It was hours after the sun had set by the time Talisa had made it to Vermeda with the news that she had on her chest. News that could not wait until morning and she knew that @Morrigan and @Isla ♔ would agree. They had a lot of things to plan for and Talisa was not going to risk someone making an impromptu decision that would affect her future without at least trying out other alternatives.

Talisa had invited both of her other leading ladies, plus @Eskel if he wanted, to join her on the move to Vermeda to address the situation. It was not only to alert Cassandra to what was knocking at their door but also to spread some ears and eyes over the lions that she had among her rank and if any of them were capable of what they required. So she reached the borders and while she knew she likely had clearance, she called for her eldest daughter anyways. As well as anyone who held a rank and those that had the specific powers that their side of the alliances would require.

@Asbjørn @Cerberus @AbectTerrier @Heloise

!! THIS IS YOUR WARNING !!
This is intended to be a fast-paced thread with no post order involved. It is simply to get the information to the right lions, et cetera. If you are tagged, you are not obligated to post nor is your character obligated to utilize the perks they have! You were either tagged because you're high-ranked or have a trade perk that lets you challenge for a lionss/cub w/ no challenge or without a rank.

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All right, that was new. She wasn't used to anyone calling for her, let alone Talisa. But she would always answer when one of the Valour called. Lucky for Talisa, she was still within the pride, because often enough she went out wandering after the sun had set and it was well past that time when the call rang out.

Likely because she was already awake and the others were presumably asleep, she was the first to arrive on the scene, and she took a seat, going to wait patiently for the others to arrive so that Talisa didn't have to explain things repeatedly. That was never fun, and it certainly wasn't productive.

For his grandmother to visit wasn't an unusual thing, it was her calling from the border that had Asbjørn confused. He trotted forth, a quizzical glint in his silver eyes. This is your home more so than it is ours. He rumbles with a light purr. Vermeda belonged to all Valour. Talisa most of all.

His dark head would seek to bump into hers, body shifting to guide her into the territory. I get the feeling that this isn't a leisurely visit. His expression moving to something kin to concern. Had something happened? Something bad? Did it have anything to do with that Saxe girl who had stopped by just days prior?

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She had been relaxing in her den, unaware of what had transpired within the Mire not too long ago. She had found her husband again, battered and broken, and despite having challenges that she personally had to deal with - life had been relatively peaceful since the plum bastard had disappeared from these lands. Her and Asbjørn had had a visitor of the Saxe family on the borders, but that threat had been quiet for now.

So when her mother's urgent call rang out over the land, Cassandra jumped to her paws. @Talisa was rarely, if ever, at her borders with urgent calls - and it immediately spurred the younger Valour-Greyflood into action. Her paws quickly carried her to the source of Talisa's call, chuffing for the rest of her ranked members, and she skidded to a stop in front of the paler lioness. "Mom - is everything okay?" She asked, perking her ears forwards. She wanted to know what all was going on, and she was not used to urgent calls like this from Talisa. A nod given to @Asbjørn and @Heloise. "I'm afraid this isn't just a friendly visit, huh?" She asked, her tone worried that something had happened to Morrigan, Isla or any one of her siblings.

actions. "speech."

Art by Rabbit | Table Code by Zodiac

He is behind her, a shadow in the distance- eyes on her and on the world around her. Careful to ensure no one harms her. Okay, he knows Talisa can fend for herself. She is a Queen, but he does enjoy fussing mentally. Ergo, he is a bit behind her when he arrives at the Brook and comes to stand beside her but a pace or so behind. His gaze comes to rest on the Queen of the Brook - @Cassandra and the other young male, and female with her. He was silent, as he stood there. He would nod if anyone looked his way, but other than that- he would remain silent unless there was something he could think of to say or seemed needed to say.

ART COPYRIGHT IRISH

She followed right behind @Talisa as she made her descent from the Summit and toward the Vermeda. Isla knew just as much as the others that the news of what had transpired within Ecrosia soil was information that could not wait, and while she followed next to her mother she allowed for her mind to begin to get to work. They all had to play this strategically, needing to carefully plan and execute it with just as much care. As they neared the Brook's borders the Heiress would come to a halt, watching as the pride lions began to assemble. She gives @Cassandra and @Asbjørn a soft and affectionate smile before giving @Heloise a dip of her maw in greeting. The woman stays silent, though, knowing that Talisa would be better at delivering the news than she.

