No matter what endeavor his wife set out to complete he would always be there to support her. Perhaps not traditional cheerleader style but in his own silent way. The arrival of @Aquila and his sitting beside him in a similar kind of silence was reassuring. It only made him that much prouder to have an ally sit beside him and voice the same confidence he had in his grey assassin. From the time that he had met @Maia, he knew that he wasn't going to not know her. Yes, he confirms with a nod of his head, she will. Because there was no way that she couldn't with the drive that she possessed.

@Sedona came to sit beside him and it only made him feel more at ease. Your mother fights to take this empty pride, while the other woman seeks to do the same. Maia would triumph and if not, then she would make sure that she went down with all that she had to give. @Faelyn to arrive next and gather at their growing party but it was to her that he gave a silent address. When she wins, I anticipate an alliance talk. A suggestion and a question, and he found no need to address the fact that he and his children were going to require release to go. Roan and Faelyn had never held them back before and he did not believe that they would do so now.

A dark lioness (@Morrigan) approaches to join their gathering and seats herself close to Aquila, leaning forward just enough to introduce herself. Jafar Casales, without hesitation but pride in allowing the woman to know who he was as well as to quietly indicate that he had a much larger role in this pride challenge than being a cheerleader at the side lines. @Thrain, thankfully, joins them eventually and gives a one-word apology for being so tardy. Asking a question that warranted a firm nod. She has enough drive and ambition to pulverize a mountainside. It wasn't a direct yes or no, but as long as the ambition, motivation and drive was there anyone could fight well.

(1/2) +5 Explore the borders of a pride or group
(1/2) +5 Practice running or speed
(1/2) +5 Correctly track something through a territory
This was all so new to her. Ever since she had become an independent yearling after her mother had left Amaryllis, Leilani had kept herself holed up for several days. She needed time to decompress and process what had happened and what was about to happen in her life. Never had she been away from Laraila like this - would she be able to make it on her own without maternal guidance and advice? She could only assume so since her mother had agreed that it was time for her to carve out her own path (with a little but of convincing from the maned abyss girl, that is). So when many scents seeming to go in the same direction caught her attention she couldn't help but follow them all.

Leilani would take her time at first, keeping her nose and eyes peeled to the ground as nostrils flared. She would take in the many paw prints she saw on the path she was taking, walking first along a border of a thick rainforest. Every now and then would she stop and look around, keeping her body slightly crouched and not wanting to draw too much attention to her as the sounds of others making their way deeper into this territory could be heard off in the near distance. But after a little while of walking and tracking would she pick up the pace, now at a steady jog - to test her endurance, she supposed. It wouldn't take her long before she felt winded, feeling a little defeated in the short distance she had crossed. She would have to keep working on her endurance if she ever wanted to become a great hunter when she got older.

Jogging would continue, taking short breaks before resuming, until finally the sounds of clashing lions caught her attention. It would make her freeze at first, ears pinning into her mohawked mane, body growing closer to the ground. Here would she creep toward where the sounds were coming from, pink eyes catching a glimpse of two lionesses going at one another. Eyes would widen in both shock and curiosity, and as she crept onward would she find a good hiding spot near some thick brush, peeking from the side to watch what was going on.

leilani is attempting to stay hidden!

ART»CODE»BG»LION

As they often tend to do, Adrien's words seem to roll off of @Marja's dark pelt like so much water. The swamp witch actually sticks her tongue out at her, like a child! Adrien can only blink in disbelief. "You..." But then, in many ways, Marja has always seemed like an overgrown cub, hasn't she? Seeming oddly innocent in a way that rarely failed to tug on Adrien's heartstrings.

The other woman crouches down as if she's trying to play, as if this is just a game, and perhaps to her, it is. The situation escalates to something far more serious than that, however, when that massive brute of a man muscles his way in before Adrien can even gather up her next words. @Roarke's threats are more than a bit menacing, and Adrien wheels around to face him, still standing protectively in front of Marja while her rosy ears flattened into the red curls of her mane. "You would have us both imprisoned just for this? How dare you!" She hissed out, her words clipped. This brute was a complete stranger to her. What right did he have, to try to choose their fates?

