This had the potential to be a stupid idea. Icefang was weary of approaching the other prides. She was not aware of all the details of the politics that ran the current groups. There were too many leadership changes lately and when she felt she knew a bit of information, it was gone as quickly as the land changed seasons. The air was chilly today as winter came closer and Icefang feels a small shiver run through her as she leaves from the covered grove through the open meadows and closer to the sandy shore of the beaches. She knew to steer clear of the lagoon for now based off the comments at her challenge, but what about the cove? Were they intertwined with Cassandra or even their neighbor? She hoped not. Standing a foot from the border to ensure her approach is respectful, Icefang issues one loud call for whoever owned these lands to come greet her. It was time to really establish her understanding of the politics in Amaryllis.

@Kvare

Table by koi. Do not use without permission.

Quite ironic given that this new strange led the Brook and had ousted her very mother from her throne. Analia was privy to this development if only because of her ambassador skills and she was quick to note as she approached that very familiar scent of what had always felt like home in her heart. Yet, her face did not portray anything except a biting neutrality — thick with curiosity but knowing that whoever this @Icefang ♔ was, her family would go back to Vermeda one way or another and it never stayed in anyone else's paws for very long. For now, she stayed out of sight of the white-coated stranger but if @Kvare, @Yuna or @Pyrrha ♔ happened to come this way then they would very clearly see her but she did not intend to show herself unless any of the three were present.

she's hiding from icefang's line of sight and downwind until otherwise stated

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Knock, knock, came the call at their doorstep, an inevitable occurrence as prides changed hands. Immediate travel to greet the stranger brings the sinuous tawny frame into view of the pallid woman she'd witnessed winning over Vermeda Brook's throne. A distasteful event, given their pride's affiliation beforehand. @Analía's presence is noted, though she doesn't oust the girl. Caution permeates throughout her neutral approach, nothing outstanding about @Icefang ♔ brought a direct threat to the cove, lest the pale woman were so unwise as to march against them single-handedly. Body halts a good distance from the other queen, her own regally poised body mirrored across from the woman. "And what brings you to Caladan, today?" Of course, as any good monarch would know, this woman sought connections between other prides; hopeful, perhaps, that Caladan would extend a hand of allegiance during the fickle tides of war. Unfortunate that she must banish the alabaster queen from their ties, for she found it unlikely @Kvare would seek an extension of their good-will to this woman.

art ♥ code

PYRRHA TOLLAIRE

The heiress too arrives, walking past where Analía lays in hiding without giving the dark shadow as much as a single glance. She's focused ahead on this alabaster stranger that has been received by dutiful Yuna. Signs of age, of fights, pepper her pale complexion. Signs of pride and victory in her eyes. This was a business trip. She moves forward until she is beside Yuna, silently anticipating a response for the same question bubbled in Pyrrha's mind.

This feels like an instance with absolute certainty that Pyrrha should hold her tongue and learn by watching. Both to observe the reception this woman gets from her step father if he should arrive and observe the means by which the new Queen conducts herself. Two birds, one stone.

lineart by corvus & code by me

There was a visitor on their doorstep, Sunder could hear her and though this was no longer her job to greet visitors, she still made her way across the beach. The former Queen had no intentions of making herself known, and instead would rise upward on the far cliffside of the beach. She'd lie down there, nestled amongst a few of the larger boulders, to peer downward at the gathered individuals. There was a deep rattling in her lungs as she inhaled and exhaled, she was sure it would stay that way for a while until her body could mend. She had to be gracious with herself, she knew that. There was a flicker of pride that burst through her as her crystalline gaze moved to find @Pyrrha ♔ present, and slowly she'd lower her head onto her forepaws to continue watching the group below. She hoped in the least she wouldn't be detected, she had no intentions of interacting. She simply was here to observe, and find out whether the Cove would be gaining a new ally or not. *Sunder is attempting to hide! ssassin level 3 perk to remain hidden 1 is failure, 2 is success Rolling 1d2: 2 [sleuth exp] +5 - Infiltrate a group thread without getting caught +5 - Learn a character's name and rank (Icefang) +10 - Remain undetected in a large thread

art by hush

It is some time she is standing there and Icefang feels her patience ticking away to the point that she considers turning away and dismissing the potential of good relations with the cove from her mind. However, while she can not see anyone she gets the prickly sensation that she is being watched. Cranium skull pivots as her blue orbs scan the rocky, small mountains surrounding the area. Perhaps some sentries were hidden among the rocks? It was possible. She had already begun scoping out the brook to find any points where she could place guards along her patrols.

At last, a lioness arrives and Icefang stands a bit straighter as their eyes meet. She questions her purpose for being here as another lioness joins her. Perhaps they were a ruling pair? "Visiting the neighbors," she states calmly as she considers her next choice of words carefully. Were they aware of her challenge and victory? She had been so focused on her fight that she had failed to really recognize any of the faces who had gathered. All she had known was who had shown up from her own pride in support. "Are you the high sovereign?" A glance between the two, curious of their relationship and rank. She wanted to gain as much information as she could on her little visit.

@Yuna @Pyrrha ♔

Table by koi. Do not use without permission.

