Alaiya

She was still so new here. This place was far more populated than anywhere she had been before and it was a little overwhelming. This place - Amaryllis - was new and terrifying and beautiful, and despite her hesitancy she had felt something pulling her to stay.

The first lion to approach her on the day she had bravely crossed the passage had been the pink leader of a place called Wolfbron Bluffs. He had seemed pleasant compared to what she had experienced from pride lions in the past and that experience alone had opened her up to the idea that maybe prides weren't all bad after all. They had talked, and when they were done she had found herself here, keeping to the borders. Could this be her home? Was it worth the risk?

Still undecided, she kept to the borders, keeping mostly to herself. She didn't notice the challenger until he called, summoning @Zoticus for a fight. Fear settled in her belly and adrenaline pumped through her veins. Was this unfamiliar male going to make up her mind for her, taking this opportunity away before she had even fully grasped it? And while she barely knew him, worry for the pink leader fluttered around her other feelings. He looked strong. But so had her father before he died.

Her paws carried her quickly to the source of the call. And she found she wasn't the only one drawn to the challenge. Several unfamiliar lions had gathered. In fact, the only one she knew was Zoticus. She stopped, not bothering to hide herself, and stood slightly apart from the others that had gathered, her muscles tense and her eyes concerned. Zoticus had already arrived, answering the call, and the fight had begun. So she stood tall and strong, hoping beyond hope that he would win and she wouldn't have to reconsider her options so soon.

+5 Observe a fight (1/2)

(c) Anyu

The call had been easily heard across the territory, a challenge almost mocking and angry as it sounded off the rocks of the bluffs. Whoever it was had a lot of nerve to challenge now. They were still recovering from the recent births and the war still carried tension. To challenge now just spoke of the individual's nature.

They wished to strike while they were perceived as weak which meant they never thought to best @Zoticus at his best. She too would come to the challenge, herbs bundled in her maw as she found the fight to already be answered with a growing crowd. Should a fight break out amongst the rest, it would now be her turn to defend those that had protected the land she called home, and if not then to tend to their king when he was done.

+5 Attend a spar or challenge to assess the wounds (1/2)
+5 Observe a fight (1/2)

table by sentinel / lineart + colored by aso

It didn’t seem like much time had passed at all since the war with the Mire before a new threat came knocking. Zaynab was resting in her den, still recovering from her own fight. She had lost hers and was maimed for it, though she knew she was far from being the only one in the pride in a weakened state. Their numbers had dropped practically overnight, and half of the able bodied adults were nursing wounds- or cubs. It was the perfect time to strike, though she couldn’t help but think that whoever decided to wait until now to do it must have been a coward for choosing to wait until such a time to do so. Even if it was smart from a tactical standpoint.

She rose on stiff limbs, her injured shoulder screaming in protest at the movement, but she couldn’t hide away. Not for this. She needed to see what happened, to watch this fight play out. When she had joined the Bluffs, she had done so because Zoticus had given her hope that he wasn’t a horrible king, and so far she hadn’t been proven wrong. Things were chaotic here, sure. But Zaynab had always thrived in chaos. This challenger was unknown to her, but she already knew she didn’t like him.

Others had already begun to gather, members of other pride. Were they here to support the high sovereign of Wolfbron? Or here to witness his demise? There was still some catching up she needed to do in regards to the other prides of Amaryllis, but it had been difficult to do while focused on her other task when things here seemed to be so fluid. Constantly changing. Several faces she recognized from before, though their allegiance was unknown. All she knew is none of them had fought to help Wolfbron when it mattered.

She kept her expression neutral, focused on the battle, though she kept her emotions hidden. There was no snarling or yelling coming from her, no threats or pointed glares. Zoticus needed to focus on his own fight, not others, and she wasn’t in the mood to be dragged into another fight anyways. If she had to, she would do what needed to be done, as she always did, but she quietly hoped that this would be over quickly, before things spun out of control as they usually seemed to in situations like this.

"Speech"

Luck was on her side and her ears were very keen. From a distance came a challenging voice calling for cowards to come out, and Walpurgis slanted her ears and growled. She was no coward! And yet, the challenge agitated her and she stomped toward the Bluffs. If anyone called her a coward for showing up then well she wasn't! She was a brave WARRIOR and she was gonna keep an eye on whatever shit this was. A pride challenge, looked like. At least, it was on the borders of a pride, and most of the lions here smelled like the same pride, and there were two dudes fighting while everyone watched so. Probably?

