World Event - Halloween

Hualiama
Li padded into the clearing, red eyes watching the others warily but passively. This was a peaceful place, so his family had told him, with everyone united against the strange spirits that attempted to invade their world every year. He generally avoided the area, not interested in socializing, but this year was different somehow. He eyed the others as more shadows lurked and settled himself on a small rock and pulled out the items he'd gathered over the last few weeks, inspecting them.

Max
The granthrow slunk behind a tree, trying to avoid the eyes of everyone else. Spirits made him shiver in terror - anything did, really, but the idea of being possessed seemed worse than running into an exotic thrax in a bad mood. He pulled out his mass of items and wondered if any of it would actually help. Max realized he'd have to actually talk to someone and shivered again, curling into as tiny a ball as he could.

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Arumughæl
The large gran made his way toward the spirit stone, dark pattern often loosing him to the dimming, dappled light through the trees as he moved. The color through vibrant leaves matching his pelt perfectly. He was calm, more curious of the others than concerned for what was to come. Intimidation wasn't difficult, when you were his size, not getting ahead of himself, not frightening the other grans... that was a trick.
His paws flexed into the earth as he spotted the clearing, and the stone. Studying those already gathered intently, but offered an easy smile to those he passed. Grinning at a spunky little cub, his mother almost invisible in the night. He had a soft spot for cubs, hoping the night wouldn't be too much for him, but no doubt his mother would keep sharp eyes on him with that expression. Another beaming grin was shot at a few nervous grans, one hiding behind a tree of all things, poor thing. It was brave though, coming here that scared, hopefully he could keep to his fangs with it long enough the night passed safely.
One ear quirked at a gran who was making his mask already, an assortment of bones laid put around him, "Nice haul, might be the scariest mask here." he laughed, tail sweeping behind him as he found a mossy patch somewhat between those already gathered. Open to whomever may approach, but focused on his work now his place had been staked out. Depositing his own materials in front of him and pondering them, how they may come together...

Eudoxia
The black gran slipped in, quiet as a shadow, and settled on the fringes of the group without making any sound at all. Her ears quirked at every breath and pawstep around her, alert, but feeling no real fear. Not yet at least, her own materials were settled around her as a gran nearby huddled himself into a ball - she didn't think he had even noticed her, tucked and-under her bush. It was comfortable though, the earth soft and cool while the branches and leaves had kept leaves from cluttering it up. No sticks to poke at her, or wayward brambles. Her ears twitched at an owl above, and she let herself settle in and see how her mask wanted to come together this year...

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Hualiama
Li looked up at the voice but only flicked one of his ears in mild agreement to the large brown granthrow, his large tail curled around him like the cat he was. He looked back down at the various items he'd found over the course of the month, but shook his head dubiously. "Perhaps." He shrugged noncommittally, but moved slightly to give the gran a spot to sit should he care to.

Max
Max twitched at the shadows as more grans moved through the clearing, watching the shapes and sizes of everyone nearby then widening at the unknown felines. What were those? he wondered and tried to hide further in the bush, but to no avail when he saw a black female staring at him. Pity his pelt was wasn't black and he could blend into the forest himself.

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Hualiama
Li's ears flattened, but his tail flicked when he sensed Hemi nearby and turned to loook up at the gran. His thick tail twitched around the other side and casually brushed against the gran in an attempt to soothe the poor boy's nerves. **"Sit down beforume you hurt yourself,"** he grumbled, then reached out a paw and pulled Hemlocke against him to get the gran to settle, flicking his fluffy tail over his mate's back. **"I thought you were going home with Auriga."** The 'thera rearranged his mask pieces again and began methodically putting something together that would hold through the night - maybe he'd have something to remember those he'd lost as well.

