Oh how the tables had turned.

It seemed that, despite having beaten Tiamat when she had come to challenge, @Alizabeth wasn't quite to capable of holding onto the crown as she thought she was. And Tiamat. - the spiteful bitch she was becoming - found that hilarious.

When the call for a challenge rang out for the Lagoon she had to come. This was her ultimate goal, after all. Her initial surprise as she saw two males battling it out was washed away by the distinct lack of smell at the border. So, Alizabeth had let things fall into disarray it seemed, opening the door to letting someone else claim these lands. As she approached the ongoing battles, Tia glanced around for familiar faces -her sister, mostly. Her eyes landed on Alizabeth, forced to watch her home fought for by strangers and unable to do anything about it. Immediately a smirk spread across her muzzle. This was satisfying in a way that beating Alizabeth would not have been, and she loved it.

Plenty of strangers were here too and she had no idea who the men fighting were. No matter. She had her satisfaction and was happy to let things play out before her. She would enjoy this far more than she had any right to, really.

image by rabbit, code by anyu

(1/2) +5 Observe a challenge and learn the results (prometheus vs recluse)
(1/2) +5 Observe a challenge and learn the results (apollinaire vs leander)
What the fuck was going on?

First Obsidian and now Scilla? Keir had been throwing around the idea of joining the Lagoon after the underground pride had fallen, but before he could make any solid decision would his hand be dealt for him instead. The ebony man would make his way toward where the beach pride resided, skirting past Caladan to reach the borders. Blue eyes would flick about him, ears twisting to keep him alert of others. Nose would point up into the air to take in the many scents wafting in the wind, and with a deep sigh would he push forth and pad toward the sounds of battle and chatter.

He would spot several familiar lions through the crowds of others, first glancing at @Nero before looking at the others: Maia, Alizabeth, Morrigan, Ransom. He would stay where he were at for a moment, trying to figure out whether he should stay to himself or move closer to either his brother by blood, brother by word or slip toward the Summit leader. Slow steps carried him forward as other unfamiliar faces were looked at, ears straining to see if he could hear what they were all saying around him. The name of one of the challengers would be carried to his ears, a Prometheus Frei of Wolfbron. This would cause for leonine brows to furrow; the Bluffs seemed to be on a power kick of overtaking prides. Did Amara have something sinister planned?

With a subtle shake of his mane would Keir make his way over to @Morrigan, coming to her left side. “Wolfbron is bold,” he would state once at her side, giving the grey and white woman a sideways glance. “Do you think this is some sort of ploy?” Tail would lash behind him, shoulders rolling and his eyes now finally settling into what drew them all here. The sounds of another throwing themselves at a lion caught Keir’s attention for a brief moment, watching that begin before settling back to the pride challenge. He could feel his muscles tense under obsidian coat; he was ready to fight if he needed to here today.

ART BY YUMPY, CODE BY LARS

It is as if he had summoned her from the cruel depths of his own dark fantasy. Cerulean gaze shifted from the hallowed beauty of his wife to unexpectedly behold the golden lioness Tiamat. Surprise lighted across his obsidian features before anger surged quickly to the fore.
How quick she has come to gloat, to dance upon the demise of his wife's reign when she herself could not wrench it free from the grasp of the white King.

Silent, the behemoth rose up, drawing his mouth down only once more as his lips delivered a devoted lick to the tender flesh of his wife's nape.
Lips flashed up, rising quickly above exposed fangs as the giant stepped around his family. He does this because he knows what @Alizabeth will do if he does not, she will kill the other or die herself. He does this, because he is sick of the chains that have held him for so long.

No attempt is given to disguise his destination, for it becomes urgently clear as his muscles flex into life and he begins to bound toward her, that it is @Tiamat that holds the key to his desire.
Ransom would aim to come upon the lioness directly, raising his left forearm up at the last possible moment to try and scour his talons across her face. But it was only the beginning of what he wished to inflict.

Ransom vs. @Tiamat
Major Maim (Limb crippling - permanent lameness)
Round 1 / 4
Hits:

Rolling 7d20: 6 + 19 + 14 + 15 + 7 + 10 + 18

Dodges:

Rolling 3d20: 11 + 1 + 6

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 10 + 1 + 5 + 16 + 11

code by corvus

MEDIC EXP
+5 Collect herbs
+5 Study the flora of a neutral territory
+5 Test herbs for their healing properties

Cicada was not one drawn to violent altercations, yet she was driven here all the same. With winter already returned and the mahogany girl left unprepared, she looked for any opportunity to gather more plants. The Lagoon was inaccessible to her before, but the borders stood open at this moment. With her tawny little dormouse companion and well-crafted leather gathering bag in tow, she would approach warily.

