i am the storm / and im coming for you

it was a dark and dreary dark, full of thick gray clouds lording from above. they watched faustine slip from her den. she had turned one year as of today, one year of life, and one year of carrying the dieudonne blood. she had thought she was content with what she had. yet, as faustine grew, she desired more. more than just her family's little ghoul, more than just a princess living beneath the care and reign of mother and grandmother. faustine wanted a piece of what some have -- the potential to rule her own kingdom someday in the future. she was not stupid. for faustine knew that her youth impaired her still for now. thus, becoming a heiress was the only stake she must crush. it was ripe for the taking after that woman took andal oasis. after all, wolfbron was the seat of the dieudonne family. how utterly perfect would it be for another dieudonne to become the new heir?

faustine stalked through the land, a disconcerting rumbling spilling from her mouth. the air tasted stale, but hungry as if it desired the rendering of flesh and blood. the ghoul pressed herself against the cold shades, content to be where the darkness was at its most plentiful until she was forced to leave it for the middle of the bluffs. this place had seen many fights, so here she shall call her family and the lions who served beneath them. her mouth opened wide, yellow fangs glistening. and she roared for everyone to come.

faustine vs ???
for heiress

CODE BY DAANYEN + ART BY HUSH

+5 Observe a fight (?)
+5 Patrol your borders
+5 Maintain your weapons

Today was a special day.

How quickly his sweet little doves have grown - it almost felt as if their existence was a simple dream that he had yet to wake from. They were no longer waddling around the den, taking their first steps and attempting to latch their teeth into anything that breathes.

Well... perhaps one thing remained the same.

Ah, but who was he to deny them the treasures of this world? Instead he encouraged their hunger, fed their ambition... they were certain to rise up one day and lead their generation toward success.

His patrol was a daily thing, and his lithe limbs took him down the markers placed by Amara and Louve, stalking the borders like a lone ghoul. Unfortunately, there were no brave souls to entertain him, and perhaps that was good... but not when he was so dreadfully bored.

He was planning on bringing the girls a gift for their coming of age later. A gift fit for Dieudonne Queens. @Faustine, however, had other plans as her papa came to find out when her call rose above the Bluffs.

He paused, one brow lifted to mark his intrigue. Cannot say he hadn't expected it, it would be a shame if none of his and Louve's progeny sought to take power. After all, they were the children of two very ambitious parents. Louve had done the very same thing the moment she had turned one year.

It was bittersweet to witness.

He immediately changed course, turning to pace toward the call. On his way, he sharpened his claws upon one red rock, his talons leaving marks upon the surface. He arrived only to Faustine's shape lingering. The call was fresh and he was unsurprisingly the first to arrive.

The General shot his daughter an approving and encouraging smile, excitement evident upon his features. He sat down, wondering if one of her sisters will step up. Who will it be?

baby, you’re a haunted house

FAUSTINE is not the one lurking, here.

Nor is the only one with ambition in her veins.

Of course, lazare is a different beast -- they share the same blood but that is where their similarities end. FAUSTINE prowls, lazare prances. One salivates, the other simpers. Mottled paws carry her through the bright sunlight ( because to her it is shining ), pushed and pulled forward towards the sound of her sister's game.

Because to her, it is a game.

everything is.

There is no attempt to disguise herself or her approach, waltzing towards the shadowed princess. It's only when she catches sight of @Apollinaire that her course changes, taking a moment to purr as she leans against his foreleg. A brief, fleeting touch as her world tilts, muzzle raising to look up at him. Maybe it's the excitement in his eyes, or a glimmer of the sun only she can see, but the echo of FAUSTINE's call thrums in her ears. oh! that's right! She had called for a reason!

And with that, lazare smiles -- glassy and vacant as always -- and launches forward.

Unsheathed claws scrabble against the red rock as she goes, attempting to approach her sister from the front. Brazenly, excitedly -- her mottled tail wags behind her, the delight bubbling in her chest evident across every inch of skinny frame. She does not wait for her sister to start the game; just like during their familial hunt lazare is the first to dive in, head-first. There's A skip in her step and as she gets closer, her right front paw rises up and jerks out -- attempting to strike at her sister's left shoulder. étiqueter! Vous l'êtes! (tag! You're it!) She sing-songs even as her jaws snap forward, aiming and attempting to latch onto the lower portion of faust's right cheek.

