The older woman could not quite explain why she was making the choice that she was but perhaps it was because she had nothing more to lose. This way she could keep the den that she'd only just acquired and wouldn't have to attempt to fit in somewhere new let alone learn a new land. So the pale wheat woman stopped several feet from where the border to the Lagoon lay, watching it ever so carefully before raising her voice to call for the newly risen leader. Surely her presence would be met with caution but that was to be expected when no one knew who she was. If anything, she was just tired of continually having to relocate and hoped that this guy might have the decency to keep her well-sheltered for a little while.

@Vermier

table by novi

GOD KILLS INDISCRIMINATELY AND SO SHALL WE

Someone was calling for him. More precisely, someone was calling for the pride leader. A position into which he fit like a well-tailored suit, and which he filled with power, but which was still separate from him and from which he could still be separated whether by his sister's command or his own failing. He did not know this voice and he surmised it did not know him personally or it would call for him by name. Either Vermier, or Dieudonné. He didn't know which would please him more and it seemed like a dangerous thing to think about so he wouldn't.

Pain was enough to think about. The wounds from the fight a half moon ago now only hindered his leg, the source of his limp an obvious motley of peeled above his right elbow. He also had what he thought would be a dashing scar along the right side of his face when he thought of it at all. Which was... actually right now. A female on his borders might be someone to impress, or someone who he could make impress him, and either way it befit him to be handsome and surly. He liked being handsome and surly but it would fit him, too.

He emerged from the shade, his precious under-tree cover, into the broken sands near the borders. He liked seeing them marked by so many pawprints. He also liked seeing that she had suited herself away from the martial line although it would have been easy to cross and say she hadn't noticed. She blended in quite well and his eyes ran over her a few times as he approached, noting how the common dorsal line also encompassed her tail and tuft and swooped down her face. There was a blush on her cheeks that was separate. At first glance she seemed wise and circumspect. Her age was not too advanced. Unlike many on this island she was in her prime, not a youngling like himself trying to snatch everything he could while he was still short of strength. He half-blinked as he slowed to a halt deciding he would tentatively approve of her and see where that got him. "Ah madame, very good! Very nice! You see border, you stay there!" he nodded vigorously, hoping that if his English confused then his body language wouldn't. "I am Vermier Dieudonné! King of Skeela! Madame have question, yes?" Vermier may or may not answer unless it involved bragging about himself and his exploits in which case definitely yes.

@Maude

In a land of young, she found she felt rather old comparatively. No one else seemed to be around her age and if they were, she hadn't come across them. At least no one that shared in her same spirits but depending on the day, they changed. Maude wasn't the reckless woman that she had been when she was a year old or newly minted adult but she still held a lot of desire to see to how she died. At least she had control over that.

So coming to the Lagoon where she couldn't really see a whole lot happening, it was also a place that she felt would be good for her. Respect was key coming here as she wanted to be on a good paw with whoever came and she wasn't disappointed. @Vermier was quick to see to her, seemingly appreciating her respectfulness at keeping past the border. She had no intention of being a stupid idiot so here was where she would stay unless otherwise told. Luckily, his english wasn't all that hard to understand aside from a few missing words. Vermier Dieudonne, King of Skeela. If only Vermier could see that Maude found his introduction endearing, if not amusing. Maude, pointing to herself with her right paw before setting it back down and lowering her head an inch. She had no flowery or bold surname to give to him. The one she used to have mattered little now as most of the family had died out or had gone their separate ways. There was no way any of them would be coming here.

