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[hider=Collab between SUN and jagajac][b]"Kieren, you and your Practitioners are needed in the Circle. Try to be faster than me... for once."[/b] Kieren eyed her sister carefully watching her as she dashed off with Bastian. She was always the one to get things done quickly, but for some odd reason was the less efficient sister. Calliope had a complicated spirit that Kieren never quite understood, she could take a shot in the dark and always hit the target. Kieren hardly ever trusted her heart to make the right decision. She felt Felix rejoin her knowing he must've wanted to escape Bastian. She smiled softly down at him his gleaming blue and yellow eyes shining up at her. [b][color=powderblue]"Could you round up the others for me? Ashlinn seems to be already on her way...Nathan.. I'm not so sure."[/color][/b] He rushed off almost instantly, eager to explore. Kieren knew this would only save time, for her sisters sake, and allow her to join the other leaders hopefully before a lot of people were gathered. Meanwhile Felix made his way to Nathan, he placed his paws delicately on his shins attempting to get his attention. Once this was achieved, Felix twitched his tail motioning for him to follow.

Calliope's silent prayers were interuppted by the eager sound of hoofprints pounding into the earth. Dominique's horse glistened with waves of white sweat where it stood against the hitching post outside the designated Circle tent. The large stud pranced its forefeet anxiously, softly whinnying as it craned its muscular neck backwards against the rope it was tied to. Calliope's fingers worked their way through the simple knot, and she patted the creature twice on the neck while breathing in the comforting smell of sweet oats and hay it exhaled from its nostrils. [color=goldenrod]"Thank you."[/color] She whispered the words as the horse trotted off towards its own comrades in the distance. The night sky was still, and tiny pricks of starlight dotted its vast expanse. Only one patch of sky was eerily obsidian in color and seemed almost alive with swirls of faint movement. Calliope's neck muscles tightened, and she grasped at the silver bangle against her wrist. A shiver ran up her spine as she grabbed the folds of the tent, mustered all the encouragement she had left, and entered into the Circle where everyone awaited the Estuary leaders. 

Kieren at this time had made her way to the gathering area, only slightly out of breath from the long jog. Unfortunately she didn't have the luxury of a large vien to carry her around, she cursed under her breath as she wiped away the little beads of sweat that collected under her brow. Suddenly, a sweeping black steed flew past her, she stumbled back a little in surprise her eyes watching it carefully as it joined the others in the field. Reflections of the bellowing smoke melting into the speckled night sky shone in her icy blue eyes. Her heart shuddered but she shoved her nervous thoughts deep inside herself. Now was not the time to worry, it was still quite a distance away, however the night made it look more intimidating. Her eyes then caught a glimpse of gold in her peripheral vision. She looked up to see her sister passing through the tent, she caught up quickly taking hold of her shoulder entering in behind her. 

Kieren and Calliope entered the tent in a movement that almost made them seem as one body. Many eyes turned onto the girls' delicate frames as they strode together to join Erika towards the middle of the crowd. Hushed voices, hearty laughter, and muffled yawns came from every direction. The sounds all played distinctly within Calliope's ears, a symphony of clarity and distraction all at once. As she attempted to decipher each separate conversation taking place, Kieren turned to look at her sister. She recognized the look of confused concentration on Calliope's face and gently flicked Calliope's wrist with her thumb and pinky finger. Calliope's mind halted as she abruptly turned to Kieren and laughed under her breath in appreciation and frustration at herself. As they took there place beside the Mercenary leader, a loud hiss caused most within the circle to focus back towards the entrance to the tent. Felix rushed in, his front paws grasping wildly at the dirt but advancing him no further towards Kieren. Outside, Bastian held firm to his tails with one paw while tickling their ends with his other playfully. Calliope snapped her fingers threateningly, and the large Vein whined in protest as Felix's body was released from his grasp. Kieren furrowed her eyes at Calliope who only shrugged her shoulders and smiled as she spoke. [color=goldenrod]"Boys will be boys."[/color] Some of her Harbingers laughed at their leader's childish wit, while other men and women rolled their eyes in impatience.

Felix, upon release, immeadiately sprinted towards Kieren in panic. He jumped from Calliope's shoulders to Kieren's, his heads peeking out cautiously from behind her head. Kieren held up her hand prominently whistling shortly to quiet the small commotion. She exchanged glances with the other leaders knowing now was as good a time as any to start the meeting. [b][color=powderblue]"I'm sure all of you by now have noticed the large wave of Cimmerian that's been headed towards us for the past two days."[/color][/b] She took a breath of hesitation feeling Felix's tails swish between her shoulder blades.  [b][color=powderblue]"I have every confidence that it's something we will be able to handle, however, we don't know how long we have to prepare.''[/color][/b] She kept a calm face, but talking about it out loud made her head ache. She looked towards her sister for more information, but that was all they knew.

Calliope nodded at both leaders as her voice took over where Kieren's left off. [color=goldenrod]"Whatever time we have left is not enough."[/color] Calliope's voice was serious and taught as she tried to make eye contact with all the people surrounding her. It changed to a more earnest tone as she continued. [color=goldenrod]"The three of us have decided that I will lead our newest recruits to safer grounds during the night."[/color] A series of frantic conversations and anxious words interuppted the Harbinger leader's thoughts. All Valeriyan's knew from childhood of the dangers Cimmerians presented during the night. Shadows were their allies, whereas those who stood before Calliope now would be greatly weakened by its presence. She spoke loudly above the commotion, a slight twinge of frustration lingering on her tongue. [color=goldenrod]"I am not unaware of your concerns in this matter, which is why I have sent for a Familiar from the University to enlighten us all with information that I assure you is pertinent."[/color] Calliope looked around the corners of the room and spotted Dominique sitting casually agaisnt a far wall. His head nodded in silent understanding as his eyes directed Calliope to a small red-headed girl perched cautiously a few feet from him. Figures parted respectfully within the crowd as Calliope strode towards Edith. She extended her hand to the girl warmly and winked as she whispered. [color=goldenrod]"I don't know what Dominique has told you, but I promise I won't bite"[/color] She led the Familiar back to the center where Erika and Kieren stood waiting, squeezing Edith's hand slightly as she felt small trembles of either excitement or nervousness surge between them.

Erika, Calliope, and Kieren all stepped outwards, leaving Edith to shine solo in the dimming firelight cast upon her from a lantern above. Erika's mind still frenzied with thoughts of all the precautions she had been denied earlier, eager to hear what this girl could possibly provide her Mercenary frontmen that wasn't in the form of weapons or more warm bodies. Calliope looked to Edith once more, reassuring her with an all too familiar grin, and waited patiently along with everyone else to see what would be offered.[/hider]

[hider=TL;DR]Circle has begun. Kieren officially declared the impending Cimmerian cloud/attack. Calliope announced she would be taking the newest recruits to safer keeping during the night, which caused great commotion because traveling at night is a big NO NO. She promptly announced the arrival of the Familiar Edith, who brings news pertinent to this upcoming sequence of events. Erika {since Mercenaries are up close and personal during battles} is most anxiously awaiting what news Edith could possibly provide to aid them... along with everyone else.[/hider]

[hider=People being mentioned][@merrrrideth][@Zaresto][@GingerBoi123] and "the crowd"[/hider]