Despite being stuck as a member of Wolfbron under the new kings rule, there was nothing saying she was trapped behind the borders. While she didn’t know anyone who could free her yet, she was still able to go out and seek a champion, someone with more physical prowess than she possessed. It was admittedly a little embarrassing. She had gone so long prior to joining the pride without getting herself caught in a situation like this, had been so careful when deciding where to go, only to end up in the exact position she had been trying so desperately to avoid.

She trailed along the base of the mountain, pausing near the start of the path that led up, debating. She had spent plenty of time working on tracking down the man Zoticus had asked her to find, but she wished she had spent more of that time making friends out of her packmates and those that Zoticus had considered to be allies. It would have at least given her some direction in her search.

"Speech"

He had not visited the Labyrinth since relocating East. As it was no longer on his doorstep he hadn't much occasion, but upon returning from a visit to the Hollows - and to Úlla - he could not resist taking a slight detour. These walls were familiar, but the scent within them was not. That is until he got closer, and the distinct aroma of the Bluffs hit him. Interesting. The woman up on the path ahead was a stranger with a distinct appearance, and her brief hesitation gave Magnus enough chance to catch up to her. He offered a low chuff of greeting, unwavering attention lingering on her face, watching her for a reaction. He wanted nothing more than to pick her brain - to determine how life was in the mountain now that Zoticus no longer ruled - but, for now, he would refrain. Chances are it would be a sore subject.... There was also equal chance that she was an ally of Vermier, and would therefore not give him the answers he wished for. So, for now, he would simply offer a greeting. "Good morning."

irish

The sound of approaching paw steps give her pause, her torn ear twitching as she wondered who it would be. Friend or foe? Despite having been mostly invisible in these lands for most of her time so far, her relation to a seemingly controversial pride was evident enough by the scent that clung to her pelt, and with Kamau still posing a threat, there was plenty reason for her to be wary. Luckily, the man who approached didn’t seem immediately hostile. His greeting was neutral, and she wondered what might be going through his head.

She remembered seeing him there when was broke out between the Bluffs and the Mire, had watched Zoticus go up against countless enemies and had not intervened. The memory of how little back up had been provided by their allies then still irked her, more so now as she questioned if the outcome of the challenge for the Bluffs may have been different, had the former king not been in such rough shape from having fought so many battles. Zaynab herself had done her best, but she was rendered useless after her fight. Of course, politics were complicated, and she had guessed there was more going on that night but that knowledge did nothing to ease the bitterness of the situation she now found herself in.

"Hello... You were an ally of Zoticus, correct?" Zaynab always paid very close attention to things going on around her, had been even more focused that day. She remembered what he had said, about fighting to help free those who had been loyal to the pink king. This could be her chance to negotiate her freedom. She wouldn’t cry and beg to the new high sovereign, but if she had to make other offers to get someone to fight on her behalf, then so be it. But first, she wanted to see what he had to say, and if Zoticus’ offer of debt would be enough for her to get what she wanted.

"Speech"

The freckled lioness was striking; her appearance against the dull and sodden structure of the labyrinth was a stark contrast indeed. Her pale pink pelt was offset by vibrant eyes, and light freckling along the majority of her frame. Her address to him did not confirm 100% who exactly @Zaynab was in relation to both the old and new leadership in the Bluffs, though mention of Zoticus would certainly snare his attention. "I am," he confirmed, seeing no need to hide that - she may be a stranger with motives that had not yet been determined, but Magnus was not the sort of man to conceal his truths when there was no risk of backlash. The lioness was no threat in her current state, and any information she could possibly feed back to Vermier.... Well, what he'd just told her now was something that had already been made clear in the challenge. "Why do you ask?" He inhaled, sniffing the air subtly. "You are not happy under your new King?"

irish

It seemed from the way he spoke that he was trying to figure out where she stood, and was quick to reaffirm his stance. Her smile dropped at his next questions, paired with a quick shake of her head. "I joined Wolfbron under Zoticus. The man that rules there now is not the kind of man I intend to live beneath." Her loyalty to Zoticus was born out of a need for her own self preservation, but he had proven to be a good man and she would be far more comfortable moving into a position with someone he was aligned with. "I spent most of my time in Wolfbron searching for an individual who had been causing problems, so I haven’t made many friends here, and I am need of someone who is able to challenge for me to get me out of the Bluffs." She was more than willing to make an offer of her own if he needed more persuading than knowing the former king would be in his debt, but she paused there to see what he had to say.

