Shit was going to hell in a hand basket real fast already, it seemed. Alizabeth's small form entered the fray - attention moving to @Leander almost immediately. Amara had yet to show, but perhaps the Wolfbron lions were up to something? As she moved into the Pit, her attention suddenly lands upon an old familiar face.

Magenta eyes narrowing - unsure if she was seeing the right lion. It made sense, however, since Leander was here. Who else was here? @Seneca became her main focus as she settled next to him quietly. An ear flicks lightly, "Long time no see, ya lil shit." Alizabeth muses, side eying her friend - a smug grin curving her tattered lips. It was good to see him, her heart felt elated to see him healthy and big. All those years she'd spent with him and his brothers were still some of her fondest memories.

While the impending chaos around them was sure to erupt soon, she was reveling in this moment of familiarity. Soon fights break out, causing the ivory warrior to turn her bright eyes toward the clash of bodies, claws and fangs. She had no true stake in this fight, outside of perhaps having someone she maimed dethroned. Suppose that wasn't too bad. Of course, the Lagoon King had no idea that Aidoneus was Seneca's wife.

I'm a King, not a goddamn princess.

As though manifested by her own worries, by her own exploits, fate delivered. The tangle of knots given no time to be left to rot. No, her attentions were stolen, captured by those familiar who’ve drifted in, those set to watch the chaos, the tumultuousness. The mind remained busy, storm-covered by the gathering noise of anxiety, and the expectation for the worst. She did not hear him arrive, did not catch the approach as one who should be feared, or greeted. Instead, the detachment left her far more vulnerable than she’d thought.

Descending at her back came a heathen seeking to ruin, to have her undone. Weight, driven by a heft far more than her, clattered against her shoulder. Her weight went with it, not by nimbleness or an aptitude for more sleuthing movements, but directed by the driven force of the blow. Her body rolled outwards, towards her left, though coiling back to her assailant. There came little time to ensure the children were clear of the hazard, and hoping @Léonie would have sense to flee, she coiled to her right.

Attempting to be swift, and snarling, she was striven to latch her teeth to his face: his jaw, his muzzle, his lips. The target mattered not, no the intent was to simply keep his attention to her and not the children so dangerously underfoot. Reaching with her own right, she would attempt to brace herself and momentum by catching whatever flesh it could grasp.


@Name vs Aidoneus
maim match
i of iv
Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 14 + 7 + 18 + 15 + 5

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 19 + 12 + 15 + 3 + 6

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 14 + 9 + 2 + 1 + 11

ophelia takes a seat and watches as more and more individuals arrive at the pit. she's intrigued more than anything else to know the reason behind the challengers claim. before she could ask, though, @Tullia arrives, and she is grateful to see her sister. a smile falls on her features, but it is quick to leave when her sister issues the ivory lioness with a warning. can these fights get quite intense? she asks, before turning her attention to the increasing flood of lions and lionesses arriving.

It is @Gareth that catches her attention next, and as he takes a seat on an open side, she smiles. It is good to see you, She comments briefly. Do you know who challenges, and who defends? She asks, an open question directed at both lions in her company.

It is the figures of @Avaneira that catches her attention next, and the ivory lioness tries to cast her mind back to when they had last seen each other. Had they even met? Ophelia noted the way in which the white lioness offered to guard her and her sister, which was quite curious to the Valour. Were they a target? @Morrigan ♔ also graced their presence and suddenly, Ophelia felt both overwhelmed and comforted. Are we in trouble, ladies? She asks, a tone of innocence and curiosity lacing her features. I'm guessing these challenges can get quite intense, hmm?

table by ferus, art by ale-tie

Hazarin is late, but apparently not late enough. His limbs move quickly and efficiently from Wolfbron into the neutral territory of the Pit which, ironically, today wasn't very neutral. His eyes watch and observe as he pauses to catch his breath, and he sees @Kieran locked in battle. He was a good little war dog, doing as he was told at the whisper of Amara's command. Then he realizes: where was Amara? He frowned, scanning the Pit again, only to see that her starry figure was not here.

His eyes do fall on @Cassine, though, who was swift to arrive and immediately lock herself into battle. Hazarin, however, whilst willing to get into a fight, decided he would instead bide his time a little longer. Watching @Ryker, the man remained standing and instead waited for his time.

