More often than not, now, she spends her nights at home. Where once she preferred using the cover of darkness to explore other lands, she's too plagued by paranoia to do so anymore. Quite a few times now their pride has been subjected to grief by the paws of others. Even the disappearances she blames on others, on strangers and enemies, unable to know it was the mist instead. And so she now patrols when shadows disguise shapes, knowing that night is when predators wake and roam, all too aware a takedown is easiest beneath the pale light of the moon.

Diligently wandering the areas that her pride members most often bed down, brown eyes wide and skimming, Ursula notices the filtering of forms in a single direction. At first she suspected nothing, thinking one or two members might be out for a stroll just as she. But as another, then one more, and there goes two-- Their synchronization is peculiar, sparking curiosity in her, and the huntress moves quietly to follow. Tracking them down is easy, as none of them go far, and she joins them without fanfare in the clearing. With a glance around, she notices attention is on Apollinaire in particular, and deduces it is he that has called. Still a stranger, she knows not why he wants them, but Amara's presence earns the deaf lioness's participation.

Leaning into a seated position, she settles in to wait, hoping that whatever this is about, it'll at least be fun.

coded by flea + background credit

One by one shapes began to trickle in. The man who sat in the middle with an aura of confidence cast his crimson gaze towards the spotty, small form of @Echo, who was the first to arrive. A charming smile was sent her way, daring to study her under the pretense of a greeting. A distinct maroon male (@Tripfire), younger than Apollinaire by a few years and sporting pale hairs, was the second to arrive. He received a nod of greeting just as @Ryker approached the small group with a question of his own. Before he could answer, Amara's dark shape emerged and the Queen responded alongside @Charax ( ever the temptress ). "Oui," He said simply, waiting for others to arrive before he could fully explain why he'd summoned them all here.

@Lycaonia, @Hazarin, @Andromache, @Mithros, and @Ursula arrive. Apollinaire was pleased with the swiftness of their appearance until nobody else showed up. The Dieudonne felt irritation nip at the edges of his mind, trickling like venom past the crevices. That's it? He maintained a composed demeanor, not allowing the fact that he was offended by the low attendance. The Bluffs was a giant pride from what the hellion had seen - and he will be able to see and judge the skills of just a mere one-third of the army? He cast a subtle glance towards @Amara, hinting at nothing in particular, but wondering what reaction he'd find there.

Seeing is there was no more time to waste, Apollinaire cleared his throat to grab their attention. Then, he spoke: "Bonsoir, thank you for coming zonight," The few that even came. "As notre Reine confirmed, I've gathered you all zho test your strength for zhe upcoming battles." Ah, he just couldn't wait! It was evident by the pull on the edge of his lip that the idea of raiding was an exciting prospect. "I will not waste your precious time, my friends. Everyone pick a sparring partner, and begin." He would let them pick amongst themselves. "Bien sûr, I shall fight too - anyone zhat wants zho dance with me zonight please do step forward!" With a swift, dance-like movement ( bizarre, like some strange performance ), the neat lion stood up - preparing for his partner.

Beelzebub, who is ordinarily one of the most prompt members of the pride, is not in the Bluffs when she hears the call. She is perched at her altar in the grove beneath the face of a full moon, communing with her gods. She recalls @Apollinaire from when he had first come to join them, but he has been a stranger since; or rather, she's been one, considering her unanticipated absence these last few months. She rumbles a soft sigh, gathers up her things and apologizes for cutting her prayer short before she turns and makes for home. One would expect the night to be peaceful and uninterrupted by summons, which is why she often chooses such a time to depart the pridelands. She does not rush, but nor is she in any way lackadaisical as she makes her way back up the familiar slopes, her ears flickering when she hears @Amara's call added to the summons. The Bezra arrives quietly in the shadowy outskirts of the group, managing to catch the majority of Apollinaire's accented speech before he commands them to pair off. She's never been the sort to back down from a challenge, and rather than look to the more familiar faces of her pridemates or siblings, her gaze settles with intrigue upon the one who has gathered them here. Slipping past Amara, she makes her way towards the swarthy lion, her head tilting ever so slightly in keen observation of him. He must be proving his worth if he's still here after all her time away, and Bee cannot help but feel somewhat out of the loop — by no making of her own. "I don't dance, but I would like to fight you," she states with a thin smirk; her humor is often the dry sort, but it's genuine all the same and meant in good nature. She is well aware that she is choosing perhaps the most difficult partner here — other than Amara — but in this, she also recognizes that she is likely to learn more from Apollinaire than from anyone else.

