( Is trespassing/actively looking for Emory but thread is AW for anyone to find her and I am open to any pvp allowed consequences. )

Dio's dark frame slips along under night cover. She's moving quick but careful. There is some noise made, silence sacrificed in the name of having some speed behind her step and wind under her wings. But she's not announcing herself, not intentionally making a racket, either. There is one scent she is searching the outer areas of the Mire for before heading in deeper. That young brother that on one huge account was similar to Dio. They'd do anything for their sisters.

She had to give Emory the extra information that might help him make choices to keep his sister safe. Because if the roles were reversed, if Dio could have a little heads up of danger coming to her pride and more alarmingly to her sister's doorstep, she'd take the information in a heart beat. Do something, be ready and not caught entirely off guard. If subtlety were more of an aspect here Dio may have harbored more hesitations about coming. But judging from the news her Aunt brought in this wasn't the most unexpected of things coming the Mire's way. Dio would relish in seeing a captor once again brought to their knees by her family, this was not about stopping that. This was avoiding the collateral that was Emory and Eris, this was to make right that Dio never came to help Eris out when her father lost that challenge. From the sounds of things they didn't stand a chance against what was coming their way, not with the might of the Summit on board to fight.

All she had to do was sneak through the Mire and find @Emory....

ART BY RABBIT , CODE BY LARS

The familiar scent that winds its way through the Mire fog is enough to cause a stir from the yearling. Her heart starts beating erratically as she pushes forward, through the fog. She tries not to get anxious, but if @Diomedeidae was really here, she needed to leave. And fast. Eris hadn't even been angry at her friend for leaving her here, it had been exactly what Eris had wanted. She didn't want Dio to be made a prisoner, and she certainly didn't want to see what her vater would have planned for her if he found out that she was trespassing. The only saving grace is maybe the fact that cover of night was surrounding them. She squints, just catching bits and pieces of Dio's golden markings before she lets out the tiniest squeak of a chuff to alert her friend of her presence. "Dio! Vat are you doing here? Zis iz not zafe!" She growls under her breath, her tail tucked between her legs as she quickly approaches her friend. She wraps her in a tight hug, feeling her heart pounding against her chest as she squeezes her tight against her. Letting her go (reluctantly), her emerald gaze is pleading as she motions towards the border. "If my vater knows you are here, he vill not let you leave. You must go." She insists now, practically begging for her friend to listen to her.

code by flea, art by rabbit

She knows there are worse kinds she could run into than her intended target. Somehow Eris is high on that list. There is no danger the pale drop of starlight poses to Dio but as her scent, and then visage, appears Dio is overwhelmed. Relief, guilt, fear, joy. They spill out of her as Eris comes in closer, her indigenous tone well earned by Dio and her rash actions this night. Weakly the Brook woman smiles at the mere sight and sound of Eris's voice. The returned as deeply and fully as it was given.

More are coming to free more prisoners of Luther's. A lot of lions Eris. Dio is heart broken and pained. There is clearly strain in her voice as she fights to find words and even actively contemplates not telling Eris. She so badly wants there to exist a world where those who were being kept here against their will were just free to go. A solution where the act of freeing them didn't put Eris in the line of fire and risked harm to her. Dio knew well how kind and gentle Eris was. She was not keeping anyone prisoner here. It will be no safer here for you than it is for me when they come... She whispers and leans in to rest her forehead on Eris's crown, her muzzle aligned down near the young yearling's ear so that Dio could talk that much quieter and keep some of the comforting proximity between them.

Understanding fully now just how her father had turned so dedicatedly to pacifism and an avoidance of fighting. If she did not know Eris, did not know Emory even, Dio would not hesitate even to join in and fight. But she knows them. She knows how sweet and caring Eris is, how fiercely Emory stands for his sister. The only difference is what Dio knows, and in that instances that she does not that doesn't mean that those she would fight weren't the likes of an Eris or Emory. Her family would fight Eris and Emory....

ART BY RABBIT , CODE BY LARS

Night falls upon his kingdom, and yet the Ecrosian monarch is not home.