I guess I could make it into a question -- are you recruiting still? Vaguely remembering that he had somewhat invited whomever to come trolloping into the Lagoon with him but she had been on the fence that day. Uncertain as to whether she wanted to stay in the pride or leave to go elsewhere. Today, the Lagoon seemed like a good choice and one she didn't want to walk away from unless the Dieudonne simply didn't want her.

table by novi

GOD KILLS INDISCRIMINATELY AND SO SHALL WE

Her initial reply, though obedient, left him somewhat disappointed. The restless bits of him wanted someone less than perfect. Someone to sink his teeth into. Some little flaw to poke out. He scanned her expression as she moved paw to chest and back to ground. The manner of one who spoke with few words. Maybe not due to a simply quiet nature... perhaps a mute deficit? That would be fun to make fun of.

Disappointed again as she carried on, speaking smoothly in the ugly English tongue. Vermier didn't like being disappointed. Or, well, if he was disappointed, he liked there to be an easy reason for it. He leaned more of his weight to rest on his good limb. Considered some more, and let his haunches slack to the sand as well. The beach floor scrunched around his wrinkled flesh. His tail flit out, wiggling at the tuft.

'i - a question. are you recruit?' The subtleties of whether she was seeking an invite were lost on him, both because the words were too complicated and because he was not a subtle political person (unless he was driving the subtlety - often with the skill of a Mack truck). "Lagoon... recruit?" he wasn't sure whether the word worked in reverse or it was some teach/learn thing where the verb was not reversible. His brows quirked, questioning if this was the right word. "Always desire lion. Lion serve Dieudonné, lion good live. Eef serve Dieudonné... very liberty." Vermier knew the freedom he could offer the bolder gazelles. They could spar and clash without an overseer tutting at them. Kill and torture as they wished. "You like cub?" he perked up at the sudden idea. Someone her age and alone might have a strong maternal instinct and might be good at luring children to them.

There was definitely a wall that was up between herself and the dark High Sovereign, though not one that she could easily see a way across or see it as impenetrable. Not yet, anyways. Maude had been through too many prides and seen too many faces to really be able to judge anyone based on first impressions alone. By the sheer fact that he seemed to be asking, she assumed it was him trying to reverse the question and ask if she wanted to be recruited by the Lagoon. Yes. May I join? Perhaps it was better to give fewer words as he did. Feeling a twist of confusion as she realized that it was her dumbing down. It felt rude but if it worked, it worked.

They desired lions, always. Serve Dieudonne. Yeah, she got that part at the challenge. Supposedly she'd live good, er, well if she served them. Very liberty... okay, freedom perhaps? She'd have freedom to do whatever. It wasn't until he really asked the most exciting question that had her mentally reeling. Blood seemingly ran cold as she was asked if she liked children. Maude liked to believe that she loved children and that they loved her but the darkness had a way of creeping in. Year after year, mate after mate, she'd been shoved into a dark corner of the world where infertility struck. She wasn't entirely infertile, no; but she hadn't ever given birth to a breathing child either. I do, came her easy answer -- shoving any deception of the two words down so that it wouldn't be seen as her weakness. Though, she certainly would never say that she would be good at luring children her way either. That was up for experimentation.

table by novi

@Vermier

GOD KILLS INDISCRIMINATELY AND SO SHALL WE

Blessed be, she didn't try to butcher the ugly English further by introducing poetic spirals and conceit. He had communicated well enough for her to understand and she had responded very neatly. His chest warmed, affirmed. So his English was functional enough and most lions who misunderstood him were just stupid. "But yes," he purred with a blink. Gave just a little pause to make her think there might be a catch but there wasn't. The Lagoon needed new members, experienced and worldly females as well as young and brash males - the best each gender had to offer.

It would be more interesting to toy with her interest in children. It had been an easy guess but he still felt wise for venturing the question. She had given him no other obvious weaknesses. This was one. Or it could be one. He had hoped her answer would be a little more strained. Hoped there had been some divorce or tragedy to reveal. Always important to know the weaknesses of your inferiors. "You want cub, you take cub," he explained. He wanted them to know exactly how much liberty he was giving those who served them. "Eef cub mama no fight, or weak, is you deserve cub! All good thing for serve Dieudonné." His kind was more likely to eat than tend, but if she had the passion to fight and steal for what she wanted then she would get what she wanted.

