There was an inkling of suspicion on how things would unfold here; and while he was young, he was not dumb. That was more so due to his mother's genes over his father's. Regardless, the enemies began to swarm in - so many that their huddle of protection broke, and all of his siblings seemed to be targeted by endless adults. Eyes frantically shift back to his mother and father, the two of them too engaged in battle... and he doubted they'd stop anyways. He was Saxe, all of his siblings were - they survived through the worst and he'd ensure he got through this day too.

Because someone picked him out of the bunch, also.

@Ciara trained her attention on him, charging him from behind, and Refieron snarls in her direction, fur puffing up as his gaze whips to @Reina who shouted at him. She had a bunch on her plate already, dealing with that Mire King. Worst case scenario? He and his sister get taken, and reunite with Siofera as prisoners in the mire... that only upped their numbers there, and they could do more destruction from within.

But he wouldn't make it easy for the lioness after him.

Using his smaller body, Refieron sprints forward as her jaws tear along his scruff from the back. No hold was given, but lacerations remained in their wake as he attempted to escape forward and away from her harmful claws. "You'll need to sweat some before you take me." He taunts, goading her with a flick of his tail as he attempts to run off in a further direction from her, but staying in the same vicinity altogether.

He wasn't leaving until he knew which parent of his lived.

Refieron vs @Ciara for Refieron
1/3

escape attempt 1 of 3;

Rolling 1d10: 6

art by vas/coded by sava

The pines, they often whisper

They whisper what no tongue can tell

Large paws hit rock walls and stone as she moved, jumping towards a wall before pushing off and diving to the path below. A graceful round of parkour in her own way. There was little interest in the call at first when it reached her ears. But when it had finally filtered through her focus, when she registered who the voice belonged to, a twisted smile grew on her lips. Now that...that was interesting.

And so she followed, trailing behind a familiar pale form. It didn't take too long to arrive where @Icefang ♔ had settled and she briefly stopped, chuffing a greeting. But her gaze locked onto the scene, dual toned eyes searching for something as her floppy ears laced back. Her near colossal form lowered, muscles playing under speckled shoulders, paws kneading the sand. And moments later she'd left the pale lioness' side, stalking towards the group.

Silently, the pale bronze lioness drew up behind @Setri, towering over the smaller yearling with a snarl. Leaning down, she whispered into her ear, for only the girl to hear. "You're mine now, little shadow."

--- Fight post starts here ---

And within seconds of the words having left her lips, sharp fangs sought to target the girl's throat. She would always remember the kindness that had been shown to her before, but that bridge had been burned when she encountered the Saxe children last, when she'd been accused of lying. And now? Now she no longer cared. They'd seen a broken girl, crumbling under their accusations. But that was not who was there now. As fangs aimed for the younger girl's throat, a large paw sought to slam down onto her back in an attempt to force her down, unsheathed claw aiming rip through soft flesh. "I never lied, despite your accusations," she hissed lowly.

Etain vs. @Setri
Minor Maim
Round 1 / 4
Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 17 + 4 + 8 + 5 + 13

Dodges:

Rolling 3d20: 15 + 3 + 8

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 4 + 13 + 9 + 16 + 15

code by corvus

And it'sx my whole heart, xxweighed and m e a s u r e d xxxxxxxxxxx i n s i d e And it's an old scar, trying to bleach it out

Arachnae had smelled blood in the air like this far too many times, crimson iron burning her nose from within the expanded badger sett she had tucked herself within to hide from the daylight hours. Ra's wrath shine brightly as the witch risked ducking her head from her hole, the scent wafting from barely half a mile, the echoes of anguish and disaster becoming clearer as she became more awake. She was exhausted, hungry, and more than anything the sun burned as she pulled herself from the makeshift den, turning to gather her fur coat that had acted as a bed where she had lain.

Adorning the dark cloak, the hood covering her head and the length of the pelt protecting the most of her body, leaving her obsidian dipped legs exposed. She would take a deep breath, I willing to pray for the safety of any of those who may be there. The gods would do nothing... It would be up to her to protect anyone.

