She had awoken to a subtle shift in the air, as if a switch had flipped in some proverbial time and space. She emerged from the small enclave she had taken residence up in, stretching slowly- carefully as she looked around. Helah always took time to stretch, taking each leg and extending it slowly- because what if someone was watching?

When she was finally done, she would give herself a little shake, before descending from her enclave, heading down in search of water- and perhaps a meal. Yet, she would not move in any hurry- merely swaggering along giving any of the lesser people - ie- anyone but her... a chance to speak with her if they wished.

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When the lion had emerged from his den this morning it was to discover the seasons had finally shifted; winter had begun its conquest of the bluffs. A bitter breeze layered over the cold stone, edging water sources in frost, but this treacherous kingdom was not yet slick with ice and snow. Nor was it so late in the season that the ranger was unable to bring down a fresh kill; and he would manage to claim a mountain goat for himself, the activity allowing the titan to warm his belly and his blood. The stone was cold as he settled upon it, a contrast to the heat of his dark skin, and he had not quite begun to tear into the creature when a subtle movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He swung his skull around to find Helah descending down the side of the mountain. She was one of the few faces in these parts that were familiar to the giant, and thus he chuffed in her direction – his baritone mild but pleasant. “Morning,” He followed with a greeting, glinting eyes sweeping over her meticulously. Was she on her way somewhere? “Care for a bite?” Regardless, it seemed rude not to offer her a piece or two of his meal-not when it was so freshly felled, and much more than he could ingest in one sitting. @Helah ♔

In all her luxurious stretching, she hadn't expected this dark colossal statuesque male to be the first one she would see this morning. However, she was far from disappointed. A wide coy, smile stretches across her lips as she looks up at him slowly, until her own pink gaze meets his red one and she stretches up on her tiptoes to make that less of a strain on her neck, as she smirks at him. "Well good morning to me- handsome." She purrs. "Who the hell are you and where have you been hiding?" She asks him.

There's a slight jerk of her head at his burden, "A bite? With you? Absolutely. I'd take far more than a bite or two from you." She says sassily. "My name is Helah. Who are you, other than gorgeous?" She asks him, preening a bit, as she looks up at him again.

@Marius

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It was true that her ivory-contoured features were more familiar to him than the others of Wolfbron, but it was not for any previous discourse had between them. Instead, it was the hunts or larger gatherings that predisposed them to interact or rather, gather, without the benefit of having learned names or attitudes. So, her coy smile and fervent greeting met an unprepared ranger, who lifted a brow and felt twinges of an unexpected smile at the edges of his mouth. “We’ve seen each other before, I believe.” He protested evenly, a warmth existing in his tone that hadn’t been present earlier. This lioness continues, accepting his proposal without coming forward to claim it-and as she was clearly competent with words and wielding them skillfully, the ranger was far more experienced in physical cues. “Marius,” He answers, eyes trained to her figure as his toes drum against the prize that he had pulled down. “If you’d like a bite, Helah, you are welcome to it.” He replies, deliberately vague, skirting around her flirtation without quite dismissing it. “Even two, if it suits you.” His paw flexes before pushing the meal towards her, claret eyes seeking to catch her rosy hues, his brow quirked in silent invitation. @Helah ♔

there's a warmth in his tone as he protests his words that creates a furrow in the soft white fur of her brow as she tilts her head ever so slightly considering him. "hmm, perhaps so- but I can't imagine not noticing you before. Someone as handsome as you, should have commanded my attention." She coos, as she makes to stalk around him slowly to size him up, appreciate every inch of him visually. "And where would that have been?" She asks of him, her voice dripping with a vocal sort of honey, as she would aim to come to stand before him again- satisfied with her observation of him.

'Marius.' What a delightful name, it rolls in her mind, so well, that she tests it- to see how it rolls from her tongue. "Marius." She tests it, savoring the sound of it. "Handsome name for a handsome fella." She says.

Rosey eyes do not miss the meal he pushes towards her, her nostrils flaring slightly as she takes in the musky, meaty, scent of it. She inhales the scent of it deeply, and exhales slowly, her eyes perhaps dilating some, as she lowers her head to take a closer sniff of it, to nudge the meal, before she looks up at him. "Oh, I'll definitely take that second bite." She rumbles darkly.

Her legs fold beneath her, as a paw comes to rest against part of the meal, inviting him with the other front leg to join her with a gesture, "So, Marius- tell Helah about yourself." She invites, before fixing him with her rosy colored gaze and focusing rather intently on him.

