@Laerra is there, too, which only further pleases the sovereign. "violarum is an ally of an ally," she mused, "and ze challenger is an unknown." a small shrug, "who do you s'ink we would prefair?' a test, no matter how small.

it would seem there would be little time to answer such questions, though, as laerra is drawn towards a boy of the plains who looked like he was going to get in the way. louve watches the interaction but does not think to interfere; not until @Lucien steps up in a way that is surprisingly aggressive. interesting. instinctively louve takes a her own step closer, but @Aideen beats her to it.

the wolfbron sovereign cannot help the gleam of teeth that shows at the girls attitude, equal parts amused and impressed by the fire in little aideen. laerra is quick to set the story straight and she cannot help but respect that, too. for now she says nothing, though keeps an ear turned towards the discussion as her focus shifts back to the fight.

art

Colby’s gold form emerges from the crowd, and the ranger’s bloody gaze snaps to him as if pulled by strings. While @Colby can barely seem to look in his direction, Arcturus does not look anywhere else. It had been a few weeks since their… encounter. Unfortunately for the dark lion, it had replayed in his mind too many times to count, and only Andal’s sudden disbandment had distracted him enough to almost forget.

As the paladin gets closer, the scent of the Plains they stand on wafts to his nose. Arcturus did not have a dog in this fight when he arrived, but suddenly, he did.

"Yes." He states, voice low and utterly neutral - as if they had not fought, or ever been friendly. As if Colby’s opening question was not utterly obvious or stupid. Arcturus simply looks at him, blank and calm. A beat, and then his lips move once more. "So are you going to say it?"

There could almost be something similar to mirth in the ranger’s red gaze.

ART BY DRIFTY, CODE BY LARS

Colby managed a glance from his paws up at @Arcturus, and could've heaved in relief to see not anger on his features but neutrality. Ok good. That he could work with. Snagged by pointed red gaze, he found he could no longer look away. He looked good. Healthy. He still smelt like a rogue, but also like himself.

"Oh." he says. "Um. Hi."

Another pause, where Colby considers dying there any then on the grass because he can't think of anything else to say. Embarassment swept over his pale features. "Can... can I sit with you?" he mumbles. Because please can we talk felt like a bit too big of a step right now. He hovers close, glancing at the fight - anywhere other than the ranger right now.

art © wilthking

There’s some dark, muted satisfaction at putting the paladin on the defensive, unable to speak as easily as he normally does. The man manages that hello and can’t meet Arcturus’s gaze any longer, and the ranger is nearly satisfied about that. He has no idea why, or what caused a vindictive streak to surface as he watches @Colby squirm, but he doesn’t bother to question it.

And at his question, Arcturus merely shrugs. "I do not own this land." Is the only response Colby will get, and really, it’s as close to admitting that he doesn’t mind as the ranger allows. He doesn’t dare admit, even to himself, that he might very well want the company of the man beside him. "It’s your home." He adds after a pause, a single brow arching in question despite the statement of his words. There is considerable surprise in his voice, even low and soft as it is.

ART BY DRIFTY, CODE BY LARS

Colby shifts where he stands, trying to get a read on @Arcturus and failing. He kneaded the ground uncomfortably with his claws and decided that was all the permission he was going to get. He's a sensitive beast, but not a fool. Not most of the time.

So he seats himself, tension in his spine and his thick tail tucked up by his paws. He watched the fight for several long, quiet moments. Occasionally he snuck a glance at Arcturus, wondering how on earth to broach the apology he knew he needed to give. Colby chewed his lip, caught off guard as the ranger was the first to speak.

"Uh. Yeah.." he said quietly, and nodded. "I know the king. The russet guy, in the fight. He's a good dude."

Another pause from Colby, and he cleared his throat. "I thought about... what you said."

art © wilthking

The fight goes on. If the glances toward him are seen, the ranger makes no comment. He sits, almost relaxed, his gaze following the fierce blows each lion makes. It will be over soon, and a winner will be made king, regardless of what the crowd wishes for. Arcturus’s gaze lingers on the current ruler, the lion defending his title and kingdom. A good man, Colby says, in his own way.

The ranger hums softly, thoughtful. But he does not comment on Colby’s ability to make friends so easily, or the spike of annoyance that comes with the information. It is just like the paladin to make friends with a king, he reminds himself. It is what he’s good at.

"Did you?" Arcturus asks, attempting to smother surprise behind that blank tone once more, but his gaze travels away from the fight to look at the man beside him, and his eyes darken as he frowns. "We should talk... later."

He'd seen enough anyway.

Exit.

ART BY DRIFTY, CODE BY LARS

+5 - learn something about pride/group/family relations (2/2)
+5 - practice reading lips (1/2)

The arrival of a large, bronze male (@Kian) catches their attention. They watch as he all but shoulders his way into a group of gathered lions to stand beside a large, black-legged lion (@Lucien) with a white marking on his head that Brume can't quite make out. The torn-eared swamp-queen is among the gathering, and their pink eyes flick once more toward the scarred lioness before their gaze returns to the newest arrival. The bronze lion's gaze seems to focus with coldness on one of the combatants in particular, and the tension in him seems to draw tight at the moment that the plum-colored combatant lashes out for his opponent's face. She watches as he takes a step forward as though intended to intervene.

Someone important to the bronze lion, then. They see his lips move, opening in a single, open syllable that ends on a consonant. Dad? It's hard to know for sure. It could have simply been a gasp, or a muted cry of distress.