And, oh, lazare is delighted to play.

lazare vs. @Faustine
For "heiress"
Round 1 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 3d20: 19 + 18 + 8

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 6 + 9 + 11 + 4

Luck:

Rolling 6d20: 5 + 6 + 10 + 13 + 14 + 7

better find another superstition!

code by anyu

The call brought back flashes of when her own daughters fought for the rank, the ability to take over the pride. Amara had been surprised when Louve won but her daughter had earned the right. Amara wouldn't take that from her and soon after, Sev left. Time hadn't been easy to Louve but she had taken her place not only in the pride but also the family. Things had worked out as they should have and Amara was proud of Louve.

The grandmere arrived and stood next to the proud father as the two yearlings started their fight. Amara would watch them both carefully and would wait this time to judge. Amara wondered if either of them had talked to Louve about this and if it had been given her blessing not just as their mother but also as the leader of the family. She wasn't about to stop things to check so she waited. The outcome of this fight would be up to @Louve though since this challenge could mean more and that wasn't her place anymore.

you be the lamb, and I'll be the slaughter

code & art

of all her sisters, faustine had not expected @Lazare to be the one who answered. she also was glad that the lions that had came to watch were her immediate family, but faustine now wished maman would come as well. surely louve would come when she wanted to. for now, it was time to taste her first real battle as a yearling.

it should be tactful of her to dodge, but for faustine her mind never worked that way. as her paws sunk into the ground, she felt lazarae's paw strike against her shoulder, creating a bruise that rippled with pain. her jaws opened, but no sound came out. the next move from lazare was to lunge at her lower cheek, which faustine did dodge, but barely so. bloody but small cuts appeared right where her beloved sister wanted them to. good. very good. the scent of blood excited her much more than a bloodless battle. her lips peeled back as faustine lowered herself, then she struck forth and attempted to grab onto her sister's lower ankle (her left) just as she twisted her body. this move was done by the crocodiles faustine watched as a child. she was not a true reptilian, but she was envious of their beauty and ferocity. what would happen to lazare if she was able to deliver her attack?

faustine vs lazare
For heiress
i ii iii
Hits:

Rolling 4d20: 17 + 16 + 6 + 7

Dodges:

Rolling 3d20: 13 + 8 + 4

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 7 + 8 + 15 + 6 + 1

code: cala | art: drifty

Head swivels as the young princess’ call reaches his ears. Interest piqued, it doesn’t take long for his coarse to change. Having been near the opposite side of the territory it takes him longer than expected to reach where two of Louve’s children danced. Emerald gaze moves momentarily from their fight to land on the male who had been at his own challenge for a rank. It did not go unnoticed that his red eyes matched Faustine’s. But other than that, he knew nothing of the male. Standing clear of the two yearlings he would move towards @Amara , to sit at her side to watch. Haunches would fall on her right side, close, but far enough that their pelts did not touch each other. Head would stay turned towards the fight, only his gaze would shift towards her own. "they are strong." he says simply, French words quiet. As much a compliment to her as to their mother. "any preference?" he asks, half joking, half expecting her to have an answer. Either way he couldn’t help but be curious.

"speech."

The ending of your Life

Have you heard the news that you're dead? No one ever had much nice to say. I think they never liked you anyway. Oh take me from the hospital bed. Wouldn't it be grand ain't it exactly what you planned. And wouldn't it be great if we were dead

code by corvus

it was everything she expected and more. louve joins the gathered few, showing only a flicker of disappointment that there was not more of the pride come to watch. this was their heiress after all, for the matriarch and sovereign had no intention of stopping her young daughters. let them fight and let them rise in a spray of blood much as their mother had done. history repeated itself, and truthfully her biggest regret was that none of her own siblings were here to witness it.

louve takes her place beside @Apollinaire, for there was no spot she would have preferred. pride shines clear in her eyes as she glances briefly up at him, certain she would see the same emotion reflected there. "how they've grown*," she purred quietly to him, only mildly surprised that it was @Lazare that had answered @Faustine's call.

for a second she looked away from the fight, looking for the siblings that should be here to watch. for @Marcelline and @Solène and @Donatien. surely they would come?

*in french, im lazy lol

code by scorpixia♡︎ | art by Spu

baby, you’re a haunted house

Her paw connects with her sister's flesh, less of a punch and more of a smack. And even then, it's not quite severe -- Lazare’s wrist only aches dully with the impact. But this is fine; judging by the bright shine of her eyes and the wag of her tail, the girl Is having a wonderful time. An even better time, even, when her teeth manage to slice her sister's cheek. Unable to grab hold like she wants to, but still her teeth find purchase upon dark Fur. Blood wells upon her tongue, along with some dislodged fur, and a happy trilling giggle emerges from her throat.

She might not know why they're playing this game, but clearly she's glad they are.

