My name is Brutus

He stands upon the threshold, darkening the islands doorstep with his indecision. But the jackal is nothing if not determined, and there is truly only one way forward. There is a marked difference between a few paces back and a few steps forward; the air is thick with scents ( stale and fresh alike ) and the sand beneath his paws has been walked over. Pale gaze sweeps down, idly following the few distinct paths. This place was heavily traveled, and certainly there was a reason. The sun rises behind him as the jackal continues on, making his way into the passage proper.

Was this the place he sought?

( was this the place he needed? )

but the people will call me Rex

code by anyu

She finds herself among the passage again, mulling about. Sersie had hoped a position such as this would bring her more thrill than it has so far, but who was to truly complain? She had been given the grern light to do what her will intended, with few if any restrictions.

The pale tripod walks in an iconic cadence, her body still recovering from the fight. Wearing scars like badges of honor, gory toes upon her viney laden neck. A real sight to behold. A gory, rugged brilliance.

Just when she had considered walking back to the Oasis and calling it quits for now, her singular gaze falls upon a pale wheaten stranger. Her strides quicken enough to catch up, giving a low sultry growl as a greeting.

"New here?" she asks, "Or are you just looking for a new place to call home?"



@Lucian

code by daanyan, Art by Ink

Count on one Bruno to seek after the scent of a rogue male. The boy-king stalked through the passage at dawn, none too subtle in how he busied his paws in order to distract himself. It was only too convenient for him that there was a never-ending list of chores for a king to perform – at least, if they intended to be any good at the job. His paws pressed neat prints into the sands as he strode forward, eventually picking out the silhouettes of a pair of lions at the other edge of the scene

"Welcome to Amaryllis," Bruno called out a greeting, polite yet never quite warm. As he neared, he realized it was a lioness who had already approached, and –– where did her other leg go? Inexperience had him staring for a moment longer than he would have liked before Bruno tore his attention fully. stubbornly to the rogue.

"There are many prides here that would try to win you over." He informed the stranger, quirking a brow with interest as he tried to gauge just how receptive the lion might be to such offers.

---

|| september y10 | three years | EM high sovereign | at maua's passage | @Lucian @Sersie ||_{BG — ART — CODE}

The red woman made her way towards the passage. She was admittedly a bit uncertain about how well or not well she would do recruiting for the Rainforest but the only ones to tell her would be experience, right? So the giant padded silently into the sands, finding she didn't miss the way it count to her fur and between her toes.. the Oasis had been nice enough but the sand had been awful.

She saw a three legged lioness and found herself blinking bi colored gaze in mild shock. 8mpressed with the woman's fortitude, she gave @Sersie a nod. It took a great deal of geit to recover and thrive from such an injury. She let her gaze assess the others battlescarred form before her gaze landed on. @Bruno ♔. A young lion by the looks of it, smelling the faint scent of the swamplands.

"They are correct... I'm Kireena... From the Rainforest. ." She was reminded of her own somewhat recent venture into the lands and let her thoughts wander back to where and how things had gone for her then. @Lucien seemed older.. and she hoped perhaps the lion would have skills to put to use within Firnen.

ART BY VASILIA, CODE BY LARS

My name is Brutus

Somehow, he's not surprised when he's joined by another.

This seemed a busy place, after all. Attention shifts to sersie as she emerges, walking ( almost ) easily upon three legs. She smells of the sands and something in his heart lurches. A pang of nostalgia, of homesickness so strong it almost makes him weak in the knees. But lucian is nothing if not good at this; he ignores it well enough and his Roman features remain placid. Not even the sight of @Sersie's injury is given more than a small blink, as he's much more interested in her words. Both, I think, he answers easily enough -- the truth, for once.

He was keen to stay, although he wasn't sure for how long.

They're soon joined by another, darker in color and younger by far. The boy is not quite as subtle with his lingering gaze, though lucian meets it when it turns his way all the same. amaryllis, this place was called; information given easily enough, and the scout is quick to file it away. A pointed ear angles towards @Bruno ♔ at his second comment, an almost-offer hiding there. Is your pride one of them? He asks in a quiet, lilting voice. Almost amused, certainly intrigued.

Then, another. He'd been right to assume this way a meeting ground of some sorts. Given their introductions -- and their welcomes -- maybe most stumbled through this beach.The woman is as large as she is russet, the dawning light seemingly setting her ablaze. She is @Kireena ♞, of the rainforest, and he offers her a simple nod. I am Lucian, he says aoftly, flat voice lilting at the opportunity presented here. I suppose I am looking for a place to stay -- might any of your prides have need for a scout? He was all that and more, but it was better to start small.

He was already pledged to another banner, after all.

but the people will call me Rex

code by anyu

There is visible agitation to the way her features crinkled under thick, scarred skin. Her brow tips down as two more approach, effectively making her job a lot more difficult. The stranger was too old to simply claim, so Sersie was now forced to use words. Not exactly her strong suit.

