darkSpyro

"Yes." Voracivenom started to slither in front of Sybil, paused, than made way for the civet to pass. "Oh, excuse me. After you."

Sybil found a position in front of the others and made herself comfortable, getting ready to listen to what the new snake had to say...

Kallik felt as something was watching her. She looked around, though didn't see anything. Worry creeping up on her, she started trotting, looking for her burrow.

"Hmm... let me have fun with this one." Mambo amused himself, trying to figure out what that weird little mouse was. "Why hello there little dude. Nice sunshine, though you would know better if you weren't down here." he said, landing right in front of Kallik before the rodent could make a getaway.

Kallik turned to the bird. "Uh..."

"Oh come on. Out with it! Though never mind, I don't care. Seeing your odd little body, it's no doubt you are one of the weird guest around here. So if you are, better head to the female wolf's den. Big important reunion there. Alright, nice meeting you weird kangoroo rat. See ya. On to work!" Mambo rapidly said, almost jumping sentences due to how fast the beak moved, and left Kallik there without no chance to reply. He was very hyperactive... and weird to say the least.

Kallik's ears twitched. Was the (parrot, right?) joking around, or should she really go to supposedly Chica's den?

"Kah. This is so pointless. I don't know who are guest or just ordinary animals. I still haven't met everyone. Sorry miss Sybil, but you are on your own on this." Mambo said to himself, on his way to the big tree. He spent part of the morning having some fun with the orcas, and then most of the afternoon hearing the talkative pelican's banter. He only wanted to rest. Oh well, at least he gave the message to at least one of the residents... if that rodent is anyway.

ooc: already there, its chica's den

After Sybil took her place amongst the other residents, Voracivenom calmly slithered up a stone that rose slightly above the longer grass. His head perked high, he looked around the trees, seeing if any more residents came in.
Skaliscin was going to follow him, but Speckles pulled her by the tail, saying something like "He'll explain everything". They both found their place in the audience up front, on the side.

Sybil almost couldn't resist knowing what it was. Ever since Voracivenom arrived, he had something to say. And the fact that he already knew Skaliscin made her even more curious. She only hoped they weren't bad news. The Haven is so busy lately now that the keas are there. And now she was expecting complains from the orcas after Mambo was there, probably bothering them. It was a matter she wanted to attend as soon as possible...

OOC: It turns out that I'll be offline for three to four days. Sorry to leave you guys hanging like this; I mean, I really hate to be the cause of a RP slowing, even if temporarily. Maybe the characters can make small talk until I get back?

OOC: Or control other characters that aren't in the meeting. Remember that any user can control the secondary characters with my permission. Maybe we'll make a side story while you're gone

"That's it! What was Sybil thinking? Those beasts as guards?" an angry Cairo complained, refering to the kea leader. It appeared that he and his pod had a hard time with Mambo and his meddling curiosity.

Kallik saw Chica's den, and broke into a run.

OOC: Sorry for the hold-up.


"As most of you know, my name is Voracivenom. I am a centipede-eater, and I'm new to this island. Some of you may have noticed the odd form of my sides," he gestured at his ribs, which seemed eager to push out of the serpent's body. "After an unfortunate accident, a strange metal device was placed into my body to heal my ribcage. If not for it, I would die."
Speckles and Skaliscin looked at each other, passing some unspoken statement.
"The creatures who gave me this treatment, and saved my life," he paused for a moment, apparently for suspense, "were humans."

"Humans...," Sayan muttered with disgust. It was only audible to those immediately next to him. Due to his experience(s), he didn't think very highly of them.

Chica did not say a word, and raised her eyebrow. now I see where he's going.

"Well Voracivenom, you have come to the right place to unwind." Sybil said with a sigh, wondering to what point the sake wanted to get. She even noticed Sayan's mutter. She knew he wasn't fond of humans, but if only she could convince him that not all humans are bad. She didn't bother to convince him though, since she knew how stubborn the cat family was.

Aeriji: I tremble with fear and leaning against Chica, with tears falling down my face due to pain and fear, I speak.

"Voracivenom, you were lucky and fortunate. Gaze upon me and see for yourself the darkness. If there are good humans out there, then may you all find them. I will never do so, I will always hide and be afraid of humans after... River of tears pour down my cheeks and I cling to Chica crying into her fur. Chica if you want you can tell them, but I can't it's just too..." More tears fall down my face and I return to Rose's side. I continue to cry as the images of my past come to life again as Voracivenom mentions humans.

I stay with Chica and Rose, nodding and nuzzling them both. My tears do not stop however nor do I stop shaking. Whenever humans are mentioned this often happens. It happens because it brings back memories that I will never be able to forget.

