the challenge comes to a bloody end, with the challenger winning over the ruling sovereign and magdalena's breath stills in her throat. she presses forward, perhaps only an inch or two from revealing herself to the masses gathered. not that any would be paying attention to a random dark corner of the clearing. she lingers for a few moments longer, watching one of the men who had been embroiled in a fight for a child win and begin dragging his opponent off with him, presumably as a prisoner. with the tension seemingly sitting on the edge of a knife, magdalena wonders if perhaps this is the moment that a pride challenge would turn into an all out war. it seemed the new high sovereign was already aware of it, as she makes quick work of offering sovereign to a bronze man with striking purple eyes that are mismatched like her own. the woman then turns to a grey yearling, offering him heir and a pang of jealousy brews in her chest. magdalena supposes if the valour wanted intruders out, it was as good of a time as any to take her leave. with that, she slinks off across the borders towards him to inform her father of what had happened.

exit magdalena

coded by flea + background credit

the winner is painfully obvious. the original ruler stumbles back a few steps, stopping her attacks and waiting for something that karsa can't quite figure out. was she looking for someone? searching for an official declaration of sorts? an order? the boy has little time to think about it as the victor of the challenge almost immediately demands that all the visitors and previous residents of the land vacate the area as quickly as possible. considering he was trying not to be caught on the wrong side of the border, this was as good of a reason for him to scamper off as any. he notes the presence of several relatives and pride members, his papa and aelynthi come to karsa's immediate attention and he wonders if they'll have run into each other on the way home. watching kvare attempt to drag the downed lioness off, he decides he definitely doesn't want to end up like her and makes a quick exit from vermeda.

exit karsa

ART BY X-ZELFA, CODE BY LARS

She watches the fight with intensity, letting out a breath of relief when @Cassandra is victorious. She was certain the brook would be another ally for them, but her attention is snagged when @Kvare's scuffle is over, leaving the woman he had been fighting unconscious. She shifts where she is hidden, flopped ears preening backwards. Sunder couldn't understand why he would want to take one of the cubs but it was something she was certainly going to find out about later. She rises from her hiding place, barely making a sound as she makes her way back to the Cove. She had her own children to worry about and with the rain increasing by the minute she didn't want to delay her return. She'd stay up and wait for Kvare, because obviously they would have to do something with his new prisoner. She ignores the way her hackles raise at the thought, surely he had a good reason for all of this.


exit.

[assassin exp/doubled]
+10 - Practice stealth (2/2)
+20 - Sneak into another pride's territory without getting caught (2/2)
+20 - Successfully stay hidden for the duration of a thread (2/2)

code to pine

Zahra observed everything from her hiding spot, eyes narrowed over those who came after, each of their faces. Many were known lions, others not at all. She was hopping for Cassandra to win, not only she was tied with the Sigrun, but she was also her now previous pride mate. She stood quietly as she watched the fight, doing her best to be as quiet as she could.

With her scent washed she hopped her pride would be safe from any repercussions. With her stealth, she left the scene just as quietly as she came. Glad she wasn't found in the entire time she watched the fight.

Exit

+10 Practice speed or stealth
+20 Sneak into another pride's territory without getting caught
+20 Successfully stay hidden for the duration of a thread

code by corvus - Art by Silverwolf866

"Rechtzeitig," In due time she responds to @Yavanna, eyes briefly flitting over toward Aeistrios. She knew he would be going for their mother's head soon enough, and when that time came, that was when they all would strike. He wanted to try to steal a life from them? Well, they would steal several lives - but in a different way. She notes several more relatives joining as her eyes scanned the ever growing crowd, keeping herself aware and alert. It was here that Isla spots @Elaine ♔ right as the woman is staring at her. She gives the woman a look of her own in neutrality; she may have wanted to end the battling and wars, but she would never ignore defending and protecting her family.

With a sigh, her attention is drawn back to the battle - and soon the victor would rise. A short roar of triumph would escape the Heiress as @Cassandra defeated the false Queen, her lips twisting into a smirk at the realization that the Brook was theirs once again. She begins to move toward her older sister, giving her a look of satisfaction before speaking. "I am proud of you, Schwester," she says, aiming to give the gentlest of nudges to the woman's face before retracting. "I will inform our mothers of this win." Isla glances back over toward Yavanna before giving her body a good shake, waiting a couple of moments before taking her leave back toward the mountain.

exit Isla.

ART BY NAVARRE, CODE BY LARS

i

cut my own throat / close my own wound / wear my own nightdescended blood

---

How naive he were to think he could escape unharmed. For a boy who wanted to fight so little, he found himself in scuffles far more often than he should. He were never built for battle, not like his mother; he was smaller than most men in his pride, scraggly, stalky. He'd half-expected it to be Faustine to launch another assault against him; but this time, his opponent were far larger, far older, and far less of a chance that he might win.

His gaze was intent on the challenge until her form was large enough to block his view, but far too late to try and escape it. He'd only time to rise to his paws by the time @Toblerone surged forward and knocked into his chest, successfully tossing the boy into the dusty earth below. He could not tell if @Lavender had made it in enough time to flee, but the echoing and harrowing pain thrumming through his head kept his mind fettered to simple thoughts alone.

