​​Talyssa's golden fur glistened in the midday sun as she called for her group to gather around. Her steel gaze scanned the lush Buffalo Knolls, watching as a herd of buffalo grazed peacefully in the distance. She could almost hear the faint echoes of their brethren's hooves, a reminder of the rich history ingrained into this land.

A determined smile pressed against her lips. "Today," she started, her voice cutting through the tranquil ambiance, "I want to talk about intuition." Her group, a motley mix of individuals each with their own story and purpose, looked on with interest. "Every decision we make," she continued, "is often based on our trust in our own intuition. Sometimes, it guides us to safety and success. Other times... well, we all have our share of regrets." She paused, looking around for comprehension. She lifted her muzzle towards the buffalo roaming the plains, "Look at them. They instinctively know not to venture unto these knolls - though they know not why. It's intuition."

"Talyssa Carpathius"

Rakia watched Talyssa speak, her vibrant blue eyes reflecting the golden rays of sunlight. She listened intently, her mind drinking in the woman’s words like a parched land welcoming the first monsoon rain. Intuition – she’d never truthfully given the concept much thought, too whimsical to be trusted. Yet, as she studied the buffalo in the distance, she couldn't help but grasp the truth in Talyssa's words. The rustling of the grass beneath her paws became her grounding force as Rakia let her gaze linger on the buffalo - magnanimous creatures, muscled and strong, yet so unknowingly bound by instincts woven into their very beings. She blinked slowly, allowing the thought to seep in, finding herself engulfed in a silent contemplation that rippled through her consciousness.

She shifted her gaze back to Talyssa, tuning back in to what she was saying. Perhaps there was more to intuition- more than just an impulsive thought. An errant breeze ruffled her silken fur, carrying with it the scent of the open plains and buffalo grass. Talyssa made intuition sound more like instinct than anything. Was that what she was getting at?

"Rakia Perreau"

​​The golden woman again. She was calling her odd lessons, calling students to listen and learn. Illusion though to herself that maybe it wasn't so bad; doing the same things her brother had. Learning as he had, maybe if she made herself more interesting, his attention would turn back to her where it belonged. So she heeded the call, her paws padding over to the Knolls. Luckily she had been nearby.

Upon arrival, Illusion tilted her head to the side, offering a soft and curious smile to Talyssa. She settled in close, choosing to appear to the woman's good nature and make herself seem to be a youth that needed guidance. That was the point of all this, wasn't it? Guidance. Silly.

She listens, silver eyes gleaming with manufactured wonder, Intuition. Decisions. Trust? You had to trust yourself? What did that mean? The slate blue girl's brows furrow delicately, as she looks out to the buffaloes Taly gestures to. Why do dumb prey animals know anything?


illu

Oh how could he possibly miss the call of a woman? Setekh was nothing if not a gentleman, so when he heard the song ring out, he obliged. She said her name was Talyssa, that she enjoyed giving these lessons at random. He introduced himself, and took a seat at the back of the group to focus on her words. Though, it was difficult. She was so beautiful.

She spoke of intuition. What some souls call gut-feeling. Setekh had never had that sensation wrack his ethereal framework before. Maybe it was for mortal souls alone.

Still he listened, his mind enraptured by her every word. Trust in intuition that guides to safety and success. Regrets? Setekh knew nothing of regrets. Looking out to the buffaloes now, following the graceful hand of the scholar woman he hummed in thought. Why would the beasts avoid these grounds? Instinct, or perhaps an intuition so deeply ingrained into their blood they feel it centuries later. Ah, whimsy.

"speaking" | voices

Annwyn observed from the shadows, her presence blending seamlessly with the mist that clung to the forest's edge. She listened to Talyssa's words with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism.

When the golden-furred leader mentioned intuition, a sardonic smile played on Annwyn's lips. Intuition, she mused, was both a blessing and a curse, a double-edged sword that had guided her through countless perils and into unfathomable darkness. Her bright blue eyes, marked by the striking heterochromia in her left, fixed on Talyssa as she spoke.

