Despite his abnormally relaxed demeanor that constantly said resting bitch face, he was infuriated by the turn of events. Jafar knew that this was bound to happen and he couldn't be upset that someone was ambitious but he was frustrated that it meant he would have to make adjustments to his long-term plan. There was no way he wanted to live beneath the rule of a woman but it was preference. He was raised traditionally and while he could appreciate the dark woman's ambitions, it was not for him. So instead he exhaled out of his nose and laid himself down with a triumphant thump. Prepared to make some small add-on notes to his plan as well as more than happy to let it be.

Morrigan had only met the Hodari King the one time, but she'd like what little she knew of him and thought it would be a shame to see him lose the Mire. Even more so if she knew the man he'd taken it from had slighted Avaneira, but she didn't so really she was only there to see a good fight she hoped. It was a woman who called for his throne and Morrigan could respect seeing another woman taking up a crown, but personally, she still rooted for Kiton. If she was being perfectly honest she didn't understand the appeal of living in a place like this, but given her own thick, dark cloak she had no use for the muck and shadows here.

Her face, shoulder, and neck still showed signs of her recent battles, but she'd cleaned the gore off and was actually fairly nicely groomed before she'd traipsed through the swamp. Her shoulder was still torn open from Fenrir, and so was the same side of her face and neck by Alizabeth, but they'd both been victories for Morrigan so she didn't mind if they scarred a little.

She had intended to do her usual of sitting alone as she didn't see anyone she knew looking particularly lonely, that was until she saw the pale and surly facade of @Bronn nearby. He didn't exactly look welcoming of company, but Morrigan didn't care. She wouldn't have minded at all to be the outlet of his inner turmoil. Judging by his scent this was his home, so the reason for being annoyed was fairly obvious. The dark woman padded her way to his side, shifting her gaze between her handsome target and the fight that had already begun, "I don't know him well, but I liked him when we met," she offered honestly as she settled down onto her haunches.

table by ferus, art by grav3wolf

The challenge that rang out for the Mire gave the medic a curious pause. A brief recollection would tell him that the Mire was where many of Furia’s family resided. He was certain she was already there and as such made an effort to ensure he was there as well. As he made it towards the fringes of the crowd, he could spot a familiar face or two among the plethora of strangers. Many scents mingled. This has brought quite the variety. It was easy for him to pick his wife out beside @Hanneth and @Roan, and so he would weave his way towards them. "Furia." He would come up on @Furia’s free side to press against her just before reclining onto his haunches. "Hanneth, Roan." Tae greeted them warmly in turn. His arrival had come just at the beginning of the fight. However this went, he was sure her victory would mean something akin to war.

Exigo a me non ut optimis

I require myself not to be equal to the best

+20 Sneak into a pride or group without getting caught
+10 Infiltrate a group thread without getting caught
+10 Practice hiding your scent

[hidden]

It wasn't his first visit to the territory, but it wasn't one he frequented. The landscape was frustrating, even after he'd memorized at least one safe path through it. But he'd been out of the loop for a while now, which wasn't a good place to be in a land where things changed so quickly.

A thin coating of mud dulled down his already dark fur, but served the much more important purpose of masking his scent to allow him to blend in with the landscape. Once again, like the last time he'd attended a challenge for the dismal territory, he slipped in over the border and hunkered down in a tangle of roots to watch the show that would unfold, and observe what spectators could be seen from his hiding place.

Why anyone wanted to rule this patch of mud was beyond him. Yes, there had to be drier areas, places that made it somewhat livable, but he could hardly see th appeal. It seemed a last choice, a final option for the desperate. Or those with high ambitions and low standards.

but to be better than the bad

par sim sed ut malis melior.

code by corvus

In the few weeks he'd spent lying low, he'd missed a lot of political shifting within the archipelago. He knew enough, of course, from Nadia, Zulema, Morrigan - his inner circle - but it was different to actually be immersed in it. And so he would heed the call at the Mire most hastily, grateful that he was close enough for the journey to not feel like an entire waste. He didn't know Kiton well, but the challenger was a complete stranger; he did not recognize her from his own challenge all those many many months ago as the one who spoke with Drakon - so much had happened since then. Still, it mattered little. Magnus scanned the audience as he approached, attention finally settling on @Zulema. @Bronn and @Morrigan had not evaded his notice, though @Nadia had, yet ultimately he would choose to sit with his Noble. After all, he was curious to hear her thoughts on this matter. Do you know the woman who challenges Kiton? His query was low and directed only at her as he approached, lowering his rump to take a seat next to her.

