The air around them was thick as the symphony of voices exploded into what felt like madness until a voice began shouting louder. Screaming to someone above was Morrigan's body lay limp, Jafar's strength bubbling in his chest in preparation for whatever his leaders and superior's told him to do but even as she fell, she rose again. Still a firm believer in not believing in anything at all spirit wise, it was painfully obvious that there was something far greater in this life than he could ever have imagined. Remembering his mother-in-law's voice about Maua (or was it their rejected god, Vellen?) about the marks upon his second litter that had raised his first suspicions. Either way he grunted, not liking the choices they made because it was always up to them to determine was happened here. It was why he was trying to live a Deity-free life because he wanted his choices to be his and his alone.

As Morrigan rose from the dead then fell, many gathered around to help her back to the Summit and Jafar rose quickly to defend them should any attempt to stop them. Prepared to attack without holding back in the event that anyone dare try. Motioning for @Amandil to follow if he wished to help in this but not forcing him; Jafar was a soldier, now, instead of a leader. A lion who would do what was necessary to protect those he worked for under any cost. The leaders of the Summit were worth far more than he right now and it was to them he owed much. exit jafar

^{ART BY KAIRI, CODE BY CALA}

how quickly that familiar, metallic tang comes to cloak the surrounding atmosphere: snuffing the joy of freedom with an overarching sense of dread. nonetheless, the tyke’s gaze were unwavering from the brutality of mortal adversaries as they dance upon their pulpit – never once straying despite the deepening pit within his gut. it were only as the forceful shove of an unseen assailant were inflicted upon his shoulder that his focus would falter with a reflexive snarl and sideways jolt. “fucking hell—” the forgotten son grumbles, regaining stable footing before pivoting in towards his attacker. and though he had anticipated the daunting frame of his mottled, parisian captor, in her place were a kid, much less imposing.

but—

he knows this one, doesn’t he?

jaw hinges in shock as he beholds the dark countenance of @Peregrine — gawking, as if regarding a three-headed alien for the first time. “penn?” he shrieks, incredulous. but sage were not left wondering for much longer, for it were then that the boy’s words would reaffirm of his identity. reeling from residual awe, the tyke scoffs: unwilling to believe the reality set before him. “almost forgot i had a family.” and though there were traces of venom to lace his tones, a mischievous grin tugs upon his features before a stray nudge of the shoulder seeks to playfully butt against his brother’s own. “my new family’s great. smells like ass, always pissed off and hungry. sometimes, it doesn’t even feel like she took me against my will, i love her so much…” voice trails thoughtfully – as if he were not teeming with sarcasm. even so, it were easily conspicuous that sage were not offended by the situation, lest he burst into tears.

the twitch of an ear with the mournful cry of a grieving wife seizes his focus once more, and his neck cranes as he attempts to glimpse the corpse and prideful victor. despite the gravity of the situation, he were only consumed by one thing, and one thing alone: returning before faustine. “speaking of,” he mutters, sparing a grim, solemn expression to his littermate as he moves to depart. “tell them i’m at the bluffs. if i don’t go now, she’ll sit on me. and she is not the type of girl i want to sit on me.”

and with that, the prisoner slips back into his chains — but with a twinge of hope.

-- exeunt sage

_{BG — CODE}

“Penn?”

Oh, that’s just insulting.

The black bird’s brows crease down the middle, darkening his silver eyes into something stormy. His little brother looks not entirely worse for wear, despite being missing and missed these past months. Peregrine had taken to imagining Sage being the captive of some big monster, locked up, unable to get back to the family. It made him feel better about things, because Sage wouldn’t just leave them, right? Or maybe he wouldn’t - from what he goes on to say, his voice bitting and bitter and much more like the angry twerp Penn remembers.

The growing anger dissipates with the realization @Sage is, in fact, a captive of some sort - of the Bluffs. Then the anger comes back just as quickly as it had vanished, but with a new target.

For the first time in his life, Peregrine doesn’t take the opportunity to tease. "I’ll tell them." Whether or not Sage hears him; the boy is already gone, eaten by the thick snowstorm. The blackbird wastes no time - he turns, runs, back to the Plains, hardly noticing the overwhelming event playing out behind him.

Exit.

code by corvus

The princess hadn't seen death like this before and it shakes her to the core.

Her sandy fur prickles as the strands along her back rise to puff. Her bobtail puffed and tucked to the ground as her ears lay flat against her skull. Her eyes are wide, shocked and her claws dig into the ground. She can do nothing as the events unfold. The screaming for war, for vengeance, and bloodshed. The cruel and violent reality of war ringing in her ears with the grey woman's promise to the plum victor.

She could feel her jaw tighten her breath held as lions moved to the fallen lioness's side, turmoil and grief. But also something impossible. Life, life returns to the fallen giant as she rises and is taken away by what the cove princess assumes are family and allies. Her eyes follow them as they move, a sense of awe lingering in her eyes. Something had saved that woman, something had brought her back.

The booming voice of her adopted father, snaps her attention back to his fight fear for a moment in her mind. Could he fall too? No, Kvare could not fall... right? She watches him call for them to protect Talisa, assumed to be the revived woman. It made them allies and the plum victor an enemy. She didn't know the details but it would seem the events before her were reaching their end. She sees the fight's end. Her lavender eyes however spot her mother leaving the area and the princess decides she needs to move before anyone notices her hiding.

Staying low to the ground and treading carefully Neeha attempts to leave the pit her mind returning to the events of the fight. The first time she'd seen someone die, seen someone truly take a life.