Emerging from her concealment, Annwyn approached the group with a graceful yet commanding presence. The chains that adorned her body jingled softly, an almost eerie melody accompanying her steps. The scent of woodsmoke and blood followed her as she joined the gathering. Her piercing gaze swept over the group, silently challenging those who dared meet it. She offered no words.

the selfish

Elysia needed to hone her other skill set. She had focused on her fighting and it was through that she’d gotten a proper rank in her cousin’s empire. But to stay sharp, and needed, it would take more than that. Of that she was aware. So maybe that was why she was wandering about, looking for knowledge from the minds of others. When a stranger's call rang out. A similar one to that of Modesty’s when she’d called for students to listen to her ideals.

So she decided to follow the call. To see who was looking to teach others and who might also show up to this… class. She was one of the last to arrive. But not last enough to miss the white male introducing himself. Setekh. She knew that name. She was raised to know that name. For this was her mother’s former lover, her ghost. That father of her older siblings and of Absinth.

She quickly introduced herself as well before taking a seat near enough that she could participate in the lesson and study the white male. With her ears pointed at the woman she let her eyes flicker between the two individuals who had her attention. Her mind temporarily pulled from her own personal objective as talyssa spoke about trust and regret.

Regret was a rare thing in her life. But trust. That she had. She trusted her family, trusted them to protect her, and trusted them to use her to advance in power. But regret. Not as common. She did not even regret the kidnapping of that alphas' son. The ones who’s names she couldn’t remember.

Flickering her eyes towards the buffalo. She listened to her words. Was it intuition or had they heard her summons and smelled a predators scent. No one could truly know that answer to that.


"Ely & Ezekiel"

Nila was out on a strange adventure. She was off on an educational mission with a member of the syndicate’s higher ranked members; Elysia. And it felt strange. Her anxiety was flared to the maximum. Kaino was nowhere nearby and she was alone with a saxe. It left a copper taste in her mouth, though that could just be her own blood at this point. She hadn’t dared tell the woman no. She couldn’t have told her no. So not the earthen fae was far from home and far from Kaino. And it made her mask snap further in place than it ever had.

Ely had led them to the call of another. A woman who seemed to draw in the attention of those gathered around her. Or maybe that was just what happened to Nila. She couldn’t seem to take her eyes off her as she spoke. Drinking in the woman’s lesson of trust, intuition and regrets. She felt as if this woman was seeing into her soul with this lesson. Each point connected to something she had been mulling over lately.

She looked at the large beasts. While they were larger than the small gathering of wolves, they didn’t move closer. Nila couldn’t help but wonder if it was intuition or a learned thing passed down from generation to generation. Much like her subordination was.

"Speech"
|| "Thoughts"

The woman called her students close, once again another lesson. Identification didn't mind, she wondered what todays would bring, as ears twisted forwards listening. Intuition, a odd subject but a subject none the less. Her tail danced around behind her, enjoying the lessons that she offered and some. Fic thought that maybe one day she would be able to be like this golden molted woman before her. Some faces she realized were from other lessons she attended and others they weren't familiar.

mood board

Talyssa paused, her eyes sweeping across the faces of her listeners. "But our intuition," Talyssa continued, "isn't always correct. Sometimes, it's clouded by fear, by desire, by... prejudice." She stressed the last word, her gaze hardening. "That's when we make mistakes. That’s when we misjudge situations and others.” She gestured towards the knolls that surrounded them. “These burial mounds—do they frighten you? Do they repulse you? Or do they fascinate you?” Talyssa’s gaze was intense as she awaited their responses. Some found themselves shifting uncomfortably at her questions, others found their curiosity piqued. Each reaction was observed and noted by the young leader.

