labels. or at least any label other than sanguine.

she had been equally lost in thought when illhuicatl had invited her to the breakfast event, and had been quite surprised. sure, everyone was trying to mend broken relations but she still didn't expect creatures to reach out to her if all people. she had condemned the war rather actively until the fighting got so bad that it was impossible not to align yourself with a side. there wasn't any such thing as a true neutral in war. besides, she hadn't participated too actively which had certainly made her a lot more polarizing than she had originally intended to be. in any case, she didn't trust what the riverine female wanted at this breakfast. surely there was no way she was trying to be friendly. riverine weren't friendly.

and yet here she was. awkwardly approaching, she offered ilhuicatl her best attempt at a smile, her mildly unruly fur had been groomed to the best it was going to get. in other words, only slightly better than normal. should she say something? she didn't know if that was the best choice. she had never spoken to this lady before, she didn't see any reason to now. surely they would all understand. nadine was just quiet. clicking her teeth in hello, she would stiffly take her seat, wondering if any of her many cousins would show up.

[Stygimoloch]

[s t y g i m o l o c h]

The Jay was not one who usually attended things like this, with- Aviari like this.  

He was sure he and his kind weren't invited out of the kindness of the heart, and he was even more sure that between all of the bloodlines that were going to be there, some sort of bickering would come out of it.  So, not out of curiosity, or even hunger did he feel he needed to attend this gathering, but a sense of duty was more his prerogative.  Plus, something like this that was extended out to the more "elite" of the families in El Dorado, would be sure to inquire unwanted attention from other families as well.  Keeping the peace was part of his job, and he intended to do so.

Flicking his ears back, he heard his companion Tsavo galloping after him, clicking at him to wait.  Sighing, Stygimoloch stopped, and turned his head towards the black and white Kinkajou, "You're out of shape, friend."  Stygimoloch said, smirking slightly at his companion, who stuck out his tongue.  Tsavo was gifted to him from the previous Phoenix, and at first the two fought like a married couple, (Tsavo repeatedly pulled out Stygs Tail feathers) but eventually, after a few close calls with some Harpy Eagles, and fighting side by side during the war, the two were inseparable.  

As the two grew closer to the gathering place, and the smells of food wafted into their noses, Stygimoloch slowed his walk, and bent down to whisper to his companion, "If something happens, and a fight breaks out, go and get the others."  Tsavo nodded, and scampered into the nearest tree, and Styg walked himself into the gathering, looking at the amount of food, and decorations.  Obviously lots of thought went into it, which wasn't uncommon for a Riverine.  He gave a nod of salutations to the colorful hostess, and was surprised to see one of his cousins here- before any other Riverines- the thought that Ilhuicatl's blood weren't here first made him want to smirk.

But he did not.  

"Nadine, a pleasure, cousin."  He said walking past her, up to their hostess.  "Ilhu, thank you for the invitation,"  He said, with sincerity, "If the need calls, If unwelcome guests decide to crash your feast..." He didn't feel the need to finish his sentence, Riverines were supposed to be intelligent.  He nodded again, and turned back to sit next to his blood.  

And to keep watch.

[Valravn]

VALRAVN

|↕| el dorado |↕|
man with no country; Jay & Raven

Whispers through all the typical grapevines of Sapphire gossip had brought the boy interesting news; had some great god been reading his mind? They said the peacock woman, Riverine, was having a breakfast party and was inviting all manner of Aviari to attend her shindig. Except Crystalline, the Sapphires probably snickered about that, and there was a suggestion she had avoided inviting the Obsidians too? Not that Valravn was too surprised at either of those notions, as much as he hated the bloodlines and their history with a passion, the Crystalline and Obsidian families were particularly detestable in their own special ways. He imagined they thought they were great just like Sapphire thought they were great just like Riverine thought they were great, etc etc. The bloodlines made him sick sometimes, but he understood the need to have family at the same time. Valravn craved it, that sense of effortless belonging. But as intelligent as he was, the large boy wouldn’t fool himself into thinking he knew how to best go about finding that. Instead he sat and discussed it to his often silent companion Fi, who rarely gave advice that wasn’t sympathetic to his emotional pleas. Val was beginning to recognize that his companion was a lovely little enabler who apparently found no interest in being contrary. Sometimes the icy-toned boy wished she would, maybe he wanted someone to tell him no that wasn’t a stuck up Sapphire.

