darkSpyro

OOC: Come on. Think of something. Think of it as a test for Rose in how to handle a situation as extreme as that. I know you can come up with something

"Yes..." Matthews answered, not suspecting a thing...

Warren was still searching for Rose, sobbing so hard, tears stopped falling. He believed that big orca must have done something terrible to poor Sholeh...

Indeed, something did happen, but it wasn't the disaster he believed. Sholeh was alive, but even she thought it was only a matter of time before her life ended. She had a few bruises after Cairo's attack, but there she was... inside his mouth! When he attacked, he had all the intention of eating her to make her feel what Sybil felt, only that for her, there was going to be no escape. However, something changed inside his mind. He knew Sybil had too much of a big heart to wish something so terrible to someone, even if it was her worst enemy. If he did finished Sholeh, Sybil was most certainly never be able to see him the same way again, or even develop a fear for him for such a brutal method, and that was something that the orca leader didn't wanted. So as he paced around with the captive mongoose, he started pondering on what could he possibly do to end her threat without recurring to such an extreme method...

Sybil gave a big sigh after she heard her saying that. It was a good thing she decided to leave Jaerl for that moment to speak to her.
"It was Jet... wasn't he? Ugh! It was suppose to stay secret for a bit longer!" she complained, though it didn't matter. She was going to tell her anyway, but then she got worried on who else might have heard.
"Does Sayan knows also?" she asked, remembering he was with her by the time she left to see Jaerl, imagining that was when Jet told her.

Warren was still frenetically searching for Rose, but since he didn't found her at the beach, he imagined that she was at the forest. But it was too dense for him to search there, and time was precious. He opted to find the big orca instead.

Cairo continued pacing, thinking of what to do. What hurt him the most was that Warren was still on the loose. And Cairo knew that with Sholeh still missing, he was going to tell on him, so he regretted not catching him too, otherwise he could have finish off both of them and Sybil would simply assumed they stayed at the Outback.
"What am I going to do with you? You're just lucky your vulture friend got away." Cairo said to the captured Sholeh, but she remained silent, lying down. She believed he was just taunting her a bit more before doing his finishing touch. Sybil was alive (she didn't know how the heck she managed that, but believed it was true if Cairo never killed Jet), Shadow was imprisoned, Yodel had abandoned her and Warren was too dumb for her own good. She didn't care anymore what happened to her...

"I was... afraid Rose. As you could see, Sholeh hates me too much, and I knew that she was going to stop at nothing to kill me. And when she allied with Shadow, well... it was too much. So with Jet, I planned all this in order for them to believe I was dead so that the persecution could be over and they could lower their guards..." Sybil explained, though believing that Rose was going to ask her why hide it from her friends also, she explained more.
"And... well... I wanted to prepare you also. Running a Haven is a big responsibility, so I made even you believe I was gone to see how you... and everyone else,.. could handle a loss." she concluded, hiding the panic that was building up on her when she remembered that Shadow knew of her being alive also...

Warren was quite high up, trying to look for the big orca, but he didn't have good night vision, and there was no way he was going to get lower. If the orca attacked his beloved Sholeh, then there was no doubt in his mind that he was going to do it to him also. Starting to panic again, he went once more to the Haven, and landing at the corner of the forest, he called;
"Please! Anyone! Madame Rose! Monsieur Sayan! Anyone! Please! I need help!" he screamed, shaking severely. He was feeling nothing but terror at the moment. Too much time had passed, and he believed it must have been too late for poor Sholeh if that orca did what he thought he did...

Sayan, too, heard the Vulture calling out and proceeded to head in Warren's direction. "It's you-- you're that vulture. What do you what?!," Sayan said reconizing Warren from earlier.

"Yes... I heard. Sybil said, not recognizing the voice, but whoever it was, was feeling agony.
"Let's go Rose. And remember, not a word." she then said, still with the deep voice of her alter ego.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

"Did you hear that?" Rose looked at Sybil. "I'm sorry but this great reunion will have to wait. Could you come with me? I would like that." Rose said before going.