image by koafox, code by koi

Late, Xavier prowls in at the back end of Apollonaire's words -- everyone pick a sparring partner. His eyes trawl over to Bee, watching as she steps up to fight the Dieudonnè man, and though he is familiar with her, he puts his bets on famille. The man had bested Cassine after all.

Gaze scrapes around those gathered, lips pressed into a thin and stoic line. He collects that he's the youngest here by far -- the rest are adults. Mismatched eyes pick out the two smallest here at the gathering: the speckled and familiar Echo, and a somewhat unfamiliar red-maned man, one he'd seen around but not yet met formally (@Hazarin). Unfamiliar, unmet, untested and unproven by Xavier in the boy's eyes. He gets that itch in his paws then, that hungry desire for a fight sneaking back up when given permission.

He strides forward, budding colossal form still beneath that of the large adults, but grown quite near to Hazarin's small build. Aware that this is an event, even if it is a brawl, he restrains himself from just leaping upon the man.

"Tu," You, comes the slightly accusatory word, eyes piercing the man pointedly, "Je ne te connais pas. Combat moi." I don't know you. Fight me. His claws grip the earth and his tail sways slowly behind him, steady, intense gaze unblinking upon Hazarin, prepared to let the man take the first move, as much as it pains him to give the polite warning before fighting him.

xavier
vs
@Hazarin
for
spar / training / dominance!

round zero of three

Art by Rabbit, table by cala

singing softly a siren's song, Nothing about this screamed to her benefit. Fighting wasn't her strong suit nor did she want to make it as much. Ears flicked back to her blonde skull as she balked at the idea of training in any physical fashion. With the pride leader there she mustn't dally. Sunset toned eyes searched those present, finding @Charax among the group. The other lioness appeared in better physical form than she, but it was better than not fulfilling the wishes of the pride's top tier lions.

Bobbed tailed body moved to stand square to the brown lioness. Blonde head had lowered between her shoulders, speckled form looking not entirely confident as she faced the other woman. A low challenging noise issued between her lips just before her jaws had parted at the ready, though she was not intent on making the first move.

Lycaonia is challenging Charax to a spar/dominance match.

^{code by wallflower bg by kracken}

ooc: I hope you don't mind <3

Maybe it was the left over childish stupidity that hadn't washed out in his growing stages, but Tripfire let a grin widen on his lips at the announcement. Oh a great chance to cut loose than! Turning his eyes hungerily on the crowd, one could almost see that even though adopted he held a similar flame to the pure blooded Dieudonne's around him. Eyes landed on a larger lion, brilliant mane (like his own) and dark coloration.

Standing up he strutted forward to face him and nodded his head in a quick jerk, the french tone rolled off his tongue as it had done Ambrosine's natural and smooth. "sur tes pieds frère, allons-y!" ("on your feet bro, let's go!") he said tail twitching excitedly while he started to roll his shoulders up a bit. Tucking his chin across his throat to protect it, widening his stance a bit to keep his four legs bent slightly.

Tripfire vs @Mithros
for
Practise
0 // 3

Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 17 + 2 + 4 + 3 + 6

Dodges:

Rolling 3d20: 5 + 17 + 12

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 7 + 2 + 17 + 14 + 15

OOC: Caelum is late bc I am late xD // Anyone who hasn't joined / doesn't have a partner, feel free to challenge Caelum for funsies (or dominance) whatever!

---

A couple beckoning chuffs in the distance had Caelum's ears perking as he lounged on the cool rocks of the bluffs. His favorite pastime was finding a jutting rock to sit upon and feel like he was the king of everything, to look down on the peasants of the world - just mere dots in the distant savannah. It was brilliant, and even if it was all in his own head, it was fun.

