She was doing the thing she feared most. Becoming part of a group. A choice that in these lands could land her in the same predicament she had escaped from. Her ears shift uneasily upon her head as she stands for a while in silence, simply summoning up the courage to issue a call. To announce her presence in the passage and bring on all the recruiters. Some who might even claim her, prevent her from the option of choice that she was so fearful would be taken. Her mouth is dry and her voice sounds raspy as she finally releases a soft call. Let those nearby hear her plea and determine her fate.

”Speech”

_{art & table by yumpy}

The majority of his time, recently, had been spent adjusting to the new Mire rule and, well, he found it much more comfortable than what had been before. It was always refreshing to see a younger male with more sensible views than some; Xaphan found himself quite content with his choice to remain after the shift.

Previous trips to the passage had been as a rogue himself, so it was interesting to be heading back as someone with the kind of authority that this land recognized. More interesting was the lion-shaped spot of blue in the distance - a pretty young lioness, he found, as he neared and fixed his most charming smile onto his face. "Hello," a nice simple beginning, tone friendly, "I'm Xaphan." He would pause a comfortable distance from her, "Looking for a place to stay?" The question was more of formality, really, though his voice remained light and pleasant.

"You'll come home with me, you'll love it. Ecrosia is enchanting this time of year." To some. Probably. True, the territory was more livable than the name made it seem, but enchanting? Hm, well, it sounded nice, didn't it? His gaze turned expectant, a subtle nod made for her to move and follow him.

Xaphan v ??
Claim of @Rhea
0/3

code by corvus

"She will be given a choice on where she goes." The Scillan Queen's words boom out into the salty air as she makes her way toward the duo. Nostrils wrinkle as she catches scent of the Mire clinging heavily to the male who dare lay claim on a rogue woman. Muscles tense as Isla closes the distance between she and them, coming head on to the male, head lowering slightly to align with her spine. Ears twist back to flatten themselves upon her crown, claws unsheathed and sinking into the sandy ground beneath her paws. "Xaphan, is it?" Her tone is subtly mocking, a brow cocking as she continues to speak, "I hope you don't mind losing to a woman."

She doesn't wait for a response or action, instead barreling directly toward him. As Isla nears does she thrust her left shoulder out more than the other, attempting to slam it directly into the middle of the lion's chest. As she does this, snapping jaws go toward the right side of Xaphan's face, attempting to latch onto his cheek and bite down as hard as she could. Maybe she could give this one a message in the form of everlasting scars that he could take back to Ecrosia.


Isla vs @Xaphan
for Rhea's freedom
round i/iii
hits

Rolling 7d20: 18 + 3 + 13 + 14 + 20 + 1 + 12

dodges

Rolling 4d20: 15 + 1 + 7 + 12

luck

Rolling 5d20: 3 + 16 + 5 + 8 + 17

KNEEL BEFORE ME

CODE / ART BY RABBIT

Whatta bag of fleas, amirite? the boy chides as he comes in and skirts around the starting brawl with a grimace, a goofy expression on his face. The underlying tick of anxiety and nerves of his first outing at the Passage just lingering at the very last parts of his skin. Dripping with the feel of stupidity as he has no idea what he'd stumbled upon. Mostly he had come out here to watch others try and invite lions to their prides and see how they did it but apparently he was getting a front row seat to what his mother had warned him about. Though, it seems that he wasn't going to have to fight and someone else already was. I'm Guelle Casales, from Andal, he pauses and realizes she's new (likely) and doesn't know what that means Oasis. Andal Oasis, it's a pride here. Yeah, that was nice and definitely wouldn't make @Rhea think that he was an absolute no-brain teenager. Definitely not.

ART • CODE

The hope had been to escort the girl away before others interfered, but that was not to be. The voice of another rang out and Xaphan fixed the woman with an empty smile, humoring her desire for attention. A girl who didn't know her place. A singular brow lifted at the very idea of losing to her, but he'd not dignify the taunt with a response.

His stance remained relaxed as she made her approach - just a harmless old man, see? Until the last second, where defenses snapped into place with the speed and ease of well-ingrained muscle memory. Xaphan stepped to his left, so that her shoulder would glance across his right shoulder, head ducking so that teeth would clip the skin at his temple rather than his cheek. His left forepaw would rise, fast, toes curled in an attempt to aim a 'punch' directly at her throat in an effort to choke her and send her moving back. Pain was ignored, set aside for later, the dull ache that spoke of impending bruising at his shoulder, and the sharper twinge that signaled split skin and seeping blood at his right temple.

Xaphan v @Isla ♔
Claim of @Rhea
1/3
Hits:

Rolling 6d20: 17 + 13 + 12 + 6 + 9 + 4

Dodges:

Rolling 3d20: 9 + 16 + 19

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 9 + 7 + 20 + 12 + 15

code by corvus

I put my armor on, show you how strong I am

It seemed whenever she found herself leaving the Cove, her paws carried her towards the passage. Had it been any other day, she'd have approached the already gathered group with a confident stride. But not today. Verdant fire still blazed in an otherwise cold, near emotionless gaze. Fresh marks added to the pale frame of the already scarred warrior queen. Hackles raising, she stalked towards the group with a vicious growl.

Blazing gaze locked onto the large form of @Güelle first, ears lacing back as her tail lashed behind her. "Don't even think about it, boy," the shieldmaiden snarled. "Not until this is over." There was nothing else said, her gaze already locking onto a familiar form grappling with a male. His scent alone made her growl yet again.

Without hesitation or even any sort of introduction, she charged into the fight. Taking her chance, she aimed for the male's back, unsheathed claws aiming to rip into his sides while fangs aimed to sink into flesh over his spine.

