It had been no easy task for the teen to survive on her own, made a greater challenge still with the onset of winter, all manner of edible plants withering into nothingness. As for hunting, Bordeaux both lacked in a proper teacher and felt a pang of sympathy whenever trying for lesser prey. Their alarmed cries and potent smell of fear causing her hold to waver and the animals with wretch themselves free of her claws and fangs.

She would eventually find herself moving towards the very edge of Amaryllis. She would lay her eyes on the passage for the very first time, lamenting on the knowledge that her mother had taken this path into the lands when she was only a little older than Bordeaux was now.

She would venture further, cautious in the early evening, under the silently falling snow. It was a risk to be here, but it could be a greater one to remain on her own through the whole of winter. She would begin to lose her strength, which could leave her to succumb to illness. She needed more frequent amounts of food to ensure she stayed strong.

In the back of her mind she saw an image of Luther, his lips turned up in a cocky grin. He had tried to make her into his own little puppet, but she wasn't going to stand by and let him try to reattach the strings. She was prepared to defend herself if anyone of the mire should put in an appearance and try to claim her outright.

I feel like I'm at a standstill

Waiting for you to tell me I'm okay

code by corvus

The Cove lion had come to this place many a times since he first became Gentry. The blackened beast made his way south from the sands of the Cove. Lucky not a far trek from his home to the Passage. A place that gave opportunity of those who just arrived and those seeking a new home. Some ventures here have come up empty and some have not, in more than one way. As he walked deeper within the cavern that was the Passage, he sees a figure not far off. A small one of many hues of color, scent of Rogue upon her pelt. Stopping about a yard from her, he smiled. Keligan of Caladan Cove. She smelled of Rogue yet she smelled of the island, not one of somewhere beyond. Do you seek yourself a home?

@Bordeaux

_{— ART — CODE}

Returning yet again to the passage he found himself bound to this place almost. Though he wasn’t very good at politics or dealing with recruiting. The meathead was rather crude in such ways and perhaps it would do him well to seek a private tutor on such matters. Though that would mean he’d have to think farther than simply coming here and trying to figure things out.

Oh well that was something for another time as he approached the form on @Keligan and a rogue. Dipping his head to the two he couldn’t help but notice that the teenager looked rather skinny. "Hello. We meet again." He called out to the cove man as he stopped a few feet from @Bordeaux. His face was stoic, but there was a soft hint of - pity? Worry? Of something for the girl in his eyes. "Hello miss. I am Dagge Yu, Gentry of Scilla Lagoon. Welcome to Amaryllis. I am sure Keli here has already asked but are you in need of assistance?" He questioned giving her a look over again before moving his gaze to the blue maned lion than back to the pretty lioness.

"SPEECH"

code by scorpixia♡︎

Helah moves silently into the passage, her expression rather bored as she moved. Pregnancy was not agreeing with her, and she kind of hated it. So, she decided to use the restlessness to her advantage... and do some work. When she spied a small group in the distance, she approached them slowly, doing her best to maintain the swagger and general arrogance that she always had- and as she neared them, she noted a male who smelled of the cove, and another of the lagoon. She would smirk at them, before focusing on the female. "Are they bothering you?" She grinned, towards the female, and turned her head to smirk at the males, but the words are light- flippant.

"Helah, of Wolfbron Bluffs. If you're looking for a home, we can offer the most stable in the land." She grinned- "And you'd look damn good in our home." A compliment because she was always the flirt.

@Bordeaux @Keligan @Dagge

ART BY YUMPY, CODE BY LARS

She would not have to wait long despite the dark and cold weather. It would seem these things did not serve as a deterrent for those that might come to further build their prides. She would fall on her mother's teachings in dealing with males, though she was not so humbled and meek as Patchouli, perhaps because she had never known harsh discipline.

To @Keligan and @Dagge, she would dip her head in a respectful bow, then refrain from ever looking at them directly in the eyes, easy enough given how much taller they were than she. As for @Helah, she was considerably more confused. She had never received any sort of compliment from a stranger before in any shape or form. She would not respond but instead offer a smile, even if it likely looked to be a very awkward and uncertain one.

