War. It called to her like a temptress, a siren's wanton call - it made her skin itch. Only it could satisfy that need and it had been so long since she'd felt the cries and roars of a hate filled battlefield. Teodora stood outside, reveling in the scene before her - fight after fight, her heart thrumming in her chest like a battle cry.

Muscles grow taut, dancing beneath heavily furred flesh. The war of their homeland had been a beautiful memory - the betrayal of her most precious love, her vengeance, his demise and the delightful victory of devouring him. Till there was nothing left.

A single vibrant crimson eye follows the bodies of her family, watching as they desperately fought to control the beast that @Dragos had become. An unfortunate victim to the ways of the world. Too young had he been dragged into the turmoil of life, and nobody was able to protect him - protect them. The children they so highly cherished. Features are impassive as the Matriarch watches the eldest son of Alexander barrel toward a tigress, then shift targets before snapping for the throat of a heavily pregnant female.

Oh, child.

Moving forward, her body moving swiftly between the battling bodies, she moves to jump, the muscles in her body coiling and unwinding before attempting to land on Dragos' back, paws trying to coil beneath his chin before her head descends with as much force as possible, hoping to knock him out with the blunt of her head butt.

look in to my eyes
it's where my demons hide

Chaos unfolds, unravelling across the ground, threads snagged around the ankles of the gathered many. Blood begets more blood and his mouth fills with saliva at the sight and smell of it. A yearning builds in the ice-cold beast, a spark that becomes an all consuming flame.

War erupts and oh -- oh how he wished it was his to fight.

"I hunger, brother," he murmured, his voice quiet as he observes the clash of teeth and claws. He watches with sharp eyes as a hulking dragon launches at a visibly pregnant female, only to be stopped by others that must be kin. "They have no restraint," amusement colored the words as he imagined that insanity that must poison a mind willing to fell the unborn.

A woman fights a man for the throne -- he wants to mock her for it.
A man fights another, tearing in to flesh and muscle alike -- he wants, so badly, to join in.
A hulking beast targets another with fire in his jaws -- draven hungers.


+5 observe a fight (cirilla vs gauthier)
+5 observe a fight (keligan vs vermier)
+5 observe a fight (bhaskar vs ronin)

@Harou

postscript by aurora

If there were anything Hagen wanted to do, it would be to get into some trouble in the middle of what had become a war. He had some sneaking to do to get himself outside the mire, but once he was free he beelined for the commotion. Hopefully, he was not followed by any of his siblings. How annoying would that be?

He arrived on the outskirts of the fray where he looked for a target to taste first blood.

It was then that he spotted @Parvati looking so alone on the fringes too. She looked small and light even with him being just shy of a year old. So she became his target.

Hagen skirted the crowd toward her. He opted to charge her from her right side where he attempted to throw himself onto her haunches from the side just like one did while hunting prey in an effort to sink his claws into her silvery flesh.

Hagen vs. @Parvati
Dominance
R 1/3

Hits:

Rolling 3d20: 10 + 9 + 17

Dodge:

Rolling 1d20: 12

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 13 + 11 + 7 + 5 + 18

code | image

You lie, silent there before me
Your tears, they mean nothing to me
the wind howling at the window
the love you never gave

PATHFINDER EXP
+5 Explore the borders of a pride or group
+5 Learn something unique about another pride’s territory
+5 Practice covering your scent

A slender form, pallid in color with striking marks of black stripes and underside, moved with intrigue towards the cove. She had been invited to join this pride in the past, the king appealing in his ambition and interest in things of darker alignment. Had he won in his fight for her, perhaps she would have been among this now waiting to partake in battle on the cove's behalf.

With all the goings on she imagined she might have a chance to explore the space a bit. Rubbing up against some lemongrass to guise her own scent, as she imagined that of a rogue might compel someone to claim her outright. Once covered, she would slowly wander the length of pride boundary, listening to what sounded like distant waves crashing against hard stone.

She would be far removed from the main horde when it came time to tentatively cross the line, though only by a few steps. Her ears perked and her nose testing the air. Sweet-smelling plants lay ahead, a valuable growth of toxic flora that she never found anywhere else in such amount. She may need to take some with her.