Oblivious to the growing crowd around them and to her sister's next idea, lazare can only roll with the punches -- and when faustine lowers herself towards the ground, her right paw ( the one she'd used to smack ) follows. Aiming to land upon FAUSTINE's left front paw, lazare attempts to slam it down in a fluid motion -- one that is most certainly jostled by the lunge forward.

Another giggle hisses from her mouth, flecked with blood, as faustine grabs hold of her ankle and jerks to the side. A strange thing, to be sure, and she's not completely thrown off balance yet -- but pain slices through ( with teeth or claws, however faustine attacked ), red and red and red upon the rocks. Mixing with dirt and mottled fur, and it only pushes her on. Blood wells in faustines wake and lazare leans forward happily, teeth snapping in an attempt to snag hold of whatever ear was closest to her. Unaware ( or simply not caring? ) At how strange her weight was leaning, balance precarious.

lazare vs. @Faustine
For "heiress"
Round 2 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 3d20: 1 + 16 + 19

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 4 + 2 + 1 + 20

Luck:

Rolling 6d20: 20 + 13 + 3 + 10 + 1 + 5

better find another superstition!

code by anyu

i am the storm / and im coming for you

faustine had never seen her sisters and brother as potential challenges. not that she thought them weak, those things were impossible in such a noble lineage like theirs. so, like lazare here, there was a spark of fun being felt as she fought her. faustine had never thought of battles as fun in such a childish way. however, to her and lazare, this was their own language, told through snarls and teeth.

lost in her own revelry, in her bloodlust, and in her sisterhood towards lazare, she was almost uncaring towards the body that had landed on her paw. yet the pain was there, cracking bones and bruising flesh, and faustine wore her laughter with a growl. at the very least she was able to know what lazare's blood tasted like. to her disappointment, there was nothing special about it. her belly was facing the side and, almost immediately, she took in a deep breath as fangs struck the side of her upper leg. not shallow ones either, but deep enough to draw blood from her flesh. thus, faustine attempted to grab hold of whatever flesh that @Lazare let vulnerable to her. faustine hoped she could return her sister's previous attack with something of equal force.

faustine vs lazare
For heiress
i ii iii
Hits:

Rolling 4d20: 1 + 20 + 10 + 14

Dodges:

Rolling 3d20: 7 + 16 + 15

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 11 + 2 + 6 + 14 + 16

CODE BY DAANYEN + ART BY HUSH

+5 Observe a fight (1/2)
+5 Patrol your borders (1/2)
+5 Maintain your weapons (1/2)

Patient. Silent. Those were qualities that @Faustine may lack, but @Lazare did not. On the other hand, Faustine was a force to be reckoned, a being droven by hunger and primarily hunger. Each quality was unique and was certain to propell the two to great heights, for glory was best harnessed by the ambitious.

So it came as no surprise when @Lazare waltzed, almost with a dance step, onto the scene. Her momentary touch was met with a fatherly smile, encouraging with a hint of curiousity. She always stood on the precipice, and Apollinaire couldn't predict her next action just like he couldn't predict wether it shall storm or whether the sun will shine tomorrow.

But storms were a magnificent thing, and so he vaguely hoped for one.

Smiling one moment then the next Lazare was lunging for her sister. Reaching playfully then baring her teeth. Hot, cold, hot, cold. He observed them with great joy, as if seeing his daughters perform in their first school play.

Except here the swords were not wooden. The blood was not fake.

@Amara's arrival was marked by nothing but her presence, but he made sure to bow respectfully and return his proud gaze upon the duo of girls on the arena. First blood was drawn, the metallic aroma carried into the air to reach the audience. He took a deep inhale, letting the perfume fill his lungs. @Jean-Claude arrived, standing on Amara's free side, his remark making the proud papa beam from one ear to the other. "Ne le sont-ils pas? Ils suivent les traces de leur mère." "Are they not? They follow in their mother's steps." He declared.

Speak of the devil, and she shall appear. @Louve's chartreux shape caught his attention the moment she appeared from behind the redness of the rocks. His gaze full of awe and adoration, and a dose of respect that only Louve could awaken. How they've grown, he did not fail to notice the pride in her electric eyes. "Une force à compter, mon amour," "A force to be reckoned, my love," he bowed deeper now, then pressed his lips against the curve of her neck and down her shoulder in a shameless kiss. "Ils vous suivent." "They take after you." His voice was a mesmerizing barritone, a soft coo.

He himself wondered where the rest of their siblings were. Fashionably late, no doubt. Another trait that they've inherited from their father.