Various plants would be picked and set aside to gather up later, others only briefly studied or tested by either tongue or touch to determine their potency. While she was always aware of the lions around her, she remained a silent gatherer in the background, likely to go unnoticed by those observing the fight.

image by moogle/code by saph

Louve is riveted on the fight but she pays heed to her surroundings, not foolish enough to sit by without any readiness. Her muscles are tensed as she moves to a stand, feeling the thrum of tension in the air. More appear (as they are apt to do) and her gaze flickers briefly to @Leander. Anger courses abruptly through her veins, a snarl on her lips as she briefly considers throwing herself at him again if only to make some further mark on the bastard.

She watches as he joins another, a younger girl, one she has little doubt belongs to the same bloodline. Oh, how interesting!

As Louve considers her next move she is distracted by the arrival of her executioner. @Apollinaire is a creature sublime beauty as he throws himself at the one who had maimed her, the one who had torn her flesh from her body and left her permanently marred. More beautiful, she remembers, and her teeth flash in a wicked grin.

With Leander attended to her focus shifts to the pretty little thing that had sat beside him. Louve does not think, she acts, stalking closer and making her intentions vividly clear. With her body turned to face the fray she looses a challenge for the girl, a claim on the Miroslav whelp, a strike against the family that had warred with them for so long.

“Mienne,” she says. A new toy… a tasty snack… oh, she practically salivates at the thought.


Asteria vs ?
For Septima
0/3

code and art by Cloudy

She hadn't noticed the significance of the fading border scents, although she had smelled it. There were many things she knew, but knew not the import of, and many things she knew were important but not quite why. Anyway, her days had been passed in her usual mindless merriment, chasing her own tail and keeping shorebirds away from the surf, but she was always looking for a fight. It took her a bit to hear this one - the ocean was very loud - but once she did she jerked to a halt, her bottom half sodden, and stood sentinel silhouette for a second before rushing off. The sounds of battle rang in her ears. Even a hint or an echo of it was like thunder, a sound much stronger than its volume contained.

Whopper perceived invaders, two prominent males fighting. One was so softly colored and tiny as to be nearly a female. The other, large, but more obviously young. She growled and stalked around the group, bristling and greasy and full of bared fangs. "Neither any none a' ya should be here!" she hissed, mostly at these two. This pride belonged to Alizabeth, and Alizabeth was here, though Whopper could not connect her wounded condition with the fighting on these lands. She happened nearly by mistake to run into the scent of @Dysnomia - it was enough to break her from her growling rage and look around, and then stalk deliberately toward this pridemate. "We gotta bite 'em! They all trespassin' again! We can't - we can't let 'em go this time, we gotta knock 'em out and take 'em prisoners!" she nodded so vigorously, convinced that confidence was the same as being right.

+5 Observe a fight (prometheus/recluse)
+5 Discuss a battle strategy

Alizabeth was a skilled King. And whatever state of relationship had existed between the prides of Scilla and Vermeda had been fine with Aquila. Grandiose, public, pride alliances were one thing. But he didn't dislike the small and mighty warrior on a personal level either. So her falling, so the sounds of a scuffle from down the Lagoon drew in his attention. Away from his young family he went, towards the fire. Towards the scents of Morrigan and Khal which he picked out, seeking them out amongst the crowd gathering there.

And then he saw hungry eyes looking towards Septima. A young Wolfbron woman from the looks of it. So much for @Amara being a peaceful and good neighbor... it was almost a pity.

Aquila launches forwards, rushing past Morrigan and Khal whom he had intended to settle beside towards the young creature and her threatening movements towards a Vermeda pride member. He attempted to approach Louve's left side. He did not stall, did not slow, and attempted to slam his chest into her left shoulder at a full run. Lips curling back into a snarling growl as he came near- having an ounce of mercy to audibly give warning.

Aquila vs. @Louve
For Septima
Round "1" / 3
Hits:

Rolling 7d20: 7 + 19 + 4 + 14 + 3 + 15 + 12

Dodges:

Rolling 6d20: 12 + 20 + 13 + 2 + 7 + 15

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 20 + 14 + 16 + 6 + 2

ART BY NICOLEXV , CODE BY LARS

Gareth had been meandering the pride borders for quite some time and checking each instance of someone having wandered through. Never too thorough and improving upon his tracking skills every day thanks to his diligence. Though, the distant sound of a challenge burned at his core. He kept it in the back of his head to investigate for they had already lost one ally, and couldn't really afford to take on more enemies than allies currently.