No one had even been seriously hurt thus far, and Adrien heaved a relieved sigh when she heard @Nazonal's voice sound out somewhere behind the brute. In a blink of an eye, they're standing at her side, a bold ultimatum of their own upon their lips. The look Adrien sends their way is equal parts relieved, grateful, and concerned all at once. She still wants to check that they weren't injured in the fall, but that will have to wait until things calmed down. Hopefully, they would calm down.

@Nero is reasonably confused and upset, but he seems to have some control over the larger man as well as a relationship with Nazonal, and Adrien can't help but view it as a promising sign. "Please, Monsieur, I apologize for my friend's behavior. She lives near here, you see, and she's rather...protective of her home." At least, that sounded like it had been the issue? It was doubtful that Marja would speak for herself, so Adrien might as well do it for her. She sends the swamp witch a meaningful glance over her shoulder, beckoning the other to stand at her side with a curl of her tail. 'Please, Marja, I'm trying to help you. Go along with me just this once' "This challenge has all of us a bit on edge, I'm sure you understand. Marja didn't mean Naz any real harm, I assure you."




speech

code by Cloudy; art by irish

Roan Hodari

i wanna taste love and pain wanna feel pride and shame

To say Roan was a bit late to the party was an understatement, for when the mauve lion finally reached the familiar Rainforest, the fight for the crown already looked to be nearing its end. Sifting through the crowd, the Obsidian lion would search first for his wife, having caught @Faelyn's scent along the say. Spotting her didn't take long, finding that white pelt among friends. It was a small group of growing support for the ashen noble as Roan noted @Jafar, @Aquila, and even @Morrigan all sitting together while he came up alongside @Hanneth's free side. Nostrils flared at a new scent in the air among them. At first, it didn't strike the man to even think of a new pride scent, but he couldn't help noticing it all the same. For now, the Hodari's attention was mostly left to the fight as it neared its end.

"When she wins, your kids are free to go, Jafar. And we will be allies once more," the masked man offered in a side comment to the Casales male as they all watched Maia fight. Roan held every ounce of faith in his cousin. She would win. She needed this, and wanted this more than anything. Though he knew she probably still wanted to exact revenge on Alaric, it was a much less messy affair to fight for an empty pride. No risk of an uprising against her should she have won against the Mire king. If she wins here today, Firnen is all hers.

code | art | background

+5 Observe a fight (Maia vs. Aidoneus)

The call of a challenge was slowly becoming something of interest to the boy. It became even more exciting when he actually recognized one of the voices. His cousin Maia was trying to win herself a home? Oh, this would be so cool. Shortly after his father left, Hero was hot on the king's trail to see if he could catch the tail end of the fight. By the time the prince arrived, it already seemed that the fight was coming to a close as he slipped in among his family group. The growing boy tried to weasel in between @Hanneth and @Faelyn, wanting to be a bit more in the middle of this line of allies. Most of the lions that sat with his parents, Hero recognized, if not from the Hollow itself, than from the mixer with the Vermeda lions, so he didn't feel threatened in being among them. Leaning forward on his toes, the prince's icy gaze took in ever move he he could mange to see through the crowd, eager and anxious to see who would win.

Table by Amanda || Base || Background

Though his attention had been on his cousins ( mainly Gauthier ) and away from the albino bastard and his whore, it was not taken from the golden beauty beside him. Her words reached his ears, breaking his focus as he would glance towards her and take note that she was leaving ( he hadn't noticed the figure of his jealous sister ) and how she teased him with her tail as she left. A rumble left his chest but never fully surfaced as he would shift his form in the sitting position he had been inclined in since his arrival. And though he glanced towards the two women fighting, there was another commotion that caught his attention as well and he spotted the commotion between @Nero and @Nazonal but didn't understand what had happened; what had he missed?

