[video / both courts / backdated to december 3rd]

[enthraller]

[This message comes a few days after the new influx of arrivals. Still roughly two weeks after the original call to arms he put out, but give him a break. He needed some time to actually settle in at Redgate without all the Reynard shit to deal with.

To the newer folk who wouldn't have seen him before, the individual appearing on their lockets is a rather young man, blond and golden-eyed behind lavender-tinted glasses, pretty in a decidedly feminine way, currently seated in what looks like a private office.]

I wanted to thank everyone who in some way aided Redgate, during the recent events. Almost everyone went their separate ways fairly quickly after the incident in the ocean, and I can't blame them for just wanting to get back to their lives, but I do regret being unable to do anything to properly show my gratitude before that. Funds are still a little tight here, with the mines still inoperable after the dragon situation, so I can't offer much in way of a reward. But Redgate owes a debt to all of you -- I owe you -- and I'll do what I can to repay that debt, somehow.

[Aaand there's that obligatory noble gesture out of the way. Better, definitely, if he can deal with that debt on a more personal level and save Redgate itself any trouble.]

With that said, I thought it was only right to make a general announcement of the current situation, after raising such a fuss earlier. It was -- as anyone who's dealt with Reynard might have guessed -- a trap. The Fox did what he could to rid himself of those of us there at the time, and he and his daughter stole the bones of Lady Alyosha's kin. They failed to kill anyone, thankfully, but they still managed to escape.

[Beyond that, he hasn't heard much of what's up. Some people have cities to run and can't go running off across the map on a Fox hunt. But he certainly looked unhappy to have to report it, and with a sigh and a slight shake of the head, he moves on.]

That all aside, I see there's been another batch of new arrivals. I'm sorry you all had to arrive during such a mess of a time, but if any questions remain that I might be able to answer, I'd be happy to try to help. And know that Redgate is open to you, regardless of your court.

first catnap ► video ► open to both courts

[liven]

All this birdsong. Normally it's about where they're flying to, or food, or nesting. Things like that. The birds here are odd. A little. To talk about things other than that.

[ Shijima starts speaking in her usual abrupt manner, though it probably isn't familiar to most of yet. It's hard to tell where she is when she holds the locket rather close, but it's outside somewhere. In a tree? There are birds around her, perching on her, and she seems fine with that state of affairs for the moment. Animals tend to like her in this form, for whatever reason. Her human shape. And she has no interest in killing the birds, just now.

Perhaps if she weren't wearing this shape. Or if she were hungry. But at the moment, she doesn't so much as bat an eye. ]

What use have birds for a king? Strange tidings. Well, I suppose I don't understand the use humans find for kings, either. But this world in particular seems to like that concept. Even impressing it upon animals. As though they need something like that. They're more sensible than needing to be governed in such a manner. Usually. Not so, here.

[ She's doing as well at "pretending to be human" as ever, which is to say she's not even remotely trying. Shijima tilts her head, mimics a whistle at the bird creeping along her arm and up to her shoulder. It takes a moment before she continues speaking. ]

And why does he feel wrath? Did we do something to him? Or is he just playing the peacock? [ There's birdsong again, from the bird on her shoulder and now nestled against her cheek, half in her hair. ] You've said. I heard. I'll listen to other news, but enough of this king. Though I wonder how a roc tastes. I've never had one. The rest of you - [ Not the birds. The people in the locket. ] - what news? Tell me a story or something. Or, I suppose, explain why this world needs so many kings. King of beasts. King of birds. Kings of fae and men. That's far too many kings.

[ She ends it there, almost as abruptly as she began. It is also possible to come upon her in the woods of La Llorona, though she's given up hunting for the day and instead consorts with the wildlife in a casual manner, sitting in a tree and speaking to the birds. Or letting them speak to her, more usually. ]

002 [OPEN TO BOTH COURTS | AUDIO]

[enjoymyatelier]

...right. So, I certainly still have this thing, so I suppose I can use it to ask for a bit of advice.

[Kayneth sounds really, really tired, more than a little haggard, and at least a little cold. At least having a fur coat is... kind of helping? Okay, maybe not. He has been eating deer for like five days and he has no idea where he is, and the fact that he is a small carnivore is probably keeping the taste from being a bit rank so there's that, at least...

But really.

The outdoors are awful, and even more so when you are a polecat. How do most mammals tolerate it?]

Let's presume that you were somewhere between Mair and Eaglais, and you began traveling north at a somewhat impaired speed because you were hoping to head for the Station's fairy ring and your horse... well, horses are absolutely terrible creatures, or at least this one was.

[Translation... it may have been spooked during a failed trapping attempt during the hunt for the White Hart. He doesn't want to talk about it, nor does he want to talk about the fact that he is now a polecat.

These two events may be related.]

It's been five days, and you've apparently hit a river bank and there is absolutely no bridge in sight. Are... there any ferries that traverse the River Astar? At all? ...Is anyone even traveling that way? I'd really rather make it the whole way myself, but this is getting positively Sisyphean and I'd really not want to run out of supplies before getting anywhere. I'd take a video, but absolutely everything looks the same here and I have no idea if any of this is remarkable at all.

...wait, is that ---

[...he goes silent for a moment or two.]

...ah, and it's started snowing.

[There's a long, heavy sigh.]

I'm beginning to suspect I'm not terribly fond of the great outdoors, really.