Now, Violarum had never claimed to be an observant man, and his families amusing claims for a lack of beauty amongst those who dwelled the Plains was enough for the once-was King to assume Aeistrios was just fine. His mind wastes no more thought for the state of the situation; he was well-versed in the art of battle, and distraction and over-confidence had been his downfall more than once.

So, as the annoyingly massive ruler emerges from his throne, the clay man holds only him in his sights - thankfully oblivious to the attacks upon his children and a certain 3-limbed murderess. True, he had hoped his memory of the beasts size had been skewed; but alas, he stands as tall as ever, and Vio didn't much like feeling small.

With his standard defenses setting easily into place, the muscle memory of a well-familiar dance pulled his chin in taut and pinned his ears. Violarum attempted to approach the Sovereign mostly front-on, seeking to duck inelegantly to the male's right side in a steady lope and throw any potential for impact into the brunt of an aimed bite to his right elbow.

Violarum vs. @Aeistrios for Lorien Plains
Round 1 of 5
Hits:

Rolling 9d20: 16 + 7 + 18 + 10 + 15 + 3 + 9 + 17 + 4

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 18 + 12 + 19 + 1

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 13 + 3 + 17 + 11 + 15

_{art by kairi —}

Now wasn't this just delicious?

Helah, had hardly had a moment to breathe when she heard the call echo through the fields she'd been wandering through. She grinned slowly, as she turned towards the plains, sauntering towards the pride with her normal level of arrogance and swagger. A challenge for the handsome Aeistrios? Oh, dear. She swaggers towards the scent of the growing crowd- and lingers at the edge of the territory before she meanders along the border heading for the crowd. When she arrives, she sees a clay male- challenging for the throne and other fights breaking out. Helah, remains near the border- closer than most would probably dare- but she won't want to miss a second of the handsome plum male fighting. Her head cranes eagerly to watch him, wanting to see who will come out on top.

ART BY YUMPY, CODE BY LARS

Though there is a slight tremble to him, his head lifts high as he stands beside his father. His eyes widen when a female moves for @Anniston and he gulps down a breathless swallow. He's so focused on his sister and the impending fight for his father that he does not see the cub that barrels towards his unprotected side. Enver staggers from the impact, his breath knocking out of him in a whoosh as he lets out a startled, strangled yelp.

Teeth find the side of his neck, and he feels a thump as a paw is thrown over his back- pain flaring as claws and teeth dig in and Enver's heart hammers so loudly in his chest that he's almost frozen- listening to the cadence of it.

Then he remembers cub wrestling matches and he tries to dig his claws into the ground to re-balance himself, his jaws splaying open as he turns his head in an effort to snap at the other male, hoping to bite into his fur or flesh- though he isn't sure he can even reach, while also trying to wiggle his body in an effort to weaken the other cubs balance, if he has any weight resting on him with his paw on his back. What had he even done?!

Enver vs @Valtyr
For Minor Maim
1/4
Hits:

Rolling 3d20: 10 + 9 + 20

Dodges:

Rolling 1d20: 16

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 14 + 18 + 2 + 12 + 19

code by corvus

Lyle had a vague memory of the Plains. He had never been here but he passed by many times when coming down from the mountains to hunt. But mainly he remembered his brother @Orson having lived here for awhile. Their father had told him about the most recent events involving Lorien and his family. His brother had a friend trapped here and he had tried to get her back.

Figuring more of his family would make their way here, the cryptic looking cat approached. He took a silent seat outside of the borders. Eyes trailed a distantly familiar figure. A girl he had seen once. Oh yeah. When Nero had kicked Orson's ass (for reasons he had long forgotten) that girl had tried to help.

He watched them for a bit until the real battle started. Lyle slid down into the grass, long ears and tail flicking pesky flies away as he settled in to enjoy the show.


Paladin
+5 Observe a fight (Anniston v Reah)
Barbarian
+5 Observe a fight(Vio v Aeist)

Art by Rabbit, Code by Minxy

Instinct told him to hide, or to run until it was safe, but he couldn't really bring himself to do either. He wouldn't abandon his family, and he trusted the pride to make sure nothing too horrible happened to him. So, while his arrival was a little delayed, he did eventually give in to curiosity, and the fact it was important for him to make a show of support.

Even so, he only got close enough to easily see what was happening. His father, fighting a stranger, and he understood the outcome of the battle could drastically change his home. Elio hadn't really known any other place, memories from before he was found and taken in had faded and grown hazy over time, and he didn't like to think about what might happen if the stranger won.

So the pale prince huddled in the tall grass, folding himself in to a tight, anxious, loaf. His mother was fighting someone, too...and his brother...and there he was, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. Did that make him a coward?

it doesn't take long for him to feel the prickle at the back of his neck, the instinct that told him he was being watched. thankfully there was no clear threat, and in fact he only finds @Bordeaux looking at him. she is a stranger, but it is not terribly hard for him to guess who she is born of. the daughter of patchouli he had met so infrequently; he returns her gaze and follows it with a tiny tip of his head, before returning his eyes to the impending fight for the plains.

a scuffle breaks out between children, pulling his focus for a moment, but soon after @Tinúviel appears and she captures his attention entirely. her words bring a pang to his heart, a reminder that she had left the mire and taken their children with her. he could hardly blame her, circumstances being what they may, but he didn't particularly like the situation. once she had promised it would only be for a short spell and he had imagined her back at his side by now -- alaric knew, now, that it would never be that way. she had found her place, and for now that meant she would live away. and he would miss the little things, in the moments he could not be there.

