The rainforest was not too far from the Plains, and by the time she arrives the sun is barely starting to show among the horizon.

She is unsure about this, pursuing a new home; but she knows she needs safety, and with her sister incapable of such things, she had to lean on someone else. She knew the Rainforest were allies, she had seen them in the raid. They were strong. Without any information on where else to go, she nears their borders instead.

Her pace is slower and cautious, but she soon stands idly with a few flicks of her tail. A breath in, a breath out... before she calls softly for the leaders.

@Ryker

[OOC: I know you tagged leaders but figured why not since they're both (I think) on absence xD.] The call was soft and though it wasn't meant for her, Kireena still rose from her den and made her way slowly towards the sound of the call. Through the foliage, the red giant observed @Melania, bi colored gaze taking in the woman's image before she stepped into view. "The king or queen will be along soon.". Though her tone was cordial, the red woman had placed herself firmly where she would prevent any further entry into the lands of Firnen. She didn't know if this lioness was seeking a home, or much like she had done - to inspect a potential challenge.. but with her daughter living within these trees, she wouldn't let a visitor go unsanswered. Nevermind that she, unlike the rogue before her couldnt come and go as she pleased, but the woman wasn't about to admit that to a stranger.

code by koi

For once, he wasn't the first to arrive when a call came from the borders. The stiffness had worked out of his muscles as the bruises faded, and his scabs weren't pulling open at the slightest wrong move anymore, but it still took time to get from nearly the center of the territory to the edge.

What was really surprising was the presence of @Kireena ♞, and Ryker found some amusement in the idea of a prisoner greeting visitors to a pride. But, then, they had discussed the possibility of her status changing if she proved she wasn't out to do something stupid like murder them all in their sleep, or try taking over again. So she'd get an arched eyebrow and a hint of a midly amused smirk as Ryker arrived, before his attention settled on the visitor. King, yeah, that'd be me. What's up? As informal as ever; he'd rarely had patience for long-winded, stuffy, conversations that took five minutes to say what could have been conveyed in five seconds.

@Melania

No shackles on the demon in me

I'd rather be dead than average

code by corvus

She is not met with a leader directly - at least this is what she assumes when the overly large maroon woman approaches. She promises their King and Queen will arrive soon, and Melania is relieved at that. "I am from your allies." She reassures, after having seen the way she placed herself firmly at the borders, an easy show that even if Melania oddly wanted to... she would not be able to get past @Kireena ♞ into the lands of the Rainforest.

Luckily for her nerves, @Ryker shows up. A face she had seen - in the raid and at defense of the Plains. Hopefully, now she could be of use to him. "The Plains have been overthrown; I wish to make home here, since the Rainforest had been our allies. I fought in the Raid against the Brook, and can give the same loyalties here, to the Rainforest if you would allow. I can scout, or care for cubs - hunt of course. Whatever you need." She left out she was Reah's sister, deciding it was about time to forge her own destiny forward- one not paved by her sibling's tales.

KIREENA

The red giant shifted when @Ryker arrived, taking a step back and to the side so that he would stand at the forefront of the meeting. It was - after all - his place to do so. When @Melania spoke of her previous pride, the womans ears snapped to her skull and her lips only barely managed to keep the snarl from twisting them. Visage remaining outwardly calm despite the fact that there was a torrent of emotion writing within.

When the words came, they came surprisingly calm - collected. Something she mentally noted as pleasing. Best not to give away her internal feelings on the matter. "Were you a part of the attack and subsequent abuse of a child named Etain in the plains?" Etain had spoken to her of the time within Lorien Plains. And Kireena perhaps inferred a few things herself - given the way her daughter often struggled to explain things.

Bi-colored gaze flashed towards Ryker before they returned to the pale creature standing before them. Had Ryker known that the pride he held in such high regard often attacked young children with adults? She'd personally witnessed one such attack, and been told of another. As the red woman was aware of Etain's imprisonment with Lorien - would this female cause trouble?