"Monsieur Sayan. I... I... I know that you don't like me, or Mademoiselle Sholeh... I think something happened to her. Something bad. She... she went to talk to this very big orca... and... and... never... returned..." Warren explained, sniffling so hard, it was a bit difficult to understand him. He was bowing to Sayan., begging him to do something...

Jaerl returns back to Sybil's home, where he lays back down and rests. Tears stream down his face as he lays on the bed of moss. How could she do that to him?

Quote: Spyroconvexity

Soon after Rose arrived. "Who ca--What do you want? You aren't going to hurt Matthews again!" She hissed.

"That's the last thing on my mind!" Warren explained, falling at her paws.
"Oh Madame Rose, I know Sholeh did terrible things, but I apologize on her behalf." Warren quickly said, desperate for the precious time he was losing.
"Madame, Mademoiselle Sholeh has disappeared! I think... this big orca took her away! Oh please, please be merciful! Please do something! I... I promise you I will do anything for you afterwards! I promise! Please save her!" Warren begged, crying hysterically again. He loved Sholeh too much, and the thought of losing her tortured him in an unbearable way.
Sybil was hidden behind a brush, hearing the frenetic vulture asking for Rose's help of all animals. Unlike Sholeh, Warren didn't seem like one to have malice. Everything he was saying was too heartfelt to be fake. Never in her life has she seen someone break up like that. The vulture really loved Sholeh, but why? She has seen her mistreating him, and Warren seems even a bit noble to be associated with someone like her...

"Well... yes. He was huge! Almost twice the size of Jet. Oh, and his dorsal fin was like this..." Warren explained, drawing the shape in the sand. He was trying very hard to hold his grief, but was failing miserably...

Sybil remained hidden at the brush, but she was so tempted to find Cairo herself. Like Warren, she was beginning to think the worst too.

Cairo was still pacing around, looking for a place to dump Sholeh. If only there was a tiny island or something.
"I thought you wanted me dead." Sholeh complained after that long pause.
"Oh believe me, I want to, but Sybil... unlike you, has too much of a big heart..." Cairo explained with a voice full of hate, but then, he had an idea;
"Hmm... but Sybil is not in charge anymore..." he then deviously said, heading to the Haven. Rose was the new Haven leader now, so he thought she will give him the permission Sybil wouldn't...

Cairo approached the shore, a bit uneased that Rose was requesting him. But then he saw Warren, and knew what that was about.
"Not a word mongoose, or I'll swallow." Cairo threatened, warning with an eerie whisper.
"Yeees..." Cairo said, greeting Rose with a mysterious air and hiding Sholeh within his enormous cheek so that she wouldn't muffle his speech. She was small, so the difference in size wasn't obvious. "It's him! That's the orca Mademoiselle Sholeh talked to!" Warren accused, filled with both anger and fear at Cairo's presence.
"I wouldn't open my beak that much vulture, if you want to keep your feathers!" Cairo threatened, making him retreat. He then looked at Rose, wanting to know what she wanted and waiting for the perfect moment to make his request...

Cairo looked at Warren with a scoff.
"I don't know what you're talking about." he said, which got Warren furious.
"Don't be hypocrite! You did something to her!" he accused again, but Cairo wasn't intimidated. He then give both of them the silent treatment, and Warren looked at Rose with deep eyes, begging her to do something and holding his urge to cry again.

Cairo looked at Warren again, and finally, the desperate vulture understood.
"He wants me to leave. That's what's going on..." he said sadly, but before he did, he whispered to Rose.
"Please Madame, reason with him. Sholeh is not so evil, she is just mislead. Please, save her." Warren begged, before finally leaving. He just wanted the truth.

"Finally! I thought he'd never leave." Cairo said cruelly, before giving a conspicuous look to Rose. He was preparing in his mind a speech that could convince her to allow him to finish off the mongoose once and for all...

"Miss Rose, I really don't know why are you this distressed. That mongoose is one insane, evil creature, and with your permission, well..." he halted, moving Sholeh around his mouth so that Rose could know her location. He figured that Rose wasn't as merciful as Sybil, and he was waiting for her order to eat her and end her threat forever...