Their welcoming committees grew larger and larger with each passing day. Kvare had seldom the time to collect himself and answer the call before the entirety of their leadership had beaten him to it. Not that he particularly minded—any who would shirk at his advisors were most unworthy of his attention. Mercifully for Kvare, two of them kept themselves hidden, escaping even his notice.

He was surprised, however, when it was a Vermedan scent accompanying the call, and it was not Cassandra's voice. He had heard of her deposition at Icefang's hands, and had not anticipated her coming to join Caladan; it was the woman he suspected least of all, in fact, who now stood upon his borders.

He settled between @Yuna and @Pyrrha ♔, scrutinizing gaze falling upon the newly-crowned Queen before them. She'd age above Cassandra, and perhaps in some ways experience; and though wresting control from a Greyflood ally was red flag he simply could not ignore, Kvare clung onto the belief that perhaps her intentions were purely ambitious, rather than malicious. Cassandra were welcome to claw for the crown back, just as he would be were his pride ever to fall.

He had not been there the day of the challenge. He did not know what this woman wanted, he did not know what her aspirations were, and if they would be of greater use to him than having his grand niece sitting upon a throne. His expectations were high, his wants were many.

I am the High Sovereign, Kvare begins, something of a cunning smirk flitting to his lips. My name is Kvare Tollaire. I am told that you purloined the crown from my niece.

He took a step toward @Icefang ♔, the glint of yellowed canines slipping from machinating lips; but he made no other move beyond that. A pity we had to lose another ally. But such is the nature of our position, wouldn't you agree?

Art by Rabbit, table by cala

Distrust curls around her stomach, tightening against intuition as @Icefang ♔ questions her position. Such nonchalance expels from the pallid woman's lips, causing her pale blue eyes to glint icy from their exposure to this woman's self-important possession. "No-" she begins, cut quickly as the king himself slides between she and Pyrrha's forms, closer than she preferred the beast, yet tolerating such proximity as a displayed united front.

Interwoven webs expanded against her knowledge base as @Kvare joined the welcoming committee. Whilst she'd known Cassandra had been an ally of Caladan, she'd not known her to be Kvare's niece. Whether the man accepted dislodging of his niece from the throne of Vermeda or not would tell much of their future within Caladan. Thus far, the king invited the older woman's allegiance, which might disgruntle those present given their relation to Cassandra. Curious, that this man would stand against his family in anticipation of another's power.

Silence stole her tongue as she glanced across Kvare's shoulders towards @Pyrrha ♔, trying to gauge the young heiress's response to such open acceptance of this change of hands within the prides. Should Kvare prove smart, he'd not agree quickly to any formal bond between the cove and the brook. Little was known about Icefang at this time. Any intentions the new queen held for the pride she's stolen were hidden, and their political alliances already solidified them to war against Morrigan's enemies.

art ♥ code

"No." She paused, she lifts a brow and looks at the face of their visitor. She wanted to know if it mattered, if it was only the High Sovereign she deemed worthwhile to do her business with. Or if Yuna and Pyrrha would get the respect they deserved. "I'm Pyrrha Tollaire and who are you?" She's got more clues than she has let on, she can smell the north on Icefang and there's only so many reasons that someone comes calling on a pride's leaders when they already have a home of their own. Neeha and Yuna had recently brought news of the Brook being overtaken. Was this the woman who had done such a thing? They did not know each other at all, let alone well enough for a casual visit. But Pyrrha wants to hear it from Icefang rather than make an assumption and be wrong. Or maybe this woman truly would snub the both of them until Kvare arrives.

Unfortunately Pyrrha would be left to wonder this for another time as her step father arrives, laying down the truth Neeha and Yuna have already made the pride aware of. The Greyflood hold had been weakened. Kvare's family. Pyrrha is immediately curious of this pale woman's response and play here. The judgmental gaze that both Kvare and Yuna had suffered in their own time fell now onto the Brook Queen. Impress me now. She expected of this visitor. The battle for her right to rule did not end when she usurped the Brook Queen and took her crown. It had merely just begun and there were harder fights ahead of her. Anyone who thought a crown was earned through besting one lion was a fool. Pyrrha is engaged, will this Queen give up on her visit so soon now that she knows what literal lion's den she's walked into or make attempts at arrangements and stabilize her position? She's grateful for the front row seat, and that it's Kvare's blood who is entangled not Pyrrha's.

code by me & art by rabbit

One by one, her higher tiered pride mates arrived. With each arrival she felt more and more inclined to show herself but ultimately she decided it was best she stay hidden. For if anything, she wanted to know his thoughts and until he showed up none of it mattered. It wasn't @Yuna or @Pyrrha ♔'s thoughts or responses that she was looking for. She liked them just fine, but it was her Uncle's opinion that mattered now. To see where she would continue to stand; whether that was by his side or by someone else's.

The last few months had shown her a lot of things, had taught her more than she could have ever imagined. So today as @Kvare showed up and reiterated what she already knew — that this wench had taken her mother's pride, her family's pride — Analia listened with baited breath. Hidden among what shadows she could find of this Cove and making use of it so that she would know where her future truly lied and if she had one here at all.

Her Uncle spoke of truths but there was something in the way that he had said it that had her teeth bared within the shadows, her tail flicking anxiously behind her in wait for more.

For what would follow had the chance to change everything.

@Sunder @Icefang ♔

— present for development, all are free to skip ana. :)

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