He was grounded, aching; he felt the colossal lioness' paw hooked around his front ankle and kept him from having stumbled too far away. Through the dull and thrumming ache he attempted to rise to his paws, desperate to try and wrench his leg free of her and try to escape.

---

Radahn vs Toblerone
For Minor Maim
Escape attempt i of iii

Rolling 1d10: 2

Art by musonart, table by cala

Once again their bodies clash, and Aeistrios thrives in their closeness - reminiscing in all their old battle; how he'd taken freedom away from her in one fell swoop of a paw. Over their battle he can hear the surroundings, or at least - hear Cassandra address the crowd. Dread settles in his gut with the realization this meant Renfri lost, and now his cubs were all rogues. Vulnerable, ripe for the picking - just as it seemed @Kvare was so greedy to take advantage of with some. Fueled with anger, he feels the pain in his limb as Eisa bites down harder on it, his weight wavering in balance but he is swift to correct it, and it causes Aeistrios to change his own attack up. No longer was he interested in her head - but rather that tempting neck of hers. Maybe he could wring her out on the Brook floor as he made his exit from the pride later on. Jaws splay and he attempts to dive for her neck, attempting to bite wherever he may find a chance. Aeistrios vs @Eisa for minor maim 2/4 Hits: Rolling 9d20: 12 + 20 + 7 + 5 + 2 + 14 + 11 + 10 + 9 Dodges: Rolling 4d20: 12 + 9 + 8 + 14 Luck: Rolling 5d20: 10 + 19 + 5 + 18 + 3

art by era

SEIFRIENRIOSA

Seifri wasn't lucky enough to gain a hold on Yasmin's neck - but she did gain the pleasure from seeing blood drawn, and skin torn in her wake.

Hearing her cry out, Seifri snarls in response, feeling another foreful kick to her hind foot. The force of it knocks it out from under her, and Seifri jumps back then, letting the traitor have the room she sought.

But only for second.

The tiny, lithe girl sought to swiftly dash to Yasmin's right, aiming to slice an unsheathed claw down the length of her hip. The mark of disobedience. She wanted to see it scarred into her skin, similar to her own scars. For her to always remember and wear.

Seifri vs @Yasmin for Minor Maim
3/4

Hits:

Rolling 1d20: 16

Dodges:

Rolling 3d20: 13 + 1 + 9

Luck:

Rolling 3d20: 12 + 4 + 16

code by flea, art by irish

"blagoslovi korolya siloy!" Bless the king with strength! Her prayer continues for @Kvare, her king as she watches him emerge victorious in his bout. Then he is shouldering into another, and she keeps on cheering. "blagoslovi korolya siloy!" She watches and studies the females fighting and when the brown female is the proven winner, she chants the blessing of her making. "korychnevaya koroleva samaya silnaya. gromme blagoslovenny!" Brown Queen is strongest. She is Gromm Blessed! She cheers happily, content enough to just spectate and bless them. Marja watches and remains, steadfast in her prayers and blessings. She only makes to leave when the Brown one speaks and it is clear that those not still fighting best get out. Then Marja leaves.

-exit-

village idiot reporting for duty

code by corvus

Whatever had happened between his family and the the girl that had come with the red giant, Elio did not know. Much of his youth had been spent staying away from strangers and drama and danger, and this entire encounter reminded him why he tended to shy away from large gatherings. So he wasn't too invested in, or worried about, a stranger's opinion of the family. What hurt was @Yasmin's apparent anger. He frowned, watching @Seifrienriosa prowl toward the other girl, and his sister's words were much like a kick to the gut. Reah dying? No- no, that wasn't right, was it? That wasn't true? Renfri'd only said she'd disappeared. Had they found her dead and no one had told him yet? Or was it just an assumption bred from denial?

He really didn't have time to unpack all that right now.

@Leiah's approach and question earned a glance and a displeased hum, "Yasmin wants dad to fail." He didn't have much more information than that, her reasons a mystery to him. It hurt, though, the idea that any member of the family might hope for the harm of another.

Long-lasting lessons were being learned today. They had enemies who sought to hurt them, but his was a family that would not lie down and take it. Could he live up to that expectation? Would they cast him aside if he failed? Maybe he could find his place as a non-violent protector, the guardian of those who were too young or feeble to join the fray.

And it seemed he'd get a chance to practice that role today because Renfri had failed to defend them and the brown stranger was, much like the man who had stolen the plains, kicking them all out. His frown deepening, stub tail twitching in agitation, he'd dip his head down to try and gently pluck @Aneistri up by her scruff from where she clung to him, a chuff (either unobstructed or around her fur in his mouth) would be made to beckon the other cubs around him to follow, paired with a wave of a paw to come along toward the borders. He couldn't carry them all, so could only hope they were smart enough to follow rather than stay behind any longer.

-attempting to exit with a gaggle of cubs in tow-

@Orei @Iritrios @Setri @Refieron @Aerith @Siofera