She would have continued on watching the fight but her attention draws back to the other woman. @Lagertha. Lilliana is wary, it being evident in the way she regards her. But whatever else it was she wished to say, @Vladizmir is there. His anger and thirst for vengeance hanging heavy in the air. With both he and @Teodora here, things were sure to get very bad very quickly.

The medic takes a singular step away from @Karsa, yet her hip remains pressed into him. A need of grounded contact. Without it she was sure she would be swept away by all the emotions swirling around. "Sîr! Erjeg ne avio em!" Uncle! Please don't! Regardless of the fact what more fights between the two prides might cause, this woman was clearly somebody to @Haakon. No matter what she had said, she had not harmed Lilliana. Thus she did not feel as though this woman deserved the wrath of the Savante Fangs or it's Claws.

"Lilli"

Full attentions snap toward the battle worn male as he approaches. Haakon! And she is pulls away from her family and whatever comforts they had been providing. She collides into him, head under his chin and eyes glistening with unfallen tears. But then she is pulling back to look at him. To look around him toward @Alexander ♔. To looking between them both. What the hell were you thinking? She tries to sound hard. Tries to sound angry. But all that is in her voice is fear. Fear of what this will mean for the safety and peace of the Hollows. Even if Caladan's leaders were for whatever reason turning their rage upon eachother behind her. That didn't mean they would forget all about Obsidian. Especially if Vlad decided not to show mercy to the woman who was attempting to stand down.

art by Deej

The beast collided with the offender; yet there was no retaliation, claws, and fury to meet his own even though she spoke with such venom the surname of her betters for only her betters were willing to defend their name. How boring. Endless dreadfully bleak. The woman goes to speak and yet her words hit him like water against a mountain, unconvinced and unaffected by the wailings of a weaker force.

This is why women needed to stay behind men, be protected, and be watched over and guided as the Mother intended. Their light was sometimes so bright that they tried to scorch everything around them; even unintentionally. Only the darkness that the men provided could save the women from such an awful fate. His shoulder would try to jerk forward to slam into @Lagertha; trying to knock the woman into the dirt as her words concluded; heathenistic fury lighting the fire behind his gaze.

But soon came cries of protest from the stands, one from even @Lilliana to not take the pound of flesh owed from offending the Savante. Darkness-twinged snarl erupted from the beast's core as he sneered down at the cove lioness. She wanted to talk when he wanted to rend her flesh from her bones, wanted to talk where warriors fought. Pathetic. The Shadow's deep timber would reverberate along the surface of the stone, his ears still fully pushed back against his head as that violent molten gaze was locked on his enemy as the voice of his sister cuts through the haze of darkness.

Stand down!

Did he have to? Another snarl would lick from his core; the toy is torn away — leaving him wanting as his body releases its tension just slightly; the only indication that he was willing to listen to this unjust command. His lip would curl high above his teeth; a wordless threat sent towards the cove lioness as he jerked his chin towards @Teodora and @Lilliana, indicating his next words. Go on then, thank them for your stay of execution, weakling. The words hissed, neck dropping to align with his spine as he rested his gaze upon Lagertha.

And apologize to Lilliana, the timber of his baritones would grate like gravel against that space he was forbidden to tear through, forbidden currently from stripping the flesh from her bones and sharing it with the Mother and Her faithful. But Lagertha would apologize to Lillian — alive or dead.

she's got the devil in her eyes
pretty in the light, even prettier at night

Her shoulder was going to be sore after this. Even her heart was going to be sore after this. She didn't know what this would cause for their relationship but she hoped that perhaps they would come out a lot stronger than what they were right now. Her claws even dug into the flesh of her wife's leg and though she could feel a tingle of pain in her chest from the fact that she was even remotely hurting her wife, this needed to be done. Ears twisted on top of her head, flattened on top of her head shortly after as she felt claws dug into the side of her neck, Aphrodite would attempt to turn her jaws towards her wife's lifted leg and wrap her jaws around it.

Aphrodite vs @Miaran ♔
For Minor Maim (TBA)
Round three

Hits;

Rolling 8d20: 12 + 9 + 20 + 6 + 5 + 7 + 1 + 17

dodges;

Rolling 4d20: 16 + 10 + 11 + 4

luck;

Rolling 5d20: 5 + 18 + 19 + 2 + 11

table by ryuu

Lilliana presses into Haakon's bruised chest, and although he winces Haakon doesn't pull away - he pulls her closer, wrapping a foreleg around her shoulders.