A roll of her good eye as the proclaimed Mire King speaks, and barely more than a passing glance at the red lioness. The Noble of Andal honestly didn't give a rats ass.

"The desert has more to offer than the comforts of fat swamp-smelling fools and beasts of the humid jungle." she says, her attention fully back on the rogue @Lucian "In the oasis, we have few rules. A conglomerate of free will, beckoned by our Queen. Sand and sun and warmth, as far as the eye can see." she says the tip of her tail twitching excitedly "We need capable people, and you appear to be such. Do not squander what talents you have with people who would not use it"

Her gaze flicks over to @Bruno ♔ and @Kireena ♞ momentarily, as if making a point with her last string of words.

code by daanyan, Art by Rabbit

He glanced briefly at the next one to join them: a Goliath among mortals, maned like a man yet distinctly perfumed otherwise. What a waste. Bruno backpedaled to take in her introduction, Kireena of the rainforest, before turning back to the man with a contrasting lack of mane.

"Is your pride one of them?" He asked, and Bruno's gaze shone in matching amusement.

"It might be," he answered vaguely, twitching his tail behind him as he allowed his mind to wander over the sentiment. Thus far, the rogue had done little to earn the swamp lion's ire – an increasingly rare feat on those passage journeys. He introduced himself as Lucian, though the title of scout proved far more intriguing to the king than a mere name.

The cripple spoke up first, her tone like harsh gravel against skin as she made sweeping accusations against strangers, in his case. Bruno's jaw set itself without him realizing, his temple flaring somewhat as the only evidence to give away how his stomach burned. He should have recognized a banshee when he saw one, he scolded himself inwardly. He only wished he had been the one to strike her down.

"How charming," Bruno drawled with a pointed stare. "If you're done with your speech... Ecrosia Mire has some actual leadership," he started, scoffing at the low bar that was set. "I have use for a scout. I'm willing to match initiative with comfort and power," Bruno explained with a curt nod. He kept his lips purposefully tight, not willing to divulge specifics such as ranks or power structures where any old filth could pick it up.

---

@Kireena ♞ @Lucian @Sersie_{BG — ART — CODE}

Kireena's bi-colored gaze shot towards @Sersie when she spoke, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to know the tripod was insulting them. The red giant showed no outward signs of knowing such things before she turned her gaze towards @Bruno ♔ as the Mire lion spoke of a use for the talents of a scout. Kireena returned her gaze towards @Lucian when it seemed to be her turn to speak.

"You'll find a use of your talents in the Rainforest as well. Effort and showmanship of your talents earns rank within Firnen. You'll have freedom to do with that what you wish. Don't attack our allies, but beyond that whatever information you find and choose to divulge will only give you momentum within the pride."

She wasn't going to be dumb enough to make empty promises she knew her rank wouldn't allow her to keep - however she knew that with the war looming on the horizon with Obsidian and possibly their allies...a scout would be not only an invaluable asset, but a great advantage.

ART BY VASILIA, CODE BY LARS

My name is Brutus

@Sersie seems a hard woman. A survivor. She smells of sunwarmed sands and it's an easy thing to be blinded by it. To feel the pull of home even in a foreign land. Her mention of a queen, though, leaves him with only doubt; he needs information more than he needs nostalgia.

@Kireena ♞'s rainforest could work, though he did not like the idea of serving a nameless ruler. even if the freedom offered was... tempting. It's always hard to enter places like this, where he has no power nor information. But both would come in time.

He would not mind the oasis, but... lucian's long, skinny tail flicks back and forth at his ankles. The steady rhythm of a clock's pendulum as he weighs his options -- attention falling on bruno. For a king ( albeit a young one ) to come and grovel with the others.... all for the likes of him?

Such a thing was unheard of.

He wanted to learn more.

Finally, his sculpted muzzle turns towards @Bruno ♔. It would be the boy's crown that wins him today, if not tomorrow. The mire, then. If you'll have me, the jackal says, a question with little inflection. To the others he gives a small nod,, polite and efficient to both women in kind. He might have felt bad for turning down their gracious offers but the freedom to do so was new, intoxicating. Even now as he pledges himself to another, there's no real risk to lose it.

Still, he's curious to see just how long his new leash might be.

but the people will call me Rex

code by anyu

The red giant would give @Lucian and @Bruno ♔ a nod of her skull, as well as a passing nod towards @Sersie as she would turn to step away. There were other chances within the passage to find and recruit for the Rainforest. She would just have to keep trying. Perhaps - she would have better luck with the next one that came along.

The woman would slip away, unphased by the loss of a member - but hoping that he would find his way within the mire as Bruno had promised.. She would need to speak to Ryker eventually - find out exactly what things the Rainforest king wanted known about the pride and what things he wished to have kept separate.

//Exit//

ART BY VASILIA, CODE BY LARS