The dappled giant trails along in the pawsteps of his kin, for where else would he be? The last time the Oasis pride had been challenged for, he had arrived to find the Savante already bloodied. If they were to involve themselves in the affairs of the desert once again, then Mircea would not dare to be so lax as he was the first time.

These lands were new to him still. But war existed everywhere, didn't it?

There is a ceasefire, Alexander says. One that is to be respected, until a worthy reason not to revealed itself to them. It does not ease his mind, not when even he can sense the tensions rising and rising. The somewhat familiar striped form of Leonie is already locked in combat with a star-speckled woman who smelled of the Bluffs, and the sight makes his jaw clench.

He does not know well the lions of Wolfbron, has not seen firsthand the atrocities they committed against his family, but he knows he distrusts them all the same.

So he braces himself against the sand, his head dropped low in the space between his tense shoulders, his pale tail swaying patiently behind him as he watched and waited, standing near enough to @Constantine and @Valerian both to feel a hint of their camaraderie. It does not take long. Scorpius's arrival is an appropriately forbidding one, and he lunges viciously for the woman who'd challenged him. A desert woman, cream in color, singles out the lioness sitting beside the Hollow's King, intentions clear.

And Mircea slides his gaze towards @Alexander ♔ expectantly, the question gleaming in the tan depths clear to see.

Will we aid them?

+10 Observe a fight (Amara vs Leonie) (x2 from Keligan)
+10 Observe a fight (Helah vs Scorpius) (x2)
+10 Observe a fight (Minerva vs Louve)(x2)

ART BY MOOGLE, CODE BY DEE

It would be a lie to say that the huntress does not still feel a hint of hesitation when faced once more with the desert sands and all the tumultuous things that it represents, a swirling mess of memories from a time long since passed. She tires of it. A woman born of the vast open spaces should not feel so chained down by them. She has conquered so much since her journey had truly begun.

This place should be no different.

She glides across the dunes with well-practiced steps, the task of navigating the shifting sands practically second nature to her. She encounters the gathered crowd just in time to witness the Andal King's arrival, recognizing him as the very same male she herself had tussled with in the Passage, some time ago. The white dots lined beneath his eye like a brand upon a face.

The Miroslav commands them all to leave before launching into battle, an order that only convinces Myra to raise an eyebrow in challenge as she very deliberately sat her rump down upon the warm sand, not far from @Sláine. Her chin tilted upwards in defiance, her narrowed reptilian eyes scanning the Oasis lions dubiously. The message is clear enough.

If you want me to leave, then make me.

image by rabbit, code by anyu

Her call echoed through the lands, through eternity perhaps- because one by one they arrived. Those who would watch her fight. A particular one, calls out calling her not a King- @Walpurgis – she says nothing to her, just offering her a small smile. She sees Keligan as he arrives, then one of Louve’s whelps. Then more and more before a lioness explodes from the Oasis and attacks the whelp of Louve. Helah watches with interest for a moment- debating on intervening, if only to remain within the good graces of the Sovreign when @Amara arrives and flings herself into battle.

More and more they come, the world swelling around her but there is only this- this moment. Her breath is even, her claws idle, remaining neatly in sheathed. She is silent, not deigning to speak to those gathered yet. That was for victories.

When he arrives, he speaks to her- and her eyes study the larger male.

You’re going to regret this.

A small coy smile works to her lips and she speaks back, “Oh handsome, it doesn’t have to be personal,” She would coo, her small smile splitting into a wicked grin, paired with a rather insane laugh as he charges for her.

The king wastes no time, and Helah is quickly met with his paw, sand and grit and all as he aims for her face. She aims to use her smaller size to her advantage, and aims to attempt to dodge his claws to her eyes, catching them into her ear- pain singing through her like a triumphant call home- rattling her head about with the force of the impact, as she attempts to duck her head- to let his claws rip through that tender flesh there while she tries to move, attempting to bite at his throat, when his own teeth meet the side of neck in a grip that feels vicious. Helah aims to swipe out, aiming to slash down the inside of his legs with her right paw if she is able, with poison tipped claws. — **

Anything to weaken the large male, if she were so lucky.

