birb screm

Iosefka Coza says, "... I heard that. Leland had outed himself as a vampire."

Ohtli Tezcacoatl says, "..."

Ohtli Tezcacoatl says, "Yes. He did."

Ohtli Tezcacoatl says, "On the transceiver."

Iosefka Coza says, "... Mhm."

Iosefka Coza says, "Speak your mind."

Ohtli Tezcacoatl says, "..."

Ohtli Tezcacoatl asks, "You're -sure-?"

Iosefka Coza says, "You look like you have something to say."

Iosefka Coza says, "So say it."

Ohtli Tezcacoatl asks, "You are -positive- that's what you want?"

Iosefka Coza says, "Yes."

Iosefka is seated, hands folded on her lap. She's staring at Ohtli patiently.
(Iosefka Coza)

Ohtli takes a deep, bracing breath.

Whew, boy. Alright. Here it goes.

"You lied to me. After all that talk recently about all the compromises I've made for the Hold, you and Tez -knew- what Leland had become, what he is. And he told me that you intentionally hid it from me. Not that I hadn't already heard about his cronies working with them anyway.

"After all that talking. All the trust I've put into this place, all the compromises and work I've done for the people here and the Hold...I feel nothing short of betrayed, Io. Cut and dried."

Her hands clench into fists that shake before being released. Angry, but also tired. So tired.
(Ohtli Tezcacoatl)

Tezoxochel closes his eyes and exhales a soft sigh, the same general air of as Iosefka.
(Tezoxochel Coza)

Iosefka bites her lip subtly, keeping them pursed together as she gnaws at the inside of her mouth. It was bound to come out eventually. She knew that much. For all the talks of openness, of honesty, eventually Leland's condition would send ripples and waves once news of it came out.

The guilt she feels is immeasurable.

"... It was the one lie he asked me to keep in his state." She'd reply, quietly. Her voice was a quiet croak, as eyelids flutter closed, and her gaze flicks downward to stare at the Wind Drake's legs. "We didn't know until he removed his sunglasses, showed his fangs. By then there was nothing we could do, except pretend it wasn't true. Pretend that... It didn't happen. Pretend he didn't tell us anything."

She furrows her brow, a frown creasing her features as she considers what was said.

"We accepted that even feigning ignorance implicated us in this. But for the sake of the Hold, for the sake of the Hold's safety... For what allies we have, we had to live with that. I never wanted to lie to you. To betray your trust. But I didn't know what would happen if... News got out."

She swallows the lump in her throat.

"... There was nothing any of us could or can do, Ohtli."
(Iosefka Coza)

Rarely ever does the Drakan feel compelled to swear.

"That's a fucking lie," she spits venomously. "You could've told me. You knew about what into Ilonnia's weapon too. Didn't you? The letter was up here in the chests where anyone could read it.

"First you're keeping lies and making excuses for vampires, telling me that rift-making swords aren't a big deal- and Tez says you kept it a secret because Leland's like family?...Fuck, what is the rest of the Hold to you then?"

She drops not one, but -two- righteous f-bombs. Her plumes rustle and puff as she starts to pace. Ohtli is worked into a feathery frenzy. For very good reason.

"...The hell am I supposed to do? Just ignore this like I've ignored everything else? Sweep it under the rug, keep making potions like nothing happened and that there's not a bloodsucking monster leading my birthplace? All because there's nowhere else?"

That much had been made clear to her by the Neries herself. Where else was there anymore?
(Ohtli Tezcacoatl)


Tezoxochel Coza says, "< ... I didn't say exactly that... >"

Iosefka opens her mouth to speak, but her words fall short as she thinks more and more on what was said. Instead, she opts to go silent. Hands knead and squeeze one another as Ohtli speaks, unable to meet the Quetzal's furious gaze any more. She quirks her head to the side, wincing, mouth opening and closing as short syllables escape her.

"I-, W-," She stutters, palms turned upwards as her fingers remain interlaced. Finally her thoughts fall into place, words not so much tumbling out as they were carefully picked and put out.

"I really didn't... Read the letter..." She says quietly. "I only knew about the vampire's blood. That's all. I mean that honestly. I'm-" She seems to wince more, head turning, before bowing it once more to Ohtli. "I'm not... I don't know what I'm doing, Ohtli. I'm just. Filling in as best I can."

Iosefka is miserably dismantled as she continues to speak, the false bravado and calm command broken apart, piece by piece, as she continues to admit these things to Ohtli.

"But. If you spoke out, Ohtli, if you tried to take those matters into your own hands, they'd try to kill you. More than just a bounty from a distant vampire lord. They'd target you, or your family. I kept these things from you because I know you'd want to change it. You'd want to stop it. You'd challenge it and what it's become, and... They'd try to kill you."

She does her best to shrink before the Drake, hands squeezed tight, shoulders hunched and close together.

"I don't know what I can do to stop these things either. So I just. I'm just keeping our heads down. Keep people from looking at us. That's all I can do, Ohtli. Please..."
(Iosefka Coza)

"...It's on our doorstep now, Io. We can't just keep our heads down. They came in here to take our things. They cleaned out this tower, and it couldn't have been the work of just a few of them," she launches back, using her anger and momentum. A clearer had might have felt more compassion for the Neries, more empathy for her situation.

Ohtli, at this moment, does not have a clear head. It's far too personal

"What next? They come and take our things again? What's in the runed chests too? Our people? They've already got their eyes on us- enough that they came and ransacked our tower in the middle of the damned square.

"We...There has to be something. Something we can do. If we keep trying to avoid being looked at, it's just a matter of time before they look our way anyway; they probably are already, if they were able to get that much of our stock. Just...just LOOK. Look at where being quiet's got us right now."

She tries desperately to compose herself and stopper up that fury for the umpteenth time.

"Sweet fucking Serpent above, Iosefka, no one said you had to do this alone either. Or is the title just for show it this point?"
(Ohtli Tezcacoatl)



Iosefka's shoulders, almost impossibly, lower even further as she slumps before the Wind Drake. There had to be a point where she made a stand on things. There had to be. If this continued...

"... We're. I- I don't know, Ohtli. We can't face off against the entirety of Bauk. We can't piss off everyone there. We just-" Her eyes are squeezed shut, still reeling from her barrage, before opening them once more to stare up at Ohtli, almost imploringly. "We can't just take them on. We have to be smart about it. We have to-"

Yet even with her attempts to rationalize, reason with Ohtli, the concept of taking vengeance seemed to assert itself. This was her home.

Gods be damned, this was HER home.

Iosefka eases up once more, taking a deep breath, before nodding her head.

"... You're right. No. There is something we can do." She murmurs. "It's going to. Probably suck. It's going to suck a lot. But I'm going to make sure we are protected and our things returned, Ohtli."

Iosefka hardens her features, staring the angered Wind Drake down.

"I just. I need everyone's help. We need to pick our battles and be political about it. We need to deal with the people we CAN stop before we deal with the ones we can't. I know you have no reason to... But I need you to trust me, one last time on this. I think. I think I have a plan for the thieves."
(Iosefka Coza)