(I need for this finish in very quick to get her accept in hope before end of weekend . This setting few day after Miaran birth in Y13 May .)

The cubs had not only survived but thrived, their warm little bodies now full and content after the past few days. Khadija had been a steadfast support to the Judge, diligently bringing herbs and nourishing food to the mother. After ensuring that the precious cubs were well-fed, the mother shared her plans with Khadija, instructing the Medic to keep a watchful eye over the peacefully slumbering cubs. The borders were close enough that Adeline could hear any call for her if trouble arose, a comforting thought that eased her heart.

The Judge set off on her short journey, reaching the borders within minutes, her heart racing with purpose. As she walked, she took care to cover her tracks, determined to protect the hidden den that sheltered the fragile lives within. Perking up her ears, she listened intently for any sounds around her, letting out a chuff for the leaders. With a calm demeanor that belied the urgency of her mission, she sat down, ears pricked and eyes scanning the area, fully aware of her surroundings. While she did not conceal the signs of recent motherhood that adorned her, there was undeniable pride in the way she embraced her body and the new life it nurtured.


@Icefang ♔ @Arcania ♔ @Cassius ♔

code by corvus

He had seen her walk up toward their border. His bulk having been hidden away the very moment he noticed her form during his patrol.

There is a long steady pause after she calls for the land's owners. Cassius waiting to see if anyone else lurked behind the female. All the while, he moved closer. Eyes narrowed. Steps surprisingly silent.

The scent of cubs reaches him first. Strong and pungent. His nose wrinkles slightly. Purely out of primitive instinct. A lioness not of his pride, mothering cubs that did not belong to him. The flashing of thoughts ping-ponging inside his brain were older than any living lion. Harboring a sting so sharp, it was hard to ignore.

If you are seeking some sort of asylum for you and your brood, best to look elsewhere. Cassius hums, shoving down his carnal needs and finally stepping forward. Vermeda Brook was not out to offer charity to lone mothers who found it too hard to raise their children alone.

@Adeline

code / artwork

The Judge was not left alone waiting for very long. It wasn't long before a massive lion emerged from the brush, snapping words towards her in a display of closing the invisible door that caused her ears to pin back in mild annoyance. She remained still for a moment, holding her ground despite the agitation swirling around her.

At last, Adeline spoke, her tone lacking the heavy French that Miaran often wielded when speaking the Common tongue, yet there was an accent that tinged her words with passion. "So quick to close the doors, merely for having children. Such a stark contrast to what my sister once described this pride as, wouldn't you agree? Not welcoming to family, when Miaran is a part of Vermeda, is she not?" There was a tilt to her head, conveying both curiosity and a touch of feigned concern.

Adeline would never threaten to take her charges away from Vermeda, yet she also refused to surrender them so easily. Centuries of tradition would hold stronger than mere law. The Judges nurture the broods of Executioners and those under Judgement. Miaran had cautioned Adeline against crossing into Vermeda, which led to Miaran giving birth outside of its borders, a choice heavy with meaning.

@Cassius ♔

Potential Sleuth
+5 Learn the extent of a pride’s border
+5 Learn a character’s full name and rank

code by corvus

There is still distance between them, yet Cassius had always been a battle hardened monster. Though his eyes remained lcoked on the woman and ears trained toward her, all manner of maneuver raced through his mind. When to charge. How hard. Which way to pivot. Exactly where to land his claws first. A well crafted choreographed dance he often played over and over and over in silent musing; the rest of his body alert but relaxed. Planned out unpredictability. The tactic that had always served him well.

Wrinkles form along the top of his muzzle yet his chest remained void of any growling. You misunderstand. The door has yet to even be opened. And with the mention of Miaran, his ire for this situation only heightens. The secret dance of fangs and claws behind his eyes picking up speed. Miaran is not family. She saw to that when she hid away our own kin like a spooked hare. The male not yet able to put the pieces together that this woman had said kin. She was nursing herself after all. Common sense leading him to believe that whatever cubs she had were her own. Not another's.

Is that why you're here? To be with your sister? Well, might as well turn right around and slink back to your little mweling bastards. Miaran herself was on her way out. Either willingly or in a body bag.

@Adeline

code / artwork

Silence hung in the air, heavy and palpable, as she allowed him to speak. It was clear to her that Miaran was not held in any regard within the pride, prompting her to make her own judgment notes. The Executioner had made it unmistakably clear: trust only two individuals in this land. She had already met one and, thanks to her hidden advantage in the War, she understood exactly who Louve was. It became increasingly apparent that Vermeda was not one to be counted on.

"Miaran does not hide her children out of fear for them. She confided in me about the rules: trespassers face attack if they enter the borders. I returned to Amaryllis with my own son just days before she gave birth. To protect both my son and myself, she followed our Tradition, giving birth in the presence of her Judge outside your territory. But if the doors remain closed to us, I have nothing more to say," she stated with an unwavering calmness, free of malice or threat, as she rose slowly to her feet.

If Vermeda would not take Adeline and the cubs she cared for, she would heed the call of the true Matriarch. Miaran had always been capable of handling herself, as she had proven time and again.

/Exit

code by corvus

The scoff that escapes him is rough and loud. Miaran did indeed do this out of fear then. He was not wrong. If not fear for her cubs then fear for her sister's safety. The woman who married his uncle was nothing beyond her boastful self righteous yapping.
God's how he loved being right.

Being treated like family, means trusting the damn family. He laughs. She married in. She's a fool to have believed you would have been in danger. Communication was key after all and Miaran had decided to be a snake. All it would have taken was a simple ask. Seeking to know whether or not if her sister could visit and be present for the birth. The X'uekai were a heartless bunch but they were more than willing to cooperate in the name of family.

Too bad she had tossed it all away in favor of her own arrogance.

Go then. When you sister is ready to be picked up in pieces, we'll call for you. Though he said it with an amused chuckle, his eyes conveyed the threat that it truly was.

/exit

code / artwork

She had failed to intercept the declining conversation between @Cassius ♔ and @Adeline. Icefang only catches the last bits of their encounter, a growl rumbling in her chest when it's confirmed who the woman is - cloaked in the scent of milk and newborns. She shifts herself from the shadows making a quick mental note of Adeline's appearance as she stops at the spot that the female had been standing in. Icefang's crown drops to sniff at the soil, inhaling deeply to commit the scent to her memory. She had a face and scent coupled with the knowledge of Miaran's undying loyalty to the Dieudonne. It was enough, she was sure of it. Watching the lioness's form slowly disappear out of view, the queen turns to stalk after Cassius, prepared to give her heir an earful of how he fucked with her plans.

/enter and exit

art ♥ code