the days and nights had all blurred together. snow had come and gone, melting beneath her feet as she pushed on. luckily she was able to keep herself fed, but deianira was irrevocably lost. she'd been turned around for what felt like months now, on her way to a distant kingdom for a betrothal her father had crafted. surely it was just to get her out of his own kingdom. she was a blight, a living and breathing pendant of misfortune which he'd been trying to rid himself of for going on two years now.

the striped woman would pause, the scent of rain and the dark, pregnant clouds above making her shiver beneath her pelt. she didn't like storms - wasn't quite sure where to hide from it in such a barren place. so she'd dip her head and glance around for reprieve as rain drops began pelting down. the dry ground greedily drank them up while her coat flattened to her slight frame and weighed her down.

delicate pawsteps carried her onward, a whimper leaving her maw when thunder and lighting crashed through the sky. zeus could very well strike her down today. perhaps he had finally tired of her, too. for roaming to the wrong lands, for not following the commands of her father like a good daughter ought to.

please spare me! deianira plead silently, cowering where she stood and squeezing her mismatched eyes shut.

code by corvus

"stand tall," brighid snaps, the rapid shuffle of her paws coming to a halt. the impending storm had left her search for others at the passage less than fruitful, that is, until the two-toned woman in her path. the stranger is afraid, submitting as the heavens rumble above and brighid's gaze does falter as another streak of lightning illuminates the sky and casts jagged shadows across their fur.

the first rain of spring begins with more energy than she could have ever imagined with another kick of thunder. it would not be long before it was pouring and brighid was not convinced that the woman wouldn't drown, considering how the storm's rage left her visibly shaken. the illyrian queen ponders leaving her on her way to shelter but instead decides to take chance of showing her something better.

the queen makes to sweep past the lioness' side, her shoulder pressing and tail dragging along her side with characteristic feline grace in an attempt to jostle her into movement. "come now," soft, yet there is an urgency to her tone, an unspoken impatience as her frigid gaze turns up to the sky, narrowing at the bleak clouds overhead. "amaryllis is not kind and i can take you somewhere safe."

not kind - driven by war and greed, heeded by savage storms and bloodied claws.

"fear is not your future."

@Deianira

art by muuland, code by javs

"Is this how Illyria gets their members? Giving them no choice in the matter?" The Scillan Queen's words are spoken louder than the rumbling thunder overhead, purple eye glaring at the woman who now held the crown of the Summit. Her body is rigid as heavy droplets of rain hit her thick coat, tail flicking to the side as she draws closer toward the duo. Her attention slips towards the two toned woman, taking in her stature and how she seemed petrified where she stood.

Tongue clicks the roof of her mouth in shame, but not at this rogue - no, at the woman that tried to herd her without asking. "Are you in need of help?" Muscles tighten and claws threaten to unsheathe, ready to fight for the lioness' freedom if it was needed. "My name is Isla Greyflood, Queen of a pride not too far from here called Scilla. What is your name?" A pointed look is given toward @Brighid ♔, the colossal woman stopping in front of the two, preventing the other Queen from leaving so easily.

@Deianira

lines by ale-tie, colored by drifty, table by gunner

He still didn't come here often enough, but on the rare times that he did the weather was shit and he ran into the most interesting situations. Apparently, anyway, as he breezed onto the scene with the best of intentions. Hey ladies! You're all looking lovel- oooh boy, I'm interrupting something aren't I, he said, wincing slightly and plopping his butt down in the sand, hunching his shoulders into himself like he was a cub being chastised. I was going to offer the Hollow for shelter from the storm since it's so close, he said over the wind which threatened to blow his mane into his face and completely blinding him. And if you don't want to stay there after then that's fine, but you'd be welcome there. He did hope she would stay after she had a chance to see it, because her multi-hued pelt and eyes were gorgeous and he felt great sympathy for how nervous she seemed to be (presumably due to the storm), but he wasn't going to force her to. Especially not with the other pair of women starting to bristle.

@Deianira @Brighid ♔ @Isla ♔

The arrival of another didn't register for the sodden creature, she was far too preoccupied with shivering and trying to untangle her frantic thoughts. It wasn't until a cold voice snaps at her to 'Stand tall.' that she snaps out of her stupor. With a start, Deianira's spine goes ramrod straight and she does indeed stand tall. Her flattened fur fluffs up with the fright, tail following suit like a Halloween cat. Dual-colored eyes snap to the wintry woman who'd spoken, frame still rattling away - even harder now that she'd been startled.

