Gawain had woken much earlier than he usually did. He'd had to, to make this journey and back relatively quickly. So he'd worked with the sunrise, given Eli and Naz a little smooch on the head, and set out for the hollows.

It was a long trek, he had to make it nearly all the way across the peninsula. He varied his pace dramatically to keep things interesting- sometimes walking, sometimes running, sometimes rolling down hills when he got too bored. He was also careful to adjust his prints so as to avoid leaving a straight line back to his home. It was something that had become second nature in recent months.

But finally, he'd made it to the border of the hollows. It felt strange to be back here, especially without Eli. But he'd heard that there was a new leader here, which struck him as odd, and he wanted to ascertain just what kind of lion he was, and determine if an alliance could be beneficial to the band he was working to build.

So he stood at the border and chuffed for @Roan, careful not to place a toe over the line. And vaguely, he wondered if any previous members of.the hollows would be rejoining under the new leadership.

_{art by yumpy}

Little by little, Roan was getting a feel for the tunnels that made up his new home. Still healing from the fight, the Hodari wasn't yet ready to make the necessary trips to the other prides to start off the mundane task of setting up alliances. At least he still knew some of the leaders in Amaryllis, so maybe it wouldn't be the worst experience to have to start over. The masked man wasn't feeling up to the trek just yet, however, not while his shoulder was still healing. Luckily, it would seem that one soul would decide to save him the trip of navigating the lands as a voice called for him at the edge of the Hollow.

Learning the way had taken no time at all to memorize being that it was the most important to know. @Gawain, therefore, was not left waiting long before the mauve Hodari arrived to the summons. This was not a man he recognized, nor did the air bring any familiar scents his way. Maybe the lion wished to join? Roan tried not to get ahead of himself just yet. He was just one lion trying to rule a pride. It was a completely different feeling to be starting over from scratch rather than taking over in someone else's stead. "Hello, sir," Roan greeted casually with a dip of his head as he came to sit across from the stranger, leaving a respectable distance between them. "I am Roan Hodari, High Sovereign of Obsidian Hollow." The obligatory introduction felt foreign on his tongue having not used the High Sovereign title in a while nor had he ever added Obsidian Hollow to his name, but such was his title now, and he didn't know how quickly word would spread of the change. Best just to get the introduction over with from the start and see what the stranger intended. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Table by Amanda | Bust by Hinter | Background from unsplash

The man approached quickly enough. Gawain wouldn't have minded waiting, but he certainly appreciated his punctuality.

He introduced himself and sat down, and so Gawain responded in kind. "Hello. I'm Gawain Colter, and I'm in the process of creating a band in the jungle. I missed the challenge, so I wanted to come meet you and see what you stood for. I had an alliance with the former prince, and I may be interested in sharing the same with you. May I ask what you have planned for the hollows?"

He held absolutely no ill will towards the man before him, his tone only held pure curiosity. He was a stranger, and Gawain would hold any judgements until after he had said his piece. The man seemed strong, though, and friendly enough. He really hoped this went in the direction of an alliance, or at least friendly relations between the pride and the band.

@Roan

_{art by yumpy}

The man was forthcoming enough to return the king's introduction with one of his own. Roan would listen intently, offering a respectful nod here and there were appropriate. It was intriguing, and almost a bit worrisome, to hear that this stranger had a previous alliance with a former prince of the Hollow. Roan instantly wondered if that might be the Bear figure Alva had spoken of. Ulla could easily have other children, other princes that might have made this alliance, but 'Bear' was the only one the Hodari knew of at the moment. In any case, it didn't seem to be a hindrance that now Roan was ruling the Hollow. @Gawain just seemed to be in search of an alliance either way.

The mauve lion appreciated how to-the-point this stranger was. He had offered his name, his plan to create a band, his desire to learn about Obsidian, and his previous relationship with the former prince all in the same breath. It left little for Roan to desire to learn himself, though certainly there would still be questions of his own. "Nice to meet you, Gawain," the masked lion offered with polite nod. "I'm probably going to sound like a pretty boring king compared to the former prince, but all I want out of ruling Obsidian Hollow is to give my family a place to come back to. I just want to keep them safe and offer a safe place for anyone who might need it." What more could a Hodari really ask for after everything they've been through? Roan didn't know if he even had the energy to spare on wanting much more than that to begin with, not when he wasn't sure how long this moment of peace might last. "Overall, my rules are simple. I expect my members to pull their own weight and help each other. Don't cause trouble. Support our allies. Don't claim those who don't wish to be here. Pretty basic stuff." Many might call him boring, lacking the thrill of world domination, but Roan simply did not want that kind of life.

Table by Amanda | Bust by Hinter | Background from unsplash

"That's not boring at all," he replied with a shrug. "I have a lot of respect for that, @Roan. That's all I want from my band, and Bear, the old prince, would agree with you as well." There was something immensely comforting about finding a leader who's values aligned with your own, especially when the leader was new.

It seemed that it might be possible to create a pretty strong alliance across his band, Firnen, the Hollow, and Astrid's band, at least. It would be beneficial for all of them to have strong backing, especially given the turbulence of Amaryllis.

