This wasn’t what he wanted to stand for. Following his Queen the hunter felt uncomfortable here. Following more to watch the back of his pride mates he was tense as he came to stand next to @Khadija and @Rose. His ears pinned and his eyes narrowed as they darted around. "This is madness. We shouldn’t have came." He whispered for the two ladies to hear. Seeing Aphrodite fight Haakon he was torn as to what he was supposed to do here. Who was he supposed to support for his loyalty was torn between his High Queen Miaran and his ex Queen Aphrodite. One was a friend, but the other was a sister to him. End the end he chose to stand on edge and allowed his heart to win deciding that it was his wife who he truly wanted to support.

( Milano is open for a fight up to minor maim. )

code by corvus & art by Rabbit

OOC: Open to fights up to a major maim. Feel free to say he charged them first, because flavor~

---

So the day has finally arrived, as it inevitably must.

The moment when the peace shatters.

The drums of war pound along the shoreline, and Mircea marches to the tune with the gravity of someone joining a funeral procession.

They were always connected, weren't they? Wars and funerals.

Today, he intends to bury only his enemies - the warmongers who could never just leave well enough alone.

Yet the scene that greets him on the beach is...difficult to pull a part. The smell of fresh blood is cloying, overwhelming his senses with endless red, thrumming to the beat of his pulse pounding in his ears. The gargoyle shakes his masked skull, fangs bared and nostrils flared, but the sharp movement does nothing to clear the haze of this old, familiar fog.

He'd thought he had conquered this. The cost of saving Caelfind's life was the realization that he had not.

With a blink, he catches sight of Alexander, locked in battle for some noble cause. In the next silent gasp of breath, he thinks he sees Dragos, snarling features steeled with an intent to kill. In the next blink, Xander tears into a dark woman with all the righteous fervor known to the young and ambitious.

His kin bleed for a cause he does not understand.

His own blood boils in his veins, and the colossal gargoyle suddenly slams his paws into the sand with enough force to shake the very earth, jaws parting in a thunderous roar of fury.

He is unraveling. He knows this, somewhere behind the haze.

Yet it does not stop him from lunging into the fog, lashing out at the first beast unlucky enough to get in the way of his stampeding paws.

He hopes that Caelfind will not see him like this. Not again.

ART BY MOOGLE, CODE BY DEE

Zinnia

More chaos ensued and bright yellow eyes watched it all, soaking it in. The heavy taste of blood was breathed in with each breath, but what caught her attention now, stealing it away from Aphro was how she missed the fucking ghosts that were just…there. Her jaws dropped open, she was open mouthed gaping at the sight. She thought that was just a cub story to keep the kids scared and giggling. Not…real. Her fur bristled at the unnatural sight, her gaze darting between them and then to Aphro. What in the world was going on?

Another skirted the edges and was largely ignored until that skirting had drawn closer to her. Yellow eyes framed by black snapped to the woman, much older than herself. She had interesting markings, like Zinnia…but not the same. The girl chuffed softly, to get the woman’s attention, eyeing her warily. "Are you a friend?" She asked, her voice loud enough over the snarls and clash of bodies as she spoke to @Avreya but she was not yelling by any means. She didn’t know who she was supposed to trust here….not in all of this chaos.


speech

artwork • coding

there had been a distant call - almost a howl, wrought with fury - and her leaders had bade them to attend, to answer the summons in numbers. she had followed ghyslaine and olive to war before - in ecrosia, where luther had threatened her friends as yearlings, though she had dragos at her back every moment there.

this time was different.

elodie raced the journey alone - no waiting, no arriving as one. she knew the path to the cay, skirting the jungle, and reasoned scilla could not be far away. this was magdalena's home - if she was still here. elodie could not in good conscience wait for others, no matter the tactical advantage it might've given. she had bundled together what few herbs she had collected since she had realised she could be useful after a fight in at least some way, and determinedly kept up pace the entire way to the lagoon. she had to know.