He returns just now from a night of god-knows-what debauchery. Wherever he'd been, there was the very subtle stink of fermented fruit on his lips, and another woman's perfume. He had clearly a good night and he planned to make it even better by crashing in his bed and not waking up until tomorrow afternoon.

His gargantuan body cared little to slip past thorns or bushes. He owned the place, and he walked without any grace in his step. He expected everybody to be sleeping save for the few guards he'd placed to patrol the borders, and so the soft chattered coming a few yards away caught his attention and with furrowed brows Luther moved to inspect the social butterflies.

You would imagine his shock to find a Vermedan deep into his prideland. Speaking to his @Eris.

"More are coming to free more prisoners of Luther's. A lot of lions Eris." Leaves rustle, a branch breaks under his weight and he is walking straight up to the familiar @Diomedeidae. "Eris, what does our law say about trespassers?" his voice rumbles deep, climbing slowly to turn into a growl. "Recite it." his cold eyes travel towards the trespassing enemy. He'd seen the woman hang by his children at the first challenge. "A little spy harlot, I see," his lip peeled to reveal glistening fangs. "A splendid plan, truly. I should applause you Brook scum for the thoughtful plan to wrap around my children like a snake and use them to spy on me." What did he expect of the Sigrun? Slippery games. Women's games. He looked back at his daughter. His sweet, little daughter - so naive. Like a lamb. "And the law about fraternizing with the enemy, Eris? Recite!" his tone reached a crescendo, a roar that frightened the birds nestling above the trio's heads.

"More are coming to free more prisoners of Luther's. A lot of lions Eris." Her wide eyes are anxious, more were coming? That didn't exactly make her feel good. That just meant that there would be more bloodshed. It was the last thing that Eris wanted to see. She hardly has any time to process before the pungent smell of fermented fruit and spittle reach her. Her vater's intimidating form breaks through the leaves and foliage, his brow knit together with obvious fury. She shrinks back from @Diomedeidae, swiveling her emerald gaze to land upon @Luther ♔. "Eris, what does our law say about trespassers? Recite it." For a moment her mind goes completely blank, her tongue is stuck to the roof of her mouth as she shrinks down further on the ground.

"A little spy harlot, I see, A splendid plan, truly. I should applause you Brook scum for the thoughtful plan to wrap around my children like a snake and use them to spy on me. And the law about fraternizing with the enemy, Eris? Recite!" His tone bellows, it roars in her ears and any birds that were resting in the trees around them immediately took flight. "Tre-trespassers f-face maim. Talking w-wif ze enemies means maim.. or exile." Tears well in her large eyes as she immediately places her gaze on the ground before her. "Please vater.. I vill take ze maim. I- I cannot hurt her." She whispers, tears streaming down her pale face.

code by flea, art by rabbit

The night was his time. Here, under the cover of darkness, shrouded in the evening’s fog, Emory was able to move about freely. There was no sun to burn his pale hide, no unrelenting brightness to blind his sensitive eyes. In a way, the albino lion was mercifully allowed to feel free—which was a novel feeling, even for the newly uplifted prince.

And also why it was a damn shame when his late night patrol of the border turned up a foreign scent. He didn’t recognize it immediately—he had no connection to the Brook to give him a clue as to its allegiances—but as he followed it, slinking through every shadow he could find, it did eventually register. Dio. The lioness from the challenge. Eris’ friend. His lip curled in a silent sneer as he picked up his speed, all too happy to get to her before she could reach his sister, which surely had to be her reason for crossing the border. What a fool she was to be here, even at this hour.

Even more of a fool, he realized, when he heard his father’s voice already raised in an angry reprimand up ahead.

Whatever the brute wished to dole out as punishment, Emory wanted to be there for it.

He didn’t hesitate as he trotted forward on silent paws to join Luther and Dio, didn’t think twice about which side of this equation he ought to be on—until he heard Eris crying. His anger wavered, steps briefly faltering. It was too late to slow down, to hide, to observe and gain a better understanding of just what the hell was going on. Em barely had enough time to draw the mask back over his face, to hide his fear, his uncertainty, behind a fierce glower, before he was there, slowing to a walk as he fully broke cover.