"W-what's your name, miss?" she'd choke out, padding a few paces toward @Brighid ♔ as she went to guide her somewhere. Deianira didn't thnk twice about following her commands, having been conditioned long ago to do as she was told by those in authority. And oh did this woman have authority. She carried herself with the grace and poise of a Queen and the striped lady found herself rather envious of it.

Deia would pause however when another voice rang out, a large body moving to block her from the first woman to arrive. She'd skitter back several large steps at the sudden intrusion, a frightful cry leaving her maw. "I'm sorry...I-." the chimera would snap her jaws shut as @Isla ♔ spoke to Brighid - not her. Oh, so she'd not been in the wrong? Phew.

She stood with wide eyes on the new woman, just as fierce and presidential as the first. A jagged scar marred one side of her face where one of her eyes had seemingly been plucked from her skull and Deianira was immediately intimidated. Clearly this massive beast had been in many fights - she was a honed warrioress by the looks of it and not someone to mess around with. It was quite a strange thing to see, so many powerful women. Where she came from, there was no such thing.

"Oh my, it's an honor to be in the presence of a Queen - I've never met one before." she'd bow immediately, all the way to the muddy ground. "I am Deianira, your Highness." the trembling did not subside as her anxiety continued to grow. Would she be made to serve these women? The young lioness wasn't quite certain how to appease a woman in power.

"I -" another arrived, this time a man. Thank the Gods! Deia wanted to scurry behind him, but was firmly planted in her spot of deference to Isla. When was a good time to move? As soon as she was commanded to, surely. Her jaw quivered as her skull turned a fraction to peer at @Angelo as he spoke.

"I'm not sure what to do..." she'd mew helplessly, tears filling her eyes as she pondered the right action to take that wouldn't anger those gathered. "Please don't harm me, I will do anything...I seek only a home and a man to wed. I can offer my services as a wetnurse or hunting. I am skilled at both and promise not to disappoint any that will take me..." she was blubbering at this point, absolutely frazzled. This Amaryllis was unforgiving indeed.

Little did the woman realize, they were all offering her at least half of what she'd asked for. Silly girl.

code by corvus

there is no doubt in brighid's mind that the chimera would not survive here all alone. her teeth are chattering, but there's something warm in those round, frightened eyes that leaves the queen growling inwardly. she could leave her here today and return to a pile of lifeless, silver and black fur tomorrow. only, the woman is suddenly spurned into movement as brighid snakes alongside her and despite the hint of apprehension there, she follows.

"queen brighid," she says, turning her eyes to the meek lioness, noting the way she's straightened up: obedient and dutiful, a little lamb teetering after the shepherd.

a pang of her ice encrusted heart sheds layers of frost. the stalactites begin to melt.

"why are y-" but before she can further ask the lioness anything more, a hulking shadow descends with the wastes to block their path.

brighid's brows furrow, the only semblance of her distaste as she listens to the woman prattle. the porcelain queen may have been able to ignore the attack on her character, but there is a blatant rudeness there, a mouthiness of clicking tongues and finger pointing that was fitting of children.

no choice? hailed from a pride, not a prison block, and brighid is remiss to find her good deed spat on at her paws.

this had not been a claim before - but now? its different.

from her peripheral there is @Angelo and brighid cannot spare him any time. if she were only a bystander she would have found his antics humorous, until he, too, offers somewhere to shelter from the storm.

@deianara's fate is now left unbalanced in the electricity charged air of the passage.

"if you need me to be the villain to feel self important," she draws her chin up and hear ears flatten against her head. brighid's lip peels back almost mechanically as she sheds her womanhood in favor of savagery, slowly unhilting weapons and brandishing them. "then so be it."

the illyrian queen wastes no time in bounding ahead, careful not to bowl deianara over though certainly close. she is purposely loud and snarling in her approach, teeth gnashing with an audible clack before her jaws snap towards the junction of the bulky woman's neck and shoulder opposite of her maimed eye, aiming to sink to the bone. brighid prays it is enough of a distraction to turn isla's attention from the paw that is cocked up and back methodically in an attempt to viciously rake a fist of claws against the scillian sovereign's blind side.

brighid vs @Isla ♔
for deianara
round 1 of 3
Hits:

Rolling 9d20: 3 + 14 + 9 + 15 + 4 + 17 + 6 + 5 + 11

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 20 + 2 + 13 + 11

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 16 + 18 + 12 + 7 + 5

Rolling barbarianberserk 1d30: 23
You have failed to go berserk!

art by muuland, code by javs

Although she notices the arrival of @Angelo and hears the words @Deianira speaks, Isla's focus is solely upon the winter Queen. She lets out a harsh laugh as a response; she must've been new to see the Greyflood's wrath. No worries, the Scillan Queen wouldn't allow for this woman to leave here unscathed, especially now that the other is lunging toward her.