"I fear I may struggle on my own through the winter months. I do not wish to be a simple charity project however. I know I am young, but I have great skills in the healing occupation. I would offer my services as a medic in exchange for food and a safe place to sleep." She explained to them, hopeful that at least one of them might need a healer, or even just the promise of one to have on hand just in case. "Oh.. you may call me Bordeaux.. of the Sai family." She added on as an afterthought. She should have led with this, but she wasn't the best at social interactions. Hopefully speaking to strangers would become easier for her with practice.

I feel like I'm at a standstill

Waiting for you to tell me I'm okay

code by corvus

(Keligan was CC Gentry when this thread started. Because of CC disbanding, you don't have her come to the Cove, obviously. I'll exit him out on his next post.)

Shortly behind him did @Dagge and then another recruiter, a lioness who then gave her name @Helah and pride, come and do their own words to the Rogue. The Bluffs was an ally to the Cove and Dagge was a friend of Keligan's, so the Cove Gentry gave no unpleasant remarks to them. @Bordeaux did not look at the two lions in the eyes and instead stayed reserved. She gave the skills as a healer and pondered over it in his head. But then she gave her name, so he at least could pair face to a name. The Cove is not a far walk, as is the Lagoon. My home has the cliffs for dens and protection from the weather. We are a small pride but we all work together to hunt for food to share with each other. Looking over to the lion next to him before going back to the lioness he was recruiting, he then added, Of course, the decision you make is yours.

_{— ART — CODE}

He hoped he wasn’t being a bother but ignored the comments made by @Helah as it wasn’t for him to decide if the lioness found him as being annoying or not. He was here simply trying to do his job and help the pride grow. Listening to everyone around him he took things in. "Scilla Lagoon is smaller and younger than some of the other pride’s yes, but our leaders are fair and the pride is strong." He would allow himself to say trying to be a little more aggressive with his sales pitch, but trying to be friendly at the same time. "We have shelter, food and plenty of room for growth within our ranks with opportunities should you be willing to just put in the effort." He added than became silent so @Bordeaux could think. Looking at @Keligan he wondered if he was doing this Gentry thing right or not but kept his thoughts about it off of his facial expressions.

MR MEATHEAD SUPREME

i bite?

code by corvus

@Bordeaux @Keligan @Dagge

The pretty young thing offered her a smile, that seemed to be a bit of a struggle for her, and Helah's own grin widened in answer. Yet, she did nothing, but listen as she spoke- then as the males spoke. So the first was of the Cove, the second smelled of salt-water, like the Lagoon Queen. Interesting. She let the males speak, before she sat back on her haunches and when it was her turn- Helah spoke.

"The Bluffs has been held by our Queen as the ruler- for the longest in the land, and we have need of healers." She gestured to herself. "The healer that helps me with this delivery would be well rewarded for their services." She offered- and of course, taking a pretty young thing home, would make Helah very happy- and anyone who helped her become... un-pregnant? Well, they'd be valuable to her- immeasurably.

ART BY YUMPY, CODE BY LARS

Bordeaux would study the lions all carefully, feeling the urge to decline all their offers. It was a foolish thought, and as much as she welcome her solitude, she knew it would be her death unless she was incredibly blessed by lady luck. In the end, it was a decision between her heart and her mind, and following your heart was never the safest recourse.

Only one pride seemed in dire need of a healer in that moment, and as strange as Bordeaux found @Helah, which wasn't saying much given how few lions she had interacted with thus far in her life, she would choose to follow her. "I will go to the Bluffs for now, seeing as you are in need of a healer." She said, dipping her head to each of them in turn before looking to the Wolfbron lioness to lead the way.

I feel like I'm at a standstill

Waiting for you to tell me I'm okay

code by corvus

Okay, Helah truly did not expect to win the healer over so easily, and when the pretty female spoke- taking her offer, she smiled. This time, it wasn't flirty or arrogant, but perhaps a true smile. Today, was going to be a good day. "Follow me." She said simply. "I will tell you what I can of the pride, on the way?" An offer, and she would, once they were a safe distance- she could tell @Bordeaux , about who held what ranks, the ranks that were open including the lead medic- and then about the tigress who hunted tirelessly- Amara and Louve- the details one needed to know, without knowing... everything.

-exit with Bordeaux-

ART BY YUMPY, CODE BY LARS