New Year, New Cookies

[winterfrosting]

Who: Dark Cacao, Affogato and anyone else in Cookie House willing to brave the blizzard
What: The Sunrise Holiday is here, and already signs aren't good
When: New Years Eve/Day
Where: The Grove
Warnings: Drama, mostly

[Cacao, earlier in the winter, had planned to invite the entire Grove to celebrate his region's most important holiday. But as the cold keeps getting deeper and sharper... no, it was not safe. The household knows his plans to see the new year come in. But he doesn't expect any of them to come out. And if they do not for long.

He's in his full winter gear as he tends a small campfire to hold back the worst of the chill. It's strange, even with it blazing away it barely cuts into the cold at all. And he finds he has to keep feeding it constantly.

It's a bad sign. He doesn't need to be a shaman to know that. He has a notebook out to take note of any signs in the weather or the sun when it arrives. Any strange animals or guests to analyze later. But he knows that will be more Affogato's task then his own. He is here as the King. The Winter Lord. As a sign all on his own.]

I suspect we may not see the sun at all if this snow continues.

Comments

[submittome]

[ Before he can tease Cacao about laughing - he has heard him after all - the first crack of a bone draws his attention.

His expression instantly falls from amusement and curiosity to pinched and pensive. Freeing his hand from a mitten, he picks up a stick to quickly begin moving the broken bones gently, reading them.

No, no no. None of the good fortune ones have snapped, charred and blackened by ash instead, as if a malevolent hand had smeared the fortunes out. He hisses through his teeth as he darts a hand out quickly to snag a bone fragment, holding it in his palm as he peers at it.

No mistaking the readings there. He holds a portion of sacrifice. ]

... Hm...

[winterfrosting]

I take it the reading is not promising.

[submittome]

Do not be hasty, there are other methods yet. It may simply be the lack of heat from the fire, due to the weather.

[ He drops sacrifice back into the fire, reaching out to draw a small pack of cards from his pocket. This will be difficult with the wind, as he quickly shuffles, while staring up at the sky. ]

Damned be this weather, if I could see the sky clearly...

[sticksandbonesmods]

Well, if that's what he wants, he may have to ask nicely.

... The flames flicker gold, briefly. But it may be hard to notice if they're focused on something else.

[winterfrosting]

[Affogato has his cards to focus on, but Cacao does not. So he perks at the flicker, staring down at the flames]

[sticksandbonesmods]

Gold, silver, and black. It's like something is fighting to sway the tides of fate. Or... several someones.

Silver flares, and a new bone cracks, loudly.


HOPE.

Was that there before?

[submittome]

[ The snap catches his attention and his eyes jerk back down to the fire. The newly broken bone has yet to blacken, and stands out amongst the others.

Hope. He doesn't recall etching that on a bone. ]

Mm... it would seem not all is lost.

[ He holds the deck out to Cacao, eyes moving to him. ]

Choose, Winter's King.

[winterfrosting]

Gold, silver, black. Seems our gods are being more active here then they are back home in these regards.

[He whispers a thanks to the the Moon before he looks to the cards. He closes his eyes before dancing his fingers over the deck, letting impulse and instinct guide his choice before pulling]

[sticksandbonesmods]

This may not surprise anyone, but Cacao pulls the sun in reverse.

[submittome]

[ With the weather, the omens in the fire, and now the card.. yes, it's meaning is not lost on Affogato. He gently takes the card from Cacao. ]

How rather on the nose. And yet... it is not as dire as one may think. Our future will be dark, but temporarily. Yet that temporary darkness will bring-

[ He glances back to the bones. ]

- Tragedy.

[winterfrosting]

... what winter doesn't?

[It is blunt and perhaps too simplistic. Such is Cacao's way.]

[submittome]

If this was a normal winter, I would agree, but I fear this one will be far beyond whatever we may have seen upon the Ridge.

[ He sighs in disgust at the card before tucking it away, then curls his lips and wrinkles his nose at the rest of his tools. Does he dare? ]

[winterfrosting]

Hm.

[His eyes follow]

You have done your duty well and beyond what is required.

