Six weeks she had been on her own. Six weeks of catching nothing but small rodents and the occasional bird, a limited diet for a child of limited skills. She was starving and her stomach did little to hide it - it gurgled and rumbled as she made her trek along the sandbar that would take her there. To Amaryllis, the island her parents had dreamed of for so long. They would never be able to see it, but Andraesa.... Andraesa was right there, just a pawful of steps until she could see the idyllic place that had taken up all of her wildest dreams.

Ahead of her were all sorts of lions, some much older than she, most with some unheard greeting evident on their lips. The hunger subsided for a moment to make room for her curiosity. Where those lions going to greet her like that? She could only hope so as she wandered closer, her ears perked up to catch one of those greetings herself.
"SPEECH"

code by scorpixia♡︎

a children should never be on their own. but faustine wasn't a sympathetic creature, only opportunistic and willing to get as much as she can. with her fur freshly cleaned and groomed until there was a shine upon it, she prowled into the passage, veering straight for the young lioness. they only had a few months apart, but it felt like she towered over her by sheer status alone. faustine smiled, not just to the girl but to herself as well. bonjour, faustine of wolfbron, she said, dipping her head into a polite nod. are you alone? do you need somewhere to stay until your, ah, guardians find you? it was only a superficial display of concern for faustine. she would rather the girl stay with them and train as a future soldier. @Andraesa

ART BY RABBIT, CODE BY LARS

The red giant made her way through the borders of Amaryllis, bi colored gaze landing on the form of @Faustine and another young child @Andraesa. A frown filtered the features of the druid before she approached. Kireena let her gaze noted the Wolfbron dignitary with interest before she looked to the rogue - ears catching the sounds of a rumbling stomach.

"Sweetling....if you're hungry there's plenty in Firnen... But perhaps you're here to reunite with family instead?". She wouldn't claim the girl even if her instinct to protect and care for the young girl were screaming. The red woman never knew who was related to who in these lands. "The Rainforests of Amaryllis are quite beautiful...I could be biased though.". A smile curved her lips as she spoke in amusement.

ART BY VASILIA, CODE BY LARS

The child shook her head, her lilac eyes dancing between the two lionesses in front of her. "No, I ain-" She winces slightly at her own vocabulary - that wasn't correct! "No, I don't have any family." The words are said slowly, carefully, so as not to seem uncouth in front of these shiny new Amaryllis lions.

She stands a little straighter, trying to seem more dignified despite her lingering cub fluff and too-wide eyes. She tries to survey the two in front of her as her parents might: the younger one in built like a hound, with a tucked waist and deep-set eyes. There was something about her that seemed a little off... perhaps it was just how dark her pelt was compared to the other's.

Older and superficially kinder, the red woman spoke to her in a way that the yellow-fanged yearling did not, though Andraesa did not dare share that thought aloud. It was very too rude to say in public company. Still, she tilts her head as the Firnen respresentive offers food and beauty over shelter.

"What's the difference between a Wolfbron and a Firnen? Are they like families?"

@Kireena ♞ @Faustine
"SPEECH"

code by scorpixia♡︎

She slinks along the passage again, the devil in waiting. The tripod demon comes to steal children and wreck someone's day.

Actually, that's exactly what she has planned.

The scene unfolds as do most things in the passage. A bunch of lions flock to a singular rogue and pressure them into joining. But this one is young, fresh meat to be put through the grinder that was life. Naive too. She couldn't hide the feral smile that spread through her entire being.

She hears nothing of what @Kireena ♞ and @Faustine have to offer, but I stead her ears perk up on the sounds of the little one. She strolls in an awkward cadence, but no less bold or confident, before answering the babe "No difference at all, they all bleed the same." she says, before bending into a stance and declaring to the others "And you will have to wait and see, beastie. Because you are coming with me"