Max
The poor granthrow stared down at his pieces, but couldn't get enough courage to talk to anyone. Maybe a mask would help? He began fiddling with everything he'd brought, trying to turn it into something he could wear - something to hide from the spirits. Max shivered and swallowed back a whine at the mere thought of anything happening to him. Everyone around him seemed unbothered. A few looked worried, but for the most part, they were clearly used to coming here every night. Max stared dubiously at his ... er... creation.... and sighed. He was not an artist, by any means, but ducked and put it on, wondering how a mask would protect against something intangible.

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Hemlocke
Hemi calmed down at the soothing notion of his mate stroking his back with his tail, it calmed him. “I had no intention whatsoever of coming out here. But Auriga told me I should, didn’t you tell her that you would be here?” He shivered hearing the chattering about the veil. He didn’t like it, and as such he figured he should begin to make his own mask. At least Li could give him a hand...or maybe he could just copy Li. Both ideas worked.

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Arumughæl
The large gran blinked and turned slightly from the silent blue-spotted male as he was addressed, chuckling at the antlered male atop his perch. "I'm sure you'll scare off your fair share of spooks tonight. Mamet's Rum, by the by, pleasure." he purred, but ducked faintly as the anxious and smaller male- apparently the slate-coated cat's mate- rushed in and began prodding at him. Poor fellow, Arumughæl ducked his head to them both and wandered off, best to let them sooth themselves, he supposed. The antlered one didn't seem to have much spare... focus... to offer at present. Not with that nervous a companion to look after.

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Eudoxia
"It frightens them." The dark female supplied, affixing a flower to her mask as a small mouse offered it to her, chittering softly, though her ears swiveled and she nodded occasionally, as if she understood it perfectly. "The spirits," she clarified, noticing the striped male's confusion, "a gran is hardly frightening to another gran, but the curtain makes things different. Spirits see things differently than we do." she explained, tilting her head as her paws worked and pausing occasionally as teeth joined them, never once looking at the tiny male, but she kept her voice soft and even. Like she would a flighty animal, and continued explaining, even as emotions flickered at the edges of her senses, regret, confusion, rage... that one was disconcertingly familiar... stronger for its tug, love... strange, but the female pushed them past like cutting through water. "We put intentions, thoughts and emotions, into things when we make them, the spirits see emotions, and so they see the intentions of our masks, not merely the sum of their parts." she smiled, finally glancing up at the tiny thing, "We make them to frighten and protect, so they see fierce beasts meant to do so... not just leather and bone and twigs." her mouse squeaked and she glanced down, nodding again, "Something intangible, to defend from what is to us insubstantial otherwise."

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Hualiama
Li just huffed faintly as the larger male wandered off, but shrugged and let his mate lean against him. Auriga would be fine at home, probably sleeping off hunting the night before. For the most part, he let Hemi make his mask however he wanted to, only offered suggestions when the other gran asked. With the feathery mask across his face, the thera looked around to see what others had come around. A few he recognized, but most were new faces.

Max
He looked dubiously at the excess pieces, wondering if stones had been a good idea. He'd nabbed them before he tripped over them and had just added them to his pile as he hurried to get to the clearing before anything attacked him, but hadn't found a way to put them on a mask. It was stupid, he realized now. His fur flattened at the voice - too close, too soon - he hadn't seen anyone come up and twitched, hard. **"Uh...h-hi,"** he stuttered, then realized what she'd said and exhaled a shaky breath.  It didn't calm him very much, but he gave her credit for the attempt. **"G-granthrows c-c-can be p-plenty frightening...ma'am."** He looked cross-eyed at the mask on his face, then sighed. Well, if he'd had any *less* intention to keep spirits away from him, the mask would spontaneously combust like human powder on a fire. **"It... r-really works?"** he whispered, as if to himself.

Astra
The blonde kubebathrow ambled into the clearing, calling greetings to those he knew and teasing jokes to a few closer friends. He looked around for family, wondering if he'd see his sister anywhere.