[he doesn't HAVE to keep fishing for information if he doesn't want to. Especially since it's clear now the gods are watching]

[submittome]

[ Silence follows, as Affogato drags his finger over his lip in thought, before sighing. ]

If it was just you and I, I would. But I fear Pearl and Dasik's comfort.

[ He reaches back behind him to gently curl his fingers into his little babies horns whose a good sweet precious baby? You are! ]

[winterfrosting]

[That makes him pause. He remembers the babies hissing at the cracking bones before. They can sense the evil here- they are not safe]

Very well.

[sticksandbonesmods]

Pearl nudges into the touch, cooing gently.

It's a sweet moment in the tremendous dark, before crows and ravens start cawing.

[submittome]

[ The nudging makes him smile, the coo soft in his ear, and he nods to Cacao conceding. If it was just him, with Cacao to protect him, he would continue to pry Fortuna for information.

But with the babies, as vulnerable as they yet are-

His hackles raise to the crows and ravens, his tail lashing around Cacao's. The Messengers. He speaks to the air, to the fire, even as he draws closer to Cacao. Yes, he's going to use him as defense if needed. ]

Yes, we hear you. We hear your warnings, your omens. They are clear. There is Hope in this darkness, but this darkness will bring about grief. Powerful grief. Death.

[winterfrosting]

[That is fine. Cacao would have stepped closer regardless]

You should take the little ones inside. I can wait for the daylight on my own well enough.

[He would get no sign or fortune for it. But fleeing from his own ritual? Being intimidated away from the culture he helped nurture over generations? No. His pride will not allow it]

[submittome]

I will take them inside, but I will be back out. You will not see the morn in without me.

[ It sounds like a threat. He reaches out to lift Dasik off Cacao, hefting the little one up into his arms like the giant baby he is. Thank the Witches for Rolipo giving him exercise in big baby lifting, and he takes the two little ones inside to set them down so they can warm up.

Then he will be back out by Cacao's side, rebundled up in some more furs though. His duty done, he's going to look like a walking shaggy beast, thank you. ]

[winterfrosting]

[He can't blame him. He's just as bundled since he didn't need to do any dexterous work]

Thank you. If I knew we were going to have certain eyes on us I would not have let her come out at all.

[But he is an easily bullied baba]

[submittome]

[ They are all very easily bullied Baba's but none more so than Cacao. Affogato hums and pulls furs around him tighter, soon only his slitted eyes peeking out from them and his tail - bundled too - curling in the snow. Ugh. ]

As I would not have brought Pearl. Ill omens I was expecting, not the very Gods choosing to intervene.

[ Gold, Silver, Black. He sighs and pushes his lips out into a pout, though it's hidden behind his furs. ]

Will we never have a month without something clawing away at us?

[winterfrosting]

Not until there is peace in these lands. It may one day come to carving the Black Sun's very roots out of them. If so, I will hold the blade.

...

Yet I do not wish it so. Even after all this.

[submittome]

[ Sorry, Cacao, he truly does love you.

But that sentiment makes him scoff.

Listen, you wanted Affogato as he is, this is him. ]

Candied sentiment, yet you and I both know it will come down to spilling his rancid blood. He will not stop until we are dead, and our souls erased from the very fabric of being. It is him, or us.

[ He shivers and pulls his furs up until he's fully hidden in them, his tail seeking Cacao's out again to curl greedily around it to leech warmth. ]

[winterfrosting]

I know. You know me well enough to know I do not lean to mercy easily.

[His tail curls around Affogato's]

But when I regained my memories of my Awakening I saw a memory of his as well. When his sister first met her wife. A new sparking jealously. I... am not above such clinging obsessions.

[And if he can change maybe he can spare some empathy for someone else overrun by madness]

[submittome]

....

[ Gross, he doesn't want to sympathize with Suri, but the idea of jealousy over something. He understands that very much. Cacao praising Caramel Arrow, his devotion to Pure Vanilla, his growing affection for White Lily (oh anyone with eyes can see that).

The bundle of furs hm's softly, but Affogato doesn't emerge from them. Hiding behind them means he can make faces no one can ever see. ]

To have to share the one he loves the most. [ He frowns, then bristles. ] But if he truly loved her, he would be happy for her. He does not understand what love is. Obsession indeed.

[ But his voice is soft and the bundle scoots closer to Cacao, leans friendly against him. ]