The crowds continue to gather to watch the spectacle. Pride challenges always seemed to draw large crowds: mainly from lions that were nosey, or intrigued, or curious, but Maia didn't mind. She'd attracted crowds like this many times before, so what was the difference this time?

Quietly confident, Maia wondered what had brought this other lioness to Firnen. From what she could remember, Aidoneus was a lioness who seemed to stick by Alaric, no? So why did she smell so strongly of the Oasis? Now was not the time for trivial questions, but perhaps later on, Maia would ask.

Her shoulder would not make contact with the woman's chest, but her claws did catch some flesh. She felt the tearing of flesh on the woman's right shoulder, and Maia's adrenaline increased. Returning her paw back to the ground, her fiery eyes carefully watching her opponent. There is little Maia can do about Aidoneus's left claws that are swinging through the air toward her, and it is soon apparent that her claws have found purchase against her skin, specifically the area between her neck and shoulder. The pain hurts, and she can feel the blood running down her leg, but alas - she continues.

With Aidoneus attached to her body, Maia would attempt to lower her head down, tucking it into her neck slightly and would attempt to lunge forward, hopeful to use the mud beneath to push Aidoneus backwards. Aiming to arch her parted jaws upward, Maia attempted to latch onto the loose flesh that protected the woman's windpipe, attempting to gain some grasp and hold there. Simultaneously, Maia would raise her left paw (assuming this is the one that is free), with claws out of their sheath, and attempt to swing them round to Aidoneus' right side, aiming to find some purchase there.

Maia vs. @Aidoneus
for Firnen Rainforest
Round two of five

Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 8 + 2 + 12 + 15 + 10

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 14 + 9 + 4 + 13 + 15

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 1 + 20 + 3 + 4 + 9

With Maia pushing against the momentum, her back-legs slid. Outstretching toe and bracing against heel, the maenad sought to regain her center of gravity, to find leverage in the squelch of muck.

The open tatters stung, like nettles blistering flesh, as humid air sank across. It lay a heavy drone in mind, blanketing across her senses, drowning out the crowd that had gathered and the eyes on their backs. It focused her attentions on the creature before her, snagging at more flesh, gathering her teeth in the meat at her own neck. With the quickening of pulse and the drag of adrenaline, she mustered the courage needed, the blind confidence required. A trust that this weren't some game of life and death, but one for thrones and crowns.

Abandon forced her deeper into the clench of Maia's embrace, pushing forward, and as the Hollow Noble sank teeth and claw where she could, so would the huntress. She curled her neck away from the hampering gnash, coiling so that her teeth could attempt to flay whatever they could in such close proximity, to draw rivulets of blood, the same that now were gathering along the inky bars of her striped cloak. She sought to clench her own hold, attempted to deepen the grapple of each digit, each claw. Focusing on the meter needed to reclaim and hold her balance.

Pain was beginning to collect, but she would not relent, she would not bend. It billowed at the ardor, quickening the resolve that this is what she wanted.


@Maia vs Aidoneus
for firnen rainforest
ii of v
Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 11 + 20 + 3 + 14 + 1

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 8 + 10 + 18 + 7 + 20

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 19 + 9 + 7 + 13 + 3

❝

The Mire King wanted Nero dead? Say no more. Naz is already on edge, her usual excitement and thrill of battle gone. Jealousy be that overwhelming beast that it is, it even has strength enough to wrestle into Naz's mind. Wretch her away from the things she loves, from the moment and into a space where the images of another beside Nero, close, friendly, were maddening. Especially with that same body now drifted close to the very lion who Nero claimed wanted him dead. Two immense forces, two explosions of feeling and emotions only combined and Nazonal knew only one way to deal with that. Attack. Voices and sounds became muffled, in her mind she saw herself lifting in slow motion and their body beginning to turn with hackles raised and teeth bared. Turning, all eyes for the Mire King and ready to take him down before he could do the same to Nero.

Time sped up and @Marja's collision into their side sent them jettisoning back into their body with a surprised gasp for air and wide, scared eyes. Below Marja's barreling bull attack Nazonal is taken aback and crumpled to the ground on her side, rolling away from others and into a more open space with a dizzy look in their eyes.

