Secrets Untold

(OOC: This is open to all of the heroes, and I'd love to get some of the human heroes/generals to join as well. This thread will start at night, but it'll progress to morning. Date is March 3rd.)

A heavy darkness blanketed the great grasslands of Africa, tinting the indigo landscape with black. Under the cover of the dark, a slender figure made his way across the grasses, pausing every now and then to make sure he wasn't going to be ambushed. He straightened his hat, and surveyed the landscape. He hadn't been here in so long, and he wasn't entirely sure if it was even the same, aside from the lack of a moon. Were his friends still here? Was his tent given away? What had happened?

The gypsy king had gone missing some time ago, leading some to think that he had died. But in reality, he had been somewhere else entirely. No one really knew, and he wasn't even entirely sure what had happened, aside from the fact that he had begun to dabble in magic that was not pure, if only to help his allies. And he didn't care to tell anybody, save for his closest friends. What he did know was that he could feel change. He didn't know how, or why. Something in him just felt different. The tents up ahead of him were mostly dark, save for a couple that still flickered with candlelight. He slowly made his way into the camp, and at the very center, he saw a small fire, with no one surrounding it. He was cold, and without a jacket. And that fire just looked so inviting.

He knelt, and held his hands near the flames, removing his gloves so that he could warm up his hands a little more. He had forgotten that the nights here were chilly sometimes. At this point, he wasn't really too concerned with the fact that he was now visible. As much as Clopin wanted to keep in the shadows, he couldn't help wanting to be seen, and wanting to have some sort of contact other than that of demons and dusty old books.

Clopin pulled out a small, leatherbound book from under his tunic, and opened it, holding it close to the light of the fire. The yellowed pages were worn, and some edges were burned, as if something that was not of this world had touched it. The light danced, as Clopin began to read through it, hoping that maybe, just maybe, someone could distract him from it all.

Cassie couldn't sleep. She was sleepy sure, but her mind was just buzzing with thoughts and it was keeping her awake. The teenage pup had decided maybe a walk would help ease her mind. Taking a small lantern in her jaws she wandered out of her tent and wandered around the camp

It didn't take her long to realise something was odd. Sitting near the fire in the middle of the camp was a human she'd not seen before. True she'd been here less than a month, so it was guaranteed she didn't know everyone in the camp, but she knew many of them by glance and in passing. So who was this stranger?

She nonchalantly walked over to the fire, setting down her lantern. Brown eyes occasionally flickered over to the stranger, who was reading a small book. Curiosity buzzed in her mind. She wanted to know who this man was, but the pup held her tongue for now. She'd wait to see if he'd speak first.

((Hey Clopin, I might be wrong, but I think that the pridelands/outlands/Asia and Europe are all still covered in darkness, so there'd be no moonlight...I may be wrong though ^^; ))

(Fixed!)
Clopin was so sure he'd heard soft footsteps coming his way, but he was trying his best to ignore it. As far as he knew, it was his own mind making it all up. Since he had been gone, he sometimes heard voices saying things, and he did everything to push them out of his mind. He continued to read through several pages, which detailed spells and pagan gods and goddesses. Ever since he became literate, Clopin was secretly a voracious reader, with a hunger for knowledge. He would read anything that would be of benefit to himself, his allies, and those he loved.

After a few minutes, however, he couldn't shake the feeling that there were eyes lingering on him. He closed the book slowly, and he stored it back into one of the pockets inside of his tunic, before looking to see who was next to him. A small part of him hoped that it was one of his old friends. But when he turned, he was face to face with a small, cream-colored puppy. The gypsy king couldn't help but smile a bit. She reminded him of both Penny and Garnar, and he felt a small pang deep in his heart. She had a lantern sitting in front of her, and he was curious to know whether that was hers, or if it had always been there.

"Well yah made your lazy bones back here, didn'tcha?"

The female was pacing the camp with stealth only being barefoot could provide. Her hair was a hot mess of frizz and curls and she wore what could only be described as pajamas. It was a long nightgown that hung just below her knee, green in color, and sleeveless. She placed a delicate hand on her hip and let out a laugh. When was the last time she saw this master of tomfoolery? Their friendship had waned as Clopin made his way around the war. Now she had to poke a little fun at the buddy she'd missed.

She just hoped Naveen would be less jealous of Clopin than he was of Casey Jr.

"Now where exactly have you been?" She asked, walking up to him before throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "All my years...I thought ah'd never...where've you been you ol'gypsy trickster?" Her gris-gris around her neck glowed as if to reflect her excitement...or just to zap her of the soul she so desperately needed.