Sersie vs ???
Claim for @Andraesa
round 0 / 3

code by daanyan, Art by Rabbit

Kireena would have been content to allow @Faustine to speak first - as she had arrived first, but it was @Sersie who came in and the red giant felt her lip curl in silence. The tripod lioness whos pelt told stories had decided she would just take the child? Not on her watch. A snarl ripped from the Firnen woman's breast as she moved a step towards the Andallan. "She does not." The Noble contested the claim easily enough, knowing that @Andraesa would be given a choice should the rainforest lioness come on top. She would lower her skull, lace her ears to her crown and attempt to lunge to close the distance between herself and the pale female. Jaws would attempt to part as Kireena tried to sink her fangs into Sersei's nape from the others right side, front left limb would lift, talons flashing as she attempted to rake her digits down the Andallan's right ribs. Kireena -vs- @Sersei -for- Andraesa Round -1- of -3- Hits: Rolling 7d20: 17 + 15 + 1 + 6 + 9 + 13 + 14 Dodges: Rolling 5d20: 4 + 2 + 14 + 9 + 3 Luck: Rolling 5d20: 14 + 13 + 12 + 10 + 6

code by koi

Sersie sees the fight coming, she craves it. Nothing more glorious than spilling blood for the sake of it. Even if she is clearly, utterly, outmatched. The red woman barrels upon her, and just as she goes for the nape, her claws swinging (and hit their mark they do) the tripod demon finds her hind legs unleashing the coil.

Her singular front arm attempts to latch itself with darkened claws into the pelt of the red woman's left shoulder. Her own maw opens as she feels Kireena's teeth sink into her neck, her own yellow stained teeth willing, ready, in their attempt to assault in kind. Sersie's rugged maw seeks purchase along the lower region of Kireena's neck, attempting to clamp down as hard as her jaw would allow.

Let the bitch bleed, and let her taste it in full. Sersie was hungry, after all.



Sersie vs. @Kireena ♞
For Andraesa
Round 1 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 4d20: 1 + 2 + 6 + 10

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 16 + 13 + 1 + 2

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 9 + 18 + 12 + 2 + 11

code by daanyan, Art by Rabbit

Like a dog with a bone, Kireena would attempt to wrench her skull back and forth viciously - fangs and jaws trying to hold her grip on the other womans nape. The talons of the tripod sank into her shoulder, and the crimson rolled down her fur, staining it the color of wine. The bite to the lower side of her neck sank in, but missed anything vital. The Firnen noble snarled, trying to lash her earlier lifted forelimb towards Sersie's underside. Normally - she would try to go for the others remaining balancing limb.. but as the woman was already down one, she would be trying to use her weight and size difference in an attempt to knock the other to the ground. Kireena -vs- @Sersei -for- Andraesa Round -2- of -3- Hits: Rolling 7d20: 2 + 19 + 14 + 7 + 20 + 1 + 17 Dodges: Rolling 5d20: 6 + 2 + 9 + 8 + 1 Luck: Rolling 5d20: 6 + 20 + 18 + 8 + 17

code by koi

Staying on her feet is something she cannot do in fights. Well, not anymore. Sersie feels her body slip and teeter, the massive woman entangled between tooth and claw easily overpowering her in the breadth of strength alone.

And so, the pale woman releases her grip as Kireena's head shakes, and her side hits the passage floor with a thud. The wind dares to flee her lungs, but Sersie is ever forceful upon her own body. A snarl erupts from her, as she lashes out with her forepaw once more, hind legs attempting to kick anywhere on the undersides of the giantess Kireena.

Sersie wasn't picky, any old scratch would do.


Sersie vs. @Kireena ♞
For Andraesa
Round 2 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 4d20: 10 + 1 + 19 + 7

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 14 + 3 + 11 + 1

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 4 + 9 + 15 + 8 + 3

code by daanyan, Art by Rabbit

The other female went down and Kireena felt a thrill of victory. She knew that Sersie was at a disadvantage in the balance and size department and intended to show the tripod from Andal what etiquette was. Not that SHE was versed in the unspoken rules of the passage, but it was a benefit if she managed to show the other up. The lashing of the womans talons sliced through her sides, but she would attempt to release the Andallan's nape, trying to snap her jaws towards the flailing front limb. Ears remained pinned and eyes narrowed - knowing she would need to keep the other from shredding her tongue with the attempt. Legs remained balanced now that she was the one standing, to make sure that she wasn't toppled or tugged off balance herself. Kireena -vs- @Sersie -for- Andraesa Round -3- of -3- Hits: Rolling 7d20: 13 + 20 + 4 + 17 + 6 + 1 + 2 Dodges: Rolling 5d20: 11 + 6 + 13 + 9 + 4 Luck: Rolling 5d20: 9 + 14 + 4 + 1 + 17

code by koi