Lagertha & @Isla ♔ vs @Xaphan
for Rhea's freedom
round i/iii
hits

Rolling 5d20: 11 + 8 + 7 + 10 + 3

dodges

Rolling 4d20: 8 + 20 + 5 + 15

luck

Rolling 5d20: 10 + 7 + 13 + 4 + 15

code by flea, art by irish

What? he asked, not sure what @Lagertha was getting as he was just trying to talk to @Rhea in the most natural of ways. Entirely put off by the wheat-colored woman that she had patronized him in front of three adults. Can't a "boy" just talk to someone? Fuck, can't do shit around here. While he was a very suave gentleman when it came down to it, he also had his mother's colorful language attached to him and thus gave the rogue lioness an embarrassed smile. Guelle just wanted to say hi, introduce himself and that was it — it wasn't like he was whispering sweet nothing's and ushering to get to the Oasis. He might've understood the stupid lady's words then but she had had nothing to go on that he was doing anything nefarious. Obviously, he didn't like that one much now.

ART • CODE

Her shoulder misses its mark and instead hits Xaphan's own, feeling bone on bone connect. It caused for a sharp pain to radiate in that limb, a snarl ripping free from the Queen's lips just as teeth tore into the flesh upon his temple. Isla takes a step forward, causing for the other's attempt at striking her directly in the throat veering off to the right, and instead she feels the connection on the right side of her neck. She could feel bruising beginning to form, a dull ache and pulsating pain only pushing her forward.

She doesn't see the other woman join in until Isla attempts to raise her right forelimb and strike it toward the man, claws unsheathed and outstretched. She attempts to rake them down the other's left foreleg, starting from the shoulder and hoping to go down as far as she could reach. Neck tucks itself in as she sees she is too close for comfort, but this woman who's attempting to attack the Mire douche's back seemed to be able to give her the time she needs to slink back her neck.


Isla & @Lagertha vs @Xaphan
for Rhea's freedom
round i/iii
hits

Rolling 7d20: 7 + 16 + 17 + 1 + 5 + 10 + 13

dodges

Rolling 4d20: 6 + 20 + 7 + 2

luck

Rolling 5d20: 17 + 13 + 3 + 8 + 19

KNEEL BEFORE ME

CODE / ART BY RABBIT

It's a matter of minutes before the sharks come swimming. @Xaphan's voice is friendly and dripped in sweetness as her ears perk up, feeling hopeful. ”I'm Rhea,” she coos stretching out one leg as she dips her upper half into a polite curtsy. ”Well-” she begins at his question about somewhere to stay, but her voice quickly falters and the content expression falls as he attempts to quickly place a claim on her. She swallows, suddenly feeling butterflies erupt in her stomach as she moves to take a step expecting that she no longer has the choice and must proceed at his side. Now the shark that had swam along out of curiosity had begun to circle her. That is until the heroine (@Isla ♔) swoops in, Rhea raising her eyebrows in surprise as the lioness immediately challenges the male for her freedom. Words are exchanged and it seems they are familiar (perhaps they had run into each other at the passage before?) and in a flash their bodies are clashing with violence that makes her skin crawl. She had done her best to get away from it and immediately she regrets that her presence had caused this brawl. Perhaps she shouldn't of come here at all. Life as a rogue wasn't so bad right?

Her skull turns as another appears next to her, Rhea blinking in shock as she realizes she had failed to hear his approach. He introduces himself and she nods, providing her name once more. ”Maybe that male. The fleas probably made him rash,” she grins softly at @Güelle. ”An oasis sounds nice. Do you like it?” Might as well make conversation while they sit around for the brawl to end. Though another lioness (@Lagertha) joins the fray after issuing a warning to the golden boy next to her. Now this was really going to get bloody. An ear flicks at his curses and Rhea gently nudges him with her shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. ”Maybe they all have fleas?” she whispers to him, blue orbs twinkling with amusement.

”Speech”

_{art & table by yumpy}

Thankfully the silver-haired lady that he had initially introduced him to was very pleasant and very nice. Even going so far as to banter right back to him and he gave a silly and charming grin to her, easing his way into her presence because at least she was fun and not immediately resorting to verbal violence. Oh, definitely him. He says quickly, looking at the very, very, very elderly male that had apparently sought to place claim on poor @Rhea. Mother had taught him about those kinds who thought they were better than everyone else and simply wanted to invoke their "right" when it wasn't even right at all. It was wrong — super wrong.

I lived on the Summit for a while, very snowy and cold, so the oasis took an adjustment but it's pretty nice if you like the warmth. Guelle had a naturally thicker coat that he had acquired from his father's side of the family and thus the mountain had never bothered him but coming down to the Oasis he had realized how much that coat had actually done him there. Sitting there beside the rogue, he felt guilty not helping the two ladies sort out the decrepit cat but at the same time: a) he didn't want to help @Lagertha now, b) someone had to be at rhea's side to make sure she wasn't bored and c) and to make sure that no one actually did what lagertha thought he was going to do.

Nah, he was quick to rebuke her statement of all having fleas, the silver one is cool. She is — I mean was — the Heiress of the Summit while I stayed there. She's alright. The other two were obviously not on the nice list and it'd take a fuckin' miracle for either of them to teeter to the opposite list. @Isla ♔ on the other hand, he would give her a thumbs up. Maybe a three to four star review. From what you've seen so far, he looks to the lady to his side, you like what you see? Whether that was the fight that she was the cause of or the scenery that was painted around here, he'd take any answer for there was no wrong one.

ART • CODE