but still, by the time she arrived-

she breached the dunes, sand spilling out from beneath her paws as she ground to a halt, eyes wide and heart immediately racing. iron and ozone flooded her senses. there was something otherworldly in the air, and she just about managed to watch peregrine charge through a spectre like a shadowy wraith himself, locked finally in a battle with morrigan - whoever she was - and the fur down elodie's spine began to stand on end.

there was blood on the sand, and the battle was haunted.

her own veins ran cold, and, frozen, she cast her gaze wildly out across the battleground, spotting some familiar faces all locked in their own fights. the savante were here. she shrank a little, despite herself, when she saw alexander - who had only ever been loving to her, when she met him as a child, but who stood for something bigger than himself, the head of the family that dragos had been so careful to teach them about but keep them keenly guarded from.

and as sides began to form, it became clear that the savante - her family, if she wanted them - were fighting with morrigan. and... against the white beacon of luther. again. which meant-

peregrine was their enemy.

she made a soft, shaky noise, and bolted into the fray.

picking through the chaos, bits and pieces flashed past her. luther and rohan, who she had almost not recognised. the lavender savante looking boy she had hunted with, and he stood over... melusina? elodie froze, guilt stirring in her belly as she set eyes on her, knowing they had a secret to keep - but feeling ill, despite herself, at the pang of jealousy she got from seeing her absolutely crawling with attention, unwanted or not.

she could barely recognise magdalena, who lunged at melusina with a ferocity that chilled elodie to her core, even from this distance away, a whole battlefield between them.

sisters. another piece fell unto place.

perhaps she made another small, inward sound here. she didn't know. it didn't matter.

because a flash of a specific shade of white-and-red dragged her entire focus from one place to another, and - obscured partially by spectral bystanders - she saw him entangled in a fight with just as much ferocity as magdalena, if not more.

her heart stopped.

"dad!" she shrieked, broken, terrified. she only barely had him back - she'd only seen him in brief stolen moments - he couldn't-

everything seemed far away. she was underwater.

she had lost leila. melusina had never been hers to keep. she was losing peregrine, if he was not gone already. magdalena spilled her own blood across the sand, as much as her sister's. and now dragos?

elodie whimpered softly, completely torn, frozen in place by indecision, wishing that maybe she had waited for the rest of lorien - for olive - for anyone.

+10 +20 - Learn something about pride/group/family relations
+5 +10 - Learn something interesting about a character
+5 +10 - Attend a spar or challenge to assess the wounds

_{table by hush}

When she notices her pride-mates slinking from their dens, she cannot help but to follow. The Dieudonné woman stalks on silent steps, and her judging eyes widen when she reaches her destination.

Ah, good old fashioned bloodshed, was it then?

A grin forms fat upon her lips, and she quickly works to disguise herself amongst their ranks. Anonymous, inconspicuous.

Truthfully, she cares not for the purpose of the war, nor does she really wish to mangle herself at the moment. No, sometimes it was much, much more fun to watch.

So watch she did – enjoying every last minute of the chaos.

- Marilène is hiding -

+20 Sneak into a pride or group without getting caught ( 1 / 2 )
+20 Remain undetected in a large thread (5+ characters) ( 1 / 2 )
+20 Successfully stay hidden for the duration of a thread ( 1 / 2 )

Cathán realizes his error when he collides with over 400 pounds of pure lion, and he fights to keep his breath from rushing out. Fuck.

The fuck is even doubled as he hears Melusina reject his command. FUCK!

Pain, so much of it – it seeps deep within his flesh. Cathán reels as the male sinks his teeth straight into him, and tears begin to swell, blurring his vision. “*Mallacht Chromaill ort!” He keeps his claws tight beneath their targets, and as he is lifted by the boy, they should tear the skin as they are forced off.

The boy hisses and jeers as the teeth sinking into his flesh tear at the gentle skin. He feels blood rising hot against his body, and he fights back all urges to scream. It burns. IT BURNS.

All for what.

Anger surges through him, now, and he lashes out once more with extended claws. Cathán attempts to strike at Rémi's chest with a left hook, and the side of his neck with his right. He'll make him pay.

Fuck.

He understands now.