"i miss them. i miss you." a soft admission, whispered only for her. he does not want to burden her but nor does he wish to keep his feelings from her. of course this was no place for privacy, and as politics rear their head he slides his mask back in to place, tucking those emotions away from the rest of the world.

it is @Seifrienriosa he looks too, loud-mouthed and shooting accusations at his queen-wife. children playing a game they cannot possibly understand, speaking boldly without all of the information. his head swings to look for their parents, to see if there would be a reprimand, but he finds none.

it is all he can do to bite his tongue and look to his wife, allowing her to speak for the lagoon, trusting that she was more than capable of defending her pride. he shifts, though, so that his side presses against hers in a silent show of support.

CODE / ART BY CUSH

First came @Niko, and he'd get a nod in greeting as the paler man settled in. After the last war, Ryker didn't actually hope to see this challenge turn into some huge ordeal. With any luck, they would just end up spectators.

Then came his queen, leaning in against his free side. Ryker touched his head to hers as a greeting, a mildly amused hum coming at her words. "Maybe. Unless the reason was good enough." Sometimes, lions simply had to do things for themselves without interference from others, no matter the cost. He'd thought that was the case with her recent fight, but next time...well, ideally there wouldn't be a next time, but he might be far more reluctant to step in. Fantasies of revenge still danced in his mind. Shifting, he'd whisper into her ear "The next time I see Alexander, his ass is mine." Rainhart had done a good thing, of course, but Ryker's claws still itched for the red male's blood.

Rainhart himself didn't seem to have arrived yet, but Ryker was aware he was dealing with injuries of his own and supposed the attack on Alexander was enough to earn him a little lenience. No, the next to arrive was a newer recruit, @George, who would receive a 'hello' nod as the man arrived.

No shackles on the demon in me

I'd rather be dead than average

code by corvus

Of course.

Not even a full lunar phase had passed since his arrival to Amaryllis and already there was a pride challenge. Ilarion had no skin in the game, and yet he would still attend - it made sense to keep abreast of the political shifts, especially if they were to make one of these prides their home. His steps are swift as he crossed the unfamiliar borders of Lorien and skulked towards the back of the audience, finding a vacant and decently-concealed spot to use as a vantage point as he watched. The defender he didn't recognise, but... Wait. The tan pelt, the bright eyes... @Violarum. They'd only been pride-mates for a short time, but Ilarion rather liked the younger male. And so, finding that maybe now he did have a preferred side, the Rurik would lean back in quiet interest. @Kazimir may have had a similar idea to him, and would be on route to attend himself, but if not - though Ilarion would have sorely missed the company; his company - the Paladin could at least take the information back to his Augur.

Being nosy most certainly had his uses.

A quick scan of the audience to see if he could spot any other familiar faces brought him swiftly to the form of Alaric. Ah. That could be a little awkward. But he seemed occupied, so perhaps there would be no issue. Either way, the brute would take it. Nothing was going to stop him from enjoying this show.

TASKS:
+5xp - Observe a fight (Violarum vs Aeistrios) - (1/2) (Paladin)
+5xp - Observe a fight (Reah vs Anniston) - (1/2) (Paladin)
+5xp - Observe a fight (Enver vs Valtyr) - (1/2) (Paladin)

ART BY KIM, CODE BY DEE

Rainhart had been late to answer the call, his focus on his recent wounds from both the raid on Vermeda and, newer, Andal’s challenge. He still bore evident of those cuts and the fresh, lasting scars that were just starting to scab over.

But his pride mates were going somewhere, and Rainhart would not ignore something so interesting as one of their allies being challenged for. He strides through the grasses to find a gathering mass at the borders, sidling nearby to @Ryker and @Levana with a searching look in his pale eyes as he gazed upon the challenger.

“Who is he?” he rumbled lowly, a question for nobody and everybody in particular within earshot. He was curious.

code © hinter

VERA

This was a call that Vera had been waiting for. There was a great feeling of nostalgia as the woman crossed over the Lorien borders. This was the land she grew up in, every where that she looked caused different memories to flood through her. By the time she arrived her father and @Anniston were already going at it with their own partners. The woman was prepared to fight herself, though she wasn't outright looking for it. Instead she would move to sit and watch, magenta gaze flickering from one to the other. Her attention was divided between them, her claws grappling at the grass underfoot as she waited. If @Violarum was victorious then she could return to her true home once more, that was something she selfishly yearned for. Her attention would shift though as there in the crowd is her younger sibling @Enver. She hadn't spent much time with the younger group but that didn't make her yearning to protect them any less. Her hackles rise instinctively, her attention now torn between all three fights laid out before her.


*Vera is observing but totally open to any fights!

[barbarian exp]
+5 Observe a fight (Violarum v. Aeistrios)
+5 Observe a fight (Anniston v. Reah)
+5 Observe a fight (Enver v. Valtyr)

code by flea, art by yumpy