Cold.

Exhausted.

Weak - there were many words to describe Novalie as she fought with the weather, her bodice weakened to a state beyond her own fears. She was a scavenger, forced to hunt down mere scraps, her stomach constantly on a rumbling ache of pain, hollow and empty.

Just like her.

She barely crossed over the large, stone mountains when she came across a Cove. Blurry eyes studied the land - nose twitching as the scent of pride washed among her smell. If there was a pride, there was food... and that was the only thing she could think about.

Food. Hunger. Starvation.

She limped forward instantly, crossing over borders as she tried to track down the smell of dried blood - she'd eat old meat if she had too. She was a medic, she knew how to heal from poisoned food. She had to do it before. Life threatening and painful, but she was alive because of it.

Nose brought her to a dead hare, laying about as if someone of the pride had been chewing on it, and left it to go tend to something else. She snatched it instantly, her legs wobbly with relief as she tore savagely at it to remedy her starvation. She tried to eat quiet, but she couldn't hear what sounds she was making. She assumed the world to be mute with her at this point.

She wasn't thinking of consequences - whatever beating they may give her would be nowhere near worse of that her Father had done to her.

So, for once she ate, guard down as she focused on the warmth slowly sparking in her frame; a comfort she hadn't felt for weeks.

code by corvus

Small and fledgling their pride was, it was easy to tell when a strange scent crossed the borders. The stretching line of coast that Kvare traveled each day seldom changed, the excitement of a change in leadership long subsiding in favor of the same old, patrolling and hunting becoming a staple of Kvare's commitment. He was worn, weary; tiredness hung as darkness dwelling beneath his eyes, bleary and blinking away sheepishness. As soon as he'd caught her scent, however, a sudden rush of adrenaline immediately wrenched him awake. Fire breathed life into the dragon, and Kvare's pawsteps quickly turned from the borders and followed her scent down the beach.

She was at first nothing more than a dark silhouette against the backdrop of the coming dawn, the sky turning a milky gray as the first rays of sunlight burst from the horizon. A cunning, snarling grin unfurled upon his dark lips, the boyish promenade with which he once carried suddenly slowing, deepening, stalking forward with a predatory grace until he came up behind her. And with each step closer, he could see more of the delightfully dark curves of her, thinner than should be at her flank. There was a girlish, disheveled look to her; the smell of rogue was written into her very skin.

You'll have to pay us back for that, came his croon, leaving only enough distance between them that he might have escaped her notice until he spoke. Should she run, he would chase; thus, Kvare hoped she would give him the mercy of staying still.

---

@Novalie
+10 Intercept a trespasser (1/2)

Art by Raph, table by cala

She did not see him, not at first. The only indication of his arrival had been the scent of smoke and timber wafting to her nose. She tensed - jaws slowing in pace as she continued to chew the food in her maw. Her gaze, once firmly planted among her bloodied paws, wavered. Slowly did they lift, coming to land upon a brute of large, brawny physique.

God, she wouldn't be able to beat him in a battle.

Orange and silver were the eyes she stared into, the motion of his lips suggesting he was speaking something to her. Silence was all she heard - and while she could assume what he said, she merely blinked.

Slowly then, did she shuffle her body backwards an inch - half eaten hare still secure in her jaws. Fleeing was becoming awful tempting, but she didn't want to turn her back on this intimidating man yet. Call her scared.

@Kvare

code by corvus

There was something...off. As if his words didn't register.

Kvare couldn't quite tell what it was, at first. He saw it simply was meekness, a girlish shyness, perhaps. A boyish brow lifted as she scrambled backward a few paces, the hare firmly held between her teeth as if she was intent on taking it with her, wherever that may be. Were it up to Kvare, it would be straight to his den; beautifully fettered, as he rather liked his women (the dragon knows no end to his greed, after all).