When she arrived... She merely froze in horror. She could hardly see form the brightness of the sky, and yet she could tell so clearly the travesty that was occuring. The Andal leaders fought one another for death in the distance... And within range, her very own allies tore their claws into children.

The witch would wretch, never remembering the her queens condoning such horrendous acts. Truly, she didn't know where to start, but she could feel rage forming at the unnecessary chaos that was happening here. She could tell each and every child being grabbed and harmed belonged to the two who aimed to kill one another... She knew some of what the Saxe had done, and while she knew not the entirety of their sins; the priestess knew no child deserved such pain for their parents wrongdoings.

Ruby and sapphire gaze would sharply scan across on @Isla ♔ tearing into an abyss colored yearling, and @Cassandra even maiming an albino boy. Her mind wandered to Pasha, and anger flared within her. All of them, nothing more than kids, all of them still impressionable and capable of change. All of them capable of doing good in comparison to their parents. What was this, this mass hysteria that was tearing at the minds of those she knew were not evil? What... What had become of them?

The witch would move quickly, her eyes landing upon a dark male with bronze swirled dancing across his body (@Reti ♔); noting his protection of one of the children. Blessings be, she began hurriedly, I... I need your help. These children, we have to get them out of here, especially the wounded ones. I fear they will kill them. Her voice trembled. Somewhere safe, where I can tend to them. I'm a healer. She would conclude, looking around frantically for some sort of vantage point. I will return to help you, but please, the witch said glancing at the small child held by his paws (@Aneistri) with a sad expression, Get them away from here.

She would lean closer to the child then, her expression soft and mournful, I'm so sorry, little one.... Please, for your own good, go somewhere safe so we can help your siblings. She would plead, before standing to her feet and rushing towards the only jutting rock that could give her some height.

The peachy lioness would make a small leap to its top, her joints jarred from the force and she would let out a small "umpf" as she landed. But then, she would let out a searing roar, hoping to get the attention of those below. What is this madness? She would begin, her voice as loud as she could project, it's tone harsh. Before me I see foolishness and unhindered chaos! Before me I see good people harming innocent children, I see those who I know would never do such a thing hurting cubs that have done no wrong! And for what? She yelled, The wrongdoings of those who created them? Look at yourselves NOW! she screamed the last word, pointing an accusing paw across those who grabbed the Saxe kids. You commit atrocious sins at this moment! Shall your own children be torn apart for your own decisions this very minute? And then the children of those who made that decision? What you do simply continues a CYCLE! A cycle we do not have to participate in, one you can CEASE NOW! the witch would screech, her chest heaving as she stared at all those around her, the smell of blood nearly bringing bile to her throat once again. Please... Stop... She knew that last of her words would be lots in the chaos, but she was so tired. So..... So tired.

who's a heretic now?

code by loki - art by Aurora

The chaos around them grew louder, enough for Renfri to pick up bits and pieces on what, exactly, was transpiring just behind her back. Adults attacking children, her children, was not a total surprise, not with how things had escalated. But the shouts calling out defense of the young, innocent Saxe was a surprise. They were playing into her hand so perfectly, she doubted they even realized it. Though she would have preferred the cubs be spared, but their blood spilled would find purpose, too. Let all of Amaryllis watch as the high and mighty fell to commit worse atrocities than the ones the Saxe had in the first place. Trying to eradicate children. She was not able to dwell on those thoughts for long, the battle slamming back into focus. The taste of fresh blood on her teeth was following quickly by the full weight of his body slamming into her face, snapping her neck to the side with enough force to make her head spin. Pain bloomed across her cheek, hot and cold at the same time. She couldn’t tell the extent of the injury yet, but she knew that one would hurt for a while. She scooted back again, trying still to put the barest amount of distance between them, again slashing at his face with a front paw, hoping to sink her claws in deep this time, and carve away another chunk of sagging flesh. @Renfri vs. @Aeistrios for Death Round 5 / 7 Hits: Rolling 4d20: 19 + 20 + 6 + 17 Dodges: Rolling 9d20: 15 + 14 + 4 + 1 + 7 + 6 + 11 + 16 + 2 Luck: Rolling 5d20: 16 + 19 + 8 + 6 + 4