Hyperion
The thrax grumbled as he followed his friend into the clearing, his mask already made and in place. He ignored the majority of others and waited impatiently for Astra to find a place to sit. **"Are you done already?"** he grumbled, eying a couple of cubs that got too close. He refrained from glaring at them, knowing he'd never hear the end of it if Astra caught him.

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Hemlocke
He finished his mask, but the chill in the air was great as he stayed near Li. “I don’t like the atmosphere. Its...spooky. Something isn’t right here, oh I should have stayed home with Auriga.” He whimpered and tried to will himself to relax. As long as Li was here and they both had their masks made they were both safe. He watched as Li’s companions walked off, he wished they had stayed, a big group of friends would have been more comforting. One day maybe he would man up and be as fearless as Li, one day. Huh

Eudoxia
Long ears flicked at the way the tiny gran picked at the stones and she shifted a fraction, eyeing the plants around them. Standing and taking a few steps she took a low branch in her teeth and snapped it from the tree. Only a few drops flowed from the base, but the branch dripped more sap, clearly a dying chunk the tree had cut off. "Here," she suggested, tilting the end up to avoid getting the thick sap everywhere, "Just let it sit a few moments and try not to get it in your fur." the veritable shadow offered, before resettling. Shaking her head for the shaky greeting, but gave him a curl of one lip in return, "Evening." her head dipped a fraction with the words and she carefully scooped just a tiny bit of the sap on a claw to affix her flowers better. Discretely demonstrating for the gran who seemed practically a cub at her side. Though given her size that tended to apply to many granthrow, he was unusually small, however.
Her ears flicked again at the boy, and she chuckled, "You seem frightened of quite a lot, no offense...um?" her head tilted, inviting a name, then blinked, "Call me Dox, and this is Patch." she indicated the mouse who gave an eerily good semblance of a bow before squeaking.

"That's how Patch says hello." she supplied, helpfully. Nodding for the question, then indicating the others around them, "No one else would be doing so if it did not, would they? Spirits can be intimidating, so we pass down what works, not what fails as a rule." Eudoxia chuckled as her mouse chattered briefly, nodding indulgently.
"Patch says I should say, not as methods, legend is another story. There are, as Patch notes, a great many cautionary stories." the odd gran observed, but she kept the kind smile. "As for gran being frightening, I suppose so, when one wishes. You should probably keep clear of any trying to scare you excessively though; beyond that the more you can befriend the less you'd have to worry about, hm?" she asked, that owlish little cant of her head as she watched him. "There is always a bigger fish, folks say, but ultimately you find those big enough others do not bother them... befriend the big fish and they can help if you do have troubles. More though, it will give you some confidence to know you can befriend what you find intimidating. After that making friends is a lot less scary." she offered, shaking her head a bit and frowning as she eyed the rock, but refocused on the small gran as the furrowed confusion cleared from her face fast a cloud across the moon.

Malcolm and Annabelle and Hemlocke
Both grans looked at Tad as the spooky evening went underway. “Malcolm, put your mask on now,” Annabelle said urgently as the female put her mask on. “You take this way too seriously,” Malcolm replied. He put his mask on at the command of his mate. They were both glad that Stark was home alone, in peaceful slumber. The chill in the air was intense and Annabelle sensed that something was amiss. “Stay close Tad, the night isn’t over, its only just beginning.” They would be safer in larger numbers, she flicked her tail for them to follow her. They wandered over to Hemlocke and Li. Hemlocke spotted Annabelle, he had encounters with her every so often. Hemlocke was close to Li as he had his mask on. “Mind if we join you?” She asked. “No! No please join us!” Hemi quipped anxiously. Malcolm chuckled as he sat next to Annabelle who nuzzled into his large frame. “L-Li I’m scared...” Hemlocke murmured.