He shouldn't have hesitated. Perhaps it were because the image of Tilly crossed his mind; the carefree way with which she danced along the shore, eyes alight with an innocent curiosity Kvare was forever incapable of. But as quick as her image appeared it was gone, and the Caladanian found himself stepping forward, matching her pace; stopping when she stopped, not letting the distance between them break.

He decides not to speak, for whatever strange reason, and instead motions toward the hare. Mine. Slowly, he extends his paw forward, attempting to hook his claws into the prey, hoping to establish some sort of connection without quite touching her, fearing that she may all fall apart under the weight of his paw. Mine.

---

@Novalie
+10 Intercept a trespasser (2/2)

Art by Raph, table by cala

It had been quiet for a while. Though she'd started to settle into life at the Cove, — comforted by waves and memories of a different time — something didn't sit quite right with her as she was trudging along the shoreline.

Then it hit her, the scent. Rogue. A deep growl sounded from her and within seconds she'd abandoned her original path, swiftly moving towards it. Claws barely scraped the ground as she practically flew towards her new destination. Eventually two shapes came into view and she lowered herself, slowing down to flatten herself to the ground until she came up on the other side of the lioness, pale fur giving the appearance of her body nearly forming from sand as she rose like a sand wraith.

He does have a point, the lioness spoke calmly, though her eyes never left the other female, studying her.

What she was met with certainly wasn't what a healthy lioness should look like. And for just a moment something flashed in her eyes. Pain. Memories of a time when her own fate had been no better. — Poor thing must have been through so much. There had to be something to help. — But they didn't know her and it could still be a ruse. Though she had her doubts about that. Not quite threatening, but carrying herself with a more regal than purely predatory grace, she moved a little closer to avoid having to yell. Perhaps there is a way to...settle this.

---

@Novalie @Kvare
_{BG — ART — CODE}

His lips didn't move again.

Rather, his paws did.

He copied her; mirror image. Every shuffle she did, his large paws followed. Every shift to the side, every inch taken backwards, he forced back the close distance between them.

And then, his paw came upon her hare.

There was a stillness in her, it came as fast as a whoosh of wind. Novalie was
scared to peer into his dual-colored eyes, scared to see what emotions might lay there. Instead, she became hyper-aware of her meal, and the way his claws poked into the last bits of remaining meat on it.

Her stomach was warm, but it was barely a kindle of fire from the few bites she had. She would be cold as ash come nightfall, and back to square one.

Her lip twitched - and her paw lifted, her movements slow as her thin, slender limp attempted to be placed on top his own. Bold, risky - she was just about to try and push his limb from her meal, almost like a stubborn child, when the presence of another startled her.

A surprised hiss ripped from her lips - bodice scattering back as she swiftly put distance between her and the lioness. She wasn't aware of where she threw her body, not until she smell of smoke and timber became overwhelming, and the warmth not far from her suggestion she might of very well tossed herself back onto the intimidating male. Tense as can be, she freezes - not daring to move another muscle, eyes frantically peering around for her meal and where it had been flung to in the surprise, unaware of the noise leaving the lioness' moving maw.


@Kvare @Lagertha

code by corvus

Some might have considered @Lagertha's sudden appearance a blessing, but Kvare truly had nothing deeply sinister at heart. Possessive and greedy as he was, there was a sense of restraint around him, one that kept the beckoning fire back. And yet, little mercy would be spared for those who sought to steal. Who was to say what this woman would go on to do if he let her go? Would she not take advantage of their mercy, spread the rumors that Caladan was particularly kind to their invaders, to turn the pride into a den of thieves and parasites? Kvare spared a glance toward his companion, before falling onto @Novalie once more, just barely catching the raise of her paw as it sought to set atop of his. Vibrant eyes widened slightly, but it was the only relent that broke through his steeled expression.

And then, she turned, inching inadvertently closer toward him in an attempt to distance herself from the kinder of the two lions. His paw quickly retracted from the hare as it was flung, but quickly bore down once more, this time attempting to press it into the nape of her neck. Though his claws are unsheathed, his intention was more to hold her in place; the weight he aimed to press onto would be just enough to hold her steady. Can she even speak? He demanded, as if anticipating Lagertha might somehow know the answer. So far, interrogating the trespasser had proven especially difficult.

