winter games, y11

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cub hunting competition
Rumors had begun to circulate throughout Amaryllis, whispering promises of a grand competition that would soon be gracing the lands. It was a break from their often calamity and chaos – and though it would still spark the competitive nature that many of the peninsula’s inhabitants already possessed, this would be more-so the healthy kind. At least they hoped.

A trio had found their way here, unannounced and slipping, at first, within the comfort of the shadows. They were cross-country scouts, some would say, with a pulse for adrenaline and a wanton desire to find the most skilled and formidable trade masters among them. They had traversed many territories, seen many lands – and now, their next stop had brought them to Amaryllis, curious to see who would rise to the top. Not to mention that the winning team - the one who would prove themselves to have a strong and diverse arsenal of members to partake in these competitions - would get some of the best bragging rights of all time.

Let the games begin.

The sun was high and the morning was young – perfect, she thought, for the next thing that she had up her sleeve! Given that this one required a little less preparation than some of the others, the yearling simply sat patiently in the center of the clearing, awaiting the arrival of others with a faint, enthused smile. She had sent messages out to each of the prides and teams to indicate that the cub competitions were being held, and had even recruited escorts in the form of some very friendly monkeys. Whether they took her up on the offer was one thing, but hey, at least she can say she tried.

The lands were fairly quiet as lions and creatures alike began to stir from their slumbers, and it all seemed fairly normal – except for an odd, basket-looking thing that was placed upside-down beside the referee. If you looked close enough, you’d even swear that it seemed to jiggle, or vibrate, or shift around every few seconds. If they all wanted to see what was inside, they better hurry up!



rules & instructions

This is the thread for the cub hunting competition. Any cub can participate, and their team is based on their usergroup (pride, band, rogue). The goal is for your team to amass the most amount of points and win the competition. Read all of the information here.

Sign-ups for this competition are open until December 12; you must post here before then to participate. On December 13, the competition will start and the first round of match-ups will be posted.

• Only post your character here if they intend to participate. There are no observers to the competitions.
• Your character must less than 1 year old.
• You can post 1 character per team to participate.
• If you have 2 lions in caladan cove that want to participate in the ranger competition, you can only post 1. if you have 1 lion in caladan cove and 1 lion in firnen rainforest that want to participate, you can post them both.
• Round 1 Match-Up: On December 13, every participant will be randomly matched with someone else and the NPC will explain the first task. An NPC will be used if there are uneven participant numbers.
• You have one week to post again to your match-up. In your reply, respond to the prompt and insert the following dice roll at the bottom of your post. Whoever rolls the highest number out of each pair will win that round and move onto the next.
Code:
[roll=1d20]


• Round 1 Match-Up Results: On December 20, the winners of the Round 1 Match-Up will be re-matched and the cycle will continue every week, with the new match-ups being posted on Wednesday.
• Failure to post to a given round on time will result in disqualification.
• In the case of a tie being rolled between match-ups, Staff will do a tie-breaker.

You can earn the following points towards the Winter Games in this thread. Make sure to submit your points via Discord or DM to @Squid ★!

• +1 - Participate in a posted competition (claimable once per thread, per character)
• +1 - Win a match-up in a posted competition (claimable for each match-ups that won)
• +3 - Be one of the last ones standing in a posted competition (win the final round match-up, results posted on January 10)

The monkey dragged him along by his hair this time. He grunts, annoyance building up in the boy, finding himself wanting to bite the creature if he can. Before he could, however, as his teeth snap toward the primates it immediately lets go and cackles, then jumps away toward a nearby tree. Scowling, Dominic realizes he's the first to arrive. Brows raise, not liking this at all. The first to arrive meant someone was surely going to try talking to him. They'd all notice him immediately. This time, he wouldn't be able to linger in the background. Shoulders tensed as those blue eyes of his scanned around warily.

code / artwork

It was not nice to tease the hungry little orphan with a meal, though it seemed she would have to work for this one. Perhaps her sad little girl act might work on them, but she had her doubts. She would have to do her best to chase whatever was confined under that basket, she just hoped it was as clumsy as she tended to be.

When she arrived she would first notice the prey, then look at the other cub in the vicinity, only @Dominic seemed like an adult in comparison with her. Aside from gawking at him for a moment, nose twitching as she took in his scent, she would leave him alone. She was more interested in food than she was in making a potential friend._{BG — ART — CODE}

she awakens with the first creeping rays of dawn — a slave unto the sun, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and more than prepared for whatever shenanigans the primates had in store. however closely-tethered she were to her siblings, the sunspot allows for an exception to be made as she abandons their sides in favor of the great unknown beyond mama’s realm. whether or not they chose to follow, lyra buzzes with anticipation and one-sided conversation as their congregation descends upon a trickling clearing.

morning light reveals a familiar ringleader and several peers: both of whom earn an amiable grin in greeting. but the gangly @Dominic snags the majority of her focus (despite body language that would will complete disregard), and a loping gait soon seeks to lay waste to what distance permits personal space. “hullo, friend!” she beams unto the detached stranger, ignorant to social cues. “you’re so big! almost ‘s big as me. see?” off-base perception and wishful thinking sees her posture straighten, skull lifting to its full, diminutive apex. but lyra wastes no breath. “whatcha think we do? maybe the basket’s got a new friend? i got lots of friends. you, clove–” she squints, to their surroundings, pinpointing @denim. “are you my friend? her, too,” she informs the boy — clearly lack of an off button.