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Hualiama
Li looked around, ears flattening at the chill in the air, but nodded. **"Would rather be home, yes, but _someone_ must be here,"** he grumbled, then huffed a sigh of exasperation at Hemi's complaints and dropped a paw over the gran's shoulder, pulling him closer, practically underneath him in an attempt to get the male to _shut up_. **"The mask will keep you safe, Hemlocke."** His voice was unusually quiet as his eyes tracked the wisps, still barely there, but he knew from experience just what they were. Soon, they would begin to move with purpose. His eyes flicked from mask to mask as if checking their readiness. 

His voice was quiet at first, grunting huffs like a lion, gaining in volume until he let out a full-bodied roar, defying the spirits from touching him or his family. An ear twitched at the motion nearby and he pulled his attention away with a grunt, but gave a short nod instantly. Hemi would feel better with others nearby and neither gran looked like a dumb brute. **"Roar, Hemlocke. Roar. Scare them away. You are bigger than they are."**

Max
Max twitched at the movement, but nodded, recognizing the black female was at least trying not to scare him. **"S-sorry,"** he offered and attempted a smile. Watching her move helped the fear fade steadily, though he was still *far* too aware of others around them. **"Thank you."** He appreciated the help and was grateful to find the mask wouldn't fall off at the wrong time or fall apart. **"Heh...not f-first time got in fur,"** he tried for a joke, but his halting speech ruined it. Max settled back to the ground, but slipped the mask on as soon as the sap dried, not wanting to wait any longer by the motions of the other grans around him. It was getting close to time. **"Y-yeh. I..uh...not around grans much."** Max shook his head. He preferred being alone, not having to deal with what others did or said, but it was lonely sometimes, even with his companion. He tilted his head sideways at the little peep of a mouse and lowered his head to her level. **"Hi,"** he offered the tiny squeaker, knowing this was one of the smarter animals. His fur shifted and a gray-spotted tonttu peeked out sleepily. **"Is it time yet?"** she asked, then huffed when Max shook his head. The tonttu had a tiny mask herself, expertly afixed around her head with her clever little paws. Bug nodded at Dox's words and poked at her gran, who just winced and sighed, nodding dutifully himself. **"Not had much luck,"** he offered.

**"Have not,"** the tonttu corrected and Max repeated it carefully. **"I try to help, but he's just a mess,"** she explained to Dox, but hugged Max despite her words. **"Always bigger fish,"** Max repeated with a sigh and a nod again. He just avoided grans as a rule, it made it easier most days. He flinched at the roaring and gave a half-hearted one to not be left out, then gave a small sigh. Bug poked him hard, making him squawk and he tried again, getting a full throated roar out this time. That felt good.

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Eudoxia
"Nothing to be sorry for." the dark gran shrugged the shoulder not serving as a mouse perch and simply tested her mask's fit, ensuring it was comfortable. Smiling for the thanks, but only nudged his shoulder, carefully gentle, she was well aware her own strength.
"Well, that's why they're frightening to you, then." Dox pointed out, reaching to straighten a corner of his mask that had caught itself up in his rush. "Everyone fears what they do not understand, and are not accustomed to. Familiarity helps to make things far less intimidating." she promised, winking, but her eyes rose abruptly as a chill snapped through her as if she had been thrown into a hoarfrost river. Her ears snapped back and she rumbled, shifting closer to the small gran defensively. Whatever... that was, Eudoxia did not like it.  Not one bit.
"Its time." she corrected, quietly, but nudged his shoulder again in encouragement, even as she stood. Putting herself half over the small gran and between the male and the rock physically, as if that would help somehow. Ears pinning harder as her fur bristled against the creeping dread that clawed it's way under her pelt, but she rumbled defiantly. Claws biting into the ground as the striped male loosed a small note. Sucking her own breath in and stirring an old memory, almost forgotten, but she drew it up and through her diaphragm like a spell. Deep, raw and guttural the roar tore it's way free like a living thing. A memory of a far larger form over her, snarling the same, and she felt it with her then. Felt the cold split around them for the combined sound of not two, but five voices as their respective companions, and one defiant memory, challenged the storm around them.