OOC: Haz is looking for someone from AO to fight. DM me please before initiating anything <3

die with memories, not with dreams

table by sentinel / art

He couldn't stop either of the battles before they began, both Aidoneus and Alma being taken by surprise. A snarl escaped him, booming from his chest as his claws sank into the dirt beneath him. How dare they!? "Face me you cowards!" he bellowed, rage painted on his features. Of course they would go for the smaller members of the pride. Naturally, they wouldn't want to fight the one who was actually watching them, waiting for such treachery. He expected nothing less from those who would serve under Vermier, who he also didn't see here. No surprise there. He had always only shown up for these things to make taunts, not to actually do anything.

There was little surprise in how quickly Vermeda Brook lions gathered together in a single vicinity. Even before he had joined and found his way into Nymeria's heart, they had always been a very close-knit pride that valued each other without needing to say anything at all. @Avaneira came to join them and even though she was small, he knew that she was a more than capable fighter. After all, she had beaten him in a spar once. And to this memory did his grin become a little wider as she sat down. Grateful for her returned presence more than he could put to words.

@Ophelia inspires a question upon him and he takes a gentle breath. The two-colored male, the challenger, is Leander Miroslav. Heir of Andal. He challenges Amara Dieudonne of Wolbron or her Sovereign, Vermier Dieudonne. A gentle breeze of a thought crosses over him as he watches the challenger for now. Neither of the Wolfbron leaders had arrived yet but he did not expect them to be a no-show. They seemed to prize themselves on their battles and couldn't imagine either one of them to walk away or relent. Andal and Wolfbron have never been on the greatest of terms so this is only more fuel to the fire.

@Morrigan ♔ is the next to arrive and take a seat beside her sister. Despite being surrounded by f o u r beautiful ladies, he only saw the comraderie and strength in their postures and poses. To any onlooker he might have been a very lucky man and he was, just not in the way they might assume. So to Ophelia's last question, he responds. They can, yes. Wolfbron is no ally of Vermeda's so it is best we remain close. Even if they were neutral with the Bluffs, Gareth would've still stood protective near any Vermedan. Shit could go sell far too quickly. He would know.

+5 - Observe a fight (Leander vs. Amara for WB)

Because I'm hyped up out of control

Define your meaning of war To me it's what we do when we're bored I feel the heat comin' off of the blacktop And it makes me want it more Because I'm hyped up out of control If it's a fight, I'm ready to go I wouldn't put my money on the other guy If you know what I know that I know

One option was eliminated fairly quickly, and Ryker supposed it was far past time to make a choice. And, for all he knew, maybe Apollinaire would like a little revenge of his own - so they grey bastard would be left alone for now.

Ryker continued his movement, skirting the edge of the pit, until he could come around to the side where @Seneca had placed himself. He didn't know the small white woman that had placed herself next to the patchy male, and he didn't really care who she was at the moment. She wasn't his target.

He would approach from behind - less of an attempt to surprise the male and more out of the logic of keeping himself further from the rim of the pit. A burst of speed and Ryker would attempt to rush the male, trying to come from directly behind him and sink the elongated claws of his right forepaw deep into the muscle at Seneca's upper-right hip/rump. At the same time, abnormally long fangs would attempt to sink into roughly the same area as his claws but on Seneca's left side.

Ryker vs. @Seneca (@koi)
Rematch! (dominance)
Round 1 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 7d20: 3 + 9 + 15 + 6 + 17 + 19 + 7

Dodges:

Rolling 3d20: 3 + 19 + 9

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 3 + 12 + 7 + 9 + 18

If it's a fight, I'm ready to go

code by corvus || free wallpaper

i chase the devil into the sky

Charax had wondered why Amara seemed so complacent of Andal Oasis. Twice now, they had brought war to their doorstep. She stayed upon an overhanging ledge by the borders, hyper-aware of The Bluff's sensitive likelihood to combust or crumble beneath foot. If the challenger wasn't careful, he might be buried by an avalanche - or worse.

As it had before, war began to unfurl. Teeth clashing and fur flying. She saw @Eskel; offering him barely more than a tangerine glance. Nobody needed to know their relationship at this point - so, alert and watching she would stay.

’cause he’s the one who taught me how to fly

_{— art by yumpy}

Don't fret, precious, I'm here
Step away from the window

Their love was scared, not meant for mortal eyes. Furtive, hushed, a well-kept secret held between him and @Avaneira; the soldier understood the unspoken dangers, the scandal, of revealing such powerful emotions before the whole world. A world not ready to accept them; a dark world woven into twisted politics, powerful bloodlines and chaos. It would only end in blood, in ache, in ruin.