The grit, from his swipe towards her face stings and burns her eyes, as she blinks furiously to attempt to clear her vision, relying more on her nose and the feel of him- and hopefully just some luck to guide her attacks. Pain rips through her, as he slams his paw down, his claws piercing into her flesh- blood welling, and gritty sand flying in. She aims to jerk that paw back, trying to jerk it loose- damage that may cause be damned, so she can maintain her balance.

Yet, where some would snarl in pain, Helah is laughing- enjoying this. She only hopes that it goes more and more fun.

Helah vs @Scorpius
For Andal Oasis
Round ONE of FIVE
Hits:

Rolling 8d20: 12 + 9 + 17 + 6 + 16 + 10 + 4 + 7

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 6 + 10 + 3 + 2 + 13

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 10 + 3 + 12 + 19 + 2

-----
Attempted action denoted by **
assassin master/sub-master perk to poison and inflict a wounded roll
1 is failure, 2 is success

Rolling 1d2: 2

OOC NOTE: Please feel free to reach out to me, for any clarification-- I will reply ASAP.

ART BY RABBIT, CODE BY LARS

Yellow eyes do not rest -- they move from body to body, keeping track of those that come and where they sit. @Silvine seemingly followed the rest of the Wolfbron crew, a fact which earned a sharp look from the Matriarch. Before Louve can move towards the cub she is surprised by the arrival of @Revna, even more so when the woman seems intent on helping. Whatever strange relationship she had with Helah it seemed there must be a genuine thread there, though the sovereign intends to keep a close eye on her all the same.

It did not escape her notice that @Halimede slipped close to @Aideen, and she simply did not have the capacity to figure out how she felt about that whole situation. Louve had known from the beginning that the cubs she found in the passage were likely those of her enemy, but she had grown fond of the girls, and could not deny the surge of protectiveness she felt.

She might have said something, done something, but then @Alexander ♔ was there and he captured the entirety of her attention. "Mon famille 'as been instructed," she told him, in the wake of his words, loud enough for those around them to hear, "'ze Savante will not be attacked first." Now if they broke the truce? Well, there were more than a few of the Dieudonne that would seek their revenge. Louve could not promise to hold them back if the Savante struck first.
"Your allies z'at just attacked ma fille?" Louve gestured towards @Faustine, the cub that was significantly smaller than her would be maimer. "Z'at one sought to maim 'er before ma mere stepped in." Her gaze shifted from Alex to the fight that played out before them and then back, curious how he would handle that information. A family member of his -- @Constantine -- appears and introduces himself but she gives him little more than a brief look, too intent on garnering Alex's response.

A woman of the Summit appeared, then, and asks a quiet question, one that does not escape the ears of the Sovereign. "Z'e women of z'e oasis tried to maim my daughter. Ma mere stepped in to protect 'er." A story she would not hesitate to repeat time and again, for whoever needed to hear it. The Bluffs were not the aggressor, here.

@Dragos is the next to arrive, and she remembers him well. The boy that had threatened the cub at the last challenge in an attempt to bring them all to heel -- it was not something she would easily forget. But she draws a steady breath, reminding herself of the blood her husband had spilled and the revenge they had taken, and the ceasefire that was currently in place. "Z'e bluffs are not attacking your 'ome," she reminds him, "or your famille." While the Savante had not come for the Bluffs the Hollows had been under Dieudonne rule, so from where she was sitting it was a different situation.

As was the way with situations like this the air was wrought with tension, and Louve's focus is momentarily shifted to a mouthy Andal woman (@Minerva) as she shared words with @Adelita. The extra small lioness of the bluffs was not well known to Louve, but she could not help but nod in agreement at her words. It was true -- only a coward attacked one so much smaller than her. Surely the Andal Heiress could have found a much more suitable target -- herself for example -- if only she had waited. If she truly wanted a fight and not an easy win...

