This was quite sudden and without warning. But now that she though about it more, there had been plenty of calls like this, challenges seemed to have spread across the prides and now the Summit had its own. But in any she had wanted to come, staying behind just to be there to protect the pride if something came between the challenges.

But now that it was her prides turn she didn't ignore it as the rest. Now she walked towards the Pit where they chose to make the challenge into. Too afraid of facing them on their lands? It seemed so on her eyes.

Quietly she took a seat to observe for now but if Morrigan had other ideas she will fight if needed though she had always tried to avoid them.

//Free to attack if wanted but nothing too serious. <3

BG — ART by SleepyKyju — CODE

"Calta" He said as he approached the group. Once more into yet another pride challenge. Now over his cousin's pride, that of course set him on edge, even if on his stoic face it would be hard to tell. It was interesting to see his sister here, and even if he was cold about his affection, he didn't love them less. He just wasn't used to show it openly as most. Calmly he took a seat by his sister side, both to observe and be ready to defend her if something else came up. "Morrigan will win, I am sure about it." He voiced it loud and clear, bold yet sharp. +5 observe a fight 0/2 @Caltáriel

Code by Cloudy

with so many challenges erupting, there's bound to be one for the summit. fernweh can already feel it the day before, a rising tension prickling the air as if her own pride mates knew too. they slept with held breath until the call came, and one by one, they made their way down. fernweh was amongst the last to go, hindered by her immobility from sleeplessness and lethargy. she could stay at the summit, stubbornly biding time until the victor came for the throne. but she had no patience to just sit and pray. morrigan needs support, and though there'll be plenty of that from the other greyfloods and their allies, fernweh still wanted to give her aunt her own. no matter what, family should be together. she's cautious this time, making sure her presence was small as she ambled toward the pit. there, she noticed adeodatus in the center, waiting for morrigan to answer his call to challenge. fernweh remembers him, the lion she met by the shore. that time, he had been a rogue, but from what she heard coming down, he had since joined the mire. fernweh had no reason to hate adeodatus for choosing the mire, but she had reason to be frustrated at him for choosing to challenge the summit. yet still, this was the way of politics, and eventually, all will fall.

ART COPYRIGHT RABS / CODE COPYRIGHT ANALESE

Make my messes matter
Make this chaos count

"ooc" edited post, mistook some previous posts settings as actually at the summit


Just how unstable was the power structure in this land? Was taking all they knew?

Darcia was still not the biggest fan of the snow, but a month of trekking all across Amaryllis had all but forced his body to adjust to shifting temperatures much quicker. Had he known just how snowy the actual land being challenged for was, the boy might feel a bit more grateful for another trip down into the pit rather than a slog up a mountain.

He was beginning to grow weary of this, simply because while he knew it was another opportunity to search faces in a crowd, it felt like time taken off of his mission. If Dubhán hadn't been at the other challenges, why should he be at this one?

Still, it bade him to come look.

Let every little fracture
In me shatter out loud

_{BG — ART — CODE}

Excitement poured electricity into the veins of the chestnut warrioress, illiciting adrenaline and even a certain level of anxiety as she paced after Adeodatus to the pit. To some extent, Tanaz had known this was coming, but the anticipation had only added to the enthusiasm of the day finally arriving. There was much that could be gained today should her husband prove victorious, and while she had nothing against the current members of Illyria, she sent up a prayer to an ambiguous goddess that their Sovereign would fall today and a new one would be secured in her place. A new one with the last name Devorre.

She was not the first to arrive - even Gabrielle had beat her here, which surprised the warrioress, who had half expected the woman to remain behind - but rather than approaching Adeodatus's first wife, she would take a place beside @Myra, moving to her side with a quiet, intimate chuff to announce her approach. Tension pulled her auburn fur tight across her brawny frame, her chiseled ears swiveling to catch the noise of their allies and those they might be fighting against. Already, a dark child was voicing his distaste, to which Myra replied with a patience that seemed generous to Tanaz, whose hazel eyes shifted from the boy to the silver Devorre who called them here. Guarded and alert, the woman would wait for the fun to begin.

code by dee, art by spu

aryana This was how things went. She knew this, was aware of the way of life, but it didn't make her fear any less than what it was. She had just settled into the Summit, just made a place for herself- was it really going to be taken away so soon? She arrived with her best face put on, bravery cloaking her scared features as she tucked the little girl inside of her away, and put her survival mode back on. She stalks forward to join her pride, to show her strength in numbers- Morrigan had taken her in when she had nothing. She would fight alongside her, alongside any of the summit, for they earned her loyalty. She would only wait for the first move.