Amaroq, a lone, obedient soldier with allegiance to the Mire King; and Avaneira, the Wolf Queen, who belonged with her family, belonged with her Sigrun allies. And yet, they'd share a bond, a powerful destiny woven viciously together. Only amid the seclusions of the wicked wilderness would they come, finding passionate moments to spend together in secrecy: in the darkness of the woods, by the chill of the moonlight, by the songs of the wolves and the raw wildness of winter. Spending their nights in lone caves, only to depart the next morning, wondering, aching, howling;

When will I see you again?

It is a secret, secret, secret. So when her luscious scent of winterberries and timber breezes into his mind, into his thoughts, into his heart, Amaroq does not fully turn and search for Avaneira among the crowds. He will see her grey-white fur from the corner of his eyes, covertly flicking his gaze slightly to one side long enough to glimpse just the outline of her profile; and yet he does not linger upon her image. His eyes move towards @Zelda, toward @Alaric, offering the Mire king a brief, passive glance.

"Indeed," Were the only words offered, before his attention is diverted towards @Gauthier ♔.

Amaroq turns towards Gauthier, leaning into him, words whispered under his breath, reserved for his brother only: "You plan on devouring a few Oasis lions then, Gauthier?"

By now, all around them chaos has erupted, and Amaroq watches with wrathful tension unfurling from his body, as @Aidoneus is being attacked by another male. Bane and maliciousness stirs within the red soldier, his jaws cletched together tightly, holding his breath in silence. He could only hope that Aidoneus could overcome her assailant, that she would win unscathed, prevailing.

OOC Note: Amaroq is open to fights! Please remember to tag.

counting bodies
like sheep

ooc: permission granted from admin & corvus to escalate to a lioness challenge! It doesn't take them long; it never does. They flock like moths to the flame, and the first to approach him earns a leery side-eye from the Andal sovereign, his brow piqued at @Vághan and the strong scent of the Mire clinging to him. "Do you?" he returns somewhat curiously, maintaining a sense of neutrality for the moment, if only because his company seems blissfully unaware of the state of things. "Best not let your king hear you say that," Seneca suggests with a slight quirk of his lips, a dark sort of amusement glinting in his gaze. @Alma is a welcome presence at his other side, and he leans slightly against her shoulder, silently acknowledging her support. @Zahra, it would seem, is eager for a rematch against the lions of the Bluffs, and his lips quiver in a faint smirk for a moment at her commentary. Anyone with such a fire is welcome within his halls. Across the arena, @Ghyslaine catches his eye, earning an incline of the desert king's chin, though his attention is quickly pulled away by @Léonie's arrival, and @Aidoneus shortly behind her. And — enough to tense his muscles and set his jaw — @Minerva's. "Excuse me," he hums to Vághan, slipping around the ashen male to move protectively towards Léonie's free side, his muzzle dipping towards the younger of his daughters with a frown stretched across his lips. "Take your sister home," the king says quietly to the elder of the two, his gaze lifting to meet hers. How the girl has managed to escape Hazel's helicopter parenting, he is uncertain, but he knows that she cannot be here. A distant face, long since faded from his memory, approaches, but in the moment, Seneca does not have the extra attention to spare for @Alizabeth. "Quite," he agrees with a tip of his skull, his gaze narrowed curiously upon her. "Will you see them out safely?" the Miroslav murmurs, gesturing towards his daughters — and hoping, that even after all this time, he can still trust her as his friend. It doesn't take long, then, for the wolves to descend — and he only hopes that Léonie has fled with Minerva before it is too late. An old, familiar face barrels into the gathering of Andal lions, engaging in a fight with Aidoneus too quickly for him to intervene. A clay woman of the Bluffs is next, launching herself at Alma, and a guttural snarl rips from the sovereign, who pivots away from the edge of the pit to find @Ryker barreling down upon him. For fuck's sake. He does not have enough time to fully react, his hips swinging to the right (and placing his blind side towards the drop-off) as his narrowed left eye catches the flurry of incoming motion. As a result, the roach-maned lion's claws score across the top of his pelvis, and his teeth make a connection in the tender flesh of his upper left side at the end of his ribcage. Seneca attempts to shove roughly into Ryker's snout, trying to smash the bony ridge of his ribs into the lion's nose and force a breath of distance in the time it will take him to finish turning into his opponent. seneca vs ryker for cassine move one of three Hits: Rolling 8d20: 18 + 5 + 7 + 8 + 4 + 16 + 3 + 20 Dodges: Rolling 5d20: 11 + 4 + 17 + 9 + 5 Luck: Rolling 5d20: 3 + 8 + 4 + 15 + 12

molten eyes and a smile made for war

code // art // do not use without permission