Jewel made her way through the muck and the grime of the swamp once again, paws carefully picking through only so that she wouldn't end up with her limbs removed by a crocodile. The lioness made her way towards the borders of the pride before she paused, pacing to try to get an idea of the strength of the territory before she parted her jaws and called for @Viné. Tails relaxed, flickering near her haunches, the Caladan sovereign was relaxed, her expression calm as she waited for the king to arrive.

Table coding by Jolee

Keeping the border strong with only just himself was a daunting task. One that didn't allow much time for him to go out and recruit in the way of the Casimir. There was also the need to visit the other leaders in these lands. He knew at least a few had gathered at his pride challenge, but none had given him the courtesy of speaking to him then and there. To say he felt snubbed was an understatement; did they think him weak? Inconsequential? At the moment, yes, his little pride of three was as they thought. But, Viné would not allow this to last for long. And then, well, then they'd regret not giving him his due when he called them forward.

A feminine call rang for him. Viné's brow furrowed in confusion. What could a woman want with a Casimir? He made it no secret who ruled here. Though in honesty it should have been kept closer to his chest. A spur of the moment speech, a want to give any rouge females gathered fair chance to move away from these lands. For Viné had once been on that side, the weakness of a lioness' sex. He approached, the inky lioness striking, if he stared at her necklace it was because of a spark of familiarity, though the ancient Casimir could not place where or when, maybe it was her imagination. "You called?"

""

don’t get caught, i’m dangerous

it’s always been like that.

code by corvus

The beast that had won his challenge arrived, and Jewel let her gaze wander his form before she would give the Casimir male a nod of her skull. "I did. It's a pleasure to speak with you in person. I'm Jewel Khulani - Sovereign of the Cove to the south." She remained neutral in expression and stance, her tone kind as it always was with little inflection of her internal concerns over this being a casimir male with which she spoke. Jewel had truly only had cause to see how Gwyn ruled his pride - perhaps his views were of his line only. Thus, she opted to take the cautious route - give @Viné the benefit of the doubt. "I am curious to see what your laws are, how you intend to govern your pride - and if we can come to an agreement between Cove and Mire." Jewel wouldn't mind adding the Mire as the final on her list of full allies - but she wouldn't simply write them off either just because of one or two members of the Casimir line that had left a sour taste in her mouth.

Table coding by Jolee

How he wished they'd just come to him during the claim, so that he'd only have to speak the words once and be done with it. But the leaders were bent on wasting time, it seemed. Though he did not let the split tailed woman before him see such disdain on his face, instead se was given a careful mask of passive calm. He'd not healed from his battle after all, he did not want to reopen wounds that hadn't had a chance to heal. The woman only introduced herself as sovereign only. Not as the high leader Viné expected her to be. There was a split moment where he considered asking where the real one in charge, but bit it back. No, to show his paw in such a way would be foolish. "Mn. I imagine they wont sit well with you Lady Khulani. The Casimir live by old laws; rouge females are ours to claim and can never rule a pride in our name. Your rule is of course, not my concern." Assuming she had no male that claimed the High title. Though he made a point to find out if she really did rule alone; it would be no concern of his, either, if one of the branches decided to set their sites on her pride. "I make concessions to allies. If you arrive before my pride and the rouge wishes to join you and yours we do not stop you, we ask that you give us the same courtesy. If one of our members wishes to join your pride, we make a trade, nothing less." he paused here, waiting for her reaction, for if she was against their most basic tenants then talk of anything else would be moot. ;; "speak"

"You have similar laws to the Casimir lion that once ruled the Hollow. The Cove does not claim members, as there is no need to keep a lion that doesn't wish to remain. It only causes strife in the end. We had an agreement with the Hollow while Gwyn ruled with much the same laws. If we arrived first, we would not contest the claim of your pride - unless the lion being claimed asked for a choice. In which case it would be down to the claimant and the lion of the Cove to decide if it would be by battle or trade. Should trade or discussion come into play, it would be between you and I to arrange.. As well as those that desire to leave." Jewel knew that fundamentally, the way she ruled the Cove would be different from the Casimir clan law. But, she had made it work with Gwyn - but would it work with this new Casimir - @Viné? She would continue, her head inclining at his comment of claiming out from under others. "If our lions were to arrive first and offer a place, we ask that your lions do not claim out from beneath us. The agreement we had with the Hollow while Gwyn ruled was similar. If his lions claimed out from beneath our lions offering a home - it gave us the right to challenge without putting the alliance at risk as they broke the agreement first. If a member wishes to join the Mire - then we would walk them there to ensure they reached it safely." She would wait until he spoke further on his laws - waiting to see if he would be willing to work within the same boundaries she had worked within for the Hollow. Jewel couldn't be sure that the Casimir male standing before her would be willing to work with a female led pride. Or how his laws aligned with the laws of the other Casimir male she knew.""