"Talyssa Carpathius"

Rakia maintained her quiet composure, the scholar woman's words swirled around her like a gentle fog, seeping into her thoughts and making her question herself. Fear? Repulsion? Fascination? These feelings had never been strong within her, she always considered herself more stoic than most. Her gaze shifted to the burial mounds, a strange sensation of familiarity rippled through her. Why would they frighten her? They were just hills, right?

She turned back to Talyssa, inclining her head slightly to show she was listening. She studied the woman's face, delving into those earnestly expressive eyes and noting the way her gestures danced in the air as she spoke. Rakia found herself drawn into the rhythm of Talyssa's speech, the rise and fall of her words echoing in the silence that followed. Her voice- her beauty made a particularly dull topic at least somewhat engaging.

"Rakia Perreau"

Illusion isn't fully grasping the concept by this point, her mind working to grapple with the contradiction within Talyssa's lesson. If you had to trust yourself, and you were wrong.. then why trust yourself in the first place? She definitely knew what it was to have her mind clouded by desire and jealousy, that burning feeling that made her want to lash out... but were those mistakes? Illusion didn't think so. It was being herself, and she was so sick of faking all the time.
Still she listens, eyes rounding as she pretends fear is crawling up her spine, a bristle there for good measure. Burial grounds? Illusion peeked at the mounds, the possibility that there were bones underneath -- it brought a small quirk of the corner of her lips. But that visceral reaction was quickly covered up by a frown as silver eyes glanced around the group, seeking the proper response to mirror onto her own face.

illu

The Ivory God is a proper student, giving her a nod here and there, a thoughtful raise of his chin at times. She was teaching basic life skills, and maybe years ago he had learned similar when he was a young godling, but... those lessons had faded and dulled with time. She spoke of the contradiction of intuition when it was clouded by emotion, and any soul should have seen such an example before. In mourning, they could fall for tricks. In rage, they were susceptible to rash decisions.
He was intrigued when she mentioned the burial grounds. Was that why he had been drawn here in the first place? Eyes of molten fire swirled in delight as he gazed out against the grassy mounds. Another long lost being, extinct yet not fully gone below their very feet.
To answer her question, Setekh felt pleased at the thought of death kneeling at his toes. He briefly chose to cast a glance to the others, brow quirking as he set sights on the youngest of them. The girl with golden markings, who was hiding a smile below an unsettled mask. What have we here? Another interesting character to be had in these lands. He could hardly contain himself. Where the thought of death pleased him, the sight of this youngling brought delight.

"speaking" | voices

"Speech"
|| "Thoughts"

Fic listened pure interest holding her gaze upon Talyssa, eyes blinking once in a while. When she spoke about the intuition that they all had, a wolf had to trust themselves. Would that be intuition? Or was it something different all together? She pondered and soon got lost within her own thoughts. Then she was shortly snapped back to reality as eyes danced over the burial mounds, she found out that they did frighten her but as well it fascinated Identification. Was it strange? Hell if she knew. She continued to listen and memorize everything the young woman spoke about..

mood board

Annwyn's mind churned beneath her calm exterior. Talyssa's words about intuition struck deeply; Annwyn knew how fear, desire, and ego could distort judgment. Reflecting on her own experiences, she recalled how intuition had both saved and misled her, but worst of all; plunged her into danger and caused her to lose the trust of her people..

She recognized the woman’s tactics, questioning whether they were meant to enlighten or manipulate. As others reacted, Annwyn remained aloof, processing the teacher's words. She understood the need to confront biases but knew the peril in such introspection. Her silence was a shield, allowing her to observe and contemplate the complexities of the lesson without involving herself directly. She would not ask questions, no. She would absorb and contemplate, compare and contrast the differences between her mentality and theirs.


the selfish

​​Ely’s attention was drawn back as the woman began talking again. This time about clouded judgment based off fear. And Ely had to fight back a scoff. Fear was a useless feeling. One her mother had beaten out of her and her siblings. And more parents should do it so it wouldn’t cloud anything like this woman suggested.

