OOC: Please no LP or EM, thank you!

Spurred on by his statement to Colby, and no longer quiet so unfamiliar with this place, Arcturus comes to the passage where he had noted others coming and going; he had slipped by unnoticed when he first arrived, but now returns to a grassy knoll at the gates themselves, turning back inland to scan the area around him. Pride representatives come to this place to recruit, and he would prove a useful addition to pride in need of a sell-sword or ranger. They need only buy him, for lack of better phrasing. It won’t be hard; a man without purpose tends to do dire things.

A lone figure in a desolate land where crows and other scavengers came in search of fresh meat was a rare sight. Especially for a scavenger such as the Bluffs man, who wanted to whisk away anyone willing to serve Wolfbron.

He was certain that @Arcturus will be his today.

"Bonjour!" he approached, assuming his usual confident step but keeping a friendly air about him. His voice sang out from far enough so as to make sure the brown rogue would not be startled. One must be very careful when dealing with these... fickle men and women. "Are you looking for someone, mon ami?" Or some place?_{BG — ART — CODE}

With the days growing longer and warmer, any excuse to stray away from the hot sands is an excellent one nowadays - even if it involves Rainer putting some actual effort behind his shiny title, just to pass the time.

"Hallo, stranger." He approaches the two males with a charming smile, quickly identifying @Arcturus as today's blank-faced rogue and @Apollinaire as his...competition, would you call it? Rainer doesn't care about bolstering Ryker's numbers out of some sense of patriotism, really. But it would be useful if the Rike could gain some allies loyal to him in the process of it.

"What's brought you all the way out here? Don't suppose you're in need of some directions?" He begins amiably, slipping into the role of the ever so helpful passerby. As if there wasn't only set of directions that he was willing to give.

Show me the fear under your skin

Life is a game, are you gonna play now? Should I run away? Are you gonna stay now? Who can you trust? Are you one of us? Tell me where you got your gun. Tell me whose side are you on. Line 'em up and tell them run. Light 'em up now one by one. Are we the hunters? Are we the hunted? Are we the monsters? Show me the fear under your skin.

code by corvus

From the high peaks of the mountains he'd drifted to the passage. Promotions lead to more pride duties, and he needed to find out about pride politics as well as help the mountain pride grow now. Multicolored eyes watched for those who appeared lost. This happened him upon @Arcturus. Two others already found themselves before the male, likely offering homes within their prides. Neither of the lions smelled of prides he knew, nor had he heard their prior introductions to the stranger. Hello gentlemen, he spoke, coming to stand next to @Rainer with decent space between their bodies, it seems you've grabbed our interest. Slit pupils rested on Arcturus, inviting the man to speak. Then maybe he'd invite the stranger to the mountains after he'd learned a thing or two about the situation.

ART»CODE

As expected, a few arrive.

Arcturus watches them approach, one by one. The first is a friendly-seeming male, an accent so thick the brown lion almost can’t understand him, but he thinks he gets the jist. "I’m not." He replies evenly, the dark of his ears flicking as, behind @Apollinaire, a second male saunters over.

This one has an accent too, but it isn’t as hard to understand. The ranger’s gaze flicks between the two lions, and a third - this one… oddly coloured - joins them. "It seems I have."

It’s now or never. Arcturus clears his throat before speaking. "I am alone, but in search of a pride. I believe this is where representatives come to recruit, so here I am. My name is Arcturus. I’m a ranger by trade." He pauses for only a moment, regarding all three pride lions for that time. "I do not give my loyalty lightly, or without cause." It is a warning and suggestion both: earn him.

@Archaic & @Rainer

The stranger is curt, replying simply and without expanding much on it. Apollinaire's courteous smile does not fall, and before he could spoke further two more recruiters arrive. The scent of Andal heavy on the greyed man, the other bearing that of the Summit. Apollinaire wondered vaguely if @Archaic's meat would be as rare as his coat. He nods politely to the two.

@Arcturus clears his throat and speaks, while makes things easier for the lot of them most likely. A ranger was always a valuable asset, although Apollinaire could see the brown-pelted rogue on the battlefield just as easily. Indeed, you've guessed correctly, Arcturus. the french man made sure to speak first. "I do not give my loyalty lightly, or without cause." So be it, Apollinaire enjoyed a little marketing challenge. As it should be. You seem zho know your worth, and my Queen's kingdom Wolfbron Bluffs believes in awarding zhose who earn zheir keep. We have much zho give, as I'm sure you do as well. My Queen, Amara Dieudonne, is zhe longest-standing ruler and has defended her pride on more zhan one occasion. We offer stability - a zhrait you won't find easily here in Amaryllis. Rulers rise and fall overnight. but Amara was a constant. You seem zho be a straightforward man, and I believe you will find zhat in common with our Queen. Zhere is no question about her loyalties and she does not hesitate in her rule. He fell silent, then.

@Rainer_{BG — ART — CODE}

There's only one other that arrives, a noticeably half-maned male possessing an odd explosion of colors upon his pelt as well as the scent of cold stone and thin air. Fairly petite too. Was @Archaic really an example of the types of lions that had conquered the mountains in this land? Oh, how truly, truly sad.

