She wasn’t much of a fighter. She was a bit sassy at times, but the lioness wasn’t what one would call a warrior. Older in years she had just listened as everyone spoke. Taking it all in. So they were at war. This was troublesome as she would have rather just had some quiet golden years. She was almost an elder. She had hoped to have a family before it was too late. Even just a single cub, but perhaps it wasn’t her fate to have a family. To have a peaceful life in Amaryllis. In the Brooks. Taking it all in she let out a small sigh finally getting up and taking her leave tired of all the bitterness and jabs at others. She would have to be careful while out hunting.

-exit-

image by moogle/code by saph

The man listened to all that had to be said, and he noticed that two lions seemed rather displeased with the Queen of the Brook. Kiba said nothing but simply listened to what they had to say, and how the others responded. He held his thoughts to himself, as he wasn't much to talk out and bring attention to himself. He remained quiet and finally, it seemed that everyone would begin to leave too. The Queen had not responded yet, and he wondered if he should stay or leave as well. He let out a soft sigh and decided it was time to go, and he would stay out of things this time.

/exit Kiba

[ooc: this thread didn't update in a while & I didn't want to keep anyone waiting on future progressions!]

He waits, the air heavy and the mood tense. The first to react is a pink woman - the one who had led the recent hunt. Vaguely he is amused at the insinuation they knew nothing of the raising of children - brief memories of the year spent raising their brood of nine in the icy wastes. He had worked hard, raised his family. Now he expected the respect of age, or a seasoned and experienced warrior.

The battles had been well underway at the challenge, when the war had broken out. Too dangerous to insert himself into without fear of the conflict turning out worse for those defended. With no rank, hadn’t the responsibility fell upon those that had them to protect their own? To settle the blame on he and his husbands shoulders alone stoked Wolfgang’s ire. But he doesn’t grace it with a response. There is no use arguing here. He would be wasting his breath.

Another voice, a dark ash-and-gold marked lion’s words rising above the murmur of the crowd. Equally at fault? Wolfgang could find that more agreeable, but even then he is frustrated. He senses there is a patience of judgement here, awaiting a response of the High Sovereign. Several harsh words come from the sidelines but there is no real threat, the Bezra man thinks.

There is a long silence. People begin to trickle into the trees and yet no verdict comes from the leadership.

Wolfgang shakes his head wearily. With no outcome, it was clearly time to leave. With that same stoic silence, he brushes against his mate and heads toward the borders, unlikely to return.

/exit Wolfgang

Caligula knew that there would always be fighting. He had simply hoped that it would stay away from his family. He didn't want his children to grow up only knowing violence. He wanted them to have a life of peace and stability but that dream seemed to be broken now.

And his mate was right. Cassandra's children had it worse. This was their mother having to constantly fight for their home. Had Aquila kept the crown that would have been them. It wasn't a fun thought. It made Caligula feel bad for the whole lot of them. For all of Vermeda. This place had known peace for awhile but it seemed an impossibility for the newest generation.

The bronze male frowned at what was said about Cordi. That was still a tender subject for him. It was true, she was lucky to be away from all of this but it was still hard to not have her here. He still felt it his fault she was gone. That he hadn't done enough to save her. "We should visit her." He didn't want his dear heart to think they had forgotten all about her just because she no longer had a physical presence in their world.

With the meeting seeming to be over Caligula forced himself to his paws. "I think I'm going to catch a bit more sleep. Coming?" He sought to nuzzle against his mate as he spoke. He then slipped away to return back to their den.

Caligula Exits

@Aquila

For the most part, everyone seemed to not see him. Though, he swore he might have seen @Heloise look his way and sheepishly he tried desperately not to meet her gaze. Shame in his eyes, guilt even, at the prospect that he knew that he was not well and yet had come anyways. Shame that he did not wish to be well, did not wish to be healed because he needed to be with her, with Nymeria.

For a few weeks now, he had known that it would be better for the pride if he stepped back from his rank. A rank that had long ago been given to him and while he felt certain it was Nymeria's request, his memory also argued that it might have been Aquila. Either way, it was a rank that did not feel as though it belonged to him anymore so he tried his best to simply listen to the conversations that spun around him.

There was trouble, @Cassandra explained, for the Brook and the male wanted nothing more than to show up. To give her every possible bit of strength that he had to defend this home and the lions within, yet his doubts were too heavy. A notion that he knew that would not be able to size anyone up. The rest of the words seemed to swim around his head as he tried to keep up but his stream of consciousness was broken up in pieces.

Slowly his ear twitched as a male spoke up and it was not laced with respect or friendliness, but instead with targeted malice. Gareth's body moves ever so slightly as though he were ready to throw hands but someone had already spoken up to alleviate the situation while others expressed that if he didn't like, he could leave. Seeing how he had little strength to truly do much of anything, he let the situation roll.

As the meeting seemed to draw to an end and others began to leave, the brute sluggishly picking his weight up off the ground and began to wander out and away. Quiet murmurs to himself as he tried his best to leave so that no one would feel so inclined as to talk him up and attempt to change his mind.

exit gareth

^{ART BY AURORA, CODE BY CALA}

one foot in the sea & one on shore The meeting quickly transgressed into something that voluspa had not been anticipating - accusations rolled throughout the crowd, hostilities and frustrations hot upon the tongues that surrounded her, nearly seething at times. It caught the sigrun off guard, her brows raising ever-so-slightly in an expression of surprise, as she slipped her gaze back towards @Khal. She looked to him in an almost questioning fashion now, for she was terribly out of the loop with the latest happenings and politics that plagued the lands of Amaryllis -- though, at the end of the day, the specifics of it would not matter much, would it? She was a loyalist, through and through, and it was only when the flames of agitation simmered into coals that she felt comfortable enough unwinding the tenseness that had found its way into her shoulders, exhaling the breath that had also hitched itself in her lungs. Without so much as a word, the valkyrie would look to brush the width of her shoulder against that of her beau before seeking to turn back the way that she had originally come from. Perhaps there would come a time where she could unravel what had transpired in this meeting - but today would not be that day. exit.

code // art // do not use without permission

It seemed things would be getting out of hand. It encouraged Myrkvi to rise from his laying position to his feet. How irritating. This is a reminder that when there is war anyone can defend their pridemates. I would have happily done so if the Plains queen didn't decide to have a go at me. See: his face. He sought to answer @Azriael since he wanted to speak up. Raizel has stated each lioness sought to try to defend themselves in the midst of battle, so we know where they could be. We should seek out our lost members and ensure their return if they want it. He would not forcibly remove someone who was happy where they were, however, the consequences of them remaining with enemies would follow them.

Myrkvi would linger to listen for replies and ensure those who are leaving, left.

-exit

Art by K'sariya || Code by Zay

Khal had no answers for his beloved as she turned those coal dark eyes on his, the confusion in his own features a shrug the best he could offer to her. He had long since felt the disconnect of his own place in Vermeda, lead scout or no. Had long suspected the rank was given to him to make the most use of his absence, that at least he could bring the information home after his journeys. Now? All he wanted was to take @Voluspa away from all this, yet he knew he could never ask her to abandon the fragmented remains of her family. Not when there was clearly some upheaval within on of their last remaining strongholds. When she brushed against him to depart he would take a last look around as well before following the dark woman out. exit khal

coding by flea & image by yumpy