I put my armor on

show you how strong I am

How long had it been? She hadn't really bothered to pay attention to how many days, weeks or months she'd been on her journey now. All she really knew was that she'd left home and was now finding her way to a new home. Not that it mattered all that much. At some point she just stopped wondering wherever she had ended up.

When her paws hit the sands, the golden lioness lifted her head, throwing it back briefly to toss her dark mane out of her face. With a snort she shook her head and set off again in a trot, colorful gaze wandering, taking in her surroundings for the first time. Noting the odd rock formations, the lingering scents of many lions, she looked around more cautiously. Where there were scents of other lions, there were potential fights. A faint growl slipped past her lips as she slipped into the passage and she comfortably settled herself against a rock within some cool shade. Her tail curled around her haunches and she kept her gaze on her surroundings, curiously studying what was around her.

code by corvus

There was a rhythm to the land. Chaos and peace rising and falling like the ocean tides. And through it all, the work remained. His wounds suffered in the raid against Vermeda had mostly healed, and this time it seemed he wouldn't even have any scars to remind him of the night. And even with his wife at home healing from a different, larger, conflict, trips to the passage had to be made. And, anyway, it gave him a chance to get out and think along the way. Plotting was always an entertaining hobby.

Today's stranger seemed to be a lone, maned, woman, lounging in the shade. Ryker fixed his expression into something more friendly while still far enough away it looked natural, and would pause a comfortable distance from the woman. Hey. Passing through or looking for a place to settle? Because he wouldn't waste his time if she already had a destination in mind and had only stopped for a rest.

@Cerridwen

No shackles on the demon in me

I'd rather be dead than average

code by corvus

I put my armor on

show you how strong I am

For just a moment her attention had slipped from her surroundings, to turn to an itchy spot on her leg. Not in the most graceful manner, the young female had twisted her body, fangs wrapped around her front leg mid scratch when she heard a voice nearby.

Golden rimmed ears flattened into her darkened mane in embarrassment. Great first impression, dumbass. She internally cursed at herself but didn't say it out loud, luckily. He probably would have thought she was a total weirdo. Lifting her paw to run it through her mane before shaking it out, she glanced over @Ryker quite shamelessly. "Weel, ah dinnae think a'd pure ken whaur tae gang. Juist keekin whaur hings micht tak' me." (Well, I don't think I'd really know where to go. Just looking where things might take me.) A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "Whit urr ye offering?" (What are you offering?)

code by corvus

He hadn't been to the Passage in a very long time so Adeodatus thought it was high time he kicked himself into gear and did just that. Ears twisting as he journeyed to the sand gate way and found himself coming up behind @Ryker and a rogue. His blood jewels glanced between the two as he would listen to Ryker's question and soon put in it his own. If it's a place you're looking to call home, I extend a place in the Mire. He would state, though he did give Ryker a dip of his head. Noting that his scent wasn't of the Oasis but the Rainforest instead and he would have to find out why later.

@Cerridwen

The American Nightmare

When night comes creeping My cruel hand will rock you to sleep I'm the American nightmare With American dreams Of countin' the bodies while you count sheep I'm the American nightmare Yeah, I'm living the dream I'm slashing my way through the golden age of the silver scream

code by corvus

A vaguely-familiar grey male would arrive, though Ryker couldn't remember if he'd ever gotten a name for the man. Still, the scent of Ecrosia was still there and so he'd get a nod in return to the silent greeting received.

And then attention settled back on the rogue herself as she spoke.

Now, Ryker had heard a number of accents through his time within Amaryllis, and a number of different languages. And lions who spoke in a mixture of heavy accent and foreign tongue. But this was a new puzzle. There was a slow blink as he tried to process what she was saying, and if he was honest a good number of the words were entirely unfamiliar either in sound or context. He caught a few that were close enough to what he knew to puzzle out their un-accented versions, and pieced together what he hoped was the basic gist. Though it was in pieces roughly amounting to 'Well, I don't think I'd --- Just -- where -- take me' and a question about offers.

So there might have been an extra second or two of processing delay before he managed to answer. I have a pride in the jungle; we welcome any with strength and ambition, or at least those willing to work for the pride. If that meant nothing more than keeping the cache full and the borders secure, that was enough.