@Magnus
"Speech"

The answer is one he expects. No, she is not happy, and is very much a supporter of Zoticus by the sounds of it. Magnus would remain eerily quiet as @Zaynab made her case; speaking of a search and needing to find her freedom somehow. It was only once the pink-pelted woman fell silent that the Jarl would speak up. "Perhaps we could arrange something," he tilted his head subtly as he regarded the assassin, attention narrowed and brow heavy. "I can secure your freedom from the Bluffs, one way or another. But there would be a price. I need your name - I am Magnus, and I control Scilla Lagoon." He considered how Zoticus seemed to be getting closer to Ulla by the day - his conversing with the grey-pelted High Sovereign at the challenged had not gone unnoticed, the way they moved off together in quiet tongues - and how it would behove him to continue to keep the Xanthos man on side. And acquiring Zaynab out from under Vermier's nose could do just that. He considered the few remaining Dieudonne still within his ranks, and how - while the idea of prisoners interested him, the concept of using said captives to benefit his own standing with his allies interested him more - he could use them to his advantage. "If I remove you from the Bluffs you would become a member of the Lagoon, even if it was only temporarily. I would expect you to earn your keep, and work hard. What are your trades?" She had them, surely?

irish

He assessed her carefully, his offer not coming with any unexpected conditions. There would be a price, but there always was, wasn’t there? She didn’t like it, necessarily, but she could respect it at least. Were she in his position, she would do the same. Zoticus’ offer was his own, but if she wanted to be one of the ones to be saved, she expected to have to work for it. She needed a place to live once she left the Bluffs anyways and didn’t mind falling into this man’s pride. "Zaynab. I’d be happy to remain in your Lagoon for as long as I am welcome, and treated with dignity." She wouldn’t tolerate a man that sought to belittle her, no matter what he offered in return. "Before joining with Zoticus I served as an advisor and was well versed in ambassador work, and while I was quite good at it, it was mostly used as a cover for the less savory tasks I took care of at night. My primary duty was that of an assassin. Poisons and destabilizing threats from the shadows. I am more than happy to participate in hunts as well, of course, and when the pride needs defending I will fight." The tattered ear and still-healing wounds littering her body were proof enough of that, though if he had any further questions she would be happy to answer them.

@Magnus
"Speech"

Zaynab. Magnus nodded. Swift, and compliant. That would work well in her favour. He could certainly treat such a woman with respect and dignity, should she continue to prove useful. And, judging by the sounds of it, she would be just that. The Sigrún were not typically ones to utilize stealth when dispatching foes; it was all brawn and flashes of tooth and claw and big displays of aggression. While he could not imagine himself ever trying to eliminate an enemy by assassination.... He could certainly see its uses. He would regard @Zaynab for a quiet moment, before letting the mask crack momentarily; it revealed a cool, calculating expression, accented by the subtlest of smirks. "Very good. I am sure we have plenty to discuss, Zaynab." With a nod of the head, he gestured further up the path - his intended route - and made it clear that she was invited to join him.

Discussing this further would certainly be in her best interest.

EXIT

irish

The assessing gaze continued, but as she finished her presentation of her skills, he seemed pleased enough. Every king, and queen, had their own style, their own way of dealing with things. Some preferred to show everyone just how strong they were, while others like to play close to the chest, only revealing their cards once they were certain the battle had been won. Shadow work might be her specialty, but she was adaptable and she was sure she’d find a place for herself in his ranks. They did indeed have much to discuss, and she would have many, many things to learn about him, his pride, and those who called the Lagoon home, and she would begin to dig for information as soon as she got the opening to do so. As he gestured for her, she did not hesitate to join him, glad to get things moving.

-Exit-
"Speech"