Her greasy mane still bristled from the insult that had been flung out so broadly. Lips raised, and a dark aspect upon her jowls, she sat stiffly and watched the fight. She hoped both of them died. Just because. One of them was spotted pink and slightly larger, while the other was average-sized and more plain in coloration. She recognized him as the male who had slunk away from the lagoon. She might have recognized the other; he had fresh wounds same as hers, just as old, from the same raid, but she had been occupied trying to prove herself as a WARRIOR and hadn't had eyes for anyone but the target she had acquired.

+5 Observe a fight (vermier/zoticus)

i lost myself into the night i clipped my wings and fell from flight

@Vermier turns to look at her, only briefly, and her gaze narrows upon him, lips pursed. "Of course she did," she answers, but it doesn't matter now. Amara is no longer her queen, but she doesn't know if Vermier is even aware of that. No, her ruler now sits behind her, all tall and stoic and staring like an unimpressed father. She does not pretend to hold any affection or obedience for @Magnus -- he has hardly earned an iota of her trust, and just because she must call him king does not mean she will bow so simply. Her lips purse, for she has nothing more to say to her former king. Perhaps her ire for Vermier is unwarranted, but Beelzebub is still young and floored with emotions that she does not understand.

Her stare snaps back to @Arjana, who is only too quick to spew her anger back at the yearling, causing her ears to slick back against her skull and her teeth to bare. "It was your pride who intruded on ours first," she spits in response, her eyes narrowing upon the russet woman. Or have you forgotten? Time and time again, the prides of Amaryllis have labeled them enemy and brought armies to Scilla's doorstep, disrespecting their borders without so much as a second thought. They judged them for the acts of one king without stopping to consider that there were others who lived there, others who took no part in his crimes and yet still are scorned for it and seen as evil.

"At least he brings a fair fight," she goads the woman, sneering in her direction. Zoticus had brought the entirety of an army to the Lagoon, with no regard to the multitude of young lions who lived there themselves. If Arjana wants a fight, Beelzebub is more than willing to prompt it out of her, all the while using her outlook of the truth to do so.

table by sentinel / art

Of the things Parvati disapproved of, and there were many things, violence was at the top of the list. And throwing insults was another. Parvati had been raised to solve their problems with (lots and lots of) words and bitter words solved nothing. As they recalled from their failed effort to stop the violence at the rainforest raid. And the death they had seen. They squeezed their eyes. They didn't wish to see death again. They wanted to run away. But this was wrong. It was wrong to be ruled by fear, not while they could force themself to approach. Parvati didn't want to cross the borders, even inadvertently, so they smelled Jewel's trail and followed it exactly. Pawstep by pawstep, stopping sometimes to sniff and ensure correction. The smell eventually got confusing but by then Parvati was within sight of the gathering and could make the final journey to @Jewel alone.

They were not sure what status @Jewel occupied. Nonetheless she was an adult and established within the pride, so Parvati would seek approval. They arrived with a very smooth, blank expression on their face. Look at how calm and conceited they were. Pls Jewel pls. Notice good Parvati. Parvati settled by the black female's unoccupied side and sat very primly, noting the exchange that Jewel's other companion made with a thought of disdain but nothing clouding their fixed expression. "Why have faith?" they questioned. "Faith is irrational. Although I don't know who is to win. The bigger one?" Parvati didn't understand enough of pride life to connect that the lion who had lost the lagoon was most likely not the defending king of the bluffs.

Crixus didn't make a habit of attending battles, but to be quite honest, he was bored. With days filled of nothing but wandering and contemplating his next moves, the gladiator was pleased with the distraction the battle offered. He made his way to the arena slowly, casually, and settled onto his haunches while gazing around at those gathered. No one he really recognized, but to be fair, Crixus didn't know many faces to begin with. There were tensions between lionesses as they bickered, but Crixus kept his attention trained more towards the immediate battle. If the girls decided to fight, well. Double the entertainment.

art by irish; stock by Svenimal @ DA

The girl has been trailing @Parvati, who she thinks isn't very good with being alone. So she decides that the older lion needs a little knight with them, to keep them safe, and maybe they both can stumble upon something wonderful. To Feyre's surprise, not only does she stumble upon a brand new land, but she gets to see another fight! When she was little, fights scared her a little. But now, it intrigues her because she knows she will have to fight others to defend herself and those under her protection. With her chest puffed out and her chin tilting up, Feyre continues following Parvati. To her dismay, Parvati settles beside Big Bad Meanie (aka @Jewel). That's going to hurt. Feyre scuttles away, deciding to go to the opposite side. Of course, she's in the bluffs territory, but she doesn't know and it seems like the adults are keeping their attention towards the battle. Once she stops, she begins jumping up and down with excitement.

image by rabbit/nesla, code by koi

faevyre. +5 Attend a spar or challenge to assess the wounds [1/2]

As time wears on, Faevyre becomes increasingly conflicted.

