[PRP] Decay and the Demon [Posca x Morifaer]

[honey.roasted.ferrets]

It was boredom that most often drove him from the lands that he claimed as home, as well as the lions...demons, what have you, that served him there. Morifaer was, in truth, a darkly social individual, not minding a nice chat, for after all, one caught more flies with honey than vinegar. But he had no desire to go searching for a mortal toy this evening, simply to relieve the monotony that had come upon him. The pride was quiet now, none had challenged their borders, no new cubs were being reared, and everything was business as usual. How utterly sickening. If it hadn't been for that pansy of a god that he'd treated with to form the pride itself, he would have started something by now.

But no. Until such a time came when he was free from the confines of oath, he would behave himself. Landing gently, silently, the grasses whispering beneath his paws, he shook his ebon mane. A lovely sunset this evening, the last hues of pink and purple fading to dark blue, the perfect time for an outing in his opinion. Tilting his head upwards, he released a thundering roar to announce his presence. It simply felt satisfying to do that every once in a while.



Posca, ironicly, was walking towards the lands his pride called home... Her eyes were distant, empty, as if she were in a trance. She was following her minion, her priestess... Who had been captured as a slave by the king, Ira. She traveled there to free her. Posca never used to meddle in the ways of mortals, but she had made an oath to the hyena that if she followed, she would always return to her. So there she went, traveling the miles across the plans to the great volcano in the distance, too far to see right now. Especially with the approaching sunset...

Her trance like state was violently interupted by Morifaer's roar. It made her blank eyes blink quickly for a moment, and her chin tilted towards him. He was a ways away, but his presence was almost chokingly strong. Unlike Posca, who did her best to blend in with her surroundings, her dull violent hide blending in with the molding grass around her. She sat there for a moment, quietly pondering whether to approach, or flee.



It was about that time that he sensed her, raising his head and sniffing the air, a smirk covering his maw. Well then, if it wasn't another of his peers. Jogging forward, a pace that quickly turned into a ground-eating lope, he made his way towards her, only to slow as he approached. Females were not to be dealt with in the same manner as the rest of the world, even he knew that. Morifaer had manners when dealing with his fellow deities, he would have been a fool not to. Carefully did he approach, low, strangely melodic voice calling a greeting. "Good evening, m'lady." It was clear to see that he knew where she was, his eyes a brilliant blue fixed on her position.  

[honey.roasted.ferrets]

She watched him approach, her muscles coiling as she crouched lower to the ground. One last attempt to hide herself, but when he spoke it was clear that she could not... He certainly looked fearsome enough, but she had learned over the decades that appearances were decieving. When he drew closer she stood tall, head held high. For a female she was fairly large, so would not be too dwarfed by him.

"Good evening..." She spoke softly, her voice sounding old and tender. Her breath carried the sweet yet sickening smell of decay on the wind.


How fascinating. It was not terribly difficult to surmise which domain this one ruled, a strangely lovely creature she, a twisted, alluring view of decay. Never one to be offput by the strange or disturbing, he slowly spread his great wings, only to tuck them gingerly in against his sides again. "It is not often that immortal visitors come calling." He noted lightly, "What brings you to these lands?" Close enough to his borders to ask such a question, and certainly it was not an odd query to give her.

Spiked tail flicking to and fro, he slowly sat, powerful hindquarters sinking with a fluid, feline grace. He had no arguement with her, nor her domain, and since she was female, he had every reason to garner her good graces. A friend such as her would not go amiss.



She watched him, her eyes reflecting bits of light in a way that created swirling rainbows, as if her eyes were coated with a layer of thick oil. It even dripped occasionally from her chin, splattering across the ground only to erode it, like some foul smelling acid.

"I seek my follower... I believe she was captured by one of the mortals that live here..." Her eyes turned back to the horizon, to the firey mountain that she somehow knew was there... She sat as well then, her own massive feathered wings extending before flattening against her back, the tips of them dragging the ground.  

[honey.roasted.ferrets]

Oh, even better. Inwardly, his smirk turned to a grin. One of the mortals, eh? Well then, that seemed an easy way to get into her good graces, the simple return of a mortal slave. Curiously watching as she unconsciously created little craters in the earth, eyes following her essence of decay as it made it's way to the ground below, he had to remind himself that he was talking to her, and that his eyes belonged with her own, and not on the very interesting business going on below.