Neeha is attempting to hide
- exit -
Potential xp
Assassin
+10 Successfully stay hidden for the duration of a thread
+5 Practice speed or stealth

Beatnik
+10 Witness an event worthy of making history, DM between Morrigan and Aeistrios/start of the blood feud between Saxe, Greyflood-Tollaire and Valour

code by corvus, art by wolfsi

There is no pleasure to watching this battle play out, there is an excitement that dwindles as a the lioness falls beneath the paws of the plum lion. More fights break out, and she can just make them out in the snowstorm as a maned lioness battles a pink lioness larger than she- and as a lion battles
a younger female. Maeve's eyes are wide with horror and her body is tight with tension as she watches- not knowing what to do, but finding herself unable to look away from the disaster playing out in front of her. Maeve had always thought that to watch a battle would be an exciting thing- and not this horror that happens. When another lioness rushes forward towards the fallen and in moments a group forms- fights ending all around- she watches for a long silent moment. Maeve is turning away, when she sees the fallen lioness move- and she is frozen to the spot again, her heart racing. As they move to take her away, she finally disappears into the blizzard, heading towards home- to think about what she's witnessed.

-exit-

ART BY YUMPY, CODE BY DEE, MODIFIED BY GUNNER

The snow falls soft

drawing the world down to a whitened hush, forcing us to pause long enough to take stock of everything that we miss in our crazed pursuit to gain everything that we can. One would say she is a woman who wears a gown of winter frost that blinds the eyes.

Faelyn almost grabbed @Valka by the scruff and ran as soon as Morrigan went down and her daughter came back over. She probably shouldn't have let her come to this at all, realistically, but at the same time she herself needed to know if the Summit was in danger from the man.

She was nearly frozen in place by the cries that went up and the disbelief that ran through her. How had he...

Most of the land will be out for his blood, I'm sure, she replied softly, not bothering to chastise Valka for what was probably bad language. She wasn't winning mother of the year this year, apparently. Oh well. You stay well away from him though. I don't know what he might do. And she didn't have the skills necessary to fight him to protect her daughter, or get her back if he dragged her to the Oasis. She'd still try, though. It would no doubt end badly, but she'd still try.

And then, a large miracle, she heard Morrigan's voice. She didn't know how, wasn't going to question it. Death had said not yet. She was relieved, even though she knew the Summit remained in danger because of it. This war between the two sovereigns was not yet over.

We should go, she said, leaving the 'while we still can' unspoken. It likely wasn't safe to be standing around in the open.

-exit faelyn-

It is growing cold

code by corvus

+10 Cast a curse or blessing on a character/group
+5 Meditate or pray on your own or with someone else

She fully expected that Maua would come through for them all, and would protect Morrigan. She couldn't imagine anything else being the case. Surely they wouldn't ignore the myriad of clerics beseeching them, or turn their back on one who had been within the lands for so long, and always done everything they could for their pride and family. Surely such a literal and figurative dark cloud couldn't be allowed to win.

Maua, bless Morrigan that her blows might strike true, she said softly.

Except... it seemed Maua wasn't listening that day. She watched with horror as Morrigan fell to Aeistrios, and even worse, the deity didn't respond to the cries for them to bring her back. Had Maua forsaken them?

No, this cannot be. Please, whatever deity or spirits may be listening, help us. Help them save her, she prayed, watching as several medics surrounded her. She would have stepped forward herself, but she knew that medicine wasn't her strong point. She would be more useful with her prayers... though only if there was someone listening.

Either someone was, or they were truly skilled, as abruptly Morrigan came back to life. Heloise still didn't breathe a sigh of relief until she was surrounded and well on her way back to the Summit, and only once they were out of sight did she turn and make her way back to the Brook.

-exit heloise-

The pines, they often whisper

They whisper what no tongue can tell

What else was there left to do? Nothing, really. She couldn't perform some godlike magic to fix what had been so terribly hurt. Had nothing but her fangs and claws to ensure the protection of everyone. And that was what she would do.

From time to time she glanced towards those she considered family, to make sure they would be okay as well. But as more and more turned to leave and lead the lions of the Summit and their so terribly wounded queen to safety, she stayed behind them, eyes darting about to ensure their safe passage. It was the least she could do. To make sure they would all be okay.

Exit

---

+5 Observe a fight (Aeistrios vs Morrigan)
+5 Maintain your weapons (sharpen claws on stone)
+5 Learn a new fighting move (potentially)

code by corvus

Maybe he'd made it a little awkward for dad. Sorry not sorry. This was one tension he could break, one relatively simple relationship whose strings could be aired rather than set back in the closet to molder. He didn't understand the importance of Seraphiel liking his sister's... suitor mate thing... and he thought tension between prides was stupid anyway. Why judge someone for where they lived, or what they called their relationship? (Naturally, he wanted daddy to like whatever mate he chose! And he wanted to have a mate and just call it a mate without complications. But others were fine to do whatever.)

A sniveling little grin snuck across his face and stayed there, an imp emotion of malice that he could indulge despite (or because of) the greater tension all about. Their queen was dead and not dead... not dead, before he could even feel her absence. There was too much blood for him to look. He whined and keened his gaze away. She was alive... he could hear that much... but mostly alive was still slightly dead, and he didn't want to look at that.

Not that hearing all the waves of anger and emotion was much better. His paws felt hot and cold at the same time. Cold in the voids between the pads, but pads that felt stuck to a hot gridiron. Gratefully he jumped up and scurried home. He could share in the joy of others, at least, energetically prancing on ahead. More eager to escape the present than return to the mountain's normalcy.

-exit