irish

Gwyn again. Damn the boy for causing such trouble before he'd even begone. Calm stayed painted on his face, looks like there was a mess that needed moping up. "Whether you agree or not, it is our way. The Casimir's belief is that we protect those who cannot protect themselves. True or not, it is the way we live. I make no concessions for my cousin, but whatever he had arranged with you I can do my best to honor." It was the least that he could do in the face of this, now, here was hoping that Gwyn hadn't put him in too much of a bind.

Her next words, however, it was as if she didn't hear him at all. Viné suppressed an annoyed twitch of his lip, isn't that exactly what he just said? "Should anyone break our agreement I would personally punish them myself. We do not make trouble with our allies under any circumstance." Hopefully that put her soft heart at ease; this is why women did not rule. "I doubt any will be wishing to be escorted to the mire, but the sentiment is appreciated." He replied dryly. He knew where the Casimir stood all too well. "Will this do?"

@Jewel ;; "speak"

Jewel shifted, her expression showing the same neutrality that she had shown in the time dealing with @Viné. When he clarified, she would nod, her skull dipping towards him. "That would do well for us.. Is there anything that you would require of the Cove to further our alliance?" The lioness would wait for him to answer, knowing that likely her presence as a female rankled him.. but she wouldn't press upon that particular button. She was learning to live with the laws of the lions in this land, and knew that not everyone appreciated a female in power. Still, she would wait for the Casimir male to speak, giving him the silence to gather his thoughts and the respect to not be chattering away to fill the silence. Jewel would give the Mire king his time to lay down any conditions he might have before she would turn and take her leave - return to her own home and the children that rested and played within.""

Table coding by Irish. Image (C) Geran de Klerk @Unsplash. Manip by Tabs

They seemed to come to an understanding, or as close to one as hidden meanings could come. She rankled him, sure, but not in the way she thought. He was a creature of deception, of meticulous plannings and an unbreakable facade. No, she did not rankle him, but he did have the beginnings of a coup in his minds. Instead her question flicked his ears forward. "Yes, should there be a case where you find yourselves in between the mire and another ally, I ask that you chose neutrality rather then one or the other. This of course would be mirrored by me and mine. You may send your young old and infirm to us in a time if strife to be returned without question once the fighting is done. Otherwise you can count on us to come to your aid should you require it."

Should Viné find himself at odds with another, he did not want his tentative allies falling in line behind them. Vinél knew very well that what ever scuffle might come along, it would not have the Casimir and the Mire with many supporters; offering themselves as a battalion was hopefully enough of a boon that she'd agree to the terms. ;; "speak"

A nod would be given towards the Mire leader, Jewel's own crown dipping as she would agree to the terms placed. Neutrality - she could work with that. The lioness would step back away from the borders of the pride, her expression leaning towards a gentle smile. "Thank you for your time, Lord @Viné. I will ensure that my pride members know of our agreement so that none cause trouble with you and yours. And should any choose to do so.. It will not only be your ire they face but mine as well." She would give the Mire King a chance to speak further before turning to leave, returning through the swamps and the dredged mud to her own home. The lioness knew that she would have to alert the lions of the pride that held ranks - standing against any on the claiming sands at this point would be bad for their health. //Exit unless stopped//""

Table coding by Irish. Image (C) Geran de Klerk @Unsplash. Manip by Tabs

It seemed like their meeting was at an end. Though he was not entirely thrilled with having to make concessions with another pride, and a female at that, it was necessary. She could not be everywhere at once, and it would not do good for him to cause trouble when his pride consisted of so few. Better to bide his time rather then throw himself in the thick of it with no strength to speak of. Viné watched her go for a long moment, until the inky twin tailed woman vanished completely into the mist. The day was getting late and he still needed to do something about the stores for himself and his cousins. They needed a female soon. He wondered idly how Serpent was doing finding Asura...

/exit

""

don’t get caught, i’m dangerous

it’s always been like that.

code by corvus