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The last thing she ever wanted to do was to put any extra stress on her family members, especially her own kids and grandchildren and yet it was unavoidable. To bring them into the know was crucial so that they would know what to expect because life was not like it was when she young. So to see @Heloise approach with a smile, she offered it right back — thankful that the lioness was still here, still fighting and still within the Brook. Just as she beamed when @Asbjørn showed. What a handsome boy!

That may be so, she responds quietly and for just a moment the weight of the situation is lessened, I wish it were. As she was wishing to be as quick with this meeting as possible so that everyone that would be gathered would know the troubles that they were sure to face. With @Eskel and @Isla ♔ at her side, she stood vigilant and nodded her head to @Cassandra once she arrived. Ever the leader of Vermeda Brook, a Valour down to her core as she held the crown of old.

The Summit is well, but Luther Rike has risen to the crown of Ecrosia. Saying the boy's last name alone was surely enough to know where this was going to lead. That no lion regarding the name of Rike would let the Summit and its allies go without problems. He is keeping many prisoners, including the grandchildren of Seraphiel and Bronx. Many of Alaric's kids, as he came to tell Morrigan explicitly, are also being held captive. I will be gathering as many of our allies as I possible can to get those named prisoners out. Including Caladan and Andal, perhaps the Hollows if she could make it but she wasn't as familiar with them as she was the others allies.

NOTE
Others that are interested in joining may still join, I will avoid saying whether they are present or not. :)

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She's no savior, Dio is but a whisper in the schematics of the pride. A reassurance, a guidance. But her Aunt's voice comes through with such a pain and worry that Dio is drawn in. If only to reassure herself that everything was ok. These women, the Summit, raised Dio as much as her fathers in the Brook had. Her heart felt pain, fluttering up into a rapid pace as she sped walk in the direction of Talisa's call. She walked trying to seem unworried, trying to bury the sickening feeling of her gut swirling around itself like a serpent. She was largely unsuccessful, especially the closer she got.

The only reprise she was offered was the sight of her mother figure physically unharmed and at least with her news that the Summit was ok. Dio, still a bit away from the rest and leaving herself secluded, breathed a sigh of relief. It couldn't be helped. The news of the Mire was unfortunate but it wasn't the Summit. It wasn't her family....
But Eris, Emory, Hadiya.... Were they ok? Were they prisoners or were they about to face the wraith of lions gathering up under Talisa's banner? Dio murmured a sound of discontent under her breath and shakily shifted her balance from one paw to the other before abruptly turning to head back into Vermeda.

- enter / attempting unnoticed exit

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Her dark ears pushed back as her mother started to recount what had happened, and why she was here in the first place. "The Brook will stand with the Summit and help get Alaric's family out as well as any others who require help escaping Luther's clutches." Cassandra said, nodding as she spoke. Her and Alaric might not have been on great terms with each other, ever really, but she had been considering trying to change that. She was older, more mature now. Whatever beef she'd started with the former Ecrosian King she wanted to lay to rest.

"I want to be able to settle the issue between Alaric and myself, especially considering I challenged for his home myself almost 4 years ago now. If this is one way to help rectify what I've done, then it will be done." Cassandra said, flicking an ear as she spoke. "The Brook will aid in freeing members, but I will not force anyone to help that doesn't wish to do so." She added on, knowing some of her members weren't huge fans of fighting, and she would never force them to do so.

actions. "speech."

Art by Rabbit | Table Code by Zodiac

Unobservant to her very abyss-coated "daughter", she nods to @Cassandra and welcomes any and all help that she could. No matter how small it would always be enough because she would never force anyone to fight that did not wish to or was not comfortable doing so. Talisa sure as shit was not a fighter and avoided it all costs but this was perhaps one of those times where she was not going to give herself a choice to back out. I would not expect any to fight if they were not comfortable, as if she needed to tell anyone that wasn't present that matter but it felt important to address.

I am off to Caladan and the Oasis now. I feel that they might lend us a paw or two in the event given the likelihood of the numbered prisoners. There would be many from what she had been told and she would rather have too many paws than too few. Talisa did not expect anyone from Vermeda to follow her to these places but did assume that both @Morrigan and @Isla ♔ would wish to attend, maybe even @Eskel. Even from the beginning, the three women had been a staple head of the Summit and where one went, the other two were following usually. So Talisa looked to the rest that were gathered and nodded to them, appreciating their ears.

Talisa waited a few seconds to gauge whether or not anything else to be said before she her head, pivoted and made to take the journey further south to the Cove. Time was of the essence and they had to be hasty. exit talisa unless stopped

@Asbjørn @Heloise

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