Ely hadn’t ever misjudged anyone over fear and she couldn’t fathom the idea of it. Squinting her eyes she fought the desire to grab the Sidi girl with her and leave the foolish lessons. But didn’t. Because while she found it misguided it could be used on another soul as manipulation. So she stayed attentive.

At the mention of burial grounds Elysia couldn’t help but feel giddy. Had this woman truly used people’s graves as a classroom, poetic. It made ely view her differently. It was delightful actually.


"Ely & Ezekiel"

Nila nodded the woman’s next point. And she couldn’t help it as her mind wandered back to Kaino. Had her own intuition been blinded by her lust and desire to be near the beautiful silver and lavender woman all these years. Could she trust herself that, yes, she really loved Kaino and could trust her with her life.

Or was it her fear that was clouding her judgment now. Fear that Kaino was just like her kin. Fear that in being so similar that she wasn’t actually as safe as Nila had once believed her to be. So many things began to swim around in her head now.

Nila was pulled out of her thoughts at the mention of burial grounds. Looking at the ground she felt a deep sorrow. One day she and the one she loved would wind up buried like this. Nameless corpses in the ground that were forgotten. It made her wonder who they were and how they ended up here.

"Whatever you may feel," Talyssa continued, determination tingeing her voice, "it is your intuition speaking to you. It's a part of who we are—it guides us. But it should never control us." She prowled forward, her tail swishing high above the grass like a battle standard. Turning to face them again, she sat back on her haunches, one paw covering the other in an oddly regal pose considering their surroundings. "Intuition is a tool, not a master. It can lead you to water, but it can't make you drink it," she concluded, her gold eyes scanning each face once again. "And that is your lesson for today."

"Talyssa Carpathius"

The weight of Talyssa's words settled over Rakia, she felt a new understanding unfurl within her, like a sprouting seed stretching towards sunlight. To have power over her own intuition—that was a thought she hadn't entertained before. Of course, that was something she already had. A skill she used regularly if she knew it or not. But knowing about it- identifying it did bring her some sort of intrigue.

Her gaze once again found the burial mounds, but now they were not hills made of fear or the unknown. They were hills of potential, hills of mystery that she held the power to unravel. A surge of liberation flooded through her, and she felt her chest inflate just a slight bit more.

As Talyssa concluded her lesson, Rakia nodded in silent understanding, the corners of her mouth curving up into a subtle smile. Her eyes seem to hold a spark of revelation. It was as if she had been carrying an unlit lantern this whole time, and Talyssa’s words were the flame that ignited it.

"Rakia Perreau"

"Speech"
|| "Thoughts"

Identification allowed a smile to cross over her lips. Ears perked forward picking the words the woman spoke, her tail dancing behind her in a friendly manner. For the most part the woman understood intuition, and understood that she had control over it also. Fic always was one to follow her heart, but Talyssa's words confirmed it so it was solid within her mind. She looked around the lands for a moment, as looking to Talyssa and speaking a gentle "Thank you for the lesson." breathing out gently. "Will there be more?" Tail dancing excitedly..

mood board

A moment of peering around the group was all it took for the girl to lock eyes with the snow colored man, and her heart stilled in her chest. He.. he was looking straight through her. With eyes like blood and fire, she could scarcely rip her gaze away until the golden woman started speaking again. Then, she ripped away from his visual hold and focused. Ignoring him.

Illusion's mind spun with Talyssa's words. Intuition is a tool, not a master. She could almost taste the irony. But she managed to keep her face neutral, if a bit confused. So, they were supposed to trust their intuition but not let it control them? Illusion was skeptical, her silver eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at Talyssa. How would they know when to listen and when to ignore it? If it led them to water, but they shouldn't drink it, what was the point of following it in the first place?

She tried to keep her expression respectful, but she couldn't hide the confusion on her face. The contradiction gnawed at her. As was the stare of the ivory man.

illu