The looming presence of the Obsidian king alerts Haakon, and the demand for answers is met with a curled lip. Don't threaten me with a good time, he almost snarls, almost turns to go another round with Alexander, willing to shed his blood for the disrespect -

But then Lilliana pulls back to glare up at him, eyes bright with unshed tears and some other emotion he doesn't understand.

"I told you I would come for you." He murmurs, brows furrowing together over stormy eyes. Had she not understood what that meant? "I proved I am worthy of you." He whispers to her, and her only. Nevermind that he is exhausted now, that his body is bloody and wounded.

That would explain why Alexander seemed too vicious in their fight, if he didn't know Lillian is willing.

As much as it pains him, Haakon cannot allow the situation to escalate. Granted, he's secured permission from the queen to follow through, but he had assumed - wrongly so - that Lilliana would have told her family of this coming. Of course he would want her and their cubs with him.

With the queens... occupied, he is left alone and surrounded by the enemy. Whatever lovers' quarrel they were having isn't something he is entirely interested in - couldn't this have waited until they were back in the Cove?

Haakon heaves a slow, barely controlled breath. "I don't speak for Miaran or Aphrodite. The Cove is theirs. I am just their man." He glances around, but then his gaze settles on Alexander. "I secured permission to challenge for Lilliana - my wife. I want her and our cubs with me. By the gods, I've won that right."

"Go on then, thank them for your stay of execution, weakling."

Haakon's gaze snaps from Alexander to Vladizmir and Lagertha and his ears flatten into the thick fur along his neck. Gods but he is exhausted, and his gaze tracks slowly to the woman.

"If Lilliana needs protecting from anything, I will be the one to do it." He snaps, summoning the energy to stand tall. Although he doesn't move from Lilliana's side, his words are clearly meant for Vladizmir as well as Alexander - and the rest of the encroaching Hollows lions. "I do not think she is so fragile to need shielding from words."

Although, he will be speaking to Lagertha later to find out exactly what has gone on while he was fighting.

"Lagertha, join me." It isn't exactly an order, but it isn't a request either. It's as much protection as he can offer the woman. Haakon has no rank and no political power here, but he has his teeth and his claws and he will happily remind anyone who wishes to test him that he just beat their king, their leader. If they wish to form an orderly line behind him, so be it.

@Alexander ♔ @Lilliana @Vladizmir @Lagertha

art © drifty | code © hinter

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

Oh how she wanted to snap and snarl, to rip his heart out like she had so many times before. Disrespectful bastard. It barely registered that the fight for the Savante woman was over and for a moment she pondered her own choice to stand down instead of decorating this bastard with his own delicious life essence. To see him bleed.

The forceful push was not entirely unexpected, but he did have the benefit of his size compared to her own. She didn't fall so easily, but for the moment she did, allowing herself to slide to the ground as if she were nothing but that weak woman he saw her as. Let him believe it. It didn't take long for her to recover though. Perhaps he'd hoped it would, but within seconds the Valkyrie was on her paws, lunging towards him. No longer was there simply rage flickering in her gaze. Now there was one thing only. Open jaws angled in a way as if she'd rip out his throat, murderous intent blazing in her gaze. But her jaws snapped shut, right in front of @Vladizmir's face, even though the look didn't fade. "You don't command me," she snarled as she strode past him, her head held high.

Beyond her snarled words to him, the dark beast was not given any more attention. As much as she wanted to tear into him, to watch the life fade from his eyes, this was not the time. Another day, perhaps. Blazing verdant flames regarded @Teodora with something different, respect. Something unspoken but shown to the red woman's gaze as she moved to where she needed to be, where something stronger than the lust for battle drew her.

Near silently she drew closer to @Haakon, pale fur brushing against his side ever so slightly, the most subtle touch seeking to avoid bringing him more pain but wordlessly affirming her support for him once again. Fluffy ears flicked briefly as she simply listened to what was said, a subtle touch of the side of her head against his fluffy neck before she straightened again, gaze lingering on @Lilliana with something almost like approval, a stark contrast to her prior reaction. "She certainly isn't a fragile little flower. Otherwise you wouldn't have chosen her, älskling," Though most of her words were spoken firmly, on the last sentence she slightly turned her head to look at Haakon again, tone softening slightly, the last word in their so familiar language more hushed. There was still a lot she needed to think about, but all in time.

