Bring your wife back here.
They are my enemies.

It was a dangerous game he played, a thin line he walked as he tried to determine the best path to take to secure his future. His cubs were growing and the winds of change had swept through Amaryllis yet again -- the lagoon being the most recent target. Still the mist lingered and he had begun to wonder if it would ever leave or if this was simply the new existence they would be forced to suffer. Would it come for the Mire, next?

He had summoned @Erna, had filled her in on his initial visit to the bluffs and the very little he knew of the woman who ruled. Alaric was unsure what he hoped to earn from this visit but he saw no reason to avoid returning at all. This conversation could hold great importance or it could be a waste of time; no matter what it became he was here to have it.

At the borders he stopped and called for @Amara and for @Cassine if she wished to join before he settled back to wait, a final knowing look cast to his wife.

THE THUNDER OF THE DRUMS

table by sentinel / art

Séverine cares little for politics, truthfully. Looking at her parents, what else would one expect? Of course, her mother has been a queen for her entire life, but Amara sees her position as duty, and lacks a silver tongue. The pale girl is not fool enough to think the situation is in any other state; their family needs a home unchained by the tethers of a leader who does not understand them, and her mother provides.

But still, despite her relative dislike for all the chatter of who is friends with who (after all, anyone not belonging to the Bluffs is little more than meat to her), she is curious. She likes to know things. So when the voice calls, Séverine goes.

She takes her time, skirting up the rocky paths that she's been climbing since she was a child, keeping well out of view behind boulders and overhangs. Her movements are furtive — predator stalking prey — and quiet, each footfall more precise than the last as she nears her destination.

Eventually, the strangers come into view below the slope she's ascended, and Séverine crouches onto her belly at the peak of the hill, nestled between two boulders. There she lingers, close enough to be within earshot of whatever conversation will happen here, but ideally subtle enough in her approach that she will go unnoticed. Her chin rests neatly on her paws whilst she waits for her mother and cousin to answer the call, observing the Ecrosians in silence.


séverine is hidden

+10 - Successfully stay hidden for the duration of a thread
+5 - Spy on an individual exchange [1/2]
+5 - Practice speed or stealth [1/2]

_{BG — ART — CODE}

Wolfbron Bluffs. Truth be told, when @Alaric had come back home bearing news of his visit to the woman-led pride, Erna had scoffed mentally. Any place led by a woman was questionable, and why Alaric was wanting to ally with them was also beyond her. Of course, she wouldn't dare prod further. Her husband and King have made their decision, and she wouldn't dare inquire anymore on the subject. He knew better than her, not to mention politics didn't interest her one bit. It seemed both Odhgrimm and Alaric were making odd decisions, for if it was her in their place, she would be waging wars and raiding the Sigrun by now.

But she wasn't in their place, and never will be.

Because women weren't meant to rule. The warped traditions of this land meant nothing to her, and she had zero respect for their titles and kingdoms. However, when her wheat mate had told her that @Amara wants to see her, Erna was exalted. It only solidified her belief that her word matters, which was a strange thing to get used to. And of course, the attention-seeking Rike was more than thrilled at the notion of being in the forefront of their minds today.

Even Erna realized that she and Alaric were in a fickle position. Alaric had just acquired a kingdom and while the numbers were growing, they were still far too new. In comparison to the alliances that the Sigrun rats had acquired here, the Rike and Starke families had but a few lions on their side. They needed strong allies. Firnen had supported them during the uprising, but the Rainforest was tiny in comparison to the Bluffs. She would be a fool not to take this opportunity and secure the stronger ally for her husband. If they acquire Wolfbron, then they can wreak chaos upon the Sigrun. They can destroy them once and for all. Wouldn't that be just splendid? Erna would be the glue to unite Ecrosia and Wolfbron. And once her Jarl hears of this strong alliance, this opportunity to easily crush the Sigrun, she hopes he would add the Rike to this pact. Then they will be a force to be reckoned with. And Erna? Erna will be the glue to unite them and she will have all the glory for herself, she will be the golden chess piece with all the spotlight shining on her.

i

have known anger before war or walking / i have known fear before i have known love

---

Xavier, too, does not care much for politics. And like his sister, he is curious, but he is also defensive. Strangers on the borders, when he is around to encounter them, evoke the intense imagery of those bratty cubs crossing into the Bluffs. It makes his skin prickle and his claws itch with an intense desire to find flesh with them again.

