Z O T I C U S ♕ X A N T H O S

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He knew of Seneca’s desires. But of Aarani’s? Seeing the peaceful, anti-battle woman fighting for a pride was a shock to Zoticus, especially after the words she had thrown at Dior during the war. Zoticus watches idly from the side, glancing to the others of Wolfbron who had gathered- nodding to them. His focus maintained on the battle and he was curious to who would win, but there was a relief in him. At least he knew whoever was victor, there wouldn’t be bad blood with his pride and theirs. If anything there was a chance for a strong alliance- something he knew would beneficial for the Bluffs no doubt. Especially after everything that had gone on - and could possibly continue in the future. Things were unknown and Zoticus wanted to be the best prepared.

Settling down on his haunches, he keeps a keen eye on the figures. Watching their battle moves, looking at their defenses, studying their attacks. The more he learned the better and he was eager to improve himself.

(Not the post detailed due to phone post but hes hereeeee)

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SENECA VS. AARANI FOR ANDAL OASIS
— RESULTS —

Seneca Hits: 3 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 3 = 18
Seneca Dodges: 2 + 1 + 1 + 3 + 2 = 9

Aarani Hits: 2 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 1 = 10
Aarani Dodges: 3 + 4 + 2 + 5 + 4 = 18

Seneca Successful Hits: 0
Aarani Successful Hits: 1

AARANI HAS WON THE CHALLENGE FOR ANDAL OASIS!

Please allow the challengers to respond to the fight results first. As per the site rules, if 3 days go by without a post from the challenger(s), they can be skipped. Whichever comes first! Any posts made before this will be removed.

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WOUNDED ROLL

performed on discord by @Squid

Seneca is automatically WOUNDED for losing!

Aarani Wounded Roll: !1d5 = 2

Aarani is NOT WOUNDED!

Profiles will be adjusted to reflect the wounded rolls, which, if received, reduce the character’s hits and dodges by -1 for an standardized amount of time. Any wounded rolls received from this fight are considered healed as of 09/19/2021, and are logged in the wounded log. Once healed, post in Trade & Dice Updates to have your dice returned to normal.

He is a stubborn, willful beast -- perhaps this is why Seneca does not foresee his loss. That, and the blood loss that is undoubtedly making him more woozy than he is capable of recognizing. So it comes as a surprise to the Miroslav when she slams against his chest and unseats him, his haunches only just managing to catch him and preventing him from the fall. There he sways, somewhat dazed and his right foreleg and shoulder bleeding heavily into the sand below him, his paw unable to bare more than a fraction of his weight. Seneca's chest heaves as his cool stare lands upon @Aarani's face, his brows furrowing in a mixture of confusion at having lost to her and awe at her valor and determination. "I'm impressed," he finally states, finding it difficult to offer her more than that. His defeat is bitter upon his tongue, and for the moment, Seneca is incapable of removing his gaze from Aarani, lest he should have to face the disappointment on @Genya's face.

you better keep the wolf back from the door

image by koafox, code by koi

Aarani can only assume that she is dead. There is no other reason for the numbness to come crashing down around her, for the world to start spinning or the edges of her vision to begin blackening out. The next thing she knows, @Seneca is only just catching himself before he hits the ground. Worry courses through her -- has she injured him severely? She doesn't know a single thing about fighting, how could she have gotten so lucky? Well, she knows. She knows, and she looks up to the sky above in a silent prayer to Maua, her guiding light. Aquila had kept the Oasis a place of peace, and she has no desire to stray from that. She wishes to do nothing but worship her new god in a sanctuary for others, and now she is one step closer to providing a safe haven for those in need. "Thank you," she finally says, dropping her gaze onto him. Gone is this timid, mewling girl -- before him stands a queen with the confidence that she has god (and anime) on her side. "I need to speak with my husband and wife first, but I am a healer. I can tend to your wounds and we can discuss things.. if you are interested, that is," she says with a gentle tilt of her head. "A member of Wolfbron is not someone I simply wish to send off beat up, so, I insist." And then she finally turns to her husband and wife, seeking the same look of disappointment on their faces as Seneca feared from Genya. Zoticus is among them, too, and the queen wonders how terribly upset he is with everything that has just transpired.

Table by Ice. Graphic by Brooke.

dior devaux.

the fight is a blur of claws and teeth, one that dior does her very best to capture every second of as closely as possible. but she'd dance away should the battling parties stray too close. even her growing belly didn't slow her down. panting and grinning, dior is far too proud of her wife's once hidden furocity. all the thoughts of abandonment and rani's potential lingering anger were washed away.

this was especially true when the giant form of seneca is thrown by rani, and she comes out the victor. dior stands there with her jaw dropped for another long moment. rani turns around and a surprised laugh leaves her widely gaped jaws. something more akin to a howl than a roar leaves her maw - full of excitement, disbelief and joy.

no, dior couldn't be mad at her wife. hell, she'd just become a queen! aarani, the queen of her heart and now andal oasis!

"i never knew you had such battle prowess, pixie!" dior chuckled, loping up to her wife and offering her a storm of kisses to her face. she was bloody, tired looking, but victorious and had more than earned the entirety of the chartreux beast's respect - not that rani hadn't already managed that long ago. this was a new sort. the respect of a warrior.

turning then to zoticus, dior would aim to stand at her wife's right side as she bowed her head to the pink sovereign. "zoticus, i'm very grateful for the love and protection your pride has offered my family. you're an amazing king, but i will be moving to andal oasis with my wife, and so will our children." titian eyes were fiery with excitement, but also filled with a hint of sadness at leaving the bluffs. she of course would follow aarani anywhere. so this was something zoticus was likely already thinking.

but it was official, and she wanted to say it aloud. he wouldn't force her to stay at the bluffs, dior was nothing if not certain of him. amber eyes would then trail to vine. a chuff and wildly waving paw would be utilized in an effort to try and beacon him over.

he'd be coming too, of course, right?