Some sadistic part of him had wanted to hear her beg.

Instead, he remained rigid and focused, watching for any sign that she might try to take off; silently, he dreaded the fact he could not place a claim on her then and there. He would have to wait for Keligan.

She's not free to leave, either way, he continued gruffly, his gaze bearing down on the lioness once more. Would hate to see her starve as a rogue.

Art by Raph, table by cala

Perhaps to some her arrival could have been considered a blessing. She was not cruel, but the Cove was home and much like it had been before — in a different time, in another land — it fell to her and those she stood with to protect and strengthen their home. There was a lot to consider.

Emerald gaze wandered between her companion and the startled lioness, a soft furred brow arching ever so slightly. But then she turned, trotting to where the remains of the hare had landed, picking it up carefully before returning. Every step was made with purpose, a fluid elegance that could give strangers an idea of the standing she was used to. No slinking about or bowing down to others, but also no prideful arrogance. A woman who knew her worth. Once returned she placed the hare in front of them, within view of the lioness before placing a paw over it.

Perhaps... Lagertha mused as she glanced at her companion, giving him a small nod at the sight of his claws on the lioness' neck. There was something about her that she couldn't quite place. Something didn't feel right about her. But if the lioness were do look at her, she'd be granted an at least somewhat kind smile before the pale one's attention shifted.

But did you see how she reacted to both of us? Her gaze returned to Kvare as he spoke his last words, ears flattening ever so slightly. It's not a pretty life, unfortunately. And something isn't right with her...aside from the obvious.

---

@Novalie @Kvare
_{BG — ART — CODE}

Keligan had been in his den with @Sunder and their children when the Rogue had decided to pass into the pride lands and steal a scrap of food. Thankfully, @Kvare and @Lagertha had intercepted the trespasser by the time Keligan shuffled himself outside. Hearing some ruckus going on, the High Sovereign went into that direction. Flicking his ears forward, he saw some figures up ahead. Two of them he recognized and another, he didn't. Pinning his ears backwards against his skull as he got closer.

The two Cove members had the trespasser trapped between them and Keligan rose a brow at the words that the Lead Fighter spoke. Closing in the gap, he saw the lioness on the ground. Crime is what? Trespassing and? Glancing towards the hare that had been tossed, Stealing perhaps? Clicking his tongue, the blackened beast hovered and waited. He had not been here at the first portion of pursuit. The lioness was deathly skinny, starvation apparent. But he would wait for Kvare to tell him what happened. And perhaps the promotion of him would be coming and one for Lagertha as well.

@Novalie

_{— ART — CODE}

The paw that was on the hare was now upon her neck, unsheathed claws poking into her delicate, fragile skin with silent warning. She grimaces, a shudder raking down her body as she finds her gaze piercing forth to the lioness. Almost pleading.

The wheat lioness brought the hare back, placing it in front of them. A frown, creasing her head subtly as she stares. She watches the lioness' attention turn to the male upon her neck - holding her firmly in place like a trapped rat.

Captured prey.

A grunt, and Novalie catches the sight of another coming into the scene. Three pride lions now, she stood no chance of wriggling her way to freedom. The black lion who arrived hovered, his lips moving; silence echoing in the space words should be. Feeling her claws unsheathe into the ground under her out of irritation, her shoulders tense and roll, as much as they could underneath the timber smelling brute.

"Go." One simple, hoarse word from her lips. She did not speak much, rarely, gifted to be partially deaf up until nine months old. She knew how to communicate, but only now lacked the ability to hear others. Rather her word was directed to her, or to them - it did not matter. It was backed by the lashing of her tail, a wild critter ready to sprint forward once free of the trap.

@Kvare @Lagertha @Keligan

code by corvus