The rain had been constant throughout the afternoon. The sky was a sheet of grey as a thin drizzle obeyed gravity, falling toward the earth in a uniform spray. For some creatures, the rain was a welcome relief from the blazing temperatures of greenleaf. For others, the water was a nuisance; a minor inconvenience. It transformed the day from lively to bleak, leaving the inhabitants of the darkened forest to quietly reflect upon the inner operations of their minds.

The Nemesis was a deafening presence, despite her absolute silence. The taciturnity she had adopted was not synonymous with tranquility, as it rarely was. Her trademark chartreuse gaze stared off, seeing everything yet observing nothing. She was hollow; a giant paw had reached in and clawed away at whatever salvageable soul she once had. All that was left were lifeless shreds of her humanity, dangling uselessly and breaking away with each exhale.

Vera E'tani had lived, died, created life, and destroyed it. She had constructed an empire that felt like it was now slipping out from her grasp, if only because she couldn't be bothered to dig her claws in anymore. She was revered as a queen, as a god -- but there was little left behind her bloodstained doors.