+5 Observe a fight

ART BY IRISH / CODING BY SENTINEL

Avana Hodari

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+5 Attend a spar or challenge to assess the wounds

Their numbers would just keep growing as Avana was yet another Obsidian lion to arrive in support of her pridemate. Maia was family, so to show in support of the ashen woman was of no question. The maned girl had first gathered together a few herbs before bundling them into a large leaf before taking off for the all too familiar Rainforest. Firnen often brought back memories of not only Roan's defeat to Sangria, but of the war that had broken out when Aquila killed her. Avana had watched her brothers and father all end up in fights that day, but there was always a need to face one's fears in order to overcome them. With so many of her own family already in attendance in the Rainforest, the strawberry pixie knew it would be easier to be here than usual.

Finding their little watch party wasn't hard at all considering how many lions now all sat together. Avana move to sit at Roan's free side before placing the herbs at her feet. Mismatched gaze found the combative lionesses, finding them both coated in blood. It was hard to even decipher which was bleeding more as she noted the bites and scrapes on Maia's body. She'd even study the other lioness's injuries, if only to mental quiz herself on what to do for them, not that she anticipated helping the Andal lioness.

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Line art by Adoptadpoles | Image and table code by Amanda

It was one thing to watch his son defend his own crown, but another to watch Maia go after her own. Like his wife, Dero didn't like watching any of his family fight or get hurt. He'd been through enough fighting himself to know what it can do to someone. It was more than just physical pain and scars sometimes, but there was something nagging him to be there for Maia. To be there for her when her own father couldn't be. Roan would always know who his father was, would always know what his support felt like, but Maia didn't have Jai around, never had the chance to know him, nor her mother. For his brother-in-law, Dero made his way to Firnen Rainforest.

The fight was already well underway by now, probably almost over by the time the Hodari found the large group of Obsidian lions. He'd simply file in among the rest of them, extending their wall of bodies just a bit further as his scarred form took a seat next to his youngest daughter. He aimed an affectionate bump against her cheek before setting his gaze upon his niece-daughter. Though they'd never been super close, Dero had always tried to do what he could for Jai's children. Look at what your daughter has achieved, Jai. Look how strong she has become, the old man thought to himself while thinking of his brother-in-law. How much he knew the Tolkien would have loved to see this and to know this family his daughter had created. Now, would she do her father proud and win?

Table by Amanda

@Halimede VS. @Violarum FOR @Olive
— DEFAULT —

Due to Halimede forfeiting, this fight has defaulted.

VIOLARUM HAS WON THE CHALLENGE FOR OLIVE!

Please allow the challengers to respond to the fight results first. As per the site rules, if 3 days go by without a post from the challenger(s), they can be skipped. Whichever comes first! Any posts made before this will be removed.

@Maia VS. @Aidoneus FOR FIRNEN RAINFOREST
— RESULTS —

Maia Hits: 1+2+4+3+2+2 Luck = 14
Maia Dodges: 3+3+2+3+2 = 13

Aidoneus Hits: 2+3+3+3+1 = 12
Aidoneus Dodges: 2+2+2+2+1 = 9

Maia Successful Hits: 5
Aidoneus Successful Hits: -1

@Maia HAS WON THE CHALLENGE FOR FIRNEN RAINFOREST!

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WOUNDED ROLL

performed on discord by @irish ★

@Aidoneus is automatically WOUNDED for losing!

@Maia Wounded Roll: 2

@Maia is NOT WOUNDED!

Profiles will be adjusted to reflect the wounded rolls, which, if received, reduce the character’s hits and dodges by -1 for an standardized amount of time. Any wounded rolls received from this fight are considered healed as of 9/4/22, and are logged in the wounded log. Once healed, post in Trade & Dice Updates to have your dice returned to normal.

Please allow the challengers to respond to the fight results first. As per the site rules, if 3 days go by without a post from the challenger(s), they can be skipped. Whichever comes first! Any posts made before this will be removed, unless you are posting to another fight.