@Cerridwen @Adeodatus

No shackles on the demon in me

I'd rather be dead than average

code by corvus

I put my armor on

show you how strong I am

She didn't stay alone with the darker male for long. A subtle smirk played around her lips as she slowly stretched and got comfortable again. But there was that damned itch again. Her paw twitched a little before she eventually gave in and lowered her head to scrape her fangs over the itchy spot. To hell with first impressions. Eventually she lifted her head again and actually sat up.

Her colorful gaze wandered between @Ryker, who seemed rather puzzled by the way she spoke, and @Adeodatus. Right, not everyone understood her when she spoke like that. It was a little harder for her to force down her accent to be a little easier to understand, but she did try to make an effort. "Sounds interestin' enough." Well, that came out much slower than she wanted. "Don't know if I'd enjoy a jungle much. But I'd be up to hearing more about it." She smiled a little at him before looking over at the grey man. "Same goes for you....though I admit, it does sound interesting."

But after talking, she'd realized something else. She'd forgotten to introduce herself. "Name's Cer by the way. Cerridwen Armour."

code by corvus

And so it began. He had totally missed the first part of her speech - apparently - and the look @Ryker had given her was amusing and confusing on its own. However, his attention went to the female before him as she began to speak and ears twisting in his silver locks. She spoke in a way that seemed familiar with him but he couldn't figure out where. Well the Mire is ruled by Alaric and his son Bruno. He would begin, though that may change in the coming future. He runs it with an iron paw, but fair and considers all of his members input on things. You can challenge for ranks if you have the ambition for it. Food, shelter, plenty of space.

@Cerridwen

The American Nightmare

When night comes creeping My cruel hand will rock you to sleep I'm the American nightmare With American dreams Of countin' the bodies while you count sheep I'm the American nightmare Yeah, I'm living the dream I'm slashing my way through the golden age of the silver scream

code by corvus

I put my armor on

show you how strong I am

As she listened, her tail flicked behind her, though oddly enough pointed straight upwards despite all the movement in it. The man of the jungle was quiet, but the silver mane male presented his home a little more. Intriguing. Though she was tempted by the unfamiliar territory of the jungle, there was something that seemed to draw her towards the Mire.

For a moment she sat, ears twitching in the dark mess that she called a mane. Two offers. More than she'd expected. With a small, slow stretch she got to her paws, rolling her shoulders. She wasn't large, but there was a twinkle in her eyes that so easily hinted at a personality much larger than her actual size. With a smirk tugging at her lips she looked at @Adeodatus. "Dinnae ken whit it's aboot yer glaur, bit tis cawin me. Sae ah suppose ah wull come wi' ye 'n' see whaur it steals me." Don't know what it is about your Mire, but it's calling me. So I suppose I will come with you and see where it takes me.

@Ryker

code by corvus

Silence befell all of them before she seemed to make her announcement to join him and the Mire. Ears pushing forwards as he listened to her words carefully, having been around Slaine he found that it was easy to pick out what she was saying and with a nod of his head, Adeodatus would shuffle to allow her to move to his side. Dipping his head towards @Ryker, Adeodatus would glance towards @Cerridwen and with a small smile on his face would turn in the direction of the Mire. Perhaps you will find something good in the Mire then. He would admit before leading her away from the passage and towards the Mire itself.

The American Nightmare

When night comes creeping My cruel hand will rock you to sleep I'm the American nightmare With American dreams Of countin' the bodies while you count sheep I'm the American nightmare Yeah, I'm living the dream I'm slashing my way through the golden age of the silver scream

code by corvus

I put my armor on

show you how strong I am

Perhaps she should have taken more time, observed the prides and chosen in a different way. But she couldn't deny that call, couldn't ignore the pull that came from somewhere deep inside. And so she moved, without so much as a glance back to where she'd come from. She'd see the shores again soon enough, she knew that. Her tail flicked a little behind her, lightly tapping against the Mire male's side while she gave a small nod to @Ryker, before she followed @Adeodatus. Away from the passage and towards her new home. His words as they walked, brought a small smile to her lips, a faint chuckle escaping her. But she didn't say anything. Whatever the future held, she would see when the time was right.

Exit w/ Adeodatus

code by corvus