The pale, striped lioness (@Laerra) is quick to stop the bronze lion from moving forward. Her lips move more openly, even her voice carrying a bit over the general rumble of the crowd. Brume is able to make out some of what she says. Whoa...! I wouldn't ... if I was you ... for your safety. It reinforces Brume's impression that the clay lion is the bronze stranger's sire.

For a moment the druid is just a yearling, brought fully back to her natural self by a flash of sympathy. She can only imagine what it would be like for a complete stranger to come for her family's home. For the Heart Tree.

Though she knew that nothing and no one would hold her back from fighting alongside her family.

They pushed aside their sympathy and refocused. This wasn't a time for childish emotions, it was a time to observe and learn. An opportunity to gather knowledge that could protect her family.

A large plum-colored beast with striking orange eyes (@Dog) - they aren't close enough to see the brown that edges the orange - arrives on the scene, and they see him notice their presence. For just a fleeting moment they feel their gazes meet. Yet he doesn't raise an alarm or otherwise draw attention to them. They remain where they are, though a subtle tension has crept into their muscles. They will continue to watch, but they are prepared to bolt at the first hint that the big male is taking more than passing notice of their presence.

coded by flea

The other breaks in, and her sheer vitriol seems to take him aback for a moment. He angles a confused look at @Lucien, searching the man's face for any confusion of his own. Can she do that? His mane, still not fully grown, is given a shake, gaze gliding back toward the sibling pair. Well, he can afford not to be too worried... he's not sure where she gets her sense of safety from, though. Lucien has drawn closer, not a small or unimposing man by any means— especially to those who don't know him, he imagines— and is sticking her with the old stink eye. He doesn't want things to escalate, but if Lucien just so happens to decide they're acting like an immediate threat, well... the seemingly more socialized of the pair gives the other a prompt shoulder bump, and he can almost smile at that. Yeah... he's got some sisters like that of his own.

Sis, huh? Nice to meet you, too. He shoots airily at the evil sister, only a touch of sarcasm lacing his voice. The good sister introduces herself as @Laerra, and @Aideen isn't just her sister. Apparently, she's her twin sister. Well, he could've guessed that one, and she's a piece of work, alright. Now he does smile, albeit very slightly. Sure. Sticks and stones, right? He returns, and then the smile is gone again, eyes pointed at the ongoing challenge. The oversized raisin there? Throwing stones at the wrong guy. I think he just hasn't quite caught on yet. He looks at the cowboy, but where he wouldn't show uncertainy in the face of the strangers, the facade melts in front Lucien. I'm right, aren't I? Thankfully, he doesn't notice @Moonsong's glances of sympathy, only looking worriedly into the cowboy's familiar face. Had he noticed, he may have thought himself deserving of it... but he doesn't need sympathy. Because his dad is going to win. Right?

Please say I'm right.

_{BG — ART — CODE}

After all these ringing challenges, her pride had finally reached the turn for one of its own. A big male was up to take Vio's throne, a throne he had founded himself. And now this man wanted it, to take away what someone had made. Usual from usurpers. Take what they didn't work for to be free. Well she wasn't free of guilt but it felt different when it was her own home on risk, and even though this wasn't the first time she watched her home being challenged for, it didn't mean it wouldn't hurt any less. Yet knowing her position and honoring what those before her had worked for she dared not to let her emotions take away her capability to be smart, to be wise. Calmly the grey woman made her way to find the fight between both men. Finding unwanted guests. She could attack them, but she didn't want to do the first blow, give them a chance so it wouldn't be of her own accord war started between them. Besides she wouldn't like to step into Vio's pride relations or so she thought. For now, she settled down, having a sharp eye on those. Claws sharpening against a rock, just to be ready for action. Like that she watched. (I am a bit busy so I cant invest too much on fights but if you want one I can only go with Dominance unless you will be lenient with me ty!) + 5 Observe a fight + 5 Sharpen claws

table by koi // art

your favorite cowboii

(1/2) +5 Patrol your borders
(1/2) +5 Exercise to gain endurance (excluding spars)
(2/2) +5 Observe a fight (aeistrios vs violarum)
A lot seemed to erupt in mere seconds. One moment he was movin' closer to Kian to ensure his safety and the next he was being barked at by some loud mouthed yearlin'. "I beg your pardon?" He would begin, tryin' to figure out where this girl's hostility was comin' from. Before Lucien could say anymore another yearlin' would step in, a strikin' resemblance to the spitfire next to her. She seemed to act as mediator, wantin' to remedy the tension that was quickly risin', and not by his own accord - he was seemin' to be about as popular as a wet dog at a parlor social.

"Miss @Laerra," he would begin, golden eyes still fixated on the one she had introduced as her twin sister @Aideen for a few seconds before flickerin' to the one he was talkin to, "pride challenges are one thing when they happen in unclaimed lands. But when y'all waltz past marked borders, it makes things more complicated." Would they have not acted the same way as he was actin' right now if the roles were reversed? Lucien had a strong feelin' that Aideen would've probably attacked on site, if anythin'.

The King's attention would sweep back over at @Kian, listenin' to him tryin' to work out what was happenin' before his eyes. "King Violarum will teach him a good lesson," he would say in a comfortin' tone to the Prince, eyes now shiftin' back toward the fight.

table by ferus, art by cat, background image from unsplash