[[super-vague timelines woo~ please let levana post first]]

Time had been spent (wasted?) hanging around the depths of Aniadar, most of it used to rest and heal, but a portion used to plan. Ryker had finally come to a decision - not that it was all that difficult to make, really. Wolfbron would always be a home to him so long as Amara and her family held it or...at least the faction of her family he'd known thus far. The little splinter cell that swept through Firnen was a different story.

So he'd called for @Levana and decided his kids could do what they wanted. They were yearlings now, plenty old enough to make their own choices and mistakes. Hell, he'd come to Amaryllis as a yearling himself, so he wouldn't coddle them. If they wanted to join their parents, well, they were smart enough to find them. But that didn't mean he was content to leave Haider as a prisoner - oh fuck no, that just wouldn't stand.

He paused at the border - always tempted to stride across as if he still belonged - and sat, Forgot how much this place sucks in the winter. Freezing. It always had a lot of wind, being so high up, but winter winds were bitter in a way that bit at the ears and nose and made him squint. He glanced to his wife, half a smirk on his face, Think anyone's moved into our old space?.

Only one way to find out, right? He'd call, then, a relaxed request for friendly faces to come and get the formalities out of the way.

No shackles on the demon in me

I'd rather be dead than average

code by corvus

She was never far from her husband, the loyal wife flicked an ear to his call and quickly made way to meet him, her paws carrying her to his side as she appeared rather swiftly. Her long coat gave her much needed protection from the icy winds. She'd known at some point, Ryker would decide where they should go, and she'd grieved for her children growing up and leaving (or forcibly) taken from her side.

During the days her husband had been healing, she'd paced and plotted ways to steal back her child, but she knew any attempt that failed would be met with him harmed and it caused the mother many nights of crying sleeplessness.

Levana pressed close to Ryker, giving him some of her warmth, and stealing any amount of affection she could, the recent events having wreaked havoc on the former queens mental health. Where as she looked strong on the outside, she had been in a war on the inside.

His smirking tone brings forth a small smile from her, ""If they are, they would probably not like knowing the things that occurred there."" A small joke, a gentle tease, but it was a lot coming from someone who'd spent the last Days jailed in their own mind

The pines, they often whisper

They whisper what no tongue can tell

Floppy ears twitched ever so slightly when the call rose near the borders. But she didn't move immediately, instead took her time to stash away her gathered plants that she'd been sorting, ensuring that no curious little paws and teeth could get near it, should the owners of those little paws decide to explore where little noses shouldn't be.

But eventually, she began to trot towards the direction the call had come from. Familiar scents reached her nose and the near colossal lioness found herself approaching just a little quicker. And soon the large pale bronze form of the scarred lioness came into view, floppy ears preening forward as she came to a halt on the other side of the border. Dual toned gaze wandered between @Levana and @Ryker once she had stopped, tail flicking behind her. "It's...good to see you both alive."

She wasn't entirely sure how to feel still, but she was no longer the so easily scared girl they'd kept around, no longer the broken girl that Levana had comforted. And for the little kindnesses shown, she was still grateful. But before them stood a grown woman with fire and rage burning behind that veil of kindness. "I'm sure others will be along shortly."

code by corvus

Tensions were... high... to say the least. Louve had the ever present sense that something big was coming, that eventually all of this chaos would end in death. Hers, her husbands, Athonius.... there were many possibilities, many names, and she could only hope it was not her family left decimated in the wake of it all.

Firnen was no longer an ally, yet was lead by family that Louve had a complicated history with. Things had gone sour from the very beginning and she left wondering how the hell she was meant to pick up the pieces, or if she should even bother. She did not hold it against them, taking the rainforest, though she had a feeling Ryker would not be so quick to forgive and forget.

Bloody politics.

"Do you intend to stay?" It isn't exactly a warm and affectionate greeting. Louve cuts straight to the point, trying to figure out what his plans were and what he expected of the Bluffs.

@Ryker @Levana @Etain

DEVILS-MAKER

It had never occurred to him to go anywhere other than Wolfbron, really, he'd just hoped he might have managed to gather the kids, too. Ryker would trust they were alive, and that they'd see them again, while still thinking on how to best get Haider out before it was too late.

He leaned into @Levana as she joined him, glad for the slightly lighter tone in her voice than had been there before. Well, we could just list them until they leave, then. Whatever thoughts had plagued her, he was not qualified to help with in a more direct way. So his typical approach was to let her work things out herself, and come to him if she needed his presence for anything.

Soon, though, their moment was interrupted by a slightly surprising face. Ryker's brows raised at the sight of her; he'd assumed Kireena had remained in Firnen and expected @Etain would do the same. Hey, you made it. Cool. How many others that had lived there under him had left and how many had stayed?

And then @Louve ♔ came and distracted him.

His face pulled into a wry smirk at her question - he hadn't expected enthusiastic, warm, greetings or expressions of sympathy. That wasn't Wolfbron's style. Depends. Will you let us stay if I kill the one who attacked my son? He'd ordered her death if she hurt him, after all. And they weren't the only ones who kept their promises. And, hey, if he lost and died, well, whether or not he meant to stay wouldn't really be an issue anymore would it?