* Equates to "Cromwell's curse on you!" – just harsh Irish cursing

+20 Participate in a raid or war ( 1 / 2 )

( +1 Luck from Melusina )
@Cathán vs. @Rémi
For Dominance
Round 0 1 2 3

Hits:

Rolling 4d20: 19 + 12 + 17 + 1

Dodges:

Rolling 4d20: 18 + 5 + 7 + 14

Luck:

Rolling 6d20: 2 + 1 + 11 + 19 + 3 + 16

THIS THREAD HAS REACHED
WAR STATUS!

— A war is underway between the factions of
Scilla Lagoon, Illyria Summit and their allies and Ecrosia Mire and their allies —

If happening on a pride territory, this is a reminder that trespassing increases your character’s PVP by one level.

Please remember to read the fight rules on wars, raids, and the fatigue system here, and to post all fights in Fight Updates so that they can be properly logged.

If your character is in a fight or other situations that could impact them post-thread, please be mindful when doing posts that are set after this in their timeline.

A summons? From the direction of the Lagoon. His pointed ears would perk, interest sparking in his eyes. He glanced to the side, to @Zwei. "Stay, little one. Where I go it’s not safe." He rumbled softly, rising to his paws. He didn’t know if she would listen but he was extremely confident that she wouldn’t be able to find her way to the Lagoon without her sight. If she left, he would find her. The monster grabbed one of the bundled rabbit skins, thick and heavy with a favorite sap of his. He wasn’t sure what the summons was for- only that it was a call to allies. And others were ringing out as he made his way out of the Brook and to the enemy. Lathan would arrive to chaos, already multiple fights had broken out and his Queen was nowhere in sight. How odd. It wasn’t often that he beat her to the party. Silver gaze roamed over the gathering, listening to the chatter, the snarky comments, the fierce combat. His rabbit skin dropped from his jaws, letting it fall open to display the sticky sap inside. The grey assassin would flex his front claws and dip them into the substance, shifting his weight from one paw to the other coat both his foreclaws carefully. This was to cause pain, not necessarily to make someone sick. With his claws thickly coated in burning sap, he turned his attention back to those gathered, quickly picking out the enemies but there was one that caught his attention above the others. A low rumbling chuckle coming forth as he moved towards @Matthieu. "My Zanmi! How lovely to see you again." He purred with a smile that was far to friendly for what his intentions were. "I’d love to show you the Brook, why don’t you join me?" He asked, head tilting slightly before he lunged forward, not giving another moment for his friend to run away. Again. Lathan would use his claws first, not being methodical in his approach at all, his intentions were simple, to cause damage. Claws outstretched, Lathan would attempt to slash his claws along the man’s left shoulder and throat. He hoped that in doing so, the thick sap would stick and burn where he left marks on his opponents flesh. Jaws were parted, but they did not reach- not yet. Ears fell back tucking into his mane as best they could for protection as his gaze narrowed slightly to protect his eyes. He would not stop his onslaught until Matti was safe and sound in the special den at the Brook. Lathan vs. @Matthieu Matti as prisoner Round 1 / 3 Hits: Rolling 6d20: 14 + 6 + 16 + 3 + 17 + 1 Dodges: Rolling 4d20: 7 + 16 + 15 + 1 Luck: Rolling 5d20: 10 + 19 + 7 + 17 + 5 NOTE: Lathan has laced his claws with Milky Mangrove. Effects: skin contact causes irritation and blistering, eye contact can cause temporary blindness "Speech."