The boy who didn’t want to be told what to do, wanted someone to tell him what to do. A heavy sigh ended his glaring conversation with Fi, sucking on one fang for a moment for rising slowly. For so long he’d been under the wing of the Sapphire family, being both apart and a separate piece, disconnected from the entire world it felt like. He’d ducked his head down, been a good boy, worked hard and gained multiple ranks. Played it smart, kept away from those he knew would do him harm and those he knew would upset the delicate balance of his family. Watched the world tick by, slipping more and more away from him each day as he fulfilled his roles between waking up and going to sleep. Nothing more. Nothing more. The pendulum of time swung back and forth and Valravn kept the tempo and nothing more. The war broke out and he found himself frightened and excited all in one. He didn’t wished to see his loved ones harmed, didn’t wish to see the Aviari people destroyed from the inside out. A Jay through and through to the end, nearly. And when it all ended he said now was his time to be something more, to be something other than Sapphire’s bastard… Maybe in this new world he could be whatever he wanted and that frightened him so much he’d fought against his own freedom but Fi wouldn’t let him.

Devil’s advocate really.

Valravn rolled his eyes at the snake and made the decision to attend breakfast with his aunt and all of her invitees. After all the peacock woman was his aunt wasn’t she? Sapphire had done well to keep him from his Riverine family but he knew of his father and his father had siblings; you couldn’t miss the vibrant Riverine woman as she strut through the land. What was it that motivated him more? The proposition of making friends or the proposition of meeting family he’d been thus barred from seeing? Purple nose wiggled, and he made haste to find something to bring, a polite gift was likely the right thing to do yeah? Nice and proper. It was not a fantastic catch for a large mix, but if someone had a particularly discerning taste they would enjoy the plump rabbit that now dangled from the jaws of the Jay. The slight hesitation he felt likely showed in his approached but the boy pushed forward into the area adorned with flowers and meal. Fancy, Val thought to himself, refraining from sticking out his pinky finger with a haughty expression.

Instead he simply looked around with his typical blank stare, Ihuicatl, Nadine, and Stygimoloch. Nadine was a fellow Raven and Styg and him were Jays, but he gave neither much of an indication of recognition. Instead simply—and quite unceremoniously—depositing the rabbit on the ground near Ihu’s feet before looking up at the spindly woman.

"Auntie," spoken with no hint of emotion in one direction or another, like a placid lake or smooth ice.  Val didn’t even know the woman, or what else to say or do so he simply stepped back, watching her with an unblinking stare through purple lenses.

Lets have a party.

[Naerileen]

She and her aunt were not close. Yes, they were colleagues, but in no way were the two closer than what their ranks and blood mandated. Naerileen had distanced herself from most individuals in her family except for Lorcan, that distance growing since she had taken responsibility for him. Even before that, however, she and her father's sister had never been close. Too many months were spent looking up to her aunt, hating herself for not being as perfect as her parents viewed Ilhuicatl to be. Never as vibrant, never as intelligent, never good enough for them to be happy with the daughter that fate had given them. She knew that Ilhuicatl did not deserve all of her contempt but still such feelings persisted whether she wanted them to or not.

She could be civil. She could attend each breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a slight smile and make decent small talk. She could tolerate others, if only for a time. So, when Ilhuicatl had asked--more or less ordered--Naeri to attend, she had submitted to her aunt's whims. She could play the Riverine that her parents had molded her to be, certainly. She would be the dutiful niece and attend her aunt's breakfast party just as requested. She wouldn't cause any problems and she would keep to the shadows just as she always had. She would do that and nothing more.

So, on the morning of the small event, she woke early. She did her normal morning routine, feeding the snakes and checking on those that she had been keeping an eye on. And then she had sat down and taken extra time getting ready. She was careful with preening her feathers, spending much more time than usual to make sure that those around her shoulders--long and elegant--were in their best condition. Then she made sure that her long, smooth fur was just as immaculate. What her vibrancy did not do, the rest of her appearance made up for by a subtle beauty and cold elegance. Or, at least, that was what she was going for and hoped her appearance conveyed. Next came her jewelry, most of the gold bands and bangles being gifts from her brother and late lover, Cassandra. She eyed the amethyst earrings resting nearby and put them in as well, the purple gems the same shade as her eyes.

With that, the green-coated Aviari took to the garden that she kept, a basket clamped in her jaws. She could hunt, yes, but after spending so long getting ready she didn't feel like doing so or going down to the early-morning market to pick up something. So, she took food from her garden. Many of the herbs were poisonous if she were honest, grown for her own amusement. However, she did keep some that weren't and those were the ones she gathered in her basket. Ilhuicatl had explicitly asked for food, after all, and she didn't want to anger her aunt by showing up empty-handed. Even if what she brought was not plentiful, it was sure to be succulent and fitting for the small feast she was sure her aunt had prepared.

Taking the now-full basket, she sauntered to the location her aunt had told her and entered in silence. A gentle nod was sent to her aunt as she laid the basket on the table, eyes scanning those gathered. She was relieved to see that Lorcan was not one of those gathered. Besides his absence, however, she observed two Sanguines, one of which she was quite familiar with. Stygimoloch, a fellow she remembered fondly calling "Styg" for the early months of her life. The two had been close childhood friends, the distance between them having stretched once her parents had demanded she change. They rarely talked anymore, rarely interacting due to their different ranks. It was a pity, though, and sometimes she found herself missing their playful antics. Such times were gone though, lost to the sands of time.