She does not know the intricacies of politicking, has not seen the horrors that could become of usurpation, of lions being thrust from their homes into the wilds to start anew, or to live fettered under a tyrant who sought to take and conquer what once had been peaceful, what once had been untouched. Caltáriel is bristling, her cursing and uttering continuing as she stared down the man at the center of the Pit. She pauses, eases, only when the smaller form of @Azanty takes to her side. Though she did not understand the words he first spoke, she understood what came next.

The Mire? she almost wondered aloud, swallowing hard. Was that another pride? Were they here to wage war, were they here more than just for Morrigan? Her gaze flitted down toward the red cub, and she let out a soft sigh, attempting to reach a paw forward, hoping to place is reassuringly against the boy's head. A small, nervous smile unfurled upon her pale lips. They know you're so strong, she reassured him, abandoning the rage and fear she felt in place of hope and understanding, And we will all be strong. And face this enemy together.

Even Caltáriel's lack of experience would not keep her from defending the family she'd chosen to come into. She'd already owed Morrigan that much, if not more.

Her gaze turned skyward, her eyes catching the shifts in the weather. How achingly ironic it was for this to happen now, when the weather was so perfect, when the herds were following their ancient paths. Good hunting always meant something else must give way, she reminded herself; this was the punishment for such a plentiful bounty. She waited, then, anticipatingly; breathless. Her gaze briefly flits toward the young @Penrose as he approaches, as well, and feels reassured at the Summit's army hastily descends upon the challenger. Another voice altogether, however, draws her attention swiftly away from the man at the center of it all.

@Erras! she purrs, turning to greet her brother warmly. He'd decided to follow her here after all, it seemed, and the reunification was warm, a brief flicker of surrender amidst the chaos. His reassurance is met with a firm nod, hoping to briefly brush her head against his neck as he came to sit by her free side.

---

+10 Cast a curse or blessing on a character/group (2/2)
+5 Study the weather and how it will affect hunting (2/2)
+5 Study herd migration habits (2/2)

DRAGOS

It’s all fuckin’ kicking off now, isn’t it?

Dragos wanders back to the pit, again, for another battle. This one is for the Illy-something Summit. The big mountain covered in snow, right? His father had mentioned going there not long ago. That sounds heavenly to someone with thick, long fur. Imagine not overheating after mid-morning. It was also where that pretty lioness came from. Maybe he’d check it out, after watching the fight.

He arrives quietly, listening to the yelling and screaming going on around the arena. Riled up group, aren’t they? Dragos is delighted to listen in to all the drama, and gracelessly flops onto a low, flat rock, leaning on his elbow to watch. The fight hasn’t started yet - so far, it’s just the challenger in the middle, being yelled at. Another Ecrosia lion. Ambitious bunch. Or maybe it’s over crowded there. Dragos has felt that before, but he’s never wanted to go take over a pride because of it. Sounds like a lot of work when you can just not rule and live as you like under a king or queen you can tolerate.

But hey, that’s just him.

coded by flea

The blood from the recent challenges had barely even soaked into the ground and already there was another call for more. Léonie wondered if it’d be easier for her to simply sleep near to the arena, that way she’d be ready in the morning for the next one that she was sure to follow.

She arrived to the sound of snarling and general unhappiness. That was expected, and valid — nobody wanted to lose their home, but especially to a rat from the Mire. They’d already absorbed the Lagoon into their empire, was that not enough?

“Greedy fuckers, aren’t they?” the imp said aloud, choosing to move in beside the one hunk from the Oasis challenge. She had no idea who he supported here, but she liked the way he’d spoke to that OTHER twat. Amaryllis was apparently full of ‘em.

With a smile pulling on her lips, Léonie placed herself next to the resting beast, asking, “May I?” Too late, she was already seated.

@Dragos

artwork | css

From the very second that the Summit was called for, she stood as still as an oak tree. Only that oak tree eventually formed into the barest pine tree in the middle of the winter as it shook violently with each second and wave that passed. Memories of Vermeda being challenged for by that monster of a man flooding into her brain as she tried to stifle them. Eyes closed tight as silent tears ran down her cheeks. It took long minutes before her eyes opened with a snap and she inhaled deeply, head raising as she gave herself a firm nod. Confronting her fear straight on and deciding that she can't be afraid. Because if she was afraid, then that meant that her children would be twice as. Though as she eventually appeared on the clip of the pit she realized that @Morrigan wasn't here yet. I should've looked for her. Should've walked with her. She debated going back and finding her, encouraging her and telling her all the things that she would want to hear if she were being chosen to fight. Alas, Morrigan wasn't Talisa now was she? So Talisa decided instead of find the closest child to her which happened to be @Penrose. Luckily not hearing any of the words that the child spoke to the stranger but ambling close. Not for him, but so that she could keep herself grounded. It was better to be surrounded by family and friends during these challenges than to sit or stand by one's self.

table by cush