Talyssa came back to the beach, where her footprints were yet to be swept by the cold wind. Her paws pressed down against the dark obsidian sand, leaving fresh indentations in the gleaming surface. The sun was its highest, casting a radiant curtain of light over the entire beach and making the obsidian shimmer like a field of stars.

She moved towards the edge where the sand met the crashing waves, generously decorated with conch shells and sea kelp. She turned her gaze to the horizon, squinting against sun's glare bouncing off the water. Her attention lingered there for a moment before turning to face those that had gathered. "Today’s lesson is one of compassion. It's about understanding someone else's suffering and acknowledging it," Talyssa began. Her voice was strong but gentle, a reflection of the lady she had matured into. She took a deep breath, her chest rising as she did so, the warmth of the sun on her face. It was cold, but it was a clear day, and the rays of sunlight managed to make her feel comfortable despite the frosty air.

"Talyssa Carpathius"

Rakia watched intently as Talyssa spoke, her large hazel eyes absorbing every movement, every word. She sat on the edge of the throng, her slender frame half-buried in the obsidian sand. Her coat, a blend of russet and cream, was ruffled by the sea breeze, tickling her cold nose.

Rakia tilted her head to one side as she processed Talyssa's words. Compassion. That was a big word, she knew. It meant very little to her, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t open to hearing what Talyssa had to say about it. She turned her gaze to the endless blue of the ocean, trying to grasp the depth of the lesson. Seagulls squawked above them, their shrill voices carried over by the wind. Rakia's ears twitched at the sound, a subtle sign of distraction even as she continued to ponder.

"Rakia Perreau"

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Emotions, such a wonderful thing for some. Soon obsidian sand surrounded the ladys paws as she advanced staying clear of other packs territories. The sun was warm here, welcoming in a way. Ears perked forward as Talyssa began to speak. 'Today's lesson is one of compassion. It's about understanding someone else's suffering and acknowledging it.' This perked Fic's attention completely. The cream woman padded towards the middle of the small gathering, emerald pools dancing about. Maybe Erebos would benefit from this also. As a slow sigh which was almost silent slipped from her lips.

"Speech!"

Setekh stood silently on the obsidian sand, watching Talyssa as she addressed the group. Her words about compassion and understanding others' suffering did not resonate with the Ivory Prince. He could not understand compassion, nor the need to.

She sounded so sure of herself and the gentleness in her voice was the only reason he held onto the sound of her voice. The warmth of the sun contrasted with the cold air, much like the balance she sought to teach. In silence, Setekh absorbed her message, not truly trying to recognize the importance of compassion -- nor truly understanding and connecting with others. It was mundane. Why should he care about those he did not love? Mortals and their weak sentimentality.

"speaking" | voices

Annwyn's sharp eyes followed Talyssa’s every move as she returned to the obsidian sand, her footprints new against the shimmering surface. The midday sun cast a radiant glow, turning the beach into a celestial expanse. Annwyn noted the contrast between the cold, relentless waves and the fragile conch shells scattered along the shore.

Talyssa’s lesson on compassion pierced the serene air, her voice imbued with gentle strength. Annwyn's heart, encased in layers of mistrust and bitterness, felt a fleeting pang at the words. She watched the gathered listeners, some absorbing the lesson with open hearts, others with hesitant curiosity. The warmth of the sun seemed almost mocking to Annwyn, a bitter reminder of the comfort and connection she had long forsaken for a moment of greed.


the selfish

She gestured to the array of shells piled on her left side. "Each one of these shells represents a different perspective, a different journey. Some are smooth and polished thanks to the waves they've encountered; others are cracked and chipped from harsh, relentless storms. Just like us, they all have their own stories," she continued, her fingers gently running over the jagged edges of a cracked shell, the smooth surface of another. Talyssa picked up two contrasting shells; one, weather-worn and jagged from years of being tossed around by the fierce ocean waves, and the other still retaining its original smooth surface, protected perhaps by a sandbar or some other natural barrier. Holding them up for observation, she began to weave a narrative that encompassed the experiences of both shells. “But of course, this isn’t a lesson about the differences in sea shells. It’s about having empathy for others. We can't truly understand another's experience," Talyssa continued, her gaze focused on the two shells in her hand. "We might think we do, but every person’s journey is as unique as these shells. Each has faced a storm that the other hasn't. Each bears the scars of their struggles, visible or not." She let her words linger in the crisp winter air, allowing their weight to settle over those who had gathered. The conch shells took on a new meaning, representing tangible examples of life's trials and tribulations, each one etched with its own unique tale of survival.

"Talyssa Carpathius"

Rakia studied the conch shells, her gaze fixated on the weather-worn, jagged one. She let Talyssa's words wash over her like an ocean wave. The shell was beautiful, she decided, despite its cracks and rough edges. It was a testament to its own survival. She felt a pang of connection with it.

Her hazel eyes darkened at the thought of storms and struggles. She had faced hers too. She was sure everyone had to some degree. But wasn’t that the point of this? Rakia shifted slightly, dislodging a few grains of obsidian sand. She pawed at the ground absentmindedly. Talyssa was very clever. No, Rakia couldn't fully comprehend another's struggle, but she could empathize with them- or at least pretend to. Perhaps that would still get her the desired result.

"Rakia Perreau"

Setekh fixed his molten gaze on Talyssa as she spoke about the shells. Her words about different journeys and the uniqueness of each person's struggles interested him in a twisted way within him. He watched her delicate handling of the shells, noting the contrast between the smooth and jagged edges just as she intended.