"My family is pretty small, but we are heavy in medics. If you would be interested in an alliance, my medics are more than willing to offer their services, with the hope that if we are ever driven out or attacked, we can come here for aid." The rainforest, of course, would be his first choice. Living underground wasn't an ideal situation for him, or for most of them, but it was good to have options. "I understand you don't have much in the way of numbers right now, I would never ask anything of you that you can't offer, or that I wouldn't offer in return."

Gawain knew politics, but he didn't know all the fancy words, he wasn't skilled at eloquent speeches. He only had straightforward honesty, integrity, and a good heart. He didn't want to drag along with pointless conversation that got both lions nowhere.

_{art by yumpy}

Considering that he hoped to make a good impression eventually when meeting with the Sigrun soon enough, it was nice to hear that the former prince of these lands would have agreed with the way Roan intended to run things. It was just one stranger's comment, but the Hodari was eager to hold onto it. Ears flicked forward with intent to hear what all this visitor's band might entail. In the back of the masked man's mind, he wondered what Cressida would have thought about a legitimate band being within Amaryllis. Maybe she'd want to join them someday if she didn't end up joining him here in the Hollow, wherever she was.... If she was still alive. But enough of that darkness.

Roan continued to pay attention to @Gawain as he mentioned what sort of arrangement could be made between the two groups of lions. Certainly, the Hodari did not have much to offer as of yet, though it sounded like the stranger's band was small as well, so it wouldn't be too one sided either way. "It doesn't sound like a bad arrangement," the masked lion offered honestly at first. "Is it mostly family that will be making up your band then?" Gawain had mentioned his family being mostly medics. If they were a group of healers, there was probably less of a chance that they would find themselves in much trouble that might then risk dragging the Hollow into trouble as well. He didn't know Gawain well enough at all to know what to expect of him, but Roan wasn't about to let the opportunity for an alliance to slip by without at least considering it.

Table by Amanda | Bust by Hinter | Background from unsplash

Gawain paused a moment, considering how much he truly wanted to.share.with this man. But he seemed an honest and decent fellow, and he couldn't see any harm in telling him the honest truth about the band.

"Mostly family, yes. Though we are family more by choice than blood. There is a pride on the mainland called Darkstone. They are a... very cruel lot. They take prisoners, innocent lions, and make them fight for their amusement. I've been rescuing lions from there since I was eleven months old, following the footsteps of my father. The purpose of the band is to offer those lions that I rescue a safe place to learn how to live a normal life. After that, it is their choice whether they choose to leave or stay."

He would never force anyone to stay with him. But some, like Phantom, had no clue how to survive on their own. Or some, like Frog, were too young and had no parents to rely on. It was to be a safe place, a haven. Without the pressure or tumultuousness of a pride.

@Roan

_{art by yumpy}

Hm, a family made more by choice than blood. Roan could definitely understand that considering the amount of adopted siblings and relatives he had in addition to all the 'friends that feel like family.' @Gawain's history was not unlike some ancient Hodari lore. A ruthless start to life until someone decided it was time to change their ways. Though the mauve lion was many generations removed from that pinnacle start of the Hodari line and his more tyrannical ancestors, the underlying motif was still evident in their daily lives. The Hodari wanted safety and freedom for their people, and Roan would be no different.

"That is an admirable effort," the masked lion nodded with genuine respect for the male. "It has always been one of my goals to free those from prides that do not wish to be there. I can't imagine a place where lions are not only claimed against their will, but then forced to fight one another. You have my respect for what you've done with your life." It wasn't a bad idea, actually, to go back to the old ways of life. To simply live with one's family wherever they pleased and not be tied down to a particular piece of land dictated by a particular set of rules and ranks. Though Roan had never lived in this manner, he'd heard the stories from his grandparents of how their family used to live. After everything the socked lion had been through in life, he was starting to see the appeal of a rogue band. "I see no problem with an alliance between our prides, Gawain. I'd be happy to take you up on the arrangement." They were very similar men, living only slightly different lives. To not take him up on the offer felt simply idiotic.

Table by Amanda | Bust by Hinter | Background from unsplash

It seemed that they had a sort of kinship between them and he looked forward to seeing where this alliance could go. Sure, Gawain had no bloodline to follow, but they were both out to protect their families and help those in need. What else could one really seek in a leader?

Gawain didn't expect Eli to particularly want to return to the hollows, but at least he could tell him that it was under new leadership. "I look forward to working with you, @Roan. I will put in a good word with Bear for you. And if you ever need anything of me, we live in the jungle. We aren't hard to find."

_{art by yumpy}

"Thank you, @Gawain. I look forward to working with you as well. Hopefully, we can get our prides together soon for a meet and greet or something." It was always one thing to set up an alliance, but another to actually get to know one's allies. Roan wanted to really made solid friendships with other prides this time and not just exchange words. If they could find a reason to mingle, it would be for the benefit of both their groups.

"And if you ever need something of us, you know where to find me," he smirked, as if Obsidian was going anywhere. Even if the jungles weren't a particular pride territory, though, Roan was quite familiar with the lands already. He'd spent a lot of time moving between them, going from Firnen to Ecrosia several times over. As much as he didn't want to go back to the Mire any time soon, he could find a reason to see the jungle again. "Is there anything else we need to discuss then?" Both of the men seemed fairly happy with the alliance, but Roan would make sure they were done discussing things before taking his leave.

Table by Amanda | Bust by Hinter | Background from unsplash