Quickly, his rosy eyes passed from one face to the next as he took in the scene—Luther glaring at Eris, Eris slumped and crying, Dio just beside her. It was too much to comprehend on a first pass, too many possibilities that he wasn’t sure he wanted to consider, and he didn’t dare go to Eris’ side to soothe her as he wished to—why the hell was she crying? Instead, Emory hung back, watching, tense with foreboding, and asked in a gruff, guarded tone, “What happened?”

@Diomedeidae @Eris @Luther ♔

Image by Hush - Table by Mouser

"Spy on what?" That he drinks and sleeps? You didn't need a spy to tell you that, just a few seconds in proximity. I'm the least of your worries. "Three prides worth of trespassers are coming for the prisoners still here. They don't care what you're doing they want their families." The Summit, the Brook, whatever was left of the Mire lions Luther had evicted or who had escaped already. She wouldn't lose a wink of sleep if @Luther ♔ would need to fight again and again, suffer at the paws and designs of her own family. He would deserve the most deep exhaustion, the most burning wounds, only to be forgotten in the end like all men of his weak caliber were. Dio would sooner convince @Eris to leave than utilize her as a spy. He's got it all wrong... There was hardly a need for a spy when the army was big enough to roll over them blindly. She can tell by the shift in scent that @Emory has arrived. She wants to look his way, for a second her face twitches and begins to shift but she stops herself. She keeps looking at Luther and hopes that Emory too has now heard the news. And Dio can one hope she's judged him correctly, that he'll be able to take the information and ensure the two of them are not left as destroyed collateral.

She shifts away from Eris, intending to take a place between Luther and the cowering Eris. She left her body to stand hovering close but ahead of the placating daughter in defense, wanting to take the ire she's earned by coming here and leave nothing left to fall on Eris. Should Eris be of conviction to save herself from her father's flames and turn on Dio, the advisor would not fault her taking advantage of the situation where Dio cannot see her. It's fascinating how this king could produce the two children he has. There was surely no hand he had in raising them for they've both turned out decent and good. She looks over Luther's form with a sense of judgement, a hint of fear that propulsed her to keep looking. See him as a man, same as any other. She suspects that he, like the rest of the "monsters" will disappoint her. She sees a particularly horrible bully but so far nothing of a great monster. She stood ready to accept repercussions, a body of muscle seemingly tensed and ready for a fight against Luther. "You deserve whatever hell they bring."

ART BY RABBIT , CODE BY LARS

His eyes are fixated on the trespassing spy, and so he does not see when @Eris shrinks down to make herself seem smaller. He only hears her trembling voice that speaks of the girl’s fear. If he didn’t have bigger matters to deal with at this very moment, Eris would be certainly getting punished. Unfortunately (or rather fortunately for the pale princess) he will postpone her punishment for later. Her pleas only made his voice raise, his anger grow. “Stille, Mädchen! Du wirst später jede Strafe ertragen, die ich dir gebe.” ”Silence, girl! You will take whatever punishment I give you later.” No, he did not expect rabbit-heart Eris to conduct the punishment on Diomedeidae. It was not going to be enough. He had other ideas.

@Emory’s arrival was marked by a question. “Your sister’s friend has come to spy on behalf of her child-drowning friends. A bold one, don’t you think?” he snapped, smirking darkly at the ideas that sprung in his mind. At the blue Vermedan’s foolishness for coming here alone. ”Spy on what? Three prides worth of trespassers are coming for the prisoners still here. They don't care what you're doing they want their families. ” “Their families?” his sudden laugh was loud and bitter. “What families? The only family I’ve kept here is mine. Whoever comes is simply looking for a reason to engage me, perhaps spice up their boring little lives. After all, it’s always so fun to pick on the small guy when you have self-righteousness on your side, isn’t it?” His laughter boomed. Luther did not see himself as a victim, but he was entertained by prodding at these weaklings' heart-strings whenever he had the chance. She was a fool for believing the Sigrun’s lies, for believing Alaric’s lies. “Your friends have wanted me dead the day I was born, but they had to settle for killing my mutter. I’m surprised they didn’t try to kill my bruder while he wore my crown. Perhaps Alaric whoring himself out was enough to keep the wolves at bay.” his lips twitched to reveal an amused grin boring a bit too much tooth. “Don’t get me wrong – I don’t mind a little action, of course, but let’s not lie to ourselves. I value honesty.” He lied.