With a huffed exhaled, she straightened her posture again, tail tip flicking slightly behind her. Briefly, verdant gaze wandered once more, this time lingering on @Alexander ♔. "You will have your answers, but perhaps this can be done while both of you get your wounds seen to. It won't help anyone if either of you loses too much blood." Again, her words were firm, delivered with the same fierce authority that radiated from her posture. With both of the Cove's Queens still entangled in their own battle, the warrior queen was the next highest in rank and while she could do nothing about the fight between her Queens, she could do this...even if she secretly...or not so secretly, despised the political side of things.

code by flea, art by irish

Alexander's blue eyes narrow in on @Lilliana as she speaks, but the questions he had were not answered with her reply. Frustration rises, his mane and fur standing on end some, but the beast takes a deep breath and forces himself to settle. Finally, the beast who had come here to steal his niece speaks again. The Savante finds his jaw tightening, but is momentarily distracted by @Vladizmir, who seemed to be stroking the flames of malcontent with his arrogance.

A growl rumbles from his chest, "Az arrogancia nem lesz te, bácsi. Maradj és vigyázz a hátunkra, vagy menj el, ha nem tudod összeszedni magad." Arrogance does not become you, Uncle. Stay and watch our backs, or leave if you cannot compose yourself. Teodora and Vladizmir were the eldest in the family - as such, they were an example to others. They were expected to protect and ensure the safety of others; disrespect was certainly not something to be tolerated. There was a time and a place, however. Neither were it now. Warily, those blue eyes flick to Teodora.

The words spoken from Lagertha were something he was suddenly would incite violence from either one of them.

Doing his best to hope for the best, Alexander's attention shifts back @Haakon, brows furrowing softly. "Gaining permission from either of your leaders is an act of war, regardless of your intentions. Your Queen should have thought this through better." He mutters, starting to put the puzzle pieces together. It did not sit well with him. While he did not care who married who; since the previous history, he had hoped Lilliana would be smarter. Less reckless than her sister.

Shoulders roll back as he takes a deep breath. Though the next words that slip past Haakon's lips prompt a low snort, "Her family will also protect her. Lilliana has an important role and will not simply be swept away from us to breed and tend to you. She is special, as you can well imagine. I will ensure you have the choice to go where you wish." Those last words are spoken to Lilliana directly, not wanting to treat her as if she's not there.

Her voice mattered more than anyone else's in this moment.

Blue eyes flick back to @Lagertha as she speaks again. The command on her tongue causes his skin to grow taut and his nose to wrinkle. "We will be fine here, but your concern is appreciated." The Savante says roughly, attempting not to come off to abrupt and gruff - even though his mood was beyond soured. The only women he took orders from were from those within his family. And those of his wives.

table by aurora / art

Teodora was a woman who could understand a need to appear strong. To show others that no matter how broken she might be, they would never see the cracks in her armor. As @Riven arrives, there is a look that only he can read - that only he knows. There is love there, flashed for only a fleeting second before that fiery fierceness returns with a vengeance.

In this moment, Lagertha's weakness was rising to the bait. To responding to Vladizmir's sharp tongue at all. It made her look childish, weak. It also incited a need within the Blood Mother to teach. To show her that showing humility and appreciation for mercy was something that even the hardest of warriors needed to learn.

Regardless of Vladizmir withdrawing at her command; Teodora had done this to show mercy. A weak moment within her heart - one that she would not allow to happen again. Still, the girl had responded in a most ungrateful way.

This would not do.

The fury in her heart awoke with a blazing flame. The ghoul lets out a low growl beneath her breath, it vibrated her chest and became louder and louder the closer Lagertha got to Alexander and the others. Toes splay, her shoulders shifting from side to side as those jaws of hers open. Saliva gleams along hungry lips.

With swift movements, barely audible along the Earth, Teodora attempts to close the distance between she and the other woman. Coming in from Lagertha's left side, the ghoul attempts to use the full force of her weight to slam into her opponent - back and front limbs attempting to latch onto the woman to more or less try and mount her from the side. All the while her jaws snapping in unison toward the back of the other's scruff, attempting to obtain a grip so she wasn't immediately thrown off.

Teodora vs. @Lagertha
For Minor Maim
0 1 2 3 4
Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 7 + 18 + 2 + 9 + 20

Dodges:

Rolling 7d20: 7 + 14 + 5 + 6 + 12 + 17 + 10

Luck:

Rolling 5d20: 14 + 18 + 15 + 6 + 19

coded by flea + background credit + art

One of the Hollows, a lion he was unfamiliar with, lauched at the Cove lioness earning a hissed exhalation of air. Here we go. It would be nice to be wrong about this stuff - ocassionaly.


Still he was not in a position to try intercedeing as @Aphrodite ♔ gave an explanation - followed by ... attacking @Miaran ♔. This truly caught him off gaurd for a few moments as Reti stood and shifted to sheild @Thella from any possible stray blows.

