Viné Casimir

The moment she relaxed, he let her go, confident that the fight had been crushed out of her. He couldn't see the claw marks past his thick mane, but he could feel them drip freely, staining the ground below him with blood. There was a fraction of a moment where he wondered if Aarani would be mad, a fraction were he lifted his head and, ah yes, she was here. He hadn't told her of his planned, but the debt he held to the Bluffs had been weighing heavy on him for a while now. With the cubs and Aarani joining, and the burden the cubs carried with them was enough to spur him to challenge.

It seemed, however that his fight had not been the star attraction; another had broken out. The male seemed vaguely familiar, but he wasn't sure. It didn't matter as the male was sorely beaten, the snap of his leg echoing and causing Viné a phantom sensation of pain in his own leg. Unconsciously, he lifted his other paw to rub at the old wound. At the sound of the girl's voice, his eyes turned to her, glad for a distraction. "Viné Casimir. You'll make a good fighter one day. With some training."

Anything to get his mind off of what just happened.

@Ayaka @Zoticus

". . ."

'Is he always this hard headed and impulsive?' The voice was an unfamiliar one to Rue but she suspected that the woman was a new pride member, likely one of the many that she hadn't had a chance of meeting just yet. Rue offered an ornery smirk because realistically yes, Zoticus always did act on impulses for the most part. "I guess you could say it depends on the situation. He sure does keep my job as Lead Medic busy though." She spoke with a shrug before casting her glance towards her King, noticing subtly how he leaned against Circe's side. Perhaps she and Arjana had been right in their musings as far as who the King would be pining after. "I best be heading back, I need to get to my herb stashes." She offered within earshot of the three closest to her (Zoticus, Circe, and Tatiana). "You best visit me as soon as possible .. or else." She grumbled towards Zoticus as she passed him, being sure to let her mismatched gaze stare directly into his eyes before she turned, heading back towards home. With the colder weather came thinner resources, she needed to do her best to keep her herbs in order especially if her pride members were going to continue hurting themselves.

exit.

@Zoticus @Tatiana @Circe

code by javs

do not betray him...

Zoticus

Trigger warning for blood/gore/broken bones

Korrin had slunk off, limping away, and Zoticus had watched every move the exile had taken. Almost daring him to turn around and try to battle against him again- he wouldn't mind taking a life away.

However, with that threat gone Zoticus focused on Vine and Ayaka, watching as Vine took victory over the yearling- something he wasn't really surprised for. Zoticus let himself think, features absorbed in thought as he looked at Vine. He'd been in Wolfbron awhile - his leg healing, but his presence hadn't been shown around much among the lands. There had been hunts, rank challenges, even the challenge for the Bluffs itself; and the King couldn't recall seeing him present. Those activities didn't take a healed leg to attend and show support. Tilting his head, Zoticus rose back to his four limbs to address the red brute.

"I am happy your ambition is starting to show through, Vine, however," He paused as he shifted his weight, trying to maneuver it off his far more wounded shoulder. "I'd like to see more of you around the Bluffs, Noble is a rank of those most trustworthy to me and the pride and have put in an immense amount of effort to Wolfbron. For now, you will act as Baron, prove your dedication and that your limb is fully healed enough to hold such responsibilities." He finalized, hoping Vine didn't take him withholding Noble as a blow to the gut, but rather a strategic move. He needed to ensure the brute could actually function before giving him a title that held immense power over those within. "Do you accept this?" He asked, gaze glancing to @Rue as she passed by and grumbled at him. Zoticus cracked a smirk, painful, and nodded to her to show her he would listen.

@Viné
Injuries: Cuts to left side of face, lacerations to the right side of his face, deep lacerations to shoulder/opened up healing wounds from prior fight, lacerations to his head by each ear, deeper lacerations on shoulders, large lacerations to forelimb

... he will come for you

Image & code by reveriegraphics

Baron. It was such an insignificant rank, one Viné would have given to an impulsive yearling like the one he'd fought rather then a former king. He was a glorified member, not able to claim or even invite members. The anger from the slight didn't show on his stony face in the slightest, his eyes closed for a moment. Zoticus must doubt him. He doubted himself, which is why he'd gone for the lofty title. What with Aarani being so judgemental of the way Zoticus ran his pride, he wanted to be the balance that made it worth keeping her within the bluffs. A Baron would not be worth it; but it was all he had to work with. With a resigned nod of his head. "Fine. I will wait for your word when the time to take a higher rank has been earned." The red lion rumbled in reply, turning away from the group, and the child named Ayaka, Oh, he knew exactly who she was now. Not Bael's child, even though Morana Zero had been his mate. So she was unfaithful. The name of Spencer was a spark of familiarity, that the old spirit couldn't quite place. Mortal bodies were so very bad at retaining knowledge. It probably didn't matter.