Whirlpool was still at the Haven, guarding the tied Shadow, when Sybil came with a request;
"Whirlpool, it's time. No more hiding! I need you to create that liquid that will take away this mask and clean my body. No more lies. I'm going to show everybody that I'm still alive." Sybil said determinedly, proceeding to guard Shadow on the wombat's behalf. Whirlpool obeyed after some hesitation, leaving to gather the materials, which were fortunately, also present at the Haven, so he didn't need to go all the way to Hunted island to search for them.
Sybil didn't dare to look at Shadow, but wondered what was going on inside his mind. As for Sholeh, she was trusting Rose to handle that matter herself, knowing that if she needed help, she would come to her...

Cairo wasn't happy with that decision. He still believed Rose was under the impression that Sybil was dead, so he tries to persuade her otherwise:
"Incredible! After all the damage she has done!? Didn't you love Sybil? Don't you want revenge? What better way to do it by making her feel the very same thing." Cairo expressed, obviously trying to create an excuse. He didn't want to free Sholeh...

Whirlpool was taking a while, yet Sybil remained there, looking forward to get rid of that heavy, uncomfortable disguise. Rose, Sayan, and even Shadow knew of her identity, so she found it useless to continue hiding it from the rest. She was doing it mostly for poor Jaerl...

Cairo couldn't hide his disappointment with that statement. However, he was reminded something that Rose said.
"So then miss Rose, if I release her and she's at it again, do you promise to give her back to me?" he asked, remembering how she said he could have her if Sholeh didn't submit to Rose's conditions after said trial...

Cairo was still disappointed that he had to let Sholeh go, but he believed that animals like her never changed, and that it was only a matter of time before she was at it again. After much hesitation, Cairo rudely spat Sholeh out, making her fall right in front of Rose. She was weak, but she was still conscious, and she has heard everything.
"Don't bother with the trial... Rose. I'm tired of this! I'm sick of it all!" Sholeh yelled, trying to clean herself. She then looked at Cairo.
"I don't know if what you said about Sybil it's true, and I don't care. Tell that home-wrecker that she's won! And you..." she said, looking at Rose again.
"Do whatever the heck you like with that miserable Shadow. Run the Haven you love for all I care! No more conspiracy! No more killing attempts! I'm done with everything!" she said, looking down steadily. The more she tried to take revenge on someone, the more she suffered, and she had enough of it. She was actually admitting defeat.

Sholeh pushed Rose when she tried to help her out.
"I don't need your help. Nor your pity! I can take care of myself!" she said rudely, prepared to follow Rose. She was very proud, however, she hated the outback more than she valued her pride, which is why she was going to accept the tree. Before leaving though, she looked at Cairo, who was glaring at her, but then gave a sinister smile. He was going to wait for her. In his mind, it was only a matter of hours, or perhaps a few days, before she made the wrong move, and then, he could finally finish what he started. He then disappeared into the ocean. His smile made Sholeh shudder...

Sholeh took that as a very cruel threat. She thought Rose said that to Cairo so that he would let her go, but now she could see she meant that. Before she could rebuff her, speeding towards her came the ecstatic Warren, who was crying again, but this time, of happiness.
"Mademoiselle Sholeh! You're alive! Oh gosh this is too incredible! I was beginning to think the worst, but you're OK!" he said, filled with relief and gratitude, and hugging Sholeh tightly. He then turned to Rose.
"Oh thank you so much Madame Rose! You saved her from that mean orca!" he said happily, hugging Rose so tightly, it was almost suffocating her.
"Pathetic as always Warren." Sholeh scoffed, but Warren either ignored her or was too used to her insults, and continued hugging Rose in gratitude.

"Oh, sorry." Warren apologized, letting go. Sholeh could now see it was thanks to him that she was free, but she remained indifferent...

Warren didn't have any trouble with this, but Sholeh did.
"Oh yeah, sure. You will just spy on our everyday lives, obstructing both our privacy and freedom..." Sholeh complained, when Warren interrupted her.
"Mademoiselle please, just let things be! At least be grateful that Madame Rose saved you." he begged, but Sholeh simply became annoyed at his ignorance.
"Man Warren! You are so naive! You always insist on looking into everybody's benevolent side." Sholeh rebuffed, retreating into the tree, wanting complete solicitude.

