Would this place be any different? Or were lions fundamentally the same no matter where one traveled? He had some hopes, but they were founded on rumor, and he'd make no judgment until he could see how things were for himself. At the very least, he supposed, it couldn't possibly be worse than what he'd left far, far, behind him.

Patiently, he'd waited until the tide was low enough his crossing would be easiest, and trotted the length of the sandbar to reach the coast beyond. There, he slowed, taking his time in analyzing the various scents that lingered in the air, and the tracks still faint in the sand. A place of comings and goings, it seemed. Mismatch gaze lifted to squint thoughtfully at the cliffs ahead, and the gap. An entryway, of sorts. Interesting.

He would be little more than a silent shadow until the sun crested the horizon and morning light offered greater contrast to the world. Should he wait to see what might happen or should he continue on ahead? It seemed there might be a chance others would find him out here, but was it greater than his chances of finding them first?

Well...either way, a short rest couldn't hurt. He'd lay himself down and try to plan out his next move. If someone with answers found him before he made a decision, well, all the better.

In all truth, it was his very first trip to the passage. Luther had shirked his responsibilities for way too long, and like any young college dude, he was making a last-minute effort to finish his project. In the Mire Prince's case, his project was finding some new forces to bolster his dad's ranks, because Ecrosia was becoming an army of children. It was mostly Alaric's fault for that, but he couldn't blame his old man for what was simply natural to every male. He could, though, blame all the kids. Annoying pricks.

The fresh snow was pleasant to walk in, and for once he didn't hate the Passage as much as he usually did during the hotter seasons. The snow did make a stranger sitting and waiting patiently stand out, so that was also a plus. Seeing this was his chance, the cocky princeling moved to stand before @Kaisarion, who from a distance looked like a woman, until Luther realized the stranger was, in fact, a man. With two tails. Would you look at that? "Hallo," the Ecrosian greets. "Are you looking for someplace to stay?" The guy looked athletic, he could prove to be useful. "My name's Luther, Prince of a nearby pride called Ecrosia Mire." The yearling introduced himself with a kind smile.

Oh, she has not been here since it was she- the innocent damsel herself seeking a knight to save her.

It had been a Queen who had scooped her from the passage- a Queen who, as it turned out, had a rather interesting pride... and Helah had risen in the ranks already- a noble now, and she would make use of that rank. See who else was here to be a claimed soul for the Bluffs.

All swaggering and aloof, she would approach the pair she saw in the distance, noting as she neared the scent of the Mire- an ally of the Bluffs- and so she sidled up alongside him- as near as he'd allow her- a mere stranger to he-, with a coo and a sidelong grin. "Hel-lo handsome," and then to the stranger with... two tails?

"Or perhaps you want another option, hmm?" She continues her cooing words to the stranger with a smile, that probably appears kind, but deeply is anything but. "Helah Molotov, Noble of Wolfbron Bluffs." She introduced herself to the stranger and the handsome young prince. "I can tell you of my home, if you like." She offers, before she languidly stretches across the ground, before them- her eye on the strange lion with two tails- a contemplative look cast on them.

@Kaisarion @Luther ♔

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It was a pale young man who appeared first, and Kai rose back to his feet as the stranger came into view, twin tail tips curling at either rear paw. Ears swiveled forward at the greeting, registering the language and the shift away from it. "Possibly." A place to stay would, of course, be ideal, but he wasn't the sort to jump at the first offering. He had very few qualms with leaving this place a rogue if no group piqued his interest properly.

Another came just after the first, and his attention shifted to the elaborately-marked woman, also offering a choice. There was a quiet, thoughtful, hum, as he looked between the two. "I suppose you should each tell me about your homes." His voice was on the softer side, lower in volume than might be normal, but then he'd always found it easier to keep the tone itself lower and, if not particularly masculine, at least more neutral as long as he kept the volume down somewhat.

@Luther ♔ @Helah

Even with his primary focus on @Kaisarion, he could hear the approach of another vulture that probably sought to snatch the new recruit. Luther's pale head turned to lay eyes upon @Helah, the scent of Wolfbron clinging heavily to the older woman's marbled furs. He expected her to settle a few steps away, a respectful distance away from the pale prince, but she did far from that.

Oh, no, the wench just had to get into his personal space. She managed to test the limits of his control, as Luther did his very best not to try and smack the whore across her dirty mouth. The fuck is wrong with her? Instead, he remained composed, a small smile maintained across his lips. He despised sly leeches such as @Helah, for the boy was still too young to understand flirting or experience attraction. Nonetheless, anyone up in his personal space was bound to get slapped... too bad he had to play the good ally. "Hallo," he nodded in return, choosing to ignore her suggestive tone.