Rainer's attention slides back to @Arcturus, who soon proves to be a rather direct and straightforward sort. Dull, perhaps, but it is an interesting game that he puts forth. It's not entirely clear what precisely the rogue is looking for within a pride, but somehow, that seems intentional. Like he was putting forth a challenge of sorts. Whether the male is truly a prize worth winning or not is up for debate, but Rainer does rather enjoy winning.

"I suppose I could do with a new face to liven up the place." @Apollinaire is quick to deliver his grand spiel (about a Queen, of all things), and the Rike follows not far behind, letting out a low hum. What might the stranger value most? "You're not the sort to enjoy idleness, I'm guessing." The confident air of self-importance seemed to imply that, at least. "If you can take the heat, the desert naturally rewards those who strive to improve themselves. Those skills of yours could take you quite far within the ranks of Andal Oasis. You'll find our laws to be quite simple." In other words - figure out how not to keel over in the desert heat and you might just be strong enough to claw down a shiny rank for yourself.

"We're free to live our lives as we please under the security of a King who's been tested in battle. If you want consistency, well - not much changes around there, in my experience. It's a solid place to pursue your goals, so long as you can contribute." And as long as those goals had nothing to do with a certain family of seaside fanatics. But that was just one of Rainer's own private additions.

Show me the fear under your skin

Life is a game, are you gonna play now? Should I run away? Are you gonna stay now? Who can you trust? Are you one of us? Tell me where you got your gun. Tell me whose side are you on. Line 'em up and tell them run. Light 'em up now one by one. Are we the hunters? Are we the hunted? Are we the monsters? Show me the fear under your skin.

code by corvus

First their quarry is quick to confirm reasoning for venturing into the passage. Quite interesting how those who wandered knew the purpose of Amaryllis's entrance, though it made all too much sense what the passage was for. Appreciative dip of his muzzle in response to @Arcturus's dismissal of lingering on unimportant topics gave way to @Apollinaire's speech of Wolfbron Bluffs. Interesting that Amara was considered the longest reigning pride leader across the island, with no one able to beat her. Elongated pupils held steady to the bluffs lions for a minute, though transitioned once @Rainer launched into his speech about Andal Oasis.

This trip proved productive whether Arcturus came to Illyria Summit or not. He'd gathered information that he could take back to the summit, glimpses of other pride lives that he considered valuable.

Then, all too soon, it was his turn. Illyria Summit has been held by the same leadership since the pride's inception. They are hardworking women who seek for their pride to be productive and strong. A ranger would be valuable to the mountain pride. Everything he spoke seemed lesser than the longer speeches but he felt he'd conveyed the highlights of the mountain pride rather nicely. Now it was left to the newcomer to choose where he wished to go.

ART»CODE

OOC: TLDR - Plans to interrogate about prides dashed by handsome well spoken man. More at six.

Each takes their turn to speak, stuffy but polite about it, and Arcturus listens in silence. He mulls over each spiel, noting what is not said as much as what is. Of all of them, there’s an interest of Wolfbron Bluffs that @Apollinaire speaks so highly of - and its queen, a stable leader, someone tested in battle and time. @Rainer speaks of an Oasis, which seems a more laid back pride, but from what the man says, there’s something of hard work there. Of contributing.

But that could be said of all three prides; @Archaic speaks simply, fewer words than the others, and mentions his pride within the mountains. That place, too, would be a challenge. But… is Arcturus looking for a challenge, given where he has come from and what he has done to end up here?

"Thank you, gentleman." In the end, he isn’t sure what makes his choice besides gut instinct. There’s something attractive about Rainer (and Andal Oasis) and so the Ranger’s red gaze flicks toward the gentry in finality. "I will join the Oasis."

A-ha! It's just as Rainer had naturally suspected - he has a knack for this whole recruiting thing, even if he rarely chooses to exercise the skill. But could you fault him? Such brilliance couldn't be put on display too often now, or else everyone would grow too spoiled.

"A fine choice." He drawls out, a crooked grin curving his lips. Is there a hint of smugness in his pale gaze when he sweeps it over the flowery tongued @Apollinaire and the brightly colored @Archaic, a subtle note of condescension in the way he cheerfully dips his chin in farewell? Does it matter, when he knows he's won this little game?

Not that he necessarily knows for certain how this 'prize' of his could be of use, but he's certain there'll be time enough to iron that out later. He can be resourceful, after all. "Come right way this way then." He beckons to @Arcturus, turning away with a sweeping flourish of his tail. "I do hope you enjoy sand and sun, because we have more than you could ever hope to dream of." He remarks lightly, in what is likely to be only the start of a long commentary to accompany this journey of theirs.

/exit Rainer w/ Arcturus(?)

Show me the fear under your skin

Life is a game, are you gonna play now? Should I run away? Are you gonna stay now? Who can you trust? Are you one of us? Tell me where you got your gun. Tell me whose side are you on. Line 'em up and tell them run. Light 'em up now one by one. Are we the hunters? Are we the hunted? Are we the monsters? Show me the fear under your skin.

code by corvus