"Well...if that is so, then your follower was carried off by one of my own." He dipped his head in a slight bow, "My apologies. Might I offer myself as an escort? I am sure that your follower shall not be difficult to retrieve." He had no quarrel with the lady, after all. "Pardon my rudeness...I am Morifaer, Lord of Demons and patron deity of this pride." To not have introduced himself earlier...he only hoped she did not take such as a slight.



She didn't seem to, for she only slowly looked back to him, staring at them blankly. She was scanning over him, juding him, but since she had no pupils it was very hard to tell where she was looking at. Finally she nodded, pushing herself to her feet. "I am sure I am able to make it there on my own, but if you plan on returning to your home, I suppose it would not hurt to venture there together... And I do not wish to fight for her." Her tone was still soft, but not really meak. Her many years had made her sure of herself... After all, she could kill, or at least badly injure someone. By merely looking at someone, they could rot away. But she never wanted to use that ability again. Never again. So she was merely passive, not violent seeming at all.

"My follower is a hyena by the name of Nzambi... Have you seen her? A rather sickly little morsel..." She started walking towards the horizon, her wings occasionally twitching anxiously, as if she'd prefer to fly... But for some reason she remains on the ground.



Slowly, he rose to walk alongside her. "I understand. Though I must say that many of my followers are quarrelsome, and my presence will ensure that your follower is returned to your side without a fight." If she did not wish a scuffle, that was fine with him, he had no grand desire to see any of his followers rot away in a matter of seconds, though that would be wondrously entertaining. Waste not, want not was an old proverb, and it had proven to be disgustingly true, even for a deity.

"I have not seen her myself, but...I can make inquiries, I know several of my followers actively scout for slaves." More than several, but he knew where to start. If he but gave the word to Iar, Iar would tear the savanna apart in order to find the needle in the proverbial haystack. "Have you traveled very far in search of her?"  

[honey.roasted.ferrets]

"Not terribly far, no... I only left her a day or so ago. The distance is nothing for us." Her head tilted slightly in his direction, and it was fairly obvious that her attention was on him. "My memory fails me in my old age... My name is Posca. Care taker of all things rotting and decaying. I do not mean to be so rude." With the introduction over she turned back to the horizon, her eyes squinting a little to try to get a glimpse of the volcano.

"You rule over these people... Murderers and theives... The land reaks of death and decay. Do you share in their gruesome desires, or merrly fuel them for your own benefit, dear one?"



"Well met, Posca." He rumbled, meeting her gaze unflinchingly for a moment, before she turned away. What an interesting female, he had not met her like in quite sometime, and definitely none so fascinating. "I have set...a proxy to rule for me, though I am the true power behind the throne. I prefer to puppeteer, appearing to my followers at whim. At times, their desires are my own, I will admit, but oft I am content to merely sit back on my paws and watch." It was so silly, how the mortals busied themselves with life, how they placed importance on trivial matters. He hardly understood it, but he wished to, perhaps why he played so very often.



"Hmm..." She grunted gently, listening to him explain his ways. For several minutes afterwards she was silent, her ears and wings occasionally twitching anxiously. She walked slowly, not seeming to be in any hurry... But there was a determination to her stride. Slow and steady, and not wavering until they came to her goal. She was used to wandering... And leaving a trail of rot in her wake.

"No matter. That is your choice, and not mine... If you choose to rot your soul by throwing people to their graves sooner it is your choice... They all are nothing but bones in the end, at any rate... You are happy with this situation, at least?"  

[honey.roasted.ferrets]

He laughed then, teeth flashing in his amusement, "Why, my lady, do you say that I choose to rot my soul? We are eternal enough, to be forever born and reborn again, whether or no we recall the lives we spent of old. The health of my own soul is hardly to be fretted over. We have...a responsibility to this world, I daresay." He emphasized the word carefully, as though he tiptoed around it on a daily basis.

"I am happy enough. There are fragments of my life that I fear I'm missing." He murmured, expression going thoughtful as they padded on, and he squinted at the mountain beginning to rise hesitantly from the skyline. "But I will find them, and then there shall be no reason for me to search, or to roam." He heaved a sigh, "Dear, dear...so few in this life for me to trust." It was obvious ne did not mourn that fact too often.



She seemed to think for several moments, blank eyes focusing mainly on the dirt ahead of her. "Mmm... I suppose I judged you more as a mortal than a God. Forgive my moment of... morality. It is our duty to do and act how our domain guides us. And if it is your duty to rule demons, I would expect you to be one as well... I suppose... I have not met many that have more..." She turned her head up to the sky as she muled over her words. "..darker... domains. Still, it is your way. As decaying the world is mine." Her tone changed now, no longer chastising, and more matter of fact. Apparently already coming to terms with his beliefs. She was not one to judge anyway.