"I would rather not," Chica replied to aeriji, "unless the rest are interested, but it is rude to interrupt someone else's story with our own." that was one reason she didn't want to tell the others. Two other reasons were that she found voracivenom's talk interesting. The other, was that she just didn't want to remember those dark ages

"Well guys, Voracivenom is the perfect example that there are still good humans out there. I am really sorry most of you had the unfortunate luck of seeing the darkest side of them." Sybil said with a lot of concern. She remembered her human caretakers, and knew there were many more kind ones out there.

"Listen, humans may be the most destructive creatures on the planet, heck they even provoked Global Warming, but that doesn't mean all of them are evil... I... still believe that some humans today and future generations of humans would see the errors of their ancestors and work for a better world, for both their species and us animals." the civet said with a sigh. She was saving that speech for the perfect moment, and was glad she could finally let it out. She didn't care if others thought she had a blind faith, she would always believe in that moment for the rest of her life...

I gaze Sybil and laying down with Chica and Rose, I speak again.

"You may be able to convince the others that Sybil, but I doubt I will ever be able to see that way. You cannot possibly imagine what I went through. None of you can. If you knew you would understand and realize why I do not trust any humans. I cannot speak of the horrors I went through but perhaps Chica can tell you. Though understand this, even Chica cringes as the thought of the terrors I went through. Also it causes her terrible pain to think about it all."

"Actions speak louder then words and some things can never be forgotten...," Sayan said with a tone of distrust. When he initially came to the island, he had only lost some trust in the humans. When he came back a second time, his distrust in mankind was solidified.

Chica looked around at the others. They looked and acted like pessimists, just holding onto the bad times in life. She was finished with it. This wolf was an optimist. She will believe. Chica stood up from her sitting position, and padded up to Sybil. "I will believe with you," she solemly said.

Voracivenom's expression never changed throughout the meeting. He was obviously prepared for this. "I'm not trying to make this one-sided," he explained. "The cause of my near-death were humans, too," the serpent glanced at Skaliscin for a split-second, and back at the audience. "I only wish to bring both sides of the story. No race is entirely evil. There are good individuals, and bad individuals.
"Take my race as an example. Many of you, I know, must have been a bit untrustworthy of me and Skaliscin. This is only because we're snakes, and snakes-- I know-- have a bad reputation all over the world. But just because many snakes are... well... snakes, doesn't mean that we're the same way."

Aeriji: I cannot stand this talk of humans anymore and after nuzzling Rose and licking her, I walk out of the cave and into the sunlight. Tears fall down my face as I lean against a tree for support. Anvor sees my look and gently picks me up.

Anvor: "You want to return to your tree, little one," he asks me. I nod. He take me to my tree and slips me inside.

Aeriji: I lay down in my tree and tears continue to fall down my face. I am alone and the memories of the horror I went through bombard my mind.

Sybil remained quiet for a few minutes, listening very carefully the different points of view each of her guest had with humans. She may not have lived in the flesh the horrors that animals like Sayan have gone through, but still, part of her purpose for that Haven was to cure those insanely large emotional wounds left by that still mysterious race. She hated that nearly everybody had a too pessimist approach, but Chica's cooperative hope calmed her.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

Rose looked at Voracivenom when he said humans also helped heal what they've caused. "But why would they help you? Why take care of what they harmed?"

"Some humans mean harm. Others want to correct the damage their fellow humans caused. It's true. Again, sorry that most of you had to experience the worst..." the civet said, breaking the silence, and continued; "...especially you Sayan. However... you should know that... if you didn't left the Haven in the first place, none of those terrible things would have happened to you." Sybil said, almost scolding, but at the same time trying very hard not to offend him, though also prepared to be unsuccessful in that matter.

"by the way," chica turned her head toward voracivenom, "why do you speak to us about this? is it to, perhaps, open our minds to the bright sides of humans?" she was curious about the snake's intensions of speaking to the group of animals who live at this haven, most who had bad memories and contact with humans.

"Sybil speaks truthfully," Voracivenom stated. At Chica's question, he turned his head. "We need to negotiate with them."
"How in the heck is that supposed to work?!" Speckles demanded. "They don't understand a single thing we say!" Skaliscin said the very same words with her eyes.

"...besides, the whole point of this being a Haven is the LACK of humans.," Sayan pointed out. He then turned his head towards Sybil, "And you think I don't know that?! Trust me, I am VERY much aware that I am partly at fault for what happened to me. However, this does NOT excuse the humans for what they did nor does it mean we should invite them over.," Sayan responded.

"No no Sayan, it's true that most humans are bad, but that doesn't mean we should bear permanent grudges on them. Thought it's true, part of the reason for this Haven is to get a long rest far away from them." she solemnly explained, knowing that Sayan didn't want to hear another word about those beings. "And Speckles, humans don't understand our language, but there are other ways to communicate, mainly body languages and noises." Sybil kindly explained, being quite the expert in that matter.