What. The. Actual. Hell.

Meanwhile the theft challenge battle continued judging by the sounds of things. @Karsa spoke up feeding into the tension and causing Reti's ears to slick flat. This situation was bad enough already. Karsa did bring up a fair point however - was there some kind of issue the cove lioness had wtf the Savante or no?

He could hear the Cove lioness talking but did not know what was said over the sound of the Queens fight. He DID notice out of the corner of his eyes when the Hollows lion stopped attacking - only for Teodora to attack moments later. If he had known the Caladan lionesses personally Reti would have intervened- but he had a bigger problem to adress in the moment.

Reti's focus snapped to his friend and his ally locked in combat. A loud deep snarl, bordering on light roar rumbled from his chest as Reti called for their attention without interfering in the fight. Reti did not wish to be the cause of one maiming the other. He hated having to do this. Hated. It.

"Enough!" He snapped. Litteraly crashing his teath in the open air while looking at the pair. Voice softening a little - but still loud enough he clearly wished for the pair to hear "Tear eachother apart later. Caladen needs you focused, or it will crumble."

Person anger could be sorted later! Now was not the time to show internal fractures! Actually it was never a good time for leadership to fight publicly...
More to the point, Miaran needed to sort things will Alexander before more attacks occured! And Aphrodite needed to calm down and potentially give orders.

Or.... they could continue on. And he would watch it burn.

His gaze would shift to @Alexander ♔ then, seeking to catch his gaze before making a personal request "Please hold for just a minute, give Miaran a chance to speak if you are willing. " It was... quite a request. But he knew Alexander was not the type to jump into war needlessly. And they had history. Reti had to bank on his past with the Hollows buying a few more minutes before ... more dung hit the waterhole.

After this, well, reactions would see if he washed his paws of it all.

code by corvus

Things were devolving into chaos around her and it was all she could do to keep up: Tempers were rising between the pair of women until they overflowed into a heated exchange of blows, intent on damage; an entire group of non-Hollows and non-sea-smelling lions joined the crowd to watch—what business did they have here other than pure spectacle; the menacing older Savante seemed to have lost his temper, though thankfully stayed by the woman's refusal to entertain his foolery and Teodora's orders; and most relieving of all—the arrival of @Cosmin against her other side.

She leaned into him, asking in a fervent whisper; "Do you know who that man is? He's a member of your family, yes?" She'd been curious about him since she first encountered him within the dark tunnels, though brief and with no exchange of words. She was about to ask another when @Reti's voice—sharp and filled with frustration—startled her into silence; he was clearly upset with the two women, though he made a fair point. There were happenings concerning their members and this was something they probably should have handled in private.

art by moogle, code by lars

(This was agreed between the parties ooc because of the way the thread progressed. Staff may message me for verify.)

In the midst of Miaran's fierce battle with @Aphrodite ♔, the world around them seemed to fade away as they clashed with unbridled fury. Even as @Khadija cried out for them to stop, their primal instincts overruled all reason. Miaran was consumed by a burning desire for vengeance, every fiber of her being focused on striking back at the one who had dared to attack her first.

The pain of her injuries only fueled her determination, each blow exchanged with Aphrodite only adding to the scars etched on her body. And when @Reti's roar broke through the chaos, Miaran was momentarily startled, but she didn't falter. With a defiant strength, she broke free from Aphrodite's hold, blood seeping from her wounds as she stood her ground.

As she turned her head and watched Teodora and Lagertha's confrontation, Miaran could sense the shifting tides of the situation around her. Despite her exhaustion, her spirit burned with a fierce resolve. And as she locked eyes with Aphrodite, her voice a low growl filled with promise was whispered, we will settle this later.

Her eyes met Reti's, annoyance flickering within them for his interruption, yet she understood the gravity of the situation. Despite the excruciating pain pulsating through her torn leg, she pushed forward with a slight limp, scanning the crowd as her heart raced.

Instead of moving towards Reti, Miaran found herself drawn towards Khadija, standing strong amidst the chaos. And though her words were meant for the lion chimera, her voice rang out with emotion in her native tongue, c'est un désastre. this is a disaster. Her eyes flickered towards @Haakon, the lion, a mix of anger and frustration evident in her gaze as she demanded answers. Explain yourself, Haakon.

As the High Queen, Miaran had warned of the dangers of the Hollows, urging caution and prudence. She knew that Aphrodite should have understood the implications and consequences of meddling with such forces. Regardless of whether Aphrodite was aware of their agreement with Reti or not, it was clear to Miaran that one should never fan the flames of a volatile situation.

table code by daanyen