"It is good you are happy though. We should be happy with our duties, or else the eternities became rather redundant." Her wings twitched, and she looked back to him. "Is there a reason why you fo not trust?"



"A reason?" He seemed to thoughtfully ponder the question, tossing it about in his brainspace, before he nodded, a very slow, deliberate motion that made him almost seem tired. "Many. Those who have come, gone, those who have proven themselves untrustworthy, and a realization that love and loyalty are fickle, emotion-tossed pieces of life. The former rare, but not to be savored lest it escape you, the latter needed, but oft requires enforcing." He liked to enforce at times, it reminded him that he was not weak, that he was eternal, and they were not, and at his whim, they might be gone forever.

"Are you content with what you are?" He inquired softly, voice almost melodic, there was, after all, a difference with being content with life, and being content with yourself. And well did he know it.



Her eyes grew slightly half lidded, her ears tilting back. It was not her way to lie, so her expressions were fairly obvious. There was neglect there, and a hint of sorrow that was so old that it was nearly forgotten. The goddess was quiet for a few moments, mulling over her words.

"I have... learned to be content with it. For it is all I really have ever known, and I have my duty to my domain to uphold. Sometimes I wonder what things might be like if things were... different. But it is simply impossible. I am old enough not to brood over things that cannot be." She nodded firmly, any regret leaving her face. Now replaced with aged resolve and stubborness.



He had decided that he rather liked her. Giving the goddess a sideways glance, he agreed with Posca with a simple nod. "Sometimes it is enough to be content. There is a strange need for each one of us, or we would not exist, and those who worship us, be it out of fear or reverence, give us purpose." As much as he oft-hated to admit it, it would be a pointless existence without the mortals, unless he were simply to quarrel and parley with the other gods. Feh. That would be folly.

"But we approach my lands, Posca. If you are desirous, I can find for you my Aran'shale. He, if anyone does, will know what has become of your follower, for it is his duty to know the comings and goings of this place." Though he wasn't going to mention that it was just as likely that the brash Iar had taken her hyena as anyone else in these lands. That sounded like him. A pity, but he would have to be dealt with sooner or later. Too insane and unpredictable a creature to be a use for years to come, but until a suitable replacement arrived, Iar was safe enough.



She nodded a little in reply, letting out a warm chuckle. "Indeed... If I were not around, all the dead would eventually carpet the world, and nothing would grow and survive. It's taken a while for me to come to terms with this... And you, well... you." She paused to look over him for a moment, ears twitching as she thought. "There must be demons, I suppose. Goodness in this world would not be recognizable if there were not evil, and... well, darkness is occasionally neccesary to keep the mortals active." She shook her head and turned back to her goal, the mountain in the horizon.

"Yes, that seems well enough. I do hope it is not too hard to bring her back. If you wish, I could always find a replacement for her. But her your pride cannot have. We have a pact, her and I... I will expect any damage done to her to be repayed as well, if you have no query with it."  

[honey.roasted.ferrets]

He nodded serenely, "Indeed. If any harm has been dealt to your follower then I shall personally see that equal penance is paid by whomever has stolen her." So protective, was she, an odd contrast to Morifaer's own sort of violent posessiveness. There were days he really did not understand the gods whose domains were so blissfully neutral, falling under neither light nor dark, but necessity.

"I shall have him sent to you momentarily, my lady...it shall not be long." Spreading great, leathery wings, he bunched hindquarters beneath him and took to the air. There was one thing nice about that red and black coat of Iar's, it made him disgustingly easy to find from above. What a fascinating lady, that Posca, he imagined what Iar's meeting with her would be like, and wound up bemused. His demon king could really be a silly mortal sometimes.



The goddess nodded her approval silently, and without another word she watched the demon lord jump into the air. Her own wings fluttered slightly with the need to fly, but she didn't move. She merely sat down, her short tail occasionally twitching against the dirt.

What an interesting god, she thought to herself. One damned to evil, but he seemed civil enough. Not like the few gods of chaos and destruction she had met. Though, she supposed that being a demon could have many sides to it...

She settled down on the ground, curling up to rest while she waited. She had traveled quite a long way, after all. So she welcomed the opportunity to rest. It did not come often.