Art by Rabbit and code by Shazaki

and i'm just a problem
a knife to the spine had taken more casualties than a blinding sense of trust; it, too, had nicked and frayed the tethers that once staunchly bound olive to lorien. thus, it were neither duty nor loyalty to their queen – her sister – that drove the gentry to heel and to heed the call-to-arms in faraway places. nor were her pursuit of chaos made to sate some sick desire for entertainment, however cruel, and however tempting. no — olive sought to abandon the safety of the plains and preferrable inaction for the sake of a girl.

she were a fleet-footed thing, and the panic that lanced her every step rendered olive’s intent to outpace futile. still, she adhered to the haphazard path @Elodie carved en route to the epicenter of anticipated battle, relenting from speed only once she’d breached the outskirts of that which distantly unfolded. for a moment, olive loses sight of her target as the ensuing carnage inspires awe, inspires dread; and yet, just as swiftly as she’d gawked this way and that, does the pixie manually recenter her focus upon that which drove her to these gods-forsaken sands in the first place. a flash of red, flecked with snow, and olive swerves past the bodies of combatants and spectators alike to rally to the little sweetling she’d watch turn from babe to budding woman.

quiet. the sprite were never quiet, but her tongue stills without jest as she skids to a pause at elodie’s left shoulder. for a moment, she offers nothing but her company: however insignificant or comforting it were or were not. that is, until she traces elodie’s glazed stare to— to dragos, and all the brutality he invites. and suddenly, olive, too, were fraught with too many emotions, and all at once.

“elodie,” comes the voice of a stranger from her own lips, firm and self-assured – almost matronly – as she unconsciously moves to intercept the girl’s line of vision. “elodie…” she reiterates as the cogs churn beneath a furrowed brow, and she’s reminded of faie as her eyes hover upon the youthful, soft features of the halston. “if— if something happens, you won’t unsee it. not ever. not when you sleep at night, not when the sun lights the fields in brightest gold, not when you look into the eyes of the ones you love most.” it were the same advice she’d offered to faie, once. the same advice she’d wished had been imparted upon her the day sersie came for vengeance, and left with nothing instead. but olive would not dare deny elodie her choice, and after a pregnant pause wherein she searches the girl’s face for anything and everything, olive steps aside.

she steps aside, and a flash of plum emerges from the surrounding pandemonium: hazy and drenched in foreboding shades of red.

and olive – haloed by the agony and torment of war, and grief, and gore, and loss – smiles.

she erupts from her standstill without forethought, leaving elodie to sit with her words and a murmured “i have to...” that were meaningless to any and all but she and the victim set within her crosshairs. her target’s audience – situated however close or far – were largely disregarded by olive as she attempted to charge from the rear with unadulterated, bounding footfalls. striving to make the final leap with forelimbs outstretched and nails sheathed, olive hoped to collide with @Anniston and send them tumbling forward.

a laugh soft on her lips – teeming with genuine mirth – were uttered just for anni: a goading play along, if ever there were one, as a convincing snarl contorted her features.

no one will ever hurt you again.


olive vs. anniston
for
dominance
one of three

hits:

Rolling 4d20: 12 + 6 + 1 + 15

dodge:

Rolling 9d20: 13 + 12 + 15 + 3 + 14 + 9 + 20 + 11 + 6

luck:

Rolling 5d20: 16 + 14 + 12 + 17 + 15

and no one's ever solved it

table and art by ryuu!

((Dice adjusted for age, please disregard the last hit/dodge dice on round 1 for fairness when calculating results. Adding: Pride Tier 4: Bonus to members participating in fights in their pridelands (doubles the level 1 bonus of their master trade) - +1 luck))

She might as well be a ghost at this point. She'd always been marked like a skeleton, a ghoul carrying the interior on the exterior. Too bad her flesh wasn't as strong as bone, however. That would have been quite nice in a fight.

She was shaken, the woman jarring her loose, but Heloise pressed on regardless, not about to be dissuaded from her rage. De spirits will haunt ye and yer kin, she snapped as she braced herself on all fours again before lifting her right front paw and attempting to sink her claws into the woman's face again. Admittedly, she was going for the woman's eye. If she wanted to make comments about Matthieu's wounds then she could have some of her own, Heloise thought. That only seemed fair.

Heloise vs. @Valentine
for Major Maim
Round 2 / 4
Hits:

Rolling 5d20: 5 + 13 + 6 + 20 + 19

Dodges:

Rolling 5d20: 14 + 2 + 18 + 5 + 16

Luck:

Rolling 7d20: 9 + 17 + 10 + 15 + 18 + 13 + 19