I am the nightmare that will haunt you in the light
If its war that you want, then I'm ready to play

The words @Saga chose to greet him with sent a wave of irritation with an undertone of disappointment through him. What place did she have to berate him in such a manner when she was dead? When every Jarl before him was gone or dead. There were no elders for him to look to. No guidance. Ertu að meina arfleifð sem skildi mig eftir án nokkurra öldunga til að leiðbeina mér? Do you mean the legacy that left me without any elders to guide me? He spat. Arfleifð þín er í vindinum! Svo það eina sem er eftir er að ég geri mitt. Your legacy is in the wind! So all that is left is for me to make mine. He did not see any of her demi-god children coming to fight him for the title. In fact, no one else had come to challenge him at all since Reynir left. Ég mun drekka það í blóði óvina minna. I will drench it in the blood of my enemies.

It was in that statement that he turned his skull in time to notice the hide of a Rike outside of the fray of the war that had escalated around them. He was done speaking to the dead, not thinking once (at this moment) to consider making Saga that pillar to look to. Einhver verndar konuna mína og dóttur mína. Someone protect my wife and my daughter. A request was made to @Morrigan and those who had gathered around the Summit's warrior queen. It was his final statement before the boiling in his veins led him to the target he'd placed on that wheat hide.

----

Myrkvi was headed straight for @Adalwolf. He dodged whichever fight brewed in his path, and eventually ended up more on his chosen opponent's left once the way was clear. Would he know that Myrkvi was Sigrun? Maybe, maybe not. Attacking him unprompted was probably the best way to reveal it. How the ocean clung to his pelt despite the time spent in the Brook.

The Sigrun Jarl would charge the mire lion seeking to throw himself at Adalwolf much like he would if he were taking down a buffalo in a hunt from his opponent's left. He sought to tackle the Rike to the sand in a flurry of momentum with extended claws seeking whatever touch of flesh they could find to puncture if any at all.


Myrkvi v. @Adalwolf
Minor Maim (tbd)
R 1/4
Hits:

Rolling 7d20: 6 + 16 + 15 + 3 + 10 + 7 + 8

Dodge:

Rolling 3d20: 7 + 13 + 10

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 6 + 1 + 13 + 18 + 4

With every scar I will avow to shake the Earth
Unless it's blood that you want, get the fuck out my way
'Cause the world's gonna scream my name

code by corvus || art by moogle

And there it is. The fights begin to kick off, and Valerian drinks in the scent of blood and sound of snarling, battling bodies. He keeps a protective poise by @Lilliana, making sure neither of them won't be set upon by a stranger wanting a chunk of flesh. Valerian flattened his dark ears and squared his shoulders.

He sees Dragos in the throngs of bodies; see's the tension in his body. He stood with strangers, discussing something Valerian couldn't hear over the fighting. The Savante man noticed the change in atmosphere as another group of strangers arrived to the coastal prideland. Valerian's eyes narrow.

@Angelo is here too, with a question. "No clue." he rumbled, and followed the other man's gaze with a frown as he pointed out someone of note; a big red-maned beast who stood with his pridemates. Before he could ask why, he saw the brute attacked by a pale shape of a stranger. It was starting to get dicey.

An ashen lioness with pale stripes had taken Dragos's side as he glanced back, and they were talking further. Something she said, caused Dragos's entire posture to change. He was losing his composure; even from a distance Valerian could read his brother. "Ah shit." he growled, starting toward Dragos for several pawsteps as he began to charge. This won't be good.

Anthonius was charging into battle too. Valerian was too slow, it seemed. In an instant there were bodies on him. Angelos was charging, their father had appeared with an attempt to drag his brother off-course, then a red-pelted beast he didn't recognise dove between Dragos and his target. The flash of cream and brown betrayed Csitri's presence, and Valerian is about to call out when Teodora comes barrelling in; pouncing toward Dragos. They had it covered.

@Valens's sharp order dragged the warrior in him forward, and Valerian obeyed his uncle's instructions. He fell into formation without a further glance over, he let himself settle protectively on the other side of Valens, defensive of Lilliana as before. It felt good, to have back up. "Are we fighting?" he hissed beneath his breath. He felt alive. He felt focused. But he would not engage lest the order was given.

art © drifty

A pridemate loomed close, obviously following either Louve or Helah, Leila couldn't be sure. He had an answer to her question and Leila thinks if she could focus on that, perhaps she could make it through this. "Ok." She confirmed with a dip of her head to Apollinaire, but didn't meet his sharp gaze for long. Was it just her, or did he look... hungry?

The battles drew her mind back to the hollows challenge and a flicker of fear scorched in her belly, and Leila swallowed. She is further shaken as an albino lion barrels toward Apollinaire and engages him swiftly in battle. Leila cowered away from harm, paws digging into the sand in hoped it'd ground her. But the grains slipped through her toes and she couldn't help but tremble. No, she shouldn't have come.