So the lead advisor shuffled along the borders at a somewhat more hurried pace, keeping his breathing even and calm as he went. If anything he was looking for anything that might have come through that wasn't welcome but ultimately came to nothing (as it usually was and sometimes it felt unfortunate as he was itching to make use of his own skills for Vermeda when he didn't feel as useful anymore). Coming to the conclusion of nothing in his way, Gareth made the attempt to swing south as quickly as he could. Catching the scent of @Aquila along the way and following that scent.

Only when he arrived had Aquila already launched into battle with a lioness but the reason was unknown. Gareth stood standing, watching his ex-leader and cousin by marriage fight for what was surely a good reason. Otherwise keeping his own ears on a swivel in the event that this became something more for Vermeda and its member. At least he could watch Aquila fight and take on some tactics for another time. It was nice that the male was a paladin and had a bit more of the same skillset as he did. It gave him all the more reason to watch and learn.

+5 - Patrol your borders
+5 - Observe a fight

There had been no signs of disaster to mark the fall of this pride. Parvati had spent their time bundling away pelts for winter, though this goal was somewhat errantly taken - they were unable to find any place in the Summit that was completely clear from wind, and kept moving their increasing belongings from lee to nook to alcove without making much headway. It was chance (and a journey south to pick up flamingo feathers) that led the silver lion into range of the claiming roar. Was that the Cove or the Lagoon? One Parvati cared about. One they did not.

They passed many tracks heading the same way. Always the same. Always curious, bloodthirsty lions. But, if it stayed peaceful, gatherings like this were a good opportunity to scout for family. Plus, they found Morrigan's tracks and followed, interested enough to pursue even after surmising that the Cove was not the target. The borders were intact, but weak. Parvati sniffed several outposts, finding no sign of disease, simply lengthening neglect. The sea was calm. Suspiciously calm. Small whitecaps of wind, but no beating waves. So, why the onslaught?

Parvati did not like not understanding things. Their face bore a characteristic little crease of existential angst, a frequent frustration addressed toward the incomprehensible Things Of This World. And, as usual, they headed toward a familiar adult Morrigan with the aim to aid this fear. The dark lioness was highly alert, speaking to a large male @Keir who was somehow familiar but still a large male - and therefore Parvati was happy to shelter on the other side of @Morrigan. They collapsed to an uneasy crouch and stared at the challenge for a few moments, intending to just look for a little until there was room in the conversation to butt in. But it was very distracting. The small male had interesting moves, but would be prone to getting bruised and broken. But he would likewise leave small, irritating wounds, maybe in places that were inconvenient for the larger one to reach.

Only the outbreak of other fights had them looking for Morrigan for reassuring and quickly remembering what they had meant to say. "Whoever wins will have several months before the ocean is a threat. It needs to be warm for storms to start. And the cold keeps away the insects that will worry at their wounds. I don't know - or care - what the political situation is, but I wouldn't count on any king being ousted from this place except by another's paw." Hopefully, thus, someone peaceful would win. If it was possible for someone to fight for a pride and then act all peaceful. It always seemed contradictory to them.

+20 Share important details about the weather or landscape with a pride leader
+5 Attend a spar or challenge to assess the wounds

And yet the crowd grows, more fights have erupted and Kovirah feels the tense air tighten around them. He holds his composure though, stoic as always among the masses of strangers. His gaze flits to the black beast and painted female, then back to the two challengers at large. They clash again, and another unfamiliar face comes to speak--giving what information they could about the duelists. A dangerous bite? Was the small one infected with disease?

But what he notices then, from the corner of his eye, is the form of a rather young being gathering....herbs? In a place.like this? From what he could tell there was no scent to mark her like many of the others, and thus something in his mind propelled him to step away from the grey queen and walk towards @Cicada.

"This is no place to gather herbs, little bird" he says, though still as straight laced as his expression, the only inclination is the sharp spark of fear in pale eyes. "Come sit with me, and continue your duties once the danger has passed" he offers softly, knowing full well the cruelty that laid in the hearts of stronger, older creatures.

.

we are nothing but weapons

and weapons don't weep

code by corvus

+5 Observe a fight