Probably.

.exit

+5 Complete a spar or fight
+5 Challenge for a rank
+10 Use a creative move in battle (catching Akaya in midair)

""

don’t get caught, i’m dangerous

it’s always been like that.

code by corvus

do not betray him...

Zoticus

Trigger warning for blood/gore/broken bones

He himself knew he wouldn't be happy if he was to be named Baron when trying to go for Noble- but Zoticus hoped Vine would understand and see the reason behind his choice. Zoticus listened as Vine nodded, speaking of how he would wait for word on when he would of earned the higher rank- and Zoticus nodded back. With the fights diminished, Zoticus exhaled a large breath as the pain of his own wounds began to take over. Glancing to those left, he'd chuff gently to them and begin to limp back to the lands of Wolfbron- yearning for some rest. After all, with all the recent events Wolfbron was having- it was starting to get hard to keep up in his state.

/ exit zoticus /

Injuries: Cuts to left side of face, lacerations to the right side of his face, deep lacerations to shoulder/opened up healing wounds from prior fight, lacerations to his head by each ear, deeper lacerations on shoulders, large lacerations to forelimb

... he will come for you

Image & code by reveriegraphics

Worry prevented her from replying as much as she usually would, softly snorting at @Rue's quip and merely flicking an ear as she and @Tatiana spoke about his bull-headedness. Perhaps Rue wouldn't exactly call it impulsiveness, but Circe sure would. Maybe not out loud though.

Thank god though, he actually managed to win again. The dame had to admit, she was pretty impressed to watch him already injured and breaking another male's leg... Just like that. Wolfbron was a force to be reckoned with, and so was @Zoticus.

Though he didn't look as much like it after Turrek fled the scene, turning to her and limping towards her. She stepped forward to meet him, already looking over his wounds as he addressed the challenge. She'd honestly gotten so distracted that only just now did she realize Vine had won. It wasn't a big shocker though, Ayaka was still so young to be challenging at all. Still, she respected the girl for her effort.

Meanwhile, Rue spoke up in her ear and directly to Zoticus- a threat to make him see her later. Circe wholeheartedly agreed, pulling away to look at him seriously. "You know I'm making you take a break right? Next fight is mine, no buts."

And with that, she followed him and the rest of their pride back to their home.

-exit Circe-

table by sentinel / lion + sky

Vine might not have showed any dismay at the leader's decision, but Wodnik scowled openly as he heard what came from the man's mouth. Such blatant disrespect! Here was why he would never serve under another without the name of Casimir. They simply didn't understand what it meant to have their lineage. Vine had even won the fight, and yet been turned away!

The young man scoffed quietly to himself and turned away, stalking off in the opposite direction. What Vine saw in the pride to lead him to stay there Wodnik didn't know, but it surely must be something good to put up with something like that.

-exit wodnik-

GOD KILLS INDISCRIMINATELY AND SO SHALL WE

His eyes slit to ember contentment as he watched the fight between the large lions reach its zenith and delicious denouement. He bore no enmity toward the lion known as Turrek for challenging him for the Lagoon. They were both spirited and greedy and fights happened, true to blood and instinct. But it seemed the Bluff king had a bone to pick, or to break. Vermier leaned forward, outwardly eager except for a disappointed little quirk in his lips. Only a broken leg? He could do that by accident. If he meant to maim someone, why, he intended them to be scarred forever from it.

He untensed his claws and tensed them again around more solid ground another yard away, undampened by the sweat of his paws. He watched the formal rank fight conclude. So boring. But it was useful to know ranks. Know whose strengths he needed to know. Once the words were settled, Vermier was off, immediately in a better mood.

=exit