"You deserve whatever hell they bring." Is that the part where he should cower and run? Who the hell did this wench think she is? “Now that you have the whole valley on your side you think you have the high moral ground,” How little she knew. “How adorable. When my daughter – your friend - was imprisoned by my brother where were your friends to save her? Oh, yes-!” he feigned surprise. “Right there. Watching. Applauding him for a job well done.” his expression darkened. “You forget, however, that the whole valley is not here. You are alone. Deep in my land. Trespassing.” a lip peeled, snarling, the man lunged forward without a warning.

He sought to jut out a shoulder and slam it directly into the woman’s chest, placing his whole weight behind the attack.

Luther vs. @Diomedeidae
for Diomedeidae
Round 1 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 7d20: 12 + 5 + 19 + 4 + 7 + 13 + 17

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 3 + 17 + 2 + 19

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 16 + 1 + 8 + 4 + 15

ooc: A req for the wounded dice removal has been posted, just hasn’t been updated yet <3

He's wrong. But not in the way one may think. Dio who personally knows less than most of the age old conflicts has not even the background to begin to understand. It's hardly reality to her and she's left without recourse to respond or argue any point. He's wrong purely because it's impossible for such plans and orchestrations to exist with what Dio knew. She's left a little slack jawed, scrutinizing Luther's face and the Emory for some manner of clarity and a crumb of context. My what friends? Child drowning? The swirl of everything in Dio crescendos into confusion, into a feeling of being lost. Overwhelmed even. Perhaps a year away has left her in the dark on too much, on the details of it all and just how intricate politics had become. She knew of the lion that had gone after her Aunt and home, she knew of the first fight between Bruno and Luther for these lands. But anything more was new information by in large, damning Dio with each breath upon Luther's lips. All that she is certain of is that if yet another lion will hold the crime of being righteous against her family that is fine, it's a worthy one to commit after all. They always like to pick apart their good deeds for being imperfect, as if they means they should never try at all. Well someone has to. No one had been there for Eris or Emory before. She was now... even at the cost of what was to come, even if it meant slipping away from her own sister to give the two of Luther's kids a chance to avoid surprise, to save themselves some manner of pain.

Cassi I'm sorry. You're not being very nice. Dio grunts, a sharp expulsion of air from her lungs rises out. The weight of his attack across the center of her chest is only bearable by virtue of them not being very far apart and any strength came from him and him alone. But fuck that was going to bruise tomorrow. Winded Dio lashes out with her bared fangs, aiming to grab a piece of Luther's flesh and skin from along his lower jaw.

@Luther ♔ vs. Diomedeidae
for Diomedeidae
Round 1 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 14 + 7 + 16 + 15 + 5

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 19 + 6 + 3 + 14 + 18

Luck:

Rolling 6d20: 17 + 8 + 5 + 19 + 3 + 11

ART BY RABBIT , CODE BY LARS

Truthfully, he had not clue who this woman was, except that she was a thorn in his paw he had to remove. He did not seek to explain himself to her, nor did he want any pity from anyone. The drink may have loosened his inhibitions, loosened his tongue, so he may go on a longer rant than he would prefer. A rant meant only for himself, but still reaching the ears of those present.

The brunt of his shoulder collides with her chest, bringing a sharp pain that rattles his limb and slithers lightning-quick down the rest of his body. It is momentary, then adrenaline dulls that pain, and his focus remains on destroying the woman before him. There was no mercy to be shown here - only the iron fist of law.

The spy shifts forward, and Luther seeks to meet her jaw-for-jaw. He attempts to counter her attack with his own bared teeth by trying to latch onto the woman's chin. Whatever the consequences he was prepared to meet it if only to inflict pain enough to make her howl.

Luther vs. @Diomedeidae
for Diomedeidae
Round 2 / 3
Hits:

Rolling 7d20: 13 + 6 + 19 + 16 + 1 + 4 + 2

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 20 + 18 + 3 + 5

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 17 + 2 + 13 + 3 + 20