Ears flatten against her skull as a feral hiss escapes her, body bracing itself for the impact. She has had enough time to transition into fighting with a blind side, knowing not to lead with the right. Her shoulders bunch up and forward, causing for Brighid's jaws to find the meaty portion of a shoulder instead of neck. The feeling of teeth piercing skin was a sensation Isla would never forget, and as purple eye sees the swipe of claws on her opposite side the Queen leans to the opposite direction, feeling the other's claws graze her skin but not enough to curve in too deep.

Right forepaw rises, unsheathed claws striking toward the woman's left shoulder in an attempt to sink claws into sin and drag downward toward the ground. As she does this Isla's jaws snap downward and toward the other's nape, attempting to gain hold and sink her teeth deep into the fatty tissue encircled the neck.


Isla vs. @Brighid ♔
for Deianira's freedom
round i/iii
Hits:

Rolling 8d20: 6 + 5 + 9 + 13 + 11 + 14 + 2 + 3

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 16 + 19 + 13 + 4 + 7

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 10 + 3 + 15 + 14 + 16

Rolling paladinbuffer 1d30: 5
You have managed to buffer the attack! (+1 to dodge roll for the next round of your fight)

lines by ale-tie, colored by drifty, table by gunner

@Isla ♔ leans away from the strike of her claws and brighid finds herself with a mouthful of fur and flesh, seeking to knead her teeth deeper there. she cannot relish in first blood as she feels hot knives graze over her shoulder leaving gashes in their wake. teeth seek out the delicate nape of her neck and she feels the electric spirals of nerves begging to recoil, but the woman does not relent. she gasps, teeth drawing away from her grasp on the scillian queen, but instead, she attempts to sling her left paw over the giantess' neck and hook her claws into her. the summit queen is keen to achieve a grip on her, a tight, warm embrace that is anything but loving. brighid presses up on her hind legs, hoping to uncomfortably wrench isla's neck and dislodge her grip from her bleeding scruff.

its precarious, dangerous even, but brighid is so use to throwing around her own weight and making sacrifices during the heady adrenaline of battle that she doesn't fret.

she'd make amends for her actions in the heartbeat drawn seconds to follow. the bigger they are, the harder they fall - and the lagoon sovereign was sizable indeed.

brighid vs @Isla ♔
for deianara
round 2 of 3
Hits:

Rolling 9d20: 12 + 11 + 5 + 9 + 6 + 3 + 1 + 13 + 16

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 5 + 10 + 4 + 2

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 15 + 3 + 18 + 16 + 12

art by muuland, code by javs

+5 - Observe a fight (Isla vs. Brighid)

His suspicion that he'd put his paw into something with teeth was proven correct as the poor woman whimpered out her speech and the pair of high sovereigns erupted into violence. He would have lunged in to assist @Isla ♔, their prides being allied and always willing to fight for someone's freedom, but the two were so locked in combat immediately that he couldn't see a way in. So he skirted around the pair to sit beside @deianara and keep her company.

I'd say it's not usually like this but ah, there's been some tensions going around lately, he said, gesturing with a paw to the scrapping pair. It hadn't escaped his notice that she'd mentioned wanting a man to wed, and he felt bad for her. One of those traditional sorts, maybe. You don't haveta be so deferential, ya know, he added. Oh, Angelo Savante. If Isla there wins and you get to choose where you wanna go, the Hollow has plenty of cubs for you to look after, if you'd like. He had a feeling she'd do well in the Lagoon too, though with all the fighting there recently he wasn't sure that was the best place. Somewhere quiet, if such a pride existed.

@Brighid ♔ VS. @Isla ♔ FOR @Deianira
— DEFAULT —

Due to Isla's timer running out, this fight has defaulted.

BRIGHID HAS WON THE CHALLENGE FOR DEIANIRA!

The results of this fight cannot be acknowledged ICly until either both challengers have responded or 3 days have gone by — whichever comes first. Any posts breaking this rule will be removed.