Her narrative about empathy and understanding others' experiences seemed almost naive to him. He found a dark amusement in the idea that people believed they could truly understand one another. To him, the world was a place where everyone was ultimately alone in their suffering, each scar and crack mere proof of their isolation.

As Talyssa's words lingered in the air, Setekh absorbed the lesson, but in his mind, it only reinforced his belief in the futility of empathy. The shells, to him, were merely symbols of the inevitable decay and hardship that defined existence. Yet he remained, silently observing her earnest attempt to instill compassion in those around her.

"speaking" | voices

Annwyn stood among the group, her presence an ominous one along the beach. She watched as Talyssa’s words flowed with the rhythm of the waves, each sentence resonating against the backdrop of the winter sea and crashing waves. The message of empathy and understanding others’ struggles touched a chord deep within Annwyn, though she quickly buried the sensation. She observed the gathering, noting how some faces softened with newfound comprehension while others remained pensive. Was this really necessary to learn? You were either ingrained with compassion, or you were not. It should have been simple.

The obsidian sand glimmered under the midday sun as Annwyn’s eyes narrowed slightly, acknowledging the words of the lesson but knowing that in her world, empathy was a luxury she could not afford. Not anymore. Never again.

the selfish

"Speech"
|| "Thoughts"

The pale woman came to realize now that each creature had their own stories, they all struggled at times also. Paws moving a few of the shells that laid inside the sand. Then her eyes went to the others of the lesson, they were all built to the enivorment they lived within. Some stronger than others. Some rougher around the edge, but others couldn't judge of what would lay underneith of them all. A smile was given to the others. Eyes glancing back to the one shell at her paws, taking in the small cracks and peices missing.

mood board

Talyssa's voice echoed against the rhythmic backdrop of the winter sea, her words flowing like the waves lapping against the beach. She placed the shells back onto the obsidian sand and gave the gathering a determined glance. "And so, we must not judge others based on our own experiences, nor should we dismiss their struggles simply because we have not encountered them ourselves," she said firmly, looking at each of those in attendance. Her eyes were bright and commanding, yet filled with an unspoken understanding that radiated acceptance. "Empathy," she went on, her voice soft against the crashing waves, "is not about sharing the exact same experiences. It's about understanding the emotions others undergo through their unique journeys. It is a shared understanding of feelings if not the events, and applies to all—enemies, friends, strangers alike." As Talyssa's words echoed across the beach, the obsidian sand shimmered beneath them with a restless energy, as though it were drinking in her words, storing them within its reflective surface for later reflection. “Don’t forget, Empathy is an extremely valuable virtue to carry with you- but it’s one the costs nothing of you to give to others.” And with that, Talyssa wrapped up her lesson, leaving those gathered with something to consider.

"Talyssa Carpathius"

Rakia's gaze lingered on the shells, their meaning now imbued with Talyssa's eloquent words. Her ears twitched again as another squawk pierced the salty air. The gulls were distant, carried away by the same wind that tousled Rakia's hair. With a final glance at the shells, her eyes settled on Talyssa, taking in every detail of her graceful form and captivating presence. The words she spoke held great significance- even if not in the way the older fae had intended. If empathy was what others wanted- the measure of a welcoming individual- then it was something Rakia could certainly offer. Empathy was empathy, even if there were ulterior motives, right?

"Rakia Perreau"

"Speech"
|| "Thoughts"

Eyes turned to Talyssa as she listened to the words which had fallen from her lips. Empathy was something they all had to have, right? Something they all had since birth. The students that gathered for the lesson were much like the shells. Each different but the same at the same time. Fic offered a smile and a gentle nod of her cranium, the wind combing threw her creamy coat, knowing that she herself carried empathy, pretty much wearing her heart on her sleeve of fur upon her leg. Although others thought it dangerous, that Identification had to be a little more careful. Maybe she did sometimes, but not all the time. Or so she had hoped.

mood board

Molten gaze upon Talyssa, her words echoing in his mind against the winter sea's waves. Her lesson on empathy and understanding others' struggles resonated with the group it seemed, but to him, it was a pointless ideal. If not for the basic opportunity that manipulating the emotional state of others held. He watched her place the shell back on the obsidian sand, her hopeful glance contrasting with his own detached observation.

The shimmering sand was a rather lovely canvass for her to be seated upon, though. But the lesson? He saw empathy as a weakness, a futile attempt to bridge gaps that could never truly be closed. As Talyssa wrapped up her lesson, Setekh remained silent as he had since the first teaching, absorbing the scene with a detached, almost clinical interest. He had little patience to give out empathy freely, nor did he hold any affection for those who were not his.

"speaking" | voices

Annwyn watched as Talyssa's words mingled with the sound of the crashing waves, her presence commanding yet gentle. The shells placed delicately on the obsidian sand were minorly distracting, at least because the pale woman was wondering if she could fashion more effigies with the items. Annwyn’s eyes followed Talyssa's every move though soon after, the determination in her glance and the unwavering conviction in her tone capturing her attention well enough.

As the lesson on empathy unfolded, Annwyn felt a cold familiarity with the concept yet remained distant. Her own experiences had taught her that survival often required a lack of empathy, a harsh lesson learned through betrayal and solitude. Yet, Talyssa's emphasis on understanding emotions resonated, if only faintly, against the walls Annwyn had built around her heart. She considered the lesson’s implications. By now she held no care for who saw her thinking so openly, she merely wanted to be in this moment. A small touch of companionship, nothing more after seasons of solitude.


the selfish