@Marius

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He feels the heat of her gaze on him, those primrose pink eyes surveying him where he lay, one paw cast over the meat like a primitive creature. “Well, I imagine the events occupied most of your attention. Ryker’s challenge, for one.” That had been a significant moment in history they had both witnessed; the dissolution of Andal’s monarchy to secure a Sovereign with ties to Wolfbron. Should their sharp-tongued Queen remain on good terms the former noble, it was a beneficial gain for their pride. Claret eyes search hers as he wondered if this would jog any memories, but if not, he was not particularly hurt if she did not remember his presence there. She saunters forward with another meaningful look, and Marius is still and silent until she settles in – her dark voice and posturing appealing to his heated blood. “There is not much to tell.” The dark ranger notices that she hasn’t yet taken a bite, and would stretch a paw passed her muzzle to then drag his long talons back down, across the unopened skin, creating long incisions that would aid her in reaching the tender flesh beneath. “You seem much more interesting. What is your story?” He asks then, ears twitching and gaze returning to hers. @Helah ♔

Marius, gives a name to the male who had challenged the colorful piebald male for his desert throne. Ryker. The male he had challenged had held a scent familiar to Cassandra- her poisoners acquaintance's. Yet, unlike those others she had gathered with.. she hadn't really known much of what was going on. A weakness, she wasn't readily willing to admit to the handsome brute before her. "I must have been distracted by the clashing of warring male bodies," she mused, with a wry grin. "Or i fear maybe I am going blind." A teasing smirk is added to her words this time.

She listens, watching- her eyes studying his claws as they easily slice through flesh- revealing tender flesh to her, as he states that his life isn't interesting. Oh, isn't he the quaint little charmer? She doesn't let her gaze quite leave his eyes, as she leans her head down to lick the prey slowly, her eyes never quiet leaving his- not eating yet, just watching him... slowly...

Before licking her lips. "Oh, I do have an interesting story," she says, before this time she does tear into the creature, taking a massive bite, holding the hunk she has ripped off beneath one paw, before pushing it towards her companion with the other leg- it was his, and she would share with him, while she spoke in between bites. "What do you believe is the core of happiness, Marius?" A question, then, before her story began- so she can craft her tale just for him.

@Marius

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Helah, the silver-tongued and silver-toned lioness, artfully excuses her lack of attention with a perfectly valid claim; the fight for the Oasis crown was naturally the primary focus of every crowd goer. Marius did not begrudge her this, nor were his feelings in any way harmed by the neglect of her awareness. Not being noticed during their shared hunts, however, did sting a bit—he was a ranger first and foremost, and took his practice seriously. For her not to recall his presence at her side or of his involvement in their exploits did bruise his ego just a bit, although he was enjoying their conversation far too much for him to mention it. Dark eyes glittered with a moment of humor. “Understandably,” He rumbles in reply, until she claims it is her eyesight that is failing her. “Let us hope not.” Primrose pink was a much more striking color against her silver fur than an opaque white, in his measured opinion anyway. It becomes clear that the heat of his attention is not lost on the woman as she bends her neck to taste the flesh he had opened for her. Their eyes remained fixed and the titan says nothing, his pupils falling to her mouth as she licks her lips and then returns them both to a state of conversation. It was an abrupt pivot from the mindless state he had been in moments before, but she busies herself with the carcass and even goes so far as to push a piece of the meat in his direction. His brows lift in surprise, but he takes it without protest, and would take a bite just as she levels a question in his direction. “I'm sure I couldn’t say; I’m not much for philosophy.” He replies evasively, chewing his bite slowly as he considers the silver woman, curious as to where she was heading with this-and what it might have to do with her story. @Helah ♔

She grins at his words, pointing at her own eyeball with a claw- now bloodied by the hunk of meat. "Ah, but they're likely failing. Probably going to be a blind lonely crone sooner than expected." She said with a cackle. She drops her paw, the potential threat of her own claw to her rosy orb gone in an instant, but she goes back to her meal instead. She takes a bite, chewing slowly- watching him carefully.

Not much for philosophy. Well, most aren't- a sentiment, she echoes. "Most aren't." She says with a grin. "Well, I for one believe that happiness is a lie. It is something I was told by my dear mother as a cub. Follow the rules, Helah and be a productive member of the pride- and you will be happy. Follow the orders of the hunt, follow your mentors wishes. Blah, Blah, Blah." She picks up a piece of meat in her claws and waves it around in the air for emphasis.

"Bullshit. Total bullshit. Happiness is as fickle as the seasons. Yet, these foolish creatures in my homeland thought themselves happy- and I was the anti to that. Helah, the oddity. Helah the problem. Helah the cruel." She brought the meat on her claws to her mouth and chewed. "Well, I may or may not have done a thing and that was apparently the last straw for them- the idyllic idiots. Well, the rest is history." Did he need to know what she had done? Probably not. No one could prove she had actually done anything, anyway.

@Marius

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The dark ranger watches as Helah’s claws extend towards her rose-petal hues, he watches as she discards the gesture to savor her meal and he watches her just as she watches him. Their conversation continues as they dine, the tune carried mainly by the silver lioness, although Marius is an attentive audience to the silver-tongued lioness. His silence is not the heavy kind that follows such an incriminating story—there is a part of him that believes she might be exaggerating for effect—but he is undoubtedly curious of the details she left out. “So then, what brings you happiness, Helah?” He asks with lifted brows, his meal ignored for the moment for the sake of their conversation. Marius imagines her to be the mischievous sort, but in the moment struggles to align the silver woman with the titles she had allegedly acquired in her homeland. Cruel? Oddity? A problem? Perhaps, he figures, it was all a simple matter of perspective, and in his line current gazes, she appeared quite fine to say the least. @Helah ♔