❞

Despite both lionesses being small, there was perhaps a slight upper advantage for the grey Tolkien. She was built more athletically than Aidoneus, and from the slight curvature in her ribs, Maia guessed that she was a little underweight. The strength in her muscles from recent hunts would aid her as her opponent slid backward in the mud beneath them, caused by the acid rains, which consequently left the Rainforest barren.

Much to her surprise, Maia feels her jaw clasp around Aidoneus' neck. There is a feeling of astonishment in her stomach, and the woman pushes forward. Attempting to tighten her grip around the woman's neck, Maia attempted to violently shake her head side to side, to severely tear the gentle flesh that lie around her neck. Maia was never going to kill the lioness - this was not her aim - but the woman sometimes aimed for areas that would startle and scare her opponent, a manipulative tactic.

But in her success, there comes failure. Whilst Maia's claws do find purchase on skin and attempt to pull downward back to the ground, Aidoneus lays her own attack. Maia is pushed back against the mud, a terrain which was becoming harder and harder to comprehend. If neither were careful, one might end up on the floor - a dangerous position to be in. The claws dig deeper into Maia's shoulder as Aidoneus fights for her grip, and there is a guttal snarl released from her throat as pain continued to build.

Stalemate. Who would release their grip first?

Maia vs. @Aidoneus
for Firnen Rainforest
Round three of five

Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 11 + 15 + 19 + 4 + 16

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 2 + 17 + 4 + 1 + 11

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 6 + 20 + 19 + 12 + 3

A common enemy. Nero listened as Roarke explained the Rike were no better than the cub drowners they claimed the Sigrún to be by beating up a defenseless child. "I'm not surprised," he muttered. And then:

"What the hell?"

Things very quickly escalated, and not in a way Nero would have suspected. This time around, it wasn't any known enemy coming for him -- in fact, they weren't coming for him at all. His eyes widened as @Marja came barreling towards @Nazonal, who already seemed to be on the move for some reason. His heart lurched as he tried to make sense of everything, but the only appropriate reaction (to him) aligned with making sure Nazonal was okay. "I don't know what this is about," he said to @Roarke with a scowl, "but will you help me stop whatever it is? Nazonal is my best friend and I don't know who this crazy lady is." He waited a beat before moving towards Naz, attempting to stand over her crumpled form protectively. Nero wasn't flashing his teeth or showing any aggression, only defensively posturing. "We can't have a single challenge without somethin' dumb happening, huh?" he asked his friend, keeping his eyes locked on Marja.

code by dee

It seems that lurking in the shadows is not meant to be her fate today. @Marja's apparent rage finally seems to spill over uncontrollably, and Adrien watches as the swamp witch spins around to target @Nazonal, of all lions. Concern for her two friends (because, yes, Marja is indeed considered a friend now, no matter how odd she is or how much may Adrien complain) quickly outweighs the trepidation she feels towards the gathering crowd of onlookers, and the fiery-maned lioness darts out of the underbrush for all to see.

"Marja, wait!" She is far too late to be able to stop the witch from attacking, flinching as she watched Naz get sent flying by the forceful shove. Marja often seemed to prove that she was stronger than she looked, didn't she? With some effort, Adrien would attempt to force her taller frame between the two dark lionesses, hopefully half-blocking Naz's prone form from Marja's view as she sought to claim the swamp witches's attention, seeking to hold her gaze with her own. "Wait, Marja. She's my friend too."

She wants to check that Nazonal is okay, concerned that they hadn't gotten to to their feet yet. But her side was already taken by that white male, and calming down the other woman seemed to take priority. "I'm sure that Nazonal doesn't mean to take anything from you, I promise." The swamp is important to her, Adrien knows that. And she'll tell Naz that too, if they haven't figured that out already. Nothing will happen to Marja's home as long as the two of them are in the jungle, Adrien will promise that. "We don't have to fight, oui? You can talk to me?"

A quick glance is sent towards the defensive pair of @Nero and @Roarke, and Adrien hopes that her expression communicates what she wants to say. That Marja doesn't really mean any harm.

She's fairly sure.




speech

code by Cloudy; art by irish

She felt the release of blood against her neck, a wetness that streamed and bruised beneath the punch of ivory and jaw. A soreness that blossmed long and large against the softness of that shadowy pelt, underscoring the rosy shift of her coat, deepening the ink and slickening the satin flesh. There was the smell of copper — of hers and of Maia's that filled her lungs, that awoken that ill leviathan all predators knew. That smirking, sinister, giddy creature that inspired violence.