A shift of her footing was as much movement as she would allow of her strained muscles. The woman saw before her someone who MAY have assisted in the capture and injury of her adopted daughter - and instinct demanded she ensure that it wasn't going to happen again. Granted - it was neither her decision nor her right to turn away someone ... but she WOULD be able to ask a question and perhaps receive an answer.

code by flea, art by irish

Ah. The first of the Lorien refugees, it seemed. Ryker hummed softly as she spoke, nodding, Yeah, I was at the challenge. And he wasn't all that happy about the outcome, even if it seemed Firnen had done a bit more for Lorien in the long run. Seemed they might be continuing the theme. He supposed Aeistrios and Reah would owe him now, depending on how many of the former plains members came to seek refuge in Firnen.

Of course, on the other paw, he really didn't owe them much at all anymore, did he? His own agreement had been with Reah, and he understood Levana had had dealings with Aeistrios, and with neither of them on the Plains throne any longer, well...it wasn't as if it had been a family alliance.

Nah. He brushed the thought off. Better to take in whatever strays came knocking, and rack up that debt so he might cash in if Aeistrios or Reah ever regained power.

An ear twitched toward @Kireena ♞ as she questioned the visitor, a brow arching soon after, Interesting question. His voice was neutral, maybe tinged with curiosity. Did he actually care about the answer? No, not really. At best, there was a good reason. At worst, well, there were worse things.

@Melania

No shackles on the demon in me

I'd rather be dead than average

code by corvus

Levana may have stepped down for a little bit but she still felt it her duty to patrol, so when she hears her husbands voice along with Kireena and someone new, the lioness prowls over, ears flicking back as she listens. The fall of Aeistrios had been something she had felt upsetting to see and shed been meaning to go and find the fallen king, to one thank him for his defense at Andal and to see how he was.

""Do you know where Aeistrios resides now? ""

The piebald lioness finally stepped from the shadows, green eyes searching this new lions, her voice held a little bit of hopefulness, tail gently flicking back and forth behind her, she regarded Kireena and Ryker with a quick, cool gaze before attention turned back to @Melania.

The questioning put Melania in an unease.

Eyes directed themselves to @Kireena ♞ , her questions causing a furrow in her brows - what did this have to do with Firnen becoming her home? "The Plains held no mercy for trespassers. I do not know her, but the only time they harmed children were when provoked by them first, or they had crossed our borders." That much she could vouch for from what she'd seen; even if she didn't whole-heartedly agree to it. Reah deserved that much out of Melania, to uphold her reputation to some degree... even if it wasn't a lot.

@Ryker did not give way to much information, and neither were there any assurances that this place could be a home for her. This causes her ears to pin back on her head partly, and her heart to start beating a bit faster. If she didn't have the Rainforest to make home - where would she go? Then, @Levana arrived with more questions - asking about her sister's husband. Melania shook her head, having no idea of his whereabouts. "No - I am unsure of where he went. I'm sorry... am I not allowed here? Were my assumptions wrong with the old alliance?" Because she had asked if she could stay, and had been met with nothing but circles - questions, and zero assurance of safety or allowance. It made her nervous, scared even, the unknown of where to go after this already starting to claw at her.

KIREENA

Kireena was neither judge nor jury on whether or not @Melania would be permitted into the boughs of the rainforest. However, she could ensure that Etain was cared for and though she KNEW the young lioness had been taken prisoner...and from what she knew of the pale girl - trespassing would be entirely within her believable actions as she wasn't taught of borders before Kireena.

But, still, hearing that this Loriens lioness wasn't directly involved had the red giant relaxing slightly. Not enough that it was an obvious way, but she did opt to remain quiet while @Ryker and @Levana spoke with the feline. Observing, watching to see if she did in fact know about her daughters treatment and was simply lying to cover her own tail and be granted entry into the lands of Firnen

code by flea, art by irish

@Levana arrived, and the glance to his wife contained an easy invitation to join the conversation. She may have decided to take a small break, but he certainly didn't expect her to fade fully into the background.

Their visitor answered, and their prisoner seemed satisfied, and Ryker didn't actually care if the lioness at their borders had personally tormented Etain. He'd only been interested in the response. So one shoulder lifted in a shrug as the woman turned uncertain, It's just Etain lives here, so it's nice to know if members are gonna clash ahead of time. He'd step back then, effectively opening the border to her. Lorien refugees are welcome; you can stay as long as you need. Or wanted.

@Melania @Kireena ♞

No shackles on the demon in me

I'd rather be dead than average

code by corvus