But watch the peasantly ants grew tiring after a while, and when he heard @Apollinaire's chuffs, he heeded them. Granted, his slow ambling had gotten him there late and by the time he arrived in the clearing, most of the lions that attended already had a sparring partner. Training? Caelum could feel a cool shiver zip down his spine and suddenly his claws felt very hungry.

His icy gaze swept back and forth throughout the pack of lions, and his tail swished in interest. He would stand there until he found someone without a partner, or perhaps one so brave enough to challenge him.

ART

If there was anything he could easily take away from this training event was that he realized he didn't much like being called bro... even by a bro. So to match that wild energy Mithros gave a dulled eyes as his body lifted off from the ground. He did a mild stretch as quickly as he could, rolling his shoulders back and forwards and shook his mane from left to right. Vous l'avez demandé. (You asked for it.) The Bluffs Gentry rolled the words off his tongue as he took a deep breath and went at @Tripfire without caution. The brother-not brother wanted a fight and Mithros was going to give it to him. Immediately attempting to swing his right front claws out to Tripfire's left shoulder while the momentum of his body kept going by another attempt at knocking his head into his long-gone brother dearest's head.

Mithros vs. Tripfire
for Dominance
1 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 6d20: 10 + 17 + 16 + 3 + 20 + 5

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 7 + 19 + 15 + 20

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 1 + 16 + 6 + 18 + 11

* permission from Squid (and Kai) to oversee the time stamp on Tripfire's initial post and ignore the accidental dice in round 0 *

table by sentinel

ooc: I hope you don't mind <3

Tripfire knew he had left siblings behind, he didn’t expect to be welcomed with open arms. Not in this family, maybe if he had been adopted into something a bit... softer it would be different. But this suited him fine, he’d show Mithros that having his brother back was not a negative in his life.

A short laugh left his lungs when Mithros spoke, he replied quickly, ” pas de merde petit frère“ (”no shit, little brother!”) The boy turned man moved to come at him, lips peeled back into a snarl while he braced himself for impact. However he had expected a shoulder not his friggen skull! Tripfire stepped back in shock but could not dodge it, searing pain ripped through his nose when his brother’s heavy skull collided with his sensitive nose. Instantly blood spurted free from it and he felt tears well in his eyes from the pain. Blinking them away he felt claws rip into his shoulder leaving lacerations in their wake. Those did not compare to the pain in his nose however.

A snarl ripped through his throat, driven by pained rage he attempted to clamp his jaws across Mithros’ muzzle on the bridge of his nose. Meanwhile his left paw swung up attempting to hook his extended claws into the side of his brother’s face. Tail lashing for balance while he kept his three limbs bent and ready and his eyes narrowed for protection.



Tripfire vs @Mithros
for
Practise
1 // 3

Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 20 + 12 + 14 + 11 + 16

Dodges:

Rolling 3d20: 8 + 13 + 7

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 8 + 15 + 10 + 20 + 18

He watches them patiently, observing as four of his kin ( men, of course, for who else would be more eager to prove that they are not inferior than the Dieudonne men? ) square up. His sanguine gaze shifts, then, towards the earthy shape of a thick-haired girl, much younger but no less ambitious, approaching him. Oh? His smirk widens, excited that he has quickly received his own match for tonight.

"A fight, a dance - are zhey not zhe same, mon chéri?" He states theatrically, his body twisting and twitching in odd directions. Of course, he understands her joke but prefers to emphasize on his own queerness. With that being said, he saw no point in dallying any further - they were both prepared, and he was very excited to begin their dance.

The suave lion springs forward, attempting to approach her head-on, his left shoulder jutting forward in an attempt to collide with his younger opponent's chest. Right paw lifts, talons unsheathed, and he attempts to rake them across Beelzebub's left shoulder.

Apollinaire vs. @Beelzebub
Dominance
Round 1 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 6d20: 2 + 15 + 17 + 4 + 3 + 10

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 4 + 9 + 8 + 6 + 2

Luck:

Rolling 6d20: 18 + 2 + 14 + 1 + 16 + 11