He kept an ear on her introduction, stashing the information of her rank and name for safekeeping within his mind. When the rogue gave them a go to speak, Luther began: "Ecrosia Mire is a large and thriving pride, with a stable leadership in the face of my father - Alaric Starke - and many opportunities to rise among the hierarchy. We value hard work and don't hesitate to award those who do." At the moment, the Mire was the second most long-standing pride after Amara's Wolfbron.

Helah offers the Mire yearling a sly smile, when he greets her- and nods at him- before shifting away, to lay down onto her side with a soft thud. She listens as the two tailed male talks, then the Mire male speaks... and she just waits, idly, studying the male. She casts a glance to the Mire male, as he speaks that Alaric Starke- a name she ought to note, the leader of the Mire apparently... is his father. Interesting. She offered the light male a small smile, but remains on the ground- her gaze drifting back to the other male.

"Wolfbron, is another pride in the lands- led by our Queen. We value strength and ambition. We expect members to participate in hunts and practice their trades- and defend the pride if needed. In return, you have support, safety, and a place to call home- and ranks to challenge for if you wish." She says from where she lays. She is learning from what others say- and is trying a different way of speaking, to see if a nicer approach works.

@Kaisarion @Luther ♔

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@Luther ♔'s discomfort around the marbled @Helah did not go entirely unnoticed, but Kai's expression didn't shift. As one who also enjoyed a personal bubble, he could sympathize with the younger boy.

They each described their homes and...honestly they sounded very similar aside from what was likely a difference in terrain. He supposed the 'mire' was swamplike, and 'bluffs' was mountainous. Still, he listened attentively, and considered the information before speaking again. "You sound very similar, culturally. What sets you apart from each other?" Why should he choose one over the other? Or were they really that similar, fundamentally, and all he had to go on was a preference in landscape? Because, as it was, he found swampland moderately depressing.

The Wolfbron woman speaks next, saying something similar to what Luther said about Ecrosia. That was no surprise, considering Wolfbron and the Mire were allies. They had similar pride values, although Luther didn't know how different they were in their beliefs. How would he know? He was still inexperienced, and as much as he'd studied about the politics between the kingdoms, he couldn't know that the Dieudonne-held pride was so adamant in their Matriarchical belief system.

The yearling senses that the rogue is not convinced, and another question soon follows. "It's true that we are similar - perhaps that is why we're allied," the Heir began, glancing towards @Helah, then back to @Kaisarion "I can't speak for the Bluffs, but my father seeks to maintain strength in numbers. We have around forty members and going strong. We often hold battle training events to make sure everybody is versed in how to protect themselves and others. Claiming women & children is accepted, but we wouldn't keep anyone against their will if they don't want to stay after a while." He wasn't sure why Alaric chose this approach, but that's how it was.

When the two-tailed oddity, speaks on the fact that the prides seem quite similar, she half shrugs on the ground- yeah, they were. The Mire male speaks, and she listens to him intently though she aims to keep her expression rather neutral and uninterested- forty strong? She hadn’t known much about the Mire- but also hadn’t realized how large they were. Why were they bothering to recruit then? Weren’t they full enough- or were they full of duds?

She speaks only when the silence resumes. “The Bluffs differs because it is ruled in a Matriarchal style. Our Queen rules, with a preference given in ranks to females- though worthy males may also hold them too. We’re a smaller pride, but with broad allies- members have recently reached out to claim two of their own prides.” She explains, with a trace of a faint smile to her lips, and then she’d let the strange male speak again- to see if that very different state of things explained things.

@Kaisarion @Luther ♔

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Forty members, the younger male said, and Kai balked a little at that, ears shifting backwards a fraction of a centimeter. And a group who accepted the theft of freedom from those most vulnerable. It didn't sit all that well with him, if he was honest.

The marbled woman made a better case.

Once both had finished, he would take a second to mull things over, and then nod. Just a tiny motion, made more to himself than either representative as he straightened more confidently. "I have long been the victim of powerful men; I will not submit to their rule again without personal knowledge of the individual." Their core values and beliefs, how they handled stress and hardship, how they treated those below them, and so on. "I will accept the invitation of the bluffs," tail tips twitched at either ankle, "I thank you for your time, Prince @Luther ♔, but I would prefer the smaller numbers and matriarchal culture of Wolfbron." At least for now. For all he knew, it could be the wrong choice, but he hoped to have some breathing room to rest and assimilate himself into the broader local culture.

A dip of his head was offered to @Helah, "Kaisarion Vraxis," he straightened once more with the first hint of a smile on his features, "You may call me Kai, if you prefer." He would wait for the woman to lead him to what would become his new home, and follow along at her hip.

-exit w/ helah?-