Then there was Nadine. She didn't know her well and did not care enough to do anything to get to know her anyway. The Sanguine was an odd one from what she heard, completely eliminating any chance she had to even come close to Naerileen's minuscule social circle. Her mind snapped away from such thoughts not but a moment, stunned by the appearance of a bastard. Yes, she knew of this one quite well. Her cousin, in fact. Valravn had caused quite the stir with his birth, bringing with him a Sapphire/Riverine dispute that even her parents had shied away from. The fellow even had the audacity to call Ilhuicatl "Aunt."

Sitting at the table with a quaint smile and slightly hooded eyes, the Aviari observed those who continued to gather. Oh, this would be interesting.

[Ilhuicatl]

She has prideful with her head held high, watching happily as the community members arrived. Ilhuicatl certainly did lack innocence in her look however, and her eyes fell on Nadine with a judging look. The Riverine's glances were dancing around the other wolf's body, and how she acted, with some sort of thoughts about her most definitely forming in Ilhuicatl's mind. 

Only for her attention to flash away in an instant with Styg's friendly approach. There was a clear juxtaposition in just how she looked at him, even if he still wasn't her family, Ilhuicatl's eyes softened and her pose as well. She tilted her head a little as she smiled at him.

"Stygimoloch, I feel safer already with you here." She greeted with a warm tone. It was a brief welcome, and sure enough when the jay went to socialize, Ilhuicatl did not follow like some friendly puppy. She stayed where she was, not even looking over her shoulder to see where he went. 

Frankly, there were bigger elk to eat in front of her anyways as Valravn approach. Naerileen not far behind but the aunt only gave a passing nod to the niece that only offered her quiet smiles anyways. Could be worse. 

"I'm so glad you could make it, Valravn." She drew in a breath after saying that, as if internally savoring his arrival. It was a victory in her book to even see him step one paw here. His apathy for meeting her seemed to be clear and yet she entirely ignored it, as if he had just spoken that greeting with a hearty familial warmth. 

The blue Aviari then took a small step while motioning her nose to the food. "How about we enjoy breakfast together? I feel like there is so much for us to catch up on."

[Padme]

#9778cc

She was walking careful that day, only for the fact that hours earlier she had the misfortune to run into the Roc of Wings. His scrutinizing gaze made her shift uncomfortably and the disparaging way in which he regarded her was felt rather than seen. The young female would never understand his looks, the way his lip curled when she crossed his path or the little mumbling she never quite caught. Something about a scandal, something about disgust? Dishonor? Padme never thought anything of it, never knew any better to, but the Roc saw her as the world saw her, without a clan, a bloodline. A rogue.

A wiser aviari would have known better to happen upon a little gathering, clearly they all knew each other. She had seen them too around the market place, though never spoken to anyone of them, but it was the noise that brought her in. Stepping from the brush to let the sun warm her back and glint off of pastel, iridescent feathers. Some part of her howled to turn back to go, and yet, there was another part of her that longed for a moment like this. A sense of belonging like they all had.

The girl took five brave steps forward and one little step back, her words caught in her throat as her face held some sort of unreadable emotion, but her eyes betrayed it with fear, anxiety crept up her spine. Would they notice? Would they care?

Riverine and Sanguine all together for what appeared to be a small feast? You weren't invited. Though her stomach growled all the same as she looked at the food that spread across the makeshift slab tables. They wouldn't notice, they couldn't possible care? She took another step forward then, eyes catching sight of an odd colored male with deep, near eggplant colored feathers. What an odd coloring, though she didn't think much on it as she approached the table.

"Hello!" She greeted them all warmly, though she could feel her heart hammering in her chest. "I heard the noise and was curious, I don't want to ruin your social gathering." Shifting to move strands of her fringe from her eyes, her stomach gave another growl. "Could I also eat with you all, if it's okay?"

[Lorcan]

   Two steps forward, one step back, and he kicks her in the hindquarters. Lorcan's already late, but the rogue makes a perfect distraction from that, stumbling over herself and her words. He slinks in after, grinning in the eyes at Naerileen's thinly-veiled appall, capybara dangling from his jaws. Ilhui wanted food, he brought food. Who says he isn't a good nephew?

   Padme makes a public embarrassment of herself, but there's no one for the rogue to reflect badly upon, so let her stammer. Lorcan envies her that, sliding the over-sized rodent on the table as he squeezes in next to his sister. "What'd I miss?" he mutters, pulling a leaf of cream closer with one paw. He's not the best example for his family, but he's also not the worst they could have.