And then the Andal King is there, demanding they all leave. Considering they were not trespassing she was stunned to hear the words, noting her own space from the borders. Her body tenses and she is on high alert, but she makes no immediate move to leave. This is unclaimed territory, after all, and whether the boy King wanted to believe it or not he was not in charge here.

As was to be expected his words did cause a stir, though -- a child barrels from the oasis towards aideen, only to have halimede step in between them. Louve looks away, not to be fussed with the matters of children. But then a woman launches herself at Adelita, sitting so near to Faustine, and Louve snarls her displeasure. "Z'ese lands are not 'is," she growled, her tail lashing behind her as she stood, feeling the swell of tension grow. As Minerva's attention shifts to Louve herself she raises her voice, answering her with words before actions.

"I am not in your lands," checking her defenses, laser focused on the one she perceives as a threat, now, "if you want me to leave, make me."

Louve vs @Minerva
zero of four
for Minor Maim

I am not a woman, I'm a god

code x art

Leila flattens herself to the ground, trusting the shadows to help her blend in. She watches their queen fight the heiress of the Oasis with a troubled look, anxiety seeping into her. She wanted to creep out and take her place with the other Wolfbron members, but she is immediately regretful and glad she hadn't when she sees @Dragos's form emerge to take a place near his father and @Louve ♔.

It would be hard to stand that close to him and pretend she didn't even know him.

Then the king of the oasis arrives with an order for non-allies to leave. Leila looks on to the other Wolfbron members for indication, but nobody follows it. The fight quickly breaks out.

Leila's ears prick to listen in to the discussion between the Savante and Dieudonne - she is neither but inexplectably tangled in the mess and tension of it all. She is startled to hear discussion of... a ceasefire? That was what it sounded like. She stares in surprise. When had this happened? She couldn't read what Dragos was thinking - he had the mask of a prince upon his face, a different creature than her heart knows. Had he known? Did this change anything?

Leila's tail twitches worriedly in the sand, keeping low and tucked away as more fights and confrontations broke out.

- Leila is hiding!

stock © sajad nori, art © hinter, code © hinter

Pyracantha watched as things unfolded, her lilac eyes taking in everything, she feels her son brush her flank and she looks back, smiling at him gently, before pressing her head to his. She turns her head to look at @Louve ♔ who moves to the Hollows kings side, she watches, swallowing her anger down though she moves to place herself closer to her son as if he wasn't almost bigger than her.

The calico lioness moves closer, wanting to hear the conversation, she could keep her emotions in check, she had been taught from a young age to smile, be pretty, swallow the negative emotions, and she was a great actress.

With only a tail length or two between her and Louve, another Savante appears causing the lioness to falter just for a moment, her body stiffening when he comes up against his leaders side. Her calm expression gives way only by the tiniest tremor of her upper lift pulling back, but it is over as quick as it happened, a small smile of her face, though she sees @Dragos from her peripherals, she is focused on Louve, "Est-ce qu'elle va bien?" She gestures to @Faustine, "Those that go after children are nothing but cowards."


[1. Is she okay?]

Some of us fall off the beaten path

Blood on the wind alerted her that something was going on. None of the others had been around to take with her, so Azhira simply wandered towards the source herself. It took her passed the Labyrinth and into the drylands, further and further until all trees and grasses (no matter how dry) burned away, resulting in dust and sand that covered everything. The vegetation here was cactus and anything that could survive severely dry conditions. None of it looked very exciting to her, and with the sun setting, a cool and uncomfortable chill settled around the place.

There are droves of lions surrounding what was happening - as there tended to be when something good was going down. She could only assume it was another pride challenge, but still... information could be learned from here.

Unwilling to schmooze here, she kept low and tried to keep herself hidden behind a desert rock. Her coat stood out uncomfortably here, and had it not been for the growing darkness, she probably would've been spotted so easily. From behind the rock, she could see most of the action, including the main fight. Azhira noted the lioness fighting to be the one who informed her at one of the Hollows' pride challenges. She wondered why the female would be interested in a place like this, but then why would any lion want to live here?