"Well, thanks Voracivenom for sharing that with us. You just gave me an idea... um, well everyone, thank you all for coming here. But now that you are all reunited, I think it's the perfect time for each of you to get to know each other a little more. Gotta talk to the keas now, so see you all later." Sybil explained, leaving the group and keeping the idea a secret.

Chica seemed to have the same reaction as everyone else when the word "negotiate" was brought up. how do we negotiate? is that even possible?

On her way to the big tree, Sybil wondered if she left the others with doubt. She tends to keep her ideas a secret, but this was something that she felt she had to do on her own... with of course, some help from the keas, if they are willing to help that is. They already made a long journey to get to the island, it would seem unfair to ask them to travel again. But she would try just the same...

"Now, everyone, I didn't mean that we had to bring them here," Voracivenom quickly explained as he rapidly glanced at the escalating crowd, "I meant that maybe we should go to them. I understand the purpose of the Haven and- wait, Sybil! WAIT!!"
It was too late; she was long gone. The serpent groaned with frustration and turned to Skaliscin. She nodded with understanding and immediately darted after the civet.
"Human's don't have a clue what our 'body language' means! They're dumber than a pile of mud- no, dung!" Speckles protested.

"So let me get this straight, you want us to study humans and teach you to distinguish between those with good intention and those who mean harm?" an exasperated Cole repeated, quite surprised of Sybil's suggestion.
"Listen, you don't need to travel far, I am sure you already know quite a lot about humans, you keas interact with them after all." a worried Sybil explained, noticing Cole's unease.
"You got it all wrong miss. We don't interact with humans, or even less study them. We only go near them to steal their food and destroy their thingamajigs. It's quite fun, that bit." Cole said with a smile this time. He imagined that Sybil didn't send the warblers and the sea birds to the task because they have already done so much.
"This is a little much miss, but in order to get with the ultimate decision, we need to ask Mambo. Let's hope he isn't too distracted somewhere." he explained, and Sybil, knowing Mambo, understood very well.

Kallik had been listening from outside, feeling rather shy as she wasn't one of the most social animals in the Haven.

Chica looked at draco, the alligator was silent throughout the entire meeting. "have you ever had any problems with humans Draco?" she asked, wanting a bit of output from the reptile. "No, not really" he bluntly replied. He didn't looked interested, nor did he looked like he was against The ideas.

Kona had been watching Kallik, and the meeting. She wasn't sure if she was invited.

Voracivenom stared hard at Speckles.
"What? It's true! They're too stupid to see that we have feelings!"
"I can't deny that many of them are, but-"
"They don't care! Unless there's a reward; then they'll care."

"Ugh, I can't take it. I have been waiting here for half an hour and he still don't show. Hey Cole, if Mambo return, tell him to search for me." Sybil replied, after waiting all that time for the kea leader. "Well you can't blame him miss Sybil, this place is so different from our home. There are many things to see." Sybil understood, and left the task of letting him know to Cole. She hoped that Mambo didn't got lost. How could a bird like him wind up as the leader? Cole seemed like a better candidate. Either way, she decided to return to the group to see if they were still there, and if she was successful on getting everybody to know themselves better.

"Speckles has a point. Humans will do annnything for a reward and this doesn't JUST include good things.," Sayan commented, empathizing the bad parts. He recalled the humans' so called Black Market and how exotic creatures often got traded/sold for vast sums of their money. Though he didn't appreciate further talk of the humans, he stayed knowing that it would do him some good.

"Oh wow, you are all still here..." Sybil surprisingly said, expecting some of them to have left already to their respective homes.

Royal and Jaerl are still there as well but I have left sometime ago and by the look on the two birds of prey's faces, they are on their own with this, I will have nothing to do with humans. The conversation reopened the darkest and most terrible pages of my life, things that only Chica knows. Things so terrible and dark that they cannot be spoken off. Years of pain and anguish, as well as fear and despair. A time without any sign of light and only agony and despair.

Royal is the first to speak.

"My son and I will help you, but do not expect anything from the margay, Aeriji, I'm afraid. When we saw him he looked like her had seen a ghost and was in terrible, terrible agony. He was screaming and crying out like I've never seen before. He did it for hours and hours, till exhaustion took him. Though I can tell that even now he is in untold pain, for like a river tears continue to fall down his face and he shakes like a leaf. He is deathly pale, but I know he is healthy, so I must guess it is the memories that he is reliving as we speak."

"I understand. Needs more time." Sybil resumed, believing firmly that there was no wound time couldn't cure. Guests like Sayan and AJ needed much more time to heal, and at those time, she was very grateful to have opened that Haven for animals like them. She have seen all the good she has done by that, and to think that her original intention was to attract a male Malabar civet like herself and have the chance to save her species. Now she believed that was a selfish approach, and never had the heart to explain that to her friends. She believed they wouldn't like her as much if they knew her original intention, especially Jaerl.