The gypsy's attention was diverted from the pup, as he heard the familiar voice of one of his closest friends. In fact, he would know her voice anywhere. But before he could say anything, she threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug, and he was surprised, but delighted to see her. He leaned into the hug, as he wrapped his own arms around her shoulders. He noticed that her hair was as frizzy as ever, and it reminded him of the times when she was working so hard making food for the entire camp, with her hair in a messy bun. He let out a small sigh, as a wave of relief washed over him. Perhaps, for the first time in a long time, things would be okay.

"I...yes, I did make my way back." Clopin said, with a weak smile.

"I do apologize for my absence, cherie. I've been...exploring. I needed a break from things here, so I went back to Paris for a while, to see my family." Clopin said. He knew it was a bit of a white lie, since he never really went back to Paris. But what Tiana didn't know wouldn't hurt her. He felt bad for lying to one of his closest friends, but he felt that she was safer not knowing just where he had been. If she knew...he wouldn't be able to live with the consequences that came with the knowledge that he had acquired while he was away.

But he did happen to notice the new talisman hanging around Tiana's neck. He wasn't sure what it was, but if it was anything like the small charm bags his father used to wear, he was definitely familiar with them. They were to ward off evil, and he hoped that perhaps Tiana's would keep away the demons that followed his every step.

Cassie jumped slightly as another human appeared out of the darkness and walked up to the first, the two clearly knowing each other. She sat there quietly as the two exchanged greetings. It was rather heart-warming to see two friends greeting each other like such.

For a moment the pup considered taking her lantern and heading off to another part of camp, and leave the two friends to catch up. But another part of her, the nosey part, wanted to know who these two were. She was always looking for new friends after all.

The young teen had been having a hard time sleeping as of late. The idea of everlasting darkness was starting to make him paranoid, he was sure that the others were starting to feel that way as well. No matter what he did, it always felt like something was coming out of the shadows to chase him

Walking made him feel a little better, if not much, it helped him try to find a way to clear his head, he wasn't as smart as his father but maybe he could figure out something to help the darkness. The sound of familiar voices drew him closer.

He hadn't really expected to find anyone else out at night but he suspected that sleep was evading them. Not wanting to interrupt the conversation, Wilbur decided to take up the way the pup had, being quiet. Which was easier said than done.

"Explorin' huh?"

Tiana believed that as much as she believed that wishing on stars would give you what you wanted. She placed a hand on her hip, a smirk on her lips. She let it slide however. Better let the gypsy king have his secrets. Tiana pushed back on her heels, smiled down at Cassie and knelt on the ground. She placed a hand on the canine's back, scratching the lower part of her neck while she spoke to Clopin.

"Ain't nobody gonna blame you for wantin' to take a break," she whistled, "Sure'nuff...everyone wants to take a break. Some of us more'n others." Her thoughts drifted to Simba, Kula, the other lions whose home had been attacked and ravaged. They could NEVER take a break. She turned a sly smile up at Clopin, still scratching Cassie's back.

"So...what's yer plan, Gypsy king?" She asked, "Gonna take th'army by storm again?"

Clopin looked down at Tiana and the puppy, and smirked at her question.
"Cherie, of course. Who else do those pesky villains fear the most? You all need a general, because as far as I can see... this army hasn't been doing too well. Where is everybody? Has Shang been training the new recruits to fight? I would hope so." Clopin said, as he knelt down to Tiana's level. He looked at Cassie, before gently patting her on the head.

"Especially the little ones like her. She needs to know how to fight." Clopin said, as he sat down on the ground. He would hate to see another young dog that was full of vibrance lose her life before it even began. But then again, he mused, that was the price of war. He looked to see Wilbur sitting rather silently next to the three of them, and he greeted him with a nod. The gypsy king was curious to know just why the camp itself was so abandoned.

"Tiana." Clopin began, as he looked to her.
"What happened? Why is this camp so empty? And why is the sky so dark?"

Cassie sat in silence as the two conversed. Occasionally tilting her head this way or that.
When the lady reached over and started petting her, the lab's tail started wagging, thumping against the dirt beneath her paws.
So, this male human was one of the generals? She hadn't actually met a general yet, so she wasn't sure what she should say.
When he reached over to pat her as well, she let out a small woof of content. It wasn't till the subject of learning to fight had come up did the pup's attention completely focus on him. Her scarred leg shuffled beneath her as she thought back to her first and only battle.
"No kidding..." She muttered under her breath.

Well. There was a presence she hadn't seen in a long time.

Her mouth formed a small 'o', her lovely eyes wide, as the vixen registered the returned arrival. Vixey had found herself unable to sleep, as was so often the case, nowadays. Even though Tod visited her dreams some nights, she knew there was a limit to how often he could do so. There was a barrier between them, the barrier of life and death, and unless that was breached - something she had seen happen before, but was wiser, by now, than to seek to do so for herself - the time they could spend together was limited. And on many of the nights when they were apart, her sleep was troubled; or it simply elluded her altogether.