Most of the talk that Azhira could hear was either related to fights, lions asking what was going on, or some other rambling that didn't quite make sense or blended too well into the background snarls. But then she heard a heavily-accented lioness speaking, and drank in a bit of whatever she was saying. An Oasis lion tried to attack a child? And the Bluffs weren't warring with the Oasis? Perhaps this was one lioness' prerogative, but it was clear that tensions were very high here.


-Azhira is attempting to stay hidden!-

[sleuth xp] (doubled bc Keligan)
+20 Remain undetected in a large thread
+20 Learn something about pride/group/family relations
+10 Study the landscape of an area

Makin' our decisions, never lookin' back

art x code

Elaine's ears flicked around as her icy gaze around looking for threats. She didn't think they would get out of here with only the fight against that her mother was in. The king arrived and made his order and just as quickly Oasis lions made their moves. Attacking first and Elaine wasn't going to stand by as members of her pride were attacked. They were doing nothing but watching. Elaine's focus snapped to attention as Louve was attacked and she barked an order at @Revna. Get them out of here. Now. She saw that @Aideen was near her mother and still attacked. Clearly there was no protection for her own offspring here. Had Elaine been closer she would have jumped in but she wasn't.

Until this challenge is over, these lands are contested and we are not trespassing. She roared to those who seemed ready to try to push them out. Oh how familiar this was, didn't this king and his sidekick try to paint the Bluffs as foul lions because of the same sort of thing? Though they had been spying. The bluff members here came in support. Her icy gaze snapped to @Kireena and she started to move as a large lioness approached @Adelita. That would not do. Elaine moved to cut between them, facing @Kireena head-on. Elaine didn't know this lioness, hadn't seen her around anywhere. These lands aren't his to command us off us. We are not on his lands. She spoke low to the lioness as she rolled her shoulders and her icy gaze remained locked on her.

Elaine & @Adelita vs @Kireena
-for-
Dominance
0/3

Art by Lars

Still, the fool within her teeth spat out words at her. Did no one teach her to keep her petty thoughts to herself while in a fight? Amara's neck had claws removed from it and seemed to be more stable in the sand even as Amara whipped her head harshly side to side and she can feel her teeth ripping into the tender flesh. Fighting this lioness was rather annoying and Amara would be pleased to make this her last fight as the lioness pulled herself backward and Amara's grip was pulled against. The high sovereign attempted to pull the lioness back with her teeth, attempting to dig even deeper into the flesh, which moved her head closer to sharp teeth that were aimed at her face and sliced on her cheekbone. She grunted a growl at her. Through all her fights, she had managed to keep her face mostly untouched. She couldn't tell how deep the wound was at the moment as blood started to slip from the open flesh. This was not good for her look. She was ready to end this and make her point known, do. not. touch. what. is. hers.


Amara vs. @Léonie
Major Maim
Round 4 / 4

Hits:

Rolling 7d20: 8 + 18 + 5 + 3 + 13 + 7 + 9

Dodges:

Rolling 6d20: 8 + 1 + 5 + 6 + 12 + 17

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 1 + 19 + 10 + 8 + 5

Image by Machati and table code by Amanda

Things were moving very fast, and before she knew it fur was flying and blood spilling. Galaxia honestly disliked the sight of blood - her Mother had spilled enough of it for a lifetime. When things started to get rough, the girl painted in black started to back up - slowly, ever so slowly. When the Oasis king came and decreed that anyone not of the Oasis or the Hollows should leave fights began anew.

There was a soft sound afforded to her king, her bi-colored gaze passing to him before she muttered a hasty apology and turned, bolting away. Perhaps she needed to learn - to be better. However, the young lioness - still an adult in her own right, felt much like a child and she wasn't sure what to do about the fear that gripped her heart at seeing the fighting.

Watching children throwing themselves at adults was frightening enough - but when she realized that the adults were fighting in earnest and there was likely to be a lot more involved, the young lioness ran. She needed to be away from the violence... It was still too close to what she had witnessed in the past to shake easily.

//Exit via running away! _Can be stopped if you'd like, just tag me!_//""

code by corvus