A selfish part of her wishes that they hadn't sent the yearlings ahead. They'd done well enough on their own, but the children's early landing in the Lagoon has caused Faevyre nothing but stress, seeming to mire them further and further into the land's conflicting political web. Bee seemed happy with the lions that everyone else seemed to have trouble with -- lions in which Faevyre herself had not seen do anything yet to earn such downright ire.

The Hollows had rained chaos down upon the Lagoon twice now, and the previously-fallen King seems to now be seeking another throne, perhaps for his misplaced kin. She can't fault him for it, but there's an implication of her being in the Hollows that means she should be on a particular side -- a side that she herself cannot bring herself to take.

She tentatively approaches the Bluff's borders, hearing some heavily-accented shouting from the challenger as she does so. Fire-rimmed eyes watch, knitted with mild concern, as the male throws himself into combat with the familiar red form of Zoticus. Knowing how these things go, she's brought a prepared bundle of herbs along with her. She's started to pre-package some to-go bundles, trying to find some semblance of things she can control and prepare for in the chaos, trying to save the time she often has to spend scrambling to gather up what she has before taking off to the next fray.

She spots the earthen figure of Bee, hears her and a grown red lioness seething at one another. Alarm flashes through her as she remembers the Rainforest, worry tight and knotted in her chest as she remembers that these things have consequences. She steps forward, her first instinct flaring to step to Bee's defense, but she sees the red woman's low-hanging belly and realizes that she's given birth recently.

Ultimately, though, Bee's right -- if anything, with the pattern of how these sort of things have been going, it's almost atypical for the entire land to not traipse on the contested land's territory the moment the calls ring out. The Bluffs had done the same to the Lagoon and the Rainforest and the Hollows the same to the Lagoon twice now. Even then, she wishes that Bee wouldn't be so abrasive, even if she understands why. Faevyre just worries she'll get hurt again, wants to step in if only because Bee being embarrassed and angry with Faevyre is better to the mauve lioness than the yearling getting hurt.

But, a voice within her reminds her, rearing its gnarled head, taking advantage of the torn uncertainty within her, You're not her mother. You don't have the right. And so Faevyre hangs back, watches the battle unfold with ears swiveled uncertainly to the side.

The red woman that Circe had been worried about in the Firnen war listened... for about three seconds before she was screaming again at @Vermier. Jewel resisted the urge to slap a paw over her face and beat the woman senseless.. Not that it would be a far trip considering she didn't seem to understand the volatile nature of these events.. When @Parvati arrived on her right, she flicked an ear towards the Caladan yearling before offering the younger female a smile.

"It sometimes helps those who don't know what else to do.. gives themselves something to think about.." She chuckled when the other female mentioned she wasn't sure who should win and gestured towards @Zoticus with a tilt of her skull. "The white lion with a red mane - he is the current king of this pride and has been for quite some time. That's Zoticus. Vermier - the lion standing at challenge was the king of the Lagoon.. His people stole children from the Cove recently.." Ears would fold against her skull, remembrance of how she had failed to protect the small girl of Erevu and Willoughby.

"There are many women and children in this pride that may find themselves in danger should Vermier win." Which reminded her - where was Circe? Her eye scanned the crowd, frowning when she noticed @Fayre bouncing like a spring loaded frog off to the side. Jewel's ears pinned again as she searched - failing to find any other Cove lions. Though she doubted the child would be in danger, unless things hit the proverbial fan.. it made her nervous to have her off on her own.

Still... she chuffed - letting her voice carry across the bluffs - so that @Circe would know they had at least one non-Wolfbron ally in the crowd. She hoped the red woman was allright, but knowing the toll of newborns, Jewel wasn't going to pull her friend from the den. Instead, she gently nudged Parvati's shoulder with a faint smile. "You're welcome to stay here - but I'm going to go keep an eye on Hecuba's daughter.."

And even more concerning was why Hecuba wasn't even here. She often came to these things if nothing to keep in the know. Jewel moved slowly around the edges of the crowd, settling to her haunches behind the rambunctious girl, but far enough away that she wouldn't feel like she was being babysat - but close enough she knew she could reach the child in a few steps.. After how the last few pride challenges have erupted - she wasn't comfortable leaving the youth of the Cove wandering without protection...

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"Speech"

Code by corvus. Manip by scarf