@Aarani @Zoticus @Viné

Z O T I C U S ♕ X A N T H O S

---

With all the uncertainty around with ties and relations to other prides, Zoticus couldn’t be mad at either Seneca or Aarani for going for a pride. Yes, he’d of preferred Aarani to tell him of her desires- but it was already said and done. He watched the fight come to an end and the medic had rose above to claim the crown.

@Aarani does not address him, but rather @Dior speaks to him first. He feels a loss at this- Dior was someone he had grown close to. Someone he admired in Wolfbron- a woman of such strength and courage, of bravery and the confidence to always speak her mind regardless. “Of course, Dior.” He speaks, for there wasn’t a single chance he’d hold the woman unwillingly in his lands. He attempts to near closer to her then- aiming to bump his muzzle against her shoulder in a small display of affection. “But don’t be a stranger, okay? After all… I’m sure our cubs would make the best of friends.” This was spoken with a fonder smile. “And I’m sure Circe will need someone to help keep me in line, even if from afar.” He mused as he teased at himself- but he knew Dior would.

He looked to Aarani then. “Congratulations. Would an alliance be desired of Andal with Wolfbron?” He asked, hoping they could figure something out- with them being neighbors and her a past member, he wanted nothing more than to allies.

He let his gaze slide to @Seneca idly, nodding to the brute. He’d address him after the conversation with Aarani.

---

He has no way of knowing who @Aarani was before this day; all he knows of her is her part in the dramatic scene that had unfolded days prior in the jungle. A moment is hardly enough to grant a judge of character, and he finds himself more impressed with her performance today than he had been disappointed by her show the other day. There are few women capable of earning the respect of Seneca Miroslav, but Aarani has just managed to weasel her way onto that list. His ears lilt forward at her desire to try and repair the wounds she has caused, and offering an invitation to speak at greater length. What she wants of him, Seneca can only guess, but he is glad for her recognition that their behavior in battle means little for their ability to still be amicable with one another. "I'll find you later," he answers, his own way of agreeing to her request before he heaves himself back onto his feet, leaving Aarani with an elated @Dior and the spoils of victory. The man's limp is significant as he makes his way closer to @Genya, only briefly meeting the gaze of @Zoticus as he departs. He lacks the energy or desire for further words at this moment, a silent jerk of his chin offered towards his wife to follow him; he leaves a trail of blood in his wake, caring little about that in the moment as he slips back through the underbrush. Exeunt Seneca

you better keep the wolf back from the door

image by koafox, code by koi

The fight finished without so much as a rumble from the onlookers. When once Genya saw smaller battles forming, here there was just the start and the finish to the main fight. She inwardly shrugged, however, knowing that it meant going home and keeping @Seneca to herself. Even if her husband didn't win, he still showed off enough for her to admire him. The truth was that she now wanted more than ever to physically be by his side than ever. Someone needed to tend to his wounds and Genya had a little knowledge in the medical area. Thus, she quietly followed the dappled male out, hoping now she could gain some proper alone time with him. [exit]

The fight was over and finished in a breath's time. Úlla learned well, mostly from the woman who now was the new high sovereign of the oasis. She felt a strange inclination to indulge in more battles. But a better portion of her mind was condemning her for even thinking of such. Time would tell, however, of what she ought to do. And Vellen hadn't spoken thus yet of what sacrifices she must make. With the fight properly finished and the onlookers already making their way back, Úlla followed along. She had much to practice and even more to do on her own time. [exit]

code by corvus | image by rabbit

When Valhalla did not show to the fight, Nadya grew worried for him. What could have happened to the Oasis lions that none of them would show to defend their home against this patchwork male? Still keeping close to the outskirts of the small gathering, Nadya watched with baited breath as a fight started out once someone stepped up to the claimant. Surprisingly, it was a woman who seemed interested in tackling the black and white lion. A great deal smaller than the man, she still seemed to hold her own very well. Occasionally, the Nikolov's attention shifted from the fight towards the sidelines, primarily in search of her savior's arrival only to find nothing but strangers in the small crowd. One pride scent seemed to linger the most among them while nothing about the spectators brought familiarity to her mind. No one smelled of these lands like she did. No one looked like anyone she had met or was told about by Valhalla. Was it safe to continue staying in the Oasis no matter who won this fight?

Returning her lavender gaze to the challenge would find the maned lioness as its victor. No sooner did she win, though, did others flock around her. There was talk between her and her opponent, but Nadya was not close enough to hear it. She could only infer that the new queen held some sort of relations to the lions that surrounded her now. They seemed pleased in her win, but what did that win mean for the scarred woman? Did she weasel her way forward to speak with the new sovereign? Did she ask as to what happened to its previous ruler? Perhaps she should come back and speak later or just take this as an opportunity to leave without trouble. But the Oasis was all she knew right now and surely Valhalla would return. He would explain things and set things right within the chocolate woman's head. Where else did she have to go? With the other spectators beginning to leave, however, it left Nadya in a state of uncertainty. She'd linger just a bit longer, watching from the outskirts of what this maned woman might do or say that would help her make a decision.

Image & Table by Amanda | Lineart by WolvesWoodGlenAdopts | Background from unsplash