He spots Séverine from a distance, and sees her sly slink and immediately knows she's up to something. He drops down too the moment he sees it, overpowered with the equivalent of offering a sudden whispering response to hearing another's voice low and secretive. While he's not nearly as sneaky as she is, he's walked the Bluffs enough to learn where and how to place his paws to hopefully avoid detection. Besides, he blends in much better than his sister, and so he decides if she can do it, so can he.

The colossal yearling creeps behind the boulders and overhangs also, gently scuffing his paws against the ground to alert her to his approaching figure. He seeks to slot in beside her, not a word emerging from her lips.

xavier is hidden!

Art by Rabbit, table by cala

i'm a taker, devils-maker

they were like three peas in a pod. four, usually, and the empty spot left by their sister was all the more obvious today. to louve, at least.

she trailed behind her siblings, silent as the mist that swirled around them. each step was oh-so-carefully placed and by now she knew the bluffs as well as she knew her own body. louve is a shadow, ears swung lazily back as her eyes riveted upon the two familiar forms. unlike her brother she does not seek to announce her presence -- either they will sense her and accept her or they will turn on her with teeth; louve finds she would not mind either. lately the urge to fight was enhanced, herself keen to sink her teeth and claws in to whatever she can manage.

now, though, she steps up and slides along her brother's side, joining them in their spying. new strangers at the borders but, alas, none her size. not that she wouldn't tear in to them if the opportunity arose.

-louve is hidden-

manip + coding by scarf | photos from unsplash

Amara's ears flick as she heard the call from a slightly familiar voice. She lifted herself up and shook the dust from her coat before she made her way toward them. She was pleased to see that he had done what she had asked of him. Next to him stood a lioness who she could only guess to be his wife. Amara knew nothing about the Rike or how their family worked and hopefully things could get set straight now. She could learn more and see if they would be able to work together. She stopped on her side of the border and gave a small nod to @Alaric before her focus falls on the lioness. I am Amara. High Sovereign here. She introduced herself, something very few really get out of her upon their first meeting with her. Her golden gaze closely inspects the lioness as she talks. Your husband explained a few things but before I decide how things go for my pride and family I wish to talk with you. Afterall, in her family it was the lionesses that made things move and not the males plus he wasn't the family she would be helping but his wife's. Tell me, what makes your family what they are? Why do they harbor such hate for the Sigrun? Down to business now.

Table by Ice. Graphic by Lars.

the pitter-patter of scurrying paws and a sudden zap of interest upon the air was quick to stir cassine from her den, a rumble oozing from her chest as she moved. much to her delight, the day had finally come — the day where they could formally meet @Alaric's wife, @Erna, and learn more about their contentions with the sigrun hoard. what was that saying? ahhh yes; the enemy of my enemy is my friend. because that seemed to describe them all quite perfectly, did it not? at least for now.

there was an intensity to the parisian’s gaze as she arrived on scene, slipping up next to @Amara as the tail-end of the queen’s words hovered against the breeze. Her expression was nearly molten, shifting and poignant and filled with interest as she peered towards them — albeit knowing that this could likely go wrong In as many ways that it could go right, she could not help but feel as though this was a unique, and hopefully rewarding, opportunity. Though she supposed it was best to let the couple play their hand, first, before making that kind of judgment call.

table code by ferus

again he was reminded of just how delicate the balance was. forging bonds and friendships, finding common ground to stand on when you knew damn well that your enemy may want to sink a knife in to the back of your friend.

alaric was not the type to take it personally -- at least, not yet -- and so he struggled to make sense of all of amaryllis' politics. he knew, for example, that if his son was knocked from a throne he would not rain fire down on the winner; pride's changing hands was just how things went, that was life.

and if his son wanted to hold a grudge (hypothetically, of course, as his sons were mere babes tucked away in the swamp) he would remind him that he himself had once been the usurper, and that there was always tomorrow...

a nod to greet them both -- @Amara and @Cassine -- and then his attention turned to his wife. it is a clear indication that he is giving her this space to speak, but he masks it as though he is merely interested in what she has to say. he is that, too, but alaric is already playing the game, and he does not think they would much like to see that he has so much control over his beloved.