The pain was the vehicle, and Maia's relentless passion was an intoxicant. Muddling thoughts of pain and fear, unfurling the recklessness that made Aidoneus, Aidoneus. That lack of self-preservation, that brash and thoughtless whim and Id. To act. To push. To lean into the very Peitho-hewn appetite.

With the push, the throttle of weight, Aidoneus knew there was little brawn to the ploy. There truly lacked substance to the weight she could have possibly pushed around. But it was but a bridge, a crossing of the undertow. Using the slickness beneath them, and relying on the leverage of Maia's shaking grasp at her neck, the grapple upon which each women held, Aidoneus slid her hindlegs forward. Attempting to slip beneath the gray woman's body, all while endeavoring to keep fast to her hold.

And once she felt the moisture of cold mud at her back, the maenad would attempt to swing up her hind legs, to swipe and push and kick against her opponent's nethers. A repeated scrape of movement, all while attempting to deepen their grapple, to pull Maia deeper into that loving embrace.


@Maia vs Aidoneus
for firnen rainforest
iii of v
Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 7 + 14 + 15 + 8 + 12

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 4 + 10 + 18 + 17 + 3

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 14 + 10 + 3 + 17 + 6

their battle for glory garners her interest, but his departure urges her attendance. lured from shadows and into shadows of the colosseum, the metallic tang of blood hanging thick around the pulpit as snarls herald unbridled violence. amazonians upon the podium who grapple for gold, and wry amusement festers beneath an apathetic facade as their struggle persists. both champions unknown – diminutive, unimpressive in comparison to the devorre viper – and neither woman particularly appeases to her refined tastes over the other. but the piebald, grecian russet is reckless in her parry, willingly slithering beneath her opponent, unfurling her hinds in the attempt to land a ruthless blow upon the ashen’s vulnerable bits. her endeavor is deliciously wicked, and alcyone is quick to commit such a personal, filthy attack to her cache of plays. attentions waver between the battle and the reason for her place amongst the stands: @Adeodatus. ever poised like the gargoyle is she – a mere shadow in his peripherals – vaguely aggravated by the whore who flocks to his side and thieves his company. but she is silent, unmoving, unreadable within a sea of faces: ever-watchful.

art by yumpy!

Abandoned? Willow arched a brow at that, but she couldn't deny it was how the evidence was playing out. She couldn't imagine Violarum just abandoning the rainforest unless there was a good reason, she just didn't know what that was. He'd been handed Firnen, so possibly he wanted to find somewhere else and fight to earn a pride? That didn't make sense and Vio didn't seem the type. Granted, she knew him about as well as she could throw him.

"I see. Well, thanks for the conversation, darling. Maybe I'll see you around sometime." Willow rose to her paws, attempting to flick her tail at @Adeodatus teasingly as she returned home to Caladan.

exit

ART BY YUMPY, CODE BY LARS

sleuth
+10 Remain undetected in a large thread (5+ characters)
+5 Study the landscape of an area

fernweh preferred to separate herself from lion politics as much as possible. but even she couldn't deny the curiosity to attend a pride challenge, not when this would be her first. yet still, she didn't trust the crowd enough to want to draw any kind of attention to her. these were all pride lions, some with the power to claim her into their pride.

as she drew near the border, she noticed that the pride itself was tucked away in dense rainforest. quite a few of the trees have been charred by the fire that erupted days ago - yet another casualty of the chaos. and despite the burnt husks and unsalvageable parts of the land, there were still eager lions looking to stake a claim here. fernweh would rather look for an untouched pride that her family found than this pile of debris.

she pressed along the border, not quite stepping in, nor did she keep a distance. while the battle unfolded right in front of her, fernweh wanted to see it through to the end. there was plenty of empty space, where she could both hide and see the brawl in the middle of the crowd.

with so many lions here, there would be at least a few with the rank to claim a rogue like her. fernweh also didn't need the attention of anyone else, as much as she wanted to be alone. laying low would be her best option until at least the winner is announced.

fernweh is trying to remain undetected!_{BG — ART — CODE}