She watches, numb. It felt like she was sleepwalking. The smell of blood seemed so distant, and her heart pounded in her ears. She flattened them, trying to drown it out.

It was the rush of something white and strawberry that kicked her survival instinct into gear, and Leila jolted to focus; locking onto the teal eyes of @Dragos. There was so much anger, so much fear- and Leila only sees the start of his rush toward the Wolfbron lions because she shudders and turns tail, scrambling over the sand to bolt.

She didn't realise she wasn't his true target. By the time he turned his assault toward Louve and preventative jaws and paws came for him, she was already in flight.

— Leila is fleeing /exit unless stopped

art © wilthking

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam ╴
I shall either find a way or make one
Cirilla SigrúnIf Cirilla was ever to be described as anything, she was persistent. The muscles in her neck are strained and admittedly she is not sure just how long she can remain in this position, but the swell of blood in her mouth as muscles and flesh tore underneath her grip was exhilarating. This was who she was, who she was destined to be.

Her attempt to reach his throat was perhaps a futile one, and it left her limb vulnerable. Whilst it does find contact with his own right forelimb and chest, presumably leaving lacerations in its wake, the target she had initially aimed for had not been successful. With grit and determination, Cirilla attempts to push forward against Gauthier's larger and heavier frame, attempting to push back on the bruised area of his chest. Gauthier's attempt to latch his claws around her shoulder blade is pushed backward to her right flank instead, lacerations slicing through the already scarred fur that covered her flank.

His jaws, subsequently, miss their target. They do not find a hold upon her neck where it meets the jut of her fight shoulder. Her forward movement means that instead his teeth find grip on her right tricep, where the meat and muscle lay. His teeth sink easily into her flesh, but no pain is felt from his attempts (who knew the result of her drowning would be so effective?).

Cirilla attempts to keeps hold of his shoulder, her teeth attempting to grip firmly on the lacerations she had made. She feels the significance of his weight and something in her mind clicks: she attempts to thrash her head side to side, attempting to rip and tear crucial tendons within his shoulder.

She, for the most part, was not going to be uprooted or overturned. Cirilla was here to stay - by hook or by crook.

Cirilla vs @Gauthier
for Caladan Cove
Round three of five

Hits:

Rolling 7d20: 9 + 5 + 2 + 17 + 18 + 1 + 4

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 11 + 8 + 18 + 14

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 2 + 8 + 10 + 7 + 6

fernweh's attack catches onto the girl's face. there's no regret, no despair for injuring a teen in her chest as fernweh prepares for ottilie's counterattack. she's seen enough and experienced enough to know fatigue from blood loss. this time, it's the former, and she can feel it in the strain of her hindlegs and the sore aching muscles coiled in her front. the battle is ending soon for her and the girl, and fernweh desires her to win once more. she cannot dodge ottilie's attack and resigns to her fate as several inches of teeth and claws sink into her skin. this position allows fernweh to be closer to her opponent, enough so that she twists her neck to the side and attempts to bite down at the closest flesh. the sudden outpour of blood causes her hind legs to almost collapse, but by sheer will, fernweh persists in standing up.

fernweh vs @Ottilie
for minor maim
move: 4 / 4
Hits:

Rolling 6d20: 3 + 1 + 2 + 20 + 9 + 8

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 4 + 15 + 16 + 10

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 2 + 18 + 10 + 5 + 3

ART COPYRIGHT RABS / CODE COPYRIGHT ANALESE

Why did it have to be like this? Was war the only thing these lions cared about? The Savante were warriors by Earth and by Blood but not even they were as thirsty for violence like those that now surrounded them.

Lilliana had only wanted to be a good medic. To mend her family and pride incase they became hurt. But now she knew. Now it rang true more than ever. Stay clear of any call to Challenge. Even if every man in her family attended, she would need to stay away.. Or at the very least stay hidden nearby until the coast was clear.

She was going to agree with @Angelo. Have her uncle-figure and cousin escort her away from this madness. But then @Dragos was seen barreling. And horror filled her vision as Angelo departed to stop him. @Valerian edged as if he too would leave her. But from the Earth came @Valens. Her father was there in a flash, heeling Valerian and setting them all three up for the defensive. Like you even have to ask. She said in response to not being a hero. Lilliana was not a warrior. She had never cared for fighting. Had never cared to be pushed and clawed and bitten by her bigger stronger relatives to even practice self defense. But now as she looked around at all the blood thirsty jackals that encircled them, she was beginning to rethink it.
Perhaps I have something to calm Dragos. She offered, but she would not step away the protective barrier. They would all have to go together.

Table code by Zodiac