Art by Era - Code by Sava

SETRI

Things escalated too quickly. There was so much chaos, so much going on. The last thing she wanted to do was leave now, while her parents fought to the death right in front of them, but she guessed the one thing that could sway her was the safety of her siblings. And that seemed to be in jeopardy here. She began to shift, preparing to call the youngest ones not already in a fight to her side, to try and usher them out quickly before anything too awful could happen to them. It would seem fate was not on her side, though. Was it ever?

A voice sounded behind her, causing her to spin right into the older girls waiting jaws. The side of her neck was caught between Etain’s jaws, and she couldn’t help the flash over overwhelming hatred that surged through her. Renfri had saved the girl, spared her Reah’s violence, and Aeistrios had freed her. What the fuck had Setri done to deserve this? To be targeted and maimed while already injured, when she just wanted to try and protect her siblings. “Maybe not, but you are a fucking coward!” She snarled, the paw slammed against her back, painful and sure to leave a bruise, but Setri was small and close to the ground, with excessive training on how to stay upright. She wouldn’t go down that easily. Her paw flew for the older girls face, hoping to sink her claws in and tear deep lacerations.

Setri vs. @Etain
for Minor Maim
Round 1 / 4
Hits:

Rolling 1d20: 7

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 7 + 6 + 10 + 2

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 7 + 16 + 5 + 15 + 9

Edit approved by Raomer

code by flea, art by irish

Razvan had spent his life in peace, and though he’d seen fights, he’d been spared having to witness anything particularly awful and it had left him with a pretty positive outlook on life. The sound of screaming children was almost foreign to him, but how could one mistake the youthful pleas for help? It was an odd sound that tugged at the softest parts of him, drawing him closer to see what exactly was happening. The scene he walked in on was… madness. There was no other word to describe it. Two adults at almost comical ends of the size spectrum were locked in the bloodiest, most vicious battle he’d ever seen. And adults were… Attacking kids. Young kids. It made his stomach twist, nausea rolling through him. But what could he do to stop it, especially on his own? He stood on the sidelines, frozen and helpless, watching it all unfold in horror.

art & code by vasilia

Aeistrios was nearing dangerously low levels of energy. His vision was spacing; sometimes he would see her blood-stained jaws, and others it would be a bleak darkness before flashes of reality would surface and he was back in the moment. He knew he was losing blood, losing it all too fast - his wounds so severe and sufferable that part of him wanted to just lay down.

But he couldn't stop. Stopping meant death, and he knew Renfri would carry this out the Saxe way to the end.

Which meant there would be no mercy.

His crushing force back into her caused her neck to whip to the side, and he isn't sure if her cheek is broken or not, but he relishes at the dazed look she held for a moment. Her paw slashes down his face, bone exposed as his mauled features hardly represent a man at all. His own jaws splay, and Aeistrios makes a mad lunge for her neck; he wanted to hear his jaws clack together through her throat just like he had done to @Morrigan 's.

Aeistrios vs @Renfri
for DEATH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Hits:

Rolling 9d20: 19 + 13 + 18 + 6 + 3 + 1 + 7 + 8 + 12

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 8 + 11 + 19 + 4

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 10 + 19 + 12 + 5 + 16

art by riot/coding by riot

He was fading fast, she could tell the last bits of his energy were faded, nearly gone, but it didn’t mean that he would go down any easier. With the last rallied bits of his strength, he would do everything he could to bring her down, and she couldn’t let herself get too cocky now. Her own energy was fading, but it was a drop in the bucket compared to him, if only because she had managed to avoid any combat since her fight for the Brook. She’d been saving her strength, though she hadn’t realized until very recently that this was how it would be spent. More flesh fell away from his face under her claws, exposing bone and tissue that should have never seen the light of day. He truly looked the monster that Amaryllis thought him to be, his face finally matching the legends. It was much easier to hate him, when he looked like this. Much easier to funnel all her anger and hatred into this and shove aside the aching parts of her that had dreamt of growing old and ruling an Empire at his side. He charged forward, his aim for her throat clean, but she wouldn’t let him catch her by the neck. She was already so much smaller than him that it was nothing to duck under his chest, leaving her spine open and exposed to his jaws. She felt the teeth clamp down around her spine along her back, and it took everything in her not to scream at the instant agony, the horrible flashes of the damage he could do to her with his grip, even if she were to live. She reached out with her jaws, aiming to grasp his thigh in her jaws, attempting to rip and tear as much as she could from underneath him. @Renfri vs. @Aeistrios for Death Round 6 / 7 Hits: Rolling 4d20: 9 + 15 + 18 + 8 Dodges: Rolling 9d20: 12 + 10 + 8 + 13 + 5 + 14 + 2 + 20 + 6 Luck: Rolling 5d20: 9 + 18 + 14 + 16 + 4

Art by Era - Code by Sava

Blackness erupted around his vision, the pounding in his head increasing, the exhaustion in his limbs amplifying. Aeistrios struggles. The pain is not all just physical though, a burning sensation that scatters across the entirety of his heart; a reminder of just who was bringing him closer to an end. Renfri and him had gone through downs, but they had their ups; steady at each others sides. Perhaps their feelings had changed here and there with all of their drama, but their loyalty had always remained.

Now, she had stripped it from him; abandoned him to the cruel fate of her claws. There was nothing, and would be nothing, to ever salvage them again. He realizes the motto we are the same that she spun to him had only been a ploy. A seed for the beginnings of her grand plan... and it had worked. He had believed so genuinely that they were one. A King and Queen inseparable to the woes of the world they caused. All along it had been her against him, and suddenly he believes it was never enemies who had poisoned him.

She'd been right under his nose the whole time.

And now, she was under him - his fangs enclosing around her spine all while her own bit down into the tender meat of his inner thigh. If not for the flesh in his mouth, he might of screamed for the first time in his life. A hot, searing agony enveloped around him, his vision blacking out again as the only thing he can do it try to bite harder, and aim one of his back legs forward to try and punch against her damned face.

Aeistrios vs @Renfri
for DEATH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Hits:

Rolling 9d20: 18 + 14 + 9 + 20 + 15 + 17 + 19 + 4 + 5

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 17 + 9 + 7 + 19

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 1 + 10 + 13 + 15 + 4

art by riot/coding by riot

He clamped down on her spine, tight, but he did not thrash his head. He must not have had the strength for it left in him, using every ounce of energy he had left to keep upright. He own jaws sunk deep into his thigh and she could feel the shudder of agony rush through him. As his jaws clenched tighter on her spine in his attempts to snuff out his own screams, she was finding it a bit easier to enjoy the pain she was inflicting. She would mourn her losses later. A limb slammed into her face, causing her to release her grasp on his leg, the tang of her own blood filling her mouth now after the repeated blows to her head. She was beginning to feel dizzy, light headed. Like nothing would sound better to her than a nap, but she was so close, and even once this was done, there was still more to deal with. She needed to end it now. She twisted, aiming her claws towards the soft, thin flesh of his underbelly, prepared to rip him open. @Renfri vs. @Aeistrios for Death Round 7 / 7 Hits: Rolling 4d20: 17 + 13 + 14 + 5 Dodges: Rolling 9d20: 11 + 10 + 1 + 7 + 16 + 2 + 15 + 8 + 17 Luck: Rolling 5d20: 11 + 7 + 3 + 10 + 15

Art by Era - Code by Sava