Jamil is Hiding

In and around the Jungle Jamil had taken up wandering. Unlike his parents settling in a pride did not seem... appealing. Not for lack of love of family but it was quite simply a change in lifestyle the young peter pan boy was not ready for. He'd known nothing but the support of Furia almost his entire life and he'd known no need to support anyone but her. He wasn't ready to devote himself to others in that way. Part of the fun of growing up rogue and vagabondish, you're used to laying your head down in strange places and don't crave the company of others so much. But he was never truly far away- watchful, cautious and dutiful to his mother.

He was in the midst of stalking around the jungle, gathering up potent and aromatic herbs to cloak his own scent and hide himself away. Alarm bells started going off in the south east and he heard members of the Jungle pride moving off Jamil was on their tail. As he ran his head shifted left and right, rubbing the herbs upon his pink pelt mid stride to mute his scent. Youthful gangly creature crept along in their shadows until the scents grew thick, the voices grew loud and he could poke his yellow eyes through the shadows and cover to see a fight raging.

+20 Sneak into a pride or group without getting caught
+10 Infiltrate a group thread without getting caught
+10 Practice hiding your scent

Ayaka Spencer-Zero

Another challenge. Another chance for the pride to get mixed up in things. It seemed to be their way of handling the chaos of a pride challenge and she really didn't think that this time would be any different. She arrived behind the group and found a spot close to them that she could see what was going on and who was doing what. She took a look around and her eyes stopped on familiar faces and she found herself taking a few steps in front of the Bluff's group, stepping in front of @Zoticus unaware of what was going on with his daughter or that he was upset. Her smaller body was blocking his path but her eyes were locked on a pair of lions across the way. There was no way that it was them. Hanneth? Roan? Her voice was loud enough that those close enough to her would hear her but for the moment she didn't call out to the pair as she tried to process seeing them again. Where was Dero? All the cubs? How many had really made it?

So the ghost he'd seen at the borders had ambition? Had she not been Vermier's ward, he might have laughed at the idea of it: she who was so unspoken and undesiring as he treaded upon their borders now made a claim for a pride. He'd have sooner anticipated Amara making such a zealous call. He had yet to understand the nuances of this branch of the family, what went on in their past separated from his own, a tree diverged when Felice decided to spirit him away from the valley he'd been born. But he was slowly learning, yearning, and keen to see what became of them and their ilk.

Was Genya with them in her entirety, or some fickle dream left to burn if untethered?

As he arrived, he made his way toward the gathering group, watching as @Cassine and @Oleander departed from @Vermier; he took swiftly near @Amara's side, a silent and watchful guardian. For now, he was but a pawn waiting to be commanded; one of the horde ready to fight for Scilla and its inhabitants.

table by ferus, art by dusk

So far she had not been disturbed, even as more and more lions filtered in. And with them came more whispers, more conversations around her to pick and choose from. There were too many now to focus on now, but she kept her ears pricked either way and let whatever came her way flow into them. Still there were the murmured tones of confusion, but they were less so now. The crowd was settling into an observational sort of hum as the fight finally came underway when the current king of the lands they had all casually trespassed on came out roaring fire and fury. You had to appreciate the theatrics, it made for a good show but his opponent didn't seem cowed by it. Sarabi's honey brown eyes slid over some of the newcomers that strode in without the same sort of caution as herself, most settled silently to themselves or in little clusters. She made a few more mental notes on seating, filing some of the more tightly packed and conversational groups under the same unknown flag be it family, friend or pride. That didn't matter so much as the who and where. "[Sarabi is hidden]"

Lion Stock | BG Stock | Manip by Taboo | Coding by Werge

The call that came about was a concerning one for the young Hodari considering that it was coming from his brother's pride. Aeneas was quick to cover as much ground as he could manage in hopefully short timing but it appeared by the time he crossed the borders into Ecrosia Mire there were already plenty of bodies gathered around watching. Aeneas hovered towards the back of the crowd, mismatched gaze searching before it finally landed upon Kiton and his opponent, a black lioness. Aeneas continued to move through the crowd, searching for familiar faces until he managed to locate Roan, Hanneth, and Corinna. Realistically Aeneas was overjoyed to see his mother as he hadn't seen her in ages but now was not the time or place, he would have to speak with her afterwards. Instead he moved to sit nearest to Roan before speaking, "Do you know her?" He wondered if they had any clue who the opponent was or if she was stray looking to claim her own piece of land.

@Roan @Hanneth @Corinna

+10 - Observe a challenge and learn the results
+10 - Observe a fight

code by javs