Rather than spending another restless night tossing and turning, the russet-furred animal had ventured out of her tent, about the camp. Maybe finding someone to talk to would set her at ease; and even if not, companionship could be no bad thing. In months past, Tod's presence had provided all the comfort she needed, but nowadays...

She was both attracted to and repelled by the dancing firelight. In Vixey's mind, fire meant danger; and her experiences - Slade's attempt to smoke her and Tod out of their burrow, and the Human Army's attacks on the camp wherein they had set everything ablaze - had only pounded that notion even deeper into her mind. Still, she knew that humans often used domesticated fires, liked to use them as gathering points; and, in this oppressive darkness, the light and warmth would be welcome. So, wary but not outright afraid, the vixen had approached.

What she hadn't been expecting was a familiar face that she hadn't seen for almost a year. While it was true that she'd not had a particularly close bond with the Gypsy King, there had been something nonetheless; it was impossible to face down death together and not feel, at the very least, some sort of kinship. Well she remembered the events that had led her and some others down into the Underworld to confront Hades and retrieve Clopin's soul--

She hadn't know what had happened to him in the months that had followed. He had seemed to leave the camp - so many of those she'd known at the war's start had - and she'd heard no further word. Seeing him now, knowing that at least one more of those who she'd used to know was alive and well, despite everything...

"Oh, Clopin!"

She padded forward into the circle of light, the flames casting unusual patterns across her coat as they danced. The old necklace Meg had given her, the one to protect her from Hades, beat against her breastbone with the motion.

"Hey, um, gee, it's good to see you here again." She sat, bushy tail curling around her dainty paws. Even if she hadn't known him well, the Gypsy King had always been a figure who Vixey had respected; and so her words were completely honest. After everything that had been happening, all that had been going wrong, it was good to see a face of authority who she trusted.

She gave a small shrug of question.

"So, ah, what brings you back to us?"

“Honestly, Clopin, I haven’t got the faintest idea.” She sighed, dipping her head towards the ground. “Some are whisperin’ that the world just threw up the darkness. All the hate and horror and innocent blood spilled…all that made for an eruption of all of it.” She shut her eyes and as if on cue, the bag around her neck glowed softly. Her eyes opened, a tiny bit of shine coming off of her black orbs.

“But ah suppose you saw that in Paris, didn’tcha? Or is it…not dark there yet?” Notre Dame had been burned to the ground. How could the hate not have bled into their sky? Tiana snorted. “Shang ain’t been trainin’ nobody,” she spat, “Boy’s so wound up in his plans he ain’t had time. We gotta have somebody else do it. ‘fore we lose some more youngin’s to this war.” Her eyes shut tight again. War had taken her father. She refused to let it take her.

Vixey’s approach made her soften her speech. She smiled softly, dipping her head towards the fox and keeping her palm on Cassie’s back, pinching her fingers in a deep massage between the dog’s shoulder blade. Stella always used to love that.

The gypsy king looked towards the darkness above, and he shook his head gently. He wasn't surprised in the least. The world had every right to throw up the darkness. The war had caused so much damage already. There had been far too much innocent blood spilled on the ground, all because of some notion that somebody had to reign supreme. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes, before focusing back on Tiana.

"Yes, the darkness has infected Paris..." Clopin muttered, not wanting to elaborate more on the subject. The timing for revealing where he had been was not right. But as Tiana continued to speak, the gypsy king couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"What do you mean he hasn't trained anybody?" Clopin asked, upon hearing that Shang hadn't followed through in his absence. No wonder the heroes' camp was doing so poorly! To everyone else, the gypsy king knew they looked like a total and complete sham. The heroes couldn't even protect themselves! How pathetic! He was sure that was what the other armies thought of them. Memories of the camp burning down to the ground flashed through his mind, along with memories of his beloved's last moments...no.

No. He would not let that happen again. He could not let it happen again.

But before the gypsy king could speak again, another familiar face appeared. A small red fox came up from behind Tiana, and he recognized her immediately.

Vixey.

He smiled weakly, watching her as she sat, with her bushy tail curling around her little paws. He remembered the little fox, how she had been one of the few who went down to the Underworld to retrieve his soul. And he was glad to see that along with Tiana and the others, little Vixey was still alive and well. His death and subsequent recall to life had forged a small sort of kinship between the two, and for that, he was glad. He took a moment, choosing his next words carefully. The heroes needed a leader, someone who they could count on to lead them through the ugliness of the war. Simba remained as the absent king, and Shang was nowhere to be found. They needed someone.