Course, it was possible she'd rather know about what to expect if she was expecting, but Verm liked to fight so he naturally emphasized fighting.

@Maude

Children just happened to be her one sore spot in her life. A burden in her youth that had forced her to become cynical, hardened and aloof. Too many times she had been verbally and physically been abused because of her situation but she had owned it after a while. Simply accepted the fact that she was never to have children because she was not deserving. So if @Vermier wanted her to fight someone for a cub and take it because the mother was weak, then fine. If that was the universe telling her to fight someone else for the right to their child, fine.

"You want cub, you take cub."
Somewhere within, it resonated.

As though the pounding voice of his was her voice of reason telling her that if she was unable to have them, and wanted them as badly as she had, then all she had to do was take them. The thought ten times better because her to-be King was telling her to do so. I can, she sneered haughtily and lifted her head up a little bit more, and I will. Suddenly, it was all she wanted; a goal in her mind set to take whatever child wandered and make it hers. Make it theirs.

table by novi

GOD KILLS INDISCRIMINATELY AND SO SHALL WE

His poke at her physical prowess had been inadvertent. It was not in doubt. Yet he was pleased to see that, just by speaking the way his passion led him to, he had chanced upon something interesting. He wondered if she had been beaten before. Had lost a fight she had meant to win. Had been doubted. And now would redeem herself.

Redemption was a privilege given to anyone who had the stomach to earn it.

"Good! Is good day we friend." Not knowing how to say when we met. His English sucked and he didn't feel that when things happened were as important as things needing to happen. "On island, lion say 'need rank'. HAH! Dieudonné no need rank, Dieudonné rule all. All Dieudonné and Dieudonné servant take want alltimes. Now... you take cub, I give rank. OR - you take rank, FITE, you get rank, walk at the..." he waved his paw in the direction of Maua's passage, frustrated that none of his vocabulary would fit together to describe that place. "the, the IN. Eez cub there." There were no ranks without blood, without service, without making his life a bit more interesting. He flattened the frustration from his face but it remained in the form of impatience and eager interest, staring beadily at her. He did want this one to succeed.

@Maude

The woman present did not feel as though she needed a leader to be able to speak what would be considered "proper" english. Instead, she simply needed a leader who would tell her what they needed or wanted in which she would try to assist. That was what she was for, was it not? Oberon had been a nice fellow, sure, but in the end it was really about having a pride to her name. Safety and all that. While it was nice to be called a friend, she was certain that the friendship was (for now) one-sided; unknowingly not reading his words correctly and seeing it as it was told.

Following along as best she could as he expressed more about what Skeela was about for him. Dieudonne, him, saying that those with name did not need rank and the servants could take whatever they wanted. It was a hard gather at first to understand that he meant to say that his family was to be respected above anyone else regardless of their status within the pride. Once she figured it out, she nodded in response so that @Vermier would know she understood her place. Shall I fight you? she asked in simple terms, wondering if she was to fight the recovering king or if there was someone else that would rise against her. Maude liked a good fight and was eager to toss herself around but if she was going to stand unchallenged then a heads up would be nice. Nothing like standing around with a toe up your ass waiting for someone who never shows.

table by novi

GOD KILLS INDISCRIMINATELY AND SO SHALL WE

He understood her asking if she would fight him and surmised she was choosing the route where she proved herself within the pride before taking prizes from without. Vermier nodded vigorously, interpreting this as desire to fight and gain as soon as possible. "Maybe! We see. Eef no lion in pride fight, I fight you, yes... and bite coward lion no fight you!" Vermier would be extremely displeased if within a proclaimed cannibal pride nobody wanted to nibble up a newcomer a bit. He would have Issues. He peeled his lips. Would be fun to punish them though. "Euh! I talk!" He shook his head at himself. "Come come! See home!" And he gestured her inward.

-exit