The topic might have drifted away, if not caught in the clutches of an approaching lioness. Clove perked up slightly as she spotted the movement of shadow in her peripherals, assessing quickly that this woman had outranked and outlived them all.

"Luther Rike? He lost the Mire a while back but I do not know where he is now."

Something twisted up in her gut at the mention of him – so concrete, so tangible, as if the stranger had witnessed it herself. No longer did her uncle exist in her nightmares alone. The news of his alleged loss hung there in the air, refusing to quite settle in as fact for the girl who had only known the Stärke-Rike brothers as kings.

"In a ditch far away, we can hope?" Clove piped up at last, her tone more resigned than the fiery sentiment of her words.

She might have wandered instinctively after the one with seniority of the group if not for the nagging feeling of familiarity that came with her introduction. Elaine was a Dieudonné of Wolfbron Bluffs – a group she had heard referred to almost exclusively as a 'tribe of banshees not to be trusted'. Her heart thrummed in her chest first at the realization, and then with satisfaction in herself for actually remembering some of her father's droning lessons.

"...but are you sure you do not seek family?"

The adolescent awoke to the present moment, two-toned gaze latching to that of aquamarine with a glint of wonder.

"You know where they are?" Clove inferred with a slight tilt of her head. She was quick to level her expectations; it was not possible that she knew Bruno and Tai's whereabouts, as she was sure she had left her fathers in her dust. She had to bite her tongue to keep from letting their names loose: Dalila, Nyoka, Silke! "N-no," came her resolute denial, a small shake of her head to punctuate it. No, she could not speak their names in uncertain company. No, she knew better than to hope to find family at that passage.

"I seek a new start," she elaborated finally, glancing from the charcoal lioness to the two boys from earlier. Clove swiveled her ears forward with interest as her next words brewed within her. "I want to learn. I'm smart; I can be useful," she could not help but plead her case. Though they each seemed pleasant enough, despite a snort given at Karsa's mention of 'the spirits', she could feel the seconds marching closer toward the moment she would inevitably have to choose one.

"I'll go to Obsidian, if I may." She climbed back up to her paws and fixed Karsa with an expectant stare. Perhaps he expected her the ambitious sort – perhaps she was just basic. Clove wagged the curled mop of her tail with anticipation and shot an easy smile toward Fearne and Elaine.

"Thank you – really."

---

-exit-
@Elaine ♔ @Karsa @Fearne

_{ART — CODE}

he supposed it was about time that someone turned the tables on the recruiters. often, these meetings on amaryllis’ borderlands were focused on the rogue - gleaning whatever information they could about the kind of person that they might be, what ambitions may lay dormant in their hearts, what they have come all the way to amaryllis to seek. beside the usual spiels introducing themselves and their prides, perhaps a more in depth statement about rules or other opportunities at most, was the only attention spared to the recruiters. it rarely took a whole lot of convincing to get a rogue to choose one pride over the other, much less have them request to be convinced.

with his own turn completed, karsa’s eyes turn to @Fearne, listening intently to what the illyria member says before turning his attention to @Clove again. it seems they will finally get their answer about this luther person though - clearly not someone she’s trying to seek out. though they have not asked, it seems she wants to convince them that she would be a good addition to their prides in return as well. “of course, you’d be most welcome. i hope we have what you’re looking for.” karsa was sure they did - he hadn’t been lying when he had said their members were experts in many disciplines. his head tilts then, as if to beckon the yearling to his side to begin the walk home. “let me tell you more about the pride…” with that he trails off, sure to fill @Clove in on the rules and allies of the pride and ready to answer any of her questions should the yearling follow.

exit karsa with clove?