★ reina saxe ★

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May Y11 | 10 m/o | Ecrosia Mire Prisoner | in Watering Hole - Celosia Fields

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The Saxe girl had heard the news, and she would follow after the primates as they had gathered. Anything to get her out of the mire and away from all the dirty mud. It was refreshing to be away from her prison, but it was a bit strange to be in the territory where her father had almost been murdered.

She let out a soft sigh and tried to clear her head, trying not to think of everything that was weighing on her shoulders. Instead, she would try to have fun with this, hoping that the activity would bring a little life to her currently dull life.

art by dawn | code by scorpixia♡︎

May Y11 | 2 m/o | Lorien Plains Cub | in Watering Hole - Celosia Fields

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The young strawberry cub was left wandering the lands of Amaryllis again. Following the monkeys silently, he noticed how he could hear someone talking as he approached the watering hole. As he approached, he said nothing. He didn’t really see any reason to talk to any of the other children right now, instead, he wanted to focus the competition.

His pale gaze landed on the basket-looking thing next to the yearling, his eyes narrowing slightly. He watched as it would move every now and then, and it piqued his interest. He would take a seat then, waiting for the instructions that were about to be given to the small group.

code by scorpixia♡︎

May Y11 | 3 m/o | Rogue Cub | in Watering Hole - Celosia Fields | @Lyra

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The young mauve boy had found the friendly monkeys, easily following after them as they lured him towards the Watering Hole. He was lazy about it though, walking at a leisurely pace and laughing at the primates as they excitedly jumped along.

He liked the monkeys, they were quite silly.

Finally the little group reached their destination, and he looked around to see what was going on. He couldn’t help but smirk a little, seeing a young girl who was around his age. Hey! I’ll be your friend, he finally spoke out to her, he then offered a silly grin, showing off his pearly fangs._{BG — CODE}

For all it's crowded busyness, it actually wasn't particularly difficult to steal Cheshire away from his den. Not because the early hours of dawn ever found the lazy boy ready and raring to go (that would only happen when pigs could fly), but rather because Cheshire couldn't find much with being offered a free piggyback ride by a primate. He yawns as he watches the landscape flicker by through drooping eyes, shooting a cheeky grin at @Lyra when he spots his walking sister. What a shame that she'd missed out on the clearly superior method of transport.

Though that also meant his sister also 'missed out' on being unceremoniously dumped onto the ground without warning, with only cold snow to break his fall. Oof! Well, that was one way to be woken up.

He spits melting ice out in his mouth as he pushes himself up onto his haunches with a shiver, his irritation at his retreating primate escort quickly forgotten when he looked around to properly take in the colorful array of cubs that had gathered. There's a pretty-looking lioness here too, settled beside a...dancing...rock? Cheshire eyes her with bright curiosity, before turning his coppery gaze back upon the other children at age.

One of then is quick to capture his interest, a boy with a painted pastel coat worthy of grand poems comparing him to a lovely winter sunrise, if only Cheshire knew enough words to string together for it. Or if he actually appreciated the sunrise. Mostly, in this moment he's just wondering if @Dio's pink patches taste like spilled strawberry juice.

A mischievous smile curves his lips as he attempts to sneak up to the other boy, snaking his head closer with painstaking slowness, tiny jaws opening in preparation to nip at a pastel hip.

ART BY SPU, CODE BY DEE

Finally, Nyoka had managed to just slip free from the metaphorical chains that were her fathers' ever watchful gaze and their three-headed guard dog. Yes, yes, the swamp was supposed to be the safest place for them, and their attentions should be focused on training, and Vater would likely be less than pleased when the morning headcount came up (at least) one short, and 'blah blah blah blah blah blah...'

If the Prinzessin didn't get to have at least this one opportunity escape the Mire's suffocating shadows, she would tear her own skin off.

Besides. What harm could there be in following the beckoning finger of a shady primate figure sitting half-hidden in the trees? Monkeys could certainly be annoying, with their endless, high-pitched chittering that threatened to burrow itself in Nyoka's brain and never leave, but she's never known them to be dangerous. And after a whole three months of life, she would certainly know if they were!

She bounds giddily after the waving tail of her 'guide,' free as a bird, until the sight of more movement beyond the rustling grasses prompts her to duck down with a startled gasp, hiding all too clumsily in the dappled shadows. Had she really been caught already?

...No. No, her Vater was not here yet. No adults were here, in fact, unless one wanted to call the yearling with the mischievous smile an 'adult.' There were only children here, and with a 'hmph' at her own foolishness, Nyoka would boldly trot out of her hiding place to see what all this fuss was about.

ART BY ERA, CODE BY LARS, MODIFIED BY GUNNER

He is...out of place here, in ways that the boy does not entirely understand. The monkeys had not sought him out in the same way they had the others, taking notice of him only when he had snuffled after them in curiosity, his instincts telling him that something fun was afoot. So the pup is ultimately led into the figurative den of lions, though if there is any danger here, Rosen is entirely oblivious to it.

He bounds out into the clearing on clumsy, over-sized paws, letting out an excited yip of greeting to any cub who would look his way without recoiling in confusion.

Whoever said that a wolf couldn't play in lion games?

code by corvus