"Vixey. Tiana. All of you. As you know, I am a king, first and foremost. I care for my people, and their wellbeing. However, I am also a general of this army. And from all the times we have shared, and the battles we have fought, I have come to consider you all as my people. There is not one hero that I do not care for. Therefore, I will train you. If Shang won't, I will, for it is my duty. While it is true that I am not a military man by nature, I know how to survive. That is what I will teach you, as your general. As for military training...I'll have a talk with Phoebus. Perhaps he will take the reins from there." Clopin said, as he looked each of them in the eyes.

"That is a promise. We will bring this camp back to what it was, and we will conquer."

Cassie's ears perked up as the conversation continued, the  subject of the looming darkness especially perked her interest. The pup hadn't known the cause of the eternal night time that loomed over their heads, and her brown eyes sparkled with intrigue as Tiana tried to explain the cause.
“Some are whisperin’ that the world just threw up the darkness. All the hate and horror and innocent blood spilled…all that made for an eruption of all of it.”
Cassie let out a small, almost inaudible whine. So that explained why she felt so unnerved by the darkness since it appeared back in London. She knew the war was bad, she'd already seen what the battles could be like, but she never imagined it could be bad enough to cause an eternal darkness.

“Shang ain’t been trainin’ nobody,”
Cassie looked up as the sudden harsher tone caught her by surprise. So someone was supposed to be training them? But they weren't? The lab let out a snort, what kind of person put off the training of their troops in the middle of a war?
"What do you mean he hasn't trained anybody?"
“Boy’s so wound up in his plans he ain’t had time. We gotta have somebody else do it. ‘fore we lose some more youngin’s to this war.”
Cassie dipped her head in agreement, she made a lot of friends the past few weeks, and she'd hate to loose any of them.
Her ears twitched as a new voice spoke up, her head swiveled around to see a fox trot up to their group.
Cassie was about to greet her, but the feeling of fingers massaging her shoulders stopped the pup before she could speak. Small pink tongue lolling from her mouth as a smile creased her face. She missed the feeling of being petted. Her eyes closed as she relished in the moment of bliss the feeling brought her.

Her attention was brought back to earth though, as Clopin spoke again.
"Vixey. Tiana. All of you. As you know, I am a king, first and foremost. I care for my people, and their wellbeing. However, I am also a general of this army. And from all the times we have shared, and the battles we have fought, I have come to consider you all as my people. There is not one hero that I do not care for. Therefore, I will train you. If Shang won't, I will, for it is my duty. While it is true that I am not a military man by nature, I know how to survive. That is what I will teach you, as your general. As for military training...I'll have a talk with Phoebus. Perhaps he will take the reins from there."
She stared for a moment at the general, entranced by the way he took charge and his willingness to set things back on track.
"That is a promise. We will bring this camp back to what it was, and we will conquer."
Cassie let out a bark of approval at these words.

She looked up, smiling in return at Tiana. The dark-skinned woman had been the one who had introduced her to the med-tent and all that went on there in the first place, the one whose direction had helped Vixey find her role in the chaos of the war camp, and - as with many of those she'd met in the war's first months - Vixey felt an incredible fondness for Tiana. When the woman didn't initially speak, however, nor did she; Clopin seemed to be gearing himself up for a speech, and the russet female had no desire to interrupt him.

His words sent a thrill through her. Not a thrill for excitement or danger, for neither were things Vixey craved; but the sort of thrill that sent a tingle down her spine, that told her that things were at last going to start going right here. It wasn't her place to criticise, but Vixey had been feeling, more and more as the months passed, that little was being accomplished; those higher up might have complex plans, but many of the soldiers just didn't have the training to keep themselves safe out there, much less carry out the strategies.

If Clopin took the reins, she was certain that would change. That the fight would gain a direction, a purpose, beyond fighting just for the sake of battle. That maybe, Tod's death wouldn't have been for nothing.

She jumped, slightly, as the pale-furred dog at Tiana's feet barked. Vixey had noticed her there, but hadn't given her presence real thought - still, the vixen tended to be a bit wary around canines, especially once they started barking. Recognising the vocalisation as approval of Clopin's words, however, Vixey quickly shook off her surprise.

"I trust you, Clopin."

For once, there was none of her typical hesitations in her speech. Vixey knew the General, had seen him in action, and knew beyond a doubt that he was a man of his word. Her trust in him was absolute, unshaking - and there were precious few humans who could command that degree of loyalty from the vulpine, who tended to be nervous around the species as a whole.

"I, hm, don't know a lot about what's been going on with the leaders. But, well, if anyone can get the camp back on track, then I'm certain it's you."

She drew herself up a little straighter, a little taller. It didn't occur to her that pledging full alleigance to someone other than Simba could, under the wrong circumstances, be construed as treason; she simply knew that she trusted the Gypsy King, that Clopin knew what he was doing, and cared deeply for those under his command. And that was good enough for her.

"Well, I'm behind you; anything you need from me, you've got."