No shackles on the demon in me

I'd rather be dead than average

code by corvus

Feeling him lean into her caused the lioness to give a small purr as she relaxed against him, her ears pinned back as she nestled underneath his chin, happy he was alive, she had faith her children were alright, she knew Lucifer was. And soon she would be making a stop to Obsidian to see if her mother and daughter made it out okay.

She cracks a small smile at his words, a blush creeping across her cheeks as they sit therein one another's embrace, though they weren't just by themselves for very long, a very familiar looking lioness finds her way to them and Levana moves to stand, eyes taking in @Etain. ""Thank God you're alright.."" She wanted to move forward and embrace the young girl who now stood way taller than her, her voice had every notes of a worried mother, and her eyes softened a bit, proud of the woman Etain was becoming.

The reunion was short though, as a familiar figure comes up, and Levana moves back to her husband's side, knowing this was his former pridemates, he would know what and how to address them. They're both straight to the point, her eyes drift up to watch her husband, his words not a surprise to her at all.

@Louve ♔ @Ryker @Etain

The pines, they often whisper

They whisper what no tongue can tell

The faint hint of a smile came over her lips. Though she didn't voice her feelings, she was relieved that they did make it out, that they had survived the hell that had rained upon them that day. Floppy ears laced back ever so slightly as she listened to both of them, though the smile never faded. "Made the choice to come here after a while." A large paw prodded at the ground, tail twitching. And for just a moment she stretched forward, nudging her nose against @Levana's cheek. A brief show of kindness, grateful for what kindness had always been shown to her. "No new scratches on me, for now." She chuckled quietly. "I'm glad you two are alright."

Not much else was said as she pulled herself back to her side of the border. With the arrival of the sovereign herself, the pale lioness stood tall, straightening her posture a little. There wasn't much else she had to add to the conversation at that point, but she was going to stick around, listen and learn.

@Louve ♔ @Ryker

code by corvus

though louve had not been present at the firnen challenge she knew enough of what had happened. knew that her distant family had caused quite a stir, ruffling all kinds of feathers. it wasn't ideal, considering the pact that had been formed by the two queens in the aftermath, but amaryllis rarely followed the straight and narrow path.

ryker is quick to bring it up, and louve tenses. "non," she answers, "z'ho i am aware of z'e troubles caused at z'e challenge, she is ma famille." more than that, now, but louve's answer would have been the same even before she had taken ludivine as her co-matriarch.

"challenges are messy," her gaze flicks briefly to @Levana and @Etain but for the most part lingers primarily on @Ryker, "but you cannot bring your grudge 'ere. z'ho if you stay i will ensure your son is released," mentally hoping that ludivine would agree, considering the circumstances, "but z'at ees all i can offer."

she expected his ire and she braced for it, disheartened to think that this would very likely be the end of a long standing alliance.

art

He paid little attention to the reunion between @Levana and @Etain, though his tail would flick to wrap around behind his wife as she returned to his side. Otherwise, the only shift in him as @Louve ♔ spoke was a marginal tilt of his head and a microscopic narrowing of eyes - the shift from genuine expression to mask a fraction of a second quick.

A year or two ago, his immediate response might have been less measured, less patient. But he'd grown and learned and evened out a bit, and tamped down that aggressively impulsive nature that had ruled him during his first and longest stretch within the bluffs. So he'd let a few silent seconds stretch between them as he considered things.

There were other avenues of revenge, after all. Though he'd still like to see the woman's blood spilled across the jungle floor, maybe he could...work up to that.

When he finally spoke, his voice was empty, at odds with the same wry smirk he still held on his face, and the gleam in his one good eye. You can have one month. After that, I won't be held responsible for what happens the next time I see either of them. If she failed, well...he supposed it might be like the good old days he spent tormenting Andal and the Miroslavs. And he supposed if the price was the loss of whatever was between himself and the preferred half of her family...so be it. That is all I can offer. Haider had already been left too long, and Ryker didn't actually enjoy thinking about what might have happened to him since the challenge.

He'd rise, then, letting the smirk fall away, It's not the challenge that earned the grudge. The new ruler kept my son prisoner and thought it would keep us away, if she'd let him go we'd have no reason to keep after her and hers. A slow blink, She's accomplished the opposite of what she wanted. He'd burn the Rainforest down - literally - if that was what it took. He didn't care half as much about the loss of the territory (or the idea of regaining it) as he did about the unnecessary insult of imprisoning Haider.

No shackles on the demon in me

I'd rather be dead than average

code by corvus

tension thrums between them and louve recognizes the importance of this moment. long ago she had nearly killed the woman, igniting a feud she wanted no part of, dividing a family that was much stronger when they stood together. now she had taken steps to right the wrongs, erasing old lines with blood. had @Ryker come to her months ago with the same threats and warnings she would have embraced them, reacting with the same fiery naivety that had split their family once.

now his threats make her angry, stirring a flame in her chest that furrowed her brow and narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. "oh how gracious," and her words are not as calm and collected, but twisted with the faintest snarl, "an entire month." rationally she could not blame him, she'd burn any pride down that dared to snag one of her children.

"bold words when you stand 'ere asking for sanctuary, ryker." reminding him of his position, perhaps, though she was certain he was smart enough to be aware of it. "i 'ave offered you a 'ome and my 'elp. eef you cannot leave your grudge behind z'en you will 'ave neither." louve would honor her promise and would speak with the firnen queen, but she would not tolerate threats at her borders, no matter the allied history they shared.