@Erna

the thunder of the drums, dictates

image by yumpy, code by corvus

For a good while, the couple remain standing alone at the borders. Or so she assumes, anyway. Little does Erna know that they were far from alone, even if it seemed so at first glance.

Then, a dark shape emerges from the redness.

Erna's gaze flickers onto the approaching woman, narrowing in to study her from afar. The closer she got, the more discernable was the dark blue of her pelt and the many light spots sprinkled across her pelt. She stands before them and introduces herself as none other than @Amara - High Sovereign.

She was older, perhaps. Bigger than the long-haired Rike woman. Erna studied her, wondering why anyone would follow her. What did this woman have to cause the largest pride in the valley to stand behind her? Even the men? Did they not have the guts to face her, to challenge her so-called authority? To take what is a man's right by birth?

Maybe they were just spineless, lacking the balls to stand up to a mere woman. In that case, Erna was starting to doubt her husband's decision to try and ally with them even more. Well, it wasn't her place to voice her opinion. She will go with it, if she must.

"Erna," she responds simply.

Amara begins, expressing why she'd wanted Erna to come here. Another woman joins them, this one younger and small, and stood silently beside the High Sovereign. For a moment, the long-toothed Rike glanced towards @Cassine. Was this place simply devoid of men?

Perhaps the Mire should be raiding Wolfbron, instead of trying to ally with them.

Eyes flicker back to the Queen as she asks a question. Why do they harbor such hate for the Sigrun? The very name of her enemy made Erna's blood boil. After everything the Rike had gone through, after all the months of wandering... no, this must be left for another time. With the corner of her gaze, she sees @Alaric turn in wait for Erna to speak. It was an indication that she may answer. "Our families have feuded for generations. They've killed many of our soldiers, many of our blood," There was deep-rooted hatred in her voice. Disdain for those she saw as the scum of the earth. "We're scattered, forced to regroup, just because of them." She wants to say that they are weakened, that they are but a few... but refrains from exposing her clan's weakness. "The Sigrun are hypocrites, fanatical at that. They call us cub killers -" she spat to the side. Such a blatant lie! "- And yet they push their children's heads under the water when they've barely learned how to open their eyes. Just to appease their made-up... god." They were this wrapped up in their fantasies that they were willing to sacrifice their future heirs to the sea. Good! Let them suffer, let them die. Every dead child, taken by the saltwater, was one less future enemy.

@Cassine arrived and settled in with Amara as they stood ready to learn about what changes may come to their family. She looked toward @Alaric for a moment before her focus shifted to his wife. Erna. As she started talking. Her ears flicked as she took in the information and took the time to process it. She lifted her brow slightly as once again she heard about what they did in the waters of their old home. She would likely never get used to hearing it out loud. It didn't matter to her that her family ate lions and at times cubs. They hid what they did because they knew that the world here wouldn't handle it well. If anyone let their secret out, they would take care of it. Not allow them to take that to others to spread around. I am sure that the blood has been shed on both sides. Otherwise, if it was only one-sided you wouldn't be standing here. Amara picked up on the fact that @Erna seemed to try to place the blame upon the other side without mentioning that feuds went both ways. What do you know of their... god? Amara was still unsure how to take the whole god thing. It was strange enough dealing with Bee's god but it didn't seem that her god wanted her to drown cubs but maybe Amara didn't know enough about Bee's good either. Does your family have a god they follow? If she sided with one side over the other would she just be trading one god for another that was leading a family. She looked between the pair, Your family lives in the Mire? This would be the biggest tell for Amara to know if the family stood behind her husband or if they were fractured still.

Table by Ice. Graphic by Lars.