Hecuba had gotten away from the battle just in time and the further she went, the easier it became to breathe. She left behind the cacophony of battle and slowly regained her senses, but she couldn't leave behind the fear that gripped so tightly onto her heart. It was impossible to suck in a deep breath and by the time she finally stumbled to some waterfall, she was nearly gasping for air. Just because it was easier to breathe didn't mean she could do so comfortably, and Hecuba was now confused where to go from there. Manes could very well be dead within the next few moments; if not him, Drakon's ally. If it was Drakon's ally.. well, Drakon could then be next. All she fucking wanted was some peace. Why was that so difficult for everyone to understand?

The iron lioness eventually collapsed onto her stomach near the water, dazed and exhausted. She hated this place already, and it had only been a matter of weeks.

_^DEEJ

Truthfully, Drakon hadn't even gone to the call of another pride being claimed. He was fine where he was in the Hollow for now and that was all. So he had gone in a different direction, trying to figure out what to say to Hecuba when he saw her next. Having given her a few days for them to cool off, Drakon was missing her terribly. So much that he could smell her but then he realized that he really was smelling her and blinked at the sudden realization of it. Fiery jewels looked around until he spotted her. "Hecuba?" His voice was laced with worry and concern. "Darling, what's wrong?" He would ask, moving closer to her if he would all it.

image by frida bredesen | art by irish

Hecuba's head was spinning. It felt like a thousand knives were being stabbed into her head all at once, and on top of that there was a voice that made her want to simultaneously scream and rejoice.

@Drakon.

She lifted her head from the ground to look at him, but her eyes were distant. "Tell me you didn't join him," she asked quietly, her voice meeker than it had ever been before. "Tell me you didn't join Gwyn and pledge your loyalty to him." Because if he had, well.. thing were going to get messier between them before they were ever tidied. The subtle lifting of her lip was warning enough to keep his distance; she wasn't ready to kiss and make up yet.

_^DEEJ

He stopped at the curl of her lip. He stopped when he was asked the questions. "I joined his ranks but my loyalty has not been pledged to him completely. I don't trust the Casimir's like I once did." He joined because it was a way to secure a place for his family and hold a rank without a fighting. Drakon knew that Hecuba was right and that he shouldn't have fought Jewel so he was biding his time until it was the right time. "What is wrong? What has happened?" He wanted to know. Drakon had no idea that Gwyn was being attacked by Manes or vice versa. That would put him in a situation he wasn't sure to handle just yet. Manes and himself had just made a deal, they were allies and Drakon knew that would mean something to Hecuba; right?

image by frida bredesen | art by irish

Hecuba was grateful when he stopped, honestly. As much as she wanted to rush to his side, the lioness knew it would be far too easy to forgive and suppress the emotions running rampant through her head. The second she touched him, it was all over. No, Hecuba needed to control herself. Act in the best interest of herself and her fam.. the cub she had adopted.

"Gwyn just threatened the life of Ambrosine's child. Manes attacked him." Hecuba shook her head, ears pinned against her head. "He's just declared war on the entire family by doing what he's done. If they find out you're in his pride, it- you're as good as dead. Again." She clenched her teeth and dug her claws into the ground, tail thrashing irritably behind her. Nothing about the situation was okay or acceptable, and she showed it with a hiss.

_^DEEJ

At the sudden announcement that Gwyn had threatened the life of a child, especially one of Ambro and Manes' children, caused for the brutes ears to fall flat into his mane. This must've just happened and Drakon was very unsure about how he felt about it. If anyone knew Drakon, they knew he didn't take to kindly to children being threatened especially his own much less another's. "Manes and myself have made an agreement and have become allies. So looks like I need to seek him and Ambro out again and make sure they understand that I don't tolerate that type of behavior." He would announce. "You know I don't agree with that kind of behavior and had hoped Gwyn wasn't like that." His own tail lashed out behind him.

image by frida bredesen | art by irish

It didn't really come off as a surprise that Drakon was in the dark. Of course he was, did he think Gwyn was going to be the type of king to keep his members in the know about things? And then he went on to explain he had a new alliance with Manes, and she stared at him from afar. What else had he done without telling her? Drakon explained he had hoped better for Gwyn, but she snorted. "The Casimir are scum. I don't care if they're your family." He was related to half the damn valley, wasn't he? Hecuba grumbled and moved to the water's edge, lowering her muzzle to drink. She needed to calm down, so maybe this would help.

@Drakon

_^DEEJ

"You seemed surprised that I have done such a thing with Manes." He would state, watching her closely. Perhaps it was because once upon a time, Drakon didn't like Manes but things can change and this was a new place. New land and a fresh start for them; right? He was trying ya know. "Truthfully, Gwyn is of no relation to me, only Crowley's line is. Gwyn is just his brother and I had hoped to keep my father's alliance with the Casimir's in general." But that may end up changing after this.

image by frida bredesen | art by irish

"It's because I am surprised," she replied with a soft snort. "You've been so busy." And considering he hadn't mentioned it before, she assumed it was a recent occurrence. Manes had it mentioned it either, so.. wonderful. Were all the men in her life trying to keep her in the dark about everything? Fuck it. She was going to go marry Ambrosine.

"Gwyn will get you killed. That's all I'm saying." That, and she wanted nothing to do with him because of it. "I joined Jewel's pride for safety, so that's where I'll be if you ever need me." Not that there was anything she could possibly for for him now. She gestured over her shoulders towards the fight, sighing heavily. "The fight is that way." So he could go.. be manly and do whatever it was he wanted with it.

_^DEEJ

"Manes is the one that came looking for me." He would admit, sitting down as he would explain. "I've been meaning to tell you but since our fight I wasn't sure how to do it.." He would state before watching her closely. Perhaps she was right about Gwyn. That he shouldn't be so closely allied with him but it had been all Drakon knew of his family and wanted to make Smaug proud. Though dying wasn't going to help it. "I don't want to go to the fight. I want to be here; with my wife." Yes, he figured she had joined Jewel and perhaps he should do the same.

image by frida bredesen | art by irish