After some short seconds, Warren lowered his head, and then looked at Rose.
"It'll past... I hope. Please, forgive Mademoiselle Sholeh. She is just so full of pride and hatred. She can't help it." Warren excused, bowing to Rose.

OOC: Of course. Man these mistakes are getting too common

"Sure..." Warren said, breathing a bit heavily before gathering the courage to tell her something that was bothering him.
"Hey Madame... if... if you see that weasel around... could you tell him that... sorry I grasped him so tightly?" he asked, actually feeling a bit guilty for that.

Elsewhere at the beach, Whirlpool was finally done with the special liquid that would loosen up Sybil's mask. He then brought it to her inside a coconut half.
"Thank you very much Whirlpool." she said politely, pouring the container on her head, with his help since her shoulders still hurt a lot. The wodden part of the mask was loosening up, much to her relief. She could even feel her blood circulation getting to normal again. No wonder she was feeling ocassional migraines. That thing was tighter than she thought...

Whirlpool tapped Sybil to indicate her of Rose's presence. She was already without her mask, and the ocean water had washed most of the carbon of her fur, so she looked like her normal self again, except of course for the rounder ears and shorter hair.
"How do I look?" she asked shyly to the tiger, wondering how she looked right now. After all, it has been a whole month since she hasn't seen her real reflection.

Jaerl eventually falls asleep, though even in his sleep, tears stream down his face. How could she have left him? He loved her, so, so much. Now she was gone.

Royal after some rest returns to cutting more warblers free of their bonds. His golden eyes gleam brilliantly in the sunlight. Slowly but surely his little feathered friends will be free.

AJ:

Meanwhile I slowly open my eyes before coming face to face with a group of dingoes. My eyes grow wide and tremble as I watch them, watching me.
I nervously swallow and try to speak, but no words come out.

At Sholeh's new tree, Warren was trying to cheer her up, but he was failing miserably. Sholeh had enough of his goofiness, and was determined to make Warren open his eyes.
"Why are you so darn innocent Warren? Didn't Rose tell you? She's going to feed us to that orca later on!" Sholeh said furiously, not telling him the whole story. Warren however, didn't believed her at all.
"Mademoiselle Sholeh, she just saved you from that orca. Why would she do that if she was going to give you away anyway?" Warren analyzed, showing his own smarts.
"Perhaps because you pestered her? If you don't believe me, ask her!" Sholeh challenged, doubting that Rose was one to lie. She was determined to ruin the pretty picture Warren just created of her.

Luckily, Royal was in the area when Voracivenom caught his scent. Slithering up the tree he smelled him in, he started to hear something like a miniature sawing sound. What was he doing up there?
"Royal? Excuse me, is that you? There's something rather urgent I must consult with you about!"

--

The female dingo thrust her nose at the margay rudely, practically breathing in his fur. The other two started sniffing him with much gusto.
"It's one of those Haven rats," the alpha said, "Jaeger would like to see this one."

Quote: Spyroconvexity

"You look like your normal self. Well except for the ears." Rose said.

"I see..." Sybil answered, still in her deep voice. But it was only a matter of minutes before it returned to normal. She then lowered her head, a bit surprised on how well Rose was taking it all. She was sure the youngster would be angry at her for keeping all of her friends in such a horrid lie...

Everything was calmer at the forest. Whirlpool had tie Shadow on a rock to make sure he didn't escape, and Sholeh didn't show any signs of wanting to cause trouble or even steal eggs. She just lied there, inside the cavity of her new tree, not wanting anybody to disturb her, not even her partial savior, Warren. The vulture was standing on a branch, looking around the thick foliage and how beautiful the rays of the sun passed from within the trees. It was truly very different from his outback home. No wonder Sholeh loved that place so much. However, as he was appreciating the scenery, what Sholeh told him earlier bothered him. To have peace of mind, he decided to ask Rose...

OOC: Ugg... work. I hate missing things. :/

Soon, Sayan showed up as well. "It's good to see you back as your normal self.," the Amur leopard said appearing out of the nearby woods.